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Tribune bnlJrtlnff
PORTLAND. FRIDAY. JULY JS, 1909.
TO PFSH THE CIPRO V EM EXIT.
It is gratifying to The Oregonian. as
surely It Is to the people of Portland,
to receive the announcement that
Mayor Simon Intends to push various
activities for betterment of material
conditions In the city In particular
for general improvement of public
parks, streets and other works called
for by a modern and rapidly growing
municipality. A short time ago The
Oregonian expressed the hope that the
city would accept the gift from the
Terwilliger estate of the strip of land
200 feet in width for a boulevard
along the extended front on the hills
In the southwest part of the city, and
proceed at once with Improvement of
It. The Mayor announces himself In
favor of It, and there can be no doubt
that the Common Council will co-operate.
The situation is one for a road of
Incomparable beauty. Connection of
this road with the splendid park at
the head of Washington street, will
follow and the opening of Morrison
street directly through the old Exposi
tion building will bring the East Side
by the Morrison bridge, straight into
the park and boulevard system on the
West Side. The plan and appraise
ment for opening Morrison street are
already well advanced, and the work
should be completed this Summer.
Connection of all the parks on the
East Side Is less easy, for the dis
tances are considerable, and much
property will have to be bought to
. make the system consistent and com
plete. One plce of land. The Orego
nian would say. should be purchased
on the East Side, for a small addi
tional park. If It can be had at any
reasonable figure, we mean a portion
say twenty acres of the Ladd tract
on the Base Line road, opposite
Sunnyside. This spot is central. It
is close In and beautifully wooded.
It has been reported that this tract
could be bought if wanted by the city
for a park. The city, of course, could
take it and pay for it. at lawful valua
tion. Purchase of this tract. It seems
to the Oregonian. would be a suffi
cient addition to the park area of the
East Side at the present time.
Another of the announcements of
the Mayor will receive general appro
bation, namely, his declaration of In
tent to put an end to the combination
of paving interests that for a long
time has been holding up the progress
of the city, on the -one hand and charg
ing extortionate prices for inferior
work on the other. It Is really a de
light to read that Portland is to be
opened and kept open as a free field
for every kind of approved pavement.
With Introduction of this reform the
Council should push with all possible
rapidity the paving of old streets that
have long needed it, and the opening
of new streets through closed tracts
long held for rise in values. The
money to do all these things most of
it stored away by owners of property
is lying Idle in the banks of Port
land. The city authorities have power
to force improvement of the streets in
all parts of the city and should push
the work with consistent energy. To
all old shacks the city should refuse
the right of repair and it ought even
to order many of them torn down.
If the owners will not build, let the
sites of these miserable old shacks at
least be cleared off and made clean
spots throughout the city.
Large expenditures must be made
for improvement of the city under di
rection of official authority. The
money is here to do it. for. while there
is no money for waste there Is
money, or money must be found, by
owners of property and taxpayers for
work that is necessary for the progress
and growth and improvement of the
city. The two new bridges over the
river, the one at Madison street now
under contract for construction, the
other the proposed high bridge at
Broadway and Larrabee streets which
Is to be pushed along as rapidly as
possible, will add greatly to the gen
eral facilities. But. first of all things.
If not above all other things, right
now and continuously, let street im
provement be pushed vigorously and
street cleaning too. Never have the
streets of Portland, as a whole, been
a credit to the city though now there
ara many good streets. Can we not get
union and co-operation of all citizens
to put an end forever to conditions so
little creditable to Portland, and, if
there are objections, will not the
Mayor and Council use their lawful
authority to the limit necessary to
force better and proper conditions?
The public taxes can be kept down,
but owners of property should be ex
pected and even compelled to pay for
the improvements by which their own
property will be benefited and the
public convenience as well as the rep
utation of the city promoted.
AX AMERICAS "CRANFORD."
Evanston. the classic North Side
city of suburban Chicago, is likely to
become famous as the "Cranford" of
America. Census reports show it to
be a city of women, with but a sprin
kling of men and children. It is not.
however, the ancient town of simple
minded inhabitants that was given
place in England and fame in litera
ture by the pen of Mrs. Uaskell, but.
a distinctly modern city, with uni
versity attachments, learned maiden
ladies and at least one woman lecturer
of wide repute. -Its Mis Jenkinses
are not severe in their deportment and
unbending in their orthodoxy, and as
to cringing, self-depreciating Miss
Mattir. her life Is not found in this
Western Cranford. "Poor Peter."
with his innocent, boyish pranks,
would be a mere '"sissy" in the estima
tion of the few Peters of Evanston,
and his stately father, the rector,
would lnsaixe neither veneration nor
admiration among the women of this
modern city of women.
Though "a woman's town," this
American Cranford is not old-fashioned.
