THE MOKMNR . OREGONIAN, FRIDAY. MARCH 22, 1912.
t (Drojtftttntt
fOKTLANO. OKEOJ.
Knl-rd u r-ortlod. Orrgon. Poslvfllce a
Mrnd-r!au Matter.
atw.rtption Hi lnvrtbly In Adsnc.
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mi CARRIKH.I
1 'r. Hun.o lniul. ooo yoar .
lvi:;. Mindajr Included, oa moa-.fc
jllaw to Ketnlt Sti-I Pnwdw money or
: eiprroa or.J--r or pronal chw on your
tuna. S:mi. coin or currency ar
al the rnJ'i'i riek. T -tf.rf.c addrraa
fu.l. inriudmc county aud atata.
Ifoeeac lo lo l r--. 1 cent: 1
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f to . aaeiea. e rrnia. 4'oieian pualaa.
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Kaeeara Boei.i Irttlrf. VVrre C?
Ih .New York. Ilrunieke bUlltllnC Cnl-
IH4, Clearer buiidma.
Itnam utrm No. 1 K'l'nl aireet. 8.
tKTLAM. IMIItV, tAK.1t Tt.
TDK lTHOIY.
' Th attentive reader of MHraulay's
bi-tlliavni .- on Frederick the ro.t
Will kw struck lv the following
liwaci':
'u lntrfrJ a lib I he r on roe of Juallro
a well ae etlh tha ci'Mi "f trarle. and pet
Vp ht own erode aOue of l' aaainet
tn ma aa rapoandrd hr lt unanimoua
re of Iho grmveel maalatratoa. It never
e j re, lo bin thai men a hooe lle aera
yaaaed In adjudlratle iimuom 'f nvll
rarht mere am lleef, I o form refro-l
aa nlona on awt h oueettone than a prince
ki-off attenlioa aaa divided aravnc a ihou
4 id iihjfla ard a ti had naer read a
la hooh Ihrou.b. Tha realetanre nppnaed
14 him Ihe Irihuna: nf.ate.l him lo
fa-. Me reHed hie l'hancelhr. He kit-Wed
I 1' ahina of h a Ju-!ea II" did not. It w
Ue. tnleed lo act anjuelly. lie firml
ieved thai ha aaa dinc rusbt and de
fe dina Ihe raaae of lha pr aaauvet tha
eilh. Wa could niak ahlfl to ll un
ccr a drhaurhee rr a tvraut. bill lo ho
r fd hy a huethotfy la more lan buman
ra'ure ran bear
i Thrra in no novrlly HlMiut thf Jurtl-cl-il
recall. It h been uoftl. umlrr
ra form or ani'lhi-r. by r! hnsy-
hodics ariil trannoua ma jritir
Ibrouch all Iho as. Why all the
jd-ayent txcltoini'nt about lt exact
ra)rthfrlT
j The butjb.vrlv on the throne has al
da inatlr trouble for hi" ubje-t and
flnullr for himself: the (roup of buy
lrllr In the aireetn would do no bet
ttr and probably would do worse. If
tficy hdd aiittH-ratli- power over Judge.
Twople or Kvernmeiit. It was always
ro: it will alwayx be po. The remedy
1 to K't rid of the hu btdie!. where
it in porvMble: and ! heed them not.
Tfhere it Is not ios.vihle.
! BfcATIMi THK TOM-TOM.
; The rpeerh folonel llonvelt doli--rrcd
at ramrole Hall Wednesday niitht
rourt have been prepared with the Idea
of ptraj nr the ultra-radlrnl voter
without alarming the Intensely oon
nrvatlve citizen. Klther may ilnd the
mental food therein that he lovea bent.
Kor the one there la bombast a-plenty.
Hor the other there) are cheek and
luUnrc. qiialith atlon and well-tied
firing. Both phuaes are applied to
Ills people' rule, protrramme. Colonel
ltooevelt attitude la ro contradictory
that It ouitht to arouse aerlotia iie
tlon ae to the elncerlty of his Inten
tton.a. He ha prepared a programme
in which he can placa hi own con
struction in the future, n he lia done
nn utterances In the-pu.t. rennrdlet
the Interpretation the public at
large may have riven It.
i Stripped of it itialifyinir phraaea,
the Hooaevelt plutform declare for the
tixerthrow of the prevent form of gov.
trntnent. Olrect lec-ielatlon. the ref
lifndum. recall of Juiltre and recall
if drxUions broadly applletl lead to
tint one end. the conducting of all
lrcMatinn and the Interpretation of
nil laws by majority vote of the po
!'c. It lack but one element aa a.
jfropoeal to abandon a republican form
.' government for a form more demo
iratic than has ever been considered
ijr devised by an enlightened people,
"lie omt.-wion Is the power by the peo
lile to say whether the laws they make
an d Interpret shall be enforced. And
Mhy not rrant this power? Why not
rrcall the authority of the Sheriff to
t-r force a law In a particular Instance.
