8
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1909.
PORTLAND, OREGON.
Entered t Portland. Orefon, Fostofflc &
J Focond-Clus Matter.
'-Subscription Kate Invariably in Advance.
(By Mall.)
ilally. Sunday Included, one year.-...
, Dally, Sunday Included, six month...
Dally, Funday Included, three months.
r.U y. Sunday included, one month...
,Dally. without Sunday, one year......
'Dally, without Sunday, six month...
; Dally, without Sunday, three months..
Dally, without Sunday, one month...
Weekly, one year. .................. ...
Sunday, one year..',.....
Sunday and weekly, on year
$8.00
4 25
2.25
.75
e.oo
8.2S
1.75
.60
1.50
2 50
3.S0
(By Carrier.)
; Dally, Sunday Included, one year..... 9.00
Dally. Sunday Included, one month.... .75
How to Remit Send poetoffice money
!order. express order or personal check on
.your local bank. 8tamps. coin or currency
. ere at the sender's risk. Give postofflce ad
dress in full, including county and state.
- Pnatage Rate 10 to 14 r aires. I cent; 18
'to 28 pages. 2. cents; 30 to 40 pares. 3 cents;
4o to 60 pages. cents. Foreign postage
)double rate.
Eastern Business Office The S. C. Beck
""wlih Special Agency New Tork, rooms 4S
50 Tribune building. Chicago, rooms 510-312
Tribune building.
PORTLAND, TCESDAY. DEC. 7, 1909.
,
rtTBIJC OWNKBSHli" Al ADMXNIS
, T RATION OF 1A.NI).
The letter printed yesterday about
the .land policy of New Zealand, from
the London Spectator, liberal weekly,
contained matter of enlightenment on a
subject about which much Is said
! among us by those who know little of
thc facts. The letter was written by
ia resident of New Zealand, a native
' of that country, of English parentage,
whose testimony may be supposed to
have value.
What is called the land policy of
New Zealand is only in the inchoate
and experimental stage. In proportion
to the whole area of the country the
nationalization of the land has not pro
ceeded far. Certain large eHtates held
-by native owners have been "resumed"
with money borrowed by the govern
ment, and leased to settlers for long
periods. The system is an unprofitable
one for the country, since it taxes all
the people to support agriculture, and
'the government's income from the
leases falls short of the interest on the
. borrowed capital. Greater part of the
land of the country is still in large
holdings: and as fast as the govern
t ment buys up the tracts (with bor
rowed money) the former owners
withdraw their capital for investment
' elsewhere.
The rural lands of the country can
! be bought from the government for
rash. They can also be held on "lease
in perpetuity" (999 years) at a 4 per
cent rental on the capital value, or
'occupation with right of purchase"
for 25 years, at 5 per cent rental on the
value. The rate of the ordinary land
tax is about one penny in the pound,
upon the actual value of the land.
This makes a very light direct land
tax. but the rental that must be paid
to the government, on "state lands,"
is a heavy burden. The public debt
now carried on these lands is very
large. Government virtually under
takes to supply money for support of
agriculture: and so long as this bor
rowing continues beneficiaries of
it claim "good times" and "prosperity."
Doubtless If government should bor
row money and invest it in other in
dustries this class of beneficiaries also
would laud the system. Of course, it
is apparent, however, that nothing but
bankruptcy can await the system.
The New Zealand writer says: "The
chief object here appears to have been
to nationalize the land at any cost, and
create an army of state dependents
who shall be at the beck and call of
the party in power." Whether such
was tho Intent or not. it must inevit
ably be the consequence. It begins
already to appear: since "tenants from
one end of the country to the other are
now clamoring for the fee simple of
their lands, that they may be able to
. utilize their allotments as they may
.deem fit." The system is bad, there
fore, both for government and people.
Klse of farm products and expenditure
of borrowed millions cause superficial
observers to assert, however, that the
"prosperity" has solid foundations. Yet
the tendency of the whole system be
gins to appear in removal of the bur
den of taxation from the shoulders of
merchants and middlemen, and to
place It on those of the "man upon the
land," whose industry the government
must rely on for its revenue to carry
the system. Interference of govern
ment with productive Industry, that
ought always to be carried on by pri
vate initiative and direction, must lead
In all cases to these or similar conse
quences. In this experiment govern
ment supports the farmer, who must
support the government. In such sit
uation the man of the soil Is merely' a
servant or dependent of the state.
New Zealand has a population some
what greater than that of Oregon, and
In area is a little larger. It Is not prob
able that the people of Oregon, or of
any other of our states, will desire pub
lic ownership of the land, with leases
to tenants, either for long or short
terms, paying interest to the state
on the capitalized values.
INAPTITUDE.
It has been noted that a number
of students have recently been dis
missed from the Naval Academy at
Annapolis for "inaptitude." For this
action the superintendent has been
censured in certain quarters on the
ground that the reason given is in
sufficient and indefinite. It is neither.
It means plainly that these lads, possi
bly through political pressure or per
sonal favoritism, having a chance to
fit themselves for officers in the Navy,
by means of a special course of train
ing that is at once strenuous and com
prehensive, have failed to "make
SkxI." This is definite enough, and it
is also a sufficient reason for refusal
by the Na.val authorities to undertake,
at large expense to the Government,
a hopeless task.
