THE SrOTTXTXO- OTIFGOXTAN. MONDAY, APRIL. 17, 1911.
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l-ORTia.D. XODAT. APRIL IT. 1(11.
MXT.UXST COVr.RX-ltKXT 15 C'SAT1-
On year's experience under a So
cialistic administration has proved to
Milwaukee that the comparatively new
party doe not offer relief from all
with which civic government Is
affected. While iom reforms of
minor Importance hare been accom
plished, a, strict adherence to party
doctrines has rrsulteJ In placing- many
departments of the city in the hands
of men whose only qualification for
the work U loyalty to the party. The
position of Street Commissioner was
created and an appointee named who
had been for fifteen years in the em
ploy of the asphalt trust. Under hi
administration nothing but bituminous
pavement can be laid In the city. The
credit of the city has been Impaired by
the radical change in administration
and for the first time In its history
the city has been compelled to borrow
money on Interest In anticipation of
tax collections. These and other trou
bles that beset the Wisconsin metropo
lis seem to prove that further changes
In our system of city government are)
a necessity before the taxpayers who
foot the bills can get the full value
of their money.
Some recent testimony offered by
the present Mayor of this city and an
ex-Mayor tends to create the belief
that It may be the system more than
the party that Is responsible for much
of the trouble. It may be 'that the
proposed commission plan which Is
row growing In favor will offer a so
lution of the problem that Is troubling
xtot only Milwaukee, but Portland and
other cities. With some slight varia
tions, a recent editorial on this tople
In the New York World might apply
quite forcibly to Portland. The World
asserts that "The city cannot sup
press burglary an 4 violence. It can
not stop half-time In the schools. It
cannot clean the streets. It cannot
protect the parks from hoodlums. It
cannot force the asphalt contractor
to mend hoies in the pavement. It
cannot build subways even when It
has 11.000.000 worth of plana, every
legal obstacle removed and the money
saved to begin with. All It can do is
to spend 1:50.000.000 per year."
Portland, with the almost unanim
ous consent of the people and with
150.000 worth of plans on hand, has
been for two years trying to make a
tart toward building the Broadway
bridge. We cannot build the bridge
and we cannot build a decent police
station, although every grand Jury that
has met In the past decade has con
demned the present Inadequate, disease-breeding
dump that Is used as a
station. We cannot make our street
contractors repair pavements and we
cannot even select the kind of pave
ment we would like to have on the
t'reets. We cannot restrict the spread
of social outcasts through the respect
able districts of the city, and we can
not force contractors to remove from
the street and sidewalk unsightly and
dangerous obstacles like that now lo
cated at Fourth and Washington.
There are a good many other things
which w apparently can nor do under
our present form of government, but
like New Tork we can spend millions
Of the taxpayers' money each year,
with all the abandon of a drunken
sailor, and somehow. In some way. the
tax eaters who year after year snug
gle close to the city cash box. never
experience any difficulty In getting
their salaries.
Milwaukee's experience with the
Socialists has thrown no light on the
grave problem, but It has shown that
until there la a change In our system
of city government new parties and
old parties will be very much alike.
ricttkoctty fTRri.oi.r: beg ex.
The first gun In the Canadian reci
procity battle In Congress were fired
Saturday and Mr. Kitchln. who led the
attack for the reciprocity forces, ap
parently bad tnuh the best of the
conflict. The Democratic member
from North Carolina seemed willing
to go down the line with a free list
that would satisfy the most exacting.
He not only promised Mr. La Kollette,
th new member from Washington, to
vote for free sugar If the Washington
Inn would vote tor free lumber, but
he agreed to put all trust-controlled
articles on the free list and then some
others. Mr. La Follette. In his Pa
louse home, has watched the threaten
ing antics of the free wheat bogle so
long that he Interrupted to Inquire.
"If the difference In the price of wheat
en the two sides of the Canadian bor
der was not evidence of the value of
a wheat duty to the American farmer.
So long as It Is true that the sur
plus supplies of American wheat and
Canadian wheat seek the same mar
kets In Europe, and that the price U
fixed by conditions prevailing In Liver
pool and London the grain markets
for the world, there is no other lo
cality In the Cnlted States that could
be so far removed from Canadian
.wheat competition as the district rep
resented by Mr. La Follette. The only
market open for the surplus wheat
grown In Washington Is In Europe,
where the Canadian surplus Is mar
keted, and until consumption of wheat
In the United States overtakes the
production, the Liverpool price will
be the overwhelming factor In fixing
the price on both Canadian and Ameri
can wheat- For Mr. La Follette of
Washington to fear that the admis
sion, duty free, of Canadian wheat
Into the United States would affect the
price of Washington wheat Is fully as
logical as it would be for him to fear
a decline In the price of Washington
wheat because there la no duty that
prevents shipping Oregon wheat across
the state line.
