Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, May 09, 1911, Page 8, Image 8

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    THE MOnXTN'O OREGOXIAN, TUESDAY, MAY .9, 1011.
romTXAXD. ubjccox.
Eatarad at Portland. Or(on. Foatoffloe a
acoad-Caaa Vattar.
uaacrlpuea liatas Invariably la Adraaea.
(BT MAIL)
-.DallT. laMir 1nela!ad. n yr. . . . ..8-0
Liailr. luadM laclual. aia moaikt 4-2J
J&aiir. gj&dty lnelm!l. tbrae months... 2.23
Eat. jr. Sunday Included, oca maltL. . . . . .75
Jjl.y. without Sun Jar. ona ar 6.00
Dal T. without Bund, f-x month I :i
a.ljr. without Sunday, thraa months.... LTs
Loi.. without Sunday, eaa moalb... 00
Waly, ana yaar. .................... . 1.50
, Sunday, on yaar X-SO
uauajr aud waakiy. eaa year. ......... a-a0
proportionate fain of population, but
U closely followed by Pasco, also In A
fruit growing1 district, wall frostier,
another fruit center, la third.
In. the record of towns In the fruit
growing sections there la unmistakable
evidence of the value to a community
of the small farm or orchard. Prob
ably none of the sections represented
present In soil and climatic conditions
better opportunities for graining- a com
petence from small tracts of land than
are found In the stretch of country ly
ing- between the Cascade and Coast
ed to handle the traffic, nothing- la
really rained by the performance.
By eliminating all competition In
rates, the Interstate Commerce Com
mission sought to benefit the public.
If the Railroad Commission would
eliminate some of this competition in
service, they mlg-ht benefit the stock
holders In the road. Incidentally, In
that famous "last analysis" the pub
lic pays the bill, including- all costs of
duplication and triplication of service.
faster train service, better distrib
uted throughout the day, would meet
women the world over In the birth and
death of children and in the passing
of those who were left to her into
other homes than that Into which
they were born. These common vicis
situdes she met with affection, dignity
and courage. For a few years she was
Queen- of England; then still & young
woman, as age Is now measured, shn
met the supreme sorrow of her life
and stepped sadly aside to give place
to her son's wife, the new Queen of
England.
Her fortitude under this last trial
FALLACIES OF SINGLE OR LAND TAX
All Get Protection of Government, So Wiy Should All Not Pay m Share
the CoatT Is Question Aaked by Writer Exemptions Would Sot Bring;
Improvements.
ranges of mountains - and extending- the demands of the public better flKan f has been of outward .seeming- merely.
(BT CARRIER)
Ditly. Sunday Istiudad. on yaar S-00
the entire breadth of Oregon. In ad- i the present arrangement. The people
ditlon there are the Rogue River Val- j went to the Interstate Commerce Corn
ley, the Grand Ronde. Umatilla dls- , mission to get relief from the rail
trlct and other localities susceptible of , roads. Now the railroads might go to
Intensified far ml n a- or fruit growing, the aame source to rot relief from their
lai;y eunday ino.uU.d. on month T3 i anj aside from these are the undo- J own system of duplicating- and trlpll- memory of her conspicuous part
r . " - n-oi.r. diuu- , veloDed Interior and the coast ooun
ardr. nstm ordor or paraunal chack on , """ "nr " ,
roar local bank. Stan-.;, coin or currency ties Into Which transportation Com
at tae nar r.ic aire poitorrice i canto in) Livins; rails.
aJ4r. fuit taciud;o, county and .lata - P'"1.C r rf .5 . .
roataer !?! 10 to 14 nasaa. 1 cant; 1
to la BttM. canta; SO to o case, a caot
; i paaa. 4 casta, raraiaa poatai
"-doutU rata.
aaatern Bnlr Offlmt Varra A Conk
, l!n Na York. Krunawlca. bulliiln. cal
t caso. atafar buIMlaf.
IPOSTI-axr TVTSOAX. MAT t. 1IL
Washington in ten years gained a
total of 623,887 persons, but this pop
ulation growth began with transpor
tation conditions and actual develop
ment at a stage more advanced than
are now found in Oregon.
It does not require a great prophetic
vision, therefore, to read the future of
Oregon In the Washington census re
turns. But one thing- should not be
lost sight of: Washington has not de-
catlng- train service.
Ii
ttMJtTT PRIMARIES DC LOCAL CONTESTS
Mr. Ruahlfrht la lh nnitlHita nf
- minority a comparatively .mall ml- Pded alone on railroad transporta
aortty of the Republican voters of Uon- The tto haa mado a more "ys
Portland for Mayor. Moreover, be Is i tematlc effort to secure g-ood highways
the candidate of a minority of the Re- ' than , oa has not yet
publican voter so-called who act- ' ff1lJned Teat reputation, perhaps, for
ually appeared at the polls Saturday. , f ads. an- lta Lefslture
Fifty per cent of the registered vote t0 backward ep " od
tayed at home. Her. U the Ineffect- ! foad campa,5n- but what Washington
Ive, Inexpressive and Indecisive plural- nas accompiisnea n a state su
ty primary again. From Bourne to 5erTUlon f road ?uJiD has un
Rushllght the record of the active ' lubtedly been an Influence In the
candidate, supported by ample funds -rowth of population. Oregon must
a a tnaohm. .nH fM., . r.r.n.i. not rely solely on railroad construc
tion divided and distracted by the con- ! tlon for gToater growth and pre
tentions and ambitions of half a dozen
candidates, has been one of uniform
success. The candidate who knows
what he wants and what to do and
with whom and what to do It can often
manipulate a primary just as he woulj
a convention in the old days.
