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Bsck wlth Special Agency New York, room 43 50 Trlbun-building. Chicago, rooms 510-613 Tribune building. . PORTLAND. THTBSLVAT. NOV. 5. 190. ESOU8H IANT) TAX ASTD OCR OWK. In Great Britain th olsuss of priv ilege and land-holding possesses ad vantage' unknown in America. Con ditions are o different In th two countries that the terms used In one are not at all the equivalents of terms used in the other. When they talk of taxation of the unearned incre ment in Great Britain the terms they use are Intelligible to their own peo ple. Not so to ours. For in our country the Idea Is that the owner of property has no just right to Its Increase in value, but that the stato should seize It since the proprietor hasn't created It. In England all they mean by taxation of the unearned in crement is new and higher valuation of land for taxation, wherever situ ated. In our country this new and higher valuation Is made every year; and the owner is required to pay the tax. To the American mind, resistance of this method and system of Just tax ation in the United Kingdom is strange, and the motive inconceiv able. But the motive is the key to resistance of the new method of land tax, now pending In the British Par liament. Under the English system the tenant pays the taxes as well as the rents; the landlord extorts every thing from the tenant and pockets the rental and Improvement values, with no obligation whatever to himself. In our country It would not be tol erated for a year. But it is the old English system, from times of the Domesday Book. In our country the proprietor of the land Is charged with payment of taxes, on Its increasing valuations, every year. Substantially, this is what is proposed by the new measure that has passed the English Commons, and sent up to the Lords. Our proprietors have the unearned increment ad vanced in their valuations year by year, and are required to pay the tax. In England, the land proprietors are practically exempt, and they rack-rent their tenants. The usual custom is to grant leases for terms of years, and when the leases fall In, the landlords raise the rents, and simply are pro prietors and beneficiaries, drawing Immense rentals or revenues, with no obligations to the state. The new leg islation Is Intended to correct these in equalities, and to make those respon sible for the property who are own ers of it. Dissimilarity of conditions makes close analogies between the systems In England and the United States im possible. Our land-owners are as sessed, and must pay every year, on the growing values. The new scheme In the English Parliament proposes a tax, of 20 per cent, levied on any in crease of the "site value" of land ac cruing after last April. It is to be paid whenever the land is sold, or let on lease (for more than fourteen years), and whenever it changes hands by death. In the case of corporations, which do not die, the duty is to be paid periodically, every fifteen years (beginning with 1914), instead of on transfer through death of the owner. We do not need this kind of act in our country, because the tax on the "site value" is assessed year by year. Tax on unearned increment, there fore, means a very different thing in England from confiscation of the un earned Increment, proposed by So cialists in the United States. A knotty point In the proposed English law will be the meaning of "site value." It is to be arrived at by taking the actual price paid for land In the case of a sale, the calculated value in the case of a lease or trans fer on death, and the hypothetical value (If sold In the open market) in case of Commissioners' values, and then making a number of specified deductions. "Site value" will mean the total value of any parcel of land, minus any buildings, machinery, grow ing timber, fruit trees, and other things growing. And "total value" will equal gross value minus deprecia tion due to any fixed charges, public rights of way. rights of concession or any agreement restricting the use of land. It makes a problem of vast and var ied complication; but clearly it is an effort to preserve the equitable and Just rights of the owner, while denning anew his obligations to the state. In accord with development, under mod ern conditions, of the new rights of society. Provision is made for taxa tion of "undeveloped land," or land held out of use: which also would be unnecessary in our country, since it is the duty of our assessors every where to set a value, for taxation, on undeveloped land. The question before the British Par liament Is this, namely: Whether taxation should be borne ty proprie tors of the land, who are those best able to bear It, or by those who can least afford to pay. We have no such question (unless In very limited de gree) In our country; since our sys tem requires advance of land valua tions, year by year, and the tax goes against the land, that is, against the owner. We have seen the valuations of landed property In Portland, for purposes of taxation, raised five-fold within a few years, and very con siderable If not corresponding in creases on lands, in nearly all parts of Oregon. The increment with us, earned or unearned, is taxed as fast and as fully as it grows. Ugly rumors are in circulation re garding the burning of the steamer St. Croix. It seems inconceivable that the lives of human beings should be imperiled in furtherance of an Insur ance fraud. The burning of an over- insured steamer in the Columbia River after the crew were safely ashore is a serious matter, but if there Is any foundation for the rumors now circu lated regarding the St. Croix, some one is entitled to a good, long term in the Penitentiary. The San Francisco in spectors