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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 1912)
TTTT. MOTTXTXO OREGOXIAX. MONDAY. MAY 2Q, 1912. f)e(Dmrimtn;n . Dn-nv gnt..i at r. ud. or. go". pn " S or d :. Hettae. - Safecrlpuon k.. Invariably " ,BT MiII-1 Pii:,. l-aeiuoerf. Tr ..... r. SiUr Ircud-d. tir ""'" L...r. lr.c.ua.4. om montli . I,.! ... .i'h. f.nd.r. sis --- -? 1-ei.y. without Sato.,. thre montia... I..t. :tnut ulr. moots..... . 1A.... on ! iH t Ull'I. BT. T -r , k.cu.i u4 Waaler. year fOI'T. !BT Uelwd. Tar...... Vm. T. Sur.4.. ln:J-dL " il li. I. .--"' Vlt,T o TOUT local Lank. c"TJ?"J7driiI m lociudins county aal - , to to , vmm. post, sous: rata. saiem Swine OfrW-TT C ,! lln .N.w Tor.. HrouwK "" cal case. bundias. . .. , w l.o r. d on. roRTLIMI. MONDAV. '': BALLIX.ru KXWntIT MAN. Were Colonel Roosevelt a roan of leas facility in fighting inconvenient facts he would be continually embar rassed by the tact that criticism of Taft's irtlon In almort every instance Is criticism of himself, but In his blind antagonism to his former friend he brushes aside a" '"fh constdera tlon and cuts and shiAhc at Taft. though in so doing he aU- strikes at himself. The latest example t his at. tack on Balllnger and on Taft's oneraUon of that rout h-dt ucd offi- C'UIllncer first entered the Federal service as Oeneral Land roramlMloner at Roosevelt's personal solicitation. He had only recently completed a success ful term as Mayor of Seattle, had de clined a renomlnatlon for that office and was entering upon the practice of law when C.arfield. his old college classmate, who had been appointed Secretary of the Interior. asked him to take the office. He declined, and then received a personal appeal from Km.se. velt to help him to put the Land Office In order. He accepted and complete ly reorganized Land Office methods, cutting out much red tape and knock Ins off many barnacle. After some what over a year in office he restmed. returned tn Seattle and resumed law practice. He co-operated with Koose. elt In securing the support of Wash ington for Taft tn 1. When Taft bocamo President, he needed a man for Secretary of the In terior In place of Garfield, who had not Impressed him while they were striving together In Roosevelt's Cabi net. He called upon Kalltnger. who accepted, a Cabinet position having at tractions' not afforded by the chlefahlp of a bureau. He was Roosevelt's man. discovered by. and with a good record under. Rooecvelt. No crltt. lm of his appointment was made by Roosevelt, frr. contrary to prevalent supposition, the breach between the Colonel and Taft was due. not to Taft's failure to reappoint Garfield but to his refusal to appoint Kclk-ss Attorney-General. The rvason for Taft'f decision In the latter particular was that he believed Kellogg would do better work in court, carrying- the irreat anti-trust suits to completion, than as the head of the legal department. That he has won eoual glory with Wlckersham there can be no doubt. Halllnger was originally Roosevelt's rr.an and was promoted by Taft only after he had : en service under Roose velt and had "made god." If his ap olntment was a blunder. Roosevelt mut share the responsibility with Taft. Roosevelt's statement that every one knew the Cunningham claims to be fraudulent 1 a glaring exagcera tJon. Kastem people, whose Judgment Is warped by muckrakers and who have been bitten by the Plnchot con servation bug. may believe them to he fraudulent. Western people. who know Cunntngham and know Alaska, know the exact opposite to be the fact. Cunningham discovered the Herlr.g river coalficlJ a discovery in Itself of the first Importance not only to Alaska but to the whole Pacific Coast. He located claims upon them In accord a nee with the then existing law. So careful was he that he con sulted the Land Office attornes In Washington and compiled with the law as they Interpreted It. Thnt the Land Office finally rejected his claims is not surprising. In view of the hullaba loo that had been raised about them, and far from being conclusive that they were fraudulent. As to the Law lor letter In regard to the Glavts charges. It. has been proved that that letter was a draft of what the President wished to say In reply to Palltnger. He rewrote It entirely with the exception of a few para graphs, and therefore made It his own. He obtained the Attorney-General's verbal opinion a'ler the latter had read the letter. Several months later Wlckersham elaborated this opinion Into the form of a brief and dated It back to the day of the Lawlnr letter. There was nothing reprehensible In Taft's action In causing Lawlor to draft his letter and withholding the draft from CongTess. There Is some excuse for giving Wlckersham'a brief the date of his verbal opinion, but he would have acted more wisely If he had given It the date of Its actual preparation. Tet he did nothing which Justifies making a campaign Issue of the fact. UKArr MUMIITIOMI SOT IS .u. ttsmLsal of the graft indictments against Kuef and m.st of those ae. cused !th him may create the Impres sion that the prosecution were without practical reeu'l except the conviction of Ruef and imprisonment of Kuef on one of the many charges. But the re sults of such an upheaval as that which was brought about In San Fran cisco by the revelations of wholesale brlNery are not to be measured by the number and Importance of the men convicted and Imprisoned. Ther are to be measured by the standard of in tegrity In the public service which exNts after the revelation is made. When public service l so generally and notoriously corrupt as It was dur ing the time when Kuef and S-hmttx ruled San Francisco, It I practically Impossible to convict any but a few of the guilty. The habit of condoning such crimes haa grown upon the peo ple and become so general that a great body of thera revolt against enforcing a law which has been practically sus pended by common, tacit consent. The guilty have been allowed to rise to high positions in the community, where they are generally looked op to. and the moral senslhllltles of others, who would have scouted the Idea of bribery had a healthy pub!!.