8fj tertian PORTLAND, ORKGOX. Enured at Portlmnd, Orecoo, Postotncs as Fecond.-Cl.tss Maiur. (Hibscriptloa Bates loTsrlsblr In Advance, (By Mail.) ra!!y, Sunday lnrlulrrt. one year ISO? I'alir. runilir Include'!, a.x mutill .. iJaKj-. Sunday Included, ti.ree months ; PaUy, Sunday Included, one month.... l.iy. without Sunlay. one year -"'' 1:J-. without Sunday. :x months. . J--J Ially. without Sunday, three months.. l '- )aliy. without Sunday, one month Weekly, one year , J ?" Sunday, one year... ...... Sunday and Weekly, one year I By C arrier.) ra'!T, Sunday Inclurtod. one year...... Dally. Sunday Includea. one month. . . . How to Remit Send postofnee moa,J oruer. epre order or personal check on your loral bank Stamps, com or currency are at trw send.-r'j risk. Give postofllce ad dress la full, including county and late. Fctare Kates 10 to 11 raKc. 1 coi-t- 1 to 2S puses. 2 cents; 30 to 44 pases. S cents. 4 t.i 6o pajes. 4 cent. Koreija posta.a duubie rates. Fastern Buine.. Office The S. C. BeeV suih Special Asency . eir York. rooms 41 & Tribune b-.illdib. Chicuso. rooms iu-l. Tribune building. PORTLAND. SATVUDAY. JAN. . 1909 ST. JACKSON'S DAV. On the part of the British Empire ourirarof 1S12 was asmall side issue. Great Britain had been contending for many years with the colossal power of Napoleon. Towards the Vnited States Great Britain held a high tone, because she esteemed us in a. military and naval sense a negligi ble quantity; and so we were. In pingle combats our vessels at sea won many victories, but such victories could not decide the Tate of a war. On land our achievements reflected no cretin upon us. We could not ' even defend our National Capital. The victory of Lake Erie was some thins to our credit, and so was the double victory on Lake Champlaln and at riaUsburg. tut these Ameri can successes did not shake the con fidence of the English, who, so soon as freed from the pressure of Na poleon's power, by his fall (in 1814), did not doubt that they would be able to compel tho Americans to sue for peace. Hence the invasion of Louis iana by the British forces, under Sir Edward fakenham. brother-in-law of the Duke of Wellington. EvCnts moved rapidly, even in those days. Napoleon was In banishment at Elba. During the first months of his tay there, the English government prepared new efforts against America. Veteran troops, released from the Eu ropean wars, were sent over, to com plete the conquest. Belief that it would be easy to wipe out the reverse thut had occurred at Piattsburg for this reverse was attributed to a series of blunders led the commander o the British expedition to Louisiana to make the attack on the American intrenchments at New Orleans. It was a sort of Bunker Hill over again, but to the British arms a greater dis aster. Repulse of the British had nothing, however, to do with the termination of the war. Peace already had been concluded weeks before the battle of New Orleans. Details of the peace had. however, little or nothing' to do with the causes of the war, but were so arranged as to settle, or to estab lish a truce, upon a number of mat ters of dispute that had arisen during Its progress. It was no "Second War of Independence" for us though it was called such by our politicians. England dealt with us as an ally of France and such we were In senti ment, and as far as we could be In action and fact, short of war. at first, and then in actual war; and England was struggling for her life against the might of Napoleon. The victory of Europe over Napoleon freed England from her disposition to push her col lateral enterprise, the American war. Hence she was most willing to make peace with the United States. But the Idea was long ascendant In the American mind that she "made peace because she was whipped at New Orleans," though In fact peace had been made a considerable time be fore that event. Tho battle of New Orleans, there fore, hnd no effect whatever on the controversy between the two coun tries, or on the war itself. But it had an immense effect on our political life and on our general history. It made Jackson a hero, and exalted the rule of tho demagogue in our politics. It made partisan conditions from which our country has even yet scarcely recovered. It puffed up our Southern people with an idoa of their Immense military prowess and super iority, and was one of the Inciting causes of the bravado that introduced the Civil War. It led to the system of partisan spoils In politics from which the country has not even yet recov ered. It gives Bourne his Postmaster In Portland, and makes obedience to party in every state the great fact of local politics. The battle of New Orleans achieved nothing at all for us as a Nation, .in a conflict with an enemy, but has cursed us us a people ever, since; and commemoration of the eighth of January will cease as we grow older and wiser and better as a people. - - AMf-TKJfetP.AMl LAW KEI)E1. f m i. r, L-ilT.rt t L' 1 1 :r.ri n 1 1 M I V In Jured and the lives of seventy-five passengers seriously Imperiled. Is the result cf the derailment of a Great Northern passenger train at Belling ham. Wash.. Thursday. The wreck was caused by some fiend In human form who threw the switch so that the train would plunge into the bay, and then extinguished the switch light so that the engineer could not see the danger. In the clrcumt-inces it seems almost miraculous that the loss of life was not very heavy. Despite the murderous nature of this crime, it U not an unusual one, and tho results contribute to the terrible showing which Is made by the American rail roads each year. Our railroads have a bad reputation at home and abroad for the number of reople they an nually kill. In comparison with the roads of other countries, this