Commercial statistics showing th
exports of wheat from Canada have
been frequently printed and are suf
ficient to quiet any fears of th farm
ers that the price of wheat can In any
manner be affected by the removal of
the duty so long as both countries re
main on an export basis. Admitting
that the price would be affected some
time In the distant future when the
consumption of the cereal outran the
production. It Is questionable whether,
even then, a duty would be advantage
ous or defensible. Invocation of that
good sound doctrine of the "greatest
good to the greatest number would
show that where one wheatgrower
might be benefited a thousand con
sumers would be Injured by higher
I prices.
It will be a good many years before
this equalization of consumption and
! production takes plac and meanwhile
a duty on wheat Is fully as dangerous
and damaging to the American farmer,
especially In Mr. La Fotlette's baili
wick, as sunshine and rain adminis
tered in proper proportions.
CHUT" UXTTION Or HOME KTTTLE LAW.
Shortly after the November election
The Oregonian expressed. In effect, the
opinion that the framers of th home
rul amendment had merely led the
people of the state in a walk around
a circle. The first court construction
of the amendment has now been given
by Judge J. W. Knowles In the Tenth
Judicial Ulstricf, and this decision
seeml to coincide fully with what The
Oregonian has said.
This decision, coming from the Cir
cuit Court, la of course not final, but
It is Interesting as showing the trend
of judicial opinion. "I believe," says
Judge Knowles In hie opinion, "that
th only reasonable construction that
can be placed upon the above consti
tutional amendment (home rule meas
ure) is that where the local option law
Is In force In a county by a vote of the
people of such county, that towns, clt
los and municipalities do not have the
right to license the sale of Intoxicating
liquors within the corporate limit of
said town, municipality or city."
The main issue In the case decided
was not the question of the right of
voters of a city located In dry territory
to authorize by election the sale of
liquor In the city. It Involved the
right of the City Council In a city In
dry territory to Issue saloon licenses.
But the same course of reasoning that
led to Judge Knowles decision would
seemingly apply to measures Initiated
by the voters in dry cities. There Is
nothing In the amendment bearing
the construction that the voters may
enact laws pertaining to the sale of
liquor regardless of the local option
law. but that th City Council may
adopt such measures) subject only to
the local option law.
If Judge Knowles construction fi
nally prevails the time and effort ex
pended In the adoption of the amend
ment will have been fruitless. The
r,..lnrl. H1I at! II K able tO
LUUUlt J yi.vHv " - -
I fore prohibition on unwilling towns
If they have th necessary preponder
ance -of votes. Local option will not
hare been changed In definite particu
lar. Meaningless phrases will merely
have been added to the constitution.
The situation leads one directly to
on or th guide-boards placed along
the road to a proper Initiative by
Theodore Roosevelt. He has wisely
declared that the Initiative should be
safeguarded by some method that will
guarantee competent drafting of
measures. The home rule amendment
Is a striking example of the need of
such a safeguard in Oregon. It la a
measure to which a final clause was
added apparently for the sole purpose
of gaining votes. In effect this last
clause Is th string attached to th
April Fool purse. When we attempt
to pick the purse from th sidewalk it
is Jerked away with the cord.
The Orvgonlan. however. Is not
complaining so much concerning th
Ineffectiveness of this particular meas
ure as It la of the looseness which per
mits the use of ambiguities and catcV
phrases in Initiative measures to an
extent that deprlvea th people of
knowledge as to the true effect of leg
islation submitted to them.
THE COMIC SUPPLEMENT.
The comic supplement which has
become a rather prominent feature of
all r th nawnnanera in the big cities
J of the country Is receiving some rather
severe criticism in tn, ciui, buu m
number of organizations for the sup
pression of the horror have been
formed. Unfortunately for those who
are offended by the presence of this
ridiculous buffoonery which has such
a strong hold on the children, publio
sentiment is not yet ready to abolish
It. The Sunday supplement comics
ar printed by the newspapers for the
same reason that detailed accounts are
printed of prize fights, salacious law
suits and other kinds of news eagerly
read by some and rejected by others.
A newspaper with unlimited capital
behind It and a desire to spend that
capital most rapidly, could serve the
public with Just what the editor
thought th public ought to have. Th
public, however, would show Its dis
approval of such a policy by refusing
to buy the paper, and in due season,
when the capital was depleted, the
paper would perish.
No one has yet succeeded In putting
out a paper that was satisfactory to
all readers. If some paragon of all
Journalistic virtues should reach this
pinnacle of success, he would have no
opposition. The world would need but
one paper. Nearly all owners and edi
tors of our newspapers would un
doubtedly be willing to do away with
the Sunday scarecrow If therwer not
a demand from th public that pays
the bills. The view of the general
public on th matter "was quite point
edly act forth at a meeting of th
Learue for the Improvement of the
Children Comic Supplement held In
New York a few days ago, when Mrs.
John Martin said:
"We gain nothing by closing our
eyes to facts, and there are two
notable facts connected with the ques
tion beror us. First, that theso
things which we ebject to, this comiu
supplement and these columns of hor
rors, the people like and will pay their
scanty pennies for. day after day. Sec
ond, that according to all American
traditions, they have as good a right to
like them as we hare not to like, them,
as good a right to their opinion as we
have to ours. They raise no objection
to our reading Emerson or Browning,
or becoming addicted to works on
ethics or philosophy. Why then do
we assume to interfere with their
pleasures, their tastes and their
habits? I admit freely that the news
papers are bound to glv th peopla
what they want. But I should not be
here tonight. I should not raise ray
voice In this meeting of protest, did I
not believe that I too am a part of
the people and did I not know that I
am not getting what I want."
