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PORTLAND. OKJMiOJf.
Er.tnri at Portland. Oregon. Fostoffle-
eond-elas matter.
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PORTLAND. TTESDAr. MARCH 1. 11.
I HY E1CRVBOKT IS CALM.
The extra session of Congress has
been called to revtse the tariff, and
', still the world wags along in the same
I old way. The tariff has been revised
' before, and the worst always happened
' to the producers and manufacturers
before the revision. Now. when they
' know the protective tariff is at the
mercy of Its avowed enemies, the thin,
skinned manufacturers and the thick.
skinned producers are at peace with
each other and all the world.
. All seem to agree that the worst
-cannot happen: perhaps because it has
already happened. The Democrats
talk free raw products, and that is ail.
They preach tariff for revenue and
thev Dractice protection. They are
willing to take the tariff off the other
fellnw's product or commodity, but
never their own. The tariff cannot be
revised much.
Let us take Schedule K. In the good
old days when Secretary Bryan was
out of office, but hoped to get in. he
was loud for free wool. But now
Brother Underwood says the tariff on
raw wool will be 20 per cent ad
valorem. It may be more: It cannot be
le.s. There is no great difference be
tween the Underwood proposal and the
La Follette proposal, or any other pro.
posal likely to find serious acceptance
bv the Democratic Congress.
Colonel Bryan will not make the
tariff this year. The country must
have revenue. We are a long ways yet
from a free-trade basis. No wonder
the Interests are calm.
TNCU5 JOE" STILL STANDS PAT.
After more than half the members
of Congress had fought and beaten ex.
Speaker Cannon, they all Joined in
giving him a farewell dinner and at
testing their affection for him. That is
one of the characteristics of American
political life. Here the victors dine the
vanquished and the latter retire with
the consciousness that they have been
fairly beaten in a good fight. " In the
republic south of us the vanquished
fly to the back country and start a
" revolution unless the victors have as
sassinated them before they can get
away from the capital. In short, our
politicians are good losers. That is
one secret of the stability of our re
public.
Mr. Cannon Is respected and loved
because he Is a game fighter, has
strong convictions and Is frank and
outspoken in expressing them. He is
a Republican by heredity, having been
taken by his father In boyhood from
North Carolina to Indiana In order to
net away from slavery. His father
was a Quaker physician. When a
member of the church In North Caro
lina died bequeathing fifty slaves to his
daughter, she submitted to the church
the question what she should do with
them. The church decided that they
should be sent to Indiana, land pur
chased and homes made for them. Mr.
Cannon's father was selected to carry
out this plan. When the slaves ar
rived at a landing on the Wabash
River, a mob opposed their debarka
tion, but Dr. Cannon, with drawn re
volver, overawed it. He carried out
the plan successfully.
Joseph Cannon was left an orphan
at the age of 14, his father being
drowned while attempting to cross
Sugar Creek on horseback. After
graduating from the Friends' Academy
at Bloomingdale. he attended law
school at Cincinnati, and then read
law with John P. Usher, of Terre
Haute, who later became a member
of Lincoln's Cabinet. He began prac
tice at Shelbyville. 111., but. finding no
clients, tore up his diploma, stamped
on it and moved to Tuscola, There he
was elected State's Attorney for seven
years, beginning in 1S61. In 1S72 he
was elected to Congress and has been
re-elected for each succeeding term
with one exception until last Fall, thus
'rounding out forty years of service
with a break of only two years.
Sprung from such parentage. Mr.
Cannon could not well have been any
thing but a stanch Republican. His
most determined political opponents
have not questioned his honesty In
championing his principles. He has
been a faithful public servant and has
had a hand In nearly all Important leg.
Islation. For nearly thirty years he
had a part In the expenditure of the
public funds, either as a member or as
chairman of the committee on appro
priations, and no word has been said
against his Integrity.
As Speaker. Mr. Cannon served
eight years, or longer than any of his
predecessors with the sole exception of
Henry Clay. He has served In the
House with more than 6000 men, over
two-thirds of whom are dead. When
he entered Congress his hair was red
and he was twitted with being a hay
seed. He had a ready retort and has
never been worsted in the rough-and-ready
verbal combats of succeeding
years. Now he retires a white-haired
old man of nearly 77. but the kindest
words are spoken of him by those at
whom he has aimed the doughtiest
blows in debate.
When Mr. Cannon conducted the
proceedings of the House according tt
the rules which earned him the title
of Czar, he merely did as his prede
cessors In the chair had done. Pub
lic sentiment had so changed that what
was approved when done by former
speakers was condemned when done by
, him. But he believed that the House
could not transact business under any
other rules and was proud of being
called Czar. He predicts that the
Itfmocnu will yet find necessary a re
turn to the rules which they have dis
carded. He is no trimmer, but stands
his ground when the air is full of hos
tile shafts as when he was leading a
victorious and united party.