If we are to have the power to recall
n inhibition of the Constitution with
out amending; the fundamental lawT
Colonel Jtoosevelt condemn Presl-il-nt
Taft's position that stability of
ifivrrnment depend upon reasonable
rtetrlctions on the power of the peo
lele and on checks against lll-consld-r-d
voicing of public clamor In gov
tnmental policies. He says:
t beliere In the rlffht of the people to
r - .1 be:iee that Ihe major. lr of the
rtiiin poopia of tha t'nlted states arm. day
It and dav out. make fearer mlatakre In ' -'r'l'I
Ihemelvea than inv entailer clan
f aodv of men. no mattrr ahal their train
!.. aill make In mm lo itovern Ihem.
I If Colonel Roosevelt would announce
newly acquired doctrines and halt
uh his sweeping profeeslon of faith
J I the ability of the people to decide
l things rightly at all times, he could
1 welcomed whole-heartedly to the
ranks of thoe "progressive" who aee
ta ogress only In a policy that Is revo
ldtionary. But he doe not halt. He
vfould build safeguards around the
Irect primary: he would hobble direct
-LHatlon; he would tie a string; to the
Jariiclal recall.
f Tho people whom he lauds a so free
from mliftakes must not be trusted to
a nose their candidates by popular
vpte unlesa protected from politicians
tpl corporation by a stringent corrupt
pj-actices act. The hontwt and Infallible
ptibllc. we presume, might sell out un
! pc"'tlcians. corporations and the
if opte themselves were restrained by
frar of fine or Imprisonment. Nor
taust all laws be adopted by vote of
trie people. "It would mean loss of de
Iroeration. of patient consideration."
)A declares.
The recall, too. would not be adopt
er) In all state and all communities If
tie Colonel had his way. That power
li to be given the people In the event
peclal Interest has found corrupt
sanctuary" ,n ,n courts. The recall
lfc the Colonel's mind, seemingly. I a
ajood thing when it application could
not possibly do aught but remove cor
rupt Judges. I'nder other conditions
i( is Ill-advised. But why wait until
the courts are hopelessly corrupt be
fore adopting the recall? IVes the
Colonel fear that a misguided, venge
ful or politically ambitious majority
might Invoke It again t a Just Judge?
What of the Colonel's abounding faith
In the people? Can he not trust them
to prepare for an emergency? Must
the burglar be within the house be
fore the owner provides a protecting
gun? Ies the Colonel fear that po.
Ffvlon of a temporary and possibly
ajver-uselrna weapon will caue the
public to run amuck? This Is Indeed
4 .tremendous faith In the people.
Colonel Kooseveit has acquired a
faculty of presenting the most com
monplace views with loud and boister
ous unction. He menaces with a tre
mendous bludgeon and belabors with a
slapstick. H shouts for everybody to
go swimming and then fences oft the
river. He finds Joy In building a big
tire and Immediately quenching It. This
may be good politics, but we doubt It.
Beating the tom-tom may excite the
savage breast in Africa, but Its Im po
tency In this country h as been demon
strated by one William Jennings
Bryan.
A "tMKTOtl" AM) HI TKTLM.
tine A. A. Anderson was for many
months a willing and unsuspecting pa
tient of a so-called medical "Institute."
conducted at Seattle and at other
places, by a W. Tuttle A key. When
Anderson arrived at Seattle last Octo
ber he had 1900: the other day he
found that Ms small fortune was down
to a very small sum. It had been
gradually absorbed by the greedy and
heartless -wolves who ran the "Insti
tute." Taking his little remaining
money. Anderson bought a pistol,
called at the "Institute" and shot to
death Its nominal head. Dr. Akey. and
his assistant. His motive undoubtedly
was to get even. Finding; that he had
paid his money to these mercenary
healers, without benefit, and that ha
had come to the end of his physical
and financial resources, through their
deliberate deception as to their ability
and desire to cure, he planned and exe.
cuted a terrible revenge.
Anderson Is a type and Akey Is an
other type. The one La an Ignorant
fellow w ho finds himself afflicted with
disease and for some reason prefers
not to give his confidence to a reputa
ble phjsician. who will offer no prom
tie of benefit, unless he la Justified.
The other Is a more or less well
trained "doctor" who specializes, or
pretend to specialize. In private dis
eases, preys upon the shame and fears
of his victim, treats him sometimes
with satisfactory results, but often not,
keep hlni on the anxious seat until his
money Is gone and turns him away
-when he can pay no more. The medi
cal "institute" Is usually the method
of the quack: It Is not often In the
hand of a skilled doctor. Commonly
the directing spirit Is some person w ho
could not get a doctor's license.
The only safe way for the man or
woman w ho- needs a doctor's care I
to keep away from such an "institute"
and go to a hospital or sanitarium, or
to a regular physician. Tha young boy
who has been indiscreet and suffered
through his contact with vice or Im
morality, or sexual excess. Is lost if he
gets in the clutches of any Dr. Akey.
But there would be few A keys If there
were no frightened and shamed youths
or Ignorant men.
TVKNIMJ THK OTHKIt t'lltKK.
Acting Mayor Baker's turn-the-other-cheek
policy of suppressing tho
anarchist who Insult the flag and defy
the laws is not likely to xive'the public
a better opinion of the municipal ad
ministration of "w hich he la the tem
porary head. The gloved hand and
the soft word and the gentle rebuke
are not suitable weapons for the sup
pression of violence of speech or law -lessnes
of deed.
