TITE MOKNIXG OREGOXIAX. TIIUKSDAT, NOVEMBER 19, 1903.
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ruKTLAM), THIICiUAV. OV. 1. --
THX FATE OF THE HOHKNZOU-ERNi
From what has happened In Ger
many within the last week or two. th.
-.-n-i.-.i- William must have learnec
come striking and useful lessons. One
of them Is that while beyona quwui
vi. ...rhoriiv comes directly from th
Aimitrhtv. still it Is Invalid against
the unanimous feeling of the nation
He has learned also that there Is In
.-- ,., . i.Nflr-p nnuflr 'than his
leel iiiiui j e " - -- -
With all the prestige of his ancestral
glory, with his mignty army
i -.-in h has been compellei
to bow to the people and acknowledge
.i ,-i- jnri nor he are the true
lint. "
e iv.. Dmnin. Henceforth,
If
he keeps the promise he has made
William will retain the pomp and pa
rade of sovereignty, but not the sub
Tht will nhiflo with his min
lsters. who are to be responsible to the
German people ana tncreiore
the people s servants insieau -.l ..
Thus the flamboyant Kaiser finds
' himself in the situation wnicn me
British monarchs have occupied for
many years. He has been transformed
. . .tit., who arrogated to him
self the grandeur of the deity and a
power little short 01 aosoiute w
mr... nr le ornamental figurehead
.It Is not to be supposed that the trans
formation is yet complete or hum.
li.r-. fniu- understands what has hap
.winoH to him. A mind like his must
require a 'certain time to digest the
truth that he has to ODey wnen mo
nation commands. Old habits of arro
gance in the monarch and servility in
the subject cannot be eradicated in a
day. William will doubtless continue
to pose as a terrestrial deity and Ger
many will sometimes forget to laugn
, when he does so. But the laugh is
.r-iie-iin-trrl. The divinity that hedged
him has been broken through and all
the rest is ea.y. In trie process 01
change from absolute King to adminis
trative figurehead there is no perma
nent stopping place. If the people can
force William to obey them in the
plenitude of his power, how can ho
resist them now that his power has
begun to wane?
. The aim of the human reason in )ts
struggle with the problem of just gov
ernment has been i to fasten upon
rulers full and definit t responsibility
for their acts. When rulers are Irre
sponsible the throne is absolute and
the subject a slave. When responsibil
ity Is not definite but fugitive and elu
sive, the subject may be free In name,
but In substance his freedom Is a de
ceptive phantom. But the only way to
hold a man responsible is to have the
right and power to punish him. Na
tions, however, have always been loath
to punish their kings, and when under
extreme provocation they have done so,
mankind has been horrified. Europe
huddcred when England cut off
Charles Stuart's head, and when
France guillotined Louis Capet the
world took up arms against her. Pun
ishment is incompatible with king
ship. How then solve the problem of
responsible government without abol
ishing kings?
England, the mother of sensible
politics, solved it long ago in the only
possible way. She left the monarch
his glory but took away his power
and gave it to his ministers. Thus the
King could do no wrong because theo
retically he had no power, and if his
conduct failed to chime with theory,
his ministers must take the conse
quences. In practice the arrangement
has worked wonderfully well. It has
given Britain one of the freest and
not far from the best government in
the world, nor does it "work Injustice to
the King's responsible ministers. The
monarch can only act by commanding
them and when his commands are im
proper they need not obey. If they
do obey, the King's mandate will not
excuse them to the law.
This is the system of government to
ward which William's recent folly has
precipitated Germany. His indiscreet
babble In the London Telegraph kin
dled a fury of wrath among his peo
ple which evidently frightened him,
and he has given his sacred word to
act hereafter only through ministers
whom the representatives of the Em
pire can punish for malfeasance.
Usually the word of a monarch is not
avorth much, but the chances are that
William will keep his promise, not so
much because he feels bound by it as
because he cannot break it. When
Parliament has once formed the habit
of punishing ministers for what the
Kaiser does, unless he leaves the pub
lic business to them he cannot find
anybody who will serve him. He has
started on the downward way, and it is
difficult to Fee where he can stop. The
German people have had a taste of
'power. If they are like other human
beings they will relish It so well that
presently they will take another taste
and the haughty Hoheneollems will
walk the road the English morrarchs
traveled two hundred years ago. Thus
Frovldcnce turns the folly of the great
to their destruction and from the van
ity of kings evolves the happiness of
mankind.
A document of some interest, espe
cially to pioneers of the Willamette
Valley, is published in the current
number of the Oregon Historical So
ciety quarterly. It is the subscription
list "for defraying in part the cost of
making a preliminary survey for a
railroad route connecting the Pacific
Railroad in California with the City of
Portland. Oregon." The date is Oc
tober. 1563. Among the names are
many that belong to the past and
siand for early endeavor in the de
velopment of the state. The limited
means procured by even the leading
men In the Industrial life of the state
forty-live years ago Is attested by the
subscriptions that stand opposite their
names In this eld document. Wheat
was legal tender in the agricultural
community represented by these
names, hence most of the pledges
were In wheat, ranging from one sub
scription of one hundred bushels to'
be delivered at Phoenix Mills, to Ave
bushels to be delivered at Ashland
Mills. There were many pledges of
from ten to fifty bushels, while the
cash subscriptions ranged from J2 50
to $25. The willingness of pioneers
to help themselves and each other In
the beginnings of Oregon's industrial
and business life is attested In this
old document. Of such as they had
they gave freely and waited patiently
the slow returns which the years
finally brought.