- In these progressive days such men
as "Uncle Joe" are regarded as sur-
rivals of a bygone political epoch, bat
they are entitled to their meed ol
praise for good work done In their day
according to the accepted standards
of the time. If he had changed in his
old age, we might have had cause to
doubt his . sincerity. Since he still
stands pat, we can continue to honor
him, though we move on with those
who call for progress.
LOOKING TOO TAB AWAY.
It may be assumed that the School
Board is postponing the election of a
new Superintendent of the City Schools
until It shall have been able to give
thorough consideration to the merits
and records of all applicants. On no
other basis can the hesitation or the
delay, or whatever it is, about the se
lection of L. R. Alderman be explained.
If a better choice than Mr. Alderman
could be made, the Board's duty is
clear: but it ought to be demonstrably
better and the public ought to be as
sured that It Is better. Where is such
a man?
The Oregonlan knows that there Is
an opinion that an Eastern man ought
to be named to succeed Mr. Rigler, for
the reason chiefly that he comes from
some point outside of Oregon. But it
is not a good reason: it is indeed a very
poor one. There can be no Justlfica-
tion for going East or anywhere else
for the new Superintendent unless he
shall be known not guessed nor sup
posed to be the right man for the
place.
It seems strange to The Oregonlan
that the opportunity to get Mr. Al
derman was not at once seized by the
School Board. He Is a man of original
Ideas, but they are practical, as he
has shown. He has initiative, address,
Interest and local knowledge. He is
Identified with no faction. He would
take the schools to the people, and
they would know all the time what he
was doing. He would make it Known
everywhere that a man of inventive
genius, broad vision and practical
knowledge was at the head of the
Portland schools.
While we are looking for the un.
known guide and teacher of the
young to come out of the East, we
overlook entirely in our midst a man
of National reputation for doing the
things we want done in the schools.
' KOW TO GET ALONG.
The Oregonlan is dally asked for
advice on a variety of subjects. Some
of the requests it answers publicly, and
others privately, or not at all. But
here Is one which we think worthy
of a remark or two for the benefit of
all whom it may concern. It comes
from Waitsburg, Wash., and is as fol
lows: lit Wht An vnu thlnlc will be the op
portunities for the Journalist In the North
west auritik tne next nan cemurj -pared
with those of the agriculturist ?
is t Would you advise a hlsh school gran
n,t who im hetter nualified for Journalism
than any other profession, but who has no
special ltkloc lor such work, to uute ti
1,-f pnnru Tn Iniimallsm ?
13) How does the average Income of
Journalists compare with that of men of
other profession? Approximate answer sat.
isrctory.
We are able to say only in answer
to the first inquiry that a half century
is a long time, and we hope and expect
that there will be an enormous agri.
cultural expansion In that time and a
commensurate Journalistic develop
ment. The young man who has an
aptitude for Journalism will get along,
and so will the young man who has
an aptitude for agriculture.
We should advise (2) the high school
graduate who is better qualified for
Journalism than any other profession
either to take a college course or to
go to work at once; but we gravely
question the premise of our corre
spondent. How can he be fit for
Journalistic or any other work if he
has no special liking for It?
The average income (S) of the Jour
nalist compares well with the pay In
other professions; yet the highest fi
nancial rewards are not for your news
paper worker, nor the lowest. It Is a
salaried occupation, for the most part.
while your doctor or lawyer or
preacher gets what he earns, if he can
collect it.
If our young friend has no liking for
newspaper work he would better stay
out. If he fancies that nevertheless
he Is fit for the arduous tasks of news
paper service, he Is mistaken. He
should go where his interest leads him.
if he can: If he cannot, he may worry
along, but he will not reach the sum
mit.
WHY EAT IintBLE PIE?
The appeal of the Carnegie Endow
ent for International Peace in favor
of repeal of the toll exemption clause
of the Panama Canal law assumes that
there is only one side to the question.
Congress is asked to confess practically
that the Sixty-second Congress ana
President Taft knowingly violated the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty by passing the
exemption clause. This humiliating
confession is demanded of Congress
when the way is open for undoing any
wrong we may have done by submit
ting the question to arbitration. We
are ready to accept that means of de
ciding the question. That is all that
Is necessary for maintenance of the
high principles which the Carnegie
endowment sets forth as a reason for
repeal.
Congress passed the exemption
clause In honest belief that it con
formed with the purpose of the treaty.
The President approved it in the same
belief. The Secretary of State defend
ed it when the British Government
protested that It violated the treaty.
Now all the peace organizations, all
the advocates of arbitration, egged on
by all the organs of the railroads
w-hlch have a selfish interest in up
holding the Dritlsh contention, call
upon us to eat crow. The peace and
arbitration bodies may be sincere tn
the belief that our position is untena
ble and that the only honorable course
Is for us to surrender. The railroads,
which Tor half a century delayed con
struction of the canal and which are
now confronted with the early cer
tainty of Its competition, have no such
excuse. They preter repeal Decause
they fear that we should win at arbi
tration. There are strong arguments In favor
f our right to exempt our coastwise
ship from canal tolls. There are good
reasons why. if we have this right, we
should exercise It. There Is. therefore,
every reason why we should not aban
don It until it Is proved not to belong
to us. This can be proved, if at all,
by arbitration before an absolutely
Impartial tribunal. Since Great Brit
ain conceives that she has an Interest
in the denial of this right to us, so has
every other maritime nation. Then
Switzerland, a wholly Inland nation,
alone can furnish Judges free from
possibility of bias. Let us offer to sub
mit the question to a Swiss tribunal.
