Morning Oregonian., December 23, 1908, Page 10, Image 10

THE MORNING OKEGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23. 19U3.
10
rORTLA.ND, OBGON.
Kntered at Portland. Oregon. Poatodlca
wjbscrtptlon Utn Inrai-Ubly la AUraace-
(B7 Kail.)
i:y. Sunday included, one year.....
00
-
aliv. bunuay imiuuwi, et. muu
i Hliy. Sv:nday Included, three montns. .
Vsf.y. Sunday imluded. on month.. ...
l,ily. without Sunday, ona year
I aily. without Sunday, si, month!....
I'aily. without Sunday, throe monina. .
Iaily. without Sitnday. ona month...-.
W.'-kly. one year
Sun'lay. one year
Sui.day and 'Weekly, one year
2 25
.75
6 00
3 25
1.75
.60
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PaJ.'y. Sunday Included, one year...... 9
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.75
How to Kemit Send It3!c "i0"'
order, expres. order or peraonal check on
t,..i hint stamii'a. coin or currency
. mf ,hm .n,i,,r. ruk Give postofflee ad
dresa In full. Including county and atata.
. . ... ... . 1 rent:
18
., .... i. . AA naH. 3 cent?
in -" n:.t;es, ctms, ' " - -
i to Bo naEea. 4 cents. Foraiisn poataga
double rataa.
Ka.ten. Kwlnrsa Offl The 3. C. Beck
with .-pecial Aitncy .'w -- -
60 Tribune building. Chicago, rooml frlu-jij
IDDune oui.uing.
rOKTUM) WBD-NrXniV, IEO. XS. 108.
TAFT COES TO PANAMA.
Though not an engineer by profess
ion, Mr. Taft wishes to see with his
own' eyes the state of things at the
Panama Canal; since thereby he will
be able to form better Judgment than
if compelled to rely wholly on de
scriptions Riven by" others. French
engineers are exceedingly fond of the
opinion that catastrophe waits on the
' present plan of construction. This
rnav be because It is not their plan.
Yet again, of course, any serious shake
of the earth .would destroy the In
terior basin, held in the air by high
retaining walls; and earthquakes
are likeiv to occur. There is an in
evitable risk, which however would be
much reduced by a sea-level canal,
but such canal would be much more
custlv, and construction of it would
require much longer time. Yet it may
become necessary. L'le work has as
yet been done which would not also
be available for a sea-level canal.
The plan might still bo attained with
out serious loss.
The attempt to create a scandal
out of the purchase-of the canal from
the Trench company ha3 dismally
failed. It has been shown that, of the
monev ($40,000,000) paid by the
United States S5. 525.000 was distribu
ted to the stockholders, none of whom,
fo far as known, was American. This
loft about $4,475,000 for all the
charge's and expenses of the trans
action. The French government re
quired payment of Jl, 600. 000 in stamp
taxes on the transaction, and the com
pany had to meet an obligation to the
Government of Colombia, resting on
some old claim, which required
J300.000. The fee of William Nelson
Cromwell for his services in the affair
was $220,000. This was allowed by
the French court. In theso three
Items over $2,100,0000 is accounted
for; so It will be seen there could have
been no very great sum left for any
possible "rake-off." It appears. In
deed, to have been a pretty straight
transaction for a business of such mag
nitude. The French owners simply
wanted to tell; the purchase price
($40,000,000) was named by them and
accepted by the United States. The
price, indeed, was virtually sugges
ted by a resolution of the Congress of
the United States, which authorized
the purchase at a valuation not ex
ceeding $40,000,000. It could hardly
be expected, after such suggestion,
that the owners would ask less. For
expenses" they probably didn't pay
more out of the $40,000,000 than they
felt compelled to allow. There can
be n reasonable doubt that It was a
transaction that will bear scrutiny
throughout. All the papers are now in
the hands of Congress, which has
power to summon the necessary wit
nesses to explain every tletail.
The President need not have
burst out with such fury, when the
transaction was ouestioned. A plain,
grave and dignified statement, accom
panied by the necessary papers, would
have answered the purpose better.
But when Koosevelt is accused in such
a manner the soft answer is scarcely
to be expected.
A TRl ST THAT FAILEH.
More potent In its Influence, with
less uncertainty as to ultimate results
than any law whose limitations are
defined by the courts, is the ancient
law of supply and demand. Combina
tions of capital and shrewd manipula
tion may at times set aside the natural
-workings of this ancient law; but the
basic conditions on which it Is founded
nre as old and unchanging as the eter
nal hills. Sooner or later they assert
themselves to the discomfiture of those
who have temporarily ignored their
existence. The International Sailing
Ship Owners' Association, composed of
British, German. French and Norwe
gian sailing-ship owners, after five
years' struggle against this inexorable
law, have at last struck their flag and
ucknowledged defeat.
This association, controlling nearly
four-fifths of the world's supply of sail
tonnage available for grain-carrying,
five years ago fixed an -arbitrary mini
mum freight rate on grain from Port
land and Puget Sound. For a few
brief periods In those five years the
demand for tonnage at these ports rose
to a point where exporters were
obliged to pay the- rate fixed by the
Association. But for the greater part
of the five years' term, and In fact con
tinuously for the past two years, the
supply of tonnage unaffected by the
union rates has been so much greater
than, the demand for tonnage that in
every port on the Pacific association
phips have been lying idle, while many
have sailed away in ballast to other
parts of the world where minimum
rates have not been fixed or have taken
lumber cargoes at rates far below the
minimum grain rate. An ever-increasing
supply of steam tonnage, which
could not be controlled by the associa
tion, found In the North Pacific grain
trade very attractive business at rates
much lower than the union's un
changeable minimum rate.
