THE MORXI5G OHEGOXIAX, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1010.
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J-ORTLAND. MnWAT. P.C. l. ''
WHERE HI HAM.
American have been in the habit
of felicitating; themselves upon certain
undeniable superiorities which they
enjoy over the rest of the world, r'or
one thin we have more millionaires
In proportion to our population than
any other nation. Our natural re
sources exceed those of most other
countries and very llke!y the growth
of our cities outranks that of the
cltiea of Germany. France or England,
i It U conceded also that ire have at
least the second fleet In the world for
number and power of battleships.
Along these linea few would think of
deputing that the United States has
hold Us own with other nations very
creditably Indeed." It may cause some
little abatement of our pride when we
reflect that the natural resources we
p-srss are not exactly of our own cre
ation and it Issuggcsted now and then
that the growth of cities at the ex
pense if the rural districts Is not a
subject for unrestrained hilarity; but
these are mere spots on the sun. As
long as we confine the comparison to
population, wealth and other material
things there can be no real question
of our position among the foremost.
Put the New York Independent
varies the comparison a little In Its
rurrent number. It arks how we
stand In respect to thoso subjects
which Intelligent and cultivated peo
ple care for more than for petroleum,
millionaires and big cities. Is our
science as highly esteemed by good
judges as our steers? How about our
literature ? The Independent takes
the awar.ls of the Nobel priics for the
last ten years as a standard to go by.
It says the men who distribute these
prizes are probably as fair and com
petent as any we can expect to find,
and. therefore, their decisions as to
the respective merits of scientific and
literary men In the various countries
for the last ten years have no doubt
been reasonably fair. The subjects
for the Nobel prizes are physics,
rhemtstry. literature, peace and medi
cine. The sum which each award
rarrie not far rrom HO.Oon. The
prlies have gone to fifty-six Individ
uals In the last decade, of whom fif
teen were Germans. Germany as a
recipient ef Nobel prises) far outranks
any other country. France comes next
with ten ef them and Kngland follows
with seven. Holland. Italy. Itusslaand
Switzerland rank next with four each.
SweJ-n has three, and then comes
the I'nlteJ states, altogether too near
Ihe tall end to be pleasant, with two
Nobel prize. Spain and Denmark
!" have two apiece. It U something
not to st.md below Hpaln. but It would
be better to rank a little above hrr.
tpain Is not usually esteemed the best
rompany In the world. We escape the
disgrace of running with her In postal
affairs beeause her system Is far
ahead of ours. At the very bottom of
the clasa In Nobel prises stand Aus
tria. Belgium and Norway with one
ra.-h.
Holland's four prlxes were mainly
f-r work In physics and chemistry.
The Dutchmen with their Van fHoff
and his colleagues come pretty near
leading the world In those Important
sciences. Their botanists ara also
among the foremost. Germany's fif
teen prlxes were for all sorts of emi
nence from literature to medicine.
Germans have not only been training
the best armies In recent years, but
they have been writing the best books
too. and doing the most distinguished
work In science, though France, ev
ervthlrg considered, has not been far
behind. The ten prises which she has
taken compare favorably with our two
at any rate, seeing thnt she has rot so
many people as we by many millions
nhile her birth rate Is an International
scandal. Of the two prizes which
came to th I'nlted States Theodore
Itoosevelt received one for promoting
peace. Professor Mlchelson of Chi
cago took the other for his profound
work In physics. We have won none
In literature or medicine or chemistry.
The excuse that the Nobel Judges are
prejudiced against America will
hardly hold. No charge of bias has
been bruagt lit them, and If it
were brought tt could not be main
tained. The disagreeable truth must
be admitted that In respect to those
things which the world of cultivated
men has endurtngly valued we have
our prizes yet to earn- We hive not
recslved them because w have not
3c served them.
It Is not e!!. however, to grieve too
much over the sparslty of our first
rlass literary and scientific men. It
Seems that they are becoming rare
In all parts of the world. tr. J. Mc
Keen fatten, the editor of Science, has
arltten an article which conveys dls.
courastrg Information ea this subject.
According to him not only Is the
fnlted ftates likely to produce still
fewer great physicists and writers than
heretofore, but the same Is true of
ether countries. The world' seems to
have reached one of those lamentable
periods of l:s career when the Intel
lect groa sterile. There was such
an age Just before the birth of Pe
trarch at the end of the middle ages.
In England the eighteenth century
was comparatively barren of remark
able movements. Germany had a time
of aridity In the days of Napoleon
ar.l later. It Is only since the middle
i-f the nineteenth century that she
has shown pre-eminent qualities of
world leadership. It Is te be noted
on the other hand that periods of
sterility hare usually been succeeded
bv brilliant outbursts of art. letters
and science. After the middle ages
came the renaissance. After the artJ
elghteerth century in England came
the glorious galaxy of Victorian scien
tists, novelists and poets. We need
rt fear that the genius of the hot-tan
race U In decadence. It Is
merely resting a little. In the next
generation the United States may be
Its chosen home. Perhaps some boy
now on his way toschool with tardy
steps and shining morning face may
havo the brain of a Shakespeare In
his skulL Let us hope he will apply
It to poetry and not to making
money.
