15, 1900.
IU . - :
&)t (Drfrrimmtt
POKTLAXD. ORKOOX.
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PORTLAXD. FRIOAY, OCTOBER 15. 190.
THB OFP06IT1! FOLKS.
The world may hope there will be
no more search for the South Pole,
lest Its discovery should be followed
by another Cook-Peary controversy,
with weariness-to mankind.
But there probably never will be
danger of discovery of the South Pole.
Geographical conditions seem to ren
der the near approach of man to the
South Pole Impossible. Distribution
of land and sea in the northern and
southern hemispheres is very dissim
ilar About the South Pole the land
masses are far greater than those to
wards the North, and this has led to
marked diversities of climate in the
Arctic and Antarctic regions. ' The
form and arrangement of continents
and Islands are such as to favor t:.e
transfer of warm ocean currents to
the north, far in excess of those to
wards the south; and land in a very
gr.at continental body Is believed to
e: circle the region of the South Pole.
It is a region, therefore, not pene
trated by the warmer ocean currents;
hence probably, the reason why Its
frigidity exceeds that of the opposite
Pole. - MM
It la certain that. -climatic condi
tions depend largely on the physical
features of the earth's surface, on the
peculiar distribution of land and water
on the globe, and on the general per
manence of the position of the con
tinental and oceanic areas. Oceanic
currents, which so greatly modify
climates, are resultants of this distri
bution of land and sea. The land sur
face of our globe appears, as geologists
believe, to have consisted from early
time of three great masses In the
north temperate - zone, narrowing
southward, and terminating in three
comparatively narrow extremities rep
resented' by Southern America, South
Africa and Australia. Towards the
ncrth these masses have approached
each other, and have sometimes be
come united, leaving beyond them a
considerable area of open Polar sea.
Towards the south they appear never,
to have been much rurther extended
than at present; but far beyond their
xtremities an extensive mass of land
has occupied the south Polar sea.
This preponderance of land within the
Antarctic circle Is known, moreover.
In many places to rise to mountainous
elevations. This arrangement of sea
about one Pole and of land about the
other would cause the Northern Hemi
sphere to be warmer (as it now Is)
than' the southern; since It would lead
to the preponderance of northward
winds and ocetn currents carrying
v.armth to the North Polar regions.
These streams of air and ocean, it is
b heved, would be greatly increased
in power by the extreme glaclatlon of
the South Polar land. Ice therefore
accumulates in the south, while a thin
coating of snow, mostly melted. In
Summer, Is observed In the north.
The contrasts, as Dr. Croll, in his
Climate and Time," remarks, react
upon climate to such an extent that In
the southern ocean islands in the lati
tude of Ireland have glaciers descend
ing to the sea, and constant snow
storms in the height of Summer, al
though th earth is then actually
nearer the sun than it Is during our
Summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
Tet it is certain that the Northern
Hemisphere once was much warmer
than I. Is now. Of this, the palaeon
tolog'cal evidence, surviving In the
fossil auna -and flora of the northern
regions, as high as the Arctic Circle,
affords amplest proofs. There were
temperate climates within the present
Arctic regions, as (Indicated by fossil
remains; and within the present tem
perate regions are fossils In abund
ance, that In life were tropical or sub
tropical throughout. This is true alike
of animal and plant organisms. The
proof Is complete, but the causes of
the change are obscure or conjectural.
They are believed, however, to have
relation to striking changes of the
distribution of land and water on the
globe. The time is supposed to have
been when there was even freer move
ment of the warm oceanic currents to
the north than we witness now; and
it is certain that the time was, when
a much milder climate than we now
have prevailed over the whole North
ern Hemisphere. This, too, must have
been within a comparatively ; recent
period of geologic time, but perhaps
before the northern continents or land
masses had become so consolidated as
they now are. by which the currents
towards the Pole have been partially
obstructed. Marty other causes may
have contributed to the great change,
or even may have been prime factors
in it. as change in the position of the
earth's axis of rotation, change of
the obliquity of the ecliptic or plane
of the earth's orbit, or combined ef
fect of -he precession of the equinoxes
and .of variations in the eccentricity
of the orbit of our planet. These last
changes fall within strict demonstra
tion of astronomical mathematics, yet
their actual effect is not, thus far,
within the province of sure human
knowledge. But what is certain Is
the fact that semi-tropical life once
existed in regions far towards the
North Pole.
Explorations of Antarctic regions
probably never will be carried far, or
produce any practical results. Land
masses and obstruction of ocean cur
rents Increase the severity of the
climate about the South Pole, beyond
human endurance; and it must be re
garded as extremely Improbable that
those regions, so .barricaded by frost
and ice, will be penetrated' by man.
as far as the Pole itself.
