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TUT: MORXIXG OREGOXIAX, TUESDAY. OCTOBER 24, 1011.
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ItMtTLAXD, TUESDAY. OCTOBER t. 111.
WH.H TUX ONLOOKER PEEK.
Oscar Underwood, House leader of
the Democratic party and the real
power behind the obscure throrr of
Speaker Clark, made a speech before
the Iroquois Club in Chicago the other
day In which he gave utterance to the
following surprising sentiments:
Soma Damocrata want to put tha Inttlatlva
ana rar.randura p. an Into tha National plat
form oC tho Dvmorraltc rarty. 1 think that
mrouid ba oawlaa. Tha Initiallra and rfrr
anduun aa m looaj laaua la aometimra aucreaa
fuL Put arb.n you attempt to apply It to
tho I'nltad Stataa you datr-y tha antlre
fabric of. tho ConiMtutlcn. We ara not a
trua democracy. Tola la a rcpreaantallve
gcrv.rnm.nl.
Governor O'Neal, of Alabama, be
fore the recent Governors' confer
ence, sharply attacked the Initiative
and referendum and the recall. Near
ly every Southern Democrat of repute
and Influence Is against the Initiative
and referendum and the recall.
Governor Dlx, of New York, the
ther day made a speech In which he
distinctly aligned himself with Big
Business against "demagogic attacks
and appeals to class prejudice. Gov
ernor Dlx undoubtedly reflected the
sentiment and attitude of Tammany
ami the New York Democracy.
The New England Democracy, rep
resented by such conservative moss-
hacks and slow-going aristocrats as
Governor Baldwin, of Connecticut, is
for the most part opposed to the lnl
native and referendum. No Eastern
State has accepted It. nor Is there any
likelihood that any will. soon. No
Middle Western state has yet adopted
it In the Oregon form, though Wlscon
sin and perhaps one or two others
will. No Southern state except Ar
kansas and Missouri has adopted the
Oragon system.
The Southern view Is easy to un
derstand. The Democratic party pur
poses to keep control; and the Demo
cratic oligarchy will never release con.
trol of the masses of the party. Tho
Oregon system. Is the surest way to
upset and destroy party domination.
The day the Southern States put In
motion the Initiative and referendum.
that day brings the Waterloo of the
Southern Democracy.
The National Republican Prorrea
ive League, creature of Senator
Bourne and Instrument of the La
Fotlette movement, hesitated to In.
dorse the initiative and referen
dum or the recall or the Oregon sys
tem generally. It was a radical step
far too advanced even for the Bourne
La. Follette group. It la a surprise to
discover that any measure or proposal
Is too sweeping for the Bourne-
Follete Adullamltes; but there Is the
record. What influence or considers
lion or policy or sugfcstlon except
expediency could have put brakes on
the headlong Bourne?
Mr. Bryan Is for the Oregon system
unqualifiedly. Mr. Woodrow Wilson
Is for the Oregon system, with a va
riety of "lfs" and "buts." Governor
Harmon has signed a bill applying the
initiative and referendum to the cities
and towns of Ohio; but the Demo
rratic Ohio Legislature declined to
adopt it for the state at large.
The Oregonian submits this brief
statement of the status of the Oregon
lystem before the National Democracy
nd Its allies and sympathizers with
out prejudice. How will the Oregon
system fare before the next National
Democratic Convention? Not well, it
one may Judge from present Indica
tions. Colonel Bryan will demand Its
Indorsement and he Mill be the only
outspoken friend It will have. Mr.
Wilson will be for an emasculated
declaration. Governor Harmon will
he willing to declare the Initiative
world round or flat. Just as the con
vention desires. The South will be
vehemently and outspokenly against
the entire scheme. So will the East.
The next National Democratic
Convention, when Colonel Bryan. Mr.
Wilson. Mr. Vnderwood, Mr. Harmon
and the rest get Into full action over
the Oregon system, will be a spectacle
worth golrr far to see.
A PROMISED REVELATION.
There Is nothing intrinsically novel
In Professor Hyslop's statement that
he has been in communication with
the soul of the late William James.
Professions of that sort have been
made before, many times before. We
await with equanimity, therefore, the
revelations which Mr. Hyslop prom
ises to make In due time. Why he
does not make them at once Is a ques
tion which we shall not worry over.
Communications from the spirit world
usually need a good deal of arrange
ment and interpretation before they
are intelligible to the ordinary' mind.
They are apt tr come In the form of
a sort of verbVj hash which only an
adept In occult affairs can reduce to
sense.
When Mr. Hyslop gets ready to
publish Ms communication from the
late Professor James It will be road
with great Interest by every Intelligent
person in the world. If the communi
cation Is genuine it will make an
epoch in history, for it will rrove defi
nitely what all the ages have been
trying in vain to prove, namely that
(he souls of the dead still live an
that they can converse with their
friends. What is the discovery of the
art of flying to an achievement like
this?