But it is not the fault of the primary-
It Is the fault of the voters:
or. rather, of the great majority who
believe in food government, say so.
and differ among- themselves not as
to methods but as to candidates. They
fall to ret together. They stay at
home. They register their complaints
and protests at the wrong- time be
tween elections.
How many persons who entered the
Republican primary Saturday went
there as party men and voted for ei
ther of the candidates as a party
choice, the standard-bearer of his
party T How many were hard-and-fast,
thlck-and-thln. never-say-die Re
publicans T How many regarded the
fortunes of the party as being 11
rectly Involved In the success of th
primary nominees? How many really
cared whether any of the candidate-.
had a perfect record as a supporter
of Republican principles? How many
concerned themselves with the ques
tion as to whether Lombard, or Rush
light, or Werleln. or any of the others,
had been conspicuous In hLs advocacy
of any Republican ticket at any past
election? How many of the candi
dates based their appeal for favor on
the ground that they were Republic
ans and would give a Republican city-
administration? How many of the
actual participants In the primary
would have been able truthfully to
say that, being themselves Republic
ans, they desired the continued dom
inance of the Republican party in
municipal affairs through the nom
ination and election of a Republican
Mayor and other Republican candi
dates ?
Not many. No questions as to party
were asked either candidates or vot
ers. Nobody cared: and nobody cares.
It follows, then, that a party primary
for the nomination of party candi
dates for local offices la a sham, a
fraud and a delusion: and party fealty
la an empty illusion. The party pri
mary for municipal officers ought to
be abolished: since the appeal to the
public for support in any local con
test or any party basis falls on heed
lass ears. The people of Portland and
of any city are going to have, and are
entitled to have If they can find him
the best man for Mayor, regardless
cf his politics, and the best men for
ether municipal places.
perlty.
A CHANCB FOR A COMMISSION.
A Boston schoolma'am has executed
a flank movement upon the foes of
her sex with a military dexterity
which merits commendatory comment.
The particular foes whom she haa out
witted are the ones who advocate low
wages to women and high wages to
men for doing- precisely the same
work. The usual excuse for this piece
of male hogglshness Is that men have
families to support, while women have
none. The truth is that a great many
men have no families while a great
many women have persons depending
upon them. Occasionally one of thiun
has a dependent husband.
But who would think of paring- a
man higher wagva than his fellows In
the same trade because his family was
larger or younger or more subject to
Illness? To ask the question is to an
swer it. No such thing Is ever done
or dreamed of. The circumstance that
fixes wages is the condition of the la
bor market in teaching Just the same
as in bricklaying. A multitude of com
pet! tors for the same Job brings down
the pay for It. As It happens, there
are a great many capable women com
petir.g for almost every desirable job
In the teaching- profession, and this
enables stingy boards of directors to
reap their unjrallant harvest.
It is commonly assumed that women
can afford to work more cheaply than
men because they obtain part of their
support from other sources than their
labor or their brains. Some are par
tially maintained by widowed aunts.
Others live at home with their indul
grant fathers. Circumstances of this
aort accrue opulently to the profit of
their employers and beat down the
remuneration of their sex.
But the Boston teacher to whom we
refer cuts the ground from under this
pretext. She declares flatly that wom
an's cost of living la necessarily higher
than man's. Therefore, by every eco
nomic law, she ought to receive higher
pay for her work. This alleged fact
and the conclusion depending; upon it
are fascinatingly dubious. Perhaps the
best way to settle the point Is to turn
it over to a Congressional committee
of Inquiry.
A FORECAST FOR OREGON.
An analysts of Washington's census
returns, prepared by H. O. Stechhan
and printed in the current number of
Pacific Northwest Commerce, the
official publication of the Seattle
Chamber of Commerce, deals with the
growth of the cities of that state from
a logically optimistic viewpoint. In
spite of the dissatisfaction expressed
In many communities over the Govern
ment's flg-ures.
This assembling of statistics shows
that there are twenty-six Incorporated
cities in Washington, all but three of
' which have gained In population more
than BO per cent in the decade, while
some increases have run to more than
700 per cent.
Probably in census returns Wash
ington will show a larger number of
rapidly growing communities than any
other state tn the Union. Of course.
comparative figures taken from this
source cover a period of ten years and
consequently Oregon, whose develop
ment was held back until the latter
part of the decade by lack of railroad
transportation, will not show equal
comparative trains, although now
growing as rapidly as Washington.
