Morning Oregonian., April 06, 1911, Page 8, Image 8

8 THE aiORXISO OKEGOXIAN, TITTJR SPAY, APRIL 6, 1911.
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PORTLAND, THURSDAY. ATIUL !
TAC03fAS KXCALL EUCTIOX.
It Is peculiar frill that has been
put on the recall In Tacoma munlcl
pal a (Taint. The election storm In
stituted by those who desired the i
moral of Mayor A. V. Fawcett ha
disclosed primarily that the people of
Tacoma do not want a socialist for
chief executive. This was not the
lasua at all. but nothinr else has really
been decided.
Under the recall provision of the
Tacoma commlraion-plan charter it
requires a majority to elect a new
Mayor or retain the old one If there
are three or more candidates In the
field. None of the three candidates
received a majority In the election
Tuesday, so the two who received the
highest totals will try again In an elec
tion to be held two weeks hence. It
might be Inferred from the result.
Inasmuch as Mayor Fawcett stood sec
ond. that a majority of the people of
Tacoma desire his recall, but who can
say whether the 30J voters who vot
ed for the socialist candidate care an
lota whether Fawcett Is recalled If
they cannot displace him with a so
cialist? How will they vote as be
tween Fawcett -and W. W. Seymour.
the Public Welfare candidate?
It does not seem that Tacoma's ex
perience in the post year has re
flected great credit either on the com
mission form of government or on the
recall. As in the Seattle case, the peo
ple, elected Mayor a man whose record
and disposition were known or should
have been known to all. Then when
he did Just what should have been
expected of him they turned upon him
after one year's trial and aoug'et to
unseat him. The commission plan of
government did not correct the initial
mistake, so the recall is Invoked.
The recall aa we conceive It la
not properly used aa a weapon
whenever it happens to be discovered
that public sentiment or clamor has
changed on a matter of governmental
policy. It is properly used when cor
ruption in office id discovered. The
principal complaint against Fawcett
Is that by temperament he Is a dis
turbing element in the commission.
Aside from that, he has played poli
tics In handing out offices; he has
trimmed first with the liberal and
then with the faction until both are
angry. There have been charges of
extravagance, but these were subor
dinated, apparently, in the campaign
Just closed, to the other issues. Viewed
from a distance. It appears to be a
controversy almost solely of a political
nature.
It is somewhat strange that In the
light of the small political squabbles
over short term offices which the re
call has actually brought forth, almost
the sole fear expressed of the recall
la Its application to the Judiciary. Yet
la this state where the recall applies
to the Judiciary there has been no
thought of Its application against any
Judge. The Judiciary is not ao Intl
matety associated with the dally life
of the average voter as is the munici
pal administration, and probably the
recall will never be Invoked In Oregon
against a Judge unless corruption is
charged. Tet there have been at least
four municipal recall elections In Ore
gon as the result of petty controversies.
Experience seems to teach that
there la more cause to fear the wrong
application of the recall against short-
term officers than against the Judi
ciary. The recall will doubtless be
modified some day so that It may be
applied only In case of malfeasance or
misfeasance In office. Experience also
shows that a commission plan In Itself
does not Insure good city government.
It provides only a method for getting
better men into office. Like the di
rect primary. It Is a means to gain a
desired end. If the method Is misap
plied, the result la no better than that
achieved under the old order.
AX OTEROCB OBLIGATION.
The owners of American sealing
schooners "which were unlawfully
seised by the United States In the
early '0s are preparing to make an
other effort to obtain the money that
Is Justly due them for damages suf
fered. With the' changed political
complexion of the House the merit
of their claims may receive recogni
tion. Nothing In connection with the
American policy regarding the sealing
question haa reflected any credit on
the United Stale, but among all the
blunders that have been committed,
and with all the Injustice In connec
tion with the business, nothing is so
monstrously unfair as the refusal of
the Government to liquidate these
clalma. For the British schooners
seised simultaneously with the Amer
ican schooners. Great Britain demand
ed d and received payment In full,
amounting to more than f 400.000. For
American and British schooners seised
by the Russian under exactly similar
circumstances Russia paid In full for
her error, but as yet not one dollar
haa been paid for the Illegal seizure
ef American schooner by American
cutters.
The Injustice shows all the more
glaringly when It Is noted that the
rights of these American claimants
were clearly established at the Parts
Arbitration Tribunal, at the Victoria
hearing, and at The Hague Confer
ence. The bill extending to the Amer
ican claimants the same relief that
waa given the British haa passed the
Senate three times without a dissent
ing vote and haa received three favor
able reports from House committees,
but has always met with opposition
from the Speaker. More than twenty
five years have passed since the first
ef these seizures was made. Many of
the claimants have since died, while
others have been reduced to strait
ened circumstances by their long fight
to secure what Is Justly due them.
The fact that the United State paid
the Canadian claims and forecd the
Russians to pay for exactly similar
seizures established precedents which
could not well be avoided or explained
away. Aside from these precedents
and the faultless presentation and
proof of the American claims, this
Government Is further Indebted to the
American sealers for valuable testi
mony at the Victoria hearing. This
testimony, according to the report of
Don M. Dickinson, special consul for
the United "State, enabled the com
mission which made the award to
-sift and expose' fictitious claims and
to reduce unreasonable and exorbi
tant valuations to reasonable propor
tions." As a result of this testimony.
