THE 3IORXIXG OREGOXIAN, MONDAY, JANUARY 3. 1910.
FORTLAKD, OREGON.
Entered at Portland. Oregon. Postofflce as
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Daily, without Sunday, one month 60
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PORTLAND. MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1910.
SADNESS AND SORROW.
But, when Roosevelt shall com
home, as he will, and when he shall
express approval of the Taft Ad
ministration, as he will, and when
he shall urge Taft for renominatlon
and re-election, as he will then
iwhat course will the remarks take
about Roosevelt from those who are
making themselves unhappy zanies by
deploring "the failure of Taft to make
good on Roosevelt's policies," in
sisting the while that In order to
save anything of the country's heri
tage to Its people Taft must be put
aside and Roosevelt put in again?
We note, with some interest, that
Senator Chamberlain, "our George,"
bed-rock Democrat- who always op
posed Roosevelt, emits expressions of
alarm and distress over "the failure
of Taft to follow what are known
as the Roosevelt's policies." These
Roosevelt's policies our George now
finds were "progressive," just what
.the country wanted. But they were
not so desirable when Roosevelt was
President, or a candidate for the
Presidency, as to Induce our George
to support him. Ah, no!
Possibly Roosevelt may be a can
didate for the Presidency again,
some time, for he will not be an
old man in 1916. nor even in 1920.
But our George then will oppose him
and his progressive policies just as
he always has heretofore; for he is
a bed-rock Democrat, devoted to his
party, and always will be, but .talking
buncombe now for his partisan ob
jects setting up Roosevelt against
Taft, and expressing the fear that
Taft's Administration will bring dis
appointment to the country, and go
to rack and ruin. This sadness and
grief are equalled only by the trust
fulness and sorrow of the Democratic
party's war-horses in Oregon, arising
Trom their fear that the Republican
party of the state will ruin itself by
Its persistence in the purpose of
holding assemblies or conventions for
suggestion of candidates for the
primaries. Never before were our
Democratic brethren so sad and
anxious about the progresslveness
and welfare of their opponents. It
Is truly touching; and the most
plaintive note of all. perhaps, is that
nne which our George pipes up from
Washington.
ENGLISH I'AMPAKiV BALLADRY.
The political campaign among Eng
lish constituencies has reached the
rhyming stage, famed of old in the
works of the corn-law rhymsters, and
many more. The following screed
is now obtaining considerable cur
rency. It is worth reprinting on ac
count of its flavor and savor of
America. Thus:
If they'd put. a tax on talking it would
make a useful law.
They could raise nbout a million out of
Mr. Bernard Shaw,
And perhaps we mtht get a little less of
Jaw and Superjnw
As we go marching on!
There's a tax upon your whisky, so you
have to take It weak.
There's a tax upon your beer as big as
Winston Churchill's cheek!
There's a tax upon your temper when Lloyd
George begins to speak.
As we go marching on!
Chorus
Oh! we're a happy, happy nation.
Thanks to modern logislat ion !
Ofve three elisors for emigration
And Heaven btesa Lloyd-George!
But it will be mighty hard to
popularize this; for though the jingle
may be popular the sentiment Isn't,
as Sam Slick would say, "by a long
chalk."
RUSSIA'S CREDITORS KSTRANOKD.
Constitutional Government is not
making the headway that money
lending nations were induced to be
lieve was scheduled in the realm of
the Czar. By one act and another
of the little Autocrat, the century
old constitution of Finland has been
abrogated by the Imperial Govern
ment and practically eliminated, all
against protests in Finland, showing
no change from the old policy that
abolished the constitution of Russian
ized Poland and those of Baltic prov
inces. Now come startling evidences
of duplicity of Premier Stolypin, who
repeatedly has declared his belief in
representative government and his
desire to lead Russia in that direc
tion, but who now is said to be re
vealed as a foe to the Duma and to
limited Monarchy.
This charge is made by a daring
Russian who already has suffered im
prisonment for unbridled utterances,
Vladimir Bourtseff. This publicist
claims to have discovered a series of
memoirs from Stolypin to the Czar,
covering a period of many months
and containing definite plans for
gradually abolishing the Duma with
out alarming the nations and the
money-lenders of the rest of Europe.
Bourtseff also has disclosed what he
calls the Czar's private newspaper
a series of regular reports from the
Minister of the Interior, covering all
manner of detulls of affairs and
events in Russia and foreign coun-t-ies,
and bearing marks and annota
tions of the Czar. Thus far, Bourt
seff has procured only three years
issues of this record 1S97 to 1899,
inclusive. This newspaper reveals
that the Government has spies in
every revolutionary movement, so
that from the camp of every revolu
tionary body come reports to the
Emperor.
Bourtseff is publishing a list of
spies and agents in the Russian se
cret service. "We are already be
ginning to read daily in the papers."
says an article In Van Norden maga
zine, by Rose Strunsky, "how these
spies are found dead in. their rooms."