But the supposed communication
from Professor James wilt be scanned
critically when It Is published. The
world has been deceived so often by
reported messages from the dead that
It will not be hasty in acccpfg this
one as genuine. Men will ask whether
It exhibits an intelligence like his. He
was a master of English style, a pro.
found and vigorous thinker, a prince
of dialectics. If the reported message
shoule after all dribble away In mere
twaddle, as all such messages have
done heretofore, there will be some
disappointment over It. but not much.
To confess the truth, that Is about
what most people of restrained im
pulses will expect. The cry of "wolf,
wolf." or rather, "spirit, spirit" has
been repeated so often thet the world
Is disposed to smile skeptically when
It hears the sound. Still, whatever
Mr. llyslop has to reveal will be read
with deep attention and some hope.
WILMyX BlIOrL-D BE DKOITED.
The tenacity with which Secretary
of Agriculture Wilson hangs on to of
fice long after be has become a bar
nacle on the public service is deplor
able. He is no sooner rebuked for
allowing a little knot of conspirators
in his own department to thwart the
man who is trying to enforce the pure
food law than he moves to unload the
whole bureau in charge of that work
on some other man. A really ener
getic, public-spirited department head
would not have allowed such a con
spiracy to be formed; or, having dis
covered It. he would have broken It
up himself Instead of shielding it; or
not having done either of these things,
he would, even at so late a day, have
repented of his remissness and Joined
heartily In efforts to bring ab6ut a
better state of affairs by removing the
guilty and sustaining the faithful.
Wilson has done none of these
things. He has stuck to office with
the despairing grip of a man who saw
no other possible means of survival
but has shirked its responsibilities. It
is no excuse to say he is old. Many a
man of more years has been an able.
energetic public servant In high office.
He lacks the qualities necessary to
Vroper performance of his duties. As
the functions of his department have
been enlarged to cover diverse sub
jects, his deficiencies have become
more glaringly apparent. Being In
control of a number of bureaus, he
should exercise close general super
vision over them all, but Wilson has
given close personal attention to a
few and totally neglected others. The
consequence has been intrigue and
meddling1 which have impaired the
efficiency of all.
The President could do nothing bet
ter, in the Interest of the public and
himself, than to find a nice, soft place
to drop Wilson gently and tenderly
and substitute for him a man who
would add strength to his Cabinet-
THE IKELKHS FORFAIT OF A rSEFCX
Ul.
The community can ill afford the
loss that It suffers when a young man
Just coming into the fullness of man's
estate dies as died Ralph Dlmlck in
this city a few days ago, a victim to
the craze Into which athletics has
developed.
While every argument that deplores
excesses under the name of football
and counsels the elimination of the
features of the game that have so
often led to the maiming and death
of the players, has been advanced;
and w hile college faculties have grave,
ly announced that the more objection.
able because the more dangerous fea
lures of the game have been eliminat
ed, there Is no appreciable diminution
of fatalities attendant upon this es
sentially rough and dangerous encoun
ter between twenty-two husky young
men on the football field. Each is
still trained to do his utmost to over
come his opponent by means of brute
force applied within certain rules that
tend to Increase rather than diminish
the violence of human Impact.
All of tlhs has a familiar sound. It
may be classed as "vain repetition
hammered on the ear." Yet in the
presence of death the death of a use
ful, earnest young man as a result of
being "tackled hard while running
with the ball under his arm and fall
ing at the bottom of a pile of players"
we cannot forbear to repeat the old
protest against violence under the
name of sport, as thus sadly empha
sized and sorrowfully Illustrated, even
while conscious that the repetition is
vain.
f ROUTS M FKCIT.
An article by J. F. Walden, published
In the current number of The Ranch,
carries sound advice for the person
ambitious to engage In fruit culture.
Part of Mr. Waldcn's excellent article
is given In another column. The
point therein we wish to emphasize re
lates to the glittering promises made
by numerous companies to Investors
who plan to continue at their old oc
cupations while the orchard Is grow
ing into the bearing period. .
Too often undeveloped orchard
lands are put upon the market by
heartless and Irresponsible promoters.
The profits from one prolific acre de
rived in one prolific year are taken as
the basis for estimating what a large
tract will produce every year. The
figures seem to Justify a high value,
but the value is fictitious. It is such
procedure that leads to complaints of
high fruit land prices and of failures
to make good.
Even where undeveloped Orchard
tracts are sold at their true value by
companies that promise to deliver
them within a given period In devel
oped state, there Is one important fac
tor that will tend to upset the success
of the plan. It was pointed out by
Samuel O. Blythe in the last Issue of
the Saturday Evening Post. The man
who invests In land with the Idea of
growing apples thereon must abandon
other pursuits and become an apple
grower. He cannot delegate the care
nd cultivation of a young orchard to
others and make a success of the ven
ture. He must have some capital to
pay living and development expenses.
He requires some adaptability to farm
work. He must go into the business
as a business proposition, not as an
easy-money side venture.
