7TIE MORNING OREG ONIAJf , WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1912.
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rORTLA"0. WXDNESDAT. JAN. IT. 111.
THK TWO COLONELS.
The Outlook again makes It all per
fectly clear. Colonel Roosevelt la not
now a candidate. He doe not now ex
pect to bo a candidate. But the Pres
ldancT ta a public office, and a Presi
dential nomination Is not a private as
set, and no man is Justified In saying
that he would In all circumstance re
fuse) to respond to the call of party or
country.
Colonel Bryan appears to take tne
same lofty and patriotic attitude
toward the Presidential nomination for
1911. He Is not a candidate. He will
cheerfully support any suitable Demo
cratic nominee. But Harmon does
not suit him. nor Underwood: and
there is a growing suspicion that Wil
son and Clark are advancing rapidly
toward the undesirable class. Will
pryan respond to the loud call of party
and duty? Well, he always has.
Color-el Roosevelt can scarcely say
la advance what he will do In 1912. It
Is aside from the point that he did
decline la advance and In no uncertain
words In 190s. But that was not the
nnty error made in 1908 that he will
not repeat- Yet he knows how to de
cline. Possibly Bryan does not know how
and does not want to learn how. But
the country knows how.
If the Republican party could un
load Roosevelt and the Democratic
party onload Bryan, there would be a
lot of happy people and a lot more nn
happy people. It cannot be done.
cmxo the R.n.ROArv a rest.
A review of the proceedings of state
legislatures during the past year evi
dences a general disposition to take a
rest from railroad legislation. The
tales are more Interested In Inspiring
confidence among Investors, for the
purpose of encouraging new construc
tion and Improvement, than in passing
drastic regulative laws. There was a
decrease of S rf cent In the number
of new laws affecting railroads passed
In 1911 as compared with 1909. and
Ihere was at the same time a marked
change In the tone of the Governors
messages. -Give the railroads a rest"
Is a summing up of a number of
messages.
Four state which have been most
active In railroad regulation Texas,
Oklahoma, Alabama and Iowa elect
ed Governors pledged to treat business
and transportation enterprises fairly
and constructively. Alabama repealed
a law forfeiting the franchise of any
foreign railroad corporation which ap
pealed to the Federal courts from a
state-made rate. Texas. Oeorgia and
Delaware passed no railroad laws.
Twenty-five states passed laws de
signed to encourage construction.
Nine states. Including Oregon, passed
new regulative laws, but several of
these had previously had no regula
tion or moat Inefficient regulation, as
in California.
This new era in railroad legislation
waa marked by and largely the prod
uct of a spirit of conciliation on the
part of the railroads themselves. Thus
a new law in Illinois, enlarging the
powers of the Railroad and Ware
house Commission, was the result of
an open conference. In which all ele
ments, including the railroads, reached
agreement. Instead of opposing, in
the legislatures and the courts, all
measures aimed at their regulation,
the railroads now show a disposition
to be frank and fair and to cultivate
the friendship of the public. They are
coming to regard state commissions
rather as impartial tribunals to stand
between them and the people and to
enforce fair dealing on both sides than
as devices to harry them.
The most noteworthy declarations
In favor of giving the railroads a rest
come from states which have passed
the most drastic laws. Governor Col
quitt, of Texas, In opposing new leg
islation, said:
Thare Is a vary urgent demand that tha
faop!e be gtran time to adjust theraaelres
to tha laws wa already hava and rest from
tha passaga of new ones and tha conse
quent agitation and uncertainty that pre-,
cede and follow thvlr enactment.
Governpr Cruce, of Oklahoma, ve
toed three bills affecting railroads,
and said:
To tha timorous Investor abroad X want
to send thla meesafe: As Ions as I am
Governor of Oklahoma, your Investments
la this state. If they are honest tnveat
mettta. and made In ohaerraaoe of our laws,
will be as sacredly observed aad aaferuard
d bar as anywhere on tha face ot tha
earth.
Governor Carroll, discussing the de
crease In Iowa's population, said the
state needed more business and less
politics, and warned the people that
capital would not flow Into a state
where conditions as to Investment
were uncertain.
Governor Hadley. of Missouri, In
sisted "that investigation should pre
cede regulation; that no radical, ex
treme o? retaliatory orders would be
adopted or enforced." He proved that
he was in earnest by vetoing two bills
not In harmony with his policy.
New York amended her law by lay
ing down the principle that rates
should be sufficient to allow the ac
cumulation of a surplus' out of
earnings.
