Morning Oregonian., August 11, 1908, Page 8, Image 8

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THE MORNING OREGONIAN, TUESDAY, AUGUST It, 1908
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POBTLAXD, TIKSUAV, AUG. 11. 190.
"TRIE PATRIOTS" IN A PRIMARY.
The strange doctrine that Democrats
have a right to register as Republi
cans and vote in Republican primaries
is proclaimed by F. S. Myers, whose
communication upon the subject ap
pears In another column. "True pat
riots who placed principle above
party" is what he calls the Democrats
who went to the County Clerk's office
in their several counties and solemnly
swore that they were Republicans.
More absurdity could scarcely 'be put
lr fewer words. The men who thus
registered and voted were not "true
patriots," nor true to anything else
except the Democratic party. They
did not place principle above party,
but sacrificed all principle for the
purpose of accomplishing the success
of George E. Chamberlain at the gen
eral election.
Mr. Myers says that these Demo
crats "intended to vote for Cake both
at the primaries and at the polls, had
he not wavered In the faith." But.
even if they did. dtxrs that make Re
publicans of them? If they Intended
to vote for one Republican candidate
and vote all the rest of the Democratic
ticket at the general election, does
that entitle them to call themselves
Republicans and to vote In the Re
publican primaries? Most assuredly
not. They were not believers In Re
publican principles; they have never
been affiliated with the Republican
party; they hope for Republican de
feat in the National election; they
will be found working and voting for
Bryan;, they never had any Intention
whatever of voting for anyone for
Senator at the general election except
the Democratic candidate. No differ
ence how strong either Fulton or Cake
had been for Statement No. 1, these
Democrats who registered as Republi
cans would have voted for the Demo
cratic candidate at the June election.
The fundamental principle upon
which the primary law is based is that
each party is entitled to govern its
cwn affairs, nominate its own candi
dates and make its own platforms. It
Is repeatedly so declared in the pri
mary law itself. What is a primary
election for, if not to nominate party
candidates? The primary election is
held for the purpose of settling con
tests within the several parties, each
party nominating Its best man (pre
sumably). At the general election
the voters at large choose between the
party nominees. Every voter has a
right to vote at the general election,
At the primary election no man has a
right to vote otherwise than In the
nomination of candidates for his own
party. To hold otherwise Is to re
verse the purpose and principle of an
election, fop if men may vote in the
primaries of parties to which they
are opposed, it will be to their in
terest to help nominate the weakest
candidates. The purpose of every
election is to secure the nomination
and election of the strongest candi
dates. If the principle advocated by Mr.
Myers were to prevail and Democrats
were permitted to vote in Republican
primaries, we might soon see some
strange tickets In' the field. Quite
likely the saloon men would find It
to their Interest to pack a Prohibition
mass meeting and nominae their
friends on the Prohibition ticket. Re
publicans could pack the Socialist
mass meeting and nominate men
whom the Socialists would not sup
port. Republicans could register as
Democrats and help nominate the
weakest Democrats for office, all the
time Intending to vote for the Repub
lican candidates at the general elec
tion. These things will not be done
because an aroused public conscience
will not permit It and, moreover, some
means will be found to prevent it in
the case of those men who are willing
to perjure themselves In order to fur
ther their political schemes. But If
the methods defended by Mr. Myers
were to be adopted. Just such a state
of affairs would become common.
When Mr. Myers admits that Dem
ocrats registered as Republicans for
the purpose of aiding in the nomina
tion of a Republican candidate, he
concedes that there was " fraud.
Whether those Democrats Intended to
help nominate the strongest or the
weakest capdidate is immaterial. Be
ing Democrats they had no right
whatever to participate I;i a Republi
can primary. It was their business
to nominate Democratic candidates
and leave Republicans to nominate
Republican candidates. A man may
ihange his party affiliations, and
Democrats would show their good
sense If they did so, but until they
have changed in good faith they' have
no right to take part in any primary
election except their own. A Demo
crat is as much out of place in a Re
publican primary election as a resi
dent of tho State of Washington Is
In an Oregon general election. Each
has his proper place to vote and he
Fhould keep his place or plead guilty
to a charge of fraud.
Under the old-age pension act.
which has just parsed Parliament and
la now a law of Great Britain, payment
of 62.50 a year may be made to all
persons 70 years old. or over, who
have been British subjects and resl-
. dents of the United Kingdom for
twenty years, who are not in receipt
of parochial aid, who are not under
conviction for crime and whose ln
come does not exceed $130 a year. To
he precise, the pension Is five shillings
a week, to be paid by the government
out of the general revenues, or three
shillings, nine pence, where two or
more persons live in the same house I
and are of pensionable age and qual-
locations. While the annual cost Is
problematical. It is roughly estimated
at $15,000,000. The belief is general
that the age limit will soon be pressed
down to 65, and afterward, perhaps,
to 60, and then the cost will reach im
mense proportions.
