Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, February 23, 1909, Page 8, Image 8

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    TIIE MORXIXG OREGOXTAN, TUESDAY, . FEBRUARY 23, 1909.
8
PORTLAND. OKEGOS.
I
Entered c.c Portland. Oregon. Fostofflos as
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PORTLAND. TLESDAT. FEB. Z3, 1909.
THE PLUNGE TO SOCIALISM.
It Is the opinion of The Oregonian
that the State of Oregon -will not en
ter upon the business of construction
and operation of railroads. The peo
ple of Oregon will hesitate. And then
they will not do it. They will not
desire, after reflection on the subject,
to undertake the policy or system of
public ownership. They will halt,
at a proposition that would commit
them to the general doctrine of social
Urn. That doctrine is denial of the
right of private property. In any or
the means and Instruments of produc
tion and distribution. It. requires
every energy of the people, and all the
productive energies of the state, to
be "commandeered" by the- state.
Of course "the wealthy and brainy
men" who went to Salem on their
mission of committing the state to
construction and operation of railroads
were actuated only by a temporary
and thoughtless Impulse. They meant
well, but didn't look to consequences.
In other words, they didn't know
what they were talking about.
Since the railroads of a state are
the most powerful energy within it,
"socialization" of the railroads would
be the longest possible step towards
realization of the whole doctrine of
socialism public ownership and di
rection of all Industries of the state.
It means confiscation, too, of all
private property employed in the busi
ness of production and distribution.
It means the socialist state. After the
first great step shall bd taken public
ownership of the railroads the logic
of the movement must sweep In all
the rest.
It wouldn't come at once, of course.
There would ba a long struggle. First,
all the property of the state would be
mortgaged to those who might take
the bonds of the state for money for
construction of the railroads. Then
the state couldn't operate the rail
roads without steady loss; and the
whole system would have to be aban
doned, or there would be universal
bankruptcy. Meantime every interest
of the state would suffer; or if escape
were made, it could be effected only
witn immense loss, in ine iiiiuai, ut
which a large number of people would
be beggared; otherwise the scheme
would go on to Its fulfilment In social
Ism, which would beggar all. But
undoubtedly the simple people who
ere pressing this business have no
Idea of results, consequences or ulti
tnates. Once embarked on the rapid
tide, once the current on the brink
of the precipice, is It supposed stop
can be made, or that safety may be
found. In shooting Niagara? Hasn't
Oregon, In her experimentation. In
casting herself adrift from old moor
ings, gone far enough? The whole
country is pointing to Oregon for
Illustration and example of dangerous
Innovation. All the wiser ones take
sober counsel from Oregon's example;
all the cynical sneer at it. Oregon has
reached "a bad eminence," through
the leadership of such men as Bourne,
VRen, Teal and Chamberlain. And
there are more, whose names may
and doubtless will obtain mention
later. "But why is It that the state
can't build and operate railroads?"
In the very nature of things it can
rot. Since, In ordinary official ad
ministration, the state wastes imr
mense sums, through the indolence,
Inefficiency and superfluity of officials,
what would It waste in strenuous ef
fort, like the construction and opera
tion of railroads? If the state should
undertake the construction of railroads
the work would cost from BO to 100 per
cent more than railroads built under
private or corporate direction. The la
bor unions would seize their oppor
tunity and politicians would have vir
tual or full control. The construction
camps and board and lodging of the
men would cost as much as the dally
fare at the Hotel Portland or the
Hotel Oregon. A "great state", would
be compelled to yield to every demand.
Do you not observe how the esti
mates of the cost of construction of
the Panama Canal have Increased
since the Government actually under
took the work? At first, the estimates
were about $145,000,000. -Now they
exceed $350,000,000, and they who
are In position to Judge believe the
actual cost will exceed $500,000,000.
Government can do no work for less
than double what It could be done for
by private contract. It Is universal.
Work equal to that Jone by all the
officials of the City of Portland Is
done in any of the various lines of
private business In the city for less
than one-half the money. Sixty per
cent of all the sums paid In, whether
for city, county or state, would' be
saved by Introduction and enforce
ment of the methods and principles
employed in private business. Every
body feel3 at liberty to rob the state.
Private business will not permit It.
"With the same money the private em
ployer will get always results two to
three times greater than can be ob
tained by the state. Everybody knows
It. On public work the contractor is
always at the mercy of his men.
But It Is not merely In construc
tion of railroads that the state would
suffer. Operation of the railroads
would be a far greater difficulty, and
a continuous loss. The districts
served by the railroads would ever
lastingly Insist on lower rates; the
men employed by- the state in the
maintenance f-nd operation would dlc-
(kct. swnm forma Tn f)ll thl.ct rtllfil-
ness the politician would be at work,
with ceaseless activity. It Is the
opinion and belief of The Oregonian
that the people of the state, fore
seeing all this, and taking warning
against It, will keep the state out of
the railroad business, and refuse to
mortgage their property to the bond
holders who might furnish, the money
for the exploitation, and then have
in their hands the power to enforce
the taxes, through the courts, neces
sary to pay the interest, and finally
the principal, of the bonds.
