10 THE MORNING OREGONIAN. TUESDAY, MARCII 29, 1910. r POBTLANO. UfiEGOX. Kntered at Portland. Oregon, Postoffice a Second-Class Matter. Subscription Kte Invariably in Advance. (BY HXIU) ,XaIIy, Sunday included, one year $8.00 lally. Sunday Included, six months... 4.'-i -JJaily. Sunday Included, three months.. 2.25 Xaijy. Sunday included, one month.... Lair7. without Sunday, one year..... s.00 Daily, without Sunday, six months.... 3.25 Daily, without Sunday, three months 1.T5 Daily, without Sunday, one month. ... . - Weekly, one year o'a Punday, one year....... 2.50 Butday and weekly, on year.....-- (By Carrier.! Dally. Sunday included, one year 9.00 Dally, Sunday Included, one month ' How to Remit Send Postoffice money order, express order or personal check on your local bank. stamps, coin or currency are at the sender's risk. Give postoffice ad dress in full, including county and state. Postage Kates 10 to 14 pages. 1 cent; 18 to 28 pages. 2 cents; 30 to 40 paces. 3 cents; 40 to 6u pages. 4 cents. Foreign postage double rate. Kastern Bosineos Office The S. C. Beck wlth Special Agency New York, rooms 48 60 Tribune building. Chicago, rooms 610-512 Tribune building. 1'ORTL.IM), TUESOAY, MARCH 29. 1910. BIKBCTIOS OF LEOISLAnON. Whether or not It Is intended that the new House committee on rules shall be a sort of "cabinet," -with a function like that of the Cabinet that directs the course of legislation and government in England, such very nearly would be its practical effect if the purpose it promises shall be carried out. In the British govern ment the Cabinet is practically a com mittee of Parliament, which must have the approval of the majority of the house. Yet the members are not ' directly elected by the Commons. They are brought into office partly by their own talents, partly by their standing or rank as party men, partly by efficiency whjch they have shown or may be supposed to possess in the conduct of the business of the House. The act of the King in appointment of the Premier is merely formal. The "Prime Minister practically elects him self, by making himself the leader of his party and winning success at the polls for it. In like manner other members of the Cabinet practically appoint themselves, by commending themselves to their party by their pre eminent ability or by making them selves leaders of important sections of their party. The British Cabinet then is a committee on policy and meas ures. The committee on rules of our House of Representatives, deciding what measures may "go," has a func tion not very different; and the "in surgents" say that by throwing the Speaker off the committee they will bring legislation more directly under control of the House itself. Behind the action of the represent atives, in either country, party life and party organization are assumed. It is said, however, that the "insur gents" in the House at Washington, or some of them, are proposing a rule ; that the Speaker shall not be chosen because 'he is a party man, and that ' even he is not necessarily to be a member of the House. This lnnova ' tion is not likely to be accepted. The Democrats will not wish to hamper themselves by the precedent, and the Republicans of the "old guard" will find help from them in rejection of it. Political life in both countries rest3 on the assumption that the voters and , their representatives will continue to act mainly In two organic political parties. This seems to be necessary consequence In countries where the representative system is in full control. In Germany parties split into small bodies, chiefly because the success of no one party would carry with it con trol of the executive head. In Great Britain twenty-five years ago there was a situation in close parallel with that of the present time. In 1885 an election occurred which gave the House of Commons 334 Liberals, 250 Conservatives and 86 Home Rule members, of whom Parnell then was leader. Thus there were three par ties, neither of "which commanded a majority of the votes. The Conserva tives, -who at that time held the exec utive offices, resigned them to the Liberals. Then, as now, the Irish de manded as a condition of alliance with either party that a law should be enacted giving to Ireland a separate legislature having jurisdiction over local affairs. Mr. Gladstone and a portion of the Liberal party, having decided to accede to the demands of the Irish members, brought in a bill for Home Rule In Ireland. All the Irish members voted with Gladstone, but nearly an equal number of the Liberal members deserted him, and he went to defeat. Evidently now Asquith finds a difficulty in bringing his party solidly up to the demand of the Irish members, and hesitates to risk the direct effort. As Home Rule for Ireland in Gladstone's time led to a division of the Liberal party, it may again. Finding he could do nothing on his main issue, Gladstone dissolved the Parliament, appealed to the coun try and was badly beaten. The next House consisted of 316 Conservatives, 193 Liberals, 86 Irish members fol lowing the leadership of Parnell, and 76 Liberal Unionists, so-called, who still refused to act with the main body of their party on the one important question. These last finally fell in with the Conservatives, who organ, ized a government and proceeded with business. The like may not occur now again, since the conditions are quite different; yet it is evident that the Liberal leaders are not sure of the adherence of the whole body of their members on the main issue. Will our politics soon probably .fall into a state similar to this, where no single party can accomplish its will, or put its policy Into action? The Democratic party, restored to power, may