The unequal struggle against the In
exorable economic law plunged some
of the shipowners Into bankruptcy,
made heavy inroads on the reserve
funds of others, and benefited no one
except perhaps the keen, up-to-date
steamship owners, who were forced to
keep their vessels moving at rates
warranted by supply and demand.
Age and experience, however, seem
to have brought wisdom to the ship
owners. At a meeting of the associa
tion In London last Saturday it was
decided to suspend the minimum rate
against Portland and Puget Sound and
permit shipowners to accept any ob
tainable rates. For the present sea
eon, at least, it will be a case of "lock
ing the stable door after the horse Is
stolen," for practically all of the ex
portable surplus of wheat from this
part of the worlu has been moved.
This will not nullify the value of the
lesson taught these freight-aate manip
ulators. While the knowledge has
cost them In the aggregate a vast sum
of money, the experience may. be worth
the price by keeping Dem out of slm
liar trouble In the future. Unfortu
natelv for the future profits of
the members of this great ship
ping combination, during the five
years In which they have withheld
such a large amount of tonnage from
the market there has been a steady
Increase In the tonnage of more mod
ern steam vessels and a growing pref
erence for this class of ocean carriers.
As the sailing-ship owners made the
opening for steam tonnage In the Pa
cific Northwest, they alone are to
blame for Invasion of a field which In
the past was regarded as almost ex
clusively the special preserve of the
sailing vessel.
POSTAl, BANKS AND UOCAV BANKS,
Opposition to the scheme of postal
savings banks develops at Mashing
ton. It comes chiefly from private
banks. What Impression it may make
on members of Congress cannot be
told. Passage of such a bill, it may be
remembered. was advocated In the
Republican National platform.
The argument against the propo
sition is chiefly this: The money of
a community, deposited in private
banks. Is available for use in the busi
ness activity of each and every com
munity; but the postal savings bank
will be bound by rigid rules, cannot
lend except under strict regulations,
nor accept the security of real estate
or chattels.
The position is that state and local
savings banks are necessary to com
munities because It Is to them that
borrowers are compelled to go when
they desire to raise money on real
estate and chattels which National
banks will not accept as security for
loans. The position is taken further
that these small banks In many In
stances will be driven out of business
by the postal banks.
It Is urged that the postal banks,
therefore, cannot serve local com
munities as the private banks do,
The argument has in it a sound ele
ment; yet it Is a dispute between abso
lute security for Idle money, and the
advantages (or disadvantages) of
banking on a system which permits
larger accommodation of local inter
ests and demands. Certainly If postal
banks are still to be refused, as not
flexible enough for the demands and
requirements of local business, it will
be necessary to enforce better regula
tions and best possible regulations
for security of depositors.
A MJERRY INTERLUDE.
Mr. Andrew Carnegie's ready wit
must have made him an entertaining
witness before the Congressional com
mittee. Feeling perfectly safe himself.
whatever may happen to the tariff on
steel, he could Indulge in agreeable
persiflage and poke fun at the shiver
ing trust magnates without a qualm.
Let the sky fall If It likes, Mr. Carne
gie is well under shelter. He Is In the
situation of a reformed pirate who has
Joined the church and become a re
spectable member of society. Perhaps
he Is even more like Mrs. Tarren s
sister (in the play), who had finally
forsaken Mrs. Warren's profession af
ter following It many years and taken
up her abode at Winchester under the
shadow of the cathedral in the odor
of sanctity, where she radiated piety
and abounded in good works. Mr.
Carnegie's later history seems to illus
trate the cynical old proverb that a
poor man cannot afford to be honest
or to tell the truth. It is only after
one has acquired a competence and
thus made himself secure against the
malice of men and provided a fortress
against the slings and arrows of out
rageous fortune that he dares to be
frank, unless indeed he be a fool.
What consummate folly would It not
have been had Mr. Carnegie candidly
blabbed the inner secrets of the tariff
conspiracy before his own bins were
replenished and his barns stocked.
Now that he is fatly furnished forth
against all contingencies, he can well
afford to let the truth out, and It adds
to our admiration for his prudent
philosophy of life that he puts a merry
countenance on the matter and tells
us, with quips and Jokes and wanton
wiles, how we are plundered. Feeling
as he must, that he is addressing a na
tion of incurable simpletons, so far as
a protective tariff go-i3, why should he
not laugh In our faces? It is as if he
had said "Thus and so by sheer rob
bery I made a huge fortune out of
your necessities. I managed the mat
ter by playing upon your Ignorance
and folly. Now in a merry mood I
will tell you how I did the trick, but I
am very certain that the truth will not
have the slightest effect upon your
conduct. My successors will continue
to rob you Just as outrageously as I
did, but at any rate you shall suffer
the wrong with your eyes open."
The world owes much to penitent
thieves. It Is through them alone
that certain " varieties of tru:h come to
our knowledge. It may be that we
must look to men like Mr. Carnegie
who have fattened upon tariff plunder
for a statement of the case against the
tariff which will convince the popular
mind. Facts and reasons coming from
such sources may prevail where the
same facts and even stronger reasons
from men who have not actually
shared in the riot of pillage would fall
on deaf ears. It Is reasonable to be
lieve that more may come from the
testimony of Mr. Carnegie and men
ike him than they themselves expect.
