TITE 3TORTyO OREGOXIAX, TTTHSPAY. yOTlnTETR 7, , 1911.
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or! it. preaa ardor or personal cheeS aa
yeur local bank, ataoipa. cola o eurrewey
aro at tu .odor's Ms. Olra potorce
Mllrs la fuil. lae-ud:&- eoaoty and atata.
footaa- Hale 10 lo 14 pea. 1 root; It
ta 21 aoa. a oaau; to la u pace. conla:
44 u 14 paaee, 4 cent. rar.a postas
aoab: rat.
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la .New Tarn, Kruaawtck ui.ding. Car
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Olnci .. Beens atraaa, av
roKTXAXO. ITDHUr, XOT. T. Ull
TODAT ELECTIO.NS AS STRAWS.
Tha elections today. while compara
tively faw and only for state and local
offices, except a few scattering Con
gressional t lectio tin to fill vacancies,
will be mora or leas definite straws to
show which war tha political wind
blows for tha treat struggle of next
year. We may ba abla to guess from
them to what aztent tha breach In tha
Republican racks has been healed,
how far tha party has resumed tha
ajrgreaslve and whether tha voters who
by changing to Democrats or ab
stention from voting brought about
tha Democratic victory of 110 hava
repented and returned to their own
party ranks.
. MiiaairhusetU has a close fight for
Governor between Foas, Democrat,
and Frothing-ham. the present Repub
lican Lieutenant-Governor. Foas Is
aided by tha sentiment of that great
manufacturing- state for free raw ma
terial and reciprocity, but Frothlng
fcam la strengthened by President
Taft'a strong constructive tariff policy
and hi valiant fight for reciprocity.
The usual local Issues will Impair the
value of the election aa an Indication
of the attitude of the state on National
Usuee. 1 Foas should win by about
the same plurality as In IflO, such
result may be attributed to local as
much aa National issues. If Froth
tnghara should win. it will Indicate a
decided diminishing of the discontent
with the Republican party. The
chances seern about ran.
New Jersey Is electing a Legislature
and the result will have some bearing
on Oovernor Wilson's chances of the
Twmocrattc Presidential nomination.
Sljrna point to a Republican victory,
which would Impair his chance by
presaclng his loss of the state la 113.
though the PreslJsntlal preference pri
mary Is sure to give htm a solid dele
gation. If by any chance he should
rsrry the Legislature, his claim on
the nomination would ba greatly
strengthened.
New Tork Is to elect an assembly,
which the Republicans predict they
will control. New Tork City la elect
ing local officers and a strong fusion
ticket is fighting Tammany with the
probability of a close decision. Fusion
victory would naturally hearten. the
Republicans for the battle of next
year.
In Maryland the bitter factional
ficht In the Democracy caused by the
nomination of Arthur Pus Oorman by
the machine for Oovernor gives the
Republicans good hopes of success.
Though such an outcome would not
Justify confidence that they would re
peat the victory next year, aa Mary
land Is naturally a Democratic state.
It would prove the presence of an ag
gressive Republican organization. Tha
Maryland Democracy is naturally con
servative and therefore averse to tha
radicalism which now controls the
party. If tha Democrats should again
nominate a radical for President, the
state may again give Its vote to a Re
publican, as It did In 19 and 1J00, or
divide Ita vote in a close result, aa It
did in l0i an ad 10S.
Kentucky la electing a Oovernor
and tha campaign has bevn fought
mainly on National Issues, though lo
cal option has teen an Important fac
tor. The majority cither way prom
ises to be small, confirming the ten
dency of the state to become doubtful.
In all states except those of the
Middle West which are under tha In
fluence of La Follette the Republicans
appear to have been closing their
ranks In preparation to present a
united front to tha Democracy In 1911.
In doing so they have been greatly
aided by the strong constructive pol
icy on the tariff which baa been adopt
ed by the President. The source of
doubt about Republican success La the
Insurgent states of the Middle West,
where La Follette la fighting the party
while still claiming a place In Its
ranka Events may prove that tha
rank and Ale of tha voters who con
stitute the main Insurgent strength
have recognized that Tart Is the real
progressive leader and that he took
a more pessimistic view of the outlook
ta his recent Chloago speech than con
ditions Justify.
lmrt n torn dektred.
The National Republican Progrea
alre League had an aasembiy last
month In Chicago, adopted a plat
form, and nominated, or recom
znemled. a candidate for President of
the United States. Senator Pourr-.e. Its
president, was not there. The Wash
ington correspondent of The Oregt
nlan offers the surprising explanation
that the distinguished Oregon Senator
first president of tha league and
self-elected pilot of the progreselve
movement was not at the. assembly
because he w-as not wanted.
The explanation does credit to tha
Senator's well-known sense of deli
cacy, but it Is hardly adequate. Pos
sibly the further explanation that Sen
ator Hourne has repudiated his own
child or been repudiated by It, as
the case may be and has owuilxed
a new progressive league of his own
"and Is busy enlightening the world
through Its press bureau. Is more like
ly to prove satisfactory. Tet wa hava
not had from the great anti-assembly
apostle any repudiation of the Chi
cago assembly because It was an as
sembly. Nor have we had any rea
sonable explanation of other flagrant
cases of absenteeism from the Chicago
meeting.
