8
TIIE MORXIXG OREGOXIAX, TUESDAY, MAT 7, 1912.
PORTLAXD. OBMOV
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PORTLAND. TUESDAY. MAT 7. Itlt.
C.U5M OK THE Ql AKKtU
An essential part of the Insurgent
poae Is the assumption that President
Taft's estrangement from Roosevelt Is
the result of acts of Ingratitude, of
disregard of tacit agreements and of
a policy which outrages the Colonel's
most sincere) convictions. This view
of the quarrel between the two
former friends Is exploited by men
o close to Roosevelt and so lorlg in
timate with him and contains so many
statements of fact obtainable from no
ether source that the conclusion is
forced upon us that It came In the
first Instance from the Colonel him
self. Of this nature is an article in the
American Magazine by William Allen
White, entitled. "Should Old Ac
quaintance Be Forgot?" This article
contains abundant internal evidence
of having been based on Intimate per
sonal conversation with Roosevelt,
with whom White is on the closest
terms of friendship. It Conveys so dis
torted and so grossly unjust a view,
both of Tsft's public acts and of his
relations with Roosevelt, that It re
volts the editor of the American him
self, staunch admirer of Roosevelt
though he be. and moves him to say in
footnote that he "rinds It Impossi
ble to follow his friend and collab
orator White) In all Ms Interpreta
tions of personal fact. and to add:
Wo ar admirer of Mr Roeeve!t. Yet
wa fe-l that Mr. Tart has appeared the
more dignified figure la eome of the event
allude! In. And. ma apmpoe aa It may
be. wa take occasion to ay that neltbei
nu rl-arlr to understand that the pol
(lea and attitude of a considerable body
of their party are mainly due ta the work
of certain other men, especially ecnator
La foli. tie.
White's article dwells particularly
on the difference in temperament be
tween Taft and Roosevelt, but he ex
aggerates Taft'e shortcomings and
Roosevelt's strong points, while dwell
ing not at all on Taft's strong points
and Roosevelt's shortcomings. Tet
what White has overlooked can be
read between the lines or Is known
to any man who has kept ordinarily
well informed on current events.
Roosevelt la depicted by his friend,
who probably wrote while the Impres
sion of the Colonel's recital of his
grievances was still fresh In hie mind
as mortified because he was made to
play second fiddle to Taft's brother
Charles a maker of Taft a political
fortunes. The Colonel's vanity wss
hurt. His extreme egotism is here
brought Into strong relief.
White assumes that, in Inheriting
Roosevelt's polices. Taft also should
have Inherited Roosevelt's Cabinet.
Without directly saying so, he Implies
that Taft promised as much, for he
says that Roosevelt's assurances . to
Garfield and others that they would
be retained "could have come only
from a definitely expressed request
from Mr. Taft." Could these assur
ances not as well have come from the
Colonel's own exaggerated Idea of the
obligation under which he had placed
Tart? The President Is described as
easy-goicg and therefore yielding to
the standpatters, who began to sur
round him. If he was easy-going,
would he not have been more apt to
become an echo of Roosevelt, as many
of his critic predicted? Would he not
have more readily yielded to the
forceful man who had placed him
under such obligations?
The more reasonable conclusion is
that Taft determined to carry on the
Roosevelt policies with Instruments of
his own choice. He made some ex
ceptions, for he retained Wilson at
the head of the Agricultural Depart
ment, transferred Meyer from the
Fostofflee to the Navy, and recalled
Ballinger. who had been Roosevelt's
Land Commissioner, to be head of the
Interior Department. Meyer has made
good, but Wilson has been a source
of weakness and, false as have been
the attacks on Ballinger. It would
certainly have been better for Taft
had he allowed that gentleman to re
main In Seattle. It la possible, too.
that the freedom with which Roosevelt
predicted that Taft would retain cer
tain of his officials prompted the
President to assert his Independence
by dropping men he might otherwise
have retained.
But we are told that he selected a
Cabinet of corporation lawyers. Well,
how have the corporations liked it?
Were the railroads pleased when the
rate advance was enjoined, or the
trusts when they were dragged Into
court with an Impartiality beyond
precedent? Has there been any Joy In
Wall street over his policy?
During the Interval between his
election and his Inauguration Taft is
accused of having been "hand in glove
with the members of Congress who
were doing alt In their power to in
suit and discredit Roosevelt" and of
having gone to Georgia, "as far away
from Roosevelt as possible." and of
having "conspicuously smiled while
Congress baited and humiliated Roose
velt." Then it was Taft's duty to Inherit
not only Roosevelt's policies, but
Roosevelt's quarrels! That would
have been a brilliant opening for his
Administration!
White says: 'Tan's idea of Con
gressional leadership was found in
Cannon and Aid rich." as though Con
gress allowed the President to choose
Its leaders and as though Roosevelt
had not advised him to get together
with Cannon. Representative Gard
ner, of Massachusetts, one of the in
surgent leaders who fought Cannon. Is
authority for this statement and says:
"I have seen the original corre
spondence." Taft Is accused of having shirked
pioneer work In legislation. Was there
no pioneer work in forcing the incor
poration of the corporation tax and
the Tariff Board provisions In the j
Payne bUl? Or In the fight for Cav
nadlan reciprocity? Or in his plan
of schedule revision of the tariff,
which Democrats and insurgents
eagerly snapped up? Or In his Alas
kan coal and railroad policy, which
even Plnchot could not criticise?