CA?f GOMTKRS DEUVEB LABOR VOTE?
In his attempt to deliver the solid
union labor vote to Mr. Bryan and the
Democratic party, Mr. Gompers will
come face to face with the frequently
demonstrated fact that no man can
deliver any considerable portion of
the American voters to any party or
candidate. When men go to the polls
they go as Individuals, not as an or
ganization. They recognize no organi
zation except those political, formed
for the express purpose of giving the
voters a chance to express their politi
cal beliefs. A few may be Influenced
In their voting by the ties of church
or fraternal society or labor union,
but the number of these is so small as
to be Inconsiderable In comparison
with the aggregate. Mr. Bryan may
get a large part of the union labor
vote, but will not get It because Mr.
Gompers has tried to deliver it. The
effort to deliver it may rather have
the opposite from the intended effect.
Here In Oregon, and elsewhere,
there has been effort from time to
time to deliver the church vote to cer
tain candidates. Occasionally a can
didate for office deludes himself with
the notion that his lodge affiliations
will bring him the solid support of
the membership of the order. Even
the labor vote has been counted In
advance In the estimated vote of cer
tain candidates whose Interests have
been espoused by labor leaders. But
invariably it has been shown, when
the votes were counted, that when
men go Into the election booths to
mark their ballots, they lose sight of
organizations not Involved in the po
litical issues and vote In accordance
with their ideas of the public good.
They may err. but the error is one of
judgment and is not due to blindly
following a leader.
As head of the American Federa
tion of Labor, Mr. Gompers exercises
Immense power within certain lines.
So long as his wishes and commands
are in accordance with the authority
conferred upon him, they will be
obeyed and respected by a large ma
jority of the organization of which he
is chief. When he oversteps his Juris
diction his wishes and opinions will
be given no more consideration than
those of any other citizen, and they
will be given less. If It becomes evi
dent that he has tried to misuse his
position.
TIIE ROAD CONFERENCE.
The nature of the agitation for good
roads has changed notably within the
last three or four years. One remem
bers easily enough a time when the
delegates to a conference such as
meets In Portland today would have
occupied themselves with discussions
about the advantages of good roads
and the miseries of bad ones. There
would have been fervent exhortations
to the farmers to bethink themselves
of their sins of neglect and commis
sion in the matter of roads, with calls
to repentance long and loud.
Now all Is changed. The tone of
this conference will be not so much
hortatory as constructive. What ought
to be done is known and conceded by
everybody. The question now is:
How shall we do It?" Of course,
preachments will abound and they are
still needed, but not so badly as of
yore. There are few farmers who Btill
sit in darkness so far as roads are
concerned. They understand perfectly
well that a had grade, a mudhole, a
poorly-built bridge, levies a heavy an
nual tax upon their pockets, commits
their families to solitude and cruelly
overstrains their teams. "Places In
the road" are the foes of horses.
women and children. They thwart
the labors of the schoolma'am, and
make the minister's congregation
sparse, ah this the farmer knowetn
passing well and he curses the mud
hole as vigorously as any chauffeur
can. No more melodious maledictions
ascend to heaven than his at the
grade which aslninely climbs straight
up where it might Just as well wind
easily round. But how to remedy the
mudhole and the grades aslnorum?
There's the rub.
Alas for the roaff taxes of yester
year. Where are they and where be
the fruits thereof? A voice, sweet,
but sad. re-echoes, "Where?" In
road repair and building there has
been an everlasting waste of money
and effort, which has discouraged
everybody. To do the same job over
and over. Spring after Spring, for
seven times seventy years, and see It
washed away every Winter, is enough
to quell the most fiery soul. What is
the use of It? There is no use at all.
It Is just as easy to do roadwork that
will last 3000 years as the kind that
lasts only from June to November.
Anybody who don't believe It Is Invited
to go to Italy and take a ride over the
highway down to Brunduslun. Horace
rode over It 2000 years ago. It was an
ancient road In his day and It is just
as good now as it was then.
The principal element in a good
road Is brains. Sir Joshua Reynolds
used them to mix his paints with. The
lack of them Is the chief fault in our
highways. Consider the myriads of
Idiots who have been tinkering at
American roads for 300 years and
then wonder, if you can, that the
work has been foolish and the money
wasted. It seems to be the purpose
of the conference to supply this neces
sary element of brains by appointing
a commission, who shall superintend
and conduct road-bulldlng.aH over the
state. This is well. Good superin
tendence over roadwork would have
spared us immeasurable oceans of
folly. What Is done In Lane and Linn
and Marion Counties, and In every
other county, should be in accord
ance with a great systematic scheme
which slowly grows toward fulfillment
year by year. To formulate such a
scheme requires a good head, both
naturally well endowed and, further
more, well educated.
