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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
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