np TITE MORyiXG- OKEOOyiAy. YEDyESPAY. MAY 24. 1911. -
Tfie (Dmroirimt
rOTLAD. OKEGOX.
Erterad at Fenian. Ora.oa. fmotBM ee
- r-l - Xl!lt.
Ouc-ipwu Km Invariably tm Advance.
BT MAIL)
rettT. Sunday taela4d. on. year.... ..-f)
I-i.r. Smur tccludad. ela mturni .... . ,
I aily. fuiilT lnrluril tnree ir.ontba... X..3
lel t. I irdiT licudtd. oaa eaoal...... ?
X-.i;y. t'Foul un-.ar. one r"
I-e. jr. ai'tioul Skadar, a monthe. . . . - r
I ...r. wlt-ot Rii.c.y. UrM moataa...
X a.Ir. witaout eundajr. a&e anwata. ...... -
!. n .-.r J-J?
tondajr. en J.r
AVaauaj a&4 weaaly. OB year.
CBT CARRIER)
XaTry. Suny ro-ltMed. ana Tr ...... -
Ier:y Soa4.t tac.wd-d. ana month.. ...
M t. Bawdl 6.n4 Poetarr'.e
emr. eiprave orcer or peraonej che-fc ea
-ur lajc.i baa, stan.pe. so. a or currfl'-y
p. ai lie e-ndera r'e. Glva ajo.torf.ea
a,i'lrM ta fo.t includes county aoJ etala.
faalaaa RalM-10 la I pi I east: 1
to it f i ) casta; 30 ta o pagaa. tenia;
to ta. 4 ceata. ere.ga pcaiag
euu rata.
Iwunl Bi'HiM Oma Terre Conk
Ita T j.-l:rauu, fcuildla. C-l-ttte.
8t.cr aulla-n.
FXTLAND. WEOXtoOAI. MAT ta. till.
A TTMCAl. ST AMP A TTT-R.
Tha Oregonian print this morning
lat:rr from a man living cot fax from
Pendleton, a Mr. Hutchinson, who
avers that ha la a farmer and makes
soma pretense of slaving for othT
farmers on tha subject of tha tariff.
Judging Intrtnjlc evidence, we should
not suppose that Mr. Hutchinson rep
resents the more Intelligent class of
hie agricultural . neighbor. The re
markable statements which he makes
about the miraculous power of the
tariff seam to emanate rather from a
man who never reads or thinks thaa
from a progressive, up-to-date leader
of a rural community.
Take the following statement from
Mr. Hutchinson's letter and are If you
can believe that It was made by a man
of outstanding Intelligence: "Tha pro
tectionists knew that high tariff In
creases trade, both export and Im
ports, and low tariff, or the threat of
low tariff, decreases foreign trad.
Mr. Hutchinson unfortunately neg
lects to Inform us how he mar.ages to
reach Uila extraordinary conclusion.
Jt Is certainly not orthodox protec
tionism. The fundamental purpose of
the tariff Is to keep out Imports and
thus preserve the American market
for own Infant Industrie. If It docs
not keep them out but actually in
creases their volume patriotism coun
sels us to hasten to abate It lest our
manufactures should pine and die
from the effect of a flood of ruinous
com petition.
Mr. Hutchinson Is like a good many
other men who adore their fetishes
so abjectly that they do not stop to
look very closely at the arguments by
which they defend them. It may com.
fort our Pendleton friend to learn that
ha ta In the same boat with the dis
tinguished Mr. Mann, of Illinois, In
this matter. Mr. Mann also set out to
defend the Indefensible the other day.
His theme was the benefits which the
tariff beatows upon home manu
factures. To prove that these bene
fits surpass all estimate Mr. Mann
ottered the following memorable sen
tence: The International Harvester
Company not only haa a manufactur
ing plant In Canada but one In France,
In Germany, In Russia and. I think. In
Sweden.
We will not be too particular about
the Swedish plant. The others are
amply sufficient to show how the tar
iff protects American labor and builds
up home Industries. With what bits
It ought to suffuse the heart of the
American farmer to learn that he has
been paying two prices for his reapers
and mowing machines In order to
build up Infant Industries In France
and Russia. This Is altruism. Indeed.
Hut there is more to the story. Mr.
Mann goes on to let another cat out
of the bsg before he ends his speech,
which every farmer In the country,
especially Mr. Hutchinson, ought to
read for their souls' good. He says
that these plants of the machinery
trust occasionally pile up a surplus In
their Kusslan and British shops and
then they proceed to unload It In the
I'nlted States, thus bringing the pro
tected American workmen in direct
competition with the paupers of the
Old World. So much for the protection
which the machinery trust enjoys and
the good the American farmer and
workman get from It.
When we first perused Mr. Hutchin
son's letter we were amazed to find
that there was si I II a farmer In O re
gno who had read or thought so little
on the moat Important political sub
ject of the diy. He repeats with
docility the foolish Inaccuracies which
we ted to hear from backwoods
spellbind. r In the far-off days of
childhood. He seems to think that
nobody has moved a step In the last
years because he himself has been
standing still ail that time. We were
amazed at first, we say. to see all this,
but upon taking up some of the stand,
pat speeches In Congress, delivered
gainst Mr. Taff reciprocity agree
ment, we flr.d them r:br l-.s Intrl
llgent than anything In Mr. Hutchin
son's latter.
