TITE jrOTtNTTCO OTIEGOIAN, FRIDAY, J ATSTJATt Y 26, 1912.
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at ina mltr'i rla. Olva poatoffloa eddrans
la Ki.l. including aounty aaa state.
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to j aaaaa, eanta, fM soeiasa.
ftvubi rata.
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irr xor a niM aceit ro tmt
tv tvaihinrton correal) ondent of
The Oregonlan the other Uy had a
letter suggesting that the greatest
need of the Tail Adminitra.uoa ta a.
...vii.'itu mni. W'a cueu that'a so.
r-w. ciH.ni hu a. direct and quiet
way of doing the greatest things "with
out flourish, or pyrolecnnics. or cmua
mechanic. The trumpets never blow
wt.n . mikM his stage entrance. It
never occurs to him that the spot
light Is reserved for nia special um.
He doea nothing for theatrical effect,
everything for lis own sake. No won
der the public looks with wonder,
hen It looks at all. at the spectacle
r a miklrit citizen In a great place.
persistently working at the Job.
There are me irusra me "i"'".
Uw-krraklnc trusts, run by certain
.i.f'iiri of rreat wealth. The
President has been steadily and re-
lnnil.nlr onoaecutlng them in tne
courts, not in the newspapers. A due
regard for the expectations of the pub
lic would have made quite a different
Tlan highly expedient. Tne majci ac
tors should have been summoned to
the White House, one by. one. and. In
the presence of the assembled repor
ters, should have been consigned to
ts. imniu rinb. with due accessories
of thunder and lightning. Then the
AMnrnrv-General and his gallant army
of prosecutor should have been .des
patched to the scene of combat, with
iiands playing, banners fTylng. crowds
cheering. The courts of justice should
have been told what wnat. nounj
1. 1 i.tl n . dMtrihlnr the progress of
(hostilities should have been leraa
T Knr4 rmm the dome of the Capitol.
The result, if favorable, should also
tiav horn announced. Then tne
country would have sat up and taken
notice.
tnunuHAiiftl nirA la another great
.subject wherein President Taft haa
plainly overlooked his easy and Invit
ing opportunities. He has mistakenly
tknnrht It viii his dutv through the
Secretary of State and hla other diplo
matic agents merely to negotiate trea
ties with the accredited representa
ira f tho rreAt foreign Dowera and
then tnvtt the Senate to ratify them.
But that was an amateurtsn notion,
TTfhl nrhm frit- President In the
diji of our forefathers, who thought
that the Constitution ana tne taws
prescribed the plain pavth of executive
nrarrunMn and a.utvoritV- But VOUr
real modern President would have
fnkon nnlta another course. One line
way would have been to pick a quarrel
with some foreign nation, or half a
dozen of them, send our ffpienaid
American fleet to the shores of one
iHtirrnf nnwor ftftr another.
fhnxtMi ?hm vrffh attark and then.
when the country was worked up Into
m fever of patriotic excitement, to ne-
mtlaf. a trrotv nt imltr and T A ft'
erith the whole lot of "era. That would
Have been a cbup wortn wniie.
But Taft poor Tart doean t know
how to bura the red fire and pound
the cymbals. What's the use having a
President If he doern't remind you
a-vorv ritv hv aomA RnpctArular nr un.
'atlonal act that he Is the President?
Ol'R DEATH RATK.
According to Census Bureau statis
tics the death rate In the United States
for 1)10 was Just about eleven In a
thousand of population, which Is a
pretty good showing. This is a fairly
healthy country even as things are and
it will be healthier when we have
learned to eat pure food and avoid
contaminated air, milk and water. No
doubt the impure air which we habitu
ally breathe cau.tes more deaths than
any othr one thing, but bad water
makes a good second and poisonous
food ts not far behind the twain. Com
pared with these allies of the King of
Terrors old King Alcohol la an Inno
cent angel, though he has plenty of
ins to answer for.
The old rule that the unmarried die
off faster than the married was not
broken In 110. The deaths of un
married persons outnumbered the
married in this country by about
100.000. The greater longevity of the
latter is attributed to the comforts of
home, especially home cooking, per-
haps. Mother's pies and salt rising
bread keep father In good health far
beyond the time when miserable old
bachelors are obliged to pass in their
checks.
In 1J10 more males than females
finished their earthly careers. The ex
cess, in fact, was almost 100.000, which
was pretty nearly the same as that of
the deaths of celibates over the mar
ried. This is another instance where
the established rules of mortality were
followed. Insurance statistics show
'that a man's chances of life at a given
age are less than a woman's, though
there la a period In middle life when
the proportion Is reversed. It Is said
that men erpose themselves to more
hardships than women and Incur so
many more dangers that the result
tells appreciably on their prospects of
survival at any fixed age. It Is a curl.
ous circumstance that. In spite of this
well-known truth, the Insurance com
panies declined to take women as risks
for many years after they accepted
men freely.
