6
(je (DtTtrnntait
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PORTLAND, MONDAY, JAN. 10, 1910.
THE 'TOLES" OF THE HOUSE.
It is the fashion to declaim against
the tyranny of Speaker Cannon, in
his assertion and enforcement of the
rules of the House. But the House
makes its own rules: and they have
been maintained without material
change these many years. The period
ical outburst of declamation against
them, noted during successive genera
tions, has caused no material change
in them; for the House must do busi
ness, and it must authorize the
Speaker and its committees to enforce
the rules it has made.
Not to go over the whole history.
It will suffice to present modern in
stances. Thomas B. Reed, of Maine,
an exceedingly able man, was made
Speaker of the House in 1S89. He en
forced the rules of the House, in ac
cord with precedent and common
sense. He set the modern example
of purpose and decision, which ever
since has been followed. The rules
were not new, but he put life and spirit
and purpose in them. His conduct was
denounced as tyrannous and even as il
legal. He was called "Czar Reed," and
was more fiercely assailed by all the
opposition than Cannon is now. Reed,
indeed, was a very different man from
Cannon: was more sarcastic and in
cisive in speech, and with a phrase
could put a critic and opponent out of
business. Cannon has a purpose as
resolute as Reed's; but he is more
kindly and popular, hasn't any mighty
arsenal of sarcasms, but puts his ob
servations in a plain and homely way.
The turn of politics in 1890-92, due
chiefly to labor, troubles throughout
the country, culminating in the Home
stead affair, causing temporary aliena
tion of large numbers of worktngmen
from the Republican party, threw that
party out of power, and the Demo
cratic majority of the House elected
Charles F. Crisp, of Georgia, to the
Speakership. Crisp was a Democrat
of the old school; he had been a Con
federate soldier and a Judge of the Su
preme Court of his state, had a repu
tation for ability and judgment, and
proved himself so fit for the Speaker
ship that after his first election to that
office, in 1891, he was re-elected to it
In 1893. Reed, still in Congress then,
was a member of the minority; yet he
had the satisfaction of seeing his
methods and his rulings . adopted by
the party which had so violently de
nounced them. Speaker Crisp saw at
once that if the House was to do busi
ness it must accept and follow the pre
cedents of the House, brought into
clear light by Speaker Reed. Cannon
is but following them now.
The House can change them, of
course, should it desire to do so. It
can,, abolish all rules and make the
proceedings a go-as-you-please affair.
Then there wuld be endless twaddle
and no business. But the House is
not likely to abolish the rules of pro
cedure long established and necessary
to the efficiency of its action.
It is altogether proper and well
enough that the House should appoint
the special committee for Investigation
of the Balllnger-Pinchot affair, or any
other special matter. That is the way
to relieve the investigation of all possi
bility of being' charged with biased
disposition or purpose. But, no matter
what party may be in power in the
House, the Speaker must be charged
with appointment of the general com
mittees and with enforcement of the
rules. Otherwise the House will fall
below the dignity of a bear-garden
it will be a Babel of voices, a fool's
paradise of confusion and disorder.
The House lnust have its rules strict
and peremptory rules and the
Speaker must enforce them. Cannon
may be Speaker never again; but the
next Speaker will enforce the rules
enforced by Cannon and by his prede
cessors, of either party. Or the House
will be Bedlam. The clamor now is
from those who have little or no
knowledge of the history of their coun
try, or but little memory of it of
whom- it may be said, as it was said
of old, "They are of yesterday, and
know nothing." The House must do
business, and the rules of the House
for doing business will stand, no mat
ter what party has the majority in it.
MPLAIMNG A SLlSir.
Much surprise was expressed over !
the recent announcement that real es
tate transfers in Seattle had declined
from $7.926,186 in 190S to $27,642.
000 in the year just closed. The slump
was so pronounced that even the Seat
tle Bulletin, to which we are indebted
Tor the figures, has deemed it expedient
to offer an explanation. This explana
tion is so lucid and satisfactory that it
quite readily transforms a slump of
great magnitude into a fairly satisfac
tory showing, and. by the mere re
moval of $35,000,000 worth of padding
from the transfers of 1908, the figures
for 1909 (presumably unpadded) are
not so bad as they might be. The Bul
letin, in explaining when a slump i3
not a slump, apologetically says that
nearly one-half of the 190S transfers'
were accounted for in a single Item
"when the Great Northern Railway se
cured title to the St. Paul, Minneapo
lis & Manitoba Railway for a consider
ation of $35,000,000."
The Bulletin assures us that "There
were no transfers of this size recorded
In 1909." The characteristic modesty
of the Seattle boomers -would, of
course, prevent many of these $35,000.
000 transfers from being made pub
lic, but we are at a loss to understand
why there were "no transfers of this j
size recorded in 1909." It is plain to
everybody that the St. P.aul, Minneapo
lis & Manitoba line is not the only rail
road in the country that Is not includ
ed In Seattle real estate. Why. not in- j
troduce the Alaska Central, or take
that other road which the Guggen
heims are building into the coal fields?