The Washington figure are a fair
forecast, however, of what may be ex
pected in the matter of growth In Ore
gon communities rurlng the ten-year
period that has Just begun.
It Is noted that In the gains In
Washington towns, cities in the center
or rruit cistricts make the mojt re
markable showing In two classifica
tions. In cities of 1500 and more pop
ulation Wenatchee leads in propor
tionate gain with an Increase of nearly
t S00 per cent In ten years. Expressed
In another way. It may be said that
out of every 100 persons now living in
.Wenatchee nearly eighty-nine were
not citizens of the town ten years
ago.
In towns where upbuilding depends
largely on the activity in different
lines of endeavor in the communities
Immediately surrounding them the fig
ures indicate that fruit growing and
the lumber Industry have been the
two most important factors In adding
to population. In the 1500 class We
natchee la followed by Centralla In
proportionate gain of population. In
Centralla the lumber manufacturing
Industry probably was the chief In
centive to growth. North Taklma. an
other fruit growing center, is hlrd.
and South Bend, another.town In the
timber belt. Is fourth.
In cities of 1000 or more population
Wenatohoe also shows the greatest '
PAST TRAIN SERVICE.
A special train , carrying President
Hill, of the Great Northern, made the
run from Spokane to Portland Sundny
ln eight hours. Including considerable
time lost en route while the passen
gers got out to pick flSwers. As a
demonstration of the possibilities for
reducing the time between the two cit
ies, the trip was significant. If a train
can carry a railroad president from
Spokane to Portland in eight hour,
there is no reason why It should not
carry a farmer or a merchant or any
other passenger who has the price of a
ticket at about the same speed.
Perhaps it is along these lines that
the railroads may still have an oppor
tunity to Inject something like compe
tition Into their operations. The In
terstate Commerce Commission, by
forbidding ratecutting, rebating, or
any other practice by which one road
may make a lower rate than another,
has practically eliminated all competi
tion from the traffic end of the busi
ness, and nothing remains but the
service.
There may be some objection on the
part of the railroads to running mlle-a-mlnute
trains on all their roads, but
In some respects they might make a
little better showing on the balance
sheet if they permitted the Interstate
Commerce Commission to eliminate
competition in service as they have al
ready done In rates. The traveling
public likes to be well provided with
trains. It prefers fast trains and
would like to have them all limited
trains. Even the people along the
right of way who seldom travel tike
to see the trains go by, but it all jos:
money and in some cases the public is
not much. If any, better off by the ex
tra service. We have ten trains per
day out of Portland for Puget Sound.
It would be an admirable service if
'.hey were strung along througn tho
twelve cr eighteen hours In which de
parting travelers make use of such
trains. But they get away In flocks,
ccveys or squads.
In the morning there Is a grand rush
and three trains pull out together, car
rying Irom one to two tralnloads o
MIGHT AS A RESERVE FORCE. -General
Anderson takes the military
man's view of arbitration of vital
questions between nations, deeming it
an Impracticable method of dealing
with situations that may arise between
the Cnlted States and England. Rabbi
Wise and Pastors Wilson and Eliot
take the moral shepherd's view, based
upon the principle of teaching men
self-control and love of humanity.
The former view la based upon a
knowledge of human nature as It la;
the latter upon Ideal human nature
founded upon love of God and love of
man. The first recognizes the effi
ciency of physical might when opinions
differ as to right between man and
man, nation and nation, the second
upholds the principles of concession.
kindness and courtesy as all sufficient
for the settlement of differences, if
Judiciously and' persistently urged.
Between these two extremes He in
dividual and national dignity and
safety. This position has been tersely
and significantly Indicated in the ad
vice: "Trust in God but keep your
powder dry." It is well to exercise and
apply the virtues of patience, toler
ance and amity when questions In
volving a principle of National honor,
dignity or fairness arise, but after all
the certainty of maintaining peace by
these measures depends largely upon
the reserve force the compelling
power of the arm of the nation whoso
rlphts and privileges are at Issue be
fore a peace commlslson.
The old story of the man, the boys
and the apple tree, revised and en
larged, appears In the archives of na
tional life the world over. Having
tried peaceful methods to bring pre
daceous boys out of his apple tree
without avail. "Well, then," said the
old man. If neither words nor grass
will do I will try what virtue there Is
In stones." So efficacious was this
last argument that "the boys immedi
ately came down out of the tree and
begged the owner's pardon."
The necessity of reinforcing right by
might upon occasion, thus simply il
lustrated, will apply as long as the
impulse of self-preservation Is instinct
In man.
and If reports of seeming verity are
true she will not attempt to face It,
but will leave London during the fes
tivities attendant upon her son's coro
nation, to cherish in retirement the
In
the coronation. If she persists in
this purpose Alexandrt will stand be
fore the British people for the first
time in the role of ungraciousness and
lack of courage. Having made many
sacrifices to duty and to position. It
will be a matter of regret if she falls
to overcome her personal feelings In
this instance, which is, after all, but
BIB.E W1DNBT.
