V
TTIE MORNING OREGONIAN, MONDAY. FEBRUARY 1, 1909.
tertian
fURTLAXD. OREGON.
Entered at Portland, Oregon. Fostofflce as
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PORTLAND, MONDAY, FEB. 1. 1809.
SIGNS OF A TRUCK.
Cessation of activity In preparation
for the Harrlman "invasion" of Puget
' Sound and Grays Harbor territory,
previously regarded as the special
preserves cf the Hill Interests, is
strongly suggestive of a truce between
' the gTeat railroad Interests of the
country. This truce, if It has been
effected or will be effected, may result
in postponement of the projected
Harrlman lines in Oregon. Mr. Harrl
man has made frequent visits to the
Pacific Northwest. He has personally
investigated the localities in which
railroad facilities are needed, and he
has expressed a willingness' to build
some of these lines. His faith in these
projects has been shown by exhaustive
surveys, which would never have been
made had there been no intention of
eventually building railroads.
Unfortunately for Oregon and the
Pacific Northwest, Sir. Harrlman Is
exactly what he claims to be, merely
a "hired man," who has been put to
the front by great aggregations of
capital that are represented in nearly
all of the gTeat transcontinental lines.
It is a well-known fact that the Stand
ard Oil interests are prominent in all
railroads known as Harrlman lines.
The same interests have millions in
vested in what are known as the Hill
lines. The .banking end of the Harrl
man business has always been looked
after by Kuhn, Loeb & Co., and J. P.
' Morgan & Co. have represented the
Hill interests. Within the past twb
years there has been increasing evi
dence of co-operation letwetn these
two forces. Mr. Harrlman has taken
charge of new properties from which
he could and would have been barred,
had there still existed that fierce
rivalry which culminated In the spec
tacular fight for control of Northern
Pacific nearly eight years ago.
These mighty forces In the finan
cial and railroad world have for the
'Vast two years been devoting their
energies to lines east of the Rocky
Mountains. They have been "con
necting up" missing links in what
eventually may be one great system
from which all competition will have
been eliminated. Pending completion
of these plans of reorganization and
for acquisition of the Kastern railroad
properties plans now gradually com
ing to light it is not improbable that
Mr. Harriman's arrangements for im
mediate development .of. the Pacific
Northwest have been interrupted. Mr.
Rockefeller and his associates repre
senting large holdings in the Hill
lines, the Harrlman lines, and the
Milwaukee road might successfully
argue with each other that no more
money be spent in the Far West until
their plans were worked out in the
East.
If such a decision has been reached
by the men who have the money and
the power, Mr. Harriman's Individual
desires to complete his Oregon and
Washington projects would carry but
little weight, for he could not back
them up with the expressed fear that
the Hill or the Milwaukee roads
might break into the territory, in
volved. The situation is not pleasing,
tut It docs not necessarily mean that
there can much longer be withheld
from the Pacific Northwest transpor
tation facilities of which we stand in
such great need.
The railroads, whether operated in
dependently or as a gigantic trust,
ere after business and in no other
part of the United States axe the op
TKrrunities for development of new
business so good as they are in this
region. Another encouraging feature
is the increasing number of million
aires throughout the country who
eventually will Invade the rich fields
which at present have apparently
heen fenced oft for exploitation at
their leisure by the capitalists repre
sented by Mr. Harrlman and Mr. Hill.
There is enough of this business to
KO round, and the attempt of any mo
nopoly to "hog" it afl will in the end
come to grief., and the Pacific North
west will receive full recognition.
COST OF EXCAVATIOX AT PANAMA.
i Important information is supplied
es to the cost of excavation on the
canal 'at Panama. The general cost,
not including rock work, was esti
mated by the old commission at 80
Cents a cubic yard. But this work
is actually being done at 40 cents.
The original estimate of the cost of
rock excavation was $1.76. But by
the methods now employed it is done
for less than one dollar.
These demonstrations, it Is said,
lend weight to the project of change
to & sea-level canal; and it is argued,
moreover, that the building of dams
and locks for a high-level canal would
take as much time as for a canal at
ea-level, and might cost even .more j
money.
Closer estimates of cost for a sea
level canal can probably be made than
for the high-level plan; for the cost of
the great dams and locks Is an ex
ceedingly uncertain problem. But all
the estimates for either plan are as
yet untrustworthy. De Lesseps," eays
the New York Tribune, "at first ex
pected 'to cut a sea-level canal 28 feet
deep in eight years for $114,000,000,
but nine years later reckoned that his
best performance would be a lock
canal 1 5 feet deep in twenty years for
$351,000,000. .In 1893 the new French
company hoped to complete a lock
canal In twelve years for $180,000,000,
and in. 1900 our commission estimated
that to complete the lock canal on the
French plans would cost $142,342,579.
Of course, there have been material
changes of plans since 1900, to provide
for the passage of larger ships than
were then In existence, and the pros
pective cost of the canal has thus been
increased."
