TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN. FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 1B08.
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PORTLAND. FRIDAY. A CO. 14. 1808.
A 8HPHKR1 OF THE rEOrLE.
"Shall the people rule?" asks
Bryan. Yes, of course; the people
shall rule, and they will rule; but not
on any of the ephemeral or accidental
notions of today, under the leadership
of men who set their dragrnet. In the
hope to gather in votes on any and all
the Imaginary and half-digested "ls
tVUes". conjured by "leaders" for a po
litical campaign.
Bryan has no definite principles. He
Is a glib talker, merely, and doesn't
know what he wants, except merely
that he wants votes. His peculiar
smile shows that he is "wlllin to
please."
The platform on which he stands
has little or nothing of definite or
positive character. It consists mostly
of hints and hesitations. It suggests
meanings that its author, who Is
Bryan himself, 1s afraid to utter
plainly. It goes all round every sub
Ject, and has nothing at all of the
positive utterances of Bryan's former
platforms and announcements. The
platform is the fruit of a study to get
the votes of all who have in them the
spirit of dissatisfaction from any
cause or no cause, and yet to "do the
spiriting" so gently or subtly as not to
give alarm to others and unite busi
ness and property In an effort for
their own protection.
Bryan once had definite purposes,
but now keeps them in the back
ground. His former platforms bris
tled with direct and positive an
nouncements and declarations, em
bodying demands that were exalted
to the rank of high principles. All
have been abandoned. His present
flag is a banner unfurled to the
breezes of discontent, from whatever
quarter they may blow. Tet the work
Is adroit. It contains hints to stir the
voter who thinks he Is . wronged, yet
studiously endeavors to lay asleep the
fears of those who have concern
about the stability of business and
property rights and financial affairs.
Here, for example, is part of the de
liverance known as the anti-lnjunctlon
plank:
The expanding organization of industry
makes It essential that there should be no
abridgment of the right of wage-earners and
producers to organize for the protection of
wages and the Improvement of labor condi
tions, to the end that such labor organiza
tions and their members should not be re
garded aa illegal combinations In restraint
of trade.
Now what does this mean? We
know what It is Intended to mean to
wage-earners whose votes It solicits;
namely, that they ought to be exempt
from the operations of a law that
bind other men. It is a suggestion of
intent to discriminate against other
classes In favor of wage-workers; In
other words, to make an exception of
a certain class of labor; but it Is put
wUh such indirection that it Is hoped
that erriployers, and other classes of
working people, will not concern
themselves about It.
But the principal feature o Bryan's
present effort is his manifest anxiety
to escape from all the "Issues" on
which he made his former campaigns.
All those great principles have gone
Into oblivion. Or he hopes they
have. He trusts at least they will be
overlooked, as youthful indiscretions.
Gone glimmering as a dream of
things that were, is that vast and vital
"issue" on which, in 1896. he slid
down as on a rainbow, bearing a mes
sage from the skies, free coinage of
silver at sixteen to one. This mes
sage, that came as by Inspiration,
clothed in sacred symbols, was offered
as the chief good fend final hope of
mankind. Tet now at last we dis
cover that "the crime of 1873" never
existed, never was perpetrated. The
Great Commoner, who then roared
and ramped up and down the coun
try, was a false alarm. Yet his suc
cess at that time would have plunged
all business into chaos. He now begs
the country to forget it. But will it
trust one so vagarious, so liable to the
impulse of dangerous folly? No man
who went astray as he did then can
be trusted, safely, by the country.
You can't know what he might do.
Eryan never knew, doesn't know yet.
and is Incapable of learning, that gold
is the true and only money standard
o! the world.
Another time "the burning Issue of
imperialism" was "the paramount is
sue, of the campaign." On this tre
mendous issue Mr. Bryan threw him
self upon the country in the year
1900, as he had thrown himself on
the country in 1896. upon that other
mighty issue, free silver coinage on
the false ratio. But "the burning is
sue of imperialism" is now dead as
"the paramount Issue of free silver
coinage." Hawaii, Porto Rico and
the Philippines are "viewed with in
tense alarm" no longer. This "burn
ing issue" has burnt out. It has per
ished as completely as its silver
brother perished on his cross of gold.
For fictitious Issues, raised to the,
higher powers of "burning Issues" and
"paramount issues," in quadrate plat
form equations, trust Brother Bryan.
He knows! He knows!