It is distinctly new. Its
women are assertive, self-reliant, ca
pable: not given to bemoaning the
fact that they are alone in the world,
but scouting any suggestion of lone
liness or dependence by going where
they please unattended and looking
sharply after heir business and own
educational Interests. A modern
Cranford this but in name except
for the fact that, for obvious reasons,
there are few children within its lim
its. Mrs. Gaskell. who wrote so en
tertainingly and tenderly of this wom
an's village in England, would find
material of another age and sort, did
she still live and should she seek to
depict the conditions as they exist In
this woman's town in America. Who
shall say that the later recital would
be less "interesting, even if less senti
mental, than the former?. Are the
new conditions of life, as pertaining
to self-reliant womanhood, less grati
fying than those that clothed with
tender pathos the lives of women who
were, by virtue of their womanhood,
gentle, unsbphisticated and helpless,
yet forced by circumstances to stand
alone in the social, domestic and in
dustrial world? '
THE ORATOR'S EXCBERASCB.
Some days ago. Senator Dolliver. of
Iowa. In the course of a speech in the
Senate against Senator Aldrich and his
tariff bill, made these striking remarks:
Go on with your labors: go on with your
speculations: make everything "yon can. We
despair of being able t3 control your activ
ities while you are living. But work always
with the understanding that the (Sovernmem
of the United States will be represented at
your funeral, not amonff the mourners shed
ding tears over your departure, but as ft sort
of court of equity to distribute your estate
to turn back into the common treasury
the excessive accumulatlona arising from the
activities of your lifetime.
The rhetoric is striking. Senator
Dolliver Is an orator of the sort who
at times are intoxicated with the ex
uberance of their own verbosity. But
is it to be a function of government
to confiscate and to redistribute es
tates after the death of their makers
and owners, and turn them back into
the common treasury? This we may
call mere rhetoric. It is conceivable.
Indeed, that It might be done, but
then we should have the socialistic
state, no personal estates or fortunes,
no estates to be distributed, "arising
from the activities of your lifetime."
There can- be no objection to any
tax for the necessary purposes of gov
ernment, provided the tax is fair and
Just and equal, and bears on all per
sons and property alike. But tax
levied for redistribution of property
and for equalization of fortunes is an
other thing.
If Senator Dolliver's policy is to pre
vail there will be no estates for gov
ernment to seize. No fortunes will
be accumulated or preserved, if they
cannot be passed on or descended to
posterity. Inheritance of property la
the bond that holds the state together.
Taxation may be excessive, and there
may be waste in administration of the
revenues, but so long as there is some
approach to equality of taxation and
the money is used for general pur
poses, the principle of private proper
ty will have a chance of existence and
preservation. But if government is to
confiscate your estate, when you die,
that is simply another matter. Is this
likely to be or to become the will of
the American electorate? If so, the
next step will be downward towards
the original state of the natives of
Oregon and of all America who had
no property to bother with.
BOLIVIA AND ARGEXTIXE.
The trouble between the Argentine
Republic and Bolivia, which threatens
war unless it is settled soon, has
arisen over the ownership of a tract
of country at the headwaters of the
Amazon, on the eastern slope of the
Andes. The territory in dispute is ex
tensive running from north to south
through some thirteen degrees of lati
tude and from sixty-two to seventy
eight degrees west longitude. It Is
valuable for the rubber It produces.
Though mapped sometimes as part
of Brazil and again as belonging to
Peru or Bolivia, as the fancy of the
cartographer happens to decide, it is
really in much the same condition in
regard to sovereignty as Oregon was
up to 1840, and later. Peru has claims;
so have Brazil and Bolivia and none
of these claims has been definitely set
tled. The most encouraging move in
that direction was a treaty between
Peru and Bolivia, concluded December
30, 1902, to submit their controversy
to Argentina for arbitration, but as it
turns out, this expedient was futile
because now that the decision has been
made Bolivia refuses to abide by it.
Such conduct Is scandalous but it is
what might have been expected from
this erratic and misgoverned repub-
Naturally the Argentines are Indig
nant. They have ordered the Bolivian
Minister out of the country and, with
Peru to help them, they may go to
war at any moment. The Bolivians,
in their reckless way, are blazing with
patriotic zeal. Very likely Brazil
would support them In a fight with Ar
gentina, while any move on the part of
Peru may arouse the military spirit
in her old enemy. Chile.
IMMENSE GRAIN TRAFFIC.
The Washington State Grain Com
mission has Just made a preliminary
estimate of the wheat crop of the
Evergreen State, placing the yield at
.1."., 000. 000 bushels, which is the fig
ure given by The Oregonian about
two weeks earlier. Threshing returns
iu Oregon are making a better show
ing than was expected, and it is naw
reasonably certain that the crop of the
three states. Oregon. Washington a::i?