The object of taxation In our Repub
lican form of . government is to raise
funda to pay the expenses of protecting
persons and property, real and personal,
and to pay the expenses of those affairs
In which all (ft the people have more
or less a common Interest and use.
This constitutes legitimate govern
ment, and government is properly lim
ited to managing those affairs that are
common to all the people, whether citi
sens or foreigners.
To this end are directed the police
and Sheriff's forces and the work of the
courts.
By these criminals are repressed and
persons and property protected from
wrongful acts.
Where individuals disagree as to their
respective rights to person or property.
real or personal, the courts and legal
methods are provided for the dislnter-
an intensified Incident or feature of. ested settlement of those disagreements.
tne common lot in which change and
self-abnegation play leading parts.
Germany, the world's champion
"bluffer," has warned France of the
dangerous consequences likely to fol
low the occupation of Fez by the
French troops. Berlin dispatches an
nouncing this warning state that. In
view of this hint from Germany,
the French flying column from
the southwest that has been hur
rying to the relief of Fez will
be halted outside the capital. The
attitude of Germany In this matter Is
peculiar, for the reason that while
France has for years been doing police
duty for the world at Morocco, not un
til the present trouble has there been
disposition on the part of any of the
powers to question her superior
rights in that country. Neither Eng
land nor the United States has ever
shown any disposition to interfere In
the numerous insurrections that have
taken place in Morocco, and the
French troops have always guarded
the lives and property of foreigners ir
respective of nationality. Germany
should remove the chip from her
shoulder before some one knocks it off.
BIO WHEAT CROP FORECASTED.
The Government crop report, which
appeared yesterday, failed to create
the usual disturbance in the wheat
market, although It was generally con
strued to be of a bearish nature. Ac
cording to this report, the acreage of
Winter wheat Is 81,867,000, compared
with 29.427,000 acres harvested lost
year. The condition was placed at a
fraction more than 86 per cent. Which
1 very good for so near harvest.
The average yield last year was
about fourteen bushels per acre," and
If the present condition is maintained
until harvest, it Is probable that the
final out-turn of Wlnr wheat will be
approximately 28,000,000 bushels In
excess of that of a year ago. This
output, estimating the Spring wheat
crop the same as last year, would
show a total of Spring and Winter
wheat of approximately 725,000,000
bushels, which is enough more than is
needed for home requirements to pla?v
this country well up again in the
ranks of the world's exporting coun
tries. Favorable crop condglons and
large acreage are also reported m
Canada, which is rapidly Increasing Us
output.
Naturally, with the influence of a
big crop already hanging over the
market, there has been considerable
weakness In prices. The Chicago mar
ket closed yesterday with an average
of 15 cents per bushel lower than on
the same date last year.
The appearance of a big crop, with
the attendant lower prices, will be
greeted with varying emotions by the
people who grow, transport and con
sume the crop. It is very rare for a
big crop and big prices to come to
gether, although in recent yeart we
have enjoyed this happy combination
on two or three occasions. The big
crop, however, even if it does force
prices to a lower level, is much prefer
able to the small one. It means
cheaper bread for the consumers, who
far outnumber the producers, and It
means Increased prosperity to the rail,
roads and the vast army of employes
who are affected by their prosperity or
adversity.
In the Pacific Northwest prospects
continue bright for a big crop, and,
unless the price is forced down to un
usually low figures, we may exoect a
continuation of the present prosperity
in the wheat belt that pays tribute to
this city.
In view of present conditions in
Mexico, the shipment of 81,000,000 in
gold from that troubled country lying
south of us is significant. The prac
tice of quietly transferring valuables
to a safe place has been followed at
various times by timid capitalists in
nearly all of the Pan-American Re
publics, and the appearance of this
sign of precaution is generally taken
to mean that a crisis Is near at hand.
Despite the fact that another truce is
said to be pending in Mexico, there is
nothing in the attitude of Diaz that
Indicates much prospect for success in
that direction. The venerable despot
who has ruled with an Iron hand for
so long has on previous occasions
given revolutionists, what is generally
known as the "double cross," and
there la much In his present attitude- talned directly or Indirectly by the whole
that would make his peace overtures I community. Why should it refuse or be
Persons accused of crimes have the
courts wherein they may be heard and
defended, and protected or restrained by
command of the community
Cities have certain interests In which
they are exclusively interested, and for
these we have the city governments.
Where other municipal affairs affect the
outside residents of the state, they.
through the Legislature, properly pre
scribe by state law for managing them,
either by directing the city how to do
it or by giving authority to state offi
cers. The people of a state also have
certain common Interests. These are
managed and defined by the Legislature.
To pay the employes of government
their fixed wages and the expenses of
public works in protecting the persons
and property, real and personal, of the
Inhabitants, is the object of taxation
or revenue. Therefore, everything that
receives this common protection and
benefit; furnished by the community as
whole, should pay Its part of the
cost, whether. on individual or real or
personal property.