Tho trouble is that the Rushlight
administration want to get around
the difficult business of doing
Its plain duty by the law-abiding
and law-loving public. It shift, turns,
twists, sidesteps, argues, explains and
moralize when Its clear course Is to
act.
HOW TO UORK THE rOHMIUdlON PLAN.
The essence of the commission form
of city government is direct and undi
vided responsibility placed upon a
small number of elected officers, to
whom should be entrusted the ap
pointment of all their subordinates.
Given this power, they should be left
free to exercise It and held seVlctly ac
countable for Its proper use. If they
should misuse it. we have In Oregon
all. the mean necessary to call them
to account and get rid of them.
To continue election of other officera
besides the Commissioners would be
simply to provide tho Commissioners
with a means of evading responsibility
by placing blame on others. Talk
about their building up a machine is
beside the mark. Tho purpose of al
lowing the Commissioners to select
their subordinates Is that they may
build up an efficient machine for do
ing the city's work. If Instead they
should build up a political machine
for their own continuance In office, the
people can recall them.
In suggesting the recall we do not
intend to be understood as recom
mending such frequent resort to It as
Seattle and Tacoma have had. It
should be Impossible to Invoke the re
call without the signatures of a large
proportion of the voters. Instead of
having recall petitions peddled around
town by hired men, we should place
them in public offices, where the vot
ers should be required to go in order
to sign them. A voter's signature
would then be a deliberate, voluntary
act. similar to that of registering, for
which he must go to the Courthouse,
or of voting, for which he must go to
the polling place. The signing of a
recall petition, or of an initiativo or
referendum petition, for that matter.
Is as important an act aa Voting at a
primary election. The voter should
no more be allowed to sign such a pe
tition In a haphazard manner when a
hired circulator thrusts it into his
hand on the street than he should be
allowed to mark a primary ballot in
the same way.
With the restriction suggested, we
should have a recall election only
when there was really serious discon
tent with an official. Haying such a
power In reserve to get rid of an in
competent or dishonest official, the
people need not hesitate to intrust full
power to City Commissioners. It
would be "up to them" to "make
good."
HARD WORK AND ECONOMY.
Some 100 farmers, fruitgrowers and
business men met at Vancouver,
Wash., a day or two ago to consider
was and means toward making the
Clark County Fair this Fall a greater
success than ever before. They "Will
have to "go some" to do this, for these
fairs have been of late years among;
the best in either our own or our sis
ter state to the north.
At the meeting mentioned. Mr. Ross,
of Proebstel. told of his success on
twenty acres of the splendid Clark
County land. For twenty-seven years
Mr. Ross was a railway conductor, and
as such he more than likely received
th.! regulation salary of a conductor,
which of late years ha been from $140
to USD per month. But with a large
family to care for he could not get
much ahead, not enough to allow him
to sleep well nights when ho thought
of tho condition he would leave his
family in If death called him.
So he bought twenty acres of land
near Proebstel. in Clark County, and
went to farming.. and now, five years
later, he Is worth fully $4000 and Is
making a good living, besides bringing
up his family in a way conducive to
health and prosperity. Moreover, his
land Is rapidly Increasing In value.
Every man who tries farming does
not do so well as Mr. Ross has done:
others do far better. But his success
points the way for many who have
struggled along working on' a salary
with large family responsibilities and
can see no light in the future not
alone many who are drawing far less
per month In salary than Mr. Ross
was, but many who are getting much
more. Hundreds and thousands of
such might with profit emulate the
Ross example some of them might
fail.
But those who failed would more
than likely do so through one of two
causes extravagance or Idleness. No
doubt Mr. Ross and his family for a
time after moving onto their land had
to be very economical, had to live
"close to the shelf," had to put up with
some discomforts and many Incon
veniences. But every year, every
month, every' week and perhaps every
day they could see that they were get
ting ahead and could picture a bright
future. While he was (working for a
salary he could see no such light
ahead.
The Ross le.-jon does not, however,
mean that we should all throw up our
positions and take to the country.
Many of us are not fitted for such a
life, many of us do not care to pros
per or take the chances of failure
through farming. It Is well that this
1 true. The conductor Is Just as nec
essary to society aa the fanner. Busi
ness must be carried on in town and
city and on the great highway. We
must have bankers, merchants and
mechanics, clerks, newspaper workers
and day laborers, our great business
machine must not be left unmanned.
But the argument Is that to the man
In the condition Mr. Ross was In there
la no saner avenue of escape than the
one he has traveled ao successfully. It
is open to any man who U willing to
"get In and dig."
Perhaps If Mr. Ross would go into
details he could tell ua that he worked
for the first few years, perhaps is work
ing now. more than double the hours
and a great deal harder than he ever
worked for tho railway company. If
he would give an Itemized statement of
his expenses, we would find mighty lit
tle of his money had gone for liquors,
cigars, theaters, bonbons and like
non-essentials. If he gave an account
of his working days we would find that
he took very few holidays.
Do you want a homo on the land for
yourself and family? If so and you
are willing to work mighty hard and
exercise the strictest economy for a
few years, you can make such a home
and become independent. But remem
ber you never can hope for success
unless you work harder, work longer
hours and spend less money than you
ever did before In your life.