Commissioners have become some
thing of a joke in Oregon and else
where. They are prone to think.
good, easy men. that once their salar
ies are drawn their duties are done.
We apprehend that the road commis
sioner would be expected to know his
business and tbat the adornment of a
swivel chair would not be his sole
function. One would naturally sup
pose, then, that he ought to be an
engineer and not a politician. He
ought to be a highly educated engin
eer with a diploma from Cornell, or
its equivalent. A man may manipu
late votes for 1,000,000 years and still
not know how to run a grade over a
hill. He may be able to pack a caucus
to perfection and still be Ignorant how
to drain a roadbed. What is wanted
in this new office Is not expert poll
tics, but expert engineering. We have
amused ourselves for a great many
years in filling offices with men who
knew little and cared less about their
duties. In filling this one. If it should
be created, why not, for variety's sake,
exercise a little common sense?
COEDUCATION. '
An important article in the current
number of The Independent gives an
account of the movement, against co
education, which has gained some
momentum In the University of Wis
consin. Like many other Western
universities, the institution at Madison
has always treated men and women
exactly alike in the classroom and In
examinations, up to a recent date, but
now at appears that both students
and a number of the faculty desire a
change. Following the example of
most college presidents on most ques
tions where there is a decided dlf
ference of opinion, President Van
Hlse takes both sides, though It Is
clear enough that his predilections, if
he dared to express them, are against
the women. The press of Wisconsin,
however, is almost a unit for coedu
cation, and the same is true of the
older alumni, but a good many recent
graduates oppose it.
The movement against women at
Madison Is only a repetition of what
has appeared already at Chicago, Ann
Arbor, Berkeley and in many other
Western colleges. Those opposed to
coeducation say that men do not like
to recite in the same classes with
vomen. "Certainly," its defenders re
tort, "and the reason why they do not
!s because the women are smarter
than they are." This is true in part;
many women are "smarter" than
many men. As a rule, the brightest
men of this country are not to be
found in college classrooms, or, at any
rate, they do not stay long. Presi
dent G. Stanley Hall has pointed out
tbat there are deep psychological
reasons why men and women should
not be educated together. It destroys
that romantic halo, he says, which
afterward leads to the foundation of
families through matrimony. Some
allege that college men detest women
because they are not useful on foot
ball teams. But the writer In 'The
Independent thinks that the great
movement against coeducation has-ln-eradicable
economic causes. The sexes
cannot abide each other in the class
room because they are afterward to
compete for the same jobs and in
that competition man as a sex is
steadily losing ground. In the strug
gle for existence he does not seem to
be a match for the softer sex.
PORTLAND AS A SOTMT5B RESORT.
Once more the season has arrived
when every resident of Western Ore
gon felicitates himself on our Summer
climate. If thermometrjeal figures
alone could tell the story, he might
scan the statistics for July and point
to the few days when temperature rose
above the 90 mark. Even then he
must subtract several degrees on ac
count of the absence of humidity, and
he must make due allowance for the
beneficent, tempering northwest breeze
that has not failed us a single day
Bince the warm season began. While
these important particulars are never
emphasized in the official meteoro
logical reports. Western Oregon is on
friendly, not to say Intimate, terms
with them. Thus far the Summer has
been more than ordinarily moderate.
We have not had a day when an east
wind overcame the cooling zephyrs
blown in straight from the ocean.
The fact is, year in and out, the
pleasantest. place a Portlander can
spend July and August Is the City of
Portland. The only reasonable excuse
for leaving home is the universal de
sire for temporary change of environ
ment. We live so close to Nature that
a twenty-minute ride at a cost of a
nickel will take us from the manifold
artificialities of a modern metropolis
to a delightful wilderness; yet only a
handful of folk take advantage of the
hourly opportunity to seek retreat In
Macleay Park. Distance lends en
chantment to mountain, river and for
est; ours are too convenient for full
appreciation.
Our moderate Summer climate is
one of our valuable assets that cannot
be too widely exploited by publicity
bureaus and in private correspond
ence. Residents or the Middle west
do not know that following our warm
est days we have the cool nights,
which enable us to obtain full rest
and refreshing sleep and to awaken
fully equipped for the labor before us,
In America's great corn belt, the
nights this time of year are scarcely
less trying than the afternoon sun
Blessed, indeed, are midsummer nights
so cool that one may sleep in peace
and comfort under double blankets.
rOWER ON THE FARM.
