Morning Oregonian., August 31, 1908, Page 6, Image 6

THE MORNING OREGONIAN, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 1903.
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, .. PORTT.A.VD, MONDAY. AUG. 31. 1908
RAILROADS AM) BIMO.MBt
It is not probable that the State of
Oregon will enter upon the policy of
railroad construction. Indeed It is
most Improbable that it will. Tet all
the state wants' and Oregon must
have a railroad to Coos Bay, and
through Central Oregon from Cast to
West, and also a. railroad to Tilla
mook Bay. Also a railroad across
Central Oregon. It has been only a
reasonable expectation of the people
of Oregon that some part of the large
profits derived from the Oregon sys
tem by the combination that controls
the railroad situation within the state
should be employed in making needed
extensions. But It has not been done,
though promises have been abundant.
During the past year money for new
undertakings on a large scale has been
practically unobtainable. In the loan
markets. . It is much the same still.
But this condition now is manifestly
passing away. By next year we may
certainly expect active movement for
railroad extension in Oregon.
But whether this shall be so or not,
the people of Oregon will hesitate be
fore they start the state upon a policy
and career of railroad construction.
And then they will not. There is
much use of. buncombe by politicians,
and a pretty bank of popular folly
for them to draw upon; nevertheless,
we may say with great certainty that
this "won't go." Many may Indeed
walk up to the brink and look over
and down. But they will not walk
on and down.
When Governor Chamberlain Inti
mated at Coos Bay that the time was
at hand when the state should do its
duty to the people, meet the emer
gency for a central road across the
state and supply the delinquency of
the railroad management under which
we had so long suffered, he was just
talking for buncombe, with his own
political objects in view. He doesn't
expect the state to undertake, anything
of the kind. Talk is cheap, and Mr.
Chamberlain, like many another pol
itician, has plenty of it. We all want
that railroad that Coos Bay and Cen
tral Oregon want, and we shall get it
some time. But the state will not
build It. If it should, it would have
to build other roads, or try to build
them, wherever wanted. The securi
ties wouldn't sell, or if they should
sell, little would be realized for them.
State bankruptcy is not an inviting
prospect for the general taxpayer.
But nothing can be done right now,
since, fortunately, a few shreds and
rags of the old constitution of Oregon
remain, among which Is the provision
that the credit of the state is not to
be loaned nor debts nor any manner
of liabilities created In excess of the
sum of fifty thousand dollars; nor
snail the state subscribe to or be
Interested in the stock of any com
pany, association or corporation. There
is no inhibition, indeed, of the direct
power of the state to levy taxes and
put the money into railroads; but
owners of property probably would
object to the alluring prospect fear
ing the quick return of pay-day, with
the revolving years. ' It Is true the
constitution might be changed any
day. by a majority vote; yet we think
Governor Chamberlain, notwithstand
ing his brave talk at Coos Bay, will
not. In his sober moments, urge such
change. He wants the popularity that
wlU lead to continuous political suc
cess more than he wants railroads.
Talk in this direction may be very
well. But action would be fatal. The
people of Oregon will applaud theo
ries that don't cost them money; but
they draw the line at Innovation that
would bring the tax collector upon
them.
Mr. Harriman will not be In the
least alarmed at the threat of railroad-building
by the state. He would
be rejoiced rather than dismayed if
the state should go into the business,
' because he knows he would soon get
the roads, at a fraction of their cost
But the state must have the roads,
and it has a right to expect and to
Insist that Mr. Harriman shall build
them and that before the extension
to Puget Sound.
NEW PLAN IN IOWA.
Senator Allison was the declared
choice of a majority -of the Republi
can electors of Iowa, at the primary
held last June. His death annuls that
choice, but the law as it stands con
tains no provision for another primary
election. In time for designation of his
successor. The Governor, therefore,
has called an extra session of the Leg
islature for August 31st (today), to
supply the defect. But Oregon has
been a warning, and the law will now
be amended so as to prevent Demo
crats from nominating the Republican
candidate. Indeed, the Democrats al
ready have their candidate, who was
nominated at the same time Allison
was; and now they are to be kept
out of the Republican primary.
How is this to be done? By the
simple method or expedient of declar
ing by law that no vote shall be
counted for Senator, on the ballot, un
less the ballot shall show that the
elector has voted for the Republican
Presidential electors, for the Repub
lican nominees for the state offices,
for the Republican candidates for the
Legislature and for Representatives
In Congress. Though this law is to be
made for a special emergency. It will
be proposed to continue It in force,
substantially, as the law of the- state,
for future elections. Since the Repub
lican majority in the Legislature Is
large, it Is believed there will be no
difficulty In passing it. Republicans
In every part of the state, Including
members of the Legislature, have been
consulted about it, and are said to
have given practically unanimous as
sent. The Des Moines Capital, in Its com
ment, says: "This new law will give
every "Republican his opportunity to
exercise his Influence, and It will pre
vent an old-time Republican from
having his vote neutralized in his own
party bj; the ballot of an old-time
Democrat. . . . Whoever thought
out or discovered this plan of cutting
out the Democrats ought to have his
reward, whether the man is Senator
Dolllver, Judge Walter I. Smith, or
some other. Several distinguished
men are laying claim to the honor of
the discovery. It is understood that
Representative Haugen claims It. No
matter who claims It, It is a good
thing."