KESPOXSIBIUTTBS Or CITIZENSHIP.
Judge Charles H. Carey's address,
delivered yesterday before the Bar
Association, on "The Responsibilities
of Citizenship." contained . a great
amount of excellent matter. The ob
servations were based on research and
experience, supported by original
thought. Today The Oregonlan prints
as much of the address as a newspaper
which has to cover a multitude of
matters, can afford space for. From
these portions the general quality of
the address may be understood.
It la to the last parts of the address,
devoted to consideration of special
problems in our own state, with the
changes in our method of law-making
and especially of dealing "with the
Constitution itself, that we would di
rect earnest attention. It Is scarcely
yet understood that in this state we
are working under a new and really
untried system; and that our citizen
ship Is on trial, as well as the system
Itself.
Judge Carey's observations and
suggestions are pertinent to this situ
ation, and are delivered with clearness,
force and spirit. The discourse, more
over, is very timely: for it is not an
exposition of a theory, but Is addressed
to a condition or situation.
KRKE cX'GAR A rOSSIBIMTV.
There ta a possibility, faint it is
true, but still a possibility, that the
coming session of Congress will abolish
Lthe rhity on sugar. Some very inter
esting testimony was given the ways
and means committee of the House at
a hearing on the sugar schedule of the
tariff, in Washington Tuesday. Mr.
Claus Spreckels, who prior to his fall
ing out with the sugar trust was one of
the chief beneficiaries of the tariff.
testified that the independent refineries
which he now operates are compelled
to buy their sugar in Java, Porto Rico
and Cuba, because "the sugar trust
had the output of Louisiana and the
Hawaiian Islands contracted for."
Under the present system of protec
tion for the sugar trust two distinct
classes, the consumers and the pro
ducers, are "milked" in order that
the dividends of the sugar trust may
retain their vast proportions.
Mr. Edward Atkins, of Boston, who
Is interested in Cuban sugar planta
tions, testified that removal of the duty
would result In a reduction to the con
sumer of half a cent per pound. The
colossal profits of the sugar trust would
Indicate that an even greater saving
could be effected, but, even at the
half cent saving, when the enormous
sugar consumption of more than 80,-
000,000 of people is considered. It can
be understood why all previous at
tempts to remove or reduce the duty
are so stubbornly resisted. The Cuban
planters will of course profit largely
by the widening of the market that
will follow removal of the duty on raw
sugar, but the greatest benefits will
t.e felt in the Philippines, where sugar
can be produced to better advantage
then any other product. There was a
tacit understanding nhen the Philip
pines came under the American flag
that the new dependency was to en-
Joy most of the rights and privileges
that were extended to American citi
zens, but thus far the Interference of
the sugar trust and the tobacco trust,
has been such that exploitation of
both of these Industries has been seri
ously hampered.
Ordinarily, with the appearance of
Mr. Spreckels as an ally of the Ameri
can consumers, or the foreign pro
ducers. It might 4e well to exercise the
caution that Is advisable regarding the
gift-bearing Greeks, but in this par-
ticular case, it seems the interest of
Mr. Spreckels in free sugar Is mutual
with that of the consumer and pro
ducer. After removai of the duty on
sugar has been accomplished without
any serious economic upheaval. It may
be possible to carry the reform a little
farther, and by removal or reduction
in the tariff, give the consumers a por
tion of the excessive profits that for
many years have supplied the trusts
with funds to be used in fighting tariff
redaction.
Af llSSATLSFACTORY EXPERIMENT.
The state of Washington has on
hand an unsold stock of 1.000,000
grain bags which it will of necessity be
obliged to carry over Into the next
season. The bags were made by con
vict labor, and their cost is accord
ingly reduced materially from that of
the bags which are made by the firms
regularly engaged in the business out
side of penitentiary walls. Aside from
the labor cost, there is a large amount
of money tied up in a carryover stock
of 1,000.000 bags, and, to make mat
ters worse for the state. It Is now
spending $100,000 in enlarging the ca
pacity of the plant at which the bags
are made. This addition will of course
enable the state to produce a larger
number of bags than ever before, but.
In view of the unsatisfactory results
of the past season's work, it is not im
probable that the next Legislature may
decide that it is not to the advantage
of the state to -continue the work.
Everything else being equal, it seems
quite natural that with convict labor,
which costs the state nothing, bags
should be turned out as cheaply as In
India, where the grain bag of com
merce is manufactured. But, from
the results attained. It is tjuite clear
hat everything else Is not equal. Per
haps the managers of the Walla Walla
Jute bag plant, who receive their ap
pointment on the strength of a politi
cal pull, are not so well versed in the
practical side of bag-making as the
swarthy men from the Far East who
direct the movements of the cheapest
labor on earth. Besides, the machinery
for the Walla Walla plant Is all im
ported from Scotland at a very heavy
cost in duties, while the Calcutta bag
men are exempt from duty. Lastly,
there is the raw material from India,
which must stand a freight charge
equal to that of the finished product.
Some American bag factories are suc
cessfully competing in special lines
with the Calcutta bag manufacturers,
but they are In charge of bag-making
experts who are not appointed as a
reward for political favors; and even
then difficulty is encountered in meet
ing the competition of the Far Eastern
product.
