TITE MORNING OltEGONTAN, SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 6, 1909.
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rOBTXAXD, 8ATCT-DAY. FEB. 6. 1909.
A COXSTITmONAI. COXTEXTIOJf.
By a heavy majority on Thursday
the House passed Bonebrake's bill to
submit to tha electors of the state a
proposal for a convention to frame a
constitution for the state. Probably
It -will also pass the Senate and be
come a law.
There Is reason to believe that the
people now are ready to vote for a
constitutional convention. The old
constitution of 60 years has been prac
tically abandoned. What Is left of It
Is wholly at the mercy of a Blngle
Initiative statute, that may be carried
ly a plurality vote In any election.
While It Is not probable a conven
tion would restore fully the old con
stitution, some features of wich
would no longer be deemed suitable to
new conditions of the country, it pretty
certainly would endeavor to make a
settlement of many things that now
are In chaos or welter. Especially It
would restore, as The Oregon ian be
lieves, certain checks and restrictions
of the old system, removal of which
has proved to be a continual source
of uncertainty, disturbance and even
disorder. In the -business and politics
of the state.
Since the formation of the old con
stitution there has been great and
radical change of the general condi
tions of the country; enormous exten
sion of the- use of corporations in
business affairs, with revolutionary
changes In nearly all departments of
Industry, business and labor. ' Neces
sary adjustments to the new relations
growing out of these changes might
be facilitated by enunciation of care
fully considered constitutional enact
ments, establishing In the light of the
new experience clearer and more defi
nite principles of definition and adju
dication of constantly recurring ques
tions unknown to the makers of the
fundamental law In the earlier time.
It could be settled, too, whether
after our experience of past years the
people desire to retain the features
brought Into prominence under tne
method established by initiative and
referendum, virtual abolition of the
legislative or representative system,
and power of nullification of what re
mains of the constitution at a single
election by a plurality vote. This sub
ject would be one of those of greatest
Importance in the deliberations of a
constitutional convention, and In the
consideration of Its work by the people.
Then It would be settled decisively by
the whole electorate, whether they
wished to retain the system or not.
It may be supposed that our devo
tees of the system will not be dis
posed to distrust the system bo far
as to object to the constitutional con
vention. For we all understand them
to be in favor of government by the
people; and if the constitutional con
vention shall be refused, through their
Influence on the Legislature, why
then they have themselves provided
the Initiative as a form of appeal or
remedj-; and these good people can
have no possible right or power to
refuse their own medicine.
Then let us have the constitutional
convention. Its labors will be ardu
ous; possibly they will be of long con
tinuance. But the people ere to gov-1
tru; they certainly will know what
they want; and if they want a con
stitutional convention they certainly
ought to have it. Moreover; they
must have it, and they will have it.
The bill for a constitutional conven
tion Is but a measure put up to the
people for their acceptance or rejec
tion. In conformity with the system
that ic based on the rule of the peo
ple, K ought to pass th Senate . It
ha passed the House. And the Gov
ernor, we know, 1s In favor of the rule
of the people. There will bnt we
think, a constitutional convention: but
when the proposition shall be sub
mitted to the people, with whom every
decision rests, we shall ascertain
whether a constitutional convention is
wanted or not.
CIJOWT1I OF A GREAT IXDCSTR.T.
Livestock men from east, west,
north and south of Portland gathered
In this city this week at the meeting
of the Oregon Pure-Bred Livestock
Association. The large attendance and
great interest displayed in the sub
ject Is pleasing evidence of the prog
ress that the industry Is making In
this state. The livestock Industry 13
not a new one in Oregon. The size
of the herds which In the past have
grazed on the vast plains' and In the
well watered and sheltered valleys of
the state, made the state famous more
than a generation ago. But Oregon
Is now producing a different kind of
livestock from that which in the early
days of the Industry brought wealth
and prestige to the state. The bunch
grass cayuse has gradually developed
Into a larger, handsomer animal, pos
sessing all of the staying qualities of
the original Oregon horse and many
additional points of merit that have
wonderfully lncreaeetl his value.
The picturesque longhorn steer has
been supplanted by an animal that
will turn out twice as much beef on
the same rations as were needed to
bring a longhorn Into marketable
shape. This substitution of high-class
stock for the ordinary output that
first called attention to Oregon's live
stock possibilities began. many years
ago, but It Is within' the past five
years that the greatest strides have
been made toward bringing the stand
ard up to perfection. The Lewis and
Clark fair brought many h!gh-lass
stockmen to this city from all over
the United States, and the pure wa
ter, fine climate and abundance of
rich feed attracted their attention to
such an extent that many of them
have located In the state permanently.
Increasing interest shown In the pro
duction of high-grade stock was to a
considerable extent responsible for the
location at Portland of the mammoth
Swift packing plant, and from that
source alone there will be an ever
Increasing demand for all of the 'cat
tle, hogs and sheep that can be pro
duced In the entire territory tributary
to this city.