THE HUMS; or THE MlCWlJtr.
The Indianapolis News preaches a
little sermon on Independence In poli
tics, using as a text a recent remark
by The Oregonlan that Indiana Is a
"state where Independence In politics
Is an Iridescent dream or a mugwump
assumption. Just as you look at It."
The NVs advertises Indiana as the
home of the original mugwump
which Is a distinction or a reproach,
also Just as you look at It and af
firms warmly that the Independent
Is the most poteni political factor
alive and out of captivity in Indiana,
and that -no forecaster worthy of
the name would hesitate to predict
victory for that party in Indiana which
had the Independent vote with It."
The forecaster who predicts any
thing about Indiana usually awakens
the morning after election to learn
that the returns tell a wholly different
story, for there Is nothing certain
about Tndlana politics except Its pic
tureseiue and baffling uncertainty.
The News' remarks excite the mild
derision of Its contemporary, the Star,
which shows that the recent election
Is a sufficient Illustration of the fal
lacy of the News' theory that the in
dependent votes there always turns
the scale. Every Independent and
mugwump supported Beverldge for
re-election and everybody knows what
happened to Beverldge. He was
turned down, as the Star savs. for the
"most Inveterate and persistent party
man that ever lived."
Indiana was always a doubtful state,
where party lines were drawn
closer than In other states. Party
spirit was higher, party discipline
stronger, party corruption greater
and party rewards more certain. It
was hardly the "independent" the
virtuous and spotless mugwump Ideal
ised by the New.s who swung the bal
ances between the parties from elec
tion to election. It was the floater,
drifter, repeater and stuffer, organized
In "blocks of five."
rtI0 Ml LTNOM.11.
The Harney County News has the
latest scheme of Congressional reap
portionment. Here It Is:
This paper would eusreat that for ono
district tho eountteo of Clateot. Columbia.
Oarkamas and Multnomah, with 2SO.S7S
population, ba named. For another dis
trict. Ponton. Cooa. Curry. Pouslaa. Jark
na. Jooaphlno. Lans. Uneoln. Una. Mar
lon. Polk. Tillamook. Washington and Tam
h 111 14 with IM7.nl 7. For the third.
Ilakrr. Crook. Ollllam. Omni. Jtarney.
Hood River. Klamath. Lak. Malheur. Mor
row. Sharman. t'matllla. Union. . Wallowa.
Wasco and Wheoler IS with 13J.S70.
Iheao being all east of tho CaaraUoa.
It Is difficult for the slate-fixers to
devise a scheme of reapportionment
that can Ignore the dominating fact of
Multnomah's large population; and It
Is Just as difficult to find a way to deny
Multnomah alone the Congressional
representative that is easily and fairly
Multnomah's. But the News does
pretty well at It. It requirea the Mult
nomah district to have only a little
mora than twice the population of the
Eastern Oregon district.
The reapportionment problem Is not
easy: but The Oregonlan haa seen no
better suggestion than Its own that the
most nearly equitable solution is. (1)
Multnomah; tJ) Willamette Valley
and coast counties; (3) Eastern and
Southern Oreaon.
itxnrjt HTrtt and naiANO.
Portland's lumber exports for 1910
will break all previous records, and
there has been a large business han
dled from other Coast ports. With
the lumber output of the state and of
the Pacific Northwest exceeding that
of any prior year. It Is somewhat sur
prising to find the market so demor
alized that lumber is selling at the
lowest figure quoted since 1)0.
The effect of these low prices on
the general economic situation will
be differently Interpreted by the pro
ducers and consumers of lumber. In
a Tacoma dispatch In The Oregonlan
of Tuesday it was stated thnt a bill of
lumber for a house that four years
ti,i would have cost $&on can now be
purchased for IST5. This saving, of
course. Is sufficiently large to Inter
est the bome-buitder and naturally he
sees In the present stagnation In the
lumber business an advantage which
for obvious reasons Is not appreciated
by the manufacturer.
1'nfortunately for Oregon, even the
record building boom that la under
full headway takes up such a small
proportion of the total output of our
mills that the saving effected by the
Itxral consumer does not even approx
imately offset the loss to the state as
a whole through dumping our lumber
on foreign and Eastern markets at
cut-rate prices.
The situation is not a new one.
Periodically since the beginning of
the Industry, manufacturers and log
gers have experienced similar trouble.
There docs not seem to be any known
method by which the law of supply
and demand can be administered so
that these periodical "gluts" on the
market can be avoided. The alluring
profits which were returned In the
lumber Industry for the greater part
of the past six years have drawn into
the business scores, perhaps hun
dreds, of new manufacturers, with the
result that the capacity of the mills
far exceeds the demand for lumber.
