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THE MORNING OREGONIAX, THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1910.
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PORTLAND, OREGON.
Entered at Portland. Oregon, Postofflce as
8econd-Class Matter.
Subscription Kates Invariably In Advance,
(Br Mall.
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Daily, without Sunday, six months..., 3.25
Daily, without Sunday, three months... 1.75 j
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Weekly, one year 1.50 (
Bunaay, one year - a.au
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(By Carrier.
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your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency
are at the sender's risk. Give postoffl-e ad
dress in full. Including: county and state.
Postage Rates 10 to 14 pares. 1 cent: 16
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double rate.
Eastern Business Office The S. C. Beck
wlth Special Agency New York, rooms 48
50 Tribune building. Chicago, rooms 510-512
Tribune building.
PORTLAND. THURSDAY, JAN. 6, 1910.
P08TOITICB AM PEOPLE.
A complaint against the Postofflce
Department la that It costs more than
It brings In. But who knows? In
terms of money It shows a deficit. In
deed; and last year a greater deficit
than ever before. But the function
of the poBtal service Is essentially
educational. How far Is it to be meas
ured in terms of money?
Business principles and economic
methods should,, undoubtedly, be em
ployed, as far as possible or practi
cable, and kept constantly in view.
The postal service must not be pushed
regardless of cost or income. It Is
known universally that the postal
business of the principal centers of
population and activity produces a
profit. But the result of the whole
service Is a" heavy deficit. Last year
the deficit was $17,479,770 the
heaviest on record. The Postmaster
General says It arose from rural free
delivery, and second-class mall.
Rural free delivery Is the one ac
tivity of Government which touches
the general mass of our country peo
ple. To support of the Government
they, contribute immensely, by pay
ment of duties and excises,-, and get
little back. Postal service is their
only sure or apparent compensation.
Rural free delivery therefore is 'due
to the people in the. country to do its
work as necessary also to city as to
country- life-. It never will be reduced
or shortened; it always, will be main
tained, and steadily increased as the
demand shall warrant. Second-class
mail: consists of newspapers and maga
zines, mainly, and this class of matter
goes largely to ' the people through
free ; rural ' delivery. It cannot-be cut
off. ; It carries advertisements, which
burden the mails, but, newspapers and
magazines cannot .be published with
out the help of advertisements; and
the Intellectual life of the country de
mands the newspaper and the gen
eral variety of the magazine though
both may be sneered at by a professed
superior culture, not up, however, to
the level of the object of Its criticism.
Rural- free delivery, carrying not only
letters; but newspapers and magazines
that ' the people want, is but partial
compensation to ' the country for the
exactions made upon the country, the
tariff and excise systems.
The educational literature carried
into the country by the free delivery
system is immense. Much of it is
light, undoubtedly; but it Is entertain
ing, or it would not be wanted. Be
cause it Is wanted the opportunity
is seized great masses of advertise
ments with it, which increase the
weight for the mails. But the pub
lications could not exist without the
advertisements as a source of Income
or revenue; nor would the subscriber
value his newspaper or magazine so
highly without its advertisements.
TJhey have something always of Inter
est and value to them. Much of the
increased "activity of the -Iff e of the
-country, and - of the city, too, since
all forces are correlated, is due to the
stimulation produced by the establish
ment of quicker and surar means of
--communication from the centers 1 to
wards the circumferences and out
posts. Of thi3 activity the Postofflce
- has become the main agent. Contrast
its present efficiency with that of the
postal service in the days when the
weekly mall, consisting only of letters
perhaps including a meager weekly
newspaper was carried by man on
Toot, sometimes on horseback, for dis
tribution through the country post
offices. Truth is, the -country never
before obtained for an equal amount
of money such 'benefits as it receives
. through rural free delivery ' of the
malls. The parcel post, on a proper
'basis or system, will much inprove it.
It has been said that the object of
-the postal function Is essentially edu
cational. In other words, the idea is
to acquaint the people with the affairs
of their kindred, their friends and
business associates, to disseminate
, publications of Interest, to carry par-
" eels In exchange between them; and,
fcy maintenance of such intercom-
. munlcation, to make life worth living.
Use of free rural delivery and car
riage of second-class matter consist
ing of publicattons--which the people
.want for their information or enter
tainment, is the most important of the
modern agencies that contribute to
" these results.
" We shall spare many other things
tiefore we part with rural free mail
' delivery and the transmission of second-class
matter through the mails.
The country will regard this an un
thinkable method of economical re
form. Mr. rockefeller in tt-bi-Ic urs.