Again, on his return to his native
land, from his Journey round the
globe, laden with the spoils of the
wisdom of time, chosen by a selective
observation and polytropic power
from , the best things of all countries
and ages, Mr. Bryan announced In his
address at Madison Square that his
first message to the people of the
United States should be the announce
ment of his matured conviction that
the paramount issue now before our X
people was governmental -ownership
and operation of the railroads. This
raised even a greater storm than -followed
the former coruscations of his
intellect; for the leading men of his
own party. North and South, every
where, protested and roared their dis
sent. At last Bryan seemed to have
dug his political grave and tumbled
Into It. For a long time he said noth
ing more to a perverse and gainsaying
country. Finally, when he did venture
tu speak again, .he explained that he
only meant that at some distant time,
perhaps some ages after the beginning
of the millennium, governmental own
ership of the railroads would be
necessary. Of course he didn't sup
pose it could be accomplished now.
He has not mentioned the subject
since. It wasn't a burning and para
mount and permanent issue after all,
any more than free silver and imperi
alism had been. A genial operator In
politics had been merely trying ex
perimental alarms.
Not very long since Bryan found oc
casion (he can easily find them) to
deliver a speech in Brooklyn. In that
speech he decisively pronounced for
Initiative and referendum, and de
dared that no man could be a Demo
crat who did not accept "the great
principle." Another storm assailed
his ear, with loudest vehemence. He
was told that the Democratic party
never would consent to this attack on
the principle of legislative enactment
and representative government. Th
South especially wouldn't have it, for
It would "cut out all proper Influence
of the better class In legislation"; an
the plutocratic element of the North
em Democracy -was as determined op
ponents of it. This, therefore, had to
be abandoned, as all preceding "para
mount issues" had passed Into the
Umbo of Innocuous desuetude. Not
a word since from Bryan of initiative
and referendum; not a word in th
platform of his party about It and
he made the platform.
Mr. Bryan is just simply trying to
get elected. He lias tried one chi
mera after another, without effect, or
other result than defeat. Now he ha
reduced his demand to the formula
"Shall the people rule?" Undoubted
ly they shall and will. But what
they had taken his advice as to how
they should rule during the last dozen
years? He was as earnest, remem
ber. In advocacy of all his former va
garics as of his present ones. His
present ones are, however, chiefly of
misty and vague character. He pre
sents now no burning issue or
"paramount issue." His study this
time has been to set a sail for every
gust from every cave of winds and
especially those blown from the cave
of Adullam. At the same time he
studies to be careful extremely care
ful not to alarm or offend quiet folk
who are going on about their busl
ness; and hence he tries to keep most
of his crew below decks and out of
sight. Some say Bryan Is wiser than
he used to be. That he is more pru
dent in his political methods we be
lieve; certainly he Is more so than
when he burst on the country
through the Chicago convention of
1896, "and like a comet burned that
fires the length of Ophlucus huge in
the Arctic sky, and from his horrid
hair shakes pestilence and war."
Mr. Bryan once was a very danger
ous man. He has been chastened by
failure and defeat, and now merely is
a humbug.
VERY WELL.. THEN.
"We predict," says the Burns (Ore
gon) News, "that no leader In Oregon
will ever lead the (Republican) party
to victory again on any other plat
form," meaning the primary law as it
now stands, interpreted by and for
Statement No. 1, and initiative and
referendum, perverted as they have
been.
Very well, then. Here is the Dem
ocratlc party. It will win, if the Re
publican party does not. It Is alto
gether fit and most fit, that the Demo
cratlc party should be the champion
of this system and have the usufruct
of it. !
For experience abundantly proves
that it turns to Irrational conse
quences; that it destroys trie repre
sentative system and republican or
representative government; that the
use or abuse of it changes the whole
character of our system, and makes
Intrigue, fraud, lying, corruption and
perjury the bases of our political life.
Moreover, It distinctly provides a
method for all these things by law,
and then claims the results as "the ex
pression of the will of the people."
Let the state be made a Democratic
state, or be given up to the Demo
cratic party, on this basis. It will be
such, anyhow, whether anybody at
tempts to make It such or not.
But not another state of the Union,
Republican or Democratic, will do
this thing. Oregon will bear the palm
alone. In no other state will parties
juggle In this way with politics and
legislation. . And the time will come
when Oregon will not.
FOR AN OPEN RIVER.
The Pendleton Tribune is still un
able to see why withdrawal of a well
equipped steamboat line from the up
per river, as soon as the railroad was
completed, is not evidence of the
economic advantages of rail over
steamboat navigation on the swift
waters of the upper river. "This pa
per," says the Tribune, "believes there
will always be a great commercial
need for the Columbia River as a
bearer of the products of the Inland
Empire to the sea and that, no mat
ter how efficient the railroads become,
its value will remain unimpaired as
a competitor with rail transportation."
This is true wherever it is possible
to float a class of water carriers of
sufficient tonnage to admit of econ
omies that cannot be equalled by the
railroads, a notable example being the
hundred-mile stretch between Port
land and Astoria, over which freight
1 carried In immense steamships at
a cost per-ton-per-mile so low that no
railroad can meet It, except at a loss.
