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l-ORTLAJiD, WEDXE3DAY, FEB. II, 1909.
THE SEW ADMIXISTKATIOV.
As the time for Mr. Taffs inaugu
ration draws near, naturally there la
a good deal of speculation about the
kind of administration we may expect
from him. Those who pretend to
know allirm that, while he will carry
out tho Koosevelt policies, as he la
pledged to do both by his own word
and by the Republican platform, still
he will do it more suavely than his
predecessor has. The Sherman anti
trust law will be enforced, but with
out disturting bluster. Mr. Taft will
etand for the postal savings banks
end the parcels post, but so some
pay without frightening the bankers
or the express trust. He will approve
a redaction of the tariff, but not such
a violent one as to shatter the nerves
of the infant industries. He will do
everything that is excellent and of
pood report, but he will do it so mild
ly withal that even the wicked shall
sing his praises. There will be no such
rancorous blasts sent after him when
he leaves the White House as are
likely to waft Mr. Roosevelt on his
way to Africa.
Still water runs deep. Mr. Taft
has not said a great deal about hi3
plans for the next four or eight years,
but one may infer certain things from
his character and his known habits.
It la pretty certain, for one thing,
that ho is an ambitious man In tho
rood old fashion of Plutarch's heroes.
Helloes not care much about making
a fortune, but ho would like to see
Jiis name written in shining letters on
the pages of his country's history.
This he knows will never happen if
he is the President of a party or a
clique. If he wishes to be numbered
among the great he must act consist
ently for the good of the whole coun
try, and clearly this is what he in
tends to do. How otherwise shall we
account for his diligent crforts to get
acquainted with everything and
everybody from one ocean to the
other? If he were to be merely a
financial President wrapped up In the
Interests of big business, he would
study Wall Street, but he would not
think it worth whilo to make a trip
to the Pacific Coast. If he were
aiming to be a demagogue ho would
not think it worth while to study any
thing except some manual of vivid
oratory.
The new President is known to be
a courageous man as well as am
bitious. Courage and ambition united
will lead a President far if he travels
the right road. As to his relations
with Congress, he may choose to fol
low the example of Roosevelt or that
of Hughes. The former has seldom
cared much how he moved the legis
lative department to action. If it
could be made to act In the direction
he had pointed out he was satislied,
and to bring about that consumma
tion he has been quite ready to use
means both direct and indirect, pres
sure both public and private. Any
weapon that would set the feet of a
sluggish Congressman in motion Mr.
Roosevelt was ready to employ. Mr.
Hughes, on the contrary, has not
condescended to intrigue with the
New York Legislature. He believes
that his duty is done when he tells
the members plainly what they ought
to do. Then if they fail to do it, he
leaves the issue to be decided between
them and the people. There Is a
world of difference between these two
methods of procedure. Both seem to
accomplish results and both are more
or less noisy. Moreover, one creates
about as much Ill-feeling as the other.
It would be a delicate matter to de
cide whether Hughes or Roosevelt is
better hated by the machine politi
cians and those who use them In
their business.
Being a lawyer, Mr. 'Taft will nat
urally Incline to the less pugnacious
methods of Mr. Hughes, though In
all candor, one must admit that their
lack of pugnacity is only apparent.
Mr. Roosevelt goes about his spank
ings with somewhat more of pomp,
but those of Mr. Hughes have prob
ably smarted no less severely and the
smacks have resounded Just as loudly.
Still Mr. Taft will naturally choose
the more conservative method of
dealing with Congress. That he will
relax the pressure upon the legisla
tive department for reformative laws
there is no reason whatever to ex
pect. , He believes In reform. In all
his administrative work he has la
bored to Introduce method, rational
system, fair dealing. He Is no friend
to vested wrongs and not particularly
Impressed by the weight of precedent.
It Is greatly to his credit that he has
an original mind. This he showed
when he was a Judge. He has shown
K no less In the Philippines and as
Secretary of War. He Is able to think
out problems for himself, and we
know from his history that he dares
to do It. This Is very encouraging
because the one thing our Govern
ment has lacked most for the last
forty years has probably been con
secutive, courageous, well-informed
thought.
Mr. Taft has given another pleasing
sign of what he Intends to do. He is
surrounding himself with constitu
tional lawyers. Evidently some of the
legal ability of the country is to be
employed In Interpreting the Con
siltulitn for the bei ent of the people.
It is time th's were done. So mucn
attention has been concentrated on
one or two clauses for a number of
years, and solely for the behoof of
predaceous wealth, that we stand In
serious danger of forgetting that the
Constitution is a gieat monument of
human liberty designed , for the high
Interests of the whcli. people. It was
not composed primarily to defend dis
honest corporation.'? or to secure he
privileges of tho railroads. There. Is
good hope that the eminent lawyers
whom Mr. Taft la gathering round
him will bring this truth clearly to
light.
JUST A FLA IN WORD.
