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PORTLAJfD. OREGON.
Entered at Portland. Oreson. poatorric. a,
Second-Claaa Hatter.. .
tubacrlbuon Ratea Inarlalr to Advance.
IBT MAIIO
Ia!Iy, Bandar Included, ona year.
Dally. Sunday Included. six montna..... J"
Dally. Sunday Included, three montna...
Dally. Sunday Included, ona montn
Dally, without Sunday, ona y;" rjj
Dally, without Sunday, alx nntefAl" t'73
Dally, without Sunday, thrae montna... -!
Dally, without 6unday. ona month
Weakly, ona year M
Sunday, ona year
Sunday and Weekly, ona year.
Dally. Sunday Included, ona " 7e
Dally. Sunday Included, ona m,on"- or
How to ttemlt send P-'f1"""'"
der. expreae order or personal cJ 'JJJ
local bank. Stampa. com ' """Jiii,
at tha aender-a n.k. Give poatoj flee aooraa,
to full, including- county and etate,
raataco Katea XO to 14 ! .nt"
to Sa pagea. 2 oenta; HO to 4U p
. M u paea. 4 canta. Foreign poatage.
double rata. - conk-
h.lern Boaincaa Offlcea Verre
Ha New York. Branawlck buildlns- -"
cago. Sieger building. uMwall Co-
Baa Franclaco Olllce B. J. Bldwau -o-(42
Market atreeL -t. S.
European Ollice No. 8 Bagent atreat
Vv .. Loudon.
yOBTLASD, BATVBDAT. ACCCST 8. i9lS.
I OS THE TICKET. BIT OCT OF THE
J PARTY.
: The Supreme Court of the United
I States is to be called upon to settle
! the muddle which has been created by
1 efforts ot Roo.ev.lf. toUowtt
retain places on the Republican elec
? ?oral ticket after they have openly se-
ceded from the Republican party It
would seem obvious to a mar, of the
1 most ordinary intelligence and of the
t most elementary Integrity that no man
X Should seek election as a Kepubltom
. unless he Is a Republican, much less
one who frankly admits that he is not
I Republican. But the . T.
champions 01 pouueu --
i ing us some queer examples of their
1 conception of that quality. ...,
Of the twenty Republican candidates
: for elector In Kansas, eight Have an
5 rounced that, if elected, they will vote
for Roosevelt. Legal proceedings have
t become necessary to prevent them
from obtaining votes on the prete ns e
2 that they are Republicans, when they
intend to use the office they seek in
S order to defeat the Republican 1 candi-
3 dates. In Oregon one candidate on
the Republican ticket Is still in doubt
1 whether ho will assume the same po-
sition. In California all the men nom
' mated as Repblicans are declared
J Roosevelt men. but refuse to run un-
der their true colors. The straight-
forward course for these men to pur
f sue would be to follow the example
of the entire electoral ticket In Minne
t sota. All these men. being pledged
to Roosevelt, have resigned their places
1 as Republican candidates.
5 Whatever claim Roosevelt had to
a d mi... mix tin abandoned when
he announced his purpose to organize
a third party and began doing his ut
most to destroy the Republican party.
Had he denied that the body which
nominated Taft was the Republican
convention and had he organized his
followers in a rump convention and
procured a nomination by that means,
he would have retained some shadow
of standing as a Republican. The
men named for electors might In that
event have had some excuse for con
tending that they could vote for him
without being false to their implied
obligation to the Republican party.
But he publicly announced that he was
J no longer a Republican: therefore he
cannot be the candidate of the party.
If. as he contends, the nomination of
Taft was obtained by fraud and Is in
valid, then Taft Is not the Republi
can candidate;, neither .is Roosevelt,
ind the Republicans havano candidate.
By his own conduct Roosevelt has
recognized that the convention which
nominated Taft acted for the Repub
lican party and that Taft is therefore
entitled to the vote of every Repub
lican elector. He has admitted the
soundness of the argument of Thomas
H. Benton, in writing whose biography
he collaborated. That statesman said
In 1824, when discussing proposed
amendments to the Constitution relat
ing to the election of President and
Vice-President:
The electors are not independent: they
havr no- auperlor intelligence; they are not
left to their own Judgment In the choice
of a President: they are not above the con
trol of the people: on the contrary, every
elector la pledged, before he is. choeen, to
give hla vote according to the will of those
erho choose him.
The difficulty which confronts the
Federal Supreme Court in deciding the
Kansas case 'arises from the question
whether the electors are state or Fed
eral officers. Their office is created by
the Federal Constitution, which au
thorizes Congress to fix the time of
their election and . the day on which
they shall vote. Congress therefore
has not attempted to prescribe the
manner of their election, except to pro
vide that they are to be chosen in such
manner as the Legislatures of the sev
eral states may prescribe.. They may
be. elected either by a state conven
tion, by the Legislature or at a general
election. ' They may cast the electoral
vote at any place within the state
which the Legislature may designate.
