THE MORNING OREGONIAN, SATURDAT. FEBRUARY 1, 1913.
6
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I'OK TI.jI, SATURDAY, FEB. 1, WIS.
WHAT THE FATHERS WOULD HAVE
DONE. '
The discussion In the Senate of the
single Presidential term amendment to
the Constitution, following so closely
upon the submission to the states of
the direct Senatorial election and the
Income tax amendment. Is a symptom
of a new attitude of the people
towards the Constitution. For forty
years that Instrument has stood un
changed, while our industrial, social
and political life has been undergoing
- a peaceful revolution. New Inventions
have brought new forces into being.
The Nation has grown immensely in
every sense, but the Constitution has
remained the same. It was made for
a people of three millions; we are
trying to apply it to more than ninety
millions.
We still reverence the men who
made the Constitution; we still rec
ognize the wisdom with which they
built, but we realize that they did not,
because they could not, build for such
a Nation as we now are. Had Wash
ington, Jefferson, Madison, Adams,
Franklin all the great men of the
Revolutionary era lived in our day
with the experience of the 136 years
to look back upon, they would have
built rrfuch as we should do were we
now beginning the work. It be
comes ua to do as they would have
done had they lived now, not to erect
Into a fetich a structure made for
days and conditions whloh. have long
since passed.
They would probably have arrived
.at a different conclusion as to the
length of Presidential terms and as
1 to eligibility for re-election. They
'. would surely have realized that In
four years It is Impossible for a Pres
ident to carry his policies to comple
tion and that the opportunity creates
the ambition for a second term, which
greatly impairs his efficiency. They
would have perceived the pernicious
effect of Indirect election of Senators
and would have adopted some means
of direct election. They would have
recognized that continuation in office
of a President and Congress for
months after their successors have
been elected creates a practical In
terregnum In the Government and un
duly postpones execution of the pop
ular mandate given at the election.
They would have foreseen that fixing
the date at which a Congress shall be
gin its first session more than a year
after its election also defers passage
of measures the people demand. They
would have given the Federal Gov
ernment more definite control over
Interstate commerce, more definite
power to improve rivers and harbors,
and to develop the National domain
by Irrigation, drainage, storage of
flood waters. They would have made
provision for interpretation of the
Constitution by some tribunal and
would not have allowed the courts to
acquire power superior to that of the
executive and legislative branches of
the Government. They would have
provided means of amending the Con
stitution capable of being operated
more expeditiously than has been pos
sible in the case of the Income tax
and direct election amendments.
Had the fathers been able to for
eee what we now know, the income
tax amendment would have been sub
mitted to the states in much less than
20 years after the annulment of a
law imposing such a tax and would
have become effective in less than
four years after Its submission. The
question of direct Senatorial elections
would have gone before the states
for decision with less than fifty years'
agitation for Its submission. After the
people had demanded downward re
vision of the tariff In 1908, five years
would not have elapsed before a real
beginning was made at granting their
demand.
YOUTH AXD AGE.
In one of the current magazines a
writer takes up the perennially enter
taining topic of old age. Like all his
predecessors he tries to find conso
lations in age which shall counterbal
ance the loss of youth. Cicero tried
the same experiment and dozens of
others have followed suit in the course
of the centuries. Some have done bet
ter at the task than one would expect.
At first sight it seems as if nothing
could compensate one for the glory
and bloom of life when it is gone, and
gone forever, but second thought is
not so disconsolate. After all, youth,
we are assured, is not a period of
especial Joy. It is too unconscious of
its advantages to get the real good of
them. It runs, leaps, laughs and sobs,
plays out Its games and wreaks its
passions without stopping to realize
their beauty and grace. Very likely a
young person has no more genuine en
joyment of life than one who is old.
He lives more, certainly, but he Is far
less conscious of it. He is like an
actor in a play who Is so taken up
with his part that he loses the fasci
nation of the plot.
It is only the old who see the beau
ty of youth. Its tireless energy, its
fierce passions, Its superabundance of
vitality form enchanting pictures to
aged eyes, but the young are careless
of them. They are too much occupied
with living to notice She charm of life.
Age finds nothing so perfect as the
muscular outline of youthful figure, its
elastic movements and vigorous color.
Great sculptors never lose their alle
giance to the human form in the years
before age has hardened its curves and
emaciated its grace. The statues
which the world goes to see again and
again are of younir men and women.
Their indescribable beauty Is revealed
to the old and forms one of the con
solations of age, but youth Itself cares
little for them. It Is like a spendthrift
who scatters right and left the fortune
he has inherited.
