THE MORNING OREGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1912.
8
i
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PORTLAND. WEDXE3DAT. AUG. U 11
t BULL MOOeE'S HANDICAP.
The veteran Levi Myers deserves
I and will receive no reproaches from
The Oregonian for his participation in
I the disorderly Bull Moose aiiair
' day night. But we wonder if. In the
,' mad scramble of the contending apos-
ti f the new faith for preferment
or notoriety, the old gentleman was
. able to find marked resemDiances
the birth of the Republican party long
In the calling of the roll then did
every other familiar name suggest
some selfish personal motive in join
,, now nrtv or some other mo
; tive of disappointment or revenge in
- leaving the old ? Were the principal in
cldents at the Republican accouche-
ment the petty quarrels ana conten
tions of rival political schemers and
' the obvious maneuverings of place
hunters? Did rival bosses fight over
the possession of the new-born in
fant? The rank and file of the Progres
sive party are undoubtedly worthy
and patriotic citizens, as good, as any
I other citizens. We know it and all
3 know It. They are moved by a deep
i desire for a new deal which they
think will benefit the country and
? all its people. But the party's leaders
! in Portland? What of them? How
S far will any movement get under such
I auspices?
THE rropi-K's LAW.
The sovereign people of Oregon In
their wisdom passed at the general
election of 1908, through the initia
tive, a corrupt practices act, designed
mainly to limit and define the politi
cal activities of candidates and public
office-holders. Section 19, in full, Is
s follows:
Section .19. No person shall, in order to
aid or promote his nomination or eiecwu".
directly or indirectly, himself or through
any other person, promise to appoint another
person, or promise to secure or aid in secur
h annAlntmrnt. nomination or election
of another person to any public or private
position or employment, or iu
i of honor, trust or emolument, except that
h. tyv ntibllclv announce or define what
Is his choice or purpose In relation to any
election .in which he may be called to take
Trt if elected, and If he Is a candidate for
nomination or election aa a member of the
Legislative Assembly he may pledge hlm-sel-
to vote for the people's choice for United
o..... c.lnr nr state What his action Will
ha nn eui-h vote.
Will Mr. Kellaher. the mute but
glorious Kellaher. give the public at
the next Bull Moose meeting nis in
terpretation of section 19, so far as
It concerns candidates lor taie oen-
afor or Presidential elector, or for any
office, who may be taking part in a
movement to make a certain aisun-
guished citizen President of the United
States?
Or will he tell us how far such a
candidate, under the law, may go in
nutting ud a state ticket, or a Congres
sional ticket or a county ticket, for
election by the people in opposition
to candidates already nominated by
the Republican primary?
We commend to others of the nu
merous candidates of the Bull Moosers,
present and prospective, a careful pe
rusal of the entire corrupt practices
act. They will find rich reading. It
may be profitable reading, too. The
people rule, and they ought to be
able to rule through their own cor
rupt practices act.
irOBBW'G OX WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
Is the Bull Moose party for woman
. 'suffrage or not? Those Oregon suf
fragists who are boosting it say it is.
Are Roosevelt and Johnson unquali
fiedly for woman suffrage or have
they simply thrown out a bait to catch
women's votes in those states where
equal suffrage prevails and to catch
the votes of male advocates of woman
suffrage in other states?
Mrs. Mlnona S. Jones, of Chicago,
who has come to "tell the truth about
Roosevelt" in Washington, Idaho and
California, says that when delegates
and states went back on Roosevelt at
the Republican convention, he grasped
at any straw, allowed Ben Lindsey to
state that he was for woman suffrage
and got some of the Chicago suffrag
ists, to hold a suffrage ratification
meeting, but it proved a "frost."
When he returned to New York, says
Mrs. Jones, "the suffragists Just called
"his biuff and presented him with a
membership blank to sign and thus
go on record in regard to the suffrage
cause and Roosevelt stood pat and
d'd not sign."
. In the .prepared copy of his con
fession of. faith, as published in all
the newspapers, Roosevelt said with
out qualification: "We favor woman
suffrage." but when he revised that
speech for publication as a Senate doc
ument he inserted these words:
In those conservative states where there
Is genuine doubt bow the women stand on
this matter. I suggest that it be referred
to a vote of the women so that they them
selves make the derision.
Mrs. Jones pointedly calls attention
to the fact that, though Roosevelt is
54 years old, this Chicago declaration
is "his first c6nfession of faith in
womankind." But before the ink is
dry he qualifies it by proposing a con
dition which has never been applied to
men. As Mrs. Belle Case La Follette
says in La Follette's Magazine:
Men are not denied suffrage because they
fall to exercise the privilege. Sixty per cent
of the vote at primaries Is considered a
good attendance. Even If It should fall
below a majority, no one would think of
withholding the ballot from men for that
reason. Women are equally .prepared with
men for the ballot, excepting for experience
In the nse of It.
Equally equivocal is the record of
Governor Johnson of California, the
Bull Moose candidate for Vice-President.
Mrs. Elizabeth Gebording. hav
ing stated at a meeting in San Fran
cisco, in Johnson's presence, that it
was mainly through his efforts that
the women of California were given
political equality, and Johnson not
having challenged the statement-Mrs.