showing is most unfavorable, but there are so many fatalities on American roads In which the railroad company is to a large de gree blameless that comparisons lose some of their value. This feature of the annual death roll received consid erable attention at a recent meeting of the State Kailroad Commissioners of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan, held In Chicago, and It was their unanimous opinion that without the co-operation of state, municipal, county and township authorities, con trol by the railroads over fatalltlas Is Impossible. The Belllngbam case Is, of course, one In which the authori ties would have full JurlsdicUon, but railroad tracks, yards and rights of way are so generally used by the pub lic In this country that, until ho ae-t-jtUly committed the crime of threw- ' lng the switch, the criminal trespasser on railroad property would hardly have been amenable to arrest. The j laws of England. France ana Ger many are so strict on mis point mat any trespasser on railroad property is promptly arrested. The extent to which rail fatalities Includes trespassers Is shown in the reports of the Interstate Commerce Commission, which place nearly three fAiirthi or the killed on American i railroads under the head of trespass j Prs people for whose safety the rall- road could not in any manner be held responsible, une greater proportion of these victims which swelled the American railroad casualty list were tramrs, but the list- also included a large number of excellent people who regard the railroad track as a general highway. To remedy this evil, 'the Kailroad Commissioners mentioned recommend the passage of a law to prevent people from trespassing on railroad tracks. They also suggest that section foremen and other em ployes of tho railroads be given police power for enforcement of the law. Such legislation would not only pro tect careless people against their own folly, but it might be the means of preventing such crimes as that at Bel llngham. GOOD wn.L COME OF IT. The response of the House com mittee, and of the members named by the President, to his message of reply to their protest against his remark that the chlof argument in favor of cutting oft the appropriation for the Secret Service was that "members of the House did not themselves wish to be Investigated," Is tame and Incon clusive. The President very well sup ported his statement that this was the chief argument. If "there was not a member of the House who feared in vestigation" It certainly was unfortu nate that the debate In the House showed a spirit that gave rise to an Inference that some of them did fear it. There Is scarcely an Instance In which It is found that fraud la at tempted, by appropriation of some of the public resources of the country to private use, where It will' not be dis covered that the person making the effort has tried to enlist the support of his member of Congress; and though the member may be guiltless of any wrongful Intent, yet his name may be found, here or there, at some stage of the proceeding, backing the scheme. The member would natur ally wish to avoid exposure of his name In connection with the affair. Besides, he would resent any Inquiry by Secret Service men. The incident is unpleasant, yet good will result from It, Members of Con gress will be more cautious and care ful and hesltajit about the schemes In which enterprising constituents may desire their assistance. Herein always has been an agency of a great amount of wrongdoing. MORE ABOUT HETCH-irETCTIT. If the San Francisco Call is really as ignorant as it seems to be con cerning the affairs of Us home city. The Oregonian will count no effort lost which helps to enlighten Its blindness. Of course the Call's case may be that of a blind man who will not see, but we cheerfully run the risk of that and gladly resume our missionary labors In behalf of tho Hetch-Hetchy Valley, which certain parties hiding under the name of the City of San Francisco are seeking to despoil. "California," says the Call, "has some rights In the matter. If the valley can be put to beneficial use other than that of a pleasure resort we claim that right." If the claim be conceded In one case. It must In all, and the way Is open to the plunder of the rest of the Yosemite Park, the Yellowstone Park and all the other pleasure and health resorts of the people as soon as anybody thinks ha can put them "to beneficial use." We shall say nothing about the consum mate barbarity of this proposition. We prefer to dwell upon Its astound ing impudence. It amounts to saying that the American people do not own any of their property. They have merely a temporary right to its use, which will cease the Instant somebody wants to take It away from them. To put the matter briefly, California has not a particle more right to the Hetch Hetchy Valley than Oregon or Maine has. It belongs to the whole Nation. The fact that San Francisco happens to be nearer the valley than Portland gives It no greater rights there than we have. The statement that the contemplated water system will not Injure the valley Is also made by the Call, probably without much expecta tion that It "will be believed. Tho truth is that the beauty of the valley would be ruined and Its use as a re sort for health and pleasure made forever Impossible. To keep the water pure enough for use In the city, the public must be excluded from the entire watershed ut the Tuolumne River, which includes about one-half of the Yosemite Park. If there were any necessity for this outrageous piece of robbery the public might submit to It with some resig nation, but there Is no necessity. The Call contradicts Tho Oregonian upon this point, but we are prepared to back our statement with authority of tho