Morning Oregonian., October 31, 1908, Page 8, Image 8

SATURDAY, OCTOBER
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rORTL.l.M, SATVKDAY. M'T. SI. 1908.
LET'S ALL HAVE A PKEP.
The annual essay on the failure of
Origon to supply food products suf
ficient for her own consumption Is
again due. No state more fully en
dowed by Nature than Oregon: yet
our people are importing from great
distances large quantities of nearly
oil staple food stuffs save wheat
. alone and some fruit. Train loads and
train loads of meats, butter and eggs,
vegetables and prepared foods of vast
nmount and variety, are coming in
week after week. There are not oats
and hay enough to last through the
Winter, and potatoes promise to go to
labulous prices.
Well, you eee. our people feel they
haven't "time for the work and the
pains and the care ni-cessary for pro
duction of the commodities to supply
the demand. A small proportion do
Indeed bestir themselves, and by in
dustry and management make money
and have continual prosperity. But
even these are often hampered for
want of assistant labor. Greater num
bers are unent.-rprising. they haven't
the habit of energy and thrift and are
content merely to live, and let it go
at that. Lome observation convinces
tha-t they who have this habit never
will change it. They nev. r will mend
their way of life nor increase their
activity. Nor will it ever be easy to
crowd them out. I'pon the basis on
which they live they are superior to
competition or example. Their own
old ways, following those of their an
cestors, remain almost without change;
and such change as there has been,
during the half century and more
since life In Oregon was begun, has
n-t been for the better rather for
the worse.
These remarks nre not made under
any supposition that they will be help
ful, toward-i better conditions. I!ut it
li Just as well to look at the facts as
th. y are. The habit of steady, prac
tical, calculating effort doesn't belong
t our people of Oregon In particu
lar to u of the old stock though
there are exceptions. It was easier in
the olden time to do without milk
than to take care of the cows and
calves; i.i get barreled pork from be
yond the sens than to breed hogs and
nre fir them J ist ns now- it is easier
and l"si trouble to draw on Iowa and
Missouri for cured meats, eggs and
butter, or go without them. Besides,
n great many of us are so oppressed
1 y thought of JIarriman and .Morgan
and Rockefeller and their doings that
we haven't the heart to set a hen or to
feed a pig. Hesides. what's the use?
1'arl of our people complain that food
stufts are so high it is next to Impos
sible to put anything on the table;
nnother part, that there can be no en
couragement to produce anything, so
long as combinations of capital exist,
and wealth shall continue to be flaunt
ed In the faces of an oppressed people,
i-'onie hope that the gaJlant efforts of
Jlr. Bryan in the present campaign
will result in reducing the prices; and
others are as strongly in hope that
prices will be so advanced that the
farmer may be able to get a little
something to pay him for his labor.
rUlll others, who have been loafing
about the country, or lounging In the
parks nil Summer, hope to llnd better
incentive to work when injunction
shall be abolished and their bank de
posits guaranteed. Thus it i-s that
much of the mental strength of the
country that might be employed in
calculated effort to Improve the meth
ods of production and supply tho mar
kets, is devoted to the greater prob
lems of state, especially to those of
speculative economy which, like per
petual motion and the mystery of
nth power, now most urgently demand
the solution that has been denied them
from the beginning of t'nie.
It Is needless to say that if the peo
ple of our Northwest states would de
vote themselves to Intelligent industry,
ns the people of Iowa. Minnesota and
Illinois do. they wouldn't be shipping
In from those states large part of what
they consume, and paying high prices,
increased by commissions and cost of
transportation. Hut nearly nil Ore
iron retains the old habit of planting
a little, letting the growing crop go
without cultivation, sitting down dur
ing the Summer season or hiking off
t." the mountains or beAches, leaving
Jobs unfinished in the towns, letting
the cows dry up in tho country, wast
ing the best part of the year In these
and similar ways, and complaining the
remainder of the year about scarcity
on one side and high prices on the
other. Some think election of itryan
Would change all this, but others (we
think a majority) are doubtful about
It. Meanwhile It is Just as well that
the mirror ho held up for a little time,
th:.t all of us m.iv have a peep into it,
A PARABLE.
A m.-nli'u i nt .ship was nearing port
after an extended voyage, when the
captain informed the owners that at
the end of his term of employment he
would continue no longer in eomtn.uid.
This attitude he maintained notwith
standing earnest and repeated entreat;-
that he take charge for an
other voyage; but he commended to
bis employers one of his mates whose
faithful and eficient service had
proven him capable and trustworthy,
other applicants for the position ap
peared, however, one of whom re
ceived the serious consideration of the
owners of the ship. This man had
many new and untried theories In
mitigation hut no experience in hand
ling ships. He had been an applicant
for the position on two previous occa
sions, at which times had advanced
theories of navigation which were
proven to be unwise. But on this
third effort to secure command of the
ship he made many promise to the
owners and told them how badly their
ship had been managed in the past,
tiiouu Uit captain and his officers
and men had brought the vessel safely
through all storms and made the
voyages profitable to the owners. The
captain who had been In command
had prosecuted many who stole goods
from the ship. With the aid of his
mates he had maintained friendly re
lations with the owners and masters of
other ships. He had devised plans
for the Improvement of navigation. He
had secured enactment of many laws
which improve the condition of men
who work upon ships. Perhaps all
his ideas of practical navigation -were
not absolutely correct, but he and his
mates had brought the ship safely
home.