Thus revolutionary vengeance is al
ready beginning to work. Supposed
revolutionary leaders are revealed as
hirelings of the Czar and, of course,
terror haunts the circles of these men.
Already, we are told, the Chamber of
Deputies in Paris has adopted a reso
lution to expel all secret agents of
Russia from France, and Indignation
of Russia's other creditor nations is
growing.
In all this is a picture of official
duplicity in Russia, of Czar and
nobles pretending to welcome repre
sentative Government, yet all the
while tightening their grip on the
people, meanwhile confounding the
foes of their scheme by means of
secret spies and then by persecution.
Although the Czar took an oath,' at
the time of his coronation in 1896,
promising to observe the constitution
of 'Finland "steadfastly and unim
paired," that constitution, like ,those
of other provinces, counts for noth
ing in the scheme of absolute autoc
racy. This was what caused other
white nations to lend their moral aid
to Japan in the recent conflict. Their
influence may count again In Rus
sia's next trouble.
THE CANTING WAY.
The Lord's Prayer shouTfl be revised to
suit the peculiar views of the editor of The
Oretronian. "Deliver us from temptation"
should read "Expose us unto temptation."
f'r by this process only, argues The Ore
gonian. can merit be determined and char
acter formed. The Oregon Mist, St. Helens.
The Lord's Prayer is simple, yet
one may not -know how to interpret
it. "Lead us not into temptation"
can mean nothing more than a prayer
to. enable us to resist temptation; for
there is temptation on every hand.
Always will be.
Besides, the worth or value of the
sayings of Jesus depends always on
the method and spirit employed in
their interpretation. The Christian
church does not follow, nor can it
accept, the general ideas embodied
in the social or socialistic doctrines
of Jesus. Men must resist indignity
and oppression; men must look to
their own interests and take thought
for the morrow; men must not sell
all they have and give the proceeds
to the poor, for that would beggar
even those who might receive the
goods. If a robber ' take away your
coat you are not to give him cloak
also; and you are not to give or lend
to everyone who asks.
Endless cant is employed in the
interpretation of the sayings of
Jesus, even by those who pretend
to make them the guide of their
lives.
A SUITABLE ANSWJ5R.
' One reason why the cost of living
is high and why taxes " are high is
the rush of families from the coun
try to the towns and cities, where
they can have the benefit of free
schools and higher education, at the
expense of others paying nothing
themselves. They call it "betterment
of the human family." The industry
of the country is diminished and taxes
on the remaining industry increased.
A man should be ashamed to say
he has moved his family to Eugene
or Walla Walla to get the benefit
of schools, to the support of which
he doesn't contribute.
These people all snap savagely at
The Oregonian for its plain speech.
"Methinks," says one of them,' "that
The Oregonian's editor rides in a fine
big automobile and lives in a palace
like modern home that is 'lighted,
heated and elegantly furnished,' and
sits down to sumptuous meals every
day, and that is why The Oregonian
is apt to call out loudly to anyone
who works for the1 rights of the de
fenders, 'Oh, it is easy.' "
Thus the argumentum ad hominem.
But the editor doesn't ride in an
automobile, never was able to own
one; his house, humble enough, has
been paid for by fifty years of hard
labor, and its "elegant furnishings"
might perhaps bring $500; perhaps
not. His "sumptuous meals" and he
pays his butcher and grocer con
sist of wheat mush, - chops and po
tatoes.
Well, now, this is petty indeed.
But petty as it is, it is just such an
answer as the attitude of this class
of critics calls . for. They are a
mighty cheap lot.
REFORMING JXIOTBALL.
Wide diversity of opinion enters
discussion of football reform. Con
ferences on the subject each time
bring out many Ideas, many of them
In conflict. On Tuesday of last week,
the Intercollegiate Athletic Associa
tion discussed the matter in New
York in an "acrimonious" meeting,
and finally disposed of the task by
referring it to the committee on rules,
with instructions "to use every pos
sible endeavor to bring about such a
modification of the rules as in its
judgment shall tend to reduce to a
minimum the danger of physical in
jury to players and at the same time
retain as far as possible the most de
sirable and wholesome features of
the game."
It has become evident to devotees
of the game that dangerous plays
must be minimized, if the game is to
stay in favor. More than forty deaths
v.-ere recorded on the mortality list
last year and bad injuries were nu
merous. In the face of this record
there can be no doubt that some im
provement will be effected, though
how much is doubtful. The amended
rules will be the result of compro
mise between the contending inter
ests. One change which is widely favored
is that of placing the man who
passes the ball at least rive yards
behind the line. Some authorities
would put all the backs that distance
behind the line. Walter Camp is of
opinion that increase of the mini
mum yardage gain would reduce
heavy mass playing. The object
of reforming the game is to substi
tute as much as possible individual
playing for heavy mass aggregations.