With a further deepening of the
river, still larger carriers can come
far inland, and there will be further
reduction In the cost per-ton-per-mile.
The Oregonlan has steadily and con
sistently, in season and out of season,
advocated the opening of the Co
lumbia River from its entrance to a
point as far inland as it is possible to
float a fiatboat. The Oregonlan was ad
vocating the open river when it cost
$200 per ton to ship freight on steam
boats from Portland to Wallula, and
when vessels of sixteen- and eighteen
foot draft were obliged to lighter half
of their cargo between Astoria and
Portland.
This paper. Is still advo-.
eating the opening of the river so
that the largest ships plying in the
Pacific trade can' come as far inland
as those m-hich are now carrying the
products of the Inland Empire, to
the world's markets, but which a
year or two hence, will be too small
for the trade.
The Oregonlan most earnestly de
sires completion of the Celilo Canal
and removal of all obstacles that can
be removed from the river above
Celilo. With this work performed,
no possible combination that ' could
be effected by the railroads would suc
ceed In forcing rates up to the high
point at which they stood when the
railroads superseded the steamboats
on the upper river. The plain, un
varnished fact that the railroads did
supersede the steamers on the upper
river at a time when there was avail
able for service the finest fleet of
river carriers that ever floated on the
Columbia is explained only on .the
grounds of economy. Neither corpor
ations nor individuals would supplant
a cheap method of transportation
with an expensive one. In addition to
its value In preventing a possible
drastlo advance in rates, an open
river, above Celilo will, as the country
develops, supply a means of local
transportation Just as the Mississippi
and some of its tributaries in the
thickly settled portions of the Middle
West are again coming into use.
Rocks and rapids make the Co
lumbia more difficult of navigation
than the Mississippi, but by the time
It- banks are lined with a population
equal to that which now Is beginning
to supply traffic for small river steam
ers along the Mississippi, the wisdom
cf opening the river will be quite ap
parent. The river is a free highway,
and, the moment it offers any induce
ment for operation of steamboats,
there will be plenty of practical steam
boat men ready to avail themselves
c' the opportunity. They will never
aain make the profits that were made
before the railroad came, but event
ually there will be some steamboat
business that will be self-supporting
and attractive for steamboat men.
WHAT A PRIMARY IS FOR.
The average "non-partisan" doesn't
care anything about party, of course.
All he wants is to name the can
didates and control the offices of both
parties. Here in Oregon the "non
partisan" buncoes the Republican
party, or many so-called Republicans,
into the delusion that there is nothing
'in partisanship, and the offices should
therefore be given to the Democrats.
Turning the Jobs over to the Demo
crats would appear to be a non-sequi-tur
for non-partisanship, yet that's
Oregon logic, under the primary law,
and it goes here.
In Washington there Is an active
bunch of, patriots, corresponding to
the Oregon "non-partisans," who are
devising ways- and means to run both
the Republican and Democratic par
ties In the direct primaries. Their
great purpose was to vote in the pri
maries for the candidates of both par
ties and thus fix things for the elec
tion to suit their peculiar notions and
special interests. This Is how they
were going to do it: They thought
they could take a Republican primary
ballot and vote for a miscellaneous
rssortment of Republicans and Demo
crats, and the vote would be duly
counted for the candidates of both
parties. But the Attorney-General of
the state has put a stop to this pretty
scheme, by saying that if there shall
be recorded on any Republican ballot
a vote for a Democrat, it shall not
count as a vote for him as a Demo
cratic candidate, but it must be con
sidered as a vote for the same man as
Republican candidate.. In other
words, if A is running for the nomina
tion for United States Senator as a
Democratic candidate, votes cast for
him by Republicans in the Republican
primary shall not be used to deter
mine the result of the Democratic
primary.
Certainly not. Some day, perhaps.
there will be general acceptance of
the fact that a party primary is a
party primary, and not a device, or
instrument, to make serviceable or
potent the notions and fancies of po
litical straddlers and non-conformists.
OREGON ELECTRICS DIFFICULTIES,
Reported abandonment of the Ore
gon Electric extension from Salem to
Albany is matter of regret to nearly
every one- having business at Salem
Albany or Portland. Both Salem and
Portland, as well as the entire inter
mediate territory, have profited by the
building of this line, and it is a cer-
tainty that its extension would bring
with it benefits proportionate to those
enjoyed by the territory already
served by the line. There Is another
point in connection with this forced
abandonment of the extension that
must appeal to all who have followed
the course of the Oregon Electric
ince It began operations in this state.
Unlike nearly every other similar en
terprise that has been started in this
country, the Oregon Electric asked
no bonus of any one, sought no pres
ents of terminal grounds, and made
no effort to secure local subscriptions
to its stock.
