imTXlXG OREGOXIAX,
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rOKTLAN'D. OREGON,
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PORTLAND. MONDAY MARCH !. 11-
J SMALL DOSES FOB DIVOBCI DISEASE.
An example of the uselesa dlscus
' sion and disturbance of mind that
', can be caused by the advocacy of a
; statute merely directory In character
Is Just now given In Illinois. There
, ." a commission on marriage and dl
1 vorce has proposed a bill containing a
! provision which requires the state's
; attorney to represent the state In all
' .divorce proceedings and to prosecute
' the offenders in case he sees evidence
' of collusion or other unlawful prac
', tlce. A committee from the Illinois
; lawyers Association has protested
against the law as a reflection on the
i bar and on the court and denies that
' the Judges or the lawyers need the
. presence of the slate's attorney to
keep them in the straight path. Judge
""Kavanaugh has replied with a censure
nf divorce lawyers In general and ac-
'ruses them of contributing by their
"methods to the social evil.
; It might as well be admitted that
' Judge Kavanaugh'a censure, as it ap
. plies to some divorce lawyers. Is
;. roundly deserved. Many make It
their business to aggravate the con
! Jugal quarrel which may have begun
over some trifle. They are a medium
''. through which collusive divorces are
j arranged. It is their business to make
divorce easy and to accomplish that
'. end they sometimes go to the extent
; of offering services which may be paid
for on the Installment plan. But If
I.' experience Is a safe guide, the Illinois
lawyers' Association need not worry
about the Interference of the state's
' attorney In divorce proceedings, pro-
vided the law goes no further than to
direct the state's attorney to partlcl-
' pate.
Every state has a list of similar
; statute.". For example, the Governor
-lit usually instructed by statute to up
. . hold and enforce the laws, but is given
; inadequate machinery and little sum-
mary power to perform that duty. In
' Oregon a statute similar to the one
that Is creating disturbance In 1111-
nols was enacted. If we mistake not
I' the date, in 1862. It Is still In force.
The state Is deemed a party defendant
. In all divorce proceedings. The party
I plaintiff is required to serve summons
upon the District Attorney. It la the
I' duty of the District Attorney to pre
; vent fraud and collusion In such suit
i and to control the proceedings on the
!;part of the defense. While not spec
; ifically charged, it is undoubtedly his
duty to prosecute offenders in the
event the trial discloses unlawful col-
lusion. Tet the law is and always has
: ' been practically a dead letter. To per
; feet the record the summons Is served
on the District Attorney and there the
r matter ends. One Oregon city has be.
gun to rival Reno as a divorce center.
Collusion and fraud are undoubtedly
common and certainly they occasion
ally become public knowledge.
Doubtless one reason why the law
does not bring the District Attorney
actively Into divorce trials is the ab
sence of provision for the assistance
his office would require If such a
great volume of work were under
taken. Another reason is that the
divorce evil is so Insidious In its ef
fect on society that each individual
case loses its Importance In the pub
lic estimation. The fraud or collusion
. In each case affects directly only the
parties In Interest. Society is damaged
directly only by an accumulation cf
reprehensible practices. The public
demand is not interested in a syste
matic, tedious, detailed attack upon
the evil, and therefore does not hold
Its officials to strict account for ne
glect of duty. It longs for the single
crushing blow that will eradicate
what is bad in divorce proceedings.
The law that has failed In Oregon and
Is proposed In Illinois prescribes a
homeopathic dose for the disease of
easy and causeless divorce. The pre
scription is one that readily occurs to
our law doctors but the great diffi
culty Is encountered In getting the
medicine into the patient.
Rv hi hreaklnr of precedents Pres-
i i , . u-iicnn fena Known his deter-
niniiinn to be s-overned by his own
' opinion as to what Is right. Ho has
already broken sixteen precedents and
Is giving us an example of Jeffersonian
simplicity In practical operation and
of directness In dealing with the peo
ple.
. . . l 4 .. ...I V. t T
which had degenerated Into a scan-
rial Then went, uio isvuino ut uti,
. . T . 1 .1 . n V. ....... himCAlf B4
tor met i i . . ...... . . ... ,
i wrnKiie r.is iace anu uuua sua
clothes himself, like any other citizen
ihe l.lln rich. He has abol
ished the golJ-laee uniforms of his
aides, the draping of his box at the
i . i,v finn nn. thk nlnvina of
- iiil'sici " . . " r- . .
' the National anthem at his entrance.
He refuses to work on Sundays, will
have only cold suppers on Sunday eve
nings, ailowa no intoxicating liquors
In the White House and has declined
to Join the Chevy Chase Club, thus
. i . hi. flilMrr t.i Presbvterlan
jiaunut . . -.
discipline). He declines to be a show
; when he goes to church, for a crowd
gathered at the door to see him Is a
. signal for him to go eisewnere.
In his official relations he has re
fused to follow old customs, tie ae
clines to waste time on office-seekers;
If he wishes to see them, he sends for
..them. He accepts r.o dictation ' from
politicians: he is the actual as well
as the titular head of the Govern
ment and will follow hts own Judg
ment. When he has anything to tell
the people, he says it directly and
allows himself to be quoted without
HIT the former Indirection of "it Is said."
