TT1E OttEGOXIAX, TUESDAY, DECE3IBEK 22. 1903.
10
PORTLAND, OKiXiOS. j
r i
KntrM at Portland. Oregon. Postofftca a
For-'ii J-ClJi-s Matter.
inscription KJIn Invariably in Advance.
Sim1av inrlua.-d. one year $S no
InLv, mj::.kiv ui.luiicl, six. months....
i ,,. Mtud.ijr included, three months. .
l.u.v. Sunonv included, una nn-nta.
!..;. without Sunday, one jear
I':ii;v, without Sanday. six months....
I'jitv. wl'hout Sunday, three month. .
4.-J.
2
e oo
3
1.73
BO
1 .:
2 SO
oo
Jj.i.li . without Sunday, one month
Kl.
one
frui-uay' and Weekly, one year
'ijy Carrier. j
Triy, Funday Included, one year...
ti-.i I Ki:mi:iv inrludi'd. one month.
B00
.73
How l Remit Send postoflice money
or.e r. nprft) oiil. r or personal chc It on
vur Vcl l-.-ink. iumn coin or currency
arc at the sender's risk. Give postoflice ad-cr-ss
in mil. including county and Btale.
lot.ice Hlr 10 to 14 pases. 1 cent; 18
to i-. i...Ke. z cents; 3t to 44 pajei. 3 cents;
to tJ p-tirts. 4 cents. Foreign postase
u.'nbie rates.
KilMenl Kilsine Office The S. C. Beck-
witr 1 .ul .u-racy-New Ifork. rooms 4S-
So tribune huildlng. Chicago, rooma olO-jl-Tr.Lurie
bui:dmjj.
l-OI.
STLANO. TIKSDAV. 1KC. 22. 1008.
IMURNK'S POSTMASTER.
. In itself the content over the Post
mu&tership of Portland is in no wise
important. It marks mainly the con
t st of opposing ideas. largely or
mo.-tiy within the Republican party
with the Democratic, party as a hy
t.ind. r, ready to use any advantage
thuf mav oifer. Jolin C. Young, who
never was Pi for anything else, may
0,- lit enough, for Bourne's Postmaster
!' Pori'.amir Yet nohoiy in Portland
thinks him actually lit for so impor
tant u place. He is not named for
ais litne.-s. That is not for a moment
considered liy his promoter. He is
i rimed because he is Bourne's par
lieui.ir toady and factotum, Our
.statesman of Portland wants and
must have his man.
But Fulton, for the present, holds
up the continuation. There are great
forces at Washington in symptulty
witli him; else he could not hold it
up. Yet these may Rive way. Some
th.ro are. however, who think that
the Republican majority of the Son
and of the House, and the Re-
, : .. ;..., orwl
nuhitcan i-rcsoiem hi v,oivt.
h:
successor in the ollice. may not
fully approve the idea ami the pur
pose of Bryani.hig the Republican
i. any and iikaking it populistic: there
fore" may turn Bourne and his Post-ma.-ti
r down.
Yet probably tliis may be a mistaken
opinion. After Fulton shall have
ji;t.d tiie .Senate, llourne. assisted
l.y his Democrato-P.opulistic colleague,
may accomplish the common purpose
in Oregon, just as well as if Bryan
had been elected. Jt will bo ail right,
too looked on from that side. Yet
there are thousands and thousands of
R.-publkans who never will act with
this combination. Their votes, indeed,
must go somewhere. Hut they never
will so to the support and nggrandize
ment of ttie Eotirne-U'Ron end of
the combination. We are to have one
Democratic Senator, on this basis.
Perhaps we shall have another. For
the sole i.-viue in the politics of ( irci;on
now will be whether this method shall
be continued and perpetuated or not.
It opens a door to every description
of political fraud. It is a combination
iind a juggle, the like of which never
was seen anywhere else.
But whatever may he done at
"Washington will ma,f little difference.
Assuredly, however, the contest in
Oregon between those who intend to
maintain the principles of the Ropub
lican party, with loyalty to its tra
ditions, and those who would com
promise botli its principles and its tra
ditions by election of Democratic Sen
ators, through Legislatures over
whelmingly llepubiican (only nomi
nally such), will not be ended by the
;t ppointment of Federal officials, at
tiie dictation of "the combine." Uf
mighty little consequence Is the Post
master. Bourne will get his man,
doubtless. It is but a trilling- Incident.
One of two things, however, of which
the distribution of the offices is mere
Is' a .---ign of do, -per things, will occur,
n.imtiy; Either the control of the
Republican party of Oregon will be
wrested from those who have usurped
it. in combination with the Populistte
J'.ryan Detnot racy, or the Republican
party will cease to be a power in the
state. .Men who respect "themselves
will not be juggled with by such
pirates as Bourne and U'lien and their
ilk et id genus omne.
But to return for a word to the one
Incident just now in which all are
alike interested the I'ostniastership
of this great central city. Bourne
doubtless will get his Postmaster, at
last, for that is the customary
method of administrations and "the
t ourte.-y of tli!? Senate." But he will
he Bourne's man only: and in the
dictation of liLs appointment the pub
lic interest is not for a moment
thought of. The one thour-ht Is to
provide for Jonathan's man Friday.
Jl lON A. .VF.KK'S LT1K AND DKATH.
Protest has been entered by persons
who personally knew Judson A.
