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Hint! AXD Tvr.
To disinterested onlooker there
appear to be a f)od deal of cogency
n one or two of the method which
r tMiog employed to liutra the elec
tion of Wtlltt.u r. She.han to the
FederoJ Scr.are from New York. If
lrtb hare actually t-.-n offered to
some of the recalcitrant IVmoritu
h-i stanl out against htm. as report
' the Krmlng I'ost have broadly
hlntei. nobody can help admiring
th-lr heroic realtranre. Aa we know
from l;;inola. M iQar. anJ other
tataa a bribe tj a crtaln kird
of Democrat!. Irrigator la l;ka
:tn!p la a tun ft. With
out a-iperrratural aid he can a-arcely
ervected to hU out asalnat It.
:JTI t.le. New Tork Democrats have
helj out. those of thera at l-at who
refuee.1 to fo Into the c.iucua or to
bound by Its action. Hlch eocle
!;ui:tcl authority la New York haa
ora out with a proclamation that
h.-a Democrats ouht to be ashamed
f themselves for r.fit ylcUlna; to the
-aucus and Tammany. Their ot
lnacy. this church offl,T dA,:arr.
s "biirotry and the old spirit of Know.
ithlccl-m. and the quarrel they are
tl.-r!nc up Is unseemly and unrea
sonable." Thla sterna to show that
etwan some men's religion and old
'axhtonad morality the connection Is
lisrht-
The pVa that lerl-tatom otiht to
bound by a caucus derision no
natter hvm corrupt and Immoral It
nay be. savors of the old doctrine of
probAbUNru." According to this
'ctrlne It waa a man's duty t obey
Is auperiors even In thlnm which
-eemei to him to be wicked. "You
nay think It wicked, but If your su
r!or says It Is not. then hi con
cc and not your own must be
oM.iwed." This Is an extremely con
venient doctrine for weak-kneed poll
li lar.. It relieves them of a jrood
leal of lrrltatlr.it responsibility and
nakes It unnecemary for them to uo
heir brains any more than their con
clencea). All the poor creature has
o Aii ts to find out what his political
urerlors . have ordered and then
neekly a-o and do It. This doctrine
f "prohablllim" has been widely ac
epted In recent politics; but revolts
.ave somewhat discredited It of late.
But the revolt has not borne such
hole fruit In New -Tork as It has
a s"m other states. The "fraxilln;"
vhl.-h, Mr. Rooaevelt rive his enemies
f the ell aruarj does not seem to have
as lasrln: aa one mlirht have ex
pected. Mr. Barnes, whom he was
luppoaed to have deposed for rood
ind all. Is now back at the head of
'he Republican Ftate Central Commit
tee, while Tammany Is making f.iir
headway toward the control of the
:emocratic party. The flht for the
lection of theehan mut mean a
rat deal to Tammany and the more
ir less portentous Interests which
j tan J behind It. What tho Inter
n's are nobody seems exactly able to
peclfy. but It ts clear that they have
Plenty or money which they are win
ce to spend for Mr. heehan's benefit
inj that they can direct the counsels
f some of the tnfluentlil clergy. If
."am many rucceeds In sndinc Its Sen
sorial candidate to Wishinirton It
i:i have pretty effectual control cf
he Ft to of New Tork. Mr. Dlx. to
sure. Is not a Tammany creature.
ut he Is fu'y as serviceable as If ha
er. A reepectably somnolent non-
-ntlty Is often of the greatest ua. He
lo.Brtra who only aianus and aaa
;e can't Interfere.
The New York situation does not
rlehten the prospects of the Demo
ra:ic party very much far as the
euntrr at large la concerned. There
ire nut many voters who want to see
"ammany In control of the Nation,
nd that ts what micht very reason-
ioly follow upon another Democratic
Ictory. It certainly would follow
houM that orranlzatlrn become su
ntme In New York. So that the flptht
rhtr-h the anti-caucus Democrats are
aklrg at Albany rsaentlulty Involves
he National fortunes of their rarty. I
nose reaaers wno line 10 extract
rood from evil may comfort them-
etves with the reflection that the New
fork scandal as well as the one In
Vest Virginia, the rumpus In New
"ersey and the emergence of Addicks
r Delaware all pour water on the
bheel of the popular election of
-enators.
rrsioi I tiik ar.rfATK.
President Taft has Intimated that he
v t'.l veto the Sulloway additional pen
Ion bill now under consideration by
n Senate; and some of the Senators
re a good deal flabbergasted. The
louse passed the measure by a large
iaj'rlty. Democrats lni? with l:e
ubilcans In the Hapdoodle oratory
bout the old soldiers and the duty
f the Nation to provide fo them In
heir old age. Now the Kenate bids
ilr to repeat the cowardly perform
nce and pass the whole business up
o the President.
If the President will veto this latest
nd most Indefensible pension grab, he
make bo mistake, political or oth.
rwise. The average voter under
'ans that tho average politician In
'ongresa. In helping to pad and stuff
). already inflated pension roll. Is ln
plred first by regard for himself and
ajt by consideration for the old sol
Uer. The oil soldier vote ts the main
rfljence behind the never-ceasing
v'.nicgness of CongTess to give more
nd more In pensions. Is there to be
to limit or end to the evarlastlng
ocrdlrg away for mora pensions?