But the actual cot,.imder American
occupation, according to latest report.
of excavating 59, 773,1 9 cudic yaras,
including plant and everything else,
has been but 51,512,000; hence It
would appear that if the sea-level plan
should be adopted something like a
near estimate of the amount of mate
rial to be removed and the cost of
removing it might be arrived at.
EXPLANATIONS FROM SEATTLE.
The Seattle Times takes exception
to some friendly comment made by
The Oregonlan on the Seattle method
of padding out building permits. In a
fine burst of indignation; the Times
asserts that "The general methods of
issuing permits for improvements, no
matter whether they be for repairs of
an old building, the removal of a
building already constructed from one
point to another, or the erection of
a new building, are the same in Port
land as they are in Seattle." It is a
little difficult to determine 'just how
much latitude can be given the term
"general methods." The point to
which The Oregonlan called attention
was that one-half of the permits is
sued in Seattle in December were for
alterations, moves, repairs, while In
Portland only one-sixth of the per
mits were for this kind of work, five
sixths being for new buildings.
Of course, if the Times wishes to
stand on Its assertion that the general
methods of Issuing these permits are
the same In both places, we are com
pelled to believe that Seattle is In
such a woefully dilapidated condition
that one-half of her building permitB
are for repairs, moves or alterations.
In attempted explanation as to why
the average value of buildings for
which permits were issued In Port
land was $3560, compared with but
JH1 in Seattle, the Times asserts
that the full value of the building is
named in the Portland permits, while
in Seattle the valuation Is placed at
only about sixty per cent. In this the
Times is of course glaringly in error.
In Portland, the fee for a permit is
charged on the valuation, each addi
tional thousand dollars increasing the
cost of the permit. This system re
sults in nine-tenths of the permits
being taken out at an estimated cost
far below the actual value of the
building, and, despite the most earn
est efforts of our publicity institutions,
we have been unable to get away from
this practice so as to have our build
ing permits represent even approxi
mately the full value of the structures.
At Seattle, where a flat rate Is charged
for each permit, there 1 no incentive
to make the valuation any lower than
It actually is.
Incidentally it might be mentioned
that Seattle's gain in building permits
in December, the last month for
which complete statistics are avail
able, was 25 per cent, while Portland's
was 193 per cent, and there were no
exposition buildings included in the
Portland statistics.
WATER LIXiIi-LATIOX.
It is quite generally conceded that
Oregon needs a new water law one
that will provide for the determina
tion of water rights without inter
minable litigation. It Is generally
agreed that such a law should provide
for regulation of the use of water so
that waste shall be prevented and so
that each person entitled to water
shall be secure from invasion of his
right3 at a critical sesteon of the year.
Provision should also be made by
which persons who acquire water
rights for powr purposes shall not
secure a perpetual right or one free
from Government control.
The acquisition of water rights is
progressing rapidly and the Legislature
should not further postpone the enact
ment of an effective law for regula
tion of diversion of water from a
stream. To be effective, a law must
establish authority somewhere to en
force It, but it is well that this au
thority be subject to appeal to the
courts in case of abuse power. In
the present session of the Legislature
several bills for water laws are pend
ing. There will be supporters"" and
opponents of each. The Legislature
will do well to study the bills upon
their merits and in doing so consider
the interests of those who support or
oppose the bills. The general welfare
should not be set aside for the selfish
interests of a few; neither should
selfish interests be permitted to pass
as general interests.
In the use of water for power and
for Irrigation lies one of the most im
portant agencies for development of
the Industrial resources of the state
of Oregon. Whatever can be done by
legislation to aid in this line of de
velopment should be accomplished at
once, so that progress may be facili
tated rather than hindered.
OVH SEA FOOD SCPPLY.
The comprehensive and profitable
work in recent years done by the
United States Fisheries Bureau, in pro
tecting and transplanting 'food fish,
and otherwise conserving our supply
of sea food for future generations, as
well as for present use, is told by Em
erson Hough In a late number of the
Saturday Evening Post. We of the
Pacific Coast know something of the
Inroads made upon the salmon that
seek spawning rights and privileges
in the rivers that empty into the Pa
cific Ocean between Alaska and the
Southern Oregon line; but when
brought face to face with the cold,
commercial fact that the East has
been getting from this supply source
about 4.000,000 cases of salmon an
nually for a long period of years, and
that this number of cases means some
200,000,000 pounds, or between 40,
000,000 and 50,000,000 salmon, we are
properly staggered at the enormous
depletion of this supply and are ready
to ask with Mr. Hough where the
salmon supply for the tables of the
American people fifty years hence is to
come, and to agree with the state
ment that the shamelessness of the
Western salmon fisheries is fit to go
hand in hand in general unhollness
with the American lumbering opera
tions. It is encouraging to learn farther
on, what we partially knew before,
that the Government has come earn
estly to the rescue jof this seriously
menaced food supply. Through the
Fisheries Bureau it does work in the
Interest of fish propagation and pro
tection in twenty-seven states and ter
ritories, and dlrecfs planting and
hatching and renders practical aid and
valuable counsel in the work of state
hatcheries. Through Its agency half
a billion eggs of edible fishes have
been sent out to various hatcheries in
a year.
