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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 1911)
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CM caco. Stager building. PORTLAVD. MONDAY. JANUARY S. fK.UF CLARK'S TARIFF PROMISE. Now that " Champ Clark, of the how-me" state. Is to be Speaker, he will be expected to "ranke good" aa to a certain pledge made by him In the Tammany Hall celebration in New York City. Independence day, tlx months ago. towit: U th. next ." l.bJi'" . will ha.e. will honratly and airaoualy r-Prt a MM t revlae the tariff aoTTio , r.vnue baala. para It through u How and e-nd .t ow to the f'Tl bap. by that tin., the Sonata. "'" " th. public demand, will -Jo " " 9na.nf.t- wa wtu so to tha ptople on that ami In is II Here Is a promise from Champ, plain, clear and 'binding, of tariff for revenue only. But latterly. Champ has been painfully client on .this sub ject. Does he have a haunting fear that unless he shall be-mighty careful In steering past Fcylla and Charybdis be may be loot to the one monster or Ihe other like tho greatest of the tar iff politicians who have gone before T Many of us would like to hear rrom Chair p. particularly about pro tected articles of Southern State, whose votes are to be his mainstay for Joe Cannon's Joh. If these articles are to be put on "revenue bnsls" In the new Democratic tarirf bill, there will be walling and gnashing of teeth south of Mason and Dixon's line. The big products of the South are "pro tected" by the present law, as com pared with the Dingley law. as follows: Sugar, mnlaaaaa and manufacturers of Sam aa I'lnt rf ratra. Tobacco, and manuacturara of Kama aa Dlnalry ratea. ftiro Saraa aa Plnaley ratea. Cotton manufacture" Same Dlniy rataa. Hemp Kataa advanced. Whlekr Ratra advan. d. Peml-tropltal f rulta Html aa Dlnsley ratra. Wool Sum aa Plnsley rate. Here are places for the new Speaker to employ his talents for "revenue basis" tariff. The people would dearly like to buy cheaper lugar. cotton goods and tobacco. We should mi)- that It Is up to i'hamp to make good or to Join the Jown-and-out club of tariff tinkers. rArfTAt. ANI -OXUF.NtE. The remarkable nhowing v which Portland made In all branches of In dustrial activity in the year Just cloKed will attract nation-wide attention. We have received some splendid results from the extensive advertising of our great resources, but ail other forms of advertising fall short by comparison with the presentation of olllclal sta tistics. Portland has accomplished the wonderful results which are shown In the annual stallatic without any spe cial effort and without straining her credit or depleting the cash reserves. As pointed out In a review of the year's business in The Oregonlan yes terday, the advent of new capital in the state and Northwest was largely responsible for the great prosperity with which we were favored last year. There was another very Important factor in bringing about the pleasing results noted. Confidence was the si lent partner of capital In breaking all kinds of industrial records last year, and this year, to a greater extent per haps than last, confidence Is needed to produce equivalent records. The situation in Portland at this time is strikingly similar, except In de rree. to that which confronted us In !he closing days of 1905. AVe were breaking records then, although the figures of that period now seem small Indeed when compared with those for the year Just cload. The 1903 fair had attracted to Portland thousands of visitors and had given us an oppor tunity to show our goods and invite capital. The newcomers were pleased with the outlook and sent for their money and friends, but our own peo ple to a largo extent were skeptical. They lacked the confidence In the city and state that was shown by the new comers, and many f them have been waiting for five years for the "slump" that was to follow thr fair. Those who did have confidence kept their money In circulation and by buying and building to meet the demands of the growing city became wealthy. Through the example the latter set. thousands of others were induced to some here. But the Portland which was break ing records In 1903 had no North Bank road by which this el ild reach the Immense territory east of the Cas cade Mountains, then paying tribute exclusively to Puget Sound. We had no roads and no Immediate prospect of any into Central Oregon, a region which alone will support a larger city than the Portland of the present day. We had no railroads reaching out to the Tillamook and Nehalem country: no electric lines opening up the richest portions of the Willamette Valley. All these and more we now have, and In every possible feature of Industrial or commercial endeavor the opportuni ties are Infinitely superior to those which existed when we were breaking records five years ago. There can be no slackening of im portance In the strong movement to higher levels of prosperity if we can Hence the croakers who are still waiting for the slump that failed to follow the Lewis and Clark Fair. There will be no slump, and there is every reason for believing that the business of 1911 will be even more prosperous and satisfactory than that of 1110. But to secure the maximum of benefits from our matchless oppor tunity, there should be ' unbounded confidence In the future of the city and state. Capital and confidence form a combination that can work wonders. The names "New Tork" and Texas." chosen for the two large Dreadnoughts authorised some months ago by Congress, are fitting, as repre senting the two states each of which U greatest In Its own way one in population, the other in eminent do main: and again as representing two ships of the "new Navy." so-called. now the "old Navy" that proved the fighting quality of the American Navy when put to the test of battle. New Tork. as shown by the late census, has one-tenth of the entire population of the Union, while Texas contains 265, 000 square miles, an empire In Itself in area sutlicient to give every one of New York's 9.000.000 people a piece of ground large enough. If intensively cultivated, to furnish food sufficient for a living. The latest and largest Dreadnoughts of the American Navy will represent big things, and their names will accord with their prowess. A.