By so doing we shall uphold the lofty
principles enunciated by the Carnegie
endowment without lightly surrender
ing any rights we may have and with
out eating humble pie before the
world.
THE PEREJTXTAL WHITMAN MYTH.
The February number of the Maga
zine of American History has a queer
note on Marcus Whitman. After tell
ing a wondering world that Whitman
was murdered by the Cayuses at
"Waulatpus, Oregon," this learned
periodical goes on to remark that "he
contributed largely to the settlement
of Oregon," and "it is conceded that
Oregon was kept under American
jurisdiction through his activity."
This shows how hard it Is to kill a
fable. Whitman helped comparatively
little to settle Oregon. His own colony
was evanescent, though a later settle
ment grew up at Waiilatpu, or near it.
He served as a guide in the "great emi
gration" of 183, and no doubt saved
the travelers many a hardship by his
wise counsel, but it Is not proved that
he was much of a factor In assembling
the party. As to "keeping Oregon un
der American Jurisdiction," Whitman
had nothing to do with it. This has
been proved over and over again, and
yet the story persists and finds its
way at this late date into a magazine
which is supposed to be strictly accu
rate. .
Whitman's mission was neglected by
Its Eastern patrons and he made his
famous Winter Journey to the East to
solicit funds. The course of events by
which Oregon was saved was well un
der way before he began his trip and
he did nothing to accelerate or alter it
In any way. His trip was made under
conditions which tempt the narrator to
fall Into romance, and many have
yielded to the seduction. Riding
through Winter storms to save a vast
territory from British rule appears
more magnificent than merely begging
money for a mission, so Whitman's
purpose is enlarged to meet the exi
genciesvof art. Being a conscientious
man himself, how little esteem he
must feel, if he still regards earthly
affairs, for those who turn his stern
and meager career into a romance.
Had no mission stations been found
ed but Whitman's in. Washington, the
Oregon country would not have ac
quired an American population in time
to save it from permanent British oc
cupation. When the colonists came,
as they did in' 1842 and 1843, they
passed Whitman's settlement by and
betook themselves to the Willamette
Valley, where Jason Lee had prepared
a welcome for them.
TOO MANY SHORT STORIES.
Mr. Howells, the distinguished nov
elist, is distressed by what he calls
"the overwhelming prevalence" of
short stories. The raging torrent of
big novels that pours from the presses
of the world does not disturb his com
posure, but the short stories appal him.
Not that they are so bad, but that
there are so many of them. Every
year some 25.000 are published. At
least twice as many more never see
the light. More likely a hundred
times as many are doomed to oblivion
by insensible publishers and their mis
guided critics. But let us be mod
erate and agree with Mr. Howells that
onlv twice as many are rejected as
get into print. This makes 75,000 short
stories which are written annually.
The quantity is truly enormous. Others
besides Mr. Howells may well shudder
at its magnitude. The magazines
swarm with them in all their forms
rrom the insipid, thinly artistic sort to
the wild vagaries of the cowboy and
the sailorman on the South Seas. Does
everybody read them? We doubt it.
The taste for short stories of any kind
is not nearly so devouring as the mag
azine publishers imagine, unless we
miss our guesj.
Mr. Howells dreads lest the present
rate of writing them will exhaust all
possible plots by and by, so that no
more can ever appear to delight the
world. He might spare his worry.
The plots were all used up long ago,
but to each generation they are as new
as they were In the beginning.' The
best tales that come to light in this
day are variations upon some such old
theme as "Cinderella," or that of "Lit
tle Red Riding Hood," or "The Ugly
Duckling." They assume a myriad
guises, but the basic framework is the
same for all of them. John Mase-'
field's "Tragedy of Nan" is nothing
but poor old "Cinderella" with a tragic
ending. Mrs. Frances Hodgson Bur
nett is Just now experimenting wltn
an ugly duckling of the masculine sex
who will presently develop into the
most beautiful of swans In the an
cestral halls to which he has been
transported. We need not bother our
selves over any threatened paucity of
plots. The 1.000.000-year-old plots
would be as fresh today in the hands
of a master as they were in the tents
of our Aryan forefathers who invented
them. What one really ought to dread
is the overrefinement of the short
etory.
Mr. Howells consoles his misery
about the overproduction of fiction by
the thought that it is growing better
all the time. No doubt it Is from one
point of view. It is growing better.
just as Greek literature did when the
inspiration of genius had forsaken It
and it began to be produced by
scholastic rules and academic precepts.
The current short story of the kind
that Mr. Howells finds satisfactory is
a wan and ghostly fabric, put together
by fixed rules, just as a stone mason
builds a chimney. College professors
teach whole classes how to turn out
the dreadful things by the dozen.