. . "inaptitude" is not a vague term.
Specifically, according to the Standard
Dictionary, it means "not suitable or
fit for a specific purpose or use." It
is no special disparagement to a youth
to say that a certain vocation is not
suited to hi" mental -or physical en
dowments. He might be successful,
might even shine, in "commercial life
and yet be an titter failure In a mili
tary or naval role. The material sent
to the' Naval Academy Is necessarily
untried. Its selection has more likely
than not. 'been due to political favorit
tern. After a vigorous course in cram
ming for examinations the lad thus
selected may gain entrance. It after
a sufficient time it is found that he
does not fully measure up to the re
quired standard it is In the interest
f the naval service and even of the
tal and his friends to drop him. Tho
world is-before him. Hia chance lies
in it, somewhere. Why waste his time
and the Nation's money in attempting
to fit him Into, a profession for which
he shows no aptitude ?
Men are discharged from business
houses, from railroad service, from even
the common avocations every day for
the same reason. An employe who
does not "catch on," who In mental or
physical attainments does not measure
up to the requirements of his work or
who Is not amenable to the discipline
of the house or the employing force is
discharged for the same reason given
by the superintendent of the Naval
Academy. Habits of indolence may be
Overcome; slow mental processes may
be quickened by systematic application
to study. But for "inaptitude" for
the work in hand there is but one
remedy, and that is in change of vocation.
(TAFT AND THE ROOSEVELT 1'OLIt'lES.
The more the country sees of Mr.
Taft the firmer grows the impression
thtt there is going to be no radical de
parture from the so-called Roosevelt
policies regarding corporation abuses
and privileges. . The cause of progress
is apparently as safe in his hands as It
was in his predecessor's, and there Is
not much question but that he can
accomplish equally satisfactory results
without straining any of the laws of
the country. President Taft took of
fice In rather difficult circumstances.
Whatever was acomplished toy his pre
decessor In the way of punishing law
breakers and correcting accumulating
evils was attended by so many spectac
ular effects that a man possessing the
calm, judicial temperament of Presi-r
dent Taft, in endeavoring to follow
him would naturally attract less at
tention. .
Another influence that has caused
some mistrust regarding Taft's pol
icies, is the internal strife which has
been waged by some of his subordi
nates, who claim the unqualified rlgfit
to act as Interpreters of the Roosevelt
policies. That undue Importance has
been placed on this internal warfare
can be understood when the relative
importance of Mr. Ballinger and Mr.
Pinchot in the Government service is
considered. Secretary Ballinger is the
head of one of the most important de
partments of the Government. Mr. Pin
chot is the head of a branch of Secre
tary Wilson's department, which, it is
needless to state, is far inferior in im
portance to that of Secretary Ballinger.
The agitation of this subordinate of
ficial in a minor department against
the conduct of the office of the prin
cipal in another important department
of much higher rank, has embarrassed
Mr. Taft, but the public is showing
a disposition to suspend judgment and
give him a chance to right matters.
The President may not go as far as
some of the extremists of the Pinchot
type would like to nave him go, and it
is equally certain that his attitude to
ward the corporations will not be as
"liberal" as some of the trust mag
nates would like to have it. His po
sition on trust regulation of corpora
tions has always been clear, but he
will no doubt accomplish such regu
lation without any unnecessary noise
or disturbance. President Taft may
make mistakes. None, however, can
be any worse than that made by Pres
ident Roosevelt when he gave the Steel
Trust permission to absorb its greatest
competitor, the Tennessee Coal & Iron
Company. For these mistakes, how-
- ' . u . . . i 1 1 ' in .1 j. i. .tin . i iii 1 1 1 n n r .
i - n . - I
t-nw aii'jwmiLc was maue tor
the mistakes of his predecessor.
THT5 SPIRITISTS HEAVEN.
It is wrong to discourage the pursuit
of truth, even when there is no pros
pect of Its attaining anything else and
small prospect of attaining even truth.
Upon the whole, no species of intellect
ual athletics is so profitable all around
as the Investigation of the unknown.
It Is so Immeasurably beneficial., both
to him who investigates and to those
who merely stand and look on that
few feel much like blaming an eager
seeker when he diverges from the
realm of the unknown to the unknow
able. Still, it is sad to see an earnest
prospector squander his time, strength
and grub followinc: up - leads which
are sure to end in nothing. We do
not, of course, mean to assert posi
tively that the leads which our various
psychical researchers have ' been fol
lowing for the last fifty years have
been absolutely barren, but, aside
from some facts of mere terrestrial
psychology, what have they yielded?
To say nothing of material advan
tages, leaving increased health, happi
ness and longevity out of the ques
tion entirely, what Is the harvest ef
pure truth that the spiritists have
reaped? It is doubtful If fifty years
of effort as sincere and zealous In
any other field of research have ever
proved so nearly fruitless.
In deriding, psychical research,
therefore, one would not 'necessarily
be discouraging the pursuit of truth,
since it is highly questionable whether
that radiant angel lies concealed any
where in the country the lovers of the
occult have invaded. But we do not
wish to deride It. Our sole purpose
is to point out how little it has ac
complished, and this is done not by
any means with unholy hilarity, but
rather with melancholy reverence.