The successor to the comic supple
ment Is likely to be obtained, if ob
tained at all. through a process of
4 volution. The effort of th advanced I
newspapers now la to obtain something
that will satisfy the demand and yet i
be wholesome as well as humorous. I
For a comic page especially designed I
n nia. children and atlll oolnt an '
occasional moral, the New York Her
ald Company has supplied In the Twee
Deedle series now running in The Ore
gonian one that comes nearer filling
the bill than anything yet evolved. But
! than will nrobablv always exist a
class of newspaper patrons that will
demand a supplement devoted to slap
stick buffoonery: grown-ups are de
manding the comic supplement for
their own amusement. It la not alto
thur a rtamand from luvenile. and
I so long as the supplements continue
! to exist there will remain different
i standards conceived to please differ
ent tastes just as mere win coounu,
to exist different standards of comedy
on the stage conceived to meet differ
ent demands.
THE REAL LOSS.
Not In many years perhaps not
sine th British sacked Washington
t,..,li a xanfiirv r(l hi, the COUntrY
! suffered aa heavy a loss by fire. In th
i. .. A
rar-reacmng sense, as m
by th burning of th New York Capi
tol at Albany two weeks ago.
While the building Itself cost In the
neighborhood of 117.000.000. much of
this sum representing the robbery of
contractors In collusion with priceless
politicians, this loss can be replaced
and is Indeed Infinitesimal as com
pared with that of the priceless rec
ords that were stored for safe keeping
In this massive and presumably fire
proof building. New York had given
more attention to th collection and
preservation of archives bearing upon
th achievements of th state and Na
tion than had any other state. Th
loss of these from fire, amok and
water, while not complete, U very1
great greater than that of the build
ing. Since the fire wrought the wreck
that it did. It may be regretted that It
left one stone upon another of the
grea four-square structure that was
impressive only because of Its great
size and artistic only In details that
escape general observation. In this
view the worst may be said to be yet
to come, since It will probably be re
paired at enormous cost, along the old
lines of construction, which represent
ed, seemingly, but a succession of af
terthoughts In architecture, due pos
sibly to the length of time, verging
upon a quarter of a century, over
which It erection was carried.
MORE TAX Q.UESTIOX8.
Another handful of questions on tax
matters has been handed to The Or
egonian by Mr. S. W. Babcock, who
use a typewriter particularly In favor
with' other writers on the am sub
ject. We note the following:
I notloe la rour city that electric lines re
aaacaied tor f s.OOO.OOo. la that SO per cent of
what thar ara worth T I aaa that tua aaaaaa
ment for. Orr-ioo railroads Is about 172. ooo.
ooo. Would not thalr rlshta of way and spe
cial franchlaaa aell for ' tlmaa thatr In
ona county of tnla state booat lliarature
aara thar Is .V).0O0.(V0o worth of standlns
timber, yat tha non-tlllabla land altosother
ara saaeaaed for leaa than IU.0uO.O00. could
not tha farraera and tha small homeowners
be ralleved by taklns up soma ot this evi
dent wholesale tax dodxlngt
What would ba the moat likely amount
of personal property and Improvements that
could ba entirely exempted, aa you seem to
lucseetr From talking with many I do not
believe that (300 would ba accepted now.
Many would vote for what la called tha
slnrla las (although I do not understand
that wa eould adopt that theory In toto
In Oreiron) unless soma aubstantlal concee
slon Is made. Will not tha matter ba pushed
further than tha coneervatlves desire T
Soma say that $.1000 would lve tha home
owner In city and country encouragement
to build and Improve a amall tract or lot
to tha utmost. If offered aa an Initiative
amendment I think It would carry became
many who ara not In any way single tazers
will vote tor It. and many would sea In It a
better chanca to head off tha single tax
than tha amendmenta offered by tha last
Legislature. What figure of exemption
would ba about light t Why not have a
state tax league to enforce fair assessments
under our nraaent laws?
The Oregonian would not attempt
to glv an estimate on the value of the
rights-of-way and franchises of the
electric railways of Portland, nor
would It attempt to estimate the value
of the railroads of Oregon. Probably
each class of property Is under-assessed.
But this condition la an old
problem, which la now in process of
solution. The Railroad Commission
of Oregon has been engaged for some
tlm In determining the physical value
of railroads and undoubtedly, when
the work is completed, the valuations
thus determined will be used aa a
basis for correcting railway assess
ments. It has been done In Washing
ton, where the work was begun In ad
vance of the Oregon undertaking.
There a fairly accurate adjustment
has been made under which general
property and railroad property are as
sessed In proportion.
Oregon at the last session adopted
a public service commission measure.
