lO
THE 3IORMXG OREGOXIAX, TITTTRSDAT. JULY 21, 1910.
POHTLiXD, OREGON.
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FOKTLAM), THURSDAY, JITLV gl, 110.
IHE ASSEMBLY'S OPPORTUNITY AND
RESPONSIBILITY.
Today's Republican assembly in
Portland Is the first representative
conference of the party of Oregon in
six years. It is the largest represent
ative iinfpnnA nf naptv VAp ritftlri In
the etate. Disruption of party through
unguided plurality primaries and mi
nority nominations have presented the
need of remedies so strongly that
conference has been called of party
delegates from all the counties. The
two chief objects of the conference
ere, xirat, Ltr ueime jjany itKjiitxsa ouu,
second, to name candldaets who shall
be acceptabla to majority members of
the party.
The advantage of no one group of
party members nor that of any candi
date should guide today's delibera
tions. This is not a time for 'lining
tip" support for faction or candidate.
It is a time for men to reason to
gether; to review the past and think
to devise ways for rational party or
ganization; to submerge factional dis
putes and to call fittest men to seek
nomination in the primaries. It should
be more important to the assembly
who these men shall be than to par
ticular aspirants for office.
A political party has. the right to
determine within its own organiza
tion who Its candidates shall be. This
principle has been enunciated recently
In forceful manner by Roosevelt,
Hughes and Taft. It means that the
Republican party of Oregon has full
right to determine, by means of to
day's assembly and September's pri
maries, who shall be its chosen can
didates. The spirit and conscience of two
thirds the voting citizenship of Ore
gon of Republicans are represented
In this gathering. Else the call for
assembly would not have found such
Immediate response throughout the
commonwealth. This conference can
nark a turning point in political af
fairs of Oregon. It can begin a new
epoch. The responsibility and the op
portunity are great. The assembly is
expected to rise to full realization of
both.
MR. JOHXSON AS A FINANCIER.
Much current comment appears in
the press touching the financial astu
elty of Mr. Johnson. AVe mean, of
course, the particular Mr. Johnson
whom future historians and epic poets
will mention as the glory of the negro
race and the champion who laid low
the hope of the whites. When a wor
shiper Inquired what he intended to do
with the 1163.000 he made by his
prowess at Reno, Mr. Johnson replied
that he would invest it in Government
bonds. "They don't bring so much,"
he sapiently commented, "but they's
gilt-edged."
Fo.tunately this eminent personage
Is in a position where he can pay
more attention to security than to the
rate of Interest. The sum of $168,000
Js enough to produce a comfortable
subsistence at 2 per cent unless one's
tastes are more luxurious than ath
letic. Many less famous mortals are
not so happily situated. To them the
Income which their Investments will
produce is a matter of prime moment
and many are so eager to obtain an
rxtra $10 or $20 a year that they risk
their principal for the sake of it. Our
colored luminary Is wiser.
The problem of safe and productive
Investments for small capitalists is
one that has not yet been solved in
the United States. Our financial
geniuses have been so occupied with
other subjects that they have not
given their minds to it. Whether the
other subjects to which they have
seen fit to devote their attention were
more Important than this one or not
Is a question which deserves consid
eration. Several European nations
liave made the financial interests of
the small investor a matter of pro
found study and careful legislation.
They have found it possible to obtain
for him a fair rate of interest on his
money with complete security. Con
cerning big capitalists, they have not
been so anxious on the supposition
that these people are competent to
look out for themselves. Here it is the
little fish who are told to swim as
they may while the anxious care of
the Government Is devoted to the
whales. Which policy is the wiser.
time will tell.
The United States is full of schemes
for separating ignorant people from
their money which would not be tol
erated in France, England or Ger
many. Persons who have not studied
finance with assiduity have no way
to distinguish between dishonest and
reliable investments when both kinds
are advertised in similar language.
The consequence Is that dishonesty
thrives and habits of saving are dis
couraged. Happily, there is now a
movement of wide extent to educate
the general public concerning invest
ments and save the simple from the
wiles of the swindler. Many periodi
cals publish financial articles every
week which are truly educative.
They appeal to the man of ordinary
Intelligence as well as to the special
ized capitalist and doubtless have
helped to save many from ruinous
Investments.
Something more Is needed, however.
The United States would profit largely
by establishing some financial institu
tion like the French credit fonder
which deals in mortgage loans and
Investments on a scale which is
Adapted to the means of very humble
people. We do not mean that the
Oovernment ought to undertake this
business, but that It offers an inviting
field to private enterprise of unim-
peachable Integrity.
I Here Is the Ancient Order of Hi
bernians holding an assembly. In
Oregon, too, where assemblies are
"unlawful." It Is a good week for as
semblies, though. The Irish couldn't
be kept apart, or separated, with a,
shillela'h.
"BALLOT TITLE" KYI LH.
