Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, December 12, 1912, Page 10, Image 10

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    THE MORNING OREGONIAX, THURSDAY'. DECEMBER 13, 1912.
10
PORTLANTJ. OREGOV.
' Entered at Portland. ORtoo. Fostofflea "
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PORTLAND. THURSDAY. PEC. 1.
I AX ISSl'E TO IXITB REPVBIJCAJiS.
Any contribution which Senator
Borah makes to the discussion of re
; organization of the Republican party
must be of value. He has worked In
and out of Congress to prove his par-
; ty'B devotion to the interests of all the
people, not of any special Interest. He
", has demonstrated his own devotion to
the people and by his refusal to join
'. In the Roosevelt bolt he has shown
' his confidence that the Republican
' party has been and will continue to
' be a valiant contender for the inter
: ests of all and is not wholly given
i over to the service of special privilege,
; as its critics and traducers contend.
Senator Borah says, in an interview
'. published in the Chicago Record-Her-
aid. that we cannot expect "a great
.' deal in the way of a revival of power
; until we submit to the people a defi
' nite and comprehensive policy in re
. gard to the great problems of today";
; that the people are in advance of their
- leaders; that "a great party must be
.' built up on a great principle and in
a great cause"; and that "a political
party is never formidable and domi
1 nant until Its rank and file are
aroused."
He then puts aside the questions
; which the more progressive members
of the party advocate and takes up
'. those "which no conservative and no
progressive can refuse to consider as
imminent for solution." He then
'continues:
Take three a proper ayatem of National
taxation; the rehabilitation of our Hnancial
ayatem; a proper and effective treatment
f the subject of the trusts. The political
party which offera the country a compre
hensive and effective plan by which to
deal with these matters In the light of
present conditions will have no trouble In
commanding the support of a vast majority
of the people for the next quarter of a
century, without this we will all be In tne
quagmire and broken Into factions and
this condition will prevail In all parties.
What we want is an issue, and we want
that tasue to be policies and not persons.
The Senator then cites the supposed
failure of the Sherman law to do any
of the things expected of it. He tells
how, in spite of that law, combina
tions have grown until they occupy
the whole industrial field, "competi
tion lurks here and there, as a re
minder" and we live in a day of arti
ficial values.' He asks what we are
going to do about this situation and
then offers these pertinent questions:
Under what theory of statesmanship or
morale do we permit a corporation to con
tinue to enjoy a part of sovereign power
of the state after it baa become a violator
of the law?
' Under what theory do we permit a cor
poration to occupy the channels of Inter
atate trade which has been convinced of
crime?
Why do we permit one corporation en
gaged in Interstate trade to buy . up and
hold the atock of another corporation?
Why do we permit corporations organ
ised with aa high aa $700,000,000 of watered
stock to put It out to the public?
Why. In short, do we permit these crea
tures which we have created and marvel
oualy endowed to dictate and direct the
.. policy of their creator?
Senator Borah declares two-thirds
i.of the trust question to be "wrapped
tip in a proper consideration, supervi
i sion and limitation of . the charter
powers of the corporations," but says
1 there has been so much sidestepping
Tind ducking of this question that the
X people are doubtful of all parties. He
i says in conclusion:
If aome man comes forward aa Lincoln
did In his Bloomlngton speech with a sim
ple but comprehensive, fearless, fair and
atatesmanlike plan to deal with these prob
leroa as our new industrial life demands,
T he will not need to worry about organlia-'-
tlon. He will not need to sit up nights wor-
rying about the bosses. The American peo-i-'
pie will take care of both propositions. This
.la my Idea of reorganisation.
In pointing to abuse of corporate
power as the root of the trust evil
-and to extirpation of that abuse as
the remedy, Borah is in substantial
agreement with Taft. The Democrats
Care not likely to tackle the trusts until
the first regular session of the new
t"Congress. Their love for state rights
Twill almost surely prompt them to
oppose any Federal incorporation
measure. Their platform suggests this
'purpose by asserting that Federal law
?-8hould be merely supplementary to
Estate law on this subject. The Demo
crats are likely to furnish the Repub
licans with the issue Borati seeks. If
tthe two wings of the Republican party
-can get together on an affirmative
"nniii-v. for effective dealing with the
"trusts and can prove its superiority to
that offered Dy tne uemocrats, iney
Twill have no difficulty in finding an
; Issue on which they can unitedly go
-before the people. -
13 AM ISSUE EVER SETTLED?
Argument that the condemned men
at Salem should again be reprieved
because at the same election at which
, capital punishment was approved by
' the voters the women were enfran-
chised and have had no opportunity
their views on the issue, is
' as specious as it is remarkable-
'. v If refusal to carry out the will of
the voters in this instance is proper it
is proper in other cases as well. Two
! other bills adopted at the last election
i declared a policy. -One authorized the
'. employment of state convicts in road
work and the other the employment
of city and county prisoners in high
'. way construction. Neither one is
"' mandatory. The laws simply grant
- authority.
; If it is logical to consider the capital
punishment question unsettled it is
also logical to consider the matter of
,' working convicts on the roads still at
issue. Will the anti-capital punish
I rnent minority advise the Governor to
; refuse to designate convicts to work
v on the roads until the women have
k had a chance to vote on the subject?
