THE MORNING OKJSGONlA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1913.
12
rOETLA5U, OREGON.
Entered at Portland. Oregon, pcstofflce aa
pecond-claa matter.
Subscription Ratee Invariably la Advanc
(BY MAIL.)
Dally, Sunday included, one rear SS.O
; ally, Sunday Included, six month -
I ally, Sunday Included, three month. . -o
: ally, Sunday Included, one ' month. .. -7
rally, without Sunday, one year aw
L ally, without Sunday, alx month . -
E ally, without Sunday, three month. .
pally, without Sunday, one month
Weeny, on year 1.00
- jnday, on year ........ J-ow
t. indav unit Weelrlv. one vitr t
(BT CARBIKR.)
'. ally, Sunday Included, an year
nalrvi Sundae Included, am month....
How to Remit Send Poetofflo money or.
der, exprea order or personal check on your
:-"al bank. Stamp, ooln or currency are at
th nnder- rule Olv postotrice addre m
full. Including county and atata
Postage Rates Ten to 14 page. 1 W'i
" to 28 page. 2 cent; to to 40 paorja,
-nt; 40 to 60 page, 4 oanta. Foreign
- .stage, dpuble rate.
Eastern Beninese Offices Vsrree A Conk
lln, New York. B run wick VnJJdlng. Cnl
ago, Steger tulldlng.
San Francisco Of lice R- J. Bldwen Co.
143 Market street.
European Office No 8 Regent street B.
London
I OKTLAND. FKXDAT. FEB. 14. X1A.
mrsrstsB jrnXRBOLE.
Undoubtedly Mr. Roosvolt win be
understood to be Indulging In his usual
. ierheated hyperbole when he says
' at the Idaho decision Imprisoning
the Boise editors constituted an "even
rraver offense against Justice and de
cency and an even greater blot on the
American Judiciary than the Dred
Seoat decision Itself." The Idaho in
. lioMrt la a more or less sectional af
fair, important to the persons con--n-ned
and Indicative of the arbitrary
and unwarranted methods of one mi
nor court only In Its abuse of its pow
ers and Its retaliation upon Its detain
ers. The Dred Scott decision became
the law of the land, and was, or was
intended to be, the last word In the
tremendous conflict over human slav
ery. No wonder it shook the struc
ture of the Government and aroused
the whole people. That decision was
recalled by the bloody arbitrament of
civil war.
Mr. Roosevelt savagely denounces
the court for shutting the R'oosevelt
electors off the ballot; but he has
given us nothing but bitter Impreca
tion and hot Indignation much thun
der but little light. It would be a lit
tle more satisfactory If the Colonel
would let the world know wherein the
Idaho decision departed from the
Idaho law.
In view of the Colonel's protracted
and obstinate Bllence over the similar
outrage in California where the Taft
electors were excluded from the bal
lot, the Impression lingers that Colonel
Roosevelt's excitement arises mainly
from the fact that he lost Idaho and
not from the supposed fact that the
Idaho court distorted the Idaho law.
THE SETTLER'S GAMBLE.
A few daya ago Secretary Fisher
told In a letter to The Oregonlan of
the benevolent purpose of the Interior
Department toward the honest settler.
Today an honest settler writes of the
repressive effect of the department's
rulings In connection with the three
S ear homestead law. Mr. Haines, who
nas worked ten years in an effort to
reduce to cultivation a claim in un
irveyed land, Is now confronted by
lawa and regulations which did not
xist when he began his labors on the
tract. The survey is about to be ac-
t pted. He will soon be able to file
his application, but unless he can ob-
. in a favorable ruling from the de
p irtment in his particular behalf he
ill lose his claim because It is im
possible to comply with the cultivation
i qulrements of the new law.
The homestead law now demands
hat one-eighth of the tract entered
tpon. by the settler shall be In actual
tltlvation, beginning with the third
j , ar of the residence period and until
final proof is offered. The cultivation
must include breaking or stirring of
the soil, planting or sowing of seed
nd tillage for a crop other than native
irrasses.
It is safe to say that there are no
vacant lands in Western Oregon
whereon the ordinary settler could
comply with these regulations. There
lire meadow lands in the forest re
serves. but the Western settler has
learned to his sorrow the tremendous
requirements of the forest service for
agricultural lands for ranger stations
itnu aam m iMiru. Live jjuiyuwo.
Bhort, there Is no chance there for the
settler.
Meadow lands outside the reserves
were long ago homesteaded. But
there are vacant agricultural lands
covered by alder, burned fir and cedar,
BssMiAfsma over-mnture trees, or other-
1.n .nar.tv 1 1 ni hrod . Xrt .settler.
nee can build his modest home.
IIIP.S. IIULUUliUlIi. UltttO, imkuic
necessary worn aminais anu iwus, yiu
vlde a livelihood for his family and re
dact twenty acres of such land to
cultivation In three years.
The Secretary of the Interior has
authority to reduce the cultivation re
quirements In Individual easea The
homesteader must file application for
the reduction In the first year of his
entry. The Secretary specifically re
aerves the right to delay action, if he
so elects, until final proof Is offered.
