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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 1913)
TIIE MORXIXG OKEGOXIAN, WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 22, 1913. 10 PORTLAND, OREGON. Entered at Portland. Oregon. Fostomcs as Second-class matter. Eabscrlptioa Rales Invariably In Aavnnea. (BT MAIL.) Diflr. Sunday Included, one year......8.eo Dally. Bandar Included, elx montns., Dally, Sunday Included, three months. DallT. Sunday included, one month.., HiI't without Sunday, one year...... 4.15 2.2S .75 .00 Dally, without Sunday, six montha -2S Daily, without Sunday three montha.... 1T8 Dally, without Sunday, one month...... .JO Weekly, one year J Eunday. one rear . . . . . . " Sunday and Weekly, one year CST CARRIER-) Dally. Sunday mchifled. one year.; t.00 Tl.llv Bn.ri. Inolnilnl oltl month...- Haw to Remit Bend PoetoSlce money or der, expreae order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are the sender's risk. Give poatoftlce address In full, Including county and state. Postaee Katre 10 to 14 pases. cent: 1 to 2s piges. 2 cents; SO to 40 rages. eents; 40 to SO paces. 4 cents. Foreign poetace. double rate. Eastera Business Offices Yerreo Conk lln New York. Brunswick bulldlnc- Chl cajro. Stecer bulldlnc. Eu Francisco Office R. J. BldweU Co Tz Market street. European Office No. 8. Regent atret, 8. W.. London. PORTLAND, HTnT-SDAT, JAN. tS, 1918. A DUS11MTJS BO AD FLAN. The House committee on roads and highways deserves commendation for the early and earnest effort it has made In behalf of constructive road legisla tion. In one short week at Salem the committee has devised a general plan, the details have been set forth 'suc cinctly In the form of a circular, and this document has been sent out with pressing invitation to those who have been active in attempting to secure road laws to offer any criticisms which may suggest themselves. The circular has been prepared by W. Irving Spencer, of the committee. The good roads issue Is one that Is uppermost in the minds of the people of Oregon. The desire for a workable plan to provide permanent roads for the benefit of the greatest number of people with the least possible burden on the taxpayers is held by everybody. Of that there can be no question. The only differences that exist relate to the method of accomplishing the de sired result. These differences, not lack of sentiment in favor of good roads, resulted in defeat of the several road building plans presented to the voters in the last election. . , The plan devised by the House com mittee is in some respects a compro mise. But it is not all involved in one measure. The bill designed to enablo counties to incur bonded indebtedness for road bounding; stands alone. It is to possess none of the controversial features whica caused the defeat of three enabling acts at the polls. It will simply give executing force to the constitutional amendments adopted in 1910 and 1912. These amendments declared a principle but left to the Legislature the duty of providing a method by which counties may take advantage of the removal 'of constitu tional restrictions on road indebted ness. This enabling act is the main stem of the road issue, but experience in the 1911 Legislature and in the 1912 general election has demonstrated that the incorporation of detail meth ods of road construction in the primal enabling act will almost certainly re sult in the failure of the whole bill. To present a bill that stands distinctive and alone as a measure to permit counties to contract bonded Indebted ness, the funds derived therefrom to be expended in accordance with present laws or in a manner to be outlined by new legislation. Is the most practical first step in the solution of the road problem in Oregon. This much of the House comirrittee's plan ought to bring forth little objec tion from road enthusiasts. The co related measures that are outlined may- uncover some criticism that de serves consideration. Insofar as they do The Oregonian joins with Mr. Spencer and the committee in urging that the objections be plainly and fully stated and forwarded to Mr. Spencer at Salem without delay. But for our part we look upon the other proposed bills as a conservative economical and justifiable effort to feel the way to ward a permanent and comprehensive system of state aid and state supervi sion of main highway construction. It is proposed that the highway commission or commissioner shall work with the county authorities in every instance. The commissioner is to be a road expert recognized as such by the Department at Washington. His work will be to instruct and advise the County Court, when called upon to do so, and only when state aid is accepted by the county.- The county authorities will designate the road to be improved with state aid; they will appoint a county road expert; the state commis sioner will see that the state's money is not wasted, having the power to re move the county expert If he prove inefficient, but not exclusive power to appoint his successor. In other words, the main factors in road construction are to be left to county control. tf-tate aid with money Is to be experimental. The maximum sum that can be devoted to this' purpose in two years will be J680.000, of which J200. 