ttte morxtno otjegoxtax, vttdnesdat, dectdfbtek v, idos.
lo
l'OKTUM), OHEOUX.
Entered at Portland. Oregon. FostoBics
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riib!-criptioa Kuie Invariably In Adrsnce.
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I'OKTLAND, WKONESDAY, IKC , 1908.
1 UK FRESIDEXT'S MESSAGE.
Those who expected President
Roosevelt's hist annual message to
Congress to be a solemn, bro
mldic document weighty with, the
3read of offending somebody and
paralyzed with insipid compromise
must be a terribly disappointed set of
people. He has .never written a mess
age more direct and pointed in every
sentence than this one Is. In none has
ho displayed less of the spirit of weak
compromise and in none has he hesi
tated so little to call a spade a spade.
All those qualities of fearless recti
tude in language and thought which
have endeared him to the American
people are exhibited In this great
message with surpassing power. Even
irony, that dreadful weapon of the
literary master, is not shunned. If the
reader will turn to what the President
has to say about the law which crip
pled the secret service, he will dis
cover a specimen of irony which is fine
as a steel blade. It cuts without bruis
ing, but the wound It makes is deadly.
"The chief argument in favor of the
provision," says the President, "was
that tho Congressmen did not them
selves wish to be investigated by the
secret service men. Very little of
puch investigation has been dona in
the past, but it is true that the work
of the secret service agents was partly
responsible for the indictment and
conviction of a Senator and a Con
gressman for land frauds in Oregon. I
do not believe that it is in the public
interest to protect criminals in any
branch of the public service; but if
this is not considered desirable a spe
cial exception coultl be made in the
law prohibiting tho use of the secret
service force in investigating members
of Congress." One can imagine the
relish with which a certain class of
our National lawmakers will peruse
tii'-e remarks.
In this message, as' in every other
he has written, .Mr. Roosevelt indulges
his temperamental love of exhorta
'Jon. Indeed, the message is an essay,
or perhaps rather a sermon, on a series
.f great problems, whose solution he
deems of prime importance to the wel
fare of the country. Some of them
are more than important. Unless they
ure solved tho complete desolation of
vast areas and the utter extinction of
human life in some of the most fer
tile sections of the United States is
only a question of time. Forest pres
ervation is a question of this funda-
mental character and Mr. Roosevelt
therefore properly devotes a long sec
tion of the message to its discussion.
Would that his impressive words
might awaken a farsighted resolution
in the people to take no rest from
agitation until adequate measures have
been enacted to preserve our remain
ing forests and restore those which
have been wantonly and barbarously
destroyed. Th) preservation of the
forests, the maintenance of soil fer
tility and the navigation of Inland
waters are subjects which are con
nected In the most intimate relation.
.Mr. Roosevelt reverts with suitable
disdain to tho ignorant opinions of
certain military engineers that the
navigation of rivers, is not concerned
with the preservation of the forests
about thrir headwaters. He reiterates
the truth, which no well-informed
person would think of disputing, that
there can be no such thing as a per
manently navigablo river without for
ests to hold the rainfall and distribute
it throughout the seasons.
Tho lessons of human experience
upon this subject of forest preserva
tion nre numerous, perfectly well
known and thoroughly convincing.
Wherever we turn, to Italy, to France,
to Northern Africa, to Palestine or
to China the same facts confront us,
the same fearful truth is enforced that
forest destruction entails, first, the
trosion of the soil and then the extir
pation of human life. Mr. Roosevelt's
remark that the temporary profit of a
few men should not be permitted to
interfere with the lasting welfare of
the country in this matter is exceed
ingly Just. To enforce his thesis he
cites the example of what has been
occurring in China during the last few
centuries. Sven Iledin, tho famous
Swedish traveler, and other learned
men have recently told the world how
tne Mongolian desert steadily pro
gresses eastward. The river3 run dry,
the soil of the mountains is washed
onwn into the valleys and there,
turned to arid .sand, it drifts over the
Files of cities and buries them. Sven
Hedin tells of finding such cities, once
great marts of trade, now lying hidden
under shifting billows of glaring desert
sand w hile the mountains around them
are nothing but pinnacles of bare
rock.
Once those mountains were clad
with fir trees exactly like the moun
ts ins of Oregon; but exactly as we are
doing in Oregon, the inhabitants cut
down the forests without the slightest
thought of the consequences. Fire
following the axe completed the work
of desolation and the time came when
upon these Mongolian mountains there
t ere no more trees. Then the rains
washed the soil from the rocks, the
winds blew it from the farms, the
r'vers became Winter torrents and hu
man life was extinguished over vast
areas where it had formerly thriven.
We are not exempt in America from
the operation of natural laws. What
iu'.s happened elsewhere will surely
happen here unless by timely fore
thought we take measures to prevent
it. More pernicious than any other
folly of the stupid reactionaries in
Congress is their opposition to the Ap
$ alachlan reserve project and similar
measures for forest preservation. The
President's views of the matter are
patriotic in the full and true sense of
tnat much misapplied word. Instead
f a petty touchiness about the Na
tional honor and an enger anxiety to
4,-ut some trifling advantage ovr other
countries, he thinks of the long future
' and the welfare of unborn generations.