In other words the homesteader must
take chances with the changing poli
cies of the Interior Department, the
whims or ambitions of Government in
spectors or agents, the dreary circum
locution of a Federal bureau. All the
time perhaps three years he must
hustle his hardest to grub, plow, seed
pad till as many acres as possible and
still live in doubt. Is any sane man
going to risk the loss of three years'
hardest kind of labor by filing on
lands in Western Oregon?
Such is the case of the newcomer or
intending homesteader. But there re
gain Mr. Haines and hundreds of
thers in similar plight. They have
.-one on unsurveyed land In good
alth, have built homes, slashed tlm
pr. turned unproductive acres Into
asture. packed supplies over rough
alls In short, pioneered aa did the
en who crossed the plains half a
ntury ago. Some have not twenty
res that can be cultivated. Those
ns turned to stock-raising or dalry-
for their chief resource learn that
?,T have three years In which to
ib the pasture stumps and turn the
iai Into a strictly agricultural tract
the time Is too short, or the re
retnent too great, a paternal Gov
. r: raant may, not must, diminish the
p J demand. I'nder extremely fa
rahle conditions they will have a
gamvnff chance, but If a reservation
Lst (the Pinchot type shall hold the
Interior portfolio, and the law be not
harifed, such settlers will have no
hopefof patent.
Thi vast number of people who are
interBted in using petroleum and its
by products are disturbed over con
stantly Increasing prices. Crude oil is
going up and gasoline has already
reached an almost prohibitive figure
All this has happened since the disso
lution of the Standard Oil Company
The "independents" seem to have
Joined hands with the monopoly in
exploiting the public. The oil fields
are as productive as ever and new ones
are discovered from time to time. Na
ture Is doing her part, but some blight
seems to have struck competition. Is
there a new trust? .
QUANTITY OB QUALITY.
Thirty-one bills passed by the State
Legislature in thirty-one days one
bill a day la wltherlngly denounced
by the uncompromising newspaper
critics as a poor record a very poor
record. These same censors have
likewise roared with derision at the
Legislature because nine hundred or
more bills were Introduced, when
there was and is no need for nine hun
dred new laws. When there Is the
prospect of too much law, they are not
satisfied; when there Is the certainty
of very little new law, they are still
whlnlngly unhappy.
If the Legislature acts with judr
ment and intelligence on legislation
for which there is an obvious public
need and demand. It will have done
well. If it makes Its appropriations
with due regard to the expanding In
terests of the state and to the service
which the public institutions are called
on to render. It will have met all rea
sonable expectation. If It shall enact
a compensation law, good roads leg
islation and some other cardinal meas
ures, it will have done its full duty.
But if it shall send to the waste
basket some eight hundred odd of the
nine hundred bills Introduced, it will
deserve to go thundering down the
ages as the wisest Legislature Oregon
ever had.
SEVENTH STREET AND A THIRD KAIL.
The Portland Railway, Light &
Power Company now has its new fran
chise (or will have after the Mayor
shall sign), including the disputed
territory of Seventh street. But the
bargain or agreement by which Mr.
Heusner and his suppositious interur
ban cars shall be, or may be, admitted
to Seventh street hereafter binds no
body. Let that be understood now.
The Portland Railway, Light & Power
Company, by implication at least,
failed to keep faith with the Seventh
street property owners who were fight
ing its battles for a franchise and
were making common cause with It to
prevent the laying of a third rail along
one of Portland's busiest and most im
portant streets. Just where they or
the public have been consulted or con
sidered in this little arrangement to
let the Heusner company in later Is
not apparent.
Probably it will be said that Mr.
Heusner has no franchise yet, and
that the Council has given him noth
ing, and the street railway company
has given him nothing. Tet they defi
nitely prepare the way for his occu
pancy of Seventh street, and traffic
and trade in rights and grants which
exist only in expectancy. Later we
shall hear from Mr. Heusner, of
course, that he has been promised a
Seventh-street franchise, and has in
good faith Invested money on that
pledge.
Seventh street stands Just where it
did, so far as the desirability or unde
sirablllty of a third rail is concerned.
Seventh street should never be given
up to a combination of urban and ln
terurban cars. There will be room for
nothing else.
OREGON'S OIVEKSITT.
One hundred and twenty students
from Oregon are said to be registered
at a single institution in California.
A large group of Oregon young men
and young women help swell the mag
nificent student body of the University
of Washington. Other sons and daugh.
ters of Oregon are scattered through
the colleges and universities of the
East and Middle West. It is probably
not an excessive estimate that one-half
the eligibles for education at the Ore
gon State University go elsewhere. It
may be considered sound financial
strategy to have our boys and girls
trained for their life work at the ex
pense of some other state; but we
doubt If it pays. What we have thus
lost in neglect of our own State Uni
versity is not calculable.
