10
THE MOnXTN'O OKEGOXIAX. FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1913.
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POBTXAD. FRIDAY. iASTABI SI. 1913.
UNDERWOOD'S TARIFF POIJCY.
The Democratic tariff-framers have
chosen to observe one plank of the
Baltimore platform and practically to
cast the other Into the discard. That
fiUtform declares that revenue should
be the sole purpose of tariff duties, but
It also says:
We favor the ultimate attainment of the
principle we advocate by legislation that
will not Injur or deatroy legitimate lnduatry.
The ways and means committee has
discovered that it cannot raise reve
nue from the tariff on certain com
modities without encouraging the im
portation of those commodities. The
more It encourages imports by tariff
reductions within certain limitations
the more revenue it will raise, but the
more it will Injure American industry.
That policy can only be reconciled
with the Baltimore platform by main
taining that the injured industries are
not legitimate. Underwood proposes
to scale down the wool, cotton, sugar,
shoe and chemical duties until they
make foreign competition possible; in
some cases down to nothing to the
point where they would yield no rev
enue. In defense of this policy he shifts
his ground from one argument to an
other. Where the findings of Taffs
Tariff Board fit the case he accepts
them; where a chance remark of a
manufacturer can be cited in support
of his purpose he quotes it. Thus a
statement of a textile company, which
manufactures a specialty made no
where else In the world and therefore
without competition, that It needs no
protection Is quoted as proof that the
whole cotton industry can stand un
restricted foreign competition. The
Tariff Board's finding that the Ameri
can cost of certain processes in cotton
manufacture is less than the foreign
is quoted as an argument against high
duties on the better grades of goods.
Free boots and shoes are offered as a
boon to the consumer, although free
hides have not reduced prices, al
though boots and shoes are already on
a keenly competitive basis, and al
though there is no suspicion of a trust
in the industry.
The Underwood tariff bills will have
plain sailing in the House, but they
will strike a snag in the Senate. The
Southern cotton manufacturers, who
make chiefly cheap goods, have made
common cause with their Northern
brethren, whose product Is mostly of
the higher grades. They may cause
the North Carolina and Georgia Sena
tors to break away from the Demo
cratic party and create a rift in the
solid South. The Louisiana Senators
will stand out against free sugar and
may be joined by the new Democratic
Senators from such beetgrowing states
as Colorado and Kansas. Already a
coalition has been formed between
protectionist Republicans and five pro
tectionist Democrats to prevent the
passage of any free list bill. By threat
ening to vote for free sugar unless all
free list bills are killed, the Repub
licans will coerce the Louisiana Demo,
orats into using their powerful influ
ence against any free list bills.
The Democratic majority in the
House Is pledged to a tariff which will
admit competition. That tariff cannot
puss the Senate -without overcoming
the opposition of those Democrats who
are determined to prevent its passage.
They bid fair to have the whip hand.
PALESTINE AND THE JEWS.
The curtailment of the Turks' power
in consequence of their defeats in the
Balkan war brings forward the situa
tion of the Jews in Palestine. This
province is under Turkish dominion
and has been us badly governed as the
rest of that unhappy empire. The
greater portion of it lies uncultivated
not because the land is sterile, but be.
cause the peasants are robbed of their
crops. In spite of these drawbacks to
prosperity about 100.000 Jews have
nettled In Palestine under the impetus
of the Zionist movement and many
more would go there to live If their
presence were suffered by the Turks.
But the latter Tear that the Jews
will fill the province and ultimately
fight for their independence if they
had free entrance. So none are ad
mitted now except for a limited period.
All who enter Palestine must go away
again within six months. Of course
this puts a stop to the Zionist migra
tion which, to many Jews, embodies
the hope of their race. Others do not
care so much about it, but all things
considered it is of immense Importance
not only to the Jews, but also to the
rest of the world.
The presence of a civilized and ac
tively intelligent population in Pales
tine "would make that really favored
region highly productive and would
materially further the colonization
schemes which Germany has been
hatching, since It would make food
cheap in Asia Minor. It Is believed on
grounds like this that when the Balkan
difficulty is finally settled the powers
will Intervene to secure to the Jews
the right to settle freely In Palestine
under conditions which will permit
them to prosper.
This amounts to saying that the
province will be freed from Turkish
rule. The Turk has always been in
compatible with prosperity and there
Is no reason to expect that misfortune
will alter his nature. Palestine be
longs to the Jews historically. They
have a still better title to it perhaps
In the sentiment of the world. They
never have had a country since Titus
destroyed their capital and dispersed
them over the face of the earth. Man
kind owes them a debt which might
be gracefully paid by giving them back
Palestine with Jerusalem for their
seat of government.
It Is not easy to understand how
an expedition on horseback from New
York to San Francisco can promote
the cause of woman suffrage, but it
might do so In some occult way. At
any rate certain enthusiastic sisters
are going to try it. The plan is to
start as soon as the roads are good
and push on to the Coast, scattering,
tracts by the way. It will be an ex
pensive way to distribute literature.