The perplexing problem before the
owners of the ship was whether they
should place In charge on the next
voyage the officer who had served
acceptably on the successful voyages
of the past or the man -who had proven
an unwise adviser on previous occa
sions and who now advocated theories
of navigation which made conservative
shippers of goods cautious about en
larging their business. It Is not re
corded how the owners of the ship
decided the question; but it will be
made known on the morning of No
vember 4 next.
THIS YEAR'S FAKE ISSIKS.
On two main propositions Bryan
has made his campaign this year for
the Presidency. One of them Is In
surance of bank deposits. The other
Is to send to the jury the question
whether a court should issue an in
junction or not.
Inexpressibly and Incontestably silly
are both these propositions. For good
banks never can be compelled to in
sure bad banks, and the law of injunc
tion, which has stood through ages,
and runs back even to Roman law,
meets a requirement and no class of
the people Is to be exempted from It;
nor Is a jury to exercise a function
which always hitherto has been exer
cised by a judge.
Senator Kayner of Maryland, in a
speech at Baltimore a week ago, let it
be known how little Gompers and his
following would get from the Demo
cratic party for their influence In the
election. Kayner was trying to assure
the business people and employers of
labor of Baltimore (a very conserva
tive city) that they had nothing to
fear. According to the Senator, all
the talk about Injunctions is much
ado about nothing. He said:
There waa an idea prevalent that we
a-ere taking- aaay the rlKht of a court of
equity to Issue an injunction In caaea of
threatened danger to property rights.
I am upon a committee In the Senate
that haa charge of Una bill, and 1 tell
you that there la no such thins; In the
Iiemocratlc platform and It la not our
purpose or Intention In the slightest degree
to change the orderly proceedings of the
Kederal judiciary.
Who is to be fooled in this busi
ness? Perhaps nobody; certainly no
body. If Bryan should be defeated.
HK.H-TONfcl TIPPLING.
Gradually but surely the American
aristocracy is learning how to con
duct itself. It knows now how much
liquor a woman can drink at dinner
and remain a real lady. The knowl
edge Is extremely comforting, for the
limit is not low. This valuable piece
of information transpired in the course
of the examination of a Mr. Sells, a
witness in the Gould divorce case and
an intimate of the most select circles
of the truly elite of New York. Mr.
Sells, being questioned as to Mrs.
Gould's bibulosity, replied that she
habitually imbibed a pint of cham
pagne at meals, but of course this is
merely part of the liquid nourishment
she took at her abstemious repasts.
With the soup she would naturally
drink a pint of sauterne. a quart of
imported beer with the salad, some
burgundy, say another pint, with the
roast and a quart of mild Rhine wine
with the fowl. Since her deglutition
of champagne was so very moderate,
only one poor little pint, we suppose
she took it with her dessert and fol
lowed it with a brandy pousse cafe,
ending the temperate refection with
two or three nips of chartreuse or
benedtctine.
If this is not temperance, what is
It, pray? Nay. call it not temper
ance. It is asceticism. What sur
prises one is that poor, forlorn Mrs.
Gould was able to live and be happy
with so little liquid sustenance. Com
pared with her rigorous abstinence,
Sarah Gamp, that model of all the vir
tues was a tippler, for Sarah kept the
teapot at her lips all night when she
was out nursing. Mrs. Gould was
really next thing to a perfect teeto
taler. Mr. Sells specifically says that
he never saw her under the Influence
of liquor, so it would be scandalous
to accuse her of over-Indulgence even
If we had no record of her great
moderation. Still the question ob
trudes itself of Just how much strong
drink it would take to make Mrs.
Gould drunk. We know that some
society women are pretty robust tip
plers. They can stand more than most
people, but there must be some quan
tity that would make them totter on
their pins. How much is it?
TtlF. FARMERS' VOTE.
Of course Bryan will get the
farmer rote In numbers proportion
ate to the farmers' dollars for which
he made such a plaintive appeal. No
more entertaining or interesting con
tribution to the literature of the pres
ent campaign has been given out than
the actual testimony of the farmers
themselves. The Interview with Farmer
Temple, of Umatilla County, in the
Pendleton Tribune, reprinted on this
page In Friday's Oregonian, could be
truthfully duplicated In degree in
every farming district between the At
lantic and the Pacific. "Today I
wouldn't give my big automobile for
all I was worth then," says Farmer
Temple, In relating his sad experi
ences as a Democrat and a Populist.
