THE MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21. 1909.
8
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PORTLAXD. THURSDAY, OCT. !1. 1909.
THE INCOME TAX.
It la very probable that the proposed
Income tax amendment, submitted to
the states by resolution of Congress at
the recent session, will fall to obtain
the assent, of three-fourths of the
states, necessary to Its ratification.
Georgia has declined to ratify it. Mas
sachusetts. Rhode Island and New
York give indications of a disposition
to refuse It. Maryland will probably
reject it. Twelve states can defeat it.
All the New England states will
probably reject it. Six more, of which
the South will furnish more than one
or two. will make a sufficient number.
New York, New Jersey, and Pennsyl-
vanla most probably will decline to
ratify it. Likewise Delaware, which Is
among the most 'conservative" of the
slates.
The Republicans of Rhode Island,
following the example of those of Mas
sachusetts, decline to make it a party
question, but refer it to the Legis
lature for action. "We deem It best."
say the Republicans of Rhode Island,
In a resolution adopted by their state
convention, "that the Legislature,
without regard to party consideration,
take such action as may seem best
concerning the Federal Income tax.
It is a financial question and should
not be considered as a question of
party politics." '
This Is portentous, for large bodies
f Democrats In New England will
take the same view of this subject as
that taken by Republicans. The ar
gument against the tax presents It
self to the minds of all these men in
the same way. The argument divides
Itself into two or three Important
branches. First, It 'is desired to re
serve the Income tax as a source of
stite revenue. This was the main ar
gument in Georgia. Second, states
whose citizens have large investments,
both In other states and In their own,
object, on the ground that they would
pay a disproportionate share of the
tax. Third, the General Government
has already unlimited income in tariff
tares and exclsta, and should not be
permitted to trench further on the
revenue, powers and resources of the
tates.
It is argued further that with the
corporation tax and the income tax
In the hands of the United State- there
would be a. growing tendency and
power in the hands of the General
Government towards the absorption
by It of the resources and functions
of the states; and such centralization
would change the whole nature of our
political and governmental system.
This is an argument which will find
Its strongest advocates in the South,
as the argument against taxation of
Incomes from investments will find its
strongest advocates In the East, where
realit.d wealth is relatively more
abundant than In the newer states.
While no tax can be satisfactory to
those who must pay it, yet we believe
an income tax is fair as any, and in
some features fairer than most. It
falls, certainly, on those most able to
pay. The argument that the states
sh uld reserve this resource for them
selves has some force and merit; and
yet It is not likely that the states ever
will have uniform Income taxes, and
without uniformity the system will
be Ineffective. Transfer of residence
and property from one state to another
would be Induced by want of uniform
ity in state taxation, and through va
rious kinds of ingenuity many who
ought to pay the tax would manage to
evade it. The argument against cen
tralization can have no "weight with
those who make a bugbear of It.
Extreme protectionists do not want
an Income tax.
Oregon will ratify the proposed
amendment, perhaps without open ob
jection, for objection would be use
le.r. In Oregon there are compara
tively few persons who will have tax
able incomes, and they will be silent.
Again, there are few in Oregon now
who are afraid of centralization,
though of old that fear was a bug
bear and nightmare here. It Is so no
longer. The JePfersonlan idea has
been whipped out in no state more
thoroughly than In Oregon. We are
all imperialists here. We look to the
central government for everything.
The tendency of democracy to land
in these conclusions Is one of the most
Interesting things In the study of his
tory. When the wheel of democracy
comes full circle It lands us In a cen
tralized government, conducted in the
name of democracy.
THE PERIODICAL REVOLUTION.
The frequency of Central American
revolutions Is such that It is a difficult
matter for the outside world to dis
tinguish where one leaves oft and an
other begins. For that reason the
present Nicaraguan trouble fails to at
tract the world-wide and general In
terest that would be noticeable if the
revolution were being conducted In a
country which did not run revolutions
In serial or tandem style. General
Juan J. Estrada, firm In the belief
that he would make a much better
President than Zelaya. who has given
no sign that he intended to relinquish
the Job. has got together quite a
large band of Generals, Colonels, Lieu
tenants and some privates, and Is al
ready giving Zelaya many anxious mo
ments. Even a continuous round of bull
fighting, cockflghting and gambling
sometimes palls on the peppery Cen
tral Americans, and the task of en
rolling an army for the purpose of
overturning the government is not at
all difficult. But, despite the apparent
impression that Estrada is making
with the Nicaraguan people, he will
find his present undertaking a some
what strenuous task. Putting down
revolutions and executing revolution
ists has been almost a continuous per
formance with Zelaya since he shifted
from the role of revolutionist to that
of dictator. He Is "the party in
power," and with the revenues of the
country at his command, can buy
more patriotism than Estrada can se
cure with promises of political prefer
ment. Yesterday's dispatches seem to Indi
cate that Estrada had made a consid
erable showing along the coast, and, if
he can secure sufficient arms, there
will be some sharp fighting when the
opposing forces clash in the Interior.
