8
THE MORNING OREGONIAX, THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1908.
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PORTLAND, THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1908.
THE PROHIBITIONISTS.
The Prohibitionist party must be
numbered among the regrettable
things of the world. -.Its members be
long to that class of men whose in
tentions are excellent, but whose
deeds are harmful. No doubt they
sincerely' wish to put an end to the
evils of the liquor traffic and rid so
ciety of intemperance, but their
methods are so unwise that they have
helped their cause but little and
hindered it a great deal. In their Na
tional convention at Columbus they
claim all the recent victories agains
the saloon as their own, but the facts
do not Justify them. Although more
than half the population of this coun
try now dwells in territory free from
the liquor traffic, very little credit
for it is due to the Prohibitionists.
The result has been achieved largely
by an organization entirely different
from their party- and by methods
which they have often condemned
as immoral. If the shrewdly prac
tical local optionists had not come
into the fleld where the Prohibition
ists had failed the liquor men would
never have lost their hold on Amer
ican politics. Even after the local
option idea had entered the arena
and demonstrated its power, the
prohibitionists were often found
fighting it side by side with the dive
keepers. A local option victory is, of course,
a victory for prohibition, but not for
the Prohibition party. The distinc
tion here is quite as important as
that between democracy and the
Democratic party. All good Amer
icans believe in democracy, but the
majority of them are not Democrats.
In much the same way great bodies
of citizens are coming to believe in
prohibition, while the membership of
the Prohibition party tends to de
cline. Why is this so? We may say
fnr one thins: that temrjerance Is not
suitable for a party issue, because
every man of sound mind admits that
it is right. People may sincerely
differ about the tariff. Some may
think that It is a good thing while
others hold Just as honestly that it is
bad, and both factions can advance
reasons more or less plausible for
their views. But nobody can advo
cate intemperance without moral de
pravity. If men divide at all upon
such a question it must be into saints
and sinners and not into political
parties.
Granting that intemperance is a
sin, the natural judgment of the or
dinary citizen is that it is the sinner's
own affair with which nobody else
has the right to meddle. While this
state of his mind continues he looks
upon anti-saloon laws as an imper
tinent interference with personal lib
erty and if they are imposed upon him
he will not help enforce them.
Hence, they are nullities, since no
laws of a criminal nature can be en
forced among a population which
floes not approve them so long as
jury trials are the rule. It is useless,
therefore, to enact temperance leg
irlation until the average citizen has
been made to understand that intem
perance is not a mere private vice
which injures only its victim. Ho
must be taught that it injures the
public and this requires a long pro
cess of education. The" Prohibition
ists made the mistake of getting their
laws passed first and trusting that the
education would como of itself. But
in many cases it never came until the
laws had been made farcical by non
enforcement, while it was always dls-
couragingly slow.
The establishment of a sound tem
perance sentiment has been more
tedious in the original prohibition
states than anywhere else, because
there the law was expected to accom
plish what could only be done by fact
and arffument. The method of the
local option workers was the exact
opposite of the Prohibitionists'. They
went to the bottom and laid a solid
foundation of indisputable economic
truth. They began with the axiom
that the man who does not drink at
all can never become a drunkard
but the danger of drunkenness was
not their only argument or their
strongest. They showed from the
records of railroads, of machinery
works, of every occupation which de
mands steadfast attention and uni
form energy that the use of alcoholic
drinks impairs a man's efficiency
The habit, be it ever so moderate,
involves danger to those who depend
upon the drinker's nerve and muscle.
In time the local optionists were able
to cite a long array of facts sustain
ing their arguments.
They could point to the railroads
which declined to employ men who
frequented saloons; to regulations re
quiring telegraphers and machinists
to abstain from strong drink; to the
notorious relation between liquor and
crime; to the universal social distrust
of the habitue of the saloon no mat
ter whether he is a drunkard or not.
They did not make the mistake of
trying to teach the lesson to entire
states at the outset. They began, as
all thorough work must, at the foun
dation of society in small communi
ties and as fast as the village, one
by one, had learned the lesson, they
gathered its fruit by putting the sa
loon out of business. Thus, the local
optionists have carried on their work
proceeding with inimitable wisdom
until they have conquered more than
half the United States. It is in vain
lor the Prohibitionist party to seek
to attach the credit of these results.
They have been achieved without its
aid and often against its opposition
Men of all parties have contributed
their share. If the evils of the sa
loon ara ultimately eradicated from
American life it will be through
patient, reasonable, educative work.
such as the local optionists have been
pushing and not through party ac
tion. When the ' education is com
plete all disinterested people will be
la agreement upon the subject.
SMOKING ROOMS IN LIBRARIES.
A citizen of Aberdeen, Wash., de
sires to know of The Oregonian
Whether the Portland Public Library
has a smoking-room. He also wishes
to to be favored with our views upon
the desirability of a smoking-room in
the new public library at Aberdeen.
The Portland Public Library has no
smoking-room and the lack of one
has not been very keenly felt here.