No thought has The Oregonian
that Its appeal to the people of Ore
gon on this question will be vain.
The appeal will be as sure. In Its re
sults, as the appeal was to them
against the fallacy of debasement of
the money standard,-by free coinage
of silver. This, till settled and dis
posed of, will be the one leading ques
tion before the people of Oregon;
A FOOLISH EXTORT.
The country will not approve the
Indictment at Washington, D. C, of
the editors and proprietors of the New
Tork World and Indianapolis News,
and the efforts to compel them to
answer and to stand trial there. It Is
alleged that they have published libels
against various persons. In relation to
the Panama Canal. That is a proper
subject of inquiry. But it should be
conducted where the newspapers are
published. The men against whom
the libels are alleged do not reside at
Washington; which is another reason
why the trials should not be forced
there.
. It seems that an old law of the State
of Maryland Is forced and strained
for this business. The territory of the
District of Columbia, embracing the
City of Washington, formerly belonged
to the State of Maryland. Ever since
the creation of the district the courts
of the district have exercised the
common-law Jurisdiction of the State
from which the district was derived.
Libel has always been a crime in
Maryland, and so. therefore, it Is held
to be in the District of Columbia. This
would be well enough, only It ought
not to be strained for the purpose and
to the extent of dragging persons from
other states to answer for libel in the
District of Columbia or In the State
of Maryland, merely because Journals
published, say at New Tork or at In
dianapolis, have chanced to send or
soil copies In Washington or Balti
more. These rrosecutlons at Washington
are a mistake. They will come to
nothing. Libels may have been pub
lished, but the fight over the prose
cution will obscure the main issue.
The men or the New Tork World and
of the Indianapolis News will be able
to defeat the attempt to try them at
Washington. President Roosevelt and
Attorney-General Bonaparte ' have
committed a blunder. The District
of Columbia can have, properly, noth
ing to do with this business.
FALLIBILITIES OF THE COCBTS.
In Collier's Weekly for February 20,
C. P. Connolly returns to the subject
of Judicial fallibility, which seems to
be a favorite of his. In this article
Mr. Connolly, who Is a master hand
for exact facts, does not content him
self with denying that the courts are
dilatory, that the Judges are prone to
exalt technicalities above Justice, and
so forth. He teaches by example as
well as precept and gives some strik
ing instances of the sins which he
condemns. It may be worth while to
comment on one or two of Mr. Con
nolly's cases which appear to be un
usually flagrant.
The California forgery case which
he mentions, where the defendant was
trieu three times and finally went free
because the witnesses were all dead.
merely carries to the logical outcome
the policy of Indecisiveness and delay
which pervades almost every court in
the country. The purpose ' of both
bench and bar does not seem to be the
finishing of business and having it over
with, but to prolong everything to the
utmost limit. Thus It Is 10 o'clock ac
cording to legal notions until 11 has
struck, which, of course, puts a pre
mium on sluggishness. Any little in
convenience on a lawyer's part, a
headache from the conviviality of the
night 'before, idleness which put off
preparation too long, anything what
ever, is sufficient pretext for postpon
ing a case. To one who pays much
attention to court procedure the entire
business seems to be carried on as if it
were a. game between the lawyers,
with the Judge for umpire, Instead of
the most serious matter of civilized
life. The careless, dilettante habits of
the court-room are, at. least on the
surface. Incompatible with earnest
work. One of the principal reasons
why busy men dislike Jury service is
the exasperating waste of time in law
suits. But this species of waste Is of little
consequence compared with the end
less succession of new trials. Is It not
a strange comment on the efficiency
of the courts that they had to try a
man three times to find out whether
he was guilty of forgery or not, and
did not find out after all, because the
witnesses were dead? Suppose the
witnesses had not perished, presum
ably of boredom. How many times
would the California Judges have tried
this forger? He might have given
them agreeable and not too exciting
occupation till doomsday. However,
it Is not the. purpose of the numerous
retrials to find out whether the ac
cused is guilty or not. That question
Is almost always settled at the first
trial, and since It Is the only question
of Importance, one would think that
when It was, determined the lawsuit
would end. But It does not end.
As a matter of fact, the question of
the prisoner's guilt or Innocence often
looks very insignificant to lawyers and
appellate Judges. It is the last thing
In the world that they trouble them
selves about. Appellate Judges often
order new trials when they know the
accused la guilty as charged. Nice
points of procedure and scholastic
rules of evidence loom so large before
their vision that Justice Is obscured.
They overlook the main matter en
tirely and busy themselves to find out
if the trial Judge did not In a moment
of lassitude neglect to crook his finger
or say "King's excuse" at some crisis
of the game. If he did. then It must
all be done over again, even If the
evidence proves the prisoner guilty a
dozen times.