It Is neither Just, nor right, nor honest
that any part of the protected property
or persons should refuse or be per
mitted to avoid paying his honest part
of the expenses. Neither is it honest or
Just that any person should be allowed
to exempt his property, real or per
sonal, from paying for the protection of
that property. It is not honest that
the community shall furnish and pay
for the free protection of any person or
of his property.
Herein is the Injustice of the single
tax: It proposes that the community
shall pay all costs and furnish free pro
tection for all personal property. It pro
poses that all personal property shall
receive its protection free, shall pay
nothing for Its own protection; that it
shall be dead-headed given & free pass;
that It should be a dead beat in the
community.
In the City of Portland and In the
State of Oregon are millions of dollars'
worth of merchandise, protected from
theft and burglary by the police and by
the courts, and protected against fire by
an expensively-maintained fire depart
ment and appliances. The saleabillty of
this merchandise is enhanced by finely
graded streets, streetcar systems, public
lighting and water supplies, all maln-
suspiclous. If Diaz Is really anxious
for a restoration of peace, he should
send In an unconditional resignation.
Unless he does that in the near future.
capitalists as well as capital will be
moving out of his country.
Two or three years ago it used to be
said that the Federal Constitution
could not be amended. It swathed us
in iron bands, so the lamentation ran.
Now what a change! No Congress
man so poor that he has not a hopeful
amendment in his portfolio. The last
one proposes to fi a new date for In
auguration day. It merits and shall
receive our good wishes. On March 4
it always snows or. does something
worse In Washington. Let us choose
a more benignant day for installing
Presidents.
The postal savings bank in La
Grande makes three for Oregon. The
state needs two-score and will have
them by and by. The reform Is a
great one and will take time. The
successful installment of postal sav
ings banks will clear the way for the
parcels post, which Is a more funda
mental improvement. Now that .the
National post office has begun to move,
it will soon catch up with the civilized
procession.
Professor Charles, of the University
of Illinois, who committed suicide be
cause he had "made a failure of life,"
was an educated fool. No nan of
training can -be a failure at 38. He
was a coward also, for he left a wife
and two small children to encounter
the stress of the world. A change of
occupation was what he needed work
with shovel and hoe. That would
have brought physical and mental relief.
permitted to refuse- to pay Its proper
part of all of this public protection and
benefit?
In fact, the greater part of all gov
ernment expenses Is incurred In pro
tecting personal property and Individ
uals. Yet the slngle-taxers claim It
should pay no part of its own protec
tion.
a a a
Land requires very little protection.
Thieves and burglars cannot steal and
remove it. Land requires no fire pro
tection. It Is subject to very little dam
age by the acts of man. The improve
ments and personal property thereon
are the principal objects liable to theft,
arson and robbery.
However, there arise conflicts as to
title and possession. Also lands are
benefited by public transportation Im
provements and protection from tres
pass. It. therefore, should pay its 'pro
portion of the common expenses of pro
tection, and no more.
All Individuals In the state who do
or do not own any property are pro
tected from assault, murder, robbery and
personal wrongs. Their civil rights to
sue for wages ana enforce tfieir con
tracts are protected by the courts and
officers of the law. Why should they
not pay a personal or poll tax to help
pay for their own individual protection?, ernment.
. Why should others be taxed to pay for
their protection?
Every laboring man gets his Wages,
because the laws and the courts will
force their payment. He should pay his
part of the. expenses. If the protection
of individuals and personal property is
oi no value to them,' then Just pass i
law that no person or property not nay
lng Its proportion of the cost of pro
tection shall have any standing In court
to sue; that no person shall be arrested
or punished who steals or destroys non
taxpaying personal property, and also
that no fire company shall extinguish
any fires on non-taxpaying personal
property or improvements. Also provide
by law that no non-taxpaylng Individual
may have any one arrested for com
mitting any crime against him, and that
he may not go into court to sua for
wages or to establish any of his rights.
Suppose that no person could main
tain or defend an action or suit unless
he flrs.t produced a tax receipt showing
that he had contribtued his part to the
common fund to meet expenses of court
and law. If such protection is not worth
chipping in by taxes to pay for, it is
not worth having. Therefore, cut it out.
If such were the law how many tax
dodgers or non-taxpaylng slngle-taxers,
or anti-poll tax payers would there be
in this state?
If a slngle-taxer's stock of merchan
dlse and his Improvements are on fire.
Just require him to exhibit his tax re
ceipt for hll part of the expenses before
the fire company turns on the water.
Why should I and the other taxpayers
foot the expense account for putting
out his fire, and he pay nothing?
If the law were that none of the publio
motley should be spent In any manner
to protect persons or property, real ' or
personal, that had not contributed to
that public fund by taxation, how many
would evade taxation on the ground that
protection was worth nothing and, there
fore, they paid nothing to the publio
cost?
If the personal property of Jewelers,
money in bank, stocks of merchandise
of every kind, etc, want to pay nothing
for protection, then omit the protection.
