THE MORSIXG OREGOXIAN, TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1909.
Bt (Drejrcmtait
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PORTLAXD. TUKMDAY. AUGUST U. 1909.
A FAMILIAR CILVRACTF-KIZATIOX.
Edward D. Shurtleff. Speaker of the
House of Representatives of the State
of Illinois, delivered, a few days ago.
to the investigators from New York,
.his opinions about the direct primary,
from experience had with it in his
own state.
Value may be supposed to attach to
his opinion or Judgment from the fact
that he is an Independent politician,
who led the fight against the re-election
of Senator Hopkins, and was elec
ted to the Speakership by a combina--lon
of "anti-machine" Republicans
and Democrats. Hopkins had received
a plurality vote in the primary elec
tion, but large numbers of Republi
cans repudiated the nomination and
combined with Democrats to defeat
him. Lorlmer, It will be remembered,
was elected.
In his statement to the New Tork
committee, Speaker Shurtleff summed
up his objections to the direct pri
mary as follows:
It la a law for the man with the loud
voice, or the man with the fat purse, or
the officeholder who lartahly distributee
parronage for political enda.
The candidate who. by coercion, by newe
l's per cajolery, by ue of money, by use
ot patronage, can control a plurality of the
.arty Tote becomea the party. And he la
bound by no pledges and need be loyal to
no principles.
A corrupt officeholder baa three chance
of renomlnatlon and re-election under thla
law a here he has one under the convention
astern. Any man In office, however cor
rupt, haa a following bound to him by fa
vor and patronage, with which It 1 eaaler
to swing a plurality of the popular vote
than a majority of a delegate convention.
ITdT thla law the mass of the voters are
unable to make an Intelligent choice In
moat instances, because outside of the local
candidates and the head of the state ticket
thev do not and cannot know tne men for
whom they are voting.
It Is a rich man's law a demagogue's
law a corrupt officeholder's law a law
that build up political cxars.
These objections do not exhaust the
list. Our exporlor.ee in Oregon has
developed many more. We have found
that the direct primary produces a
scramble for office, in which men
who could best serve the public de
cline to participate: that plurality can
diilates. so nominated, will not be
supported: that the primary fight dis
rupts parties and exalts political ad
venturers; that the system opens a
wide door for the intrusion of one
p.irty into the affairs of another, and
puts into office men who would not be
considered at all upon any estimate of
their own standing or merit.
The Supreme Court of Illinois has
annulled the law of that state, on con
stitutional grounds. The law In Ore
gon stands; but measures will be taken
for correction of some of its principal
evils, by use of assemblies or conven
tions for suggestion of nominations.
AWAKKNINH THE iIANT.
The Chinese and- the Japanese seem
to be getting much closer together on
the Manchurtan question, and recent
advices indicate a willlngno.s on the
part of the Chinese to permit the Jap
anese to proceed with their railroad
construction without further objection.
Various Influences are responsible for
this Chinese submission to a fate they
seemed powerless to avert. British in
fluence, thrown to the aid of Japan
In the controversy, was probably the
most Important factor, but there is
also a belief that the Chinese are
somewhat Inclined to take lessons
from the Japanese and that at least
a portion of the more progressive
Chinese can see. In the Japanese in
vasion, possibilities of a future alliance
which may place the star of the yel
low race still further in the ascendency
In the Far Kast.
China has marveled at the progress
made by Japan and is now awaken
ing to a realization or its own- possi
bilities on similar lines. If the an
cient emrire is to be nsslsted by Japan
In exploitation of the wonderful re
sources of the country. It will be only
a question of a very short time until
the Far Kast will be In a position ser
iously to disturb the Industrial situa
tion In other parts of the world. The
Wall Street Journal, a short time ago,
printed an interview with Theodore
D. Morgan, formerly general manager
of the Atlanta Steel & Tin Plate Com
pany, of Indiana, who has spent sev
eral months Investigating iron and
steel conditions, In China. He reports
that the supply of iron ore in China
is beyond computation, but he believes
that it will be sufficient to meet any
conceivable demnnd for centuries to
Come. He also reports the presence of
vast deposits of manganese ores now
extensively used to mix with Iron In
the manufacture of ship armor plates,
and other steel products.
The Chinese have been working on
this raw material ror many years,
but have only recently Installed up-to-date
steel-making machinery, and
a single company, the Hanyang Iron
& Steel Works, located at Hankow,
on the Ynngtse River, employs 20.000
people. It Is In the wages that are
pakfthese workers that China has pos
sibilities for flooding the world with
s-teel at such low prices that compe
tition with white ltbor seems an im
possibility. The highest priced com
mon labor Is paid seven cents a day for
aMe bodied men. and women are paid
five cents per day. ' In the mills, the
highest priced labor is the black
smiths, who nre paid from $7.50 to J20
a month: boilermakers coming next,
with $7.50 to $10 a month. For roll
ers and heaters, $ a month Is the
maximum, while helpers are paid from
4 to $5 a month.