A newspaper published at Ontario,
In Eastern Oregon, offers these re
marks, to wit:
The main trouble with Oregon 1 not In
pending too much money but it lies tn
spending too Uttl. Oregon ran not make
augur hole In her development work with
gimlet. It she Is going to build herself
up' sh ha to get out of thla penny wis
policy, quit her harping over the little
bormal schools and her educational Institu
tions and do something to bring about her
development. Oregon Is a disgrace to her
self with her petty policies and Joking sys
tem of procedure. It I time for The Ore
gonlan In th tall tower to get rid of It
waddling clothe and do something to
bring thla State out of the old regim of
burying Itself beneath Its wonderful climate
and dog-in-the-manger practice.
Now, since this addresses itself to
The Oregonian, It may perhaps, be
permitted to this humble newspaper
to make a remark.
The Oregonian began In Portland
when Portland was as small a town
as "Ontario now is. For a half cen
tury It worked In the most strenuous
way, for most meager results. What
Is to hinder Its esteemed contempo
rary at Ontario from working in like
way and with like energy to build up
Its own town and Itself? It Is an ex
cellent thing for each locality in the
state to look to its own energies for
help, relief, support and development.
That is the way to outgrow the "swad
dling clothes."
The people of all Oregon have
schools enough and more than enough,
but they don't do work enough. Too
many of them sit down and want
others to do everything for them
not some thing, but everything. Here
they lean on the state, there on the
general government, but think scarcely
at all about doing things for them
selves. But why should one part of the
state tax Itself to support the indo
lence or Inefficiency of another part?
Get in and work, all of you, and don't
lie down on the state. For this never
will make you rich nor great. Tour
true remedy Is work; your resources
are In yourselves, not In others. Just
as aforetime, when beginnings were
made in Portland, in Pittsburg, and in
Boston. The Oregonian, as a news
paper, is not an accident. Days and
nights of work thousands of them
are behind It and at bottom of it, or
It wouldn't be in existence. So of
everything In Portland. Suppose some
of the rest of you go through the
same drill.
TirE LARGER COST.
The report of tho engineers on
which the Government based its esti
mates of the cost of construction of
the Panama Canal gave as specific
figures a total of 142,342.579. This
was the estimate for all work. But
the figures were based on estimates
of what the work could be done for
under the direction of private enter
prise. Executed by the Government,
it will cost from two to three times
as much. It is an indication of the
excesses of cost that attend all work
done directly by government, and of
the excesses of cost that would attend
railroad construction by the State of
Oregon.
It Is throe miles from the sea, on
the Atlantic side, to Gatun, where tho
great dam will bo placed on the
Chagrcs River. Here will be three
locks, each having a lift of 2S feet,
up to a lake to be formed by the dam.
This lake will be of very irregular
form, but will have a total area of
120 square miles. Its length which will
form more than one-half the whole
water-way, will be nearly thirty miles,
and the channel for vessels will b'e
made as nearly straight as possible
Leaving the lake on the way to the Pa
cific, tho ridge known as Mt. Culebra
is to be cut through. The height is
330 feet, which is to be cut down for
a ship channel to meet the depth re
quired; then locks for the descent to
the Pacific. The greater part of the
work will be required at the Culebra
cut and the Gatun dam. Construction
of the canal requires change of the
route of the Panama Railway through
nearly Its whole length.
The difficulties, though consider
able, are by no means so great as
might at first view be supposed. But
government never will push such
work as fast as independent owner
ship and direction would do it, nor for
less than twice the same amount of
money.
TILE LIMIT OF ROMAXCE.
It Is a somewhat curious 6tory that
Is. told In the new romance about
Oregon entitled "Fifty-Four-Forty
or Fight." There Is some Ingenuity
In It, but it lacks all appearance of
verisimilitude. There is no historical
background to support the Invention.
But there is much good description,
in particular of "The Oregon Trail."
This book, by Emerson Hough, is
worth reading; for it has. Indeed,
caught somo part of the spirit and ex
perience of the old migration to Ore
gon. Talk with such survivors as re
main of the early anabasis would
supply that. The political part, that
busies ltsolf with the historical con
tention for Oregon, Is less successful.
Tho love story that goes with It has
some Interest, for It Is quite unique.
But the invention that carries it is
not strong enough for substitution of
romance for fact. .
It would be easy to pick flaws in
the story: for example to show how
far the characterization of John C.
Calhoun was at fault; and how the
hero of the tale, Nicholas P. Trist,
a well-known historical personage,
for it was he who was private secre
tary to President Jackson, then was
Chief Clerk in the Department of
State, later was sent by President
Polk to Mexico to negotiate a treaty
of peaco with that country, after the
victories of General Scott, but pre
cipitated a violent quarrel with
Scott, which led to the suspension of
Scott from the command of the
Army in the Mexico it would be
easy to show that nothing in the life
of Nicholas PhHip Trist, bo far as
known, supports the story that the
heroine of the book, a Hungarian
young woman called Baroness Helena
Von Rltx, in love with Trist, so di
rected his action and career that we
owe to her the acquisition of Cali
fornia and the preservation of Ore
gon. Here is a new candidate to
rival Whitman as "the savior of
Oregon."
