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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1911)
8 M)t &re$oman PORTLAND. OltEGOX. Entered al Portland. Oreaon, Foetolflce aa Pecond-Claae Matter. GubaerrpUoa Rata Invariably to Aaranaa. , ' ' CBTMAIW '-- t&airai Ban4ar included, on. year !? Xallr. Sunday Included, eta montna.... 4.-3 all?. Sunday Included, three mantha.. 1-3 Xa41y. Sunday included, on inonta.... - Iwlly. without under, ana- ear . J-VO Laily. without Sunday, an montna J.JS pally, without Sunday, three months... TallT without Hundiv. ana mo&tb .SO weekly, ona raar.... etunaay. ana jir...f - emadar aod weekly, ena year. . "CBT CARRIER) rwflr. Pindar Included, ona yaar...;.. XMllr. Sunday Included, ona wjontb. 3 Haw ta Kamlt Send Poeiofflce msnay arder. aipreee order or personal check aa ' our local bank, atampa. coin or currency are at the eender'a rlaa. Olva poetornca direea In full. Including county and etnt. roataaa Rate la to 14 pace. 1 canti 14 to 2 paaee. X canta; 10 to 40 pagea. eente: 44 to 6- Pea. 4 canta. Foreign poetase Sonble rata. . Eaetrra rtnalaeaa orn tm Verrea m -on- l:n New York, rlninawlck bulldln. 'aero, sieger buttd:aa:. t-ORTXAXD. SATVRDAY. JAX. 1. " THE. GREAT WOOL IXDl'STRY. Woolgrowlng Is a. big: industry In each of these Western States. In Ore gon $30,000,000 Is In vest oil in the siieep business. This Industry In Ore gon disburses an estimated $2,500,000 la wages annually. It Is one of the Treat assets of prosperity and one of the great Impelling forces of progress. Soch an industry as this Is entitled to recognition in National legislation. Tariff revision" tkjat will damage it lor benefit of other and manufactur ing Interests will bo wrong and unjust. Wool does not receive an undue nor an unmerited share of "protection." There are many other products that should be "revised before wool to bacco, salt, sugar, for example. If cheap wool is desirable to East ern citixens Including manufacturers then cheap goods will bo desirable to every one who wears clothes and the wool producer himself will want cheap goods In return for the cheap wool he Is expected to supply. Those who demand cheap wool from Aus tralia and South America In competi tion with our domestic product are laying foundation for a demand for cheap clothing from England and for, cheap goods of many other kinds. This cheapness in materials will mean cheaper prices in other directions In factory, field, forest and mine. It is most unfair to single out wool for the revision onslaught. Tet wool men will have something to say after the deed has been done. This ought to be borne In mind by the seltish in terests that are trying to divert atten tion from ttjeir own "protection" by rgging on the attack on wool. THE IlMOtHtTlC OITORTl NIT Y. Colonel George Harrey.. in the North American Review, uses a little too much ingenuity In defending his thesis that the Democrats did not win a victory In the last election to be convincing. His amusing argument Is that New York was deliberately sac rificed by discontented Republicans. Ohio went the same way. Judge Baldwin owed Ms election not to Democratic Totes, but to Roosevelt's apeechea. and so on through the Ust of states where the Republicans were ousted from power. This Is well enough for the entertainment of an Idle hour, but such persiflage Is not to be taken seriously. The Democrats did win an unmistakable victory at the Fail election, and it is altogether ioo likely that they will win another In 115. While the people turned to the Democratic party less from love of It than from resentment over Re publican faults, still, now that they have put it In power they are disposed to regard It with favor and reward it If It makes good. The notion that the Republican party contains all the political wisdom there Is In the country lacks facts to Justify It. Blunders of many varieties have been made In the last ten years - which the Democrats at their worst lould have hardly exceeded. On the other hand, the party of Cleveland and Bryan has sent some men to the front of late who compare favorably with any statesmen we have had. As things look now a decent record up to 111 3 Is all the Democrats need to jive them the next occupant of the White House, though what a decent record should consist of Is naturaily a matter that will excite difference of opinion. One newspaper, discussing the subject In 'a delightfully amicable vein, says that nothing more than "negative success" Is required. ' Since the Democrats will not have full con trol of the National Government, all they need do Is to fold their hands In a saintly atUtude and keep quiet. The yeople will measure their merit by their looks and give them the Presi dency on the strength of their moral toeauty as expressed In their faces. We cannot accept this view of 'the situation entirely. While the mere avoidance of bad blunders will be highly useful to the Democrats, we do not believe that It Is safe for them to trust too much to negation and Inaction.