Imagine a professor teaching Poe how
to write "The Gold Bug," or Mark
Twain the rules to follow in inventing
"The Man That Corrupted Hadley
burg." When a literary form has been
reduced to set formulas it is as good as
dead. It is only the short stories
which violate the professors' precepts
that anybody outside neuralgic coteries
of tea-drinking spinsters cares to read.
The rest are so perfect in form that
they contain no substance. '
One of the most noticeable traitB of
the magazine short story is Its predilec.
tion for fads. Somebody, for example.
writes one in which the tale is told
by a drunken cowboy in a saloon. It
achieves a success. In other words,
the critics say it Is "ideally excellent."
Forthwith all the millions of young
girls who hope to amass wealth and
oonauer fame by their pens adopt the
same method. For months every short
story written will be told by some per
son who. with his pals, is elaborately
described In the "introduction." This
miserable fad compels the weary
teader to get acquainted with two en
tirely different sets of characters for
one story, and that usually a pretty
noor one. If the reading of short
stories kept pace w-ith the writing of
them, we should share Mr. Howells
apprehensions and add a good many of
our own to them. But thank heaven
It does not. Most magazine readers
religiously skip the stories and turn to
the articles about the Panama anai,
Captain Scott and the South Pole, or
the new mammoth wireless stations
In the United States and Germany.
Truth is not only stranger than any
fiction we are likely to get under cur
rent conditions, but it is incomparably
more interesting. Anybody who can
write a decently amusing short story
can put his ability to vastly better ad
vantage by turning to the facts of this
amazing world we .are privileged to
live in.
The experience of public librarians
shows that there is no such popular
craze for fiction of any kind, long or
6hort, as publishers and official critics
seem to believe. The greatest readers
of our day are woman of leisure and
workingmen. The women of leisure,
are Interested in good literature. They
take up Ibsen, Shaw and writers of
that sort who have something telling
to say about social conditions. Ellen
Key has a larger audience than any
woman who merely writes novels. The
stories which are read by really Intelli
gent women are such as Selma Lag
erlof writes. They travel the same
road as Ellen Key's essays. The work
ingmen, who are probably as great
readers as the women, take up books
on social science, electricity, philoso
phy. Bergson's "Creative Evolution"
has been widely read by wage-earners.
So has W'ard's 'Dynamic Sociology."
Mr. Howells thinks- everybody Is read
ing weak fiction, because his view is
limited to a little coterie,, the cultured
set of New York. Like most New
Yorkers, he has forgotten the country
west of Manhattan Island and thinks
he has described the whole Nation
when he has only described its money
center.
The British suffragettes are getting
a stiff dose of their own medicine. As
Shylock said to his enemies, they have
set the example and it shall go hard if
the roughs and hoodlums do not show
them a few new points in the game.
Violence begets violence. The suffra
gettes disregard all rules in fighting for
their cause. They cannot complain if
their enemies do the same In fighting
against it. People who sow dragon's
teeth need not be surprised if they
raise a crop of furious giants. But
what a strange phenomenon the suf
fragettes are, taken for all in all.
Mexico has become so accustomed to
official prevarication about revolutions
that Huerta's underrating of the So.
nora revolt is not likely to deceive.
Huerta should take a hint from the
famous Italian statesman, Cavour.
Falsehood had become so thoroughly
accepted as the first principle of diplo
macy that, when France and Sardinia
had decided to make war on Austria,
he lulled Austria into security by tell
ing the truth. A sudden outbreak of
truthfulness on the part of Huerta
would be a refreshing novelty.
In the whirl and flutter of his peace
propaganda Dr. David Starr Jordan
retains some sparks of reason. Speak
ing of "the federation of the world
he says in his pamphlet on "Naval
Waste" that "a single unified world
government with centralized rule un
der one set of men at one place Is only
a dream, and not a cheerful dream at
that." And yet, cheerless as it is, this
dream has been fulfilled more than
once and would be again if some de
vouring Rome should find us as unpre
pared for resistance as Dr. Jordan
would have us.
It costs only 1525 for North Carolina
students to haze a fellow-student to
death. That is the logical inference to
be drawn from the hiring out of the
hazers to their own fathers. Is North
Carolina a civilized state?
The trusts see no evidence that there
has been a change of administration.
The commanding general in the field
has become chief of staff; that Is the
only change In the situation.
The Oregon hen must needs hump
herself this week to provide the eggs
for which Portland schoolchildren will
hunt In the parks next Monday. She
is equal to the strain.
The clergyman whose wife ran away
with the society burglar is much too
human to take her back. Her peni
tence did not appear until after mis
fortune overtook her.
Colonel Hofer announces he has quit
politics and will write another novel.
a aemiol In which his hero attains suc
cess a lap or two ahead of senility
would be a tnriner.
"Uncle Joe" Cannon says he will
never abandon politics, but adds that
he will follow it as a private citizen.
An obviously necessary concession.
