THE MORXIXG OREGOXIAN, MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1909. fORTUND, OREGON. Entered at Portland,. Orafon. Poatofflca a" 6ecoud-Claaa Matter. Bubacriptloa KalM Invariably In A dram-a. (By Mail Dally. Sonday included, ona year. ' Iai!y, Sunday Included, at monlht. ... Ifaily, Sunday Included. threa tnontna. Daliv, Funday Included, on montli.... . Dally, without Sunday, oix year Daily, without Sunday, aix monihe..... " Iiilv. without Sundny. tnree muntna.. i. Pally, without Sunday, on montn..... Weekly, on year IX, Sunday, one year ' Sunday and Weekly, one. year . l By Carrier.) Dally. Sunday Included, one year...... Dally, bunday Included, ona montn How to Remit Send P"0,?ceh ltnII arder. eipreaa order or peraonal eh your local bank. Stampa. coin nr. at th aender-a n. Glv. poatofnea ad oreaa la full. Including county and atata. Poatage Rmtra 10 to 14 page. 1 cent: : 1 to ; paea. 3 centa. 10 to 44 pagea. " 4 to J page. 4 centa. Foie.gn postage double rates. la.tem BnaioeM Office The S . Beck wlth Special Agency New ork. rooma -10 Tribune b ilUUng. Chicago. roomiiH-ili Tribune building. ' PORTLAND, MONDAY. JA.MAKI W. DORR VS. TIIXMAN. It doesn't appear how Bryan Dorr, who declares his Intention to sue Senator Tillman for libel, can ex pect to obtain for his suit standing in court unless the Senator will waive his privilege, answer the complaint, and let the trial proceed. This, most certainly, he will not do. Dorr's story Is very direct. Much of It is confirmed by Tillman himself. It does not appear that Tillman had any right to denounce Dorr as a liar and swindler, since Dorr knew well that Tillman had been trying to obtain land under terms of the Coos Bay Wagon Road grant and therefore he took opportunity to recommend the like investment to his own customers or clients, using Tillman's name In connection with the matter as an in ducement to them. It was done, plainly, for "advertising purposes." But what had Tillman actually done? He had wired Reeder & Wat kins, at Marshfield. Oregon, as fol lows: "Win. E. Lee, my agent, will see you about land. I want nine quarters reserved; will forward appli cations and money at once. Members of my family are entrymen. Letter follows." The letter that followed was written from Chicago, Oct. 20, 1907. After quoting telegram as above, it proceeded: "I write now to say that I wired Mr. Lee, who resides at Moscow, Idaho, to go at once to Marshfield and see you about the land, to locate qrs. for the seven members of my family who are of age, and one for my private secretary. J. B. Knight, whom I desire to let into the deal. Of course he wants a qr. for himself."' "He" In the last sentence doubtless refers to Lee. Thus, as to the nine quarter sections for which Tillman had telegraphed. - Dorr, as a land broker, used his knowledge of Tillman's action to recommend his own undertaking, and freely advertised what Tillman was doing. It was a publicity that Tillman did not desire; hence he had the hardihood to deny - in the Senate Chamber that he had "undertaken" to obtain any land and Incidentally he declared that Dorr was a liar and a swindler; whereupon the postal authorities seized Dorr's mail, his customers quit him and many of his former friends fell away from him. There was. Indeed, bitterness for Dorr. But the Injury to him would appear to be Irreparable. Tillman can Ignore his actions at law. But Tillman, clearly, is In the Foraker class, or worse. During the period that had lapsed between his "application" his own word for the land, and the occasion when he rose in the Senate to denounce Dorr, some incident or series of events had oc curred to change his mind. Possibly It had occurred to him that it didn't look well for a Senator of the United States to be advertised in such way: so he made the extraordinary denial that he had bought any land, had made application for, or undertaken to buy any. From two points of ob jection he never will be able to clear himself, namely, that it will not do for a man In his position to attempt to make personal gain in transactions in which any Interest of the Govern ment or of the public Is concerned, and that untruthful statement In the Senate is not only an offense against that body but against the moral sense of the country- But perhaps Mr. Dorr can got Senator Tillman into court on some thing Mr. Tillman has said outside the Senate or published in tho news papers. It is not probable, however, that anything further will follow, be yond such lasting annoyance as will come to Mr. Tillman through continu ous reminder by Dorr and others of an affair for which Tillman doubtless would be glad to have the oblivion that Foraker needs in the matter of his transactions with Standard "Oil. ONE CNAVAILABI.E RESOURCE. State Game Warden Stevenson makes an interesting report for the year 1908, following It with a long list of recommendations, among which is included one that requests enact ment of a law making all violations of the game law punishable by impris onment. Mr. Stevenson concludes that, unless some such drastic punish ment Is provided, "no distant day will ' witness the great State of Oregon bar ren of one native resource that to all of us Is now a matter of pride." The game supply of the state is to a con siderable extent a matter of pride with "all of us." but as a "native re- source" It la available to only a "few of us" who have the time, money and inclination to hunt. Mr. Stevenson's recommendations regarding close sea sons and the number of birds and : animals that can be killed in a day and a week seem to