Zelaya is not holding his job by reason
of the great love his people bear him,
but in money, arms and position ho
has such an advantage over Estrada
that It might be well for Estrada to
have the cables on some of his fishing
smacks hove short, or ready to slip, in
case it should be necessary. to make a
quick get-away when he comes scur
rying out of the woods a few seconds
in advance of Zelayas bayonets and
bullets.
Honduras. Salvador and Guatemala
all have a grievance against Zelaya,
but it is hardly probable that they will
Join Issues with Estrada. If he suc
ceeds it will be at a cost that will leave
him weak enough to be willing to do
what his neighbors desire. On the.
other hand. If Zelaya Is successful In
putting down the revolution, it will be
at a cost that will leave him more
tractable than he has been for a long
time. So far as the United States is
concerned, the only inconvenience
threatened is a temporary interruption
of the banana trade. As this is the
apple season, it will not make so much
difference, so with a fair degree of Im
partiality we can say "Go it, Zelaya;
go It. Estrada," and may' the worst
man get lickecV
TILE ROMANCE OF SEVEN.
"Since the Constitution of Oregon
says there never shall be more than
seven supreme Justices of the state,
prudent lawyers interpret the maxi
mum number to be not three but
seven." Thus the Bourne-Chamberlain
organ in Portland. But what sort
of Journalism Is this? It Is misleading;
it is absolutely false. The Constitution
contains no such statement. It dis
tinctly limits the Justices of the Su
preme Court to three, and says nothing
at all about seven.
"When the white population of the
state," says the Constitution, "shall
amount to two hundred thousand the
legislative assembly may provide for
the election of supreme and circuit
judges in distinct classes, one of which
shall consist of three Justices of the
Supreme Court, who shall not perform
circuit duty, and the other class shall
consist of the necessary number of
circuit Judges, who shall hold full
terms without allotment, and who shall
take the same oath as the supreme
Judges."
This is the fundamental law. nere
is the provision for seven Justices? The
number is distinctly limited to three;
and they are separated in a distinct
class from the circuit Judges, of which
there are now twenty In the sfate.
Dissatisfied with the limitation of
the supreme Justices to three, the po
litical jugglers of the state wanted two
more: so last year they proposed, by
Initiative, an amendment of the Con
stitution for increase of the number
from three to five. This was beaten
by a vote of 60,591 noes to 30,213
ayes.
Now If the Constitution already
provided that the number might be
seven, why the effort to amend, so that
the number might be increased from
three to five? This misrepresentation
Is Just about as near as these politi
cal jugglers and their orators and or
gans ever come to the truth.
The Legislature, in impudent viola
tion of the mandate of the people, as
well as of the Constitution Itself, at
the recent session enacted that the
number of Justices of the Supreme
Court should be Increased from three
to five. Why was this done. If al
ready there might be seven? The
people, by decisive vote, had but Just
then rejected the proposition that the
number might be increased from three
to five.
This style of falsification is charac
teristic of the entire "reform move
ment" in Oregon. But of course there
Is 4io expectation of finding any cor
rect representation In the paper called
the Oregon Journal. Its ambition,
clearly. Is to hold high place as a ro
mance organ. Nobody stultifies him
self by giving credit to Its statements,
on any Important matter.
NO TAX-BXTLT RAILROADS.
Numerous remote districts In Ore
gon want railroads and have seized
upon the state-ownership or district
ownership plan to bring them the
transportation they need. They are
already denouncing with warmth and
even with bitterness, foes of this pro
posed system as obstacles to progress
and as landmarks of a selfish interest
that has rail lines in Its own territory
and cares nothing for undeveloped
areas of the state. They are encour
aged In this attitude by would-be pol
iticians of clap-trap, shrieky type who
think to win votes and by land specu
lators who look to their own local in
crements, regardless of the tax bur
den and the heavy loss that would cer
tainly be the share of taxpayers.
This scheme of public-built and
public-owned railroads will be resisted
by sober, conservative citizens every
where. It Is an effort to open up re
mote districts by a ruinous taxing and
mortgaging project. All the way from
Boise, Idaho, through Southern Ore
gon, to Coos Bay and Curry County
this scheme has advocates. At Ban
don, Curry County, Editor Kopf, of the
otherwise esteemed Recorder, preaches
the doctrine as follows:
In Idaho and Oragon within tha last two
years ten conrentlons and representative
gatherings have met to consider tha con
struction of railroads by districts, tha money
to be aecured by bonding tha land benefited.
Railroad make land more valuable. They
add from $20 to t.VK) an acre to the agri
cultural land, especially in the state of
Oregon: where they make fruit shipments
possible. In California irrigation canals
costing many millions have been conatructed
In thla manner. The construction of rail
roads by bonding the land benefited and
keeDlna the enormous values thus created
In the handa f the people owning the land
instead of In the hands of the Wall street
speculator! may seem a little startling, but
If the people are willing to let any rall
roadleas district try 1U perhaps It may be
a way out of paying dividends on watered
stock or doing without transportation. It
la up to the people.
Now railroads and canals are
wholly different kinds of public utili
ties. Problems of building both are
simple and within determined cost.
But operation and maintenance of the
two are very dissimilar. Few hands
and little money will keep vp a canal;
many men and much money are
needed to run and maintain a raiiroa.
