TITE 3IORXIXG OBEGOXIAX, . FRIDAY, .TATTJARY IT, 1913.
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ynHTIAxn, FKIDAT. JANUARY 17. 1913.
SETTLEMENT MADE IMPOSSIBLE.
An amendment to the three-year
' homestead law introduced in the Sen
sLta hv Senator Borah and in the
House by Representative French,
Idaho, proposes a change that is
vast importance to the growth
Of
Western Oregon and the timbered sec
tlons of other Western states. A tlme-
w ai-tlrla on the xuhlect. written by B
F. Jones, Register at the United States
Land Office at Roseburg, printed in
The Oregonian today, discusses the
suirtlAn.r In detail.
Tha Tin-sent law reauires the home-
stud.r tn havn in cultivation at the
end of the three-year period twenty
acres of land. All who are laminar
txrirh thn i hnr a.nd cost attending the
clearing and grubbing of brush and
timber land in western uregun mua
realize the impossibility of the bur
den thus imposed. For the settler
who has little or no money, subjuga
tion of twenty acre9 of timber or
fcrush land to the point of cultivation
within a period of three years is a
nhreioi imnnsslbilltv. The condition
is made more onerous by the fact that
the settler who took up a homestead
under the five-year law must now
prove up under the provisions or tne
three-year act.
Relinquishment of their claims by
scores of homesteaders ana tneir ae
parture for Canada, where the land
laws are more favorable to the settler,
present a vital issue that must be
at nnp. SpnRtnr Rorah
and Representative French would put
clearing, grubbing, fencing and plant
ing of orchards on the same plane as
cultivation, requiring tne improve
ments to represent an average outlay
of 11.50 per acre a year.
- Thla would reanire the improve
ments to be or an average -value of
$720 in three years on a homestead of
160 acres. One hundred dollars an acre
is a low estimate on the cost ol preparing
timber land for cultivation. Thus the
hnmMtonpr is now sunnosed to KO on
timbered land, support himself and
family and expend the equivalent of
42000 in three years. This, too, must
be In addition to the fencing, building
and certain other improvements tnat
are always essential to care of live-
tnck anri his own DroDer existence.
The three-year homestead law has
doubtless been a boon tn the settlers
in the untimbered public land areas,
but in its application to the timbered
areas it is not encouragement to set
tlement or development, nor is it con
servation, it Is hardship, retrogres
sion and reservation.
COMPENSATION ACT IS LIBERAL.
It is the opinion of some of the la
ibor organizations that, inasmuch as
the present liability law in Oregon is
working to their better interests, the
compensation, or state insurance, law
drafted by the commislson appointed
by the Governor should not be enact
ed. These organizations have dis
cerned one of the vital principles of
liability and compensation acts. Such
laws should be designed not only to
compensate for Injuries, but to prevent
injuries as well.
But it is a mistaken idea that the
proposed law does not do this, and it
is equally incorrect to assume that Its
enactment would change the provi
sions of the present law relative to
safeguards In industrial establish
ments. No employe need accept the pro
visions of the compensation act if he
does not desire to do so. for it is elec
tive in form. If he declines to accept
its provisions his recourse in the event
of injury L under the terms of the
present liability act. Moreover, for
Mm who accepts the compensation act
there is a strong measure of protection
aarainst accident in the provision
which imposes increased payments to
the insurance fund on the individual
employer whose workmen suffer acci
dents. Still another safeguard for the
workman Is found in the sections
which permit the employe either to
take compensation or seek to recover
by law under the liability act in the
event his injury has been caused by
failure of the employer to install the
safeguards required by law.
The proposed law, it would seem,
cannot be Justly criticised on the score
of failure to prevent accident, or for
Its optional provisions in behalf of the
employ. If employes would consider
their be.terment as a class rather than
as Individuals, the Mil would be ac
cepted as a good groundwork from
which might be built up as near an
idea in compensation acts as limited
experience in this country will per
mit at this time.
The impressionable character of
juries renders no degree of fairness in
awards for injuries. One workman
receives more than he deserves and
another receives less. Regardless of
the liberality of the existing liability
law, workmen as a class would receive
compensation more uniformly Just
than at present, even If the law were
compulsory rather than elective. Very
likely. In view of labor 6pposltlon to
the bill in its present form, a compul
sory act is not to be hoped for at this
time. But with some few amend
ments in other particulars the com
pensation bill could be made a statute
that would doubtless ultimately dem
onstrate to the present-day doubters
the superiority of complete automatic
compensation.
The convenient plea that college
faculties were not morally responsi
ble for thetr students' conduct has
about had Its day. It led to sad laxity
in discipline and scandalous neglect
of study for the sake of sport. Worse
still, the sport which faculty neglect
allowed to thrive -descended to offen
sive forms of commercialism. Now a
reaction has set In and the colleges are
resuming the parental attitude which
is so much better both for teachers
and students. Youth does not develop
well In an atmosphere of moral in
difference. WEST'S VETOES IN THE LEGISLATURE.