Mr. Hill announces that he has no
Intention of continuing his Central
Oregon line into California. This may
be true so far as It concerns his pres
ent views of the matter, but before the
California line is reached by his track
laying machine he may .change his
mind". His chief competitor in the
field, the Harrman lines, are going
through to California with a line, and
would have a tremendous advantage
over Mr. Hill on the local traffic There
will be several million bushels of
wheat produced In the new territory,
and practically all of it will be needed
In California. The natural and most
economical route for that grain will be
south by rail, instead of north to Port
land and thence by water to" Califor
nia. We might be selfish enough1 to
wish that the traffic would all set In
this direction, but can hardly expect it
to do so.
MB. BRYANTS e QUALITY.
There is an opinion, at least an as
sertion. In opposition to The, Gre
gonlan. that Mr. Bryan is a great
thinker, a man of high Intellectual
power, who 'sways audiences," not
only by the magic of his eloquence,
but by force of prepotent thought and
philosop' y divine. Of course. The
Oregonian knows that Mr. Bryan Is
both an amiable man and an enter
taining speaker.; But his thought on
alt subjects is shallow or superficial.
This la the deliberate Judgment of
the country, delivered several times
by the country with increasing em
phasis each time. One doesn't like
to call 1.1m a mountebank, true as the
designation would be. nor would such
a word be employed were It not chal
lenged by his pretensions as a polit-1-
and social philosopher and oracle.
Wherever he goes he gathers large
audiences, to whom he makes speeches
that elicit applause. For the same
people who like and applaud "light"
reading also like and applaud "light"
orator-. . To be entertained by a
speaker, that Is, by an actor, who
speaks trifles In an easy manner that
saves the trouble and exertion of
thlnklrlg, makes an agreeable pastime.
It Is a tort of theatrical serio-comedy,
n ; at all to be treated with contempt.
"Dulce est desipere in loco," as one
said who put his observations in a
form that causes them to' be remem
bered. A creat many "intellectual" people
have gone to hear Mr. Bryan. Some
of. them I - applauded, chiefly be
cause they were interested enough to
be amused. They Iiave even admired
the. orator's power as an actor. Sev
er J times Portland has given him
large ar.dk nces. But it would appear
tlu-t thtre has teen a steady, decline
of appreciation of him In Oregon, since
the majority against him in this city
and state, at first very small, has in
creased enormously with each success
ive appearance he has made as a can
didate.. '.';
Mt. Bryan- Is excellent in voice, al
most admirable in gesture, has a
knack of easy speech, yet never says
anything. But it isn't the business
o. t:.t successful popular orator to
think, or to make his hearers think.
The strain is too great.- It Is his busi
ness to please, to entertain, to amuse.
Action is eloquence. Utterance of
thought from the platform, to an
audience that desires and expects di
version, relaxation, amusement, Is not.
As an orator Mr. Bryan Is very re
i -rkable. As. a thinker, as a man
of judgment, on the Important sub
jects which ihe country must con
sider and decide, he is among the sons
of the feeble and of the feeblopt. '
A MISTAKEN METHOD.
In reading the account of the exe
cution of Professor Francisco Ferrer
by order of the Spanish government
the first thought which strikes one is
that of the futility and wastefulness
of such deeds. If there were some
accurate way to measure the useful
ness of human beings and it were
possible to lump together all the good
to the world which ' Alfonso and his
advisers have ever done, or ever will
do.- assuredly it would prove insig
nificant in comparison with the work
of a single commonplace college
teacher. Mediocre of ability, barren
of information, arid of intelligence,
the Spanish King and the little junta
of Jesuitical reactionaries who control
him and make his people miserable
seem to have declared a war of ex
termination against modern ideas in
science, religion and politics. No
doubt they are seeking to practice
the lessons the Russion autocracy has
been teaching for many years and will
try to perpetuate their lease of power
by destroying the genius and scholar
ship of their country.
Government must, of course, be
maintained and the structure of so
ciety preserved. But in conceding this
necessary principle one cannot help
noticing that the most injurious gov
ernments struggle for existence-fully
as vigorously as the best and that no
social structure, however evil, was
ever brought to confess its own de
pravity. Alfonso Justifies the execu
tion of Professor Ferrer by the plea
that he preached republicanism and
endangered the stability of the reign
ing dynasty. Patrick Henry preached
republicanism and endangered King
George's power In America. We Jus
tify him on the ground that the royal
power was misused for injurious pur
poses. The people of Spain Justify
Professor Ferrer by the same plea.
If the cause ' of republicanism was
sacred a century and a half ago, it
is sacred today. If those who died
for it then were heroes and martyrs,
those who die for it today belong in
the same category. It la a facile
trick of men like Alfonso's subtle ad
visers to confuse those who resist evil
.government with those who attack all
government. The world abhors the
anarchist because it is believed that
he would resolve society into chaos.
The Spanish cabal which guides poor
.Alfonso's Infantile intelligence tries
therefore to affix the epithet' "anar
chist" to their victim. Some may be
deceived by the crafty device, but the
intelligent world understands pretty
well that Professor Ferrer was shot,
not because he was an anarchist, but
because he was a republican In pol
itics and a free-thinker in religion.
The experiment of seeking to sup
press progressslve thought by Im
prisonment and murder has been tried
so often and has failed .so uniformly
that one might almost expect It to
be abandoned some time or other.
