10
TITE MORXIXG OREGOXIAX. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1911.
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fOH.ri.AM. TI'EKDAT. IEC. 19.
THE RttDT rl.TOI
iTwo men engaged In a pistol duel j
n Portland remind us that, whatever I
else we may lack, the deadly pistol is j has been a terrible increase of drunk
tslways with us. Not ions ago a cer- j enness, and would that this were Its
tain prosecuting oltlcer was beseech- j worst eftVct. but It Is not. Something
Of murder. In the course of his pow
erful argument he said: "Gentlemen,
If the prisoner at the bar had not had
pistol in his hip pocket when the
Quarrel occurred, he would not ave
killed his antagunlnt. But he had the
pistol and he did the deed, and now
If you do your duty by the common
wealth you must hang him." In the
ferror of his speech he threw off his
coat, and there In his hip pocket. In
full sight of the judge and Jury, was
the protruding butt of a revolver. It
was a case requiring the removal of
a beam from his own eye and the court
very properly fined him before he u
permitted to finish his speech. Would
that by some such summary process
every man who "totes a pistol" could
be made to feel the enormity of his of
fense. There are now at large In the United
Ftates 100.000 men who have done the
deed of Cain and ought to wear his
mark on their forehead. It Is safe
to any that a heavy majority never
would have committed murder If they
had not been In the habit of carrying
deadly weapons. In the fatal moment
the weapon was at hnnd and they used
It. Ilad the pistol pocket been empty,
blood would not have flowed. Ready
access to a revolver may transform
mere neighbors quarrel, fx run one
dar and forgotten the next, into
bloody murder.
We grant that the execrable habit of
carrying weapons Is not accountable
for all our murders. It is aided In Its
dreadful work by the laxity of th
rourts. a laxity which, according to
Federal Judge Amldon. has broken
down the criminal law. The pistol
toter. aided by the technical Judge,
has made human life a plaything in
the United States. The other day a
South Carolina court dismissed an in
dictment because the "r" was Inadver
tently dropped from "father." The
Supreme Court of Missouri set free a
man convicted of a crime little less
heinous than murder If at all because
the article "th" was left out before
"state
What better allies could the pistol
toter desire than such Judges? To
gether they have rendered life Just
about as safe here as It was In Central
Africa when Stanley made his first
trip. We need a law against the habit
of canning weapons which carelesa of
ficials cannot make a dead letter and
which easy-going citizens will not dare
to break.
HIM. TO STOP DYNAMITIXi.
Regulation of the manufacture and
sale of explosives has been taken up
by the National Metal Trades Associa
tion on the lines heretofore approved
by The Oregonian. A draft of a bill
covering the entire subject has been
prepared by the association for sub
mission to the State Legislatures, In
consequence of a recommendation
made at the last annual convention.
This was prompted by the numerous
recent dvnamitlng outrages.
The bill appears to cover fully the
entire subject. o far as the states can
deal with it. Transportation of ex
plnatlves is already fully covered by
both Federal and state laws. The bill
requires persons or corporations man
ufacturing, handling, storing, selling or
dealing In explosives of any kind to
obtain a license from the County Clerk,
describing their place of business and
the maximum quantity to be stored
there. The County Clerk is required
to have the premises examined, and.
if they accord with the law, to issue a
license at f 25 a year.
A good feature of the bill Is a pro
vision that manufacturers and dealers
In explosives having more than 100
pounds on hand at any time are re
quired to give bond to the state for
,the payment of damages caused by an
explosion about their premises. Strict
provision is made for tracing every
ale of explosive by a requirement
that the seller take a statement from
the buyer giving the purpose for which
the explosive Is to be used and the
name and description of the buyer,
and that he file a certificate embody
ing these statements and declaring his
belief in their truth. No explosive Is
to be sold to a minor or any Irre
sponsible person, and the purchaser
who sells again is required to file a
like certificate. Packages containing
exposlves delivered for transportation
are to'be marked with the name of the
manufacturer or seller, the name of
the contents and the word "dangerous"
In large letters. A penalty Is provided
for non-observance of this provision
or for defacing or obliterating the
marks.
A fine of 1100 to 13000. or one to
ten years Imprisonment, or both. Is
provided for violation of any of these
provision or for carelessly or neg
ligently exposing or handling ex
plosives or for trespassing on or about
the land or buildings where explosives
are made, stored or sold. Death or
Injury to person or property through
violation of the law renders the per
son responsible guilty of murder, as
sault with Intent to kill or malicious
destruction of property and punishable
for such offenses. Making of false
statements is held to be perjury. Pos
session or control of a shell, bomb or
other Infernal device to be used for
an unlawfur purpose Is declared a
felony, punishable with five to twenty,
ive years' Imprisonment.
' If strictly enforced such a law would
go far to bring to Justice men like
the McNamaras, who resort to "direct
evction" In labor disputes, and such
desperadoes as perpetrate Black Hand
outrages.
EK.4TORE THE CANTEEN.