Although thousands of people,, includ
ing such men as W. T. Stead, Pro
fessor ' William James, Alfred Russell
Wallace and Sir Oliver Lodge, have
held more or less constant converse
with spirits for many years, IE is safe
to say that they have not elicited from
their celestial visitants a single fact of
any particular importance concerning
either this world or the other. As the
Independent observes in commenting
upon this subject, "We would have
learned more by the discovery of a
new tribe of South Sea Islanders than
we have by getting into communica
tion with the spirits of the mighty
dead." From all this fuss and parade
neither literature, science, philosophy
nor religion has profited one atom.
The so-called poetry which the spir
its sometimes vouchsafe to transmit
through the mediums is always the
most depressing gibberish. Not a
single line of it has ever been worth
remembering. Although spirits are
supposed to live a larger and freer
life than we and are said to know all
the facts of nature by intuition, never
theless they have not told us one truth
about electricity, aviation or any other
significant subject , of human Interest.
Philosophy stands' exactly where it
would if the spirits had never been
heard of, while religion- they have
seriously Injured. They have harmed
it by making the future life repulsive
and, to many people, ridiculous. Grant
ing the untenable proposition that
spirit- communications prove there is a
future life, who would want to live it
If we must become the half-witted
creatures the returning ghosts Invaria
bly seem to too? If we are doomed
to lose our intelligence when we be
come discarnate souls, would not anni
hilation be preferable? Who wants to
spend eternity as a chattering Idiot?
Tle Christian belief is that all our
faculties will be brightened when we
get to heaven. The spirits who de
liver themselves through Eusapia Pal
ladino and the other mediums are said
to come from heaven for that purpose.
They must represent the average in
telligence of that blest abode. Have
their faculties been brightened much?
Shakspeare appears among these visi
tants once in a while, but who would
ever know him as the author of "Ham
let"?. He does not exhibit decent
common sense, to say nothing of gen
ius. Bacon, Gladstone and everybody
else suffers the same fearful eclipse.
There must be something in the at
mosphere of the evergreen shore fatal
to intelligence. George Washington and-
Little Bright Eyes both gibber non
sense. If anything Bright Eyes has
the best of It. By making heaven, out
to be a sort of vast asylum for the
simple-minded, spiritism has injured
religion incalculably. At best celestial
Joys are none .too alluring. Few peo
ple whom we have ever seen . really
prefer them to terrestrial satisfaction.
But when to perpetual harp-playing
and dancing the decay of the intelli
gence Is added, the place becomes
positively repulsive.
THE C55AR AND THB AXReHIP.
The news that the Czar of Russia
has forbidden airships to come nearer
than ten miles to St. Petersburg raises
the interesting question how he expects
to enforce his order. For some time
to come, while flights of two or three
hundred miles are difficult and haz
ardous, Nicholas may perhaps safe
guard his capital from aerial foes. He
may possibly prevent them from start
ing anywhere in Russia. But what of
the hereafter? How will he manage
when a ship can start?" say in Swit
zerland, and sail serenely through the
upper air whithersoever it likes?
One Imagines Nicholas will be kept
pretty busy policing the entire atmos
phere. The job will require a fleet
of dirigibles and aeroplanes which it is
staggering to think of. Within a ra
dius of ten miles around a given cen
ter there are contained more than 6000
cubic miles of navigable air and In
each cubic mile 5.12 airships can fly
about and not come within forty rods
of each other at any Instant. Thus
Nicholas will have to keep an eye on
more than 3,072,000 menacing mon
sters at the same moment when things
get. really started. The task la appal
ling. It Is conceivable that one of the first
important consequences of tho perfec
tion of the airship will be a marked
change of demeanor in such people as
Nicholas. When It is very clearly no
longer possible to rule by violence and
cruelty, they may bethink themselves
to try ruling by reason and justice.
Hitherto every invention of world
wide importance has limited the au
thority of consecrated rulers. The
airship is not likely to be an excep
tion to the rule.
SOME REMARKS AS TO SAVINtiS.
The little book on "How to Invest
Tour Savings," which has just come
out, deserves a more comprehensive
title. It treats of other subjects be
sides investments. It tells one how to
accumulate savings, for one thing, an
art which, in most cases, must unhap
pily precede' investment. It also warns
the simple-minded how to shun the
lures of the Insidious tempter who
would relieve them of their savings
easily, quickly and without return. The
author of the book. Isaac F. Marcos
son, has clearly devoted his mind
rather Intently to the fascinating sub
ject of compound interest. It almost
startles one to read in his paragraphs
what fabulous sums ten cents a day
invested at 4 per cent compound In
terest will amount to in the course of
five, ten or fifteen years. The old-fashioned
arithmetics we ciphered through
atchool in our far-off youth used to
sing the same song and so did the
bookkeeping textbooks, but how many
heeded them? Not many, one fears.
The average citizen of small means
squanders his nickels for cigars and
car rides now very much in the same
way as he did years ago. If he would
deposit them in the savings bank they
would form the foundation of a for
tune for him, but it is a trait of weak
human nature to prefer a present
pleasure to future wealth.
Saving among Americans is a rare
habit comparatively. Some say our
thriftlessness arises from not having
anything to save; but this is nonsense.
