mmx
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PORTLAND, TUESDAY, FEB. 4, 1913.
ALL HATE THE SA3IE PURPOSE.
The motives -which inspired the ad
dress of the Progressive party to
the Oregon Legislature are shared by
men and women of all parties. We are
all aiming to bring the laws and their
administration into conformity with
the principles of social and industral
Justice. The whole spirit and tendency
of legislation, both state and National,
is to embody those laws in our stat
utes. Progress in this direction is
the spirit of the age. Parties may dif
fer as to whether certain specific
measures are really progressive, but
the desire of t all. except a negligible
reactionary element, is the same.
That all this is true can be seen from
a review of the legislation now before
the Oregon Legislature nnder control
of a large Republican majority. In
the front rank are bills for compensa
tion to -workmen,- for pensions to
widows, for minimum wages for wo
men, for aid and education to farmers,
for amendment of our state irrigation
laws, and for the moral and social
uplift everywhere. The purpose of all
these bills is the tame to stimulate
decency, to promote justice and to in
crease the happiness of the general
mass of the population. There is no
doubt that many of these bills will be
passed. We shall certainly have some
form of workmen's compensation and
widows' pensions; -we shall probably
even have a minimum wage law and
further prohibition of child labor, also
regulation of hours of labor on the
general lines of the Progressive ad
dress. It is impossible that such an exten
sive programme as is laid out by this
address can be carried out a.t a single
session of the Legislature, and it is
not to be presumed that the Progress
ives expect that this will be done. But
the Legislature has evinced an earnest
purpose to pass a number of the meas.
ures which are most urgently needed.
The spirit which moves the people of
Oregon is such that we can expect
future Legislatures, under Republican
inntrni tn continue the same work.
The Progressive address thus seeks
to make party Issues of measures on
which men and -women of all parties
are of one mind. The rtepuDiican
Yiarfv- thrnneh lta legislative majority.
is doing that which public opinion de
mands. It needs no urging from any
ntHA nnrtv Tt can have no contro
versy with any other party, for when
differences of opinion arise as to ue-
talls, they are apt to extend through
ati nflrtimr Tt welcomes the SUPPOrt.
the friendly, candid criticism, of men
of all parties In carrying out a pur
nn-vA rnmmnn to all.
There is no room for difference of
opinion in Oregon as to "popular re
view of judicial decisions" as the Pro
rtoflnn it- namelv. "the prin
ciple that the people have the right
to amend tneir own constitution nwi
it is discovered that the constitution
as construed by the courts stands in
the wav of such legislation as the peo
ple believe necessary." In the power
a Inttfat amendments tn the consti
tution we have this power already
and have been exercising it tor years.
ft la h most aweenlnsr form of recall
i 4iiri!r.1a1 r1rt!nnfl. for it enables the
people to enforce adoption by the
courts or a new view or any provision
of the constitution whenever the peo
ple think tne courts nave errea.
MIRACLE WHEAT.
What amounts to a declaration by
twelve men that "Pastor" Russell was
enraged in a fraudulent enterprise in
selling "miracle" wheat at a price
equivalent to 160 per bushel has been
made in the form of a verdict ren
dered by the Jury In an action for
$100,000 damages instituted by Pastor
Russell against the Brooklyn Eagle.
The claim for damages was founded on
the publication of a cartoon whlcn
suggested that the Brooklyn minister
might increase his income by devoting
his time to the sale of "miracle" bonds
and stocks Instead of "miracle" wheat.
The jury in the case was Instructed
by the court that the cartoon was li
belous per se; that truth is always a
defense in a libel suit; but that the
defendant must prove the truth as
broadly as the charge. The jury In
effect was called upon to decide
whether the newspaper's charges were
true. Its verdict, which was in favor
of the Eagle, answered the question.
"Miracle" wheat had been sold by
Pastor Russell with the statement that
the yield ought to be from ten to nf-
teen times that of ordinary wheat. But
It was testified by a Government expert
that the Department of Agriculture
had tested "miracle" wheat before it
had been offered for sale by Pastor
Russell; that the department had
checked conditions carefully and found
that, while It was a good yielding
wheat, it was not so good as some
other varieties. In one test It ranked
eighteenth, in another tenth and in an
other third, but never first. It ap
pears that the careful Government test
was considered more than an offset to
the testimony of nine farmers who had
made tests in no sense comparative, in
that they had not sown their old-time
brands under the same conditions.
The defrauding of the unprogresslve
farmer by sale to him at exorbitant
price of little more than ordinary
grain seed is not a miracle. Tne Amer.
lean farmer as a class is learning the
value of seed selection and of scien
tific methods of sowing and cultiva-
tion. but not so fast that there are
not a great many left in the land who
marvel over the success of their own
efforts when those efforts are guided
by some subtle means In the right di
rection. It seems there are many who
still scoff at "book farming," but are
willing to practice book farming when
it is presented in the guise of a mes
sage from heaven.
"Miracle" wheat, being of good
wttmrn
yielding quality, and the product of
seed selection, when sown In accord
.... . v. nr-n rMuiflrrhps. of COUrse.
produced better yields than the poor
seed scattered on tne tanu in vi
abundance. It is not surprising,
that nine farmers were
found who swore they had sown "mir
acle" wheat and obtained yieios irom
one to two and one-half not ten to
fifteen times that of ordinary wheat.
