THE MORNING OREGONIAN, TUESDAY. JANUARY 21, 1913..
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PORTLAND, TUESDAY. JAN. 1, 1813.
ALARM WITHOUT CAUSE.
New York newspapers, the Times In
particular, are much perturbed by Wil
son' Chicago speech. They do not
like his declaration that honest busi
- ness men are not trusted, that equality
of opportunity does not exist and that
business must be set free from every
feature of monopoly. Least of all do
they like his allusion to "the whip of
the laws," or the following statement
made by him after the audience had
failed to applaud his declaration
against monopoly:
I nottro vou do not applaud that. I am
somewhat disappointed, because, unlesa you
feel that way. the thing Is not going to hal-
pen except by duress, which la the worst
" way to brine anything about, because thero
will be monopoly In this country until there
are no important bualneaa men who in
tend to brine It about.
Now what is there about this to
alarm any honest business man who
sincerely endeavors to live up to the
Jlaw? Wilson frankly invites business
' men to dispel the suspicion which fills
'. the public mind by voluntarily coming
within the law and helping him to
' bring others within It. He expresses
unwillingness to compel them by
using the whip of law, but warns them
that, if they render this necessary, he
will use compulsion until he has rooted
out monopoly by curing Important
business men of the purpose to bring
It about.
The Times says that this speech be
trays "only too clearly not only a lack
of Intimate knowledge of the proc
esses of business, but a certain con
fusion of mind as to the fundamental
conditions under whioh the affairs of
the American people are conducted."
It attributes what it calls "the vague
ness of Mr. Wilson's ldoas" to the fact
that "he has lived Intensely for many
months in an atmosphere of grievance,
complaint and suspicion. He has come
to feel, if not believe, that there are
great wrongs to be righted and great
' blessings to be conferred, and that it
is his duty, his mission, to bring this
about."
How could he help living in this at
mosphere of suspicion when it is
about him-everywhere, except in the
financial districts of New Tork and
Chicago? It produced the progres
sive movement in both the old par
ties and the organization of the Pro
gressive party. Its existence is rec
ognized by Senator Root, for whose
Judgment the New Tork papers have
always shown profound respect, in
the following passage from a speech
he delivered in New York:
The cotton planters underJtand each
other, the wheat farmers understand each
other, the Importers understand each other.
the bankers understand each other, but
there ara vaat masses of the people of our
country who totally misunderstand others
of our people, and that misunderstanding
Ilea at the bottom of the spirit which 1 have
. attempted to describe as ao necessary to
real aelf-covernment.
The misunderstanding, and when I say the
misunderstanding It implies erroneous ideas,
for there ara hundreds ot thousands of peo
ple, outside the great industrial communi
ties, who think you are a den of thieves,
and there are hundreds ot thousands of peo
ple who think that the manufacturers of
the country ara no better than a aet of con
fidence men.
Why. we have before us now creat and
serious questions regarding the financial
problems of the country, and this is wha
stands In the way of their aolutlon: It Is
that the men who understand the finances
of the country, the bankers, and the mer
chants engaged In great operations, are un
der suspicion, tlreat bodies of people will
not accept what they say regarding the
aubject of finance, a subject compllcatec
by all the currents and movements of
finance throughout the world; they will not
accept what the experta say. what the men
who understand the aubject any, because they
do not believe their motives are honest. So
that the onlv one who can be heard la the
man who does not understand the subject.
Wilson's language Is vague only so
far as definite measures are concerned,
, for It is too early for him to use more
explicit expression until his Cabinet
. is formed, the new Congress organized
and his policies set forth after coun
sel with his advisers. But his general
purpose is obvious enough. He will
continue in his own way and in prob
ably a somewhat different way the
policy which has been pursued with
such success by Taft In compelling
business to submit to the law.
It Is useless to complain of gov
ernmental Interference In estab
lished Industries to say that the
net result has been to Increase
the cost, that there has been no
tangible benefit and to cry out for
a business man for President. By
their votes in successive elections the
people have shown an earnest, fixed
opposition to monopoly and special
privilege, and Wilson is evidently de
termined to execute the people's man
date. The trusts are the growth of
over forty years and the actual work
of dissolution Is only well started. It
is absurd to expect very clear, tangible
results within two years after the dis
solution of the oil trust, though com
petitors of both the oil and the tobacco
trusts have testified to the actual ces
sation of the practices which destroyed
or restricted competition. The Stand-'
ard Oil Company may need further
discipline to convince It that the Gov
ernment Is In earnest. The financial
organs seem to need further demon
stration that the people are not to be
frightened into tolerating monopoly by
the Assumption that monopoly and
business are synonymous terms. The
people believe that business can thrive,
and thrive better, without monopoly,
and they are determined that it shall
be so. The results will chow as the
good work goes on.
This is no party question. The pur
pose of both Republican and Demo
cratic parties ts the same. Whatever
difference exists is as to details and
methods of execution. The Republi
can party may, and probably will,
criticise Wilson's methods, but It will
continue to approve his purpose.
Succor for Professor Patten, of
Pennsylvania, comes from an unex
pected source. No less a magnate than
James J. Hill Is preaching. In the
Mothers' Magazine, the same crusade
against penurious saving from which
Professor Pattan has been bo reviled.
Mr. Hill rebukes women for their
habit of buying cheap goods. He says
this is the worst kind of economy,
thereby upholding Poloniua. who urged
his son Laertes to wear raiment as
"costly as thy purse can buy."
