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PORTLAND. MONDAY, OCTOBER XI, !
WHAT THERE IS IX IT FOB THE
TRUSTS? .
Three millionaires, all largely Inter
ested In trusts, gave more than half
a million dollars the Roosevelt pri
mary campaign. Why did they do
It? The possession of millions argues
care as to how every dollar la spent,
that it may be reasonaby sure to bring
in more money, or the millions could
not have been accumulated or re
tained. Then these three men cannot
be presumed to have invested such
large sums in the Roosevelt campaign
unless they had reasonable expectation
of a return of some kind. What re
turn do they expect? They cannot
have given the money in order to help
the cause of passing prosperity around.
That would be inconsistent with the
means of their enrichment, which
were the gathering of prosperity into
the hands of a few trust magnates and
allowing as little as possible of it to
leak into other hands.
The answer is to be found in Roose
velt's policy of regulating, instead of
dissolving, the trusts. The Colonel,
doubtless with entire honesty, has
come to the conclusion that trusts are
a necessary result of economic devel
opment and that, in attempting to de
stroy them, we fight against an in
vincible natural law. Therefore, he
would give them legal recognition un
der Government regulation.
That is precisely what the trusts
want. They are at' present In an
equivocal position. Some have been
dissolved already and others are fight
ing for their existence against the
prosecutions begun by President Taft
They have affected to ridicule the oil
and tobacco dissolution decrees and
to exult over the advance in the price
of oil stocks which followed dissolu
tion. But they know that, in the light
of that experience, the Attorney-General
and the courts will make each
dissolution decree an Improvement on
the last and will take precautions
against a repetition of those effects
which have provoked so much glee in
trustdom.
So long as the. shadow of illegality
hangs ovef the trusts, the price of
their stocks must be adversely affected
and their ability to sell bonds must be
Impaired. With the law regulating,
and therefore protecting, them Instead
of threatening them, all uncertainty
would be removed, stocks would boom,
bonds could be ' sold, underwriting
syndicates would organize new trusts
and float more securities and every
thing would be lovely in Wall street.
Prosperity would be passed around
In Wall street.
But, the devotee of the Bull Moose
may remind us, the trusts would be
strictly regulated as well as legalized;
they would not be allowed to issue
watered stock, to crush competition
or to charge any price they pleased
for -their products. All that sounds
very pretty, but think again. The
magnates have been able to convince
the Colonel, whom they once regarded
as their greatest foe, that his fight was
in vain, and the Colonel has been able
to bring a large number of his fellow
citizens around to the same opinion.
If the magnates can thus delude the
Colonel and his many followers and if
they should be able to bamboozle the
American people into making Roose
velt President again on such a plat
form, cannot they repeat the opera
tion? Cannot they so influence Con
gress always supposing the improb
able event of the Roosevelt party's se
curing control of that body that fur
ther trust legislation will give a cer
tificate of good conduct to existing
trusts? Cannot they bring about the
appointment of men of their choice
to do the regulating, so that in effect
the trusts will regulate themselves?
Is that beyond the hopes of men 'who
have the high ambition, the superla
tive audacity, to attempt to convince
us that trusts are a natural growth,
though we all know that they are an
artificial product of exorbitant tariff
duties, of loose corporation laws and
of negligence and blindness on the
part of the officials who owe their
places to the secret alliance between
big business and Government
Let us make no mistake. The trusts
are fighting for life in this campaign.
From Taft they have nothing to hope
but relentless war. From Wilson
they can hope for little better, though
he soothes them with talk of adjust
ment. From Roosevelt they expect
regulation, which means recognition,
an end of doubt and strife and an era
wherein they can harvest their profits
under the protecting shield of the
Government.
PROGRESS TOWARD UNIFORM LAW. ,
Practical obliteration of state lines
has followed Introduction of Improved
means of communication, and increase
of migration from state to state has
welded the Nation into, one community.
Hence the diversity of laws and Insti
tutions, which was a natural result of
former conditions, has now become a
mere survival of times when there was
no more intercourse between adjoining
counties than there now is between ad
Joining states. Formerly each state
clung to its peculiar laws and customs..
This diversity has now come to be re
garded as a nuisance, as an obstacle to
business and social relations. Hence
we And an increasing disposition to
bring about uniformity in the laws of
states and to secure like enactments
from Congress on the same subjects,
so far as they fall under Federal
power.
The working of this tendency is
helped along by the conference of com
missioners on uniform laws, members
of which have been appointed by the
several states.. Five of the eleven
State Legislatures which have held
regular sessions this year have passed
uniform laws on some subject, drafted
by the conference. In all or nearly
all the eleven states efforts were made
to pass such laws, and in New York a
bill providing for uniformity of stock
transfers was passed a second time and
vetoed a second time. The courts are
co-operating by following each other's
decisions on cases arising under uni
form laws, thus securing uniform in
terpretation in the several states.
