10
rORIXAXD. OIHIOX.
Zotarrd t Portland. Oron. postofflce as
Nflid-CUua Matter.
KaMcrtptiaa Ki lirrarlably In Advance
BT MAIL)
PITt. Bonder Ineludsd. ok. yr 'J-J
E ! I r. Suodsy Included. ls month.... J
l:lr. Sunday Included. thro months.. IH
lallr. Sunday Included, ono month.... -Jf
Cally, without Sunday, on yar...... J w
lolly, without Sunday, sis month
txlly. without Sunday, thro montha...
Pally, without Sunday, en month..... -f?
Wookly. on yoar. ..........
Sunday, on yoar r"?T
kuaday and weekly, on year
(ST CARRIER)
Tally. Kunday Included. ti yoar......
Ctilr. Sunday Included, on month TS
Mow M Kowalt Send PoatofBc "
wrier, nprese order or persons! check on
jour local bank. Stamp, coin or UTr9ZZZ
re at th sender's r-ek. OI poetefSce,
d4ree In full. Inrludins county and lt"r
rta Rate 14 to M Pe. 1
t Js paiea. 1 coat; W to 40 para.
44 t o paces. 4 cent. Forelsa poatas
doubl rat. .
Kaetera p)wlne-ea Ofnre Verree V.
llo .Nw Tork. Hrunawlch bulletins- Chl
lltn, Steger building.
PORTLAND. IRIUAT. JANCART .
1911.
WHY ORECOX TARES BADLT.
The Army board appointed by the
President to Investigate the Govern
ment reclamation project and recom
mend a proper distribution of avail
able funds (including; the $20,000,000
loan) approved the Cmatllla project,
which It regarded as "feasible." but It
recommended that the "proposed west
extension should be postponed at
present on account of the large
amount of moner needed for the com
pletion of other projects to which the
Government Is committed." Therefore
Vmatltla Is shoved aside without fur
Uier consideration or favor, beyond a
comparative plttnnce for the east
extension.
What pressure or Influence per
suaded the Army board to Ignore
I'matilla In favor or otner projects,
no more meritorious, possibly less so.
to which "the Government stands
committed"? It was the Insistent and
determined appeal and representa
tions of Senators like- Borah and Car
ter who got for Idaho and Montana
17.000.000 and IS. 000.000 respectively,
while Oregon Is obliged to content
Itself with a $325,000 crumb from the
$45,000,000 reclamation table. Ore
gon . an object of such contempt
uous charity, with Its record of
$9,000,000 given from the sale of Its
lands to the reclamation fund! Poor
Orecon.
Kven now Oregon's Indolent and In
efficient Senators ask. "What's the
use"? They do nothing. It appears
Impossible for them to realise that
Oregon Is vastly stirred up over this
business. As they failed to utter a
word In the Senate when protest
would have doubtless availed to de
feat repeal of section nine of the orig
inal act so they also have permitted
other Senators, alert and watchful In
the Interest of their constituencies, to
outgeneral them lgnomlnlously and
defeat them completely with the Army
board. Poor old Oregon!
THE TRAtTIC IN TOTES.
It is no wonder that political con
ditions in Adams County. Ohio, have
excited indignation throughout the
country. A county In which votes are
for sale at every election as articles
of common merchandise, where the
vile traffic Is participated In by high
and low. rich and poor, ministers and
laymen, and where one township' is
Wt without a single untainted voter.
Is a thing to amaze and even horrify
us. Still, if we are wise we will not
permit our righteous wrath over the
situation to betray us Into undlscrlra
inating fury- One newspaper ex
claims that Judge Blair, who la try
ing the guilty citizens of Adams Coun
ty. Is too lenient In his sentences. His
practice Is to Impose a light fine with
disfranchisement for five years. The
same paper goes on to say that the
ministers who have sold their votes
ought to be driven from the pulpit
and that "all others should be pun
ished with a severity that would make
them realize the helnousness of their
crime."
That their crime Is exceedingly
gross cannot be questioned, but it is
by no means certain that severity of
punishment would of Itself Improve
the moral state of vote-sellers, or
vote-buyers either. Americans are
much In the habit of delivering them
selves over to loud exclamations of
horror when any particular crime be
comes too obtrusive to be overlooked,
but they are only too apt to take It
for granted that the exclamations are
their duty In the premises and that
they are not bound to do anything
else. .
We think something more effective
than vague ejaculations of surprise
and shame will be necessary to ac
complish much In the way of reform
ing Adams County. Trite maxims
about the necessity of elevating the
character of the voters will not of
"themselvea do a great deal, either,
atthnugh they are of course admir
ably wholesome. Before we can think
rationally about the state of affairs
In Adams County we shall probably
find It welt to take a few facts Into
consideration. In the first place the
moral infection which breaks out In
the form of vote-buying and selling
Is not limited to one section of the
country. It Is to be found equally
prevalent In Rhode Island. Delaware.
New Hampshire. West Virginia and
eNewhere.
It is specifically stated by a man
who knows all about the business and
whose words are quoted In the Cincin
nati Enquirer, that conditions are
fully as bad in several other Ohio
counties as in Adams. The disease Is
widespread. It may truthfully be
said to be of National proportions. It
Is only In states like Oregon and Kan
sas that we hear nothing of Its
ravare.
