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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 1909)
ttti? Mopvivr. nTTr.nvi A V TTTTTSTIAY. .TAN CART 12, 1909. tOBTLAND, OBEUOX. Ent.r.d at Portland. Ortgon. Postofflos a Fcond-Claas Mau.r. Bubscrtptloa Hate Invariably ta Advance. (By Mall.) Dally. Sunday IncluJed. on rear ? JLa.'y. Sunday lo-luded. six months... I-'ulIy. Cunday Included. tares months. X'aiiy. Sunday Inciuiltd. on. month... 4 IS .I.2S .7 4 00 L:!y, nuuout Mii.day. om year. ...... J "J l..; without Funday. six month. Dailv. without Suminv- tlirc. months.- X. I I'aily. without bunday, one monm.. V-.-kly. on. yftr.. F'.nilaj-, on. y-ar bunday and Weekly, on. year Iiy farrier.) ral!y. Sunday lnc.ud.-d. on. year... iJ&liy. Sunday Included, on. month. How f i Mmill S n d DostofflCS lis 1 M . 0 .75 money Brci,T. iDrM order or Deraonal chscs on our lo.aI bank. stamps, coin or currency an at tlwi aender. rlk. GITS po.tofllca ad Crest la full. Including- county ana sist. I'uun RaiM 10 to 14 Race. 1 cant; 1 to IS cie. 1 rant.: 1 to 4 nates, I cents to J pages. 4 cents. For.ign poatas double rates. Kastrrn Unatnea Omcs Th S. C. Beck wltn j eclal Agency New York, rooms 4 B Tribune bml.llnff. cnicaao. rooaia ,-. XnbuiM building-. PORTLAND. H ESBAt. JANUARY It, lv EPOCH-MAKING DECISION. In the recent decision of the Su preme Court of the United States, tn the cape of the Metropolitan Gas Com pany, of New York, there were two main points of universal Interest. Of universal interest, because the decision makes the law for all the publlc etrvice corporations, using state or municipal franchises, in the United State. To particularize, the decision establishes two principles. First, that the grantee of a fran chise may not capitalize It as a prop erty belonging to himself, which he may estimate as worth so much, or eo much, and then proceed to charge rates that will give him such return upon such valuation as he may think lie has a right to expect or demand. Second, that a rate made by legis lative authority In such casus cannot fce resisted by a public-service corpor ction, on the assumption that It will prove confiscatory or unremunerative, end therefore unconstitutional; but it must be shown by proof of experience that It is so. before the court will set .s;do the rate and allow a higheY one. The effect of It Is that a franchise. Bo-called, Is not a property granted by the state to the person using it. but a, license to do business during the term of the franchise; and use of the license Is subject to control or regulation by lawful authority. In every private business "good Will" Is a matter that may be taken Into consideration. If the clrcumstan ces call for it. But in the case of these franchises, particularly those that are exclusive and therefore are In the nature of monopoly, "good will" Is not an element or factor; for in such cases, says the Supreme Court, "as there is no possibility of compe tition, there shall be no allowance for good will." This is another way of cutting .off the capitalization of the franchise for use as a bad la of earn ings and profit. ThU decision, in Its two aspects casts a clear light upon a wide range of similar questions. First, the ruling out of "good will, kit "franchise valuation" from the cal culation of a reasonable rate Is of im mense Importance. Second, the po sition that practical experience of a legislative rate Is necessary to prove that it does not yield a fair return tukes the rate regulation out of the control of the holder of the franchise, and refers It to examination, under the rules of reason and Justice. It is, therefore, an epoch-making decision. In one of the most difficult parts of our Jurisprudence and legislation. The holder of the franchise is not entitled to decide, alone, what Is "a fair and Just return." The Inquiry concerns the whole public, the courts will Intervene, on application, to decide it; and the publicity will be secured to which all concerned are entitled. But capitalization of franchises and in cidence on earnings to make returns tipon such capitalization are at an end. and so is the assumption that obedience to a rate may be disobeyed, tirbitrarily. on the claim that it Is too Sow to yield a return, till the proof thereof shall be made to appear. The question now will stand on the proof of what Is a fair profit, with valuation of the franchise thrown out of the (account. Full publicity in these mat ters thus will be assured; and reason, equity and Justice must be the arbiters ver it all. BANKS ANT THE LEGISLATURE. Banking laws are made for the tieneitt of depositors and other credit tors of a bank not for the benefit of the bankers themselves. This is true In the vrrr nature of things, for, al though the banker has possession and control of all the funds of a bonk, he i-ai;y owns but a small part of the tnoney In his hands. The banker's Interest In limited to the capital stock, orplus and undivided profits, which, according to the report of the State liank Examiner, make up about one eixth of the total. The other flvo cixths Interest Is held by the deposit ors and other creditors, who really Xurnish the money upon which the tank does business. The banker, with l one-rlxth Interest, has personal con trol of all the funds. The depositors and other creditors, with five-sixths Interest, have no direct control and only such indirect control as may be exerted under the banking laws of the state. So far as the safety of his property Is concerned, the banker needs no law regulating banking. He Is free to conduct Just as safe