. THE 3IORXIXG OREGONIAX,
FRIDAY. APRIL 21, 19lt.
l Vf I
lje (Dmrimuw
PORTLAND. OREOOX.
Entaraif a t -... ,4 i'imml flC a
S-coad-oasa Mattar.
tteacriuoa IsTkrlablr ta aai
III MAIbl
'iljr. Sjcviay tacludi. a'a moatha...
4
.
.T
.
HI
v;
.
I M
S.J
la:i. laadar Included, aoa mania.
Xal.r. ii:iut Sunday, ana ar......
taiiy. wttfcovc Auadir. Ms BBola....
Iai:r. wttaoot Sunday, ihra aiouiaa.
laiir. aftltoat Sunday
la.ly. ajlttxil kunui.
a &la.
" r. yaar. ...... ..
Sunday. an aar....
tutw a4 klr. aaa
1 1) I LARAi
fealty. Sunday Indud.. aaa raar.
X-iiy. Sanday laelulai. OQe owntn.....
Bow I Brasll Mn4 poatofflca naaaf
ar4 min uur or paraoaaJ cbaa aa)
yaar leal bank Stampa. c-a or eurre
at il mmti ri AiiM "-
m iar immmm fMitaa tft m -?
.N . . T jrm HrunlcL aulldMss. C"
taga. ft-, building-
rcRiui. iKiD.tr. .ruL tu -
COOT or RtAOH'TlONS.
Evea If the battles on the border
had not res'llted In the killing and
wounding of American citizens, the
magnitude of American Interests In
Mexico Is such that the United States
cool J not b Indifferent to the rebel
lion. If It -would.
Nearly all the railroads running
from the United States through Mexico
were built with American capital, and.
although the Mexican government has
become the owner. Americans still own
bonds to 1 j rite amounts. The railroads
which constitute the security for these
bonds have been In 1-irsje part de
stroyed or their usefulness has been
seriously Impaired by the burning; of
bridge. The rebels have caused the
rurpensian of traffic for weeks at a
time. and. even when traffic was not
Interrupted, Its volume was greatly
reduced by the disturbed, condition of
the country
Still other American sufferers are
those who are mining- In the northern
states of Mexico. The rebels have
raided their headquarters and helped
themselves to supplies of ail kinds.
One case in point Is that of Caaanea.
towa of several thousand people, all
owned by Americans. It has had sup
plies In transit appropriated by the
rebels and a large number of the
workmen have deserted It to fMn the
rebels. Ameriran.ra'nchers across the
border have also suffered from raids
such as that of the late Stanley Will
lams In Lower California, where
horses, cattle and supplies were seized
Recent figures from the Hureau of
American Kepub'lcs detailing the
amount of foreign Investments In Mex
ico; showed that Americans had put
more capital In the railroads and In
dustries of that country than all other
foreign nations combined.
Not only are American Investors af
fected, but many Americans living In
Mexico hare endured privation and
danger to life. -J" his refers, of coure.
to those who are living peaceably In
the country without taking part In the
quarrel, for those Americans, like Will
iams and Crelghton. who enlisted In
the ranks or the rebels, took the risks
of war. '
There seems to be no likelihood of
American Intervention In Mexico, and
It Is desirable for many reasons that
we should not Intervene, but. even If
the present peace negotiations should
succeed, there will be a pretty bill for
somebody to pay. Diaz has from the
first denied that there wss a rebellion.
He has persisted In describing the
rebels as bands of brigands. Holding
him to his own statements, the I nlted
States may fairly contend that the
government of Mexico Is responsible
for the depredations committed within
Its own territory by bands of brigands
and must compensate the losers by Its
own Incapacity to maintain order.
A condition may arise similar to
that which existed In Venezuela, when
several American corporations asserted
claims which the government of Vene
zuela refused to recognize. Similar
claims were made by citizens of other
countries and a blockade enforced a
settlement of those claims. The
American claims were settled by arbi
tration after a long suspension of dip
lomatic relations during which Tresl
dent Castro refused to agree to arbi
tration. (President Taft Is well known
to be an advocate of arbitration and
no doubt would propose that method
cf settlement, but the claims are apt
to be so many and various that many
a hitch may occur before they reach
The Hague court.
AH of which goes to show that rev
olutions cot money, not only to the
present generation, but to posterity.
CKOWING XJTEhTOTK IMH TRT.
?!nce the opening of the union
stockyards, about eighteen months
ago. more than (00.000 head of live
stock have been handled In this city.
Figures compiled by Mr. D. O. Lively
show totals of 1J4. il head of cattle.
1SI.S4S hogs and fSS.lOg sheep. This
Is an average of about 1000 head per
day. It Is easy to understand that a
business of such magnitude can hardly
fall to have a most potent Influence
on ether lines of Industry and trade.
The establishment of the big packing
houses and stockyards In this city has
not only put Portland on the map as
one of the big livestock centers of the
country, but it has also encouraged
the farmers of the Columbia Basin to
give the stock business more atten
tion. The recent fat stock show held
at the yards on the Peninsula brought
to the attention of the public the fact
that the Pacific Northwest could pro
duce as fine stock as could be raised
anywhere In the world.