highest excellence. On August 28, 1908. C. E. Grunsky read an article on "The Water Supply of San Francisco" before the Technical So ciety of the Pacific Coast. Mr. Grunsky was recently City Engineer of San Francisco and was made a member of the Panama Canal Com mission by Mr. Roosevelt on account of his eminent qualifications. He ought to know the truth about the water supply of San Francisco If anybody does, and this is what he says In the paper to which we refer. After stating explicit that the sources of the Spring Valley Company can be made to yield 109,000.000 gallons dally, Mr. Grunsky adds: "It may also be noted that arrangements could be made to draw. In case of emer gency, upon the great artesian water supply known to be within reach at the southerly end of San Francisco Bay." Mr. Grunsky favors the scheme to destroy the Hetch-Hetchy Valley, but he does not seem to feel absolved from telling the truth as some of the other conspirators do. Colonel W. H. Heuer, of the United States Army, substantially corrobor ates this report, as does also Profes sor George Davidson of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. It thus appears on the best possi ble authority that San Francisco has available more than 100.000.000 gal lons of water daily without infringing upon the Hetch-Hetchy Valley. By a competent estimate the city will not need more than 60,000,000 gallons dal'.y before 1950. Where, then. Is the necessity of Invading the pleasure re sort of the people? There is not even a. shadow of necessity. Sao Francisco THE MORNING OREGOXIAX, SATURDAY, f has to pay the Spring Valley Company for water, while the property of the I nublic can be taken by the inexpen sive process of robbery, mat seems to bo the gist of the matter. THE AGIUC r LTI RAL COLLEGE. For. the last two or three years the annual Increase In the attendance at the Oregon Agricultural College has Just about equaled the full enrollment at the State University. We cite this fact not to decry the latter Institution, but to emphasize the importance of tho school at Corvallls. Last year it had more than 1100 students. This year its enrollment may run up to 1600. The student body Is composed of some of the brightest young women and men In the state. They are pur suing studies which will add directly to their efficiency as producers of wealth and which will fit them to de velop and extend our Industries. They are studying engineering, dairying, fruitgrowing, domestic science, stock breeding and similar branches. On the other hand, the state is doing comparatively little to aid their work. Most of the support of the Agricul tural College has thus far come from the United States Government, but It really appears as if It were now time for Oregon to do something substan tial for the largest and most directly useful of her educational Institutions. The professors are underpaid. The equipment Is by no means what it should be in a, college of such mag nitude and rapid growth. The build ings are not adequate to the needs of tho students. Several new ones are indispensable. The State University, with a much emallir student body, now draws from the state $125,000. a year. The Agricultural- College re ceives but a fraction of that amount, although It is vastly more expensive to teach engineering and horticulture well than it Is to teach Latin and rhetoric. The latter require nothing but textbook end professor. The former demand costly apparatus. We do not mean to suggest that the State University receives too much, but It is undeniable that the Agricultural Col lege receives too ilttle. Were the two schools united, as they ought to bo, one outfit of libraries, appa ratus and buildings would serve for both, as they do at Madison and Min neapolis; but since this cannot be, it is the worst of folly for the state to be niggardly to the school at Corvallls. The reasonable requests of the regents for funds -should be granted. The faculty should bo encouraged by proper salaries. The college should be equipped with buildings and ap paratus. It will pay to give the boys and girls of Oregon as good an educa tion at Corvallls as they can obtain anywhere. All that Is spent upon them will come bock In the develop ment of industry and the enlargement of the higher life of the state. OIK nJCOMPARABLOE CLIMATE. It may be hoped that recent arrivals In Oregon, who are In the habit of speaking deprecatingly of Oregon's climate when the rain is falling, and who speak longingly of "Eastern weather," have enjoyed to the full the unexpected Installment of snow, east winds and low temperatures of the present week. It may be feared, how ever, that they did not find the type of weather for which they profess themselves fond so very agreeable af ter all, since their clamor about the climate of Oregon has increased with this gust from the northeast to which we have been treated. Oregoniuns, bo thoroughly seasoned to the normal climate of the Willam ette Valley that they would not from choice live In any other, freely admit that northeast winds accompanied by snow and low temperature make a nasty combination and one that, belnsr sensible people In the main, they do not enjoy. This is what makes them point with pride to the record of Ore gon's climate covering a space of forty or fifty years, which shows but four or five "spells of weather" like the present week's. Three times in a third of a century the Willamette River has been frozen over at this city in 1875, 1884 and 1888. In the first and last-named years the cold snap came In January; in 1884 in December. Portland was not much of a city in those years, but such business as it had was paralyzed while the storm lasted, and Its people then, as now, sighed for the coming of the blessed chlnook