This commission. If It la permitted by
referendum-seeking enemies to ac
complish the work It is authorized to
do. will compile accurate Infor
mation concerning electric railways on
which assessments may be based that
will stand the test of courts.
It Is undoubtedly true that the
farmers and homeowners would b re
lieved by a higher tax assessment on
timber. The answer la so obvious that
It Is Idle to discuss It. But does Mr.
Babcock seek to give the Impression
that an exemption of $3000 on per
sonal property would necessarily re
sult in higher taxes on timber or pub
lic utilities? If timber and public utili
ties are now under-assessed. Is there
any reason to believe that If certain
other property were relieved the as
sessing officers would be lees discrim
inatory? Would they not be Just as
likely to raise the rate, or perhaps
increase the assessments on farm
lands, town lots and personal property
not exempted?
The Oregonian does not believe that
a $3000 exemption on personal prop
erty and lmprovmerts would be an
ounce of encouragement to the better
Improvement of farm or lot property.
The average man proceeds gaily to
vote for more bonds and greater ex
penditures from the public purse and
for Inefficient officials without a
thought of his taxes. He does not
think of taxes until he gets his notice
of assessment and then he does not
blame himself nor does he blame the
men he electa to office so often as he
denounces th system. II- squeals
when he gets his notice and again
when he pays the bill then goes
ahead with his dally work unmindful
of taxes until the next paying period
rolls round.
Th Oregonian would favor an ex
emption of $300. but Is not wedded
to those exact figures. Such an exemp
tion would aid those least able to pay.
It has no fear that there will be no
conservative measure presented to the
people In the next election. There
will undoubtedly be measures pro
posed of many kind and many v axle-
ties. The danger threatening worthy
tax reform measures is not in the lack
of "concessions." Multiplicity Is more
to be feared. Th people are likely
to reject the whole list In disgust, as
they did the county boundary bills In
the last election.
Why not a state tax league? Why
not?
The official returns on the popula
tion of India have Just been issued at
Calcutta, and the figures offer excel
lent reason for the unpleasant conclu
sion that in India thousands perish
annually from insufficiency of food
that la not easily obtainable In such
an over-populated country. The re
turns show a populaUon of 315.000.000.
a gain, in spite of the death of mil
lions by starvation, of more than 20,
000.000 in the past ten years. What
thl congestion of population means
can be partially understood when it
is remembered that the entire area of
India Is about the same aa that of
Oregon. Washington. Idaho, California,
Montana, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and
Wyoming. With the economio condl
tlona that must prevail In such a
country. It Is small wonder that there
Is an Increasing swarm of the tur
baned, swarthy sons of the Far East
descending like locusts on the more
favorable labor fields of America.
Nine steamships arriving In port
yesterday showed the diversified na
ture and Increasing Importance
of Portland' ocean commerce.
The fleet included the 10.000
tonner Lucerlo, In from the Ori
ent to load outward with general
cargo for the Far East; the Norwegian
steamship Sark, from Eureka, to load
lumber for Australia, and the River
side, from Panama, with general car
go from New York via the Isthmus.
The coastwise fleet Included the Roa
noke, Tamalpala and Westerner, with
passengers and freight from the Cali
fornia ports: the Rosecran with oil
from San Francisco, and the Breakwa
ter and Alliance, from Coos Bay, with
passengers and freight. The combined
earning capacity of this fleet la about
40,000 ton of freight. In number and
tonnage the totals are nearly large
enough to equal a full week' buslnes
of a few years ago.
Th muckrakers. land-lockers and
over-conservatlonlsts who are respon
sible for the retarding of n Alaska's
growth are the same men who rejected
the word of the President In the Bal
llnger controversy. Whatever Presi
dent Taft may say about Alaskan
problems after his forthcoming visit
to that territory will be rejected by the
same Individuals, It may be expected.
If It does not accord with the suspi
cions and theories they have obtained
at long range. But, while the Presi
dent' expressed confidence was not
Bufllclcnt to protect Ballinger from
vilification by the enemies of both,
recommendation to Congresa based
on first-hand knowledge will undoubt
edly have a potent Influence on legis
lation governing Alaska. The day of
the muckraker In Alaskan conditions
is -waning and we may expect the
President's trip to hasten the night for
uch busybodles.
Mr. James Rolph, president of the
San Francisco Merchants Exchange,
and a businessman well and favorably
known all over the Pacific Coast, 1
being groomed as a Mayoralty candi
date to run against Mayor McCarthy.
Mr. Rolph has never held a political
office but he haa managed business
affairs, large and small, with a dis
play of talent and Intelligence that
augurs well for his Mayoralty qualifi
cations. Mr. Rolph Is said to be an
unwilling candidate but is being put
forward by an element that believes
San Francisco will be the gainer by
the substitution of businessmen and
taxpayers for the politicians who have
for a long time been running the city
government In San Francisco. If Mr.
Rolph la elected, the Callfornlan can
rest assured that the Eastern visitors
who come out to the Panama Exposi
tion will find a city government for
which no apologies are necessary.