Annie E. Krebs denies its truth. She
says that '"he never once raised his
voice or used his Influence for woman
suffrage, that he almost killed the
measure by ignoring or sneering at it
and that "he is claiming all this now
because he thinks he and Roosevelt
will draw the women's votes."
Mrs. Krebs' statement is corroborate
ed by that of Irving Martin, who say
that on the evening when Johnson
was to speak at Stockton during his
campaign for Governor, Martin asked
him if he Intended to refer to equal
suffrage. Mr. Martin continues:
He said no. that he did not consider It
advisable, and went on to state that
co-ild not slxe up the attitude of the voters
on the question, and that possibly it might
Interfere with his proposals on cireci resi"
iu Hun i v. h wna nrimarllv concerned in
getting adopted. He said that personally he
waa la favor of women voting, as a
of simple Justice, but was not concerned In
It beyond that.
When Johnson went to New York
letters were sent to him by the New
York State Suffrage Association, ask
Ing him to give twenty minutes to a
suffrage address, but he ignored them
Mrs. Goodman Loewenthal spoke to
him asking why he had not explained
his discourtesy and he promised to
write to Miss Harriet May Mills, but
has never done It. Mrs. Loewenthal
says: . "He would have nothing to ao
with suffrage back there."
When Roosevelt found he needed
votes an- interest in woman suffrage
was suddenly awakened in his mind,
but it had no sooner found expression
than It experienced a chill. Johnson
ignored and sneered at woman suf
frage when he feared an open declar
ation in its favor might cost him votes.
Now that the California women have
got votes without his aid, he angles
for those votes by allowing the state'
ment to stand uncontradicted by him
that the women of California owe
their enjoyment of the ballot to his
efforts.
MAKING PARKS PAY.
The superintendent of parks at
Hartford, Connecticut, has some origi
nal Ideas on the subject of recreation
which circumstances will probably
permit him to put in practice. He
begins by making a threefold division
of municipal activities; education, oc
cupation and recreation. In his view
the last is as important as either of
the other two and Just as necessary
as they are for healthy and successful
living. It happens that the provisions
for recreation in the Hartford parks
have all been retained by the city. It
has a monopoly of the -recreation fa
cilities, no private concessions being
permitted." Mr. Parker, the superln
tendent, proposes to derive a revenue
from the eating places in the parks
as well as from lockers at the free
golf links, checks at the skating rinks
and so on. His position is that the
parks ought to be treated, not as
luxuries to be maintained at public
expense, but as necessities which can
easily be made self-supporting. He
estimates that it will cost some $1200
a day, the year round, to keep up the
Hartford parks in accordance with his
plans. The dally expenditure of vis
itors will amount to 11500, so that a
profit of J300 a day or more than
$100,000 a year will accrue to the
city.
Mr. Parker's ideas are in line with
the best modern thought upon matters
of this kind. The day has gone by
when any person who pretends to un
derstand human needs looks upon rec
reation as a waste of time or a mere
Indulgence. Recreation Is positively
essential to the proper management
of business or the pursuit of any call
Ing either mental or physical. The
good people at' Klamath Falls who
were shocked to see the Rev. Dr. Aked
fishing on Sunday forgot the precept
of the Savior that the day of rest was
made for man, the plain Implication
being that each man ought to employ
It In that way which rests him best.
nhabitants of cities lose their incen
tive and become stale in mind and
body unless they take regular play.
time to rebuild their wasted tissues.
It is easy to foresee a time when daily
recreation in the open air will become
part of the regular routine of every
American business and professional
man. He will as soon think of omit
ting his meals as his play. Mr. Par
ker's plan will then be as practical as
sawhorse.
OXCK MORE THE ANGEL PERKINS.
We are obliged to say to our ini
tiaied correspondent J. H. M. that
some things are not worth denying.
The Oregonlan has set forth clearly
the Perkins relations with various
corporations. The Medford corre
spondent asked The Oregonian to
deny" that Perkins had not come to
the mourners' bench, and left his
wicked past behind him.
Why should it? Everybody sees the
repentant Perkins In the front row
wiping his weeping eyes with one hand
and writing checks for the Roosevelt
campaign with the other. He seems
to manifest his faith by his works,
though Indeed the right hand may not
know what thejeft hand doeth.
The Perkins sack is quite a long
and deep one. It is unimportant
whether Perkins is still an officer of
the steel trust or the harvester trust,
though, of course, he is. He may re
ign, yes, indeed, he may resign: but
he will not give away everything he
has in order to follow a certain per
sonage, as one long ago one with
much wealth was unavallingly -bid-
aen to ao in order to show the death
and sincerity of his repentance.
bo long as Perkins holds on to his
steel, harvester, banking and other
financial connections, whether an of
ficial or not, he is the same useful
Perkins. What in the world would
the Bull Moosers do without the angel
Perkins?
We wonder whether, in the end.
Colonel Roosevelt will throw over Per
kins or the people?
OXE TURN OF THE WHEEL.