Canadian claims aggregating 11.289.
008.87 were scaled down to 413.97.
Tfce final sum paid by this Govern
ment was $294.188. U principal and
S169.265 interest,- or S463.4S4.37. If
economy demanded the refusal by
the Government to pay these claims.
it would be much more credit
able to reject others of lesser merit
Such treatment la not conductive to
patriotism.
Ollt BETTER CLASSKS.
The defeat of Charles E. Merriam
In Chicago by a heavy vote warn
candidates that the support of. the
"better classes' affords but a slippery
footing In pontics. Mr. Merriam la a
professor in Chicago University who
has served the city as a Councilman
and taken a hand in a number of
purifying enterprises. He ran for
Mayor with the expectation thai cm
sens who profess belief in honest gov
ernment would support him. They
did support him with their tongues
and some with their purses before tne
election came off. They might have
gone to the length of casting their
votes for him on election day If It
had not rained. But It did rain, and
the fear of getting wet outweighed
with these patriots the desire for an
honest citv government. So tne con
trol of affairs in Chicago slides back
Into the hands of the Democratic ring
with one of the good old ringmasters
in the center cracking his whip.
Viewed from the standpoint of poll
tics, our best citizens possess two In
terestlng traits. The first Is that they
care very little about the way tney
are governed. The second Is that they
love their ease better than their city,
their state or their country. So long
as base politics does not interfere with
their pleasures or their incomes they
are willing that thieves should noia
the public offices and riot as they like
In them. So long as tne regular rouna
of dinners, dances and bridge goes on
undisturbed they seem quite as con
tented to dwell in a city reeking with
dishonesty and crime of all sorts aa
to have a house In the New Jerusalem,
The better classes can be induced
sometimes to' attend speeches and
wear badges during a campaign, but
a shower on election day so dampens
tv.i. ,ni that thev will not co out and
vote. One Is tempted to believe that
their zeal during the campaign la
often a mere fiction. They shout be
cause others do.. They love the sen
sation of fancying themselves virtuous
heroes in the cause of reform, but they
love dry feet a great deal more.
AX VNE.WIAB.LE MINISTER.
Sensible people will not feel much
sympathy with the La Grande minis
ter who could not live. an honest life
in his profession. He had to leave
the pulpit, he told his congregation,
and go out on a farm before he could
keep the Ten Commandments. His
resolution to till the aoll is commend
able. We need more men who will do
It with Intelligence and energy, but
we are afraid he will find his foot
steps snared by the wiles of Satan as
frequently In the fields as in tne pui
plf There we suppose he was tempt
ed to say he believed things he did
not believe or to suppress unpleasant
truths, and, as we understand his tes-
Hmntiv to vlelded.
On his farm he will be tempted to
put the biggest apple at tne top or
th. twiv mh fill In below them with
runts and worm-eaten .windfalls. If
he sell pork he will be tempted to
say that it was fed corn when In real
ity It got nothing but straw to eat.
When he sells a horse he will be
tempted to declare that It Is sound of
mnA iimh and onlv C Years old.
when In reaUty it Is a spavined hack
of 30.
If the Reverend Ford Ellis could
not withstand the wiles of Satan In
the pulpit, how can we expect him
to do It on the farm? The allure
ments to lying, cheating and unchar
Itableness are much the same In one
position as In the other. Virtue de
nenria not ao much on the clrcum-
stance In which a man finds himself
as on his character. If hi cnaracter
I. ri.hr.e- in the oulDlt It la not likely
to be made robust by moving out on
a farm. The man who wooDles in a
church will wobble quite as badly In
any public office he may obtain. The
wobbly proclivity 1 bound to show
Itself In one place aa well as another.
t. or manv honest ministers.
It Is possible for a man to speak: the
truth to a congregation and retain
K-i- miiirt' rterhana that la the easi
est way to retain It. That Mr. EI1I
cannot do -the trick is meiancnoiy to
believe, but happily bis inability does
not Impose a rule upon other- men or
even set an example which they are
obliged to follow.
THE W RDCK or THE MAIM.
Ti la atated on authority of the con-
innr uh hullt the coffer dams
around the sunken battleship Maine.
In Havana harbor, that the hull of
the Ill-fated vessel will be exposed
nn later than June 1. It can then be
determined whether the ship was
wrecked by an explosion from witnin
or without. Since there has always
K--n tAiiM urjon this Dolnt and the
question at one time was a grave one.
will srratlfr a still lingering curi
osity to know the truth In the matter.
Beyond this, no end can be served
by the disclosure. The events that
preceded and immediately followed
this disaster have been practically
fnrenttfn. At least they have no
bearing on any question now before
the Nation. Laterally speaking, no one
cares whether the battleship was sunk
by the explosion of her own magazine
or by a Spanish torpedo.
interest In the disaster is now re
stricted to the recovery and burial In
their own land of such of the bodies
of the Maine's gallant crew a have
resisted the erosions of time and
water and may yet be recovered.
