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THE H.tLUX.IJt ITNWXi.
Seven R(mbn of the Balllnger In
vestigating commlltet, a majority, re
turn the expected report vindicating
tho Secretary or the Interior. Kour
Ivmocrwnc member have persuaded
IhrmvlvM that It Is their duty to
thlr party and presumably to the
country to Ond against bim; and one
jn.mlx-r. a Republican, stands apart
from the majority and the Democratic
minority in his own strange view of
the cast. The lone member I the In.
argent Madison, of Kansas, who car
ries his Insurgency Into a grave public
ut. where no clement of partisan
rancor or atom of political predilec
tion ahould have entered. So appar
ently In some degree with all other
m-mbrrs of the Investigating commit
tee. The division of the committee
Is on political lines throughout, be
cause. It may be supposed. Bulilnger
la a political Issue.
If the Republican member of the
committee have been Influenced In
their decision by the fact that Ballin
grr la a high officer of a Itepubllcan
Administration ami doubtless they
have been the Democrat have been
to the name or a greater extent In
spired by a reprehensible purpose to
m.ike capital against that Republican
Administration. Mr. Madison's course
would Justify the assumption that his
Judgment hu been colored and his
action largely guided by the peculiar
views of his 'radical constituency.
The Investigation ends about where It
began, though clearly the Judgment of
the courtry must be that the case
against Balllnger Is not sustained.
The report of the majority, despite
It apparent political bias. Is a fair
nd Judicious finding of the facts and
a. deserved exoneration of a bitterly
wronged public official. Not In recent
times has any man been pursued by
the wolves of hate and envy with such
malignity and ferocity, and none has
been more industriously and heart
lessly slandered. No credible or defi
nite testimony was offered that sup
ported the many charges, which re
solved themselves at the end into the
one declaration that he was "unfaith
ful." There were, as the President
said, only "shreJs of suspicion." and
these were, all based on Innocent and
proper acts but such acts as made
It obvious that Balllnger was not Our
field's nor Ptnchot's creature. There
fore the calumnies and libels and
wholesale charges of "Infidelity."
Balllnger was Indicted by Plnchot
solely because of the ex-forester's
supposition that he represented and
would carry out the Western Idea of
conservation, and by llartleld because,
he got the place Garfield wanted. lie
Is attacked by Democratic partisans
on the investigating committee for
purpose of pure, or Impure. pnrtlan
politics. He Is upheld by the Repub
licans because his cause has made It
necessary that ha should be upheld,
and there was no other worthy way.
Ft KUf rMH'K MTKM.
Now that the public dock elephant
has formally passed Into the hands of
the. Portland taxpayer, w ith a 11.500
00 fund to support it. the matter of
spending the money Is becoming a
burning Issue. It has frequently been
stated, and will sHn be demonstrated
bv actual experience, that not more
than 10 per cent of the water-borne
commerce In and out of the port can
under any circumstances be diverted
to a public d-k. The other SO per
cent will continue, as at present, to
move In and out of the port over the
private docks of thos.- who manufac
ture, bny. sell or transport the freight.
It la from the remaining possible 1
per cent that the public dock mut
-cure Its business, and to locnte It In
the beat possible point for this busi
ness the Dock Commission must pro
ceed with caution.
As it wus the Hast Side that sup
plied the voles that loaded down the
taxraer with a JC.JOO.OOO bond
Issue. It Is. of course, proper that the
Fast Side should have the docks. Rut
even among the Fast Slders w ho were
so liberal In voting nonds In i-.oU0.
000 chunks there Is a difference of
opinion as to where the docks should
be located. The Fast Side Business
Men's Association wants the public
dock located at Fast Couch and Fust
Gllsan streets. The Fast Side Civic
Council assure us that such a loca-
tlon "would l-e too far north anJ
would not be satisfactory to the Fast
Elde." The secretary of the Civic
Council states: "In my Judgment the
Fast Side docks ought to be between
the Morrison and Hawthorne bridges."
In support vT this demand for a pub
lic dock north of Morrison street the
secretary sa that "one paving firm
alone Is seeking dockage for 10.000
sack of cement for next year." At
the proposed rate of 8 cent per ton.
which has been suggested for the pub
lic dock charge, the cement business
thus assured would pay about US.
which, of course, would help some
what. But neither of the sites men
tioned would be of any advantage to
the street contractors who are doing
work north and sooth of the locations
mentioned, and to accommodate them
as they are now accommodated, nu
merous dock would necessarily have
to be built between Sellwood and Al
Wna or St. Johns. The West Side pur
veyors of dock site have not yet been
heard from, but It will add to the gay.
ety of the problem, when It become
necessary to convince a South Port
land man that North Portland Is the
best location for a public dock, or to
convince either the North Portland or
the South Portland taxpayer that Mr.
Teal' dock at the foot of Oak street
1 eligible for public dock honor.
Mayor Simon, has appointed an, ex
cellent commission to look after the
matter, and If. with their selection of
a site, they can please one-tenth of
the taxpayers, they will nave accom
plished, a notable triumph. Portland
has had a surfeit of theories regarding
....hllA Acka and la about to be Con
fronted with soma real facts on the
matter.
rxx JOE.