Doubtless there will be opposition to
Representative Barthold's bill for the
re-establlshment of the Array canteen,
but It will not be Intelligent. The
abolishment of the canteen was
brought about more by Ignorance and
fanaticism than by any other causes.
It was supposed by many excellent per
J to be a loafing; place where young
: soldiers acquired all sorts or taa naoiu
r.d indulged without restraint in
drink. As a matter of fact, it was a
quiet, wholesome resort where only the
mildest beverages were sold and
where no man was permitted to fall
Into debauchery.
The canteen was conducted in a
model manner and the profits which it
yielded were used' for the Improvement
of the soldiers' conditions. Its abol
l.shment has been followed by evils of
the worst description. While the can
teen has been closed within the limits
of the posts, vile resorts on the out
skirts flourL-h without restriction and
tne troops, oemg oepnveu vi it-fiui-
mate amusements, naturally flock to
these dens or Iniquity and vice.
Of course the Immediate conse
quence of closing the Army canteen
dens to which the young enlisted men
have been driven aro, of course, haunt
ed by women whose character cannot
be described. Association with them
has raised the proportion of loathsome
diseases among the troops from a lit
tle more thnn 8 per cent to about SO
per cent. This frightful Increase has
taken place since the canteen was
closed, and ta a direct consequence of
that foolish and wicked act.
Enlisted men ought to retire from
the Army to become the fathers of
healthy children, the husbands of
happy wives. As It Is. their children
will be born tainted and their wives
nlll be almost certain to be Infected
with dreadful maladies. In short, the
best blood of the country must be poi
soned in order that Ignorant fanati
cism may gain a hypocritical triumph
over common sense. One would think
that we had had almost enough of
such destructive nonsense.
. M-OKANE 8TIIJ. FIC.IITINO NATURE
After twenty-eight years spent In
litigation that has pretty thoroughly
advertised the undeairability of Spo
kane's location as a distributive center.
the fighting spirit in the Interior city
seems not to be diminished. Once
more the hat has been passed and
again a fund has been raised with
which It Is hoped by some man-made
plan to overcome Nature's lnsur
mountable obstacles.
Spokane will now send a delegation
to Congress to demand the enactment
of an absolute long-and-short-hnul
amendment to the Interstate commerce
law. Spokane shippers are told that
the decision over which Spokane bus!
ness men paraded and burned red fire
a short while ago does not give the
city the rates to which It Is entitled.
This disappointing conclusion, how
ever, does not mend the greater dis
appointment over the commerce
court's decision enjoining the putting
in of rates now criticised. The com
merce court must go. Spokane .has
so decreed it.
Spokane reminds us of one of those
frayed and persistent nursers of fan
cled claims agitinst the Government,
who hang about the halls of Congress
year afrer year scraping up good
money to throw after bad. They are
easily encouraged by someone who has
designs on their funds, but cannot be
discouraged by cold, matter-of-fact
logic. It is unfortunate that there is
not some cool-headed reasoner In Spo
kane who has the influence to end a
hopeless and detrimental fight. The
adoption of an absolute long-and-short-haul
clause would mean the
elimination of the railroads as com
petitors with water carriers. As trans
continental carriers, the railroads, to
practical purposes, would then end at
some interior point. The portion that
remained operative would necessarily
have to pay Its operation, main
tenance, returns on capital and the
like, and also make up for losses In
coast traffic. The proposed amend
ment would not reduce Spokane's
rates. It would only deprive the rail
roads of the small profits now derived
from terminal rates. This loss would
obviously react on the Interior rates
and tend to increase rather than di
minish them.
Coldly stated, there is an immutable
law obeyed In fixing through rates on
Western railroads that cannot be over
come by subscriptions, ravings or boy
cotts, or be repealed by act of Con
gress. THE SVXrilONT ORCHESTRA.
Those who were lucky or wise
enough to attend the concert of the
Portland Symphony Orchestra last
Sunday enjoyed a musical treat of the
first quality. This orchestra docs not
receive the advantage of a large sub-
sidy - from any millionaire enthusiast
It depends tor support entirely upon
the patronage of the public and the
generosity of the members and their
friends! The members are of course
professional musicians. Nobody else
could be expected to possess the
knowledge and technic necejisary for
their performances. But not all pro
fessional musicians would have the
energy and public spirit to undertake
such an enterprise and carry It through
the numberless difficulties which
must be traversed before success Is In
sight. The sacrifices of time and
money which they must make are
heavy. Naturally the orchestra de
sires to perform the best music there
Is, and the opportunity they thus af
ford the Portland public to enjoy
great com positions Is Inestimable.