The real old soldier Is entitled to
evarence. respect and careful arten
ton from his neighbors and hts coun
rr. lie gets them. too. There Is no
omplalnt about him or a generous
iau.ua for hlr" IT be earned It. or U
ha needs It or eren think he needs It.
Ii-jt the professional old soldier, who
iiw little or no real service. Is entirely
too active In this pension clamor.
What duty doa the Nation owe to
bo vi xi avt Tite state.
Ftate aid to roads Is no doubt an
excellent thing when the money ap
propriated can be honestly and In
telligently spent. The most effective
Impulse which the good roads move
ment has received has been from
model highways constructed by the
various states. Sllll the blessing Is not
unmlngled. It has happened now and
then that funds appropriated by a leg.
Islatur for road-building have been
used up In preparations to build.
The swarm of hungry officials who
have to be fad before any work can
be done leave nothing for the public.
Politicians grow fat. but the roads
remain as they were.
Cltixens of Washington can cite
such Instances to their sorrow. It la
noticeable that communities which are
the moat slovenly and neglectful of
their lx-al road are often the most
clamorous for state aid. The Orcgo
nlan could name a certain village
whose principal street la a long array
of mud holes. The middle I lower
than the aldea. Repairs are never
dreamed of. Wagnns go bumping and
tumbling along that street worse than
If the hand of man had never
touched It.
This vlllace Is constantly shouting
for a state road. If any cltli-n urges
the necessity of repairing the sireet
he. Is silenced by the cry that "We
shall hiv a stato road pretty soon."
Ix-al initiative has been destroyed by
the expectation of a public benefac
tion. Whatever la done In the way
of state il l should be upon the under
standing that local communities shall
be made to pay for the benefits they
receive. The payment may be dis
tributed over a series of years. It may
te veiled under the guise of bonds,
but It should be rigorously Insisted
upon.
Very likely the best war to meet
the expense of good road Is to levy
upon the Increased value they give
to the adjoining land. This plan bur
dens nobody and Is fair to everybody.
Moreover. It compels the locality ben
efited to pay for what It receives.
RrUT-X.Ur. XI-RniAMT MARINE.
The United Fruit Company, operat
ing a fleet of thirty-five splendid,
steel, modern-built freight and passen
ger steamers out of New Tork, New
Orleans and other Atlantic Coast
ports, will ask Congress to grant
American registry to Its entire fleet,
now sailing under the Rrltish flag.
These vessels are nearly all now ahlps
and would be a credit to the American
flag, as they are now a credit to the
British flag which their American
owners are obliged to fly. While the
L'nlted Fruit Company Is the first
American firm owning- a large fleet
of foreign ships to ask American reg
istry for the vessels, a number of other
big firms now forced to operate their
vessels under foreign flacs will ask
similar permission If Congress takes
kindly to the proposition of the fruit
company.
This opportunity for aecurlne; solid
fleets of first-class vessels ought to
appeal with great force to the Oal
llngers. tho Humphreys and other
ship-subaldy leaders who have for
years been ranting about the necessity
for American ships and our helpless
ness In case of war. It Is through the
policy of welcoming under the flag
any vessel that may be secured that
Oreat Britain. Germany, Norway.
Japan and all other foreign nations
have built up tholr merchant marine.
As each of these countries has made
a better showing on the high seas
than that made by the United States.
It would seem perfectly natural and
logical that we should adopt the meth
ods by which they achieved success.
Believing In the sincerity of Senator
Oalllngcr and Representative Hum
phrey, we may reasonable expect these
ardent seekers for a merchant marine
to bo the first to embrace the op
portunity. The bill bringing under the
American flag this splendid fleet will
of course be fostered In the House by
Mr. Humphrey and In the Senate by
Mr. Gaillnger. In the hand of two
such disinterested laborers In the
cause of the merchant marine there
should be no opposition, and a few
weeks hence we shall see the star
and stripes Tying over the United
Fruit flaet perhaps.
nr.Miu-o avd soApn.
The thousands of Oregon cltixens.
who have made themselves homes In
the wild by patient toting and In the
towns by patient saving, do rot see big
'business" for themselves, as Mr. Fela
does. In single tax: they have no soap
to advertise, nor are they rich as he
1 tn "personal" property thaf his fad
would exempt from taxes.
They are very practical folk, these
men and women. They have Improved
land at high cost. They will rwlst
confiscation of their "monopoly." as
the jariron of single tax calls It. They
look for Increase or Increment of
value tn their land: they think such
Increment fair reward of their efforts.
They believe that they and their
children should have the same oppor
tunity to possess this Increased value
as those who have gone before. Nor
do they believe that their property
should be selxed and "socialized" by
government through single tax and
be conferred upon others.
The Fels reformers say, however,
that they do not plan confiscation and
public ownership of land at least not
yet. They purpoae only to pile taxes
on the "big fellow" the man of large
acres or of high-value lots In the
cl;v und to make things easy for the
'little fellow."
'But the chief alm of single tax is
seizure of land through high taxes and
termination of individual land mo
nopoly. The great apostles of single
tax declare that to be Its purpose.
