Tlir MORNING OREGO NT AN. 3IONDAT, JANTJAKY 29, 1912.
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MTREME
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EXFiovraw
It Is apparently useless to look to
the recent decision of the United
States Supremo Court on the Federal
employers' liability act for a definite
guide as to what may be accomplished
constitutionally In correcting; the, In
equalities of the law affectlr.r the
rights of Tictlms of work accidents.
While the act sustained Is a radical
ch antra from statutes relatlr.r to the
liability of employers for Injuries to
employes. It Is not as radical
reformation of the -law of the killed
and injured" as has been attempted
by some of the states, or as thorough
a revolution ss some students advo
cate.
The, decision. It would seem, does
rot necessarily throw a doubtful light
on the dec In I on of the New York Court
of Appeals, which held the New York
compulsory compensation act to vio
late the "due process of law" section
of the Constitution. Nor does It give
assurance that the United States Su
preme Court will agree with the
Washington State Supreme Court that
the Washington compulsory Insurance
act affecting empioyrrs and employes
Is constitutional. The distinction
among employers' liability, employes'
compensation and state compensatory
Insurance acts Is confusing to one who
has not made a study of proposed re
forms In treatment of the light of In
jured employes to be paid for Injuries
occurring In the line of their employ
ment. A brief review may give a bet
ter Idea as to what h.is been decided
by the highest court.
The Federal act simply disposes of
some of the common law defenses in
actions brought by employes engaged
In Interstate commerce to recover for
work-injuries. It abolishes the fellow,
servant rule, making the employer lia
ble for the negligence of all his agents
to employes; It modifies the as
sumption of risk rule by giving the
employe the right to recover for Injury
caused by a defect of which the em
ploye had knowledge, and modifies the
contributory-negligence rule by per
mitting the Jury to adjust damages ac
cordingly. If It be found that the em
ployer's negligence has been gross and
the employe's slight In comparison.
The New York compensation act.
declared void by the highest court of
that state, classified dangerous occu
pations and provided a fixed schedule
of compensation to be paid Injured
workmen by employers operating dan
gerous Industries.
The Washington law also classifies
dangerous occupations, but requires
employers therein to contribute ac
cording to amount of payrolls to a
fund administered by the state. From
this fund Injured workmen are com
pensated according to a more or less
fixed schedule.
By the terms of the New Tork act
the Injured employe receives from the
employer, and by the terms of the
Washington act he receives from the
state-admtnlstered fund, compensation
for Injuries, irrespective of any neg
ligence or wrongdoing on the part of
r"..:. .1. V L " " . " I
by negligence of employer or risk ln-
herent to the occupation.
In comparing decisions, one feature
of these two acu. not found In the
Federal act as we understand It, Is
Important. This Is the requirement
that the employer shall pay for In
juries when he Is not at fault. He
must compensate for Injuries to his
workmen growing out of risks Inher
ert to their occupation and which the
employer may use every effort to
svoi.l or guard against. This was the
principal objection the New York
court found to the New York com
pensation act. That court held that
the Legislature had the power to abol
ish the fellow-servant and contrlbu-:ory-neg!ience
doctrines and that ft
night abolish the doctrine of assump
tion of risks as a defense applied to
those risks for which the employer
was at fault. As far as the United
States Supreme Court went, the New
Tork court was In accord with It. But
tbe remaining feature, the one that
voided the New York law In the opin
ion of the state court, was not con
aidered by the United Statea Supreme
Court. It was not a part of the Fed
eral act under test before the United
States Supreme Court. Therefore,
there la as yet no absolutely final guide
on the one point In serious doubt In
framing workmen's compensatory
a.-te or Industrial Insurance. This
doubtful feature, found In -the New
Tork and Washington acts, does not
exist In Oregon's new employers lla
tlllty act. So far as It alters the common-law
liability of the employer, one
may. by measuring It with the Federal
act. bow upheld, assume tbat the Ore
gon law Is constitutional.
VJTLeOX AND. THE RY AX TOl ( II.
Democrats are busy wltn their
own little faction fights that they seem
to have no time for stirring up trou
ble among the Republicans. Here we
have Wilson branded as a cold-blooded
I narrate, Harmon branded as Wall
street's only love. Cuffev branded as a
tool of "the Interests." Ftryan branded
as a trouble-maker. Clark and Folk
in as open fight for the Missouri dele
gation. Wilson and Hearst struggling
for the California delegation. Demo
cratic harmony Is getting "all mussed
up."
The machine and the progressive
elements of the party are also becom
ing slightly mixed. Here is that
CaUant rtpx tsonuulve of Southern 1
chlvalry, Colonel Watterson. confess
ing that with the approval of Wil
son's manager he "touched" Thomas
F. Ryan for a contribution to the Wil
son campaign fund. And who is Ryan?