To one who studies the economy of
the farm, the need of abundant pow
er is manifest power that Is ready
when needed and of a quality within
the comprehension of the man who
learned to farm rather than run ma
chinery. The day of the large fam
ily is passing; In fact, the next census
will show a big shrinkage in the husky
Jims and Jacks and Joshuas and
Toms and Dicks, the old-time lord of
the manor was wont to rout out at
daylight, each to perform his allotted
task before breakfast, and after that
meal to hie away to field or forest.
Some of the boys have learned a
thing or two and find life "easier"
(thwy think so, at ay rate), at work
in the city, and the farmer is left
shorthanded as they grow to manhood.
The gasoline engine or the electric
motor is his relief. With either to
furnish power for. milking machine
and separator, the early morning
drudgery is eliminated. It cuts the
hay and saves the waste of loose feed
ing. It grinds the grain and aids In
making the perfect ration. It pumps
the water for family and stock, to be
used cold when desired and, for the
same reason, warmed wnen needed,
for the farmhouse' that goes with this
machinery is piped for heating alsft.
The getting up of the Winter's wood,
cut for the stoves back-breaking and
soul-destroying job that it was is
more of a frolic when John D. or the
Juice furnishes the power. There are
threshing machines nowadays of a
'family size," to be run when con
venient, and the throwing of a belt
or a switch starts the fanning mill and
the huller.
Profit lies in the economy of pro
duction and the machine is the econ-
cmlst. There will be big displays of
all manner of labor-developing ap
paratus at the series of state, district
and county fairs about to open in the
Oregon Country. He who is wise will
profit by them, for the use of this
class of machinery leads to a greater
benefit; it tends toward a more In
tensive operation of the land. It
helps the owner produce as much on
half the area by conserving his forces
and its original cost is little more than
.nnA V. haln Vi a m not
hire when the boys leave home.
And better than all these results.
there will be less desire for flight city
ward by the young folks on the farm
that has them.
Chairman Hitchcock, of the Re
publican National Committee, counter
checked a shrewd little move by the
Democratic managers 'way back 1n the
State of Maine. It was proposed to
do a lot of missionary work "on the
quiet," preparatory to the election
which will take place September 15 in
the hope that the result could be so
shaped as to give a boost to the Bryan
cause. This work was to have been
attendeO to by New England Demo
crats so that the opposition would not
suspect the strategy. But Mr. Hitch
cock was on the alert; he hadn't for
gotten the Pine Tree State and Its
early election. He called a confer
ence, with the result that speakers of
National prominence. Including Sena
tor Borah, of Idaho, will he sent there
early next month to stir things up.
The Republicans do not Intend that
the enemy shall steal a march.
Bryan leaders In Georgia are re
ported as having grave misgivings
over the political situation In that
state. It Is there that Candidate Wat
son, of the People's party, and Candi
date Graves, of the Independence
party, live and are making a home ap
peal for Democratic votes. Which
prompts the Springfield (Mass.) Re
publican to remark: "It may not be
well for the Bryan candidacy that a
break should come In the solid South,
but It would be well for the future
of the Democratic party. Defeated
this year, it would then be able to ap
peal to the North more successfully.
But defeated this year without a break
In the South, how much better would
be its chances for success in the fu
ture than they have been for 15 years
past?"
The great number of recent auto
mobile accidents indicates one of two
things. Either a great many people
are motoring, or those who do motor
are very careless. Perhaps both are
true. . The automobile is not a ma
chine for reckless people to try to
handle. If they killed nobody but
themselves, one might be resigned,
but, as a rule, they kill others and
themselves come off unscathed. Is it
not possible to secure that cardrlvers
on the highways shall possess ordi
nary intelligence and caution?
Mary Rowans, of Pittsburg, needs a
little Instruction In logic. Her prom
ised bridegroom ran away from her
the other day, after wheedling her out
of a suit of clothes and some money.
If she were wise, the experience would
teach her to investigate the next man
pretty thoroughly before Investing in
him. Instead of that, she declares
that she is ready to marry the first
comer. Her trust in the sex is beau
tiful, particularly for a Pittsburg
woman, but what shall we say of her
discretion ?
A Massachusetts public school has
determined to try the experiment of
keeping school open from 8:30 A. M.
to 12:30 P. M., four hours, instead of
six hours, as has been the practice in
the past. One difficulty is that the
period will not coincide with the di
visions of the working day. Dismissal
at 12:30 would be a great inconveni
ence in the homes of working people,
who, as a matter of fact, furnish the
great majority of the school children
The Louisville Courier-Journal
says that on the hottest Sunday of the
year two detectives found an ice-chest
full of beer in a chili parlor. Well,
wasn't that a good place to find It? In
the dry counties of Oregon such minor
details a3 ice-chests, and chill parlors
wouldn't be considered if only the
beer could be found. And some peo
ple would be satisfied with near beer.
Of course. If Harriman's Klamath
friends should ever visit him In his
New York office, they will not be com
pelled, like other mortals, to cool
their heels a week or more outside.