This makes public ownership of rail
roads a most hazardous and foolhardy
enterprise. It has been successful in
no state and wherever. tried has ended
in loss, debt, high taxes and surrender
to private ownership.
When public-owned railroads was
sprung last Winter at Salem It pro
posed state ownership and the "dis
trict" plan was secondary. But oppo
sition has been so vigorous that now
the advocates of this foolhardy scheme
are falling back on district ownership.
But this second plan is no better than
the other and in some respects is
worse. Next year electors will pass on
the two schemes in the form of a con
stitutional amendment, removing the
bar, now In the Constitution, against
use of the public credit for railroad
building. The amendment is the most
vicious of all the bad legislation that
has been urged upon the people of
Oregon. This state for a long time
needed railroads far worse than now,
but never so urgently as to justify their
construction and operation through
taxation. The debt-heaping power of
such projects is beyond limit, also their
political machinery.
The many struggling communities
of Oregon must rely on their resources
to attract private and corporate cap
ital for railroad building. If they must
wait by such procedure, then they
ought to wait. The less they admit
government into the pockets of tax
payers the better.
CODDLING OLD BACHELORS.
Naturally everybody will try to wish
well to the gentleman who expects to
make-over the old Arlington clubhouse
into a bachelors' hotel. As long as we
must have bachelors among us It is
better to make them comfortable.
Misery might diminish their spiritual
eligibility and mar whatever slender
hope of heaven old bachelors may
reasonably entertain. It would cer
tainly blight the happiness of their as
sociates. Therefore may prosperous
gales attend the launching of this new
enterprise and may its promoter grow
rapidly and amply rich. This is a con
ditional benediction, however. .It is
bestowed only on the supposition that
hachlnr. are an unavoidable phenom
enon, not to say an unavoidable evil.
If there Is any humane way to elim
inate them the benediction Is with
drawn. Clearly if it is possible to ex
tirpate or reform them, it is bad policy
to encourage their increase by making
them happy. Wisdom counsels us to
hrine home to them a salutary sense
of their depravity by keeping them
wretched.
TTntll the world changes a good deal
It will be the plain duty of every
able-bodied man to provide for the
support of a wife. Whoever shirks
the duty need not feel abused ir he is
derided bv the ribald and admonished
by the devout. One need not accuse
him of deliberate selfishness. Prob
ably he is no worse than thoughtless.
Rut the vision of some beauteous fe
male wending a solitary and loveless
way to the tomb because of his neglect
of. an undeniable obligation ought to
make him blush. And what, as moral
censors, shall we say of this modern
propensity to reward bachelors for
shunning matrimony by surrounding
them with sybaritic delights? Is it
well to lure them down the primrose
path of celibacy with wanton luxuries
r iV.oTitmQTif? Wmilil It not
IUJU SUll TTl'V iic.tn.i.v ... - ..
be wiser to decree that every con
firmed old bachelor shall live in the
woodshed?
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS.
The Government call for bids for
oats a few weeks ago specified delivery
at tidewater points on the Pacific
Coast. The contract, as let in Seattle
Tuesday, accepts delivery of the oats
at Montana points.
The Government, having an abnor
mally low freight rate on the land
grant railroads, is thus enabled to se
cure a reduction of several dollars per
ton. It is somewhat strange, nowever,
that Montana delivery was not spec
led in tha call for bids. Montana
oats are undoubtedly as good as any
others, and will easily grade up to
requirements. Some of the Pacific
Coast bidders, however, were not In
formed that the Government would
"stand in" and accept delivery of Mon
tana. nat In Montana, and were ac
cordingly severely handicapped in their
efforts to secure the business.
The business methods of the Gov-oT-nment
are so radically different from
those of business men that It Is difficult
at times to determine what. is meant.
SPAIN IN SORRY PLIGHT.
The position of Alfonso of Spain
is anything but enviable. Titular
king of that ancient and decayed mon
archy, his power is disputed by an
alarming number of his alleged sub
jects, and his life, with that of his
queen and their young children, is
nnder the menace of revolution and
all the horrors that this possibility
Implies.
He is a youthful monarch, the post
humous son of Alfonso XII, and,
though born a king. Is but little
skilled in kingcraft. Grandson of the
dissolute Isabella and her weak and
profligate husband, and son of a
father who died early from excesses
for which his mother was deposed
and exiled, the boy king attained his
majority and assumed the inherited
reins of power under a heavy handi
cap. His mother, an Austrian prin
cess and a woman bred to statecraft,
managed the regency of Spain with
great adroitness during her son's min
ority, and hoped to turn over to him
a kingdom loyal to the crown and to
the dynasty that It represents. His
marriage to a niece of King Edward
of England was relied upon to
strengthen alike the position of Spain
among the powers of Europe and the
fealty of his subjects. The attempt
to assassinate the royal couple while
riding in the ancient chariot of the
Spanish Bourbons, in their Imposing
marriage procession through the
streets of Madrid, dispelled the latter
hope. That the former will be real
ized Is Improbable, since the throne
of Alfonso seems to be tottering to its
tall.