The reading-room of the library is
usually well filled with quiet persons,
who refrain from smoking for several
reasons. One of them is that many
of the visitors, particularly women.
do not relish tobacco smoke, and
there is no good reason why they
should be tormented to gratify the
taste of those who cannot read un
unless they smoke or cannot smoke
unless they read.
We imagine that the number of
Aberdeen citizens who are so wedded
to their pipes that they connot lay
them aside for an hour or so is small.
Certainly it would be inexcusable to
make the reading-room nauceous to
the great majority for the sake of
these few, and it would be ill-advised
to set aside any part of the library
for them to occupy exclusively while
they stupefy themselves with tobacco.
If their craving for the lethal effect
of nicotine Is irresistible there are
many suitable resorts already pro
vided for them. They can go to the
saloons, to the offices of the hotels,
or to the platforms of the streetcars.
In a pinch they can walk about in the
street while they suck at their pipes.
If Aberdeen has any clubs, they are
in all likelihood provided with smoking-rooms.
One can hardly think of
a worse use to make of the library
funds than to 'fit out another. If the
purpose of the smoking-room Is to
attract readers jwho would otherwise
stay away, it may as well be aban
doned. People who cannot or will not
read without the solace of tobacco
are past all help from "public li
braries. They are joined to their
idol; let them alone.
Finally, it is bad for the eyes to try
to read in a room full of smoke. For
this reason, if there were no other,
nobody wants to read in a smoking-
room and no decent person wants to
smoke in a reading-room. We trust
our Aberdeen friend can gather our
opinion from these observations.
SIMMER PARADISE.'
Dairies and Summer resorts on the
Coast of Oregon and Washington
both thrive for the same reasons
weather cool, rain absent and herb
age green. This is the season when
the resources and the beauties of the
Coast region will be visited again by
Summer tourists and exploited as
the very best in the world. The
visitors do not exaggerate what they
see,, either. For It is the fairest of
all lands, with soli fertile and deep,
streams many and strong-flowing,
forests mighty, grass growing all the
year. Winters never cold and Sum
mers never hot, ocean and streams
abundant with fish and wilds abun
dant with game in short, this is the
world's paradise in Summer.
This region, stretching nearly 600
miles from California to British Co
lumbla, is connected with the inte
rlor with railroads in but four places
Grays Harbor, Willapa Harbor,
Columbia River and Yaquina Bay,
Three hundred miles, between Cali
fornia line and the Columbia River,
have such a link only at Taquina.
Which brings us back again for
the regular Summer topic, to the un
developed condition of this great
Coast region. Tourists from Tilla
mook, Nehalem and Coos Bay report
that the much-vaunted railroads
have not yet arrived, though prom
ised many years. So they content
themselves with cream and butter
milk, admire the patience and indus
try of some of the residents, breathe
ozone, pitch their tents in what is
real paradise and enjoy life as they
can do nowhere else.
Our Fish Warden, Mr. McAllister,
has been there already; our Dairy
Commissioner, Mr. Bailey, says he is
going; our ' Governor, Mr. Chamber
lain, was there but a little while ago;
and so was Mr. Cake so you see the
people's favorites know where to find
the best there is.
Our friends In Tillamook and Coos
Bay, Siuslaw and Urapqua, we fear
are not so contented as they should
be. It is time they were learning
better. Nowhere in the United States
are the people so cool and well-fed
And what is there in life, beyond
being comfortable and helping to
elect Presidents and Senators?
THE COUNTRY EDITORS.
The Washington State. Press Asso
ciation will meet in annual session
at Vancouver today, and, fom a ra
dlus .of several hundred miles, the
country editors will gather, first to
"talk shop" for mutual benefit, and
after that to enjoy a brief respite
from the cares and perplexities attend
ant on moulding public opinion. The
country editor, since "Old Ben
Franklin's day," has been the good
natured object at which his metro
politan brother and also his fellow
oountry editors have directed their
shafts of alleged humor. The jokes
about the office "devil," "cordwood-on-subscription,"
etc., were hoary
with age when the first minstrel
asked the first end-man, why the hen
crosses the road, and the object of
this venerable satire accepts them
with the good-natured consideration
that is due the aged and infirm, and
lets it go at that.
But the country editor is something
more than the butt for aged jokes
about his calling. He holds a -most
Important position in the community
that is honored by his presence.
There are rare cases in his profes
sion, as well as In all others, when the
calling is disgraced by a black sheep
but serious shortcomings on the part
of a man who attempts to mould
public sentiment by means of a news
paper are soon detected, and he is
quickly forced out of the profession.
