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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1913)
Wtyt (Dmrtmtnn PORTLAND. OREGON. Entered at Portland. Ortxon, PoitolDct s conl-class matter. Subscription Bates Invariably In Advance. CBT MAIL.) Pally. Sunday Included, one year S.OO Daily. Sunday Included, alx month!.... -M Daily, Sunday Included, three monthj... -2o Daily. Sunday included, one month .TG Dally, without Sunday, one year Dally, without Sunday, alx months. .... Daily, without Sunday three month.... L73 Daily, without Sunday, on month. ..... - Weekly, one year Sunday, one year .... 2-5 Sunday and Weekly, one year -50 (BY CARRIER.) Dally. Sunday Included, one year -00 Daily. Sunday Included, one month.... -" Mow to Kemit Send Postofflce money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at the sender's risk. Give poatofllco address In full. Including county and state. Pottage Katea 10 to 14 pas'a, 1 cent: 1 to 1!8 paxes, 2 cents; 30 to 40 paxes, 3 cents: 40 to 60 paces. 4 cents. Foreign postage., double rate. HICIU OHDCN ,U II tLlim i Iln New York. Brunswick buildinc. Chi- j baa Franrisro Office R. J. Bldwall Co.. 71- Market street. European Office No. S. Recent stret. S. W., London. PORTI.lNn. MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1913. " WILSON'S t)NSERVATION POLICY. Senator Borah's commendation of President-elect Wilson's statement that a policy of reservation is not one of conservation and his definition of the Western conception of the true con servation will be indorsed by every man who really knows the West and who "wishes to see its resources devel oped and conserved, but neither wast ed, monopolized nor reserved. Wil son's speech encourages hope in the West that he will reject the guid ance of Pinchot, who set his own the-j ories above the law, ana or Aaania, who assumes the right to nullify an ict of Congress which does not con- t Wilson adopt Koran s suggestion mitffnir our nn.tuara.1 resources in hands of the people to use, not m ip. Let him treat the settler at well as the man who is ac- r crime, trial is, presume mm nocent until he Is proved guilty. instruct special agents that ..... tn eoAk fVniirl whprp but to find facts whether they vorable or unfavorable to the Let him sell the timber in lonal forests on sucn terms mai nt of the National forests those great areas where trees never have grown and never can grow. Let him unlock the waterpowers, that the people of the West may have cheap light ai.d power. Let him dig the canals Borah suggests, pour water on the desert and open the opportunity for many thous ands to make homes. Let him do all these things and he will prove himself i statesman of the first rank one who sees that the strength of the Nation rests In the multitude of its home makers and home-owners, in the use of its resources, not in placing them In cold storage. Conservation is not a party question and, if Wilson accepts Borates defi nition of the policy he outlined at Chicago, he may expect opposition from men of his own party. But he will secure the support of men like Borah among his opponents. He will have a fight on his hands, but. if he makes it. he will earn the confidence and gratitude of the West, whether he wins or not. A POPULAR EPIGRAM DISPROVED. A current phrase frequently used by agitators for economic revolution Is the statement of Henry George that the rich are growing richer and the poor poorer. This theory is pretty conclusively proved to be unsound, as regards Great Britain at least. In an address delivered by Lord Emmott at Oldham. England. Lord Emmott has evidently made an exhaustive and impartial study of the subject and states good reasons for the belief that. In his country at least, the poor, not the rich, are growing richer. He bases his conclusion on statistics embracing the Income tax. consump tion of leading commodities, rental value of houses and death duties on estates. Incomes of 150 and less be ing exempt from tax, he takes them as representing the poor. Those who have incomes between 160 and f"00 a year are the moderately well-to-do and their number, as shown In income tax reports, has increased from 601,304 In the year I860 to S0S.277 in the year 1906. Other facts showing that this increase Is not due to a decrease of higher incomes to a point below 700, the conclusion is that It is due to recruiting to the ranks of the well-to-do from the ranks of the poor, hence that the poor are growing richer. He next takes up the sources of in come. He shows that in the same 46 years the amount of unearned income, which is usually that of the rich, has increased 175 per cent, while that of earned income above the exemption limit has increased 250 per cent; earned income other than wages be low the exemption limit Increased 100 per cent and wages increased 133 per cent. Thus the incomes of the well-to-do show the largest increase, but no information Is available as to how many persons shared in the aggregate Income or each class at the two dates. A more satisfactory guide, however, is the per capita consumption of the main staples of life and of those lux uries which poverty would cause men to dispense with first. A rich man would not consume more of such a necessity as bread than a poor man, hence if poverty were on the increase the fact would show in the figures. But there has been an increase in per capita consumption of wheat In the five years 1905-9, compared with 1S60-4. Poverty would cause men to stint themselves on meat, but con sumption has increased since 18S0-4 and has only slightly decreased since 1900-4. Consumption of tea has more than doubled; of cocoa has multiplied