T1TE 3IORXIXG OREGONIAN". TIT UK SD AY, OCTOBER 26, 1911.
8
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WHJEKB THE
la roixrm
BTAJfIX.
BASD
In the opinion of the newspapers
of the country the progressive Re-
I publican conference was a disappoint-
ment to the friends of the movement.
a gratifying failure to Its enemies, its
, thoughts) were so centered on proraot-
' lng the candidacy of Senator La Fol-
lette xor me jtepuoucan nomination
' for President that It feared to speak
In Its platform of any of the political
Issue) before the country except two
the Presidential primary and the
trusts. The former Is hardly a broad
. enough Issue to divide the party. On
1 the latter the utterance of the confer
ence is so friendly to the trusts as to
. resemble the speeches of their apolo
gists and to suggest a bid for cam-
palgn funds. It contains some gen-
1 entitles about special privilege which
would secure as nearly unanimous an
. Indorsement as would the decalogue.
Independent newspaper leaning
either to the Republican or Demo-
crattc party ridicule Its meager plat-
form and declare It a boom move-
ment for La Follette and the Jobs.
The New Tork V orld discusses par-
: tlcularly the omission of. any men-
' tlon of tariff reform and adds: "Yet
' the Insurgent movement came Into
" existence on the issue of tariff re-
i form." Of the declaration about
. trusts It says: "If this is progressive
' Republicanism, then Wall street Is
progressive Republican. Gary and
-r ernins are progressives, n mis tni-
cajro .platform Is a test of progressive
Republicanism, William H. Taft Is
3 excluded only because he Is too
radical"
t The denunciation of special prlv-
f liege provokes the New York Times I hears of the forgeries through a de
t to hilarity and H remarks that I mand from Parklson for the return
', President Taft's recent speeches have
sent repeated shivers down the back-
I bone of special privilege. The In-
dlanapolls Newt says of the platform:
, "It Is the old general cry for rlght
f eousness and nothing more. It is an
evasive utterance, whether Intended
"so or not." The New York Evening
Post calls the platform conveniently
t vague and Bays the plank on trusts
J "seems to have been modeled on the
t good old Republican planks about
protection.'
The Springfield Republican, which
t is credited with Independence with
! Democratic leanings, says: "There Is
no sign of high and noble purpose, un-
1 tainted In the slightest degTee by per
sonal ambition. If a revolt Is to suc-
ceed. It must have a genuine moral
' basis rather than a personally con-
1 ducted candidacy at the bottom of It.
. All of which means that the lnsur-
J gents parted company with the uplift I
'when they began to boom La Follette.
J The Republican further suggests that
the tariff was Ignored because Mr.
, Taft's posttlon will not be known until
'the Tariff Board reports next Winter,
but that then Mr. La Follette's posi
tion "will be exactly contrary to Mr.
Taft's." In short, like the Irishman
rwho was "fernlnst the Oov'ment," the
'.Insurgents' only principle Is opposition
to the President.
The Washington Post, another Inde
pendent Republican newspaper, says
the most pointed crlticiam tiuule of
President Taft In the platform Is that
he Is too radical and finds It too much
like an echo of George W. Perkins'
speeches about trusts.
The Chicago Record-Herald, which
has hitherto supported the insurgents.
gives the conference this hard dig:
"The omission of the tariff, the refer
endum and Initiative ahd recall (from
the platform) will be commented on
with surprise all over the country-
As might be expected, the Regular
Republican papers are full of glee.
The New York Tribune recalls how
the insurgents "poured acid on the
professions of most of the leaguers"
so far as tariff revision was con
. cerned, and "pilloried themselves aa
shouters for the sort of revision which
would decrease protection on the
products of other sections, but would
, leave protection on the products of
their own constituencies undisturbed.
It says the league has dwindled to "a
weak Imitation of tho average uplift
convention, with all the strings pulled
up by self-appointed Insiders." and
that the "few glittering generalities"
which the Chicago nlatform contains
"fitly represent all that Is left of the
sidetracked and backswltched pro
a-resolve movement.
"We want the Jobs." Is the Chicago
'Inter Ocean's synopsis of the platform,
land It says of the conference: "They
'did nothing as a body as an organi
zationbut boost a man for a job.
and themselves for the Jobs which. If
be should ever be President, that man
would have to give out.
, The New Tork Sun styles the Insur
gents "opponents of Mr. Taft noth
ing else": says that they "want the
-offices with the salaries attached to
them": that Mr. La Follette "has no
Intention of leading a forlorn hope for
principle next year and making an
'appeal to the Independent voters of
.the country": that If "Battle Bob. with
his autobiography and his strutting
and mouthlngs. cannot win the Re
publican nomination from Mr. Taft he
wlll find means to be as regular as
any of the other bosses he denounces.
"Nothing more foolish could be pro
posed." says the Indianapolis Star,
than the scheme to nominate the Re
publican candidate at direct pri
maries; that Mr. La Follette "might as
well be licked one way as the other,
preferably the least troublesome":
that he does not expect to win in 1912
and "is figuring on something later
on."