Mr. Hutrhtnson ys he sold h!s
wheat In Cleveland's Administration
for cents a bushel and thinks) the
low price was caused by a low tariff.
He does not know that the Wilson tar
iff was substantially as high as the one
tt supersed.d. but no matter about
that bow. The point Is that the Hon
orable William H. Wilder, of Uasaa
rhusetts. made prchey the same
blunder In a speech on the tariff and
reciprocity the Cher day. "In those
years of Democratic administration
cotton was t cents, now It Is la cents
a pound." Thus Mr. Wilder. Hut
when a fellow Congressman asked him
what the duty was cn raw cotton he
had to confrss that he dij not know.
The arguments thus fnr made In
Congress against reciprocity and the
free lint th.tt may accompany It are
pieltlvely sickening for Inanity. Mr.
Mann, who Is among the brlghte-t of
the stand patters, was reduced to quib
bling over the meaning of agricultural
Implement. "What are agricultural
Implement." shouted the eminent
statesman. "Are wheelbarrows, axes
and hay knives agricultural Imple
ments" and so on without end. Verily
stsndpatlsm should amend Its wit as
weU as Its Information.
The death of two women well known
In the pioneer era and annals of the
State, almost eo.ua! In length of years,
and closely associated In their prime
In church work and neighborly office,
occurred almost simultaneously the
or. last Saturday and the other Sunj
day morning. Mr. Martha Adair, for
merly for many years reoldent of Sa
lem, later of Eugene, and for the last
eleven years of Portland, died at her
home la this ctry Saturday morning.
t the) Hm bout Bund J
morning Mrs. Elinor- Smith Knight,
wife of Rev. P. 8. Knight, of Salem,
passed away In that city. Both had
lived out the allotted span of life, Mrs.
Adair being 74 and Mrs. Knight 72
years old; both were laid to rest In
their reflective family plots In Salem
cemetery. Their namea carry a weight
of womanly endeavor and influence
that will extend far beyond the term
of their nalursj lives. The sorrowful
vicissitude of life had come to both,
and In helping to bear one another's
burdens and to carry sympathy to
those about them their own burden
became lighter. Mrs. Knight was for
many years the assistant of her hus
band In the State Deaf Mute School, a
work In which her executive ability
and ready sympathy found full play.
Mr. Adair Is well , remembered by
graduate student both of Willamette
and Oregon Universities, she having
been for a number of years In close
touch with them and In sympathy with
their work. In the death of these two
honored pioneer women the Oregon
Pioneer Association ha lost two mem
bers, one of whom. Mrs. Adair, had
been a regular attendant upon the an
nual reunion of that society for many
years.' Both will be greatly missed
from the yearly narrowing circle
which represents the pioneer era.
MMOX. ktSHXJGHT AND ftEWERS.
There is a Brooklyn home-owner
Who ha been Investigating the pro
saic question of ewer-plpe and sewer
construction with most surprising re
sults, which he presents In a contri
bution to The Oregonian today. It
ought to be Interesting, especially to
the supporter of Councilman Rush
light, who haa posed as a friend of
the people-but who has a record as a
aaaloua proteotor of the sewer trust
that re will find It difficult to explain
successfully.
The terra co.tta pipe trust for year
had Portland" by the throat, and
charged vrhat price It pleased until
something happened. That something
was the entrance Into the field of the
cement pipe concern, and the deter
mined effort of an Influential mem
ber of the city government to. force
down price of the greedirand hither
to successful terra corta monopoly.
Who was that fearless champion of
the Brooklyn home-owner and every
other property owner, small and large,
that had to yield his hard-earned dol
lars to the demands of the terra cotta
outfit? Councilman RushllghtT
Now you would think that Council
man Rushlight would have been busy
on the Job day and night In a patri
otic and dutiful effort to see that the
home-owning and home-loving cltl
xen of the Brooklyn sewer district
the very ward where "Rushlight comes
from were not gouged and pillaged
and milked of their scanty dol
lars by the terra cotta trust. Of
course, with all Rushlight's preten
sion of looking out for the people,
one would think so. But Rushlight
did nothing of the kind. He stood In
op that 12.000.000 Brooklyn Job and
every other terra cotta Job, and tried
In every way to keep out the cement
contractors.
It was none other than Mayor Simon
who brought the terra cotta monopoly
to It knee over the protest and the
active opposition of Councllmen like
Rushlight. Mayor Simon, not Rush
light, protected the people of the East
Side who were paying exorbitant sums
for sewer. The home-owner would
have been paying how those excessive
and outrageous profits to a selfish
monopoly, except for Mayor Simon.
It is well enough for the people who
have been exposed to the tender mer
clo of the terra cotta trust to be re
minded of the facts. It Is the concern
of the entire public, too, whether It
should pay much or pay little for It
sewer, pavements, and other Improve
ments. Mayor Simon has done prac
ticable, useful, and courageous work
for the general welfare In all those
particular. Councilman Rushlight
ha not.
rrsVlIGIITEX TUX CKAJTVEt.