Aloofness towards Roosevelt after
his return from Africa is another of
Taft's offenses. White makes it evi
dent that the Colonel expected the
President to go to New York to wel
come him home and was "huffed"
when Taft did not go. He waited for
an Invitation to the White House,
which did not come, and again he was
"huffed." It Is related that on one
occasion, while Taft was Secretary
of War and Roosevelt was President,
hej was so angered at certain criticisms
that he tendered his resignation.
Roosevelt wrote In reply at the foot
of the letter: "Dear Will: Fiddle-de-dee."
On reading of the petty, boyish
"grouch." which White's article be
trays, one is disposed to exclaim:
"Fiddle-de-dee." and to wUh that
Roosevelt had continued o De nnl-
mated by the same spirit which
prompted him to make that laconic
reply to Taft.
Perusal of White's article leaves the
Impression that the difference be
tween the two men has grown from
small misunderstandings, studiously
magnified by Taft's enemies, rather
than from any dlagreement in policy.
But the personal differences have ren.
dered easy the work of these same
enemies in swelling the small politics
difference until they grew to the
first magnitude.
co.xk to thk (nur-Hur.
It is a surprise to find the following
paragraph In a newspaper so Intelli
gent and careful as the Jefferson
Review:
Weet's l40.OoO.Ann roa4 bill should be de.
feated. and will be. unless It le carried by
non-taxpa era. who ahouU! not ha permitted
to rote on the Question at all. There
something not Just ncht In a custom that
ailowa a mas to vote a heavy burden on
hi neighbor, while he eerapes any part
thereof. uch a sum as aeked for In th
road bill la beond the bounds of reason.
To Incur such a debt would not only pre
Tent homeeeeker coming to suf state, but
would drive out many of those now here.
A debt of that magnitude la not to ba
lightly aaaumed.
The t40.000.000 road bills have
been consigned to the waste-baskPt-
Our Jefferson friend will not be trou
bled more about them. Nor, we fear.
will his deep aspiration that none but
taxpayers be permitted to vote on any
tax-creating measures be realized. The
good old days when your property
owner only held In his hands the des
tlnles of the Nation have also gone
never to return. Big Business Is not
so very popular nowadays. It sowed
the wind and the ensuing whirlwind
Is stilt blowing away. Things will be
calmer after awhile, but Big Business
will have Just a voice in affairs not
the whole voice. That's all.
Let our friend of the Review read the
compromise road bills. He may like
them better than the original propo
sals. They offer a much smaller sum
for roads. They secognlze the princi
ple of local control. They carefully
provide against the one-man power of
the Oovernor. They arrange for a re.
markably fair distribution of funds.
They authorize bonds not to exceed
1 1.000,000 per year for ten'years. They
define all around a comprehensive
plan of state and county construction
with emphasis on the latter.
We want good roads for the benefit
of the present generation, as well as
for future generations. The time to
build them Is now.
.) TO BETTER ROADS).
Representative Shackleford, of Mis
souri, has offered an amendment to
the Postoffice appropriation bill now
pending in the lower house of Con
gress, providing for payment by the
oovernment for the use of certain
roads over which the rural free deliv.
ery routes run. Under this measure
these roads are classified as follows:
Claae A shall embrace roads of not loea
than one mile In length, upon which no
srade ahall be steeper than la reasonably
and practically neceaeary 10 view of the
natural tonography of the locality, well
drained, with a read track not leee than
nine feet wide, composed Of ahella. vitrified
brick, or macadam graded, crowned, com
pacted, and maintained In euoh manner that
It shall have continuously a firm, smooth
surface, and all ether roads having
road track not less than nine feet wide of
a eonetructlnn equally smooth, firm, durable.
and expensive, and continuously kept In
proper repair.
C'laaa B shall embrace reads of not Ires
than one mile In length, upon which no
grade shall ba steeper than Is reasonably and
practically neceaaary In view of the natural
topography of the locality, wail drained,
with a road track not lees than nine feet
wide. compfleM of burnt clay, gravel or
proper combination af sand and clay, aand
and gravel, or rock and gravel, constructed
and maintained In such manner as to have
continuously a firm, smooth eurfare.
Claaa C shell embrace roade of not lasa
than one mhe In length, upon which no
grade ahall be steeper than Is reasonably
and practicably neceeaary Is view ot the
natural toporraphy of the locality, with
ample side ditches, ao constructed and
crowned as to shed water quickly Into the
side ditches, continuously kept well com
pacted and with a firm, smooth surface by
dragging or other adequate means, so that
It shall be reasonably paaaabla tor wheeled.
vehlclea at ail time
The bill fixes the annual sum to be
paid for the use of such roads as fol
lows: Class A. 125; class B. 120. and
class C. $15. For the use of ordinary
dirt-roads there will be. under this
measure, no payment. The classifica
tion will be under the direction of the
Department of Agriculture, and the
director of that department estimates
that under the bill the payments would
be about as follows:
B floo miles at 12.1 ner mile .1 1 4S.VOA0
llT.Soo mllea at !-'' rer mile 1 :144.I
SJiJ.oO mllee at 413 per mile 1.:u7.3o4
Total !., oO miles lidioo
As the rural routes now cover
1.17;. 171 miles of road this would
leave 175.871 miles of roads for the
use of which nothing Is to he raid.