He was the head and front of the to
bacco trust, that trust which was de
nounced by the Supreme Court more
severely than the oil trust. He Is one
of the men whom Bryan has been
clamorously calling upon the President
to put In Jail. Bryan Is so enthusiastic
In Wilson's behalf that he h.is even
forgiven the writing of the Jollne let
ter, but -would he forgive the Rvan
"touch"?
Here we have, according to Watter
son. the man whom Bryan backs with
oratory and Commoner editorials seek
ing, through a friend, financial back
ing from one of the men whom Bryan
would put behind the bars. Would it
not appear that the same lnsfmct of
political self-preservation which
prompted Wilson to reject the editorial
support of Harvey would also prompt
him to reject the financial support
of Ryan? For Harvey's affiliation
with "the Interests" made his sup
port undesirable, and Is not Ryan
one of "the Interests? Or would the
Governor-professor prefer to hint to
Bryan that the Commoner's support
hampered his efforts to raise the
wind?
But there la a alight difference be
tween the two forma of backing edi
torial and financial. The essence of
editorial backing Is Its publicity. Ev
erybody knows about it- But a little
check or a roll of bills can be passed
from one person to another, and none
be the wiser. That is. provided the
Intermediary keeps silent. If only
Watterson had cot exploded with In
dignation at the Harvey-Wilson epi
sode, the Ryan "touch" might have
been made and Wilson might still
have been able to pose as the Invet
erate foe of "the Interests." But these
Southern gentlemen have such old-
fashioned Ideas of what is due to
friend and benefactor, and when they
blow up, they blow up.
GREAT 13 ALASKA I
Nature seems to have favored the
United States In its acquisition of
Alaska. Politicians have exploited it.
mercenaries have plucked It, and
theorist have tried to bottle It, but
steadily with the years Nature has un
folded Its wealth ami disclosed to an
astonished world Its gTand properties
nd possibilities. Now Its auriferous
sands have yielded up unguessed treas
ures; now its colonies of seals have
laden commerce with valuable pelts;
again its fisheries have given returns
In excess of all expectation, and yet
again, and more wonderful than all.
the possibilities of agriculture within
Its great expanses have been estab
lished, while its unmeasured timber
areas and undelved coal mines sug
gest a National opulence that In con
templation surpass the dreams of
avarice.
And now comes a report of a soften
ing of the Arctic Into the North Tem
perate Zone temperature along the
coast through the shifting of the
Japan Current Inshore, due to a con
vulsion of NatuTe whereby Islands
have been erupted In North Pacific
waters! A temperature as soft as that
of April la recorded at Juneau, with
little or no snow on the ground cli
matic conditions that have never be
fore, so far as the records show, pre
vailed In that far Northern city, to
account for which the theory of the
shifting Inshore of the Japan Current,
due to seismic disturbances of the
ocean-bed. has been advanced.
Whatever the cause, the effect noted
Is magical and If permanent will afreet
the entire peninsula. The great, bare
uplands of the Yukon River, carpeted
with wild Towers In greatest variety
and profusion In the short Summer,
an-1 piled high with snow in Winter,
will become productive grain fields,
pastures and garden tracts dotted with
homes and schools and churches.
Stock Industry and poultry raising will
become profitable and the dependence
of the citizens of Alaska upon more
Southern lands for means of subsis
tence during the long twilight of the
year will cease. Homesteadlng on the
great plateaus of the wonderful pen
insula will develop from a vague pos
sibility Into a certainty that will fur
nish an abiding place for thousands;
the clutch of conservation will loosen
hold upon the forests and coal
silence of the shadowy land known
In the geographies of the past genera
tion as "Russian-America' and
vaguely known at that an empire of
surpassing beauty and fertility and of
boundless resources will be evolved.
Nature holds the key to this vast
domain. Its surrender to the forces of
civilization and development has been
demanded, and slowly in her own gra
cious way. as is her wont In moving
In any direction, great Nature Is yield
ing to the sway of man.
WHAT AX 1WTTL &VOU!
As a result of careful nursing by
war chest beneficiaries of the Fels
fund quite a showing Is being made
In the press of the state as to the
growth of single tax discussion. How
It does spread! Some may have won
dered over the blossoming into literary
efforts of men whom nobody eve
heard of before and whose names do
not appear In the city directory. Some
may airo have noticed that occasional,
ly an upstate citizen suddenly acquires
a familiar style of letter-writing and
displays a ready fund of stock argu
ments In behalf of Mr. Fels single
tax doorway to "practical state so
cialism." These phenomena may now
be credited to the devious ways by
which the press agent succeeds In
"putting one over" on the newspaper
editor and thereby earna his pay.