Even the poorest of us who - are not
actually in want have a great deal
ipore to lay by than the Europeans
in the same social class, but they ac
cumulate capital by the hundred mil
lion dollars while' we squander it just
as fast. Waste is a National trait with
us. One very plain reason for our dis
inclination to lay by small sums Is the
lack of safe banks to deposit them in.
European governments have made it a
prime concern to look out for the
safety of the "petits economies" of
the poor, as the thrifty French call
them. In America the matter Is more
neglected.
Mr. Morcosson inculcates the desir
able lesson of thrift without taking the
trouble to tell us just how to make It
practicable. He cites the admirable sav
ings 'bank laws of New York and Mas
sachusetts, but omits to mention that
in most of the other states money de
posited in a savings hank Is utterly at
the mercy' of the officials who are at
liberty to speculate with it as they
please. - The universal adoption and
enforcement of stringent banking raws
would do more than many volumes of
sermons to highten the allurements of
compound interest to the popular
mind. Distrust of savings banks at
least of a certain class is widespread
and profound. It has been created and
nourished .by hundreds of unpardon
able failures and the result of it is
prosperity for a flock of vultures of
all sizes and colors who make a busi
ness of preying on the prudent poor.
We suppose the people tliey prey upon
may properly be called "poor." They
certainly are not rich. They are
school teachers, women physicians,
men drawing small salaries or wages,
ministers and clerks. Laborers whose
wages are rather high are especially
selected as victims by these harpies
because of their confiding ignorance.
The fascinating schemes they display
to lure money from the purses -.f their
dupes are innumerable.' One has a
project to attach a moving picture
show to hotel rocking chairs so that
as the sitter rocks the scenes of beauty
will pass in sweet procession before
his gaze. . He points out to school
ma'rns and other Innocent persons that
this -will bring them some 50 per cent
a, year on their savings and without
waiting for wiser advice they invest.
At any rate,' they call it investing. In
reality they make the sleek, solicitor
a present of their hard-earned money.
Of late years the business of swind
ling the poor people out of their sav
ings has developed Into an extensive
and almost respectable calling. It
provides an elegant livelihood for a
whole host of smooth gentlemen who
would probably have to clean stables
for their bread if this resource had not
been invented.
It is all very well'to repeat -that the
fool and his money are soon parted.
So they are, but it is to the Interest of
the country that the fool should not
be parted from his money. The foun
dation of National stability is an inde
pendent, self-respecting population of
small property-owners. Goldsmith
enunciated this economic philosophy
with convincing power in the "Deserted
Village," one of the wisest pieces of
literature, ever written. All statesmen
who can see beyond their noses agree
upon its soundness. The foundation
of lasting patriotism is a stake in the
material wealth of the country. Fools
being far more numerous than any
other class of people, if they are sys
tematically swindled out of their sav
ings we shall come to the pass where
the .. majority of the population is
hopelessly dependent. .The law must
deviBe some method of protecting the
fools, and the very best that has thus
far been conceived is a system of
postal savings banks. The most arrant
simpleton will trust the Government
sooner -than he will swindling solicitors.
Figures on the profits of the North
Bank Road, in a report filed with the
Washington- Railroad Commissioners
and printed .in The Oregonian. recently,
ought to be explained. It was stated
that the road had proved a paying in
vestment from the start, and in proof
the fact was cited that the operating
revenues for the year were $1,155,545
while the operating expenses were
$793,209; leaving an apparent profit
of more than $360,000 for the year
ending June 30. The actual profit,
however, was not visible after the
"cost of construction" was taken into
consideration, for . the same report
shows that the road had cost $44,000,
000. Even at the low rate of 4 per
cent, this would, mean an interest
charge of $1,760,000 per year, which,
of course, would have to be considered
in any reckoning of the profits. The
North Bank Road is still in its infancy
and has not yet reached a point where
it- can pay expenses. . Eventually the
construction of feeders and develop
ment of through business will take
the figures out of the "red ink" col
umn, but for the present the North
Bank line is not a paying proposition.
The universal interest that has been
aroused in behalf of ;sufferers from
tuberculosis, and in the effort being
made to prevent the spread of the dis
ease, is witnessed in the cordial in
dorsement given to the Red Cross
Christmas stamp. All who write let
ters and send Christmas greetings or
tokens are stockholders in this plan to
raise money for thepurpose desig
nated. It is a venture made in the
name of humanity, in which no one is
too poor to invest and which no one is
too rich to consider. It represents a
gracious, tender, widespread charity
that makes direct appeal to the masses
on the broad basis of the sympathy
that comes from a common sorrow.
For who, indeed, is there who has not
suffered, nearly -or remotely, from the
ravages of the "white plague"?
. Citizen Foote, who. in the indis
criminate use of his jaw tackle, was
one of the most Industrious Workers
of the World, has been sentenced to
six months on the rock pilel Mr. Foote
was one of those professional agita
tors who temporarily abandoned his
soap-box pedestal on the Portland
street corners and hastened to Spokane
to aid the Great Unwashed Army of
Neverworks in violating, the laws of
the City of Spokane. It is perhaps
unfortunate that Mr. Foote permitted
hlg zeal for the Neverworks to carry
him so far as Spokane. Had he been
content to follow the system of Citizen
Wood, his delicate hands would not
today be handling rock, and the cause
Of freedom would not be so severely
crimped.
Another aviator was killed in France
yesterday, the motor of his aeroplane
exploding at .a. height of 1650 .feet.