The work of this company from its
lncepton was carried forward rapidly
and quietly, in a business-like manner
and on a cash basis. The promises of
service have all been fulfilled, and
more than fulfilled, and the policy of
the company in every way has been
eminently satisfactory to all of the
patrons of the road, with the possible
exception of those who have attempt-
d to hold up the management for
extravagant sums for right-of-way
privileges. In lieu of the Albany ex
tension, Manager Talbot will recom
mend construction of the W'est Side
branch from Tigardville to McMlnn-
ille. ' This will open up a rich terri
tory which will be greatly benefited
by the Improved transportation facili
ties, and Portland will profit accord-,
ngly; but substitution of this exten
sion for the Albany line will prove
disappointing to a great many people
ho had foreseen in the line between
Portland and Salem the beginning of
trunk line running the entire length
f the Willamette Valley and connect
ing all of Its largest cities.
Manager Talbot, in - announcing
plans for building the McMInnvllle
branch, says that "the people of that
section want the service that Is pro
posed, and In every possible way they
are encouraging us. xnis would
Beem to be the proper attitude of any
community or region that had an op
portunity to Improve Its transporta
tion facilities by building of new lines
extension of old ones. Salem
should endeavor to remove some of J
the obstacles of which Mr. Talbot
complains and attract. Instead of at
tacking, the new line.
Some of the followers of Mulal
Hafid have just put to death, after
horrible tortures, an English doctor,
following the murder with the an
nouncement of a holy war. This
incident may inject a little more "gin
ger" Into the Moroccan situation.
There is no special cause for the big
powers of the world to "butt in" on
the family row between the two broth
ers who are contending for supremacy
in Morocco so long as their killings
are confined to the black-and-tan pop
ulation of the country. But when a
citizen of Great Britain is murdered in'
cold blood there is likely to be some
thing doing, for old John Bull takes
good care of his subjects, and, no mat
ter where they wander, he is quick to
avenge any insults or outrages. Noth
ing which Mulal Hafid has yet done
will play Into the hands of his brother
Abdul so effectually as the murder of
this Englishman, for, if the affair is
as wanton as is indicated in early dis
patches, Abdul Aziz may receive some
valuable assistance at an early date,
Strong-arm Justice is not without
its merits. Oregon's experience with
the Holy Rollers demonstrated that
those peculiar disciples of nastiness
with, their travesties on religion, were
midly indifferent to any kind of rea
son except that which was backed u
with force. The cult is now doln
business in New York, and at Brook
lyn a disciple named Dunwiddy at
tacked Magistrate Higginbotham,
whereupon the man of law landed
"squarely on the Jaw" and Dunwiddy
went down and 'out. In addition to
the bodily punishment administered,
the Holy Roller was held in J1500
bail. Unless the Eastern Holy Roller
differs from the Oregon brand, the
one blow on the jaw will be much
more conducive to better behavior
than a' fine or imprisonment, where
the disciples could pose as martyrs.
The election this week in San
Francisco was one 6f the most hotly
contested affairs that has ever taken
place in the bay city. For that rea
son, the maximum voting strength of
the California metropolis was un
doubtedly represented in the returns,
which show a total of 33,636 votes
cast. This vote, taken In connection
with the San Francisco claim to
population of about 500,000, offers
seme Interesting possibilities in the
mathematical line. The problem
would run about thus: If San Fran
cisco with an estimated population of
500,000 people, polls 33,636 votes in a
hotly contested election, what is the
population of Portland, where nearly
26,000 votes were cast at the June
election?
Because of the bulklness of the fly
ing machine, a New York woman has
been working on a plan for a small
machine and announces that she has
succeeded in making one that is col
lapsible and that can be carried in an
ordinary suitcase. Why not make the
machine serve a double purpose by
having It fold into the proper shape
and wear it as a Merry Widow hat?
Then by touching a hidden spring and
turning on the power the lady could
fly away whenever ' she liked. That
would beat waiting for an overcrowd
ed streetcar. .
Rents will not fall, to any extent. In
Portland. Burdens on property are
too great. Addition of $5,000,000 to
the debt of the city, and demands for
bridges, tunnels, parks, etc., far be.
yond this addition to the debt, will
not tend to the reduction of rents;
nor will the new and growing system
of necessary street Improvements.
sewer construction and charges of offi
cial administration. Houses and of
fices must pay something to their own
ers, and tenants must pay it. Slump
in rents therefore is not probable.
If the money that was lost through
the destruction of threshing machines
by smut explosions In the Inland Em
pire this season had been spent in
properly preparing the seed wheat.
there would have been no smut. The
experience of the best wheat farmers
east of the mountains has demon
strated that people reap about as
they sow. With seed wheat on which
smut germs develop and thrive, na
ture is only carrying out her proper
function by producing smutty wheat,
Mr. Hearst will hardly be well
pleased with the vote polled by his
Independence League In San Fran
cisco. Out of a total of 33,536 votes
cast, the Independence League re
ceived 193. This Is a striking example
of ingratitude on the part of Mr.