The small farmer in the Willamette
Valley has already learned that his
land Is too valuable for the growing
of wheat, and the stockmen east of
the Cascade Mountains have learned
that It does not pay to produce the
old type of range steer when a high-
grade animal which will sell for dou
ble the amount of money can be pro
duced at the same cost. Diversified
farming and fruitgrowing are work
lng wonders in Improving the finan
cial condition of our people, but the
possibilities for the livestock business,
conducted on the lines laid down by
the Oregon Pure-Bred Livestock Asso
ciation, are even more alluring. The
Industry promises eventually to be
come the greatest wealth producer In
the Pacific Northwest.
THE MOVEMENT IS HALTED,
Secretary Elihu Roo. upon his-elec
tion to the Senate by the Legislature
of New Tork a few days ago, made
a speech which contafned this pas
sage: I am opposed to the direct election of
Senators, as I am opposed to the Initia
tive and referendum, because these things
are based on the Idea that the people
cannot elect Legislatures whom they trust.
They proceed upon the Idea of abandoning
the attempt to elect trustworthy and com
petent state Legislatures. But If you aban
don that attempt. If you begin to legls-
liit. or to amend constitutions upon that
theory, what becomes of ail tne otner tui
powers of the state Legislatures In main
taining the system of local self-government
under tha Constitution?
Question certainly Is, If you can't
elect trustworthy and competent mem
bers of the state Legislature, why
not abolish the state Legislature?
Why not abandon ' all effort to Bus
tain representative government?
There is a difference between the
Initiative and the referendum. The
former is negation of representative
government. The latter Is a method
of appealing to thevpeople upon the
merits of measures passed by their
representatives; or submitted by their
representatives, which is a very dif
ferent thing. Every constitution, of
every state is a referendum meas
ure. So was the Constitution of the
United States, which was submltted-
to the states for their adoption or
rejection. .
Proper discrimination, therefore,
must be made between the principle or
policy of Jhe Initiative and the ref
erendum. They have no necessary
nor even proper relation, toward each
other.
What Secretary Root has said on
the general subject has obtained very
general attention throughout the
United States. There Is reason to be
lieve that the policy of "direct legis
lation" has been checked, largely by
the example of Oregon, as well as
that of "election" of Senators of the
United States by direct vote of the
people. In the Southern states the
vote on Senator Is simply a method of
ascertaining which one of the candi
dates of a single party is the strong
est. In no state. South or North, ex
cept Oregon, la the "Statement One"
folly imitated. Nor will it ever be.
Its adoption In Oregon is what makes
all the rest of the states call "Oregon
"the fool of the family."
THE WELSH CASE.
The enlightened decision of the
United States Circuit Court In the case
of Welsh against the Barber Asphalt
Company In no sense sustains the prin
ciple of automatic compensation for in
jured workmen. According to that
principle each industry ought to bear
the expense of all the Injuries which
it occasions. The postulate Is laid
down that when a man's working
power has been impaired or destroyed
by an accident somebody has to sup
port him. Unless the industry In which
he was wounded assumes the burden,
either his family must, or, if they fall,
then society at large must. Now
neither his family nor society. It is
argued, is in any sense e-esponslble for
his disablement, while the industry in
which he labored and received his In
Jury Is responsible. Therefore the
burden of his support should fall there,
and If his family are left in want the
burden of their support should also
fall on the Industry which occasioned
the calamity. "
Siiited briefly, the principle of auto
matic compensation holds that each
branch of Industry ought to bear its
own burdens as well as reap its own
profits. On the other side, it Is point
ed out that the incidence of the com
pensation could only fall temporarily
upon any particular Industry. The
price of Its product would presently
rise sufficiently to meet the new ex
pense and it would thus be trans
ferred to the consumer. Still It is in
sisted that automatic compensation
would be equitable because even thus
those who benefit by the industry In
question would be compelled to bear
its cost to society. Our present pur
pose Is not to weigh these arguments
pro and con, but simply to recall them
In order to show clearly that the de
cision in the Welsh case pertains to
another subject. That decision merely
limits the application of the legal the
ory of the "assumption of risk." In
employments which are known to be
hazardous the law has long held that
the employe when he took his Job as
sumed the risk of Injury which accom
panied it. and, if he were maimed or
lost his life In the ordinary course of
his work, no damages could be col
lected. To mitigate the hardship of this as
sumption statutes were enacted In
many states, Oregon being one of
them, which required employers to
safeguard dangerous machinery, frogs
In switching yards, and the like. In
some cases these statutes were obeyed
and In ,many cases they were not.
When they were not obeyed and an
employe was Injured, a new compli
cation arose. Of course theemployer
was HajAe criminally for breach of
the law, but was he also liable In dam
ages to the Injured employe? Had
there been no statute requiring the
dangerous contrivance to be safe
guarded, the courts would have as
sumed that the employe contracted to
run all the risk himself. Did he still
so contract when the statute had been
enacted and the employer had not
obeyed It? Up to the time of Judge
Taffs great decision In the Narramore
case the courts almost unanimously
held that the employe did assume the
risk of his Job, his employer's breach
of the law being one of those risks,
and that if he were Injured by un
afeguarded machinery he could re
cover no damages.
