TITE MORNING
OREGONIAN, 3IONDAY,
3IAT 16, 1910.
. PORTLAND, OHEGOX.
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PORTLAND, MONDAY, MAY 1, 1010.
AN ASSEMBLY OF AN EMJCHTESED
PJSOPLK.
A if the coming Republican assem
bly could force voters in the primaries
and then in the election to accept its
nominees, whether they shall be good
or otherwise, the Sclo News says:
This Interference with the prerogative of
the primary voter Is simply a gross insult to
his intelligence. It is equivalent to saying,
we (the assemblyites) are men of superior
political sagacity and because of this fact
we are more competent to select the men
who shall conduct the affairs of state than
you of the common herd, we will select the
nominees while you, plebeians, may have
he privilege of Walking up to the polls and
voting for whom we tell you to vote.
Not at all, neighbor. The conven
tion will offer the primary voter a
'ticket" of candidates, from whom he
can select men who' in his judgment
are fit; or he can reject the whole list
and substitute candidates better to his
liking. No "dose" can be forced down
his throat nor any sugar-coated bit-"
terness.
But primary voters can administer
the assembly a dose -f they so wish.
However, they will not wish to do
this, if the assembly ticket shall be
made up of worthy candidates. Vot
ers of Portland did not wish to re
ject the ticket of the city assembly
last year.
The assembly is a labor-saving im
provement of democracy for determin
ing policies and selecting candidates
for official place. It is used by citi
zens in every activity of life and cer
tainly is a proper means of political
action. It is the moat approved
method people have ever devised for
adjusting differences of interest and
opinion and determining common
basis for social movements in their
multifarious phases. It is known as
the representative or republican
method of political action. Assembly
can mean no reproach to the Intelli
gence of the people, nor to their abil
ity to rule themselves and choose their
officials. It is one of the most ap
proved instrumentalities of political
concert. Government is iP limitation
on the free will of a people, yet it
signifies no impeachment of their in
telligence that they cannot exist as a
social body without government.
But, getting back to the starting
point, it is clear that the Republican
convention next Summer can force the
people to do nothing! It can only ad
vise and suggest. The people will take
the advice and suggestions for what
they are worth and deal with them in
the primaries- accordingly. . Self-appointed
alarmists affront the electorate
when they declare voters will not in
telligently deal with the work of the
convention.
Members of an assembly are, not
more intelligent than the people, nor
do they pretend to be. They act
merely in representative capacity, as a
function of enlightened political ac
tion. And the more enlightened the
people, the more representative w,ill be
the assembly.
COAST CONTENTION SUSTAINED.
The long-and-short-haul clause of
the railroai bill, aj' agreed o in t: e
U. S. Senate, is strictly in accord
with the demands ma".c by people wl.o
are not entirely derendent --n railroad
transports 'ion, but who object to hav
ing the advs-iita-es of natural .ca
tion nullified by legislation in the in
terest of communities less favorably
situated. The wise provision in sec
tion 4 of the amend' d 111 givs the
Interstate Cot mercc Commission
power to authorize cor '.r-. carriers
to charge less for a long haul than
for a short haul where the "distances
and conditions of the long haul are
dissimilar to the circumstances and
conditions of the shorter haul, wheth
er they result from competition by
water or rail." This leaves the mat
ter in the position where a commun
ity favored by "circumstances and
conditions"' can appear before the
Commission, and on submission of
proper proof of its advantages can
secure a lower rate for the long haul
than for the short haul.
Eventually, when the interior points
secure a little firmer grasp on the
complex factors that enter into the
problem, it will be understood that it
is not the coast alone that is to profit
by a lower rate for the long haul than
for the short haul. If the transconti
nental roads were to be shut out of
the Pacific Coast terminal business,
as they surely would be if the interior
points were granted a lower rate to
Coast terminals, their earning capa
city would be so seriously impaired
that it would immediately become
necessary to advance rates on all in
termediate traffic. In other words,
the roads would to all intents and
purposes cease to be transcontinental
lines and would become local roads
on which Insufficient traffic would be
handled to warrant as low rates as
would prevail with through traffic to
help out the earnings.
It is the combination of through
traffic and local traffic that enables
a railroad system to show the best
earnings on all of its terminals, sta
tions, track and other equipment. Any
loss that results, from curtailing busi
ness In one part of the system must
be made up on another. If Spokane
for example, were to be granted lower
rates than those fixed by water com
petition at Portland, the railroads
would lose the business west of Spo
kane and would be forced to make up
the deficit by charging a higher rate
to Spokane. In the new bill the In
terstate Commerce Commission is per
mitted to recognize the merits of a
lower rate for the long haul than for
the short haul by rail, as well as by
water. The merit of this provision is
also admirably shown hy actual condi
tions now prevailing at Spokane. The
Great Northern and the Northern Pa
cific both reach Spokane from good
traffic territory in the Middle West
by a route more than 400 miles shorter
than that over which the Union Pa
cific and Its connections can reach
Spokane.