The present predicament of the
State of Washington, with 1.000.000
bags unsold, and the machinery for
doubling th capacity of the plant al
ready purchased, is not without its
value as an object lesson In the law
of supply and demand. When a short
crop of Jute and a big crop of wheat,
rice and other commodities which
make a market for Jute bags sent bat?
prices skyward last year. Pacific Coast
bag dealers, iwho have never made any
money out of the business, were
soundly berated by trie interior press,
for the high prices. This year, with
a good crop of jute and a small crop
of grain in this part of the country,
there were naturally more, bags im
ported than were needed, and the
slump in prices followed- The only
reason why the Walla Walla Institu
tion is left with its stock unsold Is that,
while it maintained top prices and fol
lowed the market right along up with
the scarcity a year ago, it was not
quick enough in- reducing prices to
unload before the demand was satis
fied. The experiment seemed a suc
cess so long as there was a rising mar
ket, but at the present time there is
nothing attractive in a state-owned
jute mill.
THE PRESIDENTS DINNER.
The President's dinner party to the
labor leaders, barring the undesirable
Mr. Qompers, was certainly fruitful in
discussion. Possibly it may affect
legislation. The proposal to urge
Congress to pass a bill of rights for
workingmen sounds well, at least un
til one begins to analyze it. Then Its
glamor suffers an eclipse. Would this
bill assign to workingmen rights which
other people do not enjoy and thus
create a privileged class? Or would
it assign to them only the rights of
other citizens? Presumably they enjoy
those rights already. In that case
what good would the bill do?
If working men are deprived of
some of the common rights of citizens,
then they suffer under a gross injus
tice and the sensible course would
seem to be to discover wherein they
are wronged, and enact specific legis
lation to correct the evil. An ounce of
law going directly to the core of a
wrong is worth tons of eloquent prat
tle about the rights of man. It is a
comfort to notice that some of the
Supreme Court Judges dined with the
union leaders. One may hope perhaps
that these reverend dignitaries learned
from the frank discussions at the din
ner table something about modern
economics and social philosophy. A
little information upon those subjects
would be novel to them as well as
useful.
THE GENERAL POSTOTTTCK.
The postal system of the country
does not "pay." Probably it never
will be the intention of the country
to make It pay In the accounting.
Tet it will pay, in usefulness to the
people. So It does pay, though the
accounting shows that during the fis
cal year ended June 30, 1908, its cash
deficit was no less a sum than $16,
910,278. It is not the object of government
to make its departments pay, in
money, all they cost; yet, of course,
every department must be conducted
on economical principles. There Is
loss, as the accounting shows. In the
book accounts of the Postoffice; but
the people get accommodation through
the postoffice that is worth the money
they pay for It. All the transactions
and economies of government depend,
thus, on the distributive system.
The postal system of the United
States never did "pay," in the ac
counting. There always has been
some deficit. The percentage of def
icit usually has been steady say
about ten per cent of the gross vol
ume of the business. It is nearly that
proportion now. Last year the ex
penditures of the Postoffice were
$208,351,886; the receipts, $191,478,
633 deficit, $16,873,253 less than
eight per cent.
Extension of the postal service Is
one of the most remarkable incidents
and facts of the last twenty years.
Free delivery has invited general use,
and has revolutionized the system.
Use of the postoffice is becoming uni
versal in all the affairs of life. No
tices of every kind are sent through
the mails. Free delivery in city and
country makes It easiest and surest
means of communication.
The Postmaster-General, in a recent
statement, said he intended, in his
annual report to Congress this Win
ter, to call attention to an opinion he
has formed, based on his own experi
ence and knowledge, that "the estab
lishment of a special local parcels post,
confined to rural routes, would tend to
wipe out the postal deficit and would
finally make the rural delivery self
sustaining, besides being of conveni
ence to the farmer and a boon to the
retail country merchant." But the
retail country merchant does not yet
see his advantage in the system. He
entertains natural doubts. The argu
ment on the other side is that every
additional facility is alwas's advan
tageous to every interest of the com
munity. The country merchant will
increase his trade and his profits by
using the system himself, as the agent
of his customers. The goods so sup
plied would be small specialties, which
the country merchant would not carry
in any quantities, because he wouldn't
know what was wanted. Tet he could
get them through the Postoffice. and
as agent would make profit by doing
the business. The Postmaster-General
contends that the Government would
make profit also. It might not; but
the rural population would be accom- i
modated by the service.
There are now in operation more
than 39,000 routes, serving nearly
twenty millions of people. Since the
advantage of this service has become
so generally known and approved, the
service will be increased further;
never diminished. It is the branch
of the service that comes home most
closely to the life of the people in the
rural districts. In the city, too, the
free delivery is the most useful of all
the agencies of the general Govern
ment. Its work is done day by day,
without intermission. Everybody can
depend on It. As an effective cen
tralizing and nationalizing force, noth
ing can equal it. It is the chief vin
dicator, in practice, of the Hamllton
ian idea of government. It leaves the
Jeffersonian Idea in the woods and
in the darkness.