What's the matter with the Grand
Trunk Pacific? One of the officials
passed through Seattle a few weeks
ago. and that should have furnished a
legitimate excuse for including the
capitalization or bonded indebtedness
of that road among the Seattle real
estate transfers.
Of course, strictly speaking, neither
the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad, nor
the Alaska Central is Seattle real
estate, but neither was the St. Paul,
Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad.
Yet, when we consider all the circum
stances, Seattle may be excused for
excessive use of padding In 190 8 and
a partial abandonment in 1909. Thous
ands !of strangers visited Seattle in
1909, and it sounded large,' roomy and
boomy to inform the fair visitors in an
off-hand manner that "our real estate
transfers last year were more than
$72,000,000," and, "of course, we are
doing more business' tiys year than
last."
Segregating the transcontinental
railroads from the remainder of. th
Seattle real estate, it appears that the
transfers in 1909 were still $10,000,000
less than those for 1908. In Portland,
the 1909 transfers (no railroads,
transcontinental or otherwise, includ
ed) were about $5,000,000 more than
those of 1908.
THE MVTH-MAKIXG MINI).
Myths, even in these , days of uni
versal printing, when facts are fixed In
type.-travel far and fast, and unless
corrected pass into history. Mr. F.-V.
Holman has done a public service in
calling attention to the erroneous as
sumption that Mrs. S. A. Weeks, who
died recently at Sherwood, Or., was a
daughter of John Day, the early ex
plorer, for whom John Day's River is
named. Mr. Holman showed it to be
impossible, since John Day, the ex
plorer, died forty years before she was
born. Mrji. Weeks, doubtless, was a
daughter of George Day, an old citizen
of Sherwood, Washington County, a
prominent citizen, remembered still by
William D. Hare and many other old
) citizens of the county. Everybody in
Washington County fifty years ago
knew George Day, and Mrs. Weeks
doubtless was his daughter. George
Day was a member of the Legislature
in 1866, and was among those who
elected H. W. Corbett to the United
States Senate. He passed away years
ago;-I-at this moment The Oregonian
cannot give the exact date.
Now, how could it happen that Mrs.
Weeks was said to be the daughter of
John Day, for whom John Day's River
is named? One person or another
Jumped at a conclusion. The name of
John Day survives through John Day's
River. Here was a woman of 64,
whose father was George Day. When
she died some one, who didn't know
the history and was given to romance,
reported that she was the daughter of
John Day, the explorer,- whose name
is fixed in John Day's River. But
John Day died at or near Astoria in
1812.
Myths start and grow in this way,
in spite of historical truth, though
corrected in our time by universal
printing and diffusion of all means of
critical inquiry. Similar myths have
appeared in all ages. The problem is
to separate the fat from the myth. It
appears in Old Testament and New
Testament narratives; and rthe deci
sion must rest entirely on the historical
sense that is, on separation of the
truth contained in the narrative from
its mythical elements. - The truth of
history never is so interesting as the
fictions that gather about it. The dis
position of the human mind is to for
get the truths of history and of experi
ence, and to remember only fables
because the fables give play to the
Imagination, while they interest and
entertain. No end of fabulous exag
gerations, therefore, already about the
early history of Oregon. The Indian
War veteran thinks himself a great
man, and tells of his prowess and his
desert.
Nobody not even the Jew himself,
the educated Jew supposes the story
of the forty years in the wilderness
to be literally true. He knows it is
not. So of the miraculous stories of
early Christianity,- and the chain of
miracles down t our own time. Cred
ulity is the basis of them all. Sub
tract credulity, and all of them van
ish. But credulity he myth-making
spirit is among the most difficult of
all weaknesses to eliminate from the
human mind. Most of us would pre
fer to believe the fictitious story about
the daughter of John Day, rather than
the true, account of the daughter of
George Dav.
WHt WE ARE LANDHMKN.
It is refreshing in the extreme to
turn from the academic theories set
forth by Mr. Humphrey, Mr. Gallinger,
Mr. Penton, and other landsmen; who
fill the columns of the newspapers and
the Congressional Record with learned
discussions of our merchant marine,
to some expert testimony as to why we
have not been getting on very well on
the high seas. A diversion of this na
ture is supplied by a "British Marine
Officer," writing in the Atlantic
Monthly. His views are as breezy,
invigorating and healthy as the wind
that -fans the sails in mid-ocean. The
writer says he has had sixteen years'
experience in merchant ships "sail,
tramps and liners" and throughout
the narrative he offers evidence that
he is perfectly familiar with his sub
ject. He does not go very deeply into
the subsidy feature, but he strikes the
key-note of the cause for lack of
American' seamen, even on the few
American ships we have, when he says
that "There is no need for the Ameri
can youth to turn his face seaward.
There is plenty of room for him on dry
land, and there his possibilities are
boundless."