The Pittsburg Gazette-Times Is the
only regular Republican paper
which sees any real danger to the
party In the conference. It makes
prominent the fact that Mr. Ia Toi
lette's followers do not pledge them-
selves to support the Republican
ticket. If they ere beaten at the con
vention, nor even Indicate an inten
tion of participating-. It says: 'They
leave themselves open to the suspicion
of plotting: to defeat the regular Re
publican candidate and thus helping
to elect a Democrat as yet unnamed.
Theirs U a policy of proscription from
the start. If they cannot rule they
mean to ruin."
The Baltimore Sun naturally finds
some good cheer for the Democrats
and makes the rather rash statement
that the "political creed of Mr. Tift
and his affiliations are extremely dis
tasteful to a majority of the Repub
lican party In Iowa. Wisconsin, Cali
fornia. Oregon, Nebraska and other
strong Republican states, as well as to
a respectable membership in Illinois,
Indiana. Michigan, the Dakotas and
some of the mountain states." It
harbors hope that, if Mr. Taft to re
nominated, the Insurgents "will oppose
him. and that If a progressive Demo
crat is nominated, he may carry some
Western States which the Democrats
have never yet carried. Even this
friendly critic cannot refrain from
saying: "The policy of the progres
elves, as will be seen, has been some'
what 'wobbly. It has consisted more
In criticism than In constructive ac
Hon."
To sum it all up. the "progressives'
have become reactionary In regard to
the trusts, are Btruck dumb on the
tariff and direct legislation, and have
no expressed principles except Presi
dentlal direct primary and devotion to
the La Follette boom. In the manner
of the Russian General who was de
feated by the Japs, the Insurgents
have changed front (to the right
about) and advanced.
TIQS PARKISOX M ETI EOU1.
Seven estimable citizens of Cottage
Grove were organized into a commit
tee for the purpose of Invoking the
referendum on the new legislative
appropriations for the University of
Oregon.
H. J. Parklson, former editor of a
Labor paper, had similarly under
taken, for reasons best known to him'
self, to start a referendum campaign
against the University. The Cottage
Grove committee entered into a con
tract with Parklson to procure 1000
signatures to the two referendum pe
titions at 7 cents per name. The com
mlttee. finding that Parklson knew
the signature-chasing business from
A to lzzard. was bo well pleased by
his progress that It made a supple
mentary contract for 1000 more
names, or 4000 In alL
Meanwhile, Parklson notifies the
committee that 800 of the signatures
In the original 8000 are forged. This
painful revelation follows the arrest
of one of the Parklson gang of petl
tion-shovers. The committee first
to him of the petitions containing the
800 signatures. It is charged by Mr.
Spray, of Cottage Grove, that Parki-
son's great concern about getting the
800 bogus names back arose from his
avowed desire to protect the forger.
Parklson agreed to replace the fraud
ulent names with genuine signatures.
But the Cottage Grove men say he
did not, but filed the bogus petitions
at Salem. Parklson denies this latter
allegation
But whether the Cottage Grove
committeemen tell the truth, or Par'
klson tells the truth, the Incident
Illuminates the whole business of
professional petition-making: in Ore
gon. Signing the names of dead men
or fictitious persons, and forging; the
signatures of genuine persons, was
the regular practice of the Irrespon
sible name-chaser hired by Parklson
The referendum petitions are admlt-
ted to be marred, blemished and dls-
flgured by hundreds and thousands
of false signature. Yet the advo
cates of the referendum stand pat and
Insist upon specific proof as to fraud
with each individual name.
The Parklson method of Invoking a
referendum Is In Itself a fraud and a
disgrace, and It ought to be made a
crime. Getting anybody or every
body to sign the referendum petitions
from the saloons, on the street cor
ners, around the cigar stores, on the
plaza blocks ta not a genuine ex
pression by the citizens of Oregon
that they desire any proposed law to
go to the referendum. It Is a deliber
ate perversion of the purposes of the
referendum, a dishonest and harm
ful use of the Oregon system.
ANOTHER CACHE Or HIGH THSCXS.
The increasing cost of living Is a
phenomenon which Is disturbing the
entire civilized world. It has caused
unpleasantness in France, Italy, Ger
many and Austria, aa well as In the
United States. Indeed our troubles
are but slight compared with what
some other countries have experi
enced. Naturally there has been a
great deal .of discussion concerning
the causes of rising prices. The new
gold supplies have figured largely.
Much has been said about the trusts.
and the protective tariff has borne its
full share of blame. No doubt these
are all contributory causes of the un
fortunate condition, but they do not
account for It fully.
Ater all has been said that can be
about the trusts, the tariff and the
Influx of gold, something remains to
be explained. Perhaps the economic
waste which is going on everywhere
will play a more Important part In
future discussions than It has hereto
fore. We do not refer to the waste
which Is so manifest In almost every
American household. That Is bad
enough, but since It has always been
about the same as it Is now, it can
hardly make piicesc rise all of a sud
den. Nor do we refer to the waste
of soil resources, which Is another
scandal of our time.