come nearer to agreement than the Republican party now appears likely to do; for reminder of the pledges of the party In its platform of 1908, and the urgency of the Presi dent, are alike without power, thus far, to bring about any important re sult, or even any manifestation of a disposition to make serious effort. There are a' great many things in this world that are easy enough to accomplish after one knows how. Just at present aviators are soaring through the air in all parts of the world in heavier-than-air machines, while the Wright brothers are subject to criti cism because they are endeavoring to stop such soarers. Yet if there is pro tection afforded by our patent laws, it would seem that the Wrights had been wronged. For many years these gen iuses plodded along in poverty, work ing on their airship and ignoring the scorn and derision of their practical neighbors who had no faith in their possible solution of the mystery of tho'. air. .No sooner had success crowned their efforts -than from all parts of the world appeared an army of imitators who bodily appropriated the plans on which the Wrights had spent a life time of hard work and self-denial. These imitators may be within their rights in building aeroplanes "not ex actly like the Wrights," but a fair minded public would like to see the original Inventors profit by their skill. WE CONSERVE. During the eleven months ended March 1, 1910, no less than 86,488 cit izens of the United States settled In Canada, .where the lands are not shut up, on pretense of "conservation." Let us ask, meantime, what greater conservation or more perfect conser vation of lands there can be than set tlement of them by people' who make homes? But we have an official class who think differently. They draw salaries for driving people to Canada, Great Is the inward mystery of conservation, and great, is humbug! BEFI3CTIVE APTTJ5 PACKING. President W. K. Newell, of the State Board of Horticulture, and his colleagues who went to Washington to help defeat the Lafean bill, had an embarrassing experience which they might have escaped if all our apple growers were as honest as some of them are. The Lafean bill, as every orchardlst knows, is a contrivance of certain Eastern . fruitgrowers to put the Pacific Coast at -a disadvantage In marketing apples. It seeks to compel the use in interstate shipments of a larger box than is common here on the pretense that the Oregon box does not contain a full bushel and there fore defrauds the purchaser. Natur ally Mr. Newell met this accusation by offering to prove by actual demon stration that the Oregpn standard box contains a full bushel. For this pur pose he took some boxes of apples with him to Washington. . They had been properly packed, as apples should be, and, before the Congres sional committee the contents were measured and the bushel was there. The box was- short not one poor frac tion of a cubic inch. So far so good. There was nothing In this to embarrass Mr. Newell. On the contrary it was quite a triumph for him, and no doubt he indulged in a smile at the seeming discomfiture of his foes. But he smiled a moment too soon. The committee sent out into the open market and bought some boxes of Oregon apples which had been packed by persons less conscien tious than Mr. Newell, and when they were measured they fell short of a bushel in every instance. Naturally the president of the State Board of Horticulture suppressed his smile of triumph for the time being.' This incident does not decide the matter one way or the other, but it makes things more difficult for those who would like to secure justice for our honest fruitgrowers. If in the end the Lafean bill passes and the Coast la put at a disadvantage in the market. It will be the fault of those persons who yield to the temptation of coining a penny at the cost of fu ture dollars by improper packing of their apples. The fruitgrowers' unions all over the state should em phasize this point and if possible bring it about that every box of apples bearing the Oregon label shall be strictly honest both in quality and quantity. SPOKANE'S RATE TROCBLB. The Oregoniqjn prints today a com munication from Mr. W. Doland, of Spokane, on the" terminal rate ques tion. With the utmost respect for Mr. Doland, whose friendliness for Portland has been expressed on more than one occasion, The Oregonian must state that it is Spokane, and not The Oregonian, that does not under stand the economic conditions which give Portland a lower freight rate than interior cities ever can secure. Mr. Doland admits that "we recognize that from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific coast there is water com petition, and we have so stipulated in our rate case, but we are asking the same rates to Spokane as Portland and Seattle receive from Chicago and all interior points where there Is no water competition whatever." If Mr. Doland will refer to the tes timony given by Manager Jackson, of the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company, in the Interstate Commerce Commission hearing in Spokane, three years ago, he will note that water competition actually did extend to Chicago to such an extent that the water-carrier absorbed the rate from Chicago to New York. After adding the local rate from Portland or Seat tle to Spokane, the steamship com pany was still able to quote a lower rate than could be made by the rail roads. This was not only true of freight originating at Chicago, but also at Cleveland, Detroit and other manufacturing centers. When asked the basis for the making of these low rates. Manager Jackson said that they were usually fixed by the amount of space available when the ship was nearly ready to