This British tar describes the toil on
board a modern freight steamer as
"soul-killing and mind-destroying." At
sea, it is "one continual round of steer
ing, swabbing, and scaling, and paint
ing iron-rust." w hile in port the work
of loading or discharging goes on night
and day, holidays as well as other
days. In most ports, according to this
expert, "if one felt inclined to worship
one's God by attending church, it
would be impossible to do so. No; the
modern sailor must not indulge in such
luxuries as a God, a soul, prayers or
Sundays." Not without cause, he asks:
"Can one blame the sailors when they
get ashore for trying to forget their
dog's life in debauchery and drink?"
It is not easy to discern anything
very attractive in this kind of a life
for an American who can find "plenty
of room on dry land." There is even
less attraction In the somewhat harsh
discipline that is necessary at sea, and,
according to this authority, the Ameri
can will not stand much of this disci-.
pline. In his language: "Democracy,
as Interpreted in America, tends to
make Jack believe that he is as good
as his master. Well, aboard ship Jack
never was and never will be as good
as his master. Familiarity between
master and man can never exist if dis
cipline is to be maintained.' For this
reason, the British marine officer con
cludes that:
Taking into consideration the lovable
cussedness of the native-born American, his
absolute contempt for law and rule by moral
force, his very often mistaken notions of
true democracy, and the conditions under
which the modern, steamboat sallorman lives,
there seems little possibility of the Ameri
can ever being licked into shape as a man
before the mast in the present-day freight
steamer,
i
This rare combination of clever
writer and expert seaman prophesies
that we will have a merchant marine
of respectable proportions within the
next twenty years, 'but it will be
"manned chiefly by Scandinavians and
officered by New England men."
DEMOCRATS AND ITNTHOT.
Democrats are doing their level best
to find something in the Ballinger
Pinchot row that will afford them a
hook-hold on politics. They speak of
a "grave crisis" in the Taft Adminis
tration, and of "split" in Republican
ranks. But there can be scant polit
ical capital for the historic Democratic
party in dismissal of a man who, as
Chief Forester, was doing more to cen
tralize control of soil and stream in
the National capital and to obliterate
state authority than any other' Influ
ence. Pinchot's big bureau in Washington,
spending more than $3,000,000 a year
and feeding a horde of office-holders,
would have horrified Thomas Jeffer
son and the long line of political prog
eny that fought against encroachments
of National authority upon state con
trol. Nor now can Democrats con
sistently make peace with the man
who would compel the people of West
ern States to pay toll to the National
Government for use of water powers,
soil, forests and minerals.
It is a crossing where Democrats
should stop, look and' listen. State
conservation Is natural. Democratic
doctrine, and Pinchot is its foe. Now
we shall see what bedfellows the new
politics will make.
THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL.
If we are to have high schools at all
these must be secure buildings of
substantial size, convenience, comfort
ableness and attractiveness. The pres
ent Lincoln High School is but little
better than an ornate ruin. It is not
in any way equal to present-day de
mands. It is altogether a cheerless
affair, both without, and within; and
it must be replaced.
The School Board proposes that
there shall be a special election, on
February 2, when the question as to
Issue of $350,000 bonds for construc
tion of a new West. Sld. (Lincoln)
high school building shall be de
termined. The decision should be
favorable, if the West Side is to have
a high school equal to the two fine
new- structures on the East Side. It
should, indeed, be done without ref
erence to what has been done in East
Portland and Albina, for the children
must be housed safely and comfort
ably, and the present Lincoln High
School is neither safe nor comfort
able. It is not to be doubted, then,
that the taxpayers on the East Side
will cheerfully Join with the West
Side in the effort to provide- funds
for the new school. --j: - -
The School Board has-within three
years built two new high schools, one
of them from current funds; but the
burden of building a third is rather
more than the taxpayers ' shotfld now
bear, and the bond expedient is,
therefore, offered. There should be
no hesitation -about voting them. We
may . complain about the frills and
fads and fancies of free education;
yet no one offers any serious objec
tion, or any objection, to adequate
provision for well-built and even
sightly school buildings.
' LESSON OF THE TIN N TON ROAD.
If the courts shall order the United
Railways to charge no more than 5
cents fare for the seven-mile ride be
tween Linnton and the center of Port
land (part of the way on the county
road, where the county allowed the
company to place Its track in consider
ation of the low fare), the president of
the company says his railway will
abandon the county road and raise the
fare above 10 cents. '
Maybe, and perhaps not. But while
the company uses the public highway
it should be required to observe close
ly all the terms of its franchise. Fur
ther, it should be compelled to repair
the damage it has done to the road, in
accordance with its agreement.
Right here is a chance again to
preach a little sermon against grant
ing use of any public highway to a
railroad. Such grants are wholly out
of place, and then again, the terms in
favor of the public can never be fully
enforced.
It ought to be a rule of the public
service hereafter that highways shall
be preserved for ordinary road tran
sit, and that they shall be fut to no
other use, except In proper places for
streetcars. A fast-moving railroad
should have its own right of way and
should not encroach on the public
roads. The county has too few roads
now, and encounters enough difficulty
keeping them in repair, without com
plicating matters with railroad fran
chises. For use of the Linnton road and
damage thereto the United Railways
owes certain obligations to the county
and has not kept them. One of these
obligations is 5-cent fare. Now it
threatens to take its rails off the high
way and raise the fare. Should it do
this, the county will have a merry time
trying to compel the company to re
store the road to proper condition.
