8
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, . JUNE 23, 1909.
(lip mmmx
A"tY
rJ,ir
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PORTLAND, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23. 1909.
RIVALRIES OF NATIONS.
Germany's policy of naval expansion
Is no new thing. It dates as far back
as the close of the Franco-German
"War; but it is only within the last few
years that it has begun to excite much
apprehension in England. For the
situation of England is such that she
feels she must hold supremacy at sea,
or content herself to live at the suffer
ance of the power that may be
stronger at sea.
It Is a contest of resources between
all the powers of Europe. Each, of
course, has the right to consider its
own interest first. Alike in Great
Britain, Germany and France taxa
tion already boars so hard that the
question where more revenues are to
come from is a puzzle for all; and,, as
some one has said, the people have
reached the point where they must
consider whether they will consent to
tax themselves to death, in order to
avoid being: killed by the direct
method of war.
We get a statement of the German
point of view from Maximilian Har
den, a German publicist of high au
thority, both at home and abroad. A
review of his recent works shows
that, while deprecating . the burden
placed both on England and Germany,
he discerns for both a like if not equal
danger. Neither country, he declares,
can feed itself in case of war Ger
many longer than England, but
neither for so long as could suffice to
raise an effective blockade. Germany,
I Herr Harden maintains, must have
j colonies, they are vital to her extst
5 enee, and she must secure them ira-
mediately if not in South America,
then at the expense of Great Britain;
: and to this end if a Germanic bond
. to include Great Britain and the
, United States cannot be formed, war
must result. The sooner, the better.
, "If there is mutual good-will between
j England. America and Germany, these
; three great Industrial nations will find
; the possibility for natural and pacific
1 expansion"; but, says Harden, such a
dream cannot be realized without
bleodshed. "Englishmen have not
' learned from history to divide power:
; they are determined at any cost to hold
i by force and violence that which they
i regard as theirs." Preferably Herr
Harden would see this German expan-
slon on the houth American continent,
where German influence is already
paramount; but, "without the friend
ship and co-operation of the United
States this Greater Germany is not to
be dreamed of, and, besides, Germans
in South America are very content
- with their existing lot, and are merg
ing in the body politic there as here."
This is extremely interesting, as a
view of the mind and intent of Ger
many. What does it portend? The
right of Germany to create fleets as
well as armies, for support of her own
interests and for pursuit of her own
destinies, no nation can question. But
her effort gives portents of great
changes and stirring events in the
world's affairs, which must greatly
concern us or America, even if we are
out, lookers-on.
! AMERICAN INTEREST IN CHINESE LOAN
European bankers, who for many
years have enjoyed the prestige and
1 profit which follows the loaning of
i money in the Far East, are making
I strenuous objection to any particlpa
j tion by the United States in the loan
of J27.600.000 for the Hankow-Sze
j Chuan Chinese Railway. American
j financiers, appreciating the value of
- making a creditor of China, are not in-
iclined to abandon the effort to handle
a portion of the loan.
Viewed from its surface appear-
ances. there is something peculiar
j In the eagerness with which the
world's bankers attempt to force their
loans on poor, old China. With the
United States constantly seeking new
i-apltai from abroad, and even at this
time lamenting the diffidence of the
French regarding our steel stocks now
offering in Paris, it seems strange that
we should be making an international
outcry because we were not offered an
opportunity to lend our money to the
Chinese.
But underlying all this discussion
regarding who shall have the honor
of making the loan is involved the ne
cessity for maintaining the integrity of
China. This country to a greater" ex
tent than any other prevented the dis
memberment and division of China
about ten years ago. Our only object
at that time was to keep the ancient
empire in such shape that it could not
be exploited or despoiled by one coun
try to the exclusion of all others.
China escaped becoming spoil of war
largely through American interven
tion, but is now the object of a finan
cial conquest, which, so far as her m.
, tegrlty is concerned, is fully as dan
i. serous as Its warlike predecessor.
Trade does not always follow the
flag, but it always follows the money
which is used in cultivating and en
couraging It. Consequently the United
States has a deep interest In placing
China on her list of creditors. The
merchant who lends money to a
farmer quite naturally expects that
farmer to do his trading at the store
of the man to whom he is indebted.
' The nation that lends money to an
. other nation by the same token can
reasonably expect the borrowing na
tion to reciprocate with any trade fa
vors that can be placed with the
lender. It is for this reason that the
United States is desirous of being on
at least even terms with our German
and British trade competitors.
News dispatches regarding this loan
say that "the agents of the European
bankers at Pekln had advised their
Drlncipals to permit the New Yorkers'"
Join in the loan. No "permission" f
I was required, for this country has a
'distinct right to participate in the
L iisui wets couierrea 1 1 v mil '
agreement concluded by Sir Ernest Sa-
tow, the British Ambassador, with
Prince- Clung on October 1, 1903, in
which it was provided that "if China
desires - to construct a Hankow-Sze
Chuah line and her capital is insuffi
cient, she will obtain all the necessary
foreign capital from Great Britain or
the United States."