Too often is one player exposed alone
to assaults of combined team wprk,
and this player is usually the one
least able to withstand the hard
treatment. Another reform as to
which there is general agreement is
vesting of authority in some official
to compel withdrawal from the game
of weakened or Injured contestants.
Still another is removal of restric
tions as to the-forward pass, although
acceptance of this change is not so
unanimous. One more precaution
against injury on the line of defense
would be requirement of at least
seven players there, so as to afford
more safety for individual line play
ers against whom assaults are made.
A proposed change that should have
approval is that of rest periods every
ten minuteVi.
The rules committee of the Inter
collegiate Athletic Association has a
very necessary duty to perform, di
rectly fo,r defense of players against
death and injury and indirectly for
perpetuation of the American foot
ball game. It is the judgment of
most well-informed persons that the
game can be preserved and made
more desirable and attractive for col
lege athletics. The only present sub
stitute for it would be the Rugby
game, which does not, however,
wholly fit American habits and ideas
of athletics. The rules committee
which is working on the reform, con
sists of the following:
Dr. II. F. Williams, Minnesota; Dr. James
A. Babbitt. Haverford. Pa. ; E. K. Hall,
Dartmouth College; Lieutenant H. B. Hack
ett. West Point; Professor C. W. Savage,
Oberlin, O. ; Professor W. L. Dudley, Van
dertoilt. and Dr. W. A. Lambeth, University
of Pennsylvania.
AMERICAN INTEREST IN NICARAGUA.
Recognition of Madriz as a suc
cessor of Zelaya is withheld for the
same reason as caused the rupture
between this country and Nicaragua.
Madriz is not regarded as a proper
individual to guide the destinies of
the nation over which he has been
temporarily placed. There will be
no permanent peace in that unfortu
nate Central American nation until
the making of presidents or dictators
is taken out of the hands of a small
faction, and turned over to a major
ity of all the people. The somewhat
hasty actions of Secretary Knox un
doubtedly aided in thickening the plot
In Nicaragua, but, had the country
been under control of a popular
ruler instead of an rresponsible and
vindictive despot, no such crisis
would have appeared as now threat
ens American prestige in a very rich
trade field.
Secretary Knox has "backed down"
and withdrawn his threats of retalia
tion over the killing of American
citizens by Zelaya's forces, but
America still has interests in Nicara
gua which are in need of protection,
and will have to be considered by
the successor of Zelaya. These in
terests are of sufficient Importance
to warrant this country In withhold
ing indorsement of such a man as
the followers of Zelaya have chosen
to succeed that rascally tyrant.
In mining interests alone Ameri
can capitalists have several million
dollars invested in Nicaragua, and
they are also heavily Interested in
coffee, rubber and tobacco, and sugar
Industries. In 1908 this country im
ported from Nicaragua, products of
the value of $2,492,485, and shipped
Into that country, American goods
valued at more than $1,900,000. This
trade is not large compared with that
of some other countries with which
we do business, but It is capable of
great increase, which was practically
Impossible under the dictatorship of
Zelaya.
OCR NEW RAILROAD SERVICE.
The inauguration of a regular
passenger and freight service between
Portland and Seattle by the Harri
man lines is a. matter of much im
portance to the railroads as well as
to the territory they traverse. Judged
from the railroad standpoint, the
Northern Pacific, over whose rails
the Harriman service will be handled,
was affording the people ample facili
ties for moving freight and passen
gers. The Northern Pacific was at
least getting all of the business that
developed in that territory. Now
comes the Union Pacific, and, with
no means available for increasing
traffic, proceeds to double the service.
This increased service will be duly
appreciated by the public, but the
fares and freight money must now
be divided between two companies
instead of one.
As the railroads themselves, with
the most vital interest in the great
change, are unable to determine just
what the results will be, it Is natur
ally much more difficult for the pub
lic to make an intelligent forecast
as to what may happen under the
new management. In the lumber
traffic it would seem that the Puget
Sound and Grays Harbor manufac
turers have made a distinct gain, as
the "Portland gateway," which re
mained closed in spite of all legal
attempts to open it, now swings open
of its own accord. So long as Port
land was the northern terminus of the
Harriman system the Southern Pacific-Union
Pacific interests declined
to divide a freight rate with the
Northern Pacific on lumber shipped
into exclusively Harriman territory,
when they could get the entire
amount by hauling exclusively from
their own lines. With their own road
reaching into the Grays Harbor and
Puget Sound countries, the situation
is changed,, and the field formerly
in exclusive control of the Oregon
manufacturers, is now open to the
Washington men.
Perhaps the most direct tangible
benefit which Portland will receive
from the new arrangement is the im
proved service to Grays harbor and
Willapa harbor. It has for many
years been practically impossible for
the people of the localities mentioned
to transact business conveniently
with Portland, but under the new
schedule, which became effective
Saturday, Portland is on slightly bet
ter than even terms with the Puget
Sound cities. The establishment of
the new service will undoubtedly add
a large area to Portland's trade ter
ritory. Increasing demand for lum
ber will naturally make up any loss
which might be felt by the northern
invasion through the Portland gate
way, and Portland, the northern
headquarters of the Harriman sys
tem, will derive material benefit in
the handling of the trains which will
be made up and dispatched over the
two Harriman routes out of this city.