tenfold; of sugar has increased two and one-half times; of currants has increased 25 per cent; of rice has mul tiplied nearly three times; of tobacco has Increased over 60 per cent; of wine has decreased nearly one-half, and of spirits and beer has shown a slight decrease. Evidently the poor, being the vast majority -of the population, must be living better or there would be a decrease in several of the items which show increases. The class or houses occupied is the next point studied. If the poor are growing poorer, the relative number of cheap houses would increase. If the rich are growing richer, there would be an increase of large, costly houses. But Lord Emmott shows that the number of houses worth under 10 a year has decreased from 1025 to 794 Mer 10.000 ol population between 1880-1 and 1910-1; that the number worth 10 to 15 a year has Increased from 257 to 515 per 10.000, and that the number worth 15 to f20 has in creased from 146 to 235 per 10.000 people. The Increase in proportion continues to be large for each class until we come to houses worth 61 to 80, when it advances between 1890-1 and 1910-1 only from 14 to 16 per 10,000. For the next class, fSO to 100, the proportion has remained un changed, but between 100 and 500 there Is a decided decrease for each class and in the highest class, 500 to 1000. there is an increase only from .67 to .71 per 10,000. Evidently the poor, while using as much of the nec essaries and more of the luxuries of food than forty years ago, are living in beter houses and are able to pay the price without stinting themselves. The moderately well-to-do are more numerous, the number who live in ex pensive houses have actually decreased and only one person in 250,000 has risen from among the moderately rich to the very rich. The number and value of estates subject to death duties in 190o and 1911 also disproves the George theory. The largest increase in number of es tates subject to duty is in the classes of lowest value, beginning with those under 500. and the smallest is in those of the millionaire class. In ag gregate value the total amount of each class of estates has increased in nearly the same ratio, namely, 20 to S3 per cent, until we reach the class over 500,000, which has increased from 24 to 17 in number and from 17,500,000 to 3,4.000.000 In amount. COLLAPSE PREDICTED IN CANADA. Collapse of the boom In the Canad ian Northwest is predicted by a writer in the British Fortnightly Review. He pronounces much of the land now be ing "developed" to be of a speculative character, rapid expansion of cities to have ner-n made on capital borrowed too cheap and many lots to have been sold on Installments to people ' who have no business to be gamDling at all. The history of our Western States is being repeated In that country and the parallel promises to continue to the end of the chapter. An incident of the Canadian boom is the purchase at extravagant prices of large tracts of land by members of the British aristocracy, who propose to create "estates" in the English sense of the wofd. Ignorant of land I'nitioe rtffen icnorant of business, un willing to work and develop the land. they are a menace to Canadian pros perity. The best thing that can hap pen for Canada is that failure and a financial pinch should compel these men to sell their holdings at actual value to actual producers. The worst rhino- that can haoDen is that they should be able to transplant the Eng lish landlord system to rnis continent, n t . U hicrh ror t a rinsed OT1 the eXCeS- sive price paid for' the land and with tenant farmers of the tmgnsn type. If Canada breeds a race of idle rich land owners, who live off and dissi pate their rent roll, the unitea istates will do well to let her continue to finr-ir hv herself. Such a system is repugnant to the very spirit of repub lican institutions. TirE KINDNESS OF MR. BENBOW. It Is certainly nice of Mr. Benbow to permit us to have a commission char ter. We suspect that it would not be impossible to find some men In Portland who, it they had a charter they had prepared all by themselves, would so admire their handiwork that they would not permit the city to have any charter other than theirs, ti,. nnt Mr Renbow. Instead of pre senting his own charter and thereby defeating both It and tne oinciai cnar ter, he will sacrifice part of his ideas In behalf of the broad principle of commission government. To satisfy Mr. Benbow the official charter will be changed in a few particulars, and Mr. Benbow will suppress his own charter. norntn is evidence of DUbliC spirit. Mr. Benbow does not insist that the changes In tne ornciai cnar ter shall be radical or sweeping. Those enumerated so-far are such as one might suppose could have been gained from the charter board when it was drafting the measure. The, troubled sky is indeed clearing In satisfactory manner. But there is still a small cloud on the horizon known as the short char ter. It is the personal property of Colonel Wood. It may be, as it was once before, submitted with the of ficial charter and each will throttle the other. But let us hope that the consideration Mr. Benbow has shown the majority of the people will prove a patriotic example for the few who demand the short charter or nothing. What will they take not to initiate It again? Let us hope that their de mands, like those of Mr. Benbow, will be moderate. Meanwhile the thought ' surges over us that perhaps sometime some measure that the majority want will be held up by one or two men who cannot be diverted from the determi nation to fasten their own views upon the body politic. That there is here illustrated the fact that the