Idaho, will reach 55.000,000 bushels
and may exceed that figure. Willam
ette Valley is practically on a "home
consumption" basis, and the export
able surplus from this crop must all
come from th.it great region east cf
the Cascade Mcuntains. A 55,000,000
bushel crop of wheat means an export
able surplus of at least 40,000.000
bushels, or l.L'00.000 tons. There is,
also, a record crop of oats and barley
in the Northwest, the surplus to be
moved from the farms to the coast
markets and foreign markets, ap
proximating 500,000 tons. It is thus
clear that the transportation com
panies are facing a problem which in
volves, the" moving to tidewater of at
least 1.700. 000 tons of freight.
In the magnitude of this business
mav be found an explanation as to
why the railroad has supplanted the
steamboat, not alone on the Columbia
River, but on so many other navigable
rivers of the country. If all of this crop
were drawn out to the river bank,
where It could be reached by steam
boats, and boats of the tj-pe now" in
use and best adapted to the service,
could make two round-trips per week
from Portland to the heart of the
wheat country, it would require the
services of fifty steamboats for an en
tire year to mo'e the crop to tide
water. The grain movement, however,
very rarely extends over more than six
months. It gets well under way by the
latter part of September, and the sea
son is practically over by March, thus
requiring twice as much equipment as
would be needed if the movement
were extended over a whole year.
In other words, an expeditious
movement of the 1909 grain crop of
the Inland Empire to tidewater, after
the railroads had brought the wheat
to the river bank, would require the
services of about 100 steamboats of
the size of these now in use on the
middle and upper rivers. There will
be nearly 60,000 carloads of this grain
to be moved to tidewater in the next,
six to eight months. The proportions
of the traffic are sufficiently Imposing
to make It easy to understand why
Mr. Hill .spent nearly J50,000,000
to get a road down through the Co
lumbia gorge. The 60,000 carloads of
grain can be moved down the Colum
bia with comparative ease in 1000
trains. To move it over the Cascade
Mountains would require for the
greater part of the distance, nearly
6000 trains.
To summarize, 1000 locomotives can
easily handle a tonnage down the Co
lumbia River, which would require
the services of 5000 locomotives to
move it over the Cascade Mountains.
A BPOILET) STORY.
The Chicago Inter-Ocean prints a
story of a bay horse sixteen hands
high which ran for seven miles ahead
of a train going at full speed on the
track between Fairvlew and Trout
dale. Or. In his wild career, the horse,
according to the Inter-Ocean's ac
count. Jumped sixteen cattleguards and
crossed one tie bridge sixty feet long
without slacking his ' pace. He was
finally caught by some livery hands at
Troutdale. This story reads very well
In Chicago, perhaps, but it leaves out
the essential facts of the affair and
gets others all twisted up. The truth is
so we hear that as he ran along
the track, the bay horse drew a buggy
after him and in the buggy was seated
a beautiful young lady, the eldest
daughter of a well-known Portland
multl-milllonalre. In company with her
affianced bridegroom, an English
duke, she had driven to Fairview to
purchase a new peach-basket hat at a
celebrated emporium of that city. As
the happy couple were driving across
the track, the horse took fright at an
approaching train and started up along
the ties toward Portland, throwing the
duke out as he swung round.
' Terrified at the spectacle of his
promised bride careering up the track
with none to protect her, the British
nobleman Jumped on the cowcatcher
while the train was passing at full
speed and set out in pursuit. The fear
ful race knew no let up until the horse
entered Troutdale with the engine Just
touching the back end of the buggy.
At that critical moment, the duke
courageously sprang from the cow
catcher to the seat beside his be
trothed, and with a deft pull on the
reins, turned the foaming steed into a
nearby livery stable where he was
finally brought to a standstill.
Thus it will be seen that the whole
credit of the rescue of the heiress from
a dreadful doom belongs to the duke
and not to the livery hands, as the
Inter-Ocean mistakenly related. In
fact, the Chicago paper does not seem
to know that there was any heiress in
volved in the adventure, much less a
duke. It Is surprising how little truth
there is in many things which go
under the deceptive name of news. The
really interesting features are omitted
and all we get is a bare and distorted
skeleton.
IRRIGATION IX THE WILLAMETTE
VALLEY.
Trt tbft traveler who visits the "Wil
lamette Valley In July and August the
country appears very mucn nae a aes-i-t
Tho trees are still green because
their roots descend to an unfailing
water supply, but everytning eise is
parched. The annual rainfall of Ore--nn
i fairK- sufficient If It were prop
erly distributed throughout the sea
son, but It is Dy no means excessive.
There la much idle talk about the Ore
gon rains as if they exceeded what
other states enjoy. The truth is mat
monv mnr-ta nf the POUOtrV h.lVft mOTS
precipitation than the Willamette
Valley. Since ours comes in a more or
less continuous downpour In Winter
v, fahia Vina nrisen that it is some
thing out of the common. The fact
that, as a rule, the Valley nas iittie
nr tin min after the first week in July
limits the growing season for crops to
a comparatively snort time m me
Serine Plants which do not mature
before the middle of July invariably
suffer from lack or moisture anu, as
Mr. Alex MePherson remarked to an
Oregonian reporter, their market value
falls short of what It should be. The
Winter rains are of restricted use to
the 'farmer simDlv because they come
at the wrong time. When his crops
need water most urgently nature lana
to send him any. Of course the only
remedy Is Irrigation.