Our essayist goes on to tell us again
that youth is self-centered. It lacks
the "social spirit," as we are learning
to name the new faculty which is
making over civilization. Touth
dreams for the individual, age for the
world. As the fire of life dims it sends
its light to farther and farther goals.
THE SI ,009,000 SCHOOL BONDS.
Undoubtedly the present temper of
the people is against large bond issues
for state, county or city, and perhaps
for school districts; yet no institution
anywhere has the popularity of the
public schools, and , any objection
against a reasonable expenditure to
extend their service and improve their
efficiency is easily overruled. People
believe In the schools and are ready
to spend their money on them; but
they want it expended wisely and
carefully, and for their permanent
good.
Today in Portland a $1, 000, 000
bond Issue Is to be voted or rejected
at a special election. The plan is to
build a new Couch grade school in
place of the present decayed structure,
to establish and equip a school of
trades and to -erect a new high school
In Southeast Portland and to buy ad
ditional school grounds.
Nothing is to be said in opposition
to these proposals, though of course
some object on principle to bonds.
But the Investment Is for permanent,
not temporary uses, and It is well to
spread the payments over a series of
years. The city has grown very fast,
and It has taxed the resources of the
school district to keep up. But It
must have good schools and safe, com
modious and attractive school build
ings. The tl, 000,000 bond issue Is one
way through.
ONE VOICE AGAINST A MILLION.
The Medford Mail Tribune finds
room in its Impoverished pages to
make a large-typed attack on the Ore
gon Agricultural College, which is
termed "an inflated mushroom of an
Institution," not deserving the large
appropriation asked from the Legis
lature. Incidentally the Medford pa
per drags In the ghost of the old nor
mal school fight, and gives its own ver
sion of The Oregonian's responsibility
for withdrawal of state support for
Ashland.
The Oregonian has a modest opin
ion of its influence in persuading
the Legislature and the people' to de
fine a normal school policy; yet It has
a mild curiosity to know how its Med
ford critic reconciles Its declaration
that The Oregonian did it .all with
Its frequent assertions that nobody
ever listens to The Oregonian. But
we are not much concerned as to
the reasons or absence of reasons.
We are concerned that there
should be an opinion anywhere, how
ever mistaken, or vicious, or preju
diced, that the Oregon Agricultural
College is a "mushroom Institution."
The people of this state as a whole
believe profoundly in the great mis
sion of the Agricultural College. It is
one of the most valuable institutions
In Oregon. It is under competent
guidance. It Is doing a mighty work
for the whole people.' It merits ade
quate support that Its service may con
tinue, and be broadened into newer
and wider activities in all the coun
ties of Oregon.
Jackson County, among others, has
Just as deep an Interest in the Agri
cultural College as any other. Why
should any voice there dare to raise
Itself In derogation of Oregon Agri
cultural College?
POLITICAL MOBSBACKS.
If anybody who desires to become a
candidate for office has been excluded
from that sacred privilege by the
condition that someone must circulate
a nominating petition in his behalf, or
he must do it himself, The Oregonian
would like to know all the sad circum
stances, for the poor man is a martyr
Indeed to the inexorable workings of
the primary law. The truth Is there is
no such person. Anyone who wants
to become a candidate nowadays has
an open invitation to run; and he runs.
The purpose of the primary law Is to
give everybody a chance by preventing
anyone else from vetoing his candi
dacy. That purpose has been admir
ably realized in Oregon. There are no
political bosses now none worth
mentioning.
If the primary law shall be amend
ed so as to permit any candidate to
qualify by filing his declaration and
paying a fee, the business of petition
hawking and name-chasing will be de
stroyed. In one of its most unworthy
branches; and a simpler and better
method of carrying out the policy of
the law will be provided. The stand
patters and recationaries who resist
change ought to offer some better ar
gument than shallow abuse of The
Oregonian; but .the) have none, and
so there is nothing else for them to
say except stuff to the effect that
amending the nominating law in the
way proposed will cause "the ballot
to be made the dumping ground for
the ambition of every crank, every er
ratic, semi-lunatic, and every idiot who
wants to advertise himself."
We have never heard a more savage
attack on the direct primary, for the
primary law elsewhere, as in Wash
ington, contains precisely the plan of
nominations desired now in Oregon.
We call for a bill of particulars as to
the cranks, erratics, lunatics and Idiots
who have cumbered the ballot there.
It Is an old game for the profession
al friends of the primary to work
themselves into a polysyllabic hysteria
whenever a change designed for Im
provement of the primary law is sug
gested; but it Is worn out. There will
be amendments, and they will be made
in response to a general recognition of
their desirability and will be an ex
pression of the popular will. The let-us-alone
cry will not avail In any bad
cause.
