TITE SrOHXIXO OREOONIAX. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1911.
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EMI.VTI1L TO OIK SAJXTT.
Th speedy and decisive action o
th Uoum at Washington In making
aa appropriation for fortification of
th i'uarnt Canal may b taken aa
th country" tntr to the mollycod
dle. and Invertebrate who would
hart "neutralized" the great water
way. The pop: of the United Slate
h it an Injunctive appreciation of
th enormous strategic advantage of
the canal In raa of war: and they
ara oppowj to Ita voluntary and need
le surrender through a sentimental
rottoa that wa ow greater consider
ation to tha nations of tha world than
a a do to ourselves and our own
protection.
Tba Offror.Un ha.a mora than one
stated that tha Panama Canal aa a
oromerclal Ventura will not ba can
not be clraclly profitable, but aa a
.Ink la tha chain of ml.itary and
r.iTil dfena. tha tnvmtment of
600,00') in Its construction la a!-
t"ether wla. Repreaentatlva Taw-
ney ald tn tha Ilou debate). Satur
Jar. that tha estimated return from
operation of the canal will bo $1,000.-
040 per year, but th annual outlay.
Including lnterent. will be about $J0.-
''OO Cot), ahowlnc a net annual loaa of
lJ.oo.ro.
Tat thera ara certain nol.y aentl-
-nantallata who would hav tha United
States atand thla mormons drain for
ha mere fun of preientlna; tha canal
practically a frea ar'-'t to the com-
-nerce of tha world. Tho expenditure
-annot be Qualified except on tha
cround that tha maintenance) of tha
anal a fortified canal la ementlal
o ear welfara. peace and safety.
H.ILL WE w, AIT TWO IUU?
The City of Tortland la not the State
-f Orecon. For fhla reason. If for no
nher. The Orearonlan could not aup--ort
a referendum on the Malarkey
public aervlce commission bill nor In-
lorse the adoption of the Rlesland in
.'.latlve measure In Portland.
The Invoking of the referendum on
he Malarkey bill mean a suspension
"t the operation of the act through
iat the state until after the next gen
ral election. It I not reasonable to
Xpert two-thirds of the state to reject
ha bill because a few politicians In
he remaining one-third desire an
other kind of commission. The Ma
arkey bill. If submitted to the voters
n 113. will be approved, and If In
he meantime Portland creates a pub
ic service commuwloa of Its own, that
ommUutlon will be put out of exist--nee
by the approval of the state law.
The next two years would be valu
able In testing the workings of the
Malarkey bill. If It la weak In any
olnt. that weakness could be correct
ed through the Initiative on the same
y that 11 U now proposed to submit
he whole bill by mean of the ref
erendum. If the referendum Is applied to this
neasure and the Rlesland bill It
adopted, what of the eighteen months
hat wt'.l elapse between the city elec
ion and the general election? Will
"ortUnd have aa. efficient local com-
nlssion? Is the machinery of the act
roperly constructed? An answer may
e found ta the statement heretofore
-tade: The CUy of Tortiand la not
he State of Oregon. The City of
'ertUnJ cannot enact laws that run
i their operatlona beyond the limits
f the City of Portland, nor doea It
ave Jurisdiction over at.tte tribunals
or power to amend general laws,
n the case of the State of Oregon vs.
:mma Crawford, decided by the Ore
roa Supreme Court February 21. It
vaa held that under the Constitution
k.a power to pa.a general criminal
iw could C"t be delegated to the
ity of Portland by Its charter. In
ther words. Portland cannot define
s misdemeanor or felony any act
omnv.tted within Its limits that la not
misdemeanor or felony under the
enaral criminal laws.
Tat the KleaUnd bllt. In Its enforc
Tg provisions, attempts, for example,
o make the giving of a street railway
ass bribery aa defined by state law.
n brief the Rlesland bill seeks to
nake felonious In Portland an act not
Inaloua In other portions of the at a to.
.'ot orty this, but In section ST (he
i! seeks expreMly to add all l'.a 11a
liitlea to all the Uws of the state,
ie common law and the constitutions
f the state and Nation.
This remarkable bill also would tell
he county grand Jury, the State Clr
Jlt Ctiurt. the State Supreme Court
3d the Qovernor what each shall do
-I certain premises. It Is provided la
he bill that the State Circuit Court
.ail have plenary powers tn en fore
is; the orders of the Portland cono
tission. Th procedure oa appeal
rom Circuit Court to Supreme Court
specified and the general law of
-.a state Is amended as to time limit,
he terms of the State Circuit Court
r Multnomah County are to be
hanged, extraordinary power and
utlea are conferred on the Supreme
ourt. that tribunal being Instructed
give Portland public service com
tlsaion case precedence over all
ivll suits. It la provided, that aub
er.as ahall run to all part of the
-ate. Thu Portland Is asked
pass a law creating a commission
-tat shall have power to summon
-om Klamath, or Curry, or Wallowa,
r any other county, any person be
re It to testify, and the city la asked
pass a law providing that If any
rson anywhere In Oregon fall to
bey this summons ho may be fined
nd sent to the Multnomah County
II. The Governor is told be shall"
ppoirt the first commission, and a
irtlcuiar. Independent line of pro
.dure In the Circuit Court In the trial
f any suit brought to vacate an order
f the commission I Indicated.
perusal of the Rlesland bill leads
one to believe that somebody 1 at
tempting to perpetuate a weird Joke
on the people of the city. If adopted,
the act must fall, a did the National
Income tax law. because of the uncon
stitutionality of Its machinery. And
It l for thl measure 'with It
Invalid enforcing provision that
are asked to disapprove the Malarkey
bill.