To do the young king Justice, he
has made an earnest effort to adjust
himself to the exigencies of his king
dom and to gain the good will of his
subjects. In this effort he has been
hampered by the hoary traditions of
Spain, as well as by his own Inexpe
rience and the arrogance of his coun
sellors. -
The Russian Minister of Agriculture
estimates the 1909 wheat crop of the
empire at 660,000.000 bushels, an In
crease of 139,000,000 bushels over the
crop of last year. These figures ac
count for the weekly Russian ship
ments, which for the past six weeks
have been averaging more than 7,000,-
000 bushels. A crop of the size men
tioned y the Minister of Agriculture
does not seem excessively large In
comparison with the American crop of
approximately 700.000,000 bushels.
The importance of the figures, how
ever, lies in the availability of the
wheat for consumption in the world's
buying markets. Russia is always a
free seller when the price is high, even
though famine conditions exist among
the peasantry, who have no money
with which to purchase wheat. For
that reason Great Britain can draw
long and strong on the Russian sur
plus unless the United States offers the
cereal more freely than it has been of
fered to date.
Records for long-distance, high
speed balloon flights are running
pretty far back in the past. A few
days ago it was reported that none of
the present-day flights equaled that of
Professor Lowe, who covered 500 miles
in nine hours In April, 1861. Now
comes a story from St. Louis that an
even half-century ago Professor Wise
sailed 1150 miles in an air line in nine
teen .hours, a fraction over sixty miles
per hour. As the contests with air
ships of the type used by Lowe aad
Wise run nearly back to the days of
the Montgolfler brothers. It Is not easy
to determine Just who holds the record
for flights made under such varying
conditions. With the aeroplane the
uihinHnn Is vastlv different, for Its suc
cess and Its records have all been at
tained within the past year and noth
ing aproaching a successful flight can
be traced farther back than the first
performance of the Wright brothers.
The world exclaims against the trial
and execution of Ferrer, because the
trial was secret. He was accused of
treason. Had the trial been open and
an open defense permitted, then the
world would have been able to see the
conditions in Spain and to decide
whether or not Ferrer had Justification.
But he was tried In secrecy and exe
cuted in hugger-mugger. Spain may
think it her own business, merely; but
an act of tyranny these days sends an
electrical thrill throughout the world.
Ferrer was a "philosophical reformer."
In a degree he was a revolutionist, for
he wanted to make Spain a republic.
Technically, this was treason. But
monarchy can maintain itself only In
the light of day., It ought to have
given Ferrer an open trial. It will re
pent that it did not.
Oregon will be well represented by a
band of horny-handed sons of toil at
the Farmers' National Congress at
Raleigh, N. C, next month. With Tom
Richardson to tell them where to go,
and William McMurray to show them
how to get there, and A. H. Averill to
tell them what to use, and S. A. Lowell
and W. M. Colvig on the side lines.
Dr. Kerr will be kept busy telling them
how we farm to advantage in this
greatest section of the world's garden.
Fruitgrowers in Michigan, Missouri
and New York, where they think they
can grow apples, and where they do
so, for that matter great, big red
ones, too will read iwlth wonder of a
Hood River orchard selling for $1650
an acre. The tale sounds like ro
mantic immigration literature, but Is
merely the cold fact of a result of soil
and system. There are other "pock
ets" in the Cascades that will yet be
the succeeding chapters of the story.
Trial of the Japanese sealers who
were arrested in Alaska for Illegal
sealing resulted In acquittal of the
men. At the conclusion of the trial at
Juneau they were turned over to the
Immigration authorities for deporta
tion. As nothing developed in the
testimony at the trial to show that
the Japanese were violating the law,
we may expect in due season a bill for
damages from the Japanese govern
ment. There is really a genuine hope in
Portland that some day Jake Mitch
ell will return from parts unknown
and explain how much of the money
borrowed from the Oregon Trust for
the Order of Washington reached the
treasury of that great benevolent and
philanthropic organization.
Explorer Matt Henson is being
widely entertained by the colored
population. He has as yet had no in
vitation to lunch at the White House.
Nor has Mr. Johnson. However, he's
the world's champion pugilist all right,
and will be until he meets a better,
though not a darker, man.
They think in New York that, next
to the Presidency, the Mayoralty is the
most Important office in the United
States. See Judge Gaynor's speech.
There Is a lot of New York people who
will wonder why the Judge excepted
the Presidency.
While the officers of the Rose Festi
val are preparing for spectacular feat
tires, the ordinary citizen may, any
time the next month, plant new or old
varieties of roses whose blooms will
make the main show in June.
Jake Mitchell, Gus Lowit and other
frenzied financiers who negotiated big
loans with the old Oregon Trust have
moved on. So has Cashier Cooper
Morris. But no new pasture can ever
be so rich as the old.
The assembly plan will be followed,
and every Republican candidate who
subscribes to the bogus statement will
be beaten, If effort can do It. If party
Isn't to stand for anything let party
perish.
Mrs. Batonyl named ten co-respondents
as a reason for divorce from her
husband, and he responded with nam
ing eleven who had been friendly with
his wife. Busy family.