Governor West is indifferent to the
fate of the fifty-eight measures he
sought to slaughter by his wholesale
vetoes nearly two years ago. He says
so himself. He Informs the Legisla
ture through an accredited voice that
he will keep his hands off. We have
It from the same exalted source that
he has no war to make on State
Treasurer Kay. He seeks- harmony.
He is not mad at anybody. All he
wants is to be let alone, for he loves
all mankind.
What the Governor seeks just now
is peace and what he needs Is help.
He has provoked many controversies
and proposed many innovations, and
he finds himself at the end of the
first half of his administration with
out real legislative or public sup
port. He is utterly unable to Justify
before the Legislature or the people
the greater part of the vetoes of the
1911 session. Some of them warrant
the belief that they were inspired by
personal animosity toward their re
spective authors; others were recorded
hastily and without due regard for
the consequences; others had the taint
of political bias; and others appeared
to be written in a mere boyish spirit
for a spectacular display of executive
power. Others, like the district and
county fair appropriations, had merit,
undoubtedly; but they were by no
means the larger number.
The veto power was not placed with
the Governor of Oregon for use arbi
trarily, or insolently, or spitefully, or
for any other than high reasons of
state. It Is no plaything: nor ought it
to be the instrument of pique or re
venge, or the vehicle for the expres
sion of personal whim or fancy.
Governor West has vetoed, with or
without cause, more legislative bills
than any other Oregon executive.
Probably the Legislature will pass
over his head as it should the mer
itorious measures that fell under his
disapproval, giving him the unique
record of having vetoed unavailing!"
more bills than any other Oregon
Governor.
ANOTHER BAKER STORY.
The ew Tork World has embarked
on the unique enterprise of bringing
about the election of William F. Mc
Combs, the Democratic National
chairman, and a resident of New
York, to the United States Senate from
Arkansas, vice the late Jefferson Da
vis. The World argues plausibly that
McCombs is a native of Arkansas and
"there is nothing in the Constitution
to prevent his election," and it would
be a "refreshing change after Jeff
Davis." Then it plunges into histori
cal precedents with the rollowing
amazing result:
The historic election of Colonel Baker, or
Ball's Bluff fame, to be United States Sen
ator from Oreyon Is a case in point. A
friend of Lincoln In Illinois In tnelr eany
liars, he had moved to' California In 18.1
and soon became a leader of the San Fran
cisco bar. Called to Oregon to try a case.
he was Invited to address the State Legis
lature at a time when It was deadlocked
over the election of a Senator. The impres
sion be made was so frreat that, dropping
the active candidates, the Legislature chose
Baker, then really only a visitor from an
adlolnlnr state, to be Senator from Oregon.
He was serving both as Senator and as Colo
nel of a regiment he had raised in New
Tork and Philadelphia when he fell on the
battle field in IStSl.
The World ought to have better au
thority for it3 citation from Oregon
history than mere hazy romance.
Colonel Baker was a qualified elector
of Oregon not a mere visitor when
he was elected to the United States
Senate. He had had a brilliant ca
reer In California, but no political suc
cess, and he responded to an invitation
from Oregon to come here and accept
the undisputed leadership of the
young Republican party. Colonel Ba
ker came in February, I860, estab
lished his home at Salem, and made
many political speeches throughout
the state. The result was that the
Legislature was wrested from control
of the Lane Democrats, though no
partv had a majority; and in the Fall
of 1860. when the Legislature met,
through a combination of the Union
Democrats and the Republicans, Colo
nel Baker (Rep.) and Colonel James
W. Nesmith (Dem.) were elected to
the two Senatorships. It was a glori
ous conclusion to a well-planned coup
by the loyal Republicans, aided by the
loyal Democrats, of Oregon.
LOCATING THE At'DITORIC.M,
The reasons for selection of the
Market block as the auditorium site
are (1) availability and (2) cost. The
city owns the property, and has no
other or better use for it. Whatever
necessary adjacent property it may be
necessary to purchase may be had.
probably, with means at hand. The
people have refused to vote more
money for the auditorium or site, and
the commission is therefore under di
rect mandate to do the best it can
with 1600,000. The best is clearly the
Market block. The $600,000 is plainly
the limit.
The Oregonian thinks that those en
thusiastic East Siders who propose a
referendum on the auditorium site are
due for a rude awakening if they shall
overcome the intervening legal obsta
cles and get their project referred. The
auditorium does not belong there. It
belongs where It will be most con
venient to all the public, in the civic
center, which is also the transporta
tion, theater and hotel center. If the
question shall be submitted to popu
lar vote. The Oregonian has no doubt
at all that the Market block will win
over all others.