AYhen we compare the vast sweep of
! his Intellectual interests and the
mighty reach of his statesmanship with
the insignificant potterings of some
other eo-ealled leaders of tho people,
how can we wonder that Mr. Roosevelt
is loved and trusted by the Nation as
no other man has been since Lincoln?
BELACD1NG ORIMK.
"A thousand verdicts of guilty on so
petty a charge as false swearingto a
paltry land claim has no more effect
, ln shaking the confidence of this com-
i munlty than would a drop of water
have in causing the mighty pacinc to
overflow Its walls." Thus eloquently
' . .. . ' Ti-1 T A . . 1 r-1 , OTTI
aom me .riaiver y iij - -
ment on the conviction and belittle
the crime of Banker Parker. What
does it take to constitute a serious
crime in the eyes of the Democrat?
If perjury is a "petty" offense, is there
any crime in the calendar that is not
rettv? In a similar sloppy vein the
I South Bend (Wash.) Journal says of a
county official convicted for embezzle
ment that "he has more mends man
ever he had before," and when he re
turns from prison "he will have the
respect of every right-thinking man,"
and so on. ,
Newspapers which print such de
based twaddle should be sent to Sun
day school to take lessons In element
ary morals. To praise men who have
committed crime encourages others to
imitate them. The strongest deterrent
from crime Js public abhorrence for
criminals. The newspapers iwe have
quoted are doing all they can in their
silly way to make lawbreakfng a mat
ter for laudation.
WHAT ROCKEFELLER VUl NOT TELL.
Times change and people change. It
Is noted in verification of this state
ment which, however, needs no veri
fication that old "Standard Oil
Johnny," who in his earlier years had
no stomach for any country but Amer
ica, or for anything un-American, is
about to build for himself a pa-lace in
London and there spend the few that
remain of his declining years. It is
moreover, noted that while formerly
he was as silent as the Sphinx, he is
now actually to turn scribbler and
give, or leave to the world, such por
tions of his life history as will not
embarrass his descendants and will
bear general reading. This indicates,
not that he can write a readable story.
but that he Is anxious to set himself
right as far as he can with the world
before he takes his final leave of It. in
the not distant future.
Quite naturally. Rockefeller wants
to soften the American people's esti
mate of him, and upon the theory that
distance lends enchantment to the
view, he is going to take himself out
of their sight for a while, and inci
dentally get out of the wind of the
commotion that has been made by the
disclosures of Standard Oil Company's
methods of piling up money. .
Rockefeller's book of 'reminis
cences cannot be expected to include
the narration of some important
events of hfs life. His infirmity of
memory relative to matters that It is
convenient for him to forget has been
fully exploited in recent months. This
being true, the autobiography upon,
which he is said to be diligently work
ing will be notable chiefly for what it
does not tell.
BARRING OCX HEAL COMPETITION".
The Oregon apple has a fixed, un
assailable position in the commercial
world, not only In this country, but in
Europe. It has won its reputation on
its merits, and for that reason cannot
be injured by any discrimination or
unfair tactics on the part of an apple
show from which it is barred by han
dicapping specifications, not recog
nized by the American Pomological
Society.
An alleged National Apple Show
held anywhere in the Pacific North
west, without an exhibit of Hood River
apples, is in some respects not unlike
the play of "Hamlet," with the leading
character omitted from the cast. The
promoters of the Spokane Apple Show
may not have been unduly alarmed
over prize-winning competition from a
neighboring state, but the peculiar
rules which, in effect, barred out Hood
River apples, will hardly fail to cre
ate unfavorable comment.
MAY REGAIN LOST PRESTIGE.
In an interesting; communication
printed in yesterday's Oregonian, Mr.
A. F. Parker, of Grangevillo, Idaho,
calls attention to the reopening of a
very rich trade field from which Port
land was ejected by construction of
the Northern Pacific Railroad to Lew
iston about ten years ago. As the
population of Portland has doubled,
trebled and perhaps quadrupled since
Portland's commercial interests were
supreme in the Idaho Panhandle, we
may, as intimated by Mr. Parker, fail
to appreciate that time has not stood
still in the Grangeville country. Di
versified farming in the Willamette
Valley, remarkable interest In fruit
culture, dairying and small farming,
together with tremendous development
of the lumbering industry in Portland
territory, have brought with them a
prosperity the presence of which has
undoubtedly blinded us to the loss of
other rich territory formerly tributary
exclusively to this city.
Quite naturally, as stated by Mr.
Parker, much of the blame for this
loss of Portland business in the Idaho
country is due to the fact that the O.
R. & X. Co.' "let slip numberless op
portunities for substituting railroads
for steamboat transportation." Had
the railroad company abandoned
steamboating on Snake River when it
was' abandoned on the Upper Colum
bia, and built into the Clearwater
country', both Portland and the entire
Idaho Panhandle would have been im
mensely benefited by the change.