Briefly stated, this country desired
to and will participate in the Chinese
railroad loan in order to maintain an
interest in a great trade field that is
Just opening up. As a purely finan
cial investment, the loan is not attrac
tive, but from a" diplomatic stand
point its importance is hard to over
estimate. WINNING A HOME.
In making his triumphant progress
from the city's din to, the country's
fterene quietude, -'T. V. R." enjoyed an
advantage which most men lack. His'
wife heartily helped the project along
as the reader of last Sunday's Orego-
nlan will remember. Although there
was no house on their suburban acre
and they had to dwell in a tent for a
while,, still "T. W. R.'s" brave help
meet did not complain. She is a para
gon and an exemplar to most of her
urban sisters. Let her light so shine
that it may be seen of women.
By a migration to the suburbs and
owning a house and garden, the family
of small means not only saves rent, but
it enjoys luxuries in the way of fruit
and vegetables which are never
dreamed of in the average tenement.
Green peas, asparagus, new potatoes.
the spirituelle cucumber and the di
vine strawberry belong to the home
owner in quantity and quality limited
only by his muscle. Yet there are
women who cling to brick and paving
stones and shudder at the thought of
green fields. It Is they who are, at
least partially, responsible for crowd
ed tenements, high rents, barren sav
ings accounts and the poor health of
their children.
Thrice blest in his wife is "T. W. R."
Together he and she will build a home
worth having. From their tent they
will pass to a comfortable cottage and
the grip of the landlord they will know
no more forever. "What is to hinder
thousands of other families from doing
likewise? Nothing but that inertia
which enchants and paralyzes. Speak
the divine "I will," and forthwith you
own a dwelling with a garden full of
savory herbs and sapid fruits.
HIS RETIREMENT OVERDUE.
From Washington comes the pleas
ing news that James Wilson, Secretary
of Agriculture, will retire from that
office in December. The news will not.
ue surprising to anyone who nas fol
lowed the policy of President Taft in
surrounding himself with men who
were familiar with, or at least have
some knowledge of the work for which
they are drawing salaries from the
Government. The administration of
"Tama Jim" Wilson would have been
less ridiculous had the Secretary of
Agriculture sufficient business sense
to appoint assistants familiar with the
Important work which the department
essays to handle. But Mr. Wilson at
all times has seemed averse to hav
ing anyone in the employ of the de
partment who knows any more about
it than, he knows himself, which; of
course, makes it difficult for the pub
lic to realize on the heavy investment
it has made in maintenance of the de
partment. Mr. Wilson has remained in office
for twelve years, and through all that
period his crop reports, which have
cost the Government millions, have
been regarded as Jokes. It was during
his administration that "leakage" of
one of his carefully prepared crop re
ports enabled a coterie of Wall street
gamblers to clean up a fortune in cot
ton. The immediate cause of his
downfall, and undoubtedly the reason
for his retirement, was his March crop
report, showing such vast stock of
wheat In farmers' hands that the Wall
street gamblers who sold the market
"short" made millions before the
ridiculous nature of the Wilson report
was understood, and the market re
bounded. It does not make much
difference whom President Taft ap
points to succeed Wqson. The change
will be for the better.
MAINTAINING SEAPORT PRESTIGE.
Soundings made by pilots and ship
masters show quite clearly that the
work of tl jetty at the entrance of
the Columlna River has been so effect
ive that thSre has been a pronounced
increase in the depth of water. As it
has been the Portland policy since the
beginning of river Improvements on
both river and bar, to maintain a river
channel strictly in keeping with that at
the river entrance, the Port of Port
land announces its intention this sea
son to dredge the river channel to
twenty-six feet at dead low water
an increase of one foot over the chan
nel dredged last year. While the
river Is very seldom down to the zero
mark, and theold twenty-fi've-foot
channel has, with the aid of the tides,
carried many vessels of more than
twenty-five feet draft, the additional
root will be of advantage, for the
coming season will undoubtedly bring
a number of very large steamers to
the port, and there must be no delay
in handling them in the river.
The City of Portland, which has
taken up 'the task of deepening the
river as the bar Is deepened, is not the
small, struggling municipality that
more than a score of years ago had
great difficulty in raising the few dol
lars necessary to "sluice" St. Helens
bar with propeller, so that vessels of
sixteen and seventeen-foot draft could
reach this city without lightering most
of their cargo. The Portland which
Is changing the mighty Columbia River
so that it can accommodate any craft
afloat ' is a rich and powerful city,
growing by leaps and bounds, and ex
tending its field ef operations to the
remotest districts In the Inland Em
pire. This city became the original
seaport for all of the vast region
drained by the (iolumbia River because
it was the point farthest inland at
w-hich ships could discharge their car
goes and load outward with the prod
ucts of this region.