The lesson of all of which is that a
public road is no proper place for a
railroad and that a railroad should be
required to provide its" own right of
way.
ALASKA NEEDS TRANSPORTATION.
The exploitation of , Alaskan re
sources has reached a stage where
the Government is asked to guarantee
the interest on bonds of railroads
built in that territory. The first road
to apply for this assistance is the Gug
genheim project, and to show that
there is something to -be hauled out
of the country besides the coal and
copper from the mines which they
control, they " have an exhibit of
grains and vegetables at Washington.
If the Guggenhejm appeal for aid pos
sesses real merit, it is unfortunate
that It should be made at a time when
they have, justly or unjustly, been
placed before the public in a very
bad light by the Eastern, muck-rakers.
Yet, if there is no other way by which
railroads can be induced to build into
Alaska than by Government aid, as
sistance of some kind might be given
the project.
Alaska has proven a bonanza for
the United States, and the flood of
gold that it has poured into this coun
try has been the most important fac
tor in the past ten years' growth of
the Pacific Northwest, particularly
the State of Washington. If it can
be shown that the resources, other
than gold mining, can be developed,
by providing railroad transportation
facilties, it might not be unwise for
the Government to assist in opening
up the country- The Canadian govern
ment is subsidizing two new lines
into Western Canada, and the devel
opment which has followed the
building of these lines has been re
markably satisfactory. ' '
George H. Drummond, ex-president
of the Canadian Manufacturers Asso
ciation, in an address at a banquet in
Ottawa recently warned the Can
adians to beware of American ad
vances for reciprocity and better trade
relations. He declared that Canada
would have to face in the near futu.-e
grave questions "involving its loyalty
to England and the maintenance of its
home ties." Under existing conditions
this advice of Mr. Drummond is super
fluous. Until more of our American
patriots can be pried away from the
prayer rugs on which they are kneel
ing before the sa-fcred idol of protec
tion there will be no "advances" suffi
ciently serious to cause Canada to turn
tall and run. On the other point cov
ered in Mr. Drummond's address, the
"American Invasion," not to mention
that of a great many thousands of Eu
ropeans who are not particularly
loyal to England, may change the pres
ent alignment of "home ties" to such
an extent that difficulty will be en
countered In determining which is the
mother country.
Dr. Fielding, of San Antonio, Tex.,
who holds the world's record for bal
loon flights, made in the race fron
Chicago in 1908, is anxious to sail to
the North Pole in a dirigible balloon,
providing some responsible person will
onvey his outfit to a starting point
far north- This is the most glaring
and unforgivable encroachment yet
attempted on the rights of Walter
Wellman, the premier and pioneer
North Pole balloon artist. Not only
does this nervy Texan boldly enter a
field (no pun intended) that has been
pre-empted, patented, exploited and
cultivated for years, but he adds in
sult to injury by stating that he needs
but three or four months for prepa
ration. "Three or four months?"
Compare that with the years that
have come and the years that have
flown since Walter, our original North
Pole balloonist, began the prepara
tions that put Hammerfest on the
map.
The hold-up man killed by Police
man Croxton was released from the
Salem Penitentiary December 1, after
serving two years for burglary. Prev
iously, he had served a term Jn the
Walla Walla Penitentiary for the
same offense. ,His immediate return
to a life of crime, after leaving the
penal institutions, offered conclusive
evidence that he had no intention of
becoming a good citizen. Thus choos
ing a life of crime, and becoming a
charge on the public, it is question
able if anything was gained by the
exercise of leniency when he appeared
for his second sentence for burglary.
If the lives of honest men are to be
endangered by the presence of these
prowling criminals, would it not be
best to remove them from this earthly
scene as soon as they were caught re
peating an offense for which they had
once served time?
There is an increasing strain of
pessimism in the tone of many East
ern news items regarding the coming
fight between Jeffries and Johnson,
and fears are freely expressed that
Jeffries will be unable to win. James
J. Corbett, an eminent member of the
Has-Been Club, has offered his serv
ices as trainer to Jeffries, but it is
not exactly plain how he can be of
assistance to the champion. In view
of the condition in -which both of
these eminent disciples are reported
to be, a Jeffries and Corbett training
stunt would be a case of "the dead
steered by the dumb." It will, of
course, be a terrible calamity if the
elimination of the color line should
actually result in the black race hold
ing the bruisers' world's champion
ship, but stranger and worse things
have happened.
It is useless for members of school
societies and debating clubs of the
country to write to the Editor of The
Oregonian for .materials for argument
on one side or another of the Interest
ing subjects -under consideration be
fore their lyceums. He could furnish
materials for use on either side,
doubtless orrln both scales against
either scale; but it would take time
and be an unfruitful labor. ' He asks,
therefore, to be excused, . and begs
those who wrfce him and he re
ceives such letters almost every day
to desist.
Portland's new year's celebration
was a modern disgrace, a sample of
the whisky method of doing things,
remarks the Albany Democrat. Not
accurate. It was a sample of the way
some people have of doing with
whisky and other things. Don't over
look the other things.