Moreover, there are thousands of
- Mother persons who were not voters this
year who will be eligible to the Iran.
chise in 1914. They are the youths
'.'now under 21 years of age. Again, at
the time of the election four years
hence, there will be other prospective
voters who will be unable to express
their views on capital punishment be
cause of age qualification. If the pres.
ent minority can gain official attention
here is a beautiful opportunity for
everv minority to forestall enactment
of any governmental policy of which
they do not approve. If no issue is
determined until all prospective voters
have had a chance to express their
opinions, no questions can ever be
settled. '
If the sentimentalists do not want
to go to this extreme we suggest that
they advocate reprieving of all con
demned murderers for four, instead of
two, years. The women have never
had an opportunity to say whether
they want to vote. The suffrage ques
tion, if the argument is followed to its
logical conclusion, is not yet settled.
Let there first be a resubmission of
the suffrage amendment, that the wo
men may vote on It. Having thus es
tablished the source of public opinion
on a fundamental basis, we can then
propound anew, four years hence, the
question of hanging murderers.
GOOD SELECTIONS.
Mr. Malarkey has been for eight
years a State Senator, and he is to
be elected President of the Oregon
Senate for the forthcoming session. It
is a fortunate choice, for he has ex
perience, capacity and energy and a
purpose to dispatch business. Mr.
McArthur is to be Speaker of the
House, and here, too, the Represen1
tatives will have mado a wise selec
tion. For Mr. McArthur is well ac
quainted with legislative methods and
he knows the state and its legislative
needs. He served as Speaker in 1909,
and the excellent record then made by
him is the basis of his election now.
Mr. Malarkey and Mr. McArthur
are both from Multnomah; but geo
graphical considerations have been
eliminated in their respective contests,
and the legislators have made up their
minds to settle the Presidency and the
Speakership on the ground of fitness
only.
With the contest over presiding of
ficers out of the way, the Legislature
ought to be able to settle down to
business without delay. President-to-be
Malarkey says he will name the
committees the first or second day;
Speaker-to-be McArthur will doubt
less take the same course.
If the members will go to Salem
with their bills i their pockets and
introduce them early, there is every
prospect that the legislative session
of 1913 will be the most businesslike
in the history of the state. '
CAUTIOUS AND MODERATE.
If we are to accept the view of Mr.
Roosevelt, the Idaho editors are be
ing made martyrs to the cause of the
Progressives (with a large P) because
he offered a moderate criticism of the
Idaho Supreme Court's decision in
putting the Roosevelt electors off the
state ballot. We know it was a mod
erate criticism, -for we have the high
authority of the Colonel himself to
that effect. "I spoke of the decision
with guarded moderation," he said
Tuesday in Chicago, "but still with the
frafikness of an open nature.
Now the Colonel discovers that he
touched the delicate sensibilities of
the Idaho court by his cautious and
moderate language; for the Idaho
Judges are somehow so perverse as
to think that the Roosevelt attack was
neither just nor temperate. All the
Colonel said, to be sure, was that the
decision was' "infamous"; that it was
made by an "utterly reactionary
court"; that it was "absolutely with
out warrant of law" and "against law,
against equity, against justice and
against the whole course of decisions
in all our American' courts"; that
there were "trickery and chicanery";
and "in the interest of the great apos
tles of special privileges in politics
and industry, the reactionaries wish
to disfranchise the people"; and more
of the same style of judicious and
reasonable statement.
Unfortunately the Colonel's idea of
cautious and moderate criticism does
not agree with the Idaho judicial no
tion. One paper is in difficulties with
the court about it; and the mighty
Colonel himself is threatened with
contempt proceedings, if he shall ven
ture within the court's Jurisdiction.
' Has that Idaho Supreme Court
never heard of lese majeste?.
HOW ENFORCE THE LAW?
Let us assume that the Prohibition
ists are right and that the women will
vote with them and that in 1914 they
will succeed in enacting state-wide
prohibition in Oregon. Our hypothesis
is not well-based, of course, for Colo
rado at the last election rejected pro
hibition by a decided majority, and no
state has anywhere adopted prohibi
tion through the aid of women votes,
But we shall, nevertheless, take for
granted that the sovereign people of
Oregon men and women will con
clude to expel the saloon by a state
wide exclusion act. What is the next
step?
The next step will be to enforce the
law. We know how the. dry laws are
now violated in the dry towns of Ore
gon, where prohibition has been im
posed in spite of local adverse major
ities or even with narrow favorable
majorities. The law is a Jest and
a farce; the law officers are blind,
deaf, dumb and paralyzed. They were
not elected to enforce the law; they
were elected, or at least they are ex
pected to forget the law.
If the Prohibitionists give us pro
hibition in Oregon they will merely
throw down the bars to lawlessness
and license, in Portland, for example,
unless they give us also public officers
pledged to prohibition. If they are
able to elect such officers, then, why
have they not done it heretofore? If
they could have elected them hereto
fore, they could also have carried
county prohibition. If they could not
and cannot carry county prohibition
in Multnomah, how can they enforce
state prohibition here?
PERSONAL LAW-jrVI-NG.
In The Oregonian's comment on the
Benbow commission charter draft it
was neither said nor Implied that all
the Ideas contained in the charter
originated in the brain of Mr. Ben
bow. Nevertheless it Is a one-man
charter. Mr. Benbow drafted it, bor
rowing here and borrowing there
ideas that for one reason or another
seemed good to him. As such It is
the product of the thought of one
man. Whatever he thought good he
accepted; whatever he thought bad
he discarded.