Senator Hopkins, of Illinois, has
demonstrated once more that under
the direct primary It isn't necessary to
fool all the people all the time; only
a majority.
Tou can het a new hat that those
Mazamas on Mount St. Helens, last
Saturday night, would have welcomed
the blankets that the folks at home
threw off.
The Prohibitionist candidate for
President was nearly drowned Satur
day. In water, too. Another case of
overindulgence In one's favorite bev
erage.
Harrlman knows several fine Sum
mer resorts in Oregon. In this re
spect he Is better Informed than one
of Oregon's United States Senators.
If the people of the Klamath coun
try know their business and we
reckon they do they'll let Mr. Har
rlman tell all the big fish stories.
Those doctors are suing Thaw for
large sums "for testifying In his be
half," making clear the value and
reliability of expert testimony.
Bryan is studying out a speech on
the trusts. He Is finding out what he
thinks from the remarks of Taft and
Roosevelt.
The tired Militia boys at American
Lake would not find real war any
easier, but, of course, all of them
know it.
A law to prohibit Sunday desecration
by auto fiends would save a good many
lives, and their souls, too.
A person must have the auto habit
himself in order fully to sympathize
with victims of the crash.
Airships cost more than autos,
which is reason enough for the grow
ing fad.
i THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK FOR lflflS
Abumdant Evidence on All S I ilea -That
the Tide Una Turned".
(James W. Van Cleave, President National
Association of Manufacturers In American
Industries tor August.)
On all sides we see evidences tha
the tide has turned. A steady im
provement from this time onward may
be looked for with confidence. In New
York, Chicago, Pittsburg. St. Louis
Boston and other industrial centers,
mills are reopening their doors. The
stocks of goods In the hands of manu
facturers and wholesalers have been
reduced to low figures, and the re
sumption of purchases, which Is under
way In all the great lines of trade
shows that the wholesalers are begin
nlng to send In orders to th
factories with a little of their old-time
volume.
Within the past three weeks the out
put of the mills of the United State
Steel Corporation has been Increased
ten per cent over the average of recen
months. The promise Is that by th
beginning of November that largest of
world's steel concerns will be running
Its works to nearly their full capacity,
The independent steel mills, which
furnish almost half of the country'
product, are also responding to the
upward turn In trade.
This improvement Is registering it
self in the reduction of the number of
Idle locomotives and cars. When the
number was at Its highest. In the clos
lng days of April, 413,000 cars were
sidetracked throughout the United
States for lack of work. In the closing
days of July the number had dropped
below the 300,000 line. The heavy
crops, which In a few weeks will begin
to move to the markets, are likely
to send the number of Idle car3 down
to very small figures before November,
If the election turns out to be what
a large majority of the business men
of the country want It to be, and what
they expect It to be. every locomotive
and car In the United States wil prob
ably be actively at work by January
I.
As the country had the right to ex
pect, the reversal of the United States
Circuit Court of Appeals of the de
clsion of the District Court against
the Standard Oil Company which in
volved the 29,000,000 fine has had i
bracing effect on trade. The case goes
back to the lower court for a new trial
in which hysteria will probably have
a smaller part than it had In the suit
which has just been set aside. The
country wants to see the laws en
forced against all sorts of offenders
high and low, but we muse protect
the courts from any appearance of a
surrender to demagogic clamor. We
must prevent prosecution from degen
erating into anything which may look
like persecution.
Bryan and the Negroes.
Charleston News and Courier (Dem.).
If Mr. Bryan becomes President
through the assistance of negroes, we
shall have negroes holding office in
Ohio and other doubtful states, and the
question would' then arise as to wheth
er or not he would exclude the negroes
from the offices In the Southern States
an exclusion that would drive the
new Northern allies again to the Re
publicans. In our plain, and perhaps brutal opin
ion, negroes are undesirable Democrats.
The Democratic party cannot treat with
them without compromise of the prin
ciples that count most In holding the
white South In the Democratic party
The negroes have nothing to hope for
from the white people of the South in
political preferment for generations to
come, and it Is most disheartening that
Mr. Bryan, the Democratic candidate
for President, nominated largely by
the Southern delegates, should betray
a lack of understanding In this vital
matter.
Platt'a Wooden-Head Successor.
New York Sun.
Whatever the little eccentricities of
the Hon. Thomas Collier Piatt, he knew
enough to go In when It rained. In
the prosperous years of his bossslilp
and after he had learned the business
thoroughly he knew when he had to
yield to the opinion of his party; and
if there was just one road to victory he
took it. In 1898 he had no adoration
for Theodore Roosevelt, but he saw
that no other man could be elected
Governor by the Republicans.