Again it ought to be particularly
noticed that It Is not foreigners espe
cially who sell or buy votes. It Is native-born
citizens, largely those of old
American descent, who have enjoyed
the advantages of the common schools
nd other free Institutions for several
generations. The West Virginia
bribe-takers and givers are of the fa
mous Scotch-Irish stock to which Pat
rick Henry belonged and whose men
fought with unexampled bravery in
the Revolution.- It has been stated
that the vice of vote-buying and sell
ing Is more prevalent In some rural
districts than In the cities. How true
this may be we shallnot undertake
to decide, but the mere statement Is
ominously significant of the political
aspect of the country population.
There is another Important circum
stance which ought not to be forgot
ten. The traders in vote in Adams
County were not by any means the
most unintelligent and degraded ele
ment of the population. It Is explic
itly stated in the accounts that all
classes of men shared in the Infamy.
Schoolteachers, ministers and lawyers
are emphatically mentioned. It is
also Insisted upon that the traders in
the most sacred privilege of man -were
"good fellows." highly moral in every
other respect, "the flower of honor.
We are given to understand that they
hold their personal obligations sacred
and are faithful in their church du
ties. What is the use of saying that
the sin of these people can be cured
by increasing their Intelligence? They
are above the average already In their
mental capacity unless the reports
from Adams County are misleading.
The vote-traders are the leading and
most responsible citizens of their sev
eral precincts. Finally, unless our
observation betrays us Into error, we
notice a disposition on the part of
those who review the situation to slur
over the guilt of those w ho bought the
votes In Adams Cojunty and emphasize
that of the sellers. We can discern
no moral distinction between them.
Since the moral character of the
vote-traders seems to be excellent ex
cept in this one particular, we do not
quite see how much Improvement can
be expected from preaching to them
In general terms. . The best lesson
Carlyle left us was the precept to
"clear our minds of cant." Matthew
Arnold enforced it by telling us to do
the best we could to see things clearly
"and see them true." It is quite likely
that a frank acknowledgment of the
causes underlying the venality of our
voters In many sections will be of
more benefit In the long run than any
conceivable quantity of aimless indignation.
-FRKK SPEECH" AND "MOVE ON."
These noisy "orators" who stand
upon the muniments and the property
of orderly society to rail against It and
who complain that they are denied
their "share" of the "wealth" which
thov did not nroduce are entitled to no
curbstone rights of "free speech" that
the community is bound to respect.
There is no "grinding slavery" of
capitalism or wages that will hold
down purposeful energy In this West
ern country- Opportunities for mak
ing opportunity and fortune are a
thousand times more abundant now
than they were for the men and
women who created the wealth that
our soap-box patriots rail at. Eut
these patriots, instead of creating for
themselves, seek to prey upon others.
They whine and complain and rant,
and want somebody to "divide" or
government to give a lift.
Property owners who build side
walks and lay pavements and erect
buildings and carry heavy burdens of
taxes all this through self-denial and
at large cost during long yearsare
entitled to protection against occupa
tion of the premises by proletariat
"meetings" of citizens who pay none
of these costs yet covet the "Incre
ment." Public streets are Improved by own
ers of property for purposes of traffic
and travel. They may be used prop
erly for assemblage whenever Interests
of property owners are to be benefited
thereby. But these Socialist meetings
use the streets to carry on war against
the Institution of private property and
against the very persons who made the
Improvements.
If Socialist "orators," or any other
orators, must make speeches, they
should bi compelled to 'hlre a hall"
or to make their rostrum where they
will not obstruct the public use of
streets. The Socialist assumption that
they and their followers are entitled
to monopoly of any street they may
choose Is Impudent and Indefensible.
Mayor Simon will be commended by
the supporters of the city government
if his police shall force these speakers
and their throngs to move on.
NOTES OF I-ROGRES.
Big new enterprises, when chron
icled by the press, carry big headlines
that everybody reads. Not so with
notes of progress In the Pacific North
west, published modestly from day to
day; yet the aggregate of Individual
and community enterprises Is far
more important than any one colossal
undertaking. In. this connection note
the following news paragraphs con
densed from The Oregonian yesterday
densed from The Oregonian yesterday:
Albany's postofflce shows increase
of 15 per cent In the last three
months.
Meeting called for tonight In the In
terests of a first-class highway from
Vancouver. B. C. to Mexico.
Walla Walla's building record last
year $500,000.
Farmers at Weston enter Into proj
ect to store water for dry lands.
Chehalts lets contract for sewers to
cost $51,000.
Armory costing $30,000 dedicated
at Albany.
Postofflce receipts at Springfield
Increase 20 per cent for the year.
Regents of the Oregon Agricultural
College decide on plans for extending
educational work.
Tear's output of honey In the Tak
Ima Valley 200 tons.
Medford shows 64 per cent Increase
In postofflce receipts and 22 per cent
in bank deposits.
Work begin at once on railroad
from Eugene to the coast.
Farm of 880 acres near Coburg to
be cut up Into 20-acre tracts.
Sale of $3,500,000 worth of timber
lands near Klamath Falls; sawmills to
be established.
General passenger agents estimate
that railroads will bring 80.000 people
Into Oregon this year.