The mails would be cheaper. But the
scheme is adventurously romantic and
the spectacle of the fair missionaries
may win converts whom mere argu
ment could not touch.
FIXRAIJTY OR MAJORITY?
PORTLAND, Jan. 30. (To th Editor.)
I obeerve tnat The uregoman nas meu
caslon to comment on th holdupa over
Senatorial elections In the various tat
where the old conatltutlonal method is atill
In forca and to aay that the new fashion of
direct election has proved Its worth in
bringing quick results and in removing any
Senatorial contest from conalderatlon or con
troversy In any Legislature. All well
enough; but will The Oregonlan say that
the plurality scheme of popular election by
he people Is better than the majority
method by a Legislature? DOUBTER.
The Oregonlan will say that It has
long been an advocate of direct elec
tion of United States Senators. Aside
from the scandal and corruption that
have too often attended Senatorial
elections. Senatorial contests impede
the course of legislation, lead to log
rolling and traffic over all sorts of
measures, and to harmful feuds and
demoralizing factional controversies.
We are well along toward direct elec
tion of Senators, now, and such de
vices as Statement No. 1 will cease
to be an Issue.
We suppose that our doubtful friend
means to say that if a Legislature
were to be able to elect by a plur
ality and not by a majority, there
would be no deadlocks. Probably not.
But Is It desirable or undesira
ble that a Legislature or a peo
ple elect by a plurality? It is
true enough that a plurality nom
inates under the popular system: and
it is true enough that a plurality fre
quently elects; it Is true enough that
if a majority of a popular vote were
required, the legislative hold-ups would
be trifling affairs compared wun tne
popular deadlocks. But all other pub
lic officers are. or may be, elected by
pluralities. Why make an exception
of United States Senators?
It is too late to change the legisla
tive method so as to harmonize with
the popular method. Undoubtedly if
a Legislature could elect by a plural
ity, as the people do, there would oe
no hold-ups or deadlocks; but the old
barter and sale of bills, the demorali
zation of legislation, the diversion of
legislative interest into improper chan
nels and the taint of secret traffic or
outright corruption would all be there;
and it is well that a Legislature be left
strictly to its legislative duties.
AT LAST. THE PERFECT JUROR.
At first glance it appears that an
ideal juror, as measured by the
searching American system of criminal
procedure, has been found In Los An
geles County in the person of Dairyman
Dresbach. Mr. Dresbach lives oniy
twenty miles from Los Angeles at Ar-
tesla, but until summoned in the Dar.
row trial had never heard of Darrow
or of the McNamaras. Mr. Dresbach
reads only a dairy magazine, but his
wife, who scans the newspapers, tells
him about the murders and automobile
accidents.
Mr. Darrow, not being charged with
murder or involved in an automobile
accident and not known as the in
ventor of a milking machine, of course
escaped the attention of the intelligent
and well-informed talesman. How
the McNamaras escaped is more diffi
cult of conjecture. But no doubt it
may be accounted for in the prover
bial inconsistency of the sex or his
daily informant. At all events, the dis
covery of Mr. Dresbach Is gratifying.
The law of proportion indicates clearly
that there are at least eleven of his
kind in Los Angeles County, for it re
quired the summoning of only 400 ve
niremen to find him.
While we have remarked that the
venireman appears to be an ideel
juror, it will occur at once to all who
are well informed that the mere tact
that he never had heard of the defend
ant does not qualify him for duty in
this Important case. Perhaps he
belongs to the same secret society as
the cousin of the wife of the District
Attorney. Or perhaps he has a latent
suspicion that all lawyers ought to be
in jail. Or it may be that his partial
ity for murder and accident news in
dicates a destructive temperament
which would tend to influence his ver
dict. There are a numb -r of elements
that our admirable system takes into
account in the selecting of twelve peers
of the man on trial.
But these are mere possibilities.
Such a find among only 400 men de
monstrates the power of stern elimina
tion to uncover in any community the
human blanks deemed necessary to
the safe conduct of important criminal
trials. It ought to be sufficient an
swer to those critics who unthinkingly
condemn the American criminal code
of procedure. For those critics who
are solicitous for the unimportant or
penniless defendant there remains the
reply that one Dresbach and eleven of
his cows would no doubt fill the bill
just as well.
THE UNIVERSITY'S MEDICAL DEPART-
.11 r.. t.
NT, m nrn wilPtllV rnilSft COUld be for-
warded by the Legislature than that
r.t h mArllrnl denartment of the Uni
versity of Oregon, which makes a
modest request for an appropriation
r tin nna vpar It is Dronosed to
expend this money only In the em
ployment or full-time proiessors ana
In the installation and equipment of
laboratories.
This medical school has the merit
of being the only one of its kind in the
four states of Oregon, Washington,
Idaho and Montana, and therefore of
supplying medical education to those
who cannot afford to attend the dis
tant colleges in the East. As the re
sult of a rigid Inspection by the Car
negie foundation for the advancement
of medical eaucation oi ncanj mi
4i i .nit..., in th. TTnited States.
the standard of the school at Port
land has been raised so nign mat n
i- n-a.- ratiH in Has A bv the council
of education of the American Medical
Association. The state or w asmngion
u ...IvajI tnnt its nniversitv shall
leave the field of medical education to
the State of Oregon so long as this
.,.,.,. molntalnt A clasA A institution.
