THE 3IOEXIXG OKEGOXIAN, SATURDAY, JAITUARY 8, 1910-
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IORTLASD, SATURDAY, JA 8, 1010.
! PRESIDENT TAFT MUST DECIDE.
Mr. Gifford Pinchot poses before
the country as the corypheus of all
who desire to preserve the natural re
sources of the country for the good
of all the people. His ambition has
been to bring it about, so that the
combat would rage around himself
and contribute to his glory. He stands
lor "conservation" of the public in
terests for the public. No man is to
have use of lands or waters or minerals
henceforth, without payment of per
petual tax to the United States the
money paid in to go to the support
of a great bureau in Washington and
its horde of officials all over the
United States yet not indeed all over
the United States, but over those
parts where there are still public
lands and waters and minerals. In
the old parts these were appropriated
long ago, and are to be left in undis
turbed possession of those who occu
pied them, and who have developed
them. This sort of thing has made
Mr. Gifford Pinchot very rich. He
i rests on the wealth of his ancestors,
and has become "a reformer." He is
a. whale, . as Burke said, sporting In
the ocean of bounty, and' from his
spiracles he blows out a torrent of
brine against his origin.
What Mr. Pinchot should do is to
turn back to society all that his an
cestors accumulated from it, and all
he has Inherited from it. He should
sell all he has and give to the poor.
The attack on Ballinger, inspired
by him, is based on the assumption
and on complaint that arises from it,
that Ballinger has construed the
laws as they are and requires them to
bu observed; while Pinchot substi
tutes his own theories of conservation,
unsupported by law and contrary to
the whole practice and policy of the
country hitherto, since the . occupa
tion and settlement of the country be
gan. For ages the land and waters
.and woods of the Western country
have been unused. In the Eastern
parts of the continent they were ap
. propriated and put to use long ago.
We want our country developed; we
desire the conversion of it3 natural
resources to some use rather than
let them run wild, as heretofore; we
wish the Government to part with the
lands and allow them to be utilized,
and properties to be built up around
the water powers and coal mines,
subject to state regulation and to
state, taxation. .Only so can there be
any development. If the General
Government is to be the proprietor,
and everything is to be tied up by
red tape at Washington, supporting
a horde of officials, then no progress
Will be possible. All the remaining
resources, till the country Is stripped
bare, will go to the support of of
ficialdom. This la the protest of the West. On
this basis the West will stand by Bal
linger. against Pinchot. We want
things done In this country; and they
who put up their plea for a fanciful
"conservation" should not be allowed
to substitute their own notions for the
general laws. Ballinger is the right
man In the right place, and either he
or Pinchot had to go. Taft would not
be President had Pinchot remained.
This individual has what the people,
before they knew the fine term meg
alomania, used to call the bighead. He
is a theorizer; he has courted a kick
down the steps that he might show his
bruises. A' week hence his name will
know no mention.
HARD CONDITIONS IN JAPAN.
It was known throughout the world
that the peace between Japan and
Russia, brought about by the inter
vention of President Roosevelt, ' did
not come a day too soon for Japan.
This gallant and rising nation had
made an effort seldom equalled In all
the history of the world. Her sac
rifices had been prodigious; and
though she had gained great advan
tages over an antagonist much greater
.than herself, she needed peace. A'o
nation, perhaps, ever needed it more.
-Her great antagonist, all the world
believes, must have worn her out, had
'the war been continued much longer.
Confirmation of this is supplied since
the war by the difficulties of the in
dustrial and financial conditions ex
isting in Japan.
We find in the Literary Digest, the
well-known weekly of New York and
London, translations from several
Japanese newspapers, which throw
light on the situation developed in
the country since the Russian War.
While the war tfas raging the su
preme effort necessary for it obscured
tho consequences sure to follow so
costly a war waged with a more
powerful and more wealthy neigh
bor. Japan, however, couragebusly
took the risks, and by her sacrifices
saved her prestige and her chances for
the future. Otherwise Russia would
A have crowded her Into her corner very
soon. But her burden of debt is ex
ceedingly heavy for her shoulders.
'She waged the war mainly by borrow
ing money. AVe have this from the
j. newspaper Kokumin (Tokio):
t. The present financial condition in Japan
. really resembles that of Oreat Britain a
4 generation aco. hut since then the latter
has made good all her debts. But the heavy
i debts of Japan are more than the nation can
s, endure. It is true the Katsura government
is engaged In formulating schemes for the
redemption of the loans and Is making
every effort to improve the credit of the
- Empire on the Ruropean market. Meanwhile
the people groan -under heavy taxation, and
It Is urtred in some Quarters that taxes be
t lightened on the land. In order that agri
cultural and other activities may be en
.; couraged and vivlned. In our opinion such
a course should never be taken. If the taxes
are not paid in full, the loans will fall in
. arrears and the foreign credit of Japan re
t. celvs a, serious blow.