Then why should Fels and his retinue
of bounty-praising camp followers In
Oregon, try to humbug the people of
Oregon with sweet phrases T Do they
not know that the big lot-owner In
the city will keep his land and add
their single tax to rent and charge the
new account to the tenant and the
"ultimate consumor"? Do they not
perceive that the farmer and the
homeowner, however, cannot escape
the extra land tax: because this class
of landowners collects no rent? Small
property and large property can stand
only upon the same basis. The one
can be protected only as the other Is
protected. The one cannot be secure
while the other is confiscated. This la
an axiom of politics and government.
If Mr. Fels will resign his soap
riches and make himself a home in
Oregon among stump and logs; If he
will proceed by patient tolling to clear
away land, drain or Irrigate It; If he ,
will plow and fence It and put In
crops: or If he will plant himself on
a tow n lot, build a house thereon, pay
taxes year after year, and give out
hard-earned money for sidewalks,
sewers and pavements if he will do
either of these two things, his view of
land "monopoly" and of single tax will
change. Ho will confess that no
scheme of government can take pos
session of 100 valuable lots In the
heart of a city and leave 23.000 other
lots secure and their owners la hope
of increment.
But Instead cf that, Mr. Fels pre
fers to sell soap and to advertise his
wares by traveling the country and
haringulr.g about slnglo tax.
Great Is humbug and soap man Fels
Is Us prophet.
rovnvvr.o rRosrauTY asstrto.
It has been long since the pessi
mist who since 1905 have been wait
ing for "the slump after the fair"
have fourM much comfort In any news
concerning Portlund and Oregon. It
is seldom, however, that their pet
theories) and dyspeptic forebodings re
ceive no many rude shocks aa were
afforded by yesterday's news, both
local and National. The monthly sta
tistics were not out of the ordinary.
that Is. they continued to breuk rec- trans-Pacific expansion. As San Fran
onts all along the line. Just as they ci,ro Is the principal city of the Pa-
Jt I .1- ....v.n... lain 1J r lnnrlnp. m . t . j . i . I .
did throughout 1S10. Bank clearings.
Postoffl.-e receipts, building permits
and similar features all showed heavy
Increases over thoso for January. 1910.
But along with this hlshly flattering
showing, which we now accept as
only our Just dues, V-Ss much that
comes strictly under the head of new
business.
The announcement that San Fran
cisco had won the fight which prac
tically assures the Panama Canal Ex
position for that city means much for
Portland. Tho F.xpoaltlon will draw
to tho Pacific Coast thousands of ,
people from all parts of the world. It
will be the gratc.st affair ever held
In the West. Either coming or going. .
at least nine-tenths of the visitors wl.l
call at Portland, and of these people
no small ratio will become permanent
residents. Another very Important
piece of news from Washington was
the announcement that the Senate had
pnssed the rivers and harbors bill. In
cluding the amendment which pro
vides for a thirty-foot channel to the
seiu As Chairman Alexander, of tho
House rivers and harbors committee,
has promised to support the measure,
this long-sought improvement now
seems assured. Long before tho com
pletion of the Panama Canal, the larg
est ocean freighters afloat can reach
Portland dock without difficulty.
For the lmmedlato future the most
Important of all of the pleasing an
nouncement thai appeared yesterday
wo that regarding double-tracking
of the Hariimun lines. Of the J75,
000,000 appropriated for carrying on
this work a great many million will
be spent on the 440-mlle stretch be
tween this city and Huntington. Other
millions will be expended In Orepon
for ties and timbers to be used farther
cast. This vast railroad Improvement
plan will have an early effect much
greater thnn that produced by the
mere expondlturo of the money In
volved. It Is undertaken because. In
the language of Judge Lovctt. "tho en
tire country served by the Union Pa
cific and Southern Faclfio systems Is
developing rapidly indeed It Is only
In Its Infancy and we are convtneed
thnt Its growth lt population and Its
agricultural and commercial develop
ment must continue."
This enormous expenditure is all to
be made In double-tracking the main
lines of the Harrlman system. Mean
while there are already under actual
construction In Portland territory In
the Pacific Northwest several good
alzed feeders which will be hurried to
completion for the purpose of provid
ing more traille to be handled by the
double-track trunk lines for which
money Is now provided. This local
activity In railroad building Is, of
course, not confined to the Harrlman
system. The Hill programme, which
la being hurried to completion, also
calls for the expenditure of more mil
lion than havo ever before been paid
out In thl state In a similar period.
Portland has grown to a great city
of more than 200.000 people without
the aid of any of the mighty forces
now changing tho commercial map of
the West. Wllliin a periou ui
years from the date, two I
xne lompfimu
there will have Deen opeuru uV
trsde of this city by new lines, exten
sions and feeders an area of rich coun
try more than three times as large ss
that on which Portland has depended
to bring her along to the present satis
factory stage of development. If we
can accomplish, under such adverse
conditions, what has been done, where
Is the limit that we can reasonably
expect to reach under existing condi
tions and under the still more favor
able conditions which the future is
bringing us. All signs point to the
fact that 1911 in Fortland and Oregon
will be a sad year for the pessimists.