There I still a large number of these
Yuwilea entombed In the hull of the
sunken vessel and It is the doty of
the Government to recover them If
possible and return them to their na
tive land for burial. Strictly speak
in. however, this Is a matter of sen
timent, rather than of duty, but
whether regarded as the one or the
other, the Nation cannot afford to
disregard the feeling that Is behind it.
Beyond this, the cost Incurred in
raising the wreck of the Maine is only
Justified by the fact that as this mass
of twisted iron and battered steel
now lies. It Is a grave obstruction to
the commercial Interests of the har-
bor' '
AMERICAN AND ENGLISH RAILROADS.
Quite a few Americans have formed
the habit of adversely criticising the
capitalization, operation and other
features of railroading in this country
by comparison with those of Europe.
It was pointed out In these columns a
few weeks ago that the government
owned German railroads engaged in
every form of rebating that was pro
hibited by the American roada; that
they were also more heavily capital
ized than the American roads, and
that farea and freight charges were
higher than they were in this coun
try. Further evidence of the super
iority of American railroading is
shown In some elaborate tables which
have Just been compiled by the Bu
reau of Railway Economics at Wash
ington. The Interstate Commerce
Commission, for convenience In com
pilation, divides the United States into
groups, and because Group 2 em
braces the most thickly populated
portion of the United Staes it is cho
sen for comparison with the United
Kingdom.
This group covers approximately
the State of New York, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.
Involving an area of 107,783 square
miles, and is compared with 121.400
square miles included In the United
Kingdom returns. The population per
square mile Is placed at 371 in the
United Kingdom and 182 In the United
State. In Group 3 territory there
were operated 23,696 miles of Blngla
track and 24.993 miles of additional
track, while In the United Kingdom
there were 23.205 miles of single track
and 30.464 miles of additional track.
In this country, where there ha been
so much discussion over watered stock
and over-capitalized roads, tt will
prove somewhat surprising to note
that the railroad capitalization of the
United Kingdom is $274,842 per mile,
while In Group 2 in the United States
It la but $142,404. The density of
population Is reflected In the figures
showing 65.079 passengers carried per
mile of line, while In this country
there were but 13,172 carried. Freight
traffic per mile of line was 21,184 In
the United Kingdom and 19,428 In this
country. The net operating revenue
per mile was. $8025 In the United
Kingdom and $6263 In this country.
The heavier trains In this country
are blamed for the killing of twice as
many employes here as In Europe,
but In the number Injured this coun
try ha slightly the best of it with 963
Injured for every 1000 miles of track,
compared with 1035 abroad.
The showing on the whole Is rather
favorable to the United States and
the figures disclose quite a few points
In favor of the American system. If
the American people were forced to
pay revenues on roads capitalized at
$275,000 per mile the anti-railroad
sentiment would develop into a riot.
THE COURTS AND THE LAW.
The prevalent unrest among the
people over the tendency of our courts
to transform themselves Into legisla
tive bodies finds illuminating expres
sion In the April Atlantic. The ar
ticle, which is by Harrison S. Sm alley,
deals with that power over law which
the court acquire through Interpreta
tion. It often amounts, as Mr. Smal
ler shows by several examples, to nul
lification. In his opinion the author
ity to interpret a statute properly be
longs to the legislature, because in
terpretation always means amend
ment, no matter how cautiously It la
performed, and In extreme cases It
means veto or repeal. Often the
court repeal a law which ha been
In force for year by some new and
unthought-of twist In the meaning
they assign to It. It stand to reason
that the only body which ought to
amend law 1 the one which makes
law. Serious Inconvenience both to
the courts and the public arise from
the tendency to make legislators out
of the Judges. Perhaps the worst of
them Is the Inevitable consequence
that the more of the dutle of legisla
tion the court assume the deeper will
they plunge Into politic.
There is no escape from the fact
that legislation Is a matter of pblltlcs,
and when the Judges undertake to
perform It they enter the field of par
tisan controversy. Their participation
may be concealed more or less dex-
trously under one form and another but
the people are sure to detect It and
political contests will begin to center
around the courts. Indeed this ha
begun already. Nothing Is more com
mon than to read In radical paper
violent diatribe against the political
and social theories of certain Judges,
Just as we read matter of the same
kind about Roosevelt and Bryan, it
will be an evil day for Justice when
this attitude becomes the usual one.
The Ideal court stands aloof from par
tisanship of all kinds. It has, as a
court, no theories about capital and
labor, no view of the tariff, no pref
erence for property over life. But
the moment a Judge begins to Inter
pret law he unavoidably expresses
opinions on all these subjects and Im
mediately falls into the maelstrom of
controversy.
It appears, too, a If the court had
Invited all this trouble for themselves
without any necessity. Their author
ity to Interpret statute is only infer
ential. It Is nowhere directly con
ferred upon any court, and, as Mr.