The Astoria Chamber of Commerce
Is endeavoring to have a change made
In the present zig-zag channel across
Cathlamet Bay. A petition haa been
sent to the Government engineers ask
ing that a channel be dredged through
a more direct route past Tongue Point.
At the present time deep-draft vcsel
bound up or down the river must
make a wide detour passing far to the
north of Tongue Point. This not only
makes navigation In a fog or after
dark much more hazardous, but the
building of this xlg-zag channel has
prevented a free flow of water past
Astoria docks, with the result that
Astoria harbor and the channel be
tween that point and Fort Stevens are
continually filling up with sand that
Is no longer carried out of the way.
The present channel. In fact, sweep
Immense deposits of sand and silt over
Into the old channel, which must still
be used by vessel bound In and out of
Astoria.
Thl necessitates constant dredging
In order to make the waterway navi
gable for the large vessels that now
enter (he river, and tt also Increases
the difficulty In piloting vessel up
and down the river. The Government
and the Port of Portland have spent
large sums of money In dredging sand
and silt out oi the river, only to have
It slide back inagaln. thus necessitat
ing Its removal time after time. Much
of thl work, of course, was done In
emergences. Until permanent em
bankments or bulkheads for retaining
this. debris are provided, there will be
continued loss from this cause. Cath
lamet Bay, however. Is so near the
mouth of the river that the "mill
race" tides that sweep seaward twice a
day ought to keep a reasonably
straight channel, like that past Tongue
Point, well scourel out.
MORI WATKVLETU, JtOADS.
Advice from Boise report great ac
tivity In railroad circles In the Salmon
River territory. Northern Pacific cars
are depositing railroad material along
the line between Armstead and Dillon,
and It U reported that the road will
be poshed through to Salmon. Idaho,
where It will strike the Salmon River
and a water-level grado down to Lew
tston. This would give the Hill line
an easy grade through from Montana
to the Pacific Coast, enabling them to
move freight at much les cost than
under present conditions. From the
viewpoint of Mr. D. H. Gilman. of Se
attle, a ho Is so bitterly disappointed
In the North Bank road, it is folly on
the part of the railroads to spend their
money on a' water-level grade through
the mountain, when they might Just
as well parallel the line they have al
ready built over the lofty ranges that
separate Montana, and the East from
the Pacific slope.
Unfortunately . for Mr. Oilman's
logic tha Hill force In Idaho are con
fronted with the same competitive
problem that forced them to build the
North Bank railroad- The Harriman
Interests have already started con
struction of a roasi down the Snake
River canyon, and eventually It will
be built through to Lewlston. thus
giving them a water-level grade all
the way from tidewater at Portland
to Poc'atello. Idaho. The economic ad
vantages of this grade, as compared
with the mountain errata over which
the Hill lines now reJfh the Pacific
Coast, are so apparent that they can
hardly be obscured from any sagacious
railroad man. "and the Hill interests
In building down Salmon River are
taking the only natural and logical
method of meeting the competition of
their great rival in the transcontinen
tal business. Undoubtedly, the larg
est traffic that these roads will be
called on to handle along these water
courses will be lumber bound east
from the Coast markets; and as it
always moves at comparatively low
rates, the necessity for rigid economy
In operation is imperative.
These water-level grades, however,
win enable the roads to profit by
"back haul" business from the Pacific
Coast after the Panama Canal Is com
pleted. The stress of ocean competi
tion Is already being felt on many
commodities originating In easy reach
of the Atlantic seaboard, and the sit
uation will be Intensified as soon as
through steamers from New York and
other Atlantic ports begin lantfing un
broken cargoes at Portland for distri
bution throughout the Pacific North
west. From no other port oh the Pa
cific Coast can the railroads reach o
far inland without encountering
grades as from this city, and the roads
now projected In Idaho will greatly In
crease this mileage of water-foVel
grades and Incidentally play the mis
chief with the pretty theories f Grade
Expert Gilman. of Seattle.
KUtPLCB AND BETTER.
Why a party primary for a munici
pal election? Why a party ticket?
The voters at the late Republican pri
mary In Portland were not all Repub
licans. Few of them entered the pri
mary with the feeling that the party
had an Interest In the result or that
Republican principles In policies were
In any way Involved. The nomination
of Rushlight In the way he was nom
inated demonstrate the futility and
absurdity of the call on party to act
In the name of party In such a contest.
The whole party business should be
abandoned In municipal and other
local elections.
Pne conspicuous and indispensable
feature of the commission plan of
government In nearly all cities Is the
abolition of party contests. In most
places a general primary open to all
voters Is held. It Is a mere elimina
tion contest. If five commissioners
are to be elected, ten are nominated
at the preliminary primary. An elec
tion la then held to choose five from
the ten nominees. It Is all very easy,
simple and satisfactory. The political
machine goe on the scrap heap. It
has nothing to do, and could do noth
ing if It tried.
If Portland shall adopt the com
mission form of government, the farce
of the Rushlight nomination as a Re
publican by so-called . Republicans
cannot be re pea,ted.
A XmV LIHKAKT BUIXXUNQ.