000 will be raised by taxing automo biles and the remainder by direct tax ation. The appropriation is not to be continuous, nor is it proposed to levy a specific state road tax, either of which would require action by the suc ceeding Legislature if the plan did not work satisfactorily. On the other hand, the state-aid plan will pass out of ex jj lstence in two years unless it be con tinued or enlarged by the Legislature of 1915. Meanwhile it will be optional with each county as to acceptance of state aid. The plan is sufficiently guarded to prevent the useless expenditure or waste of any great portion of the fund available. It may be within the bounds of possibility, if every county avails itself of this state aid and the total expenditure on roads aggregates Jl, 360,000 in two years, that the best for the money will not have been obtained. But even so the loss will not have been total or even great, and defects in the system will be so disclosed as to permit of wise revision and posstbly unanimity of opinion at the end of two years. The plan cannot be criti cised on the score that it is too ambi tious. It is extremely moderate. The House committee is on the right track. Farmers will observe with mingled emotions that "seeds, plants, bulbs, roots and books are excluded from the parcel post." Upon these articles the old postage rates must still be paid, or one may resort to the benevolent express companies. The seed com panies, whose glorified catalogues just now illuminate the mails, announce that they can send seeds and plants "to almost every postoffice in the civilized world outside the United States by in ternational parcel post." If the Ameri can farmer is displeased with his lot he can emigrate to Canada. DANGEBOCS. If the mercantile, jobbing, wholesale and other concerns of Oregon, which chance to be incorporated, understood fully the exact purport of Senate bill 217 (Legislature of 1911) they would probably take some measures to secure its defeat by the present Legislature through support of the veto of Gover- nor West. The bill was passed two years ago, but was returned to the present Legislature with the Gover nors disapproval, stated In the follow ing clear language: The bill undertakes to provide a differ ent rule for bringing- actions against cor porations from that which applies to priv ate individuals. Under existing laws both are treated alike. The kernel of the bill is found in the following amazing provision; When the defendant Is a corporation, an action may be commenced and tried in any county in which the defendant has an of fice or agency established for the purpose of transacting or soliciting any portion of Its business, if the plaintiff resides In said county It Is a safe rule that a suit against a corporation or an Individual should be brought at the home of the defendant or in the county where the cause of action arises. But it is a wide depart ure from Just or sound practice that a corporation transacting business in Portland and having an agent or can vasser soliciting business in Klamath County, for example, should be haled before the courts there to defend an action, even though the breach or tort, or whatever the source of the dispute, may itself have arisen in Portland or in any of the other counties In Oregon. The bill has passed the Senate over the Governor's veto; but it ought to be defeated in the House and a meas ure substituted that will not be capable of gross abuses through Inspired and troublesome lawsuits. THE THINGS ONE OTGIIT TO KNOW. The Oregonian prints today a let ter from an unwitting enemy of the common schools. His name Is George C. Mitty. He does not Intend to be an enemy. In fact, he Imagines himself o be a friend of the schools. But he ,s not a friend. He is a foe because he opposes the adaptation of the public schools sto the needs of life. He wants the schools to teach nothing but read ing, writing, arithmetic, grammar. spelling and kindred subjects." These branches, he says, are essen tial studies." Such subjects as agri culture, domestic science and manual training he calls "fads." He recites with horror the fact that the minds of some school children "are being di verted" from grammar and kindred subjects to "chicken-raising, garden ing, repairing public roads. The County School Supervisors encourage the study of roads, gardens and chick ens, and therefore our friend thinks they ought to be cut off. It is probably useless to remind Mr. Mltty that the public schools have been dosing the children with arithmetic, grammar and spelling for a good many years, to the utter neglect of such fads" as manual Industry, farming and domestic science, with the result that the American home is. deteriorat ing, the American farm is losing Its cultivators and the American birth rate has fallen to the danger line. A boy might learn all the grammar that was ever written without know ing how 'to make a living or perform his duties as a citizen. He may spell all -the words in the dictionary and still be unable to vote Intelligently. If the schools had begun to teach road building fifty years ago we should not be paddling through the bottomless Oregon mud as we are now. If they taught less grammar and more dairy ing and gardening we should not have to import butter and eggs from the East while our Oregon farmers can see no way to raise money to pay their taxes. The Oregonian hopes to see the day when the public schools will teach pig raising as well as chicken raising, and the more domestic science they install the better we shall be pleased. ' As to giving credit at school for home work, which Mr. Mitty thinks is so improper, it may allay his distress to learn that this plan has been com mended by -the United States Bureau of Education, which has invited Su perintendent Alderman to prepare a bulletin on the subject. THE TELEPHONE PROBLEM. Reference to the Interstate Com merce Commission of complaints to the Attorney-General that the Bell tele phone system violates the anti-trust law by discriminating against -the In dependents and against the Postal Tel egraph as against the Western Union Telegraph Company raises the whole question of whether we can safely al low the creation of a monopoly in a