'or -it Is stated on the highest au-
thorlty." His Cabinet meets when
ever ther la business to do. not on
' . . j . mA it. tlMl:liirt fit, rnn-
ei udjst "
- . . . . . .- IT. .1 n
. . iderrd puouc prupenj. uu
' use the Kxecutive order to set aside
-"-ivll service regulations, obeying the
law even when It goes counter to his
wishes. -
The President's course thus far
proves that he regards himself as the
man hired by the people to do their
work. He considers that the mere
fact that his position Is the biggest
Job In the country is no excuse for a
lot of flunkeyism and flummery, for
the gratification of Idle curiosity about
himself and his family, nor for the
Invasion of his privacy or the waiving
of his own tastes and convictions in
social matters.
MANY SIDES TO THI SOCIAL. EVIL.
Opinions of those who. through
their life work, are in the best posi
tion to Judge, confirm the opinion ex
pressed by The Oregonian that there
Is no one reason why girls go wrong.
In order to check an alarmingly grow,
ing social evil," we must approach the
study of it with an open mind, ready
to take cognizance of all the causes,
to weigh each one and to decide Its
relative importance, then to find the
best means of removing each contrib-
l uting cause and to invoke that means.
We must apply the remedy, not spas
modically, in a burst of reforming
fervor, but patiently, systematically,
ever ready to learn by the experience
we gain as we go along.
To assume that this is a mere' ques
tion of wages Is to put a price on girls'
chastity. To act on the theory that
girls will follow the straight path at
a higher wage but will fall at a lower
wage is to make female purity a mat
ter of mere dollars and cents. Such
virtue is no virtue at all. Those who
were interviewed In The Sunday Ore
gonian emphasize the diversity of the
causes. Among these are lax divorce
laws, which break up families and
throw girls on the world to follow
their own devices; lack of parental
guidance and discipline; absence of
instruction in the terrible conse
quences of a fall from purity: the un
satisfied yearning tor love and pleas
ure: the different codes of morality
accepted for the two sexes, which
allow men to do with Impunity what
is visited with the severest social pen
alties when done by women.
We need to study all these short
comings of ours and we should know
no rest from the subject, for even
after we have set the remedies to
work we shall need persistent activity
to keep them at work. The subject
Is one of vital Importance to our Na
tional life, for the social evil is de
stroying many of the future genera
tion of mothers and Is poisoning the
souls and bodies of the succeeding
generation of children. No worse evil
could exist among any people.
NEWSPAPER OR OROAJft
Ofttimes a strange misapprehension
Is indicated by newspapers readers as
to the course a newspaper should fol
low in defending or promoting its po
litical views. The subject Is brought
prominently to the fore by the publi
cation in The Oregonian of the first
installment of the biography of Theo
dore Roosevelt. In commenting upon
this Interesting offering "A Woman
Voter" writes to The Oregonian as
follows:
It Is a well-known fact that hero-worship
was responsible for a larc part of the so
called Progressive vote at the last Presi
dential election. The presenting- of a his
tory of Roosevelt's life set forth fry his
own egotistical pen cannot fail to foster this
tendency to hero-worship, particularly. I
reirrel to say, among- somen who ar liable
to be moved by sentiment rather than fact,
and who see In him the man and not the
politician. Whatever tenda to Increase per
sonal admiration for Roosevelt will tend to
perpetuate th division In the Republican
party which all true Republicans must
deplore.
I desire to protest against the exploiting
of the man who is responsible for th late
sweeping Pemocratlc victory In the paper
which so largely molds the political mind
of th people of Oregon.
There are many thousand voter in
Oregon who sincerely admire the per
snnal traits and accomplishments of
Theodore Roosevelt who are not lri
accord with his present political ac
tivities. He Is one of the most prom
inent figures in our National life. His
life history from his own pen is one
of the most important literary pro
ductions of the day. It cannot fall to
Interest friends, enemies and the In
different. This newspaper would fall
far short of its duty toward its sub
scribers if. for political reasons. It
declined to publish in its news col
umns or magazine section matter
which it knew they desired to read.
Once established, the line would
have to be rigidly drawn. It is no
more incumbent upon The Oregonian
to omit interesting material concern
ing Colonel Roosevelt than it is tq
suppress news of the activities of
President Wilson. If publication of
that which Is good or interesting
about the career of Colonel Roosevelt
will perpetuate division in the Re
publican party, publication of what
ever constructive legislation the Dem
ocratic Administration may accom
plish will help to preserve Democratic
power.
The Journal that permits Its po
litical opinions, or even the welfare
of the party whose cause it espouses,
to control Its selection of news and
special fatures is not a newspaper
but a political organ. That is one
thing The Oreeonlan is not.
nOW TO SEND RELIEF.
When such disasters as the Ohio
and Indiana floods befall, the sending
of the right kind of relief is as Im
portant as sending relief at all. The
lesson of the Johnstown flood, the
San Francisco earthquake and fire
and other catastrophies teaches "us
this fact.
