nrr. rnnTvo otceooxian. Friday, may 10, 1912.
2
if (Driimmt
PORTLAND. ORKCO.
EniiM at Port'aa4. Oni. 1'oatof f lcs aa
fcond-tlui Matter.
Sueacrlpuoo Katea loTartably In Advaaca.
BT MAiUl
Vnr. Runda larludad. ona year $1 00
riji:. fluitflar leludel. ala aonthl. ... 4 - J
l-aiiy. 8'iaday Included. thraa montha.. 3-24
1'i:t. Sunda Included, ona mootb.... .73
t.1. without unday. ona year. ...... 00
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l.u:y-. without bundiv, inrva montha. 1.73
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er r. tiprM order or parstiaal cheen on jroar
lo.-al bank. Htampa. cola or tirroocr ara
at l.le Benders ris Olva poatofflco addroas
la full. Including county and state
foaiaae Katra 10 ta 14 wacoa. 1 oaat: 10
to tt (. a centa. to paces, I centa;
to to paarsa, can la. "ur.ia postasa,
aoahla rata.
Comwi Bwalaaaa OfnVs Terra Coo
tin .New Turk. HrajuwtcH bundles- -nl
CM Staesr building.
Koropeaw Office No. Rant atroat. &
w, .. L.ortdan.
rOHTLAXD, FRIDAY. MAY M. '-
WIimU.B BOIND7
Theodore Itonsevelt is a friend of
the Initiative and referendum. So he
aald in Oregon. "But you Oregon
people are subjecting- the inltlativ to
great ri.ks and abuses," he said In
effect. "So man can vote intelli
gently on thirty-two dlntlnct raeas
uree ail at the same time."
n'ootlrow Wilson has been converted
from an academic and philosophical
opponent of the Oregon system to be
an admiring and elofjuent advocate.
"But. he says, "the correct use or the
initiative and referendum la to be a
club over the Legislature. It la a gun
on the wall, to be taken down only In
emerrenrtes." So It should be.
These words of caution and admont
tton come from the foremost Amer
ican advocates of popular rights.
Neither the Integrity of their opinions
nor the merit of their criticisms will
be questioned. The unlimited and un
regulated Initiative, they think, should
be modified.
In 10 two measures were proposed
In Oregon under the Initiative and ref
erendum.
In 1906 eleven measure were pro
posed under the initiative and refer
endum.
In 10S sixteen measures were pro
posed under the Initiative and refer
endum.
In I19 thirty-two measures were
proposed under the Initiative and rer
erendum.
In If 12 forty or more measure are
to be proprtted under the initiative
and referendum.
Who will dare say that the average
voter can or will give intelligent and
discriminative consideration of forty
constitutional and legislative mea
ures. some of them most elaborate and
many of them highly Important?
have tru a wi 1 1 1 no r
In connection with the good roads
measures the question has been raised
In Med ford as to whether an act now
unconstitutional can be passed simul
taneously with the amendment which
is needed to make such an act consti
tutional. The present constitutional
limit on state Indebtedness Is below the
amount of state bonds contemplated
for permanent roads. One of the Inl
tlative road bill provide for state
road bond Issues annually for ten years
In an amount not to exceed $1,000,000
each year. The framers of the bill
will submit an Initiative amendment to
be voted on la the same election which
will. If adopted, remove this constitu
tional restriction.
One of those who doubt the validity
of a law passed simultaneously with an
amendment correcting a section of the
constitution with which the law would
conflict Is Mr. A. K. Reames. attorney
for Jackson County in the Jackson
County road-bonding case. A long
statement from Mr. Reames appears In
a Medford newspaper. The question
may be one on which lawyers
cannot agree. We happen to know,
however, that It had previously been
celled to the attention of Tortland law
yers with the result that an opinion
opposite to that held by Mr. Reames
was given.
There is no exact precedent that the
courts might be expected to follow.
There is. however, an observation In
an opinion rendered by the Oregon Su
preme Court, which. If religiously fol
lowed and sustained in later rulings,
would make even the submission of
the proposed amendment unnecessary
as a preliminary to the issuance of
1 10.000.000, or any other amount. In
bonds by vote of the people.
In what la known as the "Home
Rule" decision, or more definitely enti
tled State of Oregon vs. E. T. Schluer.
filed May t. 191 1, the Supreme Court
has this to say:
Aathorttr to amend tha ronatltatton la ra-sar-ved
to tha pexla of Oregon ani thla rthl
may ba anforred by a sola upon as Inttlauva
patttlon. I'nder tha system now pratalltnc
a elauea of tba oraanlc act appeara to con
trol only tha Legislative Assembly, since It
roqatrra no more effort nor any greater cara
to amend a clauaa of tha constitution lhaa
It does to rnset. altsr or repeal a atatute.
for a majority voia la aufflrient to slva
sanction to a bill, and no greater vote la
required to amaad tha fundamental law.