- opinion frankly condemned It as a crime, have become so dulled that they have be come partners In the guilt. Where the verdict must be rendered by a Jury drawn from a community thus habit uated to condone the crime alleged, conviction is practically Impossible. The best that can be hoped from such prosecutions I to awaken public opinion to the fact that bribery Is a crime, that It results rn the robbery of the community. The guilty public of ficials will then be branded with in famv. the bribers will be deprived of political Influence, and the character of the men who seek office will be more searrhlrigly scrutinized and the acts of those who obtain office will be more carefully watched. These good results have come from the graft prosecutions. The battle between graft and hon esty In public office had to be fought out at the polls. Heney's work was Instrumental In setting in motion the r,m-rM!v element In California. It brought about the political overturn of the last election, by which the rail- I road machine was deprived or comm. of railroad and ' other corporations. the direct primary and direct legisla tion are established. It has cleansed the political atmosphere of the state and restored true democratic govern ment. The graft prosecutions have not been In vain. MtlMH.RS BY INITIATIVE. The stlnsing rebuke administered to the Fels war chest beneficiaries by the State Grange in resolutions opposing single tax were doubly Justified. In the first place, those who compose tho membership of the Grange would be mnn the erentest sufferers from sln- cle tax. In the second place. throiiKh and the progressive lea o , hM f(j raveJ 40 me t(J ppach port Johnson were placed at the helm. It , Town!U.nu thoutn he liVes within f.fty has borne fruit In the great bojiy or ( th(U he Korestrv new laws, by which state regulation .... hl,httn nand on the chicaner- of the Fels brigade the j several fruitful prairies, devoid or Grange two years ago was falsely I timber. But the man who goes upon placed In tho light of approving the them to locate a homestead finds him polltax ambush of the voters. No i self isolated from the world and from wonder the Grange did not mince Its markets, forced lo paCTs his supplies words this year in dealing with pro- . on his back, and harried by rangers poeed single tax measure. The anti-poll tax measure presented In 1910 was adopted as the result of a double swindle. It Is now thoroughly known how single tax machinery was concealed by the wording of the meas ure. It may also be recalled by those familiar with the subject that the Im pression was Insidiously conveyed by the Fels warriors that the Grange in dorsed the amendment. As a matter of fact, when It was presented before the State Grange in Slay. 1 91 o. a pre ponderance of sentiment was against It. Brother C'Ren. however, prolonged the discussion until the final hour of the session had almost arrived and then induced the tired members to adopt a skilfully-worded compromise resolution which left "the question with the people for their study and consideration." The effect of this resolution, after It had been used In slnsle tax literature as a semi-Indorsement of the measure by the Grange, was undoubtedly favor able to the amendment. This fact he came so plain after election that The Oregonian was requested by repre sentatives of the Grange to puh"sh the real attitude of the order on the nues. lion that it might be relieved of the odium that had unjustly attached to the organization. There can be no misconstruction of the attitude of the Grange this year. It roundly condemns single tax and vehemently denounces the "duplicity." "delusions" and "snares" contained In the single tax measure now In circula tion. The words as well as the an tagonistic attitude are Justified. The single tax measure la very plainly an other attempt at ambush. Single tax Is concealed beneath a graduated spe cial tax Imposed on large land 6wncrs. Single tax is to be accomplished by a twisting of the phraseology of the no torious county-tax option or anti-poll tax amendment. Whereas, the amend ment now permits any county to adopt single tax if the people desire so to afflict themselves, the new measure imposes single tax on all counties, but gives each county the power to throw it o'jlat a subsequent election. To the unwW.