How. a woman could expect to see
the "set" of the back of her hat by
turning her head until her neck waa
dislocated -Is a mystery fathomable
only by the sex, but the Nebraska girl
who tried to do so Saturday and had
to be hurried to a hospital to be
straightened will never "rubberneck"
again.
One Tacoma candidate for Mayor
haa had four wives and hla rival kept
out of the nooso until he waa 48. On
such an Issue, neither Solomon nor
the lat B. Young, both of whom. It
must be admitted, acquired large ex
perience, could make a forecast of tha
result,
Speaking of Presidential "lids," a
dispatch in The Oregonian says Mr.
Taft's head has changed shape and
"Mr. Roosevelt's head grew bigger
during his term of office." Almost
anybody's head would swell a little on
that Job.
These provincial governments may
now be given credit for doing the right
thing. The captain of the Iroquois haa
been arrested for manslaughter for
saving himself at the expense of the
lives of crew and passengers.
There have been jokea about rail
roads alleged to be but two streaks
of rust, but nobody believed them un
til the State Railway Commission rode
on the Central Oregon at Union. - -
In disgust at working for $41.64 a
month the Deputy District Attorney
of Clackamas County has resigned and
another wants It, even at that meager
rate of pay.
With all manner of fireworks pro
hibited In the interest of a sane
Fourth, celebration of the day must
revert to the pioneer method.
Th groundhog service, having pro
vided proper Easter weather, can now
leave the field to its rivals, who are
mere weather guessers. -
There will be plenty of fruit for
cherry festivals and apple shows, and
strawberries galore.
J. . C. S(,ubbs Is entitled to a rest
after forty-two years of tremendous
work.
-Vlth butter at 26 cents, the high
cost of living Is greasing the slide.
The past week has shown the oil
pot to be the thing.
It was a rainless and Joyous Easter
Sunday.
GREAT COJIVEXlEJtCK OF MOJfET
If People Did Business by "Swapping,
How Could They Dellvert
Philadelphia Ledger.
Senator McCumber. of North Dakota,
in addressing hie colleagues In opposi
tion to the reciprocity bill, declared
that "city folk" are wantonly extrava
gant, and produced a singular and cer
tainly picturesque tabulation of cer
tain figures to prove It, He said that
when the farmer goes to spend a day
in the city his scale of expenditure Is
as follows. In terms of ths products of
the farm:
Cab to hotel... ...6ix bushels of oats
Tip to driver Fifteen cabbanes
Tip to elevator boy Two dozen egss
Tib to bellboy, ona and a half bushels barley
Breakfast Three-fourths of a ton ot hay
Tip to waiter Two bushels of potatoes
Luncheon One hp
Tip to waiter, one and a hslf bushels carrots
rlnr.er Four bushels of rye
Tip to waiter Ona bushel of onions
Room Half a car of turnips
The Senator from North Dakota does
not Include In the reckoning the price
of theater tickets for the evening's
diversion, nor the transportation and
the supper afterward. These charges
might easily amount to the wages of
the hired man for a month.
The translation of the payment for
the comforts and luxuries of civiliza
tion Into the terms of agricultural
products brings one back to the. period
when payment was customarily "in
kind." and reminds us that the word
"pecuniary" Is derived from the Latin
word that signifies a flock or herd of
cattle. The term bills of students at
American colleges In the eighteenth
century were often paid, as subscrip
tions for country newspapers are fre
quently defrayed nowadays, in kind
ling wood or butter and eggs or corn.
The actual sight of what a given sura
of money will buy Is far more Im
pressive to the untutored mind than
the cash in hand, which partly accounts
for the eagerness of poor and Improvi
dent persons to exchange their earn
ings as soon a possible for something
of Impressive bulk or spectacular ap
pearance. They may buy something
they do not really want because they
seem to be getting a great deal for
their money. The successful auc
tioneer knows of this human frailty,
and Is not slow to take advantage of it.
The child with a penny to spend for
candy cares lltle for quality, and takes
seven for a cent In preference to six
because his penny seems to go further
In the purchase.
No one can realize the convenience of
money till he thinks of what It would
mean to Morgan or Rockefeller to hav
a coloseal fortune changed into oats
and cabbages, onion and potatoes. The
conductor who was paid a couple of
sweet potatoes Instead of a nickel by
each passenger would soon have no
room in his car for passengers. What
an experience It woud be to carry a
handful of beans in one's pocket to pay
for the morning paper, or to make a
purchase with a pumpkin and receive
a few squashes in change. The insti
tution of money, often roundly abused
by moralists, deserves Its popularity.
THEY HAVE CROMWELL'S HEAD.
Aa English Family Proudly Claim Pos
session of the SkulL
New York Tribune.
The reputed head of Oliver Crom
well was exhibited recently at a
meeting of the Royal Archaeological
Society at Burlington House. The Rev.
H. R. Wilkinson said that the head had
been In hla family, for three genera
tions, and In that time had never been
previously exhibited in public
The tradition was that the skull
was blown off Westminster Hall and
was picked up by a sentry, who hid it,
and only .confessed on his deathbed to
his wife that he had It In his keeping.
It passed into the possession of the
Cambridgeshire family of Russell, and
came to Sam Russell, a needy actor.
