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?
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Weekly, one year , J ?"
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How to Remit Send postofnee moa,J
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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
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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