It is strictly In accord with the
spirit and purpose of the Oregon law,
as expressed In the long preamble
thereto, which declares that "the
nomination of candidates for elective
oflices by political parties Is the best
plan yet found;" and that "the gov
ernment of a state by its electors and
tbe government of s political party by
Its members are rightfully based on
the same general principles." But the
Oregon law failed to make provision
for enforcement of these principles,
or for carrying them Into effect. It
will Interest the people of Oregon, es
pecially the Republicans, to watch the
Iowa proceeding.
THE NEW POLITICO-FINANCIAL HOBBY
The United States may go Into the
'banking business, but probably will
not. Should it do so, however, It
would monopolize the business by
driving all others out of it. If the
United States is to guaranty bank de
posits It will, of necessity, absorb the
entire business; because it must also
control the loans and direct the en
tire management of the banks. Re
sponsibility of the Government to de
positors will compel the Government
to hold the entire business in its
hands. From this conclusion there
will be no possible escape.
Mr. Bryan asks: "Why should not
the Government make the depositors
in the National banks secure?" Be
cause the Government has not abso
lute control of the National banks. It
has supervision, but not ownership.
If it is to -guaranty deposits it must
put itself directly and completely In
the place of the banker. Then we
should have a government of central
ized power Indeed.
No man has ever been more fertile
in shallow financial expedients than
Mr. Bryan. As untenable and per
haps as dangerous as his scheme of
free silver coinage Is his present prop
osition of guaranty for bank deposits.
There Is not one person in the coun
try who knows anything about the
responsibilities of banking whether
a banker or a customer of legiti
mate banking who is not against him
on this later scheme, which he is now
pressing with an Insistence similar to
that of his recent advocacy of the
silver fallacy though now scarcely
less anxious that his silver record
should be forgotten than eager to
press his new- remedy for ."relief of
the people," by pledging the Govern
ment to payment of their bank de
posits. Reckless plungers in banking doubt
less would favor a scheme in which
they would find or expect to find op
portunity. Guaranty by Government
would encourage their peculiar oper
ations. They would take even greater
chances than they take now; for,
whatever might befall their specula
tions they would rest In the assur
ance that their depositors would be
protected by the Government or by
the other 'banks of the country.
But operations of this description.
it Is assured, would be punished.
Whether punishment would be more
certain than now may be doubted.
But certainty of punishment in case
of failure will not deter men from
taking chances; for they will believe
they have "a sure thing" in the spec
ulation and will be able to make good.
Moreover, lost money is seldom or
never recovered by prosecutions.
It is argued, however, that panics
would be avoided by guaranty of de
posits by Government; since deposit
ors, knowing their money was safe,
would not demand It. Doubtless there
is something in this statement; yet
it does not answer the objection that
losses suffered through reckless bank
ing would have to be made good at
the expense of prudent banking that
is. In the final analysis, at the expense
of those persons who use the banks
legitimately whether as depositors
or borrowers and should not be
taxed, even indirectly, to make up
losses caused by others. There can
be no Insurance of bank deposits that
is not paid for; and they who get
the benefit of the Insurance must
pay It.
Besides, business is business, and
there is no magic In government
Crises come when governments "go
broke," as well as the body of the
people who support them. Even the
United States would probably find
Itself at one time or another loaded
up by guaranty with forms of secur
ity upon. which it would be Impos
sible to realize. Even Government
guaranty, in a universal panic, would
be of no avail, for the time. Nearly
one-half our states, - at one time or
another, through excess of specula
tion and guaranty of securities, have
plunged into bankruptcy, and some
of them have been driven to repudi
ation. The General Government could
as easily be carried into such a sit
uation. Granted, however, that this
would not occur, the question re
mains, why should . the Government,
or conservatively managed institutions
be required or .expected to - make
good the losses sustained by banks as
sociated with speculative interests?
Still further, why should people be
told that they needn't exercise any
care in selection of safe places for de
posit, since all losses are to be made
good, anyway?
This scheme of Bryan's is a politico
financial hobby, as his free coinage
of silver was, and can no more abide
the tests of rational discussion and
sound Judgment. Bryan's talk on
financial matters always was babble.
MURDEROUS NEW NAVAL WEAPON.
A new submarine torpedo has been
Invented 'by an officer of the United
States navy that promises a revolu
tion in naval warfare. It carries an
inner tube from which an explosive
projectile is thrown at the moment of
contact between the torpedo and the
side of the ship. Experiments thus
far have demonstrated that no ordi
nary armor can withstand its force.
The belief prevails in naval official
circles that the projectile torpedo will
penetrate the vitals of a ship in any
known circumstances.