And there was the "hired man," ap
parently not the kind that was a stick
ler for short hours and big wages, but
the kind of a rustler who did not be- I
lleve that the poor man no longer
had a chance in the world. Of this
Umatilla County hired man Farmer
Temple says:
At that tim I had a man working- for
me whom I waa paying- 75 centa per day for
Ma work and he waa begglnr for the Job at
that. Io you know that four years auo
that same fellow rented a big farm and in
that time has cleaned up 140. OuO prolit on
another man'a land?
Testimony of this kind, which can
not be Impeached, hardly reflects any
great dissatisfaction among the farm
ers over the Republican Administra
tion. The Oregon farmer quite nat
urally will show his approval of the
Administration at the ballot-box next
Tuesday, but there are other states
which In the past have been debatable
ground. Notable among these is In
diana, but even in that state the out
look for support from the farmers is
anything but encouraging. A few
weeks ago a farmers' meeting was
held at Brook. Ind., on the farm of
George Ade. at which the attendance
was placed aa high as 15,000. In the
current number of the Saturday Even
ing Post Mr. Ade presents some in
teresting comment "which tends to
show that the Indiana farmers. and
the Umatilla farmers have much in
common.
"They came in stylish side-bar bug
gies drawn by high steppers." says Mr.
Ade, "also rubber-tired carriages and
surreys. About 150 automobiles were
tucked away In the orchard. The men
wore tailor-made clothes and the
women came out in this year's style
of gown and Merry Widow hats. There
was something about the make-up and
conduct of that crowd to indicate that
if there had been serious misgovern
ment at Washington it has not dis
couraged our fellow-citizens in the
corn belt." Mr. Ade concludes his
account of the meeting, which, by the
way. contains reproductions from
photographs showing the automobile
display and the farmers In regalia,
with the following:
When the Bryanito had heard the
speeches and listened to the bands, and
then went back to hook up hia J300 team
to the upholstered "ris" and take fcla well
nourished nock back oeer the stone roads,
paat the 160 land, to the white farmhouse
with a piano In the front room, and a cream
separator in the kitchen, he must have been
entered by the reflection that conditions
aren't so bad. even If we can't bring on
a general upset and overturning of things
in general.
It is needless to add that if by a
miracle this "general upset and over
turning of things" does take place, ft
will not be accomplished with the aid
of farmers' votes.
BRIAN MENACE TO Sl'PKEJIE COURT.
Remember that In voting for Presi
dent next Tuesday you will be de
termining the personnel of the United
States Supreme Court and the policy
by which it shall lay down the rules
of our National life at home and
abroad. On the supreme bench are
three or four Justices, whose succes
sors will be appointed either by Taft
or by Bryan. If you wish our National
policy broadened on the fundamentals
laid down by John Marshall and estab
lished by Civil War and expansion,
vote for Taft. If you want National
powers curtailed by states' rights doct
rines. National sovereignty at home
and in dependencies denied by dis
ciples of a political school that has
fought it always, and a Supreme Court
packed by Justices who will dissolve
the barriers established against usur
pation of the governmental power in
labor disputes then vote for Bryan.
In several aspects the filling of the
Presidency Is of secondary importance
to the filling of the Supreme Court.
Bryan stands for doctrines and prin
ciples which, if established in the
Supreme Court, would change our
whole mode of Government. They
deny our sovereignty In the Philip
pines, deprive courts of the authority
to defend property in labor disturb
ances, and oppose the National idea,
over which Hamilton and Jefferson
contended at the beginning and over
which millions of men fought in civil
strife.
Chief Justice Fuller is "6 years of
nge. Juxtlce Harlnn 75. Justice
Brewer 71. and Justice Peckham 70.
It Is Improbable that all of these men
will serve through the next four years.
Their successors should not he men of
the Bryan stamp. Bryan, as Presi
dent, would certainly name his own
kind of men. Bryan's Ideas have men
aced the Nation throughout his career.
His Supreme Court Justices would Im
pose them . on the country. The
United States could get along well
enough with Bryan President, but It
cannot afford to have a Bryan Su
preme Court.
IJKK FATHER LIKE SON.
From all accounts tho Atwoods,
father and son, are a precious pair of
undesirables. They are now in trouble
again for alleged malpractice, but for
lack of law or evidence or something
else they are held as nuisances Instead
of for manslaughter. The charge is
that a young woman lost her life
through their operations. Whether
the charge Is true or not, the trial of
the case will show, but there is much
grotmd for the belief that this rever
end father and the son who follows
in his footsteps make a business of
disreputable operations. At any rate,
this is not the first time they have
been accused of it.