Thus the short haul over the Hill
roads becomes the long haul over the
Harriman road, and . if the latter
road were not permitted to charge
sufficient to , meet these "circum
stances and conditions," its . line
into Spokane territory would be
left without traffic, i-slde from that
originating locally. The problem is of
such vast proportions and. is affected
by such innumerable complications
and conditions that the application of
any hard and -fast rule, such as was
demanded by interior jobbing centers,
would have demoralized the business
of the country without offering any
thing in the way of comp-nsatlon. In
the hands of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, the matter will have suf
ficient flexibility to prevent disaster.
LKSSONS IX NON-PARTISANSHIP.
The State Grange of Oregon, said to
be a non-partisan organization, last
week debated all the political ques
tions on the calendar. The Multno
mah Bar Association, also non-partisan,
declared that only those men
should be selected for judges who are
chosen by the political party of law
yers. The State Federation of Labor,
also non-partisan, from time to time
announces its political "stand" on is
sues and candidates. Very soon the
Prohibition and the Socialist parties
will make known their political pref
erences. So, too, will the Republican
party.
The point of which is the sham and
humbug of "non-partisan." Men de
clare themselves non-partisan in re
gard to the purposes and policies of
opponents, and yet confess themselves
partisan as to their own. The Bar As
sociation thinks no group of citizens
but its own should select judges
which is its method of choosing a non
partisan judiciary. The Grange thinks
that only its policies should be enacted
into laws and that only such men
should be elected as will carry them
out. Likewise the Labor Federation
and the Prohibition party.
A non-partisan person is one who
does not engage in politics, either with
oratory, electioneering or ballot. Tet
such a person is not classed as a mem
ber of desirable citizenship.
Truth is, there is ni such thin as
non-partisanship, nor are there non
partisans. The State Grange and the
Labor Federation are hardly non-partisan
when they hold assemblies of
their own respective parties and de
nounce assembly of the Republican
party.
If any organization is to be consist
ently non-partisan, it will have to stay
out of politics; also forbear attempt
ing leadership or creation of a political
group or party f its own.
BLIGHT SPOTS IN OREGON.
The boom of activity in Oregon is
due to railroad and other develop
ment; and it shows up marvelously, in
spite of the hindrances of Pinchot
conservation. Bear in mind that there
is no boomin the Government reser
vations, which constitute nearly one
third the area of the state.
Nor is there boom of activity in any
of the lands of the West that have
been Federalized as great reservations.
A total X 875,000 square miles is thus
"conserved." And poor Alaska, which
has scarcely any activities to make up
for this public-land blight, is in sore
distress, as Governor Clark and com
mercial bodies of the territory have
sought to point out to Congress.
If Oregon had nothing to depend on
for its prosperity save Pinchotism and
conservation and land withdrawals, it
would now have no boom and but a
handful of population. Railroads
would go elsewhere, just as thousands
of citizens are doing who go to" Can
ada. In the past year 100,000 best Amer
icans have sought cheap land in Can
ada and taken with them $100,000,000.
So great has the exodus become that
officials of the Departments of Agri
culture and Commerce and Labor per
ceive the need of some corrective. The
Administration has already caused
4,000,000 acres of lands withdrawn to
be restored to entry. Yet there re
main 240,000,000 acres in reservations
of various sorts, or one-eighth the area
of the Nation. Were the agricultural
lands of the Far West relieved from
Pinchotism, Americans would not be
hastening to Canada. Could they ob
tain land from the Government at
J 2.50 an acre, as the laws say they
may, a great expanse of now-reserved
land in Oregon and other states would
be contributing to the boom of activ
ity. More than the equivalent areas of
Washington, Oregon and California
combined are locked up by "conserva
tion" in the West. Officials in the Na
tional capital need not marvel at the
migration to Canada. Heads of the
Hill and Harriman railroads in Ore
gon know that only part of the land
in Oregon is contributing to activity
in this commonwealth. The one-third
that is locked up is doing nothing.
PORTLAND 8TTTJ, LEADS.
Portland led all Pacific Coast cities
in percentage of gain in bank clear
ings last week, the total of more than
$10,000,000 showing a gain of 26.7
per cent over the corresponding week
last year. Los Angeles was next on
the list, with a gain of 20.5 per cent,
and San Francisco developed a gain
of 14.7 per cent. Seattle showed a de
crease of 6.7 per cent, this being the
first decrease noted in the Puget
Sound city for many months. Not
only do the figures indicate that Port
land is the best city on the Pacific
Coast, but .of all American cities show
ing clearings in excess of J10, 000,000
last week, only three others, Atlanta,
Galveston and St. Paul, exceeded Port
land in percentage of gain. Other
unmistakable evidence of the prosper
ity of the city was reflected in the
real estate transfers and building per
mits for the week. Including a large
number ' of dollar transactions, in
which the actual value ran into the
thousands, the total real estate trans
fers for the week were $755,059, with
building permits well in excess of
$400,000.