Still, it never will. Men like those
who surround the pitiable King of
Spain never learn anything from, ex
perience. The futility of the meth
ods they use is even more striking
than their wastefulness of life and
genius, but failure after failure makes
no difference to your thorough-going
medievalist. He goes on repeating the
same old blunders blindly and stupidly
until something puts it out of his
power to blunder any more. Wise
statesmen recognize the truth that a
nation continually outgrows Its insti
tutions as children do their garments
I and In their programmes they make
room for timely changes of funda
mental laws and creeds. Occasionally
there comes a day when the only way
to save the social fabric from irre
parable violence is to unravel the warp
and woof and put them through the
loom again. The founders of the
United ftates Government recognized
this perfectly evident truth by pro
viding in the first instance for patch
ing our constitutional garments by
amendments and ultimately, when
patches will no longer avail, by calling
a convention to cut it from new cloth.
Washington and his compeers were
wise enough to forestall violent revolu
tion by peaceable evolution; and,
thanks to their- foresight, we have
come through a century and a half
with only a single civil war. while exe
cutions like that of Professor Ferrer
are unknown here. The lesson of it
I all Is that no government tan afford
J to seek safety by stifling ideas and that
the most ruinous way to prop.up a dy
nasty Is with, the dead bodies of schol
ars and thinkers.
THE ANNUAL KILLING. , .
The season for shooting Mongolian
pheasants and other 'upland birds
opened at midnight last night' and
scores of valorous nunters, guns In
hand and trained dogs at their heels,
set out on early trains and boats in
every direction, as eager to "bag the
limit," as though shadowed in' their
homes by. gaunt famine. . Not that
these men belong to the Order of An
cient and Plebeian Pot-Hunters. - No,
Indeed, they are members of the Or
der of Modern Sportsmen and by this
token are privileged to shoot not more
than five of these royal game birds
In one day during the season that ex
tends from October 15 to November
15 Inclusive. ......
The feast of fowl for these sportsmen-
and their friends; that follows
this killing period will not be quite
as generous as it has been in former
years, and perhaps not' quite as tooth
some, since, realizing the danger of
extinction that- menaced these game
birds, a law was enacted by the recent
Legislature restricting, the killing to
the cocks of the species. . . As for the
rest the great army of non-combatants
so to speak, not one In the
ranks can hope to get a taste of
pheasant pie this year,- though for
that matter their taste in this direc
tion has never been pampered.
CHECKING THE FIXW OF GOLD.
The Bank of England yesterday
advanced its rate to 4 per cent. An
advance of 1 per cent In a week in
the Bank of England rate in time of
peace would ordinarily result In a de
cided disturbance In finances through
out the world. The equanimity with
which yesterday's heayy advance was
received In the United States, how-'
ever, demonstrated that the country
had been fully as well braced for the
shock as'lt'-was in the tase of Mr,
Harrlman's death. The advance, how
ever, will hardly fall to send a tremor
throughout the money markets of the
world wherever legitimate business
seeks funds. - The ancient Institution
In Threadneedle street has for a great
many "years been the financial nerve
center of the world, and, fortunately
for the British reputation for conserv
ative business principles, it has so reg
ulated the flow of gold that legitimate
business is given preference over stock
gambling or any other form of finan
cial hysteria. ,
There are times when the legitimate
requirements of the world do not take
up all of the gold that can be spared
and the bank rate declines' to a point
where Wall street finds It profitable to
Import money and use It In stock gam
bling. A sharp advance In call money
rates in New York a few weeks ago
drove the Wall-street borrowers to Eu
rope for funds, and, while the bank
rate still remained at 2 $4 per cent,
some heavy loans were negotiated by
pools operating in Wall street. Had
the export business of -the United
States been moving in its usual vol
ume for this season of the year, a
much heavier balance of trade in favor
of the United States might have eased
the strain somewhat. But our exports
are some millions behind our expec
tations, and with a 4 per cent discount
rate we will hardly care to draw in ad
vance. One reason that this sharp advance
is unattended by the usual disturbing
Influences lies In the general knowl
edge that the gold is being drained out
into channels through which it will
soon return. The enormous shipments
of gold to Russia are easily explained
when it is noted that for. the four
weeks ending October 9 wheat exports
from that country to the United King
dom reached a v total of 27,288.009
bushels, worth approximately $30,000,
000. Russia owes everybody, and af
ter this gold has fulfilled Its duty as
"counters" in financing the crop it will
trickle back to Great Britain, Germany
and France. Turkey is also drawing
hecvlly on England for gold. The new
administration is planning modern im
provements on a large scale, and in
building railways and harbors can use
an immense amount of gold. South
America has drawn heavily on Europe
to finance the great San Paulo coffee
deal, and Egypt needs money for mov
ing the cotton crop.