Some of these mills, well managed
and with ample capital behind them,
will weather the storm. Others, after
a brief period of trounle. will drift
Into bankruptcy, to emerge later from
the receivership In readiness for the
next era of prosperity in the lumber
business. And this era of prosperity,
like the ones which havs preceded It,
will not be long delayed. The de
mand for lumber In all of the
world's marketa which can be
reached from the Pacific Northwest
Is Increasing rapidly and the supply
from which this demand must be met
Is rapidly decreasing. These are the
conditions that will result In the grad
ual elimination of price-cutting and
ruinous competition.
In every line of business occasional
emergencies arise which necessitate
the sacrifice of collateral at a heavy
discount from Its face value. Such
emergencies may account for the man
ufacture of l sawlogs Into fl lum
ber. With the timber supplies and the
lumber manufacturing Industry rap
Idly passing Into strong bands, these
emergencies will be fewer In number
and Umber will cot be cut nor manu
factured Into lumber until there Is a
demand for it.
Oregon was the last of the great
lumber states of the Union to begin
manufacturing on an extensive scale
and, as a result, we have thus far re
ceived higher average prices for the
timber than those realized In other
states. With proper care of the forests
and exercise of good business methods
In manufacturing and marketing the
product, the lumber Industry will for
an Indefinite period prove one of the
greatest factors In the prosperity of
the state.
WILL MKl. EDDY RETVRNT
The expectation that Mrs. Eddy will
return to life sooner or later is In
complete accordance with the histories
of other religious founders. After
their leath there has usually been a
more or leas persistent belief that they
would rise from the grave, and often
this belief has been so strong that It
produced its own fulfillment. That
Is It led to the creutlon of a resur
rection myth. The transition from
lively expectation to faith that the
expected event has actually occurred
does not appear to be very difficult.
It has been made many times and
no doubt will be made hereafter, even
when there is nothing to base belief
upon except desire. A' strong wish
that a thing might be so has occasion
ally caused people to think that it
was so. Therefore if a story should
emerge by and by that Mrs. Eddy had
rl.en from the dead and had been
seen in New York, Boston and Chi
cago, It need not surprise us. Per
haps It would be more surprising If
no such story were told.
The appearance of a resurrection
myth about Mrs. Eddy would not Im
ply a purpose to deceive. Mrs. Stet
son, of New York, who vigorously
predicts that the dead leader will re
turn to life, cannot be suspected of
a wish to misdirect the faith of her
followers. No doubt she is convinced
that the power of her religion Is suffi
cient to break the fetters of the grave
and bring back the fugitive soul from
the world of shades.
Mrs. Stetson cannot be the only dis
ciple of Mrs. Eddy who believes In
her future resurrection. There must
be -many others of the same mind.
Their cult would lack historic com
pleteness without such a miracle. A
final victory over death Is required,
perhaps, as the clinching evidence that
the creed Is true. It seems to be pe
culiarly needed by Christian Science
since that faith distinctly denies the
reality of death as well as disease.
Of course Mrs. Eddy, with all her
power to heal, could not have been
lastingly overcome by a mere delusion.
Ultimately she will burst the tomb and
emerge to comfort the faithful, either
In reality or In imagination. After
a tew centuries It will not make much
difference which.
fAtnOS IS EKDED.
The work which. milst be handled by
the Port of Portland Commission is of
such great Importance to the com
mercial life of this city that any pro
posed changes In the present law
should be most carefuly considered.
The original commission came into ex
istence In response to an urgent de
mand for Improvement In the channel
between Portland and the sea. This
Improvement, in Its entirety, the Gov
ernment could not or would not under
take, and as the future prosperity of
Portland was Involved In the matter,
the citizens of Portland were forced
to act. The members of the original
commission and. with a few excep
tions, their successors, have been
men of a type that could not be at
tracted to such a position by any
salary that might be attached. Quite
naturally and appropriately the orig
inal commission and. except in a few
cases. Its successors were chosen from
the ranks of business men who had ex
pert knowledge of and a direct In
terest In the Improvement of the chan
nel to the sea.
It Is not an easy matter to Induce
men of this calibre to accept public
trusts of this nature, and from the
early efforts of the commission Port
land received the maximum of results
at a minimum of expense. It was a
case where the public received in the
administration of its affairs expert
knowledge and high class public spirit
of value that could not be computed
on a salary basis. The present com
mission, or certain members of the
commission, have committed blunders
that have made the body as a whole
subject to criticism, some of which
was perhaps Justified, and some of
which was not. JThe changes proposed
In the amendment which has been
drafted by the committee that has In
vestigated the recent work of the Port
of Portland are so drastic that the ef
fect, if they are adopted, will be some
what uncertain.
Whatever criticism may be directed
against the acts of certain members
of the present commission and what
ever objection may be raised to the
sweeping powers granted under tho
existing law there can be no denying
the fact that the Port of Portland
Commission has thus far accomplished
results eminently satisfactory to the
taxpayers. If some plan could be de
vised by which we could retain the
services of men who would not be
attracted by a salary or make the
scramble which will be necessary so
soon as the office becomes elective
with salary attached, and who at the
same time would guard against the
blunders and mistakes of the few
commissioners who havo caused the
trouble, the port might be better off
than it will be under the proposed
amendment If all of Its provisions are
carried. The matter is one that con
cerns every taxpayer In Portland and
should be carefully studied before final
action Is urged before the legislature.