The position of this school is therefore
secure as the only one In its field.
The necessity of a medical school
.maintaining so high a standard in this
territory is obvious. A steadily re
cruited body of -well-trained physi
cians is recognized by all intelligent
people as essential to the public health
and to sanitation in general. The
medical department supplies this need
admirably and is alone in its field. It
therefore should have adequate sup
port of the state.
There was a time. In the days of
beautiful chirography, when it was
perfectly good form for a person to
write his own calling cards. Now they
must be engraved. Printing will not
do because it is cheap and everything
connected with good society must be
as expensive as possible. Cards print
ed by an expert are quite as artistic as
the engraved ones, but they are
banned. Those humble hangers on of
good society, milliners, haberdashers
and the like, have taken to engraving
their advertisements lately. It gives
an elite appearance which the printer
cannot rival.
LOGIC BRINGS STEAMSHIP LUTES.
The logic of the situation is bring
ing the Royal Mail Steam Packet line
to Portland, just as it brought the
Hamburg-American line. All we need
to do in order to acquire steamship
lines is to show the tonnage, developed
and Immediately capable of being de
veloped, the safe, navigable channel to
the sea and the facilities for quick and
economical handling of ships in the
harbor. These essentials assured, the
steamships will come of their own ac
cord without subsidies or other artifi
cial inducements.
A subsidized steamship line is but a
poor thing at best like a bottle-fed
baby. If we wish to develop a healthy
ocean commerce, we must feed the
carriers the natural mother's milk of
profitable traffic. A subsidy-fed line
is too much like a protection-fed in
dustry, confessing by its acceptance of
the subsidy that it Is unable to stand
alone. It is also a direct reflection on
the port which pays the subsidy, for
it advertises to other steamship lines
that the volume of traffic is insuffi
cient to support a line without this
unnatural stimulus. For this reason it
operates to warn away other lines
which might come of their own voli
tion without such an inducement.
The coming of the unsubsidized
Royal Mail as well as the Hamburg
American line is an advertisement that
there is business enough In sight to
Justify the profitable operation of
both lines. That the confidence of
these two great corporations may be
justified by their experience it is es
sential that our merchants give them
all the business possible. The spec
tacle of steamers coming in and going
out regularly with full cargoes will at.
tract other lines until Portland will
become what its unrivaled position fits
it to be one of the great ports of the
world.
"BEN HUB."
T!ie first thing that strikes and
charms the spectator at a performance
of "Ben Hur" is the marvelous beauty
of the spectacle. Nothing could be
more lovely than the gradual appear
ance of the Star of Bethlehem in the
sky as the sages gaze eastward from
the silent desert. Its long rays, lighting
up the whole world at the fullness of
their splendor, are bright with promise.
Their message Is the hope of redemp
tion from the overshadowing horror
of Roman rule which typifies the
deeper horror of sin. Jerusalem, set
like a gem in the desolate oriental
landscape, with Its tall stone houses
and roof gardens, looks on the stage
much as Josephus must have known it.
One sees the flinty pavements over
which the weary feet of the Savior
trod the way to Calvary and the harsh
outlines of the bare houses are no
more pitiless than the hearts of the
political clique that condemned him
to death. The lake on whose moonlit
waters the Egyptian beauty tempted
Ben Hur woos with the mysterious
shadows of its palm trees, and the
long line of light across the surface
seems to lead to some magic land
where life Is happiness and happiness
eternal. The Valo of Hinnom is a vast
cleft between towering peaks of bar
ren rock. The tombs where the lepers
live are as hideous as their disease.
Ben Hur wanders among the frightful
precipices seeking his lost mother and
sister like a soul through the wilder
ness of hell.
But the art of the scene maker
comes to a climax in the chariot race.
No reader of "Ben Hur" ever passed
the pages which contain the descrip
tion of the Jew's triumph and the Ro
man villain's downfall without thrills
of fascinated horror. It is all shown
on the stage as real as life. Messala
in the background urges forward his
steeds with whip and shouts, standing
in his crimson colors as the type of
Roman power and Roman arrogance.
Ben Hur in the foreground chants the
song of the free desert to his coursers
and accelerates their speed by mem
ories of the palm groves to which they
will return when they have won the
race. He is the victor and Messala not
only loses the fortune he has wagered
but barely comes off with his life.
Ben Hur's chariot engages his wheel
at the critical moment and he is
hurled into the dust of the arena. Of
course the author meant this to tjpify
the downfall of Rome before the
Galilean.
But all this is external. The spec
tator is enchanted to witness It, but
his thoughts are elsewhere, dwelling
with two great ideas which lie at the
heart of the book and the play. One
of them Is the all-embracing dominion
of Rome with Its cynical contempt
for human rights, its grinding weight
of military power and its lust for gold.
Rome was the universal robber of the
human race in the reign of Tiberius
when the Star appeared In the East.