For example there Is the case of
Mr. C. W. Barxee. Now we have given
full credit to Mr. Crldge. Mr. Eggle
ston and Mr. IT Ren. "great soldiers
of the common good." for facility In
getting next to the war chest raised
in Philadelphia, Chicago. Canada and
elsewhere, but have never Identified
Mr. Ranee as one of those permitted
to approach It when the lid was un
locked. Surely, Mr. Barxee is earning
a salary if Mr. Crldge. Mr. Eggleston
and Mr. ITRen are. In fact, Mr. Bar
see, in our opinion, is developing pro
nounced press agent traits. His dem
onstration of them has Just been
forcibly called to our attention.
Having observed In The Oregonian
a letter written by Mr. H. W. Fiedler,
of Corvallla. which he believed showed
a trend of thought toward single tax.
Mr. Barzee sized up Mr. Fiedler as
an honest farmer who was unpracticed
in the art of writing letters for the
newspapers. So Mr. Barxee wrote a
single tax argument which he thought
butter than. Mr. Fiedler could write
and sent It to Mr. Fiedler with the
following letter:
Portland. Jan. Ji-Mr. H. W. Fladlar.
Coralila Dur Sir: Pardon my apparent
notlirn In this letter and contents ralallve
to your latter In today's Ortfontan.
Tour lattor eontainad ao much common
Sanaa that It deoorvaa battar treatment by
his editorial comment notwithstanding It
was loosely written and did Dot definitely
cloae up all the possibilities for bis crit
icism. Wa have ventured a few sussastlons tbat
you may copy or consider la making reply
thereto which 1 believe. II you Insist on. he
will print.
I have merely takan Ma moat exaggerated
tlluatratlon and have written briefly.
Wa know the editor always has the last
word and for thla reason wa must cloae
up onr atatamaatt very closely when writ
ing for print.
Again asking your pardon. I am very truly
for civic rlgbleouaneaa. your friend.
C. W. BARZBK..
ag E. Oth at, Portland. Or.
p. s. Do not allow my name to be men
tioned In this relation. Should you use this,
rewrite It entirely. C W. B.
The matter la chiefly important In
disclosing the methods of a foreign
paid press bureau which is attempting
to guide and direct law-making by the
people In this state. The paid writers
of Joseph Fels. the McNamara sym
pathizer, are using every scheme to
make a big smoke where no lire exists.
Using fictitious names, they have had
animated discussions among them.
selves through willing or deceived
n.r,r.r one writer assumlnr the
role of almost-persuaded, the other
that of teacher. They now "write let-
tern for those who seem to" be nibbling -
at their bait. It may not fool the
nublio in Oregon, but It seems to fool
the Fels fund contributors.
But It may be there Is no need to
repine over that. Perhaps more of
Oregon's needy citizens can put a fist
Into the war chest. Let every man
who can write a letter be a "soldier
of the common good." Here's a chance
for the unemployed. Kind-hearted
Mr. Fels, who wouldn't harm any
body, unless he disagreed with him,
will pay for single tax letters that es
cape the editorial wastebaaket. As to
Mr. Barzee, If the assumption that he
has landed on the Fels payroll Is in
correct. The Oregonian will gladly
publish a disclaimer from him and as
sist otherwise In bringing his worthy
efforts to the attention of the
guardians of the war chest.
TRY ECONOHT IX nWTRIBVTIOsf.
Economy In production and distrib
ution has been carried to the highest
degree of efficiency In almost every
Industry In the United States except
farming, though the farm value of all
agricultural products Is 13. 000.000.000.
against $2,460,000,000 as the combined
factory value of steel, oil, lumber, su
gar and tobacco. It is estimated by B.
F. Yoakum that $2,000,000,000 could
be added to the farmers' price by go
ing more direct to the consumer by
means of good roads and the parcels
post.
With good roads radiating from
every city Into all parts of the country
and with the parcels post In full oper
ation on every rural route and rail
road, the rural carrier should be able
to load an auto truck with butter,
eggs, poultry, fruit, vegetables direct
ed by the farmer to the consumer In
the rlty without any such intermediary
as the express company or the com
mission man. The farmer would then
get more for his produce and the con
sumer would pay less and get It fresh.
Through the lack of combination
among consumers in their own Inter
est, they are taxed for hauling half a
load over bad roads Instead of a full
load over good roads: they are! taxed
to pay stock dividends from exorbitant
profits to express companies; they are
taxed to support a swarm of middle
men who ought to be farming or
working in co-operative stores owned
by the consumers.
The high cost of living is largely
due to the indolence of the farmer
and the consumer In not organizing
nJ combining for economic distribu
tion.
KANOER.4 AXD SETTLEIia.