This is the third fatality of the kind
since the aeroplane came into promi
nence, a little over a year ago, the
other victims being Lieutenant Sel
fridge, who was killed at Fort Meyer
while a passenger with Orville Wright,
and Lefebvre, a French aviator,
killed about two ;nonths ago. When
this death-list is considered In propor
tion to the number of aeroplanes in
use, it is easily noticeable that the new
means of travel - afford greater possi
bilities for fatalities than any others
ever ' invented,' not excepting the dir
igible balloon.
If suffragists would use the same
blandishments as women do when
seeking husbands, they would get the
ballot without trouble, but that may be
the reason so many of them have no
husbands.
The Oregon State Dairymen's Asso
ciation will meet in Portland next
Thursday, but not at the milk-wagon
hour, because sleep-loving milk inspec
tors are Invited to attend.
Many of the fire laddies want more
"time off." But it wouldn't pay for
any one to start fires just to relieve
their long periods of Idleness.
The trouble with snow Is that it
comes at the wrong time of year. It
would be vastly more appreciated in
the ice .cream season.
Plumbers are disastisfied because the
weather isn't cold enough. That's
about the only solace for the rest
of us.
"Beautiful snow" must have been
written by somebody who didn't' know
the comfort of chinook rain. '
Perhaps Walter Wellman is jealous
of any other North Pole faker. '
-,
Where did all the sleighs and sleds
come from? -
The Only Way.
Fltegende Blaetter.
Stranger Excuse me, which 'is -the way
to ? .
Native; Go straight down . the street,
and it's in front of you.
Stranger But-1 didn't tell you where I
wanted to go. j ,
Native All the jfvisitors ask which is
the way to the bfct place for a glass of
Deer.
EXPECTS .TO "POUR" HOUSES SOON.
Edison's Proposed Cement Buildings
Not nn Idle Dream. '"
Allen L. Benson in December Munsey's.
Some of the big builders, the kind
who erect New York skyscrapers, told
me they didn't believe a cement house
could, be -poured. Impracticable! A
dream!
I told Edison what some of the New
York, builders had said, but the news
didn't teem to irritate him.
'Those fellows couldn't be expected
to understand how I am going to do
this." he replied. "They have no im
agination. They make me think of
the, fellows who told . me there was
nothing in the electric trolley. After
I had worked on the trolley for some
time, spent $42,000 on my experiments,
and got the idea . where I thought it
could be made commercially successful,
I went before the board of directors of
the Edison Electric Light Company,
of which I was a large stockholder,
and made this proposition:
" "Reimburse me for the money I
have spent, and I wll turn over all of
my trolley patents to the company."
"I well remember the meeting. It
was held at the corner of Broad and
Wall streets in New York, in the build
ing in which are now the offices of J.
P. Morgan & Co. The ' directors were
some of the most prominent of New
York. There was Just one man on the
board besides myself who thought
there was- anything In the trolley. He
was Henry Villard. He was in favor
of accepting my proposition. All the
others said the trolley was a dream,
and they rejeoted my offer. Spencer
Trask, by the way, was one of the
men, and I guess he Is making more
money exit of electric railroads today
than any other one man in the country.
So, you see, it doesn't bother me
much to have men say that something
I am trying to do can't be done. I have
heard that story before, but I never
paid any attention to it, and I shall
not pay any attention to it now. I'll
pour a house about' the beginning of
the year, and, by next Spring-, others
will be pouring houses all over the
world. More than that, this new kind
of construction will ultimately go far
toward doing away with the use of
lumber in building."
XEW-OLD IDEA IN TEACHING.
Instructor Who Believes In Less Text
. Books and Slore Teachers. -
Cleveland Leader.
The veteran superintendent of the pub
lic schools of Toronto, Canada. who
headed the delegatidn of teachers that
have just spent three days in Cleveland,
told an interviewer, while here that he
believed the use of text books in schools
would be done away with altogether. He
explained ' that he thought Individual in
struction, varying with the children to
whom it was adapted and especially fitted
to the needs of every boy and girl, would
take the place of more or less uniform
lessons from books. "
Given money enough to provide a suffi
cient number of teachers of the requisite
ability, there would be no difficulty in
giving children much important mental
training without , the use of books. The
personal factor in the Instructor is of
immense Importance. President Garfield
used to say, with reason, that "Mark
Hopkins on one end of a log and a young
man on the other would be enough to
make a college." Yet the fact remains'
that not even such an Instructor as the
inspiring and lovable head of Williams
College, In Garfield's student days, could
take the place of text books plenty of
them, constantly used.
The vital point is that the student who
does not know how to mine wisdom out of
books is sent into the world, where there
are no tutors devoted to his enlighten
ment, without training or skill in the use
of the stored-up resources of civilization.
Books are the world's banks In the realm
of knowledge.- They hold its Intellectual
currency reserves, the circulating medium
of thought and mental life.. One. of the
best uses- to which schools can be put Is
to make their pupils quicker and surer in
getting the best out of books that the
books contain.
Cromwell Side of Henry t. Stanley.
William II. Rideing in McClure's.