-K1NU I-OIMJE. The Oregon Senators blame it all on Senator Lodge. The Massachusetts Senator. It appears, assured the Ore gon Senators that the KO.000,000 rec lamation bill was all right, and of course they supposed It was their first duty to accept the word of a fellow Senator; so they voted for the bill without the slightest personal scru tiny or examination or Investigation. Thus section 9 of the original recla mation bill, so vital and necessary to the interests of Oregon, was repealed. Senatorial courtesy, combined with Senatorial complacency or verdancy or laziness, has cost Oregon many million dollars. The Oregon Senatorial method at Washington Is to find out what some Senatorial boss thinks the Oregon Senators ought to do and then for them to do it blindly and unquestlon lngly. "Senator Aldrlch knows all about the tarlft," said Senator Bourne, on another momentous occasion. "I vote with Aldrlch." He did. Now he votes with Lodge. So does Chamber lain. They are a confiding and easy going pair. Thus while Lodge takes charge of legislation for the West, and engineers through the Senate a measure of great and Immediate concern to Oregon, Bourne and Chamberlain deem It quite unnecessary even to examine the bill. All they do, according to their own explanation and apology. Is to ask Lodge. Lodge tells them to vote for a measure expressly doing away with an Invaluable concession or right of the State of Oregon. They obey. It Is all very childish. MrCKRAKJNO ROOSFVEtT. The most unkindest cut of all Is threat against Roosevelt of the muck rake. Politician have been Impreg nable until put on the run by this patriotic Implement. In fact, many a politician who could never be chased out of the people's favor any other wny has been thrust Into outer dark ness by this method. The Colonel Is accused of squander ing In Africa funds of tha Smithsonian Institution. A large part of Roose velt's lion-hunting expedition waa borne by that institution. Represent ative Ralney. of Illinois, recently In troduced a resolution to probe this business and also Roosevelt's use of public funds for his Presidential trips over the country- However. Roosevelt has been muck raked before without lasting injury, and we shall expect him to emerge from the ordeal this time aLo un harmed. Be it remembered that he was used sorely by this method after purchase of the Panama Canal from the French company. His Indignation was kindled to such heat thereby that he endeavored to send the muckrakers to Jail. But while he was absent In Africa the muckrake was forgotten. That Roosevelt, whose honesty and honor thus far have been flawless, should be asalled thus wise Is certain ly the most unkindest cut of all. It goes to show that his homilies and platitudes about honesty and virtue have not convinced all his fellow-cltl-zens that he who talks In such wise is above criticism. THE rSFKRIKTro AEROPLANE. The fame of Professor Langley as the original aeroplane operator will probably endure for all time, aa many years elapsed between his fatal flight and the appearance of what may be termed the first successful heavler-than-alr machine. But the death list of the champions and record-breakers Is Increasing so rapidly that fame is more than fleeting for the blrdmen of the present day. The nnmes of John B. Motssant and Archie Hoxsey, two of the best-known and most daring of the American aviators, were added Sat urday to the long list of those who have given up their lives In the pur suit of the apparently fascinating sport. These tragedies will be followed tomorrow or next week, or at the most in a few days, by others of a similar nature, for, despite the success which has attended the operation of aeroplanes since the Wright brothers startled the world with a perfected heavlcr-than-alr flyer, the element of danger Is fearfully In evidence at all meetings where the blrdmen aasemblo. On land a break In the machinery of an automobile going at high speed Is not necessarily followed by fatalities, for the machine may be partly con trolled until It loses some of Its head way or comes to a full stop. On water the occupant of a sinking boat may swim or hang to a life-preserver until rescued. But from disaster tn the air there now Is no opportunity for escape, nor has the aeroplane reached a degree of perfection In construction where It can be depended on. The appalling death list quite clearly Indicates that there still remains a wide field for the Inventor in perfecting the machines so that the operator will have at least a fighting chance for his life when any thing brenks or goes wrong. TTlXAMOOK KKI-K-HKl.r. It U doubtful If any other commu nity of similar size In the United States has ever made such a liberal contri bution for waterways improvement as that pledged In aid of the proposed tSovernment work which Is necessary to put Tillamook and Bay City on the list of deep-water ports. Making a comparison from a population stand point, the SS50.000 guaranteed by these two ports for a twenty-foot channel on the bar and a 16-foot channel inside is about the same as a 120.000.000 fund for Portland. This city has never balked at any expendi