Just eontemDlate for a moment the
serene contentment of Uncle Joe Can
non as he looks around him on the
wreck of political world. Disaster
k.tf . n,l iiuureont. but
T . U hUU.'U... .
ha ahonr up smilingly at the ahort
session of the sixty-first Congress
with the approval of his constituent
at the recent election, the assurance
that nothing untoward will happen for
the remainder of hla term as Speaker
and with the certainty that neither
regular nor Insurgent Republican will
take the gavel away from him In the
next Congress. It can naraiy oe cniieu
a vindication for Cannon or Cnnnon
lam to have a Democratic majority
In the House; but It takes a world of
wfo and worry from the old man's
shoulders, nevertheless, to be licked
by his enemies and not by nut rrienas.
Th rocorri shows that Joseph Gur-
ney Cannon has been continuously a
member of all me congresses
the forty-third to the sixty-first (ex-
,. fKfv.aacond ). 'He was
Speaker of the fifty-eighth, fifty-
ninth, sixtieth and aixty-iirst; "
will. If he lives, be a high private In
the front rank of the sixty-second.
n .Ithnnl red blood In hi
veins, brains In his head and valor tn
his heart could have made sucn a
,.nr.t We hardlv think Champ
Clark will last so long, fight so hard.
or die so fearlessly and denanu.
The procession withal has gone d
Mr. Cannon. He Is more than a
..anHnattar' there t.S lUStlCC In thC
complaint that he Is a standstiller.
It was time for the gnxxiea oia wr--t
a.nn nut Tet who in America
does not admire a fighter? Who else
could have rorced tne nouse id uo
business?
WHY rORFJiM:KS IK SOT BIT.
The remarkable decline In the Ori
ental flour trade has been one of the
most striking features of the Pacific
Coast commercial situation. This
business, which reached hlgn water
n..,i. in tha aeason of 1906-07. when
more than 4.100.000 barrels were
shipped from Portland ana 1'ugei
Sound, has declined until for the
twelve months ending June 30, 1910.
the total shipments were but 1.237.
nnn hrnls. This decline hns been
so great that It has at last attracted
the attention or consui-wenerm jvh
derson at Hongkong, who writes of
the causes that have produced the
change. These causes are stated to
be the high prices for wheat and
flour In the United States and the
low exchange value of silver. Mr.
Anderson conclude his explanation
with the statement that "low prices
for flour In the United States will at
any time result in an Increase In the
trade here and high exchange here
at any time will have the same
result."
Summarized, the situation Is thnt
the flour trade declined because
prices have exceeded the limit of the
purchasing power of the Orientals.
This Is a situation that, since the de
cline began, has been thoroughly un
derstood by the Pacific Coast flour
dealer who control the Oriental flour
trade. It Involves itn essentlnl point
that has particular bearing on all
foreign trade. Foreigners do not buy
from us anything they do not need
or ennnot afford, and neither ship
subsidies nor any other artificial
methods of forcing trade can displace
certain fixed economic laws.
Just at present there Is a decided
Improvement In the Oriental flour
trade, but any advance In wheat on
this side of the Pacific will be the sig
nal for a slackening In the flour trade.
There Is very little sentiment In any
business, anywhere, and probably less
of It In dealing with the Oriental
race than with any other people.
When the United State cannot make
prices and quality to suit the foreign
buyers, all of the representatives we
can send over will not help us.
tHT THE not RFJi TU.I.
The average number of vo"tes, "yes"
and "no." received by each measure
submitted In the recent election was
j.04:. On the basis of 117.690 votes
cast for candidates for Governor this
wus but 72.3 per cent of the total vote
cast In the election.
It might be supposed that, as the
people become more accustomed to
studying Initiative and referendum
measuresf a higher average would be
Indicated In each successive election.
Hut the reverse Is true. In 190S the
averaice total cast on each measure
was 74.1 per cent of the total number
of votes east In the election; in iut
It was 76.6 per cent: In 1904 It was
7S.& per cent. It Is here shown that
In exces of 6 per cent more voter
expressed their opinion on legislation
in 1904 the first year of application
of the Initiative and referendum
than In 1910.
In figure the difference 1 more
striking. In 1904 an average of zi.:.
of those who voted for candidate
.for ottlce failed to vote on each of the
measure ubmtttea. in ism an av
erage of S2.64S did not record views
on each bill or amendment.
The number of measures has in
creased with each election. Two were
proposed in 1904. eleven in 1906, nine
teen In 190S and thirty-two in uiv
In other word, the number presented
in 1910 wa exactly equal to the total
number pree nted In the three preced
lug elections.
The figure cry out a strong argu
rnent for legislation that will cure
abuses of the initiative and referen
dum. Multiplicity of local and unlm
portant measures on the ballot un
doubtedly last month caused many
voters to despair of arriving at any
conclusion concerning all. and created
a disinclination to study even the
more important ones.
When a large percentage of the
electorate decline to vote on meas
ure presented for Its approval or re
jection, then becomes possible the
enactment of statutes framed
and advocated hy shallow think
ers, special Interests and support
ers of revolutionary doctrines. The
approval of the pernicious tag amend
ment, with Its well-concealed single
tag Joker, was gained by the affirma
tive votes of JS per cent of those w ho
voted In the election and was made
part of the constitution by 36 per cent
of the registered voter of the state.