sail; and, when this factor was not considered, the rate was made about 60 per cent of the rail rate. The Interstate Commerce Commis sion has eliminated all rate competi tion between the railroads, but it is powerless to Interfere with the rates on the water portion of the haul be tween Chicago and Spokane by way of Portland or Seattle. There is noth ing theoretical, problematical or un just in the Portland position regarding Spokane on this rate matter. Nature has provided this city and other coast ports with a water highway over which freight can be transported at so low a cost that a heavy rail mile age charge on both ends of the route can be absorbed arfd still permit the water carrier to make lower rates than can be made by 'the rail carrier with a much shorter mileage. To be specifier Grain is carried between Chicago and New York as low as $2 per ton. Between Atlantic ports and Pacific ports, steamers are now actually engaged In carrying coal for $2.65 per ton, thus proving by actual transactions that freight can be carried from Chicago to the Pa cific coast by way of Atlantic ports at less than $5 per ton, although the minimum rate necessary to take the business away from 'the railroads Is about double that figure. Regardless of its sincerity of pur pose, Spokane is working on the wrong end of the route if it expects to secure better rates for the interior. The "opposition" of which Mr. Doland complains is simply an effort on the part of Portland to protect the rights which have been conferred here by nature. Eventually Spokane will rec ognize the impregnable position of this city, and the necessity of working with Portland . for lower distributive rates out of Coast terminals. The Orego nian is in full accord with Mr. Doland in his statement that "the greater the growth of Spokane and Eastern and Central .Washington the larger city you will have In Portland." The Ore gonian, however, believes that this growth will be best promoted by util izing natural trade routes and condi tions instead of attempting the crea tion of unnatural conditions and en deavoring to force the transportation companies to recognize them. IT 13 "THE GAME." In Indiana there is continuous fight on the form of prohibition known as local option. Just before the general election of 1908 the Governor of the state, J. Frank Hanly, called a special session of the Legislature for the pur pose of forcing enactment of a local option law. Both parties were fight ing shy of it. The Governor was a Republican; the Legislature was Re publican, and the chief Republican strength was in the local option or prohibition counties. Governor Hanly called the Legislature together, in special session, because he believed. If the opportunity then presented were lost, no act to provide for local pro hibition would or could be passed for years to come, if ever. In the Legis lature the Republican majority, though large, was not disposed to pass the bill, and there were many dissejiters; for Indiana has many brewers . and distillers, and a heavy liquor trade In princlpalcities, and many correlated Industries. But Democratic members from "dry" counties helped to pass the bill. Of course it alienated from the Republican party the entire liquor Interest of the, state; but the Demo cratic prohibitionists, who had helped to pass the bill, remained with their party though the whole liquor trade had gone over to it; and the result was that the Democrats elected the Governor of Indiana, carried the Leg islature, elected eleven of the thirteen members of Congress, and won a seat in - the United States Senate. The electoral vote of the state was pulled through for Taft by the skin of the teeth only, though all other Northern States were carried for him by over whelming majorities. But the Democrats, though win ning the Legislature and electing the Governor, on the issue of opposition to the local option act, were too crafty, perhaps one should say too cowardly, to repeal the act, which the voters who had given them their victory ex pected them to do. The question is now at the front again. Republican prohibitionists insist ofn declaration In favor of the local option act, and may be expected to carry It by their vote In the state convention. The Demo cratic convention will dodge it; the entire influence of the liquor trade will again be. thrown to the Demo cratic and, against the Republican party; there will be another Demo cratic state administration In Indiana; there will be another Democratic Leg islature' and a second Democratic Sen ator, and very probably the Republi cans will not elect a single member to the House of Representatives out of the thirteen. But all this, and the like of this, is part of the play or juggle of politics. In one state or another. In Oregon the Juggle presents its own varia tions chief among which are oppo sition to conference among the 'men of the majority party before the pri mary, for suggestion of candidates, and effort to make -men swallow "statement one." . There is no. need of unhappiness about it, perhaps -except as the indignation will natural ly arise against false and foolish and dishonest expedients in politics, em ployed in the name of reform. There are two classes or three In this busi ness one of craft, a second of gulli bility, a third of a foolish and Imprac ticable enthusiasm. Meantime in Indiana everybody who wants liquor, even in "dry" ter ritory, gets it. In Oregon practically the same; and, moreover, in Oregon the state practically has been turned over to the Democratic party, against the political principles and purposes of the majority, by a system and series of juggles, pretendedly in ac cord with the popular will. Thus, successful