THE MOnXTXG OREGOXIAX. FlilDAY, DECEMBER 22. 1911.
12
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THE WOOI. TARIFF.
For the flrt time In many year.
prhps In the whole history of tariff-making.
Congress la In possession
of ail the facts on which the wool tar
iff should be bas-d. Those fact have
been ascertained after a moet thor
ough and painstaking Inquiry In all
nvool-pradurlns; countrlea of any con
sequence. They are declared to be the
fact by the unanimous vote of a
barl of three R. -publicans and two
Democrats. The aarreement of such a
board deprive the standpatters and
the tarlff-for-revenue men alike of
any excuse for aywrtln: that the board
sought and found facts which would
fit any particular theory of tariff re
vision. Any wool tariff which may be
- made In the Immediate future by
either party must be made to square
with these facts.
The Tariff Board's report Is a com
plete vindication of President Tsffa
artlon In vetoing; the hybrid La Fol-Ittte-Underwood
bill of last session. It
shows that 'the framers of that bill
erred ms far In one direction as the
fiamcrs of the Payne-AMrlch bill
erred In the other. It shows that the
present law unduly taxes the wearer
of clothes of cheap and medium qual
ity and bears lightly on the rich, who
wear the costliest woolen fabrics. It
shows, however, that those tariff re
formers who would have slashed the
wkI schedule with a meat-ax would
have done a grave Injustice to an Im
portant Industry. The present sched
ule Is exposed as a piece of black
ainlth work and the vetoed I'nder-wood-La.
Follette bill is exposed as the
work of an even clumsier, more awk
ward team of blacksmiths.
A crushlnc; blow Is dealt by this re
port at the pet Democratic scheme of
ad valorem duties. Not only does an
ad valorem duty on raw wool foster
fraud by undervaluation, but It oauses
Pr'y. mrtar i'!oid. ita yanr ?!
r. r. Iii'.ir lu tidxl. ! montha....
Pi;r. lacio.l4. thraa montha.. a-
t'al'r. liBStf lac;udd. ana momtt
t t: Jf. amnout Sunday, ana yaar
Ija::. WMrp,ut Sun-lay. a monthi .... a -a
Eai.r. without aumtr. thraa '"
i -F. Without k jaU. ana
w!r. aea aaar - i...
the tariff to bear harder on the con
sumer the higher rises the price of
wool and to decrease unduly when the
price falls below a certain average.
Such a duty. If Imposed uniformly on
alt grades of wool, high and low.
would exclude many low-grade wools
needed by the poor and admit hlgh
grade woola needed by the rich. Thus
the Democrats, who profess to be the
champions of the poor against the ex-aw-tlona
of tariff-fed monopolies, would
by their Ignorant Jumping at conclu
sions have Injured those thoy professed
to serve and Increased the favors
shown those shorn they alleged to be
already excessively favored.
No more unscientific tariff-making
could have been perpetrated than the
levying of the. present specific duty on
unscoured wool, regardless of the per
centage of pure wool. This la pro
nounced to be prohibitory on the Im
portation of low-priced wool. It is,
therefore, a powerful factor in caus
ing the rapid substitution of cotton for
woolen clothing In this country. The
Tariff Board suggests a simple but
valuable Improvement by proposing a
specific duty on the scoured contents
of wool In the grease, which will meet
criticism from all sides.
a usual when an Impartial body in
vestigates a subject of beated contro
versy, the Tariff Board finds that
neither extreme Is right. One rate of
duty after another Is declared prohib
itory, yet the board finds the cost of
wool manufacture much higher In the
T'nlted States than In foreign countries.
These prohibitory duties, however, do
not enhance prices in this country to
the full amount of the duty, as has
been contended by extreme tariff re
formers. Thus, on certain samples of
English cloth the duty Is equivalent to
1S4 per cent, but the American prod
tact costs only 7 per cent more than
the foreign article In Kngland.
Had the t"nderwood-La Follette bltl
become law. It would have dealt a se
vere blow to the whole woo Industry,
fn the light of the board's findings.
That bill proposed to cut the duty on
raw wool of the first clasa from 47.54
per cent to 2 per cent. This doea not
appear to be Justified by the language
of the President's message accompany
ing the report, for he says:
- The areraa-a coat of productloe for tha
v hole American cltp la highar than the
coat tn tha chief competing country br an
amount somewhat leea than tha praaant duty.
It will hardly be contended that a
duty of tt per cent Is "somewhat less"
than one of 4 7.! 4 per cent.
The same bill cut the duty on wool
ens to an average of 4 per cent,
though the board finds that It costs
100 per cent more to make cloth from
yarns In the United States than In
England or France, and though the 50
per cent duty Imposed by the Wilson
bill proved disastrous to the industry.