These demands, together with others
of minor importance, have for the mo
ment spread England's gold supply out
rather thin, and Germany is in a simi
lar situation. France, however, has
very heavy reserves, and one effect of
this latest advance in the discount rate
will be the shifting of funds across the
Channel, for the French are a thrifty
race and like to keep their money
working. Wall street paid but little
attention to the advance In the rate
yesterday, as the announcement had
been so generally predicted that the ef
fect was well discounted. If the re
adjustment of world finances which al
ways follows a sharp advance in the
Bank of England discount rate can be
effected with no more serious results
than the checking of high finance in
Wall street, the nervousness In Thread
needle street will be of brief duration.
GIVE THE ANIMALS MORE ROOM.
Misery of discontent, as experienced
by the close captivity in which a lion
and a bear are kept in our City Park,
is again under discussion. That is to
say, the wretched, hopeless, confined
condition of these creatures of the wild
has again enlisted the pity of the piti
ful and called out an expression of
sympathy, together with -a plea- from
a correspondent for larger quarters
for these imprisoned animals.
When the matter of keeping these,
and other creatures of the wilds, in
cruelly restricted quarters In the park.
J was under discussion several months
ago. The Oregonian joined with those
of its correspondents who deprecated
this cruelty, in the view that if these
animals were to be kept for the amuse
ment of an idle throng, they should
have sufficient space In which to move
about with ease and some screen of
rocks or trees or cave to which they
might, retire for rest or seclusion.
Confinement of wild animals in a
properly constructed, well-ordered zoo
is one thing; confinement in close, un
suitable cages, in an ordinary pleasure
park, is quite another. Impatient,
restless, hopeless captives, irking at
their bondages; taking refuge when
completely tired out. in a stupor that
resembles sleep, only to rise and re
peat again and again for hours the
wretched pacing back and forth of
their narrow quarters,' these creatures
represent, above all things else. In their
captivity, the tyranny of absolute
power the conscienceless rule of the
strong, the pitiful oppression of the
weak.
The virtues of patience and submis
sion are not exemplified in the spec
tacle, since to the limit of the meager
opportunity . afforded by their . sur
roundings, these creatures are in open,
desperate, ceaseless revolt against their
fate. It is impossible to regard the
"king of beasts" (as in our school
days we were taught to consider the
Hon) with either awe or liking, when
he appears in the unklngly role of
chafing, ever chafing, at his surround
ings. .
Voiceless, except for the roar in
which anger and hate and useless de
fiance are blended, this creature of the
wild passes the days and years of a
bitter captivity, in utter deprivation of
everything that can contribute to his
animal comfort. Thus confined, he
is but an object-lesson in impatience,
Irritability, restlessness and unjust cap
tivity that is discreditable to his cap
tors. He deserves better treatment
than this. If not for his own sake, for
that of the children who gaze at him,
and whot by precept, we strive to
teach the virtues of kindness and Jus
tice and humanity as embodied in the
simple text of the Golden Rule.
Respect for the law, or at least for
some" of those who are enforcing it,
will not be increased by an Incident
reported in San Francisco, where a
young man who had escaped from a
reform school six years ago was arrest
ed on the old bench warrant issued
when he escaped. In the Interval the
young man had displayed energy
enough to build up a fine fruit busi
ness, which he lost during the fire, and
afterwards re-established. He was
conducting his business successfully
when arrested, and was apparently a
respectable, law-abiding citizen. To
wreck his no - promising career by
dragging up his youthful indiscretions
that landed him in the reform school
can hardly be regarded as In the best
Interests of society. Justice is said .to
move with leaden footsteps, and per
haps she sometimes thinks with a
leaden brain.
The limitations of the automobile
again came to light in the Illinois
bank robbery Wednesday. A quick
getaway with the swag was prevented
because the chauffeur was obliged to
crank up the machine before he could
start it. When the Younger brothers
and the James brothers and other yellow-backed
bankrobbers were supply
ing the newspapers with crime news,
about twenty-five years ago, the only
cranking up that was necessary, .when
they were ready to leave, was the in
sertion of a sharp pair of spurs In the
flank of a cayuse. They might not be
carried so far or so fast by the old
means of locomotion as they would be
by the automobile, but there was less
time lost in getting started. Up to
date the airship has not figured as a
part of a bankrobber's kit, but it may
come later.
It is not a matter of record, but it
may be just possible that when the
Chicago reporter was asked for the
source of his information regarding
the now (presumably) closed incident,
he may have Inadvertently remarked
that a' little bird told him. Secretary
Knox, ignoring the size specification of
the answer, probably jumped at con
clusions and thought it was a Crane.
As for the resigned minister, he knows
that he is no longer a bird, and un
doubtedly feels that he is a "goat."
A New England concience working
overtime compelled a man of Bell
ingham. Wash., to make confession to
a magistrate of the sin of killing a
Chinese pheasant out of season. His
acknowledgment of guilt was accepted,
a fine of $10 imposed and the man de
parted happy. It doesn't appear that
the sportsman's repentance helped the
pheasant any.