All that The Oregoaiaa has ever
said in reference to the abuse of power
by the Forest Service la corroborated
by the speech of Senator Borah con
demnlng as farcical the administration
of the law providing for homesteads
on agricultural land In the National
forest. The selection In two years of
ranger headquarters doubling In num
ber the forest homesteads approved by
the Forest Service tells the whole
tory.
The ranger wishes to create for him
self a comfortable home within the
forest a good house, garden and
farm. The law allows him to do so by
selecting a desirable tract as ranger
headquarters. The house is built at
Government expense and he may Im
prove the farm at his leisure, being
subject to none of the requirements of
the homestead law. He has a "snap."
A settler happens to spy out a good
tract of agricultural land In a National
forest and files application for It with
the Supervisor. If he homesteads the
land he must make his borne on it and
put a certain area under cultivation
each year for five years. Would he
do this If the land were not agricul
tural? Common sense tells us he
would not. His farm may be in some
little cove In the bed of a forest can
yon, fifteen or twenty miles from an
other settler. His only neighbors are
the rangers, who have been taught to
suspect htm as one who might steal
some of their precious, carefully pre
served timber, or as one who wishes
to grab a quarter section of timber
land on the false pretense that It is
agricultural land.
If the land la really agricultural, the
ranger meditates that it would make
a good ranger station and casts covet
ous eyes on It. He prompts the super,
visor to require that the settler dem
onstrate for two years that the land
la agricultural before his application
will be granted. The settler is willing
to demonstrate this by living on and
cultivating the land, making It pro
duce a living for him and his family.
If he fall, he must abandon the claim
or go hungry, one would think that
sufficient demonstration to satisfy any
reasonable man. But he must im
prove the land for two years, sub
ject to the risk that at the end of
that time it may be declared non-agricultural
by the flat of the supervisor.
If after two years his application is
rejected, he can continue to occupy It
only as a yearly tenant of the super
visor, subject at any time to the risk
that the land may be selected as a
ranger station and all his Improve
ments appropriated by the ranger.
Naturally, when the ranger desires his
claim, the settler will be absolutely
unable to convince him or the super
visor that It Is agricultural land,
though the ranger may raise a good
crop Immediately after the settler Is
ejected.
No wonder our lumui are moving
to Canada, Our forest rangers and
special agents are driving them there
Just as surely as Russian persecution
Is driving the Jews to America,
' SPREAD OF DIRECT LEGISLATION.
Though Bryan remains .true to
Wood row Wilson as the apostle of pro
gressive Democracy, in spite of the
"cocked hat" letter, there la a differ
ence of opinion between them on one
of the principal political issues now
before tbe people. Wilson is preaching
direct legislation as a National issue,
but Bryan asserts that it Is only a
state Issue, stickling' for sharp distinc
tion between the functions of Federal
and state governments.
Direct legislation at present may be
only a state Issue, but If the. present
tendency to Its adoption In more and
more states should continue. It may
soon become a National Issue. Should
one state after another adopt the Ini
tiative and referendum until they are
In force In two-thirds of the states, a
demand "will Inevitably grow up for
their application to National affairs
and may result In their Incorporation
in the Federal Constitution. The
recall has gained favor far less rap
idly and meets determined opposi.
tion In the Eastern and South-
i ern states, particularly as applied to
Judges. It is hardly probable that two.
thirds, or evea half, of the atates will
1 adopt it, and, therefore, there Is less
i probability of Its being, applied to Na-
1 tlonal officers or becoming a jNauonaj
issue.
One of the first fruits of the Initia
tive In Oregon was the direct primary,
and It Is spreading even more rapidly
than direct legislation, for It has been
adopted In many states by legislative
enactment. The direct Presidential
primary is a natural extension of the
same system and at present remains
a purely state Issue, through the ac
tlon of the National committees In
making optional with the states
whether National delegates shall be
elected by this means or by conven
tlon. Its extension seems probable
until a majority of the states have
adopted It. When that time comes,
we may expect the National commit
tees to make It obligatory on all the
atates.
When such a movement as that for
direct legislation becomes general. It Is
Impossible to confine it to the Individ
ual states; It must Inevitably extend
to National affairs. Direct nomina
tlons and the Presidential primary are
more likely to remain subjects of pure
ly state action or action by the politi
cal parties, for the Federal Constitu
tion does not recognize parties and
Congress has been more chary than
the states of giving them direct recog.
nition In legislation.
The history of the growth of the
Portland Commercial Club Is a con
densed history of the growth of Port
land. From modest quarters In the
Chamber of Commerce building1 It
moved four years ago Into Its own
building, but Its quarters there have
already become too cramped and It
finds desirable another removal to
still larger rented quarters pending
the erection of an enlarged home of
its own. The Commercial Club has
energized the business life and public
spirit of the city and will continue to
grow with the city until It "will be the
sole occupant of Its own building and
that building will match any of the
splendid structures which, now grace
Portland.