- en- thAiiBanrl children will hunt
eggs in the city parks next Sunday.
Such a rorce win oversnauow tne pie
hunting brigade for the time being.
Democratic aversion to free lemons
may be due to fear that the voters
will hand around a few of them at the
next election.
WTiy Is not Oregon among the states
which have agreed to co-operate with
Illinois in suppressing white slavery?
, , j i- r,ori Kv th office-
; t .ri u i u 10 5 "-..., j - - -
seekers and has put up the bars for
ten days, ret tne ranniut oro uuusw.
The hungry horde after the Job of
Federal appraiser do not seem to
know they are riding a dead horse.
.Tames Hamilton Lewis appears will-
lna- to combine with anybody in order
to land that Senatorship.
How can we expect homo rule in
fashions so long as the fashionable go
to Paris for their gowns?
So that "F." on the new nickel Is
the Initial of the designer. We thought
it stood for "freak." ,
By and by the lazy man can lie
abed all day and have the news phoned
Into his ear. .
The new excess baggage rules are a
precaution against return of the Merry
Widow hat.
That 2 50,000 tunnel robbery reads
like a chapter from Jack Rose's me
moirs. The pawnbroker who is robbed is an
unfortunate upon whom most people
smile. '
That Chinese tong war is far more
deadly than the strife in Mexico.
When tong men begin killing, the
white man hates to interfere.
English suffragettes were plastered
with mud. Dirty trick.
The Alabamans should come north
and thaw out.
BOSSISX AND THE JOB SEEKERS,
Writer Think Democratic Committee
men., Take Tafalr Advantage.
PORTLAND, March 17. (To the
Editor.) The mutual admiration socie
ty, called the Democratic State Com
mittee, is furnishing food for thought,
and Democrats especially are wonder
ing that will be the product of the
peculiar situation.
Several of these honorable gentlemen
are not satisfied with holding offices
of political honor and trust In the so
called "party management," but are
using the prestige thus obtained to
boost themselves for fat Federal jobs
abusing the trust the people placed
in them and trying to manipulate It
for their own personal pecuniary gain.
They have indorsed themselves and
each other, in violation of correct eth
ics of the implied trust, and thus con
tinue that system of party bosses so
obnoxious to the people a policy of
"you tickle me, I'll tickle you." By
this system, corrupt in its morality,
they suppress aspirations of competent
Democrats who have earned party rec
ognition for Federal offices.
Senators Chamberlain and Lane seem
to approve this course of party bosslsm
and if correctly quoted In the dally
press have become irritated because
some competent Democrats have ap
plied for Federal appointments. These
Senators and committee members are
already covered with party honors: the
people composing tne uemocratio party
in tender kindness reached the party
hand into the shades of oblivion and
placed these ger.ilemen in the llme-
liftht.
It was not Intended they should be
come bosses and dictators. It was by
overthrowing just such bossism that
Woodrow Wilson became Governor of
New Jersey and then President of the
Upited States, and true Democrats in
Oregon, who do not register as Repub
licans, appeal to the President to save
us from this Impudent effort to estab
lish selfish bossism.
Many of these committeemen are good
men, but very few of them are fit for
the offices to which they so unfairly
aspire. By their committee member
ships they have an undue advantage
over other applicants for these federal
offices, and if they are fair men they
will resign from the committee post
tlons they hold. Senators have no
legal or moral right to reward their per
sonal henchmen by fat Federal jobs. It
smacks too much of using publlo office
as a private snap to pay off private po
litical debts. The Democratic doctrine
is that "a public office is a public
trust." HI C, TOD.
SHOULD VOTI.VO BE COMPULSORY
Medicine Recommended for Indifferent
or Stay-at-Hoaues.
Century Magazine.
After every fair allowance has been
made, however, the fact Is notorious
that many citizens entitled to vote do
not go to the polls. The registration
figures often fall far below what they
should be. and the ballots finally cast
and counted reveal a surprisingly large
number of indlfferenta or stay-at-homes.
Hence the demand, which seems
to be a rising demand, that the citizen
be compelled by law to do his duty as
an elector, if he will not do It un
forced. Compulsory voting has been advo
cated of late by the Attorney-General
of the United States.
The people are sovereign, but if only
a portion of them speak, how are we
to know the real voice of authority?
There have been elections, some of them
passing on statutes referred to the
electorate, some on important Consti
tutional changes, in which the votes of
only a majority of a minority were ef
fective. If that should become common,
the case for compulsory voting would
obviously be stronger.
Objections to it at present He mainly
against details. It la urged, for example,
that no compulsion should be laid up
on the voter to choose between two can
didates neither of whom could he con
scientiously support. But in that event
he could cast a ballot or a "scratched"
ballot. He is within his right in re
fusing to express a preference between
two equally offensive nominees; but it
may be held that he has no right to
remain away from the polls. It has
been argued that all who fail to vote
should be "counted in the negative,"
but that Is to put a premium upon
sloth. An active negative by ballot
Is much more significant than mere
abstention. We know too well what
"apathy" means in elections: but we
should be much better-off If, Instead
of their apathy at home, we had all
our citizens expressing their honest
zeal or their burning indignation at
the polls.