The completion of a magnificent
building for their reception at last
enables New Tork to bring the Astor,
Lenox and Tllden libraries, under a
single roof. The combined collection
of books will hereafter be adminis
tered as a public library, free to all
readers.
New York is one of the laggards
among our cities in the matter of pro
viding an adequate public library
building. Boston has had one for
many years, which has been a credit
to the city, architecturally and In
every other way. Milwaukee, Wiscon
sin, waa one of the first of the larger
citle in the United States to erect a
noble library building at public ex
pense. This was done long before Mr.
Carnegie began his spectacular dona
tion. In fact. It was completed while
he was acquiring those easily-won mil
lions which he Is now disbursing for
his own glory and the edification of
the world. The process of acquisition
was less edifying, but fully as Instruc
tive a the distribution.
But. not to wander from our theme,
we were on the point of saying that In
the modern American city the public
library is as important a part of the
educational system as the common
schools.' It Influence is perhaps even
wider. The Portland library, to take
one of the best examples, not only
reaches the school children, but also
a numerous adult constituency. "Wo
have outlived the old notion that a
person's education necessarily ceases
when he leaves school or college. The
modern Individual continues to learn
ail his life long. In proportion a his
mind remains open to new knowledge
and fresh Ideas, he is a better citizen.
Now and then one still finds a moss
back In soma secluded vale who never
learns anything and never forget the
errors he wa taught slxy years ago;
but the creature grow rarer with
time. The typical American Is alive
and alert. He know what Is going on
In 'improvement. He take neither
ks politic, his science, mor hi relig
ion ready made from his grandpar
ents. Tbey exercised tha liberty of
choosing opinions for themelve. He
asserts the tame privilege. What a
dismal place the world would be if we
all remained exactly where our pro
genitors left us.
PATIVO SAtKiro TO rARUAWK.VT.
Lloyd-George's proposal that sal
aries be paid to members of the Bri
tish House of Common marks ,he
completion of a silent revolution In
British political life the change from
the Ideal to the practical. We have
been accustomed so long to paying
members of Congress and the State
Legislature that we cannot readily
Imagine what this change In the
mother of parliaments means.
Since the knights of the shires and
the burgesse of the boroughs were
first summoned to sit with the barons
and bishops In Parliament, It has al
ways been considered the highest hon
or to which a commoner could attain
to be elected a member of Parliament.
The honor was considered sufficient
to outweigh the expense of election
and of residence In London and the
labor of legislation. Even In those
corrupt days, before the reform act
of 183:. the same tradition held good.
A man with the magic letters "M.
p. affixed to hi name immediately
found the gate of society opened to
him. Be waa a welcome guest at the
houses of aristocracy; he was Invited
to speak on all manner of public occa
sions; he was elected director of cor
porations with a merely nominal hold
ing of stock. He was. by the mere
fact of his office, lifted above the
crowd. He received no salary, no
mileaxe. he waa put to bevvjr aspens.
but he gained such distinction that he
considered this money well spent.
But as the nineteenth century grew
towards middle age, a change came.
Formerly the country squires, the rich
manufacturers, the successful lawyers
had -mainly composed the House of
Commons. There now began to creep
in a class of men leas able to bear the
financial strain. It is the rule with
English corporation to pay their di
rectors one guinea (about $5) for
each meeting they attend. Some
members of Parliament found theXe
guineas very handy in paying their
) way, and they sought directorships
until a large part of their time was
spent in going from one board meet
ing to another picking up guineas.
One member of one of the Gladstone'
administrations was practically driven
out of office by the exposure of his
excessive keenness for the guineas and
his Indifference to th"e character of the
companies) that paid them.
v Then came the Irish Nationalist
party. Made up of men rich only In
the confidence of its fellow-citizens. it
waa dependent on the rank and file
for the means of living while its mem
bers attended the sessions of Parlia
ment. The Irish League paid salaries
to its representatives in the House of
Commons, and has continued to pay
them in the face of the gibes of the
Tories, who were shocked at hls vio
lation of tradition. After that came
the Labor party. The unions paid and
still pay salaries to members whose
elections they secure.
Indeed, the House of Commons la
I coming more and more to be what its
name. Implies a body representative
of the mass of people. Hence each
community sends the man best
equipped to serve its interests, . and
wealth and family cut less and less
figure as years go on. In such cir
cumstances the beat man Is notlways
able to sacrifice time and money to
the public good. The payment of
members by the nation will come as
the natural solution. The members
will then be what they are in theory
In America, men employed by the peo
ple to make their laws.
That the proposed change will lower
the standard of membership is doubt
ful. Ever since the first reform act
there has been a steady Improvement
in the standard of Integrity required
of members of PsrllamenL The
House no longer attempts to decide
contest, but refer them to an inde
pendent commissioner, whose deci
sions are accepted as final. Many a
member who spent money too freely
ha been unseated by a commissioner.
When a member is guilty of crime, he
Is pursued to the ends of the earth un
til brought to Justice. A noted case is
that of Jabez Balfour, who fled to
Buenos Ayre and lived there in fan
cied security for years, but "was at last
lured on board a British ship and,
then being In British territory, was
carried back, tried and sent to the
penitentiary.