It will hardly fail to be noted that
this remarkable showing in bank
clearings, building permits and real
estate transfers has been made in a
period that is usually known as "be
tween seasons." Some money is com
ing" in for wool, and a little for live
stock; but our great resources o
grain, fruit, fish, hops and other, sta
ples, which run the value of our har
vests far up in the million.::, are not
now contributing as they will a few
months later. The millions that are
now going into real estate and build-
ings are largely new capital that has
but recently been brought Into the
state. It has found in Portland and
Portland territory exceptional oppor
tunities for investment and develop
ment and the maximum of this strong
upward movement in all industrial
lines will not be reached so long as
there remain so many opportunities
for capital and labor.
Later in the season, this money,
now being invested in farms, timber
and fruit lands, will be reinforced by
the returns from what now promises
to be one of the largest grain crops
ever produced in the Pacific North
west. Fish are running well, the out
look for hops is favorable, livestock is
still commanding record prices, the
whole world is hungry for Oregon
fruit, and, if there are any clouds in
the industrial sky which canopies Or
egon, they have not yet assumed size
that renders them visible to the
naked eye.
THB REAL PINCHOTISM.
A man named Kerby, a stenogra
pher in the office, of the Secretary of
the Interior, has made public a state
ment to the effect that a memorandum
prepared by Assistant Attorney-General
Lawler, wltlr the aid of Secretary
Ballinger, was used by the President
as the real foundation for the letter of
the President last Fall exonerating Mr.
Ballinger from the various t charges
made against him in connection with
the Cunningham coal cases and other
matters. The muckrakers and yellow
newspapers are greatly excited thereat.
They profess to think they have un
earthed a great conspiracy of some
kind between the President, Ballinger
and others. To do what? Nobody
knows. .
Now suppose the President had bod
ily adopted th,e Lawler memorandum
and issued it as his own document or
utterance? What then? It is a con
stant practice in the departments for
subordinates to prepare letters' and
documents for consideration of their
superiors, and. for use by them of such
materials, in whole or in part, as they
may see fit. The materials of every
message of every President are pre
pared by a multitude of hands. But It
is shown that the Taft letter of 3500
words included less than 200 words of
the Lawler document of 8000. Taft
went over the wholo Bubject carefully,
himself, and wrote his exoneration of
Ballinger; who, in fact, has not vio
lated the law in any particular, but is
accused merely of unfriendliness to
Pinchot's system of alleged conser
vation. The investigation started with
the charge that Ballinger had violated
the law, but no evidence whatever has
been presented, to sustain it.
The significant feature of this whole
miserable affair is the action of Kerby,
who occupied a confidential relation
to Ballinger. Who procured Kerby
to betray Ballinger? Why? What
was the inducement? What the mo
tive? It is incredible that so gross
and inexcusable a violation of his plain
trust could have been inspired by any
ordinary consideration. Kerbys silly
talk about his "duty to the people" be
ing greater than his "duty to Ballin
ger" will justify him with no one. He
is a snivelling scoundrel who played
the spy on Ballinger and now acts the
traitor in endeavoring to stir up a
nasty mess over nothing at all. Kerby
says he expects to be dismissed, but
"that he has promises that he "will be
taken care of." Now let us see who Is
bold enough to care for so craven a
rascal.
Here is Pinchotism in its real guise.
Its so-called motive is to "protect" the
people and "save the public domain."
Its actual method has been to steal
private letters, bribe trusted clerks,
sell confidential information to muck
raking magazines, and conduct a cam
. paign on law-abiding puhlic, officers
that for malignity and ferocity has
rarely been equaled anywhere.
AS TO MUNICIPAL DOCKS.
None of the big shipping interests
in Portland needs public docks. Saw
mills have their own wharves and do
their own shipping; so do flour mills,
exporting firms, railroads and river
boat companies except one, however,
whose representatives have besought
the Council and the Mayor to burden
taxpayers of Portland with a dock
project whose cost will be millions of
dollars, and whose best achievement
will be a landing place for the steam
boat J. N. Teal.
If it were necessary for Portland to
make itself a great port by such arti
ficial means, ti.en expenditure for it
would be proper and justifiable. But
natural advantages that have made
this city the "chief port of the North
Pacific are present without prodigious
public expenditure of money to make
them. Instead, Portland's work has
been that of improving the river with
channels and with pilotage and tow
age. For this end, the city has taxed
Itself with satisfactory results. And It
will spend much more money in this
direction. Public docks, however,
would take money from other neces
sary improvements; they would add
heavily to public debt and taxation;
and moreover, they are not needed by
the big firms that do the shipping of
this port. Further, wharfage charges
here are not excessive, never have
been, and there is no monopoly of
shipping facilities. Mr. James J. Hlir,
on Ihls recent visit to this city, said
that Portland's greatest need is larger
terminal facilities. This is true. And
the railroads centering here have set
themselves to create the terminal fa
cilities that they must have to carry
on their business, present and future.