And probably 76 per cent of those who
marked, crosses In favor of tbe amend
TIIE MOIMOXO OKEGOXIAX. TTTCTR SPAY, 1JCCE3IBEK o,
ment were won solely by the unneces
sary inhibition against the polltax and
knew nothing of the other provisions.
t.OVKRXMKST BOOe MILK-S A WAV.
President Taft is tenacious of his
opinion that home rule for Alaska Is
not desirable or necessary for the ter
ritory's best development. The Pres
ident has had experience with Amer
ican colonies or dependencies or pos
sessions, and he has demonstrated his
own great capacity for direction of
their affairs.
But Is Alaska a colony or a depend
ency or a mere territorial possession?
Does It merit mere absent treatment
In the way of government? Or Is It
entitled to hse Its resource devel
oped. Its Interests conserved and Its
Industries promoted like other Ameri
can territory? It is peopled altogether
by a bold, enterprising, adventurous
and patriotic citizenship. They have
a great aspiration to be an American
state. There are no traditions or re
membrances or heartburnings over
sundered ties with any foreign power.
Alaska is not Russian, or Indian, or
Ksklmo, or Canadian, or Spanish; It
Is American.
Full self-government, owing to vast
distances, migratory population and
conflicting Interests. Is perhaps not
now to be thought of. But govern
ment by Washington bureaucracy, six
thousands miles away. Is even more
out of the question." Why not a Uov-
rnor and a council with power to act
on the ground? Otherwise Alaska
will be throttled by red tape. Just as It
Is being starved by a false conserva
tion. Till: GOVKKNMEXT AND TlfB TKISTS.
The true nature of the action which
the Federal Government has begun
against the sugar trust does not seem
to be understood thoroughly In some
quarters. From an Illuminating ar
ticle upon the subject in the Boston
Evening Transcript it Is gathered that
the Government has not asked the
courts to dissolve this monopolistic
combination. The case differs essen
tially In this respect from the suits
against the Tobacco Trusr and the
Standard Oil Company, which. It will
be remembered, are pending In the
Supreme Court. The decisions have
been delayed on account of the va
cancies In the court, but Inasmuch as
President Taft'a new appointees .will
take their places before a great while.
It is not likely that the country, will
have to wait much longer to iearn the
precise standing of these colossal
,-omblnatlons before the law. The
decisions of the lower courts have
been against them disastrously of
late, and If the same views should
prevail in the tribunal of last resort,
great changes in business methods
may follow. The Government has
so managed its recent suits against
the trusts that a mere reorganization
after an adverse Judgment may not
suffice to ward off the consequences.
As one writer puts It, all they hnve
to do after previous orders to dissolve
and the like has been "to change
their clothes and go on as before.
Now. as he adds, the only garment
w hich will be suitable to their condi
tion will be a coffin.
But they will need a coffin only If
the suits go against them, and it Is
by no means certnln that this will
happen. The defensive ingenuity of
their lawyers Is little short of the
miraculous, and among the Judges
there Is a good deal of feeling that
the Sherman anti-trust law, under
which the suits are brought, is an
unwise measure. Federal Judge La
combe, of New York, has spoken his
mind against it In the plainest terms.
But or course It Is a Judge's business
to apply the law as It stands, no mat
ter what he may think of Its wisdom,
and unless some new and surprising
interpretations are brought out In
the Supreme Court we may make
up our minds that tho great trusts
stand today In a more parlous situa
tion than ever before. One of the
December magazines, commenting
upon the situation, remarks editorial
ly that Mr. Taft and his Attorney
General differ from previous antag
onists of the trusts In knowing exactly
where to strike them in order to hurt.
The blows of laymen are often woe
fully misdirected. The parts which
appear to them to be vital are often
verv far Indeed from the seat of life.
The suit against the Sugar Trust,
as we have observed, differs notably
from the others. The Government
has asked the court, not to dissolve
the combination, but to declare that
certuln of its alleged acts have been
"In rstralnt of trade." If this is es
tablished, then an Injunction against
the- nets Jn question will follow in
short order and the trust will appar
ently be pretty effectually tied up. If
It thinks it worth while to obey.
Some trusts have found It more to
their advantage to disregard Injunc
tions than to heed them, but possibly
we may see a change in this respect
as time" passes. In proceeding against
the sugar monopoly the Government
labors under one decided disadvan
tage. It began a suit against tho
trust a number of years ago which
lawyers speak of as the Knight case.
This came up to the Supreme. Court
and the Government lost It on the
ground that the various firms includ
ed In tho combination were simply
manufacturing concerns. Since the
court could not perceive that mere
manufacturing was interstate busi
ness, it necessarily held that the com
bination did not fill under the ban
of the anti-trust law. which applies
only to Interstate commerce. The
new suit against the trust, we under
stand, has been assiduously fortified
In this weak quarter. The Federal
attorneys will try to make it clear to
the court that a monopoly of manu
facture Involves a monopoly of the
market and thus directly passes into
an absolute control of interstate com
merce. An encouraging !-tor In the
present case Is the novel willingness
which our higher courts have lately
exhibited to take some account of
industrial and social facts to which
formerly they paid little attention.