Ballot titles of Oregon's thirty-two
Initiative and referendum measures
have been prepared by the Attorney
General. These titles purport to give
the gist of each bill. By them the
mass of the voters will Judge the re
spective measures when "legislating"
in the election booth.
Yet these titles do not tell the de
tails and particulars that should be
taken into account in lawmaking.
They give voters no fair knowledge of
whether the proposed "measures
should become laws or not. They
never do even in a lawmaking assem
bly. Constitutions of every state for
bid reading of bills on final passage in
Legislatures by title; they compel
reading of bills In full. Yet on final
passage in the election booth there is
no reading of bills in full; only by
title.
The titles give -no idea of the Inner
merit of the eight county bills, nor of
conflicting boundaries, nor of local
needs and interests. They tell noth
ing of the vicious contents of the so
called employers' liability bill. They
dress up In fine words the pet fads of
URen. They utterly mislead as to
the constitutional amendments en tax
ation. The title of the woman suf
frage amendment flatly misstates the
purpose of the measure by represent
ing it as "granting to all taxpayers,
regardless of sex, the right of suf
frage," whereas Instead it grants the
right of suffrage to all women citizens
of 21 years, regardless of whether
they are taxpayers or not.
These shortcomings are due to the
limited carrying capacity of the few
words that compose the title of a bill.
The Attorney seems to have done his
best, except as to the woman suffrage
amendment, whose title he certainly
should have made true to the purpose
of the measure. It Is manifestly im
possible for. a title, containing but 100
words, to cover completely a measure
carrying several thousand words. A
title cannot do this in assembly law
making, nor can it in election-booth
lawmaking. Most "legislators" in the
latter case will listen only to the fair
sounding title an act that constitu
tions forbid to delegated lawmakers.
This is one of the many reasons
why "direct" legislation is a menace
to the public interest. Yet ITRen and
Bourne aver that the "direct" method
should be substituted for that of legis
lative assembly.
TUB YEAR'S FOREIGN TRADE.
Whatever, misgivings may be felt
over the liberal decrease in that "bal
ance of trade" which represents the
difference between what we sell to
foreign countries and what they buy
of us will be softened by the details
of our foreign commerce for the fis
cal year ending June 30. The figures
of the Bureau of Statistics show total
exports of $1,744,966,203 and Imports
of $1,557,854,854, thus leaving a bal
ance in our favor of $187,111,349.
This excesBS of exports over imports
Is the smallest that has been reported
since 1896, although the total amount
of exports and imports is, with the
single exception of 1907, the largest
on record. The shrinkage in the
"balance of trade" was almost wholly
due to a falling off in exports of food
stuffs and heavy Increases in imports
of materials used In manufacturing.
These figures quite unmistakably
show that an increasing army of
workers in our factories is supplying a
home market for large quantities of
food stuffs which were formerly ex
ported to Europe. The import figures
also reflect the increased demand for
materials to be worked up into fin
ished products in this country. De
tails on each commodity are not yet
available for the entire year, but for
the eleven months ending May 31, a
decrease of $67,000,000 in foodstuffs
exported was more than offset by a
gain of more than $93,000,000 in
"manufactures in partly finished
state," and manufactures ready for
consumption. To supply employment
for our factory hands who in turn
supplied the Increased home demand
for foodstuffs, it was necessary great
ly to increase the importations of raw
and partly finished material, needed
In this country.
In hides and skins there was an
increase of $36,000,000. The enor
mous growth of the automobile indus
try is reflected in an increase in the
imports of rubber of $40,000,000 over
the imports for the preceding year.
Iron ore, chemicals, drugs, fibers,
leather and numerous other commod
ities needed in manufacturing all
showed heavy increases over the pre
ceding eleven months. This great
economic change may not meet with
the approval of the theorists who be
lieve that our greatest prosperity lies
In an enormous balance of trade cre
ated by selling so much more to the
foreigners than they sell to us. A
close analysis of the various features
of the year's business will, however,
reveal a condition far from unsatis
factory. When our manufacturing
industries reach the point where they
can employ enough people to consume
all of the foodstuffs at home, the im
mense sums now paid for freighting
the surplus to foreign countries will
all be saved.
RBHSKO THE BTBLE.
Irrespective of their religious opin
ions, all readers will be interested in
the proposed publication next May of
a new and revised edition of the Eng
lish Bible. It is Intended to signalize
in this way the 300th anniversary of
the authorized, or King James' ver
sion. The work is to be done under
the supervision of Oxford University,
but many distinguished scholars of
this country and Canada will partici
pate. No extensive changes will be
made in the text of the King James
version. The purpose is mainly to
substitute modern words for those
which have become obsolete and pos
sibly to correct some of the mistrans
lations which deface more or less seri
ously the received version.
Very likely there is no danger that
the spurious passages will be excised
from the New Testament so that those
who base their religious hopes on
these texts need not fear for their sta
bility. The revised version, which was
prepared some years ago by a band
of competent scholars, never has be
come as popular as might have been
expected from its surpassing merits
No doubt the reason may be found in
the slashing changes It made in cer
tain much-loved passages. In Paul's
famous 18th chapter of Corinthians,
for instance, the bold revisers substi
tuted "love" for the Tiythmlc "char
ity." Many pious believers were also
repelled because "hell" was replaced
here and there by some such expres
sion as "Hades."