We are prone to imagine that we
have made much progress since 1892,
that we In 1912 are far in advance of
the place where we stood politically
in that year. But we are back where
we stood then; the wheel has re
volved but once: we are going Into
another campaign with practically
the same Issues made by the same
three parties, one of them different
in name but the same In general
makeup, aims and inspiration. If any
entertain doubts let them read this:
The conditions that surround us best Jus
tify our co-operation: we meet In the midst
of a Nation brought to the verge of moral,
political and material ruin. Corruption
lomlnates the ballot box. the Legislatures,
he Congress, and touch vn tii. rminM
of the bench. . . The newspapers are
largely subsidised or muxxled. . . . The
fruits of the toll of millions are boldly stolen
to build up colossal fortunes for a few, un
precedented In the history of mankind: and
the POSSeSSOrS Of these In turn Hanl lha
republic and endanger liberty.
mat sounds like an extract from
the Bull Moose platform of 1912, but
it Is not; it is taken from the pream
ble to the Populist platform of 1892.
It - was adopted amid scenes which
ere almost duplicated in Chicago
this month storms of cheering, state
standards torn up and carrted in mad
procession around the hall, 'old men
melted by emotion to tears, singing
of the Old Hundred and of the song:
"Goodbye, Old Party, Goodbye."
Many, of the planks adopted by the
Populists in 1892 are nailed down in
the platform of the Progressives in
1912, but one Is missing. It declares
that no man should hold the office of
President or Vice-President for more
than one term. History may continue
to repeat itself in November, for the
Populist ticket received little over a
million votes out of a total of nearly
twelve millions.
From time to time third parties
rise, .rain a certain strength, raise a
few new Issues of intrinsic merit which
the old parties filch from them; then
die, to become but a memory,
THE OREGON WHEAT , FARM.
Taking the average for the last
twelve years, we find the annual
wheat crop of Oregon amounts to less
than 15.000.000 bushels 4,obi,uu
to be exact. The average yield per
acre must be around twenty bushels.
That may seem large, but it must be
remembered that every year we are
harvesting more wheat from lrrigatea
lands, where the yield is more often
above forty bushels than under, and
by scientific farming much of the best
wheat area has been brought to some.
thing over thirty bushels per acri
some of It to sixty bushels. Thus we
have about 1,500,000 acres in our
wheat farm, for the great bulk of the
land is seeded only on alternate years,
being Summer fallowed every other
year. Our wheat rarrn can men uo
said to cover 2860 square miles or,
say, a strip of land 100 miles long by4
twenty-three and one-nair mnes wiou,
In the great Harney Valley, in m
terior Oregon, there are at least i
thousand sauare miles of arable land
If the valleys running Into the main
valley are. considered such as Bilvles,
Silver Creek. Sage Hen. Rattiesnane
Cow Creek. Grane Creek. Malheur and
Dunder and Blitzen, and dozens of
smaller nooks and valleys there must
be almost as much, land in the Harney
Valley as there is in the present Ore
gon wheat farm. But if there is any
doubt, any over-estimate, throw in the
Catlow Valley, which is more than
half as large as Harney Valley and
then say that when Harney County
gets adequate railway facilities the
Oregon' wheat farm will be doubled,
as also will be the annual yield.
It is not to be supposed that all of
this area will be seeded to wheat.
Much of the land is not deeded. Much
of it is owned by absentees. Much
of it is held for speculative purposes
and some of it is not good wheat
land. But there are dozens of other
valleys in Harney County and many
hundreds of thousands of acres of
bench land that are almost ideal for
wheat raising. There are also hun
dreds of thousands of acres of good
wheat land to be opened up In Mal
heur County. Add these lands to
the total and in a few years Oregon
ought to be producing twice the quan
tity of wheat we are now growing.
That is one of the things to be ex-
pected from the road being construct
ed from Vale west to the Harney Val
ley, or practically through that val
ley. Vast areas now lying Idle will
become productive. The thousands of
homesteads throughout the interior
that have been proved up on, and
then abandoned, will again become
real homes, and the land brought un
der the plow. All of the vacant Gov
ernment land within easy reach of the
railway will be taken up. It is said
that near Drewsy alone there are
more than 600 good quarter sections
that can be taken under the home-
stead law. This will be only from
twenty to thirty-five miles from the
railway at Juntura. There are thou
sands of other claims in other locali
ties, many of them near wood and
water and all within easy reach of the
new rail route.
This railway will mean much to Or
egon; more in fact than many or us
realize. If it merely brought back the
homesteaders who proved up and left
In disgust during the last forty years
it would bring an Influx of from 25,-
000 to 35,000 people to those two
counties. For it must be remembered
that neither Harney nor Malheur is
small in size. The two combined are
four-fifths the size of West Virginia,
UNDESIRABLE YANKEES.
The popularity of Americans in the
British Isles appears to be on the
wane. The better our cousins know
us the less they love us. Of course
there are 'old grudges which prevent
the British heart from beating with
much warmth toward the Yankee even
when policy dictates a pretense of
something like affection, but Just now
policy Is not making any pressing de
mands and the genuine sentiment of
the transatlantic critic bubbles forth
in all its genuine rancor. Pretexts to
give some little color to the outbreaks
are not wanting. There , was the
American victory at the Olympic
games for one thing. The British had
always prided themselves on their ath
letic prowess. Whatever else they
might be they were sportsmen. How
ever Inefficient their brains might be,
the world must bow to the superior
ity of their muscles. But at the Olym
pic games the Americans and the al
most equally despised Scandinavians
came off winners and the British
were nowhere. Their one ewe lamb
turned out to be a scrub. As true
sportsmen our cousins ought to have
rejoiced In the opportunity they had
for congratulating their competitors,
but since the games closed they have
done anything but congratulate. If
they have not actually whined, they
have certainly grumbled and sneered.