The" Federated Trades apparently
desires that no one who owns prop
erty here shal have a voice in the
administration of municipal affairs.
But who shall administer them? The
men who have' nothing?
The brush of the comet's tail will
be wasted in May. At present it would
be useful in warming the atmosphere.
Oregon enumerators will get $6 a
day. They should apply early and
avoid the rush.
The ' bright flashes over Klamath
Falls may have been from a red-headed
duck.
Binger Hermann will begin to . de
cide today whether he ought to run
for Congress again.
Well, President Taft rose to the oc
casion and showed "nerve," didn't he?
When the weather grows worse we
think what we had was pretty good.
The trouble just now Is that Mr.
Pinchot's roof leaks.
THE PRETENSIONS OF" PINCHOT.
They Mm Change of Policy and
Vni-a lyMiK of Enterprise-.
Nothing more direct or forcible has
been said or will be said about the
Pinchot pretensions than the statement
of Miles C. Moore, of Walla Walla, a
well-lcnown and public-spirited citizen
of that place, last Governor of Wash
ington under the territorial regime.
He is among those who have entered
land lawfully. In Alaska, for develop
ment of the country and for their own
profit, as have all the multitude o
people who have pushed industrial en
terprise from East to West, across the
Continent of America, Concerning Pin
chot, Governor Moore made a state
ment at Walla Walla on Saturday,
printed in The Oregonian of yesterday,
which is well worth repetition, viz.:
Not content with running his own depart
ment without regard to law or vested rights,
he has undertaken to run the Department of
the Interior. Primarily he did not have the
nerve to attack the Secretary openly, but
seduced young: Glavis into filing charges
against his superior officer, admitting, when
forced to do so, that he had sent Attorney
Shaw; of the forestry Department, to Chi
cago to assist Glavis in -the preparation of
the charges for which Cilavis was dis
missed. This was dons clandestinely, and his
methods were the methods of the assassin,
Finally, when he realized that he was to
be smoked out by the pending Investigation,
he makes a grandstand play by writing and
having read the Dolliver letter. He -will
now sink into that abscurlty from which
he never should have risen.
For months he has maintained a, press
bureau at Washington. - filling the news
papers and magazines with his propaganda,
and with attacks on Secretary iBallinger.
It is amazing that 1-Tesidont Tait has
endured -it so long. All right-thinking peo
ple, whether friendly to Pinchot or other
wise, will recognize the necessity for ap
proving the President's action.
Pinchot policies do not commend them
selves to all American people. This country
prospered amazingly before Pinchot discov
ered conservation and the waterpower trust-
These policies are not new simply a
feeble and imperfect imitation of policies
advocated by Henry George more-than 30
years ago. George's plan contemplated
Government ownership of all the Nation's
resources and the leasing of them to the
individual. Pinchot's plan Is less compre
hensive, less consistent, less practical.
He seeks to preserve the timber after SO
per cent cf it has passed to private owner
ship. He seeks to impose taxes on the enter
prising people of the Nation when they at
tempt to harness waterpower or open mines.
All this means additional cost to the
consumers, and paralyzes enterprise.
NOW THIS SETTLES IT.
A Perfectly wonderful Theological and
Cbristolofrical Demonntratlon.
The following Theology and Christology
come from an inspired pen, phose product
appears in the Corvallis Gazette-Times. The
Oregonian reprints it as a wonder:
Whoever denies the divinity of the Lord
Jesus Christ, whether Unitarian, Jew,
Spiritualist, or alleged Christian, is in
reality an infidel. The word Infidel means
unbeliever. It also means unfaithful and
untrue. And now let me briefly explain
why, when knighthood was in flower,
and faith was new and strong, unbeliev
ers were called ''Infidel dogs."
The crux of the whole matter of faith
hangs ont a material point, a legal fact
of. paternity and maternity, a point of
law and lineage.
If Jesus Christ was not an immaculate
conception, not the divine Son of God
conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of a
Virgin, then he was a mere mortal man,
the Blessed Virgin Mary was not a vir
gin at all, and Jesus was a bastard or
base-born person of no lineage. This
is a legal question of legitimacy. The
gospel writers anticipated this question,
and gave the lineage of both Joseph and
Mary back to the beginning. But the
direct miraculous and immaculate con
ception is the great point of disbelief.
Here is the direct cross between God and
the mortal humanity, symbolized by the
sign of the cross. The wooden bar of
Calvary was only a symbol of this other
cross which bars the unbeliever out from
Paradise.
The word bastard is always a term of
contempt and is the equivalent of dog.
The Crusaders or cross-bearers knew
that .here was involved a point of honor
that could only be settled by the -point of
the sword- This point, the honor of "a
woman, was the secret of chivalry and
the woman -in the case was originally
the Virgin Mary, the mother of "Our
Lord." The true knight would not stand
for. any slurs on the good name of any
woman, much less on the honored name
of the mother of his Lord.
Cost of Artificial Gas in English Cities.
Detroit News.