ture for Improving the highway to the sea. but a 120.000.000 fund for such a purpose might make our citizens study over the matter longer than the people of Bay City and Tillamook con sidered their proposition. As an example of self-help in the matter of river and harbor appropria tions. Tillamook and Bay City have es THE MORXIXG OUEGOXIAX, MONDAY. JANUARY 2, 1911. tablished a bright and shining prece dent, which. If followed by communi ties in other parts of the United States, would serve to remove any remaining traces of the "pork barrel" odium which has so long rested cn rivers and harbors bills. It is eminently proper that this faith which the Tillamook people have shown In their port should be appreciated nd recognised by the Government with an appropri ation sufficient to complete the neces sary channel. There are few, if any. regions in Oregon where Nature has been more lavish In distributing lu favors than In the Tillamook country, but without an outlet to the sea great difficulty w-111 be encountered in eon Verting these latent resources Into tan gible wealth. There are billions of feet of the fin est lumber In the world which will be of little use to Its owners until it can reach the world's markets by way of the economical water routes. It is from the marketing of this timber and the direct benefits that will result that Tillamook will recoup for the very heavy expenditure she Is about to . ..... . v. . rr n.u'irv rhiinnaL I maae iu aevuio j The matter is one that is of direct In terest to Portland, "for whatever con tributes to the prosperity of Tillamook also aids this city. Portland is also pleased to note that our Port of Port land plan for Improving waterways where the Government IS slow In tak ing hold la finding favor elsewhere in the state. IlAS THE rtBIJC NO REMEDY? The City of Portland is not only har assed, but its property Is damaged, by t Frank Klernans. Here are these obstructionists, headed by a pachy derm lawyer, using every aeiay ana technicality they can devise against the desires of the great mass of the people of the city; and rot only that, but impairing the credit of the public, resorting to every possible trick to de preciate the value of the public bonds, forcing taxpayers to pay an additional high rate of Interest for borrowed mnnev and an extra high price for contract work on the Broadway bridge. The Frank Klernana are protected In their obstructive and destructive work by the institutions of orderly so ciety and these very institutions they are employing to the public Injury. There ought to be a way to end this business. The community is exasper ated to the near limit of endurance. Tt i tn outrage unon the community that a few selfish individuals 6houId continue to thwart the needs of the people of this city. TUB CUNNINGHAM CLAIMS AGAIN. Cold facta should be the evidence In Judging the Cunningham claims In Alaska. But a clique of shrleky patri ots has preferred heated partisanship to cold facts. Secretary Balllnger wishes to refer the claims to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia for decision whether they are fraudulent Or honeiit. Garfield. Pinchot, G la vis & Co. de mand that Balllnger pass on tho claims himself. During a long time they have been working up prejudice throughout the country against the Cunningham claimants, through false assertions and fancied assumptions. Therefore they wish to compel the Sec retary to make decision while facing this prejudice a prejudice, by the way, that also prevails against him self. The Supreme Court of the District of Columbia would be In free position to decide the claims according to their merits. Its opinion, moreover, would be accepted by people and poli ticians. There Is good ground for believing that the court would find It self constrained to hold the claimants blameless, therefore to cast implied Imputations of malignity and slander upon the Glavis partisans. These claimants are all reputable men, many in high station; they filed on coal claims In Alaska in accordance with the law and paid the price the law re quired. $52,000, to the Government. Though having complied with the law In every particular and having paid that sum to the Government, they have been denied patent, on the ground that they "conspired" to obtain the land for syndicate uses, which is alleged to be a wrongful and fraudu lent purpose. The din of falsehood about the Cun ningham claims and Balllnger's rela tion to them has continued too long. These claims -should be decided by some coolheaded authority and be got ten -out of the way. The have been the Inspiration of enormous quantity of blatant rhetoric. The country hns been wearied by the rhetoric, and In jured, too. Had It been squelched long time ago, these Pacific States would now be in fair way to obtain cheap coal from Alaska, instead of paying high prices for fuel imported from Australia. a niiAi issrE. Judging from the prominence given the Mormon question by recital of al leged facts bearing upon it running in two popular magazines at the pres ent time, one would Imagine that something entirely new and pertinent to present conditions had been discov ered in regard to the religion and practices of the members and disciples of tho Church of the Latter-Day Saints. Both of these recitals, each from a different standpoint and entirely dif ferent In tone," proclaim the actual truth about the practice of polygamy among these people, their long defi ance of the United States Government in the name of the Lord, and thehyl snam acquiescence in uie rrurmi of 1890, which paved the way to the admission of Utah as a state. Neither writer concedes that he is telling a truth or a part of a truth, but each emphasizes the