The whole subject is not yet ripe for
positive remedies embodied in law, but
the deep interest taken in it is both
suircestlve and encouraging. It helps
on to believe that the democratic
experiment will continue to keep level
with its problems as tney successively
present themselves. Whatever the exact
method ol reiorm mat may oe uupicu
It must not omit to tie up intelligence
with duty. Voting, whether it snouia
be made compulsory or not, cannot
aafelv be severed from education. The
two must always go together.
Use Ore iron Onions.
HTLLSBORO, Or., March 17. (To the
Editor.) Thank you for your kind
item in The Oresronian last Friday, in
whirh vou refer to the possibility of a
slump in the onion marKet, ana aavise
consumers to "buy 'em by the sack."
It la nrnhabln that an "onion day in
Portland would be hard to popularize,
but if this lowly vegetable were more
generally consumed it wo.uld be no
detriment to the health of the public
Owing to the ridiculously heavy plant
ing of onions by the Japanese in Cali
fornia last year, resulting In four-
fifths of the crop there going to waste.
wa Orecrnn erowers nave luunu uui
moderate plantings almost unmarket
able. Now we are told by the J-Toni-
street dealers that the Texas ana
Mexican Bermudas will soon be coming
this way, and that the movement of
our home-errown onions will be still
morA sluersish.
There are no milder, sweeter onion3
on earth than our Oregon Danvers, and
Just why consumers will be willing to
nav in to 15 cents per pound for these
foreign onions, while ours can De naa at
a nominal price, is nam to umiemiaDo.
.Tnat the other day. for want of any
kind of an offer, I dumped out a big
wagon-load of undersized onions, hard
as nuts, which, when stewed by a cook
who knows how, make a dish more de
lectable than any Spitzenberg apple
sauce. These are still lying there in
good condition, and the poor, the
hungry and the Federal officer are at
liberty to help themselves from the
heap free and unrestrained.
Every onion-grower in mo state ia
InKinir monev this year, ana, since
there never was any sense In "shipping
coal to Newcastle," I trust that the
consuming public will turn down these
Bermudas ' when tney arrive ana give
th Oreeon homegrown product a
chance to do somebody a lot of good.
Fair Acres Farm.
On Civil Service Examination.
rnt.rMBL'S. Wash.. March 16. (To
the Editor.) When and where will the
next civil service examination be given
In Washington and Oregon? M. R.
Dates for civil service examinations
vary and depend upon what depart
ment of the service the applicant seeks
to enter. If the applicant has deter
mined what position be wiBhes to take
examinations for, Information as to the
date when such examinations will be
held can be' secured by addressing the
secretary of the Civil Service Board for
the Eleventh Division, Seattle.
Dr. Woods Hntehiaaoa Defended la
Tiewa on Flaely Bolted Flour.
PORTLAND, Maroh 17. (To the Edl.
tor.) In an editorial in The Oregonlan,
there is rather severe criticism of Dr.
Woods Hutchinson's expressed opinion
of various food values. Particularly
does the editor criticize the doctor's
opinion of the value of prk and beans
and bread made from finely bolted
flour.
Suppose the issue was put up square
ly to the writer of this editorial, as a
question in the exact science of die
tetics, and he were asked to state the
value of a plate of pork and beans
say eight ounces of beans and two
ounces of pork. SO per cent of which
was fat and 20 per cent lean just how
much efficiency in the way of muscular
power, of heat and constructive value
would it possess, measured in calories
or heat units, and for repairing nitro
genous tissue, waste or contributing
to growth or increasing the bulk of the
nitrogenous tissues of the growing in
dividual? It is quite likely that the
editor would be unable to make a
correct reply.
The value of all foods depends upon
their chemical constituents and the
perfection of the physiologic machine
to reduce them to a form available to
build up, warm the body and give it
the requisite force to perform Its func.
tions. The power of the physiologic
organism properly to dispose of in
digested foods, depends to a consider
able extent also upon the nature of the
Individual's occupation and his en
vironment. For example. It would be
difficult to conceive of a better food
than pork and beaus for the strenuous
laborer in the pine, or fir forests, where
so much ozone Is developed by the
pitch-bearing trees, hastening the oxi
dization of the food and making all
of its constituents available, while the
sedentary Individual living In a poorly
ventlated room or shop would get only
a fraction of the value from the same
amount of the same kind of food.
As to the value of whole wheat
bread over that made of finely bolted
flour, it Is wholly mythical. As a mat
ter of fact It has been confirmed by
careful laboratory experiment that a
larger percentage of the nitrogenous
content of the grain Is used when bread
from finely bolted flour la eaten than
when bread made from the whole grain
is eaten. Very likely this is due to
the irritation of the lining membrane
of the alimentary canal, by the sharp
scales and spicules of the cellulose of
the wholly useless and Indigestible
hull. Dr. Hutchinson, too, was wholly
right when he said a teaspoonful of
egg would make up the deficiency be
tween them.
