TIIE MOIIXIXG OREGOXIAX. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1910.
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rTUD, niDiT. DEC. S3. ISIO,
tLSO Or UaXtVIK-tl I ETlsODE.
The action of Mr. Heney in dismiss
ing Iha Binger Hermann case, and la
arranging for redlspositlon of other
cum, mark definitely the end of the
(real land-fraud episode Jn Oregon.
The Williamson case may Indeed be
brought up again; but If so. It will
aot renew the Immense agitation and
vast sensation that have accom
panied these famous trials from the
beginning.
There will be general satisfaction
t the action of II r. Heney In termi
nating the prosecution of Mr. Her
mann. The Oregonlan has never be
lieved that the association or the ex
Congressman and ex-Land Commis
sioner wtlh land-fraud conspirators
was other than personal and political,
or that his compliance, actual or
seeming. In their scheming had the
lightest criminal Intent. Persistent
prosecution of a hopele cause would
be not only unnecessary and unwise,
but cruel anil unjustifiable: and It Is
creditable to Mr. Heney that he has
taken that Just and humane view.
The Uregnnlan will vrnture also to
express the hope that. In the general
cleaning up. there may be leniency
for Sir. Mays. No man has suffered
more than he. through family and
ether afflictions, and none has paid
heavier penalty for whatever trans
gressions may be chargeable to him.
If the Jail sentence against him shall
be remitted. The Oregonlan Is sure
that there will be general approval.
Now the land-fraud business, grow
ing out of old conditions, old me'h
ds. old political, personal and busi
ness alliances and partnerships. Is
over. There la a new deal. Let by
gones be bygones and the whole pain
ful and humiliating story be forgot
ten. If It is possible to forget where
there are so many wounds and scars.
KAntCAUs BAM-.LY EXTBEKHEO.
There Is an emphatic unanimity
of opinion among the leaders of the
XJemocratlc party that they must do
something more positive than merely
to eliminate Mr. Bom In order to
retain the confidence of the country.
At the great glortricatlon feast
which they held In New York the
other day It was freely admitted that
the party was on trial. The Repub
lican party bad failed to do what the
people desired and therefore power
had been transferred to the Demo
crats, but the change might be very
transient Indeed If the new trustees
did not fulfill expectations. At this
New Tor dinner letters of regret
were read from Mr. Harmon and Mr.
Woodrow Wilson, among others, and
speeches were made by the newly
elected governors of New York and
Massachusetts. What the reader no
tices more than anything else In these
utterances Is the absence of old-style
political buncombe, or "flapdoodle."
as It Is often Irreverently called. An
cient catch words, pompous phrases,
thunderous oratory were shunned as
If by common agreement and every
thing was put In that simple language
which often Indicates sincere convic
tion and honest purpose.
The letters and speeches came from
men of all shades of Democratic
opinion. The sentiment was In
the air that the country expects
something definitely constructive
from the party to which it has
committed power. Governor r'oss
said, for example, that It would not
be enough to repeal the Aldrich
tariff, "we must put some construc
tive measure In Its place." Governor
Woodrow Wilson wrote that the Na
tion had given the Democratic party
a role of constructive power
In an age which awaits nothing
less than " a reorganization of so
ciety." N doubt Mr. Wilson's let
ter was the most significant matter
offered on the occasion. Intellectu
ally be showed long ago that he de
served pre-eminently to be his party's
leader and now be fortifies his desert
ty proving himself a shrewd master
of political strategy. In outlining
what his party ought to do In order
to maintain Its hold upon the confi
dence of the people he resorts to no
chicanery. He makes no evasions.
The old policy of the Government has
tveen one of "stimulation and devel
opment." Now something else Is
needed. There has been stimulation
enough. Development "rill get along
very well If It Is left to its own de
vices. Other problems force thein
aaltea upon us and must be solved.
To determine what these problems are
and how they should be solved Mr.
Wilson laid down a short and simple
rule. "Find out what the people want
and then let them have It." To find
out what, the people want we must
.pay proper attention to facta.
Like every other perfectly sane
man. Governor Wilson realise that
all safe action must be based on facts.
He that goes contrary to them Is sure
sooner or later to break his head
against a wall. When the people are
overtaxed It stands to reason that
thev want relief. .When food and
clothing are too dear the Inference Is
obvious that steps ought to be taken
to make them cheaper If It can be
done. The way to discover the facts
and draw the correct Inferences from
them. Mr. Wilson thinks. Is by the
good old plan of free and fearless
debate In representative oocies.
The popular election of Federal Sen
ators was laid down as sound Demo
cratic doctrine, as well as the abolish
ment of "caucuses, bosses and con
ventions." This makes Mr. Roosevelfs
much-vaunted radicalism look rather
pale, but Mr. Wilson Justifies It In
via scholarly way. A irana, genu
Ine. responsible representation of the
oeonle Is the basis of every Just gov-
, ernment," was one of his telling sen
tences. Although this was only a
restatement of the old doctrine that
governments derive their Just powers
from the consent of the governed, still
It had the power which belongs to
fresh and candid statements.
