io
THE MORNING- OREGOXIAN, FRIDAY, .JUNE 24, 1910.
Shxjptriim
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fORTLAM), FRIDAY, JUNE 24. 1910.
EMFLOYER8' LIABILITY.
A drastic bill has been filed with
the Oregon Secretary of State by
agents of labor unions for enactment
under the initiative. It is called by
them the "Employers' Liability Law."
This bill has been prepared by, and
for the benefit of, a "special interest"
that of employes. Owners of prop
erty, whom the bill makes liable for
Injuries suffered by workers on their
, land or from their machinery and
employers and contractors had no part
In the preparation of this measure.
There was no adjustment nor con
cession of conflicting Interests in the
Iraming'of the bill.
Farmers will do well to scan this bill
Bharply, for it concerns them, vitally.
A farmer who lets a contract, for
building a barn or a house will be
liable for injuries received by. the em
ploye of any contractor or sub-contractor;
likewise the owner of land in
cities, who builds any kind of struc
ture. The farmer who runs or lets
out a mower or a thresher will find his
machine and himself held liable for
injuries suffered by an operator, no
matter in whose employ. In case of
deatJV of the worker, his heirs "shall
have a right of action without any
limit as to the amount of damages
which may be awarded." Further,
"the contributory negligence of the
i person injured shall not be a defense,
but may be taken into account by the
jury in fixing the amount, of the
damage."
. The liability for personal injuries.
Imposed "not only upon employers and
contractors, but .also upon owners of
land and machinery, are of the most
extensive and radical sort. The bill
would, create a risk which many
owners of land and capital would re
fuse to assume, and the result would
be serious impairment of building and
Investment. It would create a large
business for liability' insurance com
panies, and therefore a new burden
for owners of land and machinery to
bear; but employes ought to know that
liability insurance does injured work
ers little' good. Last yecr, in this
States employers paid twice as much
in insurance premiums a3' the insur
ance companies paid out in indemni
ties and the injured workers received
Only a small part of the indemnities. .
, There is large measure of justice
on the side of employes in their con
tention that they and their families
should be better protected in' case of
personal injuries incapacitating them
for work. But this Is a very compli
cated subject. It should be adjusted
after hearing various sides of the con
troversy and this adjustment should
be made properly by the Legislature.
A bill framed by 'one party to the
controversy Is certain to be one-sided,
just as this measure is. This is no
proper subject for "direct legislation,"
because by such a system it is impos
sible to adjust and compromise, in the
Interest of substantial Justice. This
matter exposes, perhaps better than
any other could, the fallacy of initia
tive legislation. The sponsors of the
bill may- not know it, but they are
doing their utmost to bring the initia
tive into disrepute.
The mass of the body politic desire
to treat all sides of this controversy
Justly. But they have no opportunity
to. do bo when voting on this measure.
They. cannot amend, or modify provi
sions ofthe'bill as lawmakers must do
in -.order to enact proper legislation.
In- the circumstances, they will -feel
obliged to refer . the question to the
Legislature. Yet It is to be borne in
mind that that is just where the pro
moters of this measure do not wish It
to go.
Legislation should be beyond the
reach of any special interest, whether
the interest be of rich men or poor,
employers or employes. This is. a
truism familiar to everybody. And it
has. particular application In the mat
ter of this Employers' Liability bill.
AN ELEMENT OF BADNESS.
The occasion of the pioneers' re
union has again come and gone. Every
effort was made, as upon many former
occasions, to render the coming and
the brief stay of the venerable men
and women a pleasant and even a Joy
ful occasion. Yet this meeting and
greeting and parting contain an ele
ment of sadness inseparable from an
event that is based upon, the passing
of the years. Veneration is due and
Is freely given to the aged man, lean
ing heavily upon his staff, and to the
woman bowed with years and toll,
looking with mute appeal of helpless
ness about her, but there is some
thing inexpressibly sad in the spec
tacle of a large gathering of these
people. Their gaiety, bravely mar
shaled for the occasion, is in a sense
pathetic, since it but feebly reflects
the glow of youth and is wholly with
out its spontaneity. -'
Who. Indeed, can look upon a gray
bearded host like unto that which
sat down to the banquet abvthe Armory
last Wednesday without a feeling of
sadness? And who, viewing such a
scene, even when crowned with
flowers, brightened by the love and
service of youth, can fail to appreciate
the truth of Longfellow's estimate:
Whatever poet, orator or sare 1
May say of it old ape Is still old age
It la the waning, not the crescent moon
The flash of lightning; not the blase of noon.
This feeling, aside, however, it is
good to see the old men who are' able,
even by the help of a staff, or of some
younger arm, to come up to the an
nual feast; good also to see the aged
women with hearts still young enough
to cause them to press forward in the
ranks with a determination to be first
at the table, even though unaided they
could not compass this purpose. Their
presence here year after year, and the
effort that it Implies, tell of the un
conquerable spirit within them that
still holds to the belief that life was
given for a purpose, and that to make
the most of it Js a duty and a privilege
that will cease only when the lease
which the individual holds expires.