It is extremely doubtful whether any
revision of the Bible is desirable. Ac
curacy in translation is a subject
which interests nobody but. scholars,
and they can make their own trans
lations. To the great public the Bible
is a monument of English literature,
fully as much so as Lear or Robinson
Crusoe, and it is difficult to convince
readers that they have not been im
posed upon when any alteration is
made in the accustomed phraseology.
The plea that it is a religious docu
ment as well as a work of literary
genius does not amount to much. No
body can be expected to alter his re
ligious opinions merely because a
Bcore of learned revisers see fit to
correct the language of a text, and if
opinion will not be affected by verbal
changes, why go to the trouble of
making them?
The fact of the matter Is that any
alteration in the language of Scrip
ture., however guarded, tends to shock
religious faith and unsettle the con
victions of the plain people. To them
the Bible Just as it reads, with all its
defects, errors and spurious passages,
is Inspired by the Almighty. Either,
it is impiety to alter, the language of
the Bible or else the doctrine of its
inspiration, as this doctrine is under
stood by the multitude, must be aban
doned. And when ytu Impair popular
faith In the literary work of the Crea
tor where are you going to stop ? Bet
ter let the obsolete words stand and
preserve popular theology from the
shock of novelty.
OREGON'S BISV TAX COMMISSION.
Last week the Oregon Tax Commis
sion C. V. Galloway and J. B. Eaton
members issued a letter to County
Assessors telling them it is their law
ful duty to list .mortgage notes on as
sessment rolls for purposes of taxa
tion. The Commission was plain in
Its Instructions and read the law to
the Assessors.
This week the Commission backs
away from those instructions, saying
they were not "mandatory," but "ad
visory," for the purpose of equalizing
state taxes between counties that as
sess mortgage notes and those that
do not.
This is mere quibble of words and
evasion of responsibility. The Com
mission could have no other object, in
last week's letter than taxation of
mortgage notes.
Else why should the Commission
take up the subject at all? Effort to
tax loans of money is absurd and
foolhardy. The Commission did not,
obviously, foresee the consequences
of its letter to County Assessors. After
hearing the protests against its action,
the Commission says it leaves the
whole matter to discretion of Asses
sors. That is where the matter has
rested heretofore, yet for state "equal
ization" "the State Commission has not
needed assessment of mortgages.
Tax officials in the State Capitol are
getting their eye-teeth cut. Having
been called to their present jobs for
political qualifications instead of for
knowledge of tax business, they
are learning as they go along. It is
pleasing to see that since last week
they have learned a useful lesson
about mortgage tax.
This threat of mortgage tax has
been felt by borrowers already. Mort
gage notes and contracts hereafter
made will certainly fix upon borrow
ers the obligation of paying this in
crement whenever levied. Most of
them already carry this requirement.
ANOTHER GlESS COMING.
There is a slight decline in the birth
rate in Kansas, as shown by the vital
statistics for 1908-1909. A statistician
heretofore unknown to fame comes
forward with the accusing cry that the
growing popularity of the automobile
is to blame for this showing. The
fact, known to everybody, that the
birth rate is kept up by parents whose
financial condition does not warrant
the ownership of automobiles disposes
of this theory. In point of fact, the
women who bear children (not an oc
casional child, but children in regular
rotation, until families of from six to
ten are acquired) take little note of
automobiles, except to keep their little
ones out of the way of rapidly-driven
machines. They would as soon think
of riding in or owning an aeroplane.
The relatively few women who go
speed crazy do not belong to the class
about whose homes little children
swarm, with their small demands
upon the time of the mother and the
revenue-producing abilities of the
father. Clearly, therefore, the Kansas
statistician will have to guess again in
his endeavor to account for the short
age in the baby crop In his state last
year.
After all, the birth rate in Kansas
showed a diminution of but slightly
over 2000 not a "startling reduction
in view of the fact that many enter
prising Kansans removed from that
state to the Pacific Northwest last
year and are yet to hear from.
AMERICAN INDIAN IN HISTORY.
On June 27 an International Con
gress of Indians was held at Mus
kogee, Okla., to which went repre
sentatives of every tribe in the United
States and some from Canada and
Mexico. A year 'before there assem
bled in the Valley of the Little Big
Horn, in Montana, the aged and emi
nent chiefs frorr nearly every prom
inent reservation In the country. A
striking and sorrewhat pathetic spec
tacle was presented of an old-time
Indian council. There was a primi
tive camp of old-time tepees and
moving in and out among them were
the chieftains, dressed in the full rega
lia of savagery. Moving pictures were
taken of them that will be preserved
as a historical portrayal of a sturdy
and fast disappearing race, each chap
ter of whose history since the advent
of the white man upon the American
continent has been replete with ro
mance and tragedy.
