FRIDAY. JUNE 7, 1012. Bt (DiTtrontan i I rORTLAXIK OBWJO!. Jlntered al fort land. Grao PoatoCfl aa f tsnaj.olaaa Matter. l4Herp(M ! lovsvriably IB Jn l (BY MAO.) I'ttljr. Sundar taeludaxl, yr . .....SS.J" 1 t:r. Humlay Included, ala morathe . . . . 4 11 I'ai.jr. Saadar trxludxl. thm months.. 1 ?J bSllr. Sanaa? Inoiwlxl. on .... . J' I fit. without Kundar. on year " lr. without Sondar. ' f1 Ully. without Siand'. tkna tmontha... 1.TJ I l T. wllhaat Sunday, ana la Jo wkijr. on yMr( f Suadar, rear ........ J- Suaday and Weekly, ona yar. I DT CARRIKH.) , Tmlm a J - luinaiaj ana vnne. . t-.HT. Bnnalav Included. a month.... f a a Rowall Snnd Pontofflco mo? er 4ii aaarva order ar poraoaal obaeli n row larSI bank. Dlampt, oia or curranrir ar at In oamdr-a nak. Ot oo(flo sddraa In Villi. Including county and atata. ' ta Bate 1 to W paa. 1 Mil" 14 I pta. t cnt. to 40 pacaa, at. "ta ao pasaa, 4 eoota, For.l poalag. aDlo rat. Saatora Baals Offlaja Vorr C oil ti ll w Tr. Hnaailtt btUIHUaa- Cal aaaa. air building. Aajoaain Off lew . aiw. w. Loodva. IHsKTLAXD, ranAT. arcs . C)lRYl0 TUB WAR TO KJOHETXLT. 'frssldent Taft controls tha Repub lican National committee. Of that fact thers la no longer doubt. If ther vr wu doubt. Even Manager Dixon xvta It. Colonel Roosevelt aea It Tha Ruosevett leaders all It. The Taft managers hav known It all along. But. having this great power, how arXth President and hla advisers to nss It? Evidently they ara pressing tha fight from tha mart. They will SMt all. or nearly all. the Taft dele gate. In the contested cases. Tha con tests from the South have Indeed little wiHt Rut the contest from a atata Ilka Washington, for example, haa gttat merit. The committee may not have the temerity to throw out entire. Ij the Roosevelt delegate from Waah lrHon. It la more likely to aeek a catopromlae by splitting the delega tltatt. Colonel Roosevelt may not be pleased at stich a proposal; but the catomlttee, or 1U majority, U not go In far out of lta day to please- tha Chjonel. ' Mr. Taft will press hla advantage at .r-r .ten. He will seat hla own dele- (.. Ha will make Root the tern ptrary chairman. He will control tha rammltteea on credentials and on plat- farm, nrobably. It will be a Taft con- aatinn 1f manlnulntton and the YY - hum roller can make It. "Oolonel Roosevelt may bolt. He haa talked abont bolting. He naa tnreaf ened It repeatedly. It looka as If he lato have the opportunity: and It looks also as If It Is the purpose of th Taft faction to force him to make fits threat good or to stay and take a bajtlng and ssy he llkea It. THB DEBATE OX CA.NAI. TfrlXS. A communication from W. D. Wheelwright, published yesterday, re news and extends the controversy aa to how far we can favor American ships using the Panama Canal without Invlnar ourselves open to the cnarge that we have violated the terms of the Hay-Pauncefot treaty, under which we obtained the exclusive right to own and operate the canal. The Oregonlan has contended that we cannot allow American ships to u.e the canal toll- free, or rebate tolls to them, without expoMng ourselves to such an accusa tion avith rood cause. But we have contended that, foreign shlpa being ex. eluded from coastwise commerce, there would be no discrimination In our exempting our coastwise ships from tolls. Mr. Wheelwright agrees with ua on the first plnt. but takes Issue with us on the second. Article of the May-Pauncefote treaty reads: Tha frill-d Htatea aopta aa thai bali af nrtitrallsitlnn of lurh hlp cnl thaj following rwl.o. ouhotMntlally a oanbodlod n tb convention oe fonolanttnopla-. alsnod tn SSta ol Uctoofr, inr ma irw laatinn of tha Hurt ranat, that la to say: 1. Tha ranal ahall b fr an1 open tn tha vaBMala of commerf an4 of war of u nation oharvtn thra rulra on torma of ontlr aualHy. o tht thair hall b no dlarrlmtnatlon aaalnat urh ntlon or rltlsn or tihj-fta In r--p-rt of th con nttlono or aliariH of traffic or otharwlaa. Such contlltlima and rharm of traffic ahall y Juat and aqultahl-. , The agitation for exemption from tolls of all American ships, both for elgn-golng and coastwise, brought forth an Instant charge from British newspapers that thjs course would be a violation of the treaty. Secretary Stlmson. on the other hand, contended III a speech at Kan a City that pay- ment hv Russia and Austria of the tolls of vessels of those nations using tfee Sues Canal has not been held to be a violation of the Identical clause to the Sues Canal treaty. We should buve, therefore, a good precedent, but tfie charge of treaty-breaking would nevertheless be vehemently made. The oniestlon for ua to decide Is whether II Is worth while even to expose our selves to such a charge. If the end sought ran be as well or better at tilned In another way. The Oregonlan ttilnks not. r The case of American coastwise liips differs materlitlly from that o tir ' foreign-going ships, for foreign ships are excluded by law from coast wise commerce. No foreign ships be iiig engnged In that commerce, there $tn obviously be no discrimination gk-alnst foreign ships In our granting free use of the canal to our coastwise stilps. As we understand him. Mr, Wheelwright contends that discrlml nation would result against foreign ships because the effect -would be to compel foreign ships with cargoes for Pacific Coast ports to transship to toll (tee American coastwise vessels at Jo