Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, June 24, 1909, Page 8, Image 8

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    PORTLAND, OREGON".
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PORTLAND, THURSDAY, JV"E 24, 1909.
IDAHO REPTBUrANS.
. It Is proposed by Republicans of
Idaho to hold assembly meetings for
suggestion of candidates for state and
county offices, to be submitted to the
direct primary for nomination. But
It Is objected that such action would
"nullify the law." Of course It would
not; since all the assembly candidates
would be submitted to the direct pri
mary for nomination, and any others
would also be submitted, whose sup
porters might wish to offer their
names to be voted on at the primary.
This method docs not set aside the
primary law. It accepts and uses the
primary law. It provides, however,
a method for Its rational and effect
ive application.
It is further objected In Idaho that
presentation of assembly candidates
would make "independent selection"
Impossible, since "the prestige and
power of the machine would be pitted
against unorganized, forces." But
what Is wanted is deliberation and or
ganization, if there Is to be any chance
of winning elections: and every strong
organization will be called "a ma
chine," by an opposition. Observe,
however, that no party ever will win
with "unorganized forces." Party re
Quires organization. The consequence,
moreover, of the movement of "un
organized forces," in a primary, is a
multitude of voluntary and self-seeking
candidates; and "the scrap" re
sults in nominations by small plural
ities, or mere fractions of the party's
vote. The candidates usually will be
men little known to the body of the
electors men who do not inspire con
fidence, and who, therefore, can't be
elected. This is the history of direct
primary nominations, when not guided
by preceding representative selection.
On the other hand, the assembly
method gives opportunity to consider
the merits of the candidates and to
compare and debate in a representa
tive body the fitness and eligibility of
those offered for official positions as
representatives of their party. The
method, however, doesn't preclude in
dependent candidates, or "independ
ent selection." It still leaves the field
free for all. They who may not ap
prove the assembly plan or its can
didates may name candidates for
. themselves, and nominate them in the
primary, if they will, or can. Perhaps
it will be said that such effort will
have no chance to win against "ma
chine organization." But what is there
in this phrase that should alarm, or
give offense? Any organization will
be called "a machine," by those who
iwant a machine of their own, but
can't make one strong enough to win.
Tet Just what is necessary, and must
be had by any party that desires or
'expects success. Is the thing called
machine organization. Every party
strives to make as strong an organiza
tion as it can; and when the defeated
organization hears the result. It often
seeks consolation In railing against the
machine of the other.
The loose and Irregular manner of
the direct primary, not guided by any
effort of representative selection, will
never bring forth candidates strong
onough to obtain their party vote
especially of the majority party. If
the Republicans of Idaho wish to win
they will hold assemblies or conven
tions no matter what they call them
weigh the qualities of the various
candidates and recommend for nomi
nation and election such of these can
didates as careful and deliberate Judg
ment may think it fit to select or unite
upon. In the first place it is the only
way to get fittest candidates; in the
next place, the only way to get can
didates who can hold their party to
gether and be elected. "
The Republican party of Oregon,
having Rained now a sufficient
amount of ' disastrous experience with
the helter-skelter plan, will employ
the assembly method; and The Ore
gonian would advise the Republicans
of Idaho to do the same. If they ex
pect or desire to win.
The primary lawtn itself is remedial
and reformatory. But the only way to
get the best out of it Is through ra
tional guidance of the members of
parties by the advisory assembly. The
loose-end method is merely a scramble
of individuals for office, "without re
gard for their qualifications or for
any political or party principles what
ever. Yet regard must be had for the
principles of representative govern
ment, and. therefore, for selection of
representative and administrative of
ficers: which can be' done only through
the representative system. Hence, the
direct primary must be guided by ad
visory assemblies, chosen by the
authority that represents each party
and speaks for it. Else there is dis
solution of parties and abandonment
of purpose which can be promoted
and sustained only through party or
ganization. The Oregonlan notes with regret
that the. report, of the retirement of
Secretary Wilson from the Cabinet
Is without confirmation. Not only has
the distinguished disseminator of mis
leading and worthless crop reports
failed to hand in his resignation, but
he is Indignant that such a report
should have ever been circulated. He
recous with horror from the possi
bility of being obliged to seek a place
"out In Iowa, where" I will be known as
former Secretary." The tenacity with
which an Incompetent person hangs
on to a position where he has failed
to "make good" is in nearly every case
due to the knowledge of his inability
to secure another one. It la, of course,
a matter of regret that Secretary Wil
Bon Is too old to chase potato bugs
or trap the wild and wooly aphis.
Still, he has been in office long enough
to lay up a competence, and, if he is
in need, the Wall street sharks who
have "made millions through his unre
liable cotton and wheat reports should
be willing to chip in.
BRITISH I.NCOME TAX.
From a compilation at the Depart
ment of State (Washington), we have
very full Information about the British
Income tax. For the fiscal year which
ended March 31, 1909, the total reve
nues of the United Kingdom were
151,578,295 pounds sterling, of which
the income tax supplied 33,930,000,
or J165.103.000. It was the greatest
single source of revenue the excise
furnishing 33.650,000, the customs
29,200,000 and the inheritance tax
18,370,000. The postofflce yielded
17,770,000, but Its expenses ran to
nearly as great a sum.
