THE 3IOKNIXG OREGONIAN, SATURDAY. JANUARY 25, 1913.
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; PORTLAND, SATrRDAV. JAN. tS. 191.
7 THE CORVALLIS EXTENSION WORK.
' The educational work carried on by
.the Agricultural College is so im
mensely Important that the Legisla
ture ought not to hesitate for a mo
.nient to support it liberally. There
'should be no question whether the
.'Agricultural College is receiving more
or less money than other institutions.
, Such a view of the matter is unworthy
;of intelligent lawmakers. The only
-pertinent question is. "What does this
"great and fundamentally necessary in
stitution need to carry on its work in
jthe best manner?"
Nor should there be any comparison
between its "extension work" and that
luf other institutions. There Is no re
lation whatever between the plans and
-purposes of the Corvallis faculty and
-those of other schools. The Agricul
tural College aims at immediate prac
tical benefit to the people of the state.
It is seeking to do for Oregon what
the Agricultural faculties have done
for Wisconsin, Iowa and Kansas. The
"purpose is to improve agricultural
methods, to teach the doctrines of
seed selection, scientific tillage, mod
ern fruit culture, profitable marketing
and the like.
These purposes of the Agricultural
. t'ollege should be considered by the
Legislature strictly on their own mer
its, without reference to the demands
of other schools, and they should be
supported in proportion to their use
. fulness for the present and the future.
The Agricultural College has already
proved itself to be a great wealth pro
ducer in Oregon, as similar colleges
have been elsewhere. Adequately sup
ported in its various lines of work, it
may become an enormously greater
wealth producer. The knowledge
which it teaches goes directly to the
sources of prosperity.
If all the farmers of Oregon could
Attend the college at Corvallis it would
be an excellent thing for them. But
they cannot. Those who need the in
struction of the college most are the
very ones who will, not or cannot go
to receive it. The college must go to
them with its scientific teaching In
dairying, fruitgrowing, seed selection
and soil study. This is the purpose of
the extension courses. Properly sup
ported, these courses will become the
most beneficial part of the college
work. That has been the case m other
states and it will certainly be the case
here.
Extension courses in agriculture cost
a good deal of money, but they pay
heavy returns. There is no better in
vestment for the public funds. Exper
ience has demonstrated this fact so
conclusively that it needs no argument.
The Agricultural College is ambitious
to carry Its message of improved farm
ing to every community In the state.
It Is especially ambitious to introduce
better conditions in remote sections
far from railroads and markets. These
are the places where instruction is
most needed. On the other hand, it
costs a great deal more to reach them
-than districts easily accessible.
By passing the Agricultural College
bill for an extension fund the Legis
lature will simply be doing its plain
duty to those sections of the state
where conditions have heretofore been
unfavorable. Every reasonable man
desires to see the entire state made as
productive and prosperous as possible.
Olve the Agricultural College an ade-,-.--..
,.,'ni'nn '-ind and the work of
development will go forward with ac
. .-i.cu r.tpMity. ,
WHY AU. THIS MIL.LAB.VLOO.
Secretary Knox's reply to the Brit
ish protest against the Panama Canal
law whittles the points in dispute
down so small that one is inclined to
exclaim: "Why all this hullabaloo?"
Knox shows the British case to rest
partly on conjecture and suspicion as
to what might result from exempting
our coastwise ships, partly on misap
prehension of the basis on which tolls
were fixed and leaves the protectants
little ground to stand on. The offer to
revive the Knox - Bryce arbitration
treaty for the purpose of adjusting any
questions which cannot be settled by
diplomacy proves the entire good faith
if this Nation and puts to shame those
who have been clamoring for a pan
icky retreat on the whole controversy
by voluntary repeal of the exemption
clause of the canal law. That would
be a confession oV bad faith so humili
ating that no self-respecting Nation
could make it.
Kjiox's dispatch places on the de
fensive those men who have been cry
ing from the housetops that the canal
law has made us treaty-breakers; that
our conduct gives other Nations good
cause to send us to Coventry as a peo
ple false to its word, on whom no
treaty is binding. Men who thus give
aid and comfort to another Nation
with which we are engaged In a diplo
matic controversy show, a poor quality
of patriotism. It behooves us all, as
patriotic Americans, to stand by our
Government as a unit when controver
sies with other Nations arise: to as
sume that Congress and the President
acted as they did in the honest belief,
after mature deliberation, that we
were within our treaty rights: to as
sume also that, if any error had been
committed, it had been committed
honestly and would be corrected by
diplomacy, or as a last resort by arbi
tration. It ill becomes Senator Root, who has
himself been in charge of our foreign
relations, to embarrass his successor
by furnishing ammunition to the Brit
ish. As for the newspapers which voice
the sentiments of Eastern financiers,
nothing better could be expected of
them. When the interests of these men
coincide with those of a Nation with
which we are engaged in controversy,
we can always trust them to place
their money-bags before their country.