Senator Cummlna was not there.
Senator Brtstow was not there. Sen
ator Kenyon was not there. Ex-Senator
Beveridge was not there. Senator
Frown was not there. Not a slng
member of that devoted band of Sen
ate Insurgents except Clapp and also
except Crawford was there. Only
thee two. Nor more than one or two
of tha many generals of the roaring
Insurgent army la tha Eousa. Where
were tbeyT
Meanwhile wa rise to repeat the
Inquiry made by The Oregonlan the
other day an Inquiry directed toward
the noisy Democratic papers In Oregon
that are boosting La Follette for the
Republican nomination and are dis
creetly evasive or altogether silent
about their preference for the Demo
cratic nomination, for any old Demo
crat will suit, and they will all be for
him. The Oregonlan In tho politest
terms, and in the most ardent good
faith, asked these papers to explain. If
they could, the difference between tha
Bourne-La Follette assembly In Chi
cago, which they uproariously ap
proved, and the late lamented assem
blies In Oregon, which they all vehe
mently and Indignantly denounced.
We pause for a reply. Wa seek
light.
TAXXSO THE nOWXTKODrHr FARMER.
Dwelling ever in the sunshlsie of
tha well-paid single-tax luminary, Mr.
tTRen. the Oregon City Courier natu
rally reflects tha views of that accom
plished statesman on all subjects,
from proportional representation down
to gettlng-stron g-w hlle-lyicg-In-bed.
The most recent outgiving of the
Courier Is a complaint about the
downtrodden settler who comes to
Oregon looking- for cheap land. In this
wise:
U buy a farm. Tha taxes are vary law,
aa It la linlmprovoii land.
Ho cra an aero, and It la taxod. .
Ho bul.ds a huuo. and It I taiod.
l!o acta out fruil lr. and lhr axa taxed.
II a buUda a bam. and It I taxed.
bo It ijoo. tvory time ho put In a
month w.ira It I t-J. wtill a IJolnlns
iani. hold by tho peculator, dooon't par
ent moro taxes, yet twh day ktow to value
aa tha aott.or cleara and improve aim io.nu.
So your single toxer would tax the
nnoccupled, unimproved, uncultivated
land, which Is not worth anything,
and make Its owner bear the burden
or the chief burden, of all the cost of
government. Hut what is the use of
government, or civilization, or tm
rrovements. or society, to the eben
tee owner of a deaert waste T Whom
are they for?
Why Is the farmer taxed? Why Is
the home-owner taxed T Why Is any
body taxed T
The farmer wants roads and he la
taxed for them. Could ha get along
without roads?
The farmer wants schools and he Is
taxed for them. Could the farmer get
along without schools?
The farmer wants police protection
and he la taxed for It. Could the
farmer get along without police
protection ?
The farmer wants courts of Justice
and he Is taxed for them. Could the
farmer get along without courts?
The farmer wants markets, society,
comfort, health, malls, churches, and
the thousand and one conveniences
and necc-wittles that make up the dally
life of a dweller In a civilized commu
nity: and he mut pay for them
through his contribution to govern'
ment- What are his Improvements,
his house, his barn. J". Is cultivated
fields, his fruit trees, worth, except as
they are made valuable by tha efforts
of others and the development and
movement of organized society?
Of course the farmer is taxed. Of
course even body Is taxed. If land Is
to pay all the tax, where does tha
poor farmer come out In the dlstrl
button of coftte and benefits?
TTRKErS AITT-tt TO THE TJ. .
In these days the United States Is
becoming the peacemaker between
nations and the refuge of nations op
pressed both by tyranny and debt as
well as the refuge of oppressed Indi
viduals. The protest of Turkey to
this country against the barbarities
of which ahe accuses the Italians is
the latest evidence of this altruistic
mission.
We first assumed this part when
the Monroe doctrine was promulgated
and we proved that we meant It by
demanding the French withdrawal
from Mexico. This made the restora
tion or the republic possible. In 1898
we made war on Spain to right the
wrongs of Cuba and founded another
republic. At. the same time wo took
the Philippines and Porto Rico under
our wing and undertook to teach them
the ways of democracy, .though we
had no desire thus to expand our do
minions. In 105 our mediation end
ed the war between Russia and Japan
and our representative at the Alge
clras conference arranged a compro
mise by which the Moroccan dispute
was prevented from causing a great
war. We have taken Santo Domingo.
Honduras and Nicaragua under our
financial guardianship and are help
ing them to recover from Internecine
strife and to unload their great debts.
Now comes Turkey, hitherto held to
be the most barbarous nation In Eu
rope, and asks us to put a stop to bar.
baiitles of which she accuses Italy, a
boasted center of civilization. Appeals
to other European nations against the
Invasion of Tripoli have been of no
avail, and their treatment of ap
peal, even If given, would be In
fluenced by their selfish Interests. In
such straits Turkey, newly launched
on the sea of democracy, calls upon
the greatest of democracies to rebuke
Italy for Inhumanity. She knows that
we are too far removed from the scene
of strife to have any serious selfish
Interest and that ail our predilections
are for peaoa and humanity. Thus
she adds fresh recognition of the posi
tion of the United States as the leader
in tha causa of civilization.