No cause for undue excitement
about this matter, nor tor ranting by
the newspaper organ of persons who
own dock sites and might consent to
sell them to the . city. That same
newspaper is organ of the steamboat
company that thinks its own need of
docks is the city's; also organ of the
clay-pipe and plumbing trust, which
desires to ship sewer-pipe up and
down river. But these considerations
really do not warrant the public's go
ing heavily into debt for public docks.
The city and its people will first look
after their own interests.
If this city needed to create an arti
ficial harbor, then It could reasonably
launch itself upon a mammoth debt
project. But it will probably never
have to do this, owing to its superior
natural advantages. Were it situated
like the port annex of Los Angeles, or
Genoa, or the i.orthern ports of
France, perhaps it would be impelled
to do something big. Its chief con
cern is that of open river seaward and
inland. For .this it has spent money
moderately and at the same time lib
erally, and will continue so to do. In
the immediate -iver frontage of the.
city, dredging is the greatest improve
ment needed. With the river scooped
out there will be no lack of wharfage
facilities.
Some persons talk as if ocean ves
sels) had not been coming to Portland
and unloading and receiving cargo for
the last sixty years.
But for the agitation for municipal
docks and the threat of destroying
their property, private owners long
ago would . have constructed larger
and better docks than the city now
has. and would do it now, immediate
ly, if the menace were removed.
All the important shipping firms
and houses of the city have docks or
wharves of their own, and can handle
freight at less cost than the city could
do it for them. ,
But if the city should go Into the
business it would desire and expect to
monopolize it; which it might do by
making the rates low enough and
charging the deficit up to those who
pay the taxes. 1
The Astoria Chamber of Commerce
has taken up with the delegation at
Washington the matter of making
Astoria a "port of call" for foreign
ships coming into the river for orders
or "seeking" charters not yet ef
fected. It is proposed to exempt these
vessels from all tonnage dues, provid
ing they depart for a foreign port
without taking cargo. It is "believed
that the passage of a law extending
such favors to foreign vessels which
come to the Coast without orders
would divert to the Columbia River
'many vessels which no.w go to Royal
Roads, B. C, where they are not
obliged to pay tonnage or other dues.
The change suggested has merit. If
it should be made, a further induce
ment to attract this stray tonnage to
the Columbia River might be made by
reducing the towage and pilotage rates
on vessels of this class, which will not
come here with a free port like Royal
Roads so near at hand.
The United States, which for the
past six months has been trailing
along behind the rest of the world
with weekly wheat shipments of from
1,500,000 bushels to 2,000,000 bushels,
has suddenly discovered that the
wheat bins are not all empty. Last
week the shipments from this country
were more than 2,900,000 bushels, ex
ceeding by more than 500,000 bushels
the combined shipments of Australia,
the Argentine, India and the Danube.
A great many of the American far
mers who would not sell wheat at the
high" prices which -proved so attrac
tive to the growers of other countries,
are now apparently satisfied with
from 20 to SO cents per bushel less
than they could have secured when
the wheat was ready for market last
Fall.
Irrigation and timber have worked
wonders in the State of Washington.
North Takima has advanced from a
city of about 3000 people ten years
ago to 15,000 population, and Ho
quiam, down in the heart of the coun
try where the song of the band-saw
is never stilled, is also, expecting to
reach the 15,000 mark. Portland
knows the value of Hoquiam's trade.
Perhaps we should urge the comple
tion of that Northern Pacific cut-off
from "Vancouver into the Takima
country.
Hoquiam, Olympla and Tacoma
have all held riotous Jollification
meetings in appreciation of the large
number of people whom the census
man Is supposed to have counted. As
yet the only big noise that has been
heard from Seattle is the howl of pro
test because the census man failed to
enumerate as many people as Seattle
thought she had.
We have great respect for those
Labor Federation resolutions on taxa
tion, says the State Grange, but, oh!
you single tax. The scheme of mak
ing the land assume all the burdens of
taxation doesn't make a hit with your
farmer. Single (land) tax, however,
continues to make great progress
among citizens who own no lan A.
One shudders to think what might
have happened to that unfortunate
woman bitten by a rattlesnake, whom
Mr. Hill heroically carried on to Lake
view, if Lake had been a dry county.
Or is it? Well, Mr. Hill isn't a dry
county.
It is clear now that there will also
be a Hill road from east to west
through Central Oregon, as well as
north and south. Central Oregon em
braces nearly everything that is now
left out of doors.