That is why they are so generally dis
trusted in the country at large and
why their opinions have weight in in
verse ratio to the size of their fortunes.
Had not the interests of Canadian
railroads in poaching on American
commerce been adversely affected,
there would have been no British pro
test. Had not American financiers
seen that toll exemption would in
tensify water competition with trans
continental railroads, they would not
have backed the protest. The con
troversy is not really between the
American and British Governments;
it is between the American people on
the one side and the railroads, Cana
dian and American, on the other,
which are using the British Govern
ment to fight their battles.
A QUESTION OF DISCIPLINE.
The teachers in the Lincoln School,
or in any other school, have full au
thority under the law of the land to
require their pupils to wear proper
attire. As moral guides standing in
loco parentis they may prescribe what
garments may be worn at school and
what may not. . As we understand it,
the Lincoln School faculty have mere
ly counseled their students not to
sport extravagant finery, but they
might legally have gone a great deal
farther. Just as a boy's father may
lawfully forbid him to exhibit himself
in gorgeous raiment, so may his teach
er. The courts have uniformly held
that the teacher's authority in par
ticulars of this kind is coextensive
with that of the parent.
Indeed it is greater. Judges recog
nize that parents are far more likely
to be foolishly indulgent than teach
ers and therefore they always encour
age school authorities to go to the
limit in regulating the morals and
manners of the young. The Lincoln
High School -boys who went to school
in overalls and boots no doubt expect
ed to turn wholesome advice Into ridi
cule. Perhaps they hoped to nip in
the bud the very sensible movement
among the girls to get rid of outland
Ishly expensive habits of display.
Whatever their motives may have
been, these youths showed themselves
to be very young indeed in mind, if
not in body. Their brains must de
velop for many, many years before
they attain to fair degree of common
sense. One might almost believe they
had taken their, cue from a village
school we know of not far from Port
land. This is a high school not so
large as the Lincoln, but large enough
to have frisky young men among the
pupils. Two of these "smart Alecks"
appeared ons morning in overalls,
high boots and such cowboy "fixings"
as they could lay their hands on. The
superintendent very properely sent
them home forthwith and told them
not to come back until they could dress
decently.
Have the Lincoln boys heard of this
escapade and did they fancy their
teachers would have less moral cour
age in dealing with them than the
superintendent of the village -school?
If they did think so they have discov
ered their mistake. Probably, how
ever, we may see in this episode one
of the evil consequences Of the fra
ternity system which flourishes almost
unchecked in the Portland schools.
The main effect of these societies Is to
encourage snobbery and rebellion. If
the teachers would stamp them out
as vigorously as they have dealt with
the- cowboy incident it would be an
excellent thing for themselves nnd for
the pupils.
VALIDITY OF COMPENSATION ACT.
One of the criticisms of the work
men's compensation bill advanced by
Representative Parsons is worth con
sideration by the Judiciary committee
at Salem, not wholly because it raises
a constitutional question, but largely
in the Interest of preserving the fullest
measure of Justice toward the employe.
Mr. Parsons contends tnat sec
tion 32 of the bill constitutes the
commission that administers the com
pensation fund into a court by pro
viding that the determination of the
commission shall be final with respect
to the allowance or disallowance of
claims as to all questions of fact,
thereby infringing on the constitu
tional right of trial by jury.
In the Washington law, which In
many respects is similar to the Oregon
draft, the right of court review as to
questions of fact is preserved, but in
matters of discretion lodged with the
commission the determination of that
body is final.
There are several principal questions
of fact that might arise in considering
a claim for award presented to the
commission. One might be as to
whether the injured workman was in
the class to which the law applied. If
denied compensation on that ground
the employe would have a remedy in
court under the liability law, which is
preserved as to classes of employment
other than those enumerated in the
act.
But there are other questions .of
fact where the ruling of the commis
sion would be final. These would in
clude: (1) Whether the injured per
son was employed in the industry or
establishment in which he was in
lured." (2) Whether the accident oc
curred in the course of his employ
ment; and perhaps others. The bill
as it stands would not give relief to the
Injured workmen deprived of com
pensation by an arbitrary or unjust
commission on these grounds. But in
any event the defect is one that may
be remedied, by an amendment of a
few words and does not wholly con
demn the act.
Mr. Pacsons' other objection does
not seem well founded. He avers that
the elective contract under which
workmen affected by the act must
come is void, as being against policy,
because the men are required to sign
away their right for damages for in
juries before the cause of action arises.
But they do not sign away a right.
They merely contract to accept one
right in lieu of another the right of
compensation fixed by law in lieu of
right of recovery under the liability
act.