The Saturday Review, that typically
lovely exponent of true British feeling
for America, comforts itself by reflect
ing that the whole scheme of the
Olympic games is rather vulgar. Im
perial pride ought never to have con
descended to take part in any contest
of that kind where low " creatures
from America, Finland and Norway
had to be faced on equal terms. In
the very fact of the meeting there was
danger that the British ideal of sport
might be debased. Americans, ac
cording to the Saturday Review, make
business of their games "and a
rather shady business at that." It is
undeniable that there is some truth
In this accusation. Our college sharp
ers have done their best to destroy the
National standard of sport and make
our games a contest of venality, but
after all the colleges are not the coun
try and among our professional ath
letes and sportsmen of all sorts the
standards are as manly as they are
anywhere In the world. The truth
which galls the British Is that their
athletes were manifestly inferior to
almost every competitor in the Olym
pic games. If Americans make a busi
ness of their sport it has become pret
ty clear that the British are too indo
lent even to make good play of It
Their national conceit Incited them to
believe that they could win against
everybody else without the drudgery
of practice. They have found out
their error and perhaps after they
have salved their souls with grum
bling they will take a needed lesson
from defeat and do better next time,
It is not to be supposed that the poi
son of Indolence has permanently de
teriorated the spirit of the English
sporting classes as poverty has physi
cally degraded their workingmen.
But their defeat at the Olympic
games is not the only pretext the Brit
ish have for growling at Americans
The conduct of our tourists does not
please them any better than that of
our athletes. The Scotch are particu
larly disgruntled over the behavior of
American sightseers. Time was when
these visitors put up at the most ex
pensive hotels, tipped everybody lih
erally from the Duke of Argyle down
to the gillie who carried their fish bas.
kets, bought whatever the storekeep
ers chose to offer them and paid his
price without protest But now what
a change. According to a tearful ar
tide in the Daily Record of Glasgow
American tourists are no longer noted
for their lavish waste of money. The
great Scottish newspaper remarks
with irrepressible sorrow that they
are determined to get' their money's
worth for everything. They will go
into a store and after making the
salespeople show them tons of goods
will calmly go somewhere else to buy
If they do not find what they want,
This is an unpardonable crime. No
decent tourist ever refuses to purchase
anything he sees in a foreign store
and pay ten prices for it Another sin
committed by the Yankees is to lodge
at an expensive place and eat their
meals at "cheap restaurants." This
naturally entails a terrible exiguity of
tips at the gilded hotels. Yankee vis.
ltors to Scotland, if we may trust the
Glasgow Record, "are extravagant
only in their talk."
The writer whom we are quoting
describes American tourists frankly as
"hogs." He says that "generally
speaking, American trade Is not worth
catering for." Strange that no com
plaint of the same nature has ever
been heard from Paris. That gay and
no doubt silly capital caters to Amer
icans more eagerly than to any other
travelers. Can it be that there is any.
thing about the goods displayed In
Glasgow which makes the Yankees
disinclined to buy them? We should
never think of hinting that they are
Inferior to the fabrics displayed In
Paris, but the proudest Scotchman
will probably agree that they are dif
ferent Our critic sums up his stric
tures in the remark that the Yankees
"are a hard-faced, hard-fisted and
hard-minded people." It Is interesting
to recall that the celebrated Dr. John
son described the Scotch in much the
same words. But then he was notori
ously prejudiced. Americans will
certainly be ashamed of themselves
when they become acquainted with
the impression they have made on the
Britishers. We dare say there will be
an agitation to persuade the Supreme
Court to interpret a clause into the
Constitution requiring better manners
and more liberal tips from our wan
dering fellow-citizens. Since the good
opinion of Europeans can cly be ob
tained by purchase it might be worth
while to forbid any American to travel
in transatlantic lands who has not
the means and the disposition to make
himself welcome.
W. G. McAdoo's plan to have the
campaigns of all three leading par
ties financed by popular subscription
has several merits. If successful, it
would put out of business those who
measure their subscriptions by the di
rect benefit they expect to derive
from the winning party. It would
greatly aid the movement for pub
licity. It would put to a practical
test the earnestness of men's ad
herence to their party, by calling on
them to back their opinions with their
money. It would at the same time in
crease interest in the campaign among
tne ranic and file of the voters and
would bring home to them the fact
that the election of President and
Vice-President directly concerns all of
tnem. It would Impress on them the
fact that they cannot leave a few men
to bear the burden without placing
their public servants under obligations
to tnose lew, which will interfere with
the performance of duty to the many.
we are again reminded of the
stormy days of Populism by the pro
ceedlngs at the Multnomah County
Progressive meeting. Wrangle about
what should be done and simultaneous
demands of fifteen or twenty persons
for recognition by the chair were as
characteristic of Populist conventions
as they now are of Progressive gath
enngs. nut saddest of all Is the
charge by the members of 'a party
wnicn owes its birth to a Drotest
against bosses and the steam roller
that attempts are made at dictator
ship and steam rollerism. So soon do
the elect backslide. There seems to
be as much frail human nature among
the Progressives as among the "cor
rupt boss-ridden old parties."