The most important feature of this
invention is the fact that the new
projectile has been made possible by
the discovery that an alloy of steel
ith the newly found steel vanadium
la not merely unusually stout, but
extraordinarily light. It is claimed
that this alloy has all the strength of
the finest steel and only one-tenth
the weight. Yet the quantity of vana
dium used in the making of this alloy
is only one-quarter of 1 per cent. It
appears to have a peculiar effect,
known in metallurgy as scavengering,
literally the elimination of certain
gases from the steel composition.
So successful has toee'n the produc
tion of the alloy that it is now in use
by makers of aeroplanes and dirigible
balloons. The Wright brothers are
said to be employing it In their aerial
apparatus. It is superior to alumi
num, the lightest metal now practi
cally produced, for the reason that It
has stoutness and rigidity which alu
minum lacks.
It is never safe to predict from ex
periments what a new engine or de
struction will do in actual warfare;
still, if the vanadium tube proves
equal to the , expectation of its in
ventor that highly evolved engine of
war, the Dreadnaught battleship type,
may soon become obsolete.
GROWINO BUSINESS ACTIVITY.
Reports from the Eastern States
show proofs of Increasing activity in
business. Almost every line is "-boom
lng" again. In the iron and steel in
dustry work is again at nearly full
tide; and the same is true in most
manufacturing lines. The volume of
railroad traffic is steadily increasing.
The year's crops are uniformly heavy,
and prices are good. There can be
no legitimate cry of "hard times";
even for the purposes of a political
campaign.
In the Pacific States there have
been no hard times, as a consequence
of the collapse of speculation in the
East last year. Work that we had
expected to be pushed has, indeed,
been suspended; but our own proper
resources have not failed us. Our
people have been little in debt, and
have felt no distress at all compar
able with that which followed the
collapse of 1S93.
Last year's reverse was wholly due
to the desperate acts of certain plung
ers in Eastern cities, chiefly in New
York, by which the general public was
frightened Into withdrawal of money
from the banks, causing curtailment
of credit and Industry and discontin
uance of many industrial enterprises.
It is mostly over now; but the storm
never was violent enough to Impair
in any serious way the vital energies
of the country. There will be lively
business this Fall.
GUMMOSIS.
At the recent meeting of the North
west Fruitgrowers' Association there
was a discussion of the disease of
cherry trees comomnly known as
gummosis. From the reports of this
discussion it is evident that there is
nothing definite known as to the na
ture of the disease or as to success
ful remedies. Even horticultural ex
ports who should be authority differ
in their opinions, though all agree
that the disease is a se.-inus one, for,
if not checked, it results In the death
of the tree. Since :herry-growinj has
become an extensive industry in this
state, and will become many times
greater in the next few years, it is of
much importance that exact Informa
tion be gathered concerning gummosis
and its remedies.
One cherrygrower of many years'
experience asserts that the disease is
one of the sap, while another of Just
as much experience declares i: Is a
disease of the bark, and a third says
the oozing of gum from the bark is
due to some sort of injury. Another
grower is of opinion that over-cultivation
or over-irrigation causes the
trouble, while others, who have culti
vated their cherry trees thoroughly,
are Just as certain that cultivation
does not cause it. Scoring the trees
cutting a number of slits up and
down the trunk through the outr
bark is the remedy most commonly
recommended, on the theory that the
bark fits too tight and that the sap
oozes from the tree for that reason.
But this remedy has not always been
found effective, and, even if it Is a
proper course of treatment, no one
seems to know at what season or un
der what conditions the scoring
should be done. Other remedies sug
gested by those who have tried them
are spraying with Bordeaux mix
ture, rubbing the gummosis sores with
blue vitriol, injecting kerosene in the
sore. But. since scarcely any two
growers agree In their observations
and opinions, and authorities differ,
the whole subject is one which should
receive the most thorough investiga
tion as early as possible, so that the
cherry industry of Oregon may be
fostered.
CROP-MOVING FUNDS PLENTIFUL.
Over one hundred carloads of wheat
were received at Portland Saturday.
Compared with the two hundred to
three hundred carloads per day which
come into Portland when the season
is at its height, this is not very much
grain, but it Is a remarkably good
showing for August, and argues well
for a heavy volume of business later.
It is interesting to note that neither
the early movement of grain nor the
high prices at which it has been sell
ing have had any perceptible effect on
the money market, either locally or In
the East. The New York Financier,
In Its review of financial conditions in I
New York for the week ending last
Saturday, says: "The chief feature of
the situation is the piling up of money
in New York from all sources, despite
the fact that the season for crop-moving
is now approaching its highest
limit-"
It will be remembered that one year
ago an extraordinary depletion of re
serves In New York was in progress
for several weeks before the storm
broke, and not only was it impossible
for the West to secure any assistance
from the financial center of the coun
try, but it was also impossible for
Western banks Jto get their own
money, which was in the hands of the
New York banks and trust companies.