COMMERCIAL I.EVITATiON.
A Frenchman named Emile Bavhe-
let, resident in the United States for
twenty-eight years and therefore al
most an American, haa Invented an ap
paratus for applying the principle of
levitAtlon to practical use.' He does
not obtain his effects by the help of
spirits, aa so many of our famous me
diums do, nor has he Invented any
such chemical substance as Mr. H. G.
Wells describes In his account of a
Journey to the moon. Mr. Wells" hero
obtained a compound after long re
search which prevented gravity from
acting on anything situated above it.
Fashioned into a large thin disc, it de
stroyed the -weight of the vehicle in
which the travelers to the moon had
ensconced themselves and they were
thus enabled to leave the earth with
out any trouble.
Frank Stockton, the lamented story,
teller, also applied the principle of
levltation to excellent advantage. One
of his characters made the happy dis
covery of a magic drug which could
be secured in a bottle and carried
about In a knapsack on the back. It
had the remarkable property of neu
tralizing gravity so that the person
wearing the knapsack could leap a
hundred feet without much efforttand
go skipping over hills and houses' far
more easily than If he had possessed
wings. Unfortunately, the father of
the girl with whom the inventor was
in love took it into his head that he
was crazy and forbade him to pursue
his courtship. The only way for him
to re-establish his reputation for san
ity was to destroy the "negative grav
ity" compound, and consequently the
Invaluable secret of Its composition
was lost to the world.
According to some zealous theorists
the ancient Egyptians understood the
principle of negative gravity. If we
are to believe these enthusiastic ad
mirers of antiquity, the servants of the
Pharaohs could destroy the weight of
a -block of granite by means of some
chemical which they applied to Its un
der surface so that it could be han
dled easily. After it had been sub
jected to this process a stone normally
weighing many ton could be lifted
into place by two or three workmen
without straining themselves. It was
with the aid of this beautiful inven
tion that the pyramids were construct
ed and the Sphinx moved into its pres
ent situation. The secret of the pro
cess has most regrettably been lost in
the course of the tumultuous ages. If
we possessed It now the construction
of steel frame skyscrapers could be re
duced to a fraction of what It actually
Is. The ancient Inhabitants of Baal
bec probably enjoyed the knowledge of
thl marvelous secret and were enabled
by its assistance to raise those enor
mous monoliths to the summit of the
lofty columns, where they still repose
In defiance of time and tempest.
It Is more than suspected by the
learned that the ancient Egyptians
employed the agency of demons in ac
complishing the levltation of blocks of
granite. The demons are not sup
posed to have lifted the stones with
their superhuman hands, but they Im
parted the recipe for composing the
chemical which was used. Mr. Emile
Bachelet, as we have said, doe not re
quire the assistance of occult beings in
order to levitate objects. He does it
by means of magnetism. Persons who
are familiar with the experiments car
ried out in physical laboratories will
recall a very pretty one which is done
with a fear of Iron.-a huge solenoid and
a strong electrical current. The bar is
placed lnsldethe solenoid and when
the current passea It rises up as If it
were about to fly through the air. In
oCier words, the Iron levitates. The
trick is accomplished by means of
what Faraday happily named "the
lines of magnetic force." These line
emanate from the solenoid when the
current runs through it and attach
themselves to the iron. By their na
ture they tend to shorten themselves
as much as possible, and In doing this
they lift the iron. Mr. Bachelet
makes a set of lines of force attach
themselves to an aluminum plate
which they lift out of a vessel of water
and sustain In the air, as if it rested
on an elastic cushion. The experiment
looks like a miracle to the inexpert,
but it ia not at all occult in its nature.
The physical scientists understand it
thoroughly and have the mathematics
of It down as pat as a doughnut.
Proceeding from this pleasing lab
oratory experiment, Mr. Bachelet has
Invented a cigar-shaped car in which
he believes passengers and goods can
be transported through the air without
wings or gasoline engines. The car Is
first levitated like the aluminum plate
in the basin of water. It then hangs
freely in the air as a hawk does when
it is soaring, onlc it is sustained by the
push of lines of force instead f the
action of wings. The important point
is that it has no weight and can there-
fore bo moved along by a very gentle
impulsion. Since It haa no points of
support, of course there can be no frtc
tlon. The next step Is to make it
move. This Is accomplished by a
string of solenoids suspended over the
track along which the car la to glide.
When an electric current passes
through the solenoids It sucks the car
in, and as the current progresses from
one solenoid to another the car is pro
pelled to any desired distance. It is
predicted that great velocities can be
attained, perhaps a thousand miles an
hour, but no experiment has yet been
attempted with good or passengers.
If the principle of magnetic levlta
tion can really be applied to transpor
tatlon in this way, it will render the
aeroplane somewhat superfluous, per
haps. The best speed an aeroplane has
yet attained hardly exceeds a hundred
miles an hour, which looks snail-like
when contrasted with a thousand.
Three boys, one S and each of the
others 9 years old, have been killed
within a week in this city by public
vehicles, while playing on the streets
In front of their homes. Such casual
ties are distressing to -a degree. They
represent also a waste of human life
that, simply from an economic stand
point, the state cannot afford. These
deaths can scarcely be termed acci
dental, since their prevention was well
within the range of the exercise of
ordinary care by those who are re
sponsible for the protection of child
life first, of course, the parents, and
then the public purveyors who use the
streets in pursuit of their vocations.