PECRr-ASINO RAII-BOAD EARNINGS.
It Is no longer a theory, but a condi
tion, confronting the railroads of the
country in regard to dividends and
rates. The current number of th
Financial Chronicle contains th In
terstate Commerce Commission's offi
cial figures on railroad gross and net
earnings for the month of November.
These figures show that Instead of tho
Improvement predicted when the $9,
000.000.000 crop of agricultural prod
ucts was moving to market there la
again a heavy decrease In net earn
ings. Thla decrease for November
was $10,488,886. the largest decrease
ever recorded In that month, and It
occurred with an increase In gross
earnings of nearly $1,000,000. These
gross earnings were slightly larger
than those of last year, but are the
smallest recorded In the present fiscal
year. In every month since June this
unfavorable condition has been more
apparent.
As a local example of the change
that Is taking place, the figures of the
O. R- N- Co- for the Hve non,n
ending with November ara Interesting.
In that period the gross earnings of
the road were $7.094. fi5, compared
with $6,787,365 forthe same period in
1909 Net earnings for the same
months in 1910 were $2,519,470. com
pared with $3,162,216 for the same
period In 1909. It will be noticed In
these figures that the increased ex
pense of operating, maintenance, etc.,
actually transformed a gain of more
than $300,000 In gross earnings Into a
decrease of $642,000 In net earnings.
Similar conditions exist throughout
th United States. While most of the
roads hav some surplus on hand with
which to meet dividend requirements
and keep up necessary repairs, it la
quite apparent that they cannot con
tinue Indefinitely.
Th figures which hav been re-
I turn
mon
ted by the Commission from
th to month certainly verify the
predictions of tho most pessimistic.
There will be no market for railroad
securities, nor money for extensions
and improvements until the equilib
rium of gross and net earnings can
be re-established.
A PACIFIC PROCRFSS EXPOSITION.
The Panama Exposition Is to be
held at San Francisco. That seems
decided. It Is fitting that this should
be; historically, sentimentally and
practically fitting. For this exposition
is to celebrate the opening of the great
canal. It ts to signalize the linking
of the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans
an event for which the world has
waited and of which It has dreamed
during four centuries.
The exposition will be a crowning
mark of Western progress; of a move
ment that, besides cutting tho canal,
has occupied the Great West of the
American Continent and turned It Into
garden and lias spread across the Pa
cific. This celebration, held anywhere else
than on tho Pacific Coast, would be
sadly out of place. . Congress evident
ly regards the Panama Canal a a feat
of transcontinental progress and of
clflo Coast.
it is mo pruyer vilj iwi
this celebration.
The Senate has passed the rivers
and harbors bill, providing, among
other things, for a thirty-foot channel
between Portland and the sea. As the
chairman of the Houso committee Is
favorable to the Columbia River Item,
the Senate's action will undoubtedly
be ratified by tho House. That the
advantages of a deep channel between
Portland and the sea are at last fully
appreciated throughout the Pacific
Northwest Is shown by the unanimous
support now given Columbia River
appropriations by Washington and
Idaho delegations in Congress. Twenty
years ngo nearly every attempt made
by Fortland to securo Columbia River
appropriations was vigorously opposed
by some or all of the Washington Sen
ators and Representatives. It required
years of patient effort to change this
sentiment, but since the Woshlngto
nlans have learned that more Wash
ington wheat goes seaward by the
Columbia River than by any other
route they are perfectly willing to aid
in the necessary Improvements. They
are actually becoming proud of their
great river.
The steel trust showed profits of
J26.900.978 for the quarter ending De
cember SI. The total net earnings of
tho corporation for 1910 were J141,
144.001. the highest figure reached
since the record year 1907. While the
quarterly report, on Its first appear
ance, was regarded as unfavorable be
cause It showed a decrease from the
previous quarter, the facts that the
regular dividends on both common and
preferred stock were provided for
and an Immense surplus carried over
caused a reversal of feeling yester
day, and the stock went up with a
rush. So long as the steel trust can get
12 8 per ton In this country for steel
rails which It sells In Europe for any
where from $20 to 23 per ton. and
which cost $15 per ton to manufac
ture, the stock will prove a very at
tractive investment, although these
excessive dividends, surpluses and
sums provided for new plants, legisla
tion and dinners are a heavy burden
on the American consumers.
Tho enormous natural resources of
the South practically untouched be
for the Civil War are being devel
oped at a rate that Is simply aston
ishing. Tho coal mined In nine South
ern states last year, for example, ag
gregated the great bulk of 108,700,
000 tons about one-fourth of the en
tire product of tho United States,
while the output of timber and lum
ber from Louisiana alone was valued
at $40,000,000. Northern capital la
exploiting these and other fields of
revenue In the South. Says the New
Orleans Picayune with a tinge of bit
terness: "We go on In our old happy-go-lucky
way waiting for strangers to
come and make us rich which they
have no Intention of doing." It would
seem from this that the blight of slav
. 1 -,m kw.ra nver th Industrial life
0rthe South, checking Its development
or leaving this development to those
who, from the habit or generations,
are explorers In the fields of Indus
trial enterprise.