The new religious sect formed
among the Washington Indians has
maae a bad choice In naming itself
the Shakers, for that name has al
ready been appropriated. "Grapplers"
would more accurately describe it
Destruction by fire of a sawmill
that puts 200 men out of work at
Falls City is unfortunate. Opportuni
ties for securing remunerative labor In
a small town are not to be found read
ily in a case of this kind.
The murder of Mildred Green at
Eugene is, like the murder of Bar
bara Holzman, another argument
against the West idea of punishment
for these crimes.
There is nothing remarkable in the
fact that the flag placed behind the
Speaker's desk Is short two stars. The
Democrats always were behind the
times.
A business man of recognized stand
ing should not be hauled to the Dollce
station In the patrol wagon to answer
a charge of petty infraction of law.
The dramatic close of the career of
Rogers, the American outlaw in Af
rica, could not be excelled In the most
Imaginative work of fiction.
The Lloyd-George idea of pensions
is taking hold in the United States.
The scheme to pension widows In Ohio
Is the latest evidence.
Montana's August rainfall has
broken all records, but they need It
up there.
From the lunch counter car it is but
a step to the cafeteria car.
The east wind is both drying and
trying.
INTEREST IN ALASKA IS GREAT
Adoption of Flaher'a Policy Would Re
dound to Portland's Good.
OREGON CITY, Or., Aug. 16. (To the
Editor.) Some time ago I read in The
Oregonian art article mildly criticising
Secretary Fisher for his attitude -on the
three-year homestead bill, end classing
him as a conservationist of the Gilford
Pinchot type. This comparison seems
hardly fair, as Fisher, unlike Pinchot,
came to the Government service with a
record of achievement In private life
and for the public of which, any Amer
ican might well be proud. During nis
trip he studied the West with an appar
ently open mind and his conclusions re
garding the west and AlasKa seem tn
deductions of an unbiased investigator
rather than the preconceived notions of
a theorist. One suggestion in particu
lar seems never to have received the
attention it deserves. I refer to the
Government-built railroad for Alaska.
In an Alaska railroad Portland is
more vitally interested than is any oth
er Pacific Coast port At present Port
land has no coal; at present it has no
Alaska steamship line. Both these con
ditions are great handicaps to the city's
prosperity. Manufacturers are not go
ing to locate where they have no coal,
nor are manufacturers In certain lines
going to locate at a city from which to
supply the Alaska trade It Is necessary
to ship by rail to Seattle and there to
transfer to steamer. The writer not
long since met the chief engineer of
one of the largest manufacturers of
construction machinery In the country;
he was on the Coast looking up the mat
ter of a branch factory. Though no
decision had been arrived &t it is a safe
bet that the branch will not be located
at a point not having steamer connec
tions with Alaska.
At present the principal ports of
Alaska are so situated as to give the
Sound the great benefit of the Inland
passage, but with a railroad built with
terminus as proposed, this advantage
would amount to but little, as by the
open sea the distance from Portland
would be but little greater than that
from the Sound. With the railroad
built, the principal city of Alaska would
probabl? grow up at its ocean terminus.
Portland more than Seattle needs the
coal: Portland and Portland's "hinter
land" more than Seattle can supply
those . products which Alaska lacks.
Though we hear a great deal about the
agricultural possibilities of Alaska, it
will continue to be for-years to come
a splendid market for the grain, flour,
fruit meat butter, cheese, milk, etc..
which Portland's hinterland is going to
produce in ever-increasing quantities.
With the coal traffic started, this re
turn traffic would follow, and In ad
dition great quantities of manufactured
articles, the market for which is now
denied our Jobbers for lack of direct
steamship service.
Hamburg is Portland s great proto
type. In 1907, Hamburg Imported
4,500,000 tons of coal from England.
Three thousand and eight ships, ac
cording to the author of "The Port of
Hamburg," In that year left that port
In ballast for English coal.
Steamers, many of them. Summer and
Winter. Winter and Summer, with
clock-like regularity, ply between the
Columbia River, San Francisco and Los
Angeles, carrying not only millions of
dollars in freight, but thousands of
passengers as well. They can with
equal regularity and safety ply the
Alaska route. Nothing since that
epoch-making event the coming of the
North Bank Road, not even the Panama
canal, has promised so much for Port
land as Secretary Fisher's Government
owned railroad for Alaska. With It will
come the long-desired steamship line
to Alaska, and with cheap coal, as a
corollary will come, -on a safe, sure and
enduring footing, that other great de
sideratum, a Portland-owned line to the
Orient; without it we well may wish
the Panama canal undug.
we hear on the streets that Portland
has been growing wonderfully, but that
little breathing spell is due now.
"Breathing spell!" Fiddle sticks! That
Is all we have to do to lose any race.