Mr. Connolly shows that this Infan
tile play with Justice is not restricted
to criminal cases. There Is Just as
much of It In suits over property. He
gives the maddening history of a man
who lost one hundred thousand dollars
because his lawyers failed to make out
a bill of exceptions on appeal precise
ly according to the rules of the Appel
late Court. The court held In a par
allel case that the property was his by
right, but he had to lose It all the
same. Of course It was not the ap
pellant's fault that his lawyers were
negligent but he had to suffer for it.
His fortune was confiscated and he is
now working for wages by the day.
Nothing was done to the lawyers. They
are still practicing before the court
which licensed them and certified to
their competence. They were not even
reprimanded. The Judicial motto
seems to be. "Let the suitor beware,"
Sins of the bar are venial; those of the
layman are all mortal.
Mr. Connolly makes the point,
which has been made before, that our
Judicial procedure resembles that of
England two centuries and a half ago.
"It is hopelessly entangled In techni
calities and neglects Justice and com
mon sense to chase after an Impossible
infallibility or form." But If com
mon sense were admitted to the court
room what would become of the Dart
mouth College case; the Income Tax
decision and a number of other
precious monuments of . Judicial In
genuity? 4TTJST A DREAM. OF CO U USB.
Our Canadian friends should wake
up. They are apparently In a slum
ber such as brought those marvelous
dreams to Alice In Wonderland.
While Alice was wandering through
dreamland, she saw most fantastic
sights and Imagined all sorts of queer
things. The Canadians are doing like
wise. A few weeks ago an associt
tion of our Northern neighbors sent
a petition to the Canadian government
asking that a duty of $2 per thousand
be levied against American lumber.
That they were dreaming and In their
dreams Imagining strange things was
quite clear from the wording of their
petition, which asserted that the Ca
nadian markets were being flooded
with cheap American lumber. The
absurdity of this dream Is plain to
every one who ever read the American
Economist or listened to the plaint of
the American lumbermen who suffer
so much from competition of the Ca
nadian lumbermen that a $2 per thou
sand tariff balm must be continually
administered.
Now come the Noya Scotia coal op
erators suffering from the same kind
of a hallucination. They demand that
a protective, tariff be levied against
American coal, and in Justification of
tl.eir demand point to the steady -Increase
in. imports of American coal
at Canadian ports. Sales of American
coal In Canada last season reached a
total of 218,000 tons, ' compared with
42,500 tons in 1906. Not only have
the American coal operators driven
Nova Scotian coal out of Atlantic
Coast markets, where it formerly
found a good sale, but the Grand
Trunk Railroad has now discarded
Canadian coal and Is using nothing
but West Virginia coal, which is
brought into Canada duty free and
sold at a price which the Canadian
mines cannot meet.- If the Canadian
government will grant the relief asked
it will leave the coal and lumber
tariff in a position where it can move
in an endless circle and, If each coun
try would continue to advance the
rate of duty, in due season the limit
would be reached and there would
be no exchange between the two coun
tries. The only merit In such a plan
is the possibility it suggests for early
annexation of Canada, which might
be forced by such an arrangement.
A SCENE OF GLORY AND INSPIRATION.
Twenty-one first-class battleships
were in review before the President
of the United States In Chesapeake
Bay on Washington's birthday! The
Father of his Country could never, in
his loftiest dreams of his country's
greatness have conceived a picture of
power and grandeur equal to that pre
sented by this magnificent fighting
force as it steamed slowly past the
President's yacht in grand review.
Instinct with life, from the flags that
floated at the vessel's peak to the
men behind the guns; from the huge
machines that moved In obedience to
the silent commands of the officers who
stood with proud bearing at their
posts of duty; and from the waters of
the bay that rolled away from the
path of the great ships to sonorous
metal booming patriotic airs from
every deck, all was instinct with life
and vigor and concentrated energy.
And though with Kipling we may ex
claim: Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre,
the scene presented by the re
turning fleet, as, having circumnavi
gated the globe, It passed In review be
fore the Commander-in-Chief of the
Army and Navy and dropped anchor
In home waters, is one not likely to
be forgotten by any one of the tens
of thousands who saw it, or to be
undervalued by the millions who,
through vivid descriptions, beheld it
from afar. The scene was one to
close fitly the spectacular adminis
tration of Theodore Roosevelt and to
Illustrate to the world his idea of
forceful, strenuous, compelling power.
MONEY FOR THE COLUMBIA.
Oregon fared well in the river and
harbor bill as reported to Congress
by the House commtitee and passed
by the House and the highly impor
tant work already under way at the
entrance of the Columbia will con
tinue without Interruption if the Sen
ate approves. The appropriation of
$500,000, which is expected to last
until July, 1910, will not admit of rush
work on the- project, but will Insure
enough new work each month gradu
ally to deepen the channel over the
bar, and will also prevent any de
terioration in the plant. The appro
priation of $200,000 for operating a
dredge on the bar Is also of great
value to the river, and of course to the
entire Pacific Northwest. The Jetty,
when It is completed, will undoubt
edly Insure a permanent channel of
at least forty feet at the river en
trance, but pending its completion the
work of the dredge will be highly im
portant In maintaining a depth which
will enable shipping to enter and de
part from the river regardless of gen
eral weather conditions.