This change of attitude towards
each other on the part of railroads
and states Is already having a benefi
cial effect. Although the prevalent
business stagnation is reflected in a
decrease of 4.7 per cent in net operat
ing revenue for the first ten months
of 1911. as compared with the. same
period of 1910. til ere ts a sign that the
tide is turning In the fact that the
decrease for October was only .7 per
cent. Confidence In railroad securi
ties ta being restored among Investors,
as is evidenced by the sale, by the
Rock Island line, of the first large
issue of long-term bonds by any rail
road tn a considerable period.
Application of the same policy of
conciliation, by the public and the
Interests affected, to the settlement of
the tariff, trust and money questions
would bring abOut a permanent ad
justment of business conditions and
go far to bring about that great de
sideratum elimination of business
from politics.
Tint A!aTB OF TUB TEAR.
When John reaches his 11th birth
day we say of him that he is U years
old. and we keep on saying the same
thing until he reaches his ISth birth
day. Then we make a sudden sally
forward and declare that he is 1 J. At
no time between bis th and 18th
birthdays have we stated his age cor
rectly, though some of xjs come a lit
tle nearer to it by saying that "he is
1! growing on II." Common con
Tersatlon requires rough and ready
way of indicating a person's age witn
reasonable accuracy, but It has no
need of scientific exactness.
We treat the calendar in much the
same way. One year after Christ was
born the first year of the Christian era
ended and the second year began.
But, with colloquial Inaccuracy, the
time was spoken of as "the year one
until the second year was finished, just
as we say John is one year old until
his second year on earth Is completed
Then we say he is two years old until
he is three. The first century of the
Christian era comprised the time be
tween the birth of Christ and the year
100. the second century ran from the
year 100 to the year 100. and so on.
Each year as It passes has a name, but
the name Is' not the same as Its num
ber. For example, the year which
goes by the name "1911" is really the
thirteenth year of the twentieth cen-
tUThe 12th of the SOth century was
completed on the Jlst day of last De
cember. At midnight on that date the
13th year of the century began, but we
shall speak of the thirteenth year as
1911" until the end of time. That
Is the name by which It will always be
designated. But Intelligent people do
not confuse the name with the num
ber. The names of the years are
proper nouns. Scholars in the gram
mar school who have to compute the
interest on notes understand all this
perfectly well. If they had to find the
difference of time between the ninth
day of last July and the sixteenth day
of the present January they "would set
down the figures, 11 years. 0 months
and 1 days and subtract from them
1911 rears. 7 months and days, Thla
Indicates that last July we were well
on in the twelfth year of the century,
while now we have completed sixteen
days of the thirteenth year and have
begun the seventeenth day.
YTCTORT Or OTiRMAJt SOCIALISTS.
Socialism threatens to gain ascend
ency In Germany, for it has made large
gains in the Reichstag elections at the
expense of the other principal par
ties, in the first ballot the Socialists
have gained eleven seats more than
they held in the former Reichstag,
mainly at the expense of the National
Liberate and Radicals. In the second
ballots they will have 152 chances of
gaining more seats and will be pitted
In most of these contests against the
Conservatives and Clericals, the lead
ing factors in the coalition which in
sures the Chancellor a majority. It is
estimated that they will finish with 90
members.
The four parties which compose the
coalition had only 211 out of 197 seats
in the last Reichstag and any consid
erable loss of seats to the Socialists
might place the latter party In a posi
tion to control legislation by alliance
with the National Liberals and Radi
cals and some of the smaller factions,
or the present ruling coalition might
find necessary an alliance with the Na
tional Liberals In order to retain
power.
Many of the immediate demands of
the German Socialists are no more ex
treme than measures advocated by the
progressive element In our own leading
parties. They demand universal suf
frage, which we already have; woman
suffrage, which prevails In many of
our states; proportional representa
tion: redistrlctlng of the country after
each census, which Is the rule in this
country: election day as a legal holi
day, which many of our states have:
direct legislation, which Is established
In many of our states: local self-government,
election of magistrates, and
annual vote of taxes: universal mili
tary education and militia substituted
for the standing army; popular repre
sentatives to decide questions of peace
or war: International arbitration; free
speech and free right of meeting and
association: equality of the sexes; re
ligious appropriations to be abolished;
education to be free and secular: pop
ular election of Judges, free adminis
tration of law and free legal assist
ance; abolition of capital punishment:
free medical advice, medicine and bur
ial; graduated "income and property
tax. self-assessment, graduated inheri
tance tax, abolition of indirect taxes,
customs duties and other measures
which favor a privileged class. The
measures demanded for protection of
labor are, in many cases, in operation
In this country, and others are advo
cated by American statesmen who are
not considered extremely radical.