Uniform laws have been passed by
many states dealing with negotiable
instruments, warehouse receipts, sales
and bills of lading, laying the founda
tion for a single code of commercial
law, and there are good prospects of
the adoption by Congress of the uni
form bills of lading act. Many states
have the same law governing deser
tion of families. Efforts are now bent
to securing at least some degree of
uniformity in divorce laws. A model
act, patterned after that of Pennsyl
vania, has been passed by Ohio, Mis
souri and Kentucky to secure vital sta
tistics, and bills are proposed dealing
with boiler inspection and other sub
jects. Lawyers recognize that prevalent
criticism of the courts is, at least to
some extent, due to the confusion and
doubt arising from the existence of
forty-eight different laws on each sub
ject and to variety of interpretation.
The more progressive lawyers are
striving to remove this evil, but they
meet with opposition from those who
object to change because it would
force them to throw away old knowl
edge and learn anew.
190s AND 1912.
All the public knows, or has
aKnnt s.nninr Bourne and S
. known,
Standard
Oil came from President Roosevelt
: and
i. ntjilnpr1 in the 1908 letters.
We
urne
.,nnnaA tnr Rpnator Bou
LA U 11 1.1 L Okll'J"
could have Informed the President
ent
of
that h was the confidential agent
Standard Oil, even If it were so;
lntemretatlon of the le
et
, let-
ters Is that Roosevelt looked upon Mr.
m., aa tvia intermediary or emis
sary of the oil trust. No fair reading
of the letters can permit any otner
conclusion. -
Now Colonel Roosevelt four years
later writes a letter to Mr. Bourne in
which he exonerates the Oregon Sena
tor from any suspicion or implication
that he was improperly employed In
the service of Standard Oil.
vot-t- won Rut nroducing a Roose
velt letter In 1912 to dispute Roosevelt
letters of 1908 has not even me cnarm
of novelty.
HOW TO TOTE ON 8 BELLS.
The Oree-onain will impart to Mr.
Cummings, and incidentally to the
public, a bit of its own confidence
when it says. In reply to his heartfelt
onnaoi tnflav that it does not under
stand thoroughly all the initiative
measures on the November Dauoi, ana
that it intends to follow Its own advice
.n vnt. nr when in doubt Some of
the bills it might and would be in
clined to approve with proper amenu
ment; others it unhesitatingly declares
o-a imnmnpriT on the ballot, and
should be rejected; others it will vote
for on DrinclDle. and stm otners it win
vote against on principle.
There is no difficulty aDOUi sucn eie
mAntnl nronosals as woman suffrage
and the single tax; but who can say
thnt irRcn'a new constitution is all
good or all bad? Yet It must be ac
cepted as a whole, or rejectea in us
entirety. The Oregonian will, of
course, vote no In this latter instance.
Mr. Cummings Is doubtless a scru
pulous and patriotic citizen, for he has
tiouslv to inform him
self on all the 38 measures, and he Is
at sea. So he would leave it an to i ne
Oregonian.
But it is a responsibility that is not
lightly to be assumed. In due time,
however. The Oregonian will indicate
, , v. a nvil t iiirlement as to the
proper disposition of the measures.
Meanwhile, the voter wno is uncertain
or who may not be satisfied that he
has been advised correctly should
prepare to vote no when In doubt, and
also when not in doubt, if he thinks
gnv fortain hill is not a suitable sub
ject of legislation through the initia
tive.
rtitr nrivlra now to Mr. Cummings,
th.r.rn a to note NO on every bill
or constitutional amendment which he
does not clearly and surely approve.
It Is the only safe way.
WHAT IS ITf
CMiI onnlVinr rAvislon of Mr.
r-rirlG-R's theorv as to the effect of the
single tax amendment, so far as we
have noted the public expressions pi
his ideas, Is printed herewith. Mr.
Cridge first joined with his fellow em
th Fela Fund and produced
long arrays of figures showing what
the specific graduated tax, regulated
according to the bigness of land hold
ings, would produce in revenues.
Next he asserted that the graduated
tax would- break up big land holdings,
anrl thu statement carried out to its
only conclusion meant that there
would be no big land holdings from
vhth n d.rlvp thA prpfl f revenues
promised by the arrays of figures.
Now Mr. cringe says me graa.uu.ieu
tax will do one thing or the other. It
Is an alternative measure. Itwill either
nrndiiA rAvpmiA or it will break UP
the big land holdings. We infer from
the latter part of his letter that he
does not care much which effect it
would have, although in that connec
tion hA unm to ramble and certainly
becomes unintelligible. The communi.
cation follows: ,
PORTLANTJ, Or.. Oct 18. (To the Edi
tion I occupy regarding; the effect of the
graduated tax and exemption amendment,
or graduated single tax.
It Is that it will either produce revenue
and thereby reduce taxes to the users of
land; or tnat It will oreaa. up me wb
Idle land holdings in the country and the
valuable Idle holdings in the city, thereby
greatly Increasing the population and capi
tal invested in useful enterprises and aecur
Ing the development of the great resources
of the state.