Pastor Russell would Detter never
have instituted his damage suit. The
.fi,T iu tViA verdict damage his
reputation even more than the cartoon.
1861 1913.
rmi irnrnlnp Orpeoniaji (daily) to
day celebrates the fifty-second anni
versary of its birth. It Is appropriate
at this time to say that the material
nrnirrnH rtf The Oreeonian continues
steadily onward; that it is well satis
fied with its record, from a circula
tion and advertising standpoint, of the
no at ironr: and that results abundantly
show that its position before the pub
lic was never stronger, or so mruus
as it is today.
The circulation of The oregonian
(daily) is 53,000 and of The Sunday
Oregonian 67.000, in round numbers.
The Oregonian has a per capita cir
A,,iatinn tvint rrtmnarcs favorably with
any other newspaper in the United
States. No Journal in any city m simi
lar size has a greater circulation.
T-i.i rHr.tr rr- month of January. 191S,
The Oregonian carried nearly B 5,000
Inches of paid advertising matter, uur
r, th. vuf iqi2 The Oregonian was
one of the dozen leaders in the United
States, printing almost 10.000.oou lines
of paid advertising space. This aggre
gate figures about 700,000 inches.
When it is considered that The Ore
gonian rejected offers of advertising
during 1912 of many thousand inches,
An th-a frround that it was objection
able, the showing is all the more re
markable: for this newspaper exer
cises a rigid censorship over all adver
irin. with the result that its
columns are clean, respectable and re.
sponsible and the puDiic nas, anu n
should have, confidence in its adver
tising.
The Oregonian reaches almost every
hm in Pnrtiand. The general ac
ceptance of The Oregonian in the
homes of Portland and or Oregon gives
the paper Its superior value as an ad
vertising medium.
Tho Oree-onian makes these state
ments, in no spirit of boasting; but it
has a pardonable pride in its own
progress and development.
COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S CRITICISMS.
The Oregonian has received from a
reader in Idaho a woman and a
voter a letter which contains this
inquiry:
I observe that The Oregonian sharply
criticised Colonel Roosevelt for attacking
the Idaho Supreme Court for Its decision
against the Roosevelt electors and for put
tlnc those brave editors In Jail, hut It bad
no criticism of the court Itself for Its out
rageous original decision. Will you explain
why you think the Supreme Court was
right In Idaho and why the California Su
preme Court was wrong in putting the Taft
electors off the ballot f Tou do precisely
the thing you accuse Roosevelt of doln,;
when you uphold the one and condemn the
other.
Colonel Roosevelt roundly abused
the Idaho court for ruling against the
Roosevelt electors; he approved by his
actions, if not by explicit declaration,
the successful strategy of the Roosevelt-Johnson
machine in outlawing the
Taft vote in California.
The Oregonian has never said that
the California court was censurable
for its decision, which was made to
accord with the law passed by John
son and his organization and which
was rendered, as the court expressly
said, because it had no alternative.
The Oregonian has assumed that
the Idaho court gave an honest inter
pretation of the law; and nothing
more. It has assumed that the Cal
ifornia court was honest in its de
cision and in its expressions; and noth
ing more. Colonel Roosevelt assumed
that the Idaho court was inspired by
political motives, and had rendered
a political decision for political pur
poses. We cannot recall that he said
anything expressly about the Califor
nia case; but we can imagine easily
what he would have said if the court
had intervened to defeat the Job put
iip by his servile machine. Colonel
Roosevelt was plainly willing to be the
beneficiary of the plot.
The Oregonian is reluctant to im
peach the motives of any court with
out ample reason. The Idaho decision
(not the famous contempt case) ap
pears to us to have been a strict and
somewhat technical interpretation of
the statute. Whether the decision
might have been different if the court
had been of another political faith
The Oregonian does not know, and Is
not willing to believe. Colonel Roose
velt does not and did not know; but
he is willing to believe anything about
the court, or any court, to its disad
vantage when it takes a position dis
pleasing to him. 1
WATER-POWER FIGHT BEGUN.
The controversy over control of
water power has been made acute by
the attempt to Impose a Federal tax
on power furnished by the Connecticut
River. The attempt of the reserva
tlonists. who call themselves conser
vationists, to force imposition of this
tax has caused both Western and
Southern Senators to fight for the right
of the states to control. The true so
lution as regards navigable streams is
joint Federal and state control, the
Federal Government having undoubt
ed power to Insure that power devel
opment shall not impair navigability.
But the Jurisdiction of the states over
the waters of all streams has been af
firmed by the courts, and the control
of water power is as purely a state
function as that of any other industry
carried on entirely within the bor
ders of a single state.
Where an unnavigable stream flows
through land owned by states or indi
viduals, the states have the right to
undivided Jurisdiction and the Nation
has no voice in the matter. The Na
tional interest in Western water power
arises from the fact that power cannot
be developed without the use of ad
joining land and that this land is al
most invariably part of the public do
main. The reservationists have taken
advantage of this situation to withhold
power sites from sale and to demand
Federal control of the power as a con
dition of sale or lease of the land.
A perfectly feasible solution of this
problem has been proposed. It is that
the Government cede the power sites
to the states, with provision against
monopoly, against excessive charges
and for a reasonable royalty, the Gov
ernment to resume possession when
any of these provisions are violated.
