r
10
TTTT! MOTlMXr, OREGOSIAN. FRIDAY. MXX
3, 1UV4.
El)t (Dmrtrnmn
rOETtAND. ORMiOX.
CIRCVLATIOX ITATCHKM.
Darin ths month of April. 1J1I. th
averse circulation ot ine urejonun
vac
Atmtr dar C'lmlatloa
Anr Dally Clrwlatl 53.505
The abovo circulation waa distributed
as follows:
Dally. .day.
44-OST
.75. 7-871
2.68U 3.291
Or con
Washington. . .
All other states
6327
Totals 53.505
County of Multnomah. I
Mat of OrrRnn. I
This Is to certify that th actual clr
rulatlon of The Oregonlan for th
month of April was as hT 1 forth.
F.. P. Il PWO.T.
Circulation Manager.
Subscribed and sworn to before me
mis rirst day or .vay. iu.
W. E. HARTMI'S,
(seal) Notary labile
PORTLAND. miDAV. MAY
1914.
COXVEXTION!! AD PRIMARIES.
The Presidential preference primary
has come to stav. That is a plain In
ference from the rapidity with which
one state after another has adopted
It. It Is a great step In advance, for
It ensure that a Presidential nominee
will be the real choice of a majority
of his party. For thU reaaon It should
a ecu re him the hearty support of all
who preferred another candidate. The
American Government In founded on
the principle of majority rule, not only
In the choice of It official, but In
the management of parties. It Is as
much the duty of every loyal citizen
to acquiesce In the decisions of the
majority of his party as It Is to yield
ready obedience to the authority of
public officials.
Adoption of the direct primary hns
iriven rtee to the prediction that the
National conventions of this year will
be the last. History does not warrant
this prediction. In 1824 neither Jack
son nor Adams had a majority of the
Presidential electors, although Jackson
had a large majority of the popular
vote. The election was thrown Into
the House, which elected Adams. A
demand then arose for nominations by
some other means than a caucus of
the two parties In the House, by which
candidates were chosen In the early
years of the Republic. During- the
succeeding four years the franchise
waa broadened by removal of proper
ty and other limitations. The popular
vote, which In 1814 was only 32. 000,
Jumped In 1831 to 1.156.000. and Jack
son was elected. In 1S33 the conven
tlon waa Invented and both parties
made their nominations by this means,
the Democrats naming Jackson, the
Whigs Clay, and Jackson was elected
The convention was adopted ai
means of preventing the nomination of
a minority candidate, it is still nec
essary for the same reason. Were the
candidates for President nominated
directly by popular vote. It Is possible
that no man In one party would have
a majority. The party would then be
called upon to decide whether the man
having a plurality should be nominal
ed, whether a second ballot should be
taken eliminating all except the two
highest men. or whether the nomlna
tlon should be made by a majority In
convention. Objections to the two for
mer alternatives are obvious, therefore
the third would be adopted.
A convention of delegates pledged
to support the men for whom the vot
era of their respective states had ex
pressed preference, so long as there
was possibility of his nomination.
would be a very different Institution
from the old-style convention. The
latter has been composed of delegates
elected by conventions of other dele
fates, who were elected at primaries.
which the boss and his henchmen
often controlled and which, as some
thing disorderly, disreputable and
often "fixed." the mass of voters stu
diously avoided.
A National convention composed of
delegates elected and pledged to carry
out the will of the people would com
mand the respect of the wholo party,
and Its nominees would command
loyal support. A convention would In
any case be necessary to draw up a
party platform, which Is too Important
a work to be left to any less represen
tative body.
Conventions will be as necessary in
1 J 16 and succeeding years of Presiden
tial elections as they were In 1831. In
order to prevent a repetition of the
story of 18I.
ident shall be counted as a vote for
his list of candidates for delegate.
The direct primary and the Presi
dential preference primary are sound
in theory and are In harmony with
the demand that the people' will be
made effective without being filtered
through a series of channels which
may be used to thwart It. But the
laws by which the new political meth
ods are put In, effect need revision in
the light of experience.
HOMKR DAVENPORT.
Homer Davenport was a great hu
morist and a great moralist. He im
parted through pictures striking ob
servations on men and measures and
sound lessons on life and manners.
Probably there have been more skill
ful artists with the pencil; prohably
other cartoonists exrelled him In com
pleteness of design and In beauty, del
icacy and finish of drawing: but none
could drive home the naked truth more
powerfully or enforce upon the atten
tion of the inattentive mind more
brutally some salient fact of current
history or politic or ethics. Daven
port's genius was native; he studied
under no great masters. He learned
from nature, from the trees, fields,
birds, animals, men. He had a wealth
of unique information and a quaint
and amusing talent for story-telling.