The history of our state hatcheries
Is a familiar one, and the work done
through them, though not all that it
should be ana might have been, has
been in the main of great value. Last
year-the state hatcheries on the Pa-
clflc Slope, as cited by Mr. Hough,
1 riontar a Tinir billion salmon nj
Should each of these broods get back
to the parent stream four years hence,
unlessened by the toll of the sea, it
would mean half, a billion fish of an
average weight of tew pounds each
an exceedingly gratifying result of a
single year's planting. This is but a
hint of the profits that result from
this salmon-planting venture. The
vast fortunes acquired by salmon
packers- a few years later will com
plete the story and urge to further
effort In the line of keeping up the
supply. . But for the work of the
hatcheries and the efforts of the Fish
eries Bureau in the pst ten or twenty
years, it is doubtful whether there
would have been a salmon-packing
establishment in operation on 'the Pa
cific Coast in the last five years.
We hear a great deal about "dry
farming" and farming as the result
of irrigation. In both cf these lines
the Government has lent a generously
helping hand. But the sea in the
meantime ha3 been farmed with equal
skill and profit. FVr example shad
was transplanted in Pacific waters
about 1873; last year the shad catch
on the Paciflo Coast, the fisheries ex
tending as far north as Cook's Inlet,
was 15,000,000 pounds, worth a third
of a million dollars. Six years later
striped sea bass was introduced into
these waters, since which time almost
a million dollars' worth of these prime
food fish have been marketed on the
Pacific Coast. What bonanza farm
ing, asks the writer, can discount this?
adding: "This is not farming; it is
mining; it is business, and .mighty
good business. It means that we can
Increase our supply of sea food, not in
millions of pounds, but in billions; any
year we care to do it; and this Is not
guesswork, but a statement founded
on facts." And, 1t may be added, it is
a statement' that will mean much
more fifty years hence than it means
now, when the grave question which
economists will be propounding to
each other (one that has as yet never
greatly vexed the American people) is,
"What shall we eat?"
THE CRY FOR MORE PAY.
The statement that there are before
the State Legislature bills providing for
Increase of salary for officers in
twenty-eight Oregon counties discloses
the startling dimensions of the grave
dilemma that confronts the taxpayers
of Oregon. Just why the remaining
six cotfhties are not on hand with simi
lar demands is not clear; but the
legislative session Is only half over
and much may be done in three weeks.
It Is Incredible, of course, that the
officeholders in these fortunate six
counties are satisfied with their pay,
since no public officer anywhere ever
thought or admitted he was getting
enough, or resisted the chance to get
more if he could.
But why should the Legislature be
bothered with this business of fixing
the pay of county or local officers?
It is ridiculous for a Senator or Rep
resentative from Multnomah, for ex
ample, to be called on to aid in fixing
the salary of the County School Super
intendent for Lake County. He
doesn't know, for he cannot know
whether $600 per annum or $1000 per
annum is the right sum for that
official, though he ought to know
that all doubts should be re
solved in f avor " of the oppressed
and overburdened taxpayer; but -your
average legislator never has the same
lively sense of the woes and deserts
and burdens of the tax-paying public
after the legislative session begins that
he haH, or thought he had, when run
ning for. office. The Multnomah legis
lator does know, however, on general
principles that any scheme to advance
the pay of any Job-holder anywhere is
part of a contract by some legislator
to pay a political debt to some serv
iceable political ally or henchman at
the expense of the state, and so he
helps out, since he expects the country
legislator to do as much for him when
he embarks on any enterprise to raise
salaries in Multnomah.
This whole business of county offi
cers' pay should be taken from the
Legislature and placed with the re
spective boards of county commis
sioners, where it belongs. It will be
argued, of course, that county com
missioners have no higher or nobler
sense of duty than the legislator, and
that they will reward their political
favorites or punish their political ene
mies by raising or reducing salaries,
according as their own political or
personal fortunes may be affected.
True enough; but it la also true that
the responsibility of a county board
to its own public is Immediate and di
rect; and it is possible to hold the
board in such circumstances to strict
accountability. Besides, it is clear
that the county board is the natural
and proper business head of every
county administration; and good Judg
ment would suggest that all the
county's business affairs be placed in
its hands. No firm or corporation,
for example, doing business at Port
land, would for a moment consent
to having -the salaries of its employes
fixed by a body of men at Salem, re
cruited from all parts of the state
and having no special sense of obli
gation or duty to Portland. This con
cerns matters of local administration
only.
Why should the public business be
done on a basis different from every
private business? Politics and the
politicians demand it, and the public,
through indifference or carelessness,
or Indulgence, supports them and
their schemes. Shall we ever have an
end of it?
CONCERNING DUCKS.
People in general cannot be expect
ed to feel more than a languid inter
est in wild ducks since the law virtu
ally forbids them ever to partake of
such game. Still the controversy over
the length of the open season is not
without its importance. Mr. Jean Cllne,
whose letter was printed yesterday, is
certainly wrong in saying that "the
idea in the framing of all laws to pro
tect the game is to defer the time of
extinction as long as possible." The
true object is to defer the time of ex
tinction forever. There Is no neces
sity whatever that any species of game
should become extinct. Neither need
it be excluded from the market or
reasonable shooting forbidden. On
the other hand, Mr. Cllne's notion of
the way to preserve game is. sound.