It is hard work for the kindergart
ners among whom Mr. Piatt's mantle
has been divided to understand that
their poor little likes and dislikes don't
count; that when there is but one can
didate the Republicans can win with,
that candidate must be taken whether
the bosekins and bosslets like him or
loathe him.
Poor old Piatt! To think that even he
should be almost regretted, such Is the
vealiness and futility of his successors.
Impoaalble Self-Sacrifice.
Baltimore American.
It is in a carping, critical spirit that
a New York paper inquires: "How
many of those Western women enthusi
asts would remain loyal to Mr. Bryan if
they were asked to contribute their
trading stamps?" Without desiring to
make a political Issue out of the ques
tion, we might counter-question how
many men would remain loyal to any
body If asked to contribute their- to
bacco money?
New Gnostic Religion.
London Bystander.
For want of a more Interesting nov
elty Paris has Invented a new religion.
The religion is decidedly aesthetic and
its followers believe that beauty is a
saving grace, and that all that Is ugly
should be abhorred. This new cult has
been described as a new gnostic re
ligion. The service Is very simple, and
closely resembles the Roman Catholic
mass, but the worshipers commune by
kissing a rose.
Real Teat of a Campaign.
Washington Evening Star.
"So you have gotten through -with
your party platform and your letter of
acceptance?"
"Yes," answered the candidate.
"Then the hardest part of your work
Is through."
"Not by any means. I haven't yet
thought up my epigrams."
What Caused the Fatality.
Salt Lake Tribune.
One day last week a Michigan man
survived a shock of 25,000 volts of elec
tricity, which parsed through his body
from a falling trolley wire; but they
held his funeral after the company sent
In Its bill for the current.
Paradlae for Long-Winded Debtor.
Salt Lake Tribune.
One day on Jupiter Is said to equal
80,000 of our days. Wouldn't It be the
swell thing If a fellow could go up
there and borrow a thousand or two
for a few days?
Good Season for Optimism.
Washington Star.
With good crops in sight and both
candidates promising prosperity, it is
no wonder tbat the optimist Is again
asserting himself.
WHAT CONSTITUTES AN AMERICAN!
He la Evolved by a Fusion of Racea an.?
New Conditions of Life.
Springfield Republican.
A fnreltrn-horn reader of the New York
Times propounded to its editor the other
day some interesting questions as to the
definition of the term American:
1. What is the exact and accurate
definition of the nationality of a man.
and of the word "nation"?
2. Is a child born in America of Ital
ian parents an American or an Italian?
8. What is the main thing which
makes a man belong to such and such a
nation?
4. Is it the American citizenship or the
birth on American soil which makes an
American?
Some of these -are questions to which a
definite answer cannot well be given. "Na
tion" Is properly used in two senses, one
political, the other racial. It must depend,
of course, on which sense is understood
how the third question is answered.
Again. American is used in many senses.
To the European shopkeeper it is any
one from North or South America. To
the Mexican, it Is a citizen of the United
States. To the statistician, it is any one
living in this country who Is not a for
eigner. To the sociologist it may be the
native. as distinguished from the. immi
grant. To the social expert it may be
the descendant of an American family
as distinguished from one of recent Eng
lish. Irish, French or other foreign ex
traction. All meanings have their sig
nificance and their utility, and to under
stand fully what "American" means they
must all be taken into account. But for
the purposes of .government a very good
definition is that given by the Times:
"A child born In America of Italian par
ents is an American citizen. He is entitled
to the privileges and protection of our
Government, unless by long sojourn
abroad or by expressly forswearing al
legiance he becomes the national of an
other country. But only when he is ed
ucated in the language, customs and
Ideals of the American people does he
become an American In the full sense
of the word. The "main thing" Is not
mere citizenship or birth."
The search for a dominant America
type is not easy. Our novelists have give
us types, recognizable as American and
unlike the types of the old world. Mr.
Howells has drawn admirably one kind of
native product, of thoroughly mixed blood
but purely American Ideals. There are
millions of such, through the North an
Middle West, with common qualities that
make points of difference unimportant,
But there are other types, in New Eng
land, in the South, in California, all
broadly American, however they may
diner in pedigree or In traditions. Th
novelists have caught them, too, and
Is one of the highest functions of fiction
to seize upon those National characters
which elude the statistician, to show how
out of the fusion of races and the new
conditions of life the American type of
the new century Is being evolved. There
Is no discourtesy to the new citizen we
welcome in saying that to be naturalized
does not make one completely an Amerl
can. It is precisely by insisting on those
qualities which have already been
evolved that there is hope of blending
heterogeneous elements into a common
American type, like the English type or
Herman. 'mat lies far ahead, but w
nave ior it ail ine time that Is left.
CHINA'S TEEMING MILLIONS.