The first necessity In such a case is
food. That invariably comes from the
adjoining states and is available In
abundance before any supply from
states so remote as Oregon can pos
sibly reach the scene. The next need
is clothes, to which the same state
ment applies in less degree. Within
twenty-four hours after Johnstown
was wrecked by the flood in 18S9 a
trainload of food and clothing was
on the way from Pittsburg and
reached the scene In thirty hours after
the disaster. Within forty-eight hours
the tracks between Pittsburg and
Johnstown were crowded with trains
earning food and clothing. Next
come drugs, medical, surgical and san
itary supplies. These also will reach
the flooded country from the thickly
populated adjoining states long before
Oregon's contribution can arrive.
The survivors having been fed and
clothed, the sick and Injured cared
for. the dead buried, the next thing
to do is to "clean up" the stricken
town. A flood leaves streets and
houses cumbered with wreckage and
dead ar.imals and coated with mud.
It wrecks the sewer and water sys
tems and forces people to return to
primitive methods of sanitation and
to use water which cannot but be
more or less impure. Dead animals
must be gathered up and destroyed,
and meanwhile everything must be
disinfected.
All industry and all business being
4
stopped, the population Is unem
ployed, but can be given employment
In the work of cleaning up, removing
wreckage, and repairing damage. Re
lief funds can best be expended In
this work.. Able-bodied, self-respecting
men. reducedto poverty by sud
den disaster, do not wish to be de
pendent on relief supplies for their
living. They gladly go to work and
at laborer's wagos and pay their way
until normal conditions are so far
restored that they can make a fresh
start In their regular occupations.
Then comes the rebuilding of the
wrecked homes. At Johntown after
the immediate needs of the people
had been supplied and the town
cleaned up, a large balance of the re
lief fund remained. This was used
in building houses or in enabling those
who had owned houses to rebuild
them. A man who had shown enough
thrift to buy a lot and build a house
was held worthy of being entrusted
with money to expend himself In re
building. The relief committee built
only for the homeless. A large sum
will be necessary for this purpose and
it should go forward in cash, though
Oregon may well be able to contrib
ute a portion in the shape of lumber.
Oregon's: contribution should, there
fore, take the form of cash almost
entirely, for that can be made avail
able most quickly and can be turned
Into the shape which those on the
ground find most needed at any par
ticular time.
1
FRANK B. BLACK.
The death of Frank S. Black, ex
Governor of New York, was the pass
ing of one of the most brilliant of the
old-style politicians. He played the
game as It was played by and with
the bosses, and, when he fought the
bosses, he did so with no better aim
than to supplant them. Personally
loved by a band of devoted political
followers, he sought distinction only
to have It repeatedly snatched from
his grasp. His one term as Repre
sentative was followed by one term as
Governor, and there his political suc
cesses ended and his disappointments
began. Allies deserted him at the
critical moment and handed the cov
eted prize to others. He learned to
compare politics to a poker game
where other players stole his chips
while he answered the telephone. The
game lost its charm for him. He
made a moderate fortune at law prac
tice with his mind set on retirement
to his New Hampshire farm. Within
a few months after realizing his desire
he was dead at the comparatively
early age of 60.
Pushed to the front In the House
by Speaker Reed, who quickly dis
cerned his ability and was gratified
at his success in being elected through
a factional quarrel In a normally
Democratic district, he was picked by
Piatt for Governor in 1898 and was
carried through by the great vote for
McKinley In New York. Though hav.
Ing no higher standards, he refused to
submit to Piatt's dictation, and the
boss found Theodore Roosevelt's pop
ularity a good excuse to push him
aside. In 1898. Thenceforward the
rough rider dogged his political foot
steps, simply through the fortune of
war, but Black found some consola
tion tn the things which Mr. Roose
velt did to Piatt. When Governor
Odell tried to make Black United
States Senator. Mr. Roosevelt and
Harriman forced - him to abandon
Black for Depew. That ended Black's
political career, for he did not again
come to the front except to make an
occasional speech. Fate would have
It that his most famous oratorical ef
fort should be a speech nominating
Mr. Roosevelt for President in 1904.
As a public speaker he stood In the
first rank of his time, and his speeches
were quoted the country over, but his
fame did not last. Perhaps the ex
planation Is to be found in his lack
of political conscience and his blind
ness to the new forces which were to
send machine politicians Into retire
ment. As a lawyer he was associated
with the efforts to defeat the pro
gressive alms of Governor Hughes. He
failed, and gained fees only at the
cost of his fame. Mr. Hughes, on the
other hand, won not only fees, but
fame and higher honors by hi9 con
duct of the insurance inquiry.
Such talents as Black's, exercised in
more recent times in political strife as
It is carried on under the new dispen
sation and with the Ideals which now
All the public mind, might have won
him the honors which he lost by such
narrow margins, or even higher hon
ors. Exercised as they were, they
gained him an ephemeral fame as a
man of great possibilities who fell
short of his opportunities.
WILD GUESSING.