Eastern Marion County Is the latest
undiscovered country to be Invaded
by a railroad. It Is surprising that
capital has been so slow to enter this
rich field of Oregon.
Knud Rasmussen, 'Danish explorer,
has seen the two Eskimos and he says
they confirm Cook in every particular.
Now it's Peary's turn again with the
Eskimos.
Over In Seattle they are supporting
a Seattle man for Minister to China.
Yet a Chinese Minister should have
other qualifications.
Dr. Cook will climb Mount McKin
ley again. Just to show that he did it
the first time. Cook should take along
the Show-Me Club.
Judge Gaynor will be given frequent
opportunities, if elected, to get better
acquainted with Tammany.
WHERE) DR. COOK SOW STAJTDS-
It I Incumbent on Him to Clear Up tie
Doubts at Oxioe.
New York Evening Post.
Let It be admitted at once that the af
fidavit of Barrill, the man who accom
panied Dr. Cook on his alleged
ascent of Mount McKInley. is not con
clusive evidence of the falsity of the
doctor's story; that a man who signs a
sworn statement that he had been a
voluntary participant In the concoction
of an elaborate and swindling falsehood
cannot be accepted as an unimpeach
able witness when he swears that he
lied. However fully this may be grant
ed, it is nevertheless manifest that the
publication of Barrlll's affidavit, to say
nothing of other evidence, radically al
ters the position in which Cook stands
as regards his claim to the discovery
of the North Pole. What that position
Is should be set down in as plain lan
guage as possible, and this we shall en
deavor to do.
Six weeks and more have passed since
his first story of his exploit was given
to the world. Since that time he has
added practically nothing to the meagre
evidence furnished in his account of
the actual performance of the tremen
dous task which he claims to have ac
complished, with, the assistance of only
two young Eskimos, after the most
arduous and long-planned endeavors of
all his predecessors had failed. These
two Eskimos, the only companions of
his Journey, have giveh a circumstantial
story of that journey, according to
which it was not even an attempt to
reach the Pole, but a deliberate impos
ture a mere dash a short way out
over the land Ice, f followed by a long
sojourn hundreds of miles south of the
Pole. And now comes his only com
panion on the other extraordinary ad
venture that he claims to have carried
to a triumphant conclusion, and swears
that that, too, was a deliberate impos
ture. Thus two tremendous feats of
endurance, skill and daring two
achievements each of which had been
given up in despair by all who had
gone before him are claimed by Dr.
Cook, not only on the mere basis of his
unsupported word, but In the face of
positive circumstantial statements to
the contrary made by every human
being who was with him on either
occasion.
e
Such a situation would obviously pro
voke, on the part of any man who wish
ed to retain the respect of his fellows,
a demand for the promptest, most com
prehensive and most thorough Investi
gation possible. The Evening Post has
not permitted itself to pass judgment
on his case on the basis of a mere bal
ance of probabilities, however strongly
It may have' felt, at times, that that
balance inclined in one direction. But
the time has come, or will come very
soon, when mere failure to press the
question to a conclusion must be re
garded as a confession of guilt. It Is
not for this or that scientific body, or
this or that newspaper, to suggest to
Dr. Cook the propriety of presenting
his evidence and getting an authorita
tive verdict; It Is for him to demand an
inquiry, to insist on its being complete,
to place not only his memoranda, but
himself, unreservedly at the disposal of
an Impartial committee of investigation.
Failure to do this and to do it prompt
ly, will, we warn him, very rapidly
have the effect of causing those whose
opinions are worth anything to set
him down as a shameless Impostor.
This Is strong language, but It has
been carefully weighed. We have not
been anxious to have! Cook's claim dis
proved; we have held out for fair play.
But as time has passed, the spectacle
presented by this unproved claimant to
signal honors has become more and
mere offensive. He has been compla
cently going about the country taking
in the people's money and enjoying the
people's plaudits and leaving to the
future the task of establishing his
claim. To criticisms based on intrinsic
improbabilities or defects in his
story, he has been offering Indefinite
or fragmentary answers. When his Es
kimo companions, the only associates of
his Polar enterprise, are cited in evi
dence against him, he tells us that their
talk was merely in pursuance of his In
junctions to them to conceal the facts.
Now comes the only witness of his
great mountain feat, the only man
whose testimony was available to him
in confirmation of the Mount McKInley
claim, and declares, under oath, that
that claim is an elaborate lie from be
ginning to end. And this witness Is not
in the frozen North; he can doubtless be
produced at short notice. If Dr.
Cook is an honest man. he will demand
that this be done, and that the whole
case, North Pole and Mount McKInley
both, be cleared up at once and com
pletely. From now on he ought to be
snending all his days and nights In the
work of clearing his honor, and every
dollar that he takes In henceforward
by exploiting his claim when he ought
to be removing the cloud on It. will be
a dollar gained at the expense of his
reputation for honesty. "
Orators as Plagiarists.
London Chronicle.
Most of our great orators have, been
plagiarists. Even Disraeli, who coined
so many phrases, borrowed his best re
membered expression, "peace with hon
or," for it was used long before his
time by Burke, and its real parent was
Shakespeare; while Mr. Jesse Colling's
famous "three acres and a cow" was
annexed from a speech by Canning.