It has retained that original position
of commanding prestige because the
citizens of Portland have resolutely
determined that the great highway to
the ocean should be improved, and at
all times kept in condition safely to
float the type of ships needed in this
trade. The efforts of Portland have
been rewarded with an increase of
nearly ten feet in the depth of the
river channel, and the Government
work has resulted in an increase of
several feet in the depth of the chan-
nel over the bar. These results have
been sufficiently encouraging to war-
rani rnni nnana rr tha tt nrfa that
have been so well rewarded, and Port
land will year by year increase the
depth of the river, meeting the greater
draft of the vessels and enabling the
traffic of the great region east of the
Cascade Mountains to continue on "the
line of least resistance," with no bars
or shoals to interfere with passage of
the largest ships afloat.
The building of the North Bank
Railroad and the feeders by which it is
supposed to drain the Inland Empire
has changed the commercial map of
the Pacific Northwest. Even the Pa
get Sound papers admit that most of
the traffic of that great region east of
the Cascade Mountains will now flow
through the Columbia Gorge, and on
arrival at Portland will be more than
100 miles nearer the ocean than at any
other port on the Pacific Coast. Twenty-six
feet in the river will be a good
draft for the coming season, but next
year we must work for twenty-seven
feet, and, as the channel on the bar
deepens, the river channel must show
proportionate increases in depth. Port
land has begun this work and is sat
isfied with the results from such be
ginning, but will not appreciate to the
fullest extent what it means until both
river and bar show a depth warranted
by the importance of the region to be
served.
SPOKANE GETTING "WORST OF IT."
"Spokane conclusively proved before
that tribunal (the Interstate Commerce
Commission) that it is the victim of
railroad extortion and discrimination,"
says the Spokesman-Review.
It was this policy of "extortion and
discrimination" which enabled Spo
kane's jobbing trade in the past ten
years to show, greater proportionate
gains than that of any other city on
the Pacific Coast. It was "railroad
extortion and discrimination" which
presented to Spokane a protected terri
tory 200 miles in diameter against
which all comers were barred. It was
this "railroad extortion and discrimi
nation" which permitted the Spokane
jobber to ship out of Spokane at a low
rate, but prevented Coast Jobbers from
shipping into Spokane except at a high
rate.
There are a great many communities
in the Pacific Northwest that would
like to participate In the same kind of
"railroad extortion and discrimination"
as that which has made Spokane rich
and powerful.
A FIVE BILUOS-DOLL.R PROJECT.
The sessions of the National Irriga
tion Congress grow in interest and im
portance year by year. The vast sub
ject of irrigation and the conservation
of natural resources is a great deal
better understood than it was five
years ago, but there is still much for
the masses to learn about it. The 17th
session of the National Irrigation Con
gress, which convenes at Spokane,
August 9 and continues till August 14,
will contribute its full share of in
etruction and inspiration. Mr. Arthur
Hooker's plan of promoting a bond
issue by the Federal Government to
carry on irrigation projects and other
Internal improvements on a gigantic
scale, will doubtless be vigorously op
posed, for it cannot be expected that
all the delegates to the congress will
approve of it. For one thing, the
sum of money he contemplates rasing
staggers the imagination. It is $5,
000,000,000. It requires some con
fidence in Mr. Hooker's projects to
enable one to believe that it would be
advisable to increase the National
debt by this amount at a single stroke.
Mr. Hooker argues that the increase
of values throughout the country from
the works he contemplates would more
than counterbalance the expenditures
so that no 'debt would really be cre
ated, but all promoters talk in this way
and not all of them justify their words
by their deeds.
But a rational mind la not repelled
by a project simply because it is big.
More than one big thing has succeeded
In the course of the ages and we need
not assume that the human race has
lost its capacity for repeating the per
formance. The separate items of Mr.
Hooker's scheme could be equaled by
the past achievements of several dif
ferent countries. Holland, for instance,
has recovered from the depths of the
sea areas as large in proportion to her
whole territory as the 100,000 miles of
overflowed and swamp lands which
Mr. Hooker wishes to spend $1,000,
000,000 in draining. Although the
Dutch have made several ventures of
this kind, they have never lost money
on any of them. Each has been a
brilliant triumph of engineering and
has added many thousands of acres of
fertile land to the country. The peo
ple have been provided with new
homes and the promoters have reaped
handsome profits. He would spend
another billion for good roads. Our
National inertia in this direction is an
exception, not by any means the rule,
in the history of the world. As far back
as we can go in the accounts of mon
archs and republics, we find them
building roads, sometimes for the
march of armies, sometimes for the
advance of trade. Among the most
enduring and certainly the most hon
orable of the relics of civilizations now
dead, are the highways they con
structed. Were ours to perish today
it would leave no such reminder of
its glory to the future, for our roads.
all but the railways, would disappear
in fifty years without leaving a sign
to tell where they ran. Indeed, most
or them would disappear eves'
Autumn as soon as the storms begin
It may seem ungracious to begin
nnaing iauit with a project so mag.