Several magazines have lately pub
lished shuddering details of the cruel
ty that attends pelt-hunting for the
fur trade. The object In this Is not
apparent, beyond the desire to furnish
sensational flllintf for constantly
yawning columns. It ran hardly be
considered fair to charge this cruelty
of the wilds against women who wear
furs, since tho necessities of the trap
per and the greed of the fur-trader
are at least equally responsible for
the slaughter which, my lady's stolo
and muff represent.
The sensation of bclr.g lost In the
sky must be singular. That is what
happened to Aviator Garros In Texas
tho other day. Perhaps he w-as the
first man who ever had the experience.
Plenty of people have been lost in the
woods and It usually scares them
pretty badly, but Garros was lost In
the clouds. If he would tell how he
felt it would make interesting reading.
The Chicago millionaire of mature
years who has taken up painting may
point a lesson for others of his class.
For all its glitter and show, there can
hardly be anything more vapid than
the ordinary life of so-called pleasure
which the rich lead. It is amazing
that more of them do not turn to art
or science to relieve -themselves of
boredom.
Until the act is made trespass hy
law, people will walk on railway
tracks and trestles and be killed or
maimed. In the absence of good
roads the right of way Is the best
highway, but wayfarers must take
chances.
British Columbia fears the reciproc
ity treaty will swamp her with butter,
eggs and poultry from the Pacific
Northwest States. That Is unlikely.
There is not enough for the home de
mand and never may be enough.
The woman Jury at Wenatchee made
short work of finding guilty a man
charged with profanity. This shows
to what stern uses the talents of the
gentl sex may be put.
Br"er Groundhog may fool 'em today.
ESPERANTO'S AIMS AND GROWTH.
Defender DenJes LugniKt Is Ephem
eral In Statistics Given.
MTJTXNVXLLE, Jan. ST. To the Edi
tor Reading The Oregonian's criticism
of Kfperanto filled me with concern un
til I came to where you referred to Ido.
A dozen or more yeans ago. Ido was of
fered to the world as an "Improved Es
peranto." and tried to win over the
Esperanto movement. It was argued out
but returned again and again until It was
ordered out of tho Esperanto meetings,
and finally had to be thrown out. It
started a magazine In America a few
years ago, which reached the first Issue,
together with a leaflet containing en Es
peranto translation of Lincoln's Gettys
burg speech, . clothed In the harshest
words to be found, and most distorted
grammar. It waa a savage stinger, de
voted mostly to the abuse of Esperanto.
Recently No. 1. Volume 1, of the same
mixture, by the same author, appeared
in England. Next issue may be in Tim
buktu. Veteran Bsperantists know Ido
and Its habits, and. as a rule, ignore It
and Its vaunted claims. In view of
these matters, and especially as
the Portland Commercial Club has In
vited the Esperanto Association of North
America to meet In the Rose City next
Summer, and that Invitation has been
accepted tentatively, at least, I believe
the public la entitled to hear a defense
of Esperanto.
That one man ahould create a perfect
International language Is an impossibil
ity, but that one man should create a
language that would stand the test of
23 years' ut, be adopted by scores of
International organizations, and be tried
out by six great International congresses
without a change, ought to be a matter
of deep interest. If not conviction, to
thinking men, men who love progress. As
to the dead languages, "they can not
come back," and to adopt a living lan
guage for international une would give
the favored nation such commercial and
industrial advantages above Its neigh
bors tuat It can not be considered.
The statement that Esperanto 1a
ephemeral and will be forgotten In a
few years Is an opinion only, that events
dfprove. It is already an International
language for millions of people, has been
In practical use in the commerce of the
world for years and la rapliily Increasing
In favor. I could give columns of facts,
but you would not and could not print all
of them. Seventy-eight magazines aro
published In the language, the oldest,
Internacla Lingvo, of Poriff. has been
published for 16 years. Some of the
are on a paying basis, having WOO to
11000 subscribers, such as Ksperanto. of
Geneva; British Esperantlst. of London;
La Revuo, of Paris, and the German Es
perantlst. of Berlin. One traveler that
passed throuRh 10 countries of Europe
that used different langunes, used Es
peranto exclusively, and he give a tri
bute of thanks for the many courtesies
shown him by Esperantlsts found every
where. ... ,
"Infantile," yes, to the Infant, end a
call for the best that Is in the master
Herein Is Its value, the simplest as well
as the finest shades of meaning can be
expreeuied. and without the ambiguity of
other languages. Flexible and pleasant
to the ear when spoken fluently, an ele
gant style is growing among its writers.
There la little that Is new In Esperanto
aside from lt simplified spelling and
grammar, as the following will show:
Si per cent of all Esperanto wordn are
found In French; 83 per cent are found in
Italian- 83 per cent la English; S2 per cent
In Spanish; 81 per cent in Portuguese; 6
per cent In German; 64 per cent In Latin,
i ,n nt In Russlun.