This, on the whole. Is quite a common-sense
view. We are not con
vinced, however, that It is a good thing
to put the constitution on a par with
statutes so far as ease of amendment
or authority over hasty action are
concerned. But In tha light of latter
day legislation It Is reasonable to hold
that we have done so. In actual prac
tice the constitution Impose) no limi
tations on what the people may do,
but. following Mr. Reames' theory, we
must first vote on an amendment and
a few weeks later vote at a special
election on a law that inspired us to
adopt the amendment. No greater
vote Is required to adopt the amend
ment than to enact the law, provided
the total number of votea cast tn each
election Is the same. This would seem
like a wasted effort founded on foolish
adherence tn legal formalities and
ft riches. Still, it Is but a shade more
cumbersome than to compel the elec
tor to vote twice on the same ques
tion In the same, election, once for an
amendment and again for a bill. Tha
common sense, practical way, so
long as our constitution Is not a con
stitution except In name. Is to Ignore
it In submitting Initiative measures.
We are not condemning the road
bi.ls. because constitutional founda
tion Is planned for the bonding meas
ures. The court may have lapsed into
obiter dicta tn putting the constitution
and Initiative law on the same level.
We are not lawyer enough to say. But
It would be interesting to obtain a fur
ther expression from the court on the
subject If some less Important issue
were Involved. The validity of the
proposed bond election, however, does
not rest wholly on the home rule de
cision. To hold that tba eoaaUtutlmadJ
limitation reaches back to the proced
ure on bills to be adopted at the same
time the limitation la removed is to
rely on that type of technical legal
construction from which the courts of
Oregon have reecntly cut loose. It Is
also comforting to reflect that a num
ber of territories, when adopting state
constitutions, elected officers for
the new state government at the same
time and that these officers held their
positions without queslon.
DirrERENT VMLKX THE OX IS YOl'RS.
Mr. Taft is reported by an informed
journalistic onlooker at Washington to
be asking everybody who calls at the
White House what is the matter with
him? Nobody appears to be able to
give a convincing reply. Some say
that he is no politician, some that he
has no elements of popular appeal In
him. some that the public supposes
the Interests control him, and so on
through a maze of confused and con
flicting opinion.
No one can find a good reason. One
thinks the fault Is with Taft. Another
that it Is with the people. Nothing
Taft does pleases them, nothing he
can do will please them. They are
determined to be dissatisfied. Perhaps
the widespread discontent with Taft
Is the people's way of chastising them
selves through Taft for making Taft
President on another man's say so,
They rebuke Taft. not Roosevelt, for
Roosevelt's mistake. They would 1
ward Roosevelt, not Taft. for Taffa
real deeds.
Taft himself hit the nail on the head
in the Columbus speech:
Now I want to ask you what do you
think Mr. Roosevelt would say of ma If
1 had not prosecuted the steel Trnat and the
Harvester Trust, and It appeared sur.ee
ou-ntlr that Mr. Perkins waa a largs con
trlbutor to a special runa aipcnuea ir wr
use? WelL what doea ha do on the far
of thatT He rhargea me with being In
control of tha special Interests, with theaa
facts staring him In tha rara.
Perkins is Roosevelt's friend, so it is
all right. But If Perkins were Taft's
friend. It would be all wrong.
It would almost appear that the
public blames Taft for defining his
policy as to the special Interests and
sticking to It. while It applauds
Roosevelt for making a deal with the
interests and repudiating It. Remem
ber the Harrlman episode.
NOT A I.I. HARMONY IN PEXOtHirV.
One source of weakness in Clark's
candidacy Is the support of W. R.
Hearst. That support may win votes
for him among the Independent ele
ment, but It may lose an equal num
ber among the element which looks
with suspicion on Hearst and all with
whom he affiliates. The World fights
Clark as vigorously as Hearst cham
pions him and declares that his nomi
nation would be Democratic suicide.
It points out that, with the entire
Democratic and independent support
In his race for Governor In 1906.
Hearst failed and that Clark would
need nearly 100.000 more votes than
Hearst polled In order to carry New
Tork. It cannot discover any such
Democratic enthusiasm for Clark In
Massachusetts, saying that only one
Democrat In three went to the pri
maries and that only one In five or six
voted for Clark. Of course, the A orld
Ignores the thousands of Democrats
who took part In the Republican pri
maries. Republicans can find some comfort
In turning attention away from their
wn internal dissensions to imf 01
their opponents. They discover that,
as usual, the sanguine spirit of Dem
ocracy treats too lightly the obstacles
which lie In the way to the Presidency.
They see that capture of New York's
45 electoral votes Is no easy task for
the party which has been striving
vainly to win them during the last 20
vears. They remember that heated
discussion within their party is a
symptom of active Interest In public
affairs which will expel deadly apathy
from the ranks and will Insure a full
vote on election day. There have been
other occasions when Democratic vic
tory in an off-year served to nerve
Republicans to redoubled exertions
which brought victory In the Presi
dential year. Nothing tends more to
restore harmony In the party than the
spectacle of the opposition presaging
victory from dissension and dividing
the spoils before they are won. The
election of 191S rosy well be a repeti
tion of such precedents.
TtiK rARrr.iA Pont mix.