There are anachronisms. The
first great migration fo Oregon that
of. 1843 is assigned to 1S45. Whit
man is in it, and Dr. McLoughlln and
Joe Meek appear in the Oregon coun
try; but neither of these men appears
in any character that the student of
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1909.
our early history would recognize.
Likewise Calhoun, Tyler's Secretary
of State, is represented as a man of
bellicose disposition, eager to fight
for Oregon. On the contrary, be held
the opinion that it was not worth
whilo to contend for the occupation of
Oregon, "at the risk of war with the
most powerful nation of the earth."
For Oregon, he realized, was not a fit
land .for profitable propagation of
negro slavery.
The heroine. Baroness Helena Von
Ritz, was the special agent of Eng
land, and as such contended for Eng
land's ascendency In the Oregon
country. She Is represented as hav
ing been in Oregon aid having made
a forced march across the plains to
the East in 1845 to save the country
to England. This clearly is an echo
or adumbration of the Whitman tale.
She was followed on her Journey by
Trist, who also was anxious, as Whit
man had been, "to 'save Oregon" to
the United States.
The tale Is written in the first per
son, as told by Trist. .The heroine,
the Hungarian lady, was in love with
him, but her love was unrequited,
for he was already pledged to an
other, whom he afterwards married.
Of course, the author must have had
some kind of right to use the name
of Nicholas P. Trist in this wonder
ful way. The romance is not more
absurd, perhaps, than Bulwer-Lyt-ton's
"A Strange Story," or Wilkie
Colllns's "The Woman In White."
CONCURRENT JURISDICTION.
The decision of the Supreme Court
of the . United States in the case of
Christ Nellson puts an end to all rea
sonable contention about the meaning
of the .phrase "concurrent Jurisdic
tion," so far as the Columbia River
is concerned. By the acts which ad
mitted them into the Union, Oregon
and Washington are given concurrent
Jurisdiction over the waters of the
stream which separates them. This
gave rise to the pretty question
whether each state might enforce its
laws upon the entire width of the
river without reference to the statutes
of the other. In Neilson's case this
came squarely before the Supreme
Court. He had compiled with the
law of Washington which permitted
fishing with a floating net upon pay
ment of a license fee. The Oregon
law forbade the use of this kind of a
net. Neilson caught salmon with his
net on the Washington side, was ar
rested at Astoria and fined under the
Oregon statute.
The Supreme Court holds that
"concurrent Jurisdiction" permits Ore
gon to enforce its laws on the Wash
ington half of the Columbia only
when both states have the same laws.
When the laws differ those of each
state extend to the middle of the
stream and no farther. Hence Neil
eon was within his rights when he
tlshed with a floating net under his
license from tho state of Washing
ton. This decision is the only possi
ble one which a sane tribunal could
have made under the conditions. It is
absurd to think of two independent
sovereignties enforcing two sets of con
flicting laws in the same territory. It
now behooves the two states to make
all convenient haste to put their fish
ing laws on such a footing that con
current Jurisdiction will mean some
thing useful.
Oregon has now a good code. Wash
ington has promised to enact the
same set of laws but thus far the
promise has not been kept. There
should be no moro delay in the prem
ises. The salmon fishery can not be
maintained by severity on one side of
the river and laxity on the other.
There must be uniform regulations or
In a very few years there will be no
fish.
FLAY1XO WITH I'IRE.
Nothing in connection with the Cen
tr..l Oregon railroad problem would
please Messrs. Stubbs, Kruttschnilt
and Schwerin, the California triumvi
rate, better than to receive rush orders
to build a line from Ontario to a con
nection with tho Southern Pacific, and
thus drain the trade of that rich region
out by way of San Francisco.
The members of the Chamber of
Commerce, who are fighting Mr. Har
riman, instead of aiding him to se
cure the necessary right-of-way up
the Deschutes canyon where he has
ordered a road built, are, of course,
playing into the hands of the Cali
fornians who have always opposed
Portland in its efforts to enter the
Central Oregon field.
Some Individuals never learn that
they are playing with fire until their
fingers are burned. It would seem that
this matter Is entitled to at least as
much consideration as the Chamber
of Commerce gives a sailor boardlng
houso bill.
AN UN PROFIT A B LE BOYCOTT.
Spokane shippers are said to be
preparing a boycott against the Hill
and the Harrlman roads In retalia
tion for the expected failure of the
Interstate Commerce Commission to
grant them terminal rates. The in
land city will of course, be strictly
within its rights if it transfers all of
its business to the Canadian road, but
it does not appear that it will profit
by the change. The Canadian Pacific
has always been somewhat of a free
lance in the western transportation
field, but has at all times been very
careful to protect its through business
to the Pacific Coast. In the Spokane
rate case, the Interests of the Canadian
road are to a large extent identical
with those of the roads which have
successfully fought the Spokane con
tention before the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
As stated In yesterday's Washing
ton dispatches, Spokane based all of
Its hopes for terminal rates on the
Spokane interpretation of the long
and short haul clause of the Hepburn
act which f rovides that a "higher rate
shall not be charged for a shorter
haul than for a longer haul, when the
shorter haul Is Included entirely with
in the longer, and in the same direc
tion and under substantially similar
conditions." The lack of, similarity
in conditions governing rates at Port
land and Spokane is the lack of simi
larity between a seaport and a port
situated more than 400 miles inland.