He may be an unintentional evangelist
who is predestinated to redeem us
from tariff superstition. He may be
foredoomed to break the enchantment
of the curious creed '.hat the mo-e we
tax ourselves the richer we shall grow.
Possibly he Intends to do- something of
the sort. In the Joy of his repentance
for past sins he may even wish to save
others from the guilt of sinning in the
same way and reaping the fruits
thereof.
Mr. Carnegie's testimony before the
committee related strictly to steel.
With all his jesting he made it per
fectly clear that the cost of producing
steel rails, for example, is less In
America than It Is In Europe. Tariff
reformers have always contended that
this might be the case even when wages
were higher here than abroad. The
efficiency of labor has much to do with
the cost of production and It is a set
tled truth that American labor is the
most efficient in the world. Againour
Iron ore and fuel are so situated with
regard to each other and so readily
transported to the place of manufac
ture that it costs comparatively little
on that score to produce the finished
product. To these factors we must
add the executive sk:U of American
captains of industry, which effects
economies the Europeans never
dream of. It Is therefore easy
enough to see why steel rails should
cost less to produce here than abroad,
;::!. : i lie s2inc time we pay higher
wages; and It follows, of course, that
the tariff might be greatly reduced or
removed altogether without affecting
wages at all. Since we can produce
cheaper than the Europeans, we can
undersell them as well without a tariff
as with one.
To Mr. Carnegie's testimony on this
point, which might possibly be deemed
malicious, we must add what Mr.
Schwab and Judge Gary, president of
the steel trust, have said to the same
effect. Some years ago Mr. Schwab
wrote confidentially thab it cost less to
make steel rails here than It did in
Europe, and that consequently It would
not hurt the business if the tariff were
removed. Now he says the cost of
production is higher than it was; but
it Is higher in Europe, too, so that the
argument remains exactly where it
was. The only theoretical purpose of
the tariff Is to equalize the) cost of pro
ductton here and abroad. If it 1b al
ready equalized, no tariff is needed, no
matter how great the cost may be,
Judge Gary says the trust could get
along nicely without protection, but he
shudders to think what would become
of the independent dealers. His point
is that the small men cannot produce
as cheaply as the trust. This Is prob
ably not so. If they could not pro
duce as cheaply they would be driven
out of the market, tariff or no tariff,
When a trust makes a parade of con
sideration for its competitors, we may
feel certain that there is a reason for
It and not a disinterested one, either.
THE PHILOSOPHY Or THE "HOLD-UP."
Lee He M. Shaw, former Secretary of
the Treasury, at the annual alumni
dinner of Dickinson College (Carlisle,
Pa.) a few evenings since, said several
things that ought to be repeated in
every part of the country.
He began with the protest against
the assumption that all men must
succeed without regard for aptitude.
This, he said, "is the socialistic doc
trine, and It is being taught on every
hand." At our Chautauquas, continued
the speaker, "the lecturers are all
preaching the doctrine. Teachers of
sociology in our schools and colleges
are doing the same thing. With few
exceptions they are socialists, as you
can find by a few moments of conver
sation with them, and the exceptions
are anarchists."
Again: "Our public libraries are full
of socialistic literature. In a large
city recently, where there was a strike,
the reading room was packed day after
day with all kinds of people. When
the l'brarian was asked swhat .they
were reading, he replied.: Socialism.
every one of them. There Is not a book
on socialism in any language that is
not here." "
How useful 13 the public library.
when devoted to this description of
literature? It Is really a menace and
a poison. Society and government
are using the power of taxation to
forge weapons against themselves.
The general trend of socialistic litera
ture teaches that the individual is not
to work on his own account, or to
follow the precepts of Industry and
economy for himself, but to expect
society and government to take care of
him. The notion is the fruitful source
of the increasing flood of Indolence,
idleness, pauperism and, crime that is
rolling over the country. The phil
osophy of it Is that whatever each one
may get by robbery he is entitled to
claim and to hold as his own. So
ciety can save Itself only by repres
sion of the doctrine that "property is
robbery," and the notion that "the
world owes every one a living." These
are the principles Instilled by the
mass of socialistic literature. Society
propagates them on the one hand.
through its libraries and lecturers, and
Is forced to arm Itself against them
with police and soldiery, on the other.
WHY NOT A COMPETITIVE TEST?
It is the practice of the National
legislative bodies to conduct a compe
titive examination for the purpose of
selecting men .to fill the position of
reading clerk In each of the houses.
Candidates are required to appear be
fore a committee and read without
previous preparation matter such as
they would be required to read if
placed in the position to which they
aspire. A candidate must demonstrate
his ability to read rapidly, accurately,
intelligently, and in a voice that can
be heard and understood In all parts of
the legislative hall. This is a plan that
might well be adopted by the Oregon
Legislature. Such a competitive test
might very easily relieve the House of
Representatives from the embarrass
ment of having a reading clerk utterly
incompetent to fill the position with
credit to himself or satisfaction to the
members. Such embarrassment has
been felt in times past.
While -many members of the Legis
lature look upon the reading of bills as
a mere formality to be observed only
because It is required by the constitu
tion a formal proceeding to which
they need pay little attention yet
there are others who wish to hear the
bills read so that they may know what
sort of measures they have before
them and may vote thereon under
standing. For the beenfit of such
members it is desirable that a reading
clerk be a man of ability in the partic
ular line of work for which he is em
ployed. Within recent years the Ore
gon Plouse of Representatives has had
reading clerks whose enunciation was
so poor that their words could not be
understood, and has had other clerks
who were utterly unable to pronounce
words which any high school boy
should proYiounoe without hesitaton.