If his statement is correct that the
breeding grounds of the wild ducks
are invaded by persons who collect the
eggs by the hundred thousand, then
we need look no farther for the cause
of the diminishing flights. One dili
gent , egg-seeker will destroy more
game than a hundred hunters. .
Still, if ducks will breed in Oregon,
it is the height of folly to extend the
open season so as to prevent them. It
may be trua that the carp have eradi
cated the natural food of the duck In
the Columbia marshes, but there are
no carp in the Klamath waters, and
with proper protection the birds
would multiply there as rapidly as
they ever did. It is not entirely
proved, either, that they would not
nest along the Columbia if they had a
chance. This was formerly one of the
principal breeding-grounds for wild
fowl. The loss of the wapato. would
naturally cause it to deteriorate, but
there- are other vegetables which the
ducks consume, and It stands to rea
son that Some would stay and breed
If they were not driven away. The
desire for a longer open season is not
rational. Since the birds are worth
little for food after January 1, the
principal motive for shooting them
must be the lust for blood, which is
not a very admirable thing in itself,
even if it did not ruin the sport.
When the. anti-racetrack gambling
bill was up for discussion in the Cal
ifornia Legislature, one Senator waved
his arms and exclaimed, "I am for
racing. If this is to be my political
death knell, toll your bells; I don't
want to come here any more." He
probably will not go. He- could not
distinguish between favoring racing
and favoring gambling. It was for
merly thought that races could not be
had at the Oregon State Fair without
gambling as an accompaniment. Ex
perience has shown that the races
without gambling are more largely at
tended than with gambling, and that
there is more interest because it is
known that the race will be fairly con
ducted. Both pool-eelllng and bar
room privileges have been abolished
at the Oregon State Fair, with great
advantage to the institution, not only
from the standpoint of morals but
finances as well. At the last state fair
the crowd was so immense that the
gate-keepers could not keep track of
the admissions. Oregon is In favor of
racing, but. not of racetrack
gambling.
Decision of the County Court to
comply with the law and work the
county prisoners on the roads under
charge of the Sheriff ought to result
in some good road building, unat
tended by the scandals that have
marked the conduct of Kelly Butte in
the past. The change, which was or
dered by law two years ago, will force
more than sixty able-bodied men now
loafing In the C unty Jail to get out
and work. This will have an eco
nomic advantage for the taxpayers,
and it will also have a 'tendency to
lessen the number of criminals who
will no longer regard a Jail sentence
with favor. The change will also
have the. effect of placing responsibil
ity for the care and conduct of pris
oners on the Sheriff, where the law
has always Intended it should be, and
In future, whtn convicts take French
leave before their terms expire, or
engage in whisky and opium traffic
at Kelly Butte, there will be no op
portunity for evasi-n or shifting of the
responsibility.
Washington dispatches state that
President-elect Taft will undoubtedly
take up the reins of government with
an entirely new Cabinet, with the pos
sible exception of Secretary of Agri
culture Wilson and Postmaster Gen
eral Meyer. So far as Secretary Wil
son Is concerned, this news will be
regretfully received in the Pacific
Northwest. The three states' Oregon,
Washington and .Idaho, in the fiscal
year ending Ji.ly- TO, 1908, shipped
more than one-fifth of all the wheat
and flour exported from the United
States and Canada. So lightly has
Secretary Wilson regarded this vast
territory, which turns out such a large
proportion of our great cereal crop,
that a competent agricultural expert
has never been assigned to this field,
although all other principal wheat
states are so favored. A new deal is
needed in the agricultural depart
ment. The Oregonlan. usually right In Its edi
torial comment, displayed Its woeful Ignor
ance of the topography cf Lane County In
a brief editorial Wednesday advocating the
division of Lane County by the very Im
practical north and south division Una propo
sition, a hobby of the Eugene Register.
Has the big dolly been subsidized by the
county seat rlngsters? Cottage Grove
Leader.
There is grave reason, of course, to
think that the big daily has been sub
sidized, for there is a bright chance
that The Oregonlan might get at least
$1.25 or even $1.30 out of the scheme.
Of course there will be a great rush
of resignations from public office, now
that the Governor has threatened to
veto bills raising salaries during the
terms of present Incumbents. Tet
there Is no imminent danger that the
public service will be impaired by
lack of people willing to do the work
for the compensation provided by law.
James H. Guffey, of Pennsylvania,
who was "Jumped off" the Democratic
National Committee at Denver, by
command of Mr. Bryan, has been re
stored to the committee by unanimous
vote of the members. Thus Guffey is
again aboard the ship, and Bryan is
overboard.
It begins to look as though some of
the .members of the Legislature are
E. Z. Marks. Designing persons seem
to have no difficulty in Inducing them
to introduce bills without merit and
having no other purpose than to serve
some selfish interest or open the way
for graft.