Mr. Walden spoke from personal
experience. Mr. Blythe related what
trained observation and men in the
business had told him. Both are
right. The city man. to make a suc
cess of fruitgrowing, must let his
knowledge grow up with his orchard.
His average yearly returns will depend
not only on soil and climate, but on
how well his orchard and his knowl
edge have been nurtured. To sit in
town and build air castles on what
some promoter has promised in return
for one's savings and on the occa
sional profits of the man who devotes
his own Judgment, experience, time,
patience and care to fruitgrowing Is
as Idle as counting chickens In the
shell. Fruitgrowing Is profitable, but
it Is a business. It cannot be learned
simply by remitting Instalments to the
man who has It for sale.
It Is a sad prospect when women are
urged to be loud and yellow in their
efforts to get votes. In other words.
they should Imitate the worst quail-
ties of male politicians. If they should
follow this advice, the men may found
an Eveless Eden In some new land.
A GOOD TEST TOR NEW LAWS.
The people of the Isle of Man, be
fore they became sophisticated
by contact with tourists and by being
heroized in Hall Calne's novels, were
a simple but practical people. The
popular chamber of their Legislature
is called the House of Keys, but no
law became effective until it had been
read before the assembled people of
the Island. They gathered on the
crest and slopes of a grass-covered hill
called Tynwald. about 1000 feet high,
on the summit of which was cut in
the turf a great arm chair for the
King, while around him were benches
of turf for the House of Keys and be
low them still others for the people.
Here the King read the new laws to
the people.
What would have 'been the effect
on this Court of Tynwald, as it was
called, if the tariff law of the United
States had been read to the people?
Imagine the looks of bewilderment
which "would have spread over the
faces of the simple Manxmen on hear-
ing all the Intricacies of schedule K
droned into their ears? They could
not have been more perplexed if the
laws had been couched in Sanskrit,
or In the Assyrian or Egyptian pic
ture alphabet. They would have been
Inclined to suspect their rulers of play.
Ing some trick upon them and might
In their Norse fury have taken the
King and the whole House of Keys
and hurled them from the summit of
one of their precipitous cliffs Into
the sea.
One-half the sins of the tariff con
sist In the fact that it is couched in
language not "understanded of the
people," to use a time-honored phrase.
Any law which Is so involved In Its
terms as not to be understood by the
average man is Justly open to suspi
cion. The aim of Congress should be
to simplify the tariff laws that they
might be read at a court of Tynwald
without requiring explanation.
rLAYOROODS AND ILAY.
At the playgrounds and recreation
institute which was held in Seattle the
last week some Interesting clrcum
stances were brought to light in re
gard to the comparative park and
playground development of the Pa
clflc Coast cities. If the figures given
out are correct Seattle is far ahead of
the others in this particular. It has
1200 acres of parks, while Portland
has but S00. San Francisco has as
large an area for parks as Seattle, but
It seems to be less desirable because
It Is not so accessible to the masses
of the population. When it comes to
playgrounds the condition of Portland
is only less deplorable than that of
San Francisco, We have here seven
playground sites. The metropolis of
California has only six. Seattle leads
the van in this respect with twenty
sites for playgrounds. Los Angeles
comes next with thirteen. The prog
ress of humanity and enlightenment
has made it the rule in most growing
cities to secure ground for parks and
playgrounds without delay, since wait
Ing only makes It more difficult. Tha
difficulty is twofold. Land values In
crease very rapidly in progressive cit
ies and at the same time desirable lo
cations are rapidly selected for other
purposes so that It becomes almost
Impossible to vacate them
It la only of late years that the
American public has awakened ta the
fundamental Importance of play
grounds for adults and children. The
older theory was that play was
wicked waste of time for adults and
a wanton annoyance of their elders
on the part of children. The noise
the creatures made was something
frightful and they were as likely as
not to break something before they
got through with their riotous merriment-
Upon the whole it was thought
best to suppress the play Instinct In
both old and young. Now we are
learning the terrible fallacy of this
doctrine. An old man who .has lost
the capacity to play and enjoy It is
well on his way to the grave. A child
who does not relish play Is In some
serious way diseased. There Is no
surer symptom of falling vitality at
any age from the cradle to the grave
than the arrest of the impulse to
make merry with brain and muscles.
A nation "which has no Inclination to
play presents a case of arrested devel
opment. Many observers from foreign
countries who formerly noted the
grave lntentness of Americans upon
the business of life and their neglect
of diversions came to the conclusion
that we were prematurely old and
made prophecies of our early deca
dence. It turns out, however, that our
deadly devotion to business was mere
ly a passing incident. We have learned
in good time that It is not all of life
to pile up dollars, though the dollars
come In very conveniently when one
is ready to go out and play.
It is difficult to decide whether the
play problem more insistently demands
solution for the old or the young In
this country. A man who has no time,
place or inclination to disport himself
after his day's work Is over is prob
ably only about half as productive as
he ought to be. His employer would
make money by providing him with
an opportunity to transform himself
from a machine into a man by a little
wholesome outdoor sport every day.