.Meek, late of Clatsop County, against
the editorial comment upon the life
and death of the recluse who bore
this name, as reported some days aso
in the news item in The On-Ronian.
The basis of the remarks was that
this man had, according- to the rec
ord furnished, lived alone on hia
ranch for 30 years, died alone and
that hiF body ivius found several days
after death, prone upon the floor of
his home.
Without having personal knowledgo
of this man and his life, the writer of
the article drew a picture of the life
of a recluse upon the frontier that
is not unfamiliar, and was not too
stronply depicted in a majority of such
cases. This recluse, however, we are
assured, was a cheerful, penial, useful
man and not at ail the "lonir-haired.
long-bearded solitary." whose life u
the merest existenco and w hose death
was unrtgretted.
That ordinarily a life thus lived
misses iu fulfillment any useful pur
pose and Is fitly closed by a lonely
death is a fact too well verilied by
human observation to admit of con
troversy. That tho life of Judson A.
Meek was not of this t pe we. have
b. i-n assured and are fiiad to believe.
The conclusions drawn from the life
end death of the ordinary recluse
have a general rather than a personal
slnilii iinrc and are in accord with the
liisiory-idd declaration that "it is not
c ud for man to be alone." There
arc exceptions to all general rules and
it is a pleasure to note r.n honorable
exception in this instance.
X,- Mexico, once the home and
refuse of the bad men from all parts
of tiie West, has reformed and is
tiesiro'.is of securing statehood riirhts,
.nd. if Governor Curry has not pi
ii::i;er.ited tiie situation. It would ap
pear that sho would be a desirable
acquisition. In his request for state
j hood. Governor Curry says that the
credit of the state Is" excellent, "no
strikes mar the record of its indus
tries; the laws enacted its Legis
lature are rood, gambling is pro
hibited, and Sunday closing rigorously
enforced." This does not sound much
like the Xew Mexico of old. but time
has wrought great changes in that
portion of the country, and there
t hardly seems to be any valid reason
why another star should not be added
to the ensign of freedom by taking in
the preat cattle country of the South
west.' ;
MARY'S lUVKR AVI MARVS I'KAK.
The Oretronian desires to correct an
error it made as to names In the pio
neer history of Oregon some months
ago. The error relates to the naming
of Mary's River and Mary's Peak- in
Benton County. These names were
triven for Mary Lloyd by Wayman St.
Clair, not by Adam Wimple, for his
sister Mary, as stated in the former
article. Mary Lloyd married John
Foster. She died in 1S54. Her fam
ily was among the earliest pioneers
of the upper Willamette Valley. A
younger brother of Mary Lloyd, Fos
ter, still lives, near Waitsburg. Wash.
The error made by The Orcgonian
was derived from inaccurate reminis
cences of a very old pioneer of Oregon
and Washington, now deceased, deliv
ered when- his memory was failing
him. Publication of the former arti
cle has lid to verification of the
actual history, but it has taken a good
deal of time and effort to get the
truth. This, however, now is estab
lished, t-hat it was for Mary Lloyd,
not Mary Wimple, that the-river, the
mountain and the town (Xow Cor
vallis) were named.
The Lloyd family came to Oregon
in the immigration of 1S4 5. It was
with the party that had the experi
ence and the trials of "Meek's Cut
off." in that year.
M..M)K'KI(i TltU MARKIKH.
'The tirade of Kmma Goldman
against the marriage state would bo
unspeakably disgusting were it not for
the fact that there is something al
most pathetic in the ignorance of thi3
wandering, turbulent creature on a
subject as to what marriage among
civilized people actually means. Emma
Goldman, professional agitator, com
panion of Herr Most and all the rest
of the dirty, unwashed, unkempt band
of foreign anarchists who have cursed
this country with their presence, is as
ill-fitted to speak intelligently on mar
riage as it is understood in this coun
try as a lisping babe is to discuss the
movements of the planetary system.
Hut. even assuming that Miss Gold
man's manner of life had not built up
between her and the sacredness of
married life an impenetrable -wall,-her
opinion on such matters would still
remain only an opinion, and would
thus be obliged to take its chances
with those of others who have had
superior advantages for studying the
problem, and have also hud the ad
vantage of gaining the world's confi
dence on this and other topics.
Among such authorities we find the
immortal Eurke declaring that "The
Christian religion by confining mar
riage to pairs, and rendering the rela
tion indissoluble, has ty these two
things done more toward the peace,
happiness, settlement and civilization
of the world, than by any other part
in this whole scheme of divine wis
dom" Then there was John Milton,
whose matchless work will be enjoyed
by thousands long after the world
will have forgotten that such a crea
ture as Fmma Goldman ever lived in
this good old world. It was th;
wonderful pnet who wrote;
Hail ivedilcd love, mysterious law, true
source
Of human offspring. soV propriety
Tn I'arB'liwn of :i!l thinirs common elso.
Hy ih"- ailult'rous lul woh driven from
men
Amons tie- bestial herds to ranRe; by thee
l-Viiml'-.l in reason, loyal, just and pure,
li.-lations dear, and all the charities
ut father, son, und brother first were known.
The condition into which the world
would probably drift if it adopted Miss
Goldman's views on marriage was
quite graphically set forth many years
ago by the Rev. Timothy Dwigiit, who
expressed the belief that "The insti
tution of marriage keeps the moral
world in being, and secures it from
an untimely dissolution. Without it,
natural affection and aniiableness
would not exist, domestic education
would ' become extinct, industry and
economy become unknown, and man
would be left to the precarious ex
istence of the savage. But for this
Institution. . learning and refinement
would expire, government sink into
the gulf of anarchy; and religion,
hunted from earth, would hasten back
to her native heavens."