owe It to themselves, as well as to the public, to make a searching Investigation of the causes which were reponsible for the loss of the vessel and the attendant risking of more than 100 llvs-s. The "friction" resulting from rubbing a J7500 policy on a J2500 boat has been known to cause steamboat fires where escape of those on board was unaccompanied by dan ger, but the practice is one that would not prove profitable on the high seas. IHE GREATEST PRKSEXT NEED. The true way to make Portland the city beautiful, as well as the city use ful, is to pave the streets. This com ing year should witness a degree of energy in this direction never seen in Portland heretofore. There are many good streets now. but not half enough; and after one passes out a littie way beyond the business center, most of the streets are in a wretched condition. The city, in its territorial extensions, and in buildings, has grown so exceed ingly faster than its pavements that the defect is far more apparent than ever before. During the rainy season, now upon us, not much can be done, beyond the necessary estimates and preparations; but with cessation of the rains im provement of the streets should be pushed and enforced, as never before. Most owners of property doubtless will co-operate; those unwilling must be compelled. There are miles and miles of streets that are practically impassable. Most of these are new streets, but some of the older ones are In equal need of attention. An other Winter should not be permitted to witness such streets as those whose condition now almost precludes travel further than a little distance beyond the old city. Beyond doubt the Mayor and other city authorities will do everything in their power to expedite these Improvements. This work is by far the greatest of all the present needs of the city. ' THANKSGIVING. Think how dull the Lord might have made the world if he had wished. Lead-colored roses, violets without fragrance, trees with ashen-hued leaves instead of green, these were all possible when the earth was created, but the master-builder put aside the wearisome and ugly and elected to make his structure beautiful In all Its parts. Whenever hideousness lurks it Is the work of man and not of God. The Creator might have fixed the world In an everlasting sameness, but he did not. He has avoided the irk someness of routine by making change the law of the universe. No two Springs are quite alike. When the world prepares in the Fall for the long Winter's drowse, it Is never twice in the same way. Nature's fashions are as changeable as women's. The colors of her gown vary from month to month and she is always devising new patterns. We ought to be thank ful that the world is so interesting In Itself, and doubly thankful that the Lord has Inspired mankind with a restlessness which makes It more in teresting every year. In all generations there have been mossbacks who pulled as' hard as they could against the forward striving of the Almighty; but they never have counted for much. The tide has flowed onward in spite of them so that man kind never had a chance to grow weary of the world. Creative energy has kept it perennially new and fresh. The sour fault-finder may ask what better off we are than our fathers for being able to go a mile a minute in an automobile. In one way. at any rate, we are better off. The automobile Is a change from the horse and carriage if it is nothing more. It is terrible to contemplate always traveling in the same old way. Give us new vehicles even If they bring new dangers. Give us new life, even if it Involves new tribulations. This the Lord doea for us unceasingly, or he stirs us up to do It for ourselves, and we ought to thank him. Changeless routine dif fers little from death. Life without tidal flow grows putrid like those mo tionless seas in "The Ancient Mari ner." We who are now alive have peculiar cause to be thankful, for old things never died so fast before as they are dying today, nor were the new ever born so abundant and beautiful. The Nineteenth Century was the most in teresting period the human race ever lived through. More was going on In the world and people were better In formed about It. We shucked off a whole rubbish heap of superstitions. Intelligence acquired new confidence because of Its many and brilliant vic tories. It was a triumphant century for the human reason. The empire of mind was extended. Matter was sub dued, forces were harnessed. The in tellect broke most of Its fetters and learned the glorious joy of liberty. The Nineteenth Century was the best and greatest mankind has ever known, but there are signs that the Twentieth will be greater and better. The ma terial world has been substantially conquered, humanity now addresses Itself to the conquest of the Immater ial. Precious victories over dullness, folly, cruelty, have been won already. More splendid ones await the Knights of God who shall enter the lists as new tomorrows rise from the eternity of his promise. The sentinels on the watch-towers of Zion see nothing but hope all ronnd the world's horizon. They hear nothing from the sky but the evangel of love. The law of love begins to rule tha world. The prevalence of hate dimin ishes. In no century has any man called so many people brothers as we all do now. The consciousness of a common, origin and destiny grows upon the race, making for kindness and sweeping away the stupid impedi ments of language and color. The nations are learning to serve one an other and the rage of fighting seems almost ready to lose Itself in the joy of service. War becomes more diffi cult every year. With a truly Heg elian synthesis of opposltes the very destructlveness of war heralds the dawn of universal peace. We have a