Private Insane asylums keep up
their well-earned reputation with one
necessary batch of disclosures after
another. The Crystal Springs affair
merely rehearses an old story. The
only safe refuge for crazy people Is
a public institution which is open
every day and hour to newspaper re
porters. The charming social custom of "set
ting up the drinks" has added another
murder to its long list. This one
came off at Prairie City. If "treating"
could be abandoned at once and for
ever the drink problem would be nine
tenths solved without any new laws
to help. .
In the whirl and hurry of the im
broglio the question "who vouches for
Commander Peary's veracity?" seems
to have been completely overlooked.
Wonder what response' St. John,
Lents and Llnnton are going to make
to Mayor Simon's Invitation, "Come in,
boys; the water's fine."
The reason no' doubt why Mr. Bryan
appears on the assessment roll as a
prosperous farmer is. that he, doesn't
run the farm himself.'
Sez President Taft to President
Dia2. sez he: "It's a long time be
tween .' Dry country down
there.
After today, Hans Wagner, Ty Cobb
and associates must make room on
the first page for Johnson and Ketchel.
Once more we are reminded that
baseball is an uncertain game. That's
what . makes K so mighty interesting.
Somebody ought to tell ex-Minister
Crane the story of the parrot and. the
fireworks.
As for those mutilated petitions it
must have been the office cat.
PICTURING A WORLD-WIDE A&
Some Fine Writing by Colonel George
Harvey Anent tae European Hush
Over England and Germany.
Harper's Weekly.
Mr. Chamberlain, the Sun's London cor
respondent, has a good title for his arti
cle In the October MoClure s he goi
from Lord Rosebery and a good article
under it. To our thinking, the husli in
Europe is decidedly more ominous than
the hysterical outcry of a year ago. When
men begin a quarrel, they raise their
voices; when they are thinking of ending
it, they grow quiet; and great nations are
menvery often, in their contacts with
one another, only two or three men. Amer
icans returning from abroad thia Autumn,
unless politically wise, probably have less
to say about England and Germany than
last year; if politically wise. more. A
world-wide tragedy, or a triumph o,f civ
ilization, may be uncomfortably close at
hand: uncomfortably, because of. the
chance that it is goipg to bo tragedy is
uncomfortably strong.
Europe strikes American eyes as being
built of stone, while America, to Euro
peans and returning Americans, seems
built of wood; but wooden houses with
stand earthquakes better than the state
liest stone ones, unless these are of very
modern construction. If Germany and
England do clinch and wrestle, only a
cosmic imagination can compass what
they will shake down: The spectacle will
be sublime we are human enough to re
call a similar remark of the London Spec
tator on the eve of our little scuffle with
Spain but we believe we should rather
not see it. To put it entirely selfishly, it
Is we, nowadays, we Americans, who. get
the keenest pleasure from the things they
would shake down.
And yet we are sufficiently American
minded and forerunning not to resist en
tirely the temptation to conjecture what
the spectacle would be like. If It Is to
come soon, England must take the in
itfative. Unless Germany has been in
conceivably skillful and successful in con.i
cealing the true- extent and swiftness of
her navy's growth, she is still some years
short of the point when she can afford to
strike. If England should strike, the
blow would follow hard upon the very
heels of her ultimatum, which would be
a demand for guarantees that Germany
6hall keep her naval strength within cer
tain bounds. Tha sea fighting might then
very well be .brief almost as brief as the
movements by which Japan gained con
trol nf tha bprs between her and Russia,
and substantially confined to a sea area
not much greater. The loss of life in it,
also, need not be very great, as compared
with the losses in land fighting. The
money loss would be relatively far great
er. But the millions that would go to the
nnttrvm mieht be accounted less truly a
loss. to humanity than if they now met
some real demand of civilization ana
than if they would not in a few years be
nrattv nearlv a dead loss anyhow. Dread
noughts yielding place to monsters still
more dread. Terrible, catastrophic, but
brief that part of the conflict might wen
be; a mere moment of maddening sus
pense, while the ' whole world's heart
stopped beating. Conceivably, too, that
might even.be all. If England should win,
Germany would be left powerless for of.
fense. and perhaps her shipyards also
could be reached. If Germany should win,
there might be left only the landing and
the march on London and perhaps but
one land battle another Hastings.