Just sit down and mop our foreheads
and take a "breathing spell."
We, those who call Portland our
home, are engaged in building not the
largest village in this neck of the
woods, nor yet on the Coast. ' We are
engaged in building one of the greatest
cities on the American continent New
York, Chicago, Portland. That's the
slogan. "New York, Chicago. Port
land!" H. A RANDS.
The Oregonian has repeatedly in
dorsed Secretary Fisher's Alaska pol
icy leasing of coal land. Government
coal mine. Government railroad and all.
We fully recognize Mr. Fisher's great
public services to Chicago and to the
Nation. We have only criticised him
for opposing the three-year homestead
bill and the bill relaxing the terms of
payment for Irrigated homesteads. In
these particulars only we have said
that Mr. Fisher leans too much toward
the Pinchot policy. His general nolicy
In regard to conservation has our ap
proval and we agree with all that Mr.
Rands says as to the advantages Port
land would' derive from Mr. Fisher's
Alaska policy.
SELLING TAKES RIGHT COVRSE
Former Bourne Supporter Gives Hear
ty Indorsement.
Harney Countv News.
Hon. Ben Selling, who received lant
April the Republican nomination for
unitea estates senator In this state, has
demonstrated his worthiness, not only
to carry the banner of the, -oartv in
election, but to fill the office after he
is elected. Immediatly after his re
turn from his vacation last week, he
prepared a statement denning his dos!
tion and declaring himself a supporter
ol rresiaent iaii ana tne regular Re
publican ticket, consequently opposed
to tne organization of a third party.
At tne same time, Mr. Selling sur
renders no part of his principles as a
progressive and no part of credit that
is due to him as a pioneer and faithful
advocate of that line of political
thought. No man In Oregon or in the
United States has a better title to the
name Progressive" than Ben Selling.
n every movement for popular legis
lation and for enlarging the reserve
power of the masses, Mr. Selling has
been an Influential factor, through all
the times and struggles when such ad
vocates were in the minority and were
the targets for bitter abuse.
Ben Selling was an earnest and per
sistent advocate of popular rights and
privileges when the men who are now
leading the noisy band of Roosevelt
shouters were among the most hide
bound standpatters, some of them go
ing so far as openly to refuse as mem-
en of the Legislature to vote for the
uccessful candidate of their own party
for United States Senator, Just to em
phasize their opposition to the popu
lar system of election.
Mr. Selling Is a true progressive, who
believes that the most desirable re
forms can be wrought out within the
party and that there is no good pur
pose to be served by surrendering to
the democracy to the party that bas
never been able to demonstrate Its
ability to give the Nation a policy
that will maintain its prosperity and
its National strength. The News did
not support Mr. Selling in the pri
maries but shall be very glad to lend
its best efforts towards his election in
November.
A Study In IrrlBatlon.
Boston Herald.
Willie was on a visit to his uncle in
the country and was watching him
milking one evening. When he re
turned to the house his aunt asked
him: "Is Uncle Hezzle through milk
ing yet Willie?"
Not yet answered Willie. "He s
finished two faucets and has Just com
menced on the other two."
RESULTS OF SUFFRAGE IX IDAHO
Longr-Tlme Resident Credits . Much of
State's) Advancement to Women.
PORTLAND, Aug. 16. (To the Edl
tor.) It is very amusing to read the
articles in The Oregonian against the
contention for woman suffrage. The
less a person knows about such mat
ters, the farther he allows his imagi
nation to run toward what will hap
pen If the ballot is placed in woman's
hands.
Equal suffrage is not general
throughout these United States, and
the consequence is that people at
present have a very limited idea of the
public good or bad to be derived there
from. Very few are interested enough
in woman's welfare in a political way
to study the conditions existing today
in states where woman's rights have
been considered.
All men have equal rights under the
law according to our Constitution, and
to deprive a naturalized American citi
zen, who has abided by all the condi
tions required under out laws, from
casting his ballot at the polls, would
be considered an outrage on American
citizenship. He is not asked concern
ing his property Interests in the state
or county, his mode of making a living,
his standard of morality or whether he
has ever paid 1 cent of tax into the
public treasury for the support of the
state, county or city government So
long as he has registered, been in the
state and county the required time, he
is entitled to vote. He exercises that
vote with as much power as the man
whose taxes and generous pocketbook
help to keep up the expenses of our
government and build up Its lnstitu
tions. He is interested in all kinds of
improvements where taxes and assess
ments must be raised and levied. Still,
some would disenfranchise the woman
whose property is assessed and levied
upon for the support and benefit of
the public good.
Should I say that the man who is
not a taxpayer is not entitled to a vote
there would reflect upon me the bitter
est denunciation for such a statement
but when I claim that the woman who
pays taxes for the benefit of our state,
county and city government should
have the franchise you cannot with sin
cerity argue otherwise. If her money
is good enough, her ballot is good
enough.