NO CrARDIANS FOR THE PEOPLE.
In his article on "Freedom Needs
No Guardians." In World's Work,
Woodrow Wilson voices the sentiment
of the whole progressive movement
which has imbued both the old par
ties and has given rise to a new party.
That sentiment is that the Government
belongs to and must be conducted
through all the people, not through
any select few of the people. It is
that the whole people know better
what Is good for them than any part
of them; that the poorest must have
as much voice as the richest in shap
ing the Government; that what each
man says must have weight accord
ing to its value in deciding what is
best for the whole Nation, not accord
ing to the position he occupies or the
amount of his possessions.
Wilson unconsciously does an in
justice to both Taft and Roosevelt in
holding that, while their hearts are
with the people, they are guided by
the theory which he condemns,
namely, that the advice of a special
class must decide the course of the
Government. Both Taft and Roose
velt, throughout their administrations,
shewed readiness to hear the opinion
of any man on any question which
called for their action and by their
frequent and determined opposition to
the class which Wilson describes as
the board of trustees, both have
proved that they have given the opin
Ions of others due weight and have
been guided by them. Wilson's In
dictment is largely true of recent
Congresses, and to their subservience
to special interests and their deafness
to popular demands recent political
changes may chiefly be attributed.
That the point of view which Wil
son condemns is not that of the Re
publican party is proved by the return
of that party to the Ideals or its iirst
leader. There are still Republicans
so reactionary that they distrust the
people and imagine that guardians
are needed, but so there are among
the Democrats, as Wilson will soon
discover. The progressives are not
all in the Democratic, nor the react
ionaries all in the Republican party.
Perhaps each party has an equal pro
portion of each element.
THE BOYS ARE SO HUNGRY, SO
THIRSTT.
Colonel Watterson finds In Wilson's
praise of the merit system- and in his
refusal to displace an official who has
made good a mournful outlook for the
officeseekers. He recalls how Cleve
land started on the same tack in 1885
and how bravely that stiff-necked re
former got over it. He puts in a word
for rotation In office and suggests that
Wilson start the merit system "square
and even" by requiring the resigna
tion of every man in office the day
after he enters the White House, re
marking that Wilson would find "very
few, if any. Democrats among the dis
placed." "Turn and turn about would
seem fair play and is still a good rule
of the game," says the Colonel, ending
with the mournful exclamation:
"And, Lord, the boys are so, hungry
and so thirsty."
That gives us a good Illustration of
the contrast between what Wilson
thinks he will do and what the Demo
cratic hosts are expecting. Wilson
thinks he will devote his time to pro
gressive legislation and administra
tion and will displace officeholders
only because of their unfitness and ap
point new ones only because of their
fitness. The Democrats are confident
he will occupy himself with clearing
out Republicans and supplanting them
with Democrats, giving only cursory
attention to progressive legislation and
the elimination of trusts. If Wilson
tries to translate his Idea into practice,
there will arise a cry of mingled lam
entation and denunciation which will
make the Washington monument
tremble. Cleveland was made of pretty
stern stuff, but he yielded. We shall
see If Wilson Is made of sterner.
SUBURBAN LIFE.
A writer in the February Atlantic,
Randolph S. Bourne, describes many
Interesting features in the life of an
American suburban town where he
has lived for several Summers. He
has watched the spectable of its af
fairs with the eye of a philosopher
and writes about It with the pen of
an artist. Mr. Bourne believes that
the suburban community, of which his
town is a specimen, contains more that
is really typical of the genuine old
American life than one can find any
where else. It has not, like the farm
ing districts, been depleted of its vi
tally ambitious elements by the lure
of the city and on the other hand, un
like the city, it has not been disinte
grated into a heterogeneous mass of
discordant units. The life, though
stratified, retains something of con
cord and the fundamental ideas which
we fondly call American still rule.
Mr. Bourne, with a courage which
one cannot but admire, admits at the
outset that his suburban town contains
"social classes." He finds three of
them, in fact.
At the bottom is the Inarticulate
drove of factory workers who, or
which, in this instance happen to
be Poles and Italians. Their social
function, according to Mr. Bourne, is
to grind out profits for the mainten
ance of the top class. These humble
units play no part in town politics or
religion. They have no amusements
outside the saloons and slum resorts.
Mr. Bourne speaks of the Italians and
Poles as "sleeping out a dreamless
sleep." Immediately above the som
nolent foreigners, who, with their
wives and little children, toil in the
factories, Mr. Bourne has discovered a
"middle class," which carries on the
small business of the place. It runs
the grocery stores, finances the
Fourth of July celebrations, has the
apparent control of municipal politics
and some of its members may be
wealthy. But It Is distinctly inferior
to the aristocracy who own the mills.