This solution would recognize both
state sovereignty over the water and
Federal ownership of the land.
The Plnchot crowd wishes to use
ownership of the land as a club to
force the states to concede Federal
Jurisdiction over water and would fol
low this by imposing such onerous re
strictions on power development mat
Investment would be stopped and the
nnnT nrrt.-lH Til n ft WtLStA. PlnChOt
" -
justifies this policy by the assertion
that only the Federal ijovemmeni oui
be trusted to guard water power
against monopoly; that the states
would lmprovidently allow monopoly
to gain possession.
This is to assert that all the states
as a whole would be more careful of
the natural resources than the individ
ual states of the West, where those
resources are' to be found. Tet the
West is the section where the states
have been most vigilant In protecting
themselves against monopoly, where
popular rule is most effective in
bringing corporations under public
control and in restraining their greed.
The real motive of Pinchot's backers
is to make the virgin resources of the
West a source of National revenue, to
be shared by those Eastern states
which have long since wasted their
patrimony.
' PREPARING FOR WAR.
Segregation of the United States
Army into tactical divisions sounds
like a very formidable procedure de
signed to increase the fighting effec
tiveness of our troops and add to the
second line nf National defense. The
proud boast is made at the War De
partment that a single order to .a div-
11 .nnmmanriai- will Bldllfi SUffj.Ce tO
. viB .-..nna !ntn thA field in event
of war. Should international compli
cations arise, why, our Army will be
n.,i.o - ovgiinhiA for Immediate ser
vice as the mobile armies of France
or Germany. One order to tne cmei
of each military rone will do the
-.Int.
Tt i Indeed well to endeavor thus
to create order out of chaos; to nave
tvia Ai-mv rfevploned into something
better than a series of Isolated regi
ments, battalions and companies, isut
n-v.an thfa r.nnnirA is made so that the
Army shall be immediately available In
event of war, the subject passes quick
ly from the sublime to the ridiculous
,o Moenn tVis.t the mobile Army is
composed of some 29,016 infantry and
13.865 cavalry, with the bulk or tne
tied uo in the work
of holding down the Philippines,
Hawaii, the Canal Zone and tne Aiex
tr.n hnrner It Is only when we add
nnri rrtast nrtillerv. engineers, hos
pital corps, Philippine scouts ana an
Incidental troops, tnat we may
ttoi r,t 7 094. Tt would be a ser
ious problem to mobilize 25,000 com
batants in the united oiaies.
a a .ffirHlrr ex-nerience to higher
officers and as simplifying the organ
ization of the Army, aivision iuio iu.
military zones, with three aaaiuonai
i-t-w,. fnr const artillery, the new
plan Is an excellent one. Or, if a small
force of troops might be neeaea, tne
mrtuM h A VA it.t COOd DOilitS. BUt
it will relieve no part of the confusion
in event of a war. with tne can ij
arms must come all the ancient con-
r...ifT. rt nriranizine and drilling vol
unteers, of trying to wmp tne nimuo
ansH.hia sha.ne for Iieia service.
a nf motinff thn thousand and one
adjustments of a belated ana unpre-
na.a,3 natlnn
An effective and sufficient fighting
force cannot be created out of a few
lt.m.nta hv rtroceas Of Issuing a
lAlt.VI.'.l.
nrrir mihrlividins the detach
ments Into divisions, any more than a
regiment can be made out of a com
pany by designating tne squaus u
platoons or battalions.
A RARE EDITION OF BYRON.
nurchased a copy of By
ron's "Fugitive pieces, jonii mu"
Spoor got something not quite so
trashy as the stuff that usually rails to
tv. irt r,t h hllontilies. xie paia an
n,tTTOnii nrica for it. $2750. accord
Ing to the reports, put, masmuui
h. t. nroairlent of the Chicago Union
Stockyards Company, no doubt he can
ofrnrH tn Via extravagant, ui course
Mr. Spoor values this prize because it
S3 rare. Probably the contents 01 tne
volume do not Interest him a great
j i T at thA hnnlr did not 1 Titer
U lu i ... v, t
est Byron's contemporaries very pro
foundly. The flrst edition was pub
lished in 1806 and soon suppressed be
nni.o tviAnd of Bvrori'a objected to
one of the poems on moral grounds.
Three copies, as it seems, escapea ae
struction. Two of them must have
since 1905. because in
that year the Cambridge edition of
Byron was published and the editor of
that wnrlr sava everv copy or tne r u-
o-itwo Pleres" but one was destroyed
Perhaps within five or ten years other
copies will be found and then the price
of Mr. Spoor's treasure will couapse.
When first published the "Fugitive
Pieces" included thirty-eight poems,
but Byron added new ones and omit
ted some of the weakest in later edi1
tions and finally published the collec
tion under the title "Hours of Idle
ness." In this form it was reviewed
satirically by Lord Brougham in the
Edinburgh Review for January, 1808.
Byron replied with "English Bards and
Scotch Reviewers," in which he railed
at all the hallowed literary idols of
Scotland. He was not proud of the
poem in later years, and would have
suppressed it if he could, but it is
agreed by scholars that many of his
strictures are as Just as they are witty.
Byron's first essays in poetry were
rather feeble affairs. The tinkle of
their melody is not relieved by much
thought and the sentiment is watery.