Even more gloomy is the statement
of another journal of Tokio, the
Hochi thus:
At no period in her history has the finan
cial condition of Japan been so deprest as it
Is at present. Since the conclusion of peace
with Russia, five years ago. the finances of
the Empire have been going from bad to
worse, and not a single new Industrial en
terprise has been started. Most of the pop
ulation are - groaning under the increased
price of commodities of life and are clamor
ing for a reduction In taxation. The men
of capital keep their money idle and shrink
from. Investing It in commercial enterprises.
Should Japan remain in such a. state a few
years longer, the fate of the- Empire is
sealed.
But it is a hopeful country; it is
pushing hard for trade ascendency in
Corea, Manchuria and China; and its
statesmen endeavor to find encourage
ment for their country by comparison
with the exhausted condition of the
British nation at the close of the Na
poleonic wars followed, however, by
a marvellous growth of England's
commercial prosperity. Continuation
of peace, for many years evidently Is
a necessity for Japan.
THE" SPECIAL MESSAGE.
The recommendations of prime im
portance in President Taft's special
message relate to the proposed com
merce court and the Federal incorpor
ation act, which he recommends. The
minor recommendations, pertaining
to th.e routine work of the interstate
Commerce Commission, are manifest
ly excellent. It would -be a, good plan,
for example, to give the Commission
authority to act upon exorbitant rates
without waiting for complaint from
shippers. Nor can 'any reasonable
person object to placing freight class
ifications under its supervision "since
classification is in reality rate-making.
Mr. Taft argues soundly, also, in
favor of giving shippers the right to
select through routes for their goods
where two or more are available. This
ought not to be left to the arbitrary
dictation of the carriers.
Mr. Taft's severest critics can find
no just fault with the economic prop
ositions upon which he bases his
recommendations. In discussing the
causes which have made trusts profit
able and possible he dmits any men
tion of the tariff, and to some persons
this will appear inexcusable; but, in
truth, we should have had trusts just
the same as now without any tariff.
The President recognizes the great
corporations of the country as public
agencies rather than mere private in
struments and in the most satisfactory
manner he asserts the right of the
Government to regulate and control
them. . It is his zeal for the effective
exerc-se of this right which leads him
to advocate the establishment of the
special commerce court. Outlined by
himself, this proposed tribunal ap
pears less objectionable than we have
feared It might prove.-
As Mr Taft describes It, the new
court would be nothing 'more terrible
than a modified United States Circuit
Court Five of the Judges now in office
are to be assigned to do its business,
and when there is a lull In their work
of hearing appeals from, the Interstate
Commerce Commission, the Chief Jus
tice is to send them out upon circuit
again. This varied employment
might possibly save them from that
complete entanglement in red : tape
which is the bane of special tri
bunals. The new court would be nothing
worse, perhaps, than a judicial branch
of .the Commission. After an order
had been made by the administrative
branch, which now alone, exists, It
would' pass directly to the judicial
Bide for confirmation or rejection. Re
garded in this light, . the. commerce
court, like all of Mr. ' Taft's 'specula
tive proposals, has great merit.- The
whole of his message reads more like
a treatise on abstract political science
than an executive document, though,
possibly a lawyer's brief, is 'what it
most resembles. His reverent atti
tude toward the Supreme Court is
proper enough, but in the . greatest
executive office on earth it rather
surprises one. Still, it is naturally
difficult for the lawyer and judge to
shake off the feeling that, the Su-.
preme Court is about the sublimest
affair In the universe. Probably as
time elapses, Mr. Taft will realize
more clearly the grandeur of his own
position.
President Taft desires "a National
incorporation law for reasons which
are rather elusive. In discussing the
subject of "good" and "bad" trusts,
the President follows pretty closely
the opinion or the Circuit Court in
the recent Standard Oil decision. A
combination in restraint of trade is
obnoxious to the law, not when or be
cause it restrains trade, but. only when
such restraint is it3 predominant pur
pose. If a National incorporation act
altered this rule, it would . certainly
work grievous injury to the. public.
If it did not alter the " rule! how
would it enlarge the freedom of com
bination which already exists? An
attentive study of the message ) does
rot convince one that JYlr. Taft has
made his Intent and the reasons which
underlie it as clear as. would be de
sirable. GRANARY OF THE WOULD.
Wheat . exports from the United
States (flour included) for the first
six months of the current cereal year
show a decrease of 27,000,000 bushels
as- compared with the same period in
the preceding season. That the for
eign markets have not been, suffering
from short supplies by reason of this
decrease can be understood by refer
ence to the statistics on Russian ship
ments. The new season in the land
of the Czar opens August I, and .be
tween that, date - and December .11
Broomhall reports shipments of 106,
3CS.0O0 bushels, a larger amount than
has ever before been shipped in so
brief a period by any country. These
Russian shipments compare with 33,
544,000 bushels for the same period in
the preceding season, and 41,348,000
bushels for the corresponding period
In 1907.-
The Russian increase of 73,000,000
bushels over the shipments of the
preceding year has not only offset the
27.000,000-bushel shortage In Ameri
can exports, but it has also made up
for the shortage in the Argentine and
a number of other countries of less
importance. Russia is such an enor
mous country' that accurate figures on
the size of the wheat crop have al
ways been difficult to secure. The
high prices of the past two years have
resulted, however, in bringing offer
ings out of obscure districts that in
the past have never figured In the ex
port columns.