A NEAT BUNCO GAME.
Oregon is tricked out of millions of
dollars of irrigation money in the
$20,000,000 bill Just passed by Con.
gress. Yet neither of Oregon's Sen
ators raised a protest when the bill
was finally under consideration in the
Senate.
The act repeals section 9 of the
Reclamation law, which required ex
penditure of at least half each State's
contribution to the fund, within that
State. Oregon is entitled to $2,000,000
more for irrigation works in its bor
ders than It has received. According
to plans of chiefs of the Reclamation
service, the sums owing Oregon under
the reclamation law would run up to
many millions within the next few
years. Oregon has added a larger
total to the reclamation fund than any
other State except North Dakota, and
will continue to be, together with that
state, the most abundant source of rev
enue for that fund. Yet eight states, out
of the seventeen wherein projects are
located, have received more money for
Irrigation works than Oregon, and
seven will continue to have preference
over this state. The states thus fa
vored at Oregon's expense are Colo
rado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Teas,
Washington and Wyoming. Chief of
them Is Idaho, and Idaho gets more
from the fund than any other state. Its
Senators, Borah and Heyburn, were
very active In pressing the bill.
. The Senators from all these States
were "red hot" in favor of the
$20,000,000 bill and the amendment
repealing section 9 of the Reclama
tion law. Their States benefit immense
ly from maney derived from Oregon
and will continue eo to do. This money
should be turned back to Oregon; this
State needs Irrigation more than any
other, yet is scantily recognized. Yet
Oregon's two Senators raised not one
word in its behalf. They allowed the
repeal of section 9 to go through
without a fight. This repeal validates
the unlawful schemes of reclamation
chiefs at Oregon's expense. It 13 what
they have been looking for. . Bourne
and Chamberlain, Oregon's spineless
Senators, were dumb and motionless
when the "bunco game" was put
through.
Citizens of this State may well ask
each other why the voice of their
State is so faint and its influence so
feeble in the National capital that it
must submit passively to such out
rage. THE NEW PEERS OF DOIXARS.
Postal Savings banks will be the
strongest of all antidotes against fool
citizenship and crazy statesmanship.
Ills of free silver, fiat green backism,
depreciated currency, unstable credit
and Government extravagance will be
largely checked. Men and women
who lodge their savings in the Gov
ernment's banks will desire to get them
out again as whole as they put them in.
They will not desire 6 0-cent dollars
nor will .they be so ready to hearken
to apostles, like Bryan, of credit and
currency buncombe.
Howlers of the flat money sort,
whose sentimental and inane theories
ten and fifteen years ago made them
fiery critics of sound money sordid
ness, will find themselves regenerated
by the Postal bank system. They will
grow also "sordid.'.' Their own ma
terial welfare will be more important
to them than the theoretical vagaries
with which they shook the foundations
of their Government In "cheap money"
days. r.
When a rabid disturber becomes a
partner In an enterprise, his conserva
tism grows apace. It is to be expected
that when citizens of the hitherto fire
eating variety become creditors of the
Government to the extent of several
hundred dollars (if they can save that
much), they will be extremely anxious
to promote the stability and the per
manance of the Government. Any
scheme of reform or change or extrav
agance that would menace the Govern
ment's ability to pay back in dollars
of as full value as those which they
deposited in the bank, 'will be coldly
received by the new partners in Na
tional prosperity, Governmental stabil
ity and "sordid" capitalism.
The postal savings system will raise
to the peerage of American dollars a
lot of patriots who have been howliig
these many years against sound dollars
and money-lending capitalism. It
will make tens of thousands of such
patriots creditors and money-lenders.
New peers of England always grow so
rapidly in conservatism that they are
entirely transformed. So also will it
be with the new peers of America.
RAILROAD BILL'S LIMITATIONS.
Senator Borah expresses the opinion
that the long-and-short-haul provision
of the new railroad bill will not stand
the test of the courts on the point of
copstitutionality. He insists that this
clause "confers upon the Commission.
a. power which we have not the power
to confer" the legislative power. It
prescribes no rule by which the Com
mission is to be guided in the dis
charge of its duty,vand it is too well
settled that such as rule must be pre
scribed; that the law must be enacted
by the Legislature, and that the only
thing which the Commission can do is
to carry Into effect the law as It is
written." , ... .
Fears of the Idaho Senator are prob
ably well founded. 'It should be re
membered, however, even' by the parti
sans of the long-and-short-haul clause,
that they were repeatedly informed
that it was beyond the range of pos
sibilities to frame a law-that would
stand the test of the courts without
recognizing the necessity, . in certain
circumstances, of making a lower rate
for the long haul than for the short
haul.