There was no power on earth that
could withstand her armies, no refuge
but the depths of the sandy deserts to
which a fugitive could escape from her
cruel talons and no recess dark enough
to hide a private fortune from her
greedy clutch. Simonides brings this
out time and again as he tells one and
another how they must not dream of
fighting for safety, but must buy it
from the omnipotent pirate.
Rome had crushed the intelligence
of the world and enslaved its spirit.
There was scarcely such a thing as
free labor in existence anywhere. The
sheiks of the desert still defied the
imperial city from their inaccessible
fastnesses, but when they approached
the walled towns those wild wanderers
were compelled to bow before the ea
gles and the legions. Roman military
power colled like a serpent around the
earth and feasted upon its riches as
the serpent gnaws the vitals of its
prey. In the heart of the imperial
city there was no such feeling as pity.
Justice was but another name for
briber'. Law meant the will of the
Caesar and his minions. God had van
ished from the heavens and a beastly
crew of degraded demons had usurped
his throne. Nowhere but in Palestine
was there a vestige of orderly liberty
and even in that last refuge of human
hope a sordid clique of politicians had
traded their heritage to Rome for ft
share in the plunder of the world.
The other great idea is that of tht
coming redemption. From the ages
Israel had expected a Messiah. He
was to come in power and great glory.
With healing in his wings for the woes
of the human race he was to appear
In the east leading the armies of the
angels and put Israel's foes under his
feet. The Jews never had submitted
In their hearts to Rome because, un
like every other nation in the world,
they knew there was a power superior
to the legions and they believed it was
on their side. Ultimately the Messiah
would come and turn his omnipotence
against the scarlet Babylon drunken
with the riches of the earth. There
was a rumor afloat that the Messiah
had appeared. Strange stories had
strayed out of Galilee. A carpenter's
son had soothed Ben Hur with a touch
and a whispered blessing when he was
dragged past to the galleys. Blind men
had been restored to sight. Nay, men
born blind had been made whole. More
marvelous still, leprosy, the dread
curse of antiquity, had been cured and
the voice or the healer had penetrated
the caves of death and called back
Lazarus to his sisters. The wonder
worker must be the Messiah, but such
a Messiah! Where were the militant
hosts of angels? Where the armies
that were to break the power of
mighty Rome? The Messiah had come
but he was preaching peace, longsuf
fering and brotherly love. He spoke
as if the oiains Rome had riveted on
the limbs of mankind were but a trifle
and the only thing of consequence an
Invisible kingdom within the soul.
And this was the outcome of the
millennial hope. All Palestine sighed
with disappointment, all but a chosen
few who knew that ideas are more
potent than gold and legions. The
Messiah did conquer Rome, but It was
only after centuries of patient attack
that the Imperial power disintegrated
and humanity again began to live un
der the protection of the truth that
makes men free.
No doubt the most thoroughly con
vincing historical pageant ever exhibit
ed in the United States is the Pendle
ton Round-Up. Perhaps in rivalry
with that most delightful of spectacles
Denver Is preparing something of the
same nature under the inspiring lead
ership of Colonel William F. Cody,
whose "Wild West" show is perhaps
the great original of all such exhibi
tiona There is to be a reproduction
of the romantic and thrilling features
of cowboy and pioneer life and at the
same time a reunion of all that time
has spared of the old settlers, the In
dians and the paraphernalia of the
trail. If it is well done It will be the
sight of a lifetime.
If ever there was need of the min
istrations of the Red Cross Society, It
is In the Balkan war, which now seems
about to be resumed. The Turks are
notoriously callous about the care of
the wounded and the little nations
which are fighting Turkey have so
taxed their resources in equipping
themselves for the actual fighting that
they have probably done little to care
for the wounded, the sick or the sani
tation of their camps. The Balkan
states doubtless will be prompted to
fall in line with the most enlightened
nations In these respects after the
struggle is ended, especially after the
lesson the present war will have
taught them.
A current report from New York
seems to show that even society women
are not so steeped in trespasses and
sins as to be beyond redemption. A
number of the foremost among the
fashionable dames of the metropolis
have signed a pledge never again to
wear heron aigrettes or bird of para
dise plumes. The aigrettes are ob
tained at the cost of starving the young
herons, since the mother bird must be
shot in the nesting season to obtain
them. The use of bird of paradise
plumes has caused the species to be
come almost extinct. It seems almost
time for fashion to relax its demands
a little.
If France should have occasion to
go to war she would find some of her
leading politicians as embarrassing as
the enemy. They have declared for
peace at any cost and advise the most
astonishing measures to make war im
possible. Their favorite recourse for
the moment is the general strike. The
plan is to stop all work throughout
the country the moment the army be
gins to march. This is patriotism with
a vengeance. It would not take a great
deal of it to blot France off the map
with the world in its present state.
The typical telephone girl is all busi
ness. Note the operator in New York
who' saw a man's body alight from a
drop of eighteen stories and calmly
called up the wagon. A man could
hot do that.