In flood season in Oregon the water
flows in the river channels. In Cal
ifornia things are different. Recently
the Sacramento River boats short
cutted across fields and farms and
saved a few hours on schedule time.
"Comment is unnecessary."
How would It do for the Legislature
to consider an amendment to the law
of murder, so that murderers, after
conviction, may be executed, say
within a period not exceeding ten
years? That, certainly, is sufficient
prolongation of the sentence.
By purchase of the Wisconsin Cen
tral the Canadian Paciflo Is to be en
abled to run through trains from the
Northern Lakes and Chicago, to Van
couver, B. C. It is a step of impor
tance in Northwestern railway traffic.
The member who would make it a
crime to swear In - the presence of
ladles probably never had .to fit a
stovepipe in moving time.
"Old Man" Stephenson would give
a lot for that other vote in Wisconsin.
It will take at least another barl.
With nine-foot sheets and ten-Inch
hatpins, why not pajamas for cows In
the Interest of sanitation '
Hard I-lick.
Stayton Mail.
During the absence of the editor there
was a gentleman came to our city for
the purpose of opening a bakery, but
there was no available building.
Advantages) of Staying at Home.
Silverton Appeal.
A small blaze was started between the
walls In the editor's home Saturday even
ing, but the sudden application of water
prevented a serious loss. The blaze orig
inated from a stovepipe through a thim
ble in the partition. Had we been ab
sent from home, as we had Intended, the
property would probably have been
ruined. '
What the "Devil" Heard.
Silver Lake Leader.
The "devil" In this office Is thinking
of moving to Klickitat County, Wash.,
to go to school and take up as a spe
cialty spelling, as reports come to him
that there is a school ma'am over there
that has adopted a rule that when the
girls miss a word In spelling one of
the boys can kiss her, providing he
spells the word -right. In consequence
she has a room full of poor girl spellers.
The Real Thins;.
FUot Rock Record.
Oscar Owens and Johnnyi Llnsner re
cently unearthed a den of snakes, and
succeeded in killing a great many. They
were rattlesnakes and blueracers, some
of the former being very robust and of
great length. Mr. Owens purchased a
quantity of powder lest Fall, took It
home with him and the other day got
busy. It was necessary to blast some
rock away to get in where the snakes
were in a cavern, ourled up to spend
the Winter. As Roy Llnsner says, "If
there 19 one den of rattlesnakes on Bear
Creek there are one hundred."
Tough Days for Chinese Pheasants.
Eugene Register.
A. C. Travis, who has a ranch near
Irving, says seven Chinese pheasants,
four roosters and three hens have taken
up their abode with his chickens about
the barn and are getting as good treat
ment as his domestic fowls. He says
he scattered seven bushels of wheat
about the place for them and the quails
to live on. He also reported counting
132 of the pheasants lying In the snow in
coming from his place to town. The
pheasants, especially the roosters, had
a hard time of it during the cold and
snow. Their long tails accumulated
snow, which melted with ' the warmth
of their bodies and then froze into
chunks of ice and became so heavy that
with their steering apparatus out of
commission they simply lay in the snow
and froze or starved to death.
HI
GILL Alf D ' THE TYPIST
How the Tomg Lady Asked the States,
man Some Questions.
Seattle Argus.
Councilman Hi Gill advertised for a
stenographer some time ago, and the
morning a certain young lady applied
for the position at bis office he was in
a rotten frame of mind. Hence the fol
lowing conversation:
"Munch chocolates?" he asked.
"No, sir."
"Talk slang?"
"No, sir."
"Make eyes at fellows when you're
not busy?"
"No, sir."-
"Know how to spell such words as
'cat' and 'dog' correctly?"
"Yes, sir."
"Gossip through the telephone half
a dozen times a day?"
"No, sir."
"Usually tell everybody who comes
in how much the firm owes?"
"No, sir."
' He was thinking of something else
to ask her when she put a spoke in
his wheel.
"Do you smoke cheap cigars when
you're dictating?" she asked.
"Why er no," he gasped.
"Take It out on your stenographer
when you've had a row at home and
got the worst of it?"
"Certalntly no-not."
"Throw things about and swear when
business Is bad?"
"N-never."
"Go for your employes when they
get delayed on a streetcar In the morn
ing?" "No, indeed."
"Think you know enough about
grammar and punctuation to appreci
ate a good typist when you get one?"
"I think bo."
"Want me to go to work, or is your
time worth so little" "
"Look here, by Gawd, madam," broke
in Hi, "Just hang up your things and
let's get at these letters."
The stenographer has "been there ever
since, and the foregoing conversation
took place more than a year ago.
Conspicuous Object Lesson.
St. Paul Pioneer Press.