Esperanto 1 now on trial hefore the
civilized world, the highest tribunal, not
to supplant, but ss an auxiliary to all
i,r., aires. Every land has Its Es-
! peranto periodical, some countries a dozen
or so. and every huven or hamlet of note
It- Esperantlsts. That the smootn-iiow-ing
style of the Latin and Engl sh coun
tries will prevail, there is little doubt,
but to throw the Slav and German over
" . , , osiHa from Its
I at once, as iqo i.'J "T.' .T ." .; ;; A,
other faults, wouia mano u " '
sectional language and not an Interna
tional one. An international language
to be successful with all nauone can not
be constructed on any other lines than
that of Esperanto, as laid down by the
lttUe Hebrew master ui J-
J. C. COOPER.
Inspirations from Francis nacon.
UNIVERSITY PARK. Or., Jan. 30.
(To the Editor.) The observations
made by The Oregonlan regarding
Francla Bacon, born 1661. suggest to
the mind of the writer a few reflec
tions The Oregonlan may kindly re-
CCTh great work Bacon did was to
give suggestions and inspiration to
others. Ho aia noi uiipm.i.
ductlve method, but he blew from it the
dust of time. He appealed to others
with a successful urgency to observe
with their own eyes, and by their own
experiments upon Nature become her
high priests. Nature's favorites are
they w-ho wrest from her the secrets
others have missed. He said good-bye
to speculations which end nowhere.
However, his own researches by in
duction possess but slight worth, and
his own excursions are as rash as tho
foolery which makes him Shakespeare.
But in announcing that it makes no
difference whether others agree with or
oppose us. and thr.' we are to dis
cover our own selves, and look through
our own eyes Into thlnps. he becomes
a benefactor to mankind.
Allow me to emphasize the value of
his e-says. Never mind obsolete terms,
as you see htm construct a paragraph
as orderly as a load of hay that rides
to the barn Is pitched onto the wagon.
Admire the similitudes, the simplicity,
the clearness, and the massive
strength of his well chosen words. His
literature is of thought stamped with
freshness, and at times also of the
feelings. All literature takes root In
either thought, or feeling, or both, and
while Intellect is the main thing with
Bacon, he is not a stranger to feeling.
Feeling is the oasis of the desert. Sa
gacity Is the word to apply to those
Immortal .essays. At first little may
seem to be there In an essay, but the
digger at last finds a Klondike nugget
of thought.
A fine example of the balanced sen
tence we find in the essay on "Of Ne
gotiating." May I quote Just a little o
the essay? "It 1 generally better to
deal by speech than by letters. Letters
are good, when a man would draw
an answer back again; or when It may
serve for a man's justification after
wards to produce his own letters, or
where It may be danger to be Inter
rupted or heard by pieces. To deal in
person is good. When a man's face
breedeth regard as commonly with In
feriors, or In tender cases where a
man's eye upon the countenance of
him with whom he spcaketh may give
him a direction how far to go; and gen
erally, when a man will reserve to him.
self liberty to disavow or to expound."
B. J. HANDLEl".
Lonsrest Blver.
PORTLAND, Jan. 31. (To the Edit
or). Please state in N The Oregonlan
which is the longest river in the world.
Yours truly, E. W. C.
The Amazon and Nile are the longest
single rivers, and are approximately the
same length. 4000 miles. The Missouri
and Mississippi from the mouth of the
former comprise the longest continu
ous waterway in the world.
rtoselalr and Webb.
BROWNSVILLE. Or.. Jan. SO. (To
the Editor). Please answer through
The Oregonlan what became of the wife
murderer Roselalr who was at one time
under sentence of death: also the Webb
case, A SUBSCRIBER.
Roselalr has paid the death penalty.
YveoD is unaer ecuicuca ui uo.ui, uui
his case has been appealed to Uia Su-
I A DEFENSES OF DR. R. B. 1- 3 It " '!'" I "-- - -
Writer Think Head of Oregon State
Insane Asylum Is Blameless.
PORTLAND, Jan. 31. (To the Edi
tor.) A great deal has been printed of
late about the alleged extravagance
and mismanagement of Dr. R. E. L.
Steiner, superintendent of the Oregon
State Insane Asylum, and in a spirit
of fairness, I wish to throw a little
side light upon the situation.
Dr. Steiner needs no defense at my
hands, and all who know him per
sonally will coincide with me In that
he will come out of the Investigation
with flying colors, exonerated and ex
alted. Dr. Steiner, who has a multi
tude of people under his care. Is not
above leaving his comfortable quar
ters In the Institute and In dead of
night descending into a ward personally
to look after and attend a patient In
distress, and knowing whereof I speak,
I cannot but deplore the political trick
ery that Is at the bottom of this
controversy. It Is a well-known fact
that on account of these very political
machinations rarely can a business
man or a professional man, except
a lawyer be induced to permit his
name to be used for a political office
of any kind.
But there is another side to this af
fair, which may not be generally con
sidered. One cannot harrass a man in
any manner without detracting his at
tention from and unfitting him for
his ordinary vocation, and there Is no
doubt In my mind that Dr. Steiner Is
spending much valuable time In de
fending himself before the Legislature,
time which he might profitably em
ploy In the Institution referred to and
in administering to the wants of those
who need his attention, and who are
least considered by those who aro so
anxious to draw hlrn Into disfavor with
the people of this state.