-y it "would arppear that the coun ty tax option was simply being re enacted. It requires close study to find the Jokers in the Fels measures. Such attempts to turn against the people the legislative power granted to the people deserve and will this year receive thor ough exposure. IK1 fOlHM RESTRICT mi.EDOVIT So much Is being made of the exer cise by the courts of the power to an nul acts of Congress or of State Legis latures that it is actually contended that the American Republic is le free than the constitutional monarchies of Europe. Reference is made particu larly to the British constitution by S. S. McClure In an article in McClure's Mag.izine. entitled "Our Government by Courts." Such writer Ignore one dlfferepce between the American and British constitutions. If our Constitution as Interpreted by the courts does not suit us, we can amend It by resort to means provided In the Constitution Itself. The British constitution Is whatever King. Lords and Commons choose to make It by agreeing on a certain law, but In practice no material change can be made without a civil war or a period cf prolonged agitation. Our Constitution being written. In stead of being a series of tacitly sc repted precedents established after lor.g and bitter struggle, as In Britain. It Is necessary to place somewhere the power of Interpretation. Congress and the State Legislatures have recognized that this is a purely Judicial function, and that- therefore, this function Is best exercised by the courts. This power Is limited by the Federal Con stitution, for article 3. section I. after conferring on the Supreme Court orig inal Jurisdiction In certain cases, reads: Is alt tho ofhor eases befnro merit lent'd. tho s-jprra Court shall hsve appoilato Jurisdiction, both as t. law anl fact, with urh oscoptlABo and nndr such refutations as tho Cosgrvea shall anako. Congress went so far as to make an exception during reconstruction days by forbidding the Supreme Court to decide an appeal in a famous case, and the Supreme Court obeyed. Though the state constitution do not generally place any such limita tion on the power of the courts, this reserved power could be so exercised by Congress as to forbid annulment of state laws by Federal Courts. Owing to the facility with which we can amend our state constitutions, the power of Interpreting them and of an nulling laws as unconstitutional is no real restriction on our liberty. Should the Supreme Court of Oregon annul a law demanded by the great weight of public opinion, we can within two years so amend our Constitution that that law will be valid. Older atates have more rl.iJ provisions as to amendment, though even so conserva tive a state as Pennsylvania has sev eral times amended Its constitution, and in Id. J adopted an entirely new one. Thus, when public opinion, as ex pressed in a new law. comes In con flict with the constitution, the courts so declare and w-e 'can. and often do. reverse the decision by amending the Constitution and re-enacting- the law. In Great Britain, when public opinion demands a new law which is in con flict wiih that series of precedents es tablished by fierce controversy on the battlefield or forum, which la called te constitution. Lords and Commons lock horns until the weaker yields, and a new precedent equivalent to our constitutional amendment is es tablished. Restriction of the power of the House of Lords probably has taken as long to establish as direct election of Senators will take in this country, and has caused more friction. THK rMn HAM) OF CON'SERVAnoX. ,-ason whv Herbert Hultine the Olympic peninsula. It blocks set tlement and development and prevents the construction of roads. The coun ty, deriving no revenue from taxes on land Included in the reserve, which has little population besides trees, wild beasts and rangers, is not Justified In building roads. The Forestry Bureau has no funds for building anything but occasional trails, for use of the rangers. If It had. its policy is not to build roads, for It alms to keep the country Inaccessible, not to render It accessible. There are in the Olympic peninsula rich valleys, more valuable for agri- culture than for timber There are who covet his land for ranger station Therefore the man who goes to live In that country' must prepare himself to live as do the natives in the Jungle of the upper Amazon and to wait rr.any weary years until the dead hand is lifted. A lineT WORTHY ENTERI-RISK. The Portland Woman's Union, a nonscctarlan organization, which con trols a home for working girls In this city. Is the pioneer, and In fact the only organization of Its kind, purpose and scope in Portland or. Indeed. In this state. Its purpose is to approach young working women and girls. In a self-hclpful spirit, first by providing a home for them In the attractive. comfortable, protective sense of that word, at a price which their moderate wages will permit them to pay, and again by placing within their reach such educational help and social pleasures as they care to accept. In pursuance of this pur pose the boarding home of the Union has been from the first now thirty years or more ago a cheerful, restful, quiet place for young women who, without homes In this city, are In tegers in its business and industrial life. n So worthy has this effort proven and so unostentatious and prudent has been Its management under the board of control chosen annually under the constitution of the organization, that It has been popular from the first to the Class to whom It appeals, viz., self respecting young women In the Indus trial and business life of the city, that Its capacity has been constantly over taxed and there has been and now Is a long .waiting list of applicants for room and board upon Its books. Its managers as well as Its membership list have long desired to remove this serious handicap from the work of the home as expressed in an old building, built piecemeal, so to speak, and the wholly Inadequate number of rooms and table space to accommodate Its many applicants. Building plans have long been discussed, hut it was not until Inst year that they promised to materialize by the generous donation