All Incomes under 160 ($800) are
exempt. Distinction is made between
earned and unearned incomes that is,
between Incomes derived from personal
exertions and those derived from fixed
investments. Abatements are allowed
that favor the former class. About
1.300.000 persons In the United King
dom pay the tax, of whom 900,000 pay
on less than $3000. The catalogue
shows that there are 949 persons
whdse income exceeds $250,000 each,
and 4188 whose income exceeds $50,
000, and not $250,000. On smaller In
comes the tax Is about one shilling
In the pound, and on Incomes exceed
ing $25,000 there Is a supertax of 6
pence in the pound.
'
LITTLE SERMON ON TOBACCO.
For a neat little sermon, which
makes a number of good points with
out any fuss or feathers, the reader is
commended to the letter signed "Anti
tobacco," In today's paper. In a dis
course where common sense so
abounds it is finicky to find fault with
anything in particular, but it may
perhaps be suggested that the writer
errs in placing alcoholic drinks and
morphine in the same category, with
tobacco. The "filthy weed" is bad
enough, but there are some things
which are worse, and rum is one of
them, while opium. In all Its forms, is
another. It would be a serious
blunder to class these most pernicious
drugs with tobacco, which is known
to be comparatively harmless in many
cases, while the former are unques
tionably injurious to everybody who
acquires the habit of using them. In
our zeal for reform, let us not forget
distinctions which are essential to
truthfulness. This Is said, not to up
hold the use of tobacco, but to empha
size the harmfulness of opium and
whisky.
The talk we hear now and then
about the value of tobacco as an anti
septic is mostly nonsense. It Is, per
haps, Just about as deadly to certain
low forms of life as mothballs are, but
the fact that moth balls partially pro
tect our furs is no valid reason for
eating or smoking them.' Tobacco will
kill the green aphids on the apple tree,
if Its Juice is duly applied to them,
but so will kerosene. If the fact that
It will kill aphids Is an argument for
chewing tobacco. It is Just as good an
argument for drinking kerosene. We
do not want to eat, drink or smoke
everything that will kill bugs..
, MANY TEXTS IN ONE COLUMN.
To try to ascertain what man in the
United States la doing the most good
Just at the present point of time, were
a futile and thankless task. Doubtless
there are many who are all bene
fiting us' equally, each In his own pe
culiar way. Thus Mr. Aldrich deftly
turns our hopes to a better world by
proving that the tariff can never be
reformed in this one, while Mr. Taft
teaches us the beauty of resignation
under disappointment. Following his
high example, we may all learn the
useful lesson of diligently making new
plans as often as we find we cannot
carry out our old ones. Among our
genuine benefactors we must also In
clude Dr. Edward T. Devlne, secretary
of the New York Charity Organization
Society and editor of The Survey. He
does not soar in the exalted realms
where on"e habitually expects to find
Mr. Aldrich and Mr. Taft. His sphere
of activity is humble, but It is not less
useful for that. He Is engaged in
the modest and sometimes dangerous
occupation of telling the American
people unpleasant truths. He would
grow rich faster If he turned his
energies to the invention and dissemi
nation of pleasant falsehoods, but ap
parently great wealth does not attract
him so powerfully as the warfare
which he Is waging against rooted
evil.
To enlist the wan and wavering In
terest of the country In this warfare,
Dr. Devine sends out what he calls a
"Weekly Story," which he hopes some
of the more enlightened newspapers
will copy or comment upon. The Ore
gonlan is flattered to find Itself in
cluded among the elect publications
upon which Dr. Devine fixes his hopes,
but his current story is somewhat too
long to copy entire, while it is too full
of exciting topics to be adequately
commented upon. Who could treat of
hospitals, schools, prisons, charity, the
police and the errors of our captains
of industry all in one short column?
And yet, it contains a point or two
which it would be a shame to pass
over In silence. Take, for example,
the remark which he cites from Flor
ence Nightingale, that "hospitals,
whatever else they do, should, not
make people sick." Who in all the
world ever said they ought, to make
people sick? Nobody, probably, but
this is a case where actions are more
emphatic than words. The disagree
able truth is that before Florence
Nightingale began her epoch-making
labors, and long afterwards, for that
matter, hospitals were hotbeds of dis
ease and very likely they killed as
many people as they cured. There was
a well-marked disease called hospital
fever which slew its thousands, while
erysipelas slew Its tens of thousands.
Walt Whitman, while nursing the
wounded soldiers in the hospital at
Washington, during the Civil War,
contracted from the loathsome filth
wnicn prevailed, a disorder which last
ed all his life.. The amazing fact to
which Miss Nightingale's aphorism
calls attention is that while hospitals
were originally invented as a means
of mercy, they became perverted to a
source of misery, and, because she re
called them to" the beneficent purpose
they were Intended for, she ranks
among the world's heroines.