Since there is an extensive demand
for medical practice of this kind. It is
no wonder that men appear who are
willing to engage in it In spite of the
risks. Whatever people are ready to
pay for. no matter how vile or vicious
it may be, there are always some who
are rendy to do. But it Is a wonder
that in a community like Portland,
where the medical profession Is nu
merous, enlightened and aggressive,
such deeds should flourish with so lit
tle check. Physicians know better
than anybody else the character of
those who belong to their fraternity,
and it would seem that they ought to
have discovered some way long ago to
aid the public to discriminate between
the good and the bad.
The only substantial criterion that
they have thus far proposed is the rule
that all physicians who advertise in
the newspapers are to be shunned as
quacks. This rule is on its face so
tyrannical and absurd that the public
pays no attention to it. People in
general are inclined to patronize a
physician from the very fact that he
does advertise. They judge of doc
tors as they do of merchants, by what
the advertiser says of himself. The
"ethical" physicians say that if the
newspapers would refuse to print med
ical advertisements all would be well;
quacks would perish of starvation.
This might happen if there were no
other ways of advertising, but, un
happily, there are the circular letter,
the handbill, the insidious poster and
innumerable other devices.
It seems Indisputable that when the
physicians of the community are clear
ly convinced of the character of a
quack it is their duty to share their
knowledge with the public. This they
might do by a resolution of the medi
cal society, a notice in the papers, or,
if he is a member of the professional
clubs, by expelling him. It is under
stood that the Atwoods are physicians
in good and regular standing, what
ever that may mean, in spite of their
notorious practices. They hold regu
lar physicians' licenses. Why are they
still in good standing? Why have not
their license been revoked? If the
law does not provide for the cancel
lation of such men's certificates of pro
ficiency and character, it ought to, and
there ought to be some regular man
ner of proceeding In the case. Some
body ought to be responsible for the
continued and unmolested prosperity
of such social parasites as the At
woods. They are not the only ones
of the species In the city. There are
others, and some of them dwell in the
odor of high respectability.
We have no desire at this time to
take up the ethics of child murder.
The question has been raised whether
a prospective unmarried mother has
not the right to protect herself from '
coming disgrace and lifelong misery
by making way with her unborn In
fant. It is admitted that the problem
is not Without perplexing circum
stances, but in general one might re
ply that it is better for women to pro
tect themselves by a marriage cere
mony than by murder. As for the
physicians who assist In the whole
sale slaughter of infants which is par
tially responsible for our alarmingly
low birth rate In America there is no
excuse whatever for them. They be
long to the criminal class and to the
worst element of it. We repeat that it
is astonishing to contemplate the
serenity with which reputable physi
cians endure this reproach to their
profession.
"Dan Crawford, ten years ago one of
the wealthiest men In Reno, stood up
in the Police Court this morning to
enter a plea to the charge of being a
common vagrant and drunk," says a
Reno dispatch in yesterday's Orego
nian. Further particulars regarding
Mr. Crawford disclosed the fact that
he had a few years before been inde
pendently rich, but "within a year or
two he had squandered in dissipation
and given away about $100,000." The
present predicament of Mr. Crawford
was thus due to his own efforts,
neither the state, the Government nor
any other agency being responsible for
his penniless condition. But for all
that -Mr. Crawford and all others of
his type, which is alarmingly numer
ous, appeal powerfully to the peculiar
minded social misfits in our political
life. These reformers prate glibly
about the equalities of man, ignoring
the fact that for honest, hard-working,
frugal men to become the equals of
the Dan Crawfords of the world would
involve sacrifices which common de
cency would forbid their making.
Mr. Nathan Straus, president of the
Business Men's Democratic League, is
very much alarmed over the rumor
that the Republicans have been rais
ing a fund for the alleged purpose of
corrupting Bryan voters. This alarm,
even should it prove to be well found
ed, which is hardly probable, will be
alleviated somewhat if Mr. Straus will
stop to consider that Mr. Fingy Con
ners, Mr. Murphy, Mr. McCarren and a
few other bright and shining lights
who are manipulating New York poli
tics in the interests of Mr. Bryan are
pant masters in the art of raising and
using corruption funds, and will hard
ly hesitate to "fight fire with fire," as
it .were. Mr. Straus has no valid rea
son for believing that It is easier to
corrupt a Bryan voter than it Is to cor
rupt a Taft voter, but his apparent
alarm In the matter would indicate
that he feared to trust the Bryan voters.
The editor of the McMinnville Re
porter undoubtedly is one of the holi
est, if not the most utterly holiest, of
men. He "hasn't anything to say
against Taft as a man;" but Taft is
"not a believer In the doctrine of the
Holy Trinity." and "a Christian Na
tion must expect the disapproval of
God If such a man is exalted to the
Presidency." Tho pains that Demo
cratic editor must experience to wit
ness such ungodliness in the -world!
He ought to have lived when he could
burn heretics. No doubt Tom Taggart,
Tammany Murphy and other Demo
cratic politicians, feel the same way
about it. Their distress about the
peril that threatens the Holy Trinity
must be as intense as that in the office
of the Bourbon Democratic Journal at
McMinnville.