Mr. Wilson gains new prestige with
everything be says or writes. There
Is a solidity In his utterances which,
only comes from deep study, but on
the other hsnd nobody would think
of saying that he la a mere theorist.
He seems to combine the scholar -with
the practical politician In a remark
able manner. Vj'lth more than Mr.
Bryan's persuasiveness he unites the
steadfast qualities of Grover Cleve
land, and he has something besides
which neither of these men have
seemed to possess. That Is the capac
ity to enunciate general truths In such
a way that they neither frighten the
conservative nor Irritate the radical.
Mr. Wilson hardly ever makes a
speech without giving us two or three
general truths of profound purport,
but he never scares anybody.
OVERWORKING A GOOD THING.
Oregon Is being widely advertised
through Its unique Initiative. Senator
Bourne is working his ready-letter-wrlter
telling everybody that Oregon
has the "best government in the
world." Bourne knows, and he can
prove It: for is not his election the
final word on that subject? Some
one named W. O. Eggleston takes his
pen In hand to tell Everybody's Mag
azine about the way the thing goes:
and another learned Investigator and
experimentalist. Leon Yanckwlch.
t.i. B-. gives La Kollctte's Magazine
a handsome review of the Oregon
scheme. With Oregon's reputation for
safety and sanity In the hands of
Bourne. F-ggleston and Yanckwlch
(LL. B ). one might suppose that the
state would be content: et there Is
something to be said about this mat
ter that all these great publicists evi
dently overlook. It Is the resentment
of the people against the growing use
of the Initiative for the exploitation
of experiments anl special legislative
projects on the one hand and of local
schemes on the other. The shifting
attitude of the public mind toward the
Initiative, or rather toward the
schemers and paid agitators who re
gard the Initiative as their particular
opportunity. Is shown ny its nisiurj
since Its adoption in 1901'. Here are a
few salient lacis lor gem-roi
tlon:
i- iaj tm-A measures were sub
mitted through the Initiative, and
both carried.
in tans tvn measures were sub
mitted throurh the Initiative and ref
erendum, and eight carried.
In 1908, nineteen measures were
submitted through the Initiative and
referendum and twelve carriea.
In 1910 thirty-two measures were
submitted through the Initiative and
referendum and nine carriea. itmj-
three being defeated.
Is there no significance in these in
teresting and Instructive figures?
There is. there surely Is. Yanckwlch
ILL. B.). commenting on the 1910
election, suggests that "we might
draw the Inference mat me peoi'
j, -k.,u. ih. ahusa of direct
legislation in Oregon by defeating
most of the measures; out sucn nm
the case." It Is the case. No doubt
of It. But we suppose our Bournes
and Egglestons ana imitioit"c
it t. u and TTtens and Wagnona
and all the other law-giving cooks
and cranks will go aneaa -wnn inir
experimentation until the patient re
fuses both food and medicine of their
making or preparation. Then he will
get well.
BOYS W II.L. BE BOYS.
T. nnrt of th iolnt faculty
committee of the University of Ore
gon and the Oregon Agricultural Col
lege over that dreadful affair at Cor-
vallla after the Thanksgiving looiran
v.o. ih sjinect of letting every
body down or off as easily as possi
ble. That s well enougn. ine ""
newspapers made all the trouble
anyway. What business have the
newspapers to make a great sensation
f - miM and innocent little en
counter between several hundred gen
tlemanly students who are playfully
doing their best to break one an
other's heads? None, positively none.
The newspapers have much to an
swer for.
The committee has done exactly
1. AAmnnalna- lh muss, and In
distributing with great impartiality
the blame Between ine r
tions with a slight emphasis of the
larger blame on those ruue ana un
couth farmer boys at Corvallls.
T .-in Km hnva everywhere and
at all times and in all conditions, and
there Is no great difference Detween
.i in ,Ka maaa. The Inclination of
it,. ,,ki,.- v.111 be to think that the
Corvallls students were not as con
siderate as they should have been of
their guests and their guests were not
as reticent or digniried as tney snouia
have been about their mistreatment,
xi.., r m Halt la not child's play, and
it i l i-v mitv lead to Indiscre
tions, bad feeling and "rough house."
But what of thalT The country win
survive.
.
TCACHIX OP INDETEJfDEJiCK.
The teaching- force of the public
schools of five counties, viz.: Mult
nomah. Washington. Clackamas, Co
lumbia and Yamhill, eighteen hun
dred strong, will c!oie a three days
aaion In this cltv today. The gath
ering was In fact the tenth annual
meeting of the State Teachers' Asso
ciation and Included the county ln
atitutea of the counties named. The
assembled educators, men and women,
combine to form a class of Instructors
of which any state or section thereof
might Justly be proud, while those
who present topics for consideration
by the body of teachers are men and
women of experience In and devotion
to the work In hand.