Smalley correctly reasons. It properly
belongs to the legislature. Even the
right to construe the Federal Consti
tution Is not given to the Supreme
Court. It Is deduced by a train of
logic far from simple and not so con
vincing as it might be. The Supreme
Court ha original Jurisdiction only in
cases "affecting ambassadors, other
public ministers and consuls and those
In which a state shall be a party." In
all other contingencies It Is an appel
late court, both as to law and fact,
and its Jurisdiction Is expressly sub
jected to "such exceptions and regu
lation as Congress shall make." This
means that Congress may forbid an
appeal to the Supreme Court In any
class of cases It like. But the in
stances In which the Supreme Court
feels called upon to declare laws un
constitutional arise, almost all of
them, from appeals which Congress
may "regulate" to suit Itself. It might
so regulate them that they never
should call in question the constitu
tionality of a law which had been
properly enacted.
Mr. Smalley remedy for the legis
lative proclivities of the courts Is to
set up a commission charged with the
duty of Interpreting the" law. The
Judges could then devote their time
and energy to deciding lawsuits, which
Indeed la their legitimate business.
We are not convinced, however, that
the proposed cure would be very ef
fectual. No doubt the commission
would usurp authority and transform
Itself Into an oligarchic Council of
Ten before a great while. The pro
cess of Impeachment looks more prac
ticable and hopeful. If a Judge who
shows a disposition to constitute him
self a legislature were brought face
to face with Impeachment proceedings
once or twice. It Is conceivable that
his zeal would cool. We fancy that a
few occurrences of this sort would
bring to light many hitherto unsus
pected harmonies between the statutes
and constitutions both Federal and
state.
Portland's prestige as a livestock
center has been steadily advancing
since the establishment of the big
packing-houses in this city, but the
Increasing Interest in the kind of stock
that keeps the packing-houses in oper
ation doe not seem to decrease that
shown In horses. The automobile
has not yet made sufficient headway
In displacing the horse to lessen the
number of the latter, or to reduce
price. The annual Spring breeders'
auction sale, which is to be held in
Portland this month, is bringing high
class horses from Montana, California,
Washington and other states. This la
the eleventh annual Spring sale, and
the offering are larger than they
have ever been. These sales, together
with the big race meetings that have
been held at Portland and Salem In
the past two years, have served to keep
the interest In horse breeding quite
active. The Industry was never more
prosperous than at the present time.
Cyrua Hedden, Indian war veteran,
wlio earned his title and Incidentally,
after many years of waiting, a pen
alon from the Government, for fight
ing Indians in Southern Oregon in
1851, died a few days ago at his home
in Scottsburg at the age of 91 years.
Mr. Hedden was of the sturdy fiber
of which pioneers were made and
whether he carried a gun in a cam
paign against the Indians, bore a
wounded comrade through the thick
woods to a place of safety or worked
at the blacksmith's forge and anvil,
he performed conscientiously the
work which fell to his lot In life, and
at the appointed time passed on full
of years and honors. His death leaves
a vacancy In the ranks of the Indian
War Veteran of Oregon and closes a
long chapter In the book of human
endeavor.
Apparently the only real Issue In
Mexico Is Diaz. Incidental to the
overshadowing factor in all the trouble
that has kept the republic in a state of
turmoil for many months are a num
ber of other matters concerning de
sired reforms, but all of which could
be brought about if the dictator were
removed. The latest statement from
General Madero seems to make It
quite plain that peace la Impossible so
long as Diaz remains In power.
The old-timer In Harney County
who bewails the coming of the rail
road 1 the last of a numerous tribe.
Tears ago they were sad to see county
roads built. Passing teams would
scare the cattle and make them lose
fat. The same men fight dairy and
fruit Inspection. The mossbaek's sor
row over the Influx of enlightenment
and comfort may be full of romance,
but It 1 remarkably empty of sense.
If Diaz' retirement would restore
peace to hi country he might do
worse than to resign. He does not
rule by divine right, but by what pro
fesses to be an election, though It Is
many year since a real election was
held In Mexico. Once Diaz' tenancy
of office was necessary to peace, now
It excites commotion. A wise man
adapts his conduct to the' time.
Th ilcsth of vounsr John Ott In
Cleveland on learning that the girl he
wished to marry was hla half-sister
reminds us that the primal passions
are still strong In spite of the Influ
ence of civilization to weaken them.
The love that men die of may not be
the most comfortable kind, but It Is
the kind that nature relies on to build
her great and conquering races.
Baron d'Estournallea de Constant
says the United States could not Injure
Japan even by defeating her, while
-innon haa no imaginable way to in
jure us. We await with satisfaction
Mr. Hobson' crushing answer to these
bold heresies.
Representative Cox thinks this coun
try would be humiliated by losing the
Philippines In the event of war. If
Mr. Cox is alive when that happens. It
is hoped he will live a bit longer and
watch us recover them with a few
more stuck on.
Senator Chamberlain purposes In
troduction of bill to open the Warm
Springs and Klamath reservation to
settlement. The time Is ripe for the
Junior Senator to be the useful mem
ber of the delegation.
For fitness, commend to us Arkan
sas City, which elected a blind man
police Justice.
Early stuff may have been hurt by
frost, but the percentage Is too small
to be figured.