They may or may not cast their votes
for the majority choice of their state,
as the state law provides. For exam
ple, if the law of Pennsylvania pro
vided that the electors should vote for
those candidates who received the ma
jority vote of their party at the prefer
ential primary, then they would be re
quired to vote for Roosevelt, regardless
of the action of the National conven
tion. In the absence of such legal re
quirement, they are bound, both by
theory and practice dating from 1820,
to vote for the candidates named by
their party in National convention.
By doing otherwise they would commit
a breach of public confidence so grave
as to make them social and political
outcasts.
There is danger of enough confusion
growing out of the election without the
addition of uncertainty as to whether
'T?iniiril!rnn rnniilflfttpji. Tf the Tinrmfll.
"ly- Republican states should be divided
between Taft and .Roosevelt, and Wil-
f son should not obtain a majority, the
J J election, would be thrown Into the
1 House, each state voting as a unit.
J Even if the Republican members were
t J to stand by their ticket, there would
, be a tie. twenty-two states on each
side with four states tied between Re
publicans and Democrats; and a dead
lock would result. If some Republi
cans should refuse to vote for Taft and
should support Roosevelt, the dead-
twlr wftiilri Tint Via riwilron tint ivnnld
j f be aggravated, for there would be
inree pa-rutrs iwieaa vt two. ins 1a.11
ure of the Senate to elect its president
pro tem. raises doubt whether It would
have better success In' electing a Vlce-
j rresiaeni, inougn ine tonsumuon
j j having the largest number of electoral
I votes. In such a contingency, we
! should have a vacancy In the White
I j House with no Vice-President to fill it,
( I and Secretary Knox would become
' acting President until the tangle was
5 '.unraveled. Such, a prospect may do-
llarht Rnmevelt and his friends, but It
does not delight the average order-lov.
ing citizen.
WIPING THE - REGIMENTAL SLATE.
Prompt and summary disbandment
of the Second Battalion'ls an effective
curative for the ills of 'the Third Ore
con Reelment, That drastic step, a
taken yesterday by the general staff
of. the Oregon National guard, indi
cate the severe disapproval with
which the state military policy invests
Insubordination in any form.
in viAir nt mich a. curative measure
and considering the splendid spirit of
obedience to orders shown by the rest
of the regiment in the recent rieia
maneuvers, the slate should be regard
ed as wiped clean.'-The -Oregon regi
ment has a long and enviable record
won by service in the Philippines and
augmented by 'creditable, conduct and
rttenlava of military' efficiency at field
maneuvers. The mutiny of five mis
guided officers should be lookea upon
as a purely local disorder. The fact
that the misconduct was decried by
every officer and man outside the mu
tinous battalion emphasizes the point.
Disbandment of the faulty battalion
puts an end to airing of personal
grievances and saves the National
Guard from much unenviable bicker
tntr Riihafitntion hv a new second
battalion takes away the one blot on
an excellent regimental record. So let
the incident be forgotten forthwith.
CINCHTNG A . NOMTJfATION.
As a matter of fact, there has been too
much talk about Roosevelt and the Bull
Moose and too little talk about the new
party Roosevelt represents and the princi
ples ha advocates. He is not the candidate
of the progressive party yet. He may not
be.- And although the formal declaration of
the party has not been made ita principles
are discernible. Medford Sun.
Not yet the candidate? Well, per
haps not. But we should say that the
prospects of the big Bull Moose get
ting that nomination are fairly bright,
and perhaps a trifle brighter. Our
prophecy is based on the fact that a
large number of the Bull Moose con
ventions in the various states have in
structed for Colonel Roosevelt every
one of them, so far as, we have ob
served. That would seem ordinarily
to give a reasonable assurance of a
nomination. But the game is now be
ing played according to new rules. A
pledge means nothing much, when it
is against Roosevelt. Take those can
didates for the electoral college, for
example. Your average Roosevelt
delegate won't stand without hitching,
and bolting with him is an hourly
recreation. You can't tell what will
happen at Chicago. ;
But the Colonel 'thinks he knows
what will happen. He has that nomi
nation all signed, sealed and ready to
be delivered. Woe be to the traitor
Who tries to steal it away from him.
We pity him. '
: But if the Colonel doesn't get the
nomination mark the if we'll wager
that that tried and true disciple of the
Roosevelt faith Dr. Henry Waldo Coe
delegate to Chicago in -June and
delegate to Chicago in August, will
hold a third convention and nominate
him anyhow.
TAFT AND THE PROGRESSIVES.