The payment of members will prob
ably result In the election of an In
creasing number of poor men with
brains; but It will not lower the stand
ard of honor .and Integrity. ,
-Russian wheat shipments last week
were 6,696.000 bushels,, and for the
preceding week they were B. 436. 000
bushels, or something more than 12.
000.000 bushels for the first two
weeks In May. a period usually re
garded as the fag end of the season.
Nothing approaching this enormous
volume of business has ever been
shown by Russia so late in the season,
and the shipments for the season to
date have reached the heavy total of
194,000,000 bushels. Not only haa
Russia made up all of the shortage
shown by the United States, as com
pared with some of the good year of
the past, but since (he United States
began to lose prestige as a-wheat ex
porting country Russia has reached a
point where tt would not be a difficult
matter for her to dominate wheat
prices for the world. The Russians,
however, seem very well satisfied with
present prices, and by July 1 will have
marketed 400.000,000 bushels in two
years, much of this selling around tl
per bushel. In the face of these fig
ures, present prosperity- in Russia la
not difficult to explain.
The Rose Festival, though accord
ing to the calendar la two weeks off. Is
.n no" In .vprv rose firarden
I in the city. It is true that several days
of warm seaucuve sunsnine are ueves.
sary to bring out the fragrance and
beauty that this charmed period holds
in store. Of course, there will be
plenty of roses in Portland two weeks
hence. '
a.
The schism which has been so often
predicted begins to show itself among
Mrs. Eddy's followers. It would be
something very unusual In the history
of religions if they should remain
united. Within the first century after
the death of its founder, Christianity
was divided into a dozen sects all
more or less hostile to one another.
The Kansas minister's wife who
demonstrated her piety by horsewhip
ping her traducer has a creed well
enough adapted to frontier exigencies,
but not exactly biblical. We are told
to forgive an enemy seven times sev
enty times, but she applied the lash at
the first offense.
'The Oregon apple king." says the
Chicago Post, "who offered a woman
150.000 to marry him probably had
the offer screened off on the top of
the barrel V Barrel? Yet we had
thought the East was educated' thor
oughly on Oregon apple and Oregon
apple methods.
No doubt diversions less question
able than a "masking night" can be
conjured up for tlte Rose Festival. A
mask la apt to hide a good many
things besides innocence on occasions
w hen a gay and careless crowd has
assembled.
If masking and the unbridled li
cense It affords Is permitted any night
during the Rose Festival, some of the
maskers will awake in the hosplJs
the next morning.
There is little use In continuing
longer to fine the drunken rowdy on
a late streetcar. A broken head or
the rockpile will have more' effect.
A hospital de luxe for the very rich
is proposed by a Boston doctor. The
gilded beaneaters will yet want an
exclusive route to heaven.
Paroling a chauffeur guilty of aid
ing in the delinquency of young girls
la an experiment as well as an expedi
ent of doubtful result;
If this growing weather continues,
the Oregon strawberry must ba sliced
to set Into tha aiiortcake.
WHAT THE COMMISSION GOVERNMENT 19
How the Movement Started aad What It He Accomplished Many Innova
tlona Whleh Improve and Simplify the Municipal Machinery Peaceful
Kevointtoa la Many Cltiea.
Tha following is tha first of a aeries of
three articles on the progress of tba move
ment for batter government of Americas
cities, written by Richard S. Chllaa, and fur
nlahed tor the Ehort Ballot Organisation.
Woodrow Wilson, "president. '
ARTICLE I.
The spread of t&Js commission move
ment 1 all the more striking because
It was begun entirely by accident. Gal
veston, Tex.. , after the great flood of
1900 wa practically -wiped out. So
much progressive and constructive
work was demanded of the city govern
ment that the old system of a Board
of Aldermen and the usual string of
Independent elective officers broke
down. A group of business men peti
tioned the state government to suspend
the local government and replace it
temporarily with a commission of five
men. This was done, and the whole
city was put under the control of five
men, three of whom were appointees of
the Governor. This was where" the term
"commission" originated, and the name
for want of a better description has
stuck to It ever since, although the
board Is no longer a "commission" in
the true sense of the word at all.
This commission In Galveston was
able to. make decisions and get things
accomplished In half the time that It
took the old Board of Aldermen to get
a resolution referred to a committee.
The commission planned and built a
sea wall to protect the city against
further floods, raised the ground level
of a large part of the town, got the
city government running again at one
third less annual cost, made a number
of Important Improvements and at the
same time reduced the debt and the
tax rate.
a a
After two years, during which the
politicians were finding precious little
to do, the commission was made en
tirely elective by popular vote, much
to the dismay of many good persons
In the town, who had been much
pleased with the practical success of
the GovernWe commission. Their
fears, however, proved groundless, for
the people proceeded to elect the same
commission and have continued to do
It at every election since. Except by
death there has been only one change
In the personnel of the commission
since the beginning.