"BUI" Hanley is right. Boom prices
for land will kill the boom In the set
tlement of Oregon. The Irrigator
should be given a chance to build his
house and harvest a crop before being
required to make a second payment on
his land. Cut down the price of land
to the capitalized value of a fair crop
and cut out extravagant profits to irri
gation promoters and we shall have
removed two serious obstacles to the
state's progress. ,
No doubt the high schools are fol
lowing lessons in breadmaklng by
teaching the girls to boil potatoes.
Many a girl can oook a dish with a
six-Jointed French name, but she
can't bail potatoes. Having learned to
make bread, boil potatoes and roast
meat, a girl knows enough to keep
her family from starvation or dys
pepsia while she Is learning the orna
mental frills of cookery.
Tacoma's Montamara Festo, follow
ing close upon Portland's Rose Festi
val and Seattle's Potlatch, will make
June a month of almost unbroken
gaiety In the Pacific Northwest. There
will be Just enough Interval between
the Seattle and Tacoma events to. en
able the pleasure-lovers to organize a
new appetite.
President Taft voices his honest
opinions about the recall, regardless
of whether he loses the votes of the
TXRenic organs. His courage and In
dependence must command the ad
miration even of those whom he thus
antagonizes.
The charge of 10 cents a box for
handling the Oregon apple crop, as
suggested In the proposed selling or
ganization. Is not much for each box,
but will assure lots of easy money at
the expense of the growers.
Oregon dairymen can do much
toward besting oleomargarine by In
creasing and Improving production.
People will not eat the imitation arti
cle If they can get better.
A German replica of Rider Haggard
has discovered what he terms the race
of the future In the wilds of Africa,
but he must be color blind.
The Vancouver weather man who
wants a word to cover the meaning of
day and night combined, might apply
to the farmhand, who worka that way.
There are thirty-four measures "al
retty yet" to be passed on by the
voters of Oregon, and the year Is
young. .
The man who uses a gun when his
wife has left him Is a bigger fool than
was the woman when she married.
Let us hope tbat the Yohe mar-
rlage, which began amid fire, will
have a peaceful progress.
Sharp advance In raw furs bodes 111
to the cat and rabbit, but the supply
of them Is Inexhaustible.
A "Montamara Fee to" at Tacoma
ought to whoop up things like a Mc
Namara busto.
Zapatista appears to be the Mexican
synonym, lor a trust.
sfH Or THEM" COSIES BACK
Be Contends Civil Service Cmployea '
Should Have Appeal.
VANCOUVER, Wash., Jan. 27. (To
the Editor.) The editorial comment on
my letter In relation to civil service, as
published today, is scarcely fair. The
point of my communication Is that un
der tbe amended rules an employe may
be discharged without trial or hearing
on the mere ssyso of anyone who hap
pens at tbe time to have authority over
him.
No question Is raised as to the fair
ness of either tbe method of admission
or the fact tbat inefficiency should be
Just causa for discharge. An employe
would be a poor specimen, indeed, that
would expect a lifetime cinch on a job
which he was Incapable of filling and
who did not render faithful service for
the pay given him. and with due re
spect to The Oregonian I protest against
belns placed In this class, if such a
class really exists.
There Is ample opportunity during (he
six months' probationary appointment
required of each new appointee to as
certain his fitness for the permanent
appointment, and this is evidently the
object of the probationary period. Hav
ing proven his fitness by a competitive
examination and practical trial, the em
ploye should at least be given the op
portunity of a trial before higher au
thority than the one making the
charges. Under the old law this was
done and there was no difficulty In get
ting rid of a really incompetent man.
The statement that such was practical
ly impossible Is not borne out by the
facts and records. Almost Invariably,
where the employe won out, he was able
to show not only his competency bot
that tbe charges, were really based on
personal dislike or prejudice.
It Is distinctly unfair and un-Ameri
can to deny a man the right of a fair
hearing or trial on any charges involv
ing bis name or reputation, and to deny
him these rights can neither be for the
good of the man or the service wnica
he represents.
I fully agree with The Oregonian that
It would be poor taste for an employs
to criticise his chief on matters or pol
icy, but this Is something more, and
places the power to fire in the bands of
men without the power to hire, ana
makes any subordinate afraid to offend
a superior In any matter, whether con
nected with his work or not. There
was more manliness and honesty pos
slble under the old spoils system than
will be possible from now on under the
so-called civil-service plan, and it will
not be much Inducement for good men
to enter the service when they realize
that they must give up constitutional
rights in order to hold a poor-salaried
Government Job.
Another point is the tremendous po
litical power which is possible under
the present arrangement. rossiDiy tnis
political power will not be exercised,
but the fact that it Is possible, and in
the light of past events, probable, con
stitutes a danger worth considering-.