Consideration for the feelings of the
man selected to fill the position pre
vented a change. For their own good
and for the promotion of good legis
lation, the members of the Legislature
should devise some plan by which men
known to be competent will be selected
for this important position.
The contest between the Sheriff and
his deputies on the one side, and the
jfollce on the other, as to which of
them has detected and arrested the
criminals of the railroad robbery looks
like a contest for the reward offered
for the capture' and conviction of the
real criminals. Upon present infor
mation,' The Oregonian ventures no
positive opinion as between the con
testants for the reward; yet it must
say that it looks as if the Sheriff had
apprehended the real criminals and as
If the zeal of the police were manu
factured for obtainment of the pre
mium. But both gangs, those arrest
ed by the Sheriff and those arrested
by the police, are undoubtedly crooks,
and all of them ought to be sent over
the road Just as fast as possible.
There is probably no other locality
In the United States, or perhaps in the
world, where civilization has accom
plished so little as among the Tennes
see outlaws whose nlght-rldlng esca
pades have disgraced the state In
which they find refuge. The West has
produced a number of "bad" men who
placed a very low value on human life.
A few of these Western desperadoes
have killed unarmed men; none of
them has hesitated at committing
murder when cornered. But the an
nals of crime throughout the entire
Western country tell of no such miser
ably low, sneaking murders as that o
Captain Ranken, who was slain by the
night riders. In flogging a defenseless
woman, these human coyotes reveal a
depth of depravity that has seldom If
ever been sounded by anything cre
ated in the image of man. It is well
for these cringing night riders that the
South instead of the West has them
to deal with.
Correct living, a sunny disposition
and an ever-present intention to look
only on the bright side of life have
increased the stay on earth of a great
many people who, according Jo the
rules of the medical profession, should
have hastened across the great divide
many years before they finally took
their departure. Examples of this na
ture are frequent in all walks of lire,
but among the most prominent recent
ly coming before the public was that
of the late Donald G. Mitchell, better
known as "Ik Marvel." Mr. Mitchell
was in his 87th year when he died
From boyhood he had been afflicted
with a pulmonary complaint that on
more than one occasion seriously
threatened his life. It was this con
stant suffering in early life that seems
to have softened his nature and
brought out that wonderful talent
which has made him famous for all
time.
A Grays Harbor sleeper on the night
train to and from Portland would be a
convenience appreciated by the people
of this city as well as those of the
thriving cities on the harbor. Under
our present train service in other di
rections out of Portland, it is possible
for the business men of cities 300 or
400 miles away from Portland to reach
the city on a night train, and, after
spending practically an entire day
here, return to their homes at night.
The Portland man having business in
these cities can also have an entire
day 300 miles away and get home
without loss of business time beyond
the single day. The coming of the
North Bank line has greatly improved
our train service to Spokane and Pa
louse points; the invasion of Grays
Harbor by Mr. Harrlman will proba
bly result in a similar improvement
In that direction.
Samoa seems to be following the
example of a number of other
flyspots . on the world's map, and
Is preparing to hoist an Inde
pendent Samoan flag when the
island Parliament reassembles. An
appeal will then be made to the United
States and Great Britain to decide
whether this action is Justified. The
Samoans say that they lost both power
and dignity when Germany took over
the Islands. If this bs true, it would
certainly warrant them in making an
effort to regain their Independence
They should have the support of Em
peror William himself, for if there Is
any titled ruler on earth who is Just at
this time in a position to understand
from actual experience the humiliation
of a loss of "power and dignity," it is
this selfsame William of Germany,
who is also indirectly ruler of Samoa.
Probably the time never will come
when there will not be murders and
hold-ups and robberies, in one way or
another. But the murders and hold
ups and robberies prevalent Just now
among us, here in Portland, can be
and certainly will be greatly dimin
ished, If Juries will but do their plain
duty. Protection of life and property
is in the hands of Juries. It is their
business to sift the evidence and to re
ject specious and sophistical pleas in
excuse of crime.
It is doubtful whether In any coun
try the law was ever reformed by the
lawyers. If the Multnomah County
bar succeeds in bettering the criminal
procedure of the state, it will set a new
precedent In history. But is it certain
that It would better things to forbid
an appeal to act as a stay of execu
tion One can easily Imagine cases
where it would make things worse.
The desideratum seems to be to stop
foolish reversals of verdicts on appeal.
The official biography of the late
Emperor Kwang Su, in 300 volumes.
which will soon be completed, raises an
interesting problem. If it takes 300
volumes to tell the story of a man who
never said or did a thing of any conse
quence in his life, how many volumes
will it take to tell the story of a real
super-man like the Kaiser or Mr.
Roosevelt? One great difficulty of the
future will be to provide book room
for the big lives of our heroes.
The Postofflce in Portland is the
largest and most important business In
Portland. A man Is to be Postmas
ter, and to direct this business which
concerns the whole body of the people
as nothing else does, who, though now
In middle life, has never been recog
nized as fit for anything In the world,
and who wouldn't be accepted as a
clerk by the proprietor of a peanut
stand. But his heart beats warmly
for Statement One.