However, the belated substitution of
the railroad for the steamboat has
taken place, and the opening of the
line from Lewiston to Grangeville will
place Portland in position to do busi
ness in the Grangeville country much
more advantageously than ever before.
The Northern Pacific demonstrated
that "a railroad could lift traffic over
two mountains and still give a better
service than was possible with a
steamboat, and from this time forth
the rapidly growing traffic of that
country will roll down to tidewater on
rails laid on a water-level grade.
The opening of the immense Nez
Perces reservation is so recent that it
is difficult to comprehend the possibil
ities for agricultural development In
the new region. It ha3 already been
demonstrated that for grain production
the soil is second to none In the en
tire Northwest. The acreage available
for gTaingrowIng Is so great that the
output for many years to come will
be more than sufficient to offset the
loss . occasioned by withdrawal oj
wheat lands for fruit and small farm
ing. Grain is mentioned in particular,
for the reason that for the first few
years it will constitute the greater part
of the traffic that will be hauled out
of the country; but there Is plenty of
other business that will develop as the
country grows. The branch roads run
ning out of Lewiston reach well up
toward the rich timber reserves of the
Bitter Root Mountains, and from their
termini down to the main line and on
into Portland the traffic of the coun
try will encounter no grade resistance.
The Grangeville country is not the
only new territory with which Port
land will be favored in the near future.
The Wallowa country will begin send
ing down an increased tonnage next
year, and a year later the Central Ore
gon territory will be open for com
mercial exploitation. These new fields,
together with .the Tillamook country,
and possibly rail connection to Coos
Bay, will give Portland plenty of busi
ness to handle. With two of the finest
water-level-grade railroads in the
United States leading down to this
city, the question of getting the traffic
down to tidewater Is no longer serious.
From Portland to the sea our position
is not yet impregnable. For the ben
efit of this city and of the producers of
the entire Columbia , Basin, we must
center our efforts on river improve
ments which will give us forty feet of
water on the bar and thirty feet in the
river to Portland. Failure to secure
this improvement of vital necessity
will nullify much of the good resultant
from railroad development in the interior.
WHERE RESPONSIBILITY LIES.
One of the surprising and deplor
able features noticeable in the atti
tude of lawyers and doctors toward
the unscrupulous members of their
professions is that reform movements
come from the outside. The Bar As
sociation has been far behind public
sentiment in the demand for elimina
tion of the undesirable. Physicians
themselves are in the best position to
learn of cases of criminal malpractice.
and yet prosecutions upon charges of
this kind have not often originated
with the medical associations. Only
when a few of the many criminal
operations have become public, and
public opinion has demanded that pun
ishment be inflicted, has there been
aggressive action on the part of the
members of the profession. Even then
there has been no very pronounced de
sire upon the part of the doctors to
get rid of the class of practitioners
who bring discredit upon the whole
profession.
There seems to be a remarkable mis
conception of what constitutes unpro
fessional conduct. If a doctor has
particular ability in some one line of
practice and wishes to so inform the
public by advertising as any other
business man has a right to do, he is
set down as unprofessional. The ad
vertising doctor is an outcast among
hia fellow physicians, even though
every statement in his advertisement
may be absolute truth. Engaging in
criminal malpractice has never
brought a physician into disrepute un
less his acts drew upon him public
condemnation. Yet it is quite certain
that no physician can long engage In
that class of practice iwithout his
brother physicians finding it out.
Vigilance upon the part of both
lawyers and doctors in keeping their
ranks free from the truly unprofes
sional would soon place those two
learned professions upon a higher
plane in public opinion.
ONE BOARD. OR MANY?
It is said that Multnomah County
Granges are opposed to the plan of
placing all the state institutions of
higher education under the manage-
ment of one board .of trustees. It
must be admitted that the experience
of the state with one board for the
control of all the normals supports the
attitude of the Grange, noth withstand
ing the general view that one board of
management for all the higher insti
tutions would be an improvement over
present methods of control. The nor
mal school board has not accomplished
any of the things that -ere expected
of it, except that it established a uni
form course of study for all the schools
a reform that could have been easily
effected by the state board of educa
tion at an hour's session, if given the
power.
It was expected that the one board
of trustees for normal schools, being
In position to consider normal school
problems impartially, would be able to
outline and recommend to the Legis
lature a wise normal school policy.
Instead of accomplishing that much
desired end, the board is hopelessly
divided, and two recommendations will
go before the Legislature, leaving that
body to thresh out the question as
has been done In the past. It was
also expected that the board would
exercise wise discretion in asking for
appropriations in order that the ex
pense of conducting normals might be
reduced to the minimum. But when
the board made up its budget it rec
ommended an appropriation for a
dormitory at each of the normals not
withstanding one of the institutions
had never thought of asking for such
an addition to its equipment. Exactly
the same amount was recommended
for salaries at each institution notwith
standing the fact that the teaching
forces vary. It appears that the board
desired to avoid giving the friends of
any institution an opportunity to say
that another institution had been fa
vored. The plan adopted was that of
placing each Institution on exactly the
same basis so far as state appropria
tions are concerned, regardless of the
actual needs of the schools. Since this
has been the result of establishment of
one board for the management of the
three normals, it is fair to presume
that similar results might follow the
creation of one board for the manage
ment of the University, Agricultural
College and Normal Schools. Until a
better plan of management can be de
vised, the present one will probably be
continued.