It la perhap too much to hope that
the referendum petition on the Ma
larkey bill will fall. Probably the sig
natures of 8000 voter could be se
cured to referendum petition di
rected against any law passed by the
laat or any aucceedlng Legislature If
the circulator were persistant enough.
But a trifle of wisdom, and a small
amount of scrutiny of the two meas
ures by tha public will man.
ture-gettlng o hard that th Rles-
lands and KeKaheri may become dla.
couraged before the required number
of names Is obtained.
MER01.XG TWO STATU LXTrnTIO8.
The Weaton Leader rlae to re
mark that It "ha no confidence in any
educational policy outlined by The
Oregonlan. We are satisfied that The
Oregonlan Is really opposed to any
sort of highe education at the ex
pense, of the state and It proposal (to
unit the State University and State
Agricultural College) 1 made to crip
ple and discredit both the College and
the University. . . . The orego
nlan l great, yet It Is also subtle
and alnlater."
The oregonlan will merely mention
the fact that the Leader 1 printed at
the home of one of the abandoned
normal schools of Oregon, and It may
be feared that It view of th motive
and purpose) of thl paper In ug-etlna-
union of th State University
and itate Agricultural College nit)
r.ot be entirely unprejudiced. There
was and I nothing ubtle or lnlter
In Th Oregonlan- criticism of the
normal schools; and tta opinion and
expression on higher education are
familiar to ail It readers.
Th Oregonlan I confident that an
arrangement merging the State Uni
versity and the Agricultural Collego
will not only be beneficial to the cause
of education throughout the state, but
to the two Institutions, No friend of
the State University can fall to see
that It 1 under the constant menace
of a referendum against Its appropri
ation: and. under our peculiar y
tem of government In Oregon, the
danger of attack will not soon be re
moved. A single etrong Institution
could and doubtlesa would be the re
sult of a combination, and there would
be no difficulty about reasonable,
even liberal, appropriations. The
prejudice that exists now in om cir
cle against th University would dis
appear or In any event It would
scarcely find potent expression against
a great combined university and
college.
Why Is the suggestion of Th Ore
gonlan not entirely friendly to both
College and University? Why will Its
adoption not conduce to the prosper
ity of both and to the welfare of the
tate?
THE mtK.IIT RATE DIX1MO.
With uch eminent expert as Mr.
Louis Hill, of the Great Northern, and
President Underwood, of th Erie,
making very doleful prediction re
garding the effect of the Interstate
Commerce Commission' rate decision,
and Judge Lovett. of the Harriman
line, and President Mudge. of the
Rock Island, viewing It from the other
end of the telescope; the unsophisti
cated layman will be pardoned for his
ITZJTZZ Z
the decision which wrought
tha stock market last Friday. The
temporary hysteria which swept over
Wall street when the decision was an
nounced ha subsided and, while there
has been no recovery of consequence
In stocks, th decline has been
checked. With the opportunity for a
calmer review of the matter means
may be found for an adjustment that
will soften the blow.
Perhap the moat singular effect
produced by the announcement of the
decision was the fact that stock which
suffered most were those of roads
whose rates were not directly affected
by th decision. The "Pacifies" were
not directly Involved in the cases on
which th Commission rendered It
decision, and yet the declines In Great
Northern. Union Pacific and other
trans-continental Una were much .
heavier than those shown In road birthday, "In practice the use or an
directly Involved In th advanc In j ot these methods falls to give us bet
rates. This Is the most disquieting trJ government, more honest, more
feature of th situation, for th rea-
on that th "Paclflca" need more
money for Improvement and exten
sion than any other roads. The de
cision will unquestionably make It
much harder for them to secure the
necesaary fund than would have been j
th. rasa had other roads been per- '
mttted to advance rate In keeping
with the Increased cost of operation
and equipment.
Judge. Lovett pertinently remarks
that "U la Impossible for the railroads
to stand still, and It Is necessary to
have money to carry out the pro
gramme of Improvements w have de
termined upon." There are o many
opportunltie for the Investment of
capital that It Is unnecessary for Ita
owner to place It In American rail- i
road securltle. With wage and other
operating expense Increasing, and no
advance permitted ta rates, the dif
ficulties of attracting capital are of
course Increased.
As an Illustration of th distrust
that th Investing public has for
American railroad securities In com
parison with those of Canada. Satur
day's closing figures wer Interesting.
Canadian Pacific and Union Pacific
have for years paid th same divi
dends and until about a year ago were
quoted at practically th same flgura
In th market. Saturday, Canadian
Pacific was steady at Its old figure.
1214 per share, while Union Pacific
was unsteady at $1"5 per ehare. In
other words, the man who had money
to Invest in railroad storks was will
ing to pay 113 per share more for a
Canadian stock than for American
stock paying th same dividend, and
with properties In much better physi
cal condition than those of the Cana
dian road.