Dr. Devine, pursuing his mission of
telling unpleasant truths. discovers
that hospitals are not the only institu
tions with an original good purpose
which hava suffered an evil trans
formation so that they work mischief
Instead of benefits. "Is it any worse for
hospitals to make men sick than it is
for prisons to make them criminals?"
he Inquires. As a matter of fact. If
most men were given the choice "be
tween being thieves and having ty
phoid fever, they would choose the
fever; and yet we should all shudder
with horror at the thought of inoculat
ing a well person with disease germs
while it does not disturb us at all to
send a morally sound Individual to
prison, where he Is inevitably made a
thief or worse. The provision in the
constitution of Oregon that punish
ment ought to be reformatory, and not
vindictive, has not remained a mere
smug precept. Some decided efforts
have been made to apply It in practice,
but much remains to do. Our -Jails
and penitentiaries are not ideal. Dr.
Devine raises the question whether the
modern prison can justlfiy its ex
istence. It is not, upon the whole, a
place where persons are made better
citizens. The chances are that in any
given instance it will make a
worse one. It educates men in the
ways of crime, and If It does not do
that,. it fills their hearts with that bit
terness which is the preliminary to
lifelong warfare upon society.
If a person is not fit' to live In the
world, the right of society to eliminate
him, once and for all, can hardly be
questioned. On the other hand. If he
cannot Justly be put to death, what
excuse is there for subjecting him to
Indignities and tortures for a series
of years? If the process enlightened
and educated him, strengthened his
will and ameliorated his passions, .It
would be well enough, but it does none
of these things. It has the opposite
effect, so that the ordinary prisoner
comes out of confinement a worse man
mentally, physlpally and morally than
he was the day he was sentenced. Is
there not a fearful waste here? How
can a society which claims to be prac
tical account for such a way of deal
ing with derelicts? Dr. Devine pushes
his text further - still. If hospitals
ought not to make men sick, then
surely industry ought not to destroy
their earning power. The person who
produces wealth. Is entitled to the grat
itude of the world. He Is a humble
benefactor, perhaps, but a real one.
And how does the world treat him?
It works him into early decrepitude
and then casts him out upon the scrap
heap to make way for some younger
man who will. In his turn, suffer the
same fate. Dr. Devine says this ts
wrong, and since he is one of the little
band who have control of Mrs. Russel
Sage's ten millions for shedding light
upon social questions, he can, perhaps,
In the course of time, make some of
the rest of us agree with him.
ANOTHER WATER-LEVEL ROAD.
The Lemhi & Salmon Valley Rail
road, for which articles of incorpora
tion were filed at Pocatello, Idaho
during the week. Is another "line of
least resistance" which follows the
great system of water courses that
merge with tidewater at Portland.
With this proposed- road in operation
it will be possible to run trains for
nearly 900 miles out of Portland with
out getting away from the banks of
the Columbia River and its tributaries.
The Oregon Short Line, which stands
sponsor for the newly Incorporated
road, already operates a branch line
from Blackfoot, Idaho, well up Into
the Lost River Mountains, but cannot
extend that line Into the Salmon
River country, on account of the
grades. The line as proposed is to
leave the Mackay branch at Cerro
Grande, about SO miles north of
Blackfoot, and swinging to the south
of the Lost River Mountains 13 to fol
low the Lost River, Birch Creek and
the Lemhi River to Salmon City
From this point It will continue along
the Salmon River and the Snake
River to Lewiston.
The line will open up an Immense
territory rich in mineral and timber
resources and with great possibilities
for agriculture in many of the nu
merous valleys that lead down to the
principal streams followed by the
road. It Is a wild, remote region,
practically Inaccessible except by fol
lowing the water courses. The extent
to which' the forces of nature have
cleared the way for railroad construc
tion are in striking evidence all along
the route. Between Salmon City and
the Junction of the Salmon River and
the Little Salmon River the river flows
through, two box canyons, one 5000
feet deep and the other 4000 feet
deep. Here we have in prospect a
scenic route which will make all other.
"grand"canyons on the American rail
roads seem tame and commonplace by
comparison. But scenic railroads are
never so attractive for capital as those
which hold out as an Inducement a
saving in the cost per-ton-per-mile,
and the new road Is projected through
this mile-deep canyon, because it of
fers an. economic advantage that is
more pleasing to capitalists than scen
ery will ever be.
By this water-level route It will be
possible for the Harriman interests to
haul all eastbound traffic originating
in the Clearwater country at a heavy
saving in grades and mileage expenses.
A great saving will also be effected
in hauling eastbound freight from
Portland territory by the proposed
route. The distance of the new line,
as given in the incorporation papers,
is about 508 miles from Blackfoot,
Idaho, to Lewiston, which would
make the distance from Blackfoot to
Portland 864 miles, compared with 755
miles by the present route over the
Blue Mountains and through Hunt
ington and Pocatello. The Salmon
River route, as now proposed, would
have a distinct advantage over the
Huntington-Lewiston project, both In
the matter of distance and In escaping
the heavy grades between Huntington
and Pocatello, notably at Glenns
Ferry. Viewed as a local road, the
value of the new line to the Idaho
people can hardly 'be over-estimated,
as it would establish transportation
facilities between the northern and
southern portions of the state.