There will soon be more kind of
automobile than religion, which is
going some.
Lafferty's luck la lasting. He drew
a good seat, while others went to the
rear.
Considering Chicago by and large
and crosswise. Harrison Is a fit Mayor.
Democrat carried Oyster Bay, with
the Colonel 3000 miles away.
The iweather was made to order,
Oregon brand.
Butter 1 dropping within reach of
the knife.
Mr. Colwell continue to be Marshal.
The Noise was too loud to admit of
an echo.
De-lighted!
Daffodils "a Crocaaes.
Boston Transcript.
Scott After all, the harem skirt, is
sort of seasonable.
Mott What do you mean?
Scott Even nature gets out her
bloomers in the Spring.
IT IS NO FICXIC OX THE BORDER
Soldiers Suffer Hardships of Heat, Saad
Storms, and Poor Food.
El Paso Herald.
If United States troops on the Mexi
can border are learning the "war game
they are paying for It with many dis
comforts. True, there axe few com
plaints, but pacing up and down the
andr hank of a dry stream, the hot
sun shining upon the white sand of
the bottom almost like a mirror; sleep
ing six men in a tent on the bank of
the same stream, often sanawicnea do
tween a lot of foul-smelling Mexican
1sn-ka.li: eating: "camD chuck cooKea in
the open with the Insanitary sand
blowing from every direction, is not
any fun, and this is what the regular
army of the United states is now wt
in a.
Scattered from - San Diego. Cal., to
Rrownnvtlle. Tex., these khaki-clad de
fender of the flag are watching night
and day over the destinies of a sister
republic that is making no effort to
guard its own frontier..
Throughout the entire distance, from
one end of the International border to
the other, stretch the brown conical
tents of the soldiers. Squads of five or
six men occupy each tent, a Corporal
or a Serereant in command of each
squad. Every man does his four hours
ot guard duty, and then rests unm nis
turn comes again. With trying to get
sleep between times, the soldier has
very little time for diversion, and if he
had this time, very little offers Itself
for enjoyment. In the towns along the
nrder the soldiers are camped on the
boundary, or a few feet away on the
American side, and this usually places
them in the (Mexican part of the city,
where men, women, goats, cows, pig
and donkeys occupy the same yard,
with a small hut built of mud. tin cans.
or sticks for sleeping quarters. Sani
tation is unknown to most of these peo
pie, and the lot of the soldiers from this
score alone is not the best, for it Is
seldom that the air la pure enough to
inhale it with freedom.
Water I always scarce in camp and at
times ha to be conveyed a considerable
distance, and Is then often brackish,
salty, or otherwise disagreeable. In the
towna where the Mexican settlements
are close by. the water is usually pro
cured from some shallow well that is
in much danger of contamination, owing
to the lack of sanitary precautions on
the part of the natives.
In regions where there Is necessity for
undue activity, as In the vicinity or tne
larger border towns, many of the squads,
being close together, combine in a com
pany mess and cook In some shed or
under a bridge, where they have toler
ably fair protection from the dust and
dirt that blow with every wind at times
the men have to walk a mile to reach
their meals but out In the open country
where the cavalry must ride for great
distances, and where it is not possible
to keep the detachments) encamped close
to each other, each little squad has to
do its own cooking. And some of these
squads are located as far as 125 miles
from a railroad, especially those along
the Rio Orande. east of El Paso and
south of the Southern Pacific Railroad
In the country called the "Big Bend."
Food and even hay for the horses must
be transported by wagon and the con
tract price is 4 cents a pound for every
pound hauled. If the wagons fall to
arrive on time, men and horses must
wait; the only subsistence the country
affords Is goats and occasionally a beef,
but soldiers) in the field In email squads
cannot consume a beef, and, besides,
they have no authority to buy one. The
cooking must be done in the open, under
the shelter of a mesqulte or e. tornlllo
tree, and boiling is about the only
method of preparing meat, although
some of the commands have field ovens
for baking.
It Is the Woman Who Objects.
London Strand.
To a man it Is always a mystery that
woman housekeeping woman should
so resolutely set her face against labor
saving devices. Of course, there are
exceptions to the rule, but it neverthe
less remains true that all household In
novations found in women their most
uncompromising opponents. An ob
server, employing only surface logic.
would have said that the sewing ma
chine and the carpet sweeper would be
welcomed by the women of England
with open arms. Read the memoirs of
the time, and you will find that Howe's
invention had literally to fight Its way
into favor. Barring some slight Ira
provements, few of which go down to
the bedrock of the nouseKeeping proD
lem, I am Inclined to agree with the
man who said that every household In
Great Britain is "run on mediaeval
lines." Of course, there is a reason for
all this, and the reason is that the
housekeeper is the incarnation oi con
servatlsm and laughs at suggestions for
a short cut out of her difficulties.
Coat of Living" In Shana-hat, China.
United States Consular Reports.
The following statistics of wages,
price of foodstuffs, etc., relate only to
this consular district, which embraces
about 50,000 square miles of territory
and- at least 20,000.000 Inhabitants.