When China, with the help of Japan,
finds herself." the entire world will
be confronted with an economic prob
lem that will not be easy of solution.
The construction of a tariff barrier
of sufficient height to shut out seven-cents-per-day
labor, engaged in the
manufacturing, from unlimited supply
of cheap raw material, will be no
easy task.. The "Industrial battle, for
which the Far East Is making prepa
ration, may be more deadly In some
effects than any that could be fought
with powder and shell.
"THE SISTF-K.1- AND THKIK BOOK.
The history of, a state should In
clude an account rrf all the efforts that
have contributed to its foundation and
growth. Among the efforts that have
made Oregon what it is are those of
our missionary- and religious orders.
Prominent among them are the
Roman Catholics, whose educational
and humanitarian work, in conjunc
tion with the propagation of their re
ligion, has been incessant, from the
early time.
A beautiful and effective part of this
work has been done by the Sisters of
the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary,
who now have published a book which
gives a modest account of the work of
the Sisterhood In Oregon under the
title of "Gleanings of Fifty Years."
The true date of the book Is Sixth of
November, 1839, when the Sisters es
tablished a boarding and day school
in Portland. There were six pupils
In St. Mary's Academy on that open
ing day three of whom were Catho
lics, two were Hebrews, and one "a
non-Catholic." St. Mary's Academy
ever since has been -one of the fixed
and prominent educational Institutions
of Portland, and a throng of girls
and young women, of various religious
denominations, or without definite
ecclesiastical connections, have passed
through its halls, to lives of active
womanhood in Oregon and adjacent
states.
The account of the work of the
Sisters is most modestly and touchlng
ly written. It is not confined to the
work In Portland, but extends to Sa
lem, to Baker City, to Astoria,
to Seattle, to Spokane, and to
other towns and cities of the North
west. Qujet as the tone of the book
is. there is' in It a sort of paean of tri
umph, all the more effective, because
not In the least obtrusive. It is a
modest historical record of devoted
work, of the kind whose fruits outlast
all the noisy occasional triumphs of
their little day.
The SLsters twelve of them left
Montreal Septum ber 16, 1S5 3. Com
ing via Panama, they arrived at Port
land October 21. of the same year
On their arrival they were assisted by
Mr. S. J. McCormick. well remembered
still by the few remaining pioneers
of that time.
Much of the value of the book lies
In the history t preserves of the In
troduction and progress of Catholic
missionary work In Oregon. Here it
meets a want hitherto unsupplied.
Many pens have recorded the efforts
and work of Protestant missionaries
In our primitive field, but no sketch
so good as this of the work of the
Catholic Church has appeared
hitherto.
We are glad this tiook has been
written and published. It fills a gap
In our history which it were a pity
not to be occupied. What could be
more beautiful than such modest
record if these earnest, devoted and
self-sacrificing lives? -
CVUIUXO CANNONIRM.
The country has no reason to de
plore the tight which Representative
Charles N. Fowler, of New Jersey, and
his Republican allies are making
against Mr. Cannon. Apart from the
fact that they are fully Justified In
attacking the Speaker by the way he
has treated them, it Is also true that
v. I . ., ; ,rr, ii-ll 1 haln T r Tuft.
L 1 1 1 1 1 V tl . I , , ' I ' - ... - 1 - .....
The President is a progressive man.
luuy anve to me neeus oi mo vuimj
and next Winter he will present a pro
gramme of beneficial legislation to
Congress. This programme Mr. Can
non will fight by his usual clandestine
methods, and If he can he will defeat
it. He will act toward Mr. Taffs ad
vanced ideas precisely as he did
toward Mr. Roosevelt's, for the
Speaker Is a thoroughgoing reaction
ary and a loyal servitor of the privi
leged Interests.
But, now that a fight has been start
ed against him In his own party, his
power for evil will necessarily be
greatly curtailed. He can no longer
carry" out his quiet and Invisible
schemes so smoothly as heretofore:
Thitm la .imp hone that he cannot
carry them out at all. Mr. Fowler is
an able and determnioa man. ne is
the best financier In the lower house,
and It Illustrates the evil of Cannon
ism that ti e Speaker was able to de
prive the country of Mr. Fowler's serv
ices by his mere fiat out of pure per
sonal "malice. But the deed has been
done and now the member from New
Jersey can lose nothing and may gain
a great deal by fighting Mr. Cannon
and dethroning him. Nor will he lack
help. Victor MurdocK. of Kansas, a
valiant knight, will be at his side un
failingly, and pretty nearly all the
Congressmen from the Middle West
will back them up. Thus attacked by
strong and relentless men of his own
party. Mr. Cannon will hardly be the
power he has been. He cannot block
Mr. Taffs programme as he did
Roosevelt's, though he would like to
play the same old game again. More
over, the country is entitled to the
services or the strong and Independent
members of Congress, even If the
Speaker does not love them, and his
power to treat them like disobedient
schoolboys ought to be cut off. It Is
an unhealthy growth on our Govern-ment-
SCTKNCE ASD FRATERNAL INM'KANC'E.