All know that the University has
suffered through the political vicissi
tudes of several referendum cam
paigns. Tet it survives; and it is clear
that the people of Oregon believe that
they should maintain a State Univer
sity. It is noteworthy that so valua
ble and Influential an organization as
the State Federation of Woman's
Clubs has enlisted for the University
and purposes to do all it can to estab
lish a secure foundation for an Institu
tion having a vital relation to the
moral and educational welfare of Ore
gon. If the mothers of Oregon take
up the cause of the State University,
there can be no doubt of its future
prosper! ty.
Now the Joint ways and means com
mittee at Salem agrees on a reasonable
appropriation by the State Legislature
for the University. It ought to pass;
and this time we think there will be no
referendum. There ought to be none.
For it Is clear that the greatest use
fulness of the University can be
achieved only through adequate finan
cial support. If the University is to
be stunted, or starved, or stripped, we
might as well abolish it utterly.
ABANDONED FARMS.
We do not hear so much as we used
about abandoned farms in the East.
The price of farm land in New Eng
land has doubled In the last twenty
years. This may not bo a very rapid
Increase, but It is an increase. The
day when population forsook the
granite hills for the fertile areas of
the West seems to have passed. Polish
tenants now pay a yearly rent of $40
an acre for land which a few years
ago could not be sold for $100 an acre.
Agriculture is looking up In New
England.
The new state of things is owing to
certain much-despised foreigners. It
Is the Italians, Poles and Huns, the
so-called Latin races from Central and
Southern Europe, who are becoming
the food-producers for the Atlantic
section of the country. They under
stand the art of raising a large quan
tity of produce on a small tract Bet
ter still, they understand the art of
marketing what they raise. With
these two qualities combined they are
doing what the American farmer
failed to do in the East. They are
making the difficult soils of New
England pay good returns on an In
vestment of $200 and 1300 an acre.
The Finns are doing something of
the same sort in the Paclfie North
west Wherever they have settled in
considerable numbers they have
placed agriculture on a new and bet
ter basis than it had before. They
know how to co-operate in community
efforts and they break the terrible
monotony of Isolated farm life by a
variety of social entertainments. For
eigners of these types enjoy one decid
ed advantage over old-fashioned
Americans. Every member of the
family takes part In the farm work.
Yankee pride lias never submitted to
this.
It has been deemed unworthy of
women to work out of doors. We
have preferred to shut them up from
morninjf to night in the hot and stuffy
kitchen from which they have gradu
ated by the thousand to the lunatic
asylum and the tomb. Foreigners let
them out Into the fields to breathe
with their Bons and husbands the free
air. Hence their race Is taking pos
session of the country. Even the
young boys and girls in many families
have a little business of their own.
They win prizes by producing fancy
grades of seed corn and potatoes.
They produce and market eggs. The
neglected poultry industry is singular
ly suitable for girls and women. It is
odd that more of them do not prefer
it to typewriting and the laundries.
A GOOD SUGGESTION.
One of The Oregonlan's friendly
correspondents made a suggestion the
other day which was too happy to pass
without comment The exact form in
which he proposed his plan may not
have been the best but there is no de
nying that his reasoning was sound.
We refer to the young unmarried man
who said that he had been in Portland
ten months without meeting a solitary
woman whom he could dream of mar
rying. According to his account he
has a fair Income, is free from bad
habits and not uncomely to the criti
cal gaze. Still, in spite of his obvious
advantages he cannot get married for
lack of opportunity.
He referred to the sad deficiency of
meeting places foj the sexes. They
can come together easily enough un
der vicious auspices, but what society
Is there either sacred or secular which
opens a wholesome resort where young
men and women may go through the
necessary preliminaries to lifelong
unions? Does not our correspondent
touch upon a social duty which has
been too long neglected? His sugges
tion is that the Woman's Club lend its
prestige to a monthly social meeting
at which all decent young people shall
be welcome. If this Is out of the
question perhaps a society might be
organized for the purpose.
Whatever may be thought of this
particular point, there Is no doubt that
the want of decent meeting places for
young people is crying in almost all
our cities and that in country villages
conditions are still worse. In many
of the latter places a misdirected zeal
for Puritanism has resulted In driv
ing young men to the saloons for their
Dniy amusement, while girls drift to
the city as fast as they can find the
means to pay railroad fare.
The "social directors" who have
been sent out by the University of
Wisconsin to a number of country
towns seem to have done excellent
work toward bettering the situation In
rural sections, though hundreds of
them are needed instead of scores be
fore the evil will be materially reme
died. In the cities the new science of
social hygiene Is moving in the right
direction. A very little practice In
matters of this kind is worth more
than thousands of sermons, particu
larly if the practice is based upon ade
quate study of the situation.
THE SALOON AND THE LAW.