In order to make the most money for
his employer during working hours a
man must be in good physical and
mental condition. This cannot hap
pen unless he has time and strength
for recreation lrr the open air with his
fellows. It Is not sufficient to loaf in
a saloon, play cards in tobacco-laden
air and swill down beer. He needs
pleasant exercise out of doors such
as a game of ball in the park would
give him. It is for reasons of this
sort that modern students of society
look upon parks and playgrounds as
an excellent Industrial Investment.
They pay for themselves many times
over every year In the direct promo
tion of productiveness In worktngmen.
But no doubt it Is for children that
playgrounds do the most good. Na
ture has ordained that the child must
play abundantly In order to reach his
full development as a human being.
It Is all very well to say that he can
build up his muscles by work and his
brain by study, but the simple fact is
that without play the child pines in
mind and, body. The normal child
learns more by play with his comrades
than he does out of books. It is by
this means that he acquires language,
for example, and that Immense sum
of knowledge ofTommon things which
underlies the business of life. All that
he acquires In school and college is a
mere trifle, compared with this enor
mous treasure which comes to him
without effort and with genuine en
Joyment. The Froebelian theory.
which is the correct one, seeks to ex
tend the beneficial play process to the
later school years and the reason for
playgrounds runs back to the same
root. Part of the reason does, but not
all of it. Human beings ought to have
playgrounds for the sheer reason that
they enjoy them. Grown men need
them for this reason and children ten
times more. Enjoyment Is a good and
holy thing. There has been far too
little of It in this weary old world and
It is high time that we all set our wits
at work to improve matters in that
respect. A world of Innocent enjoy
ment is an orderly and Industrious
world. Happy people are peaceable,
They obey the law. They love God
They work willingly because work
brings them returns which they value,
It Is astonishing to think how little
common sense temperance reformers
and others have exhibited in this
particular. They do not seem to have
discovered-' the truth that the way to
make men virtuous Is to make them
happy. The old maxim, "Be virtuous
and you will be happy," had the cart
before the horse. It ought to read
"Be happy and you "will be virtuous."
Playgrounds are one of the most po
tent allies which law, religion and
temperance can gain. If Portland's
seven were multiplied by four It would
make none too many.
The women of California are likely
to be put Into the crucible of public
duty very early in the season of their
newly-acquired privileges. Service on
the McNamara Jury is a possibility
that looms up before them, and one
which, if they are true to their prlnci.
pies and to the advice of President
Tart, they cannot shirk. Service upon
this Jury will be a test of physical
strength, since the trial Is likely to
drag along for months; it will also be
a test of courage, since there are two
strong local elements holding opposing
views that will not be changed by
weight of evidence. Both cannot be
satisfied with the verdict. Each has
an omnipresent power for evil. It
will furthermore, and, greatest of all,
lay tribute upon an unwinking sense
of Justice and a fine quality of Judg
ment in weighing evidence. If women
are called upon this Jury it may be
hoped that Intelligent, open-minded
women will be chosen, not the lgnor
ant and narrow. This opportunity, if
it comes, will come much earlier in
tho history of woman's political equal.
lty in California than the most mill'
tant advocates of equal rights could
have hoped or the more timid dared
to contemplate. The opportunity will
be a trying one. It remains to be seen
whether the newly-enfranchised ele
ment in a great and progressive state
will measure up to its duties and
responsibilities.
If the ghost of old Senator Morgan
walks abroad today he must experi
ence a sense of satisiaction in trie
report that there is likely to be a rival
isthmian canal built along the sea
level route which he for many years
so patiently and persistently advocat
ed. If any sepulchral sounds framed
Into the words "I told you so" are
heard about the National Senate
Chamber, be sure that the voice Is
that of the old Senator from Alabama
who was perhaps the best Informed
member of tho National Congress
upon the subject of an Isthmian canal.
but whose Judgment In the premises
was disregarded when the Govern
ment really got busy in the matter of
canal building.
Sooner or later a canal will be dug
from ocean to ocean by way of Lake
Nicaragua, which Is the natural route,
Diplomacy may delay, but it cannot
forever prevent this great achieve
ment. No doubt Germany's plan is
premature and perhaps a little bump
tious. The true method Is to dig a
canal under the auspices of The
Hague tribunal and make It forever
neutral.
Mrs. A. A. Jayne, who was stricken
with heart failure on the St. Johns car
Sunday evening and died a few min
utes thereafter, was the oldest daugh
ter of the late J. L. Sperry, who was
long a resident of Central East Port
land. As Miss Minnie Sperry she had
host of friends In the village days
of the East Side. To those who re
main her sudden death will come as
a painful shock almost as a tragedy.
It appears to be bad strategy for
the woman suffragists to move their
headquarters to the West, where they
are winning victories as matters stand.
Having a stronghold in the enemy's
country, they will be wise to keep it.
Instead of coming to Chicago, we ad
vise them to pitch their tents across
the street from Dr. Lyman Abbott's
office and bombard him with a mega
phone for a year or two.