One of the hopeful signs of the
times Is the dawn of common sense
over the realm of fraternal Insurance.
The beneficiary societies seem to have
more than 8.000.000 certificates In
force, which carry obligations amount
ing to nine billion dollars. The beauty
of the situation Is that the great body
of the insured is now approaching old
age. and death. Naturally the nine
billion dollars of Insuarnce will fall
due with terrible speed In the next few
years, and the societies are confronted
with the question where the money Is
to come from. The- old-fashioned
assessment system was based on prin
ciples altogether misleading. It as
sumed, that a fraternal order 'could
continually secure new members
enough to keep the death durts down
to a reasonable figure, but the lesson
of experience is that this cannot be
done. New members will Join new
societies, while In the old ones the
paving members are crushed under a
burden which time makes heavier and
heavier.
The only way to avoid this Is to
load the assessments in the beginning
with a large enough sum to meet the
heavier cost of Insurance in old age.
The societies which have done this
stand firm as the crisis approaches.
Those which have not done it must
either impose cruel burdens upon their
old and faithful members or else go
Into bankruptcy. There is no other
choice. The principles of mathemat
ics and the tables of mortality are just
as true for beneficiary societies as for
the old-line companies. Whenever
they are Ignored the penalty Is sure to
follow. Fraternal insurance Is now
safer and more scientific .than it was
years ago, but President Hereford's
address at the National Fraternal Con
gress In Colorado Springs shows that
some of the orders still .think they can
defy the multiplication table and pros
per. It is not difficult to foresee their
fate.
ExcrRsrvE and discursive.
Spain held the primacy among na
tions four centuries ago, and down
nearly to three centuries ago. She had
the empire of the world, and her in
fluence and power were Impressed on
most lands in both hemispheres, -fshe
lost the empire of the world by her
effort to enforce a dogmatic religious
system.
As Christianity was an offshoot of
Judaism, so is Protestantism an off
shoot of Roman Catholic Christianity.
The "protest" against Greek Chris
tianity is still to come. It is beginning.
Indeed; bur its progress will depend
largely on political", social-and indus
trial conditions, throughout the Rus
sian Empire and related states.
The religious principle sets up its
creeds and formulas, and endeavors to
enforce them. It fails, and ever will
fail; for no expression of the religious
principle or sentiment in man can
have continuance or permanence. The
change in religious conception and
expression, as in all other opinions
and concerns of human life, Is inces
sant. But the natural tendency of a
predominant religious sentiment in
any state is .to ally itself with politi
cal power, for support and enforce
ment of the combined policy of church
and state. The world is nearly deliv
ered from this combination. France,
Italy and even Spain, are getting clear
of It. It still prevails in Russia and
in Turkey one Christian, the other
Mohamedan.
The struggle of. the world to clear
Itself of the forms of religion, worship
ped by many for religion itself, is not
yet nearly ended. Here are. still a
number of mighty good people who
shudder at the thought that President
Taft Is to lay the corner stone of a
"Universallst" church at Portland.
Why, of course, you know It Is im
possible for people to be "saved" un
less they "believe" as we do!
Said Oliver Wendell Holmes, to the
divinity student at the breakfast
table -"If a man hangs my ancient
female relatives for sorcery, as they
did in this neighborhood a little while
ago. or burns my instructor for not
believing as he does, I care not more
for his religious edicts than I should
for those of any other barbarian."
Excuse for this quotation lies in the
fact that a lot of people have been
interesting themselves in the centenary
of Oliver Wendell Holmes.
COURAGE IN THE OHIO WRECK.
- The detailed account of the wreck
of the steamer Ohio in North Pacific
waters last Thursday night is a- story
of heroism that Is too often unrelated
in connection with shipwreck. Three
members of the crew the purser,
wireless operator and quartermaster
gave their lives to save those of the
passengers. More than this, the pas
sengers themselves acted well the part
of courage, and the captain and the
surviving members of the crew acquit
ted themselves of duty nobly.
The rapidity with which the ship
filled and sank gave token both of the
age of the vessel and of her terrible
impact with the rock, which grimly
disputed her passage. Thirty minutes
from the time that she struck the sea
closed over the ship. In the mean
time everybody In authority had been
busy, and in midnight darkness, a
swirling sea and a drenching rain, the
ship's boats carried every passenger
and most of her crew to safety.
"Women and children first," rang
out above the sound of - wreck and
w-jnd the voice of Captain Johnson.
The fidelity and courage with which
this order was obeyed causes this ship
wreck In far northern waters to stand
out in bold comparison with many a
shipwreck on the Atlantic. Notable
In this respect was the wreck of a
French liner off Newfoundland a few
years ago, from which not one woman
or child escaped. In spite of the most
strenuous efforts on the part of the
captain and the first ofnoer'of the ship
the women were crowded back, the
Children roughly thrown aside and the
men took possession of the boats.