The bread and water diet ordered
for the striking prisoners at Kelly
Butte will serve a double purpose. It
will not only. In the end, force the
strikers to come to terms, but it will
serve still further to reduce the aver
age cost of meals, so that the County
Court can make an even more wonder
ful showing of economy than has ever
before been figured out. A very fair
meal of bread and water can be sup
plied for about two cents, arid using
this as a base, the County Court can
figure out a saving for a year which
will make Sheriff Stevens' whiskers
fairly curl with envy.
An Eastern newspaper, commenting
on the fact that the latest addition to
the . German merchest marine has
been christened the George Washing
tori, - regards the "George" as super
fluous, because this country has had
but one "Washington" who was really
entitled to the honor of having his
name perpetuated on a great ocean
liner. There was of course a great
increase in the cost of placing the ad
ditional "George" on all of the .boats,
j life preservers, silverware and other
equipment, dui tne creriiians cic tn.-
1ns- no chances on being misunaer
stood. Had the new liner appeared as
the Washington, the patriotic, ever
advertising residents of the Evergreen
state would have long ago raised a
fund for a set of colors or a silver
service for the new craft, which has
apparently been constructed with a
view to catering to the American
trade.
Roach's shipyard at Chester, Pa, a
plant that up to a few weeks ago had
been in operation since the close of the
Civil War, has gone into the hands of
a receiver. The death of John B
Roach last June deprived the great
ship-building plant of a competent
head. The family of Mr. Roach are in
the dependent class, as far as run
ning that plant goes; the liabilities of
the plant are heavy and without a
man of business and financial ability
to assume charge, a receivership was
Inevitable. The ships turned out from
Roach's yard have entered every port
in the world and the fighting strength
of the Navy has been Increased from
the same source. The suspension of its
activities will be felt In a sentimental
as well as in a business sense through
out the land.
Thirteen passengers killed In train
accidents during the quarter ending
June 30 is the smallest number re
ported since records on these rail
tragedies have been kept. For tne lis
cal vear the number of accidents on
railroads was nearly a third smaller
than for the preceding twelve months
Much of this improvement is said to
be due to the policy of the railroads
In giving greater publicity to railroad
accidents, thus improving the chances
for remedying the evils responsible for
wrecks. The progress is encouraging,
and, if the good work continues, travel
by rail will soon lose some of its
terrors.
The common garden "worm which,
until the present time, has been re
garded only as good fish bait, and a
plaything for Juveniles of the male
sex, has suddenly been elevated to a
position of importance. A Buffalo
physician has discovered that this
supposedly inoffensiwe worm is the
source of a parasite which produces
cancer. The discoverer, as usual, has
the credentials, and the worm sud
denly becomes in many respects more
dangerous than the rattlesnake, which
has always held a position too lofty
and reserved to make him easily
adaptable for fish bait.
The last . conjugal estate of Anna
Gould is worse than the first, as of
course everybody knew it would be.
She should not be permitted to get a
divorce again, neither should she be
encouraged to separate herself from
her latest and most filthy bargain.
Some sort of penance should follow
her action of a year ago and the pen
alty that exactly fits her crime is that
of living with the unspeakable crea
ture that in defiance of decency and
regardless of family solicitude and
pride she married.
Rockefeller declares that the meth
ods of Standard Oil In dealing with
competitors have always been "abso
lutely fair." That's what the wolf
said about his way of dealing with the
sheep. "How would you be cooked?"
said the cannibal chief to the mission
ary. "We wish to be absolutely fair."
I wouldn't be cooked at all, said
the missionary. "That's no answer
to the question," said the big chief.
Why can't you be frank and fair, as
we are? You are dodging the ques
tion."
Some highly important testimony
was given by John D. Rockefeller in
the conspiracy case at Findlay, Ohio.
The oil king testified that Standard
Oil had never used coercion In dealing
with competitors and that all of the
methods employed were absolutely
fair. It would be much more Impor
tant, however, if someone could be
found who would believe the remark
able statement.
Kalama, Wash., has been selected
as a meeting place for a good roads
convention to be held December 1.
Any man who has ever attempted to
drive a wagon, automobile, or even a
goat, over the Cowlitz County roads,
in the vicinity of Kalama, can well
understand that there is much that is
appropriate in the selection of a meet
ing place.
What we really want to know about
that White House dinner is whether
the fortunate labor leaders who were
invited, and went and ate, were
dressed in the abhorred splketail?
And, if so, what is the American
Federation of Labor going to do about
It?
The Oregon woolgrowers want a
Senator elected from Oregon who will
sympathize with their effort to keep
the tariff duty on wool. They will
have Chamberlain's sympathy all
right. But that's all.
Having disposed of the spines on the
cactus, Mr. Burbank would eliminate
the cob from the corn. Base icono
clast! Has he forgotten the days of
his youth and the joy of gnawing a
roastin' ear?
The New York World is industrious
ly devoting a column a day to a
double-leaded serial "For Senator
Roosevelt." In New York, however,
the Legislature elects the Senator.
"After all," asks the writer of a pos
tal card addressed to The Oregonlan,
"after all, what was the paramount
Issue of the late campaign ?" Distrust
of Bryan and of his party.
Streetcars of Seattle are to stop two
minutes while everybody prays. Here
they stop two minutes or more very
often, but everybody doesn't pray.
In Germany nowadays its the
fashion to spell Kaiser with a little K
and chanceller with a large C If
that's the way to spell it.