Eugene postofflce shows gain of 18
per tMiL
O.-W. R. 4 N. to start passenger
service Into North Yakima early in
February.
And last but not least, the stereo
typed weather report, cool and cloudy,
while everywhere east of the Rockies
great cold prevails.
.Within the next twelve months The
Oregonian. which publishes all the
news that's fit to print, will have 4000
or 5000 paragraphs such as are here
condensed. These mark the Indus
tries of the Pacific Northwest, which
at this time are attracting more
horaeseekers and Investors than any
other section of the United States.
AX AOED CAIN.
It is inconceivable that two brothers
should have lived to the great age at
tained by the modern Cain and Abel
of yesterday's Oregon City tragedy,
without having learned the lesson of
self-control; or that the association of
a lifetime should not have distilled the
gentle essence of brotherly love..
The incident portrays a phase of
human passion that Is. happily, sel
dom staged In a civilized community
and which is at once shocking and de
plorable. It Is. moreover. Inexplica
ble, except on the hypothesis that Cain
In this instance was drunk and Abel
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, FRIDAY. JANUARY
allowed himself to become exasper
ated to murderous frenzy at the sight
of his aged brother's wretched homo
coming. This is. indeed, no excuse for
the resultant tragedy and offers but a
sorry explanation of it. The fratrl-
I a maiiillln wnm turn nd drink.
I runnfil eMve. and can hArdlv be expect
ed to give, a reason for the combat
the result of which has landed him, at
four-score, in Jail and deprived his
scarcely less aged brother of the little
span of life which Nature still held in
' store for him. Complaint will not be
made of the law's delay if It falters in
this case until the decree or .Nature
precedes the conviction of this modern
Cain, and his sentence to die upon the
gallows.
Atrocious as was his crime, the
thought of his paying the penalty as
sessed by law is revolting, and since
Nature evidently' stumbled somewhere
in his make-up, It may be hoped that
she will atone by giving him quiet
passport to the land of shades, while
yet Jury hesitates to bring In a ver
dict of murder in the first degree or
the court withholds Judgment.
THE RECONCILIATION.
The Boston story about the under
standing between President Taft and
ex-President Roosevelt may be re
garded as Interesting and, likely
enough, true. Tet it may also be
supposed that both the principals
would repudiate vehemently and In
dignantly any assumption that there
was need or occasion of reconciliation
between two old friends who had
never had a misunderstandings They
never have, indeed; or hardly ever.
There was during the recent cam
paign a seething and bristling situa
tion that gave to the dignified efforts
of the President to make it appear
that he still loved his Theodore with
the same old tender regard the aspect
or protesting a trifle too much. On
the part of Roosevelt there was
silence, constraint and a noticeable
dalliance with the President's ene
mies. But there was no open collision,
due apparently to the tactful and con
ciliatory attitude of Taft and to the
cheerful acceptance by the ex-President
of the President's support, con
fidence and esteem, even through such
awkward episodes as the pointed
repudiation of Vice President Sher
man. The chastened spirit of the
truculent Colonel, following the No
vember elections, may account for the
success of the effort by Collector Loeb
to bring about a more perfect under
standing between them.
The event has Justified former pre
dictions that, if there were a break
between Taft and Roosevelt, the Colo
nel would bring It about, for Taft
never would take the initiative. He
never did, evidently. It is probable
that Colonel Roosevelt has been
awakened to a due appreciation of the
precarious situation of the Republican
party and the vital necessity of unit
ing the two factions regular and
progressive ir there IS to be any, pros
pect of success In 1912. The temper
of the people must Indeed be greatly
modified If the Republican Presiden
tial nominee Is to succeed In 1912.
It Is significant that the party
which wins the mid-term Congres
sional elections against the party in
power has usually Indeed Invariably
in recent years won the succeeding
Presidential election. In 1882 and
1890 the Democratic party carried
Congress, and two years later won
the Presidency; and In- 1874 -It was
similarly successful and In 1876 came
the Hayes-Tilden Imbroglio. If the
pendulum shall, swing back before
1912, Its motion will have been great
ly accelerated over previous years.
But it is pleasant to note that the
Colonel Is in accord once more with
the Administration, whatever his mo
tives. Is it possible that it now seems
to him useless or fruitless to try and
displace Taft as the head of his party?
Is It also possible that he thinks his
time will come again In 1916, rather
than In 1912? We should say that,
whatever happens to Taft in 1912, it
will be obvious to Roosevelt that he
has been in too great a hurry, and the
waiting plan is far the wiser for him.
a yr.w ocrorcB.
Having driven all of the land JCto
puses Into retirement or into better be
havior, the Government is now about
to tackle a "whale" of an octopus in
the shape of an immense steamship
trust which controls rates on the At
lantic. The steamers involved have
followed the objectionable method of
forming what Is commonly termed an
"offensive and defensive alliance"
which has had the effect of eliminat
ing most of the worst features of com
petition. Combinations, pools, trusts
or whatever name may be applied to
these steamship organizations are nu
merous and of frequent formation In
European Atlantic ports. The term
"frequent" is used advisedly, for none
of these various combinations last
long enough to amount to much.