An esteemed and exceptionally able
contemporary, the Pilot Rock Record,
makes an attractive argument for mu
nicipal ownership of saloons in an ar
ticle which The Oregonlan has al
ready commented upon briefly. The
subject may appear important enough
to many readers to warrant some fur
ther consideration. The Record bases
its argument upon the proposition that
"if it were not for the license fee from
the saloons few if any towns or cities
would tolerate them." This may be
taken for granted. We have never
ourselves allowed any great weight to
the "personal liberty" argument. It
figures largely In liquor campaigns,
but really there Is not much In It. If
the liquor business is injurious to the
community the individual's liberty to
booze is of no consequence in com
parison with the general welfare. So
the courts have always held, and their
decisions jibe accurately with common
sense. Municipalities grant liquor
licenses because they want the fees
for municipal purposes and this is
mainly the consideration which de
cides the question in the minds of
most citizens.
There is another plea which often
counts heavily for the saloons, though
It seems to be losing ground somewhat
of late. It Is that "prohibition does
not prohibit; and if It does prohibit
the toper is sure to replace his tipple
with something worse." The public Is
learning more accurately than of
yore some of the reasons why prohibi
tion does not prohibit. The shipment
of liquor without much restraint in
Interstate commerce is one of them.
When Congress has definitely for
bidden this Insidious practice we shall
see whether there Is not something
more than has been supposed In state
prohibition. Meanwhile Kansas dem
onstrates to the candid mind that It Is
possible, even as conditions are, to
rear a generation to whom the saloon
with its sordid evils is virtually un
known. If the population of every
state in the Union had the firmness
of character and indomitable inde
pendence of spirit which we see in
Kansas the liquor traffic would be less
troublesome. Almost any law will suf
fice to regulate It when the people
are firmly resolved that it shall be
regulated, come what may. Oregon,
for example, has plenty of antl-llquor
legislation, but it is ineffectual to a
degree, not because It is not strict
enough, but because the people as a
whole care very little whether it is
enforced or not.
A3 to the plea that the toper de
prived of his rum is sure to resort to
morphine or cocaine, it is certainly
true of the old sot But how about
the young man whose habits are not
yet formed? Is It not worth while to
consider his case a little? Not being
a drug slave as yet, the closing of the
saloons would not necessarily drive
him to the hypodermic syringe for re
lief. As a matter of fact, the younger
generation In communities where
there are no saloons are undeniably of
better habits than their contempo
raries elsewhere. We dare say the
Lord knew what he was about when
he taught the prayer, "lead us not into
temptation." So much for the Rec
ord's premise that it is the license fee
which keeps the saloon in existence.
The conclusion from it follows, "Reve
nue being the desideratum, why-
should not the towns granting the
licenses have all there is In the busi
ness Instead of only a small part of
It?" Thus our logical contemporary
sees the way clear to municipal own
ership of the saloons. To enforce the
point that license fees take but a small
part of the profit of the liquor busi
ness, the Record cites the example of
its own town, which has one saloon
paying an annual license fee of $1500,
while its net profits amount to some
$18,760. "Why should Pilot Rock not
have this Income?" the Record in
quires. "The saloon Is here because
we want that $1500." Would not tne
whole $18,750 be still more agreeable?
Alluring as this prospect appears at
first sight, there are difficulties in the
way. In Pilot Rock and In every
other town in the United States there
are people who look upon the liquor
traffic as a crime and the profit of It
as the wases of sin. In their eyes the
license fee is a bribe to the moral
sense of the community. The entire
profit of the business would be only
a larger bribe and all the more hei
nous because it is more tempting.
People of this way of thinking will
oppose municipal ownership of the sa
loons more bitterly than the license
system. Their hatred of the tempter
grows fiercer as his lures grow more
seductive. They will make no com
promise with the evil thing and they
never will rest until his power Is ut
terly destroyed. If they cannot gain
their end in one way, they will try
another, but we may feel perfectly
sure that their agitation will never
stop as long as there are saloons in the
country- They plant their feet upon
the proposition that the saloon, as it
is conducted in the United States, is
wholly indefensible. It Is always al
lied with the worst men and the worst
practices in the community. White
slavery, gambling, corrupt politics, the
luring of youth into vicious ways, all
center about the saloon. It Is often
said that every barkeeper is a law
breaker. This is an exaggeration, of
course, but it comes near enough to
the truth to hold its ground in popular
talk.
The saloon stands In our cities and
villages as a running sore. No sane
person can say a' word to defend It.
Even the plea that it is the poor man's
clubhouse Is disingenuous. Provide
the saloon frequenter with a cleaner
resort, and he goes back to his sty,
which proves that he goes there not
for social relaxation, but for the vice
with which it is saturated. Indefensi
ble as the saloon is, still It has held
its own in numberless communities,
defying all efforts to abolish or even
to regulate it. We can account for
such as astonishing state of things
only on the supposition that these ef
forts are, upon the whole, not sincere.
If the majority of Americans really
wished to bring the saloons under sub
jection to the law and make them de
cent, the feat might prove difficult,
but It would not be impossible. The
average moral state of the popular
mind is accurately reflected in its in
stitutions. Our saloons are abomina
tions because we do not care to have
them anything better. If we wanted
them to be different, nothing under
heaven could prevent it.