The following letter so well typifies
the attitude ot many critics of Presi
dent Taft that it calls for comment:
ABERDEEN, Wash., July 30. (To the Ed
itor) Did President Taft ever call on the
House of Representatives or in any way
recommend an investigation of the ateel
trust? You had quite a lengthy article in
The Oregonlan. July 29. on "The Steel
Trust- In the Campaign-" Taft atated pub
licly, four yeara ago, that he would carry
out the Roosevelt policiea ajid every Re
publican paper said amen. Why this change
of front now?
In the same Issue you had an editorial on
"Senator Borah's' Progressive Policy." Has
he had the support of the Taft Senators in
thla progressive legislation that you speak
of and commend? You would not have had
an opportunity to write an editorial on Sen
ator Borah'a progressive legislation had not
the Democrats in the Senate joined hands
with the progressives and paaaad merltorloua
measures over the opposition of the Taft
Senatora.
Why not be consistent as well as give
credit where It la due?
W. M. HAZLETT.
President Taft did not ask the
House to investigate the steel trust,
but caused an investigation to be
made by the Bureau of Corporations,
the result of which was published
more than a year ago. The findings
of fact were practically the -same as
those of the House committee, as re
gards the watering of the trust's stock,
the percentage of Its profits and the
degree to which it controls the steel
industry. This report was followed a
few months later by the suit to dis
solve the trust, in which it was al
leged that Gary and Frlck deceived
Roosevelt into acquiescence in the ab
sorption of the Tennessee company.
This allegation is supported by the re
port of the House committee. Taft has
carried out the Roosevelt policies as
to the trusts, he is still carrying them
out and there has been no change of
front on his part. Roosevelt diverged
from his general policy In his treat
ment of the steel and harvester trusts,
but Taft has adhered rigidly to the
original policy. "
As to whether those whom Mr. Haz
lett calls the Taft Senators voted- with
Senator Borah on the measures men
tioned as evidence of Borah's progres
slveness, the Senators who have usual
ly supported Taft have either divided
on or voted in favor of those meas
ures. Taft- Indorsed direct election
of Senators in his speech of accept
ance in 1908;. he has never done any
thing against it, and, when the amend
ment had passed Congress, he signed
it. His habitual supporters In the Sen.
ate divided on it, only sixteen of them
voting against it. Those who thus
joined the progressives, as well as the
progressives themselves, were the Taft
Senators on' this occasion; those who
voted against the amendment were the
anti-Taft Senators.
Taft's letter to Roosevelt, which was
written long ago and was published in
the primary campaign, declared his
opposition to Lorimer and stated that
his only reason for not actively using
his Influence to promote that Senator's
expulsion was that the Senate's Jeal
ousy of executive interference might
prompt it to take the course opposite
to that he recommended. On this oc
casion the regular Republicans again
divided, and, as Taft was in sympathy
with the progressives and those regu
lars who voted with them, the latter
were on this occasion" the Taft
Senators.
As to the three-year homestead bill,
it was not a party, or even a factional
measure. It was Indorsed by Taft be
fore its passage, was approved- by him
when passed -and was generally sup
ported by the progressive Republicans.
Once again, therefore, the progressives
equally with the regulars can justly
be called Taft Senators.
On these three subjects Taft has
been in harmony with the progres
sives. On the tariff Taft's policy is
distinctly progressive, for Its two dis
tinctive features the Tariff Board and
revision by schedule were strongly
favored by the progressives until the
Democrats obtained control of- the
House. Then the progressives changed
front. The policy of revision - by
schedule, which Is the only practicable
means , of securing -' genuine revision
downward, originated with Taft and
has been taken up by both factions of
Republicans and by Democrats, yet
they deny Taft all credit for it.
It would be more nearly correct to
say that Borah has had the support of
some Democrats, not "the Democrats,
in securing progressive legislation. The
Democratic Senators , were divided on
direct election of Senators, eight of
them voting against the measure on
the crucial ballot. They were also di
vided on the expulsion of Lorimer,
some of whose most ardent defenders
were Democrats.-- As to the tariff bills
which the Democrats passed in 1911
and !n the present session with the aid
of the progressives, we deny that they
are progressive and maintain that that
adjective properly applies to the Taft
policy, against which Taft's' present
opponents in his own party turned
after having indorsed it in the cam
paign of 1910.
We may fairly ask Mr. Hazlett the
question he asks us: "Why not be
consistent and give credit where it Is
due? His letter Is typical of the gen
eral attitude of too many men who
style themselves progressives. They
close their eyes to the fact that on
many occasions Taft has been in
harmony with the progressives, and
they assume that every measure pro
posed by that faction Is necessarily
progressive.
TROUBLES OF THE CO-OPERATORS.