For a number of years the laws of
Oregon contained a statutory limita
tion on the amount that might be re
covered for death from injury. It was
observed in countless cases. If there
is any difference between a limitation
on the amount of damages a jury may
assess and a limitation on the amount
of compensation that may be awarded
we fail to discern it. If right of court
review is granted on the question of
the amount of compensation the in
jured workman Is entitled to under the
provisions of the act, as it should be,
the limitation is no different in its
constitutional aspects from the one
that formerly existed.
A levy en masse of the Turkish peo
ple may follow the change of adminis
tration and may cause an outbreak of
religions and race" hatred which only
foreign intervention at Constantinople
can quell. If Turkey should renew the
war. the old saying, "Whom the gods
would destroy, they first make mad,"
would apply, for Russia is almost sure
to join the Balkan allies and to assist
them in totally extinguishing Turkish
power, not only in Europe, but in Asia
as well. Russia's threats suggest that
she does not anticipate interference
from any other power.
BUSTLES AND TAILS.
Travelers are constantly making dis
coveries in remote parts of the earth
which remind us of the near kinship
between the most civilized and the
most savage races of mankind. One
who has recently penetrated into
Northern Nigeria reports that he has
found a people who wear tails.
Biologists taught us long ago that
every human being carries under the
integument at the end of his spinal
column a rudimentary tail which is
an inheritance from the days when we
were quadrumana and dwelt in trees.
The tail was extremely useful in climb
ing, since it could be wrapped round
a branch while the wearer swung him
self about by his hands and feet. A3
civilization developed and housts re
placed trees as habitations the tail
naturally dwindled and the nutriment
which it had required was diverted to
ether organs, presumably to the bran
and conscience. But, as we have re
marked already, the rudiments of the
tail are possessed by all of us and no
doubt under proper stimulus It would
reappear in its former luxuriance.
The people of Nigeria dwell in
houses and therefore they have not
preserved the natural tail any more
than Europeans or Americans. As we
know from biology, it is the function
which produces the organ, and these
people long ago abandoned tree-climbing.
Their appendages, like our fash
ionable bustles, are purely ornamental
and they are worn in about the same
position. The difference between them
and our posterior attachments is really
one of name rather than of use and
appearance. Scientists call the Ni
gerian bustle a tail and we call the
Caucasian tail a bustle. That is about
all the difference.
We forgot to mention that the or
nament is worn only by the Nigerian
women. The men are headhunters
who delight in slaying their neighbors
for their skulls, which are kept in long
rows on the mantel and considered
highly artistic if they are properly
scraped and polished. Their calling
being more or less risky, they keep
themselves as free from handholds as
they can. Hence they leave the cul
tivation of the tail to the females, as
our men do the bustle. A wealth of
Interesting information on this subject
may be found in the Geographical
Magazine for last December.
BANISHING SHYLOCK.
The New York authorities have de
cided to exclude Shakespeare's "Mer
chant of Venice," at least partially,
from the public schools. Principals
are allowed some liberty in the matter,
but it is understood that on the East
Side, where the Jews are numerous,
the book will not be used. The reason
of the move is, naturally, to spare the
sensibilities of the Jewish children.
Shylock's character is not supposed to
flatter the race to which he belongs.
If this principle is to be followed in
other cities with respee.t to all the
races domiciled in the United States,
one may feel some apprehensions over
the consequences. Where shall books
be found which are free from all racial
objections? Even Mark Twain, who is
a veritable fountain of tolerance, rails
at the German language, which to
many children of the Fatherland is
more precious than their own souls.
Rudyard Kipling, who is not a -fountain
of tolerance, calls the Germans all
sorts of Bad names. And so it goej.
It may turn out that we shall hav?
to write a new literature for use in the
public schools in order to get reading
matter free from all slurs and slights
upon our citizens of foreign lineage.
This becomes all the more likely
when we remember that the Jews are
not the only people who have shown
sensitiveness about literary libels. "Un
cle Tom's Cabin" has not always been
a welcome guest in Southern theaters.
Not a great while ago a play had to
be withdrawn in New Tork because it
offended the Irish. Indeed, touchiness
of this kind seems to be on the in
crease and we show a growing readi
ness to bow to it. Ten years ago our
National authorities would not have
dreamed of excluding Mr. Mylius from
America for 'slandering the King of
England, but he is warned off now and
the deed is done because we wish to
spare British sensibilities. Interna
tional comity is becoming admirably
tender in this direction. If It would
only catch up along some other lines
the millennium would not be far off.
So far as Snylock is concerned, one
might perhaps suggest that the New
York Jews have been more sensitive
than there was real occasion for.
Shakespeare did not intend him for a
type of the race. That he is a true
picture of an individual who has been
rather common in the course of his
tory nobody who has any regard for
truth would deny. But, on the other
hand, this unamlable individual is no
more Jewish than he is French or Ger
man or Yankee. Every race has its
misers and they are a good deal alike
on the stage and off it.