Galveston's claim that It was th best
governed city In the United States made
Houston Jealous, and after a few years
this city petitioned for a similar gov
ernment and was granted it. Dallas,
El Paso, Denlson, Waco and Austin
have since then followed suit, leaving
San Antonio, now the only Important
city in the state which has not adopted
the plan.
a a a
A few years after Galveston first be
gan to attract . attention some civic
workers in Des Moines began to study
the subject of popular government In
fundamental fashion. They devised
what has since become known as the
"Des Moines plun," which Is simply the
commission form of government, with
certain Interesting additions, known as
the Initiative, referendum, recall and
nonpartisan primary. By the terms of
the initiative provision a certain num
ber of people are permitted to present
a petition to the commission demanding
the passage of a certain ordinance, and
if the commission sees fit to refuse the
request the matter must be settled by
popular vote. By the referendum pro
vision certain matters, particularly the
granting of franchises to public utility
corporations, must be approved by pop
ular vote before they become law. By
the terms of the .recall provision, the
presentation of a petition containing a
certain number of signatures may force
any member of the commission to sub
mit the question of his continuance In
office to a new election immediately.
The nonpartisan primary is simply an
eliminating election. All candidates
are nominated by petition (no party
labels), and the leading 10 remain on
the ballot for the final election.
a a a
The elimination of the party name,
symbol and column from the ballot, is
a highly significant and characteristic
feature of the commission form of gov
ernment. It excludes the political ma
chines from a great strategic advantage
and leaves Independent candidates on
an exact equality with those proposed
by the organizations The ballot Is
simply a list of names with a square
opposite each, and the voter is Instruct
ed to "vote for five," Instead of having
a ticket ready made for him, each voter
makes up his own ticket. The fact that
only five men are to be selected makes
this task simple, and there has been
found to be no difficulty about It in
practice. This short ballot, which the
voter can vote without the guidance of
political experts. Is the central and
vital feature of the commission plan.
The publicity attendant on the In
stallation of the new government in Des
Moines gave the movement new stimu
lus, throughout the country, and it began
to be known as the latest and most up-to-date-thing
in city government. Many
towns adopted it from a mere desire to
be abreast of the times and to show
the world that they were progressive and
enterprising. In some places the plan
met with vigorous opposition, sometimes
with a complete lack of interest, while
in some cities it carried by an over
whelming vote. Colorado Springs and
Tther clUe. made a few. alteration .in
the Des Moines plan, such as having
the members of the commission elected
for terms .arranged to exp re n rotatio
and forbidding party nominations. Grand
Junction. Colo., added the preferential
oallot. whereby the voter Indicates on
the ballot his. first, second and third
choice. There are various ways of count
frig the votes, and while the one adopted
n Grand Junction Is not the most scien
tific way. It results In a more accurate
analysis of .ubllo opinion than tha pian
of straight plurality elections. The
preferential ballot make, a PnW -taction
needless and thus f aves expense.
The minor variations of tha commis
sion plan are endless. Except where a
v ..aj - .-.kn4ral law cover-
fT-F?? eecSar!
Sr, that are alii Each charter re
vUion commission ha. "yjti the
work done In other cities and ha. sag
lv made a few pet alterations In It- In
Galveston? for In.tance. the Mayor was
the chairman of the commission: other
wtse no special duties. None of
toe member, of the Galveston commis
sion his specific control over any one
department? although there ha. grown
So the custom of allowing ch mem
ber to specialise In a certain depart
ment, and before election it is generally
understood which department, the can
didate, expect to Interest themselves In.
A'l matter are decided by majority vote.
The member, of the commission areaid
nominal salaries and are not expected
to ve all their time to the city and,
In fact, simply devote an hour or two a
Houston the Mayor Tet? ,P0W"
over the vote of his four associates cm
the commission (he has never used 1U
and allowed the Mayor to make cer
tain appointments, paid the members
wood salaries and ' demanded that the
commissioners devote all their time to
the city. r.scu ---
commission becomes the active superin
tendent or one oi ma -
This feature has been rather generally
followed In other commission-governed
cities. , , .
An exact definition of the commission
plan of government is thus seen to be
impossible. The only feature wherein
-I, -i nmn,mi,tfin" povp rn m ft n ta co-
Inz-ia. I tha concentration, of all the
1 1
powers of the city, both legislative and
executive, in a single small board.
Never In our political maiory uu mj
phenomenon of this nature been exam
ined with such minuteness or by so many
Investigators.
Ex-President Charles W. Eliot, of Har
vard, made a tour of the commission
governed cities, or "short ballot cities,'
as he prefers to call tbeni, and returned
to Boston so enthusiastic that he was
able to win over the town to an accept
ance of some of the fundamental feat
ures of the plan. Another ela'oorate in
quiry was made by a committee of the
State Legislature oi Illinois, u Z
everybody expected a hostile report. The
committee, however, reported strongly
In favor of the plan, stating that every
where they found that It had won the
approval of the people who lived under It
There have been many explanations
offered for the undoubted relative suc
cesses of the commission plan. The
abolition of the wards, for example, is
frequently quoted as an ample reason
for the relative success of the new
plan. But there are many cities In the
United States in which there are no
wards. Galveston itself had none' be
fore the flood, her City Council being
elected at large. Commission govern
ment Is a very common way of govern
ing counties throughout the United
States, and the plan there has not been
a conspicuous success. There have been
many other elected commissions, such
as the trustees of the sanitary district
of Illinois, and they likewise have never
attracted attention by their superior effi
ciency. ...