The enemies of the trusts seem to
think that they have at last brought
the monsters to bay and that the
fight which is now on In the Supreme
Court wrtl end In their extinction.
Other observers are somewhat . less
enthusiastic. According to their view
It will make no difference In the long
run how the suits against, the sugar
and tobacco trusts and the Standard
Oil Company may be decided. The
utmost that can be hoped or feared
from the cases Is some temporary
embarrassment to the monopolies.
The combinations. It Is argued, have
been formed In response to the
urrencr of an Irresistible social ten
dency. Their form may be altered by
legislation and court decision, but
not their essesntial nature. This win
reassert Itself In spite of everything,
and instead of trying vainly to destroy
the trusts, we would be vastly wiser
to occupy ourselves in seeking to con
trol them for the public good. Still
others remind us that the owners of
trust stock are now very numerous.
Including many widows and orphans.
Any serious blow against the pros
perity of the monopolies would bring
misery upon the heads of these Inno
cents. Nor should It be forgotten that
the prices of trust-controlled staples
have risen but slowly In comparison
with those which are still produced
and sold competitively. This fact,
among others, warns us that the de
struction of the trusts might not after
all prove to be an unmitigated bless
ing. The more one studies the sub
ject the less he is disposed to believe
that it can be settled once and for
all by a single decision even of such
a tribunal as the Supreme Court of
the United States.
Atwell. Secretary-
Power and a few other enthusiasts
who guaranteed expenses was due tne
r,r thA Annie Show. For many
weeks the first-named gentlemen have
given time and labor a-pienty to mano
tho'uiTnir a anccess. without remuner
ation, or at best but slight recom
pense. Now that the roruana appio
v, I. ,,v h an nnnual event, there
should be provision to secure the
services of at least one executive oin
cer under proper pay. His office
would at once become the clearing
house for reliable information to pros
pective investors, distinct from the or
dinary real estate office, and because
of lack of personal pecuniary interest
more reliable. Oregon has two horti
cultural organizations, the State
Board and the State Society. One is
enough. ' The money that spreads
rather thin over the affairs of both
would do much good with either. The
fruit Industry Is now In the seven-fig-tire
class and will soon exceed JlO.
000,000. A number of people have a
little responsibility and get a little pay.
Let those who have the doing of It
trim the personnel and concentrate
the remuneration, for if some action
of this nature Is not taken, the Indus
try will ere long get away, by sheer
force of growth, from those who are
handling It.
In his efforts to retain all the pres
ent supply of coal and timber for pos
terity, Mr. Pinchot is meeting with the
approval of the Japanese who are
more interested in the present dime
than in the future dollar. The Jap
anese are already -selling coal in
Alaska and at other points on the
Pacific coast, and, according to a
Washington dispatch, they are non
cutting in on our lumber trade. The
Department of Commerce and Labor
has been advised that the Japanese
last year sold in the port of Tientsin
alone 100.000.000 feet of Yalu River
lumber, compared with sales of but
13,000,000 feet made by Americans.
The untaught Japanese know so lit
tle about conservation of the Plnchot
brand that they are deliberately
clearing their land and selling the
timber at lower prices than can be
quoted by the Pacific Coast mills. As
the United States Government nas
;,. hn .Tnnnnese a market for their
coal and as they are developing their
lumber Industry at the expense or tne
Pacific Coast mills, they are in a
fair wav to greatly Increase their
wealth before Mr. Pinchot can get a
hearing.
t Bandon are anxious
for direct steamer communication
with Portland, and there Is no ques
tioning the value of such a connection
i,t,i-.,.n this citv and the rich Coqullle
region. San Francisco has for years
enjoyed a practical monopoly oi
nt thnt territory and will con
tinue to do bo until Portland secures
regular transportation, home ann
culty might be experienced In secur
ing profitable cargoes at the start, but
with a steamer making regulur sail
ings it would be but a snort time De
fore a profitable business could be
worked up. '
To save confusion among new resi
dents it should be stated that there
are two Mount Hood Railways which
get into the news columns, one from
the City of Hood River Into the in
terior and one from Portland to
Mount Hood. The first is in opera
tion, the other promised within a
year.
Portland has no worthier Institution
than the Boarding Woman's Home, a
well-conducted place for self-respecting
working women. For nearly a
quarter of a century It has proved
Itself. The present movement for a
larger building should appeal to all
who are Inclined to philanthropy.
Having disposed of Pullman car
rates in a way that pleases nobody,
the Interstate Commerce Commission
ought to get busy on the proposition
of the company paying porters' wages
instead of putting the burden on the
traveling public.
In view of the extraordinary cir
cumstance of Congress beginning the
.i.iv'. work without the customary In
vocation, it may be asked whether
the present legislative body isn t De
yond the reach of prayer.
Through the agency of the Post
office Department, Uncle Sam orders
that Baker City. Oregon, hereafter
be Baker. This goes with The Ore
gonian, for The Oregonian always
follows the flag.
Oregon' average annual gain in
population for ten years was six per
cent. Every one who has observed
present development believes the
growth for the next ten years will be
much larger.
With our Fall rains dally softening
the soil of Western Oregon, any and
all movements, public, private or
community. looking toward good
roads are timely, not to say important-
Homer C. Atwell is right about it.