What we have In mind Is that mis
direction of productive power which
is Implied In the European military
system. The maintenance of huge
standing armies keeps millions of
men In continual Idleness who are
necessarily consumers but who pro
duce nothing. Those who do produce
have to feed them, and, since the out
go Is so enormous. It can hardly help
raising prices. When we reflect that .
this Is going on in every civilized
country, nay that it Is an accelerated
process, we begin to understand why
prices are forever rising. But there
is more to say about it.
Coincident with the waste of vast
military establishments Is the Increase
of national debts. Almost every pub
lic debt In the world, except our own.
is on the Increase. The Interest on
these debts acts In two ways to raise
rrlres. In the first place It acts vir
tually as an order to the productive
population to turn over a portion of
their annual output to a non-produc
ing element. This element is com
posed of the owners of the public
debt. In the second place, as the
debt Increases the class who live upon
its Interest must Increase also, so their
proportion of the products of the
world becomes larger and larger. In
other words, by the military and debt
bulldlng system the non-productive
element of society steadily tends to
grow proportionally more burdensome
and the prices of the necessaries of
life rise as a necessary consequence.
TRAFFIC IN YOINO GIRLS.
Troy McDavld, a young man hav
ing "a way with a maid," had a nar
row escape from conviction In the
Federal Court on the charge of being
a white slaver.
The Jury found that
he had brpught a young woman from
Idaho to Oregon, but It took into ac
count his youth and apparent
thoughtlessness, and let him go. It
Is one of the few cases where the
Federal authorities have failed to
convict In a "white slaver" case.
The United States has undertaken
I t0 break up the awful traffic In worn-
, cn carried on by organized bands of
. procurers and pimps. It does admir.
able work. Yet the Government has
no real opportunity to make Its pur
poses effective except in International
or Interstate traffic. That Is only
fraction of the Infamous barter and
sale of women and young girls.
The demoralization and . ruin of
girls deliberate, calculated and or
ganized In Portland has reached
shocking proportions. The noodle
Joint, the Questionable grill, the mid
night restaurant, the roadhouse and
the automobile are responsible for
the downfall of more young women-
more by far than the bogus sales
men who travel around the country
hunting "chickens" tender and un
sophisticated girls who may be lured
to the city by promises of money,
pleasure and experience.
Councilman Burgard and Police
Commissioner Coffey have prepared
an ordinance to prevent the selling of
liquor to girls under 21 in grills, res
taurants and noodle houses? It Is as
tonishing to learn that the business
Is not now unlawful. Yet we have &
model liquor license in Portland!
the rREsnE?rr ox akbitrattojc,
The Thanksgiving number of the
Woman's Home Companion contains
remarkable artless by President
Taft upon "The Dawn of World
Peace." In his opinion, as one may
gather from the article. International
peace Is to be secured by the gradual
spread of the principle of arbitration
He says In fact that "With the rati
fication of the treaties" which he has
negotiated "with Great Britain and
France, we may hope that treaties
with other nations will follow. After
a time. If our treaties stand the test
of experience and prove useful. It Is
probable that all the greatest powers
on earth will come under obligation
to arbitrate their differences with
other nations. Naturally the smaller
nations will do likewise." and then
we shall see the last of war with ail
Its expense, bloodshed and misery.
The President thinks that women, for
whom this article was especially pre
pared, can exercise an important In
fluence for the advancement of ar
bitration. They can do this most ef
fectively Just now by turning the
power of public opinion upon the
United States Senate which threatens
to defeat the treaties with France and
England.
Mr. Taft explains with admirable
clearness exactly what the point of
difference between him and the Ben
ate Is In regard to the two arbitration
treaties. The first article In both of
them declares that all "Justiciable"
subjects shall be submitted to arbltra
tlon and goes on to state what a "Jus
tlclable" subject Is. It ia an Interna
tlonal controversy which can be set
tled "by the application of the prln
doles of law and equity." When It
Is perfectly clear that a given contro
versy Is of this nature the treaties
provide that It shall be submitted to
The Hague Tribunal by the President
by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate. So far there Is no trou
ble. But of course controversies may
arise which are not admitted by both
parties to be "Justiciable." To exclude
these from arbitration, however.
would turn the whole agreement into
a farce, since they are by far the most
likely of all controversies to plunge
nations Into war. The treaties go on
to stipulate that when the two coun
tries concerned cannot both agree
that a subject of dispute Is "Justici
able" they shall refer It to a Joint
high commission for consideration.
and if five members of this commis
sion decide that the controversy can
be settled by the principles of law and
equity, then both parties shall be
bound by their verdict and it must go
to The Hague Tribunal for final
adjustment.