HANDLING A DELIBERATIVE BODY.
Whether a candidate for President
of the Senate or Speaker of the House
is or is not a Statement Number One
advocate is of far less importance
than whether he has ability to con
duct the proceedings of a deliberative
body in a business-like manner. Every
Senate cannot secure as capable pre
siding officers as Joseph Simon and
C W. Fulton were, nor can every
House succeed as well as that which
selected L. T. Harris for Speaker; but
each should try to place in the po
sition of leadership the best talent
at its command. Of course every
presiding officer should be a man who
is known to be honest in his pur
poses; but that is not enough. Prac
tical knowledge of rules of procedure.
experience in legislation, general
understanding of the laws of the state
and information concerning the con
dition of public affairs, counts for
very much and often marks the dis
tinction between a leader of a mob
and a presiding officer over a deliber
atlve body.
A Speaker of the House should be
a man whose voice can be heard dis
tinctly in every part of the large Rep
resentative Hall, even when many of
the members are whispering to each
other. It should be the " effort of
every organization to place in po
sitions of trust and honor those men
whose public and private lives show
them to be worthy of trust and honor.
Almost any man can occupy the pre
siding officer's chair, but there are
comparatively few who can fill it. It
is quite possible that a man might be
lifted from obscurity to the Speaker
ship or the Presidency of the Senate
and fill either position acceptably; but
the chances for such a result are
small. It is more probable that a man
who has the necessary qualifications
for such an important position will
have become known already by reason
of his service. There are a number
of candidates for these two presiding
positions now soliciting support from
their associates. When a candidate
asks a member of the Legislature for
his vote, the member should first re
ply by inquiring, "What do you know
about state laws and rules of proced
ure and what experience have you
had?" A man who asks for support
should be able to demonstrate that
he is worthy of it. If he cannot do
that he should receive no encourage
ment.
The efforts of the Tillamook peo
pie to enlarge taxable territory af
fected by the proposed Port of TJHa-'
mook improvements were successful,
and at the election, held Monday, there
were but fifteen opposing votes cast
in Tillamook proper. The new pre
cincts taken in, displayed considerable
sentiment favorable to continuation of
the nresent nlan bv which Tillamook
has been paying all the cost of im
provements. The vote of these outside
precincts was 136 for and 133 against
the annexation. An attempt on the
part of the Port of Portland to secure
help from territory benefited by Port
of Portland Improvements, but not
now included in the taxable district.
would undoubtedly meet with similar
opposition. It is easier to find bene
ficiaries than burden-bearers in every
community.
A six days' bicycle race is on at
Madison-Square Garden, New York,
and the contestants are said to be
breaking all kinds of records. With
automobiles tearing off miles in thirty
seconds or better, it is hardly probable
that the antiquated bicycle is attract
Ing the attention that it was given a
dozen years ago, when the craze was at
its height. The fact that one of the
entries was fatally Injured the first
day may- awaken some interest, but
the public with sporting appetite whet
ted for something stronger may regard
the affair as the Oriental potentate re
garded the horse race. "What can
there be interesting' in such a perform
ance?" said he, "when most any fool
knows some horses are faster . than
others?"
David C. Hatch, whose death oc
curred a few days ago, was buried yes
terday at Oregon City. He was taken
to the old pioneer town, an infant in
arms, more than sixty years ago. His
father, Peter Hatch, was one of the
missionary mechanics who came out
with the fathers in the early days,
halting by the way at the Sandwich
Islands, where David Hatch was born
His boyhood and early manhood were
passed in and about Oregon City. A
somewhat erratic, kindly-disposed
man, he went in and out among his
fellows for more than three-score years
and passed away, leaving behind him
the somewhat pathetic memory of a
life of simple endeavor, the results of
which were ephemeral.
It is said that President-elect Taft
favors the Appalachian forest reserve
project and will encourage the enact
ment of the bill creating the reserve.
Out here in the West, where many
rorest reserves have been created, peo
ple will feel like warning Taft to look
out for jokers in the forest reserve
bill. Forest reserves are all right but
too many of them have been made
the means for landgrabbing.
Circuit Judge Galloway, of the Third
Judicial District, who is a farmer as
well as a Judge, tried the experiment
of running goats in his young walnut
orchard. He still has the goats, but
the trees are gone. Another walnut
grower will turn in goats, but will first
put a woven wire protector around his
trees. Here's guessing that the goats
will eat the woven wire protectors in
order to get at the trees.
The preacher who wants state aid
for sectarian schools does not sav
whether those appropriations for pub
lic money for private institutions
should be extended to all business col
leges, preparatory schools and acade
mies. Presumably they would, for, of
course, there would be no discrimina
tion in the disbursement of Dublic
funds.
