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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (March 20, 1912)
THE MORNING OREGONIAX, WEDNESDAY, 3IARCII 20. 1912. 10 roBTiAvo. outgo. KM.il at rwtUod. OrfB. PoMofTIr ruKarripuua Kt lnrlably la inT MA1LI r.i on r 4 -" t'ly. ttafidajr Included. hr ra.'titha. rt:y funl.iy ln-lula. rnonlh. . . l.iiy. l:hout KunJix. on tally, wit Hoot Sun.ly. thr- moath. . 1 li y. wuhoai SutW. oiw month J Wuk:. on yr Sunrtmy. om yr Sunday and W-k!y. " BT CAKRIEK.I tal.v. Otjnrtay tnrltirtH. n yar... loiiy. eunday Inciaded. ono monin. aoo .11 f at- .it KnA ioatnfN-o mftny or d.r. npr.M ord-r or prroon.l td'rlt on your la.-al bank. itampa, n or .1 ih. fnArr-m ri. BaiofTico addrna la lu.U including county and atal. -. n.ia-in to 14 naara. 1 ent: 10 2 . 1 cnt: .t to 4 p-. to ).!. 4 rfnta. or.,cn poataa. doub: rata. TJrrm BaalBro Iririrm V.rr. A Conn Ha Nw York. Hranawlca bulllin. t-HI cava. Htr building. a- ... OOlra N'.t 1 Krl'Dl alrorl. 8. VC.. Lanrton. MKTIAND. WE1AV. MARCH M. tOOPKTKLT's KW AI OLD tTUENTK. Four year ago Theodore Hoaf ve!t wis looked up to by all the men of prestige and Influence in hi rountrv as first among1 thetn. M. was first amoiiK statesmen, pa trlnta moral teacher. He had the uiuarniiiK support of almost every Republican newspaper of every shaile f onlnlon. and many Democratic newspapers gave him frequent com mendation. Every good cause turned to him for indorsement. The weight or public opinion behind him in every class of the community was so great that it was sufficient to enable him to break down opposition of the most powerful vested Interests to the meas ures he recommended. tt1 ho been content to ret on the laurels he had won. to stand by his pledge and not to seek a third term, he might have remained the most honored and influential private citi zen f the republic. His ambition for a third term has alienated from him statesmen, authors, editors, lawyers. Jurists, educators, until no nun of the first rank In any calling stands behind him. and hardly half a dozen news papers of Importance have Indorsed htm. This loss of Influence Is made the more evident by the character of his rresent supporters. The chnirman of his committee is S.-nator Dixon, of Montana, whose sole claim to distinc tion Is his Insurgency. Frank Knox, the vice-chairman, publishes a coun try newspaper in Michigan and Is a business associate of Governor Os b -m. whose renomlnntlon Is violently oppooed by a large proportion of his own party. Other members are: William L. Ward. Republican boss of Westchester Count. New York, and ex-member of the old guard, who has a personal grievance against Taft: Cecil Lyon, of Texas, the state which gives the largest Democratic majori ties in the country; Walter F. Brown, an Ohio machine politician whose an tagonism to Taft Is said to be due to prosecution of certain trust: Truman II. Newberry, of Detroit, a lame duck Congressman who served for a few months as Roosevelt's Secretary of the Navy.- Add to these Plnchot and Gar field, both men with a "grouch." and we have a list of the loading Roose velt boosters. The men of ability and patriotism, whose powers of mind and character have brought them to the front, are no longer found among the Roosevelt forces. Their place has been taken by a motley crew of third-rate politi cians and disgruntled officeset-ker. who hang to Roosevelt's coat tails in the hope that he will drag them into prominence and power. UrElt.1 AND IARMF.KH. "It makes me tired to read these 'back to the farm' articles appearing In the newspapers these days. They r written by men who know noth ing about farm conditions. It Is all very will to alt at a desk in a com fortable office in the city and tell the farmer what he ought to do; the doing of It Is quite a different matter. Why don't these writers try a little of their own medicine by going 'back to the farm themselves?" A landowner of more than ordinary intelligence was heard to speak as above a few days ago. The Ideas ex pressed are more than likely ground ed In more than one farmer's mind. It is part and parcel of the old theory that "book farming" la a mere fad and not practicable to follow. There is very little writing actually done in the plow or harvest field, no plowing or harvesting is done in com fortable city offices. Some of our best farmers write for the press; many writers plow and plant and reap. The "back to the farm" movement was started and is being urged on by such men and students of agriculture, and not by people who know nothing about farm conditions. To say that people Ignorant of what constitutes good conditions on the farm are re sponsible for the thousands of col umns yearly written about how to better these, conditions is far from the truth. Once In a great while one finds a practical farmer who uses his spare time with his pen. Universally these are among the foremost men in the "back to the farm" propaganda, ably seconded by writers who are students of farm topics. They are persons who more than likely received their early training on a farm. The man who made the remarks first quoted, and all who agree with him. would be sur prised to go through the editorial and reportorlal rooms of a great newspa per and find that the majority of those responsible for the daily copy were country born. It must have been many, many years ago surely before our grand fathers were born, perhaps genera tions before that when "book farm ing came into vogue practically as we use the term today. Of course in the early days there were no such teach ers as