The taming of the Kaiser by Von
Buelow took just three-quarters of an
hour. The Kaiser promises hereafter
to play a thinking part.
Having been allowed $25,000 a year
alimony, Mrs. Howard Gould will now
be able to drink herself to death like
a real lady.
BOG IS PRICES OX NEWS PAPER
Glaring; Inaccuracies and Misstate
ments of Onmin Bureau Shorrn.
Herman Ridder, president of the Amer
ican Xewsnaner Publishers' Association.
has addressed a letter under date of
November 14 to President Roosevelt, call
ing attention to the gross Inaccuracy of
information furnished by Census Director
North, to the House committee on ways
and means, with respect to the prices
of print news paper during the past 10
years.
This information was called forth in
order to establish a basis for tariff leg
islation. Absolute Integrity was the
prime necessity. Any departure from
strict truth was fatal: yet Mr. Ridder
charges Dr. North with grossest igno
rance of the subject and proves by quo
tations from trade journals and from
actual sales of paper the utter wortn
lessness of the Census Bureau's figures.
Mr Ridder declares that no sane man
would dare to vouch for such fakes and
frauds and suggests that Dr. North needs
a care-taker. President Roosevelt s at
tention is called to the fact because Dr.
North's worthlRSS and misleading quota
tions are so far-reaching in their effect.
Dr North, last Winter sent to the
ways" and means committee a letter
certifying to the accuracy of certain
prices for news print paper covering
a period of 17 years. He refused, when
manifest errors were pointed out. to
correct them. Mr. Ridder then speci
fies in his letter to the President:
In Dr North's letter to which I have re
fcrredT there Is a minimum quotation under
data of July 1. 1A0O. which la
"S4 Ver 1 poundwhicT.,
Tllr 'cenrr.Pethan the minlnujra price
Primed in the Paper Trade Journal nearest
to that date. vis.. 2.75. .
For October, 1. 1900, th. Ve
by Dr. North are wrong to the extent or
S per ton or 10 per cant 1M than the
minimum and maximum price, primed In
the Paper Trade Journal nearest to that
daFo"r April 1. 1902. Dr. North vndertakes
to give a minimum and a maximum price,
though the Paper Trade Journal printed
only a minimum price. ..,-,
Dr. North'a letter states the maximum
price for July 1. in7. as S10. whereas
the Paper Trade Journal maximum quo
tation was $2.75; a difference of $7 per
'a.ii. trnm iha failure of the head of the
Censua Bureau to accurately copy the quo
tations of the Paper Trade Journal. I will
now demonstrate to you his Incapacity. In
ao far as he . failed to note their utte.
worthlessness from the figures themselves.
He gave figures which purported to show
that the price of news print paper was
stationary In the following terl"'J,,
April 1. 1S90. to Oct. 1. lSdl ? X3 '5
Jan. 1, JS92. to April 1, JRi5..... 3J-0
July 1. 1S5. to Jan 1. ISM" 8 5013.3.00
April 1, llk.3, to Jan. 1. 1!4 a,40fs 2.i.O
July 1. 1906, to April 1. 1907 2.00&2.2O
Dr. North said (page 1346 of Hearings):
"I am assured by men who should know
that the quotations given are a safe index
to the periodical fluctuations In the price
of news paper than any figures based upon
private and special contract." May I ask
does a uniform quotation for 39 months in
an ever-changing commodity Justify that
assertion of periodical fluctuation" 7 The
veriest tyro In business would know tnat
prices of commodities not artificially man
ipulated as steel has been, would oscillate
and change with all tne variations ui
ply and demand, and, with all the econo
mies of manufacture and with all the
freedom of competition that prevailed for
at least eight years of the period under
review. Yet. Dr. North, writing upon a
schedule which did not show a particle of
variation in prices during 39 months, mis
led Congress and the Federal authority by
saying "you may rely upon these figures
as accurate." It Is hardly conceivable
that any man outside of a lunatic asylum
or the Census Office would make such an
assertion after a scrutiny of the quotations.
Dr. North went further. When the accu
racy of his figures was denied, he appeared
before a committee of the House of Rep
resentatives and substantially reaffirmed
their accuracy, saying (page 1346 of Hear
ings), "as thus qualified, the quotations
furnished Mr. Dalzell undoubtedly repre
sent more accurately than Mr. Ridder'B
figures, the prices paid by purchasers In
the open market at the dates named by
the average customer, having no special
contract."
Again, the Paper Trade Journal has for
years printed so-called quotations for news
print paper, purporting to give a general
price and the prices In various cities. The
general price has been assumed to rep
resent the price In New York City where
Is the most considerable consumption. The
prices appearing in the Paper Trade Jour
nal for two cities were as follows.
General. Phlladelphia.
Per ton. Per ton.
April 4. 1907 4O04S !S0$63
January 3, 1907 40(0 45 50 02
October 4, 1906.. 4Clft 45 SO 62
July 5. 1908 40cS 4S BOO 62
April 5, 190B .. 86r 44 R0 62
January 4. 1906 3S 45 50 62
October B. 190S 38 4r. 50Si 62
July 6. 1803 Ofi 47 BO 62
April 6, 1905 44 4. 00 if 6Z
I can find very few Instances In all the
period of 17 years when the Philadelphia
price approached the New York or general
price, and the difference In maximum price
quotation between the- two cities at times
exceeding $17 per ton, though the actual
difference 'in freight rata from the mills is
only 40 cents.