and rn e a. business as he may desire, and lie may protect himself from the dis liorresty of employes by requiring them to give bonds. But the depositor needs' a protect ing law which will regulate the oper ations of the banker in a reasonable manner. He needs the aid of govern ment because, in his individual ca pacity, he cannot Investigate the af fairs of a bank or exercise an influ ence upon the banker. The aid he Is to receive must come from the Legis lature, that being the law-making authority In the state. As everybody knows, a large part of the work of a Legislature is done by committees, and banking legislation is shaped by committees on banking. Since de positors and other creditors are the only ones who need banking legisla tion, and since they have a five-sixths Interest In the banks, one would ex pect that the depositors would have something near a five-sixth represen tation on the banking committees of the Legislature. But such has not teen the case In the past. On the con trary, banking committees have been made up almost entirely of bankers an arrangement as absurd as to make up a railroad committee by appointing vpen it only railroad managers. Bank ers do not favor strict bank regula tion any mora than railroad manager ! desire railroad regulation. They have consented to It because the peopli have persistently demanded It That the banking laws are not stringent enough Is evident every time a crooked banker escapes speedy con viction and imprisonment In the peni tentiary. TBe laxity of the laws is apparent every time a bank fails, and It is found that the bankers have loaned the funds to themselves or to corporations controlled by them, with out adequate security. The insufficiency-of the laws in these and other respects will Continue as long as de positors are denied a fair representa tion upon banking committees in the Legislature.- MAYOR LANE, ELECTRIC ENGINEER. After tonight Portland is to be without street and other city lights for an Indefinite period, because there Is an Irreconcilable contention be tween Mayor Lane and the lighting company as to the terms and condi tions of the new lighting contract. The Oregonian Is unable to see that there is any merit in the position of Mayor Lane, but It thinks the whole trouble is due to his contentious spirit and to his tyverwhclming de sire to "get" the electric company. It should be understood now that if the city is to be left In darkness. Mayor Lane is wholly accountable. No reasonable person can ask or ex pect the electric company to go ahead lighting the streets and the public buildings at great cost without a defi nite arrangement or guaranty of pay. Nor can the company fairly be asked to continue this service from month to month while the Mayor and his pliable executive board get ready, for municipal ownership or for other op position for anything but the pres ent service from the established com pany, which is quite obviously what the Mayor wants. It Is all a very grave matter and should be discussed calmly; but the deplorable plight Into which the obstinacy of the Mayor is about to plunge the community should now be clearly understood, for It soon must be faced and suffered. The Mayor and Executive Board have had a year In which to consider and settle this Important business, ye largely through neglect and delay have ac complished nothing, so that the emer gency Is near, and no solution except chaos Is in sight. The public may not understand all the details of this unfortunate contro versy, and it Is not necessary that It should. It. knows very well that lights are satisfactory, the price evi dently moderate, and the offer for future service on the same basis ap parently reasonable. It knows that the Mayor has Ignored the advice of the city attorney and every other functionary or person who offered any suggestion that did not square with his own deliberate scheme to carry on war with the electric com pany, whatever the consequences. Those consequences will soon be upon us. The Mayor seems to admit that the light has been up to standard, but the current is not what was contracted for. It may be supposed that it was light that was wanted, not dispute about the technical nature or de livery of the current. Of course The Oregonian makes no pretension to ex pert knowledge on such a subject. But it is certain that if any man or any company were intending to set up a great lighting establishment, it would not employ Mayor Lane as its engineer. A FALLEN JUDGE. "What. Judge MIIo A. Root thought of his dalliance with Lawyer Gordon while It was still a secret between them, nobody but himself knows. Pos sibly he enjoyed the double part he was playing,' that of a Justice of the Supreme Court on the one hand and a subservient creature of the railway company on the other. There are men who truly relish infamy of this sort and the viler it is the better It pleases them; but It seems more prob able that Judge Root never exactly liked his besmlrchmcnt. He fell into the mire because he was too weak to follow the narrow path where an up right Judge must walk and he stayed In it. not because he liked to wallow, but because he had not the resolute courage to crawl out and wash him self. ' We take this charitable view of Judge Root's case because of his bit ter remorse when his misconduct, or some part of it. finally came to light. He seemed to realize the baseness of what he had done, to understand that it showed his utter unfitness for the bench and apparently deserved noth ing more than to hide his irreparable degradation from the sight of men. This