The pleasant fiction that anyming
in the world will grow in the Wil
lamette Valley without irrigation and
almost without cultivation must be
abandoned. The truth is that the re
.,r.B wnm nrettv nearly everv crop
would be increased ty an artificial
water supply while some plants win
Tn motnrA even a. scanty crop with
out it. Mr. McPherson's statement
that crops would In general De aouDiea
by Irrigation can be confirmed by
every person who has cultivated small
fruits and vegetables in his garden.
Compare the rows which have been
..iffietontiv with those which
waicicu ou.iv.i-...j
have been left to the mercies of na
ture. The difference will convince
anir coneihiA nerson of the value of Ir
rigation. What happens in a garden
would happen in a field if the water
were provided. Just how the proDiem
of supplying water will ultimately be
solved in the Willamette Valley is
doubtful. There are several . ways
hut it mav not be easy to choose
the best one. Mr. MePherson seems
to think that It would be advantag
eous to construct reservoirs to "im
pound" the Winter rains and hold
them until they are needed.
Thta frtuM hs done in manv places
with great advantage. There are many
other places where streams could be
dammed and made to nill large lakes
fmm xx-hirH the water could be drawn
In the dry months. The foothills are
seamed with narrow canyons which
would , make admirable storage reser
voirs with no excessive expense for
building dams. Still, perhaps, the most
abundant water supply for the farms
of the Valley will come from the Wil
lamette River.'Here and there the cur
rent Is strong enough to operate
bucket wheels and thus raise water
directly, v Elsewhere pumps must be
employed. It Is safe to say that
throughout the entire length of the
Valley there is distributed enough
water power to irrigate the land If it
were put to use in the most economical
manner. Besides that there are numer
ous powers back in the foothills now
going to waste which could be made to
generate electricity and this again con
ducted to pumping stations. For the
Willamette Valley the question of a
water supply for -Irrigation is very
simple.
But capital Is not likely to engage in
projects for supplying water until the
demand for It has become apparent,
and this demand will not arise until
the large farms have been divided Into
small holdings. Speaking broadly, irri
gation never has succeeded on large
estates because of the minute atten
tion it requires. It is peculiarly adapt
ed to farms of five, ten or twenty
acres, where the headof a household
with his family can manage every
thing without depending on hired
help. We may, therefore, agree with
Mr. MePherson that the first .and most
important step toward the creation of
a new and flourishing agriculture In
the Willamette Valley Is the break-up
of the large estates. They must be di
vided into a multitude of small farms
where Intensive and diversified culture
can be practiced. When that has been
done the demand for Irrigation will
arise and capital will hasten to satisfy
it. There is no reason in the world
why the Willamette Valley should not
be a continuous garden from Portland
to Eugene. It ought to look as fresh
and green in August as in June, but
under present management during the
best part of the growing season, which
is the hot weather of late Summer,
nothing can thrive for lack of water.
As we gain a better insight Into our
true interest of course all this will be
changed.
It is an Inspiring sight that would
greet the shade of Lord Nelson if it
should happen to stroll back from the
Styx and take a turn along the
Thames Just now. There are 150 war
ships in this greatest naval pageant
that the world ever saw, and the sight
of such tremendous power may have
a tendency to cheer up the drooping
spirits of the British. But if the Nel
son shade strolls back a few blocks
from the embankment and gets a line
on the kind of people that are expect
ed to back up this big fleet, he may
have some misgivings for the fate of
the country for which he offered his
life. There have been some great
strides in naval construction since the
British tars "fought with Blake and
sailed with Drake," but it is a debata
ble question whether the men who are
to look after the land end of the con
flict have kept up with the improve
ment of the ships.
Wrhile England Is pretty busy Just
at present giving naval demonstrations
and stiffening up the backbones of her
citizens who fear the German invasion,
she is still keeping a weather eye open
for her outlying possessions. Prince
Rupert has hardly found a place on
the maps as yet, but- with a view to
the future. Great Britain has already
dispatched a party of high army and
navy officers to the far northwest to
locate a chain of fortifications around
the new seaport. The United States
has no direct interest in Prince Rupert
now. but we trust that Great Britain
will see that the work is properly done
for, with the annexation of Canada,
It would be desirable to have first-class
coast defenses in keeping with the
prominence of the United States.
Governor Benson, announcing him
self as a candidate for the office of
Secretary of State next year, says he
"never was a candidate for Governor
and holds the office now because of a
series of political movements for which
he was not responsible." Tet It was
understood very generally at Salem
last Winter that such influence as
Benson had was exerted for Chamber
lain for the Senate, whose election
made Benson Governor. Every "series
of political movements", is likely to
be interpreted by the results.