Similar views are expressed by
William Shakespeare, Dr. Johnson,
Schiller, Goldsmith, Moore, Burns,
Bacon. Swift, Coleridge. Charles
Keado. Sydney Smith, Bulwer. Cowper,
Tennyson and a number of others
whose opinions on the subject will
meet the approval of more people
lhan can be found agreeing with the
high priestess of anarchy.
rOHTLAND'S CHAIN TKADK.
With elimination of the differen
tial of SO cents per ton on ocean
freights, and the coming of the North
Bank road to Portland, there has
come a radical change hi the relative
positions of Portland and Puget
Sound In the wheat trade of the Pa
cific Northwest. The business is fol
lowing the line of least resistance and
gravitating to Portland as naturally
as water runs to the sea. This re
turn of the business to Portland,
where for economic reasons alone it
properly belong.?, has naturally met
with some protest in Washington, and
this city has been subjected to un
fair criticism, apparently inspired by
enemies of Portland. At a recent
meeting of the Washington Wheat
growers, Millers' and Shippers' Asso
ciation at Pullman, Wash., President
O. K. Young said: "There is a grow
ing feeling among the producers that
we are not obtaining the juices for
wheat that the markets of the world
justify. All through the exporting
season of 190S there has been a wide
difference in prices between Portland
and San Francisco that the difference
of freight rates does not explain. A
prominent grain man operating In
the Palouse country informed me that
wheat was 6 cents lower than it
should be In Kastern Washington."
As no mention whatever Is made of
the prices at Puget Sound ports, to
which the freight rate from Pullman
and other Kastern Washington points
Is the same as the rate to Portland, it
is obvious that this complaint was
given circulation for the purpose of
injuring Portland in the territory in
volved. There have been throughout
the past season engaged In grain buy
ing at Portland no less than 27 firms.
Of these six have exported grain to
Kurope ntiil have also slipped to the
California markets. Fourteen others
have bought and sold grain for the
California and local markets, and the
others have bought mostly for the
local milling trade, occasionally sell
ing to exporters and California ship
pers. It is needless to say that, with this
number of buyers in the field, with
ample dock and shipping facilities
and with only a comparatively small
crop to work on. a "gouge" of 6 cents
per bushel or half that amount would
be an impossibility. There is, how
ever, another test as to whether or
not wheat is selling at its full value,
and. before placing too much depend
ence on the statement of his anony
mous "prominent grain man operat
ing in the Palouse country," Presi
dent Young would have done well to
apply it. The London and Liverpool
quotations, on which the export price
of wheat is based the world over,
are public property, the ocean freight
rates are also easily obtainable, iand
any. bank in the country will quote
the daily rate of exchange. A'ith
these figures so easily available, and
the rail rate from Palouse points to
Portland no secret, it Is never beyond
the. ability 4-f President Young or any
other farmer of average intelligence
to figure out to a nicety the value
of wheat.
This value is figured out daily by a
large number of operators at Portland
anil at Tacoma, and. as there Is al
ways a surplus of tonnage available,
the moment that these ligures would
disclose a profit not 6 cents or 4
cents, fr even 2 cents, but aything
over 1 cent per bushel there would
be a frantic rush on the part of these
buyers to do business.
San Francisco is no longer an ex
porting market. It buys Oregon and
Washington wheat as nearly as pos
sible on the export basis, but, as the
California demand runs to choice
milling grades, prices rule higher than
for the average run of export cargoes.
The price, however, is governed auto
matically by the Liverpool price.
Kxporters no longer hamper them
selves by chartering ahead, and if
the San Francisco market shows anv
wide difference" over export values,
the grain is immediately diverted to
California until that limited demand
is supplied, supply and demand as
usual fixing the price, and the com
petition among buyers always assur
ing tho sellers full values.
The headquarters of tho grain trade
of the Pacific Northwest is more
firmly than ever established at Port
land and it will require some more
potent force than tho circulation of
baseless rumors reflecting on the
methods of Portland grain men to
change the existing order of things
a r;ooi jiK;iNlN;.
pursuance of his ambition to
In
escape enrollment among the Presi
dents who havo been nobtyrlles, or
worse, and make his Administration
rank high in history, Mr. Taft is se
lecting the members of his Cabinet
with deliberation. When they are
all chosen we shall know whether he
is a good judge of men or not. No
body questions his personal gift of
greatness, but many great men have"
so grievously erred In selecting subr
ordinates and confidants that their
careers have been ruined by Incompe
tence and treachery w hich might eas
ily have been avoided had they been
better judges of human nature. No
doubt the consummate ability to
fathom men and accurately foretell
how they will act in. emergencies is
the rarest of gifts. Napoleon had it
in perfection. So had Pitt, who by
merely changing commanders in
America and elsewhere suddenly
transformed his defeated and humil
iated country into a power whom no
nemy could withstand. McKinJey
could judge men surprisingly well in
view oC the fact that his general .abil
ities were so moderate.