Man 1b not normally a vegetarian.
Vegetarianism Is unwise because the
proteids and fats of the vegetable
world are more difficult of digestion
than those of the animal kingdom. But
ter fat is the most easily digestible of
all the fats; after that comes the fat
of the sheep and deer, the fat of horned
cattle and lastly that of the pig, and
there Is no form of nitrogenous food
so quickly available as that of animal
origin.- All of these facts are matters
of careful laboratory demonstration.
Dr. Hutchinson, who was my class
mate. Is a brilliant man who states
scientific facts in a taking way. He is
honest and sound in his medical writ
ings and is doing a good work.
DR. JOHN MADDEN,
Rivervlew Hotel.
The Oregonlan does not question Dr.
Woods Hutchinson's brilliancy, but It
finds many esteemed authorities who
question his "scientiflo facts," and In
the editorial Teferred to by this writer
we gave some examples of their stric
tures. Dr. Maiden may please his fancy
if he likes by supposing that The Ore
gonlan does not know the common facts
about food values. This is a matter
that does not Interest us, but we may
as well remind him that calories are
not the only things to be considered In
diet. Pork and beans are excellent for
those who heed such food. For those
who do not they are far from excellent,
rich as they are In calories. One man's
meat Is another's poison. As to fine
white flour. Dr. Woods Hutchinson
makes extravagant statements In' com
paring it with whole wheat. Those
statements have been contradicted
many times by men as competent as he
is. The reader must deciae ror nim
self who is right about it.
Freedom of Speech.
PORTLAND. March 17. (To the Ed
itor.) It seems to me we are all at sea
in this country on the question of free
speech. We need some authority to
give us a clear definition, and set us
right on what is and is not free speech.
I do not believe the freedom to speak
my convictions, or state my position, or
niMfl mv case, carries with it the lib
erty to denounce, malign Qr abuse any
on else or any institution. I do not
believe I have any right under the laws
of free speech to hold up to ridicule and
scorn any company, institution or cause
that I may happen to dislike. Nor have
I any right to denounce anything that
some one else may regard as sacred or
holy. ...
We are altogether too tolerant with
the vaporings of disordered minds, until
everybody who has a grievance, either
fancied or real, is permitted to break
forth in public or private and denounce
everybody and everything he or she
may think needs a dressing down. I
am a firm believer in soap box oratory,
provided the orator keeps to his text
and does not interfere with the rights
of others, but when nine-tenths of the
message a man delivers is denunciation
ancr calling of ugly names I think we
ought to call a halt and say to the ora
tor, "Your right to speak ends where
the rights of your hearers begins."
LEVI JOHNSON.
Batter Wrapper.
DAYTON, Or.. March 16. To the Ed
itor.) I am selling my butter In Mo-
Mlnnvllle, and some of the storekeep
ers tell me It Is required by law that
I use wrappers on which are printed
my name and the weight of the butter,
else I am liable to a fine.
Is that the law, or Is It Just for
their convenience that they wish me
to do this? Please answer through
your paper. -A. SUBSCRIBER.
The law requires that the wrappers
must have printed or stamped th
words: "16 ounces; ful weight," or "32
ounces; full weight," as the size of
the roll demands, and that the butter
must be full weight as labeled. State
Food and Dairy Commissioner Mickle
has also ruled that the wrappers must
have printed or stamped upon them
the name and the address of the person
producing the butter. A brief of the
principal points. In the butter laws ol
the state Is being prepared at the of
fice of the State Food and Dairy Com
missioner in Portland, and will soon
be available for all producers who care
to send for it.
. Harvard Tuition.
GRESHAM. Or., March 17. (To the
Editor.) How much is the tuition re
quired for a person entering Harvard
University, and what are the require
ments? SUBSCRIBER.
The annual tuition at Harvard Is 150,
except for the medical and dental
course, which is 20. An entrance ex
amination is required unless one has
graduated from some preparatory
school, accredited by the university.
Annual examinations are held in nu
merous large cities, including Portland.
Fer detailed, information address the
Registrar Harvard University. Cam
bridge, Mass.
The Pressing Duty
By Deaa Collin.
Alone at his desk the new Senator sat.
And mapped out the work he should
do
On currency, tariff, canala and all that.
Ere his term in the Senate be
through;
But bis thoughts were disturbed by the
roars of a mob
That surged round his door crying
"Give us a job J"
Each thought he minht think
Was put on the blink
By clamors for pie aud so what could
he do?
He dreamed of the thrills that should
run throush the hall
When he rose for his maiden speech;
How cheers on his ears from his col
leagues should fall;
And how they should dub it "a
peach";
But his current of thought was dis
turbed by a slob
Who crawled through the window and
asked for a Jub;
While right at his door.
He heard, o'er and o'er.
The chorus prolonged, of the pie-hunters'
screech.
He felt on his shoulders, oppressing
and vast.
Full ninety per cent of the weight
Of the burden of duty the Nation had
cast
For tinkering up the whole state.