RIGHTING A REAL WRONG.
The Grants Pass Observer Is printed
on the banks of the Rogue River. Its
testimony on any subject affecting the
welfare of the district tributary to the
river ought to be credited with being
informed. That the people of Oregon
may know how one witness of the
facts feels about the dedication of
the Rogue River to sportsmen and
idlers, and the ruin of the salmon in
dustry, consequent upon the passage
of the initiative cloture act four years
ago, The Oregonian herewith reprints
what the Observer has to say:
It Is reported that at the current session
of the State Legislature the matter of re
opening the Rogue River to commercial sal
mon fishing will be taken up and probably
favorably acted upon. The closing of the
river four years ago waa a public outrage.
It waa accomplished by a atate vote on a
local question. Only three counties are di
rectly concerned, and all the other coun
ties voted blindly. The result was to rob
some W fishermen at Granta Pass of the
means of livelihood, and to closa down the
big cannery at the mouth of the river,
which employed many more.
The closing of the river to the salmon
fishing Industry accomplished no good what
ever. It was harmful in every way. .t
wasted a considerable natural resource of
this part of the state, and It polluted the
Rogue River, from which several towns
take their water supply, with dying, dead
and decomposing fish.
In Justice to the several Interests involved.
Rogue River should be opened . to com'
merclal fishing its whole length, and also
Its tributaries.
The members of the Legislature
from the territory concerned are said
to have agreed that a measure open
ing the river to commercial fishing
at certain seasons should be adopted
They recognize that a great wrong has
been Inflicted, and no public benefit
whatever has been done by expelling
the seine fishermen and shutting
down these canneries. No panicky
fears about "interfering with the peo
ple's laws" are now expressed. The
clear duty of the Legislature is to do
the right thing by Rogue River.
TRUTH AND SOCIETY.
"Why," asked a Tacoma editor at a
recent newspaper gathering in Seattle,
"whv la it that a newsDaDer cannot
cover a society function in the same
way it would any other story?" The
ensuing discussion is reported by a ve
racious Seattle paper to have devel
oped a "small, orderly and wholly un-e-mecteri
riot." For the Tacoma
journalistic outlander's supporters
there were some who agreed win
him are said to have declared that
"all brides are not 'beautiful : their
weddlne- a-owns are not always 'ex-
nuiaitA nr lo-elv': every home where
some affair is held is not 'prettily dec
orated.
The Oregonian hurries to the de
r.naa nf th enr-ietv rennrter. who
seems to have been lamentably friend
less among the ungauant wasmngton
editors. They ought to be ashamed of
themselves for their failure to see in
weddings and society affairs of all
irinria thn heatitv. brightness and per
fection vprv one else sees, instead of
getting together and hypocritically ad
mitting to eacn otner mm iney ate
afraid to tell the truth. One Tacoma
f.i,ii-nnitt lamplv said he had orinted
the facts about a society affair, and
he had not heard the last yet or tne
general public Indignation. We don't
wonder, if his conception of the facts
was as awry and hideous as we sus
pect it was.
an hrMpa nrp beautiful even in Se
nt , i anA Tui'nms although the Se
attle and Tacoma editors Insinuate
that they are not. All social functions
are pleasant and all social gatherings
are happy. We know it. We declare
it. We are ready to point out the ex
act paragraph wherein it all is writ
ton Hnwn in Maim a Charta and our
own revered Constitution: and there
is a reference to the suDject in tne
immortal Declaration which has some
thing tn sav about everybody's right
to the pursuit ot happiness. It is high
treason to say that weddings ana so
cial events are not exactly what they
purport to be.
Th moral of this little homily on
society Is, of course why cannot these
Washington editors see it, for they
practice it and unconsciously sub
scribe to it? that the purpose of all
wedding ceremonies Is happiness, love
nnrt life- and the creneral intent of all
social events is pleasure, light, good
feeling, good ,wm. neignoornness uu
fraternity, as well as forgetfulness and
oTKhminn of the sordid affairs and
many vexations, large and small, ol
everyday existence. What business
has a mere newspaper to seek to ln
mA,ifa in nuch comrjanv the red devil
of petty gossip or the hideous skele
ton in many a closet or tne haunting
emptiness of many a larder?
ECLIPSE OF THE LAWGIVKR.
Somebody has taken pains to come
to the rescue of Mr. U'Ren's standing
as a lawgiver. Mr. U'Ren's reputa
tion as a constructive statesman has
blossomed and flourished In certain
Eastern communities, and, lest It be
damaged by the fact that not a single
measure which he actively and openly
advocated was adopted in the last elec
tion, the Eastern public is reassured by
the Buffalo, N. T., Enquirer. It ap
pears to the marvelous insight of that
newspaper that, Inasmuch as seven
measures that he opposed were de
feated, the people of Oregon are still
taking orders from ITRen. The En
quirer prints the following:
A few years ago William Simon U'Ren
made a practically single-handed begin
ning at making things over In the State
of Oregon.
The character and purposes of ITRen are
best disclosed briefly by reciting his con
neetlone organixer and aecretary of the
Oregon Direct Legislative League, 1S2
1902! organiser and aecretary of the Ore
gon Direct Primary Nominations League.
1004. and People's Power League, Oregon,
196 and lttoo; aecretary of the Oregon
Single Tax League.