The $100,000 appropriation for the
Columbia and Willamette between
Portland and the sea will admit of
considerbale work- on the channel,
and, supplemented by the work of the
Port of Portland, will make an ex
cellent beginning on the thirty-foot
channel which must be provided as
soon as forty feet of water can be se
cured on the river entrance. The lib
eral manner in which Oregon was
treated in the bill Is a high tribute
to Senator Fulton and Representative
Hawley, and also to Senator-elect
Jones, of Washington, who has for
many years occupied a most important
position on the House river and har
bor committee. Oregon and the Pa
cific Northwest aro particularly .In
debted to Mr. Jones, for the reason
that he has done more for the Colum
bia River than any other Congress
man ever sent to Washington by the
Evergreen State. His influence on
the committee is shown by his ap
pointment as a subcommittee to han
dle all questions of river and harbor
surveys in the Pacific Northwest and
the Indorsement by the full committee
of all of his recommendations.
It Is now a certainty that the en
trance of the river will receive proper
attention until the forty-foot channel
Is assured on the bar. With the re
newed interest - shown by Washing
ton and Idaho in Columbia River im
provements, a deepening of the chan
nel to the interior will naturally fol
low. With the river entrance still
causing some" slight delays to
shipping, the business of the
past year showed greater propor
tionate gains over rival ports than In
any previous season In the past five
years. This gain will be wonderfully
Increased during the coming season,
as the North Bank Road has made
accessible from this port many thou
sand square miles of new territory
which in the past have paid exclusive
tribute to Puget Sound.
Twenty-five feet of water In the
river are slightly more than needed,
so long as there are only thirty feet
at the entrance, fdr In a very smooth
sea vessels crossing the bar are In
danger with less than ten feet leeway
for swells; but the forty-foot channel
on the bar is near at hand and we
must be ready for it, with thirty feet
In the river. So- long as the Goveri
ment continues In its present policy of
taking care of the work. Portland need
.have no fear as to final results.
One who says he is a reader of The
Oregonian wants to know why the
paper speaks in such tone as it does
of Thomas Jefferson. If this critic
knew the history of the country he
wouldn't make such Inquiry. Jeffer
son was the man who, after the for
mation of the Constitution and the
making of the Nation under it, for
partisan purposes set up the claim
that there was in fact no Nation, no
National Government, but only a
league of states, that might be aban
doned or broken up by any of the
members at will. This was the Great
Rebellion. This was the Civil War.
Jefferson was working for a partisan
purpose. He was the evil genius of
our National and political life. He
was the author of Secession and of the
Great Rebellion, and of all their con
sequences Including the appropria
tioa made Just now of $160,000,000 for
pensions.
Uncle Ike Stephenson was not the
only man in Wisconsin who "blew
in" for the Senatorship. His expenses
were $107,000. Samuel A. Cook one
of his competitors, pungled to the ex
tent of $40,000, and William H.
Hatton, another of them, to the ex
tent of $30,000. Uncle Ike thinks it
ought not to be laid up against him
that he happened to have more money
that the others. Our Jonathan got
his nomination in the same way,
against four competitors, thus vindi
cating the purity and excellence of the
primary system. Of course, none of
the money in these cases was spent for
corrupt purposes. That would be im
possible under thl3 chaste and spot
less system.
A bulletin of the University of
Washington presents a yery compre
hensive summary of the literature of
the Whitman controversy. It is the
most exhaustive bibliography of the
subject yet gathered, or certainly yet
published. It extends to more than
sixty pages, and gives the titles of
perhaps 1000 books, articles, speeches
and manuscripts on the subject. The
introduction by Charles W. Smith,
assistant librarian to the University,
is an Impartial review of the contro
versy, with statement concerning the
sources of the material. The bulle
tin is worth preservation by all who
take an interest In the early history
of "The Oregon Country."
Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, who is en
tertaining William H. Taft, President
elect, at Philadelphia, is the well
known author and physician of that
name. He is In his eightieth year,
and still seeks an outlet for his ac
tivities both in literary work and pro
fessional practice.
Now there will be an "Omaha Inci
dent," to use the terms of the State
Department, and, as Greece is not big
enough to fight us, we shall pay the
Indemnity and smile. While our ports
on the Atlantic side are open we must
run a profit-and-loss page in the Na
tional ledger.
Before having that special legis
lative session, perhaps we would bet
ter delay a week or two until other
mistakes by the Legislature , are un
covered; and then wait a year or two
or three to see if it really makes any
difference.
So some of the moral squad which
means the whole force, with notable
exceptions caught a member in fla
grante delicto. Just let him offer in
defense - that he called to wind the
clock and all will be well.
Ppfnre the matter escaDes our mem
ory again, we must suggest to the
Oregon horticulturist who evolves the
next first-class cherry that he name it
the George Washington. And don't
forget the front name.