. The objectionable clause on which
the constitutionality Is questioned gives
the Commission power to authorize a
common carrier to charge less for the
longer than for the shorter distance
whenever the Commission can "ascer
tain that the circumstances and condi
tions of the longer haul are dissimilar
to the circumstances and conditions of
the shorter haul, whether they result
from competition by (water or rati."
Recognition of their own limitations
in attempting to enforce any hard-and-fast
law that would attempt to fix
inflexible rates ' ln all circumstances
and conditions has in the past deterred
the Commission fro assuming any
Jurisdiction over rates' that were sub
ject to water competition. Any at
tempt to interfere with those rates
which are based on conditions beyond
the control of the land lines must meet
with defeat, for the simple reason that
the ocean is a free highway on which,
carriers can charge any rate they see
fit to make. This necessitates that the
railroad meet the rates, or, failing to
do so, lose the business.
Had the Interstate Commerce Com
mission attempted to compel the rail
roads to maintain rates that would
prevent them from participating in
terminal business where rates are gov
erned 'Dy water transportation, the
courts would undoubtedly have given
them relief on application. Varying
conditions, in which density of traffic,
return freight for cars that would oth
erwise return empty, and water com
petition, make it impossible for any
commission or court to lay down an
equitable law or ruling by which a
"common carrier can always make a
lower rate for a short haul than for a
longer one. .
CENSURE WELL MERITED.
The Pullman Company . has been
checkmated in its purpose to secure a
further' postponement of the reduction'
in sleeping car rates. The Interstate
Commerce Commission sharply criti
cises the methods of the carriers- in
volved the Pullman Company .and
the Great Northern Railway -Company
in remaining quiescent as if accept
ing the order of the Commission until
within a few days of the . limit at
which the' reduced rates were to take
effect, and declines to grant an exten
sion of time, which would mean fur
ther indefinite lease of power-to col
lect rates for service that have been
found by the Commission, after ex
haustive investigation, to be extor
tionate. Pullman rates on. the very face of
the charges-are exorbitant. This has
been the verdict of the traveling pub
lic by no means niggardly In the
matter of personal expenditure for.
many years. As a corporation, the
Pullman Company is the most grasp
ing of all the monopolies that have
obtained a foothold in this country
during the transition period from old
to new methods of transportation. Its
niggardly policy toward its employes
has fostered the evil of "tipping"? until
it has reached proportions that are at
once burdensome and shameless. ."Its
part in making mendicants' and bribe
takers out of the servants whopper
form its more menial labors is far
reaching. It cannot be brought to
book toy the Interstate Commerce Com
mission too soon, either from the
standpoint of Justice or ethics.
A system that makes extortionists
out of its promoters and stockholders
and deliberate bribetakers out of its
servants cannot be too strongly cen
sured. Its method of procedure in
calling at the. eleventh hour for a re
hearing of its case before the commis
sion is, in the language of that body,
"not satisfactory and appears to be
without excuse." Hence the commis
sion "feels constrained to decline to
postpone further the effect date of
the orders Involving a reduction of
sleeping car rates."
THE DIFFERENCE.
Immigration has been our haunting
specter for years the immigration of
the unfit. Now our stalking ghost Is
emigration the passing of the fit
across our Northern border into
Canada. .
Over 500,000 American citizens have
joined this movement since 1897, tak
ing with them on a conservative esti
mate, $520,000,000 in gold. The move
ment is not caused by the superior
resources of Canada; certainly not by
its more genial climate. It lies in the
more hospitable attitude of the Can
adian government to the settler who
seeks to develop its resources.
- The difference is that between false
conservation and development.
SHALL THE BAR SELECT THE JUDGES?
In the call of the State Bar Associa
tion's committee for an assembly of
lawyers to nominate Supreme judges
there are .a number of statements
which can be accepted only with reser
vations. It abounds with that pecu
liar sort of reasoning which has made
the common man distrustful of our
legal luminaries when they profess to
be most disinterested. The following
paragraph is an example of what we
mean: "Lawyers do not transact their
own business before courts, but the
business of others, the business of the
citizens of the State whose personal
and property rights are committed to
their care. Therefore, an assembly of l
electors composed of. lawyers will
nominate a Supreme Court which will
guard the rights of citizens without
fear, favor or influence." This sounds
as innocent as the bleat of a lamb in
June, but. it will 'bear looking into a
little. The first sentence is one of
those -half truths . which sometimes
serve the ends of an astute lawyer
much better than it would to let out
the whole truth and nothing but the
truth. As a matter of fact, lawyers do
transact their own business before the
courts. .