The middle class churches in that sub
urb are the Methodist and Baptist.
For diversions the men of this social
rank assiduously attend the Oddfellow
and Masonic lodges which are not
patronized much by their betters.
They are ardent partisans of their sev
eral creeds and shun anything like in
novation in the realm of religion as a
device of Satan.
At the top of the social scale Mr.
Bourne finds the old American aris
tocracy securely seated In the saddle.
It owns most of the real estate In the
suburb. Its men are connected in one
way and another with big business in
the neighboring city. It scorns the
Catholics on one hand and the Meth
odists and Baptists on the other, ac
cording its religious allegiance usually
to the Presbyterian Church. This up
permost class feels no particular in
terest In the welfare of the town. Its
main purpose is to keep down taxes.
Working for that worthy aim, it re
stricts the public schools to the most
meager expenditure at one end of the
scale, while at the other it supports
a magnificent high school which is at
tended by an insignificant fraction of
the young people. But that fraction
includes the ambitious scions of the
landed aristocracy, which makes all
the difference in the world. Intellec
tually Mr. Bourne finds the top class
rather dull. It Is afraid of ideas and
despises men who try to make it
think. It clings tenaciously to "the
good old ways." Curiously enough the
middle class, which ostensibly controls
the politics of the place, really takes
Its cue in all Important matters from
its social betters. Quietly but effec
tively the artistocracy has its way at
the elections and all the offices that
count are held by its members or its
flunkies. In fact the middle-class at
titude toward the rank above it is dis
tinctly flunkeyish and Mr. Bourne
thinks he has observed this to be a
universal American trait. Perhaps It
ay help to account for that rigid
3ocial conservatism which has made
our country the marvel of the world.
Speaking of the common life of the
suburb, Mr. Bourne finds it pervaded
by a semblance of Puritanism which
he evades calling "hypocrisy." He
uses the pleasant expression that "the
Puritanism is kept for public rather
than private use." The New England
conscience evidently displays its usual
characteristics in that place. The
ministers whom he has heard preach
utter terrible philippics against what
they are pleased to call "sin."
In the Presbyterian and Episcopalian
Churches this ominous word means
Sunday golf playing and clandestine
tennis, which are the besetting
temptations of the aristocracy. In
the Methodist and Baptist Churches,
where the middle class obtain
their spiritual aliment, sin means
dancing, cardplaying and going to
the play. After telling us so
much Mr. Bourne does not need
to add that the modern conception of
Christianity is hardly known In the
place and understood not at all. Their
religion may be summed up In the
precept, "To be happy is to be wicked."
As a matter of course political cor
ruption is rampant in this suburb. The
population having not the faintest
conception of civic life and virtue, a
sterile individualism rules over their
public affairs and vice of every sort
has free rein as long as it wears a
veil of -discreet secrecy. The New Eng
land conscience which governs the
town has not yet developed to the
point where it classes municipal pu
trescence among the sins.
The Irish Nationalist victory in the
election at Londonderry is of unusual
Importance in the home-rule contro
versy. Londonderry has been consid
ered second only to Belfast as a center
of Ulster Orangeism, the name "Lon
don" having been prefixed to the
original name "Derry" as & reward for
the gallant and successful resistance
made to the siege by King James"
forces in 1689. Its capture by the
Nationalists is significant, because It
gives them an Orange stronghold, be
cause it gives them a majority of the
Ulster members of Parliament, and
because their candidate is a Protes
tant. The result of the election there
fore emphasises The division among
the Protestants on the home-rule Is
sue and further wakens the claim of
the Orangemen to speak for all
Protestants. In fact, it proves that
home rule is not a religious issue.
In the years 1910, 1911 and 1912,
Jefferson County, Ala., in which Bir
mingham is, had S5S murders, of
which 306 were committed in 1912,
and 1913 started with ten murders in
nineteen days, besides eleven deaths
from unknown causes. In 1912 only
one man was executed for murder,
and he was a negro. Only three white
men were convicted of first degree
murder and all their cases are pend
ing on appeal. Since the hangings
in December, no murders have been
committed In Oregon. Are not cause
and effect plainly distinguished in
these contrasting sets of facts?
The British Board of Trade has or
dered that, beginning on March 1, all
British sea-going ships shall carry life
boats and life-saving appliances for
all on board. Thus does the lesson of
the Titanic disaster take nearly a
year to soak Into John Bull's head.
His cousin Sam passed a law to the
same effect long ago.