was eminently proper. It Is pre cisely the way a fallen Judge should feel and act and If he had continued In the same state of mind a shade of pity would have softened the common contempt for him. The tragedy of his story is that he was too weak even to repent consistently. There came an evil hour, after the Bar Association had begun its inquiry, when foolish advisers gained his ear singing their flattering ditty that Infamy after all was not bo very infamous. He' began to barter with remorse. His sin was not unpardonablo. It was only a venial error for a Judge to make mer chandise of his judicial power. There was no reason why he should not take the oath of office again and sit once more among the highest earthly ar biters of human affairs. Probably he counted on a sentimental reaction of public opinion in his favor, as most wrongdoers safely may. The storm would blow over. He need only brazen it out for a few months. Every thing would then be forgotten and he could sit among the other Judges with a brow as smooth and an eye as clear as any of them. Thus, one imagines. Judge Root and his gullesome advisers reasoned when he began to talk of recalling his most seemly resignation and serving another term on the Su preme bench of Washington. What a Judge he would have been; what a Judge he has been! Travelers' tales of Eastern Cadis who sell Justice to the highest bidder are not exactly paralleled In his recosd, for Judge Root permitted only one, side to bid. The other side never knew the sale was going on. More than that, if the other party to the suit had offered a counter tip. Judge Root would have flamed with indignation. He would have sent the offender to jail for con tempt of court. The Bar Association committee's verdict that Judge Root is unfit to sit on the bench expresses no new verdict. Every man of respect- ble morals has been saying the same thing for weeks, and yet it comes rrom that semi-official source with a so lemnity which doubles Its weight and tamps it as an irreversible doom. udge Root has been a lost man for a long time, now he is lost beyond re- emptlon. As long as the accusations against him existed only In popular rumor they might ruin his -career but they would always be open to refuta- tlon. Now his professional brethren, men Inevitably with a strong bias In his favor, have given their reluctant verdict against him and the case Is closed. As a public character Judge Root will live henceforth only as an example and a warning. TIMBER LAND TAXATION. A prominent tlmberman and logger who recently purchased a large tract of timber was asked If he intended holding it for an advance. He answered that he had no such inten tion, but instead would "rip the tim ber off the land as soon as possible. In order to save taxes and fire risk." A few years ago, when timber land was taxed at such ridiculously low figures that this annual charge against the investment was hardly thought of, such an answer would have seemed meaningless. At this time, however, it is suggestive of a possible conflict In economic forces. We are protesting against the reckless waste of timber under present hurried logging meth ods, and also againBt removal of so much of the timber from our forests. But, If we tax this timber at Its true value, the owner hastens to remove it from the land and save further ex pense. It is of course true In many parts of the West where timber has been pur chased at a low price that the specu lative profits which must naturally accrue from the advance in prices will more than offset any charge for taxes and fire protection, and, for this rea son, the timber-owner cannot offer high taxes as a reason for the speedy removal of the timber from the land. In older regions, however, where tim ber is scarce, this theory loses some of its force, for much of the land Is logged-off lend on which reforestation has been engaged In. In the current number of the Review of Reviews, a writer suggests as a remedy separate assessment of hind and timber and collection of taxes on the latter only when it Is cut, thus enabling the lum berman to pay but one tax for his single crop of trees. A bill providing for something of this nature has been introduced In the Wisconsin Legislature. It provides that the timber-owner may apply to the State Forestry Board for exami nation of hla lands and timber, to be made at his expense. If the board finds that the management of the timber under forestry regulations would be a benefit, and the owner agrees to obey the regulations pre scribed, a plat and description of the tracts shall be filed with local ases sors who shall assess only the value of the land which shall In no case be assessed "at a higher rate than cut- over, wild or non-agricultural land In the same township." When any timber is cut, for whatever purpose, it shall be measured and a sworn copy of the measurement filed with the assessors, the owner paying before Its removal, in lieu of the usual an nual tax, 5 per cent of its appraised value. Timber is still too plentiful In the Pacific Northwest for laws of this character to attract much attention, but at the rate at which the standing timber is being cut, it is only a ques tion of time until we shall be con fronted with the problem in this or some other form. DIMINISHING WHEAT STOCKS. For the" first time in more than ten years, the New Year finds the wheat export business of the Beason in the Pacific Northwest practically over. Not a single grain ship is loading on Puget Sound, and, so far as known, there are no more under charter for this season's loading at the