me Atlantic port rather than pro Wed through the canal themsclve And pay tolls. I The toll proposed Is II per net regis tered ton. which Is equivalent to about 4j4 cents per ton of cargo. The extra n-eight for the longer voyage from Liverpool to San Francisco via New York and the cost of transshipment Jould probably exceed the toll paid V the foreign ship went direct from Liverpool to San Francisco. The dls Crimination thiut disappears. Mr, W heelwright also urges that we may ft some future time admit forelg fessels to our coastwise trade. Whe i do, we can subject all coastwise (osselja, American and foreign, to toll and avoid discrimination. we are Sealing with conditions as they are. ot as they will be at some future I me. As The Oregonlan has repeatedly fftrmed. this whole controversy can i) effectually settled by adopting the lollcy of free shlpa for foreign trad,e, ;lvlng Amerlcan-bullt ships a monop oly of coastwise trade. The professed purpose of the free toll advocates la o promote the upbuilding of an Amer ican merchant marine by giving our ships an advantage over foreign ships. An advantage of tl per net registered ton, equivalent to 2V4 cents per ton of cargo. Is absurdly Inadequate. Pub lic opinion has shown Itself firmly op. posed to any subsidy which would be adequate; la fact, the subsidy advo cates have not ventured to ask for any subslsdy which la adequate. They have only sought to insert the thin end ot the wedge. With free ahlpa we ah.-iuld build up an American-owned, though forelga-bullt. merchant marine, which could compete en equal terms with ships of all nations. They would need no free use of tha canal, ana we coma keen ourselves clear of any suspicion of t realty-breaking without sacrifice tf our material Interests. THE IND AXD THE SttA. Mr. Meadows presents in fairly ac curate form the customary Indictment against Mr. Roosevelt. All he says Is perfectly familiar, and much of It la perfectly true. But what are you go ing to do about it? Mr. Meadows has millions of sym pathisers who believe that the election of, Mr. Roosevelt to be President means the end of constitutional gov ernment and the beginning of auto cratic sule. There are other millions who think nothing of the kind. They are for Roosevelt because he does things. The end Justifies the means. No matter what he says, they think he means well:, no matter what he does, they think his Intentions are above suspicion; no matter what he proposes, they think he will make It right In the end. Mr. Meadows can scarcely think that his arraignment will make the slightest mpreaslon on the Roosevelt following. The things he says have been said over and over again. The only re sponse appears to be a 2-to-l vote for Roosevelt In the Presidential primaries. If the people dislike a party boss they strike him down with Roosevelt. If they are disgusted with Lorlmer. they manifest It by lauding Roosevelt. If they would rise against Penrose. they repudiate Taft in achieving that boas' downfall. If they are dissatisfied with reci procity, they vote for Roosevelt, who with Taft upheld reciprocity. If they are alarmed about La Fol- lette. they beat him with Roosevelt, his twin, not Taft, his opposite. If they are stirred up about the tar, Iff, they make war on Taft by uphold Ing Roosevelt, who held the Taft new. If they are alarmed about the third term, they save an exception in favor of Roosevelt. If they complain about their own mistake in accepting Roosevelt's ad vice to make Taft his successor, they redeem the error by proposing Roose velt for his successor's successor. So it goes. Nothing counts against Roosevelt, everything counts against Taft. He does things. No matter why or how he does them, he does them. The end Justifies the means. MOSQIITOKD AND IX IKS. The mosquito and fly season is at hand. Wild beasts of both these spe cies are small as far as mere stature Is concerned, but they are far more destructive of human beings than lions and rattlesnakes are. Probably the typhoid fly is responsible for more deaths than all other animal foes of mankind together, and the mosquito comes next to him. riles preea in filth of any sort. that happen to He ex. posed. Their taste knows no prefer ences. The refuse from stables, gar bage from the kitchen, a little neglect ed dirt In the corner of a room. Is all they need to lay their eggs and bring forth young in countless multitudes to plague and slaughter human beings. It Is said on excellent authority that files killed more soldiers than bullets In the Spanish War. and the same may be said of every war that haa been fought. The way to get rid of flies is to keep all premises free from rubbish. The rule for destroying mosquitoes Is Just as simple but a trifle more dim cult to apply. Mosquitoes come from wlgglers" which hatch from eggs laid In dump places. - A barrel of rainwater which has stood a few weeks at the corner of the house Is more than likely to be alive with wlgglers, which in due time will turn into mosquitoes and exact their tribute of blood from suffering human Ity. A quart of stagnant water in a pail under a tree la an excellent breed ng place for the pests, and will pro duce thousands of them In a short time. Any pool or puddle a yard across s good for at least a million. As the Columbia goes down after the June freshet mosquitoes hatch in countless billions In the marshes