U'Ren waa ona of the authors of measures
for direct control of atate government by
the voters through the initiative and ref
erendum, recall, proportional representa
tion, amendments to the constitution, di
rect primary and rigid corrupt practicea
laws.
The official count on the vote 'on taxa
tion and electoral questions, submitted to
the people of Oregon at the last elec
tion, has appeared. Th statement includes
the leading advocates and opponents ot the
measurer.
The people defeated seven propositions
opposed by U'Ren. They adopted two that
he disapproved and turned down two that
he advocated.
Two of the propositions on which the
people disagreed with U'Ren related to
the single tax. They also exempted house
hold furniture, wearing apparel and per
sonal effects In actual use from taxation
against his will and refused to approve
abolition of the atate Senate, proportional
election of members of the House, proxy
system of voting on bills and other radical
propositions in accordance with hia advice.
Nevertheless, acceptance of seven orders
out of eleven Indicate that the people of
Oregon are taking a great deal from U'Ren.
There were twelve, instead of eleven,
measures that Mr. ITRen either per
sonally or as a member of an organi
zation expressed opinion upon in the
official pamphlet. But his chief effort
was to prevent the passage of the
amendment repealing county tax op
tion and to obtain approval of gradu
ated single tax and the so-called U'Ren
constitution.
He was the author of the county op
tion amendment, which carried in 1910
through tricky wording and lack of
understanding by the people. He was
rebuked by Its repeal In 1912. 'He
had presented a form of single tax in
1908 to have it go down to defeat- In
the last election his single-tax amend
ment was defeated by a larger major
ity ono hi? a a-renter nercentatre of the
total vote than In the first instance.
In 1910 he presented a proportional
representation plan and it was defeat
ed by about 7000 votes. He presented
proportional representation again in
1912 with additional frills and It was
defeated by 40,000 votes.
The people of Oregon In the recent
election approved such important
measures as woman's suffrage, regu
lation o nnhiio utilities, eight-hour
day on public works, employment of
convicts on road work ana limitation
of bonded indebtedness. What was
the attitude of the constructive states
man from Oregon City on these meas
ures? Nobody knows.
Seven of the measures on which he
was officially recorded in opposition
were tax measures opposing his pet
scheme of single tax. Five failed of
approval, not because Mr. U'Ren had
given advice, but largely because the
tax issue was so confused by multiplic
ity of measures that many voters voted
against every tax bill or amendment
to be sure that they defeated his single-tax
amendment.
Thft two tn-r measures that carried
"were the well-advertised repeal of the
notorious county option ana tne ex
emption of household furniture, which
was so simple in form that all could
understand its import at a glance.
Two other amendments he opposed
related to "majority rule." They pro
posed unreasonable restrictions on di
rect legislation, and everybody who
had ordinary comprehension of public
sentiment in Oregon knew from the
day of their Initiation that they would
be overwhelmingly defeated. On these
and on the bill providing a millage tax
for the benefit of the two educational
institutions the opposing Influence of
Mr. U'Ren was negligible.
The day of personal lawgiving In
Oregon is passed. The distinctive
TrTtenlo nipAsnre has no standing with
the people. Increasing majorities
against. them on ineir resuDmission
show very clearly that the voters of
Oregon are not taking orders from
U'Ren.
EUGENICS AND ENVIRONMENT.
Professor E. G. Conklin, of Prince
ton University, touched upon the sub
ject of eugenics, not without wisdom.
In his presidential address before the
National Society of Naturalists at
Cleveland a few days ago. His main
point was that, at present, it is not
best to try to regulate the heredity
of ordinary human beings by Imposing
restrictions upon marriage. The most
we can safely do. in the light of our
present knowledge, is "to attempt to
eliminate from reproduction the most
unfit members of society." By far
the larger number of active eugenists
ir with Professor Conklin upon this
point. They have told the world
through every possible medium mat it
Is not by legal enactment but by the
slow process of education that people
must be brought to regard the race
Ideal in contracting marriages. This
ia nni nMrlv ao hoDeless as it might at
first sight appear, because history
teaches us that the instinct wnicn
prompts- to matrimony is one of the
. Jni.ll In the TX-Vl nl H list. Tf can
be trained to take almost any direc
tion 'which is thought fitting m any
rivAB enr-lal state. It is amenable to
religion, custom, parental guidance
and even to law, though perhaps less
to the last than to any of the other
factors.
tjnt Professor Conklin urges the
world to give up the expectation of
ever doing a great deal to Improve the
race through regulating marriage. He
seems to think that the elements en
tering into the problem are so nu
m I. a t n mftU anv real solution
out of the question. He states his
conclusion in this rather aiscouraging
way:i "Society can safely eliminate its
worst elements from reproduction, but
it cannot wisely go any farther than
that at present." We read between
iho Unoa that he believes we never
can wisely go any farther. He Im
plies pretty clearly That It would oe
fivino- In the face of Providence to
attempt any such task as the improve
ment of human beings through heredi
ty. The subject is so .complex, tne
nmhiotn Is so dark that we must
leave It to the powers above if we do
not wish to incur their wratn.