Human above everything else, the
race has resisted at every point the
advance of civilzation. There is many
a tale of tragedy in connection with
this passing that never has been told
and never can be. Not all of these
tales. If told, would redound to the
credit of the red man. Upon his side
there has been treachery and cruelty
and blood thlrstiness, often vented
upon unresisting helplessness and
slaked upon the blood of the Innocent.
In support of the spirit of reprisal
that bade the Indian, if he could not
strike the right one, to strike any
member of the hated race of the pale
face, deeds of murder and acts of atro
city were done. But he is passing; he
will soon have passed, and the estimate
of his faults will give place in story to
the events that caused them to over
shadow his many really admirable
traits of character, chief of which
were bravery, endurance and loyalty
to his tribesmen in peace, and to his
race in stress of war.
The names of Massasolt and King
Philip and Tecumseh, of Joseph and
Moses and Geronimo and of number
less others, who dogged the footsteps
of civilization from the Atlantic to
the Pacific coast, are in evidence of
these racial traits. As estimated by
Ridpath, the most striking character
istics of the race were "a certain
sense of personal independence, wil
fulness of action and freedom from
restraint." Upon this basis it is no
wonder that the race has retired slow
ly and vengefully before the advance
of civilization, making a desperate
stand wherever possible, and marshal
ing the forces of savagery to its aid
when hard pressed. These things are
matters of history, yet they have so
far receded from the present that the
glamor of romance has fallen over
them. Especially on the Eastern bor
der the Indian has come to be lauded
for what was noble in his nature and
pitied for his savage characteristics.
To preserve and commemorate that
which especially pertains to the North
American Indian, in a racial sense, as
evolved from his contact with the
white man, a movement was inaugu
rated several years ago by Rodman
Wanamaker, of Philadelphia, and
others for the erection of a National
memorial on some Government reser
vation in New York on a site to be
selected by the Secretaries of War and
the Navy. Other memorials represent
ing state, rather than National hisory
or sentiment, have been erected in
various places. In Portland's City
Park are "The Coming of the White
Man," and the statue of "Sacajawea."
Others representing the massacre of
settlers are found in many localities,
one on the Muskingum River, in Ohio,
above Marietta, telling a tale of horror
equal in its line to that told by the
Custer monument in Montana.
In spite of all this, a recent writer,
who has been studying the history of
the North' American Indian from the
viewpoint of pity and admiration, says:
"When the last member of the race
shall have folded his blanket about
him and passed over the Great Divide,
we shall remember the Indian tag
brave, loyal, self-sacrificing and honor
able to a marked degree."
Distance may lend this enchantment
to the review of Indian history. But
whether it does' or n6t, the act of
Congress whereby a National me
morial will be raised to the Indian is
commendable, since he certainly has
been often in the foreground of the
history of the occupation and settle
ment of the North American con
tinent by the white man.
It is unfortunate for a. large number
of citizens of the thriving town of
Gresham that the short-sighted policy
of a few property-owners has forced
the Mount Hood Railroad to change
its route so that the corporate limits
of the city will be missed by about
two miles. The attempt of this road
to secure, on reasonable terms, right
of way and depot grounds at Gresham
was not different from that of other
transportation companies in - various
parts of the Pacific Northwest. Land
which has been practically worthless
for years, and which would, without
railroad facilities, remain so, on the
approach of the railroad suddenly be
comes so enormously valuable that
the roads are in many cases obliged
to make a wide detour in order to
secure the right of way at a reason
able figure. The worst feature of
these hold-up games is that broad
minded, liberal property owners are
obliged to suffer for the avarice of
their neighbors.
Tacoma has secured the latest thea
ter to be erected by Klaw & Erlanger.
According to a dispatch from the City
of Destiny, it is to be fully as elab
orate an affair as any of the others
which the "personal representative of
Klaw & Erlanger" has been building
around the Pacific Northwest. "Klaw
& Erlanger now have the Northwest
well in hand and developments will be
fast," says the versatile representative.
Having the situation "well in hand"
is not a new expression. One of
England's greatest Generals had the
Boer war situation "well in hand" for
so many months that the British war
chest was as empty as a drum, and
the soldiers were almost barefoot from
running away from the Boers, while
the General was "leading them on."
Can it be that Messrs. K. & E. are
simply leading the trust-busters on
with this fine line of conversational
theaters?
The suicide carefully planned and
deliberately executed in the City Park
some days ago was that of a man who
had lived forty-five years to so little
purpose that he did not see the incon
gruity of marriage with a young girl
of nineteen. Because he could not
persuade her to . overlook this dis
crepancy between youth and age he
took his own life, not rashly but de
liberately, accounting life as without
value to him. In point of fact the
world loses ' nothing when a man
who refuses to learn the simplest les
sons of life grows tired at middle age
and voluntarily quits living. There is
this to be said in behalf of this indi
vidual, however: the pistol used to ac
centuate his weariness of life was
turned only against himself. The
young woman was permitted to live
In the enjoyment of the common
sense with which kind nature had en
dowed her.