In a letter today Mr. Benbow gives
the origin of a number of the provi
sions in the charter. If he would go
back still further he would probably
discover that the commission principle
of municipal government originated
elsewhere, too. But as it stands the
charter is Mr. BenboWs compilation.
It is thf Benbow charter and is right
ly so known by name. The Oregonian
does not approve of one-man legisla
tion, but its objections to the Benbow
charter are not wholly founded on
the personal aspect of Its Inspiration.
The draft Includes salient features of
the Wood charter which was over
whelmingly defeated last month. It
provides for a paid local public serv
ice commission to which the voters of
Portland have twice denied approval
It restricts the referendum on one
hand by denying the city governing
body the authority to refer measures,
and enlarges to a dangerous point the
initiative on the other by authorizing
the calling of special .elections on
measures by petition.
While declaring supreme . confi
dence In the commission by granting
general powers subject only to speci
fied restrictions, it implies doubt as to
the integrity and good faith of the
commission in applying the direct leg
islative power. It invites a perpetual
harassing of the majority by the mi
nority by permitting the resubmission
time after time of measures voted
down. Being one-man legislation, it
invites still more personified activity
of the type we have been inflicted
with In the Fels and TTRen measure's.
Not at all strangely, the last idea was
borrowed from Mr. Cridge of the Fels
experiment station.
The Oregonian - would like to see
but one commission charter presented
and that one the product of a body of
men representative of the great por
tion of the public that is not obsessed
by hobbies. There is absolutely no
need of making concessions to profes
sional law-tinkerers, or theorists, or
radicals, as Mr. Benbow seems to have
done in addition to accepting the ad
vice of some sincere and well-balanced
citizens.
OUR GOOD FRIEND, THE HEN.
Did you think what a vast differ
ence it would make In all civilized
countries if by some evil circumstance
the hen family should be wiped out?
Contemplate a civilized people en
rlpavorine to remain civilized with
out eggs and without chicken, rnea,
boiled, roasted, cooked in a hundred
rilffoi-Anr wavr nnrl Mch wav better
than the others, according to some
thousands, perhaps millions, of indi
viduals.
SiiTinnsp that after today there
would be no more eggs for sale. -Suppose
after today you could not get an
egg, not a single egg, for any sum you
mignt oner: wnat a uuiereiite i
would make In our manner of living.
Eggs enter into almost nine-tenths of
iflehAD aarvpfl nn mir heat t&bleS.
If there should be such a scarcity of
them that only tne very ran couiu ouy
them, the price would go up well,
thr arm neonle in the CitV Who
would gladly pay a dollar each' for
good fresh eggs if the supply were
down to just a few scattering samples,
say a couple of dozen on the Portland
market.
But we have a few hens in Oregon
and they lay a few eggs. Somebody
has calculated that the egg9 and the
Oregon poultry sold and used in Ore
gon amount In value to 16,000,000 a
year. In fact our poultry products so
far exceed the value of our apple crop
each year as to mase tne appie won
like the proverbial 30 cents. In spite
ff-agt f nii t wa Imnnrt a few
hundred carloads of poultry and eggs
each year. These come rrom tne raiu
dle West, principally from Kansas and
WaV,Tool;a stcatos not npflrlv SO Well
adapted to the . poultry business as
Oregon. Oregon ougnt to do snipping
a carload of eggs every day to the
frozen Middle West.
Tha mpAHnp of the Pnnlfrv Associa
tion now being held in Portland is an
annual event fostered bv those of Ore
gon engaged in the poultry business
wno nope to nave mc iwuuauj
so expanded as to make it what
it should be the first indus
try in the state. It may sound
strange to many to speak of the poul
try business as one to top all others in
rrttrnn "Rnt it hnnld. There ia not
.
a nook or corner in Oregon where the
hen and her family win not tnrive.
In many places the poultryman can
raise everything the hen eats, and un
der such conditions the poultryman is
bound to make money. Not a fortune,
nf onnrae. for there are none who say
the poultry business will ever turn out
a crop of millionaires, as tne sieei
business did.
T,it think nf th distribution nf the
proceeds if we could double our prod
uct, making it xiz,uuu,uuu in piace oi
tS, 000, 000. Every part of the state
would take on new life and every
country boy and every country girl
would have a few hens. That Is what
we want. That is what the poultry
men who are holding the show want
an extension of the business so that
every present poultry owner will keep
more fowls and every person owning
or occupying a piece of land, even a
city lot, who does not now raise
chickens, shall buy just a few hens
and a rooster and go into the business
in a small way.
TWO KINDS OF INFAMY.
In a letter to Colonel W. R. Nelson,
editor of the Kansas City Star, Gov
ernor Johnson, of California, has the
audacity to style such men as La Fol
lette, Cummins and Borah pseudo-progressives.
He predicts that "some of
these people like La Follette will con
tinue stabbing us in the back." He
continues:
In some fashion we must provide for pub
licity for the legitimate Progressives
the future and make plain that this party
Is not In any way connected with the so
called progressive Republicans who desire to
submit to any Infamy within the Republican
party In order that 'tney may preserve their
party regularity.
Our chief danger. I apprehend, in the
next year, will be this Congressional group,
and particularly La Follette. Who showed
not only a dastardly streak In the recent
campaign, but who showed himself lacking
!n real courage when with all his mendac
ity an hntrpn he did not dare onenly to
come out for Wilson, - but pretended he
was still a - Republican wno preservea nis
party regularity, while all the time he was
beseeching hla friends and aatellitea to get
Into the open for Wilson.