- Dead men never make any mistakes, but the country does not wish to be governed by the dead. There was never a time In our history when the people more insistently de manded vitality and courageous ac C tlvlty in their rulers. The Democrats will make a sad mistake If they begin their new career of power by sitting still. While they will not control Con gress they will be very influential there and can show their good Inten tions by Introducing needed legisla tion even If they cannot pass It. .Much of It they can pass, for in all meas ures which the country really needs the Insurgents will help them in the House and Senate. The reduction of the tariff, the establishment of a par rels post, the reform of the currency and other, measures of similar worth might be very hopefully undertaken by the Democrats. A temporizing, negative policy will be interpreted as rowardlce by the country. The peo ple will say that a party which does not make the mt of small opportu nities cannot be trusted with large ones, and so the tide will turn and the future will be lost. Much depends for the Democrats upon the men they send to the Sen ate from the states where they control the legislatures. The retiring Re publican Senators are In several In stances persons of whom the country has not much reason to be proud. Depew.'DIck and others will be per mitted to sink Into oblivion without regret. Will the Democrats send men of the same character and connec tions to succeed them, or will they Jook for better material? This ques tion Interest the country deeply Just tpow. The people want a Senata which will be reasonably responsive to the needs of the Nation. If the Democrats select candidates of the Interest-serving type they wUl suffer heavy loss of public respect and con fidence. If a partial change In par ties effects nothing worth while, why make further change? Perhaps the worst blunder the Democrats could make would be the election of half a doien such Senators. It would be another blunder to try to exclude Mr. Bryan from the coun sels of the party. As a candidate he Is of course out of the question, and no one knows it better than himself. But he has a larger following than any other Democrat, and It is doubt ful whether anybody will have as de cisive a voice In the next National convention as he. The attempt "to Ig nore him is ill-advised to the last de gree. It can only divide the party and 'blight all hope of fnture advan tages. The war upon Bryan is inter preted by the people as an effort of "Big Business" to get hold of the party machinery and use It for sinis ter purposes. If ho. Is finally ostra cised it is pretty certain that the next President will not be a Democrat. IAME DITK. The New Tork Evening Post refers narshly to ex-Congresmen hunting Federal Jobs as tb Dishonorable Or dex of Lame Ducks. "Extinct vol canoes" Disraeli called public men whom a discerning electorate had re tired to private life. Tet such men. like the volcanoes, desire to remain forever in the public view. The Lame Duck is always with us after every election. There is some thing pathetic about the sight of a defeated officeholder trying some how to hold on to the public udder. The Evening Post thinks it is not so much the desire for salary as the re luctance to give up the dignities of official place. But this diagnosis of the sad esse of the Lame Duck is not correct. He Is out of a Job. He must live. If he is a lawyer, he has no practtce-.elf a business man, he long ago abandoned business. Nine-tenths of the exCongressmen, for example, have no money, and have lived on their salaries. It is well nigh Impossible for such a man to reduce his style of living, or to begin work in private life where he was twenty or thirty years ago. His only recourse Is an appointment and the lingering hope that some day he may get his Congressional Job back again. But he never will. XTRnnt AND CAPITA!. FVNISIOIENT. Often enough In this country It has been proved that If law will not hang the person" guilty of heinous crime, then the mob will. Hinging- is one of the safeguards and processes of or derly society. Tet some persons In Oregon and Washington now urge abolition of cap ital punishment. They say hanging does no good; that Imprisonment would give better results. In Washing ton, woman suffragists are particularly active In demanding that murderera be spared the gallows. However, there Is an ineradicable feeling In the social body that the per son who commits a horrible crime shall forfeit his person and his life to the community. Human nature cannot be argued against in this matter. Rather than argue, when it Is horrified and outraged, it will lynch. Courts and penitentiaries will not avail. When these institutions of civilised society stand In the way of what Is considered summary Justice, they are Ignored. At Intervals, during many years In Oregon, abolition of capital punish ment has been advocated by succeed ing groups of "humanitarians." But the people of this state have been stern enough thus far to turn away from them. Were hanging more fre quent than It now is, did men and women who slay their fellows In cold blood see the deterring examples, mur der would be less common. Society Is freeing or letting off too many murderers. This habit multi plies their number to alarming extent. Now comes the proposal to abolish the gallows altogether. Men have Instituted the gallows largely for protection of women. It would seem that feminine citizens should properly Insist that hanging be retained and that it be severely en forced. "There will be few monsters like Crlppen In England hereafter. There are too many of them in the United States. STEEL TRUST PRICES. President Price, of the Cambria Steel Company, one of the strongest institutions outside of the steel trust, fully .agrees with Judge Gary of the trust that there will be no rate-cutting In prices. Mr. Price has made the remarkable discovery that "the consumer does not want lower prices, believing that steel prices have not been high. All he wants is to be assured that If he