A bill for the expansion of the pres
ent farcical parcels post Into a reality
has been Introduced by Senator
Bourne. The general plan is highly
commendable, but it Is marred by the
fixing of hard and fast rates by law
nd the denial of discretion to the ex
ecutive officer for meeting unforeseen
contingencies.
The bill provides for the xone sys
tem of rates, which la in success. ui
operation In Germany and Austria
Hungary. Adopting eleven pounds as
the maximum weight and 12 cents
per pound as the maximum charge, it
provides a rate of 6 cents for the first
pound. -1 cent for each additional
pound for local, city and rural de
livery only. Thus a country store
keeper can send an eleven-pound park-
age to a customer on the same rural
route for 15 cents. He Is protected
from the dreaded competition of the
mall order house by a rate which for
distance between 100 and 1000
miles would be H cents. The rates
provided for the various xones are:
Within tO-mlle sona. rents for first
pound and 3 cents fur aacb additional pound.
Within 200-mlle sone. T centa for first
pound and S rente for each additional pound.
within otto-mine sone. a cents ror tne urei
pound and a centa for each additional pound,
within Itsio-mtla lone. 9 centa for tha
first pound and 9 cents for each additional
pound.
Within 2000-mile sone. 12 cents for tha
first pound and 10 cents for each additional
pound.
Outside 20OO-mile son. 12 cents for Ih
first pound and 12 cacta for each additional
pound.
The bill consolidates the third class.
which comprise printed matter other
than periodical publications, with the
fourth class, which comprises mer
chandise, and establishes a special rate
of I cent an ounce up to four ounces
for circulars and small packages of
goods. The present third-class rate
being 1 cent for each two ounces, this
is an advance on such small packages,
but In the main It Is a reduction on
third-class matter. Thus a five-pound
package of circulars now carried 1000
miles for 40 cents would bo carried
by parcels post for 2 cents, but If
It were carried over 2000 miles the
rate would be 60 cents.
Bourne claims for his bill the merit
of enabling the parcels post to com
pete with the express companies, but
experience alone can prove whether
this will be so in all cases. The ex
press companies will be free to cut
rates where they can do so at a profit
and to leave the malls to carry un
profitable business. If the Postofflce
Department could meet sticn cuts
without loss. Bourne's bill would tie
its hands and prevent its doing so
until the bill could be amended. The
Postmaster-General should be allowed
the same freedom of action in ad
Justing rates to meet competition as
is enjoyed by the freight agents of
transportation companies, or competi
tion should be excluded by forbidding
private individuals or corporations to
carry for hire parcels of 11 pounds or
less weight. Bourne's adherence to
legislative prerogative has prompted
him to embody a serious defect In his
bill.
PKtMiKKSS IN HEALTH.
It Is Just as well to remind the
public occasionally how much better
In almost every way the world is now
than It was a century ago. There Is
j so much grumbling over the ills we
have and so much fond looking back
to the "good old times" that a review
of the unvarnished facts is usually
wholesome as a moral lesson. With
this thought In mind one of the New
York papers prints a column of in
formation about conditions in that city
at the close of the Civil War, which
was but half a century ago. Still the
changes have been remarkable.
At the close of the war some New
York streets were paved with cobble
stones, others had no pavement and
all were frightfully filthy. Now New
York Is one of the cleanest cities in
the world and Its pavements are the
admiration of travelers. There was
no effective care for the public
health. Cellars were full of offal in
many quarters. The sewers were
only rarely connected with dwellings
and all sorts of offensive trades were
carried on without restriction. Since
that time the Department of Public
Health has been virtually created and
Its great power has come Into exer
rise with all the good which flow
from It.
In spite of all we hear to the con
trary, the average length of life has
Increased in the last 100 years and the
ordinary individual enjoys better
health than his grandfather. Amer
icans are called a Nation of dyspeptics
and neurasthenics, but the truth
is
that comparatively few of our stom
achs are chronically out of order.
wtille our nerves are Improving rapidly
since the vacation habit has come
Into vogue. The upbuilding of the
great body of civic practice which
comes under the- name of public hy
giene has been In large part the work
of women.
Reform in matters of public health
began at about the same time that
women began to take a pronounced
part in the practice of medicine. The
Ideas of cleanliness and order which
they brought fresh from their draw
ing-rooms were found to be admirably
adapted to the larger uses of cities
and they set to work to induce men
to apply them. The work was neces
sarily slow because the women could
only use their tongues. They had to
accomplish results slowly and dr.
cultously with enormous waste of en
ergy, but they did accomplish them
The results remind us how much more
they might do If they could attack
their tasks directly Instead of indl
rectly.
KTRiONO ON INKKftKNCKS.
Mr. C. A. Moseley, whose letter is
published today, has that keen and
forceful reasoning power so often
found among single taxers. Because
The Oregonlan admitted that there
existed In the case of Mrs. Madeleine
Korea Astor a condition that, it hap
pens, the followers or Henry oeorge
propose to remedy by applying single
tax, Mr. Moseley, forsooth, concludes
that The Oregonlan Is "catching up
with Henry George."