Judge Taft held, however, in the
Narramore case, stemming the Inhu
man tide of legal technicalities, that
the employe did not assume the risk
which his employer's breach of the
law entailed. - Being injured by dan
gerous contrivances which his em
ployer left unprotected In disobedience
to the statute, the workman could re
cover damages. Nobody has yet been
able to estimate, the ultimate service
of this decision to humanity, because
until recently the courts In the greater
number of cases have disregarded It.
Setting aside the unanswerable argu
ments of Judge Taft, they preferred to
follow the ancient precedents which
smacked rankly of barbarism. In the
Narramore case, a' workman in a
switching yard was caught In an un
protected frog and wounded. Under
the statute the frog ought to have been
guarded. Did he assume the risk or
not? Judge Taft held that he did not,
and the essence of his reasoning was
that the employer's breach of the law
was a risk which public policy for
bade the workman to assume. Jn
cases where the statute did not com
mand appliances to be safeguarded
Judge Taft made no alteration in the
The case of Welsh against the As
phalt Company fell clearly under the
rule In the Narramore case. Welsh
was Injured by machinery which under
the law his employer should have safe
guarded and did not The lower Fed
eral Court held that in spite of his em
ployer's breach of the law the work
man had assumed the risk. This was
in fiat contradiction to Judge Taffs
ruling in the Narramore case. Welsh's
representative appealed to the United
States Circuit Court, with the result
that the lower tribunal Is reversed, the
Narramore case is accepted as the law
by the Federal Court, as it already
has been by the State Supreme Court,
and there will be a new trial and a
chance for compensation.
BAITERS OF THE JAPANESE.
The uproar in some of our Pacific
States about the Japanese is dis
creditable to their Intelligence. It Is
the work of men on the hunt for votes
among the least Intelligent members
of our electorate. It Is not formid
able at all, and -has but small sup
port; but it annoys the people and
the government of Japan, who don't
understand its motive or realize how
little countenance It has among the
mass of the people of the United
States.
It Is not probable that there, ever
will be any considerable Immigration
of Japanese into the United States,
for it is the policy of Japan to check
the migration of its people, and our
country holds out no Inducements for
their coming. But the few who are
here are very useful workers, and
there Is room for a greater number.
But it would not be good policy to
Invite them, or to admit them In great
numbers, because of the collisions
that would take place between them
and the sort of people among us who
hate them because of their willing
ness, skill- and fidelity In labor. Men
and women who can't or won't cook,
or wash, or cultivate the gardens, or
do other work In a steady and proper
manner, hate tha Japanese, because
they can and will.
The school question Is unimportant.
A few Japanese, Chinese, Filipino or
African children attending the pub
lic schools is ( nothing to roar about.
It is witnessed in almost every one of
our cities. Where the children of the
colored or brown races are very nu
merous it is proper to arrange sepa
rate schools. But why Is It that chil
dren of all races will play together
in the streets, and nothing said, but
social equality becomes a ' bugbear
when they go to the same primary
school for Instruction?, Are there not
colored children at this moment In
nearly every one of the public schools
of Portland? And does this make
social equality? There is not social
equality, even among the white chil
dren.
The sensitiveness of the Japanese
Is. the serious thing, for they are a
Spirited people, and the world knows
that they can both work and fight.
If, however, these howlers against Ja
pan and the Japanese stood alone, if
our Pacific States only were concerned
and had to fight their own .battles, we
should see a very different spirit here.
All these now valiant, men would be
exceedingly obsequious to Japan, for
Japan could maul these states to a
Jelly in four months, and probably
would do it.
OCB INLAND EMTTRE GCESTS.
' More than 200 residents of Spo
kane and surrounding territory will
reach Portland this morning en route
to Southern California. It is needless
to say they will be given a cordial
greeting during their brief stay here.'
There are still a considerable number
of Portlanders who can easily remem
ber when It would have been a difficult
matter for Spokane and the surround
ing territory to muster up 200 people
for an excursion to California without
almost depopulating the Inland Em
pire. They can also remember at a
more recent date when the population
would have stood a drain tf 200 peo
ple without creating comment, but
the matter of funds suffllcent to buy
so many tickets to California would
have been an unsolvable problem.
Even in those old days.when some
of these excursionists who will honor
us with a visit today were doing yeo
man duty In laying the foundation for
the present greatness of Spokane and
the rich country of which she Is the
center, the business and social rela
tions of Portland and the Inland Em
pire metropolis were most cordial, and
have so continued to this day. The
building of the Northern Pacific and
the Great Northern, especially the lat
ter, brought Spokane Into closer com
munication with the Puget Sound
cities than with Portland, but this ad
vantage was insufficient to offset the
prestige of existing pleasant relations.
Spokane and the Spokane country
have continued to do business with
Portland.
That these long-established pleasant
relations will be much more noticeable
in the future than In the past Is as
sured by the great Improvement In the
transportation facilities between the
two cities and to all parts of the coun
try from which Spokane and Port
land alike draw their support. The
newly-completed North Bank road will
bring Spokane hours nearer Portland
than ever before, and will afford all of
the Intermediate territory much better
transportation facilities than are en
Joyed by any other portion of the Pa
cific Northwest.