and fly forth on their sanguinary mission. Fortunately very few of our local mosquitoes be long to the malaria-carrying variety. If they did, Oregon would be unlnhab. (table, like the Roman Campagna, at least In the parts near the great river. The wlgglers from which mosquitoes emerge cannot live without air, which they get by swimming to the surface now and then. A little kerosene poured on the water fills their gills and smothers them. Hence the sovereign remedy for mosquitoes is kerosene poured on their breeding pools, but of course It is better still to drain the pools and keep them drained. A pint of kerosene will form a film over h an acre of water and effectually dis pose of the wlgglers It may contain but the treatment must be repeated from time to time, because new broods are continually hatching. KEKP THE BALLOT KTfORT. A multiplicity of freak, unimportant or local measures on the ballot in the next election will most certainly en danger the fate of the really conse quential laws or amendments that are to be submitted. There is indisputa ble evidence that a cumbersome, com plicated ballot breeds disgust or de spalr In the mind of the voter. The Inclination under such circumstances la to repulse a large part of the burden offered him. Only the simplest and most fundamental measures will re ceive his consideration. He will vote "no" on the remainder. It is an encouraging report that comes from Salem that petition clrcu lators are finding It a hard task to get names. Time was when the plea, "W are not asking you to vote for this bill only to give the people a chance to approve or reject it." gained almost everybody's signature. As an accepted argument It has cheapened the Initia tive. Heeding it has tended to bring direct legislation Into disrepute and haa interfered with- essential lawmak Ing. Happily there Is now evidence that many voters will not sign an lnl tlatlve petition if they know offhand that they cannot approve the measure at the polls. . It is a wise determina tlon. It is one that should be adopted by more of the real friends of the initiative and referendum. It should be recalled by' the voters that there are some measures that, as a result or the extension of the "peo ple s ruie, musi go before the voters. We have deprived the Legislature of tne power to regulate taxation and ex emptlons. The tax reforms and ex em pi Ions proposed by the Tax Com mission must go before the people for action. UKewise the placing of Unl verslty and Agricultural College rsve- nuea on a mlilaga basis must be sub mitted to the voters. . U'hiiai thaa Larlalatura la not restrict ed In the matter of enacting roadbulld Ing laws, experience has shown that cnnfllrttna- Views on this subject can not be weighed accurately by the Leg islature, or II compromised, are naeiy to be vetoed. RnrTi-aa-a cannot be rranted to women without the enactment of a constitutional amendment, ana consti tutional amendments must go befors the voters. v haw akn denrlved the Legisla ture of the power to create new coun tlea and consolidate cities. These is sues must, under present laws, go be fore the voters or tns wnoie state, xci county divisions and city consolidations are purely local measures, concerning whose merits the great majority 01 me people of the state can know nothing. In tat A an vntatm m nhaticAllV DTO- tested against the submission of such questions by disapproving every one ot the several county division schemes presented. The logical course in the county di vision blockade is to submit under tha Initiative a measure providing a method for local determination of such questions. To present bills for the cre ation of new counties at thla time is a tnnlhinla nrnrlaa and a Waste of the Individual's and taxpayer's money, Tii.tr will ant nana and thev are likely to carry down to defeat the only bill . ... .w - A I - mat Will or caua givo mw wuuij vlslonlsts relief. These matters have been cited to ahnw the need fo keening useless. hopeless, fantastic and unduly compli cated measures ore tne dsuol. i ne voters will have plenty to do in study ing the needed or worthy measures that the Legislature cannot pass upon. If you know you cannot support a meaumraa. rafnaa to slam tha petition. Its presence on the ballot may defeat the measures you aesire to see en acted. CCRFEW RF.DIYIVI S. The curfew ordinance virtuously maintaining its place upon the stat utes of many municipalities. Including our own, and generally disregarded, is to be awakened Into activity at Hood River next Monday evening. After the hour of o'clock P. M. the hour when at this season of the year day ceases and night begins minors will not be allowed upon the streets of that town unless accompanied by their parents or guardlana. This law, like all others is good oniy when it is enforced. As a sleeping statute It Is pernicious In that It en courages disregard for law and con tempt for authority. Its purpose is a most worthy one. It is founded in the well-known fact that the lure of mis chief la stronger after dark than dur ing daylight hours, and that If chil dren are kept out of mischief until they utaln years of discretion ther ate much less likely to swell the criminal ranks than if left to follow their own devices and the devlcea of their imma ture companions before that period. The surprise in connection with the curfew law. is that the necessity