Here is where the President and
the Senate come into conflict. The
Senate committee on foreign relations
holds that the agreement to be bound
by the decision of the Joint high
commission Infringes upon Its con
stitutional prerogatives. The Presi
dent argues that the Senate can and
ought to bind Itself to permit a prop
erly constituted tribunal to decide
whether a given question is justiciable
or not. In fact, he says that if it
refuses to do so it will effectively pre
vent the future submission to arbi
tration ,of any question concerning
the construction of a treaty. One
easily perceives that the questions
which the Senate might not deem Jus
ticiable are precisely the ones where
arbitration is most needed. The
President thinks no great gain would
be made if we agreed to arbitrate the
questions where we were sure of not
losing anything. In a concession of
that sort there Is no particular merit.
Almost anybody Is willing to make a
bargain which Is all In his own favor.
The triumph of equity and Christian
principles will come In when we get
ready to bind ourselves to arbitrate
controversies where we stand a good
chance to lose the decision. If the
treaties are to do the good we all
hope for, says the President, "They
ought to compel us to arbitrate when
we would rather not submit the ques
tion to an Impartial tribunal. An
agreement which leaves the parties to
arbitrate when it suits them Is a pact
written In water and might as well
not have been made."
This Is the reasoning of a high
minded statesman. The time has
come In the history of the peace
movement when talk ought to be suc
ceeded by effective action. Thousands
of eloquent speeches have been made
for peace and millions of money have
been given to promote the cause, but
little has actually been done to hin
der the ready resort of nations to war
when controversies arise. President
Taft now proposes to take the diffi
cult step that lies between theory and
practice. In the treaties which he
has negotiated with England and
France war Is definitely laid aside
and future relations are based on the
principle of arbitration, which means
peace even at the sacrifice of national
advantage on some occasions. ' Just
as a law-abiding man now and then
submits to a court decision which
makes him suffer In purse or person.
The one obstacle In the way of the
final ratification of these treaties and
the establishment of a new landmark
In civilization Is the Senate committee
on foreign relations, which clings ob
stinately to the ideals of militarism
and defends Its barbarous position by
foolish quibbles.
The only way to
1 overcome this obstacle Is to bring the
force of public opinion to bear upon
It. The United States does not want
war with any nation in the world.
The people are for that rlghteou
peace which Is certain to be secured
forever by adopting the system of ar
bitration. To obtain what they want
and put an end to the obstructive pol
Icy of the Senate, they must make
their opinion known" and felt. Worn
en, as the President advises, can help
efficiently in this matter, but It Is the
duty of every citizen to do his part
Senator Bourne asks the Grange of
Oregon to favor him with its opinio
on the Aldrlch currency plan. Good
idea. At the same time it would be
well for the Grange to favor the Sen
ator with Its views on the Aldrlch
tariff methods, described by Mr.
Bourne as the only safe way of mak
lng a tariff. "Senator Aldrlch know
all about the tariff and I am going to
follow him," said the sapient Senator
from Oregon, who forgot then all
about the composite citizen and
"stood In" with Aldrlch. What has
brought about the Senator's sudden
concern for the people who elected
him and who will soon very soon
be called on to elect his successor?
Orvllle Wright Is after all the first
successful blrdman, for he Is the first
to hover and remain stationary in the
air. Aeroplanlsts can only remain In
the air By swift, continuous motion
and fall far short of the birds in their
power to navigate the air. Power to
move or remain at rest In the air has
hitherto been possessed by the birds
alone. It remains to be proved
whether Wright can control every
part of his glider so perfectly and In
stantaneously as to put him on an
equality with the birds. If so, man
is master of all three elements land
water and air.
The death of two men by asphyxia
tion In a deep well near St. Helens
emphasizes the importance of teach
ing the elementary facts of science In
the common schools. Usually air
which will strangle a man will ex
tlngulsh a candle. Hence If a lighted
candle continues to burn when low
ered into a well It Is safe to descend,
Again It Is an excellent precaution to
pour water down, since It absorbs the
foul gas as It passes. Nobody should
ever enter an old well without first
testing the condition of the air.
"In robe and crown the King
stepped, down" to marry the beggar
maid. Archduke Ferdinand Charles
of Austria has stepped down to marry
a Swiss professors aaugnter, out
without his robe and crown. The royal
family Is so fearful lest common blood
may sometime reach the throne that
It excludes from the succession every
member who takes a lowborn spouse
The consequences are more favorable
to pride than to ability, but the House
of Austria Is satisfied with them.
The -woman who won the first prize
at the Rosebud drawing Is the wife of
a paralytic, whom she has supported
by hard work. It was her lucky day
and she deserved the reward, if the
Fates can be considered as in this kind
of business. The Oregonlan, which Is
always Just, takes back Its flippant re
mark made yesterday In ignorance of
the facts and hopes her good fortune
dates from her lucky day.
If It Is true that the Portland police
are persecuting an ex-convict who is
trying to earn an honest living the
public owes them little gratitude
When a man has served out his sen
tence his punishment should cease.
Nothing is gained by driving him Into
pauperism or forcing him to commit
new crimes. Some supervision may be
advisable, but It should be helpful
and not malicious.
Dr. Cook's brazen audacity in fac
ing an audience of the people of Co
penhagen, whom he had so shame
lessly deceived, met Its Just reward.
If he Is given a similar reception at
other places where he dares to face
an audience, tne irum may at msi
penetrate his cranium that his confi
dence game Is played out.