He loved life and light and fun; but
he was easily Impressed by the sorrows
and griefs of others and deeply sym
pathetic with them. He gave what he
had freely, and was loyal always to
his old friends and his old' home.
Big. strong, sturdy, the death of
Homer Davenport In the prime of life
and the maturity of power ar.d experi
ence, is a vast surprise: yet no man
knoweth the time when the summons
shall come. He was a product of Ore
gon and Oregon was proud of him.
Green be his memory.
gives It all away, leaving his relatives
to stand good for his funeral expenses,
proves himself a zealot In philan
thropy, while he who Is worth 16.000,
000 and. dying, leaves It strictly to his
posterity, only stipulating that the ex
penses of his last illness and burial
shall come out of it, is a zealot at the
shrine of selfishness.
The happy medium Is found In the
man who, having amply provided for
his family, makes the Institutions of
society carried on for the benefit of
humanity his residuary legatee.
THE MACHINE-OMAMIING TEAR.
This is the year of political machine
smashing. The first use the voters
make of the direct primary is to bury
their quondam leaders under an aval
anche of ballots to destroy the or
ganisation. They give no thought to
the fact that a party cannot exist with
out organisation and that a new or
ganisation must be created to take the
place of that which they have de
stroyed. The leaders are mainly responsible
for this machine-smashing mania, for
they have given too much cause to
dub them bosses. A boss who is really
a boss may be defined as a party lead,
er who uses his power for selfish
ends and to perpetuate his leadership.
but It has become customary to brand
aa a boss any party leader to whom
one is opposed. This Is on the prin
ciple of "rive a dog a bad name, then
hang htm." Wholesale and Indiscrim
inate denunciation of party leaders as
bosses, party organisations as ma
chines, has caused those who honestly
endeavor to express party sentiment
in action to be, confounded with thoe
who have grown utterly out of touch
with or Insolently defiant of party
sentiment. The old orgnnlr-afion Is
destroyed, bnt we are offered nothing
In its place except in such Instances
as that of Penrose, who was defeated
by the equally malodorous Fllnn.
But the confused results of recent
primaries should convince any reason
able man that party organization Is
necessary. The present go-as-you-please
system results in such anoma
lies as the nomination of a man sup
ported by only one-third or even one
fifth of the voters of his party, as In
Oregon: or In the election of National
delegates pledged to one candidate,
while the voters express preference
for another, as in Massachusetts. The
first anomaly ran be done away with
by provision for a second-choice vote:
the second by a provision in the Prece
dential primary law that only as many
names of candidates for delegates
pledged to each Presidential candi
date snail appear on the ballot as
there are delegates to be elected, and
that a vote for a certain list of candi
dates for delegates shall be taken as
a declaration of preference for their
candidate for President, or that prefer
ence for a certain candidate for Fres-
tlRPT CHOICE OK NO CHOICKT
Among the nine candidates for the
Republican nomination for Sheriff of
Multnomah County there were several
who were excellent men for the place.
The public was distracted and con
fused, and votes were pretty evenly di
vided among the many. If the voters
had been able to agree substantially on
one man as their united second choice,
the consensus of opinion would have
been that that man was the right man
for Sheriff. First choice In such a
contest Is controlled largely by per
sonal preference or prejudice or Inter
est; second choice by Impartial con
sideration of a candidate's merits. Sec
ond choice is often better than first
choice, undoubted!)-.
Our friend Judge George does not
think well of first choice, under the
present system, for many candidacies.
The Judge makes a good point in his
picture of the utter helplessness of the
voter before that formidable array of
ineligible on the ballot for Represent
ative In the Legislature. But the rem
edy Is not abolition of first choice or
second choice or any choice. It Is to
be found in smaller legislative dis
tricts, so that one State Senator and
one or two Representatives are chosen
from each. That would greatly sim
plify the voter's problem, and would
besides insure closer local represen
tation. Few states elect their legislators so
blindly as Oregon. Yet we wonder
why we get such Inefficient material
for our Legislatures. Why wonder,
when we know the reason and can
easily applv the remedy?
ROOM AT THE TOP.
From the financial point of view,
the learned professions do not pay
very w-elL Professor Wigmore, of the
Northwestern University law school,
told his students the other day that
there is only one lawyer In twenty
who makes more than 13000 a year.
The Incomes of the other nineteen
twentleths range from $3000 down
ward. An estimate which is perhaps a
trifle hasty puts the average income
of lawyers at about J 700 a year. Doc
tors certainly do not make any. more
upon the average, and ministers make
less. There is reason to believe that
the average ministerial salary In the
United States Is about 3500 a year.