It will materially increase Portland's
prestige as a railroad center without
in any way lessening the volume of
traffic handled through the Portland
yards.
"He is a man of iron nerve," said
the attorney for Charles W. Morse in
discussing the "buoyancy of spirits"
di3played by his client on what is
probably the last New Tear's day that
h.' will spend outside of a Federal
penitentiary. Hope for escape has
been practically abandoned, and
Morse will be taken to Atlanta to be
gin serving his 15-year sentence. No
one who has followed the sensational
career of this master of high finance
has ever questioned his possession of
"nerve." Morse was not alone in
laying the train up to the powder
magazine which exploded with such
appalling results In the Fall of 1907;
but it was he who touched the lighted
match to the train of powder, and
brought on a catastrophe which shat
tered thousands of fortunes, caused
scores of suicides arid widespread and
terrible sorrow and suffering. It
takes a man of "nerve" even to re
main sane in contemplation of such
awful havoc, as that for which Morse
was largely responsible.
The State of Siskiyou is an enter
prising and ambitious abstraction.
Its capital is the palace that old liter
ature is full of. Old literature knew
Yreka. but not by its modern name.
In old times Yreka was the town in
the clouds Nephelococcygla, or
Cloud-Cuckoo-Town. We get the fol
lowing from an esteemed contempor
ary, the Albany (Or.) Democrat:
The Democrat has received a copy of
the Yreka Journal, with a long editorial
headed "The Oregonian's Baneful Influence."
It declares The Oregonian a barnacle on
Oregon's ship of state, a. knocker and a
grouch.
Perhaps, but as a newspaper The Ore
gonian ranks among the best in the country,
and there's the rub.
You may depend, there's the rub.
Not only as to the news, but some
thing else and much else. The Al
bany Democrat, of course, will move
to the State of Siskiyou or to Bara
taria and play Sancho.
In dividing the Pacific fleet into
two squadrons, the Government will
probably increase the efficiency of
the service, if the vessels should hap
pen to be needed. There are some
excellent fighting machines among
the craft reported for each of the
squadrons, but the list does not meas
ure up to the Atlantic squadron. Ex
treme difficulty has always been ex
perienced in convincing the Navy De
partment that the next real fighting
that our navy must engage in will
take place on the Pacific, and that
most of it will be over before any
of the Atlantic squadron could get
around where it might lend any assist
ance. In permitting as many vessels
as will make up the two squadrons
to get away from the Atlantic sta
tion, the Government Is making quite
a concession, and eventually we may
have a Pacific fleet in keeping with
the importance of the interests in
volved. A somewhat and occasionally es
teemed contemporary tells about its
vast "year-end edition" an immense
number having been printed to sup
ply the extraordinary demand. The
number given was 40,000. But the
regular edition claimed by the paper
is 34,000. Now, subtracting the less
from the greater number, what was
the real magnitude of that enormous
edition ?
Fifty tons of paper were consumed
in printing New Year's Oregonians;
and this was followed by nearly
thirty tons used in printing the Sun
day paper next day. Yet this mass,
thrown on the postoffice, was handled
in addition to the other matter com
mitted to the mails without delay.
The postal service of the country is
efficient.
The old gag they are working In
some parts of the country "How
cold is it when it's twice as cold as
twenty degrees below zero?" is as
interesting, doubtless, in the cold
parts of the country as the still un
answered inquiry, "How old Is Ann?"
Oh, yes, of course, the Winters are
not such protracted seasons of moist
joy as we had of yore; and it's tough
to be reminded so frequently of the
terrible cold spells they have back
East; but what are you going to do
about it?
Despite large deficit in the rural
free delivery branch of the postal
system, there will be no curtailment
of the service. Any Congressman
who votes that way will be remem
bered at election time.
It may be just the luck of the
youngster who spends his savings for
ice skates to receive again a dose of
the warm Chinook, and it may make
him a philosopher.
Chinese eggs are being brought to
this country by the barrelful. They
are said to be as good as the native
cold-storage, article, but one who is
wise will crack them before eating.
Another deaf man has been run
down while walking-on the track. All
things considered. Coroner's juries
should class this manner of death as
suicidal, not accidental.
Mount Pelee is again" active. The
universal heating department Is not
attending to business, wasting caloric
in the West Indies, with the mercury
below 32 up here.
Senator Chamberlain says he has
not yet lost faith in President Taft.
He was nearest that point when
Bryan was running against Taft for
President.
Seattle's population at 3 A. M. yes
terday, when the Seattle papers went
to press, was a modest 300,000. It
will continue to grow till the next
census.
Mayor Simon has already done so
many things, and done them well,
that he is evidently the man of the
hour for the servant-girl problem.