now. There were no great schools like our O. A. C, and thou sands of others resembling that. Rut generations and generations ago stu dents of farm conditions tried to bet ter those conditions and began to write about them, both in the press and In books. Many people followed the advice of these writers, became "bonk farmers." and for at least three or four genera tions it has been these "book farmers" and their advisers who have brought arriculture up from what it used to bo, a by-word and Jest, to Its present high and profitable condition. In doing this our rural land values have more than kept pace with the increase of urban values. These values will go on Increasing Just as rapidly as scien tific methods which make farm condi tions better prevail. One of the best Illustrations to con found and confuse those who sneer at the "back to the farm" movement and the "book farmer" is the ad vancement the apple growers of the Northwest have made In their pursuit. Science, applied science, has brought the prices of our apples up from al most nothing to an average of perhaps well over a dollar a bushel, with the demand and price still Increasing. Through our scientific methods we sre now able to produce, and do pro duce, the best apples grown In the world. It all came through "book horticulture." If the term may be changed to that. Much of this ema nated from, the "comfortable office In the city." written by the class of peo plj at whom the speaker mentioned sneered. The advancement made In all agri cultural pursuits, including animal In dustries, during the past are nothing to what will be done during the next decade. Very much of this will be the result - of the publicity given through the newspapers, through pa pers like The Oregonlan. that stand for better conditions In all walks of life, and advocate them intelligently and persistently. SAN FRANCISCO. California is a wonderful state, with a remarkable people. San Francisco Is California's metropolis, which Is fit ting, for San Francisco Is the most amazing city In the world. It is the same San Francisco that It has been for half a century, with a buoyant, optimistic, hearty, enterprising, hos pitable people; yet It is a different San Francisco from the San Francisco of six years ago In its greater sym metry, beauty, splendor. The visitor who returns today after ten years ab sence could not. unless he were told, know that the city had In the interim been completely devastated by wreck and fire. He would see only that there Is today a finer and greuter San Fran clsco, with a people alert, united, gen erous, prosperous and ambitious. The recent excursion of representa tive Oregon people to San Francisco was an event of great significance and value to both states. It was the first notable demonstration by any state of the extent and spirit of the general In terest In the great Panama-Pacific Ex positlon of 1915: and It greatly stim ulated the courage and enthusiasm of San Francisco in its magnificent proj ect. If Oregon's visit was good for San Francisco and California, it was even better for Oregon, for It Is clear now that the best at the exposition is to be given to Oregon. The excursion was a happy inspira tion with most beneficent consum mation. Both states feel better that their representative citizens have fra ternized on such terms of amity, good will and mutual appreciation. OKKCON lVOMTX ,t MM. PA.NK lit RJT. . There Is no relation whatever be tween the window-smashing outbreaks of the British suffragettes and the agitation for woman suffrage In Ore gon. The women who are promoting this reform do not Intend to break an) body's windows. Nothing of the kind ever has been done here or ever will be. Our local women are not to blame for the Indiscretions of their Rrltlsh sisters any more thnn our male voters are responsible lor th excesses of the atitl-homeruliTs In Ireland. The policy of the London suffrag ettes was not devised In- this state. Nobody here was consulted when window-smashing was fixed upon as a desirable expedient. Some Oregon women think it may forward the cause of suffrage in England. The great majority do not see how It can possi bly do so. Men are similarly divided in opinion. But because an Oregon male voter believes that Mrs. Pank hurst's pranks will advance the cause of the London suffragettes are we bound to conclude that he will pres ently arm himself with a cartload of bricks and descend upon the plate glass of the Portland department stores? If men are in no danger of doing such deeds, why should we sup pose that women are? British ami American politics are two totally different things. Methods which succeed brilliantly across the water would never accomplish any thing here. On the other hand our ways of managing politics would be useless In England. We may approve of the British course as an excellent thing In its own land, while at the same time we acknowledge Its futility here. In the same way we may find devices most helpful here which would be nothing better than a hindrance to Englishmen. There is nothing fair in any attempt to saddle the Oregon suffrage move ment with the discredit of the Pank hurst riots In London. The British women have one problem. The Ore gon women have another, and be tween the two there is no resemblance. Both want the right to vote, but how to get that right Is a question which must be settled one way here and an other way in Great Britain. If Amer ican women had ever shown the faint est disposition to resort to violence there might be some semblance of Justice In twitting them with Mrs. Pankhurst. THK