politics lies mainly in the art of thriving on public gulli bility. It is "the game." Two Sena tors from Oregon hold their seats by it, and one from Indiana. Presently also another from Indiana. EUGENE AND CORVAXX.IS. Exceptions may justly be taken to some of the strictures which the Car negie Foundation authorities seem to have made on the curriculum of the Oregon Agricultural College. Their regret that the "Agricultural College and the State University duplicate each other's courses in several in stances is shared by evtry intelligent person. Probably a large' majority of the reflecting taxpayers of the state would be glad to see these two indis pensable institutions united, but at the same time It is not supposed by any body that the union is practicable. For all time to come they will prob ably remain as they are, in some par ticulars supplementing each other, in too many cases competitors -and rivals. The Carnegie report is disturbed es pecially over the engineering courses which are given both at Eugene and Corvallis, and the statement is made that they are of lower grade at the latter school. A correspondent com menting on the situation suggests that this Is a proper case for the Interven tion of the State Board of Higher Curricula. Suppose the Board of Higher Cur ricula should take the subject up,, what could it accomplish? To abolish the courses in applied science at Eu gene would simply break up the insti tution. Like all state universities, that of Oregon finds its real strength in the sciences. Without them It would jierish of inanition. On the other hand, the Corvallis institution is obliged to maintain courses in the "mechanic arts" by the law which founded it. The supposition that fhe Agricultural College was established solely to teach agriculture is a very common error, but is an error for all that. The purpose of the school Is just as much to teach engineering, domestic science, architecture and all the other "mechanic arts" as it is to teach dairying and horticulture. Our State Board of Higher Curricula can not repeal this Federal statute and therefore it is far from evident how their intervention could mend matters. Again a great deal of the talk about the courses at Corvallis being "of low grade" is mere nonsense. The col lege is designed to instruct students in agriculture and the mechanic arts, as we have said. If the public schools gave young people any preparatory instruction in these subjects, then "the college might begin higher up than it does; but as a matter of fact the pub lic schools give most of their time to literary branches, so that their graduates go to Corvallis without even the rudiments of what they wish to learn. Itls necessary, therefore, for the c611ege to do the best it can with them, and the faculty very sensibly builds from the; foundation instead of beginning at the rooftree. An engi neering student who does not know the rudiments of his subject must learn them, no matter whether he is ,at Eugene or Corvallis, and one may very reasonably guess that the pre liminary branches taught are about the same at one school as at the other, though they may go by different names. The only way to elevate the grade of the applied sciences at either of the -state institutions is to lay the foundations for them in the public schools. . The "American visible" supply of whea't yesterday for the first time since the corresponding week in 1902. showed an Increase. The amount was 822,000 bushels, and it brings the total up to 27,620,000 bushels, a total which is still 9,000,000 bushels less than on the corresponding date a year ago. The increase at a time when there is always a steady decrease in supplies would indicate that the farmers who have been holding back their grain for expected higher prices have at last de cided to let go of some of their stock before the 1910 crop begins to make too favorable a showing. The "visi ble" was not the only bearish feature yesterday, for there was an increase of more than 2,000,000 bushels in quantities on passage, and world's shipments were 2,000,000 bushels greater than last week. Unless the chinchbug gets busy very soon, the wheat market may become topheavy. The Siuslaw, Yaqulna and Alsea Rivers are promised direct communi cation with Portland by means of the gasoline schooner Wilhelmina, which will be placed on the run this week. With the exception of Yaquina, the coast ports to be reached by this new carrier have practically no communi cation. with the outside world except by rough trail and an occasional sloop or small schooner from adjacent ports better supplied with transportation fa cilities. Establishment of this serv ice will he highly advantageous to the many settlers who have already en tered the Isolated regions, and It will also Invite others. In the development that always follows transportation fa cilities to any part of Portland's terri tory this city will naturally come in for a full share. Every possible encour agement should be given the new en terprise. The increased cost of living has apparently-not yet reached the limits to which it may soar later. Advices from New York report formation of a new syndicate which is to take ' over the newly-discovered diamond mines In German Southwest Africa. Formation of this new syndicate enables three companies to control all of the world's production of diamonds, and an effort will undoubtedly be made "to regulate the supply so that there will not be a slump in the market. The promoters of the new syndicate say that, while the suply of diamonds Is greater than ever, there la also a greater demand. This pleasing economic situation may' prevent the poor man from buying a large supply of diamonds until another 