gentler religion than our fathers dreamed of. They dared not picture to themselves the kindly God whom their children worship. Politics and business show symptoms of nascent belief In divine law. The churches themselves are growing religious. The solutions of great problems which have perplexed and baffled the world for thousands of years begin to adumbrate themselves. Thoughtful men axe no longer content to admit TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER that poverty, drunkenness, the tophet of lost women, must be with us al ways. They have attacked these ter rible things with the resolve to delve to their causes and find their cure. Nor do they toll In darkness. Patient intelligence has shed scattered rays of light upon their labors. Soon It will come In a flood. A hundred years ago the world would have Jeered at the thought that poverty Is- a disease of civilization, a curable disease which need be fatal only through neglect. Now nobody jeers at the thought. It is received seriously and deeply pon dered. Those who cannot believe are more Inclined to weep than make merry over their doom of despair. But the unbelievers are few. We live In an age of glorious hope and the best thing about it is that it includes all mankind. EXPERT'S SHIP SCBcJIDY VIEWS. There is such a lamentable absence of either technical or practical knowl edge of the shipping business among the Puget Sound subsidy-boosters that it Is refreshing to note a sane com munication on the subject in the Se attle Times, from Mr. Frank Water house, a man thoroughly In touch with marine commerce In all of Its branches. The steamship line repre sented by Mr. Waterhouse operates foreign steamers in the Oriental and Australian trade out of Pacific Coast ports. In response to a query as to his views on the passage of a "free ship" bill, he suggests "that If the American Nation wants a merchant marine. Congress should pass a law permitting registration of any foreign built vessel of 1000 tons or over, classed A-l at Lloyds, or a similar and competent bureau of classification, not more than five years old, and owned by American citizens or corporations." Mr. Waterhouse further recom mends adoption of the British Board of Trade regulations, instead of the antiquated regulations we now have in force, and as a very strong reason for such a recommendation says that "In asmuch as the majority of the world's tonnage is successfully operated under the British regulations, we shall not go far wrong In copying them." Mr. Waterhouse does not overlook the prospect of a ship subsidy, but he seems willing to have the Government confine Its aid to the comparatively modest amount necessary to equalize the difference in wages paid on Ameri can and foreign ships. All other dif ferences, he points out, can be equal ized by following the policies which have proved so satisfactory for our competitors. There is much food for thought for the subsidy-hunters, who wish to get our shipping in the same category as our steel, sugar and other trust-protected industries, in the statement from Mr. Waterhouse that "on account of the enormous difference between the cost of foreign-built and American-built vessels, with the correspond ing increase in the items of deprecia tion. Interest and Insurance, to say nothing of the increased cost of oper ation under the American flag in other respects, the United States Congress would never seriously consider a sub sidy bill, the appropriations for which would be largo enough to. equalize the above mentioned differences." The statement of Mr. .Waterhouse; which is reprinted in part in another column, is of exceptional value be cause It presents actual figures show ing the difference In original cost In operation of American and foreign ves sels. These bare figures alone are suf ficient to show the impossibility of meeting competition with a subsidy. The Oregonlan does not believe In the policy of taxing business which does pay in order to support a business that does not pay, especially when others are willing to handle the busi ness at much less than it would cost us to handle it ourselves. For all that the subsidy proposed by Mr. Water house is less costly and less objection able than any yet proposed. If it could be paid in connection with free ships,- we should unquestionably se cure a merchant marine and, once es tablished. It might become self-sup porting, like that of other nations. IN A CXASS BY ITSELT. The Oregon apple has carried the fame of the Beaver State around the world. Together with the unequaled reputation It has made has appeared some misapprehension as to why the Oregon apple is in a class by itself. This erroneous diagnosis of the case of the Oregon apple Is shown in a recent letter in the London Times from the pen of Moberly Bell, editor of the great paper. In writing of his trip through Oregon he mentions an orchard near Medford which in a single year pro duced MO, 000 worth of apples, "all of which were sent to the London mar ket." Editor Bell then writes reprov ingly of the methods of English, Aus tralian and Canadian fruitgrowers. He assumes that if they were as up to date In their methods as the Oregon fruit growers, it would be unnecessary for loyal Britons to send their money among aliens for fruit. This Imperfect knowledge of the conditions which have made world's prizewinners of Oregon apples is not confined to foreigners. In the No vember Issue of the Boston Chamber of Commerce Journal appears a report of the committee on agriculture berating the policy of the farmers and fruit growers who "continue to plod on in the old way, using out-of-date methods and envious of the advantages sup posed to be possessed by their Western competitors." As an example of