for Its enactment Is not forestalled by the prudence and authority of parent. No father is so Ignorant as not to be aware of the fact upon which thU law Is based, and no mother is so lack'ng tn worldly wisdom as not to know that her young children should be at home when night falls. Manifestly, there fore, the moral necessity that underlies the curfew ordinance Is founded, not In parental Ignorance, but In parental irresponsibility. This law Is therefore a reproach to Daren ts. while under the circumstances the failure to enact and enforce it Is f reproach to the municipality, ard a menace to the morals of an otherwise unsupervised element in the commu nitythe children of irresponsible parents. saircATiox and Ercmra. Professor Earl Barnes, of Stanford University, explained In a lecture the other day how the problem of educa tlon has been reduced to a problem In eugenics. Teachers learned that their efforts were In large part wasted on less they could have healthy, well nourished and Intelligent children to work upon. To secure such material the school was forced to Invade the home and investigate the domestic condttiona under which children lived. They found many of the homes of the country divided into two classes. In one the inmates were so badly pro vided for that they could not develop normal minds and bodies. In the o'.htT class excessive luxury produced conse quences equally undesirable. Of course these two classes do not Include all the- households in the country, but far too many fall Into one or the other of them. From such conditions It Is not reasonable to expect children to emerge who offer the best material fcr the teacher to work upon. He Is therefore obliged to ask how the con ditions may be changed for the better The school demands normal, children. How are normal children to be secured In the homes of the very poor and the excessively rich? Back of the subject of adequate food and proper home Influences lies the more fundamental question of hered ity. No doubt abnormal traits of mind and body are Intimately related to nutrition. An Improperly sour lshed parent cannot bring Into the world offspring who are able to hsld their own in the race for eminence. A child born in a poverty-stricken home ts handicapped from the beginning by the effects of malnutrition before birth. while In the earliest years of his child hood the handicap is made more re vere by bad food, scanty clothing an! lack of care. All these tend to stunt the body and Impair the mental facnl ties. If every household in the coun try could be provided with wholesome food In suitable quantities, the number of defective pupils In the public schools would fall off very rapidly and finally approach zero. But some would still remain. When we have made all possible allowances for the terrible ef fects of bad nutrition upon the young, both before and after birth, we cannot escape the fact that there Is a class of defectives whom care and food could not change much for the better. They are the congenital idiots, the born criminals, the unhappy children who come Into the world lacking aome of their normal sensea Hence the question of eugenics, as Professor Earl Barnes looks at it. Is resolved Into the double problem of providing suitable nourishment for the young before birth as well as after it, together with the equally difficult task of providing them with the right kind of parents. When are can bring our selves to lay aside flummery and folly, we are forced to admit that the most Important duty of any nation is to keep up the standard of Its citizenship and Improve it If possible. The only way to do this Is to begin with the young, the sooner the better. It Is ab. surd to look for robust adults from generation which was starved during Its early years. No atockgrower Is simple-minded enough to expect a steer to reach profitable weight at ma turity unites it is well fed when It Is a calf. The same rules of nutrition ap ply to human beings as to steers. If they are starved In the cradle, they will make thin and weaxened men and women. The malnutrition of infants la the principal reason why we see so many stunted and deformed adults on the street. But It is also absurd to expect a child to become a healthy. Intelligent adult when It has been blighted before birth by the transmissible defects of Its parents. An Idiot is doomed to re main an idiot all its life. Expert train. Ing can do something for It, but not a great deal. The congenital blind must remain blind to the end of their days. Modern education can mitigate the hardship of their lot, but after all It remains hard. It were far better for the world If there were no Idiots, no congenital blind or deaf, - no infants tainted with syphilis. Happily, it is an entirely feasible project to prevent these transmissible defects from blighting the next generation. The only thing necessary Is to make off spring impossible for such persons as are certain to produce defective chil dren If they produce any. Professor Earl Barnes gives some reason to believe that nearly all the Idiots In New Jersey are descended from one or two parent stocks. If three or four people had been steril ized a century or two ago. New Jersey would have had very few Idiot children to look out for now. Investigation would reveal similar facts In the other states. Defective strains are not very numerous, but