The American exporter of wheat can
already see the handwriting on the
wail foretelling the end of his busi
ness, but with an almost illimitable
area of good land yet to be developed
In Russia and the Argentine, not to
mention Western Canada, it will be
many years after this country ceases
exporting before the European con
sumers will be in danger of a bread
famine.
BILLBOARDS. 1
While the billboard ordinance, in
troduced by Councilman Ellis, might
not do everything toward ridding
Portland of the nuisance which now
defaces the city, it might do some
thing. It might prove to be the' be
ginning of . better things. Billboards
are of doubtful utility as advertis
ing agencies. Comparatively few
people notice what is printed upon
them and those who do are more
than likely to be disgusted. The
hideous blot upon the ecenery lends
more or less' of its repulslveness to
the article advertised and the loss of
possible customers must overbalance
the gain in the long run. Billboard
advertising is nothing better than a
bad habit. Dealers persist in prac
ticing it, not because it brings them
any particular benefit, but merely be
cause they are accustomed, to it. .
From the point of view of the cit
izen and the traveler, billboards are
an unqualified nuisance. What they
need is not so much regulation as
abatement. It would be a pity for
the city to form the habit of drawing
revenue from them, since a financial
argument for retaining them would
thus arise, which might prolong their
undesirable existence. In. the most
progressive cities of the country, the
definite purpose in taxing billboards
is to cause them to disappear.
PUNK SOLDIERS.
Those New York soldiers who mu
tinied because they were ordered to
march 15 miles must be beautiful
specimens of the military caste.
Doubtless their idea of warfare is to
sit by a warm stove and play seven
up. They would perish with indiges
tion unless they had a ten-course din
ner efery day and naturally they can
not sleep without feather beds. Their
soft and pampered frames could hever
endure to lie on the bare ground at
night as the Scotch Highlanders do.
Those hardy heroes sleep sweetly and
dream blissful dreams of home and
mother with nothing over them but
their plaids when the mercury is at
zero and brush the frost crystals off
their legs in the gray. dawn, with no
thought that they have suffered any
hardship.
Gibbon draws a picture of the
Roman soldier's daily routine which
would make these New York butter
boys howl with fright. - They had to
march all day laden with their armor,
heavy weapons, extra garments, .cook
ing outfit and provisions. When night
came there was no rest' for them un
til they had built a fortified camp.
Such soldiers as those amounted to
something in a fight. But a man who
mutinies rather than march 15 miles
would probably run away at the first
sight of the foe. . '
There are plenty of people who will
set out and walk 15 miles just for fun.
We know women who do it frequently
and come home blooming like the
Rose of Sharon. Away with such
puny creatures as these men of New
York. Are they the best that over
boastful state can produce? -
THE PLACE FOR WALNUTS.
It may be questioned . whether Mr.
M. A. Baker, of McMlnhville, is well
advised in preferring bottom' land to
the . foothills for walnuts. His argu
ment is that the tap root can pene
trate the soil with more freedom
where the formation is alluvial. No
doubt -this is often true, and since the
vigor of the walnut tree depends
greatly on the development of the
tap root, Mr. Baker's reasoning pos
sesses much cogency. It would be
conclusive if we could eliminate the
difficulty of early and late frosts. Mr.
Baker is a man of tried experience
and a trustworthy student of condi
tions, but he probably errs In ascrib
ing the injury which walnut trees suf
fered last Winter to the cold weather.
The safer opinion is that it was caused
by early and late frosts.
In the Spring of 1908 anuntlmely
frost killed the foliage of young wal
nuts on the bottoms and compelled
them to waste energy in making an
entirely new start. They grew vigor
ously all Summer, but Fall found
them with a great length of soft. Im
mature twigs, and the curtailed grow
ing season did not permit them to
ripen. " They were then smitten by a
succession of early frosts in the Fall
of 1908, which frequently killed the
wood - down to the surface of the
ground. -
Thus the mischief was done before
the extreme cold of the Winter of
1908-9 came on. We understand
that walnut plantings situated 300 or
400 feet upward on the foothills es
caped these ruinous frosts almost
completely. If that is true, there can
hardly be any question which situa
tion is the better.
LIMITATION'S OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
Investigation by a Coroner's jury
of the fatal train wreck on the O. R.
& N. Wednesday was followed by the
arrest, on a charge of manslaughter,
of the engineer of one of the trains.
Testimony showed that the first train
was passing through a "block" at
slow speed, when a train run
ning at high speed, and in defiance
ef the danger signal shown at the en
trance to the block, followed it into
the block and crashed Into the ca
boose of the first' train, killing two
men and injuring a number of others.
The. tragedy again discloses the de
pendence which must still be placed
on the train operatives, as well as on
the remarkable accident-preventing
equipment with which most of the
roads are now provided.