RACE KOR AVAL PIPRKMACT. Relations between Britain and Ger many are so strained that , any allu sion by a statesman of one country to the affairs of the other immeditely sets up Irritation. Thus Mr. Church Ill's remarks about Germany In his speech on the British naval pro gramme seem to have undone much of the good accomplished by Lord Haldane on his pacific mission. His admission that Britain's building pro gramme will be guided by that of Ger many that she must augment con struction to meet that of her rival, and that she will reduce construction whenever Germany does so Is met by the inspired Cologne Gazette with the sharp rejoinder that each nation must decide for Itself w hat Increase to make in Its navy. Apparently financial exhaustion alone will end this Insane race for naval supremacy. Protest In Germany against the burden it imposes is ex pressed in the great Increase in the strength of the Socialists In the Reichstag and In the resignation of the Secretary of the Treasury. That ofl'uial refuses to become a party to the piling up of debt to make good an nual deficits, which, he sees, can only aggravate the evil It Is Intended to cure. jlnce It will increase the annual expenses by the amount of the added Interest without any added revenue. While Britain had not to face a defi- cit, she Is carrying a load of taxation to pay for her new Socialist device which makes her people groan under Its weight. The annual outgo for old age pensions far exceeds the estimate, and there Is no reason to expect any better result from the workmen's In surance scheme. There Is strong prob ability that, when the Irish home rule bill in Introduced. It will be found to provide for a substantial payment from the Imperial treasury to start the new Irish government on Its way. The fact must Inevitably be driven home to the minds of both nations that they cannot Indefinitely expand their expenditures for internal reform and for foreign war at the same time. After the Germans recover from their first Irritation at Mr. Churchill's words, they may recognize that the wisest course for them Is to grasp the olive branch held out by Lord Hal dane. settle all existing differences by the Inexpensive and bloodless methods of diplomacy and arrange a Joint pro gramme for commercial and colonial expansion which will not cramp their activities but which will avoid friction. WHKRE TAtT STANDS. The men who have been accusing President Taft of avoiding a Presiden tial preference primary through fear of an adverse result now have their answer. He favors such a primary, provided it Is surrounded by the safe guards of the law; but he opposes It as a mere voluntary act of the party managers. Unless the primaries are established by law with strict regula tions for their conduct, with officers sworn to observve those regulations and liable to punishment for fraud, they will have all the vices of the old ballot-box stuffing, fraud-soaked sys tem and none of the virtues of the new system. To such a system not only Mr. Taft. but all men who love fair play are opposed. If those who clamor for Presiden tial primaries In all states will call upon their Legislatures to establish them with proper safeguards for a true expression of the preference of the majority in each party, the Presi dent and all his supporters will Join in the call. It Is significant of the Insincerity of this clamor that It is raised in a year when many State Legislatures do not meet and at a time of the year when some of those which do meet have already adjourned. This fact Justifies the suspicion that the call for Presidential primaries 1s a demagogic afterthought, a mere bluff, the makers of which will be deeply disappointed now that the bluff is clled. Mr. Taft is willing to submit to a test of strength but he insists that the law shall provide for a fair test, not a bogus test the result of which may have been fixed or colored by an In vasion of voters from the opposite party. The reception with which Colo nel Roosevelt's candidacy has met gives Taft every reason for confidence as to the result of such a test. The Colonel's entry Into the field has added strength to the Taft Instead of to the Insurgent forces, as was fondly hoped. It has caused a stampede, but to Taft instead of to the Colonel. Un der such conditions the President has every reason to welcome an appeal direct to the voters of his party, pro vided that a direct Presidential pri mary law secures him the square deal of which his rival is such a voluble apostle. THE AGITATOR. Socialism is' a word of somewhat uncertain meaning. Even among those who profess to advocate it. there Is more or less difference of opinion as to what we should have if the "revo lution" were accomplished tomorrow. Some say the only change would be the abolishment of the wage system. Others would destroy every existing Institution. Between these extremes there are all shades of opinion. The socialism of Milwaukee Is a very dif ferent article from that of Oakland, Cal., and both types are unlike our Portland species. Milwaukee de rives its radical Ideas pretty extensive ly from Germany. The leaders of the socialist , movement in that city are mainly Immigrants from the Father land, or their children, and many of the followers hail from the same source. Hence in Milwaukee we may expect to see a type of socialism re sembling that which has become so powerful in Germany. This Is essen tially constructive In its nature and works toward a definite programme. It has passed the primitive stage where it contented Itself with fault finding. It