. : .; . . , . ..
as wr. nooKers nve billion
dollar bond issue, and yet one Is con
strained to ask why he fixes the in
terest rigorously at 3 per cent during
ins entire century the issue has to run.
nothing is more certain than the con
tinuous fall of the rate of interest as
a country develops. Beyond nerad
venture if money is now worth 3 per
cent., in nity years it will not be worth
more than 2 unless some great war
Intervenes to obstruct the working of
economic processes, would it not be
wiser to provide for refunding the debt
at the end of twenty-five or thirty
years and thus give the public the
benefit of any interest reductions which
may occur? Of course, we are aware
that to speculate upon this subject
may appear visionary to many per
sons. It is extremely unlikely that
Mr. Hooker's proposed bonds will ever
be Issued, and yet stranger things have
happened. The more intelligently the
people investigate the subject of In
ternal improvements the more likely
they are to perceive in some such
project as Mr. tiooKer s, a -very de-
slrable form of National investment
and activity.
Concerning his proposed $5,000,000,
000 of bonds, one remark may be made
with fair confidence. If they were is
sued in moderately small denomina
tions and offered to the public instead
of a clique of financiers, they would
be oversubscribed in a short time. It
is contrary to our popular prejudices
to think well of a permanent National
debt, and yet there is no form of in
vestment which the public loves so
tell as Government bonds. Small
holders of capital , will accept low in
terest from the Government in pref
erence to high rates from private com
panies. - It is a well known fact also
that we lack in the United States a
safe and stable method of investment
for people of humble means who are
not financial experts. In this matter
we are far behind France, Germany
and England. These Nations have
been farsighted enough to encourage
thrift by providing safe investments
for petty savings. Mr. Hooker's bond
issue might produce its most valuable
consequence in this direction, though
in saying so we do not wish to depre
ciate what it might do in the way of
improving our roads, our rivers and
our arid lands. Whether his method
of accomplishing this desirable, end Is
the best or-not, is a fair question for
debate.
John Bull has again come back to
the United States as a purchaser of
"the roast beef of old England," and
has just placed an order with a Chi
cago firm for 1,000,000 pounds, to fol
low a previous order of 3,000,000
pounds, which is to be shipped in July.
So much disturbance was created over
the iniquities of a few Chicago packers
a few years ago that the entire beef
trade of the country was seriously in
jured, the good packers suffering with
the others. The occasion was highly
pleasing for the foreign meat dealers.
and they pushed the good thing along,
but the placing of orders at this time
would indicate that confidence in the
American beef has been restored along
with that of a number of other indus
tries which got within the radius of
the far-flung muckrake a few years
ago.
Little use or no use to blame the
city authorities for the fire at Mount
Tabor, on Monday night. No fire
equipment can prevent the outburst
of flames, when all the conditions are
prepared and maintained for produc
tion of a quick and rapid fire. A lot
of plumbers' waste had been left in a
building, and a bottle of muriatic acid,
used in adjustment of pipe joints. The
acid had eaten up the cork, and
ignition of a quantity of oily rags was
the consequence. Was the fault then
the fault of the city in not having
nre engines on the spot at the moment,
ui ux muse wno created the con
ditions that caused the fire? One of
the infirmities of the human mind Is
the habit of passing over causes and
dwelling on effects or results of care
lessness and folly.
Count Zeppelin, who has been en
deavoring for the past twenty-five
years to make a successful flight
across Germany In a balloon, will per.
naps be somewhat skeptical about the
success of Walter Wellman in balloon
ing across the present location of the
north pole. The Wright brothers are
the only aerial navigators who have
ever been able to control even partial
ly the forces of nature in their flights,
All others except a few foreign avia
tors have been subject to the whims of
the wind. Until the forces of the air
with which Zeppelin and all others
have to contend are subdued, there
will be no such thing as starting for a
long mgnt with even a reasonable de
gree of certainty of reaching the ob-
jective point.
Ground was formally broken vester.
day on the Cape Cod Canal, which Is
to connect Barnstable Bay with Buz
zards Bay, thus eliminating one of the
most dangerous points of navigation
on the Atlantic Coast, and shortening
ine vineyard sound route to New York
by seventy-four miles, and the outside
sea route by 122 miles. This saving,
wnen tne enormous tonnage that
moves between the two points is con
sidered, will shortly pay for the cost
of the twelve-mile waterway now un
der construction. The canal will be
twelve miles long, and thirty feet deen
Wherever a waterway exists, or can be
Duiit, that can float vessels of thirty
foot draft, no railroad in existence can
compete with it.
The Mayor's letter, endeavoring to
excuse his obstructive acts, is charac
teristic pettifoggery, worth no atten
tion. Facts and results tell the storv
Special pleading is nothing. The Mayor
nas simpiy Deen playing his part in at
tltudes before the glass, during his
whole term. The city, fortunately, is
atioui to see an end of the perform
ance. Even those who thirst for nov.
elties in public affairs tire at last of
ireak administrations.
In Illinois the Supreme Court has
pronounced the direct primary un
constitutional on certain technical con
ditions that do not prevail in Oregon
xne airrerences between the funda
mental laws of the two states would
render a primary law suited to one of
tnem wholly inoperative in the other.
o uuge van ianie declares your
neighbor's fruit on your side of the
fence yours. What win he decide
about the midnight noise of your
neighbor's cat, or the back yard odor
or your neighbor's swill barrel?
If the Federal Government is sroin
to lay claim, to part of corporation
earnings, will anything be left for cities
which have given public-service con
cerns valuable concessions without
compensation ?