Beyond a certain point, individual
responsibility holds as prominent a
position in these matters as it did be
fore the block signal, the- air .brake
or any other safeguards were. invent
ed. The block signal, flashing its red
light, can warn the engineer that the
block which he is approaching is al
ready occupied by a train, but, being
automatic and not human, it cannot
prevent the engineer from running
past the danger signal and causing a
wreck. From a financial standpoint
the railroad is always the heaviest
sufferer by these disasters, and for that
reason alone the greatest possible care
is exercised in the selection of men.
It Is a noticeable fact, frequently com
mented on, that railroad accidents In
this country are always more numer
ous during periods of prosperity than
when .business is at low ebb. Two fac
tors, closely related, combine to pro
duce this result.
With a traffic which is taxing the
facilities of the roads to -handle it,
there is the increased liability of acci
dents from overworked , eauUnxaartt
and congested train movement, and
also from the difficulty In securing a.
complete working force of as high a
standard of efficiency as is possible
when employment is scarce and good
men plentiful. To this latter feature
more than any other is1 due the excel
lent record made by the foreign rail
roads, where the death rate is so re
markably low. With the knowledge
that there are hundreds of men fully
as competent as himself awaiting his
position, and the further knowledge
that extreme difficulty " would be ex
perienced in finding another position,
the foreign railroad engineer takes no
chances in running past signals or
disobeying.orders. .
The responsibility of the individual
to the public is no greater in the case
of the foreign engineer than it is with
his American craftsman. -As it affects
his own particular welfare, however,
there is a much greater incentive for
the exercise of caution on the part of
the foreigner than in the case of the
American engineer.
The New York -Chamber of' Com
merce, the greatest commercial organ
ization in the New World, has refused
to indorse any measures for the ..re
habilitation of the American merchant
marine to which is attached a pro
vision for a ship subsidy. At the same
time the organization adopted resolu
tions "emphatically favoring the reha
bilitation of the American merchant
marine." New York handles vastly
more business with foreign ports than
la handled by all other American ports
combined, and for this reason her Im
porters and exporters may be expected
to know what is best for the encour
agement of trade facilities'1 with the
rest of the world. No small portion
of the credit fc'r the anti-ship subsidy
sentiment in the greatest " city In the
United 'States is due to the efforts of
the New York Journal of Commerce,
which, in season and out of season, has
belabored the grafting scheme with
telling blows. The more that is known
about the ship subsidy the less it ap
peals to good American citizens.
What's this talk we hear about the
decadence of English nobility? In the
good old days when "might made
right," opposition to the ruling classes
was met with real resistance which
added variety to life in an era when
the nobility rode forth on lron
sheathed chargers to harpoon . the
enemy. Some of this - kind of
blood must have been handed
down to Sir William Bull, mem
ber of the House of Commons for
Hammersmith, a populous suburb of
London. Taking objection, to some in
terruptions made by one of the audi
ence while he was delivering a speech
Thursday, Sir William promptly
hustled down from the platform and
engaged in a stand-up fight with the
man who entered objection to his re
marks. Press dispatches do not state
whether it was "win, lose or draw,"
but the incident certainly proves that
now, as Well as "In days of old," some
of "the knights are bold," when- the
common people get gay with them.
''The New . Year's Eve Debauch,"
noted in nearly all our cities', is a sub
ject of severe animadversion by the
press of the United States. The Ore
gonian now and hereby gives notice
that if the like shall again occur in
Portland the men and women claim
ing respectability may expect to see
a full account of "the proceedings" at
all the various grill and banquet
rooms of Portland, with especial at
tention to the names of the women
and of their behavior. The press of
the country can break this up and
stop the disgrace; and it must and
will. At proper time, lest this be
forgotten. The Oregonian will give
further notice.
There's a lot of buncombe in this of
ficial inspection of milk business and
each of the horde of officials smirks
about it. Meanwhile the fond parent
who wishes pure milk for a chlld'will
use diligence according to the measure
of his industry and common sense,
without regard for inspectors and
their deputies.
Grant County, Kentucky, had its
first legal execution in fifty years yes
terday a negro hanged for criminal
assault on a white woman in Novem
ber. But to do so the Circuit Judge
had to make a bargain with a mob
that justice would be speedy in action.
It was.
"A soft answer turneth away
wrath," said President Taft in his
Salt Lake sermon last September,
when trying to pacify the Ballinger
Pinchot row, and he should have
added "but grievous words stir up
anger."
Any pension plan for Government
employes will have Its disadvantages
and objectionable features. The best
plan of all embraces life insurance and
the savings bank, with a little invest
ment In land.
When Eastern folk think of taking
up land under actual settlement laws,
there is only' one way that of grub
bing stumps and planting crops. A
non-resident proprietor ought, to have
no claim. -
Is the whole United States to take
toll on the streams and lands and for
ests and minerals of the West?. That
was one of the mistaken "conserva
tion" ideas of Mr. Pinchot.
The Kansas minister on trial for ab
ducting a 16-year-old girl says she
tempted him. The rascally reverend
must be a descendant of Adam In the
direct line.