La - Follette submitted to the "in
famy" of Roosevelt's persistent enmity
when the Progressive movement in
Wisconsin was in its Infancy and
when Roosevelt,, as President, could
have rendered valuable aid, but gave
only enmity. He refused to submit to
the "Infamy" ot being a mere stalking
horse for Roosevelt in the campaign
for nomination. - He could see no "in
famy" In the decision of the contests
at the Chicago convention on their
merits, but he did see "infamy" In the
164 bogus contests brought by the
Roosevelt men. He did see "infamy"
in the 'means by which the genuine
Republicans of California were dis
franchised and by which the result in
that state was made so doubtful that
Johnson does not even yet know
whether his scheme succeeded.
The Progressive Republicans earned
the right to wear the label "Progres
sive" when it cost something to be a
progressive. They are recognized as
the future leaders of the Republican
party, and Johnson may well see per
plexities ahead, for under their leader
ship that party will win back thou
oanria nf thni who wandered away.
The progressive Republicans will be
aided in their worn Dy tne revemnuu
of trickery in the building of the new
party's platform. We now see that
honest enthusiasts were deceived, by
means of a political shell game, Into
accepting a platform - which was a
frank indorsement of monopoly.
If the approaching congress of the
powers should result in the retention
by Turkey of a small corner of terri
tory around Constantinople, the expul
sion of the Turks from Europe might
be long postponed. The Greek Em
perors held Constantinople more than
a century and a half after the Turks
had conquered all the rest of the Bal
kan peninsula, though, the medieval
Greeks were far inferior to the Turks
as warriors. The explanation may be
found in the strength of the city's
strategic position. Ths forts of the
Besphorus and Dardanelles are able to
ward off attack by sea and It is strong
ly fortified by land, as the Bulgarians
have discovered. : Xt has been besieged
more than thirty times, but has been
taken only thrice, the last time by the
Turks in 1453. The Russians have
advanced to its walls twice, but have
halted there. A siege by both sea and
land alone could starve it into surren.
der, and any army attacking it by land
alone would be exposed to attack from
the sea if it captured the city. Only
some daring feat, such aa Dewey's at
Manila, and neglect to maintain forts
and mines at the straits, would make a
sea attack possible.
Men who attempt or threaten to
assassinate a ruler are so frequently
seekers after a misguided hero-worship
that the punishment should be
adapted to their mental condition.
Several attempts were made to as
sassinate Queen Victoria, but the
would-be assassins were sent to the
insane asylum, not to the gallows or
to prison. This treatment, based on
the assumption that only an insane
man would seek the life of the Queen,
so effectually disposed of any pre
tensions to heroism that it discour
aged others inspired by the same mo
tives as well as those whose political
beliefs inclined them to regicide. If
the writers of threatening letters to
Wilson were confined in a madhouse,
as is Schrank, they would have few
imitators. '
For a small country like Servia to
defy a great empire like Austria-Hungary
is not quite so absurd as it seems
on comparison of the population of
the two countries. The country which
ReT-vla. has reconauered from Turkey
is mainly populated by Servians. So
are the border provinces oi Austria,
such as Croatia, Transylvania, Bosnia
and Herzegovina. Race sentiment is so
strong that many Servians in these
provinces might make common cause
with the Kingdom of Servia. But even
with such assistance, Servia would
Via prpa tlv overmatched and It Is In
conceivable that she would risk war
with Austria without secret assurances
of aid from Russia.
It looks ominous for the apostles of
disarmament that no proper recipient
nf the. Nohel neace nrize could be
found this year. Some time, before a
great while, no doubt, it will go to
David Starr Jordan, but as yet his
services in the cause show .zeal rather
than results, and he must resign him-
oole tn wait Trharts if the arbitra
tion treaties had been ratified Mr.
Taft would have won the prize..
The one group of farm products
which has been exempt this year from
the disastrous slump in prices comes
from the dairy. While, fruit and po
tatoes go down cheese holds its own
and butter goes up. The demand for
dairy products cannot be oversupplied.
The cow is the farmer's constant
friend. The" more he cultivates 'her
the more prosperous he becomes.
John Barrett need not worry about
the Panama Canal tolls being too
high. If the rate of 11.20 a ton fixed
by President Taft should be found
excessive, his successor can reduce
it fmtvi timA tn titriA aa circumstances
suggest. It is better to begin with a
rate a little too high and reduce than
to beerin with too low a rate and be
compelled to raise it.
Canada's offer of three warships to
Great Britain has yet to stand the fire
of criticism from Laurier and the
French-Canadian leader, Bourassa,
before it can really be said with assur
ance that Canada can deliver the
ships. Premier Asquith, therefore,
does well to withhold his thanks until
Premier Borden makes good.
Why should women not be regularly
enlisted In the commissary service of
the Army as Army nurses, as proposed
by the Danish suffragists? It is work
they can well do, the military train
ing would be of value to them and
there would be more men available
for active service.
Despise not the prune and corn
beef hash, for a Colorado woman
accumulated $118,000 keeping boarding-house.
Many an able-bodied loaf
er can tell this to his wife with profit
If President Taft shall become an
Instructor at Tale there is one thing
certain he will not go' yawping
around the country seeking another
term. .