The Mutuallsts need not be v dis
couraged byUhelr difficulty with the
bakers. They must expect to have
such trouble until they have grown
strong enough to bring the whole
salers to terms or to do their own
manufacturing. It is but natural that
the retailers should combine to crush
a co-operative enterprise; the ques
tion is one of self-preservation with
them. It is equally natural that the
bakers should lean in the direction
where their greatest Interest now Ilea
Co-operation in England encoun
tered just such obstacles in Its In
fancy. It fought until It ovecarne
them. It has caused sincere repen
tance among the wholesale merchants
who refused to sell to it, for the co
operative societies have combined in
co-operative manufacture and whole
sale buying. They have their own
bakeries. They grow tea on their own
plantations In the Orient- and blend
and pack it in their own warehouses
in England. They manufacture or
pack for the retail trade many other
commodities. They are in a position
to laugh at opposition.
The success of co-operation depends
upon its practice on a large scale, so
that it can thus break down opposi
tion. It must grow or die. It. must
extend into buying by wholesale, man
ufacture and packing, or ba cramped
in its activities.
A new obstacle with which it will
have to contend in this day is the
system by which manufacturers re
fuse to sell one article to the retailer
unless he buys others from the same
firm and by which the manufacturer
dictates the price at which an article
shall be retailed. This system Is a re.
straint of trade which apparently vio
lates the Sherman law and could
probably be broken. up by determined
litigation. When co-operative stores
become numerous and strong, they
will be able to force some manufac
turers to terms by the threat to do
their own manufacturing.
All is not plain sailing for the co-
operators; there are many rocks ahead
In their course. But perseverance and
skilful management will carry them
safely through. Once established,
they will be as well able to dictate
terms as now are those from whom
they buy.
UNOCCUPIED XANDS NEAR PORTLAND.
Taking the . Courthouse of this
county as the center and describing a
circle, twenty miles In diameter; and
then reaching ten miles farther out
and describing another circle of forty
miles in diameter, one finds In this
radius a large amount of unimproved
land. Eliminating the land in the in.
ner circle, as the most of It, or at least
a large amount of it, is city and Bub-
urban property and the balance held
at a higher price than most people
wish to pay for acreage to be used for
farm purposes, we find In the outer
circle something like 460 square miles.
Reducing that 10 per cent for the pur
pose, of cutting out the water surface
and the abrupt hills, there is left say
400 square miles of desirable farm
land. Reducing that to acreage, we
have 256,000 acres, and of this it is
estimated by those best able to ascer
tain the facts only two-fifths, or 80,000
acres, are Improved. That leaves more
than 175,000 acres of unimproved farm
land right at our doors.
Traversing these lands there are six
railroads operated by steam power and
the same number operated by electric
power; there are also flowing through
it two navigable rivers, the Columbia
and Willamette. All of it can be easily
supplied with an abundance of the
best of water for domestic purposes.
Nearly all of it has upon it trees
enough for firewood for years to come
none of it is more than two or three
miles from wood that can be pur
chased at a very low cost. It is true
that much of this area Is what is
known as cut-over or logged-off land.
That Is, It was at one time covered by
timoer which has. been removed. The
stumps are still standing, and urjon
large portions of it there is a growth
of brush or young trees. As to its
value for agricultural purposes, that
can be ascertained by looking at the
splendid portions of it that are im
proved, for within that circle are some
of the finest and most valuable farms
In Oregon. It is hardly too much to say
that there is no better land for gen
eral agricultural purposes In the world
than most of that in the radius
described.
Most of these unoccupied tracts are
for sale at very reasonable prices, and
as a rule on attractive terms, in subdi
visions usually to suit the purchaser.
Cut up into twenty-acre tracts we have
almost at our doors 8750 vacant farms.
With a family averaging five people on
each tract there-would be an addition
to our. adjacent population of nearly
44,000 people. Twenty acres is not
only enough for any family to make a
living upon. Any frugal. Industrious
man could within a few years obtain a
competency. - - -
Why is it that these lands are un
occupied ? It is not, as a rule, that the
price asked is prohibitive. Farm lands
are constantly changing hands in .the
Northwest that are from twenty-five
to fifty miles from a railroad, at prices
greater than the majority of these
lands can be bought for. It is surely
not the lack of market facilities, for
every acre of it is in close touch with
the City of Portland. Good roads, the
best In Oregon, traverse the area
inj
all directions, so no buyer need be
more than three or four miles at the
utmost from a good highway, and con
necting roads can be cheaply built, will
be built by the county as soon as the
neighborhoods settle up and the people
demand them.
None of these things keep these
lands lying idle. It is the fear, so to
express- it, of the stumps and brush.
There lies the bugaboo the thought
of the hard work and the expense of
removing these. These obstacles are
more imaginary than real. It is not
necessary to clear all the land pur
chased at once. With only an acre or
two the new settler can make a living,
and that much can be cleared at an
outlay of from 850 to $100. If there is
brush upon it, this can be cut and
grubbed out and the stumps left for a
time. You will find In many parts of
Oregon, particularly In Tillamook
County, fine dairy farms upon land that
Is dotted all over with stumps. Between
the stumps are growing fine timothy
and clover, making as good pasturage
as can be found. All sorts of garden
truck can be grown regardless of the
stumps.