has undertaken to think out and apply far-reaching remedies to the ills which afflict German so ciety. In fact German socialism resembles what we carl I "progressiveness" In the United States. Its efforts are ad dressed to the accomplishment of certain perfectly reasonable reforms. It differs strikingly from our Portland variety of soapbox socialism, which has no apparent purpose except to use bad language and stir up aimless pas sion. To be specific, the German so cialists advocate a sweeping reform of the electoral laws. These laws remain the same as they were forty years ago. The country has not been re- dlstricted since Bismarck's time. Meanwhile the cities have grown rapidly with the result that very often a dozen or twenty votes In such a place as Berlin count for no more than a single vote In a rural constitu ency. This Is a gross injustice and the German socialists are agitating for its correction. Contrast their work with the spirit of our local agitators who preach from their foaming soapboxes that no good has ever been accomplished by legislation and that there Is no hope for the betterment of conditions through politics. The German social ists act through the ballot alone. Their propaganda Is moderate and peaceable and the late election proved that It is successful to a remarkable degree. Our Portland agitators of the I. W. W. stamp turn away from poll tics and the ballot and place their hope In what they call "direct ac tion." This means strikes. Industrial war, dynamite and "sabotage." The last term comes from France and sig nifies the indiscriminate destruction of property. These are the means by which the local agitators say openly that they expect to bring about "the revolution." But when they are asked what changes they have In mind they can only answer -with vague fustian illuminated by profane oaths. They shriek for a "revolution" without knowing what they would revolu tionize or why they would do it. It may be instructive to notice an other Instance of the contrast between the socialism of Germ ay and that of the Portland I. W. W. The Germans are Intensely Interested in education, j Much of their effort is directed toward the control of the public schools and the general improvement of Instruc tion. There is a great deal of effort making In Portland and Oregon for the betterment of the schools, but the I. W. W. orators take no Interest in It. Do we ever hear one of them pleading for industrial education? Do they care a straw for the modernlza tlon of the curriculum of the city high schools? Do they know the ac tual condition of the public schools and the crying need there is for im provement? If they do know any thing about these subjects, they keep their knowledge most faithfully to themselves. Yet who Is more con cerned with the public schools than the great working class for whom the I. W. W. orators profess to speak? While these frenzied trouble-breeders rave on their soapboxes without any better purpose in mind than to stir up strife, the actual constructive work of reform Is being carried on in this city and throughout the country by other men. What have the Socialists contribut ed to the cause of commission gov ernment In Portland? What have they done toward the enforcement of pure-food laws? What have they had to say about a more healthful and beautiful city? Not a solitary word The soapbox orators who nightly pour forth their swelling flood of muddy eloquence on the streets are not Interested In these practical ques tions. They are mere hell-raisers They are theorists of the most vision ary and ineffective kind. There Is not a single practical reform which they can lay their fingers upon and de clare that they have favored it. Speak to an I. W. W. agitator about the tariff and he will reply that "the working class are not interested In the tariff." Similarly he will tell you that the working class are not inter ested In any taxes, or In the cost of living, or direct primaries, or commis. slon government, or higher wages What under heaven are they interest ed in. then? Nothing but the "revo lution." When you ask what the rev olution means the orator cannot tell Thus these agitators, spin round and round in a vicious circle of purposeless invective. They deal not in reason but in profanity and abuse. They want to tear down every institution of society without the slightest thought of replacing them by anything better. Who ever heard an I. W. W. orator make a suggestion for any definite improvement? Their only thought is to destroy. Their rage for destruction does not stop with institutions and property. They are Just as ruthless with reputations. No man in public life is spared by them. La Follette, Roosevelt, Taft. W'ilson. Bryan, are all d. ed with indelible villainy. Not one of these statesmen ever had a good purpose or an honest thought. Ad dresssed to reasonable people, this sort of oratory would not be danger ous, but it is not addressed to reason' able people. The men to whom the soapbox orator speaks are usually ignorant, often miserably poor and sometimes hungry. They feel vaguely that there Is something wrong with tne worm ana would gladly find a remedy for the ills of life. The I. W. W. agitator emphasizes the Ills, but has nothing to say about a remedy. In fact his doctrine is that there Is no remedy. Therefore let us pile up the whole structure of society In Indiscriminate wreck and ruin. The passions he excites in his hearers are dangerous, not so much to the privi leged class as to the cause of reform. The worst enemy to the man who would really make things