Every case a lawyer tries is partly
the business of his client and partly
.his own. The fees involved are pre
eminently his business. So is the im
pression he makes upon the judge and
the public. He is never a disinterested
agent playing the part of an automa
ton, but his own private purposes are
inextricably mixed with his efforts to
win for his client. To say that law
yers, if they are permitted to name the
judges, will act wholly for the public
(welfare is to talk nonsense. They will
do nothing of the kind. What they
will do will be to select Judges who are
agreeable to the legal profession. A
judge who permits 6ults to linger eter
nally on technicalities will be preferred
to one who makes business move ex
peditiously. One who is ready to over
look the blunders and carelessness of
attorneys will be nominated rather
than one who makes them answer for
their' shortcomings.' The lawyers' as
sembly will name judges who are pop
ular with lawyers, not those who act
most promptly and fearlessly for the
public- welfare. The most valuable
judges now on the bench are those
who have gained the ill will of the
lawyers by urging the business of the
court forward to its conclusion. Such
men do indeed guard the rights and
interests of citizens,- but they never
could obtain a nomination from an as
sembly, of lawyers.
But, granting that the legal body
would be entirely disinterested in nam
ing Judges and would act from the
highest motives, it . does not by any
means follow, that they ought to be
allowed to do it. The public has fully
as much concern in the personality of
the Judges as the lawyers have, and It
is no more-than fair that they should
be permitted a voice in choosing them-.
In our day the courts have become, as
everybody admits the most important
branch of the Government. Mr. Louis
Hill said the other day to a great au
dience that the future of the country
depends upon the judges. If, then, we
permit the lawyers to name them, we
Jturn the future of the country over to
the legal profession, ito be made or
marred according to Jts preferences.
The people cannot be expected to sub
mit to any such proceeding. They will
demand a share in the selection of the
judges, and it is difficult to see how
their demand can be refused. .
The committee's remark that their
purpose "is forever, to keep the judi
'ciary out of politics" needs a little
modification. What they want is to
keep it out of ordinary party politics,
but that Is a very different thing from
keeping it out of politics altogether.
The-leap would be out of the frying
pan. into the fire. . If party politics is
bad on the bench, what shall wesay
of the infinitely mean and degraded
politics of a professional clique? There
is no scheming so base, no partisan
ship so bitter and unprincipled, as that
which grows up In a professional class'
between its internal factions when they
'are intrusted with power.
There is plenty of business for the
State Bar Association to transact with
out assuming to deprive the people of
the right to elect their 'Judges. Of
course it, will be replied that the bar
only wants to "nominate" them, but
if this is conceded it will amount to
electing them. Let the legal - profes
sion display a little eagerness to re
form the abuses which it has accumu
lated in legal procedure. Let it cease
to humbug the people with false trick
ery and barefaced imposition. Let it
honestly endeavor to devise some way
to bring suits to trial and get them
ended within a reasonable time. Let
it cease to sell its services to every
promoter- of injustice and fraud who
has the money to pay the fees, and
then the people may perhaps see some
ground for permitting the lawyers to
name the Judges.
The great wheat belt in the- Middle
West and Northwest is suffering from
lack of moisture and dire predictions
are made regarding the safety of the
crop. It is still too early to expect a
total failure. As crop scares, like the
poor, are always with us, the present
hysterical condition of the market may
not be warranted. The Pacific North
west, as usual, is exceptionally fortu
nate, for timely rains have brought the
Winter wheat along well past the dan
ger stage, and have also assured a
good crop of Spring wheat in most of
the territory. ' The river counties have
fared better . than usual, and now
promise to turn off a very large crop.
If the Eastern-situation is as bad as
reported. It may be necessary to ship
wheat East by rail, for even thus early
the Eastern markets are so far out of
line with the European markets that
there is no chance for profitable busi
ness with Europe.
Another of the famous Colum-bla
River log rafts has reached San Diego
in safety, and the record for big ship
ments by this method of transportation
has been broken.. The raft in question
contained more ' than 7,000,000 feet
of timber. The economic advan
tage of this method of shipping
timber is quite plain. " Not only is
there an .enormous saving' in' the
freight cost, but there is a good de
mand for the slabwood, lath and other
by-products of the logs. The first
rafts sent out of the river were so in
securely fastened that some were lost,
but with better construction the' dan
gers of loss have been minimized and
it is not beyond the range of possibili
ties that a few years hence some -enterprising
speculator will' undertake a
scheme for towing a raft across the
Pacific, v
"Ragtime preaching," defined by
Bishop Mclntyre as "preaching . that
deals with poetry, politics, literature
and travel," was denounced by this
high authority In the Methodist
Church recently; Yet there are reason
ably live themes in the world of today,
and without Irreverence may be held
to be much more applicable to the
needs of the present than are those,
that were of vital importance to the
fishermen and others who dwelt upon
the shores of Galilee 2000 years ago.
Why, for example, should it be more
helpful to draw a lesson from Zebidee,
who refused to leave his nets and fol
low Christ, than to draw a lesson from
the faithfulness to the principles of
human freedom of old John Brown of
Ossawatomle? It all' depends upon
the point of view.
During the last week in July the
greatest military exhibition ever wit
nessed on the Pacific Coast will be
held at Tacoma in the Immense public
school stadium recently erected there.