There's a nasty little hole and has
been for weeks in the asphalt pave
ment at the corner of Sixth and Wash
ington streets a nasty little hole, be
coming bigger daily. Is th.ere any
way to get it repaired? The Orego
nian knows this is village Journalism,
but it wishes to see that hole repaired
and then it may point out a few
more.
Now it is the turn of Seattle's Mayor
to come over to Portland and find out
a thing or two that Seattle should do.
There is the public lighting, for ex
ample. It is very poor in Seattle's resi
dential districts, under municipal own
ership. It is far better in Portland.
President Taft filled up those tariff
conferrees with good stuff from the
White House kitchen; but still they
will not come together. Apparently
the great Bourne method of getting
his visitors in good humor doesn't
work in transplanted territory.
Senator Bourne's remarkable echi
natlon of manner arid of temper In
his letter to the Portland Chamber of
Commerce on the Vancouver head
quarters, struck everybody. The pub
lic servant neither should echinate nor
be echinate. '
That Galveston committee assures
the public that in the recent hurricane
"not a life was lost." Press reports
give the total of lives lost at ten. But
of course, we shall hear from Galves
ton that "you can't believe the news
papers." Eat-'em-alive Weyler ought to find
foemen worthy of his bloodthirsty
zeal in the Moors. Everybody had
forgotten Weyler until the news came
out of Spain that he was still alive and
stirring.
Food prices are likely to remain
high because people don't like to live
in the country and cultivate the soil.
They prefer to live in the towns and
complain about the high prices of
food.
The sea serpent of this year has a
mouth ten feet wide with a benignant
smile and "a kindly look out of its
eyes." Seen only from the near-beer
coast resorts.
This country is "going some" when
It pays $160,000 for mural paintings in
the Cleveland postofflce building.
Could any rational being ask for a
pleasanler Summer resort than Port
land?
MORE MONEY TO RUN THE NATION
Comparison of Cost Under Cleveland
- With That of Roosevelt.
New York Commercial.
When it comes to the matter of the
United States Government paying its
bills, it might be well for its administra
tors and its lawmakers to apply some
very plain and common-sense rules of
domestic economy. If a householder finds
that he is steadily getting in debt, there
is one of two things to be doneeither
to increase his income to the necessary
point of balance or to reauce his expendi
tures accordingly. The trouble with our
National finances today is not that the
Dtngley law is a poor revenue-getter, but
that it has been so good a one that it has
led the Government into all sorts of
extravagances. Let us compare the
Cleveland regime with that of Roosevelt,
Just closed: Cleveland was first elected
president in November, 1SS4; he took his
seat March 4. 18S5; the first full fiscal
year under his presidency was closed
June 30, 18S6; he was elected president a
second time in November. 1?92; took his
seat March 4. lS93.r and the first full fiscal
year thereafter was ended June 30. VSi.
Following is the record for his eight
years of administration in the matter of
ordinary Government expenses placed
side by side with that of Roosevelt's
eight years, the only salient point of dif
ference, being that Roosevelt's own party
was in control of both branches of Con
gress during his eight years, while in the
case of Cleveland both branches were at
one time in control of the opposing party,
and at another the political majority was
of a different complextion in each cham
ber: Cleveland. Roosevelt.
1888 ... 8242.843.138 1901 ... 8471.190.858
1887 ... 267.932.180 1903 ... S06.099.007
1S88 ... 267.924.801 1904 ... 682.402.321
1889 ... 299.288.978 1905 ...567,278.913
1894 ... 367.746.867 1906 ... 808,727.565
1895 ... 356,195.298 1907 ... 578.360.592
1S9S ... 352,179.446 1908 ... 659.552.125
1S97 ... 365,774.159 1909 ... 694.244,002
Total 12.519.524.867 Total 14,627,855.383
It thus appears that the Roosevelt
regime cost the taxpayers almost double
the amount that the eight years of Cleve
land cost them to be exact 12.108,330.516
more than the eight years of democratic
rule. When we come down to the cost
of the War Department and the Navy
Department the comparison Is still more
impressive:
Cleveland. Roosevelt.
