Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, December 26, 1912, Image 8

Morning Oregonian., December 26, 1912, Page 8, Image 8

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Newspaper Page TextPORTLAT. O KEG OX Entered at Portland. Oreson. Postofflcs l Second-claa Matter. Eobacrlpuon Rats Invariably In Advance. tBT MAIL.) Dat.y. gatflay metnaed. one year- Dally. Sunday included. elx months...- Dally. Sunday Included, three montae.. Daily. Gundar Included, one month....- -- Dally, without Sunday, one year. , Dally, without 3unday. alx month.... r. - M 1.1. . o......... IhTM tTlOntna. smiir, W 1 1 11111 1 CUUU.J, ' " tjy FhAttw ......... c.naw Ane fflDIltll. . ' - -..so Dll Vir... " Sunday, one year.... Sunday and Weekly, one vsar. ... Z.0U 50 tUX LAr.Rimi-' Pally. nndar Included, one no .TS Lfany. banaay iDcmora, Bow to Kemlt 6end Po.totf.ee " T der. ezpreaa order or peraooal check .on t local bank. Stamp, coin or '"""Tare, at the aender-i rlak. Give poatotflco adore" In full. Including- county and atate. Poetaca Rate 10 to 14 pare, t to 28 pare. 1 cent.; SO to 0 paae. 0 to 00 paces. 4 centa Forelsn poia.. double rate. - rnnw. Eaetera Business OtTlces Verre Con Iln New York. Brunswick bulldlnr casta, steeer building. ,..,g re Ban FranclMO Offlos R. J- BldweU CO M2 Market .trest. . ,(. a European Office No. S. Recent . W., London. - PORTLAND, THLKSDAT. DEO. t6. 1913. BACKING OCT OF A PLAIN DCTY. Pobably It will be agreed all around that the ardor of many Americans over the Philippines, ha been cooled nomcwhat e ince the Spanish-American war. and protests against any pro posal for self-government and even of independence are not opposed so vehe mently and tearfully as they once were. Now the Democrats have a brilliant opportunity to crack the Phil ippine nut. But they are Just as much perplexed to find a peaceful and dig nitied way to let go of the bear's tail as the Republicans have been. The Democratic plan of "independ ence" with guarantee from molesta tion or assimilation by the expedient of "neutralization treaties" does not seem altogether' happy. A "self-governing republic" will hardly be real ized as the fruit of a mere Congres sional declaration. Governor-General Forbes, of the Philippines, discussed the Philippine situation and the scheme for "independence" at Chicago the other day, saying: You ennnot etahllh a democracy by . .imply declaring; that it haa ben Neither can you create one before the peo ple have risen from Illiteracy. It would by indeed a .orry lhl If theae PCOP" h"'J be turned loose to become the property ot Japan or other nations. The only way to keep other, out of the l.land, ia by I ncle Sam havinc hi guna primed. Neutrall.atlon trestle. ou!d be worth the paper they wer. written on nothing more. If America reall ha. an Intereat in doing Justice to the.o neople It will, instead of turning them looao to the shark., conlluue to protect and edu cate them. The United States has a cbntinulng obligation to the Philippines and a Democratic Congress will find that it cannot inaugurate a policy of scuUle without exciting the derision and con tempt of the wortd, thus turning the islands over to the highest military bidder -probably Japan. The Fili pinos are not fit for independence not so fit even, as the Cubans, who are a thorn in the side of Uncle Sam and a scandal to themselves. Cuba does not depend on any paper "neutraliza tion treaty" for her security. She is in Uncle Sam's front yard, and must be made to behave by the United States. It cannot be different with the quarrelsome, half-educated tribes in the back yard, and -will not be differ ent in the present generation, unless the United States shall play the cow ard and turn the Philippines adrift. CENSORSHIP OF THE STAGE. The scattered -rumblings and mut tering -for a censorship of the stage have begun to mass themselves into a roar like thunder. At least they have done so in New York and the rest of the country will follow the example of the metropolis as a matter of course, since virtue is fully as imi tative as vice. Just how to establish the censorship is a question which divides the purifiers, but they will come to some agreement by and by. Cardinal Farley, who is active in the - movement, believes that the best way is for the churches to work together. If ministers and the Christian public co-operate to require decent plays he - sees no reason why their wishes should not prevail. Others think a "civic censorship" such as they have long had in London would be prefera ble. In objection to Cardinal Farley's plan it is said that John the Baptist preached against sin and the only re sult of his zeal was to have his head " cut off and brought in to Herod on a charger for the gratification of a lewd woman. Hence we are told that preaching cannot accomplish any thing against vice on the stage. Perhaps it cannot. The Bible has something to say against the foolish ness of preaching but it is not usually deemed applicable unless the preach ers are fools. The example of John - the Baptist would be more to the point It we were afflicted' with Her ods in these days. Happily we have -' no tyrants to cut off preachers' heads even if they happen to offend our Herodlases and Jezebels, though they r may be slandered in a certain sort of newspapers. In our modest opinion organized Christian sentiment can do a great deal toward the reformation of the stage in the particulars where It needs reforming. Those who clam or for a civic censorship go agains ' the best opinion and practice of the ... cittilized world. The rage for putting the morals of the stage under the control of Ignorant policemen Is akin "to the old demand for a censorship of the press. When newspapers first began to be published there was a common feeling that they were a peril to morals as well as to good order and it was thought necessary to eep them under a tight police rein.. Milton