Hearst's employes, for the size of the
vote shows quite plainly that, while
the Hearst papers may support the
movement, the men who make the
Hearst papers do not support it.
People who think that strict divorce
laws will make family life perfectly
secure are invited to consider what Is
happening In the East Side in New
York. According to the charity work
ers in that quarter, hard times have
caused a veritable epidemic of wife
desertion. Just how the restriction of
divorce to . the "Scriptural causes '
would help in this dilemma is not
clear.
Would all the world were as hopeful
as the aviators. Nothing tngntens
them. Nothing seems to discourage
them. No accident short of death
strikes them as serious. Wilbur
Wright tumbled plumb down seventy
five feet at his last mishap, but he j
sprang up Jubilant and ready to try
again.
If those Siletz "homesteaders" had
been living on their claims as the law
requires, instead of remaining com
fortably housed at Newport, they
would not have been dispossessed by
squatters. The trouble with many
homesteaders is that they try to dwell
in several places at the same time.
An exchange wants to know why we
encourage our hair-brained Hobson to
embroil us in war with the plucky lit
tle empire, in the Pacific. We don't.
Merely tolerating him is not encourag
ing him. This is a land of free speech
and much of the speech is not only
free but cheap.
Judge Parker, it is said, will make
a speech for Bryan in Portland; then
will go on to Seattle. Returning
home. It is the supposition that he
will not take the Nebraska route.
I suburban home: transportation
Favors Obligatory Transfer Clause and
Platting; of Nearby Tract.
PORTLAND, Aug. 13. (To the Ed
itor.) The Oregonian's editorial on
streetcar crowds la timely, and the
public should take a deep Interest in
the discussion. I should say to the
transportation companies scatter the
crowds by branch suburban lines; and
to the owners of acreage tracts plat
your tracts, sell at reasonable prices
and don t be too selfish.
It looks very selfish to the writer to
see large farms held within two or
three miles of the center of the
city, thus driving the hard-work.
ing class five and six yes, eight
miles out to get a piece of ground on
which to bullfl a house. All transpor
tation companies entering the city lim
its should issue transfers on all fares
within the city limits. The topography
of the West Side admits but few
chances for suburban lines to be built,
which makes the subject the more
serious.
The Oregon Electric Company should
be prevailed upon to Issue transfers
within the city limits. . If this were
granted, it would no doubt take quite a
number in a different direction. No
more franchises should be granted
without an obligatory transfer clause
embodied. The Assessor, no doubt,
could help the situation by assessing
acreage tracts on a par with the valu
ation of the platted blocks adjoining or
surrounding. Maybe this could be done,
but I doubt it- E. U. WILL
A Judgment of Bryan.
World's Work.
Any student of contemporary events
or of party history who should con-
elude that Mr. Bryan has been an un.
successful leader and nothing more
would fall into a serious error. He
has been a misfortune to the Demo
cratic party, but he has not been a mis
fortune to the country. He has been
the champion of the unthoughtful and
the economically muddled, but he has
been the champion also of the neg
lected and forgotten classes and of the
victims of special privilege.
It Is his sympathy for the unsuccess
ful man whether failure be his fault
or his misfortune or the fault of so
ciety or of Government that has won
him so strong and so strange a follow
ing; for it Is a following that long ago
ceased to be political and became per
sonal. Millions of men regard him with
admiration and affection, and their loy
alty to him is the same, whether he
favor free silver or the Government
ownership of railroads, or whatever he
favor.
Men who believe in him believe that
he stands for the ..common man the
commonest kind of man for the for
gotten, for the unprivileged; and that,
somehow, he would help, if he should
become President, to make their lot
better. If he were a candidate for
bishopric, they would believe the same
thing. For he Is a preacher, the most
popular preacher of our time. He Is
a voice for those who speak ineffective
ly for themselves.
Ia Parker Taking Ills Revenge?
New York Sun.
Everybody knows the passionate zeal
of Lincoln for Esopus in 1904. Esopus
is now to respond to and requite that
devotion. "I shall speak wherever and
whenever I can, Judge Parker tells
the Democrats of Los Angeles, who at
once made him the chief orator at
mass meeting. "The Democratic party.
must win," he cries, magnanimously
forgetting his hazing in the Denver
convention and the inglorious fate of
that set of Cleveland resolutions which
he took West so Impressively. "It has
the winning cause, the wlnnlng'plat-
form and the winning man." So, high
er and higher Esopus heaps the coals
on Lincoln's head; and not merely the
customary "strong men weep," there
are refreshing tears In all eyes at this
sublime act of forgiveness and recon
ciliation.