they are prolific. The only way to stamp them out Is to ap ply the resources of modern science to prevent them from multiplying. Seven states of the Union now have merciful laws for sterilizing congenital crimin als and Insane. The operation can be performed without Impairing such self-respect aa they may possess, and under modern surgical conditions It Is almost painless. Brleux bases one of his accusing plays upon the fact that this simple operation may be used to free vicious practices from some of their disagreeable consequences. Dr. Saleeby has a page or two on the same subject In his "Surgery and Society." But we are not concerned with this aspect of the matter. The only point we wish to make Is that science has rendered It possible to sterilize congen. Itally undesirable individuals aafely and almost painlessly. Hence the plea of cruelty can no longer be made against the practice. Indeed It Is broadly humanitarian because It not only saves such persons from the evil consequences of their own conduct, but It Insures the welfare of the com Ing generation. The great object for which the pro moters of the eugenic philosophy ara now working is to build up what they very happily call the "eugenic con science." Love between the sexes Is more amenable to discipline than any other passion. In spite of all that ro mancers say to the contrary. It Is not many hundred years, for example. since marriage between brothers and sisters was deemed proper enough. Now It Is abhorrent to everybody. The purpose of the eugenic conscience Is to make the marriage of unfit Individuals as abhorrent as Incest Is at present, and there Is no doubt whatever that thla end can be attained by education. The popular superstition that woolen underwesr is more hygienic than cot ton or linen la accountable for much suffering In abnormally warm weather. Many worklngmen fancy their health is not safe unless they wear heavy wool next the skin all Summer. The truth Is that cotton mesh Is far preferable to flannel even in Winter, since It stim ulates the skin to perform Its proper functions. In very warm weather a single thin cotton garment such as Clnctnnatus had on when he was made dictator would be the Ideal attire for health and comfort Abe Ruef tells nothing new in d scribing the manufacture of mislead ing party platforms In San Francisco by the corporations. The trick la an old one which has been played In al most every city In the United States. The habitual farce of making plat forms only to Ignore them after elec tion has brought both political parties Into odium with many Intelligent vot ers. The ordinary citizen dislikes to serve Juror In a murder trial. Resort to excuse to escape Is only human. Tet the ordinary citizen is the proper man, not the professional Juror. Jury duty Is a burden Imposed by civilization and must be borne. The man disposed to shirk It should consider the feelings of the Judge who presides and cannot get away from It. The Oakland mother who broke her hand In spanking her daughter doubt less encountered fortifications such Ingenious children occasionally devise to protect the spank sections of their anatomies from stern parents. Four hundred marines have been landed in Cuba. That seems an un reasonably large force of real Ameri cans to send against a mere 10,000 or so Latin-Americans. Milton held its annual strawberry Festival yesterday. Milton la in the region where the berries grow ao largs they muat be sliced to get Into the shortcake. Vancouver mutes are to sing by signs. Now there's a new method that many of our talented vocalists might take up to advantage. . There should be a dictaphone to catch the Colonel's remarks upon the observations and reflections and And Ings by "bear Maria." The Aberdeen students played horse with Andy Carnegie Just to remind him he was a Scot In spite of his money. . By working overtime this week the purity squad can save visitors much embarrassment during the Festival. Portlanders are hard at work on the decorations and the weather is Just as busy making the roses. The McNamaras are finding life irk some in San Quentln, but that is why they were sent there. Although she hanged witches, Mas. sachusetts could not send Mrs. Consu- mano to the chair. The class yells of the Vancouver mute school will make a ripple In a moving picture. "Watch your Iceman," warns the city sealer of weights. But we prefer to fnv him. Now the aphis Is attacking Valley grain, Bug will yet be the doom of man. ROOSEVELT AXD TIIIXGS HE DOES Writer CaitruM Practlcr aad rreark- laaa af Es-Prvwldeat. PORTLAND. Or, June t To tha Editor.) George Watklns' letter telling whv we are for Roosevelt" is val uable as showing the need of political nartlea and men of brains and states manship to run the partlea. and also to prova tha value of advertising. Mr. Watklns says r. - ooes minx. No one questions the statement. He does things to boost T. R. He talks on the sin of race suicide. but hla grandchildren are not aa yet multltudlnoua. H ralla them "Molly- coddles," "Undesirables." and "preda tory rich." He writes to E. it. narriman: -ws are practical men com to sea ma at tar election. Ha wages war on the bosses when bosses ar against him. but said noth ing against Aldrlch and "Uncle Joe" Cannon while they were shaping T. K. s legislation. Senator Root was a first-class Cabi net member, but an "undesirable" as a temporary chairman of a convention that may not sea fit to taka T. R's programme. He allows the Steal Trust to absorb the Tenneaaee Coal A Iron Company while he talks of ousting the trusts. H says: "Let the people rule." and takes Messrs. Perkins and McCormick tor his campaign managers. Both of them are good men to have on your note. Perkins Is full partner of J. P. Morgan and McCormK-k head of tha Harvester Trust and son-in-law of John I. Rockefeller. Lat the peopla rulfl He does things! O. temporal Theodore I. advertises. He makes big rolse. B'.g noise makes plenty votes. Votes make big man and get more ad vertising. If you will search the pagea of his tory you will find that in 189 Theo dore L said: "Even if Bryan Is elected the people will not allow Mm to oc cupy the executive chair." or words to that effect. Tet he says'. "If I am an anarchist, so wss Lincoln." The writer participated In the Pan Juan Hill fracaa, and he knows, aa every other aoldlar In the expedition. that Colonel Koosevelts part In that battli was largely advertising matter. He used tha negro regiments' exploits to line up negre delegates for T. It. Ha took all tha glory for T. It, hK Kough Rider and tha nerroea. to tha detriment of whit veterans who rard hell at Oettyaburg. fhiloh and Tot Wilderness. He does things! O. Mores! I am a traveling man, of soma onaerva t.on. and I may say. without vanity, of average Intelligence. I hare a-sea lfliiO men why they are for T. It. and I have yet to find one able In any way to Justify his adherence to Mr. Roose velt. He ts wU advertised. That la his only reliance. It tak-a money to advertise. Therefore. Harrlman In 1904 and Perkins. McCormick and Plnrhot In 1912. He does things! He does? What does ha do? JOHN GREEN MEADOWS. TEACHERS HATE BICHT TO KXOW Droaplaa f latrtjrtr Without dtatetl Cause la frit tela. PORTLAND. June . (To th Edi tor.) Several teachers who have been employed for a number of years In the Portland public schools have been no tified that th district will not requlr their aervlcea after completion of th present year's work. No explanation has been offered. Not ona of them wss cited to appear before the board of dlrectora. In answer to charge pre ferred by her principal. The latter sim ply recommended that she bo not re employed, without deigning, as far as is known, to give a reason, ana witn- out having made any complaint what ever to her of her work. Thla is manifestly unfair. If the teacher's work Is not satisfactory, she has a right to know at what point she has failed. If she Is simply persona non grata to the principal, the cauae therefor may be a trifling one. and the teacher who, perhaps through earnest nesa in her work, perhaps through hav ing revealed qualifications for the work superior to his own. has Incurred his dislike or fear, should be given work In another building after thia fact has been made known by a proper hearing of the case. As matters now stand, a narrow. Jealous, bigoted prin cipal may work great Injustice upon a competent, faithful. conscientious teacher, wholly unquestioned oy mwia in authority and without the teacher being given a chance to present ner side of the question. This Is a point upon which candi dates for a place on the School Board at th coming election should b asked to declare themselves. Justice demands that a teacher should be given a hear ing upon charges duly presented by her principal, before she Is dropped from the roll. Let a point be mad of this matter at the coming school election to the end that this Injustice be no longer suffered. Surely no teacher Is dropped without a reason. . Let the principal be required by the Board of Education to give that reason, and let th teacher he given a chance to appear before trie Board In her own defense. This Is simply a question of Justice a between man and woman In th professional world, and aa between employer and employe in the financial world. K. M. O. POLITICS IX AWARD IS CHARGED Flraa Amine Coaaly Ceaiil"riTS la Rig Cmrtlna Palatlaa Job. ttADTT.ivn June S (To tha Edi tor.) Will you grant m space for a brier statement or tn lacis ronrermnn th contract for pamtlng the west wing of the new Courthouse, which topic Is before the public now? The general contract was awarded th Lewis A. Hicks Co., who. In submitting their bid. used our figure for th painting. Mr. Wagner, who rprnts them. wa always ready to give us th contract at $10,340, provided th Commissioners would consent, and Mr. Wagner went with m to th Courthouse and told Judge Cleeton and County Commis sioner Llghtnar that be was ready to sign up with ua There was no danger of a strike be cause of open shop firm being em ployed thereon for th Lewis A. Hicks Co. had already sublet Iron work to th Smith Watson Iron Works. Port land Wire Iron Works and the Ore gon Planing Mill was preparing th woodwork that the painters sre to fin ish. In short, the Lewis A. Hicks Co. let their work to open or closed shopa. providing they were responsible parties and no objections were mad by th County Commissioner But the unions got busy and as a Commissioner is to be elected this Fall, the candidate had to mak a showing so as to appear on th open and closed sld of th question and our firm waa mad th scapegoat. As a result, the taxpayers will hav to pay 11014, th difference between our hid and th lowest bidder under th