Mrs. Gould may have been some
thing of a sot, but was always "a
perfect lady." What must a woman
do to lose this elegant distinction?
Mr. Harrlman, after all, is in good
health. What a fine thing for the Des
chutes railroad. What do Coos people
think about it?
Mr. TJRen and other constituents of
Senator Bourne will rejoice that he Is
making so enviable a record in green
vests and golf.
Now we see why Oregon's land-fraud
defendants wished their trials long de
ferred. Our BInger Hermann is hard
to beat.
Mayor Simon can't begin a dav too
I soon on the new garbage crematory
I authorized at the last election.
TAKING COUNSEL OF" THE ENEMY
Comment on the "Unerring Jadcmnt"
of the People Jane 7.
PORTLAND. June 21. (To the Ed
itor.) A certain Democratic paper, ab
normally wise in its day and genera
tion, has a vision that unless the Re
publican party of Oregon takes its ad
vice as to , organization and manage
ment it will surely meet its Waterloo,
Hear it:
It all means that there is blight, dis
traction, bitterness and defeat for the Re-
eublican party, in this state, if In any evil
our the dismal doctrine promulgated from
Sellwood is made part of the party creed.
That is, unless the course mapped out
for the Republican party by the said
Democratic paper shall be followed, it
will fail to show that virility which
at this time sets forth a result includ
ing the election of a Democratic Gov-
rnor twice, one Democratic United
States Senator appointed and another
ust "sitting" for a full six years' term.
Also a Democratic- Mayor of Portland
for four years. These results have
come since the Republican party of
Oregon began following the trail which
the said Democratic paper says is the
only path which will lead it to victory!
Great guns!
Tta wmth i. j ... l
its wrath is aroused by those reso- f
wood Republican Club calling for the
repeal of the initiatory law, which
gives to half a dozen cranks the power
to propose a law and f force it upon
the people to approve or reject. In
upport of this scheme It is claimed
that the recent election in Portland
demonstrated that the people are fully
ualified to enter upon a sea of general
legislation, because "the electorate dis
criminated perfectly between the good
and tha bad and voted with unerring
judgment and complete intelligence.
With the exception of the rejecting of
the new charter, due to lack of infor
mation, not a false move was made, not
conflict resulted, not a single unwise
erdict was rendered."
But how does this Sir Oracle know
all this? Where is its source of' in
spiration? How does it know that no
false move was made? What will the
voters say who voted for these de
feated measures? And why was there
lack of information about the new
harter"?
And how does it come that an elec
torate which does things "with un
erring Judgment" elected such a dan-
gerous man to their every interest as
Mr. Simon the head, front, tail and I
hide of "Simonlsm," that bugbear which
supplied the text for rods of editorials
setting forth in redhot adjectives that
the Republican candidate for Mayor
was the representative of every evil
purpose in municipal government and
the embodiment of graft, inefficiency
and general maladministration? Wasn't
mat a raise move'! If not, where
couia one probably be found which
would merit the term in the estimation
of the said journalistic guardian of the
Republican party's interests?
Doubtless thn siiwnAj -i.,i, i j
. . v. 1 ... uau lu
,7 1 s'vcn i an oiner
lanuiaiiea comDined when it declared
ror curtailing the powers of "the elec-
torate." It is more than likely that
the Sellwood bovs hnH ii
v,oH h - . . 7. w "
voiced by the said sizzling enemy of
Simonlsm" and from the depths of
their natural disgust demanded th
withdrawal of such powers from plain-
ly incompetent voters as can be consti-
tutionallv done.
indeed, with the result before them, a
tally sheet which shows more votes for
"Simonlsm" than for Munleyism. and
Albeeism combined, what else could the
Sellwood Republicans do? Under the
th J,h t, Ut marvel at
rtJ.? . " andaPPaud th evi-
A partial and more or less consolinsr
. w uiiciwiis juuKiimin.
explanation can be found, however, in
the conclusion that that lack of infor-
, mii icjctieo tne new cnarter
was the foundation of that companion
uusuuKicu ciiuri wnicn inaugurated
another era of "Simonlsm." Back of it
all, though, looms large the unsolved
puzzle that there- should have been any in -the city, and it works. They call it
lack of information among the elec- the assembly method, or the "suggested
torate on these important questions, ticket," and throughout Oregon the poll
Lack of knowledge is ignorance, and ticians of the old school have taken no-
snouia an ignorant people have full
sway in the disposition of vital aues-
tions like these? Nay, nay. Again it
is pertinent to remark that the Sell-
wood Republicans probably took the
aforesaid Democratic paper at its word
and acted accordingly when they rose
in tneir places and demanded protec-
tion from the dangers which nhvinnsiv
grow out of permitting people without
information to decide momentous pub-
lie questions.
And It may be remarked that Demo-
cratic concern lest the Republicans of
Oregon should abandon their tactics
which have governed them during the
past tew years, resulting, as they have.
in Democratic Governors, United States
Senators, Supreme Court Justices. Dis
trict Attorneys and Mayors, is easy of
interpretation. It carries its own key
witn it, and the Republican who de
mands that the course which has pro
duced these results shall be followed
further, cannot plead "lack of informa
tion" when he stands astounded at the
consequences.