The balmy Chinook stole in softlv
from the southwest, Monday night, and
back to its fastnesses in the Rocky
Mountains precipitately fled the evil
East wind that had been vexing Ore-
gonians for some days. A dayk soft as
the breath of April, succeeded, and
Oregon was herself again.
If every Republican candidate for
the Legislature in Oregon had refused
to "take" Statement One, then Oregon
would be in no danger of having a
Democratic United States Senator. But
if Republicans like a Democratic Sen
ator, of course, they will all be. satis
fied. The Republican campaign man
agers showed good sense in not deny
ing those Panama Canal graft insinu
ations during the campaign. An un
supported charge during a campaign
hurts no one. When proof is offered
it is time for the accused to reply.
A DOtato IS inches Inner -la vet Iii-q Hia
as a curiosity, but is not very valuable
for anything else. Whnt ia iwantod fa
a potato about five inches long, about
three inches in diameter, smooth sur
face, clean Inside and niif.dd nnd
plenty of 'em in a hill.
.Since Murderer Finch would prob
ably have drunk himself to death, the
question whether ie will now die of
old age is peculiarly pertinent.
If Governor-elect Cosgrove were
otherwise in a fair way to recovery,
the persistence of office-seekers would
kill him off.
Now you can put your skates away
again. It won't freeze up till after the
first of the year.
What American -will ,now play sec
ond fiddle to the Abruzzi money-
hunter?
' SUPERIOR COIRTS, NOT CIRCXIT.
This Correspondent WanW Oregon to
Change ! Judicial System.
TILLAM OOK, Or., Dec. 5. (To the
Editor.) While it seems to be in or
der to change or amend our state con
stitution for any and all sorts of whims
that happen to come Into the mind of
some erratic politician, why not amend
our constitution relating to our judic
iary and discard our Circuit and Coun
ty Courts; let us have Superior Courts
as is the ease in California and Wash
ington. I know some will say, that it would
be more expensive; but would it? .Let
us see. There are now 17 Circuit
Judges, four of whom receive $4000
each and the remaining 13 a salary of
$3000 each per year, making an annual
expense to the state of $55.00'); and
we have 34 County Judges at an an
nual salary of from $400 to $3000,
amounting In the aggregate to $34,
S70, making a total annual expendi
ture for these two separate courts of
$89,37V
Now ic is true if we were to have
a Superior Judge in each county of the
state outside of Multnomah, at a sal
ary of $3000, and four as we now have
in Multnomah at $4000, it would run
the expense up to $115,000, being in
excess of the present expense by $25,
630. This is as it appears from a
purely mathematical calculation, and
if this were all, we would say, keep
the present system, but it is not.
The Bar Association of Portland, is
now advocating two more Circuit
Judges, and they are no doubt needed,
and if the Legislature, does not grant
the additional number at the coming
session, the next in ail probability
will, which of course will add $SO00
to the list. Our Circuit Judges are
nearly all overworked and Judge Mc
Bride is today doing two men's work,
which means that that district will be
divided, and it will be only a short
time, perhaps at the next meeting of
the Legislature that Clatsop County
will be demanding a Circuit Judge of
its own, thereby adding $H000 more to
the list; .the counties of Marion, Linn
and vLane are increasing in population
at a' rapid rate and In the very near
future the business will demand a
Judge in each of these three counties.
But this is not all, our state is get
ting richer, property is increasing in
value, estates are beginning to reach
up into, the hundreds of thousands and
millions. We should have Judges to
adjudicate those estates who are not
only honest men, but men who are
learned in the law as well, for we
cannot afford to take the chances
of an expensive litigation in the higher
courts simply for the reason that a
Judge be ever so honest but having no
knowledge of law, should make a mis
take through lack of legal learning.
And again: Outside of Multnomah
County, the different counties of the
state have from two ,to four terms o
the Circuit Court a year. A man is
arrested for some., crime, perhaps only
a few days after the Circuit Court has
adjourned. Of course if he cannot get
bail, he must be kept in jail at the
state's expense until the next Circuit
Court, be it three months or six, then
if the Grand Jury brings in a true bill,
he is arraigned and may possibly be
(but most likely not) tried at that
term, while under, the Superior Court
system, he could be brought to trial
within 30 days, thereby saving extra
expense to the people. As it Is now,
two or more parties living at a dis
tance of from 10 to 40 miles from the
county seat have litigation. In order to
be on hand when their case is called,
they must be present with their wit
nesses on the first or second day of
the term, and if the docket is a long
one as it very often is, they are often
compelled to wait a week and some
times much longer at an expense of
from $10 to $30 per day. Under the
other system the papers in the case
are filed" and all dilatory motions can
be disposed of before any witnesses
need to be subpenaed. When the cause
Is at issue and tho day is set for til
hearing, the litigants appear with their
witnesses; it is their day in court, the
case can then be prosecuted to a fin
ish without any other case "butting
In" in the meantime, and the parties
can return to their homes.