Perhaps men wrought upon by fear
and facing death should not be judged
too harshly. Certainly, when putting
personal safety aside and giving pref
erence in mortal stress to those less
able than, themselves to buffet unmer
ciful disaster they are entitled to hon
orable mention.
A CAM. FOR GOVERNMENT AX. INQUIRY.
That there is a real grievance be
hind the strike of the foreign laborers
who have been employed at McKees
Rocks. Pa., by the Pressed Steel Car
Company. Is more than probable.
These "men, it appears, are foreigners
who are not affiliated with labor
unions. Because of their relative help
lessness, as foreigners unacquainted
with the. language of the country,
conditions of supply, etc., they have
been subject to the most cruel exac
tions of the company in regard to
hours, wages and prices charged for
the common necessities of life. The
strike and its riotous accompaniment
are, according to competent authority,
the direct result of "unbearable and
unbelievable conditions forced upon
these defenseless and helpless wage
workers." In view of this statement from a
responsible source, and of the Inex
pressibly shocking condition of these
desperate smen and their wretched
families in the center of a prosperous
American community, It is high time
that some power of official, prudential
and humane potency should take cog
nizance of the sufferings of these peo
ple. The case is one that, in the opinion
of Secretary Morrison, of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor, demands In
quiry by the Government through the
department of Commerce and Labor.
The suggestion is a timely one, or if
not timely, it is long overdue. In such
rights as these people have chief of
which is the right to earn their bread
and that of their families by labor, at
a wage sufficient to buy Immunity
from hunger and nakedness-they
should be protected. "
Not all of the grave disaster that re
sults from the violent Impact of mov
ing vehicles can be charged up
against the automobile. Nor is the
careless driver always a .chauffeur.
The collision between a Russell-Shaver
car and a wagon drawn by horses and
loaded with persons coming home
from a picnic was -clearly an act of
reckless driving on the part of the
teamster or car motorman, or both.
An empty car, speeding to the barn; a
wagon containing merry-makers anx
ious to get home after a long day in
the woods; the motorman running his
car at a high rate of speed within the
city limits, upon the presumption that
he had a clear right of way; a driver
who thought "by increasing the speed
of his horses that he could clear the
track before the rapidly-moving car
reached the crossing these' were the
elements that placed in jeopardy the
lives of eight or ten persons, caused
the death of one and resulted in more
or less serious Injury to half a dozen
others. As far as reports of the acci
dent now show, the drivers of both ve
hicles "took chances," with the result
above chronicled. The game is one so
constantly and so recklessly played
that the wonder in regard to its out
come is not that it occasionally results
disastrously, but that It is so generally
played with Impunity.
The Government Is in the market
for several thousand tons of hay and
oats for shipment to. Panama. Con
trary to usual custom, Portland has
been invited to bid on the order. The
advantages of Portland as a market
for. grain and forage are so well
known all over V.ie world that Portland
dealers have but little difficulty in win
ning the orders of men who buy and
sell on a strictly business system. Un
fortunately for our dealers, there has
been in the past a tendency on the
part of the Government to either bar
Portland out of the bidding or' to insist
on delivery at points impossible for
this city to reach, except at great
additional cost. If- the Government
does not bind too much red tape
around its proposals, Portland will
have an excellent chance to secure the
Panama order.
The threatened extinction of Port
land as a wheat port, which was freely
predicted by the Tacoma Tribune a
few weeks ago, does not appear to be
near at hand. " Last Saturday's Ta
coma Ledger, In an article which as
sured us that "daily receipts are
growing rapidly," gave the number of
carloads received at Tacoma for the
first five days vlast week as eighty
eight. The receipts at Portland for
the same five days were 243 carloads.
The movement is not yet well under
way this season, but there is every rea
son to believe that the relative posi
tion of the two ports will remain
throughout the season about as it now
stands. If there is any material
change, it will be in Portland's favor.
Announcement of better service on
the short railroad between Medford
and Jacksonville recalls how the
county" seat of Jackson missed the op
portunity to retain its place as the
chief city of Southern Oregon. When
the Oregon & California (now South
ern Pacific) was extending its line to
the Siskiyous, twenty-five years ago,
it offered, for a comparatively small
bonus, to make a detour so that Jack
sonville would be on the main line.
The town declined to raise it, so Jack
sonville was left "'out In the cold." If
the railroad had gone to Jacksonville
the probability is the active and rap
Idly growing City of Medford would
never have sprung.lnto existence.
"Water, water everywhere, nor any
drop to drink." This plaint of the
"Ancient Mariner" represents the con
dition of thousands of flood-beleaguered
people in the inundated regions
around about Monterey, Mex. Sani
tary conditions, following the subsid
ence of the waters, will prove a men
ace greater than the flood Itself. The
situation is one to arouse the greatest
compassion and to call for at least sec
ondary aid in the re-establishment of
the people in their homes and in the
promotion of sanitary regulations that
will enable them to live therein.
The old barracks at Fort Canby,
which have long been in a state of
dilapidation, are soon to be repaired
and properly fitted up ror accommoda
tion of fifty enlisted men and one
commissioned officer, who will be In
charge with the duty of keeping the
guns of the fort in order. This is'
well. Our coast defences are In
adequate enough, if kept in emergency
condition.