Puget Sound ports. In Portland there are but seven chartered ships to finish, and none to arrive. This means Janu ary shipments from all Pacific ports of less than 1,000,000 bushels, com pared with 4,900,000 bushels from Portland and Puget Sound ports in January, 1908. The reason for this unusual situation is the short crop last year, and the high prices which caused it to move to market more rapidly than any previous crop of cor responding dimensions. The extent to which the Pacific Coast was depended on by Europe In the first six months of 1908 Is shown in shipments from Portland and Puget Sound between January 1 and July 1, of 13.322.C5S bushels, or easily 12, 000,000 bushels more than will be available from these jrts for the cor responding six months this ' year. Twelve million bushels are more than the most liberal increase reported in the Australian crop, but, using It to offset the Increase in the Antipodes, It would still leave England dependent on the Argentine and the Eastern ports of the United States and Canada for the same amount of wheat that they were called on to supply last year. The most optimistic reports that have been circulated from any thing like a reliable source regarding tho Argentine crop do not credit that country with as large an exportable surplus as was available jbl year ago, and. as European stocks are no larger than last year, it is still easily within the range of possibilities that Mr. Patton, of Chicago, will not be obllge3 to sell his long line of May wheat at a loss. The weakness in the Chicago mar ket for the past three days has been due to large shipments from the Argentine, but the 952,000 bushels which that country shipped last week, do not loom large in comparison with the 1,000,000 to 1.600,000 bushels per week which Portland and Puget Sound were shipping a year ago, and which are not available this year. The high prices that have prevailed throughout the season have brought the wheat out In practically the same quantities as were in evidence a year ago when the big carryover from the previous crop was coming on the market The American shipments for the season to January T are (flour included) 119, 7S7.060 bushels, compared with 125, $99,940 bushels for the same period last year. The rapidity with which that gap will be closed was shown in last week's American shipments, which were 3,765,000 bushels, oompared with 6.S04.000 bushels for the same week last year. World's shipments report ed yesterday were 5,973,000 bushels, compared wifh 8.436.000 bushels on the same date In 1908, and quantities on passage were more than 8,000,000 bushels less than last year. Viewed from almost any standpoint, the wheat situation Is strong, and, unless India shows up with a phenomenal crop, Europe will soon be obliged to aban don her present Independent po sition regarding American shipments and prices. The better the sidewalks are, ce ment construction, and iron door and city ordinances followed and com plied with to the utmost the more uncertain Is your footing. But a taw falls and thumps every day will not matter much. You see you are uw compelled to live in town and to traverse these smooth and treacherous streets. Tou may get Into the country, and milk the cows, and feed the pigs, and cut and take ln the wood, where the ground Is sure under your feet. And in the Spring you may plant the potatoes and get the earliest and best of the strawberries right off the vines, and provide for sauer kraut in Winter by setting out the cabbage plants. It's these asphalt pavements and concrete sidewalks more slippery where the "snow is thrown off than where pressed down by passing feet that trip us up. Get into the country and find good footing, or half way to the country into the suburbs, and you will escape these "slick" streets and side walks. But alas! The Corporation of Trinity Church, New York, replies to recent criticisms of the management of its property by publishing an extended statement. The report shows that the wealth of Trinity has been greatly exaggerated In the popular mind, though it is very rich for an American church. Of productive property Trinity has less than $14,000,000, which gives a gross rental of $750,000 a year, out of which the expenses leave a net rental of $400,000. Its church and churchyard property of course yield nothing, but probably would sell for $20,000,000. With Its income the corporation main tains other churches and schools, and does missionary and charity work expenses that last year left a deficit of $11,000. The statement, it Is admit ted, is a strong answer to the criti cism to which the corporation -has been subjected. Those residents of Lane and Doug las counties who are figuring on hav ing the Legislature create a new county composed of territory taken from both these counties might do wellto ascertain whether the Legislature has authority to take such action. One of our constitutional amendments pro hibits the Legislature from creating a municipal corporation by special act and the courts have held that a county Is a municipal corporation. While this particular point has not been passed upon by the courts, it might very easily appear that the Legisla ture vcan create a new county only by means of a general law under which the people of the territory affected might propose' and adopt the new county project. Now it is reported that cotton-growers have a corner on their product and will boost prices. Such a move will have tihe usual effect. An abnor mal elevation of prices stimulates and encourages additional production, with the result that in