With this report before them, the
Democrats cannot reduce the tariff to
a revenue basis without frankly aim
tr.f a destructive blow at a great Amer
ican Industry. The Insurgents cannot
Join hands with the Ieraocrat In such
an undertaking without abandoning
ths policy of protection, to which they
are pledged. The standpatters can no
longer defend duties which, after Im
partial inquiry, are pronounced prohib
itory and trust-breeding. There is no
exiruse for the two Republican factions
rot to combine on a bill which will put
in practice the protective principle as
defined by Mr. Taft -that duties
should equal the difference In cost of
production at home and abroad, with
a fair profit added. If this bs done,
such a bill can surely pass the Sen
ate and secure the President's ap
proval. Should the Democ ratio lead
ers In the House refuse to pass such a
bill and Insist on a purely revenue
tariff, they would stand convicted of
denying the people a measure of relief
from tariff exaction which could be
obtained and wonld be) placed on ths
defensive.
Br vetoing the hybrid blU of last a- ;
slon and awaiting the report of the
Tariff Board, the President has no
only shown wis statesmanship, but
played good politics. He has placed
the Democrats on the horns of a ci
lemma from which there Is no escape
except to carry aut his policy. If
they refuse, they will be on the defen
sive In the next campaign. -
THE OALlOWtl DECISION.
Tk. itx-lainn of Judn QallOWSV
in
the State University appropriation case
la substantially inai me enure ic
n H m nrmiailiirii la so tainted
sith
fVatirf anlu and dishonest DurDoae
to Invalidate the petitions. The court
insists that the prtncipaia oenina n
avferonrltim nrolect are not in cou
with riean hands, and he thinks they
should do equity if tney bsk equity.
Trie court s ruunr is a mow m i
the
reprehensible business of petltlo
-Irlfi ani4 a! an a tu r-chasln ST. and
n-
a
.V- rr hn tn the nersona or class
ies
who appeal to the referendum through
mnt vm or rtlnue or rFttlu alee or jeaj
ousy. The occupation ef getting U
Initiative or referendum petitions a
so much per name ought to be made
unlawful. The present memoo is
premium on perjury and blackmail
t i miarliUvniii anH indefensible. II
make the referendum a commercial
enmmnditv. a thing of barter and sa
Anyone can propose any law II ne nas
the price to hire name-procurers i
fix up the papers, or he can hang u
m- hilt if he is willinr to round u
the saloons, cigar stores and other
lounging places for cheap names
.nmnlv m-ltn leeal forms.
Will our disturbed and excited
friends at Eugene permit The Orego
nlan to say to them that It congratu
lates them on their escape if they
ho, oaranerl from consequences
a referendum not Invoked la good
faith. thouKh provoked Dy ine arm
trary and foolish, methods of rne unl
niona In the Leglsla
ture? The referendum has failed
through the folly of the Interests that
proposed It.
REIORE rONTlCTIOS.
The law of Oregon provides for cap
ital nnniihnuni. Death is the only
penalty prescribed by law for murder
In the first degree. Governor West
says that there shall be no more hang
ings In Oregon. He repeals Dy nis
verbal flat the law that has been In
force in Oregon for more than hair i
ninrv For his arbitrary and ex
traordinary act he cites Article V. Sec
tion 14. of the constitution or uregon
fntlnaa!
'Ha (the Governor) ahsll tasve newer to
grant reprleea. commutations and parrtnns
after roayletloa for all offanaes. an apt traa-
.. -.. . i i m .it h r.cu.miiun aa mar be
provided br law.
The Governor, has the power to par.
don or reprieve murderers after con
l..tlnn Wa hiu nnw rerjrleved all mur
jrM hafnee conviction. It Is the de-
.iart nniirv rf the Governor, before
the crime has been committed, oeioro
the charge is laid, before the trial Is
hti hAfnee conviction is secured, be
fore sentence Is passed, to alter the ver
dict of the Jury and aeteat ine solemn
l.iit.m-ni . ih, pniirt thouarh Strictly
in accordance with law, unless Judge
and Jury shall reach the mild conclu
sion the Governor In advance declares
tk.. micrh, tn reach
The Governor has made the law of
Oregon as to punishment Tor muraer.
He has defined the policy of the state
towards murder and murderers. That
la the function and the duty of the
TtfiaiatiiPA Xhe rjower of reDrleve or
commutation was not lodged by the
constitution with the Executive tor
the purpose of abolishing the death
penalty. It was vested with the. Gov
ernor because the people In their wis
dom felt that It should be placed
somewhere for exercise In emer
gencies as an act of sovereign clem
enry. or to prevent any possible
miscarriage of Justice, or for
modification of the rigoroua and
automatic operation of law where
exceptional conditions might arise
after conviction.
But we have a Governor who so
misinterprets the law and misunder
stands his duty that he Is greater than
constitution or statute
Ttnt PARTY RBTORMS, rtOKM HOT DUE.
That President Taft's confidence In
the ability of the Republican party to
satisfy lta progressive elements and
thus to deprive them of any excuse
for breaking away or organizing a new
party Is well founded will be agreed by
all Republicans who pane In mental re
view the recent history of their coun
try. A party deserves to live so long
as It Is responsive to the popular will
In meeting the Issues of the times as
they arrive. It only deserves to die
when it ceases to represent any vital
principle or represents only an obdur
ate opposition to change of any kind.