PAXAM. CAXAL PI ill".
Senator Flint, of California, seems
to have taken the view that the Pan
ama Canal has been constructed for
the purpose of .increasing the profits
of the shipowners without regard to
the Interests of the vastly greater
number of people who will be called
on to supply cargoes for the ships
passing through the canal. That, at
least, is the only explanation that can
be offered for his insistence that
American vessels be exempt from
Panama Canal dues. This matter of
exemption from dues Is the only point
on which the Senate and House Pan
ama Canal bills differ. That no one
but the shipowner would profit by this
exemption from dues Is quite apparent
to anyone familiar with the shipping
business.
Let us view the matter from our
own local standpoint which does not
differ from that of every other sea
port on the Pacific Coast. Lumber
and rrain will form the greater part
of the cargoes which this port will
send through the canal to Europe.
The ships that carry this lumber and
grain will bring return cargoes of
cement, fire brick, iron, steel, coke,
etc.. from Europe. The freight rates
on these products will be fixed then,
as now, by the old law of supply and
demand. The cost to the shippers and
importers will be exactly the same
whether the freight is shipped in a
foreign or an American bottom, and
the shipper will pay the canal dues
as a portion of that freight charge.
The American shipowner, not being in
the business for philanthropic pur
poses, would not refund the canal dues
which would be rebated to him by the
Flint bill.
There seems to be some doubt
about the Panama Canal proving a
financial success. For obvious reas
ons the American people who are pay
ing the bills will not make much fuss
over a deficit, as the big ditch will
have a strategic value not easily com
putable in figures. But If there is to
be a deficit let us still operate the
highway on business principles. If
there is to be any distribution of
favors In the way of tonnage exemp
tions, why not divide the rebates with
the men who supply the cargoes, as
well as with those who own the ships?
Aside from this discrimination in
favor of a few shipowners, there Is a
far more serious obstacle in the trea
ties which this country has with other
powers that will make use of the
canal. These treaties provide for equal
treatment for the vessels of all powers
making use of the canal, and any at
tempt to impart undue elasticity to
these treaties might be followed by
reprisals most costly.
The steamship Serak, one of the
regular Kosmos liners plying between
Puget Sound and European ports, is
due at Portland today from Tacoma
to load a full cargo of wheat for Eu
rope. Several large tramp steamers
have come to Portland in ballast from
Puget Sound this season to secure car
goes which were not available at the
northern ports, but this Is the first ap
pearance of a regular European liner
that was unable to find business on
Puget Sound. The grain exports from
this city for tho present season will
show this port with a larger propor
tion of the total from the Pacific
Northwest than In any previous season
In many years. This shifting of the
business from Puget Sound to the Co
lumbia River is due to the coming of
the North Bank road, which has
opened up much now territory not pre
viously tributary to this city. With
the completion of the feeders of the
North Bank and tho new lines Into
Central Oregon, a still greater gain
will be shown.
The expected does not always hap
pen; In fact, some philosophers go so
far as to state that it seldom or never
happens. For that reason we find the
old year drifting out with the Eastern
money markets In excellent shape.
The New York stock market yester
day, with a three-day holiday ahead of
it. displayed considerable strength,
with advances scored In a number of
securities. Money was plentiful at
much lower rates than were quoted a
month ago. There Is so much senti
ment Involved In financial depressions
that it is not always easy for the in
vesting public to determine whether
they should keep their money In cir
culation or lock It up until the dis
quieting rumors cease. The murmur
In gs which began some time before
the November election do not appear
to havo been warranted by the facts,
and there has been a gradual recovery
for several weeks, and the prospects
for a brilliantly prosperous opening
of 1911 are excellent.
The application of civil service rules
to teachers positions In the public
schools Is open to the same general
objection that applies to other em
ployes In public service. As stated by
Mr. X. N. Fleischner, of the Board of
Education. It would, under such rules,
be difficult to get rid of incompetent
teachers. When we take Into account
the fact that under civil service rules
the departments of the Federal Gov
ernment at Washington are loaded
down with chair-warmers, incompe
tent through age or other disability to
do the work for which they are paid,'
we must acknowledge the plausibility
of this objection.
Here It Is the last day of the week
and that cold wave for the Pacific
Coast predicted rrom Washington on
Monday last has failed to materialize.
No expert can tell in advance what
kind of weather the South Seas are
going to send us.
The assertion of the Intercollegiate
Athletic Association that football un
der the new rules "haa been compara
tively safe" Is not confirmed by this
season's fatalities and permanent In
juries. Perhaps If all employers like the
Western Union would advance money
to employes who really deserve con
sideration, the whole horde of loan
sharks would be driven out of busi
ness. Fixing tolls for the Panama Canal
presents to Congress a most Interest
ing subject for original legislation.