Although President Taft cautiously
refrained from saying which parties
or factions correspond to the various
Philippine parties, it Is allowable to
ask whether Senator Jeff Davis or
Senator La Follette corresponds to
"el parti do lndependista exploslvasta."
One five-point "buck would have a
better opinion of woman If he were
alive, but she got him after using a
box of cartridges. His arrogance in
standing as a target before a Wash
ington County woman as Bhe fired
shot after shot led him to his doom.
Refusal of bankers to help the Chi
nese government, tne surrenuer ui
several more towns to the rebels, and
Yuan 6hl Kl's demand that concea-
lons be made to them Imply that the
Manchu government is on lis last legs.
Jurymen of King County can smoke
iwhlle serving on mixed bodies. The
quality, or rather the lack of It. In
their tobacco may hasten the finding.
It is quite natural the Chinese use
bombs for assassination purposes. The
Chinese bomb Is a work of art in
make-up and results.
j
Chicago brewers have tacked half a
dollar on the price of a barrel of beer.
They will yet drive men to drinking
red liquor. v
Just as they were expected to let
go, the Giants took a fresh grip on the
pennant.
The Oregon boosters at the Omaha
Land Show have the goods to back
them.
Those who took the short end at 4
to 1 dreamed it "for to win."
Football escapes
post-season series.
the agony of a
The spectators are "the American
game-"
SHOOTING - DUCKS NOT AJf ORGY
Mr. Jeffery Indites Canatle Reply to
Critic of Fall Hunters.
PORTLAND, Oct. 25. (To the Ed
itor.) A letter in a recent Issue of The
Oregonlan, signed by E. B. Clarke,
rives his personal views on duck hunt
ing. Reading between the lines, one
gets the idea that Mr. Clarke la not
a duck hunter. He calls duck hunting
"orgies," and says he need not dwell
on the filthlness of such a destructive
and noisy diversion. Where he does
dwell Is something of a mystery, as his
name does not appear In the city
is perhaps well to eay a word In
contravention of Mr. Clarke's argu
ments, or rather scoldlnars. There Is
no class of men in Oregon, from the
pulpit or the Supreme Bench down, that
Is not represented some time during- th
season among the duck hunters. To
the ordinary, evenly-balanced man of
business or manual labor, whose duties
will not permit of long vacations, no
diversion can have quite the charm o
an early morning's shoot. Out in th
fresh air his youth and spirits live
agraln. and whether the ducks be few
or many, he conies home refreshed in
mind and body, better In every way
ror his short return to nature. "Orgies'
do not leave a man so, if the good
dooks we have read may be believed.
We can count with unerrlnsr certain
ty upon hearing from Mr. Killjoy with
me coming or each season. He sub
scribes his name differently from time
to time and sometimes dies, but hi
mantle falls on someone else, and th
tirade against everything In general
" on. un man dislikes the boieter
ousness of baseball and would have It
stopped. Another thinks football far
too Drutal. Croquet has its dangers in
another's eyes, and, to paraphrase good
Mr. Clarke's letter, there Is "neither
wport nor nroflt" in blind mn-. h,.ff
These shallow, narrow minds who seek
to nave me whole world see through
ineir glasses must, for the sake of
charity, be tolerated. I suppose, but
wny wont they learn to bite their
finger nails to the quick in secret and
not pour their poisons over everything
nave ana ao not under
tana I O. K. JEFFERY.
PROTECTION
PAID FOR IX TAXES
Assessment of Personal Property
Improvement Ia Jnat.
and
PORTLAND. Oct 25. (To the EdI
"r-J wny ao we pay taxes If it 1
u"i mr protection or our right to
me, noerty ana the pursuit of hap
piness, and how can we be happy
unless our property and means of
living are protected? Land needa hu
very little protection while personal
property neeas much from fire,
thieves, burglary, robbery, riots and all
other forms of depredation. The stores
in Portland need more nrotectlnn than
an tne land, exclusive of Improvements,
in Clackamas County or Multnomah
County; one store needs more than a
hundred farmers. Why then should
lana pay all the taxes and personal
property none? Because personal tron
enjr is partially niaaen irom the As
sessor, Is that a good reason why the
dwner should be excused from paying
any tax at all? If a land owner makes
improvements does he not need more
protection and are not his Increased
taxes Just payment therefor? Why is
ne saia to oe -nnear
The taxpayers will always be the re
sponsible and ruling class. Will they
not soon become very careless of the
protection of the owners of personal
property. Including improvements, who
are no longer responsible to the Gov
ernment, and who glory in their ezemp
tion rrom tne burdens thereof? Will
not these owners, if single tax is
adopted, soon cry for the privilege of
paying ror protection and having it?
The people of Oregon by an inltla
tlve majority (not a real one) have
adopted an amendment to their con
stltutlon that protection of life is not
worth the payment of even the price of
one day's labor in a year. Is not hu
man life becoming very cheap In Ore
(ton? When Mr. TJRen. who seems to
have become the bell wether, jumps the
fence Into the ravine beyond, thous
ends of Oregon sheep blindly follow
him.