Before I met Henry M. Stanley I .had
talked with men who had been under him
in his African expeditions, and all they
told me about him was more or less ap
palling. He was not inhuman, but in
desperate straits he spared neither man
nor beast, nor would he defer to the coun
sel or the pleas of others, or have any
patience with less than instant and un
questioning obedience to his orders under
all circumstances. He would not forbear
under arguments or excuses or relax his
severity by any familiarity or pleas
antries even when his object had been
gained. He was both despot and mar
tinet: stern, exacting, uncompromising,
silent, humorless, inscrutable, Crowwell
lan. "I cannot saye we loved him," one
of his lieutenants said to me; "we were
all afraid of him; but we all believed in
him. When he hadn't his rifle in hand
he had his Bible, and no matter where
our camp -was or how long and distress
ing our march had been he never missed
his bath and shave in the morning."
From a Tacoma Paper.
Tacoma Tribune.
Yesterday The Oregonian had a birth
day it was 69. The Oregonian started
December 4, 1850. Yesterday, in its birth
day number. The Oregonian gave a three
column review of its history, its aims and
its principles. The Oregonian takes just
and modest pride in its position, attained
by years of hard work, as the greatest
newspaper of the Northwest, and one
of the greatest in the West, and if meas
ured by the standard of truth, liberality,
conservatism, progress, loyalty to its city
and state, and standing up for what it
believes to be right, independent of popu
lar clamor,' it is one of the greatest news
papers in any city in any land, of any
time.
Canada's Highest Officer.
PORTLAND, Dec. 6. (To ho Editors
Is the Premier of Canada appointed or
elected by the people? Is there any one
higher in authority than the Premier?
R- M. BRADLEY.
The highest officer In Canada is the
Oovernor-Gener-al who is appointed by the
King. The Governor-General . appoints
the Premier. That Is to say, he obeys
the wishes of the party that happens
to be in power. Indirectly, therefore, the
people, choose a Premier. .
What Every Baby Knows.
- Life.
That a cry will bring a quicker re
sponse than a laugh.
That baby clothes must have been the
invention of the devil.
That some 1 day it -will get even, with
the people who chuck it under the chin.
That the efforts to make it-comfortable
usually have the opposite effect. -
A Remedy for Failures.
" . . Outfitter.
Disinclination to. work is a. human fail
ing to which we are all more or less sub
ject, but when to this drawback there is
added the defect of lack of proper train
ing the reason for so many failures in
business .is apparent. One method which
will give us a properly, trained race, of
workers Is apprenticeship:
Display Pood for Hungry Birds.
PORTLAND, Dec. 6. (To the Editor.)
With the earth, covered with a snowy
mantle, let us not bo unmindful of the
feathered tribe and their search for food.
I saw a very pretty picture today, when
two ,children were scattering crumbs to
a family of birds, and the noise the birds
made showed thetr appreciation.
C J. S.
OLD-TIME VIRTUES STILL. POTENT
Non-Moncy-Gf abbing Millionaire Wins
by Industry and Loyalty.
Holland in Wall Street Journal. .
. Thei directors of the Corn Exchange
Bant have adopted a resolution ex
pressing their high admiration for the
character, ability and personal quali
ties of one . who had been for some
years a director, but who recently died,
James McGovern. So, also, the trustees
of one of the larger insurance com
panies of New York adopted a like reso
lution, las will doubtless be done by
other boards of directors with which
Mr. McGovern was associated.
Mr, McGovern had. a career which
emphasizes ' the fact that . there is
abundant opportunity for any lad who
begins with .no other capital than in
dustry, a sense of loyalty to his em
ployers, and a never-failing desire to
gain Information. The story may be
worth telling, not only as an example,
but as an illustration of what is pos
sible in New York.
A little over 30 years ago, the man
ager of a firm of brokers in New- York
advertised for an office boy. There
appeared in response to the adver
tisement some 20 lads of ages run
ning from 12 to 15 years. Of these
there was one bright-eyed lad, alert
yet modest mannered, who atracted the
attention of the manager, who asked
him what his name was, and the reply
was "Jimmy McGovern." Then the
manager aRked him his age, and the
reply was "I'm 14. sir, next birthday."
Again the manager asked where his
home -was, and the lad replied: "In
Brooklyn.". "What does your father
do?" asked the manager. "He's a flag
layer, sir. He puts down paving
stones." There was something in the
boy's manner that persuaded the man
ager that possibly he had just the
qualities that were needed for. an of
fice boy. But be wore that day
clothes which were more appropriate
for the docks. lie promised to appear
the next day, however, in his Sunday
clothes, and at 0 he entered the office.
The manager instantly 'sent him to
wash his hands, and Instructed him
upon certain other details of his per
sonal appearance. Never. after that did
he come into the office with soiled
hands, and his teeth glistened with
evidences of careful attention. He was
one. of the. office boys who are always
on hand when wanted, and who have
ability to . anticipate wants, yet be
never in the way. The eyes of both
partners in tnat firm were speedily
fixed upon the lad. and he became a
favorite, solely because of his faith
fulness, industry and tact.
In a year or two he was promoted.