Neither should It be Impossible to
teach the child, at the earliest age at
which he is allowed to play upon the
street, to be mindful of his own safe
ty. Certainly those who drive high-
power vehicles on the public streets
should exercise the greatest care for
the aafety not only of children, but of
all pedestrians. To do these Justice,
they are generally alert and seek to
avoid accident. While the record for
the past week is exceedingly painful,
It Is idle to lament It except to pre
vent. If possible, the recurrence of
such casualties by every means that
prudence can suggest.
China now seems to need a man
of commanding military and political
genius to prevent the republic from
being dismembered or sinking .into
anarchy. Yuan Shi Kal may be the
man. There are now six hostile armies
In the field the northern and south
ern, armies of the republic, which are
qv.arreling with their leaders; Oeneral
Sheng Vuan's army, which is marching
on Pekln to restore the empire; the
Manchu troops, faithful to the empire
but remaining apart from the Sheng
Tun: the Mongols, who are fighting'
the Chinese garrisons in the north;
and an army of Independents In the
Province of Tun-Nan. Yuan Shi Kai's
task is now to end dissension in the
republican forces, wipe out the rem
nants of imperialist opposition, subdue
the Mongols and independents and fi
nally to crush the hands of brigands
which pillage the country. The trou
bles of the republic have only begun.
Colonel Roosevelt says the real issue
between him and President Taft is
whether the American people should
govern themselves. It is not: the Issue
is how the people should govern them
selves. Mr. Taft has never disputed
the right and the power and the ability
of the people to govern themselves.
He denies the fitness of the means by
which Colonel Roosevelt recommends
that they should exercise that right
and power. The Colonel is playing an
old political trick. He Is misrepre
senting the President's opinions for the
purpose of prejudicing the voters
against his rlral.
By an almost unanimous vote the
Stanford students have assumed the
privilege of governing themselves.
What we want to know is whether they
will regard it as a privilege or not a
year from now. In National affairs
self-government hns exhibited itself as
a task and a very difficult one. Instead
of a pastime. Will the same rule hold
good at Stanford?
Battles In the air draw nearer every
day. We shall certainly see them in
the next great war. Our military ex
perts expect to fire a S3-pound projec
tile from a four-Inch gun mounted in
an aeroplane. When this can be done
a fleet of armed aeroplanes Is not far
In the future. We may have a call
any day for volunteers to fight in the
air.
The three-year homestead bill would
have passed the House and been in the
hands of the President by this time if
the Representatives could have re
strained their loquacity. Talk always
has been the worst obstacle to business
in Congress.
Attention of the Oregon City watch
dog Is directed to alleged violation of
the corrupt practices act by candidates
who take advantage of their present
poslcions to circulate their literature.
Portland shipped more than half of
the wheat exported from the United
stoioa In Kehruarv. That is what a
deep river to the ocean means to Port
land.
Tho lomii eniiinoctlal storm was
due yesterday, and the weather was so
fine as to induce Spring fever a typi
cal Oregon day.
When Tom Word declares Portland
to be wide open, there Is a lot of hum
bug somewhere, for Tom Word knows.
Philander' "nlgcer" Is on a depart
mental payroll.. They all do it.
PAVI.XG AGREEMENT NOT LIKED.
Mr. Gordon Oppoera Plan for Companies
lo Lay Water Mains.
PORTLAND. March 21. (To the Ed
itor.) From The Oregonian's report of
the last meeting of tho Water Board, it
would appear that the paving com
panies and the Water. Board officials
had already agreed upon a plan where
by the paving companies would here
after lay all the water mains needed by
the city, and that the cost of laying
same would be charged againRt the
abutting property, and the Council is to
be asked to enter into this arrange
ment. This .would seem like an ad
mission on the part of the Water Board
that the present incumbents are incom
petent and unable to take care of the
water system of the city, and that It
has outgrown the capacity of the pres
ent management. The gentlemen who
propose giving the paving companies
the business of the city water works
have been our most successful business
men. and would not tolerate, for one
minute, such an acknowledged condi
tion of affairs in their own business.
There needs a thorough housecleaning.
the webs and barnacles removed from
the premises, and men with brains and
capacity put in the several responsible
positions who will be able to take care
of this important branch of the people's
business as fast or faster than it can
possibly accumulate, and also be pre
pared for any emergencies as they may
occur.
It is to be hoped the board will re
consider its action, as such a move
ment would be liable to put the taxpay
ers in the power of a monopoly that, by
connivance on the part of the city of
ficials, would give these paving com
panies (who could form a combine) the
exclusive right to control all the pav
ing of the city, as they would then
have free license to charge any price
agreed upon among themselves. Other
cities of any consequence will not al
low their city engineers' specifications
to call for patented asphalt, cement or
Hassam pavements or patented form
ulas of any kind to be specified. Both
methods of making roadways have been
in public use from 50 to 100 years, and
a patent will not hold on any of the
pavements called for in our engineer's
specifications. If any one cared to try
them out. But this is not necessary if
our engineer would leave out these
names and the name of the patented
machines uHed by these companies and
use the word suitable mixers, leaving it
to the contractor to use any machine
that would do the work best. By the
present methods used, the city officials
are keeping alive a monopoly that has
been fleecing the people unmercifully,
and If the city officials should allow
these paving companies the privilege of
laying the water mains, it would be a
disgraceful act on their part and would
show that they were in favor of per
petuating the paving monopoly.