A Washington County man is in
jail for hitting his father. In that re
spect, the Chinese are ahead of West
ern civilization.
Brokaw owns up to property worth
$1,600,000, but declares he's "a poor
man." He meant, of course, "poor
kind of man."
The water wagon for 1910 got a
bad start. It couldn't get through
the band of drunken revelers Friday
night.
If you are chilly, you can hear a
tale to make you feel better from the
oldest inhabitant.
Vancouver has a. new laundry,
which is the proper thing for Van
couver, Wash.
That Seattle cartoonist whose bride
Is worth half a million has a drawing
personality.
It's mighty easy to start the New
Year wrong at a midnight wine revel.
There never was a Sunday too cold
for the plumber to make a bill out of.
What boots the discovery, when
polar weather is here?
Good morning! Did you turn off
the water t
WATER BOARD IS CRITICISED.
Private Corporation Would Get Mich at
lO Centa Per lOOO, Says Writer.
PORTLAND,. Jan. 2. (To the Editors
There is an old saying, "Figures, won't
lie." Evidently this saying is not be
lieved by the City Water Board, judging
from its action in changing the water
rate.
The Water Board is distributing daily
about 25.000,000 gallons of water to the
consumers in the city, and for this water
the Board has been collecting about $600,
000 a year. If every consumer of water
should have been compelled to pay 13 1-3
cents per thousand gallons, the old rate
of last year, such rate would have pro
duced a revenue of Jl.116.666.40. Yet the
Water Board says that the meter rate Is
too low. Shades of Archimedes! what
figuring!
The rates established by the Water
Board for this year are over 100 per cent
more than last year, and almost 200 per
cent more than other cities which have
to pump their drinking water, charge to
their consumers. In other words, we are
saying to the world that the City of Port
land, with an unlimited water supply and
a gravity flow, is oharging three times as
much for water as other cities which
pump muddy water and run It through
numerous settling basins.
The Water Board should not forget
that the water belongs to the people, and
not to a few office-holders, who are only
servants of the people.
By charging a minimum rate of 76
cents on meters and 50 cents where no
meters are used, the Water Board has
acted not only unfairly and unjustly, but
illegally. The Board has no more right
to charge 50 per cent more to one con
sumer than to another than the city of
ficials have to charge one person a tax
of 20 mills and another a tax of 30 mills.
The Water Board has no right whatever
arbitrarily to fix' a rate for the use of
water that will in any way discriminate
against any single water-user. While
the people of Portland stand for many
things that no other city would stand
for, I doubt If they will submit to such
outrageous demands as these.
Any corporation could take the water
system of Portland, lay "all mains and
pipes, charge a rate of 10 centa per 1000
gallons and declare a dividend dY from
15 per cent to 20 per cent per year.
What we need in Portland is less poli
tics and more business.
S. M. VENARD.
This is inconsiderate and unjust. The
Water Board simply carries out the pol
icy of the city and the will of the people.
A higher rate than would suffice for
maintenance of the plant as it exists Is
charged for the purpose of getting in
come to support extensions. This always
has been the plan or policy. It is the
socialistic feature of the water system.
Members of the Water Board have no
salaries and get nothing but criticism and
curses for their service. Strange that
any citizen of Portland doesn't know that
the water-users of the inner parts of the
city must be taxed at least are taxed
to supply water for a Greater Portland.
A private corporation could Indeed take
the water system of Portland, reduce the
rate and make money out of it; but the
outskirts of the city would get little sup
ply, at the expense of the inner parts of
the city. And a private corporation might,
and doubtless would, drive a harder bar
gain with its employes than the city can
if that's what is wanted and save
money that way. There Is no politics
whatever in .the business, except the so
cialistic tendency of all public utility undertakings.
Ed Howe' Philosophy.
Atchison Globe.
There is nothing new now except rabbit
stories, and most of- them are lies.
An easy chair will not keep a man at
home unless he Is otherwise disposed to
stay there. '
We can't help admiring Ward Hart,
even if he did once kill three quail out
of season, and give them to us.
A really polite and capable man can go
into any town in the country and- attract
attention In six months.
The woman's idea of a mean man is one
who gets sick just before Christmas, when
his wife is too busy making butterfly
aprons to make gruel.
- We are becoming old, but we still give
three cheers every morning because we
are not compelled to go to school. We
are not so old that we have forgotten
how we hated it.
The old-fashioned woman, whose door
nob knot of hair is done so tight she has
to use a monkey wrench to undo it at
night, has a firm, unmovable conviction
that no woman who runs to puffs and
curls amounts to. much.
No one but a girl can do some things;
for instance, a girl can wear an auto
veil with the .ir of just having -stepped
from her own machine, when her present
possessions and future prospects couldn't
be cashed for ten dollars.
obody Kiprosncd a Doubt.
From Tit-Bits.
Once again the conversation had
veered round to thrilling adventures.