ONE OF THEM.
Our point Is that the man responsible
for th'e work of a department should
have the power to decide upon the ef
flclency of the men through whom he
is to get the results expected of him.
He should be allowed to get rid of in
competents without trial by a higher
authority, which would take up much
of his time and undermine his author
ity. When appeal is allowed, the chief
Is tempted to remove Incompetents only
In aggravated cases, which he would be
sure to win. and is inclined to put up
with the far more numerous cases of
less Inefficiency rather than risk a re
versal. Tbe six months' probation does
not prove continued efficiency through
a long period of service, during which
a man may deteriorate seriously. This
is good ground for removal. There Is
no more reason why a subordinate in
the Government service should have the
right of appeal than In private bust
ness, where the employer, his manager
or foreman baa the right to "fire" with
out appeal. Of course, this light In a
Government official gives political
power, but It is better to repose this
power in a few chiefs of bureaus than
to make hundreds or tnousanas or. bud
ordlnates irremovable except after a
trial In each case. If the chief abuses
his power, we can fix the responsibil
ity, but he alone can pick out the in
competents among his many subordi
nates. There Is no reason wny tne
rules governing the civil service should
differ in this respect from those gov
erning private business.
Ware the Convention, Ladies!
PORTLAND, Jan. J8. (To the Edi
tor.) I gee by the papers that my old
friend and college chump, tne lion.
William (Pike) Davis, the duly elected,
acting and ardent chaperon, of the
Oregon Equal Suffering Club, a bevy of
gents, ready and eager to do battle
for woman suffrage in Oregon, In fur
therance of said cause, purposes to
hold in Portland, during July or
August next, "an old-style convention,
but not an assembly."
But what has "Pike" got "agin" an
assembly? Is It the absence of the
old-style good right hand Jolt, the old-
style grab at the throat and choke the
opposition out of era, the old-style
swing of a chair, the old-style crash
of the mix and the old-style pandemo
nium galore?
An "old-style convention forsooth,
and in July . or August, d'ye mind, and
in the presence of the gentle sex!
From the eruptions and phantas
magoria belching forth from Pike S
Peak," the good Lord deliver us!
As an "old styler" my advice to the
ladles, unsolicited, yet fervent. Is to
stay at home with papa. Hubby ap
parently hasn't much to say about lt
J. HENNESSY MURPHY.
Clew to Mystery Advanced.
PORTLAND. Jan. 27. (To the Edi
tor.) I see by The Oregonian today
that a man by the name of McMullen,
of Waterloo, Linn County, Or., has been
missing almost two years. In Decem
ber, 1910, In conversation with Mr. Wal
ker, an undertaker of Springfield, Or.,
he told me that a short time before, an
old man had driven Into Springfield
with a team and wagon, accompanied
by a young man. The old man became j
very 111 and aiea. lne young man ten
with the team and wagon and could not
be found. The old man was burled at
Springfield by Mr. Walker. Further
Information can be had by writing Mr.
Walker at Springfield. The cases being
somewhat similar, I thought perhaps
this information might prove of value.
A. It. MOREHOUSE.
644 Pettygrova Street.
Bale of Bonds.
PORTLAND. Jan. 25. (To the Editor.)
Please state the size block of bonds
purchased by the Shawmut Bank of
Boston, from tbe city of Portland, the
rate paid for them and the rate of in
terest to be paid on them. Was It the
largest single block of bonds ever sold
by the city? SUBSCRIBER.
August 29. 1910, $250,000, .9808; April
11, 111, $500,000. .9139.
It was not the largest issue. The
bonds bear 4 per cent Interest.
First Continental Congress.
ALBANY, Or.. Jan. 2. (To the Ed
itor.) In answer to R. L. Smith's state
ment concerning the Continental Con
gress, I will say that this Congress
was In session at .rnuaaeipma irom
September 6 until October 26, 1774.
Proof of my statement will be found
on page 225, paragraph c, of Donn's
History of the United States, the text
book used In the schools at the present
time. PHYLISS GOIN,
Student Albany, iUh School,
Half a Century Ago
From The Oragonlan of Jan. 2B. 1862.
The different regiments now in serv
' lit, m t f h . F!nt mAkA rearular remit
tances of $10,000, $15,000 and as high
as $20,000 per montn to tne ioiks at
home. The receipt of the money Is
usually acknowledged in the papers.
, This shows that the Government takes
care of-its troops. In the matter of
, clothing there are but few complaints,
and they are generally from regiments
not out of the recruiting camps. The
wool supplies and manufacturing ca
pacities of the North have not been
quite equal to the immense demand
made upon them by the war. The
greatest scarcity is in the matter of
. blankets. An Ohio paper recommends
to families to furnish carpetings as a
substitute in cases of great want.