Of course education has Its fads,
and faddists are employed to push
tt.am otherwise the system of nub
ile education would not be modern In
the degree demanded by those who
are pastmasters In pedagogy, and. in
deed, by the public in whose interests
the schools were Instituted and are
maintained.
nna, of the fads urged In the
name of future good citizenship is
that all things pertaining to our puo
u aphonia textbooks, libraries, do
mestic science and equipment Tor
teaching It. noonday lunches and
school supplies of all kinds shall be
"free." Opposed to this sweeping
.....niinfi la tha fact that absolutely
nothing in this world to "free"; that
monev from some source must oe
provided wherewith to pay all accru-na-
nhtmtions. whether of an edu-
calionAl saiure or (or anytlUnf else
that we as an independent people
would, possess and enjoy. This being
true, it Is a grave question of public
policy which asks that the public a
general term which signifies a pa
tient burden-bearer, more or less in
hiding provide for the specif Ic wants
of the Individual beyond the funda
mental process which assists him to
help himself. It Is one thing to carry
a child a future citizen until he can
walk, teaching him meanwhile the
art of maintaining his equilibrium
unaided, and quite another to push
and pull and drag him along, carry
ing him most of the way. after he has
become strong enough to walk alone.
The public school system of the
United States was Inaugurated in or
der that every child might be given
an even start on the great high road
of knowledge. After that, the natural
presumption was that the spirit or
personal Independence, fostered by
our Institutions, among which is tht
public school, would spur him along
the broad and open rond of oppor
tunity, br means of individual effort.
What said Walt Whitman, the poet of
terse, practical commonplace, in his
Song of the Open Koaa r tiear
him:
Afoot and Uzht-nearted, I taka to tba open
road.
Haathar free, the world bafora ma.
The long brown path bafora ma.
Laadlns ma wharaver I chooaa,
lianoaforth I aak not sood fortune;
I nT'lf am good fortune.
Is not this the true doctrine of op
portunity? ' Woud It not be better
for the man's own good If. as a boy,
he' were taught that, beyond his start
in life he must depend upon himself?
Is it not a mistake to offer so much
under the head of things "free and
then urge and in a measure compel
a boy, who a few years hence Is to be
a man and a citizen, to accept an as
birthright of American citizenship?
Should not the start given him in the
Dubllc schools enable him. 'strong
and content to travel the open road,"
and to bear along with him the re
sponsibilities and burdens of Ufa that
know no such word as "dependence 7
With insistent Iteration we are told
that the child's first duty Is to the
state. The idea once prevalent and
one that worked out satisfactory re
sults in good citizenship was that a
child's first duty was to his parents,
his next to himself and those most
Intimately associated with him, as the
years went on. in the home. Upon
this foundation good citizenship was
built a citizenship that was ready
at a moment's notice to answer the
call of patriotism. In this view the
vital point In public education Is to
decide upon the proper place, for the
good of all concerned, to stop pro
claiming all things "free" as regards
the equipment of the Individual lor
his battle with opportunity: not where
to begin: we are all agreed upon that.
But where to stop, lest in the enthu
siasm of philanthropy we handicap
the future citizen, by lack of initia
tive, that is another expression of
helplessness.
THE SOl'l. OF A CREEK,
a a 1 1 ftr f u 1 nncriitlnn was ner-
a Kf VfnrAlit'R VtOSTlital last
Tuesday which moves one to ask any
number or maiscreet ana pernupa uu-
onawerahla ouesticns. The Patient
was a Greek laborer who was made
unconscious by a blow ontne skuii.
i i.-inv in n rntim for eighteen
months the surgeons raised the bone
a little and his mina Degan to worn
again'.
There are many similar cases on
record. Much can be done with the
hMin niwnrinv that would have ap
peared lmpsslble a generation ago.
Ulcers can De locaiea una iemuc,
pieces of the tissue cut out and ail
sorts of risky tricks performed within
the sacred sphere of the skull. A
n n in aatmtniiKAtta. who leaned a
little too far over a crowbar in a hole
charged with dynamite rouna wnen
he woke to consciousness mat uie
iron bad been driven clean up
through his head, entering below the
nJ rnlnf out at the top. The
surgeons took him in hand, patched
him up ana wnen inty bi wnuue,"
with him he was quite as Intelligent
as before the accident, perhaps a
trifle more so. Man often Improves
upon the crude works of nature.
n.t i- riraalr nut fit St.
Vincent's. Where was his soul during
those eighteen monins inai ne my
.,n..nn.-imi Tennvson asks the
same question about Lazarus, It will
be remembered. Where was he while
his body lay In the tomb? That Is,
where was the Immortal part or mm 7
Wo it c-lnrl or sorrv to come back
and reunite with the flesh? If final
Judgment Is passed on men as soon
as . they die. has our Greek been
Judged or not? If he has been tried
and acquitted or convicted it makes
no difference how he lives the new
life that the doctors have given him
so far as his destiny In the next
-ii ia ranrprncd. Perhans. though.
It will be replied that he was not
really dead. He breathed, even if ne
j, (kink Still It la difficult tO
concede that mere breathing Is life.
Why did his soul come dsck to nis
i , , An tho anrcreona lifted UD the
bit of skull that pressed on his brain?
Did It prercr me earxn ine to ine
world It had gone to?
"SOCIAL JtKEDS" AMD VALCES.