The country editor is by force of cir
cumstances much nearer to his read
ers than the men who write for the
great dallies of the city. This en
vironment may prevent a study of all
the divergent phases of human na
ture, such as may be found in a city,
but it admits of closer communion
k with those which ara mora desirablaJ
and it shuts out others which can
never be conducive to human happi
ness. x
This delightful comradeship,' which
is so often found between the coun
try editor and his . constituents, is
charmingly set forth in the letters of
William Allen White, himself a coun--
try editor of National fame. The
success attained by Mr. White is due
to his consistent encouragement of a
healthy public sentiment. There are
always more good people than bad
people in a community, and the
newspaper, after all, merely reflects
the sentiment of the people who
support it. The newspaper cannot
be much better or bigger than the
people it serves. For any healthy,
thriving city to fail to support a good
newspaper, is nearly always much
more of a reflection on the people
than on the editor. The local news
paper has become so much a part of
the industrial and social life of our
country that the town or city too
small or too indifferent to support a
paper is of not much consequence.
Very few of the country editors re
ceive pay at all proportionate to the
efforts that they put forth, and, for
this- reason, if for no other, they
should go forth on their, annual picnic
with the best wishes for a profitable
session, and a pleasant diversion from
the cares of the desk and press. The
country newspaper has sent forth a
large number of men who have
reached high places in state and Na
tion, and, on nearly all the big news
papers of the United States, will be
found men who began the newspaper
work in the office of a country news
paper. Here's.- to the press associa
tion, and may its 'members enjoy to
the limit their present session, and
return to find that the devil in charge
has taken in more cash than cord
wood for subscriptions, and has failed
to "pi" anything. .
A LESSON IN ANARCHY.
Greek laborers of the Salem Elec
tric Railroad have learned to tear
down private fences, and invade and
despoil private land, in order to place
rails on the land of unwilling owners.
They have come all the way from
Greece to be taught this lesson in
anarchy. It is not wholesome for
them, nor for the railroad, nor for
the public. Yet the feats of outwit
ting the landowners are called clever.
They probably are clever and the
sharp-witted contractors are entitled
to whatever credit is due on that ac
count.
But citizens of the United States
who disregard the law of private
property are destined for a very un
happy place. The Greeks will have
to forget their lessons in Marion and
Washington Counties, if they are to
stay out of that place and become
useful citizens. They will also have
to avoid imitating the threats against
life, which irate landowners made
against the invaders.
It is undeniably true that the pub
lie will be benefited far more by the
occupation of the land by the rail
road than by retention of the land by
the owner. It is also true that no
landowner should be allowed to stop
the progress of a needed railroad or
hold up a railroad for an exorbitant
price. The law provides means for
enabling a railroad to condemn land
it needs. Those means involve a long
procedure, but they are safer for a
railroad than the alternatives of
force and anarchy. Lawlessness can
injure a railroad more than anybody.
The security of property is respect
for law and order. ;
Supposing one of the landowners
had shot a Greek, as several threat
ened to do? That would have been
an unwholesome lesson for these
primer citizens. It would have caused
the arrest of the owner and undoubt
edly would have pleased the con
tractor, since then the obstacle would
have been removed.
The people do not like this method
of aggrandizement. If it should be
practiced often restricting laws will
be enacted. It will be natural for
Greek kindergarten citizens hereafter
to be less fearful of penalties and less
regardful of property.
RIVER CHANNEL EXPENSE,
All the Columbia River basin has
an interest in the ship channel to
the sea, but Portland has borne a
very heavy part of the expense of im
proving that waterway. This city's
share has been too heavy, when the
widespread benefits are taken into
account that have accrued to the
Columbia River region from cheaper
shipping. More than $2,500,000 has
been spent on the work by the Port
of Portland, while that spent by the
general Government, as shown by the
reports of the United States Engl
neers, is less than $1,800,000.
While this work has built up the
shipping of Portland and brought im
measurable advantages to this city, it
has also done a great deal for the
producing area whose traffic goes up
and down the Columbia River or has
the benefit of the water-level rates
on the mountain routes of Puget
Sound. The National Government
owes to this region large appropria
tions for the Columbia River highway
and to the Port of Portland a lighten
ing of its share of the burden.
Last Tuesday members of the
American Society of Civil Engineers
were impressed with this fact, on
their inspection of the Port of Port
land dredges, drydock and channel
work. They saw a watercourse that
had been deepened from 12 to 25 feet
and that will be deepened to 30 feet.
In a statement read before them by
J. B. C. Lockwood, Chief Engineer
for the Port, the following sums were
shown to have been disbursed by the
Port, up to September 30, 1907:
Dikes In Columbia River 32S2.229.45
Dikes In Willamette River S3.S.,8.79
Dredging equipment 311.827
Drydock plant S6S.788.4o
Drydock betterments 7.619.62
Dredging 80C.72S.S3
Drydock operating expense 46,513.93
Interest and bond discount....... 407,503.24
Redemption of bonds....- 120,000.00
Office and engineering expense... 33.238.67
Cash on hand September 30, 1907. 8,470.53
Total 2.473,596.31
Of this total, $1,089,131.09 was
raised from taxation in a subdivision
of Multnomah County, somewhat
larger than the corporate area of
Portland, $115,927.03 came from con
tributions by individuals and $1,050,
000 from sale of bonds. The Port has
established a very expensive dredge
and drydock plant, one of the dredges
costing $7000 a month to operate
Next, the Port will establish a tow
age and pilotage service, at heavy
expense. All this is done in order to
bring to Portland the biggest ships
with the least possible delay and ex
pense, on the principle that it is
cheaper for a ship to go to the cargo
than for the cargo to be transported
to the ship 110 miles by rail to As
toria or over mountain ranges to
Puget Sound.