The British Board of Trade has for
years been assailing one of these al
leged pools which Is said to control
the trade of South America and the
Cape of Good Hope region. It has
been proved by documentary evidence
that this pool has exacted higher
freight rates from British shippers
sending freight to South Africa and
South America than were charged on
freight sent from New Tork in vessels
owned or controlled by the same trust.
Thus far the foreign shipowners have
succeeded In making a satisfactory ex
planation of their conduct. In the
case now before the public conditions
are somewhat different, for It is the
passenger traffic more than the freight
that Is involved. Yet it Is not clear
that the prosecution of this trust
should come from the United States.
In Its petition the Government prays
the court to "enjoin the defendants
from further agreeing, combining and
conspiring to injure and destroy the
business of any person or corporation
engaged In the business of carrying
steerage passengers between points in
the United States and Europe." Ac
cording to the complaint, none of the
lines that has- suffered by this combi
nation Is an American line. . The spe
cific sufferer mentioned Is, in fact, a
Russian line, and it would accordingly
seem eminently proper for Russia to
demand fair play for her. steamship
owners instead of permitting the
United States to rake her chsetnuts
out of the fire. As the ocean Is an
unobstructed highway, open to all
comers, a monopoly of the business
that will hold for more than a few
months Is very difficult to perfect.
These pools fall by their own weight,
and the one now under fire will hardly
prove an exception to its predecessors.
As American citizens are not per
mitted to buy cheap ships that will
enable them to engage in the ocean ,
carrying trade, the interest that this
country has In the matter Is far less
than that of the foreigners who are
fighting for the trade. Still, as an octopus-hunter
Uncle Sam has a good
reputation, and he may be useful In
hastening the inevitable break-up of
the existing pool. - '
MULTNOMAH'S INTEREST.
The apportionment of the state
taxes for the various counties for 1911
has been completed, and the figures
are interesting. We note that 'out of
a total of $1,385,615.84 to be paid
Multnomah will contribute $493,
485.98, or a fraction less than 36 per
cent. Multnomah, of course, will
make no objection to paying one-third
of the running expenses of the state,
but figures of this kind always recall
the peevish statements by some of the
country press regarding the desire of
Portland to have- a voice In the man
agement of state affairs and state( in
stitutions. None of the big money-spending In
stitutions to be supported In a large
part by this approximately half mil
lion dollars Multnomah must pay is
located in this city, and there are ac
cordingly no direct benefits such as
are enjoyed by the counties In which
the state Institutions are located. In
an Industrial or financial undertaking
the director or stockholder who
owned or controlled more than 35 per
cent of the stock would most certainly
receive a hearing in keeping with his
Interest In the business. In some re
spects the business of running a state
should not differ materially from that
of -running an industrial enterprise.
That is, the people who supply the
greater part of the money for running
expenses should have something to say
about the use made of the money.
Multnomah County has apparently
been fairly treated in the apportion
ment of taxes, and we are all glad that
we have become so rich and prosper
ous that we can pay more than one
third of the running expenses of the
state. At the sarrfe time, when some
of our people appear before the Leg
islature asking for needed legislation,
let us hope that there will be no fur
ther mention of the "Portland hog."
The "hog," if there is any in state af
fairs, has moved to the country, and
the city la keeping him fat.
The New Year's edition of the Eu
gene Morning Register consisted of
forty pages In five sections, three of
which contained the "annual matter."
There are maps in outline and relief
that show the' relation of the enter
prising city to Lane County and the
surrounding parts of Oregon. . These,
with the text, make Eugene the center
as well as objective point of steam
and electric lines. The resources of
the soil are exploited by practical men.
For example, George A. Dorrls has an
article on asparagus and Fruit Inspec
tor Beebe has one on apples. These
men are authority on their subjects.
So, too, are other writers on grain,
vegetable, timber and mineral topics.
The objects of illustration are well
chosen and the mechanical work has
been well done. Even the advertise
ments are "good reading." Eugene is
a live city; Eugene people know it and
act up to their knowledge. The Morn
ing Register Is certainly with them in
the line of progress.
If this Mexican trouble becomes
very serious, it will be necessary for
those who may discuss the daily
events to brush up on their pronuncia
tion. Yesterday's hews dispatches, for
example. Informed us that Cosihuira
chic, in the State of Chihuahua, had
fallen Into the hands of the rebels and
that Nocazari was threatened by a
body of revolutionists from Mai Paso.
Jose Munoz was serving as a guide to
Navarro on the march to Cludad
Guerrero via Pedernales; General
Luque, en route for OJinaga, had been
detained at Gallegos station, but part
of his force had reached Juarez. News
from the Honduran trouble was not
so interesting from the standpoint of
nomenclature, but we note that Gen
eral Duron was closing in on Teguci
galpa. If little Willie, in his pursuit
for geographical knowledge, should
happen to strike this news in the pa
per, papa might be obliged to seek re
lief In a pronouncing gazeteer.