"Social needs," our single-tax
brethren tell us, create land values:
land Is the basis of all wealth and
prosperity; hence, land should pay
all taxes; other Kinas or property
should be exempt; the "unearned in
crement." that accrues to Individuals
under private "monopoly" of land,
should be turned Into the public
treasury or Into public ownership,
through high taxes and confiscation.
This programme single-taxers have
outlined In Oregon and they have
made beginning through enactment
of the county-tax amendment to the
constitution of the state. This amend
ment Is Intended to open Multnomah
County for a regime of heavy taxation
of land and of confiscation of land
w-hose owners cannot carry the new
burdens. For which the argument is
put up that as land values are due
to the needs and the uses of society,
therefore to society land ownership
U due.
But values of all kinds of property
are created by the needs and the uses
of society. The Increasing value of
a pig or a cow or a horse may be
ascribed to this cause, as much, and
even more, than that of rand; the
trees of an orchard, which raise the
value of farm land from $100 an acre
to $1000 or $2000. are profitable be
cause of the large appetite of the
public for apples; the rails and the
cars and the locomotives of a rail
road are valuable because they serve
tue needs of to public, and wnen
those needs cease or the serviceability,
value dlsapears; likewise with the
printing presses or a newspaper, the
building of a department store, the
waste-basket hats, the modish gowns,
the cosmetics and the purplesand fine
linen on sale in the store.
In truth, all these "Improvements"
and "personal property" are valu
able to their owners only because, the
public demand for necessaries, com
forts and luxuries makes them so.
Great part of the wealth of every
community consists of these and simi
lar things. Single tax would exempt
these things from taxation. It would
concentrate taxation on land.
But value of land is no more a
"social product" than is value of cat
tle or that of a store building or of
an orchard or of a steamboat.
In truth, again, the only fair meth
od of taxation is that of all property
land, buildings and personal in its
many forms according to actual
value. That Is the only system that
has stood the trials of experience and
the tests of time.
Let it be repeated that land in Ore
gon bears too heavy tax already, as
farmers well know, and the personal
nronertv bears too little. Single tax
would intensify this discrimination
and injustice
WHY rORTLANO 19 DtrREGXABLE.
Commenting on the impregnable
trade position of Portland and' the ar-
tiAcially created trade zone of the in
terior, Mr.J. N. Teal quite truthfully
says that "all the zones created by
man from now until doomsday cannot
put the Pacific Ocean next door to
them; Spokane can have its zone, and
from a reasoning standpoint It should
have one. but It can never get the Pa
cific Ocean."
It was the location of this city at
the head of ocean navigation that firsts
brought Portland into prominence as
a distributing center and market for
the entire Columbia basin. For many
years the city was handicapped by an
Insufficient depth of water on the bar
and at various places along the river.
Nearly all these obstructions have
been removed and the channel has
been steadily and systematically deep
ened to meet the requirements of the
situation. Much yet remains to be
done.
The building and maintenance of a
thirty-foot channel between Portland
and Fort Stevens and a forty-foot
channel from Fort Stevens to
the sea are vital factors In Port
land's supremacy. With this un
obstructed highway to the sea and the
prestige of being the only port on the
Pacific with a water-level grade to the
Interior. Portland can regard with
mild indifference the artificially cre
ated zones which have been created
for the protection of certain localities
where nature was less kind. With
transcontinental rail systems having
trunk lines on both sides of the great
river which carved out the grades for
the railroads, and with feeders radiat
ing from these trunk lines to all parts
of the Inland Empire, Portland's dis
tributing facilities above tidewater are
unrivalled.- By no other route can
these roads move traffic to and from
the coast so economically as through
Portland. Being thus provided, all of
our efforts should be devoted to keep
ing in perfect condition the one over
whelmingly Important link in this
traffic route the highway to the
ocean.
Germany has boasted a great deal
about her prolific population, but now
she begins to shudder at the race sui
cide specter. Her birth rate has de
clined by more than 20 per cent of it
self since 1878. If this continues, the
Kaiser's realm will presently be no
better off than France. All civilized
countries are haunted by the race sui
cide problem. Only the barbarous,
the Ignorant and the hopelessly miser
able are really proline.
The Kansas City Christmas dinner
for the horses Is very well as far as It
goes, but true mercy would take one
more step after feeding some of the
poor beasts. It would end their mis
eries by shooting them. The specta
cle of a lame old skeleton of a horse
earning a living for a lazy man is
enough to make one think for a mo
ment that there is no such thing as
pity in the world.
When Judge Robert S. Lovett, pres
ident of the great Harriman lines,
states that he favors Government su
pervision of railroads, we have un
expected proof of the crystallization
of public sentiment concerning a vital
reform that ex-President Roosevelt
fought for vigorously. Six years ago
no one would have believed that the
railroads would "lay down" so soon.
Dr. Cook Is a much worse liar than
Ananias. That much-maligned prop
erty owner merely lessened the appar
ent total of his possessions under se
vere temptation. Who does not do
the same when the tax-gatherer looms
up? Careful writers will hereafter
call a big story-teller a Dr. Cook, not
Ananias. '
Dr. Cook returns to his native land
on the steamship George Washington.