There are no precedents to guide or
confuse our lawmaking.
This haa been a banner year for
high altitudes, speed, sustained flights,
glory and big purses, but on the other
side of the record look at the awful
death roll of aviators.
' To be sure, an army can be moved
over mountains in aeroplanes. Let's
order two or three thousand at once.
They are cheaper than battleships and
no cost for upkeep.
In saving the family cat from the
fire that destroyed hie home yester
day, a Portland man warded off some
111 luck.
Republicans who attend the Jackson
day banquet would better beware.
Those Democratic brethren are mighty
sly.
There Is a dog In Germany that can
talk, but as he is not a dachshund, his
vocabulary is limited to short words.
It Is Oregon ag'ln Illinois today, and
everybody here and hereabout wants
Washington High to win.
As a timely pre-New Year's resolu
tion, resolve never to get drunk New
Year's eve.
Oregon is becoming quite crowded,
with seven people to the square mile.
KEJW CHIEF JISTICH A "HAIER."
p of Trtmruinjr" Youthful Barris
ters Who "Kaon It All.'
From tho New York World.
Among the favorite pastimes of the
new Chief Justice Is the hazing of the
fledgling members of the bar at the
Supreme Court. It is no gentle Jolly
ing In which the distinguished Jurist
Indulges, but straight from the shoul
der, pointed questions aimed at the
head of the new members, in which
the Justice delights.
In the sport of hazing the legal
freshman. Justice White has two able
coadjutors in Justices Harlan and
Holmes. The method of proceeding is
like this:
Justice White will wait until the
young barrister has stated in unquali
fied terms some more or less complex
proposition of law. In all likelihood,
the embyro Blackstone has relied up
on this exhibition of his profound
knowledge of the point to impress the
court. According to Justice White,
the Supreme Court is not an impres
sionable body. In the midst of the
youngster's statement of the great
principle. Justice White will say:
"Ahem! Now In the event of this be
ing so and taking the proposition
which you have Just outlined with
such care, when we come to consider
this In Its relation with the earlier
principle that such a writ may only
have been permitted to issue when a
fall bench was sitting! suppose that,
es you say, the presiding Judge be
ing indisposed, had left the bench,
what then would be the exact situa
tion of the plaintiff which "
Up in the air goes the youthful bar
rister. If he gets back to earth be
fore his time expires, he is lucky.
BAN PIT ON COUGHING IX CHURCH
Philadelphia Rector Launches Crusade
Against Unnecessary Noises.
" Philadelphia Ledger.
A crusade against coughing, nose
blowing and other noises made by con
gregations, which often prove to be ex
tremely annoying to the preacher . and
choir In the church, has been inaugur
ated by the Rev. Dr. David M. Steele,
rector of the Episcopal Church of St.
Luke and the Epiphany.
Doctor Steele says he is not a crank.
St. Luke's Church was recentlv recon
structed. Improvements were made in
the vestibule and chancel nnd a tiled
f.'oor was laid, the whole purpose boing
to make the auditorium more resonant.
This ourpose has been accomplished and
the dropping of a pin can almost be
heard. A raucous cough vibrates harsh
ly through the church and the wail of
ar. Infant sets the nerves of the choir cn
edge.
, "I wish ve could get on without eo
much coughing In church. TliU is bnd
enough In any church; it seems some
times to me to be unusually bad in this
one. It Is a problem every person has
to deal with who leads any form of
service, conducts any form of worship,
presides anywhere in any assembly or
addresses any company.
"What people In pews can never real
ize, what perhaps they should not be ex
pected to appreciate not having lis
tened or heard at a distance, and not
having tried to speak or read or preach
or pray the meanwhile is that cough
ing, sneezing and other things called
only by good, homely, old-fashioned
names, may make Just as much noise,
may be Just as loud. Just as disconcert
ing and Just as distracting, both to
priest and people otherwise engaged at
that special moment, as though the per
sons doing this rose from their place in
pews and spoke out loud not to say
called, applauded, clapped or shouted."
Red Cross Predicts Six Dlamatera.
Chicago Evening Post.
During the year 1911 this country will
have six great disasters. This prophecy
is not based on psychological or other
mystic grounds but on the records of the
past, and is made by the Red Cross So
ciety, which hae found that each year
brings an average of five or six events In
the nature of fire, flood, earthquake or
explosion large enough to call for the aid
of the organization.
During the last year the Red Cross So
ciety engaged in relief work In the United
States in connection with two mine ex
plosions, one hurricane, one mine fire
and widespread forest flree In the
Northwest. And the work of the society
was not confined to this country.
Relief was afforded captured soldiers In
Nicaragua, to sections rendered destitute
by floods) in Mexico, France, Japan and
Servia, and In connection with the Ar
menian massacres and the earthquake
In Costa Rica. The total expenditure for
this work was IlW.OuO in the United
States and $66,500 In foreign countries, ac
cording to the report of National Director
p. Bicknell. now In course of
preparation.
Brtda-e Roles Set to Music.
New York Sun.