Only one cloud obscures the radiant
prospect. A very black cloud, how
ever, and see how the ironic lightning
leaps therefrom:
I hope every Democrat has committed
tnat (Denver) platform to heart.
Think of anybody committing to
anything but the flames and the
weather doesn't permit them that pre
posterous bunch of flubdub! If Judge
Parker means well he is overdoing it
and will stir suspicion in faithful
Bryanlac bosoms.
Owner Finds Lost Gem In Crab.
New York Dispatch to Philadelphia
Inquirer.
Loss of a valuable diamond ring by
Mrs. waiter Vernon, Jr.. of New York.
in the waters of Great South Bay, and
the subsequent discovery of the ring in
the body of a soft-shell crab which
was caught in the bay and served to
Mrs. Vernon at dinner on the follow
ng day, Is the experience related by
Mrs. Vernon.
The ring, which bore a two-karat
diamond, slipped from Mrs. Vernon's
finger while she was In a fast motor-
boat and had allowed her hand to be
come wet with the flying spray. The
spot where she lost it was marked
with a buoy, though the chance of re
covering the ring was considered very
light.
The chef and his assistants at the
hotel where the dinner was served deny
11 knowledge of where the crab got
the diamond, and apparently the full
responsibility rests on the crab.
Lane Coanty's Great Cherry Tree.
JUNCTION CITY, Or., Aug. 12. (To
the Editor.) I recently read In The
Oregonlan of the great cherry tree of
Yamhill County. But Lane County, as
far as heard from, beats any county
the state. Three miles east of
Goshen, near the Coast Fork bridge, on
the J. D. West farm, stands a cherry
tree that measures 32 inches from the
ground, and six Inches below where
the limbs start out from the tree. The
latter measures eight feet six Inches,
has a spread of 48 feet from the
orthweet to the southeast, and It also
measures 48 feet from the southwest
the northeast. It has Just been
measured by J. D. West, owner, and
myself, a visitor.
JAMES CALVERT.
Stuffed Primaries In Chicago.
Chicago Record-Herald, Ind.
When the returns are all In one of the
first things which students of primary
law legislation will undertake will be an
analysis of the Democratic voting at the
Republican . primaries which was so
flagrant in the river wards. The votes
that were heaped up here for Yates, for
Hopkins and against Healy were largely
votes which have no business whatever
In a Republican primary.
Failliuc Meteor's Heat Kills Cora.
Chicago (111.) Dispatch.
A meteor two feet in diameter re
cently fell on the farm of Manuel
Gough, near Brockton, III., penetrating
to a depth of eight feet and creating
enough heat, it is said, to kill corn at
a distance of two rods around.
Mascot Dog Gets Streetcar Pass.
Nef York Press.
Bess, the coach hound mascot of an
engine company in New York, has re
ceived a pass over the Third-Avenue
streetcar line.
42.80 Inches.
DALLAS, Or., Aug. 12. (To the Ed
itor.) What was the tola! rainfall at
Portland during the year 1907?
D. P.
IP E. H. HARRIMAN SHOULD DIE
What Would Happen to the Bis Rail
roada and Wall Streetf
N. Y. Special to ktnsas City Journal.
What would happen If E. H. Harri
man should die?
Mr. Harriman Is far and away the
most Important figure In the railroad
world today. There has never been a
man In personal. Individual, supreme
control of as many miles of railroad as
E. H. Harriman, or upon whose plans
so n:uch depended.
He is absolute dictator over more
than 40,000 miles of the best railroad
lines In the United 3.ates. barring only
the New York Central and the Penn
sylvania systems and giving the "Jim"
Hill roads In the Northwest a com
petitive "look-In." The roads over
which Mr. Harriman exercises supreme
.control represent nearly 20 per cent of
the total mileage of the United States
and fully 2o per cent of the capitali
zation, the aggregate of stocks and
bonds being in excess of $3,000,000,000
in a grand total of about $13,000,000,-
000.
Mr. Harrlman's plans are notoriously
In a state of Incompleteness. To Chi
cago newspaper men he has said with
in the week that he "did not know
where he was at," a confession that
came from the heart. He is working
out dreams of stupendous railroad
empire, and If left alone In the reten
tion of his health another ten years
he might be found In command of the
entire transportation situation of North
America.
His ''big career," as It now stands.
has been compressed within the limits
of ten years. Nothing much was heard
of him before he engineered the deal
that redeemed Union Pacific from the
Government, and that was only nine
years ago In 1899. True, he had short
ly before bearded J. P. Morgan In his
den and forced th hitherto undisput
ed despot of Wall Street to modify his
Erie reorganization plan, but that in
cident created little excitement outside
of the financial center, and when he
appeared in Washington to "save"
union Pacific he was, comparatively
speaking, an unknown man.
He is not only the acknowledged
king of the railroad world, but abso
lute master of the speculative arena.