be reasonable and entitled to consideration. In regard to ducks. It might be said, however, that "all of us" who do not ' hunt would not object to a shorten ing of the season and the granting of permission to hunters to sell their birds. In the long list of arrests and prosecutions which are mentioned In the Game Warden's report there ap pears not a single casj of violation of the law against selling ducks. Yet it Is a fact well known and understood that thousands of ducks are sold every season. This is a feature of the law . that should be repealed and permis sion given the hunters to sell their ducks without being forced to resort to subterfuge and falsehood In order to get rid of them. There are a great many men who , enjoy the sport of hunting but are .unable to Indulge) in It without lessen- lag the expense by Belling some of the game they kllL The wealthy hunters are, of course, willing that these men should be deprived of this pleasure which they cannot otherwise afford; but, believing It to be an unfair law and holding: it in contempt, the hunter proceeds to break it by secretly selling: his birds. In the transaction he finds a willing ally In the purchaser, whom the law prevents from securing game except by going after It himself or begging It from some hunter who has killed it. It is quite natural nu cwj I hunter to present the stay-at-nome with a few ducks and a few days later i receive a cash present from the recip ient Of his ravor. Uy mis luauirei i has been possible throughout the season to secure duck dinners at al most any first-class restaurant In Portland, with arrest and conviction practically impossible. The present law invites this secret violation where conviction 13 impossible, and It also deprives a largo number of people who would not be parties to such a transaction of the opportunity to en Joy a game dinner at any price. Un til ducks are much scarcer than at present, permission should be given hunters to sell the birds openly. LAWS THAT ARB NOT LAWS. . The voters of Oregon, by a foolish initiative statute, quite as foolish as Statement One, have undertaken to compel every member of the Legisla ture to vote for the candidate for the Senate who may have received a plurality of the popular vote. This statute was enacted by a large ma jority last June. t i ofToftivA. r Is It not? Is it to be obeyed, or is it not? Is It law, or is it not? Tt la not law. It never will bo K,-d it u a farce. It Is no more a law and creates no more obligation than Statement One. Why? Because both are In direct violation oi mo Constitution and laws of the United States. , Neither of these absurdities, there fore, is law, and neither of them is binding on anybody. . Half the Logis Kr.im win nrininlv disregard one of them; all members and all citizens ought to disregard both. A MISTAKE AND ITS MEANING. It was a mistake, as observant peo ple now know, to abolish the Con stitution of Oregon. For Oregon now has no constitution. The remaining shreds of the thing called the consti tution may be abolished by any initi ative statute. In several particulars this has been accomplished already. It has gone further. It has attempt ed overthrow of the method of elect ing Senators established by the Con stitution of the United States. It pro poses to deprive foreigners, regarded as "undesirable," of the right to hold property in the State of Oregon. It is the new method invented In this state the newest and latest since the overthrow at Appomattox and the sur render of the Confederate armies of nullification of National powers, as well of the constitutional powers of the state. Has the State of Oregon a consti tutional government, or only the gov ernment of a temporary and uncon trolled majority? Clearly now it has only the latter; since any initiative statute that the majority of the hour may approve, may set aside every thing that remains of constitutional government. The effort to do this is incessant. But. it Is inquired, haven't the peo ple a right to do what they will? No; because the people are not the major ity dealing with the special questions of today. The people in the long run will rule; but the majority or mob of today, excited by some temporary interest or notion, will not rule. For the moment. Indeed, it may, but al ways with disaster. Society Is not the majority of today, nor any num ber of voters of the time, told by the head. It Is an organization and com pact that Includes the past, the pres ent and the future. It may pretend to the idea of the equality of man, but experience rejects that idea at every stage. For men are not equal, and the dogma of the equality of man it self remains without definition. Neither science nor experience nor reason sanctions it; yet we are told that this unscientific and a priori idea must be adopted as the paramount force of American democracy. It will be true when all men are equal in intellectual and moral worth, in power, in capa city; not till then. Herein lie the reasons why it was a mistake to abolish the constitution of Oregon and to substitute for it a system liable to change by any Initi ative statute that may be favored at the moment by a majority, told by the head. After the experience we have had and are having with the system, and shall still have, Oregon, we believe, will some time return to the regular and orderly and consti tutional system; wherein necessary changes will take place or b. effected, not by revolutionary methods, but in the sane and progressive way that ex perience sanctions. As matters now are, Oregon, that ought to be con servative