power of one or two men to defeat the will of the majority exists so long as paid petition-hawking will produce a com peting measure at the polls ought .to convince the Legislature of the need of direct legislative reforms. MAKING YOURSELF BIG. In his Eugene address William Han ley said to the students: "Tou can't make yourself big by making another little!" Just read that a lew times and then close your eyes and repeat it, and keep repeating it for a few moments until it sinks deep into your heart. Then you will, perhaps, get the wis dom of it. From Mr. Hanley this advice comes with greater force because he has in his own life exemplified that very theory. When he was getting his start as a poor boy in Central Oregon there were two great cattle companies there fighting each other for supremacy and yet unitedly fighting against the coming of the homesteader and the poor workingman to their ranges. These great firms thought they owned Central Oregon. The man who wanted a little piece cf land for a home was, according to their code, not only an intruder, but an undesirable citizen. "What right has a man to take up land if he has no cattle to put on it? None; so we will drive this fellow off." That was the theory of these men. It was a creed as old as the open range. They succeeded for a time. Finally one ranch manager came to his death at the hands of one of these insignifi cant homesteaders. He was shot down on the range with a dozen of his range riders right at hand. Yet nobody tried to prevent the killing or to arrest the killer. "The system" had not been conducive to making friends. The cat tle king's hand was against every man; every man's hand was against the cat tle kind and against his possessions. If his life was not safe, how about his. cattle on the range? . Did the set tlers ever go hungry for meat? Yes, often, for many of those settlers were beyond being driven into dishonesty. But many others argued that it was no crime to take meat from those who hoil mrtM t Via n thuu needed. So theV considered all of the circumstances and helped themselves. Meanwhile Mr. Hanley was plodding along, making headway slowly but surely. He spent no time worrying about the big cattle companies or the big cattlemen. He was mighty busy endeavoring to become a big man himself Tn the course Of events he got an option on the French-Glenn holdings, put in his own rancn ana patHo eaniii-Ail thA "OO" fDoUble O ) ranch and became a. partial owner and iho miiiir nf this greater company I hanama fh. rryaQtast f'l ft OT in the cattle business that Oregon has ever known. At the very outset of his career as Mnnh monao-or- "Mr- Tf M tPV decided tO make friends and co-workers of the small landowners and the small cattie- ..nmavo ont ha edt nhnilt tO H O It. An opportunity occurred very soon. Two of the range riders came into neau quarters with the hide of a 2-year-old hAlfaf zHth tha rennrt that theV had witnessed the killing and skinning of the Brute by a homesteader, rue mue hn the French-Glenn brand: there were two reputable witnesses who would srwear they had seen the settler skin the heifer, bury the hide and then pack the meat home. Mr. Hanley told tne naers to Keep the matter to themselves, cautioning thim that if he ever heard the matter mentioned he would discharge them both. Then he took tne niae to we fptanfi and npicrhhnr who had com mitted the deed. Driving up to bis ranch, Mr. Hanley threw tne nine out and told the offender to burn it so there would be no evidence of the crime. "And," went on Mr. Hanley, "whenever you or any of your neigh- i .i t-u (i T-t. nut nf meat, come to me. Don't kill a fine heifer just come to me and I will have tne boys Kill a guua beef for you,. And remember. Hank, nobody knows, anything about this lit tle incident, nobody ever will know. You forget It and I will forget it and we will be just the same good friends we always have been." "You can't make yourself big by making another little." How true it is! But it is wonderful how rapidly you will become "big" by trying at all times to assist others. That is the rea son that Mr. Hanley is not only a "big-' man at home, but a "big" man wher ever he is known. FEDERAL JOBS TO FILL. The sad story of the disappointed office seeker is about to be repeated once more at Washington. Many think they are called but few can be .hneon Thpir liune-pr for Dlace. pelf and dignity, rendered keen by reading that the Government employs im persons, exclusive of enlisted men and officers of the Army and Navy, hosts swarm to the capital and wait many weary weeks until their funds are ex hausted and they disconsolately obtai:' the loan of enough money to take them home. In truth, the President has power to appoint only 10,839 Federal offi cials, of whom 9846 must be con bi hv ihp Sonata. All the rest are appointed under civil service law or by the superior omcers. tne em roll of Presidential appointees, how ever, Is about $30,000,000 a year and includes all the fat plums on the Gov ernment tree. First to be appointed are the nine Cabinet members with $12,000 apiece, then thirty-two mem bers of various commissions, . ranging from $3500 to $4000 each for the Civil Service Commissioners up to $14,000 to $15,000 for the Panama Canal Com missioners. Then come the assistant secretaries, solicitors and heads of bu reaus in each department with sal aries ranging from $10,000 down to $3000. There are a number of com missionerships, dealing with boun daries, waterways, fisheries, claims, International arbitration and various subjects, which pay from $4000 to $8000 each. The most lucrative positions in point of salary are the ten foreign