The Republican party has proved Its
fidelity to its principles and Its readi
ness te cwrry out the popular will by
its whole course since It regained
power In 1S7. It has settled the
money question by the final establish
ment of the gold standard, at which
even Bryan has ceased to carp. It
met the emergencies arising from ths
Spanish War in a manner approved by
the sober sense of the people. It has
extended National control over the
railroads and removed many abuses of
their management. It has put Ufa
into the anti-trust law and stands for
a constructive policy In dealing with
monopoly. It has forced .ths meat
packers to put no more diseased meat
on the market, and has put In opera
tion measures which Insure the purity
of the people's food. It has realized
the dream of centuries by building tha
Panama Canal. It has adopted a pro.
gresslve policy for the use of ths pub
lic domain consistent with the conser
vation of our resources. It has entered
uron the execution of a policy of sci
entific revision o the tariff which will
go far to end controversy. It is pre
paring to place our monetary system
on a sound footing.
The man who would pronounce
moribund a party which has done in
recent years and Is now doing so many
works of a constructive character must
be blind to the teachings of history.
Parties which ars doing what ths peo
ple want done do not die. Recent
Internal disturbances In ths Repub
lican party are signs, not that morti
fication has set in. but that new life
has given the party an. Impetus to go
forward more rapidly with the great
work It has been doing for fifty years
for ths American people.
Unfortunately the dispatches do not
tell us how little Gorge Lindsay
throve on the diet of grapes and beer
which the Sun Worshipers gave him
in Chicago. Beer Is fattening and
grapes contain a good deal of nutri
ment of one sort and another. We
should not be surprised to learn that
the lad got along fairly well. At any t
rats bis millionaire mother was satis- 1
fled. Perhaps there Is a particle, a
very small one, of prejudice against
ths Sun Worshipers in Chicago. -
A PBACnCAI, QtTSTION.
'The- Ainsworth School building,
which serves the pupils of the public
schools of Portland Heights, Is from
all accounts a structure long outdated
by progress and scarcely fit for a
sheepfold. Simply stated, the build
ing is outdated in construction. In
methods of ingress and egress and
ventilation. Built of wood, dry as tin
der, with a wooden fire escape (of re
cent construction) that mocks at safe
ty in case of a possible need, it is im
possible to remedy its defects by
patching or rebuilding.. It Is manifest
therefore that this building should be
supplanted at as early a date as Is
practicable by a properly-constructed
building of steel and concrete.
The School Board, In a case of this
kind, la literally in a strait betwixt the
two. Patrons of ths public schools, or
at least those who take a proper In
terest In the welfare of their children
In connection with the schools, insist
that suitable and sanitary buildings
shall be provided for the housing of
pupils during school hours: tnat piay.
grounds be provided for their exercise
during . Intermissions between study
periods, and that such safeguards
acotinst fire as meet the demands of
prudence be provided. Taxpayers, on
the other hand. Insist upon -keeping
the lev for school purposes down to
the lowest limit consistent with keep
Ing the schools open. Between these
contending elements the School Board
stands, vainly striving to satisfy the
one without antagonizing the other.
It is a fact that cannot be questioned
and should not be Ignored that, if this
community undertakes to support the
public school system on its present
basis it should vote a suitable equip
ment for that purpose. Certainly no
Intelligent community can acquit itself
of responsibility for conditions wmen
have been disclosed by the recent in
vestleation of at least two public
school buildings in widely-separated
high-class residence districts of the
city Portland Heights on the West
and Irvington on the East Side. In
ability or refusal to remedy the con
dttlons thus disclosed will be a tacit
acknowledgment of weakness that
would justify the assumption by pa
trons of private and parochial schools
that our public school system Is lack.
Ing in the vital essentials that lead to
health and usefulness. Of course, as
an Intelligent, progressive community,
we are not ready to make this admis
sion. It behooves us, then, to refute"
this assumption by meeting intelll
gently avoiding parsimony on the one
hand and profligacy upon the other
the obligations assumed under the
title and guarantee of our public
school system.
THE HHTRWOOD PENSION MIX.
The Sherwood pension bill, which
has passed the National House of
Representatives, contains provisions
which every person who cares for the
welfare of the country ought to study.
It is analyzed rather minutely ' by
General Charles Francis Adams In the
December number of the World's
Work, and since he was a Brevet
Brigadier-General In the Union Army
and saw more than three and a half
years of active service in the field dur
ing the Civil War he cannot be sus-
peetfcd of unfriendliness to veterans.
Hence his disapproval of the Sher
wood bill comes with .greater weight
than w.ould any strictures from a hos
tile source. General Adams condemns
the Sherwood bill, on the grounds of
extravagance, evil moral Influence
and political debauchery. He shows,
moreover, that it Is loosely drawn and
will cost the country a great deal
more than It openly threatens. On
its face the Sherwood bill will add
some 150.000.000 annually to our pen
sion expenditures. How much It will
actually cost year after year when Its
full power to dispose of the public
funds has been developed it woui be
rash to try to estimate. One fact alone
we have to guide us, namely, that
every pension bill heretofore has cost
a great deal more than was promised
on Its passage.