1907 panic hits the country. If this should happen, diamonds and 'auto mobiles will change owners in large numbers. Five automobile drivers were ar rested last Sunday for exceeding the speed limit on the city streets. Let the good work go on and let no guilty man escape under the cover of the name of "a prominent citizen,." The streets are for the use of all not for the possession of the few. The death of 250 people by fire at a ball In a Hungarian village Sunday night Is simply a twentieth-century ca lamity to point a moral. That many people are never killed at a religious gathering. ' - The trolley trouble in Philadelphia is about ended, now that all sympathy strikers have returned to work. It is always thus. To be of effect, there must be results in less than forty-eight hours. Roosevelt will be at Cheyenne Fron tier day with chaps, latigo, sombrero and bandana, to show how he roped the rhino and hippo below the Equa tor. The Richmond postoffice robbers who took $30,000 in stamps and $100 In money will have a short run of free dom. Stamps are most undesirable loot. . Some persons should be informed that It is a great deal easier for them to earn money than to get it out of John D. Rockefeller. The aurora borealis was mistaken for the comet in Chicago. New Year's resolutions evidently didn't hold in the Windy City. A great many persons, mostly Demo crats, halve discovered how well they like Roosevelt since he ceased to be President. If scientists could agree on the comet, they might convince ordinary folks that they know something about it. Jack Cudahy has taken refuge on his father's farm.' A good many live stock farmers need a hand like Jack Cudahy. We should think very much less of Mounts Etna and Vesuvius If they had not spouted about the time T. R. hove in sight. Maybe Jeffries would go Johnson's bail, if the colored gentleman could not get out of jail any other way. Hot air pays invNew York. Consol idated Gas netted over $7,000,000 last year at 80 cents. Some persons don't even give Dr. Cook extra credit for being prince of fakers. The Lord tempers the weather to the Easter bonnet. WHY KEPIXICAXS WERE BEATEN That MssarhDsctti CoagreniloiiBl Elec tion Clearly Explained. Chicago Tribune, Ind. Rep. Mr. Buchanan, 'he Republican candi date, was not popular with the Repub lican voters. He had managed to steal the nomination away from the man the majority wanted as a candidate. He had been campaign manager for Gover nor Douglas when the latter had de feated the Republican nominee, a popu lar citizen of the district. There was a fear that if he were elected to fill the vacancy he would demand and get, in accordance with precedent, the nomina tion for the next full term. So it seemed wiser to k.'ll him off at once. While Buchanan would assuredly have run again if elected, Koss prom ised positively that he would not. As there is a good-sized Republican ma jority in-the House, It was felt that the election of Foss could do no harm. In deed, many considered him a better Re publican than his opponent. Usually party men who are disgrun tled show their displeasure by falling to vq,te. They did that in 1888 and in 1904, but there fas for a special elec tion a heavy vote fn the Fourteenth district. It was larger than It would otherwise have been because of the wish of so many Republicans to get rid of a candidate who was intensely dis tasteful to them. New York Sun, Rep. Many things contributed to the re markable success of Mr. Foss on Tues day. Not the least of them was the un popularity on several counts of William R. Buchanan among Republican voters. He gave a liberal sum to William L. Douglas' ' campaign for Governor, took an active part in it, and after the elec tion became his Secretary. The editor of a Republican paper, Mr. Buchanan had been weak-kneed in the faith, and to cap the climax the manner of hla nomination to Congress had left a bad taste in the mouth. Influential Repub licans openly deserted him during, the brief contest. The landslide began at once. In a word, Mr. Buchanan was re garded as more of a Democrat than a Republican. On the other hand, Eugene N. Foss was a strong magnet to discon tented Republicans, for until last Fall, when he accepted the Democratic nom ination for Lieutenant-Governor, he had called himself a Republican all his life. By many he was regarded as more of a Republican than a Democrat. So much for the personality and past of both candidates. The spirit of Republican insurgency is a,ctive under the surface in Massa chusetts, and the sentiment for reci procity with Canada is very strong and by no means new. Of this spirit Mr. Foss was a vigorous exponent before he turned Democrat, and reciprocity has been his hobby for a long time. He was shrewd enough 'to see that, though there might be several causes of high prices, the voters put most of the blame upon the tariff, and so Mr. Foss talked further revision 15 times a day in- as many places. He flooded the district with "literature" and audaciously prom ised relief when he got to Congress. A manufacturer himself, that fact had weight in a manufacturing district. Hence, for these various reasons, the landslide. Credit must be given Mr. Foss for his perspicacity, boldness and energy. "11 N" RULED NOT TO BE BAD. Surrogate and Jury Agree That Explo sive la "Harmless Adjective." New York World. According to a verdict brought in by six men sitting as a jury before Justice of the Peace James H.