and considerate. Is getting far out of line with the steady senti ment and rational purposes of the people of the United States. KOCTES TO CENTRAL OREGON. The Central Oregon extension of the Harriman system will undoubtedly be under construction within . a few months. General Manager O'Brien, who returned Saturday from a visit at headquarters, announces that the company has under consideration three separate routes for reaching the new territory. Of these three, the Deschutes route calls for an estimated expenditure of $4,600,000. An exten sion of the Corvallls & Eastern across th Cascade Mountains from Detroit could be built for $2,000,000, and the Columbia Southern could be extended into the Central Oregon field at a cost of $900,000. To Portland and that vast trade field which any of these lines would open up, it is at this time a matter of mild indifference which route Is followed so long as the road Is speedily constructed and placed in operation. There Is, however, an economic feature in the situation that later may be of considerable interest to both Portland and the railroad company. There is a growing tendency through out the country to limit the earning capacity of railroads to a fair return on the original investment, making al lowances of course for operating ex penses and depreciation. In a new country like Central Oregon the effect of this would be to shut the railroad out of participation in the enhanced values 'on all other Industries In the country reached. The building of the railroad would doubtless more than quadruple land values in the territory which It traverses, but the road, lim ifoi tn amines based on its actual cost, could not participate in this ad vance which would be due solely to Its own work. A possible effect of this policy in the case of Central Oregon might be construction of the Shaniko exten sion at a cost less than half of that estimated for the Corvallls & Eastern extension, and about one-fifth the es timated cost of the Deschutes line. Mr.-Harriman is famous throughout the world for his abhorrence of grades on nirvcs. On the Shaniko exten sion of the system he would probably be obliged to encounter more of both than could be found In almost any nthor rnntn nf similar length In the state, and the operating and main tenance expenses would more than off set the saving effected in original cost as compared with the economical the Deschutes River. The additional cost of the Deschutes line might for a while bear heavier on tne raffii. than the less expensively con structed lines across the Cascades or beyond Shaniko, but eventually eco nomical operating expenses would make the original cost seem msignui- cant In comparison. The Deschutes route is tne natural route from Central Oregon to tlde icaitr at Portland. Just as the Co lumbia River route was the natural highway between roruano ana ma iu lunH F.mDlrs. Once constructed along thA easv grades of the Deschutes River, no other line that might enter the field could successruny compete with It In point of economical opera tion. By selecting either of the "cheap" routes the Harriman invest ment would be materially lessened. mt the rmhllc in the long run would be a distinct loser in the Increased cost of operation which it would be obliged to pay. FOLLOWING TUB CONSTITUTION. In his message to the Legislature Governor Chamberlain urges enact ment of laws establishing a uniform system of assessment and taxation, as the constitution directs shall be done. In support of this recommendation he quotes the section of the constitution requiring such a system, but ho makes no extended argument in support of his policy in this regard. None Is necessary. Argument would be su Derfiuous. All that Is needed Is a quotation of the plain language of the constitution. The policy of following the constitution never needs an argu ment in its support; It is violation of the constitution that calls for long. Intricate and perplexing discussion. The Governor's recommendation re garding observance of the constitu tional requirement that assessment and taxation shall be equal meets The Oregonian's approval. This paper re grets only that Governor Chamber lain's desire to follow the constitu tion In enactment of assessment and taxation laws does not extend to all requirements of that fundamental law. For example: The constitution pro vides that when the white population of the state reaches 200,000, the Legislature may proyide for the elec tion of Supreme and Circuit Judges in distinct classes, one of which classes shall consist of three Justices of the Supreme Court. This was Just as plain a provision as a man of intelli gence could write. It admits of no doubt as to its meaning. Prior to the time when the population reached 200,000, Supreme and Circuit Judges were one class, the Supreme Judges performing Circuit duty. At that time there were five and could be seven Judges. But when the new system became effective, the old one was abandoned, and the Supreme Court became a tribunal presided over by three Justices. No more; no less. No extended argument is necessary to show what the constitution means. All that is necessary is to quote the sec tion. It says what. It -means. But Governor Chamberlain devoted four pages of his message to a very labored and unconvincing argument in support of his theory that the number of Judges Is not limited to three. He urged the Legislature to adopt a far fetched and . Indefensible interpreta tion of the constitution and to provide for election of more than three Su preme Judges. As said before, it re quires an