1886 848.232.041 1902 8180. 075. 354
1S87 63.702.153 1903 201.327,554
18S8 55,448.674 1904 217.991.513
1R89 65,814.080 1905 .... 268.127,625
1S94 86.269,224 1906 204.615.629
1895 80.602.555 1907 199.278.476
1896 .... 77.978.653 1908 229.011.211
1897 .... 83.611,813 1909 280,089,111
Total ..8551,669.393 Total 81.781.426,471
Under Cleveland the country was at
peace with 'all the world; and under
Roosevelt the same condition existed, al
thought the cost of the Spanish-American
War under McKinley had not been
entirely met by extraordinary taxation at
the time Roosevelt succeeded McKinley
In September, 1901. But the above records
show that in the mere matter of prepara
tion for war the preparedness that in
such large measure operates to prevent
war the Roosevelt Administration cost
the country more than three times the
sum expended for the same purpose
under Cleveland. It may have been worth
all that it cost; no good American com
plains at the expense of the battleship
cruise around the world and the country
under Roosevelt was bigger and Its popu
lation much greater than under Cleve
land. But the expense of conducting the
Government In the 1902-1909 period was
out of all proportion to the increase in
population and National activities. The
Taft Administration is simply engaged in
paying off the deficit of its immediate
predecessor. And unless the domestic
economy of the present regime is looked
after more efficiently than was that of
Its predecessor, the chances are two or
three to one that a Democratic President
and a Democratic Congress will have to
take care of a possible Taft Administra
tion deficit.
LOOKING FOR HOMESTEADS.
Call for Someone to Tell Settlers About
Government Lands.
PORTLAND, July 20. (To the Edi
tor.) California state, several years
ago, established a bureau of informa
tion for settlers on vacant Government
land; In their office on California
street, San Francisco, visitors could see
maps showing the vacant land in the
several counties with the original field
notes of surveyors, and when a party
was made up of sufficient size for a
particular district an official was sent
with them to assist In their location.
This bureau was the means of es
tablishing thousands who became tax
payers. No doubt there are many like myself
who would like to settle down in Ore
gon on a Government homestead, and
while having sufficient to file, buy a
team, build a cabin and buy a year's
provisions, cannot afford to pay for
information from real estate dealers
or spend months prospecting. This let
ter is more of a question than for pub
lication, and any information you could
give In your columns would be eag
ery read by thousands of hungry land
seekers, who are flocking to the
Coeur d'Alenes and Flathead to get
land with the knowledge that only one
in a hundred will be successful.
LAND HUNGRY.
The government of Oregon has never
gone In the Immigration business; per
haps it never will. California, under
state, county and municipal appropri
ation, has expended large sums to at
tract settlers. In this state we es
tablish and conduct information bu
reaus with funds raised by "passing
the hat." It may be worth while for
the Commercial Club of Portland to
create such a bureau . as this corre
spondent suggests. No doubt every
commercial organization in the state
will be glad to Join in the expense of
securing all available information con
cerning public lands, and in the ef
fort to exploit them for the benefit of
intending settlers. It will not be a
bad plan for "Land Hungry" to take
up the matter directly with the direct
ors of the Commercial (Club.
Let the Old Parry Go.
Chicago Record-Herald, Ind.
President Taft is said to be worried
over the problem of giving the people
what they deserve and at the same time
holding the Republican party together. If
it is going to be impossible to do both
our guess is that he ought to let the
Republican party go to smash A party
which cannot be held together If the peo
ple are to get their due would hardly
seem to have much of an excuse for ex
isting. Consult Yonr District Attorney.
YAMHILL. Or., July 19. (To the Edi
tor.) Will you please answer the fol-
lowing question in The Oregonian? A
found a beetree on B's land and cut
his initials on the tree. B sold the
timber to C before A found the tree
Can A cut the tree with C's consent, or
has B any right to the tree?
' SUBSCRIBER.
WASHOUGAL, Wash.. July 21. (To
the Editor.) A boy aged 11, born in Ger
many, comes to this country. His father
becomes a naturalized citizen. Does this
make an American citizen of the boy?
J. E.
Certainly Not.
The Dalles Optimist.
It Is reported that when the President
visits Portland this Fall he will stay
with Jonathan. Rats! Taft does not play
poker. .
COURT SITS FOR WHOLE DAY
Arguments In Hembree Case at Sa
lem Are Lengthy.
SALEM. Or., July 22. (Special.) The ar
guments In the appeal of A. J. Hembree,
convicted of wife-murder, were heard by
the Supreme Court today, and have con
sumed nearly all day, making one of the
longest sessions of the court in recent
years. The court was convened at 10
o'clock this morning and was still in ses
sion shortly before 6 o'clock this evening.
The state is represented by District Attor
ney John H. McNary and Assistant Attorney-General
I. H. Van Winkle, while
Martin L. Pipes, of Portland, and James
McCain, of McMinnville, appear for Hem
bree. Hembree's home in Tiilamook County
was destroyed by fire on December 29.
1905, and after the fire the bones of Hem
bree's wife and daughter were .found In
the ruins. The defendant was arrested
for the murder of his daughter and tried
in Tillamook County, in July, 1906, found
guilty of manslaughter and given an in
determinate sentence. He was released by
Governor Chamberlain In 1907.
Shortly afterward he was rearrested,
charged with the murder of his wife, and
at Dallas, in May, 1908, was found guilty
of murder in the first degree and sen
tenced to be hanged.