The deaths from tubercutoxls In
1910 mi t numbered those tn 1901 by
rnre than 4009. It will he Interesting
to teem tn due time whether the war
agntnst the grent white plague has
reversed this proportion tn 111.
Congressman Ralney's pnthetle anx
iety for the welfare of Columbia. In
Fith Amerlra, takes the usual form
of a grab at the taxpayer's pocket-
book W took a piece of Columbia's
territory, cleaned It, drove out the
brigands, cured Its yellow fever and
dug the Panama Canal through It.
Sir. Ralney thinks we ought to com
pensate Columbia for this. It would
be more reasonable for her to com
pensate us.
PLATTXG POLITICS.
Our troubled friends, the wool (row
ers of Oregon, have appealed to Sena
tor Chamberlain for a definition of
bis attitude on wool tariff revision
schedule K and they get this highly
illuminative utterance, delivered with
the candor, directness and feeling for
which the Senator Is famous:
I am Incllnad la ballava that It will nvrvr
ba aat(!4 unul It la acttlad rlsM and tbat
Uia Amarlcaa paopl Ions ao ra-h4 tha
eooelualoa that omwhra tn &rudula K
thara waa a cood-s.Jl tun In tha wood,
pi:. Tha vMt-fmn hava not bn gt
Unf what tfcla arhadul pratmdad to slva,
but thjr bara bn aa4 lar(.lv la tha ln-tr-t
of tba Eularn manufacturer and
OcaJr.
I hope Ibat this Consraaa will roach aama
solution of tb matt.r. Cor I am Incllnod tu
bMvo that our beopl In tha Woat will
rutSrr from thia constant attatlon. I will
b (lad to do what i can to saalat In Its
aropar aaitlamant.
Do the woolgrowers of Oregon, who
did their share in sending Mr. Cham
berlain to the Senate, see In that flab,
by and evasive statement any promise
of help or relief from the'lr present
desperate condition?
Senator Bourne and Senator Cham
berlain have done nothing as to wool
In Washington but Join in the anvil
chorus against the Iniquities of sched
ule K. But the remedy? They have
none, except to Join with La. Kollette
In his quixotic campaign of putting the
President in a hole.
WORD rKOX ROOSEVELT.
Colonel Rooevelt has written ex
Councilman Ellis a letter. There ap
pears to be no question about that mo
mentous fact. But the contents of
that memorable letter Mr. Ellis xeal
ously guards as a state secret. He
admits, however, that the Colonel ex
pressed the hope that he (Ellis) was
enjoying good health and would call
on him some time In New York. Won
derful, wonderful!
There is nothing In the confidential
communication from Colonel Roose
velt discouraging the Oregon move
ment In his behalf for the Presidential
nomination. So much more Mr. Ellis
deems himself Justified In saying. But
no more, no more. All the rest is
burled In the circumspect souls of the
two loving correspondents.
We are wofully puzzled about that
Roosevelt letter. We'll wager It con
tains some weighty Information which
the Colonel has seerf fit to confide only
to the bosom of his trusted Oregon
friend, of whom he never before heard
unless perchance he happened across
the returns in the recent recall election
In the Tenth Ward. What it can be
we know not, but we can guess.
We'll bet the Colonel asked Ellis to
give him his first name In anticipation
of the christening of his next grand
child. PEXATOR ROOT ON THE RKCALL. Or
In his address at the annual meet
lng of the New Tork State Bar Asso
ciation Senator Root argued against
the recall of Judges and as a matter
of course hj argued ably. Mr. Root Is
as distinguished for the rational con
servatism of his views on public ques
tions as he Is for his legal learning.
When he opposes a project we may
rest assured that he has good reasons
for It and his speech against the re
call of Judges fully Justifies this con
fidence. Like other public men who
have spoken on the same side of the
question. Senator Root's principal ob
jection to the new plan is that it would
destroy the independence of the bench.
He believes that the safety of ordered
government depends more upon free,
unbiased Judges than upon any other
factor, and fearing, as he does, that
the recall would seriously Impair their
mental Independence, he naturally
concluded that Its adoption would be
disastrous. Being a lawyer and a
great one. Mr. Root naturally takes
the lawyer's view of the courts. Per
haps, like other lawyers, he even per
mlts a little confusion to creep Into his
mind between what a court ought In
theory to be and what it sometimes
actually Is.