better for the "under dog" Is the reckless soap box orator. The effect of the series of revolu tions In Mexico is reflected in the de crease of our exports to that country by about 20 per cent in the year 1911. though our exports to South America Increased 25 per cent In the last seven months of that year. Imports from Mexico also show a slight decrease. The Mexicans are so busy righting that their supply of money with which to buy our goods is running low. The decrease In Mexico's imports Is gen eral, having been 17 per cent from all other countries than the United States. How great an interest we have in the condition of that republic is evident from the fact that about 55 per cent of Its Imports come from, and about 77 per cent of its exports come to, this country. If Germany and England should mutually agree each to destroy two battleships a year their relative naval strength would remain unaltered while the taxpayers in both countries would be relieved of a burden which Is becoming unendurable. An Ideal condition would be attained when Germany had one ship and England two. The British could then still boast that their fleet was twice as big as their enemy's, but the farce would be comparatively inexpensive. The mill operatives of all New Eng. land profit by the vicarious sufferings of the Lawrence strikers. A bitter strike, which turns on the searchlight of public opinion, is the only means of bringing some of our tariff-bloated manufacturers to reason. North Idaho has the glory of the livestock show. Not every locality in the Pacific Northwest can raise a yearling that will bring $1.20 a pound. but all can produce beef that will taste Just as good. The view of the English woman suffrage Issue taken by Dr. Jessie Murray brings It to the old question of bread and butter. She threatens to use bombs to secure bread. In proposing a 30,000-ton battleship with eight 15-inch guns, the Navy Department says to Britain and Ger many: "I see you and go you one better." Deposits in Oregon banks total over J116.000.000 this Spring, for the bene fit of the farmer and the stockgrower who know their business. Florence and the country along the coastline of Lane would be carved into a new county. Cottage Grove can tell them how to do It. Considering the awful crimes of the Humphry's brothers, can Governor West be of the same opinion against capital punishment? Towns that close the picture shows on Sunday are in danger of sending their young people to amusement much worse. With every sawmill closed in Aber deen decent folk there will realize the lack of merit In I. W. W. agitation. CHURCH I'XITY IS HUE TO COMB Exact Forn I aoertala but Trend of Christian Thought la That Way. PORTLAND. March 18. (To the Ed itor.) Agreement of the Christian de nominations. Methodist, . Presbytertan and the Congregational virtually one In Christian faith should not be con sidered an impossible achievement Few, and very few, essential Items necessary to constitute Christian faith with range and verge for free opinion, now chartcterlze each of these Christian churches; and it Is believed they are willing for the sake of secur ing Christian unity to abandon any tradttional laws or usages, not involv ing essential truth, if thereby the heal ing of divisions may be promoted. The principal difficulty or dlfferenre of opinion, will be over the kind and form of unity considered practicable. This is likely to come from dignitaries hold ing positions in these ecclesiastical bodies. But against all imaginary objections the great body of Christian men and women composing these three churches, and others as well, hold a distinct will ingness to relinquish minor consider ations for the sake of a more perfect co-ordination of religious forces, in which sympathy shall banish antipathy and alienation. There can be no mistaking the fart, the divine spirit is moving the hearts of men In all parts of the world toward a closer working fellowship. A happy sense of spiritual unity spreads and deepens among the branches of Christ's family. The man must be dull of sight who does not see along the shore a gulf stream warming chilly seas, melting Icebergs and making frozen coasts bloom with Summer. This current, vital In its effect. Is an outflow from the heart of him who prayed that his children might he one. This tide of fra ternal feeling Is daily becoming more pronounced and will break the eccle siastical dikes somewhere and flow freely and far over fields which have long enough been shut up and guarded by misconception and- misunderstand ing. The final form results may take can not now be told, nor the rate at which events will move, for prejudice of the clerical sort is most stubborn. But results, actual, valuable and practi cable, are as sure as the rising of the sun in the eastern sky. C. E. CLINE, IS GOVERNOR WITH THE PEOPLE! Writer Declares Action on Morris Cane Will Reveal True Sympathy. PORTLAND. March 18. (To the Edi tor.) A recent news Item from San Francisco says Governor West scorn fully refused to don a "silk" hat on the occasion of the dedication of the. Ore gon site of the Pan-American-Pacific Exposition, and quotes him as saying that he represents the "common" peo ple of Oregon, and that he will never wear a "silk" hat. Some say th Governor only Intended this as "fodder" for his "cow county'' constituents, while others say 'tis but another "link" in his chain of demo cratic principles. These latter recall his reference to the "strawticks" that he slept on In his boyhood days, included In his interview some months ago. justly condemning