branch of business where, under ideal conditions, a monopoly would best serve the public interest. Under ideal con ditions there is the rub. The best telephone service Is that which gives any patron in any place connection with any other patron In the same or any other place with the least delay at reasonable cost. That such service could be best rendered by one system under one management Is unquestionable, provided that efficien cy can be secured. Competing companies militate against economy through duplication of plant, but in favor of efficiency through the spur of competition. Improved apparatus is continually being invented, but a mon opoly, having a large investment in a plant, which a new invention would put out of date, has a direct interest in buying the patent, suppressing the new device and blocking progress. Federal and state regulation instant ly occurs to tho mind as a safeguard against the evils arising from such a monopoly, but here again we are con fronted by the problem of efficiency and economy. Could we rely upon the Interstate Commerce Commission, or the State Public Utilities Commission always to exact these essentials? Not unless we secured in the members of those commissions the highest stand ards of competency and integrity. We cannot secure those qualifications un less there exists among the people who elect these men a controlling purpose to elect only men who possess them. Having elected the commissioners, we need to be wide awake and watchful of their work, that they do not relapse into Indolence or too great complai sance to the interests of the corpora tions. We need to vest them with great power and then to see that they exercise it to tho public interest with out abuse. ' It Is not easy to secure the election of men of this type or to Induce the people to intrust them with the au thority necessary to accomplish the results desired. Then the alternative appears to be competing telephone companies with all their accompanying Inconveniences to the public but with their good moral effect on each other, each under Federal and state super vision? which can minimize the incon veniences. In short, we must pay the penalty of the inefficiency of our gov ernmental machinery, which renders impossible those ideal conditions that can exist only with a monopoly under efficient, absolute Government contcol. .. AFTER SIXTY TEARS. Harry Lane has been elected United States Senator by the Legislature in response to the mandate of the people. It is a circumstance of no importance, perhaps, but it certainly is of special significance that Oregon now has, through the Oregon system or will have after March 4, 1913 two Demo cratic United States Senators and a Democratic Governor. It has been full sixty years since (with the exception of a brief interval, when Oregon was really a Democratic state) there was a like situation. It is to be assumed that it is the deliberate desire and purpose of the people of Oregon that, though it is nominally a Republican state, it should reserve its greatest honors for its Democratic politicians. Senator-elect Lane has been promi nent in Oregon affairs for many years. He has been an active and successful medical practitioner and several times a successful candidate for public of fice. He has energy, capacity, cour age and resourcefulness; and he will have -an unexampled opportunity to serve the people of Oregon at Wash ington. We are sure that he is anxious to serve them well and faithfully; and we solicit for him the co-operation and support of all interests, political, com mercial. Journalistic and popular, in whatever he may undertake for the benefit of state and Nation. TOUGH ON THE ARMY. The Oregonian has been asked to state precisely what a canteen in the Army is or was, since that wise and beneficial temperance institution has been abolished by Congress through the importunities of men and women who desired to take the Government "out of the saloon business." , They succeeded, and the canteen has been superseded by vile resorts conducted by men who have no wish to promote moderation, cleanliness, economy and decent living among the soldiers. The canteen is really a place of rec reation, amusement and instruction. Credit is allowed to soldiers up to one fifth of their monthly pay, and all profits are to be emploj'ed for other minor luxuries. With regard to intox icants, the regulations are (or were): The Bale or v.se of ardent spirits or wine In canteens Is strictly prohibited; but the commanding officer is authorized to permit light beer to be sold therein by the drink, on week days, and in a room used for no other purpose, and, when practicable,, in a building apart from that in which the can teen is located, whenever he Is satisfied that the giving to the men the opportunity of obtaining such beverage within the post limits has the effect of preventing them from resorting for strong Intoxicants to places without such limits and tends to promote temperance and discipline among them. The practice of what is known as 'treating must not be permitted. Clear and sensible enough; but now we have the post saloon, outside' the reservation, with results that are thus described by Lieutenant-Colonel Jefferson R. Kean, Assistant to the Surgeon-General of the Army: Mentally; the Regular Army of the United States has no peer. The American Army is in a deplorable condition physically. That is, alcoholism and disease have weakened the Army to such an extent that the standard physically Is below that of the armies of European countries. This condi tion is appalling to students or the service. The effect alcohol and disease have on the troops, mainly young men, is serious. Yet alcoholism and disease are vastly to be preferred to the