His genius did not show its brilliant
power until he had traveled on the
Continent, and especially in Greece.
This experience ripened his intelli
gence and aroused his imagination so
fully that in the first two cantos of
"Childe Harold," which he published
upon his return to England in 1811,
his poetic gifts amazed the country.
He Immediately became the most pop
ular poet' In England. His works al
most drove Scott's from the market
and the prices which he received from
that time forward were unheard of.
In 1815 Byron made an unhappy
marriage which ended in a separation
from his wife. All England made his
private affairs its intimate concern.
He was abused by everybody and so
deluged with calumny that he left his
native land never to return. His sub
sequent career in Venice and else
where shocked the middle-class Brit
ish mind by its freedom from restraint
and his reputation gradually grew
more Satanic until his death in 1824,
when he was scarcely out of his boy
hood. His poetry, which continued to
be immensely popular, deepened the
demonic tinge of hisj reputation.
"Childe Harold" could scarcely be
called a pious work, but It was meet
for Sunday schools compared with
such poems as "Manfred," "Lara" and
"Cain.'' In these productions Byron
handled the middle-class British deity
and familiar Bible texts with such lib
erty that a distinct odor of brimstone
emanated from his books.
Byron himself was a deist of the
school of Gibbon and Hume. His faith
in the Almighty was unwavering, but
he could not reconcile himself to speak
reverently of the grotesque personage
whom commercial England hp.d set up
for worship. We c,an descant freely
upon this topic now Decause ringumu
has abandoned the impossible deity of
those days and returned to the Chris
tian Father, but Byron was never for
given for his insults to the, popular
fetich. The Satan whom, after Milton,
he loved to portray was an image of
his own rebellious spirit, which en
loved the horror it excited. It is ab
surd to say that Byron was Irreligious,
but he certainly was a little advancea
for his time in his views of trans-
mundane affairs. His genius was a
curious commingling of the romantic
and classical. In feeling he was as
romantic as Shelley. In form be clung
to the classical tradition. His verse
carries us back to Dryden and Pope as
far as externals go, but in substance it
belones with Victor Hugo and "Faust.
In a sense it is new wine poured into
old bottles, and that is no doubt one
of the reasons why it is not much read
nowadays by English-speaking people.
On . the Continent Byron is the most
popular of the Erltlsh poets.
It was his deep, classical preauec-
tion which drew him to Greece. That
country was Just beginning its war of
independence when Byron left Eng
land after his trouble with his wife,
and until the day of his untimely death
he almost consecrated his genius to Its
cause. Much of his finest poetry was
insDired by the sacred memories and
new-born hopes of Hellas. To him It
was the "land of the unforgotten
brave," where every hillside was
"freedom's home or glory's grave.
The exquisite lines "He who hath bent
him o'er the dead e er the nrst aay 01
death is fled" present tragically the
contrast between modern and ancient
Greece.
"'Tis Greece, but living Greece no
more." This was the burden of his
song at times, but again he poured out
his soul in warsongs which Tyrtaeus
himself might have sung to the Spar
tans, i
Perhaps the most beautiful of all his
Hellenic lyrics is found in the third
canto of "Don Juan." It begins, as
everybody remembers:
The isles of Greece, the Isles of Greece.
Where burning Sappho loved and sung
And goes on to tell of the King who
"sat on the rocky brow that looks o'er
sea-born Salamis" and counted his
myriad men and ships at daybreak
only to see them perish before sunset.
But "on thy voiceless shores the he
roic lay Is tuneless now. the heroic
bosom beats no more," and to close the
sweetest of all laments he cries:
Place me on Sunlum's marbled steep.
Where nothing save the waves and I may
hear our mutual murmurs sweep:
There, swan-like, let me sing and die.
In Greece he did sing and die as he
had prayed. How Bryon would rejoice
could he behold the rebirth of Greece
that is now taking place, and what
glorious songs he would sing to cele
brate 'the miracle.
Ohio and Minnesota are thinking of
founding legislative bureaus like the
one which has been so successful in
Wisconsin. The purpose is to supply
legislators with disinterested knowl
edge upon the bills that come before
them. Wisconsin's bureau has been a
grand triumph because the resources
of the state university are concentrated
at the capital. Minnesota will enjoy
the same advantage. When the in
novation has swept over the whole
country our laws will be made In the
light and not in the dark, which ought
by good rights to be a profitable
change.
Magazine readers will be gratified
to know that the Century is going to
republish some of its old masterpieces
of satire and humor beginning with
Frank Stockton's "The Lady or the
Tiger?" Stockton's humor had a fla
vor all its own. It was simple, un
worldly and perennially delightful.
"The Casting Away of Mrs. Leeks and
Mrs. Aleshine" has done more to keep
the world In health than all the doc
tors. The heroine's black stockings,
her ginger Jar and her philosophy are
treasures forever.
If eventually It be proven that the
Land of Nod was in our own Klamath
County, Adam mad a big mistake in
harkening to the immigration litera
ture of the time. He might better
have remained, donned more clothing
and founded a line of native sons with
their brands on all the cattle on earth.
Claims by scientists are wonderful, but
not more so than when Imagination
develops a "pipe."
If ChaTnberlaln should go into the
Cabinet he would be following the
iin nf Vila horoscope outlining Cham
berlain luck. Such course, however,
would open a political Pandora's box
with distressing results in Oregon.