the willingness of the Boston people to pay full prices for fancy fruit, the commit tee cites the fact that, "for example, they are today giving 5 or 10 cents apiece for rosy Hood River Spitzen berg apples, shipped in from Oregon." With the New England farmer in such close proximity to such a market, in which such prices are obtainable, the Bostonlans profess to believe that ap ples of the Oregon standard Bhould be produced in Massachusetts. It finds that the Massachusetts grower has an advantage not only in distance to mar ket, but in cost of the land. To quote from the report: The secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture reports, as the result of a recent visit to Western States, that land in Oregon and Washington, ready to set to orchard, costs from 200 to J 1000 per acre. New England land for the same purpose can be bought at prices varying from $S to 50 per acr. And no country in th world Is so gifted with Ideal orchard sites as this same New England. With all due respect to historic New England and her "ideal orchard sites," it can truthfully be said that It would be as impossible to grow apples of the Oregon standard on the "J5 to J50" Massachusetts land as it would be to grow Maryland terrapin on Mount Hood. The geological formation which imparts to Oregon fruit its exquisite flavor, color and style Is not found In New England. In no other part of the country than in the Pacific North west can be found those admirable climatic -conditions resulting from the commingling of the tempering winds blowing inland from the warm Japan current, with the cooling breezes that come down from the snowcapped mountains that stand like sentinels looking down on thousands of acres of the finest orchards on earth. In nei ther Old England nor New England can the Oregon apple reach the same degree of perfection that it attains in the nature-favored state which it has advertised throughout the world. REJECTING THE BABY ACT. The Chicago Board of Trade has rejected the i'anti-comer" amend ment to its rules, and as a result the gamblers who sell commodities which they do not own, and buy what they do not expect to accept delivery on, must live up to their contracts. This action was undoubtedly due to the im possibility of making a rule. Intended to check indiscriminate gambling in Board of Trade commodities, that would not also similarly interfere with legitimate trading. The purchase and sale of articles for "future" delivery has become a fixed and necessary fea ture of nearly all legitimate business transactions.. By making contracts for future delivery of flour and buy ing wheat for future delivery, wheat with which to make the flour, the mil ler can distribute the actual handling of the wheat and flour over a period that admits of economies impossible If it were necessary to lay in big stocks of wheat and await the coming of orders. The same advantages are noticeable in cotton future dealing. Under the system of buying and selling futures, a manufacturer, without the purchase of a vast amount of stock, can arrange his purchases and sales for a year ahead, and thus determine to a nicety how much of the time his factory will be running and what his profits will be. This is the legitimate part of fu ture dealing, and it extends to a large number of commodities. The fact that the system opens a way for ille gitimate gambling does not warrant the imposition of restrictions that will hamper the legitimate functions of future dealings. The amendment re jected by the Board of Trade pro vided that, in case of a "squeezer" or "corner" in any commodity, a com mittee should determine the value of that commodity on final delivery day, and the interested persons would be compelled to settle accordingly. It is obvious that the enforcement of such a rule would deprive a legiti mate operator of the profits to which he was entitled by his knowledge or sagacity in forecasting the market. It would enable every "short seller" who hammered down prices to plead the baby act, and thus escape the penalty of his own folly. So long as the gamblers in Chicago Board of Trade commodities know that they- must deliver the stuff which they sell, at the price agreed on when the sale is made, and not on a price fixed by a pitying committee, there will be less inclina tion unnecessarily to depress prices by the pernicious practice of short selling. The new Mayor of San Francisco seems to be handing out some pleasant surprises for those who expected him to turn the town over to the old union labor gang, which foisted a Schmitz and a Ruef on the community. Mayor McCarthy has selected a police board composed of business men who have the confidence of the respectable ele ment of the city. If the new Mayor should give San Francisco the kind of administration which his enemies as sured the public he would not give them, it would prove a sad blow to the professional reformers who have been making large sums of money in the exploitation of San Francisco's tar nished reputation. Real reform, such as Is Indicated by the Police Commis sion appointments of Mayor McCarthy, will prevent the exhibition of the Bay City as a "horrible example" to be shunned "by other cities that have not yet had experience with the profes sional reformers. Ninety million tons of coal were consumed by the locomotives on American railroads last year, accord ing to Professor Goss, of the Univer sity of Illinois, more than one-half of this amount being lost through waste In- operation. Estimating the totals from experiments actually conducted, Professor Goss states that more than 10,000,000 tons are lost "through the heat In the gases that are discharged from the stacks of the locomotives." This is a loss that has been in