The East Side advocates might well
chow their good faith and public spirit
by donating a site, so as to eq mllze
their offering with the Market block.
Otherwise the only result of a referen
dum will surely be further and need
less delays, and nothing else, except
the consequent vexations.
PROFESSOR PATTEN'S HERESY.
Persons who abuse Professor Simon
V. Patten, of Pennsylvania University,
for preaching the doctrine of extrava
gance may not know that they are
abusing Shakespeare at the same
time. They would not care, perhaps.
if they did not know it, but the fact
is indisputable. Polonius advises his
son Laertes to wear as "costly raiment
as his purse can buy," and that is
exactly what Professor Patten told the
shop girls at the Spring Garden Uni
tarian Church. His reasoning was
that if they wore good clothes their
employers would notice that "they
dressed with taste and dignity" and
straightway raise their wages.
There was profound psychology In
Professor Patten's counsel. The world
despises a person who looks poor and
does its best to make his fate con-
form to his appearance. The surest
way to starve is to go about looking
as if you had never ' eaten a square
meal. To him that hath shall be
given and from him that looketh as
If he had not shall be taken away
even that he hath. Many sages be
sides Professor Patten have ques
tioned the wisdom of spoiling the best
years of life to provide for a decent
old age and a respectable funeral.
They argue that it does not matter
very much what happens to a person
when the years have stricken him and
his faculties are dull. He cannot en
Joy his money even if he has it by
the million and by the same token he
cannot suffer much. He is half dead
at best and is oblivious to both pain
and pleasure. The time to enjoy one
self is in the years when the body is
vigorous and the senses acute. Thus
they, speciously reason in the same
direction as Professor Patten, though
he does not go quite to their lengths.
He means the same thing, however.
Lying behind his Insidious remarks is
the subtle plea that it is the business
of society to take care of people when
they are old or sick. He derides
"thrift" because It prevents early mar
riage and lowers the birth rate. The
more solicitous we are for our bank
accounts the less we shall be disposed
to undertake the burden of wife and
children. Professor Patten cannot be
answered by sneers. His arguments
are significant.
WOMEN AND MUSIC.
Genius, says a philosopher, is the
power of doing easily what other peo
ple cannot do at all. When one
watches Maud Powell handle the vio
lin bow and touch the strings it is
perfectly easy.' At least it seems so.
But when we hear a less gifted player
try to do the same thing we begin
to realize the magic wonder of her
performance. How can she produce
those miracles of sound? Does she
Infuse Into the wood of the violin some
emanation from her own soul? Is it
the cofds of her inner being that
we hear vibrate instead of the strings
she seems to play upon? Between
what an ordinary person can do and
the feats of a genius like Maud Powell
the gulf Is immeasurable. There are
plenty of men and wdmen who can
fiddle. Some can even make music
flow from the strings, but there never
are more than two or three persons
In the world at the same time who can
work the miracles she can. Some
times she frolics with impossibilities,
evoking unheard-of beauties with
light, quick strokes of the bow that
almost elude the eye in their facile
deftness. Sometimes she draws it
over the strings as softly and slowly
as twilight falls through the tinted
robes of angels on a cathedral win
dow. And always, whatever she does,
there flows from the" violin an un
broken stream of perfect melody.
Helmholtz says the weird cries that
we hear in violin music when a Maud
Powell is playing come from the over
tones. Each part of the instrument
has its own vibrations, which are
heard mingled with the others but
not lost. All sounding together, they
make up that shower of pearls which
she scatters over her audience. What
a memory she must have to stand
there and play .hose complicated
pieces, never missing a note, never
failing to give every one its -proper
emphasis, and, above all, never for
getting to fill each with that mystical
meaning which all understand but
none can put into words. It is poor
music that ordinary language can in
terpret. The great pieces say what
speech cannot, and none of their
meaning, elusive as it often Is,
capes her. She catches the elfin be
ings with her spell as they flit past
and makes them march in the orderly
procession of her melodies. We are
prone to depreciate mere memory and
point out how little it counts in com
parison with reason. Judgment and
other high-sounding faculties, but
where would Maud Powell be without
hers? She read very little from print
ed scores as she played the other
night. It was only when she was
wandering up the fantastic channel of
the Ocklawaha and in two or three
other situations equally bewildering
that her eyes were fixed on her music,
but the audience always felt the dif
ference. A veil had fallen over tire
magic she wrought, a thin veil, but
still it dimmed the brightness.
The musician's memory is his best
friend. Perhaps it is the one faculty
which women, in the course of their
repressed evolution, have developed
equally with men and for that reason,
among others, they perform upon the
violin and piano as beautifully as their
male competitors, while none of them
has ever composed a symphony or an
opera of the first rank. No doubt the
most famous woman musician who
ever lived was Clara Wleck, who mar
ried Robert Schumann. When she
was a child her playing astonished
everybody who heard her. In her
riper years she . composed In almost
every musical form, but is it not true
that her best title to enduring fame
lies in the Inspiration she gave her
husband? Without her Schumann
would not have done his best work.