Each year Portland Is visited by a
score or more of the best musical
artists in the world, and their pres
ence is highly appreciated. But It is
also true that there is no logical con
nection btween their concerts. Each
gives what he has to offer without the
slightest reference to any of the rest,
and In consequence the music which
our public hears Is disconnected. Sel.
dom Is a great composition heard often
enough to be remembered and understanding-
enjoyed. It will be the
business of the symphony orchestra
to remedy this defect In some partic
ulars. It Is to be an institution of the
city, not a mere visitor coming once
and not reappearing for months or
years. If ever. Its work will be con
secutive. It will render the Immortal
productions of the masters time and
again, at proper Intervals, ao that the
musical public may learn them and
comprehend their full beauties. Last
year St. Paul, Minn., spent $130,000
for music, of which exactly one-half
went to the local orchestra. Portland
has not yet the degree of artistic devo
tion which makes It willing to spend
$55,000 a year on its symphony or
chestra, but It will have some time.
Musical culture and the true love
of , noble compositions cannot be
brought to us from abroad. It is
something which must grow up here
at home. Here it must be encouraged
and fostered. Not only Is "the king
dom of heaven within you," but most
other good things at their best 'and
highest are profoundly domestic.
Henry Van Dyke describes In one of
his charming books the musical cut'
ture of a little village In the Tyrol
which wakened the enthusiasm of his
soul. It had a glee club capable of
singing tho greatest music In the
world, and. better yet. It had a home
composer who could write songs suited
to the local genres. What Is there to
hinder Portland from reaching the
ur.m 01 culture; coining out
the vain belief that good music must
come to us from somewhere else. The
truth Is that we can produce It here if
we are willing to support those who
try as the symphony orchestra is try
lng.
DEATH FOR MARS. BIT NOT rOB
JUKIItKKKS!
Ia th man who wrota that editorial will-
ins to aprlng the trap that would aend a
murderer Into oblivion? Doea ha stand ready
to turn the electric awltch that would end
all on earth tor nm criminal wretch? It
h atanda ao ready, then hla oDinion may
have aome weight. If ha la not willing to
htmaeir break tha murderer's neck, ha haa
not the couraj: of hla - convlctlona and la
merely prattlinir. By the aame token. If
Governor Wet doe not feel that he could
hlma-lf. In the name of the law. take tha
murderefa life. It la hi plain duty to com
mute the aentenc.
The foregoing Is silly enough: but
The Oregonian will discuss it serously.
It is a closing paragraph in comment
by the Cottage Grove Sentinel on'an
editorial in The Oregonian which had
said that society should exterminate
for its own protection such wretches
as the Holzman and Hill murderers.
The questions propounded may be
answered cheerfully and truthfullv.
The author of the sentiments expressed
by The Oregonian would not care for
the Job of Jocking in their cells the scv.
eral hundred penitentiary prisoners at
Salem, but this fact need not discount
his opinion that lawbreakers should be
locked up. Nor would he care for a
Job In an abattoir, yet he feels that
he still can consistently advocate a
meat diet. Neither would he be an
undertaker for a good deal of money,
yet he is quite certain that his views
concerning the propriety of burying or
cremating the dead are entirely right
and proper.- There Is no Intent herein
to deride or condemn either of the
three honorable occupations men
tioned, i
One chooses. In large measure, his
own life work. The Oregonian be
lieves that if In the course of events
a duty devolves upon a person In pub
lic or private life which Involves his
likes or his dislikes or his - con
scientious scruples. he should
either perform that duty or . re
sign. A person who would permit
his scruples concerning the infliction
of the death penalty to override his
duty is as plainly disqualified for serv
ice as Governor of Oregon as he Is for
service as the Juror in a murder trial.
Capital punishment Is provided for by
law. The makers of the constitution
or the legislators never contemplated
giving the Governor the power to sus
pend the law because of personal opin.
ion as to its Justness. The Governor Is
sworn to uphold the law, not his per
sonal scruples.
But, really, does any sane person
believe Governor West Is conscientious
ly opposed to capital punishment? Re
member, this is the same Governor
who offers a standing reward for es
caped "honor men" of "ISO alive or
$200 dead." He has a tender con
science Indeed who by affirmative act
prevents the legal hanging of a cold
blooded wire-murderer, yet offers a
premium for the slaying of the convict
who breaks his word of honor.
COMMUNICATIONS.
The Oregonian observes that young
Mr. Eaton has taken his troubles to
the Eugene newspapers. Being an
alumnus of the State University and
the chief agent as a member of the
recent Legislature in bringing that in
stitution into its present financial
plight through the subsequent ref
erendum on its appropriations. Mr.
Eaton felt a personal call to re
spond to some recent strictures
of The Oregonian on the so-called
higher education, as furnished by
the universities. He wrote a long
letter to The Oregonian, which was
duly edited and printed. It was given
a conspicuous place and was shortened
cut down about one-third to a col
umn because of space limitations.
and for no other reason. Now, It
seems that Mr. Eaton charges that The
Oregonian mutilated his copy for the
purpose of effective repH. and causes
the entire letter including the super
fluous third to be printed In the Eu
gene papers.