There was a time when men fully
vi.. a- anv Princeton nrofessor
gave substantially the same pessimis
tic advice about tne laws ot tne pnjs
i,.ot i.nivorw Socrates, in fact, taught
that it was impious to pry into the
secrets of inanimate nature. "The sub
ject is so complex and difficult, ne
said almost in Professor Conklin's lan
guage, "that It is plain to be seen that
the gods do not wish us to investi
gate it. If It had been their will for
us to understand the laws of nature
they would have made the matter
more simple and better adapted to our
Intelligence." Thus Socrates held forth
to the young men of Athens In regard
to physical science. If the world had
followed his counsel we should never
hax.-A known anvthine about astron
omy or electricity or the laws of sound.
There never would have Deen any
printing press, steam engine or flying
machine. The work of the world would
still have been done by slaves, as it
was in Socrates' time. Professor
Conklin. and a number of savants who
think as he does, now caution us In
the same way concerning the laws of
heredity.
All sorts of strange and unexpected
things happen in that mysterious
realm, they tell us warningly. The
child born with a good heredity and
reared in an Ideal environment often
turns out a blockhead or a rascal,
while the sons of poor blacksmiths and
ignorant farmers become the princes
of Industry and the kings of science.
"Could anyone have predicted Abra
ham Lincoln from A sturlv of his An-
cestry? Can anyone now predict from
what kind ot ancestral comoinauons
the great scholars, statesmen, men of
affairs of the next generation will
come?" Certainly not, but a hundred
years ago no one could have predicted
u.-hat wonlri hnnnpn vhn a core of
soft Iron wound with insulated wire
should be rotated in a magnetic Held.
At tnat time magnetic induction ana
electrical energy were fully as mys
terious as heredity Is now. The fact
that the former mysteries have been
Monlvail Bnnnnn raa rational mAn to
believe that the latter are neither In
soluble nor does divine Providence op
pose meir investigation.
Practical eugenics must, of course,
be based upon the science of heredity.
Baffling as the laws which govern the
transmission of human life and facul
ties now appear, we have not the
slightest doubt that they will some day
be as familiar as the laws of sound
and that desirable types of men and
women can hp produced according to
the needs of'society. But we agree
with Professor Conklin so far as to
admit that all this Is rather remote.
Of course it is an obvious duty to
take care of the genius that happens
into the world by the current hit-or-miss
process instead. of letting it
starve, as we often do, or persecuting
it, which Is another favorite amuse
ment of mankind. The Princeton man
in this connection makes one remark
which strikes us as extremely convinc
ing. Why Is it, he inquires, that in
all the crises of history' the right man
appears to take the helm of affairs?
It must evidently be because the
race is always producing many possi
ble great men. But they are bdrn Into
an environment which is unfavorable
to their development and so they never
"find themselves," or too often they
are starved and dwarfed. We find pick
pockets in our Shakespeares and edu
cate our Newtons to be hodcarriers.
It was only by a lucky throw of fate's
dice that "Newton escaped being an
obscure farmer, Farady a bookbinder
and Pasteur a tanner." The task to
which we ought to address ourselves
exclusively for a long time to come,
thinks Professor Conklin, is so to re
form educational methods that we
shall preserve and develop our acci
dental geniuses instead of killing them
off. Certainly that duty Is pressing,
but what Is there to hinder the ra
tional Investigation of the laws of
heredity at the same time that we in
ject a dose of common sense into the
schools?
Rovelatlons about the arson conspir
acy in Chicago help to explain the high
fire loss of the United states as com
pared with that of European countries,
though the more inflammable charac
ter of many of our buildings is the
main cause. A crime which is so pre
valent in Chicago is likely to be more
or less prevalent in other cities. Arson
is particularly difficult to detect, for
its success usually destroys the evi
dence. Even when it is patent that a
fire is caused by this means, the cap
ture and conviction of the incendiary
are next to impossible, for he can usu
ally be far from the scene before the
fire breaks out At best only circum
stantial evidence can be obtained, and
acquittals because of reasonable doubt
are unusually numerous among the
few cases brought to trial.
Probably American county govern
ments are, upon the whole, the worst
of all our 'bad experiments In ruling
ourselves. With shining exceptions
they are thriftless and Incompetent
and occasionally dishonest. The glare
of publicity seldom reveals their trans
gressions and they do about as they
please. From this fruitful source come
bad roads, among lesser ills. There is
now on foot a movement to haul coun
ty government over the coals every
where and make it more efficient. No
task could be more useful.
Some of our Eastern contemporaries
begin to discern the promise of the
parcel post as a distributor of farm
produce to the city consumer. In
sight of that kind is not to be scorned
even when it Is a little belated. "The
bane of the producer and consumer
alike has for years been the difficulty
of getting into direct touch with one
another." Thus sagely reasons one
Eastern paper and It discerns the rem
edy for the trouble in the parcel post
It is a debatable question whether
on inmate discharged as "cured"
really is sane. For example, there is
the Toledo; Wash., farmer who ex
ploded dynamite as best means of com
mitting suicide. A man in nis rigm
mind would not have the necessary
nerve.
should th iwomen of the Eastern
states be granted the franchise before
1916, Wilson can count on tne unneu
opposition of the dressmakers. They
mill never forelve him the loss of prof
its on Inaugural ball gowns.
Tf the cstrfkintr waiters In New Tork
continue to tell tales out of school
about the dirty hotel and restaurant
kitchens and the impure food, there
mav he an invasion of sanitary Inspec
tors and pure food experts.
Every good American rejoices that
Helen rjonld ia "very, very happy" at
the prospect, of- marriage and thinks
that Mr. Shepard should De very nappy
also. All hope that their happiness
will continue through life.