They include: The eight-hour day;
prohibition of child labor; prohibition
of night work except in trades where
it is necessary; supervision and sani
tary regulation of Industrial establish
ments: equality of agricultural labor
ers and domestic servants with In
dustrial laborers: repeal of master
and servant laws: confirmation of
right of association; Imperial govern
ment to manage workmen's insurance
systtm.
Many of these measures could be
supported by the National Liberals If
there were nothing beyond them. But
behind this programme Is the whole
Socialist programme of public owner
ship of means of production, to which
the National Liberals are as much op
posed as are Conservatives of the
various shades. By allying themselves
with the Socialists, the National Lib
erals would Increase the strength and
prestige of their allies. They would
naturally shrink from this course. But
the Socialists might lure them into a
coalition by selecting for Immediate
action some parts of their platform on
which the two parties could agree.
They could also work together in op
posing the agrarian policy, which de
rives Its main support from the Con
servative groups and which is contrary
to the free trade principles of the So
cialists and the policy of the National
Liberals. An attack on protection
and agrarian Ism might prove highly
popular with the German masses, for
to that policy is due the practical ex
clusion of American meat and the coo.
sequent famine prices which have
driven Germans to eat horseflesh and
other substitutes for beef and mutton.
Whether or not the Socialists suc
ceed In havlrg any planks of their
platform made into law, they will be
in a position to make life exceedingly
interesting for the Kaiser and the ele
ment In the Reichstag which sustains
his claim to rule by divine right.
LA DOR, SOCIALISM AND VOTING.
The public will not be surprised to
learn that the Oregon State Federa
tion of Labor has declared for woman
suffrage. It is nothing new. for organ
ized labor has long been favorable to
equality of the sexes at the ballot box.
So with the State Grange. So also
with the Socialists. So with other
organizations that stand Tor change or
reform or radical departure from pres
ent conditions. Because the Socialists
and the labor men and even the
Grangers aro and have been for
woman suffrage, there Is a body of cit
izens who have been against It: but
they are realizing their mistake. Many
desirable reforms have had their In
spiration in unceasing socialistic agi
tation or the constant importunities
of organized labor, and many people
are beginning to see that It Is unwise,
to resist any movement for the mere
reason that they do not like its origin.
But woman suffrage Is not socialis
tic nor unlonlstlc. It is humanistic.
It Is educative, progressive and eleva
ting. It is a part of the world-wide
spread of intelligence and or the gen
eral leveling to a fixed political equal
ity of all classes. It Is the next In
evitable step in the irresistible march
of economic development and political
opportunity.
Most men who oppose woman suf
frage say the women do not want the
ballot, and it should not be forced
on them. If they desired it, these op
ponent say they would gladly give It.
Other men say the women ought not
to have suffrage because politics is
dirty business and our women should
not be contaminated. Still others op
pose It because they say women are
the inferior sex.
If the women are the Inferior sex
morally and Intellectually God help
us all. It is true that many women
do not want the ballot, and many oth
ers are indifferent; but these are near
ly all women who do not need It. How
about their duty to the women who dot
Other master minds say women
can't go to war, and because they can't
fight they should not vote. Many men
are too old or too weak or too cow
ardly for war. Shall we leave the vot
ing to our soldiers? If we do, how
soon shall we have to abandon our
republic for a military despotism?
Politics Is often dirty business be
cause the people who engage In it are
not clean. We need more clean peo
plemen and women at the polls
and In our public affairs.
Never mind what the Socialists and
labor men say. If they are for woman
suffrage, every saloon, every undesir
able resort, every criminal element,
every tramp, every hobo, every selfish
and grasping interest Is against It.
That is something more than a fair
offset.
ANOTHER CAXCER CTRK.
The "cancer cure" which the Ger
man professor, A. von Waterman, has
discovered Is thus far known to be ef
fectual for mice only. When In
jected into the veins of these little
animals it causes a cancer to slough
off, leaving nothing behind but healthy
tissue. But It has not yet been tried
upon human beings and for them It
may act very differently. Still there
Is hope that It may have the same ef
fect upon man as upon mice. The poet
Burns discerned a general resem
blance between the affairs of the two
species, unlike one another as they
appear. If the best laid plans of mice
and men gang aft agley together per
haps It may turn out that the same
remedy will prove efficacious to cure
their cancers. Professor Waterman
has exercised German caution and pa
tience in heralding his remedy to the
world. In faot, he has not heralded it
at all, but has allowed the message of
promise to ooze out through the pub
lications of the learned and the thick
walls of laboratories. In this he has
done well, for the world is weary of
being humbugged with cancer cures.
Dozens of them have been Invented,
some by Ignorant quacks, some by dis
tinguished savants, but none has been
of much value in practice.