This excursion of representative citi
zens of the great Inland Empire Is
something more than a pleasure jaunt,
for, unconsciously and to a degree un
intentionally, they are advertising to
the world that the land which they
call home Is wonderfully rich in re
sources and opportunities, and that a
competence can be secured there with
greater ease than anywhere else in tne
Western world. The glad hand Is out
to the Inland Empire excursionists.
Portland hopes they will enjoy their
brief visit with us, and that on their
return they will tarry longer and more
carefully look over the fine city which
they have materially aided in building.
' The water at Salem is abominable;
it Is not fit to drink; 1t Is from the
corrals and cowsheds of the coun
try; but if you take a bottle .of min
eral water to the Capitol, the Argus
eyes of all anti-liquor cranks of the
state are upon you. The very ap
pearance of a bottle, no matter what's
in it, is damnation. So you can drink
the vile stuff, the wash of the farms
and barnyards, or go thirsty. Bottled
water, or beer, would be a relief; but
every howling fanatic, should you pour
anything from a bottle, would exclaim
against the sacrilege in the Capitol or
the state! Men who can't control
their own families, and who even
themselves drink in secret when they
can, are in this business, as if it were
the one and only concern of their
lives. They are sneaking everywhere
through the corridors and rooms; and
a bottle of White Rock would fall un
der their ban, the same as a bottle of
Old Hermitage. Meantime there Is no
water at Salem that anybody, can
drink, without offense to his nose or
palate, or danger of poison. "
Argentine wheat shipments this
week reached the enormous total of
6,112,000 bushels. These shipments,
with 1,960,000 bushels from Australia,
brought the total from these two
countries up to more than 8,000,000
bushels, a figure bo far above the
weekly requirements of the United
Kingdom, toward which most of it la
directed, that It Is small wonder the
foreign market is sluggish in respond
ing to the strength in the United
States. In this age of steam, however,
grain crops are rushed to market so
rapidly that the season is soon over
and the size of the weekly shipments
from the southern country will not
increase the available supply that can
be Bpared for export. The only ef
fect these big shipments will have will
be to get the wheat to the consumer
much more rapidly than ever before,
The racetrack gamblers' clutch on
California's throat has been loos
ened; the passage of the anti-betting
bill is a long step forward toward de
cency and morality in the Golden
State. A man named Wolfe made
the principal speech favoring the gam
biers when the bill was up for final
passage, and in his effort to stay the
tide against them, said: "They will
continue to race in Canada, Mexico
and every other state where gambling
on speed contests Is permitted." All
of which is agreeable to the people
of this country. If the entire race
track gambling contingent will follow
the game to Canada, Mexico or Jerl
cho, their departure will be hailed
with delight, mixed perhaps with pity
for the Mexicans and Canadians on
whom their presence may be inflicted
There is a Job in the bill for a
Board of Pardons, now before the
Legislature. This Is sufficiently ap
parent from the activity of Ferdinand
Reed and other promoters in its be
half. It Is another scheme to create
more officeholders. "Operators" like
Reed, who have no visible means of
support, work at all these Jobs with
a monkey-like, quadrumanous activ
ity. Even the secretaryship of the
board, with its opportunities, would
be something to .him. The record of
60 years shows that the Governor of
Oregon Is an all-sufficient pardon
board. There is no need of relieving
the Governor of his duties. He, as
well as the rest of the officials, never
Is overworked.
County Commissioners Barnes and
Lightner would make admirable sub
jects for Jury duty. So little attention
have they paid to newspaper stories,
rumors and current gossip, that nei
ther of them is aware that there has
been any controversy between the
Sheriff and the County Court. Such
profound Ignorance of what has been
going on around them finds a parallel
only in the case of the man who was
unable to recall that he had ever
heard of Adam and Innocently asked
what his other name was.
The article on the, "Painful Inci
dent" in Wisconsin, reprinted from the
New York Times, Is worth .notice.
When reading It please don't forget
how Bourne got his "direct nomina
tion" in Oregon. Cake was but a
feeble Imitator, but he "done his
est." Chamberlain made no effort
whatever In the primary. It wasn't
necessary. The vote he got was mere
ly an expression of disgust with the
whole system.
Somebody reported that Governor
Hughes, of New Tork, wJien called on
late one night by a friend on busi
ness, was found . reading Epictetus.
Tim Barnes, of the Seventeenth
ward, seeing the story In the news
papers, exclaimed: "Who the devil
Is Epictetus? And what business has
he to be butting In?" The New Tork
Sun confesses that It can't answer.
An Oakland, Or., woman whose hus
band Is under arrest for polygamy has
forgiven him. That Is like woman.
But she says she will let the law take
its course and appear against him.
That, too, is like woman.
"Whiskey," said Johnson on the
scaffold at Salem, "Is to blame for
the murder of Perdue by me." Un
doubtedly; but they couldn't hang the
wrlskey, and they hanged Johnson,
who drank the whiskey.