How appropriate that he should take
passage on a liner named for the dis
tinguished American who, according
to history and tradition, couldn't tell
a lie.
The aw-ful disasters this week In
Philadelphia. Chicago and Cincinnati
which destroyed the lives of so many
brave firemen, call for reform in the
construction of factory buildings in
populous cities.
There's one good feature about the
latest European scandal involving a
titled lady of American birth. On
this side of the ocean the name of the
Duchess of Choiseul can never be
come"a by-word.
9
Latest idvices from the head of
the Willamette Valley hold out hope
that the differences between Corvallls
and Eugene will not have to be re
ferred to The Hague tribunal.
Financial conditions at the State
School for Feeble-Mlnded indicate
that there must have been some feeble-minded
legislation at Salem two
years ago.
No small number of old friends will
rejoice with Binger Hermann over his
Christmas gift from Santa Claus
Heney. -
How "Lucky" Bald-in's ears must
bum. that Ls, of course. If they are
still Intact, '
IXTEIXIGEXCE AND HOBBLE SKIRT
Are the Two Ever Feand Together!
Asks Correapondent.
PORTLAND, Dec. 22. (To the Kdi
tor.) Two ladles, close friends, whom
we will call Mrs. A and Mrs. B, disagree
very widely upon one point: Is a wo
man's intellfg-ence or character reflect
ed In her dress? Would a woman of
high intelligence and strong 'character,
with clearly defined motives in life,
ever hamper herself with the hobble
skirt, or welsrh herself down with
huge hats? Mrs. B says not. and came
home triumphant from the first session
of the teachers' institute, where the
quiet and tasteful dress of the women
seemed to answer this question in the
negative and hence In her favor. Also
at the reception at the Portland Hotel
Wednesday night Mrs. B noted the
same absence of extremes in dress.
How Is it? Is the sensible, earnest
woman whose life has a purpose, likely
to go about, looking like a feeble
minded creature being used as a cari
cature by somej malignant and power
ful hypnotist?
But Mrs. A. and possibly many others
may claim that this one instance of
busy, earnest women ignoring the ex
tremes of dress and appearing in quiet
tasteful attire, does not by any means
Drove that other women with equally
high Ideals and sterling character,
might not go about on French" heels
with helpless legs hobbled in scant
skirts and strings, and their heads
thatched with a qdarter section or
heterogeneous stuff from the millin
er's. What have some of your other
women readers to say about this? Is
It true that a woman's refinement, good
taste and high character express
themselves in her dress?
LADY FRANCES.
Lady Frances betrays her own opin
ions only too clearly by the tone of
her remarks. We are far less positive
about such difficult subjects as wo
man's clothes, theoaophy and hypno
tism. No doubt there ls something to
say on both sides. Prima facie a wo
man in a hobble skirt seems to be
crazy but there may be mitigating
circumstances unknown to the public.
Perhaps she wears It to please her
husband. In that case she deserves a
crown of martydom Instead of scornful
reproaches.
MESSIXA EARTHQUAKE HERO DIES
"Sow Then, Smith," Honored by People
and Klna; for Bravery.
New York Herald.
London Many expressions of regret
have followed the report that "Now
then. Smith," one of the heroes of the
Messina earthquake, has been drowned
at Banbury. In West Australia. When
the Italian city was swept by disaster
Smith was a seaman aboard the steam
ship Afonwen, then lying In port there.
With his captain and two of the crew
he hurried into the city to aid in ex
tending help. Thousands lay buried in
the wreckage and many buildings
which had not fallen were swaying and
tottering.
The party of four saw a family at the
windows of the top floor of one of
these structures. Its Impending col
lapse threatened their destruction, and
fire below had cut oft escape. The sail
ors succeeded in throwing a rope to
the upper windows, where it was made
fast.
"Now then. Smith!" shouted the cap
tain, and the Welsh sailorman scaled
the tottering structure. First he
brought down one of the women or the
family, making trip after trip up the
rope until he had carried all to safety.
He came back to find a civic welcome
awaiting him in Cardiff. A mass meet
ing was held to greet him and the great
audience insisted on a speech from the
embarrassed hero. But Smith had to be
dragged out of his chair, and after rub
bing his chin for come time stammered:
All I have to say is to tnann you
ladles and gentlemen."
The speech was brief, but a formal
oration could not have made a greater
hit. King Edward at that time person
ally desired to hand "Now then. Smith!"
as everyone called him, a medal for
bravery. Before this could be ar
ranged, however, the modest Welshman
was off on another cruise, and the deco
ration had to be forwarded to him.
Bine Blood Is a Myth.
There Is no such tiling as blue blood
or "best families," according to Dr.
Woods Hutchinson, in .a recent lecture
delivered before the League of Physical
Education In New York, and he adds by
way of compensation that American
kln&rs of finance are idlote.
"There Is not a member of a royal
family in Europe, with the exception of
William the Sudden, who could make
a llvinsf behind a linen counter," Dr.
Hutchinson exclaimed. "Queen Victoria
had not brains enough to earn her liv
ing In any capacity. Her favorite nov
elist was Marie Corelli. Her son. the
late King, was even worse. He never
read anything except the sporting news
the 'pink un!' and things like that.