The Marconi Wireless people dis
criminate against women operators as
not dependable In time of stress. Yet
it Is in such crises that woman has
made good since Creation.
The short and ugly word may be
good English, as Judge Mack says,
but its use provokes disturbance of the
peace and should be discouraged. It
Is a fighting word.
Representative Lawrence, of Mult
nomah, would raise the scale to 110 a
day for a 60-day session. Representa
tive Lawrence knows a good thing
when he sees it.
After plenty of time for rest and
recuperation, the Allies will resume
carving Turkey next Monday. This
time they probably will finish by pick
ing the bones.
Governor West jiofr says it Is time
to quit the legislative fight and get to
work. He is a wise man who knows
when he has had enough.
A religious fanatic dressed in pure
white put the hobo convention to
flight. Pure white Is not part of the
hobo color scheme.
The noun" dawg will figure in the
inaugural parade, but not so joyously
as if Champ were the principal figure.
If the Filipinos are allowed to gov
ern themselves, no doubt they will set
out with Mexico as their Ideal.
The life record of Captain Blakely
would make a splendid exhibit of the
merits of Oregon's climate.
Make short work with a long sen
tence for the "long and short" highwaymen.
There is often more legislative honor
gained in killing a bill than in passing
one.
British suffragettes are not without
hope while labor takes up their cause.
Glavls now shrinks from that bright
light which beats upon a muckraker.
The hobo convention struggles vain
ly against the stigma "freak."
IJIPROVING LAW-MAKING SYSTEM
Writer Would Have Initiated Bills Go
First to Legislature.
PORTLAND, Jan. 29. (To the Edi
tor.) The, problem of political phil
osophy presents various aspects, the
question of devising a Suitable legis
lative apparatus being one of them.
Notwithstanding the fact that from the
earliest times innumerable controver
sies have been waged concerning the
excellence of this or that legislative
apparatus, the question is not quite
settled as yet. This, at least, ought to
be apparent to many of the voters of
this state. The Initiative and referen
dum are constantly referred to as a
supplement to our representative form
of government, to be used whenever the
people desire to obtain something the
Legislature does not give them or to
reject that which the latter intends to
impose upon them. In most instances.
It is difficult to divine, before the votes
are counted, what the people really de
sire or oppose. For this reason the use
of the Initiative ought not to be re
stricted, nor that of the referendum,
barring a few exceptions, but the In
itiative should be made an integrant
part of our representative government.
The pure idea of democracy is de
fined as the government of the whole
people by the whole people, equally
represented. In a pure representative
democracy, every or any section should
be represented. Unless such is the case,
tt cannot be said that there exists an
equal government, but a government of
Inequality, where contrary to the prin
ciple of democracy, the fair and equal
influence in the representation has been
denied to one or more parts of the
whole. It is an admitted fact that the
American democracies are samples of
this faulty pattern. How can we im
prove it? Here I would make use of
the Initiative. An initiative measure,
after having received the required num
ber of signatures of registered voters,
should be filed with the Secretary of
State not less than 60 or 90 days prior
to the opening of a legislative session,
there and at that session to be acted
upon, either rejected or adopted in its
original or amended form; allowing, for
a limited time, the privilege of the
floor to one of the prime movers of
each measure when it is up for con
sideration. When the Legislature sees fit to re
ject such a measure or adopt It In an
amended form, then, and not till then,
should the proposers have a right to
demand that the same be placed. In its
original form, upon the ballot at the
next state election. It must not be for
gotten that this complementary part,
the Initiative, la for the benefit of the
minority. For in our state as well as
elsewhere, laws are toe result of the
labors of the few and not of the many.
But this giving to minorities of more
than an equal influence in our legis
lative affairs should not entitle them
to the opportunity to have their meas
ures enacted without obtaining the ap
proval of something like a majority of
the people. However, this is allowed
them under our state constitution. This
glaring defect ought to be remedied.
Where measures and candidates are
voted upon at the same election, an
initiative measure should not become
the law unless approved by a two
thirds vote of the electors voting on
such a measure. . To bring about this
change the present Legislature should
have the foresight and the courage to
take the initiative steps. It would be
safe, sane, sound and constructive
legislation and not detrimental to a
single interest entitled to any con
sideration. INXE RUS,
390 Jefferson street.
WRITER SNEEZES AT PARCEL POST
Costa More to Send Can of Pepper by
Mnll Than It Did Before.
PORTLAND, Jan. 30. (To the Edi
tor.) As I was saying, the parcel post
doesn't seem to facilitate matters to
any great extent when it comes to
pruning the "high cost of living."
Just by way of getting on speaking
terms with the new system I sent a
two-ounce tin of pepper to a man at
Pocatello, Idaho, which is just up here
a ways, and the little experience cost
me S cents coin and some little time.
The pepper cost 10 cents. You see the
tin and wrapper made the weight a
little mite more than two ounces, and
so they charged pound rates. I made a
mistake in not sending a pound ot
pepper, but even at that rate I don't
see how parcel post is going to reduce
the cost of pepper very much.