wind, whose advent sets all things right in the Pacific Northwest. There were growlers here then, as now not so many then as now, be cause there were not so many people; but In the main the people enjoyed what was enjoyable In the situation skated and coasted and went sleigh riding; did such work as was neces sary to make themselves, their fam-. Hies and their stock comfortable; ana when tho rain came and the embargo of the frost was broken, they took up the work of life again, thankful that the "cold spell" came but seldom, and that it lasted but a few weeks Instead of three or four months. GATHERING DEAD SEA FRCIT. A Chicago dispatch In yesterday's Oregonian announces that the Chi cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad will, upon completion of its Paciflo Coast line, "make a special effort to secure Oriental traffic." A traffic al liance between the railroad and the Osaka Shoshen Kaisha is reported, and it is said that "this company Is now constructing six modern, fast steamers for trade to the Orient, and the St. Paul hopes to absorb the lion's share of this business, now that all other American roads have gone out of it." So long as the present inter state commerce ruling regarding freight rates on commodities shipped beyond United States territory re mains unchanged, the Milwaukee will experience no difficulty In securing not only the "lion's share," but all other "shares" in this trade. In view of the present unsatisfac tory condition of the Oriental trade, it will prove somewhat mystifying to thoso concerns so recently driven out of It to understand the Milwaukee's desire to pluck this Dead Sea fruit tmtil a change In the present absurd law Imparts some value to the trade. Unless Senator Fulton's rate bill, car rying an amendment permitting trans portation companies, without notice to the Interstate Commerce Commission, to make through rates on commodities shipped from . any foreign country through tho United States to another foreign point. Is passed, the new road to the Coast will face the same diffi culty that has driven the other trans continental roads out of the Oriental trade. Mr. Hill is securing terminals just over the line In Canada, and in the event of Congress falling to give tho relief sought, can at a slight dis advantage still handle a considerable portion of the business. Mr. Harri man is Improving his Mexican connec tions, and may find a port In the south where he can. meet the competi- J tion of the Suez route for the trade of the Far.East; but as a business propo sition there is no opening at the pres ent time for any new lines or any old ones to engage in the Oriental trade at a Pacific Coast terminal In the United States. Since the ruling which diverted this traffic from the Pacific ports to the Suez route went into effect, the Bos ton Towboat Company, operating five mammoth steamships out of Seattle and Tacoma, has withdrawn entirely from the field. The Hill lines, after losing the Dakota, made no effort to replace her, and much of the time have been sending the Minnesota out without a full cargo, and even the Japanese line, which enJ6ys the ben efit of a subsidy, cut down the num ber of steamers engaged and then sent most of them out in ballast trim. For nearly two years there have been more steamers In the trans-Pacific trade than were needed to handle the traffic, and, while there has been a material decrease in the number since the obnoxious law regarding this traffic became effective, there are still enough on hand to cause some specu lation as to where the traffic is com ing from to support another trl monthly service. On account of the low rates, which it was necessary that the railroads should make in order to meet the competition of the Suez, there was never much, If any, profit In the busi ness; but its chief value was In bring ing cars west with loads instead of empty, to meet the demands -of the lumber and fruit shippers on the Pa cific Coast. This feature la undoubt edly the chief attraction the trade has for the Milwaukee road, but if It can handle the business under the present law. It will have accomplished some thing that has baffled all of the rail road men now engaged In the busi ness. After allowing themselves to be shut up for several days by a little snow, like a bunch of sick and be draggled chickens in a coop, the peo ple of Portland are beginning to move about again. It is astonishing with what a paralysis a little snow will strike our people. They huddle up at home and cuss the milkman and the postman, if they should be a little late, and The Oregonian's car riers, too; and yet they haven't en ergy enough to shovel the snow off their sidewalks or even off their front steps, for days together. But they are beginning to stir about a little again. If this weather should last a month or six weeks It would help them mightily. There, is stuff in our people, but It takes fire to melt it out. Snow, however, will do as well. Only drawback is that snow doesn't come often enough. The Swedes are not snowed up In their own country, nor the Swiss. There are disadvan tages In living in the pine-apple belt There was snow in Portland, fre quently, before it became the rose city. A Teheran dispatch to St. Peters burg says that the Shah of Persia has issued a manifesto revoking the con stitution which he recently conferred on the people, and as a result rioting is again under way. This seems quite natural. The Persian people supposed they were getting a real constitution, while the Shah apparently handed them one of the lemon kind that could be revoked, canceled or repudiated without notice. Some one should send the Shah some newspapers with ac counts of what has recently happened to the Sultan of Turkey, Castro of