He chose his friends among shady
financiers and ehady actresses, yet
when he died you would have thought
the world had suffered an irreparable
loss.
"No Derby winner was ever the son
of a Derby winner or the sire of a
Derby winner. You must look for aris
tocrats in the strains that haven't pro
duced them.
"The American kings of finance are
what the French call 'Idiots savants.'
Men abnormally developed In one direc
tion, like Blind Tom, the negro pianist,
but Idiotic in every other respect
Enough Liwi Now.
Charlotte (N. C.) Chronicle, Dem.
On one thing Mr. Taft ls sound. There
are enough lawa on the statute books
now; State and National Prohibition
and Trust. What is needed ls to en
force them.
Buckwheat Cakes-
John O'Kaete In Buff alo . Times.
A bis surplus of buckwheat In Nw Jer
ey trouzht forth the startling statement that
Americana were losing their fondness for
buckwheat cakes.
Alas for Columbia's glory!
Is patriotism a fake?
Are Yankee-fed heroes
Now quoted at zeroes?
The bean shall we nevermore bake?
Our forefathers conquered the Tory
Because they had plenty to eat
Of one precious staple
(With syrup of maple)
The cake of the bully buckwheat.
When Joy Is awaiting the season
.When griddles again were in play.
And beautiful batter
Lay browned on a platter
With sausages, sizzling away!
But now oh. the horrible treason! .
We're turning to Europe effete.
Its dishes adoring, '
While coldly ignoring
The cake of the bully buckwheat.
Did Washington call for a roti.
Or say he could only plan out
His battle maneuvers
- When eating hors d'oeuvres.
Or msybe spaghetti or kraut?
George knew of no table de hoty,
Yet managed the foeman to beat
And keep In condition
By finding nutrition
In cakes of the bully buckwheat.
But oh. the backsliding of nations!
No more are we simple and strong;
With weak macaroni
And biscuit tortoni
At dinner we dally along.
Good-bye to the best of our rations!
The Nation's undoing's complete
Since we give rejection
To Nature's perfection,
Tae cake of the bully buckwheat.
FLAX GROWING AWAITS THE MILLS
Proper Soil and Climate Exiat and
Farmers Are Iatereated.
SALEM. Or.. Dec. 16. (To the Editor.)
I read an article on the flax industry in
Oregon, printed in The Oregonian of
last Tuesday, in which it is said that
efforts made to interest farmers in the
growing of flax were not successful. I
am the one who for the past 10 years
has tried to establish the linen industry
at Salem as a center, because I had aifd
still have the confidence that this soil
and climate would grow the best flax
the proper conditions in the whole being
nearly similar to Ireland and would also
be proper to make fine grades of linen.
The fact that I have not Bticceeaea
yet is not because the farmers are not
willing to grow flax In sufficient quanti
ties to supply any size of mill, but simply
because I could not interest capitalists
to the necessary extent to build and oper
ate a mill to afford us reasonable and
permanent market for the iiax of the
farmers. I could have enough flax
grown next Spring in the Willamette
Valley between Salem and Portland to
supply a mill working 300 days in the
year, that would produce 700 to 10,000
yards of linen per day at a great profit
and much benefit to all concerned. Yours
very truly. EUGENE BOSSES.
Fiber More Profitable Than Seed.
SALEM. Or., Dec. 18. (To the Editor.)
I wish to say in Justice to those who
have worked unremittingly to place Ore
gon In the line of manufacturing states,
that Oregon farmers would preferably
grow flax for fiber, as the crop would
be much more paying than for the seed
alone. Linseed is not grown In Europe.
That country Is not so wasteful ns to
grow a plant and throvr the most valu
able part away. Only Americans and
Argentines do that.
n't 1 n l. nmm minfttlnn afcnilt
1UCID I Ilia wen aw.iu '
pulling flax, which is always done In
Europe, but under Mr. Bosse's 4nble di
rection it has been decided that flax can
be cut without serious loss to Its qual
ity. This places It Wltn ine larmei u"
the same plane'as the linseed crop.
t . 1 1 iinn vAn- trhen there were
75,000 acres of linseed in our three states
The highest grade of rider nax woum
pay for pulling, for which a machine
1 i.t i. u v, hn. hopn invented.
nuifting T . i a. 1
The seed for this flax ls worth si a
bushel. In placing a mill to utilize wo
i n,,i) hoirln with twines and
crashes and work up in a few years to
the higher grades s we obtain skilled
workers. There wouia men o "
centlve for some of our wealthy citizens
to endow a school for handicraft similar
to the one in London, which attracts stu
dents from all over Europe, and In wnlcli
ii OTo-.Hnir hnth on hand and power
looms, plays a most Important part.