was one of the first to perceive the crude folly of this' practice and he wrote his mighty tract on the liberty of the press in protest against the censor ship. England has followed Milton's teaching on this subject except in so far as it applies to the stage. The privilege of acting plays In public must still be obtained from the Lord Chamberlain. , Usually this official is a good-natured simpleton who permits the most ' vicious plays to be acted if only vice is presented as something gay and amusing. If the play treats vice as something abhorrent he Is apt to pro hibit it. How the censorship has worked out in practice the public is aware. The Lord Chamberlain pro- " hiblted Ibsen's Ghosts, one of the J most sternly moral plays ever written. ; He prohibited Bernard Shaw's Mrs. ' Warren, not because It alluded to vice 1 but because it made vice Intelligible - and showed up Its monstrous relations with established institutions. While he was making these foolish prohibi tions the British censor was allowing r- the music halls to produce without a ; word of protest their unual supply of " filth from the sewers. This is the way . a cJvtl censorship always has and al- - ways will work. In Vienna, to quote another notorious instance. It forbade Grlllparzer to produce hia immortal dramas, although they are tne Desi ihinin Susirla has tn exhibit in the way of literature. Wagner, Schiller, Ibsen and Shaw have all had tQ. con onH with the c-lvil censorship for the right to work for purity of morals. Like other police agencies a censor ship Is prone toVsllp down into the mud and stay there. It requires as rr.r.h effnrt nn th nart of Christian sentiment to. keep the police pure as ... . . . A I . V. It would to reguiate me stage m m first place. The truth of the matter Is that a police censorship doubles the Mil t.,lr nf nhtainina- a decent 3 aiua arid does not help in any particular. There is one plain ana simple wj to r.nrlfv the, ctnep. and that is for the public to stay away fram impure plays. If everybody who wants a ue .rt theater ivnnlrf unite to give the pockets of the managers a course of absent treatments the proDiem -nouiu be solved In short oraer. xne move ment which Cardinal Farley approves Is to be "more a campaign of educa tion than anything else," and this is . nnlv kind of a campaign against vice of any sort which can prove ef fectual in the long run. tjiuer mai- s-m satisfactory for the moment, but history tells an unvary ing tale about them. They not. oniy fuii hut ihcv nroduee a reaction un der which- conditions are worse than ever. Those who long for puritanical i.Wi against virt on the stage and else where may learn some edifying les sons from the England or tnanes ii, OTtttoi. AiiniEAil sn hn.rd UDon the England of Cromwell and the Puri tans. Of course the danger which be sets all agitations for the Improve ment of public morality is ianawcieiu. Those who hava, charge of the matter almost invariably go too far. They r.rint thA virtue of moderation in their zeal and push their efforts so far that they are caught in tne mevi thlo rphniind an d carried backward beyond the point they started from. The intemperate zealot shows his dis trust of education of the principles of Christianity, of the Innate force of righteousness, of everything that civili zation is really built upon, ana wnen he can have his way he puts his while dependence upon brute force. Natur ally he arouses equal or greater forces In "the other direction and his effort. come to naught. .. WHY ONE COURT DOES OT ACT. ThA rle-hteous indignation of the sensitive Supreme Court of Idaho that' it should have been made the subject of vitriolic newspaper criticism ougm to be in some measure appeased when i lurm that: It l.i not alone among courts in being held up to ridicule and contumely. . But perhaps tne court is Interested in the sorrowful case of no other court so much as its own, even when that other is the Supreme Court of the United States and the critic of that eminent tribunal is the virtuous Journalist and champion of the plain people, William Randoipn iiearst. Mr. Hearst is greatly displeased with the Supreme Court's decision in rh - anthracite coal cases, and he spreads over about four columns with black-typed wrath over Its action. nnr Hearst ra.hlv describes the Judges as "Mr. Tafts reactionary Su preme Court wnicn "goes inrougn the mntlniu of dissolvinir a trust with out dissolving it." The decision is said to be another of those "practical Jokes which the reactionary Supreme Court delights in playing on tne pauem puu- llc." It Is a "certain playful' sleight- of-hand performance" and is legal Jugglery." The "farcical dissolution is "an evidence of the indifference with which the Supreme Court regards the people's interests and of the con tempt with which it regaras me peo ple's Intelligence." . Clearly, it will be assumed In Idaho that Mr. Hearst thus Intends to hold the Supreme Court of the United state- nn to nubile disrespect, and heap upon It wanton defamation. Yet the court doe3 not respond or retali ate Pnsslhlv the court feels that it can afford to consider the source, and that its dignity, reputation, independ ence and self-respect are secure. THE MEXICAN IrFFlCCl.TY. As McKlnley Inherited the Cuban difficulty on becoming President, Wilson will ihherit the Mexican dif ficulty. The republic to the south of us . has degenerated Into a state of anarchy, -and is fast sinking into bankruptcy. The Madero government has proved incapable of suppressing rebellion and brigandage. The lives and liberty of Americans are unsafe, they are blackmailed for ransom by the brigands and their property Is stolen or destroyed: - ' If these outrages were sporadic and followed by swift- punishment, we could have no cause for Interference. But they are epidemic; punishment is not visited upon their perpetrators, nor is redress given to the victims. Every man is