He says, for example, tbat it Is the
duty of a Judge to enforce the law as
It Is; that he has no authority to
change It: that a court should have no
political or economic theories; and
that it has nothing to do with the wis
dom or folly of a given law. Its sole
business Is to apply the law to partic
ular cases. With this statement of
what a court ought to be and do no
sensible person can differ. But In our
day a great many sensible people
would maintain that there is a broad
distinction between what the courts
ought to be and what they are. It is
widely asserted that judges often do
cherish political and economic theo
ries which they uphold by the tenor
of their decisions. It Is commonly be
lieved In many quarters also that
Judges are disposed to go a great deal
farther than the mere application of
the law to particular cases. We fre
quently hear of their amending the
law and nothing Is more a matter of
daily conversation than the supposed
habit the Judges have of repealing
the laws which they do not happen to
find convenient.
How much or little truth there may
be In these rumors and reports we do
not feel under any obligation to try to
estimate. Our point Is that they play
a weighty part In creating sentiment
for the recall of Judges. The current
argument Is that since the courts have
assumed the functions of legislative
bodies they ought to he held to the
same responsibility as legislators, and
the recall. It Is argued. Is the only
practicable method of enforcing such
responsibility. We do not think that
Senator Root gives weight enough to
this powerful body of public opinion
In casting up the causes which have
made the recall of Judges popular. His
opinion seems to be that people want
to recall the Judges because decisions
are now and then unpopular. He as
sumes, too easily, that decisions are
uniformly In strict accordance with
the law as It stands, and declares that
the proper thing to do Is. not to recall
the Judge who has made an unpopular
decision, but to change the law under
which he was obliged to make It.
This course of reasoning sounds ex
tremely plausible, but when It Is ex.
aralned it savors more of special
pleading than one might expect from
a man of Mr. Root's eminent capacity.
We venture to say that no conceiv
able number of merely unpopular de
cisions in strict accord with the law
would have set up a demand for the
recall of Judges. The demand has
arisen from unpopular decisions which
the public believe are not In accord
ance with tha law. Thar bailer e tt
the courts have systematically changed
the law In order to give ground for
the decisions. There is a wide popu
lar conviction that under the guise of
"Judicial interpretation" the legisla
tive authority of the country has been
effectively assumed by the courts and
used by them In order to enforce cer
tain political and economlo theories.
This conviction may be false, but as
to Its existence there can be no ques
tion and It Is producing a powerful
effect upon the sentiment of the peo
ple toward the courts.
It might have been well, perhaps. If
Mr. Root had looked Into this part of
his subject a little more carefully. He
cannot hope to correct public opinion
by arguing in directions where It does
not move. Since a large section of
the public mind Is fixed in the belief
that the courts make and unmake the
laws at their own pleasure It la useless
to tell the public that changing the
laws Is an effective remedy for the
evils complained of. The ready reply
Is that it Is Impossible to change the
laws to long as the courts can "Inter
pret" them. It Is to be feared also
that Mr. Root has paid too little at
tention to the real condition of some
of our courts in the matter of lnde
pendence. Judges like those of New
Tork who are selected and turned out
of office at the behest of Tammany
politicians cannot be said to enjoy
much independence. It is notorious
that before the adoption of the recall
In California Its courts were subserv
ient to certain influences.
Mr. Root's argument that the recall
will destroy the Independence of the
Judge is met by the answer that it will
replace their dependence upon private
interests by fixed and regular responsl
blllty to the public and it Is pertinently
asked which is preferable? At any
rate the subject-Is not nearly so simple
and easily disposed of as many of our
statesmen seem to believe.
NO MATERIAL FOR JfEW STATES.
What are we to do for new states?
We have become so accustomed to the
admission of one or two at somewhat
irregular Intervals that we shall feel
that something 'la missing in our po
litical life unless we continue the
habit. But we have used up all the
raw material available by admitting
New Mexico and Arizona.
We must suspend operations until
Alaska is ripe for statehood, which will
not be for many years, unless Congress
quickly shows the ultra-conservation
Ists to the door and lets us develop her
resources. We may have to fall back
on Porto Rico, the Philippines, Ha
waii and even Guam in order to keep
the statehood mill grinding. We
should then vary the hues of Congress
with splotches of brown and black.
Life will be dull and uninteresting
with no territories clamoring for state
hood. There will be no available
means for a party to reinforce a slim
and shaky majority In Congress by ad
mltting a new state warranted to be of
its own political complexion. The
only chanco for the Democrats will be
to divide Texas and the Republicans
can retaliate only by carving Alaska
into sections and admitting each sec
tton as a state. We shall no longer
hear our Forakers and Beverldges sor
rowing over the wrongs of our terri
torial stepchildren.