There are on sale' in the local mar
kets thousands of oranges not much
larger than crabapples. but they do
not tempt the palate of any who see
the luscious Oregon apple in proxim
ity. It is quite probable that there was
a great city near Klamath Falls in
ancient times. It Is also probable
that history will repeat itself.
Sarah Bernhardt found a match for
the proverbial gallantry of her fel
low countrymen in that of the lantern
bearing American trainmen.
The Lord is kind to the helpless and
innocent. The child of Lieutenant
Becker, awaiting electrocution at Sing
Sing, lived but one day.
Now that we have divided our dim
i. ipmT intn divisions, no doubt
we shall proceed to divide the squads
into platoons
When a policeman's automobile is
... tn hrAak the soeed laws, pedes
trians wonder much as to everything
in general.
Turkish soldiers have orders not to
fire until attacked. But will it not
be too late then to interest them in the
subject?
Honey is scarce. But so long as the
supply of dovles and duckies hold out
we may be able to worry along.
What Niagara power has done for
Buffalo, Celilo power may do for the
whole Pacific Northwest.
If violet rays become the best food
preservative, we hope they will not
come as high as ice.
Six more weeks of Winter will as
sure a fruit crop. Thanks, forecasting
rodent!
Income tax is a tax on brains, but
it is the brainy men who make the
money.
EX-MERCHANT CONDEMNS BOL J
Mr. Atebler Seen Mock Harm In Act
for Recordlns Installment Contract.
DnwTT.ivn Vah t (Tn th Edi
tor.) Regarding Senate bill No. 100:
l- ... AVnnaPA i-nnrlemnation
The Oregonian deserves much credit.
Should your vigilance and exposure be
the means or aeieatins tnia
measure, you will deserve the grati
tude of thousands of families, for, as
you say, it should be labeled a "bill
to expose the intimate affairs and private-concerns
of all families In Oregon
who buy household articles on the in
stallment plan." instead of a bill (as
it now appears) "providing tor un
recording and foreclosure of all con
ditional notes and contracts for sale of
norannni nrnnrtr. and declaring the
same void unless so recorded."
Speaking from experience, J. can saj
that buyers of second-hand furniture
from Individuals carefully require evi
dence of ownership. During the three
years that I was engaged in tne iurni
ture business I handled thousands of
InB.nllmant anoftllTI-a PPrPPH tin Z hUQ-
dreds of thousands of dollars, yet I
cannot recall a single inBLa.nv.-o
an Innocent purchaser was "stuck" by
having bought furniture upon which
the firm had a lease. On the other
hand, regular Inquiries were made re
garding the status of the accounts of
people other than the Inquirer. When
the furniture was paid for, they were
so advised: If not fully paid for, the
Inquirer was advised that the firm
would gladly furnish the information
npon the request or consent of the
customer. If the Inquirer was a med
dlesome or Inquisitive neighbor, we
saw him or her no more; if it was a
money-lender or prospective buyer the
customers' consent was readily secured,
thus protecting both the buyer and
the private affairs of the customer.
I am firmly of the opinion that such
innocent purchasers as are now vic
timized by buying "unpaid-for. contract
goods" are those of that careless, cred
ulous class which would not look up
the records, were all conditional sales
recorded. And to attempt to protect
such by legally running rougn-snuu
over the sensibilities and self-respect
of tens or tnousanas or people u exposing-
all their Intimate affairs would
be well, If it would be less than a
crime. 1 am sure I can't classify it.
Unquestionably, the majority of
homes are furnished on Installments,
and the goods are mostly bought by
Th.r.-n.a nnv tata Senator
or Representative who votes for Senate
bill No. 100, or, ratner, oeiore no vu.co
for It, would better stop, look, listen
.hlnlr Prhnnfl In the US6 Of the
ballot the female of the species may be
more deadly tnan tne maio wuon on
wakes up to find her neighbors or
ianii.ii n hpr furniture, what
it cost, how much she owes and to
whom. QEOKBE T. Aium.ni.
POIPOSE OF ANTI-SEINIIfG BILL
Intent la to Protect jVatnral Spawning;
Grossda, Soya Mr. Taffe.
PORTLAND, Feb. 3. (To the Edi
tor.) A news dispatch from Salem
published in The Oregonian suggests
that Representative Carpenter's bill to
prohibit seining in the waters of the
Columbia River between Cascade Locks
and the mouth of the Deschutes has
been Introduced for the purpose of In
juring Mr. Seufert. I wish to say that
your correspondent has been entirely
misinformed In this matter. Clearly
his Information came from someone in
terested In seinlmr on the upper river
and equally clearly from someone in
terested in aeieating tms oui anu m
distracting attention from the real
Question raised.
The Carpenter Dill is preaicatea upon
the propositions that the bars and shal
lows of that part of the Columbia River
covered by the bill are natural spawn
lnr srrounds for salmon; that seining
the bars not only destroys the fish but
also, because of the continual sweep
ing of the river bottom on these spawn
ing grounds, destroys practically all
the eees that are there deposited, ana
that this process is the chief cause of
the constantly and rapidly decreasing
number of salmon in the Columbia
River.