Now Thomas J. Cleeton, who was a
candidate for County Judge before the
county assembly, refuses to be bound
by that body's action and bolts. Of
course. That's Cleeton. He was not
recommended by the assembly because
the assembly knew him and his rec
ord and would not and could not trust
him. The campaign of 1895 and the
betrayal of Senator. Dolph by Cleeton
are not forgotten.
Twelve hundred Republicans from
all over Oregon ought to know
what the party wants and to be en
titled to speak for it. Their assembly
today makes it clear, after all, that
there Is a Republican party.
The inspiration of the "non-partisan"
judiciary movement is a con
certed effort by interested lawyers to
keep on the bench the present Demo
cratic judges. That is how "non-partisan"
it is.
Across the peninsula at Vancouver
they are taking steps to hold a. county
fair this Fall. By all means arrange
fora Portland day and see how large
a delegation we shall send.
Oregon Is a law-abiding state. South
of the Ohio River, that Pullman por
ter wouldn't have lasted sixty seconds,
whether he did it or not
WHY TRY TO TAX MONEY AT ALL!
Candid Plea for Exemption of Notes.
Aeeemnts and Cenrh.
CORVALLIS. Or, July 17. (To the
Editor.) The Oregonian's editorial to
day, "The Folly of Mortgage Tax" is
timely and to the point. During four
years, just prior to the repeal of the
mortgage tax law, Benton County ac
cumulated $47,000 delinquent mortgage
taxes. This $47,000 the county never
received. But the county paid the state
about $8000 slate taxes, that being the
state's proportion of the delinquent
tax on mortgages during that time. It
was much the same in other counties.
The balance of the property paid dou
ble and unequal tax to that amount,
in plain violation of section 1, article
9, of the Oregon constitution, which
provides that "the legislative assembly
shall provide by law for uniform and
equal rate of assessment and taxation.
And shall prescribe such regulations as
shall secure a Just valuation for tax
ation of all property, both real and
personal" . . . (excepting exempt
property). What the county failed to
collect one year the overburdened tax
payers made up next year. That is
one effect of trying to tax intangible
personal assets.
Out of over $100,000,000 on deposit
in the banks within the State of Ore
gon, In 1909, the assessors found for
purposes of taxation less than $13,000,
000, of which $11,000,000 was in Mult
nomah and Marion Counties and in
cluded the notes and accounts of those
counties. And likewise on taxation of
notes and accounts the proportion was
not far different. The effort to find
such assets for taxation results in great
injustice to such persons as are sur
prised into including in their property
lists this species of assets.
e e e
I would like to call attention to the
article of the constitution referred to.
The state tax commission, which is
supposed to be composed of experts in
such matters (and its deliverances sure
ly prove it, don't they?) appears to
pay particular attention to making
"Nick Carters," or "Old Sleuths" of
County Assessors in ferreting out
money, notes, and accounts, and to pay
much less attention to the real spirit
and the plain letter of that constitu
tional provision which guarantees a
uniform and equal rate of taxation.
The taxation of money, notes and ac
counts operates, and always has operat
ed, to secure an unequal rate and a not
uniform scale of taxation and every
person, every assessor, and every in
stitution handling money and its rep
resentatives well knows this. The tan
gible property lands, houses, live
stock, etc. always pays for this blunder
whenever an assessor eager to make a
record undertakes to find the money,
notes and accounts. It immediately
leads to subterfuge, evasion, conceal
ment on the part of a class of tax
payers. It is a direct premium on dis
honesty according to the Tax Com
mission's interpretation of -the law.
But, fortunately, the Assessors and
the people generally recognize that in
terpretation of the law which the Tax
Commission has failed to discover, and
by almost unanimous consent does not
regard these Intangible assets as law
fully suDject to taxation. The unani
mous will of the population upon any
given subject interprets the constitu
tion In accordance with that will, an?.
when at variance results in constitu
tional amendments. The sooner the
Legislature recognizes this will of the
taxpayers of Oregon and declares no
tax on money, notes and accounts, the
better it will be for Oregon. The pres
ent law keeps vast quantities of capi
tal from Oregon which the state and
its undeveloped resources need. The
City of Los Angeles alone has more
money on deposit in its banks than all
the banks in Oregon combined.
m
But for purposes of assessment, to
go a step further, what Is money?
When one says he. has money in a bank,
Is that strictly true? I think not. Dur
ing 1909, the Benton County banks re
ported a combined deposit of about
$1,000,000. But was the money actual
ly in Benton County? The reports pub
lished do not show it was in Benton
County. They report certain specie,
certain currency. Approximately 20
per cent to 25 per cent of the deposits
or something like that, and that is a
high percentage of actual money. The
money itself; where is it? As a matter
of fact, there is no such an amount
of money in existence as the combined
bank deposits the world over repre
sent, and every financier knows it.