At the Interstate Commerce Commis
sion hearing at Spoicane, more than
two years ago, it was shown by indis
putable testimony, corroborated by
actual bills of lading, that water
transportation lines operating between
New York and Pacific Coast ports
were delivering freight at Spokane at
rates in some cases lower than were
made by the railroads.
As these water carriers were forced
to pay full rates for the rail haul
from Portland or Puget Sound ports
to Spokane, it would be folly to as
sume that they would, not make a
lower rate to Portland or Puget Sound
than they would make for the addi
tional infi-mlln rail haul to the in
terior. Any order of the railroad
commission forcing the railroads to
make a lower rate to bpokane man
to the tidewater points on the Pacific
would effectually bar these roads from
handling any business for points west
of Spokane, for they would be bo
nmnifoiv at the mercv of the water
carriers that they would be unable to
engage in any business Deyona tnat
point. With such conditions and
they are conditions that can be
changed only by artificial and unnat
ural methods the Canadian Pacific is
in no position to afford Spokane any
relief.
That road, like the Hill and Harri
man roads handles an enormous busi
ness at tidewater ports on the Pa
cific and at these ports, the Canadian
like the other road3, is up against the
perfectly natural water transporta
tion. An order granting Spokane the
rates asked for would, if it were en
forced, compel every transcontinental
railroad to abandon all attempts to do
business in territory west of the points
which were favored with terminal
rates. The Spokane contention Is pre
posterous, and it seems strange that
the decision was not announced
sooner.
Tlllarrnook reports the manufacture
of 1500 tons of cheese in the county
in 1908, the total value being $400,
000. Here Is freight traffic in as com
pact a form as it could well be found,
and may account for the light outward
traffic by steamer from that rich
coast port. While $400,000 worth of
cheese was reduced to but 1500 tons
of freight, the same value in wheat at
present high prices would produce
more than 12.000 tons of freight, and
at ordinary prices fully 15,000 tons.
In lumber the showing from a freight
traffic standpoint is even more strik
ing, for $400,000 worth of the ordi
nary run of Tillamook lumber would
L weigh more than 60.000 tons, or forty
times as much as the same value in
Tillamook County cheese. The Tilla
mook cheesemakers have some dif
ficulty in reaching- a market, but,
from the figures on the product, there
is a very small portion of the gross
receipts paid out for freight.
Confidence in American canned
meat products has at last been re
stored, and Great Britain has Just
placed an enormous order with Ar
mour & Co. Quite naturally the
foreign packing interests spared no
efforts in making the Chicago pack
ing house scandal much worse than
it actually was, and for that reason
the entire American meat trade, good
and bad alike, suffered to a much
greater extent than was warranted by
actual conditions. The lesson was a
severe one, but since the Government
investigated the packing houses and
ordered changes in tho methods,
much greater care has been exercised,
and American meat is again selling
and deserves to sell on its merits in
all parts of the world.
Here now we have dismissal of
more indictments in the Federal Court
that had been standing more than
three years. They were dismissed be
cause there was no chance of con
viction, and the presumption must
be that if conviction was impossible,
the indictments never should have
been returned, and the defendants are
innocent. Attorney Alley at Roseburg
in this particular case has suffered
great hardship through being dis
barred from practice in the land of
fice. Of course he has no recourse
against anybody. When shall we have
an end of this business in Oregon?
The action of the Monmouth stu
dents in the emergency which their
school has met looks well for both
school and students. Where so much
loyalty exists there must be a reason
for it. Oregon is able to support one
Normal School. Monmouth's is the
oldest in the State and probably the
best. It has a tradition of noble
teaching, a body of devoted graduates
and students, who show their faith by
their deeds. If such a school must
perish, so be it; but its death will not
be without mourners.
It is the usage of the Senate to al
low the Senator, whether he be a
Republican, a Democrat, or a non
descript, to name the postmaster of
his own town. Of course, therefore,
Bourno will get his man at Portland.
It doesn't matter, in these cases,
where senatorial courtesy is con
cerned, whether the man is deemed
by the people of the town, fit or not.
The strike of the doctors In the
hospitals of Caracas offers a brilliant
opportunity to certain more advanced
practitioners. The doctors struck be
cause the authorities furnished the
patients neither food' nor medicines.
Those who believe food Is an illusion
and medicine an error could desire no
better chance , to demonstrate their
faith.
The turning of water Monday into
the canal that will irrigate the Deer
Flat region, between the Snake and
Boise Rivers in Idaho, is the reality
of a dream of thirty years. There is
fertility in every twenty acres of the
two hundred thousand covered by the
big ditch to provide sufficiency for a
family.
Five lawyers in Taft's Cabinet will
be none too many if recent events
correctly indicate the knowledge of
the Constitution current in the coun
try. Five of them ought to be enough
to steer clear of blunders.