Then It was sold to Cox. the pro
prietor of the museum In Spring Gar
dens, and was transferred by. him to
three persons, who exhibited it in Bond
street. Next It came into the hands of
Rev. Mr. Wilkinson's grandfather.
Sir Henry Howorth said that the evi
dence seemed to make it extremely
probable that the head shown was
really that of the Protector. Professor
Boyd Dawklns did not think be heard
of a more complete chain of circum
stances. State and Cabinet Officers.
TURNER, Or, April 1L (To the Edi
tor.) 1. What Is meant by the. recall system?
2. Who are the Representatives in the
Sixty-second Congress from Oregon?
S. How many members in the Senate
of the Oregon Legislature? In the
House ?
4. The names of the state officers of
Oregon.
E. The names of the members of Presi
dent Taft's Cabinet.
BLANCHE SMALL.
1. In Oregon the recall Is the power
of the voters to Institute an election to
determine whether any elected officer
shall retain his position for the remain
der of his term or be superceded by an
other. 2. A. W. Lafferty aad W. C. Hawley.
J. Thirty Senators and 60 .Representa
tives. 4. Governor, Oswald West: Secretary of
State, appointee to succeed F. W. Benson,
deceased, not yet named officially; Treas
urer, Thomas B. Kay; Attorney-General,
A. M. Crawford; School Superintendent,
L. R. Alderman; Printer, W. S. Dunl
way; Labor Commissioner, O. P. Hoft;
Railroad Commissioners, C. B. Altchi
son, F. J. Miller, T. K. Campbell; Engi
neer, John H. Lewis; Water Superin
tendents, James T. Chlnnock, First Dis
trict; George T. Cochran, Second Dis
trict; Supreme Court Justices. H. J.
Bean, T. A. McBrlde, Go H. Burnett.
F. A. Moore." Robert Eakin.
5. Secretary State, Philander C- Knox;,
Secretary Treasury, Franklin MacVeagh;'
Secretary Wan John M. Dickinson: Attorney-General,
a. XV. Wickersham: Postmaster-General.
F. N. Hitchcock; Secre
tary Navy, George Von L. Meyer; Secre
tary Interior, W. L. Fisher; Secretary
Agriculture, James Wilson; Secretary
Commerce and Labor. Charles NageL
They Guard Shakespeare's House
London Evening Times.
Tha trustees of Shakespeare's birth
place have held a special meeting at
Stratford - on - Avon, at which It was
unanimously decided to purchase for
$4500 the house occupied by the secre
tary to the trust, since its proximity
to Shakespeare's house would enable
their chief officer to exercise full and
constant control over the most impor
tant property belonging to the trustees,
and Its acquisition would permanently
secure the birthplace against any de
facement by unsuitable buildings in its
Immediate neighborhood. It was re
ported that the secretary's dwelling
houee had been placed In direct com
munication by telephone with the po
lice and fire stations and with the
burglar alarm at the birthplace.
Standard KruJt Measures.
GOSSAN, Switzerland, March 29. To
the Editor.) What Is the standard meas
ure of a crate of strawberries or logan
berries? What Is the standard measure of a
box of apples (such as are In use on
the Pacific Coast)?
Who Is president of the Oregon Devel
opment League? STEADY READER.
A crate of strawberries or loganberries
contains 24 quarts; net weight. 24 pounds.
The net weight of a box of apples is 43
pounds.
J. B. Wilcox. Concord building. Port
land, Or., Is president of the Oregon
Development League. v
Timely Tales of the Day
Bashful young men who timidly ap
proach the desk In the Country Clerk s
office and ask for marriage licenses,
have been mystified of late by bearing
the tolling of a wedding bell near at
hand. Invariably the young man and
tho intended bride who accompanies him
look about for the bell, which seems
close at hand, but cannot be seen. At
first they do not quite understand what
it means, for the clerks are generally
busy and do not seem to notice the
unusual sound. Then, as if by a signal,
all the clerks begin to laugh, and the
applicants for the marriage license sud
denly , realise that the whole thing is
a good-natured Joke, intended for their
benefit.
The bell was the Invention of G. M.
Allen, deputy County Clerk, who placed
it under the counter bearing the records
of marriage licenses and before which
the applicants must stand. It Is oper
ated by a rope carried to a lever at the
other end- of the counter. . Thus it is
quite evident to the applicants that the
man In front of them, making out their
license, could not be the author of the
noise, the direction of which Is an un
certainty. One of the .first victims of the Joke
was an exceedingly bashful man, who
seemed so startled when the bell began
to ring that the clerks were afraid he
would run out of the office. This em
barrassment was Increased when the va
rious employes from other parts of the
big room gathered to enjoy the Joke. He
soon recovered himself, however, and
took the matter good-naturedly, as all
others have taken It since the bell was
installed.