Likewise, we suppose, when The
Oregonlan comments on railway dis
criminations it Is for Government
ownership, in Mr. Moseley' sight, pro
vided, of course, Mr. Moseley clings
to that theory. If ho Is a free trader,
he gains comfort from the fact that
The Oregonlan condemns high tariff
abuses. When The Oregonlan deplores
domination by Big Business, Mr. Mose
ley, who la so apt at drawing Infer
ences, can no doubt see a drift toward
Bryanlsm. Rooseveltlsm, La Follotte-
Ism or any other polltloallsm that he
happens to advocate for Immediate
dealing with the trust Issue. It must
be a state of mind delightful to pos
sess. He who holds It can argue that
nearly the whole world Is with. him.
Yes, Mrs. Astor is one of the larger
drones In the busy hive of life. Those
who work contribute to her luxuries
and pleasures. She enjoys wealth that
she has not lifted a lily-white flnge.r
to attain. But there are among these
workers those who are thrifty and
who have exerted themselves to attain
what they possess. Mr. Moseley and
his like, to reach the drones su. h as
Mrs. Astor, would also rob the thrifty
workers of thHr well-earned Incre
ment. That 1 what single tax pro
poses to do.
We are inclined to agree with Mr.
Moseley's statement that If single tax
had been In vogue since the founda
tion of the republic there would be no
Astor fortune. But we are not for
single tax. Amputation of the legs In
early life will Inevitably prevent the
growth of corns. Likewise, we are not
advocating amputation of the limbs as
a remedy or preventive.
VEILS AND BANDAGES.
The movement for the emancipation
of Turkish women from some of the
restrictions of the harem has not end
ed very encouragingly. Under tha Im
pulse toward liberty which the Young
Turk party gave the country the
women began to emerge from their se
clusion and even walk about the
street unveiled. The orthodox old-
timers held up their hands in horror
at the spectacle and began to quote the
Koran against the Innovation. The
harem waa woman' proper sphere.
they argued. There Allah had de
creed that she should pass her exist
ence. To emerge from its sacred
shades at all was Impious, but to
emerge without a veil, heaven defend
us, what, sacrilege!
Among the women themselves there
were two parties. The progressive de
sired to drop the veil. The conserva
tives wished to retain It and they
joined the Koran worshiper against
their advanced sisters. . The latter
tried to argue the point with them.
"What difference does it make to you
whether we drop the veil or not? If
you want to stay in the harem and
keep your face hidden from the light
you can. We shall not try to prevent
you." But the conservatives could not
see It In that aspect.
"If you come out of the harem,"
they replied, "and drop your veils, you
will make It the fashion. We shall all
have to do the same or lose our social
standing. Now we do not want either
to drop our veils or lose our social
standing. Therefore we oppose your
dropping yours. We protest against
having tha offensive privilege of going
about unveiled thrust upon us against
our own desire." The Young Turk
part- are not firm enough in the sad
dle to Ignore the reactionaries, so they
have been obliged to revoke the' privi
leges which they granted the pro
gressive women a few months ago and
all Turkish females will return to the
harems. If they appear on the street
it will be under yards and yards of
thick crape.
A similar struggle is going on In
China over the unwrapping of girls'
feet. The progressives contend that it
would be more humane to leave the
feet of growing girls free from ban-
I dages. The conservatives reply that
the bandages are tied- on by the decree
of the Almighty and to omit them
would be nothing short of sacrilege.
In support of their position they quote
from Confucius the passage In which
he says that "the true woman has a
foot so small that she cannot gad about
the streetsand gossip. Her divinely
appointed sphere Is the home, and
therefore she ought to have a foot so
weak and useless that she never can
walk out of her husband's home."
How this contest will end we cannot
predict, but Confucius has a strong
hold on the Chinese mind.
IMM1GKATION BY 8EI.ECTION.
If the Pacific Coast desires to avoid
being swamped with the lowest and
most undesirable type of immigrants
when European liners begin bringing
passengers directly to our ports by
the Panama route, we must make a
united effort to secure revision of the
Immigration laws. The steamship
companies are even now canvassing
Europe for immigrants to be carried
after the canal is opened. They don't
care what class of people they bring;
all they care about Is the passage
money. We on the Pacific Coast are
vitally Interested In having this coun
try settled by only the best type of
people people who will work, who
will become permanent, loyal citizens,
who will assimilate with the present
population and with whom the present
population will be willing to assimilate.
If we are to secure Immigrants of
this type, we must do so by selection,
as Canada does. That mean that the
viewpoint of the law must be entirely
changed. The law now specifies only
those Immigrants who are to be ex
cluded: it should specify only those
who are to be admitted and should au.
tomatically exclude all others. The
desirable Immigrant should be defined
In general terms, but clearly enough
to close loopholes for evasion of the
spirit and purpose of the law. When
doubt arises the benefit should ' be
given to the United States, not to the
Immigrant. We should assume the
position of a man having prizes to give
and should satisfy ourselves that only
the best get the prizes.