.;
That is conceivable, hut not probable;
not so probable as', that the first shoV
would set all Europe aflame ; not so orob
abie as that once again a German army,
this time quite the greatest the worli
ever saw, would start for Paris, the Em
peror taking the field, and that France
all France would fling herself upon it
with such a shamed ferocity as no man's
hatred, but only a twice-trampled wom
an's, could be compared to. Austria-Hungary
and Russia, lately aggrieved by Ger
many's backing Austrian rapacity in the
near East, would stand ready to leap at
each other's throats; and doubtless only
Tn.n'. Inlnlnn TTtllHjind. Snd OOSSlblj'
not even that, would hold the Slavs back
from the Balkans. Constantinople, pernaps
Vienna. Southern Africa would take fire
quickly, and we should see if the Boers'
new-found loyalty to their conquerors,
strengthened as it Is by England's su
perbly wise moderation in the recent re
construction, would avail against a new
and tempting challenge to the old grudges
and to the pride of a very proud and
strong and Independence-loving race. Ire
land would doubtless once again, as al
ways in such emergencies, stir and mur
mur and threaten, possibly rise. Europe
and Africa being thrown thus into epic
turmoil, would even Asia hold to her long
quietude? Once let the tide flow strong
ly against England, and English eyes
would turn with supreme apprehension
to India. The ruinous overthrow of the
greatest of modern empires might
awaken to a new and uncalculable life
a life of which some stirrings are al
ready manifest the most mysterious and
splendid of all the ancient civilizations
now In any wise extant. If Turkey and
Persia were yesterday capable of self
transformation, why may not India
change tomorrow? Why may not the
flame and light leap acroes even the
Himalayas, and all Asia suddenly find
herself, and shake herself erect, and
bring her immemorial strength to bear
upon this too impertinent modern world,
which for some centuries has been pes
tering her sleep?
as
Oh, yes, the spectacle would be sublime,
and all the more so because In such a
cataclysm well-nigh the only immunity
would be ours. We should see it all from
a safe place, through windows hardly
even In danger of cracking with the de
tonations. Yes, and we could, no doubt,
see it with the same strange pleasure
with which we go and see tragedies on
the stage, or look out upon storms at sea.
The mere thought of it. and coming to
feel that it is really conceivable, -stirs
our -blood. If it came, the newspapers
would outclass all the histories and epic
poems-and we should read them with
frantic interest. That is all the human
nature. But there's something else in
human nature, thank goodness, and
growing, we - believe, stronger and
stronger, in spite of the growing arma
ments everywhere and our own Hobsons
and things. We admit that turning away
from the prospect of such thrills and
shudders and savage exaltations is like
turning away from any other dissipation;
but we would rather not drink, thank
you. Work and play and home-making
and children and the quieter human
strifes and rivalries and the mind's ad
vance look better .to us for ourselves and
the other continents as well. We prefer
a peaceful Europe for our vacations, and
see no good reason why there must be
throbbing war-drums and airy navies be
fore the parliament of man Is ushered In.
Perhaps we have no say-so on the ques
tion, since we seem, relatively to all the
other people, so little Involved. But Mr.
Chamberlain thinks we might have,- if
we tried, and wonders if our State De
partment Is exchanging any notes. We
trust It is, If they would count.
V. S. S. Rainbow.
PORTLAND, Oct. IS. (To the Ed
itor.) Could you tell me as to the
whereabouts of the U. S. S. Rainbow
at present. s. A.
On September 22, the Rainbow was
at Woo Song, China. If you desire to
communicate with some one aboard of
the ship, address the letter care Post
master, San Francisco. ,J
I BLEMISH OF DIRECT rmJln I
In Election of United States Senators
It Impairs Federal System.
Washington Post.
In one of the states where public opin
ion is In contempt of the language of the
Constitution of the United States provid
ing for the representation of the several
states In the Federal Senate there are
five candidates for Senator, every one a
rich man, and" all of the dominant po
litical party In that state. The party
authorities have ordered a blanket pri
mary, and it is predicted that a great
deal of -money will be expended in- the
campaign.
Each candidate will have expensive
headquarters at the political capital and
the commercial metropolis. In every
county clubs will he formed to wear the
buttons of their favorite, and the state
now swarms with well-paid henchmen of
the millionaire statesmen, intent on buy
ing a 6eat in that body that is illustrious
for the splendid talents of many a poor
man who held a place on its roll the last
sixseore years.
The printing presses are at work grind
ing out "literature" to be scattered over
the state to influence the vote of the
dear deluded people. Palace cars and
automobiles are In requisition, regardless
of ' expense, and all the while this
blanket primary nonsense was Invented
in the name of patriotism for the benefit
of the poor man.
If the thing were left to the Legisla
ture, where our Constitution lodged It, a
poor man could easily make his way to
the state capital and show himself to
the representatives of the people, who
are the cream of the citizenship of their
respective communities. But the theory
of this new evangel is that the people
are Incapable of choosing an honest man
from among their neighbors, whom they
all know, to represent them at the state
capital, but they are infallible to select
from among strangers a sage and a
patriot to represent them at the National
capital.
.The thing is simply revolution and de
structive to the Federal feature of our
Government. The Republic will cease to
be. and all things 'will becomo National,
Under the Constitution of our fathers
rnade it the United States Senate has
been famous for more than 100 years for
the lofty character and splendid talents
of Its membership. That was the Senate
of the Republic. Soon it will give place
to the Senate of the Nation, for the craze
to turn the Senate Into a National body
appears to be growing.
PALTER SOUTH THING OF PAST.
Profits of $700,000,000 Cotton Crop Re
main Mostly at Home.
Charleston News and Courier.