Two thousand picked United States
regulars, the cream of the army, repre
senting every branch of the service,
will participate in the various military
and athletic contests. This great
amphitheater, shaped like a horseshoe,
is 400 feet long. 250 feet wide at its
narrowest and 890 feet at its widest
point. It affords seating capacity for
30,000 people. The tournament is un
der the auspices of the Tacoma Cham
ber of Commerce; it is purely a patri
otic endeavor to demonstrate the effi
ciency of the United States Army.
The .frequency with which Jack
Johnson violates the speed laws with
his automobile and his insolent man
ner when arrested have undoubtedly
created. a prejudice against the black
bruiser. The respectable-public never
has taken very kindly to any of these
male prostitutes who batter each other
for a price, and, unfortunately for the
race, most of the black prizefighters
have been even more offensive in their
manners than the whites.
One of Pudd'nhead Wilson's maxims
was: "Put all your eggs into one bas
ket and watch that basket." That is
a homely way of advising a man to
be a specialist. It pays, if the man is
bf the right kind. For example, there
is a man making saddles in the little
town of Condon who ."watches thr.t
basket" so well that he ships his prod
uct to all surrounding states and to re
mote points in Canada.
Hood River orchardlsts have formed
another organization "to better condi
tions." Those fellows would not have
been satisfied in the Garden of Eden.
The taking of human life is becom
ing so common as to be classed as a
diversion. Hitherto the term applied
only to wife murder.
Young Roosevelt can be depended
upon to keep up the family average
for modesty. He and his bride are
traveling incog.
Now. that school is "out," the ambi
tious boy who "wants a job" should be
given one where possible to create it.
It develops that Porter Charlton
killed his wife. Insanity can .easily
toe proven, if the Jury reads his poetry.
DEMOCRATS IN FALSE MASK." '
Call Their Assemblies "Banquets," and
Register as Republicans.
Albany Citizen.
All over the state the Democrats are
holding conventions which they call
"banquets," "love feasts," "reunions'
and other euphonious names. When
the Republican press refers to these
conventions by their proper name, the
Democrats say, "Cannot a few men
assemble tog-ether at a banquet to talk
over party matters without constituting
themselves a convention?"
Yes, they can assemble and talk with
out being a convention, but when they
dp all the work of a convention, then it
is misleading to refer to the gathering
by any other name.
We do not care how many conven
tions the Democrats of Oregon hold.
A few of them may assemble in every
county and decide Just who shall run
for office and who shall not, as they
have always done. A few more may
assemble in Portland and decide Just
who shall run for Governor and the
other state offices and who shall not,
as they have always done.
The Democratic candidates for office.
in both county and state, have gone be-,
j-vie in? veupie auer it naa Deen nxea
by the party leaders that they were to
be candidates. Then large .numbers of
old-line Democrats have gone to the
office of the County .Clerk and, with
their hands raised to heaven, have called
upon Almighty God to witness that
they were Republicans. In the primary
elections that followed they voted for
the weakest Republican candidates,
thus nominating men who could be de
feated. At the same time they have
sent but one candidate for each office,
of which they had any hope of cap
turing, before the people. For other
offices which they did not hope to
gain they have permitted two or more
candidates to go before the voters, thus
deceiving the people into thinking that
all had been left to their free and un
trammeled will."
This has been the method of Oregon
Democracy for the last few years.
They have made it succeed. They are
trying it again this year. They have
called a convention of a few leaders to
meet in Portland. They will nominate
a ticket. Just one man will run for
the primary nomination for Governor
and for all the other offices they hope
to gain.
The time has come for the people of
Oregon to see the Democratic party in
its true light as a cunning, scheming
demagogue aggregation. Let the mask
be torn off and the real reason for
Democratic success revealed.
CARPET-BAG JOBS IN OREGON.
State's Good Cltlsens Are "Passed Tip"
by Senator Bourne.
. Eugene Register.
Senator Bourne has succeeded in hav
ing a Pennsylvania man confirmed as
Register of the Vale Land Office in this
state. Bourne seems to be doing all
he can to discredit his own state. It is
a disgrace to Oregon that its own citi
zens are barred from occupancy of
places of trust within its borders.
There are plenty of Oregon men just
as honest and capable as Bruce R. Kes
ter, of Pennsylvania, who could have
filled the Vale position, and none knew
this better than Bourne. But In the
game of politics which men of the
Bourne type play for all there is in
it, the naming of Kester may be worth
more to Bourne's Senatorial future,
through promise of outside help, than
would have been in the selection of an
Oregon man. In which case. Bourne
being the first consideration, - Oregon
must, of necessity, be belittled in the
eyes of Eastern politicians as a state
so void Jt competent men that rank
outsiders must be called to run and
reign over us. How does this strike
you old Oregon pioneers, anyway?
Evidently you don't know as much
about building a. country as you
thought you did. You,- who blazed the
trails and gave to the -West the grand
est ' country -on earth, seemed to have
failed miserably, according to the
Bourne standard, in giving us sons
capable of filling: positions of trust
and responsibility at home, necessitat
ing importing brains from other states
to transact our important Government
business. It is about time our Sena
torial representation were given to
understand that Oregon people be given
precedence over carpet-baggers in dis
tribution of places of public trust.