It was Harriman who took up the
stock market when Morgan and the
rest of the old-time generals were
willing to lay hack and let nature take
its course that was last Spring after
the "wreckage corps" had unloaded at
fabulous profits the stocks bought at
panic prices with public deposits in
banks kept beyond the reach of lawful
owners. The "situation savers" were
ready to take their winnings and quit
for a year or two. Not so with Har
riman and his chums. Thev rjlrkeil un
the stock 'market where Morgan and
his friends had dropped it, and, In
association with H. C. Frlck, William
Rockefeller, John D. Archbold, young
John D. Rockefeller, H. H. Rogers,
James Stlllman and others, got under
stocks and began a campaign that has
turned out to be the most remarkable
ever witnessed on the New York Stock
Exchange.
The advance in prices may not have
been warranted by business conditions
many think it was not yet stocks
have been boosted 20 to 60 points, and
held there. There is no going back
on the record of the tape. The thing
was done and the recovery in prices
can be measured in the billions of dol
lars. The rise has carried the average
of prices nearly two-thirds of the way
to the high levels of 1907. It was an
tounding performance, and chief
credit is due the indomitable Harriman,
branded as the most undesirable citi
zen of Wall Street the selected "bad
man" from a long list of "wealthy
malefactors.
It is not the purpose of this letter
to refute the attacks on Mr. Harriman
or to minimize or excuse his financial
immoralities, but simply to take his
present measure as a Wall Street
proposition and to speculate In an en
tirely legitimate manner on what might
happen if he should be removed from
the sphere of his astounding activities.
Nobody imagines for an instant that
the values he has created or helped
create would be wiped out by his de
mise, but such an event could hardly
fall to produce great confusion In the
transportation world and In Wall
Street for the time being.
For, De It known, Mr. Harriman
leaves no heir to whom he can trans
mit his genius and no trustees Quali
fied to carry out his half-understood
and less than half-finished plans. He
has been a law unto himself, and In the
conduct of his affairs ho has surround
ed himself with agents and groups.
each acquainted In part or whole with
fractional features of the big pro
gramme, but none familiar with all. It
is hardly conceivable that any man
can be found big enough to take up
the work where he would leave off, If
plucked suddenly from this life or
any group of men. He leaves no
understudy. He has never trained one
to fill his job.
When Harriman left Chicago he was
a sick man. He has acute stomach
trouble, and is a perfect glutton for
work. He counts the day lost that
does not embrace 16 or IS hours given
over to nerve-racking toll. Besides
which he is nearly 62 years old. He Is
more important to Wall Street than
any two of the seven Presidential can
didates. F-ATR DATES THIS FALL.
State.
Oregon Salem, September 14-19.
Idaho Boise, October 19-24.
Washington North Yakima, Septem
ber 28-October 3.
Montana, Helena, September 28-Oc
tober 8.
, District and County.
Anaconda, Mont., September 23-26.
Baker City, Or., October 13-17.
Belllngham. Wash., August 25-29.
Big Timber, Mont-, August 26-29.
Bozeman, Mont., August 31-Septem-
ber 4.
Caldwell, Idaho, October 6-10.
Centralia, Wash., September 14-19.
Colfax, Wash., September 28-Octo
ber 8.
Dillon. Mont., September 9-11.
Davenport, Wash., October 8-11.
Eugene, Or., September 7-12.
Everett, Wash., September 1-5.
Glendlve, Mont., September 15-17.
Lewlston, Idaho, October 12-17.
Marshfield, Or., August 2R-29.
Miles City. Mont., September 8-10.
Missoula. Mont., September 21-25.
New Westminster, B. C., September
29-October 3.
Pocatello, Idaho, September 7-9.
Portland, Or.. September 21-26.
Prinevllle, Or., October 13-17.
Prosser. Wash.. September 24-26.
Roseburg, Or., September 2-5.
Sclo, Or., September 2-4.
Seattle, Wash., September 7-12.
Spokane, Wash., October 5-10.
Victoria, B. C, September 22-29.
Walla Walla, Wash., October 12-17.
Wallowa, Or., October 8-10.
Class of 56 at Hillsboro.
HILLSBORO. Or.. Aug. 13. (Special.)
Fifty-six teachers are writing for county
papers and six for state papers, at the
quarterly examination, now In session In
this city. The examining board consists
of Superintendent M. C. Chase, Profes
sor J. W. Marsh. Forest Grove, and for
40 years with Pacific University, and
Mrs. Josephine Case. Washington
County has 100 school districts and has
nearly 7000 persons of school age, be
tween the ages of 4 and 20.
CORVALLIS PLANS BIG FAIR
All ..Benton County Interested In
Making Splendid Showing.
CORVALLIS, Or., Aug. 13. (Spe
cial.) Great preparation Is being made
for the All-Benton School Fair to be
held In this city September 3. 4 and 6.