PIONEER REPUBLICAN.
Steel Workers Mast Cut Out Liquor.
Pittsburg, Pa., Dispatch to N. Y. World.
The United States Steel Corporation
has taken a determined stand against
its worKmen annking liquor. Within
the past week there have been posted
in all the big mills of the Pittsburg
ana unio aistricts notices that work
men once entering the mills to work
will not be allowed to leave until they
are through their day's work. There
is no reference to "booze," but the man
agers and superintendents speak their
minos plainly. xne corporation an-
pears to want to run the mills hereafter
on a strictly temperance basis. Num
erous instances of spoiled work in the
past tew years nave been traced to
workmen who have been in the habit
of going outside for their drinks at
any time they feel like it. Until now
neither corporation nor mill bosses
have objected.
Income Tax Amendment.
Brooklyn Eagle.
It ls probable that two-thirds of this
Congress will submit an income tax
proposition to the legislatures of the
states. It ls also probable that a ma
jority of the legislatures of the states
will favor the proposition, but not a
two-thirds majority of the states. A
minority of one more than one-third
of the states could defeat the change
or the Constitution. The highly cap
italistic rich states and the poor states
with venal legislatures would be likely
to beat the amendment. The rich
states could protect their capitalistic
classes, who in turn would sympa
thetically buy the legislatures of poor
ana venal states.
IVew Jersey Thieves Steal Bandstand.
Newark. N. J. Dispatch.
Thieves stole a bandstand in Mary
Benson Park. Jersey City. The struc
ture was 15 feet square, with an or
nate balustrade, steps and ornamental
metal root.
F-XVEt YEARS' WORK AT PANAMA
Three Year More Ought to Finish the
Bis; Excavation
Literary Digest
Complete statistics of the first five
years May, 1904. fo April, 1909 of Uncle
Sam's work on the Panama Canal are
now available. In these five years there
have been three different canal commis
sions, three chief engineers, and endless
conflict of expert opinion over the rela
tive merits of the sea-level and the lock
type of canal. The New York Tribune,
summing up in an editorial column the
most salient facts embedded in the com
mission's statlsUcs, reminds us that the
two French companies whose work pre
ceded that of the United States Govern
ment excavated 81,548.000 cubic yards in
18 years of actual digging prior to 1904.
Under AmPrlPAn nn t ruT OT.oi'oHm,
in Ave years has amounted, to 73.124.849 J
j..:v.... .i. i, 1
. '.. ' -3, uidu IUULCU rt-I t H II S Vile Ull-
ferent years as follows: '
Cubic yards.
May. 1!04. to April. lfor. 64S.911
May. 190R. to April. 9ort 2.155.123
May. 1906. to April. Irt07.... fl.715.554
May, 11107, to April. 1908 2.Y062.0U
May. 1908, to April. 1909 38.542.650
The small showing for the first year is
due to the fact that real construction
work was not begun by the American
engineers untu more inan a year alter
ih. TTr,n-H a,.t. v .i
of the unfinished canal on May 4, 1904.
That period was devoted largely to sani
tary work and exploring. Now, however,
the working force and the machinery
have been brought up to what may be
regarded as the fullest practicable effi
ciency. Therefore, it is not to be ex
pected, eays the Tribune, that the ratio
of increase in excavation from year to
year will be continued. What we may
look for Is a continued rate of a little
more than 3,000,000 cubic yards a month.
This would dispose in less than three
years of the estimated 101,641,745 cubic
yards yet to be excavated. The time re
quired for the actual completion of the
canal, however, depends upon the time
needed for the building of the dams and
locks, "and as those structures are with
out precedent in the history of engineer
ing, there are no data for determining
their requirements."
Turning to the question of cost, we
read :
"Detailed statistics of expenditures are
available down to February 1 last, or
three months less than the five years.
The total to that date was $93,915,657.76.
Of this sum. only $60,122,448.05 went for
actual engineering and construction work.
Buildings cost $8,787,502, sanitation $8,054,
962, municipal improvements in the Canal
Zone $4,007,497. civil administration $2,61S,
732, and so on to an aggregate of more
than one-third of the whole. Many of
these non-construction expenditures were
made once for all and will not recur, so
that hereafter a larger proportion of the
appropriation will go for actual construe
DIRECT PRIMARY I. AW.
In Illinois and Then In Oregon and
Washington,
Seattle Tlm
For the third time the Supreme Court
1 of Illinois has declared the direct prl-
mary law to be unconstitutional
11 ' stated that objections were made
to tne cumbrous election machinery and
to restrictions placed on voters before
tney were eligible to the orlmarv.