It would "also give the Harriman
system a tremendous advantage over
the Hill lines in the handling of the
Coeur d'Alene ores, which already
comprise a 'very important portion of
the railroad tonnage out of northern
Idaho. The Northern Pacific, which
now divides this traffic with the O.
R. & N., is obliged to buck this ore
over a 4 per cent grade to Missoula,
a 2 per cent grade between Missoula
and Butte, and a 2 per cent grade
between Butte and Pocatello. There
are so many reasons why this pro
posed road would be a valuable link
in the Harriman water-level system
that It is highly probable that it will
be pushed to completion in the near
future.
Uncle Sam Is experiencing difficulty
in finding a watchman for the Chem
awa Indian School at Salem. The sal-
ary is $500 per year, and the appli
cant must be proficient In spelling
and arithmetic, must be an. accom
plished letter-writer and write a good
hand. Other requirements are that
he be a good copyist, he must have
had experience as a watchman and
must be physically sound and of good
muscular strength. There may be a
man answering this description who Is
looking for the Job, but out here in
the growing West, where there is
plenty of work for all men who can
fill even a portion of the requirements
which the Government insists on for
the Chemawa watchman, the $42 per
month will not prove alluring.
Literally, the steamer Bailey Gatzert
has been "going some." Owners of
other river boats probably have di
vergent views 'as to their relative
speed. Differences of opinion makes
horse races; also contests on water.
The owner of a crack craft who Is un
willing to bet that she can beat all
comers lacks red blood, according to
the ideals of the "sporty" contingent
In a community. Therefore there is
danger of bantering which may result
in a steamboat race. To this there is
no objection, provided life Is not put in
Jeopardy. If a race Is Imminent, let
it be run with only the skippers and
tne crew; never with a passenger.
The first carload of wheat that came
Into Chicago was received November
30, 1848, over a bit of road that now is
part of "the Milwaukee" system. This
is mentioned in Chicago newspapers,
In connection with the announcement
that the Milkaukee is now prepared
to do business through to the Pacific
Ocean. This is from tb-e Chicago
Evening Post:
They say that In Milwaukee the people
call the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
Railway "the Milwaukee." and that in St.
Paul they call It "the St. Paul." In Chi
cago we give it its full name, tut we have
in It a local pride every bit as keen as that
of our northern neighbors.
The rumor that Dr. Woodrow Wil
son is to be the Democratic candidate
for Governor of New Jersey follows
hard upon his stern announcement
that if he couldn't teach something
worth while he didn't care to teach at
all. If he goes into politics, Prince
ton will lose a good president- and
New Jersey may get a good Governor.
But think of a man of Dr. Woodrow
Wilson's education and native sense
calling himself a Democrat. Habit is
still stronger than reason in the best
of people.
It's a bad case In San Francisco,
with ten men of the Jury standing out
for acquittal, in - circumstances that
bring forth the charge that the other
two were ""improperly influenced"
the Judge on the side declaring in sub
stance that Calhoun is guilty, and the
attorneys for Calhoun accusing the
prosecution of having taken bribes to
push the case against their client. How
much longer it win last no one knows;
but there must be an end of it some
time, as there is an end of all things.
A masked man held up the Pull
man car porter on a train at Seattle
Tuesday morning and relieved him of
$200. The train had Just arrived and
the comparatively small amount In
the possession of the porter was due
to the tact that he had only made the
trip from Spokane. . The porter may
not feel the loss of the money, but
must be keenly hurt by the lack of
professional courtesy shown. '
What if the hoodlums do make a
few streetcars' untenable now and then
late at night? Boys will be boys. On
July 4 they make the whole country
untenable, but it would be cruel to
spoil their fun merely to save a few
lives and prevent accidents. Let the
hoodlums have a good time, what
ever It costs other people.
A green hand broke the car rail
connections of Morrison bridge last
Tuesday by failing to lift theni out of
the way before swinging the draw.
The green hand, we suppose, is seek
ing another Job. However, his name
is the same as that of one of the
County Commissioners.
Contract for erection of the Madison
street bridge has at last been per
fected. The bridge by this time would
be well nigh finished, and it is much,
needed had it not been grievously ob
structed for buncombe purposes by
Mayor Lane.
The Sigel girl, it appears, was in
love with several Chinese at the same
time, and one of them in a fit of Jeal
ousy slew her. The Chinese are not
peculiar, It would seem, in their ideas
that one man ought to be enough for
a woman.
Dr. Holzknecht, of Vienna, may
popularize himself if he turns his
X-ray apparatus on Mr. Harrlman's
brain and finds out the magnate's
Intention toward Coos Bay.
People are dying with heat in the
big cities of the East, although July
Is still a week in the future. Blan
kets are still comfortable in the glo
rious climate of Oregon.
"One more lawyer gets into the Gould
case with an advance fee of $10,000.
Katherine Clemmons has no monopoly
of the Idea that young Howard is a
good thing.