On, above or beneath the earth,
somehow Seattle gets there. That
was a happy Idea to drive a pipe to
the entombed sewer laborers yester
day to supply them with air.
Oregon doesn't produce as many
eggs and domestic fowls as it con
sumes. Ergo, the state ought, to go
Into the poultry business with Mr.
Teal as general manager.
With only six working days left,
there need be no great fear of many
more messages from the White House
to the legislative hall at the other end
of the street.
The spelling reform is gradually
reaching the standard of Josh Billings.
Its latest triumph is "notis" for notice,
which was one of Josh'3 favorite witti
cisms. '
Fifteen wards with fifteen Council
men is the latest proposition for Portv
land's government. As with taxes, so
with other evils, the cry is multiply
them.
LETTERS AND PICTURES BY WIRE. .
New Inventions by Which Telegrams,
Mnll-Carrlera, Etc., May Vanish.
New York World.
It begins to look as if we shall soon
be able to do without the telegraph.
postage stamps, mail boxes, and letter
carriers. Imagine how . convenient it
will be to sit down at the telephone
desk In your office or home, call up j
somebody you want to communicate j
with ind then proceed to write that r
person a letter which he or she will
be able to read In duplicate Just as
quickly as you can write the words (
down. And it that particular person
does not happen to be In when you
call he will find your letter waiting
on his telephone desk for him when he
returns, no matter how many miles
away you were when you wrote it
only a few minutes before.
More wonderful still, and this by way
of example, the police of New York
may be asked by the Chicago police
to send them the photograph of a mur
der suspect. The photograph is in
serted In a machine somewhat similar
in size .and shape to a phonograoh,
there is a buzzing of wheels, the pho
tograph revolves rapidly on a cylinder,
and in five minutes or less after Chi
cago asked for the photograph a let
ter from Chicago is received from the
New York department of police read
ing as follows: "Photograph received.
Excellent picture of man arrested hero.
Many thanks for your prompt atten
tion." To telegraph a. picture may seem
very easy once the process is under
stood, but to use the- telephone as a
letter writer and artist for the instan
taneous reproduction miles away of
your handwriting and sketches seem
far more complex. The telewriter does
all this, however, and more, too, for
If you wait a few moments at the tele
phone after sending a letter over the
wire you may receive an answer in
the handwriting of your correspondent.
Writing and sketches made with the
pencil of the transmitting instrument
are promptly recorded in fac-simile
by the pen of the receiving instru
ment. The complete Instrument con
sists of the transmitter and receiver
associated together, so that the mes
sage may be sent to or received from
either end of the line, and the instru
ments are connected to the ordinary
telephone line without Interference
with or alteration to the telephone
service.
The operation of the telewriter is a
very simple matter. The sender simp
ly calls up on the telephone the person
to whom he wants to write and then
writes his communication in pencil on
a roll of paper attached to the trans
mitter. The machine does all the rest
by transmitting over the telephone
wire and reproducing at the other-end
and everything the sender puts down
on the paper. The movements of the
transmitting pencil and the receiving
pen being limited in extent, it is neces
sary that the paper shall he fed over
a limited writing space. This Is done
mechanically at the transmitter and
electrically at the receiver. The trans
mitter has a finger lever connected
at its inner end by a rod to a paper
shifter. When the lever is moved to
and fro between its stops, the Ta
per shifter rocks backward and for
ward and feeds over the writing pin te
at earh movement. The pen Is dipped
In ink automatically at each move
ment of the paper so that there Is lit
tle danger of the pen running dry. The
receiving pen when not in use is held
in the ink well.
He In n "Chnmberlntn Republican."
Eugene Guard.
While the new Judge, John S. Coke,
of Marshfield, is a good fellow and
well qualified, it is not apparent at
this time what reason there was for
making the appointment. Judges Ham
ilton and Harris united in the declara
tion that they did not require assist-,
ance, yet the bill passed practically
without opposition, and the Governor
Immediately appointed a Republican to
the position. If this judgeship job was
not some kind of a political deal, it at
least has all the earmarks of one.
"Merry AVIIorr Causes ''Harvard Hump'
Mobile (Ala.) Register.
The "Harvard hump" is the compan
ion freak to the "Merry Widow" hat,
in the masculine gender. The name
suggests that it comes from the New
England LI D. factory, but the ex
planation of the hump is that young
men attain it trying to look under the
broad brimmed millinery when address
ing the opposite sex. This seems
plausible, as there have been instances
of men getting lap-sided through con
stant dodging of the "Merry Widows"
in the streetcars.
Can't Afford Affinities In Kansas.
Atchison Globe.
Senator F. L. Travis, of Allen, is the
Joke reformer. He has an anti-affinity
bill which he tries to introduce before
breakfast and every half hour after.
He is antl-aff inlty mad, and foams like
a seidlitz powder whenever "affinity"
is mentioned. Still, there Isn't any one
In Kansas that we know of who has
an affinity. They can't afford them.
Such a bill would be all right in New
York or Pittsburg, but out here in
Kansas it is a joke. Travis should sit
down.