In the irrigated districts of the
Northwest unimproved lands are sell
ing at prices up to $300 an acre, and
perhaps the water Tight costs from $75
to $90 more. Then there is an annual
water tax of say $3 per acre. Those
prices are not too high, if we compare
them with the prices of other sections.
Anyhow people pay them and make
good money on their investments.
But there are people who want a
farm but do not fancy irrigated lands.
To those people we offer the sugges
tion that before purchasing elsewhere
they ought to look over the lands In
Portland's front and back yards.
OUR NEW "HANDS OFF" FOI1CT.
Expansion of the Monroe doctrine
as provided in the Lodge "hands off
resolution, signals entry of the United
States into the vortex of world politics.
It is a position calculated to meet the
demands of international readjust
ments and is inspired largely-because
of the Panama Canal, although there
are other important considerations. .
The Monroe doctrine sufficed to
make clear our stand on forcible ac
quisition of American territory. The
Lodge resolution goes further and pro
tects us from the wiles of international
intrigue. It is a stern and forcible,
rather than subtle, warning to the
whole world, that we do not intend to
fall victim to ruse or subterfuge; that
we mean every word of the Monroe
doctrine and are not stupid enough to
be tricked. Hence we are not going
to wink at "peaceful settlement" of
strategic points on the American con
tinent points that In a twinkling
could be turned into naval bases de
signed to cut us off from the Panama
Canal and weaken our whole position
as a world power. Having built the
Panama Canal, it is now made obvious
that we Intend to protect our handi
work which, thus far, has been men
aced only by thinly-veiled intrigue.
There' seems to be very little ques
tion that ulterior motives lay behind
the efforts of Japanese commercial in
terests to acquire a foothold on Mag
dalena Bay. Its strategic Importance
so outweighed its commercial value,
in fact, as to leave small room for
question. Had we permitted the
camel's nose Inside, what would have
followed ? So It may be said that the
Lodge measure is put forward to coun
teract such international sut "Hies
whether practiced by Japan, Germany
or Baluchistan.
With this new policy on record as'
an irrevocable American- doctrine,
there may arise cause for friction, but
certainly no grounds for misunder
standing. Our position is made tre
mendously clear. If the Monroe doc
trine is ever to be put to the test, the
action will have to be direct . and
forcible. It cannot be preceded by a
campaign of -peace-time strategy that
would weaken, if not lay bare, our
most vulnerable points.
That our new stand is bold and reso
lute and perhaps not justified by our
naval and military capacities for up
holding . so stern an attitude, is an
other matter. There can be no ques
tion but that the new policy, as well
as the unembelllshed Monroe doctrine,
depends for its logic upon our armed
force. This is a .phase of the situation
which the world is certain to comment
upon. Already, with the type barely
dry on the Lodge resolution, we find
this utterance In a British Columbia
dally:
If it Is to be the declared policy of the I
United States, the sooner, the United States
brings Its military and naval forces Into
Una with modern conditions, the better Tor
the peace of the world. Even Americans
cannot -make the Monroe Doctrine out of
words alone.
The warning is timely and Justified.
But if the Monroe doctrine is destined
to get us into trouble, who can deny
the wisdom of getting into trouble at
the outset rather than after we have
been further weakened by internation
al Intrigues such as the new policy
renders impossible?
Morris' practical work in giving em
ployment to paroled and discharged
convicts is the best atonement he could
make for his offenses. The most
critical time in a convict's life is that
when he is set at liberty with a brand
on him. Many a man who has gone
into the world again under such cir
cumstances, firmly resolved to be an
honest citizen, has relapsed into crime
through his Inability to secure employ
ment. It would be far better .to re
quire a convict to serve his full term
and then make provision for his earn
ing a living than to release him before
his time expires and throw him en
tirely on his own resources, of which
he often has none.
The saving of Halfway from de
struction by fire Is a Joint triumph for
woman and the telephone. But for
Mrs. Blsher's quickness of thought and
action and but for the spread of the
telephone service through the state,
the town might have been in ashes be
fore help could have arrived. Modern
inventions like the telephone, the tele
graph, wireless telegraphy have saved
many a life and prevented many
disasters.
Governor Johnson's decision to stay
death sentences until the people of
California have voted on the abolition
of capital punishment is a specimen of
the substitution of the rule of men for
the rule of law, of which Senator Root
spoke in notifying President Taft of
his renomination. The only safe
course for an executive officer Is to en
force the law as he finds it without
being swerved by his opinion of what
the law should be.