Castro cannot understand why we
should regard the killing of a political
foe by a South American despot as
murder. Why should we object to a
man's admission to this country sim
ply because he followed the customs
of his country? The same rule would
exclude a cannibal from parts of
Africa where cannibalism is custom
ary. Before hostilities are actually re
sumed the Turks may compromise
away even the holy places of Adrian
ople and the Aegean Islands. The
Young Turks are .as ready to yield as
the old Turks, the motive of the
former in protesting against the terms
of peace appearing to have been only
to get the graft.
Passed by both houses over the
veto, the bill Is a law compelling own
ers of land adjoining a highway to
keep it clear of obnoxious weeds. This
work should be done by the road
bosses, to be sure, but, as they do not,
they can check up the delinquent
owners. It means extermination of
thistles, at least.
It would be a relief to many Amer
icans if one Mexican faction or the
other .would take Juarez, carry it
away to the interior of Mexico and
keep it there. - The town has become
a nuisance to this country.
' Representative Carpenter has a bill
to forbid expectorating in public
places. Mr. Carpenter's long service
on "the force" made him familior with
the nasty habl,t. The bill should be
come law.
Hood River experts, by experiment,
find possibility of a light apple crop
this season. There is plenty of 1912
fruit on hand, however, to satisfy the
desire, without anticipating a lack that
may not exist.
Many Senators are opposing the
plan of a single term for Presidents.
No doubt they suspect that it might
prove a hardship on them individually
one day.
Let the Tlllamookers take heart.
They yet will have a rock-ballasted,
water-proof railroad sand be rolling
intp the metropolis several times a
day.
Thn House of Lords voted against
home rule. Which affects the situation
fniiv Tnnrh ps if the negative vote
had been made by a school debating
club.
Rather than go to war Turkey of
fers to give up part of Adrianople.
Chances are tney a give up an xiirney
rather than have it really started.
ttka wnnM ortlAr'f- to the kick of a
mu if it mud him 13800 richer by
restoring his memory of the hiding
place of his money r
Tu-wm'a on suHtatinn in Wisconsin to.
firmrfiia hnrle-es for legislators. Lobby-
proof mlts might well be made another
requirement.
vnw a. vlc trust has been un
earthed in New York. - At least de
cency and honesty remain clear of
monopoly.
Wilson mav act like the Sphinx. Yet
it is safe to say the men to go into the
Cabinet have individual hunches.
-,...,. BVoi.,nH nirnin' How manv
UUilW L.V1"..- o
times does the United States have to
do a thing before it takes?
Pretty good politicians managed
that campaign in Londonderry.
Death may come at any time, but
taxes axe due today.
Government Through People
President - Elect Believes AU Know
More Than Few.
Woodrow Wilson, In World's Work.
There are two theories of govern
ment that have been contending with
each other ever since government be
gan. Hamilton believed that the only
people who could understand govern
ment, and, therefore, the only people
who were qualified to conduct it. were
the men who had the biggest financial
stake in the commercial and industrial
enterprtses of the country.
That theory, though few have now
the hardihood to profess it openly, has
been the working theory upon which
our Government has lately been con
ducted. It is astonishing how persist
ent it is. It is amazing how quickly
the political party which had Lincoln
for its first leader Lincoln, who not
only denied, but in his own person so
completely disproved, the aristocratic
theory it is amazing how quickly that
party founded on faith in the people
forgot the precepts of Lincoln and fell
under the delusion that the "masses"
needed the guardianship of "men of
affairs."
For, indeed. If you stop - to think
about it, nothing could be a further
departure from original Americanism.
. . . And yet that is exactly the doc
trine on which the Government of the
United States has been conducted late
ly. Who have been consulted when
important measures of government, like
tariff acts, and currency acts, and rail
road acts, were under consideration?
The people whom the tariff chiefly af
fects, the people for whom the cur
rency is supposed to exist, the people
who pay the duties and ride on the
railroads? Qh, no! What do they
know about such matters! The gentle
men whose ideas have been sought are
the big manufacturers, the bankers and
the heads of the great railroad combi
nations. The masters of the Govern
ment of the United States are the com
bined capitalists and manufacturers of
the United States. It is written over
every intimate page of the records of
Congress; it is written all through the
history of conferences at the White
House, that the suggestions of eco
nomic policy in this country have come
from one .source, not from many
sources.
I have no objection to these men be
ing consulted, because they also, though
they do not themselves seem to ad
mit it. are part of the people of the
United States. But I do very seriously
object to these gentlemen being chiefly
consulted, and particularly to the'r be
ing exclusively consulted, and if the
Government of the United States is to
do the right thing by the people of the
United States it has got to do It di
rectly and not through the intermedia
tion of these gentlemen.