The magnitude of the business since
the Peninsula yards were opened has
also demonstrated that the vast sums
of money which in the past have been
sent East for packing-house products
are now kept in circulation In the Pa
cific Northwest. Despite the fine
showing that has been made by the
stockyards for the first eighteen
months there is still boundless oppor
tunity for expansion. With the rapid
settlement of the remaining undevel
oped portions of the Pacific North
west the .problem of producing enough
stock for th home market Is already
solved. But beyond the seas. In Alas
ka, In the South Pacific and In Siberia,
there Is an ever-widening market for
these products, and at no place in the
country ran this trade be handled to
better advantage than at Portland.
Great changes have taken place in
the livestock industry In this country
within th past few years. The big
ranges are being cut up Into farms and
th Individual herds are steadily de
creasing in size. But there are more
herds and more stock, for the smalll
farmer la learning that there Is an eco
tomlc advantage in having a few head
M'r a fn, mcluaina county
-. tLafa to 14 eaM. I .
ta 2 (,.a. J ciita, ft la o MW eaate.
ta oe. cait Foraiaa aaataa
of stock to turn off each year. He Is
also learning that It costs no mora to
produce ,a high-class animal than It
does to produce a scrub. As a result
there is a steady Improvement In qual
ity as well as quantity.
In Mr. Llvely's report It w-111 be
noted that the number of cattle mar
keted at the yards exceeded the num
ber of hogs. This Is a situation that
win be changed when the profits of
hograising are better understood. In
the corn bolt of the Middle West hog
raising la as much of a specialty as
wheatgrowlng Is In the Pacific North
west, and It Is equally prontable. In
this country the business has not yet
attained large proportions, but has
been' followed merely aa incidental
to other branches of farming.
Now that It is being demonstrated
that there ls money In hogs, we msy
expect to note a steady increase In the
available supply of the home product
and a corresponding decrease In tht
number brought In from the East.
The Burleson antl-futur bill Is to
Congress This bill Is practically an
amended form of the tcott nut. wmcn
Included provisions making it unlawful
to buy or sell futures in wheat, corn or
,w agricultural nroducU. Including
cotton. So much opposition aeveiopeu
to this bill that the grain feature were
eliminated and the Burleson bill,
which takes Its place, prohibits on.'y
the dealing in cotton futures.
It Is somewhat strange that those
who should have the most thorough
knowledge on the ubject hav alway
opposed an anti-future bill or any
kind. For that reason we find the
New Orleans Picayune, printed at the
home and headquarters of the cotton
Industry, protesting against the bill.
The Inevitable effect of such a law."
says the Picayune, "would be to trans
fer the control of cotton prices to the
European exchanges, particularly that
of LiverpooL in the long run th
principal sufferers would be the cotton
producers of the South and the real
benellclarles th foreign spinners and
speculators,"
The New Orleans paper contends
that speculation through futures has
materially advanced the price of cot
ton and that the result of the system
has been to transfer the regulatlqn of
prices from the foreign srlnners to the
American producers. Trading in fu
ture Is a branch of business that la
not thoroughly understood by the av
eragtrlayman. and the lack of under
standing regarding It Is responsible for
much of the objection that has been
raised against It. Of the legitimacy
of the practice there can be no ques
tion, but the method, like many a good
system in other lines of effort. Is ob
jected to on the grounds that It is
gambling. '
As a matter of fact, there is hardly
a flour miller or a cotton manufac-
turer In the l-niieo &iaiea wno wou.u .
attempt to do business without buy- ,
Ing and selling for futur acceptance
or delivery.
there would be a tremendous loss to 1 tQ ,u5oralnate aU othtr political ques
both planter and manufacturer, for tjona t t)at Qf wJlUe auprernacy and
-neither can have any assurance of 1 here wl, be fcut a 8ing,e rea, party
hit ihn market nrlce mar be a C"?
months hence, when the raw matenar
may be neeneo or in. manuiaciurev,
product delivered. In the present ;
methods of trading, the contract for
future delivery or acceptance become
as necessary as a bank check. There
Is so much cotton In this country that
Riust be sold each year that If the
manufacturer deferred his buying and
then took It sparingly to Mil hi orders
as they were received the planter
would be obliged to carry his crop for
months and would be unable to bor
row but a small amount of money
on It.