evidence since coal was first burned in a loco motive but up to the present time no means have been discovered for check ing it. The man who can perfect a con trivance by which the great amount of heat that is belched through smoke stacks of locomotives can be saved will have one of the greatest money-making Inventions of the age. The experts, on the trial of Alma Bell, testified that when she shot her recreant lover, she had no sense of right and wrong, and she was acquit ted. Very well: but the Judgment of men and women in general will be that she had a keen sense of the wrong of the wrong she had suffered. With the English budget holding the center of the stage as it does at the present time, the House of Lords might find very little to be thankful for this week, even If the holiday were celebrated in England, as It is In this country. This rain last Summer would have made piles of money to many persons. Some of them, therefore, may think every shower that now falls lost them money last Summer. Football players will be thankful to day, because, after all, only a few of them will be maimed or killed. The person ..who brought all this rain weather must have been powerful strong with the prayers. Before we are done with turkey hash some of us may be thankful tur key was no cheaper. If Portland's milk Is not the best in the United States, the fault Is not with the city's water. After all, this warm-weather flood is better than burst pipes and the plumber. Persons who don't eat turkey can be thankful they don't pay the price. 1909 FOR A MERCHANT MARINE. Practical Plan for Securlnar Fleet American SUlp. Frank Waterhouse, of Seattle, one -of the most prominent shipping men on the Pacific Coast, in response to queries as to the best means of se curing a merchant marine, has written a letter which appeared In the Seattle Times. In part Mr. Waterhouse's views were as follows: In answer to these inquiries. I have stated that If Congress should pass a, bill enabling the registration under the American flag of forelgn-bullt vessels, adopting the British Board of Trade regulations, and in some manner equalizing th difference in the wage scale, we expect to apply for American registry for a number of foreign vessels, for use to the trades in which we are lnterestedj I have suBgested that If the American Nation wants a merchant marine, Congress should pass a law, permitting the registra tion of any forelgn-bullt vessel of 1000 gross tons or over, classed A-l at Lloyds, or by a similar and competent bureau of classifica tion, not more than five years old, and owned by American citizens or corporations. I believe that the British Board of Trade regulations should be adopted by this country in place of the burdensome and an tiquated regulations we now have In force. Inasmuch as the majority of the worlds tonnage Is successfully operated under the British regulations, we shall not go far wrong 'in copying them and we shall not go far wrong in cost of operation under the American flag. To provide for th extra cost of employ ing American deck officers and engineers. Congress should agree to pay. for ten years, to steam vessels so admitted, as well as to all American-built steam vessels (except such as are receiving assistance from the United States Government, through the pay ment of postal subventions), engaged In the foreign trade, a bounty of $1 per mile cov ered each year between any port In th United State and any foreign port (exclud ing contiguous foreign territory), on a minimum of B00O and maximum of 3.000 miles, on which the bounty of 1 per mil should apply. The same bounty should apply to sailing ships, except that on this class of vessel the maximum bounty to be paid to any vessel during any one year should be $7500. .The payment of large subsidies to fast mail steamers only will never secure to this country a satisfactory merchant marine which can take its proper place in th foreign-carrying trade of the world, nor will it provide the Army and Navy with the auxil iary vessels they require, for the transporta tion of animals, cargo, coals and other sup plies. Past mall steamers cannot be worked profitably, charging competitive rates with slow cargo boats, and it is the first and most vital requirement in the development of for eign trade, that American Importers and ex porters secure as low ocean freight rates as their foreign competitors. On account of the enormous difference between the cost of foreign-built and American-built vessels, with the corresponding Increase In the Items of depreciation. Inter est and Insurance, to say nothing of the In creased cost of operation under the Ameri can flag. In other respects, the United States Congress would never seriously consider a subsidy bill.' the appropriations for which would bo large enough to equalize the above mentioned differences. For instance, the American steamers Shawmut and Trement. which, up to recent ly, were operated in our Oriental service, cost, ready for work, about $1,200,000 each. These two vessels carried 14,000 measure ment tons of cargo each, and made an aver age speed of about 104 knots per hour, on a coal consumption of about 90 tons per day. When they were sold to the United States Government, we substituted for them the new British steamers Suverlc and Ku merlc, which cost approximately J400.000 each. These steamers carry 15.000 measure ment tons of cargo each, and make an av erage sea speed of 11 knots per hour, on a dally consumption of 65 tons of coal. The difference In the Items of deprecia tion, interest and insurance per annum, be tween these four vessels, is $225,000 in favor of the British steamers, and the total differ ence in the cost of operating expenses would be considerably over