Shylock is the best depicted miser
In ali literature. The circumstance of
his being labeled "Jew" is unlucky,
because the New York Jews are Just
beginning to feel the glory and pride
of liberty after their Russian expe
riences, and, as might be expected,
they are quick to resent anything that
looks like a slight. But for one or
two facts Shylotk might Just as well
have been labeled "Englishman" as
"Jew," for the English miser displays
precisely the same traits. So does the
American, though perhaps our Rocke
fellers and Carnegies have intensified
some of Shylock's meaner qualities.
They certainly have added to them a
sickening imitation of generosity, of
which the old Jew would have been
ashamed. Shakespeare had some good
reasons, as we have intimated, for
making the typical miser of his day a
Jew. They would not hold good now,
but at that time they were obtrusively
manifest to everybody. The Jews were
the money dealers of the world, not
the only money dealers by any means,
for the Florentine Medicis were fa
mous bankers, as were many other
noble Italian families. But the Jews
were money lenders and nothing else.
Religion, feudal prejudice and race
hatred had closed every other occu
pation to them. They were herded
In miserable quarters In the cities of
Christian Europe and forced to choose
between earning a living by usury or
starving. As a natural consequence
all the hatred that inevitably pursues
the money lender concentrated on the
Jews. The laws for -delinquent debtors
were incredibly cruel, both in England
and other countries and the Jews had
to bear the odium of their enforce-
menL Add to this the bitter theolog
ical prejudice against dealing in
money, which was as old as Moses,
and we understand readily enough
why the spirit of the times compelled
Shakespeare to label his miser "Jew."
What a figure Shakespeare would
make of Andrew Carnegie on the
stage. The Pharisaical conceit, the
vicious humbuggery, the illimitable
vanity, the smug hypocrisy of the pos
turing dollar bag would set the whole
world in a roar. But withal Shake
speare would perceive under Carnegie's
ludicrous traits something pathetic.
He would see in his soul the fruits of
a criminal system and under the
smiles he would probably hide
thoughts too deep for tears. That was
a way Shakespeare had. It is only
superficially that Shylock is absurd.
Nothing but his shell is contemptible.
He must have been an able man or
he could not have made a fortune
against the Christian prejudice that
dogged him in Venice. He was tender
hearted or he would not have sobbed
as he did over Jessica's treachery, her
miserable, unpardonable treachery.
The ring the wicked girl stole was
given Shylock by Leah, his dead wife,
Jessica's mother. It is but a feeble
Intelligence which cannot perceive in
Shylock's story a satire upon the
Christianity of Shakespeare's day and
in Shylock himself a damning accusa
tion of the social system that had pro
duced him.
The counts of the indictment are
clear enough. "He hath laughed at
my losses, scorned my gains, cooled
my friends, heated mine enemies and
what's his reason? I am a Jew. If
a Jew wrong a Christian what is his
humility? Revenge." Whatever vil
lainy Shylock executed he had been
taught by Christian example and if
he went a little beyond the mark in
following his instructors, can we blame
him much? Shakespeare spoke against
the wrongs of the Jews more courage
ously than any other man of .his time.
It is strange that the New York Jews,
with all their keen intelligence, should
misunderstand him.
Let the granges around Portland
cstahllsh direct relations with the
Consumers' League, and both pro
ducer and consumer will secure tne
full benefit of the parcel post. By
fMiectlnir orders for farm produce and
sending them to the Grange, the Con
sumers' League can arrange tor direct
shipments from individual farmers to
individual consumers. By eliminating
the middleman the farmer will get
more for his produce, while the con
sumer will pay less and will get
fresher eggs and vegetables. We need
not worry about what will become of
the middleman. If he cannot find
some other occupation in the city, he
can turn farmer and use his business
experience in showing other farmers
how to handle their sales.
The East Is wedded to the idea of
treating the public domain solely as a
source of National revenue, without
regard to the interest which the indi
vidual states have in its development.
The West adheres to the policy of con
servation combined with development,
as defined in the Democratic platform,
and contends .that, if public land is
leased and thus does not become sub
ject to taxation, the states shall re
ceive a share of the revenue in lieu of
taxes. The West will resent the ap
pointment of a man like Adams, who,
Imitating Pinchot's example, sets his
own will above the law. Adams has
done this In the cases of the Siletz
settlers and the three-year homestead
law, and should, therefore, be re
moved instead of promoted.
An excellent anniversary number
has been published by the Oregon City
Enterprise. It contains -a number of
articles and half-tones describing and
depicting, the principal points of in
terest and the industries of Oregon
City and the whole of Clackamas
County, both manufacturing and agri
cultural. It displays the scenic beau
ties of the county and has a good map
showing present and projected rail
roads. .
An Army officer's wife will lead the
suffragist parade in Washington de
spite the protests of a superior officer's
wife. It is very well for the Colonel to
run the Lieutenant, but when the Col
onel's wife presumes to dictate to the
Lieutenant's wife, why it's different.