GERMAN oriXlOX Or CCB A.
A certain Jingo element In Germany
la so greedy of territory and so ready
to take it by fair means or foul that
It cannot conceive of a nation not
wishing to take territory when It has
the opportunity. It opposes arbitra
tion because a peaceful means of set'
tllng international disputes according
to the principles of equity would block
the gratification of its desire to grab
territory by brute force. This Is the
explanation of a German newspaper's
hope that the arbitration treaty be
tween the United States and Great
Britain will fall and of its charge that
the United States ts "playing a slow
but sure game for the absorption of
Cuba."
To Americans, who all know about
our race problems, the conduct of the
United States In refusing to annex
Cuba is the most natural course to
pursue. Our aim being, so far as pos
sible, to amalgamate our population in
a homogeneous body, each member of
which Is fit to have a voice in the Gov
ernment, we have reluctantly added to
our population the Porto Rtcans, Fili
pinos and Kanakas, whom we must
educate up to the rights and responsi
bilities of democracy and who can
never be amalgamated. Hence we are
not disposed to add the mixed popu
latlon of Cuba to our troubles. To the
German Jingo It would be a simple
matter to take Cuba and rule her peo
ple with bayonet and whip.
The desire on the part of the. Ger
man Jingo for the failure of the Anglo
American arbitration treaty Is inspired
by the purpose to keep alive the possi
bility of quarrels between these two
nations. So lo as the United States
and Great Britain and the United
States and France are not leagued for
peace, Germany can nourish friction
between them, out of which she might
draw advantage. If they are once
bound together by treaties of arbitra
tion, she can see no alternative to
fighting her battles alone.
But the victory of the progressive
parties in the Reichstag election de
stroys, or at least greatly Impairs, the
power of the Jingoes to stir up trouble.
Democracy Is gaining the upper hand
In Germany, and its Instinctive sym
pathy with democracy In the three
democratic nations which are about to
form a peace league will paralyze the
arm of militarism.
TITE FARXER AXD THE HEN.
It Is said by persons who are sup
posed to know that fully 200 carloads
of eggs were shipped Into Portland in
the last year. This is a showing that
ought to cause the farmers of Oregon
to do a little thinking. By farmers we
mean every person who owns a tract
of land large enough for a garden
patch and a hencoop, for by the very
latest developments in the poultry in
dustry it has been found that the large
runs which were formerly considered
essential for poultry and egg produc
tion are not necessary.
We know of no statistics, at least
none reliable, going to show what per
centage of eggs and poultry are pro
duced by specialists in the business,
and what percentage are turned off
by those who treat the business simply
as a side line, like the ordinary
farmer. But we are of the opinion
that the farmers' hens turn out more
eggs and more poultry than the spe
cialists' fowls do far more. We
therefore believe that an Increase In
the poultry and egg supply In Oregon
must come from the farmers' hens,
and not from the specialists, and It is
to this class of people, already keeping
poultry, that we appeal to look wall
Into the situation and consider
whether their flocks of fowls cannot
be so enlarged aa to keep these mil
lions of dozens of foreign eggs out of
our market and the cost thereof at
home. More than this turn the Im
portation of poultry and poultry prod
ucts Into a channel of exportation, as
ought to be done, as could be done If
our land owners were alive to their
opportunities.
A large number of the carloads
mentioned as lmpdrted come from
Nebraska and Kansas; yet every-condition
for the economical conduct of
the poultry business are so far su
perior In this state over the states
mentioned as not to be open for argu
ment. Our climate, our supply of
green food during the Winter months,
our cool and equable Summers and
mild Winters, our early Springs when
the hatching season Is at its best all
conditions here are practically ideal
for cheap production of poultry and
eggs.
It is said that hundreds of people
in- Kansas and Nebraska are going
about erecting poultry houses for the
farrrfers, such houses costing from
$20 to J200 and $300, and as a result
those states are Increasing their out
put by leaps and bounds; while with
us there is scarcely any Increase in
production. The Industry is not even
keeping pace with our growth of
population.
If The Oregonlan could be the
means of stirring only the farmers to
action, and could induce each one to
add a dozen hens to his flock, we
would feel that we had done a great
and lasting good to every citizen of
the state. Of course we cannot hope
to accomplish any such result, but we
do hope every poultry owner who
reads this article will consider wheth
er or no he cannot do his part towards
making Oregon self-supporting so far
aa eggs and poultry are concerned.
The specialists will never stop the
leak the farmers can do it.
If a man who haa five wives can
steal $10,000 worth of butter, how
long can he keep out of Jail? This
pretty sum in the rule of three is puz
zling the schoolchildren of Fargo, N.