Professor Waterman's new remedy
for the most dreaded of all maladies
ts a compound of selenium, tellurium
and eosln, but in what proportions the
elements are mixed to produce the re
sult has not yet been dlsclbsed, nor
does the public know the precise for
mula for preparing the medicine. The
whole process is thus far somewhat
secret, and, we may suppose, tentative.
Naturally the inventor does not wish
to make any false claims or to suffer
the ignominy of promising what he
cannot perform. Still we may believe
with some confidence that the long
sought remedy for cancer has at last
been found, or at least that Its discov
ery is not far off. Even If the pre
cise compound which acts beneficially
on mice should fail to do the same
for man, it may need only some slight
modification to do so. The compound
was obtained by a process of trial and
rejection, we are told. Professor Wa
terman had no exact formula In his
mind which he believed would pro
duce a cancer cure. He acted upon no
preconceived theory of what was re
quired. Following Professor Ehrllch'a
method In discovering the famous
"606," he tried one compound after
another, with nothing to guide him
except observation of results, until
finally he arrived at what he wanted,
or something pretty near to It. No
doubt he had In mind a more or less
vague belief that a certain class of
chemical compounds would act bene
ficially upon cancer. Professor Ehr
llch was led by a similar shadowy con
cept In making his early experiments.
With nothing more definite than this
for a landmark Professor Waterman
set out upon his Journey of explora
tion. Of course as he made failure
after failure the possible choice of
paths narrowed. He was led to the
right thing by finding and discarding
many wrong ones.
It Is interesting to remember that
both Professor Waterman and his pre
decessor. Professor Ehrllch, were pri
vate investigators. Their researches
were not carried out under the
auspices of any great Institution. In
their own private laboratories and sup
ported by their own resources they
undertook and carried out the weari
some and expensive investigations
which have resulted so happily for the
human race. It must be confessed
that the endowed laboratories have
not taken the most brilliant part In
the scientific researches of the last
three or four centuries. The Rocke
feller Institute has achieved notable
results, especially since Dr. Flexner
took hold of Its work, but vaccination
was discovered by an individual Inves
tigator with most of the learned world
hooting at him. Darwin's work was
done at his own home. The principle
of anesthesia was not applied In any
university until a private practitioner
had run all the risk of experimenting
with it. So It has been with a great I
many of the most Important discov
eries. Endowed institutions naturally
tend toward a hard conservatism
which is unfriendly to experiment.
Since their attaches are as comfort- I
able as they possibly can be, why take
the trouble to seek the new and
disturbing?
Probably In the future as In the
past we must look to the devoted In
dustry of individual investigators for
the great advances In medical science,
though endowed Institutions will no
doubt apply new discoveries after they
have been made. Cancer is almost the
last of the common diseases to yield
to the attacks of science. Its cause
is still in dispute among the learned.
Some teach that It Is caused by a para
site which fixes Itself In the tissues
and sets up - an abnormal growth.
Others hold that a cancer at its be
ginning Is nothing more than an or
dinary cell which in some way Is in
duced to grow out of all proper re
strictions. It thus encroaches upon
the surrounding cells, multiplies Itself
In every direction, originates dissolu
tion all about It and finally ends In
death. Which theory is correct no
body knows, and perhaps it Is no
longer very important that anybody
should know. If Professor Water
man's remedy will work we shall not
care much whether cancers are caused
by an intrusive germ or by an inordi
nately ambitious cell. The main thing
Is to get It cured and this the new
medicine promises to accomplish.
In the death of Henry Labouchere
England loses one of her most pictur
esque politicians and Journalists. He
was a man of strong, independent
opinions and caustic tongue and pen,
and, though classed as a supporter of
the Liberals, was often a thorn in their
side. He was an all-around genius
and was one of the few laymen who
successfully conducted their own
causes In court. This was In the case
of a swindler whom he had exposod In
Truth and who sued for libel. Final
abolition of religious tests In Parlia
ment was largely due to Labouchere's
stalwart championship of Charles
Brad laugh, his colleague as member
for Northampton, who as a free
thinker claimed the right to affirm in
stead of taking an oath.
Try as one may. It seems scarcely
possible to forecast a roseate future
for William Parker and his bride. On
the first day of their wedded life at
Salem they had to call In the police to
patch up a row.' What will be their
relations next year with such a begin
ning? When tempers are so "Incom
patible" there ought to be some way
of finding it out before the knot Is tied.
The project of an examination before
marriage grows in favor.
China is learning that Western civ
ilization Is not all roses. It is a mix
ture of bright and somber with a good
deal of doubt as to whloh 'predomi
nates. With industry labor problems
will come and science brings dynamite.