left to defend his own with his own strong arm and with the aid of those who rally to him. Such condition cannot be allowed to continue. The United States has more citi zens resident in Mexico than has any other nation. American investments in that republic are greater than those of all other nationalities. Bordering on Mexico for a long distance, this country would in any case be most Interested. It has also assumed obli gations under the Monroe Doctrine which cannot be ignored and of which we may be' sharply reminded at any . time by some of the nations whose citizens are suffering wrongs In Mexico.. The time may be at hand when we shall be informed that, if we do not intervene ii Mexico, some other, nation will. - This condition impresses upon us the serious responsibility we have as sumed by maintaining the Monroe Doctrine. The only alternative to our living up to this obligation is to re; ounce the doctrine. The Mexican crisis is likely to impose on us the choice between American intervention and Intervention by some other na tion, with or without our consent. The conditions reported by the Sen ate committee serve to remind us once more of the absurdity of the long interval of time between the election of a new President and Con gress and their assumption, of office. Though such problems as that of Mexico are crying for decisive action. President Taft is morajly inhibited from committing this country by any positive step, because since the elec tion he has been a mere holdover, a stop-gap, bridging over the interval between the election, and Inaugura tion of his successor, .We.re he to ig nore this fact and to act without re Bard to his impending retirement, there might be so sharp a' reversal of policy upon the incoming or Wilson that we should be seriously emDar assed, perhaps stultified, as a Na tion. There is no" probability that he will commit the Government to any MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY. line nt nniicv. unless some emergency should arise as to make immediate action Imperative. " This is not prob able, for there is no reason to expect more than a continuation and aggra vation of the' present situation. ' The Mexican difficulty, in all prob ability, must therefore await Wilson's taking the helm. It is one of the first and most serious of the problems which, the new President will be called upon to solve. ' HONORED BY THE BRITISH. Just at 'this time, when we hear mainly under Canadian Inspiration about-the -vast resentment of Great Britain over the Panama tolls and the American preference for our own coastwise shipping, a movement Is making headway in England to place George Washington's statue in West minster Abbey. It is under enlight ened and distinguished British aus pices, and. it appears probable that it will succeed. Certain, it is that there Is no general protest against the plan none at all from the masses of the British people and none openly from the: aristocracy. For, after ay, was not Washington an Englishman, born In a British colony, with a respectable English ancestry? ... . If ever America hated and feared Great Britain with the fervor that al ways arises from blood feuds and fam ily quarrels, it neither hates nor fears Great Britain now. If Great Britain ever despised and ridiculed America, it neither despises nor ridicules now. Truth Is that America does not hate anybody, or any nation: nor does it fear any, perhaps though It should, for Its own safety. Great Britain long ago learned that the ties of kindred are the best and closest, and viewed without envy or rancor the growth of Its lusty son to be a world power. If Washington shall go Into West minster, it will be a significant testi monial to the development of British opinion in tolerance and appreciation. For Washington, after all, represents In himself the spirit of liberty, the hatred of tyranny and oppression and devotion to the principle of self-govr ernment that are the pride and boast of every Englishman. What he fought for, they uphold: what he gained, they now have; what he declared to be his rights, they assert to be their rights. Washingtonis indeed a cold and pure marble statue in the imagination of most Americans; it is well that he take his place in Westminster as a patriot and world's hero whom Eng lishmen can honor. WORK I "OK THE EXTRA SESSION.' ' There is in the announcement that Wilson will call an extra session of Congress in March Instead of In April a strong intimation that legislation on other important subjects besides the tariff may be attempted. Once Con gress is in session, no President can limit its activities to any one or more specified subjects, but when President and Congress are in harmony -some understanding can be reached. In the present instance It appears from the Trenton dispatch that Wll son will sanction, legislation on other subjects, though the particular legis lation that will come before Congress will be tariff revision. In other words, if Congress can find time to pass other than tariff laws, it will endeav or to do so. Having no appropriation bills to consider, it .will be free from routine work. Completion of the pending inquiries may. bear fruit in bills dealing, with the trusts, the, mon ey question, the shipping laws or con servation. Congress may deal with any one or several, possibly, though not probably, all Of these questions. The House, with" an overwhelming Democratic majority, may find no dif ficulty in legislating on. other subjects than the tariff, but an obstaclb will be enr.mmte.red in the Senate. The Dem- nen KivinF a hare maloritv in that body and being divided on conserva tive and progressive lines, mere win be difficulty in passing bills which hnv aireadv received the approval of the House. Any one of the subjects mentioned other than tne tarirr is Ulcelv to nrovoke prolonged control versy and to consume as much timej as the tariff itself. There would