"That reminds me of an experience I
had some time ago." remarked a mem
ber. "I was riding a brakeless bicycle
down a step hill when all of a sudden
the chain snapped and I careened down
the rest of the hill quicker. than greased
lightning.
. "The road down the hill took a turn
at direct right angles, and in the corner
of the angle stod a cottage. I was won
dering what the verdict would be at the
inquest when I saw a -man rest a plank
of wood against the. eaves of the cot
tage. "I went straight for the plank, over
the roof and down the other side.
Luckily, the cottager's wife and daugh
ters were shaking carpets, tnd, alight
ing on an outstretched carpet, I was
gently lowered to the ground."
A dead, dull silence descended on the
company, which was broken by the
hissing of a soda water siphon.
Hoy Blind by Day; Sees by IV is; tat.
Washington (D. C.) Despatch.
Richmond, Va., has a 19-year-old boy,
Audrey Wilson, who is totally blind in
the day, but can see like a cat at night.
He can speed a bicycle where ordinary
persons have to walk with caution,
but in the day he gropes about, able
only vaguely to distinguish any object
and with no discrimination as to col
ors. He is quite a possum hunter. He
can easily distinguish the animals In
the trees without the aid of a lantern.
Needless to say, young Wilson is in
great demand by possum hunters.
A Tailor's Shop In Iucb.es.
New York Press.
A building only 3 feet 84 inches wide
stands at the northwest corner of Mel
rose avenue and East One Hundred and
Sixty-first street, the Bronx. It is occu
pied as a tailor shop by its owner, Henry
TJbelhor. It is 22 feet long and two sto
ries in height, its upper story contained
In a French roof.
Bible Is Still the Best Seller.
Baltimore News.
It will astonish some persons, it will
do the hearts of multitudes good to
learn that each year there are printed
and sold 17,000,000 Bibles, giving that
book an Indisputable lead over all Its
possible competitors. There is still
hope for our literature.
Bricks of 1620 and 1(150.
. Springfield (Mass.) Dispatch.'
JoBeph N. Perkins, of Woodbrldge,
Conn., in tearing down one of the
chimneys of his old house, found a
brick bearing the date 1650. He found
another with the date 1620 in the
cellar.
WHAT PROOF" OF POLAR JOl'REl'l
ftnrrj i When Doubtlns Scientists Write
at Home, Why Cant Explorers f
PORTLAND, Or., Jan. 1. (To the Ed
itor.) Concerning the North Pole con
troversy, there are some matters the
common herd doesn't understand as
well, evidently, as other herds. For in
stance, the Copenhagen scientists say,
among other assertions, that the Cook
records are entirely unsatisfactory be
cause they "contain the results of his
observations instead of the observa
tions themselves." This lucid state
ment occurs twice in their report, and
the ordinary mind is somewhat stag
gered when trying to "negotiate" the
real difference between an observation
and the results of that observation,
when both are of necessity reduced to
paper.
What possible proof can a man who
has actually been to the North Pole
bring back, except his written state
ment of what he saw and where he
was longitudinally and latltudinally ?
Can he furnish any other proof, save
the affidavit of some man, Eskimo, ne
gro or otherwise?
If a "scientist," living at Copen
hagen or i New York, who had never
been nearer the Arctic regions than
the limits of his own city, knows what
observations will answer the require
ments of "consistory"; if all these
things can bo known, this information
acquired, by the reading of books, what
stands In the way of Dr. Cook or Com
mander Peary reducing such observa
tions to writing, while sitting under a
tree on the inspiring banks of the his
toric Hudson?
It seems clear that no man can
transcribe an astronomical observation
to writing in the shape of proofs, with
out in some way including the results
of that observation but the magical
difference between the two appears to
have sent Dr. Cook "to Coventry." No
doubt he is a colossal fraud, but the
question is: If a scientist can remain
at home and determine what proofs
are satisfactory, why can't any other
man sit in his library and write such
evidence as the scientist himself has
found, and establish indisputable proof?
What more has Peary supplied to the
scientific world than his written
proofs or observations? Couldn't he
have written them at Etah, as well
as a New York scientist or "explorer,"
who never has explored anything, can
decide what proofs should be supplied
that will answer every technical re
quirement? In other words, ordinary people
wonder why the world is not supplied
with a statement as to the difference
between the proofs of observations
furnished by Dr. Cook, which have been
pronounced insufficient, and those
supplied by Peary which seem not to
be seriously questioned. Indeed, the
Cook-Peary controversy, boiled down,
seems to suggest the inquiry: What is
a scientist, anyway, and why?
T. T. G.
LAWYER ON LAW SCHOOLS.
They Turn Out Half-Baked Graduates
in Lsrge Numbers.
PORTLAND. Jan. 1. (To the Editor.)
The Oregonian's editorial on "Service on
Juries" is timely and well put likewise
Its reference to the fomentation added by
"law schools." so called.