There is this compensation, at least,
for the election of Chamberlain, a
Democratic politician, to the United
States Senate by Republican votes
votes cast under the compulsion of a
grotesque primary law: It will place
before the Nation a conspicuous object
lesson, llluBtrating the foolishness of
statutes which seek by trickery to nul
lify the plain provisions of the Con
stitution of the United States. Having
committed the people of Oregon to this
species of trickery, the supporters of
Chamberlain found it easy to practice
on them another trick for his benefit,
by swamping the Republican primaries
with Democratic votes and thus put
ting up. In Cake as the Republican
nominee, a man against whom the Re
publican stomach revolted. Then, hav
ing rammed down the throats of can
didates for the Legislature a pledge to
vote for "the people's choice," the rest
of their programme was easy; and a
state which supports Taft by a vote of
nearly two to one, as compared with
that for Bryan, is made to send an ene
my of Taft to the Senate. And all
through the seraphic workings of that
blessed primary lawl a law, by the
way, which excellent lawyers declare
invalid as depriving Legislators their
freedom of action in performing the
duties of their office as prescribed by
the Federal Constitution.
And She Didn't Die Before.
St. Louis (Mo.) Dispatch. -Mrs.
Josephine Wells, who had refused
for several years to allow a physician
to prescribe for her, being, it Is claimed,
a faith curlst, died In fit. Louis, and a
physician reported to the Coroner that
she had hypertrophied heart, tubercular
lungs, cirrhosis of the liver, peritonltla,
gangrene of the pancreas, nephritic kid
neys and gastritis. Some of the diseases
had existed for years.
Six More Carnegie Libraries.
Indianapolis and.) Dispatch.
After negotiations pending for several
months, Andrew Carnegie has made it
known that he will give $120,000 to In
dianapolis for erection of aix branch
library buildings, the city to furnish the
sites and $12,000 each year for mainten
ance. The formal notice of Mr. Carnegie's
decision was sent to Mayor Bookwalter.
Dos; Escorts Children to School. .
Baltimore News.
A Newfoundland dog owned by a
farmer near Trout Lake, Minnesota, es
corts three of the man's children every
day to school. In the afternoon the dog
returns to get his. charges, and con
ducts them 6afely home through the dusk
across 4he frozen-lake.
Signor Ferrero Whitewashes "Roman
Fossil" Tiberius and Ills Julia.
. Chicago Tribune. ''
A new angle on a celebrated divorce
scandal of early Rome was presented be
fore the Twentieth Century Club at the
residence of Mrs. La Verne W. Noyes by
Sig. Guglielmo Ferrero. The marital
troubles of Tiberius and "Julia, he said-,
deserved little more than the notice of
the first page of one of the widely cir
culating newspapers, and not the pub
licity and opprobrium of centrales.
He disputed the statement of Tacitus
that Tiberius was a fantastic personality,
hero of a wretched and improbable ro
mance, and that Julia vas one of the
most immoral women of history. It was
merely a case of Incompatibility of. tem
perament between the great man and
his wife. Sig. Ferrero said, and the
two might any time have obtained a
divorce on the respectable plea of de
sertion. The whole scandal began in the situa
tion that the man didn't wish to marry
Julia in the first place, and was rein
forced by the fact that the girl was ex
travagant and possessed other character
istics embodied in the term of a "live
wire," while Tiberius, in the words of
Sig. Ferrero, was a "fossil."
Julia's father, Augustus, was a poli
tician, and made Tiberius marry Julia
and take her live sons to raise, for rea
sons of state, long after the death of her
husband, Agrippa. Julia embodied in her
attractive personality all ofthe lavlsh
ness of the new civilization, and this
annoyed beyond words the propriety of
Tiberius, who represented the old way
of looking at things, even them out of
date.
The pair separated soon, and Julia be
came involved' in a love episode with one
of the famous GraccL Tiberius heard of
It. but he, too, had great political power
and refused to destroy it by getting
mixed up In a divorce scandal.
Some of those friends, however. Who
do not fear to rush In anywhere, notified
Augustus, thereby putting him in the
pleasing position of being obliged either
to evade a law of his own making for the
punishment of unfaithful wives, or else
kill or chastise his own daughter. His
law read that If the husband failed to do
this the father should.
Augustus, being an astute politician, did
not hesitate when It came to a matter
of his standing, but hustled his daughter
Into banishment. Tiberius also departed
from Rome, Asgtistus took himself Into
retirement, and they all live unhappily
afterward.
This tale of love and scandal being
all there is which can be authoritatively
placed to the discredit of either, the tales
of the scores of lovers of Julia are taken
by Sig. Ferrero to be but legendary lore
growing out of the reports of their ene
mies -and friends.
The moral which they point in history,
in the closing words of the lecturer, is
that, after being pitilessly persecuted In
life, "this man and this woman who had
personified two Bocial forces eternally,
now as then, at war with each other,
both fall after death Into the some abyss
of unmerited Infamy, and make a tragic
.spectacle and a warning lesson on the
vanity of human Judgments."
A fashionable audience In evening dress
filled the front rooms of the big house
at ?0 Lake Shore drive.
One of the particular attractions of the
evening was the wife of the speaker,
the daughter of Lombroso. The men
and women present were delighted with
her personality. She Is small and has
a quaint prettlness, which Is reinforced
by the unusual dressing of her hair la
two low "buns" Just behind her ears,
with an orchid pinned across them in the
back. She sat close beside her husband
and listened closely to his words.