Fortunately far us all. the world 1
pr!uctng new wealth at a very rapid
rate. After our neighbors on the
north have had a surfeit of American
capital there will surely b some
thing left for the Americans. No one
in this country Is desirous of forcing
th American road into bankruptcy,
nor Is there any Inclination to pre
vent them from securing money ac
tually needed for new construction
and equipment. Consequently, If the
Interstate Commerce decision bears
down too hard on th road, the peo
ple will com to th front and demand
that the roads be given advances
which they assert are actually neces
sary.
HELD FOB CRADCATE8.
Every now and then some wealthy
New York woman distinguishes ner
self by-making practical use of some
of her rlche. To this clasa airs. u.
H. P. Belmont Is a shining light, and
her latest venture 1 exceptional!)
commendable.
Mr. Belmont h& set aside 200
acres of her Long Island farm to be
used a a school for agriculture for
women. Girl will be paid while
learning and their wage will Increase
proportionately to their skill. By
opening up this new avenue of In
dustry for women. Mr. Belmont
hopM t0 reiieve the congestion In the
( , f f4ctory worker, with bene-
flrlal resulta to both classes.
In the West, th fair ex 1 etill In
pretty fair demand for farmer wives,
but there are plenty of cases In which
women have achieved great success
wlthou. any assistance from th men.
If the plan of Mr. Belmont prove
successful. Oregon will offer an ex
cellent field for the graduate of the
Long Island farm, and both th girls
and the tat will be gainer by the
change.
RSXTFBOCTTTS irxBIB BOGIE.
C. A. Smith, a millionaire lumber
man of Minneapolis, who secured vast
tract of Oregon timber land at a very
mall price by method which received
considerable attention a few years ago,
la making public protest against Cana
dian reciprocity, on the grounds that
It will ruin the lumber Industry of
Oregon and Washington. Mr. Smith
states that the Canadian government
sells Its timber to the mill men on bet
ter term than are exacted by the
American Government, that taxe art
lower, that fire protection system bet
ter and that labor Is cheaper across th
line. It would be difficult to Imagine
any better term than those by which
Mr. Smith ecured his holdings from
the American Government, and there
are other methods by which taxation
can be enuallxed than by maintaining
a duty against lumber. Mr. Smith
cites other advantage In the manu
facturing of the lumber. He says:
Not alone In maoufaetutlns ba tha
rn.llan an advantasa. but ha can enip
lumbar o California much mora chpi)r
than It is poaalbla ta ahlp from Whln
lon or Orason. ara reoulrad to fly the
American fla. anil la order to run an
Ameriraa vaaaal from one home port to
another, tha law requtras thai tha vessel
be built In thla eountry. Tha ame lumber
rarrylna hHe can ba ballt In Knaland for
per cant of tba coat of bulldlns In this
country.
This plea offers no logical excuse
for th erection of a trade barrier be
tween the United State and her near
est neighbor and best customer. What
Is needed to correct the evil of which
Mr. Smith complain is to give Ameri
can the ame right that are enjoyed
by the Canadians. Let u meet them
on their own ground and fight them
with their own weapon. Instead of
handicapping ourselve with high
priced lumber carriers, high taxe and
other unneceary expenses' which we
attempt to equalize with a duty on
lumber, why not t!ck to plain, time
tried economic principles and get on
equal term with the Canadians with
out resorting to the unnatural and ob
noxious duty?
It 1s. however, unnecessary to de
pend entirely on theories In demon
strating the .extent of the handicap
under which we labor. A few facts
may throw omo light en the subject.
Rritlah Columbia with her cheap tim
ber, cheap labor, cheap ships, cheap
taxes, and other frightful advantage
over thl country. In 1910 exported to
South' 'Xf Mexlcotralla, the
Orient and other foreign countries.
68.000.000 feet of lumber. During tne
same period, Portland dispatched to
the ame port 130.000.000 feet, and
Puget Sound and Grays Harbor sent
out 202.000.000 feet.
It Is apparent from these figures,
which are official, that Oregon and
Washington made such effectual re
sistance to that Canadian bogle which
frighten Mr. Smith, that we actually
sold nearly five times as much lum
ber a the Canadian sold In markets
available alike to both. '
W.VITIVO FOR COLON EI. BOOSEVELT.
Colonel Roosevelt, as everybody
know who read the papers, has been
giving some attention to the Oregon
aintem. "If." declared the Colonel In
j,js Chicago speech on Washington's
independent and yet more genuinely
sympathetic public servants, then the
system Is a failure."
Let us hope for th best. It Is a
pleasure to note that Colonel Roose
velt Is going to make a personal Jour-
Cey to Oregon, and spend nine hours
in Portland from I P. M. to 12 P. M-.
April 5. 1M1. It Is to be assumed
that he nurposes to get at first hand
ome Information about the workings
j of the Oregon aystem. itn nis m-
candescent mind and rapid-fire meth
I nria he win learn a lot In an afternoon
and evening. Colonel Roosevelt does
not hesitate to admit now that he Is
not clear about the Initiative, referen
dum and recall. When the Colonel 1
In doubt about anything it must b
something that ha many perplexing
element or uncertainty ana ooum.