A would-be expert in Kansas City
says blue-eyed husbands are unreli
able. Perhaps not, however, when
their wives properly blacken them.
Having "skinned the earth." so to
speak, on apples, Hood River would
exalt the hog and hen, and will do so
once a start is made.
As host at the execution, the Gov
ernor can be Just as dramatic as when
staying the hand of the hangman on
previous occasions-
Statement that 400,000,000 Is in
banks controlled by five ,. men. Is
enough to cause an eruption of the
soapbox. J
Put In red type the date when the
Beavers get their grasp on the 1913
pennant, April 15.
The man with wheels in his head is
outdated by the Mexican who sprouted
a frijole In his ear.
Bring the children to see the window
displays and get suggestions. .
Dr. Clarence True Wilson called the
Governor's bluff, all right.
The best bargains are to be had in
the morning hours.
Stars and Starmakers
By Leuie Caaa Baer.
ru.nnr Haher ia olaylnK leads with
the Empire stock in Holyoke, Mass.
uu. Huber is a San Francisco girl, the
niece of George Davis, manager of the
Alcazar Theater in tnat cuy, ana -ii
rnvnrite in California. She was in
genue with the Belasco Company when
it played one season at tne out v-ui""-kio
nn Fourteenth and Washington
streets, a half dozen years ago. Since
then she has appeared in Portland wnn
Mmnaniea. her last visit
being at the head of "The Barrier-
Company one year ago.
m w
A ioHo Rardner. Who was a Stock
actress in Portland with the Frawley
r-nmnnnv la leading woman In nae-
sperean repertoire, playing at the Gar.
den Theater in New lora lui.
the now vear the company goes on tour.
Theodore Roberts is the shost.
-uvnm the New York World the fol
lowing is taken, which holds news that
t t mAst nart was hitherto un
dreamed of by Portlanders who remem
ber the Lansing Rowan or tne rraw
ley stock days:
. i.-,. r. A an i-H T.nnftine' Rowan,
ine Ativia ' ...... -
. L .1 -,aA na T.anatllir RmWD. fTOm
Known on mo """ft" " n - -
a grave In Pottefa Field yesterday. When
the last curtain w ... ---actors'
plot In Evergreen Cemetery, more
than Ana man and woman stood about the
mound, who had known Lansing Brown
when she gave promise oi DeniB
actress.
Born 41 veara ago In Batavla, N. x..
where her fathor. Jerome Rowan, was a
farmer and banker, the girl had every ad
vantage wealth and social position could
.. t . i-i. in fifi' h, u' ii sent to an
exclusive finishing school In this city.
It was in c'nicago iui ouo .-n-struck
after taking part In an amateur per
formance. She first was engaged by Lewis
Morrison, and she was a success. Then she
had engagements with other good compan-
ICS. M18 lUR -. '
because her family so seriously objected to
her stage career.
When she had taken the down-hill route
ahe aent a challenge to James J. Corbett. the
.... . 1 wnni H m,Y,lln.
pilglllSt, lO gel u,.,Dil r --
The next morning her father shot himself
to death.
Her beauty gone, few of her old friends
left, and cast off by relatives, she took to
drink. It was nothing unusual for her to
cross over to Manhattan from her llttlo
room at No. 157 Clinton street, Brooklyn, to
borrow A few cents from acquaintances.
Two months ago she was taken to Brook
lyn Hospital. She died there Monday.
he always said she was a niece of Ly
man J. Gage, former Secretary of the
Treasury. Mr. Gaga said at Los Angeles,
Cal., last night:
'Lansing Rowan Is not my niece; I do not
know her." .
Nat Goodwin Is recovering rapidly
frnm the Ininrlea which have kept him
confined to his home for some weeks.
It has been arranged for Mr. Goodwin
to open the new Morosco Theater in
Los Angeles about tlfe middle of De
cember. The play is a comedy by
Hartley Manners. Its title is "Gaunt
letts Pride," and if It is a success in
Los Angeles it will eventually be Taken
to New York.
Tiililo Ttiirlco is eominsr to the Coast
after the holidays. The closing date
of her New York engagement has been
announced as January 4, after which
she begins her tour at Philadelphia,
Lotta, one of the two richest actress
es in America, will distribute shoes and
stockings to the poor children nf Bos
ton on Christmas day. The benevolent
actress has lived in retirement for
many years and is now only a memory.
Her savings, during her active career
on the stage, were Invested in real es
tate, and in this she was exceedingly
fortunate. One instance of her many
deals is still related in New York real
estate circles as basis for a standard
tale:
..i. j ,.t tn wUnm ti a hurl rlv-
en authority to pick up bargains whenever
he saw them. This man entered into a
contract to buy a few lots in Harlem. The
price wa 9005. When Lotta came to town
next time sne went ana saw me jum
threw up her hands In horror. She repudi
ated her agent's act and tried to get out
of tho contract, but she could not. She had
to pay the money and take the property.
She mourned for a year or two and then
. . within IK vears of
sne ccuku iu in.. . - .
the time of purchase she sold those Harlem
lots tney wore "i o "
e e
Lillian Kemble. one of that family
whose name is legion the Baker Play
ers has been heading a stock com
pany this season at Cleveland, Ohio, at
the Duchess Theater. Last Saturday
the company was transferred to
Omaha
e
Robert Homans is heading stock at
Vnpthatnnton. Mass. He is another
one-time Bakerontan.