If he had not fallen In love with Clara
he might have broken down under his
discouragements and perhaps com
mitted suicide, but beside his compo
sitions hers look pale and dim. Up
ton's "Standard Musical Biographies"
overlooks women altogether. Some are
mentioned incidentally, but none for
their own sakes. We must admit that
Upton is a biographer of pronounced
prejudices. He treats modern music
as contemptuously as he does women,
but after all his silence about them is
significant. They have shone as in
terpreters of others' work, but not so
brightly as original composers.
Still the annals of music are pretty
well supplied with the names of wom
en who have stood high, though never
with the highest. There was Maria
Theresa von Paradies, born in Vienna
1B0 years ago, who became totally
blind when she was a little girl and
yet astonished all Europe with her
playing and composing. She had the
good luck to be taken under the wing
of the great Empress Maria Theresa,
for whom she was named, and thus
escaped the hardships which have so
often beset young musicians of either
sex. Her memory was even more as
tonishing than Maud Powell's. She
knew countless short pieces by heart
and could play sixty concertos with
perfect accuracy from memory. The
reader will appreciate this prodigy
when he stops to recall what a con
certo is. Sometimes it seems as If
that species of composition had no
end this side of eternity. Maria re
sembled Shakespeare in facility of
production. She dictated her pieces
without any revision. Not a note was
ever altered, which may help to ac
count' for the oblivion that has de
voured them.
America has produced a more stu
pendous prodigy than Maria von Par-
In Anna fh.,n,.- V. .A
born in 1867 and became Mrs. Beach.'
Her musical marvels began when she
was only a year old. At that tender
age she memorized pieces by the
xiozen, being so susceptible to their
sentiment that minor keys made her
weep. At two years she was having
her picture taken one day and in the
middle of the process, burst our sing
ing "See the Conquering Hero Comes."
At the age of four Anna began to com
pose waltzes and such musical kick
shaws. The Chicago World's Fair
gave her an opportunity to show what
she could do before great audiences
and she seems to have been equal to
the occasion. One of her finest works
was a "Romance for Violin and
Piano" which she played at . the Co
lumbian Exposition with Maud Powell.
If a railroad train is wrecked, the
other property of the company is lia
ble for damages to injured passengers.
If a ship is wrecked, the property
recovered from the wreck is alone
liable to seizure. The steamship com
pany may own a hundred other ships,
but they are exempt. The White Star
Line's liability for the wreck of the
Titanic is limited to less than $100,
000, though it owns millions of dollars
of other property and by passing divi
dends for a single year could probably
recoup its loss, even though the Ti
tanic had not been insured, a he in
surance makes good a large propor
tion of the owner's loss, but the pas
sengers and their relatives cannot
touch it. Were the insurance money
made a fund for the compensation of
passengers, and, after that was ex
hausted, were all the company's prop,
erty liable, shipowners would be more
careful. The loss of a ship like the
Titanic might cost them the price of
another ship to pay damage claims.
That is the principle governing rail
roads and there is no reason why It
should not also govern steamships.
The prospect that the Pacific coun
tries of South America will soon avail
themselves of cheap labor from China
and Japan in unlimited quantity sug
gests some interesting reflections.
They do not compete with us in many
industries as yet, but with cheap Asi
atic labor there is no reason why they
should not do so. Chile in particular
has a vast supply of water power
which is situated not far from tide
water. If she should establish manu
facturing enterprises on a large scale,
the Panama Canal, cheap labor and
unlimited water power might insure
their success.
"I am a student just now. I also
spend considerable time testifying be
fore Congressional committees," said
George W. Perkins to' the money trust
inquisitors. He is probably studying
the election returns of last November
and the stubs of the checks he paid
for the Bull Moose campaign; also
how he can- get a profit on that in
vestment by engineering the affairs
of the Progressive party. Perkins is
a deep student.
It will be very sad If Representa
tives Meek and Bonebrake are unable
to produce sons more than 15 years
old to serve as pages in place of those
who have been sent back to school
Every legislator is entitled by divine
right to have at least one member of
his family on the payroll. The law
seems to interfere with that sacred
prerogative in this case, but what is a
Legislature for if not to. change the
law?
The city has grown so big that the
registration of voters at the Court
house alone causes an annual block
ade, which will be aggravated this
year by the registration of" women.
The time has come when in a city as
large as Portland district registration
offices should be opened where voters
may register near their homes or
places of business.
Now Governor Blease wants a law
against misquoting public men. It
would now be unlawful correctiy to
quote the South Carolina executive in
all his remarks and endeavor to send
the matter through the mails, if we
are correctly informed.