If Mr. Taft chooses the rest of his
Cabinet as wisely as he has the Sec
retary of State we shall have to ad
mit that he knows men as well as
measures. It will show that he is not
only keenly aware of what he wants,
but also of how to get it. which is
usually the more serious difficulty of
the two. Mr. Knox has come up to
expectations in every public position
he has occupied. ILe won renown as
Government prosecutor in tho famous,
though rather futile. Northern Secur
ities case. .It was a futile case be
cause it did not prevent the combina
tion of railroads under common own
ership, no matter whether they are
parallel or not. No law or court
could prevent it.. But the Northern
Securities case, which Mr. Knox won,
did firmly establish the authority of
the Federal Government over inter
state corporations, and from that
point of view it marks an epoch in
constitutional history.
The shallow objection has been
made to .Mr. Knox that he is a xcor-'
poration lawyer. Those who make it
apparently wish to see the Govern
ment left defenseless among its foes.
When it is beset by corporation law
yers on every side seeking to curtail
its authority and -wrest from the pub
lic special privileges Tor their clients
the natural and sensible course is to
pit against them knowledge and abil
ity of their own kind. None but cor
poration lawyers can successfully
countercheck corporation lawyers in
Congress, in the courts or in diplo
macy. Their wiles are inconceivably
subtle. They .wind to their ends so
sinuously that no ordinary person
dreams where they are going until
they have arrived. They have a
morality of their own whose perplex
ities baffle the rest of the world.
They have a language which nobody
understands but themselves. In the
mouth of a corporation lawyer Eng
lish becomes a mystic speech, weird
and enchanted. The simplest phrases
are big with unexpected meaning,
sheer gibberish acquires transcen
dental import How is the Govern
ment to deal with such people ex
cept through men who hnve belonged
to the same tribe?
It is carrying suspicion too far to
say that a man who has once been
a corporation lawyer can never serve
the public honestly. This Is unfair.
The instinct of every decent lawyer
is to be loyal to his client. If the
client is a railroad It gets the best
he has to render. If the client is
the public be serves it just as faith
fully. Why not? It is the business
of a lawyer to win cases. All clients
look alike to him.- If this is trfte, and
It certainly is true In spite of our
prejudices, how much more useful to
the public a man can be who thor
oughly understands corporation law
in all its devious mazes, like Mr.
Knox, than one who knows little or
nothing about it. The fact that Mr.
Knox has been a corporation lawyer,
and n very great one, uniquely quali
ties him to be Mr. Taft's chief adviser
in these times when all our political
questions relate directly "or indirectly
to corporations. Without such a man
at his elbow the President would be
helpless in his moments of greatest
need. This, of course, presupposes
that Mr. Knox is an honest man, who
will devote his surpassing ability to
the loyal services of the Administra
tion. " ,
That he will do so there is not a
shadow of doubt.' Treachery is almost
the rarest of vices, even among, com
mon men. Among those in conspicu
ous stations it is almost unknown.
The notable traitors of history scarce
ly number a half dozen; who can
count the men that were faithful to
their trust? A man in Mr. Knox'
position cannot afford the slightest
deviation from perfect loyalty, and
nobody knows it better than, he.
There is too much at stake. His
name is certain to go down in history
and according "as he fulfills his duty
it will fce written with execration or
praise. -Tan anybody doubt which he
will choose? To doubt him is to hold
that the best or us value money above
fame. Some may have done so, but
they were not Knoxes.
After enjoying the pleasure of wit
nessing steamers and non-union ships
carry away nearly all of the available
surplus of wheat from the Pacific
Northwest, at rates from three to five
shillings lower than the arbitrary
union rates, the International Sailing
ship Owners' Association has at last
suspended the rates from Portland and
Puget Sound. This will enable owners
to charter their vessels at any rate
which can be secured, and as a result
there will be an immediate lowering
of ra,tes out t.t North Pacific ports.
The signal failure of the attempt of
the union to hold rates at a higher
figure than were warranted by the
law of supply and demand has sur
prised no one familiar with the busi
ness on the' Pacific Coast. It has
again been demonstrated that while
"one man may lead a pony to the
brink, twenty thousand cannot make
him drink." Suspension of the' rates
out of Portland does not affect other
features of the union, and, with re
turn of better times for shipping, it
may be reinstated.
An Inkling of what the lumber in
dustry means to the entire Columbia
River region can be gained from a
news dispatch from Kalama in yester
day's Oregonian, announcing construc
tion of two large sawmills and a
shingle milh These three enterprises,
which will be in active operation in
six months, will give employment to
500 men in the yards and camps, and
will more than double the population
of Kalama. These plants are no larger
than half a dozen others already pro
jected for various places along the
Columbia, and they will be followed
by others of .still greater capacity.
In lumber to a greater extent than
almost any other commodity, labor
comes in Wr the largest share of the
cost represented In the finished -product,
and the money disbursed by these
mills and camps will be turned over a
great many times in a very brief
period after it is first placed in cir
culation. Attorney-General Breathitt, of Ken
tucky, has handed down an opinion
in which he holds that a teacher has
authority to whip a pupil if such
action is necessary In order to main
tain discipline. The decision was on
an appeal from a local court decision
which refused the teacher the right
to whip the scholars, and as a result
the entire common school system of
Kentucky was in a fair way to be de
moralized. If one-half of the stories
that are told of backwoods life in the
Blue Grass state are true, the teacher
should not only be granted the right
to whip the refractory pupils, but it
might not be out of place to clothe
him with power to shoot when he
deemed it necessary. Teaching school
in a region that produces the Hargis
family must at the best be a hazard
ous profession. -
The farmers of Clark County,
Washington, are to be congratulated
upon the fact that a cannery of ca
pacity sufficient to handle the surplus
fruit of that region will be built and
equipped this Winter. Owing to the
lack of facilities for taking care of it,
enormous quantities of fruit go to
waste every year in the orchards of
Clark County. The' cannery projected
and made possible by improved trans
portation facilities will give a new
impetus to fruit-growing over a wide
section particularly adapted to this
purpose.