Should this amendment be adopted it
would be the opening wedge for the
expenditure of vast sums by the Gov
ernment in the near future. The
amounts fixed by the bill are Insignifi
cant when the cost or good roads is
considered. It Is estimated that class
A roads cannot be constructed for
less than $11,000 per mile, and their
up-keep amounts to over $300 per
mile per annum. The cost of the
gravel roads varies according to the
nearness of the material used in their
construction, but the sums to be an
nually paid for their use Is far below
the cost of their maintenance.
It Is safe to say that as soon as the
precedent should be established to pay
for the use of roada there, would bo
tremendous pressure brought to bear
for the payment of sufficient sums at
least to keep the roads In repair: so
the $1. 000. 000 would soon swell to
three or four times that sum. Whether
this would be good legislation or not
depends upon the way. we look at it.
The Postoffice Department now costs
us nearly $150,000,000 per year. We
all wish to see postage reduced from
cents to 1 cent for letters, which
could not be safely done if the use of
the roads was to he paid for. The
rural route, bow coat $17,000,000
year, and all of the mall collected on
... ... ...
them reaches only a trifle over $14,
000.000. On the other hand, if the
Government were once started in the
way of general assistance to our high
ways it might go a long way towards
Improving our roads and bringing
them up to such a point as not to
make of them a National disgrace, as
they axe at present. Of the leading
civilized nations on earth our roads
are the poorest, and some steps should
be taken by our people to better their
condition.
MAKE TUB TERM LONGER.
As regularly as elections come
around, discussion of the drawbacks
or short terms of office is revived.
Opposition to Roosevelt on the ground
of the anti-third term tradition has
brought the subject to the front. Vol
untary retirement of members of the
House because biennial elections
hamper their usefulness and Impose
upon them an Intolerable burden of
expense fastens attention on the sub-
Ject.
The custom of parties in renominat-
. DMefifanfa nf ,V.nli mrn faith urift
Ing Presidents of their own faith who
have made good Is a tacit admission
that a four-year term Is not suffi
cient time for the working out of a
definite line or policy. The anti-third
term tradition Is a precaution against
perpetuity in office, which might in
time transform the republic into a
monarchy. President Taft has pro
posed to meet both difficulties by ex
tending the term to six years and lim
iting any man to a single term. We
should then make an end of the
charge that Presidents use their of
ficial power to secure re-election. We
should end all. danger that any Presi
dent might secure re-election indef
initely. We should give each Presi
dent reasonable time to show the re
sult of his policies and we should es
cape the quadrennial political and
business disturbance of elections. It
Is surely sufficient to change our
Government at six-year Intervals.
France elects the President for seven
years and does not re-elect him. Surely
a popular verdict on the Important is.
sues of the day should be decisive
enough to stand for seven, or at least
six years.
In electing Representatives for only
two. years we have gone to the oppo
site extreme from the six-year term
of Senators. In giving Senators six
year terms and In electing them indi
rectly we have placed them out of
touch with the people. In electing
Representatives for only two years we
have not given them a term long
enough to work out results. Since
their terms do not begin until four
teen months after election, unless they
are called together in extra session
they no sooner begin work of legisla
tion than they have to lay plans for
re-election. This necessity often in
fluences their legislation and makes
them moral cowards.
If Senators and Presidents are elect.
ei for six years It would seem wise to
retain the lower House membership
under a condition responsive to the
people's will. New Issues are almost
certain to arise within a period of
six years on which an expression by
the people Is desirable. The short
term may be hard on the Representa
tlveei but many of its drawbacks may
be avoided by providing that the first
session of the House elected In .No
vember shall begin in the following
March. The responsiveness of the
Senate could be Improved In the mean
time by adoption of the long-hoped-for
amendment providing for direct elec
tion of its members.
KUi.NO IN THK rotXET.R.
Following up a very common and
most commendable practice In our
colleges and high schools, the Univer
sity of Kansas has made a collection
Of slang phrases which It urges the
students not to use. Among them are
one or two of the really bright bits
of slang which appear now and then.
such as "you can search me," and
never again," At the basis of these
expressions there Is a sound psychol
ogy and an Interesting human experi
ence. "You can search me," is a fig
urative way of pleading not guilty.
Go to the bottom of all the individual's
pockets and examine the abysses of
his mind and you shall not discover
that of which you have been accusing
him. A piece of slang which can
stand analysis as well as this one cer
tainly haa something to sa for itself.