the end over-production brings prices down again. There was over-production of coffee and Brazil undertook to bolster up the price by taking the coffee grown by her people. Having thus found a market, the growers could see no rea son for curtailing their production and the outlook is that there will be more coffee grown than ever before. Of our older mercantile class one more has paid the debt of nature. Sylvester Farrell, suddenly called yesterday, had been In business in Portland forty years. He was a man of the best type of citizenship, had held many public positions, had suc ceeded well In business, was noted al ways for integrity and trustworthiness, and had the respect and confidence of all men. Quiet demeanor was one of his characteristics, yet he was firm of purpose. No man ever had occa sion of complaint or cause of ill-will, against Sylvester Farrell. Now it Is said the lawyers will se cure enactment of measures which will minimize the effect of technicali ties in litigation. Words of com mendation will be plentiful when tho new laws are in the statute books, but until then it will be assumed that the lawyers are still hunting up precedents which enable them to de feat or delay the administration of Justice. That slouchy, shuffling gait which college and high school boys delighted to assume a year or so ago Is begin ning to go out of style. The young man who early forms the habit of standing erect and stepping as though he had some definite purpose in life, will always present a much better ap pearance than he who affects the once popular athletic manner. It's amusing to note the opinion of "the tenderfeet" that the enow will soon disappear under the clear sky and rays of the sun. This is the very condition that will hold the snow, and presently will give us more snow. The only change that is possible Is that which may come with clouds, humid ity and rain. Wouldn't you like to put up your umbrella? Chicago milliners have banded to gether as a Milliners' , Association, with a resolve to wipe out "the giant hat evil." "We mean," said the presi dent of the association, "to put an end to cut-throat tactics employed among milliners, and by turning out more artistic hats to uphold Chicago as the millinery center of the country." Note how the bounty of nature equalizes everything. In Summer the poor may envy the rich because the rich have plenty of ice; but in the Winter the poor have Ice as well as the rich. You see after all things are pretty well balanced in this world. . If Mr. Tillman has no connection whatever with the Oregon land frauds, as ho once vehemently declared in the Senate, it really ought not to be necessary for him to do so much ex plaining. People of Oregon don't feel at home this weather. There must be fog and rain, soft air and the warm South wind. Till this change shall oome the snow will be with us. As a great many people are ready to testify water pipes are always put in the most difficult place to get at and they always burst in the most impenetrable corners. Among other items of news that may be classed as important if true is the announcement that the "sack" has made its appearance at Salem. Oh, well. It will make no difference If the lights are out, since everybody has been made good and pure by the reform Lane administration. However, you needn't begin yet to call him Governor Benson. But it Isnt the same old Pitchfork. OUEGO.MAN'S NEW YEAR AXNVAL More Words of Appreciation Come From the State Press. . i v. U RAf-Nufraret The Portland Oregonian's annual number. Issued January 1, was equal to the usual high-grade annual printed by that company. Carries Xefrs of Oregon's Progress. Grass Valley Journal. Nineteen hundred and eight will go down In history as the greatest year Oregon ever enjoyed, and the New Year's edition of The, Oregonian will carry the news of this progress to thousands of Eastern people. Thousand of Copies Sent Eaat. McMinnvllle Telephone-Register. Oregon people, always anxious to scan the New Year's Oregonian, were not disappointed In the number that appeared January 1. Thousands of copies of that paper were sent East by people who have friends who desire to know more about Oregon. Well Worth Cnrefnl Study. Forest Grove News. The Oregonian's New Year's number comes to hand this year a more exten sive volume than its previous issues. This is because Portland has made greater advancement. The volume con tains Information on all subjects of an Industrial nature, and is well worth careful study. Will Itrlnc Many to Oregon. Portland Advocate. The Oregonian's New Year's edition was greater than ever, and Portland's advancement and opportunities, and Oregon's prosperity, development and resources, were exploited In a terse and convincing manner, and handsomely Illustrated, and will no doubt be the moans of bringing many people to Oregon. Entitled to Thanks of All. Cathlamet (Wash.) Sun. The New Year's edition of The Ore gonian is a pictorial work of art, and a most convincing document as to why the Northwest Is the most progressive part of the United States. The result of such effective publicity will be shown In the increased Immigration from the Easteri. States this year, and The Ore gonian is entitled to a vote of thanks for its excellent annual. ' The OreKonlnn "Did Itself Proud." v St. John Review. The Oregonian did Itself proud In Its New Year's number. The paper fairly teemed with good things concerning the Northwest, with Portland as the key note. The illustrations were fine and the descriptive matter was highly ap preciated by those who had friends in