There Is no reason to doubt the
younger Mr. Rockefeller's .sincerity in
declaring against the white slave traf
Tic. The infamous business is abhor-
-'" rent to every person who is not utterly
depraved, and Mr. Rockefeller Is far
from depravity of any sort. That he
Li beset by an absurd moral compla-
'"' cency may be admitted, but humanly
speaking he is a good man who truly
. prefers to serve God rather .than the
tlevil. It is not fair to charge htm
"With his father's sins. If he is dis
posed to serve the public, his labors
ought to be accepted with thankful-
- ' ness that he does not prefer dissipa
tion. - . There is room in American public
life for a large number of men who
are rich enough to be '"above pecula
j ..tion. If they belong to the second
'generation of w-ealUi and, -like the
( younger Rockefeller, have lost the
J Impulsion of competitive greed, so
J' much the "better.. Their services will
. bo all the more disinterested. We
sadly need an Infusion of public men
who are too rich to steal and too
proud to fawn. Perhaps, if a schol
arly observer -were to be asked what
quality is most desperately needed in
American politics, he would answer
"pride." A genuinely proud man may
turn traitor sometimes, but he will
not sell himself to whoever bids high
est. Neither will he comply and serv
ilely cringe to power. An influx of
men like Mr. Rockefeller into our
public life would necessarily be ex
ceedingly wholesome both for them
and for other politicians. It would
be highly edifying to see a base, com
pliant rogue of current politics
brought face to face in a Kampfum's
Dasein with a scornful aristocrat
whose multiplied millions made him
independent and utterly fearless.
THIS MILK-AND-HOXEY LAND. "
One of Oregon's grandest objects of
fast growth is the officialdom that
stands guard over the public health.
This fine body of office-holders knocks
all preceding, records of progress into
a cocked hat. Just now tile chairs-of
two new milk officials have been cre
ated in the City Hall, at salaries of
J125 each, and right away $1000 is to
be appropriated to defray their
"necessary" expenses and to establish
a laboratory for detection of germs in
milk. Of course, in due time furni
ture will be added to the, laboratory
in the shape of chemists and bacteri
ologists. All of which is certainly very fine,
and taxpayers who pay for all this
grandeur in order -to save consumers
the bother of looking after the dairies
and the markets that supply them food
are rewarded with "figures" and "sta
tistics" ' prepared by office-holders,
who are convinced that the good
health of the community Is their own
making. Nature, air, sunshine and
pure water as guardians of health
cannot compare with the officials
who prepare the statistics and draiw
the salaries. .
Just to show what a thrifty bunch
of "patronage" is fighting "germs and
making figures in Portland, gaze at
this: iisf; - .. .
United States Bureau Animal Industry.
Vnited- States' Pure - Food Laboratory.
State Board of Health.
, State Health Officer and Clerk.
State Veterinarian. ;
State Bacteriologist -
State Dairy and Food Commissioner.
Kour Deputy commissioners.
County Board of Health.
County Physician. .. I
City Board -of Health. -
City Health Officer.
Deputy Health Officer. .
. City Physician.
City Bacteriologist.
Assistant Health Officer.
Market Inspector.
Sanitary Inspector.
Clork to City Health Board.
Pour School Inspectors.
School iNurse.
Pest-House Nurse.
City Milk Inspector.
Two Deputy Milk Inspectors.
Plumbing Inspector.
Three Deputy Inspectors and one clerk.
Harbor Master.
Knglneer to Harbor Master.- -Crematory
Superintendent.
Foreman and eight laborers. .
"Building Inspector. -Six
Deputy Building Inspectors.
Lest the list stretch out too long, we
omit the several State Board3 of Med
ical Examiners, Barber Examiners,
Dental Examiners, Pharmacy, Optom
etry, "Veterinary . Commissioners,
Sheep Commissioners and Domestic
Animal Commissioners. We mention
th-ese latter only to keep them from
feeling that their worth and value
have been slighted.'
This home industry of officialdom is
one of the proud products of Oregon
soil. Members of it are so ambitious
In their quest for public health that
they sell their service privately. on the
side, like State and City BacterioloT
gist Matson and City Physician Zieg
ler, but such acts are viewed as evi
dences of their unusual zeal. In ad
vertising the resources of Oregon,
mention should be made of. the many
tax-paid individuals who have found
.Oregon the land of milk and honey.
SAME WOLF, NEW SHEEPSKIN. .
Congressman Humphrey, of Wash
ington, has launched his . ship
subsidy bill. Some of the- most
obnoxious' features of former bills
have ' been" removed. The enter
ing wedge used by the subsidy seekers
in previous - attempts to break into
the United States treasury proved too
large and blunt, and the present small
er and thinner wedge in the shape of
the Humphrey bill will probably be
driven in to make an opening for a
larger one next year. Mr. Humphrey
is distressingly frank in his reasons
for the admission, under certain re
strictions, of free ships. In his opinion
"Free ships will not give us a single
vessel in the trade to South America,
to Australia; to China or Japan the
places where we most desire them."
Mr. Humphrey and his friends have
also taken good . care that, the free
ship bill will give us no ships for that
vast traffic that Is now handled be
tween the Atlantic and the Pacific.
The "free ships" of the foreigners are
carrying coal from the Atlantic sea
board to Puget Sound for $3.83 per
ton; they would carry merchandise
to the Jobbers and consumers of Se
attle, Portland, San Francisco and the
entire Coast region at the same rate,
if Mr. Humphrey and his friends
would stand aside and let us have free
ships "where we most desire them."