be decided advantages for the Democrats in disposing of the principal burning issues at the extra session. The new laws ; would be in full operation and would have had time to show their effects before the Congressional election of 1914. The people would have had time to be-thm-mio-hiv familiar - with their provisions and the Democratic leaders would have had time to answer criti cisms. There would be less danger of defeat than there would be lr con-e--e. naeaerl the laws at the long- ses sion of 1914 and went to the people while the controversies engendered thereby were still fresh in the public mind. ' v VIGILANCE THE FIRST ESSENTIAL. when all is said and done about boss rule, the direct primary and di rect legislation, we cannot secure hon esty, efficiency and progress In leg islation and administration wiiuuut d alert body of LWUOH"'"J " " voters. This fact was emphasized by Attorney-General Wickersnam in a recent speech before the Pennsylva nia Society in New York, in which he said: ' But the needed reform cannot be ac complished and perpetuated on the one nana o 1 - ' 1 . i - nes. uch as reformer eager for popuiar applause wouio. suggeai. nui. hand, witnout xne iuuiuiwi. j citlxen of that apathy which result. In the . - niamnMiia mihlln camrjalKn in less than a majority of the electorate voting upon proyusiiiwn i mm in . j kV the lunaamenLai mw uj. .... Tf the neonle had been awake and active In exercise and defense of their rights, the convention system or nom inettnn nrnuld never have degenerated tr,t hr... nil; the Darty committees would never have been financed by a group of special interests with a tacit ..nqerotanriinir that they were to be compensated with Governmental fa vors, in fact were indirectly ana se cretly to control the Government. If .Atnle Af Tint VffiTk Jl W ft 1 B 1.1 1 1' uui- m r actlve.lthe direct primary will degen erate . into a . scramble . for omce among a lot of self-seekers and notoriety-hunters men to whom1 the brass of self-assurance is everything and the gold of solid merit Is noth ing. If the people allow the initia tive and referendum to be Invoked, without check,' by schemers, faddists, theorists and soreheads. If they Jndo lontiv allow the measures put for ward by such men , to.. become law hrnup-h their own neglect to vote, we shall become victims of a new type of aneMnl Interests. Tf after awakening- during' a cam paign and securing the election of satisfactory officers, the people sit back, close their eyes, open their mouths- and take what their chosen servants are pleased to give, they are likely to have some disagreeable sur prises, A Congress or a Legislature, a President or a Governor, imbued with the highest purposes, will not give as good results when the people are apathetic as when they are closely watching the proceedings of' their ex ecutive - and- legislative officers and are freely voicing - their approval or disapproval.' Popular Indifference is enervating to the most devoted public servant. Sustained public interest acts as a tonic upon him and may secure faithful service from one who would otherwise betray his trust, . The most . ill-constructed govern mental machine can be made to yield good results if the people persistently assert their will. The best construct ed machine will fail to effectuate their will, if that will be not constantly and clearly expressed. Popular gov ernment not only gives rights to, but It imposes duties upon the citizen. His neglect of his duties reacts against him just as surely as does abuse of his rights. Washington City is to try the nov elty of a school on tne roof of the schoolhoiise. There will be a canopy to shed rain and sun, but otherwise the children will study and recite out of doors. Chicago' has outdoor schools in midwinter, but Washing ton's will run only in the Summer and Fall. Some of the pleasantest pic tures we have seen lately show the ruddy Chicago children studying their lessons In December weather. Of course they are well wrapped up. The New York Times prints a letter front a man. who is leaving the me tropolis for a singular reason. He finds it too lonely. "I am deliberately picking out a small city to go to, he writes, "because I want human com panionship." There is po solitude like a big city, unless a person has ties with those around him, and the big city Is never so desolate to the friendless as on Christmas day. From the days when the village waits In England went from tone coun try squire's mansion to another sing ing carols, to these days, when a surpliced choir marches along electric-lighted Broadway singing the same carols, . is ; a great tran sition. But those carols will awaken fond memories in the minds of njany among the blase Broadway mob. The Balkan States have every point of the game in their favor. If they stand together, they - cannot lose. Their most dangerous foe is mutual rivalry, which for the 'time being is repressed but which may break out. once they have settled their common quarrel. ' Castro has learned that if an ex- dlctator wishes to preserve his incog nito, he must not lose his temper and smash crockery in a restaurant and particularly a Paris restaurant, lor In that city the police are very inquisi tive about every person's Identity. Verv likelv the one thing most en- ioved bv- Sheriff Bob Stevens yester day was -his farewell -Christmas din- ner to more than two hundred guests There are not many bright spots in the prisoner's loU. but a big-hearted Sheriff finds them. The fact that a number of young athletes enjoyed a Christmas swim in the Willamette yesterday is good im migration material; yet Portland has much more than. , its climate and weather about. which to talk. Just enough snow : to make " good sledding a day or two will fill the boy's heart with content. The coast er and bobsled, however, give more joy in pride of possession than in use. nnniriaa' fYinntv needs a woman jury