As the very large and valuable holdings
are assessed at a very much lower rate
than farm ana noma property, mo gi,uu.icu
tax would not bear on them more heavily
tnan on mc .iia6 - - ....... -
figures published in The Oregonian of Sep
tember 22 there are strong Indications that
some large Interests are assessed less than
4 per cent on their actual land values and
others very nearly nothing on their actual
millions of values In natural gifts, such as
water power. -ine gniuuic
proposed will not Jump and Jerk the own
ers Into disposing of or developing their vast
holdings, but gently and firmly guide them
upon the path of righteousness and recogni
tion of. their other interests. Meanwhile
these owners would be contributing gen
. ...ii- till nf thA eommunity-
erousiy m vnw .... -
made values they now so thoughtlessly ab
sorb with so meager recusu".-
C,nee v. - nnnmA amendment. 864. re-
ESnOUlU ua f . u (. .. -
suit in the reduction of land holdings to less
than 10,000 in value in any wu-i,
supporters of the measure have no fear of
the effect on the land owners remaining
where Improvements are exempt and users
of land will pay less than we are taxed.
In contrast between counties on this line
Is welcomed by us and feared by the oppo
sition Nor should It be forgotten that pub
lic franchises cannot be separated to any
advantage. ALFRED D. CRIDGE.
t .it... snriii thA assistant secre-
1 11 llLlll-l
tary of the Graduated Tax League as
THE MORXIXG
serts that the league's measure is
either a tax measure or It Is an act to
destroy land speculation he does not
know which. But W. G. Eggleston,
writing for the same organization,
states specifically and without qualifi
cation that the measure "will reduce
tax. levies and tax rates," and he of
fers figures to prove his assertion.
If Mr. Cridge's theory that the
graduated tax may be a destroyer of
land speculation and not a revenue
producer Is correct, Mr. Eggleston's
figures, which do not take Into ac
count the breaking up of large land
holdings, are all wrong, insofar as
they present a guide as to the per
manent workings of the amendment.
If Mr. Eggleston holds the same
view as Mr. Cridge he has perpetrated
an injustice on the taxpayers, to whom
he has offered by name specific sav
ings in taxes- if they will but carry his
measure through to approval.
Mr. Eggleston has named hundreds
of taxpayers. He has told them they
would save specific amounts In taxes
if the graduated measure carried.
These persons are now informed that
one Graduated Tax League officer is
not certain that such will be the sav
ings, but that at all events if the tax
payers do not save they will have the
gratification of seeing the country built
up. If they do not benefit themselves
they will see somebody else get land at
a lower price than it can be purchased
for at present.
The Eggleston figures were guess
work in the first place. They had no
authentic basis, for there was and is
no existing tax roll that could supply
them. Now Mr. Eggleston's associate,
in effect, admits that even aa guess
work they may not be good guesses
There is not much consolation in the
statement that the "supporters of the
measure have no fear of its effect."
Mayhap they care little what may be
the result of Its adoption. With the
chief supporters it seems to be a mat
ter of making good with Fels, and of
cleaning out the warchest.
PEOPLE'S KCLE BT PETITION.
TTT.T.AMoritr or.. Oct. 18. (To the Ed!
tor.) As a believer hi Statement No. 1, I J
voted for Jonathan Bourne for united states
Senator. Under the same circumstances I
voted for Ben Selling at the recent primary
Now. with many others of The Oregonlan's
readers, I should like to know how I can
consistently vote for Mr: Bourne at the
coming election against Mr. Selling, who
was nominated under the same conditions
as Mr. Bourre. WM. H. HOSKINS.
Mr. Hoskins is not progressive
enough. Mr. Bourne has advanced far
beyond the Oregon system, the direct
primary and Statement One, which
were good enough for him in 1906, but
are now discarded solely because they
are good enough for others. The voice
of the people, according to the Bourne
view, is really expressed through pe
titions signed by passersby on the
streets under the persuasions of paid
hawkers. A direct primary partici
pated in by 70,000 voters may thus be
superseded by procured petitions
adorned with 15,000 or 16,000
chance names.
If 16,000 solicited signatures on an
Inspired petition may be adequate to
set aside the verdict of 70,000 voters
in a primary, how many names on a
petition does Mr. Hoskins think It will
take to vitiate Statement No. 1?
Does Mr. Hoskins think does any
one think that a candidate for the
Senate has a right to repudiate for his
own benefit the direct primary and at
the same time require others to fulfill
an obligation that rewards and exalts
the repudlator?
If one party to a contract with the
people breaks It, may the other party
be required to observe it?
Will the people by their decision in
November through the election of Mr.
Bourne rule that the Oregon system is
not worth saving?
COLONEL EDWARD D. BAKER.
The Battle of Ball's Bluff, in which
the gallant Colonel Edward D. Baker
met his death, was fought on Sunday,
October 20, 1861. Apart from the
fact that it terminated Colonel Ba
ker's extraordinary career the action
has little importance. He fought in
it as a subordinate to Brigadier-General
Charles P. Stone, and, fortunate
ly for his fame, had no part in plan
ning it. The movements of the Union
troops were chaotic. Their field com
mander had no definite purpose of
his own or any knowledge of the
enemy's movements. He stood blind
ly and accepted whatever fate chose
to send. The natural consequence
was one of those terrible disasters, so
frequent In the first years of the Civil
War, which tried Lincoln's indomita
ble "heart to the breaking point and
drove the country almost to despair.