Another neat phrase, used by Mr. John
Morley. "mend It or end it," In a speech
at St. James Hall in 1884 on the House
of Lords, owed its origin, probably, to
Sir Walter Scott, who in "The Monas
tery" makes one of his characters to
say: "My fate calls me elsewhere, to
v. -.... t ahull nd it. or mend It."
BUVlica wiifia . ...-.
Many stock political phrases also
which are generally uriouisa i
statesmen have had a very different orl-
in "Tho e-reatest hannlness of the
greatest number" was first seen In a
pamphlet by V. josepn x-nemiy. x u
Rev. J. A. Galbraith, a Dublin professor,
. , (n.-nntn, nf 'Wnme Rule." The
wa.o in, ' " . . . - -
words "nonconformist conscience' first
made their bow in a letter sent to me
Times by "A Wesleyan Minister."
Goldsmith was tne tamer or measures,
not men." Napoleon III first uttered
the words "defense, not defiance."
TM.w.,,, in "T.lttln Dorrit" Invented
"red tape," and the "policy of pin
pricks " nrst saw me ngm m mc
umns of the French paper Le Matin.
"Don't Cut No Ice."
New York Tribune.
It Isn't "I say unto you!" nowadays
so much as it was, but instead we are
daily reminded of what Epictetus or
some other reconaite ancient saia. as
the supporters of the Christian (and
profane) Jurist would say: "This Epic
tetus bloke don't cut no Ice! He's a
dead one!" What the popular ear longs
fni- la a resumption of the "I say unto
you" dithyrambs, about the striking of
the nour, tne biuw wpcuuj nmo
and the "persistency of Cato calling
for the destruction or Carthage." Kpic
tetus, forsooth! And tomorrow It may
be Boethlus or Martin Farquhar Tup-
perl
A Long Delivery In Post Cards,
New York Herald.
Three picture postcards posted five
sex village near Hastings, England, a
few days ago. one posicara oore me
date December 23, 1904, and the other
tWO LUO Ufltn i ..i ........ . , . " - - -1
were dispatched from Hastings, which
is only inree miles away.
PEJgDLETOVS ROLE AS DRY TOWS.
Noted Temperance Worker State. Facta
ae S Observed Thr-m.
PORTLAND, Oct. 20. (To the Editor.)
In last Saturday's Oregonlan I noted a
communication from San Francisco, a re
port from the hotel men's meeting, anent
the much-mooted question. Dry or wet,
which?" and the oft-repeated statement,
prohibition does not prohibit.
I have Just returned from a six weeks
trip through Eastern Oregon and Idaho.
Having made direful investigation in
many places, and having visited Pendle
ton, in particular, to see conditions there.
I feel that many of your readers would
like to hear something direct from the
battle-ground itself.
There Is little doubt in our minds as to
the reason why certain hotel and restaurant-keepers
are "knocking" and de
claring that shutting up drinking places
has hurt business. And it is with interest
that we listened to other business men.
But not a word about Pendleton. As the
cars steamed into the station, and we
wended our way up Main street, we re
called our last visit to the city, which was
prior to the '.'dry" condition, and the first
impression was of improved appearance,
cleaner streets, etc.
There were no signs of a dead town. On
the contrary, we found a newly-built and
equipped woolen mill, costing some J40.000.
$30,000 of It 'having been raised the past
year; also found a new, attractive City
Hall, at a possible cost of $30,000, and two
new, substantial schoolhouses. A bridge
was being built across the river at an ex
pense of $10,000. Old wooden sidewalks
were being replaced by cement ones, and
on reliable authority we learned that
whereas there were 200 vacant houses
when the town was "wet." now they were
decreased some 100, and that good houses
were hard to get
The First National Bank showed the fol
lowing statement: Bank deposits July 15,
1908, $1,293,982.13 (town went "dry" July 1,
190S); on June 23, 1909, $1,474,459.17, an in
crease of $175,337.04. Grocerymen, dealers
in meat and food supplies, dry goods,
Jewelry, etc., gave strong testimony of
increased business and better conditions
in general. The restaurants which kept
open all night and catered for "wet" trade
and those which were directly and indi
rectly connected with the liquor business,
of course, were losers, and, as the term
goes, were "knockers."
The contrast between Pendleton as It
was. with its 28 saloons (7000 population),
and the other evils that Invariably accom
pany the saloon business, and Pendh'.ton
as it le today, with no open saloon, with
clean streets, and happy, prosperous men
and women. Is so striking that no right
minded man or woman could help but re
joice in the wonderful change and marked
improvement.
That a Sodom, such as must result from
28 saloons in a town of 7000 inhabitants,
could be at once transformed into a para
dise could hardly be expected, and if
there ara some disgruntled dealers in the
liquor evil, declaring that prohibition does
not prohibit, might it not be well to ask
why? The very assertion that there is
Illicit selling carries with it the fact that
there are lawbreakers. What should every
well-governed city do with lawbreakers?
The answer is clear: Enforce the law.