extended argument to sup port violation of the constitution. Again: The constitution of the state fixes the salaries pf certain state officers at specified sums per annum. The language of the section is per fectly clear and direct. It was writ ten by men who knew how to say what they meant. It expressly de clares that the salaries therein named are "fixed," which means unchange able. If It means anything. Yet Gov ernor Chamberlain has been a party to the violation of that section of the constitution ever since he went Into office, and 1s now drawing a salary In excess of that "fixed" by the constitu tion. He made a very extended and labored argument in his first mes sage In support of his policy of evading the constitution .In this respect. If he had chosen to fol low and support the constitution, all he would need to do would be to quote the section and say: "There it ip, gentlemen of the Legislature; it needs no comment from me." But evasion of the constitution always requires discussion enough to becloud the issue. Undoubtedly the salaries fixed by the constitution became too low as the state grew In population and wealth, and the manner of living changed. The salaries should have been In creased, but the change should have been brought about In a lawful man ner, by amending the constitution. If the number of Supreme Judges Is too small, the constitution should be amended by Increasing the number. The people have reserved the right to amend the constitution and have never by any possible Implication con ferred this power 'upon the Legisla ture. The Legislature may propose an amendment; It cannot adopt It. Yet Governor Chamberlain would have the Legislature enact a law which would, be to all intents and purposes an amendment to the constitution. Quite likely there are a number of sections of the constitution out of date and many laws upon the statute-books which are unwise. . But so long as they remain In effect The Oregonlan believes they should be faithfully ob served, . without any equivocation or evasion. They . should be obeyed both In letter and in spirit. While the difference between a salary of $1500 and one of $5000 is not great enough to be felt by the taxpayers, and though there would be no direct injury if the Legislature should in crease the number of Supreme Judges from three to five, it makes a great difference whether the leading men of this state teach, by precept and exam ple a policy of law violation or one of law observance. Tne uregoniau believes and will always urge that the young people of this state should be taught to res'pect the law, of which the constitution is the foundation.. This paper believes that many of the tariff laws are unjust and morally wrong, but, it will not counsel any person to engage in smuggling in or der to evade the tariff. It believes that many a murderer Is wrongfully acquitted because of legal technicali ties, but it does not advise lynching as a remedy. To encourage evasion of the law is to develop a spirit of law lessness which gradually permeates the entire social fabric. - The engineer and conductor of the Denver & Rio Grande train wrecked Friday night had been in the employ of the company for more than twenty years. This long-continued service was naturally a guarantee that they were competent and careful men. Yet a slight iapso of vigilance by which they ran nine minutes ahead of their time order caused a terrible wreck and snuffed out the lives of more than a score of people. It is not apparent from the accounts of the wreck that the road was provided with the block signal, but even had it been it might not have prevented tho carelessness of the engineer. Not much blame can be attached to the men "higher up" In the Denver & Rio Grande when tviov nlny-ft their deoendence in men whom they have trusted for more than twenty years, and no safety sys tem ever invented can prevent such criminal carelessness as seems to have cansed the latest railroad horror. Prince Ching assures the American and British ministers that the dis missal of Yuan Shi Kal will have no effect on the Chinese policy as regards the two countries mentioned. This assurance mav be given in perfectly good faith, and still there are doubt ing Thomases who will wonder If the Foreign Ministers expected Prince Chins to tell them anything different. The Chinese have never been noted for announcing their policies from the housetops, and, no matter what changes the new power on and behind the Chinese throne might have in view, it would be strictly in accord with Chinese traditions and general policy for such changes to be unan nounced until they became effective. The Far East is rounding Into promis ing position for some new sensations within the next few mouths, and China may be the storm center. Is this an apology for Tillman, or censure of him? It is taken from a Journal of New York not unfriendly to him: "We admit that the action brought by the Senator In pressing for the release of those lands to the public was In the common interest, but we submit that It was neither delicacy nor discretion in Mr. Tillman to have his agents at work, so as to make a good Investment by the pur chase of a few quarter sections." And then there was the untruthful denial in the Senate about it. . The Montana courts are still en gaged on a case in which the point at issue Is the "pot" in a seven-up game which was played in the early '90s. After the Supreme Court had taken four whirls at the orlgliral case, it was finally decided, but meanwhile the in terest on the amount had grown to such a goodly sum that