Estimates Place Population at Over
400,000,000.
nominates as to the population o
China vary between wide limits. Some
uthorltles (perhaps Minister Rockhlll)
several years ago placed the number as
low as 250,000,000. The average guess
Is between 400.000,000 and 600,000,000
Vice-Consul Vollmer, of Tslngtan, fur
nlshes the following official figures for
the year i907, compiled by the Chinese
authorities. They are. of course, little
more than intelligent guesses in the
matter of the native population. The
first table gives the statistics for for
elgn residents, not Including, apparent
ly, foreign troops on duty In the East
Nationality.
Persons,
American
2,862
2. Ml
202
Austrian
Belgian ...........
Brazilian
British
8.205
Danish
Dutch
French
l
JRO
2.20
German
8.R5S
R.Vt
43, 6 10
taltan
Japuneee
Corean ...........
4
is:
Norwegian .......
Portuguese .......
,.3,188
470
206
ir.7
210
Russian ..........
Spanish
Swedish
Nontreaty powers
Total
60,852
NATIVE POPULATION.
Province. Population
Shenking 10.000.000
hill lili.4iMi.ouil
Shantung . . 3S.too,ooo
Szechwan 7.5oo,ooo
Hunan 22,000.000
Hupeh 84.000.000
Kiangsl ... 24.M4.onO
Anhwel .Stl.Ooo.Oon
Kiangsu 22.oort.oon
Chekiang ll.Mlo.r.OO
ukien - -JO.ooo.oi
Kwangtung 3J.00o.flo0
Knaiigtt R.00O.000
Yunnan 8.000.000
Shanal. Shensl, Ransu, Honan. and
Kwelchow 33.000.000
Total
.438,214.000
Excess of Railway Regulation.
Henry Fink, in Railroad Age Gazette,
The country is suffering from an ex-
ess of railroad regulation. Much of
t is ill considered. In many cases the
remedies are worse than the evils they
are designed to cure. The best remedy
for over-capitalization due to insuffi
lency of earnings to pay fixed charges
nd return on the capital stock lies in
he growth of the volume of traffic.
n such cases a restriction of the Issue
f stock cannot affect Its Intrinsic val-
Its market value is determined by
appraisements made in Wall street, and
uch appraisements afford a better pro-
ectlon to Investors than any Govern
ment regulations. Indeed, it Is difficult
to understand how such regulation
ould give any protection at all. even
if it were a function of Government to
rotect individuals against the eonse
uences of their own errors of Judg
ment. That over-capitalization Is an
evil cannot be denied, but It would seem
Irrational to shackle commerce and in
dustry and their Instruments by an at
tempt to abolish by legislation an evil
which is corrected by operation of eco
nomic laws.
First Mate on the Quarterdeck.
Newport Mall.
Edward P. Irwin, associated with Mr.
Wilson In tho editorship of this paper,
having decided to resume general writ
ing, has severed his connection with
the Mall, much to the publisher's re
gret. Mrs. John Fleming Wilson will
now assume the dignity of an editor
and boss the paper", as she has for some
years bossed the publisher. Her ad
vent into the sanctum will undoubtedly
be as beneficial to this newspaper as
her supervision has been to the pub
lisher in eveiiything else.
Colored Sup. at Newport.
Newport is "wet," all right, but New
port's humor is as dry as ever. The
latest Issue of John Fleming Wilson's
paper had an overflow of a foot of
local matter, which was printed on yel
low paper, with the heading: "Colored
Supplement to the Newport Mail."
Yon Can Remedy One.
Kansas City Star.
The difference between the primary
system of nominating candidates and
the packed convention system is that
the defects of the primary system can
be remedied.
DEMOCRATS AS "TRIE PATRIOTS"
Perfectly Right to Vote at Republican
Primary, Saya Tula Writer.
FORTlAND, Or., Aug. 10. (To the
Editor.) For several months you have
been devoting much space to discredit
Statement No. 1, claiming that the pur
pose of the law was defeated because
Democrats, registered as Republicans,
votd at the Republican primaries for
the weakest Republican candidate,
thus enabling a strong Democrat o
defeat a weak Republican. If this
subject is of sufficient importance to
occupy a good share of your editorial
space from dny to day, why Is It
not of enough Importance to have all
the facts stated?
You know that for many years the
plain people have been betrayed to tho
recipients of special privilege, by the
United States Senate, and that the con
stitutional method of election of United
States Senators enabled a few groat
trusts and corporations absolutely to
control that body. The United States
Senate has never even allowed a bill
for the direct election of United States
Senators to come to a vote before that
body. ,
Hope of having the constitution
changed by a vote of corporation
owned senators, has long since been
abandoned by all thinking persons.
A campaign of education among the
voters of the state has convinced them
that only by having enough United
States Senators elected on Statement
No. 1 pledges could the constitution
be changed. And Instead of being
proud that Oregon has taken the lead
in the matter you call her "the fool
of the family.'