Drink of Wnter Kills Veteran.
Orange, X. J., Dispatch to N. Y. Press.
After drinking heavily for several days,
Thomas Lanagan, a veteran of the Civil
War, took a drink of water with fatal re
sults. He died before a physician could
be called. Lanagan was a hatter and
worked steadily at his trade when times
were good and there was no strike. Re
cently he received pension money, and
that, combined with the strike benefits
doled out weekly, made him feel that he
was able to afford money for drink.
Cooking 200 Egg at Once.
New York Press.
The automatic egg boilers, like those
used on some of the big Atlantic liners
are able to cook 200 eggs at once, a
clock arrangement causing the basket
containing the eggs to hop out of the
water at any half-minute up to six
minutes. Another novelty is a self
dumping oyster cooker for stews. At the
expiration of a given time the cooker
pours its contents into a soup plate.
Congresmen Dodge the Little JI."
Cor. in Washington (D. C.) Post.
Will you permit me to call the atten
tion of members of Congress to the fact
that "n" in the second syllable of gov
ernment should not be a silent letter?
In several weeks of frequent attendance
in the galleries of both House and Senate,
I have heard the word correctly pro
nounced by only three speakers.
Han Beefsteak Causes Murder Scare.
Pittsburg (Pa.) Dispatch.
Two men were arrested near Madera,
Pa., on suspicion of having murdered a
man found insensible on the road. It was
discovered later that the man was drunk
and that a piece of raw beefsteak lying
across the body had been mistaken for a
wound.
Sine Sins; Penitentiary Haa a Jam.
Albany (N. Y.) Dispatch.
Sing Sing penitentiary has 1814 prison
ers, the largest number in Its history,
and a portion of the chapel is being used
for sleeping quarters.
Thieves Steal Gum But Leave Cash.
Newark (N. J.) Dispatch.
A slot machine for selling chewing
gum was robbed at Burlington, N. J., of
the gum, but the coins in the cash box
were not touched.
PUBLICITY HERE AND IN BRITAIN
Our Superiority! One Can Shut Ears
But Not Active Mouths.
Gilbert K. Chesterton in Hampton's
Magazine.
Briefly, the real superiority of America
over England is in this; that In America
you can shut ears, but you cannot shut
mouths. You can create an elegant
American society in which Mr. Hearst
Is never mentioned; but you cannot re
strain Mr. Hearst from the not uncon
genial occupation of mentioning himself.
In England you can. In England, by a
certain universal pressure of fashion and
false good taste working downward
through the aristocracy, the Parliament
and the private owners of the public
press (even the King is not powerless),
it is possible tu; all practical purposes to
prevent a point of view being really ut
tered at all. There are certain facts
which I know to be facts, of which I can
say with complete and solid sincerity,
that if I were to write them down it is
not only true that no Englishman would
believe them, but it is certain that no
Englishman would print them. To Amer
ica such scandals are, if you will, ue
clared scandalously. But they are de
clared. In an American paper, very like
ly, Lord Northcliffe, for instance, might
ba described as a terrible pirate, where
as he is really a fresh-faced, energetic
man who has so little Imagination that
he collects money as children collect tram
tickets. But the point is that ho could
be hit hard for the good of the public in
America.
But in England people would think more
of his feelings than of the public good:
because England is governed by a small
groiT of families and is therefore forced
to think almost entirely in terms of per
sonality. Tho curse of English politics
is that so much of it Is conducted In a
good-natured whisper, about "poor young
So-and-So" or "good old What's-llis-Name."
Many goo 1 Americans have com
plained that in America all private life is
made public. But in England ail public
life is made private.
I come hack, therefore, as I always love
to do, to truisms; to tho truisms of 1(X
years ago. After all, the thing whereby
America really towers over the old ooun-
trv is the tiling which Jefferson reared
and Washington defended. The solid
good of merlca is that when all is said
and done she is a republic, a Public
Thing, and a people representing itself.
There are men rich enough, and strong
enough, almost to starve America: but
there aro no men strong enough to silenco
America. No oligarchy acts as an entire
ly false interpreter between Americans
and the world. America and the Americans-may
be right or wrong. But Eng
land may actually be wrong while Eng
lishmen are right. We have said then
that the true American virtue Is this can
did and complete democracy, the fact
that the truth may be told even if It Is
not believed.
"COMPLEAT AXttl.EH" BRINGS $.1000
Opening Bill for Gem by Fisherman
I sunk Walton Is ?-'0O0.
New York Times.
The first edition of old Izaak Walton's
"Cqmpleat Angler" (London, 1J53) brought
at the John G. Heckscher sale at
Merwin-C'laytons' in East Twentieth
street. The opening bid for this famous
work was $2000, and it was knocked down
finally to George D. Smith, tho undur
bldder being Henry Thorpe.
This rarity drew a large crowd of
booklovers to the auction rooms. Among
those present was Bernard Quaritch, of
London, who secured for $125 a fine copy
of John Tavcrner's "Certaino Experiments
Concerning Fish and Fruit," a very raro
work, published in London In 1WK.