Not because The Oregonian cares
very much about the Eaton Incident,
but because he has raised a question
about a practice of all well-regulated
newspapers, it Is well enough to say
that no correspondent ought to regard
his communication as privileged as
against the necessary editorial rules
or requirements of any public Journal,
or if he does It is clear that he should
request publication in .unabridged
form, or the return of his manuscript.
Of course no newspaper has the right
to change the meaning or expression
of any letter, or alter or modify Its
spirit or purpose, or omit any essen
tial argument or principal statement.
Few correspondents object, however,
to abridgment or correction, or re
vision that is obviously Intended to
Improve or that Is made necessary by
space limitations or other mechan
ical needs. Obviously, if the edi
tor has eliminated any Important
statement or vital sentence, or has mu
tilated and perverted the Intent and
argument of any letter, he has violated
his plain obligation to his readers and
done his correspondent an unpardon
able injury. The process of editing. It
Is clear, must be limited to non-essential
and Immaterial features, or must
dispense with those paragraphs which
are merely repetitive and contribute
more to length and prolixity than to
value or interest or clearness or Im
portance. It Is not always easy to satisfy a'
correspondent that unwarranted lib
erties have not been taken with his
manuscript. Not long since Harper's
Weekly received and printed a violent
letter from a writer who objected be
cause the , subscription had been
changed from "yours truly" to "I have
the honor to be, yours," which Is the
rule of address to which all letters to
that publication must conform. It
was Interesting to note that the editor,
with sardonic humor, had faithfully
followed his rule by altering the sec
ond letter to "I have the honor." etc.
Toung Mr. Eaton, having caused the
full text of his original letter. Includ
ing Its superfluities and non-essentials,
to be printed in the Eugene papers,
is welcome to all the benefit he can get
from that appeal to local prejudice,
for it will be at once evident to
all those who read The Oregonian
that no violence was done by The Ore
gonian except to the sensitive feelings
of Mr. Eaton, who appears to assume
that this paper must open its col
umns to his communications, no mat-
ter how dull or interminable or value
less. Possibly It may comfort his ruf
fled soul to know that the article was
shortened after It was in type in order
to keep it within a single column and
run it in n nine, where most rorre-
I spondents feel honored to have their
letters printed on the editorial uage. 1
Is Xne Oregonian, or any newspaper,
called upon to open its oolumns to any
ana au correspondents who feel moved
to write in reply to something it may
have said? Or must It remove all
space limits upon a correspondent
who may be recognized by it as having
a right to speak? Should It or should
It not say that a correspondent's let
ter must be respectful, pertinent and
reasonable as to length? Should it
permit him to question the motives of
the writer of an article or drag in the
personnel of The Oregonian staff for
discussion? -Where is the line to be
drawn and by whom? By the editor
or by the correspondent?
It may be agreed that the editor
who asserts the right to" edit all mat
ter that goes into the columns of his
paper must practice discretion, cau
tion, reason and fairness. If he falls
or takes advantage of any writer by
suppression or improper emendation,
he ought to be censured and brought
to account. The Oregonian seldom
hears a complaint such as Mr. Eaton
has made, though It freely abbreviates
long letters, or. If It finds that they
cannot well be revised and shortened.
It often returns them to . the writers
with a request for the writers' own
supervision and abbreviation.
It will be remembered that the flood
of 1S94 in late June and, early July
was preceded by Spring rains that kept
the Columbia and Willamette Rivers
at Winter stage up to the time when
the melting snows of an unusually se
vere Winter about the sources of the
Columbia began to move through this
great channel to the sea. As expressed
by river men at the time, the river was
"high" even before the snow began to
melt. Great reservoirs in, the interior
would have stored a large volume of
these surplus waters, and ditches
properly constructed would have dis
tributed them where they, would have
done good Instead of evil. This flood
remedy will doubtless be employed
later as the Government sees fit and
the necessities of population decree,
both in the Willamette Valley and the
Columbia Basin. There is no need,
however, to apprehend that Portland
Is likely any year to be inundated to
the depth of three or four feet. It is
possible, of course, that a repetition of
the flood of 1894 may be realized, but
the probability Is at least remote. In
the meantime. It will be the part of
wisdom to install as many Irrigation
systems as can be properly financed
as opportunity offers and need devel
ops. Thirsty fields and parched crops
languish for lack of these wasted wat
ers during July and August of each
and every year. It is the country
rather than the city that is menaced
by the prodigality of Nature that finds
expression in Spring freshets and
Summer floods.
A writer In the Dietetic and Hygienic
Gazette controverts the common opin
ion that Robert Louis Stevenson died
of tuberculosis. On the contrary, we
are told, he smoked himself to 'death
with cigarettes. The weaknesses of lit
erary men are always interesting, and
those of Stevenson are invested with
the pathos of untimely death. Still if
he, after a fashion, committed suicide,
some of our tears might well be spared
for other sufferers. Stevenson's cigar,
ettes can hardly be deemed more pa
thetic than De Quincy's opium.