We have word from the Oregon
City Courier, which gets it "from pret
ty good authority" that the State
Grange intends to submit a measure
for the abolishment of the State Sen
ate. This information Is accompan
ied by the statement that "just as
surely as the matter is ever given to
the voters. Just so surely is the Senate
going to the discard." We cannot Im
agine what the Grange has ever done
that it should now be accused of In
tending to fasten upon itself the blight
of tTRenism. We fancy that the
"good authority" mentioned by our
prophetic contemporary Is located In
a certain law office in Oregon City
and that the aforesaid "good author
ity" Is Inspired more by hope than by
conviction. Most certainly there Is
not the slightest ground for believing
that a vote which stood more than
two to one in opposition to abolish
ment of the Senate last November will
be so thoroughly reversed in the next
election.
As on single tax the vote in 1912 on
the abolishment of the Senate dis
closed the decline of TTRenism In Ore
gon. The question was squarely pre
sented then, for, although it was a
new frill to proportional representa
tion, previously rejected, the abolish
ment of the Senate held first place In
the title of the measure. In the pre
ceding election, that of 1910, Mr.
ITRen had presented proportional
representation without the novelty of
dispensing -with one house of the Leg
islature. It was defeated by a vote
of 44,36ft to 37, 031.
But Mr. TJRen was not satisfied.
He could not believe that the people
would turn down the brilliant scheme
of reforming legislative procedure by
a mathematical change in the method
of determining who were elected
members. He decided that disap
proval was caused by the Increase of
salaries provided in the amendment.
So last year proportional representa
tion was presented with Legislators'
per diem fixed at S3. He also pro
vided for a reduction In membership
of the Legislature by proposing the
abolishment of the Senate.
But the Oregon voters responded by
defeating the proposal by an even
larger vote than in 1910. Six thou
sand voters who favored proportional
representation with two houses of the
Legislature and an increase in pay
all around turned against the amend
ment. Only 31,020 in all voted for it
as against more than 37.000 at the
preceding election, while the negative
vote Jumped from 44,336 to 71,183.
By comparing totals it is disclosed
that the falling off of affirmative
votes was in excess of 14 per cent.
What caused this decline of support
for proportional representation? Was
It loss, of faith in U'Ren? Was it a
clearer view of the principle involved?
Or was It the attack on the existence
of the Senate? It Is probable that it
was a little of all three. Some day
when the stigmas of outside interfer
ence, and professional and pernicious
activity In initiative lawmaking are re
moved from the plan, abolishment of
the Senate may again get as high as
25 or 30 per cent of the vote of Ore
gon. But we doubt If such an Intel
ligent organization as the Grange will
next year burden itself with a policy
that has been lately . so thoroughly
discarded and discredited. Certainly
and emphatically the record of the
last Legislature has added no weight
to the scheme. It would be no more
successful now than a movement to
abolish the Fourth of July.
The conferences on the tariff bill be
tween President Wilson and members
of the House and Senate committees
which will have charge of the bill
convey the impression that all objec
tions from members of the majority
party In either house are to be met be
fore the measure is Introduced. A
three-fold machine la to "Jam it
through." This beats the methods of
"Czar" Cannon and "Boss" Aldrich.
Each at least had his separate organi
sation, acting independently, and they
gave opportunity for a test of strength
on amendments in open session. The
three-fold Democratic machine seems
to have lined up the votes in advance,
after ascertaining what each member
will stand for, and framed the bill ac
cordingly. If this machine be well
oiled, it might dispose of the tariff in
a month and spend the Summer In
chopping off the many heads of the
money trust and reforming the cur
rency. Before this Congress ends its
life It may make Mr. Cannon look like
a mere tyro as a Czar.
In one respect the President ap
pears to have carried too far his de
sire to avoid display. This is in dis
pensing with the motorcycle police
men who formerly followed the White
House automobile. These men were
employed not merely for the sake of
ostentation, but to proptect the life
which Is for the time the most valua
ble to the Nation and which, by rea
son of his station, is a mark for the
assaults of the cranks and for the
disappointed who imagine a grievance
against him. The Nation has an in
terest in his safety. Even were this
not so, the Nation has placed him in
a position where he Is exposed to
danger and should guard him. This
Is a mattpp In which the President
should yield his personal wishes to
the exigencies or nis position.
Now and then the Joke is on the
railroads and the man who has been
the victim of tariffs that passeth un
derstanding of the ordinary mortal
has moments of hilarity. For exam
ple: There Is the line whose clerk
made the mistake of undercharging a
shipper 83 cents; the delinquent em
ploye can be haled on the carpet by
the company and the latter Is liable
to punishment by Uncle Sam for cut
ting rates and must eat out of his
hand in consequence. There are
boundless Joys for the man whose
bump of humor is developed.
An Idaho potato-grower has learned
that he receives less than 40 per cent
of the price to the consumer of his
product in many parts of the coun
try. There should be nothing start
ling in the knowledge. The market
is at a distance and freight rates are
not low; every handling costs, wind
ing up with the retailer, who takes all
the risk and must make most.
The allies defy the powers, which
means Intervention, which likewise
means a hand in carving the pie,
which also Is what the powers long
have awaited. The animal with the
prehensile tail has no monopoly in
raking out the chestnuts.