It would seem that the attention given
to this matter of quotations, because of
the paper investigation, would nave roused
the sluggish minds that edit the Paper
Trade Journal to correct Its price quota
tions and that prodding did have some
effect on the figures for New York, but the
quotations for Philadelphia continued with
out change and without regard to the mar
ket, at utterly Impossible and ridiculous
figures for a period of five years.
Mr. Ridder furnishes from trade-journals
numerous other quotations and then gives
this specific statement based on an actual
contract:
Let me also point out the mistakes which
the Belect committee of the House of Rep
resentatives and the paper makers have
been making in comparing news print paper
prices, a he average rate Is the price which
the paper maker obtains upon the con
tracts that he makes during the year. For
example. In 1904, the International Paper
Company made a en-year contract with the
Hearst papers for approximately 90,000 tons
per annum for ten years, or yoo.000 tons
in all, at $37.60 per ton delivered. That
contract for 900.000 tons would be a fac
tor In determining the price current in
1904, but it should not be considered In
ascertaining the asking or bid price, or tlie
current price in 1907. The improper inclu
sion of that sale of paper in 1904 as part
of the sales of 1907. reduced the apparent
selling price of paper by the International
Paper Company to the extent of nearly $1
per ton In 1907. The Committee has start
ed unon wrong lines for its comparisons. In
ascertaining whether the figures furnished
by the Census Bureau were inaccurate, mis
leading and worthless as a guide to legis
lation. "With such a shocking illustration of care
lessness and inaccuracy on the part of the
Census Bureau, is not the country put upon
notice to look with suspicion upon other
compilations made by the same authority?
Is not the primary requisite of the Census
bead accuracy? Are we to spend $14,000.-
000 upon the Census of 1910 for that kind
of competency? It Is a sad commentary
upon administrative methods and upon the
material which misled the last Congress,
that the delicate work of the Census com
pilation and of the countless records en
trusted to the Census Bureau should be
subject to the risk of such incapacity as
that which Dr.. North's letter on news print
paper discloses.
WAIX, OF1 FASHIOJPS SLAVE.
Tou must wake and call me early.
Call me early, hubby dear;
In time enough niy hair to puff,
For 'tis the craze of the year.
Yes. these ar9 my hairpins, hubby
Six, dozen, both large and small;
Only a few I wore, 'tis true.
Till I followed the style this Fall.
Maybe I'm losing my head, hubby,
Ai.d maybe I'm going mad;
But my hew Fall hat must not fit flat.
So I've got to foilow the -fad.
1 must puff these hair-rolls, hubby.
Although the hour be late;
I must make them look like the fashion
book. The style of 1908.
Tou must wake and call me early.
Call me early, hubby dear, ,
Tho' I'd love to sleep till the shadows
creep
Away and the day is near.
I'll force myself to rise, hubby.
When your first faint call I hear;
I muBt have time enough my hair to puff.
For 'tis the craze of the year.
Wilheimina Barck Duniway.
' AS TO PROFESSIONAL PRIDE.
Koted Newspaper Men and Their View
of Their railing;.
Henry Watterson In Louisville Courier
Journal. With respect to the American news
paper, or rather those who control it
and those who write it, two qut'Stions
must sometimes press upon thought
ful minds; do they take an honest pride
In their profession and themselves, and
are they in reality loyal to the genius
of republican institutions?
The Abruzzl-Elklns marriage furn
ishes a case in point. The average
space-slugger, required to fill his col
umn a day, is all agape and aglow,
whilst the reportorial tattle-mongers
seek to keep up the public Interest
and lUncertalnty through their contra
dictory statements, as If It were a
fantastic prizefight. In the event that
it does finally come to pass the whole
tribe of newsmen and fustianlzers will
revel in royal verbs and regal adverbs,
illustrated by sprawling pictures of
the duke's palatial hencoop and tho
rubber band around the dot supposed
to be Imported with the bride. Mean
while, the principals are a well-bred
young American woman and a repu
table young Italian gentleman; the
prosperity and happiness of the mar
riage which their friends hope for
them depending upon themselves, the
titular distinction, rather a handicap
than an advantage, and of no account
at all on this side, of the Atlantic.
In expatriating herself. Miss Elklns
takes a risk. She takes another In en
tering a court circle. But whatever
she does is her own affair and does
not concern the American public, nor
interest sensible people.
There is yet another case In point,
nearer base, bearing on the point
whether the average Journalist re
spects his profession. '
Half a dozen newspapers have come
to us recently with the surmise that.
In case Judge Taft be the President,
Colonel William Rockhil Nelson, the
founder and owner of The Kansas City
Star, will be the Ambassador to France.
They troll their conceit as if they
thoughc it great. But what does Col
onel Nelson think of it? Being a level
minded self-respecting man he does not
think of It at all. Here Is h'ow he puts
It:
"The editor of The Star is amply
"occupied, sustained and satisfied with
his present Job. There never nas neen
a time since he took ic up that he
would exchange it for, or subordinate
it to. or entangle it with, any appoint
ive or elective office on earth, and
there never will be such a time. He
regards himself as holding a place of
greater responsibility and usefulness
than any within the gift of President
or electorate and he never has held
any other opinion on the subject. Not
only has the editor of The Star never
been a candidate, active or receptive,
for any office, but he never has asked
for' the appointment of anybody else,
and he never even has expressed an
opinion upon the eligibility of any as
pirant for place, unless his opinion was
asked for."