The system of organization that pre
pares the apple for market should be
extended to Its sale. Extinction of
the Individual means profit for all.
When all the employing printers
of the Pacific Coast meet in Portland
next February, some one should read
a paper on the advisability of turning
out a Job at the time promised.
Those Pasadena girls were fully
Justified In refusing to dance with
Japanese naval officers; their legs
are too short. '
WHAT ME DOXT LIKE AS GIFTS
Christmas Preaent 1 usually Cauae
. .Breaking Iteaolutiona Not to Swear.
Most of the Christmas magazines de
vote a good deal of attention as to what
shall be gven for Christmas. In the
December Good Housekeeping Magazine
Is a very Interesting collection of pro
tests from men, telling what they do not
want. Some of the suggestions are, how
ever, constructive In telling what would
be acceptable.
The general drift of the expressions
Is summed up by one of the writers, who
says: "There Is hardly a man In the
country who has not secretly violated
his last New Year's resolution not to
swenr when he has looked over the
things Santa Claus has been so kind as
to bring hltn."
Gelett Bursess expresses himself In
this wise: "If presents must be piven.
let them he money or kisses! When
you wish nie a Merry Christmas, do not
let the embossed paper label seal a
potion that will poison my freedom! Use
gold cord about your package if you
will, so you do not tie me up into a
mood of Impossible gratitude for an un
wished gift. I hate silver, for one ming:
this I now Inform my friends; but how
can I catalogue my abhorrences. They
are infinite. From silk-knit ties to nttie
boxes devised to hold six matches, 1
loathe everything that money can buy
unless I have houpht it myself! And so.
If I have any friends left, tell them this:
if they would Klve me a Christmas pres
ent, let it be that truest, rarest, blessed-
est of gifts, nothing!"
Burges Johnson claims a special dis
like for "Calendars that crowd my
tables; ribbon bookmarks with my name;
silver-plated suitcase labels: any small
gilt picture frame: notebooks that don't
fit my pocket: bedroom slippers with no
heel (gem-set key-ring?" 1 would hock
It!) all these thinsrs make no appeal.
No. I've nothing much the matter. But
I struggle now and then 'gainst those
things described In caterlogues as 'dain
ty gifts for men.' "
Another writes: "I don't want slippers
hand embroidered; a smoking jacket
bound In red and white: a briarwood
pipe, with girl's head, hand-carved: a
large china cup with gilt-ege mustache
screen, marked "Friendship's Offering:'
a box of assorted neckties (prefer to
make my own selection): toliet articles
of any kind: box of collars, size 16W
A fond father contributes this: "I
don't want a set of triplets. Not that
I do not love children, but because I
received a pair of twins last Christmas.
One was a girl, and the other was a
frlrl. That made two girls. And before
that I had one girl. That makes three
girls three of the sweetest, prettiest
girls I ever saw In my life. If I should
receive triplets this Christmas, and they
should be girls, that would make six
girls, and while I love girls, I don't
want the girl business overdone. I have
to draw the line at triplets for this
Christmas. I don't want the stork to get
the habit. One girl was all right, and
last Christmas two girls were all right,
but If he should bring me three girls
this Christmas, and I pretended to be
pleased, there might be no stopping
him."
Here are some of the other expres
sions: "Cigars, as a rule, or smokers ar
ticles selected by a woman any little
dinky thing with ribbons' this last the
ladies are most prayerfully begged not
to get. Not anything embroidered, or
cases for tollrt articles. Not stickpins.
"I believe gifts are chosen best by
those who know us best, and the order
of successful choosing begins with the
mother, and then wife, children, friends,
and lastly, by relatives-ln-law."
"I am a business man. and though
ribhon-tled calendars, fancy pen rests,
convenient (?) little stamp boxes and
other ornate desk articles are old ac
quaintances. I cannot. In truth, call them
old friends. Also I prefer not to receive
articles of wearing apparel, particularly
such accessories as neckties, gloves, etc.
I acknowledge a very Imperfect taste
nevertheless it is my own."
Protest Agatoat F.ast Side Demands.
PORTLAND. Or.. Dec. 7. (To the
Editor.) In the last few days we of
the West Side see all of our hopes for
the starting of a boulevard dwindling.
Not satisfied with having JcOO.000
of the tl. 000.000 voted for parks and
boulevards, expended already on the
East Side, and wanting 1100.000 more
for improving the parks already pur
chased, our brothers on the East Side
now wish to take over a cemetery, and
improve it so as to make a city park
of it I suppose it is their idea to have
It' taken over before the tracks are
lowered on the Mount Tabor carline,
when the city will have to pay for the
concrete retaining wall.
It now appears that the Mount Tabor
Improvement Association Is asking for
an additional S10.000. making $io.000
in all for the Improvement of Williams
Park at Mount Tabor.
Last, but not least, our East Side
brothers, while denouncing the idea
of our acquiring 57 acres for a goat
pasture" in South Portland from the
- . a re now neeotiat-
lng with that despised "waterfront
Brabblng" corporation tor i i
Its land at the end of the Rose City
carline for a menagerie and monkey
farm, after buying which they propose
to spend from $25,000 to ,100.000 for
the erection of animal cages, and
-monkey houses." "Oh, you Carusos!
Stop your kidding."
v ' A. GOATHERDER.
amber of Christian Scientists.