The Sage Foundation experts tell
us that a man cannot support a fam
ily decently upon less than a thou
sand dollars. How ministers manage
to make both ends meet is therefore a
good deal of a mystery- Donation
parties help out more or less, but such
a resource must be precarious. In
view of these conditions. It does not
appear difficult to answer the question
why young men are not very eager
to choose the ministry for their life
work.
But the small pay cannot be the
only reason law and medicine do not
pay a great deal more on the average
and yet they do not lack practitioners.
There must be some other cause for
the dislike which the modern youth
seems to feel for the clerical profes
sion. No doubt the big rewards In
both law and medicine are very big,
but only a few can hope to get them.
The old maxim that "there is always
room at the top" has been modified
by the experience of more recent
years. An up-to-date philosopher has
made It read. "There Is room for but
one at the top." If this is not strictly
true, it Is nearer the truth than the
other version. The man who reaches
the highest point in his profession
usually pushes somebody else down,
though not always. Ibsen Illustrated
this terrible truth In "The Master
Builder." The fear of "the rising gen
eratlon" haunted his hero and finally
drove him to the rash act whic
caused his death.
There Is not room in the world for
two generations to be active at th
same time. As one advances the othe
must retire. The tendency In our day
Is for the young to thrust the old
aside with somewhat ruthless haste.
They have forgotten how to wait for
their inheritance until it is due.
and wholesome plays nobody could
conscientiously ask for any further
relaxation. To be sure, there is the
trouble of deciding what is good and
what is bad, but this is a task which
Providence does not allow us to escape
In any department of life. It con
fronts one In business at least as for
midably as In amusements. We may
pretend to shirk It, but we cannot
really do so. The good and the bad
lie before us wherever we turn, and
we must choose between them. It is
the business of the church so to cdu
cate the conscience that we can make
this choice with prompt certitude. A
person of correct ethical feeling does
not need to sit long at a play to learn
what Its trend is whether for good or
bad. One might say much the same
thing about dancing. It is Innocent or
guilty according to circumstances. It
is a mere pose to assume that all
church members who dance and play
cards do so with troubled consciences.
In the greatest number of cases there
is not the slightest reason why their
consciences should be uneasy, since
they are doing no wrong.
The original Puritanical attitude
was one of hatred to all amusements.
Of this perverse feeling toward the
brighter side of life the Methodist
Church inherited perhaps more than
its rightful share. There was former
ly a little too much insistence upon
the "vale of tears" aspect of the world,
and not enough recognition of its sun
shine. To the modern mind it seems
regrettable that mental energy should
be expended In preventing conduct
which harms nobody, when there Is so
much going on which reeks with un
deniable evil. Suppose the Methodist
Church should forget about dancing
for a few years and turn Its attention
to the subject of white slavery. Would
there be any real loss of moral in
fluence? The question of card-playing
looks a little diaphanous beside that
of child labor. The truth seems to
be that the old rule in the discipline
stands more for tradition than for
reality. The genuine Issues of mod
ern life will Inevitably push it into the
background whether it Is ever for
mally repealed or not.
WHV THIS VOTER IS COXFl'SED. VEXTtDESOME, SOT PROGRESSIVE ,
Judge George Does Not Think: Well of I Term Misapplied to Those Who Rnih ,
second Choice.
PORTLAND. May 2. (To the Editor.)
The Oregonlan on Wednesday showed
up how each of the nine primary can
didates for Sheriff got only a small
fraction of the Republicans. Democrats
and Socialists registered for the pri
mary election. So with the seven
aspirants for Circuit Judge and about
so so among the applicants for Repre
sentative In Congress.
You, however, add: "What more con
clusive argument for a second choice
provision for the primary law?" Thosa
who found It only Hobson's choice for
first choice will hardly be able to see
how a privilege of second choice from
the same bunch could Improve the
present primary. Take the House leg
islative ticket. Among the 26 volun
teers many voters found it difficult to
vote for one-half they were entitled
to choose as first choice, let alone sec
ond choice. Many voters thus found
themselves practically from one-half to
three-fourths disfranchised.
How would it do to work it the other
way? Instead of enlarging the agony
of first choice cut. out a lot of first
choice. Instead of trying to force us
to make a second choice, where It is
difficult to make choice at all, why not
cut first choice of House members down
from 12 say to only one. Cut oft
eleven-twelfths of this troublesome task
and only allow the sovereign voter to
vote for one, as with delegates to a
National convention or nominees for
Presidential electors.
Seriously, Isn't it about time the peo
ple ceased depending on the system of
choosing officials solely from among
so many purely volunteers and tried
to do a little independent selecting lor
themselves?
What business management would
depend on employment of managers
and officials solely from voluntary ap
plicants Instead of doing a little whole
some looking around itseir tor nrst
class material? However, come to
think, it would never do at all to select
any one recommended by any assembly.