Trading in future wllj never be
abolished. but occasional reform
measures of the type of the Burleson
bill will com up from time to time to
teat the temper of the Public pn mat
ters of which their knowledge' is lim
ited. port LARIZ1NU TUB COXGRESSION At
RECORD. '
"VUrM-nrr mnuM ha fullv as ID-
ronrlate a name as "Record" for the
daily publication which Congress
sends forth to a more or less grateful
country. The Congressional Record Is cannot be expected to have lnacpena
made huge of bulk by speeches which . ent opinions on such subjects as pro
never were delivered. Statesmen who ' tectlon and finance and therefore they
are troubled with stage fright, those ( will not spilt up Into parties. The
who are shut out from full expression development of their Intelligence has
by th exigencies of time, the timid. 1 been hindered by false conceptions of
the lazy and the squelched are all al- 1 education.
lowed the consolation of pouring their ! Many . of the schools and colleges
still-born speeches into th Record,
which thus becomes a sort of verbal
pewer. Its accuracy is aiso open tu
question because so much liberty Is
given to amend, correct and indeii-
nltely alter speeches which have really I
been delivered. Oftentimes the child
he at.pears In print only faintly re
sembles the robust urchin who yelled
out his little hour on the floor of Con
gress. Mr. Murdork, of Kansas, has intro
duced a resolution looking to the cor
rection of some of these unfortunate
particulars. His Idea is to label
everything that goes Into the Record.
If It is a speech which was composed
In th hot frenzy of a hotel bedroom
but never delivered, let It be labeled
for what it "Is. Do not say with bare
faced mendacity that the Hon. Jere
miah Fathead delivered It on such a
day to the delighted wonder of his
fellow Congressmen. If corrections
are made In a speech before It Is print
ed, ret them appear so marked. Make
the Record truthful and shame the
devil. Is Mr. Murdock's desire.
Congress may hesitate to adopt his
resolution. The right to print speeches
never delivered has become almost sa
cred with time. So has the privilege
of striking out passages which elo
quent statesmen are asnaraeu 01 mo
dav afterward. The Record would ap
pear too much like the report of a scene
In the confessional, if everytning in 11
were accurately laoeiea. u c
something to charity as well as to
truth.
But against the proposal to reduce
the price of the Record from $4 to $1
per session we fancy not a voice will
be raised. The present price Is pro
hibitive and Congressmen know it.
When any of them emits a speech
which he really wants read he shows
deep contempt for the Record as a
medium of publicity. He knows that
nobody reads that severe publication
who Is not compelled to do It, and to
get his Immortal deliverance before his
constituents he puts it Into envelopes
and malls it. Uncle Sam pays the
freight. The bill amounts to a good
deal In the course of a session. It
would be eliminated If the "Record
were made accessible and reasonably
reliable, and no doubt th saving thus
effected would more than counterbal
ance the cost of reducing the subscrip
tion price. ,
At any rate, the purpose of. the Rec-
ord la to keep the public Informed of
the proceedings of Congress, a purpose
which Is now but Illy accomplished.
With Its bulk diminished and Its price
reduced, it would come a great deal
nearer to attaining the object of Its
existence.
"
TILE IXRD9 AND COMMONS.
It cannot be said that the British
House of Commons Is going to any
frightful extreme In tho limitation on
the power of the Lords for which It
Is contending. The measure Is sub
mitted in two sections. The first ex
plicitly deprives the Lords of any
control over money bills. Theoreti
cally they have had no control of this
klml for centuries.
As early as the Unit of Elizabeth
the Common asserted the exclusive
right to grant money to 'the crown,
though fhey could not always exercise
it as they wished. They were often
bullied by the monarch into granting
what they -would far rather have re
fused. StiU the rlght was never given
up and gradually the other branches
of the government began to concede
it openly. The attempt to amend
Lloyd-Georges budget was the first
rjimtn "l - -
nance bills by the Lords for many
1 years and it failed when referred to
. the people. Nobody expects this first
part of the measure to meet with seri
ous difficulty In the upper chamber.
For the second part atorms . and
tempests are prophesied. This pro
vide a method for the enactment of
a bill Into law without the consent of
the Lords, although It is not to be
done hastily. The bill must pas th
House of Commons at three succes
sive sessions and consume not less
than two years In the process. Then
If the Lords throw It out It is to go
to the King for his signature and
become law whether or no. Here 1
the only parf of the Commons' pro
gramme which is really revolutionary.
The rest of U merely reaffirms what
has long beenpart of the constitution
and has been upheld by the electorate
upon a referendum.
It is a mere matter of speculation
how far the Lords will go In opposi
tion to the limitation of their power.
The wiser ones understand that re
sistance cannot be of much use in the
long run and are disposed either to
submit gracefully or to initiate re
forms In the upper chamber them
selves. If the House of Lords were
an elective body It would lose a good
deal of its odium. If it represented
the nation, of course the people would
not care to abolish It. Perhaps that Is
the direction the reform "will ultimate,
ly take. .
PARTEM IS THE SOUTH.
In his address before the South Car
olina Bankers' Association Secretary
MacVeagh reiterated the admonition,
which Southerners have so often
heard, that they ought to fllvlde into
two po,uclaI partles. The lesson Is
. bu( u w,u not be heeded Just
tn n remains
what he is the South will feel obliged
In that section. Were the negroes
free to vote, there would of course be
twQ R y of tne ,.h(M and an op.
pbslng one of tha Dlacha Dut thls will
not be permitted. The law enacted
by thouth to nullify the Federal
Constitution aria disfranchise the
negroes have been acquiesced in
throughout the country. The courts
are reluctant to meddle with, them.