Here is a matter that merits the
attention of the whole Columbia
River region. It is not a local mat
ter with Portland. Colonel Roessler,
United States Engineers, has recom
mended that' Congress appropriate
$200,000 annually for dredging the
river channel below Portland and the
sea. . Colonel Roessler appreciates
fully the advantages of the Columbia
River as a highway for commerce.
He has had wide experience in such
matters and his opinion will have
weight with the engineers in Wash
ington and with' Congress.
A New York dispatch announces
that the coast extension of the Chi
cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad
will be completed in July, 1909. The
cost will be about $5,000,000 greater
than estimated, but, as the road pro
vided for the extension with an issue
of $100,000,000 in bonds, there will
be no delay ln pushing it to comple
tion. Tacoma and Seattle are the
present objective points of the road,
but, as the principal traffic will be
lumber, and there is more timber
tributary to Portland and the Co
lumbia River than to all Puget Sound
ports combined, the Milwaukee will,
of course, follow the example of Mr.
Hill, and hustle along to Portland as
rapidly as possible. There was a time
a few years ago when the traffic of
this city and surrounding region
might not have warranted the build
ing of another transcontinental road,
but that time is passed, and, from
this time forward; every transcon
tinental road that crosses the Rocky
Mountains north of California will
have a Portland terminus.
The new woolen mill project at
Gordon Falls, near Bridal Veil, may
easily develop Jnto one of the most
Important industries in the state.
Oregon is one of the greatest wool
producing states in the Union, and
the advantage of having a manufac
turing plant so near the source of
supply of raw material is obvious. In
the saving in freight alone on wool
shipped east, and goods shipped west,
there will be an opportunity for much
cheaper and better clothing than is
now obtainable. The mill will also
give employment to a large number
of people, who in turn will become
purchasers of farm and garden prod
ucts grown in the vicinity. Lack of
factories has been one of the greatest
drawbacks to the growth of Oregon,
and every enterprise of this nature
should receive the heartiest encour
agement from the people.
The refusal of Murderer Preston to
run for President on the Socialist
Labor ticket was unheeded by the
men in control, and we now witness
the strange spectacle of a convicted
murderer aspiring to the highest of
fice in the gift of the American peo
ple. The retention of Preston was
probably .made necessary by the
failure to convict Steve Adams. Had
the latter remained in jail, he also
would have been good timber for
Socialist political honors.
Chairman W. M.- Cake, of the Re
publican state central committee,
should conduct the Presidential cam
paign in Oregon ably and satisfac
torily. If there were a United States
Senator to elect, he might not be so
fit, since he is pledged to support a
Democrat for that office in the Leg
islature. However, all Republicans
are free to do their utmost for elec
tion of a Republican President.
Champions of the Drain Normal
School can accomplish more talking
to the Legislators than to the people.
The Legislators gave them the school
and will have the whole say about the
matter next Winter.
It is said Jefferson never bossed
a Democratic convention as Bryan
did. But that was before the day
of the telephone.
If Bryan plans to divide the White
House with his running mate, we
should like to hear from Mrs. Bryan
and Mrs. Kern.
Of course, an extra $500,000 for a
new Courthouse, added to Portland's
new debt of $5,225,000, . would be a
mere trifle.
Mosquitoes do not bother a person
so much when he is busy as when he
is Idling. The moral is plain.
Behold Mr. Bryan's effort to pull
every string, in his promise not to
run again if elected.
Now, we do not blame Helen
Gould, who ail these years has re
mained an old maid.
"Dry" farming is having a general
test this Summer In twenty-one Ore
gon counties.
DUBOIS AND HIS FALSE ISSUE
Nothing for the Anti-Mormon Agitator
to Do bat Leave Idaho.
Boise City Statesman.
What is going to become of Mr. Dubois'
issue, now his party nationally has de
clined to recognize it? Is it not up to htm
to transport it on the wheels of some
other organization than Democracy? How
can he say it is the paramount thing In
Idaho Democracy when the Democratic
convention in Denver said It wasn't worth
a pinch of snuff and the party's candi
date for President declined to give it a
moment's consideration?
These are questions suggested by the
news that the platform committee de
clined to Incorporate Mr. Dubois' plank
and that the convention Indorsed that ac
tion by adopting a platform that made no
mention of his pet issue and adopted it
unanimously. Of course, no one is inter
ested in supplying answers to these ques
tions but the Democrats of the state, but
the general public takes at least passing
interest in developments of all parties and
will quite naturally indulge in more or
less speculation.