places an order his competitor will not get a lower price." These views of Mr. Price would indi cate that while his Institution may not be directly In the clutches of the steel trust. It Is living a life of fear and trembling lest the trust should take offense at some act of independ ence that might give the consumer more for his money. When the steel trust In its organiza tion practically eliminated competition In the steel trade of -the world the one great excuse offered for the gigantic consolidation was that It would admit of economies Introduction and at tendant lower prices not possible un der then existing conditions. It was quite plainly intimated that all of these economies of operation were to be to the advantage of the consumer and that there would also be a direct advantage to the employes, who would have a guaranty of steady employ ment. The theory seemed sound. There has been nothing In fact to In dicate that It waa not sound, but no attempt has been made to put It In practice. The trust, aided by the protective tariff, held steel prices up to a high level, and whenever It became neces sary to curtiftl the output In order to prevent a glut In the market and lower prices, labor was put back on ' half time or no time until the conditions Improved. Meanwhile the trust con tinued to sell steel products delivered, freight prepaid. In remote quarters of the globe, at lower rates than were exacted at the factory doors. Mr. Price and Judge Gary are both In error If they think that "the con sumer does not want lower prices." The consumers, being falrmlnded as a class, are willing that the trust and the Independents shall make a good profit on their Investment, but they do not toelleve that the trust should Ig nore all other economic conditions THE MORNING OREGONIAN, SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 1911. and maintain prices at a high level, warranted by no reason other than that their monopoly enables them to do so. In neither the manufacturing nor the marketing branch of its busi ness has the steel trust kept its prom ises to the murmuring public, which viewed its formation with misgivings. If the Price theory regarding the agreeable consumers is correct, we may expect an Immediate and start ling advance In prices, which, accord ing to the Independent official, will not bo objectionable so long as all com petitors pay the same figures. THEIR LONG SLEEP OVER. Senators Bourne and Chamberlain have gone arm 'in arm to the Secre tary of the Interior and to the Recla mation Service for Interviews on the subject of the Oregon Irrigation proj ects. They learn that there Is no pros pect of getting anything for West Umatilla from the $20,000,000 loan, but they "feel confident" that there will be an apportionment from the regular reclamation fund. Ah, indeed.- It would appear, then, that vigorous and systematic protest and constant and resolute Insistence on the rights of Oregon have had their effect. The voice of Oregon has been heard at Washington, but most potently through other channels than its Senators. The Army Board undertook to dis tribute $46,000,000 among the vari ous reclamation projects $20,000,000 from the loan fund and $25,000,000 from the regular revenues, present and prospective. Why should the Or egon Senators have assumed, as they appeared to assume,' that the Board's decision was final, when Its sole duty was to "recommend"? The tentative apportionment of the $26,000,000 was outside Its duties, since it had been asked by the President also to advise him as to its apportionment. What difference to Oregon whether the money comes from the loan fund or the reclamation fund, except that there will be an added charge of In terest on the former? There is no record anywhere, so far as The Oregonlan has observed, that Senator Bourne has manifested here tofore the slightest concern over the great subject of reclamation. 'Did he ever appear before the Army Board with a suggestion or recommendation or protest of any kind? Did he know that there was to be an apportion ment of $46,000,000? Did he know or care what were the plain and in disputable deserts of Oregon? Did he meet the Army officers In Oregon and accompany .them on their Impor tant Journey to Umatilla and Klam ath? He did not. It Is due to Senator Chamberlain to say that he Joined the board here and manifested interest In the purposes of their yislt and Inspec tion. It seems all the more Inexcus able and inexplicable that he should have neglected the state's Interest so completely thereafter. Why was the whole business forgotten? The spirit and attitude of the Army Board are shown clearly enough in its methods of distribution. Besides gi gantic sum for Idaho and Montana, it appropriates millions to an entirely new scheme in Colorado, and shows extraordinary favor to the southern tier of Irrigation states. Why? Yet Oregon, with an enterprise of the highest merit, approved by the Rec lamation Service and already under way. Is almost wholly ignored. The lame excuse Is offered thwt the money had to be given to "other projects to which the Government stands com mitted." The Government - stands committed to Umatilla and Klamath. It was not committed heretofore to Colorado. Has the despised Guggen heim urged the claims of Colorado so persuasively and eloquently that the Army Board was willing to be re sponsible for this grossly inconsistent and unspeakably unfair decision? The Oregonlan has had much to say on this subject of reclamation. It will have more. It believes that Pres ident