WOT CXlTUXXBETrTETJ.
Water In tha Willamette Rtver Is
lower so say the records than It has
ever been before since records of Its
varying stages have been kept. While
this Is true as fir as official records go,
a low stage of water similar to the
present realinj; of the water gauge
vexed steamboat men fn the early
navigation years of the Willamette.
Pioneers will recall one Fall forty-fllve
or , fifty years ago when Canemah
was the rendezvous of boats on the
river above the falls of the Willamette,
and every craft on the river. Including
the Surprise, the Enterprise, the Reli
ance and other boats of the sternwheel
fleet of wheat-carrying craft were tied
up awaiting water enough to float
them over tha river bars and through
the Rock Island channel until close
on to Christmas time. These were not.
of course, tha light-draft boats of a
later era in steam boating, but such as
they were they lay, with steam low In
their boilers, and a watchman aboard
of each waiting for a rise In the river
that would enable them to turn their
wheels without stirring up the sand In
the shallows, all 'through the Fall
months and well along Into the Winter.
Their crews irked sorely at the de
lay. Every warehouse on the river
bank tha farmers' sola facility for
storage, as supplemental to their Fall
hauling from farm to shipping point
before tha ralna sat Id was bulging
with wheat awaiting transportation to
deep water. Rats became a pest to
warehousemen; store bills, dus "when
the wheat was marketed," grew to
discouraging proportions both to the
merchant and their farmer patrons,
and men who were engaged In river
transportation aa a means of supporte
Ing their families grew shabby In their
garb, and despairing withal, as tha
blight days turned Into gray and still
tha promise of rain was not fulfilled.
At length, however, the embargo of
the Fall drouth was lifted and rain
fell In such generous abundance as to
send every tributary of the Willam
ette out of Its banks In February and
keep tha river at a good boating
stage up to the first of July.
Let no one therefore imagine that
the present low stage of water Is un
precedented in the annals of "Beauti
ful Willamette." and base tlrereon the
solemn assertion that "the climate of
Oregon Is changing." The weather
during the post six weeks was unusual
for the season of tho year, but by no
means unprecedented In the Willam
ette Valley. Nor does the cause lie
In the fact that much timber has been
cut In various sections of the Willam
ette watershed. The "unusual season"
occurs now and then. Just aa It oc
curred In the early days of the settle
ment of tho Willamette Valley. Its
secret Is in a combination of currents
and counter currents In the upper air,
tha whim of which the most saga
clous "forecaster" is unable to predict
beyond the limit of twenty-four hours
or less, and Is even then unable to ex
plain. The simple truth of the matter Is
that the sun shines and tha rain falls
upon the Just and the unjust, and that
seasons come and go, pretty much aa
they did in the far-away years to
which tire memory of man runneth not
back.
jraTERsorf and axabciit.
If Mr. C. E. 8. Wood wore pushed
hard by a resolute crltlo, he might
find some little difficulty In substan
tlatlng his statement that Thomas
Jefferson was an anarchist. Jefferson
was certainly a man of extremely ad
vanced views for his age, and he did
say that the best government was the
one which governed least. Carrying
this on to Its legitimate outcome, of
course, wa must conclude that no gov
emment at all Is better than any other
plan.
But Jefferson never carried It to Its)
legitimate outcome, and never meant
to. "Government" to him and the
other liberals of his day often meant
simply an organized conspiracy against
the welfare of humanity and history
Justified their view of it. They had
before their eyes the desolation of
France under Its absolute kings, the
misery of Germany under Its petty
tyrants, the dismal quagmire of Spain
under Its priests. No wonder they
made up their minds that government
of the sort seen up to that date was
an evil. But Jefferson never denied
the possibility of devising a kind of
government which should not be an
evil.
What kind of government that
would be If it ever came Into being we
may learn clearly enough from the
Declaration of Independence, which no
doubt expresses the very depths of
Jefferson's political soul. He said
In that document that a government
derives Its Just powers from the con
sent of the governed, and In those
words he both admitted tnat a govern
ment might be Just and showed how
to make It so. What Jefferson hated
was power which Imposes Itself upon
men. What he loved was tha Idea of
men Imposing restrictions npon them
selves for the common good. It is the
first concept which he has In mind
when he says that the lesa government
we have the better for us. It Is the
second when he says that tha Just pow.
era of government come from the con'
sent of the governed.
Jefferson had a clear concept of
government acting as the agent of a
people's collective will. Of course
that was something very different
from government which consisted of
one man's will or the will of a select
few.
WHY WE DEPEND OTt RAILROADS.
The great arteries of the Nation are
the railways. Whenever anything hap
pens In any way to clog or retard these
arteries the effect Is almost Instantly
felt by millions of people, even by the
Nation Itself.
To show how true this must be It Is
only necessary to point to the number
of employes directly drawing their pay
from the companies or the terminal
and switching companies connected
with them. These total ovf 2,000,-
UUv. LDUnung m uuniuci iiu ue-
pendents of this vast army. It can be
seen that S, 000,000 or 7,000,000, or
perhaps one person in every ten of our
inhabitants, are dependent upon the
railways for their livelihood. Save
the one occupation of agriculture.
there Is no industry that approaches
the number of persons looking to the
railways for their support.