Simply declare them outlawed. What a
paradise for thieves and- robbers it would
be. They would be at legal liberty to
knock down any non-taxpayer and take
his watch and wages, and the police
would say they were not paid to protect
the victim. Under such laws tax re
ceipts would be as common as badges
on "tag day."
The absurdity and unjustness of the
single land tax may be summed up in
the statement that it demands that the
owners of one class of protected prop
erty shall pay the expenses and furnish
full and free protection for another class
of property exempt from all cost of its
own protection. And the single tax ad
vocates from Eastern states ask that
the people of Oregon shall perform this
experiment!
The effect of the single land tax is to
create, an aristocracy of personal prop
erty free from the common expense of
the cost of Its own protection. It places
the cost on the peasant, the small, farmer
and land owner. The farmer would
either have to advance the cost of farm
products, and thus Increase the cost of
living, or he would have to break up
and quit.
Neither would the exemption of per
sonal property and improvements cause
all of the vacant property to be im
proved, for the simple reason that the
Improvement would not be used. There
would be an oversupply and no demand.
If all vacant business lots In Portland
were Improved with a skyscraper, who
would occupy them? There Is not busi
ness enough here to fill them. The sur
plus would be vacant. If all vacant
residence lots had dwellings on them,
who would occupy them? The popula
tion Is not- here. If all tracts of land in
Oregon were offered for improvement,
where are the people to occupy them?
Millions of acres of public lands in Ore-
Advertising Talks
By William C. Freeman.
Can anybody explain why a mer
chant should ever find it necessary to
take an article and advertise It at dif
ferent prices through a period of a
couple of months?
For Instance, I observed recently a
merchant who advertised a woman's
garment In the month of February at
85.95. The first week in March he an
nounced the same thing exactly at 85;
second week in March, at J5.9S; tho
third week in March at $6.98; and the
last week In March at 84.50.
I wonder If this merchant ever thinks
of the Impresaton lie crentea in peo
ple's minds when they notice these
different prices for the same article.
If the price of $5.95 was the correct
price in the first place, then why not
continue to sell the garment at this
figure during the season? Then, at the
end of the season. If all the garments
have not been sold reduce the price
to get rid of them.
Just to fix a price according to the
whim of the buyer or the merchant, as
the prices evidently were fixed in this
Instance, is playing fast and loose with
public confidence and that sort of
thing doea not work out in the end.
No business can ever be bullded on a
sound business basis by such methods.
It is this policy, still followed by some
merchants, that makes many people
doubt the advertising that is printed.
Every merchant U entitled to a fair
bnsineas profit on every piece of mer
chandise he sells, and this business
profit should be added to the cost of
every article.
But this policy of trying to make
people believe they are getting some
thing for nothing belongs to the "dark
ages" of advertising, and, I am glad to
say, is gradually dying out"
The quicker It does die out, the bet
ter It will be for business generally.
(To be continued.)
gon are offered free to homesteaders if
they will Improve and cultivate mem.
There Is no rush of slngle-taxers to get
those lands. Lands can only be culti
vated and Improved as population in
creases. This has been the fact of cen
turies, from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
both for city lots and farm lands.
The single tax may produce a rush of
personal property and improvements to
a locality to escape taxation, but it
would soon result in an oversupply with
a corresponding depreciation and loss by
reason of over-competition.
The sum and substance of the whole
mutter is that every property and person
must pay its proportion of the cost of
its own protection in the form of a gov-
For Lane and Commlaslon Plan.
PORTLAND, May 8. (To the Editor.)
The Oregonian's editorial this morn
ing has the right ring to it and the
announcement that "the fight will be
between Rushlight with the breweries,
saloons, paving companies, street rail
way corporation and their labor allies
on the one hand and the forces that de
sire a free, clean, untrammeled and un
inspired municipal administration on
the other" cannot be too often repeated.
Now there is one conspicuous name
that looms above all others to advance
In the Interest of good government in
Portland, one who has been tried out
and although hampered by the associ
ated thieves, grafters, boodlers and
Councilmen, retired from the arena be
cause he could not make headway
against the aggregated cabal Dr.
Harry Lane. His unflinching Integrity
cannot be questioned; he can tell the
diverging point where Rushlight ceased
to care more for the city's Interest than
his own. In . Justice to him he ought
with a sympathetic Council be given
opportunity to show that Portland can
be governed honestly, and safely de
livered Into the hands of a Commission
of which he should be one as well as
Mr. Lombard.
I am convinced that Mr. Lombard, too.
would have made an efficient, honest
administration, and we ought in two
months time after Installing the new
officers from the June election, be in
the hands of a Commission. No Coun
cilman should be elected who will not
agree to facilitate this transfer at the
first opportunity, and resign his $25
per month job. And Its promise should
be categorial, peremptory and unmis
takable. CHAS. P. CHURCH.
Country Town Sayings by Ed Howe
Attorney-General Crawford has ven
tured the opinion that the State
Printer has as much right to occupy
rooms in the Capitol as the Governor
and Secretary of State, and that. In
the absence of direct legislation in the
matter, all of them are trespassers
technically. So Mr. Dunlway will hold
the fort.