Dally wage rates. In United States cur
rency, are: Machinists, 40 to 75 cents;
blacksmiths, 88; carpenters, 25; elec
tricians, 40; stonemasons, 15;. bricklay
ers. 15; molders.t 60; plasterers, 20;
stonecutters, 2d; farm laborers, --, and
common laborers, 20 cents. The cost
of foodstuffs such as the natives use
are as follows, in cents per pound:
Fresh pork, 15; salt pork, 10; sausage.
7; ham, 20; flour (foreign), 3; flour
(native), 2; sugar, 4; tea, 15; rice, 3.
The character of fabrics usually bought
by the natives cost, a yard, about 6
cents for muslins, 7H cents for calico
and 25 cents for woolens, while their
cloth shoes cost about 40 cents a pair.
Now It's the Aero Bet.
New Tork Sun.
The first aerial bet hae been made.
It happened while the airman, Legag
neux, was flying the other day over the
racecourse at Nice, France, when a
5-franc piece wrapped in a piece of
paper dropped on the ground and on
the paper was written a request by
Legagneux to put the money for him
on a horse named Rule Britannia. The
stewards of the course met and after
some discussion decided that although
betting is Illegal except through the
pari-mutuel. M. Legagneux's request
might, under the circumstances, be ac
ceded to. His five francs were there
fofe put on the horse by the purchase
of a pari-mutuel ticket. Unfortunately
for the airman. Rule Britannia didn't
win.
Chickens Are Fed by Phone.
Des Moines, la.. Cor. St. Louis Republic.
Henry Myers, superintendent of the
Waseca telephone system, keeps chick
ens, and feeds them by telephone. He
has fixed up a box In the chicken house
with a drop door in the bottom of it.
In this he places feed. The catch that
holds the door in place is a sensitive
affair, and is connected to the tele
phone system. When 4 P. M. arrives
Mr. Myers sticks In a plug and presses
a button, the same way operators do
when they ring up your home or place
of business. Then the catch on the
feed box moves back, the door drops
down, the feed falls to the floor and
the chickens are fed.
More Effects of Smoking.
Brooklyn (N. T.) Times.
The British Grenadier Guards have
Just secured a recruit who Is 18 years
old and measures feet 814 inches in
his stockings. He has smoked since he
was 18 years old, or he might be
taller, he thinks. And so smoking
haa sent him Into the army Instead of
the sixpenny museum, and be will have
to work instead of loafing to be ad
mired. Awful thing, smoking.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonlan. April 6, 1SI.
The contract for the building of the
Linn County woolen millo was given out
on the 23d ult. The building is to be 82
feet long and 32 feet wide, with post
33 feet high, thus making three stories.
The Vancouver fire company movement
has failed.
We learn that there is a pretty strong
disposition to extinguish the street
lamps after the dry weather seta in
unless the question takes a turn that will
be uceatisfactory to all parts of town.
We copy from the Vancouver Chronicle
the names of the candidates mentioned
for the delegateship of Washington Ter
ritory: Democratic William Strong, C.
Lancaster, Lloyd Brooke, G. W. Vaughn,
P. K. Hubbs, Lyman Shaffer, James Til
ton. A. B. McFadden, I. I. Stevens, S.
Garflelde and Colonel Simmons; Republi
can E. Evans. Judge Hays,' A. L. Aber
nethy. C. H. Chappan and A. A. Denny,
of Seattle.
Chewing Gum Strengthen Rebels.
Indianapolis Star.
T. B. Alford, Jr., returned recently
from the Mexican border towns. Mr.
Alford took along a liberal supply of
gum samples. The Inquiring Mexican
approached Mr. Alford apologetically
and made remarks in broken English
which showed the rebel agent suspected
Mr. Alford of being a newspaper man
or a business man keeping an eye on
interests across the border, where sev
eral hundred unkempt lnsurrectos were
in camp. Mr. Alford finally disclosed
his identity and gave the Mexican a
generous supply of gum samples.
The Mexican chewed and chewed and
asked that a few thousand samples be
distributed among nis soiaiers.
Alford did not think he would have
enough should all aiexicans nave at
m-nrant tAnth n a the f)P(l he ad el T P 3 SO cl
He, however, saw several barefoot rebel
privates, who, he learned, would do a
(lav's work for a sample of gum. The
general remarked:
"For every sample of that good,
sweet thing you would give me, senor,
I would get a new man for my army.
Si. Si."
t . I
Three Baths For a Ruaalan.
New Tork Cor. St. Louis Republic.
The average Russian peasant bathes
only three times from the cradle to the
grave, according to Professor Simon
Baruch, who is giving a series of lec
tures on "Water" at Columbia Univer
sity. The three momentous occasions
which the Russian honors by Immers
ing himself are. the lecturer explained,
"when he is born, when he is married
and when he is laid in his coffin.
"The non-bathing Russians," he con
tinued, "have their subsltute in the
sweat bath. A Russian peasant, if he
can get one In no other fashion, will
sometimes creep Into the oven after the
bread has been baked. Russia has,
however, paid a price for its aversion
to water in the tremendous increase of
cholera, a dirt disease, from 1200 cases
in 1906 to 210.000 last year.