Then he was tempted by another firm
to enter their employ at an increase
of salary. "No, money - isn't every
thing," lie said. .. "1 have learned to be
a litle" proud of our house, and I'm
going to stay here." But he would not
permit his employers to know that he
had received a.n offer at an advanced
salary. Ynen came a dull .season, cus
tomers were, few, and were almost
nothing. All salaries were reduced ex
cepting that of this lad. He went to
one of the partners, and insisted that
his be also- reduced, saying: "When' the
house goes do'vn, I want to go down
with it; when the house goes up I
want to go up with it." And the mean
ing that was In that remark was under
stood by the partner. So that the lad
accepted, because he asked for it, a
reduction of salary of $50 per month.
At last he became manager, and
some years later Junior partner, his
chief capital being hs ability, integ
rity, and the friends he made. ' There
came a time when the Old partners re
tired, and one of - them said to the
junior partner, who was to succeed to
the firm: "Now, I. am going to re
tire, but I am willing to put $in0,fln0
into the firm as special partner."
"I don't want the money." was the
reply. "I don't need It, I think 111
hold the customers, and take care of
the business. . But I owe all I am'to
you. you have' been very kind to me.
and I should regard it as the highest
pleasure If you would allow your son
to come in the firm. Not that 1 want
the money I don't care for that. But
I'd like still to be asociated with one
of your name and ' family.'-'
That partnership was arranged, and
the new firm became James McGovern
& Co. Ho was received into intimate
asociatlon with some of the more im
portant financial institutions, was
trustee of several of the leading phi
lanthropies of the Catholic Church,
was a man of great private generosity,
and was one of those who give what
ever flavor of. integrity and honor the
Wall Street district has.. He died re
cently, and his estate is presumed to be
considerably in excess of ' $1,000,000. and
may be as high as $2,000,000.
THE CONVENTION NECESSARY.
Oregon Offers a Method That Shovrs the
Way Out.
Los Angeles. Times.
In Oregon the conditions became so
confused that experience has driven the
people back in a crowd to the old ways
of procedure. From one end of Oregon
to the other comes a demand on the part
of the country press , that a return be
made in ail future elections to the party
conventions composed of delegates chosen
in the open by as many voters as wish
to take part: that these conventions shall
put before the people a carefully selected
ticket made up of representative men
known in the community and judged cap
able by their neighbors of filling the of
fices. In Portland they began by holding a
convention of the Republican party; and
so great was the dissatisfaction and in
dignation of the general public in regard
to the primary eleetion laws of tOregon,
so similar to those of our own city and
state, that the Republican ticket in the
city of Portland was elected by an over
whelming majority and that city is ex
periencing a period of political peace not
known .since the dreamers attempted to
run everything political in the Wcbfoot
State.
Put Vp "Hands-Off" signs. ,
Philadelphia Bulletin.
'It is of course absurd at this stage to
attempt predictions ' as to what Mr.
Roosevelt will or will not do after he sets
foot on American soil. He Is now a
private citizen. Whilh he remains such
he is entitled to conduct his own affairs
as he sees fit. But unless absence shall
have changed him materially, it is prob
able that he will be heard from later
with the' emphasis of .utterance which
normally marks his .course. J'ew . men
who are acquainted with his personality
and record expect him to abstain from
participation in public affairs at an age
when he is at the prime of life, and when
his interest in issues of importance has
shown no signs, that its aggressive keen
ness has been blunted.
Kansas' School-Insurance l,an,
Topeka; Kam, Dispatch.
Charles Barnes, state insurance 'superintendent.-
issued an-order today reducing
Hie insurance rates on country school
houses and-churches from $1 to S5-cents,
eliminating -the charges for a builder's
risk and eliminating the additional charge
for tenant occupancy on farm and city
property. The business was carried 'at
any rate the agents could get above 85
cents.
Term -"Electricity". In a Nutshell. .
Kansas' City Times.
The term "electricity" was derived
from the Gr6ek word meaning amber.
Klectrlcity' itself Is earliest described by
Theophrastus (321 B. C.) and . Pithy (70
A. D.I, who mention the power of amber
to attract straw and dry leaves.
Life's Sunny Side
When Senator Dick of Ohio stopped in
to chat a bit with President - Taft the
other day, he had occasion to illustrate
a point with an anecdote called from his
own rich life's experience. This -.happened
in the cailow days of Dick's ca
reer, when he -was yet In the hay and
feed business in Akron. One day he was
called to the telephone to take an order.
"I want a bale of hay," said the distant
voice.
"A bale of hay," repeated Dick, taking
copious notes.
"And twenty bushels of oats." .
"Yes, sir."
"And a half a load of straw."
"Yes. sir. Anything else?"
"No, that's all. Send it right away."
"Yes, Bin" said Dick, politely. "And
who is this for?"
"Why, who do you suppose?" the other
demanded, angrily. "It's for the horse,
of course, you darned fool. Don't get
gay with me." Cincinnati Times Star.
A young preacher who was staying at
a clergy house was in the habit of re
tiring to his room lor an hour or more
each day to practice pulpit oratory. At
such times ho tilled the house with
sounds of fervor and pathos and omitted
it of most everything else. Phillips
Brooks chanced to be visiting a friend in
this house one day when the budding ora
tor was holding forth.
"Gracious mc!" exclaimed the bishop,
starting up in assumed terror. fray,
what might that be?"
"Sit down, bishop," his friend replied.
"That's only Young D practicing what
ho preaches." Yale Record.