What could office do for a man like
Colonel Nelson except enslave him? He
has firmly established a widely circula
ting. Independent and influential news
paper, which he owns, edits and con
trols. He is a rich man, living as a
rich man should in the midst of his
accretions, the life of a public spirited
citizen and the head of a most happy,
charming and distinguished household.
One fancies with a smile that he sees
such a man, capering over European
drawing rooms, the prey of the shoddy
American women who want to be pre
sented at court and the sport of the
simpering Johnnies who call them
selves noblemen. Where he is he is
somebody; a useful somebody; a high
ly considered somebody; a potential
somebody. In any one of the embassies
he would be a ruffle-shirted knee
breeched, nobody, lost among the nin
compoops who make up our diplomatic
service abroad, most of them subscrib
ing to Republican campaign funds
either out of the pockets of rich wives,
or the looted treasuries of predatory
wealth.
Who can tell offhand who is-Ambassador
to France, to Russia, to Aus
tria, to Italy? Except for the New
York Tribune we would not know who
is Ambassador to England, and, in
order to be so, Whitelaw Reid has
literally, abandoned his profession and
his place in the American commonality,
and is no more considered by the public
than he will be after' he has ceased
to exist.
Office is both servitude and a badge
of slavery, and that any self-sustaining
journalist should think It an honor is
sure proof that his vanity exceeds his
judgment and that the splendid free
dom of professional eminence and op
portunity is lost upon him. Greeley
and Raymond and Forney wrecked
their lives upon the ignis fatus of of
fice. But they lived in other days.
James Gordon Bennett, the eider, set
the pace when he declined the French
mission, which Lincoln offered him.
Reid had better come home and edit
the Tribune and let his high-flying
English aristocracy and the vulgar
throng of American noodles and
poodles in and out of petticoats, go
hang!
Poem on Dog In $100,000 Suit.
New York Tribune.
Pathetic poetry written by the late
Ambrose A. Burbank on the death of
1,(0 Arrr Tvit wn offered as evidence
before Judge Ward, in the United States
Circuit Court, wnen tne neanng oi me
.,- . ...iir.T. sinn (too from the estate
of the wealthy recluse on an alleged
bill of assignment was resumed. The
suit was brought by David B. New
comb and Mary Ellen Newcomb, chil
dren of a nephew of Burbank. Their
claim is that before he died, Ambrose
Burbank signed a bill of assignment
making over to them $100,000 worth of
bonds, which Caleb A. Burbank, exec
utor of the estate, now holds. Legatees
and relatiVe3 testified to the genuine
ness of the bill of assignment, Mrs
James A. Disken said the poem was
written the day after the dog died. A
letter from her husband was intro
duced to show that he sent the poem to
Caleb A. Burbank, offering it for sale.
The poem also identified the date when
Mr. Burbank moved away from the
rooms he occupied at Mrs Disken's
house. Eugene D. Hawkins, counsel
for the executor, said:
"There Is a charge of forgery here,
and I ask that all documents In con
nection with the case be impounded by
order of the court." The court denied
the motion.
Death Scepter Froni Forbidden City,
New York Tribune.
Dr. Hermon C. Bumpus, director of
the American Museum of Natural His
tory, announces the acquisition by the
museum of an exceedingly rare Chinese
curio from Klnching, the forbidden
city of Pekin. It is called a "judge s
staff or scepter," is fashioned of lac
quered wood more than a century old,
and has on one end an elaborately
carved crested .head of the winged
dragon, the imperial emblem of China,
and the other end is. sharpened to a
point. After a judge has heard the
evidence in the case of a prisoner
charged with a capital offence, he takes
up the scenter. If he points the dra
gon's head at the prisoner the latter
goes free, but If the prisoner is con
fronted with the sharpened end he
must be beheaded. This is said to be
the only specimen of its kind ever ob
tained from the Forbidden City and
brought to this country.
Live Toad at Depth of 25 Feet.
Philadelphia Record.
While Calvin Winters of Lakemont,
Pa., was digging a well he unearthed
several large lizards imbedded in the
earth ten feet below the surface. At
a depth of 25 feet he discovered a toad,
which, when brought to the surface,
blinked and hoppec about in the sun.
THE PEOPLE DO RULE OH, YES
But Look at the Snd Fix They Are In
Here in Orefron.
Washington Post.
The State of Oregon has given Its elec
toral vote for Taft. It is a Republican
state, and a majority of its people stand
with the Republican parly on the tariff
question. Yet. if the members of the Ix's:
islature stick to tlie pledcre they gavo
when running for office, they will elect
George K. Chamberlain, a Democrat, to
the United Slates Senate, for tlie reason
that he received more votes than hits Re
publican competitor at the June election.
There Is embarrassment ahead for Ore
gon Republicans und for Mr. Chamber
lain. How is it possible for him to rep
resent his state and his party too? What
if a tariff vote be had in which party
lines will be sharply drawn? Will Mr.
7hamberlain, as a Democrat, vote for
free wool apalnst the will of his state, or
will he favor the stand-pat schedule,
thereby sacrificing his party? Suppose
the Legislature which elects Mr. Cham
berlain should instruct him to vote against
his party? Should he heed the instruc
tions, or resign his seat?