We.awalt the result of thl historic
visit with anxiety and even with trepi
dation. W want to know a few things
ourselves. Hav we the Best System
of Government In th World? Have
we developed here In Oregon a more
honest, more independent, and a more
genuinely sympathetic das of public
servants? Is the Inspiring cause for
th Colonel's disturbing hesitation the
public servants of Oregon he has seen
cooling their heels at th White House
door, or chasing him into hi retire
ment at Oyster Bay? Doe he think
it well before pronouncing his sover
eign Judgment to inspect the average
Oregon public servant on hi native
heath? If the former, w can well
understand the Colonel' perplexed
and dubious frame of mind. If the
latter, w congratulate him on his rare
perspicacity and abounding sense of
fair play.
Whatever Colonel Roosevelt see,
hear and learns In Oregon, It may be
regarded as certain that he will have
something highly interesting and In
structive to say. Meantime let us rest
content In the firm conviction that. If
Oregon has not the best system of
government in the world, it haa not
th worst. .
Th opposing factions In the Hon
durlan trouble have selected an Amer
ican as a mediator to name a presi
dent for the republic. The available
candidates seem to b confined to
three men named by the revolutionists
and rejected by th regular, and thre
named by the regular and rejected
by the revolutionists. Both parties
are confident that Mr. Thomas C.
Dawson, special representative at the
Peace Conference, will make a satis
factory selection, which of course
place our peace representative In a
delicate position. Perhaps th cause
of peace In unhappy Honduras might
be advanced If the candidates men
tioned were all dropped and a good
American chosen Instead.
Th regular equipment on the
Oregon Trunk passenger train up the
Deschutes will Include a parlor car.
This is something new on Oregon
branch lines. It Is a certainty, how
ever, that when the cenlc beauties
of the new line receive the publicity
they merit, the parlor cars on the run
will carry tourist from all parts of
th world. Neither the Grand Can
yon of the Colorado, nor th splendid
scenery of th Columbia has any ad
vantage over that which will greet
the travelers over the new line to
Central Oregon. This route will in
time be known wherever tourlats and
globe trotters congregate, but the Pa
cific Northwest haa In store an even
mor wonderful thrill for admirers of
the grand In nature. The Salmon
River Canyon, through which engi
neers are now locating a line, la more
than a mile deep, and the light fil
tering down from the top of the gorge
tp the railroad track 6000 feet below
will afford a spectacle that cannot be
equaled on the American continent
and perhaps not In all the world.
A large whaling station Is to be
erected at 6anford Point on Grays
Harbor by the owners of the two sta
tions row In operation on the west
coast of Vancouver Island. The com
mon North Pacific whale has been
loafing around the waters adjacent to
Oregon, Washington and British Co
lumbia since the days of Jonah, but
It is only in recent years that his value
has appealed to man. Inasmuch as
this species of whale attracted no at
tention when hundreds of Massachu
setts whalers wer chasing the sperm
whale In the far north. It is perhaps
eminently proper that the Industry as
now carried on should be entirely de
void of the romance and excitement
that attended the chase of sperm
whales. The modern whaling steamer
with bomb guns and other modern
equipment goes out from a station,
the whale la killed, and the carcass Is
towed In and converted Into oil with
a total absence of any of the features
that attended the killing and trying
out process In the old days.
The Portuguese nuns who, on invita
tion of Bishop O'Reilly, are coming to
Eastern Oregon, are trained nurses
and in this capacity will. It is said, be
a welcome addition to the population
of Baker. Ontario, and possibly some
other town in a section that is prac
tically destitute of this class of help
era Their habits of seclusion and
their Ignorance of the English lan
guage will handicap their usefulness
to some extent, but the latter disabil
ity will in du time be overcome. The
one profession that Is open In every
community for women with talent and
training therefor Is that of nursing.
In this view the nuns Imported from
Portugal will find place In the hearts
of those who need and are able to
secure their ministrations, since they
are by nature and training gentle, en
during, sympathetic and helpful, as
women generally are apt to be who
have found or. chosen their vocation
In life outside of marriage.
According to the rating of those
who are older and presumably wiser
than himself, the boy who leaves col
lege In his sophomore (or any other
year) and gets married m a k es v a grave
mistake. The case, however, is- only
hopeless when he marries a woman
older, but not wiser than himself. The
best thing that disappointed parent
can do In such a case 1 to accept the
situation, treat the boy and his wife
kindly and throw them absolutely
upon their own resources. This will
make a man of the boy. If the stuff is
In him. and If this compels the woman
who won him away from his studies
to do her own housework and care for
the bable as they come along, it will
make a woman of her.
To make fulfillment of his predic
tion popular, the editor of the Elec
trical Review must arrange to have
hi prophecy pulled off during cold
weather. When electric neat Decomes
so cheap as to put the coal pile out of
business, halcyon days for the head
of the family not even excluding the
hired girl will follow, for by simply
throwing & switch will the "missus"
tart the household machinery be
times. Let ua not be In a hurry about
leaving thl world, for good times
(nonpolltlcal) are coming.