, Th conscience of the North concedes
I their expediency. It is agreed on all
1 sides that "a regrettable policy was
j pursued In the days of reconstruction
I which brought great evils upon tho
I South and now the white peopIv of
I that region must have a free hand to
work out their own destiny.
' If the negroes were Intelligent
enough to divide about equally be
tween two parties It would make
something of the same sort possible
among the whites. . But we must not
expect this for many years to come.
Although the blacks have made sur
prising progress In many directions
since the war In the South they are not
yet as a body fit to deal wisely with t
lltlcal questions. They are ruled by
prejudice and outworn beliefs. They
founded for the benefit of the negrpes
have done more harm than good. bud.
jecis nave wet-ii tausot timn wic-
relation to the problems of their lives.
hat tney learnea simpiy puuea mem
up with conceit and unfitted them for
profitable work.
The efforts of men like Mr. Wash
ington are changing all this. Th ed
ucation which they give the negroes
applies Erectly to the practical prob
lems of their lives. Mr. Washington's
school at Tuskegee graduates farm
ers, carpenters and tradesmen of all
kinds, while it does not neglect the
higher things of the spirit. The re
ligion which he teaches Is rational.
It rises above mere emotionalism with
its banalities and cleaves tenaciously
to conduct. Mr. Washington is the
best friend the negroes ever had. His
work Is bound to tell In a geometrlo
ratio as time passes. His pupils will
establish centers like Tuskegee
throughout the South and send out
multiplied evangelists to preach the
good old gospel of common sense and
hard work.
As the negroes acquire property and
settled habits of industry respect for
them will grow. They will cease to be
looked" upon as a menace to the com
munities where they dwell and It will
be conceded as a matter of course that
they ouhgt to have a voice In politics.
When that day comes they will not
be found voting like dumb creatures
at the dictation of any boss. They
will think for themselves and natu
rally their conclusions will vary.
Hence they will Join different parties.
This will permit the Southern whites
to do the same thing.
Clearly then the condition of
things which Mr. MacVeagh longs to
see depends on the development of the
blacks in citizenship, as the most in
telligent men In the South thoroughly
understand. It Is only the hoodlum
element In Georgia, Mississippi and
the other Gulf states who oppose the
progress of the negroes. Intelligent
whites are tired of perpetual race
trouble, though of 'course they will
never consent to end It by submitting
to the domination of the negores.
' What the two parties will be Into
which the Southern people vtnay some
time divide Is an interesting question.
It Is not quit safe to assume that
they will be th Republican and Dem
ocratic parties of our day. Political
groups change with the progress of
intelligence and the development of
new problems. The adoption of direct
methods of government will probably
exercise an effect upon parties which
has not yet been fully estimated. As
th old watchwords lose their charm
the former lines of division will be
come Indistinct and fresh ones will be
drawn.
Some prophets have foretold that
the parties of tomorrow will be con
servative and radical. The Democratic
and Republican conservative elements
will draw together and the radicals
from both camps will do the same.
8hould this happen. It will be In strict
accord with human nature. None of
us are born protectionists or state
rights men. but eve-yoody is by na
ture either a conservative or a radical.
This is a classification which holds
good wherever there are human be
ings and we may some time see it pre
vail openly In this country. If It ever
does th Southerners will not have
any "more difficulty than the rest of
us In finding their proper places.
Labor conditions In the Hawaiian
Islands present an Interesting study
In economics. The Japanese invaded
the islands a few years ago and el
bowed out most of the Chinese. The
little brown men failed to supply all
tho demand for labor, and for eeveral
years a great maiy Portuguese have
been . brought Into the islands.
A few weeks ago Alaska cannerymen
sent a steamship to the islands for the
purpose of securing a mixed lot of
Filipinos and Japanese to work in the
canneries. Any shortage that may
have resulted from the departure of
tho cannery workers has apparently
been made up. for yesterday's news
dispatches reported the arrival at
Honolulu of the steamer Oteric with
1SK5 Portuguese Immigrants. The
shifting, supply of labor in the Ha
waiian islands has a poorer opportu
nity for moving on than the supply
which becomes uneasy on the main
lai4. but there seems to be enough of
a movement to make it prontable for
the transportation lines.
The Patrons of Husbandry' are get
ting into line for the annual meeting
of the governing body of the order,
known as the State Grange, which -will
convene in Corvailis May 9. A bulle
tin containing the names of the stand
ing committees of that body has been
Issued. These committees cover a
wide range of thought and effort and
indicate that the farmer folk are wide
awake to their Interests and the publie
interests as well. The names of women
appear with equal frequency with
those of men tipon these committees,
showing tha this Organization recog
nizes the value oforaan's work in
all of its councils' and undertakings.
Every section of the state is recognized
in the appointment of these commit
tees, and Indications are that the com
ing session of the State Grange the
thirty-eighth annual convention will
be more largely attended than any of
its predecessors have been, while the
open sessions will, doubtless attract
large audiences.