of a site for a new and suitable build ing by a practical woman philanthro pist of this city. This gave courage and impetus to the work of providing the long-needed building, construction of which will be begun as soon as the plans now In progress have matured. This building and this work repre sent a most notable and worthy effort They represent charity only In the higher sense of that term the char ity that enables reputable. Industrious and capable young gif ' and women to help themselves In the truest, most vital sense that of securing, at mod erate rates, the comforts of home from the proceeds of this endeavor. It rec ognizes and proceeds upon the fact, as expressed by Will Carlcton In the quaint vernacular of the unlettered. In his story In verse entitled, "Betsy and I Are Out." viz.: Mn can thnvo and roam, But women aro akeery crlttor I'nir-os they htvt a home. ' In supplying this need of a home that Is keenly felt by working women In a strange city, the Woman's Union has been of Incalculable advantage to the class that It serves. In this view, whatever appeal may be made to the public for the furtherance of the plans of the building committee of the Union should be promptly and gener ously met. OREGON'S INVEfTMEXT IX AUTOS. The number of motor vehicles In use in Oregon last year was 7338. as shown by the licenses Issued by the Secretary' of State, and the number of licensed chauffeurs was 1671. The present law went Into effect In August, lM..and the above licenses were Is sued between that date and January 1. 1912. Up to and Including May 14 of this year there have been 75 1 vehicle licenses and 1147 chauffeur licenses Issued, the discrepancy be tween the chauffeur licenses last year and this year being accounted for in ' a misunderstanding of the law when It first went into force, many owners and private drivers taking out licenses, whereas only those operating mnchlnes used for hire are required to pay the fee. The vehicles now un der license are divided as follows: 704 motorecle. 311 truck. 14 delivery wagons nnd 40 electric runabouts, leaving S3 15 pleasure cars of various models and descriptions. The license on vehicles varies with the size or horsepower from three to ten dollars, the average this year be ing a trifle under five dollars. A chaffeur's license costs two dollars. So there has b'en paid Into the State Treasury thus far this year something less than 340.000 for these licenses. The number that will be issued be tween now- and January 1 is. of courre problematical, but the applications be- Ing filed run about twenty per day. The number from May 7 to 13 Inclu sive, was lzs. The revenue from these licenses goes Into the general fund, and It is the consensus of feeling among the auto owners that this Is wrong. They think that it should In some way be used to the benefit of the roads of the state. Perhaps there will be an effort made to have such a law passed, either by Initiative or by the Assembly next Winter. There la another feature of the law which the dealers in machines think should be changed, and that la the licensing of those unsold. As the law is now a dealer cannot take a ma rhino nn ih street or highway to show It to a customer unless it bears j a license tag or. a placard snowing that the license has been applied for. The dealers think they should be en abled to take out a general license to use on machines which they are en deavoring -to sell and in which they are making demonstration trips. Such licenses would bring In considerable revenue to the state and would greatly benefit the dealers. If the licenses during the balance of the year anywhere near keep up to the present average we will have in the neighborhood of 10.000 motor vehicles in the state by the first of r.oxt year, representing an Investment of well up to $10,000,000. Some esti mate the val-ie from one to two mil lion more, and say that those at pres ent In use are worth, or have cost their owners, approximately 39,375, 000. Considering the immense amount of mcney thus already invested, and remembering that the better the roads the more machines we will have. It seems that the plea of the owners for the license fee to be diverted from the general fund to the bettering of the roads Is not unreasonable. In attempting a private adjustment of their rate suit with the railroads the Spokane shippers overlooked the fact that rate-making Is a public mat ter Involving the interests of other communities besides Spokane and ca pable of adjustment only by the In terstate Commerce Commission. The time has gone by when rates could be fixed at a private conference between a few shippers and freight agents. Continued patrol of the English coast under fancied menace from the German fleet seems absurd at this dis tance. Germany seeks not war with Great Britain other than for commer cial supremacy. If the mother coun try becomes involved with another na tion, the Teuton will profit by becom ing the great seller. Any teeming menace Is pure bluff. The Commercial Club excursion to Tillamook will bring back first-hand Information about a rich section which was remote from Portland until the railroad penetrated to It. By means of railroads we are fast binding tor gether the scattered fragments of Oregon and learning the extent of their wealth. Patriotism which nets 24 per cent will not Inspire much admiration. Hetty Green would become a patriot at that price. The coffee valorization scheme look- more like a combination of New York bankers and Brazilian planters to cinch the American con