It was on account of the supreme
desire of the plain people to have
themselves represented In the United
States Senate that they threw down
party ties and exacted the Statement
No. 1 pledge which was clearly the
only Issue In the June election. Early
In the race it was universally con
ceded that either Fulton or Cake would
be nominated and elected. Fulton de
nounced Statement No. 1, which drove
a majority, including many Democrats,
to the support of Cake. The Demo
crats who registered as Republicans,
Instead of perjuring themselves as you
would make believe, were in reality
true patriots who placed principle
above party, and who Intended to vote
for Cake both at the primaries and
the polls, had h not wavered In the
faith. But when Cake wavered on
Statement No. 1 the Democrats who
had voted for him at the primaries,
and who intended to vote for him at
the polls, were afraid to trust him and
voted for Chamberlain. Everybody
knows, had Fulton come out strong
for Statement No. 1 he would have been
nominated and elected. Everybody
knows, had Cake remained firm In tho
faith he would have been elected.
Everybody knows that the people of
Oregon have by over 40.000 majority
declared for Statement No. 1. Every
body ought to know that Chamberlain
was clearly and legally elected United
States Senator on the single Issue of
the election of United States Senator
by as nearly a direct vote as it now is
possible to secure, and that the Legis
lature will not daro to subvert the
expressed will of the people, but will
regularly elect him a United States
Senator as the constitution now pro
vides. F. S. MYERS.
Felicitous Metaphor.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.
It has sometimes been said that the
newspapers of London are written by
Scotchmen and Irishmen. Which na
tionality compounded this felicitous
bit of metaphor In the Westminster Ga
zette? It was speed, and speed alone, which was
their lode-star. After all, there Is no mors
thrilling sight than to sre men pitting them
selvea against the awful regularity of Tims
with perilous determination, probing remorse
less Fate, as It were, with savage-llks de
fiance to do Its worst. It is Impossible to
think of raring motorists of the Grand Prix
type other than as mere children of circum
stance, who. In their wild flight, gnaw at
the vitals of Death, which may as, indeed.
It did In the case of poor Clssac and hie
mechanician claim them at any moment.
Muftlnjca of a Great Cynic.
New York Times.
Few of us get nervous prostration
from trying to make others happy.
When an old bachelor falls In love he
is looking for soma one to help him
out.
Girls naturally feel that they can
acquire airs after they acquire million
aires. To marry one's ideal would be fine,
If we could only be assured of never
waking up.
It takes a lot to make the average
man satisfied with his.
When a girl drops a fellow she nat
urally considers him beneath her.
Most of us have a bowing acquaint
ance with the lnevitahle.
The actress can generally take her
own part In spite of her understudy.
Too Knrly to Prophesy.
Albany Argus.
There are so many uncertain and
novel currents and cross-currents this
year that it Is simple folly for any ono
to say that it Is "all over but the
shouting." It seems at this time highly
likely that Mr. Bryan will get a much
more nearly united Democratic support
than he has ever had before, and that a
number of other Important elements
are In his favor at the start; in short,
that there is a better chance for Demo
cratic success than there lias been at
any time since 1892. But as a whole.
things are decidedly mixed, almost
chaotic, and It is too early to make an
Intelligent prophecy.
The Cherry Tree Avenged.
New York Sun.
Washington had just declared
he
couldn't tell a lie-
What will you say when folks ask
you how you enjoyed your vacation?"
nqutred his father.
Seeing he had him there, the old gen
tleman chuckled.
Almost Ilatlclde.
New York Press.
Did vou find the burglar?' asked
her chum of the bachelor girl, when
she had watched her poke under all the
couches with an Inoffensive umbrella.
No." said tho bachelor girl, "but I
nearly stabbed the life out of an empty
hat box."
Both Into Executive Session.
Baltimore American.
When Mr. Harrlman gets all the rail
roads, he and Congress may go Into
executive session.
A Song for August.
Catholic Standard and Times.
There's a death-damp In the dawn
And a fever In the noon:
Summer's tender hlonm Is gone
And her soul will follow soon.
Yet the leaves upon her trees
And her nodding flowers fling
Benedictions down the breeze
As they sing:
" 'Moriturl Ralutamus.'
But we Fhall not rile In vsln.
We shall fill ysur dreams with beauty
Till tho Summer comes again."
There ara voices In the night
And the calm stars overhead
Ars like tapers set alight
In the chamber of the dead.
And the mourning katydid
Sits and beats lis strident wings
In Its leafy covert hid.
And It sings:
" 'Moriturl Salutamus.'
But we shall not die In vain.
We shall (ill your dreams with beauty
Till ths Summer comes again."
X. A. DAL.X.