The Superior Court like our Probate
Court would always be open for busi
ness and its jurisdiction would extend
to probate as well as civil and crim
inal actions, and we believe would have
tendency to avoid delays in our
court proceedings and save expenses
to the state and other litigants to an
extent that would more than cover the
apparent extra cost of the Superior
Courts, but it may not be necessary to
pay a Superior Judge of every county
in the state a salary of from $4000 to
$3000 a year, for there are at the pres
ent time nearly one-third of the coun
ties within the state where from $2000
to $2500 would be a fair salary for a
Judge when we consider the work he
would have to do. This system of
judiciary, as all lawyers know, is not
an experiment. California formerly
had the old Circuit Court system, but
under the new constitution it adopted
the Superior Cour:. which gives much
better satisfaction to the people, and
there is surely no good reason why
one Judge in each county In the state,
outside of Multnomah, cannot attend
to the business of both the Circuit
and County Judge. Let there bo three
County Commissioners to attend' to the
local affairs of the county.
C. H. WARREN.
This change would require amend
ment of the constitution since that in
strument plainly puts probate juris
diction in the County Court.
The change would entail more than
$30,000 a year added salary expense.
Multnomah County wouia need five
Superior Judges to take the place of
its four Circuit Judges and its one
County or Probate Judge. To take
the place of the County Judge on the
county boards of commissioners, a
third commissioner would have to be
put on the salary list. The extra
Multnomah Judge and the additional
commissioners are hot accounted for
in Mr. Warren's computation.
As a matter of fact there are Circuit
Judges enough in Oregon, if they will
but hurry litigation and stop the pal
tering of lawyers. Besides, there are
too many inconsequential disputes, that
could Just as well be settled out of
court It will be noted that the law
yers are the ones clamoring for more
Judges and more litigation. With them
it is a matter of business.
The agitation for more Judges is bi
ennial. Never have as many Juoges
been provided for as have been demand
ed, yet the channels of justice have
been kept open, and the Judicial sys
tem of the state has worked well. Tho
change to county judicial districts is
not yet needed and when It shall bo re
quired, there will be time enough to
provide for it. Tho system that gets
along with the fewest number of of
ficeholders is usually the best. Law
yers have too many facilities for liti
gation already and Judges allow too
many delays. If all the Circuit Judges
would adopt the hurry-up rules of sev
eral Judges that could bo named, Ore
gon's present court plan would serve
the public's needs with promptness and
dispatch.
DlMreapectfnl Toward Theodore. .
New York World,
c protest against Mr. Taffs attribut
so much of his success to good luck.
YV
Ing
It I
not resriectlui to tne author oi aiy
Policies
R&BBI WISE'S TERRIFIC ATTACK ON CROKER
Noed Intor Vutn Him In a Triumvirate With "IloodHnK" Tweed and the
"I'napeakable" Murphy l onimrit on the Indictment by the New York
Press Homer Davenport's Tribute, with tt Twist Toward Ore;on.
It was at a banquet of the New York
Ethical Social League that Rahhi Stephen
S. Wise excoriated Richard Croker and
the ta-plvp iiuiirpA who ioined in a wel-
' come to the ex-Tammany boss. The
i metropolitan press did not allow the Rab-
Ibi's indictment to go unnoticed. Dr. Wise's
rejoinder to Croker has been published by
The Oregonian. This is what he said in
the original attack:
"Twelve Justices of the Supreme Court
dishonored themselves and the city alike
last night by joining in this tribute to llr.
Croker.
"it was to the shame of New York and
to us, who are citizens of no mean city,
that what happened did happen at the
dinner tendered to Mr. Croker. Such
an affair could not be called a private
function. This testimonial to Mr. Croker
was a humiliation to such citizens as
have not forgotten or are not likely to
forget that the guest of the evening was
the second of a trimuvirate, the first of
whom was the boodling Tweed, and the
third of whom is the unspeakable Mur
phy. "Between the two came Croker, more
deft and cunning than his successor, but
not less hungry nor unscrupulous than
his predecessor.
"One feels pity for these Justices of
the Supreme Court who were present at
the gathering, summoned to do honor to
the former chieftain of Tammany. I am
sorry for Mr. Jerome. I think he had
not the courage to stay away. Let us
be charitable and assume that all these
men did not wish to be present and that
none of them had the courage to stay
away.
"But the citizenship of New York
should resolve to do honor to no man
who lent himself to a plan to do honor
to the one-time betrayer and despoiler
of the city lately returned to these
shores.
"Let the list of guests be published,
that we may know who these ever be
nignant reverers of Mr. Croker are. We
are not singling Mr. Croker out for his
obloquy. So long as he had the grace
to shut himself up from further scrutiny
"by remaining upon his Irish estates, we
could afford to forget him, but when he
returned to these shores, after having
sought to use his voice and influence
to defeat Governor Hughes at the recent
election, and when, moreover, men whom
the electorate of New York have lifted
to places of honor so far forget public
decency as to do honor to Mr. Croker,
it is time for New Yorkers who love
their city and loathe her shame to take
counsel together.
"If these men have the prevision to
gather together a year before the next
municipal contest, regardful of their pri
vate interests, let the ethical-social forces
of the community unite without delay to
save our city from another term of mis
rule. Let these forces be in earnest
and not squabble about getting the name
of God into the Constitution and yet
have such a thing as Piatt in the UniLed
States Senate."