D., and interesting their elders a lit
tle.. The hero of the tale is one Mur
ray, who seems to have had a wife In
every town where he stole butter.
What Is the relation between matri
mony and this particular crime? It
must be Interesting if one could dls
cover it.
What the "Jams and Jellies" which
are sold at some stores are really made
of is a dark mystery. Inspectors found
the other day that a certain "straw
berry" Jam was beautified with grains
of millet to Imitate the seeds. What
else there was in the mess we ask In
vain. AH we are certain of Is that
there were no strawberries. The stal
wart bodies which American citizens
need cannot be built up with such ma
terial as this "strawberry Jam."
Prussia has good cause to celebrate
the birth of Frederick the Great, for
he raised Prussia from a petty princi
pality to be one of the first powers of
Europe. His military genius, which
won splendid victories over great odds,
founded the greatness of Prussia, and
ultimately of Germany as a military
power. He ranks with Caesar, Hanni
bal, Washington, Napoleon, Welling
ton and Grant as among the world's
great generals.
Nomination of Representative Rans
dell for Senator from Louisiana will be
welcome to every city Interested In in
telligent river and harbor improve
ment. Mr. Ransdell is a member of
the House committee on rivers and
harbors and was president of the Riv
ers and Harbors Congress. He visited
Portland several years ago and can be
counted as a good friend of Columbia
laver improvement and all other meri
torious projects.
Senator Kenyon's indorsement of
Cummins reads more like an indorse
ment of Taft. What he says about
the attacks of big business on the
President suggests a source of" strength
with which the Democrats would bet
ter reckon. Wilson Implied the same
opinion when he rejected Harvey's
support because of the latter s cor
poration affiliations.
It is becoming so common for
women to ask for annulment of mar
riage on the plea that they married on
Impulse, under coercion or when men
tally deranged, that the uncertainties
of matrimony will aggravate man to
the point of distraction. It becomes
increasingly difficult to keep a woman's
mind made up.
A step towards fair play for the
homesteader Is promised by the Borah-
Jones bill reported to the Senate from
committee. Let the Land Office re
form the pernicious methods of its spe
cial agents and let Congress pass this
bill, and we may check the migration
to Canada.
When one of the San Diego mystics
said she was "able to see enveloping a
high point on the western slope a huge
black cloud," that must mean Jack
Johnson "copping the money" in the
Salt Lake "go."
The harbors which have the best
prospect of securing appropriations
are those like Tillamook, whose people
are willing to help themselves by shar
ing the cost of Improvement with the
Government.
There Is nothing primitive about
Malheur's civilization. A man In that
county gets twenty years for crime
upon a child. Tears ago he would
have received twenty seconds' sus
pense. By exchanging Manchu for Japanese
rule China might gain in efficiency of
government, but the Japs would prob
ably take all the fruits of the Im
provement themselves.
Oregonlans would feel at home on
Mars, for Lowell Observatory an
nounces the canals have been doubled,
and that means the rainy season is at
hand.
When Connaueht met Malor Butt
yesterday he could not help forming a
fine opinion of official America.
Electrification of Western Oregon
will make the Valley an empire in
population and production.
The trial of Schmltz on those pre
historic grafting charges will be an
oft-told tale.
What amateurs our native murder
ers are compared with the scientific
Chinese.
DEATH PEXAIiTT AS DETERRENT
Loadon'a sad Chleairo'a Homicide
Records . Are C'-oatraated-
FOREST GROVB. Or, Jan. 26. (Te
the Editor.) As the abolishment of
capital punishment is to be an issue
at the coming election and thus be
come a living issue Instead of a call
to Governor West to perform the
duties he has taken an oath to per
f rom. would It not be well to get down
to bottom facts?
Does not the question "Why do we
punish the murderer?" resolve . Itself
into two ends?
F-st To place the murderer where
he can do the least harm.
Becond To act as a deterrent to
those who would commit murder.
When one commits a crime which is
contrary to law he has forfeited his
liberty and has no right to expect he
will receive anything but punishment.
The law has always held that If Indi
vidual right, property or anything the
individual may have stands in the way
or jeopardizes the public, the In
dividual must give way; so when one
will steal, murder or commit any other
crime we place him In prison or if
murder in the first degree execute him.
If he were the only one that was taken
Into account we might place him in
jail and feed and clothe him and pro
vide him with more luxuries and "soft
sentiment" than he ever enjoyed at
home and all be well. But here comes
In the second consideration, the de
terrent effect on those who would
commit crimes.
Many try to make out that life Im
prisonment Is more of a deterrent
than execution.