Zelaya Imagines somebody has been
trying to assassinate him. He thrnks
himself a big man and one of the
worlda foremost rulers.
There is prospect of a Methuselahtlc
Marathon, 'for a 79-year-old sprinter
in Eureka, Cal., has challenged Wes
ton, the pedestrian.
The cold weather wouldn't have
have been so keen if the plumbers'
bills and those of Santa Claus had not
come in together.
The Eastern Idea of fine weather has
prevailed this Winter in Oregon long
enough. The right idea is now back
again.
Eastern quotations on hogs are
crowding the Portland figure, and this
Is not much of a hog country. Not
yet. '
Mr. Taft Is still P.resld.ent,
Pinchot fount! .jxul
as Mr.
WHERE TO LOOK FOR THE COMET
Kow Sooth of the Zenith, Soon Near
Planet Mara.
FOREST GROVE. Or., Jan. 7. (To the
Editor.) In The Oregonian there ap
peared recently a dispatch from New
York to the effect that Halley's comet
was visible. It was stated that, "Pro
fessor Eastman of -Columbia University
has been studying the comet without the
use of a telescope. It is in the northeast,
20 degrees in length. "For two weeks It
will be visible and will be plainly seen
for several nights."
There is certainly some mistake about
this. Perhaps some other body than Hal
ley's comet is referred to in the dispatch
from New York.
While it is true that the path of the
comet cannot be predicted with the same
degree of certainty as can that of the
moon or the planets, for example; and
its ephemeris? as figured out by one ob
server does not exactly coincide with that
made by another, yet the variance among
astronomers of note is now very slight.
The Rev. Father G. M. Searle, of New
York,, is a recognized authority among
these observers. He has recently re
ported that the comet was seen on
Christmas night with a six-Inch telescope
and that very soon an observer with a
four-inch glass and good eyes would be
able to make it out. It is, of course),
slowly brightening, but Fathor Searle ex
presses the opinion tiiat the comet will
not be visible to the naked eye for some
weeks yet, perhaps not till after it has
passed the trim about the middle of
March.
Its position now is high up in the
heavens, a little south of the lenith at
8 o'clock. It Is moving towards the west,
and about January 15 will pass very close
to the planet Mars, which may be readily
recognized by its red color. It should
be looked for there by anyone possessing
a small telescope. W. N. FERRIN.
LIST OF UNDESIRABLE JURTHEN.
Recommendations of Jury' Commissioner
of Chicago Approved by Court.
St. Paul Pioneer Press.
It Is somewhat surprising to And good
coming out of Chicago, but the Jury
Commissioner of that city recently ob
jected to, the drawing of certain classes
of citizens for jury duty, and his objec
tions to them were approved by the court.
The original list prepared by the Com
missioner is as follows:
Actors, because they have no fixed abode.
laborers and foreign tailors, because, as
a rule, not or sufficient education.
Bollermakerc, because or defective hear
ing;. - Saloonkeepers and bartenders, because of
their occupation.
Train dispatchers and tower signal men,
because they are doing a greater service at
their regular positions.
Medical and theological students, because
they are exempt.
Peddlers, junk dealers and scavenge for
obvious reasons.
The Commissioner also sought to ex
clude all those persons who In pursuit of
their daily tasks habitually accept tips.
This list would exclude waiters, porters,
barbers, cabmen and the like, but the
court decided that the objection of the
Commissioner was not sound in such
cases, and refused to- bar men of that
class from Jury service. The list finally
barred, however, is worthy of considera
tion by courts in all parts of the coun
try. Most of the troubles arising from
the operation of our system of judicial
procedure in trial cases are based on the
jury system and the difficulty, amounting
at times to an apparent impossibility, of
securing competent men for jury service.
Certainly there would be less criticism of
court findings if the Jury system were
put on a higher plane than at present.
Hindering Religions Progress,
Churchman.
Now that the church has almost eman
cipated itself from the dead hand of
reformation art and reformation theol
ogy, there seems to be no reason why the
principles of public worship should be tied
down to the ideals of the 16th or the 17th
century. Yet undoubtedly there is a mass
of reasonable and unreasonable antago
nism to change to be overcome where the
public worship of the church is concerned.
Denominationaiism by itself is an obsta
cle that stands in the way of generous
and needed improvements in ritual, as in
so many other phases of ecclesiastical
life. Churchmen dislike some things be
cause they are practiced by Roman Cath.
olics, and they dislike other things be
cause they are practiced by various Pro
testant bodies. The result is a loss of
valuable spiritual experience, and, what
is more, a practical hindrance to mis
sionary expansion, both at home and
abroad.
A Representative Paper.
California (Los Angeles) Cultivator.
One of the up-to-date papers which
come to our desk representing the
great producing Interests is the Weekly
Oregonian published in Portland. While
it is a newspaper, it gives particular
attention to the farm Interests of that
state. The issue of December 16 con
tains a most complete review of ad
dresses made at the annual meeting of
the Oregon Dairy Association, also
of addresses made at the meeting of
the State Horticultural Society held in
Portland on December 6 and 8.' The
extended quotations from these ad
dresses, together with otner farm news,
are most creditable.