John Burns, the London labor lead
er, has raised a commotion in the
House of Commons by the statement
that the main disadvantage under
which the British unemployed labored
as compared with the American un
employed was that the Britons drank
more than the Americans who were
out of employment. Mr. Burns was
roundly abused for his frankness, and
vigorous denials were made, but his
statements were undoubtedly true.
Society in England, in any or all of its
grades, has failed to place the ban on
the liquor habit that the Americans
have burdened It with, and there are
more intoxicated individuals parading
the London streets every day than
could be found in New York in a
week.
They say Rockefeller has declared
for Taft, that Is, that he will vote for
Taft. That may be true, for Rocke
feller has a right to vote how he will.
But the declaration that he .will vote
for Taft may do Taft some hurt, un
less Rockefeller shall put up a big
pile of money; In which case, if the
sum were large enough, an innumer
able multitude of Bryan patriots might
be allured to Taft. Yet, 1f they didn't
get the money, their disappointment
might make them more resolute for
Bryan than ever.
Bryan tells the wageworkers in the
towns that the cost of living Is too
high, and attributes It to "Republican
policy." He tells the workers in the
country that they are not getting
enough for their products, and attrib
utes it to "Republican policy." The
Peerless is the apostle of high prices
for the producer and of low prices
for the consumer.
Awrfully afraid are the Bryan ora
tors that their opponents will "buy
the election." This seems to express
their fear that a great many of those
on whose votes they count the sturdy,
yeomanry who are fighting the battle
of freedom are ready to sell it.
It is said Rockefeller is going to
vote for Taft; and now there is a
shudder, from the center all round to
-the sea, lest he may put up money
enough to buy up the whole Demo
cratic party.
The other view of it is that Rocke
feller, on agreement with the Bryan
managers for immunity, has "come
out" -for Taft. That's plausible too.
You may take your choice.
If Banker Scriber had "busted" a
state instead of a. National bank, he
would have been safe from the Peni
tentiary, like several bank-breakers in
Portland.
Perhaps there is no way to prevent
Rockefeller from voting for Taft, if
he wants to, or Belmont and Tom
Taggart from voting for Bryan.
It will all be so plain after next
Tuesday that we shall feel like kicking
ourselves for falling to see it.
It is evident that the leaders of the
Democratic campaign greatly distrust
their constituency.
If one cocktail makes a lady, then
Mrs. Gould is certainly several times
a lady.
Of course Bryan can win If he loses
New York; but he won'
SO VITAL ISSUE IN CAMPAIGN
Greatest Factor im the Presliiemtlal
Contest la Candidates' Personality.
"Raymond" In Chicago Tribune.
This Presidential campaign of 1908
will go down Into history as almost
unique, because It has been fought out
from the beginning to the end abso
lutely without a single definite issue
between the two parties.
Speakers on each side have discussed
all sorts of things and the platforms of
both parties were as verbose as usual.
Yet it must be apparent, now that the
fight Is drawing to a close, that there
has not been any vital issue to distin
guish the Republicans from the Demo
crats. There Is probably nothing on which
the people can make up their minds
except what the turf people call "past
performances" of the parties and the
candidates.
("Raymond" summarizes thecampaign
of 1S!2, tariff; of 1S96. free sliver; of
1900. Imperialism; of 1904. militarism
and Roosevelt's Jingo sentiment. Then
he mentions the "issues" that Bryan
has taken up this year and dropped
because he found they did not appeal
to the people, namely: Guaranty of
bank deposits; then the injunction
problem; then the trusts; then pub
licity of campaign contributions. Not
one of these issues was pushed to the
front.)
.A partially successful attempt has
been made to alienate the labor vote
on the ground of Mr. Taft's record on
the bench. That Is really the only dan
gerous feature of the whole campaign.
It Is me one thing in which miscel
laneous audiences are interested and
which the laboring men themselves dis
cuss in political conversations on the
street corners.
Mr. Taft has sufficiently explained
that he interpreted the law as he
found It, and It has been shown that
his labor decisions in the Ann Arbor
railroad case particularly, have become
the foundation of the rights of organ
ized labor in the country. Neverthe
less, this one position of his while he
was in the Judicial branch of the Gov
ernment has been used as practically
the only argument why he could not be
trusted in an executive capacity.
If there are any states doubtful to
day they are ao Qecause of this per
sonal record of the Republican candi
date and not because of any real issues
between the two parties.
On the other hand, the one thing
which Mr. Bryan has had to cope with
has been his personal record since he
became noted in National politics 12
years ago. It has been shown repeat
edly on the slump that even during the
Parker campaign four years ago Mr.
Bryan solemnly declared he had re
canted none of his financial theories,
and that free silver was merely held
in abeyance until it should again be
come a living issue.