That being the case your Assessor
seizes one man's ready cash for pur
poses of taxation, and that man is pay
ing almost exactly that proportion
more tax than others who do not place
their money in his sight. Out of
$1,000,000 on deposit in Benton County
last year $28,000 was given in to the
Assessor! Is comment necessary furth
er to illustrate the futility, the abso
lute ridiculousness of undertaking to
make a few taxpayers bear an unequal
burden of taxation on this account?
The people who entertain the views
here expressed owe it to themselves
and to the purity of our state laws to
demand of every candidate for election
to either house of the Legislature a
pledge to vote to repeal any laws which
seem to require money, notes or ac
counts to be taxed.
see
When a rattle-snake strikes a man
it causes his blood to coagulate so it
will not circulate In his veins, and un
less something is done to counteract
this the man dies. Taxation of money,
notes and accounts does in a lesser de
gree to the free and untrammeled cir
culation of money about the same
thing that rattle-snake poison does to
a man, and as a result Oregon has
always been avoided by outside capi
tal. Worse even, our local capital
Itself goes to other states, with
more liberal laws, for investment.
These are facts well known to most
people who have much to do with
money, and to some who do not. It
would be well to look closely to what
kind of material goes into the Legis
lature, that such evils may not be too
long continued. J. H. WILSON.
Panama Shoes Quite the Thins:.
Boston Traveler.
"Have you seen my new Panamas?"
"There is nothing new under the sun,"
says an old adage: but did you ever hear
of panama shoes? Well, they are here,
but not with bells. Plain in the ex
treme. Most women will have them this
Summer. They may be bought for $10
or $30. -
For some time large consignments of
panama hats received by a large Lynn
shoe firm have caused comment. Was
there not enough money in the shoe
business and was the firm going to sell
hats? was but one of the queries. But
now the mystery has been solved. The
carloads' of hats which have been re
ceived are being turned into shoes.
The shoes, so the fashion notes say,
are to be the real thing this . Summer,
but not only the women. The only pleas
ure the men will derive from the new
novelty is to dig for the necessary 10 or
20 spot. The shoes are to have leather
soles, with the uppers made entirely of
panama straw.
Atlantic City's Latest.
Boston Globe.
A newspaper paragraph says that fat
women are rolling on the sands at At
lantic City to decrease their girth, but
because of pressing duties it is impossible
for us to make a trip to Atlantic City
now.
Civil Service for Cows.
Buffalo Express.
The Department of Agriculture will
conduct a model dairy farm in Maryland.
Now is the time for cows aiming to get
a situation there to prepare for trie
Civil Service examination.
DEMOCRATIC NON - PARTISANSHIP
Logic of the Nomination of a Non
partisan Judiciary.
PORTLAND, July 20. (To the Edi
tor.) The assembly of non-partisan
lawyers which has nominated a ticket
of non-partisans for the four places on
the State Supreme Court to be filled at
the November election declares in its
platform:
"We believe the non-partisan selec
tion of the judiciary will tend to ele
vate the dignity and independence of
the courts and that the plan adopted
by us will enable the voters of the
state, without political obstruction or
interference, to select candidates for
Judicial offices rather upon their merits
and qualifications as judges than upon
their political affiliations or the
strength of the parties to whloh they
belong."
And then, on the heels of this bom
bastic pronunciamento this "non-partisan"
assemblage of lawyers, none of
whom, it Is to be inferred, belongs to
any political party, proceeds unani
mously to nominate the Identical judges
who are now on the bench by virtue of
the operation of the very system which
the assemblage condemns!
e .
If the "operation of political parties"
for almost a generation succeeded in
keeping Judges McBride and Moore on
the state and supreme bench, where
does the "elevation of the character of
the bench" come in by the nomination
of both of them for another term?
Why pass high-sounding resolutions
declaring by assumption that a con
dition exists which loudly calls for re
form by reason of the continuance of
certain men on the bench by political
parties and then proceed to 'nominate
the very same men for re-election?
If tweedledum has made a mess of a
certain. thing, why oracularly call pub
lic attention to the fact that you are
going to prevent a repetition of the
mistake by inaugurating tweedledee as
a new force when it is universally ad
mitted that there's no difference "twixt
tweedledum and tweedledee?
If Judges McBride, Moore and Cle
tand have heretofore been unfit Judges
by reason of their being Republicans,
why are they named for re-election at
all? And if they have made efficient
and satisfactory Judges where- is the
need for this stilted cry for a "re
formed Judiciary?"
Everybody knows that Judges King,
Slater and Gatens were named for the
positions they now hold because they
were Democrats. Governor Chamber
lain appointed them solely and ad
mittedly because they were Democrats
in order, as he claimed, that we might
have a "non-part'san judiciary." But
why select Democrats unless it is for
the reason that it is expected they will
counteract in their decisions the parti
san attempts of the Republicans to
give political color to their findings?