I submit that If these propositions
are true, the bill ought to pass, and
that without regard to the personal re
lations between Mr. Seufert and myself
and eaually without regard to its ef
fect upon any Individual. If the facts
upon which the bill Is based are sue
stantially true, then undoubtedly the
Dassasre of the bill and the prevention
of seining these natural spawning
grounds would do more to restore the
salmon Industry of our state tnan all
the hatcheries have ever done or prob
ably ever will do. These bars and
shallows are Matures natcneries; ana
if the fish are allowed to use them as
Nature intended they should. I firmly
believe that in a few years we could
do away with our artificial hatcheries,
for they would not be needed.
As far as I am concerned, there Is
absolutely no personal feeling In re
gard to this bill, and my only hope Is
that it will be considered on its merits
and that no suggestions from those
who would kill the bill by impossible
amendments or preposterous sugges
tions of wrongful motives behind it
will be allowed by the Legislature to
overshadow the real question raised by
the bill. I. H. TAFFE.
ANOTHER PSEUDONYM FOR OREGON
"Valentine State" Suggested In Recog
nition of Admission Day.
PORTLAND. Feb. 3. (To the Edi
tor.) With other loyal Oregonians I
have felt a keen Interest In the peren
Rial discussions as to a suitable pseu
donym for Oregon, and I think our
state has a unique opportunity to
choose a name both significant and
appropriate.
Oregon was admitted to the Union
February 14, 1859. Why should she not
be "The Valentine State?" Beside des
ignating the most Important date in
her history, the Idea oi a girt is con
veyed and, certainly, everyone famil
iar with Oregon's marvelous diversity
of resources will agree that she con
tributes richly to the wealth of our
Nation.
The term "Webfoot," as evidenced
by dozens of letters from Eastern
sources, has given widespread impres
slon that the rainfall Is excessive and-
never-ending. "I am told it rains all
the time there," is a phrase of fre
quent occurrence in these communica
tions. "Webfoot" may appeal to us
locally, but It carries perverted mean-
insr abroad.
As for "Beaver State," Oregon has
no' monopoly upon the beaver, and
many other states are named for game
or fish, as "The Badger State," "Sucker
State," "Wolverine State." There Is
nothlnar truly distinctive In the name.
February 14 Is the birthday of no
other state than Oregon. Her recnris
tenlng. should the Idea prove an ap
pealing one, would be soon accom
plished with the compelling co-operation
of state officials in official publi
cations, the press, commercial organi
zations and civic bodies.
Again, why not "The Valentine
State?" w. ukissisi,
Portland Commercial Club.
Filth In Mountain Streams. ,
GASTON. Or., Feb. 2. (To the Edi
tor.) Is there any law prohibiting the
running of ruth into a mountain
stream? . SANFORD L. WILCOX.
Polluting of any stream whose waters
are used for domestic purposes or to
which stock has access is prohibited
by law.
Tea.
nnPTT.AVTt -FVh. S. fTo the Ed
tnr ) IT a marriazn leeal when woman
does not accompany man for license.
man marries under an assumea name,
nfnlet'a. CrS marflllt. fWt i t IC3.te &t
time of wedding, though same is not
recorded till 16 months later f
A SUBSCRIBER.
REMINISCENCK OP SCHOOL DAYS
Retrospective Article ta The Oreco
mtaa Recall Incident ( 40 Years Axo.
PORTLAND, Feb. 1. (To the ' Edi
tor.) To my mind, the most pleasing
Items of news that appear from time
to time In The Oregonian are of tht
retrospective kind. 1 cherish them
more because many have been parts
of my memory and life with growth of
this city, having come here when the
population numbered near the S0O0
mark. In special which strikes my
fancy most is that touching our early
school life, and the latest one was the
copy of a picture of a group of chil
dren of the East Portland School, tak
en in 1873, as shown in The Orego
nian, January 19. I am personally ac
quainted with many of those shown in
the group.
How grand It must be to those liv
nlg to look on their early faces with
out a sisrn of care upon them.
Looking at the picture took me back
to an incident that happened in the
same year, making it 40 years ago
this month. We had no picture of the
incident, but the solid front of the
scholars of the grammar department
of the Harrison-street School, West
Side backing up a petition for the re
instatement of our teacher, who. we
thought, was Just right, but had been
removed through spite of one of the
directors. She was known to us then
as Miss Taylor, and afterwards be
came the wife of Professor I. w. rratt.
We won our point and one of the schol
ars signing the petition was the son
of one of the directors that removes
her. Following is a copy from The
Oregonian of January 10, 1878:
Petition of Miss Taylor's Pupils.
Tn th Hoard of Directors: We. the un
dersigned pupils of the Harrison-street
School, grammar department, respectfully
petition -the honorable Board of Directors
for the reinstatement of our beloved teacher
to her former position In this department:
Charles Cardlnell. Willie Curry, John Klnfs
ley. Henry Chaffey, Albert Buohtel, John
Dudley, Robert Church, Thomas Hurlburt,
Robert Rowan, Gainer Adams, John Krae
mer. Joa K. Ladd, Eddie Wilcox. Robert
Hendrle, Chas. Lownsdale. Fred Lownsdale.
Willie Hlgglns, Henry Harbaugh. James
Hig-glns. Isah Llarr, Ernest Kosonocrg,
Philip Dwyer, Douglas Ladd, Edgar Max
well, Willie Burrage, Albert Lawrence. Henry
Gans, Louis Hlrsch. James Hussey. Bertie
Mendenhall. Jas. McCormick. Eddie Miner.