GETTING JOBS FOR ALL.
That Is the Purpose of Recent Legisla
tion, Saya Mr. Pope.
WOODSTOCK, Or., Jan. 31. (To the
Editor.) In yesterday's Orcgonian is
printed a communication, a very sensible
one, from George Moore In answer to
the dairy bill now before the Legislature.
I should not have again troubled The
Oregonlan had it not been for the evi
dent intention of Mr. Moore In assuming
that I am In favor of filthy dairy pro
ducts. Now, It Is quite true that there
are many things I do not know but I
can assure Mr. Moore that I do know
very thoroughly how to stable cows and
also bow to produce clean dairy products.
Nine years ago I erected on my farm
on Elliott prairie a cow barn at a cost
of $5000. This barn was bo constructed
that 120 cows found proper shelter In
It. Mr. Moore seems to think that It Is
necessary to stick cows' heads between
"stanchils" made out of 2xl's, in order
to .keep them clean. If he was up-to-date
he would have known that a patent stall
with reducing feed boxes would accom
plish the same end, and would be vastly
superior, adding Immeasurably to the com
fort of the animals stalled therein.
But all this Is really mere side play and
Mr. Moore knows It. My reasons for
opposing the measure under contempla
tion are, that the practice Is vicious. If
wo are to establish a sort of "kinder
garten" commission, with Inspectors for
every industry, where will the end there
of be? How would It do, for Instance,
to have a sort of Inspector teachers' com
mission to further the trade of printing,
or to teach the grocer to remove rotten
vegetables from his store In order to keep
down microbes, and so on through the
whole Hne? The one Is as sensible as the
other.
The fact is we are Just running "daft"
on" the subject of getting money from
the taxpayer. Everybody wants a Job,
no matter who does the paying. Some
day we will find out that we have over
loaded our statute books with a pile of
rubbish laws that our children will curse
us for. GEORGE POPB.
A Woman's Crying Time.
Atchison Globe.
Many women who can stand any
abuse at home, without shedding a tear,
always cry at weddings, funerals and
"Uncle Tom's Cabin' shows.
Woe of a Week's Work.
Atchison Globe.
It takes most people we know until
Wednesday night to become reconciled
to beginning another week's work.
A FEW SQUIBS.
Some people seem to know more about
what Edgar Allan Poo drank than they do
about what ho wrote. Chicago Evening
Pom.
"Some times I sp1clcne," said Uncle Eben,
"dat de onlles' man dat really an' truly
lovea work Is de one dat's hlrln' somebody
else to do It." Washington Star, m
"All the world's a stage." quoted the Wise
Guy "Yes. and the trust magnate wants
to be the property man." added the Simple
Mug. Philadelphia Record. ,
Mrs Wlggs "John, what is an absolute
vacuum?" Wlggs "An absolute vacuum,
my dear, is something that exl6te only in
your mind." Chicago- Daily News.
"Why don't you try to leave footprints
on the sands of time?" asked the earnest
friend. "Vrhat for?" rejoined Senator Sor
ghum, "to be measured by secret service
detectives?" Washington Star.
Her "Richard! Why on earth are you
cutting your pie with-a knife?" Him "Be
cause, darling now understand, I'm not
finding any fault, for I know that these
little oversights will occur because you for
got to give me a can-opener." Cleveland
Leader.
"You call yourself a naval expert!"
sneered one member of the committee In
the heat of debate. "Where's your proof?"
No proof waa forthcoming, the accused
having to admit that he had nover written
a magazine article In his life. Philadelphia
Public Ledger.
Hard to Beat. Gunner "You can't get
the best of those blamed baggage-smash-era
I labelled my trunks 'China' and
thought they would handle tsetn with un
usual care." Guyer "And did they?" Gun
ner "No, but blamed If they didn't ship
the trunks all the way to Shanghai and I
haven't them elnoe." Chicago pally
KKswa.
Life's SunnySide
Mr. Highbrow It was Mlchelet,
believe, who observed that "woman is
the" salt of a man's life." Miss Keen
Quite true. Young men aren't half so
fresh after they get married. Boston
Transcript,
With the 22d of February looming
up in the middle distance, the young
teacher thought she saw a good chance
to inculcate patriotism In her young
charges.
"Now, what little boy can tell mo
anything about George Washington?"
she asked sweetly. Then selecting the
boy attached to the hand which seemed
to be waving the most frantically, she
said. "Tou may tell, Willie."
"Please, mum, we git a holiday on
his birthday." Lippincott's.
'
Little Margaret and her mother,
while out walking, approached a par
ticularly filthy and bearded orgau
grindur with his monkey, and her
mother gave her a penny to estow
on the unfortunate animal.
She hesitated a moment before pre
senting her alms, then gravely asked:
"Shall I give it to the monkey or to'
his father?" Selected.
A Belolt woman said to her servant:
"Jane, I saw the milkman kiss you
tills morning. Hereafter I shall go out
after the milk." "It wont do you any
good," the servant replied, "he has
promised not to kiss any woman but
me." Belolt (Kan.) Times.