The second edition of the "Complcat
Angler," which was published in London
in 1655, and is said to be rarer than the
lirst edition, was sold to Mr. Thorpe for
$7SJ). lie also obtained for $350 the third
edition published In London In WJ1; tho
reprint of the third edition published in
London in ltM, for which he paid $045,
and tho fourth edition published in Lon
don in IS";", which went to him for $400.
A fifth edition, London, 1676, went to A.
H. Clark, of Cleveland. O., for $150.
Among the items sold were John Smith's
"Profit and Pleasure United; or, the
Husbandman's Magazine. To which
Ik added the Art of Angling," etc., printed
for Andrew Thorncome at the Golden Leg
on London Bridge, 16S4," $S0, Thorpe:
the original unpublished manuscript of
Charles Snart's "Observations on Angling
in the Kiver Trent." written in 1S19,
on laid paper, watermarked, $S1, bought
on order; and "The Experienced Angler.
Imparting Many of the Aptcst
Ways and Choicest Experiments for the
Taking of Most Sorts of Fish in Pond
and River," by Robert Venablus, London,
JtiKL', $121, Thorpe.
There were a number of works by Dr.
Henry Van Dyke in tho sale, some of
them copies presented by him to Mr.
Heckscher, with rhymes, etc., inscribed.
The highest price for any of these books
was $30, paid byMr. Thorpe for the Wal
ton edition of Dr. Van Dyke's "Littlo
Elvers." with autograph inscription of
seven lines by Dr. Van Dyke, beginning:
"I am only wishing to go a-iishing."
The total sales for the day were $S300.
Oregon's Railroad Projects.
Tacoma Ledger.
Though the Oregon Legislature has
voted to submit an amendment to the
constitution In order to permit the
state to build railroads, no lines of
worry are likely to furrow the brows
of Harrlman and Hill.
It is not likely that any line the
state might build would be a paying
venture. Harriman would not object
a bit to having the state bear the
burden of building feeders into unde
veloped territory and supplying the
big trunk lines with stuff to trans
port. Aftor tho state had sunk a for
tune In the venture a sentiment would
probably develop in favor of selling
the railroad. Then Harriman or Hill
or some other railroad manager might
offer from one-half to three-fourths'
of what the road cost.
Harriman nnd Hill are surely not
suffering any loss of sleep from wor
ry over the possibility that Oregon
may build 200 or 300 miles of railroad.
Usually such ventures turn out to be
state aid to the large systems that
eventually get hold of state-built
roads.
Rain Drives Tramps to Jail.
Philadelphia Record.
To get out of a heavy rain, two tramps
broke into an empty prison at Marysville,
Pa., and were asleep when tho Sheriff
found them.
THIS, THAT AND T'OTHER.
Beauty is only skin deep and there ara
a mighty biff lot of thin-skinned persona.
Los Angeles Express.
Your opinions are like a good many other
thinps you posBess: Of no value to any
one but the owner. Atchison Globe.
The man who has loved and lost will soon
bo able to save enough money to buy au
automobile. The Bohemian.
"Of course he's a kind of a bore, but ho's
all rlpht. In his way." "On tne contrary,
he's always rltrht In somebody else's way."
Cleveland Leader.
Mrs. Bacon Doesn't your husband waste
words? Mrs. Egbert I should say so. Why,
be told me the story I Just told you today,
and then asked me not to repeat it. Yon
kers Statesman.
"1 see you had a brand new joke In the
last Issue." "It can't be helped," responded
the magazine publisher. "Unscrupulous con
tributors palm them off on us sometimes."
Louisville Courier-Journal.
"Did you (ret my valentine?" he asked
tremulously.' "Xo," she replied, "got nothing
but comics." "But mine contained a pro
posal nf marriage," he went on eagerly.
"Oh. that was yours? Yes, I got it."
Philadelphia Ledger.
Scribbles I understand young Rhymer is
doing much better than formerly In the
poetry line. Dribbles Why, he told me he
hadn't written a lina for six months.
Scribbles Yes, he told me the same thing.
Chicago Daily News.
Life's SunnySide
w hn lived together
was suddenly taken with a lung at
tack which she feared was serious, bha
therefore sent for a specialist and
asked her own physician to meet him.
Talking over his coming w th her sis
ter, she said: "Mona. I wish I could
Know Sir Henry B.' real opinion.
Neither he nor Dr. M will tell us
if there is anything really wrong, fcut
I would much rather know."
Her sister replied: "Do not worry,
dearest- you shall know everything,
for I will go down to the dining-room
and stand behind the big oak screen
and listen to every word they say.
"Very well, dearest."
The hour for the consultation ar
rived and the sister went to the dining
room, and standing behind the great
oak screen ensconced herself and pre
pared to listen.
By and by the two doctors were
heard descending the stairs, and a mo
ment later they came into tho room.
Walking over to the fireplace, the spe
cialist sank into an easy chair, and the
locnl .doctor sank into another. Then
followed a moment's silence, broken by
the specialist, who leaned a littlo for
ward. "My dear M ." lie said, slowly, as
he looked across at his colleague, "of
all the ugly women, that's the very
ugliest woman I've seen in my life."