The Sherwood bill does not repeal
nv former pension legislation. All
the expenditures previously authorized
whether by general or special acts of
Congress will go on Just as before.
The sums which It grants from the
Treasury, and takes from the taxpay
ers, are In addition to the already gen
erous bounty of the Government, The
bill provides that "every soldier who
served In the Civil War, no matter
when, -here or how, for the period of
ninety days shall receive J 15 a month
for the remainder of his life." Simi
lar service for six months brings $20;
nine months, S26; and one year or
more brings ISO. Thus all distinctions
of merit are abolished. The brave
man Is confounded with the coward.
Ths deserter takes hie place side by
side with the faithful soldier In Con
gressman Sherwood's hall of fame. The
bill had one apparent merit. In spite
of Its glaring faults, when General
Adams took It up for discussion. It
decliaed to bestow additional pension
bounty upon any person who already
has a net Income of 11000 a year. This
might possibly have proved a check
upon the extravagance of the new
legislation, but the Democratic House,
posing all the while aa the champion
of economy, has amended it out. .
In Its eagerness to empty the Treas
ury tha Sherwood bill removes two
important restrictions upon pension
frauds. It abolishes those boards of
medical examiners which have to
some extent checked the schemes of.
Impostors and it dispenses .with spe
cial pension agents. Of course these
officials are no longer necessary, since
tha new pensions are to be granted
without distinction ot merit and re
gardless of the -recipient's character
or deserts. Our annual pension ex
penditure now, fifty years after the
close of the Civil War, runs up to
bout 1160.000.000 a year. On the
rolls are the names of 880,000 recip
ients.. The Sherwood bill will increase
the annual expenditure to $200,000,000
and add unknown thousands of names
to the roll. Still more- ominous are
the bills which are to follow the Sher
wood measure. There Is to be one
providing for the widows and orphans
of veterans, one for tha soldiers or tne
Mexican War, and divers others. One
cannot help asking what will become
of the poor taxpayer when they are
all In full operation. If only we could
all be pensioned the prospect might
present a little consolation, nut, un
happily, somebody hss to work and
pay the pensions. The outlook seems
to be that somebody will have to work
pretty hard and allow himself - but
short hours of rest. For it is rainy
certain that all of the proposed, pen- (
sion legislation will be passed sooner
or later.
The reasons for this opinion .are
manifold. For one thing, there Is the
pension trust to be reckoned with.
This organization includes about 15,000
shrewd and active lawyers who un
derstand precisely how, when and
where to bring pressure to bear on
timid Congressmen. Then in each
Congressional district in the country
there is an average of 2000 pensioners,
some of whom are Teady at all times
to act in concert with the lawyers to
bring members of Congress to terms.
From all new pension legislation the
pickings which go to the 25,000 pen
aion lawyers at Washington and else
where are extraordinarily rich. It is
from bills like the Sherwood measure
that they .reap their harvests. Again
General Adams points out that the
habit of receiving pensions is one
which grows with what It feeds upon.
It leads, he declares, to moral laxity
and produces economic dependence.
It destroys the good old American
spirit of self-help and tends to reduce
us to a sort of Roman mob always
crying to the government for bread
and games. If it could be proved that
the stream of pensions is in truth a
flood of economic poison which is
gradually corrupting the blood of the
American people, would our Congress
men pause In their wild career of
extravagance? .
We doubt it. Broad statesmanship
is rare among them. Courage Is rarer
still. The pressure upon them is
something terrible and both' parties
have yielded to it. T,he committee
which reported the Sherwood bill has
a Democratic chairman and a major
ity of its members are Democrats.
The present House of Representatives
is heavily Democratic. We thus psr
celve that the pension trust and Us
work are as bi-partisan as any of the
other trusts. It has both parties un
der its thumb. The only possible ob
stacle to Its alms' Is an aroused public
opinion. The groans of the taxpayer
will not be effective until he learns
what he is groaning over. Then the
reaction will come and In the overturn
we fear that the good pensions may
be swept away with the bad.
Marriages between colored people
and white, the bridegrooms being Jap
anese. Chinese or negroes, are fre
quently performed in Vancouver,
Wash., usually by a Justice of the
peace, but now and then by a minis
ter. These marriages are nine times
out of ten as unhappy as Incongru
ous. They are, moreover, a disgrace
to the community and an outrage upon
the offspring tha comes of them.
They are utterly incomprehensible
either from the standpoint or personal
decency or public policy. The white
woman who becomes the bride of. a
man of alien race and color removes
herself thereby from the pale of com
mon sympathy when, as surely hap
pens, the mesalliance becomes abhor
rent to her.
John T. Belt, late of Oakland, Cal.,
has purchased the Newberg Enter
prise. His . predecessor, Mr. Shaver,
made the Enterprise one of the best
local papers in Oregon, and Mr. Bell,
with" forty years' experience In Jour
nalism In the western half of the con
tinent, will keep It at the high
standard.