The New York Fruitgrowers' Union
is holding the tenth annual meeting
at Rochester, and, according to news
dispatches, the main point Under dis
cussion Is "how to meet the inroads of
Western apples in marketsuntll now
held by Eastern orchard Ists." The
remedy suggested Is that the Eastern
growers be taught to produce apples
that will compare with the Western
fruit in appearance as well as In. qual
ity. While It may not have occurred
to the New Yorkers, the best method
by which this desired end can be
reached Is for them to come West and
grow Western apples Rochester,
tho fruitgrowers are meeting.
produces very good kodaks, collars and;
shoes, but ror peopie nm enst;e" i"
the production of these necessary sta
ples Oregon offers advantages which
vanished from New York w hen the
last of-the Mohicans went over the
divide. '
The fact that a brother and sister
can live in the same town and attend
the same church for three years with
out recognizing each other Illustrates
.1 i i v, t ii a a most rieoDle make of
iur - ...
their senses. Dickens could describe
the contents of a room perrectiy arter
Koon in It five minutes, but
most men might live in it a year with
out knowing how many cnairs mere
... We have eyes but we see not.
nor do we hear with our ears.
It may facilitate matters if Con
oman Hawley puts sleuths on
track of Portland's new Postofflce
site that got lost somewhere about
three montns
AH at once It has been discovered
that bur anti-trust laws apply to traf
fic on the high seas. As Its possibili
ties unfold, regulation Is a mighty big
thing. .
Falling off in the world's gold prod-
jtA nni reduce the Drice of tur
keys last .year nor of eggs and milk
this ween.
-ir ..innmn)i niivs one-third of the
state tax and has one-third of the pop
ulation. But now auuui representa
tion?
vhh' naramour was entitled to
the limit. Now let Webb be hanged
and close the incident.'
Th hon is not a belligerent ani
mal, but the men who own the sheep
know how to flghU
6, J 911.
ROADS AKD THE PARCELS POST
Rural Carrier WouJ,d Flmt Maauncre
Every Duy Road Plowman.
HILLS BORO, Or., tree 29. (To the
Editor.) Many a wight. Inordinately
proud of his putative adroitness in the
art of logomachy, tempted by the Jocose
gods rashly to challenge The Oregonian
to a dialectical combat, has met with
sudden defeat, embarrassing and dis
comfiting to the vanquished challenger,
but a source of gleeful cachinations to
the appreciative spectator.
The following remarks, however, are
addressed to The Oregonian, not . with
the Intention to bicker and wrangle,
but for the purpose of comparing notes
on the subject f the parcels post, con
cerning which The Oregonian has pub
lished several editorials, the last one,
entitled "Parcels Post Queries," of De
cember 10, advocating the Introduction
of that institution for these three rea
sons, viz.:
First Because the parcels post would
stop the rural population from mi
grating in vast ana ever-increasing
numbers to the cities.
Second Beeaus5 the different na
tions of Eurwpe have had It in oper
ation for years, and "
Third Because the parcels post would
not increase the Government's expen
ses. Based upon this trlchotomous argu
ment The Oregonian presents a lucid
and scholarly dissertation to Its read
ers, who might be further interested in
a few additional remarks on the sub
ject for the reason that they are writ
ten from the point of view of the rural
carrier.
The Qregonlan.ls undoubtedly correct
in its contention that the parcels post
Is the great desideratum for the rural
population, the supreme Improvement
needed to alleviate the ennui and deadly
monotony of living in solitude. When
the charm of novelty is worn off, even
the parcels post might fail to keep the
people In the country as it fails to
keep the rural districts of Europe
populated.
The Oregonian next advocates the
parcels post for the reason that Europe
has had it in operation for years. The
nations of Europe, topheavy with- ex
cellent -Institutions, also have good
roads, the necessary precursor and ad
junct of the parcels post. A rural car
rier serving a year or two In that ca
pacity, has ample opportunity to ob
serve road construction as well as road
destruction, and may gratuitously ac
quire accurate, if wrathful knowledge
of "how not to build roads." He may
have witnessed the good-road enthusi
ast laboring over a mile or two of road
with the deservedly famous split-log
drag until that road, formerly a bot
tomless pit leading straight to Sheol,
had become a thing of beauty and Joy,
only to observe the following Summer
the plowman come along and with fell
purpose and a stout team plow up that
good road, furrow by furrow, as pa
tiently, steadily and persistently as he
plows his own fertile fields to a depth
of 10 to 12 Inches, supplementing the
excellent work by throwing on another
layer six Inches deep of nice, mellow
earth, spaded up from the sides of the
quondam road. Full connections with
the nether world are then re-established
by the finishing process of har
rowing and thus the ground has been
properly prepared to preserve moisture,
but not to be traveled. And then
"homeward the weary plowman wands
his way," Inanely prates the poet with
out truth, for the diabolical plowman
raising havoc with the roads In the
Summer Is never homeward bound, nor
Is he ever weary;' he slumbers not nor
does he Sleep. Tireless, durable and
deathless as the flying Dutchman he
has been at work plowing the Summer
roads of this county ever since the
white man's arrival and many a rural
carrier has fallen before his all-conquering
plowshare. The unlucky wight
whose route leads him over a road thus
abused, invariably forsakes the devout
customs of his pious forefathers and
forever after neglects his morning de
votions; he blasphemes and no longer
prays except to the adversary of souls
to seize yon plowman.