The prosperity of the South became
assured the moment that five and six
cent cotton passed into the realm of
memories. For years speculators had
waxed rich In bearing cjown the price
of the staple. It was Hayne. a South
Carolinan, who. with Brown and
French millions, first made a calculated
attack on the bear market and forced
cotton to a decent price. There has
never been a pauper market since. The
establishment of many textile markets
in the South has helped to keep the
price of the staple up, and there have
been other concomitant causes. How
ever that may be, the fact is of im
portance, and the fact is that the mil
lions which formerly went Into the
hands of the speculators at the North
now stay in the South. The cotton
crop is worth $700,000,000, and this
amount is circulated from planting to
final distribution. A large share of
that sum formerly remained in New
York, but New York no longer gets a
profit out of all proportion to her in
terest In the crop.
The doubling of population of any
community will generally mean the
doubling. If not trebling, of the real
estate values. It may be taken for
granted, therefore, that the urban real
estate of the South Is today wortn
at least twice what it was worth 10
years ago. Such an increase over
large area of country is almost un
precedented, and yet it is but the be
ginning of a larger increase, rne pau
per South is a thing of the near past.
but holds no place in view of th
future.
Eacland Wants South Pole.
Chicago Evening Post.
When Lieutenant Shackleton, of the
British navy, made up his mind to try
for the South Pole he was obliged to
incur a personal debt of about $70,000
in order to get the proper outfit. The
response to his1 appeals for funds was
not generous, because the public was
skeptical of success. The Lieutenant
went farther south than any or nis
exploring predecessors, and his exploit
roused the British admiration. Then
came the news that two Americans had
reached the North Pole, and British
pride Was a bit humbled, though the
nation was too sportsmanlike to
show it.
The British are going after the South
Pole, and they have faith that they will
get it. Already $200,000 has been sub
scribed to outfit an expedition to the
Antarctic regions with the Pole as the
goal. Naturally we hope that an
American will get to the foot of the
world first, but if luck should go
Britain's way may there be only one
subject to claim the glory, and may
his proofs be fixed as fast as the Pole
Itself. '
School Attendance: Portland and Seattle
PORTLAND, Oct. 12. (To the Editor)
Will you kindly give us through the
Oregonian a comparison of the number
of public school children in the three
cities Portland, Los Angeles and Seat
tle7 Give number In attendance; also
number of school Jge. q McQKEW
The total enrollment in Portland
public schools on September 24 was
20,872; census for 190, 34,264. On the
same date, the total enrollment in Seat
tle was 29,613; census for 1909. 39.866.
We have no late statistics for Los
Angeles.
Her Safe proposition.
Philadelphia Record.
She was trying to persuade her husband
to give up smoking, and she had point
ed out -to him one day the exact amount
of his expenses for tobacco during the
course of a year.
"Besides, my dear," she persisted,
"you will be better oft mentally, physi
cally and financially without the pipe
and the cigars."
"Well, maybe so; but all great men
have smoked," he argued.
"Well " she sighed, "Just promise me.
dear that you'll give up smoking until
you are great. Then I'll be perfectly
satisfied."
The Evening of Autumn.
Boston Transcript.
A. cricket clings to a weed and sings
A son that Is weird and chill;
Uke a dirge itseems, that is heard In
dreams.
As it floats o'er the windy hill.
The birds are dumb, and no bees hum;
The wave of bloom Is spent.
Yet the scent of the fields my spirit yields
A soft and sweet content.
The barberries red their eoral spread
Athwart the llchened rocks;
So grace lives on ,though Bummer's gone.
At the threshold Winter knocks.
The spell ne'er tires; twlxt the mullein
spires.
O'er the grass In every place,
Bovond compare, with a shuttle rare.
The spider weaves his lace.
Doth Beauty go? To the eyes that know
She only lanes new lorm.
And lies at rest on a meadows breast,
Or flits throuRh a shrieking storm.
Thus memory finds neath calms and wind
A harvest fresh to reap
For fancy's food in solitude.
And ravel-knlttlng sleep.
SAMUBL M-LNTUKN PJ3CK.
Life's Sunny Side
Wlllam H. Frazer. head of the sea
men's union, talked in his Boston office,
apropos of Labor day, of the sailor's life.'
"Our union has made the sailor's lift
easier." said Mr. Frazler. "but there is
still much to be done. The sailor's 11 f ft. -Is
still very hard, and it can't be
viewed with optimism. -
"When people talk to you." he said,
"about the philanthropy . of skippers
and the luxury sailors wallow In, don't
have the perfect faith of the minister-'
lal candidate.
"He, you know, on -being asked by
his examining bishop to write out the
Nlcene creed, wrote with a faith en
tirely too vast:
. " 'I believe in all things, visible and
Invisible.' " New York Sun.
The king of the Belgians onre left
his umbrella in a hansom whpn drlv- .
ing in Brussels. This was returned to
I His Majesty a fpw hours afterward by
the proud cabby, who was offered for
his honesty by King Leopold the sum
of 100 francs.
The astute jehu. however, begged a
great favor of the king. Could he have
the umbrella Instead of the money?
The favor was granted, and before
many days had passed the cabman had
put up the umbrella for sale and it was
knocked down to some loyal enthusiast
for 1100 francs.