I would rather be a goat and jump
on top of the fence and look down into
the hole into which I am invited to
Jump. . E. F. RILEY,
PEJTDI.ETOW CITIZEN IS PTTZZLED
Asylum or Chain Ganar Beat Place for
Fanciful Larr Givers t
PENDLETON, Or., Oct. 24. (To the
Editor.) I see In The Oregonlan of
October 15 reference to a communlca
tlon from a single taxer who advocates
tax on land only, and among other silly
things wants punishment for crimes
abolished.
He would exempt all bonds, rnort
gages, money and other wealth of
every description, of the rich, except
the small tract of land he keeps to
pile his wealth on. place a large share
of taxes on the farmer (nearly all).
then prates about liberty to do right
at all times and places. He would turn
the criminal loose and then talks
against license to do wrong.
I have been debating In my mind.
what should be done with the advocate
of such unjust Ideas; whether to put
them in the insane asylum or on the
chain gang. They are so wrapped up
their silly egotism they .cannot see
even-handed Justice. and they are
doing the young men a great harm. I
recently had a talk with a bright young
man, or rather a boy, who had imbibed
some of their foolishness, and tried to
show him the Injustice of It.
I still hope a majority of the voters
have common sense.
.8. P. HUTCHINSON.
Supreme Court and CIrcntta.
VANCOUVER. Wash., Oct. 23. (To
the Editor.) In The Oregonlan recent
ly. In reply to "School Girl" query,
you stated that United States Su
preme Court justices ao not preside
over districts. Is It not a fact that
the United States Supreme Court
ustlces under the law or Constitution
of the United States are obliged to
preside over the district assigned to
them once In every two years?
A SCHOOL BOY.
There was a time when Supreme
Court Justices presided in person over
he several Circuit Courts of Appeal.
While the provision still remains In the
law the Justices are now only nomi-
allv Dresidlng in the appellate circuits.
Overburdening of the Supreme Court
has compelled an abandonment in
actual practice of the former custom.
Game Laws.
PORTLAND. Or., Oct. 28. (To the
Editor.) 1. Is It unlawful to have
klnned birds in possession with the
Intention of destroying their iden
tity?
2. Is It unlawful to shoot on the
public highway?
a. Is It uniawiui to nuni on ground
that Is not fenced or posted?
A SUBSCRIBER.
1. Possession of game birds In
closed season, skinned or unsklnned, Is
prohibited.
2. No.
3. . No.
Value of Old Coins.
PORTLAND, Oct. 24. (To' the Edi
tor.) Kindly tell me if the following
gold coins are" worth more than the
face value: $5 of 1844 and $1 of 1838;
12 piece of 1843. A SUBSCRIBER.
You can obtain this Information by
consulting the . "Rare Coin Encyclo
pedia," at the Portland Public . Li
brary.
ROSS ISLAND IS OFTEN FLOODED.
A. L. Swansoa Believes It Impracticable
for lit aa Jail and Dumping; Ground
PORTLAND, Oct. 25. (To the Ed
itor.) In The Oregonlan Tuesday Is
a statement by Mayor Rushlight which
amounts to a dispute or denial of the
facts regarding the condition of Ross
Island during the high water season,
as given by the writer who wrote un
der the name of Civil Engineer.
Permit me to substantiate all that
the civil engineer has said. It is true
that during the high water season
Ross Island is under water. I recall
having picked up boom-sticks that
were floating on the island and having
towed them out into the main current
of the river. Some time ago a part
of a house found a good place to land
In the middle of the Island and stayed
there for a couple of years, till an
other high water floated it off. Bales
of hay. great pine logs, driftwood an
a thousand other things are littered
over Ross Island as mute evidence that
the waters of our beautiful Willamette
are high at certain seasons of the year.
Yes, so high as to make Ross Island
a part of the bottom of the river.
Now, supose that the island were to
be built up without retaining walls of
cement or stone, as Mayor Rushlight
would have it- The city garbage that
would be filled In on the island would
be washed off every time a freshet or
flood came up. Again, to make that
Island suitable for those things
which the Mayor speaks, it would re
quire that the Island should be built
up at least six feet, and this could not
be done by slip-shod methods of dump
lng refuse, but only by a most elab
orate engineering plan, which Involves
bulwarks, retaining walls, etc. Now
add to the $300,000 cost of the Island
this heavy additional cost of putting
the Island in shape, and ask yourself
if the island Is not an expensive dump
Ing-ground and city Jail for Portland
and a mighty expensive one at that.
Furthermore, is not $300,000 a goo
sum to pay for property which is noth
lng but a slough? It should be re
membered that this property is as
sessed at $31,000 and that in paying
$300,000 for It we are paying the price
of proyerty which can Tie had equally
as close to the center of the city aa
Ross Island, and property that will no
rea u! re several times its value to lm
prove.
In brief, I believe that the least said
about a civic center on Ross Island the
better, for no one will take it seriously
after Investigating it.