The opposing attitude of Mr. Can
non on the reciprocity measure is
thoroughly consistent. .The entire ca
reer of the Danville statesman has
been marked by a religious adher
enc tn the cause of high tariff. It
was this attitude of Mr. Cannon and'to.me because I have been experiment'
other high priests of the tarirr taber
nacle that was responsible for the
smashing defeat cf the Republicans
last November. Heedless of the re
peated warnings that had been sound
ed, these standpatters successfully re
sisted the attempts of th progressive
Republicans to revise the tariff. As a
result they will now see revision with
a vengeance by a party that would
not be In power todaj-had It not been
for them. The reciprocity measure
may not be perfect, but it is so far
ahead of anything that Mr. Cannon
and his friends ever offered that it is
very popular.
It may be hoped that the danger
of sneeding . automobiles past tne
sharp curve on the elevated roadway
between this city ana Vancouver nas
been sufficiently Illustrated by death
and disaster. The practical wreck
of two machines, the death of three
persona and the serious Injury of sev
eral othors represent the grim toll of
disaster at this danger point on the
roadway that bridges the Oregon
slough between the mainland and
Hayden Island. Further illustration
should not be necessary.
The date of the celebration of
Founders day at old Champoeg draws
near. Facilities for reaching the his
toric' ground are excellent, whether by
the water route or by the Oregon
Electric. The indications are that the
day and occasion will be observed by
a large delegation from this city,
"whll oatriotlc country folk will as
usual rally to do honor to tho day on
May 2.
Th Rogue Stiver Association has
merged with the Portland Fruit Ex
change, induced by the superior han
dling and sellings advantages of th lo
cal organization. Those out of the
fold number few, and they will proba
bly Join as time passes, making a dom
inant concern for general success.
As time passes less Is said about the
damage that befel fruit from the three
frosts of the middle of April. It will
probably transplr that only as many
of the cherries, peacnes and prunes
were killed as will prove beneficial to
the rest of the crop.
Veal is reported coming in too freely
in the local market. Why not quit
killing so much of th. "she stock" and
help the dairy .industry? According
to alarmists, all the Oregon cows will
be dead. of tuberculosis some time.
The four-legged chicken hatched at
Vancouver has greater practical value
than a mere freak. A breed of
fowls with two sets of "drumsticks"
for the festal board will bring great
money.
There Is possibility that smoking
will bo forbidden in the new Court
house. By and by a man win not be
allowed to smoke wnen using tne tele
phone. '
If more people were married in the
saddle, like th Fort Klamath couple,
there would be more community of in
terest in the household.
v -
The Tacoma- man who fell seven
stories and was not hurt "was proba
bly listening to a recall and slowed
down.
Hereafter the Governor cannot be
seen until after lunch. Then, of
course, -lie will feel good-natured. j
PROFIT IX OYSTER TRANSPLANTS.
Frelsht and Rlaka Cat Dom Retnrns,
Sara Grower.
BAT CEXTEK, Wash.. April 19. (To
the Editor. I notice In The Oregonlan
of April 17. under heading, "Timely
Tales of the Day," a little item that
refers to an old friend and neighbor
of mine, who was recently accidentally
drowned at South Bend. Wallace Stu
art's mother -worked for me when Wal
lace was a babe in arms. I had known
him throughout his entire life. Hie
business was the oyster business all
his life, and he befcame an authority
on the cultivation, marketing, etc.. of
the native as well as the Eastern oyster
transplanted in theee waters.
My object In writing 'this, however.
Is to correct the Idea thata held forth
In the article referred to about the
enormous profits of the Eastern oys
ter when transplanted in these waters.
I. with others, have been engaged in
this .business along side of Wallace
Stuart for many years.
I went back to Long Island Sound
and selected carloads of Eastern seed
oysters many years ago and have been
shipping more or less each year. The
cost per car varies from $500 to $1000
and when freight. Icing and some
minor charges are Included the most
costly carload will not exceed $2000,
while the article referred to has the
price fixed at $15,000.
The fact Is hat there has been some
money made planting Eastern oysters,
but at the same time many a carload
planted never paid first cost. The
trouble has largely been caused by
planting on the wrong kind of beds.
Oysters are planted when the beds are
covered with water and not on the dry
sand flats.
There are likely fortunes yet to be
made here In the oyster business, and
that In the near future, as this Is
without doubt the best locality on the
Pacific Coast to produce the finest
flavored oyster ever grown.
L. H. RHODES.
An Oysterman for 50 Tears.
Pasaloa rlay la Theaters.
PORTLAND, Or.. April 18. (To the
Editor.) Being a constant reader of
The Oregonlan. I must say that I And
pleasure In reading from day to .day
the editorial page, which treats all live
topics of the day with liberal and
broad-minded Judgment. Therefore
I do not hesitate In submitting the fol
lowing: Oberammergau, of world-wide fame
as the place where at Intervals of ten
years are'deplcted the life and suffer
ing of Jesus Christ for the benefit (or
snail 1 say amusement) 01 tne masses,
Is again before the public through the
medium of the moving pictures this
week in the City of Portland. It is a
pity that humanity will flock Ira such
vast numbers to view an Imitation of
the scenes which took place for our
benefit some 1900 years ago, but wnicn
today has become a bait to catch the
almlahty dollar, regardless of the sa
cred and Irreproachable character of
Him who died for a fallen world.