Future Robinson Crusoes will not
be obliged to undergo as many hard
ships' as their famous predecessor of
De Foe's time. Thij isolated Islands
scattered here and there upon the
bosom of the Pacific where a voyager
might possibly be cast away have been
stored with supplies by the various
governments which claim them. Food
and clothing have been deposited and
matches In sealed boxes have been left
where they can easily be found. Thus
the way has been smoothed for ship
wrecked travelers. The Enoch Arden
of the years to come will lack nothing
but his Annie to make his sojourn
enjoyable.
When Representative Fitzgerald,
who is crying for economy in the
Naval bill, secures substantial provi
sion for improvements in his district
through the public building bill, we
are led to reflect on the frailty of
human nature.
Senatorial deadlocks have become a
regular event whenever Illinois has to
elect a Senator. Life will be dull and
uneventful at Springfield when direct
election makes deadlocks impossible
and legislators have nothing to do but
legislate.
Eugene has a new boosting organi
zation called "The Radiators," whose
object Is to let the light shine from
that remarkable city. They will do it,
for they have the energy and the
material.
Vincent Astor has joined the naval
militia. Now If he should neglect to
salute some shoe clerk In Admiral's
attire he may find himself in irons.
Edison is one of the millionaires
whom we count among the beneficent,
not the predatory, rich, and all unite
In birthday congratulations to him.
Some way must be found to prevent
the walkout of 40,000 Eastern train
men. The economic loss all around is
too great in such procedure.
Nearly $20,000,000 seems a large
Bum for the Government to spend for
health, but it is as good an investment
as Uncle Sam could make.
When the suffrage marchers reach
Washington it might be well to pause
and reckon the damage done to the
cause.
Colonel Blethen's losses by fires are
great, but his other name is Phoenix
and the ashes bring him into bold
relief.
Rosalie Jones' Invinclbles cannot be
conquered by snow and frost, but go
marching on to trembling Washington.
An emblem is being devised for the
new aviation corps of the Army. Why
not crossbones and skull?
Those Mexicans must have been
gathering inspiration from the Balk
ans' dispatches.
Men must go back to 1830 for the
latest style. It pays to store up the
family clothes.
Thank goodness, one war is ended
that between Fritz! Scheff and John
Fox, Jr.
Why does not Roosevelt go to Idaho
and denounce the Idaho Supreme
Court?
Sugar stays .down. But why can't
this happen in the canning season?
Yes, the Legislature is still in ses
sion. The dogs of war strain at the leash.
LAW AND THE HONEST SETTLER
One Telia of the Barrier Erect)
Agralnst Redemption of Land.
ROSEBURG, Or., Feb. lz. (To the
Editor.) I came to Roseburg today for
Buppllea. 1 live 25 miles out. have 20
miles of wagon road and pack my pro
visions for five miles on a horse, t
live on unsurveyed land; have lived
there for 10 years. The land has been
surveyed but the survey has not yet
been accepted.
I called at the local office to ascer
tain If I could make my final proof
under the old law when I had filed
my application, but I was informed
that all homesteads that were filed
after June 6, 1912, the date the new
homestead law went Into effect had to
be proved up under the new law, no mat
ter If I had been living on my land
or 20 years. I was Informed that I
nust have 20 acres of the 160 acres In
actual cultivation, plowed and seeded.
As a matter of fact I have been 10
years getting as many acres as pos
sible into actual cultivation. I have
20 acres seeded to tame grass, the
brush and the timber being cleared off,
the stumps being left In the ground.
I have not got 20 acres on my claim
that can be cleared and put into actual
cultivation. I have a bottom along the
creek, the balance being all mountain
side and hills. Now, under the ruling
of the Secretary I will lose my claim
and my 10 years' work, and there are
hundreds of others that are in the
same fix.
I noticed Mr. Fisher's letter in The
Oregonlan today. He says that if any
one wants to take a homestead, before
they file on It they can take the matter
up with him and if the facts are that
20 acres or one-eighth of the area of
the land cannot be cultivated within
the time limit he will, under a proper
showing, make a reduction of the
amount of land to be cultivated. Now,
let us see how Mr. Fisher's plan will
work.
A man comes from Kansas. He looks
over the country and, after much time
and money spent In finding a vacant
piece of land he thinks he can make
good on, he goes to the land office fvo
file, and upon asking about the home
stead laws Is given a circular or Is
advised what the law Is. He finds that
he must cultivate one-eighth of the
area of the 160 acres 20 acres in three
years. Having examined his claim he
knows that he cannot cultivate that
amount in 10 years if he works every
day in the year, but he Is advised thai,
he can make application to the Secre
tary of the Interior to have the area
to be cultivated reduced. Now what
will he do? If he doesn't file on the
land at once probably some one else
will file on it If he does file on It and
the Secretary of the Interior refuses
to reduce the area he has lost his right
to take the homestead. If he makes
application to get the area reduced it
will go through the local office, then
be sent up to the Commissioner, and by
the Commissioner be sent up to the
Secretary of the Interior, who will send
it back to Oregon with instructions
that a proper officer make a personal
examination of the land. The officer
goes out In the course of time and
examines the land and then he makes
his report If it Is favorable the Sec
retary will, In the course of time, make
the reduction, but In all probability
more than two years will have elapsed
since the claimant made the applica
tion for the reduction. Still, Mr. Fisher
says that his law Is in the Interest of
the honest homesteader. In his article
he did not mention the ruling that
homesteaders or settlers who have lived
on unsurveyed land for periods up to
20 years must come under the new
homestead law.