M. C. GEORGE.
SI.VKI.VG OF PACIFIC IS RETOLD
Relates
WOILD ROOSEVELT BOLT?
Roosevelt's furious attacks on Presi
dent Taft during the pre-conventlon
campaign have given rise to the ques
tion in the minds of many persons
whether he will abide by the decision
of the convention in case he shall not
be the nominee. The question was
directly asked htm In Massachusetts
by the Taft League. It was not an
swered by him. but Thomas W. Law
son volunteered an answer. Lawson
said the question could be answered
only by Roosevelt, adding:
No man answers questions for Roosevelt
or Influence him In Ms answers. 1 bat s
why w want him.
Lawson answers on his own ac
count:
If Rooeve!t should b tonsue-tlsd. and
If It were, ths good fortune of hla friends
to be allowed to answer, this Is what tbey
ould say:
"The Republican convention will bs In ths
handa of two kinds of delegates, on kind
appointed by the bosses, the other chosen
br the people at their primaries. It ths
majority of ths people delesalea. those sent
to the convention by the people, do not want
th opportunity of voting- for Roosevelt In
November, well and good. If they do they
will get It. It It take every drop of blood
every friend of Hooveit to gat it xor
of
tbem."
That means. If It means anything,
hat the Roosevelt men will deny the
right to a voice In the convention of
any delegates who have not been elect
ed at -a. Presidential preference pri
mary and that. If the majority of all
he delegates shall nominate Taft.
hile the majority of the delegates
elected at Presidential primaries vote
for Roosevelt, the Roosevelt men will
bolt. But will Roosevelt himself bolt?
He has not' answered that question.
and Lawson refuses to answer it for
him.
The Taft League asked the follow
ing question in the same advertisement:
If you ars suecaastul In this campaign will
you be a candidat for a fourth term 7 In
thl anewer la "so." will It nave, in
a me meaning a your statement on Novem
ber 4. ISO: "Under no circumstsncea will
I again b a candidal" T
Neither Roosevelt nor any of hla
backers has vouchsafed an answer.
The question and the lack of an an
swer may have played a large part In
deciding the majority of Massachu
setts voters to prefer Taft
A HAPPT MEDft M.
The gift business seems to have been
rather overdone by Dr. D. K. Pearsons,
recently deceased at the age of 91.
since, according to a late report, he
had scarcely enough funds to his credit
when he died to cover the expenses of
a very modest funeral and a simple
burial. This is In sharp contrast to
the manner In which most rich men
dinpose of their resources, and of the
pomp and display Indulged at their
funerals. It would seem that a happy
medium might be possible In matters
of this kind.
It Is not incumbent upon any man so
to Impoverish himself In philanthropic
giving as to leave upon his posterity,
or. as In this case, upon his nearest of
Vln. the necessity of providing him
rith attendance In hla final illness and
burying him when he dies. Nor Is it
seemly for the rich man to order costly
caparisons of woe for his own funeral
and a monument to tell to the world
that he once lived, neglecting In the
meantime to provide for the necessi
ties of some who had claims of blood
upon him. The act of one is no more
in excess of reasonable personal obli
gation than Is that of the other. The
man who accumulates 36.000,000 and
RELAXING THE DISCIPLINE.
The general conference of the Meth
odlst Episcopal Church, which meets
In Minneapolis this year, has under
taken to deal with two vitally lmpor
tant topics. The first is the relation of
the church to the problem of pov
erty, the second relates to "worldly
amusements." Shall the old rigor of
the discipline regarding card-playing,
the theater, and so on, be relaxed ?
The conference has received a com
mittee report on poverty and the labor
question which will no doubt stir up
lively debate. The report takes ad
vanced ground. It favors the abate
ment of child labor, radical reduction
of working hours, equitable profit-
sharing, old age pensions and com
pensation for industrial accidents. It
Is not to be supposed that the confer
ence will go all lengths with its com
mittee, but the report shows which
way the wind blows in this great Prot.
estant denomination. More and more
the social doctrines of the Savior are
penetrating his churches, and it is rea
sonable to expect that before a great
while they will lead to decisive action
The proposal to relax the discipline
in regard to worldly amusements has
long been under debate. In its origin
the Methodist Church took a radical
stand upon this subject. The disci
pline condemned card-playing, danc
ing, theater-going, gay attire, light
conduct of every sort. The members
were urged to keep themselves In a
"prayerful state of mind" at all times
and make no concessions to the world,
the flesh and the devil. This rule was
comparatively easy to follow In the
early days of the church, because most
of Wesley's followers were very hum
ble people. Welsh and Cornish min
ers, middle class Englishmen in pro
vincial towns, pioneers In the United
States were not much tempted to at
tend theaters or wear silks and dia
monds. Dancing, of course, was a dlf
ferent matter. People can dance wrier
ever there is a fiddler with his fiddle
and. in spite of the discipline. Metho
dist boys and girls have done their full
share of it. But now conditions have
altered in the church. Among its
membership are many people of
wealth and social aspiration. They
feel it a hardship not to be permitted
to conduct themselves like others in
their social circles as long as they do
no actual wrong.
