TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN. TIITJTISDAY. MAY 23, 1913.
10
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FORT LAND, OREGON.
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rORTLAJTD, TUTBSDAY, MAT tS. UU.
ship subsidy ur disgcise.
After many years of strenuous and
successful opposition to direct subs
Hex to American ships. Democrats
now propose' to grant indirect subs!
dies. They do not use) the. word "sub.
sidles," but they offer the same
thins under the transparent disguise
of discriminating duties. They do not
propose) to take money out of the
treasury and give it to the shipowners;
they propose) to divert It into the 'pock
ets of the shipowners while on its way
to the treasury. Of course the Amen.
can shipowners, having; this advantage
over their foreign competitors, ana not
being philanthropists, would not do
nate it to the merchants and ultimate
ly to the consumers In the shape of
reduced freight. They would keep it.
As was to be expected, Mr. Under
arood's proposal is hailed with Joy by
the subsidy-seekers, among whom the
Merchants' and .Manufacturers' Board
of Trade of New York is prominent.
That body has issued a pamphlet ex
pressing its Joy over the readiness of
the Democrats to return to "the pol
icy adopted by the founders of the re
public," the policy of discriminating
duties. But, as was also to be expect
ed, that body Is not satisfied with what
JIr. Underwood offers; it wants more.
That Is one characteristic of aubsldy
eekera; they always want more. The
section In question as originally drawn
allowed a discount of5 per cent on
duties on goods Imported in vessels
built In the United States and the
property of American citizens. This
was changed in caucus to read "ves
sels admitted to registration under the
laws of the United States." The
change was due to fear of discrimina
tion resulting against foreign-built
vessels already admitted to American
register. Another section of the Un
derwood bill levies an additional duty
of 19 per cent on goods imported on
non-American vessels, or goods which,
being produced in non-contiguous
countries, are Imported from contigu
ous countries. This provision does not
apply to Imports from countries hav
ing treaties or conventions with this
country which forbid such discrimina
tion. Goods Imported In non-American
vessels which are not owned In
the country where the goods are pro
duced are made subject to forfeiture
With the vessels themselves.
The New York pamphlet calls this
a short step in the right direction. It
estimates the 5 per cent discount at
SI 3,000,000 a year if American ships
carried all our dutiable imports. This
Bum "would go Into the pockets of the
shipowners, not Into the treasury, but
It is not enough. The New York
Board would have It confined to Amer-lcan-bullt
ships. In support of this
policy the Board reviews all the old
arguments In favor of an American
merchant marine, many of which are
sound in themselves. It quotes Amer.
lean statesmen. Democratic and Re
publican, from Jefferson to Under
wood. Including Cleveland and Blaine,
In favor of-the discriminating duty. It
condemns the free-ship policy as likely
to supply us with old, worn-out for
eign ships, though there Is nothing to
prevent an American from contracting
with a firm at Glasgow, Belfast or Kiel
for the construction of new, up-to-date
ships and putting them under the
American flag. .
The discriminating duty was aban
doned so long ago that we must take
up the subject anew and devise a pol
icy in the light of existing conditions.
The subsidy policy has been rejected
by the American people and there is
no reason' to believe that the Under
wood disguise will render it any more
acceptable. Much Is made of the high
wages of American shipbuilders as an
excuse, cost of material being admit
tedly the same as abroad under the
free material law. Then why is it that
we are able to build lake vessels so
cheaply? Double efficiency must ac
count for the double wages of Ameri
can workmen. And what of the be
neficent effects of the Underwood tariff
In reducing the cost of living? Surely,
according to Democratic theory, that
instrument should increase the pur
chasing power of money sufficiently to
Justify a reduction of the number of
dollars paid the workman without ac
tually reducing his earnings.