J:M10,000 per year in their favor. The general Idea that a mer chant vessel can be built In this country at an expense of about 50 per cent more than it costs to build In foreign countries, la buncombe, as the average difference la nearer 300 per cent. Surely our Congress would not attempt to equalize any such difference, as such a policy could only be temporary on account of Its enormous cost, and it would certainly prove Ineffectual for that reason, if for no other. Let us avoid, as far as possible, all artificial means in the rehabilitation of the American merchant marine. We should build it from a foundation of solid rock and not from one of shifting sand. XBW GENERALS TO BE NAMED SOOX Attitude of the President Toward Army Promotion Watched With Interest. New Tork Evening Post. President Taft now faces the duty of selecting several new generals for the Army, owing to the retirement late in December of Brigadier-General Winfield S. Edgerly, and early in January of Brigadier-General John G. D. Knight, whose promotion to that rank takes place today because of the retirement of Major General Weston and the promotion of Brigadier-General W. H. Carter. Nat urally the Army is deeply concerned to hear of the President's selections, be cause from them they will deduce a great deal as to the policy of the President and the Secretary of War in regard to future appointments. Mr. Taft has already given evidence that he Is looking for good men who are seniors in their grades for advancement. Thus, ho has promoted Brigadier-General William H. Carter, the senior of his grade, save for General Funston, and he made Colonel Marlon P. Maus, of the Twentieth Infantry, an excellent officer, Brigadier-General, last June. He also rewarded a deserving officer of long service when he made Colonel R. T. Yeat man. Eleventh Infantry, Brigadier-General, for purposes of retirement "Shortly thereafter. In rewarding Colonel Knight the President also chose a highly meri torious officer. Senior Colonel in the Corps of Engineers, whose work in this branch of the Service has long been fa vorably known both in and out of the Army. So far so good, the Army says. If this keeps up there will be nothing but praise for Mr. Taft. Now the question is not only as to the vacancies created by the retirement of Generals Bdgerly and Knight, but those made by the retire ment on March 18 next of Brigadier-General Morton and on November 14 next of Brigadier-General A. L. Myer. If Mr. Taft follows his precedent of last year he may designate now the men who will succeed to these various positions. There is also an Important department, Briga-dier-Ueneralcy. to bestow, in that General Marshall, the chief of engineers, will go on the retired list for age on June 11. It is undeniable that in the list of Colonels there is plenty of good material to choose from, particularly In the cav alry. The Empire of Texas. Houston Post. Says the Birmingham Age-Herald: "Mr. Taft is our President as much as he is the President of Iowa or Vermont." Mr. Taft Is Texas' President much more than he is of Iowa or Vermont, because there is so much more of Texas. Out of the Mouth of Babes. Chicago News. Teacher What Is the shortest line between two given points? Bright Pupil A railway line on its own maps. Mamma Edgar, you bad boy, you have made a grease spot on the new sofa with your bread and butter. Little Edgar Well, don't worry, mamma. We can sit on it when there's company in the parlor. "Now, Lottie," said the teacher to a pupil in the Juvenile class, "can you tell me what 'vice versa' means?" "Yes, ma'am," answered the little miss. "It means sleeping with your feet toward the head of the bed." "What was the sin of the Pharisees?" asked the Sunday school teacher of a bright little girl. "Eating camels," was the prompt re ply. She had read that the Pharisees "strained at gnats and swallowed camels." 25, BROTHER CILKB AGAIX, And Remarks by Him on the Subject of Prohibition. PORTLAND, Kov. 21. (To th Editor.) "Notes on Prohibition.- In last Tuesday's Issue of The Oregonlan. occasions surprise that a paper of the character of The Ore gonlan should be trying to make It appear that the recent tragedy at Lebanon, and the loss of trade at Pendleton, are dlrertly chargeable to prohibition of the saloon. This wll hardlv Jostle the conviction of even The Oregonlari's many friends, that the' saloon has made itself so obnoxious and has proved its lawlessness to such an extent that nothing worse can take Its place. Jug gling with the question of municipal reve nue bv licensing the saloon Is not likely to mislead the substantial voters of whatever political party. When so large a proportion of crime- in the state la traceable to the saloon is It any wonder that the friends of law and good order should want It abol ished? ! By the way. is The Oregonlan sure that few of those who favor prohibition figure to much extent on the tax rolls? t C. E. CLINK. The Oregonlan did not assert, nor inti mate, that the recent tragedy at Lebanon was chargeable to prohibition. It said that prohibition did not stop a sale of liquors and prevent such tragedies. As to municipal revenue, cut off by prohibi tion, undoubtedly the loss of revenue can be borne, but it will fall on property by direct tax; while surreptitious sale of liquors will still yield more abuses than open and regulated sale. Many people seem to think that when they have "abol ished the saloon" the problem as to liquor will be solved. It Is a mistake, confirmed amply by experience wherever prohibition has been attempted. As to the last ques tion, about . connection of this subject with revenue and taxpaylng. We think it demonstrable that only a small proportion of the taxes of the oltles and towns, where