A woman who makes It a point to ask
the name of every new tune she heaiS
spent half an hour in a room where a
dozen other women were playing cards.
When the other women hart gone she
asked the hostess:
"What was that pretty little air your
guests kept humming every little while?
Is It from some new opera?"
"No opera on earth was ever so popu
lar as that song is Just now." laughed
the hostess, "it was composed by a
teacher of bridge. She put the most im
portant rules of the game nto rhyme and
set them to music- It's a pretty, lilting
tune that appeals to the ear. Women
that had never been ablo to remember
the rules from one day to another could
easily remember that sone and become
pretty good bridge players. Even now In
their excitement they forget a poinL once
In a while, but they have that song at
their tongue's end and a few measures
sets them right,"
Knssrets From Geeraia.
Atlanta Constitution.
Time flies, but the holidays are long
enough to the man that has reached
the limit of his purse strings.
There's a wild music In the blowing
of the blizzard trumpets, but we never
feel like dancing by it If the coal bin s
low.
If Trouble demands that you run a
race with him in the merry season,
lead him to the woods and lose him
Sometimes the thought of future fire
works saddens the pleasure of the
present- But so live that you will not
need them in your business hereafter.
World's Stock Exchanges.
PORTLAND, Dec. 28. (To the Edi
tor ) Will you please let me know
through the columns of The Oregonlan
which Is the chief place in the world
for controlling stocks and shares finan
clallr. SUBSCRIBER.
This question is rather Indefinite.
London Is known as the world's finan
cial center. Prices of American stocks
are controlled In Wall street, however,
and similarly fluctuations In securities
of other nations are largely controlled
In their own financial centers.
Ynletlde Theory.
Kansas City Journal.
"I wonder how the Venus of Milo lost
her arms?"
"Wore 'em off during the shopping sea,
son. perhaps, in lugging borne Christ
mas presents."
Sentence Sermoaette.
Baltimore Evening Sun.
It's one of the easiest jobs on earth
to tell some other fellow how to dig a
hole In the ground, but digging's different.
COBSTT ROAD WORK EDUCATION.
State Aid Should Be Confined to the
Oae Pnrnoee, Saya Correspondent.
ESTACADA, Or.. Dec. S. (To the
Editor.) In your editorial comment on
my communication In opposition to the
proposed new road laws, you say I "ap
parently assume that county bonding
for road purposes will be obligatory on
each county if the bonding law as pro
posed by the Good Roads Association Is
adopted by the Legislature."
I did not nor do I assume anything
of the kind. I know perfectly well
that it will be optional with the voters
of each county. Under such conditions
can we secure a uniform system of
good road building? Why not give
each county its own "course of study"
for the public schools? It is a mighty
poor question that hasn't two sides
to it.
We need and must have better roads.
The question Is, how to get them. Are
the laws as proposed by the Good
Roads Association the best that can be
devised to meet the needs of the coun
try? I say no.
My principal objection to state aid
is, that the amount called for Is en
tirely too small. Not enough can be
done in the two years to get the people
Interested In state aid roads. I do not
approve of "cheap, makeshift" roads,
but under present conditions all public
roads cannot be built in a. "thorough,
scientific and permanent manner,"
therefore It is often absolutely neces
sary that much temporary road build
ing be done.
The answer to your question, "Where
would permanent roads be of more
general utility than leading to the
market places?" depends on how lib
eral a construction Is placed on the
phrase "principal market places." The
proposed law says, "On the main roads
at the principal market places." You
say, "Leading to the market places."
Good chance for a big difference of
opinion here.
When I selected Hood River County
as being the sole county that would
be benefited by state aid, the question
of money-saving did not occur to me.
Practically all of the business of Hood
River County is' done at Hood River
and Mosier, and as both are on the
extreme northern side of the county,
the main roads from each town lead
Into the Interior of the county. They
could put their $60,000 on two or three
roads and thus get the best possible
results. If thera are any "Christmas
gifts" attached to the proposition, it
is certain the farmer won't get any of
them. And what is more, he doesn't
want them; but does want good roads
and is willing to pay a fair, living
price for them.
Taking The Oregonlan's figures for
it, it seems to me state aid wouldn't
help Curry County. If she pays only
$3000 of the $20,000. It would certain
ly take a pretty stiff levy for her to
raise the required $40,000. In this case
I fail to see wherein the strong Is aid
ing the weak. On the basis of the 1909
apportionment. Multnomah County will
pay about $206,000 into the state aid
fund for which she can receive no di
rect benefit.
Now I maintain that with the ex
penditure of one-tenth of this amount,
in the next two years, as an education
al fund, if properly and wisely used,
will give far better results -to the
state as a whole than the $680,000 used
as proposed. It is too much like try
ing to do a million-dollar a year busi
ness on a $10,000 capital.
In this question of good roads let us
not forget to consider our R. F. D.
mail routes. In many localities in Ore
gon this is of far more importance to
the country people than a mile or so of
good roads near some town. I am for
good roads, first, last and all the time,
but am opposed to the "State High
way Commission" and state aid laws
as proposed by the Oregon Good Roads
Association, and will stay In the fight
to the finish. G. T. HUNT.