No railroad on earth could compete
with these rates, but they are denied
us. Mr. Humphrey's generosity in
thus providing for free ships is ac
cordingly on a, par with, that of the
California Railroad Commission, whose
policy -was reviewed in the late Frank
Norris' novel, "The .Octopus." The
commission reduced grain rates in the
redwood lumber districts, where no
grain was produced, and lumber rates-
out of the San Joaquin grain district,
where timber was not produced. Ap
parently believing that there will be
no free ships, Mr. Humphrey is will
ing we should have them, under cer
tain restrictions. -
The increase In the tonnage tax will
bring in about $1,000,000. According
to Mr. Humphrey, "every dollar . of
this amount will be paid by., foreign
f-hips." It has of course escaped Mr.
Humphrey's attention that the "for
eign ships" whose owners are neither
philanthropists nor fools will simply
add that $1,000,-000 to ' the freight
charges paid by the dear deluded pub
lic. Mr. Humphrey drags in that old
chestnut about the $200,000,000 per
year which we pay the foreigners for
carrying the freight, and Insists that
It is for them that "we maintain our
lighthouses, improve our rivers and
harbors -at-an expense of $50,000:000
per year," etc. Mr. Humphrey esti
mates that, in carrying 95 per cent of
our foreign commerce in 1910, the
foreign ships will be "taking from
American labor for construction and
operation $1,000,000 per day." - -
This would indeed be a calamity if
the producing and consuming public
were not receiving a greater benefit In
cheap freights than labor (.dear to the
heart of the millionaires who are be
hind the ship subsidy movement)
could possibly receive from a ship sub
sidy in practice. Unwittingly per
haps Mr. Humphrey offers a .practical
illustration of the advantages of this
plentiful supply of foreign- tonnage,
when he asserts that "A few days ago
a vessel came into Seattle harbor from
Europe. She brought a cargo -for
$1.25 per ton. She refused to take j
a cargo over tne same course for less
than $6.90 per ton." -
Diligent inquiry among all of the
Importers who -handle ships at Seattle
has failed to reveal the name or any i
knowledge of a ship that brought I
cargo from Europe for $1.25 per ton. I
Still admitting it were true, the
American consumers profited to the j
extent of several dollars per ton' by
the extraordinary low rate. The out
bound rate of $6.90 per ton for a 14,-000-mlle
voyage was also low, con
sidering that Ajnerican ship-owners
hold the Government ' ud for $8.50
and $9.00 per ton for carrying coal
over a similar distance between the
Atlantic seaboard and Pacific stations.
Would the consumers of Seattle and
tributary territory, or the producers
of the wheat which the ship carried
Bway be any better off If American
rates of $18.00 per ton for the roumd
trip were charged instead of the $8.15
charged for the round trip by the
vessel? ,
The Humphrey subsidy bill is the
same old wolf with a slightly- Im
proved fit ,of the sheep's clothing In
which it Is masquerading.
DKAIJXU IX rUTVKES.
"Dealing in Futures" is a topic
which bobs up with greater regular
ity than any other feature. of our com
mercial policies and practices. 'This
time the. National Administration is
reported to be considering the possibil
ty of making laws that will check the
gambling features of the practice
without interfering with the legitimate
functions of the "future." The effect
of any attempt of this- nature will be
the same as the surgical, operation
which was a "perfect success" but
was followed by the death ofthe pa
tient. No one questions the great
evils which arise front gambling in
futures, but it should be remembered
that the cards used In dealing a
"brace" faro game are exactly the
fame as those used in playing -casino
or "old maid." No one has ever attempted-
to legislate the playing-card
out of existence simply because gam
blers make use of it.
Dealing in futures is & legitimate
and useful practice made necessary by
the tremendous Increase in the pro
duction, distribution and consumption
of many commodities for which there
Is a universal . demand. It has been
drafted into general use in nearly all
branches of business for the same rea
son that the storied farmer, by divid
ing ' the grist, supplanted the stone
formerly used in one end of the sack
to balance the grlBt in the other. The
system enables the miller to purchase
wheat for delivery over periods of
many months and to make flour con
tracts accordingly. There Is a great
saving m thus being in a position to
handle a large business without the
necessity of keeping a large amount of
capital tied up in stock that may not
be required for many months. It also
enables the producer to have a steady
market for his products the year
round. He can determine to a nicety
just what he can receive for his crop
delivered six months or a year hence.
The recent flurry in cotton was
the immediate cause of this sudden.
outcry against trading in futures, but
the fact that a few gamblers . made
considerable money in buying " and
selling cotton on a margin has no
bearing on the Legitimate buying and
selling for future delivery by men who
will later be obliged to handle the real
cotton. Goods manufactured from cot
ton are distributed throughout the
world, although the United States sup
plies the bulk of the raw . material
from which they are made. ' By rea
son of this wide distribution, It is ab
solutely necessary that the manufac
turer quote prices to buyers in re
mote quarters -of the earth many
months before the goods will be ready
for delivery. To hedge against these
future sales the manufacturer must
buy his raw material far enough
ahead to enable him to meet his or
ders when they must be filled. Mod
ern business cannot be satisfactorily
handled without dealing in futures. It
is not easy to determine how gambling
in futures can be suppressed without
seriously damaging legitimate trad
ing, which must make use of the "fu
ture" contract.
COMETARI PERILS.