The county that Is out of debt Is
not to be envied. Debt under normal
conditions is a stimulus to healthy
activity. Without it a county can be
come stagnant, and stagnancy is prej
udicial to the best asset good roads.
Since a surgical operation failed to
cure Jean Thurber of kleptomania.
Los Angeles might try a term in a
reformatory or a good spanking. In
too many cases kleptomania is a term
used by a thief who has been caught.
If the health authorities deprive the
women of San Francisco of the op
portunity to buy Australian meat
cheap because it has no tags, the
women are very likely, to tag some
body at the next election.
Tank cars with Bull Run water
would be a blessing at Dayton, but are
an Impossibility. A better way would
be to move to Oregon, where blessings
are manifold and dangers minimized.
There Is room for all
The Nampa potato-growers' experi
ment in learning what the consumer
paid for his crop shows us that the
high cost of living is mainly the high
cost of not co-operating.
Efforts of American suffragists to
Induce President Wilson to intercede
for their suffragette sisters who are
in English prisons may cause him to
regret his election.
Little drops of water and little
grains of sand make a bad combina
tion in these times of moist weather
In Western Oregon.
Discovery Is made that the river
front is unsanitary. Was ever the
riverfront of a large city otherwise?
Having worn out several genera
tions of partners, J. P. Morgan seems
to be wearing out also.
President McCrea quit work and
soon died. Perhaps that is what ails
Mr. . Morgan.
Tomorrow is the great day of this
Nation. Let everybody prepare to
"bite."
There's a Lasgs Coming;.
New York World.
"What Is your opinion of the two
leading comic papers of England and
America?"
"Well. I don't think there's much life
In Punch, but there's lots of 'punch' In
Life."
LESSON FROM VTLLARJB EXCITRSION
Frontlera Possibilities Not Always,
Plata to Mas From Finished East.
PORTLAND, March 30. (To the Edi
tor.) Mr. C M. Clark deserves our
hearty thanks for the many good things
which h said in his address, particu
larly the Importance of bringing to
gether producer and consumer; the un
deslrability of boom prices for some
classes of real estate, and his exhorta
tion against prodigality of expenditure
in the development of unworthy out
side properties and of overbuilding.
His remarks relative to the meager
dividend paying ability of some kinds
of Investments, while theoretically cor
rect and the expression of a thoroughly
trained business man, are subject to
some modification in a new and rapidly
developing country.
The best and easiest explanation of
my. meaning may be found by refer
ence to some Incidents connected with
the celebrated Villard excursion and
reception in 1883.
Mr. Villard was a Journalist. His
habits of thought and mental training
were not those of a systematic finan
cier, but he had a clear and comprehen
sive vision of the ultimate greatness
of the Northwest. He had. with the
aid of brokers and his individual ac
quaintance, succeeded In floating the
Northern Pacific bonds. He had other
enterprises lr. view and wished to im
press upon the great capitalists -of the
East and of Europe the wonderful re
sources of this new country. He in
vited large numbers to accompany him
on the excursion which should witness
the driving of the last spike
All went well until they left St. Paul
and Minneapolis. They had never seen
a new country and had no conception
of Its possibilities. To them it seemed
a barren waste. Very naturally, the
question arose In their minds: "Where
will the business come from to pay
dividends?" At various telegraph sta
tions messages were sent to agents
back home to sell Northern Pacific
stocks. By the time Portland was
reached the finances of that road were
topping. It was freely asserted in cer
tain quarters that one main transcon
tinental line was all that could be
made to pay.
The large number of such lines at the
present confute the predictions of some
of the best financiers of that day. Not
withstanding the disastrous "blind
pool" that swallowed up many millions
of Portland's capital, from 1887 to 1832,
we had exceptionally prosperous times.
All this goes to prove that the man
brought up In a finished country cannot
at once apprehend the potential possi
bilities of the frontier.
I wish . to praise the candor of our
guest and commend the good advice
he gave, which should be put Into
practice. Let us be cautious, but not
get too much alarmed nor grow timid
if our finances do not coincide with
those of the older states.
Mr. Clark views our affairs from a
different angle to us. We should heed
his warnings to the extent that the
largest and best results may come from
his excellent address.
No wonder Mr. Clark viewed with
amazed admiration the vigorous en
deavor of the railroad managements
operating up the Willamette Valley.
They are headed by men long conver
sant with the growth and development
of new districts.
Neither railroad builders nor other
Investors should be deterred from mak
ing good Investments, though the prom
ise of Immediate realization of divi
dends Is not present.
As I have no addition to the city nor
am I trying to make sales on commis
sion. I feel that I can speak plainly
without being accused of the prompting
of self Interest J. D. LE-B.
Measuring; Board Feet.
PORTLAND. March 30. (To the Edi
tor.) Noticing quite a discussion going
on In The Oregonian in regard to the
amount of board feet tn a stick of tim
ber 12x12 at one end, 6x6 at the other
and 40 feet long, and also noticing that
some have the answer correct and
others not, but all having rather a
complicated rule for solving the ex
ample, I will, if you will allow me
space, solve the problem In the sim
plest way Imaginable and give the
rule for all lumber measure. A stick
12x12 at one end, 6x6 at the other has
an average measurement of 9x9, which,
multiplied together. Is 81. Divided by
12 is 6. multiplied by 40, the length,
and the answer is 270 board feet in
the stick.