In the death of Rose Eytlnge stage
folk In Portland lose a friend to whom
they looked up affectionately as a
mother during her residence In Port
land. Her lovable character shone
through' her stage make-up and en
deared her also to those who knew her
only across the footlights.
The Christmas edition of the Salem
Statesman, issued December 17, was
typical of the annual effort of the
pioneer paper. Printed in the colors
of the holly and mistletoe and filled
with well-chosen and appropriate
reading matter and illustrations, it was
an excellent number.
Rose Eytlnge's death at 72 illus
trates the longevity of actresses. They
outlive the men of their profession by
many years on the average. Booth,
Barrett, Irving, Mansfield died com
paratively young. The women who
were their contemporaries are for the
most part still alive.
There need be no surprise at the
dilatory motion made by the meat
packers to'escape trial. Men who have,
by every technical device the Jaw al
lows, avoided facing a Jury for eight
years may be expected to pursue the
same policy to the end of the chapter.
Mr. Beals' understudy, Mr. Drake,
who is well fitted to fill a star part,
makes the "likely" forecast of rain on
Christmas day. That will be typical
Oregon weather for a day when every
body should be at home.
The Russians of Los Angeles need to
learn that the Oriental custom of sell
ing girls Into marriage cannot be trans
planted to this country certainly not
to a woman suffrage state like Cali
fornia.
The Western Governors' tour was so
successful that it may be made an an
nual event. Eastern people were
eager to see the exhibit of Western
products, including the Governors.
The boy who can introduce a con
tagious disease and start a holiday
closing of his school a few days ear
lier Is a hero In the eyes of the rest.
Discovery of adulterated paper in
use for Government documents sug
gests that Dr. Wiley take a look
round the house occasionally.
economy and efficiency in cities. Cn-
der
II DUIiri Will V. u l 1. . . .c.j . . v.u
. e i t,-
14.7
By reprieving four murderers due
to be hanged at Chicago today. Gov
ernor Deneen seems to exploit the
Western idea.
A man whose zeal for his church
will lead him to steal that he may give
to Its good work Is a study in psychol
ogy. Burglars made a profitable clean-up
in Station A. but the trail of the
stamps will be their undoing.'
The turkey Is not cutting much of a
figure, for Sir Loin Is his time-honored
rival at this season.
The best holiday gift in some sec
tions is resumption of work in the big
sawmills.
Where would there be leakages, if
not in a water department F
WHAT WAS SAID I TAX DEBATE
EL W. Stoat Declares lie Hlsrepreseata
ttons Made In IHnstTatJoBS.
PORTLAND, Dec 21. ITo the Edi
tor.) I notice In The Oregonlan today
quite a lengthy statement from Mayor
Grant B. Dlmlck. of Oregon City.
In this article Mr. Dlmlck Insists
that In ray debate- with A. L. Veazie
at the Congregational Church I gave
a certain Illustration of taxes on a
particular piece of land as being In
Clackamas County. This Is not the
face as Mr. Dlmlck can find out by
consulting A. L. Veazie. my opponent.
I did give quite a number of Illustra
tions and figures In regard to Clacka
mas County, and In this way I suppose
the misunderstanding occurred.
I feel that the position of- the so
called single tax la so strong ,that there
Is absolutely no need for any mis
statements or overstatements.
In the same article I see that Mr.
Dlmlck makes the following state
ment: "I notice also on' page SI "of said
pamphlet Mr. LTRen received out of
that millionaire manufacturers' fund,
known aa the 'Fels fund,' the magnifi
cent sum of $16,775. In addition there
to he Is now receiving out of that
fund a salary equal to that paid to the
average Circuit Judge In the State of
Oregon."
Mr. Dlmlck is mistaken in this. He
did not see on page 81. or any other
page, in the report of the conference,
that Mr. TTRen received $16,775. I was
the Oregon treasurer of the so-called
Fels fund, and an Itemised statement
of the expendlturea was filed In ac
cordance with the law here In Oregon
and ahowed-Just what the expenditures
were for, and Mr. ITRen personally
did not receive one cent of that money.
It was largely spent for printing pam
phlets, postage, stenographic work and
regular campaign expenses. I am still
the treasurer" of that fund, and none
of the money that passes through my
hand Is paid to Mr. ITRen, personally,
and as far as I know he is not receiv
ing any money from the Fels fund.
H. W. STONE.
Judging from Mr. Stone's statement
there is more than one Fels fund de
voted to the single tax cause In Ore
gon. It has been stated on the au
thority of Mr. Fels that Mr. ITRen
receives or did receive a salary from
the Fels fund. The amount has even
been given at $2500 a year. -Mr. U'Ren
has never denied that he has been de
voting all or large part of his time
to "paving the way" for single tax at
a yearly stipend from men interested
in the movement. We doubt If any
body construed Judge Dimlck's state
ments to mean that the $16,776 ex
pended from the Fels fund In Oregon
went to Mr. ITRen personally. The
fact that this sum has been expended
in the single tax campaign in Oregon
has been so prominently published that
Judge Dlmlck would hardly expect to
misrepresent the case and get away
with it.