In all candor, I ask Mr. Fisher what
is to become of these settlers? Many
of them have filed on their claims since
June 6 and their proof has all been
turned down. Many of them cannot
possibly ever get the required area of
land into actual cultivation, for they
have not the land to clear and put Into
cultivation. All the decisions of the
Interior Department have held that
when a settler goes onto the land and
builds his house and commences his
residence thereon his rights are in
itiated at that time. Yet the Secretary
holds that such Is not the case and
that he must make final proof under
a law that Is enacted 20 years, perhaps,
after he has settled on the land. It
is not the settler's fault that he has
not made his final proof, for the land
during all these years has not been
surveyed so he can file on it and make
his final proof and get his title. Mr.
Fisher says this is to keep the home
steader from speculating In timber
lands. But Mr. Fisher, the railroad
company Is allowed to scrip a whole
township of unsurveyed lands, and is
allowed to secure its title under the
old laws. Thank God that one great
newspaper Is fighting for the poor
homesteader. JAMES H. HAINES.
STATE INSURANCE FOR EVERYONE
Writer Would Greatly Broaden Scope
of Proposed Workmen's Law.
YAMHILL, Or., Feb. 10. (To the Edi
tor.) That state accident insurance
should have a much broader applica
tion than is provided by the bills now
before the Legislature is the task your
correspondent has undertaken to make
clear.
Since every citizen Is subject to acci
dental Injury or death. It naturally fol
lows that all have a personal and vital
interest in the question an interest
that Is Intensified by the fact that the
state can provide insurance at cost
since all profit and waste will be elim
inated. Such a great, useful public
function should be for all and not for
a part of the people. A law making
partners of the state, employer and
employe to serve some special Interest
Is a subversion of government not to
be tolerated. Such a principle, if once
established, would grow and could
easily become an ugly and dangerous
barnacle upon our body politic.
The state should deal directly with
the citizen for whose benefit the In
surance has been provided. It can be
assumed that the average workman
earns $1000 per annum, the correctness
of the estimate being Immaterial, the
object desired being to establish a bas
is for the computation of assessments,
which basis must be fixed and made
uniform for all. This would place
every trade and occupation upon an
equally before the law.
The amount of the assessments could
be regulated to suit the needs of every
trade or occupation.
Under the plan herein proposed any
citizen of the state could elect to be
come the beneficiary of the state ac
cident insurance fund by paying his or
her assessment covering a certain pe
riod of time.
A law should be enacted to bar any
employe from civil action against his
employer providing the employer has
reimbursed his employe for the cost of
Insurance while in his employ. The
self interest of the employer will com
pel the operation of the law so far as
the employe Is concerned.
This would preserve the citizen's
liberty and freedom of action unham
pered by legal complications. It would
reduce state accident Insurance to the
utmost simplicity, which is much to be
desired, since it would eliminate many
useless legal processes, affecting the
Interest of the citizen which, if neg
lected, would lead to trouble and ex
pense. PHIL WlTrtiuUiiJOti.
A Mere Inadvertence.
Chicago Record-Herald.
"One of the preachers comes forward
with the declaration that the devil Is
not mentioned in the Old Testament"
"What of it?"
"Well, he claims that there being n
mention of him In the Old Testament
there cannot be a devil."
"That's no proof. The Old Testament
does not mention 'the Illinois Legisla
ture, but there is one."
WHAT CAUSES EXTREME POVERTY f
Subject of Being; Dead Broke la Spec
ulated U pon.
PORTLAND, Feb. 10. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Oregonlan of February
7 appears an editorial on "being dead
broke," which was drawn from a pub
lication Issued by the Inmates of the
Stata Penitentiary at Salem. Have you
ever been in this miserable condition
and then had man after man turn you
down when seeking employment with
a curt "No help wanted?" The Ore
gonlan, after commenting on the cause
of said condition, and admitting that
there are people In our city who are
begging for work and unable to pro
cure it, attributes the cause of this
sad condition to maladjustment of our
lives, from which I infer Is meant In
ability to adjust one's self to condi
tions as they exist.
But that is rather a vague explana
tion and tends to avoid a definite
meeting of the question, and would
confuse many. Now I wish The Ore
gonian would come out and give us
what it considers the underlying cause
of a condition that forces a human
being to teg of his brother a chance
to work In order to sustain life. Hu
manity Is struggling, and has been for
a long time, to find a remedy for con
ditions of this kind, and we have tried
many remedies, which so far seem to
have only aggravated the condition.