Prior to the adoption of the parcel
system I sent two ounces of pepper to
San Francisco for 4 cents, but they tell
me it was a losing game, and they now
forbid me that rate. Yet there are
folks who say, "The consumer should
get acquainted with a good, square
farmer and employ the parcel post."
Well, if it costs 8 cents to send two
ounces of pepper, what would it cost
to send a leg o' lamb? .
And this reminds me that we now
have cars that stop at the even-numbered
streets coming out and at the
odd-numbered streets going in, the
same dandy little 12-minute headway,
the same old crowd of elongated strap
hangers holding on for dear life, and
the same good will of the Eastern
stockholders.
Therefore, It Is now recalled that the
railway company "bowed to the will
of the people" in this matter of mak
ing fewer stops and that the hydra
headed monsters, known as express
companies, didn't go out of business
when we instituted the parcel post.
All of which goes to shdw that we love
the bunko stuff, and that where there
used to be a "sucker born every min
ute," the average is now higher on ac
count of the frequent advent of twins.
ROBERT G. DUNCAN,
649 East Forty-ninth street North.
PATROJf CRITICISES WATER OFFICE
Flow Frequently Shnt Off Without
Notice Is Charge.
PORTLAND, Jan. 28. (To the Edi
tor.) JuBt a few words regarding the
beautiful habit of the water office of
turning off water in the residence dis
tricts without notice.
People are constantly howling about
the iniquities of the big corporations,
but no corporation would ever have
the nerve to keep on putting one over
. v. . ..,..(.(, n.ihlif n a thin muni-
uu tut: BuiitiuiB i' t
cipally-owned "public servant" does.
But in my oisinct
. . . 1 j . . ... n . .. .... II,) .nfP
irequenuy niiu vu .i .u. .......
for periods ranging from one to three
... 1 3 C t
hours witnout warning, au urni. v
t- jt - TV.!.. ... .. 1.1 h. a fina thlntT
WKSn UajB. x uig wwu.u " a
in a case where a house would contain
some person very mi.
was suddenly turned off. At 8:30 I rang
UP OUT lOCai WftlCI vn.v5 aim t. n .
i V. .. , I . ... Kauri
to tne reason wuy
notified In advance. I was informed in
return tnat wnen tue wmci i
l a. elmcr na lul thov Vl S! i'
CtUoCU UU in . ,. . . . J
no time to send men around to notify
. -. , . ... . .. ...........I .Vicar In tt
iamiuea, uul hub aoo . ..
.. . ,, , -..,..,1.1 Via An T
SllOri lime me wnLCi rrvuiu "...
am writing this at 3 o'clock and it is
off yet. Apparently tne niutiu ui
-, . ... il,nv rr. i, v, u i.Ani.o thr?
O II I CO IS on J- lh in . .r,
nublic." They certainly have got me
i -r i , I ...... .nnl.,l..- ertnnlrl
going, ana i oenovc ""--
. . .. n-lmn in thir nerve.
De aone iu pu. , , ...
I WOuld like to hear from others on
this subject ana wouia oe veijr KJau
i . -. .1 , .-, v. t start th.
lO give liiiirj ciu-v. '""I'J ' - -
ball rolling against this "public
, ., 1DVTV r' WrTTTR.
nuisance. , .,!,." '
A WUe Investor.
Judge.
"This Is an excellent picture of you,"
Piiman TiimlnlnbT a nhotograph
of Howso. "Have you ever been done
in oil?"
"Not on your life!" replied Howso.
"I always steer clear of curb-mark t
securities."
THE CASE OF GOOSE VS. BEAVER
Mr. Sebrins Applies IntelllBence Teat
In the "Webtoot" Iaane.
WINCHESTER, Or., Jan. 29. tTo the
Editor.) One of the objections which
George H. Himes offers to the term
"Webfoot" when applied to the- state
is that it is suggestive of a goose, and
that the goose being an emblem of stu
pidity, the name is a reflection on the
industry and intelligence of the people
of Oregon.
On the other hand- Mr. Himes would
substitute the name "Beaver," because,
among other things, that animal ex
hibits great industry and Intelligence
in constructing dams across streams.
Now, right here Mr. Himes has
opened up a subject to which there are
plainly two sides. Let us consider,
first, that firBt law of nature, self
preservation. I haver lived in the state
when both geese and beaver were quite
numerous; have tramped from daylight
till dark hunting geese, without get
ting nearer to a flock than twice the
distance that my gun would carry,
simply because the birds were too wary
to alight near anything behind which
I could hide; and in the light of that
experience, whenever I hear the re
mark "as stupid as a goose." I at once
conclude that the one making it doesn't
know half as much about a goose as
the goose knows about a good many
things, one of which is, that the bird
knows as much as any beaver that ever
built a dam about taking care of No. 1.
The beaver Is sharp of sight, sharp
of scent and sharp of hearing, while
the goose, although fully as keen in
all its senses as the beaver, generally
keeps too far from the proximity of
an enemy to render the last two effec
tive. I have' caught many a beaver in
traps, besides having had many fail
ures. I found that if I left any scent
about the vicinity of the trap, very
often the animal would forsake the
place entirely; also if there was so
much as a link of the trap chain ex
posed it was "all off."