The path of progress never has been a
smooth one for any country. China
must expect her due share of troubles
and she will show her fiber by the
way she overcomes them.
Attention of Mr. Bryan is respect
fully called to the fact that the mem
bers of the Supreme Court whom he
has attacked Joined in the decision up
holding the employers' liability law
and that Judge Van de Vanter, whom
he has singled out for denunciation as
a corporation lawyer, handed down
the opinion.
When we last intervened In Cuba,
something was said to the effect that.
If our troops went there again, they
would stay. The Cubans need to be
reminded of this warning. We don't
wish to annex the Island, but annexa
tion would be easier than Intervention
every few years.
San Francisco, of all places, should
have the 18,500,000 city hall and civic
center proposed. As the great city of
the Pacific shore, her "trimmings"
must fit her size and aspirations, as
well as keep ahead of Seattle's press
agent In municipal dreaming.
Schumann-Helnk cannot ' have
trained up her sons to good purpose
when they look forward to her re
lease from Rapp only because It will
enable her to sign checks, that they
may escape the necessity of work.
The time Is ripe and the opportunity
good for Portland, to get a share of
the Alaska trade. If our merchants
will but make a beginning with the
Dodge steamers, extension of the trade
will not be difficult.
Tetrazzlni must have enjoyed caus
ing Hammerstein to lose a lawsuit
when she recalled the dispute which
ended In her defiantly singing at
Lotta's fountain In San Francisco.
Already the cold weather of the East
Is "ruining the peach crop," neverthe
less peaches will be plentiful. The
alarmist always warms up as the mer
cury descends.
Some of the city employes deserve
more pay, but many are getting
enough now. Any scheme of Increase
should begin near the bottom.
Another wreck has occurred of
trains of three roads at a common
point. The god of disaster has an
eye to the setting of the stage.
The late Justice Harlan was an hon
est man. He left an estate of 113,000.
One fact explains the other.
Queen Mary has a royal snub for the
simply rich Americans, who, really,
are the people that get It,
If Mark Antony were to be reincar
nated, would he recognize Mrs. Ting
ley as Cleopatra?
The Spanish Cabinet has been up
holstered and Is In working order
again.
If Caruso's voice is ruined, what
will there be left worth preserving?
There Is no punishment too severe
for a "cradle-robber."
The cats hava coma back,
STOP THE ABUSE, NOT THE USE.
Proaawctora' Poerera of Attoraey Should
Only Be Restricted.
JUNEAU, Alaska, Jan. 6. (To the
Editor.) In an editorial In your issue
of December 16 you attack Mr. Glfford
Plnchot for "roasting" the arm chair
mushers and condemning the power of
attorney. Now, while I do not ajtree
with Mr. Plnchot in his conservation
schemes, yet In this particular case he
has "hit the nail upon the head" and
pointed out one of the greatest evils
(and they are many) which afflict
Alaska. I have always been an admirer
of The Oregonlan because of Its fair
ness, but in this Instance I think The
Oregonlan is speaking without knowl
edge. You speak of the Klondike rush
and how grubstakers were entitled to
a claim for each power of attorney.
New let me remind The Oregonlan that
the Klondike Is in Canadian territory
and that not one claim was staked, or
can now be staked, by power of attor
ney, but. on the contrary, mineral
ground can only be staked by the man
upon the ground for himself. Of course
any agreement of partnership is as
binding In the courts of Canada as In
our own. The curse of Alaska, partic
ularly the interior or placer section.
Is the power of attorney and the asso
ciation claim laws, which permit the
"wildcatter" to hog a whole section of
country and tie it up for almost two
years without the expenditure of either
money or work, thereby preventing
the 'legitimate" prospector from going
upon the ground and digging until he
has found something or .has proved
the ground worthless for mining pur
poses. One claim of JO acres Is sufficient
for any man. If of value, and if the
ground Is no good. It's 20 acres too
much.
The writer has been prospecting In
Alaska the greater portion of the time
since 1887 and I am therefore conver
sant with the situation. I have been
In nearly every camp and town in
Alaska, and the sentiment of 99 per
cent of the permanent population of
Alaska Is opposed to the Indiscrimi
nate way In which mineral land is now
located.
Trusting that you will give space to
this statement and hoping that The
Oregonlan will Investigate the matter
before coming to a final decision, and
realizing the vast influence The Ore
gonlan can wield in a matter of such
vital importance to Alaska and Alas
kans. J. A. SNOW.