Refusal to accept a pardon is with
out precedent in Oregon, and York
can stay in the penitentiary until new
ways are devised to speed him on his
way to Chicago, where he is "wanted."
Conduct of Lincoln High School lads
in wearing overalls to school as a re
sult of the simple dress campaign
among the girls merely suggests that
to spare the rod spoils the child.
Morgan says It would be better to
have combination "under supervision
than to do away with it altogether. In
short he would rather tie than kill the
goose that lays the golden egg.
When the celebrated Van Biene
dropped dead on the stage, doubtless
there were those critical ones in the
audience who insisted that he couldn't
act the death scene.
The differences between the Gov
ernor and the Legislature will be set
tled by survival of the fittest, in which
the Legislature bids fair to play the
role of fittest.
The Turkish people refuse to let
Adrianople go. No doubt the Turkish
Government would be willing to let
the people try their hand at holding
the place. -
Dr. Cook, having suffered at the
hands of the country in general, under
goes cruel and inhuman punishment in
being snubbed by the Mayor of Ta
coma. Let the old Confederates wear the
gray at Gettysburg next July. They
adore the color, and . were whipped
anyway.
If waiters' strikes continue, New
York hotels may be compelled to con
vert their dining-rooms into cafeterias.
That little things are not to be de
spised is shown by the large illicit
trading in postage stamps.
New York waiters are going on an
other strike. Probably want a $10,000-a-year
tip guarantee.
Idaho did well. Brady was a good
Governor and will bring credit to the
state in the Senate.'
Those stamp thieves should be
promptly stamped out.
Bad breeding Just will have its little
fling at the theater.
City funds easy come, easy go.
DOOM OP LEGISLATURE FORESEEN
Judse Lowell Detects Dancer In. Lack
of Courage of Present Body.
PENDLETON. Or., Jan. 22. (To the
Editor.) The press reports advise that
the judiciary committee of the Senate
has adversely reported the so-called
"Lowell bills,'- intended to bring the
statutes constituting the Oregon sys
tem of government within the realm of
reason, and, if reports as to the cause
be true, presumably this ends all ef
fort in this Legislature either to per
fect the direct primary law. reform
the corrupt practices act, restrict abuse
of the initiative or eliminate the peti
tion nuisance. The committee action
doubtless reflects the opinion of the
controlling forces of the Legislative
Assembly that it is not good politics
to amend any law heretofore adopted
by the people, however manifest it may
be that amendment is needed. As usual
the controlling forces are not all in
the Legislature.
I am not a member of the body of
lawmakers sitting at Salem, hence
must accept the conclusion, but I de
sire to say that the battle is not over.
These bills were drawn by me as a
consistent friend of the Oregon, sys
tem, which includes the direct prim
ary, the corrupt practices act. the Ini
tiative, the referendum and the recall.
In the past two years I have con
ferred with large numbers of our citi
zens in various parts of the state to
ascertain the condition of public senti
ment toward these laws, and have
found an almost unanimous demand
for the amendments which I offered
through Senator Barrett, or something
kindred thereto. I am confident that
sentiment continues, and that the leg
islative timidity is born of a shadow.
The constitutional argument against
Initiative restriction is puerile. If that
bill 1b unconstitutional then every law
regulating elections under the old con
stitution has been unconstitutional.
There may be arguments against it.
but unconstitutionality is not among
them.
It was hoped by thoughtful friends
of these amendments that if they
proved unsatisfactory in form, the
members of the committee to which
they were referred would take them
as a basis, together with other bills
upon the same general subject before
them, and work out some wiser scheme,
but apparently the bells of doom are
beginning to toll for Legislative As
semblies in Oregon, and it is only a
question of time when, like the human
appendix, their existence will be recog
nized only when they cause pain. If
men elected thereto possess not the
courage which public duty requires,
probably the sooner the passing occurs
the better. The electorate measure
Legislatures largely bv the value the
members place upon themselves. "By
their fruits ye shall know them." Since
the adoption of the initiative constitu
tional amendment each succeeding
Legislature has been Increasingly in
clined to minimize the power and au
thority of the legislative branch of the
government, and apparently the pres
ent body is no exception. The initia
tive and referendum were intended to
supplement Legislatures, not to palsy
them.
Personally. I have no special pride
in the amendments offered, but I am
concerned for the perpetuation of pop
ular government in Oregon, and no law
can long endure which is not reason
able in its operation. It is not rea
sonable when a corrupt practices act
will permit the expenditure of un
limited sums of money, as the present
act permits under Its committee
clauses. It is not reasonable when 38
measures can be submitted to the peo
ple at one election. Such condition be
yond question defeated the meritori
ous education millage bill, because
thousands of men deliberately voted
"no" down the line as a matter of re
sentment. It is not reasonable to con
tinue the meaningless and ridiculous
petition system of nomination. It is
not reasonable to encourage perjury
and Invite avoidance of law by cling
ing to provisions which substantially
prevent an honest, open campaign be
fore the people.