ambassadorships at $17,500 each, but their incumbents are required to spend so much money in order to up hold the dignity of the country on the scale set by other embassies that none but millionaires can afford to accept the posts, and these must be content with glory as compensation. Then come eight ministers to foreign countries at $12,000 each and twenty eight at $10,000 each. There follow about sixty-five Consuls-General who draw from $4500 to $12,000, the high est figure being paid only at London and Paris, and 241 other Consuls at from $2000 to $8000 each. The largest number of Government employes Is In the Postofflce Depart ment, "namely 272,813, but only 7953 of these are appointed by the Presi dent. The four assistants to the Postmaster-General and the Assistant Attorney-General get $5000 each. Then come the postmasters of the first three classes with salaries of $5000 to 8000 for the first class, 3UUO to 5000 for the second class and $1000 $ to in $3000 for the third class. Next line comes the Treasury with 736 iciriontini nnnnintees. including 122 Presi collectors of customs ranging from $12,000 at New York to a lew aonars in fees at decayed ports, sixty-seven Internal revenue collectors at $4,500 each, 242 revenue cutter officers at $2200 to $4000; 132 health officers at $1600 to $5000 and twenty-six mint id assay officers at $2500 to x6ooo. ,on onma the State Department with The 41 positions, Justice with 383, Inter- lor with 272. There are dui tew in nth a Honnrtmpnt? twentV-eight the in rnmmrvjk nd Labor, eleven in N avy. six in War and three in Agri- The Department of Justice has many fat offices, but the thirty-four circuit judges at $7000 each and the ninety-nine district judges at $6000 each hold office for life, provided they behave better than Archbald did. There are, however, eighty-six district attorneys at $2000 to $10,000 and as many marshals at $2000 to .$5500. aside from the Solicitor-General at $10,000 and the assistants to that of ficial and to the Attorney-General at $5000 to $7000. The island possessions offer some good opportunities. The Governor of the Philippines receives $20,000, the heads of departments $15,500 each and the other commissioners $7500 each. The Governors of Hawaii and Porto Rico are paid $7000 and $8000 respectively. Guam and the Samoan Islands are governed by naval offi cers appointed by the President. Had Congress adopted Taft's recom mendation that all subordinate offices except heads of departments and bu reaus and their immediate assistants be placed under civil service rules, Wilson might have had occasion to give him fervent thanks before the new President had stood siege from the hungry army for a single month. Iniection of religious differences in to the Irish home rule controversy by the Ulster Unionists has brought about a vigorous protest from Protest ant Nationalists. A great meeting of Protestant home-rulers has been held in London, at which Conan Doyle, George Bernard Shaw and many otner prominent Irish Protestants declared their belief, in home rule and relig ious tolerance. The guns of the Or angemen were spiked during the de bate on the home rule bill when prem ier Asquith accepted their amendment giving Trinity and Belfast, the great Irish Protestant universities, repre sentation in the Irish Parliament. The day is past when religious differences can be used successfully in political controversy. Recent news from Turkey is that Adrlanople Is not in such straits for food as has been generally believed. Before the siege began over 15,000 cattle were driven into the city and great stores of maize, wheat and bar ley had been accumulated. Either these statements were put in circula tion by the Turks for the purpose of weaRenlng the determination of the allies to insist on the surrender of the city or the Turkish rejection of the allies' demands is prompted by con fidence that, if war is renewed, the Moslems will be able to put up a win ning fight and hold the city. Gatun Lake, on the Panama Canal, Is fast filling by the backing up of water in the Chagres and will soon at tain Its intended area of 164 square irha nttH was rtnt cleared of vegetation, except along the ship chan nel, for that would have cost $2,000, 000 and trees now project above the surface. The lake Is already navigated by launches, carrying pleasure par ties, and by canoes in which natives carry their produce to market. The lake will become one or tne signts m the canal zone. Gov. Super's first act to show his inrtenendpnre of Murphy is his de- - .1 .... TneAnh V S-rttt. Mlimhv'S uiaiiu mho.... . , , . superintendent of prisons, for the re moval of Warden uennam, ol mo au- nvinnn nenharn was k Pit t in Of fice by Murphy to gratify his rival boss, Barnes, and scott nas reiusea iu nA him. We shall be able to judge by what Sulzer does to Scott whether he is free from tne iear oi Murphy. . gale of the Central Pacific to the Union Pacific Railroad would carry out the original design of Harrlman. Only because Huntington refused to sell the Central did Harrlman buy con trol of the whole Southern Pacific sys tem. His success in effecting that merger awakened dreams of railroad empire, which prompted other mer gers designed to create a system ex tending from ocean to ocean. Turkey's reproach to the powers about broken promises would have n.nn fY.i-e If the entire history of Turkey were not a record of broken promises. The Balkan war itself was provoked by Turkey's failure to make promised reform in tne government of Macedonia. If Greece were to produce another Dewey to steam his fleet through the nowianaiias ha miirht find the Turk ish ports and mines as