Italy is within her rights in protest
ing against the picture shows depict
ing massacre of Arabs and Turks by
Italians. If one stops to think, he
will see the absurdity of the affair, for
moving-picture cameras are no part of
army equipment and anything that
pretends to be a reproduction of such
Bcenes must be a fake.
As estimated by Portland merchants,
more than S3, 000,000 will be spent in
this city for Christmas presents. Tet
In the actual presence of this great
"potlatch" there are those who talk
about hard times and bewail the sad
fortunes of the masses.
It can hardly be possible that young
Mr. Eaton at Eugene and the Eugene
newspapers think they are making
friends for the State University by
their recent outbursts Tet It may be
that they suffer In common some such
delusion.
Elizabeth Freeman, the young An
glo-American suffragette, wants her
co-workers to take lessons In throwing
stones, preparatory to militant cam
paign work. Better begin with mud.
The mysterious disease that has at
tacked the tame buffalo in Yellow
stone Park is likely due to civilizing
effects. The bison and ' the . Indian
need be wild to thrive.
Swapping of wives among the 400 of
society and the 400 of the stage is be
coming as favorite an amusement with
them as swapping Jack-knives is with
the small boys.
Chicago will have quite a ropefest
Friday, when four murderers are to
be hanged. Chicago is In no danger
of catching up on the count.
The local Boston "tea party" has
been cause of much wrangling and will
not down, though the authorities
would forget it.
The present wave of crirn means
that some people are short of holiday
money and care not how they get it.
There Is danger of the fad spread
ing. Now Frank J. Gould Is gjvlng his
wife a half-million-doliar necklace.
Civil service in Cuba Is something
that can be put on ice until the vet
erans are supplied with Jobs.
Heyburn, flighty .and hysterical,
may be the one sane man to stop the
break with Russia.
GREAT PYRAMID XOT CONCRETE
Writer Dlaputea Statements Made Con
cerning; Artificial Stone.
PORTLAND. Dec IS. (To the Ed
itor.) In The Oregonian, December 8,
A. L. Corey states that the pyramids
in Egypt are now supposed to be built
of concrete. He is certainly mistaken,
as the great pyramid of Cheops, or
Khufu, is made of etone. For 20 years
100.000 men tolled at the stones.
They built their great pile facing ex
actly north and south. They chose a
base of nearly a seventh of a mile
761 feet to be exact. This was a plot
covering nearly 13 acres. There were
210 perfect courses of stone, almost
invisibly Jointed, cyf Mokatten lime
stone blocks at an angle of a little
more than 61 degrees. Its four sides
swept up tapering to the pointed apex
480 feet above the ground. In it were
85,000,000 cubic feet of stone, Jiot concrete.-
The Aurellan walls about Rome are
built of concrete, as Mr. Corey states,
but all of this wall is not standing
today, as it was destroyed at different
times and restored successively and by
varioue PoDes,
! He also states the towers built by
j tne Druids are of concrete. About 120
examples still remain, mostly in
ruined state, but 18 or 20 are almost
perfect. .Their height varies from
about 60 feet to 132 feet, the oldest
example being built of almost uncut
rubble work, and the . later ones of
neatly-Jointed Ashler. Probably the
ruined ones are of concrete, I can't eay.
But the finest existing tower butlt by
the Druids stands by the Church of St.
Apolline in Classe, the old part of the
City of Ravenna, It is of brick divided
Into nine stories.
The sugar refineries in Greenock,
built B0 years ago, are from nine to
thirteen stories high, and are strictly
fireproof throughout. The falls and
floors are of brick. These buildings
are as good now as the day they were
built. Also In Glasgow there is a
smokestack, built 60 years ago, 465
feet high, of solid brick walls. Includ
ing foundation, as good now as when
It was built. And I think that it will
be standing where there will not be
much left of some of the concrete
stacks in this country. Of course, con
crete Is no new material. It was used
a good many years ago, but that does
not signify that we know all about it.
If we did, there wouldn't be so many
buildings of this type collapsing and
killing workman. Take that concrete
dam that broke for an example.
ROBERT M'BRIDE. I
BELIEF FOR STREET CONGESTION
Writer Suggeats Subways and Elevated
, ' Sidewalks as Parts of Plan.
PORTLAND. Dec. IT. (To the Ed
itor.) The shortsightedness of the
longheadedness of .our "ancestors" is
becoming more and more apparent to
us all as we Jog along the narrow
streets of Portland. Much as we regret
this, it is high time to take stock and
come to an immediate realization that
something must be done for the future
Portland, for even now there is much
congestion in the streets, and unless
some provision be made, the only room
available for the ubiquitous pedestrian
will be on the rim of the clouds or on
the wireless circuit. As for the auto
mobiles, trucks, delivery wagons and
carriages they will get along some way.
for they are in a class by themselves.
I plead for more room for the future
downtown district, which will become
always more congested as the number
of calendar samples increases. But
how, is the psychological ae well as
the mechanical question.
To me there is but one solution, and
that Is to create a large civic center.
and Just now there Is but one available
location along the west bank of the
Willamette River from Burnside to
Madison -streets, and from the river to
Second streets.