Venezuela, William of Germany, and a few other rulers who have under gone a shrinking operation for reduc ing the siae of their heads. A new Shah who understands the kind of a constitution that the Persians desire Is among the possibilities for that coun try. Government ownership, municipal ownership or state ownership of rail roads and similar utilities seems to have about the same experience in all lands and 'among all people wher ever It is experimented with. Consul Alfred A. Winslow, of Valparaiso, makes an interesting report on the state railroads of Chile, showing that for the year 1907 the expenses of the roads were $19,292,534, while the re ceipts were but $11,807,696. This is an increase of more than $6,000,000 in the deficit, as compared with the previous year, when the roads ran behind a trifle less than $1,500,000. The increase in expenses is said to bo due to higher wages paid employes and to the necessity of replacing the rolling stock, although but twice In the past nine years have the receipts equaled the expenses. Marjorle Gould was introduced to the society world Thursday night at a cost to Papa Gould of $115,000 for the evening's entertainment. There were, of course, a good many thou sand starving people in New York while the festivities were on who could have been relieved by the ex penditure of less than half the amount spent on music, roses, orchids, etc., but it has been s- long since a female member of the Gould family has been mentioned as doing anything respecta ble that much of the criticism will be withheld. It should also be remem bered that whatever Is spent for American flowers and music will not be use;d In the purchase of a nasty nobleman, who. In the experience of the Gould family, is always nastier than noble. Heated particles "about the size of No. 8 shot and resembling lead" have been falling at Santa Cruz, California. Why do such things happen where they are not needed? St, Hagnes Hove! 'Ow werry chill tt was! The Howl, for all 'is hulster, was a-cold. The 'Are went limping through the frozen grass, etc., k. t. I. "Impulsive insanity" was what was the matter with Captain Halns when he shot Annls. Murder has many names. Everybody should throw a handful of bread crumbs on the snow at the leeward side of the house for the birds. The congregation will please open the exercises this morning by singing: O, for a beaker full of the warm South! Well, suppose the lights should be shut off. Nobody wants to leave home nowadays. Nobody has heard a word from Tom Richardson since the first flake fell. Now we shall see what the Pitch fork can do against the Big Stick. After tho Winter comes the Spring. Fvui th& birds. JANUARY 9, 1909. THE OREGONIAN'S GREAT SPECIAL Commendation From State Press u . New Year's MeiUBKn. Woodburn Independent. The Oregonian's New Year edition fills the present bill and is the issue needed for the hour. It will materially assist In bringing many homeseekers to Oregon. Superb Issue, Oregon's Great Paper. Albany Herald. The Oregonian's New Year special edi tion is certainly a superb issue of Ore gon's great newspaper. It was full of most interesting and valuable Informa tion and will undoubtedly be the means of accomplishing much good for Oregon. Worth. Its Weight In Gold o Oregon. Eugene Register. Great Industrial editions like that Is sued on New Year's Day by The Oregon ian, are worth their weight in gold to a state like Oregon. It is such com prehensive statements of facts con cerning the commonwealth, complied with care and accuracy that are power ful factors in Oregon's rapid develop ment. Best Special on the Faclne Coast. Grants Pass Observer. The Oregonian has surpassed Itself in Its New Year number. Issued January 1, 1909. The numbor contains 62 seven column pages, and Is loaded with Inform ation of Oregon and the West. The il lustrations are elaborate and the whole execution fine. It is the best special newspaper number over Issued on the Coast, Boosters l Oregon and The Oresronlan. San Francisco Chronicle. "Boost for Oregon" is the keynote sounded by the Annual number of the Portland Oregonian. The edition has many admirable articles telling of the products of the farms, mines and for ests of the State, and it is well Illus trated with clear half-tones. In boost ing for Oregon, The Oregonian has boosted Itself. Great Number Doing Great Work. Kelso (Wash.) Kelsonlan. The Oregonian's New Year Annual number is a splendid paper. It tells of the wealth of the great Northwest, In farm, stream and forest, and although to us of the West It may seem oommon place, to those of the East who have for years been searching for such advantages as we possess. It is a great work. The Oregonian Annual has Its place In the advancement of the Northwest, and srreat credit must be given it for the excellent manner in which its work Is done. Best of Ores-on's. Journalism. Roseburg News. The annual number of the Portland Oregonian was undoubtedly one of the very best efforts of Journalism ever to be published in Oregon. The general news of the day was handled in a credi table manner as usual, while additional sections contained Interesting write-ups of different sections of the State. The Oregonian has made a practice of issuing these editions yearly, but this number far excels all efforts of the past. It Is safe to predict that thousands of copies are now enroute East, where they will be read with much interest by those an ticipating locating in the West. Is World's) Ports Memenger. Hood River News-Letter. The "Annual Number" of the Portland Oregonian Is demonstrative of modern methods In newspaper work. Twenty years ago the publication of an Illustrat ed edition of this kind, setting forth by picture and composition information cov ering nearly