If they (the paving companies) can
only effect this arrangement, the next
move will be to shut out all competi
tion on grading, etc All street grading
and sidewalks should be done before
any hard surfacing is let; this would
give hundreds of men a chance to bid
on this part of the work and it would
save 60 per cent present cORt to tax
payers when this part of the work is
done by these paving companies. Wake
up. taxpayers, and do something.
v GEO. W. GOKDOX.
SINGLE TAX (Ml ITS OBSTACLES.
Writer Propounds I'erllnent Illustra
tions of Scheme's Kallaey.
.IKFFERSON, Or., March 18. (To the
Editor.) I have been following the ar
guments used for and against the sin
gle tax. One of its supporters says
it will reduce the taxes to be paid on
improved land, while another says that
It will mean the taxing of the land to
Its full rental value In order to force
the improvement of unimproved land.
Now, first, how will unimproved land
have its rental value determined, for
it might easily be possible that the
land would require an expenditure of
two or three times its present value
before It would bring in any rent at
all? If you take the improved lands
as a basis, are you not taxing im
provements even though the owner of
them does not pay the taxes? Now,
does not this theory presuppose that
every landowner is also a capitalist, for
if you take the f ull rental value of
land.- or. as some claim, in the case
of unimproved land, more, then how
could a man obtain the money to im
prove It? It is scarce probable that h
could borrow money with the land as
.r-iirltv when the land is not a pro
ducing property, but rather shows a
deficit. . ,
Is there any possible way to una m
rental value of the land, apart from its
improvements?
Will Mr. U'Ren or some of the ex
pounders of the single tax idea state
how thev would proceed In the follow
ing instance If they were assessors
under single tax:
Two navigable rivers joined, and
near the fork of the rivers three rail
roads cross. At the Junction of the
roads was a little hamlet of possibly
100 people. The entire country for
miles In every oirecnon was mat an,
,nH it was as much as a man's life
was worth to try to cross unless well
acquainted with the paths. The land
went begging at from 50 cents to $2 an
:re.
nr, Hav a man with money and an
came there. He bought those
cheap lands, built levees and Installed
great pumping stations ana arame-j
the land. Next greai oocrs were uuui
on,i a half-dozen big factories. A city
was laid out and cottages built for
mill omnlnves: neoDle were brougnt Dy
hundreds and the population increased
daily.
Today the lano. wnicn was nuusm
hunrlreds is worth millions; now to
whom does this increase belong, the
man who made a city from nothing,
whn with his brains and money fur
nished employment for thousands, or to
the people who merely nocaea to tas-e
advantage of the opportunities he of
fered? These people did absolutely
nothing toward the bunding or me city,
their Interest was purely personal: that
is, there was a better opportunity to
gain a livelihood.
Now, if you take from this man the
fruits 'of his ideas and money, is not
this confiscation? If you deny a man
the income of his money he will take
It somewhere where he may obtain
the Income. Of course you may say
that money creates nothing, and so
should be allowed nothiirg. I disagree
with that theory altogether, for until
the world is a great deal better edu
cated than it is at the present time, it
must have money as a basis of estab
lishing credit, without which modern
life and business could not exist.
WILLIAM A. DOUGLAS.
Voters' Residence Qualification.
PORTLAND, March 21. (To the Edi
tor.) An Impression seems to prevail
among many "near citizens" that to
qualify for the primary election a resi
dence of one year is required. Does
not the law require a residence of only
six months? Your opinion on this mat
ter, conspicuously printed, will be ap
preciated, no doubt, by many of your
readers. H. S. GRAY.
Section I of the State Constitution
prescribes the qualifications of an elec
tor as follows:
In all elections not otherwiie provided
for by this constitution, every white male
citizen of the United States, of the age of
21 years and upwards, who shall havo re
aided In tha state durlnic the aix months
Immediately preceding auch election; and
every white male of forelcn birth of the age
of -1 years and upward!", who shall have
resided in this atate during the aix months
Immediately preceding auch election, and
shall have declared his intention to become
a citizen of the United States one year pre
ceding auch election, conformably to the
lawa of Ihe United States on the aubject of
naturalisation, shall he entitled to vote at
U elecilona authorized by law.
TALL BVILDI.GS ARE ADVOCATED.
That Skyscrapers Advertlae City la
Contended by Correspondent.