PORTLAND, Dec. 5. (To the Editor.)
I was somewhat surprised .i read in
The Oregonian your statement that there
are about 1.000,000 adherents of the late
Mrs. Eddy. It has been my impression
that the Christian Scientists ranked in
numbers among the smaller religious
bodies, with rather less than 100.000 mem
bers. ' It would be very unusual for the
adherents of a demonination to exceed
twice the number of members. I shad
appreciate it very much if you will give
me the authority for yu estimate.
H. M. RAaioLi.
Nearly all religious bodies take a cen
su's of membership at stated times So
with Christian Scientists. But more are
many who believe in the teachings of
Mrs Eddy, or followers, or adherents cr
whatever you choose to call them who
are not church membtts In ihe sense
that they are enrolled.
Christian Science churches have been
established in every civilized country on
the Jtlobe. These have uniform services
and are branches of the Mother Church
in Boston. The Oregonian think, that
a million believers or adherents or fol
lowers is a moderate estimate. No rec
ord of foreign countries is kept by the
Mother Church.
She Xlckanmed Piatt.
New Yorla' Herald.
Mrs Antonio Martinez, who before her
marriage was Winnie Horn, the new.
cirl who w as credited with having nick
named Senator Piatt the "Easy Boss."
died from asthma at 206 East Ninety
seventh street recently
It was ten years ago that Vi innie
Horn reached the height of her fame as
a newsgirl. The stand from which she
and her sisters sold papers was located
under the elevated stairway at Sixth
avenue and Twenty-third street. Among
n-.rt Senators Piatt. Hanna
ner uauufl -
and Depew. and Governor Odell. .
There were five Horn sisters, all of
whom at times sold papers, but it was
Winnie and her sister Sadie who most
frequently appeared in the newspapers
through their aggressiveness and deter
mination not to be ousted from their
corner. Senator. Piatt took an especial
interest inthe girls' welfare, and sev
eral times saved them from eviction.
It was at this time that Winnie Horn
called him the "Easy Boss," the name
that clung to him until his death.
"THIS LIFE ALL, SATS EDISON
Xoted Inventor Declares Thnt Golden
Rule la Best Religion.
Xew York Cor. Chicago Tribune.
Thomas A. Edison, the inventor, who
recently was attacked by the Rev.
Charles F. Aked and by Henry Frank
and others for what they called his
"atheistic views." has replied to their
criticisms.
"That's It," he said. "I'm an atheist
now, am I? These people who call me
to account do not even read what I have
said. I am not an atheist, never have
been, and never said I was. I believe
in a supreme intelligence, but I have
grave doubts as to whether you and I
and all the other good folk of this earth
are going to be roused from our graves
to go to some beautiful, shining place
up aloft. 1
"1 do not see it. and cannot under
stand It. and neither do these ministers
of fashionable churches. They do not
say what they think. Often they do not
T. td 11 kuainoaa ta-tth 'em.
"Thev tell me I am heading straight
for hell. Maybe I am. But I'll take my
chances with the fashionable minister,
and if there is such a spot as heaven
I 11 bet I get there first yes, even before
Dr. Aked.
"Now, here is a sample of what these
rich and fashionable and dignified min
isters will do. A poor reporter came to
me one day for an Interview. He is a
clever fellow and writes well, but he is
handicapped by having had his leg shot
off in an engagement in which he was a
war correspondent.
"I gave him an interview because his
paper wanted it and because I wanted to
help him. A certain clergyman made
some comments on what I had said in
the interview, and the man who had
seen me asked him to let him Interview
him on the same subject. Now what
do you think that man of God answered?
He said: 'Yes. I will be willing to give
you my opinion, but I shall expect to
he na'id J200.' . There is a Christian
churchman for you.
"The only religion needed In this world
Is the Golden Rule. If every one prac-
j i. .v, hp rn mora trouble
llUfU 11 U1C1C .J u.i-. J -
or poverty or unhapplness. It is a per
fectly practical proposition.
not be hard for most of us to follow
if we got a little encouragement from
our neighbors. And those who refused
. , , i J r,tr trio
to keep it snouia ue imu w 3 -
ii tm Tint everv one in
Jail who wouldn't do unto his neighbor
as he would have his neignoor uu
hini.
TAi!o'fnn 'hereafter. what do these
ii..r. know shout it that I do not?
I wonder how many of them have seen
... h.l. rtone at the
tne luiriKs -
Rockefeller Institute, where they cut off
a leg, put it in cold storage for a week
.u. it on -oin and it knits
aou liicii c t v.
and heals and feels and Is alive Just
like any other living iimo:
"I believe implicitly the time is not
. j.. . . ,v,av will he able to
lar UIHLHI1L "lie"
put a man In cold storage for six months
or so and then warm mm ui'
v,o hnsnitHl alive and
kicking. Why, the other day they took
a dog s heart out ana put
oih -tni-niM. and left them there
week. Todf.v that dog is running
around the laboratory. I Eaw him my
self. His heart Is back In place and he
. . x, 1
leeis cuippci au
"Every thing is material. T e have no
thoughts. They are simpiy """'""'V' ;
;., nntsode. Our brains
.a- that talrA imnresslons
are jute icuutuo . - . . .
from our environment. We get nothing
from within. . T
never have created anything. I get Im
pressions from tne univeim -work
them out, but I am only a plate
on a record or a receiving, ow-
wnat you win. , ...