. The Oregonian finally advocates the
introduction of the parcels post because
the rural carriers' carts travel back
and forth empty. Some rural carriers,
however, have been known to refuse
presents of sackfuls of apples, averring
lack of room in their rigs; and groups
of carriers may be observed lending as
sistance to one another in hoisting
their sacks and pouches onto their
shoulders. Some there are whose vol
ume of mall Is so large that the sorting
of It preparatory to the trip is really
arduous labor, sweat-producing and
thirst-raising. But be their carts
empty or laden. In case of -the intro
duction of the parcels post they will
surely be heavier, and If not Increasing
the Government's expenses it will of
necessity increase the carriers' expen
ses, as it costs more to haul greater
weight. With good roads, the problem
of the parcels post would lose its
knotty aspect. Good roads would fill
the rural carrier's soul with ecstasiec of
delight, so he would refuse to trade
positions with the Gaeicwar of Baroda
or swap Jobs with the Ahkoond of
Swat.
To the rural mail carrier the sub
ject is thus focused in two cognate
tenets:
First The parcels post to be pre
ceded by the establishment of perma
nently good roads.
Second The Immediate cessation of
perverse and hostile methods of road
unbuilding as practiced by the execra
ble plowmen, who should be massa
cred. W. R.
Arlsona and IV ew Mexico.
PRESCOTT. Jan. 1. (To the Editor.)
Are New Mexico and Arizona states
or territories? If states, when admit
ted. A.
Arizona and new Mexico are still
under territorial form of government.
Bills admitting both have passed Con
gress and a convention in each terri
tory has adopted a constitution.' It
will be necessary for the people of
Arizona and New Mexico and for Con
gress to ratify the constitutions. When
this has been done the President will
issue a proclamation fixing a day for
formal admission.
Legislators' Perquisite In Spain.
London Chronicle. .
- Spanish Deputies, some of whom are
agitating for a salary, already- enjoy
certain privileges. They are entitled
to frank their letters and to travel on
the railways In Spain free of charge.
Unlike the French Deputies, however,
they have to pay for refreshments con
sumed in the Chamber, the only Item
supplied gratutlously being barley
sugar. Of this there is an unlimited
supply, and lady visitors to the Cham
ber are always presented with a packet
of this delicacy, which serves to
sweeten the debates. v
Ban on Mistletoe.
Rochester JPost-Express.
The Department of Agriculture has
no soul for poetry or romance. This
Is not strange, for departments of ag
riculture are not supposed to dabble
much in sentiment. . Cabbages are more
in Its line than canzonets, pumpkins
more to its liking than pantoums, and
hogs and hominy more to Its taste than
the tuneful madrlbal and the blithe
ballade. Therefore it Is not surpris
ing to learn that the Department of
Agriculture has Instituted a crusade
against the mistletoe.
A Good Mother-ln-Lw.-
Chicago Record-Herald.
A Cleveland dishwasher has inherited
$35,000 from his mother-in-law. He
ought to Join the movement to abolish
the mother-in-law Joke.
ELECTRICAL CONTRACT IS LET
Mount Hood Railway & Power Com
pany to Finish Plant Soon.
Contracts have been let for the elec
trical equipment of the bis power plant
of the Mount Hood Railroad & Power
Company announced C. B. Smith, general
manager of the company, who returned
yesterday from Toronto, New lork,
Philadelphia and other Eastern cities.
"As soon as the orders are completed
we ' will be ready to announce the de
tails fully." said Mr. Smith. "Our power
plant will be complete in every respect
and will be equipped with the most mod
ern machinery. The plant will be con
structed in four units of 3000-kllowatt
each. The four units will produce over
12.000-kllowatt of energy. We are mak
ing preparations to Install two other
power plants and these will be con
structed as additional power is de
manded. '
"Up to the present time, construction
work has been going ahead at a rapid
rate. We expect to have the grading
completed between Portland and the
power plant within the next two months.
This will cover a distance of 21 miles,
17 miles of which Is on the main line
and four miles on the branch to the
power station site. .
"On account of weather conditions we
will not be able to push construction
work on the line east of the power plant
as' rapidly as we desire, but when the
rainy season is over we plan to put all
the forces to work that we can. We
should be ready to furnish light and
power for commercial purposes by the
early part of the coming Summer. Our
operations, as planned, will - exceed an
expenditure of $2,500,000."
"R. C. Gillis, directing head of the com
pany, is expected to return to Portland
from Los Angeles next Monday.
BRANCH OFFICES INSTALLED
O.-W. K. & X. Announces Repre
sentatives in Large Cities.
With the new organization of the O.-W.
R. & N. now completed, the road has
taken steps to Install permanent branch
onlces In all of the important cities of
the United States and to direct greater
efforts in publicity work for the Pacific
Northwest. i
Appointments at the various cities by
R. B. Miller, traffic manager of the com
pany, were announced yesterday as fol
lows: Atlanta, A. G. Dutcher, general
agent: Boston, W. Massey, New England
freight and passenger agent; Butte, F. D.
Wilson, general agent; Chicago, W.. G.
Nelmyer, general agent: Cincinnati. W.