canteen! It is fun for the prohibition frogs, but hard on the Army boys. MR. Bl'RGARD'S ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN. John H. Burgard preaches to the young of this generation the sound doctrine of thrift, economy and fidel ity to work. His interview, published In The Oregonian last Sunday, is an impressive discourse upon these funda- mental virtues. Mr. Burgard has no patience with the young chap whose gaze Is fixed upon the clock during office hours and who flits from his home to some place of amusement every night. When he was asked to what he ascribed his own success, which has been considerable, Mr. Bur gard replied with some emphasis, "To the fact that I never watched the clock." Of course by these words he meant a little more than appears on the surface. Merely sitting in an arm chair with one's eyes resolutely turned away from the face of the timepiece would not insure success. What Mr. Burgard means is that a young man who wishes "to travel the pleasant road to wealth and power must become so absorbed in his work that he forgets about the lapse of time. Mr. Burgard had enthusiasm . and devotion to his duties, but with those faculties he also possessed a good brain or he never could have done what, he Jias in the world. Do the best we may to equalize hu man conditions, we shall forever have to face the fact that some men have more intelligence than others. The best brains have always won the prizes of life and there is much reason to be lieve that they always will. By, "best brains" we do not necessarily mean those capable of acquiring the most book knowledge. Mr. Burgard rather depreciates the value of what com monly goess,by the name of "educa tion" as a help in active life, and we are of the same mind. True brain power means the ability to direct one's energies steadily to a chosen end. It means mastery of emergencies, con centration, grasp of conditions, per suasiveness with other people and a dozen other qualities which are not apt to be learned out of books. Mr. Burgard's opinion seems- to be that, with some obvious exceptions, the best preparation for business is obtained not at any school, either high or low, but in a business office. This is probably true. Mastery over work comes by actual contact with work. If a person has the inborn power to win victories he will win them. If he has not he will fall and no amount of theoretical culture of the miscellaneous sort usu ally obtained at school will help him. Granted a sound body and a good brain- to begin with, we think these essentials, as Mr. Burgard views them, may all be summed up In the phrase "good habits." William 'James told the young long ago that if they wished to succeed in life they must start out by "forming habits which would be their friends and not their enemies in later years." Mr. Burgard preaches the same excellent doctrine in lan guage not less forcible than the phi losopher's. He lays particular stress upon the "home-keeping habit." Havei a home and learn to love it This Is good before one is married. It Is better afterward. A little place In the suburbs, where a man can center his Interests and innocently occupy his leisure hours, has saved many a life from shipwreck. Mr. Burgard be- lieves as ardently as President. Eliot in early marriages. "I believe in early marriage," he says. "In fact, that is the only thing for a young man. He needs a helpmate early in life." The only genuine and lasting pleasures of life center round the home and family. A good wife gives a young man some thing definite to work for and inspires him with unfailing ambition to rise in his calling. More than that, one who has a home is free from the vicious peril which wrecks so many promising lives. , One more point from this sermon, which we hope every young man in Oregon has read. It is fatal, says Mr. Burgard, "to feel that your employer does not appreciate you. If he has the ability to remain an employer he certainly does appreciate you. He Is watching your work, weighing your merits and in due time he will not fail to promote you." What could be more reasonable? Is it not the interest of every employer to utilize to the utmost the abilities of his men? FARMERS AND COT MARKETS. The Oregonian has received a copy of a new magazine, to which we wish success. It is called "The Housewives' League Magazine" and its'purpose is to promote "a National movement in the interests of the home." We are treated now-a-days to a great deal of elo quence touching upon the safety of the home. If we may believe what they say, all our politicians are occupied day and night thinking up plans to promote its welfare. But something always seems to interfere to prevent their plans from getting into practice. The Housewives' League hits the nail squarely on the head at the out set. The welfare of the home, it as sumes, is a question of money. The more food, clothing and comfort the family can obtain from the income at its disposal the safer the home is. For this reason the new magazine attacks the subject of waste in distributing farm products. This, we are told, is one of the principal causes of the in creasing cost of living. Shrewd and practical as we Americans are in many particulars, we have not been shrewd and practical enough to get goods from the producer to the consumer without putting them through a foolish process of repeated handlings, which, in. some cases, add several hundred per cent to their cost. One of the best articles In the maga zine is t-pr the Hon. Cyrus C. Miller, of New York. He is president of the Borough of the Bronx and chairman of Mavor Gaynor's market commission. Mr. Miller says truly that a farmer who wishes to sell produce in town has to choose between two alterna tives. He may