The people do rule, particularly in Ore
gon. Their attempt to repeal the Na
tional and state constitutions shows what
the people can do when they try hard.
They dare not trust their legislators to
choose a Senator, so they select one for
themselves. They are Republicans, and
they stoutly support Taft. But they se
lect a Senator who is a Democrat, merely
I because he is personally popular. A ma-
I i p .1. r
jorny OI Ilie Ilirmuvia jl iiic Lrt-fi'"!""'
are bound by their pledge to elect Mr.
Chamberlain, although the Legislature is
overwhelmingly Republican. So the Re
publicans of Oregon have thrown away
their best opportunity to support the Re
publican Administration, and have dona
what they could to destroy the policy
upon which their prosperity depends.
They may be saved from the conse
quences of their folly If It can be shown
that the legislators have no risht or
power to dodge their constitutional duty
of choosing a Senator, even by giving a
pre-election pledge. Or, Mr. Chamberlain
may be so obliging as to forswear his
adherence to the Democratic party, in
order to represent tlie real sentiment of
his state and its Legislature. In that
case the embarrassment will be shoul
dered by him, to the great relief of the
people.
We suspect it will be a long time be
fore the Republicans of Oregon make
fools of themselves aRain by trying to
substitute mobocracy for representative!
government.
LET EACH DO AS HE PLEASES
Then We Can Poison Each 'Other at
.Will, and the Law Can Go Hung.
PORTLAND, Nov. ID. (To the Editor.)
I read the article in this morning's Ore
gonlan signed by L Ferdinand Floss, and
I do not wonder that he parts his name
In the middle, for I am sure he would be
top-heavy, if he did not.
It must have been "a picnic" for him.
from the general tone of his letter, to
read that 'there were others who would
kick an inspector doing his duty." "Yes.
indeed, why should not a fellow let coil
lin moth, San Joso scale and other pests
exist In his orchard. If he wants to.
Doesn't he own his own orchard, and it
the other fellow Just over the fence wants
to keep his orchard free of these vermin,
and raise apples that are noted the world
over for their excellence, why, let nim
stand out there and keep them off. and it
the wolves come out of the woods to eat
his children, why should I go to the
trouble of trying to save them?
Every man should have a ngnt to do as
he pleases in these United States of Amer
ica Are we not guaranteed "equal rights
and privileges?" What do we care for the
cfty fellow? He buys only nine-tenths o
what we raise; we can better do without
him. Don't they get together every after
noon and scheme out some way to do
us poor farmers? Why. honest. Brother
Farmer they actually insist on our not
felUng them any more of our old. d.seased
m eh cows for beef, and there is no pos
sible way of their knowing that that old
C0w wi sick when we killed her to save
hheidea of a -city fellow- kicking be
aSfSewlJn BroTher farmers, let's get together quick
o.rt do away with food inspectors, muk
to do anything we don twant 1 W vv
the ones who raise and ow n, aH or tn
fruit, vegetables, beef, game sn,
try air, '"ajoin together we
thing, and if we a'unon ,n tne world
can have the s11 that ..clty fellow"
and then we will make that "lyruit, dis
take what we give hto-wormy irvr,
SKf;ou
a Sn the Popular X
to raieing chestnut f or from f
toVy" THOMAS J. FRENCH.
The Wrong Mr. Stone.
cauea correspondence, un-
i your 05rc4 ,b is stated that
der date of October 24, It vanta
toorCe?tTntters read by Mr.
HeTahrfs Toll Tn'injustice which
-ScT iVal, Governor6 S
rtonfwVwas at onVti Governor
" SmthrLrSr bavfng
probably arises ii oftice of
&mVS' " Vhat "trie"
"c S the title -h'cahkehnaSldbeeretyh
occasion of -uh isgken Identity.
The Statutes of Limitation-
RSHFIELD, Or., Nov. 16.-CT0 the
Enoff-ln your reference to the prose
Editor.j in ' J frauds you make fre-
ject. .
Except in capital cases, the Federal
statutes of limitation run three years
no longer. That is to say. if criminal
procrdlngs are 'not begun within three
years after the overt act, prosecution i Is
barred by the lapse of three years' time.
Highest Altitude for Honeymooners.
Louisville courier-Journal.
The Washington. D. C, monument ii
to be brought at last to base uses as a
wireless telegraph statKm. Up to now
It has been chiefly useful to mark tho
highest altitude reached by honey
mooning couples from the Provinces,
soaring upon .the wings of Re-
Kose Broken and Doesn't Know It.
Newark (N. J.S Dispatch.
Aimer L. Gray, a commuter of Mont
clalr N. J., in hurrying to reach
tCra,n tor New York, 1 :.U d hi.
was broken, but caugui-
Cached his of flee on time , Hed.dn t
know his now ws
formed by a surgeon.
Man at 81, Cut Third Set of Teeth.
Boston uiiju.".
William H. Harrington of Claremont,
N H at Vhe age of 81 is cutting a.
j .f f teeth He has never had
theloothano'W help of a dentist,
"Doctor- Title Annoys Mark Twain.
Hartford (Conn.) Dispatch.
Mark Twain, on the stand as a wit
ness In a robbery case at Danbury,
Conn was annoyed because the law
yers addressed hlru as "Doctor."