Baker fell with five bullets in his
body. The story ran at first that they
were all fired from the same pistol "by
a tall rebel horseman," but this may
have been a romantic invention. The
career and figure of the soldier states
man combined to tempt the fancy of
the story-teller. He was as handsome
a man as ever lived, with a singularly
melodious voice which charmed his
audiences wherever he spoke. Per
haps it was the exquisite music of his
oratory as much as hi3 logic which
enabled Baker to hold both California
and Oregon loyal to the Union in the
perilous months at the outbreak of
the war.
His gifts, marvelous as they were,
came entirely from Nature. He owed
nothing to the schools. Born In Eng
land, he emigrated to the United
States in his boyhood with his father's
family. They settled first in Indiana,
then moved to Illinois, where Edward
took, up the study of law with an in
tellectual - equipment as slender as
Lincoln's. But his native powers were
great and his eloquence went farther
in those days to cover academic defi
ciencies than It would now.
Baker was by the choice of his
heart a soldier. He said himself that
he was born to command men. Next
to war he loved politics. The law
formed a bad third in his affections,
but he could not complain of any want
of success at the bar. By the time
when his friends persuaded him, in
1852, to move to California, he had
become known throughout the country
both by his activity In the Mexican
War and by his patriotic speeches in
Congress.
Baker at once came to the front In
San, Francisco. He had many Impor
tant cases and won a fair share of
them, depending fully as much on
golden speech as on legal lore for his
success. One of "the judges told Baker
with some point after listening to his
charming lecture on "Books," "Baker,
you know everything about all books
except law books." But technical
learning Is only one means of winning
suits. Baker won a heavy verdict in
a mining case by a eulogy on "Water."
As time drew on toward Lincoln's
campaign secessionist sentiment
showed itself powerful both in Cali
fornia and Oregon. Each of these
states had many settlers of Southern
birth and feeling. Slaves were held
in Oregon at an early date and there
was violent prejudice against aboli
OREGONIAX, MONDAY, OCTOBER 21. 1912.
tion. Southern California was espe
cially pro-slavery. The traitorous
Knights of the Golden Circle were ac
tive all along the Coast- Oregon was
Democratic by a decisive majority,
and Floyd, Buchanan's Secretary of
War, had put Albert Sidney Johnston
In command of the Federal troops in
these parts. The prospect was excel
lent that if the slave states seceded
upon Lincoln's election California and
Oregon would follow them. That this
calamity did not happen is due more
to Colonel Baker than to any other
man. It seems an incredible thing in
these days of ineffectual oratory, but
still we must believe the fact that his
speeches throughout California in
the Fall of 1859 turned hundreds of
votes to Lincoln though the Democrats
carried the state and defeated him for
Congress.
In September, soon after the Cali
fornia election, a committee of Repub
licans from Oregon invited him to
move to that state. They promised to
send him to the Senate if he could
elect a Republican Legislature by his
speeches. He accepted their offer,
moved to Salem, stumped the state
and was triumphantly chosen United
States Senator. Lincoln, the friend of
his youth, received, him gladly at
Washington and made him one of his
confidants. The untimely death of
this remarkable man cut off at the be
ginning one of the greatest careers in
our history.
TIME TO TAKE TO THE SEA AGAIN.
Are we building the Panama Canal
primarily to promote American com
merce or to promote that of other na
tions? - Within eighteen montha the
canal will be open. If we are to get
the benefit of it, we must awake and
seize the markets opened by It before
other nations take possession.
American merchants and manufac
turers, confident In the possession of
their home market, are doing practi
cally nothing to reach out into for
eign markets. Yet our- productive
power has already far surpassed our
consuming ability. We must either
sell our surplus abroad or slacken
production. We neglect the world's
markets "except for the products that
almost sell themselves," as the New
York Sun observes. The way has been
opened to us by the free-ship law to
buy ships In the world's markets and
to operate them in competition with
the greatest maritime nations.
The time has come when we must
burst the bonds of our own bound
aries, within which we have been ex
panding for half a century. We must
take to the water again, and let our
commerce carry the flag into ports
where it was formerly a familiar
sight but to which it has long been a
stranger.
By the time Woodrow Wilson has
been heckled by - a few more Maude
Malones he may be in the mood to
send telegrams of sympathy to Pre
mier Asquith, Winston. Churchill,
Lloyd-George and other British states
men who have been assaulted by the
suffragettes. He may also become less
blandly polite and may be badgered
Into saying something "real mean."
The pleasure which he now says he
finds In the campaign will then have
its alloy and the Joy of meeting the
people will be appreciably lessened.
He may even exclaim: "Oh, for the
peaceful shades of Princeton!"
If "the contest In Washington Coun
ty has simmered into a question of
good roads, there should be litlte time
spent in- decision, . for Washington
County needs them probably more
than any other political division . of
Oregon,. Popular opinion Is that at
the time of the Creation all the rock
had been used before the region of
the Tualatin was laid out and nothing
but rich dirt was on hand. Jocularly
speaking, that may be the reason why
candidates out there throw mud at
each other there is no other kind of
missile.
Ruef s preventive of bribery annul
ment of franchises would work very
well but for one thing. There would
be temptation to hold up corporations
with threats to expose bribery which
never existed. The same kind of men
who have hitherto taken bribes for
granting franchises would then black
mail corporations under threat to
cause loss of their franchises and
would cook up fake cases of bribery.