A Cornell professor tells a eugenics
meeting the- day of romantic love is
passing. Possibly, in the hard-surface
districts; but not in the green fields
and sylvan woods, nor down by the
sea, nor anywhere that youth is prone
to gather.
The allies are now willing to give
the Turks a little more time, rather
than press matters. We begin to sus
pect that the allies have about run
their course.
Wilson's messages may be oral. We
should like to hear the one that is
likely to be transmitted sooner or
later to a certain impressive Ne
braskan. Rescue of a Portland woman from
slavery in the Japanese quarter of Los
Angeles reveals a condition that no
doubt exists in all the Coast cities.
Sage Hanley warns students against
early specialization. Especially should
the avoid that particular kind which
leads to the altar prematurely.
With eugenists combined in their
assaults on Cupid, the little god of
love was still smiling and unafraid at
a late hour.
"Bill" Hanley"s aphorism, "You
can't make yourself big by making
another little," is a warning to
knockers.
Perkins believes publicity is a sure
cure for many of our evils. His ex
perience in the matter qualifies him
to speak.
Always it is "highly respectable"
people who indulge in automobile
mysteries. The world is full of hum-
buggery.
New York is installing police dogs.
Probably it is argued they will be
better able to follow the cent.
Not the least of Bill Frazier's hon
esty In the old days was in being
square on the racetrack.
Hundfleisch is being noted on Ber
lin menus. In America it appears in
the guise of sausage.
Really, why should anybody, city
employe or not, get a free ride on th
trolley cars?
A good rule to follow in raising pay
of city employes is to begin in the
trenches.
Mylius is not desirable. This coun
try has enough liars of home growth.
The Bull Moose is being sat on at
Olympia.
A Church Social at Irrigon
By Addison Bennett.
When I first went to the site of the
little town of Irrigon the population
was said to consist of "one man and a
yellow dog." The man was F. B. Hol
brook; the dog, having died long since,
needs no other mention?
I arrived there on the first day of
August, 1903. There were two build
ings on the site then, one of which
was only partially completed. The place
was called Stokes, there being railway
switch there. It may be said that the
river front of the place was early
called Umatilla Landing, and much of
the outfitting for the Idaho mines in
the early '60s was done from there, the
river boats then plying principally be
tween Celilo and Umatilla Landing.
Some years later a landing was begun
at a point just east of the Umatilla
River, and the town of Umatilla came
into existence, which was soon quite a
metropolis and capital of a county
larger than many of the Eastern states.
The promoters of what may now be
called the Irrigon proposition were en
gaged in putting water on several
thousand acres of arid land lying ad
jacent, the water being brought by a
ditch from the Umatilla River. One of
our first acts was "to name the embryo
town. We took the two words, "irri
gation" and "Oregon" and made the
word Irrigon, a name we thought sug
gestive of the location and the appli
cation of water. A good deal of fun
has been made of the name, .but it will
some time become famous and uphold
the wisdom of those who coined it.
So far had the work advanced that
the promoters began to sell land in
October of the same year, and before
the middle of November homemakers
began to come in. By the first of the
next year, 1904, we had two or three
dozen houses and perhaps a couple of
hundred people, and on January 27 of
that year the first issue of the Irrigon
Irrigator appeared.
From the very first Issue the Irri
gator was a success. It was only a
small six-column weekly, but it was
all home print, used no "boiler plate,"
ran no orelgn ads and would not take
a patent medicine ad at any price. It
sprang into almost. Instant public ap
proval, for because, I suppose, it was
different from other weekly sheets, had
a real editorial page, said what It
meant and said it as it pleased.
Before the first issue of the Irri
gator, before the office was completed,
before there was any suitable place in
town o hold a public meeting, we met
In the uncompleted Irrigator office, sat
around on the stools, presses and Im
posing stones, and organized a Sunday
school of nearly 40 members, and took
up a collection of over $20. And
always will I be proud of the fact that
my name was on the call for that meet
ing and that I was present on that oc
casion. In due course of time, during the
Spring and early Summer, we built a
very nice little church, primarily be
longing to the Christian denomination,
but the subscriptions were, made with
the understanding it was to be open
to any preachers who might favor us
by occupying Its pulpit and holding
services on any Sabbath save one each
month reserved for the Christians'
pastor.
As to the means the Ladies" Aid So
ciety of the town took to furnish this
church, much, might be said. At one
social held in furtherance of this
object about 20 baskets, each supposed
to hold a "feed" for two, sold for $117.
They were auctioned off and one of
them brourrht $17.60. I mention this to
show the liberality of the townspeople
of Irrigon.
After the church was completed and
occupied we hjad several entertain
ments therein of a social and financial
nature, and finally, along late in Octo
ber, 1904, when the town was about at
its high-water mark, having; a popu
lation of well over 300, we held a social
which I have been leading Up to "the"
social I might say. It was under the
auspices of the Ladies' Aid, an
ganization that was the leading society
and gossip organization of the town.
the arbiter of our trials and tribula
tions, the "underwriters," so to speak.
of the town's civic pride and the cltl
zens' well being.