- Belethe, in Mor ristown, N. J., "d n" is not an oath or a "swear word,"' such as is prohibited by the vice and immorality act of New Jer sey. Surrogate David Young, who was on trial for saying that Mrs. Nellie Fitz herbert, of Dover, "talked like a d n fool," acknowledged he had used the ex pression, but his counsel insisted that such an expression was not swearing. The Jury agreed with him and acquitted Young. Mrs. Fitzherbert testified that she was in Mr. Young's office in Morristown re cently to get a copy of a will in which she was interested. She read the copy, and told the surrogate that It was not a true copy. He offered to bet her a dollar that it was a true copy. She took the bet and put up her dollar. The copy was compared with the orig inal, and it was shown that in the copy the word "not" was left out, completely altering one of the provisions of the will. She won her bet. -Later Mrs. Fitzherbert visited Mr. Young's office again and taunted him upon losing the bet. She told him that he "was all right, but in the wrong place." .He became angry and said: "You talk like a d n fool." Mr. Young said that he had great provo cation, an.il merely wished to add em phasis to an assertion. The expression was merely an adjective intended to con vey the id-a that Mrs. Fitzherbert talked not only like a fool, but like a very big fool like . very much of a fool. He did not mean that she was a condemned fool. New Indiana Star In Literature. ' New York World. John Stevenson Tarkington Is about to publish "The Hermit of Capri." He is the newest member of the Indiana group of novelists, but he is 70 years old. He may exchange felicitations with William de Morgan, who is continuing at 71 a notable career In fiction that began when he was 65. The fruits of genius In literature, in deed, are very far from being notably to the young. Chaucer was S3 when he wrote "Canterbury Tales." Cervantes finished "Don Quixote" at 68. De Foe produced "Robinson Crusoe" at 58 and Swift was a year older than that when he presented "Gulliver's Travels." Victor Hugo was capable of "Les Mlserables" only when he reached the age of 63. and Dr. Johnson did his "Lives of the Poets" at 78. Dr. S. Weir Mitchell wrote his masterpiece, "Hugh Wynne," at 68. The name is legion of the authors who have continued their work in brilliancy up to and beyond the mark of three score and ten. From Fine Clothes to Chickens. New York Dispatch. Miss Oflulia Morosini. the heiress, whose fad a few years ago was spend ing $100,000 annually for clothing, has a new hobby now. She is raising incu bator chicks. Miss Morosini is going in for chicken farming in general be sides the raising of irfcubator chickens, which is only a side issue for this par ticular holiday season. Several hundred of the finest chickens obtainable have been purchased for her by Arthur Werner, the manager of the estate, and she is becoming learned In the -lore of hens. "Passing of tbe Idle Rich." Baltimore American. Frederick Townsend Martin has writ ten a book. He calls it "The Passing of the Idle Rich." . Mr. Martin believes, in spite of the arguments of his friends to the contrary, that the wealthy classes in this country are going to work more and more, and that the idle rich tn&x ts f becoming extinct AS A SPOKANE MAN SEES IT. Transcontinental Rat Question From the Interior Viewpoint. SPOKANE, Wash., March 24. (To the Editor.) In reading a late issue of The Oregonian, I found myself greatly hon ored by being the subject of an editorial In your columns. I certainly consider it an honor for an humble individual like myself to be In this way recognized by the foremost newspaper of the North Pacific Coast. I admit I am a pioneer in the freight agitation to get justice for Spokane and at this date am chairman of the Inter state Commerce Committee for our Chamber of Commerce in handling the Spokane rate case. May I transgress a little on your apace by stating our position, which I hardly believe you un derstand ? ' Spokane is not asking for terminal freight rates from the Atlantic seaboard to Spokane. We recognize that from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Coast there is water competition and we have so stipulated in our rate case: but we are asking for the same rates to Spokane as Portland and Seattle re ceive from Chicago and all interior points wher"e there is no water compe tition whatever. We are 400 miles nearer the base of supplies. In our maganimity, characteristic always of Spokane and her cltjzens, we are will ing to pay the same freight rate from Chicago to Spokane that Portland pays, 400 miles away. We are perfectly w'ill ing on our part, to give your fair city an equal chance with us for the trade of the Inland Empire country. We agree in our rate case to pay the divisions, so called, from Eastern cities to Chicago that is. Imposing on us a higher freight rate from Eastern cities to Spokane than to Portland on all articles : that come by rail. You must admit, In fair play, that we are certainly entitled to as low freight rates as Portland from all points where there is no water com petition. . I am a frequent visitor to your pros perous city and a great admirer of Portland, wera I have a gceat many personal friends. If r should change my place of residence from Spokane and had my option in the matter, I should, of course, take Heaven as first choice, being the only place I know of more desirable than Spokane as a residence. On this earth I know of no place I would rather live in than Spokane first, Portland second. But you will excuse my criticism and receive my suggestion in the good will it is given when I say that for 18 years in our agitation for just freight i rates in almost every trial we have encountered opposition from your city. Spokane is .trying to build up not only Itself but the whole Inland Empire country, and why Portland should try to retard the growth of this country and throw all the barriers -it can in the way, I