same, then in use at Baby Home. Again they recall his re cent "soapbox" oration at Seventh and Washington streets, wherein he plead ed for his pet road measures, and again took the people into his confidence bv saying that he never had and never expected to have any money; that save for the monthly grocer's and butcher's bills he gave the rest away. No doubt he forgot all about his hop ranches. These and similar glimpses iriven us from time to time by the Governor into his life of "struggle, with poverty," some say, liken him to the immortal Lincoln. As to Lincoln, "the world will little note nor long remember" what he wore here, "but it can never foraret what he did here." Be It "Stetson" or "Gordon." silk or sombrero, let us go below its band to discover whether or not Its wearer be a real emulator of the beloved Lincoln. In a few days Governor West will be. called upon to pardon or parole W. Cooper Morris, an ex-banker convict of the "high-brow" class. Frinda of Morris, official and otherwise, have petitioned the Governor in his behalf. No one denies that ho Is guilty. The strongest argument they offer is the silly plea that the "others In the conspiracy" escaped conviction, hence he should be. turr.ed loose. Of course they talk of his broken health, for, like Morse. Ruef, et al., he cannot stand confinement. No "hiarh-brow" can; it was only intended for the poor devil. Hundreds of "common" fellows have died In penal institutions, but heaven forbid that a "hih-brow" ever should! The action Governor West takes in this matter will speak stronger than words whether or not he represents the common people of Oregon. Will he cast his lot with the railsplitter or the hair splitter? MART SLOAN. Mayor Blamed for tonditlona. PORTLAND, March 19. (To the Editor.) The Mayor of this city has proven that he is no more than an ir responsible weakling, wholly ineanable of taking the initiative in any ques tion that is of concern :to the public. By his extreme carelessness and in difference, he has allowed this organi zation of lawlessness, known as the I. W. W., to root itself in this city, to voice anarchist sentiments on the street, openly to defy the law and or der and peace of this city. His open refusal to come out and aid the citi zens of this city in getting rid of this element marks him as the one mistake n the last election. In all probabilities, in getting; rid of this body of lawless men, trouble ill follow, and I predict that that trouble will be serious. The citizens have tolerated the abuses of the I. W. W. long enough, and it is time that they act; for with the Mayor that we have, we can expect nothing. Whatever the trouble that may fol low, let the blame be where It belongs upon the Mayor. W. R. HAZZARD. Diveree and Remarriage. RAINIER, Or., March 17. (To the Editor.) 1. In case a divorce is secured by default and a second marriage oc curs before six months have elapsed will It be binding? 2. Where can I get definite informa tion on this subject. My attorney claims that the six months are not necessary In case of a default. OLD SUBSCRIBER. Lawyers do not seem to agree as to the legality of a marriage entered Into within six months after default di vorce Is granted one of the parties. It would be well for all divorced persons to curb love's yearnings for six months or until the Supreme Court passes di rectly on the question. Tin In United States. PORTLAND, March 1. (To the Edi tor.) Are there any tin mines In the United States, and where? A READER. Tin is not mined on a commercial scale anywhere in the United. States although deposits exist. The most prom ising of the latter is In Alaska. By Experience. DALLAS. Or.. March 12. (To the Ed itor.) Will you kindly tell me how to secure the best training in Journalism? A READER. CANDIDATES AND PROPOSED LAWS Laws, Bond Schemes, Indemnity, Pre vention of Vanry, Etc., Discussed. PORTLAND, March 19. (To the Edi tor.) Candidates for the Legislature are offering themselves in such large numbers that the phrase "shoo fly" is coming again Into vogue. Why should they not express themselves unequivo cally as to whether or not they are favorable to "a blue sky" law such as they have in Kansas, in which no stork, bond or other exploitation can offer its schemes to the people of that state until It has been licensed so to do? Under the operation of this law. out of 600 applicants only 22 were able to satisfy the commission of their honest character and were permitted to do business. Next comes the bad citizen who, un der pretense of brokerage commission or agency, collects as high as 200 per cent for small loans to poor people. This infamy exists all over the state. The sudden spasm to correct it here, after having prodigiously stirred a few philanthropists, seems to have sub sided, as a virtuous determination can not long stand pressure, just as Vesu vious only erupts occasionally. In the meantime the City Council could squelch it in this city by the vigorous enforcement of a seven-line ordinance provided it contained an imprison ment clause. A third desirable enactment should be the death and accident idemnity, now a law In the State of Washington. The unfortunate employe is entitled to every favorable consideration in compensa tion for his hurt, but it should be ad justed by a commission. At present the lawyer Is the largest factor in every accident, and he should be entirely eliminated as a useless and undesir able encumberment. The Washington law makes it so, and we need it. As the law exists here today it is a perilous proposition for anyone to hire a law yer for