ALEXANDRA.
It is said that Queen-Mother
Alexandra will absent herself from
London during the coronation ac
tivities that will soon be in evi
dence on every hand In that city.
The ostensible reason will be the sad
ness that the repetition of ceremonials
In which she but a few years ago took
a leading part will Induce. The real
reason, no doubt, ts one even more
subtle than this.
Though before the world Alexandra
Is a model mother-in-law, as she was
years ago. In time of severe trial a
faithful, all-enduring wife, she doubt-
t less feels keenly Queen Mary's prece-
, ; dence over her in affairs of state and
in the social realm. In her time of
Opening of the salmon season, it is
said, is a disappointment to canners.
'Twas ever thus. The wonder is that
so many substantial fortunes were ac
cumulated under the shadow of this
yearly recurring disappointment in
the salmon run.
The annual display of forest fires
begins rather earlier than usual this
season. The picturesque, but expen
sive, show opens in Saskatchewan and
will gradually move southward as the
weather favors.
,V .-.nV,)T., .-flw .7 ' lfelv trial she withdrew to Copen
thira Is another "flock" sent out. ana . . . , , ... . "
late in the evening the third trio for , 0"en; on V"Z 1 1"1" B r ae
..,,, ... , . . parents, remained until the whispered
th6 fi.?!.!!.. 1 " .l ! scandal that Invaded her domestic life
Lir. J ,v,. w it ! died away, and returned smiling and
Vita - ...w " - . W .. - A n !
were for the benefit of the public, the
schedule would be rearranged so that
trains would' run tandem instead of
abreast, and the man who missed an
early morning train wduld not be
obliged to wait until late in the after
noon. It la even possible that some of
the trains could be kept In the sheds
while the others handled the business.
A passenger cannot ride on three
dignified and
sympathetic woman who was hailed
by Tennyson, poet laureate, when she
came to England in 1868:
pa Klns'a daughter from over tha sea.
Tha Saa King's daushtar aa happy as fair.
HlMful brlda or a blluful heir.
Vicissitudes of nearly half a cen
tury have come to her since then.
Princess of Wales during the long
years of Queen Victoria's perpetual
As If there had not been voting
enough to satisfy everybody, here are
contests breaking out over queens of
,the festival and other Idiosyncrasies of
the usufruct.
This is not first-class strawberry
weather, but the Roseburg people will
not let a little matter of weather In
terfere with the success of their festi
val Thursday.
trains at the same time, and, aside mourning she bore her part in the
from the great fun in seeing the rail- , court functions with a grace that made
road lose money by runing three ' the absence of the Queen unnoticed,
trains w here only one or two are need- , The "woman's lot" came to her as to
I
The man who would, single-handed,
rob a city bank in daylight is needed
In what is Jocularly termed the dippy
bungalow.
The Seattle upheaval will take a
place in the archives of that city un
der the head of "Matthews vs.
Wappy."
Next Sunday will be Mothers' day
and a day off for poor old Father.
Rushlight Is not the' right word.
Arclight la more descriptive.
(Copyright. 101L by Gaorra Matthew
Aaamaj
There are two sides to every quarrel.
unless there are three papers in a town;
then there are three sides to every
quarrel.
Tha method employed by some girls
In getting wedding presents is little
less than highway robbery.
Men don't care much about society,
but when a woman isn't invited, she
squirms.
Every boy's hand is against a snake,
a spider, a rat and a crow.
When two men fight to a finish, and
both are badly punished, that quarrel
has usually been settled for good.
I have Ion it been suspicious of the
Truly Good men and women who are
always raising money to help distress
away off somewhere, and who regularly
abuse the people for lack of enthusiasm.
About the worst use you can make
of a woman is to sprinkle cheap per
fumery on her.
A preacher enjoys being called "Doc
tor" as much as a Justice of the peace
enjoys being called "Judge."
A man has the best of a woman in
one particular; if he wants to, he can
always get married.
Til think It over," is another way of
saying you don't want to do it.
A Cheea Game by, Wireieaa.
New York Times.
The story of 'an interesting chess
game between the third officer of the
Austrian steamship Laura and the chief
officer of the Cunard liner Ultonia, ap
proaching port, was told by those who
got In recently on the former. Neither
vessel sighted the other on the voy
age. Several days ago they got Into
wireless touch, and the operators, find
ing time hanging heavy on their bands,
suggested a wireless chess game. The
opponents were chosen and for twe
hours the game continued. The officer
of the Cunarder won.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian, May 9, 1861.
Dispatches from New York, April 18,
represent the war feeling as most in
tense. Last night a mob went down
Wall street to enforce mob law or have
the American flag hung out. The Ex
press and Day Book were compelled,
under the same terms, to hang out the
flag. The Journal of Commerce saved
their building by displaying the Amer
ican flag.