Opposition is developing In Washing
ton to the appropriation of two million
for a Lincoln monument Probably the
spirit Is right, for Lincoln is less in
need of that kind of glory of all men,
living or dead.
Every young woman in Oregon who
hopes to "go down to Portland" to bet
ter her condition should read the re
port of the committee of the Consum
ers' League.
Taft and Wilson have each been re
minded that greatness is not always
recognized, Taft by Phipps' lapse of
memory and Wilson by a Janitor's
snub.
T h e one convincing point In making
genuine the spirit communication from
Professor James is the signature.
There is no gainsaying that "Bill."
Land in London sells at five and
one-half million an acre. There Is
a hint to the Portland owner Just
mere matter of time.
The Elder's passengers have learned
that they, that go down to the sea In
ships at this season must expect to
get their feet wet.
,Castro's candid opinion of our im
migration laws would make Interest
ing reading, but it might not be fit
to print.
Having shed their artillery, the row
of members of the Wyoming House
was trivia
The Balkan allies have sent Turkey
so many ultimatums that one grows
impatient for the ultimate ultimatum.
Election of 'Senator at Salem today
and the lack of excitement are like
unto the dull thud in a vacuum.
January thaw is polite term for the
Missouri classic "Hell and high water."
"Brisk southerly winds" mean the
welcome Chinook.
MAKE XO PLEDGES FOR FUTURE
Roosevelt Max- HotBe at All Desirable
In 1910.
PORTLAND, Jan. 1. (To the Edi
tor.) An Illinois paper says that at
the close of the recent Progressive
meeting at Chicago, in a spurt of en
thusiasm. Rev. B. Fay Mills nominated
Theodore Roosevelt as the candidate of
the Progressives for President in 1916,
and that the suggestion was unani
mously adopted. This may have been
well enough as a bit of play, but If
taken seriously would, in my judg
ment, be a decided political blunder.
No one can tell what changes may
take place In men and measures the
coming four years, and promises and
pledges that may hamper free action,
when the tiine for action comes, ought
not to be made. Mr. Lincoln never
said a wiser thing than in the remark
that we ought not to cross a stream
until we come to it
Four years from now Mr. Roosevelt
may be the fittest man In the Nation
as a Presidential candidate: but, on the
other hand, he may be entirely down
and out. and other men may have
Corged to the front. Nobody can tell.
Measures, too, may change in four"
years. The only promise any man (or
party, either) ought to make for fu
ture action is that he will do the best
possible for the right when called upon
to do something.
Those who believe In better govern
ment ought at present, and for some
time to come, be wise, careful and dis
creet They must refrain from any
thing that will cloud the issues or con
fuse the public mind as to what is the
one thing to be done. That one thing
Is to deal with "monopoly." wherever
that monster chooses to show its head.
Monopoly has been the one curse of
the ages. Monopoly never had a con
science,' or pity, and monopoly is the
same today that It ever was. It rules
by the power of might: It never con
sults Justice. Its purpose is that
of the pirate and its practice
that of the holdup man. It claims
the right to tax without limit,
and through this power, if it has its
way, the great body of mankind is to
be reduced to servitude and bondage to
Its Immeasurable greed. It is with this
"monster of such hideous mien, that
to be hated needs but to be seen," that
all fair-minded people of. whatever
name or cult are called to battle. The
Interests of monopoly are united, ano
confident and accustomed to rule.
Those who oppose this monster of the
ages must stand together. They must
put It down or it will put them down.
It Is the old struggle over again tot
lustice and right, and it cannot cease.
It must go on until victory perches
upon its banner.
The great majority of the people are
on the right side of this issue, and
they will win the battle ere long, if
they are not divided into factions and
parties, that resist each other and de
stroy each other's work. Monopoly
will play the game lta devotees have
always played. That game has been
to divide and conquer its opponents,
and it has lost none of its cunning.
False and petty Issues will be trumped
up, and there will be cries here and
there for the purpose of breeding dis
sension and confusion in the ranks of
those It cannot control. But these
well-known devices, must not be al
lowed to succeed. This monster enemy
of human well-being must not be al
lowed to hide its deformity behind se
ductive promises, but must be made
to appear as it really is, and be made
responsible for what it does.
To secure this end the hosts of re
form and of progress must not be con
fused and divided by petty personal
Issues and Interests, or by premature
commitments and unnecessary prom
ises of a personal and transient nature.
It will be time enough to consider such
matters as they come up for decision,
so that when the hour for battle comes,
four years hence, there can be com
plete harmony and co-operation among
all those who stand on principle and
for better things.
If Wood row Wilson can make good,
If he can give the people the reforms
they ask for and must have, well and
good. In that case, and to him and
to the men who aid him, due praise
will no doubt be awarded. At present
he talks right, and I believe means
right, and I believe in his having a
fair field and an open opportunity to
do his best for the Nation. But if he
should fail for any cause, then the ele
ments of progress and of betterment
must unite in 1916 and sweep the
country on the one great issue of
curbing or controlling or destroying
monopoly in all of its pernicious forms.
LEVI W. MYERS.
BROTHELS ENTICE SOLDIERS' PAY
Farmer Soldier Tells of Evils' That
Took Place of Canteen.