PORTLAND, March 21. (To the Ed
itor.) In The Oregonian, March 16, I
find under heading "Skyscraper Law
Favored." that a committee is to be ap
pointed by a branch of Portland civil
engineers, aided by the American So
ciety of Architects, to bring before the
State Legislature the validity of the
building code in regard to heights of
buildings in Portland and promote
whatever action it may deem necessary
to insure the continuance of the pres
ent ordinance, not only in Portland,
but take such steps that will lift it out
of the hands of the- City Council of
Portland and make it state-wide, ap
plying to all cities in the state of Ore
gon. Now while there is yet time, I would
like to say a word in favor of the sky
scrapers, and I believe there are many
who think the same as I do. Those
who have observed the building of
cities in America have noticed that city
which in a given locality erects the
first skyscraper immediately takes
precedence over her sister cities. Why
this should be I am not prepared to
state, but it is a fact we cannot get
away from. From an advertising stand
point, there Is nothing that better ex
ploits a city than the possession of a
skyscraper or skyscrapers. It has
been my privilege to notice this fact in
all the large cities west of Omatia. par
ticularly I might say in Seattle. When
1 visited Seattle in 1903, I venture to
say there was not a building in the city
exceeding eight stories in height. The
time between then and 10!, when I
again visited that city, had wrought
such a physical change in the down
town district, 1 hardly knew the place.
Ten, 12 and 13-story buildings occupied
every corner and one 15 stories, where
not so very many years ago stood a
shack. Tliey have no limit there.
The history of Seattle is coincident
and identical with that of Los Angeles.
That is, it was up until four years ago.
when the City Council of Los Angeles
passed an ordinance limiting Iho
height of buildings to 11 stories. Then
some public-spirited business men of
Los Angeles realizing the injurious ef
fects of such an ordinance, sought anil
after a time did get a special permit to
erect a 13-story building. Where these
men made an opening, others might
have followed, but they seemed to lack
the initiative, so you see Los Angeles a
city of 11-story buildings, where oth
erwise it would have rivaled San Fran
cisco in noble structures.
And San Francisco, every, one knows
of the Call and Humboldt Bank Build
ings, both exceeding U0 stories in
height. Every one knows, also, of the
wonderful growth and greatness of
San Francisco.
There is no limit there to the height
of buildings. Now. jumping eastward,
we come to Salt Lake City. This city
has Just seemed to awaken within the
last four years to her wonderful op
portunities for building. They have a
miniature Wall street there, one long
block consisting of twin lt-story build
ings facing each other, and down the
street the Mining Exchange. They
were building there In 190H, the Utah
Hotel 14 stories, if I remember cor
rectly. No limit there.
Going still east, we come to Denver.
Narrow streets with buildings 1", 1
stories and higher. No limit ' there.
Coming west again we find Spokane
just beginning to erect high structures.
They have one now 15 stories.
And now- to those who urge our nar
row streets and consequent congestion
in event of high buildings, I give you
Pittsburg. One of the greatest cities
in the world: narrow streets, buildings
20 and 25 stories high. No limit there.
As to those who have urged the fire
calamity, will some of those who do
bring this up tell us of one, just one
actual fire that has occurred in any
building In the Cnited States, that
building exceeding 12 stories, wherein
there has been a great loss of life or
even the loss of one life. Can any of
ih,u nm'nt out to us the loss by file
! of any 20-story building in the Cnited
States, earring, ot couiae, mn
cisco's' and Baltimore's fires, catastro
phes which hardly prove for or against
the skyscrapers? I would be pleased
to hear from them. Certain people,
dubbing themselves City Beautiful Ex
perts, insist on a uniform sky line. I
would like them to read Dr. Van Dyke's
"Skyscrapers of New York." The book
can be had at the Public Library. Does
anyone seriously think that American
cities, patterned after Old World cities,
will thrive and prosper better than
those distinctly American, that is those
with skyscrapers? Let him compare
his own cities then with European
cities, using as a means of comparison
not present population, but a certain
period of time, say from 1S60 to 1912;
how will the ratio stand for or against
the growth of modern American cities
and typical Old World towns?
The whole of my contention is: Sky
scrapers are peculiarly an American
evolution -and those cities which have
gone ahead, have prospered, have
grown the most populous, have built
Bkyscrapeis with no limit to height.
C. R. DA NN ELLS.
023 East Seventh Street North.
Home Owners in Cities.
PORTLAND. March 20. (To the
Editor.) I understand that about 45
per cent of the people living in Los
Angeles own their homes, which is the
highest of any city in the United
States of 100.000 population or over.
Will you please inform me what
per cent of the people living in Port
land own their homes, or whether it
is greater or less than that of Los An
zeles7 Y. M. C. A. STUDENT.
U. S. Census reports for 1!00 place,
the percentage of owned homes in Los
Angeles at 44.1; in Portland 31.4. Fig
ures for 1910 on this particular, so far
as we know, have not yet been issued
by the Census Bureau.
New Special Features
. for
The Sunday Oregonian
Which Shall I Wed? First of several contributions on court hip
and marriage, by the noted writer, Laura Jeau Libhy This is a frank
discussion of the various eligible from a woman s point of wc.
Elaborately illustrated.
Holding Down the Philippines It is an arduous task ami there
is a fight almost every day, with some primitift' outlaw class, lllus
trated"with striking photos. .
New Farm Treasures Government experts have scoured t lie world
and have brought to the United Stales, many new and profitable
plants, which are described in a half page that will interest every one.
Christy Mathewson The Giant's star pitcher in the ninth of his
series of baseball articles, continues to hold, the keenest interest ot
evervone that ever saw a baseball game.
Fables in Slang George Ade writes for Sunday's Oregonian what
may well be labeled the livest and funniest of his new series. 1 ictures
by Albert Levering.