The CoL Wright has returned from
Clearwater. She ascended to within
12 miles of the forks of that river. - If
she had reached them she would have
been within 25 miles of the mines. The
entire distance from Deschutes is 300
miles and the ascent was made with
ease. The run down from Lapwai
Agency was made in less than 24 hours,
a distance of 325 miles.
Two gentlemen from the interior
came to town yesterday to purchase
American flags for the Union men of
the country. One of them is intended
for Albany.
Alphonae'a Dream la Illustrated.
London Tit-Bits.
Alphonse presented himself, breath
less, at the ticket office of the steam
ship company. He addressed the agent
confidentially.
"Oh, monsieur, I wish a stateroom on
your next steamship sailing for Havre,"
he said "and I wish above all to secure
for my passage the room No. 33.1
The agent shook his head.
"Too bad you've set your heart on It."
he said, "for it's been engaged over a
fortnight by people that wouldn't like
to change. Won't another stateroom
do you?"
"But, monsieur, it was in a dream I
saw the number," said Alphonse sadly.
"My grandfather, dead now twenty
years, appeared to me, well and hearty,
and on each cheek was a figure 3, so "
and Alphonse Illustrated freely.
The agent had not much regard for
superstition, but he knew his man.
"Look here," he said, "was your
grandfather's mouth open or shut when
he appeared to you?"
"But, monsieur, it was open slightly,
thus " and Alphonse again Illustrated.
"You're right, then," said the agent
cheerfully. "Three hundred and three
Is what you -want, and I have it here
for you."
What the Wild Waxes Are Sarins;.
Detroit Free Press.
"He said he could teach me to swim
in three lessons." "Are you going to
let him?" "I should say not. Most of
my Summer vacation fun is learning to
swim."
The Feminine Comeback.
Toledo Blade.
Mabel That story you Just told , is
about 50 years old.
Maude And you haven't forgotten in
all that time? .
Vialtlnir Cards for Dogs.
London Tit Bits.
A novelty in Paris is the Iapdog
visiting card. "Poms" and pugs which
go visiting with their mistresses in
fashionable circles In Paris are to have
their own tiny pasteboards tucked
away in little pockets of their outdoor
coats. Such dogs have two sets of
cards, which are left ori other dogs at
the houses where they are calling with
their mistresses. One card gives the
dog's real name and Its race, while
fihA nfiAi mAnl lta rift nnmA Inlnnil
to the family name of its owner. Cards !
are left according to the pedigree of
the dog visited.
Rnshiight Friend of the Few.
PORTLAND, May 7. (To the Editor.)
Mr. Rushlight has favored everything
regarding good government, but It 13
only good government for the minority
let the majority take care of Itself.
Does a municipal paving plant re
duce the cost of living? Does a mu
nicipal free employment bureau In
crease the wages, or show any Indica
tions of shorter hours and sanitary and
safer workshops?
Does he express any intention, par
ticularly speaking, of using bis entire
power to increase the wages of women
and girls to the end that they will not
be compelled to sell their bodies for
purposes of prostitution?
The commonwealth Is aware of this
filibustering In politics. They are edu
cated up to it now.
The ballot box is the people's day of
decision. When they vote, mother and
baby are considered. As we vote so they
live. Where is Mr. Rushlight's platform
to Insure universal human liberty?
R. E. KTJLISCH.
. Whore Poultry-Raising; Languishes.
London Times.
Poultry farming has not yet become
a scientific Industry in India. In most
Indian towns it is difficult to obtain
table fowls. To the Hindus, poultry
raising is, objectionable on religious
grounds. ' The government has now
taken up the matter.
The Little Brother Gets Busy.
Baltimore American.
Bodest Suitor I am going to marry
your sister, Jimmy, but I know I am
not good enough for her.
Candid Little Brother That's what
sis says, but ma's been telling her she
can't do any better.
The New Whistling Kettle.
Indianapolis News.
The new whistling kettle has a long,
narrow, neck at the top, by which It Is
both filled and emptied. This is covered
by a cap cover the length of the neck,
and at the top of this is a whlstia which
acts directly the kettle bolls by reason
of the steam passing through it.
Attraction of a Diamond.
Philadelphia Inquirer.
Mistress Julia, Where's my diamond
comb? I left it In my hair.
Julia Yes, ma'am, but I don't know
where your hair Is.
More Gentle Than Mother.
Chicago News.
Teacher Doea your ma brush your
hair like that?
Tommy No'ra.
Teacher Who does, then?
Tommy I fell down on de way to
school an' de street sweeper ran over
me.
Whole Machine Gets In Action.
Toledo Blade.
"It took that racing motorcar1 twenty
minutes to pass this house."
"Impossible."
"Fact. I could hear It ten minutes
before it got here and I could smell it
ten minutes after It passed."
A Reproachful Look and a Bath.
Washington (D. C.) Star.
"What did that woman do when her
pet dog jumped on you and bit you?-'
"She gave me a very reproachful
look," replied Plodding Pete, "an' then
she ordered the dog's valet to give it a
bath."