I write without resentment, but I
venture the guess that the entire Sen
ate Judiciary committee will privately
admit the truth of all I have said, and
to that body of statesmen I cheerfully
leave the responsibility for corrective
legislation at this time.
STEPHEN A. LOWELL.
Naval Strength of Powers.
PORTLAND, Jan. 15. (To theEditor.)
Would England, with her powerful
navy on one side and Germany, Italy
and Austria on the other, with their
navies, which would represent more
strength, have a better chance in case
of war? JOE CARISSIMI.
The strength of navies is measured
by the number of modern battleships,
called dreadnoughts, and battle cruis
ers. On this basis the British navy
compares with those of Germany, Austria-Hungary
and Italy as follows:
Modern, battleships, Britain 47, Ger
many 27, Austria 9, Italy 12; battle
cruisers, Britain 10, Germany 6; total
modern ships, Britain 57, Germany 33,
Austria 8, Italy 12.
This shows Great Britain to have 67
capital ships, against 54 for the triple
alliance. The superiority of Great Brit
ain 4b older battleships and cruisers is
greater,' but naval experts do not take
them into consideration.
Root on Canal Toils Indorsed.
PORTLAND, Jan. 23. (To the Edi
tor.) Referring to the news dispatch
from The Oregonian's Washington cor
respondent, where some remarks of
Senator Root are quoted concerning
the law abrogating the tolls on
coastwise ships using the Panama
Canal, I feel that Mr. Root Is abso
lutely correct in his views both from
a legal and moral standpoint. The
business interests of the country do
not need the alleged favor, but on the
contrary will suffer more from the ill
feeling engendered against us as a
Nation than the value of more than
one such canal.
The world at large is looking to us
to uphold the high standard set up by
the Declaration of Independence, but it
Is a very poor showing when we have
no grounds except our might In inter
national acts. Every ship passing
through the Panama Canal should pay
a regular toll to the canal and let each
nation treat Its own ships as it sees
fit. GEORGE A. CARTER.
Ex-Senator Fulton Is Neutral.
PORTLAND. Jan. 24. (To the
Editor.) You quote me this morning
as having indorsed Mr. J. N. Teal for
Secretary of the Interior, in my re
marks last evening at the hardware
dealers' banquet. It is probably not
Important to any person other than
myself that I should be correctly re-
ported, if mentioned at an. I did not
indorse Mr. Teal or any other person
for that or any position. I did say that
it is important that the incoming Ad
ministration shall favor free tolls for
vessels engaged in our coasting trade
and that it was but Just to say that
Mr. Teal had been an earnest advocate
of that policy ever since It had been a
matter of public discussion. I said,
however, that I did not wish to be
understood as indorsing Mr. Teal, or as
expressing a preference, as between
him and Judge King, as I understood
the latter was heartily in favor of free
tolls for coasters. C. W. FULTON.
A Series of the Future.
Exchange.
"What's the excitement here today?"
Inquired the man from Mars.
"Interplanet series." explained a fan
briefly. "The Earth plays Saturn for
championship of the Universe."
SOCIALISM IS CALLED FAILURE
Majority of Socialists Oppose Religion
and Are Atheists.
FORT STEVENS, Or., Jan. 10. (To
the Editor.) In the opening sentence
of Mr. Santee's communication to The
Oregonian In support of Socialism,
date January 10, he takes up in sub
stance the "theory" of governmental
ownership. Has this panacea for all
ills worked in ' practice as in theory"
Let us see.
Take our Government ownership of
the postal service. It never has nor
probably never will be a financial suc
cess. Each year has seen a deficit in
practically all of its departments and a
consequent appropriation of public
funds to cover the same. But you will
probably answer that postal rates are
lower because of -state control. This
contention actually becomes a subject
of mirth when you consider the fact
that one of our express companies is
sued a standing offer to the Govern
ment of Jl.000,000 for the privilege of
delivering the malls at exactly the
same rates as were at that time
charged.
In France the western railroad di
vision was owned by corporate inter
ests. It yielded a substatial profit. The
government of France took possession
and the next year almost an equally
large loss was the result of the ill
timed experiment. Ever since Great
Britain has controlled her own tele
graph service, the, British have faced
tbe painful annual necessity of foot
ing from their taxation proceeds the
losses sustained by that state owner
ship Joke.
Co-operative socialtstio farming com
munities have always proved dismal
failures. Under no auspices or any
circumstances have they netted the re
turns our delusionista have anticipated.
I have not seen anything in the So
calist platform against religion; but I
do know that the majority of the lead
ing socialists are opposed absolutely to
all forms of religion. I am aware that
the leading organ of Socialism in the
United States, the Appeal to Reason
(termed by one of the leading Portland
publications the Appeal to Force), con
stantly Indulges in tirades on religion.