Comparing the constructive intelli
gence, or, as some would term it. the
Ingenuity of the two, I will have to
admit that the goose cannot build a
beaver dam; neither can the beaver
build a goose's nest, any more than
man, with his boasted knowledge,
could build either, which places them
on a level on that score.
As to the Industry of the beaver, on
which Mr. Himes relies so strongly to
bolster our reputation, If he will ob
serve carefully he will find it no more
than commensurate with the animal's
physical requirements, very much as
a man builds his house.
But there is this difference in the
man and the animal: for whereas a man
builds according as his fancy dictates,
the animal builds according to a fixed
plan from v,-hlch It cannot vary, a plan
with which it had nothing to do in
originating, and which Is but a feeble
manifestation of that ever-present, all
pervading intelligence that rules the
universe. All of the so-called intelli
gence of the beaver is but a bor
rowed Intelligence, useful for the time
being, to be cast aside when it has
served its immediate ends.
After the beaver has completed the
act is It conscious of having builded
a dam? We are led to suppose that
there is no mental faculty without a
purpose. If this Is the case, why
should the animal remember, for no
matter how many dams It may con
struct, it cannot profit by past experi
ence the least degree? And It would
seem, therefore, that the faculty of
memory would be entirely useless.
F. it. SEBRING.
EFFECT OF MINIMUM WAGE LAW
Correspondent Fears It Would Deprive
Less Competent of Employment.
PORTLAND, Jan. 30. (To the Edi
tor.) I am surprised that in all that
has been said regarding the minimum
wage measure, as proposed by the Con
sumers League, and in the arguments
put forth in Its favor, there has been
no mention of many phases of the pro
posed legislation as adversely affect
ing the poor working girl.
Assuming that the report of Misti
Gleason, as published in The Oregonlan,
is true, that a large proportion of those
employed in the factories, department
stores and laundries are working for
less than a "living watre," what remedy
will this proposed bill afford? Will It
guarantee any wage for a class of
workers who are inefficient, incom
petent, and inexperienced? And yet
every factory, department store and
laundry has many such girls in its
employ girls who are helping at least
to support themselves, where they
would only be a burden to their fami
lies, or to society in general, should
they be thrown out of employment en
tirely, as would be the case should
any minumum wage be established by
law.
What will become of the incompetent
girls who are now employed at a wage
fully commensurate with their worth?
Will they be taken to a certain "in
stitution" here in our city to compete
with our employes, and be subsidized
by the state as is the case at the pres
ent time?
If, as Miss Gleason states, "conditions
are unsanitary" in the factories of
Portland,, then our health officers are to
blame for such conditions, and should
be brought to taBk for such dereliction
of duty.
Our State Labor Commissioner is a
frequent visitor in the factories,
laundries and department stores, and it
is plainly a part of his duties as a
state officer to see that such establish,
ments are properly equipped, but it is
plainly not a part of t)is duty to sug
gest any sum, as a mininum wage, as he
assumed to do In a report which he
recently made. There are a number of
factories in Portland and in other
localities in Oregon which will be
seriously handicapped, If not put out
of business entirely, should this pro
posed measure become a law. All
factories coming into competition with
other states or with foreign competi
tion will feel the effects of such unjust
legislation.
While local institutions, such as
laundries and department stores, might
add to the cost of their product to
cover extra cost of production, there
are many factories which are in com
petition with the East, or with foreign
labor conditions, which would simply
face ruin if they were confronted
with such conditions as the Consumers'
League would impose upon them, while
the women -employes would be "out of a
job."
Should this proposed measure be
passed providing for the appointment
of a commission to take into considera.
tion the wants of the employe, as well
as the interests of the employer, and
both the employer and the employe be
represented on such commission, there
will be little opposition, but if any at
tempt to establish a definite amount,
weekly, hourly or daily, Ib made, it will
work a great hardship on those who
depend upon their labor as a means of
support, for it will simply throw hun
dreds of deserving women out of em
ployment. R. C. WARINXER.
Nationality of Actom.
PORTLAND, Jan. 30. (To the Edi
tor.) What nationality are Sarah
Bernhardt and David War-eld? Has
either one any Jewish blood?
M. COHN.
Sarah Bernhardt was born In Paris of
French and Dutch parents. Her mother
was of Jewish extraction, but her
father was not- David Warfleld was
born In San Francisco and is of Jewish
descent-
A Possible Explanation.
Harper's.
"I never could undertsand why peo
ple dock their horses' tails," said Dub
bleigh. "High cost of living," said Jorrocks.
"Got to dock something, these times."
Half a Century Ago
From The Oreffotilatt of January 81, lsfii.
The books of the Oregon City Woolen
Mills are now open at Oregon City and
stock is being rapidly taken. The
capital stock is $75,000, which Is enough
to start the enterprise with every
needed element of success. Captain D.
P. Thompson will attend to soliciting
stock subscriptions In the counties
adjoining Clackamas. -
Olympta, Jan. 16. The bill for the
removal of the seat of government to
Vancouver was killed In the House on
Saturday.