Taft and Secretary Balllnger have the deepest desire to be fair to Oregon, and It has hopes that Justice will toe done by them if it shall appear that the state feels outraged and that Its people' appeal to and rely on them. 1VILKON A GOOD FIGHTER. Whatever we may think of Gov ernor Woodrow Wilson's cause It can not be denied that he Is making a valiant fight for It. Emerson said that all the world loves a lover and no doubt It does, but It loves a fighter better. With our love for the lover Is intermingled a certain, sorrow for the silliness which his passion almost inevitably seems to Induce. But for the fighter our admiration Is pure and undeflled by baser emotions. We like to see a man make a bold struggle even when we admit that he ought to be whipped. There have been tyrants who pun ished soldiers worse for cowardice than for treason. Certainly we' for give a man more easily for crimes of violence than for deception and In trigue, Governor Wilson is no more of an Intriguer than Mr. Hughes was. He takes his stand uncompromisingly and appeals for aid to the people, to whom the final decision rightfully belongs. It Is through the force of an aroused public opinion that he hopes to defeat Smith for the Senate. No doubt he sees as clearly as any body that Mr. Martlne Is a person of mediocre merit, but a contract has been made with the people of New Jersey and he intends to enforce it If he can. - As ' Governor Wilson understands it, the Issue Is not at all whether Smith Is a great man and Martlne a small one. but whether a promise made to the public may be broken as soon as it seems advantageous to commit the treachery. This is no doubt a matter of a great deal more Importance than the name of the man who shall represent New Jersey, or Its corporations. In the next Senate. Mediocre Senators will leave their seats In the process of time, but the habit of breaking faith when It is once fixed upon our public men Is onjy too likely to endure. The conflict which Governor Wilson Is waging is the old one between the Jesuitical principle that the end Justines tne means ana the better one that a man should keep faith even to his own undoing. The latter Is Christian and wholesome. The former Is Machiavellian and Sa tanic. The whole secret of good gov ernment lies In the application of quiet integrity and sound common sense to public affairs. Evasiveness means mischief. In the opinion of Leslies' Weekly the man who lives twenty years from 1911 will look back upon the present era with surprise if not with amaze ment. Ia point of fact. tUere are those who look around them now with amazement not unmingled with mild apprehension. With the banner of the "upllfter" floating on every breeze, the muckraker abroad with his enor mous fund of "make-believe" and the yellow Journal flaunting In the face of the public, the era of amazement is here and now. These agencies of noise and pretense are, however, ephemeraX Already, indeed, there are Indications that the demagogue Is giving way to the business man, with his safe and sane methods and the ' self-vaunted "upllfter". to the far-seeing organizer. Governmental and business methods cannot go at loose ends, so to speak, for twenty years. A rope of sand cannot hold together so long. Dollar wheat, for the first time in many weeks, was again In evidence In Chicago yesterday, the . May option climbing up a few fractions above that magic figure. The European markets were also strong and with crop-damage reports coming in from all parts of the world, the situation appeared quite roseate to those who have held wheat past the turn of - the year From a statistical standpoint there is not much encouragement for high prices, but if crop damage should continue In the Argentine and India we may witness a repetition of the high prices of two years ago. Argen tine and Indian shipments for this week, however, hardly bear out the crop-damage reports, as each of the countries mentioned, with harvest Just getting under way, shipped more than 1,000,000 bushels of wheat. Many of the farmers of our Middle Northwest who a few years ago "sold out" In considerable numbers and crossed the border Into Canada are returning not to their old locations, however. They are pushing on to the Pacific Northwest and southward to Texas, ' Oklahoma, . Louisiana, Missis sippi and other states of the Middle Southwest, where land is almost as cheap as in Canada and where a much milder climate and nearness to market appeal to the farmer and dairyman. This is a sane immigra tion movement. What's the use of going into Winter quarters livestock and all for full half the year, when a land of plenty over whtcji mild Win ters and genial Summers alternate awaits development? President Klngsley. of the New Tork Life, In response to the toast at a re cent New England dinner, 'The Fore fathers and the American Idea," is said to have shocked some of his fel low diners by the blunt statement that while the Puritan has been credited with anntense love of liberty, "he be lieved principally In liberty for him self, thereby contributing not to a free government, but to a theocracy. It is scarcely conceivable that this was a new view of the Puritan to any one acquainted with New England history. The statement Is indeed historically correct and is not in any sense incom patible with the highest regard for the courage, steadfastness and loyalty of the Puritan character. V The strike of the garment-workers in Chicago has reached the point where humane Interference seems Jus tified. The Infant