Why does the presence on the bench
of a Democratic judge make it non
partisan unless his pronounced Demo
cracy asserts itself to "stand off" the
Republicanism of the Republican
Judges? ,
If they do not use their belief in
the creed of the Democratic party to
offset the appearance of Republican
tendencies in the decisions of their col
leagues, what has been gained by the
selection of Democratic Judges at all?
And if Judges Moore. McBride and
Cleland were worthy of recommenda
tion for re-election, being Republicans
and having made splendid records and
worthy of unanimous indorsement,
what need to fear from the presence
of two or three more like them?
And since Judges King, Slater and
Gatens . are recommended for re-election
because they are Democrats, it
was of course so ordered -because with
out this recommendation it was feared
their places would be filled by Repub
licans and since. therefore, it is a
movement to . see to it that a few
Democrats are given judicial positions
it follows that It Is a distinctive parti
san movement In the Interest of the
Democratic psrty of the state ss sll
so-called non-psrtlsan movements hsve
been for several years past.
Further, if the lawyers as a class are
better fitted to name candidates for
ludlcial positions, as they openly claim
themselves to be by reason of their
familiarity with court business, why
are they also not better fitted to elect
them without the intervention of other
classes of voters, who are quite as apt
to spoil ths choice at the polls in
November as at the polls in the pri
mary nominating election? It is an old
fashioned notion, even yet quite gener
ally held, that decidedly the most inter
ested person in any kind of litigation
is the party to the suit himself not
even excepting the lawyer and that
he should have the widest possible
freedom in the selection of the man
who shall preside at his trial; but this
latest phase of the "non-partisan"
movement in Oregon, admittedly 'n
the Interest of the Democratic party,
and, therefore, flagrantly partisan in
its essence, takes for its fundamental
Justification the assumption that the
parties most directly concerned in the
results of a judicial opinion shall have
the least to say as to the character of
the man who shall deliver It!
e e
Finally, this cry for "non-partisanship"
has been the main stay of the
movement which has stealthily but by
regular degrees fed the Democratic
party of the state until the Republicans
are disorganized and utterly at sea.
It is now to be seen if the State As
sembly, which has been called -to turn
the tide, if possible, will seriously give
heed to the latest manifestation of
the effort to elect Democrats to high
official position lest, without it, as is
odmitted by its sponsors, the purely
Democratic partisan movement might
otherwise fall. T. T. GEER.
One Weak; Spot In the Scheme.
Newark News.
"You ougnt to have your ear equipped
with demountable rims," said an auto
mobile man to Richard C. Jenklnson,
the other day. "All you have to do is
carry an extra rim with inflated tiro. In
case of a puncture it can be easily at
tached by a 12-year-old child in two
minutes."
"Yes," said Mr. Jenklnson. "but the
trouble is always to find the 12-year
child."
Why Boys Are Brave.
Brooklyn Life.
To his teacher's request that he give
the class ideas on the subject of "Brav
ery," little Johnny delivered himself of
the following:
"Some boys is brave beeause they al
ways plays with little boys, and some
boys is brave because their legs Is too
short to run away, but moat boys is
brave because somebody's lookin"."
Amateurs at the Game.
Puck."
"Ths proudest boast of the old-time
robber barons was that they never robbed
a poor man."
"Those fellows. were amateurs at the
game," explained the great captain of In
dustry, "and didn't understand how much
money there was in It."
China's Predicament.
Providence Journal.
It begins to look as If, when China
wakes up. she will find the bed so
crowded as to make it difficult for her
to turn over without raising a rumpus
with ths parties on either side.
What He Had.
Pittsburg Post
"Well. I think the doctor is about
through with me. Told me my ailment
is practically cured."
"What did you haver
"Two hundred dollars, originally."
OREGON INVITING FOREST FIRES.
Carelessness Along the Tillamook Road
That May Spell Disaster.
PORTLAND, July 19. (To the Editor.)
The Oregonian publishes an account of
the great loss of life and property in
the states of Washington and Idaho by
forest fires, and in nearly all cases
caused by the careless work of man.
Our State of Oregon, so far this season,
has escaped any dangerous or expensive
forest fires, but the country is very dry,
and ws are having our usual northwest
winds. If every precaution is not used.
Oregon, will suffer from man's careless
ness. The writer has just returned from Tilla
mook over the Wilson River road. Along
that road in the timber belt, the timber
owners have five men acting as lire war
dens whose duties are carefully to watch
for fire, and should fire break out at any
point to get men qinckly as possible ,
and subdue it. thus protecting ths tim
ber. The expense of this is borne by
the timber owners alone: they get no
help from county, state or Government.
On this same road, Tillamook County
has a crew of men repairing and build
ing roads. They are cutting logs and
brush and piling "up great windrows of
inflammable material along the county
wagon road, a main thoroughfare be
tween Forest Grove and Tillamook City.