The singular situation which as
tronomers predict for Halley's comet
next May is one which may well in
spire superstitious excitement and ig
norant alarm. About the middle of
that month the comet will plunge
throngh the plane of the earth's orbit
"downward," which means in the di
rection of the South pole. When this
interesting episode comes to pass the
earth will be but 14,000,000 miles
away from the diving wanderer, and
It is said, with more or less approach
to truth, that for a few hours the
earth, the comet and the sun will
be in the same straight line. Conse
quently the comet -will appear to us
to move directly across the face of
the sun Just as Venus does in its
rare and Interesting transits.
This will be a beautiful spectacle,
no doubt, but there Is small likelihood
that It will- resemble a display of fire
works in the' heavens. The comet at
that time can hardly be much brighter
f.han the moon, sino it Willi be at
about the same distance Jrom the
sun, which is the source of all its
light and heat. While traversing the
sun's disc, therefore, it will look like
a black spot if it is visible --at all.
Comets are not very substantial bodies
and this one may be so thin and spec
tral that the sun's rays will slip
through it without perceptible loss- of
Intensity. In -that case Halley's comet
will be invisible during- its transit.
But considerations like these will seem
but slightly interesting to the average
citizen in competition With the prob
ability that on or about May 18,, next
Spring, the earth will pass through
the comet's tall. The tail always points
away from the sun, and consequently
its direction on that day will be
straight toward the earth. Hence If
It is long enough to reach us we shall
enjoy the experience of sailing through
it and bathing in its -balmy or bane
ful surges. According to the astrono
mers it will reach us and extend some
six million miles farther.
What will happen to the earth dur
ing those fateful hours? In all prob
ability the same thing will happen as
on other occasions "when we have
passed through comet's tails and that
Is simply nothing. The earth has re- T
Deated 'this dire adventure, several I
times. Usually nobody knew anything I
about it until all was over. There was
nothing extraordinary to see, hear, feel
or smell. The truth is that a comet's
tall is a good deal of a false alarm, to
borrow a phrase from the poetic pro
letarians. In. spite of the pompous
spread it makes in the sky, it could be
imprisoned with Hamlet In a walnut
shell, and have plenty of room to
spare". Savants allege that a comet's
tail is the most attenuated form of
matter they know anything about. The
chances are that It is not matter at
all in the ordinary sense, but some
form of emanation comparable to that
whicli comes from radium. Very
likely ometa consist of highly radiant
matter and the tail Is 'composed of
emanations which are all driven to
the side remote from the sun. At any
rate. the appendage is so exceedingly
thin, so tenuous and rare, that it can
exercise no imaginable influence on
the earth. Superstition has always In
vested comets with a multitude of ter
rors, but never in a single instance
have any of the dreadful things it
predicted come to pass.' If we were as
safe from terrestrial monsters as we
are from the heavenly bodies we
might slumber and sleep in unbroken
security.
Daniel Willard, the new president of
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad be
gan his railroad career as a track la
borer thirty years ago. He served for
a long time under Frederick D.
Underwood, who Is now president of
the Erie Railroad and who egan
railroading as a. brakeman . about
twenty-five years ago. Yesterday's
dispatches state that Mr. Willard was
landed in the presidency of the Balti
more & Ohio by Union Pacific inter
ests. These "interests," it is now pretty
well understood, are controlled by
Judge Lovett, who was carrying water
to the laborers on a railroad down In
Texas about thirty years ago. Thirty
years is not so very long ago, nd a
good many of us can recall that even
then there were . numerous disciples
of discontent who lugubriously assert
ed that there was no longer any
chance for a poor man in this coun
try. Despite the rantings of the
Jawsmlths and the Indolent Workers
of the World, there is at this very
moment, plugging away among track
laborers, brakemen and water boys
on our American railroads, another
crop of Lovetts, Underwoods and Wil
lards. They are wasting no time on
the street corners, however.
Postal authorities at Washington
say that $76,622,629" was sent out of
the United States by foreign laborers
during the year Just closed and that
the total sent abroad since 1890, is
$840,640,817. In a country of such
wonderful resources and recuper
ative powers as the United States,
this drain is felt less tnan it would be
elsewhere, but the amount Is of suf
ficient proportions to have some bear
ing on bur own ' financial condition.
Had that money remained In this
counrty, the most of It would have
bean kept lit use, and in being fre
quently turned over, it would have
paid debts and financed undertakings
many times greater' than the actual
sum shown by the postal authorities.
We cannot stop all of this foreign flow
of funds but some means should be
devised for strengthening the faith of
our foreign element in American
financial institutions. Perhaps a Postal
Savings Bank would serve " this pur
pose. "
Real estate transfers suffered a
very heavy slump in Seattle last
year.. According to the Seattle Bul
letin, there was a decline from $72,
926, 1S6 in 1908 to $27,642,000 in the
year just closed. On account of the
numerous high-priced structures for
the fair, building permits at Seattle
ran ahead of those for the preceding
year. It-will be noticed that real es
tate transfers," while less than half as
large as those for 1908, were still
about $1,000,000 in excess of those
for Portland. This Is easily under
stood when it is recalled that Port
land, as usual, footed up a number of
big transactions with the stereotyped
$1 consideration. A single transfer,
the Laurelhurst tract, involved more
than $1,300,000, an amount sufficient
to bring the Portland figures ahead of
those for Seattle. Unfortunately, the
consideration named In the deed was
$1,299,900 less than the amount paid
for the tract.