Thackeray's Dislike of Flattery.
Westminster Gazette.
The Hon. Sir E. chandos Leigh says:
"I knew Thackeray pretty well. Thack
eray perfectly abominated anything
In the nature of flattery. I was with
Thackeray one night when a man came
up and for five minutes administered
to the great novelist the most fulsome
flattery. When the man had gone I
said to Thackeray: 'Who is thatr
Thackeray replied: 'He calls himself
an artist, but I think he paints as
much, in "butter" as he- does In oils." "
i
The Sweet T-'aes of
Adversity.
Life.
You can wear out your old clothes.
You are not troubled with visitors.
You are not persecuted to stand
sponsor. Begging letter writers will let
you alone. Impostors know It is use
less to try and bleed you. Tou can
practice temperance. You are not fool
ishly flattred. You save many a debt
and many a headache. Finally, if you
have a true friend you'll find it out.
Incredible.
Cleveland Leader.
"What's the matter, old man?"
"Oh, I've got an awful cold."
"Tough luck. I wish I knew how you
could cure it-"
"Have you do recipe for be?"
"No, I don't know a thing that'll
help."
"Shake you're a wodder. Have a,
drigk."
Can Yon Beat It T
New York Evening Post.
' It was not the limit of the amazing
that Cook thought he had reached the
pole. Depew thinks be can be re
elected. Divorce in Chicago.
Chicago Journal.
Just a. little millionaire.
Just a. little wife.
Mighty little happiness.
Awful lot of strife.
Juet some little lawyers.
Just a little fee.
Then a little evidence
To .& referee.
Juet a little courtroom.
Just a whispered line.
Scratching- of the Judjre's sen
Anj. everything is fine. .
HERE IS YOUR WORKINGMAN'S IDEAL !
N-tv Zealand, Plunged Headlong: Into Debt, Is Being: Steadily Abandoned for
Better Fields by AH Who Can Get Away Work Scarce, Wane Poor,
Living Hlecn.
Eugene Guard.
K. Leslie Webb, whose home is in New
Zealand, is a student of the Eugene Bible
University and Intends to return to that
country when his education is completed.
navlnft heard political anatra ot ew Zea- .
land discussed frequently in America, and
often . very ignorantly, Mr. Webb rwcenlly
wrote to his friend. A. H. Gibson, a promi
.nent resident of Wellington, New Zealand,
to prepare an article giving the real con
ditions there, for the Information of the
American people through the press. Mr.
Gibson complied -with the request and his
letter follows:
I am amused by the remarks of the
professor - who lectured lately In your
parts on New Zealand, which he de
scribed as "the workingman's paradise."
taslng his conclusions on that mislead
ing book Issued toy the New Zealand gov
ernment, which has induced so many to
seek these shores only to be bitterly dis
appointed. As one who has resided here
over 30 years, has seen most phases of
Colonial life, has prospered fairly well,
and followed keenly the trend of polit
ical life, I have some authority in the
statements I am making. If by & work
ingman's paradise is meant a country
where by strenuous work, the worker,
whether skilled or unskilled, can obtain
a livelihood, then that ideal is obtained
hern. But if the term is meant to in
clude the enjoyment of luxuries denied
to workers in other countries, . then I
tjeny.ts application here. The average
rate of pay of the unskilled worker here
Is 8 shillings a day in the towns, and
from 16 shillings to 1 per week (and
found) In the country. His employment
Is often precarious.
Out of his 2 8 shillings a week a town
laborer with a wife and four children will
have to pay for rent 15 shillings per
week; coal and fire 'wood 6 shillings;
milk and butter 4 shillings, 6 pence;
vegetables and fruit, 5 shillings; groceries
(including bread), 16 shillings; making a
total of 2, 5 shillings and 6 pence, leav
ing the sum of 2 shillings and 6 pence for
clothing, boots, shoes. train . fares,
doctor's fees, medicines, etc. This is no
imaginary budget, but can be confirmed
on reference to any union in the Do
minion. The skilled laborer ie In a rather better
position, but here again the uncertainty
of continuous employment Is a factor
mititating greatly against his being able
to make both ends meet. Carpenters
and joiners are at present (November,
1909) a drug In the market. Hundreds
have left for Australia, yet even now
the supply is much in excess of the demand.-
The same applies to bricklayers,
plasterers and others. No man in his
senses would advise any laboring man to
came to New Zealand just now I have
met dozens of immigrants from the Uni
ted Kingdom who have anathematized
the day they were deceived into believing
tnis country a worklngman s paradise.
Now as to the chance of a man's get
ting on the land In this country. With
plenty of capital any man can buy land
here at a price varying from 2 per
acre for uncleared brush land in the way-
backs to as much as 65 and even 90
per acre for cleared improved land near
a township. With the limited capital of
from 25 to 125-the Immigrants (whose
passages are partly or wholly paid by
the government) have in hand on ar-
r'.val, little can be done in the way of
HIGH-WATER MARK FOR IMPORTS
American Market More Attractive Than
Ever to Foreign Producers.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.