The Oregonlan criticised Mr. Pln
chot for proposing the total repeal of
the law allowing mineral location by
power of attorney, but has itself rec
ommended restriction of the use of
powers of attorney, for in the course
of an article in its issue of December
tO It said:
The number of powers of attorney ml&ht
well be limited to one lor each prospector,
except In Alaska, where the number should
be Increased In proportion to the cost of
outfitting and other special conditions.
The power of attorney has undoubt
edly been abused. In Alaska more than
anywhere else. The abuse should be
stopped by the restriction of Its use
In the manner suggested. But the
power of attorney has a legitimate use,
as explained In the article to which
Mr. Snow refers. In the effort to stop
the abuse we should not prevent the
legitimate use. In mining districts
near the centers of population one
power of attorney for each prospector
would be sufficient to enable him to
secure a grubstake. In Alaska the
greater distance and the difficulty of
obtaining fresh supplies render out
fitting, so expensive that each pros
pector might fairly be allowed several
powers of attorney, but the number
should be strictly limited to prevent
the "hogging" of a whole district by
one) man or a few men.
Twenty acres of placer ground may
be enough for one man when the
ground is rich, but when it Is low
grade and can only be worked at a
profit by hydraulics. It must usually
be worked on a larger scale In order to
pay. Twenty acres of quarts ground
Is not enough to make a mine with
present methods of mining and the
Joint ownership of several claims aids
mineral development.
The Klondike stampede was cited
not on the supposition that powers of
attorney were valid In Canada, but
because the men who went to the
Klondike quickly spread over Alaska
and started the development of the in
terior of that territory, where powers
of attorney are valid and have been
shamefully abused.
The Oregonlan Is as anxious as its
correspondent to see the operations
ot wildcatters stopped, but would not
close the field to the prospector who
cannot pay his own way, but can se
cure a grubstake,
Half a Century Ago
ft.- n..i,nnlQii nf To -n 17 1862.
v mm ..a n w ' - - -
Ex-Commodore Tatnall, who com
manded the popgun fleet of the rebels
at Port Royal, owns a large amount of
property at Sackett's Harbor, N. Y.
Measures have been taken for the con
fiscation of his furniture, which is es
timated to be worth $15,000.
At an evening party In Huntington,
Ind., recently, two young gentlemen who
had been very enthusiastic wideawakes
last Fall, but who refused to Join a
company of volunteers for the war,
were seized by the young ladles, ar
rayed In petticoats and turned into the
street.
The Insane Asylum for Oregon and
Washington Territory. The grounds
for this institution have been selected
at a convenient point on the opposite
side of the river. We are anxious that
this institution shall be enoouraged
an sustained. . . . We have had
turned upon our streets in Portland, to
suffer all the horrors of exposure in
the Inclement season. Insane persons
from Washington Territory. They were
sent here to be cared for by our citi
zens, and this must be given them or
they' must die in a way disgraceful to
our humanity. We state this fact to
draw In an especial manner the atten
tion of the Washington Legislature,
now in session, to this subject.
Expected Battle In Kentucky. A
letter from Louisville, of date Decem
ber 7, says, in regard to the Confeder
ate strength, that Johnston had al
ready 60.000 concentrated at Bowling
Green, and that recruits to the num
ber of 60,000 were moving up from
Louisiana and Mississippi to his assist
ance. Buell was reported to be within
a short distance of Bowling Green. His
rapid advance may be accounted for on
the presumption that he is desirous of
engaging Johnston before the arrival
of the Mississippi and Louisiana troops.
If he accomplish his purpose, the three
armies will be nearly equal In point of
numbers. If any difference exist In re
gard to the general appointment and
discipline of the troops, the advantage
would seem to be on the side of the
rebels.
Purser Day, of the steamer Julia, and
Mr. George Myers, of this city, left that
steamer in the slough, about 10 miles
below, at 6 o'clock last evening and
"footed it" in. The Julia could get no
further than the head of the slough, as
the river Is frozen over from that point
to this place. The Cowlitz had gone
to Lewis River. and was blocked in.
The Brother Jonathan was to leave at
9 o'clock yesterday morning, but it is
supposed that the Ice in the Columbia
prevented her going out.
At half-past 11 last night, mercury
In the thermometer was a degree and a
half above zero, and wind still from
the northeast
Taft Is No Respecter of Persons
(From Washington Correspondence of the
New York Times.)
In the last year the President has
repeatedly made It clear that his pur
pose was not to carry on any crusade
against this, that or the other line of
business, big or little. His aim has
been at one point always, and only one
violation of the law. And it has
made no difference to him, so far as
performance of his part was concerned,
who came within the range of that
aim. It may be that some foes, polit
ical or personal, have been hit. It is
certain that some friends, both political
and personal, have been. The course
for the year has been far from easy,
but the President has held to it steadily,
and the promise for 1912 is that there
will be no more deviation than in 1911.