prohibition raises the main ques tion or debate. Is paid by prohibitionists. In the agricultural districts the liquor question Is mainly a sentimental one; but we believe. a majority of the farmers will vote for prohibition. Question is whether they should force it (If they can) on towns and cities that do not want It. The Oregonlan thinks they will not, on mature consideration, wish to do so. Probably they would not bo able to, on a state basis. If they should try. Un doubtedly, also, many who would cast their votes for local prohibition (through local option) will not wish to vote for a state prohibition law. BOOMING OIIEGOS. ' Likelihood That the Work Will Be Overdone. Polk County Observer. Often you, hear it said of some rapidly growing city or town that It is being "over-boomed." Such expressions of opin ion usually come from Individuals who are not noted for their booming and boost ing qualities, and who are not much in clined to encourage such efforts in others. For the last 20 years, we have heard it said that Los Angeles was being over boomed, and yet Los Angeles has grown from a town of 10,000 to a great city of 400.000 inhabitants, and' is still growing. We have heard it said that Medford Is being overboomed, and yet Medford has increased its population from 3000 to 7000 in the last two years, and its bank re ports show a gain of $500,000 in the last 12 months. It has been said that Eugene is an over boomed town. Possibly It is true, but when one stops to consider that Ktugene has doubled its population In three years and has more modern business buildings and mora miles of paved streets than any other town in Oregon outside of Portland, one is obliged to admit that the booming process has had its effect. The truth Is, no town or community In Oregon has been over-boomed. A trip out side the borders of the state will soon con vince any one of that fact. Oregon has only just begun 'to grow. Its Industries are In the infancy of their development; its towns and cities are Just beginning to throw aside the swaddling clothes. The real growth and development are yet to come, and the cities and communities that first awake to a realization of this fact and govern their affairs accordingly are the ones that will reap the quickest and best rewards for their foresight and en terprise. Let's not talk of over-booming, but all get in and boom a little harder. We haven't yet become such experts in the booming business that we are likely to overdo It not for a while, at least. Hovre Philosophy. Atchison Globe. It Is fortunate that not all people guilty of contempt of court show It. Every man is a reformer until re form tramps on his toes. Then how he yells. Men are like boys; you can't get up a surprise party on them without their finding It out. All the praise a man gets for hard work and prudence is that his friends say he is "a lubky dog." Usually a man does not have time to work on his own scheme, he is bothered so much by other schemers. Next move of the English suffrag ette; a demand that when a man mar ries, he take the woman's name. Tell a woman a truth so palpable she cannot deny it. and she will say: "Now you are trying to be sarcastic." We wish the Bible readers would in vestigate and report: Hid Job blame the troubles that befell him on his wife? ' When a man talks five minutes over the telephone, he says "All right" ten times. A woman will say "Well" that often. It takes a boy seven or eierht years to learn the multiplication table, but he can learn to ride a bicycle In an hour and a half. Froceaalon of 41 lawyers New York World. The $2,000,000 estate, left by Ianiel C. Kingsland, a real estate operator, is to be distributed among his nephews and nieces. Some of it will go to the half hundred lawyers who represented the va rious heirs. Justice Truax ordered the distribution of the fortune after learning that the dis putes had been amicably aettled. When the case was called, a small regiment of lawyers stepped forward. "How many attorneys are interested In this motion?" asked the court. "There are, I think, about 41 present this morning," replied Attorney William R. Wilder, a spokesman. "There are more of us when we gather in force." Convert by Prevlou Conversion. BAKBR CITY, Or., Nov. 21. (To the Editor.) Referring to the 1000 Dan Shan non "converts" in Baker City mentioned in your editorial, the most of them were already church-goers or even church members who went up on his stage only to make public profession of their faith and Shannon called them "converts." "GLORY." Drug Ved on Plants. Philadelphia Bulletin. One of the strangest gardens In the world is on the roof of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. A botanist there is experimenting with the use of drugs on plants in order to find out whether .' it is possible to grow under glass plants from which rare drugs are taken. A Vital Question. Louisville Courier-Journal. "Then we start with a capital stock of $2,000,000?" inquired the first pro moter. , "We do," said the second promoter. "One more question." "Ask as many as you like." "Have we enough of that capital stock paid In to take us to lunch?" I sinvnrslW I ECHO r rto.Ti -int. miiu-io" Death f Sirs. Clarke, at Montreal. Ased 105. MONTREAL. Nov. 20. (To the Edi tor.) I think you will be Interested in the enclosed clipping. Mr. Clarke, the husband of the woman who has Just died, caused our Oregon countrj- a great deal of trouble, as he was the bearer of the silver cup that.o'.d John Jacob Astor sent out to Alexander McKay, but McKay having heen killed on the Tonquln, Clarke brought It back across the continent, and while in the Palouse country It was stolen and Clarke hanged the Xes Perce who stole it. This silver, cup is