The Polk County Itemizer is to be
run this week by church' people "as
Christ would edit it." Next week it
will resume business at the old stand,
as Editor Fiske always runs it. There's
a difference.
You may have tried to find his name
in that list of Western Senators called
to the White House to confer with the
President, but it wasn't there. Have
the palmy days of golf gone glimmer
ing? Some say the Hyde jury stands eisht
for conviction and others say only one
for conviction. Guessing on how a
Jury stands before the verdict is
mighty uncertain business.
Father Vandever, of Walla Walla,
permits himself to get a good deal
stirred up over the Whitman myth.
Whitman didn't save Oregon, he says.
Right. It was Jim Hill.
A New York man has married the
mother of hi3 father's wife. By, and
by the problem will be as to who will
mind the bahy when the young folks
spend an evening out.
Kings and comets come and go, but
Victoria "of Spain pursues the even
tenor of her way. They are again
overhauling the baby clothes in the
palace.
V
The chief forecaster of the Weather
Bureau has gone where the tempera
ture makes no trouble and the ane
mometer is at rest. He is dead.
Only two more days till May 18, and
yet, sad t- say, there are millions of
people who have not seen the comet.
And won't.
There is a new Irish orator in Par
liament whom "even Orangemen ad
mire." That is blarney, pure and sim
ple. Creswell, which is In the newest or
chard regiorf, postponed its clean-up
day to May 20. to let the comet get by.
This is hardly seasonal weather, but
it is good for roses Just now and a
few weeks later.
BHGLAND' OTHER GEORGES.
Famous Satirist Famished pen portrait
. of Thtm Loic Aaro.
From W. M. Thackeray's Contribution
' to. Punch.
As the statues of these beloved mon
arch s are to be put up in the Parliament
Palace, we have been favored by a
young lady (connected with the court)
with the copies of the inscriptions
which are to be engraven under the
Images of those Stars of Brunswick.
GEORGE THE FIRST STAR OF1
BRUNSWICK.
He preferred Hanover to England;
He preferred two hideous Mistresses
To a beautiful and innocent Wife.
He hated Arts and despised Literature;
Hut be liked traln-oll in his salads,'
And gave an enlightened patronage to
bad oysters.
And he had Walpole as a Minister
Consistent in his Preference for every
kind of Corruption.
GEORGE II.
In most things I did as my father had
done,
I was false to my wife and I hated
my son.
My spending was small and my avarice
much;
My kingdom was English, my heart
was High Dutch.
At Dettingen fight I was known not to
blench,
I butchered the Scotch and I bearded
the French.
I neither had morals, nor manners,
nor wit;
I wasn't much missed when I died in
a fit.
Here set up my statue, and make it
complete
With Pitt pa his knees at my dirty old
feet.
GEORGE III.
Give me a royal niche, it is my due.
The virttiousest King the realm e'er
knew.
I, through a decent, reputable life,
Was constant to plain food and a plain
wife.
Ireland I risked and lost America;
But dined on legs of mutton every day.
My brain,' perhaps, might be a feeble
part;
But yet I think I had an English heart.
When all the Kings were prostrate, I
alone
Stood face to face against Napoleon;
Nor ever could the ruthless Frenchman
forge
A fetter for Old England and Old
George.
I let loose flaming Nelson on his fleets;
I met his troops with Wellesley's bayo
nets. ,
Triumphant waved my flag on land
and sea
Where was the King in Europe like
to me?
Monarchs exiled found shelter on my
shores;
My bounty rescued Kings and Era-
perors.
But what boots victory by land or sea?
What boots that Kings found refuge
- at my knee?
I was conqueror, but yet not proud;
And careless even though Napoleon
bow'd.
The rescued Kings came to kiss my
garment's hem;
The rescued Kings, I never heeded
them. v
My guns roared triumph, but I never
heard
All England thrilled with joy, I never
stirred.
What care had I of pomp, or fame, or
. power
A crazy old blind man in Windsor
Tower?
GEORGES ULTTMUS.
He left an example for age and for
youth
To avoid.
He never acted well by Man or Woman,
And was as false to his Mistress as to
his Wife.
He deserted his Friends and his Prin
dries.
He was so Ignorant that he could
scarcely Spell;
But he had some Skill in Cutting out
Coats,
And an undeniable taste for Cookery.
He built the Palaces of Brighton and
of Buckingham;
And for these Qualities and Proofs of
Genius
An admiring Aristocracy
Christened him the ."First Gentleman
in Europe."
Friends, respect the King whose statue
is here.
And the generous Aristocracy who ad
mired him.
What They Say,
Detroit News.
(When a new family moved into the
flat across the hall.) ,
"I don't know who they- are, but
they have some mighty pretty furni
ture." "I think I'll just run across and ask
if there's anything I can do for them;
they seem like nice, quiet people."