Ruef has proposed no remedy, 'for the
disease would appear with new symp
toms or in a new form.
President Taft gives the welcome
news that Nature is fighting on the
oidA of the overburdened consumer by
increasing the supply of food and bear
ing the market. Now that Nature has
done her part, let us hope that man
n-ni not r-hAr-kmate her bv letting po
tatoes rot In the ground; by putting the
surplus output of meat, butter and eggs
in cold storage in hope or a snortage
next year; by holding over a large pert
of the wheat supply in a gamble on a
short crop and higher prices. -
A New York man who formerly
pushed a cart has sold a lot in that
city for $1,000,000. Portland is full
nf m ATi who formerlv Dushed pens,
saws and other tools who have sold
lots for small fortunes.- There are
so many of them that they scarcely
attract attention.
A genius has discovered that feeding
strong coffee to hens will stimulate
laying and add delicious flavor to the
eggs. Genius is not necessary to stim
ulate the poultryman; market quota
tions are sufficient hint.
Let us hope that nobody shocked
the bishops at the Los Angeles ball
game by making dlsrespectrui remarKs
to the umpire. It would be a shame
to discourage the right reverend fans.
Occasionally a case of calf-love ends
In a happy marriage. Let us hope that
the eloping couple of Spokane High
School students will prove one of the
exceptions, but we have our doubts.
Steam, when confined, is not In it
with whisky. Seven policemen were
required to handle a Spokane man
who Is "gentle as a lamb when sober."
There Is but one thing busier that
the politician these days and that is
the hotel 'bus at Eugene that meets
all the trains.
' Jack Johnson now knows that he ex
cites the admiration of white men as a
pugilist only, not as a Lothario.
With a little training, Johann John
son might become the white hope for
defeat of his black namesake.
Picking the winners in Multnomah
is easy, with 61,744 voters registered.
In a contest with a talking machine,
Brother Paget 19 a safe bet.
SINGLE TAX MEANS CONFISCATION
Orearon Measure Would Aeeompllab
Henry George Idea. . 1
KLAMATH FALLS, Or., Oct 19. (To
the Editor.) Observing that wherever
the question Is raised as to whether or
not the Fels, fund single-tax movement
in Oregon means the Introduction of
the Henry George theory; the paid
propagandists-answer that it does not
go that far, the writer hopes that this
ambiguous but misleading statement's
to where the Oregon proposal ends and
the Henry George theory begins may
no't deceive voters. The ultimate pur
pose of. the Henry George plan was
Government ownership of the land, and
whatever may be the claims of the Fels
fund people, the workings of the pro
posed amendment, if adopted, would in
evitably result in the same way. -
Most of the leading arguments in fa
vor of the specific graduated tax are
fallacious. For Instance, great stress
Is laid upon the tremendously Increased
tax to be levied upon railroad rights of
way. When It is taken into considera
tion that taxes are fixed charges of the
railroads that must be paid out of earn
ings, increased taxation can only mean
increased traffic charges to meet the
higher taxes, and the poor man pays
his share of freight charges in biB dally
expenses.
Likewise, the argument that the sin
gle tax would compel the owner of va
cant town or city lots to improve with
buildings la misleading. The owner of
vacant property in a town where there
Is no occupancy for more buildings
would not -be justified in improving If
possessed of the capital necessary to
build. If not possessed of the capital
to Improve, the tax would inevitably
lead to confiscation, for under condi
tions not creating a profitable occu
pancy of new buildings the owner of a
lot could not find -a capitalist or bank
that would loan money to erect a struc
ture. There are evils in the present sys
tem, recognized by all persons who have
given the subject thought, but nothing
so destructive and far-reaching In
bringing ruin to the small owner of
realty as Is threatened by the enact
ment proposed by the Fels fund propa
gandists. In the very nature of things
the owner of large holdings may find
methods to make his property self-sustaining,
should the law be adopted,
whereas the small holder, with limited
resources at command, must meet heav
ier burdens of taxation before any
chance of realizing returns on property
is presented, or else suffer the experi
ence of having his property confiscated
by the state for excessive taxes.
The voters of Oregon should not for
get that those who are trying to foist
this law upon the taxpayers are the
same who two years ago deceived the
voters with the measure that consti
tuted the "entering wedge" for tax
tinkering. Unless checked in their
course an endless amount of trouble is
In store for citizens of the State of
Oregon, to say nothing of high tax
levies made necessary as in some of
the towns of Alberta.
After having made an effort to as
similate the Information contained in
the pamphlet Issued by the Secretary of
State, finding various measures therein
hazy and capable of concealing various
jokers, and other too complex for satis
factory analysis, the writer has decided
the only safe course Is to vote against
those regarded as doubtful, or that are
positively bad like the single-tax pro
posal. A majority of the measures
merit a negative vote.
FRANK IRA- WHITE.
PILING IT ON THE LITTLE FELLOW
Increased Taxes on Public Utllltlea Axe
Paid by the Consumers.
PORTLAND," Oct. 19. (To the Ed
itor.) Taxing publlo utilities and pub
lic service corporations and timber, as
well as vacant property, as proposed by
freak legislation which comes up for
consideration at the coming election,
has objections that any serious mind
should comprehend with a moment's
thought on the subject.