A correspondent wishes to have the
opinion of The Oregonian on the point
whether "the fallacies of the new
system in our state" have not nearly
run their course. Don't know. All
possible methods of going wrong may
not have been exhausted yet; and it
is a fashion of democracy not to go
right till It has exhausted, all possible
ways and expedients of going wrong.
A sensible man who has a sensible
wife would not exchange her opinion
about the goodness of the milk sup
piled to the family, for that of all the
official experts In the employ of state,
city, county, and General Government.
A Chicago woman wants divorce
because the courts won't let her plant
her cold feet against her husband's
back. If women had votes, no judge
wouia De so hold as that.
Now the National Geographic So
ciety is going to examine Cook's rec
ords. Mere curiosity to see what an
explorer who never explored has to
say. no doubt.
Idaho waoIgTo.wers, like those of
Oregon, have "resolved" in defense of
the Payne-Aldrich tariff bill. There,
now. Who says the tariff bill is with
out' friends? '
Zelaya and Diaz are having a fine
time together. They seem to under
stand one another's methods of gov
ernment perfectly. : -
Heney says Binger Hermann never
was in a hurry for trial. But we'll
wager Binger wishes it had been over
long ago.
Now they are blaming the Pacific
Northwest for the cold wave that Is
sweeping East. No way to prove an
alibi. -
This weather was a fine thing to
look forward to during the hot days
of last Summer. -
Mayor ' Gaynor's tribute to Boss
Murphy was touching but unconvinc
ing.. When you greet a plumber, wish
him a happy New Tear-
THREE IX THE FAMILY MARRY.
u Toolc K-ht for the Charivari,
bnt the Boys Succeeded.
Bunker Hill Cor. to Stayton Mall.
Great excitement was caused in this
neighborhood Wednesday, when the re
port came ffom Albany that six local
young people were married there. Miss
Vera Overholts and WU1 Dart, Miss Nel
lie Iart and George Sandner. Miss Free
da Dart and Will Hirans, were the fes
tive sextet. ' ,
The boys Immediately got busy sending
Wireless messages, and by 6 o'clock there
were at least 160 men and boys hiding in
the buehes and fence corners, and behind
rock piles, and some even got under the
house of C. W. Dart, preparing for an
old-time charivari, but, lo.! and behold!
only one couple, George Sandner and wife.
returned from Albany that night. George
accidentally met the crowd in the road
before he got to Mr. Dart's house, where
he intended staying over night, so he
changed his mind and concluded to give
the boys the slip. Just stopping long
enough to notify the folks where they in
tended to go, he proceeded to drive like
the wind.
One of the local boys was dispatched on
George's trail on horseback, but the afore
said, young man proved to be too slow.
He soon lost the trail, so Mr. Sandner and
wife arrived safely at Howard Montgom
ery's and stayed through the night, un
known to any of the charivari crowd.
After the crowd had run down every
available clew, they returned home at
S A. M. - But lo! and behold! the boys'
luck changed by the next evening. v e
placed competent men in the field early
and they searched the country thorough
ly. By night all three couples were lo
cated Will Hirans and wife .at their
home near Shelburn, George Sandner and
wife at C. W. Dart's, where George's
gray pony gave, him away. .
Will Dart returned home and, seeing tne
boys hidden In the fence corner, became
alarmed and concluded to eat a hearty
supper. Then he and ms wile ssuppea
out as Sandner had done the evening be
fore. As he . proceeded to. leave home,
Robert Darby appeared on the scene
riding little Cheyenne. Louis Geisler, our
famous detective, was on the Chicago
police force three years, and was, never
known to lose a trail, lit out afoot ana
soon came by hie own home: decided to
saddle Old Prince (his favorite steed),
who has been across the continent and
once around the world; started out again
and was soon in sight, so, after tne Doys
chased Mr. Dart and' wife up hill and
down, through brush and around curves,
circling the largest part of Linn County
(for about three hours), and going alto
gether about 224 miles, finally chased him
to the home of A. Overholts, where one of
the boys -watched while the other re
turned to the home of C. W. Dart and
notified the crowd, whereupon they pro
ceeded to charivari. George Sandner and
wife then went from there to Mr. Over
holts' and charivaried Bill Dart and
wife, and from there all went to Shelburn
and charivaried Bill Hirans ana wiie.
and after wishing them all a long ana
happy life the boys returned home at 6
o'clock in the morning, a little footsore
and tired, but feeling well paid for their
night's work. ' . -
BU)iG"
IX
BRITISH
POLITICS
Tbe Liquor Question One of tbe Leal
lax Issues.
Washington Post.
"Bung" is the comprehensive slang
title for the whole of the liquor trade,
from the multimillionaire brewer down
to the humblest proprietor of a way
side inn. The liquor trade is so Im
portant in Great Britain that It is
known simply as "the trade." It is
wealthy and highly organized, and ere
now has made and marred ministries.