great a, bluff as were those at the entrance of Ma- -Do., Tn nrnr nnA is itlStlfled In lint j - - counting on the notorious inefficiency of an enemy. The snow storm causes woe to pam pered denizens of citties, who wade through slush, but it causes Joy to npmAfa onI nlacer miners, who see in the deep bed of snow abundant moisture for their crops or siuice boxes. Wilson asks New Jersey, the mother of trusts, to disown her children, but that state cannot undo the mischief Anna h- the hrood which It has al ready turned loose on the United States. Tha TTte outbreak reminds us that Indian wara are not entirely out -of date, but its smallness snows it to De one of the last sputterings of Indian barbarism Readiness of the Washington Bull Moose to do anything for an appropri ation is in strong contrast to their lofty assumption of virtue before the election. That North Dakotan who carried wife and twelve children down a lad der while his house was burning is eligible for any fire department job. If George Cornwall's plan for chairs of forestry becomes law, tne service will be needed about the time the graduates are ready for work. Desire for baseball in Australia Is commendable, but wait until Berlin plays Paris for Continental honors. If Warburton's idea to let tobacco users build the roads be adopted the chewers should pay double rates. Imagination Is running riot over the Valley in developing a nickname for Mr. Strahorn s electric line. Reward offered for unbroken New Year's pledges probably would go un claimed at this late date. Either Taft has changed much since Phlpps last saw him or age is not in proving Phipps memory. Atmospheric disturbance is so gen eral it must be charged only to the result in November It is rather a pity the snow does not extend to Mexico, to freeze out the barefoot brigands. The University of California is top heavy when it finds a tuition fee nec essary. Invitation to sit in the Cabinet will be in the nature of a King's command. Six to ten inches of snow make hard traveling for the Webfoot. Rochester is "being good." The Elks have the "know how." All fhe solons at Salem need Is to start a mint. DERIVING PROFIT FROM GARBAGE How Two Cities Make Mosey From Material People Throw Awiy. PORTLAND, Jan. 18. (To the Ed itor.) While in Columbus, O., I became greatly interested in the sanitary and economical -methods of garbage collec tion and disposal by the municipal re duction plant, under the direction of the Department of Public Service. The Columbus City Council has laid broad plans for a thorough and ef fective plant. All the buildings and equipment have been devised to make the operation of handling the garbage as sanitary and free from objection able features as possible, and at the same time recover as far as possible the by-products that would make re turns that could be applied on the cost of collection and disposal. In view of the question of the pur chase of Ross Island, it is well to note that the. Columbus garbage disposal plant is placed on six-acre tract, and consists of the garbage loading station, garbage collection stables, dog pound, street repair yards, wagon sheds and blacksmith and street cleaning depart ment. Thirty-four wagons are used in col lection. They are built with steel bodies, mounted on heavy running gear, and are provided with spring seats and sectional canvas covers. They have a capacity of 2li cubic yards, and the net weight of the loads varies from one-half to two tons. The reduction plant consists of a green-garbage, or unloading, building, main, . or reduction, building, and a stable. The main building contains the re duction maehinery, including dlgestors, roller presses, grease- separating tanks, refining and storage tanks, drying equipment and evaporators, the boiler plant, machine shop and wafer supply pumps. The part containing dlgestors, presses and storage rooms is three stories high, and the other parts one story high. The unloading building and the main building are. constructed with fire proof steel beams and roof trusses and concrete floor. The total cost of the . collective equipment and reduction plant was $296,530.82. For the first six months of 1911 there was collected 7066.13 tons of garbage. The net receipts from by products recovered from this amounted to $29,615.62. The total expenditure for the collection and disposal of this gar bage was $15,007.19, the profit over cost of disposal being the nice sum of $14, 608.43, or a profit per ton of $2.07. Two of the by-products which helped make this profit were grease and tankage grease bringing in $108 per ton. and tankage $10 per ton. Hides also broirght $4 each. It is said that the Columbus method of garbage disposal is one of the best In the United States, the cost of col lection In that city averaging about 2 cents per week for each residence, or $1 per year per residence. Buffalo, N. Y., also has a splendid system of garbage disposal and reaps a revenue from Its utilization plant. The salable material which helps bring in this revenue consists of newspa pers, sacks, flour bags, rags, tin cans, iron and bottles, which bring the fol lowing prices: Newspapers, per 100 pounds .42 Mbced naDers. Ter 100 nounds. ...... . .32 Manila paper, per lOO pounds........ .60 Charcoal sacks, per 1(M pounds 75 Flour bags, per 100 pound.. 1.7 Baps, per 100 pounds HQ Beer bottles, each ......a... .01 MiTrt bottles, rjer 100 .' .40 Water bottles, each, 1 cent to........ .03 Old shoes, per ton 6.50 Tin rnns. oer ton 4.50 Tin cans made into nailing caps, ton. 65.00 Scrap iron, ton, 14.TO to io.w For the year ending June 30, 1910, the Buffalo plant operating costs were $38,530.60, and the total revenue re ceived was $39,175.97. We must adopt a modern, up-to-date sanitary method for the disposal of the refuse of our city. The public health demands that all waste matter be dis posed of. It is too much to expect of poor people to pay the price now asked for the removal of their garbage. The facts and figures which I have given should encourage a deeper inter est in this very important matter of the cleanliness and healthfulness of our city. While we pride ourselves on our beautiful roses and well-kept lawns, let us not forget the alleys and cor ners of the back yards, where disease breeding piles of rubbish and filth pre vail. The best thing for Portland women to do is to see to it that we have the best-equipped, most modern, up-to-date garbage disposal plant in the United States. MARIA L. T. HIDDEN. BUILD UP THE3 RURAL SCHOOLS System la Great Safeguard of Present Governmental System. PORTLAND, Or., Jan. 18. (To the Editor.) In an editorial January 16 commenting on Senator Dimick's at tack on the rural schools, The Orego nlan hit the nail square on the head, and a harder stroke would have done no material harm. There is an old saying "that the home is the foundation of society and government." Admit ting this to be true, I hold It no less a fact that the common school is the keystone of our representative govern ment, and that any one who would at tempt to lessen its efficiency would be a political assassin. So cripple the rural school that the voters of the future will be incompetent to cast an intelli gent vote, and' the state will be ex ploited by political freebooters who seek to despoil the country by wholly destroying representative government. We have builded here in the United States the greatest government in the world; and this success has been at tained because of our representative form of government aided by our sys tem of public schools whereby every child can be educated to vote and act intelligently. Too much attention has already been naid to our institutions of higher edu cation to the neglect of our rural schools, thus benefiting the few at the loss of the many. I am a firm believer tn higher educa tion, but am more concerned that the vast majority of children who, from various causes, are unable to secure a higher education, are guaranteed the greatest possible benefit of their few years in the. common school. If It were necessary to do so, a few thousand dollars taken from tne sup port we are now giving our institu tions of higher education and paid to competent school superintendents, would insure the best returns on the Investment of any money ever ais bursed by the state. Care and provide for the proper edu cation of the child iiv the common school and the perpetuity of our gov ernment is assured. Neglect tnat eau cation and we will have a government controlled by faddists, theorists and despoilers. s. M. vii.NAHU Die Wacht am Rheln." New York Tribune. The Imperial German library, which possesses the original text of the na tional anthem, "Die Wacht am Rhein," signed by the author, Max Schnecken burg, has been further enriched by the gift of the original music from a per son whose name the librarian cannot divulge. The report states that the "music is written on a quarto sheet of music paper and bears the signature, 'Composed- on March 10. 1854. by Karl Wilhelm at Knefeld.'" The sheet ap pears to have been dedicated to the composer's friend, Wilhelm Greet.. A copy of the music, also signed by the composer, slightly changed, is pre served at the German Museum at Num. berg. The Telephone Invades Jerusalem. . London Telegraph. The telephone has invaded Jerusalem, a system having been installed that connects official points, business houses and soma residences. TERM "WEBPOOT" OBJECTIONABLE Beaver, However, la Satisfactory State Nickname, Saya Mr. Himrs. PORTLAND, Jan. 16. (To the Edi tor.) Kindly permit me to reply to F. M. Sebrlng, who wrote in The Ore- gonlan of January 14. The four lines he quotes from my article pubiisnea on January 5, if taken out ol their setting, convey the idea. It is true, that I said it only rained 15 inches in the Umpqua and Rogue River valleys; whereas, what I meant to say was that in 80.000 sauare miles of the area of Oregon, which would Include all of Eastern Oregon and the section of Western Oregon south of the Cala- pooia Mountains and east of tne Coast Range, the rainfall would not average 15 inches annually. I am well aware that the rainfall of Douglas County east of the Coast Range runs from 30 to 35 inches each year, and in Jackson County the precipjtatlon is from 18 to 23 inches yearly. Personally, I do not object to the rainfall of the Willamette Valley or any other part of Oregon. The rain we get Is our best asset. But I do object most strenuously to applying a word Indicating contempt to the state at large. While I am not a native of Oregon, a residence of almost 60 years in the state, with opportunity to come into personal touch with hundreds of thou sands of people, has convinced me that the careless use of the term "webfoot" has prevented thousands of people from coming here to make homes. I am not alone in holding this opinion by any means. Scores of business men In this city will support my conten tion as a result of their personal ex perience. "State loyalty" should be the watch word of every citizen, and I propose In the future, as in the past, to stand on the "firing line" in the effort to promote what I conceive to be the best Interests of Oregon in every way. Hence the opposition to a contemptuous word as a state nickname, or the use of It in any way. On the other hand, as already