Orville Wright denies that he is en
gaged to or about to marry Miss Ada
Miller. "I do not know Ada Miller,"
declares Mr. Wright, a statement need
lessly supplemented by the assertion:
'The story is untrue." This, it may
be hoped, will set speculation concern
ing Mr. Wright's matrimonial Inten
tions at rest, before they take on Hob
Bonlan proportions.
The Jewish Tribune (Portland), re
plying to a critic, says, truly, that
there Is no hint In the Old Testament
of belief In a future life. That Is true,
though many modern exegetes, in the
interest of various religious creeds,
have tried to read such doctrine and
belief into various Old Testament
passages.
It is gravely announced, in connec
tion with the Ballinger-PInchot im
broglio, that some persons in official
circles have been "talking altogether
too much." Thus perishes another of
our cherished traditions. There are
no women in the official circle wherein
this strife has been brewed.
If it shall be understood that access
to the President, at Portland, can be
had only through Senator Bourne, the
people, of course, will govern them
selves accordingly.
When the Senate committee on irri
gation reaches Portland tomorrow, the
Commercial Club's committee on Irri
gation ought not to ask too often
"What's yours?"
There seem to be too many health
authorities whose duty it Is to guard
Portland's food and milk. What is
everybody's business is nobody's busi
ness. Dr. Brougher's dilemma comes not
from the salary question, we are told.
There ought to be. no dlfficjilty, then,
In deciding.
Is each nation going to decide for
itself which of them won the greatest
honor in last week's aerial contests?
Within the past week tt has been
demonstrated beyond dispute that
aviation is not a local matter.
Let us accept Mr. Harrlman's state
ment of his physical condition at its
face value. He knows.
EDITORIAT. SQUABBLES OUTDATED.
Great Writers Once Ensnared In Liter
ary Brawls, but Successors Do Not.
New York Post.
The early history of New York jour
nalism is filled with stories of feuds
and affrays. A belligerent editor had
then to stand ready to back up his
sroose-quill with cane or pistol. Vio
lent attacks were common, and the
duello was not unknown. The Evening
Post had, from the first, a reputation
for not being a ruffianly newspaper,
yet its annals show that even Its edi
tors were not able to keep wholly out
of the journalistic tradition. For ex
ample, it once paid Its respects to two
editors of competing Journals, In the
following lines, which can hardly be
said to breathe sweetness and light:
'Lie on. Duan, lie on for pay;
And, Cheetam, lie thou too
More against truth you cannot Bay
Than truth can say 'gainst you.
This was before the editorship of
William Cul!en"Bryant, but that vener
ated man's biographer records the fact
that "once he so lost the control of
himself that he Inflicted personal chas
tisement upon an adversary who had
given him the lie direct." Tempora
mutantur!
It is needless to speak of later pe
riods in New York newspaper exper
ience, when sudden reversions to the
old savage methods startled, or
amused, the community. The later as
saults have been purely verbal. When
"Judas" and "Ananias" were being
flung back and forth like missiles, not
even the most imaginative reporter ex
neoterl to see real bullets flying. The
antagonists had merely the fury of
their journalistic forebears, not their
readiness to follow word with blow.
But even their- kind of newspaper
quarreling has now dropped below tne
horizon. It lingers in country journal
ism, where the habits are more per
sistent and the personal element more
pronounced, but city editors have, for
the most part, silently abandoned it.
Certain reasons for this change In
iniirnallstle manners are odvious
People In general are better behaved
than they used to be, and it would be
a pity if newspaper men had not
shared In the common improvement,
and learned to repeat with satisrac
tion Colonel Newcome's favorite quo
tation about emolllt mores. Then, too
the Fourth Estate has now acquired a
dignity which it once did not possess,
and feels under an obligation to sup-
nort it suitablv. When editors had to
fight for recognition at all, it was not
unnatural that they snouia occcusion
ally exercise their vocabularies and
their fists upon each other; but now
that their calling has acquired stand
ing, thev are charged with the con
duct of large property interests, there
is no need of their old offensive assert
iveness and Quarrelsomeness. We
think, also, that the newspaper readers
have had an Influence. They nave
lost their taste for newspaper rows.
Most of these are unintelligible to the
Dublic. A certain element, it Is true,
enjoys a fight, whether it understands
the cause or not, but most editors have
no fancy for furnishing the same sort
of sport that a couple of newsboys
would when pummeling each other In
the street or tearing out each other's
hair. Hence the growing tendency to
avoid mere newspaper disputes, and to
adopt the Tennysonian rule, when
venomously attacked, that the noblest
answer to all such is perfect stillness
when they brawl.
This general disappearance of per
sonal editorial disputes in print, we
must account a distinct gain, on the
whole, for both the public and Journal
Ism. There was, however, a certain
vigor and directness about the old style
which It would be a misfortune entire
ly to lose. Horace Greeley's voice
often sounded shrill In his perennial
controversies, but he made himself felt
as a man of intense convictions and a
power on the side of many good causes.