second advertisement. Judge Cleeton quotes th architect as saying there la more work now than formerly. Wher Is It? Th building I no larger: $114 will do quit a Uttl painting and th taxpayers of Mult nomah County ar entitled to know what they are getting for lt This t an exact statement of th fact and th voters of Multnomah County can Judg for themsrlv.a whether their money Is being spent in a fair and honorable manner or whether politics rules Its expenditure. WILLIAM 8HEEHT, President Bhhy Bros.' Painting Decorating Co. A Graadaaather I Warst. London Tlt-Blta A very young gentleman, after hear. Ing som vigorous languag from bis father, called up hla grandmother on th telephone and warned her: "You better come down to our house and s, about th words your son has been ualng." OLEOMARGARINE TAX CONDEMNED Writer Dee la re It Adda t I.lvlnar Ceat aad Affeela CaMla-ttrwwera' Profit. PORTLAND. Juns . (To the Edi tor.) The opposition to the us of olaomargarln in our state Institutions and the various stats and National laws discriminating against oleomargarine seem to us a curious Illustration ot the fact that prejudice Is still a factor In public opinion and finds Itself every now and then crystallized into statutes. As Is usually tha care, the people hold ing tha prejudices ara tha ones who suffer by reason thereof. no suner most by reason of these restrictions and prohibitory statutes? It Is tha people themselves and the cattle- growers. A few years sgo Congress wss car ried off Its fet with tha fear that oleo margarine made from the refined fat of beef cattle would Injurs the dulry Induatry. A tax of 10 cents per pound wu, therefore, levied on the products of the cattle-raiser. People do not want to eat pink bread, red sugar or green potatoes, and the same color habits make ua Insist upon yellow fat to apread on our bread. By virtue of this prohibitory law the people -deprived themselves of an article which would greatly reduce the cost of liv ing, snd lh cattle-raiser of a market for one of his products. In the laat analysis who, therefore, suffer by rea son of this prohibitory tax? The an swer Is obvious the people and th cattle-raiser. The cattle which th farmer sends to market carry with them $1 and H worth per head of "butter fat" which Is identical microscopically and chemi cally In wholesimenea and other char acteristics with tha fat of milk. Oleo margarine contains every element that Is found In the bes creamery butter, with one exception. That la coloring matter. Oleomargarine Is composed of butler fat, neutral, cream, milk and aalL All of these Ingredients ars usad on the table eich and every day In other' combinations and are unuzed. Th principal difference between the beat creamery butter and oleomargarine I in th way In wlrh It 1 obtained from the cow snd In th procaa of manufacture. Th pure food law pro tects against adulteration and guaran tees the procesa of manufacture. It la reaeonabla. and In the public Intereat, that the manufartur should be regu lated.' and that oleomargarine be sold In original parkagce with the Govern ment a.al on It, but why th tax of 10 rertta per pound? Thla tax Is still levied. Not In the nsme of common equality alone, but In the interest of th peopl and reducing the cost of living and In the intereat of the cattle-ralsera them selves, this tax should be repealed. T. C CLENLiEMNO. roaaaaalaalo (,vr rnaaar t. PORTLAND. June t. (To th Edi tor.) Ther ar many Inquiries aa to th natur and method of the comm's slon form of government. I bellev It would greatly Interest many of your numeroua readers If you would kindly glv Information on this subject, and also your opinion as to the desirability of this form of city government. INWUlItER. Th Oregonlan publttahed a serlea of articles on the commission form of gov. eminent prior to th Isst municipal campaign. The proposed commission plan for Portland will be formally dis cussed by The Oregonlan as oon as It Is before-the voters for action. -No! PT. JOHN'S. Or, June t. (To the Ed itor.) A was born In Canada on May Si. 185. emigrated to the United States at th age of 14 with his father and has rel'1ed here continuously ever nine. His father appeared before the County Court on Ortnher 1.1. 1. and mad application for hi second papers to full citizenship; the same papers wer certified to by the Clerk of tlie Court the isth day of November. 187. is A a citizen? A EUBsl KiBfc.il. Flag aaa Memorial Day. CAPCADK LOCKS, Or, June I. (To th Editor.! Kindly advise me ir it is nrnnar to flv a flatr at half-mast from aunrls to eunaet on lecoratlon day, or whether It should be at half-mast from sunrise to noon and then at lull-mast the rest of th dsy. or until iunt. JOKKl'tl . WT lit l it Half-staff from sunrise to noon; full staff, noon to sunset. Is proper on Me morial day. A- "Ed" Howe See. Life rn. .v.rr nuarrel a man and wlf hav befor others, they hav a dozen when alone. Although every man's hand Is agsltist a rat, a rat gets along very well. Think of the lurk a rat must have to merely live! Everr man who la whipped for a sin claims that other men hav don more and been whipped less. Your acquaintances may not help vou much, but they can do you a lot of harm If you offend them. You never knew a good-looking man who was popular among men. When a man tries himself, tha ver dict Is always In his favor. Women dress their little