sumer. Denounced by Socialists and labor unions, the I. W. W. Is set down as what it is an anarchist organization second only In viclousness to the French auto bandits, who committed robbery and murder ostensibly to serve the cause of the anarchist creed. If Lillian Nordlca and Mary Garden would but -take the stump and sing for and against woman suffrage it would be an agreeable variation from the Taft-Roosevelt campaign of re crimination. Politics and society have become tangled In Texas, and the Taft-Roosevelt quarrel is being taken up by the daughters of the politicians, even by those who are still in short dresses. Portlanders place too much confi dence in humanity away from home. One has Just been frisked In a Chi cago streetcar. That city of thieves knows Its prey at sight. There is little wonder the demand for seats at Chicago is greater than at any convention Of the party. The per formance by the all-star aggregation will eclipse history. In spite of his preoccupation with politics. President Taft still finds time to prosecute a trust every few days, nor does he make exceptions of the Colonel's friends. Dr. Keeney Is entitled to all the honors for wrecking his machine rather than run down a small child. He did some quick as well as excel lent work. There must be undiscovered mil lions In the Junkshops of the land, since a Callfornlan has bought for $100 a masterpiece said to be worth $20,000. The man who kills a predatory cat may be guilty of inhumane conduct, but he simply gives way to a passion that comes at some time to all men. When Seattle Is not occupied with the election of a Mayor It amuses itself with considering whether to re call the one It has Just elected. The prune crop may be short and the rice crop is away below normal. Is there any other calamity In sight for the boarder? v The Oregon Democratic dove of peace will be named The Messen ger, suitable cognomen for a Champ Clark organ. Loan sharks depend much upon the Innate courtesy of the male sex in using women to conduct their busi ness. There will be no scarcity of flowers for Memorial day, for every Portland yard Is coming Into bloom. The agony of Richeson's last hours ought to be enough to deter any man from similar crime. There is no uncertain sound to the Oregon State Grange's denunciation of single tax. The hot sands of Portland have re sumed their normsl temperature. More fuel will be added to the Re publican conflagration this week. THE BBAUT1KICATIOX OF A CITY Bolldlas; . Mora Vreteatioan Homes br Mem of 'Wealth Trsje4. PORTLAND, May 18. (To the Edi tor.) Tfaa Oregonian, in an editorial early in 1904, made the statement al most In the spirit of boaatfulnesa that there was not a liveried servant In the City of Portland and that a coach and team driven by a coachman In private employ was unknown. The democratic character and Spartan simplicity of our citizens, even among those of vast wealth and financial and business Im portance, are as true today as they were eight years ago. This entire absence of mere ostentatious display of wealth Is commendable, but when carried to the length of the entire disuse of wealth it is hardly a matter for civic congratulation or even public felicita tion. Before the writer is a pretentious volume of some hundreds of pages pub lished by the newspaper syndicate, con. talninir photogravures of the best of Portland s residences. There are many pretty homes shown, but there Is none that could be. called handsome resi dences in the s-ns we call them auch in the East. Except a few that were built over 20 years ago, there Is none that could have cost In .excess of $20. 000. We have many citizens reputed to be worth in the hundreds of thousands; quite a number are possibly million aires. Where do they live? Where are their homesT ' What is the prospect for the ulti mate realization of the Bennett plans with such conditions confronting us? We have not a single avenue at this time that would Indicate it to be the abode of wealth, nor cny locality particularly noted as such. If our men of wealth will not occupy homes commensurate with their station in life and build residences that will be a credit to them selves and their city, and Impress the visitor with the outward manifestation of our prosperity as a community, all the plana that a genius could formulate would be abortive and productive of no result. This is a matter that has Its serious aspects as regards the future of our city. That we are growing apace is true. .With 30 to 60 permits Issued dally for homes, Portland's limits will have to be expanded. It is, however, equally true that but one In 20 of these permits Is for a home In excess of $3000 In value. In the East a man worth $10. 0M will be found living In a $10,000 home. If he has but a salary that will bear It. h lives in such a home. Sheer extra vagance probably, like instances of which we can find in our own city. But there, a man of wealth has his city home $30,000 to $100,000 is a com mon value and, besides, he haa a coun try residence and. mayhap, a seashore house, either of which may have cost an equal sum. Does his wealth exceed that of our own citizen or his Income outmeasure the tatter's revenue? Magnificent homes make a magnifi cent city; plans alone accomplish noth ing. Suppose our men of wealth were to awaken to their opportunity and erect homea well within their means, costing say $50,000, $75,000 or even $100,000. would we not be nearer re alizing the desired city beautiful than by anv plan of street widening or re habilitation of civic bad