So radical a change in the spirit of
the law will meet with violent opposi
tion from the steamship and railroad
companies. They will besiege the
committees of Congress with attorneys
and lobbyists. Such influences can
only be defeated by counter Influences
of greater power, more skilfully han
died. The public bodies of the Pacific
States, having a common Interest In
the subject, should combine to send a
Joint committee to Washington for the
purpose of forcing through Congress a
hill which will make the way easy for
the desirable Immigrant, but will set
up Insurmountable barriers against the
undesirable. It will not suffice to
elect Senators and Representatives
pledged to support such laws as we
desire. They may go to Washington
fired with devotion to their ronstitu
ents. but such devotion soon becomes
chilled If exposed to the subtle In
trigues of the lobbyist. A people's
lobby should camp at Washington,
keep the devotion of the Coast delega
tion fanned to a flame and constantly
apply the antidote to the poison inject
ed by the steamship lobbyist. An able,
pugnacious leader backed by a united
Pacific Coast delegation Is needed for
such work.
The latest attempt to classify the
Colonel is from the keen pen of Colo-
net Harvey In Harper's Weekly, as fol
lows:
The Colono! Is now referreel to by his ad
mirers as "The Tribune of the People." Wa
hove looked over the Tribune and fait to see
tha analogy. To us ha appears more like
combination of a snorting extra and a
Hunday comic supplement.
If we were disposed to pursue the
comparison, we might suggest that he
seems more like a combined merrv-go-
round and $l-down-l-a-month phono
graph. Nature appears to sympathize with
man in Mexico. Now that he has shat
tered the social structure, she tries her
hand at shattering the earth. The
contending factions fight about a dozen
battles a day to the accompaniment of
a dozen earthquake shocks. All this
makes lively times, but it frighten
capital, which Is perhaps unduly timid
and too little sympathetic with the
popular tastes.
It would be Interesting to learn ex
actly what objection Methodist con
servative have to offer to women
preachers. If a woman can make con.
verts and save souls by pulpit oratory,
why npt let her do it? We are per-
uaded that a soul saved by a woman
will enjoy heaven Just a much as one
saved by a man.
Miss Crocker' dogs, that have their
teeth brushed and nails manicured.
miss a lot of the fun of burying bone
and digging them up. It Is likely, fur.
thee. tneuA tLTntnnmif t. a . 1
ther, these aristocratic klyoodles have
never enjoyed the hilarity of a spin
ning chase for a flea. Wealth has its
drawbacks even In dogdom.
Interurban traffic by trolley car ha
not fairly started to grow in Port-
and. The next few years will see
tremendous stride in that line. Al
most every city man desires to get
next to the soil and electricity will
put him there.
Playing with a millionaire on the
beach and nursing a millionaire with
a "broken neck are woman's latest
ways of winning fortune, but the es
sence of their success was that their
mind were not on the fortune.
Fir timbers, 70 feet long, to square
three feet at the ends, are needed at
Panama, and there is but one region
In the world where they can be pro
cured. Adams must like the environment
at McNeill' Island, to hire out after
his term expired. Perhaps he con
templates reforming the methods and
men.
The Orange lodges In Ulster are
drilling. Orangemen seem to be
easily Beared.
The renaming and renumbering
cranks are to try again.
METHODIST CHURCH DISCIPLINE
Writer Argnea Against Relaxatloa aa
to Certain Amusements.
RAINIER, Or.. May 9. (To the Ed
itor.) Being a reader of The Oregonlan
I noticed an editorial May 3 entitled
"Relaxing the Discipline," predicated on
the actions of the quadrennial confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church
which is in session at Minneapolis.
The Methodist Church as a whole
stands on the same plane today as re
sards the social and religious condi
tions of mankind as it did when it was
Instituted in England to bring the
country back to a higher line of Chris
tian life, which had been lost through
commercialism.
The Methodist Church has never tried
to force Its will on the people through
any politic bodv or coerce by legisla
tion; that is not its purpose. But it
does recommend reform according to 1
the change of time and the natural re
quirements of the people, which stands
for the promotion of temporal life and
edification of the spiritual.
The proposal in the committee room
to relax the discipline in regard to
card playing and dancing is nothing
new, as the same has been considered
many times before and never went fur
ther than the committee, and it is so
this time. The social doctrines of ou
Savior were always for the betterment
of mankind and never did he condon
or encourage sin of any form in the
least.
Whenever a church or Christian or
ganlzation caters to amusements of
questionable character for personal
aggrandizement or advancement it mus
cease its work as a soul winner, for
God will not look with Impunity upo
such actions.
If the Christian church cannot be dis
tlngutshed from any other organization
In regard to its personnel, then th
mission of Christ was a failure and we
are of all men most miserable: but hi:
words. "1 am with you even unto th
end of the world," are as true today as
they were 2000 years ago. Because
some church members want to dance
and attend all other social functions,
whether they be questionable or other'
wise, only goes to show they have no
real Christian experience and are using
the church as a cloak for social pre
ferment.
I would like to know why the Metho
dlst Church should turn its attention
entirely from the dance hall to the
white slave traffic? It has a very
pregnant reason. I will admit It is
possible to dance and do no harm, bu
it Is not at all probable) in a ballroom.