There ls no question aooui uw
era. They have been canvassed from
. . - -3 iv onA hpvond. They
are In line. All that is needed is capi
tal. A foreign manutaciurer m
testing Oregon fiber that it is the best
shoe thread fiber in the world. And how
much is shoe thread? From $2 up a
pound, made in our Easter mJus pro-
tected by a w per ubiil -- -----
. ji vwnM a fiKor which can De
made in Oregon for 25 cents and less a
pound. Does anyone suppose it costs
Jl.50 a pound to make thread? M ss Tar
7 .. . . ,i, in.ir,y articlps on the
ben, in ner iiiui.i."o ,,-.
tarifT refers to this very thing under
tarin, rw th. c!ho(, pinches."
tne su ojeci uu - -- - TJkV!n
MRS. WiUfiui Jr.
Chinese Blachlne-Made Embroidery.
Government Consular Report.
The adaptation of an ordinary sew
ing machine to the making of silk em
. . i vakon ii n bv the cm-
eseTeyreTndTn7h7r "places in South
1 ... u.sohia enthusiasm.
China .witQ cuiibiucv - -
and although the, idea was put into
execut on on.y a - "Qucln-
ago, tne proisra - -
really handsome machine work is not-
It is the Chinese ladies of the better
class who are learning to make em
broidery, and In Canton, for instance,
some of the more wealthy ladies have
organized fwuBaw -
residences in order further to stud 'the
art. for it is not. omj om.j,., -
ofhe machine doing ail that is re-
quired, Dut. mucn i --- ,
Individual in designing as well as color
8h?lng' ... -hinfiv on Chinese
raw silk (at the beginning Japanese
was used), anu ---
of designs scenery, i;j
studies, emblematical scrolls, etr. The
only foreign "J "? eot-
thls worK is tiio uuu. ""'--j "
ton. No restrictions are placed on the
ion. .,.IU nf embroid-
deslgns, ana tun ,
erief made show exquisite taste, and
... . inn liiHcmftnt IS Q1S-
UKewise eweiioui :
played in the grouping of colors.
Make Swimming Compulsory.
Til 1 r-rr TM 3n.t fh.
The teaching of swimming, will be
made compulsory in the New York
public schools, if a movement started
by prominent athletic and Young Men s
Christian Association leaders is ap
proved by the board Of education. The
v . .t.rt. sut a result of
movement " Qo ' . . ,
the reports of swimming instructors at
two colleges wnmu --
. . ef thlr eurri-
tion an . omisiiuij t- ------ -
culum. Coacn .nastier, i
a.v.n- mi nr inn M liucilto sa.-
S7R. or over 48 per
aminea mm odo, . -- - -
cent were unable to keep afloat for
cent,. i i." ti n -r i o nf
one minute, ana v.u;.. ,'
. , . . . . maw York, states
tne L.ity ---
that out of 298 freshmen this Sail. 85
could not swim a
a. - ,hl. rrrnun of 10d3 men.
woras. out wi r . .
supposed to come from the classes of
people navuiB - ---- -
ceive a thorough physical training.
.1 AO Air.
fully 460, or mora nmu i--" .7
would drown In case of accident on tie
Th. committee says: Eng
land can be taken as a good example.
London boasts some nu P"-"
which school children are made to tre-
quent irom i... , th
suit, in ji.iibib.iiu . ,
population of the cities can swim. In
his country the figures can be re
versed."
First Paper Trust.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
Ptolemy Philadelphus tried to run
the first paper trust. He founded the
Alexandrian library, and hoped to keep
all the learning of the world In Egjpt
by forbidding the exportation of paper
or papyrus from his kingdom, the only
place where the papyrus plant flour
ished. Fortunately, a king. Pergamus,
loved learning as well as the rulers of
Egypt, and he invented parchment
from skins of goats. Payment
named after Pergamus. and has been
the chief writing material that has
carried down the wisdom of ancient
days to our own. .
In the BramUtan Navy. .
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The Senor Capitan Bosen, call all
har.de) on deck.
, The Bosen Aye, aye. sir; but they
won't come.
The Senor Capitan (looking at his
watch) But it isn't time yet for them to
refuse to obey orders.
The Bosen No. sir: but they re holdin'
a secret meetin' in th' messroom. sir, try
In' to decide whether they'll mutiny every
day in the week or take a rest on Sun
day. Never Occurred to Him.
Springfield Republican.
Pitiful stories are being told about
the ex-King of Portugal not having
money enough to pay his cab fare.
Would it do him any harm to walk.
Worse Than City of, But No Matter.
Washington Post.
General Estrada's invitation to all
exiles to return to Nicaragua shows
how far some folks will go to pad the
census returns.
Life's Sunny Side
Members of Philadelphia's literary
colony are laughing over the quick
wittedness of Peter Finley Dunne, au
thor of the Immortal "Mr. Dooley." In
connection with an introduction to
Richard Harding Davis.
According to the story Mr. Dunne had
never met Mr. Davis until a mutual ac
quaintance Introduced them in the
Lambs lub. in New York. Mr. Davis,
with an air distinctly Davlsesque, re
marked: "Mr. Dunne, I have read some of
your things, and do you know you look
different from what I imagined. I
thought you would Be a little short
Irishman, smoking a clay pipe."