The wages paid to these workmen
last year, 1910, amounted to the 'vast
sum of el.163.044.SD0. an amount
squal to almost 115 per capita for our
entire population. The total mileage,
exclusive of yard tracks and sidings
(which amounted to 85,581 miles) at
the close of 1910, amounted to l8.
185 miles, sufficient mileage to make
ten-track road around the world.
with some 16.000 miles over.
To handle the Immense traffic from
which these roads derive their pay
takes 59.000 engines and X. 180. 831
cars. The number of passengers car
ried last year was 971.183.199. the
number of miles traveled by these
passengers was 83.I33.4S8.329. the
revenue derived therefrom was 1628,
992.478. The freight revenue was
81.9:5.553.086. The capital of the
2196 roads making up the total was
the enormous sum of $18,417,182,238.
When we look at these figures and
remember that these railways have all
been constructed and this great busi
ness all built up within the memory
of many people new living, the fact
Is startling. Tet the Industry is grow
ing faster now than ever before.
It Is all well enough to decry the
great corporations, but when we look
a tha above figures we find tnat the
great bulk of their earnings, aside
from dividends on the stock, comes
back to the pockets of the people In
the way of wages to the great army
comprising their employes. So what
ever "hits" tha purses of the railways
actually takes the money from our
ovrn pockets. Which our lawmakers
often forget when they attempt to en
act, or actually enact, hostile legisla
tion. No doubt much of the capital above
mentioned is water. We all know It
la How to get rid of this water is a
question for wise statesmanship, and
perhaps much of It can never ba
J squeezed out. Under tha present strin
gent laws stock watering is almost im
possible In railway enterprises, so tha
business will undoubtedly soon bo on
an equitable basis.
POTATOES axd other thtxgs.
The potato, a lowly tuber no longer,
though grown In the dark. Is vying
with the apple In variety and Import
ance. Lately the German"purple po
tato" was exploited, at a luncheon
given by an auxiliary organization of
the Commercial Club of Oregon City,
by being made into a salad that was
truly royal. Of Its size and yield per
acre Its promoters did not "speak, but
an active effort will be made to Induce
farmers of Clackamas County to
plant It. "
Of course we have known for long
that Clackamas County and other por.
tlons of tho Willamette Valley could
raise the very best of potatoes, so this
exhibit of the glories of.the purple po
tato Induced satisfaction rather than
pride. But later have come the farm
ers of the erstwhile dry but now irri
gated belt In the Redmond district of
Eastern Oregon with a potato exhibit
that astonished all beholders and took
.numerous prizes. There were potatoes'
and potatoes In this exhibit. The
declination "good, better, best," ap
plied to all of the many varieties
shown, there being no Inferior tubers
among them.
Tho old reliable Burbank, tho
smooth Late Rose, the up-and-a-com-lng
Early Ohio, the shining Early
Rose, the regal Sir Walter Raleigh,
and others of lesser note all well
grown and full of promise of many a
toothsome meal, were there. Potatoes
that were grown on Irrigated soil; dry
land potatoes and potatoes of a volun
teer crop, all told the story of the fer
tility of the soil and the invigorating
air of Central Oregon. And to keep
the potato In countenance perhaps to
curb Its grower's vanity. It was flanked
at every turn In tho exhibit by mam
moth cabbages, turnips, rutabagas,
mangel wurzels, carrots, artichokes
and pumpkins, while Just beyond were
chickens In coops, honey in cases and
cornstalks literally "out of reach."
Great Indeed Is Central Oregon;
great Is Irrigation that makes It blos
som as the rose and flourish as the
green bay tree, and great the spirit of
enterprise that has brought It in touch
with the markets of the world and en
couraged thrift and Industry to take
up their abode upon Its truly enchant
ed lands.
No sooner does the progressive Cali
fornia woman secure the enfranchise
ment of her sex than the reactionary
woman moves to get lid of It, prefer
ring "the very many courtesies and
privileges which are now so gladly
given," and which, she fears, may be
withdrawn as a result of woman suf
frage. If the question comes to vote
under the initiative, we may be treat
ed to the spectacle of many women
using the franchise to get rid of the
franchise by voting to repeal woman
suffrage. Then we shall know whether
the majority of women really desire
to vote.
It is most appropralte In these days
of equality of opportunity between the
sexes that a man's heart should be won
by the spectacle of a woman's prowess
In slaying a Hon. In the "good, old
days" of the Ivy clinging to the oak
Mrs. Gutlerres would have fainted at
the eight of the lion and Reginald
Thomas would have slain the beast
and then "gathered her In his arms,"
as the novelists would say. In these
bad. new days he calmly watches her
kill the Hon and tha courtship, follows
without the fainting spell. .
To turn . the achoolhouses over to
the people for "civic centers" Is a com
mon sense measure which has been
too long delayed. Give young people
a chance to meet socially f at the
schoolhouses In the company 'of their
elders with warmth, light and music
and freedom to enjoy themselves
wholesomely and the "white slave
problem" is half solved at a stroke.
Evil thrives on our neglect to supply
the good.