While it may hot become an integtal
part Of the language, still It is hot like.
ly to perish immediately In spite of
the rather pedantic opposition of col
lege faculties. Much the same Is true
of "never again." It expresses a re
pentant mood with poetical fervor and
Intensity. Having erred once and ex
perienced the consequences the re
morseful sinner sadly shakes his head
and exclaims "never again." quite like
Poe's Raven with his "Nevermore."
The only objection to bright and
poetical slang of this sort was stated
by Poe In the Raven as well as the
college faculties can state it and
probably better. The trouble was not
that "Nevermore" was not good Eng
lish or that it violated the proprieties
or that it shocked somebody. The only
fault to be found with it lay in Its
damnable Iteration by the Raven. It
was the only word he knew. He tried
to pour out the whole burden of his
soul in that one word, and naturally
he strained It to the bursting point. It
takes more than a single word to con
vey all the emotions and purposes of
human soul. The accusation which
we bring against the slang-users Is the
same as Poe brought against the Ra
ven. They forget or Ignore the rich
and copiously expressive English vo
cabulary and limit themselves to a
meager set of phrases which may be
very well in themselves, or may not.
but which are far too exiguous to serve
the purposes of language In these ex
pansive days. Human brain power has
developed step by step along with hu
man speech. When there were few
words known to man he thought but
little. As his vocabulary grew larger
his mind acted more widely and gen
erously. Language is in fact the instrument
of thought. The persons who use but
rew words, making a poor and mean
vocabulary serve all their purposes,
are likely to have but few thoughts
and those far from elevated. The dls.
rlmlnatlng reader will not confuse th
use of a copious vocabulary with "th
gift of gab." Many speakers who are
fluent to the last extreme use only a
few words and do not use those few
correctly. This is the case with most
pellblndera and some lawyers. Put
ting aside people of that undesirable
tamp, we may say with sufficient as-
u ranee of truth that men of large in
tellectual power use a great many dlf
rerent words. They do not try to
make on word substitute for six or
seven. Each vocable has its peculiar
alnllic&nc corresponding to some dis-c&a
I tinct turn of thought and they apply
' - - - . . . - . W n Tk
It to that use and to no other. The
greatest intelligences of the race have
employed the most extensive vocabu
laries. Shakespeare, who was no doubt
the brightest of all men, used more
words than any other writer. Burke
had a rich command of language, and
so had Plato.
The simple truth is that the slang
habit doee not indicate wit or shrewd
ness, hut the opposite. The person who
seeks to express all his thoughts by a
few elang, or cant, phrases has but
few thoughts to express in any man
ner and those few are apt to be blurred
ana confused. If his mind worked
clearly he would not rest until he had
found a corresponding clarity and di
versity of speech. The prevalence of
8an
in our colleges shows not so
much that the students despise the
beauties of their mother tongue as that
they have lost the fine art of thinking.
There are other Indications of the
same lamentable loos. The preference
of football over study may be men
tioned as an instance. That we are
not amiss in saying that the disease Is
widespread may be inferred from the
a,mogt mnIUne0ut)y wltn
1 . .
the University of Kansas, Wellesley
College in the East has begun a war
fare upon slang. At Wellesley stu
dents who speak slang are to be fined.
Since many of the girls who attend
that Institution are rich, this rule will
probably result In making the use of
slang an aristocratic privilege. Those
who can afford to pay the fines will
speak nothing else and glory in it,
while the poor girls will refrain be
cause of their poverty and bewail the
sad restriction. Th new rule will ex
alt slang instead of silencing it.
The use of slang, cant, argot, and so
on, is characteristic of persons whose
minds run In a single channel. Re
ligious sects In the fervor Of their early
zeal are apt to develop a set of slang
expressions peculiar to themselves.
These few phrases, constantly on their
tongues, acquire an exact technical
value. They express the meager think,
ing of the sectarians with mathemat
ical precision, and. furthermore, they
provide a means by which the mem
bers can recognize each other. It is
the same way with thieves argot. To
the initiated It Is highly expressive, and
it also serves in place of signs, grips
and passwords. We thus perceive two
reasons for the hold which slang has
on the affections of the college student.
For one thing. Its saves him the trou
ble of thinking. If he tried to use
many words he would be forced to find
thoughts to fit them which would be a
sad exertion. Again, hla slang stamps
him as a member of a Certain "set."
The cant phrase, with the accompany,
ing giggle or wink, signifies that the
miss or youth belongs to the elite of
their little world, a clique which no
more dares to have an original Idea
than x sheep dares to forsake the lead
of the bellwether.
We hope the colleges will Wage re
lentless warfare upon slang, but, for a
different reason from the one they
commonly assign. There Is not the
slightest danger that the talk of col
lege boys and girls will corrupt the
Kngllsh language, but there Is some
danger that they will graduate with
minds so empty and flaccid that they
will be nuisances to the end of their
days. If they are compelled to learn
and speak an extensive vocabulary it
will help prevent this dire Calamity.
Nobody cares who comes out ahead
In the Democratlo primaries. . The
first question Is always about the Re.
publican candidates. Then as an after,
thought there Is a tepid Inquiry about
the Democrats. . "Wilson gets it?