Another loosely reasoned argument fre
quently used to promote the. adoption
of the commission plan has been the
statement that it is "like a business
corporation with Its board of directors.
Like most catch phrases, however this
statement is only partly true. To be
ltke a business corporation the commis
sion would have to choose a business
manager for the city, who In turn would
appoint all supordlnates and run the
business of the city subject to Periodi
cal review by the commission. I tie
commission plan, however (except in Gal
veston), actually provides for the elec
tion of department superintendents by
the stockholders-a form of organization
which has no parallel In business prac-
tlMost of the explanations are only half
true, because they Involve a study only
of the Internal mechanism of the gov
ernment, whereas the real difference be
tween the old and the new comes at the
point of contact between the sov""?6?
knd the people, as will be explained In
detail in later articles.
ERRORS IJf tEGISIATIVB ACTS
Change la Routine and Character of
Employee I Suasested.
SALEM. Or., May 20. (To the Edi
tor ) Almost the first thing that ap
pears in the preface of the session
laws for 1911 is an apology, ap
parently prepared by the Secretary of
State, stating that "the enrolled acts
filed In his office are full of bad
spelling, improper punctuation, and ap
parent omission of words, and while
the Secretary of State - has no other
alternative than to furnish true copy
of the acts as filed, the State Printer,
In order to make readable and present
able copy, corrects obvious errors In
capitalization, punctuation. spelling,
repeated words, and omitted words."
This same apology has appeared In
previous compilations for several
years past, and the inquiry naturally
comes to the mind why these errors
cannot be corrected at the time the
bills are enrolled. The writer has had
over 32 years' experience In printing
the session laws, and consequently has
had an excellent opportunity to be
come familiar with the manner in
which bills are enacted Into laws. It
was also my privilege to have been
selected by the Supreme Court as
proofreader on Lord's Oregon- laws,
and I regret to say that the enrolled
copy from which tt was read abounds
in errors, omissions and doublets.
At the last session of the Legislature
the attention of the chairmen of the
committees on enrolled bills of the
House and Senate was called - to the
antiquated methods which have here
tofore prevailed In enrolling bills, and
It was also suggested to the chairmen
of these committees that Instructions
should be given to the chief clerks of
the enrolling committees to correct
obvious errors, but for some inexplic
able reason they evidently refused to
depart from past precedents, and most
probably Instructed the copyists to
"follow copy," regardless of errors.
The "engrossed" copy, usually made
only when there are amendments, is
the first or "original" copy from which
the "enrolled" copy Is made, and It
stands to reason that the copyist Is
Just as liable to make errors In the
"original" copy as in the "enrolled"
copy. Whenever an error of sufficient
Importance appears to create a doubt
In the mind of the chief clerk of the
enrolling committee It should be his
duty to. report the same to the chair
man of the committee, who. If unable
to make the correction, should submit
It to the author of the bill, and If there
should be any doubt about his au
thority, then It can go to the Legisla
ture the sovereign power who un
doubtedly has the right to make any
correction or other disposition of the
bill It may desire.
To obviate the necessity of having
to apologize semi-annually in the pre
face of the session laws for -the errors
which appear In the enrolled bills. It
would only be necessary to select for
positions persons who possesB superior
qualifications and are skilled In the
art of proof-reading and copy-holding,
and not give out the places to reward
some political friend or personal
"chum." JAMES E. GODFREY.
Standpat View of Tariff.
PEOTDLETON, Or- May 20. (To the
Editor.) In Saturday's Issue -of The
Oregonian, under the head of "Stand
Pat Logic," The Oregonian misrepre
sents the theories of protectionists or
stand-pat Republicans, as you are
pleased to call them. The protection
ists know that high tariff Increases
trade both exports and Imports, and
low tariff, or the threat of lowering
the tariff, decreases foreign trade. The
Oregonian and the Democratic press
to the contrary notwithstanding.
Protectionists know high tariff
brings good times, and thff people are
able to pay for foreign goods; low
tariff brings panic and hard times,
and the people buy less because they
can't pay for more. The history of
tariff legislation, or attempted legis
lation for 30 years proves that beyond
a doubt.
Why can't The Oregonian be candid
with us, or let us defend ourselves.
During the four years of Cleveland's
Administration. I raised wheat for iO
cents per bushel, and it was hard to
pay taxes. Under the Dlngley tariff
I got from 60 cents to $1 per bushel.
Cleveland's Administration made more
paupers and more millionaires thaa
anything that ever came to our coun
try. The Dlngley tariff up to 190?
doubled foreign trade, and was the
most prosperous period In the history
of our country. S. P. HUTCHINSO.N.
The Caustic Cwt Feminine.
Pages Folles.
n..i- H.1V. Durand Your letter was
extremely Impertinent, and X return it
ta you. ajupaned,"-
Advertising Talks
Br WUllam C Freeman.
Can paper bags be advertised to ad
vantage f
This question was put to me the
other day by a young man in a large
concern which manufacture, all kinds
of paper bags.