I am equally positive that the local ex
ponent of Socialistic vagaries, the Ore
gon Ballot, printed the following sen
tences about a clergyman: "The foul
est leper is clean beside him and when
he finally goes down to his reward
Judas will have a messmate." All this
because the clergyman in question is
supposed to have pointed out certain
nefarious practices of a Socialistic
publication. That he was probably
correct in his deductions is best shown
by the fact that the publication in
volved is now under indictment for
practices incompatible with the laws
of the United States.
Is it not strange that Carl Marx; the
founder of Socialism, said: "We shall
do well if we stir hatred and contempt
against ali existing Institutions; we
make war against all prevailing ideas
of religion, of the state, of country and
of patriotism. The idea of God is the
keystone of perverted civilization. The
true root of civilization, the true root
of liberty, of equality and of culture, is
atheism." Maybe Bebel was dreaming
when he said: "Christianity and Social
ism are like fire and water." Possibly
Liebknecht was laboring under some
form of mental aberration when In his
"Materialist Basis of History" he wrote
"I am an atheist, I do not believe in
God. It Is our duty as Socialists to
root out the faith in God with all our
might, nor is anyone worthy the name
who does not consecrate himself to the
spread of atheism."
Professor Santee's comparison of
school conditions as they existed in
1S45 with those of the present date is
as absurd as the comparison of the
means of communication of that day
with the methods employed now the
telephone, the telegraph and wireless
with a horse, for instance. What has
happened to the professor'3 sense of
humor?
I sincerely hope that Mr. Santee does
not mean by his "system of socialized
schools" that schools should be man
aged by Socialists.' If he does, I would
like to ask the parents of the children
of this country how they would like to
have the following doctrine by Fred
erick Engels, a leading Socialist, pro
mulgated to their little ones: "If mar
riage founded on love alone is moral,
then It follows that 'marriage is moral
only as long as love lasts.' The dura
tion of an attack of individual sex love
varies considerably according to indi
vidual disposition, especially in men. A
positive cessation of fondness or its
replacement by a new passionate love
makes a separation a blessing for both
parties and for society. But humanity
will be spared the useless wading
through the mire of a divorce case."
Just think of the possibility of such an
Idea being inculcated in the minds of
growing children.
JOHN V. ROWAN.
RETIRED SOLDIER ON CANTEEN
No Substitute Ever Offered by Those
Who Abolished It.
VANCOUVER, Wash., Jan. 23. (To
the Editor.) The stand The Oregonian
is taking In regard" to the Army can
teen should be gratifying to the men
in the service.
It has always seemed strange to me
that the enlisted men who are the only
ones really interested, do not get a
hearing on this subject.
I served approximately 30 years in
the Army and am now on the retired
list. I was in the service long before
a canteen was ever thought of, when
we were afflicted with the post trader,
or sutler, as he was called, and he sure
made us "pay for our whistle.''
We were often at isolated stations,
the sutler's store being the only place
we could buy anything except from the
commissary, which was considerable
trouble, as we had to put in an order
throueh our commanding officer and
post commander, so the sutler was the
only alterative, witn Deer at i a Dot
tle and other articles accordingly.
About 1S84 the canteen or post ex
change was started and the sutler put
out of business.
It was a great improvement. The
profits came back into the organiza
tions and some very substantial funds
accumulated to help buy extras for
the table, etc. Beer and wine, (no
whisky) was sold to those who cared
for it. and it was the means of keeping
many a man from going to town and
being absent without leave.
As far as I am personally concerned,
tobacco and booze have been the least
of my troubles, but there are men in
and out of the service that want
liauor and they are going to get it 1
knew a man who swam the Yellow
stone River, in Montana, with a string
of canteens hanging on him, to get
whiskv.
Abolishing the sale of beer in the
canteen has never reformed any drunk
ards, but has made it harder for a
whole lot who go outside for their re
freshments. The people who were instrumental In
abolishing the canteen do not care any
thing for us. They never provided or
even suggested a substitute for the
canteen. When we go to town, the
only place open to us is the saloon, and
it frequently happens that our uni
form bars us from public places and
nobody, cares for us except in case ot
fire, earthquake or - some extreme
emergency, when we are the only ones
capable of handling tne situation, ana
even our services in these respects are
soon forgotten and we must put aside
the uniform of which we and every
good citizen should be proud, and put
on plain clotnes it we want to enjoy
ourselves outside of a saloon.
When any information is wanted re
garding the welfare and comfort of the
soldier, ask him about It. He reads
all the leading papers and periodicals
and would surprise most people how
well he is posted. T. F. DARCY.
Retired soldier.
Cry of the Cafe Habitue
By Dean Collins.
Oh. Fate or Luck or Destiny.
Whate'er may be that energy
That keeps our cosmos on the go
And stirs up trouble here below:
Though you may run the world amuck,
I beg of you, O Fate or Luck,
Though you do all else that you like
0 do not let our waiters strike.