This is irom tne uivlimxiac juuiwi
under date line of December 4, and tells
Of anonier gin ft
footlights to the farm an Oregon
larm.
When "Blllee" Claggert stepped off the
. . . .. , I Thnm.. C TlflmPI
OOaraS lO Decume -mid. iivwaa . -. .
this gentleman stepped out of the office of
J. Plerpont morgan uu r mi dmcc ...
the alfalfa farm at Prineville, Or., where
the newly marneu pan w, , u
sunshine of connubial bliss and the sweet
Odor Of the tail Clover. xne ieeni"SB
place In San Francisco on November 5. when
. . i ,h,ii her RtAtrA eoenomen and
n . i mi in -i o-
as Helen A. Magruder, her real name, be
came Mrs. inomBB o. Dwiim.
"Blllee" joined the Kies Walta company
v,iininViJa anfl It was durinff thla en-
raeement that she met Mr. Barnes, who
6 B . n,.t.. T .nn-ntiHatelv BmlttAd
was immeaiuwij
and whispered to her the words of the then
popular song. "And when I walk, I want to
walk with Blllee.' " What fair maiden
could resist such wooing, given with the
proper inflection and sentimental emphasis!
And so it ended, in wedding bells.
n Is a Th11iiri1nhlA trtrl and
jrtrs. mfvi uto " -- i o
besides being with the Kiss Waltz was also
a member ot Jne rmsmi dmw m
until It disbanded several weeks ago.
-n la TvAll-lrnnwn nn Wall Street
and in New York club circles. He Is a 110
Yale maa memoer oi tne ia wiu natnuci
and Tennis clubs, and belonged to Troop 1.
. . xil nxntyinr- Krfl Rpn rv
hquauruD a-i ,
Barnes, Uvea at 107 East Fifty-fifth street,
hi. hrother. Henry Burr Barnes, Jr., is
an attorney at 82 William. street.
e
Lily Branscombe, formerly of the
Lyric stock when it was located at
Seventh and Alder, and before its mu
sical comedy days, has closed her en-
erscraTnant With the ESSEHiaV MotiOH
Picture Company in Los Angeles, with
which she has been identified lor three
seasons.
m m 9
David Warfield will be here early in
the New Year in his newest play, ine
Return of Peter Grimm." John Sain
polis Is In Mr. Warfield's support.
Tonight, Valeska Suratt opens at the
tt.iiio. in "Tr. wins Waltz." which was
written to exploit the peculiar type of
beauty and mannerisms or ine mucn-press-augmented
one.
'
Robert Ober is character man with
the Belasco stock in Los Angeles.
Thomas MacLarlne is playing heavies;
his wife, Beatrice Nichols, 4s ingenue:
William Wolbert, another Bakeronian,
is a member of the company, and Ber
tram Lytell and his wife, Evelyn
Vaughan, are playing leads.
Dorothy Davies Allen Is playing Bar
bara Hare in "East Lynn" at the Na
tional Theater in San Francisco.
Th Lombard! Opera Company will
play Honolulu during the month of
January,
ORIGIN"- OF BENBOW CHARTER
Author Tells VVhere He Got Sane of
Ideas Km braced la Proposed Measure.
PORTLAND, Dec. 11. (To the Edi
tor.) In an editorial December 10 it
was stated by The Oregonian in com
menting upon a charter draft adopted
by East Side Business Men's Club to
oe submitted to the electors in Juno
next; that "It is not the product of an
authorized representative body, but
of the thought of one man."
This is incorrect. While It is true
that I organised the provisions of the
Benbow draft, as it Is called, never
theless it was the produot of the dif
ferent members of the "People's Char
ter Commission." the "Simon Com
mission" and the framers of the "Wood
Short Charter."
Mr. Clark's and Mr. Montague's pro
visions as to "methods of procedure
by the commission," as to the 'quali
fications and bonding of the commis
sioners," as to "recall elections" and
as to a "public service commission,"
were taken from the majority draft
of the People's Charter Commission.
Dr. Lane's suggestion as to reserving
to the people the power to Issue fran
chises and the power to alienate real
property, which now appear In the
proposed draft, was at first strenu
ously opposed by myself, as many
members of the People's Charter Com
mission know. But, on account of
minimizing the dangers due to a con
centration of power in the hands of
five commissioners, the provisions
were adopted.
Dr. Chapman, of the People's Charter
Commission,, was instrumental in the
adoption of the "preferential system of
voting." eliminating partisan politics
from city elections and saving the cost
of a primary election. Mr. Parson's
ideas as to public markets, public lav
atories, - playgrounds and municipal
works and industries In the People's
draft were taken. The "contents of
franchises" was taken from' the present
charter. Mr. Swett's draft as to Im
provement bonds was adopted. Mr.
Cridge suggested the provision as to
"calling a special election by peti
tion." The provisions as to labor were
taken from the United States statutes.
Mr. Barbur's ideas as to civil service
are adopted in the proposed draft. The
"Limitations Upon the Powers of Com
mission," the most Important provisions
of the draft, were all taken from the
People's draft and from the present
charter. I simply put them together
in one place so the voters could find
them. The "Corporation Counsel" pro
vided for Is an idea of Mr. Grant, a
member of the Simon commission. The
provision as to giving the Mayor more
power and providing for an assistant
who will be chosen because ' of his
executive and managing ability is from
the Wood Short charter.