Possibly Japan has no money and
possibly it would not go to war. So
California thinks, evidently.- Tet we
think Japan might be willing to un
dertake the Job of licking California
on a contingent fee.
All American warships are putting
on the war paint. Our excellent Presir
dent remembers the days when he was
Acting Secretary of the Navy.
Astoria and Tatoosh are In the misty
past on the rainfall record. Dunsmuir,
in California, had seven Inches In
twenty-four hours recently.
The young mati who is not buying a
few acres of apple land in Oregon Is
missing an opportAiity that will bear
fruit.
Billy Sunday, evangelist, is coming
for one day only. That's long enough
to save Portland.
A PAINFUL INClbENT.
It Illustrates the Perils of Direct
. Nomination.
New Tork Times.
An Insult of considerable magnitude has
been put upon the people of Wisconsin
by Senator La Follette, who Is the truest,
the most active and about the noisiest of
all the professional friends of the people.
In the State of Wisconsin they hold pri
maries for the direct nomination by , the
people of United States Senators. 6ena
tor Stephenson was nominated at the Re
publican primaries, and that ought to
have settled it. The people had command
ed their Legislature to elect Mr. Stephen
son. But when It came to the voting at
Madison there was opposition. 'The lower
house was obedient to the popular man
date; In the Senate a considerable number
of Republican did not vote for Stephen
son, and now tfle voting in Joint session
is blocked by a resolution to Investigate
the campaign expenditures of Mr.
Stephenson In the campaign that preced-
k ed the primaries. Curiously enough, Mr.
La .toilette, whose good angel -air. ate
phenson has been, expending money in
advancing the fortune of the lion-hearted
champion of the people against the cor
porations, and expending it in sums suf
ficient, as most men would say, to earn
Mr. La Follette's lasting gratitude, now
turns against him and assails him as a
malefactor of great wealth. But the per
sonal question between La Follette and
Stephenson Is negl !sible when we consider
the graver question Involved.
The direct primary for the nomination
of. all sorts of officers Is, as everybody
knows, the noblest and most beneficent
Invention of man. Mr. La Follette has
told the people of Wisconsin probably
more than a million times that the direct
primary gives expression to the real voice
pof the people. It relegates the bosses
into Innocuous desuetude. It baffles the
aspiring manipulator, it abolishes corrup
tion. Trusting to the assurances of Mr.
La Follette, Wisconsin enacted a direct
primary law and has now had experience
of it. The people voted for Stephenson.
The Legislature declines to elect Ste
phenson, and La Follette opposes his elec
tion. This is rebellion. A more revolt
ing instance of Inconsistency and Ingrati
tude has never come under our notice.
Why does La Follette oppose Stephenson?
Incredible as It may seem, he and his fol
lowing charge, in effect, that Stephenson
bribed the people to vote for him. The
other candidates for the Senate spent
their small change, only trifling sums like
$11,000 and 30,00u. Against Stephenson
they make the monstrous accusation that
he spent all the way from $10",000 up to
$250,000. Once before, when La Follette's
candidate for the Legislature and for the
Speaker was defeated at the primaries In
his district, the Senator charged that the
"interests" had toy the shameless use of
money got the other man nominated.
It Is a painful Incident. If these things
can toe in La Follette's own state, what
are direct nominations coming to? We
have the disposition, certainly, but we can
scarcely find the words of condolence ade
quate to express our sorrow that Gov
ernor Hughes and the advocates of direct
nominations In this state should at this
solemn moment be confronted with the
horrible example of Wisconsin. It Is a
bad matter, take It either way. If La
Follette can prevent the election in the
Legislature of a candidate named by the
people, then any boss In any state may
defeat the popular will. If on the other
hand Stephenson did. In fact, corrupt and
poison the very source of political power,
all the fine preaching In favor of direct
nominations must ba blotted out of the
bright lexicon of youth and hope. We
have been told that the direct primary
was, the one thing needed to prevent any
old moneybags of a lumberman from
grabbing a Senatorshlp. Stephenson is
the richest man in Wisconsin. That Is
against him. But If he actually, by the
corrupt use of money. Influenced the free
born electors of that state, then the case
looks black for the people. Anyhow, the
dreadful example of Wisconsin is a pretty
formidable obstacle in the pathway of
Governor Hughes' bill.
LOOMING AND BLOOMING TAXES.
The Prluclpal Source of the Excess la
Ilii;h Vnluatlon of Property.
Oregon Observer (Grants Pass).
The State of Oregon appears to have
gone wild on taxes. City taxes are up,
county taxes are up, state taxes are up,
and the end is not by any means In
sight. There Is a regular assault upon
the Legislature for Increased salaries for
county officials, rubbish commissioners
and so forth, more judges, more trash
helpers at twice the salaries they are
worth, new appropriations for all sorts
of things, and greatly increased old ap
propriations. Additional taxes looming
up In every direction.