New York. Jan. 19. News from
Havana says the Alabama was off thut
port on the 5th.
Washington, Jan. 19. The House
committee on territories has agreed to
the admission of Nevada, Colorado and
Nebraska into the Union as states.
Washington. Jan. 19. The Senate to
day confirmed the nomination of Har
rington of Oregon as superintendent of
Indian affairs in that state.
From this time forward the subscrip
tion for The Dally Oreitonian will be
3" Ms cents a week. We are com
pelled to advance our rates by the large
and increasing price of printing paper.
The suit of William Grooms, City
Marshal, against the City of Portland
for certain fees for services rendered
the city, making a total of 57, was
decided yesterday in the Recorder's
court. The Recorder gave Judgment In
favor of Grooms for $36.
DIGNIFIED NAME IS DESIRABLE.
"Diversity State" Suggested In Lien of
"Beaver" r "Webfoot."
AMITY, Or., Jan. 29. (To the Edi
tor.) If the columns of The Oregonlan
are still open to those who wish to dis
cuss the question as to the most ap
propriate nickname for Oregon and the
Harriman electric system, I would like
briefly to state what I think upon the
subject.
If the name to be adopted Is of any
great importance I am in favor of
adopting a name that actually signifies
that which is a reality. As for the
name "Webfoot" or "Beaver," I dissent
to either. The word "Webfoot" as an
appellation for Oregon was only In
tended as a burlesque; nevertheless it
might have a tendency to be injurious
ly misleading. To adopt the name
"Beaver" would also be misleading.
However, at an earlier date than this,
when the beaver was plentiful In our
state, the name at that time might
have been recognizable. But at this
time, when that rodent has become so
nearly extinct in this state, in my Judg
ment, to adopt Its name wou.d be ex
ceedingly unfitting.
The word that I will suggest for
Oregon's nickname will no doubt find
dissenters also. But if the name want
ed is important, and the most appro
priate one desired, I think the word
which I will suggest will be the one
sought for. I suggest that the word
"Diversity" be adopted. We may very
fittingly compare Oregon to a great
varietv storehouse, with her shelves
filled to their utmost capacity with the
essentials for man's use. Oregon af
fords the greatest variety of advan
tages and benefits to her Inhabitants
of any state in the Union.
Oregon possesses a diversity oi cli
mates, soil and productions. There is
Eastern Oregon, the famous Hood River
Valley, the great Willamette Valley,
the renowned Rogue River and Ump-
-vrnii-.,. nr th. nnnntrv lvlns: west
of the Coast Range of Mountains. Each
of those localities possesses its ow"
peculiar climate and soil.
irl .. l.lnlr flrnirnn'n VnrlptV Of Soil
and climate in the aggregate, she is
adapted to general tanning, mw;ii
ing, dairying, poultry-raising a stale
of flowers, hence bee culture, and is
unsurpassed for the production of a
great variety of fruits and garden veg-
C tfl t)lS.
Oregon has quite extensive fisheries,
and there are also a great variety of
forest trees, of which there is being
manufactured daily hundreds of thou
sands of feet of lumber. There are
valuable coal fields in some parts ot
the state, and also deposits of a great
varietv of other minerals.
I believe that Oregon Is capable of
conferring a greater diversity of favors
upon her people than any other state.
While the Oregon people are contem
plating a nickname for their state let it
be one that will be dignifying a name
that will within itself stand out as an
advertisement of the many favors
which Oregon will supply to her people.
WILLIAM S. SCHWARTZ.
Weight of Milk.
PORTLAND, Jan. 30. (To the Edi
tor.) Please state the standard weight
of one gallon of milk. DAIRYMAN.
A gallon of milk weighs 8.61 pounds
at a temperature of 60 degrees.
A
New Style
In
Babies
It lias been set by Iowa ami
adopted in Orepon. It provides
that a child shall be judfred by
physical perfection rather than
by doll-like beauty. The sub
ject is given a delightful page,
illustrated by photographs, iu
The Sunday Oreg-oninn.
The Perfect Woman The
press dispatches have had much
to say lately of Miss Scheel,
Cornell's perfect woman. An
illustrated half page goes into
the subject in detail.
Poor Lo! They are now
steering the red man through
bankruptcy in order to protect
him from a horde of white
sharpers. Full page in colors.
Aerial Bicycling It is to be
the great sport of the future.
An exceptional letter from The
Oregonian's Paris correspond
ent. Isle of Broken Hearts An
account of the trouble-burdened
people who come and go at Ellis
Island. Written by a former
immigration inspector.
Underworld Tricks Another
page by Jack Rose on the tricks
and traps which beset the un
wary. The Suffragist Invasion The
advent of the suffragists in
Washington is. to rival the in
augural parade itself if present
plans do not miscarry.
Gibson P i c t u r e s-Another
half page in the series of pen-and-ink
drawings that made
Gibson famous.
Two short stories, three pages
for women, four pages of color
comics and many other features.
Order today from your newsdealer.
t