Jas. Bulger, Andrew Stearns, Clay Morgan,
Fred wetmore, Loren rarnan, jj-rana cl
flnger, Horace Olltner. Chas. Marshall,
Robert Blossom. Willie Knox, Thomas Mc
Cormick, Willie Winters. Frank Jones, Geo.
Bodman. M. Lander Kloss, Bennle Bird,
Henry Cook, Minnie Garsllne, Maggie jean,
Annie Parroh. Annie Dunning, Belle Murry,
Eva Nation, Ida Ellereon, Jessie Johnston,
rrlnrenre Rlleson. Alzada McQuen. Alice Kl-
lerson. Edith Vedder, Kate Field. Henrietta
Carr, Annie Hill, Jennie Jones. Julia Stew
art, Alice Carr, Clara Ireland. Josle Lam
bert, Minnie Bradley, Louisa Blossom, Amy
Adams, Kate McBurney, Delia joice.
In readiner over the names of the
boys and girls In the petition, I find
that many are with us still in the city
as men now; many are holding posi
tions of trust In public and private
Ufa and many In business for them
selves,' and, as women now, many have
married well.
Both Professor Pratt and nls wite
have passed on to a place of rest, but
the memory of them will always be
cherished by those that Btudied under
their tutorship. As this little article
meets the eye of my schoolmates i
hope it will bring back recollections
of our early school days. J. S. K.
CONSUMERS HELP LOWER WAGES
Insistent Demands for Bargains Met
by Reducing Employes' Pay.
PORTLAND, Feb. 8. (To the Editor.)
The papers are full of articles ex
pressing righteous indignation against
stove factories and other employes for
rjavInK their laboT starvation wages.
That they are to be blamed for a lot
of It is true, but they are not entirely
at fault.
A lot of the trouble arises at the
other end of the line. No matter how
cheap or reasonable an article Is of
fered for sale the buying public insists
on buying cheaper. The merchant
being continually crowded by nis
customers to sell cheaper has to cut
all corners to do so. He pays as little
as he can for help: he brings pressure
to bear on the manufacturer to sell
cheaper and the manufacturer In order
to meet these demands cuts down his
expense as much as possible by paying
small wages that he may meet the
demands of the merchants. No matter
how cheap an article Is the public de
mands that it be cheaper, and always
cheaper, and to meet the demands the
Drice of wages are as low as possible.
Another thing, the Intrinsic value of
an article has very little to oo wun
this constant warfare fr. cheaper
prices. If silk was offered for 10
cents a yard the buying public would
Immediately ask that It be sold for 9
cents. I have sold flour direct from the
mills for less than cost and hBXI le
mands every day for cheaper prices on
it. The result of this continual bargain
hunting is to pass a large percentage
of the cheaper prices back to the
poorly paid workmen and women who
manufacture it, and those who hand
it to you over the counter?
J. B. SCOTT,
Retail Merchant.
"Optimistic" for Railroad Name.
REDMOND. Or., Jan. 81. (To the
Editor.) If there has not been any
decision regarding a name for the dis
trict throuarh which the Harriman elec
tric road operates, why not call It
"Optimistic"? Everybody out there
(and especially the Commercial Club)
are optimists. .Better Just name that
and everything tributary to Portland
Optimistic. You know it is written
that-
"The difference 'twixt optimists and
pessimists is surely very drou;
For the opie sees the doughnut, and
the pessle sees the hole.
And even if this claim Is not suffl
clent to entitle "Optimistic" to duo
consideration, the sound of the name
itself Is sufficiently euphonious to put
It well to the froqt In the competition
L R. WHITNEY.
wmnvr . vtt IT--. 9 (Tn tfiA 1MI.
tor.) Where can I get the following
poem, wilu ttuLiiw b uowo. i
The Lecend of the Easter Erg.
"Dearest papa," saia my dot to me
As he merrily climbed on his father's
Knee;
"wny are um -
Colored so finely with blue and gold?"
The poem is not known at the Library
Association of Portland. Information
concerning legends as to Easter eggs
may be had by consulting page 778 of
Curiosities of Popular Customs," writ
ten by William S. Walsh, published by
J. B. Lipplncott Co., Philadelphia. The
volume may be read at the library
mentioned.
Coussien' TLeasme Report.
r.Tin.T.ivn TT-Ah . a l"Ti thA Edi
tor.) (1) Where can I obtain a copy
of the report or tne cornuiitLee ui me
Consumers' .League? (2) A took a
timber claim through which a county
road is running the full length of it.
Who owns the timber which grows In
the road? a outsat. ni.nji.rw
(1) Address Miss. Caroline Gleason,
208 Central building, Portland, Or.
(2) If it has been officially desig
nated a county road, the timber there
on belongs to the county.
Bee Pnbllcatlona.
WAPATO, Wash-, Feb. 1. (To the
Editor.) Please state where a person
can get a paper that treats of bee
culture. J- B. CONKLIN.
One of the best-known publications
of the kind is Gleanings in Bee Cul
ture, Medina, Ohio. Others are Ameri
can Bee Journal, Chicago, and Bee
keepers' Review, Flint, Mich,
Concerning Cain
By Dean Colllna.
In new lines of reasearch full soon now
Bhall we search.
Which same Mr. Hallock has started
to teach.