for the farmer held for beating his wife. The sixteen-year-oia aaugn ter who knocked him out with a shov. el has proper idea of woman's rights The marr-h of the suffraeettes from TMew York- to Albany will not go down Into history with other pilgrimages in a great cause. It is of the freak or aer, llKo tne muruu ui a m ij If the steel trust will follow up the advance in laborers' wages by cutting out the . tiwelve-hours-a-day, seven- days-a-week system, it will have atoned for some of its sins. The man lust out of Joliet who lib erated three birds has a good heart, but foolish head, for canaries at large in Chicago will die 01 starvation anu lack of shelter. ' The Governor of Utah recommends sterilization. Perfectly .proper now; but what a -joke It would have been forty years ago. , Sneaker Clark's reluctance to dis r-nsa Rrvan.for publication is in in verse ratio to his volubility on that subject in the privacy of his chamber San Francisco -burned a 'giant ham mer to symbolize the end of petty criticism and fault-finding. Now let each of us burn a little hammer. Ye of little faith and pessimistic prognostication, consider the order of tile Northern'Jacuic ror ten muuura in equipment. - '." - The Vancouver- ferry engineer who Is to have the first vacation in eighteen years probably will be glad wnen us over. And sura enoueh. nrecisely as fore casted by The Oregonian, pa got his annual' multi-colored necKiie. While Portlanders had to get along withput sleigh riding, river bathing was a feature of the day. Wilson' is said to have shown a dis taste for Bryan's name. ' Why, he's only begun to hear it. If everyone could only hold onto that Christmas spirit, what a delicious world this would be. It "is a rare Christmas when some people do not celebrate the day by be ing shipwrecked. How delightfully agreeable everyone was yesterday. . But look out for to day s reaction. Did someone think to put a rab bit's foot la the McCredle stocking? No Christmas snow for ' Portland Still we had our roses. - Stetson's way of passing the hat is the most popular. i The real Christmas dawns in March for the Democrats. DECEMBER 26, 1912. JIROR WRITES OK MORGAN" CASE Evtde-ce of Premeditation Conciualve In Spite of Governor's Comment. WALDO, Or., Dec. 24. (To the Edi tor.) As one of the Jurors .who con victed Mike Morgan in Josephine Coun ty I take exceptions to the public as sertion made by our good meaning but mistaken Governor at the hanging of Morgan. It was my nrst experience as a. party to the takine of a human life and I regarded It as a very serious proposi tion, but the evidence put the jury in the position that it must' either hang this man or become responsible for the taklntr of innocent life by him-if we sent him to the penitentiary . and he was pardoned out or allowed to escape. The evidence snowed mat jonn lorn was coming from Klamath County; he had a six-horse team with trail wagon; he overtook Morgan near Medi'ord tramping. "Mr. York asked him to ride1 and as the teamster had a com plete camping outfit Morgan was at home, receiving botn Deo . ana nosra from the good-hearted old man. They teamed and worked about urants 1'ass camping together. ' The evidence, was so convincing that to have returned any other verdict than first dfurren murder would have been to disrespect the law and the judge's In structions. One witness whose veracity was not questioned testified that he met Morgan on the street in the af ter- oon nreceedlnir the murder ana tnai Morgan told him, that he laid off that afternoon to collect some money that was due him with which to "bus feed for his horses." York was murdered that night. . He owned no horses, out tne prospec tive ownership was uppermost in his ind and he surely would own tnem before the sun rose again. York was a stranger who came unannounced and his absence would not be noticed, and no suspicion would be aroused, and none would have been naa .Morgan hnined noor York a feet to the bot tom of the river, as he did his head, but the feet at the surface of the water attracted the attenion or a passing boaman and led to disturbing Morgan's frolic at Glendale. . If this was not premeditation then let Governor West define it.' Perhaps York did not own chains enough to make the Job complete; in this case York was to blame if we pursue tne Governor's theory. I believe Morean killed York with a club, carried him to the wire lence, half way to the river, becoming weary h then fastened the rone to his neck and dragqpd him to the river throwing him in. The water was not as deep as ner.essarv to hide the body. Morean then drove to Glendale sold a pair of the horses, bought a suit of clothes and went to a dance, and he also visited a bawdy house after the murder. . The attorney who defended Morgan told the writer after the verdict had been rendered that the jury did rignt, that Morean was euilty. A -iurv forced by oath and tne law and evidence to find a man guilty of murder, in the first degree ought not be hranded as seeking that man s lire, and especially the Govei-nor of a stats should not declare it from the house tops. w. J. MIJM-K. MAKE SOCIETY AJf INTERMEDIARY Writer Wonld Fix Standard of Value to Solve Living; Coat Problem. wtt.t.aattma dr.. Dec 24. (To the Editor.) The high cost of living has mtyra panada T nan the hilrh Drofit Of rh. m.rphantfl the evtravasrance or slothfulness of the individual, etc.; but the o-rentear end nriurinal cause ox tne h!rh nAQt ia the unwritten law which. says "Everyone for nimseu anu mo devil take the hindmost, anu wmtu is recognized and - sanctioned Dy tne written kvi nf Christendom and outr side of it. Our poor-dear Christian ... . . . J 1 H .Via brother will De asiounaeu wnen i n final accounting he is asked: What De nt vnnr hindmost brother?" And when he lands in other lands than he hoped for. - - in civilized. Christianized and or- ni.. .npi.tv that -unwritten law which is