Really, you don't say. Terribly rainy
this Spring, Isn't it?" This may mean
that any Democrat can he elected and
it may mean that the country expects
the Democratic party to make a fool
of Itself and takes the news that it has
done so as a matter of course.
The Emersonian law of compensa
tion may be seen at work In the conse
quences of the Titanic wreck. Colonel
Astor's death restores the elder and
legitimate Mrs. Astor to her place on
the throne of New York society and
exiles his second wife, who was Miss
Force. The divorced Mrs. Astor has
returned from Europe to claim her
own. Much as she must lament her
former husband's death, no doubt she
can discern something providential
in It.
Mr. H. J. Heinz is the man who has
made millions by preparing and sell
ing food products which are strictly
hygienic. He asks for no favorable
"Interpretations" of the Federal pure
food law. or any Other law. Dr. Wiley
never had any terrors for him, because
all his goods are honest. If he erects
a plant in Portland he will stimulate
the production of tomatoes and beans
and at the same time stiffen our mor
als. The weak and oppressed of all the
earth look to the United States as a
haven, and the country will suffer little
by allowing terrified Chinese In Mexico
to cross the border to safety. At the
same time, the Mexicans need to be
taught a lesson.
It must be all in the "knowvhow,"
for a man fell eighty feet off the new
bridge to his slight damage yesterday,
while a window washer dropped only
thirty feet and will die.
The cucumber flourishes in Oregon
and th grower who takes a "flyer" In
It this season stands a chance of put
ting "57 varieties" of profits In his
coffers.
By all means, let this ctiy see a pa
rade of the First Infantry ere it em
barks. There are thousands of men
who want to lift their hats to the col
ors. Those Mormons in Chihuahua are
showing the proper fighting stuff. All
Mexico needs Is a brigade of them and
th trouble will cease.
The spirit of Dowle still hovers over
Zlon. Not being present In person to
cause contention, his picture does duty
in his stead.
The men handling the Job of de
pressing the butter market found the
article too slippery and the price is
restored.
The waves Of oratory will roll high
In Ohio during the next two weeks and
the Ananias Club will receive recruits.
The man who neglects his home gets
the contempt that is the due of the
veriest of "common scrubs."
Ridicule of the tea is as sure a cause
of hostilities In Los Angeles as in Fez.
This is a Hprina; witn wnicn nobody
find fault.
AMENDMENT TO BORAH BILL BAD.
Compliance With Cultivation Reqnlre
inrlt Impoaaible In Timbered Section,
ROSEBCRQ. Or.. May 6. (To the
Editor.) Published press dispatches
from Washington say that the Borah
Jones homestead bill as finally agreed
upon in conference committee requires
that one-sixteenth of the area be in
cultivation the first two years, and
one-eighth of the area be In cultiva
tion at the end of three years from
date of settlement, 10 and 20 acres of
the lf acres. If this amendment Is
retained In the bill and It becomes a
law. It will practically cut out all set
tlement under the homestead laws In
the timbered regions of Western Ore
gon and the coast counties. If cultiva
tion mean that the land be cleared of
stumps the beat Timber Jack In Ore
gon could not, with ax, shovel and
grubblng-hoe, clear, burn and remove
the logs and stumps from 20 acres of
land in 10 years if he worked every
working day In the year, unless it be
along the river bottoms where there
is no large timber, and this kind of
land has long since been taken.
By the common method of clearing
lands in the Umbered regions of Ore
gon, which Is to slash, burn and re
move the small stumps under six to
eight Inches in diameter, the average
homesteader does not in 10 years as
rule get more than from five to
acres of his 180 In actual cultivation
But, added to this he usually has from
10 to 20 acres cleared from the brus
and logs, the small stumps cut low an
the big stumps left from two to fou
feet high, and this land Is seeded to
hay, and the homesteader cuts this hay
among the stumps with a scythe until
such time as the stumps rot out when
a mower may be used. This can be
verified by any otle who has ever lived
In the timbered portion of Western
Oregon or the coast Counties.
I consider the Borah bill the bes
ever Introduced in Congress for the
actual bona fide homesteader before
this amendment wis attached to it- Its
enactment in Its present reported con
ditlon would mean that lands in Ore
gon and other Western states would not
be settled under the homestead laws.
make this statement after having- lived
In the timbered portion of W estern
Oregon and the coast counties for 43
years and having homesteaded and ac
tually lived upon and cleared and im
proved this Class of lands.
It must also be remembered that th
settler Is now very much handicapped
by very strict fire laws which do not
permit him to burn his slashings In
the dry season of the year as th
homesteader could do In the past
Therefore It Is an utter impossibility
for the settler with his own two hand
to clear the amount ot land and put it
Into cultivation that is required by
this amendment. It is true that a man
who has the money to employ help to
clear end improve the land could com
ply with the law, but this class of men
do not take homesteads or Improve
land. It Is cheaper to buy and he has
no hardships to contend wlth.lf some
or the Eastern and prairie state Sen
stors and Representatives would not
investigate the condition of the poo
homesteader while In hi richly fur
nished office in Washington, but would
come out to the timbered portions of
Washington, Idaho and Oregon and Jus
spend one month In carrying a 50-
pound pack on their backs wading
mountain streams and traveling a foot
trail for from one to 20 miles he would
be willing to pass laws In the Interest
of the homesteader.