declaration that he is telling the truth without variableness or shadow of turning. This difference In estimate may, to some extent, be excused on the ground that one writes from an Intynate do mestic relationship with Moifnon cus tom which causes his story to as sume at times a pathetic note; the other from a political standpoint that deals harshly with the ugly facts In the case and reverts to the duplicity of leading Mormons, and especially of President -Joseph F. Smith and the apostles In regard to the pretended re nunciation of polygamy. In compliance with the Woodruff manifesto. The simultaneous publication of these recitals has brought up nothing new on the subject under discussion. It Is the same old slobbered tale of strenuous opposition to the law of the land upon the point at which society In its domestic relations took Issue with the Mormon Church: of earnest effort on the part of the Federal Gov ernment to force obedience to the law against plural marriage, and of dou ble dealing upon this point in order to Insure the admission of Utah as a sovereign state of the Union. Why should the story be rehearsed at this time? The Mormon question Is not at present a live issue. Out wardly, at least, the law against plural marriage is being obeyed in Utah. There Is no question of statehood or of any other political advantage either to Mormon or Gentile now before Con gress. The Mormon Church Is going on' its way, after the old fashion making proselytes wherever it can, but keeping the question of polygamy well oat of sight. So long as this church Is. law-abiding and goes Its own way In religious matters, without more exhibition of zeal or more effrontery of belief than characterizes most other church organizations, why descant upon its peculiar idiosyncrasies and re cite in bold-faced type the sins of Its leaders? Are these self-proclaimed, veracious chroniclers of past practices, methods and events in the history of Mormonlsm under pay of periodicals merely for the stories that they write? Or Is that sinuous, crafty, subtly mili tant body, the Church of the Latter Day Saints, whose stronghold is in Salt Lake City and the Inner workings of which none but the oath-bound faith ful know, sponsor for the publicity campaign that is thus being conducted In its behalf? To a disinterested ob server It would seem that the open ing of this subject at this time was undertaken as a means of galvanizing. into new life a dead Issue between the Federal Government and the Mormon Church. Battleship builders and dealers in Army and Navy equipment will prob ably note with pleasure the revival of the war ecare between Germany and Great Britain, due to England's inter vention in Persia. There may not be real prospect for a war between the two big powers, but any little rumor is sufficient to cauae one or the other of the "skeery" overlords of the Old World to order more fighting equip ment. The silliest feature of this aw ful expenditure that is made In the al leged cause of peace is that the rela tive strength of the two countries is not materially changed for any great length of time. Germany, with fifty battleships fighting England with fifty battleships would not have any advantage that she would not possess had the conflict been precipitated when each of the contestants had one fifth that number. Latest tonnage statistics show that Germany has been making some slight gains iri her relative strength, but she will never be permitted to get far enough ahead in the race to place England at any great disadvantage when the clash comes, providing It does come, before one or both of them become bankrupt through excessive purchases of war equipment and battleships. This Is a big world, and they grow wheat In all parts of it. For that rea son the "crop scare" artist Is never without an opportunity for exercising his ability. A few weeks ago dry weather was damaging the crop In the Argentine. Then wet weather was damaging the same crop at harvest time. Meanwhile some Antipodean crop-scare man sent out a report that the bugs were working overtime in the Australian wheat fields. Satur day there was a variation from the usual routine in the Chicago markets by a report from India that severe cold in- the Punjab district was dam aging the grain. The Indian crop damage, with an occasional rumor from Australia and the Argentine, will tide the market over until the Spring frosts can nip the uncovered grain in this country, and from that period until the appearance of the chinch bug, the Hessian fly or some other of the old standbys of the crop killers. Interested parties will manage to keep the market In a fairly active turmoil. A company has been, formed at Eu gene for the purpose of reclaiming tldelands at Yaqulna Bay. There Is a large area of very rich land along Ya quina Bay and river, which, If prop erly diked and cultivated, would pro duce immense crops of almost any thing planted. Similar reclamation work Is In progress along the Lower Columbia and at Tfilamook and Neha lem. At numerous other points where the tide runs inland along the Oregon coast there are great opportunities Tor Industrial effort of this nature. The soil along these bays and rivers Is of unknown depth and richness, and the output of a single acre properly tilled Is astonishingly large in com parison with that of even moderately rich upland Portland handled more than 2.000, 000 tons net register of deep-water shipping in 1910 and yesterday made a fine start towards breaking the record In 1911. During the ten hours ending at 6 o'clock last evening seven steam ers and two sailing vessels crossed out of the river and seven steamers and one sailing vessel arrived. This did not Include a "lame duck" towed