In only three preceding years have
the losses from fire in the United
States and Canada been heavier than
In 1910, one of these being the year
of the great Chicago fire and the other
that of the earthquake and Are In San
Francisco. The aggregate last year
reached the enormous sum of 2S4,
4T0.6SO, an excess of more than 630,
000.000 over the losses of 1909. These
figures support the statement that fire
loss In the United States Is on of out
National extravagances.
In vetoing the bill to compel a sta
tion agent to give the whereabouts of
trains to Inquirers, Governor West
forestalls attempts to make life a bur
den to many an overworked man. Tet
the Information is Important to travel
ing people, and If providing for It Is
the duty of the Railway Commission
that body should attend to the matter.
Th Supreme Court treads rather a
narrow path when It decides that an
"unjust" rate Is not necessarily "un
equitable." The word "unjust" is
part of the vernacular while "unequit
able" Is a technical term. Common
speech makes them synonymous, but
lawyers do not use common speech.
In his seal In declaiming against
conditions at the Washington School
for the Blind at Vancouver, Repre
sentative Gandy comes near perpe
trating a bull in telling of the shock
to the modesty of the little sightless
boys and girls In undressing in the
am room. Tet he mean well.
The Nevada Legislature, with an
eye to thrift, will place nothing in the
way of the divorce Industry. State
reputation does not count down there.
It Is all the same to a Georgia mob,
so Its victims are black.
"Made in Oregon" is a good enough
label for tho consumer.
MEXICAN TROUBLES EXAGGERATED
America aa Re-aiding: There Aaaert Reb
ela Are Adventurer-
PORTLAND, Feb. 24. (To the Editor.)
In view of the present intereat in
Mexico, perhaps you may car to give
space In The Oregonlan to some per
sonal views of the situation from those
who are on the ground.'
My sister,' Mrs. N. J. Sorensen, with
her family, has been living at Tehua
can. Pueblo, Mexico, for some years.
Her husband employs many Mexican
laborers and has an extensive acquaint
ance among all classes of the people.
They write us that accounts of the
so-called revolution In the American
papers are very much .exaggerated.
There Is a class of desperadoes and
highwaymen In the northern hills,
which Is always making trouble and Is
constitutionally opposed to all law and
order. American sympathizers would
have us believe that these men are ac
tuated by the highest motives of lib
erty and patriotism.
As a matter of fact, as my sister ex
presses It in a recent letter, the Mexi
cans have all the freedom and political
power that they know how to use. It
is not like the United States, and can
not be for years, if ever. The people
are not fit for self government, as we
understand It. a
Dlas has had a- hard place which he
haa well filled, and the unwise Inter
ference of sentimental Americans has
only strengthened an element which it
has been a constant struggle to con
trol. As for Americans In Mexico, they ara
safe and receive all the consideration
they are entitled to. Generally apeaK
ing, they are of a poor class, adven
turers and .ne'er-do-wells, who would
only be trouble-makers at home.
The newspapers frequently insinuate
that it la the policy of the Mexican
government to minimize the seriousness
of the situation. Senor il or re 11, the
vice-president of the republic. Is a
personal friend of my sister's family
(they live at the same hotel) and he
is evidently perfectly sincere in be
lieving that the difficulty Is in no way
serious. He manifests no anxiety what
ever. With all due respect to our worthy
newspapers. It seems that at least In
thla matter space-writers have often
sacrificed fact to the exigencies of the
demand for news, and have extended
neighborhood quarrels into National
insurrections. .The trouble in Pueblo
was a family quarrel over a personal
matter. That reported in Orizaba was
pure fancy, and many such Instances
might be given.
Perhaps, as Americans, it would be
well if we would learn to confine our
political experiments to our own peo
ple, and cease to thrust upon alien
races a form of government which we
are finding difficult for ourselves, and
Impossible for many less educated and
Independent peoples. Mexico has its
problems, which it must solve, and mis
guided Americans who Intrude their
advice and assistance must pay the
penalty for their impertinence.
LOIS P. MYERS.
(IS Hancock street, Portland, Or.
HELPMEETS
FOR THE FARMERS
Right
Kind Not Found la Cltl
lea or
Colleges, Saya Writer.
VANCOUVER, Wash, Feb. 24. (To
the Editor.) Considerable discussion
of wives for the young farmers of the
Northwest ia absorbing the attention
of many. J. W. B. and Uncle Dennis
disagree except that every farmer
should have a good wife. Yes. one part
of a pair of scissors is not worth much.
It will not cut much of a figure In
building a home. To build an Ideal
American home Is like making a con
tract It takes two. But if one part
of a pair of scissors Is dull, or very
short, they are mlsmated.
Why do not the farmer boy go to
the city to search for a wlfe7 Is it be
cause marrlagable women are scarce?
No. Is It because our city women
shrink from farm life? No. Is It be
cause they are undesirable on account
of physical weakness. Immorality or in
herent indolence. Gladly do I answer
emphatically. No! Then what Is it?
You follow a young man to an office
whose manager has advertised for an
assistant, and listen to the Interview,
and you soon learn what many young
people seem slow to learn. That phy
sical ability, good moral training, clas
sical education and desire to fill a
place, though Indispensable requisites,
are not all that is necessary.