What per cent of Inmates in houses
of 111 fame were started on their
downward course through cards, the
ballroom and their attendants wine
and liquors? I think statistics will
show about 75 per cent. In this con
nition or arralrs is it possible, prac
ticable or even common sense for any
Christian church to say the dance hall
Is all right? I say "No." and I think I
voice the sentiment of the major por
tlon of the lay mind.
If the Christian Church has no in
fluence for good in the world, its mis
sion Is a failure or its task has ai
ready been accomplished; also If it has
to come down to such a scale of life
that the world will not have to rise
above Its present plane of living in
order to enter its folds, then one of
two things are true, either all men are
already saved or the teachings of the
scriptures are not true.
I lie lolly of the first is seen at a
glance, and the last is impossible,
hence the church must establish a
standard of Christian life that will not
palliate sin and from which social con
dttions, either good or had, can he
reckoned. A person who belongs to the
church and can go to a dance without
any remorse of conscience, there Is not
much, and I doubt If any, of the spirit
or oon within him, for he cannot "shun
the very appearance of evil" and go to
such places. Any one having the spirit
of Jesus Christ will have no trouble in
deciding on the right or wrong of go
lng to the dance or theater.
We cannot suppose that the word of
nod has become impracticable because
of the revolution of material science
because men most eminent in that pro
fession refute the statement. Then the
things that were wrong in the time of
Christ are Identically the same todav,
regardless of the change of our sur
roundings.
Hence, as the Methodist Church
wishes to promulgate and dissimulate
the doctrine of Christ for the edifica
tion of man. It has a plausible and
providential reason for not lowering its
Christian curriculum to a degree where
you could not distinguish between a
Christian and a non-Christian.
If the time ever comes when the
issues of these, our modern times, do
not find in the doctrines of Christ the
Ltopla for every human or national ex
tremlty, it will he because we have
gone after the trivial and superficial
realities of life: and a sure way will
be for the church to lower Itself to
the dance hall and the theater.
N. R. ZIMMERMAN,
I, A NOLI II Ii KHS SHOULD MIKE LAW
Non-Seafaring Writer Suggests Plana
for Safer Sulp Travel.
PORTLAND. May 6. (To tha Editor.)
we landlubbers should make some
maritime laws for our saety when we
travel. No ship should exceed 400 feet
In length. A ship 400 feet long could
turn at a rierht angle In a distance of
loOO feet, whereas a 'ship 1000 feet
long would require nearly a mile. No
vessel should be allowed on the hign
seas that doea not have as much power
to back up as It has to go forward.
In case of Icebergs or other vessels
ahead It Is very necessary to stop. The
steam turbines will not reverse, and 1
understand that the Titanic had three
times the power to go forward that she
had to stop with, whereas a train of
cars has from two to thirty times the
power to atop that it has to go for
ward with.
On the high seas, the lookout on the
bow or In the "crowsnest" should have
a signal direct to the engineer, and that
the engineer should take the signal to
TiluabIe, tlme i, lost while the lookout
, , . t . ..
reverse from the crowsnest. Oftimes
Is shouting his message to the officer
on the bridge, and the officer may wish
it repeated before he makes up his mind
that there is danger ahead.
The compartments should be tested
by being filled with water, one at a
time. There is no doubt that many com
partment partitions are not made
strong enough to stand the pressure if
the next compartment to it is filled
with water, so that if any compartment
filled it would break the partition to
the one next to it, and so on until the
last partition was broken down and the
ship sunk.
These regulations, added to those al
ready in existence, would make life at
sea safe. P. W. BRITTS.
KeitponMlblltty of Judsrea.
PORTLAND, May 9. (To the Editor.)
I have read with much pleasure the
editorial In The Oregonian on responsi
ble Judges, and, while I do not presume
that you are particularly Interested in
my opinion, I wish to express my
thanks for that editorial. It expresses
in a clean-cut way what to my mind is
the sound and defensible view of the
whole matter In relation to our courts
and to the Judges thereof. It certainly
indicates to my mind that the writer
of the editorial In question believes
thoroughly In a responsible Judiciary
and that that responsibility should be
so fixed as that the Judges can be
made effectively to feel the same. I
am not sure that Oregon or any other
state has yet discovered the surest way
of attaining this result, but I am thor
oughly convinced that the ideas sug
gested in this editorial are in the right
direction. E. S. J. M'ATiLISTEK.
FEATURE OF PLANS IN DISPUTE
Writer Insists Bennett Drawings Lo
cate Federal Building Uptown.
PORTLAND. May 8. (To the Edi
tor.) The sense of justice is strong
in everv -true Greater Portlander. In
The Oregonlan. April 28, page 15. Mr.
Charles B. Merrick officially submits
a letter that my attention was not
called to earlier because of absence
when published.