When King Leopold heard of this
he exclaimed: "Well, I've heard of an
umbrella being put up to keep off
showers of rain, but this seems to have
been put up to bring down showers of
gold." London Globe.
'
Walking one day among his old
parishioners In the East End of Lon
don, Dr. Lang, now Archbishop of
York, stopped a parishioner who had
married a man who enjoyed the repu
tation of being the lasiest man In the
East.
"Well, Mrs. Brown," he said, "I hope
your husband is proving a good pro
vider." "Yes. sir. thank you, sir," she re
plied, " he has provided me with three
new places to work at since we were
married." Tit-Bits.
recont Rock River conference at Rock
ford occurred when "Dr." Clayton You
ker arose and Introduced a resolution
respecting the academic degrees held
by the preachers.
"I move, Mr. President," said Dr.
Youkers, "that the secretary be In
structed to enter upon the minutes of
the 'conference the name of every
preacher having D. D. after his name
There seems to be a great number of
them here. In fact, nearly everyone
seems to have them. The secretary
wlll also enter after each name the in
stitution from which the degree was
received, the date and place of its
receipt and tho reasons therefor.
"This will simplify matters very ma
terially for the brethren. If a preacher
having the charmed symbols shall have
received them from a German univer
sity we should know about it, and he
in a position to show him the obei
sance due him. We could then address
him as 'doc-tor,' with the proper In
flection on the syllables. Whereas, if
a man has his degree from an un
known or Inferior Institution, we can
pass him on tne street wim a tan
'Hello, Doc,' and cut it short.
"Thus may we say to our, posterity:
" 'Lives of great men all remind us,
We can make our lives sublime.
And departing leave behind us
D. D.'s on the sands of time." "
It was ordered referred to the com
mittee on conference relations.
m
A certain Louisville social leader,
whom we will call Mrs. Fayette Coun
ty, to avoid identifying her. was told
by her husband ever the telephone
that he would bring a number of
guests home to dinner. The party was
altogether unexpected and In all th
house, which has become noted for the
generous and sumptuous dinners
spread in it; there was not enough
food.
Mrs. County got busy at once and
Instructed the cook to order certain
supplies while she planned the rest of
the dinner. A little later Mrs. County
happened in the room where the tele
phone was and was horrified to hear
the cook talking ferociously Into the
telephone something as follows:
"An" Ah' want six dozen sof shell
crabs and ef yo' doan get dem up here
mighty quick Ah'll skin every one of
yo', ye' low down 'Who Is dis?' Dls
is Mrs. Fayette County, dats who dis Is,
and Ah means ebcry word Ah say!"
"Mandy," cried the mistress, "what
do you mean? You must not."
"Law'sy," returned the cook, "dat's
all right, Miss Fay, Ah talks to 'urn
like dat for yo' all de time." Louis
ville Times.
What Crane Really Said.
From the Minister's Speech before thfl
American Asiatic Association in New
York.
We believe that although China has
great problems to solve, such as the ad
ministrative problem, the opium problem,
the currency problem, the revenue prob
lem, she is perfectly capable of solving
them alone if she can be kept free from
menace; and we also believe that if she
Increases in prosperity she will make a
better market than It sue aeienurairs.
Of course, in the development she will
require much foreign material, and in a
perfectly legitimate and friendly way
Secretary Knox has determined that we
shall have our share. It may not always
be necessary to repeat tho now form of
hold-up which our State Department ha
recently been so successfully engaged in
of forcing money on China.
Game Licenses In Adjoining State.
PORTLAND, Oct 13. (To the Editor.)
Is a license for hunting and fishing
required In the states--of Washington
and Idaho, the same as In Oregon?
W. J. M.
Washington requires a license to fish
for commercial fish, salmon, etc., but
not for gane fish. Hunting requires a
license. County licenses cost $1 a year
and are procured from County Auditors
and are good in thu county where Is
sued. State hunting licenses, good
throughout the state, are procured
from the state auditor at $5 a year
for state residents, $10 for non-residents
and $25 for aliens.
Idaho roqulres payment of a license
for both hunting and fishing by non
residents. The League Settled It.
California Weekly.
Satan. Apollyon and Beelzebub once
engaged In a controversy concerning
which would make the best candidate for
office. The dispute waxed hot, and the
very foundations of sheol might have
been shattered had it not been for a hap
py suggestion made by a shrewd Jittlej
red Imp.
"Send for the good government league."
said he. "It is great on deciding such
questions."
So the league was sent for and all was
arranged harmoniously. But as for which
one of the three the league indorsed,
what difference does it make to any
good citizen?
Altitude of Tvro Mountains.
SALMON RIVER, Idaho, Oct. 11. (To
the Editor.) Will you please stale
which of the two mountains is the
higher. Mt Rainier, of Washington, or
Mt. Whitney, of California, and how
much. E. R. GREEN.
Mount Whitney is 14.8K8 feet high;
Mount Rainier, H,b26 feet.
.....
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