In recent years one party, that stood
up for the curious combination of the
church and "the trade," was successful
at the polls, and was wittily and alllt
eratively, if somewhat irreverently, de
scribed by its opponents as floating
into power on beer and the Bible.
There are elements in the liberal party
that have forced it into an attitude of
uncompromising hostility to the liquor
interest. From the liberals that inter
est thinks it has nothing to expect but
onerous .taxation in' the immediate, and,
in the end, absolute confiscation for
any portion that may perchance sur
vive. The liquor organization is, therefore,
fighting for the torles with its back to
tne wall. It is a supreme effort, a mat
ter. of life and death. An eminent Brit
ish publicist, himself a liberal, who
was here recently on a visit, made the
statement that every saloon in Eng
land has been turned into a school for
the propagation of tory doctrines. And
the saloonkeeper in England, be it re
membered, is a man of mark in the
community. He is often a highly-respected
citizen, and elected to honor
able public positions. To many of his
numerous customers he Is guide, phi
losovher and friend. The influence of
such a class on the doubtful voter can
not be easily overestimated.
- ' 7
Mr. Edison Learns What Not to Do.
The Book-Keeper.
Thomas A. Edison is also still busy
with his new storage battery, which,
he asserts, will solve the tractionques
tion. This, too, has ben scoffed at from
the beginning; it Is a long time since
Mr. Edison began Investigation in this
direction, but when a successful port
able method of storing electricity is de
veloped another industrial revolution
will be accomplished.
This leads up to the point to which
Bpecial attention is directed. In his ex
periments with these batteries. Mr- Edi
son has had men at work for years with
a patience unparalleled. More than a
half ton of reports on experiments with
batteries have been made.
Two of his best men had tp give up the
work because of its unending monotony
to save themselves from a nervous break
down. The work was- -continued night
and day for more than three years, and
more than' 9000-- experiments were made
without obtaining the results which Mr.
Edison" wanted. A visitor to whom this
was told, exclaimed:
"Then all those experiments were prac
tically wasted?" - . - .
"Not at all," said Mr. Edison; "I now
know 9000 things hot to do" all of which
indicates that it is as Important to know
what not to do as what to do.
Closed Up In the Rear.
Mitchell Sentinel.
Billy Meyer, with a broad- smile and
a military gait left for Shamiko with
his team Monday morning. (
THE KJTOCICER.
T. T. G.
I have listened to the knocklngs of the
knocker.
And have marveled at the man with
frigid feet;
I have heard the oratorical flapdoodle
- Of . the socialistic howlers on the
street.
I have doffed my hat with wonder ts
the skate
Who could laugh and cry and curse
with single breath.
While the ordinary man will - thank
his stars '
That he's won the fight so far with
prowling Death.
But the man has reached the limit who
goes yelping
Hound the country 'cause it rains
and rains and rains.
Loudly shouting that the Easten Win
ters suit him. -Where
the mercury the lowest point
attains.
Tet this noisy and contrary old galoot,
When It freezes up and coal is awful
dear.
Is the first to raise an everlasting
clamor - -
, ays he hoped to rind a milder cli
mate here!
I - - . '
Practical Necessity
Orz-nnlxatloa Indispensable In Government by
Man la Justified in Adhering to Ilia
Minor Issues.
From a recent ' book. "The Hindrances to ,
Good Citlxenshlo." hr Won. Inm.. tj !
British Ambassador to the Vnited States
and author of "The American Common
wealth." Party has been a practical necessity
and I am not now speaking of the
natural human tendencies that develop
and shape It, but of, the political cir
cumstances that call it into being he
cause in a large, free community, where
each man has his own affairs to occupy
him, there must 'be some means of
bringing current questions to the
knowledge of the citizens, of ex
plaining their meaning and pur
port, of presenting and advocat
ing particular proposals for han
dling current issues. The larger
the community grows, the greater need
for this. Accordingly, those who think
together and wish to act together must
organize; and their-organization be
comes a party.
Furthermore, in a large community
the sreat bulk of the citlsena do. not
and hardly can know who are their
best men, the fittest to think, to lead,
to be selected for office. When persona
have to be chosen by vote to hold office,
tftere must be some means of recom
mending; them and getting the electors,
some of whom will be remiss, or heed
less, or Ignorant, to come and vote for
them. Where the community is a very
large one, or where the structure of
Sdblety does not Indicate particular per
sons as prima facie fit men for office,
there must be some means of select
ing particular persons to be candidates,
else voting; will be all at random. A
party organization supplies the ob
vious means. This function of nomi
nating candidates increases not only
the range of its action, but its power,
because ambitious men become forth
with eager to control it and to develop
it for their own purposes.
There are endless instances to show
that the spirit of party may be so di
verted from its original character of an
attachment to certain principles as to
become a mere instinct of loyalty to a
leader, or to a name, or to a set of
catchwords.
Recognizing this liability to perver
sion which inheres in Party Spirit, let
us see how it may become a hindrance
to good citizenship.
Suppose an ordinary honest citizen
to be considering how he shall vote on'
Borne public issue. Presumably he be
longs to one - party, and prefers
to , continue to support that party.