The rule Is to multiply width and
thickness together, divide by 12, then
multiply by the length to get the num
ber of board feet in the piece. Thus,
a board 2x12x16 has 32 board feet.
F. A. YOUNG.
The correspondent's rule is simple,
but the trouble with It Is that It does
not produce the right answer. A tally
man, who makes measuring of timber
his business, gave a correct rule in
The Oregonian Friday. It Is the rule
under which timber Is bought and sold
by lumbermen who put exactness Into
their business. The process of determ
ining the cubic contents of a stick or
the dimensions given Is founded on
exact scientific principles which It Is
idle to dispute.
Ten-Honr-Day Law.
GRANTS PASS. Or., March 28. (To
the Editor.) Kindly Inform me what
was done with the 60-hour-a-week bill
If passed, when will it go Into effect?
How will It affect gold and sliver mills
operating 24 hours per day?
A SUBSCRIBER,
The Legislature passed an act to
become effective June 3, the salient
features of which provide "no person
shall be employed in any mill, factory
or manufacturing establishment in this
state more than ten hours In any one
day, except watchmen and employes
when engaged In making necessary re
pairs, or In cases of emergency where
life or property la in imminent danger.
Provided, however, employes may work
overtime not to exceed three hours In
any one day, conditioned that payment
be made for said overtime at the rate
of time and one-half the regular wage.'
These provisions probably apply to gold
and silver mills.
Peerless Route.
BROWNSVILLE, Or.. March 30. (To
the Editor.) I have been reading with
Interest the many names suggested as
a nickname for the Portland, Eugene &
Eastern Railroad.
The name "Peerless Route" occurred
to me as being especially appropriate
for it. The first part of the syllable
(peer) being the initial letters of the
present name Portland, Eugene
Eastern Railroad.
The meaning of the name is obvious
to all without an equal.
A NATIVE DAUGHTER OF OREGON.
The Peerless Route." .
DALLAS. Or., March 30. (To the
Editor.) The word "Peerless" is an
enlargement of the Initials of the
Portland. Eugene & Eastern Railway,
which initials spell the word "peer." It
is a name that may be worth consider
ing. The trade-mark should be a tiny
sketch of a young man. dressed to
represent a "peer," comfortably "peer
ing" out of a window of a modern
electric car upon a Western landscape.
Peerless means "without equal."
A. P. OWINGS.
WHY THE EARTH WILL TIP OVER
It la Providence's Plam for Reetlnsr Ex
hausted Soils, Says Clairvoyant.
PORTLAND. March 80. (To the Edi
tor.) The fact that two total strangers
predict the same things Is or should
be enough to convince any skeptical
editor that things are about to hap
pen. From the tone of the bright little
paragraph in a recent number of this
paper I infer that the editor was giv
ing me the laugh.
But, Mr. O'Hennessy wants to hog
the whole show, as it were, which is
not only unkind, but Joyously absurd.
I myself am broadminded, insomuch as
to recognize the fact that there are
others who are endowed.
I thank him for replying, however.
as it gives me the opportunity to or-
rect myself. In saying that the enrtn
will tip I made use of the figurative.
What I wished to make known was
that the axes of the earth would snlft.
They, the poles, may shift one-fourth
the circumference ol tne eartn. Dnns-
ing the North Pole to the Equator. On
the other hand, they may not shift so
far. For instance, the North Pole may
shift to Europe or China. The South
Pole would naturally shift, too; and
the Equator, by all the laws of nature
and common sense, would take up its
position between them.
Because the poles shift It does not
necessary follow that the Equator,
finding itself lonesome, will go per
ambulating around the uiiverse until
some mercenary gent captures It and
puts it In a dime museum.
I said, and maintain, that the earth
Is going to undergo a change like that
which has been described. The poles
will bloom and be Inhabited as science
proves they have been in the dim past.
Probably that Is the plan of the om
niscient God of Testing the soil of the
earth. This has been predicted years
ago. Also, the raising of the United
States flag by the Mexicans I pre
dicted and wrote and sealed one year
ago.
I marvel at the Ignorance of the sor
did, earthly beings who tread this
earth. Yea, I am dismayed. They
think that a prophet does not exist out
side of Biblical history. Still, I am
aware that the land Is flooded with
fakers .who Impose on the public: and
I ask no one to believe me. And lastly,
I have never made one cent out of
my divine Inspirations. Be prepared
la the command of
DEVINB CLARA VOYANT.
WHY DO YOUNG MEW GO WRONG f
One Father Blames Himself and Warns
Parents Aealns't Parsimony.
PORTLAND, Or March 80. (To the
Editor.) I am the father of four sons
and am writing that no other father
may make the mistake I did. We lived
on a small farm near a small town.