Garfield once said: "Coercion is the basis
of every law in the universe, human or
divine. A law is no law without coer
cion back of it." It may be a hard les
son for some to learn that personal rights
must give way to public good, or In other
words, the greatest good to the largest
number.
All tho old argument as to personal
rights is a misconception of our relation
ship to each other and to our country.
Prohibition of the liquor traffic does not
prohibit, when law is respected and offi
cers will do the duty they have sworn
to perform.
Oregon will be free from the curse of
the saloon. God speed the day.
LUCIA H. ADDITON.
SUIT. PROPOSED THE SUPREME TEST
Could Not Klxk the Mistake That Might
, Wreck Their Lives.
Chicago Tribune.
"Stllllngia," said the young man, his
voice tremulous with suppressed emotion,
"are you going to put me on the pazziz?
Is this where I get off?"
Unshed tears were In the lovely maid
en's eyes.
If she had shed them they would not
have been in her eyes.
But let that pass.
"I have not said so, Geoffrey," reluc
tantly she answered, "in so many words.
But''
"Listen, Stllllngia!" he burst' forth Im
petuously. "Is there any other guy
that's got the inside track? Am I play
ing second fiddle to some snoozer with
plastered hair, an ingrowing chin, and a
pull at the bank? If so "
"No, Geoffrey, but "
"Then why the Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego are you stalling me off! I
may not be a pampered child of fashion,
but I'm on the dead lev. I've never
been caught with the goods. Girlie, ever
since I was a kid you've been my one
best bet, and you know It. I'm Old
Faithful from Kleengonvllle. I've trailed
along in your wake like a night police
reporter on track of a lovely holdup, or
a bug collector after a gorgeous butter
fly. All my life I've been building bunga
lows in the air for you to move into
some day. I'd rather look at your tin
type than to eat four square meals. You
are the niftiest, peachlest dream that
ever" .
"Geoffrey," interrupted the beautiful
girl, standing erect'bofore him, pale, but
calm and resolute. "I know you love
me, and I am touched as never before by
your devotion, but something seems to
tell me that we are not truly mated"
Here her voice faltered.
"Geoffrey," she said, recovering her
self, "we must not make a mistake that
will wreck our whole lives. I must ask
you one question!"
Well?"
"Which side do you take in this North
Pole controversy ?"
The Withered Staff of Aeacnlnpliis.
New York Medical Journal.
Aesculapius was always represented
with a staff, a symbol of the support
needed by the sick; around It was en
twined the ancient symbol of eternity,
the serpent Throughout succeeding ages
physicians carried a stick, which during
the Middle Ages was usually surmounted
by a small metal box containing aromatic
herbs which the doctor sniffed as he con
templated his patient to counteract in
fection and the universal stench of the
sickroom then prevalent. Later on the
stick shrunk into a cane, and during the
regency had above the handle an eyeglass,
a survey of the Invalid through which
must have conferred an ineffable look of
wisdom and profundity. In early Vic
torian days a climax of bad taste was
reached in the use of carved ivory or
bone skulls as cane handles, an example
of the ethical advertising of the period.
Finally the doctor's cane has followed
his black coat and high hat into ohlivion,
and more and more must the practitioner
rely upon his brains for prestige.
Lost Engagement Ring In m Neat.
Camden, N. J., Dispatch.
In a chestnut tree felled on James T.
Brinker's farm at Jacksonville. N. J.,
there was found a bird's nest contain
ing Mrs. Brinker's engagement ring
that disappeared 15 years ago. There
were ten other rings in the nest, stick
pins ar.d a gold brooch. The first love
letter Brinker sent to his wife when
he was courting her was also found in
the nest.
Cellar Work for Mnalc Lessons.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
In a New England weekly newspaper
appears the following advertisement:
"A stonemason or his daughter may
receive one quarter's music lessons in
exchange for work on a cellar."
Life's SunnySide
At a diplomatic reception in Washing
ton Mrs. Taft, on being co.nplimented
on her exquisite French, told a little
etory about a Senator whose French
(acquired In 12 phonographic lessons) is
by no means exquisite.
The Senator, fresh from one of his
phonographic recitals, pounced upon an
under secretary of the French Legation
at a dinner.
"Monsieur," he said, "eska ah eska
voo eska voo voo-Iy ma voo voo-ly ma
dunny "
"My dear Senator." the secretary ln
terupted, "do, I beg you, stop cpeaking
French. You speak it so well ah. so
very, very well it makes me homesick!"
Kansas City Independent.
e s
Here is a Tennyson anecdote which we
recently found in a French literary paper
and which we believe will be new to a
great many of our renders: The laureate,
of course, was in the hahlt of receiving
a large number of requests for his auto
graph. As a rule he did not reply. But
one dav he was much Impressed by the
letter of the young daughter of a coun
try gentleman, and he sent her not only
his autograph, but an original quatrain.
The girl was naturally delighted. Hr
father, however, did not allow her to
thank the poet, but assumed that re
sponsibility himself. He sent the follow-
"Dear Sir: I have shown your versen
to the schoolmaster. He finds that the
tails of the g's and tho upper part of
the h's are very irregular, and that you
also forgot to cross your t's. 'Apide from
that, I thank you for your effort." The
Bookman.
e
Moyor Stoy. of Atlantic City, was
praising the remarkable efficiency of hts
corps of life guards.