it also was worth fighting for and the case re appeared in the Supreme Court at Helena last week. Montana gamblers are either hard losers or great welch ers. Mr. Hearst Is now warmly support ing President Roosevelt, and Battling Nelson, emerging from the White House with an autographed photo of the head of the Nation, also assures a- waiting world that the President is all right. With two such Indorsements in one week, the President may feel less hurt over the investigation of his negro -barber and Mrs. Roosevelt's messenger. Our George doesn't want anything more than to be Governor and Sen ator, too. Why not? Isn't the whole scheme of Statement No. 1 to deliver state and Nation to the Democrats? That means Oregon's one Democrat, of course. Spite of the heavy rain and the fact that it was Sunday, more people were stirring in Portland yesterday than any time during the past twelve days. No state where a little snow, with barely freezing weather, knocks peo ple out as in Oregon. . Congress is disposed to be hilarious because it is learned that the Presi dent's personal barber has been loaned by the Navy Department and is paid $1600 per year. Well, nobody from Congress Is able to hold him long enough to shave him. About all the average citizen under stands of the crisis In China is that it Is serious enough to get on to the first pages of the newspapers. The tele graph editors at least appreciate its great gravity. "Were there a secret ballot at Sa lem, Brother Chamberlain would not stand much chance. Only question is whether men have courage to vote in the open as they really feel in their secret hearts that they ought to vote. But Tillman will never get down to an exact science the fine art of letter writing as a means ef putting himself In on a choice Oregon land grab, until he adds the old familiar "Burn this letter." Statement No. Oners appear to be getting more nervous than ever as the fateful Tuesday at Salem approaches. But why? Chamberlain was "elected" last June. Just a single Item of $30,000 In the emergency bill is for automobiles for President-elect Taft. That's what comes of having a 325-pound admin istration. The performance of "Ben Hur"' to night will have at least 300 auditors who know the wonderful story by heart. That ought to help some. Second week at Salem begins today and fireworks scheduled for tomorrow. Yet those daylight fireworks don't al ways work well. Raining again, and everybody happy. This is a perverse world. Inference Tbart Only Mulea Refuse to "Yield to Argument. j ASTORIA. Or., Jan. 17. (To the Edi- , tor.) Statement No. 1 Is merely a 1 statement of what the candidate ex- ' pects to do if elected. It Is not a j pledge which may not be honestly bro- ken. It is made nine months In ad- vance and does not make allowance for accident or changed conditions. No reasonable man can or does ex- , pect another to always abide by a state- ; ment which would be all right under certain conditions, but entirely wrong under other conditions. No one ex pects a man to abide by a statement that violates his own principles, makes him, betray his party and makes a per jurer of him. It is never a disgrace to change one's mind. It Is evidence ; of a well-balanced mind and an hon- i est man, when one finds he has prom- ised to do that which he finds Is wrong j and which he has no right to do to frankly admit the mistake and then , do that which is right. The members of the Legislature are not acting for themselves. They are acting for a great party. They must not allow petty pride or chagrin to lead them to not only sacrifice themselves, but their party and their party . friends. They must do right. Under our form of government a man must be either a party man or an independent. A party man is to act with his party. To act with the op position party makes him a traitor, and one to be shunned by all men. When a man wishes to avail himself of the privilege of -voting In the prl- i mary or general election ha must go VAA-A .V, Ma.f-W nU.lr an1 Hv. 1 f H I u i u i u tun i-j . . j - tv . age, residence and party affiliations. He signs his name and alongside of his signature is a solemn oath, declar ing all that he states is .true. When he seeks the nomination from a party no one may sign his petition without taking the same oath. When he is elected he must take another oath swearing to support the Constitution. When he runs for office on either ticket he expects to receive hie party's vote. If he 13 elected he is expected to act with and for his party upon all strictly party matters. It matters not that many of the opposition party voted for him. he owes them nothing from a party standpoint. When men of the opposition party voted for him it was well known and a matter of record that he was not of their party. He owes them nothing. They were trying to serve some selfish end when they voted for a man who was opposed to them politically. In the coming Senatorial election the Republican members of the Legisla ture are answerable to the Republican party alone. If any member of that Legislature was elected by running on the Republican ticket he is either a Republican or a perjurer. If any such man votes against well known Repub lican principles or for a Democrat for United States Senator he is not only a traitor to his party, his party friends and the men who elected him, but he is a perjurer. There is not one con sistent member of the Republican party in this Nation who expects any man who was nominated and elected on the Republican ticket to violate his two oaths, solemnly taken, for the sake of allowing