To the mind of many thinking Demo
crats in Idaho, it will appear that Mr.
Dubois' issue, as a Democratic propa
ganda, received its death blow in Denver;
and rest assured that all those who have
any doubts in the matter will be properly
advised by the anti-Dubois delegation,
which, though denied seats, will take
credit for having defeated the ex-Senator's
plan. The matter, then, resolves it
self to this: If enough Democrats can be
brought to understand that the issue of
their party in this state is not what Mr.
Dubois has Insisted It should be. they will
likely bring about conditions for him of
such & displeasing character that he will
feel called upon to start a new party or
get into one already organized. Ergo, all
.other narU&a axa jramed (a bolt the door.
WHAT THE DBS MOINES PLAN . IS
Possible Gnldeposta for Portland la
the Proposed Charter Revision.
From an Iowa Circular.
Des Moines, the capital and also the
commercial center of Iowa, has adopted
a new system of municipal' government,
which because of its distinctive fea
tures has been christened the Des
Moines plan. To fix responsibility for
administrative acts, is the essense of
the plan. The second consideration was
to have a governing body responsive to
the popular will. A combination of
these two elements in proper relation
ship would produce, a highly efficient
government.
The administration of municipal af
fairs, under the Des Moines plan, is in
the hands of a board consisting of the
mayor and four councllmen. The board
stands in the same relation to the busi
ness of government as the directors of
a trading corporation bear to the com
pany's business. The mayor and coun
cil make all appointments, appropriate
all funds, levy and collect taxes, estab
lish rules for the direction of subordi
nate officials and direct the expenditure
of all money. In order that the re
sponsibility for official acts may be
still further fixed, the business of the
city Is divided into five departments:
public affairs, accounts and finances,
public safety, streets and public
Improvements,- parks and public
property. Each member of the
council is assigned by mutual agree
ment to one of these departments,
the mayor assuming, by virtue of his
office, the department of public affairs.
Each councilman, therefore, becomes
individually responsible for the conduct
of the affairs of his department over
which he exercises the authority of a
superintendent.
Up to this point the Des Moines plan
does not differ from the system of gov
ernment instituted in Galveston after
the city was swept away by the flood.
But the Des Moines plan has other fea
tures. Coupled with this almost auto
cratic power and individual responsi
bility on the part of the councllmen, is
the recall. Although the officers are
elected for a definite term, yet by ex
ercising the recall they may be re
moved from office at any time a ma
jority of the electors believe them to
be dishonest or inefficient. A petition
of 25 per cent of the voters compels
the accused office-holder to again go
before the people for their indorse
ment or rejection. At no time is a
councilman free from the Immediate
authority of the electorate.
The initiative and referendum are
also combined with the recall In the
Des Moines plan. Under the initiative
the voters retain the power of direct
legislation, although the council might
be opposed to the specific measure it
self. A petition of not less than ten
per cent of the qualified voters is nec
essary to bring a proposed ordinance
before the people. The section of the
law covering the initiative and also the
referendum is mandatory upon the
council and compels the calling of a
special election upon petition of the
required number of voters.
The clause in the plan which provides
for the referendum places In the hands
of the electors power to block any leg
islation, with the exception of such as
may be required by state law or the
public safety. If during ten days after
the passage of an ordinance by the
city council, 25 per cent of the voters
petition to have the matter submitted
to popular vote, the ordinance will not
go Into effect until a majority at a
special election vote In favor of it.
The plan has attracted world-wide
attention. Booklets containing the
charter have been published by the
Commercial Club and distributed by
the thousand to applicants from Maine
to California. President Eliot, of Har
vard has evinced such Interest in the
plan that he made it the subject of
special Inquiry on a recent visit to Des
Moines. '
The adoption of the charter by the
metropolis of Iowa marks the begin
nlng of a new era of civic spirit. It is
also one of the outward evidences of
commercial awakening that bids fair to
work a business revolution in the mid
dle West.
HOW THEY DO IT IN OKLAHOMA
J. Tompkins Surprised to Find There's
No Direct Election Here.
HATFIELD, Or., July 14. Eddytor
Oregonion) Since you published my
letter uv the 6th, and did not support
my views eddytoryally, the enemies uv
statement 1 are clafmln' my argyment
in faver uv the prlnclpul wuz not con
sldered good. They are gittin me in a
deal uv hot water over It.
Afore the primaries I wuz called on
several times to make a few remarks
at the grange meetins. because if I do
say it myself, I am considered a purty
good argyfler. I argued that we should
support the direct election uv sene-
ters, the recall, perportlonal repersen
tation and the bill instructtn' the Leg
islatur', because these measures wuz
right in line with the Okleyhomy con-
stytutlon, which wuz considered
model of reform. I had read that the
Okleyhomy constytution wuz fer all
these reforms. I had also read whare
Bryan had sed the Okleyhomy consty
tution wuz the best ever.