Mr. Merrick, among other things,
speaking of my letter published in The
Oregonlan April 26, opposing many
features of the Bennett plans for
f.rpfltpr Portland as exhibited to the
I public, because I believe them imprac
tical and ill-considered, says:
Mr. Seabera- has made some mis-state
ments: whether baaed upon prejudice,
irnorance or upon willful Intention to tell
an unruth. I do not know. But neverthe
less hie statements are not true. Know
ina the aentleman. I prefer to believe they
are based upon ignorance of the plan. For
instance, he says:
"They locate the Federal building near the
Courthouse. Practical men located it near
the terminal erounds.'1 As a matter of fact,
the Federal building, which I assume means
the Postotfice building, was located near
the terminal grounds by Mr. Bennett.
Yes, Mr. Merrick, the name of th
Federal building is the accepted name
of the Postofflce building, and so gen
erally considered. About the practtca
bility of many of the Bennett plans
recommendations we may have honest
differences of opinion. But these state
ments of Mr. Merrick's are not such,
they are statement of fact as to what
the Bennett plans exhibited for the ap
proval of the citizens of Portland. Hun
dreds of Portland's citizens have seen
tne plans. If not they can do so at
room 41'0 Selling building, and these
citizens know, which fact I recently af-
nrmea, tnat tne Bennett plans do lo
cate the Federal building, and that the
building is so marked on the plans,
near the Courthouse, filling out Ben
nett's civic center idea, Mr. Merrick's
statements to the contrary notwith
standing.
It seems we are in fair way of form
ing a needless Ananias Club, with
either Mr. Merrick or myself aa presi
dent, which Is much to be regretted
If the Bennett plans do not locate a
Federal building, the accepted name
for Postofflce building. near the
Courthouse, I am guilty of all Mr. Mer
rick says. But as those plans, to fill
out the civic center idea of which we
hear so much, do locate a building,
and mark it in print. the "Federal
building" near the Courthouse, on the
Courthouse plaza, Mr. Merrick, as a
gentleman, at the very least, owes me a
public apology for the mistaken and
unkind words said In his letter.
The general public is interested in
arriving at a true appreciation and
In a truthful discussion of the merits of
the Bennett plans, and just what those
plans exhibit.
J. WALTER SEABERG.
SINGLE TAJER MAKES DISCOVERY
Writer Seems to Think Disease and
Remedy Are Synonymous.
HOOD RIVER. Or., May 9 (To the
Editor.) It is interesting to note that
The Oregonian has become a sudden
convert' to the single tax, for certainly
no more aoie argument in its favor has
been published in some time than the
editorial May 8, under the caDtion.
"The Fortunate Mrs. Astor." which
might with equal propriety have been
entitled, "The Unfortunate Taxpayers
of New York"
You say: "The question what she
has ever done to earn this rich reward
from the producers of the world comes
obstinately into one's mind That her
yearly half million must be pai.i by
the producers is, of course, undeniable"
Has The Oregonian had a lucid mo
ment, or has some wolf in sheen's
clothing crept Into the editorial rooms?
1 he reply to your query is. of course.
that Mrs Astor hag done nothing to
earn her half million yearly, and it is
further certain that, if the single tax
had been in vogue since the founding
of the Republic, the Astor family would
today be earning an honest living It
is pleasing to have The Oregonian join
the advocates of the single tax in re
garding the Astor fortune as the most
conscipuous example in America of the
Injustice of the present system. The
Astor family has not produced any
wealth since the original John Jacob
quit dealing in furs, yet it is enabled
to levy tribute, directly or Indirectly,
on nearly every man, woman and child
n New York City, because it is al
owed to appropriate to itself the vast
community-made values arising from
Its titles to New York realty, or what
even the "orthodox" political econo
mists are frank enough to call the
unearned increment."
And while the Astor family has for
several generations gathered to Itself
a great wealth produced by the com
munity, the - taxes on personal prop
erty, or man-made wealth, supple
mented by the dog taxes and peddlers
licenses, have so far fallen short of
meeting the expenses of the city tnat
New York's public debt is today as
arge as that of the united states Gov
ernment.
Why Is The Oregonian so concerned
that Mrs. Force-Astor is about to col
lect so large a tribute from the pro
ducers of New York City? She earned
it quite as much as did her late hus
band or his father before him that is
to say, not at all. What great differ
ence does It make who collects It, since
the producers must continue paying It
ndeflnltely. until the adoption of tne
single tax turns the community-made
values, or unearned increment, into
the public treasury Instead of into the
private pocket of some one?
It is to be hoped that It will continue
to come "obstinately into one's mind."
as The Oregonian so aptly expresses it,
until Portlands great dally comes out.
openly in favor of the single tax. The
Oregonlan Is to be congratulated tnat
t is so rapidly catcning up wim
Henry George. C. A. Jlubt.u.1.
Pnw" as a Philosopher,
Cincinnati Enquirer.
Wmie Paw. what Is a family circle?
Paw A weddlnar ring, my son.
FEATURES OF
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN
John T. McCutchetm'g Pirate Tales In his second story the noted
cartoonist and writer tells of the cruise of the Sun Dog. Illustrated
by the best drawings McCutcheon has done in years.
How to Treat Your Husband Laura Jean Libbey gives advice to
wives on just how to conduct a campaign for permanent retention of a
husband.