CITY WITH THE DOWJf-HIXl PCUi
Montana CHIsens Make Discovery as to
Advantages 'of Portland's Location.
MILES CITT. Mont.. Dec 16. (To the
Editor'. Yesterday, engaged in an ar
gument as to the respective merits of
the North Pacific cities, and supporting
the claims made by Portland, a new
(at least to me) slogan for your city
occurred to me.
Those of us in the argument finally
had recourse to examining the map,
and I showed the others that from
Summit on the Great Northern in Mon
tana; Garrison, on the Northern Pa-,
clflc, in Montana; Stltes and Grange
ville. In Idaho, and Saltese, in Montana,
n tha r-McBiro. Milwaukee & Puget
Sound, not taking into consideration the
same conditions to me sou m ui uu.
In your own vast empire, you have a
down-hill pull to Portland, the slogan
that occurred to me was "The city with
a down-hill pull."
' I do not know whether this slogan
v... hen used In connection with
your city, because, as I state. It Is en
tirely new to me. ana n it is worm
while, use it.
vii fwiuno,
Secretary Chamber of Commerce.
lM-w tin Teachers' Institutes.
Den tt.i n To 2D. (To the Edi
tor.) Will you kindly give the school
law concerning the attendance required
at an institute in order to keep a
. i...-. c-tlflcwfa vaJIri? Are the
high school teachers of this city ex
empt? Are they or the district sub
jected to a fine for non-attendance?
The Orecron Legislature of 1911
passed a law requiring all County Su
perintendents of the state to hold an
nual teachers institutes lor noi less
hra dava. for the instruction of
teachers and those desiring to teach.
"All teachers In the public schools or
his county," reads the law, "shall be
.n,,ir n attand The SuDerlntendent
of Public Instruction may, at his dis
cretion, upon the written complaint of
tha f'nnntv SuDerlntendent. revoke the
certificate, or refuse to grant a certi
ficate, to any teacher who refuses to
attend a county institute without
cause." County Superintendents are
required to give certificates to teach
ers attending the institute, showing the
times wnen tney were present. xne
law anva tiacheri ahaj not forfeit
their wages for closing school for three
days to attend the Institute. We have
been unable to find any exemption for
high school teachers. No fins Is pro
vided for non-attendance.
' Information on Alaska.
PORTLAND, Dec 20. (To the Edi
tor.) i-Will you kindly Inform me
where I can get general Information
on Alaska, regarding work, wages, etc.
at the present time? A READER.
Alapka is about six times as large
as Oregon. One would probably have
to seek several sources of information
to gain an idea of opportunities for
employment. R. L. Polk's Alaska
Yukon Gazeteer and Business Direc
tory gives late and accurate informa
tion concerning the Industries in each
town, and from, it could be obtained
the namea of persons who would prob
ably reply to inquiries. The publishers
have offices in the Beck building.
Flood Outlet Greater.
PORTLAND, Dec 21To the Edi
tor.) In regard to a possible repeti
tion of the 1894 flood and discussions
of high water annually, one very impor
tant consideration appears to be over
looked, .namely, that there is now a
channel of some 300 feet in width
and from six to eight feet In depth
through each bar between Portland and
the sea, making an additional conduit
of great capacity which runs full con
tinuously. A. B.
-No.
CATHLAMET, Wash- Dec 20. (To
the Editor.) Does a child born in this
country of foreign parents, who were
unnaturalized at the time of his birth
and never did secure citizenship papers,
require naturalisation before becom
ing a cltisen? K. 8. A.
TAFT RISES TO TUB " OCCASION
Frank Statement by a Critic of the
Administration,
Rural New Yorker. ' -The
Rural New-Yorker cannot be ac
cused of being a personal organ for
President Taft, or of advocating his
renoml nation. It seems to "as that
whenever he has taken occasion to dis
cuss public questions in their relation
to farming he has shown a strange,
almost childish, misconception of the
needs and the thought of real farmers.
In other smaller matters of administra
tion he has made what seem to be
remarkable blunders. It must be said,
however, that now and then when the
conditions arise to call out his real
talents the President rises to the oc
casion and shows himself a great and
strong man. Such an occasion was
found at the recent great dinner given
at Pittsburgh. This place Is the nursery
and hotbed of monopoly and . political
graft. Arrangements were evidently
made to "put President Taft in a hole."
An eloquent speaker was engaged to
precede him and make an argument for
the repeal of the Sherman anti-trust
law which. If enforced, will send some
of the very gentlemen who organized
this nice little dinner trap to jail. They
evidently expected that the President
would flinch before those rich and in
fluential members of his party. It was
a hard situation but President Taft
met it like a great man.
Tha two decisions laat Spring. In my Jnds
ment. give tha law definite meaning that
any combination in restraint of trade with
the purpoaa of controlling prices and stifling
competition 18 a vio,aiion 01 dl.-.
Men know whether they Intend to atlfle com
petition and control prices, and all that la
necessary In a court of law Is to prove tha
combination and tha Intent.