One principal cause of the attack upon
the purses of the people Is the un
duly high assessment authorized by state
law three times too high. Another chief
cause Is the high artificial value of prop
erty resulting from the t'boom." Of lesser
account Is the loss of revenue to a num
ber of counties by the passing of the local
option law. The worst feature of the
whole business Is, that charges will be
Incurred now that It will be next to Im
possible to get relieved of a little later,
when the state becomes sane again and
fictitious values have worked their own
connection.
In regard to Josephine County, It
seems to be the general belief that the
Board of Equalization exceeded its pow
ers when It added 60 per cent to the as
sessment. It is not likely, however, that
anyone will care to Incur the cost of
bringing, the matter before the courts,
and the Increased tax will no doubt be
paid, but not without "squealing."
Ia It a New Story
New York Evening Post.
A "new" story about Napoleon Is
necessarily suspect: the probability is
that it is simply so old that it has been
forgotten. However, here Is one that
M. Arthur Chuquet prints in L'Opinlon
as never before published. It relates
to Napoleon and Blucher. The Emperor
received the general at the Castle of
Finkensteln, whllo he was preparing
for the slega of Danzig. He drew him
to a window in an upper story and
paid him compliments on his military
gifts, and Blucher, going away aeiisni
ed. described the interview to his aide-
de-camp. "What a chance you missed!"
exclaimed "the latter. You might have
changed the whole course of history,"
"How?" "Why, you might have thrown
him out of the window!" "Confound
it!" replied Blucher. "So I might! If
only 1 had thought of It.
Hia Vocation Settled.
From Life.
Parke I don't know what I am
ever aolng to" do with that boy of
mine. He Is careless and absolutely
reckless of consequences, and doesn't
seem to care for any one. Lane Good!
You can make an auto chauffeur out
of hlml .
IMPRESSIONS OF A FREE LANCE.
J. Henneeey Murphy.
I decline to accept Representative McDon
ald's Interpretations of the Constitution of
the United States and of the State or Ore
gon, until I hear from Joe Malley.
Some 'of those legislators look to me like a
coop of roosters on the way to the stew-pot.
When Mayor Lane Is not promoting reform
he's tiring reformers.
No sir; T. T. Geer is not out of it. he s
Just crotwed his legs and Is figuring how to
get into it. ...
Well, there's one Democrat left, anyway,
George Thomas.
tt' not ex.ictlv a eanare deal to tax a
homely man J5000 for swiping a wife's affec
tions and to let a good-looking man pack her
olt free gratis.
It'r said the wind feast on the lower floor
of the State House has disturbed the equili
brium of the scales of Justice on the roof.
Jonathan ha etlrrred up the rams all
right and their horned fronts are yearning for
his classic rear.
The only fault I've got with Ben Tillman's
oratorical osrne Is that It measures out four
yards ot emchaels to one Inch, of meaning.
A REMARKABLE PROPHECY.
Satirical Sketch. Printed It Septem
ber, Forecasted ret Events.
(Shortly after Mr. Harrlman returned to
New York from his Oregon vacation last
Summer, the New Tork Journal of Com
merce printed a satirical sketch on "Edward
H. Harrlman Commander-in-Chief, of Amer
ican Railroads.'- In view of the numerous
railroads Mr. Harrlman has picked up sinoe
then, the sketch has proven to be so won
derfully prophetic that the following por
tion of It Is reproduced:)
The wizard had divested himself of his
overcoat and was surveying a map Just
compiled for htm by a corps of experts a
map portraying the Harrlman plans for
1908-1909. There was no exchange of cour
tesies when the secretary entered.
"Send for Morgan, Hill, Gould, Vander
bllt. Rockefeller, McCrea, Ripley, Hara
han, Underwood. Have Kruttschnitt on
hand."
- "Yes, sir."
At H:C a subordinate appeared and an
nounced that Mr. Harrlman had over
looked the Panama Canal and it would
take him perhaps half an hour to clinch
control of It. The gentlemen were at lib
erty to take 46 minutes' recess for lunch.
"Sit down," grunted Mr. Harrlman, as
they all stood at attention on entering his
presence. Some notably Messrs. Gould,
Vanderbllt and Harahan hesitated to
show such familiarity. Without further
ado, Mr. Harrlman began: "I have drawn
up my programme for the next 12 months.
I am not at all satisfied with the way
things have been running. I find I shall
be obliged to take over a good many, more
roads. .
"The Erie, Mr. Morgan, has been fright
fully bungled. You may consider yourself
relieved of any further responsibility. Mr.
Vanderbllt. I am sorry you are the only
one of the family on duty. My investment
In New York Central has not fulfilled ex
pectations. However, I have decided to
Increase It considerably considerably, you
understand ? so that you, too, may go to
Europe next Summer if you have a mind
to. I shall henceforth manage the Centra:
Mr. Kruttschnitt, look after the neces
sary rearrangement of traffic. Mr. Gould,
you see where your astuteness has landed
you. i Stick to polo. I find I can use the
Wabash, Wheeling & Lake Erie and the
Western Maryland. Also (Mr. uouiu
gasped) the Missouri Pacific, St. Louis &
Iron Mountain system Mr. Harahan, you
shall have charge of this section, so that
I can run clear from Chicago to the Gulf.