Moving pictures may be educational
In some respects, but when religion Is
placed upon the sheet. It ceases to be a
means or education and becomes a sac
rllege. The path that Christ trod was
a stormy one, beset by many difficulties
and needs no imitating. I believe In
drawing a line of demarcation between
the holy and the unholy, for Christ
himself said: "Render to Ceasar the
things that are Cesser's, and to God the
things that are God's." Mark 13:17.
GEORGE S. WORIf.
The Purple Potato,
GRESHAM. Or.. April 19. (To the
Editor.) The account of a purple pota
.to In Tuesday's Oregonlan Is Interesting
Ing with It for four years. I got the
seed from a Portland gentleman who
"swiped" It -from a Russian ship. It Is
raised extensively in Russia and Is all
that your Oregon City correspondent
claims for it.
Two years ago I had a lot of them on
exhibition at the Gresham fair, where
they attracted a great deal of attention
Six of the largest were stolen and I
have since been wondering who got
them.
I still have a few left, but not long
ago I gave a peck of them to Gill Bros.,
the well-known gardeners of Russell-
ville. who will endeavor to make them
commercially valuable, as they. are of
excellent flavor, good yielders and of
especial quality and color for salads.
Several prominent caterers have ex
pressed a belief that they would, be a
valuable addition to the garnishment
of tables at banquets.
; EUGENE L. THORPE.
Hotel Fire Escapes.
PORTLAND, April 18. (To the Editor.)
Why do city ordinances allow hotel
fire escapes to be located where access
to them is obtained, not through a public
hall or corridor, but frequently through
bedrooms that moeit of the time a
locked? Suppose a fire breaks out. If
the bedrooms through which egress is
had to fire escapes are occupied the oc
cupants probably could be roused to un
lock the doors. If not paralyzed by fear
and rendered helplees; but. If unoc
cupied, they ore locked, and many lives
might be lost by reason of that faer in
the confusion and delay that would ensue
before tlp keye could be obtained and
the doors opened. The city ought to
require that rooms with fire escapes,
when unoccupied, shall be left unlocked
day arid night. HOTEL. RESIDENT.
Ridicule of Inventions.
ABERDEEN, Wash., April 16. (To
the Editor.) Is It true that many, of
the great Inventions were ridiculed in
past, by large, portion of the people?
Is It true that when the phonograph
wss first exhibited, and made to repro
duce human voice, some people said It
was the work of the devil?
JOSEPH THOMAS.
It Is true that some of the greatest
inventions now in use were ridiculed
generally when put forward In their
crude original form. We have never
heard, - however, that persons of even
average Intelligence believed phono
graphic reproductions were the work
of the devil.
Notary Public,
PORTLAND. April 18. (To the Edi
tor.) Does the law permit a person who
is not an American citizen to be a no-,
tary public? If so; does thlo only apply
to Oregon or to all other Btates?
L. P. K.
There Is nothing tn the state law re
quiring a notary public to be a citizen.
We cannot give information on this point
as to other states.
In Oregon, Tea. .
PORTLAND, April 18. (To the Edi
tor.) Does a foreigner have the right
to vote, at a Presidential election, hav
ing only his first papers.
A SUBSCRIBER.
'
The Oregon law permits an alien to
vote at a general election if he has de
clared his intention to become a citizen
more than one year prior threto.
Dog Fldo's Morning Bath.
Pittsburg Post
"How is the water in the bath, Flflr
"Please, my lady. It turned the baby
fairly blue."
"Then don't put Fido in for an hour
or so."
Learning Nearest at Hand.
Washington Herald.
"There are so many things one must
learn by experience."
"Well, we can't learn everything by
malt"
I SANDY BOULEVARD IMPROVEMENT :
Protest Made Agalnat Cruahed Rock
Between Cartracka.
PORTLAND, April IS. (To the Editor.)
In The Oregonlan of April IS I note
that the Portland Railway, Light &
Power Company desires to use crushed
rock on its portion of the Sandy boule
vard when it is paved from Twenty
eighth to Sixty-seventh street This will
occasion no surprise, but the report that
the Rose City Improvement League
favors such a concession can hardly be
credited.
Property owners In this section of the
city are ambitious to make this the
greatest and mcust attractive boulevard
in the city and with that end ln view
have completed plans foe making it SO
feet wide and covering it with a hard
surface pavement. As the popularity of
that boulevard increases the population
of that section of the city will keep
pace, end the receipts of the Portland
Railway. Light & Power Company will
enormously increase. ,
The property . owners or that diftrict
are not only asked to give sufficient
property to make the street 80 feet wide,
but they are to be taxed to the limit for
the hard-surface pavement, while the
railway company, the chief user of the
street and the chief beneficiary of the
improvement. Is to escape with nothing
but an Improvement of crushed rock a
concession that will mar the beauty of
the street and that will adversely effect
its convenient use.