The manner, we may see vanish with
out regret, but the substance ought
Jealously to be preserved. In a great
civic struggle for righteousness, like
that in San Francisco, editors must
use plain language about their col
leagues who go wrong, and we trust
the time will never come when news
papers will be afraid to tell the truth
about an unscrupulous and mischievous
political agitator, even If he happen
to be nominally an editor. Such a di
rect attack cannot be called a news
paper squabble; It Is merely a fight
for political honesty.
Understood at Last.
Freeman Tilden, In Smart Set
In her childhood she was sad, be
cause she felt that no one understood
her.
In her girlhood she was alone no
body seemed to understand.
Then she became a woman, and she
hoped that the man would understand
But he didn't. All he knew was that
he wanted to make her happy, so of
course he couldn't. ,
At last she met someone who under
stood. He was a musician who played
the violin two dollars' worth In a
forty-cent table d'hote where the
water was excellent.
He told her that she was as beauti
ful as the rose
That her eyes were like the sky
above Capri
That she had a Soul that called to
his soul
And borrowed money of her early
and often.
"At last I am understood," she said.
Dent Forget How to Walk.
Baltimore Sun.
The trolley car, the automobile and
the train have made transportation so
easy that people seldom walk any
more. They ride to business, to the
theater, the store, the resort, from the
country Into town, f(rom one street to
another, until walking has become al
most a lost art. In a generation or two
more we will forget how to use our
legs. Man is by nature a walking ani
mal. He was never made to sit still
and be swiftly moved from place to
place, and he is beginning to show the
results of failure to use the motor
muscles. He is becoming too fat and
pudgy, and no small portion of his ill
health might be traced to this failure
to develop his muscles and use his
physical faculties.
New Face and Scalp In Three Years.
Boston Dispatch.
Stephen Calabro, 2a years old, of
Qtilncy, Mass., who was seriously
scalded, has Just been discharged from
the Massachusetts General Hospital lit
erally with a new face and scalo, fol
lowing a series of operations among
the most remarkable in surgical his
tory, extending over a period of three
years and done as a work of scientific
interest by Dr. Charles A. Porter, of
the Harvard Medical School.
Odorless Onion Is Scored.
Philadelphia Press.
Announcement is made that the odor
less onion has been discovered. No
doubt an onion with any other smell
will taste as sweet. But no longer
can It be 6ald that "in onion there is
strength."
Shortnand Writer, 6 Years, Wins Prize.
New York Press.
Harold Hunt. 6 years old, of Bristol,
England, has won a prize for rapid
shorthand writing. He can write at
the rate of 80 words a minute.
Turkey Enters a Laying Contest.
Baltimore News.
A turkey owned by Mrs. E. M. Davis,
near BrooKvine. nas iaia iuu eggs since
April 1 of this year, and it is still busy.
LAND TAX IN BRITAIN KEEN ISSUE
New Toll on .Increments and Unde
veloped Land Sets Kingdom by Ears.
Baltimore Sun.
The livest issue in British politics to
day is the proposed tax upon land
values by the imperial government.
After a debate of several weeks, in
which the Conservative minority re
sorted to all the obstructive tactics
permissible under British parliamen
tary procedure, the House of Commons
passed the clauses of the revenue bill
imposing a tax on land values. The
proposed tax wag denounced -in the
House of Commons by Mr. Balfour,
formerly Prime Minister and now the
leader of the minority in the lower
branch of Parliament, as revolutionary,
unconstitutional and class legislation
of the worst description. It was de
fended by Mr. Asqulth, the Liberal
Prime Minister, as Just and equitable.
The elimination of the land tax pro
visions of the bill by the House of Lords
would intensify tne feeling of hostility
to that branch of ' the British Parlia
ment. It might lead to a dissolution of
Parliament and an appeal to the lect
ors by the Liberal government not
only on the issue of the taxation on
land, but also on the issue of far
reaching reforms In the composition of
the House of Lords and further restric
tions upon its powers. It is possible,
of course, that the Conservative party
might be restored to power, as the re
sult of a new parliamentary election.
But the fact that the London Times
and the London Mail, representing all
shades of opinion in the Conservative
party, are now urging the leaders of
that party to accept the budget is re
garded in Great Britain as evidence
that the majority of British voters are
not opposed to the land tax.
In a notable speech a few days ago
the Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith, de
fended the proposed tax on land and
pronounced it sound and Just In every
point of view. It will cost the British
government $10,000,000 to make the
valuations provided in the bill. It was
at first provided that the cost should
be paid by the landholders and that
their right of appeal from the assessors
should be limited to an appeal to cer
tain referees provided in the bill. The
Liberal Ministry agreed to amend the
bill so as to place the costs upon the
government. On the advice of the Lord
Chief Justice another amendment was
adopted granting the landholders the
right of appeal to the High Court of
Justice. The revenue from this tax for
the first year, it is estimated, will be
about $1,600,000, but Mr. Asquith stated
significantly that the tax will be a
"fruitful one" later on. Then he added,
as "elementary propositions":
These taxes are no', taxes upon land at all;
they are taxes, all of them, on the added
value the realized or the realizable value
mark that! given to land by social causes.