children, always helpless sufferers In a disturbance of the labor situation, are starving and no relief is In sight. When ordinary means' of settlement have been ex hausted, power of some nature should be invoked not the power of destruc tion, which solves nothing, but munic ipal or commercial mediation. Per haps, after all, compulsory arbitration Is the solution, and where death Is the alternative, the sooner its terms are enforced the better for all. Concerning this doutole umpire bus iness: The California magnates frown on It, but how about the bleachers and the grand stand? Nine out of ten will say that one umpire has to guess at a large percentage of close decisions at bases. These guesses when adverse to the home team rasp the crowd. If the double umpire system Is a necessity in the big leagues, why not In the Pacific Coast and Northwest Leagues? The plea of economy Is not convincing. The editors of Oregon were nearly all too busy at home yesterday to at tend the annual association meeting In Portland. The day of the Junket Is over In midwinter, at least and the newspaper association has become a business body with a disposition to "let others do It." At first glance, removal of Swan Island, as suggested by' the Harbor master, Is a startling proposition. Whether the enlarged harbor will Justify the cost Is a debatable ques tion, and it goes without saying that there will be a debate. f - Representative Mann, of Illinois, would abolish the "parlor" match as dangerous-to health. Many, matches said to be "made In heaven" are Just as disastrous, tut more than an act of Congress Is needed to suppress them. Whatever views one may ' hold as to Governor Woodrow-Wilson as prac tical polltlcan. he must commend the Princeton man for diplomatic lan guage. "Wart" Is a big improvement over "ulcer" and "cancer." When the Oregon Fish and Game Association gets through with prepar ing new laws. It ought to Incorporate an Ananias duo. The season for members opens soon. Oregon's latest Invader, this time from the southeast, Is the Nevada, California Oregon Railroad. What's the use to resist? You can't keep 'em out with swotguns. If our old friend Davy Crockett were alive, wouldn't he have made a fine captain of the rifle team going into Wallowa County to exterminate coyotes? ' After reading the recommendations of six or seven new Governors, we are inclined to believe that the cause of civil liberty Is not In Immediate danger. Fish la plenty In the local markets, and comparatively cheap. Why grum ble at the high cost of meat, when a change of diet Is good for body and brain? It Is always the confident man who attempts to board a car in motion and who suffers Injury. Give no quarter; the coyote must go. ' ROOSEVELT . AND TAFT UNITS Story of Tfceir Reconciliation Told oa "Htsrhtart possible Authority." Washington Cor. Boston Transcript, Dec. SO. William Loeb, Jr., Collector of the Port of New York and former secretary to President Roosevelt, has been formally commissioned to deliver a solid New Tork delegation to President Taft at tnej hot) Rxnnhliran National convention. This information, learned upon the high est possible authority. Is the best pos sible evidence of the care with which President Taft and his friends are work ing out a definite plan to bring about his nomination In 1312. The selection of Mr. Loeb to handle the New Tork state situ ation is particularly significant because of the relations between Mr. Loeb and Colonel Roosevelt. It means that Roose velt will throw his support and Influence to President Taft. .There can be no question about this point because of the varv tvienrllv relations, existing between the- ex-President and the Collector of the Port of New Tork. It was reported a few days ago that- Mr. Loeb had been asked to act In the capacity of confi dential advisor to President Taft and that his acceptance meant not only a breach between President Taft and Col onel Roosevelt, but also a breach be tween . Mr. Loeb and his former chief. As a matter of fact, ths situation Is ex actly the reverse. In the first place, there has been no breach between Mr. Loeb and Mr. Roose velt, and 'there will be none. As between President Taft and Colonel Roosevelt It can be stated upon the best possible au thority that Mr. Loeb will always be found working w'th Colonel Roosevelt. This does not mean that he Is disloyal to' President Taft or would hesitate to assist him. It does mean, however, that, the political situation is not such as would warrant Mr. Loeb in deserting the man whom he served so faithfully for many years. Instead of being asked to serve as the political mentor, of the Taft Administra tion, Mr. Loeb has been given the spe cific assignment of rounding up the New York state delegation for President Taft. It la known that Mr. Loeb did not con sent to undertake this task until he had talked the matter over , with Colonel Roosevelt. It Is regarded as extremely 'significant that Mr. Loeb announced his willingness to act as President Taft's political manager in New Tork state after his conference with Koosevelt. This Is excellent reason for the belief that In undertaking this political mission in New Tork state Mr. Loeb has the assurance of the co-operation and active support of Colonel Roosevelt. As thet situation presents Itself to Ad ministration leaders In Washington, Mr. Loeb's willingness to handle tltx New Tork state situation is looked upon as the best possible evidence that Colonel Roosevelt has eliminated himself as a candidate for the Presidency In 