The story of the oil fire on the
steamer Eureka takes rank for weird
horror with that of the gun on board
ship which broke from Its lashings in
a storm and rolled about the decks,
smashing men's legs and everything
else which came In Its way.
THE CIRCULATION
Ot) Oregoniatt
FOR THE MONTH OF JULY WAS AS FOLLOWS:
Daily Average, 55,195 Sunday Average, 71,670
This Circulation Was
Oregon
Washington
Outside
Total
Note that the great percentage of circulation is in Oregon and
Washington. The bulk of The Oregonian's circulation is of course
in Portland and nearby towns.
County of Multnomah, "1
State of Oregon, . j'
This is to certify that the actual circulation of The Oregonian for
the month of July was as above set forth.
E. P. HOP WOOD,
Circulation Manager.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 2d day of August, 1912.
W. E. HARTMUS,
(Seal) - ' ' Notary Public.
CITY SEVERE OIT ATJTO DRIVERS
Victim Protests Against Sudden En
. forcemeat of Traffic Laira.
TROUTDAX.E, Aug. 2. (To the Edi
tor.) If the remains of an individual
run over by the steamroller may be
permitted to speak, I would beg to say
a few words regarding the present
speed craze in Portland police circles.
I am- one of the hundred or so people
of good Intent who have recently been
halted and hauled before the court,
charged with exceeding the speed limifc
I, a farmer and a very slow coach,
returning to the country one evening
with my little' farm wagon, when near
the city limits was stopped by a man
in very plain clothes and told to re
port next morning to the police judge.
Though financially crippled by the en
counter I am still alive and able to
talk coherently. This is not a defense
of my case. It Is Jjut to show that
not being a hardened criminal I may
ask respectful attention from the re
spectable citizens who read The Ore
gonlan. In . Berlin, Germany, probably the
best policed city in the world, where
the police ye have ever with you, or
after you, no spectacle like this Port
land affair is ever known. Every
body knows the rules of the street,
for they are posted so plainly that
the wayfaring man, though an au
tomoblllst, need not err therein. The
city government Is steady handed: ar
rests and fines are applied according
to rule, the fines for first offenses
being just sufficient to warn the well
meaning that the second offense is
considered the actual misdemeanor.
The result is that in Berlin there is
the minimum of trouble between police
and power-driven vehicles.
But in Portland the city governors
have let autos go their own gait for
years. Probably there is not an auto
owner in the city who has not time
and again broken some of the ordi
nances regarding the speed or- the
handling of autos. Then all of a sud
den, for some reason not known to us
out in the country, the police authori
ties secretly plan a tag day, and pounc
ing upon the sleeping public, wake
them with a slam, the Judge reckoning
compound interest on all the fines the
treasury missed while tne police were
sleeping. This government by spasms
is no better lor a municipality man
for a family. It brings the govern
ment into contempt of all its better
citizens. It would take only about five
years of such intermittent family gov
ernment to make a kid out of any
well-born son.
Further, I discovered that spotters'
unsupported testimony is Invariably
taken as against the word of accused
citizens. One of these creatures in
particular had a face that if it were
not criminal, was, to, say the least, un
fortunate. I would not nave nung a
black cat on the testimony of such
a fellow. Yet his word offhand was
taken as against that of far better
looking men than I.
As the cases came before the court,
I noted that whatever the plea all
were first offenses and nearly all were
evidently unconsciously committed
the citizen was hit for from Zi to !.
Why the fines varied at all I could not
see. So that when my case was called
I did not expect mercy nor did I ask
it; though I am morally certain that
the spotter was in gross error In his
testimony as to my speed. Be that as
It may, the city got my bank ac
count all right and I paid my check
to the chuckling clerk.
Being badly rattled, and subcon
sciously finding I still had my hat, I
unwittingly put it on my head before
I reached the courtroom door. An
officer of the court halted me and
made me take it oft. Here the police
missed a good opportunity for another
thirty of revenue. They could have
had it for contempt of court. Just as
clean and just as easy money as the
other. I say they could have had it,
for though I didn't look it. I still had
twp or three friends In the - city who
would have loaned me thirty on a
hard-luck story.
About a quarter of a century from
now, when wisdom and righteousness,
level heads and steady hands shall
guide American municipal govern
ments, this sort of government by
spasms and by grab will be reckoned
by us to resemble good government
about as a prizefight resembles a
Methodist prayer meeting, and the good
officials of Portland will blush to re
member it a good deal harder than I
am blushing now for having Inadver
tently exceeded the speed limit.
MILTON O. NELSON.
The campaign against speeding was
begun because a distressing series of
automobile accidents had occurred in
Portland. It was announced in the
newspapers that the police would begin
a strict enforcement of the traffic
ordinance.
( A Japanese Fairy Tale.
Harper's.