Delegate Hamilton spoke sagely
when he told his colleagues that the
bane of the liquor business Is the law
less dive. It is noticeable that very
few promises to reform these resorts
have been kept. As soon as they serve
their purpose they are forgotten. It
is reasonable to suppose that by and
by voters will cease to regard such
promises as of much value.
If the Chinese government falls, it
will be largely due to the same cause
as brought the downfall of the
second French empirecorruption.
Wooden shells sold to the Chinese gov
ernment have their parallel in the
general demoralization of the French
army. A corrupt government, like an
empty eggshell. Is no sooner touched
than it collapses.
Attorney Darrow cannot be quoted
correctly In saying women Jurors
would be opposed to the death pen
alty. An attorney for the defense
would not consider the death penalty.
even in his dreams.
A storm is said to be brewing in the
far Northeast. October having done
its duty by us so royally and gorgeous
ly, we should accept the change when
it comes without lament. But will we?
Two hundred tons of Oregon prunes
In one shipment to New York will set
the eyes of the .Knickerbockers (so
called by courtesy) toward Oregon.
Sheriff Bob Stevens Is probably the
only philosophical fan at the big games
that are not being played.
The Governor has at last'declded to
keep his hands off the State Prison.
The price ($300,000) asked for Ross
Island Includes considerable water.
The householder who pots a sneak
thief performs a dvlo duty.
PROFITS IX AVERAGE RETIRXS
Slaaie Year's Proceeds Are Not True
Baals for Orchnrd Value.
J. F. Walden in The Ranch, Seattle.
No one must come to the conclusion
that his fruit crops can be uniform
from year to year either in quantity
or price. We have a striking illustra
tion of this fact this year in the prune
industry. A few years ago the prune
crop paid but a very small profit. 1
kept out of the prune business, except
to a very limited extent, on account
of the low prices at which prunes could
be sold. A leading prunegrower of
Yakima County told me some 10 or 12
years ago that prune prices were so
low that year that he lost his prune
crop and a thousand dollars to boot.
He had no dryer and the only one near
him was overrun with work and could
not help him out. The only thing he
could do with his crop, on 60 acres
or more, was to ship them east in the
fresh state. The market was overrun
that year and his prunes did not bring
hlra enough to pay the freight and all
the expenses by $1000. He built a
dryer the next year. He was then pre
pared to shift from fresh prunes to
dried ones as the condition of the mar
ket should demand. In this way he
cleared a good deal of money on his
prunes. Some people dug up their prune
orchards and very few, if any, set out
new ones. The result has been that the
supply of prunes has been short this
year. This is in part owing to the
shortness of the peach crop in the
United States. The demand for fresh
prunes has been unprecedented and the
price has been high. One of our
neighbors in the Yakima Valley picked
and packed 9000 crates of prunes from
10 acres of orchard. He sold these
prunes at 70 cents per crate f. o. b., or
an aggregate sum Of (6300. One-half
of that sura would easily pay all the
expense of raising these prunes for the
crates and all expenses of harvesting
the crop. A net income of over $3000
on 10 acres is no small affair.
This Incident illustrates what may
be experienced in the fruit business.
Some years money is made quite freely
and some years nothing Is made. Wfiat
I mean by money made is the net in
come, for we cannot count anything
made If all the Income Is used up in
meeting the unavoidable expenses. The
man who goes into the fruit business
with the expectation of having a large
and steady net Income Is doomed to
disappointment- It . is not how much
can he make on fruitgrowing in the
short run. but can he make a good av
erage net Income in the long run? My
answer to this question is that he can
do fairly well if he uses good Judg
ment both in the growing and handling
of his crops.
The land boomer in many cases gels
hold of these exceptional yields and big
profits and, doubtless in some cases,
without Intending to deceive any one.
o manipulates the matter that ne
makes the Impression on the inexpe
rienced person that he can do that well
every year. Much harm is done to In
nocent persons in this way. I was
called into the office of a real estate
man a few years ago and was asked
about profits in fruitgrowing. After
much talk the man said to me, uon t
you believe, Mr. Walden, that after an
apple orchard gets into bearing It is
safe to count on an average net Income
of $500 per acre?" I replied that no
such profits could be expected. I
stated that I had received as high aa
$1300 net income from one acre of
aDDles. but that the previous year the
net Income was not one-fourth as much
on that one acre and that the year fol
lowing that acre produced but 100
boxes of saleable apples, hence, there
was no net Income at all. A young
lady, who was sitting nearby working
a typewriter, stopped the click of her
machine long enough to say, "ir 1 can
not clear an average of $600 an acre
for each year on my five-acre apple
orchard that I am working hard to
pay for, after it gets into bearing, then
I have been deceived, xnis poor, nara
worklng girl had been induced by some
schemer to pay a large price for five
acres of orchard with the expectation
that when her trees were five or six
vears old. she would nave yearly an av.
eraire net Income of $2500. Such decep
tion is cruel and ought to ieaa to tne
punishment of the deceiver.