Farmer Secretary Wilson denies that
he will quit. He means that he will
not leave office while his crop figures
are so far awry.
It looks as If Mayor Lane missed
making political capital out of his de
lays in the Madison bridge and light
contracts.
Only ten Democrats in the Senate
voted for a lower tariff on lumber.
Our own George apparently stood pat.
Of course.
There are days when doubt over
comes the hope that either of Mc
Credle's teams will -bring .home a
pennant.
Harriman says he will outlive most
of his enemies. This will not be wel
come news to certain inhabitants of
Oregon.
' The Fourth of July will afford as
much opportunity for enthusiasm as
did the rose carnival.
Walter Wellman has set out for the
Pole. Don't be startled. He's not la
the airship.
What's in a name? Our poor farm
has just sold for $765 per acre.
GERMAN-BRITISH CONFLICT.
Kaiser's Subjects Exsect to Vie With
EBglssd for Seat Supremacy.
W. T. Stead. Editor British Review of
Reviews in the New York Independent.
During the Napoleonic wars. Pitt is
said to have declared that whenever
any European power built four ships
of the line,. England ought at once to
destroy them, lest they might at some
future time be used against her. The
classic illustration of this kind of pre
ventive action was the destruction In
time of peace, without declaration of
war by England, of the Danish fleet
at Copenhagen. The British govern
ment believed that the Danes, willingly
or unwillingly, would be certain to
place their fleet at the disposal of the
French. Therefore, without ceremony,
they swooped down like pirates upon
Copenhagen and carried off all the
Danish ships that were not sent to the
bottom or burnt in the battle. It was
the ethics of the hard-pressed swimmer
in deep water, an ethic constantly act
ed upon by Prussian statesmen, from
Frederick the Great to Bismarck. And
it 13- this ethic of Copenhagen and of
Silesia which explains all the hubbub
which seems so unreasonable to Ameri
cans. The German Emperor two years ago
remarked to a friend of mine that there
was a strong party in England that
wished to take this course- When my
mend disclaimed .this as a monstrous
imputation upon British' good faith,
the Kaiser remarked that he did not
regard it in that light. On the con
trary, he said, he could very well sym
pathize with these men, because it was
natural that, having the power to ward
oft a possible danger, they thought It
their duty to use It. That was a frank,
characteristic avowal from - the occu
pant of the throne of Frederick the
Great. But It explains the present ten
sion between the two countries. When
I was In Germany four years ago, one
of the most eminent German profes
sors and publicists told me that he
never opened his paper at breakfast
without,- first looking to see whether
Kiel was in flames and the German
fleet at the bottom of the sea. When
I protested that we were not pirates,
he replied, "what you did at Copenha
gen you may repeat at Kiel."
This deep, instinctive distrust of the
English was. strengthened by the at
tack upon the Boer republics and the
fatuous folly of Austin Lee, at one time
well known in Washington, but then
Civil Lord of the Admiralty. An after-
dinner speech -of his in which he com
forted his hearers by the assurance
that the German fleet, in case of war,
would be sunk before breakfast, irri
tated the Kaiser and his subjects to
madness. But it was madness which
had much method in it. They deliber
ately set about building a navy which
could not be sunk before breakfast.
They are doing it now and they have
been doing it ever since.
It may appear a paradox to the un
reflecting that the more warships Ger
many launches the more nervous she
becomes as to a possible English at
tack. But It is obvious that this is
natural and Inevitable. The power that
has a two to one to say nothing of a
three or tour to one supremacy over
another holds all the ships of the
weaker power in the hollow of its hand
They are but hostages in the hand of
tne more powerful fleet. When Ger
many had no battle fleet to speak of
she was practically invulnerable against
England. Every new man-of-war she
puts on the high sease until she Is in
a position of naval equality to England
Is the addition of a new hostage for
her good behavior and as the addition
of every new battleship is naturally re
garded as a provocation and a chal
lenge by the other power, the Germans
feel very 111 at ease. They are in the
position of a lion-tamer who has for the
time put his head Into the Jaws of the
lion, and they never know when the
brute may bite it off. Hence they are
assiduous in giving assurances that
their fleet-building has no hostile in
tent, but they are still more assiduous
in pushing on their ship-building until
tney are in a position to contest with
some chance of success the sovereignty
of the seas which has been held so
long by England.
Prepared to Receive Him.
From Judge.
The dignified president of a well
known and flourishing New England
college, in his moments of relaxation,
tells the following story at his own
expense:
One Summer, some years ago, he
spent a vacation of several weeks at
a farmhouse in a Maine town. The
next season he received a letter from
his former landlady, inquiring it he
would like to return.
In reply he stated that he would be
very glad to pass another Summer va
cation with her, provided some needed
changes were made about the place.
"First," wrote the college president,
"your maid, Mary, is persona non grata,
being anything but neat and orderly
In her ways, and if she is still with
you I trust you will at least not allow
her to wait on the table.
"Secondly, I would suggest that the
sanitary conditions of your place would
be greatly Improved if the pigsty were
moved back a few rods farther from the
house or done away with altogether.