Under these circumstances people
have become impressed with the idea
that if Mr. Bryan should become Presi
dent nnd there should be a repetition
of the dark days of 1893, he would turn
to free silver once more and do what
he could to destroy the single gold
standard. One finds this sentiment
everywhere, coupled with the belief
that the Democratic candidate, al
though gifted with extraordinary ora
torical talent. Is wholly deficient in
that kind of mental furniture which
enables a man to grasp great gov
ernmental policies and solve them on
the broad basis of real statesmanship.
s
Mr. Taft is elected today on his
record aJ an executive in the Philip
pines, in Panama, in Cuba, and in
Washington. Mr. Bryan is defeated to
day because of his record as a purveyor
of fantastic economic ideas, none of
which stands the test of analysis or of
actual practice.
With the exception of the financial
' flurry last year the country has been
magnificently prosperous during the
term of three Republican administra
tions. The people are afraid of a
change in the government, not so much
because a change from Republican to
Democrat in the White House would be
dangerous as because they feel that the
election of a man of Bryan's class, with
his manifest incapacity for practical
government, would surely bring about
a financial crisis.
In the last analysis, therefore, Bryan
has defeated himself. In 1896 he might
fairly claim he was beaten because the
people did not understand the beauty
of free silver, but this year, with no
real Issues between the two parties,
and with nothing at stake but the per
sonality of the candidates as regards
their training for the office of Presi
dent, Mr. Bryan will have no possible
excuse to come before another Demo
cratic convention as a candidate for
the Presidential nomination.
Wholly a Question of Intent.
GRANTS PASS, Or., Oct. 27. (To the
Editor.) In 1902 I left Oregon for Porto
Rico with the intention of remaining
three or four years. At the end of four
years I returned, but after a visit of
three months, went back and remained
two years longer. I have never claimed
a residence outside of Oregon, nor have I
voted since leaving the state. I refrained
from claiming a residence and voting
because I did not want to lose my res
idence In Oregon. I returned to the state
June 20. to make this once more my
permanent home. I have registered, but
am not certain as to whether I will be
permitted to vote in the coming Pres
idential election. Can you give me any
light on the question?
ROBERT M'LEAN,
If. when you went to Porto Rico you
definitely abandoned Oregon as a place
of residence, you are not entitled to vote;
if you intended to return to Oregon, and
regarded Oregon as your real or per
manent abode, you are certainly entitled
to vote. It is largely, or wholly, a ques
tion of intent in your case, so that if
you honestly believe Oregon is and was
your home, despite your temporary res
idence elsewhere, it certainly was and is
your home. Go ahead and vote.
It la Worth Attention.
Aberdeen (Wash.) World.
In his letter to the World the secre
tary of the American Unitarian Asso
ciation calls attention to the fact that
Thomas Jefferson, the expounder of
Democratic principles, the rock on
which is btrilded the Democratic faith,
"was also a Unitarian," and that "upon
the wall of the Unitarian building in
Boston hangs a letter, written and
signed by him. In which he makes com
plete avowal of his Unitarian belief."
f religion is to be interjected into this
campaign, it comes with poor grace
from a Democrat, a follower of Jeffer
son. Maybe He Mesas Onr Geonce.
McMinnville Register, Dera.
What can you expect of a Christian
nation when so-called Christians are fore
most In electing non-believers to office?
GREAT RUSH TO START WILD-CAT BANKS
Practical Operation of tne Oklahoma Guarantee Law Swindling; and Dis
honest Speculators Arc Gains Into the Banking Business Everywhere.
Why Not, Since the State Is a Partnerf
Daily Banker and Stockholder.
Joseph Chapman, Jr., the well known
vice-president of the Northwestern Na
tional Bank, Minneapolis, is engaged in
an Investigation of the operation of
the Oklahoma deposit guaranty act.
He has received a number of let
ters from bankers of that state and
one particularly from J. W. McNeal,
president of the National Bank of Com
merce. Guthrie, severely condemning
the law.
Mr. McNeal says:
"The law contains a provision for an
unlimited mutual liability for all the
defalcations, lack of Judgment, dishon
est and Incompetent bankers, without
any recognition of the time-tried,
strong banker, who may have spent a
lifetime in building up his reputation.
Under the provisions of the law the
State Banking Board Is required to
levy an assessment equal to 1 per cent
of the average deposits In each bank,
and in the future, to levy as often as
may be required, a sum sufficient to
maintain this fund at 1 per cent of the
average deposits of the state.
"What have been some of the results
of the actual operation of this law in
Oklahoma? There have been 77 new
State bank charters issued since the
adoption of this law, 42 of these with
a capital stock of only $10,003 each.
There has been a regular heglra for
starting new State banks without re
gard to the necessities of the com
munity or the character of the men
starting the banks.