the East, as it told more about this sec tion than hundreds of letters could have done. May each New Year's number of The Oregonian bo greater than its predecessor. Equal to Any Other Paper In V. S. Lebanon Criterion. The Oregonian put out its usual In teresting and able Industrial edition on January 1, which shows Portland to be truly a great city and commercial center in the midst of a great country round about. The Oregonian started with the beginning or rortland, anl as a paper has always been, and is, far in advance of thriving Portland. With the great morning daily as a pattern for the other papers of the state to. at tempt to follow, Oregon has a news paper production which is a credit to the state, as one being void of any taint of yellow journalism. The Oregonian Is In a class by Itself, and much as they may try, no other paper on the Coast has been able to get Into or reach the standard of the Oregon morning paper. In editorial ability and Influence In tho community The Oregonian is equal to any paper produced In the United States. FIGHTING DISEASE YS SUBWAYS. What New York Is Bolnc to Stop the Spread of Tuberculosis. New York Special to Chicago Tribune. An idea of what is being done by the officials of the subway and elevat ed railroad lines in this city to keep the cars of those lines from being de positaries, breeders and distributers of tuberculosis germs, was given tcilght by General Manager Frank H. Hedley, of the Interborough Rapid Transit Com pany, in addressing 2500 employes of his company. The men visited by invitation the tuberculosis exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History and after ward attended a lyeeting for discussion of the tuberculosis problem. Mr." Hedley said the floor mattings has been removed from all the cars of the subway and elevated lines and had been replaced Dy maple strips. Every night, he said, the 2500 cars of the two linos were sprinkled with a solution of carbolic acid. The floors ihen were swept clean and the dust removed from woodwork and seats by carefully wip-lng-with cheesecloth. The floors were scrubbed once a week and oftoner if necessary with a strong solution of soft soap and alkali. Mr. Hedley said the cars were cleaned once a month with an oil emul sion, which removes particles of fine dust, and every year each car was re painted, varnished and oiled so as to remove the grime and desoroy tho germs. The straps which, he regretted to Bay, were ptill used in the rush hours, were cleaned with an acid solu tion every night to destroy any germs that might have gathered on them. Victory for Clean Politics. Cleveland Leader, Rep. The Burton victory was a victory for the people. Burton won because he was their choice and Taft lost not be cause he Is the disreputable, selfish character his enemies have painted him, but because he was made the unwill ing victim of the sordid ambition of Guilbert, Cox. Brown et al.. self-appointed, self-anointed bosses of the Re publican party in Ohio. There is always a day of reckoning for Buch men as those who have at tempted to ride Into power on the Taft Senatorial candidacy. Their action In arrogating to themselves the functions of the state central committee, against tho wishes of the majority of the com- Tnlrtnomen. was as daring a piece of i colossal impudence as the written rec ords of man reveal That the evil day came to them swiftly and surely Is great good fortune for the party they misrepresent as well as for the whole people.. The cause of the clean politics and the greater cause of clvio righteousness and good government have won much in the outcome of this spectacular Senatorial battle. Not Ohio only but all the Na tion should be glad. No Native New Yorkers. Indianapolis News. If it were not for the Inflow of per sons from the New England states and the West, New York would soon be a city of people of foreign birth in over whelming proportions, for there is a small number of Inhabitants of native stock there. Uncomfortable Skating. Drain Nonpareil. Wednesday morning the frozen rain on our sidewalks afforded splendid Bkatlng on the back of the head and shoulders. Ice and snow at Drain is almost as much of a curiosity as in Southern California.. THIS DOG KTEW HIS MASTER, Changing a Fox-Honnds' Color Did Not Avail the Wrongful Owner. McMinnvllle Telephone-Register. An interesting tale of a dog was wagged about when Al Yocom came down from Sheridan on Wednesday and made arrangements to go to Corvallis to commenec legal proceedings for the recovery of nine little puppies. It is a long tale, beginning a year ago last November, when Mr. Yocom's fox hound "Swift" chased a cotton tall deer from the vicinity of the home way back Into . the misty solitudes of the hills and never returned. She was a good dog, and a favorite with all the neighboring ranchmen on account of her record for catching and killing the destructive coyotes of that region. From the time the dog dis appeared to a recent date Mr. Yocom had spent $100 in tracing her, but every time he would get her located she would be spirited away to some other locality and he would lose all trace of his property. His neighbors assisted him, and at least one of them. Joe Brown, located the dog at a farmhouse up In Polk County, near Dallas. An interesting dialogue is said to have taken place between Mr. Brown and the man who claimed the dog. "This la Al Yocom's dog," said Mr. Brown. "Hell be here before daylight tomorrow to claim her, and if he don't get her your wife won't know your features when he gets through with you. Mr. Yocom was communicated