H. Connor, general agent; Cleveland, G.
B. Hlld, general agent: Denver, I'. B.
Choate, general agent; Detroit, J. C. Fer
guson, general agent; Kansas City. Mo.,
H. G. Kaill, general agent: Los Angeles,
H. O. Wilson, general agent; Minneapo
lis, D. M. Collins, general agent freight
department, and H. F. Carter, general
agent passenger department; Milwaukee,
L. L. Davis, commercial agent: New
York J. B. De Friest, general Eastern
agent- Philadelphia, a C. Miibourne, gen
eral agent; Pittsburg. George G. Herring,
general agent; St. Louis, J. G. Lowe, gen
eral agent: Salt Lake City, D. R. Gray,
general agent, and San Francisco, S. .
Booth, general agent.
All of these offices will be supplied
with advertising literature o the com
pany, commercial organizations and of
communities covered by the Harrlman
system In the Northwest.
COMPETENT CLERKS DESIRED
Legislators Anxious to Avoid Selec
tion by Political "Pull."
There exists a strong sentiment among
the members of both branches of the
Legislature for adopting some plan that
will elmplify the selection of stenog
raphers and clerks at the session which
vn(iav At everv session there
are ten applicants for each position to be
filled. Under tne system ui
these employes heretofore followed many
Incompetents have obtained employment.
It Is proposed by different members this
year that all such employes ehould be
selected either through the Secretary of
State's office or by a special committee
of three or five members, all selections
to be made on a basis of proficiency. For
several years it has been the practice
to employ a large number of young wo
men as clerks to post printed bills In
the record books of each member. That
plan has not proved satisfactory, prin
cipally because most of the work waa
done during the day while the Legisla
ture was In session to the annoyance of
the members, besides"1 Interfering In a
measure1 with the business proceedings.
These employes have been paid $3 a day.
Various members of the House are
thinking of dispensing with the services
of these young women this year and
employing in their place a half dozen
men to do this part of the work at night.
It Is figured that such a force of men can
perform the work of several young wo
men. There is more than a probability
that the innovation will be proposed in
the House, where the sentiment against
employing too many needless clerks la
strong.
LEGISLATIVE JOBS ATTRACT
Army of Aspirants Press Claims
Upon Legislators.
Several aspirants for the different desk
positions in the Senate and House are
pressing their claims among the members
of the Legislature. These positions pay
from $4 to $10. a day and always are
eagerly sought. The -fact that as a
rule more or less political "pull" ls
necessary to land one of these jobs,
does not. deter a small host of applicants
entering the contest every two years-.
The successful candidates for these
positions generally are chosen In caucus
in the same manner as the President of
the Senate and the Speaker of the House.
In the absence of a caucus the candi
dates take their fight to the floor of the
Senate where the members of each house
select their officers.
To date, candidates have appeared for
the different positions as follows:
Senate-:hief clerk, E. H. Flagg. of
Columbia County; Journal clerk, George
N. Farrin, of Coos, and J. E. Hunt, of
Marlon; reading clerk, Frank Motter, of
Multnomah; calendar clerk, Roy Rltner,
of Umatilla: mailing clerk, Elbert War-
ford, of Linn.
House Ciief clerlt, vv. V. urager, oi
Marion: Journal clerk, Gordon B. Moores,
of . Multnomah: reading clerk. Glen O.
Holman. of Polk; calendarclerk, Robert
Nelson, of Linn, and Harry McClallen, of
n i m0iiinr -l ork w. F. McAdams.
of Polk;'doorkeeper, J. F. Singer, of Mult
nomah.
Klamath Falls Still Walts.
KLAMATH FALLS. Or., Jan. 6.
(Special.) The postal savings bank
will not be opened here before the
middle of the month. Postmaster Em
mitt, who has not returned from Wash
ington, where he went to confer with
the Postmaster-General about the oper
ation of the bank, sends word that the
necessary printed matter will not be
ready before that time and that he
will not be he- te before January 10.
Gold Mine Interest Brings $20,000.
MEDFORD, Or., Jan. 6. (Special.)
John H. Prade purchased a half Interest
In the Bula mine from Mrs. Cassie K.
Buckman yesterday for $20,000. The prop
erty la a gold mine situated near Ashland
Creek, 20 miles from Medford. Mr. Prade
has purchased $3000 worth of new ma
chinery with which to carry on exten
sive development work. ' The other half
Interest in the property is owned by A. L.
Lamb.
, COMMITTEE ROOM IS OUTSIDE
Solons at Salem Compelled to Meet
in Lobbies of Capitol.
SALEM,- Or., Jan. 5. (9i)clal.) Eight
committees of the coming Legislature
will be compelled to meet in the lobbies.
non;tni ..unrflinr to a. directory
I of committee meeting places which has
just been completed oy uib cu.naij
BCate, alter wonting tur reo'
. i ... V. K annaorMl fit fl T5f t O
OH IJUftAlO " 1 1 1 1. j i -1 ' - '
be practically unsolvable. The directory
or comijiitiee rooms is
Agriculture- and Forestry Room 4,
flrst
uuur. .
Assessment and taxation Room ,
floor.
Banking Roo.n 10, third floor.
Claims Room 18. flrst floor.
Commerce and navigation Library.
first
Counties Ibby, tnira noor.
County and state officers Lobby,
floor.
Education Room 4. flrst floor.
Eleetlona and - privilege Loony.
third '
third
Engrossed bills Room 2. Senata.
Enrolled bllls Room 8. Senate.
Federal relations Lobby, third floor.