It is well that our state Institutions
should be carefully guarded against
abuses of any kind, and In this con
nection I might suggest that the Ore
gon Legislature now in session could
do a good and noble work by demand
ing some sort of state or county su
pervision of some or all of the so-called
private asylums, the walls of which
hide untold misery and tho most out
rageous cruelties to helpless unfortu
nates. These institutions await but the
time of the avenger to acquaint the
people with their nefarious inner
workings.
While I am not unmindful of the fact
that we are as yet a mile or so removed
from the much-heralded mlllenium. If
we are making any progress at all.
It Is hard to understand why the Leg
islature, one session after another,
wastes so much time on petty politics.
Instead of giving its undivided atten
tion to the needs of the state, which,
the Lord knows, are more 'han
enough to fill the short sessions to
overflowing. , Let our solons not for
get that there Is a day of reckoning
for us all. and that a continuation of
such doings may be the means of some1
day abolishing the Legislature alto
gether, as worse than useless. Verbum
sap. JULIUS ADLER.
Men Known by Their Ilnlr.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Hair has an unquestioned Influence
upon our lives. Let your whiskers run
wild, and you want a new form of Gov
ernment. Lose the hair on the top of
your head, and you begin to think. Brig
ham .Young clean-shaven would prob
ably not have been anything more seri
ous than a bachelor or a Shriner. No
body ever saw an Indian who did not
have a luxuriant head of hair, nor did
any one ever see an Indian who looked
like the hope of his race. A red-headed
man will fight a telephone, a white
headed man will run, and a curly-headed
man won't keep It out. One can easily
mark an anarchist. No two hairs on
his face or his head point in the same
direction. To be bald in front and sort
of mop-headed behind makes you a So
cialist; bald on top, with a long hiding
lock in front a Democrat; nothing but
a little hair hoop Just over the ears, a
Republican; frowzy hair all over the
head, a singlo-taxer; long hair, plain, a
Prohibitionist, and short hair, feminine,
a suffragette.
"Is tho young man Absalom safe?
asked David, his fatVr recalling with
grave misgivings his beautiful hair.
It does make a difference.
Conet of Commerce.
GRASS VALLEY. Or.. Jan. 30. (To
the Editor.) Dear Sir: Will you please
answer this question: What Is a Court
of Commerce? How does It differ from
the other courts, and how many Judges
should there be? SUBSCRIBER.
The Court of Commerce was created
by Congress In 1910 and Is composed
of five Judges. It assumes Jurisdiction
previously possessed by Circuit Courts of
the United States in all cases for the
enforcement (otherwise than by ad
judication and collection of a forfeiture
or penalty, or by Infliction of criminal
punishment) of any order of the Inter
state Commerce Commission other than
the payment of money; in cases
brought to enjoin, set aside, annul or
suspend orders of the Interstate Com
merce Commission and in numerous
other matters or controversies arising
out of interstate and foreign commerce.
In all cases within Its jurisdiction it
may exerciso any or all of the powers
of a United States Circuit Court; its
Jurisdiction Is exclusive in Its own field
but appeals-may be taken to the United
States Supreme Court.
A BONO FOR SOLON 3.
Ho, gnllant 6oIon. neath tha Etatehousa
dume,
Thera are voices calling, calling, from the
oiieahaclt home.
And a thousand institutions throughout our
mighty state
Are urxlng on a thousand claims and nona
ot mem can wait
And a thousand thlnge divert you from your
other legislation.
Demanding several thousand each, for their
appropriation;
Then for these Impecunious institutions,
mail and bis.
Dig de-ply In our coffers, but remember, as
ou dis.
CHORUS.
To keen your foot on the soft, soft pedal;
Go slow, don't dig too far:
For cuh hiia len, and It aurelr can ske
daddle. If tho hd is left ajar.
Munificence is lovely, but don't give It too
much slack;
'Tis a, virtue one should measure by the
voKme o his Hack.
So keep your foot on tue soft, soft pedal.
And pleasa don't dig too far.
Perhaps the time may come some day, when.
In tn poet's words.
tVe will be rich enough to heave our lucre
at the birds.
And the offers of the commonwealth will
compass an amount
That would put tha fabled Croesus on his
back to take the count
Perhaps when L' Ken a master-mind the
nutty problem cracks.
And we eit impaled in paradise upon the
tngle tax
But urtii that mlllenium, O gallant Bolons
all.
What time you die. responsive to our
many-throated call,
CHORUS.
Just keep your foot on the soft, soft pedal;
Go slow, don't dig too far;
For cash has legs, and it surely can ske
daddle. If the lid l left ajar.
Love the Impecunious wherever yon can
spot 'em.
But while you love, remember tha csshbox
has a bottom.
And Veep your foot on the soft, soft pedal.
And please don't dig too far.
(N. B. The melody should wax the more
fortissimo.
The deeper in the cashbox the appropria
tions go.
And should make a brave crescendo on the
diapason stop.
As the bottom of the cola ease comes the
uam a aae (09.)
i-DBAK COLLJKS.
Sentiment In Support of Fresldent
Taft's Policy and Intentions.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Leaving the Panama Canal unfortified
would not promote peace, but invite war.
Washington Herald.
There can be no analogy- between the
conditions surrounding the Suez Canal
and those connected with the Panama
Canal, which will run through territory
absolutely under the domination of the
United States. And the canal . itself Is
being built entirely with American
money. Furthermore, the Suez Canal
Is owned by a private corporation, where
as the Panama Canal is a Government
Press.