The real American drama takes the
form of graft scandals. They supply
us with comedy and tragedy in un
failing abundance. Before one city
closes Its exhibition another Is ready
to open; i'lttsourg can hardly wait for
San Francisco to get oft the stage be
fore It presents a rival attraction. With
these delightful plays ever before us,
what need have we for a Shakespeare?
If the saloon people win in any con
siderable number of the contests they
have started or are planning, it will be
necessary to revise that "wet and dry"
map of Oregon. The danger to the
saloon people is that their contests
will lead to a further revision of a dif
ferent character at the next election.
A' man goes and buys a revolver.
loads it up, then he goes Into the office
of a man with whom he has had a dif
ference, and kills that man by shoot
ing him in the back of the head the
muzzle of the pistol so close that It
burns the hair, and then claims it was
self-defense. Was it self-defense?
It seems strange that Gomez should
think It necessary to scratch up an ex
cuse for starting a revolution in Vene
zuela. It is usually from a man who
does not follow the fashion that ex
cuses are expected.
There was a new deal in Turkey
last week and the people got what they
wanted. This week, however, there
will be the usual two drumsticks to
the bird and some must take the
wings.
Why not invoke the initiative to
double everybody's pay during Decem
ber? The need is obvious.
Even if convicted, a lot of these
murderers may be pardoned,
HAS KILLED GOOD AUTHORSHIP.
Dictation, the Typewriter and the Liter
ary Agent Are the Murderer.
Lord Northcltffe in New York Herald.
Oversystem is killing the modern
writer. We In England have in some
yiings. too little system; here you have
too much. We play too much. - You
work too much. One the whole the
English literary result is a little better
than yours.
Dictation and the typewriter and the
literary agent, with his contracts, are
entirely destroying imaginative work.
I consider that the literary agents are
killing good authorship. Their forcing
methods cause writers to sell work as
fast as they can write it. It ties many
of them up with more contracts than
they can ever fill. You can raise as
paragus under a frame, but it has an
insipid taste.
You will not find many publishers as
frank as I am about the literary agent,
but I think it is a duty to speak strong
ly of this matter.
Let us look at the facts. We have
now an English epeaking public of
150.000,000, but are any geniuses in
evidence? In England we have George
Meredith and Thomas Hardy, but the
work of both belongs to the previous
rather than to our generation. You
have Mark Twain; we have Kipling,
much of whose work will remain. But
who else is there on either side of the
Atlantic or in Australasia? Is there a
Hawthorne, Washington Irving, Edgar
Allan Poe, Fenimore Cooper, Emerson.
O. W. Holmes, Prescott or Motley? Is
there a Dickens, Thackeray or George
Eliot? A Tennyson, Swinburne or Ma
caulay? No. Yet all these writers were
doing their best work when the English
speaking peoples combined numbered
only some 60.000,000 or 70,000,000.
I am not. oblivious to the excellent
work that 'is being done here and in
Europe, but very few of the books pro
duced are written. There are practi
cally no "first raters" today in either
England or America, but there are plen
ty of what I call "first class second
raters." They do .very useful service,
and the average df such work is much
higher today than it was 60 years ago.
But genius is killed.
DR.. WILSON MAKES REPLY.
Indlcatea That Mr. Clnrfce la at lAur by
Relating an Anecdote.
rnBTi.ivn rr Dec. 22. (To the Edi
tor.) In Tuesday's Oregonian a ' per
fect gentleman" who signs himself J. F.
Clarke writes on the moral and political
situation of the Statement No. 1 men.
and takes my name in vain about seven
times. His chief argument seems to uc
hot no t hnvA onlv lived in Oregon four
.raaa T n rtnVA Tin OOinlOH Otl the
morality of the repudiation of a solemn
pledge upon tne oasis oi which a. ma
jority of our State Legislature was
elected.
Permit me to say that while I have not
always been here, I do Wnow as much
about common morality as a friend of
mi in..mo,t in Onllfnrnia. He inauired
of an old German, "Where is the line of
demarcation between an occasional
nir.Ata- onA a ArnAtnnJ liar?" The
German replied, "Ven a man can't never
tell the truth about notings, he 1st the
worst ever, ain t it?
AH I claim is that legislators elected on
one specific promise should make good
on that
CLARF.NCE TRUE WiLHU.V.
Dr. Wilson has included In the fore-
cnine renlv to Mr. Clarke a considerable
part of his Sunday night sermon, already
printed somewhat fully In The Orego
nian. It appears to be hardly necessary
to reprint it.
Keep Smaken Off the Cars.
Th fnllnwiner letter received by B. S.
Josselyn, president of the Portland Rail
way Power & Light Company, is self
explanatory: Tfttav Oreironian contains a statement
that the Council committee, on health and
police will recommend the passage of a
resolution by that body requesting the res
toration of smoking; privileges on the street
cars. It such resolution be suDmittea i"
you, I beg of you, in the name of all that
im rforRnt nnH n.u that is manly and digni
fied, noble and pure, In one In your position,
not to be persuaded again to inflict upon a
helpless community this intolerably dis
gusting and reprehensible practice. We can
turn from the fumea of sobacco on the street
and need not endure It In public r.iaces or
on trains of steam railroads, but when en
countered In streetcars we are helpless and
wholly at the mercy of the offenders. There
Is the only place on earta we cannot flee
the obnoxious fumes. We are compelled to
patronize your cars, and glad that we have
the privilege, hence as I say, we are forced
to suffer all the agonies of this frightful
nuisance, because ur able to escape it. I
am a large patron of your streetcar system.
my car tickets costing from iu to ii
monthly, therefore I rave considerable op
portunity to understand public sentiment on
this Question, and at the time smoking was
forbidden I am sure I heard as many as 100
praise the order tor every one that con
demned, it.