"That's a mighty good-looking girl
that I just saw going in there; I'll have
to get next."
"I hope that baby isn't one of the
kind that squalls all night."
"He seems to be pretty well oft, and
he never goes to work until almost 9
o'clock; I wonder what he does?" '
"I hear that she entertains a good
deal; I'll have to call as soon as they're
nicely settled." ,
"I hope their girl and ours won't
get so chummy right away as the one
with the last, family did."
Balllmser'a Promised Clean-L'p.
Yakima Republic.
Mr. Ballinger frankly says that if he
stays at the head of the Interior De
partment he will have loyal men in
charge of the work it does. This is
taken to mean that the Secretary in
tends to dismiss Major Newell and
Chief Engineer Davis at his earliest
convenience. The people of the West
who have had an opportunity to ob
serve the manner In which the Gov
ernment irrigation work has been han
dled will express few regrets when
these gentlemen step down and out.
Their services seem to be far from in
dispensable. The interests of the
West, of course, demand loyalty to the
head of the department, on the part of
those in charge of the work. They also
demand a breadth of business judgment
which these gentlemen have not dis
played up to this time.
Willie Knew Belter.
Puck.
School Trustee Remember, children.
Michelangelo often worked for montrjs
on a single curve.
Willie Watcher glvinus? Never
heard of the bush leaguer!
Her Explanation.
Harper's Bazar.
Howard Bridget, did my wife come
in a few minutes ago?
Bridget No. sir. That's the parrot
you heard a-hollerln, .
Pinchotism a Reversion to Feudal Days
Attempted Revival of Old Method of Leaslnir Public Land. Which Wnm m
Prerogative of Royalty This Government Lobe Aro Discarded It.
PORTLAND. May It. (To the Editor.)
I presume The Oregonian will welcome
any reasonable contribution to the general
discussion of so-called conservation of our
natural resources, for brevity called Pin
chotism. I
As I understand it. Mr. Pinchot and his
followers contend that the Government
should retain the title to the mineral and
forest lands and water-power sites on the
public domain, and lease the same to its
citizens, charging a stated royalty or rent,
or an annual tax for the use of the prop
erty. This is what is really meant by
Pinchotism. This true meaning of Pin
chotism is constantly confused with that
universal idea of conservation which all
men approve ; the preservation, guarding
and protection of our natural resources
This will and can be done as effectively
in the hands of private persons as in the
hands of the Government. Pinchotism ia
a reversion to what is known as the re
galian system, winch prevails more or
less In the Old World governments; or, in
other words, a survival of a portion of the
old feudal system and the doctrine of
royal mines. In the former case, there
was a duty- or service due the lord by
custom, and often this pay or royalty was
delivered in kind. In the latter case, the
mines belonged to the crown, by" virtue of
its prerogative, although in lands of sub
jects. The King demanded the payment
of certain royalties.
Whether or not any particular govern
mental policy should be imposed upon a
people at any particular time, is to be
determined by the effect such policy will
have upon the people and material devel
opment of the common country. Govern,
mental policies are like laws they are
the result or product of years of social
growth or progress. Our laws and gov
ernmental policies have been developing
all through the years, since the founda
tion of our Government. It is known by
every student of history, that a people
emigrating to a new from an old country
carry with them the laws of the mother
country, and adopt them in so far as they
are adaptable to the wants and needs of
the new country. This Is our history. Our
forefathers, being largely of English ex
traction, planted in this country the Eng
lish common law in so far as it was
adaptable to the conditions and environ
ment of the new country.
It is not strange, therefore, that our
early statesmen should have attempted to
plant in this country some of the Old
World's governmental policies. It so hap
pened that In legislating Concerning the
natural resources, the same thing was at
tempted and partly executed, that is be
ing advocated by those under the name of
Pinchotism. March 3, 1807, Congress passed
a law reserving for future disposal of the
United States all lead mines in th,e North
west Territory and authorizing the Presi
dent to lease out such mines for a term
not exceeding five years. This legislation
Inaugurated the policy of the Government
leasing its mineral lands.
It was not until 1822 that the Govern
ment availed itself of this law, and then
confined the leasing to lead and what is
known as the base metals, gold, silver
and coal not being of sufficient impor
tance to be noticed. An inroad upon this
policy was first made when Congress in
1S29 authorized the sale of the lead mines
in Missouri; and again in 1846 and 1847
Congress authorized the sale of the cop
per, lead and iron 'lands, in what are now
the States of Michigan, Wisconsin, Minne
sota, Iowa. Illinois and Missouri. But
mineral lands on the public domain, else
where, were still reserved from sale; and
the regallan theory or leasing system was
still the policy of the Government. Upon
this policy. President Polk in his first
Message to Congress, December 2, 1845,
had this to say:
The present system of managing the min
eral lands or the United States Is believed
to be radically defective. More than a mil
lion acres of the public lands, supposed to
contain lead and other minerals, have been
reserved from sale, and numerous lease oa
them have been granted to individuals' upon
a stipulated rent. The system of granting
leases has proved to be not only unprofitable
to the Government, but unsatisfactory to the
cltlsens who have gone upon the lands, and
ONE U'REMC FAD EXPLODED.