The Oregonian Is glad the fleet got
back on a day easily remembered by a
forgetful public. For the next year
this office will not be bothered with
inquiries concerning the date of
Sperry's return.
Motorman Hull who dropped his
fender Sunday and saved a little child,
deserves a Carnegie ' medal, for he
made a precedent In Portland.
If those Omaha Greeks were a few
shades browner and cleaner and. lived
in a Pacific Coast city, the Nation
would be sleeping on its arms.
Paper mills would better soon begin
working overtime to provide for the
referendum that will be on the ballot
at the next general election.
Sixteen battleships are back again
to one country, one people and one
flag. The heaven-born ratio again.
Has the custom of parades by the
National Guard on Washington's
birthday been permitted to die?
An extra session of the -Legislature
"to which no expense must attach"
makes a noise like humor.
Let all Portland wish that the days
of fruition may be as favorable as the
day of planting the roses.
The booming of guns at Hampton
Roads yesterday sounded. '"Ready!"
around the world.
WEST NOW DEMANDS CENT PIECES
New Era of Economy Sets) In, Dae to
Bargnln Days at Stores.
New York Sun.
The striking of more than 1.000,000
cent pieces at the San Francisco mint
In 1908 made a new record In the his
tory of the United States mint and
its branches, for never before since
the coinage of pieces of this denomina
tion was begun, in 1793, had such coins
been struck anywhere but at the par
ent establishment at Philadelphia. As
a matter of fact, no need for the mak
ing of coins of this denomination in
the West presented Itself until within
recent years, as the demand for cent
pieces was confined almost exclusive
ly to the Atlantic and Middle Western
States. In the West and Southwest
this minor coin has had no purchas
ing value, was not recognized, and
was seldom seen In circulation. In
deed, even at the present time there
are many Western localities in which
cent pieces are not accepted.
In Colorado, for example; If a person
tenders a 5-cent piece to a postmaster
for two 2-cent stamps, he received in
exchange, together with his stamps,
not a 1-cent-piece, but a 1-cent postage
stamp. There are no cent pieces In
the money drawer of the postmaster,
and he doesn't desire any. In a Denver
store a certain commodity is quoted
at, say, 17 cents a pound. The pur
chaser must take either 15 or 20 cents'
worth. Nothing less than 6 cents'
worth is sold. Apples may be 4 or
5 cents, but one apple Is also 6 cents.
Just the same. Now the people of the
Centennial state are going to have a
chance of becoming acquainted with
the little bronze cent, for it is the in
tention of the Government to strike
cent pieces at the new Denver mint in
1909.
California has had as little use for
the cent as other parts of the West.
For many years no coin of less de
nomination than 10 cents had a pur
chasing value there,'1 and In tho gold
days nothing less than 25 cents would
buy anything. miners frequently
throwing a handful of small silver
pieces out into the street as useless
weight to carry, the "2 bits," or quar
ter, being the minimum current coin.
Times have changed, and the people
along the Pacific Coast have been
quicker to adopt the cent than those
in the Rocky Mountain district. Now
the coin Is used in such quantities
that It has been found advisable to
manufacture cents on the ground, and
thus save the expense of shipment
across the continent from Philadel
phia. For the calendar year of 1908
the United States mint report shows
that $11,150 worth -of cents were struck
at the San Francisco mint and $323,
279.87 worth at Philadelphia.
A SLAVE TO THE WIRE HABIT.
Latter Follows Mr. Hnrrlmnn, Just as
Constitution Does the Flag.
. Hartford (Conn.) Times.
Edward Harriman is to live a few
weeks in tents down In the southern
part of Texas near the Mexican border.
Telqgraph and telephone wires have
been strung to the canvas city where
he is to try to banish rheumatism and
to apply the processes of recuperation.
Harriman is a slave to the telephone
and telegraph. The Union Pacific mag
nate finds it difficult to take his finger
off the pulse of business. When he
pitched camp deep in the wilds of the
Northwest last year a telephone con
stituted a part of the camp outfit. He
couldn't overcome the wire habit, even
when he tried to lose himself In the
continuous woods where rolls the Ore
gon. Not even during a short vacation
can he forget the vast business in
terests which center about his name,
and he is powerless wholly to throw
off his cares fqr a holiday.
Some men are fettered by drink.
Some are in bondage to the exactions
of society. Some are In servitude to
gambling. But Harriman is a slave to
the wire habit. Where he is, there
may the telegraph and telephone be
found. Wires follow him as -the Con
stitution follows the flag. To direct
and to achieve is tonic to him. To be
wholly Isolated from business and to
get beyond the sound of the click of
the telegraph Instrument and the ring
of the telephone makes him uneasy.
It would be better for him if he could
wholly throw off financial care during
an outing, and conquer the practice of
mixing business with vacations.
A Million Attend Boston Revival.
Boston Dispatch to the New Tork
World.
A big revival movement which has
been in progress in this city and sub
urbs since January 29, has already at
tracted 1,000,000 persons. There Is
said to be a religious awakening, such
as this city has never before known.