A neighbor of mine, who Is a Social
ist, when discussing the condition of
the working people, said to me that the
underlying cause of unemployment
poverty and Its attending evils was
the wage and profit system and went
on and gave me a lot of Government
statistics (which I after verified)
showing that the producer was robbed
or exploited of the major part of his
product, and that present society and
governments were based on this ex
ploitation of the producers In society.
He said the remedy was that the peo
ple should own and use the means of
production collectively, and that society
should co-operate In the production
and distribution of those products to
society for use instead of profit
But the compensating fact for this
condition of being dead broke, which
had come to the knowledge of The
Oregonlan. appeared Just a little amus
ing: to me, and that was: That a farm
er of the writer's acquaintance has
several acres of potatoes which he has
not dug for the reason that the price
would not warrant it I take It that
this farmer Is a man who works, is
familiar with digging potatoes, la lo
cated permanently near where these
potatoes are to be dug, his expenses
are light compared to the city dweller
he does not have to pay carfare, extra
board and lodging (which a city man
would have to do In order to get there
and dig the potatoes), yet the writer
thinks that this would be a great com
pensating fact to the poor, unfortun
ate, dead broke city worker to go to
the expense of going out to the farm
(or walk, as he would, of course, have
to do if he was broke) and dig the
farmer's potatoes for half, and pay the
farmer, or some one else, to feed and
shelter him while he was doing it,
when the farmer who was located on
the ground and with comparatively no
expense could not afford to dig them
and get all. This would work beau
tifully for the farmer, but where would
the poor city chap get on:
F. CRABTREE.
Not the Conductor.
Harper's Bazar.
An overdressed woman of a certain
age met an old acquaintance on the
train.
"And how are you, after all these
years? Yes, this Is my little girl, Just
t years old."
The little girl turned, whispering
"Mother, look at his hat. You needn't
lb; he s not the conductor.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonlan of February 14, 1888.
At a meeting of the Board of Trade,
Vice-president Philip C. Schuyler, in
the absence of President Maclean, oc
cupied the chair. Olds & Summers,
Buell & Lambertson and M. H. Holcomb
were proposed for membership. A com
mittee reported condemning the Joint
lease of the O. R. & N. to the Nortnern
Pacific and Union Pacific roads.
There Is loud continuous complaint
about the condition of the bridge on
East Twelfth street between J and K.
Mr. A L Tozier, of this city, came
back from the Cascades yesterday,
where he has been making arrange
ments to move today. He has a fish
wheel below the Cascades.
The new military company held a
meeting Friday evening at Spokane and
elected the following officers: Captain,
W. J. Farrar; first lieutenant, Alva
Summers; second lieutenant, F. D. Kel
sey; first sergeant S. W. Smith.
Rev. Alfred Kummer, pastor of Tay
lor Street Church, will deliver his lec
ture on "Shams" tomorrow evening.
W. J. Footner, general superintend
ent of the Northern Pacific Express
Company, has resigned and on March 1
H. H Browning, assistant superintend
ent with headquarters In this city, will
succeed him.
The guardian sale of land on the
East Side (Murray donation land
claim, near the Asylum road), consist
ing of five and a half acres, was sold
by Auctioneer Richardson to John
Kenworthy at auction yesterday at
$900 per acre.
House Washington, Feb. 18. A bill
was Introduced by Hermann, of
Oregon for the establishment of an
assay office at Portland, Or.
Washington, Feb. 13. Senator Dolph
called up his bill In the Senate this
afternoon, which appropriates $500,-
000 for the erection of a public building
in Portland, and secured Its passage.
Columbus, O., Feb. 13. Among the
guests who sat down at the banquet
of the Ohio Republican League were
Senator Sherman, Governor Beaver, of
Pennsylvania, Governor Luce, of Michi
gan, Gov. Foraker, Ben Butter
worth, S. P. Foster, president of the
New York League, W. H. Smiley, of
Warren, Professor Scarborough, of
Wllberforce College, and Murat Hal
stead, of Cincinnati.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonlan of February 14. 1863.
Mr. Lincoln frankly acknowledges
that he was wrong In removing Gen
eral Butler from the command of the
Gulf Department
The blockading fleet has captured
541 vessels of all classes, valued at
$40,000,000 since the war began. Nearly
the entire amount is British capital.
James Watson Webb Is our repre
sentative at the court of the Emperor
of the Brazils. He Is noted for his
pugnacity, which has led him into fre
quent duels and street fights. The lat
est exhibition of his temper consists
in having challenged the British min
ister at Rio Janeiro to mortal com
bat. The bold Briton declined and took
refuge aboard one of Her Majesty's
ships of war.
The Sentinel is agitating the ques
tion of opening a road from Jackson
ville to the John Day & Powder
River mines. It Is the only possible
outlet for the superabundant produce
of the southern part of the State.
Flour Is worth $5 a barrel at Jack
sonville, and $40 In those mines.
The steamer Pacific sailed for San
Francisco by the way of Victoria.
The Julia did not attempt the trip
to the Cascades yesterday morning,
but will do so today.