1912. These Administration supporters do not go as far as to say that Mr. Roosevelt will not again be a candidate for the Presidency. On the other hand, they are inclined to believe that he looks upon 1916 as a far more favorable year from a Republican viewpoint than 1912, It is possible that this belief actuated the Colonel In assuring Mr. Loeb of his support. Administration officials, how ever, are not concerned about the cir cumstances which prompted Mr. Roose velt to promise his support to ' Loeb. They merely know that they can count upon Roosevelt's support in delivering to Mr. Taft in the next National conven tion -the pivotal state In the Union and the one most necessary if the President hopes to control the convention. FLAX, HEM1P AXD GIANT SPINACH AU WiU Grow In Oregon nnd Produce v Crops of Valne. WOODSTOCK, Or., Jan. 6. To the Editor.) Those who are now interested In and encouraging the cultivation of flax In Oregon with the view of get ting capitalists to establish textile man ufactories In Portland, and thereby cre ating a market for the raw product, should also promote the cultivation of hemp. The climate and soils of the Wil lamette "Valley and of Eastern and South ern" Oregon are as well adapted to the cultivation of hemp as they are of flax. Portland Is a growing seaport and will soon furnish a good market for hempen ropes and other fabrics. The assured ample supply of raw products of flax and hemp is the only way to attract capitalists into Portland's manufactur ing field; and secure to the farming community a permanent market. The cultivation of the hemp plant in market gardens, wherein cabbages are largely grown, will be found an effectual protection against the caterpillar and fly pests. PorUand Is becoming a very large consumer of paper manufactured from wood pulp and cereal straw; so that any suitable addition to this sort of raw product for paper manufacture will be needed in the near future. I would therefore draw the attention of the farming community and market gardeners of Oregon to the cultivation of the giant spinach. This plant ia cul tivated in France and England for a veg etable food and for the manufacture of paper. It attains a height of nine feet, covered with green leaves which yield a greater weight per acre than any other green vegetable. These may be continually strippd for the market with out injuiry to the ultimate seed-crop. The plant comes to maturity in June for the market, and lasts until August; the latere growth being quite as tender In flavor as the earlier; it is even more delicate In flavor than ordinary spin ach, which reduces more than half in cooking, whereas the giant spinach only reduces to about 25 per cent. Paper of sUDerlor qualitxJs made from the stalks. R. M. BRERETON, C. E. ' Treaties With England. WARREN, Or., Jan. S. (To the Edi tor.) I would be much obliged If you would inform me through The Oregon lan if there is a-treaty between the United States and England not to wage war on one another, signed within the last few years. JOHN RTAN. No treaty In such terms has been en tered Into between the United States and Great. Britain. An arbitration treaty ex tending for five years was entered Into in 1908 which provides for submission to the permanent court of arbitration estab lished t The Hague of differences which may arise of a legal nature or relating to Interpretations of existing treaties not possible to settle by diplomacy. This treaty does not Include the differences affecting the vital Interests, the Independ ence or the honor of the contracting nations or differences affecting the In terest of third partlea. War Department Addresses. LATOURELLE. Or.. Jan. 4. (To the Editor.) Would you kindly give an old soldier the address of the Secretary of War; also the regimental commander of Vancouver, Washington? . JOHN CARLSEN. Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. Post Commander, .Vancouver Bar racks, .Wash. EVAPORATION WILL BE AID Klamath Reclamation Project Would Stop Inlet to Lake. KLAMATH FALLS, Or., Jan. . (Special.) Abel ,Ady, president of the Klamath Water Users' Association and one. of the heaviest holders of marsh lands under the Klamath project, has gone to Washington to attend the Na tional Irrigation Convention. He also goes in the interest of the swamp land owners. While Secretary of the Interior Bal llnger has notified the Water Users' Association that the Department would release a large portion of the land which Is unreclaimed near Midland and which the owners petitioned to have released from the stock subscriptions to the association, this does not wholly meet the demands of the owners. Mr. Ady will ask the Government to grant the private owners the privilege of filling the channel, known as the straits, between the. Klamath River and Lower Klamath Lake. It is said that if the Government will permit the filling of this channel, which will shut off the flow of water into the lower lake, much land oh the borders will be reclaimed by evaporation. DUAL DEBATE DUE FRIDAY Idaho and Pacific Universities Will Meet In Contest. UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO. Moscow, Idaho, Jan. . (Special.) The Univer sity of Idaho and Pacific University meet in a dual debate on Friday night, January 13. Each university has se lected two teams for the occasion, one remaining at home and the other leav ing. The question for debate is "Re solved, that the passage of the old age pension bill by England was Inexpedi ent." Idaho's team that goes , to Forest Grove Is composed