Not all of the homesteaders have to
pack their supplies in to their claims
on their backs over a root-trail, but
there is not one claim in a hundred
now left on or adjoining a wagon road.
The most of the settlers must cut foot
and horse trails to their land from one
to 10 miles and it Is often years be
fore they have a wagon road. This is
largely the case where land grants
have been made to railroads and by
reason of the fact that the Northern
Pacific Railroad Company and other
big concerns have scripped many thou
sands of acres of land. Thus the home
steader is surrounded by land that is
not being Improved and where there
are no roads and schools, official re
ports show that more lands have' been
conceded to railroads by state and Na
tional land grants than have been
taken by homesteaders since the first
homestead laws were enacted.
As a rule old laws Under new condi
tions are amended or new laws enacted
to meet the conditions of modern de
velopments, but the homestead laws
have remained on the statutes prac
tlcally the same for over 50 years, and
the law now applied to the homesteader
In the timbered regions just as it did
In the old days In the prairie states.
where a settler could plow and seed
more land In one day than he can clear
and seed In a yeaf of actual hard labor
On the class of land now left for the
settler.
The Oregonlan during the past three
months has made a splendid fight In
the Interests of the Borah bill which
means so much to the West, and should
receive the thanks of the settler as
well as all the people who want to see
Oregon's wild lands settled and Im
proved. Every commercial club in Ore
gon ought to urge our delegation in
Congress to defeat this amendment.
B. F. JONES.
A STRONG MAN'S OlEKP. WEAKNESS
John Arbnckle, Who Fought the Sugar
Truat, Afraid t Make a Will.
Wall Street Journal.
In one of Thackeray's best-known
poems on what he calls "the old, old
text of folly, fortune, glory, ruin," he
draws the reflection:
How very weak the very wise.
How very small the very great are.
There is something In the death of
John Arbuukle which recalls those lines.
He died a lonely and disappointed man.
He never really recovered from the
humiliation or paying a huge fine to
the Government for importing sugar
under conditions which amounted to or
ganized smuggling, with the corruption
of minor officials which it involved.
Arbuckle was a strong man. He
fought what was perhaps the most
powerful Industrial corporation In the
United States, after the Standard Oil
Company, and held his own. The Amer
ican Sugar Company, under the presi
dency of H. O. Havemeyer, with power
ful protection at Washington, was a
formidable adversary for any single
man, but that dour old Scotchman
fought it in the open market and beat
It, many a time. It might be be
lieved that there was little Imagina
tion In his character, except that which
enabled him to foresee the great move
ments of markets, and to base his
operations accordingly. But he had
one weakness extraordinary In such
a man.
He was curiously superstitious. It
was not In any twisted religious sense;
It was the peasant superstition of the
country in -which he was born. All
his family had it. He died without
making a will; and so also did his
brother Charles and his sister, both of
them having much to leave and strong
opinions about the use of their money.
John Arbuckle was afraid to make a
will. The desire to do so would have
seemed to Indicate to his mind that he
was what his Highland fellow country
men call "ley," or under a warning of
death.
He was a man of large benevolence,
measured by the amount of his gifts In
his lifetime; and he would doubtless
have taken the warmest Interest in
providing for those Intelligent philan
thropies with which he was associated.
To the melancholy ot bis last years
was added this curious, unreasoning,
haunting fear, not merely of death.
Jj3u.t ft the premonition of At,
SAFETY APPLIANCES NOT COSTLY
Doors and Mattresses Capable of Con
version Into Harts at Sen.
PORTLAND, May 5. (To the Edi
tor.) The sinking of the Titanic with
Its attendant loss of life suggests the
necessity for Improving th lire-saving
devices that should be carried by
each passenger-boat. I have had some
experience In travel by sea and at such
times It has frequently occurred to my
mind that with slight attention to de
tail, the door, the mattress and the
bunk rail of each stateroom can be so
constructed as to be easily and quick
ly converted Into a life raft suf
ficiently strong and buoyant to bear up
two or more persons for many hours.
The door can be quickly detached by
withdrawing the hinare bolts and will
form a substantial framework for the
raft. One or more bunk mattresses
placed upon the door and lashed or
otherwise fastened to It complete the
raft. If the mattresses happen to be
filled with air or of the type known as
air mattresses, so much more favor
able for their buoyancy. With slight
modification the bunk rail can be made
detachable and would serve a good pur
pose as an oar for propelling the raft.
These things can be so constructed as
to be thus quickly convertible without
the additional cost of more than 50
cents to $1.50 to each stateroom and
with posted directions for their use
In emergency, would provide each
stateroom with the means of escape
without being forced to depend upon
uncertain lifeboats and their stupid
crews. In emergencies, there Is noth
ing quite so helpful as self-help and if
each stateroom were provided with
these simple, yet efficient devices, with
directions for their assembling and
use, there need be little loss of life
from fires or Other mishaps at sea.