sell to an agent for cash, or he may sell through a com mission man. The agent will pay the farmer a ridiculously small price and exact of the city consumer a high one, reaping a profit at both ends of the transaction. At any rate, Mr. Miller thinks that a better system of distribution is sadly needed. He believes that if the farm ers had a good and reliable market for their produce there would be no need to preach, to them about raising larger crops. They will increase tneir crops as soon as they are able to sell at a profit what they already grow and, as Mr. Miller sees it, not before. If "$10 a week is the lowest wages upon which a girl can live in Port land in health and comfort," how are those living who get no more than or J6? No doubt some of them live with parents, but what about the oth ers? What about those wno live in rented rooms? Of what use is it to preach about the beauty of virtue to a girl who Is starving? She ought to stand like a rock against the tempter's wiles, but can we expect that she will? The election of Joseph W. Weeks as United States Senator from Mas conhnccfto rins caused Joseph Walker, one of the state leaders, to declare for the initiative and referendum and join the Progressive party. Yet the Massa--,,,tt T,eirislftture. under Republican control, was the first state to ratify the amendment for direct election of Senators. i Appointment of Charles R. Crane to a portfolio In the Wilson Cabinet or as Ambassador to London is predicted as a reward for his being the heaviest financial backer of Wilson. Crane gave money to both the Wilson and La Follette campaigns. With him it was anything to punish Taft for re calling him from the mission to China before he had started. The Wilson tariff bill of 1894 was the work of a college professor. The new Administration is to be headed by a college president. We shall soon see whether the work of the one is better than the other. i- - .i...,i tn hnv tfi nnnnrtitnitv once in a while of at least partially In dorsing ine viewa ui .tsw..,-.., it is so seldom possible. Cottage Grove Sentinel. A frank confession of chronic opacity. uu- ynnnv male aviators would have the nerve to control an aeroplane and guide it safely to land alter tney naa been blinded as was Miss Miller? By engaging in rough-and-tumble fights on the New York streets the striking garment makers are making business for their employers. v-i.--Spna.tor Lorlmer is one of the incorporators of a Republican club in Illinois. Just sucn people mane clubs necessary. The Ohio, which rises at times sev enty feet, will have nothing on the Yamhill when the snow melts. Much Taft cares for criticism of his taste for ragtime. His critics passed the limit in November. City prisoners now enjoy the sensa tions of Box and Cox, the two heroes of a once-famous play. Objecting to the inaugural ball, per haps Wilson would favor an ice cream social next Summer. One simply is obliged to admire these scientists who can enlarge the universe at will. Deep snow at Hood River and White Salmon means good apples this year. "Standing room only" at that popu lar Winter resort, the City Jail. Lane Is a familiar name in Oregon history, down to date. An Observing Walter. ' London Tit-Bits. Close Sims While in Paris I paid $3.75- in. tips alone. Waiter (assisting; him on with his coat) You must have lived there a good many years, sir. CITY AND RURAL SCHOOL COURSES Writer Believe Distinctive Systems Are Given Too Great Kncawrasresaent, OREGON CITY. Jan. 20. (To the Editor.) A great deal of attention is being drawn toward our public educa tional system of late, and our leading educators are trying so to arrange it that our public school system will give every boy and girl a practical educa tion. That is, when a girl or boy has completed her or his education, they will be ready to enter upon life's work. be It as seamstress, cook, artist, black smith, carpenter, or farmer. Now this, in our opinion, is the only right system to encourage. But If I understand the plan that these leaders are gradually developing by legislation and otherwise. it certainly will fall to produce the desired result. . The plan is, it seems to me, to have two distinctive systems.' One for the city, the other for the country. The system for the city aims fundamentally to transform the qity boy into a car penter, millman, blacksmith, lawyer, etc. While the country system aims to make every country boy a farmer, horti culturist, poultryman, etc. An imag inary line to be drawn around the city, and another around the country, mak ing two distinct circles of citizens with two separate notions of their own about each other eventually. Let these earnest men and women who are striving to make this division, investigate and they will discover more natural born statesmen, lawyers, doctors, business men, carpenters, blacksmiths, electricians,, philosophers. mechanics, among the country boys than among an equal number of city boys. They will find more natural born Intellects among the country girls to fill the positions required by wo man In the city, than among an equai number of city girls. And it is safe to say that there are many natural born farmers and horticulturists among our city boys. Therefore, artificial restric tions cannot long be made to endure. Our educational system must remain uniform to get the best results, city and country education alike. Teach agriculture and horticulture to the city student as well as the country student. Teach the country boy and girl law, medicine, business, mechanics the same as the city lad and you will be following in the footsteps of nature by giving every human being oppor tunity to develop his natural talents regardless of whether he lives witnin the confines of what we