A physician engaged a ntnrse, recent
ly graduated, for a case of delirium
tremens. The physician sucoeeded in
quieting his patient, and left some
medicine, Instructing the nurse to ad
minister it to him if he "began to see
snakes again." At the next call the
physician found the patient again rav
ing. To his puzzled inquiry the nursn
replied that the man had been going
on that way for several hours, and
that she had not given him any medi
cine. "But. didn't I tell you to give It to
him if he began to see snakes again?"
asked the physician.
"But he didn't see snakes this time,"
replied the nurse, confidently, "he saw
red, white and blue turkeys. with
straw hats on." Illustrated Bits.
A persistent attorney who had been
trying to establish a witness's suspi
cious connection with an offending
railroad was at last elated by the wit
ness's admlFSlon that he "had worked
on the railroad."
"Ah!" said the attorney, with a
satisfied smile. "You say you have
worked on the P., T. & X.7"
"Yes."
"For how long a period?"
"Off and on for seven years, or
since I have lived at Peacedale on
their line."
"Ahi You say you were in the em
ploy of the P, T. & X. for seven years,
off and on?"
"No. I did not Bay that I was em
ployed by the P., T. & X. I said that
I had worked on the road, off and on
for that length of time."
"Do you wish to convey the impres
sion that yoif have worked for the P.,
T. & X. for seven years without re
ward?" asked the attorney.
"Absolutely without reward," the
witness answered, calmly. "For seven
years, off and on. I've tried to open
the windows In the P T. & X. care,
and never once have I, succeeded."
Youth's Companion.
e
"Canny" Bridegroom MacdongaTI to
his new fourth wife: "The meenlster
doesna approve o' my martin' again,
an' sae young a wife, too. But, as I
tell't him. I canna be ay bnryln',
buryin'." Punch.
Brysm la the Sorrth.
Charleston News and Courier.
Mr. Bryan never had any chance of
election from the beginning to the
end of the campaign. He foroed him
self upon the Democratic party, and
the Democratic party did not want him
and would not have him. He carrlod
most of the Southern States, and he
carried nothing else. He Intends to
force himself upon the Democratic
party again if he can. That Is what
his constant advertisement of himself
means, end if he shall be placed at the
head of the party again not even the
South will be left to fight his battles
any more. We do not mean to be
misunderstood, however. We have
nominated Mr. Bryan, as it will be re
membered, for 1912 and 1918 and 1920.
Our record upon this point Is clear,
but we do not think he ought to be
nominated, and we are sure that he
can never be elected
That Phenomenal Cheek.
New York Sun.
Though we were nominated by different
parties, we are equally the choice of the
people. Telegram of Senator Bourne, of
Oregon, to Senator-elect Chamberlain, of the
same.
The Hon. Jonathan Bourne, Jr., may
be regarded as the bright consummate
flower of the Oregon gardon of crank
notions. As "the choice of the peo
ple" he Is amusing, and he thoroughly
appreciates his essential humorous
ness. Glorious product of "Statement
No. 2" or was it No. 1? Mr. Bourne
puts us in mind of the compliment
which a famous Chicago statesman
paid to a not less famous Chicago
statesman, the Hon. John Powers:
"John, if I had your cheek, I'd break
into a National bank."
Knew Where John Was Going.
Success Magazine.
"I canna' leave ye thus, Nancy," a
good old Scotchman wailed. "Ye're
too auld to work, and ye couldna' live
In the almshouse. Gin I die, ye maun
marry anlther man, wha'll keep ye In
comfort In yer auld age?"
"Nay, nay, Andy," answered the good
spouse. "I could na" wed anlther man,
for what wad I do wl' twa husbands
In heaven?" Andy pondered long over
this; but suddenly his face brightened.
"I hae It, Nancy!" he cried. "Ye ken
auld John Clemmens? He's a kind
man, but he Is na' a member o' the
kirkWjJIe likes ye, Nancy, an' gin ye' 11
mar him, 'twill be all the same In
heaven John's na Christian."
Real Reciprocity.
Eugene Guard.
Corvallls will ask the Legislature
for the modest sum of $170,000 for new
buildings at the O. A. C. Now, if the
people of Lane County, remembering
last year's action of Benton County,
should Invoke the referendum and vote'
three to one for it at the , ' polls,
wouldn't It Jar the fellows who have
been bo anxious to kill off the State
University?
As Everybody Knows.
Junction City Time.
Colonel Hofer denies all the allegations
In The Oregonlan about his making a
break in ' the good roads convention,
knocking out an appropriation by Con
gress for the purchase of the Oregon
locks. Wonder who is telling the truth.
Albany Democrat.
The Oregonlan.
A Lea; for a College Education.
Trenton (N. J.) Dispatch.
William Oonway, a boy of Jersey City,
N. J., who has been longing for a col
lege education, but unable on account of
lack of money to get It, has received
J25O0 damage for the loss of a leg, and
wiU spend the money, oa his education.