I told him I believed the right kind
of advertising: would Increase the sale
ef any product, and. furthermore,
would back up the efforts of their
salesmen and Jobbers.
I suggested that he try out adver
tlslns in some territories where the
I sales were not proportionate to the
cular territory, and see what results
would follow.
I advised him to take space In the
advertising: columns of the dally news
paper to tell about his product, and
in that way reach owner of small
stores, specialty shops and even the big
dry goods stores.
The quickest way to Interest any
merchant in any product is to adver
tlae It In the nevrspapera, because the
merchants In every community are
close readers of daily newspapers and
the advertising therein.
They must read newspaper to keep
Informed as to what other merchant
are doing. Consequently, an appeal to
them through the daily newspaper will
reach them Just as surely as they
can be reaches by a personal visit.
Another thins newspaper advertising
will do for a manufacturer it will
create in the minds of the people a
desire to buy the article advertised,
and the people will go to their dealers
and ask for the advertised product It
Influences both the merchant and tha
eoaanmera.
Yes, paper bags can be advertised to
advantage.
Advertising will open up new terrl
torlea for paper bag manufacturers,
just as it opens up new territories for
other products.
Perhaps, after a while, newspapers
will see advertising of paper bag
manufacturers in their columns.
(To be continued.)
Country Town Sayings by Ed Howe
(Copyright, 1911, by George Matthew
Adams.) . ' $
The real ambition of every crank is
to start a church and political party of
his own, and be the bishop.
No man becomes an anarchist until
he has been a loafer a long time.
When a reformer calls on the people
to rally around him, it Is usually with
a view oi gaining sufficient strength
to cause the enemy to treat with him.
A girl's letter always reminds me of
a girl's joke; never much in it.
"Can I afford to get married on ten
dollars a week?" a young man asks.
No, but you can find plenty of girls
willing to try it with you.
The 'meanness of people ctops out
most surely in money matters.
It would throw every husband Into
a cold chill if he knew how much his
wife envies the widow with a lot of
life Insurance.
When a man worries a great deal
he says he is overworked.
If a man Is treated well at home, he
would rather eat at home, and sleep at
home, and loaf at home, than anywhere
else.
Talk about political reform seems to
be as fruitless as talk about better
country roads.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian, May 24, 1861.
The Yreka Sentinel says that the
new proprietors of the California tele
graph lines will no doubt soon extend
to Portland.
Charles F. Mansfield has been ap
pointed postmaster at The Dalles a
capital appointment.
The union-loving citizens of Belpassi
and vicinity, Marion County, assembled
at the Institute grounds on the 18th Inst,
for the purpose of raising the American
flag and forming a Union Club. Major
Joseph Magona was unanimously cho
sen to preside over the meeting. A
pole 80 feet in length was soon raised
and the enblematic banner of our
country's liberty being made fast to
the rope. Messrs. Poujade, Welch and
Enflle, three of the oldest gentlemen
present, were invited to hoist the flag.
The meeting then formed In procession
and marched around the flag pole to
the tune of Hail Columbia, after which
the procession proceeded to Academy
Hail and listened to an address to the
American flag by William T. Ramsey.
A Lesson In Scotch Dialect.
Washington (D. C.) Herald.
Charles S. Barrett, of London, who
Is at the New Ebbitt, said this about a
recent trip to Scotland: "It came as a
great shock to me to find that in Scot
land the Londoner is regarded as a for
eigner. I argued the point with friends
i in Aberdeen, but all to no purpose. Nor
i was this the only shock I received. The
I people do not dress like Harry Lauder,
1 and the corkscrew stick he affects la
I wrong. I experienced great dittlculty
' In providing myself with a stick of tha
Lauder pattern, and then found tnat the
best people do not carry them.
"Also they speak a. strange language
down there one that does not re
semble in the least the anemic Scot
tish tongue we heard in 'What Every
Woman Knows.' This other Is a
broader, stronger, more formidable
language altogether, as I realized when
the guard on the train sat beside me
and talked for 20 minutes and I un
derstood snot a word."
Before the Streetcar Order.
New York Telegram
Great medicinal value was claimed
for tobacco when it first appeared in
Europe, but soon thereafter its use
was condemned and severe punishment
was meted out to offenders. In the
early 17th century the noses of to
bacco smokers In Russia were cut oft.
About the same period Sultan Amuret
IV of Turkey ordered that the pipes of
smokers be thrust through their noses.
King James I of England Issued a
"counterblaste to tobacco," In which he
described Its use as a custom "loath
some to the eye. hateful to the nose,
harmful to the brain, dangerous to the
lungs, and in the black fumes there-
,.,,inhliiiir the horrible
L Stygian smoke of the pit that is bot
tomless.
Tp Against the Ban.
New York Evening Post
Old King Cole was a merry old soul;
A merry old soul waa he!
He called :or hl pipe- nd he called fol
Anahne'cal7ed tor hia fiddlers three.
But only two of the fi"'er ?-r,A
The third, tney said. aa barred
From earning his living thenceforth, ba
cause He carried no union card.
Nor came :he ilP with its fragrant weed.
Vor the bowl with its golden brew;
For all au-n things had been driven Irons
court bx ta W. . Ua