any purpose. The most friv olous cause is made, or can be made, the pretext for a suit for damage, and with cormorant lawyers in abundance to undertake any kind of a suit, even the farmer imperils his farm if the hired man is bitten by the old sow, because of his meddlesomeness with her new-born family. Every hurt .should be compensated for in fairness, but ex cept in cases of extraordinary disre gard of reasonable , precaution on the part of the employer, the state should assume the loss out of a fund collected as a tax, as now prevails in the State of Washington. I think we should hear from the candidates. C. P. CHURCH. BILL. EI.K SHIPMENT NOT FIRST Writer Telia of Capturing tiame as a Business. PORTLAND. Or.. March 15. (To the Editor.) In today's Oregonlan I read with interest an account of the tri umphant entry into Oregon of a car load of elk from St. Anthony. Idaho, also the statement that it was the only full grown wild bull elk ever shipped. Allow me to say that Vic G. Smith, of Montana, who is visiting with his brother-in-law, C. M. Camiibell, at '21?. Montgomery street, owned a large game ranch at Henry's Lake. Idaho, a few years ago, and Mr. Smith conceived the idea of capturing the elk full grown, and In the five years that he owned the game ranch he and his part ner, on snow shoes, caught 307 full grown elk and shipped them all over the country. Two carloads of large elk they shipped to Austin Corbin, the multimillionaire of New York, to his game preserve in New Hampshire. Two years afterward Mr. Corbin, with his coachman, entered the preserve grounds with a coach, and one of the large wild bulls that were shipped by Mr. Smith attempted to gore the nierh coach hoivse, which threw the team in a fright and away they ran, overturning the coach and killing both Mr. Corbin and the driver. I worked on Mr. Smith's game preserve for three wears and assisted him In catching the elk, also the sheep and moose. At that time elk cows brought $85 per head, while the bulls were worth only $50. Mr. Smith had as a partner a broncho rider named Dick Rock. On their ranch they had a dozen fullblood buffalo. One day Rock attempted to ride one of the large buffalo bulls named "Teddy" (after Mr. T. Roosevelt, who hunted buffalo with Mr. Smith in 1883 on the Cannon Ball River, in Dakota), and after ten minutes of stiff pitching, the buffalo succeeded in throwing Rock off his back and gored him to death. B. A. SIMMONS. Influence of the Comma. SALEM, Or., March 17. (To the Ed itor.) In a discussion as to the effect upon the meaning of different sentences by the insertion of commas, the follow ing sentence was given as an illustra tion, which resulted in our not being able to agree as to the meaning of the same: 1. Tou are right and I am wrong as you always are. 2. You are right and I am wrong, as you always are. The writer contends that the inser tion of the comma as written above signifies that the clause "as you always are" is out of its natural order, and therefore modifies the first clause in the sentence: "You are right," while as written in the first Instance there is j nothing to indicate that the clause has I been thrown out of its natural order. and should be assumed to modify the j clause which it follows: "1 am wrong." i Through the medium of your valuable paper, would you kindly set us right? T. C. D. & L. The sentence is bad with the comma and worse without It. However, the comma does not change its obvious manlng. The words "as you always are" cannot modily "I am wrong." The statement "you are right" is made. One cannot be right and "always wrong." too. Only one construction can be giv en the sentence and the use or omis sion of the comman does not alter it. Bnrbank and Spineless Cactus. PORTLAND, Or., March 17. (To the Editor.) There is undoubtedly a gen eral belief that Luther Burbank. of Santa Rosa, Cal., produced the spine less cactus. Occasionally he is accused by botanists of being an impostor, they claiming that Burbank did not produce the spineless cactus. On March 7, 1910, I visited Mr. Bur bank's experimental farms and spent an hour with him at his residence. Among other things he told me that he did not produce the spineless cactus. He added that he had produced a splculeless cactus. The difference is this: When the spineless cactus was pro duced the eyes left where the thorns had been were covered with needle like spicules. vhich were injurious to cattle. Burbank prefected the plant already produced by removing the spicules. Furthermore he said that it was quite natural that cattle would not care for cacti when more tender food might be had; spiculeless cacti was Intended for the arid regions where delicate fodder would not grow. A recent telegram credits Burbank with a suit to regain the "spineless cacti" now at large In Australia. Such statements as these cause scientific botanists to distrust Burbank. JOSEPH PATTERSON. Ramea Illegal. BANKS. Or., March 17. (To the Ed itor.) Please inform me whether one has a right to raffle oft his property or not whether there is any law against that. A READER. Lotteries are strictly prohibited by law. A raffle is a form of lottery. Half a Century Ago From The Oregonian of March 20, 1S62. The grand Jury of the county of Multnomah did, on the 17th day of March,, visit and examine the state Denitentiary and did find the peniten tiary very much out of repair. We are of the opinion that the prison is very insecure; that the manner and system of working convicts outside the prison and prison yard is highly detrimental to tile public interest: that it