Tax of public utilities, Intending to
saddle on them the burden of revenue,
can have no other effect than an In
creasing taxation on the poor, who,
by virtue of the very nature of the
service of such corporation, are forced
to patronize them. Advanced taxation
of streetcar and railroad rights of way
can have no other effect than increas
ing railway and streetcar tariffs. The
same is true of water powers developed
to supply the needs of the people.
Someone, and, in this Instance, the en
tire body of consumers, must foot the
bill where Increased taxation is placed
on any public service utility. These
services are usually managed with the
intention of earning for the investors
10 per cent dividends or better. It Is,
therefore, up to the superintendents or
managers of such corporations to make
them yield adequate dividends. The in
vestments are withdrawn and projects
abandoned where such dividends can
not be procured.
The writer would gladly favor re
ductions In the 6ost of such service,
but voters should not be misled In the
belief that by Increasing the expense
of operating a public service corpora
tion they can induce lower tariffs to
consumers.
And who will attempt to say that
Increased taxation on timber lands
lying dormant in our country will have
a tendency to lighten the burdens of
the common people? Of necessity the
price of stumpage will advance in
price, carrying with It an increased
cost of finished products, such as fuel,
shingles, lumber and all manufactured
wooden products.
The very people who are led to be
lieve that through sucll legislation
their burdens are tn be lightened are
largely those who have little else but
large families or are those whose
homes are In the plazas and public
squares of the city, and are the people
who will be hardest hit by the opera
tion of the graduated tax. It is use
less to argue against stubborn facts.
Look the issues squarely in the face.
You are a consumer. What's the use
for you to kick on your little taxation,
when by the proposed system of gradu
ated taxation. If Inaugurated, you
would have to pay a "graduated In
crease" of the cost of living all along
the line.
A little more thinking on the part of
the consumers and a wider berth of the
street haranguers who are constantly
harping on a subject on which they
are almost totally Ignorant will result
in 'Intelligent ballots at the election.
The "last man to bat" pays the taxes.
CHARLES E. HICKS.
NOTHING TAKES PLACE OF LOVE
Motherhood and True Companionship
Needed to Complete Woman's Life.
PORTLAND, Or., Oct 20. (To the
Editor.) I read with great interest
each letter In your paper In reference
to the Old Maid. You may care for
the opinion of a bachelor girl of 35
years of age, who, after 20 years of
battling with- the public, has made the
financial success she set out to ac
complish. I have taken care of a deur mother,
sister and niece, never denying them
a thing that would bring happiness,
and I muBt say I have been more for
tunate than the average bachelor girl.
Still I say that my life is desolate, void
and unsatisfactory. It lacks that sweet
companionship of a good and true hus
band, and is cheated of the greatest
blessing the world contains, to teach
a little helpless being to lisp the word
"mother," which means so much to all
of us. That is the place God meant
for woman, and I who have battled
each day for this world's goods1 know
only too well what I have lost.
A rose is not beautiful without its
foliage and life is not complete with
out its soul mate, nothing takes the
place of love, the greatest thing on
earth, "HOPE."
WORLD GROWS BETTER" DAILY
But" Human Nature Cant be Changed
By Economic Revolution.
PORTLAND, Oct. 20. (To the Edi
tor.) The Oregonlan's editorial on Wil
liam Butts' letter should and will meet
with commendation from every man
who believes in common fairness and
simple justice. The time is rife with
social problems and the world is jos
tled by social reformers; the old order
no longerv satisfies, and perhaps with
reason.
But while honesty and phllanthrophy
conduct the efforts of some, too many
of these would-be teachers are prompt
ed by motives that are anything but
noble or disinterested.
The editorial breathes a wholesome
,and logical tone against the whole
spirit ana xaiiacious, cuuksuuio -matlc
statements of Mr. Butts. He,
like so many prejudiced, biased minds,
attempts to Justify crime and wrong by
comparison.
Every right thinking man knows
that great Inequalities and wrong
exist In our common country; but at
the same time every man who permits
himself a little right thinking knows
that we as a people on the whole be
lieve in the absolute and eternal right
to govern ourselves In our own good
way and time.
We believe In the sovereign power of
the majority when expressed by an in
telligent ballot We know that our
Nation Is the bud and blossom of all
history; that in large measure It Is
the realization of the dreams which
have lingered like angels of hope
around the hearthstones of the past
There Is something wrong with the man
who does not believe that all In all we
are not the Joint owners of our coun
try's greatness Joint owners of what
Its toll, thought and liberty had and
will give humanity.
The honest radicalism of this coun
try should be encouraged; the truth
ful revolutionary spirit which revolts
against dishonesty Is given the widest
opportunity in this land of ours.