Justice McBride,' who presided at the
first trial of Hembree, in Circuit Court,
took no part in the hearing of the appeal
today.
RODGERS NOT AFTER OFFICE
Salem's Mayor Denies He Is Candl
' date for Governor.
SALEM. Or., July 22. (Special.)
Mayor Rodgers today emphatically de
nied the rumor that he would be a
candidate for a state office at the elec
tion next year. Discussing the report
and his position in regard to public
office, Mr. Rodgers said:
"The Oregonian has given publicity
to the rumor that I am a candidate for
the office of Governor or Secretary of
State or some other office. I am a can
didate for no office, nor do I desire
office.
"Office should be no man's seeking.
It should come to him as a call to
service a challenge to his patriotism.
There are few men In public service
worthy the positions they occupy, who
do not hold them at a decided personal
"I have yielded much of my time and
energy in the service of the community
in which I live, not in the hope of
building up a political fortune, but in
the desire of accomplishing some little
good. I have tried to do my part. After
the expiration of my present term of
office, I intend to devote myself to
service in the ranks of humble citizen
ship." SUIT OVER PUTER COLLATERAL
Brewster Refuses to Accept State
Land Certificates.
SALEM, Or., July 22. (Special.) Com
plaint in a suit involving a large amount
of money was filed late this afternoon
in the office of the County Clerk for Ma
rion County. , The action is entitled N. V.
Sorenson vs. W. L. Brewster, administra
tor of the estate of George Baldwin, and
Edwin Schwart. With the paper Attor
ney John Logan deposited a draft for
J74SO.
Several years ago S. A. D. Puter bor
rowed J7420 from Baldwin, giving Baldwin
state land certificates covering several
thousand acres of Oregon lands. It was
stipulated, it is alleged, that the certifi
cates were to be held-in trust for Puter
or his heirs.
Later . Puter sold the certificates to
Sorenson, who offered Brewster, as ad
ministrator of Baldwin's estate, the
amount of the loan made to Puter. Brew
ster refused to accept itr and now Soren
son is suing to compel the acceptance of
the amount borrowed by Puter and to
clear title to the land.
MORGAN'S MAN FAVORS TAX
Believes Corporations Should Assist
Government Income.
CORDOVA, Alaska, July 22. George
W. Perkins, who is known as J. P.
Morgan's right-hand man, and who
brought a party of eastern capitalists
to Alaska on the private yacht Yucatan
to Inspect the Morgan-Guggenheim in
terests here, declared himself in favor
of the proposed corporation tax, in an
interview here today.. Mr. Perkins is
credited with saying that he believed
the tax would be a good thing for the
Government, adding that it should be
adopted.
Mr. Perkins and his party have re
turned from their inspection trip over
the Copper River & Northwestern
Railroad now under course of construc
tion. He said that it will be completed
into the interior by next year.
The party will remain here another
week when they will sail for a pleasure
trip to Nome and points along the
Siberian coast.
POWELL INVITED TO SALEM
Fruitgrowers Want Demonstration
on Pre-Cooling of Fruits.
SALEM, Or., July 22 (Special.) S. G.
H. Powell, of the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture, will be the guest
of the Salem Board of Trade and the
Salem Fruit Union tomorrow, and will
be taken out through the fruit country
in an automobile.
The department has been engaged this
year in pre-cooling and shipping demon
strations at Puyallup and other Western
points, and an effort will be made to have
Mr. Powell sent to Salem next year to
take up this line of work. Just at this
time, when the shipment of small fruits
to the Eastern markets is being under
taken, it is believed the aid and expe
rience of the Government experts would
be of great value to the fruit industry In i
the Willamette Valley.
THRESHING OUTFIT EXPLODES
Smut Causes Destruction of Ma
chine Near Helix.
. PENDLETON, Or.. July 22. (Special.)
Smutty wheat is responsible for the de
struction of the William Ruther thresh
ing outfit and 100 sacks of wheat. The
accident occurred near Helix yesterday
afternoon, causing a loss of $2000. The
grain was Insured, but the separator was
not.
The machine had Just been stopped,
preparatory to moving, and there was no
one on it when the explosion occurred.
This is the first explosion of the season.
The first grain field fire is reported
from near Adams, where a passing
freight train set fire to the field of Ar
thur Scott. The train was stopped and
the crew aided neighboring farmers in
extinguishing the flames before more than
two acres were burned. The fight, though,
was a fierce one while It lasted.
Jap Consul Visits in Boise.
BOISE, July 22. (Special.) Yasu
taro Numaao, Japanese Consul having
Jurisdiction over the interests of the
TAa In r-rt n Tilnhn anil Wvom-
ing, visited this city - Tuesday and
called on Governor Brady. His head
quarters are in Portland. He is mak
ing a trip through this section.
HERMISTON WORK
Secretary Ballinger, Says Depart
ment's Policy Will Be Liberal.