now In Montreal and owned by Alexander McKayJs de scendants, but not direct line. his brother's grandchildren. I have seen this cup and held It In my hand. The present owner brought it from the Trust Company to show It to me. The inscription is: "From John Jacob Astor to his friend Alexander McKay, 1811." I have lived in Montreal for more than 10 years. The Oregon country grows dim and I am in constant com munication with my people. VELINA P. MOLSOSf. (Mrs. Molson is a daughter of the lat Senator Nesmlth.) The clipping follows: Mrs. John Clarke died yesterday at the age of 105 years, and retained her full senses to the very last. To have been born many years be fore Queen Victoria, to have lived in the reigns of five British sovereigns, to remember the battle of Waterloo, and to still be in possession of her faculties such was her wonderful Ufa record. Mrs. Clarke was the wife of that John Clarke associated In the early days of fur trading with John Jacob. Astor. who was one of the earliest explorers of the country beyond the Rocky Mountains, who for many years was the leading figure in the affairs of the Hudson Bay Company, and who is referred to in Washington Irvlng's "ABtoria." For nearly a century Mrs. Clarke has been Identified with the growth and development of Canada and in remote corners of what is now the grec.t Do mnion has played her part in empire building. Her husband died in 1S52, at the age of 71 years. A few weeks ago a Star representa tive called on her at her residence, and while Mrs. Clarke rested, her daughters. Miss Adele Clarke and Miss Louise Clarke, told something of the life of the wonderful little old lady who lay quietly among her pillows. Mrs. Clarke was born In 1SC5 of a German father and Swiss mother, her birthplace being Neufehatel, and her maiden name Trauclar. It was at Neuf ehatel, as a. child, that she met the King of Prussia, afterwards William I of Germany. He was a young man then, only 24, and passed through tho place in a chariot drawn by. eight white horses. The solo in the song sung by the Sunday School children In his honor was given to Mrs. Clarke, find afterwards the King took her by the hand and complimented her on her pretty voice. The next great event In the life of the girl who was to have a hand In the rearing of a great empire, was the battle of Waterloo, and still In mem ory Mrs. Clarke Bays she enn hear the rattle of the iron shutters of tho house as the Pruslan troops poured throuch the town; and for a week thlncs were disturbed until the last had passed. When she was still early In her teens, John Clarke, the Canadian explorer and Hudson Bay factor, and son of Simon Clarke, of what is now West mount, went to Paris at the suggestion of John Jacob Astor, and wandered' as far as Switzerland. There he met his future wife, and a short time after he had returned home, she and her parents followed him to Canada. To a girl fresh from Europe even Mon treal seemed the end of the earth. Shortly after their marriage. Mr. Clarke took his wife to the North west, her parents accompanying them. While in the Northwest Mrs. Clarke took part In the first missionary ser vice held at the Selkirk Settlement, by the first Anglican missionary to the Northwest. Rev. Mr. West, and led the singing of the first hymn. The family still possesses the first Blblo presented by a missionary in the North west, and which was given to Mrs. Clarke as a memento of the occasion. While Mr. and Mrs. Clarke were at Mingan, in Labrador, their home, "Bea ver Lodge," at Outremont. accommo dated a great many people who wished to escape the cholera raging in Mont real. At. the time of the Rebellion, the house for fortified ar.d there Sir John Colhorne, the Governor, sat In council. After tho Rebellion a hall was given at Rasco's Hotel by the military stationed in Montreal, tho hall being opened by the Governor and Mrs. Clarke. Mr. and Mrs. Clarke had eight chil dren, of whom only two survive, tho Misses Adele and Louise Clarke, tha latter being the mother's devoted nurse. Miss Adele Clarke some time ago wrote a book, "Old Montreal," dedi cated to Lord Strathcona, In which sha gives her father's history and her mother's reminiscences. Invent Cable Quadruple. Stockbrldge (Mass.) Dispatch to New York Herald. Stephen D. Field, a nephew of Cyrus West Field, who laid the first Atlantic cable, has perfected an Instrument in his laboratory here by thefuse of which four messages can be sent over a sin gle cable simultaneously. The device is now being used suc cessfully on the cable between Key West, Fla.. and Havana, Cuba, and proved serviceable during the recent severe storm. Heretofore it has been possible to send only one message at a time over a cable. Mr. Field has ob tained patents on his invention. It was Mr. Field who invented and oper ated successfully in Ptockbrldtre early in the 80s the first trolley car. NO TIME FOR PESSIMISM, Is Life worth while? An hour of pain. An hour of Joy; So much of sialn. So much alloy And dearth of smile. , yes, Life's worth while The day begun; The flowers that bloom; The rising sun These all make room For smile on smile. The love of maid The love of youth. When hearts are strong tvith hope and truth And live in song Is Joy inlaid. The Joys of life The prattling child; The mother's breast: Is life beguiled In Love's behest Nor Sorrow's strife. Of course. Life's worth The price one pays For Joy and pain; It's sunlit days And hours of rain The price of birth! So, why complain For Life is what It brings to you With pain forgot The Joys ring true In Lire's green lane: L' ENVOI. Then, there's the "turk." With gravy brown And big drumstick; PlHpel that frown Eat 'till you're sick. Nor think to.yhirk! The Deacon, HUhrtoro,0. 4 1 I