Two and three times each day crowds
fill Tremont Temple, which seats
4000, to hear Dr. Wilbur Chapman, the
chief evangelist, while nightly
throughout the suburbs assistants ap
eal to throngs In the churches.
No estimate on the number of con
verts made is yet obtainable.
The great auditorium is filled daily
to the door, not with women but well
dressed, clean-shaven business and
professional men.
' Odd Observance of Lincoln Dny.
Beau Broadway, In the New York Tele
graph. The queerest observance of Lincoln day
that I havo heard of is the "reception"
which the Madden boys are arranging to
hold at Hamburg place in honor of Nancy
Hanks. The old trotting mare is in her
29th year and she is to be the center
of a function which, It is expected, will
draw crowds from all that part of Ken
tucky. Nancy Hanks, as you probably know,
was named after Lincoln's mother by
Hart Boswell, her breeder. He was the
red-hottest Abolitionist In old Kalntuck
and his zeal was still oh fire when the
mare was foaled in 1SS6.
Aged Dancers "Jig" for 20 Minutes.
Camden, N. J., Dispatch.
At the celebration of the 78th birth
day of J. B. Davenport at North Cald
well, N. J., In a house 114 years old,
after dinner John B. Baldwin, aged 78,
and J. A. Bogart, aged SO, danced sev
eral jigs. The music was fast, but the
aged dancers kept up the jig for near
ly 20 minutes. Bogart was the last
one to quit, and he seemed fresh
enough to continue.
Plant Arxolla Kills Mosquito Ulnae.
Chicago Record-Herald.
Consul-General Gunther, at Frank
fort, Germany, reports that the Direc
tor of Fisheries at Biebrich, after ex
perimenting 14 years, has found that
the semi-tropical plant arzolla covers
stagnant water with a layer of about
2362 Inches, which suffocates all mos
quito larvae below and prevents the
living insects from depositing their
eggs in the water.
Hen Lays Egg, 9V4 Inches Long.
Newark, N. J-. Dispatch.
A hen owned by Mrs. A. L. Wilson
of Oceanport, N. J., laid an egg 9U
Inches from end to end and 73i inches
In circumference. The hen Is an or
dinary fowl, with a mixed ancestry.
Gagged With Mnd and Loses $S0.
Baltimore News.
Two thugs, after holding up David
Leber, a butcher, at York, Pa., gagged
him with mud and robbed him of $50.
Employes' Finger Nolls Manicured.
Washington, D. C., Dispatch.
All the finger nails of the employes
of the Hotel Walcott in New Tork will
be cared lor by a manicurist.
BRITISH PRAISE OF LINCOLN.
London Tlmea Likens Him L'nto Wash
ington In Greatness.
London Cable to New York Times.
Darwin's centenary occupies the morn
ing papers, but The London Times and
The News publish leaders on Lincoln.
The former, all things considered, is a re
markable utterance. In the course of the
article The Times compares Lincoln with
Washington. .
"Each then," it says, "piloted the Na
tion through a tremendous crisis, and
-both occupy thrones cemented with blood
and tears, such as, we trust, will never
again be wrung from the American peo
ple. Widely different as they were in
character, training, and traditions, they
were alike 1n possessing an unwavering
faith 1n the future of their country, a
strong grip of the essential rectitude upon
which alone a "state can be firmly based,
the capacity to see right through the tur
moil of the moment to the conclusion
marked out by the eternal fitness of
things, and an unflinching courage and
tenacity in steering their way to that
great end."
The Times then gives a sympathetic
outline of Lincoln's life, dwelling on his
early disadvantages.
"It may well .be," It says, "that In
those silent and repressed years lie also
acquired that moral stability so con
ppicious In his later life, and so wanting
in those whose intellectual flame has
been overfed with more than they can
convert to useful purposes. It Is, at any
rate, clear that when he did at length
obtain access to the fullest springs of in
formation, he showed Immense assimila
tive powers. The categories of thought
were fully prepared, and the Ailing in of
the contents was an easy matter. Many
educational systems reverse tho operation
and the categories never get established
at all."
The editorial concludes as follows:
"The maintenance of the Union was
his governing passion; maintenance by
peace. If that were In any way possible,
but. if not. then by war, which he ab
horred and which wrung every fibre of
his gentle and compassionate nature. In
that terrible struggle, when all the pas
sions of humanity were let loose and its
affections were almost forgotten, Lin
coln never swerved from his attitude of
pitiful consideration, even for those ho
held hopelessly In the wrong, ne im
mense magnanimity of the man under the
most trying provocations from all sides
at once is perhaps tho most striking
among the many striking proofs of the
essential and massivo greatness of his
nature.
"His tragic end added a deep thrill of
human sympathy to the appreciation of
Ms greatness by the American people,
a greatness which, however, was in any
event secure of recognition for all time.
DRY BILL KILLS DRUG STOHES.