all of Oregon's resources, would have taken months of labor and an enormous expenditure of money. Along with the great strides in this State's advancement and development The Oregonian has nosed ahead and is synonymous of the "Annual's" artistio frontispiece which reads, "A Portland Messenger to the Ports of the World." Send Out the Issue Broadcast Portland Commercial Review. The New Year's number of the Port land Oregonian is a credit to that paper. In all Its previous efforts none can com pare with the issue of January 1, this year. The paper is handsomely illus trated, with cuts, so clear that no one can fail to see the great growth of this state. The articles written by persons well known throughout the great com monwealth are very plain and set forth plainly tho advantages of the state. The various organizations should take this Issue by the thousands. Send them broadcast, that Portland and the State of Oregon should be known in every hamlet of this civilized world. Eclipses Any Previous Edition. Cottage Grove Western Oregon. Again the Portland Oregonian comes to the front with its annual New Year's number. Consisting of many pages of finely illustrated matter on the Improve ments of Portland, and the State In general, It should have wide circulation. No better impression of the State of Oregon could be obtained than by sending copies of this issue to friends in the East. Railroad building in Oregon and the Hill line Interests, lines on the north bank of the Columbia, the Rose Carnival, building growth, etc., are among the features of this edition. This edition eclipses any previous edition and The Oregonian Is licensed to be proud of its product. A Neighbor's Appreciation, Tacoma Ledger. "Oregon and Portland In Pictures" aptly describes the Annual number of The Oregonian issued January 1. Many pages are solid with pictures. Others are more than half pictures. The illus trations help the special writers to tell the story of the Industries of Oregon and Portland. The Illustrations are almost as fine as those found in magazines and books using a finer quality of paper. Most of the reading matter is written by men well versed in the special subjects they discuss. These articles are short, yet full of instruction and entertainment. The Annual number is highly creditable to the Northwest. "Untoward Accident." Joes County (Ga.) News. That was an untoward accident by which one of our village beaux, last Sunday, was prevented from carrying one of our most charming young ladles to church. We know he was sadly dis appointed, but w-e do not know what penalty he meted out to the festive mule that gnawed the back o his buggy. Ilarriinan Usefully Employed. New York World. If Mr. Harriman's Southern Pacific Rail road and the Southern Development Com pany did emergency work of National im portance in quelling the Salton Sea they should be paid for it. Mr. Harriman may bo an "undesirable citizen," "but when engaged in capturing a runaway river and leading it again in the line of duty he is usefully employed. Money and Girl Fade Away. Baltimore News. John W. Krieg, arraigned in Detroit, Mich., on the charge of beating a hotel bill, alleged In defense that he went to Detroit to take a Job, expecting a girl in that city to marry him, but she changed her mind. Not getting the job, he ran out of money. Ready Now for the Grand Total. Springfield Republican. Brother Charles now has an opportunity IJLe loot, up tho DUia to a grana uu, RELIGIOUS BELIEF OF PRESIDENTS Lack of What We Consider Creeds Klarked the Greatest of Them. Chicago Inter-Ocean. The Impropriety of making the re ligious beliefs of Mr. Taft tho theme of political controversy has been recognized- by most Americans. Now that the subject has been excluded from po litical consideration, a historical sur vey of the religious creeds of our Presi i dents may be made without impropri ety, and has a certain public Interest. George Washington was a regular at tendant, when at home, on the services of the Episcopal Church. One contem porary biographer asserts and another denies that he was a communicant. No conclusive 'proof of the assertion has been produced. I John Adams was visibly influenced i by the "dclstic" movement which played so large a part in British thought of the 18th century. He was all his life a member of a church that would now be described as "Unitarian," . though the denominational separation had not then formally taken place. Thomas Jefferson was repeatedly charged with being a "free thinker" and even an "atheist." The latter charge is proved by his letters and other writings to have been false, but his religion, which he regarded as no body's business but his own, was cer tainly not an "orthodox" Christian creed. Madison and Monroe were both mem bers of the Episcopal Church all their lives. John Quincy Adams followed the faith of his father, and was a member of the same Unitarian congregation most of his life. Andrew Jackson for the greater part of his life had no religious affiliation. In his later years he attended and finally Joined a Presbyterian church, and built a house of worship for that denomination on his estate. Van Buren was not a member of any church, though when at home he regu larly attended the Dutch Reformed services. William Henry Harrison was a communicant and local officer of the Episcopal Church, of which Tyler was also a member. James K. Polk was not until his last hours a member of any church. He commonly attended the Presbyterian services and during his last Illness was received into the Methodist Church. General Taylor regularly attended the Episcopal services, and was probably a member, though this is not certain. Millard Fillmore was a Unitarian. Franklin Pierce was a Trinitarian Con gregationalism