The manager wants a person who Is
already prepared to fill the place. So,
to, a young, farmer wants a farmer's
wife. There Is a small chance of his
meeting a congenial and trained mate
la a matrimonial bureau. There Is still
a smaller chance to find such a Jewel
In a university, because our seats ot
learning prefer Latin to cooking, elocu
tion to sewing, muslo to training for
healthy motherhood.
Through the grand work of the
"Farmers' Equity," the "Farmers' Edu
cational and Co-operation Union of
America" and the "Grangers," whose
members aggregate 6,000,000, the farm
Is beginning to pay and the boys are
turning back to the farm. Now It be
hooves the colleges to train our girls
to become practical housekeepers and
Duritan mothers.
JAMES E. KERSHAW,
Sectarianism and T. M. C. A. -
PORTLAND, Feb. 22. 'To the Ed
itor.) Kindly afford me space for a
correction, the sentence In my letter
on the Y. M. C. A. should read "Unl
veraallsts are not the 'country cousins'
of those In other Christian folds." The
Unlversallst Church Is primarily Chris
tian, then Unlversallst. It believes
more, not less, than other branches of
Christ's followers. You say, "A. Y. M.
C. A. made .up of non-Christians would
be an anomally." True, but since: tha
men In our Unlversallst Church are
Christian, why should a Christian As
sociation, which we are Informed
"knows nothing of sectarian restric
tions," prevent Unlversallst young men
from being active members, while it
accords this right to young men of Bap
tist or Presbyterian or Methodist faith?
There is no sectarianism In swimming
tanks or gymnasium or bookkeeping, but
In religious instruction there is evident
bias.
I recall with thankfulness The Orego
nlan'a editorial of April 8. 1909, concern
ing the breaking of ground for the Unl
versallst church, quoting the speaker'
words. "This church will deny every af
firmation of an unjust or defeated deity,
a partial or disappointed Savior, the
total depravity of human nature, the
annihilation of any soul or its endless
torment in hell." Then The Oregonlan
said:
If my sound of dlsproval of thla most
precious purpoaa this lender expression of
a moat cathollo spirit was heard. It mcst
ba regarded aa tha rattling in their long
closed graves of tha bones of Jonathan Ed
wards. John Calvin and Cotton Mather. Cer
tainly from those preeen there was unl
versal approval and a manifest appreciation
of a creed. If It may ba ao called, which
casts out faar, exalts lova and has faith in
mankind. . . , ,
I am not ashamed of thla glorious good
tidings. I feel that every young man
would be better for living and applying
such principles. JAMES D. CORBY.
Invalid Who Makee Owa Lltlna.
PORTLAND, Feb. 22. (To the Editor.)
Sometime ago I noticed an article in
The Oregonlan regarding an invalid
whoman who, though confined ' to her
bed. made her living by taking sub
scriptions for magazines. Will you kind
ly through your paper give her address
and phone number, as I would like to
give her my subscription.
MRS. A. R. J.
The article referred to Mrs. M. D.
Doane, UA Gllsan street. Main 29vO.
1JT DEFENSE OF GERMAJf BAJtD.
Stant-Ina Often Aak Mnalclaaa to Play
In Tbetr Neighborhood.
PORTLAND. Feb. 24. (To the Ed
itor.) I notice that one of the Coun
cilmen was trying to put the "Little
German Band" out of business, and am
pleased that another member of the
Council came to the rescue. If we are
going to have a great, big metropolitan
city patterned after the cities of the
East, muaic in the streets is one of the
necessary evils, If you put it that way.
In fact I don't think that we have
enough of street music in Portland in
comparison with the Eastern or foreign
cities. Go where you will in New York,
Boston or Chicago you will hear plenty
of muelc on the streets, such as harps,
violins and hurdy gurdies.
These roving bands are of great
pleasure to many people confined to
their homes In many Instances, and to
the children, who often dance on the
sidewalk to the music. In fact It has
been brought to my attention right
here in Portland that people confined
to the hpuse have requested the Ger
man band to come occasionally in
their vicinity and play the old tunes,
and the local band plays very well.
The City of Boston haa a commission
of three well-known musicians to ex
amine all street performers to assure
that they play acceptably and In fairly
good tune. Let Portland do the same
and have more music in the streets.
This business man. complaining of
the "little band," must be of the eame
caliber of a person here In - Portland
who recently made the remark that all
musicians, actors or any one devoting
their time to the entertainment of
others ought to be in a very hot place.
A. CLIFFORD.
Protest Not Consistent.
PORTLAND, Feb. 24. (To tha Ed
ltor.) Longfellow, our greatest poet.
says:
God sent his singers trpon earth,
wfrh umsi of i&dn,ii and of mirth.
That they might touch the hearts of men.
And bring them back to Heaven again.
We tolerate the excruciating noise of
the streetcars as they round the curves,
the nerve-racking screech of the siren,
the rumble of the train through our
busiest streets, and the fumes and odors
of gasoline from the autos as they tear
madly across our pathway, yet we turn
with virtuous Indignation against a
little band of musicians who are filling
our streets with melodies and arraign
them for the act. The members of tha
Council who have wished to burden
them with a tax or perchance drive
them from the streets, should stop to
consider the vital question of fact.