call a city or whether he lives in the unbounded limits of the country. To do this the country must have schoolhouses as large and as well ar ranged for elementary learning as are found In the city. Not a little old fashioned house as we find It today near every farmer's door, as it were Consolidation of country schools, as It is known, is the only plan that will be successful, and money spent in any other way, such as supervisor laws for rural schools is hard earned money thrown away; for It is only the con tinual presence of a master mind that makes for discipline and progress in any institution of learning. It might also be noted in passing, that the great majority of well-trained principals and teachers of city schools who succeed in a city school, are failures in a one-room country school and on the other hand the majority of country school teachers succeed In the city school. ROBERT UINTrihiK. DO THE SUPERVISORS SUPERVISE Taxpayer Questions Whether Value Is Given for Money. MULINO, Or., Jan. 20. (To the Edi tor.) I read with a great deal or in terest an editorial in The Oregonian in regard to the school supervisor law, which you say Is in danger of being repealed by our present Legislature. I do not wish to be classed as one who Is opposed to it, for I realize there is a great need in our country schools of the help which a compe tent supervisor can give, but the ques tion is: Are they getting it? Does our supervisor supervise? You point out how the supervisors can be helpful in advising with the directors in regard to purchasing needed supplies, and protect them from the unscrupulous agent, whose only interest is to foist something on the district that pays him a good profit. without regard to Its use in the school room. If there is a sentiment in fa vor of the repeal of the law, perhaps there is a reason for it. Let me give our experience in this district and vou may be the judge: During the nearly two years the law has been In effect, the supervisor has been In our school but twice. Last year iwe employed a very capable young lady, but without previous ex perience as a teacher. During the whole terra he visited the school but once, and then not to exceed 30 minutes. Only one hour has been spent by the supervisor in our school room so far this season. Do you blame us if we feel we are paying too dearly for the supervisor luxury? I trust other schools are more for tunate: else we are not getting value for the $4000 or more that Clackamas County is paying a supervisor wno does not supervise. E. J. MAPLE. LARGE AND SMALL MALEFACTORS West's Prison Policy Approved Because It equalise ineir ruuiiumcm. DALLAS, Or Jan. 20. (To the Edi- Th. n-tunn YnlicV of th A GOV- A,n,M. tho nhioc.t of . considerable .A n nht Via irinlcos Rittno mistakes, but, on the whole, is it not in accord witn tne numanny vi age? It has not been long since many crimes now punishable by fine or im prisonment were punisnauie uy uKftui. Tt Inn- rt- -licrht i n ( f- Ct 1 OT1 R flf dlR- ciplTne was common in the Army and INavy not many years agu. a aui . . .4 ,. T anA nmrtAI-t V ta .V I'll Uit; I V s viurilj " 'J t J " protected now as formerly? Are not our soldiers ana sailors as eincieni now as when tne cat- o-nine-taiis was used for punishment? petual outlawry the poor mortal who a little property while the "malefac tors OI great weaiio are immune; iue men who combine to raise the price of .i .-oncioa of lifo nr to control tha circulating . medium of commerce do more to destroy tnis uoverniueiu mau v.- i.n,n Anna 100(1 nf tha avrtrap. convicts now in penitentiaries. I am not claiming mat tne laws should not be enforced and violators . - - .j V. . . T Ait coir that mnra at- tention should be paid to making and enforcing .awa ksmubi wuoo wuv ploit humanity. Effect of Parcel Pnat. ONTARIO, Or., Jan. 20. iXa the Ed- ..... 1 vrkti nlpnfla KtatA what ef- . tvtlnlr th nurrpl' nn.it svstem will have In the United States and your opinion of the plan? A READER. w have stated in numerous edi torials that' the parcel post will have moot beneficial effect on the united States. The law Is a good one to initiate the system, especially as It gives the Postmaster-General power to revise rates, zones, weight limits, in fact, every detail, as his experience shows to be advisable. Re-NataralUatlon Is Keeesssnrr. uiivrrn- r- jgn 2ft To thft Ed- ji.Ti-- i.j. -- -, ... - - ttor.) A citizen of the United States .. . pQ ,m tt , mri wnmM natural ized there. Can he return to this coun try and resume his American citizen ship and, if so, will he have to secure naturalization papers the same as any other foreigner? J. CLIFFORD. Ha must ba naturalized in the United States again, like any other foreigner. OBJECTIONS ANSWKRF.IJ BY BILL Employes Coadema Thlaiea Not Pro posed by Coin pea sat Iob Law. ' PORTLAND, Jan. 21. (To the Edi tor.) I notice in The Oregonian a list of names of men purporting to be labor men, who object to the proposed ."com pensation law." In reading the article one is forced to the conclusion that either they have been deceived as to what the law is, oi- well, that is the only conclusion one could arrive at. I ' think that if they would read the law, especially section 18, 25, 33, they would find every objection they offer fully answered. If they do not like the law, one letter t3 their employer makes them as though the law had never been passed, while another who does like It would be en abled to receive the benefits of It. The proposed law does not repeal the present -liability law," and any indi vidual has his own choice of which law he shall operate under, and under some circumstances may elect which he shall proceed under after he is hurt, even. The objections offered, being so un true, look as though