Only one course la open. Either wa will
have Individualism or we will have com
binations In restraint of trade going to that
point where the people will demand that the
power of men engaged In auch corporations
be transferred to tha Government. Ana
then wa will have atata Socialism.
This incident reveals the President
at his best calm, cleaj strong and
convincing. When you come to realize
the character of that audience and the
whole situation you can readily see
that no ordinary man could have met
it in this way. Another strong factor
of the Taft Administration, not general
ly recognized, is the powerful crusade
against the fraudulent use of the mails.
Nothing like it was ever done before.
As stated above, it, seems to us that
President Taft has failed to comprehend
the spirit and desires of our farmers,
yet we are frank to say that he is a
clean man and a great man when con
ditions demand it.
SETTLERS MAY SHtTN STATE.
Barclary by Forest Ranger Alarms
Tfewcomer from East.
ooott.4 vn rn 17 fTo the Edi
tor.) I have seen your editorial about
the forest ranger that used a skeleton
key to help him break Into settlers'
cabins on the reserves. Now, if it is
a pertinent question. I would like to
ask: What have the forestry officials
done about it? Do they countenance
such conduct or have they bounced the
offending ranger? If it is the methods
they follow, I warrant me they have
not.
Now this Is a serious matter to me,
and there are others like me. I am a
newcomer and think I can make just
as good a living here as I did in the
East. I believe I can do better be
cause the climate is suitable. But from
what I have seen of the available land
a person cannot go on to the land and
immediately make a living. I can't be
cause I "haven't money. I will have to
go out and work at times of the year
and I will want to know that my home
will not be broken into by Government
men when I am away.
I have been anxious to settle near
Eugene, but I am told that you can't
file on the Government land down
there, because it has been decided that
It is no good for raising of crops. Why
should the Government decide the land
Is not fit for farms when there are
scores of good farms all around raising
finest kind of crops? There are no
trees on the forest reserve, so why Is it
not allowed to be taken as homesteads?
I have seen the crops raised there and
know as well as I am writing this that,
if I could make a good Jiving in New
England. I can make it here, where
l - n, frost to Sneak of
lucto i" nv i . -.
in Winter. There is a fine country
here and we wno are cumins i .u.
. - i . n nAmtnn. Via a n xvnnt to
DUl II wo io i-"6 -
know if we are going to get the land.
very respectiuiiy your,
ALEX WARWICK.
Civilisation, and Savagery.
Chicago Journal.
vxr- - V, V ...1 nroru now And then
at some fearful outburst, of savagery.
..t th,t htit vflaterdav our
luigciuue , , -
ancestors were cannibals, taking each
others' lives. The origin ot me iwu
buttons on the backs of our coats re-
ii- Aw nf c.hivalrv when every
gentleman wore his sword. But how
about the buttons on m cwm wcci
at the wrist? They were first worn
nf tha sleeves, and were
placed on uniforms to prevent soldiers
from wiping their noses on their
wrists. Civilization has scarcely taken
two steps from .savagery.
Limitations of a Statesman.
London Standard.
a .A-.l vAFir ,1m racteri Stic of the
statesman and diplomat who made it is
given in the "Autobiography of Alfred
. . . ,. T 1 T.aHv fialishlirv WATA
Ausua. uui w &iu j -
among the guests at Hewell Grange.
J-iOra ailSDury iiau uviiiw .v " i'" 11 -
wit. -...Hnir rin tha morninr of the
jjuuai. umsMHB' v
f ; l y when the speech was to be de
livered, seeing Lord Salisbury passing
into the study, I said to him: "I sup
pose you are going to think over what
you will say tonight?" "No," he said,
in his Ironical way, "rather to think
over what I must not say."
Poetry In Skyscrapers.
Springfield (Mass.) Union.
It is a mistake to think we must go
back 1000 years or more for genuine
poetlo- inspiration, or that the poet of
today must necessarily confine himself
to the veins that the Greeks worked
to create their lasting vogue. There
la poetry In the big- modern institu
tions where 20th century life pulsates.
If only there be the imagination that
can treat it in a masterly way.
Before. Christmas.
Detroit Free Press.
Last night when we were at tea the
little fellow said:
"Paw, what are all those packages hid
beneath your bed?"
I almost choked upon my food, and
mother simply smiled.
As though to say we're bringing up a
very knowing child.
He's waiting for me at the door when
I get home at night,
I try to sneak into the house and not
turn on the light
And get upstairs before I doff my over
coat and hat.
But he is Johnny on the spot, with
"Paw, oh, what is-that?"
He's eyeing me suspiciously, I really
think he tries
With all his youthful artfulness to take
me by surprise;
He hasn't intimated yet that he has
found us out.
But eyes and ears are open wide when
ever we're about.
I spelled a phrase to mother once, and
then he promptly said:
"I guess it's time now. Maw, for me to
a-o ucstairs to bed.
An- I suppose that you an" Paw will
talk out when I'm gone!"
I'd make an affidavit that the little
rascal's on
Country Town Sayings by Ed Howe
i
- A 'man will usually do more for his
stubborness than for his religion or
his country.