"We have one Instance of where a
man failed In Kansas, under his own
name, then started up in business un
der his wife's name and again failed,
beating his creditors out of $70,000,
not paying them a cent. Under the
old territorial law, he attempted under
the guise of relatives to start a bank,
but in two years his business was so
trifling that It forced him out of the
business. He now has already started
three banks in Oklahoma and boasts
that he will start 12 more. Within 60
days from the starting o; one of his
banks his statement shows that he had
a deposit-account of. over $109,000.
His cashier is under indictment for
embezzlement.
"I mention these things to show that
It Is immaterial what character of men
are at the head of the banks, they get
the business by claiming that the State
is guaranteeing them, and it makes no
difference whatever as to the character
or personality of the officers. A man
who bet all his money on the races
may gamble on the board of trade, may
fight Joint whiskey, may lead a li
centious life and go out and solicit de
posits, saying 'What do you care what
kind of a life I lead? The State is be
hind me.'
"Two men recently started a bank
with $25,000 capital in Oklahoma City.
When asked how they expected to suc
ceed with a bank of so low capital in
a town of 60,000 persons, one of them
replied: 'What do we care about capi
tal? The State is in partnership with
us."
"There can be but one deduction
DOX'T ASSESS STANDING TIMBER
Lawyer Says Practice Is Confiscation
Rather Than Taxation.
MILWAUKIB, Or.. Oct. 30. (To the
Editor.) Undoubtedly taxation will
eventually be on a basis that will per
mit men to own timber, but that time
seems far off now.
Columbia County's assessment, the
highest in Oregon, has been reduced
about one-fifth this year, but is still
too high. That county's assessment for
1907, recently upheld by the Circuit
Court, was more burdensome upon tim
ber than that of any other county, al
though Washington, Yamhill and Polk
Counties also cruised lands for assess
ment purposes. The valuation of wild
lands in Columbia County was approxi
mately $10,350,000, nearly all of which
represents standing timber; all other
prooerty at approximately $6,500,300.
Nearly two-thirds of the taxes came
from land which brings no income
whatever. By this assessment the au
thorities of Columbia County serve no
tice upon timber owners that they
must destroy the timber of the county
and take the lumber away.
Heavy taxation of timber will have
the result in a very few years of com
pelling the owners of timber lands to
cut the timber of Columbia County, al
lowing their timber in other counties
to stand. The net result will be that
at that time in the future, when other
counties In Oregon are receiving the
benefit of high prices of timber and
heavier taxation therefor, building
roads, establishing schools, attracting
settlers Columbia County will have a
vast quantity of cut-over, uncleared
land, uninhabited, and capable of but
a light tax burden. The present in
habitants will place a handicap upon
the county that will endure for all
time to come.
Land valuable for timber only should
be taxed on the basis of yearly
growth. The farmer's taxes amount to
one-fifteenth of his crop each year;
then timber land should pay the same
proportion. On this basis, timber land
producing 25.000 feet In 100 years on
each acre would bear a tax per acre,
at the present stumpage price, of $2
per thousand feet, of 3 1-3 cents each
year, which is about the average rate
paid on timber land in other counties
In Oregon prior to 1906.
Section 21, township 4 north, range
2 west, belonging to the Chapman Tim
ber Company. 640 acres, was assessed
at $43,265, and the general tax (7
mills) paid thereon was $302.85, or. per
acre, 47 cents. The Chapman Timber
Company is logging its lands as rapidly
as possible.
The northeast one-quarter and west
one-half of section 29, township 6
north, range 3 west. 480 acres, belong
ing to E. B. Foss, was assessed at
$50,855, the tax amounting to 40 cents
per acre.
The southeast one-quarter of section
17, township 7 north, range 5 west,
160 acres, belonging to S. Blodgett
Company, limited, was assessed at $32,
400. tax $226.80, or, per acre, $1.42.
This is confiscation rather than taxa
tion. The laws of Oregon do not au
thorize the assessment of standing
timber, and the Legislature has never
expressed an intention to tax timber.
BEN IRWIN.
Pleeona Reared Just to Be Shot.
Kansas City Times.
"There Is one thing that puts Mar
shalltown, la., in a class by itself,"
said R. G. Elston, an Iowa farmer.
"Marshalltown is a great place for
pigeon raising. There are thousands
of the birds hatched and reared there
every year. They are raised to be
shot. Iowa has a great many gun
clubs, and every year there are many
live pigeon shoots. The Marshalltown
farmers have found the business very
profitable."
from this enormous rush for starting
new banks. They are being started
by irresponsible, inexperienced men and.
Instead of indicating a solid growth for
the State of Oklahoma, they Indicate
an era of irresponsible and wildcat
work.
"One of the dangers of this guaranty
law is that It guarantees credit deposits
as well as cash deposits. Now, you
know that more than one-tenth of a
bank's daily depostts are In actual
cash. Nine-tenths are in credit de
posits, are either checks and drafts
or proceeds of loans. When these
credit deposits that are made as the
proceeds of a loan are guaranteed, the
guaranty certainly reaches the guaran
teeing of the loan itself, for the reason
that the deposit is merely the result of
the loan.