The student of political economy must
study the patient as well as the dis
ease. To hlra the knowledge of "the
science of human character" will be es
sential to a proper understanding of
the science of social economy. With
this knowledge, he will discover that
the principles that underlie human
character and govern human conduct
are themselves the cause of human
misery; that men will not be saints,
and that mankind, therefore, will not
be sanctified that no graduated stick
can measure all men's statures alike,
and that no ready-made patent theory
of economic salvation can make all
men equally happy. We should know
that as long as men are men, wrong
will be possible and power used un
justly. Men like Warren, who perhaps have
suffered personal Injustice, cannot un
derstand that all the books and essays
and speeches of all the reformers In the
world past and present can never make
a socialistic Utopia that man himself
is the sole reason for man's inhuman
ity to man. When God breathed his
breath Into chaos, all nature obeyed
except the pigmy, man. To him. was
given the glorious right of disobedi
ence. The God-like gift of free will
that makes us little leps than the
angels, plunges us at the same time
into the necessary strifes' of human na
ture. Rob us of the power to be un
just and stslfish and we will crawl on
the belly of Instinct, Instead of walk
ing erect with the defiance of Intelli
gence. The world refuses to go to pieces In
this century; let us put Its dissolution
off for a time at least Men are grow
ing sick and weary of fakes and mill
ennium makers and Irrational specu
lations. The world is growing better
every day, and will continue to grow
better as the future supplants the past.
EMMETT CALLAHAN.
DESPAIRING VOTER ASKS ADVICE.
Cleveland Hard Times Tausrht Him to
Vote For Taftj But How Abont
Xhtrty-elght Measures!
PENDLETON, Or., Oct 15. I wish
that The Oregonian would state clearly
and concisely what In its Judgment is
the course to pursue in voting on the
38 measures to be submitted to the
electors in November.
Some folks talk learnedly about the
matter, and they also talk about the
great amount of brain matter and reas
oning powers necessary to arrive at a
clear understanding of the question;
but even these advisers do not help us
to arrive at a sensible determination
as to how we should vote on said meas
ures. I know that we need some tax legis
lation, and that we need It badly. I
have read the different tax measures
proposed, and also the affirmative and
negative arguments, and .honestly I am
more confused than when I began read
ing. I have brains and reasoning abil
ity, but I have not the necessary time
to devote to a consideration of even
part of these 38 measures.
The Oregonian does know how voters
should vote Intelligently, and I ask It
in all sincerity to tell us. If we would
have a correct Interpretation of Intri
cate points of law, we go to one who Is
well read In law, instead of searching
law books for the Information.
Where will this initiative business
end? How many volumes will It be
necessary to provide to contain all the
measures to be submitted to voters,
with arguments, and how large a bal
lot will be required In another decade?
My observation is, that all the law
mongers who now find these questions
of government so simple and easy to
understand will be found to be failures
in all they undertake.
I voted three times for Cleveland for
President of the United States, and
sank J4500 and four years' hard work
under his second administration. I
know enough to vote for the re-election
of President Taft; and If The Ore
gonian will outline in unmistakable
terms how to vote on the 38 measures
now pending, I shall be grateful.
HARRY CUMMINGS.
FROM ONE WHO CANT BE DRIVEN
Old Republican Sticks to Principles Re
gardless of Roosevelt's Assaults.
ALBANY, Or., Oct. 19. (To the Ed
itor.) Several weeks ago when Theo
dore Roosevelt was In Springfield, Mo
he asserted in a speech delivered there,
that "the man who wore a Taft badge
Bhowed that he had a yellow streak in
him." Judging from all that he has
said about President Taft and his dis
honesty, I would infer that he means
that the men who advocate or vote for
President Taft are also dishonest.
I happen to be acquainted with quite
a number of old Republicans whom I
have known many years. I know them
to be honest men, who were doing serv
ice in saving and building up this
country long before Mr. Roosevelt was
known, and these same grand old Re
publicans are now wearing Taft
badges, and expect on the fifth day of
November next to cast their votes for
William Howard Taft for next Presi
dent of the United States of America.
Now, old Republicans, what do you
think of a man, after you have ele
vated him to the highest place in the
Nation, who, because you cannot con
sistently support him any longer,
turns on you In that ungrateful man
ner and slurrlngly asserts that you
have a yellow streak and are dishon
est? I am an old Republican, and
stand today advocating u.e same prin
ciples that we did in '61. The Repub
lican party has had a great deal to
do In making this one of the greatest
nations on earth. Today we are a
prosperous people, we need no change,
and I hope all loyal Republicans will
stand by the present Administration
and vote for William Howard Taft.
W. C. TWEEDALE.
Long Ballots and Votes
By Dean Collins.
"I am progressive in a way
And woman suffrage is my hope;"
Thus to my friend, a family man,
I peddled out my campatun dope.
"Vnn'r, nnt. hnwAver " did he cry.
"One half so far advanced as I;
I would go further yet than you.
And give votes to the children, too."
"Wherefore?" I said. "Because," said he,
"Our politics' complexity
Demands a just division of
The labor. Sociology
Will bear me out in this. I know."
I merely answered, "Yep, that's sol"
For sociology, you see.
Has always been too much for me.
Yet I persisted: "Why divide
The work of politics, my friend?"
"The modern ballot," he replied,
"Drives us perforce unto that end.
How can I spare the time and strength
For ballots full nine feet In length?
That Is the thing that raises hob
Far better divide the Job.
"Imagine, then, election day.
With my whole family I should stroll
Into the booth and start upon
ffhe nine-toot ballot's complex roll.
I would give all my time, you'll note.