Do you know, Mr. Davis, retorted
Mr. Dunne, "I have heard all of your
stories with great pleasure, and you
look different to me from what I
thought you would. I imagined I would
meet some one In a pink shirt waist,
pouring tea." Philadelphia Times.
a a a
The negro sense of humor was well
Illustrated by Booker T. Washington in
his address in Milwaukee.
"I was walking along a road near
Tuskegee Institute and met an old col
ored woman," said Mr. Washington.
Just to make conversation, I re
marked:
"'Where are you going, auntie?'
"The old lady looked up at me with a
comical twinkle in her eye.
" 'Ah's done be'n whar Ah s gwine.
she said.
"Then she laughed and went on her
way, satisfied that she had taken a rise
out of me." Milwaukee Free Press.
a a
The colored parson had just con
cluded a powerful sermon on "Salvation
am Free," and was announcing that a
collection would be taken for the bene
fit of the Darson and his family. Lp
Jumped an acutely brunette brother in
the back of the church.
"Look a-year, pahson, he Interrupt
ed, "yo' ain't no sooner done tellin' us
dat salvation am free dan yo' go askin'
us fo' money. If salvation am free,
what's de use in payin' to' it? Dat's
what I want to know. An" I tell yo'
p'intedly dat I ain't goln" to gib yo'
nothin' until I find out. Now "
"Patience, brudder, patience," said
the parson. "I'll 'lucidate. S'pose yo'
was thirsty an' come to a river. Yo'
could kneel right down an' drink yo'
fill, couldn't yo? An' It wouldn't cost
yo" nothin', would it?
"Ob course not. Dat's Just what I "
"Dat water would be free," contin
ued the parson. "But s'posing yo' was
to hab dat water piped to yo' house?
Yo'd have to pay, wouldn't yo'?"
"Yas, sah. but "
"Wal, brudder, so It is wid salvation.
De salvation am free, but it's de havin'
it piped to yo' dat yo' got to pay fo".
Pass de hat, deacon, pass de hat."
Everybody's.
a a a
Helen Philbrook Patten, of Pittsburg,
said at a recent dinner, referring to a
grafting politician: "What an excuse
he offered! It tttas so Ingenious, so
unsatisfactory an excuse, it made me
think of a little Middletown boy. One ,
Sunday morning, on my return from
church, I saw this little boy playing
with tin soldiers on the Bldewalk.
'Tommy,' I said, "don't you know it's
wicked to play with soldiers on the
Sabbath?' 'But you see, ma'am,' Tom
my explained, 'these soldiers is the Sal
vation Army.' " Kansas City Star,
a a a
Thomas was an old gamekeeper on
Sir Greville's Scotch estate, says Sir
William Kennedy in Sport in the Navy.
When he was 60 years old he contract
ed measles and was very ill for a time.
Sir Greville, with characteristic kind
ness, sent the old man some hothouse
grapes and a pineapple. The next time
the two met. Sir Greville askeg Thom-
i i. v,- friilr "Weel. Sir
Greville," answered the gamekeeper.
"the plums was gooa, out j. umu
much of the turnip."
Took Cent for Gold Piece
New York Times.
A new bright Lincoln penny was the
undoing of Mrs. Ernestine Robltza, a
poor widow, of Carlstadt, N. J. She
gave It to her landlord for a $10 gold
piece, and he, wholly deceived by the
brilliancy of the coin, accepted it and
gave her a receipt for a month's rent.
But he was rudely shocked when he of
fered the coin at a Carlstadt grocery
store In payment for some purchases
and waited for the change. He couldn't
understand why the clerk laughed, and
when he heard the name of President
Lincoln mentioned he took off his hat.
But when the piece was returned to him
he realized the mistake.
Hurriedly he went to the widows
home and demanded 999 more Lincoln
pennies, but the poor widow had none.
Then her arrest followed, and in default
of bail she was committed to the Hack
ensack Jail, charged, as the paper says,
"for obtaining a month's rent under
false pretenses."
This is the first case of its kind ever
heard of In the Hackensack Jail. The
widow has two children. These were
taken to the Children's Home..
Tea Epigrams of Cities.
A Naples by any other name would
smell as sweet.
Every Pittsburg has a silver lining.
Chicago is paved with good inten
tions. It's a poor Paris that does not work
both ways.
A Philadelphia in time would save
nine". ,
Boston to him who Boston thinks.
Leadville is only skin deep.
It's a long Reno that has no turn
ing. London is no respector ,of persons.
New York City ls covered by a mul
titude of skins.
FEATURES IN THE
SUNDAY
OREGONIAN
STOEY OF THE
THESE WISE MEN
A Christmas mystery, by "Wil
liam J. Locke ; not religions in the
theological sense, but intensely hu
man as a twentieth century narra
tive with a moral.
ETHEL AND JIMMY BUY
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
May Kelly relates their experi
ence in Portland department
stores, giving the results of one
hour's strenuosity.
COMPLIMENTS OF
THE SEASON
A Christmas story by O. Henry,
Wherein the lowest and the high
est in the social scale meet.
JUST WAITING '
FOR SANTA CLAU3
. Full-page picture in colors a
real picture without the popular
fiction.
ORDER EARLY FROM YOUR
NEWSDEALER
Is