"I will wait until I hear from you
before deciding about coming."
The somewhat particular college
president was reassured by the receipt
of the - following reply:
"Mary has went. We hain't had no
hogs on the place since you were here
last."
-The Old Story Anticipated.
Eugene Register.
The customary crop of Republican
candidates for Governor is being sown
throughout the state that promises, as
usual, to ripen Into a harvest of a
Democratic crop to be housed at the
State Capital. But Oregon Republic
anism Is never wise to its own inter
ests. There are too many ambitious
and self'sh office seekers In the ranks
to Insure party success. There will
probably be a dozen candidates, more
or less, up before the primaries for
Governor, one will be nominated and
the rest, with few exceptions, will
get revenge at the polls In the Novem
ber election, when the old story of a
Democrat walking up and taking the
pie away from the whole Republican
bunch will again be repeated. If the
party leadership could centralize and
agree on one man for Governor, then gc
to the polls and support him, there
would be a aifferent story to tell.
Oraneje-Eattns; Dislocates Man's Jan.
Newark (N. J.) Dispatch.
A man with his mouth wide open rushed
Into a restaurant in New Brunswick, N.
J., unable to say a word. It was dis
covered that he had dislocated his Jaw
trying to eat an orange.
A Husband of Expedients.
Baltimore News.
In a recent divorce suit the wife tes
tified that her husband drank whisky
when he could get It. and when that
ran out he mixed a cocktail out of ex
tract of lemon and red pepper.
Seventh Stroke of Apoplexy Fatal.
Camden. N. J.. Dispatch.
Gottfried Kunz, of West Orange, N. J..
Just dead of apoplexy, had seven strokes
In six years.
How to be Happy.
Louise Llddell In the Nautilus.
"Never trouble trouble.
Till trouble troubles you"
Injunction optimistic
Tls well to keep In view.
There's only one thins; better.
Oh! mortal man, to do:
To never trouble trouble
W-Jbaa trouble troubles y oul
A WIDE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
Chicago Baptists and Portland's A
. Vital Rellarlous Question.
ASTORIA, Or., June 23. (To the Edi
tor.) Did Brother Brougher fall into
an ambush, or did the tropical heat of
tne desert -cause the leader In Israel
to quaff too copiously of the "Shriner
lemonade" a la mode. In his strenuous
march across the sands a week ago?
ur, wnen tne Brother struck one of
the high places before reaching an
oasis In the heated solitude, and then
toon the deep water plunge to which
your editorial todav refers did the
sudden reaction cause a confusion of
Ideas, in the noggin of . the new-born,
son of Allah? Or. in an unguarded
moment, did the ardent worshipper at
the Shrine lie down beside his trusty
dromedary and draw In the Insinuating
gusts of the Oriental plant that causes
piquant, elusive dreams?
In any case, whatever mav have boon
the fate of Brother Brousrher in his
journey through the mysteries, a week
nas elapsed and he should have re-
composed himself by this time, flat
tened out the wrinkle in his necksrear.
smoothed the ruffles at his wrists and
readjusted his train of thoughts.
Ajas: aiacK-a-day! When I read the
sermon of Baptist Brother Brougher in
yesterday's Oregonlan and when I read
tne experience of Baptist Brother Fos
ter In Chicago. "bumDinsr the hnmne"
in his efforts to sret to Jesus, as
Brother Brougher says the Baptists (?)
understand it. 1 scratch and ask who
is the true Baptist Brother Brougher
in Portland, or the Brethren in Chi
cago who are evidently making the
passage of Foster over the arid wastes
of life more tropical than even Brother
Brougher's Journey over the sands on
the 12th Inst.
Is Brother Brougher a bona fide Bap
tist, or was he merely "jollying" the
Masonic fraternity and the public in
general with some airy persiflage, as
un aftermath of his deliverance from
the anxious hours spent on the pil
grimage to the Shrine?
. Brother Brougher says In his ser
mon: "The fundamental position of the
Baptists, and the Masons also, is that
the Individual has the right of access
to God direct, without the Interference
of priest or pope, preacher or church.
We believe in the right of the Indi
vidual to worship God according to the
dictates of his own conscience, without
the interference of the state or the
ecclesiastical authority." Bravo! Boldly
said! Brother Brougher. Did you really
mean what you uttered? To an unso
phisticated observer. It has always ap
peared that the Masons have succeeded
in carrying out this pleasing theory
much more consistently than the Bap
tist brethren ever dreamed of approxi
mating. Why tax the community with the su
perflous burden of erecting sectarian
temples and supporting a large staff
of preachers, when the direct access
to God is sufficient and when the
lodges can supply all the exhilarating
experiences requisite to make this
course picturesque?
If Brother Foster, through the dic
tates of his conscience, wishes to exer
cise his "right of direct access to God."
by believing that Jesus Christ was
merely the greatest and best of men,
why do the Baptist brethren raise such
a storm In the East, If you. Brother
Brougher, are ladling out Simon-pure
Baptist doctrine when you say that
"the individual has the right of access
to God direct, without interference of
priest or pope, preacher or church?"