Build tne great union depot at one
end, probably the north end of this
civic center, for all the steam trains
entering and leaving Portland. Per
hape at the south end build a union
depot for the electric cars. Converge
all streetcar lines to this civic center
with a transfer depot. At some time
will come the tunneling of the river,
radiating In three directions, one
northeast, one east and the third south
east that is to say, run three tunnels,
all converging to somewhere near the
center, say between Washington and
Morrison. Bring alo here under
ground the streetcar tracks from be
yond Council Crest, which, of course,
would utilize the proposed tunnel
under the hills.
The above plan, which an expert
could elaborate Into a system, would
bring every streetcar, electric line car
and every train with passengers into
the civic center. To carry out 'this
plan might take 25 years, but when
completed .the city would have a gor
geous downtown, parklike waterfront
which would afford "storage space
for all the automobiles and aeroplanes
that may be in use by the denizens of
a million-soul metropolis. .
To relieve the congestion of pedes
trians build elevated sidewalks in the
centers of selected streets.
E. E. GRISWOLD.
Paving Problems Propounded.
ALBANY, Or., Dec. 16. (To the Edi
tor.) I read in The Oregonian that
several owners of real estate living In
Portland are not able to bond their
property for enough to pay for the pav
ing of the streets. This state of affairs
seems to me very strange, for the fol
lowing reasons:
One of the first things preliminary to
the paving of a street is for the repre
sentative of the paving company and
an enthusiastic booster of the city to
call on the owners of property along
the street (that is. on those whom they
think they can influence), and with
carefully arranged arguments prove to
them that the cost of the paving will
not be as much as the increased value
of the property. After the paving is
done and the paving company wants its
pay, there seems to be a surprising
change in the situation. The property
cannot be bonded for enough to pay for
the paving.
It seems to me a curious proposition
that the paving which they ask pay for
and which was to Increase the value of
the property, added to the value of the
property, does not make them both
worth as much as the paving costs. If
you can explain this problem or find
any paving company that will, you will
confer a favor on several people who
are very much puzzled.
. I would also like opinion on the fol
lowing: If the Warren Construction
Company can afford to make presents
of Thanksgiving turkeys to tne city or
ficlals of the cities where they have
done the paving, how many turkeys
could they afford to present to the vic
tims who have been compelled under
protest to pay for paving they did not
need or want?
ONE OF THE VICTIMS.
Under Hfs Coat.
(Town Topics.)
Owner How did you come to' punc
ture the tire?
Chauffeur Ran over a bottle of
milk.
Owner Didn't you see it in time?
Chauffeur No; the kid had it under
his coat.
A Lore-Sonc.
New York Evening Post.
Love me for nothing time may take away.
But for my very nelf that must endure.
Fixed the ttara tlonj the eternal way.
Strong for your etrensth and for your
love's sake pure.
Then thoqeh this glowinr force and frame
decline
ThronKh gradual changes to the withered
worst.
Still through the veiled defeat you shall
divine
The immortal soul that turned to you at
first.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of Dec, 19, 1861.
The Government purchases in Europe
ef Army material are arriving here in
pretty heavy instalments. Several
steamers, which have recently come
into port, have brought a more or less
amount of these purchases. The Arago,
arrived recently, brought arms and
clothing for 12,000 troops. The arms
were the Enfield rifles of Belgian
manufacture. The clothing was manu
factured, in France in the short space
of 20 days from the receipt of the or
der, employing the services of 4000
operatives. If it should be asked why was
not all this work distributed at home
among our own starving operatives,
the answer is ready in the fact that
we have no starving operatives at home
in the tailoring line, every man, woman
and child who can swing a needle or
manage a sewing machine being able
to command full employment and, as
to the cloth, it has been demonstrated
that all the woolen mills in the coun
try, kept up to their full capacity, could
not supply the Government demand for
the next 12 months. The same state
of activity exists in the shoe business.
There is not an idle journeyman who is
willing to work to be found anj-where.
Our small manufacturers in the city
are annoyed very much in consequence
of the want of help, and many of them
have recently failed very often in their
promises to their customers, a thing
before unheard of in the shoemaking
line.
A bitter controversy Is springing up
between the friends of Colonel Baker
and General Stone, under whose orders
Colonel Baker - advanced on Leesburg.
It is attempted on the one side to show
that Colonel Baker acted without
orders or in violation of his instruc
tions, and on the other that he was
sacrificed through the ignorance or in
competency of Stone. The friends of
Baker will demand a court of inquiry
to determine the real facts. In the
meantime both sides are being sup
ported and attacked by the local papers.
As is getting to be the case in almost
every instance, the officers of the reg
ular Army and those of the volunteer
forces are arrayed against each other,
and there is more crimination and re
crimination than is beneficial to the
service. In this connection the closing
sentence of the order issued by General
McClellan attracted much attention. In
declaring that the troops composing
General Stone's division will, when they
next meet the -enemy, retrieve the
check "for which they are not account
able," he implies a blunder and a re
sponsibility somewhere, and one that
requires more to be said, and "by au
thority," too. Washington correspond
ence New York Times.