with, and true to the prediction he arrived at the place in the gray of the early morning, blew the peculiar blast on his hunting horn that his dog had been familiar With, and heard an anwering howl of joy from the barn. He awoke the rancher and demanded his dog. The rancher claimed her. Finally he consented to accompany Mr. Yocom to the barn, and upon entering the door Mr. Yocom called "Swift." A hound scrambled down out of the haymow and capered about, but It looked to be a red dog, while Yocom's dog had some white on her.i "Roll over, shake hands, stand up." These commands of Mr. Yocom were complied with by the dog. and further investigation re vealed that the white marks on the dog had been painted with iodine or other drug and the color changed. . Yocom got his dog, and learned later that a dog of that same descrip tion had been seen In the same terri tory under surveillance by the detec tives mothering nine little puppies. Mr. Yocom's mission southward Wed nesday was to see if he could locate and prove ownership to the little dogs. Philosophy Simplified. New York Times. A number of students at college were busily "grinding" for the final exam ination in philosophy. Each one of them was supposed to be especially well up on a particular branch of the sub ject, so each was called upon in turn to enlighten his fellows on that branch. Thus the man who knew all about Aristotle's views exyatlated upon them, and the Plato expert held forth, and the Descartes man and the Leibnitz man and the Fltche man all had their say, until it was the turn of him who clatmed to know all about Immanuel Kant. He looked over his copious notes, solemnly cleared his throat and remarked: "Weil, fellows, you Bee it's this way: Kant believed that everything in the universe was a mess except the abso lute, and that that that the abso lute was well, he believed that was a mess, too!" Dinners Growing More Simple. New York Press. Simplicity in dinner service is re turning. At a recent banquet only three knives, forks and spoons lay be side each plate. Once it was demanded that half a dozen of each stretch from plate to plate. There Is an innovation in serving salad, whether it be a fruit or vegetable. Flat glass plates are In favor, and certainly green upon the crystal makes an attractive dish. The glass plate is placed upon a silver or porcelain one of larger size. The limit for a fashionable dinner is 50 minutes from cocktails to coffee. Of course this Is possible only with well-drilled servants' and a cook who is "on the dot" with every course. WUI Lead New York This Year. Ashland Tidings. Portland has gained an eminence she never before attained by securing sec ond place among the largest grain ex porting centers in the United States. New York alone leading her. And In another year every Indication goes to show that the mighty metropolis of the Atlantic seaboard will have to take a back seat to the Rose City. In well informed circles it Is believed that the North Bank road will be the means of reversing their positions by bringing Portland In close touch with much new territory. Money. New York Herald. What It can buy: Material independence. Leisure. Opportunities. The homage of Inferiors. Society. What it cannot buy: Mental independence. Culture. Friends. Health. Love. Blow at the Ohio Machine. T nnA nnlltlpa tn nttt BVAV the steam roller and not try to Increase the Tart ramuy represemaiiu n w Hcjiiuie, iwi l fcj... ...... - will be a much less Interesting body when iur. jr oreiter ih kuhh um. ui it, I. 111 wn n vmrtvA PddTttnhlft HnrlV Wltll 1 1 n iu w ...... - Mr. Burton representing the State of Ohio tnere man u jml. iiuiv a uow i tn ia m om v a. renresenta- tlve of the Cox machine and the ex panded millions of the late David Sin- ton. Joyless Toys. Vienna Zeitung. vvnrv vear tovs are becoming mora and .more scientific and less and less things of play. Presents for the little thi. winter will be miniature Tnntnrrari. hvdroDlanes. airships, and aeroplanes. We were pernaps Deiier- off when we were children. Double Ploy Due In New York. St. Louis Globe Democrat. Mr. Burton's promotion to the Senate from Ohio prospectively eliminates Sen ator Dick as well as Foraker. These are lively times in the Senatorial field. A double play is also pending in New York. Table Manners of the Ostrich. Providence Bulletin. It is said that ostriches are exces sively fond of a diet of oranges. The ostrich is believed to be the only known two-legged creature that can eat an orange without spattering. -Versatile Mr. Rockefeller. Chicago Tribune. Mr. Rockefeller Is a versatile man. When the weather Is unpropitlous for golf he likes nothing better than to stay indoors and write noble sentiments for play actors. Three Minutes Enough. Corvallis Times. . Finch says he "will not hang for two years." The average Oregonian will be satisfied if he hangs for three minutes. LIFE SUNNY SIDE Tim Murphy tells this tale, picked up on his Southern tour. A darky met his pastor on the street one morning and inquired how his chickens -werfl getting on. "Don't you know." replied the colored parson, "some thieving nig ger lef the coop doo' open las' nlghl and dose fool chickens all went home?" Kansas City Star. ... "Can you be trusted with a secret?" he asked. The woman drew herself up proudly. "You have known me for ten years haven't you?" she replied. "Yes," "Do you know how old I am?" Pick-Me-Up. The little Do Jones girl is talking ta her playmate, Lucy van Smith. "Oh, Lucy," said she, "we have a new papa!" "Have you? What's his name?" "Mr. Hayes." "Oh, ps?haw; we