"As a matter of fact, however, the
common American Idea that bathing
opens the pores of the skin is un
grounded. What it does is to keep the
delicate muscles under the skin in
healthy condition and to assist the work
of the capillaries, which carry the blood
to the surface of the body."
Union of States to Stop War.
New York World.
"International peace will be forced
upon mankind by a coalition of states,
Ambassador David Jayne Hill said in
Columbia University recently when lec
turing upon "The State as a Member of
Society."
"There is a reasonable ground to be
lieve that such a Utopia will some day
le realized. The enormous expenditures
for keeping prepared for war will re
sult eventually In the formation of a
Society of States, created for their own
protection. The purpose of such a union
will be to reduce the hazard which
causes them today, as individual states.
to expend so much for military protec
tion. This, of course, means that in
ternational peace will be a reality and
more than a mere dream.
"The state was organized because of
the wrongs men were forced to endure
as individuals," he continued. "Why
not such a union of Btates to prevent
national wrongs, caused by wars?
Hindu Matches Are Unholy.
London Strand.
Fire is obtained for the important
Hindu ceremony of Yanga by a curious
method, matches not being considered
holy. The priest holding the two ends
of a piece of cord coiled around a ver
tical rod, the lower end of which fits
into a grove cut out in the block of
wood in which the rod rests, by a
churning motion, causes it to rotate
verv ranldly. it being meanwhile kept
in position by the second priest by
means of horizontal handle witn a noie
in which the rod turns. The friction
between the rod and the lower block
of wood after a short time sets fire to
the latter. This fire, by timely nourish
ment, is developed into a glorious flame.
The instrument is considered very
sacred by the orthodox Hindus.
WHY WENT THE TROOPS?
Horace Dodd Gaatlt. In Harper's TVeekly.
"Whv went the troops to Texan, Pat" asked
Little Johnnie Blnks.
"They sought to polish up their olf, and
needed bleser links.
They wanted better caddle-boys, and room
to turn around.
The whloh here In our northern climes
ara very seldom found.
They needed hazards broad and steep, and
bunkers full of Brit.
And freshly verdured puttinc-greens to try
their nerve and wit:
And so." quoth Pa. "they hied them to
those Texan scenes afar
Where all these muchly needed things In
quantities there are
At least, my lad, thafs what they say
Down there at Washington today."
"Why went the troops to Texas, Pa V
asked Little Johnnie Wise.
'The soldiers were dyspeptic, and they
needed exercise.
Their work Is sedentary, sitting round both
day and night
Awaiting for some enemy to come and start
a fight.
It clogs up their digestion, and It makes
them sleepy, too.
Just sitting round with nothing in the
world for them to do:
So Doctor Wood haa sent them down to
Texas great, my lad.
To cure them of their biliousness." said
little Johnnie"a dad
"Or that's the tale that comes to ma
From folks in high authority."
"Why went the troops to Texas, Far" asked
Little Johnnie Bland.
"They're going to start a chicken-farm
down by the Rio Grande.
The cost of eggs haa got so high the Presi
dent, they say,
la going in to raise them in a straight offi
cial wav.
So that while he doth bust the trust, and
knock It oft Its legs.
The people will not be without their full
supply of eggs.
The troops have gone to lay it out down
on the Texas fens.
And daily gather In." said Pa, "the fruit-
age of the hrs
At least that's what I neara last nigm
From one who claimed to have it right."
"Why went the troops to Texas, Pa?" asked
Little Johnnie Jones.
"It may be that they want to hunt for
Dlscosaurua bones.
Perhaps they went to view the moon, or get
a line on Mara .
It may be that they've gone to buy some
Mexican clgaxs.
Perhaps they've gnt a cold and gone to cur
their aching throats.
It's possible they've gone to raise sky-blue
Angora goats;
And it may be they've sent them off to
Texas far because
They'd all of them had trouble with their
crappy moiaer.in-iaws
These are the lateat reasons, son,"
Said Pa, "that come from Washington."
!
Timely Tales of the Day
While Mayor Simon is conceded to be
a business man of unusual ability. It is
not as a humorist that he Is supposed by
the public to shine. Nevertheless, the
Chief Executive of Portland, while la
boring under the heavy burdens of hi
office, finds time to inject considerable
fun into the dally round at the City Hall.
Recently, the City Council was about
to go into cession. Mayor Simon is the
presiding officer at these meetings, as
he is at all of the city boards and com
missions. "Have we a quorum present?" asked
the Mayor of Sigel Grutze, the reading
U "Yes, sir," answered Grutze, after
looking about him and counting iuo
members of the Council who were pres
ent. "Are the reporters here?" inquired the
Mayor of Grutze.
"Sure," answered Grutze.
"Then I shall call the meeting to or
der and we will begin work." said the
Mayor, and he mounted the throne,
slammed the gavel down with a re
sounding whack and the machinery waa
In motion.