The Eggs In a Mare's Nest.
New York Tribune.
Said Smith to Jones: "That's a tidy
sum your Uncle Samuel is paying to
those fellows over there. There's $40,
000.000 of it, clean cash. Just think how
well that would cut up between you and
me! And there are 250.000 of them to
divide it among. That's only $100
apiece. But I suppose some will get less
and some a great deal more."
Said Jones to Brown: "Say, do you
know what I heard? Somebody is going
to eet a lot more of that $40,000,000 than
the rest of the gang. I wouldn't wonder
if somebody has been getting in on tne
ground floor. I wonder if any of our
own folks were smart enough to do it."
Said Brown to Jenkins: "Ihey say
that a good share of that $40,000,000
which your Uncle Samuel paid to those
fellows over there came right back
home to some of our own people wno
had formed a syndicate to buy up the
securities for a mere song."
Sand Jenkins to Munchausen: i see
that It has come out that your Uncle
Samuel never paid a cent of that $40.
nnn 000 to those fellows over there, but
Just 'divvied the whole boodle' between
our friends Bnuin anu junea. witm
rotten lot we are, anyway!"
Then Munchausen went out ana wept.
bitterly. .
Sonnets on a Christmas Gift.
Chicago News.
I
To be or not to be? What shall I do?
Shall I buy Jones m. turiBiiuM am. iw
y ear ?
.-i w...,-aa t nm unwilling to aDoear
gtlngy, and he's a friend both tried and
true.
I am not one of those persons who
Hang on to every c-m, nu a
That I may And his friendship all too
Henr
That later my extravagance I'll rue.
I think this innstmas giving is a wt
i tmnosition. Why should I expend
Five dollars, or it may be even more?
They always come to more than I intend.
And yet I know I ought not to ignore
Old Jones, lor alter an n us aiy uiouu.
Last year Jones eent to me a case of wine.
The year oeiore, cigaro, nn-oiiM niiaiBut.
Thi. mminr Christmas he'll anticipate
Something from me, and something pretty
Of course I must do something in that line.
I Can t anOrU tO BIIWW mjacu a. anaLU.
T3.., T'v Keen navine out a lot of late
And his gift, too, might not compare with
mine.
If he came up with something rather nice
I might be willing something nice to buy,
But I can't think of any smart device
To find mat qui, ana mai e lud tvkluvu
whv
I sort of hesitate about the price.
I tnmit i ii tjiupujiitiew uiu uo.
She Knew These.
Catholic Standard and Times.
Miss Dubley She was braggln' about
how successful her dinner party was.
She said it wound up "with great eclaw."
What's "eclaw." anyway?
Miss Mugley Why, 1 guess that was
the dessert. Did you never eat a choc
olate eclaw 7
YOO'G BOT IS SEVTEXCED
Hoodlums' Leader Must Serve Term
in Reform School.
Carl Lacey, 17 years old, was yester
day ordered by Judge Gantenbein com
mitted to the Reform School at Salem.
Lacey is the ringleader of a prang of
hoodlums that the officers of the Juvenile
Court' has been endeavoring to ppre
hend for the past six months. Hugh Mc
Klnnon, 16 years old. was also sentenced
to the Reform School, but sentence was
suspended pending good behavior. Eddie
White, aged 17. and Raymond Burns, 13,
members of the same crowd, were last
week sent to the Reform School. Dan
McKinnon, aged 14; Charles Cleveland,
aged 17; Cecil Downey, aged 15, were
placed on probation.
The boys in question have been hang
ing around the Union Station, selling
papers and gambling and smoking in the
station building. They have also fre
quented poolrooms on Burnside street.
They are known to have stolen various
articles from stores near the depot.
The officers of the court consider the
capture of Lacey a matter of much Im
portance on account of Jtis Influence over
other boys. In his testimony he admitted
that he had associated with tramps and
hobos and during the past Summer had
beat his way to Chicago and back.
Wlnfield Oliver, of 514 Mllwaukie street.
was arraigned before Judge Gantenbein
on fho charee of neelecting his cniiaren
Mrs. Oliver is unsound mentally and is
tho mother of 12 children, eight of whom
are living. Of these, but three now live
with their parents. The school inspector
reported that not only were tne cniiaren
uncared for. but that the premises were
In a deplorably unsanitary condition.
Oliver was warned to clean up nis pi em
lues and eive his children proper super
vision or they would be taken away
from him.
GUIITY OF MANSLAUGHTER
Jury Returns Verdict Against Ital
ia n Who Killed Friend.
Guilty of manslaughter was the verdict
rendered last night by the Jury in the
case of Antonio Petarsso, charged with
the murder of Yincenzo Disantis. ine
arguments in the case were concluded at
about 3 o clock yesterday anernoon. kmu
after receiving instructions from Judge
Morrow, the Jury retired. The case was
oDened a week ago. and has been consm
erably retarded due to the fact that most
of the witnesses speak no n-ncnsn ana
thoir testimony has had to be transmitted
through an interpreter, a method involv
ing delay and Inconvenience.