. T . vaiioitA a mans mind
live, after him. His work lives after
him, but his work is a material thing.
"The Golden Rule is all that is needed.
I'm dead five hours every night, and
when I die and decompose I shall live
only in phonographs and tickers and
storage batteries. I shall not be playing
a harp or boiling In oil .or haunting any
one. I shall be dead.
"But I am willing to take my chances
,. nanT,ia wfirried to deatn
Wltn ail Llieao ucvjfc.v,
.... arhn Write me
about tneir preacni ii
i.. that fill ud my mail
bags and worry my clerks. I'll take my
chance.
ENGINEERING COST OX ROADS
Error Asserted to Be In Fl cures uoted
f nm!nv Prom J. J. Donovan.
one A -ITU 'iHrOTTA. Dec. 3. (To
the Editor.) In view of The Oregonlan's
acknowledged reliability and authority
on statements of fact, I would respect
fully call attention to an editorial in
today's Issue on "State Aid for County
Roads." in which J. J. Donovan is quoted
as placing the engineering cost of state
aid roads in Washington at 96 per cent
of the total cost . under Mr. Snow,, and
75 per cent under Mr. Bowlby. and-that
vou correct these figures by placing the
decimal point before the second figure
in each instance.
The writer does not know from what
source wou obtained your figures, but
assumes the error to be merely typo
graphical, as Mr. Donovan, both in the
good roads convention at Walla Walla
and in the published report of the in
vestigating commission, imi im.
tlve percentages at practically the same
htined bv the insertion of the deci
mal in both instances, i. e., at 9.3 per
cent under Mr. enow anu m "
8 per cent under Mr. Bowlby.
Great prejudice against state aid hav
ing been occasioned by exaggerated fig
ures coming from interested Quarts
it is highly important that there should
be no unmerited criticism aroused
through an error on the part of The
Oregonian. with its well-earned reputa
tion for honesty and fairness. -ggpY. .
The extract from Mr. Donovan's re
port was taken from a purported copy
published in an Eastern Washington ex
rhanee The Oregonian confesses that
U was puzzled by the high percentage
figures shown, but finally decided that
Mr. Donovan had meant that the indi
cated percentages were of the total ex
pended by the state in addition to the
county share on completed and uncom
pleted roads. The figures on any other
basis seemed out of all reason.
Vote on Tax Amendment.
TROt-TDALE, Or.. Dec. 6.-(To the Edi
tor piease give the vote in City of
Portland on the labor tax amendment
at recent election, also t"'0
and obl'ge. A FARMER.
The vote In Portland Is not segregated
from the county returns. Multnomah
County voted on labor tax amendment
in 1910 yes. 12.6S5: no. 10.695. The same
Sea.nr. wa. not presented In 1908. but
on the single tax amendment then pre
sented the Multnomah vote was, yea,
10,S2S; no, 11.311.
That Suggestive Name.
ANTELOPE, Or.. Dec. 2. (To the Edi
tor Through the columns of The Ore
eonian would you kindly enlighten me
as to why you think the name "Owen
Moran" Is "suggestive?" Suggestive of
what and why? I refer to your comment
on "Bat" Nelson In The Oregonian un
der the date of December 1. Very re
spectfully yours, D. K. KELLOG.
The expression was used simply as a
short way of saying that Bat Nelson
met In contest an Irish opponent whose
national extraction was a guaranty pf
his pugnacity and staying qualities.
Who Knows the Difference!
Washington Star.
"That sunrise effect is all wrong,"
said the stage manager of a New York
musical show.
Whads the difference? replied the
scene painter. Nobody who goes to a
musical comedy in this town knows
what a sunrise looks like."
Life's Sunny Side
Dr. Francois de la Rnf, st the recent
sanitary convention in Des Moines, said:
"The disposition that we make of our
sewag9 is very dangerous, very absurd,
today. There will come a time when
we shall dispose of sewage wisely. But
our present nanoung in il uriimivia ma
of a witticism of my old father.
"Once when I was a little cnap, 1 saia
to my father:
" 'Papa, where does the barber put the
hair he cuts off your head?'
"And my father, without looking up
from his newspaper, answered:
ny, down your necK, oi courto.
St. Eouis Globe-Democrat.
i lie iitw Bcimmr iruui nvi. un'n. .
T nrn" VA,,nr- nuatroa a aniiarA ripal.
He starts out so advertised as a man
of few words that he will find it diffi
cult to live up to the advance notices.
The first story that goes out from Wash
ington pictures ioionei x oung as oems
a man who bites his sentences into bits
and swallows all of the superfluous
word. James Preston, superintendent
of the press galleries, is quoted as tell
ing how Colonel Young secured admis-
-I . tl.A C.,n.,a Dollorirl U'hpn
BlUll lO 111.3 fjunm " "
the rules fight was at its height last
session.
The Washington correspondent is nere
quoted :
"Excuse me. said rreston, as no
blocked the way.
'Certainly, ' replied colonel oung.
'Anything I can do for you?" asked
Preston.
"Nothing."
"Want to see someone?"
"No."