KO GOOD SEEX IX fRES PLAS.
Townsman Believes Oregon City Law-
giver la writing Toward Socialism.
OREGON CITY. Oct. 22. (To the Edl
tor.) Mr. U'Ren cites the fact mat
three or four parties in Clackamas
County hold something like 150.000
acrti of land and. be says, for specu
latlve ourposes. In the first place, the
most of this land is owned Dy me rail
road and will be forfeited to the Gov
ernment if the decision of Judge woi'
verton Is UDheld. In the second place
verv little can ever be cultivated. I
think I am safe in saying not one acre
In a thousand. There Is some good
timber but the greater part of It Is a
great burn. Timber is not worth as
much as It was five years ago. Still,
tlmbermen are paying their taxes and
should on any fair valuation. But if
taxes are put too high on timber it
will be cut off very rapidly and a great
source of taxation will be lost to the
state. The completion of the Canal will
make a market for it. Progressive
Wlsconson practically exempts timber
from taxes to induce the owners not to
cut It. The removal of the timber will
make great changes In the climate of
the state.
Now, next to none of this land can
be cultivated, so that single tax will
result only In forcing the owners of
the timber to remove it as soon as pos
sible. In order to get this result, what
will the county give up? All the taxes
on the paper mills here, as they prac
tically do not own any water power or
land. They could not be bought for
$5,000,000, twice what U'Ren says the
land Is worth. The county would lose
the taxes on the rolling stock and Im
provements of the S. P. Ry., P. R-. L. &
P. Company and Oregon Electric. They
would lose the tax on the stocks of all
the stores In the county; all the money
loaned or In bank, and, in fact, all per
sonal property. And as I understand
Mr. tTRen's scheme, no saloons are to
pay a license. When this property is
exempted who makes up the deficiency?
The farmer and home owner. Timber
is now taxed and Justly, too.
His scheme will not make another
home in the county, nor another farm.
but will shift the tax from the cor
porations and saloons to the farms and
homes. It will dissipate the taxable
resources of the county (timber) that
might be a source of revenue for many
years. In my opinion Mr. U'Ren Is not
interested in single tax as such, ex-
sa a source oi revenue, out is a
tntertAri In aArlnlfcttln affolp. an1 '
wishes to make the state owner of the
land. Single tax is the beginning.
JOHN JENKINS.
Where Pictures are Hung.
HOQUIAM. Wash.. Oct. 21. (To the
Editor.) In The Oregonian Saturday
you asked In an editorial why Lee's
picture should go in Washington Uni
versity? I have tried to answer.
N e do not hang a man's picture In
a certain place because the man knew
the place, but because we know and
admire the man. There Is not a man
in the University of Washington who
does not know about Robert E. Lee,
and there should not be one who does
not admire him. for he stood for hon
esty against knavery; for self-denial
against ambition, and for principles he
believed right.
We all should, and most of us do, ad
mire such a man, be he Northern or
Southern.
C. HOWARD FRENCH.
TRUST METHODS NOT COXDOXED.
The Dalles Writer Again Explains His
Views on Regulation and Competition.
THE DALLES, Or., Oct 22. (To the
Editor.) In my letter to The Ore-',
gonlan of October 15, I did not under-
take to defend trusts, as such, or ex- i
cuse their methods. I advocated the
principle of consolidation and co-opera-
tlon on which the trusts are founded, as
against tho competitive system which
Is devoid of principle.
The Nation beholds the "spectacle of
one group of men controlling the price
of beef, another of oil, another of
steel."' These men do so because they
have proved themselves the "fittest"
under the competitive system. Why
should we "dissolve" them and go over
the whole process again? Competition
is suicidal; it carries in itself the germ
of its own destruction. It has had Its
day. Would we put back the hands of
time? We must go forward to some
thing higher and better.
It is difficult to see how the price
can be reduced to the consumer by
forcing the trusts to give up an econ
omical, scientific method of production
and adopt an extravagant, cumbersome,
competitive system.
We are face to face with comprehen
sive Government regulation. To op
pose it is simply to "kick against the
pricks." The question is how long will
It take the public to make up its mind
to swallow its medicine? All this dpdg-
Ing. squirming is simply prolonging the
agony. Were It not serious It would be
amusing to see the President, Congress
and the Supreme Court going gunning
after trusts with a brass band. The
trusts are the result of the operation of
natural law. We much welcome the
principle and regulate the methods.
The cry of Socialism is raised. Do
we seriously believe that Mr. Gary, of
the steel trust. Is a Socialist because he
advocates Government supervision? Is
Mr. Perkins, of Wall street, a Socialist?
We have been telling the trusts what
they must not do; now we must tell
them what they may and must do. Then
the trusts will no longer fear "adverse
legislation." Capital will be safe and
sure of adequate return, and the pub
lic will be amply protected.