James Buchanan was an active Presbyterian. Abraham Lincoln never Joined any church, though often attending public woiehip, and commonly preferring the Presbyterian form. Andrew Johnson was not a church member, though when at home he generally attended the Methodist services. General Grant was not a church member, but when he at tended public worship at all commonly chose that of the Methodists. Hayes was an active Methodist, and so was McKlnley. Garfield was not only a member of the Disciples Church, but had served In its pulpit,' Arthur was a member and local officer of the Episcopal Church, as Benjamin Harri son was of the Presbyterian. Cleveland attended the Presbyterian Church regu larly, but it is not certain that he was a member. Mr. Roosevelt Is a member of the Dutch Reformed Church. What may be assumed to be Mr. Taft's religious preferences are not. it will be seen, without precedent. And it is worthy of note that several of the Presidents who have most strongly shaped our history notably Lincoln were not, for reasons sufficient to themselves, formally members of any church. Yet who would now say that Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, Abraham . Lincoln or Grover Cleveland were not great and- worthy Presidents, or that their abstention from formal adherence to a creed ought to have kept them out of office, or that their being in office made this In any way the reverse of a "Christian" Na tion? The un-Americanism of the discrimi nation urged by certain churchmen dur ing the recent campaign becomes clear when we consider what have been the creeds or lack of them of our Presi dents. GRABBING THE GREAT YOSEMITE 9Iore Facts About the Spoliation of Hetchi-netchy. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 4. (To the Ed itorsReferring to The Oregonian's edi torial of December 30, on the proposed "grab" by the City of San Francisco of the Hetch-Hetchy Valley, with its con sequent future exclusion of the public from nearly one-half of the Yosemite National Park, I beg to state, In further confirmation of the points you make, that the superintendent of the park has reported that the Tuolumne River below the Hetch-Hetchy has been plastered with all sorts of claims for water and water power, which are awaiting future developments in the letting down of the bars for the City of San Francisco. This morning's Call attempts to re spond to your editorial by beclouding the Issue in stating that the valley will still belong to the people and will so continue, when ex-Governor Pardee has stated that It would Inevitably be necessary to exclude the public from the entire water shed of the Tuolumne, in case of the granting of these water rights to San Francisco and their utilization as tho source of domestic supply for this city. Mr. Pardee has been one of the strong proponents of this scheme and is a gen tleman of standing and repute, whereas the Call, In its pretense that the valley and the watershed, including two of the three great features of the entire park, will still be available to slght-seers, campers and fishermen, as they are at present, is simply setting forth a nctl--,.,..r,.r tn nlil In once getting a Liuua i foohold In the valley, when the ultimate purpose of the people backing this scheme will come to light. In accordance with the truthful statement of ex-Governor Pardee. Your editorial of the SOth was a plain, cold statement of the facts of the case and should be brought home to ev-f-v member of Congress, so that this inlirjl tous scheme of spoliation can be nipped in the bud. It seems to me thai any patriotic and enlightened statesman should stand fast (or the inviolability of the few National parks we have and tor the placing of other areas of scenic value out of the reach of grasping com mercialized communities, corporations or local Interests. If there Is any law on the statute books of the Nation allowing or giving a color of sanction to such a wanton diversion of a National property from its dedicated purposes, such law should be wiped out at the earliest op portunity. What would the Secretary of the Treasury have done had a set of Super visors or self-styled leading citizens of San Francisco, or any other city, come to him and said "Give us $10,000,000 out of the treasury; it would be so much easier for us than to raise it by taxa tion"? This In fact is what this city has done in approaching Secretary Gar field for the donation without compensa tion or return, and without establishing any existing necessity, of a National property worth untold millions, for the purposes for which it has been dedi cated. Trusting that the foregoing may be as apparent to all of your readers as it must be to yourselves, I am E. T. PARSONS. Copper Cent Sold for f 161. Baltimore News. A curious copper cent which circu lated In New York State In 1767 was sold In New York City for $161. LIFE'S SUNNY SIDE "I was shorn like a lamb a few years ago," said James R. Keene, the wizard of Wall street, to a group of his Inti mates the other day. The statement came in answer to a query whether Keene had ever been "trimmed." "I used to live out in the country." said he, "and rode to and from Now York every day on a Ilttle Jerkwater road. One day the conductor, whom I knew well enough to call by his llrst name, refused to accept my commuta tion ticket,' I tried to pay my fare, and he wouldn't take the money. JIo dropped me off tho train into six inchrs of the thickest, Btlckfest mud In tlifl world. By the time I' got to a road where I could hall a wagon, I had clods on my feet as big as the baso of the Statue of Liberty. "I was roaring, raving, frantic mad. When I got to New York my first call was on the officials of the roaJ. I wanted that conductor fired. I had to interview every cussed little petty of ficial of the road before I got to tho president. Every one of them Insulted mo In the most Judicial way. When I got to the -president I was a howling, ripping maniac. He listened to me for a momont. and told his secretary to 'throw that ruffian downstairs.' "And the secretary would have done it, too. if I hadn't beat him to it. As soon as I could got to my broker I told him to buy the controlling Inter est in that road. It took me a week to get It, and I had to climb for some of the stock. Then I threw out ovcry offlclal that had scorned me. I was Just beginning to get back Into my usual placid state of mind when one day I saw a familiar face at the track. It was the conductor who had thrown me off. He waved to me blandly. 