In strange and agreeable contrast to
that situation is the remarkable show
ing made by the New York bank
statement for the week ending last
Saturday. With deposits of 11.394,
617.300 In the clearing-house banks,
there was on hand a surplus reserve
of more than S6S,000,000 In excess of
legal requirements, while the increase
in deposits for the week vwas more
than double the increase in loans.
Banks and trust companies in New
York not included in the statement of
the associated banks showed deposits
of $1,043,060,500 and loans of 3933,
000,000. The Canadian crop was so small last
year that no demands whatever were
made on New York for crop-moving
purposes, but this year our northern
neighbor has already taken 311,000,
000 out of New York for crop-moving
purposes, and the drain is still In evi
dence. That this country has abun
dant funds for handling its own crop
and at the same time supplying Can
ada with an unusually large amount
of gold would seem to indicate that
after all the provision for emergency
currency was unnecessary. Prices for
wheat, corn and cotton, the three great
staples which absorb. the greater part
of the crop-moving funds, are much
higher this .year than last, and the
amount to be moved is also greater
than that of last year.
The West seems to be pretty well
fortified for financing the crop with
Western funds, but it is gratifying to
note that the East is In such shape
that if the emergency should arise, the
matter of securing aid would be less
difficult than it was last year. There
will need to be a radical change in the
figures in the near future. If crop-moving
is to cause any strain on the
money market- From present indica
tions, when -the "back flow" of crop
moving funds sets In, there will be
such enormous additions to the re
serves that cheap money will stimu
late Industrial activity in many lines
which have been proceeding under
very easy sail since the. panic at crop
moving time last year.
The Astorian is responsible for the
statement that "fully 85 per cent of all
the merchandise used in the City of
Astoria now comes from San Fran
cisco." It explains the matter with
the further statement that "this means
that the Astoria merchants have re
volted against the charges of Portland
merchants, and also what are alleged
to be the high and unreasonable
charges of the A. & C. Railway Com
pany." This is a matter that should
be investigated by the transportation
comrnittee of the Chamber of Com
merce. Messrs. Hahn and Lewis, who
have been active members of that
committee, are not only in the busi
ness of selling goods, but they also
take an active interest in river trans
portation. It would seem that a slight
cut on the price of the goods, 'com
bined with an open-river freight rate,
might cut down the percentage of As
toria trade that is being driven away
from this city. The Astoria dollar is
as good as any other dollar, and if, as
claimed by the Astorian, the Astoria
merchants are being "gouged," the
said "gouging" should be investigated
and the blame placed where it be
longs. Colonel Watterson has given out an
address in which Bishop Walters, of
the African Methodist Church, attacks
Taft for his attitude in the Browns
ville matter, charging him with being
a party to "the blackest conspiracy
ever perpetrated against negro sol
diers." This, of course, is expected to
lead the negro vote into the Bryan
corral, but the wisdom of the move
is questionable, for in driving in the
negro vote there is sure to be a dis
placement of some of the white vote
which might otherwise have fallen to
Bryan. The recruit was explaining
the workings of the chain-shot. "You
place one cannon here, and another
over yonder," said he. "Then load
each with a ball, to which the chain
is attached, and when you fire the
chain mows down the enemy." "Sup
posing," said the listener, "that one
cannon is discharged before the oth
er?" "In that case," said the recruit,
"the blamed thing swings, round and
plays hell with us fellows." Is it pos
sible that Colonel Watterson is trying
the chain-shot experiment with Bishop
Walters' letter?
"A Democrat of the old school"
writes in the New York Sun: "The
theory of the Initiative and referen
dum is that no man can be trusted
to represent the people, but that all
legislation must be initiated and finally
enacted by the mass of the , voters
themselves. In such a case the vote
of the most ignorant counts as much
as that of the most intelligent mem
ber of the community.
It Is Just as well to encourage the
Dutch to go ahead with their disci
pline of Venezuela. The Castro gang
needs it, and a small country like Hol
land can do what wouldn't look well
If done by a big empire like Great
Britain.
One writer declares that "Bryan Is
sure to get the vote of Kansas." An
other, that "Bryan is alarmed about
his own state." There is not much
need of caution about receiving these
and similar opinions as very val
uable.
Cuof nm Vms made Thursday Of state
foil wee k Portland day. but in late
years practice has added the next day
to accommodate the overnow. mis
is merely a hint to Mr. McMurray,
who runs the traffic end of it.
Now that Governor Chamberlain
has assailed Harrlman'a railroad trust
so soon after that happy tete-a-tete at
Pelican Bay, Harriman has also dis
covered the foxy politics of "Our
George."
The elevator operator who has
figured that he travels twenty miles
a day and gets nowhere should not be
discouraged. At least half tne time,
anyway, his work is elevating.
Silverton wants a Sunday train
service and should have it. There is
no reason why transit should be tied
up one day In the week on any rail
road in Oregon.
No party ever was more completely
under boss and machine rule than the
Democratic party of Oregon at this
time. Chamberlain and his bunch are
"It."
in keeping matters of school busi
ness from the public, the School Board
Is following a long habit. Rather late
now to find any fault with it.