. It is quite safe to say that one of
the strong influences that directed
legislation at the last session of the
Legislature will not be felt in that
which is to begin next month. J.
Thorburn Ross was able to get what
he wanted two years ago in the way
of a law providirfg for the deposit of
state funds in banks, but results of
such legislation are not likely to make
him a material factor in another ses
sion. And yet there may be others to
take his place and do as neat a job of
manipulation as he performed.
Those who aid in piling up tax bur
dens should not complain at a, spirit
of unrest and dissatisfaction among
the taxpayers. It is true that as a city
grows its expenses must increase, but
the increase should not be at a more
rapjd rate than the increase in the
number of taxpayers, nor faster than
the increase in the taxable property.
The man who finds his taxes Increas
ing from year to year, though he owns
no more property, knows that the tax
burden is increasing more rapidly than
the quantity of property and the num
ber of taxpayers.
Portland taxpayers" who look with
concern upon the increased burdens
incident to local expenditures should
wait until the State Legislature has
made its appropriations before using
up all the expressive words in their
vocabularies.
Finch will admit, no doubt, that he
escaped alive after his encounter with
Fisher. Once he had forgotten all
about the affair.. N'ow he remembers
all about it. How soon till he again
forgets all he no- remembers?
According to the defense, the Hains
brothers had a terribly narrow escape
from death at the hands of the un
armed Annis. Such are the wonders
of our modern criminal procedure.
The Democratic party is to establish
headquarters in Washington soon in
order to prepare for the campaign of
1912. Doubtless the early bird will
catch a worm nothing better.
An Oakland, California, man who Is
113 years old, led the grand march at
a dance given for his benefit. He is
a vegetarian. A slump in the meat
market may be expected.
Oregon has broken many a record
in 1908, why shouldn't it break a
weather record?
Now we've got the weather. But
where is Santa Claus?
MR. ROOSEVELT AND THE EDITORS
N rn.pn iter l ora nient From Both Side-ai
An to Merita of Controversy. '
New York Times, Dem.
We think it will, be the opinion of
Mr. Roosevelt's countrymen that he
might have let these newspaper state
ments pass him by like the idle wind.
Certainly lie ought not to have made
them the subject of a mesage to the
National lawmakers.
Let the People Be the Judge.
Chicago Journal, lnd.'-Dem.
The people of the United States are
the most impartial, accurate judge and
jury In the world. Bluster, bluff and
intimidation carry no weight with
them, nor do they lend willing ear to
slanderous scandal. The Panama case
can be submitted to popular opinion
without the least fear of any miscar
riage of justice, and this should be
done forthwith.
Conirreo Anked In an Iteferee.
New York Sun. Rep.
We regret to say that the manner
In which the President has treated
the Panama question has convinced the
public that it Is necessary in the In
terests of the countrj,- that a full In
quiry should be had. The Sun has had
no part In the Panama matter. From
the beginning it has rejected it with
contempt. But Mr. Roosevelt's conduct
makes It imperative in our judgment
that Congress should deal with It.
No Tfeed for Consrrsslonnl Action.
Brooklyn (S. Y.) T:agle, Ind.
The only justification for a Congres
sional inquiry would be the possibility
of discovering the names of all the
individuals to whom the liquidator dis
tributed the money he obtained. Such
a possibility does not. we believe, ex
ist. How would Congress cross-examine
the French government through
its agent, the liquidator, and what
power, inherent or acquired, does it
possess to scrutinize his accounts?
Good "Ad" for IVew York Newspaper.
Columbia (S. C.) State. Dem.
The President's action in directing
that the Government bring criminal
proceedings against Jose'ph Pulitzer be
cause The World two months ago al
leged there was something exceeding
ly fishv in the Panama Canal purchase,
and demanded a revelation of transac
tions heretofore concealed from the
public, will be worth not less than $1,
000,000 to the New York newspaper
and will make Mr. Roosevelt ridicu
lous at home and abroad.
Dire Alternative Before Trnducera.
New York Tribune, Rep.
It may be that some misguided per
sons in the present case, while iorced
to admit that there is not the slight
est proof obtainable or discoverable of
the charges which they have uttered
against their own Government and its
good name, will yet obstinately de
clare thut it must be so. for otherwise
they should have to concede that the.
American Government was honest and
that its dealings with the Panama com
pany had been honorable. Truly, a dire
alternative.
Piinh Kurther the Query Probe.
Chicago winter Ocean, Rep.
Tho President's threats merely show
what Mr. Roosevelt would like to do
to destroy the liberty of the press if
he could. Fortunately we still have
courts which decide according to the
law. regardless of personal opinions.
Neither the President's abusive in
dignation nor resentment of it goes
to the root of the matter. The indig
nation excites laughter either of ridi
cule or cynical, and In both cases de
plorable, though Inevitable.
The real question is what was done
with the people's money who got it
and why? '
No Ground for Libel of Anyone.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican, Ind.