Abont 2000 for Sale in Kansas, Because
of No-I.lquor-Snle Law.
Topeka, Kan., Dispatch.
Do you want to buy a drug store at
your own price? If so, come to Kansas
and take your pick of more than 2000
which are on the market. Nearly ev
ery country paper these days have from
one to a dozen advertisements read
ing: For Sale Cheap; a drug store;
owner desires to retire from business.
The secret of the sudden determina
tion of so many druggists to retire is
that the Legislature is about to pass
a law cutting them out of their chief
source of revenue the liquor trade.
The Senate bill already passed stops
the sale of liquor by the drug stores
for any purpose wha'ever. It is the
most drastic laws enaced In any state
on the prohibition question. It not
only provides for absolute prohibition
but also restores the inquisition and
gives immunity to people who testify
in "joint " cases. Legislators say the
bill is bound to become a law. Kansas
druggists seem to think so too.
Natural Selection.
Charles Darwin, final words of the
"Origin of Species," lh&O.
It is interesting to reflect that these
elaborately constructed forms, so dif
fering from each other, and dependent
on each other in so complex a man
ner, have all been produced by law-
acting around us. These laws, taken
in the largest sense, being Growth with
Reproduction; Inheritance which Is al
most Implied by reproduction; varia
bility, from the indirect and direct ac
tion of tho external conditions or lire.
and from use and disuse; a Itatio of
Increase so high as to lead to Natural
Selection, entailing Divergence of
Character and the Extinction of less
improved forms. Thus, from tho war of
nature, from famine and death, the most
.exalted object which we are capable of
conceiving, namely, the production of the
higher animals, directly follows. There is
a grandeur in this view of life, with its
several powers, having been originally
breathed by the Creator Into a few forms
or into one: and that while this planet
has cone cycling on according to the
fixed law of gravity, from so simple a
beginning endless forms most beautiful
and most wonderful have been, and ara
being, evolved.
Time Goes Begging In Congress.
Washington, D. C, Dispatch.
It is a rare occasion when no one
can be found to consume time in the
House of Representatives, but it does
happen once in a great while. One
day lately, "Sunny Jim" Sherman had
two or three hours to parcel out to
members who might wish to got rVl
of their overabundance of hot air. but
strange to say no one could be found
to accept his generosity. He offered
time to Foster of, Vermont; Longworth
of Ohio, and several others. Finally,
John Wesley Gaines of Tennessee, man
aged to think up something, and he
proceeded in his characteristic way to
liven, things up a little.
Mock Funeral Wrecks His Reason.
Marysville, O., Dispatch.
Immediately following the holding of
a mock funeral over a young man,
Louis Fields, a young farmer of Wash
ington Township, began having serious
pains, and his reason Is now almost
dethroned, and there are grave fears
that he will have to be commlted to
the Columbus State Hospital. Fields
Is about 25 years of ago.
Needle Travels From Heel to Hand.
Baltimore News.
Mrs. J. O. Boehm,' of Jay City, Ind.,
has removed a portion of a small
needle from the index finger of her
left hand. The needle was run Into
her heel two years ago.
Cnpld Carries Off Ten Employes.
Camden, N. J., Dispatch.
In six years, five saleswomen from"
the store of B. Saltzburg, of Salem, N.
J., have been married, and Cupid has
carried five of his cooks in that time.
Stolen Gloves, All for Left Hand.
Kansas City Star.
A thief broke Into a store in Buck
lln. Mo., and stole a drummer's sample
case, which contained gloves for the
left hand only.
Longing for Summer.
E. E. Miller In Recreation.
Give me a hook of Summer time
A book aoout some wayward stream.
"Which splashes down with merry chime
Across the rocks, then stops to dream
III shaded eddies smooth and wide,
With wUlows frlngedon either side.
Give me a book of Summer time
A book that tells of close, and field
Fruitful and fair; of woods that clfnib
The nipped hills: of paths that yield .
Strange Kiimpses of the shy. wild life
Vv'llh which the woods and fields are rife.
Give me a book of Summer time
A book of nature, with no art
Save limpid prose or easy rhyme
That swells and falls with nature's heart;
Then may tho wind unheeded blow.
Unheeded drift the whirling snow.
Life's SunnySide
philander C. Knox, the prospective
Secretary of State, talked at a recep
tion at Valley Forge of an impudent
politician.
"The Impudence with which he de
demands his favors," said Mr. Knox,
"reminds mo of the impudence of young
John Gaines, a Brownsville boy.
"One Winter day in Brownsville the
skating was good and a game of hock
ey was proposed.
"John Gaines, his skates over his
arm, rang the bell of one of our old
est inhabitants, an 1S12 veteran, with
a wooden leg.
" 'Excuse mo, sir.' he said, 'but are
you going out today?'
" 'No. I believe not,' replied the vet
eran kindly. 'Why do you ask, my
son?'