Mr. Hunt and The Oregonlan are not
far apart In their final views on the
State Aid Road bill. The Oregonlan
has heretofore expressed the opinion
that an appropriation of funds suffi
cient to pay the cost of maintaining
the office of state engineer as an ad
visory bureau for the several counties
is all that should be expected of a state
where large taxation centers are con
fined to so small a proportion of the
state's area. In commenting on Mr.
Hunt's, earlier letter. The Oregonlan
sought to bring out what It believed
to be a stronger objection to the bill
than any mentioned by Mr. Hunt As
to the County Bonding bill, however.
The Oregonlan sees no objection to the
state providing a method by which
counties may at their option vote bonds
for a permanent road work, inasmuch
as such a law would not prevent any
county from proceeding under present
available methods.
KlKht Before New Year's.
Bryan Hooker in January Bookman.
But the characteristic college parofly
Is exactly the converse; Its subject
matter is all-important, and It is cast
in some famous mould only for inci
dental Incongruity. Thus the following
dithyramb of the New Year is only as
It were accidentally modelled upon "The
Night Before Christmas"; It might have
been Just as funny in some other guise:
'Twas the eve before New Year's, and
all through the house not a creature
was stirring save Pa with a souse, who
stood on the . door-step and clawed
through the air In search of a keyhole
that used to be there. He found It; we
heard him step into the hall, fall Into
the parlor and snore that was all.
We smiled with indulgence and Bleep
ward would go, but Just for a short 15
minutes or so; for out on the lawn
there arose such a clatter, we sprang
from our beds to see what was the
matter. "Twas only dear brother was
making the noise, informing the neigh
bors: "I'm one of the boysh!" We play
fully poked him. then bedward were
gone, a-leaving dear brother asclep on
tne lawn. A few minutes later (some
20. I'd say) we heard heavy footsteps
approaching our way, and grandfather,
after an Informal talk, hung his clothes
on the gate-post and slept on the walk.
Then silence ... As over the hills
came the sun, our handsome star
boarder arrived with a bun. That was
all; but at noon we arose with a grin,
made the rounds of the boozers and
gathered them in. "Twas pa, as we
carried him up througn the hall, con
tinued to mutter: "Hap New Year for
all!"
The Beat.
Puck.
Willis What Is the happiest moment of
married life?
G! His When a man throws the pictures
of his wife's relatives out of the family
album and fills it up with photographs
of his baby instead.
The Ilrst-Born.
Chambers Journal.
Lily fingers, rose-leaf toes.
Crumpled blossom of a nose.
Jfever was there quainter toy
Than this weeny wonder boy!
Babe o" mine, on mother's knee,
AU my world I and In thee.
Poll the tuft of thistledown
That hf-s drifted on thy crown;
Laugh and gurgle goo-goo-goo,
Dimple here enough for two!
Rosy rougue, thy mother's knea
la tha wide, wlda world to thee.
How thy fragile angers twins
'Round this giant thumb o' mine!
go my Fathers hand I hold
I. His babe whom love makes bold.
God, let every mother's knea
El an altar raised to Thee!
Life's Sunny Side
While a student at West Polr.t U. S.
Grant excelled In mathematics and horse
manship. He Jumped his horse ov.er a
bar five feet five inches high, which made
a record for the academy, and a close
second to the highest Jump ever recorded
in America, He received little honor
for some of his efforts, however, notably
In-the case recalled by Nicholas Smith
in "Grant, the Man of Mystery." But
perhaps the humor of it reconciled him.
The riding master was one Hershber
ger, "an amusing sort of a tyrant," and
on one occasion, whether seriously or as
a Joke, he determined to "take down"
the young cadet.
At the exercise Grant was mounted on
a powerful but vicious, brute, that the
cadets fought shy of, and was put at
leaping the bar.
The bar was placed higher and higher
as he came round the ring till it passed
the record. The stubborn rider would not
say "enough," but the horse disposed to
shy and refuse to make the leap.
Grant gritted his teeth Rnd spurred at
it, but just as the horse gathered for the
spring his swelling body burst the girth,
and the rider and saddle tumbled into the
ring.
Half-stunned, Grant gathered himself
up from the dust, only to hear the "stri
dent, cynical voice" of Hershbcrger call
ing out:
,fCadet Grant six demerits for dis
mounting without leave!" Youth's Com
panion. -
s s
Augustus Thomas, the playwright, tells
of a hunting trip he once took In the
South. They were after 'coons and 'pos
sums, but the only trail the dogs struok
was one which made them put tuelr tails
between their legs and turn for home.
"Just what does a polecat look like?"
Mr. Thomas asked one of the negro
guides. "A polecat boss? Why, a pole
cat's somefin' like a kitten, only prettier.