stated in the previous article, the word "Beaver" suggests Industry and intelligence. This animal Is a worker, a builder, an engineer that sometimes builds dams across streams that would be extremely dif ficult for the average man to construct Some of the most productive land in our state is the direct result of the work of the Deaver centuries ago. Almost every county In Western Ore gon has hundreds of acres of this land. GEORGE H. HIMES. GREAT GOOD IN WIDOWS PENSION Law Wonld Serve to Keep Families To gether In Child's Formative Period, PORTLAND, Or., Jan. 18. (To the Editor.) Among several splendid bills before our Legislature Is one for the pensioning of widows with dependent children. This form of relief should commend itself to all thoughtful hu manitarians. If there is anything de plorable it Is the institutionalizing of boys and girls. Experts in child study recommend that the child be placed under home Influences, and some com munities have laws preventing any in stitution being more than a relief sta tion from which, inside of a month, the child is placed in a family home. It is better to hire a family to care for and train such children than main tain them in an institution at less cost. The proposal to pension dependent widows would enable them to' keep the family life Intact during the form ative years of the child. It would ba far better for children to be with a good mother, day after day: to have the experience of mutual responsibitllty in the duties of the home, to learn to economize and make the few dollars meet the actual needs of the family, rather than to care for them af our best hotel, or in an insti tution where they never learn the cost of anything and where they cannot be trained In the use of money. In an age when family ties are held lightly, and when parental responsi bility is largely In the past tense. It seems as though this bill is a move in the right direction, a help toward the maintenance of the home and family, and as such recelpients -would be un der the eye of friendly visitors, who would have power to see that children receiving state aid were properly taught and cared for, the representa tives will put the state in debt to them by passing the measure designed to strengthen family life. JAMES D. CORBY. Pastor Unlversallst Church. SEEDS'OP PISGAH HOME TOLD Men on Bare Mattresses I Sick Have Not Proper Food, PORTLAND, Jan. 18. (To the Editor.) I find that our friends in the city are glad to help us in our work when they know that we need help and what Is wanted. We have now nearly 50 men; have served about 25,000 meals in the last year, Bince January 1, 1913, we have served 2007 meals. Al most every man who comes here has to have clean underclothing when he comes. It matters not so much how old or thin, so we can have them clean. We also need sheets for our beds. At the present time sick men are lying on the bare mattresses. These things I deplore, but am unable to prevent until supplies come in. Changes of linen are positively neces sary to keep the vermin out. The Vol unteers of America have sent us beds and mattresses. We still need pillows, linen and comforts. Our sick should have butter on their bread and eggs and such food as will tempt appetite. These we are unable to provide. Our rent, light and fuel has to be supplied. We are not unmindful of the spiritual needs of these men and hold services three times a day, before every meal, also two services on Sabbath, with two mid-week services. We need Testaments so that each man can carry one in his pocket when he leaves us. Forty-seven men at the supper table tonight sang "Over the River" and "Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight?" with all the earnestness and devotion that you hear in other places of worship. Not all are hardened in sin and in every heart Is that which will respond to kind treat ment when it is really sincere. "Blessed is he that consldereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble." PISGAH MOTHER. , Tabor 2492. A "Young" Man of 100 Years. Chicago Inter Ocean. Charles Ashford Shafer, a farm hand In the employ of Abrain S. Sllker. six miles from Newton, N. J., recently be came 100 years old. His first trousers were dyed with the Juice of walnut hulls. His first Presidential vote was for Andrew Jackson in 1834. His teeth "broke down" early in life, but he never has worn glasses. He never was ill until 190Z, when he had the grip. He has chewed tobacco since he was a. He still shaves himself and says his prayers. Last Fall he won the corn-husking championship of Sussex County. When he was 85 ha walked five miles from Johnsonburg to Newton in 65 minutes. Oar Coal Trade Yet la Infancy. Pittsburg Gazette-Times. According to Geological Survey es timates only about one-half of 1 per cent of the available coal In the United States has been mined. Decrease of Infant Mortality. New York Press. In New York infant mortality has been reduced from 185 a thousand to 160. principally by philanthropic efforts. The Brotherhood of Birds, By Deaa Collins. Winter's slipped one over on us 'Buried us in snows: And la grippe and Influenza Seize us by the nose; Beautiful may be that mantle Of the snow-flakes white. But, for one, I'm not delighted With the lovely sight. Misery aye wants companions. Let me seek to know. Something that will share my feelings 'Bout the chilly snow Little birdie, little birdie. Sadly flitting by. You're not stuck upon this weather Any more than I. Misery loves company Birdie, have a crumb on me! When the Spring is tingling round W And when Summer flames, English sparrow, I may call you Naught but naughty names; I may curse your self-assurance. And your brazen gall. And your saucy disposition And your voice and alL But today I make armistice In the snow, you see: You and I are, for the moment. Chums in misery. Gather round, I have no brickbats. With a broom I'll scrub. I alk Clear the enow from oft the sidew Where I'll strew you grub. Misery loves company Birdie, have a crumb on me! Grossbeak, snowbird, roving robin. Join the sparrow bunch. 