As a general proposition, lawyers are
creatures of necesssity; were it not for
the necesssity, I doubt If there would be
any. It has been well said that neces
sity knows no law, and we have members
of the bar who are. free from the knowl
edge of any of the written law.
The legitimate law school performs wor
thy functions', but we have many whose
success is not in the quality of graduates
they turn out. but the quantity at "so
much per." It has been my experience,
within the past year, to have quite a few
law graduates come to me for employ
ment, and In every instance. In answer
to my Inquiry how they happened to
choose the legal profession, I was in
formed that solicitors of law schools had
pictured our profession as one of ease and
great emoluments. So strong and rosy
were these arguments that the young men
gave up their steady and well-paying em
ployment for this, to them, new, promis
ing field. What is the result? They have
entered the arena without clients and by
dire necesaslty proceeded to make a living
by questionable means and practices,
thus bringing a once noble profession into
disrepute. Instead of the legal profes
sion being the easiest means of liveli
hood, the really conscientious lawyer
finds it to be the most exacting in both
time, study and morals.
The causes of a lot of needless and
petty litigation lie in most of our law
schools and their pretenses in "rustling"
for business. CHARLES J. SCHNABEU
A "Cook, Book" or a "Peary-odlcal."
Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Professor Willis L. Moore, chief of
the United States Weather Bureau and
president of the National Geographical
Society, has not been asked to verify
the story, but it is told on excellent
authority.
Professor Moore was doing his shop
ping in Washington, D. C, one even
ing last week. He stopped at a book
stall in one of the big department
stores.
"Have you any books about the
North Pole?" he asked of the sweet
young thing, who smiled at him from
under an altitudinous pompadour.
"Which do you wish?" she queried,
"a Cook book or a Peary-odical?"
New Microbe Noted In Paris.
New York Press.
Professor Metchnikoft. of the Pasteur
Institute, Paris, has discovered a mi
crobe called the proteus, which he says
kills at least 10.000 French children
every year. The microbe is that of gas
troenteritis, and it lives on the surface
of apples and other fruits, salads and
the rind of cheese. It is dangerous not
only to children, but to grown-up peo
ple also.
$40,000 for Two Soap Tureens.
Washington (D. C.) Post;
Including commissions and other in
cidental expenses, J. Plerpont Morgan
recently paid 140,000 for two soup
tureens which he obtained in Paris. The
tureens are the work of a noted
artificer, D. A. Melssonier, and en
graved by Huquiet.
A True Philosophy.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
"Don't overeat," says a physician, "it
superinduces pneumonia." It also su
perinduces plutocracy and paresis
among packers and the pauperization
of the ultimate consumer.
FAREWELL TO NINETEEN NAUGHT
NINE.
Farewell to thee, 1909,
No more we'll see of thee
Thou gavest us rain an'- sunshine.
Which thou didst furnish free.
Thou hast the consolation now.
Of having done thy best.
An' leaving men behind the plow.
For food not now distressed.
Thou hast left, too, 1909,
Proof that thou hast been here.
In a new ring on ev'ry pine.
An horns on ev'ry steer.
Tomorrow will be 1910,
Mankind's great swear-off day.
Who will quite likely now an' then.
Backslide the same old way.
But don't "talk back," 1909,
They did it in thee, too
May pleasant dreams henceforth be
thine,
Adieu, adieu, adieu.
OLD MAN OUT OF A JOB.
Portland, Or., Dec. 31, 1903,
THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE. '
Some of the Farts Found la the A -Congressional
Directory.
The Congressional Directory for the
Sixty-first Congress, now beginning its
first regular session, has just appeared.
It contains a list oif Senators and Rep
resentatives arranged according to '
length of service, and the first thing to
arrest atention here is the great youth
of the" Senate. Of the 92 members of
the upper chamber no less than 4S. or
more than one half, have five years or
less of service to their credit; and not
less than 65 have been in their, seats
no more than 10 years. In other words,
the Senators who have served more
than 10 years constitute less than one
third of the chamber, and of the 27
members who have served more than
10 years', seven exceed that period of
service by only a few months; and of
the 20 with nearly 11 or more years in
the Senate to boast of, 12 date back no
further than 1S95. Thus only eight
Senators are of more than 15 years
standing. They are Eugene Halo and
William P. Frye, of Maine, and Nelson
W. Aldrlt-hj of Rhode Island, who en
tered the Senate In 1881; Shelby M. Cul
lom, of Illinois, 1SS3; John W. Daniel,
of Virginia, 1S87; Jacob H. Gallinger,
of New Hampshire, 1891: and Henry
Cabot Lodge, of Massachusetts, and
George C. Perkins, of California, who
entered in 1S93. It may be doubted
whether before since the Civil War so
youthful a body of men in point of
service has ever filled the upper cham
ber. It seems but yesterday that Mr.
Lodge was a "junior" Senator, yet here
he appears among the first seven of the
veterans.