"is she?" replied the local physician.
"You wait until you've seen her sister."
London Telegraph.
Senator Bailey says that not long
ago a general merchant In a town In
Northeast Texas was waiting upon an
aged farmer in his store when the old
man pointed at a quartet of ice cream
freezers.
"What are they?" he asked.
"Ice cream freezers," exclaimed the
merchant. "Want one? They're only
$2."
"Ice cream freezers." mused the old
man. "They freeze milk, don't they?
Will they freeze anythi ng 'else?"
"Hure," said the storekeeper.
"Freeze water?" asked the old man
interested.
"Freeze anything liquid," said the
storekeeper, laughing.
The old man paid for one of th
freezers and drove away.
Three days later he returned. HU
beard was bristling with indignation
and he eyed the merchant fiercely.
"You're a robber," he said. The mer
chant gasped.
"You told mo that thing would freeze
water" went on the old man Indignant
ly, "and I took it home to freeze som
water and make me some ice, and my
nephew said you had to put Ice In 11
before it would freeze anything. Gimms
my $2."
The merchant weakly handed him
two silver dollars and the old man
strode out and hasn't bought anything
else at the store since. Washington,
D. C. Star.
The artist was of the impressionist
school. He had Just given the last
touches to a purplo and blue canvas
when his wlfo came into his studio.
"lly dear," said ho, "this Is the land
scape I wanted you to suggest a title
for."
"Why not call It 'Homer" she said
after a long look.
" 'Home?' Why?"
"Because there's no place like It." she
replied meekly. Glasgow Times.
There Is a new rule In force on the
Brooklyn, N. Y.. streetcar lines which
requires the conductor. In receiving
from a passenger a coin in excess of
the amount of his fare, to call out the
amount due to the company. A Ger-,
man, unfamiliar with the rulo, recently
boarded a car on the system and hand
ed the conductor a quarter. "Five
out!" announced the master of the car.
"Nein! Neln!" protested the German
loudlv, "Nicht five!"
"Ah, whatcha talkln' about?" growlca
the monarch in uniform. "Do you think
you're tho whole bloomin" family?"
Harper's Weekly.
Bartender And do yon like being
married, John?
John Don't like it at all.
Bartender Why, what's the matter
wi' she, John?
John Well, first thing in the morn
ing It's money; when I goes 'ome to
my dinner It's money again; and at
supper it's the same. Nothing but
monev, money, money!
Bartender Well. I never! What do
she do wi' all that money?
John I amino. I ain't given her any
yet. Tit Bits.
"Have you thrown the cow into the
antiseptic tank?"
"Yes."
"Have you washed the can with car
bolic acid solution?"
"T have."
"Have you plunged Into the gerrn-destroying
bath, yourself?"
"Certainly."
i "All right Go ahead now and take
the cow Into the air-tight glass cage,
but keep on the lookout that no stray
bacteria gets Into the milk." Bo
hemian, t i .
T),j,ie Does this train carry animals?
Pat Xo, but if ye git Into a seat and
kape your fare covered and yure mouth
shut, Oi don't think anyone will sispect
yure Idintlty. Exchange. (
An old plasterer Is called upon to
give evidence for the plaintiff. Counsel
for the defendant tries to bully him.
"Have you ever been In prison?"
"Yes, twice."
"Ah! how long the first timer
"One whole afternoon."
"What! And the second time?"
"Only one hour."
"And pray, what offense had you
committed to deserve so small a punish
ment?" "I was sent to prison to whitewash
a cell to accommodate a lawyer who
had cheated one of his clients." Lon
don Answers.
What Did the Policeman Whlspery
New York Herald.
Eho was petite, pretty, and 17, and
the shopping crowd in Herald square
had time to turn and look at her and
the. St. Bernard. The dog also was
younBunder 17, that is but he was
no featherweight. A slender silver
chain was held by his mistress, who
became distressed when the dog stopped
and refused to budge.
Within three minutes a great crowd
gathered and a policeman advanced.
"Will you kindly move that buffalo
you have there," he asked, "so tho
crowd can move on?"
"I'd like to," she replied; "but won't
you please coax him to come along?"
The big policeman hirld up his hand
for a suspension of traffic at the cor
ner and then bent and whispered some
thing in the ear of the dog. The crea
ture looked at him for an Instant, then
rose, shook his heavy coat and ambled
away.
No one learned what tho policeman
said to the dog.
Sends His Voice Slesange to Mother.
Altoona, Pa., Dispatch to Philadelphia
Record.
As a surprise to his aged parents on
the 6bth anniversary of their wedding,
John K. FIndley, a Pennsylvania ma
chinist, sent to them near Glasgow,
Scotland, graphophone records,- into
which ho had spoken congratulations,
speeches, and sung songs. His mother
had pot heard ids voice for 30 years,
but on the first line of "Be Kind tao
Auld Grannie." the first selection, she
cried, " 'Tis mae aln son, Johnny."