"These men have presence of mind,"
he said, "the right kind of presence of
mind. Not the wrong kind everybody
ha 9 that.
"I used to know," Mayor Stoy con
tinued, "an aged duck hunter that we
called Old Presence of Mind.
"Wo called him Old Presence of Mind
because he once went duck hunting in a
sneak box with a friend. The bay rough
ened up, and the friend fell overboard.
But as ha was sinking In the Icy water
he managed to clutch with his chilled
hand the edge of the frail little sneak
box.
"The old duck hurter used to conclude
this thrilling tale with the words:
'And. gents, if I hadn't had the pres
ence of mind to unship an oar and whack
him over the fingers, I'd have drowned
as he was." "Washington Star,
t ...
Attorney H. A. Kelley onoe caused un
told embarrassment to the late B. A.
Handy, general manager of the Lake
Shore Railroad. The two were sitting
side by side in the theater. Handy hap
pened to glance up into the balcony and
noticed a leering, fishy-eyed person
wearing genteel clothes and a particu
larly ruddy specimen of night-blooming
highball blossom on his nose.
"Kelley." asked Handy, as he pointed
out the man upstairs", "who is that
drunken loafer there that I see about
town so much?"
"That fellow," repeated Kelley, oh,
that's old So-and-So, a cousin of mine"
although he had never seen or heard of
the fellow before.
Handy was stunned with mortification.
But he did not attempt to apologize.
"Well," ha observed, "I came right to
headquarters for my Information about
him. didnt I?"
And Kelley didn't relieve his friend s
chagrin until a week or two later when
he owned up that the "cousin" feature
was faked. Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Just before the late election John D.
Archbold, of the Standard Oil Company,
confided to an Intimate friend that he
was in a certain sense In the same boat
with a mother who had a "little dear'
by the name of Willie.
"One day." said Mr. Archbold. the
mother missed her little boy. When he
ahowexl up again she inquired:
" Where have you been, Willier
" 'Playing postman,' replied her son.
1 gave a letter to all the houses in our
road. Real letters, too."
"Where on earth did you get them?"
questioned the mother.
' They were those old ones In your
wardrobe drawer, tied up with a blue
ribbon,' was the innocent reply." Judge.
A certain young man, wishing to be
very thrifty", quit eating meat. "Frank
lin abstained from meat" quoth he, "and
so will I." .
But he didn't stop to consider how
prices have gone up since Franklin's day,
and especially within the last few years.
The result was that when he hadn t
eaten meat for about six months he was
so much money to the good that he lost
his head and became one of the gilded
youth.
The outworn ideals of yesterday should
be taken, up very guardedly, if at all.
Puck.
e
The modern Sherlock climbed through
the window and entered the kitchen.
"His wife Is away." ejaculated Sherlock
as he surveyed the room with the critical
eye of Sootland Yard. "I shall find out
how long she has been away."
And then Sherlock began to count the
soiled dishes piled up on the shftlf.
"She has been away exactly 14 days,
he commented.
"And how did you find that out,
chief?" asked his assistant.
"Why It's dead easy! Married men
never wash their dishes when tlvMr wives
ar away, and there are Just 42 soiled
plates on that shelf. That means three
plates a day for 14 days." Chicago News.
Doea Hie Part Thoroughly.
Judge.
In order to avoid an argument with a
woman suffragist on the subject of her
hobby, a happy bachelor gallantly ac
quiesced In the truth of her assertions.
"But, sir," sternly remarked the spin
ster "your admission is anything but
creditable to you. What, for anstance,
have you ever done for the emanclpa-
,11 1C1H.1 .
"Madame," responded the gentlemani
with a polite smite and a bow.'I have
at least remained a bachelor."
I'se of Taxation.
New York Journal of Commerce.
"Wine," said a sarcastlo Frenchman,
"may be made from many things, even
from grapes." Taxation is now reach
ing such a development that it will soon
bo pertinent to remark that taxation
mav serve many purposes, one of the
Incidental services rendered being the
provision of money to defray the pub
lic expenses.
Helping Ont.
Dallas Itemizer.
A man and 11 children came In the
other day to help increase the popula
tion of this part of the country.
The HlUs of Rest.
Albert Blselow Pnlne. In Harper's.
Beyond the last horizon's rim.
Beyond adventure's farthest quest.
Somewhere they rise, serene and dim.
The happy, happy Hills of R&sU
Upon their sunlit slopes uplift
Ths castles we have built In Spain
While fair amid the Summer drift
Our faded gardens flower again.
Sweet hours we did not live so by
To soothing note, on scented wing;;
In golden-lettered volumes lie
The songs we tried In vain to stng.
They all are there: the days of dream
That build the inner lives of men;
The silent, sacred years we deem
The might be, and the might have bsen
Some evening when the sky Is gold
I'll follow day Into the west;
Nor pause, nor heed, till I behold
The happy, happy Hills of Rest, v