The usual crop of fish stories is ripe
again with the opening of the Spring
season. Most of the eportsmen who
have the habit of theatrical "first-nighters"
and want to usher the season in
the minute the embargo is lifted by the
state laws, report that the season this
year has started off badly. Several of
the boys were telling their hard-luck
yarns In the hearing of A. K. Bently,
who Is something of a fisherman, and,
after he had listened to a number of
sad tales, he said:
"You fellows don't know anything
about fishing. You always pick the
wrong place. If you want some real
fishing, take a trip up on the McKen
xle River some day. The trout are so
plentiful there that they eat up all the
food in the river and In order to keep
from starving to death they take a deep,
full breath and climb up on the banks
and eat the grass along the shore, and
when they have had enough they slide
back In the stream and rest."
"I don't know so much about the Mc
Kenzle River." put In Don Rea, but up
on the Deschutes, near Bend, the trout
are so thick the year around and are so
hungry that you've got to hide behind a
tree while you bait the hook. But even
then, you don't always have much luck
unless you wind your line with strong
wire, for Just as soon as one of the fish
take the hook, all the rest In the school
flock around him and chew the line off.
We have had the best luck by taking a
shovel or a rake and Just scooping the
fish out-"
Some friends of the late Wallace Stu
art, who was accidentally drowned at
South Bend. Wash., the other day, were
discussing his untimely end and from
that the conversation drifted to the oy
ster Industry in which Stuart had been
engaged the last few years.
"That business would make a man a
millionaire in a few years," commented
C. B. Pfahler, one of the group. "I don't
know of any kind of an Industry that
requires less labor and gives greater
returns than oyster raising. Of course,
a man has got to know something about
the game or he will fall, as he would in
any other line, but for the man who
knows something about the Industry it
Is a money-maker.
"Here, just before he lost his life, Stu
art was preparing to go back East to
get a couple of carloads of seed oysters
from the Atlantic coast near Boston Bay.
These seed oysters which are not much
bigger than your finger nail cost about
$15,000 a carload, so you see, besides
knowing how, it requires some cash to
go into the business. But then, when
these oysters are brought here, the only
thing you have to do is to wait till the
tide goes out and then sow the seed
oysters just like you would wheat, right
In the sand. The little fellows burrow
down, and there they stay. For the next
four years they require little care, and
at the end of that time the oysters are
grown the big fat Toke points you buy
In the market. By that time they are
the size of your hand and the carload,
which cost $15,000 as seed. Is now worth
about $90,000 In the market. That is
only 500 per cent on your money, or a
little better than 100 per cent a year.
That Is almost as good as buying inside
real estate in Portland."
"There are times in your life," said
Harvey Beckwlth, president of the
Portland Commercial Club and who
served as chairman of the general com
mittee which had charge of the enter
tainment of Colonel Roosevelt when he
visited Portland recently, "when you
feel like delivering a solar plexus upon
your visitor who calls at most inoppor
tune times. Now I do not believe I
am hard to approach and I have never
felt it necessary for a man to send In
his card to see me. But there was a
time when I wished for something
stronger than a bodyguard and It was
only a brief time ago, for there Is noth
ing that annoys me quite so much as
a showing of disrespect to eminent
men.
"The incident that I have in mind
took place In my office Just previous
to the arrival of Colonel Roosevelt.
A man unknown at the time to me
but well dressed came to my office
and took a seat. He began by saying,
"Hello, Beckwith, when do you expect
to go down to see the old man?
"Of course, I had an Idea to whom
he referred, for I was then engaged
In working out the details of the en
tertainment. However. I gave no In
dication of understanding the drift of
his remark and replied:
" T beg your pardon, sir, but to whom
do you refer as the "old man?"'
"Why, Roosevelt, of course," was the
explanation. The old men and I toured
this country together in one of his cam
paigns and I am a personal friend of his.'
"'Is that 60? was my reply. 'Well,
I never heard the ex-President of the
United States referred to as "the old
man," and I am sure that it Is none of
your business when I go down the road
to meet him. Good morning."
"That was the beat I could do under the
circumstances."
Road Poll Tx Law.
JORDAN VALLEY, Or, April 12. (To
the Editor.) Was the $3 road poll tax
collected by ward supervisors In portions
of the state abolished, and if so in what
manner? HENRY SCOTT.
' The county option tax amendment ap
proved In the last election contains an
inhibition against poll tax. The Ore
gonian Is advised that the amendment
Invalidates the road poll tax law.
. Another Ess Reeord.
CANBY. Or. 'April 14. (To the Editor.)
Reading of the record of Southern
Slope Farm. Hood River. I am sending
a record of my little flock of eight
Rhode Island Red hens, from which I
received 191 eggs. I would like to read
of more record-breakers.
MRS. J. H. COLLEY.
Ko.
CONDON. Or.. April 12. (To the Edi
tor.) Can a divorced person from Oregon
go to British Columbia and marry be
fore the six months required by the law
here is up and come back here legally
jnarried? - .W. H.
Advertising Talks
By William C. Freeman.
Why do so many corporations waste
their money In lobbying? Why do they
submit to the demands made upon them
by men who are trying tp fatten their
pocketbooks by hook orcrook?
The remedy Is in their own hands.