With these provided, each roomer
would have a chance for life by help
ing himself.
In most fatal accidents the heavy loss
of life has been caused by failing to
get clear of the endangered vessel at
an early date. The Slocum fire and
the Titanic sinking both illustrate this
necessity of getting clear early on
something that will float. Wireless
gives the call for help, but pending
its arrival, passengers must expect to
depend upon keeping themselves afloat
Independent of the disappearing ship.
A raft of this kind can be assembled
and launched by one person alone in
rrom two to five minutes. If the un
fortunate vessel happens safely to
launch a sufficient number) of life
boats, the floaters on the Improvised
raft will be picked up by them; if not,
they will have an opportunity to wait
for rescue from other sources.
GEO. MELVIN MILLER.
( IRE FOR FALSE REGISTERING,
Plan Proposed to Keep Democrats Out
of Republican Primaries.
WARRENTON, Or., May 5, (To the
Editor.) The Oregonlan has frequent
ly mentioned the fact that many who
vote the Democratic ticket at regular
elections register as Republicans and
participate In Republican primaries.
For some time I have endeavored to
trace the cause and have learned from
several men that their reason Is that
the majority of candidates for the
various local offices, from Constable or
Justice of the Peace to the members
of the County Court or Port Commis
sioners, are to be found on the Re
publican ticket and. Inasmuch as the
voters are often more directly inter
ested In the offices Immediately affect
ing their community, they register as
Republicans to assist their friends or
to work against candidates that do
not meet with their approval.
In Multnomah County, the Willam
ette Valley and on the Lower Columbia
I know many men who advocate the
removal of many offices from primary
or political strife and suggest that only
such offices as are' directly concerned
with the continuance of the party prin-
ciples should be made a question. -of
politics. ...
In the recent primaries a few ot the
candidates for non-political offices re
ceived the majority vote on both tick
ets, which shows that voters of oppo
site political faith considered the can
didates men of merit and wrote their
names In on the ballot, thus making
the candidates Republican Democratic
nominees and doubtless assuring their
election In the Fall.
Now, we should either dispense with
this needless work during the politi
cal primaries or allow all candidates
for non-political offices to appear on
all primary ballots and accept the ver
dict of the majority of all votes.
Would not some such plan assist In
the effort to Induce voters to register
their true political party?
CLIFFORD BARLOW,
MKISCH AND THE WILD DEICES
One Reason Why Great Musician Was
Willing o Visit li Again.
New York Cor. Cincinnati Times-Star.
There is a story about a musician
and a poker game. Arthur N'kisch ar
rived the other day to go on tour as
conductor of the London Symphony Or
chestra. Years ago he was conductor
of the Boston Symphony Orchettra, but
returned to Europe because conditions
there were more to his liking He had
not intended to return to America, but
Warren R. Fales, a cotton m-:i owner
of New England, who declares himself
daft on music, wanted him to make the
tour. "I will not," said Nlkisch. "I
am my own master. I will not go to
America unless you make me and you
can't make me.
Well, it looked that way. Fa!es could
not stir him hy argument, uni one
night -he sat In a game of poker with
Nlkisch, who learned that garni of skill
Boston. Do not sneer at ttoston.
The game of poker rises to intellectual
heiehts In that city, and Niklsch. Is
considered one of the best poker play
ers In Europe. Fales won Irom him
at the old-fashioned game.
It's luck, said IslKi?cn. "rou out-
held me."
"It was skill," said .tales, "i out-
thought you."
To prove It he persuadea KiKisch to
undertake a round of lackpots in that
alluring variation of the straight game
known as "wild deuces. He cleaned
out the musician. Then he offered to
stake his winnings against Xlklsch's
promise to make the American tour at
the terms offered. ihey played au
night and when Niklsch rose he didn t
have a chip left. "But I dor t care.
said he., "you have Introduced me to a
new game and Its master I will gladly
go to America, If only for the privilege
of playing more of those wild deuces
with you. I am going to tame those
deuces,"
Wireless Danger Calls.
NASEL. Wash.. May 6. (To the Edi
tor.) Kindly print the literal meaning
of the wireless call u. w. u. ana mat
Other one, S. O. S.
ALFRED UAUHLWH.
C. Q. D. stands for "Come quick.
danger." S. O. S. is an abrevlatlon of
Send out succor.
Appeal to a Chorus Girl.
London Opinion.
'Glad we met you. Our boy, Stan
ley, Insists on marrying that chorus
girl. I shall cut him off absolutely,
and you can tell him SO."
The Family Lawyer l know a better
plan that than. I'll tell the girl.
The Logic of Experience.
Chicago Record-Herald.
What will the woman of tomorrow
er signed tne pensive person.
Oh, a year or two younger than she
is today." replied the one who had rea-
lsoned such things otU d
Nitts on Half Cents.
By Dean Collins.
Nescius Nitts, Sage of Punkindorf
Station.
Spied several ants crawling with slow
. ambulation.
Projected his quid with but slight
hesitation.
Engulfing the group in complete
devastation
Then spoke oh half cents In our coin
circulation.