By making it plain how the primeval
. Cain
Once settled In Oregon, "land of the
peach."
Many suggestions for fanciful ques
tions Rise to my mind, as I study this odd
Tola how the mammoth was chased
out of Klamah
So Cain could come settle In this
Land of Nod.
Plenty of riches, artesians and ditches
Hallock describes In this primeval
town.
Lots, without doubt, Mr. Cain peddled
out
On terms of Installments with sev'
ral bones down.
Out of some bare strips, the remnants
of airships
The wise archaeologist dug from the
srround:
No doubt it Is valid they had lobster
salad
And champagne, and honk carts for
Joyriding round.
Some op'nlng abysm, or great cata
clysm
A-Bcarring the country with deluge
and breach.
Spoiled, more's the pity, that prosper
ous city.
And left all unsettled the land of
the peach.
Was it soil, or the weather, or both
things together
That brought this old town to the
fair Klamath plain?
My brain waxes weary revolving the
query:
"What was the real cause of the
coming of Cain?"
I have it! The fable relating to Abel
It answers the query that stirs In
mv breast:
Cain must have had straight dope con
cerning this state.
And, sure of a pardon, came rambling
West.
Portland. February 3.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of Feb. 4. .1863.
The Corvallls Union's Jacksonville
correspondent says the Curtin quartz
lead is paying nneiy. An oner oi
835.000 for one-third of the lead has
been refused.
Negroes are declining rapidly In value
In Missouri. Good field hands have
been sold as low as (50 apiece.
State Teachers Association This as.
sociatlon will assemble this morning at
the public school building.
On December 17. Senator Nesmlth In
troduced a bill in the United States
Senate to establish a branch of the
United States Mint in this city.
The following-named gentlemen have
formed a corporation with a view to
establishing a woolen manufactory at
Oregon City: A L. LoveJoy, Thomas
Charman, L. T. C. Latourette, Arthur
Warner, W. W. Buck, William Whit
lock, F. Barclay. Daniel Harvey, George
H. Atchison. J. L Barlow, John D.
Dement, W. C. Dement, U. P. Thomp
son, William Barlow, W. C. Johnson
and A H. Steele.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonian of Feb. 4, 1888.
Washington, Feb. 3. The President
has approved and promulgated a re
vision of the civil service rules, which
makes several very important changes
in the system of appointments.
Washington, Feb. 3. Judge Charles
P. Daly and Hiram Hitchcock, of Now
York, ex-Senator MacDonald, Admiral
Ammen, Commander Taylor and Civil
Engineer Menocal of the Navy ap
peared before the House committee on
commerce In advocacy of Representa
tive Norwood's bill to Incorporate the
Maritime Canal Company of Nicaragua.
Seattle, Feb. 8. The most destruct
ive and costly conflagration that haa
ever happened on Puget Sound occurred
at the Port Blakeley mills on Bain
bridge Island, opposite this city, early
this morning.
Shenandoah, Pa.7Feb. 8. The strik
ing miners here have at last over
stepped all bounds and have been riot
ing up and down the streets in full
possession of the town.
With the advent of the dry season
work has been generally resumed on.
the Panama Canal.
In the event of war between Russia
and Austria, in the Spring, the prob
able attitude of Bulgaria becomes of
Importance.
The regular annual , meeting of the
Portland Library Association will be
held this evening. Judge Deady will
preside and will deliver his annual ad
dress. The Astoria Pion"eer Is authority for
the statement that the Southern Pa
cific will build , a , branch from Forest
Grove to Astoria.
First Presbyterian Church, corner
Third and Washington streets Rev.
Donald Ross will preach morning and
evening.
Work has been resumed on the N
street elevated roadway between East
Ninth and East Tenth.
The grand carnival of Royal and
Select Masons of the State of Oregon
mot In McMlnnville February 1.
HOME CREDIT PLAN IS VALUABLE!
School la Aided by System In Better
Attaining; la True Purpose.
STIVER, Or., Feb. 2. (To the Edi
tor.) I noticed in The Oregonian re
cently an article from George C. Mltty.
of Eola, In which he stated that, owing
to the fact that the school children
of Polk County are , getting merit
credits at school for doing work at
home the studies that should be the
bases of our educational system are
being neglected and a smattering of
anything and everything Imaginable Is
being taught.
Such assertions have not the sta
bility of a cactus plant The Eola
school has never tried the "home credit
system," and the patrons know nothlns
about It from experience. Mr. Mitty
has not lived In Polk County and In
spected the school system. State School
Superintendent Alderman and many
other leading educators Indorse the
"home credit plan."
Mr. Mltty makes the assertion that
the credit system diverts our ' mind
from the essentials. He does not realize
that the home is the fundlmental In
stitution of civilization; that the
school Is looked upon as the supple
ment to the home and that Its function
Is to give the children the training
that the home cannot give. Surely the
school should keep tn close touch with
home life, and bring Into its work
such material as will make the work
of the school real. It has been shown
by many Eastern schools, as well as
those In this country, that the child's
attitude toward the common, every
day duties of life are changed when
he realises that the performance of
these everyday duties is a part of his
education. "R. G. DYKSTRA.
Tea,
PORTLAND. Feb. 2. (To the Edi
tor.) If a person who draws a pen
sion here goes to Canada, can he draw
It there? . MRS. C. WARD.