MONMOUTH, Or., Jan. 19. (To the
Editor.) Aa one having had more or
less experience as a soldier, I have
been interested in the canteen ques
tion, and unqualifiedly agree with The
Oregonian that your correspondent
Ruggles has a "curious view of the
canteen." I have a rather intimate
knowledge of Army posts from Gov
ernor's Island and Fort Hamilton, N.
Y., to the Presidio. Cal., and the Philip
pines, and have never yet seen a "well
regulated" saloon that catered to the
enlisted man's trade.
A special post I have in mind Is Fort
Douglas, Utah, on the outskirts of Salt
Lake City. I can remember when there
was but one saloon between Salt Lake
City and the mouth of Emigration
Canyon, the soldiers of the Fifteenth.
Sixteenth and Twenty-Fourth infantry,
when stationed there, were held high in
the esteem of the citizens. There was a
canteen at the post Very seldom did
the city police have trouble with the
soldiers. The canteen, was abolished;
hell holes of the worst possible descrip
tion sprang up like mushrooms from
the city limits, clean around the military
reservation up into Emigration Canyon,
and they were still there the last time
I saw the post. The police records
are filled with arrests of soldiers on all
possible charges, and this same condi
tion is or was true in Havre, Mont,
Miles City, Cheyenne, Wyo., and every
spot in the West where an Army post
existed.
I wonder where your correspondent
got so much inside information as to
"upkeep" and maintenance of officers'
clubs and to their use of company
funds. I admit that several officers,
being but human, have been "cashiered"
for the good of the service, but noting
that his letter gives the impression that
the average officer in the regular serv
ice is a "bad un," I respectfully call
his attention to the records' of the
War Department, which will show that
almost without exception the officers
that have been in trouble, either for
conduct unbecoming an officer, or em
bezzlement, or this or that, have been
officers who have entered the Army
from civil life. I of course refer to the
Army service of the Spanish War. The
record of the West Pointer is singu
larly clean.
The regular does not like his "booze"
any better than the volunteer or the
National Guard young man, but he will
have it as long as it is sold, so if
our prohibition friends really want to
accomplish wonders, have a law passed
that will "sap a $500 blind" on any one
selling liquor to a man in uniform;
make it just as dangerous to sell
whisky or beer to a soldier, as It is to
sell it to an Indian. It may be an im
practical suggestion, but it was just
as impractical to close up the canteen,
as far as results go for temperance.
"Millions of dollars for the Army, but
not a drop for booze." Sure, put it
all In circulation in the channels where
It will reach brothel keepers, panders
and prostitutes. F. B. EVERETT.
The Load of a CauneL.
Baltimore Evening Sun.
A camel with an average load will
travel 25 miles a day ana wnen unin
cumbered it will reach 90 miles a day
sometimes.
PRAISES FOR COUNTY HOSPITAL
Patient Hljtkly Commends Treatment
of Multnomah's Sick: Poor.
PORTLAND, Jan. 20. (To the Edi
tor.) In the minds of those who have
never visited a county hospital, and
the very large majority have not, the
hospital is composed of large, dreary
wards, with whitewashed walls, long
rows of cots, filled with groaning and
moaning patients, inexperienced doc
tors experimenting in surgery, and a
stuffy atmosphere, redolent of drugs
and nauseating smells. But it isn't
At least not in the Multnomah County
Hospital. Instead, it is a large and
commodious dwelling, with three acres
of grounds, situated In South Portland,
formerly the residence of Charles E.
Smith, one of Portland's earliest
wealthy men. The wards are the same
rooms as when the owner lived here,
good-sized, airy and well lighted, the
walls kalsomined and the ceilings
tinted, absolutely clean and free from
all bad odor.
The staff of doctors is composed of
the best surgeons and physicians in
the city, who are able, gentle and con
siderate, and no better service could
be rendered, no matter how much was
paid for it There are also three house
doctors, one of them, at least, being
quite equal and, perhaps, superior to
many practicing physicians.
The patients are decidedly a mixed
lot 50 per cent foreign and 45 per
cent of the balance have not lived in
Oregon a year. Almost every nation
ality is represented, men, women and
children, some ignorant and dirty, with
no respect tor themselves or anybody
else, and some decent people, more or
less refined, who, through misfortune,
are unable to pay for treatment. Still,
all are treated impartially, some of the
worst cases receiving better care than
they would in a private institution.
And yet in the majority of cases, no
gratitude is shown, not even a thank
you, a number acting as if they were
paying for It and were determined to
get every cent of their money's worth.
The nurses are all sweet intelligent
womanly girls, working hard 10 and
12 hours a day, and then putting in a
few more attending lectures and study
ing. Three years of this for their
training and what amounts to carfare
(if they don't rtde too often), always
having a smile and a cheerful word
for the patient, whether they feel well
themselves or not, always having to
watch in case some friendly word
might be construed by some fool as
familiarity, and always trying to treat
everyone the best they know how, and
with the utmost imDartlality.
The superintendent of this hospital
is Mrs. A. B. Spalding, ana ner very
able assistant Miss E. D. Mucks. Mrs.
Spalding is a woman of large experi
ence, having had charge of large In
stitutions in the East; a rigid disci
plinarian, absolutely Just, showing no
favoritism, and not sparing herself to
live up to her loftiest ideals, and large
hearted enough to sacrifice ner own
leisure and pleasure to making the
natient more comfortable ana nappy.