Presently I may have to take over the
Western Union so as to be able to have
prompt communication over my various
systems. However, you can retain it for
the present." Mr. Gould expressed grate
ful thanks.
It had been noticed that Mr. Hill was
fidgeting uneasily In his chair. "Mr.
Hill," began Mr. Harrlman, looking very
severe, "you have sorely tried my pa
tience. You have dared to compete with
me. All right, sir; all right. Mr. Morgan,
you will please cease your banking rela
tions with Mr. Hill and, Mr. Schiff, you,
of course, know where I stand. I have
also built a 1500-mile extension to the St.
Paul, which hereafter will keep you in
your place. Mr. Rockefeller, have the
last tie laid by New Year's Eve. Atchi
son and Baltimore & Ohio will be more
closely looked after by me in future,, for
I find their earnings are very unsatisfac
tory. Northwestern is doing fairly well;
I am to leave it as at present. Now, Mr.
McCrea, you will be glad to learn that I
have not included the Pennsylvania in my
list. I Intend to wait until you have fin
ished your extensions or until they finish
you; I have doubts on this point. The
Pennsylvania and the Lackawanna will
probably receive my attention next year."
TRUE TO THE HIGHEST AND BEST.
Opinion of the United States bjr an
Eminently Competent Observer.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
The first thing that struck me upon ar
riving I might even say almost before dis
embarking was the universal and profound
admiration shown fora man who has con
secrated his whole life not to the creation
of wealth, but to perfecting the education
or his country President Eliot. In Europe
I know of no Instance of such great popular
admiration for a man who haB devoted hla
whole life to directing a powerful Institu
tion of learning.
This Is an extract from a recent ar
ticle by Professor Guglielmo Ferrero,
the greatest living Italian historian,
who Is now In the United States. It Is
the expression of an eminently compe
tent observer of a man far enough
removed from our Interests to be free
of the suspicion of bias.
Those Americans who see material
Ism rampant In their country, who fall
to find a widespread sentiment of re
verence for the good, the beautiful, the
true; whose favorite diversion is to
point out the infinite abysses of cor
ruption Into which the Nation and Its
people are supposed to have fallen
those Americans should read and re
alize the significance of this prompt
and spontaneous utterance by our em
inent visitor.
Professor Ferrero came to the United
States under no implied commitment
to dlgulse or temper his opinion. He
came to see what there was to see and
to treat the material, no doubt, in the
scientific spirit which animates the
study of the modern historian. And
what was the first thing that struck
him? Was it that crass materialism
was triumphant In this country? Was
It that corruption was rampant? Was
It that the things of the spirit were
spurned? No!
What struck him was the fact that
here, in the country whose symbol to
many Europeans is often the dollar
mark, the admiration for intellectual
capacity and high character, manifest
ing themselves In a noble life devoted
to the public service, was capable of
reaching a point beyond anything with
which a European was familiar; that
the prevailing sentiment of the people.
In a word, was still true to the high
est and the best.
He seized and expressed an essen
tial fact of American society a fact
which no one who looks below the
surface with an Intelligent eye will
jSispute. Amid the triumphs of Indus
trialism the society has preserved a
regard for what Is more than material
success; It still sets up
A mnrk of everlasting light
Amid the howling senses' eBb and flow
no matter what may be said to the
contrary. '
Jonathan's Regard for Deserving Poor.
Eugene Guard.
We have received a copy of Senator
Bourne's speech advocating a higher
salary for the President and Vice-President
of the United States and Speak
er of the House. Jonathan's efforts In
behalf of these poorly-paid servants
of the people are certainly appreciated
by his constituents, few of whom would
give up their lucrative jobs to serve as
President for the beprgardly pittance
of $50,000 a year. The Senator Is evi
dently not much of a public speaker
and it is fitine that his only effort In
that direction should be an appeal for
the deserving poor who are always with
us and generally In official positions.
Invertebrate Politics.
Bend Bulletin.
How disgusting and how rather
sickening a scene was presented by
those Statement No. 1 Legislators who
cast their votes for Chamberlain under
protest. Their action in the Legisla
ture indicates .that they " signed the
Statement in order to secure their
election and then when the anti-Statement
men got after them they easily
succumbed to the opposition's crafty
game and cast their votes as the anti
Statement forces dictated under pro
test. How absolutely back-boneless
some mortals are.
Baby Fools Voltage From Third Rail,
Trenton, N. J., Dispatch.
A 2-year-old child was found at Atlan
tic City, N. J., sitting on a third rail of
an electric road carrying several thous
and volts, but the little one was not injured.
HAJUUMAN AND N. Y. CENTRAL.
itni the Wall-Street Wlmard Ban the,
Vanderbllt Rallroadat
Richmond (Va.) Special to New York
Times.
B. H. Harrlman. head of the Union and
Southern Pacific Railroad systems, who
was elected to the board of directors of
the New York Central In New York to
day, spent exactly 20 minutes In Rich
mond today. He has been In Aiken,
8. C. spending 10 days recuperating
from a slight ainess. He says be is
not 111, however, and that he is ready to
get back. Into the harness as soon as he
gets to New York.