These men play from early morning
until late at night; they visit every
part of the city and give enjoyment to
countless thousands of children and
adults; they are self-supporting and
live on tho voluntary contributions
from the public; they are doing good
to our citizens, for they produce har
mony where otherwise strife might
prevail, and the further fact they ask
nothlnsr from the Council itself.
Let them play; if they can drown the
deslro for money for a few minutes, or
ruffle the spirits of the dog-catcher for
the same length of time, they are en
gaged in a good work and I think they
should be allowed to continue It.
BERNARD MULRINE.
IMOX OF THE HIGHER SCHOOLS
Correspondent Haa Scheme (or Port
land to Take Whole Thing.
EUGENEl Or., Feb. 25. (To the Edi
tor.) The article by Mr. Wright suggest
ing the union of all state educational
institutions in one place is an excellent
one. Tho saving in money would be
enormous and the Increase In usefulness
to the state would be tremendous. But
the question arises where should such
an Institution be located? Eugene won't
go to Corvallis, Corvallls won't go to
Eugene and Monmoutn won i go to euner
olace.
Let tne rich men of Portland buy 600
acres of land about 10 miles from fort
land where It can be bought for $100 or
less an acre, and then let Portland raise
11.000.000 for building and offer the whole
to the state for a united educational In
stitution and let the state by Initiative
vo'te on that propos tlon, and watch tne
result. !
Seattle would Jump at such a proposi
tion and raise the money in lu aays.
Will Portland do It? Of course not Her
ereat men are spending their money ana
time In fighting new bridges and other
improvements. Here Is a chance for
Portland. Let It take the matter up or
forever keefi Its peace.
The land up at Eugene and Corvallis
and Monmouth could be sold ana usea
as endowment. It would bring as much
as It and all the buildings originally
cost If there Is ever to be a union of
all educational forces it should be done
now and quickly. Portland Is the place
where the Institution should be located.
Even the Reed Institute could be made
an affiliated part of it Now, Portland,
what are you going to do about It? The
state awaits your repiy. waai auaii
th, BiMver be?
I am Just a newcomer and should, per
haps, not "butt In. out i nave.
MABCELLUS B. WHALLBT,
f, i. ia verv aillv. but The Oregonlan
prints It, since it reflects one kind of
opinion. Seattle could and would raise
no such subsidy, since n mrenuy -great
state university, with an endow
ment of an Immensely valuable tract of
land In the heart of me cny, me b"
of the late A. A. Denny (not the gift of
Seattle). Portland will have a fine edu
cational institution soon in the Reed
College. It Is not particularly concerned
or interested in procuring a state uni
versity here; and. If The Oregonlan
knows the temper of the state, could not
get It even with a suDsiay oi iio
amount this uninformed correspondent
names.
HIT SCORED BY IDAHO SENATOR
New Orator Born Into Senate, Declares
Nerr York Paper.
John Temple Graves In New York
American.
A new great orator was born into
the Senate today. The laurels which
Bailey and Beveridge and Dolllver have
won in times past are now richly and
abundantaly shared by Borah of Idaho.
No greater speech has been made In
the Senate this year, or within the
decade, than the bold and virile young
Senator from Idaho delivered In ad
vocacy of the constitutional amendment
for the election of Senators by tho
people. .,
The constitutional argument, it is
generally agreed, was worthy of the
elder days of the American Senate and
the spirit of catholic regard for the
rights and the worth of the people
lifted the speaker to a high and inspir
ing point of eloquence.
The most notable among many not
able things in Borah's speech today
was its fearless rebuke to Northern
Senators for their hypocrisy In drag
ging the race question into the dis
cussion of the constitutional amend
ment and his direct charge that the
white man was the same. North or
South. .
The Western, statesman, with the
virile freedom . and the aggressive
clearness of his great section, touched
this vital question with fearless and
incisive vigor. He declared that the
race question had been used for the
past 30 years as a demagogic appeal
to becloud and defeat righteous issues.
The effect of Borah's great speech
was Immediately evident upon both
sides of the chamber. Senators of the
three political camps united in pressing
about him and congratulating him upon
the masterly effort, and the ovation he
received surpassed In heartiness and in
enthusiasm that which was given on
Monday to Senator Bailey, in another
great speech in a less worthy cause.
Timely Tales of the Bay
George L. Baker, theatrical manager.
Councilman from the Fourth Ward and
prominent "hustler," was "stung" by a
friend the other day.
"Supposing I were running for Mayor,"
said Mr. Baker to his friend, "would you
vote for me?"
"But you're not running, so why sup
pose?" was all the satisfaction he got.
"Well, I Just wanted to know how you
felt about it," said Mr. Baker. "Would
you?"
"I certainly would." he was assured
by the friend.
"Then, I suppose I am sure of your
vote for Councilman from the Fourth
Ward?" persisted Baker.
"Not on your life."
"Why?"
"Conscientious scruples, that's all."
"Conscientious nothing!" said Baker.
"Why vote for me for Mayor and not for
Councilman?"
"I live in the Eighth Ward." replied
the friend, "and you don't expect me
to violate the law by voting for you In
the Fourth, do you?"
"You're a born comedian," retorted
Baker, "you ought to be on the stage,"
but he didn't even smile at the joke.
a a a
Police Captain Slover, of the second
night relief, is not exactly a temperance
crank, but he has very little (with em
phasis on the word "very") use for the
demon rum.