Now, I don't want a smug lot of ex
perts to sit down behind closed doors
in Washington and play Providence to
me. There is a Providence to which I
am perfectly willing to. submit. But
as for other men setting up as Provi
dence over myself, I seriously object.
I have found out, I have actually found
out, that men I consult with know
more than I do especially If I consult
with enousrh of them. . I am not
willing to be under the patronage of
the trusts, no matter how providential
a government presides over the process
of their control of my life.
- f am one of those who absolutely
reject the trustee theory, the guardian
sh.'p theory. ... The men who are
sweating blood to get their foothold
In the world of endeavor understand
the conditions of business in the United
States very much better than the men
who have arrived and are at the top.
. . . We cannot afford to be governed,
as we have been governed in the last
generation, by men who occupy so nar
row, so prejudiced, so limited a point
of view. ... I believe that the very
wealthy men who have got their money
by certain kinds of corporate enterprise
have closed in their horizon, and that
they do not see and do not understand
the rank and file of the people. It is
for that reason that I want to break
up the little coterie that has deter
mined what the Government of the
Nation should do.
I believe, as I believe In nothing else,
In the average integrity and the aver
age intelligence of the American peo
ple, and I do not believe that tne In
telligence of America can be put into
commission anywhere.
We need to hear a voice from the out
side calling upon the American people
to assert again their rights and pre
rogatives In the possession of their
own Government.
My thought about both Mr. Taft and
Mr. Roosevelt is that of entire respect,
but these gentlemen have been so in
timately associated with the powers
that have been determining the policy
of this Government for almost a gen
eration, that they cannot look at the
affairs of the country with the view
of a new age and of a changed set of
circumstances. They sympathize with
the people; their hearts no doubt go
out to the great masses of unknown
men in this country; but their thought
is in close habitual association witn
those who have framed the policies of
the country during all our lifetime.
Those men have framed the protective
tariff, have developed the truBts, have
coordinated and ordered all the great
economic forces of this country in
such fashion that nothing but an out
side force breaking in can disturb their
domination and control. It Is with this
in mind, I believe, that "the country
can say to these gentlemen: "We do
not deny your integrity; we lo not
deny your purity of purpose; but the
thought of the people of the United
States has not yet penetrated to your
consciousness. You are willing to act
for the people; but you are not willing
to act through the people, inow we
propose to act for ourselves."
-
The hypothesis under which we have
been ruled Is that of government
through a board of trustees, through a
selected number of the big business
men of the country who know a lot
that the rest of us do not know, and
who take It for granted that our
ignorance would wreck the prosperity
of the country. The idea of the Presi
dents we have recently had has been
that they were Presidents of a Na
tional board of trustees. That is not
my idea. .
America is never going to submit to
guardianship. America is never going
to choose thralldom instead or iree
dom. Look what there is to decide!
There is the tariff question. Can the
tariff question be decided In favor of
the people so long as tne monopolies are
the chief counselors at Washington?
TheTe is the currency question. Are
we going to settle the currency ques
tion so long as the Government listens
only to the counsel of those who com
mand the banking situation?
Then there is the question of con
servation. What is our fear about con
servation? The hands that are being
stretched out to monopolize our forests,
to prevent the use of our great power
producing streams, the hands that aTe
being stretched into the bowels of the
earth to take possession of the great
riches that lie hidden in Alaska and
elsewhere in the incomparable domain
of the United States, are the hands of
monopoly. Are these men to continue
to stand at the elbow of Government
and tell us how we are to save our
selves from themselves? You cannot
settle the question of conservation
while monopoly Is close to the ears of
those who govern. And the question of
conservation is a great deal bigger
than the question of saving our forests
and our mineral resources and our
waters; It Is as big as the life and hap
piness and strength and elasticity and
hope of our people.
PURPOSE OF SCHOOL BONO ISSUE
New Grade School, Hlsrh School and
School of Trades Contemplated.
PORTLAND, Or.. Jan. 81. (To the
Editor.) There has been some discus
sion concerning the burden which will
be thrust upon the district In case the
proposed bond Issue of $1,000,000 is
voted at the taxpayers election, Feb
ruary 1.
The School Board has stated plainly
the reason for calling such an election
and the manner in which the money
will be expended, namely, a new Couch
school, a School of Trades and a high
school in South East Portland and ad
ditional grounds.
It is evident to anyone who will take
the pains to investigate that the pres
ent Couch school Is very much out of
date and Is not located so as to ac
commodate conveniently the number of
pupils it should. It is also evident that
Portland should have a properly
equipped School of Trades if the city
is to keep pace with the other cities
of the same size. Many of the schools,
such as the Washington High School,
are cramped for grounds, and the 550,
000 the Board proposes to expend for
additional ground is certainly money
well Invested. Had such an Investment
been made ten years ago. the advance
in the value of real estate would have
been as much as the amount of the
present bond issue.