A. L. SWANSON.
ALBANY CITIZEN IN TROt'BLE
Wife Refuses to Join Poison Squad or
Let Him Cut Down Creeper.
ALBANY. Or.. Oot. 24. (To the EdI
tor.) I notice some statements in The
Oreaonlan concerning the poisonous
character of the Virginia Creeper
berries. It is claimed that the "five
pointed vines are poisonous, while the
three-pointed and other varieties are
not.
We have some of those vines up here
but no one that I ever heard of has
died from eating the berries. This is
probably due to the following reasons
First The stomachs of the country
people may be of tougher variety than
those of the city breo.
Second Our people may not have
eaten any of the berries.
Third Difference in tne numDer or.
noints.
u ounn wen x nave xursubi-cii " imL
the fourth reason may be. but I would
like to know to which variety the
leaves which I enclose herewith belong.
There are some berries on this vine
but I have not eaten any to test them.
I wanted my wife to eat some to find
out whether or not they were of the
poisonous variety but I will be hanged
if she would do it. (Another proof that
women suffraere Is wrong.) i nave
no way therefore of finding out the
facts about it as I think it the duty
of the wife to provide against any such
emergency in the home especially as
she refuses to have the vine cut down.
I would like to know the way to ais
tlno-ulsh a "flve-DOint vine- irom a
three-nolnt vine and other varieties.
Does this have reference to the points
on the leaves? It is quite important
that I find out about this because:
First I don't want to see anyone
endangered by keeping a poisonous
fruit hanarlns: on the front porch.
fier.ond If it Is poisonous men.
can secure reasons ior a uivurua.uu
ih around that my wife Is harboring
a deadly poison around the home just
for the looks or the thing.
ANXIOUS TOUJK.
The Oregonlan cannot give an opinion
on the leaves enclosed because tne
noints" or lobes of the whole lear nave
been parted at the stem'. Anxious Toiler
might buy a guinea pig or try ina Der
rles on the household cat.
Installments and Garnishments.
PORTLAND, Oct. 23. (To the Edi
tor.) 1- A house is sold on the install
ment tilan. but is taken back by the
owner for non-payment of an Install
m.ni. Does the buyer lose ail ne nas
paid, or could he recover In a court of
equity!
2. Can I garnisnee a mamea man
salary? A eLBSi-ttiDJin.
i -Rlarht to recover depends on the
terms of the contract, uourts. How
ever, do not lean toward arbitrary for
feitures.
2. Earnings up to $75 for services
performed by a debtor within SO days
next preceding service or writ are ex
mrjt from garnishment when debtor
can show that the earnings are wholly
or In oart necessary for the care or tne
family supported by him, except when
the debt is incurred ror lamuy ex
penses, 60 per cent of such earnings is
subject to garnishment.
Certified Accountants.
wiBTI.im Oct. 24. (To the Edl-
win vou Dlease advise me to
whom I shall apply for information re
garding the examination ior
public accountants in tma autiei
Thanking you In advance, I am.
AJ Aoruuu-i x.
Accountants are not officially certi
fied in Oregon.
To Pearl.
They gave to you tne tairesi namo
of all.
What Is so pure, so brave, so rare a
gem,
So dainty as a pearir inougn iraji
and small
TIs found In every kingly diadem.
So I would have you pure ana xair
within.
All outward beauty time may taxe
WAV :
But hearts all beautiful and free from
In
Make faces fair though they be crowned
with gray- j
So would I have you brave. In ocean
sheila
Some painful grain of sand Is covered
or
And o'er again with pearl, until there
dwells
A Jewel where a hurt had been before.
And I would have you be so fine so
rare
That none but reverent hands and
purest things
Would dare to touch; for you, my
maiden fair.
Belong unto the glorious King of
Kings.
, A. C. J.
Seaverton. Or
Conntry Town Sayings by Ed Howe
What has become of the old-fashioned
children who were sent over to the
neighbors about once a year, and cams
back to find a new baby at their house?
Ever remark how often heroes are
changed? A hero seldom lasts three
months.
They say there are all kinds of men
in the world. Ever hear of a kind that
didn't talk enough?
If a man makes a prediction, people
forget It, if It does not come true; but
he will not let them forget it If it
comes true.
Nothing pleases a man more than to
see a worthless boy "come out" and
"make a man" of himself.
Haven't you said a thousand times
you wouldn't stand certain things and
then stood them?
About all this country got with Guam
was leprosy, and the privilege of doing
scavenger work fl.-ierantly neglected by
citizens of that island.
A woman I once knew got her hands
dirty as often as a boy, and It was a
Joke among her children to say to her:
"Ma, look at your hands!"
A husband .doesn't like It very well
when his wife takes his arm on the
street; but he likes it loss wht-n slie
puts her head on his shoulder. In a rail
way carriage.
Chickens are a good deal like men. A
rooster will be cock of the walk for
months. Then young roosters will
tackle him, and be whipped. But the
young roosters will keep at him. taking
punishment patiently, and finally the
old rooster will become so tired that
one of the youngsters will down him.