Owing to the continued activity In
our Northern navy-yards, together with
the Incessant forward movement of
troops, the belief has become very
prevalent here that the Government has
determined upon a second naval expe
dition of dimensions scarcely less for
midable than the first. During the past
week some dozen or more of steamers
and sailing vessels were hauled out
from the Brooklyn yard alone, all fit
ted for sea, while other purchased ves
sels have taken their places at the yard
to be put Into fighting trim. Several
have already sailed, their destination
believed to be Annapolis or Hampton
Roads. At the first named place. It is
said,' there are now upwards of 12,000
troops who are awaiting transporta
tion to some unknown point.
As a vast deal has been said .about
the invincibility of the famous Captain
Hollls' steam ram. It will be found well
enough to keep in view the exact per
formances of that craft when the
Southern navy attacked our blockading
squadron in the Mississippi River. In
the darkness of the night she drifted
afoul of the Government steamship
Richmond, by which accident she broke
her iron nose, which was to have an
nihilated the entire Union fleet; dis
arranged her machinery and finally
ran away towards New Orleans, when
only guns of the squadron were bear
ing on her. The ironclad nondescript
was constructed at a cost of over 200,
000 and appears to be about a3 for
midable as a dredging machine.
"SIBETHIXG," BUT NOT SWINDLE.
Councilman Watklna Criticises Pacific
Telephone Subscription Plan.
PORTLAND, Dec. 15. (To the Edi
tor.) In the article appearing in The
Oregonian yesterday relative to state
ments made at the City Council meet
ing about , the Telephone Company's
system of doing business in this city,
the reporter quotes me as saying that
the method of business as done by it is
"an open and shut swindle game,"
when the terra applied by me was "an
open and shut surething game." I did
not accuse the Telephone Company of
swindling any one.
The reason I made the statement
that I did was from the 'fact that ap
plicants for telephones are obliged to
deposit $5 with the company when they
apply, and then are made to sign a
contract that they will keep the phone
a year or forfeit the J5, and if they
wish the phone moved at any time
they are forced to pay $2.50 for having
that done. The company pays 6 per
cent interest on the io deposit.
I refer to the Pacific States Tele
phone & Telegraph Company in this
letter, and had reference to it in my
remarks to the Council. I also wish
to add that the company collects its
bills monthly In advance, and I base t
my assertion that they are operating
a "surethins" game on the public when
they require the $5 deposit, force you
to "keep a phone a year, charge you
$2.50 to move It from one location to
another, and force their subscribers to
pay monthly in advance for a phone
and to put up the money to carry on
their business operations, which they
do, for they advertise on their last
phone directory that they have 42,590
telephones Installed In this district. If
each one carries a $5 deposit, they have
the sum of $212,950 now on deposit
with them the people's money and
absolutely unsecured.
Such a condition should not be per
mitted, and I do not believe it will b
when the City Council grets through
with the consideration of the ordinance
xendint7 to correct it.
FRANK E. WATKINS,
Councilman, Fifth Ward, Portland.
My Lady Rain.
Archibald Sullivan, in the Smart Set.
There is a woman In the rain;
Here are her tears upon the leaves.
I saw her move on ashen feet
Between the gold dust of the sheaves.
She flung dim circles in the stream
And on the path where poppies blow;
She left for mirror to the stars
A little looking-glass of woe.
Oh, I would bind her brows with sun.
And smooth her cheek with burnished
days,
And spread a carpet amber clear.
That she might walk brocaded ways;
And that Is why I keep the sun
"Cpon my window "ill. and why
I wait in red-roofed maple town;
My .Lady Rain may pass me by.
September's gold has long been spent;
The days are dark, the winds are chill;
No more the poppies pitch their tents
In scarlet splendor on the hill.
Lord Autumn's hosts are everywhere;
Their crimson shields float down the
stream.
And withered bullrushes are hut
The gallant lances of a dream.
Tet in a sad pavilion.
Beneath the tattered beggar trees.
Clad in her gray and luted to
By one half-hearted little breeze.
My lady sits all crowned with tears;
Embroidered sorrow decks her train; '
But on my lips her kisses fall;
1 am beloved ot Lady Bam.
N. Nitts on Seat of Power
By Dean Collins,
Nescius Nitts. he whose glory will stand
Supreme over Punkindorf's reverent
band.
Projected a nicotine Jet o'er his hand
And a hovering fly from the window
ledge fanned,
Then spake on the powers that rule
o'er the land.
"We all has opinions 'bout who holds
the power
O'er this here Columbia, 'Liberty's
flower'
And 'Gem of the Ocean" and Home of
the free'
(And sev'ral names more that don't
Jest 'cur to me);
But, by the late papers, I've Jest been
apprised
Of still a new ruler, and I am shore
s'prfsed.