I am- going to tell you a Japanese
fairy tale. Once a Japanese husband
and wife had a little sparrow, and one
day the man went to cut some wood
In the forest, and the woman was
washing clothes and had some starch
on the table. The bird flew In and
ate the starch. So the woman drove It
away. The man came . back and he
scolded the woman, then he went out
Into the forest to find the bird, and
when he found It he was very- glad.
The bird said it had a present for the
man and it went and got two baskets.
The man took the smallest basket, then
went home and-found It full of gold
and silver. The woman said, "Why
didn't you take the biggest?" The man
replied, "Because I thought I would let
him keep that one." The woman said,
"Well, I will go out and get it." So
she went and got the biggest one, and
when she came home she found it full
of frogs and toads.
Distributed as Follows:
Weekday
46,134
6,521
2,540
Sunday
60,428
8,204
3,038
55,195 71,670
Half a Century Ago
From lha Oreg-onlan of Aug-uat 4, 1862.
St. Louis, July 26. Considerable ex
citement existed yesterday at the Brit
ish Consul's office. In consequence of a
large number' of persons claiming the
protection of the British flag to ex
empt them from enrollment in the mili
tia under the recent order of General
Schofield. Several claimants having
permanent business here were severely
handled by the crowd. Numerous ar
rests were made.
Washington, July 26. The enemy are
sending some of the best troops ot
Longstreet's, Pillow's and Swell's di
visions to join Jackson between Gor
don vllle and Staunton. It Is not be
lieved, however, that Jackson's whole
force numbers over 30,000 men. His
purpose is thought to be to push up
the Shenandoah Valley and, if prac
ticable, to enter Maryland.
Cairo, July 28. On Tuesday last the
rebels entered the city of Florence.
Ala., burned all the warehouses used
for commissary and quartermaster's
stores and all the cotton they could find
in the country, seized the United States
steamer Colona, took all the money be
longing to the boat passengers, and
then burned her.
As will be observed by this issue, we
have again enlarged the size of The
Daily Oregonlan, and It is with much
pleasure and sincere thanks we an
nounce that the patronage we have re
ceived enables us thus to enlarge its
size.
The attention of our energetic street
commissioner is respectfully called to
a very dangerous hole on the corner of
Front and Taylor streets.
Mnssmnn & Co.. will disnatch a mes
senger from Portland on Monday,
August 11, for the purpose of meeting
the oncoming emigration to Oregon and
Washington Territory. The messenger
will carry letters and papers on most
reasonable terms.
We take pleasure in informing the
public that the long-looked-for postage
stamps have at last arrived at the Post
office. To Fit the Song
By Dean Collins.
"Columbia, gem of the ocean,"
The people and lawmakers sing
In deep patriotic devotion.
And much hefty language they sling.
Yet, when Democratic lawmakers
Assemble, with most fervid lips
They reaffirm our Monroe Doctrine
And whittle our budget for ships.
Oh, bold is their reaffirmation
That the grass of the West Hemis
phere Is not to be trod by the powers
That over the sea may come here.
Yes, bold is that reaffirmation
Of the Doctrine Monroe once did tate:
But while they are thus reaffirming,
Our Navy becomes out of date.
And when we have thus reaffirmed It,
Forsooth, It would seem rather tough
If someone from over the water
Should sail, with a call for our bluff.
"Columbia, gem of the ocean."
The words grandly roll from our
lips
Oh millions for bean seed and pensions,
But never a kopeck for ships.
"Columbia, gem of the ocean,"
I move though you may think me
wrong
If we must sing thus, let us frame up
Conditions to fit with the song.
Portland, August 1.
60M00 Yearly lost by Fok.
London Chronicle.
The London taxpayer is put to an
extra expense of $600,000 annually by
reason of the prevalence of fog. One
gas company alone furnishes gas to the
value of $15,000 over and above the
normal figure on a single day of fog.
The suspension of traffic is another
serious item.
SUNDAY FEATURES
Will Man Live to Be 140? A full page, illustrated by photos, is
devoted to the work of Metchnikoff, the eminent bacteriologist of the
Pasteur Institute, Paris.
Home Life of World's Greatest Actress An intimate story of
Sarah Bernhardt. ,
Big Tort-ones From Small Patents How apparently foolish and
' freakish ideas have been among the most profitable of all. Half
page, illustrated.
Future Kings of the Diamond They play on vacant city lots. An
illustrated page on Portland's juvenile ballplayers.
The Romance o Mrs. Afitor A letter from Paris on the romance
in which an Astor and a Rostand are the principals.
Wielding Sword and Pen Czar of Montenegro divides his time
between dispensing stern justice and writing poems. An absorbing
article from a Cettinje correspondent.
Coaching on the Inside Hughie Jennings, manager of the Detroit
Tigers, gives some inside pointers on the fine art of piloting a runner
around the bases.