Fate loves nothing so much as Irony,
With a pungent taste for Incongruity
and veiled satire the monster has
stirred up two open wars and half a
dozen smoldering ones Just at the mo
ment when the advocates of peace
plume themselves on a near victory,
International peace Is a beautiful
vision which will become real some
time, but the secret of attaining It is
almost as elusive as the philosopher's
stone.
The story that the Turks are on the
point of obliterating Italy by stirring
up a "holy war Is followed the next
day by a report that they ore begging
Mr. Taft to Intervene and save them
from destruction. A holy war re
quires a background of fanatical su
perstltion which still exists in the
depths of the Sahara and Tartary, but
unhappily for the Turks transporta
tion facilities from those reservoirs
of ignorant fury are Inadequate.
When a young man Is projected
from high school Into the great world
at tha mature age of 18, his teachers
should repeat the sage advice of Tony
Weller to "bevare of vldders," and
should add "especially grass widows."
After his sad experience with a woman
eight years his senior, Eugene Davis
may now have a real love affair.
The a-oodiest young man In the
country lives at Ludlow, Mass., and
has been awarded a prize for general
saintly quality. He haa never used
tobacco or liquor, sworn or kissed a
girl. His name is Charles not Char
lie, but it would better be Joseph.
The hustling Elks should find little
trouble In raising the needed balance.
Every owner of a lot will see its value
Increased by the advertising tha big
convention will give this city.
Colonel Wood says patience Is the
supreme characteristic of believers in
anarchy, and they could wait 1,000.000
years to have their teachings realized.
Let us hope they will.
Already there art) rumors of offers of
25 cents for hops next season. As
there will be no 1911's to carry over,
tha demand will be good.
f
Rain may stop some street work, but
nothing stops construction of class A
buildings In Portland.
There are now two women In the
state prison to be company for each
other.
If tha East does not like California's
green oranges. It can feast on Oregon's
rosy apples.
DESIRE! TO OWN HOME IS STRONG.
Cor-ralUa Writer DlKtum Heary
Georsre Flam af Coazlaeation.
CORVALLI3. Or .Nov. 4. (To the
Editor.) One cannot read Henry
George's "Progress and Poverty" with
out feeling that he was writing from
the point of view of the man without
property. There Is a constant com
plaint throughout the book against the
owner of land. This complaint In
"Social Problems," under the caption
"The First Great Reform," .-finds ex
pression In this wise:
What mora prepoatarou than tha treat
ment of land a individual property. . . .
What mora prepoeterou than that wa living
in New Tork City In tnla year 1SS8, ahould
be working tor a lot ot landlords who get
tha authority to llv on our labor from
some EngiUh. Kin-, dead and gone these
centurlea.
The desire of the human being to
own his own home Is as strong and
In many Instances stronger than the
desire of any one to eventually reach
Paradise. This Is evident from the fact
that the world over men are struggling
to own and maintain individual prop
erty in the land where they build their
homes.
The ownership of land is an ever-
present asset. Our ancestor may have
derived the right. In the first instance,
to the use of land through an English
King, but as time marched on he with
stood every attempt to wrest this prop
erty away. He had to meet changing
conditions, he had to pay the increas
ing; tax, he had to improve this prop
erty to correspond with his neighbors.
In order to derive from It this Income
of which Mr. George complains. Any
day he became willing to part with it
he could do so at the enhanced price.
It was simply a change of names. An
other no better and no worse, but who
desired this property more, became the
Individual owner. Furthermore, there
was never a time but what he would
have parted with this land If another
had advanced the offered price above
the surrounding land. Why? Not be
cause the ownership of It made It more
valuable, not because of any family
sentiment, but because by .the great
law of supply and demand he had only
to buy hi i neighbor s property adjoin
Ing It to reap a profit.
They get their authority to charge a
reasonable rental from the land they
own through the reigning dynasty,
Through the power of the government.
for the moment on top in that land.
They support this government, their
property Is committed to its support.
their "lives, property and sacred hon
or," as one celebrated writer has It. Is
involved.
Arguing along this line. In "Social
Problems," Mr. George uses this argu
ment:
Zf shafts can ba sunk, and tunnel can
ba run. and tha most costly machinery can
be put up on publlo land on mere security
or possession, wy epula not Improvements
or all kind b made on that aecurltyt
I answer that they could. If that
were the fact. But It Is not the fact.
A man finds a piece of mining ground,
and files a notice on It. He performs
the labor the mining law provides, to
hold the claim one year. Each year
this labor is necessary, or the first
comer who will perform such labor
takes It away. Sometimes he will on
the security of this notice Install
plant to work the ground, to elevate
rock and ore to the surface, but al
ways with the ultimate Intention of
patenting the land and obtaining an
Individual ownership to It. When he
finds it Is worth the price, he does
patent It, and thus obtains Individual
ownership. No man would Invest money
on mining ground, unless he could
eventually own it Individually.
The advocates of the single tax in
Oregon do not go so far as Henry
George went. They do not advocate the
destruction of Individual ownership in
land. Neither do our neighbors In Can
ad a. The single-tax idea promulgated
here seems to have Its chief argument
In the hope that Its application to land
In Oregon will tend to Increase the
population and add numerically to In
dividual ownership.