In by an oil tanker after a tussle with Saturday's storm. This fleet regis tered more than 22.000 tons net and had a carrying capacity of more than B0, 000 tons. As a seaport, Portland Is on the map in large letters. If it be true, and statistics seem to bear out the assertion, that S000 peo ple were brought to Eugene and Lane County during the past year, the 112.000 provided by the Eugene Com mercial Club for promoting publicity was an excellent Investment. Only S90B babies were born in Oregon last yenr, and nearly half are credited to Portland. This is a phase of country life not considered by Mr. Roosevelt's Commission, but it should have been. The scheme of creation as given In the first chapter of Genesis did ifbt consider aviation and any human Im provement of that plan must be fraught with danger. The Humane Society, or similar body should Intervene to forbid cruel and Inhuman punishment after death in the case of Senator "Billy" Lorimer. The watch meetings of good people will do much to leaven the punishment of the wicked revelers of New Year's eve. ' ' The announcement that rebel pris oners will be "tried" will bring a smile on the shade of old Santa Ana. Mr. Carnegie's hero fund will get better results than his peace fund. The country responded in like terms to President Taft's good wishes. TEACHER'S PROBLEM OK LIVING School Instructors CInsneo With Idla hirn at Taxpayers' Meennjs. PORTLAND. Dec. 30. (To the Editor.) Some weeks ago the teachers of St. Tnhn. m-AnantAj n tiMitlnn for Hti in crease In salary. The petition was not . , - .4 Kilt acted upon uy me dchuui xsum, -was referred to a taxpayers' meeting which occurred last night: I took it upon myself to attend that meeting, read tho petition and gave some i i i tnr- th increase reasons wny we mcu -" ' and showed the "inadequacy of the pres ent salaries to meet mo asu"" by the cost of living. The salaries of grade teachers in St. Johns range from $550 to $800 a year or $42.0 to $66.56 2-3 a month. a..it.i.i. Vi.au rnnnot be had in Portland for lees than $30 or $35 a month, and In St. Johns cannot do nu.u .t c. n v n1if Tlio nponle of St. Johns may take exception to this statement but I know it to De a iaci. nuc v teacher does board out there, but the landlady told me that every room she had was taken. Two other teachers "batch." Last year several others tried to live out there. For'a while they were fortunate enough to get some one to give them their dinner, the other meals they got the best way they could. The people In whose homes one would care to live, as a rule, don't want to be bothered, especially by a woman, who must wash out handkerchiefs or press a skirt occasionally. It rains occasionally In Oregon and skirts must be pressed and $42.60 or even $66.60 a month will not permit many trips to the preesers. Then there Is laundry, which some folk think the-y must have. We cannot get the material for clothes for nothing even if we were our own dressmakers, and necessity, if not convention, requires that we wear hats, shoes and gloves. I permit myself tho untold extrava gance of The Oregonlan and am unrea sonable enough to consider it a neces sity. I like to buy a book or magazine once In awhile, and think it not unrea sonable that I should expect to be able to afford the pleasure and profit to be derived from hearing good music or see ing a good play at least a few times in the year. Now will some kind friend tell me how we are going to live as we should and save enough for the proverbial "rainy day," or fort inevitable old age? Some one suggested that we get mar ried. Well, it Is polite to wait until you are asked. I can only speak for myself, but not more .an a dozen or so really "nice" men have, asked me to confer that honor upon them. The man who voiced the sentiment of the taxpayers' meeting said "that we had no right." mark no right, "to ask even for a raise, that we are too well paid as it is. and that salaries should be lowered rather than raised; the man working with the pick and shovel In the street does far harder work and for le6s pay; that teachers had an entirely too easy life, dressed too well and were too fashionable." It was just such a speech as one should expect to hear from a soap-box orator on Burnslde street, who hates every man who wears a "boiled shirt" and is guilty of a bath. I always knew that people of that class hated the rich and prosperous for the mere fact that they are rich and prosperous, no matter how well-earned their competency, but I did not know that the humble school teacher was classed by them with the millionaires as the arch enemy of the laboring man. I suppose if I did my duty I should leave the "easy" life of a school teacher, marry one of the "men in the street." provide him with a pipe and a mug of beer and take in washing for his main tenance. ANNA QUIGLEY. ECONOMICS AT TUB UNIVERSITY. Work of Value to Legislators Begun at Ftagrcne Inatltntlon. MEDFORD. Or., Dec. 30. (To 'the Editor.) The sympathetic expounding of The Oregonian in last Thursday's edition upon "Governor TVoodrow Wil son's proposal of an alliance between students of politics and practical states men" is especially pleasing to those Interested In the senior theses research work now being carried on at the Uni versity of Oregon by seniors In the de partment of economics. Vital questions confronting the people of Oregon are delved into by the students each year under the direction of Professor F. G. Young, dean of the department. Such subjects as "State Aid to Roads," "Rail road Regulation." "Road Building." "The Initiative and Referendum" and "Water Laws" have been studied by in dividual students, data prepared and conclusions drawn. The conclusions reached by the