Then the hens will rush to his con
queror, and pay. no attention to the
former champion.
A Rare Moment In Trade.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
"Will this goods wash?" asked
the
shopper.
"No, madam," answered the clerk.
"This goods will shrink, run and fade,
the minute it is put in the water. 1
cannot tell a lie It's fierce to wash."
"Noble youth!" cried the shopper. "At
last I have found an honest clerk. Cut
me oft 10 yards of it. and "
"Stop, woman! You don't want this
piece of goods. I'm glad you think well
of me, but for all I know this piece
may be all right. I've Just been fired,
and I'm trying to do the store all the
dirt I can. Look around and see If you
can't find something worse."
Durna Story of Case.
CENTRALIA, Oct. 24. (To the Ed
itor.) Please give me the address of
this magazine. This little clipping is
from The Oregonlan's report of the
McNamara trial In Los Angeles, Cal.:
"Ever read an article by Mr. Burns
on the case?" he wa asked.
"Yes, I take the magazine."
JOHN NELSON.
R. F. D. No. 1, Box 19.
A series of articles by Detective
Burns on his exploits as a detective
has been running In McClure's Maga
zine. Number of War Vesaela.
NEHALEM. Or., Oct. 23. (To the
Editor.) How many first and second--class
war vessels have the United
States, England and Germany?
SCHOOLBOY.
According to 1910 statistics Great
Britain had 39. the United States 24
and Germany 28 modern battleships.
The number of older battleships re
spectively was 23, 9 and 9. These
figures do not Include' cruisers, which
are of three classes.
Lionlte Powder.
NEWBERO, Or., Oct. 21. (To the
Editor.) Is llonite powder manufac
tured now, and where can it be bought?
J. C. DUNCAN.
Write Wayne Darlington,' general
manager American Safety Powder Co.,
Lewis Building, Portland.
Yea.
PORTLAND, Oct. 20. (To the Editor.)
Kindly inform me If any man comes
to the United States and lives here all
his life without taking out his citizen,
papers, will his sons that were born in
the United States be legal citizens.
A READER.
Try the Baaeball Bulletin Boards.
Eugene Register.
If Dean Collins will kindly advise us
Just where to find him we should like
very much to etop otl on our next trip
to Portland and visit for a short time
with Nescius iltts at Punklndorf Sta
tion. To a Xjondon Statue.
TV. J. Cameron. In the Spotator.
Chill-lipped and cold and carved in atone.
Enisled by tnunderlng aeaa of sound,
Faroe's trumpet o'er them mutaly blown.
Thre dreamers nana on Louuun gruuuu.
Thre dreamer who have climbed . tn
Heights,
anil wnn the aver-deathless bays.
Watch her o'er London days and nishta
Mualng am l ftat ar Duay way..
Here see w in hl native town,
Whoae varied life h loved to view.
Our flrat sweet alnser of renown.
Dan Chaucer, man yet areamer iou,
-Who read aa book hla fellow men,
, And with rare wit and wisdom limned .
Their portrait with a faithful pen
Whoa truth nor Time nor Chans nave .
dimmed.
Next him we love perchance tha bast.
So human yet immonai aiiu.
A man with .passions Ilka th rest
And Tr their master, noneat win;
By mirth and fear and anger swayed.
Moat wayward yet moat innocent.
On whom the wind of fancy played
B on soma aweet-strmgea uainiiwM
Last. Milton, mlghty-souled and strong i
Pop weaDona welKhtv words had he
Waglnr fierce war against the wrong .
ror lov oi irum una uuwij.
Who, battle over, sought acam -
The Muse h wooed In days mora blight.
Turning blind eya. and not In vain.
Toward mat inner, pwag, -h--
Wlth thoughts remote, In chilly mood.
The mighty three stand silent there.
The music of the multitude
Rings loud in wnauii s inurounire.
Uow harsh, now sweet, yet never thrills
Their ears, nor seta one pum kdul
Eark! What taint breath. Fama'a trump
filla.
And stir th fol da about her feet?
The Inevitable Trouble.
Carolyn Well. In Harper's.
I cannot run th old car
I ran long years ago;
For they are so old-fashioned now.
And they're so awful alow.
I can't keep up to this year's pace.
They wouldn't stand the strain;
I cannot run tha old cars.
Or take thorn out again.
I cannot run th old cars.
They aren't built lust right:
The aspiration pipes get loose.
The carbureter tight.
The steering gear decline to work.
The jump spark will not play;
I cannot run the old cars.
They will not do today.
I cannot run the old eara.
They haven't any speed:
And all the fun is, nowadays,
Th limit to exceed.
And so I have .to stay at home -
It makes me awful blue;
I cannot run the old cars.
And I can't afford the new.
Heiniweh.
Pall Mall Gasctte.
In the lone loch, up on the hill.
Where only curlews wan tneir cry.
Where all 1 silent, all is still.
And wnere xne sunaeia come to die;
white bird dipped Its wary wings.
Then o'er the hills it took Its way.
Homesick for waves and wild sea things,
I envied it ma uveiong aay.