The pretended reason for permitting
this inexcusable concession is that "it
will prevent teams from driving on the
cartracks and retarding the streetcars."
What is there to tempt teams to travel
on the Una of the tracks when they
have a wideband perfectly smooth road
way on each side? Some more plausi
ble pretense than that should be in
vented. The real reason is that the cor
poration wants to save Its good money.
If It has any force why has not crushed
rock between the cartracks been used on
the Washington and Morrison and East
Burnside and Hawthorne and Union ave
nue lines.
If this concession Is permitted by the
Council it is certain tha the right to
make such discrimination will be tested
ln the courts, and the whole Improve
ment will be, Indefinitely delayed. Here
Is at least one opportunity for the Coun
cil to give some assurance to the public
that It Is not completely owned by the
corporations. CHARLES B. MOORES.
WEST NEEDS BIGGER STATESMEN.
Charge Made That Oregon System Re
duces Standard.
ASHLAND. Or., April 19. (To the
Editor.) The Oregonlan's editorial on
the reasons why the West is slighted
by Congress Is correct; you have the
Eastern point of view. It can be added
that the men we have been sending la
Congress are the best the Oregon sys
tem affords, and if they are not big
enough to match the Eastern men it
must be due to one or two causes,
either we have no better men to send
or our system does not result ln the
state sending its best men.
It has been claimed, and the claim is
now pretty generally accepted, that our
Oregon system has reduced the stand
ard of public officials elected under it.
We know that the most capable men
for our highest offices, as well as other
offices, will not enter the race along with
the great number of self-seeking polit
ical artists that enter themselves for
the offices. The small caliber of the
officials the state has been electing is
proof of thjs fact. We can't see our
selves as the East sees us, but we can
see the effects of electing political
artists Instead of statesmen.
Show me any other normal Repub
lican state that would elect a Demo
cratic politician Governor Just because
he, as Railroad Commissioner, ordered
a slight reduction in freight rates a
few days before the election which
still leaves the rates higher than any
other rates ln the country. .
N. F. THRONER.
Penalty May Be Single Tax f
McMINNVILLE, Or., April 17. (To
the Editor.) The Oregonlan article in
regard to taxation of this date indicates
that there is room for a taxpayers
league to enforce the present laws on
taxation.
As a traveling man I find Intense dis
satisfaction among all classes with the
present tax laws and methods of assess
ment Some measure to exempt more
than $300 will certainly be carried by
the people. If a concerted and system
atic effort was made tc enforce our pre
sent tax laws and compel the railroad
grants, titfber trust, and others to pay
more taxes perhaps we would find $300
examption acceptable, but unless some
thing is done to relieve the small far
mer from the burden of taxation upon
his house and stock there will be a
sweeping measures passed that will have
little else to be taxed than land values.
With the other correspondent I echo
your echo "Why not a tax league?" If
the people vote down all tax measures
in disgust, as you suggest they may,
then we will have the county tax mea
sure still with us, and some one county
will sweep all taxes from improve
ments. Are we ready to he captured by
the Bingle taxers? SID EVANS.
Violets Cured III Queen, She Thinks.
Vr Vnrlc Press.
Fondness of Alexandra, PowaserJ
Queen of England, for a certain shale
of violet is not a mere wnim, nut
really is based on her firm belief the
color once cured her of a dangerous
illness. Several years ago she was ill
for monihs ana, ior a nine, iuijiu'
ia i.rfliitK- flhout her con-
were y . . i . . r-' - -.
dition. One day a friend sent to the
Queen a big buncn 01 aarn sprinu vio
lets. The medical men noticed that
the sick woman immediately began to
gain strengtn ana spimo.
suit they surrounaea ner nim os mui.u
nt the violet color as possible. In the
1 r th. rnnm and in the
naugiiitia ., 1
flowers brought. When Queen Alex
andra recovered, she . explained,
though she said she did" not know 1
why the beauty of that first bunch of
vioieis imu -
made her eager to regain her health
and strength, since men sue mjs 1
. aa fnti1ne fnr vlo-
nas snown . -
lets and for that color in her gowns
and' in the furnishings of her rooms.
Effect of Roosevelt's Trip.
tiADT-i a-v't-. Anrii lfl. ( To t h Edi
torsYes, things are already different
' .v. th.u warn hefnrn Mr. Roose-
1 1 U III wnai
velt set out upon the recent tour ln
which, to quote The Oregonlan, he
strewed wisdom Benina mm line a
comet's tail." The, difference may not
et be discernible to tne naitea eye, cul
t Is there, and the best thing about
1 i ie n ernivine difference that will
go on spreading witji the years.
When words of wisdom fall upon at
tnHv ears the conditions are favor
able for a mighty harvest. "Words are
the wings of action. ,
Yes.