the objectors were hoping for an accident and a chance at their employer under the present law. The only ones who could be injured by the proposed law are the liability companies and the ambulance chasing lawyers and they are both outsiders and not to be considered. The ones really interested are the employers, the employed and the state, and as to the employers and the employed they may elect whether or not they will come under the law. I fail utterly to see where a valid objection can be made to the law ex cept It be in the details of the same. All protection for employes now re quired to be provided by employers will remain the same. I think that as these men seem to read your paper It would be fair to them for you to give them the true wording of the law. as some one seems to have deceived them seriously. They say it is protection and not compensation they want, but this new law removes none of the protection they now have. nor. if they so elect, their chance for a long, tedious, uncer tain lawsuit, If they are Injured. This law Is in line with a universal demand and there is sound reason be hind the demand and It is to be' hoped that Oregon, true to Its reputation for taking advanced ground on all sub jects, will give the people of the state a law of this nature. To object to the law at all Is show ing a dog in the manger spirit because it does not even concern a man who does not care to reap .the benefits of it. The employers will find advantage In the removal of uncertainties and not being compelled to appear in suits as opposed to their own employes because of the outrageous judgments asked, while in reality they would like to see the men secure a proper judgment. AN EMPLOYER. ESSENTIALS IN SCHOOL COURSE Writer Classes Agricultural Studies and Domestic Science Among Fads. KOT.A. Or. Jan. 19. (To the Editor.) An editorial appeared In The Oregon ian January 16 in regard to tne law providing for county school supervis ors in which I consider you criticise Senator Dlmick very unjustly. Those opposed to the school super vlsorship law are not enemies of the cnimtv schools: such opposition gener ally comes from the residents of rural school districts, who are Judging irom local home results, and its suiworters. I believe, come generally from the peo ple of the cities, who have false and misleading conceptions of country life and country schools. The supervisorship law is the out growth of the growing school fads of late years. Different school-faddists would have the minds of school-children diverted to raising chickens, rais ing gardens, repairing public roads, learning domestic and manual training, and various other subjects. The school children of Polk County are getting merit credits at school for doing work at home and when they secure a cer tain percentage they are allowed a holiday, even though school Is in ses sion. The result is that those studies that should be the basis of our educational system are being neglected and a smat tering of anything and everything im aginable is being imported and thoroughness is not taught in anything. The object of our public educational system should be to concentrate upon essential studies that are the primary basis of all education and drop non essential subjects that divert our minds from the essentials. The Senators and others that want to drop present school fads and get back 5 ...... t..n,inD- rpndlnff. writ- , ,.i . r,-- m m ir nnplllnc: and thormiehly are not enemies of our rural schools, and I for one wish to protest against such Uiiaicau;iib - The public generally snoum reu that mere change is not prusi,, mo... active school-faddists are weaneuiu, Ul.. nf .eanntinl Studies bV dl wie -". verting time and attention to non-es sential subjects tnat are iiutmi m public school course. GEO. C. MITTY, Single Tax Data. TPTTmrxrii" n,- .Tun 2ft. (To the Edi iri-nAitT aA-eiaa mft where I mijrht get literature in reiei-iice w wig o, . . ..nnAUHl at t H O ln.dt (' 1 1' C - tax mwiBui" i" -'i- ' , tion. I would like to make a study of same. jutjr.xi.x cviii..... Th measure is published in full In direct legislation pamphlet issued by pnri obtainable from the secretary oi State, Salem. Arguments for and against it are also contained therein, w. a. ITRen. Oregon City,- is secretary nf the Graduated Single Tax League, which published literature In support of the proposed amendment. For litera ture opposing it and published by the Oregon Equal Taxation League, write to orton E. Goodwin. Wilcox building. Portland, Or. More Deadly Than the Gua. Exchange. a .mull country boy was carrying a dead cotton-tail by the ears. "Hello, son, lia you snoot tnat raD blt?V inquired a city man who had hunted all day with no success. .a...tlrftllv renlied the nr- chih. "I scolded it and it died of mor tification. Plum Pudding as a Bomb. Exchange, nitd the Czar a. bomb con cealed In a plnm pudding." "Why not merely sena mm a pium pudding?" suggested the other plotter. "If he eats It, our work is done and we run no risks." Loved for Her Sweet Self. Kansas City Journal. Harold, do vou love me for myself alone?" "For yourself alone. And that's why I object to loaning your tamer money and standing for your little brother's pestiferousness." Another Woman's Logic . Kansas City Journal. Sht I think he cares for me, but he maintains that it is a platonic affec tion? What can 1 dor Her elr! friend Get some other chap to drop around occasionally. A Wattlas; Moment for Him. Judge. -c-int nr n. Has he any deep-seated trouble? Second M. D. Yes; a .wife waiting for him in the subway station. Astronomical Observations By Dean Collins. Director Campbell sends us forth From out the Lick Observatory, New observations on the stars That listen like a fairy story. New nebulae each night he spots; Within the Milky Way they ripple; He's found the Pole Star is not one. But shimmers in the heavens, triple. In fact, throughout the universe Those stars that you and I see single. He finds are suns that, two by two, -Or three by three, their radiance mingle. And the young sun that warms our world And keeps our set of planets whirl" ing, . At 20 miles a second, through The universe its phere is hurling. Lo, I am but a simple wight; I reel not, all my wisdom under; . Yet I aver that he is not, As an observer, such a wonder. I would not dim his glory's flame. Nor wound him, proudly crowing o'er him But all this stuff he tells, and more, I have observed long years before him. 