Unless the United States fortifies the
canal and holds It, it will be too late
when the canal Is seized to argue over
Its neutralization. How futile paper
pledges become when they are plunged
into the hot fire of war!
Boston Evening Transcript.
The great American public work which
we are constructing on the Isthmus will
have cost $DOO,000,ijO when completed, and
common prduence is sufficient to dictate
Its Insurance against the hazard to which
its strategic value exposes U, to say
nothing of the normal commercial argu
ment for safeguarding such an enormous
Investment of the Nation's capital.
Washington Post
If nations, like individuals, aro still to
be known by the weapons they carry,
then it behooves the United States to
be on the defensive. Inasmuch as the
canal primarily was entered upon as a
means of defending our position on the
Pacif.c, the President cannot conceive of
any patriotic American being willing to
have the canal remain vulnerable to at
tack or open to use by an enemy for
transit to attack us In both oceans.
Rochester Union and Advertiser.
There is common sense In the Presi
dent's contention that neutrality treaties
with the various nations of the earth
would not suffice to protect the canal
from damage by some irresponsible bel
ligerent. Even stronger as an argument
is his pointing out of the foolishness of
leaving the canal as an avenue of tran
sit for on enemy to attack us In both
oceans. It would seem that from a
practical standpoint there is no answer
to his contention.
Nashville Tennessean and American.
This is the open season for foolish
talk about how the Panama Canal should
not be fortified. Of course It ought to be
fortified, and Secretary Dickinson's re
port, and the recommendations of the
Army and Sat; Board winch studied ti.e
conditions on the Isthmus and prepared
a plan for defense, should be adopted
The. board would spend J12.o00.000 for the
protection of tho entrances of the canal
and for guns along its course. Interna
tional treaties may he a guarantee of
neutrality which satisfies some persons,
but treaties are a pretty thin protection
when shot and shell are Hying and a
world's commerce Is Interrupted by war.
Chicago Inter-Ocean.
The fortification of the 1'anama Ca
nal is the simplest of business precau
tions. This Nation owns an immense
property, created by the expenditure of
nearly half a billion of dollars. The
only question Is whether It desires to
Insure that property against certain
known perils.
St. Louis Times.
So long- as the idea of universal
peace has not been reduced to a com
mon understanding among the powers,
it would obviously be a foolish piece of
idoalism to leave the canal unfortified
at present. There miht never be a
gun firad from the frts on the Isth
mus; but tha guns should be there.
Indianapolis Star.
The right of the United States to
n.tftf fha Pannma Canal will not be
seriously contested In any quarter.
Opposition to It is admittedly uaseu
upon the sensational repugnance of
certain of our own people to such ac
tion It rests upon a blind hope that
If we do not fortify it, then no nation
will be so mean and unkind as to go
In there and destroy it. It Is a pro
posal unworthy of serious men, consci
ous of responsibility.
Philadelphia Public Ledger.
Fer us to decide to have the canal
unfortified, with political brigands in
the neighborhood of the zone. Is like
the attitude of a Jewelry merchant who
puts diamond tiaras in his shop win
dow and has neither watchman nor
lights nor burplar alarm. By the time
the canal Is done wo shall have spent
about 4u0.000,000. We cannot afford
to leave unprotected tne iraproaivo
fruition of so magnificent an Investment-
Houston Dally Post.
When the canal Is completed It will
have cost the people of this country
something like jr.00,000,000. To suffer
this stupendous investment to be ex
posed to tho risk of destruction by an
external enemy, whose hostile intent
might not be disclosed until too lata
to check It. through lack of defensive
preparedness would not be the part of
wise and efficient statesmanship.
Our X'cw Mouth-Puckering Fad.
New York Herald.
Whistling- girls and crowing- hens
may come to a bad end in Washington.
D. C but they do not care if they do.
If you cannot whistle or are not learn
ing to whistle, you must hunt some
nice man to teach you how. The nicer
the man the longer it takes to learn.
Mrs. Nicholas Longworth started the
fad and is doing great work in keeping
It up. She whistles in the streets, in
her automobile or on her shopping
tours. The honk-honk and the electric
bell on Mrs. Longworth's automobile
are getting rusty from lack of use.
When she reaches a crosswalk she
whistles and pedestrians make a dash
for safety.
"MR. TWEE
DEEDLE"
New Comic Page in Colors for
the Sunday Oregonian.
Coinmencingr next Sunday,
February f, The Sunday Ore
ponian will publish "Mr. Twee
Deedle," a comic page in colors
by John B. Gruelle. This fea
ture is in connection with the
New York Herald.
Mr. Gruelle is a new artist, 30
years old, who won recently the
$2000 prize in the Herald's
comic picture competition. He
writes :
"I wanted to get away from
the sloppy dash style of comics.
I have always loved fairy tales
and have wanted to illustrate
them. For ten years I have been
desirming and drawing all sorts
of things. ... I was watch
ing for a chance to do what I
want to do,' and I seem to have
found it."
Watch for "Mr. Twee Dee
die" next Sunday.
i
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