Anyone who stops to think what a
mass of work there is In-connection
with an institution of this kind, the
responsibility, the endless petty an
noyances, the planning It must take to
make meager supplies and equipment
meet reouirements. besides all tne worn
of general supervision, will see that
Mrs. Spalding's position is no sinecure.
A lady visitor some time ago asked
me how the orderlies treated patients.
One Instance will suffice: In the
ward where I am confined with a
broken leg a man of 45 years lay six
weeks slowly dying of cancer, some
times having to be waited on 10 and. 15
times in one night hiB bed having to
be made up several times in the same
period. The night orderly is an old
man, and with two nurses has the
whole hospital to look after during
the night from 7 P. M. to 7 A. m-
Yet he never failed to come when
I rang for him, and with infinite pa
tience and gentleness, accompanied
with soothing and kind words, attended
that man to the end.
The last words that man spoke to
me, a week ago, were: "Please ring
for Jimmy." When Jimmy came the
patient asked him not to leave him. A
half-hour later, without a single strug
gle, as peacefully as a child going to
sleep, he died. And this is only one
case of many.
If that is not charity in its broadest
sense, what is? If there are any who
think there is nothing much done for
the sick poor in Portland, they should
visit the Multnoman county nuspiuu,
and they will be speedily convinced
to the contrary. A PATIENT.
METAL PRODUCTION IJf OREGON
Increased Output oiGold, Silver, Cop
per and Lena In ivij.
For several years there has been a
decline in the metallic output of the
State of Oregon, more especially in its
gold and sliver, Dut preliminary re
turns for 1912 show that this has now
in a- to Charles G.
Yale, of the United States Geological
Survey. The mine report or uie oi
vey for 1911 showed an output of gold
at t?3q Am ano 45.221 ounces of
silver. The preliminary returns for
1912 indicate that tne uregon yieia was
about $657,000 in gold and 86,951 ounces
of silver, a marked advance In the sil
ver output Moreover, the smelters re
ceived about 100,000 pounds of copper,
compared with 93,196 pounds In 1911,
j OQ ABA nmmria of 1 P H (i whereSS
dull ao.vvv .
there was no yield of lead in 1911. More
placers are being woraea tnan lonnenj
4n r maiBtv hv hvdraultc meth
ods. The grade of ore In the deep
mines has been much lower than for
merly, although more of it is treated,
n-k. i ....... i.- ,,f the averaae tonnage
value is due to the large quantities ot
old tailings handled, ineir average yieia
being taken with that of the new ore
in making up the totals and average
values.
'i-v. ln.n.t ni-onncer of e-old in Ore
gon is Baker County, as has been the
case for some years. roitowing in
order of rank are Josephine, Jackson,
Grant, Lane and Malheur Counties.
. . , nnn-iiAo of the stAte are now
i n rr o-nlfl .Tnsenhine leading in
the production of placer gold and Baker
In that from aeep mines, ia nnver yiciu
Baker County holds first rank. Most
. v, ...... tn Oppnn 1q milled, verv lit
tle of It being shipped to smelters for
reduction. J.eitner tne souinweoiern
nor the northeastern counties of Ore
gon are producing as much gold as a
few years ago, although the estimated
figures for 1912 show that some little
advancement is in progress. The state
badly needs the adve.nt of capital to
open and develop its deep-mining prop
erties, many of which are lying idle for
want of means to place them on a pro
ductive sianains.
Tbe Sacredness of the Jnry,
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
We overheard this conversation down
at the old Courthouse the otner aay,
and we nrint it as an example of the
loyalty and Intelligence of the average
member of that much mangnea dui
wark of our liberties, the American
Jury- Listen to this:
"Well, old fellow, glad to see you
loose at last What was the verdict?"
"The Jury was unanimous for find
ing the prisoner guilty."
"How lone did it taker'
"He was found guilty on the first
ballot"
"You were on the Jury, weren't you?"
."I was."
"How did you vote?"
"Pardon me, but we jurors are not
allowed to tell these things. They are
the sacred secrets of the Jury room."
i Two Women Confer.
Judge.
"I asked your husband last night if
he had to live bis life over again if he
would marry you, and he said he cer
tainly would." "He certainly, wouldn't";
Half a Century Ago
From The Orefonlan of January 21. 186S
Dr. Bellows says that $393,470. out of
a total contribution to the sanitary
fund of $566,294. has ben given by the
Pacific States and Washington Terri
tory. If other states had given in like
proportion, not less than $9,000,000
would have been raised.
E. L. McGraw, Esq., of this city, has
been appointed United States District
Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Washington. Jan. 12. The court
martial ot General Fitz-John Porter
closed last night. A verdict was
agreed upon, sealed and sent to the
President.
Washington, Jan. 13. Stevens intro
duced a bill that it be enacted that the
President shall be authorized to raise,
organize and equip 150,000 persons of
color for five years.
We call the attention of our readers
and the authorities to the danger of
the smallpox being communicated to
the inhabitants of this country from
the infected district covering nearly
the whole of the British possessions in
the Northwest.
The weather at Florence on January
7 was mild. The morals of the place
were improving. Our correspondent at
that place says that "Cherokee Bob"
and his mate hunted industrlously-for a
fight and at last found it. They were
both killed.