If so why do all murderers or a
great majority of them put forth so
great an effort to get their sentences
commuted to life imprisonment? But
perhaps statistics are the only safe
answer to the question.
I remember when looking up for a
debate many years ago in favor of
abolishing capital punishment the
statistics were so strong to the fact
whenever and wherever It had been
abolished murder had been Increased
that I could not consistently continue
as an advocate of doing away with
execution of first-degree murderers.
I regret that I have not the statis
tics at hand but copy a few from an
article In the Chicago Advance, which
says: "From 1887 to 1908. as shown by
statistics of the Chicago Tribune the
homicides in the country increased
from 126 to 9000. One year there
were more than 10,000. In IS years
the total number was 133,192, while
during the Civil-. War the number
killed on the Union side was 101,000."
Think of it, SI, 000 or nearly one-third
more people murdered in 15 years of
peace than In five years of bloody war.
"During the last two years there
have been 653 homicides In Cook Coun
ty Chicago's county and not a single
hanging and of these homicides more
than 300 were 'cold blooded murders.'
. . . In London with its great popu
lation during the year 1909 there were
only 19 cases of murder. Of the
murderers five committed suicide, four
were executed and four were found in
sane. . . .Compare ' these figures
with Chicago's 300 'cold blooded' mur
ders and not an execution. . . The
real fact Is that England hangs mur
derers and as a result does not have
many to hang."
8. T. WALKER.
STR. TOUSO IS WOT A REPUBLICAN.
Portland Lawyer Is Democratic Candi
date for Circuit Jude.
PORTLAND, Jan. 25. (To the Ed
itor.) The Oregonlan today published
a special dispatch from Salem, crediting
me with having filed with the Secretary
of State my petition for nomination for
the office of Circuit Judge. Department
No. 4. as a Republican. This report is
erroneous in part only. I filed with the
Secretary of State my declaration of In
tention to be a candidate for the Demo
cratic nomination for Circuit Judge, De
partment No. 4, as a Democrat. I know
of Instances In Oregon where men pre
viously recognized as Democrats have
sought nomination for office on the Re
publican ticket, but I have never known
this to occur until at least six months
after the candidate had changed his
political affiliations by registering as a
Republican. I have always registered
as a Democrat, and In justice to myself,
and in fairness to some Republican,
good and true, who might be deterred
from becoming a candidate for the Re
publican nomination for this office, if
this report is not corrected, I beg you
to give this letter 'space In your next
issue. OGLESBr TOUNG.
The Caanoa and the Train.
PORTLAND, Jan. 23. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Oregonlan today "A Sub
scriber asks the question as to the
distance between a train and a bullet
shot off from a cannon on the rear of
the train, at the -end of an hour. You
state that "A Is correct," and the dis
tance would be 60 miles. I wish you
would explain how you came to this
conclusion. It seems to the writer
the distance would be the 60 miles
traveled by the train plus the distance
the bullet would travel before it lost
its momentum, unless the writer of the
original question means that the bul
let keeps traveling the whole hour;
then the answer would be 120 miles.
A SUBSCRIBER.
This question was discussed fully In
The Oregonlan a few weeks ago. The
resistance sfifflclent to give the can
non ball a momentum of 60 miles an
hour Is withdrawn as rapidly as it Is
applied. If a propeller Is revolved
rapidly enough to give a boat a speed
of ten miles an hour in calm water,
the boat will stand still If the pro
peller's power Is directed against a
current receding so rapidly that no
resistance is offered to the propeller
blades. Likewise the cannon ball
stands still and the train goes on. Tha
question at best Is theoretical, as
leslles do not travel at a sustained
spaed, while a train may.
Horses and Cattle.
NARROWS. Or.. Jan. 20. (To the Ed
itor.) Will you kindly give the number
of horses in the United States at the
present time; also the number of cattle?
Are they Increasing? What is the tar
iff on each? A READER.
Horses, 21,040,000: oxen, milch cows
and other cattle, 69.080,000. The fig
ures compiled for 1910 show an In
crease in horses over the preceding year
of 400,000; an Increase In milch cows of
81,000, a decrease In oxen and other cat
tle of 3.100,000.
There Is a tariff of 27 per cent ad
valorem on cattle 1 year old or over
valued at over $14 per head; on horses
valued at 8150 or less f30 per head;
horses valued at over $150, 25 per cent
ad valorem.
"A Bird la Hand."
PORTLAND, Jan. 25. (To the Edi
tor.) Please say where I can find
words and music of an old song en
titled "The Three Toung Maids of Lee."
A SUBSCRIBER.
The song is called "A Bird In Hand,"
words by F. C. Weatherby, and music
by Joseph L. Roeckel, and Is published
at 50 cents. In song folio No. 1, by Oli
ver Dltson Co., Boston.