There were eight children in my family,
four boys and four girls. Our farm
was worth about $4000. When the
, j . . ..... w. aaIA tlA ttiA TlOt
HBa J51W"" "
like farm work and asked me for ?2o0
to start in Business, j. reouira
severely and told him I had no money
to throw or give away. He tried to
start for himself and having no money
of course he failed. He came to me
again for money, this time he asked
for J100, and I again refused. He
left for the city penniless or nearly so.
Three days later I was dumbfounded
.1.1. ,.n a n otx-c: n 'innt and on the
l " - - ' ' "
front page was a paragraph reading
... i f .-. - , i. ,. .-,.
that my DOy was arieat.oA iu j.
About three years later my second
enn sifrl ma for 8530 to learn the
drug business in the city. I refused
to let him go, but ne went anynuw.
Two years later he asked me for J500
to start In business. I refused, but
later gave him J50 at 8 per cent In
terest Later he asked me for $100,
but as he had not paid the first back 1
refused, as I had no respect for the
no Idea If he is dead or alive. I never
saw him again.
t . .. ..mincpttat mnn nlan srn-t tlrd
ijti Lr.: . "'J grvM.4&L.. - -
of farming. He also wanted to go to
the city, rie asicea tor uiuuey
refused as I had no respect for the
trade he chose to learn. So he ran
away at the age of about 18 years,
and to my sorrow he became a drunk
ard and drug fiend. He was brought
home and after I had spent about $400
for medicine he went Insane.
Now when It Is too late I see what
1 jt 1. 1 T maa T ,1innAMl that
I needed the dross we call gold more
than I neeaea my duvb. my uoai i. .
breaking, for I know I am responsible
for my boys' downfall. Many fathers
like myself let their boys go Into the
world without money to start right.
Fathers, we are responsible for our
children coming into the world and are
responsible for them. I hope I can
help some other man to see the right,
that he may not spend his old age in
vain regrets. B. E. RIGGS.
Fisnrlna; Board Feet.
GOLD HILL, March 27. (To the
Editor.) Commercial rules for sawing
Irregular timbers are designed to
charge extra pay for extra work, and
when compared with strictly mathe
matical measurements give rise to dis
cordant results, as Instanced in this
simple example:
Draw a diagram oi ono muo- . -square
pyramid, six Inches square at
the top and 61.2 at the base. By actual
measurement it will be 9 inches square
half way between the ends.
This will give mean area for Buch
pyramid of 81 square Inches and board
contents of 270 square feet. Mr. Scott's
result (280) Is not correct, and his so
lution Is a "much ado about nothing."
Join four such pyramids, ends reversed,
and the result Is a square stick 18
inches on each side and 40 feet long,
containing 1080 board feet. One-fourth
of this is 270. "Figures won't lie." that
Is always providing you don't make
em. J. R. KENDALL.
CORVALLIS. Or., Mar. 29. (To the
Editor.) In The Oresonlan I notice the
question of R. F. Martindale has been
Incorrectly answered.
This Is a simple rule which will hold
good at any time. First obtain the av
erage dimensions of the stick, multiply
the dimensions, width, thickness and
length, and divide by 12. In this ques
tion the stick is 6 by 6 at one end, 12
hi- is at the other and 40 feet long. The
average dimensions are 9. by 9. Hence
the stick is equivalent to nine Doaras
one inch thick nine inches wide and 40
feet long. The piece of timber con
tains 270 board feet. E. E. GRL'BE.
Mr. Kendall. Mr. Grubs and Mr. S. N.
Wlllard who gave the same formula a
few days ago. may conduct an Interest
ing experiment by cutting the lmagln
ary stick in two in the middle and as
certalnlng the number of board feet
in each piece by their rule.
Apljlng their formula the 20-foot
piece that is 6 by 6 at one end and
9 by 9 at the other contains 93.75 board
feet. The 20-foot stick that is 9 by 9
at one end and 12 by 12 at the other
contains 183.76 board feet- The total
In the two is 277.5 feet. It would be in
teresting if they would explain why a
solid stick that contains 270 board feet
contains 7 feet more when sawn in
two In the middle.
A Chair of Louis of France.
Liverpool Post.
A Philadelphia lawyer and connois
seur was describing some of his experi
ences in search of curio. "I once entered
a shop.'1 be said, smiling, "and the
salesman pointed out to me a dilapi
dated chair. 'That there chair, sir,' he
said, impressively, 'belonged to Louis
Crosseye. King of France.' "Louis
Crosseye?" said I. 'Why, there's no such
person.' "Oh, yes, there Is, sir," said the
salesman and he showed me a ticket
marked 'Louis XL' "
The Season's Omen
By Dean Collins.
There Is something astir In the season,
There are omens afloat In the air.
And back of it all there's a reason
That omens should be afloat there.
It has been related, . - . .
And earnestly stated.
And late Information is coming to
hand.
Of an omen speciflo.
Of how a terrifio
Rainstorm scattered angleworms over
the land.
I claim to be wiser than no. men.
No prophetic powers I claim.
And s;et, with regard to this omen
Lo, 'I can interpret the same.
If 'twas not a brainstorm.
This tale of the rainstorm
That came, bearing angleworms,
falling and swishing,
The wonder, most clearly
Proclaims that it's nearly
The season when men should slip out
and go fishing.