The 50O0 Parts of a Motor Car.
Robert Sloss in July Outing.
A recent careful count by the makers
of a standard type of gasoline car shows
that in the motor, including magneto
and carburetor, there are 1508 pieces;
in the transmission system, 126; in the
rear axle, 168; in the steering column,
158; and so on, forming a total of -49S3
separate parts assembled to co-ordinate
and co-operate with one another in pro
ducing a healthy automobile. Further
more, any one of these parts is quite
capable of becoming the seat of an auto
mobile disease, which, if neglected, will
result in serious complications, requir
ing the taking down of the mechanism
in the machine shop.
Modern Cornelia.
Boston Transcript.
Mrs. Subbubs (to neighbor) Willie and
Bobbie aren't home from school yet and
here it is 5 o'clock. Did you see any
thing of my precious jewels as you came
along, Mr. Nexdoor?
Mr. Nexdoor Your precious jewels are
in soak, madam. I JuBt saw them swim
ming in ttie river.
Georsje Wasn't Worth the Price. -
Dallas Observer.
Of course, George Brownell opposes
the assembly. The initiative" and refer
endum and Statement No. 1 Is the price
the Republicans of Oregon paid to keep
George Brownell in the Legislature
from a Populist county all those years.
And George wasn't worth it.
Ia Tiro Bites.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
"Yes. the first of every, week I give
my wife half my salary."
'Welir'
"And she (gets the other half before
the week is up."
And That Set Him Thinking;.
"I always feel, after I have spent an
hour or two in your company," he said,
"that I am a better man."'
"It Is very good of you to say so." she
replied. "Don't hesitate to come often."
Preserving the Balance.
Albany Journal.
Mr. Bryan is sailing to Europe. Now,
If Mr. Roosevelt will hurry back, the
equilibrium of the world will be pre
served. CURRENT NEWSPAPER JESTS.
"I love you. dear, hut I am green and
rattled and I don't know, how to propose "
"That's all right, honey you're through
with me. All you've got to do now is to
ask papa." Cleveland Leader.
"Even If you can't enjoy best sellers.
said the meditative person, "there are hooks
in the running brooks, you know." "Yes "
replied Miss Cayenne, "but even the brooks
are getting dryer very year." Washing
ton Star.
"They say." Mrs. Oldoastle remarked,
"that he has made a study of occultism "
"Has he?" replied her hostess, as she
straightened the $900 rug. "He's about the
last man I"d pick out for an eye doctor."
Chicago Record-Herald-
"Now," said the lawyeT. eyeing the wit
ness severely. "I have something concrete
in this case. And your statement so far
Is not concrete." "No." said the witness,
doubtfully, but brightening as he added
"but our new suburban pottage la" Balti
more American.
Algernon What is this I heah about Miss
Glltcoln agweeing to mawwy you. and then
going bark on her word? Percy That Is
the fit wait of it. I'm sowxvv to say. Al
gernon Beastly wlck, dean boy. Why
don't you sue her for non-support? You've
got a clean case, doncher know. Chicago
jDaily Ktwa.-
LET LAWYERS KEEP HANDS OFF
Plain People May Be Trusted to Select
1 Candidates for Judgeships.
PORTLAND, June 23. (To the Editor.)
I notice that the State Bar Association
of Oregon proposes to hold a state con
vention of lawyers to nominate candi
dates for Justices of the Supreme Court.
My opinion is that such a procedure
would be high-handed, presumptuous and
contrary to the genius and spirit of our
American institutions, and that it Is thor
oughly monopolistic In its tendency.
In the first place, the laws are formu
lated . and enacted largely by lawyers.
Lawyers are human beings, and their
own Interests are usually conserved In
such enactments. Even should such bias
be wholly unapparent, the natural preju
dices of every man assert themselves,
even though unconsciously, in their fa
vor. And the present Judicial system of
our country is tinged with the interests of
the lawyer.
In practical legal proceedings the lay
man cannot take a. case into court. He
must procure an attorney, even though
the case may be never so plain, and the
need therefor be absolutely wanting. But
the people must pay toll to the army of
legal lights who stand between them and
Justice. Not only are the laws largely
enacted "by lawyers, but their constitu
tionality must be determined by lawyers.
Then it becomes a lawyer- to sit upon
the bench and administer the laws that
they have enacted.
Now the lawyers propose practically to
take out of the hands of the people about
the last safeguard of their interests that
remains to them the selecting of' the
Judges. The criticism of the courts most
commonly heard by me for the last 30
years Is that the court is run by the law
yers appearing before it, rather than by
the presiding Judge. ' And when the peo
ple succeed in getting a strong, independ
ent Judge upon the bench, one who caters
to no attorney, he seems not to" be accept
able to the lawyers.