Unto the Presidential vote
And the state ticket and my wife
Should handle all our county strife.
"Meanwhile my eldest son would be
Voting the city ticket through,
Assisted by my eldest girl.
The baby should have something, too;
He should vote on the whole long slate
Of those amendments thirty-eight
For voting on them, by the by.
He's fully as well read as I.
"Thus, by division of the task
The Job would speed. I have a hunch.
That we might have It done In time
To hurry promptly home for lunch.
I would go further, friend, than you--
Long ballots do persuade me to."
"Yessir!" was all that 1 replied.
For he had me plumb mystified.
Portland, October 20.
Half a Century Ago
From Tha Oregonian of Octobar 21. 1362.
The boats each day bring down large
numbers ' of Immigrants from Tha
Dalles, many of whom are entirely des
titute of means and are In a suffering
condition. We believe it to be the duty
of our citizens to look to their present
wants and provide them with shelter.
Many of these people have been re
ferred to our Acting Mayor, Mr. McCoy,
and for the last day or two his office
has been thronged with sufferers, beg
ging for food and clothing.
The Snake, Bannock and a portion of
the disaffected Nea Perce Indians are
now holding a grand council at Fort
Hall, ostensibly to consider the pro
priety of a war with the Blackfeet,
but It is the opinion of many that it
Is a combination against the whites.
Cairo, Oct 11. A special dispatch to
the Mobile Tribune says that place
will certainly be attacked by Farra
gut's fleet as soon as he gets ready for
action.
Benefit of Columbian 3s The thea
ter was crowded last evening on this
occasion. The performance passed off
well and was very creditable to Martin,
the Wizard and the other volunteer
performers.
The firemen's torchlight procession
last night was a very brilliant affair.
BIBLE TELLS IDEAL LIFE SECRET.
Harry "Only In the Lord," aa Paul En
joined, Says Wife.
PORTLAND, Or., Oct 19. (To the
Editor.) I have been much Interested
In the letters on matrimony which have
appeared on the editorial page. My
heart aches for those whose experiences
have been bitter and disappointing, for
they have missed the highest Joys of
life. I believe thoroughly it Is better to
be a happy "old maid" than an unhappy
wife, and "better no marriage than any
marriage that is less than best" On
the other hand, a perfect union Is the
Ideal existence the life God Intended
for us, and for which he shaped our na
tures and created cravings In our souls.
That there are such unions where
soul Is knit to soul, where both are
glad and happy and full of Joy baoause
they are together; that there are men
whose hearts are as pure as a little
child's, and whose bodies are unsullied
and clean, in whose being Is no re
sponse to the base and untrue, whose
strength, like that of Sin Galahad. Is as
the strength of ten because their hearts
are pure; men who honor womanhood
and who can be trusted In the utter
most parts of the earth; men who do
not fail in their affection during the
stress of trial and sickness and ad
versity I affirm.
That there are women who, whatever
public and Intellectual or social life
they may find a place In. find their
highest Joy, their keenest satisfaction
In the realm of being a woman, a wife,
a helpmeet a mother I also know; and
I know of such women and such men
whose lives together have been years
of Joyous walking In the path of love
and fellowship.
To me the secret of it all Is found in
the book whose" precepts are too of tea
neglected. "In all thy way acknowl
edge Him and He shall direct thy
paths." The girl who hands her heart
and life over to the control of her
Maker, who makes Jesus her Lord and
King, who consults His will as to her
reading, her friends, her amusements,
will, unconsciously, but surely, acquire
a high ideal of manhood, and nothing
less than this will satisfy or appeal to
her- . t
If, also, while her heart Is yet her
own, she entrusts the matter of a mate
to God, asking him to lead across her
pathway his choice for her and then
hold her affections in check until she
Is sure it is of God, she will not be
disappointed, for he who made our na
tures knows best how to mate our na
tures. The Apostle Paul enjoined us that we
marry "only in the Lord." Were this
Injunction followed more, there would
be fewer disappointments, less unhap
piness, and a swift receding of unclean
liness and divorce. I am a reader of
The Oregonian who has had 14 years of
the "ideal life." C. F. C.
Trouble Often Woman's Making.
PORTLAND, Or., Oct 19. (To the
Editor.) I have been reading the
many letters that have been printed
on "Old Maids" and I would like tr
have this printed.
I believe that any true woman would
rather be married and have a nice
home and someone to love and be
loved.
I have been a widow ten years. I
have two children and my married life
wasn't all sunshine. Still I would
rather be married than single, and am
not single by choice. But Mr. Right
hasn't come along yet Take the most
of the married women of today. If
they were single they would try It
over again and some would not be
very particular In choice of a man.
I am one that gives thanks that
there are some good men In the world.
A whole lot of trouble women have is
trouble they make themselves. They
want to blame the poor men for It.
THE WIDOW. ,
Story of a Mlapiaced "M,"
Judge.
r T - TTilltiftn ay-i fa rf fl.nntnrTlnh.
ert M. La Follette, of Wisconsin, tells
n n nmmtfv nnrgnf1i(r whlrh In re
porting the speech of her celebrated
husband, intenaing to ana as comment,
"And the masses believed hlra," said
Instead, "And them asses believed him."