A synopsis of the gas- output of 24
of the largest undertakings in the
United Kingdom, as reported by United
States Consul Halstead, of Birmingham,
shows that the municipally-owned
plants'" of Birmingham, Liverpool and
Manchester are the largest. In Birming
ham the price of gas is 47.8 cents per
thousand; Manchester 54 cents; Glas
gow," also municipally owned, 55 cents;
Sheffield, 30 cents, and Sheffield, too,
is municipally-owned. Sheffield is near
the coal mines, which accounts for its
phenomenally low rate; but the town
of Widnes beats Sheffield, selling gas
for 24 cents a thousand feet. Birming
ham lights itself with gas from high
pressure mains, usfhg a high pressure
burner with an efficiency of 60 candles
per cubic foot, and which burns 1000
candle hours at a cost of eight-tenths
of a cent. Electricity, to equal this
In economy, must be supplied at a cost
of 2 cents a unit.
Soldier Lassoed in Midair.
London Telegraph.
Hans Auspltz, a young soldier of the
German army, and some other soldiers
of the same regiment were holding th
two ropes of a balloon before the as
cent. When the commander of the bal
loon gave the order to let go Auspltz
failed to loosen his hold In time, and
was carried up holding by two hands
to the rope. The three men in the
cage of the balloon were for some mini
utes the only persons who were un
aware of Auspitz's- plight. Finally
their attention was drawn to his dan
gerous situation. With great difficulty
they succeeeded in dragging him into
the cage by looping ropes and lassoing
him In midair: The balloon had reached
a height of 13,000 feet before Auspltz
was hoisted into the cage.
Have Patience; There's Time Yet.
Forest Grove News.
The Oregonian had two well written
editorials on the evil l'abit of society
folk in keeping New Year's eve in a
grill room and guzzling down cham-
l pagne and other wines. While the edi-
torials u-erp t m t t t . n-1 , .
gonian could have done the supposed
innocent parties a' greater favor and
taught them a severe lesson if it
had given it3 photographer orders to
have taken snapshots of the scene and
published the cuts as "New Year's Eve
in the Grill Room in Portland."
Where, Oh! Where Is It?
Baker City Herald.
From the way Portland papers speak
of the New Year's welcome In that city
Paris must be a moral guide post com
pared, with Oregon's metropolis. One
paper openly accuses some alleged "de
cent" people of acting worse than the
sporting element. And, strange as It
may seem, the sex was not male, either.
Too bad, too bad. "Where Is Harry
Lane's moral teaching of the Portland
populace, later to be taken up by
Mayor Simon? Yes, where is it?
ITae for the Marine.
Pittsburg Gazette-Times.
The War Department might detail a
few hundred marines to suppress the
belligerency; of Ballinger and Pinchot.
DRAW-CIOSKG ON THE RIVER.
Correspondent Gives Rales Governing
Similar Conditions at Boston.
PORTLAND, Jan. 9. (To the, Editor.)
The hopes of the East Side residents
for the closing of the bridge draws dur
ing the rush hours have prospects of
success if a favorable decision by the
War Department depends on precedent
for such action. Recently the new
rules governing the operation of draws
in bridges around Boston were an
nounced and they embody features
which. If applied locally, would give
Immediate relief. The rules referred
to are:
HOURS FOR OPENING BRIDGES.
The new regulations of the War Depart
ment governing the operation of draws in
bridges around Boston were announced last
week. The draw on each and every bridge
named shall, upon signal of vessels, be
opened promptly at all hours for tne pass
age of any vessel not able to pass under
neath it; provided that when the draw In
any of the bridges shall be open for 10
minutes or longer it may be closed for the
crossing of trains, cars, vehicles or individ
uals, ami after being closed for 10 minutes
it shall be opened again promptly for the
passage of vessels. Between the hours of
6::t and 9 A. M.. and 4:30 and 7. P. M..
the draws on these bridges shall not be re
quired to be opened on week days for the
passage of any vessels excepting during the
periods between 7:05 and 7:15 A. M-, between
8 and 8:10 A. M.. between 5:20 and 5-iO
P. M., and between 6:20 and (J:30 P. M.
These bridges are as follows.
Across Gharles River Charlestown bridge.
Warren bridge. B. & M. (formerly Fitch
burg) railroad bridge, for teams. B. & M.
(formerly Fltchhurg) railroad bridge, B. &
M. railroad bridge, B. A M. (formerly east
ern) railroad bridge, B. & M. (formerly
Lowell passenger) railroad bridge, B. & M.
(formerly Lowell freight) railroad bridge.
Craigie temporary bridge, Boston elevator
railway bridge, Charles River dam bridge
and Harvard bridge. Cambridge, Mass.,
Chronicle, Dec. 18. 1909.
An examination of the above rules,
which are of the War Department's
promulgation, shows that draws shall
be opened promptly at all times (ex
cept as noted below) for any vessel, not
able to pass underneath, provided that
when any bridge draw shall have been
open ten (10) minutes or longer, it
shall be closed for at least a similar
period for the crossing of traffic. How
ever, between the hours of 6:30 and 9
A. M. and 4:30 and 7 P. M. on week
days the draws on all bridges shall not
be required to be opened, excepting
during periods from 7:05 to 7:15 A. M.
and 8 to 8:10 A, M. and from 5:20 to
5:30 and 6:20 to 6:30 P. M. Six (6)
public and six (6) railroad bridges
carrying an enormous traffic are af
fected by these regulations.