The 37-Cent Suffrage Hat Half a page is devoted to the remark
able creation that post but 37 cents and yet is approved by fashion.
Justice in Persia, An unusual contribution from a Teheran corre
spondent about the unbelievable methods of dealing out retribution
in that domain. Illustrated by photographs.
Onr Ineffective Army A study on America's military organiza-tion--or
lack of organization, to be explicit. It is shown that we
really haven't any army.
Young American Artists They are forging ahead, says a Paris
correspondent, who tells of tha work and life of our painters abroad.
Our Best Sellers Foreigners write tbem, so an investigator finds.
Two Short Stories, complete.
The Jumpups They invest in art treasures.
Sambo stalks another giant, Hairbreadth Harry, Mrs. Timekiller,
Slim Jim and Mr. Boss have fresh exploits. New puzzle in colors
and cut-out clothes for the children.
AND A PROFUSION OF OTHER FEATURES
Order Today From Your Newsdealer.
Half a Century Aga
From The Oregonian of May 10. 1S62.
The following are the nominations
made by the Jackson County Union con
vention held May 3: For Senator. Jacob
Wagner; Representatives, Lindsay Ap
plegate, S. D. Vandyke and J. O. laines.
The life of Reuben Davis, of the Ken
tucky Fifth, was saved at Fort Donel
son by a silver half dollar in his waist
coat pocket. A rifle ball struck the
coin and destroyed the figure of Lib
erty. Another sol-iier had the case of
his watch, which he wore in his vest
pocket immediately over his heart, torn
away by a canister shot, and the watch
still continued to keep time.
Messrs. Kingsley & Rees, saddlers,
are making a number of mittens out of
harness leather for th use of the un
ruly insane in the asylum. The hands
of the unfortunate are placed in these
mittens and strapped to the waist, and
consequently they are unable to use
their hands for mischief. These mit
tens are considered an improvement on
the straight-jacket.
Go where you will about the city
and you will notice all sorts of im
provements going on. Old houses are
getting repaired and new ones are be
ing built.
We learn that the trail to The DaHes
is under water.
As "Ed" Howe Sees Life
Men worship excitement
money.
next to
Nearly every worthless man fre
quently says, impressivel y: "I'll guar
antee it!"
Sometimes women are disarusted with
husbands, but you can always bet on
their loving other kin.
After a woman has studied family
life from bride to grandmother, and
been successful in all the roles, she has
an amount of information and experi
ence that would do credit to an elderly
judge or bishop.
Men nearly always have some great
big task on hand that they can't per
form, but whU'h worries them half to
death.
A man should be honest and polite
for the same reason that he keeps his
hand out of the fire.
It nearly always makes a man mad
to read a woman's magazine.
Men mav not he willing to give wo
men the hallot, hut they will promptly
give them the llfehoats.
Three of four revolutionists are wait
ing for every political job in the
country.
When a woman finds a man she can
boss, she nearly always overdoes it.
tSE OF XEW IIRIDtJE L. Et'ESSABY
Retain Steel Bridge Till Broadway
Structure la Done, SiiKKeeted.
PORTLAND, May 9. (To the Kdltor.)
If the Council will retain the old
Steel bridge until the Broadway bridge
is completed the public will have little
or no u.-je for the new railroad bridge.
The Broadway bridge and the Burnside
bridge will for many years accommo
date and directly serve the entire Kast
Side north of Burnside. No one lives
on the Kast Side in tlia vicinity of the
new railroad bridge, and ail living
east of Union avenue will travel on the
most direct lino to the city. They will
como to tne city over tne ournsino
bridge or over the Broadway bridge.
When one has crossed the river over
the new railroad bridge he is about as
far from Third and Washington as
when he started.
The railroad built this bridge to con
vey its trains from Sullivan's Gulch to
the Union Depot. The public Is not
traveling in that direction, but wishes
to come from the northeast to the
southwest to reach the heart of tho
citv. From Larcabee to iniro ana
Gllsan street it is 12S0 feet farther via
the new railroad bridge than over the
old bridge.
No point in the river within tho city
limits is more suitable and shorter to
reach the city than by way of the old
bridge, and it is unfortunate that the
railroad company was not compelled to
build on the old site. Let us hold the
old Steel bridge until the Broadway
bridge is finished, and it will then be
seen that there is little need of the
new railroad bridge for the traveling
public. MACMAllON.
Clinnne in English Landlords.
Baltimore American.
A large number of English country
estates were bought on the market
last year, and tenants enabled to ac
quire their farms upon fair and often
generous terms.
World's Largest Loom la German.
London TIt-Iiits.
Germany has the world's la. pest
loom, in which felt disks for paper
mills up to 23:t feet in circumference
can be woven.
A Class In Politics.
Judge.
Wife What is a referendum?
Husband Search me! I don't know
whether It's a soft drink or a part of aa
aeroplane.
Criticising a Man's Work.
Boston Dispatch.
"Don't kiss each other on the public
highway; it's awful to see a woman do
ing a man's work," is one of the
"don'ts" of the Wellesley College girls.