The other night a man under the In
fluence of liquor or something that smelt
mightily like It walked Into the station
and asked for lodging. The Captain
gazed at him sternly over the top of
his glasses while the petitioner for a
bed poured out his tale of woe, which
included the declaration that all his
money had been stolen from him in a
rooming-house the night before by a
miscreant whose name was to said peti
tioner unknown.
The Captain didn't take much stock
in the story. Nearly every other man
who applies for free lodging at the sta
tion tells the same yarn. He gazed at
the man Intently for a moment and said:
"I guess John Barleycorn Is your worst
enemy. Now, honestly, don't you think
so?"
"Well, I'll tell you. Captain, I didn't
see the feller, but that might be his
name all right; It sure might," was th
rejoinder.
a a a
A Volunteer of America called one day
on a newspaper editor. He had a long
article on a religious subject which he
wanted run In the newspaper. The edi
tor glanced It over and declined to run It
"Why, that article would be of inter
est to thousands of your readers." per
sisted the Volunteer.
"You must allow me to Judge what our
readers want" answered the editor.
So the dialogue continued. Having
tried argument in vain, the Volunteer
sought more subtle means. He reached
Into his pocket, leaned over the editor's
chair, laid a coin on his desk and said:
"Now be a good fellow and run my
article in the paper, and then go out
and buy yourself a good cigar."
With these words the uniformed mes
senger of charity vanished from the
room. The coin, bright and new, lay
disclosed on the editor's desk.
It was a nickel.
a
Jo Anderson, of Sacramento, Cal., is
In love with his home city. He has
lived there for 25 years. He knows
everybody In the town. He is the town's
popular commercial printer. When the
names of candidates were presented on
the first day of the Pacific Coast Cost
Congress for choice of the next meeting
place he was up and doing something
for Sacramento. He talked his home
town to everybody. He pointed out Its
beauties and told the delegates what a
good time they would have If they came
to Sacramento. He was on the pro
gramme to read a paper on the second
day. Everybody appreciated the fact
that he would In his speech boost his
town. "
Just as he was called upon to make
his speech regarding a trade topic the
secretary of tne congress arose and read
a telegram which had been handed to
him by a Western Union messenger boy.
""Sacramento. Cal., Feb. 23.-To the
President of the Pacific Coast Cost Con
gress: We Invite you to come to Sacra
mento in 1912. Sorry that we have no
one In the congress at Portland to repre
sent us. BEN FRANKLIN CLUB.'
Anderson's face turned scarlet. ' Gen
tlemen." he shouted. "I have lived In
Sacramento for 25 years. I have friends
there by the score. These very men
who sent this telegram knew that I was
here. They have perpetrated upon me
an Injury- But I am broad enough to
forgive them. I am glad that I have
manhood enough to overlook the present
embarrassment, for I love my home place
and evep if a telegram came telling you
to disregard my boosting proclivities, I
still would be found fighting for Sacra-
"At'thls moment the president, looking
serious, broke In:
"Gentlemen of the convention, you will
appreciate the situation when I state
that the telegram Is a fake one perpe
trated by the Southern California dele
gates In the back row upon their best
friend. Jo Anderson."
Anderson couapsea.
Half a Century Ago
From Tha Oregonlan, Fab. 27, 1881.
"a" bark came ashore day before yester
day morning at Tillamook Head, bottom
side up and loaded with lumber. She Is
supposed to be the Leonessa from Puget
Sound. All hands must have been lost
The public mind is somewhat exer
cised at this time In regard to the lack
of facilities for carriage. The late rains
and floods have cut oft all communica
tion with the country, except by the
rivers. Nearly 'all the produce raised
contiguous to the river is brought in. and
for the present business Is nearly at a
standstill, with granaries and
-...o. the r-nuntrv filled to bursting.
and a good and improving market for it
at Victoria and San Francisco. Why
can we not have a road to some of the
heavy farming districts? We talk about
building telegraphs to Yreka-why not a
road to Dayton?
o .wi,. ruict has not many opportu
nities to administer Justice tempered
with mercy, now-a-aays. uru....,
are scarce, D. D.'s have quit drinking,
aerious offenders have no enterprise
no stomach for rascality.
fi,. Advertiser says that there have
...inMitinns In the Army on ac
count of political troubles at home. Our
contemporary is mistaken. Lieut. Fer
guson and Capt. Johnson have either
resigned or intend to do so. from no
other cause than sympathy with the se
cessionists. A Mr. Berrien has also re
signed, or gone home to do so, and as
we have said before, we are prepared to
tk. ,on wirh in rank have ex
pressed sympathy with the secessionists.
The Shasta Courier calls Horace
Greeley a "miserable ponucj.
As the philosopher of the Tribune will
probably never see these remarks. It is
no matter. But it may not be out of
place to remind Sklllman & Dosh that
-o.t men as they have run
against Horace Greeley and then dis
appeared Irom tne pui"-, -
dunly. ' ,
A Man's Terror.
Washington (D. C.) Star.
Where are you going, my pre tty maid 7
Tm eolnr a-taopplnR. sir. she earn
wluvt you come with me?" He shook his
Andrea, base coward, ha turned and fled.