Two Short Stories, complete.
New adventures by all the colored comic cutups. Many other
features.
Order today from your newsdealer.
Roasting Ear Days ,
By Addlaon Bennett.
Have you noticed that there are no
roasting ears on the market this yearT
There have been none for many years.
At least so those who sell vegetables,
fruits and other edible products of
field and garden say. Particularly the
sons of Italy who do most of the truck
farming, and their close competitors,
the Japs, and their cousins, the Chi
nese; none of these savvy roasting
ears.
There is to be sure the same thing
in plenty green corn. But roasting
ears and the roasting ear days have
passed away vanished never to re
turn. Sometimes, however, the ""old
youngsters," who were In their prime a
couple of decades ago, recall the roast
ing ears of their younger days, par
ticularly during the season when "tha
frost is on the punkin and the fodder'a
in the shock" all save the corn fodder.
When the warm September or October
sun sinks down in the west in a haze
of golden glory, almost Immediately
there comes a twang of delicious, ex
hilarating freshness in the air, that
causes you to say, or hear said, "It will
be almost cool enough for frost before
sun-up in the morning."
Now, there was that night up Jora
Iemon way that Is, in the neighbor
hood where the Joralemons live, up to
ward the Singleton Mountains though
they are not real mountains Just
wooded hills. The Joralemon boys and
the Singleton boys and Cy. Armbrus
ter had sent word that it would be well
to be, at the forks of the road down
near Spauldlng's wood lot as soon a;
possible after milking was done, and
bring that 'ar 'coon dog along, and also
the old shotgun, for "Howell's cornfield
is Just lousey with 'coons."
There were six In the party, not
counting the dogs, for there were seven
dogs, all good 'coon dogs, too. We
hadn't much more than got Into the
cornfield, though we hadn't ' hurried
much, giving the 'coons a chance to
get busy we hadn't much more than
unleashed the dogs until there was the
most tarnation barking ever heard, and
the dogs, we knew by the barks, were
headed straight for that big hlckorynut
tree over In the lower corner of the
field, near the sweet spring.
All hands followed on the run. and
yep! By gee, they had him treed! Soon,
mighty soon, all hands were busy pack
ing wood. Almost before you knew It
there was a huge fire burning right
near the tree not right under it. Just
off a dozen yards or so, and the whole
sky was lighted up.
Then we looked and looked and
looked up into the boughs of that tree
from every angle. Meanwhile, the dogs
were barking and acting like crazy
brutes, trying their very utmost to
climb the treel Just think of half a
dozen cur dogs, but all fine 'coon dogs,
trying to climb a tree!
Pretty soon, the fire all the time
burning brighter, we spied the 'coon
in the very topmost branches. Lorn
Joralemon saw him first, but we all
pretty soon got him sighted. Of course
we discussed the best way to get him.
It was sure too high a tree for any of
the guns to quite reach him, but
As the discussion was going on tha
party seemed to break ranks and ona
by one they wandered off into the
cornfield, and soon each one returned
with about a dozen roastlng-ears. Not
green corn there was no green corn In
those days. And then hot coals and
hot ashes were hauled out of the fire, a
great bed of them made, and into this
we burled the roastlng-ears, husks and
alL
For 15 minutes well, perhaps 20 min
utes we discussed the 'coon problem,
and then the roastlng-ears were pulled
out, each fellow produced a little piece
of rag or paper In which he had some
pepper and salt mixed, and the husks
were peeled off the corn, and there
was something that all of the chefs In
all of the great restaurants In the
world could not equal for the palate of
man! No, there was never anything
quite so good as those roastlng-ears
that night, except more of the same
kind on similar nights.
Just as we were finishing, old man
Joralemon. who didn't know the boys
were out, he said, came along, having
seen the fire and heard the shouting
and barking, and wanted to know If we
didn't know that Howell would just
about skin us if
Just then .we gave htm a view of the
'coon and It took three of us to hold
him away from the guns, for he was
just crazy to get a shot at that 'coon.
Pretty soon we held a sort of council
of war and we did allow him to take
the first shot, all the time knowing
the old 'coon was -perfectly safe. But.
sir, dinged if almost before the report
died out a little bit that old 'coon and
two youngish 'coons didn't come tum
bling down to be pounced upon by the
dogs.
But the fate of the 'coons, even the
presence of the coons in the neighbor
hood, has nothing to do with the story,
though it took, perhaps, the sharp air,
the brisk walking and running, the ex
citement of the chase to whet the ap
petite to make the roastlng-ears taste
Just right, to make them, every grain
and kernel of them, the sweetest, choic
est morsel that ever passed between
the Hps of man.
A Chance for Her at Last.
Fliegende Blatter.
Young Husband What a glorious
day! I could dare anything, face any
thing, on a day like this!
Wife Come on down to the millin
ers!