The proposed high school In South
East Portland is a present necessity.
There are 14 grade schools in this part
of the district with more than 20 per
cent, of the total grade school popuia
tlon." without any local high Bchool ac
commodations. During the past year
the grade school population nas in
creased 2 per cent on the West Side.
and 32 per cent In the southeast part
of the district.
In case the bond issue carries and
the new high school is built, there will
be added an agricultural and horticul
tural department which will give the
pupils of the district an adequate pre
paratory training for the Oregon Agri
cultural College or will enable them to
go directly Into the country and take
up agriculture or horticulture as a life
work.
While there seems to be a tendency
on the part of the taxpayers to dis
courage bond issues there is a present
nfw1 for the money to bo derived from
this Issue and such an expenditure Is
of much more merit and benefit to the
whole city than the bonds we have
already voted for the Port of Port
land, the Auditorium, boulevards and
for many other purposes.
L. D. ENGLISH.
Rhodes Scholarships.
iTi.-nn Tun '! O (Tfl the Edi
tor.) What are the qualifications for
candidates for the Rhodes scholarship,
and where does a person have to go to
compete:
Conditions regulating the award of
Rhodes scholarships require tnat can
iiHotoa unnll have satisfactorily com
pleted the work of at least two years
in some college of liberal arts ana sci
ences. The candidate must be a citizen
of the United States and be unmarried.
The next examination will be in Octo
ber. Further particulars may be ob
tained by addressing any college.
Danbury Hattera' Case.
FOREST GROVE, Or., Jan. 30. To
the Editor.) Kindly publish whether
or not the judgment given against the
Danbury Hatters' Union by the Su
preme Court last October has been ex
ecuted. EMPLOYER.
Another appeal has been made cer
tain by the grant of writ of error by
the United States District Judge who
heard the case. ' An attempt to collect
on the judgment recently failed to re
turn a single dollar.
Housewife's League Magaslne.
SALEM, Jan. 30. (To the Editor.)
In a recent editorial you mention a
paper entitled the Housewife's League
Magazine. Kindly give me the name
of the publishers of such magazine.
E. F. CARLETON.
A letter addressed to the publication
at New York City will no doubt reach
its proper destination.
Socialists In Office.
PLAINVIEW, Or., Jan. 30. (To the
Editor.) Please state how many repre
sentatives the Socialist party has in the
United States Congress, ana tne num
ber of Governors. S.C. HUNTER.
The term of Victor Berger, the only
Socialist in Congress, expires March 4.
There are no Socialist Governors.
No,
cnnTT iKn Tan. 21 (To the Edi
tor.) A man born In a foreign country
and never having taken out his
naturalization papers can he serve
legally on tne jury .-
OLD SUBSCRIBER.
Th,v Ar Not.
HEISSON, Wash., Jan. 30. (To the
Editor.) .flease iniorm roe 11. ....
of ten or more children are entitled to
a pension from the Lrovernment.
ANXIOUS MOTHER.
The Magic of the Mule
By Dean Collins.
I saw a sad and careworn gink
Who lingered round a peevish mule;
And thought (because I often think), ,
"Gadzooks, yon fellow is a fool!"
For, as he knelt upon the lawn
1 1 . 1 m.la'a h.all WorA nlantftd Oil:
w iinju me mult ......... .. - ,
"Sweet mule," Implored that simple man,
Come kick: me ana cave m j
He pleaded long, he pleaded loud.
And ever, in his deep appeals.
He kept his head convenient, bowed
Beside the surly creature's heels;
Suggesting and requesting that
The beast should give his head a bat,
Though well he knew his heels mignt
knock
The inner lining from his block.
"Oh, gentle maniac," said I,
As I surveyed the solemn scene,
"Why yearn to have his heels let fly
To put a shoe mark on your bean?
Though solid Ivory be your nob,
After the mule completes that Job
I may as well run for a cup
To scoop your scattered senses up."
He raised a roving eye and sighed:
"You are misguided in your dope.
Stick round a bit; I may divide
fph. a vast f nr which I hone.
Friend, kindly take yon large brickbat
And smite him smartly in tne siai
Till, mad with rage, I hope that he
Will kick the stuffing out of me."
I soaked the mule,
And flapped his
long and facile ears.
And stamped with
vigor on tne grouna
eyes filled up with
. grievous whack,
aoundlv on the back.
The while his
tears;
I smote his nose
And thumped him
And all the while
my friend, the fool.