Next, thay do not apply, any of them, to
agricultural land long and so far as It
can fairly and prop'erly be so described.
Further, they do not apply to land which Is
used for public purposes or In the public
Interest. Again, In assessing and exact
ing them, we do not go back upon the past.
We Btart as the datum line for all future
values, with the day when the budget of
the present year was Jntroduced.
Mr. Asquith cited a case in which cer
tain land had Increased in rental value.
through "social causes," 10 or 15 times
more than its value a few years ago; al
though the owner had done nothing to
improve the property or increase its
value. "Is it not fair," he asked, "that
the state should step in now and say
when this great additional value is
realized, "We are entitled not to the
whole of it, but we are entitled to levy
a toll upon it for the purposes of the
community which has created if?" This
is a tax on increments, the government
taking Its toll when the additional
capital value Is realized, according to
the Prime Minister's explanation. "In
the case of undeveloped land the duty
Is taken annually, but only if and so
far as it can be shown that the land has
at this moment a realizable market
value over and above Its value as agri
cultural land." There are large areas
In Great Britain away from the towns
and growing communities which. In Mr.
Asquith's Judgment, while still kept as
agricultural land, might be put to a
use that would bring to the owners a
much -larger rental than they receive at
present. This land Is Increasing in
value every year, but the community
derives no benefit from It, although In
many cases, It is contended, it could
be used profitably for building and for
other improvements.
The tax on the capital value of unde
veloped land Is fixed at a half-penny tn
the pound Bterling. On increments it
is larger. One-half of the proceeds is
to go to the local authorities, the other
half to the imperial government. The
opponents of the tax assert that it is
not designed to serve the fiscal needs
of the government for the present year,
but that it has a totally different and
ulterior object in view. Mr. Balfour
denounces the valuation project -as "a
mechanism for carrying out some so
cial scheme of the government and
their Radical and Socialist allies." Our
esteemed contemporary, the London
Telegraph, asserts that "the Radicals
and Socialists avowedly mean to raise
the increment and undeveloped land
taxes to the highest power of their
most ambitious schemes." And so the
land holders profess to see confiscation
and ruin staring them in the face If
the "House of Lords does not come to
their rescue.
Medal for Faithful Service,
Drain Nonpareil.
J. Culy, tor some time employed by
the Southern Pacific Company as
pumper in the yard in this city, has
been presented with a silver medal by
the company for superior care, and
for having the most perfect pump
house In the entire system. There
have been but two medals presented
for the year 190S. one to Mr. Culy, and
the other to the pumper at Salem. On
one side of the medal are the words,
"For Perfect Pump-House." occupying
the center, and surrounded by a scroll,
and on the reverse side the words,
"Southern Pacific Company," circle the
medal, and across thfi center are the
words "Lines in .Oregon"; above this
is a picture of the rising sun and be
low a miniature railroad bed with ties
and rails, emblematic of the words
"Rising to the setting sun." A silver
pin is attached to it, which is above
the medallion, and on one side of this
is the date, 1908. and on the other the
name of Mr. Culy.
Samson In the Marriage Line.
Oregon City Enterprise.
W. W. H. Samson, the veteran Jus
tice of Clackamas County, probably
holds the record of the Willamette
Valley, if not the entire state, for the
number of weddings officiated at or
participated in. During the 23 years of
his official life- Mr. Samson has assist
ed in no fewer than 250 marriage cere
monies, 96 of which have taken place
in his residence. During this time he
has started in double harness some of
the most notable characters of the
State of Oregon. One of the first
weddings Mr. Samson ever assisted In
was that of W. E. Maxum, now at the
Bremerton Navy-yard, over 40 years
ago. At that time store clothes were
a scarce article and the groom was
forced to borrow part of the wedding
suit from Mr. Samson. Mr. Maxum
was in Oregon City not long ago and
paid Mr. Samson a visit, recalling the
incidents of the early days and laugh
ing over boyish escapades.
A Syndicate Bnby.
Washington (Iowa) Democrat.
A girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. Walter
Fishburn and also to Mr. and Mrs. W.
O. Ralston and Mr. and Mrs. Tad Plum-mer.
Life's SunnySide
One of the wives of a Mormon come
ing downstairs one morning met the
physician who was attending her hus
band. "Is he very ill?" she asked anxiously.
"He is," replied the physician. "I
fear the end is not far oft."
"Do you think," she as'.ced, "I should
be at his bedside during his last mo
ments?" "Yes, but I advise you to hurry. The
best places are already being taken."
Human Life.
"Which do you like best," said Meand
ering Mike, "de city or de country :
"Well," answered Plodding Pete, "de
closeness togedder of de houses in town
makes it convenient. But I likes de
country because dere's Just about walk
in' enough to give you an appetite be
tween hand-outs." Washington (D. C.)