the law of primitive nature, should not have a standing, out. sucicijr ahr.nl, I he. the intermediary between man and man and groups of men. As long as this is not, individual ambition and cieverheadedness exercise the me diumship and, of course, exact for the services rendered such a price as can i i. . viihnnt ltmit-Atinn so lone: as a willing buyer will be found. This holds good for the laborer, rarmer, mecnamu, merchant and the higher-ups in fi ..n.u end industry, with this differ ence: The merchants and higher-ups maintain a least per cent tor tneir services, with no limits tor nigner, ner cents wh le the lower ones cannot. though they try to do so. A cn.i. ahnulH nrnteet the ohvsically weak from the physically strong, but stands idly by, smiling, wnen mo mcn n ntr.no- the nnsr.runulous. the liar. L 11 1 J- DunDt ' ' - - the pretender ' taxes in tne msiiuni weak, the easy Deiiever, uio uusuoi ...MnTiiii end nrnhans not excepted hoav n nil 1 11 l-f-IIPP The nostal system proves, conclusively what society can do, and what it can do in one depart ment it can in all others. The people e ere law-makers and could make laws such as that society would be the intermediary between producer and consumer, me pnyaiciuu "- s . v, iinr and client, with fixed standards of values, and the high cost problem would be solved. CHRISTMAS DINNERS FOR BIRDS Charming Custom Obaerved Every Year ... In ScandnnavM. Wnrkmnn. Among other delightful traits of the Scandanavlan people is meir cuoium their Yule festivities of thinking not only of the happiness of their little ones, but of . teaching these children to i 1 the hanninecia nf O t h P. TS Uf.il. I m 1 1 1 i 1 1 ii . a n..t4niilitr nf the animals about t&uu in - - them.. We have seen that they never omit to provide the -trusty nouseiiuiu . i . v. v.i v,le dinner nf nOrrid:e. msse wnu 'i i " - - ' . , . But they also remember the birds. At the Yuletide season tne msmei pmtc PK.iotiDnia nresenta a very Bay aspect, filled as it is with spruce trees of all sizes for the children's festival. t.. ia a Tearurn in ine iujbc xul iiioto - . : . .- that- T have not heard O I VUliBkmao - - in any other country, in that in .this market place mere is iur cnun mas tree a Juleneg, or little sheaf of . i . V. neinn whr, hllVS. & tree buying also a sheaf. Then, when the tree is set up : in in vvw, the house at Yuletide for the bairns (born, as they are called in Norway), the sheaf of grain, is fastened on the end of a pole and put out in the yard for a Christmas feast for the birds! If the degree of civilization of a people can be measured by its behavior to . t. i . i ,i ahrtut It then this custom denotes in the Norsemen a very high plane indeed. , . Cp-to-Date Literature. ' Kaunas CItv Journal. ' ' want- vnliT wife to ioin OUT Shakespeare Club. Won't you help us to persuade ner? . "what tim has mv wife to read Shakespeare? There are more murder trials going on than sne can Keep up with now." , i : Looking Forward to Another. trniAo-ende Rlntter. . ' Weary Husband And once for all. don t taut to me aooui juui mat Wife All right, dear; we'll discuss what sort ot a man your aucceouui i likely to oe. . .. Parable of the Black Sheep. -i- i . .. x V Y Statesman. v - - i- - Did you say there Is a black sheep in his family? , Egbert Yes,- but they whitewashed him pretty well. SELF-CONTRADICTION BY SPEAKER Socialist Blamea Society for AU Evils. Then Makea Exception. PORTLANDT Dec. .25. (To the Ed itor.) Listening to a recent street de bate between Father O'Hara and a So cialist agitator, one was given another example of the many ways in which tho Marxian zealots manage to involve themselves in a tangle of logical con tradiction. . The DOlnt at issue between the two speakers was substantially this: If, as was mutually conceded, evil exists In society today, is personal responsibility and social responsibility, singly or jointly, to be -fixed? Father O'Hara contended very sensibly that both Ine individual and society, according the circumstances of each particular case, could be blamed for bad conrtuions. Sometimes men and women suffer be cause of a fault lying, within them selves, such as lack of foresight, im providence, error of judgment, failure to make the most of present opportuni ties. At other times they are the vic tims of their surroundings, of accident. of illness which they did not help to bring about. The Soclaltst eospounaer, on tne oiner hand, blamed altevil in the world upon society. , Inferentially, the individual is always Inherently wise, prudent and self-restrained. His misfortunes eome upon him without his ever contributing; an iota in the form of his own de linquencies. The producers, he argued, are simply the blind victims of mighty economic forces. Hence, individual re sponsibility is non-existent. Then, with true socialist inconsis tency, he proceeded to denounce cap italists, to call them robbers and ex ploiters who grind the faces of the poor, heartless and loulless, all for the sake of rent, interest and profit. The loud-SDeakins: young man, whp con- teased himself a former driver of a milk wagon, forgot his own philosophy and was ready enough to nx personal responsibility upon capitalists, even after havins- just denied It as a general proposition In order to confute Father O'Hara's claim of a degree of personal responsibility resting upon all men, rich and poor alike. Obviously, the jewel of consistency does not adorn the Socialist brow. To be logical, the soapbox philoso pher should have conceded- Father O Hara s contention that botn lndi viduals and society are factors in caus ing pain, disease and death, such a statement would seem to agree with everyday experience and observation. The alternative proposition for the So cialist to have upheld to save his logic was that neither personal nor social responsibility exists. That is to say, that universal determinism prevails. The ex-mllk-wagon