It will be noticed that the "closed"
periods that those of the greatest rush
in bridge traffic, but that while in
each case they are of two and one
half hours' duration, there can be no
serious delay to shipping because of
the 10-minute "open" periods allowed
for the passage of vessels. It has
been wisely planned to make these re
liefs just after the opening and clos
ing hours of the city's factories and
offices, as viz: 7:05 and. 8 A. M. and
6:20 and 6:30 P. M., thus giving the
minimum Inconvenience to the public.
There certainly can be no Question as
to the great amount of shipping which
depends on the lower Charles River to
reach its point of loading or delivery
of cargo. If, then, these regulations
can be adopted without damage to Bos
ton's water transportation, it would
seem likely that this city might, hope
for similar concessions, particularly
when the river situation is not com
plicated as is Boston by the location
on its banks of a United States arsenal,
which legally demands at all times an
"open river," whether or not it Is used.
E. B. M'NAUGHTON.
Feat of Russian Army Lieutenant.
New York Press.
A Russian Lieutenant has ridden a
20-year-old stallion 1000 miles, from
Russian Poland to St. Petersburg. The
horse eost $75, ,and covered the distance
in less than a. month, averaging 44
miles a day, with a record for one
day of 80 miles. The Lieutenant trav
eled 12 hours a day, part of- the time
in the saddle and part of the time on
foot. He would start out and trot the
horse a mile and a half, then walk him
three-quarters of a mile, and then trot
him again a mile and a half, then he
would get off and rest the animal by
leading him three-quarters of a mile.
Bad weather of snow and wind consid
ered, this trip seems almost as good as
our cowboys did some years ago, when
they rode on bronchos from out West to
the East.
President Nichols of Dartmouth.
'Springfield (Mass.) Union.
Ernest Fox Nichols, the new presi
dent of Dartmouth College, made a most
favorable Impression on such of the
alumni of the Connecticut Valley who
heard him address the Lunch Club. It
It not an easy task for any man to fol
low a college president so able and
so endeared to the alumni and stu
dent body as Dr. Tucker, but Dr. Nich
ols . gives abundant promise of being
the right man for the right place. His
address was a frank, clear-cut exposi
tion of the alms and purposes of Dart
mouth, remarkably well delivered and
sympathetically received. It was an
address not only pleasing to the ear,
but susceptible of successfully with
standing the most searching analysis.
Electricity to Help Voting;.
New York Press.
It is proposed that the French Cham
ber of Deputies shall very soon vote by
electricity. A screen will be placed
near the secretaries' table containing
the names of tlie deputies, and against
each name will be five spaces, marked
"Present," "Absent," "Yes," "No"
"Vote unrecorded." '
Lucky.
Prineville Review.
A freighter hanging a load of dyna
mite for the Oregpn Trunk people had
a runaway down Cow Canyon one day
last week, and wasn't the least bit un
easy. The dynamite was frozen.
Who's Whot
Minneapolis Journal.
A Democrat is one who does not be
lieve in the regularity of any other
Democrat. A Republican Is one who
believes in the irregularity of every
other Republican.
Culture Enough.
New York Evening Post.
Anyhow, it is a comfort to know
that the courts will permit only one
five-foot shelf of culture.
IS ut for a lay.
Westminster Gazette.'
Sleep, sleep in peace, fallen leaves of fallen
roses.
Fallen crimson roses, on the grass rain
drenclied. Forget the sun, the south wind, and the
dew,
Forget the song the gray doves sang to
you.
- Day closes, closes,
The sunset fades, the painted torch is
' quench'd.
Sleep, sleep, O roses;. loosed .the wreath and
broken;
The feast is done, empty the golden bowl.
Forget the lips that touched, the hands
that met,
Joyi, sorrows, kisses, tearsforget.
The dnsk has spoken.
Death breathes his sleep-spell to the flower's
soul. t
La plus helle fieur ne dure qu'un jour, to
morrow New crimson petals the green boughs will
bear.
Sunshine and dew-fall the new dawn will
bring.
And their old song anew the doves will
sing.
And joy and sorrow
Will tread the grass nor heed that you sleep
therfti .
THE OIUJGO.MAX'S AXMAL.
Best Ever Issued. .
Commercial Review. Portland.
The annual of The Oregonian was
the best number ever turned out by
that publication.
Complete.
Aberdeen (Wash.) World.
As usual, the annual New Year's edi
tion of The Oregonian was a complete
compendium of the progress of the
Northwest, particularly of Oregon.
Mnjcuiflcent.
Woodbtirn Independent.
As usual. The Morning Oregonian is
sued a magnificent New Year's num
ber, which in many respects surpassed
all previous efforts. Portland is a
great city -and has a newspaper fully
up with it in tone and progressive .
spirit.