I , ,, . .. . -
oDiigea to declare fealty to one of the
political parties before thev could vote.
me gravest objection to a direct Dri-
mary- especially that feature relating to
United States Senators, is that it de-
pnves legislators of the right of choice.
guaranteed by the Constitution o the
United States,
When the Supreme Court of the Stnta
Washington considered the direct pri-
-$,,ia 1 ,' a5""eJi ? VV" an. Pin'n
-?,2h,'s polnt' the lssu no having been
However enthusiastic the Vunnortera
of the law may be. the direct urlmarv
cannot be called a success in any sense
oi ine wora. in tnis state it has visited
upon the people the calamity of an "Ac
cidental Governor," who under the old
system cauld not have been elected to
any permanent position. In other state!!
i tne results ,i r o n full,. ..t, ; i ,
Oregon, whero a pnKH, T ii '
turn elenteH n.mr.r.M ,i it1(j
Senator, appears to be recovering its bal-
ance. Simon s success as candidate for
Mayor of Portland can have but one
meaning tne revival of machine poli.
I tics.
The leaders of the party have tried it
I tice.
Illinois will probably be obliged tn en
I dure an extra session of the Legislature
in order to cure the defects in the law
Jusf knocked out. Some of these days
the People may learn that after all there
ls no better system than the good old
constitutional way laid out by the found
I er3 of the Government-
14 nas ,ts faults, to be sure; but they
are in no sen!e so glaring and vital as
is a statute that puts a premium ore
IrK!ness ana incompetency
In the State of Washington the riiT-et
primary -law has given us Hayand that
one acciaent is enough to condemn it,
Pet Crow Found to Be the Thief.
Lexington, Ky, Dispatch to the New
York Tribune.
A pet crow in the familv of AloT
ander v. Anderson, at Rockport, Ky.,
has been found to have been the thief !
which for several years has been pur
loining diamonds and articles of jewel
ery which the family had missed from
time to time, and for the theft of which
several servants had been accused and
discharged.
The crow was seen to fly from the
house with a diamond brooch in its
mouth, and a search of his nest in a
nearby tree revealed a gold watch, two
rings, two $10 bills, one $20 goid piece
. ... . 0 emu utanj oiner ar
ticles of more or less value.
The loss of the articles had lnno-
baffled the members of the family and
a policeman of Rockport, who had been
at work on the various robberies In an
enort to locate tne missing articles
and arrest the thief.
a
Weedcuttlng by Motorboat.
London Globe.
In Egypt an enormous amount
trouble and expense has been caused
by the weeds and other vegetable
growths which spread so raDidlv a to
choke canals and other waterways in
in a lew days. Clearing by hand has
been found impossible in one district,
so a motorboat has been equipped with
a unique weedcutter and placed in ser
vice. The cutting attachment consists
of a pair of V shaped knives with sharp
and powerful blades, worked by belt
irom tne propeller shaft. They trail
along the bottom of the waterway, cut
ting ine growtn ofr at the roots. It
is said that the litle boat will clear
as much as five acres an hour.
Chameleon Rose That Changa Color.
Le Petit Jardin.
White in the shade, red in the sun.
such is the twofold character that has
given a name to the chameleon rose.
At night, or when it is carried into a
dark room, it assumes a waxlike white
ness. This does not occur abruotlv.
but the petals first pass through a
blush tint, which rapidly changes Into
a very pale rose, and finally ends by
oecoming the purest white. Then, if
it is taken into bright sunlight, with
the greatest rapidity it resumes the
scarlet tint of the most brilliant peony.
This horticultural phonomenon comes
from Japan, that country of magic
gardens and wizard horticulturists.
A GRIEVOUS MISTAKE.
Mothers Make It Who Push Daughter.
Into Association "With Chinese.
PORTLAND, June 22. (To the Editor.)
There has been much said and written
about mother love and its supposed protection.-
It often takes an unique turn,
hard to understand by a layman. For
instance, would -some good-hearted
mother-lover be kind enough to explain
the workings' of the particular brand that
makes possible an occurrence so horrible
as that which has just happened in New
York? A mother introduces her young
daughter to Chinamen, and the world
knows the result. This mother is not an
exception. There are thousands like her
today, and they are more numerous upon
our Western coast than Eastern.
It matters not what the pretext be that
lets down social and racial bars, the re
sult is the same. I have heard the ex
cuse given by fond mothers that their
a"?h',M U.ld Tk V- assoriaie wUh
some particular John Chinaman because
ne was Americanized, civilized. Christian
ized, educated, and wealthy. Was not
Leon Ling all of these?
Surely, it must be nothing but ignor
ance of life and Oriental iniquities that
mane possible such errors. If these
mothers could only know Oriental life
they would understand that nothing on
earth can make a Chinaman anything
but a Chinaman. The gods of their
fathers are never forgotten. It ls a great
deal the same with all races. There was
a missionary in Central Alaska who di
vided his time between making the Si-
wasnes pray and making them nav. Thev
were his flock and he fleeced them. He
bought their valuable furs at half price
ana paia tnem witn stale goods at five
prices. Once, after a service, one of tha
Indians, believing himself alone, said:
'Why do they force new gods unon us-'
the god of our fathers was the raven.
our fathers' god was better for the In
dian and cost us less." Was this "nrt.
ing" Indian "converted."