girls with laste, but sometimes they put costumes on their llttl boys that look funny, EVer know a man so fair that he wouldn't twist his sld of th story a little? It Is said of so many boys: "They will com out all right." an Intimation that they sre riot all rlvht now. Features of The SUNDAY OREGONIAN Cat Island tni ColumbuJ John T. MoCutclicon, Hie famou car toonist, dtws a seven-column drawing for Sunday that is the best yet from his pencil. He draws two oilier pictures to go with another of his striking i-irato tales. Sisinj Up Men A study in personality that you really ought to read. It is by a recognized expert in the art of reading character. Miking Beball Str Everyone that ever saw bull game will find interest in 'Wiibert's article on the development of big-league men. Half page, illustrated. Training the MilitU for War An illustrated page about the trant formtion that is being worked in the force that a dozen years ago was styled "tin soldiers." Folk Dances They are being widely adopted in Portland and tho subject is given an interesting half page, with portraits.' Exit the "Stovepipe Girl" Fashion has issued a call for new con lours and'women must respond. A letter from Paris of the deepest iuterext to women. Half page, with photos. Wanted Husbands for Princesses But, ss the Vienna corre spondent points out, there's no need applying unless you are at least an Archduke. The Jumpnpa They are at the beach this week and Mrs. Jumpup has a close call. Two Short Stories, complete. New capers by the color comic cut ops and Many Other Features. ORDER TODAY FROM YOUR NEWSDEALER. The Center oT Interest By Deaa Colli. With many opinions my mind was In flated, I went out to se Mr. Averag Man. Of Portland. I found him; but h con- templated His roses, nor heard how my varblag ran. Oh, what do you think of this fellow Orozco, In Mexico fighting?" I asked, "Do you think It's proper that w should let fellow Ilk those go And make revolutions?" My friend made a wink. t tried a new subject. "That Belgian troubl. 'Tls certainly sad. Don't it beat you to aoe How everywhere wara and rebellions now ouome; Th Average Man mad no answr to me. Still hopeful of starting soma light con versation, "Whs;, think . you." I asked, "In th realm of baseball Of any old phase of th whole situa tion r' That fellow A. M. mad no answer at alU Of politics next, t endeavored to sound htm. I spoka of conventions and candi dates; but Ha Just prowled about 'mid th rose bushes round htm. And never s thought seemed to dwelt In his nut. Oh. wherefore this apathy?" finally I asked him. Desiring to learn th ral caus of the cloud Of Ignorance deep, which apparently masked him; And then, ot a auddan, h answrd aloud: Look her and look yonder, th buds and the posies Of Portland ar sure at their bst about her V'r going' to hav mor'n a billion of roses To deck out our Festival pageant! this year." But what of th grave situation that lingers About our fair land, as th paper dls closes?" Tha Average Man gav a anap of his fingers: "Oh. chuck that awhile! I must tend to my roses!" Portland, Jun (. Half a Century Ago From Tha Oregonlan of Jus T, lsi Th Pacramento Union says: "The Eastern wlr obstinately continues down beyond Malt Lake. Yesterday was a very warm dsy, un comfortably so. " Ptorkton. May 10. Herloua trouble ar expected at Waterloo. lght mile from town, tomorrow. Th settlers ar fortified In Comatock's brick granary. Sheriff Hook will go out with a larg force to dlapoaaesa them. Th Htookton Union Ouard will march for Waterloo tomorrow at I o'clock. W ar pleased to learn that Gov ernor Pickering, of Washington Terri tory, has been taking th necessary ateps to aecure a sufficient escort for th Immigration across th plains this bummer, aa a protection aaainst in savages and other hostile nd danger ous bands thHt hav Infsated th rout for th past several yar. Orders hav been received from General Wright, by request of Uovamor Pickering, direct ing Colonel 8telnberger to send oat an' efficient fore detailed from bis com mand for thi purpose. The Bait Ijtk Correspondent of th Sacramento Union says that the min er at like' Peak sre leaving In larg numbers for Salmon River. A meeting of the citizens generally of Portland Is called at the Recorder's office this evening st 7 o'clock for th purpos of devising the proper ways and means to celebrate th coming Fourth of July in du and ampl form. In our peregrinations around town we have had to undergo th disagree able neceaslty of having our olfactory nerve grossly Insulted by the foul and filthy stench which Is met with In sev eral localities of th city. Can't our street commissioner attend to this mat trT About all the goods and freights In transit or destined for th upper Co lumbia hav been shipped from th warehouses In the city, and these houses ar one mora empty. Ten days ago nearly all ot them wer flllad to overflowing. Th Cascade Mountain road, by way , of th old Barton emigrant trail. I now opened and In good traveling condition. Parties going over th mountains ar recommended to travel thla rout. Three Words Prooajed. MEPFORD, Or, Jun . (To the Editor.) Will you kindly glv th pronunciation of: (1) Monteasorl. (2) . rguln. (3) Hard? BUB8CRIBER. (1) Mon-tls-so.r, Accent on third syllable. (1) Pek-ln. Short sound of both vowels. Accent on first syllable. (t) Ec-tar. Accent on second syllable.