of a senior and a sophomore. Ira Tweedy, the leader, Is the senior. He has taken part in three former lnter-collegiate debates, and is probably the best debater In the university. His colleague, Ralph Foster, is a new debater, this being his first time to participate. The Idaho team remaining at home Is composed of a senior and a fresh man. Paul Durrle has been on a couple of debates previous to this, one,, but has never ledT a team before. Charies Hornlne is a new debater. The team being sent to Forest Grove by Idaho is considered toe stronger or tne two. FARMERS ARE ORGANIZED Better Transportation Facilities Principal Object. EUGENE, Or., Jan. . (Special.) In order to secure co-operation in the sale of farm products and the purchase of staple farm supplies, a number dl farm ers and dairymen along the lower Sius law have formed an organization known as the Farmers' Protective Association of the Lower Sluslaw. The association will work toward se- K-ta- tron.nnrf n finn fArllltles. es pecially for butter, the present haul over the mountains to junction t-ny owns long and expensive. Efforts will be made to secure a gasoline schooner to handle the butter shipments by the mid dle of January. A warehouse is being planned at Acme for the storage of farm produce await- or.. tnr eiinnlloa for the I lift, Oil! . . " - members of 'the organization. A manager will be selected wno win bjsu w.i i;u todian of the warehouse. The oflicers of the association are as follows: President. Hans M. Peterson; secretary, C. Buchanan; trustees, the president, secretary, Fred Cassldy, Jess Houghton and Jared Scott. i PEOPLE ASK FOR BRIDGES Roseburg Would Shorten Haul From Outside Districts. ROSEBURG. Or., Jan. 6. (Special.) De claring that the farming Interests of a county cannot thrive without proper faclUties for hauling the crops to market, 25 Roseburg citizens assembled at the Courthouse and urged the County Court to supply the country districts with bridges. " A petition signed by several hundred property owners asking for a bridge across the Umpqua River to connect the Garden Valley district with the city, ws presented. The petitioners explained that the distance to the city would be short ened at least five miles. Another peti tion asked that a bridge be erected near the Dlmmlck Ferry, at Kellogg. Although the court took no definite action regarding bridges. It estimates that they will Ast In the neighborhood of $35,000, which will necessitate a VA mill levy. COOS COUNTY STAYS WET Appeal From Judge Coke's Decision Regarded as Improbable. MARSHFIBLD, Or., Jan. S,(special.) It is not likely that any appeal will be taken from the decision of Judge John S. Coke in the Coos County Circuit Court that Coos County must remain wet. At the lat election the county was voted dry by a large majority. A temporary Injunction was granted restraining the County Judge from declaring the county to be dry under the election and now the temporary injunction has been made per manent. Judge Coke held that many of the signers of the petition to put the ques tion on the ballot failed to give their resi dences and postoffice addresses properly. This made the petition invalid. Medford Firm to Plant Pear Trees. MEDFORD, Or.. Jan. 6. (Special.) Ex-Governor Henry McBrlde. of Wash ington, and Herbert Conners, of La conner. Wash., both of whom are heavi ly interested In the Rogue River Com mercial Orchards Company of Medford, have arranged for the 340 acres of the company's property to be planted to pear trees this Winter. Fifteen thou sand pear trees, which will cover, the whole tract, will be planted. ' Woodburn Woman Given Divorce. OREGON CITY. Or.. Jan. 6. (Special.V M. Mabel Copeland was this afternoon granted a decree of divorce from Harry Copeland. to whom she was married at Woodburn, Or., July 15, 1909. She charged desertion September 1. 1909. Mrs. Cope land was permitted to resume her maiden name of Kenady. The suit was filed tills morning and the decree obtained the same day, Copeland refusing to fight the case. nood River Get Apartment House. HOOD RIVER, Or.. Jan. 6. L. D. Boyd, a local contractor, will commence work on a modern apartment-house March 1, which will cost $30,000. The building will be erected at State and Sixth streets and will have 21 apart ments. Mr. Boyd Is associated 'with T. M. Shelley In the building, which is be ing erected on their own property. e t Gas Company Balks. SPRINGFIELD, Or., Jan. . (Special.) Because the City Council asked too much in a franchise from the gas company, it is announced from the office of the Ore gon Power Company It will not construct gas mains from its plant in Eugene to Ibis city as It previously intended. . RAILWAY GETS FRANCHISE Work Will Begin at South Bend May 1 Other Improvements. SOUTH BEND, Wash., Jan. 6.