A well known hotel keeper and politi
cian of. Ohio received an appointment as
collector of internal revenue. Arriving
at his office one morning he found on
his desk a letter addressed to him of ft
cially, and without any postmark. Upon
opening the letter he was surprised to
find a $Vxi bill, to which was pinned a
piece of paper with these words: "fun
science money." Folding up the green
back and tucking it carefully in his vest
pocket, he remarked: "I always did sus
pect that bartender of mine." Philadel
phia Record.
'
Maisie, a poor young woman of reunion,
was being entertained by .a '-patroness."
During tea the girl led 'the. conversation
into personal channels, "is your husband
in work " she asked her hostess. "Yes"
and raised eyebrows, "How nianv chil
dren have you? rwo" and an aston
ished smile. "Does your husband drink:"'
Why, my dear, what put ail this into
your head?" "Mother said 1 was to talk
like a lady, and that's how tliev talk to
her."
Professor Robert Herrit-k of the Uni
versity of Chicago desired to point out.
to a young sonneteer the difference' be
tween the words "nslonish" and sur
prise." "Noah Webster." Professor Mer
rick said, "was once caught bv bis wil
in the act of pressing the hand of the
pretty cook. The cook, blushing like a.
rose, fled at once to her kitchen. Mrs.
Webster said, in a sad.- tremulous voice:
'W hy. Noah. I'm surprised.' But the
philologist, frowning over his glasses
at Ids wife. answered reprovinglv :
'.Madam, you have not studied our glori
ous language as you should. It's 1 who
am surprised. You are astonished.' ".
I'REFERS STA.Tll,LE TO CHICAGO
Gertrude Atherton flakes Comparison
That Are Odious.
New York World.
"1 would lather go . to hell than to
Chicago!"
"Corning to New York is like coining to
Paradise!"
That's the difference, according to Mis.
Gertrude Atherton, tho novelist, who has
just arrived in New York from her hoi, if
in San Francisco via . Chicago. Mrs.
Atherton js to stay with us all Winter
and write a play for Mrs. Minnie Maii
dern Fiske. Just at present she is im
mersed in the proof shoots of her nw
novel, which will appear shortly.-
She really doesn't look as if she cuu'lfi
say harsh things about 'anvbodv. For
her hair is childishly yellow and fiuffv
and she wears an' Alice blue suit that
just (Hatches her eyes, and her smile is
all inclusive and delightful.
But she said It. and more in similar
vein "Chicago Chicago is nothing but
rawness and crudeness. and ugliness, un
speakable." declared the authoress. "It
is an awful nightmare. Why, truly, I
had rather go to hell than to Chicago,
if I had to choose one or the. other for
my abode.
"In Chicago one feels that everybody
one sees is either vulgarly, disgustingly
rich or shamefully, horribly poor. The
great ladies whom ono meets driving
about in their carriages seem to be lit
erally swelling with wealth one inoincn
tarlly expects them to burst.
"And tiie other people whom one sets,
the poor, poor people, are so tragically
helplessly miserable. It is like Dante's
Inferno. There, is the look of utter tor
ture on so many of the faces. That's -why
I think Miss Addams is so wonderful-
because she can do such splendid work
in that awfully depressing atmosphere.
"Then the big office buildings in Chi
cago are so ugly. Every inch is bcplas
tered with signs for auto lamps or har
vesting machines, or somebody's supermie
cereal. Y'ou don't disfigure your build
ings here in any such fashion. Each one
of yours is a splendidly picturesque struc
ture." All for the Dear People.
Polk County Observer.
Isn't it funny the way' the politician
who has a rusty old ax to grind sudden
ly gets- interested in tho "d6ar people V
Jonathan Bourne bleeds for the people,
because he wants to be re-electfed Sena
tor; Colonel Hofer bleeds for the people,
because ho wants to bo Governor of Ore
gon: the Portland Journal blcedfor the
people, because it wants to replace, a
few more prominent Republican official
with Democrats; Henry McGinn bleeds
for the people, because he is a political
"has-been" and wants to get back Into
the limelight. "The dear people" It havs
been the cry of the demagogue and. the
pic-hunter from time immemorial, and
has been the means of putting more mis
fits and incompetents into public office
than all other Influences combined-- But
the game is about played out. The pro
pie are getting wise.
Judge Would Put to Death lusane.
Fargo, N. D.,' Dispatch.
. Judge Charles Amtdon. of the . United
States District Court of North Darkfita,
in an address here, advocated the puttiiTs
to death of professional criminals, and 'the
hopelessly insane. fie said it costs- as
much to keep a man in the. penitential y
as to keep and educate a man in a uni
versity; that well behaved young -men
should not he deprived of an education
by the expenditure of puhlic money ' in
keeping a naturally bad man under lock
and key; and that the percentage of pro
fessional criminals who are reformed is
so. small as not to be worth mentioning.
Economy In Corespondcnce.
Cleveland. Plain Dealer.
"About the most economical corre
spondents I've heard of." remarked . As
sistant Postmaster Ray Floyd, "were two
women who stopped at a window down
stairs the other day and wanted to know
if it would be all right If they both were
to write to a friend on the same postal
card and thus save a cent."
-' A Prayer for Peace,
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
It is sincerely to be hoped that the
many good things in the President's pro
gramme will be given ample considera
tion on their merits and put into' law.
and that Republican factionalism Will
not be permitted to hinder the progress
of desirable reform;