I seen In the papers, the Government
'tends
To add some new styles to the money
we spends;
For scalloped 3-cent pieces now they
declare,
(Appropriate change for a 3-cent car
fare) And furthermore it is within their
intents
To start a-comln' a lot of half cents.
When I speaks about It in Higginses
store.
We give our political arguments o'er.
And turned our attention to talkin'
about
Them currency changes that's like to
come out;
And some of 'em 'lowed Uncle Sam
was not wise
A-makin" of coins in that sort of odd
size.
And Jenks, who lives up St the pore
farm, sezee;
"They'd be too durned bulky, it Just
seems to me.
Now think what a burden t'would be
if us gents
Must lug all our money in copper
half cents."
He borrowed a dime, and he roamed
home to bed.
And we 'lowed; "That's maybe Some
truth, what he said."
But Spriggs says, "This here is a
schange that I thank."
(Spriggs, he's a director In Punktn-
dorfs bank.)
"Because all my life past, I Jest used
to hate
To 'tend Sunday school, where they
passes the plate;
But now 'twill be easier like." And us
gents
Agrees that there's maybe some good
In half cents.
Portland, May 6.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonlan of May 7, 1862.
A friend has sent us the returns of
the Oregon City charter election, held
on Monday last. It Is the first election
in which the opposing tickets were
strictly Union and secesh, and resulted
in a glorious victory for the Union
party In a town, too, which gave a
plurality for Breckenrldge In the Presi
dential election.
The steamer Ellsa Anderson has com
menced running between Victoria and
Olympia. For some time there has
been no steamer running on the Sound,
and the mails have been carried in a
small boat.
W. W. Page has been appointed
Judge for the Fourth Judicial Circuit,
vice Aaron E. Wait, resigned. Judge
Page has appointed J. H. Mitchell, Esq.,
Prosecuting Attorney for the Fourth
Judicial District, vice Page resigned.
Cairo, May 1. The Memphis Ava
lanche of April 26th has been received.
The conscription law is being rigidly
enforced. Union citizens ere secreting
themselves or flying to a-oid its opera
tions. Memphis is in a high state of
excitement, anticipating the arrival of
the Yankees. Secession merchants are
removing their goods to places of con
cealment. Washington, May 1. A letter from a
gentleman lh high authority In Tennes
see says that so soon as the rebel army
is driven from the limits ot that state,
Tennessee will stand for the Union by
an overwhelming majority.
We are glad to notice the feturn of
our fellow-cltisen, E. R. Geary, Esq.,
from a visit to his former home In the
Atlantlo States.
Tonight will he presented "The
Soldier's Daughter" euid "Nature and
Philosophy," Mr. and Mrs. Forbes In
the leading characters.
As "Ed" Howe Sees Life
When a woman looks young for her
age, there is more talk, about It than if
she looks older than she really is.
When it Is announced that there are
a "few choice seats left" for a lecture
or concert. It means that a good many
are left.
One of the Rights of Man Is the right
not to be forced to fight in unnecessary
wars for $16 a month, when he might
earn very much more in a less danger
ous and disagreeable job.
If you are a good and capable citi
zen, you have not only done your duty
to yourself; you have done your duty
to society. Every worthy man reduces
the public charge for jails and police
officers, and reduces the affliction that
comes from liars, loafers, disturbers
and drunkards.
Behave yourself, and you are not only
an ornament to society, but a help.
I have lived a long time, and know
many worthy men and women, but I
have never personally known a hero or
heroine.
Every really good thing will steadily
become better, as surely as every bad
thing will steadily become worse.
To Napoleon the Great, it was easier
to beat an enemy than is commonly
believed: but to you and to me, it is
more difficult than is commonly be
lieved.
It is better 'to enslave a man as- a
workman, at $3 a day, than it is to.
enslave him as a soldier, at 50 cents a
day.
GAME STORY CAVSES CRITICISM
Reported Prowess ef Hunters Out et
Season Causes Writer to Froteat.
SILVERTON, Or., May 5. (To the
Editor.) I would like to call attention
to an article published in The Orego
nlan recently, in which It Is stated
George Kelly and several other Port
land men are hunting In the Cascade
Mountains southeast of Eugene, and
according to Mr. Kelly's story are in
the habit of killing deer, grouse and
pheasants whenever, they want a
change of diet. If they had deer meat
for Washington's birthday they un
doubtedly violated the law.
If, as Mr. Kelly says, he presented
Chief Deputy Craig with a fine moun
tain Hon pelt killed on this same trip
that they killed all the deer and birds
they could Use, and this being about
February 22. I would like to say that
if Deputy Craig is that easily Influ
enced the hunters In this part of the
state would like to contribute a few
choice pelts. I want to say that I
haven't seen an account In the papers
of Chief Deputy Craig or Mr. Finley
either making the Slightest effort to
prosecute them. Mr. Kelly has just
started on another such trip. I would
like to ask Mr. Finley If he has sent a
deputy to look after them as he un
doubtedly would If he knew that Tom,
Wick or Harry were violating the lawj
w. CALVIN SCli-Lft-DOK,