The killing of Disantis was the out
come of a auarrel at a marriage supper,
at which the principals and others drank
too much. Petarsso claimed that Dis
antis attacked him with a knife before
he (Petarsso) fired the fatal shot. Seneca
Fouts and A. E. Mlnar appeared for the
defendant; Special Prosecutor John
Ditchburn and Thad. W. Vreelanrt rep
resented the state. The Jury was com
posed of the following: M. Kronenberg.
R. F. Crawford. A. J. Fanno, E. R.
Gardner. C. H. Clement. J. G. Darr. H.
E. Clemens. J. W. Caldwell, E. O. Dan
iel, E. A. Jenkins, W. R. Gradon and
Edwin Carlisle.
ACQUITTED FOR .SPEEDING
B. F. Josselyn and C. F. Adams Ig
norant of Violation of Iaw.
B. S. Josselyn, president of the Port
land Railway, Light & Power Com . ny,
and C. F. Adams, president of the Port
land Gas Company, were yestorday morn
ing acquitted of the charge of violating
the city ordinance governing the speed of
automobile. The defense showed that
Mr. Adams had lent his motor to a friend
and that this friend exceeded the speed
limit without the defendant's knowledge.
Mr. Josselyn's car at the time the viola
tion was alleged to have taken place, was
driven by his chauffeur, the owner being
unaware of the fact.
Judge Cleland declined to fine the de
fendants for an offense of which they
were ignorant and dismissed the case.
Ex-Senator Joseph Simon represented Mr.
Adams, while Frederick V. Holman ap
peared for Mr. Josselyn.
NEW BRIDGES TO BE USED
Through Service to Grays Harbor
Begins Saturday.
Routing Northern Pacific trains over
the North Bank bridges and the Ka-lama-Vancouver
extension, which will be
Inaugurated next Saturday, will be at
tended by other advantages than that of
more direct communication between Port
land and Seattle and Eastern points. Sim
ultaneous with this change of service,
the Northern Pacific will install a
through daily train between Portland and
Grays Harbor In response to the demands
of the business interests of this city and
Southwestern Washington. The Grays
Harbor train will leave Portland at 8:30
A. M. and arrive at Hoquiam at 3:05
P. M. From Hoquiam the train will
leave at 8:15 A. M. and. arrive at Port
land at 4:15 P. M.
Beginning Saturday all local business
between Portland and Goble will be
served by the Astoria & Columbia River
Portland-Astoria trains. I These changes
will dispense with the need for the pi
oneer ferry Tacoma. which has seen
service ever since the Northern Pacific
completed its road to Portland and it Is
recorded of the old boat that she never
missed a trip in her entire career. The
Tacoma will not be removed from her
Goble-Kalama run until the service of
the Northern Pacific via the North Bank
bridges and the Kalama-Vancouver ex
tension has been thoroughly established.
From the beginning a saving of about
30 minutes in the schedule of Northern
Pacific trains between Portland and Se
attle will be affected. The running
time between the two points will be fur
ther reduced when the operation of the
drawbridges is perfected and the newly
constructed road between Vancouver and
Kalama has adjusted Itself to more rapid
operation of trains.
What Delnya Prosperity.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
The American people are evidently
regaining confidence in themselves,
their country, its Institutions and laws,
and power" to look upon the flaws in all
these with common sense. But it Is
darkening of counsel to attempt to per
suade ourselves that all our hardships
are past and that we are about to go
on Immediately with the easy pros
perity of two years ago.
It is not so easy to build, up as it
Is to tear down. That is truth which
real statesmanship never forgets, no
matter what the impatience shown by
benevolent intentions with its delibera
tion. That we 'have not yet rebuilt
that which we permitted to be torn
down by the reforming zeal that would
burn the barn merely to kill the rats
is plain from the facts that both money
and labor are idle and anxious.
It is the object, the business and the
duty of Government to create condi
tions where both capital, or saved and
stored labor, and living labor may be
fairly and profitably employed. And
that is about all the business of gov
ernment. What shattered our pros
perity was chiefly the diversion of
government to matters not Its busi
ness. What delays the return of pros
perity is the remaining uncertainty
that government will now attend strict
ly to its business.
Snow Covers Grain-Fields.
GOLDENDALE. Wash., Dec. 22. (Spe
cial.) The first snow of the season fell
here yesterday to a depth of three inches.
This snow will be worth many thousand
dollars to the grain crop.
TELLS OF PRESIDENTS' TRIP
V. Ij. Flnley Says President Is Not
Going Merely for Game.
William n. Finley, of this city,
who is widely known as a naturalist,
lecturer and writer of bird and animal
stories, returned home yesterday after
spending two months In New York and
other Eastern cities.
While in Washington. " Mr. Flnley,
who is an expert on game protection,
consulted with President Roosevelt on
matters of wild bird and a-nlmal legis
lation. It was upon the recommenda
tion of Mr. Finley and Mr. Hohlman
of this city that the President set aside
last August the largest and best reser
vations In the 1'nltert States for the
protection of wild fowl, Klamath Lake
and Malheur Lake Reservations.
President Roosevelt was greatly in
terested in the wild bird photographs
taken by these two naturalists. Many
of their pictures have been pronounced
the very best ever taken of wild birds.
One in particular taken at the seashore
of a gull over the waves, the President
says is the finest thing he has ever
seen in the wild bird photography.
"American Birds'' of which Mr. Flnley
Is the author, the President says is the
best, book on Western bird life he has
ever read. It gives accurately the home
life of wild birds.