schol ars in their theses are, of course, only as valuable as the aptness of their reasoning- warrants, but the data gath ered should be of real value, especially to legislators. Through the use of a card system up-to-date statistics and knowledge gathered by a year's study are placed at the disposal of any Inter ested person. This work which Professor Young has begun as offering a means of direct service to the state as well as valu able to the students engaged, Is still in its Infancy. Noticeable results, how ever, have already been its outcome. Earl Kllpatrlck, now principal of the Oakland High School, In his thesis two years ago, prepared a system of water laws modeled after the early Roman code, which with a few minor changes was presented the same year at Salem by Allen H. Eaton, of Lane County, and passed by the state Legislature. The room in which the research work Is carried on by the students at pres ent is small and Inadequate, offering no shelving space and cramping them In their work. It is to be sincerely hoped that the Legislature in its ap proaching session will provide funds needed to make this departure of uni versity activity of practical value to the legislators in gathering statistics concerning proposed laws and reforms. A. M. G. Ola "Will Read Too Often. Case and Comment. The Supreme Court of the United States will be appealed to by officers of the Dutch Reformed Church of America to relieve that body from reading the tedious will of the Rev. Mr. Van Bun schooten at every official meeting of the church corporation. For 75 years the reading of the will has constituted a routine part of the business of every meeting of any corporate body of the Reformed Church In thiB country. It appears that the church 75 years ago accepted a legacy of $20.1)00 from the Rev. Mr. Van Bunsrhooten, who made his gift conditional, requiring that his will be read at every session of the church offi ciary forever. The money has long since been spent, but the duty of reading the Irksome testament still hangs over tho church. Envy Prevnlle. Baltimore Sun. He'a tint to much a neighbor as he ued to ha, but atill Hail . smile and speak In passing from And ao you aolva th problem though It eeema a bitter pill As you realize ho g got a motor-car. The Lion Is Cat. TANGENT, Or., Dec. 26. (To the Editor.) Am I correct In saying that the lion belongs to the dog family In stead of the cat family? G. H. M. Exasgeratlon. - Richmond Virginian. Now that It is all over acaln, it Is stated that tne Mexican revolution was greatly exaggerated Rig Game. ' London Opinion. "A penny mousetrap, please; and let me have It quickly, as I want to catch a train." - EFFECT OF HOME RULE MEASURES Argument la Offered Asvainat Attorney General's Opinion. SILVERTON, Or., Dec. 29. (To the Editor.) If I am not mistaken, an article appeared in The Oregonian about a month ago purporting to be an opinion of the Attorney-General of Ore gon on the "Home Rule Amendment" proposed by the people and approved by them at the general election held November 8, 1910. The opinion ex pressed was that in counties where the question of prohibition was voted on according to the local option law and the county as a whole voted in favor of prohibition, but some municipality within that county (counting the votes of the municipality separately) re turned a majority against prohibition (Hood River, I believe, was taken as an example), in such municipalities licenses might be granted and liquor sold without taking another vote on the question. I fail to see on what law that opin ion is based. On November 8, 1910, when the question of prohibition was voted on by these counties, the local option law as approved by the people of Oregon on June 6, 1904, and pro claimed by the Governor on June 24, 1904, was in force, except as amended by the session laws of 1909, and this local option law provides what the ef fect of voting for prohibition shall be, and when the question may again be brought before the people. It was under this law that the question was voted on, and I do not see why this law should not control the results. I do not believe the voters at the time nor anyone else thought that any other law was to govern the outcome of that election. It seems to me that the most reasonable interpretation would be that the whole county, municipalities In cluded, should be under the prohibitory law until the next general election, unlesB we say that the "home rule amendment" is retroactive, and since the courts are not Inclined to favor such construction as will make a law retroactive and will not hold a law to be such unless it was clearly so Intend ed, I see no reason why we should say this law is retroactive. It is generally accepted, as a rule of interpretation, by the best courts of the country, our Supreme Court among others, that a statute or law does not repeal any-other statute or law unless it Is expressly so stated, or the law most recently enacted is such that a former law eannot st the same time be in force and the object of the most recently-enacted or approved law ac complished. Now I wish someone would be kind enough to point out how these two laws are inconsistent In any other respect than that the local option law makes the county the unit In cer tain cases while the "home rule amendment" provides that a municipal ity shall have power to regulate the sale of Intoxicating liquors within its limits. It seems to me when tho "home rule amendment'' in its last clause ex pressly states "such municipality shall within its limits be subject to the pro visions of the local option law of the State of .Oregon" It signifies that the local option law of the state then in existence was meant, and not as the