Henry George said in "Progress and
Poverty":
If private property in land ba Just then
I tho remedy I propose a false one; If, on
tha contrary, private property in land ba
unjust, then Is this remedy th true one.
The Henry George Idea Is clear. It
destroys Individual property In land.
Do we want to destroy Individual
property in land In Oregon? For my
part, I do not.
Sometimes a prophet does arise, and
offens a panacea for our ills, but goes
too far. Is this the case with Henry
George? Is there a middle ground be
tween Individual ownership In land and
the sing's tax?
I am still open-minded on this sub
ject. If It can be shown to me that
the single tax will not have the effect
of confiscating Individual property In
land, that under Its reign the taxes on
a tract of land not in use, or poorly
used, will not be materially Increased,
or of a City property that the taxes
will not be advanced beyond what the
oommunity value Is ascertained to be,
then I will be for the single tax. I
think I am an average citizen. Only
average. What will convince me will
convince others like me. Show me!
J. H. WILSON.
OIL TAJntS I! OVB OTHER CITY.
Salt Lake Reaerrolrs 12 "titles Outalde
Town Limit,
PORTLAND, Nov. 6. (To the Edi
tor.) The oil men have made so many
misleading statements, that in Justice
to the people of Portland permit me
to say that 99 out of every 100 want
the oil tanks outside the city.
Mrs. A Kenny writes: "Salt Lake
City oil tanks are located about twelve
miles outside city limits, other side
of Beck's hot springs, in foot hills of
mountains, as are all other explosives,
powder' magazines, etc"
The buildings of the oil tanks were
to have been built partly on filled
ground In South Portland. A great
catastrophe would occur were they so
built. Twelve-inch walls were blown
down In the fire that killed Chief Dave
Campbell. The constitution guarantees
us protection to our lives and property
and should one life be lost in an oil
fire, the revenge of a whole people
should be placed upon those placing
such a danger unnecessarily in our
midst. JOHN HEITKEMPEH,
Chairman Cltixens' Committee.
SprtnsTfleld Dry Comm ended.
. LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 1. (To the
Editor.) I read in The Oregonlan re
cently a special dispatch from Spring
field. Or, stating tnat me -wets" ana
"drys" of that city had come to an
agreement to have but one ticket in
the field at the coming annual city
electron. If the city Is voted "wet."
the dispatch says, an ordinance will be
passed by the Council permitting a lim
ited number of saloons to do business
under certain restrictions. Whichever
side wins, there will be no division
among the people of Springfield to in
terfere with the growth of the com
munity. In this Instance the "drys" acted
with commendable good sense and rea
son. In most communities they oppose
odel license laws for the regulation
of the business and will stand for noth
ing less than the closing of all licensed
places where liquor is sold. The result
la the Illicit saie oi liquor inrousn me
agency of blind tigers and bootlegging.
The "dry people or epringiieia nave
chosen the "better way, and if they are
defeated, let us hope the Council will
dopt an ordinance regulating the sale
of liquors which will be self-enforcing
after the model license plan.
T. M. GILMORK,
Proa Kan Model License League.
BAN'S LIFE! AND COSCIOUS.NESS.
Noted Philosophic Writer MM a tain
Coatlnulty of Life Beyond Present.
PORTLAND, Nov. 4. (To the Ed
itor.) In the Hllebert Journal for Oc
tober appears Henri Bergson's "Hux
ley Lecture," delivered at the Univer
sity of Birmingham in May last on the
subject, "Life and Consciousness."
Probably no modern author in the
philosophic world haa attracted more
widespread notice than Mr. Bergaon,
and as the Right Honorable Arthur J.
Balfour, M. P., in the same number of
the Journal, criticising his "L'Evolution
Creatrice." says of him: "Apart alto
gether from his admirable criticisms,
his psychological Insight, his charms of
Btyle, there is permanent value in his
theories."
A perusal of the article in auestlon
will well repay those Interested In
philosophy because of Its suggestive
brilliancy and wealth of Illustration as
well as its originality.
Two points in the lecture In partic
ular are worthy of notice, chiefly be
cause of ' the marked contrast which
they present to the naturalistic philos
ophy of the middle of last century.
First, In the author's own words:
I doubt that the evolution of life will
ever be explained by a mere combination of
mechanical forces. Obviously there Is a vi
tal lmpulsti. What I was calling an Impulse
towards a higher and higher efficiency,
aomethlng which ever seeks to transcend
Itself, to extract from Itself more than
there Is In a word, to create. Now, a
force which draw from Itself more than
It contains, which gives more than It has,
la precisely what Is called a spiritual force;
in fact, I do not see how otherwise spirit Is
to ba defined.