Cried: "Kick me,
mule!"
kick me, pretty
"Wherefore," said I, and paused to rest,
"Yearn you thus strong for suicide?"
He clasped his hands upon his breast.
"I would be Croesus." he replied.
"Heard you not of that lucky dent
Given the Oklahoma gent
When a mule kicked him on the block?
"No!" I replied, and grabbed a rock.
"A mule caved in his dome," said he,
"4 heftv 1nlt hut luck Of lUCkS
It loosened up a memory.
Of where he a nia tureo iuuuuuu
Good sir. admit I am no fool!
Come kick me, kick me, pretty mule. '
I grabbed a oncKoai jn a into,
"Go on!" I cried. "Mule, kick him twice!"
Portland, January 31.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oresonian of February 1, 18tl3.
Washington, Jan. 22. The under
standing today is that a portion of the
Army, comprising Hooker's division at
least, has crossed the Rappahannock
and that the movement took, place yes
terday. Washington, Jan. 22. The verdict of
the courtmartial in General Fltz John
Porter's case was approved yesterday
by the President. The court found him
guilty of the charges preferred and ho
was, accordingly, cashiered and dis
missed the service.
Washington, Jan. 24. The committee
on territories has Instructed their
chairman to report a bill for the ad
mission of Utah Into the Union as a
state with a prohibition of polygamy as
one condition.
The chairman Is also Instructed to
report a bill for the erection pf the
territory of Shoshone. This territory
will include within its limits all that
that part of the old territory of Oregon
Inhabited by the Shoshone Indiana; all
the territory west of Nebraska, west of
the 27th parallel from Washington and
that portion of Dacotah Territory
lying to the south of the 46th degree
of latitude.
Headquarters of the Army of the Fo-
. T. Thlo m fT-n I n W Fltim-
slde turned over the command of the
Army to General HooKer.
Washington. Jan. 27. A bill which
passed the Senate yesterday provides
that 130,000 be appropriated for the pro- .
tectlon of emigrants b, the overland
routes to the Pacific states and terri
tories. On Saturday night, at the very im
proper hour of 10:30 o'clock, a salute of
10 or 12 guns was fired from Stark's
command by a baker's dozen of the
admirers and political supporters of
Benjamin Stark, Esq., who returned
from the Atlantic side that night.
Some weeks since the City Council
passed a resolution to the effect that
paragon burners should be placed on
all the gas Jets in the street lamps., if
this has been done the Improvement Is
not perceptible by the light.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonian of February 1, 1SS8.
Washington, Jan. 31. Senate
Among the bills Introduced were the
following: By Mitchell, to perrr.it
miners and mining companies to pros
pect and develop mining portions of
any Indian reservation. Among the
bills passed were the following: To
authorize Dalles City to construct a
bridge across the Columbia River, be
tween Oregon and Washington Terri
tory. Washington, Jan. 31. The Secretary
of War has sent to the Senate a volum
inous report, made by Captain C. Pow
ell and Major Wagoner, respecting the
salmon fisheries on the Columbia River
and how such fisheries interfere with
and obstruct the navigation and com
merce of that waterway.
Olympla, W. T., Jan. 31. The Su
preme Court today decided the local
option law In this, territory unconsti
tutional. Pansles are in bloom In Mr. Glass'
garden at the corner of Fourth and
Lincoln.
Mr. Henry Falling will not build a
five-story brick building at the corner
of Third and Washington streets this
Summer, as has been stated.
The city tax roll has been footed up
and the net amount of taxable prop
erty, which is assessed at about one
third of its real value, amounts to, $14.
669,665. The real value of assessable
property In the city l about o0,000.
000. A number of tenants have moved into
the Abington block and the building is
being cleaned up thoroughly. Many
people Inspected the building yester
day and much admired the style In
which it is finished.
Jersey City, Jan. 31. In a glove con
test tonight between Domlnick Mc
Caffrey and Jack Dempsey the latter
won In ten rounds.
Madison, Wis., Jan. 31. The women
of Wisconsin were defeated in the Su
preme Court today, the court holding
that the Legislature did not for a mo
ment contemplate extending such suf
frage to females as males enjoy, but
meant to restrict female voting to
school matters only.
San Francisco, Jan. 31. The land
slides on the California & Oregon road
have hemmed in two passenger trains
at Sissons, having on board between
100 and 200 passengers. The trains
were on the way down from Portland.
A
New Style
In
Babies
It has been set by Iowa and
adopted in Oregon. It provides
that a child shall be judged by
physical perfection rather than
by doll-like beauty. The sub
ject is given a delightful page,
illustrated by photographs, in
The Sunday Oregonian.
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 Lol 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 Pictures 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.