"This gallery is reserved for newspaper
men." said Preston.
"I know it.
"Are you a newspaper man?'"
T am."
"What paper?"
"Des Moines Capitol."
"What name?"
"Lafe Young."
" ,1 P,arlnn "VOU HlUSt
be saving up the English language for
atM.r nv-rt Rtnnrf-nat editorial. Come in.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
na thICA a,tllffV HltVS last WCek
a heavy lee wagon drew up near Chat
ham Square and the man in charge went
In to see wnat tne uiuei-
TirkllA v.- -De trnna KftVPral children
clambered on the rear step and began
to fish for small pieces. One little girl
had Just scooped out a handful when the
Iceman returnoa ana cuaot-u
i.d.ii ..ontu wnrth nf Ire. OleaSC
OCII Illt3 U V"a- a. v '
said a well-dressed woman who wore a
. -.a., a i i eAan thu little eirl
wnue rioDon mm imu ... "
crying from disappointment. The man
weighed a tair-sizea p. true m
wrapping it in a newspaper, handed it
to the woman.
"Here, little one. Is a nice Dig pic
of ice," said the woman loud enough to
he heard bv every one of the small crowd
that had collected. "You needn t cry
any more. Take tins home to umuic
and the sick sister."
The child. Instead of drying r.er tears,
cried more and made no attempt to take
the ice. ' , ..
"It's too b-b-big," sobbed the child.
"Too big, and what did you want to do
with it, my child?"
"We were goin' to put It down the
blind man's back," replied the girl,
bursting into tears again. New York
Sun.
At a social evening at the home of a
local merchant recently the conversa
tion turned to the subject of "breaks
made In downtown churches, where the
members of the congregation never be
come fully acquainted with everybody
else. The story was told of a Lowell
clergyman who upon one occasion ex
horted his parishioners to be more cor
dial in greeting strangers In the church.
At the 'close of the service one of the
members turned to another member of
the congregation and said cordially:
"I am glad to see you here this -morning,
and ' hope that you will come
again." . ,
"I expect to," was the reply. I have
been coming here for 40 years." Lowell
Courier Citizen.
It was the weather clerk's first Satur
day in the department, therefore he
took it as a Joke when the pastor of a
West Side church telephoned down for
prognostications on Sunday's weather.
Thofc no loke." said an old clerk.
"You will have to answer a dozen ques
tions like that before 12 o'clock. Preach
ers who are getting ready to write to
morrow's sermons want a forecast of tne
a. ' a.. .kndn a text. That
weamer ucimc a...a....n -
doesn't mean that if we prophesy rain
they will hasn up an lmenui v " .' ,
to serve out to the handful of the faith
ful. In most cases the fiercer the storm
the stronger the sermon. A talk that
would hit the bullseyc on a sunshiny
day would miss the mark in a storm.
A man who has it on his mind to launch
a few thunderbolts in regard to eternal
damnation ought to do It on a gloomy
dav. The congregation would ba more
seriously impressed. I know a minister
who has had that kind of a sermon
prepared for eight months but the
weather has been too mild for its delivers--
He is holding it back for a bliz
zard. The first Sunday the wind threat
ens to blow the roof off I am going up
to hear it." New York Sun.
Somewhat of Flttlit at Warren.
Cleveland Leader.
Ex-District Attorney John L. Sullivar
was the principal speaker at a reunion
of old soldiers a few years ago. He
had all of his wonderful command of
pathos and eloquence in full working
order that day, and as he concluded his
oration tears glistened in the eyes of
many of the veterans. One of the old
boys ; in blue came up to Mr. Sullivan,
pressed his hand and said:
"Your description of the scenes on
the field of carnage during a fight was
beautiful. You must have been in the
thick of a battle some time. TV here did
you have your most thrilling experi-
eD"At Warren," replied Colonel Sulli-
VaAt Warren? Why. I never knew
there was any fighting there?"
-Probably not," replied Colonel Sulli
van, "but if you had been behind the
bat for Warren the day we beat
Youngstown 1 to 0 you would have
known you were in a fight and a
mighty warm one, too," and the Colonel
extended his gnarled and twisted fin
gers to prove his assertion.
Cloth Made From Pine Wood.
Harper's Weekly.
The discovery of a means of makin
cloth from the pine tree of Northern
Europe and Canada has led English
welvers to experiment with the Russian
nine with a view to introducing it
as a textile. Pine cloth Is regarded as
the possible competitor of cotton cloth.
Pine threads are as lustrous as cot
ton threads; they .can ,be mingled to
advantage with woolen threads; they
bleach and take dye equally well. Pos
s wy the time is coming when pine
cloth will be used in place of cotton
for underclothing, while pine and wool
mixtures will compete with heavier
goods for outer garments. Pine cloth
will be as cheap as cotton cloth, what
ever the cost of manufacture, because
the raw material of pine cloth is con
siderably below the price of raw cotton.
Standing Room Only.
Success.
The regular umpire was sick and a
kind old gentleman from the country
agreed to do the best he knew how. All
went well until the fifth inning, when,
with the bases full, the pitcher got
wabbly and put over four wide ones
and the batter started to take his base.
"What will we do with the young fel
ler?" asked the old man of the pitcher.
"We ain't got no place to put him."