And no normal fellow's caught nap
ping: His old reel with oil he anoints.
His split bamboo rod he's re-wrapping
On all of Its tapering Joints;
Once more he produces
His stock of excuses
For leaving his office and all duties
dishing,
For who can help falling
Who hears the sweet calling
Of trout streams, when opens the sea
son for fishing?
Portland, March 10.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From Th Oreg-onlan of March 81, 188S.
Walla Walla. March 80. The subsidy
of $100,000 given by citizens to Hunt
for building a railroad Is about col
lected, and very willingly: also right
of way and depot privileges.
The Cowlitz River for several mllea
from its mouth Is alive with seals.
United States Engineer, CaptaM
Charles F. Powell, who has charge of
the Improvements at the mouth of the
Columbia and Cascade Locks, will leave
in about two weeks for Memphis.
Walter H. Dodd, son of Mr. Charles
H. Dodd, of this city, who is now at
tending Amherst College, was recently
awarded the Sawyer medal for excel
lence In general standing and physi
ology. The old Bank of British Columbia
property on ront street, near Oak,
was purchased from Mrs. Lucy Meade
a short time since by Elijah Corbett.
Mr. Corbett contemplates tearing down
the building and putting up a hand
some three-story business block.
Work on the new railroad bridge
Is being prosecuted as rapidly as cir
cumstances permit.
Within the next six months East
Portland will he lighted by electricity.
The contract has been let to the gas
company.
Today for the first time The Ore
gonian Is printed from stereotype
plates, and for the first time since the
fire of November, 1886, which destroyed
the La Camas mills, upon paper of
home manufacture. The event is cele
brated by the assumption of a complete
new dress of type.
Half a Century Ajo
From The Oregonian of March 81, 18G3.
Southwest Pass, March 15. (By tele
graph from Baton Rouge.) Commo
dore Farragut, leading In the Hartford,
attacked the Fort Hudson batteries
last night with the fleet. The-steamer
Mississippi ran aground and was aban.
doned and burned.
Washington, March 23. Farragut
safely made the passage up the Mlsis
slppi in the frigate Hartford, flagship,
with the whole fleet.
Port Royal, March 14. Jacksonville,
Fla., was taken on the 10th by the
negro brigade.
Washington, March 23. The War De
partment has received the rolls of all
the regiments In the Army of the
United States, which show the number
of absentees and deserters to be 125,000.
Murfreesboro, March 21. An expedi
tion which went In the direction of
Liberty, Tenn., was attacked yesterday
morning by about 2500 rebels under the
guerilla Morgan, at Milton, on their re
turn. Colonel Hall, perceiving that the
enemy outnumbered him two to one,
fell back to the crest of a hill. . The
rebels made most stubborn attacks, but
were repeatedly driven back with fear
ful slaughter. At 2 P. M. Morgan
withdrew, hut in half an hour re
turned, reinforced. He made another
attack, but was beaten back and with
drew In great confusion.
Plaeervllle, Maroh 12. Captain
Standlfer'B company made their trium
phant entry into our town yesterday
afternoon, amid 'thp 'prolbnged cheering
of the citizens. Their trip has been
eminently successful, they having cap
tured a considerable quantity of booty
and placing hors du combat a number
of Indians. They have brought In 15
scalps, and are certain that many more
were killed or wounded.
The principal of the Portland publio
school desires to publicly thank Mr. J.
Cohen, dealer in clocks, watches. Jew
elry, etc., on Front street, for his pres
ent to the public. school of a beautiful
clock.
Mr. L. W. Coe, U. S. Collector of In
ternal Revenue for Oregon, has ap
pointed Mr. H. B. Parker Deputy Col
lector. Overworking the Servant.
PORTLAND, March 28. (To the Edi
tor.) I have read an editorial in The
Oregonian on servant problems and
wish to state a fact I myself experi
enced as a servant. I think there lies
as much fault on servants as on mis
tresses, but the real difficulty of the
mistress is In getting an efficient serv
ant. The chief fault of a mistress Is
In the way she employs her servant.
When a servant is really honest and
willing to work, then the mistress will
crowd her with more work than she
can do. Thus the servant has to suf
fer for her honesty, while a servant
less honest has to do less work than
the honest one, so she will have easier
times. A servant, though honest and
willing to do the work at the begin
ning. Will soon lose faith In her mis
tress, to she will become an Incompe
tent servant. This is the point where
the difficulty lies in getting compe
tent servants.
HONEST SERVANT.
Still Another Answer.
SALEM. Or., March 29. (To the
Editor.) I have read the answers to
the question of how many feet board
measure in the stick 12 by 12 at baso
and 6 by 6 at top, and I do not think
any of them correct, and send you my
way of figuring sticks of this kind.
The area of the butt is 144 inches;
area of top 3S inches; area of center
(9 by 9) Is 81 inches. The sum of the
three areas divided by three, then
multiply by 40 (the length), and divid
ed by 12 gives 2S'0 feet as the number
of board feet.
GEORGE ARMSTRONG,
Carpenter.