'Just bought a little place out this way.' he said. 'You know, that stock you bought belonged to us. The X-. M. & Z. was a close corporation, and we got you mad on purpose. We stung you good.' " St. Louis Republic. During a decidedly stormy passage to New York Israel Zangwlll, the play wright and novelist, said one night In the smoking-room of the steamship: "It is pleasant to cross the Atlantic, but this bad weather is mingling a good deal of discomfort with our plens ure. Life Is usually, though, like that pleasure and pain half and half. "It reminds me of an elderly spinster who sat near me at the table d'hota one afternoon In Venice. Turning to her niece, I heard her say: "In Venice at last! Ah. my dear, half the dream of my youth is now ful filled!' "Why only half, auntie? the young girl asked. " 'I counted on going to Venice.' sighed the spinster, 'on my wedding Journey.' " Boston Globe. A clever witticism was attributed tho "other day in Washington to the Presi dent, A young man, the story goes, during a call at the White House, told th. President that he had been married 10 months before and was already the father of a boy. 'I congratulate you,' said the Presi dent. "I am sure you And it pleasanter to be a loving sire than a sighing" lover." Philadelphia Record. see She Why don't you say what you mean? I'm no mind-reader. He No; If you were, you'd never speak to me again. Boston Transcript, e Mr. Mugwump (grandiloquently) And now, my dear lady, you must try a glass of my old port, I have so little of it left that I only use it at Chi lst mas time. There, now. That wine has been 40 years in my cellar!" The "Dear Lady" (sipping the wine) Fancy! And it's quite a nice wine even now. What must it have been when it was new? Tit-Bits. NEW YORK CITY IS BANKRUPT Opportunity nt Portland to Observe Tendency and Example. New York City has been wont to snoer at other American cities, and boast her municipal accomplishments as thoush they had all been matters of National pride and subject for the envy of the rest of creation, but retribution has come at lost. The Empire City of the Empire State has sold its birthright for a mess of pot tage, the public purse is empty, every department of public service faces a defi cit, and the city, with a total bonded debt of $905,000,000, is virtually bankrupt. . The millions, says the Chicago Evenlrtg Journal, that have been put into un necessary drlvfes to provide huge real en tata profits for politicians, wasted In cor rupt and extravagant contracts for pub lic buildings, bridges, sewers, etc., instead of laid out for actual needs, have given New York a load which is likely to drive thousands of people out of the city. Every family in New York is taxed at the rate of $143. High rents and genernl high cost of living have reached a point where they become unbearable. Corrupt and careless waste of public money la tho direct and only cause of this condition b( affairs, and there Is no relief In slht. The borrowing limit has been reached. A special tax levy of $50 on every man. woman and child In the city would not pay the enormous debt. New York has sown the wind and to reaping tho whirl wind. Its sad predicament should bo a warning to every city that Is tempted to waste public funds in useless enterprises. $270 for f2.50 Gold Piece. New York Times. Two hundred and seventy dollars, thn highest price ever paid for a North Carolina $2.50 piece, was paid at the Collector's Club, when T. L. Elder dis posed of a large collection of rare American and foreign coins. The rare $2.50 pioce was made at tho private mint of Christopher Bechtler, located at Rutherfordton, N. C, in 1830. The obverse Inscription read "C. Bech tler, Assayer, Rutherford," while on tho reverse side was inscribed "North Caro lina Gold 250, 20C.'.' Another variety of $2.50 gold piece. Issued at the same mint, brought $SD. A Mormon $2.50 piece Issued at Salt Lake City in 1S49. brought $72.50. An octagonal $30 gold piece, struck in San Francisco in 1S51, sold for $145. It Is "aulte a Sell." New York Mail's "Gotham Gazette." Mr. Close, of Mount Vernon, Is springing a good one. Ho asks every body how you pronounce "shirt," or.d they say "shirt," and then how do you pronounce "sche-mes" and thoy say "chemise," but it is not that at all, but "schemes." It Is considered quite a sell out Mount Vernon way. Theaters Hardly Know Mr. Taft. Cleveland, O., Dispatch. William Howard Taft says he has been to but one theatrical pcrformam.B in 20 years, and then Baw "Uncle Tom's Cabin." God Bless Too. B McM. Boll In the Housekeeper. Ood biess you 'tis a homely phrae. It brings the smiles. It brlnps the tears. It holds the hopes of other day. The joy of other years. The pain of parting:, and the bliss Of happy hearts on homing wing. The warmth of thu returntiiK kiss Ths clasp of arms that closely cling;. God bless you An- -18 ,D101 runs warm When dear lips breathe the prayer ln- God keepyou safe from hurt or hrtrml God tie you through the learl I