President Roosevelt declares t-hat the
chief offense of the New York World
and its editor consists less in the libel
of private citizens than in the libel of
the Washington Government. If, how
ever charges or intimations have been
made of interested motives on the part
of anybodv connected with Mr. Roose
velt's administration in the purchase
of the Panama property, the fact is
not generally known. Where a libel
of the Government comes in, therefore,
is not clear, whether as to substance
or form.
I nllkely Thnt Roonevelt 'Will Sue.
Boston (Mass.) Globe, Dem.
President Cleveland probably had
more cause than any other of our pub
lic men, Jefferson and Jackson alone
excepted, for action against the press.
He showed great forbearance and dig
nity by refraining.
President Roosevelt. unlike Mr.
Cleveland, refuses to suffer in silence.
He hits back with vigor which would
signify he had no intention of engag
ing in a lawsuit. If he should sue, it
is not unlikely court or jury would say
his castigatlon of the defendants ought
to reduce damages materially.
Mid Oroundu for Hl Assault.
New York Evening Post, Ind. -Dem.
It is beyond doubt that President
Roosevelt had good grounds for his
assault upon the New York World.
That newspaper has not been able to
substantiate grave editorial allegations
of wrong-doing in the purchase of the
Panama Canal. Any newspaper guilty
of such blunders, whatever its motive,
must take the consequences. . . .
K President devoting a whole mes
sage to Congress to the denunciation
of a single newspaper! Who would
have thought it possible before Mr.
Roosevelt became President? Histor
ian as he himself is. nobody should
know better than Mr. Roosevelt that
his long series of violent denunciations
and of branding men as liars will al
ways he a terrible indictment of the
sanity and wisdom of his administra
tion. . 1
Colored Brothers In the Woodpile.
Chicago Daily Tribune. Rep.
The powerful interests which have
felt that the Roosevelt administration
has been what the World has not hesi
tated to call it "a reign of terror" have
expressed themselves through every
available channel, sending forth poi
sonous rumor as the devilfish spreads
its fluid. The World in its reply has
called Mr. Roosevelt "the. most reck
less, unscrupulous demagogue whom
the American people ever trusted with
great power and authority." The
epithet floods the editorial sanctum of
the World with light. It suggests elo
quently the standard of values upon
which "the editorial comment of jour
nals like the World and the Sun have
been founded. It betrays the animus
which has set and kept afloat the
Panama canard and stung Mr. Roose
velt into an ill-advised and unneces
sary recognition of years of malignant
detraction.
NEWSPAPKR WAIFS.
-What do von lawyers mean by pro
fessional courtesy'?" "Passing a rich client
down the line." Clevelund Leader.
MuKKins Harduppe claims to be very
bashful about meeting people. BuKgins
Meeting people? Why, Harduppe even hesi
tates about meeting his obligations. Phila
delphia P.ecord.
Applicant Have yes got New Office
holder Is It anything of value yez wants?
"It is. begorrah." "Thin we hoven't got it.
Tlr party goin' out has taken id wid 'em."
Puck.
Excited caller lat police station! I had
my' pocket picked on the streetcars just
now. Desk Sergeant Well, if you had it
done what are you coming here to kick
about? Chicago Tribune. .
f RKPI.T TO COUNCILMAN MENEFEE
Let the People Decide Between Broad
way and Hancock Street Brldsres.
PORTLAND, Or., Dec. 21. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Sunday Oregonian of yes
terday Councilman Menefee gives me
quite a roast. Well, in the interests of
the people I can stand it. I would like
to ask Mr. Menefee on behalf of the jeo
ple a few question: On what authority
did you employ Modjeskl at $5000 expense
to the taxpayers? What did he do to
earn the money? He says he made his
report from city. data. He never made
an estimate for the Hancock-street,
bridge. Why did you flop from the Hancock-street
location to the Broadway lo
cation, after once having the Inited
East Side Clubs indorse the Hancock.
Street location for a bridge?
You say "certain persons whom I be
lieve were Inspired by seltish interests."
meaning myself (and you know I have no
property wifliin eight or ten bWeks of
Hancock street), "caused the circulation
of a petition which was signed probably
by 1"00 people." Yes, and Several thou
sand others only wait for an opportunity
to sign it. Said petition, however, was
circulated by order of tlio M. I. Asso
ciation. I want to say to you. every signer of
that petition has as much right in this
matter as you, or any other member of
the N. E. Club.
What the people want is fair play ahd
a square deal In this matter; not two
bridges, or two locations, but the Hancock-street
brioge, which will serve both
sides of the river equally well; both
Northwest Portland and Northeast Port
land where large manufacturing, milling
and other industries are located. The
Broadway location entirely ignores North
west Portland and all that territory
known as the Lewis and Clark Fair
Grounds and surroundings, which Is fast
tilling up with our most important im
provements. There is no advantage to
the people In the Broadway location that
is not equally true of the Hancock loca
tion, while the Hancock location will bo
much cheaper and economical to huild.
both as to approaches, . and length of
structure.
If you are sincere, and desire the great
est good to the greatest number of the
people, a look at the city map and the
territory to be served will convince any
disinterested party that Hancock street
is the proper location for a bridge. You
will notice Hancock street runs straight
east, without any jogs, and on a good
grade.
You cast a slur on the people and tax
payers who signed the petition referred to
for the Hancock-street bridge by saying
"they were in no sense representative."