never could understand. The greater the growth of Spokane and Eastern and Central Washington, the larger city you will have in Portland. Could I suggest that if you would work with us instead of against us it would be of great benefit to your city, I believe. And if this suggestion of a private citizen would he taken. I believe the time is not far distant when the only bar to your progress Is the one at the mouth of the Columbia River, and all your well-wishers, of which I am one, hope this may soon be removed. There has been no change of heart, eituer with myself or my associates. We are still contending for Just rates for Spokane but we do differ as to the methods suggested to secure these rates. Our case is now before the Inter state Commerce Commission and we ex pect a decision within 90 days. We are also trying to secure the passage of the Mann amendment to the Interstate commerce bill and do not feel that these rates can be secured through an ordinance passed by our Common Coun cil. That is the one difference of opin ion here, and we are as united as ever in the one purpose of securing justice for Spokane and the Inland Empire country as regards freight rates. A. W. DOLAND. WHERE THE INSURGENTS FAILED. They Should Have Joined the Demo crats, Says This Writer. SPRINGFIELD, Or., March 26. (To the Editor.) I am a Republican of some years' standing. I sympathize somewhat with the insurgent view or party in Congress, but I believe the Insurgents have made a miscue in the late movement regarding Cannon. Half way measures generally satisfy nobody and sometimes lead to bad results by delaying the natural consequences of party action in a responsible manner. I believe the insurgents have played into the hands of the enemy who will take advantage of them and throw both the insurgents and regulars when they get the first chance. The thing to have done, according to the way they used to do in the old country, was for the insurgents to have gone to the Democrats and made them a proposition like this: If you will join with us in electing one of our leaders (an Insurgent) Speaker, we will join with you and throw out Can non; the rules not to be changed ex cept the appointment of the commit tees by a central representative com mittee or party committees, instead of the Speaker. Then the new com bination would have been In position to assume full responsibility. But the Democrats- possibly would have refused such a proposition. How ever, it would have helped the position of the insurgents before the country, whereas now there Is a kind of witches' cauldron from which no telling what will emanate. GEORGE THOMPSON. Forests at South Pole. Chicago Journal. Professor David, who occupies the chair of geology in the University of Sydney, and who accompanied Sir Ernest Shackle ton to the Antarctic, has been mailing some interesting remarks on his discover ies there. The fossil woods he has found showed that pine forests had flourished in the vicinity of the South Pole at a remote geological epoch. The coal seams he had discovered suggested the same conclusion. At that time there was more or less continuous land from Australia to the South Pole. The clim ate all over the world was at that period probably much milder than at present. It Iu the System. Louisville Courier-Journal. If the approaching campaign is to be fought on lines that will promise real results it is about time to give up harping on our Uncle Joseph and get down to the bedrock of truth. If neither Mr. Cannon nor Mr. Aldrich had been born the protective system would have reached its present logical development without their aid, and would have fought for the perpetuation of graft with other lieutenants. Radical . changes In forms of government, at least in modem history, are effected by revolution and not by assassination. The system and not the man must be destroyed. Specialist In Vocation Colletre Work. Chicago Record-Herald. Miss Julia H. Guliver, of Rockford. 111., has been elected an officer of the French Academy. Miss Gulliver is the president of Rockford College. She was in the first-class, graduated at Smith Col lege and has been a pioneer in Introduc ing vocation courses in women's colleges. College Professor Turns Laborer. Boston Globe. Hugh W. Ransom, professor of mathe matics and civil engineering at the Har vard Summer School, and an assistant in structor of mathematics at the university, has gone to work ' as a. laborer at $1.60 a day for the construction company that is building the Cambridge subway. LIFE'S SUNNY SIDE Just how naturally some inferences may be drawn was illustrated by a story, told the other afternoon by City Clerk Thomas S. Mooney, of Burlington. One evening some time ago, Mr. Mooney said, a man drove up to the residence of a. preacher in a smajl town over in Jersey, and after violently ringing the doorbell told the parson that Bill Bowker's Sally was vio lently sick and wanted him to come right out. The good dominie knew Bill Bow ker, also his wife, Sally, and, thinking that spiritual advice was wanted, he picked up a prayer-book and accompa nied the farmer to the wagon. "I am sorry to hear that Sally is sick," remarked the preacher in a sympathetic tone as he was about to step into the vehicle. "Do you think that her condition is dangerous?" "Can't tell," replied the farmer; "she has been layin' down hi ther stable all ther afternoon." "Lying down in the stable!" exclaimed the parson with a look of mingled amaze ment and horror. "What in the world is she doing in a place like that?" "Why, what do you expect?" was the surprised rejoinder of the farmer. "Where in ther thunderation else would ye keep a mule?" "Oh, I see," smilingly responded tho parson, as light suddenly dawned upon him. "You have struck the wrong house; what you are looking for is the veterinary surgeon who lives next door." Philadel phia Telegraph. ' Miss Mary Garden, at a tea in Philadel phia, praised the skill of the modern corset-maker. "It is really wonderful," said Miss Garden, "what this artist can do. I have seen fat old "women, who, from certain aspects, looked like supple girls. It was the corset-maker. And that re minds me of an answer that I heard in Sunday school when I was a little child. 