"I have heard it discussed and I think
it feasible for a dishonest man, or set
of men, co organize a $10,000 bank,
then create a lot of fictitious deposits
as the proceeds of a lot of dummy
notes, and let the bank close Its doors
and call on the guaranty fund to pay
these, deposits. Naturally, the deposit
will be credited to men In no way
identified with the note itself.
"We had one bank failure in rny town
for something like $1,000,000. This
would have taken more than 6 per cent
assessment on the deposits on the State
banks of Oklahoma. Supposing a bank
had $1,000,000 deposits on a capital
stock of $10,000. Fifty per cent or one
half of its capital stock, would be con
fiscated to make up the one loss. It Is
more dangerous to the honest small
banker than to the large one, because
the large one can prepare himself to
weather the storm.
Under guise of the law an attempt
Is being made to put all banks on
equal equality. The man who baa
spent a lifetime in building up an hon
orable reputation is sacrificed for the
sake of making' some poor, incompe
tent, dishonest banker exactly equal to
him. It is a mistake to suppose that
sacrificing the assets of the solvent
bank is going to prevent the rascal
from failing. There is more money in
it for him to fail, under this law, than
there will be to run."
Readers of the "Daily Banker" will
recall that at the time the National
banks of Oklahoma were forbidden to
take advantage of the law we sent out
inquiries as to the probable effect on
the National banking interests of the
State. We found that only a small pro
portion of the National banks had de
cided to reorganize as State institu
tions and that the vast majority found
that there customers were not at all
inclined to transfer their business to
the guaranteed banks. Common sense
might have suggested this result. We
do not lose confidence in our own bank
because its competitor offers a theoret
ically absolute security. Of course
there is some loss of business and here
and there the necessity for taking ad
vantage of the law. But we believe
that in time the majority of the Na
tional banks will maintain their po
sition and Increase in strength.
WATCH THE GARBAGE MONOPOLY
Attempt to Folat on the City an Ex
pense That Individuals Should Bear.
PORTLAND, Oct. 30. (To the Editor.)
A little more enlightenment on the sub
ject of the proposed garbage monopoly
would be very much appreciated by a
large number of interested property-owners
and taxpayers.
At the present writing it does not cost
the city one cent for the collection of gar
'bage, as it is done by individuals, and is
paid for. as is all other hauling, by the
persons needing the service. We rnigh
as well grant a monopoly to some trans
fer concern to do all the hauling for the
business interests, compelling them to pay
a certain price and to comply with re
strictions, to the exclusion of all other
transfer concerns.
I have not read of any demand having
been made by the taxpayers to the Coun
cil that such a monopoly be granted, but
the same thing could be said of the War
ren Construction Company monopoly. The
taxpayers do not want it, but it Is forced
down their throats Just the same, and.
Judging from the amount charged for
street work, somebody must, be getting
very rich.
For all that the interested ones know,
dumps might be located In the heart of
the business and residence districts, there
by greatly damaging and depreciating
the value of all surrounding property,
the holders of the garbage franchise de
manding and expecting the city to pro
tect them in establishing their foul-snell-lng
dumps where they see fit.
This is a very serious and important
matter, that should be thoroughly dis
cussed from every possible standpoint,
and every property-owner and taxpayer
in the City of Portland should be inter
ested to the extent of following up this
matter closely, watching all legislation
pertaining thereto, and by whom pro
posed, always being on the lookout for a
joker, neatly and cunningly hidden away
in the folds of the legislative skirts.
GEORGE- H. STROWBRIDGEv
Keep the Front Doors Closed.
PORTLAND, Oct 28. (To the Editor.)
As the cold winds of Winter begin to
whistle through the front doors of our
"stop-on-the-near-side-of-the-street" cars,
and the patrons of the cars begin to catch
cold and contract pneumonia, it seems
but right that the Portland Railway,
Light & Power Company should provide
some means of keeping the front doors
closed.
It would be a simple matter to con
struct an inclined track, a spring, or even
a pull that the conductor could operate
from the rear of the car, that would keep
the door closed and the passengers would
be able to ODen it as they do now.
If the railway company wants a sug
gestion as to a suitable device, they can
find something illustrated in the Scien
tific American of October 24, which is
intended for elevator doors, but would
work to advantage on car doors as well.
I hope you will give this space in the
paper and the car company will do some
thing to protect the people of this city
against the drafts that draw through the
cars from the front door being open.
J. M. WOODWORTH.
Evidently the correspondent has not ob
served the announcement that after No
vember 1 the company will return to the
"far" crossing as the stopping place for
cars.
Confidence.
New York Times (Ind. Dem.)
In 1884 a Democrat was elected
President by Republican votes. He was
elected, though, because the Repub
licans who voted the Democratic ticket
had more confidence in him than in his
Republican opponent. Nobody can have
more confidence In Mr. Bryan than In
Mr. Taf
I
T