had him, too. but we didn't like him." Appleton's Magazine. Her mother I thought I just heard you saying good-by forever to Mr. Snig gerley ? She Yes. Her mother Then why are you pen. cillng your eyebrows and taking such pains to fix yourself up? She I want to look my best when he comes back. Chicago Record-Herald. "Doctor, what makes people have the hiccups?" " 'Hiccup' is the onomatopeic wora popularly used to designate singultus, which is a sudden closure of the glot tis, superinduced by a spasmodic con traction of tho diaphragm." "That's what I tell my wife. She says It's caused by laughin', or eatln' somethin' dry, or catchin' your breath at the wrong time." Chicago Tribune. Into a general store of a town In Arkansas there recently came a darky complaining that a ham which hehad purchased there was not good. "The hain is all right, Zeph." insisted the storekeeper. "No, it ain't, boss," in sisted the negro. "Dat ham's shore bad!" "How can that be." continued the storekeeper, "when it was cured only last week?" The darky scratched his head reflectively, and finally sug gested: "Den maybe's It's had a re lapse." Kansas City Star. Admiring Constituent "Senator, your name has been mentioned in connec tion with a Cabinet position, hasn't It?" Senaton Greatgunn "Er yes, I be. lleve It has. A weekly paper in my home county remarked the other day that any President who would offer me a place in his Cabinet would bo darned hard up." Chicago Tribune. "Do you have domestic puzzles, too, in addition to your business ones?" "Do it? I had one on my hands late ly that made me walk the floors at nights in deep distress." "Dear me! What was It?" "The baby." Chicago Record-Herald. A beggar rang a suburban doorbell. The mistress of the house appeared, frowned at the man. and said: "Go away, please, I haven't got any cold victuals, or old clothes, or old boots, or old overcoats, or " "Excuse me, ma'am," the beggar humbly Interrupted. "I didn't want nothln' to eat or wear. I Just called to see, ma'am. If you had an old automobile to give away." Cleveland Leader. Talkin' 'bout Tribulation," said Brother Williams, "w'en -he comes tor my house I makes him welcome in dts way I ses ter "lm, I does, 'Here you Is, an' dar you is; take all de house ter yo'self.' An' den I takes ter dc woods! Atlanta Constitution. , "Say" queried the would-be humor ist, "whore Is that place, Atoms, that so many people are blown to?" "It's Just the other side of Effigy, the place In which so many people are hanged." answered the solemn person. Chicago News. ' A certain father who Is fond of put ting his boys through natural history examinations Is often surprised by their mental agility. He recently asked them to tell him "what animal Is sat isfied with the least nourishment? "The moth!" one of them shouted confidently. "It eats nothing but holes." Youth's Companion. Feed the Birds With Cereals. PORTLAND, Or., Jan. 11. (To ths Editor.) Seeing in The Oregonian sev eral requests to feed the birds, I thought my experience In such matter might be of some assistance to others who, like myself, love the feathered songsters. By feeding the birds the year around, v.-.,A o nt munv of them about our house, and some of them are very tame, and will come around the door and pick food from the cat's dish. But when the snow and freezing weather came, my greatest troublo was to keep their food from freezing. I had been feeding them crumbs and wasto food from the table, but this food froze so hard they could not oat it. So I placed a shelf under an evergreen tree and put wheat on It. The birds are having a fine time and It Is a pleasure to watch them. If no wheat Is obtainable, oat meal, dry bread crumbs or any kind of cereal Is good for this cold weather. The nrst day of the storm I counted two dozen robins in our holly tree eat ing the berries. I thought it a very cold breakfast. The robins are all gone, but the smaller birds are here, and If fed and taken caro of, will repay us for all we do for them now. MRS. WILSON BENEFIEL, Twentieth and East Alder Streets. Pans It Alongi Feed the Birds. OREGON AGRICULTURAL COL LEGE, Corvallis. Or., Jan. 10. (To the Editor.) The First Presbyterian Sunday-school, of Corvallis, today warmly indorsed the plea of Tho Oregonian for caro of the birds during tho present lorm. Sleet and enow have made it impossible for different varieties of birds to fly up into trees for shelter and food. China pheasants may be seen ,ov flnirla helnlesslv wading through the snow, vainly seeking for food. It Is esnmaieu ina.i menu luruo are now perishing by the thousands. Th. r,Hitinns are so unusual that the people are unprepared for the situa tion. Hence rue uregonian s sugges tions have been timely, and if repeated would reach quarters hitherto un noticed. JOHN B. HORNER. Good Lateral Roads Needed. Lebanon Criterion. There is much discussion of a state highway running north and south through the Willamette valley, start- lng from Portland, and this to be built by state aid. This doe3 not appeal with much force to the average rural citizen. The Willamette Valley now has three parallel railroads running up the valley. These are the main lino across tne state, the West Side to Corvallis. the Salem electric line and the Woodburn Natron line. A --parallel highway Is not needed nearly so much as good lateral roads from the foothills to these lines. This fine up valley ' turnpike would be an excellent thing for the automobile and man of leisure, but to the busy farmer who wants to get his pro duce to market, they would be of small purpose to the many. I