With this change in the economic
standing of its membership has arisen
an insistent demand for the repeal or
amendment of the old rule of the dis
cipline. Naturally there is a conserva
tive party which objects to change.
This party argues that the repeal of
the rule would be a step downward
from the Ideals of the church. Even if
members cannot live up to the stand
ards, still there ought to be no con
cessions In "theory. Something ought
to be retained to estimate the extent of
our failures by. Disinterested outsiders
will naturally ask why not comprom
ise? Take, for example, the rule for
bidding theaters to church members.
There are plays which are unquestion
ably depraving and there are others
which nobody can witness without
moral elevation. Some plays are pro
foundly instructive for adults, while
they are not at all proper for the
young. It ought to be possible to dis
criminate between the good and the
bad. There is a moral lesson In "Ib
sen's Ghosts." which church member
need as badly as other people. On the
other hand. "The Girl From Rector's"
or "The Merry Widow" Is not a fit
entertainment either for saints or sin
ners: Mature men and women will
find their consciences searched to the
very depths by such a play as "Mrs.
Warren' Profession." but It would be
rash to permit a young girl to wit
ness it.
It would seem as if the church
might be able to draw a line between
the desirable and the evil In the the
ater. If the rule were so modified as
to permit members to enjoy artistic
The Vancouver, B. C, boy who shot
himself rather than go to school was
not necessarily a maniac. At his age,
14 years, a boy Is usually more or
less of a puzzle to his friends. He
requires careful study and expert han,
dllng to get the best results. This
boy's father tried to drive him to
school. Argument would have been
better. A vacation in the woods might
have settled the difficulty amicably.
Two or three months' rough work in
a machine shop may have been what
the boy needed. We cannot but believe
that his suicide w-as brought about by
somebody's lack of common sense.
The quiet reception of the speeches
in the home rule debates in Parlia
ment Indicates that the British mind
has become., reconciled to Justice for
Ireland. The old terror of Irish .dis
loyalty has passed away because there
Is no cause for it. Irishmen will be
loyal to the government which treats
them fairly. When they are wronged
they will be turbulent. England has
learned this lesson by the sad experi
ence of centuries and now she seem
ready to act upon it.
Recent estimates place the amount
of improved land In the United States
at about a quarter of Its whole area.
This give almost 500,000,000 acres in
crops. If the average profit were $100
per acre, as it might be. the farmers
would have $50,000,000,000 every year
to spend for automobiles and dia
monds. As a matter of fact, they have
four or five billions, perhaps a tenth
of what nature Is ready to give. The
difference depends on education.
Survivor of Wreck of 1S75
Incidents of Disaster.
PORT STANLEY. Ontario, April 27.
(To the Editor.) Through the kindness
of Mr. W. F. Forbes, of your city, I
received a copy of The Oregonlan in
which there Is an article on the loss of
the steamer Pacific off Cape Flattery
on the night of November 4, 1875. It
states that there were only two sur
vivors, Nelly Henly and H. F. Jelly,
who died since. I am very glad to
hear that Mr. Henly is alive and well
and as you will see by this letter. I am
still alive and well.
1 knew her list of passengers reg
istered some 238 and 70 of a crew and
about DO Chinese, making a total of
398, but there were a lot on her that
never registered, I being one of them.
The late Mr. Francis, who was then
United States Consul in Victoria, B. C.
nd afterwards United States Consul
at St. Thomas, Ontario, told me that
they had undoubted evidence that there
were 611 lives lost on the vessel.
Mr. D. W. Higgins, ex-Speaker of
the British Columbia Legislature, has
written a book on early days in Brit
ish Columbia entitled. "The Mystic
Spring, and Other Stories." Included is
the story of the wreck, which he calls.
'Into the Jaws of Death, In which he
says that over 600 went down on her.
Her captain's name was J. D. Howell,
not Farrell. as you have It.
Mr. Henly was adrift for 84 hours
and was picked up by the United States
revenue cutter Oliver Woolcot. I was
picked up some 38 hours after the
wreck by the ship Messenger, of Boston,
Captain I. F. Gilkey. Of him and Dr.
Miner, of Port Townsend, I shall al
ways have the fondest remembrance
for tne kindness shown to me. Had I
been one of their own they could not
have done more for me. It was merely
by chance that I was saved, as it was
all over In about 20 minutex after tne
collision. H. F. JELLY.