The Count de Sagre. lineal descend
ant of Count Rochambeau, of Amer
ican Revolutionary fame, has tendered
his military services to the President,
and they have been accepted. The
same answer has been given to the
Baron de Schonen, descendant of La
fayette. They will soon be in .the
United States.
The steamer Cowlitz arrived "here
about 6 o'clock last evening from the
Cowlitz River, where she had been
blocked in during the late cold spell.
Captain Holman informs us that he
met the steamer Brother Jonathan day
before yesterday going down the river,
outward bound, having been Icebound
for the last two weeks three miles be
low St. Helena
From Olympla On the 8th Alonzo
W. Poe, a Union man, was elected pub
lic printer.
In the House. Mr. Grlswold Intro
duced a memorial to Congress, asking
that fortifications be erected at the
mouth of the Columbia River.
A debate took place on the bill to
repeal the charter of the Oregon Steam
Navigation Company which was in
definitely postponed. Bill to Incorporate
Washington Steam Navigation Com
pany ordered to be printed.
The Pioneer and Democrat says that
Major Goldsborough, who is associated
with Dr. O'Brien and Victor Smith In
the project of removing the custom
house to Cherberg, has gone East as
the agent of the speculators, with the
view of lobbying their plans through
Congress. Smith, ex-collector of cus
toms, was hung In effigy on the 11th
Inst, at Port Townsend for his connec
tion In the above transaction.
From Victoria The abolishment of
Imprisonment for debt Is being agi
tated In the Victoria papers.
On Sunday three letters were placed
In the Postofflce on which were old
postage stamps. Unless these letters
and some others, now In the Postof
flce. are taken out by the writers and
stamps of the new kind placed upon
them. It will become the duty of the
postmaster to send- them to the dead
letter office at Washington.
From Mr. Pennel, who arrived from
the Cascades yesterday afternoon, we
received the following news:
Mr. P. traveled the whole distance
from the Cascades to Sandy, 24 miles,
on the ice In the Columbia, and from
thence came by land to this place,
being 16 hours on the way.
He reports four and one-half feet of
snow at the Cascades, and a Mr. Levens
worth, who resides some four miles
west of that place, lost 76 head of cat
tle from starvation.
It will be remembered that a few
weeks since General McClellan con
ceived a plan and had It Just ready for
execution for capturing Munson's Hill
with the 8000 or 10,000 rebels on it,
but that his coup was defeated by the
betrayal of his plan to the enemy. The
traitor has been discovered In the per
son of one of the clerks in the War
Department and is now safely lodged
In Fort Lafayette.
Naturalisation Laws.
PORTLAND, Jan. 25. (To the Ed
itor.) My father emigrated into the
United States, and was duly made a
citizen of this country according to the
naturalization laws. I was born In
Germany, and at the time of emigration
had not reached my majority, and was
till a minor when my father became
a citizen of the United States. I wish
to know If I have the right of suffrage,
now that I am of age. without under
going any further processes of natural
ization.
Has the German department of war,
under the stated circumstances, any
valid claim whatever on my time or
services? I believe not.
HENRY C. SCHAPPERT.
1. The children of persons who have
been duly naturalized being under age
of 21 years at the time of naturalization
shall, if dwelling In the United States,
be considered as citizens thereof. U.
S. Naturalization Laws.
2. No.
Valne of Potters Clay.
WOODLAND, Wash., Jan. 25. (To
the Editor.) (1) If a person buys land
without any contract on time, and pays
a part, can the party who sells It fore
close without giving the money back?
Or what proceeding would he have to
go through? (2) Is potters' clay very
valuable. If so, where can I get def
inite information on the subject? '
WILLARD RAMESBOTHAM.
1. The man who 'sold the property
would have legal right to possession
unon failure of purchaser to pay and
could not be ' compelled to refund. In
the absence of contract to the contrary.
2. Potters' clay ranges in value
e.m n fam, ..nt, ton tn 110 to 1 1 2.
Mrt rinuhr thu chemlstrv or mineral de
partment at the state college at Pull-
ian, wasn., wouia analyze a sampia.
Suppose for Instance
Suppose you wanted to send a message to, say, 30,000
Portland homes. A form letter would cost you at least 4
cents eacri $ 1 200. You could take that $ 1 200 and use
one whole page, in The Oregonian, every day for eight
days.. Think of how much greater effect the newspaper
advertising would have over that of the letter.
Put it another way. Use the same amount of space
in The Oregonian that a letter occupies. Say 8'2 inches
wide by 1 1 inches deep. That space would cost you one
time only just $66. How does that compare with the
$1200?