One-Man Government la Too Much for
Dear People of Oregon.
Eugene Register.
U'Ren, the Oregon lawgiver, seems
to have found it necessary to "back
up" on his proposed initiative measure,
to have been submitted to the people
at the November election, making the
Governor of the state a sort of king
and all-powerful in handing out state
offices to his friends and favorites.
thus taking away from the people their
right to rule. A law that would give
to the Governor the power to appoint
the Secretary of State, State Treasurer
ana an otner state officers, as well as
County Attorneys and County Sheriffs,
would ue the greatest abuse of power
a republican form of government could
have It is remarkable that U'Ren,
whose hue and cry has been for popu
lar government, should thus face about
in an effort to give this state a cen
tralized government on a par with
me most centralized form known to
the Old World and its monarchs.
If one man is to rule the state, where
does the people's rule come in? Of
what good is the direct pri:.iary and
Statement No7 1? If the voice of the
people is the voice of God, what right
has Mr. U'Ren to attempt absolute re
versal of 'his doctrine, which, hereto
fore, he has preached with such ve
hemence and with some success by set
ting up one man in the state as God
and the people?
The question recurs at this time,
when will we have done with U'Renlsm
and its attendant fallacies in the state
of Oregon? Certainly not until the
people, and not one man, and that one
a faddist, undertake to run our state
affairs.
The Comet of 18S2.
PORTLAND, May 14. (To the Editor.)
Now that we are hearing and read
ing so much about Halley's,and other
comets, I would like to know and per
haps it would interest others to be in
formed what comet, appeared about
1882 or 18S3 and whether it will re
appear. I was living at that time in
Pennsylvania and recollect that it ap
peared about September or October in
the north and was very brilliant.
G. C. K.
Probably this was Blela, whose per
ihelion passage is recorded as of Sep
tember 23, 1882. It appears every six
and a half years.
Mr. UHen'a "Back-Up."
Gervals Star.
Two new bills proposed by the Peo
ple's Power League, or as they are
better known, U'Ren's measures, are
virtually dead. They were presented
to the people, through pamphlets, who
had raised such a protest against their
adoption that it endangered the bal
ance of - the measures considered val
uable by the league that they were
dropped. One was" the "State Cabinet"
idea and the other was the "County
Commission" plan, all vicious legisla
tion. No one regrets their demise save
the author, and he Is becoming hard
ened over the "death loss of his meas
ures." Covert Threat.
Washington Herald.
The Pullman Company calls attention
to the fact that "It has not raised its
rates In 20 years." Is that a threat?
must. If continued, lay the foundation of
much future difficulty between the Govern
ment and the lessees. According to the of
ficial records, the amount of rents received
by the Government for the years 1841. 1S12.
1&43 and 144, was S.:i."4.74, while the ex
penses of the system during the same pe
riod, including salaries of the superintend
ents, agents, clerks and incidental expenses,
were $24,111.11. the Income being less than
one-fourtn of the expense. To this pecuniary
loss may be added the Injury sustained by
the public in consequence of the destruction
of timber, and the careless and wasteful
manner of working the mines. The system
has given rise to much litigation between
the United States and individual citizens,
producing agitation and excitement lu- the
mineral region, and Involving the Govern
ment in heavy additional expenditures. It
Is believed that similar losses and embar
rassments will continuo to occur while the
present system of leasing these lands re
mains unchanged.
President Fillmore. In his annual' mes
sage to Congress December 2, 1S43, re
ferred to the subject in the following
terms:
I also beg leave to call your attention to
the propriety of extending at an early day
our system of land laws, with such modifica
tions as may be necessary, over the State of
California and the territories of Utah and
Kew Mexico. The mlnerHl Innria nf 1 ' J I i f n r-
Pnla will, of course, form an exception to the
general system which may be adopted, vari
ous methods of disposing of them have been
suggested. I was at first inclined to favor
the syst-un of leasing, as it seemed to prom
ise thq largest revenue to the Government,
and to afford the best security against mo
nopolists ; but further reflection and our ex
perience In leasing the lead mines and sell
ing lands upon credit, have brought my
mind to the conclusion that there would bo
great difficulty In collecting the rents, and
that the relation of debtor and creditor be
tween the citizens and the Government
would be attended with many mischievous
consequences. I therefore recommend that
Instead of retaining the mineral lands under
the permanent control of the Government,
they be divided into small parcels and sold,
under such restrictions as to quantity and
time as will Insure the beat price and gjar3
most effectually against combinations ol
capitalists to obtain monopolies.