I think that there are many people in
the United States who believe, with Abra
ham Lincoln, in "a-government of the
people, ' by the people and fox the peo
ple," rather than "a government of the
people, by the lawyers, and for the law
yer."" .
As I understand It, the first reason
given by our Bar Association for this
method of nominating Judges is that the
lawyers know better than the members of
a party convention who would make a
good Jodge. I believe this idea somewhat
presumptuous, and very likely fallacious.
My observation has been that attorneys
are more likely to be prejudiced than any
other class of men. The profession which
they follow, the very occupation of their
minds, develops such a condition. Hence,
as a rule, an attorney who has practiced
before the bar for years does not make
as good a. Judge as a younger man.
The lawyers may know what attorneys
are good lawyers, men who understand
the law; but I very much doubt whether
a lawyer discerns the judicial mind more
readily than a layman. And nearly all
members of a party convention have seen
enough of leading attorneys to have dis
covered their intellectual make-up.
Their second contention is that this
method of selecting Judges would take it
out of politics. For myself, I do not be
lieve that any such, result would follow;
nor do I believe such a result either de
sirable or wise. But this claim is a re
flection upon the attorneys themselves.
Is it possible that there are not enough
capable Republican lawyers, or Demo
cratic lawyers, in the State of Oregon to
fill our Supreme bench? Or shall we be
compelled to go outside of the party to
find the timber? Alas! Alas! Possibly this
theory might explain why so many of our
laws are so ooscure, ambiguous and vague
that' even the Judges upon the -bench
are at a loss In interpreting their mean
ing. Certainly if the lawyers cannot do
Detter in making selection of Judges than
they have done in framing the laws we
nave, it would better be left to the laity.
For my part, I would say. "Lawyers.
hands off; the people will attend to their
own business yet awhile."
JAMES SEETON.
CONSERVE EASTERN RESOURCES
Plan for Savins; Pennsylvania's Coal
and Maine's Timber.
PORTLAND, June 23. (To the Edi
tor.) Most of the extremists of the
East who advocate the conservation of
western natural resources are like the
man. who. at the time of the Civil War,
patriotically declared that every man
should give at least one member of
his family to his country's service, and
as his contribution offered to sacrifice
his mother-in-law.
The efforts of the Pinchot type of
conservationist are directed chiefly
toward locking up the natural resources
of the growing West for some future
generation's benefit to the immediate
advantage of the coal barons and tim
ber princes of the East.
If these extremist are really honest
in their singleness of purpose to aid
posterity, why do they not urge such
legislation as will place the burden
upon the owners of the natural re
sources of the East, as well as upon
the people of the West?
Why do they not, for instance, ad
vocate the removal of the tariff on
timber and coal and their products,
and thereby conserve some of the tim
ber and coal of the East?
Think, what a lot of Pennsylvania
and Virginia coal could be saved for
future use by allowing Nova Scotia
coal to come in free from duty! And
what a lot of Maine, Michigan and
Wisconsin timber could be conserved
by taking the tariff off Ontario and
New Brunswick lumber and wood pulp.
The purpose of the above is not to
advocate tree trade, but to point out
the Inconsistency of those who claim
to have only the interests of future
generations at heart.
C. F. BLACK.
And Eliot's Name Led All the Rest.
Boston Herald.
After an unusually large poll, by letter,
of Harvard alumni scattered through the
Union and the National dependencies, 12
alumni have been nominated, from whom
the alumni will elect six overseers at
the coming commencement. President
emeritus Eliot led the poll, and after
Milm came Mr. Roosevelt. A popular
plebiscite might reverse the order; but
Harvard is still constant to ideals of
dignity, repose and mellow wisdom.
Subjects for Klnsr'a Decorations.
Brooklyn Eagle.
Roumania's King has decorated an
American soprano and made her a court
singer. Her press agent has begun work
fearlessly, and, we trust, economically.
But why shouldn't Kings do a wholesale
business in theBe decorations, with blank
spaces for names? Minor kings often
need money. , . -
THE WANDERER'S RETURN.
Belng
W. an Ode of Welcome In Honor of
Theodore Roosevelt.
J. Lampton, in Now York World.
O Theodore!
Once more, once more
o;
S3
Once more, once mora,
p Theodora!
LIFE'S SUNNY SIDE
King "Edward's good nature was illus
trated the other night by a London cor
respondent at the . Press CJub in New
York.
"The King," said the correspondent,
"was visiting Rufford Abbey, and ene
morning, in company with his host, Lord
Arthur Saville, he took a walk over the
preserves.
"Suddenly Lord Arthur, a b!g. burly
man, rushed forward and seized a shab
by fellow with a dead pheasant protrud
ing from the breast of his coat.
" "Sir,'" said Lord Arthur to the King,
this fellow is a bad egg. This is the
second time I've caught him poaching."
"But the King's handsome face beamed,
and he laughed his gay and tolerant
laugh.