CAUSES, OF BOILER EXPLOSIONS
Flremaa Tells How Wnter Glass May
Sometimes Deceive.
RAYMOND, Wash., Jan. 22. (To the
Editor.) Having read the account in
The Oregonlan of t4e destruction of
the steamer Sarah Dixon and having
been a fireman and engineer at one
time, I am quite interested In the cause
and wonder if you would grant me
space to give to the public and fellow
workers In my calling a couple of ex
periences that might help to prevent
Just such accidents as that to the
Dixon.
The first Incident occurred in 1903.
while I was fireman on a small tug
towing logs. The engineer, as soon as
we were well on our way with the
tow. would turn the engine room over
to me and retire to his cabin to sleep
or read. One morning, after we were
a couple of miles from our starting
point. I noticed that the water in the
gauge glass was getting higher with
the pump feeding from the hot well
still at the usual stroke, and I knew
that by that time I should have been
turning on the extra feed from the
reserve tank, as the condensation
could not be sufficient. So, calling the
chief to the engine-room, we com
menced looking for the trouble. We
closed the top and bottom gauge cocks
and, taking out the glass, found that
the glass had crystallized at the top
and the gasket was pinched over the
top of the glass in such a manner as
to prevent the full steam pressure
from holding the water at the proper
level. As soon as possible we placed a
new glass and opened the gauge cocks,
finding that we only had a half inch
of water In sight.
Now, I suppose many engineers may
know of this kind of an occurrence, but
I do not think it is common and It is
certainly, a fact that If an explosion
happened from this cause there is lit
tle chance to find It out after It has
happened.
At another time while firing a sta
tionary boiler I noticed In blowing out
the gauge glass when coming on shift
that the water did not return to the
place It should be In the glass quick
enough, so as the next day was Sunday
and the boiler would be washed, I had
a chance for inspection. I found that
the lH-inch feed pipe passing through
the front end of the boiler and for
some distance up to the gauge cocks
or water column was filled with scale
so hard that a cold chisel would hardly
cut It. and Just barely room for a lead
pencil to go through. A small piece
of loose scale could have blocked this
and given a false indication, causing
an explosion easily.
These little Incidents may help to
keep the eternal vigilance of my fellow
engineers and firemen, which is the
price of safety, at the proper pitch.
A. T. G.
THOUGHT QUESTION'S IX EXAMS.
Eighth Grade Teats Criticised by
Albany Writer.
ALBANY, Or., Jan. 25. (To the Ed
itor.) I should like a small space to
record some criticisms of the questions
which the State Superintendent's office
prepares for the pupils in the eighth
grade examinations.
There is a tendency which I note
under the present regime to make the
questions, as far as possible, thought
questions. To this I heartily agree,
but there are many questions which are
so purely questions of fact that an at
tempt to make thought questions of
them makes them hazy and mislead
ing. For example, one of the questions
in history In the recent examination
was to tell when and where the first
Continental Congress met, and further
asked why It was called such. I have
found no one who can tell this, as the
text books do not mention it.
Another question in civil government
asked: "A person In Europe could be
convicted of treason for speaking 111 of
the government. Could this happen In
America?" Of course, the Idea was to
have the pupil recall the first amend
ment to the Constitution, but many
took their cue from the word treason
and proceeded to explain what consti
tuted treason In the United States and
pointed out that a person cannot be
convicted-on those grounds. How much
is the pupil at fault In this?
In arithmetic there were two prob
lems which are not required by our
new course of study, one in complex
fractions and the other in compound
proportion, which, by the way, could
also have been worked by analysis.
Again, many of the words in spelling
I have been unable to find in the spelling-book
at all.
Now, my point is this: Are we to be
guided by our course of study when
preparing classes for the final eighth
grade examinations, or are we to teach
all the obsolete things in the textbooks
and besides be held responsible for
technical information to be found only
within the lids of the encyclopedia? We
teachers are awaiting the answer.
R. L. SMITH.
Unwritten Contract.
RITTER. Or., Jan. 24. (To the Ed
itor.) i. a leases a tract of land to B;
B in consideration is to deliver one
third of all crops raised. A agrees to
draw up a lease but keeps putting it
off from time to time. B takes peace
ful possession of premises and com
mences work. Then A draws up a lease
that contains articles not mentioned to
B up to that time. Can A compel B to
sign said lease or vacate the premises?
2. A woman buys a tract of land.
The deed was acknowledged before her
husband, who Is a notary public. Her
mother signs as witness. Is the trans
action according to law? A. J. W.
1. B can compel specific performance
of the contract according to original
Intent.