Do the Fulton politicians profess to
think Chairman Cake could do any
thing more for Taft by coming home?
Clear weather has resumed at the
beaches to make the rain-affrighted
sorry they fled- home.
GUARANTY OP DEPOSITS.
Bryan's New Financial Vagary "d Its
. CoaReqnenres, . .
Chicago Tribune.
The legislation which Mr. Bryan
favors would foster wildcat banking
to the disadvantage of solvent banks
and conservative bankers. The reck
less bankers would dance and the pru
dent ones would have to pay the piper.
The guaranteeing of deposits would
as the Postmaster-General points out,
encourage the speculative spirit among
the less conservative bankers. They
are held in restraint now by the knowl
edge that they are imperiling the
money of depositors when they become
venturesome. Remove that restraint
by guaranteeing deposits and bankers
who are inclined to be reckless would
take mad chances and make hazard
ous investments they would not think
of now. They would reason that what
ever might happen their depositors
would be safe at the expense of other
banks.
Undoubtedly Mr. Bryan Is as elncere
in his advocacy of the guarantee plan
as he was in his advocacy of free
silver. He thinks the one will be the
salvation of depositors, as he thought
the other would cure all the monetary
ills that humanity is subject to. But
when he was preaching free silver the
business men of the country were ar
rayed against him. So are they with
few exceptions in this matter of guar
anteelng deposits. That is because
they know something about banking
and he knows singularly little. Mr,
Bryan must be given credit for an
earnest desire to add to the happiness
of his fellow men, but, unfortunately.
about all the schemes to that end
which he originates would do more
harm than good if put in operation
SHOULD READ MORE; HISTORY.
Presidents Heretofore Have "Promoted
the Succession."
Brooklyn Eagle, Ind. Dem.
Those who declare that Mr. Roose
velt exceeded all precedents, In for
warding Taft, do not know what An
drew Jackson successfully did to make
Van Buren his successor in 1836, and
what Van Buren vainly did to try to
make himself his own successor in 1840.
History will work havoc with those igno
rant or disregardful of it. Yet the worst
critics of Roosevelt are idolaters of Jack
son, and before Jackson, of Jefferson,
who prescribed Madison and Monroe to
be his successors through 16 consecutive
years.
Washington's preference of John Adams
to Jefferson In 1796 was excused to a
Federalism which the Father of his coun
try never showed in office or disguised
in politics. Jefferson's suocessful pre
scription of Madison and Monroe, for
two terms each, redounds to his fame.
Jackson's prescription of Van Buren to
be his successor united war on nullifi
cation with direction to friendship, which
double . object raised the gamecock of
Tennessee to a high place in the hearts
of his countrymen. That Lincoln, had
he lived, would have named his own
successor is, by few, doubted. Had
Cleveland been a great politician, as well
as a great reformer, he could have saved
his party from division and named his
own successor. Roosevelt, a great re
former and a great politician, has named
Taft as his choice to succeed him, and
those who applaud Washington, Jefferson
and Jackson for doing a like thing, while
condemning Roosevelt .for his imitation
of them, should read more history. In
order to do Justice to the present Chief
Magistrate.
Taft and Roosevelt Democrats.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.
The appearance of "Taft Democrats'
here and there, but more especially per
haps in the East and the South, raises
the question how much they resemble
the "Roosevelt Democrats," who have
been so much in evidence in recent
years. A close study of the two breeds
might prove somewhat , -enlightening.
Judging entirely from a superficial ob
servation. It seems evident that "Taft
Democrats" and "Roosevelt Demo
crats" come from entirely different at
mospheres and have entirely differ
ent ideals in politics. The Democrats
whom Mr. Roosevelt drew into his fol
lowing were radicals from the Bryan
wing of the Democratic party who
helped to snow under Judge x'arker so
terribly in 1904. The Democrats Mr.
Taft now attracts are largely conserva
tives from the wing of the Democracy
that has always regarded Bryan with
aversion and which blames him for
supporting Mr. Roosevelt's radical pol
lcles. Mr. Taft, in short, is attracting
conservative support, as compared with
his rival. If Mr. Roosevelt can hold for
Mr. Taft the "Roosevelt Democrats
while the candidate himself draws the
"Taft Democrats," the combination will
prove one of the most irresistible in
American history.
Watterson on New York Journalism.
Through the Louisville Courier-Jour
nal Watterson expresses his opinion of
the journalism of New York, because it
doesn't "fall In" for Bryan. Here is a
breezy paragraph:
The pretext for this poor quality of
statesmanship and Journalism is a single
name; one man, admittedly patriotic, up
right and clean. Yet New York lives and
thrives off the West and South; makes out
cry against freight and other discrimina
tions; Is occasionally moved to a -humor
which looks very like Jealousy of Chicago
and St. Louis. Why should this be so?
Obviously because either of some dissonance
of sympathy for there are not wanxing
plenty of common interests or the laclr of
breadth of grasp and sagacity of vision.