greatly increases the opportunity of escape. . . . We would call your attention to tiie fact that the recent escapes have been effected without any proper exertion on tiie part of tiie U-ssees to retake the prisoners so escaping- We would- also recommend that the prison ers be required to wash their clothes and their bedclothes at least once a week, and that their blankets be washed at least once in three months. H. W. COKBETT, Foreman of the Grand Jury. Democratic Register This Is the name of a new paper started in Eugene City by A. Noltner, formerly of the Corvallis Union. Its politics are the same as the latter paper. A gentleman just from Salmon River reports that about 2500 persons Win tered in the mines. All the provisions bad been hrono-ht nn with the excep tion of a very little flour that is still in the hands of traders. Several par ties have lately left Walla Walla with pack trains, bound for Salmon. Pro visions bring $1.50 per pound at the mines and at this rate they can afford to pack through, even although they lose animals valued at $50 a head. At last accounts there was great scarcity of provisions at Lewiston. Some articles were entirely exhausted. and unless supplies were received at an early date, great suffering was ap prehended. Ry this time, we douht not, pack trains have gone through from Walla Walla and relieved the more pressing wants. Good gold mines have been discov ered on the lines of Lieutenant Mul lan's road, 80 miles above his Winter camp. The mines are in Deer Lodge Valley and the opinion Is that they will pay well. Mrs. Forbes was honored with a well filled house last night, the occasion of her benefit. Her histrionic powers were brought out in all their brilliancy and elegance In the artistic and nat ural manner with which she presented Hamlet. The pile-driver is busily engaged in driving piles near the Portland Gas Light Company's wharf, for an addi tional wharf, so that there will he room enough for ships to load and un load near their works. We also learn that Messrs. Johnson and Perkins in tend to build a large wharf on their property in the northern part of the city. A band of 84 pack horses and mules passed through town yesterday, des tined for the mines. A dispatch from Augusta says that news from Savannah confirms the re port of the capture of Cedar Key. The Unionists burnt the town, wharves and five schooners in the port; also 50 bales of cotton and 156 barrels of turpentine. The enemy have left the place. Country Town Sayings by Ed Howe No liar believes his lies. Why should he tell them'.' Don't play another man's game when you are expected to be It. A man who has worked his way up from office boy to the head of a bis concern, is a real Work of Art: a greater genius than the author of a noted book. Such a man nas met and mastered more serious situations than he has hairs in his head. A woman wore mourning only two weeks, and some of the neighbors pro tested. "Well," she said, "I didn't have as much to mourn about as some; Bill wasn't much." Before a thief gets around to the "biff haul" that will make him rich, he lands in jail and loses his chance. The man who is a "problem'' should work for himself. Were bill collectors not restrained by a rule that they must not "talk back," they could say meaner things than any other class of people. In doing nothing, you take up the time of busy people. Every man occasionally thinits he has made a discovery as important as that of Columbus. THE REWARD OF VIRTl'E. BY DEAN COLLINS. My friend was buried deep in gloom. He kicked the cat upon the shelf. And went into a bar and drank Some lemonade, to spite himself. I asked. "Why all this aggravation?" Because of voting registration." Have you not registered?" I asked "Uh. grouch no more, but haste away. And put your name upon the books, Before their final closing day." "Not for myself I worry so; I registered three weeks ago." "What boots it then? Your vote la cinched. Put by your spasm of vexation. And let him worry who has failed To do the stunt of registration." "Those." said he with an angry roar. "Are just the kind that make me sore." "Election day will come apace. And I will to the polling go. To mark the names of sundry friends, And others whom I do not know; Then all my sport is done, you see. Election holds no more for me. "But all day long, my office door. Yea, though 1 keep It locked and shaded. Will thunder 'ncath my neighbors' knocks: Mv working hours will be invaded By hundred friends who never took The time to sign up in the book. "And I, who signed in ample time. Must rise tip. with sardonic grin, And go forth to some notary And help to swear the whole bunch In." A hitter face the poor man made: "Thus is man's righteousness repaid." Home for Ex-Presldeots. ABERDEEN, Wash.. March 14. (To the Editor.) A recent publication re ferring to the appropriation of $2,000 -000 by Congress for a Lincoln memorial says: "Owing to the melancholy paucity of original ideas, some conven tional expedient will probably be re sorted to." Two million dollars is a large sum. How would it do erect at a cost of half the amount "a house of refuge for ex Presidents afflicted with the third term mania," using the other half for a maintenance fund? It might take many cycles of eigh! year terms to fill the edifice, but a place would thus be provided to shel ter an estimable gentleman of seeking proclivities, whose personal and po litical star will soon have dropped be low the horizon. The idea being whrlly original, it is suggested In the fear of possible adoption. FORMER ADMIRER OF T. It.