Yes, a polecat's a heap prettlern's a kit
ten, ain't it Sam?" he said, turning to
another negro for corroboration. Sam
did not seem so sure. He hesitated a
moment. "Well," he replied, scratching
his wool, "it's always been mah conten
tion dat handsome is as handsome does."
Kansas City Star.
s s
My friend, Hi Broonwood, a merry
wight, is in the habit of carrying with
him a private brand of cigarettes marked
with his name. On one cctasion he en
tered an office to pay a call. Upon look-,
ing In his pocket he found that he had
left his cardcase at home. Accordingly,
struck by a happy idea, he took out one
of his cigarettes and said to the office
boy, "Take this to your boss." In s
few moments the boy returned with the
cigarette on a tray. "He says he don't
want to see you," he announced curtly.
The cigarette had been partially smoked.
New York Morning Telegraph.
see
(A Woman's Bank is open in New
Bridge street. A report of an alleged
financial transaction is sent us by an un
kind., but oDservant. correspunuoui. ;
Good morning; wretched weather, isn't
it? I wanted to put something into the
bank, If I could. (Fumbles in reticule.)
Can't find It now I must really give ur
wearing these hobble skirts. (Cashler'e
VOlCe: U, X llliun. mw - "
Where did you have it made?" The othet
cashiers crowd round to have a look.)
It was a cheque or something no, s
draft. What is the difference, do you
know? (Cashier's Voice, in consultation
with a colleague: "And so she broke 11
off. Her mother said his conduct wai
absolutely disgraceful") Oh, here 11
is, U 3s Sd; thank you. What? 3 5s 8di.
Oh so it is! I knew it was something
and eiglltpence. Where? Here? Oh, I've
signed my name in the place for the datel
Thank you! Yes, put it in and keep 11
safe. You're insured against fire. I hope)
Goodby, I'm so glad it's over! (Cashier I
Voice: "Oh, my, I've given you the
wrong pass book!") London Black and
Wliite.
THROUGH COLLEGE BY "A SHAVE
Student In Texas University Paid Hll .
Way Wltb a Barber Shop.
San Antonio Light and Gazette.
The University of Texas Bulletin, Is
sued by the extension department oi
the State University at Austin, containi
some unusually interesting stories ol
college life in its December number
Besides the usual statistics regardini
the Summer school and traveling li
braries, now furnished on request tt
smaller schools, the Bulletin tells of in
novations at the state scnooi ana re
counts the story of the "Barber of Breck
enridge Hall" as follows:
Several years ago a former president
of the University of Texas went into I
barber shop in North Texas to be shaved
Falling Into conversation with the barber
the university president discovered thai
the young man expected to go to colleg
and at that time had bis plans made t
enter an Institution In Virginia the fol
lowing Autumn, where an opportunitj
had been given him to earn his way
whereupon he was invited to come to the
University of Texas in tlie Fall and tl
bring with him his razors and barber i
'"room in Breckenrldge Hall was tt
be assigned for his ehop. The young mat
accepted the offer, came to the university
set up his shop in the men's dormitory
and. while doing a thriving business it
the afternoons and at night, also car
ried on his university studies.
,.t hv nnrt the young mat
took his degree with credit; at the saml
time he paid his own way uiruusu
lege and contributed besides to the edu
cation of a fatherless sister.
He afterwards attended a medical col
lege graduated with distinction, and ii
now' a successful practitioner. More thai
100 young men have paid their waj
through the university by acting as wait
ers in the same hall In which this young
man ran a barber shop.
Let no boy or girl, however, poor,
'despair of securing a university educa
tion. If no way seems open, let him
write to the president of the university
and some way will no doubt be found.
A Map of Missouri Made By Bees.
St. Louis Times.
The 2009 bees which have been makini
a map of Missouri, under the directloi
of State Bee Commissioner D. F. Darby,
. i that, work. The maD wal
nave niwou - - .
made for the National Land and Indus
trial Exposition, 'rne Dees nave
working on the map for more than
three months. The map will be a pari
of the state bee department exhibit
The map Is on a mesh wire back
ground, and is 8x10 feet. All the hills
valleys, rivers and large towns are shown,
and nothing but wax, honey and a littU
coloring was used In the work.
Darby first had the bees fill the entire
framework with comb honey. He the.
outlined the rivers, mountains and cities
uncapped the honey cells and extracted
the fluid. ine . ----
fed colored syrup. They went toworj
filling up the empty cells, with the
colored fluid. The rivers are shown t
red the mountains In green, the towns it
brown. The rest of the map is in tin
natural color of the wax and the honej
In the cells.
Boss f'Hrn. 1
Falls City News.
The idea that the citizens of Oregon
are to be "educated" In the exercise ol
the franchise by the use of money con
tributed for that purpose by a Phila
delphia soap maker and turned ovel
to an Oregon City lawyer for expendi
ture, seems to be the most rldiculoul
political proposition ever presented
. I li,;inl hnta VlSB "lASi
ine om-iiiic3 -
out" apparently, but the new boss ap
pears to be no better than the old one,
except that he claims the more re
spectable title of "teacher," and frank
ly admits that he "gets the money."