The iron-clad partylsm of the Tribune may
be dismissed with the tag "Taken for
Granted." The proprietary brand of the
Hearst organs is too ever-present to have
Itself seriously considered. But the cos
mopolite Indifference of the Herald, the
pert cynicism of the Sun and the toplofty
turgldlty of the Times not to mention the
frisky pomp of the Evening Post, which
seems still to be edited on the Heaven aide
of Jordon bode nothing less than a New
Sectionalism. This Is a menace alike to
New York and the country at large..
S slabbed at Court, She May Re Princess.
New York Despatch.
Friends of Mrs. Ida Von Claussen,
the beautiful American who unsuccess
fully attempted to get herself pre
sented at the Swedish court in 1907, say
that she will soon be persona grata at
any court in Europe.
Mme. Von Claussen Is now In Rome,
and It is rumored that she will shortly
become a princess. She can be either
one of two kinds Russian or Italian.
Report has it that Prince Paul Ourou
soft of Russia and Prince Sforza
Caesarlne of Rome are in a close race
for her hand.
Mrs. Von Claussen in April of last
year besieged President Roosevelt and
the State Department in Washington,
D. C., in an effort to have Charles H.
Graves, American Minister to Sweden,
recalled from his post for snubbing
her.
A Unique Invention.
New York Sun.
Guests at the Hotel Astor when they
see a small electric bulb near the tele
phone in their rooms light up know
that there Is a letter for them In their
mail box in the office. In each mail box
there is a -copper flap that is pushed back
when a letter is put in the pigeonhole,
and the flap completes the circuit that
lights the small electric lamp in the
guest's room. The device is the Inven
tion of Fred A. Muschenhelm, brother of
the proprietor of the hotel.
An Awful Responsibility.
"Marie Corelli is to write a novel
against the drink habit," says the Macon
News. It Is time; her former novels
have doubtless driven many people to
drink. Washington Herald.
MRS. WOODCOCK AT YAQ.UINA.
Political and Labor Questions as She
1-Mnda Them in Her Travels.
Newport Mall.
The famous Mrs. Woodcock, of Port
land, blew into the office of the Mail
Tuesday morning, and expressed a few
carefully bunched remarks anent mod
ern political and economic questions.
She arrived at Yaqulna with 25 cents
and a return trip ticket, and la now
being sumptuously entertained at a
private cottage. Apropos of the un
employed problem, Mrs. Woodcock
said: "Lots of men should be on the
rockpile. They don't work, but still
expect to get their money. I went
over to the Plaza block, where they
lay like blades of grass, and one said:
'Jesus didn't have to work,' and an
other asked' me If I could employ 60
men, and I says 'I ain't no railroad
camp.',"
As for polities, as a member of the
Republican National committee and
one of the chief supporters of Roose
velt, Mrs! Woodcock's opinion carries
great weight. Taft Is her choice, and
she will probably . open Taft head
quarters at the Salem fair. Mrs. Wood
cock favors Chamberlain for Senator,
because he has had experience and
favors the Postal Savings Bank. She
may do a little political work for Taft
and Chamberlain In Newport if she
can una neipere.
Mrs. Woodcock, after rapidlv sketch
ing the salient points In her glorious
career, closed tne Interview with
summary of the Portland real estate
market. The visit of this redoubtable
party leader will probably leave a last
ing impression on our city.
OUR GREATEST QUESTION.
An Opinion on the Subject by Grover
Cleveland.
In the September American Maga
zine "The Interpreter" presents a mass
of new information about Grant, Sher
man, Sheridan, Grover Cleveland and
others In the form of personal recol-
iu, new stories, ana so on.
"The Interpreter" once asked Mr.
Cleveland for hie opinion as to the
greatest question before the country.
"Oh. there la ti1w " v. - ni4 mtt-..
can see our way through most of our
uuiitiiiui-5. vve can at least imagine
a solution of all problems but one.
But the negro question baffles every
body's understanding. No one knows
what the answer Is. No one knows
wnen it win demand an instant an
SWflr. W a siftn't In U q n ...... . v.
........ . i. j nio nan-
chise from the negroes. No matter
how foolish It wag to give them a
vote, we can't turn back. At the same
time we can't let them gain political
supremacy in the South. It will take
centuries to educate them. I don't
know what to think about It. It will
be a burden on our children and our
uiniuren s ennaren.
Cow and Calf In Weir.
Estacada Progress.
On Sunday some Portland people
were looKing around the Wood Man
ufacturing Company's plant when they
discovered a cow in the well, which is
used for the purpose of maintaining
water ior tne engine room. The au
thorltles were notified and ropes se
cured and the cow, which has red and
white spots on back and sides, and a
bell, and a calf, probably two months
old, was with her, was drawn out not
much the worse for her cold bath and
imprisonment.. It is supposed she must
nave been in the well two or three
days.
A Tall Banchgrans Story.
Mitchell Sentinel.