2. Yes.
One Year In Slate.
' PORTLAND, Jan. 25. (To the Ed
itor.) Kindly Inform me through pa
per how long must party be resident
of state and county In applying for
divorce State of Oregon.
CONSTANT READER.
The Oregonian Reaches
All Classes
The Banker the Lawyer the Business Man the
Mechanic the Clerk. And their families. A larger
part of the entire circulation of The Oregonian is in Port
land. The Oregonian has a great big city circulation. It
reaches the homes.
Its advertising columns carry the very latest business
news of the day before. Just as its news columns give
you the news of the world up to within a few hours of the
time you receive the paper at your home in the morning.
The Oregonian stands alone as a business message-carrying
medium. There is no other single sales force in the
City of Portland that can compete on a dollars and cents
result-producing basis. If your business message to the
homes of Portland appear in its columns, you know. If
your announcement is not there you are overlooking a
business opportunity, AND A BIG ONE.
Country Town Sayings by Ed Howe
When a woman agent calls on you
with a book you don't want and insists
upon taking up your time when you
are busy, it is then that you particu
larly regret that you don't live in a
land of liberty and free speech.
The man who tries to get your money
on a promise of 100 per cent interest is
not the only one who tries to fool you.
There Is the gentleman who says that
If you will elect him to Congress he
will offer a tariff bill that will insure
general prosperity.
If your wife and daughters should
spend eight hours a day in your place
of business you would become tired of
seeing them around. And that's the way
they feel when you stay around home
too much.
Nothing would humiliate me so much
as to be sued by a woman for breach
of promise.
How many people have taken advan
tage of you in a mean, underhanded
way? Others have lists, too. I some
times fear there are a good many who
need Billy Sunday.
Some people haven't the "knack" of
attracting a following. I never had.
If I should run for office, people would
come from other states and swear In
Illegal votes for the pleasure of voting
against me.
. Most men will find time to do you a
favor if you tell them you know they
already have too much to do.
After a man passes 50. it shocks him
a little to be called by his first name.
A certain public man never speaks
that he does not say something dis
agreeable. There is a movement on
foot to starve him to death, and I have
helped' some.
The louder a man talks the less do I
care to dispute what he says.
Ore iron Savingra Depoalta.
PORTLAND. Jan. 23. (To the Edi
tor.) Please tell me whether or not
unpaid deposit accounts in the Oregon
Savings Bank have any value.
A friend in a small town in Wash
ington sent me recently three of these
bank books, representing deposits made
by his children In 1904, and I am un
able to find anyone who seems to know
anything definite about the affairs of
this institution.
Was each depositor entitled to a no
tice by mail concerning his account,
or was It Intended that only those who
were "Johnny on the spot" should share
In the distribution of the funds?
ENQUIRER.
If the person holding the bank books
referred to In the above communication
will take the matter up by writing
Thomas C. Devlin, receiver, the ac
counts will receive Immediate attention,
according to A. E. Clark, attorney for
the receiver. Mr. Clark, however, does
not say what, if anything, the accounts
are worth.
Depositors In the Oregon Trust &
Savings Bank were supposed to file
their claims with Receiver Devlin.
They were not entitled to notice by
mail.
Date of Primaries.
MORO, Or., Jan. 22. (To the Editor)
First: On what day in April of this
year will the primary election be held?
Second: Please give the last day In
which a candidate can file his peti
tion with the County Clerk, so as to
get his name on the ballot.
J. O. SMYTHS.
First April 19.
Second Write to Secretary of State
for 1912 memorandum of election laws.
The Blue Goat.
We walk our beats protecting those
Who throw it into us.
They say "There goes the brute In blue,
Ain't he the grafting cuss!"
We walk our beats in blazing heat
Under the noonday sun;
When others are asleep In bed
Our work Is Just begun.
When you're having a big blowout
On legal holiday, .
Why, we're working double time
'And getting single pay.
And when there's danger In the air
And desp'rate work to do.
You grab the telephone and say
"Give us Main 212."
When robbers are on the rampage
And thieves are after loot.
Who is it risks his life for you?
'Tis that "inhuman brute."
And if one of us ts murdered
Playing some desp'rate game,
Why, he's a bloodstained hero.
He's won immortal fame.
But if he's spared he grows to be
A human target then.
For vile and slanderous statements
Of narrow-minded men.
Though slandering of uniforms
That guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than the uniforms
And they're starvation cheap.
We are not all brutes and robbers
Our plaster saints are few
We're men with wives and families
With feelings Just like you.
You are Just "glass house" reformers
So quit your firing stones,
Close up, you whited sepulchres.
You're filled with dead men's bones.,
A Policeman.