Then follows an illuminative discus
sion of the conflict which takes place
between this force and matter in the
organic world. Second:
When we see that consciousness, whilst
being at once creation and choice, la
also memory, that one of Its essential func
tions ts to accumulate and preserve the
past, that very probably I lack the time
to attempt the demonstration of this point)
the brain la an instrument of forgetf ulncss
aa much as one of remembrance, and that
in pure consciousness nothing of the past
Is lost, the whole life of a conscious per
sonality being an Indivisible continuity, are
we not led to suppose that the effort con
tinues beyonft. and that In this passage
of consclousnsss through matter conscious
nes Is tempered like steel, and tests Itself
by clearly constituting personalities and
preparing them, by tha very effort which
each of them la called upon to make, for
a higher form of existence? If we admit
that with man consciousness ha finally left
tho tunnel (he uses tha Illustration of a
current of consciousness which flows down
Into matter aa Into a tunnel), that every
where eiae consciousness ha remained im
prisoned, that every other species corre
sponds to tae arrest of something which in
man succeeded In overcoming resistance
and in expanding almost freely, thus dis
playing Itself in true personalities capable
of remembering all and willing all and
controlling their past and their future, we
shall have no repugnance In admitting that
In man, though perhaps in man alone, con
sciousness pursue Its path beyond this
earthly life.
It is exceedingly suggestive to hear
one who is probably the foremost philo
sophic writer of the day state so forc
ibly the doctrines of the spiritual ori
gin and maintenance of the uni
verse, and the continuity of man's life
beyond the present. JOHN BAIN.
TRAFFIC RULES - OS SIDEWALKS
Writer Asks for explanation of Ap
parent Discrimination by Police.
PORTLAND, Nov. 4. (To the .Edi
tor.) In The Oregonlan today I notice
that the police committee of the Ex
ecutive Board exonerated Policeman
Black of 'misconduct In the arrest of
V. V. Jones, September 9, for refusing
to move to the curb line from in front
pf a store window. According to Mr.
Jones, the policeman overlooked two
"mashers" and two men expectorating
on the sidewalk before he ordered Mr.
Jones to move on. Now, a question or
two occurs to me In connection with
this case, which I would like The Ore
gonlan to answer.
Why Is It that religious cranks. So
cialists and other Jawsmiths are al
lowed to hold forth on the streets and
their audiences to block half of said
Btreets and more than half of the ad
Joining sidewalk, If It Is against police
regulations for one poor lone man to
stand up against a store window and
wait for a friend?
I would also like to know why
strikers are allowed to block the side
walks In Lower Alblna to such an ex
tent that one occasionally has to elbow
one's way through them. Not only are
they allowed to congregate on the
sidewalk, but they are allowed to con
struct seats on it and to Insult non
union workmen on their way to the
streetcars, and this under the very
noses of the police.
I am neither a striker, strikebreaker,
masher nor expectorator. I'm simply a
common, everyday citizen and taxpayer
who would like to know why some
should be privileged to Buch an extent
over others In the matter of using our
streets and sidewalks.
SUBSCRIBER.
It Is ths understanding of Tho Ore
gonlan that Mp. Jones was asked to
move to the curb by Policeman Black
In compliance with a general effort on
congested parts of Washington .street
to keep persons away from plateglass
windows. This regulation is made for
the protection of property and to give
nodestrlans view of the window dis
plays as well as to avoid blocking of
sidewalks. Because two transgressions
are overlooked is no reason why a tnira
should be Ignored. The city authori
ties attempt to ctanflne street meetings
to "dark" plaoes. such as points in
front of banks, day stores or blank
walls. The keeping open of a pass
. , . i
ag0 way is required anu oUivm-c
least In the business district
FBSB AXR ON THE STREET CARS.
Writer Thinks Many wno upm
dows Axa Mere Cranks on Snbject.
wirtund. Nov. 4. (To the Edi
tor.) I have no doubt but those who
throw ODen the wmaow oi a irunejr
car as soon as they enter it are warm
blooded made so by good, healthful
out-door exercise, or tnrougn toe
agency of beer and beefsteak and feel
the necessity of cold air on their faces
and bodies. But some, I think, from
their appearance, are merely cranks
desirous of advertising their wholesome
independence.
I would like to suggest to these per
sons that other passengers In the car
may not enjoy the cold arari or air
made more penetrating by the speed
of the ear. In fact I have seen ladies
with children huddle together to avoid
ih oni draft from an open window
at which sat a buxom, healthy-vlsaged
woman.
If these fresh-air people cannot en
dure the atmosphere of the car I
would further suggest that they oc
cupy the rear seats, so as to discom
mode as few of the passengers ' as
possible: but my observation Is that
they always occupy the front seats.
u. u. m.
Death of Sir "William Gilbert.
SALEM. Or.. Nov. 4. (To the Edi
tor.) Please say when Sir Gilbert Sul
livan, author or "nnaiore, "MiKaao,
etc, died. Is It true that he was
drowned last year on the day his
Pinafore" was revived In New Tork
CltyT v A DOUBTING THOMAS.
Sir W. S. Gilbert, librettist of "H.
M. S. Pinafore" and "The Mikado." was
drowned May 29, 911, on the night of
which the Shubert revival of "Pinafore"
was scheduled to open In New Tork.
Sir Arthur Sullivan, oomposer, died In
1S00.
N. NITTS ON OPPORTUNITY
Br Dean Collins.
1 1 :
Nesclus Nltts, he whose sapient can
To Punklndorf proved him a plumb
highbrowed man.
Bit Into his plug the full breadth of
a span;
And whlie the stain turned his white
whiskers to tan.