Now what do you think? At the last
meetln' uv the grange Jim Hanks
sprung a pamflet which he sed wuz a
copy uv the Okleyhomy constytution
right frum the secretary uv state at
Guthrie. I am sure this pamflet is
spurious and 'not a copy uv the Okley
homy constytution at all. I think it is
a campain dockyment got up by the in
terests. If it Is I want you to expose
the frod. What Jim Hanks eez is the
Okleyhomy constytution is directly
agin all the leading' reform measures
uv Oregon. It is agin direct election
uv seneters, until the Federal Consty
tution shall be amended. It is agin
perportlonal repersentation. It Is agin
the recall. It Is agin the lnstructin' uv
the Legislature. I paist below two sec
tions I cut out uv this pamflet,. which
I think will show it is a faik:
Now If this really is the Okleyhomy
constytution, and it is correct in de
clarln' the Federal Constytution the su
preme law uv the land, what Is to be
come uv statement 1 uv our direct
primary law? Statment oners sez no
statement member can vote fer any
body but Chamberlain without stulti
fytn' his honor by breakln' his pledge.
Jim Hanks sez no member who is not
fer Chamberlain at heart can vote fer
him without violatln' his oath to support
the constytution, because the constytu
tion sez the Legislaturs shall choose
the seneter. Then Jim Hanks asked
the members uv the grange assembled
at the meetln", which would be wurst,
to violate an illegal and unconstytu
tional pledge, or to violate the oath of
office? I hev begun to feel kinder sorry
fer the legislaters. I wish you would
take the matter up and straighten
things out a little, and by all means ex
pose the pamflet if it is a frod. Very
truly. JOSIAH TOMPKINS.
MASSE HENRY ON THE JOB
A Rare Treat Expected From the
Colonel's Campaign Literary Bonn,
Baltimore Sun, Dem.
Colonel Henry Wattersoa will constitute
the heavy literary artillery of the campaign.
He Is expected to write all around the Taft
press agents and put ths Parker Democrats
out of business. News item.
Here we have proof that the im
pending debate will live long in the
history of American literature. Colonel
Watterson, we believe, is the greatest
living literary man. His vocabulary is
illimitable; his style is electric; his
figures of speech are overpowering.
He Is a mighty phrase-maker; an au
thor, inventor and originator of epi
grams that will never die no, never.
His compositions bristle and glitter
with all sorts of novel and amazing
personages, metaphors, tropes and
images. '"the star-eyed Goddess of
Reform," the "hegoats of high finance,"
patriotism and a rjenslon." "the lean
wolves of plutocracy," "the hills of
Tubadam." "from hell to breakfast."
the giascutls, whangdoodle and o.of-
degoof. the gin rickey and the beailda,"
"the nigger, the trigger and the Ku
Klux Klan." He is a master of
rhythms and consonances.
Things have come to a hell of a pass
Vhe a man can't wallop his own Jackass.
tie writes Diana verse, too:
Eating huckleberries all day long
And 1 earing how to love.
He Is a scientist, a biologist, a
zoologist, a demonologlst:
The whangdoodle, the gin rickey and tha
giaecuiis
Are of imagination all compact;
One sees more devils than vast hell can
hold-
That Is the whangdoodle.
He slings rhymes . and nllsosonhv
with magnificent lavlshness; he is
never at a loss for a word, clause, sen
tence, paragraph, chapter, book, tome,
treatise or library. He has written
more than ten thousand articles on the
Hayes-Tllden controversy, and is still
going at full speed. He has supported
Bryan, denounced Bryan, annihilated
Bryan, resurrected Bryan. His argu
ments against the Nebraskan were
final and unanswerable; his arguments
in the Nebraikan's favor will be im
peccable and overwhelming. H1b mind
is divided into two halves, one being
an Immovable body and the other an
irresistible force. He .is the champion
Graeco-Romah and catch-as-catch-can
author of the universe.
Plain prose can never hope to do
justice to the Colonels powerful pen
It is a thunderbolt, a 13-inch rifled
cannon, a runaway locomotive, an
earthquake, a cataclysm. When he
dips It into the ink it throws off a rip
pie which invades the farthest limbo
of lost worlds. When it scratches the
paper the sound deafens the Inhabit
ants of the faraway Malay Archipelago.
And the Colonel himself? Ah
He la the seething slumber,
He Is the soul awake;
He Is the big cucumber
That gives us the stomach ache.
He Is the fire that quickens.
The company that insures;
He is the 111 that sickens.
And he is tho pill that cures.
We await his fearful rush. We trem
ble, we shake; we have made our will.
OXALURIA NO NEW DISEASE.
Well Known to All Physicians Since
1888, Says Dr. Rlcen.