lands? The chap who can build only a $1000 or $5000 home is doing his full duty. When will the man of wealth do his? A. H. FABER. Meaning of Red Flag. PORTLAND. May 19. (To the Edi tor.) In The Oregonian. May 16. ap pears a letter from T. J. Clifford, on the I. W. W.'s and the red flag, after which, in a note, the editor says the writer of the article does not know what the reH flas- stands for. Those who use an emblem should know its signification. I quote tne loi lowing from J. M. Work, one of the foremost exponents or modern social ism: The rod flag signifies that all men are brothers. It is tho International banner of the working class. It has been the banner of ths working- class tor mousanas oi r. ih atr.Dl for llbertv myriads of he- role worklngmen havo fought and died beneath Its folds. Is It any wonder we love ltt Old Glory Is a National banner. I do not know of any valid reason why a Socialist should not appreciate those who fought the battles of their generations, the battles which had to be fought In the evo lution of the race toward Socialism. For my part, I do appreciate them, and 1 love the banner they fought under, the 6tars and Stripes. Capitalism Is trailing the flag In the dut. Socialism will rescue it. Will The Oregonian kindly give the origin of the red flag. Its significance with authorities; oiudi...i. Historically a red flag has been a revolutionary and terroristic emblem. Webster's New International Diction ary. Fence at Columbia Park. ST. JOHNS, Or., May 17. (To the Ed itor.) Will the management of the Columbia Park, near St. Johns, ex plain the object of the high, heavy iron fences surrounding the different play grounds Take a Dartv composed of parents, nnd children of different ages. There are playgrounds for one age and other playgrounds lor anotner age; me m ti and biar senarated. and by a high solldly-bullt Iron picket fence. To watch the children of different ages of this Darty. the parents are com pel led to walk long distances to gates placed at rare intervals, cross over a narrow lane, Dounoeo wns wifi'i picket fence, and Into the next in closure. The fence gives an air of desolation a prison-like effect that is anything but h.rmlne. to an otherwise beautiful spot. ENQUIRER. Woman Jailer at San Angelo, Texas. DalHmn,, ImaHl-lll Not to be outdone by Switzerland, which haa one woman Jailer, San An gelo, Tex., claims the only woman Jail- i .... I .- Qtat.a she is Mrs. Pat Conway, and, besides being the keeper of the -town jail, sne is siso jetiuij Sheriff. Mrs. Conway is said to be an . v.xp.Anrnman and so DrOficint with the revolver that she can hit a bird in flight every time sne tries. Ise of Explosives. iSROW. Or.. May 14. (To the Ed ltor.) Kindly let me know how to handle, mix and fire nltro-glycertne. with full directions. I wish to shoot handnned artesian well, with hope of starting a flow, said well 415 feet deep with 400 feet of water in it. . CHAS. STANGLAND. The Oregonian will not undertake to glvei advice on the handling or ex plosives. Conference Reports Appreciated. . . . vr.v 17 t To the Edi ASluniA, vt-, -"-j - , t0I. ) u would be unfair to let pass . . . n anr.recin.tion vour wiinoui a. . very satisfactory reports of the general conference ana your u.o. - torlals. i ou uuu-.--- -- things and are keeping In that region. I aDDreclate, and my people do. and we thank you. H. J- VAX FOSSEX. Pastor First Methodist Episcopal Church. fsaaa with a Fnaa-Maker. "Brown is too fussy ever to make good motor cars- "Yes. he even puts his cigar down when he's filling tne tana wnn iu line." . SSOO Feet. ... t" r .v-r. f a v 19. I To the Ed itor )How high 1 Butte. Mont., above sea level? au SOCIALIST APPROVES t'REX PLAN M. Bines Calls for Favorable Conald- PORTLAND. May 17. (To the Edi tor.) Since Mr. U'Ren delivered his recent address to the l-pciaiisis oi Branch 4 (local), Portland, there haa been more or less comment from botn the press and individuals relative to the merits and demerits of this new meas ure, proposed for the revision of the state constitution. We venture to give out these few comments and sugges tions. The measure presented by the "People's Power League" (Dr. U'Ren) Is deserving of more than passing comment. In an amended form It will be presented to the citizens tor their consideration at the coming election, and as such should be understood. While we would not attempt, at tnis time, any special comment upon the easure. we do suggest that this letter. will call forth criticism from both the Socialists and the non-Socialists. Some of the former will criticise it as a capitalist measure, .and the latter will criticise It because some Socialists are taking an interest in it. Let us state, to torestaii a wrong Impression, that farther than its ten dency to Install a freer and fuller democracy, for Intelligent voting and better government, there is nothing of the Socialist programme about it. farther, however, than that, all prog ress tends toward Socialism. As a Socialist, we could criticise severely; while on the other hand we declare t to be the most democratic provision for the management of our affairs of any yet presented. In it are embodied provisions ior ao- minlstratlve economy; complete, Intel ligent and comprehensive selection of our representatives: the overthrow of false registration and fraudulent pri mary activities; while it gives to the electors the possibility of the most di rect voice In the Legislative AssemDiy. The plan of proportional representa tion is feasible. Just and reasonable. By it the constituent, be