The work of preparing edibles and a
Drop-ramme for the. occasion was par
celled out as is the custom, and it fell
to the lot of one Miss Spinster to sup
ply the coffee. As it was a sure thing
that over 200 would attend it was
necessary to have much of this bever
age, and Miss Spinster wished to show
that she was equal to the occasion, fane,
however, was "ferninst" any beverage
stronger than water, and was especial
ly sure that the use of coffee was i
pernicious habit. But she wished to
show that she was no piker, so she
bought a whole pound of ground coffee
and on Monday morning bright and
early put it into a wash boiler filled
with water and started it to boiling.
She kept it boiling all that day and
late into the night; for was not the
social to be pulled off Tuesday even
lng, and was it not necessary to have
the coffee done on time? Sure. Then
Tuesday morning before daylight the
fire was again started and all day Tues
day she kept the wash boiler with its
precious, but "sinful, contents boiling
and boiling.
By the time the social was scheduled,
at 8 P. M. Tuesday, the coffee was
tolerably well done, but Miss Spinster
to make sure, had the boiler toted
down to the church and soon had it
boiling again over a cook stove set
up in the church lor the occasion.
Now when this coffee was served
well, when cream was added to it It
turned green, a deep green, and But
here is what the Irrigator said about
it the following week:
"Sim Dipp irreverently said the cof
fee was not strong. But we were look
ing for quality more than strength.
Then Sim butted in again and said he
once made coffee for a church social
by tying six grainB of coffee to a
goose's hind leg and swimming the
goose swiftly across the Columbia.
Then he had a whole river of coffee,
good coffee, reaching from Priest
Rapids to Celilo. But let that pass.1
m w m
For some reason Miss Spinster be
came chilly, almost cold, towards me
thereafter, and the Ladies' Aid took
the matter up and severely censured
the Irrigator for daring to make light
of its coffee.
VAST INFORMATION IN BOOK FORM
New Edition of World Almanac Is Com
pendium of Knowledge.
Packed within the 832 pages of the
World Almanac and Encyclopedia for
1913 is a vast compendium of useful
knowledge, remarkably inclusive in its
scope and at the same time generous
as to detail. It is a printed information
bureau which answers the thousands
of questions raised every day in home,
office and even in the school, bearing
on political, historic, scientific, legal,
commercial and other subjects. What is
the question in your mind? The index
gives you the subject and in less than
a minute the page is open before you
and your answer is there. What Is the
Hay-Pauncefbte -treaty? What were
the benefactions of 1912? What have
been the Polar discoveries? What Is
the population of Detroit, Mich.? What
are the penalties for crime In the vari
ous states? Who are the chaplains In
the United States Army and Navy?
What Is the Income tax? What are the
trusts in the United States? These are
only samples from the great store of
information in the book. Art, music,
literature, drama, geographical re
search, electrical progress, sporting rec
ods. marine disasters, the Panama Ca
nal act of 1912, and the new pension
law of 1912 these but hint lit the wide
fccope of subjects covered in the book's
inclusive range. It is a big little book.
MCST GET TOGETHER ON ROADS
Farmer Who Own Anton Indorses
Measure Framed by Gransre.
HILLSBORO, Or., Jan. 14. tTo the
Editor.) Let it be remembered that we
tried to pass road laws through the
last two Legislatures and once by
Initiative and failed in each attempt.
It looks at present as if we will not
succeed much better at the coming
session. At least a half dosen
measures are being prepared and if
most of them are not withdrawn. Sure
defeat will be the result for the bunch.
I predicted defeat for both . road
measures last election, as one faction
tried to down the other and the out
come was, both got licked.
I notice that the Hotelmen's Asso
ciation und the Pacific Highway Asso
ciation are working hard for state
highways and even they are split by
advocates favoring roads on both sides
of the Cascades and both sides of the
Willamette River; the market roads
have not received any consideration at
all. While I know there is not the
slightest chance to get such a bill
through the coming Legislature. It will
do much harm In blocking legislation
that would benefit the whole state.
I will state that I am an ordinary
farmer living 16 miles southwest of
Portland, six miles from any railroad
and have never received any income
from anv source except the farm. I
have four wagons, 'two buggies and two
automobiles and have driven each a
good many thousand miles, and have a
fair ' idea of how each driver treats
the other when on the road. I have
received as much or more considera
tion from auto drivers while driving a
buggy or wagon as I have from wagon
and buggy drivers while driving an
auto. So let us pull together and work
for a law that is fair to all, and we
will surely win'. The feeling that used
to exist between the farmer and auto
mobile man is rapidly passing as "we
learn to understand each other better.