Back in New York they strike. I see;
But that comes not so near to me;
The one idea that haunts my dome
What if they'd strike right here at
home?
In distant towns let battle be
'Twixt owner and the employe.
Kind Fate, if that is what you. like
But don't let our home waiters strike.
Attend my humble, heartfelt cry!
Slave to the restaurant am 1:
Thy heavy hand I fain would dash
From my devoted plate of hash.
Let the world reel in wars alway.
But sive me pence in my cafe;
Let New York riot if you like
But do not let our waiters strike.
Not that such strike would stop m
eats;
For dairy lunches form retreats
Where one his plate of beans can dtp
And mock at waiter and at tip:
But all my inmost fears and woes
Are what the strikers mipht disclose.
Let treaties shntter. if you like
But do not let our waiters strike.
Slave to the restaurant am I:
There must I feed until I die.
Think, then, if some stern striker bold.
The secret of the kitchen told.
And, for revenge informed me, say,
The truth about my consomme.
Oh. Fate, cause famines if you like
But do not let our waiters strike.
Oh. ignorance is bliss! 'Tis right
Thus to preserve an appetite.
1 shudder when I think, perhaps,
Some day the striking waiter chaps
May come to me, with venom itchln'.
And tell me all about the kitchen.
Now is all grub to me alike'
Kind Fate, don't let our waiters Btrlke.
Portland, January 24.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of January 28, 18B.1.
The Council apportionment bill for
Washington Territory, which was in
troduced by Mr. More, of Walla Walla,
gives the Eastern District, including
Skamania and Klickitat Counties, four
Councllmen and 15 Representatives.
The Western District, all west of the
-.,.,..!.. i 1 1 hv' flvA Pnuncilmen
and 15 Representatives. The appor
tionment bill has a riaer in ins ajjuui
removal bill, and both measures are
likely to be a failure In consequence.
Washington, Jan. 12. In the House,
Aldrlch of Minnesota offered the fol
lowing: "Resolved. That the commit
tee on military affairs be Instructed to
inquire into the expediency and neces
sity of giving a bounty of 160 acres of
land to each soldier of any old regi
ment; that their land be located on
any confiscated rebel plantation as
soon as the Rebellion is crushed.
Passed, 65 to 59.
New York, Jan. 13. A naval officer
states that he believes the pirate Ala
bama has gone or soon will go to tho
Eastern Hemisphere. Semmes is known
to have contemplated for some time a
cruise on the coast of Africa and
Southern Asia.
Washington, Jan. 14. Our blockad
ing fleet has Just raptured some very
important dispatches from Jeff Davis
and his Secretary of State to Mason.
Slldell and others In Europe. Thcso
dispatches give the strongest state
ment of the desperate straits to which
the rebel leaders are reduced.
The new steamer E. D. Baker was
towed over from Vancouver yesterday
to take in her boiler and smokestack.
The Baker Is about the size of the
O. S. N. Company's old favorite steamer,
Carrie Ladd. She is one of the boat
designed for the People's Transporta
tion Company line.
Articles of incorporation have been
filed in the Clerk's office of Multno
mah County for the construction of.the
Boone's Ferry macadamized road. This
road will intersect the Milwaukie mac
adamized road opposite Milwaukie.
The capital stock is 75.00U in $100
shares; principal ofllce in Portland;
corporators. John Stephenson, Jesse
V. Boon, John Sweek.
Her HuHliand as a Critic.
FUegende Blaetter.
She (getting ready to go out) What
are you looking at? Her Husband I'm
just watching whether that house op
posite will be nnisnea nrst or you.
WHEN
MAN
IS
PERFECT
That is the subject of one of
. a number of "absorbing special
features that will appear in The
Sunday Oregonian. It is a
glimpse into the days of 1000
years hence, when the human
family has evolved apace. The
picture is drawn by prominent
scientists.
25,000 Crooks That is quite
a lot of them for one small dis
trict, but Jack Rose reveals how
they live and thrive in crime in
pne section of wicked old New
York. This is the most absorb
ing: yet in the Rose series.
Why Do So Many Babies Die?
The question is one the United
States Government has set out
to answer. An important page
study of the subject of infants
and infant mortality.
Mrs. Sage's Bird Haven An
illustrated account of the great
hunting district a charitable
and tender-hearted old lady has
wrested from the grasp of the
hunters and converted into ren
dezvous for game birds.
Bulgaria's Chance Although
the fact is not generally known,
that chance was provided by an
American newspaper reporter.
An illustrated page.
Billy Hanford The arduous
exploit of a first-class fighting
man of the United States Navy.
Gibson Pictures A n o t h e r
page of the pictures that made
Gibson famous as a pen and ink
illustrator.
Three Pages for Women, Four
Pages of new color comics and
many other features.
Order Today From Your
Newsdealer.