With a steamer of the American-
Hawaiian line sailing from Portland
every eleven days to connect with
other steamers running from the east
ern terminus of the Tehuantepec rail
road. Portland will have ample cheap
transportation facilities for her pres- And oft the sailor's heart was chilled
THE WRECK OF THE TITAXIC.
From the desolate Polar sea.
Like a specter cold and gray.
An Iceberg drifted south
Down the ocean s broad highway.
Into Deep Water.
MEDFORD, Or., May 1. (To the Edi
tor.) Everyone declares he has pro
gresstveness. Therefore, it must be
something to be desired. But what is
it? To the sage it is a thing of integ
rity, honor and virtue. To the knave
it is an alluring method of obtaining
something for nothing, a sort of get-rlch-qulck
scheme.
Today it ig in everybody's minds, on
everybody's tongue, like certain songs
that have required legislative action
to suppress them.
Webster defines "progress," to make
Improvement, and "progressive" as an
advancing or improving. Therefore, a
method can be determined whether it
is progressive or not only by results.
If it brings Improvement it was pro
gressive, if it lands you wrong It was
reactionary.
Today we are in an unusual state of
social, moral, financial and political
flux. Everybody seems to have the
"bug" or the "germ" or the "microbe"
or whatever It is, and the evidences of
the "rash" or "disability" or "hydro
phobia" are seen on every hand. But
out of it all let us hope that the wis
dom of the sage may outweigh the
folly of the knave and so escape the
deadfalls of the past.
History is an open book and deduc
tions may be tuly made. Self-preservation
is still the ruling law of nature
and always will be. Therefore, selfish
ness will always be manifested because
pain and pleasure, which are the direct
ing principles of life, are direct in their
application to self.
The purview of government is to
check abnormal selfishness and his
tory's page Is 6o befouled with the rec
ord of experience that he who runs
should be able to read. It has been
said that progress is nature's law.
Strictly speaking this is not true. Na
ture's law Is motion, and progress is
but a corollary, an incident. If you
please, dependent entirely upon the ad
vantages which may be taken of
given condition.
Motion may be in the direction of
progress, but it is Jutt as liable to be
In the line of retrogression as it Is to
be in the line of progression. All ac
tlon which has a special object must
be directed long the line of logic,
which takes cognizance of past experi
ence. Human nature Is always the
same because It is the outgrowth of the
law of pain and pleasure, which are
direct In their effect; therefore history
repeats Itself, and from this experience
we take our cue.
If a man unable to swim, wishing to
cross an unknown stream, were to
wade boldly in only to find himself
swept away by an irrestible current,
could he be said to be as truly pro
gressive as the man who first measures
the water and, finding it rather swift
and deep, puts on a life-preserver?
His experience may cause him to learn
to swim and it may not. The second
man is more secure.
One Is a radical progressive, the
other Is a conservative progressive. The
one follows the red flag, the tin whis
tle and the rattle-pan. The other fol
lows the Stars and Stripes, the fife
and drum.
The one advocates the abolition of
the Legislature, tile Supreme Court, the
National Congress and the United
States Supreme Court, allowing the
people direct control, which is an ir
resistible current that will sweep them
all away. The other puts on the life
preserver by selecting the best talent
obtainable to represent them in the
matter of control, whose duty it is to
safeguard the public Interest by the
enactment of Such laws as will meet
the requirements.
If the laws are weak it does not fol
low that the life-preserver should be
abolished, but that the laws should be
strengthened, as their weakness ap
pears. If the elective franchise Is not
properly adjusted; if public highways
are not sufficiently, equitably and
economically constructed; if the public
education, morals and health are not
receiving proper support, if taxation is
an unequal burden, then the man who
makes improvement in these things is.
according to Webster, a "Progressive."
Does it not appear as a more safe
and sane method than to begin by abol
ishing the state Legislature and follow
ing such a course to its legitimate con
clusion, which is to ultimately turn
over the three departments of gov
ernment, namely, the legislative, the
executive and the Judicial, to the direct
control of the people, which is the
simon pure Socialism?
C. E. WHISLER.
Half a Century Ago
From Th Oregonlan of May 3. 1862.
A dispatch from Salt Lake, dated
April 22. has the following Intelligence:
"The Indians east of here have been
committing depredations upon the mail
company for the last two months until
at the present time they have entire con
trol of the route. They have stolen
nearly all the stock from the route,
killed several of the employes and
have burned one station. They threaten
the entire destruction of the overland
mail and telegraph. The mail com
pany have discontinued the running of
the mail for the present and will' not
attempt to run the route until troops
are placed along it to protect them.
There Is a report that eisht men were
killed by the Indians yesterday. There
is also a report that a fight is now
going on east of Fort Bridger between
the employes and the Indians.