But we are told that the cost of
operating ships under American law is
35 or 30 per cent higher than under
foreign law. On this point Mr. Under
wood should consult William B. 'Wil
"son. Secretary of Labor. While that
gentleman was a member of the House
he introduced a bill to abolish invol
untary servitude of seamen. In his
report on that bill he said it would
tend to equalize operating expenses by
enabling seamen of other nations to
leave foreign ships at American ports
and engage themselves on other ships
at American wages. Thus wages would
be forced up to the American stand
ard. ' What we need Is not subsidies in
any form or under any disguise; we
need freedom for the shipowner to buy
in any market, and for the seaman to
hire himself out at the highest wages
going. The free-ship provision of the
Panama Canal law Is pronounced a
failure, because no foreign ships owned
by Americans have applied for Amer
ican register during the nine months It
has been in operation. If Congress
would pass the seamen's bill, that
might work a change. As to the re
vival of American shipbuilding, the
great . expansion of coastwise trade
which will surely follow opening of the
Panama Canal will go far to accom
plish that. Under the beneficial influ
ences promised by the Democrats
from their tariff, the shipbuilders
.should soon be able to compete with
foreigners in building for foreign
1 l.i . v w , hnnl KunHu aiw TT1 (HI
WllOWUl .u.w " " . -
Ieilv. without Sunday, one month..
Weekly, on year ! J
Sunday, n year J "
Sunday and Weekly, on year
. . , . .. .- . I mAnthl lit
trade, if those promisee should be ful
filled.
THE TEARS OF MAYOR RCSUIJGHT.
The real significance of the Snod-
grass Incident is that any one who has
a family may hereafter steal the pub
lic moneys under the Rushlight ad
ministration, and go scot free, pre
sumably with the benediction of the
Mayor.
Snodgrass was a clerk in the City
Water Department. He embezzled
several thousand dollars, and fled, and
the Mayor publicly boasts that he
made no effort to apprehend him, for
he discovered that Snodgrass had a
wife and three little girls and a mort
gage on his home, and he could not
expose them thus to public shame.
The Incident Is not creditable either
to the sagacity or sense of justice of
the Mayor; but he seeks to use it to
exploit his own humanity, forgetting
all about the humiliation that through
publicity he imposes upon the un
happy wife and children, and the
broad hint he gives to other possible
peculators in the city employ as to an
easy method to escape with stolen
money, and suffer no consequences.
The clear duty of the Mayor was to
bring Snodgrass back, and to secure
his conviction. Then, If sympathy for
his family and a proper regard for
the ultimate alms of Justice combined
with mercy were to be considered,
Snodgrass might well have been pa
roled and made to earn a living for
his family. As the matter stands,
Snodgrass Is safely gone, the city Is
out its money, the family has no hus
band or father; but the Mayor has a
fine chance to shed his tears "and ex
pose the Snodgrass skeleton in public.
THB TJtCTH.
Dan Kellaher as State Senator goes
to Salem and fathers before the Legis
lature Incendiary and foolish legisla
tionall in the name of the people.
Coming back with empty hands from
position where he might have per
formed useful service, he denounce as
enemies of the people all members and
all other persons who were forced by
their own. sense of self-respect and of
obligation to the public to oppose the
wild Kellaher proposals. Mr. Albee
belongs now in the Kellaher blacklist.
So do some eighty-odd of the ninety
legislators. They are a perverse lot.
Only Kellaher is all right.
The whole Kellaher method of vi
tuperative assault on legislative wind
mills might be amusing. If it were not
used by others to further their own
ends. Here now is the Portland News,
pander of class hatred, organ of so
cial mischief and supporter of Rush
light, offering denunciation of Mr. Al
bee for his labor record while State
Senator. Yet Mr. Atbee's record was
so far above reproach, even from the
standpoint of labor, that the State
Federation of Labor In 1910 Inserted
this paragraph in its official proceed
ings: Senator Albee A Portland Insurance man;
voted riant on all labor law; a Rood man;
waa with us on the employers liability.
It would seem that the truth about
Albee's record is the least that might
ba offered by a professed champion of
labor.
GRADE CROSSING AMENDMENT.
On the election ballot, with its list
of nearly 100 candidates, are numer
ous measures that ought not to be
overlooked in the perhaps more enter
taining task of discovering the fitness
of aspirants for office. The Orego
nlan desires to direct particular atten
tion to the measure having the ballot
numbers 120 yes and 121 no.