local option law will be after thi amendment Is adopted. The amend ment in that it makes an organic law depend upon a general statutory law Is sufficiently anomalous without giv ing It a strained and unnatural in terpretation and , making it retroac tive as the opinion spoken of would necessitate. Up to the time the Governor pro claimed the passing or adoption of the "home rule amendment" the citizens of a municipality within a county, that as a unit voted on the question of prohibition, had no power to say that even if the county as a whole does vote In favor of prohibition, we as a muni cipality will license the sale of intoxi cating liquors, and since they have had that right the citizens have not voted to grant licenses, nor will they have the opportunity to do so until two calendar years have passed since the last general election, for the amendment provides that "such muni cipalities shall within their limits be subject to the provisions of the local option law of the State of Oregon," and one of these Is that the liquor question cannot be voted on again until two cal endar years have passed. It is Immaterial to me whether Intox icating liquors are sold in these muni cipalities, but I think it is for the good of the citizens of the state that the pro visions of this law and its effects be properly understood and enforced. Sin cerely yours, GUSTAV A. BUHROW. LACK OF CLOTHES FOR CONVICTS Hardablpa In and Out of Penitentiary Told by Former Prisoner. PORTLAND, Or., Dec. 28. (To the Editor.) In a short editorial In The Ore gonian, anent the lockstep, you use the following expression: "In a century which professes to be Christian the lock step is as anomalous as the refusal to provide convicts with underclothing and socks." One naturally Infers, from that state ment, that the writer of that editorial Is not aware that the convicts at Salem are furnished neither underclothing nor socks. The best any convict could do during the regime of Lord and Geer was to wrap some rags about his feet for socks. His nether limbs were protected from the cold by a single garment of thinly-woven stuff through which the Winter winds whistled right merrily. The custom of turning men lose on the world, at the expiration of their term, without the price of a square meal, was another Christian act of those days. The poor devil went out to face a .pitiless world, branded with the prison pallor; clothed in garments which said loudly, "I am an ex-con, just out," and he went out without a cent to buy food or a night's lodging. Is It any wonder that so many are sent back to prison in a short time? Shelterless, homeless, broke, the man who. lying locked In his lonely cell during many a long night, had fully resolved to redeem himself when free, is confronted with starvation and cold. Every door is closed against him. His appearance advertises his last dwelling place, and doors are shut In his face when he begs for just a morsel of food to keep him from starving. If he succeeds in getting far away and secures work, 'some man appears who knows his history, and he is told to move on. In a moment of passion, greed, or malice, he incurred a debt to the state. He thought he paid it when he "did time." Instead of paying it, he simply added to the principal, and, like Sisy phus, must forever roll up the stone that constantly rolls back upon him. No one but an "ex-con" can have any conception of what It means to have that title attached to him. and the utter hopelessness of ever getting back to the loBt Alden of tho long ago. Strive as he may. he manly and atronir. The taint of the "pen" still follows alung. AN EX-COX. C'arncKje and Flaarler. CHEHAL1S. Wash.. Dec. 30. (To the Editor.) Will you please give the ad dress of Andrew Carnegie and of Henry M. Flagler (the Standard Oil man)? F. G. . Andrew Carnegie's address Is 2 East Ninety-first street, New York. Henry F. Flagler's office addreRS is 26 Broadway. New York: home ad dresses. 685 Fifth avenu-. New York, and "Whitehall," Palm Beach, Florida. The Maiden's Bonnet. Chicago Journal. My bonnet spreads over the ocean. My bonnet spreads over the eea; To merely spread over the sidewalk la not enough for mi MORE OF "TUB SOUL OF A GREEK" Story Told by Correspondent of Re appearance of Departed Itelatlv. PORTLAND, Dec. 27.-(To the Editor.) Actuated by reading the article in The Oregonlan regarding the spirit sleeping In the grave till Judgment day, written by Alice Faus. I will give an experience of my own which causes me to think that the spirits of many of the departed are still on this earth and that soma remain in their former homes, see and know the things of this earth and are silent witnesses to what is going on in this planet. I have ample proof of this In my pos session. My mother had been dead a year and a half when I returned home two or three different Sunday evenings. The other members of the family had gone out and I was alone at home. As twilight approached 1 felt my mother . was in the sitting room when I was. I felt her presence there and felt that I knew the exact spot where she was standing. I felt that she would reveal herself to me It I remained where I was. so quickly arose, left the room and pnt out on the porch till the family returned. One evening, some months after this, I was pitting rocking my baby to sleep in this same room when I heard a woman's voice crying loudly and sadly upstairs In the room above where I was sitting. I was mystified and could not imagine what it could be. Tho crying was very loud and I thought everyone in the house must have heard it as there were other members of the family in the next rooms. I knew there was no one upstairs at the time as the stairway led from the room where I