You 3lay Bank on It.
Seattle Argus.
The Oregonian has just published a
handsome New Year's paper, and it an
nounces hat it took 50 tons of white
paper for the edition and when you
see a circulation statement in The Ore
gonian you may bank on its accuracy.
Mont Creditable.
Portland Advocate.
The Oregonian's New Year edition
was a most creditable Issue, devoted
to exploiting the resources of Oregon
and the rapid growth of Portland in
a manner designed to aid materially
in t-.e development of the state. The
illustrations were designed to catch
the eye of all readers.
Central OrfRon Benefited,
Grass Valley Journal.
The Oregonian's New Year number
will prove most valuable to Central
Oregon. We hope every reader of the
Journal will send a copy of The Ore
gonian to some relative or friend in
the East, and let them learn of our
numerous golden opportunities.
Eclipsed All Others.
Eugene Register.
The Oregonian, with its usual extra
ordinary facilities for getting down to
solid facts concerning Oregon and its
resources, eclipsed all previous efforls
in the splendid annual edition. The
Oregonian does yeoman service for the
state with every annual it issues.
Splendid.
St. John Review.
It was a splendid effort, and was
brimful of interesting features rela
tive to Portland and the state in gen
eral. The Oregonian "gets there" all
the time. Other papers may attack
and revile it, but it still keeps steadily
advancing, increasing and progressing.
Great is The Oregonian.
Brimful of Facts.
McMinnVille Telephone-Register.
The New Year's edition of The Ore
gonian is brimful of facts concerning
"the Oregon Country," especially Cen
tral Oregon, which is just now the
scene of great railroad activities. One
can make no mistake in sending a copy
of this edition to Eastern friends. If
anything will interest them in Oregon
this will.
Strictly lp to Par.
Newberg Graphic.
The New Year edition of The Morning
Oregonian was strictly up to par. It
is filled with accurate information rel
ative to Oregon and the great and
growing Northwest, and a copy of It
will give an Eastern friend more in
formation than you will be able to
furnish him by personal correspondence
in a year. Try it on. You can's miss
it.
Great.
Roseburg Leader.
It required 50 tons of paper to print
the New Year's number of The Ore
gonian. It is a great paper, full of
statistics, and giving a complete de
scription of the resources of the great
State of Oregon. Its greatest good as
an advertising agency will be the fact
that Oregon has a journal that is able
to present such an issue to the public.
Value Is Great.
Baker City Herald.
The New Year's number of The Ore
gonian is one of the best efforts ever
made along that line by any metropol
itan newspaper. The value of this
number to people who' intend coming
west is great and the different com
mercial organizations over the country
could do nothing better than mail out
thousands of copies to people residing;
in the Middle and Eastern states.
Excellent. '
Polk County Observer.
The Morning Oregonian. with its
usual enterprise, issues an excellent
New tear number. As to the excellence
of this annual, it is only neces
sary to say that it is up to The Ore
gonian standard in every respect- Thou
sands of copies of this splendid num
ber will be scattered broadcast over
the Middle and Eastern states, and tho
benefit which will result to Oregon can
not be overestimated.
Specimen of Politics In Paris.
Baltimore News.
A candidate for an Aldermanic seat
in Paris announces his programme oa
the billboards about town as follows:
L The candidate has no political,
opinions.
2. He will have one after his elec
tion, and it will be that of his electors.
3. He will respect his electors"
wishes.
In order to be sure of that, his vot
lng tickets will be printed thus:
Aristide Duval,
Revolutionary. Socialist. Radical.
Progressist. Conserva'tive.
r. a. rue elector will Kindly scratcrt
out those political opinions with which
he disagrees.
New York: Churches ami Theaters.
Chattanooga News.
Ninety-eight theaters have cost New
York $16,000,000 to build during the
last four years, and 3- churches have
been erected at a cost of something
less than S3,000,000. l-'or 181 office
buildings $86, 000, 000 was expended; for
stores and lofts, $61,000,000'; for 21 ho
tels, $10,000,000. Altogether 4119 new
buildings have been erected at a cost
of $390,000,00(1, and for repairs $57,000
000 has been paid out. Plans already
announced for 1910 and 1911 call for
the outlay of $176,000,000 more.
A Japanese "W hl.il IIiiji kllibcii."
Baltimore News.
Official trials of a "whistling:
kitchen" for' army use have been made
by the Japanese War Office, and the
results are said to have been emi
nently successful. The inventor is a
paymaster named OKezaai. The kitchen
travels on two' wheels and can be drawn
over almost any ground by one home.
It not only boils rice and heats soup,
but -it; notifies by whistle when the
cooking is finished.
Whisky-Soaked Crumbs for Birtls.
Detroit (Mich.) Dispatch.
A's the state pays 2 cents apiece for
the birds, Escanaba (Mich.) lads put
whisky-soaked bread crumbs in places
where the sparrows collect. The birds
eat the "dope" and become intoxicated
and unable to walk or f Iys in which
condition they are easily picked up by
the hunters. Hundreds of sparrows are i
being bagged In this manner.