Our Mr. Joseph Ellis, of the M. I. As
sociation Club, who circulated the said
petition, says t- it members of big whole
sale and retail establishments on the west
side of the river, as well as both city
and county officers, readily signed, know
ing full well it was for the Hancock
street location, and were told plainly by
Mr. Ellis It was in opposition to the
$2,000,000 Broadway-street proposition. Is
it possible they are not representative?
Maybe not. along your line of reasoning
However, wo confidently expect the Coun
cil will grant the prayer or the petitioners
and leave tiie result to the voters.
L. M. DAVIS.
Bryan Sprintinc Baekward. -.
New York World.
The World pointed oaf the signifi
cance of the official election returns in
tho Southern states complied for the
World Almanac. They showed that the
Bryan vote and the Bryan plufalities
decreased notably In most of the Sou
thern states. They decreased in all
the industrial states of the new South.
Significant also are the figures show
ing the increase of Republican popular
pluralities for President with Mr. Bry
an as the Democratic candidate.
MpKlnlcy's pluraliy over Bryan in
1S116 was 601,854.
In 1900 the McKinley plurality over
Bryan was 849,790, an increase of about
40 per cent.
This year the Taft plurality is !.
208.99?, an increase of about 42 per
cent over MeKinley's 1900 plurality and
more than 100 per cent over the 189B
plurality.
Predicting results hereafter, should
Bryan continue in the Democratic lead
ership, is merely a matter of mathe
matics. In 1912 the plurality for the
Renublican candidate will be 1.716,76(1.
As a backward political sprinter, Mr.
Bryan holds the record.
Persecute Government for Libel f No.
New York Globe, Rep.
Every schoolboy knows that the Fed
eral Government, as such, can never
prosecute for libel that the states have
exclusive jurisdiction over this offense.
And every schoolboy also knows that
it is preposterous to identify as attack
against the Government an attack on
any officer of the Government, no mat
ter how eminent. In 1798 the sensitive
Federalists, smarting under unjust at
tacks, passed the sedition act, provid
ing punishment for uttering false and
scandalous charges against Congress
or the President. Hamilton begged
and pleaded against the enactment of
this law, for he foresaw the conse
quences. "And from the day the bill
became law the Federal party went
slowly down to ruin."
Governor Will Parade on Horseback.
Springfield Republican.
Never before has a Governor-elect
of Ohio appeared in Columbus in the
great parade which accompanies his
inauguration mounted on a charger.
T-....T tj uoTi.c nt WilMsim Alc-
nuinriivu i. i"..-' -
Kinley learned to sit orj a horse while
serving in the war. but they were both
conveyed in a carriage when inaugu
rated Governor. Judson Harmon, how
ever, is to mount a horse on January
11. "Why should I not ride horseback
in the parade?" Judge ITarmon asked.
"My staff will be mounted, and there is
no good reason why I should be toted
along in a carriage when the rest of
the boys are mounted." Columbus ex
pects 100.000 visitors on that day.
Now Who Elected Mr. Palmerf
London Illustrated News.
Mr. James S- Palmer. Vice-Presidentelect
of the Fnited States, may possi
bly look forward td filling one day the
position of President. It will be re
membered that on the. death of Presi
dent McKinley, Mr. Roosevelt, who was
then Vice-President, succeeded attto
mitically to the Presidency without
opposition. Should anything happen to
Mr Taft. (which we sincerely trust, for
"his sake, may not be the case.) .Mr.
PoJmer would probably, if precedent
were followed, take his place.
New Definition of Opllnilnt.
New York World.
Dr E. R. L- Gould. the Citizens'
Union leader, who is getting ready for
a hard fight in the coming city cam
paign, gave this definition of an opti
mist yesterday:
"A fellow, w-ho can fall off the top
story of the Flatiron building and yell
out as he passes each story on his way
down: 'It's all right so far.' "
The President 'All llet I p."
New York Herald. Ind.
The tone of the special mesage sent
to Congress dealing with the charges
of jobbery in connection with the pur
chase of the Panama Canal shows
to borrow from the Brooklyn Eagle
this good old New England phrase
that the President is "all het up."
Why He Didn't Walt.
Houston Post.
"Why didn't he wait until New Year's
to swear off?"
"The last time he come home swizzled
his wife painted a snapping turtle red.
white and blue, and turned it loose In
his room."
LOCATION OF NEW STEEL BRIDGR
Let the People Vote Separately on the
Bonds anil the Point of Lronninir.
PORTLAND. Dec. 21. (To the Editor.)
In answer to the numerous articles re
garding the location of the new sieei
bridge, north of the present steel bridge,
for- which the Council passed an ordi
nance recommending an amendment to
the charter authorizing a vote at the next
election for the sale of 2.0io.iKt0 worth
of bonds to defray expenses of same, it
seems strange that the North East Im
provement Association should resent thi.
demand of the citizens of Portland to
submit the location of this bridu" to a
vote of the people, unless they fear tiie
Inevitable result of such a vote. As At
torney John Logan said at one of th
Charter Board meetings. "The people
generally vote i-IkIU." and as this Is an
expenditure of $2.0ihi.0hii of the taxpay
ers' money, their wishes in regard to lo
cations should be decisive and not lite
interest of a certain l'cvv.