' "'Because if you are not,' said John
Gaines, 'I'd like to borrow your wooden
leg to play hockey with.'" Cincinnati
Enquirer.
e
Two belated disciples of Bacchus
staggered arm In arm up Walnut street
about 3 o'clock the other morning. The
street was dark, except for a single
gr&und glass globe that blazed In front
of an apartment-house. One of the In
ebriates spying this lone light, ob
served: "Oh, look at zhe moonsh."
The other seriously contradicted him,
saying: "That ain't no moonsh, zasb.
sun."
This started an argument which last
ed for sovrral minutes, as to whether
the globe was the moon or the sun.
Finally they decided to leave It to the
first passer-by. who happened to be
another "happy" gentleman. They
stopped him, and pointing to the globe,
asked:
"Settle an argument, old pal; Is that
the moon or the sun?"
The third party stared knowingly at
the globe for several minutes before
he shook his head and replied:
"Gentlemen, I really couldn't tell you.
I'm a stranger in this town." Phila
delphia Record.
James Whltcomb Riley is evidently
no believer In the greatness or endur
ing quality of modern literature. Some
time ago a friend was talking to him
about tho god times the novelists of
today have compared with those of the
past.
"You modern writers don't work so
hard," he said, "and you are paid
twenty times as much as you ought
to be."
Mr. Riley gently shook his head. "You
labor under a misapprehension, my
boy," he replied. "The chief differ
ence between the old authors and those
of today is simply this: They died and
their works live; our works die and
we live as best we can." Judge.
"I told her that I admired her for
her noblo qualities of heart and mind,
for her intellect and a lot more off
the same reel."
"Make a hit?"
"I dunno. I think the best plan Is to
tell 'em they're pretty." Louisville
Courier-Journal.
'
Why do you think your son la going
to be a genius?" . ,
"I gave him 50 cents with which to
get his shoes mended yesterday and he
spent the money for a cigarette-holder."
Chicago Record-Herald.
For years Mr. Clerkla has eaten his
frugal but nourishing luncheon In a
little restaurant half a block north
from his office. He was an easily sat
isfied person, and what he ordered
seemed always to suit him to perfec
tion. The waitresses never knew him
to complain.
But one day things went wrong. The
butter was rancid, and the bread so
moist that Mr. Clerkie would not eat
it. He did his best, and left the table
early.
The next day the same thing oo
currcd, and the day after there was no
improvement. He called the waitress
to him.
"May I see the proprietor, please?"
he inquired.
"He's gone out," was the reply.
Mr. Clerklo became bold.
"This is ridiculous!" he exclaimed.
"I come hero at noontime every day,
and every day he Is out. Where Is he,
anyway?"
"We expect him back any minute,"
said the girl. "He just stepped but
to get his lunch." Youth's Companion.
Frenchmen of every rank and class
dearly love titles. The manager of a
Paris Insurance company was decorated
with the Legion of Honor a few days
ago, and tho clerks In the employ of
the company presented him with a
piece of plate to which their visiting
cards were attached.
On looking over these he was a good
deal puzzled and amused by the visiting
card of the office "boy," an old soldeir
from the Invalides, who was employed
to open the dors from 9 to 4 under
the man's name was the title "the Em
peror's orderly." He sent for the old
soldier, who stumped In and saluted.
"Of what Emperor are you the order
ly, and how?" he asked. The old In
valide drew himself up to attention.
"I am the orderly of the Emperor," ho
said. "Napoleon, la petit corporal."
"Hut he is dead. He has been dead
some time." answered the puzzled man
ager. "I dust lils tomb for him," growled
the old sdldler. London Express.
Of Lincoln.
Phillips Brooks
Ho fed' us with counsel when we were
In doubt, with aspiration when we some
times faltered, with caution when we
would ho rash, with calm, clear, trustful
cheerfulness through many an hour when
our hearts were dark. Ho fed hungry souls
all over the country with sympathy and
consolation. Ho spread before the wholj
land feasts of great duty, and devotion,
and patriotism, on which the land grew
strong.
The Very Best.
Abraham Iincoln.
I do tho very best I know how the very
best I can: and I mean to keep doing so
until tho nd. If the end brings me out
all right, what Is said against me won't
amount to anything. If tho end brings
me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was
right would make no difference.
Chestnut Tree Burr Hurls Sight.
Philadelphia Record.
Floyd Bonnet of Sussex, N. J., walk
ing under a chestnut tree during a high
wind, looking up, a burr struck him in
the eye with such force that the sight
may be destroyed.
What Would Yon Dot
If I see a pocketbook
Lying on the ground
Should I waste my time to look
Till the owner's found?
Should I widely advertise?
Would that coursrt be very wie?
Tell me. please, what would you do
If it were you?
If there's credit still unclaimed
When my part is small
Should I very much be blamed
If I took It all?
If the others did not care
Very much about their share?
Tell me, please, what you would do
If It were you?
If there's any rie to grab
Is It such a tin
That a man should snatch a slab,
Bolcllv butting in?
If it's push and press for pelf
Wouldn't you hog some yourself?
Tell me, please what you would do
If W were you?
Chicago News.