A gentleman came in town the other
day and. was telling a most wonderful
story to a small crowd of us present,
aoout wnat Happened to him in an
early day here when- the bunchgrass
grew so tall that it would hide a man
on horseback. Everybody present ex
pressed surprise 'except one man; he
said nothing. He did not even change
his countenance. One of us who no
ticed that the story had no effect on
mm said: "You do not seem to b
astonished in the least at this won
derful story." "No," said he, "I am
liar myself."
Autos Help Hotel RuMness.
Boston TranscrlDt.
Statistics from a fashionable White
Mountain hotel show that while 60 per
cent of its visitors came by automobile
last year, 75 per cent of this year's ar
rivals may be so credited. The auto
mobile has come wonderfully to the
rescue of the Summer hotel business,
serving to counteract the loss of busi
ness through the tendency of people to
seek private cottages.
Undignified Sugfrestlon.
.JTondon Times.
Chief No Shirt and his dusky fol
lowers amongst the Umatilla Indians
are highly Indignant over the action
of the authorities who ordered their
ponies dipped for mange. The little
horses are infected with the disease
and are badly In need of a bath. If
No Shirt himself was run through the
vat it would not do him any particu
lar .barm.
German Military Rand Bapert Retires.
Berliner Tageblatt.
Professor Rossberg, inspector of
military bands of the" German army,
has applied for leave to reelgn on ac
count of his advanced age. The Kaiser
has granted his request and he will
leave the army on October 1 next.
Professor Rossberg has done much
to bring German military bands to
their present state of perfection.
A BUNCH OF PICK-UPS.
Judge "What is your profession?" Wit
ness "I am a poet." Judge "That's not
a profession: it's a disease." Judge.
Silllcus "It doesn't cost anything to ac
cept gratuitous advice." Cynnlcus "No;
not unless you act upon It. Philadelphia
Record.
This Is no laughing matter." remarked
the , theatrical manager, when he realized
that his farce comedy was a failure
Philadelphia Record.
'You have done your best to enforce the
blue laws?" said one official "Yes." an
swered the other: "but the police were
color blind." Washington Star.
Anarchist "Shall we dynamlt the can
didate when he arrives?" Chief "Why
should we mix ourselves up In it 7 The
citizens are going to give a home-coming."
Puck. r
Ella "I'm to be married tomorrow, and
I'm terribly nervous." Stella "Yes; I
suppose there always la a chance of the
an getting away up to tne last minute."
Philadelphia Inquirer.
Mrs. Blnks "My daughter Is taking
French lessons of Prof. Henii Devere."
Mrs. Minks (of the adjoining suite) ''Oh,
is that It? I thought It was a cold In her
head." Cleveland Plain Dealer.
PHend "Halloa. Pat! I scarcely knew
you with your whiskers off." Pat "The
same wld me, me bhoy: I didn't know rae
self when I looked Into the glass, except
by me voice." Philadelphia Inquirer.
'Anil haven't you ever taken a ride in
an automobile?" asked the man with the
new machine, pityingly. "No," replied the
niin nerson. "but I fell out of a third-
story window once." Philadelphia Press.
Officer (to new recruit doing "sentry go"
for the first time) "Now, mind you, let
no one go by without challenging them."
Recruit "That's all right, guvnor. Don't
you worry. The slightest noise wakes m
up !" (Punch.
Too know." said the man who stores
nts mind with uuaint and curious facts.
"that tne savages nave a way o( getting
fire by rubbing two sticks together."
What a very tiresome method I" "Yes.
And. yet, it must ba a heap quicker and
handier than fooling with a box of safety
atches on a damp aay. wasnmgion
GROWING FAITH IN OTHER -WORLD
spirit Communication Will Yet Prove
Itself to Skeptic.
NEW YORK. Aug. 24. (To the Edi
tor.) I have received a number of let
ters expressing surprise that Dr Hys
lop, or other psychic investigators, has
not accepted the $3500 anti-spiritualistic
challenge urged recently in the
press. I am surprised rather that any
Intelligent reader should have expected
otherwise. Iron and gold are good to
buy gold and iron, but why should we
expect them to pass current on the
heights where true science dwells?
Such a challenge, while not so Intend
ed, le offensive, as It assumes that
j these men "covld If they would."
a scientist cares more ior tne Dis
covery of one new fact, though it tells
against him, than for much money or
applause or blame. To him, every fact
is an integral part of the .universe, and
its discovery carries its own sufficient
reward. Woe to him who uncovers a
truth and does not tell it. Crookes.
Lodge, Wallace, Lombroso, would each
give his right hand could he so present
a fact of spirit communion that It
would carry scientific conviction to the
world that a man who dies lives again.
A money prize to Hyslop! He Is giv
ing thousands of dollars of his ow.n
money to tell just what psychic facts
he finds. He tells them freely, let them
prove what they may, and pays for the
privilege.
Then, are there no facts that prove
spirit communication? These trained
scientists believe that there are. Then
why do they not accept a challenge of
this sort? If you will permit me, I
will tell the reasons as they seem to
me.
These facts come through observa
tion, not by experiment; they are not
on tap; they do not come at call. In
no other investigation Is the personal
equation so in evidence. We have to
do with many facts and laws of the
human mind that are little known.