It is folly for the farmer to think the
majority of auto owners favor laws
benefiting only a few.
A committee appointed by the master
of the State Grange composed of the
legislative committee, the executive
committee and several Others outlined
a bill which I think is the fairest and
best for the state in general that has
been offered to the people or Legisla
ture of this state.
A state fund will be raised from two
sources, first, a license tax of 25 cents
per horsepower on all vehicles that
travel the roads of this state, buggies
and wagons based on number of horses
or animals used to propel each vehicle,
and all others standard rating used to
determine such horsepower; second, be
tween one-tenth and one-half mill tax
levied op all property In Btate. It Is
estimated the vehicle tax would raise
about $200,000, and one-tenth mill about
$90,000, one-half mill about $450,000.
The proposed expenditures are as
follows:
First The sum of $10,000 of $12,000
is to be set aside for the maintalnance
of the office of State Highway Engi
neer and assistance.
Second Twenty-five per cent of the
balance is to be turned over to the
state highway engineer, to be used at
his discretion, in building roads with
the assistance of convict labor, in
sparsely-settled districts which receive
a heavy through travel that connect
different parts of the state in the rough
or arid sections.
Third The remaining 75 per cent is
to be distributed among the various
road districts or combination of dis
tricts of the state in proportion to the
rate of special levy for permanent
roads and class of roads built.
All roads receiving aid from the state
fund must comply with specifications
furnished by the state highway en
gineer and be Inspected and received
by him or his assistants before any
award Is made. A road district may
seem a small unit, but it is expected
that a number along any road would
combine and work together for the
benefit of all.
AH roads are to be let by contract
unless all bids are higher than engi
neer's estimates; in such cases the road
would be i built by the local authori
ties by day labor.
The state highway engineer should
be appointed by the state engineer, as
his office is not political and I believe
we can get better results from one
man than If we had an expensive and
unwieldy commission.
One of the main purposes of this
measure Is educational, as it will dis
tribute a system of engineering so
badly needed, and help out districts
away from the large cities by giving
them more than they are assessed for
the state fund, which extra amount Is
supplied by the vehicle tax and taxa
tion or the large business centers,
which are built by business derived
from the state In general.
Of course some automobile owners
will kick at their tax and so will some
farmers kick at their vehicle tax, but
they are the persons Who are wearing
out. the roads and are getting the
benefit.
In 1911 I toured the United States by
auto and made a special study of roads
in about 30 different states. I do not
hesitate to say that every state that
has made any success at road build
ing has a state highway engineer, nor
is there any place in the United States
having property values as high as in
Western Oregon that has as poor roads.
Let us quit wrangling and get down
to some common sense plan that will
give results. FERD GRONER.
Facts About City AltnlrS.
PORTLAND, Jan. 13. (To the Ed
itor.) Being a newcomer in your city
and a student of municipal conditions,
I wish to ask through The Oregonian:
1. Are the full proceedings of the
Council meetings published in some pa
per after each meeting, or is any rec
ord kept of such proceedings; and
where can such record be seen?
2. Does a Councilman, elected to
represent a certain ward, disqualify
himself for representing such ward by
removing his residence therefrom af
ter his election?
3. Are police officers required to
have any special knowledge of the or
dinances which they are supposed to
enforce? Are the terms of various new
ly enacted ordinances communicated to
them in any official manner after the
passage of the ordinance, or do they
acquire such knowledge merely by
"hearsay?" This with special reference
to the abominable custom of spitting
so prevalent in this city, and prohib
ited by ordinance.
4. What city officer is charged with
the duty of keeping streets free from
Obstructions, such as buildings extend
ing beyond the property line, wire
fences, piles of lumber, etc. .' ,
6. Does the city derive any revenue
from the numerous wagons vending
popcorn and such wares, standing on
the street corners; or do these people
pay rent to the storekeepers before
whose premises they stand?
ROBERT ELLilAJ.
1. The Council proceedings are not
published in full, but the City Auditor
makes a complete official record, which
may be seen in the City Auditor's of
fice. City Hall.
2. Yes; a Councilman must reside
in the ward he represents. There are
CouncIlmen-at-Large, however, who
may move at any time without disqual
ifying.
3. Policemen are supplied with man
uals and an ordinance book, but they
are not compelled to study, although
they are supposed to study, the laws.
New ordinances are communicated to
the Chief of Police by the Auditor and
these are posted at headquarters.
4. The police are the proper officials
to enforce this.
5. Vendors pay an annual license !
fee to the city.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of January 17, 13.
The steamer Scotland, the first of the
Japan. China and San Francisco line
of steamers, has arrived in San Fran
cisco. Olympia, Jan. 13-An act to create
and organize the County of Boise has
passed.