The country's foreign trade returns for
November indicate that our business re
vival is in danger of being overdone. It
has marched along so far in advance of
the European recovery from trade depres
sion as to place the United States at a
disadvantage in maintaining such a trade
balance as will exclude heavy exports of
gold. This will appear from the follow
ing comparison of November merchandise
epyi is auu imports:
Excess of
exports.
$53,723,259
57.337,406
93,521.301
62.899,342
Xov.
1909.
19ns j
1907.
1906.
1905.
194.115.271 140,392.012
161.252.6S3 loa fiis ?i7
204.464.217 110.942.916
182.655,685 119,756,343
170,327,921 98,284.314
72.043.607
Last month's merehnnrli
been two or three times exceeded at this
or other seasons of the year; and but for
the very high priced at which cotton is
now being exported the November mer
chandise exports would have made a
much more unfavorable comparison.
Imports, however, bave become of un
precedented volume. They were last
month over t20,000,000 above the highest
previous record of the season, and soma
$7,000,000 above the highest previous
monthly record of any season. The usual
tendency of the Import trade volume is
to increase through the Winter months
and culminate in March with the highest
figures of the year. If this is to be the
present experience, the actual balance of
trade will have become heavily against
the country by next Spring and will in
volve a large export of gold. Notwith
standing the fact that the tariff has been
left by the recent revision at about as
high an average level as before, the flood
of foreign goods pouring in over it is the
largest ever known.
These high commodity prices which so
agitate the country have evidently been
carried too fast and too far above the
European level plus the tariff protection.
Thus the American market has become
more attractive than ever to foreign pro
ducers, and they are taking large advan
tage of the situation. The necessary re
sult of these trade tendencies, If they per
sist, will be such a hardening of the
American money market throufeh gold ex
ports as to force commodity prices back
into greater harmony with the European
price level. A situation is presented
calling for more conservatism in estimat
ing the commercial possibilities of the
future.
FIXIXG XATE THEATERGOERS.
The Cleveland Ordinance "Means Well,"
bnt It Probably Isn't ''Good Law."
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Cleveland has . passed an ordinance
fining any theater manager ?100 who per
mits a patron to take a seat while the
curtain is up. Those who arrive after
the first act has begun mast wait until
the end of the act before taking their
seats or the house will be prosecuted.
We doubt If any substantial good will
come from such an ordinance. The de
cilsons of courts in the East have uni
formly been to the effect that a theater
is a private enterprise and not a public
institution and that the managers may
make such reasonable regulations as they
please for conducting it. Doubtless the
ordinance will be thrown out by the
courts, but the incident cttlls attention to
a growing evil. Most persons are very
selfish in taking their pleasures. They
forget how much their own copduct af
fects others. Those who come in late
at the theater or opera and compel
persons already seated to stand and give
passageway are guilty of social misde
meanors. It took a long time to estab
lish the custom of requiring women to
remove their hats and it will probably
take longer to make them prompt In at
tendance, but 'tis a consummation de
voutly to be wished. In the. meantime,
we might revert to the old time "curtain
raiser" to make the main play thoroughly
enjoyable.
Poor Sboir Anyway. . .
Dallas Itemizer.
There was some kind of a show at
the Woodman Hall last night. As they
did not patronize the newspaper, . we
can safely conclude that their finances
were at a,- low ebb and that the show
was not of much account.
acquiring land. All the best and avail
able land has been long ago taken up.
What is left Is either native land, and
therefore (so far) inalienable, private
tanns tor eaie at a. price far in advance
of their real value, or government land
for selection in places su far removed
from a market. ,so Inaccessible, and of so
poor a, quality generally, as to be prac
tically useless. 1 except, of course, the
little patches of land -bought periodically
by the government from private owners,
and leased or sold under the ballot svs
tem. These are generally of good quality.
But their area, in comparison- with the
demand, is so limited that anyone man's
chance of acquiring a section is almost
Inappreciable. For 30 sections lately put
up by the government under the ballot
system near Auckland there were 1S3U
applicants!
Following upon a severe depression,
during which the late Premier (Sir Harry
Atkinson) placed the finances of the
colony on a sound basis, came, an un
precedented boom in land value?. The
government of which the late Premier.
Riclrard John Leddon, was head, had thn
a great opportunity of continuing Sir
Harry Atkinson's policy of careful financ
ing. Instead it plunged into wholes.ild
borrowing. It boomed up land values to
Increase taxation. In every powlble way
It sought to obtain money. While doubt
less much of the borrowed money v. an
needed to develop the resources of the
country, much was wasted. Kxpenslve
brick postoffices replaced wooden struc
tures which would have for years served
every purpose. Costly railway stations
and railway offices were erected regard
less of expense. Railways ware made in
response to political pressure which could
never hope to pay working expenses. Of
fices were created and filled with polit
ical sutjporters (no less than 930 employes
in the civil- service have been lately re
trenched by the Ward administration
and 250.000 reduction thereby niado iu
the estimates). The Budget just issued
(November 11, 1909) by Sir Joseph Ward.