'Twas on that first and fatal day When, under spur of comrade's jok ing. First did I bite the meerschaum stem And undertake the art of smoking. , Full long and deep I drew the cloud. Puffed up with manly exaltation And then I laid me on the turf And made my stellar observation. Not 20 miles a second, nay. But like an angry comet shooting, Ten times as fast, the setting sun Along the horizon went scooting. . The writhing twilight gathered In; The sky was like a whirling bubble And, lifting up my fevered eye, I saw each giddy star was double. And nebulae In corkscrew shapes Sailed through those airy regions upper. And mournfully I saw it all, Regretting that I'd eaten supper. So say I, he who seeks to find The inner truths on stars no jok ing Gets no results from telescopes -Quite like this first attempt at smok ing. Portland, January 21. Half a Century Ago From The Oregonian of January 22, 1S63. OLYMPIA, Jan. 19. The new appor tionment, bill and the 'Ml for the re moval of the capital to Vancouver are now engaging the seriouB attention of the Legislature. Olympla, Jan. 19. Kx-Secretary Tur ney announces himself as a candidate for Congress. The County Treasurer paid to the State Treasurer the state taxes for Multnomah County for 1862, amount ing to $5342.18 in gold, on the 19th. George Francis Train has nominated Archbishop Hughes for Pope. He pro poses to visit Rome and electioneer the cardinals himself after taking Jeff Davis prisoner. Common Council The ordinance to fix the grade of Washington street was called up and passed. It is proposed to hold a meeting of the teachers of the various educational Institutions of this state in this city, commencing on the first Wednesday in February, 1863.- Lectures will be de livered by Governor Gibbs, Right Rev. Bishop Scott and Rev. Mr. Atkinson, of Oregon City. Junkman Calls for Justice. PORTLAND, Jan. 21. (To the Edi tor.) I have noticed that In some of the evening papers kicks have been made against the city selling scrap Iron direct to the foundry. There is a class of people who are citizens of this city who are always looked upon as be ing worse than any vagabond that ever arrived in this town. Why? Because they did not have the opportunity of being born in this country 40 or 50' years ago. A question will come up, who are these people? I will tell you. They are the junk men. That Isn't sufficient; they are Jews besides. I do believe as a citizen that these people have right to more protection than they have had to this time. They pay a license of $20 a year to the city and their protection is very small. Any and every one who wants makes htm appear a thief. I do believe that your influence through your paper would do much toward the elevating of these people to their proper position in so ciety, as each and every one of them is working hard to support his family, M. PROSS, 249 Sheridan street. Who Pays for White House Functions? LA GRANDE, Or., Jan. 10. (To the Editor.) Kindly state In your valuable paper what share of the President's expenses are borne by the Government of the United States. Are all social functions of a private nature paid for by the Government or by the President out of his salary? I. P. CANDALL. The Government pays the salaries of persons employed to aid the President in performing his official functions, expenses of executive offices and pro vides carriages, automobiles and horses. The President himself pays the cost of all social functions except tnat the Government maintains a con servatory from which flowers are sup plied. "Sweating" a Prisoner. PORTLAND, Jan. 21. (To the Edi tor.) Kindly inform us In the columns of your paper the meaning of the term "sweating a prisoner." A SUBSCRIBER. The term "sweating" is applied to various means of extorting a confes sion or evidence, ranging from the mental torture of prolonged question ing and bullying to physical violence. It has been charged that some prison ers are forced to confess by being kept awake for several days and nights, while drugusers are brought Into submission Bometimes by being de prived of their favorite drug. A Question in Grammar. RUFUS, Or., Jan. 20. (To tho Edi tor.) To settle a dispute, will you tell me If the following sentence, tak en from The Oregonian of January 13, Is grammatically correct? "A tear stained and frightened little girl of three years was found wandering in the business section looking for her mother, yesterday by Patrolman Held." A SUBSCRIBER. The sentence is grammatically cor rect, but clumsily constructed. Meanlns; of Free Government. 1 PORTLAND, Jan. 20. (To the Edi tor.) Please explain the meaning of the phrase "free government"; that is, Its accepted meaning. A READER. A free government is a government in which the actually ruling power is vested In persons chosen by the people, the mass of whom have the right to vote. Through their elected represen tatives the people make the laws and, either directly, as In the United States, or Indirectly, as in Great Britain, they choose the officials who execute the ' laws. 0