Fishing Industries Room . flrst lloofc
Game Room 4. flrst floor.
Horticulture Library.
Insurance Room -5. flrst floor.-
Irrlgatlon Room IT. flrst floor.
Judiciary Room 4. Senate.
Industries Room IS. flrst floor.
Medicine, pharmacy and dentistryBU
preme Court chamber. '
Military affairs Room 18. flrst floor.
Mining Room 4, flrst floor.
Municipal corporations Library.
Penal institutions Room 8. flrst floor.
Printing Room 17, flrst floor.
Public buildings and Institutions Supreme
Court chamber.
Public lands Supreme Court ehamoer.
Railroads Room 4. Senate.
Resolutions Room 4. Senate.
Revision of laws Room 4. Senate.
Roads and highways Room 8. flrst floor..
Wars and means Room 1, first floor.
House.
Agriculture Room 4, flrst floosv
Alcohol traffic Lobby, third floor.
Assessment and taxation Room 4, nnr
floor.
Banking Room 10, third floor.
Capitol building and . grounds Lobby,
third floor.
Cities and towns Library.
Claims Room IS. first floor.
Commerce Library.
Corporations Room 8. flrst floor.
Counties Lobby, third floor.
Education Room 4. first floor.
T7i .1 f 1..t,. iim FfnilK I
rjieciiuua -. - .
Engrossed bills Room 6. third noor.
Enrolled bills Room 7. third floor.
Federal relations Lobby, third floor.
J
Fisheries Room 4. first floor.
Food and dairy products Library. i
Game Room 4. first floor.
Health and public morsJs Supreme Court
chamber.
Horticulture Library.
Indian affairs Supreme Court chamber.
Insurance Room 6. flrst floor.
Internal Improvements Supreme Court
chamber.
Irrigation Room 17. flrst floor.
Judiciary Attorney-Gcnerafs room, third
floor.
Labor industries Room 18. flrst floor.
Manufactures Supreme Court chamber.
Medicine and pharmacy-rfciupreme Court
chamber.
Mining Room 4. flrst floor.
Penal, reformatory and charitable insti
tutions Room 8. first floor.
Printing Room 17. flrst floor. , ,
Public lands Supreme Court chamber.
Public library Library.
Railways and transportation Room
flrBt floor.
Resolutions Room 4, first floor.
Revision of laws Attorney-General's room,
third floor. .
Roads and highways Room . first floor.
Rules and joint rules Library. t
Salaries and mileage Library.
Salaries of stata and county offioers
Library. '
Statistics and immigration Library.
Ways and means Room 1. flrst floor.
COMMISSIOJ.KKS ASK RAISE
Multnomah County Officials May
n Ask for Increase In Pay.
An effort will be made to secure an
Increased rate of remuneration for Mult
nomah County Commissioners when the
Leglslatureconvenes.a bill having already
been prepared to be submitted by mem
bers of the local delegation. The bill
will provide an annual salary of $1800 for
Commissioners in counties having a pop
ulation of more than 200,000, which will
limit the Increase, of course, to Multno
mah County.
The present allowance Is $3 per day for
each day wherein service is actually per
formed. For several years past the
Commissioners have had to give sub
stantially all their time to the work. At
this time, with the heavy 'mprovements
now under way In the county. Commis
sioners Llghtner and Hart have no time
for private business. The compensation
of t3 for dally supervision over costly
and extensive improvement work is taken
as Insufficient by those favoring the in
crease. Aberdeen, to Grow Oysters.
ABERDEEN, Wash., Jan. B. (Special.)
The Sheridan & White Company, one of
the largest dealers of gulf oysters in
Galveston, has made arrangements to go '
extensively into the oyster business on
Grays Harbor. The flrst Grays Harbor
oysters are expected on the market with
in a short time. Oyster dealers In both
Aberdeen and Hoqulam are planning to
organize an association for the protec
tion of the local product, A vast amount
of money has been expended in oxster
beds in this district and an effort will
be made to boost the home product as
soon as it is placed on the market.
Coos Valuations Are $15,483,203.
BANDON, Or., Jan. 5. (Special.)
Coos County valuations, as complied by
the Assessor, total 115.483,292. Cities,
towns and districts show the following
individual valuations: Port of Coos
Bay 17,250,763; Marshfleld. $2,081,428;
North Bend, $1,199,886; Coquille, $564.-642-
Bandon, $532,652; Myrtle Point,
, .1-1-7 JtO
$336, ZB; jsmpire,
Features in
THE SUNDAY
OREGONIAN
E AMBLING ABOUT
LONDON TOWN.
Annie Laura Miller Writes Con
cerning the Policemen-Generals,
Fleet Street and Dr. Johnson's
Tamed Club.
HEROES REWARDED
BY CONGRESS.
Chief Actors in Genuine Melo
dramas, Whose Stories Are Here
Told.
OLD GUARD OF
AMERICAN DIPLOMATS.
Famous Surviving; Coterie of Men
Who Represented the United
States at the Seats of Seven
Great Powers.
BASEBALL YARNS
BY HUGH FULLERTON.
Stories of Great Players and
Plays of Past and Present by the
Best of Writers.
ORDER EARLY FROM YOUR
NEWS DEALER.