PORTLAND, Or., July 15. (To the
Editor.) In a special communication
from New York, printed in The Ore
gonian of July 15. we read that ac
cording to Dr. Gustav Baar a "new dls
ease" had been defined . at the last
medical congress- in Vienna, namely
oxalurla. For the sake of the truth in
general, and for the benefit of Dr. Baar
In particular, we wish to say that
oxalurla has been known to the medi
cal profession since the year 1838
(Doune). As early as 1842 Dr. Bird de
scribed oxalurla with its accompanying
symptoms, since which time oxalurla is
given its place In every text book on
genlto-urinary diseases or on practice
of medicine. The literature of oxalurla
is quite extensive.
We wish also to remind Dr. Baar
that oxalurla is not a disease, but
merely a symptom, caused by a dls
turbed metabolism and that oxolate of
lime in the urine (oxalurla) is found in
a number of different diseases.
L. RICEN, M.D,
PORTLAND, Or., July 16. (To the Edi
tor.) I notice In your issue of today
statement credited to Dr. GuBtav Baer
that the International Medical Congress
had lately defined at its convention,
held in Vienna, a new disease and
labeled it oxalurla. With all due respect
to Dr. Baar, I cannot avoid the conclu
sion that the article in question must
have somewhat misrepresented his state
ments, for Dr. Baar la no doubt familiar
with the fact that oxalurla as a condi
tion had been recognized long years ago
by the medical fraternity in general.
As for the body of men who comprised
the convention aforementioned, they
would doubtless laugh in their sleeves
if they could see the sensational report
accredited to Dr. Baar. As a matter of
fact, oxaluria has been described by
Doune, as far back as 1838 (see Edward's
Principles and Practice of Medicine)
Gould & Pyle, in their Cyclopedia of
Medicine and Surgery dispose of it in a
short article. In fact, all authorities de
scribe it as a symptom rather than
disease.
The only reason tor my taking excep
tions to the printed statements in the
article above referred to Is the fact that
the same Is not only misleading but also
apt to excite the laity unnecessarily.
A. TILZER, M. D.
Intakes, and Not Paid For.
Calg-ary (Canada) Herald.
Andy McTavish was "no feelin' Juist
weel," so he went to the doctor and stat
ed his complaints.
"What do you drink?" .demanded thp
medico.
"Whuskey."
"How much?"
"Maybe a bottle a day."
"Do you smoke?"
"Yes."
"How much?"
"Two ounces a day."
"Well, you give up whisky and tobceo
altogether."
Andy took up his cap and in three steps
reached the door.
"Andy," - called the doctor, "you have
not paid for my advice!"
"Ahm no' takkin' It," snapped Andy as
he shut the door behind him.
The Love Song.
Punch.
fit la eald that the men of today are far
less passionate in their lovemaklng- than
their ancestors.)
I love you, or at least I thin
That very possibly I do;
In common honesty I shrink
Prom statements not Dreclsely true,
But still it's safe to say I'm pretty fond
of you.
i cannot swear a mighty oath
To worship blindly till I die.
In fact. I should be rather loth
To form so very rash a tie.
Unless I knew a roost substantial reason
why.
I shall , not. with a valiant air.
Pour out my llfe-fclood for your good.
Nor even boastfully declare
That if I had the chancs I would.
Because, to tell the truth, I hardly think
I should.
No knightly deeds have I to do.
And no Impassioned words to say;
Still. I should like to marry you.
If you will tell me that I may.
And also kindly name the most convenient
day.
I can't explain tha thing, yon know
(They usedto tell us Love was blind).
But since It happens to be so.
Forgive my weakness, and be kind.
Or If you're not that way disposed well,
never mind!
ITERARY festivals -are In the air.
In December of the present year,
Milton's tercentenary will be cele
brated, but in 1909 these four great
literary centenaries will claim the
world's attention those of Tennyson,
Edgar Allen . Poe, Oliver Wendell
Holmes and Edward Fitzgerald, the lat
ter being the translator of Omar
Khayyam." the Persian poet, who is
supposed to have died in the year 1123.
Indeed, so well did Fitzgerald do his
work that eminent judges have ac
cepted his interpretation of Omar's
poetry as rivaling in popularity the
early and middle Victorian era of
Tennyson's verse. As for Holmes, Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle has stated that
he ranks Holmes as an essayist higher
than Charles Lamb. For a Scotch
Englishman like Conan Doyle, this is
quite a concession. It is also inter
esting to recall In this connection, that
other centenaries next year will be
those of Abraham Lincoln's, Glad
stone's. Mendelssohn's Darwin's and
others of lesser fame.
Reminiscences of Lord Randolph
Churchill are seeing light Just now, in
addition to the delightful memories of
the dead statesman given by his
widow. Sir Algernon West Is the new
est Churchill writer, and his volume
of stories is being very well received
at the present time in England. Two
of his Churchill references: "His
cynicism was delightful. When the
dreadful subject - of bimetallism
cropped up. he turned to Sir A. Godley
and said: I forget; was I bimetalllst
when I was at the India Office?"