Washington. April 22. Richmond pa
pers of yesterday contain telegraphio
reports of the landing of our forces at
Elizabeth City. N. C. and of the en
gagement at that point. They admit
that their forces retreated to Dismal
Swamp Canal with a loss of 38 killed
and wounded.
Washington. April 22. The special
committee in the case of Stark, of Ore- .
gon. predicate their report on evidence,
presented before the judiciary com
mittee of the Senate.
Washington, April 23. The War de
partment has received a dispatch from
General Banks. His advance is near
Harrisonberg. Jackson has abandoned
the Valley of Virginia permanently and
Is now en route to Gordonsville by way
of the mountains.
The last rebel Cabinet, the new Cabi
net of President Davis. has been
formed. For Secretary of State. .1. 1".
Benjamin, of Louisiana: Secretary of
War, George W. Randolph, of Virginia;
Secretary of the Navy, S. K. Mallory, of
Florida; Secretary of the Treasury, C.
G. Memminger, of South Carlolina: Attorney-General,
Thomas Watts; Postmaster-General,
William Reagan, of
Texas.
In consequence of the impossibility of
transporting the large quantities of
freight now at the Cascades, over the
portage, wo learn that the steamers
hera will not receive any more freight
forthe upper country until next week,
at which time the railroad is expected
to be completed.
Scarcely a day passes that we do not
see a number of horsemen mounted on
small specimens of cayuse horses,
charging through the streets at a John
Gilnin rate, to the consternation and
danger of women and children. One
frolicsome Individual was piled into mo
middle of the street by the playful an
tics of his "milkwhite steed." After he
had risen to his feet, he remembered
that -Wchfoot horses behaved more
singular than he had ever before rid."
He was a Caliiornian.
The new whart at the foot of Alder
street Is nearly completed.
As "Ed" Howe Sees Life
ent needs. The new line will give our
friends In the interior ocular demon
stration that water competition with
the railroads for transcontinental
traffic Is a fact, not a theory.
The Ohio constitutional convention
has rejected the recall after all the
efforts made to procure its adoption.
As a substitute, it has adopted a pro
posal authorizing the Legislature to
enact a law providing for an impeach
ment commission with power to re
move any offending official. A blow
Is thus struck at the "new charter
of democracy" in the very city where
It was formulated.
In the "good old days" of boss rule.
delegates were willing to be delivered
to whomsoever the boss willed, but in
hese bad, new days of Insurgency
hey refuse to be delivered, even at the
behest of the Imperious Colonel.
There Is no better evidence of need
of drastic remedy for prevention of
crime than the presence of father and
son in the Indiana Penitentiary, the
elder for life and the younger under
death sentence.
We shall soon see whether Governor
West's heart will bleed more for the
Humphrys brothers than for the worn
an whom they murdered on. her lonely
ranch.
The dilemma of a majority for Pres
idential preference revives the old
trouble over unit rule that began the
undoing of Roscoe Conkllng.
A few Japs fishing at Magdalena Bay
ill be no cause for alarm whpn the
Pacific fleet numbers sixteen battle-
hips.
From the Lewiston district come re
ports of excellent fruit prospects and
that region always produces the goods.
What will the Seattle policemen do
when a drnnk and disorderly shows
fight? Stick him with a hatpin?
Just to be in line with general Ore
gon prosperity, the state treasury has
a few millions surplus on hand.
New Tork has grown stale since
General Dix issued his famous order
to compel respect for the flag.
Now It is Bill Flinn who rules
Pennsylvania, the state famous for its
"Bills," good and bad.
In this 'squabble of the creamery
men the man who owns the cows gets
the worst, as usual.
Governor West has changed his
prison tactics in discharging from the
top.
And hushed the sailor's song.
When he felt the breath of that Angel
of Death
As It silently moved along.
When night came down on the waters.
And through clouds of misty lace.
The stars shone bright as beacon light
From windows in endless space.
A wonderful floating city.
Like a fairy tale corns true;
A marvel of might In radiance white,
Sailed out from the distance blue.
Thousands there were within it.
Earth's greatest and children small:
Secure In the thought that this triumph
had wrought ,
Safety whate'er might befall.
With Jest and laughter ringing.
Wtth feast and dance and song, .
And the lilting music swinging.
Gaily they sailed along.
None saw in the silvery shadows
A pilot with kingly face.
Point out through a mystic channel
The sea beyond Time and Place.
They felt the shock but a moment
And, ere mind could plan relief.
The ice caught the ship in its deadly
grip
And crumpled It like a leaf.
Ever the swinging music
Pealed out with a joyous thrill.
Though hushed were the laughing
voices
And the dancing feet grew still.
Then quietly each hero
His help and cheer did give.
When the last small boat was sent
afloat
He stayed that another might live.