" 'Oh, let him go," he said. If he .
really were a bad egg, you know, he
wouldn't . poach.'" St. Paul -Pioneer
Press. .
F. Augustus Heinze tells this on office
organization and the inspiration it is
possible to give the young.
"To expedite matters in my private
office," said Mr. Heinze, "I had decided
to have no staff in the same quarters
gave for a lad for errands. Somebody
found an eligible boy and sent him to
me- He had little schooling, but was
bright, and, on looks, capable.
"I thought it advisable to use a little
formal patronage on first acquaintance,
and I said, very Impressively:
"'A boy must take advantage olf his
opportunities in the business world. In
that way he profits by hard work. A
boy who can make a study of that prin
ciple Is a good office boy, and that is
the kind of a boy I want here. And any
boy who knows enough to keep a place in
this office will learn enough in a year
to make his' fortune.'
" 'Yes. sir,' said the boy.
"Pleased jvith the good effect of my
lecture, I went to lunch. When I re
turned I found the office deserted. On
the desk was a note written in a ooyis'n
scrawl. . It proved how successful I had
been as an instructer he certainly lost
no time in seizing his opportunity. It
read:
" 'Deer Sur: I must quit work because
a man came in after you went out and
give me a ticket to the baseball. Yours
truly, J. Boggs.' " Washington Post.
Representative Cordell Hull, of tho
fourth Tennessee district, likes to do
things to Impress his constituents with
the idea that he is always trying to
benefit them. On c-ne occasion' he per
suaded a good roads enthusiast to travel
with him through his district and lec
ture on good roads, of which there are.
few in that part of the state.
"You tell these people," said Hull.'
that you'll show them how to build good
roads so that they can get their corn
out to market."
At the first meeting-place, the good
roads expert said to the, constituents:
"My friends, I'm going to show you
how to build such roads that you can'
get your corn out."
"Well, stranger." drawled one of 'tho
Tennesseeans, 'you needn't to worry.
Down here we raise a lot of corn, but
we make it Inter whisky, an' then fight
it out." Popular Magazine.
-.
Judge Ben B. Lindsey, of the famous
Denver Juvenile Court, said in the course
of a recent address on charity;
"Too many of us are inclined to think
that, one misstep made, the bey is gone
for good. Too many of us are like tho
cowboy.
"An itinerant preacher preached to a
cowboy audience on the "Prodigal Soi."
He described the foolish prodigal's " ex
travagance and dissipation; he described
his penury and his husk-eating with the
swine in the sty; he described his return,
his father's loving welcome, the rejoic
ing, and the preparation of the fatted
calf.
"The preacher in his discburse noticed
a cowboy staring at him very hard. He
thought he had made a convert, aol.
addressing the cowboy personally, ha
said from the pulpit:
" 'My dear friend, what would you have
done if you had had a prodigal son re
turning home like that?"
"'Me?' said the cowboy, promptly and
fiercely. 'I'd have shot the boy and raised
the calf.' "Detroit Free Press.
Two Novel Motor Cars.
London Globe.
A motor car designed and owned by a
gentleman of Calcutta has over the
usual bonnet the enormous figure of a
swan, the eyes of which are composed
of prism lenses, which are lit up at
night by electricity. The beak Is made
so that the exhaust can be sent through
It, causing a noise like the hiss of a
swan. Met on a dark night, it is liable to
cause as much fright among quiet-going
people as a Canadian dummy horsecar
which was exhibited some time ago.
The dummy horse was fixed to the front
of the car, the horn being attached to
the dummy's mouth, while at night the
eyes were lit up. a pair of brilliant green
and red orbs glaring at passing vehi
cles. T 1
. Reflections of a Bachelor..
i .Chicago News.
To youth consequences are. Just luck.
A girl will do anything for sentiment
nothlne for sense.
It's a poor financial rule that won't work
everybody in every possible way.
A man who subscribes to a campaign fund
expects you to speak of him as a polIUcal
"C' reason a girl didn't get engage to
some other man than the one she did U he
dldi.'t happen to be around at the right
time.
In the Magazine Section of
The Sunday Oregonian
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON;
AN APPRECIATION
. This is by a newcomer, serious
as well as humorous, who tells
how 'Lish Applegate Saved the
University for Eugene.
SEEING AMERICA FIRST,
BY HASHIMURA TOGO
The Japanese Schoolboy's per
sonally conducted tours take our
300,000 readers to the Chicago
stockyards.
FIRST CROPJDF
WEALTHY AVIATORS
Millionaires who own and op
erate flying machines springing up
all over the country.
LAUNDERING THE NATION'S
PAPER MONEY
A trip through Uncle Sam's
brand-new plant, which cleanses
and. reissues dirty greenbacks.
TWO OLD CASTLES OF
THE NORTH OF IRELAND
Annie Laura Miller allows her
imagination full play on noted an
cient structures.
ORDER EARLY FROM YOUR
NEWSDEALER
I