driver proclaimed his belief in economic determinism, and gave an example of it by saying he had acqueezed (meaning ac quiesced") In his boss" putting water in the milk, his motive for such acquies cence being fear of lttsing his job. But the Socialist did not have the acumen to see that if his theory of economic determinism holds good, the law of causation must be generally ap plied to all categories and phenomena, not only to the economic In brief, in the Spencerlan phrase, the order of evolution proceeds from the geologic to the biologic, thence to the psycho logic, and finally to the sociologic, all of these categories being mutually in terrelated in the law of cause and el feet. We have, then, a rigid determinism in which free will Is entirely eliminat ed, and with such elimination disap pears what is called moral responsibil ity of any kind, Individual or collective, Had Father O'Hara put all blame on the individual, Instead of conceding also social blame, he would certainly have been taunted for the unsoundness of his position with none too much courtesy by his Socialist opponent. But such an attitude' would have been no more absurd than the milk-wagon driver's contention of exclusive social respons'biltty, an argument that he and his followers evidently regarded as the quintessence of logic. ANGUS-MACPHERSON. PERJl'RY . WAS 3VOT COMMITTED Mr. Hendricks Denies False Tratlfylug or Confeaalon of It In Ball Case. FOSSIL Or., Dec. 22. (To the Edi tor.) I notice in The Oregonian, De cember 21, the Washington dispatch an nouncing the pardon of John Hall states I had confessed to having com mitted perjury n the Hall case. This statement is absolutely a contradiction of the facts. I neither committed per Jury nor confessed, to having done so. I am glad that Mr. Hall has secured his pardon. He ought never to have been prosecuted. My testimony, how ever, was immaterial and ought never to have been introduced, but what I stated was true. He would not have been convicted had he not been tried before a hand-picked Jury, who would, as Burns ' boasted, "convict Christ." I know that my friends throughout the state will not credit the statement that I either committed perjury or confessed to .having done so, but I destre to have that error corrected Jn justice to my self, lest the public in general believe it is true, if it is not denied. I know that The Oregonian would not want to do me an intentional injury, and I trust that it will give me as great publicity in the denial of this false charge as It has given the charge Itself. t I defy, any man to prove that I ever committed perjury or to have confessed to having done so, although I was a victim of a conviction by a Burns Jury upon the testimony of one man, who has confessed under oath that he was scared into testifying falsely against me, H. K. HENDRICKS. Where Conanmer and Producer Loae. SALEM, Or.) Dec. 24. (To the Editor. Your editorial, "Waste in Distribu tionMs bringing things to a point, and corroborates my statement that the cost of high living is due to absolutely nothing else than the useless middle man. Think of charging 65 to 75 cents for a watermelon for which the pro ducer only gets 6 cents, the railroad 6 cents freight, the wholesaler, for sim ply handling It, 27 cents, and the re taller the balance of the 75 cents, or 38 cents. What an outragel Think of it. The farmer who does all the work and takes the chances of losing his crop gets only a measly 6 cents for a watermelon that costs you and me 75 cents. Why can't a stop be put to this high-handed robbery? Let the poor farmer get even 15 cents for -his watermelon, the railroad com pany its 5 cents freight and let there be a profit of 10 cents on the water melon, and then we could get it for 30 cents and all make a reasonable profit. When I showed the editorial to a gro cer friend of mine, he said. "That takes no account of the number we can't sell." and when I said to him, "If you sold them at a reasonable price, you would sell them all and have none left on your hands," he had nothing further to say. And when I said to him, "How about dried prunes and figs, which do not spoil, but will keep?" he had noth ing more to say, either. Why do not the farmers of every community get together and arrange with the citv consumer? It is the same way with coal oIL which retails East for 9 cents a gallon and here we pay about 20 cents. The freight on a gallon of oil, which weighs lss than eight pounds, cannot be a cent a gal lon. Let this thing be agitated until results are produced. u XvERy. The Simplicity of Jackson, Washington (D. C.) Post. . 'The Presidential collection of china -i ii-kM. Umia " isvt B dlanatph. at tuts t iiuo . . w i. -j i w - , . ias received a notable addition in a ... i. nor frnm which President "he 'Jackson drank his coffee." The an cup nouncement tnat AIMy rau irom u saucer Is further evidence of his ster ling Democracy. STEEL CARS PTT TO THE TEST Imprrxolve Lcaaon From v recit en Pennsylvania llallrontv Philadelphia Public Ledger. Th mtnv of what happened In the railroad wreck on the main line be een svajier and Glen Loch ought to be In the hands of all railroad managers and of all others wno are imerosun the safety of the traveling puonv.-. n Is the story of the steel car wh.