If he finds his own opinion . on
the question, be JJne question that
of a Legislative ' proposal or that
of the t election of a particular
person, , to coincide with his party's
opinion, , al is simple. If, how
ever, "lie differs in opinion from his
party1, what is his action likely to be
and what ought it to be?
In four cases out of five (perhaps
more) the Average Man will simply
follow his party, not troubling himself
to examine the matter. The party has
done the thinking and made the de
cision; that is enough for him.
t, however, being a somewhat more
active or conscientious citizen than is
the Average Man, he examines the
issue for himself, and concludes that
his party is wrong, the question fol
lows whether he shall be ruled by his
own opinion or subordinate it to that
of the party.
Let us distinguish the case of the
conscientious citizen who is only a
private in the party army, having
NO AMERICAN CARDINALS, ;NOW.
Tea -of Them Likely to Be Appointed,
but 'oae In This) Country.
' New York Post.
In the College of Cardinals there Is an
unusual number of vacancies, and sev
eral American archbishops have been can
didates for a red hat. But they are
likely to be disappointed, if we may be
lieve the . well-informed Vatican corre
spondent of the Corriere della Sera. He
gives it as the semi-official opinion that,
of the nine or ten new cardinals to be
created about the middle of January, not
one will be American.
Bound by the concordat with Portugal,
Pius X will bestow the purple on Mons.
Bello. Patriarch of Lisbon. At least three
Italians will be chosen Granito di Bel
monte. Papal Nuncio at Vienna, almost
surely, and two workers, like Mons. Lu
gari; assessor of the holy office, and
Mons. Glustlni, Secretary of the Congre
gation of the Sacrament. France, whose
normal supply of cardinals ie seven, has
now only three. Mons. Amette, archbish
op of Paris, is slated for one of the hon
ors, although hie opinions have not been
sufficiently ultramontane to satisfy the
Jesuits. To offset him, Mons. Cabrieres,
Archbishop of Montpellier aristocratic and
a thorough-going reactionary, may be
selected. Mons. Jabiilard, Archbishop of
Chambery, is the third possibility among
French prelates. One red hat is to go to
a Spaniard and another to an Austrian.
Finally, Mons. Bourne, Archbishop of
Westminster, Is to receive the honor
which is long overdue.
The death of Father George Tyrrell, ex
Jesuit and ablest of all the modernists,
has brought a lull in Dr." Bourne's Juris
diction, so that the Vatican can promote
him without misgivings. Yet. as the
Italian motto runs, "a cardinal is only
a caprice of the Pope," the Cisatlantic
Monsignorl may continue to hope until
Pius X speaks in the consistory.
His Introduction.
: Cleveland Plain Dealer. ,
"A hundred years ago we were sat
isfied to travel ten miles an hour."
"Yes." ' -
"Fifty years ago we thought 15 miles
an hour was going some."
. "Yes."
"Ten years ago 60 miles an hour was
considered the limit of speed."
"Yes."
"Now we are hitting up nearly a hun
dred miles an hour."
"Yes."
"And it won't be long before 120 miles
an hour is slow."
"Well, what are you trying to get
at?"
"I'm going to prove to you the neces
sity of accident insurance, as I repre
sent "
But the other man was walking away
at the rate of six miles an hour. '
" When 20-Cent Pieces Were Coined.
' ILWACO, Wash.",. Jan. 3. (To the Edi
tor.) Please let us know what years the
CTnited States made 20-cent silver pieces.
We found one tonight, the first we ever
knew of. ' C. E. K.
Twenty-cent silver : pieces were coined
by the United States mints from 1874 to
1878, both dates inclusive.
"Jack Sheppax-d's" House Comes Down.
Indianapolis News.
The historic old "Six Bells," out Wil
lesden way, England, the inn referred to
by Harrison Alnsworth as the haunt of
Jack Sheppard, 1b to be pulled down.
Thus another ancient landmark Is swept
into oblivion by the unsentimental mod
ern builder.
The Mayora Touch.
Skamania County Pioneer.
J. A. Cowan, the honorable Mayor of
the city of Camas, Wash., presented
the editor of this paper with a box of
cigars on Christmas, for which he' has
our most sincere thanks. His Mayor
ship, knows how to touch the right
spot of the average newspaper- man.
of Political Parties
T e m fMTM -r
Conscientious
Party, Though He may DlaaKK
on
nothing -to -do but cast fcis vote, from
the case of the prominent conscientious
citizen, .who is an officer, perhaps a
colonel, or even a general in tnat army.
The conscientious citizen, who is what
I call a private, will usually hesitate
to desert his party. He is bound to
it by habit and by a preference for its
leaders over those of the other side.
It is unpleasant to support by his vote
those whom ie has hitherto' opposed,
and he hates to to raarded by his
party associates as a deserter. Never
theless, the voice of duty seems 'to re
quire him' to obey his convictions. He
may, and if the Issue is an important
one, he probably will, being ex
hypothesi conscientious, and in this
instance convinced, ultimately follow it.
But he has not been, and cannot be, a
detached and impartial judge in the
matter.