Minister of Finance, bears on the face of
it the reason for the dearness of living,
the scarcity qf employment, and the des
perate needs of the government for
money. The increase of the public debt
for the year is 4,484.637. From 1831 to
1909 the public debt increased .from .
830,350 to no less than 70,935. 5S4. an in
crease of 32.108.184. equal to S2 per cent!
True, the Premier estimates the increase
of the value of private and public lands
at 148,812,257, or an increase in the same
period of over 121 per cent. But as much,
of this value is purely speculative, de
pending entirely upon the recent excep
tional prices for our produce, much may
at any time have to be written off.
Is it any wonder, then, that with thn
country mortgaged up to the eyes, its
freeholds, parted with, or practically so,
and the great bulk of the revenue (which
is raised through the customs and there
fore on the poorer people) required to
pay interest on the national debt, employ
ment should be scarce and living dear?
i The wonder is that with such wildcat
financing the Dominion has not before
been brought to the verge of bankruptcy.
That it has come to the point where oniy
the most careful finance can hope to steer
her clear of . the shoals of a financial
difficulty must be apparent to all.
NEW YEAR'S EVE DEBAUCH.
It Is an Evil That Decent People MusC
Discountenance.
Chicago Record-Herald.
Reports in all the newspapers indioata
that the celebrations New Year's eve re
sulted in a competition in drunkenness
and in tho violation of rules of conduct
that are ordinarily considered binding on
society. Questions of law enforcement
are Involved that could be determined,
only on the presentation of speciflo
charges, but we have no doubt whatever,
that society itself must give serious;
thought. to its responsibility for the cus
tom that has grown up of late and for
the scenes of unrestrained license.
There are persons who have been led
by curiosity to take part in or to wit-i
ness the scenes and who have had their
curiosity much more than satisfied. A
single experience has disgusted them for!
a lifetime. They vouch for the accuracy;
of the newspaper reports, feel a sense!
of personal shame, and have withdrawn, i
themselves forever from the competi-!
tlon. ;
Naturally their influence is thrown very 1
strongly against the custom and we be-1
lieve that there will be large additions
to their numbers each year. Feople of
refinement and a proper self-respect
simply cannot continue to give counte
nance to such displays if it is .a fact;
that they have constituted an appre-;
ciable element in the crowds at these ;
celebrations.
There was a time at the height of the
bicycle craze when there was much dis
cussion over the appearance of women .
in -bloomers and knickerbockers. The re
sult of the discussion was a return to !
skirts. Only women with an unusual
amount of bravado or with little to lose
in the way of reputation showed them
selves in the costumes against which the
greatest objections were raised. But the
facts in the case were of small import- ,
ance compared , with those that are pre
sented now.
We are told on good authority of young
women in the most revolting stages of
drunkenness, of the complete breaking .
down of social barriers, of disgraceful
exhibitions that suggest the worst feat
ures of the notorious French balls.
All this must lead to severe condemna
tion, the imposition of a social ban and
a very pronounced reaction. The cele-:
bratlons will be left exclusively to the
coarse and the vulgar, to the regular ;
patrons of disreputable balls.
Pointed Paragraphs. '
Chicago News.
A white Christmas maketh a glad
coal man.
A poor excuse is better than none if
it works.
Too many eye-openers are apt to
make a man see double.
Great minds that run in the same
channel frequently collide.
- .The price of a woman's stunning
gown may shock her husband,
Give married women a fighting
chance and they'll do the rest.
Some local celebrities are famous and
some others are notorious. "
CURRENT SMALL fHAXCK.
"The psychological moment counts f r
much."
"That's right. Almost any town coul-1 :
be voted dry along about the first of Jan
uary. "Louisville Courier-Journal.
Irate Customer See here! That studnt
lamp you sold me a week ago is no good.
Dealer "Beg pardon, sir. I ousht to ha.ve
told you it was a college student lamp.
Puck. . -
"Uncle Joe" told T. P. O'Connor that he
was descended from a line of kiriijH. - It
seems to us, however, that "Cncle .Toe" is
acting as i though he were descended from
a line of aces. Houston Post.
Mrs. Neuricb Centering studlol You are
the artist who paints miniature portraits. I
believe? Ie Auber Yea. madam. Mrs.
Neurich Well, what'll you charge for paint
ing a life-size miniature of my daughter?
Chicago Dally News.
Modern Philanthropist My worthy friend,
here is a ten-dollar bill which I will ffivo
you Beggar Cunnerved with Joy) (iod
bless y M. P. Give you on January 1
next, on condition that you raise a thous- ;
and more between-now and tbat time.
Puck.
Stranger (In Drearyhurst is there any
place ia this town where I can get some
thing to drink? i:ncle We!by Gosh yes, :
sir, onless you're mighty blamed hard to I
please. There's four town pumps, a wul
phur well an' half a dozen places where
you kin git root beer. Chicago Tribune.