And the ship, while the band soft play
ing
Throbbed. "Nearer, My God. to Thee,"
Like a heaving monster shuddering,
Plunged headlong in the sea.
There rose from the starlit waters
Such cries no tongue can tell.
Of the anguished men and women
Calling their last farewell.
Till, like the arms of a mother.
Soft waves around them closed.
And hushed their weary moaning
To a calm and deep repose.
Oh. weep for the dreary waiting
Of the mourners who are iert;
Not for the ones who so lightly
Death of its terror bereft.
Facing the unknown for others
What and wnerever it oe,
Swaying out with the music
Into God's beautiful sea.
Yes. over all he ruleth
And watching all he stands.
While grief and ill are molded still
To good within his hands.
And above the world-wide wailing
The message rings again
"Man's brotherhood to man
And love for his fellowmen."
SARAH HINDS WILDER.
190S East Stark street.
ARGl'MEMT Tl'RXEU ON OPPONENTS
If Suffrage Question Has Supplanted
Bridge, It's Good Thing.
PORTLAND. May 2. (To the Editor.)
We hear through Miss Martin, of the
antis, that women have taken up suf
frage as a fad instead of bridge play
ing. It has been hinted in an editorial in
The Oregonlan today that Miss Martin
has not yet marshaled her facts, al
though she has plunged into the fray.
Whether or not she accidentally stum
bled on a fact we will not stop to in
quire, but will pass on to say that if
this great good has already been ac
complished by the suffrage agitation.
It has not been in vain.
Preachers have declaimed, priests
have denounced, homes have been
wrecked, children neglected, husbands
driven to desperation and disgust, leg
islation contemplated to put an end to
it, but through it all women, lovely
women, went on calmly playing bridge.
If suffrage has even partially served
to rid the land of this soul-destroying
plague It has worked a miracle and de
serves the support of every earnest per
son. But it would take a brain of
strange caliber ever to confound a suf
fragist with a bridge-player.
MRS. A. E. CLARK.
Men will not make the great effort
necessary to quit tne lonaccu urnm.
but how cheerfully they make the great
effort necessary to learn it!
I have been looking for an excuse to
buy a $900 touring car, but I notice that
the best the manufacturer will say is
that it is as good as the best for that
money.
Praise, however exaggerated, is al
ways nearer the truth than abuse.
At a party, when a woman is present
who can really sing, before the guests
get her to the piano they are worn out
with coaxing.
Many of the great heroes with whom
we shame ourselves not only did not
perform the great deeds we attribute
to them, but they never existed. There
are some very good fellows among cow
ards. I have noticed that every lecturer
comes well recommended, and that some
one says he has' "a message" all should
hear.
but don't overshoot the
is constantly peppering
Aim high,
enemy, who
you.
You should get no message from your
brain or heart that Is not somewhere
near the truth.
You occasionally hear a burst of in
dignation greater than the facts war
rant. An ideal means something that you
are likely to be disappointed in.
Music and Copyright.
PORTLAND, April 27. (To the Edi
tor.) 1 have the time and words for
an original song, but as I know nothing
of music Itself, how should I proceed
in order to have the words and music
copyrighted before they are published,
having the music written by someone
else? HARRY W. SMITH.
Verses may be copyrighted but a tune
cannot be copyrighted before it is put
In written form. A publisher would
not have the right to publish copy
righted verses In music form without
the consent of the holder of the copy
right. There are several instructors in
instrumental music in Portland compe
tent to set an air to music. If one ob
tains the services of a reputable har
monizer there Is no danger that the air
will be stolen.
New Special Features of
The Sunday Oregonian
John McCntcheon's Pirate Tales The famous cartoonist and
story teller has prepared a new and striking series. The first, "Dif
ferent Kinds of Pirates," will appear Sunday. Illustrated by a num
ber of typical McCuteheon drawings.
Jests by our Grandfathers. A half page of the jokes that wer-3
in vogue half a century and more ago.
Social Leaders Who Could Work. An illustrated page on noted
women who could take up remunerative vocations should fate so
decree.
Our Amateur Gardeners. A whole page on how the school chil
dren are converting Portland's back yards into productive gardens.
Great Love Letters. Another of Laura Jean Libbey's interesting
articles, elaborately illustrated.
No More Public Life for Us. This is what 14 Congressmen say.
They have had enough and they tell why.
Two Complete Short Stories. "'Westward, Ho," a rural comedv,
and "Sister Martin's Circus Prayer." A homely tale with a touch
of pathos.
The Jamp-ups. They go to sea, with dire results.
Sambo, ties up a giant, Mr. Boss gets a wetting, Hairbreadth
Harry, Slim Jim and Mrs. Timekiller have fresh exploits.
MANY OTHER FEATURES.
Order Today From Your Newsdealer.