he ever in so great a minority, has opportunity to challenge his wrongs eitner real or fancied. This feature permits the most progressive expression of ideas on a practical basis of analysis. It is the beginning of the end of civil strife, that has their ending In wars and whole sale destruction, by a direct appeal for Justice in state and National affairs. Oregon Is the leading state in moae of modern legislation, in this measure ara eliminated the known defects dis covered in previous legislation. The basis of all government is found In tne sovereignty of the intelligent citizen voter. We have arrived at a stage of ac tion when the people must intelligently do their own thinking, to retuse to do so brings upon us increased retri bution, growing directly out oi our Improved methods of making our liv ing. The recent letter from an ex nominee, at the late primary, who ran on a platform opposed to the initia tive and referendum, and the right of the neople to govern themselves, Justly deserves contempt from free-born citi zens who have come up out or rran- chise slavery. We cannot, we must not. snirk the .responsibility thus fall ing upon us and hope to escape the chastisement that will rouow n we re fuse to advance along the path of true civilization. Every citizen voter should fully In form himself regarding this measure. While we nersonally stand uncomprom isingly for the fullest measure of the Socialist programme, for the future society, we do not hesitate to accept any progressive legislation or legisla tive possibilities that come the way of the people. C. W. BARZEE. A GLANCE INTO THE FUTCRE President Roosevelt, In 11)20, Puts Man Temporarily In Charge. Washington Star. Scene, the White House. Time, the early Spring of 1920. Dramatis per sonae. President Roosevelt and the Honorable Mr. X. -X, I want a substitute." "Why. Mr. President, you are cer tainly not tired?" "Yes, I am. I want a rest and I want you to hold down the Job." "I feel flattered, Mr. President, but I'm sure the country would prefer you." "Probably. I could by a word or sign secure another term, but I've decided to put you In my place." "Of course you are not influenced by that old third-term hugaboo?" "In a way, yes. That is, the third consecutive term. I'll again pander to popular prejudices "On that score. I did, you know. In 1908." "Well, Mr. President, If you put me temporarily In charge I'll do my best to meet your wishes." "Now, that's the point. I thought we'd have an understanding as to what my wishes are and what it will be nec essary for you to do to meet them." "With all -my heart, Mr. President. I recognize the fact that the office is yours and that you are at liberty to prescribe the course of any man you may call to fill it." "Now. that's business. We shall get along on that basis. . If Will Taft had taken that line I should not have turned him down. But, as you know, he set up for himself, seemed to feel that he owed more to the country than to me, and so left me nothing to do but oust him and take the Job back for myself." "Shall I be left, as he was. to stum ble along for a year without your guildlng hand?" "Just as he was, and for about the same length of time." "Another trip to Africa?" "No. I shall visit the Arctic. Peary and the others have really done little there, and I think I'll try my hand. Some hunting, some exploration, Bome mapping. Oh. I'll find enough to do. Meanwhile, you will have an oppor tunity to show how near you can come to running my line. If you are shrew d you can do it so as to appear to be running a line of your own." "May I ask a favor?" "Certainly." "Don't allow Gifford Pinchot, or Jimmy Garfield, or Ormsby McHarg, or George W. Perkins to meet you In Labrador on your way back and Inter pret my performances to you. I'm not intimating that either of them would try to injure me with you, but I should prefer to make the first report to you myself. I shall want to render an ac count of -my stewardship in person." "You shall have the chance. You accept, then?" "Most humbly and thankfully, Mr. President, and my fervent hope is to measure, at least In part, up to your gracious expectations." Now vou're shouting! Be governed by that feeling, old man, and all will be well with me, with you and with the country." Introducing His Successor. Saturday Evening Post. An old beggar, who called on Herb Meyer at his office In New York every week for his quarter of a dollar, came In last week with another man. "What do you mean?" asked Meyer. "Isn't It enough to give you something each week without bringing in an other?" "Well, Mr. Meyer," answered the beg-a-ar, "i 'thought I would bring him in and Introduce him as I Just sold him my route." - An Aristocrat Turns Worker. London Standard. Viscount Newry, eldest son and heir of the Earl of Kllmorey. has struck out in what is a new line of business for the more or less impoverished aristoc racy of Greet Britain and Ireland. He has Joined the Irish herring fleet. Half a Century Ago "From The Oregonian of May 20. 