The . provision as to "Occupation of
Streets" is also taken from the Wood
Short charter and, as placed in pro
posed draft, is only re-stating the
constitutional provision in regard to
free speech.
There is one feature of the draft for
which I am responsible, and that is
the provision that grants of general
powers be given to the commission,
and that the limitations upon such
powers be specifically defined. To
hold the commission responsible and
then tie up the power given to it to do
things with a multitude of technical
provisions as to the manner and meth
od of exercising the power. Is imprac
ticable and defeats the whole commis
sion idea Such technical strings on
the general grants of power would not
protect the taxpayers, but would, on
the contrary, prevent the commission
from accomplishing the very thing
for which it was created, viz., a com
plete reorganization of the city gov
ernment along business lines, securing
efficiency and preventing waste. This
is the principal defect of the majority
draft of the People s Charter Commls
ston, of the Simon draft and of the
official draft- The Wood draft did not
have this defect; but it was deficient
in not setting forth the specific limi
tations upon the powers of the com
mission. These specific limitations
are necessary to prevent abuse of the
powers grantea.
The limitations in the proposed
draft do not prevent free action by
the commission. They do not hamper
the commission in organizing and
grading the departments, in establish
ing a uniform plan of public improve
ments, in adopting improved methods
of work, together with accurate tests
of efficiency, in establishing rewards
and promotions for efficient service,
in providing uniform tests as to quali
ty and quantity in the purchase of
supplies.
The other charter drafts in attempt
ing to define the powers granted
rather than to define the limitations
thereof; do hamper the free action of
the commission without any corres
ponding benefit and permit the com
missioners to escape responsibility by
saying that the charter provisions
prevent them doing the things the
taxpayers desire.
WILLIAM C. BENBOW.
Platform Sneaks for Socialism.
PORTLAND, Dec 11. (To the Edi
tor.) When Father O'Hara askes the
question "When did Debs and others
become ex-Socialists" he dodges the
question and leaves the main issue.
The comparison made was that the
Catholic church catechism and the So
cialist party platform were the stand
ards of principle for their respective
organizations. It was Father O'Hara
who I said was un-American. I did
not mention the church. Let others
discuss- that question.
This does not imply that Debs may
not speak as a union member as well
as a Socialist. But it does imply that
the platform is the standard of So
cialist party principles.
I did not say what Father O'Hara
had in mind. I stated that he had said
both capitalism and Socialism were
alike lacking in spirituality and that
his choice could not be based on their
religious differences, but on- their
economic differences.
I did not pass on the citizenship of
Washington. I left that also for the
constitution to do.
We do not propose to allow Father
O'Hara to write our social economics
on surplus value. Slick as it is, that
game doesn't work.
Mr. Catron and myself are two dif
ferent persons; as far as I remember,
perfect strangers. Both of us are de
nied the right of spokesmanship for
the party under the statement made in
my letters. I have not set the stand
ard of ethics for the Socialist party.
I refer each American citizen to the
platform for his own interpretation
of it - C. W. BARZEE.
German Band Appreciated.
PORTLAND, Dec. 11. (To the
Editor.) In regard to the "little Ger
man band," or "the Hungry Seven," as
they are known, I wpnder how the
Councilman who tried to keep them off
of the streets would feel about it if
he knew there were hundreds of poor
souls shut In where they never hear
music of any kind except that rendered
by the German band.
If he would only happen in some of
the hospitals the day they are in their
neighborhood and watch the patients
who are able to get to the windows,
and hear the windows raised of those
who are bedridden, I think he would
let them alone. I have heard many a
one wish it was Monday, as that is the
day they are near St. Vincent's Hos
pital. He speaks of them asking for money.
There Is no compulsion about giving
it to them, as there is about everything
the city person has. You can take in
all you want or care to of their music.
When they come to the door, shake
your head, and they don't even ask for
any money.
So I say, as hundreds of others
would, if they were asked, let us have
the little German band. E. A. G.
A Mixture of Taatea.
Houston, Texas, Post
"Some scoundrel sent him an Infernal
machine." "What was it an automo
bile or a phonograph?"
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of Dec. 12. 1S2.
New York. Dec. 5. In the United
States Senate yesterday Mr. Clark of
fered a Joint resolution that the Senate
and House cordially approve the policy
of the President in setting free slaves
In insurrectionary districts and recom
mend to htm the employment of that
and every other means known to civil
ized warfare to terminate the present
rebellion and assert the supremacy of
the President of the United States over
the entire territory and people.
Fortress Monroe. Dec. S Petersburg
and the points along the route between
there and UU-hmond are helng iorimea
by digging rifle pits and throwing up
strong earthworks.
Chicago. Dec' . The Texas Repub
lican of November 1 gives an account
of the execution of 43 men said to have
belonged to a secret society in the
northern Dart of the state, the object
of the society being; to surrender that
portion of the state to the Federal
authorities.
An abstract of the assessment pf As
sessment District No. 3 shows that
there Is a National tax of J901S due for
licenses. There is also a tax on manu
facturers, brewers, steamboats, ferry
boats, slaughtered animals, etc.,
amounting to $2066.09 for each quarter,
Mr. Whitney, late chief of the fan
Francisco Fire Department, has pur
chased a full set or lauaers tor mo
Vigilance Hook and Ladder Company
of this city.
a-k. t.rrlhla maladv known as diph
theria is prevailing to an alarming de
gree in this place.