The Council allowed an expenditure of
$50oo for plans, specifications and esti
mates for this new bridge and employed
Ralph Modjeskl. an eminent bridge ex
pert, to submit the data. His report
whs submitted to the Council in October,
but what information outside of the cost
of two types of briilKCs docs his report
contain? He recommends the Broadway
site, at which location no soundings have
been made; the cost of condemning prop
erty for East and West Side approaches
has not been estimated and many mora
details in a report of this character at
sadly wanting.
The only report (hat this location wetiM
be satisfactory to tho Secretary of War
Is Mr. Modjeski's opinion, or in other
words, whichever location is recom
mended by the expert, it has been taken
for granted, would be satisfactory to the
Government.
Now the Multnomah Push Club insists
thnt the location be submitted to a vote
of the people, and to satisfy t lie lirtdgo
Committee of the Council that there is
merit in their demand, they circulated a
petition and in less than ten days some
2(100 residents signed the petition for a
bridge to be located nt Hancock street,
with a west approach to be located in or
about Pcttigrove street (or better still,
use the I'ppcr Albina ferry slips, now city
property), and this petition could be in
creased to 10.00(1 nanus if necessary,
which shows that the people desire i
voice in the matter of locating this
bridge.
The Multnomah Club desires to have
the present ordinance In regard to tho
appropriation of $2,000,000 repealed and a
substitute ordinance passer? segregating
the locations of the bridge from the bond
issue so that the bond issue will be voted
on separately and the locations separate-lv.-
which can undoubtedly bo done leitally,
according to tht City Attorney's opinion.
Yours for a square deal.
W. It. PAYNE.
"THAT PETITION FOR PEHJIRV."
With a Few Remarks Personal to Rev
erend Clarence True W ilson.
PORTLAND, Or., Doc. 21. (To the
Editor.) "Oregon prior to the adop
tion of the amendment to its constitu
tion giving to the people the right to
express their choice for United States
Senator was represented by men who
neither morally, socially nor politically
represented the best thought or moral
of the people of tho slate." Indeed!
What docs Mr. Wilson know about
the men who have represented in the
National Senate the State of Oregon?
What does lie know about Senators
E. D. linker, J. W. Nesmith. George 1 1.
Williams, H. W. Corbetl, L. F. Grocer,
James II. Slater. J. K. Kelly. D.-lnzon
Smith. .Joseph Lane and J. N. Dolph?
Is this man Wilson the same fel
low who rushed into the press shout
ing for the Democratic nominee for
District Attorney at lite lust election?
Is he the same nonpartisan, divinely
called, who put IL-ncy in tho pulpit
of the Centenary M. K. Church dur
ing bis last visit to Oregon for the
express purpose of maligning the char
acter of Senator Fulton?
Is this the same Wilson who. like
a little dog in high oats keeps jump
ing up on every possible pretext and
yelping for notice In tho papers.?
Is this the same Wilson whose salary
has just been reduced by his church,
a fact he has thought to cover up by a
little pious game of hocus pocus?
Is he the same Wilson who has
been In Oregon, from Delaware, Call
frni and several other places, hardly
long enough to get his scut warm, and
assumes the role ot spiritual aim
po-
litical adviser for the whole t''?
J. F. CLARK!-!
No New Years' Calls in New York.
Springfield Republican.
An effort is being made in Minneap
olis to revive the custom of calling on
January 1. and a local paper publishes
a list of women who are willing to re
ceive. Long ago in New York City the
custom reached its height in the, more
or less good old days when eggnogg
was an accompaniment, and festivity
in the end came to take on an objec
tionable liberality. Hospitality of
that kind will never again generally
flourish In American cities. Tho social
instinct which welcomes the opportu
nity to wish friends a "Happy New
Year" is a desirable thing and the more
direct social touch is to be desired.
The. intensity of American life, how
ever has reduced calling in large meas
ure, ' so far as men are concerned, to
the emptv form ot sending cards b
the women of the family. It would
conduce to longevity and the general
happiness if the more leisurely social .
onntact of an older time could be. tc-
vived 1 'pott this point we can ah
airrce' But when It comes to taking
time for New Year's calls, the men
folks will, with one accord, begin to
make excuses. (.
Ilon'ls for I.ae Christmns shopper.
Chicago Record-Herald.
Kon't stand back and wait for the
crowds to become smaller.
Don't neglect before starting out to
use a f.-w extra pins in fastening on
your skirt. .
Don't fail to forget to apologize when
vou sic,, on another lady's feet.
Don't neglect to forget that patience,
is a virtue.
Don't trv to carry your money wnrre
the pi''kP'kot ''inot Set it without
Don't buy until you have seen every
thing In tlvc stores.
Don't fail when you are asked by .i.
clerk what you are looking for to re
turn a haughty stare. 4
Don't neglect on your way home to
fill the seat next to you with our
b"l"on:t" save trouble by deciding what
vou want and going to it
" Don't fail to wear the bigges l,.-t
vou have. It will make you look in
teresting, when it gets smashed down
over your face. ,
Don't for a moment consiriei in
comfort or convenience of anybody else.
Count That Day Lost.
Chicago Record-lieran..
Some of the members of the most
dignified deliberative body on c. It i
positively refuse to count 1li.it da
lost whose low descending sun bungs
in no message bearer on the, run.
The Cull of Companionship.
Atchison Globe.
You often hear a lonesome child say:
"I want some one to play with. El
derly people often become lonesome and
want some one to play with, but are
afraid to say so.
'
Lert-llauded Keonomy.
Atchison Globe.
The average man 's so economical
that he makes his wife's wedding
clothes last her two years.