Chicago, Jan. 12. Jeff Davis made
an' address to the Mississippi Legisla
ture on December 20. He said when he
arrived in the state General Grant's
army was prowling on the people of
Mississippi, but when they went to
Grenada nothing was seen of the enemy
but tracks. He has discovered that
the real point of attack was Vicks
burg and Port Hudson, and all who de
sire safety to th Southern Confederacy
must hasten there and lend a helptnsr
hand. These places must be saved at
all hazards.
DENIAL MADE DIVORCE IS F.VIlj
Writer Declare It Proper Menus to
Cure Kvll Condition.
PORTLAND. Jan. 20.' (To the Ed
itor.) Some days ago the newspapers
published the opinions of a number of
our newly-elected state lawmakers on
the subject of divorce, and what they
intend to do to correct tho evil. Ono
legislator brought out the whole sum
and substance so clearly that it seemed
there is little to add. His position is
this, if I understand his epitome: Matri
mony is a sacred institution; to grant
divorces severs the sacred tie; hent'e. is
wicked. He would have his constitu
ents to understand that while he Is a
member of our lawmaking body he. will
do all he can to make matrimony
something sacred.
To arrive at such conclusions and
form such premises requires neltlirr
experience, observation nor knowledge:
all we need Is authority that some one
has told us about It. I protest against
this old humbug. All I agree to is that
matrimony is an institution, recog
nized by law and custom, hut that It Is
sacred I deny. I mean that It may be
sacred the most sacred tie I can con
ceive of on earth, but It Is not always
so. Where a man and woman fight,
quarrel, hate each other and abuse each
other, no amount of mummery can
make It appear sacred to a rational be
ing. It is sacred where there is love,
peace, good will, "not mine, but thy
will be done." cheer and that Inner
glow of Joy which to understand must
be experienced. A beautiful homo
where mother, father and a few chil
dren live, work, love and are happy
you never created such a scene by au
thority, by law, by regulation, by out
siders butting In with their many in
terferences. Such a home is sacred. To
have been a guest -there is to have
come away with a blessing. Such a
family does not worry over the divorce
evil.
That divorce is an evil I also deny.
It is a means to cure an evil condition.
To err is characteristic of humans. Men
make more mistakes than beasts. How
ever, a beast has sense enough to undo
a known mistake. Man alone is blind
enough to stay by his mistake, stick it
out to the end, Imposed on by self-appointed
guardians of his happiness.
There are many tragedies in life; one Is
a helpless child, another a crippled or
maimed person: but no tragedy is
quite so pathetic as a man and a
woman, both up to the average, or
above, in intelligence and virtue, but
wholly mlsmated. continuing through
youth, past the meredian into old age
without one day of happiness; where
the heart yearns for higher things,
better things; where the very aspira
tions are used to becloud their judg
ment and hold them in bondage. And
then the children of unhappy parents:
How often do we not hear the old
threadbare absurdity that a divorce
would be the thing if it were not for
the children.
Here is an additional crime commit
ted against society; not only do wo
seek to keep Incompatibles yoked, but
we are so unjust that little children,
the dear little human in his innocence
and natural sweetness before spoiled
by vice and tommyrot, that such shall
be doomed to a childhood of fear, sor
row and heartaches. No, my dear
Dracos, let well enough alone: make It
easier to obtain a dlvorw, not harder.
No person will leaye a mate beloved:
no person has any -right- to fill my life
with wormwood by preventing me to
correct an acknowledged mistake.
Rather have the authorities cry out
every so often: "Hear ye! Hear ye!
Hear ye! All who are miserable by
virtue of mistaken choice, separate!
Do not increase the misery of the world
by continuing a path you know to be
bad!" ERNEST BARTON.
As to Cleaning Sldewnlks.
TORTLAND, Jan. 19. (To the Edi
tor.) I thank you sincerely for the in
formation asked for In my communica
tion regarding sidewalks. The long and
short of the matter is that It is the
duty of the police to enforce an ordi
nance enacted for the purpose of main
taining clean thoroughfares. This be
ing a fact the question naturally arises
why don't they get busy? for there is
an abundance of first-class material for
them to work on. I can point out a lo
cation on Belmont street from Sixty
third to Sixty-eighth, which is sorely
in need of attention, and, by letting no
guilty man escape, that avenue would
be, as designed, an ornament to the
city, instead of a disgrace, as it is now.
As conditions now are, it seems to be
a case of the public versus indifferent
property owners, with the police hold
ing the balance of power and not mak
ing use of it as servants of the people.
The law is Ignored, sidewalks are im
passable, citizens outraged and indig
nant, condemning both lot owners and
administration. Either the ordinance
or the .police is defective or Inoperative.
If the former. It should be annulled and
expunged from the records and a bind
ing one substituted; if the latter, they
should be arraigned and disciplined.
H. H. DELANO.
It should have been said in reply to
Mr. Delano's other letter on the same
subject that the police encounter the
same difficulty in keeping sidewalks
clear that they do In enforcing the weed
Avtnnnee. When the owner of the ad
jacent property is a non-resident he is
without the Jurisdiction of tne city ana
-nnnnt he nnninhed if he nefflects to
clear the walks. A city ordinance gives
authority to tne ponce aeparimem
employ men to keep such sidewalks In
proper condition and assess the costs to
II.. rtrnnevt. hilt tt l RXfr ted bv the
liio '"l' -J I - .. -
department that there Is no fund avail
able for the initial cost of the wora.
t.uAaf.ra the tear 1 in oner At i ve as to
the sidewalks fronting property owned
by non-resiaents.