Mr. George Gansz presented US yes
terday with a few messes of sweet po
tatoes of fine quality and large sine,
which, when properly baked, were ex
cellent. OREGON MATERIAIj FOR MBRARY.
It Sboalu Be Vned. by AH Means, Sy
L. Samuel.
PORTLAND, Dec. 9. (To the Edi
tor.) Once upon a time tnere was
great magnate who had dealings with
the public, and when tne saieiin-a
rounding him brought to his notice the
face that the public was dissatisfied
with the treatment the magnate was
handing out, his invariable answer
was: "The public be damned." Pretty
soon things began to happen and con
tinued to happen. Gradually the rrfag
n.i. hem me more mindful and more
choice in the selection of his language
as regards the public.
Oregon is so young ana our
ness interests are so Interwoven tnai
I never before suspected the existence
....nns in Orea-on independent
enough to even think along the line of
the expressions oi tne .uuvt-.iu
magnate, yet here we are going ahead
with the erection of our public library
hniin- ovc.liidinir Orearon material,
just as if Oregonians really liked it.
Years ago Miss Smith, a thoroughly
Oregon woman who was in favor of
things Oregonian, made an extremely
generous bequest to the Portland LI-
C ... ,1,1.1 ,nn-AhA, Witt!
brary Association, xmo, inf."'"-' .-
the enormous increase of values in
Portland real estate, including the hair
block on which the old library building
is located, made it possible to purchase
,v, hlne.lt and erect the new pub
lic library now under construction. You
may be sure that if Miss Smith was
living her donation would be with the
understanding mat too ii"i"j "
ing be constructed of "Oregon-made,
or her money would never go Into it.
L. SAMUEL.
OPPOSED TO HANGING SULYERS.
Woman Fears They Will Contlnne Evil
Work After Death.
PORTLAND, Dec. 9. (To the Editor.)
In reading The Oregonian I have been
very much surprised at the number of
people In favor of capital punishment
I can't understand how in this enlight
ened age anyone can so believe. We
are still living in the "dark ages, when
we feel that a life for a life is right
We are also murderers at heart and
living on the same plane with such,
when we wish to injure, by word or
deed, any of God's creatureB.
Every thinking person knows that
no one ever commits a crime while in
his right mind. It is impossible. So
why should we who pose as perfectly
sane people presume to do such a
thing? Most of us have been taught
from infancy that "God is love." and to
love our neighbor as one's self. Don t
you think, friends, it is about time we
began to live some of those teachings?
When lived, they always bring the best
results. -
So, why not love, and guide, and teacn
these wrongdoers the right way? In
stead of sending them out of the body
to continue their deadly work, as they
are sure to do, no one really knows
how much harm they can do when once
they are released from the body.
"It is better to have the good will of
a dog even than the ill will." In other
words, love worketh wonders in the.
hearts of all people.
MRS. L. B. CURRIER.
Socialism and Religion.
PORTLAND, Dec 10. (To the Edix
tor.) Moses Baritz, an aocredlted or-
eanlzer for the Socialists, writes to the
Toronto Globe and declares that So
cialism is Atheism; that no Denever m
Christianity, Judaism, Buddha or Mo
hamet, nor one wno Deiieves in a
supernatural God, can be a Socialist,
Following is his statement: J. H.M.
To the Editor of the Globe: Would yoa
permit me. aa the accredited organiser for
the Socialist party of Canada for the
Province of Ontario, to give a repudiation
to the statement of the Rev. Dr. Chown
that "Socialism is founded upon the teach
ings of Jesus." The Socialist position is
founded upon science, both sociological and
economic.
As such It is opposed to all religions,
which we maintain were products of given
social conditions.
With the establishment of a social re
gime, Christianity. Judaism and all super
natural Ideas clinging to mankind will be
abolished.
The Socialist party of Canada la opposed
to the unscientific worship of Christ, Buddha
or Mahomet.
We do not believe In the salvation of the
church. We oppose that idea. It is far
better to have the people to understand
this now than let the oonfusfon exist or
let It be disseminated In the pulpit.
Socialists cannot believe In any super
natural God. If they do they arc not So
cialists. The pamphlet Issued by the Socialist party
of Great Britain on ' Socialism and Relig
ion," is the only attitude we can take up.
The church will find In us its unrelenting
r-hriotlanltv with its suuerstltlons
must be submerged before the workers ob
tain their complete emancipation. That .a
our slogan. That Is our challenge.
Far better let It be known now and so
avoid misconoeption In the future.
Finally, a Christian cannet be a social
ist and a Socialist cannot be a believer ia
Christ or God. MOSE3 BARITZ.
Bashful Man's Pltn.
SALEM, Or., Dec 10. (To the Edi
tor.) Nov that woman cm vote, sit
on the Jury, be a police offber In fact
most anything she likes, why not re
verse the old order, and let woman
choose her mate. I venttre to say
it would produce happy marriages.
Now I think it would be reat for a
wnm-n t choose her husba-id. In fact
I am just waiting till tbtAjight one
asks me. It is easy for Arlod man
, iv. a trood woman araf H e versa.
I think this idea would W t all the
clubs- still I am in favor Of clubs if
this is not acceptable to tie fair sex.
BASHFUL BA;HELOR.
Overheard mt Xlagnri FII.
. Puck.
Mrs. Fussy (on her frst visit to
Niagara faust vn, n. mm i
minds me. I forgot to turnoff the water
in the kitchen sink.