The stub of a cigar or cigarette thought
lessly thrown by a passenger on the
stage might cause a lire whose damage
no one could guess. Tillamook: county
has one of the largest and finest bodies
of timber that the sun shines on, a body
of timber that draws the attention of
the greatest financiers of the country.
They realize the great future value of
this Immense tract of virgin forest and
are trying to protect it from fire. .
The Hill and the Harriman Interests
have heard of this great timber belt and
want ths carrying of it to the consuming
market and are rushing railroads into
it as fast as men can do the work, but
the people of Tillamook who will reap
ths largest benefit from the timber do
not seem to realize that they have any
Interest In the timber. . They do not make
any effort to save it. but. on the contrary.,
are increasing the fire hazard as fast, and
as much as they can.
The State of Oregon has a fire law..
There is a penalty for setting out fires
during the dry season, but there fs no
law and no way to stop the cutting and
piling of brush along the public highway,
where in a few hours of hot sun and
wind it gets dry as powder and will burn
Just as quickly. Cannot something be
done to prevent this work?
The writer personally spoks to the man
In charge of the work and cautioned
him against the danger of fire. His reply
was. "Oh. if anyone is mean enough to
set the timber on fire they will go out
in the woods and set it." He could not
see where there was any hazard in the
work he was doing. The writer does not
believe there is anyone mean enough
maliciously to set the timber on fire. It
Is making the fire trap or .the inflammable
heap, and the careless or thoughtless one
who does the damage.
P. S. BRUMBY.
OLD EVIL IN "DIRECT SYSTEM"
If People Cant Elect Good Lawmakers
How Elect Good Laws?
Aberdeen Wor'd.
People know enough to make their
own laws, contend Government faddists.
Possibly and perhaps. Considering the
quality of some Legislatures and legis
lators, the argument would appear to
be good. But do the people cars? In
view of their indifference in the mat
ter of se'ection of publio officers an
indifference that extended so far that
they surrendered control of their af
fairs to bosses and ward politicians and
were forced to devise a means of re
gaining it is it supposable that they
will pay any attention to laws? That
they will give such laws such study and
attention that laws deserve?
True, not enough study and attention
attend legislation in Legislatures, and
it is also true that law-making In such
bodies is largely a case of compromise,,
but more care Is devoted to laws than
would be the case were the people to
enact acts by direct vote.
Exper.ence in a Bister state shows that
the peoote do nt know hart the time,
what they are voting for. The evstem is
cumbersome, expensive and useless. It
destroys gcvernmeiit as it was devise,! in
this country. Need for such destruction
is not yet apparent. Present gosrnment
is all right if the people will take an
interest in in ' If they will not, it is slUy
to argue that they will become interested
is something new. Whole remedy for
evils, real or fancied, lies in the hands
of the people. If they do not want to
undertake it now, they will be forced
to later when the entire fabric of gov.
ernment becomes rent through their own
folly.
United States still Lives.
Boston Transcript.
There is no government in Washing
ton, but the United States still lives.
The Cabinet is as much scattered as
were the thousand cattle on the thou
sand hills mentioned by ths clergyman
who stumbled in his speech.
Early Harvest In Lake County.
Silver Lake Leader.
George Cooley came in from ths
Siean country and spent Sunday in
town. George during his absence of two
or three months had cultivated quite a
beard, which he had promptly harvested
upon his arrival.
The Trouble With Bryan.
Richmond Times-Dispatch.
"How can I tell? How do I know?"
said Mr. Bryan when asked If he would
run again for the Presidency. He
never did know and always tried to
tell. That's why he almost ruined the
party.
Force of Habit.
Montgomery Advertiser.
"Your wife wishes to speak with you,"
said the spirit medium.
"Tell her I fed the parrot svsry day
and watered the flowers, too. while she's
been gone," said the absent-minded man.
Might Have Msde n Fortune.
Chicago News.
Had Messrs. Taft and . Roosevelt
looked out for the really necessary they
would have made a contract with a
moving-picture machine man before .
they met.
Not for Taft.
Philadelphia Inquirer.
A leather belt 243 feet long and'val
ued at $500 has Just been made. No,
gentle reader, it is not to be sent to
Beverly.
Catting the Traces.
Atlanta Constitution.
Every time they hitch the lame ele
phant to ths Republican bandwagon
they may look to see the lnsugents
cut the traces.
A Wasted Chance.
Come, give me back my life again, you
heavy-handed Death!
Uncrook your fingers from my throat, and
let me draw my breath.
Tou do me wrong to take me now too soon
for me to die
Ah, loose me from this clutching pain, and
hear the reason why.
I know I've had my forty years, and wasted
every one;
And yet I teil you honestly, my life is not
begun;
I've walked the world like one asleep, a
dreamer In s trance;
But now you've gripped me wide awake I
want another chance.
My dreams were always beautiful, my
thoughts were high and line:
No life was ever lived on earth to match
those dreams of mine.
And would you wreck them unfulfilled?
What folly, nay, what crime 1
You rob the world, you waste a soul give
xns a little time.
Henry Van Dyke.