IRONIC COMMENT ON . CROKER
Leading? Independent Journal Charges)
Dr. Wtfte With Ignoranee.
New York Evening Post, Editorial.
Mr. Croker does well to be angry
with the Rev. Dr. Wise. That imperti
nent rabbi has grossly misrepresented
the sentiment of New York. Croker
knows this city better than does Mr.
Wise; he knows Americans better; and
his wrath at being so audaciously as
sailed at the very moment when his
political canonization was almost com
plete, Is founded on a long observation
of our ways. He understands, If Rabbi
Wise does not, how limited Is the
American capacity for moral Indigna
tion. Our anger at political scoundrels
is a briefer madness than that of the
proverb. We have a tacit statute of
limitations which prevents us from lay
ing up political crimes' against any
man, after a decent interval. Croker
ARRIVAL OF AI-ASKAST KOBINS.
IntcreKting Bit of Local Natural His
tory Together With a Sermon.
PORTLAND, Or., Dec. 6. (To the
Editor.) Day before yesterday, after a
trip of some 1200 miles from the North,
the Alaskan robins arrived on Willam
ette Heights to visit a few weeks during
the mild Winter. They were shy and
timid at first, but today they are fight
ing with the juncoes and ground robins
for a place at my bird table. Mr. Kermit
Roosevelt, official photographer to the
African natural history expedition,
should have a moving picture of my bird
table, as it appeared today; it would
show two or three of the greediest of
my feather friends on the table dividing
their time betewen stuffing themselves
with crumbs and fighting off the rest of
their fellows who are crowding around
in the branches of the tree where the
table is set, just waiting for a chance
to get a few mouthfuls. Now and then
a chap will get so hungry he can't wait
and he will dart down and seize a piece
of bread and off with it, pursued by an
other, determined to make him drop it.
Anyone who has a yard who is not feed
ing the birds now is missing real amuse
ment. A few days ago I attended the funeral
of a young man whose life had been
sniffed out by another in anger and
hatred. While I sat there contemplat
ing the awful deed and thinking how
horribly cruel it was to kill such a noble
young fellow who enjoyed life so thor
oughly, my eyes glanced over tho floral
tributes until they rested on a specially
exquisite design except that a beautiful
white bird had been murdered and in
artistically and incongruously placed
amid the flowers. My mind's eye thon
saw another direful tragedy enacted: a
pagan hand, luring from the free air
with proffered food the unsuspecting and
confiding creature, (seizing it; the frantK;.
frightened struggle of the helpless bird
and then its murder; its beautiful eyes
become dull and leaden, its graceful
body stiff and cold and another victim
is offered up to man's inhumanity to
other living creatures.
Why do rational persons commit such
acts and why does an enlightened pub
lic encourase them? Timid, sympathetic,
soft-hearted girls and women dress
themselves to be admired and yet permit
their hats to be decorated with tli-e
hr..iiA of uoor feathered creatures who,
for this purpose, have met a cruel death
at an assassin's hand. Some day we
will know better and the one who wears
such trophies of rapine and bloodshed
will no more be admired than would the
fierce savage who dangles his opponent's
head at his side, be admired by the
president of the Humane Society.
JERRY BRONAl'GH.
"Legalizing" Lynching-.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
If it is impossible to eradicate an evil,
legalize it, appears to be the theory in
Tennessee. It a moo surruunus a.
hoarsely demands the privilege of commit
ting murder and refuses to be dissuaded
assemble court as hastily as possible and
give the crime of the rioters a cloak of
legality, a mask of respectability. Just
what the moral difference may be between
"legalized" lvnching and the ordinary
brand, between murder with and without
judicial approval, will have to be left to
the- apologists to explain. The Tiptonville
idea appears to be that if a community
Insists on breaking the law, the best
thing to do is to lend the dignity of a
court to the procedure and call the wan
ton act of the mob the "due process of
law."
Many attacks have been made on the
purity of the courts, and serious pro
posals offered that would detract from
the stability of the Judiciary, but this per
formance in. Tennessee outranks them all
knows this perfectly, and Is entitled to
complain that he should he singled out
when other political rogues have been
not only forgiven, hut flattered and
feted. He has seen the abhorred Plntt
of 18S1 become the political leaner
whom even Theodore Roosevelt dV
lighted to honor. He has seen the ex
ecrated David Hill of 1SSS-1S91 ele
vated to the position of a party sage
in 1908. Why. then, cannot the Croker
of 1894 and 1900 come home to inaka
merry with his friends the Judges and
the District Attorney, without being
made tho object of slander?
We hold no brief for the Judges who
joined in the tribute to Croker, but va
can easily see how sound a defense
they could urge. Many of them had
paid htm the price of their Judgeships.
How could they be fastidious about
meeting a man from whose hands they
had received the ermine? There is a
nice question of judicial ethics here,
which it is plain that Dr. Wise entire
ly overlooked.
But it is really impossible to main
tain the ironic vein in writing of this
public disgrace. Dr. Wise deserves the
thanks of the city for speaking out so
emphatically the thoughts of many
hearts. He, at any rate, would not ex
pose himself, with the Judges and Mr.