Fundamentally the question is a dif
ference in point of view. What Is the
object of protection? Primarily it Is
to supply human needs. Under our
dying competitive system our energies
have been centered on making profits;
human needs received secondary con
sideration. We are now In the throes
of an economic re-blrth. In the co
operative system which is now dawn
ing, human needs, human welfare and
wellbeing will receive primary consid
eration; profits will be Incidental.
HEXRY L. WALLER.
MARKET SITE BEST AVAILABLE
Correspondent Opposed to Voting More
Bonda for Auditorium Site.
PORTLAND, Oct. 23. (To the Edi
tor.) Since reading the account In The
Oregonian last Wednesday of the com
missioners' report in regard to the site
for an auditorium, I have been watch
ing day after day for a discussion on
the question in the columns of The Ore
gonian; but no one yet has seemed to
give the matter any attention.
It is a matter that concerns every
man and woman in Portland. If he or
she Is a property owner. It Is so; If a
renter. Just as much so; because all ad
ditional expense laid upon property
raust be met by increased rents or In
creased prices of commodities.
One of the commissioners objects to
the "setting" of the market block, and
then offers as a substitute the Armory
block. That suggestion Is absurd.
ininK or tne "setting" of the Armory
block, especially on the west! And a
time goes on It will be much less de
sirable than It is now, with large
buildings for manufacturing purpose
springing up on all sides.
The buildings around the market
block are small and Inferior. So much
the better. The "setting" will be th
sooner and with less expense, provided
with modern and handsome structures.
We have been told heretofore that "th
market block was an ideal place"; an
so It is. The ground, with its genti
slope. Is especially suitable; it Is con
venlent to the East Side and south
east, where some day there will be
very large population, drawn there by
the Reed Institute and other features
that follow In the wake of educational
centers. Then it Is close to the bridges
the Hawthorne and the new South
Portland bridge that is projected fo
the near future. Also It has the best
of car service. The "S" or Third-street
car, the Fulton or First and Second
street lines and the Salem line, making
the location especially convenient for
the upper Valley people.
Then last, but not least, the question
of expense. The city now owns the
market block. The public has been
more than generous in voting $600,000
to provide an auditorium, a place wnere
the most of us will spend, at best, two
or three evenings a month. Jf we have
any more money to spare, had we bet
ter not keep it to pay the burdens of
street Improvements and our ever-and-
ever-lncreaslng taxes? Shall we vote
more bonds to satisfy the whims or
something else of over-fastidious com
missloners? I say no, and hope that
every thinking man and woman In the
city of Portland will answer this ques
tlon in no uncertain terms; If not now,
surely later at the polls, if this ques
tlon is again to be voted upon.
M. M. G.
Is Land Confiscation Right
CENTRALIA. Wash, Oct. 22. (To
the Editor.) Since there seems to be
an unaerstanaing among your corre
spondents that single tax Is ultimately
to end in no private ownership of land
It seems to me the opponents should
go to the gist of the matter at once
and show up the wrong that would re
sult to land owners by such confisca
tion. If private ownership Is right.
single tax Is wrong, otherwise right.
We in the Evergreen fctate will be In
the same contention in the near fu
ture. THOMAS ROCK..
'Author of "Evolution."
PORTLAND, Oct 23. (To the Edi
tor.) Kindly Inform me the name of
the poem that contains these lines:
When you were a tadpole ai)d I was
a nsn;
But that was a million years ago."
Also the author's name.
A SUBSCRIBER.
Tie lines referred to are from a
poem, Evolution, and the name of
the author Is Langdon Smith.
Coin Values.
PORTLAND, Oct 23. (To the Edi
tor.) Is a 50-cent piece made in 1857
worth any more than Its face value?
A READER.
William Von Bergen's "The Rare Coin
Encyclopedia," which may be consulted
In the Portland Public Library, says
that a 60-cent piece of 1857, uncircu
lated, is worth 55 cents, and that the
"fine or good" coin is worth 60 cents.
Fleas in Chicken House.
ASTORIA. Or., Oct 22. (To the Edi
tor.) Kindly tell me how to extermi
nate "fleas" from a chicken-house. It
seems as if the -chicken house Is alive
with them, and to go near it one gets
covered with fleas; they don't stay on
for long, as an ordinary flea, but looks
exactly like one. My chickens are full
of them. OLD SUBSCRIBER.
Hold the chickens by the legs, and
dust them well with ordinary sulphur;
whitewash the chicken-house Inside
and outside.
Hibernation in Fandom
By Dean Collins.
Walking along suburban ways
On careless evening stroll,
I saw a pair of human feet
Protruding from a hole;
Investigations I bee-an:
j Tbey were the pedals of a fan.
Why, bashful bug," I queried low.
"Do you pursue retirement so?"
He made a gesture with his toe.
"Skidoo with your vexation.
And don't annoy the zealous fan.
Who's seeking hibernation.
The season done, the pennant won.
My Summer's fun its course has run.
So I make haste to crawl into
A hole to sleep the Winter through.
"Here will I dream in perfect peace, '
Throughout the Winter blue.
Until by budding of the Spring
The diamond sports renew.