No more does the Chinaman fnrsnkn
the rods of his fathers. He may pre
tend to do so, but he knows why he does
it. The thing we do not understand is
why instances such as the "Sieel mys
tery" do not awaken otherwise good
mothers to a sense of greater resDon-
sibility.
It may he a good mother who encour
ages her daughter to recognize a China
man or negro because he is wealthy, but
she can hardly be a wise mother.
Neither does the theory of "treating
everybody right obtain," for what is right
between equals is wrong otherwise. For
instance, we must have our daughters,
treat the Chinaman in friendly way so
as not to wound his feelings, but would
any mother place her babe in a crib be
side a rattlesnake because she did not
wish to inconvenience the snake bv
ousting him from his unnatural position?
The right way for white girls to treat
Chinamen is to let them alone. Many
other mothers send their daughters lntq
au manner or places under the guise of
charity. It is a sad mistake. It is wrong
to imagine you can do this with safety;
The young girl's place is among the best.
not the worst element In humanity.
There are a number of girls' charitable
societies that should have attention.
There is a world of truth in "Vice is a
monster, et cetera." A SIOTHliR.
The following statement comes from an-i
other woman and mother well known in
Portland :
(To the Editor.) In your editorial of
June 21 on the subject of "Misguided Ef
fort" there is so much wisdom and com
mon sense that I am moved to offer in
confirmation the following statement
Some years ago, when I was engaged
in the free kindergarten work in the city,
I met the American wife of a prominent
Chinese merchant. They had met in the
Baptist Chinese Mission in San Fran
cisco and married there. The Chinaman
was more than usually wTell educated in
his own country, as was also his wife in
her native land, as weli as refined and
cultured beyond the average. All of
which only aggravated the awful misery
which this' unlawful mesalliance brought
upon her, including the consciousness that
she had betrayed the confidence and re
spect of her friends, who, in return, re-r
pudiated and disowned her, together with
her children, of whom she had five, and
to whom she could give no claim as citi
zens to any country.
There were times when the weight of
the full realization of all this fell upon
her with such force that she would take
to her bed. When the burden seemed
more than she could bear, on one occa
sion she sent for me and seemed to find
some relief in pouring out the bitterness
of her heart, in the meantime disclosing
what she had found concealed under what
you call the "veneer of hypocrisy and
cant grafted on the calculating shrewd
ness of the Oriental mind." She also, re
peated the statement which her husband
had made to her. in almost the identical
language which you use, concerning "the
distances between the spiritual instincts
and moral life of the West and of the
East," which, he claimed, could never be
"bridged by missionary efforts." for the
same reason that you give, in substance,
that "their religious systems are such as
have been evolved naturally, from their
own natures and situations," involving
at the same time such awful penalties for
any violation of their religious obligations
so thoroughly inbred that no power on
earth could shake them In the real sense,
notwithstanding the fervency, sincerity
or capability of their teachers or their
own professions.
Celebrated Elm Tree Has a Cancer.
Boston Herald.
The famous Bertram elm in Salem,
Mass., has a cancer. It was noticed for
some time that no cavities showed on the
Bertram elm, which is near the library.
This was' proof to the experienced eye,
that there was decay inside the tree.
An Investigation showed that the elm
had a cancer on the Inside, which, if al
lowed to grow, would kill the tree in a
few years. Incisions were made and por
tions of the inside were found to be punk.
Tiny roots had begun spreading inside
this growth. Efforts are now being made
to remove the cancer.
This elm is famed for its size and beau
ty. The trunk measures 27 feet in cir
cumference, and its age has been reck
oned as 100 years. The estate was for
merly the home of Captain John Bertram
one of Salem's famous merchants of
olden days.
The Eighth Wonder.
Oh! You Katherine Clemmons Gould!
Will you, or the benefit o the great
And thirsty population,
Tell
The great brotherhood of the arid thorax
Just how you accomplish
It will you take the time to writ
A little old treatise on your
Method of absorption.
Explaining just how to connect
With a quart of
Clicquot chased by an absinthe frappe
Superinduced by a baker's dozen
Of brandies and sodas,
Mixe4 with a. Boston bamboo and m
couple of
'Mamie Taylors" and then to get an
Appetite for lunch surround
Five sloe gin rlckeya
With enough Martinis to get
That comfy feeling, and then cap that
with a
Royal fixz
To hold your strength until the garcon
Brings something in?
And we reiterate.
You, Katherine Clemmons. we love our
Lemonade, but oh. you pousse cafe!
And agam we aslc In the middle of a red
Hot day with throats
Like unro the Amargosa desert and super
heated coppers
lzzllng for the want of lubrication, with
A -
Far-away look to the sign of Ump
Two blocks away, what will you take
To tell us. little one. the process
Through which the thirsting soul must
Go to grapple with a
Three-way cocktail, two picon punches.
A goblet of May wine, a dash of green
Chartreuse, a cool little
Pitcher of sparkling burgundy and moselle
Mixed
With a night cap of three Scotch high balls
And a stein
Of "Shandy,"
And
Still have the mora look rosy?
T. O., in Goodwin's Weekly.