'Tls no time to pick companions At your Winter lunch. In misfortune we are brothers. Stern adversity. Hath declared a truce between lis- Have a crumb on me. Later on, when Spring advances In the balmy weather. Old relations may renew Now, come sup together. Winter maketh no distinction. Frowns upon us all: So I say, while on the pavement Scattered breadcrumbs fall: "Misery loves company Birdies, have a crumb on me!" Portland, January 19. Half a Century Ago From The Oregronian of January -0, lfirt.1. Cairo. Jan. 11. A Memphis dispati U this morning says that McClernand h a marched to Vicksburg and superseded Sherman. Sherman's repulse was com plete. The entire force under com mand of McClernand had embarked on transports, closely pursued by rebels' advance, which, coming within range of the gunboats, were driven back with severe loss. New York, Jan. 11. The steam Creole, from New Orleans, has arrivii She reports that the gunboat Clifton arrived at New Orleans on the Sd Willi . news that the rebels had made an at sault on the Federals at Galveston on the morning of the 1st Our gunboats were attacked by five rebel steamers. The Harriet Lane was captured. The officers, including the captain and crew 130 in all were killed by musketry from rebel Bteamers. The gunboats Clifton and Owasco were engaged, but escaped. Galveston was evacuated. The Canoe and Saddle Theodore Winthrop has Just published a book with the title which forms the caption of this article. It is principally de voted to descriptions of scenes and adventures in Oregon and Washington Territory. Two notices calling for volunteers were posted at the Postofflce building yesterday. One of them recounted the experience of the writer in the Cayuss or some other war, and advised all persons to beware lest they failed to be paid for their services, if they ea listed. REGULATING SALE OF FIREARMS Mere License More Likely to Promote, Than Minimise Crime. PORTLAND, Jan. 19. (To the Edi tor.) I have recently noted consider able press sentiment against the use of firearms. Some would prohibit the owning of firearms by reputable cit' zens. Persons who are agitating th move most likely are those who hav been fortunate enough to enjoy the. natural lives in a period when nothln more than an occasional case of vlo lence occurs to disturb the peace. The do not recall conditions recorded I history of other days when peace .1 not reign in our land. They probab '. believe we have no further use for tt Implement which has assisted very ei fectively in securing this beautlf condition of peace. ! The question that is bothering the few well-meaning, peace-loving clt zens is: Should the American publ be allowed to purchase firearm. Facts, according to best advices pro curable, are that legal regulation the sale of firearms does not aecom plish the end in view, namely, reduc tion of violent crimes. According ti advices from the files of the Pinkerton detective agencies less than 50 per cei i of murders are cornmitted with til -arms, not practically all, as some wou I have us believe. Ten per cent of mur ders are bona fide self-defense, 2W pet cent by maniacs. 2H per cent Sicilian a r H WannlUnn vendetta, and IV Del cent unwritten law cases. Note the! small percentage of unwritten law cases and maniacal murders. The two classes total 4 per cent. In the cities of New York and Chi cago, where It is next to impossible for the most reputable citizens to arm themselves, no matter what the condi tions are, we find automobiles filled with desperate men running amuck shooting men in absolute fearlessness. Facts show that crime has Increased rather than decreased since these strin gent laws have been put in effect In these cities. There is a way to prohibit the owning of firearms by criminals. In fact, if this idea were carried out and made a law, a crook or a man with a crimi nal record with an lmDlement of death in his possession or on his persoi I would be, indeed, hard to find. Mak. the law more effective by strict eu 1 forcement with no good behavior el 1 lowance and one-half the time serv I in solitary confinement, and double 4 penalty for the offenses of the pa 4 found sruiltv. provided he ha any c ? of an implement of death in his I s session. This would be an easy nd effective manner in which to handle these cases. , It will not assist the matters any to take the revolver out of the homes oi made it next to impossible for the law abiding citizen to purchase firearms for his own protection, nor will It in any way assist matters to charge the dealer sl license to sell firearms. This can In no way assist any In attaining the point desired, tnat oi Keeping tni weapons from the hands of despeiate men. J- A- ADDLEMAN, 1299 East Thirty-second Street N. Rules an to Turkish stamps. London Tit-Bits. Because of a passage In the Koran forbidding the making of Images. Mura- lsh postage stamps have no picture, our. bear instead the sign manual of the Sultan, which iB, In fact, an Impression of his imperial hand. This signature Is said to have had its origin with the Sultan Murad I. who. 'on completing a treaty with the Italian Republic of Ragusa In 1365, and being unable to sign his name, applied ink to his open hand and slapped It upon mo parou- ment.