The ordinary hat as a "business office"
Is a problem that is causing the man
agement of the Chamber of Commerce
a great deal of worry. The trouble grow
ont of the fact that the large lobby In
this big office building has long been
recognized as an informal clearing
house for all sorts of "deals." It is
declared by those who profess to know
that more business is transacted there
under' "hats" by people who don't
have offices of their own than is
"pulled off" in any office in the city.
Hundreds of people make it a point to
meet In the Chamber of Commerce
lobby at some hour of the day and "talk
the proposition over."
"The worst part of the thing is." said
one of the tenants who has lodged com
plaint with the management of the
building that he would move out unless
the nuisance were abated, "that these
fellows quickly develop into a set ot
knockers. That is, they begin by try
ing to 'crab' each other's game and from
that on they get so they will knock any
legitimate proposition they are not a
part of.
"In the second place, I'll bet you could
search 90 per cent of them and you
wouldn't find a dollar in their clothes.
"And In the third piace, if you asked
95 per cent of them to have a drink,
you'd get takers."
The lobby of this building is not al
together the hangout of email fry real
estate dealers who think they have soft
snaps for somebody, but it is probably
the most favorite political rendezvous
in the city.
Office-holders, officer-seekers, cam
paign managers, ward bosses, precinct
lieutenants, prophets and hangers-on
congregate there from morning till
night.
As one politician expressed it the
other day, "It is the Amen Corner for
the warhorses."
Whether he was "worked" or whether
he did a truly charitable act, is the ques
tion a prominent dentist with offices in
the Medical building cannot decide to
his own satisfaction. He was about to
leave his office the other night, when a
young, well-dreesed man entered. Intro
ducing himself as the nephew of a prom
inent Eastern dentist whose investiga
tions are known to members of the pro
fession throughout the country, the call
er entered Into a general discussion of
dentistry.
Probably 30 minutes were passed In
this way when the young man asked the
practitioner If he would not remove from
his mouth a gold bridge. In response to
questions, the stranger admitted that the
bridge did not cause him either pain or
inconvenience. On learning these factd
the dentist said he would not comply
with the request unless his unexpected
patient would give a reasonable excuse
for wishing the bridge removed.
"Well, I'll tell you," said the young
man, "the fact is I have had nothing to
eat since yesterday morning. I thought
I would have the bridge removed, sell
the gold and purchase a meal with the
proceeds."
This was too much for the dentist, who
reached into his pocket and handed the
visitor $2. The dentist is now wonder
ing how many equally philanthropic
tooth-pullers there are in Portland who
have been visited by the same penniless
relative, of the Eastern authority on
dentistry. He also has a curiosity to
know whether or not the young man
still retains the gold bridge.
Down at the Commercial Club a num
ber of "boosters'' congregated for the
purpose of discussing some question
when the conversation took a turn as to
the value of publicity. One man well
known to the publicity game stated that
a campaign once started was like the
ripples upon a lake "kept on going un
til distant shores were reached." At
this point, C. C. Chapman broke in with
a reminiscence which took the wind out
of the booster's sails.
. "Publicity," said Mr. Chapman, "is
without limit in Its power to spread.
Now, do you suppose that there is a
man of education who has never heard
of Portland? You would think there Is
not. We have spent hundreds of thou- .
sands of dollars . spreading the name of
Portland broadcast. The railroads have
accomplished the same worthy task. Yet
a friend of mine came into the office
and told me of one remarkable case
where Portland was unknown.
This friend called upon a retired naval
officer in a small town near Vancou
ver, B. C. The officer received a pen
sion. He had served In the English
navy for 30 years; 15 years in the
Asiatic waters and in command of full
rigged battleship. The officer put this
query to my friend:
"Ah, my friend, from what part of the
States do you come?"
"Portland," was the reply.
"Portland? And where may that be?"
"Oh, It is 200 miles south of here. It
is in the State of Oregon and is a
larger city than Vancouver."
"Strange," said the naval officer, "that
I never heard of the place before, and
only 200 miles away."
"Now, the moral to be deducted from
this," said Mr. Chapman, "is this: These
ripples you talk about do not reach
everybody."
Even Cannon Droop Now and Then.
Christian Science Monitor.
Among the problems with which
Army and Navy engineers have to deal
nowadays ie that of the drooping of
the muzzles of excessively long guns
under the stress of their own weight.
Experiments have shown that wire
wound guns of 12-inch caliber and 50
feet length droop at the muzzle about
four and a half minutes of arc while
built-up solid guns of the same size
droop about two and a half minutes.
Differences of temperature in the body
of the gun also cause bendings, whlrih
may either increase the droop at the
muzzle or counteract it, according as it
is the upper or under part of the gun
that has .the higher temperature. In
consequence, projectiles on leaving a
gun have a wabbly motion, continuing
up to 500 yards and probably more.
Milk-Fed Tront the Latest.
Chicago Record-Herald.
Milk fed chickens were considered a
dellcay until recently, but J. O. Con
way Hutchins, assistant manager of the
LaSalle Hotel, has a new one gold
fish fed speckled trout.
. " : v
Tips for the April Bridegrooms.
Atchison Globe.
It might be possible for a bridegroom
to attract a little attention if he would
also wear a veil and some orange blos
soms in his hair.
A