Then, If the hypothesis of outside in
telligence is true, there may be scores
of forces and scores of laws, with
which we have to deal, which are alto
gether new to us. In solving problems
of this kind we should sit down quietly
and observe; dogmatism and presuppo
sition hinder. We cannot proceed a
does the physical scientist, who proves
the existence and nature of radium, or
that the blood circulates, or the earth
turns on Its axis, or H20 equals water.
French scientists' 75 years ago said if
stones fall from the sky, why do they
not fall in our sight? They, with pow
erful glasses, scanned the heavene, but
saw no stones fall. The skeptic ob
servers of that day so reported to the
French Academy, .and it was decided
that the reports of the peasants that
they had seen stonee fall were the re
sult of deception or mal-observatlon.
The predisposing scientific conviction
was that there were no stones in the
sky, and so none could fall. So long
as this conviction remained, how prove
a shower of stones? It Is always easier
to believe that men He or are deceived
than to believe the impossible to hap
pen. Dr. Hodgson was an exceedingly
critical and skeptical man; so, almost
beyond bounds. He discovered scores
upon scores of frauds along spiritual
istic lines, but after 10 years of con
stant investigation, he came to the con
clusion that there were genuine spirit
communications; but before the convic
tion was possible he had to think him
self Into the possibility of a eplrit
world.. Yet he would have been the
last man to have accepted this press
challenge.
Frederick W. H. Myers for many
years investigated the phenomena be
fore he became convinced of the pres
ence of outside Intelligences at first
an utter agnostic, he was Anally led
to say: "I predict that, In consequence
of tha new evidence, all reasonable
men, a century hence, will believe in
the resurrection of Christ; whereas. In
default of the new evidence, no reason
able man, a century hence, would have
believed it" and so Sir Oliver Lodge
and not a few other leading scientists. ,
Suppose Professor Hyelop had accept- 1
ed this challenge, where would have I
been found a committee who would ;
have been willing to Investigate ten I
years, or five years, or three, before j
making a report? No one fact, nor a
score of facts, convinced these sclent- i
Ists; but It was the cumulative evl- J
dence of a hundred facts. Such a com- '
mittee would be apt to make a few '
trials, then come to a conclusion and
so report, and a shout would go up: i
"Ha! Didn't we tell you?" Why does ,
It not occur to the press to prevail j
upon a committee of. say ten trained
scientists, who will agree to sit and
observe with some competent medium. I
once a week or so from three to Ave
years, a Dr. Hodgson, Dr. Hyslop and 1
others have done?
If scientists cannot afford the time
will not some wealthy man or men so ,
endow the Hyslop movement or some I
other competent movement that this '
may be made financially possible?
In trials before a test committee, we
must not forget the preventive power
of suggestion. Every professional
hypnotist knows how difficult it is to
hypnotize a subject against a strong
contrary assertion. Why is this? I
may guess, but I don't know. Who :
can aay why Christ could do no great :
works in Galilee, because of the unbe-
lief, or why he put out of the death- ,
chamber of the little maid all doubt
ing ones before he raised her from the
dead? There seems to be a tremen
dous dynamic force in belief, and also ;
In unbelief perhaps the greatest of all i
created forces. Why should not thee
psychic Investigations be of stupendous j
interest to us mortals? They are sin
cere attempts by well-equipped men to ,
get at a solution of the mysteries of
death and the world beyond which .
should profoundly concern us.
We are moving away from material
ism. A few years ago Darwin, Hnx-
ley, Tyndall, Spencer, were agnostic as
to the spirit world, but now many of
the leading scientists have gone as
far as belief In "foreign" lntelligencej
not only existing but communicating.
"Where the vanguard rests today,
The rear shall camp tomorrow."
At the door of the scientific work
shop, psychic research stands at the
head of the waiting list.
Here we may witness a science in" the
making. We forget that the whirligig
of time often changes from little to
great, and from great to little. In sci
ence, and more than once In history
the stone the builders rejected became
the head of the corner. To a sclentlflo
demonstration that personality sur
vives death, all scientific achievements
heretofore made will be trivial In com
parison.
The starry heavens reflected in the
ocean with eyes fixed on the ocean
you can prove that these heavens do
not exist. They don't down there.
Scientific faith In the other world Is
an egg that will yet hatch on this
mundane sphere. - I. K. FUNK.
Places Poker-Dice on Jerome's Red.
New York Despatch.
Some man who has his nerve right
with him went a-burglarlng the other
night and selected, of all places. Dis
trict Attorney Jerome's flat at S Rut
gers street. He didn't, so far as known,
take' anything out of the flat with him,
although he did rifle carefully a
packed traveling bag belonging to Mr.
Jerome and took from it a pair of nice
new poker-dlce, which he left on
Jerome's bed for subsequent Investi
gation. Police opinion is divided as to
whether some man did the trick on a
bet, whether someone really went to
the flat to rob it or whether the sole
Intention was to find out what Mr.
Jerome had in his grip.
(I
I