He shouldered the load, as he gulped
down a sob
And a voice through the keyhole amid
"Give me a" Job!"
And he turned, with a sigh.
To dividing the pie
"This business Is urgent; the Nation,
must wait."
Sail on ship of State, in the oast way
you may.
Though billows of turmoil roll highi
Sal on gallant Union, I further would
say.
And hope that all storms mar blow
by.
Though in a vast crisis you stagger ana
reel.
Exouse for a while, from a post at ths
wheel. The Senator new.
For he simply must do
His duty to those who are hungry for
pie.
Portland, March IT.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Orerontan of March IS, lftSS.
Colonel John McCracken, Mr. C. H.
Lewis, Mr. William M. Gibson, Mr. H.
W. Scott Mr. Henry Falling and Mr.
C. A. Dolph left Portland yesterday for
New York City In response to an In
vitation from the managers of the O.
R. & N. Company to come and confer
with them concerning the proposed
Joint lease of the O. R. & N. propertiea
In Oregon and Washington Territory
to the Union Pacific and Northern Pa
clfio Companies. It will be the business
of these gentlemen to set forth why
Portland protests against this lease.
"Olivette" at new Park Theator to
night, i
Mr. W. B. Gilbert will deliver his
lecture on Mount St. Helens before the
Alpine Club on Friday evening In their
rooms In the Portland Savings Bank.
Governor Pennoyer and Fish Com
missioner Thompson went up to Ore
gon City yesterday to make investiga
tions In regard to salmon fishing.
The Pacific Improvement Company
yesterday purchased block 108 in this
city from Mr. Ira F. Powers, paying
therefor $20,000.
The County Court of Clackamas
County on Thursday unanimously de
cided to build a free bridge across the
Willamette River at Oregon City.
New York, March" 17. With refer
ence to tne suit Ol tsaaeau, orougnt
against the widow of General Grant
for compensation for services claimed
to have been rendered In preparing the
General's memoirs, testimony to be of
fered by members of the Grant family
will probably cause a sensation. Gen
eral Badeau claims to be part author
of Grant's memoirs. Colonel Fred
Grant says: "Badeau was employed by
father to do amanuensis work and the
drudgery of preparing copy for the
printers."
Half a Century Ajo
From The Oreg-onlftn of Maroh IS. 1868.
Our morning dispatches contain sev
eral Items of local Interest, Among
the appointments for Idaho we notice
those of Richard Williams (supposed
of Salem) as United States Attorney
and W. B. Daniels as secretary. The
latter is presumed to be an intelligent
gentleman of that name from Yamhill
County.
Attention la turned to the Beaverhead
country, where the miners have taken
out from $5 to $50 a day. About a
thousand persons have Wintered there.
Rich quartz lodes have been discovered.
Small boats are successfully ascend
ing Snake River above Lewiston. Some
have reached Pittsburg Landing, about
100 miles above Lewiston.
Chicago. March 10. Today's Times
has a ppeciai dispatch dated Coldwater
River, March B. which saya that Grant's
expedition left Moon Lake Wednesday
morning, reaching the end of the pass
yesterday at noon, 12 miles in three
days, and half of the boats were much
broken In light upper-works, but not
one was damaged in hull or machin
ery. The soldiers and seamen were
occupied at every turn In cutting
down trees and opening the channel.
There was great danger of being dashed
against the trees. Later dispatches
say the expedition has advanced an
other 20 miles.
The new steamer E. D. Baker re
turned from Vancouver yesterday about
11 o'clock A. M.. all decked off wltn
flags and flying colors and bringing
with her a large portion of the goodly
citizens of that plaoe. After remain
ing a short while the Baker started up
the river, crowded to overflowing with
pleasure-seekers. Mllwaukie and the
hunt returned and went on to Van
couver in the evening.
We were shown yesterday by Mr. I.
F. Block, of Block. Miller & Co., Dalles.
Or., the richest specimens of quartz
gold that we have ever seen. The 16
ounce nugget was full nine-tenths gold
and the 13-ounre more than one-half.
These specimens were taken out c
Canyon Creek. John Day mines, by
William Accrle & Co.
Board Feet In Stick.
WENDLING, Or., March 15. (To the
Editor.) I would like to learn the
number of board feet In a timber 12x12
inches on one end, 6x6 Inches on the
other and 40 feet long. Also give
rule for obtaining the hoard feet of
lumber. It. F. MAHT1NDALE.
Find the number of entire feet in the
stick and divide by 12 to obtain number
of board feet. A simple formula for
determining the cubic feet of the tim
ber mentioned may be obtained by using
fractions. Add the upper, lower and
mean bases and multiply the sum by
one-third the length. The upper base
Is one square foot. The lower base is
one-fourth square foot. Multiplying
these two areas and extracting the
square root gives the mean base of one
half square foot: One plus one-fourth
plus one-half equals seven-fourths.
Multiplying this sum by one-third of 40
and that product by 12 gives 280 as the
number of board feet in the etick of
timber. '
I
A