Other considerations come In to con
fuse the issue. A man prominent in
his party .may think that the good he
can do by remaining in it and trying
to back it up. so that it may fight
effectively in other then pending ques
tions, outweighs the harm he will do by
voting on this particular instance against
h-is own conviction. Or he may value
so highly the influence of his party on
the welfare of the Nation, and may so
much fear to weaken it by helping to
expose it to defeat on thfrs particxilar
issue, that it wlil in the particular
case seem right to do what would
otherwise be wrong for the" ake of
the greater good to follow from keep
ing the party in power. .
Tltough a politician may of course
use such arguments as these to de
ceive himself and justify any line of
action his interest prompts, still they
are arguments which have their weight
and worth, and deserve to be consid
ered by men who seek to do right.
Much depends on the gravity of the
particular issue. - It it is one pro
foundly affecting the National welfare,
the statesman must at all hazards fol
low his conscience. If it Is of passing
aod secondary consequence, ' he may feel
It his -duty to forego his own views
for the sake of the party. Most cases
He between these extremes. They are
not easy even for - the ordinary voter
who has nothing to lose or gain, while
for the political leaders they are far
harder, not only because his personal
Interest is involved, but also because
he sees more of the general condltiens
of party government and can survey the
whole field of politics.
Independence is a good thing; con
science a vital thing. Politics would
soon become rqtten if the citizens did
not exercise their own judgment and
keep in check that instinct of associa
tion which make the strength of Party
Spirit- But one must also beware of
magnifying small differences, of in
dulging the habit and exaggerating the
tone of Independence, into which there
may possibly, enter a spice of vanity
and self-importance.
Nations may err, as individuals err.
Majorities, so Carlyle and others have
said, are just as often t wrong es are.
minorities. Sometimes a quite smafl
minority turns out -to have been right.
Still there is. In the long run, a wis
dom in the whole people greater than
the wisdom of any man or groxip. No
leader, no party, no legislature, can
ever ruin 'a state while the great body
of Average Citizens, the better educated
and the less educated taken together,
continue to maintain a high level of
public spirit and practical good sense.
CONGESTION IN AMERICAN . CITIES J
New York Seeks Relief In Tunnelstl
Chicago In a tyJopw District. 1
Wnshlnirtrm (Tt. C.t Herald.
With the completion of the tunncla
to New Jersey and . Long -Island. Man
hattan has both spread out and become
more restricted. Better means of com
munication denotes greater concentra-.
tion at the foci. When a busines mart
can have his home miles 'away, as la '
now possible in New York, the loca- I
tion of his place of business gravitates
toward'the most favorable location.
When New York was forced to go by
trolley, or by ferry there was a limit
to the number who could crowd lower
Manhattan, but with better means of
ingress and egress the skyscrapers will
not be sufficient to take care of those
seeking advantageous locations. Hence
the acquisition of suburban homes
tends to centralize -business.
Chicago is rapidly learning the dis
advantages of concentrating busines
activities. That section known as th
"loop district." about one-half mil'
wide and three-quarters of a mile lonp
has worked a hardship on those lo
cated both within and without the fam-l
ous loop." A merchant whose place of
business is within the loop pays sucJ
him of profits. The merchant withou
the loop, whose rent is less than one
fifth that within the loop. has n"
customers, and consequently ther
are no -. profits, owing to lack
of trade. Chicago has for some
years been planning to demolish the
loop system, and thereby increase the
size of its business district. By run
ning through cars many of the unfor
tunate features of the present situation
will be avoided. New York and Ch
cago must solve these problems as best
they can: - -
QvUeen of Italy as a Reader,
New York World.
Queen Margherita of Italy has a weak- I
'ness for the books of American and
English novelists. She also reads Eng
lish and American magazines, and it is
her opinion that the American school
of short-story writers at present is the
best in the world.
'icaraa-ua.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.
"What are the cables flashing for?" the
correspondent cried;
"Diplomacy, diplomacy," philander K. r-
.plled.
"What makes you send the shins to sea?"
the correspondent cried;
"I'm merely going to call their bluff," Phi
lander K. replied.
-- For they're stirring- up the- devil just
north of Panama;
When they start to trettlng- haushty they
go. a bit too far;
It's time these kid republics received a
mentis iax. '
So- we're gdrig- to spank Zelaya In tne mora-.
ins.
"What makes the jingoes smile with glee?"
the correspondent cried;
They hope there'll be a bloody war," Phi
lander K. replied.
"But do you really mean to fight?" the cor
respondent cried.
"Some one has got to fight or crawl." Phi
lander K. replied.
The1 Buffalo Is headed south from pinche- J
-lin-iue Bay,
The Bennington's at" Greytown, a fchip's
near Managua.
The Prairie's left League Island there'll
be the deuce to pay
When we start to spank Zelaya In the morn
ing. -
rwnst makes the nations smile?" -the cor-
respondent cried:
"They see new-crops of heroes," Philander
k rennea.
"Therl there'll be . some', more Rough
Riders V the correspondent cried;
"Not on your life! Not on your life!" Phi
lander K. replied.
In seven years of Roosevelt we siirely go
our nil, -
We're living- in the J-eritaffe he hande
down to Bill:
So, If. we've got to have a war there'll bel
no ban Juan i-' ill
When we start to spank Zelaya In the morning.