Jerome, to the terrible arraignment of
the Scriptures: "When thou sawest a
thief, then thou consentedst with him."
We are convinced that the attempted
rehabilitation of Croker that man
against whom the city rose as against
a brutal tyrant, guilty of unspeakable
crimes and responsible for nameless In
famies can go no further. One brave
utterance has ended that. If any mora
of our dignitaries dine with Richard
Croker, It will be only at midnight and
in disguise. The moral pestilence for
which he stood, nil the years, is again
fastened upon him; and from that
plague men will flee.
A TRIBUTE FROM D.VVK.M'OHT
Oregon Cartoonint Mnkes Comparisons
That Will Please Oregon.
On the first page of the New York
Evening Mail of December 3 Is an ex
cellent portrait of Dr. Wise, drawn by
Homer Davenport, who adds this
tribute:
"This Is the picture of a fighter. How
easily you can tell them. It's a strain
that never fails, and when the head
and upper part of the- face are like
Rabbi Vise's, the fight is always for
reform.
"Could you see young Dr. Wise you
would pity Croker in such a man's
hands. After all, who Is so great as
the man who knows no fear?
"I had known of Rabbi Wise for sev
eral years, though I had never seen
him till today. And he didn't disap
point me. He looked as good to me as
a Hood River apple fresh from tho
orchard, and he had just as much
character, and that's saying a good
deal.
"Rabbi Wise is a young man, tall,
well-built, with powerful face and
shoulders. He used to live in Port
land, where from his window he looked
at Mounts Hood and St. Helens. Under
that influence, he grew till he was the
most influential possibly of all the
preachers of Oregon. His pulpit was
fearless. He preached what ho
thought, not at all times what his list
eners might want to hear. But these
open, frank expressions won him great
renown on the Pacific Coast, aud the
absolute freedom of his position at
tracted great crowds to hear him.
"He was sought by his people In New
York, and he came simply to be where
the fight was thickest, giving up the
greatest offer. In my mind, ever made
a preacher, and today we find a sturdy
character, striking blows straight from
the shoulder."
for mischief. A Judge who would so fnr
forget his oath of office, his duly to the
state and his natural sense of propriety
as to convene his court at the command
of an armed mob and, with a mere seip
blanee of formality, hand over tiireo
wretches to meet violent death at tho
hands of the outlaws Is not worthy the
respect, even of the members of tho moi.
Of the two the mob is the more easily
excused.
Hopeful Outlook for Railways.
Philadelhpia Inquirer.
The railways have had a hard year,
but It is an impressive fact that prac
tically no receiverships have been or
dered except those which were inevit
able before the panic of a year ago.
There have been few reductions of dh I
dends. Most railways have paid si! ob
ligations and carried over a surplus. It
Is also true that new loans have been
made on favorable terms, so that thorn
Is no crisis impending. With the re
vival of business, which is certain to
come, it is also certain that the rail
ways will have no reason to complain.
They are not complaining, except 1 hat
they fear that Populistic, Socialistic,
and almost Anarchistic sentiment In
some sections is going to work them III.
We think these fears are groundless.
Ilut Whnt About the SeniKef
Springfield Republican.
If the House would fall In with a lih
eral tariff bill, wnat would the Senato
be likely to do? The question stlgROsIS
the lively possibilities w-hich the exist
ing situation enfolds. Tho upper branch
of Congress has been leavened of lato
from the West, where tariff-reform
sentiment is strong, and now Senators
from Now York and Ohio are to bo
reckoned with. .'t is not out of tho
question that those who believed Will
iam If. Taft to be well fitted to pro
mote progress In behalf of the peopio
may discover times yielding them a
proper vindication. The eyes of th.j
people are to be riveted upon Washing
ton, the center of Federal Government,
as seldom before in a time of peace.
A lie's Trip Around the World.
New York Morning Telegraph.
The wanderlust has again taken pos
session of George Ade. the well-know n
politician of the Middle West and Hol
land house. On December It!, he and
his Intimate friend. Ort Wells, will set
sail aboard the Lusltanla on a trip
that is to take them around thn world.
The two globe trotters expect to bo
away for nearly six months. Ado will
devote a part of bis time to writing a
new comedy.
"Yes, He Po."
Hood River Glacier.
Millard O. Lownsdale. of Ifayettc, has
been appointed horticultural commission
er In place of J. H. Rrld, resigned. Mr.
Lownsdale is a zealous worker for the
interests of Willamette Valley, even to
the extent of trying to make the puhllo
believe they can raise apples In that val
ley as good as Hood River.
Connecticut Challenge Oregon Apples.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
A Connecticut fruitgrower admits
that the Oregon apples are fine, but he
is ready to show that ho raises better
ones on his land worth $20 an aero
than the Northwest produces on $300
acre soil. The demonstration ought to
boom the price of New England farms.
Beware the -Kihthlt A."
Some women weep when men deceive.
Some are a different sort;
One kind will take the thing to heart,
The other kind to court.