"Mr. Harrlman. It has been reported
that your election as a member of the
board of directors of the New York Cen
tral Railroad portends the passing of the
Vanderbilts in the affairs of that road,
and that In the future you will be In con
trol?" was asked of Mr. Harrlman as
soon as ills car stopped In. the station.
"Who told you that?" Who are youT
and what do you want, and how did you
get In here?" Mr. Harrlman replied In a
half angry tone.
"It's a fact then that you do oontrol
the New York Central?" said the report
er. "I am not discussing anything tonight,
and I want o get back to New York un
disturbed." said Mr. Harrlman, puffing at
his cigar..
"But you know that Interest attaches
to your election to this directorate and
an expression of opinion from you would
be most acceptable." the reporter said.
"Well. I am not going to discuss the
Vanderbilts, the New York Central nor
anything else. You should have known
this when you came. You shouldn't have
come at alL
"I have been South for my health.
True, I have looked over few roads, but
I have been attending to no business. I
was 'over the Central of Georgia, but I
simply made suggestions. So far &s the
New York Central Is concerned, I can
say this: I was elected to the board of
directors. I am going to serve In that
capacity and look after my interests. The
Vanderbilts and anybody else can look
after theirs. I won't talk about my con
trol. That's my business, and I am not
in the talking humor tonight."
"Does your election mean that you are
going to take active chargo of tha work
ings of the road?"
"It seems that you. want to bs lawyer,
court and everything else. Isn't It enough
that I am a director? I am certainly not
responsible for the manner In which the
Vanderbilts look after their Interests. I
am looking after my own.
"Young man, if I had been in New York
they would have known better than to
ask me these questions. When you get
as old as I am you will know better. I
simply can't talk. Of course, you are
perfectly welcome to take what Infer
ences you will, but remember that I have
not told you anything about tlio control
of the New York Central. I have been,
sick.
"Do you know, I don't even know whom
I succeed on that board? But I am going
to look after the New York Central all
right, only I can't be expected to look
after the family affairs of everybody.
Just say that I won't say anything, and
that I had a good time and that I am
going to work again."
The Interview ended with Harrlman still
smoking his cigar and several clerks
reading loir, type-written, legal-looking
documents to him.
Mnrconl, the Real Hero.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
As mankind reads the story of the dis
aster to the steamer Republic, peruses
the stirring narratives of the passengers,
pictures the anxiety on the hundreds of
faces, Imagines the Florida standing by
to give help to the distressed steamer, the
Baltic, the Gresham and the other good
ships hurrying to the sinking vessel, the
long, trying, perilous process of trans
ferring the passengers and crew from the
Republic to the Florida and again from
the Florida to the Baltic as mankind
does this and feels the thrill of the epi
sode there looms over the whole Inci
dent ono name and one figure, the name
and figure of a young Italian:
.Marconi!
Pntent Device to Foretell Quakes.
City of Mexico Dispatch. ,
Luis L. Naverro, a student In the Na
ational College of Mines In this city,
has applied to the Government for a pat
ent on an Instrument which, he declares.
will foretell earthquake shocks with the
same certainty that a barometer 'gives
warning of a coming storm. The young
Inventor declares that It will tell with un
erring accuracy at least six hours pre
viously of a pending shock In a given
region. The Instrument has the appear
ance of a small dynamo, a bell affixed to
which, and connected with a ground wire,
causes a circuit breakage, which sounds
the alarm bell.
"Ghost" Knocked Out by a Brick.
Baltimore News.
Someone In Princeton, N. J., hit a ghost
With a brick and knocked him out. These
be parlous times for psychic folk, and
we of earthly flesh are also constantly
up against it by rail and sea.
No Mednl for Hcrolo Congress.
New York Post.
The Carnegie hero medals are again
awarded, but there was not one for a
Hou9 of Representatives ' that took Its
life In Its hands.
Grovrlln' A Ion sr.
Atlanta Constitution.
He's firowlin' low.
An' he's growlin' high
Ef he prays for rain
An' they send htm dry;
From the wo id to the winders of the sky,
lie's growl'.a night an' mornln'l
When it's .-Summer sweet
An tho worl' sings so,
He growis kaze the weather
Ain't slitiKln' snow;
An' he's gruwlln' low.
He's growlin' night an' mornln'l
The worl' runs right.
An' the worl' runs wrong.
But he nuver changes
His growlin' song;
An' he'll growl till the last . day cornel
along
He's growlin' night an mornln'l
Mr. Dooley
IN THE
Sunday
Oregonian
TOMORROW
After an absence of three
years, Finley Peter Dunne,
whose conversations with
Mr. Hennessy have made the
English - speaking world
laugh, has come back to hi3
first love the newspaper.
In The Sunday Oregonian
tomorrow he will have a
characteristic letter on "Our
Retiring President," in
which he indulges in his
well-known satire.
"Mr. Dooley" will con
tribute regularly to The Sun
day Oregonian.