Wedded in a Russian Prison An illustrated article. from a Mos
cow correspondent that reads stranger than fiction. It is a graphic
account of a woman's devotion and shows that love continues to laugh
at locksmiths.
Two Complete Short Stories Illustrated.
The Jumpup8 Another social venture brings further discomfort
to Mr. Jumpup and mortification to his pretty wife. New adventures
by the Comic Supplement characters.
MANY OTHER ATTRACTIVE FEATURES.
Order Today From Your Newsdealer.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of March -2. 1862.
Mr. D. Wright writes from Salmon
River, January 30: "The following are
the prices current of articles Jn the
mines: Flour. $1 per pound: coffee
$1.25; dried apples, $1.25: sugar. $1.25;
candies. $3: bacon. $1.50: gum boots,
$30; blankets, $30; long-handled shov
els. $10 to $15; spades, $16 to $20; picks
and axes. $10 each; camp kettles, large
I and small, $16; whisky, 'played out.'"
I The City Council of Baltimore have
nas.sed a re-solution ordering all disloyal
teachers in the public schools to be
dismissed and Union teachers put in
their places.
Mrs. Douglas, as guardian, has re
fused to send the sons of Senator Doug
las South to save their property there
She says: "If sent there, they would
be compelled to take the oath of al
legiance to the South. The last word?
of their father were: 'Obey the Consti
tution! Better poverty and untarnished
reputation than riches acquired at the
expense of honor.' "
St. Louis. March 5. Federal troops
have taken possession of Columbus.
Many rebels threw away their arms.
Large quantities of military stores cap
tured. Chicago, March 6 The constitutional
convention in Springfield, 111., yester
day, adopted an article prohibiting tho
immigration of negroes and mulattoes
into the state and denying them the
right of suffrage.
Washington, March 6. Conforma
tions: C. E. Hale, Superintendent of
'Indian affairs in Washington Terri
tory; Edward Shattuck, Attorney for
Oregon.
Fortress Monroe. March !. The Con
federate steamer Merrlmac, plated with
iron, came down yesterday. She en
gaged the Cumberland frigate, making
terrible holes in her water lines. The
Cumberland continued firing until she
careened over and sank. The Merrlmac
was fired upon by our batteries with
out apparent effect. The Minnesota
got aground and could afford but lit
tle assistance. The Merrimac turned
her attention to the Congress and in
an hour after she surrendered. The of
ficers and marines were taken prison
ers, the seamen escaped. Tho U. S.
frigate St. Lawrence proceeded up th.
river. A conflict took place between
the Federal and rebel gunboats. At
midnight the Congress was burned by
the rebels. In the morning the Mon
itor engaged the Merrimac. She finally
forced a large hole in the port side of
the Merrimac and then returned to Nor
folk. The Merrimac was dlsahled. The
Monitor proved herself impregnable to
heavy shot In close quarters.
St. Louis. March 10. After three
davs' hard fighting at Sugar Creek,
near Bentovllle. Benton County. Arkan
sas. General Curtis gained a signal vic
tory over the rebel forces dnrier Van
Dorn, McCullough, Price and Mcintosh.
The rebel loss was 1000 killed and 1000
prisoners. The Kederal loss will only
reach 400. McCullough and Mcintosh
have been mortally wounded and Gen
eral McRae was taken prisoner. The
rebels were completely routed.
The sloop Black Hawk was lost be
tween San Juan Island and Port Town
send a few days ago, and two white
men and a squaw drowned.
Mr. Beattv takes a benefit tonight.
Bulwer's five-act play of "Richelieu"
will be presented, Mr. Beatty as Cardi
nal Kichelieu and Mrs. Forbes as Julie
de Mortemer.
Country Town Sayings by Ed Howe
The average man's idea of reform i
that he suggests it, and others do it.
An optimist is a man who can trans
form good bad news Into good news.
So there are actually no optimists.
When there is a controversy between
a man and wife as to which is "boss,
only the divorce court can settle it.
There are two things all women say
they never do: chase men. or na them.
V man has something to do, and, if
he' doesn't do it, at least worries he
cause of his shiftlessness: but a woman
can frivol without minding it, or apolo
gizing. Who occupies the best rooms in a
hotel? Did you ever get one? 1 some
times think they are not occupied, like
the drawing-room on a sleeping car.
. V good many women are panic
stricken about dress, and indulge in
ludicrous experiments. But with men
It is a black suit, a blue suit, or a gray
suit, and all men's clothes are cut alike.
Some towns prosper in spite of every
thing. Chicago would have been a
great city if every citizen had fought
it while other towns won t grow with
the assistance of every citizen. Chi
cago has stolen many valuable institu
tions from other towns, but Chicago,
and not Chicago men, did it.
All the women in a neighborhood as
sist in managing tho men: a husband
not only gets hints as to his duty from
his wife and daughters, but many from
the neighbor women.
, n v.n.n rrriiiie.r: but niy
i am a. in . " " i
heroes are the men who, having no
better opportunities than others, ac
complish greater results.
Women don't think much of dress
makers. But the dressmakers get even:
they say they never saw a woman who
didn't have one hip larger than the
other, or one shoulder higher
1