As a citizen of Idaho for nearly 30
yars, living part of this time under
Its territorial form of government to
its statehood in 1890, and 16 years
longer under its state form of govern
ment I had ple'nty of time and occa
sion to become acquainted with its po
litical and moral condition. There was
nothing much in the early history of
the state but mining, lumbering and
stockraising. Agriculture was carried
on only in a small way In the more
accessible portions where markets
might be secured for some of its prod
ucts among the mines and logging
camps. These industries mining, lum
bering and stockraising are not as
conducive to building up a refined pop
ulation as agriculture. Therefore, Idaho
was in a lawless condition for many
years. Gambling, whisky and all other
creative accessories followed in line
and continued for a time after its state
hood, culminating finally in the assassi
nation of Governor Steunenberg. Wo
man suffrage was advocated and the
same line of argument was brought
against It as propounded in the various
articles published from time to time in
the past in The Oregonian, but all to
no avail. ISqual suffrage won out.
Great credit may Justly be given to
the unceasing zeal and Intelligence of
the woman voter that today Idaho po
litically. socially and. morally, with its
great prosperity and its educational
advantages, has one of the brightest
futures before it of any state in the
Union.
One very absurd argument against
equal suffrage is that the greatest vote
will be cast by. the lowest class or
women. This idea has been exploded
in Idaho, as it will be In Oregon If
suffrage Is granted. The most sen
sible. Intelligent and thoughtful wo
men are the only ones who make i
study of our political, educational and
social conditions, and correct them ac
cordingly.
The women voters of Idaho use the
same ballots and vote upon any and all
questions that a man solves by his
ballot They hold state and county
offices. The Australian system of sin
gle booths is in use, and each booth
Is filled with either a man or woman,
as the case may require. I do not
doubt their ballot Is cast with as much
intelligence and precision as the most
of men.
Perhaps the man who says, what an
irksome duty this must be for the wo
men folks, does not want his wife to
enjoy a couple of hours or a half day
off from her household affairs. He
can enjoy going to the polls, smoking
campaign cigars and talking politics
with his friends, but he thinks a little
pleasure irksome to her once or twice
year. I dare say tms very same
man would compel his wife to go to
the polls and vote for him, if he were
running for office.
Suffrage for woman only broadens
her mind, brightens her Intellect and
fits her to handle the more important
responsibilities of life which affect the
character and honor of our Nation and
its rising generation.
Will all women vote? I answer, no.
All men do not vote. Why should it
be expected of the woman? The last
day of registration now is about the
busiest one for the registrars, and
then some wonder why they had not
thought of it before. Did it ever occur
to you that only from one-half to two
thirds of the registered voters ever go
to the polls? The politician is not ab
sent but the ordinary business man is
too much engrossed in business to
spend the time.
Out of a total of 365 registered voters
in precinct No. 81 less than 250 caat
their ballots at the last primary nomi
nating election. Neither will all wo
men vote. There are anti-suffragists
now and always will be. Woman will
vote when the political issues appeal
to her. JOHN H. HUTCHISON,
S52 East Fifty-seventh street
PERKINS AND THE BIG TRUSTS.
One More Statement aa to His Cor
poration Connections,
PORTLAND, Aug. 20. (To the Edi
tor.) Somebody at Medford the other
dav wrote a letter to The oregonian
challenging its statement that Mr.
Perkins was an officer of various
trusts and corporations and asking The
Oregonian to deny, if it would, that
he had resigned all nis corporation
connections.
Why did not The Oregonian deny it?
He has not retired ana evidently does
not intend to retire. Does not The
Oregonian know that Mr. Perkins is
now a member of the executive com
mittee of the great steel trust and a
member of the executive committee of
that other immense corporation, the
harvester trust?
I suppose The Oregonian knows what
anyone may know, but for some reason
did not mention it. Why didn't The
Oregonian quote Mr. Roosevelt as to
Perkins and the steel trust? That was
a tearful story Mr. Roosevelt told last
Saturday about Perkins" reasons for
supporting him. And r iinn. too. He
also put that odious Fllnn In the angel
choir.
Could anyone else In the world but
Roosevelt have Invited Perkins and
Fllnn and Heney to the platform to
Join him in leading the audience sing
Onward. Christian soldier ! uiinn
and Heney and Perkins must give the
recording angel a case or the Jlmminy
fits when they start a thing like that.
Imagine Doc Coe singing "I Am
Heaven's Little Lamb"! J. H. M.
A Voice That la Not Talkative.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The voice of conscience win. never
talk you to death.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of August 21. 1882.
A friend writing us from Puget Sound
informs us that ex-Collector Adair hat
become a citizen of British Columbia
and that he holds a very important
political position in that British colony.
His son, John Adair, who deserted
from the United States Army, is commander-in-chief
of a small force of
British troops and between the two
they control considerable influence and
dangerous power in that remote prov
ince. The battle below Culpepper Court
house on August 9 Is characterized aa
one of the most desperate contests of
the war. Jacobson and Eweil had ad
vanced in greatly superior force with
the purpose of crushing Banks' corps
and so crippling Pope's army as to
prevent a speedy advance on Gordons
ville. But through the heroism of
Banks the effort was baffled, and. the
prompt arrival of reinforcements plac
ing the contending armies upon a more
equal footing, threw Jackson upon the '
defensive. On the 11th Pope had con
centrated a formidable army and was
prepared to advance to the attack. But
in the meantime the rebel generals
had received tidings of the successful
expedition sent by Burnside to cut the
Virginia Central Railroad at Freder
ickshall and other points, and sending
a flag of truce as a ruse, insloriously
skedaddled. On the 12th the enemy
had fled across the Rapidan, pursued
by Pope's cavalry and light artillery
and burning bridges to save his army.