Nature is the supreme court that re
verses any law opposed to human ex
perience. There are so many patent medicines
now that unless a man breaks a leg he
. doctors himself.
i
I In the old days of barbarism, the
' people fougrht with hatchets. Civiliza
tion burled the hatchet, and now men
fight with gossip.
"I'll tell you the worst thing I ever
did," I heard a man say, in company.
And I'll bet the thins he told wasn't
the worst thing he ever did.
At first, a woman only wants a hus
band: but after she gets him, she
wants everything else in the world.
Ask any book agent who sent him
to you. and you will find it was one of
your friends.
Every man is a coward if confronted
by the proper terror.
A man never knows the price of a
Christmas present given him; a woman
can tell within a few cents, no mat
ter what the present is, or where it
came from,
-
There is a popular saying to the
effect that Opportunity knocks once
at a man's door, and, receiving no re
sponse, departs and returns no more.
As a matter of fact. Opportunity ham
mers at a man's door as persistently
as a woodpecker hammers a telegraph
pole
Law-Abiding Will Rule.
BEAVERTON. Or.. Dec 20, (To the
Editor.) 1 would beg the prlvlloge ol
saying a few words in reply to the let
ter of "A Union Man," printed in The
Oregonian of December 12. He says,
among other things, that "organized
labor realized that behind the prosecu
tion In the Los Angeles case was a
money power almost unlimited." I fully
agree with him there. Every respect
able, patriotic and law-abiding citizen
in the whole country would have wil
lingly contributed (if need be) to bring
such dastardly murderers to Justice.
The sooner all Individuals who uphold
such savagery can get this idea into
their craniums the better it will be for
them, for the true American citizens
who love Justice and fair play, legal
equality and industrial freedom, who
have made this country what It Is to
day, and who intend to make it a great '
deal better in the future, are not in a
temper to tolerate such barbarities
much Ionper. And before these investi
gations are through with I venture to
predict that the above statement will
be amply verified. Just because the
Petti bone-Hay wood crowd got off free
(although convicted in the minds of
most thoughtful men), the fellows that
shouted the loudest for them seemed to
think that they could carry on the mur
derous work with Impunity. But, thanks
to an aroused public opinion and the
grim determination of the home-loving,
fair-dealing and law-abiding citizens of
the country, such bandits will be hound
ed down hereafter and brought. to sum
mary Justice without ruth or pity.
"Coming eventspast their shadoOws
before," and it doesn't require any great
stretch of the imagination to see that
the decent, law-abiding element of this
country will dom'nate its destinies for
a good' many years to come. To all of
which statements I am sure that "A
Union Man" will respond with a hearty
"Amen." A LOVER OF FAIR PLAY.
The Abode of Parsons..
London Tit-Bits.
A Scotch minister took one of his
parishoners to task for his nonattend-'
ance at kirk. The man said: "I dinna
like lang sermons." The parson with
some wrath replied: "John, ye'll dee,
and go to a place where ye'll not have
the privilege of hearing lang or short
sermons." "That may be," said John,
"but it winna be for lack of parsons."
Welshing; Husband's Salaries.
Chicago Tribune.
Women of Chicago are to be taught
bow to spend their husbands' salaries.
An organization whose principal object
Is the study of the spending of Incomes
was formed several days ago in the
clubrooms of the Woman's City Club.
It is the Chicago branch of the Ameri
can Home Economics Association.
The Orea-onlan'a Stand Rlarbt.
PORTLAND, Dec. 20. (To the Edi
tor.) May I commend most heartily
the editorial, "Fruits of a Prison Pol
icy?" The whole course of The Ore
gonlan on capital punishment is sane
and the only way. C. E. CLINE.
Christmas Features
of
The Sunday Oregonian
Santa's First Stop Full page,
in color, of the new Santa Claus
and his first stop jn Portland.
The Shrub of Thorns An ac
count of the wonderful Glaston
bury thorn, which made the agon
izing crown that Jesus wore. It
blooms unseasonably in America
this year.
Christmas Under Fire C. B.
Lewis tells of a trying day in the
great Civil War on Christmas
day.
A Beggar Maid A gripping
Christmas story by Lily A. Long.
Quaint Christmas Customs A
glimpse into the cheery practices
of Yuletide in olden times and
today.
Nineteen-Eleven A page on
the year just closing: a year to
be wondered at.
"They're Sure to Get Me"
So says Burns, fatalist and de
tective in McNamara ease, in a
remarkable interview, which is
.given a full half page. -
An Argentine Cinch Another
crisp short story of the business
world.
Fables in Slang George Ade
writes two fables for Christmas,
both of them in his richest vein.
The Jockey Who Slept A cork
ing short tale about a newspaper
reporter and his "feature story."
Dorothy Deere, Slim Jim, Hair
breadth Harry, Mrs. Time-Killer
and Mr. Boss get into fresh dif
ficulty. . Anna Belle's cut-out
clothes and a puzzle will give the
little ones a joyous hour.
Many Other Features