Somebody is twisted; either the Bap
tists in Chicago, or the Baptist preacher
in Portland.
Moreover, if I have not read the
newspapers amiss since the arrival of
Brother Brougher In Portland, it seems
to me that the one person who stands
forth pre-eminently In the role of at
tempted Interferer with .ie right
of the individual to worship God ac
cording to the dictates of his con
science" is Rev. J. Whltcomb Brougher.
I refer to the views and efforts of the
reverend gentleman on the manner nf
observing Sunday and proscribing what
people may drink, etc, etc. The Brother
has some copper-riveted ideas on some
topics, which others feel that they may
disregard and still be worshiping God
and doing- their duty. But stop! Pos
sibly, the Shriners have made a new
man of Dr. Brougher. He says: "The
right of every individual soul to direct
access to God calls for unlimited and
unlettered liberty." This is Interest
lng. Draw water in abundance for the
camels. Doctor, there is a long Journey
Derore you. Farewell, on your new de
parture! Whither will it lead? There
is nope in Israel.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
TOO LARGE A SUBJECT.
Even an Index of the Literature of It
Would Be Impossible.
HOOD RIVER, Or., June 23. (To the
Editor.) Referrinar tr. vnur aunrtci.
and a number of letters that have some
approval in your columns, regarding
the "Myth of Jesus" and the reliability
of the Biblical accounts of him, let me
say:
An article as full as your space would
allow, by yourself, or some other
equally well-informed person, of the
early history of the New Testament, or
rather, upon the "Making of the Bible,"
would be intensely Interesting. Pro
bably not one person in one thousand
not excluding the clergy can give a
correct version of its origin; and The
Oregonlan could- not do more in our
educational line in religious matters
than to publish what is known of the
early history of the New Testament.
READER.
The subject is too vast, the literature
is enormous, not even a summary could
be given in a thousand columns of The
Oregonlan. Any proper presentation of
the whole subject would require a life
time; and the materials of illustration
would cover the whole range of litera
ture and the entire history of exegesis
and interpretation.
Portland Contributed Cheerfully.
PORTLAND, June 23. (To the
Editor.) The Oregonlan in an editorial
today on a deeper channel to the sea,
speaking of days gone by, refers to "the
great difficulty of raising the few dol
lars necessary to "sluice" St. Helens
bar." Evidently the word "difficulty"
was a slip of the pen. Portland was
always ready, willing and able to put
up enough money for an open river, and
to do It promptly. On this vital sub
ject, Portland has ever, been as one
man. True, in early days, .the burden
fell on a few public spirited citizens,
but means were always forthcoming to
do what little could be done. Necessity
and a sense of equity gave birth to the
Port of Portland whereby the burden
was equally distributed. No tax is
more cheerfully paid than the tax for
creating and maintaining an adequate
channel to the ocean.
L. W.
A Summer Garden.
Puck.
He bought a hoe. a rake, a spade.
Some little seeds to sow.
At last he pot the garden made
And saw the green things grow.
He" work'd the rows and beds each day;
Each little plant he knew.
And as he smiled and sweat away
Oh. Joy! how fast tney grew.
No floods came down to wash things out.
No frosts to kill or blight:
No neighbor's chickens scratched about;
No kine strayed in at night.
Earh seed he planted did its best
And not a one did rot
No other garden, eaat or west.
Such vegetables begot.
But still this man did not enjoy
These vegetables so new.
For every night a neighbor's boy
Stole what the garden grew. .
ALL NARCOTICS ARE DANGEROUS
Poison In Tobacco Mill Kill the User
if He Peralats I.OBK Enough.
ALBANY, Or.. June 23. (To the Ed
itor.) Tour correspondent, W. V. Lance,
who undertakes to defend the use of
tobacco on the ground that it is a
great germ destroyer, proves too much.
While it may be, and probably is. a
germ destroyer, that very fact mav be
a reason why it should not be used
in the way now almost universally
adopted. Mr. Lance admits that it is
a poison. He says: "In the presence
of the poisonous nicotine microbes fell
dead at the first whiff." It is claimed
by Mr. LariCe that the use of tobacco
will prevent or cure consumption. I
have known a number of persons who
were inveterate users of the weed who
died with consumption. But even ad
mitting that it Is an antiseptic. It
does not follow that it should be used
as it now is. There are many anti
septics, such -as carbolic acid, alcohol,
morphine and other poisonous prepara
tions. Does it follow that because of
their antiseptic qualities they should
be used by ignorant persons indiscrim
inately? The very poison in tobacco that kills
the microbe will kill the Individual if
he Dersista In t- i . . v.
- ... ,ne ctiuugn.
that very poison upsets the digestive
apparatus of the Individual In such a
Wav that ho nneaov .,, 1(1 . -
microbes. But Mr. Lance might point to
old persons who use tobacco. Tes. and I
v.uu.u jjvim. 10 oia persons that use
alcohol and morphine and other nar
cotics, but they are simply exceptions
mo ruie. ah users or narcotics,
from tea. AnA (.nffen A i . v. .