The newspaper is the cheapest advertising medium on
earth. The Oregonian is the greatest advertising medium
in the Pacific Northwest. The Oregonian reaches more
Portland homes every day than any other Portland news
paper. The Oregonian has a larger circulation and carries
more advertising than any other Portland newspaper.
Make us prove it We will welcome your investigation.
DITTY UNSEASONABLE
By Dean Collins.
Twas in my childhood first I learned
That things aren't what they seem;
That something sinister must lie
'Neath all creation's scheme.
That we must guard our eplderms
'Gainst hat which crawls and creeps
and squirms
In everything that Nature frames, (
For Nature is clean full of germs.
I used to frolic carelessly
Where rippling streamlets flow.
But they are filled with billion germs
I've later cone to know;
One must beware of streamlets rare.
Of wood and field and sea and air.
For Science points it plain to us
That germs are swarming everywhere.
For years in antiseptic fear
Great care I exercised
To keep my daily course of life
Completely sterilized ;
I'd sleep, I'd wake, I'd breathe, I'd eat.
Burning with germicidal heat.
And ever strove to form a scheme
The germs to circumvent and cheat.
Nothing escapes the swarming things.
They camp within our food.
And find in drinking cups a place
To rear their teeming brood;
And now a scientist affirms.
In pond'rous fourteen-jointed terms.
That balmy Spring we love so well
Springs from a springing swarm of
germs.
Now, in the Spring, ah, foolish me,
I used to lope and run
About the .budding bills and dales.
And carol full of fun.
And never dreamed I opened wide
An avenue on every side.
Where Springtime germs could gain
a way
Into my system and abide.
Now that I've learned this, still I hold
I do not care a rush.
I'll sterilize my food and clothes.
My money and tooth brush;
But I assert, with all my might.
Though Spring have billion germs in
sight,
I'll seek no antiseptic guard
But let the little Spring germs bite.
Portland, January 28.
WAITERS' SIDE OF TIPPING TOLD
Gratuities Brine Average Monthly Wage
to About 70.
PORTLAND, Jan. 28. (To the Ed
itor.) Under date of January 17 there
appears In The Oregonian an article
entitled "Salesmen Unite In Anti-Tip
War," in which W. H. Lilly proposes to
organize a club to abolish tipping. He
says he has tested his plan, being
waited on three times at the same
table by the same waiter, without tip
ping him for his service. This state
ment reflects little to Mr. Lilly's credit,
but says much for the principle and
patience of the waiter whose duty It
was to wait on him. It is out of such
misguided spirit as Mr. Lilly shows
that he would have men hide the mark
which would distinguish them for the
smallness of their purpose and spirit.
I fea,r from the outset that the large,
ness of heart that posseses the aver
age man will sound the doom of Mr.
Lilly's noble aspirations. However,
while the subject of tipping occupies
the minds of Portland's business men.
It might not be out of place to present
the public with the writer's view of
the question.
The average tip received by most
waiters would amount to about 10 per
cent- This does not Include all sales,
however, and would average about $1.25
per day, which, together with the aver
age wage, wnlcn is arouna fii.av,
would bring his Income to about $70
per month surely not an excessive
amount to keep a home, feed, clothe
and properly educate a family.
No man is asked to tip his waiter.
If he chooses to do so It is his priv
ilege. The proprietors of Portland's
principal hotels, grills and restaurants
approve of the giving of gratuity, as
is shown by their own liberality in
that respect to their employes. It
takes years of experience to become a
competent waiter, the same as It does
to become thoroughly acquainted with
that special knowledge of how to do
the right thing at the right time.
Few, if any. waiters worry themselves
over whether their guest tips them or
not- On principle they suppose he will,
knowing that when a man just wants
to eat he knows where to find a
cafeteria. When he wishes to dine he
knows where the best is to be found
in our grills, cafes and restaurants. In
all probability the new club will not
survive long enough to amount to any
thing, because Portland's waiters know
the goodness of Portland's business
men, whose liberalities and gratuities
for special services are too well es
tablished to cause Portland's waiters
much concern. CONSTANT READER.
Jobs Beyond Reach.
PORTLAND, Jan. 28. (To the Ed
itor.) Permit me to call your attention
to the fact that only a very few of the
rich can enjoy the pleasures of a fine,
ocean-going yacht; the great majority
of the so-called rich are too poor for
such pastimes. As with the rich, so
with the poor. Only a comparatively
few can afford to take such Jobs as
offered by the municipal employment
agency. The great majority of the so
called poor are too rich for such pas
time. They may sign and wish and
hope, but the Jobs are beyond their
reach as surely as the fine yacht is for
the average rich. Men of extreme
poverty (Christ, for instance) rank as
high as men of extreme wealth. The
South Pole is as of great importance
as the North Pole, one without the
other cannot exist. I do not think it
fair to sneer at the majority.
G. A. PIETZOLD.
V