If all corporate Interests want to get
a square deal from the people,' and
through them a square deal from' -their
representatives In Legislature the
best thing for them to do is to take
the people Into their confidence
through paid advertising in the daily
newspapers.
Their story will be read by the peo
ple If they put it before them In this
manner.
The people have formed various
opinions about corporations, mostly
unfavorable, because corporations have
never talked directly to thera.
Many misconceptions that now exist
about corporations would disappear if
frank statements of facts appeared In
the advertising columns of the news
papers. A great many people are wrought up
over the outrages. Imaginary or real,
that are perpetrated on them by cor
porate Interests, and they send men to
tho legislative bodies with Instructions
to enact any kind of laws that will
curb corporations.
Governor Woodrow Wilson, of New
Jersey, Is urging eloquently and per
sistently the wisdom of frantic publicity
in politics and tn bualneaa, and there
is a growing sentiment all over the
country that the people shall hear from
the great business interests themselves
their aide of the story.
Newspapers want to be fair, but wi
should they go out of their way to
fight everybody's battles, especially
when they are Inundated with notices
which press agents of big corporations
try to get Inserted as news?
The press agent Is the greatest
menace to the cause of setting cor
porations right with the public. Let
them print straight advertising news
and the public will give them a fair
hearing; and Its endorsement If they
are on the level.
(To be continued.)
COUNTRY TOWN SAYINGS
BY "ED" HOWE
(Copyright. 1011. by Goorse Katthew
Adams.)
A widow with an income of $)00 a year
can got along better than 'a wi'ower can
on .i00.
Sometimes an ugly man Is ail right In
other ways.
There Is one thing about working on
a newspaper that Is distressingly stren
uous: When you use a -word you are
compelled to spell it.
It is often said of men, after being
sent to the penitentiary, that they are
model prisoners. Why couldn't they hav
begun the model business a little
earlier?
I only confess to know two things: (1)
What I want; and (2) That I don't get it.
If I don't like a man, I hate to hear
his money rattle.
Men talk a good deal about their brav
ery, but as a matter of fact that part
of a man that isn't sheep, is rabbit.
Are you capable of being fair with a
man you dislike? I confess I am not
Men object to kissing in public, but
they can be coaxed into it in private. '
I am not afraid of the devil, but I am
afraid of the dog on approaching a
strange house.
Half a Century Ago
From Tha Oregonian, April 17, 1801.
The consolidated telegraph Interest of
California has filed certificate of incor
poration under the title, "The Califor
nia State Telegraph Company." The cap
ital is to be $1,250,000 divided into 12,500
shares. They have IS projects, one of
which is to run by this place to Olympla
and Victoria.
The third ennual fair of the Lane
County Agricultural Society will be held
near Eugene on the 9th and 10th of Oc
tober. Information has been received at Wa
shington that the Southern Confed
eracy is getting up a fleet of light war
steamers, of which Captain Tatnall, late
of the U. S. Navy, is to take command.
- We have private information that large
numbers of people in Texas want to sell
their property and emigrate to Oregon
and Washington Territory; but property
cannot be sold at any price.
Jefferson Davis recently sent a secret
agent to Mexico with the view to nego
tiating for the recognition of the "Con
federated States,'" but he will find no
party or government there to recognize,
a Nation based on slavery.
What's the Score t
Much heavy stuff we read
In Winter time.
April is here;
A little rhyme.
And so the gentle poets bring
Their roundelays concerning Spring.
This warlike stuff, we find,
Is quite a strain.
It preys on every mind
And tires the brain.
A ntal tnnln t tint a th folllPS.
And now we want some baseball news.
Washington IIJ. J. fieraia.
Dont Kiss Children, a Queen's Idea.
Boston Globe.
Queen Victoria of Spain, It is said,
is responsible for the antl-kissing-of-chlldren
Idea. The Queen objected to
her three children being kissed by
court attendants desirous of showing
their loyalty. Tags have Just arrived
In this country bearing the Spanish
equivalent for the words "do not kiss
me." The labels are In Spanish be
cause of the origin of the idea. Eu
rope, as a result of the move. Is mak
ing a campaign against promiscuous
kissing of children.
A Spring Poem.
National Masaslne.
An apple blossom just awake to life;
The sun, the wind, two enemies at strife;
The apple-bl03som's heart, the prize to be,
For him who gained the early victory.
Then wind, with eager accents, loud and
strong.
Approached the blossom with his lover's
song.
He tried to break tho petals from their hold
Bo closely on the blossom's heart of gold.
But all in vain the more he puffed and
blew.
The blossom her pink petals closer drew.
Then sun came out so gently and so warm.
The blossom knew that he could bring no
harm. ui
His brightest rays he sent, his warmest kiss.
Which thrilled each petal pink with rosy
bliss.
.And. blushingly, her petals' fell apart.
And to the sun revealed her solden heart.
B,ut wind was not content to loser be,,
And he began to laugh in mockery.
Ruthlessly ho tore the petals from I their
stem vi..- -Flung
them upon a breeze, and - captured
theml-.
But there remained what wind had never
won '
The 'blossom's heart, still golden ' in the
. ,,. sual - .