himself to abide by a state ment made without a full realization of its baneful consequences. The Republican party of Oregon Is not 'dead. W. S. ITRen, Governor Cham berlain and United States Senator Jon athan Bourne do not represent the Re publican party or any other party, and it is well to state this openly for the benefit of every man who feels that two solemn oaths should not have the weight of one thoughtless statement se cured by trickery and fraud. J. B. F., An Astoria Republican. ECHOES OF TTTB STORM. This Issue of the paper is late because it was so cold our type froze and we had to wait for It to thaw out before wo could print. -Canby Tribune. On account of their being "away attend ing the Legislature, instead of at home attending to the family waterworks dur ing the recent cold spell. Senator Jay Bowerman's hot-water tank was spilt wide open. Fossil Journal. Some knowing ones who sought to avoid bursting pipes by letting the water run were rewarded with long icicles hanging from faucets in the morning and the water pipes frozen solidly. Hillsboro In dependent. A frozen waterhaek stove at Dr. Wil liams' residence exploded Tuesday morn ing, after having a fire built In it, and some of the heavy stove doOTS struck Mrs. Williams, but with "the flat side to," and fortunately not very great force. Mo Mlnnville Telephone Register. Attorney J. D. Slater has a couple of badly "blistered" fingers which was the a..it nt a uU in which his hand came in contact with a frosted wrench a couple of mornings ago. The wrench wouldn't let go and the skin was torn from his fingers. La Grande Star. It caught many a poor fellow without undershirt or overcoat. In thin socks or low shoes, and most everybody was taken by surprise at the Ice King's sudden in vasion, and his too long and very unwel come conquest of our sunshiny' land. Philomath Review. i A kitchen range In the farm residence of Frank Jackson, six miles beyond Athena, blew up Wednesday morning, through sudden thawing of the hot-water attachment. The stove was literally torn to fragments, and two house doors were shattered. Mrs. Jackson was badly burned and narrowly escaped death. Weston Leader. The Leader was Issued Tuesday under trying conditions Ink frozen, press stuck and pressman in violent rage, 100 In the shade, while the mercury was hovering around zero. We hope It will be another 15 years before the weather clerk goes off on another Jamboree like this one. Cot tage Grove Leader. We don't know Just who the Joke is on. Mr. Walton, who is stopping at the James Dennis home, came all the way from New Brunswick to try Sherman County's mild Winter climate. And Just see what he has run up against, viz., almost two feet of snow and the thermometer touching the 30-degree-below-zero mark. Grass Valley Journal. We have had as bad storms before, and will again. About 26 years ago we had three feet of snow, and then oldtomers remember In 1S87, when the Winter began on the 2d of February and lasted until away In March. That was the time we fed the etraw out of the. beds to the horses; as to the sheep, they would eat the springs If they got them. Then you remember the year when we had the two Winters. We saw sheepskins that year head to tail on every fence from the Burnt Ranch to Canyon City, a distance of nearly 100 miles. Every Juniper had its bunch of dead cattle. Condon Times. The local potato famine has been some what relieved by the arrival of two large loads of excellent tubers from Crook County, which were sold here at reason able figures. Arrangements are made for several more loads to follow, and the probability is the fellows who have cached their potatoes away In pits awaiting the chance to cinch the consumer 5 or 6 cents a pound will not only find the greater portion of their supply water soaked and spoiled, but will find little de mand for even the good ones. Harney County News. WHAT DOES OREGON REALLY WANT? fa It Popular Will That Democrat Go to the Senate Why Did Not Demo cratic Legislators in 1003 Vote for the Republican Aomlnee for Sen ator Waa Not Geer Then the Popular Choicer PORTLAND, Jan. IS. (To the Editor.) It Is stoutly claimed in some quarters that tho Oregon Legislature, ' Republican by a three-fourths majority, is about to disem bowel the Republican party of the state by choosing a Democratic United States Senator. There Is time yet for those Re publicans who contemplate this disastrous move to think better of the intended thrust at the party to which they profess to belong and serve the Interests of those who elected them, for the reason that they were not Democrats but Republicans. That the people of Oregon want a Dem ocratic United States Senator is one of the most preposterous absurdities to which Democratic demagogues have recently put the force of their combined and unceas ing cry. That any Republican should lend his vote to the success of such a consum mation is unbelievable, since he knows as well as he understands the difference between day and night that in overwhelm ing numbers the Republicans of the state want a Republican United States Senator. To say otherwise Is simply to Bcoff a$ the groundwork of common sense and to proclaim one'e self unfit to represent the people. i Regarding this proposed step on the part of those who still profess loyalty to Re publican principles and whose constitu ents In every county are Republicans by large majorities, there axe several things which may Just now very appropriately be said before this bolo-thrust is made at the very vitals of the Republican party of Oregon. It is inconceivable