-n put to the. test; the steel coach as liTe in surance and life saver. The train consisted of a baggage car, combination baggage and smoker and ten other cars, or 12 hravv coaches drawn by two monster locomotives In tandem. This tremendously heavy train had attained a speed or. u mncs ii hour at Frazer, and then, when It took a down grade, it was still making a very high rate of speed, though the steam had been cut off. This mighty train, with its enormous weight and high speed and consequent great momentum,' met some sort of an obstruction at a bridge under which the railroad's Trenton cut-oft hrancn iuu, nd this is what happened: The locomotives and the two cats im lediatelv following jumped the tracks. but retained their equilibrium, and were finally brought to a halt in a nemoi laherf track and roadbed; eight of the coaches toppled over and fell down the steep embankment three of the cars falling on their skips upon a coai tram on the tracks below, and in the train carrying about 250 passengers only four or five were killed and perhaps only as many more very gravely in- Jured. One car, with many iraaoriiSci. turned a somersault, but there was no fire and "not a coach OUCKiea ; tnem was no timber to fill the air with flying splinters to maim, mangle and kill: there was little inenncouio " to crush the passengers and make the work of rescue difficult or in many Inntanoes imnOSR lble. and, in brief. despite the more or less painful in juries or many persons, it is i much to suggest that from 50 to 100 lives were saved In the disaster Just because the cars were of steel and with stood the terrific strain of the impact when the accident happened. Any person acquainted with tno nis torv of railroad traffic can easily im agine what wfeuld have probably oc curred if a similar accident had hap pened a few years ago, nciore ino in troduction of the steel construction in cars. MEN'S HATS WORX IN ELEVATORS Unspoken Rules Observed In Apart ment Houses anil Office Buildings. . New York Sun. Should men take off their hats tntlia presences of women in elevators? I asked a lovely and intelligent young woman of nly acquaintance, and here is what she says-th substance: As a general proposition, no. Of course. In apartment-houses if there were women in the car a man wonld take off his hat, for here the ele-ator Is In effect a room in the house, used by the tenants and their guests in common; but in publicly occupied build ings, no; though there may he excep tions, depending on the building and Its occupancy. In the elevators -of buildings used for offices and for ordinary business purposes, though in these many women might be found, men are not required by politeness to take ofr their hats; indeed, their reaching up to remove their hats might here. In crowded ele vators, subject other people to dis comfort. But nowadays in some parts of the town you find buildings oc cupied partly for offices and partly for business or professional pursuits deal ing wholly or in part with women. In the elevator of such a building you would be governed by circumstances. If you found there a man with his hat off you would take yours off! or If you found the elevator occupied solely by women you would take your hat off, as -your natural Inclination to be po lite to women would here prompt you to do. In the elevator pf a building used for dressmaking and liko estab lishments exclusively, why, there ot course, a man would always tako off his hat, for there he would be in a woman's domain. But, stated as a broad proposition, as to the elevators of public buildings in general, she tells me that in such elevators men are not required to take off their hats in the presence of women : and she, as I have told you, Is a woman both lovely and Intelligent. HAS AMERICA ANY FAIRIESf A StiKSestlon TUatTbe Little People" Are Made In German)-. Indianapolis News. With the approach of C'hristfnas it may be a sad reflection to call to mind that with nil its material wealth this country has never had any fairies and what delightful folk they must bet no goblins or hohgobllns, no gnomes, no' kobolds, no Robin Goodfellows. Alas, they are all Imported, many ot them made in Germany. The brothers Grimm a strange name for the au thors of Biich lively stories more than fifty years ago acquired great popu larity with juvenile readers by their fairy tales and . legends. A pleasant little story is told by Jacob Grimm himself who was as simple In his man ners as Hans Christian Anderson, the Danish romancer for the little folks. A small girl eight years old called one day at Dr. Grimm's house and asked to see the "Herr Professor." A servant showed, her. into the study where Dr. Grimm received her and, with great kindness, asked what she had to say to him. Looking at him very earnestly, she asked: "Is It thou who hast written those fine Maerchen (fairy tales)?" "Yes, my dear, my brother and I have written the 'Haus Maerchen. Then thou hast written the tale of the clever little tailor, where it is said, at the end, who will not believe It, must pay a thaler (dol lar)." "Yes, I have written that too." "Well, then I do not believe It, and so, I suppose. I have to pay a thaler; but as I have not so much money now, I'll give thee a groschen (about a cent and a half) on account and pay the rest by and by." John Electrifies the Class. ' Harper's Bazar. The teacher was addresring his pu pils on 'ie subject of luaiuess and ldlesness. With, due solemnity, as bef'tod the occasion, he drew a . terrible picture of the habitual loafer the man who dislikes to, work and who bega for all he gets. . "Now, John," said the teacher to a little boy who had been very inatten tive during the lesson. Job-i was instantly on the alert. "Tell me." continued the teacher, "who is the miserable Individual wh" gets good clothes, food and lodging and yet does nothing In return?" - John's face brightened. "Please, sir," said he, "the baby." Example of Trying Husband. Chicago Record Herald. "Nobody knows how I have suf fered," she complained. "DoeB your husband abuse you. her friend asked. "No, but he can sit for hours with out hearing a word I say!" Any Eiciuo Good Enough for Him. Detroit Free Press. "Does your husband drink to ex cess?" "I don't know about that, but I sup pose he does. Any excuse Is food enough for him to drink to." Rnldnrss Jn Intellectual Men. London Tit Bits. According to" the statement of a professor in a German university, the percentage of baldness among intel lectual men Is only two for musical men and 18 for writers and others.