Because of his wide experience In the
field with the camera. President Roose
velt asked Mr. Finley to visit his son
Kermit at Harvard, who is to be the
official photographer on the African
trip, and give him suggestions as to
the field work and equipment. This
was done and no exptnsn Is being
spared to get the best cameras and ap
paratus. When asked his opinion as to the
President's African trip and the out
come. Mr. Flnley said:
"It will be a hard trip and an ex
pensive trip. I regret one thing. It
has been heralded broadcast as a hunt
ing: expedition. a trip to kill things.
This point has everywhere been feat
ured. It Is not true. The President
is a hunter, but not a mere killer of
birds and animals. This is a scientific
expedition. Three of our best scientists
accompany the President. It is not a
mere hunting party. Every effort will
be made to study and photograph birds
and animals from life. Some of these
creatures will, of course, be killcil. but
they will be used fo enrich the collec
tions of the Smithsonian Institution,
where they are needed. If the press
of . the country heralds this as a hunt
ing trip alone and gives prominence
to the killing of things, it will not be A
unwholesome example for the American1
boy. We will have diminutive Africa rt
trips through every patch of woods in
the land. It will be a set-back to our
efforts at humane education."
Mr. Finley had a number of interest
ing experiences to tell of his visits
with Eastern naturalists. He is well
acquainted with John Burroughs
and spent a night with him at Slab
sides, which is a favorite cabin a mile
back In the woods from his home on
the Hudson. Mr. Burroughs often goes
to this retreat to write and live in camp
fashion bv cooking his own meals over
the big open fire. Mr. Flnley also
spent a day with Ernest Thompson
Feton at his country home at Cos Cob,
Connecticut.
"Mr. Seton owns 150 acres of New
England forest and has a place of many
interesting features," continued Mn
Flnley. "The place Is kept largely in
the wild state, so It is a retreat for
birds and animals. Homer Daven
port has a similar place in New Jer
sey. You can tell Davenport was born
on an Oregon farm the minute he
grasps your hand. He's a combination
of frank open-heartedness and Western
cordiality that makes you feel at home
even though you are but an hour
out side of New York City.
"Dallas Lore Sharp is one of the
best men I know. He Is professor of
English in the Boston University. Like
other lovers of nature, he lives in the
country. Ho can't rear his four boys
and live cramped up In a city flat. As
John Burroughs says. 'Mr. Sharp is
making more and better literature
than any nature writer today.' His re
cent book, the "Lay of the Land' is
his best. His three books are not
widely known In the West, but the
whole tone of his writing is so sincere,
the natural history is good, that they
will outlast most all nature books of
today."
During the coming year some of Mr.
Finley's Illustrated articles on b!rd and
animal life will appear in Country Life,
Harper's, Everybody's, Success. Collier s
and other leading publications. The
most important scientific study made
by Mr. Finley and Mr. Bohlman, and
the one that has attracted the atten
tion of ornithologists all over the world,
on the life history of the California
condor, will be published as a book
during the coming Summer by Charles
Scribner's Sons.
ARMING FOR CIVIL STRIFE
Gomez Recruiting Troops to Fight
Castro's Adherents.
CARACAS, Venezuela, Friday, De-
i ii vio Ponce. P. R.. Dec 22.
There has been no repetition in this
nf the anti-Castro demonstrations
of December 13 and 14, but the en
forced resignation of the Castro cabi
net which occurred yesterday is re-
.'.i,i n-ino- f:, r toward seallntr the
fate of President Castro In Venezuela.
The fall of the cabinet is a logical out
come or the fact that Acting President
Gomez permitted the anti-Castro dem
onstrations in Caracas in the early
days of the week.
The change of ministry was effected
and made known only after the arrival
of 1500 soldiers from the Interior, who
are loyal to Gomez.
i .,i mintarv activity every
where, and troops are being recruited
and armed with energy in tn ifi
that the men in- the interior loyal to
Castro will fight.
DUTCH SHUT SHIP IN PORT
Threaten Capture if She leaves.
Holland Declines Compromise.
CARACAS. Venezuela. Dec. IX. Friday
The steamer Manzares, of the Orinoco
1 nrnnertv of Presi
dent Castro, is tried up at La Guayra
because the commander of one of the
Dutch warships has threatened to cap-
ire her if she leaves port, -mi umuiu
th Cludad Bolivar, on the Orinoco
iver, has been stopped in consequence
f the attitude of the Dutch.
Baron von Seckendorf. the German
Minister, who has representeo nuiimiu
here recently, had a conterence with act
ing President Gomez yesterday. He pre
sented Holland's answer, declining the
proposal made recently by Venezuela that
the trans-shipment decree against the
Island of Curacoa be regarded as a dead
letter without revoking it.
To the Cynics.
Walter Beverly Crane In New York Times.
Christmas conies but owe a year.
Do not make a Jest of it;
Tin a peason of good cheer.
Cynics spoil the seat of it.
Now a respite, brief repose.
Let us make the best of it :
Drown our many weary woes:
Christmas, wo are blest of It.
Christmas comes but once & year.
Children love the zest of Iti
Now a message slad we hear.
Hearken to behest of it;
Just nood-wlll and wishes kind.
And your love, the best or it.
If we're poor well, never mind:
T.aUKh we will and Jest of It.
OlT'stmas comes but once a year.
Money s not the test of It.
Hearts alone can help and cheer.
ChrlFt has made the best of it.
Whatsoever may hffall.
Sorrows or the rest of It.
Merry Christmas comes to all.
ven those who Jest of it.
. 4