'What is it,' our superintendent asked, 'that binds us together and makes us better than we are by nature? 'Our cor sets,' sir,' piped a wise little girl of 8." Kansas City Star. They were gliding round the ballroom to the strains of a soft, dreamy waltz. Suddenly lie tripped and fell sprawling to the floor, carrying a goodly portion of his charming partner's gown. Roars of derisive laughter greeted his contortion, and ruefully ho extricated himself from the masses of chiffon and lace. Reaching the side of a gentleman whose face had not assumed even the ghost of a smile, he burst out gratefully: "Sir, you are a gentleman! You are the only man in the room who did not grin when I had the misfortune to tear that lady's dness!" "Don't thank me, my dear sir!" replied he of the stony stare. "The lady happens to be my wife, and 1 paid for that dress!" Answers. In speaking of. the time when the King and Queen of the 1 lawaiian Islands came here and then went to Kurope, Senator Depew tells this one: "An Incident of this trip," said the Senator, "was one of the rare contribu tions to the sedate movements of history, which promotes jcood fellowship by add ing to the gayety of nations. Chicago received the King with impressive cere monies on his arrival. After a neary day of parades and reviews the then Mayor of the metropolis of the West found a King on his hands. Kings were not in his line, nor was he familiar with their attributes, the customs of court or the method of addressing them. To re lieve himself of embarrassment ho drove His Majesty to the leading hotel, and, leaving hrm In the lobby, said, 'Oood afternoon. King; we have had a hard day, and I think you had better go up to your room and wash up.' "When Their Majesties arrived in Lon don they were entertained by royalty and were guests at Windsor," continued the Senator. "There was a current story at the time," he said, "that at the dinner the Hawaiian Queen said to Queen Vic toria, 'Your Majesty, I am a blood rela tive." To the astonished inquiry, 'How so?" the Hawaiian Queen answered. 'My grandfather ate Captain Cook.' "Wash ington, D. C, Times. Mortimer Singer, the millionaire de scendant of tile sewing-machine inventor, lies with many broken bones in Cairo, the victim of an aeroplane accident. Mr. Singer was a pupil of Henri Far man, to whose pupils a number of acci dents have happened. A "bird man," apropos of this, said at a recent lunch eon in New York: "They tell a story about Farman and his pupils. It seems that a pupil said to Farman one morning, as ho turned up his Gnome motor at Issy: " 'I had a dream about you last night, sir.' ' " 'Yes?' said Farman. " 'Yes. . I dreamed I fell from my bi plane and died, and descended to tho Golden Gate. St. Peter said: "Who are you?" I mentioned my name, and St. Peter summoned the Recording Angel with his book. The book was searched a long time, but in vain. What did you say your name was?" the Recording Angel asked, " 'I repeated it. the place in the book was found, and St. Peter said: " ' "Why, you've got no business here. You're not due here Cor another 15 years." " ' "Mr. Farman said" 1 stammered. ' ' "Oh," interrupted the Recording An gel, "you're a pupil of Farman's, are you?" " Then he turned to St. Peter and grumbled: "Better let him In. That Farman is always upwettirig our arrange ments, though. Philadelphia Record. An Idol "Not to Be Fooled With.'' Cleveland Plain Dealer. A remarkable idol was brought from Central Africa by a missionary. In its stomach is set a disc-shaped mirror and Inside of this Is a bunch of herbs of mys tical potency. The god Is supposed by the natives to be a very powerful one. To offend it would be extremely dangerous. Conse quently it Is kept at the Smithsonian In stitution, to which the missionary pre sented it, in a glaps case, where nobody can offer it any indignity. Attached to various parts of its body are spear and darts, by the aid of which the god is supposed to inflict injury upon persons who deserve to get hurt. The Smithsonian scientists say it would bo imprudent to handle any of these pplky thinss too frequently, because, for all anybody knows to the contrary, they may be poisoned. Fashion Booma St. Btrnapl Dogs. London Dispatch. Queen Alexandra, whose fondness for animals is well known, has wavered in her allegiance to toy dogs of rare breeds, and has purchased a large St. Bernard. This means that St. Bernards will become fashionable pets all over England and their price will ripe. An experienced member of the Kennel Club in London says that the favor of the St. Bernard will not last long. It is a questionable woman's, pet, for its tem per is not certain., and its clumsiness makes it impossible to have it indoors. Really a -lf-MnGr Man. Baltimore American. The recent prominence in the suffrage discussion at Albany, M. Y., of Dr. Mary Walker recalls one of the cleverest re marks that the lamented "Bill" Nye ever uttered. He described Dr. Mary as "the only self-made man in America." New Golden Stream for Caruso. New York Press. Caruso's new contract from 1112 1o 1914, Just signed with the Metropolitan company, assures him of an income of at least $160,000 for the season.