and therefore inde fensible to claim that the public senti ment of this state is in favor of the elec tion of a United States Senator who has declared himself In accord with the prin ciples of William J. Bryan and who sup ported him for President two months ago. With this fact before him, any member of the Legislature who votes for Cham berlain next Tuesday on the plea that he Is bound by his loyalty to the "will of the people" should be taken before a competent commission and examined as to his sanity. There Is not one Republican Statement member of either house of the Legislature but who will freely admit that. If express ing his own choice for United States Sen ator, he would not vote for Chamberlain at all yet he has already taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, the supreme law of the land, which plainly says that the State Legislatures shall "choose" the United States Senators. There are some things even the people cannot do under the Constitution of the United States many things, in fact and among them is the choosing of a United States Senator. This fact Is admitted by every man who is In favor of an amendment to the Fed eral Constitution permitting the direct election of Senators. The Legislature has as much right to elect members of Congress as the people have to elect United States Senators un der the Federal Constitution as It is as CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT Motive and Disposition of Conirreaa In Its Hostility to Rooaevelt. In view of the growing hostility of Congress to the President and the constant nagging of members In small matters, the following from the New York Evening Post, on "the mind and disposition" of Congress toward him, is an interesting statement: All this, however, only throws us back on the question why Congress should have been heaping up so In tense a hatred of the President. Was it due to Jealousy of. his popularity? Was It envy of his fameT Was it even resentment at his dictatorial manners? None of these things. The truth of the matter it Is a delicate thing to Btate, but no one who has any ac quaintance with Congressmen, no one who knows Washington, can have any doubt, what that truth la It Is, in a word, that Congress does not believe in President Roosevelt's moral sincerity. It thinks him hypo critical. He has lectured it and the country on truthfulness, yet nine out of ten Congressmen believe Mr. Roose velt himself to be habitually untruth ful. He has posed as a champion of fair play, yet Congressmen believe him to fight foul. They picture him as living In and delighting In an atmos phere of suspicion, Intrigue and cal umny. His talk of the square deal they scoff at as sheer pretense. They say that he protects favorites, such as Paul Morton and the Steel Corporation, while furiously prosecuting his ene mies or those whom he thinks he can make political capital by attacking. In short. Congress is thoroughly convinced that all the superior moral exhorta tion which it has had from President Roosevelt has come from a man who allows in himself the thing he con demns in others. Mind, we do not say that Congress is right about it. We only state what It believes to be true. Congressmen may be deceived, but there can be no question that this Is what they hon estly think about the President. Wife Made Her Huabnnd'a Jude. Omaha Dispatch to the Philadelphia Inquirer. In the Omaha Police Court Mrs. Frank Frelhab accepted an Invitation from Judge Crawford to take his place on the bench while her husband was on trial on a charge of abusing his wife and children. "You may do whatever you please with this man who has abused you, so long as you keep within the law," said Judge Crawford. Freihab had an attorney, and his trial proceeded, with his wife acting as police judge. . When the witnesses had testified Judge Crawford held a consultation with the wife. She decided that Frei hab should be sentenced to one day's confinement in jail, the minimum pen alty. Judge Crawford imposed sentence. High Art and the Box Office. St Louis Globe-Democrat. A $750,000 theater has Just opened In New York a year ahead of the date set for the New Theater to be devoted to high art. But no complaint of riv alry Is heard. No well-regulated per son will complain If high art has a boom. Before the matter can be set tled the box office must be heard from. ED Drawing; a Distinction. The Commoner. Minority Leader Champ Clark and Speaker Joseph Cannon use the same words, but Mr. Clark uses them with finer discrimination and not quite so much profane emphasis. every member of the Oregon Legislatura has sworn to support It. But, dismissing the legal and binding force of an oath to support the Federal Constitution if it is to be ignored and violated it is pertinent to say . that no man can with a shadow of reason claim that he is representing the people of Ore gon when he casts his vote for an antl Taft man and loyal supporter of Willlimi J. Bryan to sit in the United States Sen ate for six years. Any other plea sets forth a better ex cuse for voting for Chamberlain than tha gauzy one that his election would repre sent the will of the people of Oregon. The election of a Republican to the United Slates Senate by this Legislatura would be hailed with delight by fl per cent of the Republicans of Oregon, and the other 1 per cent would scarcely glva expression to any disappointment that tha Legislature had refused to send a Bryan man to the Senate. Indeed, the particular nature of the ob jection of 6uch Republicans would maka Interesting reading the squaring of al