City Council Considerable discussion
was had upon resolution to pay ?25 for
hauling cannon up to the public
square and then down again on the
Fourth of July last and upon final
vote the resolution was lost An ordi
nance for planking Front street was
lost. Time growing late, we were
obliged to leave and hence cannot re
port any further at present. This was
quite a windy session.
John Day Mines-Lucas. Morrow &
Co. at Canyon City took out of their
claims 307. On the 11th five men with
one rocker took out 18 5-16 ounces In
half a day.
AUTO SCORCHERS ARE SCOREU
Streets Are Tio Longer Safe for Chil
dren. Says Mother.
PORTLAND, Aug. 19. (To the Ed
itor.) The regulation of automobile
traffic is no one man's fight or duty. It
concerns us all. Any person who
reaches old age can consider himself
luck y.
I came to this city two years ago
and have lived In almost constant fear,
wondering who would be the next vic
tim of speed. Would it be mine? A
mother knows better than any one
what it is to have little ones to look
after.
Mv heart goes out today to the
mother who has nothing to cheer her
but a funeral bill and days of toll to
nav it. while the reaper goes on his
joy rides, shouting only for good roads
and the privilege of going as fast as he
can without injuring his machine. I
have done all I can to train my chil
dren. Every time thoy start I warn
them to stop at very crossing and
look In all directions; then get aiross
as quickly as possible. But after be
ing trained to look, to run, to dodge,
we can't all hope to miss them. They
are ever at our heels. Who can say
they feel safe on any highway. I!e-
cently we took a 20-mile drive into the
country. Our driver said he would
give only half of the road, but as an
auto flew past and only missed us by
the skin of the teeth, I insisted that the
driver give all the road, as I did not
care to take such chances. Our necks
were sore the next day from craning
them behind us continuously. One man
has Just told us of a party who came
nine miles in 13 minutes, slowed down
when they got to the city limits, and
reached home in 16 minutes on a toad
that Is neither straight nor level, and
many out on their spins never touch
the low places. And talk about auto
mobile clubs and rights! The people
without autos should have the clubs.
Go out some fine day (on the Llnnton
road), and I think you will be con
vinced that auto drivers exercise all
the rights due them. Many women
still like horses, but consider it no
longer safe, especially with children.
Many little boys and girls want ponies,
but parents say "No, we could not have
any peace. It Is -no longer safe." And
yet, did you ever read of an accident
but what they were, all going slow?
One man admitted he had been speed
ing, but at the time he ran over the
child he was going not more than 12
miles an hour. And they all go on the
list of "unavoidable accidents."
In one case they said the boy was
playing and failed to notice the auto
mobile coming upon him. I also notice
the streetcars and trains sometimes fail
to notice an automobile coming upon
them, with the result that they have a
damage suit, for the auto was going at
'slow" rate of speed, and did not see
the car in time to turn the machine.
The driver was sure the motorman was
to blame, for If he had been a com
petent man and had been looking out.
the driver's pet machine would not
have been smashed.
Who would venture on a railroad or
streetcar track without first looking?
Pray tell me where is the automobile
track, when they skid and scoop yon
up at the side of the road? I have seen
them strike the curb, scale It off like
soft dirt, and go on. But auto drivers
are not supposed to look. They are
supposed to go and you are to get out
of the way. Children are not In this
world to keep out of the way, but for
us to look after and protect at all
times. You cannot put old heads on
them. MRS. LILLIE G. BINGHAM.
550 Overton street
Kaiser's Use of English Language.
London Chronicle.
English Is said to have been the
language employed at the recent In
terview between the German Emperor
and the Czar. The Kaiser has more
than once shown his preference for
our tongue as a means of communica
tion In circumstances where German
cannot be employed. At a banquet
given on the occasion of his first
state visit to The Hague, the admiral
at the head of the Dutch navy ad
dressed the Imperial guest In French,
the Kaiser replied in English, observ
ing that he was a British admiral and
that English was the most appropriate
language for seamen to employ.
Out of the Mouth of Babea.
Pathfinder.
Mamma Johnny, is it possible I
overheard you teaching the parrot bad
words?
Johnny No, mamma: I was Just
telling him what he musn't say.
A Correction In English.
London Opinion.
The American Shall we try another
whirl? The Girl Not now I'm danced
out The American Oh. no. not darn
stout Just nice and plump.
A Treat In the Future.
Fliegende Blaetter.
Son Oh, papa, I've broken a window.
Father Well, I'm busy now. Remind
me about it later and I'll give you a
whipping.
Rubber Roller Aid In Smoking;.
Indianapolis News.
A.French Inventor has placed a rub
ber roller in a cigarette paper holder
to push out a single sheet at a time.
Criticism of an Actor.
Fliegende Blaetter.
Effective How did you iflke the
actor who played the king? "Ever
since I saw him I've been in favor of
a republic."
ft