A Treasury clerk put some figures be
fore him. T wish you would put these
figures plainly so that I can .under
stand them,' he said. The clerk said
he had done his -best, and he had,
pointing them out. reduced t them to
decimals. Oh,' said Lord Randolph, 'I
never could understand .what those
dots meant.' " Another good story Is of
the old Duchess of Cleveland, who,
notifying a relative of her husband's
funeral, added the suggestion that he
bring his gun, saying. "We are old. we
must die, but the pheasants must be
shot,"
Dr. Gerhardt C. Mars in his new book
The Interpretation of Life," tells In
750 closely printed pages why he be
lieves in Christian Science. He estab
lishes a likeness between Mrs. Eddy's
doctrines and those of Uotama. Plato,
Descartes. Kant, Hegel, Hume and
Locke, and makes the assertion that
Mrs. Eddy has co-ordinated and per
fected the labors of these eminent
thinkers. Dr. Mars says that he knows
little and cares nothing for the new
psychology, and insists that Mrs. Eddy
has said the last word in pntiosopny
and religion, and that Christian Science
Is the predestined end of evolution.
One New York critic who reviews tha
book says that in his opinion Mrs. Ed
dy has found her PauL
It used to .be plain "John Morley,"
and now it seems strange to sea the
unfamiliar name, "Lord Morley, of
Blackburn,' being used to announce
the advent of a new volume of Morley
essays, one of the studies being an
appreciation of Guicciardini, a philos
opher who gained a reputation for long
windedness, and as also being a con
temporary of Machlavelli.
A book that may be best described
as Hall Calne's literary autobiography
is promised for Fall publication. "My
Story" is its title, and in it the author
tells of the friendships he has enjoyed
with such literary luminaries as Ros
setti, Carlyle, Tennyson, Morris, Swin
burne, &c Calnes early struggles to
obtain recognition in the world of let
ters are dealt with very fully, while
the last chapters bring the autobiogra
phy down to the present time, the
whole covering literary England dur
ing the last 86 years.
The Thrale manuscripts recently sold'
in London for over $12,600. Another
feature of the sale was a document of
especial Interest in view of the ap
proach of the Milton centenary tha
marriage covenant between Edward
Phillips, of London, and Anne, daugh
ter of John Milton, citizen and scriv
ener of London, dated November 27,
1623, and bearing the signatures of
John Milton, father of the poet, and of
the poet himself. It sold for $1600.
The day's sale Included autograph
manuscripts of Robert Burns and Cap
tain Cook.
Mrs. Humphrey Ward has come out In
the open against women's tights and is
one of the most prominent of the organ
izers of the National Woman's Anti-Suffrage
Association.
Canada has apparently forgiven Kipling
for having addressed her as "The Lady
of the Snows," for in Canada's new wheat
region a boom-town has been christened
after the author of "Danny Deever." For
some reason, Kipling is not a favorite
name for a new town on this side of the
line, although we have 30 Mlltons, 3 Gold-,
smiths, Dickenses, 30-odd Scotts. 20 By
rons, 2 Tennysons and 1 Thackeray,
Thomas Dixon, Jr., author of "The)
Leopard's Spots." "The Clansman" and
"The Traitor," has chosen Santa Barbara,
Cal., as the scene of "Comrades," his new
story on Socialism. "Have your writings
paid?" Mr. Dixon was asked the other
day. "They have made me a fortune,"
was the answer. "Not one of the four
books I have thus far written has paid me
less than $26,000 In royalties, and the
'Leopard's Spots' has made for me be
tween $65,000 and $70,000. I am still
profiting from its sale and the sales of my
other books. But my success has been
remarkable and unusual. I Just happened
to hit it right. But if a man writes one
successful play his fortune is made, just
from one play. Thus far about 1.000.000
copies of my books have been sold. But
the dramatization of 'The Clansman' has
done more than a million dollars' worth
of business in the three years It has been
on the stage. I own half of the stock of
the Southern Amusement Company,
which controls it, and I may say that any
man who has produced so successful a
play need never have to work again If
he does not want to."
e
Harold MacGrath. whose new novel,
"The Lure of the Mask," has just ap
peared, was born 37 years ago in Syra
cuse, N. Y. He was educated in Syra
cuse schools, and made his start In life
on a Syracuse newspaper The Herald.
In 1891 he went to Chicago and worked
there as a paragrapher on the Eve
ning MaiL" A group of brilliant young
newspaper-men were around him
Frank Pixley, George Ade, Eugene
Field, George Horton and Kirke La
Shelle all unknown at that time ex
cept Field. From Chicago MacGrath
went to Albany, and from Albany to
New York, and finally returned to Syr
acuse, to settle down to the pleasant
business of writing entertaining fiction.
In ten years he has produced six nov
els: "Arms and the Woman," "The
Puppet Crown." "The Grey Cloak,"
"The Man on the Box," "Half a Rogue,"
and now "The Lure of the Mask." Be
sides this, he has written two novel-'
ettes, "The Princess Elopes" and
"Hearts and Masks;" two, books of
short stories, "Enchantment" and "The
Best Man:" and an operetta, 'The Wat
teau Shepherdess."