leged Republicanism with outspoken Bry an ism. In his message Chamberlain laya great stress on the binding force of a popular vote for Senator, yet six years ago, when the Republican candidate for Senator had received 12,000 majority over his Demo cratic opponent, and Samuel White, chair man of the State Democratic Committee, had personally assured the successful can' didate that, when the vote of the 17 Dem ocratic members would serve to eloct, they were forthcoming, since the Democracy were believers in the principle of dlreol election of Senators, not one Democratla member of either house deserted the Dem ocratio camp, though on several balloti their support would have elected "tha people's candidate." C. E. S. Wood, the Democratic candi date, also advised the same course, but through the personal objection of Gover nor Chamberlain on the ground that tha defeat of the candidate who had received the popular vote "would be good Demo cratic politics," the Democratic support was withheld. Now, It is said, there are Republican members of the Legislature who intend to fall bodily Into the ways of the Demo cratic machine, which Is playing "good Democratic politics," and send an out spoken Bryan man to the Sonata in ordel to comply with the sentiment of the peo ple of Oregonl It is unbelievable, but one thing Is cer tain: If this programme shall be carried out, as The Oregonlan so well said a day or two ago, there are tens of thou sands of Republicans who will simply re fuse further to support such a nullifica tion of party principles, paralysis of partj organization and violation of known pub llo sentiment. The people of Oregon In overwhelming numbers want a Republican United States Senator, and no Republican member of either house of the Legislatura who votes for Bryanlsm next Tuesday will ever be renominated for another term In that body If the Democrats can be kepi out of the Republican primaries. PIONEER REPUBLICAN. AN ESSAT ON GENIUS. With Remarks on Some of Ita I.lmlta tlona and Defects. Great men, says the London Times, especially those distinguished by ardori of belief or Intensity of efTort. are apt to be possessed by such prejudices and to express them in season and oat of season; and smaller men are apt to take a malicious pleasure In the fact, as If It brought the great nearer to themselves. Michael Angelo, for in stance, called Peruglno a bungler; and It Is pleasant for the modern student of art to feel that he can see beauties to which the greatest of artists was blind. Beethoven thought that Mozari had degraded his genius upon the im moral theme of "Don Giovanni;" and any one now can smile at his irrele vant prudery. Napoleon talked about women just as Irrationally as Milton, and Byron professed to think Pope a greater poet than Shakepseare. As tot Dr. Johnson, prejudices throve In his mind like weeds in a rich soil. Ha could not keep them even out of hH dictionary. They were excited by any pretext, and in a moment could turn his profound sagacity to folly. So It was with Ruskln, who wrote like an angel when he was not provoked to scream like a child. So It was with Carlyle, and even with William Morris, the wisest and most patient of men where none of his prejudices was con cerned. Those of us who do not try to ex plain genius away altogether are apt to expect too much from it- . . No man can be always on his guard agalnsl hi3 own more subtle weaknesses; and genius, being lavish In the positive effort of achievement, is apt to forego the negative efTort of avoidance. Tha great mind, which has spent all its powers upon what It loves, betrays Its weakness In irrational hates. GiviniJ so much to the world, it resents bit terly any kind of hindrance to its own activities. Milton, for instance. Ilka his own last hero, had a "lot unfortu nate in nuptial choice;" at least, his first wife ran away from him; and no doubt he thought it a bitter injustic.i that a man born and dedicated to high poetry should be distracted from his task by such troubles. It seemed to him that women were the chief nui sance in the world, and would continue to be until they were utterly subject to men. He generalized from lus own particular case because he was filled with a sense of his own high mission and thought that nothing should Inter fere with that. He might be taken as an Instance of the egotism of genius; but it is not egotism that absorbs a man In his work. The man of genius is absorbed, not in himself, but in somethinfr out side himself. And this fact distin guishes him at once from the egotist, although It may produce many of the symptoms of egotism. . . . No doubt men of genius enjoy indulging them selves In prejudice as a relaxation from the strain of their serious work. In that work they have to govern and discipline their emotions; and when it is over they are glad to let their emo tions run free for a while from th control of reason. But thoy are not therefore irrational: Indeed, we m.i be pretty sure that Johnson would never have abandoned his mind so free ly to prejudice If he had not all thn while been secure in his own ""entl..! sagacity. He could play tricks wltli himself that less sane men would never venture on. He would unstring tho bow because he knew that he could string it again whenever he chose. There Is some timidity in the moderate opinions of average men. from which s-enlus Is free. Genius is seldom afrnl.l to reveal all of itself, all its weak ness and strength, to the world. Ab sorbed in Its own main work. It cares little what the world may think of it minor weaknesses and perversities.