PENDLETON, Or.. July 22. (Special.)
Secretary of the Interior Ballinger
spent the entire day in making a personal
inspection of the Umatilla reclamation
project in the west end of the county.
Returning late this afternoon from a
drive over as much of the project as it
wu possible to cover in one day. he
held a conference with the members of
the Water-Users' Association and all
others Interested, in an effort to ascer
tain the wants and needs of the set
tlers. Tonight he is the guest of honor at a
banquet and tomorrow morning he will
continue on to Ontario, as his Itinerary
does not Include a stop at the Umatilla
reservation.
The Secretary expressed himself as
being well pleased with the conditions
on the project and delifthted with the
spirit of progress manifested by the
residents of HermiPton. as well as by the
actual settlers. He consumed' a greater
part of the day in asking questions, and
assured the water - users that the
Government was anxious to co-operate
to the fullest extent toward the develop
ment of the project. He said every effort
would be made to Brant every reason
able concession asked by the settlers.
Ballinger Visits Hermiston.
HERMISTON. Or., July 22. (Special. )
Secretary Ballinger, A. P. Davis. Freder
ick M. Kerby, Daniel Carr, E. A. Keys
and E. G. Hobson visited the Umatilla
project today. They made th trip to
the Government dam with H. D. Newell,
project engineer, and attended a banquet
this evening given by the officers of the
Water Users' Association at the home of .
President H. T. Irvin.
CONTINUOUS RATES APPLY
State Board Issues New Order to
O. R. & N. on Joseph Road.
SALEM. Or.. July 22. (Special.) The
State Railroad Commission today en
tered an order requiring the O. R. &
N. railway to apply continuous dis
tance rates to shipments to or from its
stations from Palmer Junction to Jos
eph, inclusive. The Commission finds
that the proportional rates now in force
are unjust and unreasonable and un
justly discriminating in practice. The
new ruling is limited, however, to com
modities that take class rates.
The Commission finds that the pro
portional rates for the transpot tation '
of wool, complained of, are used almost
entirely as a basis for the computa
tion of through interstate rates and
the Commission therefore expresses no
opinion as to the reasonableness or un
reasonableness of the proportional rates
on wool.
The Commission also declines to in
terfere with the proportional rates on
livestock, which, it is added, have not
been given a thorough test and are
largely used as a basis for the Compu
tation of through interstate rates.
STEEL VIADUCT COMPLETED
Concrete Will Now Be Applied to
Railroad Arches.
VANCOUVER, Wash., July 22. (Spe
cial.) The steel arches over Main and
Washington streets that have been
buIt by the Spokane, Portland &
Seattle Railway are completed so far
as the steel work is concernedt A crew
of 14 men is now busy laying the con
crete on these arches. The steel bed
will be covered with reinforced con-'
crete to a depth of nearly one foot.
This will be let dry for about 40 days,
and then a layer of gravel will be put
on. On the top of the concrete and
gravel the rails will be laid, and the
effect will be such that travel over the
arches will be alrnost noiseless.
When this work is completed the old
trestle, which has been used ever since
the North Bank road was opened, will
be torn down.
LONG SPREE ENDS IN SUICIDE
Wilhelm Siems Is Found in Woods
With His Throat Cut.
ABERDEEN, Wash., July 22. (Spe
cial.) The body of Wilhelm Siems, who
came to Cosmopolis from Port Gamble
to work in the mill, was found by
berry-pickers yesterday afternoon in a
lonely place, where he had committed
suicide by cutting his throat Siems
was 62 years old and unmarried.
He had been on a protracted spree.
On his person was a certificate of de
posit for $40 in a Seattle bank.
Mission Boat Is Lost-
VANCOUVER. B. C, July 2.2. Metho
dist mission boat Udal struck a rock
early yesterday morning near the en
trance to Portland Canal and found
ered a short time later in 100 feet
of water. Captain Oliver, her master,
and Rev. Mr. Webber, the only per
sons aboard at the time of the accident,
escaped in a rowboat.
IN THE MAGAZINE
SECTION OF THE
SUNDAY
OREGONIAN
VON ZEPPELIN IS
ENGLAND'S BOGIE MAN
His success with the real air
ship has thrown London into a
ferment. Illustrated with great
clearness.
ONE MAN RUNNING
AN IOWA TOWN.
He has taken exclusive charge
of every place of business and dic
tates every detail; a modern inno
vation that will be watched with
interest.
"MUGGING" INNOCENT
PERSONS UNDER ARREST
Lights and shadows of a system,
whose abuse has shaken New
York's police from top to bottom.
AMERICANS CROWNED
AND DECORATED
Honors from European royalty
for distinguished services in times
of peace.
VACATION DAYS WITH
NO NEWSPAPER
The Japanese Schoolboy airs his
views on this lamentable state of
affairs.
ORDER EARLY FROM YOUR
NEWSDEALER