Valentines
By Dean Colllna.
Muse, assist me; I have planned,
Valentines to beat the band;
Maidens fair of every grade.
Status, quality and shade,
Folk of every sort and style.
With my songa I would beguile.
Asking all. right down the line;
"Be my only Valentine."
Muse, stand by. If you have time;
Dope me out a scheme of rhyme:
Sighs and eyes, and dart and heart.
Locks and rocks and part and smart
Thine (or mine) and Valentine
Muse, 11 Is a goodly line.
Let me turn the rhymes you lend
Into missives without end.
L
Ask me not, Phyllis, whence my sighs;
Look for the answer In your eyes.
So soft and bright the beams they
dart
Is It strange that they fired my heart?
Caught in the strands of your silken
locks.
Like an anchored shallop my wild
heart rocks;
Endless yearning hath been my part
Be the physician to heal Its smart
And let me read, in those of thlna.
An answer fair to thts valentine.
n.
Sylvia, I have sighed deep sighs.
Have blown my nose and have wiped
my eyes.
And round th corner have made a
dart
To dodge the collector, with beating
heart
Had I th key to the ponderous locks.
Of the safe that hoards up your store
of rock;
Could I pry It open and grab a part
I would reckon myself both lucky and
smart;
And, so for a chance at that cash of
thine,
I'll take a chance as your valentine.
m.
Henrietta, I shake with sighs,
Whenever you roll toward me your
eyes;
I tremble, fearing that you may dart
In my direction to grab my heart
Come stroll with me by the river's
lockB;
Til drop thee over upon the rocks.
And gaily whistling aa I part,
Relieved from tinior and woe and
smart;
"Adieu, good bye!" It shall be for
thine;
"Nix on the comic valentine!"
Why should I deal In cries and sighs.
When I can watch, with Indolent eyes.
The wisps of smoke as they ourl and
dart
From the glowing, glimmering meer
schaum's heart?
Care's outside and I've turned the
locks;
The easy chair by the fireside rocks;
Sorrow and pain have here no part
For thy breath of Incense can heal
their smart
Lady Nicotine, I am thine
Forever and ever, thy Valentine.
Portland, February 13.
Activity of Park Squirrels.
Indianapolis News.
In several parts of tne city it is
noted that there are more squirrels in
evidence In the parks and about the
lawns than ever before, and that they
have little or no fear of any one, even
boys having come to treat these in
teresting relics of the primeval forest
with kindness and consideration. Many
of these squirrels are lively young fel
lows, born last April, who In the early
Spring will set up housekeeping for
themselves. These squirrels are Chick
arees, which sounds much like the
name of a tribe of red men. This vari
ety Is found from Maine to Minnesota,
and through the Middle West and as
far south as Tennessee and Virginia.
It Is the hardiest of the American
squirrels and seems to enjoy the Win
ter. It may be seen tunneling under
the snow, shaking its fur clean when it
emerges, as If coming from a bath. It
is on the alert from dawn to sunset,
and on moonlight nights such as we
now have It may be seen having high
fun disporting itself under the trees.
It does not hibernate, and while It may
have many enemies In the forest It
has In the cities practically only one,
the cat.
A $650 Dress for Mla Wilson.
Norfolk, Va., dispatch.
The dress Miss Eleanor Wilson will
wear at the inauguration of her father
will be made from silk manufactured
in Norfolk. It was given to Miss Wil
son by a local silk company.
Miss Wilson, In accepting the $650
dress, was asked to name the shade of
silk she desired. She selected the color
of the outside petal of the American
Beauty rose. The material was made
as she directed, and was sent to New
York to a fashionable dressmaker.
The President-elect's daughter had
said she wanted to wear something
made In Virginia at the inauguration
of her father, who is a native of this
state.
Society Personal From Boton.
Boston Transcript.
She "Oh, Jack, I'm awfully glad you
proposed."
He "Then you accept me?"
She "Well, no; but you see, your
proposal puts me even with Kitty Cobb,
who had the most of any girl in our
set."
n
NEW SUNDAY
FEATURES
Washington as a Mason A
full page of timely interest, de
scribing an intimate and inter
esting view of the father of his
country.
Motherhood and Art Do they
agree? Madame Homer says
they do and she has the living
proofs. An illustrated article
of particular interest to women.
Gambling Wilen Jack Rose in
his sixth article on underworld
life tells of the devices of pro
fessional card sharks for strip
ping honest business men.
Crank Town There is a whole
city of cranks in England, and
the place is visited by a corre
spondent of The Oregonian, who
makes the visit subject of a
novel half page. Illustrated by
photographs.
Concerning the Ballet How
the lithe and graceful maidens
of the dance are trained. Oppor
tunities and ways of the ballet.
Gibson Pictures Anotherhalf
page composition by the great
est of pen and ink illustrators,
Charles Dana Gibson. It is
good enough to frame.
The Rehearsal A rollicking
dialogue presented by Helen
Green Van Campen.
Two short stories, three pages
for women and many other fea
tures. Order today from your newsdealer.