1862 The late message of President Lin- coin, relative to the manumission of slave property In the border states, was received in England witn muon iaor and has unquestionably wrought a fa vorable jliange in the minds of many who were disposed to regard his Ad ministration as favoring the ultra views of abolitionism. The Bulletin gives an account of the robbing of the banking funds of a gambling saloon In San Francisco to the amount of JiO.OOO by a clerk named Bundy. The recent elections in Connecticut have resulted in an overwhelming Re publican victory, electing a Governor by nearly 9000 majority, every mem ber of the Senate and a large majority of the House. The ship Daphne was seized by the United States Marshal at San Francisco .. UK..1 F Ht-ini-inar t n that nort a larger number of Chinese passengers tnan is anowea py law. Fendal Sutherlln, nominated on the Secesh ticket in Douglas County for the Legislature, refuses to be a can didate. Nick Henke, on the I4th took from his claim on Jackson Creek. Rogue River, a slug worth J280. The Salemites celebrated the victory at Yorktown with a salute and music by the band. As soon as it was known among the Washington politicians that Lincoln had appointed Edwin M. Stanton Sec retary of War a tremendous delegation called upon him and protested in the strongest terms against the appoint ment of a Democrat to so Important a position. "Old Abe" listened to all their arguments in silence and. after they were through, terminated the In terview with the following: "Gentle men, I have been considering the ques tion for some time whether I would have four Democrats and five Repub licans in my Cabinet, or five .Democrats and four Republicans. If I could find four more Democrats just like Stan ton, I would appoint them. Good-day, gentlemen." This bayonet charge of "Old Abe ", cleared the coast. H. L. Preston, of Josephine County, and E. L. Applegate. of Eugene City, will address our citizens this evening at the theater. It Is reported that the sloop Fanny, from the Siletz Indian reservation, is in the river coming up, having on board some very rich prospects of gold lately discovered in that country. A new steam scow built lately at Mllwaukie, named the Adelaide, and the St. Clair have started an opposition line to The Dalles, crossing the port age on the Washington Territory side of the river. We understand an engine for a boat to run from the Cascades to The Dalles has been taken up. C G. St. Clair, professor of music, has' laid upon our table a new pleceof his own composition, entitled. ": Song of the American Volunteu. words by T. G. Spear, and arranged for the piano. Our musical edition says that it is a beautitui song. Nearly everything of value a man knows was demonstrated with a lesson In which there was humiliation. A boy's idea of tough luck Is to be unable to attend a circus on a bright afternoon, and then have a rainstorm come up at night. And it is tough luck for a man. too. If you are not your own friend, what can you expect from others? In order . l ...... AnTn ln.4 .... must havA L(J Ut JUUl " 'cuui J v a good job, a good reputation, and good friends. . Get a doctor In a corner, and he will admit that nature does the healing. A man should be as polite all , the time as a candidate for office. Farmers are not the only ones who do It; we all put our big apples on top of the basket. If you are willing to work, can do something well, and are reliable, none of the attempts to keep you down will succeed. Do you prefer your prejudices to the facts? Every brave man, when he makes a bluff, hopes his bluff will win peace ably; no one really enjoys risk of a bullet, a knife, or a black eye. An old lady who was criticising the men, said: "They're all alike; I never knew one) who was different." Meaning of Tax Exemption. COTTAGE GROVE. Or., May 18. (To the Editor.) Attached Is a bill to amend the constitution of Oregon, which has been circulated In this vi cinity. In your judgment, what is the meaning of the following words: "Ex cept that personal property"? I can not understand them. JAMES C. PORTER. Be It enacted by the people of the State 0tA?tic?en IX of the constitution of the State of Oregon shall be and hereby is amended by Inserting after section la and before section 2. the following section, and It shall be designated as section lb or Article IX. ARTICLE IX. Section lb. The principle of single tax or- tax on lssd only shall never be adopted. Taxation of property for state, county and municipal purposes and all classifications of property for taxation shall be by general laws operating uniformly throughout the state1 and no law shall ever be adopted exempting or relieving from Its Juet share of taxes property of any kind whatsoever, except that personal property or property held for municipal, educational, literary, scientific, religious or charitable Purposes may be specially exempted by general laws. The exception noted would make pos sible the adoption of a law by the Leg islature or people exempting personal property from taxation. The amend ment Itself would not exempt personal property. Laws passed under It might exempt farm machinery, or household nr livestock, or any or all personal property London's Pokln Fan at t. London Cor. N. Y. Times. The diverting Ignorance of Senator Smith on sea matters is quaintly bit off in a cartoon published tn the Daily Dispatch. The title is "First Lessons for Senators." The following are some lessons: , . . "No, the windlass is not kept for winding up the dog watch - "No. it would not be possible to con struct a raft out of the ship's log. "No, ocean currents do not grow on No, the banks of Newfoundland do not close on Saturday afternoon. "No. the tonnage of a ship is not found by weighing the anchor." Fiction In Social Reform.' Literary Digest Samuel Merwin, lately ranked by Ar nold Bennett as one of tho three. American novelists of most promise, has written a new novel, "The Citadel," dealing In romance form with revolu tionary social and political conditions of the day. As "Ed" Howe Sees Life