"At 'lection times, speakers convinces
us quite. '
JfChe peepul alone holds the governln'
mignt:
While Socialist papers asserts we're in
chains
On 'count of the cunning of corporate
brains.
Which same they calls capital' (capital
hissed.
With 'propriate gesture of cru'l,
graspin' fist).
"Some pints us to 'Wall Street,'
a-raisln' the moan
That there lies the power that sets on
the throne.
But I have jest read in the papers to
day That none of these rumors is right,
anyway;
Fer he who holds 'Merica gripped by
the hair
Has let his identity now to the air.
"The Reverend Sandford, the head of
some sect
Or cult I ain't sartin Jest which
word's correct
Comes out and declares he's the shore
enough power
That handles our destinies every hour;
America rises, or mebbe she falls, .
Dependin' entire on Jest w-hich shot he
calls.
"It shore Is strange news, that this
man is the boss
Who's handled our fate, unbeknownst
unto us,
While we thought the 'Peepul' or 1n-
t'rests' or one
Of them 'Plutocrats' was a-makln' It
run.
When them other powers finds out this
new fac',
I'll wager a heap they'll feel plumb
took aback."
Portland, December 18.
Country Town Sayings by Ed Howe
The older you grow the more con
vinced you become that you must be
your own best friend. ,
Do you want Justice? Maybe you
have It, and don't know It. One defini
tion of justice is conformity to the
principle of positive law. The old man
who is racked with pain, and dying,
is the victim of justice, and there is
no help for him. The .only mercy is
that the law of reward Is as sure as
the law of punlshment-
Always remember that the neigh
bors watch you closely, and that the
neighbors are very particular.
I have noticed that scrawny women
are very discreet In the matter of. out
ting their dresses low In front.
When a wife dies the husband nearly
always says: "Well, I was a great
trial to her; I would do better if I had
my life to live over." But when a hus
band dies the widow nearly always
says: "Well, I did my duty."
Most people are always expecting
something Important to happen. As a
reporter I have noticed that nine peo
ple out of 10, when asked for an Item,
reply: "Nothing new, as yet."
So many things easy to recommend
are hard to do.
Love 1b a game in which both play
ers usually cheat. .
There is no such thing as a convinc
ing argument, although every man
thinks he has one.
It is not a pleasant thought for the
men, but most widows seem to Jog
along pretty comfortably; no widow
looks as though she had cried all night.
T. R. Already Eliminated f
PORTLAND, Dec. 16. (To the Edi
tor.) As a constant reader of The
Oregonian, and especially of the edi
torials on topics of the day, X was
quite surprised to notice the editorial
last Wednesday, "Eliminating La Fol
lette." It would seem to most anyone
who takes any interest in present-day
politics that the Colonel has been
"eliminated" for some time say from
the time he preferred the company of
a small band of alleged proselyting
Methodists to an audience with Pope
Pius IX. Personally, I am not a Cath
olic, neither am I a Methodist, but I.
do realize that the Vatican Incident
will not be forgotten for many years
to come and we must all acknowledge
that f athrtlt. vnla In thfa Mimlrv
u a p0wer In politics. No doubt the
Colonel has already round tnis out, to
his political sorrow. The difference
in his reception right here in Port
land compared with the reception of
President Taft was noticeable. ,
Your question in the same editorial
whether the Colonel enjoys the contin
ued clamor of his candidacy does not
seTm to be a question with the major
ity of people who have grown tired
and weary of this political acrobat.
But, leaving all religious questions out,
I think our own President Taft is
plenty good enough for American citi
zens, to the elimination of both La
Follette and Roosevelt.
HIRAM KNOX. ,
Praise foo the "De'll."
PORTLAND, Dec. 17. (To the Edi
tor.) In last Sunday's Oregonian a
correspondent had an effusion in refer
ence to a noted Deist. The praise re
minded me of an old Scotchman at a
prayer meeting years ago. He allowed
his feelings to get ahead of his com
mon sense, and said as he rose to his
feet to testify: "I have na heard any
prayer for tho poor old de'il this night;
the de'il was fine to his friends and no
lazy lout." A BIGOT.
A PromJblng Youth. (
Harper's Weekly.
I didn't think much of that kid of mine
Until Fourth of July came along.
I loved the lad with a love divine.
And he'd filled all" our hearts with song;
But I didn't believe he'd amount to much.
He seemed so slow and sedate--He
appeared to be to be lacking the touch
That goes with the truly great.
But Fourth of July with its boom and blars
Fh-st changed all that outlook bleak.
And I sort of felt there was genius there
For reaching soma pinnacled peak;
For he suddenly popped from his quiet shell.
Straight out of its confines dire.
And seemed in a flash to give promise of
well.
Of setting the world on Are!
AnJ later on, when the Christmas chime
Was making the world elate.
It seemed to me If we gave him time
He'd raik with the wondrous great.
For I tried to sleep for an hour or two
On a nice little divan curled.
And then in another flash I knew
He'd make a big noise in the world I