It was only a short time ago that an
incident occurred peculiarly distressing
to the President. It has long been
known how fondly the President re
gards his class of '78 at Yale. There
seems to have been an especial bond of
fellowship among the members of that
class. It was '78 that sent the famous
cablegram to Mr. Taft when he was
so ill and worried In the Philippines.
"We love you. Bill, and wo are with
you," his classmates said in that mes
sage. No member of that class ever
dreamed that It would become the lot
of the President to direct criminal
prosecution against one of their num
btjr. But that Is Just what has hap
pened. There Is a member of Yale, '78,
among the men recently Indicted for
violation of the Sherman anti-trust
law.
That indictment probably means the
termination of a life-long friendship,
for the man who Is facing trial under
it cannot seem to realize that it was
not within the power of the President
to prevent the prosecution If he had
so willed. Nothing less was expected
by some of Yale, '78, in this case. But
nothing of the sort happened.
The President sent word that he was
extremely sorry the Indictment had
been found, which was wholly true.
But he was sorry that his friend had
been accused of breaking the law, not
that there had been an effort to en
force the law. He said that the case
must take its course in the courts, and
no one would be more pleased than he
If It were proved on trial that his friend
was not guilty. But he could not inter
fere with the course of Justice because
his old friend was involved.
DUCKS SAVED AT LOCAL EXPENSE
Local Sportsmen Offset Ravages of
German Carp.
PORTLAND, Or., Jan. 13. (To the
Editor.) I read in The Oregonlan De
cember 18 an article from the State
Game Warden, headed, "Duck Famine
Seen." Mr. Finley stated that, unless
greater restriction Is put on the sports
men, there will soon be no ducks to
shoot' in Western Oregon. Mr. Finley
has forgotten that If It had not been for
the sportsmen of Portland, there would
not be a duck to be killed today within
40 miles of Portland, as ducks will not
remain in any water where there Is
nothing for them to eat.
I wonder If Mr. Finley has ever heard
of a great fish called carp, that was
turned loose In our Western Oregon
waters a few years ago? This same
great fish, called carp, has destroyed
every particle of natural duck food that
grew In our lakes and rivers, along the
Willamette and Columbia Rivers, and
every duck that Is killed here today Is
kept here by the wheat that the sports
men put Into the lakes at a great cost
to the sportsmen.
Another reason why ducks are not so
plentiful as they were in former years
Is this: Eastern Oregon has been
opened up, and many small ponds have
been formed by the many irrigating
ditches, and thousands of our ducks
and all of our geeBe migrate that way;
yet some people who do not study the
matter think the sportsmen have killed
the ducks all off. All the ducks we
have now are due to the sportsmen of
Portland that feed them and keep them
here; therefore, the sportsmen of Port
land are entitled to every duck the
present law allows him to kill. If the
sportsmen did not feed them here, they
would pass on and be shot In Califor
nia. If Mr. Finley wants to do something
to protect the ducks, he had better
spend some of his time In getting better
laws for the protection of the nesting
grounds up North, where thousands of
eggs are destroyed.
I agree with Mr. Finley as to the
resting lakes for ducks. All of the
large resting lakes should be set apart
and no shooting be allowed within 400
yards of these lakes. Let the sports
men put In plenty of wheat In the
smaller feeding lakes, then the ducks
would remain here. Instead of going
South; then allow no open season for
the sale of ducks, as no true sportsman
wants to sell ducks, and then we shall
always have plenty of ducks here.
P. B. BLAIR.
Short Plays.
RIDDLE, Or Jan. 15. (To the Edi
tor.) Kindly tell me where It would
be possible for me to get short plays.
A READER.
Plays on which copyright has ex
pired or dialogues may be obtained
from leading city stationers In book
form. For lists of plays drawing royal
ties write Werba & Leuscher, Liebler
& Co., George M. Cohan, William A.
Brady, Henry W. Savage or other pro
ducers In New York City.
February 26, 148.
ABERDEEN. Wash., Jan. 13. (To the
Editor.) Kindly give the date of birth
of W. F. Cody, better known as "Buf
falo Bill." A SUBSCKlbEK.
What WeCan Show You
We can show you block by block just where every
copy of The Oregonian's HOME CIRCULATION is
delivered every morning by 1 49 carriers. On a great map
of the city we have chartered every route. From the
records we have made we are in position to point out
every home which receives The Morning Oregonian. Ore
gonian Circulation is the circulation you want Oregonian
Circulation represents the buyers of Portland.