Hon. Abram S. Hewitt, in an adIres3
before the American Institute of Mining
Engineers, quoting from Professor Whit
ney's work on metallic wealth of the Uni
ted States, has the following to say upon
the practical operation of this y?asing
system :
No leases were issued under the law until
1822. and but a small quantity of lead was
raised previous to li25. lirom which time
the production began to Increase rapidly.
For a few years, the rents were paid with
tolerable regularity, but after 1834. In con
sequence of the immense number of illegal
entries of mineral land with the Wisconsin
land ofTice. the smelters and miners refused
to make any further payments, and ta
Government was entirely unable to collect
them. After much trouble and expense. It
was. In 1847, finally concluded that the only
way was to sell the mineral land and do
away with all reserves of lead or any other
metal, since they had only been a source
of embarrassment to the department. Mean
while by a forced construction afterward
declared invalid) of the same act. hundreds
of leases were granted to speculators in the
Lake Superior copper region, which was
from 1843 to 184rt the scene of wild and
baseless excitement. The bubble burst dur
ing the latter year: the issue of permits and
leases were suspended as illegal and the act
of 1-S47, authorizing the sale of the mineral
lands and the geological survey of the dis
trict, laid the foundation of a more substan
tial prosperity.
.
It was not until July 26, 1SW, that Con
gress passed a law, general in its scope,
empowering citizens to gain complete title
to mineral land and establishing the prin.
ciple that all the mineral lands of the
public domain should be free and open to
exploration and occupation. This regalian
and leasing system, this idea that the
Government should retain the title to its
mineral lands, prevailed in this country
for over 60 years, breeding litigation, ex
pense, trouble and dismay, until its com
plete overthrow by the act of Congress ol
July 26, 1S66.
After half a century of growth and ma
terial prosperity of our Nation, even be
yond the expectations .of the wildest en
thusiast, we are confronted by a horde
of office-seekers and their syinp-itbizera
seeking to inflict this country with a pol.
icy, tested, found wanting and repudiated
by this Government over GO years atro-
S. T. JEFFREYS.
OREGON" A LAW-MAKING CI RIO.
New York: Newspaper Asks How Long
People's Patience Will Last.
New York Tribune.
Is there no limit to the patience ami
industry of the Oregon voter? At the
last election he had to pass upon a
score of legislative proposals after di
gesting a book as big as a "best seller"
setting forth their merits and demerits.
That was only an appetizer, so to speak.
This year he. will have about 30 pro
posals before him.
The Oregon people are only just
learning to use the initiative, and there
appears to be a. tendency in every
group or locality which has ' soma
project at heart that would be hopeless
before the Legislature to submit it to
the whole people of the state. Normal
schools are initiating bills to revive
themselves in three different towns.
Five new counties are trying to carve
themselves out of existing counties.
There is an employers' liability meas
ure urged by the labor unions to b
submitted to the people; also a meas
ure creating "people's -inspectors."
whatever they may be; another for the
payment of expenses of delegates to
the National conventions by the tax
payers, and another providing for the
selection of such delegates and of
Presidential electors at direct primaries.
We take our hat off to the popular leg
islators of Oregon. If they keep up
their Interest they will soon vote on
election day upon as many bills as
come before a Legislature in a session,
and the voters: guide on legislative!
proposals will be as big-as an una
bridged dictionary.
Roosevelt Rebuked.
Cathlamet Sun.
Colonel Roosevelt says: "Timid good
men are of little use in this world."
Softly, Teddy, softly. If they were all
fire-eaters like yourself they would
soon have this country In a turmoil
and confusion from which it would
find it difficult to extract itself. Timid
good men do not seek trouble but thc-y
are much benefit to the country and
often check the over zealous reformers
who, if unrestrained, would create
havoc with organized institutions, it
is a good thing for the country tiiat a
large portion of its citizens are "timid"
good men rather than "rash" souls
who "rush in where angels fear to
tread."
Such "Excellent Milk.
Once a Week.
A simple-hearted and truly devout
country preacher, who had tasted but
few of the drinks of the world, took
dinner with a high-toned family, where
a glass of milk punch was quietly set
down by each plate. In silence and
happiness this new Vicar of Wake
field quaffed his goblet and added:
"Madam, you should daily thank God
for such a good cow." .
A Impressive Spectacle.
New Tork World.
Who on ImnroaGlvd ..--.-... 1 . .' . .
' t ... ....... . ... . . .. ...... ial i i ill lit- l
have been when Theodore f Roosevelt
stood before the tomb .of William the
Silent.
Hallowed Ground.
Atlanta Constitution.
Pilgrims will soon be on the way to
Napoleon's tomb to view the bpot where
Roosevelt was silent lor throo minutes
by the town clock.