Then will I shine, in new straw hat,
Where other bugs assemble at,
And ev'ryone win holler then.
'The baseball bug is here again.' "
"Art thou alone?" I asked again,
With keen interrogation,
"Or are there kindred spirits there
To share thy hibernation?"
"There was one here, without a doubt.
When I crawled In but he crawled out.
as ne went by I caught a blink
j It was the football fan. I think.
Portland. October 22.
Country Town Sayings by Ed Howe
The manager of an "Uncle Tom's
Cabin" show which is touring the
kerosene circuit, has a lithograph
showing himself and Abraham Lincoln
as the two greatest men of the age.
Ever remark how timidly and hesi
tatingly a bald man take off his hat?
Lots of good men don't understand
grammar; I don't myself.
A widower shouldn't say, too soon
after the funeral, "She is better off."
We Americans have a lot of old tra
ditions we accept long after we know
better.
It Is as much as a man's life is worth
to marry a second time, if he has
daughters; but sons, particularly mar
ried sons, usually realize that If there
is any punishment coming to the old
man because of the folly of a second
marriage, the second wife will pro
vide it.
How many foolish things there are
to beguile us from the really import
ant work of our lives!
Every circus day a farmer ' drives a
team of young cplts to town. The
colts are sure to go crazy at sight of
an elephant, but the farmer will tie
them in front of a store on the main
street; he knows the town men will
hold on to the colts and allow him to
enjoy the parade in peace.
After a man has used tobacco a long
time, quitting Is almost equal to de
lirium tremens.
They say a certain man and woman
were married last Sunday. The woman
was at work as usual down town this
morning. That looks as though tha
story isn't true: when a woman gets
married, you bet she quits work.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian. October 2a, 181.
The Washington County agricultural
fair pleased everybody present There
was a good exhibition of stock and
other articles. It paid and left some
money in the treasury. Washington
County can boast of some of the best
farmers of our state.
An express reached The Dalles on
Friday last that a band of Snake In
dians, had appeared at the Warm
Springs reservation and run off 60
horses. A requisition was made on
Captain Whittlesey for troops to pur
sue them, but under .the orders of
General Sumner he was unable to com
ply. The pursuit of the Indians was
abandoned.
Artemus Ward's show has gone un
der. It was composed of stuffed lions,
tigers and leopards and Artemus' splen
did wax figures. The show was in a
boat on the Mississippi, was captured,
taken to Memphis and confiscated by
the Immortal General Pillow.
FARM LAXD IS SOT TOO HIGH.
Linn County Farmer Insists That Wil
lamette Valley Lands i'aj.
HALSEY, Or., Oct. 23. (To the Ed
itor.) In answer to the letter in The
Oregonian, written by E. U. W., stating
that farm land is held too high in the
Willamette Valley. I beg leave to say
that it is a mistake. It is the city prop
erty that brings an Income of 10 to 13
per cent on the money invested that
is too high. The people who pay this
income can live only one day at a time,
while the men who own farms
nave not only their living the year
round, but most of them have money
on interest. The writer said farms do
not pay more than $5 per acre rent.
Perhaps not, but it is no fault of the
farm. It has sustained the renter and
his family, who usually lay by a few
dollars. I
B. U. W. says he knows of a "case"
of a man from Missouri who figures on
engaging in teaching here in Oregon.
I would like for the man from Missouri
to "show me" why he is willing to re
main here. Let him go back to his Mis
souri property or be willing to pay the
price for the "sublime scenery, good
schools, fertile land, good climate, no
poisonous reptiles, etc '
I meet men most every a ay wno trav
el more than "10 miles in Linn Connty,"
and they tell me the Willamette Valley
is far ahead of any place In the world.
One man who owns a mansion In Eng
land, and who has been in every state
In the Union, says this valley Is best of
all. A man from Los Angeles wno
heard the remark said, "People who can
buy land here now and don't, will want
to kick themselves in less than five
years, for land will never be so cheap
again."
Land here sens rrom ! to su per
acre. I ve uvea in xinn county ior me
past SO years, and know there are but
few farms but what have been divided.
The large ones spoken of by E. U. W.
he will find are still In possession of
the original owners, who make them
pay. and don't want to divide them. He
seemed disappointed about the immi
gration. We are certainly well repaid
for money spent by cities for boosting.
There are 20 farms within a nve-mile
radius of Halsey, purchased by people
from the Eastern states who have come
here durng the past two years. They
seem to be satisfied, and there isn't a
vacant house in Halsey or Harrisburg.
I don t know where the writer made
his 10-mile drive in Linn that he saw
no new buildings, probably three times
around one of the grand old farms.
W. A. CUMMINGS.
American Flag Association.
PORTLAND, Or.. Oct. 21. (To the
Editor.) Kindly give th name and ad
dress of the society for the protection
of our flag from disrespectful usage.
SUBSCRIBER.
The secretary of the American Flag
Association Is Theodore Fitch, 120
Broadway, New York.