There are always to be found in the
House a few cases -of extended service
therein, but they are rarely very numer
ous. In the present House, however, of
389 members (two vacancies existing to
be filled), there are 94 men who have
served five terms up to the present
one, or 10 years. They constitute about
one-fourth of the whole number, while
tlie 10-year or older members of the
Senate constitute not much more than
one-fourth of that body.
It is an unusual situation which h;is
brought the Senate closely to a parity
with the House in the small proportion
which the older bears to the younsor
membership. There is no member of the
Senate who has served as much as or
over 30 years, but Speaker Cannon, of
the House, has 34 years of membership
In that body, and II. H. Bingham, of
Pennsylvania, 30 years, each with elec
tions to two more years. Including the
present term, Sereno E. Payne, of New
York, is credited with 13 terms; John
Dalzell, of Pennsylvania. 12: and Hull
of Iowa, Jones of Virginia and Living
ston of Georgia with 10 each. Of tlio
eight members having nine terms to
their election two are from Massachu
setts Gillett and McCall. We have to
jump over among the seven-term mem
bers to find any more Massachusetts
Representatives Lawrence, Green and
Lovering.
It may be said, therefore, that that
conservatism which is besrotten by
great length of service in either branch
of Congress is exceptionally weak in
the Senate of today and exceptionally
strong in the House, where it is also
aided by control of the autocratic ma
chinery that has grown up in that body.
Thus for once in the country's history
the radicalism of the day can find larg
er hope for itself in the United States
Senate than in the popular branch of
Congress.
THE JOY OF THE COSQIERED.
The Honey That Repays the Explore
for Ills S 1 1 it km.
New York Evening Mail.
To the dreary, downcast Democracy
shivering in the cold and gazing hun
grily through the windows into the dining-room
where the other fellows are
modestly partaking of the fruits of vic
tory, that old reliable professional com
forter, William Jennings Bryan, bears a
message of good cheer which should
perceptibly brighten up the gloom. Ho
assures his disconsolate followers that
things are not as bad as they seem and
might be much worse. They have not.
of course, as many offices as they could
take care of, but they have the joy of
the conquered, if they know what that
is and can use it in their business.
"For the past 13 years," chirps Mr.
Bryan, "the Democratic party has actu
ally dominated and molded the public;
affairs of this country." Is not that
enough for the Democrats? What do
they want? The planetary system?
Moreover, "the Republican party has
done nothing good that was not out
lined in the Democratic platform." So
there, now. Let the faithful rejoice and
make a great noise like 16 to 1 or soma
other paramount issue.
It is too bad that other Democrats
cannot pattern after Mr. Bryan. He is
not only resigned but cheerful and ever
jubilant. Business is good with him,
his circulation as lecturer and other
wise steadily increasing and he is com
pletely reconciled to prosperity. Not all
men may speak or write as profitably
as he does, but there is no earthly rea
son why they should not be cheerful in
spite of the good times which have be
fallen the country. The Democracy can
truthfully deny that it is in any way
responsible for them.
If Mr. Bryan is .satisfied with the.
Democratic party as it is and where it
is, who has a right to complain? And
if the party can find even a grain of
comfort in claiming credit for the
achievements of the party which the
people insist on retaining in iwer, who
In this hour of cheer will deny it that
harmless enjoyment?
Excluslveness Around V. S. Senate.
Washington (D. C.) Post.
In meandering around the Senate side
of the Cajjitol, one sees emblazoned here,
there, and everywhere', "exclusive" and
"private." Turn to the right, then to the
left; to the back of you and to the front,
and still those -signs meet your gaze.
Visitors are nonplussed. They come to
the capital of the Nation expecting to
find everything open to the poor public,
but are disappointed when they land any
where near the House of Lords' side of
the big white building. A recent visitor
got lost In the mystic maze of "ex
clusivess" and "privates," and on turning
to leave by a door that, as he supposed,
led to the free air, found himself up
against the same old sign. "Great Scott,"
said he. "they have put that sign on the
exit to freedom." There is, however, one
elevator marked public, and during a ses
sion of the Senate that one ear is worked
overtime by the dear public.
Uncle Snm's Highest Paid Woman.
Philadelphia Despatch.
At present the highest salaried
woman doing departmental work in
Washington, D. C, is Miss A. II. Short
ridge, of New York City. The State
Department recently recognized her
services by promotion to a salary of
$2500 per annum, the highest pay ever
given to any woman worker by Undo
Sam. Miss Shortridge began with a
position of $900 a year and has worked
her way up by efficient service.
A. Beesam and Street-Singers Trust,
Baltimore News.
A meeting was held recently at Mar
seilles, France, when the beggars and
street singers got together and formed
an organization for tiie protection of
their interests and to resist the en
croachments of pretenders. A 'regular
organization was effected, with consti
tution and bylaws, and limitations wera
placed upon membership.
Christmas Cheer.
Atlanta Constitution.
If it came twice a year, father might
never get out of the receiver's liaiius.