Upon opportunity thus he begani
"'Tls strange how the minds of them
millionaire men
Has changed as they has, since some
years ago, when
Tf-y ducked from subpenas In deep
consternation
And kept themselves hedged in sub
lime Isolation,
Arrangln' their homes so they never
was there if
The person who called was a Deputy
Sheriff.
"Now how things has ohangedl They
appears to Jest yearn
And hanker around while a-waltin'
- their turn.
They says to the butler, 'Jest send in
a call
To the Sheriff today, and find out if
they all
Can't kindly glance over their papers,
'and see
If they hasn't got a subpena fer me.'
"Or maybe they stops when they
chances to meet
A deputy roamin' about on the street:
'You must come and dine with mel
Have a cigar!
I'm Jest goin' home nowl Hop Into my
car!
And say by the way do you happen
to be
Prepared, please, to serve a subpena
on met
"If this state continues, I haa an idee -The
deputy's star Is shore destined
to be
Right in the ascendant, and thousands
will throng
Around Sheriffs' offices all pleadin"
strong
Fer deputies' Jobs, since these Jobs has
began
To offer a chance fer an ambitious
man.
"My "dvlce to young men Is: "Go East
now. young man.
And get you a deputy's star If you can;
Fer magnates all over the land 'twould
appear
Gives premiums- on plain subpenas this
year.
Go East, fer success Is awaltln' you
there If
Ton only can get in as Deputy Sheriff."
Portland, November 6.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonlan Nov. T. 1861.
The San Francisco Herald, in speak
ing of candidates for the position of
the late Colonel Baker, says:
"There Is Benjamin Stark, a native
of Connecticut, and there Is ex-Governor
George L. Curry, at present edi
tor of the Portland Advertiser, who
was defeated In convention by Whlte
aker for the Gubernatorial nomination
and who has since been a candidate
for the Senate with very small chances
of success. There is also John H. Reed,
a lawyer, of Jacksonville, a "fellow of
Infinite Jest," a boon companion, a fair
lawyer native of Ohio or Kentucky.
Rev. E. R. Geary, of Linn County, late
Superintendent of Indian Affairs in
Oregon a native of Pennsylvania (a
brother of Colonel John W. Geary, ex
Mayor of San Francisco, ex-Governor
of Kansas, and now commanding a reg
iment on the Potomac), a man of good
abilities, something of a divine but
more of a politician. M. P. Deady,
United States District Judge of Oregon,
would, we think, get the appointment
if he would have it He is a native
of Maryland, was once a leader of tha
anti-Lane wing of the Democracy, but
subsequently became a Lane man."
The Western states have suffered
from most extraordinary rains the
present season. In Cincinnati soma
streets were flooded and persons were
drnwnpii in the basements of houses.
In Illinois the rains were heavy and
unparalleled, and the crops of matured
grain were greatly injured. Oregon
is now receiving a- heavy installment
of Fall rains which are needed to raise
the rivers and put tho ground in order
for plowing.
Washington,' Oct. 81. General Stone
has published his report of the battle
of Balls Bluff. He states that Colonel
Baker acted with indiscretion and ex
ceeded his order, although he performed
his duties with unexampled bravery. A
special dispatch says there is no truth
ot' the Intended resignation of Mc
Clellan and Scott; also that an order
for the removal of Fremont has been
ordered.
New Tork, OcC 31. A merchant of
Brooklyn, named Brownell, visited
Beauregard at his headquarters, one
mile from Fortress Monroe, on Wednes
day last week, and conversed with him
during the day. Beauregard said as
far as he was concerned ha preferred
acting entirely on the defensive, satis
fled with a repulse of the . Federal
Army whenever It made an advance.
He denies that aliens are prevented
from leaving the state or Virginia.
Conntty Town Sayings by Ed Howe
One trouble with our beloved coun
try Is, we are doing a lot of big work
that doesn't amount to anything.
If you don't say "No" pretty often
your money wouldn't last long.
Every little while a good gentleman
appears with a statement that death un
der the age of 150 years, Is unnatural.
Here's where Doc Wiley comes In: peo
ple believe they become old at 70 be
cause storekeepers sell them adulterat
ed food.
Did anyone ever pay a compliment
without adding a stinger of some sort?
Honesty not only means that the oth.
er fellow should be square with you;.
It also means that you ahould be fair
with the other fellow.
I have known a certain man 33 years,
and when he Is not drinking whiskey,
he is circulating a temperance pledge.
And so far as I am able to make out,
rfi-utrfeo his time about equally be
tween the two occupations; he has
never been able, apparently, to decide
which suits him best.
' In country towns, we are often fooled
by "opera bouffe" companies. The story
gets around that he girls In the chorus
wear almost nothing; the men talk of
the show In a mysterious way, and the
women are Jealous. But when the show
arrives, it Is a wretched affair, and we
find we have been "sold" again.
There is probably no fact more cred
itable to this country than that the
buffalo has been driven from the West
ern plains, in order that the plains may
be occupied by farmers. Tet some peo
ple are always complaining because the
buffalo has been exterminated.
It is a poor writer who has not at
some time In his career been likened to
Machiavelli, who Is supposed to be an
old wretch second only to the devil In
meanness.
I suppose everyone Imagines that he
Is greatly misunderstood.