PORTLAND, April 18. (To the Edi
tor.) I am an old soldier's wire, draw
ing a pension of 3 a quarter, van my
household furniture be assessed by the
:ity or county? ifw,ur.n.
Property of veteran soldiers or their
vidows is not specially exempt from
taxation. ,
Husband's Property Rights.
PORTLAND. April 18. (To the Edi
tor.) If a woman dies leaving property
ha Inherited from her father's estate !
and leaving no children, can the husband
sell the property or dispose of It as he
Dleases? A KivADiiK.
Under tha conditions stated, the hus
band will have right to the property.
I . I
Advertising Talks
By William C. Freemasu
If there is any doubt that a wave of
real old-fashioned honesty is spreading
over the land, let him read the follow
ing: Thomas E. Kirby, of the American
Art Association, was conducting at
auction, sale of paintings, the collection
of the Jate Peter A. Schennn, of Phila
delphia, when he suddenly startled,
everybody by announcing the with
drawal from the sale of two painting!
that were supposed to be the work ol
Mr. Inness.
Mr. Kirby found that they were nof
genuine therefore their withdrawal
from the sale but he went further and
said that he had suggested to the
executors of Mr. Schemra that they ob.
tain the consent of his heirs to de
stroy the two canvases.
Here's a case of perpetrting a fraud
on a collector of valuable paintings
having the fraud discovered years later
(as fraud Is always discovered) and
then destroying the imitations o that
nobody else could possibly be defraud
ed again.
This sort of thing Is going on every
where in every branch of business
and it will keep on going until all
traces of fraud and deception are
eliminated from all transactions.
What effect will Mr. Kirby's action
have on future auction sales advertised
by himself?
There is but one answer: Everybody
will have faith In the genuineness of
everything he offers.
The incident at "the sale in question
gave everybody absolute confidence,
and the balance of the Schemm collec
tion sold quickly and at good- prices.
The skeptic or cynic or doubter
might say that Mr. Kirby had prear
ranged all of this just to create a desire
to buy the other pictures, but it so
happens that these paintings had been
on exhibition for several days and had
been favorably mentioned by the news
paper critics yet Mr. Kirby and the
son of Mr. Inness discovered that they
were not genuine, and therefore they
did not go on sale.
There is an Irresistible something that
is getting into the consciences of peo
ple that is forcing them to demand
the straight thing on the part of every
body with whom they transact any
business.
(To be continued.)
Country Town Sayings by Ed Howe
Copyright, 1911, by George Matthew Adams.
When a man makes one mistake, he
nsually follows It up with three or four
before he recovers his balance.
A girl may help with the housework
when she is at home, but she is a queen
when she goes visiting.
It is only occasionally you find a man
who believes h's daughter's voice or
piano playing will make him rich; but
when you do find him, he has it bad.
Don't try to Induce a man to do that
which he doesn't want to do; he won't
do It, and will hate you, besides.
Stirring Series
Of Civil War 'Articles to Begin
in Next -
SUNDAY'S '
OREGONIAN
Actors in the great drama of
the Civil War will present suc
cessively 12 thrilling non-partisan
articles on the Civil War that
will be illustrated with actual
Civil War photographs.
To the Tront in '61, will be the
opening article. It is given a full
page, the illustrations including
Thomas Nast's famous painting
of the old Seventh New York
leaving for the front.
It isn't long now nntil our
Bible will pass its 300th birthday
that is, the tercentenary of the
translation and publication of
"the King James version." A
timely and vital article is pre
sented in this connection.
Woman is to play an unusually
brilliant part in the coronation of
England 's Monarch. Geraldine
de Longville, writing from Lon
don, supplies an interesting half
page on this topic, with illustra
tions. Farmers can cut down the high
cost of living. At least that is
what B. F. Yoakum, the eminent
railroad man, avers, and he sup
ports his views with a thoughtful
interview of 2000 words.
There are several individuals
hereabouts who would be Mayor
of Portland. It is the most cov
eted of local political places. But
it isn't any sinecure. Mayor Si
mon is a hard-worked man, and
the man who would be Mayor
must set his mind to hard work.
Read the half page on this in
Sunday's magazine section.
May day is at hand, and this
year quaint May-day ceremonies
are being revived the world over.
Merry May-day Ceremonies is the
title of a brisk, nicely illustrated
half-page.
There is an excellent half-page,
too, on a man in Delaware who,
having a couple of millions to
give away, takes the stand that
good roads are more valuable than
libraries. lie has set out to prove
his claim.
Two strong short stories are
provided. The Perfidy of Miss
Brown is the eighth of the Peter
Ruff Series. Then Prank Bailey
Millard, a favorably-known writ
er, presents an unusual adventure
tale, "Under-Water House."
Cap Anson, in his reminiscences,
is back in the United States, after
his tour of the world.
The susceptible Widow Wise
invades Mexico and goes to a bull
fight. Sambo sets off for the land of
the kangaroo, despairing of the
wild man's capture, and Mr. Twee
Deedle takes the ehildre-n into a
land of strange little creatures.