Murfreesboro, Jan. 7. General
Bragg's army left without burying
their dead. The Union Army is now
doing it. The battlefield reveals terri
ble slaughter in their ranks; it doubles
ours. Wounded rebel officers estimate
their loss at from 12.000 to 15,000. with
great slaughter of leading officers.
Our loss in killed, wounded and miss
ing is 7000.
The shipments of produce from the
Willamette are on the Increase. With
a degree of prudence not before allowed
to Oregon farmers, the producers are
availing themselves of the chance to
get the fruits of their labor to market.
The following territorial officers for
Washington Territory were elected on
the 14th Inst.: George A. Barnes, Pub
lic Printer: R M. Walker, the Incum
bent, Auditor; William Cock, Treasurer,
and J. C Head, Librarian.
Bookkeeper wanted A competent
bookkeeper can obtain a permanent
situation at a salary of $200 per month.
For particulars apply to W. S. Ladd at
Ladd & Tllton's Banking House Janu
ary 15. 1863.
The steamer Cowlits. Olson, com
mander, will leave Portland every
morning at 6 o'clock for Monticello.
The steamer Belle. Captain Downey,
will leave Monticello for Astoria every
Monday and Thursday on the arrival
of the Cowlitz. Fare to Astoria, $6.
WHY BACHELORS ARB BACHELORS
One of Them Says He Can't Afford
Lnxsry of m Wife.
PORTLAND, Jan. 13. (To the Editor.)-
How could a man with the
brains that J. H. Nolta is supposed to
have think of such a thing as putting
a tax on bachelors? They ought to be
pensioned for the respect they have
shown the women of the country. Most
single men are not married because
they think they cannot support a wom
an, and they are right. Look at the
man sent to the rockpile here in Port
land for not supporting his wife and
children. One-third of the married
women and children are going hungry
in the world today. No man ought to
be allowed to get married till he owned
a good home and money enough to keep
it going for at least two years.
No woman ought to be allowed to
get married till she could do first-class
cooking and housekeeping. Now for
the woman that thinks this bachelor
tax is just the thing. I don't think any
girl in Portland Is in want for some
boy to ask her to be his wife, and as
the women have the say, why not tax
them as much again as the men for
not saying yes?
If any good clear-minded woman will
just take a little time and look at some
of the married people around them,
that ought to be enough, I think. I
would like for Mr. Nolta to tell me
where he gets his reasons for wanting
us poor starving bachelors to take a
nice girl from a good home and starve
her to death. If we all had good Jobs,
we might take a wife. They are mighty
nice to have about the house. Did you
ever stop to think of the life of a
bachelor? Eating three meals a day
at some cheap restaurant, with no one
to ask us to eat Sunday or Christmas
dinner, no one to say a good word
when we get home. It is a cinch every
bachelor will go to heaven when he
dies, or ought to.
POOR BACHELOR.
Traffic Squads.
PORTLAND, Jan. 13. (To the Edi
tor.) In your Sunday article describ
ing the new traffic rules you speak
of some cities having "five officers
constituting a squad at each important
intersection, one standing in the mid
dle of the street and signalling to the
others stationed at the four corners."
Will you kindly Inform me what
cities have this system? Yours,
READER.
This rule is, or was, In effect in Chi
cago, and is said to be in use in other
places.
One Million Textile Workers.
London Standard.
More than 1,000,000 persons are em
ployed in the textile mills of Great
Britain.
GIBSON
PICTURES
The pictures that made Charles
Dana Gibson greatest of pen and
ink illustrators will be presented
in The Sunday Oregonian, a strik
ing full page being devoted each
week. The pictures which tell
"The Story of a Widow and Her
Friends" will appear this Sunday.
Under-World' Revelations In
the third of his series of articles
Jack Rose, lule gamblinfr partner
of Lieutenant Becker, tells of po
lice graft ajid how it reaches the
tremendous total of .$10,000,000 a
year.
Avalanches Just at this sea
son, when siiouslides arc wreak
ing havoc in many quarters of the
Northwest, a page study of the
subject by an expert is of partic
ular interest. Illustrated by pho
tos. World '8 Biggest Boodle Pile
It belongs to the Czar of Russia,
who is the dean of all million
aires. An absorbing half page
from a St. Petersburg correspond
ent. Centenaries of 1913 There is
an amazing array of them, the
131h year of each century having
been of importance in world his
tory. The Subject occupies more
than a page and goes back lhany
hundreds of years.
Go to Work! This is the ad
vice to women of Alda Gatti, em
inent prima donna. She disagrees '
entirely with the view that mar
ried women shouldn't work.
War Correspondent Adventures
The fourth adventure of Ger
ald Brandon in his experiences
among the Orozco rebels in Mex
ico. Three Pages for Women Sub
jects of immediate interest to
women are covered by these three
pages.
Old Doc Yak He and the other
funny people of the new color
comic pages have fresh frolics for
your amusement.
MANY OTHER FEATURES
Order today from your newsdealer.
I