The fair last year was such a success
that business men and farmers are en
thusiastic and working together this
year for a fair second only to the stato
exhibition at Salem a week or so later.
There will be a parade each day. the
business men's parade on Saturday
promising to be the greatest exhibition
of Its kind ever seen In Central Oregon.
A Corvallis booth under the auspices
of the Coffee Club, an A.l-Henton booth
In charge of Frank Groves, and an O.
A. C. booth will be special attractions.
There will be shows galore, music by
brass bands, a series of ball games,
racing by local horses and a dlspluy of
livestock, grains, grasses, fruits and
vegetables of superior merit.
The display by the farmers and
stockmen will be exceptionally fine for
the reason that they will exhibit here
Just what they will take to the Slate.
Fair. The Benton County booth took
first prize at the State Fair last year
and a strong effort to repeat this suc
cess will be made.
CORVALLIS CREAMEKY BVKXsi
Early Morning Fire Causes Loss ol
$6500, With $3500 Insurance.
CORVALLIS. Or., Aug. 13. (Spe
cial.) This morning at 2 o'clock tiro
destroyed the Corvallis Ire Works, en
tailing a loss of $6n0-. with but $.1500
insurance. Tho Hazelwood Cream
Company's branch office, located in the
building, came In for a loss of $300 ami
the Occidental Hotel lost 200 pounds
of butter in cold storage there.
The flie started in the holler room
nd was under such headway when
discovered that the entire two-stnry
structure, 50x75. was consumed despite
strenuous efforts of the fire depart
ment. Until two or three weeks ago
John Engle was proprietor of the Ice
Works and at that time he turned tho
plant over to his son. Calvin Engle,
and deeded him the property.
The Englss are undecided as to re
building.
MOTHER AND CHILD PAUPERS
Divorced Wife of Hillsboro Garden
er Public Charge In Heppnor.
HILLSBORO, Or., Aug. 13. (Special.)
County Judge Patterson. of Morrow
County, writes to Washington County
officials arking for information about W.
H. Marden. a Hillsboro gardener, whose,
divorced wife is now at Heppner, and
receiving aid from the county authori
ties. The Judge wants to know If Mar
den gets a pension, and thinks the wife
is entitled to one-half. Inasmuch as she
gave birth to a child a short time ago.
W. H. Marden was granted a divorce
from Lillle Marden March 2. VMM. and
his complaint charged the woman wllh
calling him all ports of vile names and
states that she refused to cook for him
and that she finally deserted him.
It Is apparent that the woman has not
told the Morrow authorities that she Is
divorced. The woman was married prior
to her venture with Marden.
WATER SCARCE AT MEDOFRI)
While City Council Figures on Bids,
Townspeople Go Thirsty.
MHDFORD, Or. Aug. 13 (Special.)
While the City Council and Water Com
mittee of the same body are figuring with
companies east and west on bids for
laying a pipe-line Into Medford and
figuring with owners of water rights for
ample supply of water, the city Is nearer
a water famine than ever before. The
light snowfall last Winter and the past
six weeks of warm dry weather account
for the scarcity. Arrangements are being
made for an extra supply of water from
the Fish Lake Ditch Company's right for
the present, and meanwhile the committee,
is promising to make good on an amplo
supply of pure water in another year.
Sinnll 1,1st of Casualties.
Baltimore American.
Brother Watterson is pouring hot shot
Into the enemy's direction long before
the battle lines are formed. The list of
the injured amounts to one overworked
fountain pen.
IN THE MAGAZINE
SECTION OF THE
SUNDAY
OREGONIAN
REMARKABLE LIGHTHOUSES
THE WORLD OVER
And in nil of them no parallel
to Tillamook Rock, on the Oreson
Coa-u, near the Columbia's mouth.
FROM THE VALLEY TO
TILLAMOOK IN SIX HOURS
How the automobile has almost
annihilated time and serves as the
advance agent of good roath.
BOOSTING OREGON
IN OLD ENGLAND
Bishop Scaddiir.? seizes the op
portunity to exploit our natural
resources at the Lambeth Confer-
A PORTLAND GIRL
AT THE RACES
Full-page illustration in colon
from a photograph by George l'
Holman.
WOMEN AND GIRLS DEC
ORATED FOR HEROISM
Long list of lifesavers honored
with Government and Carnegie
medals. Child heroines, 9 and 11,
the latest to receive reward for
bravery.
"NEVER, NEVER LAND"
AUSTRALIA
A continent of contraries that
the boys of the big fleet will see
nest week.
WHERE THE COUNTRY
MOUSE BULGES IN
The Hotel Clerk writes a lumi
nous essav on how New York's
great men "arrive."
ORDER EARLY FROM YOUR
NEWSDEALER