was sitting. The crying stopped end just then one of my brothers entered from the street. I spoke low and told him of the occurrence that had just hap pened. "Nonsense, Lizzie," he said. "You are just nervous ond Imagined it." Just then the crying commenced as loud and lasted just the seme length of time as before. "That is my mother." he m'.d. "That's just the way she used to cry after you, sister, when you left. Do not tell the other members of the family. It might make them afreld and worry them." So we never told anyone. About eJjrnt months after this, my father came home from work 'n the mines about a mile away from where we lived and told my sister and me that my mother appeared to him in the mines, apparently in the flesh and as real as In life. He was sitting down resting. She looked at him for some minutes and then turned her gaze to my brother, who was drilling a hole in the coal near by. My father followed her saze to my brother, elso. and when he looked toward her she was "one. My father and this brother were both killed the same day In this same pla-e one year afterward by en expio eion that killed 11 men. I have had many experiences that prove that mv theory is correct and that there are many spirits of the departed on this earth, whilo some return as mes sengers in ease of death of friends or relatives. How long they remain on this earth or where they go afterwards I sup pose no one knows, but I have absolute proof n my possession that messages are given us here by our departed frionds; also that they ere ruled as we are by tho unseen, supreme power that rules the universe and all it contains. . SUBSCRIBER AND READER. Man Xot Immortal f VANCOUVER. Wash., Dec. 28. (To the Editor.) Noting Mrs. Portia Mur ray's letter of the :4th Inst, regarding the actual location and condition of the soul of the Greek who was In a state of coma for 18 month, I notice that after she comments on the ques tion she summarizes by stating that "the soul of the Greek was. during the 18 months of coma, ever near, and in connection with, his physical body. etc. May 1 ask her and any reader this question, What is the soul? Also she says that the 11th and 14th verse of St. John. 11th chapter, con tradict each other. Now as few Bible scholars believe these Epistles are not Inspired, may I ask her my second question, Is God a liar? Alice Faus thinks the soul of the Greek, had he been dead, slept. So do I because the Old and New Testament are freighted with such teaching. But she clinns to the first falsehood which ever soiled God's best product, man, when she speaks of man being immor tal. May I kindly ask her the questions: First. If man Is immortal, why did God station the angel at the entrance to the Garden of Eden, "lest Adam and Eve return and eat of the Tree of Life and live forever"? ,,, Second. Does not immortality mean death proof? If not why J)"1? 4 . JAMES E. KERSHAW. A Doctor's Solution. PORTLAND. Or., Dec. 30. (To the Editor.) Would you kindly allow me space In The Oregonlan, with due re spect to the Greek laborer who, from the effects of a blow upon the cranium, lay in a comatose state for some 18 months or so and who regained his faculties through an operation at St. Vincent's Hospital, to offer my ser vices as mediator, if possible. In the controversy of the vital question which seems paramount among our literary Students: "Where was the soul of the Greek7" The following explanation will ren der it very plain, I hope, at least, as I see it. Soul, breath, breath of life. The child becomes a living soul when it breathes the breath of life. (not before). The soul or breath is the connecting link, as It were, between the spirit and bodj-. Spirit, innate intelligence: or the personified portion of universal In telligence that manifests itself in the animal, vegetable and ethereal king doms and which creates life. Mind, educated intelligence; life, ac tion. For example, death enters. Exit soul, breath. Spirit, innate intelligence. Mind, educated intelligence. Life, ac tion: and the body is laid In the grave. ' A DOCTOR. Knlaer Haa Sixty Jnlno. Munsey's Magazine. The number of the Kaiser's palaces is largely due to the fact that the Pussian monarchy has absorbed many minor German states, including the kingdom of Hanover, the duchy of Nassau and the electorate of Hesse Cabsel. All the palaces and castles of the rulers of these states thus passed into tho possession of the reigning house of Prussia, as it was considered Injudicious either to destroy or to sell them, for fear of impairing the popu larity of Hohenzollern rule. Thus it is that the Emperor is burdened with the possession of more than three score residences, some of which he has never seen, and many of which are totally unsuited for royal habitation. Al though their maintenance entails a heavy drain upon his exchequer they can not, for political reasons, be either, sold or leased. A Burden to Himself. National Monthly. A young man, taking a walking trip through the North Carolina mountains, stopped for the night at the cabin of a native. In the morning, with the moun taineer and his family, the guest availed himself of the only lavatory privileges the place afforded, dipping the water from a gourd from a basin on the bench at the end of the little porch. A grimy towel did service for everyone. It took the host about two seconds to make his morning ablutions, and the op eration was over for the day. He looked on with an interest thnt grew as the traveler crushed his teeth and used his. nail brush. But when 1 began to shave in front of the cloudy little mlTor, the mountaineer could con tain himself no longer. "Does yourself give you that much trouble every morn ln'?" he asked In astonishment