Star.
M. Georges Clemencau, the defeated
premier of France, sometime ago at
election time established a free dispen
sary and consultation-room in his elec
toral quarter. One morning a man en
tered, and M. Clemenceau, who was a
physician before he became a politician,
brusquely told him to take off his shirt
so that he might be examined.
After looking at the visitor's tongu
and feeling his pulse, Clemenceau r.
marked: "Not much wrong here. What
do you think you want?"
"I want to be a postman," replied the
man. And he got an appointment.
London Globe.
"My husband has been out late every
evening this week attending Important
club meetings."
"Yes. so has mine they belong to the
same club, you know."
"Why, how queer! My husband says ha
hasn't seen your husband this Summer."
Cleveland Leader.
Herr Schulzer J am trying to make
your parrot talk, but he won't.
Newly Knighted Parvenu 'Ah. he won't
talk to ordinary people now. Meggendor
fer Blaetter.
Alice In Wonderland said she could
easily believe six impossible things be
fore breakfast.
"How fitted for a clubman's wife,"
they exclaimed.
Sad to relate, however, she missed her
obvious destiny. New York Times.
"That, my dear," said the husband,
who had been supping not wisely, but
too well, "was a real soul kiss."
"So I Judge," said the wife, wlthdraw
ingly coldly from his embrace, "from the
amount of spirits I notice in it. London
Tit-Bits.
She Well, you married me with your
eyes open.
He Yes, and I haven't closed them
since. St. Louis Times.
Scott Is Jones married?
Mott I guess not. I never heard him
blame his wife for anything. Boston
Transcript.
He tolled for wealth both night and day;
' A chance for gain he never mlssod.
At last he had enough to pay
The cost of a nerve specialist.
Exchange.
A man met a physician he knew, and,
being one type of grafter, he thought to
work him for a free prescription. After
some talk he asked, quite incidentally.
"Doctor, what would you give for a
sore throat?"
"Nothing." replied the physician
promptly, for he knew his man. "I
don't want a sore throat." Philadelphia
Record.
Letter Carrier Rainy weather, farmer.
Farmer Yes; our boarders are all
kickln'.
L C They can't blame you for the
weather.
F. Can't, eh? Gosh, some of 'em seem
to think I ought to furnish moonlight
nights. Boston Transcript.
; I
Concrete In Ancient Mexlcot
Springfield Republican.
At last archaeologists have advanced a
reasonable theory regarding the Im
mense ruins In Mexico and Central
America which testify to the remark
able achievements of a vanished peo
ple, and one likely to be better ap
preciated In this age of concrete than
ever before. The new contention is
that the great buildings, supposed to
have been built of stone, were really
created of concrete that was made in
molds of gigantic size. Here is an ex
planation which explains, and also lies
within the realm of the possible. Our
boasted civilization has only recently
reached the point of large concrete con
struction, and It is not difficult to be
lieve that it Is one of the arts about
which Wendell Phillips used to lecture.
The difficulty that must hnve attended
the transportation of what have been
believed to be colossal stone blocks
vanishes if tnoy were really made of
concrete, for which abundant material
was easily obtainable. It is also pos
sible that the remote race concerned
achieved better concrete construction
than we have yet obtained. The
abundant carving of a comparatively
crude sort that appears In the remains
of these ruined cities could have been
done in concrete. The last word has
not been spoken in this matter, of
course, but the theory commends itself.
The Illinois Primary Law.
Chicago Inter-Ocean.
The legislative committee of New
York will find in Illinois that the di
rect primary instead of increasing the
Interest and Influence of the average
citizen in public affairs, lessens one
and cripples the other.
They will find that under the direct
primary the idle electorate has visibly
increased.
They will find here plenty of theor
ists and immediate beneficiaries to talk
i Koraiitips for the direct
primary. They will not find one who
will dare to jusiuy us riui icr.unj..
Illinois has seen and felt how the di
rect nrlmarv works, and doesn't care
for any more, thank you.
If the New Yorkers are willing to
profit hy the painful experience of oth
ers they will find here all they need.
Uncle 10, Aunt 8, at Boy's Pnrty.
Philadelphia North American.
An uncle of 10 years, Percy Stickel,
and an aunt of 8, Mildred Stickel, Jour
neyed all the way from Harrisburg,
Pa- to attend the fiftti birthday cele
bration of their nephew, Clyde Everett
Morris Stickel, of 436 North Sixty-second
street.
About 25 children gathered on the
lawn, whicH , was brilliantly lighted
with Japanese lanterns, and under the
care of the lad's mother and Miss Irene
Moore were royally entertained.
Later in the evening the young host,
his Juvenile relatives and the small
guests took a straw ride, and returned
just in time to find the refreshments
awaiting them.
Waahlnarton's Primary Law.
Seattle Times.
The primary law of this state de
prives the citizen in placing candidates
before the people and It does this hy
compelling that citizen to vote twice
instead of once and by so doing his
second vote stultifies the first.