- -- . . . , , i , ni ti 1 1 fVl p 1 !,
to be Injured by such use. although
.... ouuaitiuce usea mignt oe harmless
and even hAnpfioloi f . . i .. , ,
cine under the direction of a skillful
The indirrlmln.t. ....
cotic Is liable to injure the person using
" uepenas largely on the kind of
narcotic used anH i v. , -. i i j .
tion of the user as to the amount of
Injury that will ensue. Tea, coffee,
alcohol, morphine, opium and tobacco
are some . of the principal narcotics
used by mankind, and are all more or
mas injurious, aependlng largely on the
amount used. Ton nnH nffoa Aa .. .-.
come into general use in civilized coun
ts until aoout tne year 1640. and
even then attempts were made to pre
vent their Introduction by the govern
ments on the ground that the use of
them was detrimental.
ANTI-TOBACCO.
IT IS ABSURD AND UNTRUE.
A Foolish Superstition, the Result of '
Pure Ignorance.
PORTLAND. June 23. (To the
Editor.) Are you able to explain when
and where the charge that the Hebrews
put or ever did put blood of a Christ
ian or any kind of blood Into their
unleavened bread, which they eat dur
ing their celebration of the Passover,
originated? If you are, please do so
through the columns of The Oregonlan
for the benefit of the vast number of
superstitious, half-fanatical and ignor
ant persons who call themselves
Christians.
The accusation has absolutely no
foundation, and I don't know myself
where and when it originated.
My ancestors were and those yet
living are highly educated in Hebrew
and strict observance of the Massoric
laws, and I myself have received a fair
education in Hebrew; but I do not be
lieve In Judaism, nor do I believe in
Christianity and if we don't know the
truth, then Moses himself didn't.
The cause of writing this to you is
an argument between a friend of mine
with whom I work, who told me that
in his home city, in the land of "och
der Kaiser," the Jews killed a man for
the sake of his blood, and he earnestly
believes that. Of course., he is unre
liable.'as were those who told him the
story.
The American people are too en
lightened and far from believing In
what is handed down to them iron-, the
pulpit, but with the majority of 4he
inhabitants of the country of my birth,
Russia, and of all other countries
where the greater portion of the popu
lation is illiterate, it is the reverse.
I wish that all those who have been
cursed with such ' superstitious ideas
would head this and use their own
reasoning power and try to get to the
bottom of things. I also wish them to
remember that this was written by a
man who makes no distinction between
race, color or creed', and who wants
to be fair to all. M. ALBERT.
Whisky in a Telephone Booth.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
What is believed to have been & clever
scheme for violating the Rose law in a
dry town in Ohio came to light in a raid
made by the police.
Some one who saw a barrel rolled Into
a building formerly a saloon reported to
the police and a squad was detailed to
search the place. Finding the barrel of
whisky, as expected, the police became
curious about a screen, and discovered
that It hid what appeared to be a tele
phone booth.
Further scrutiny disclosed that It was
a "wireless" telephone that huns on the
wall, and when a policeman lifted the
receiver the box on the bottom of the
Instrument flew open, disclosing a recep
tacle of convenient size for a glass or
bottle.
Biting- Dog, a Mule and a Man.
Columbus, Ohio, Dispatch..
This is a sample of some of the
knotty questions that are being put
up to the Attorney-General's Depart
ment to solve: A dog bit a mule, and
in turn the mule kicked a man's hand.
That night the mule died, and the man
was advised to the Pasteur treatment.
He subsequently presented a bill to
the County Commissioners under the
law to be reimbursed. Prosecuting At
torney Gilmore, of Eaton, asks If the
Commissioners ought to pay the bill.
The Attorney-General cites the law
In an opinion, and holds that it is up
to the Commissioners to decide whether
the man was "bitten or Injured" by the
dog.
Christianity, the White Man's Rellslon.
NEWBERG, Or., June 22. (To the
Editor.) Though a devout Christian,
your editorial on Orientals and mis
sions greatly Interested me, for you
are rigm. ine unristian religion is tne
white man's religion. Whatever bene
fit the heathen receives from his ac
quaintance with the missionary is be
cause the missionary Is a representa
tive of modern Western civilization,
and the heathen profits by learning to
do things as we do. but he derives as
much benefit from the commercial trav
eler as from the church missionary.
T. LYMAN.
' Golf Shortens Law Araruments.
St. Paul. Minn.. Dispatch.
Orren T. Williams, Circuit Judge of
Milwaukee County. Wisconsin, has forced
the lawyers who practice in his court to
observe earlier hours. He plays a game
of golf each afternoon.
How to Grow Thin.
Paris Letter In Pall Mall Gazette.
"Doctor Ox." of the Matin, tells us
how to get thin. His advice reads
like a budget speech. "Cut down your
income and Increase your expenditure,"
he says. ,
Pushcart for Stolen Safe.
Baltimore -News.
Burglars. In robbing a manufacturing
company In Norfolk, Va , took away tho
steel safe in a push cart.