The Oregonian will carry your message into every one
of these homes at a fraction of the cost of any other method
of reaching these homes. And, Oregonian readers are
readers of the advertising columns. Ask a few of the
advertisers who have been using its columns for 20, 30
and 40 years. They advertise in The Oregonian because
it PAYS and for no other reason. You can make it pay,
too. Phone for a representative to call and explain to you
how you can start in with small space and increase to
larger by reason of the small space producing big profits.
The larger the space you can use the greater will be your
profits. We never recommend using large space unless
you have a large space proposition.
Wails of Woodrow
By Dean Collins.
Woodrow, the woeful, wept up to the
welkin;
Skies of his hopes were so darkly
o'ercast;
Reviewing in sorrow, one after another.
The crop of wild oats he had sowed
in the past.
The wreck of his boom in the offing
was ly.ng.
And soft its inflation was sizzlng
away ;
And mingling its fizz with the wall of
the woeful
Woodrow, who warbled a sad minor
lay.
"Alas and alack, am I doomed to dis
aster Along with the other political goats.
Who erstwhile have sowed their politi
cal pasture
With big bumper crops of political
wild oats?
"Great Scott, how they spring from the
furrows and burgeon
Those words and those views I let
carelessly drop
And darken my landscape, upsprlngin'
and splurgin'
In tares and wild oats, In -n unlooked-for
crop!
"There sprouts my remark on the
Unions of Labor
I made In tha past and completely
forgot;
There, also, beside it, a pestilent neigh
bor, My old referendum flip-flopping, I
wot.
"Alack, when I sowed them, I had no
intention,
Though careless thoy flew to the left
and the right.
The seeds of my plea for a Carnegie
pension
Should spring with my wild oats
. again to my sight,
"From Harper's dim office there cometh
no reaper
To clear my weed-burdened political
field;
The Weekly's abode seems the haunt of
a sleeper.
Who wakes not to soothe the loud
squeal I have squealed.
"Up springs now, and ripens the Bryan
epistle
I carelessly cast in the bygones;
whereat
Across my political wild oat and thistle.
Home flleth to roost that Infernal
cocked hat. "
Portland, January 15.
PROFIT IX THE PARCELS POST
British Success With System Detailed
by Head of Postal Leagne.
PACIFIC GROVE, CaL, Jan. 14. (To
the Editor.) In view of prevailing In
terest in parcel post legislation, some
figures from the latest report of the
British Postmaster - General will be
gladly read. In Great Britain the par
cel post was established on August 1,
1883. In the first year only 22,904,000
parcels were handled, postage on which
amounted to some $2,500,000, of which
sum 65 per cent was paid to the rail
roads for transportation; 45 per cent
was the share of the postoffice. The
average was 10 S-5 cents per piece.
The business has multiplied exceed
ingly, the number of pieces handled In
1910-11 having been 121,802.000, more
than five times the quantity handled
the first year. The gross receipts were
$12,300,000, of which the railroads re
ceived $5,500,000 and the postoffice $6,
800,000. This disparity was occasioned
by the fact that 19.11 Per cent of the
parcels was -carried In motor vans or
other vehicles, this method proving
cheaper than paying 55 per cent of the
gross postage receipts to the railroads.
Quite apart from and In addition to
these enormous figures the postoffice
delivered 1.044.000 "halfpenny (1-cent)
packages." and 196.300,000 newspapers,
also charged 1 cent each.
The postal telegraph dispatched 36.
707 000 messages, and the balance of
depositors In the postal savings banks
amounted to 168.890,215, or near $840,
000.000; with over $100,000,000 of gov
ernment stock held for customers.
The gross revenue from all depart
ments was f24,862.388 (near $124,000 -000),
the gross expenditure 120, 615,743
(near $103,000,000), leaving a profit of
4 246,655. This includes a deficit In
the telegraph and telephone depart
ments of 1,220.000, or $6,000,000. The
profit on carrying the mails, apart from
this loss for telegraphs, etc.. amounts
therefore, to $27,000,000. Obviously,
then it Is possible to carry on an enor
mous parcels post business over vast
distances, even from London to farthest
India, and yet make a huge profit.
EDWARD BERWICK,
President Postal Progress League ot
California.
Caster and His Last Fight.
WARRENTON. Or., Jan. 15. (To the
Editor ) To settle a dispute: In what
state did Custer fight his last battle
with the Indians? Have the state lines
been?changed -Incth tlmethe
The Custer massacre occurred In the
then territory, now State, of Montana.
Montana state lines correspond with
territorial boundaries.
Better Than a Crown.
Harper's Bazar.
Teacher What is It, Tommle, that
Shakespeare tells us "becomes the
throned monarch better than his
crown?"
Tommy Hair.
X
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