-(9pe- cial.) The City Council meeting has passed an ordinanee granting to J. I. Crary, of "Aberdeen, and associates a franchise for an electric earline, by a unanimous vote, although three Council men, enough to defeat it, voted under protest and, as they explained, in defer ence to public opinion as emphatically expressed on two previous public occa sions and again at the meeting last night. The new company is called the Twin City Electric Company. It already has a franchise for the Cltyi of Raymond and will at once ask the County Com missioners for a franchise between the two cities. The company is under a $:."iO0 bond to -begin construction by May 1. and the franchise calls for the comple tion and operation of the line within two years through and between the two cities. This work alone means the expenditure in the two cities of at least $200.nno. In addition to this the City of South Bend has completed arrangements for paving Water street, the main street of the city, its entire length, which is more than a mile, the work to he begun as early as possible In the Spring. The burned opera-house will be rebuilt in the Spring, and there in strong talk of a new and elegant concrete hotel being built by local capital during the coming season. TACOMA LOSES TRANSFERS Supreme Court Decides) Against City In Street Railway War. 7 OLTMPIA, Wash., Jan. S. (Special.) In a decision handed down today the Supreme Court holds that the City of Tacoma cannot force the Tacoma Rail way & Power Company to issue trans fers to the Pacific Traction Company lines, over which it has secured con trol, thus reversing the Pierce County Superior Court decision directing the application for "a writ of mandate be denied. ' Judge Dunbar dissents, and in his dissenting opinion holds that the two lines are In reality one; that the rail way company is alternating to conceal the truth In order to evade responsi bility. The Supreme Court states that tho lines, while partially consolidated, are operating under separate fran chises, and that the right to transfer Is a contract right, protected by the fran chises. The court declares that If Ta coma desires to force the Issuing of transfers from one line to the other that it will be necessary to bring it aoout through legislative enactment rather than by means of Judicial pro ceedings. , LIGHTING IS CONSIDERED Eugene Commercial Club Asks City to Pay for Street Illumination. EUGENE, Or.. Jan. 6. (Special.) The question of festoon lighting for the city came up before the City Council last evening when Jack Rodman, chairman of a committee from the Commercial Club, presented a petition asking the City Council to assume tho cost of light ing on the business streets. The contract for festoon lighting wltn the Oregon Power Company expired on January 1. The company presented two propositions for special lighting, one to continue the present feetoons at a cost of $350 per month, and the other to erect 40 arches, each containing ten 10-watt Tungstens, at $250 per month. The cost of installing the new system would be $4000, which would be paid off In five years at $90 per month. If a five-year contract is entered into and the city then wishes to continue the cost of the lighting would be $lti0 per month. The matter was referred to the lire and water committee, with Instructions to report back to tne uouncu h a ijo clal meeting Saturday night. MAN SLAUGHTER IS CHARGE Nelson Beebe Aralgned for Killing His Brother. OREGON CITY, Or., Jan. 6. (Spe cial.) Nelson Beebe, charged with killing his brother, Hiram Beebe, on Wednesday night, was arraigned on the charge of manslaughter in Justice Samson's court this afternoon, the com plainant being Roscoe Gard. Beebe manifested considerable nervousness. When asked as to his wishes in the matter of an investigation into the causes of his brother's death, he replied that the sooner the better and an nounced his willingness that the hear ing be had on Monday. It was set for that day at 10 A. M. He was re turned to prison, ball being set at $1000. . . Beebe reiterated the statement that this was the first time he knew of the death of Hiram, and while he sup posed it possible that Hiram might have been seriously hurt, still he supposed from remarks dropped in his presence that Hiram was living and had a hand In his being in prison. MAN DECREES NO FLOWERS Wealthy Scotchman of Springfield Dies; Funeral Sunday. SPRINGFIELD. Or., Jan. 6. (Special.) Arthur Kirkland, a wealthy Scotchman and resident of this city for the past ouarter of a century, died at his home yesterday, aged 50. Carrying out the wishes of Mr. Kirkland, there are to be no flowers placed on the coffin at any time nor shall any be In evidence at the funeral. There are to be no services other than the customary Masonic rites, Mr. Kirkland having been a number of the Masonic order. The funeral will be held Sunday, and burial wilt take place in the Laurel Grove Cemetery, where he will be placed beside the body of his wife, who died over 12 years ago. He is survived by two daughters, Grace and Junia, aged 18 and 17 years, respect ively. The deceased was for a number of years lumber salesman for the Booth Kelly Company here. Hood River Church Members Meet. HOOD RIVER, Or., Jan. 6.-(Special.)-Two hundred members and friends ol the Riverside Congregational Church of Hood River enjoyed a sumptuous banquet last night, in Oddfellows hall,, served by the women of the church, later trans acting te business of the annual meet ing. A new constitution, confession oi faith and covenant were adopted in the Interests of simpler ana more efficient working. 'The trustees were unanimously instructed to take immediate steps to se cure a new building for the accommoda tion of the enlarging congregations. Births Increase, Deaths Decrease. ROSEBURG, Or., Jan. 6. (Special.) The report of the county health officer shows that there have been 3OT births in Douglas County since January 1. 1910. an increase of 30 compared with the pre vious year. The total number of deathi Is 204, a decrease f Woman Takes City Desk. CLATSKANIE. Or., Jan. . The Clats kanle Chief has increased Its editorial staff by the addition of a city editor. Mrs Phyllis M. Van Ness, who has assisted with the local work for several months, assuming that position.