This charter amendment provides a
method for eliminating crossings at
highway grade of steam and electric
railways.
In brief, the amendment empow
ers the Mayor and Commission
ers to declare a particular grade
crossing dangerous. When a crossing
Is declared dangerous, the amendment
requires the City Engineer to confer
with the engineers of the railway or
railways affected and devise a prac
ticable plan for eliminating the dan
ger. Hearings of protests from prop
erty owners or others affected by the
proposed plan are provided for and
the city Is authorized to assess bene
fits and award damages. If the plan
be finally approved, 60 per cent of the
cost is to be borne by the railway, 20
per cent is to be paid from the city's
special bridge fund, and 20 per cent is
to be assessed against property bene
fited within a district to be defined by
the Commission.
The proposed amendment is not op
pressive on real property owners pr
corporations. It provides authority,
not now conferred by the city charter,
for accomplishing in Portland what
nearly every city of its class has al
ready undertaken. Certain grade
crossings In Portland are now danger
ous. Others will become so as the city
spreads out and develops. It Is well
to have available means to protect life
and property and preserve rapid tran
sit. The amendment ought to pass.
OXK QUALITY MEN.
In behalf of several candidates for
Commissioner whom The Oregonian
has pronounced unsuitable for the po
sitions to which they aspire friends
have written or otherwise communi
cated reasons which they deem suffi
cient to gain public favor for such
candidates.
One candidate Is said to have taken
decisive stand In the effort to elimi
nate steam trains from Fourth street.
Another is commended because he is a
member of and has taken part in the
discussions of several civic betterment
organizations. Another - is indorsed
because he rendered substantial assist
ance in compelling the streetcar com
pany to provide stools for its platform
men.
Each of these activities perhaps has
some bearing on a candidate's fitness,"
but none of them Is conclusive. There
Is hardly a person who has the wel
fare of the city at heart who would
not have given his aid to a movement
to obtain the substitution, of electricity
for steam as motive power on the
Fourth-street line of the Southern Pa
cific. Performance of one obvious
public -duty does not disclose ability to
ransact the weighty and responsible
obligations of a City Commissioner.
Joining civic betterment organiza
tions may denote local patriotism, and
again it may indicate a desire for no
toriety or public prominence. More
over, desire for municipal improve
ment does not -establish ability to
carry It out on the part of him who
possesses that desire.
Aiding of streetcar men to obtain
stools is a laudable effort, but does it
alone indicate capacity to manage the
affairs of a 370,000,000 municipal cor.
poration? Is not a $5000 job a pretty
big reward for one such endeavor?
A point to be considered is that we
are offering high salaries in the hope
of getting good men in office. Politics
has been eliminated and so should be
favoritism, friendship, emotion and
every other element that Is not a prime
consideration in employing men for re
sponsible positions in private enter
prise. The city is confronted by a
business proposition. We ought to get
the best service that the money pro
vided will buy. We shall not get it
unless we study each man calmly and
Judicially and vote a verdict in accord
therewith.
DALY OR CLYDE?
The impeccable Mr. Clyde is a
friend of the people, including the sa
loons. The saloons, being licensed by
the people, are entitled, of course, to
protection from the representatives of
the people, so long as they obey the
law. Some do not obey the law.
There are several dives in Portland
that are persistent and notorious
breakers of the law, and the virtuous
Mr. Clyde is in position, as a member
of the liquor license committee of
the City Council, to discipline them, or
to put them out of business. But, ex
cept in one or two instances where
there was general public clamor for
action, he has done nothing of the
kind.
The spotted public record of Clyde
Is in sharp contrast with the honest
record of Will H. Daly. We presume
to mention Daly's name in the same
article with Clyde, for the reason that
both are members of the City Council,
both are candidates for Commissioner,
and both have been more or less
closely identified with the labor inter
ests. There is a plain disposition on
the part of the public to give labor
one of the four Commissioners. It
ought to be Daly. It ought not to be
Clyde, for he does not truly represent
labor or the pubjlc.
Yet, if Clyde shall be elected, Daly
probably cannot be.
THE COMMUNITY AND VOCATIONAL
TRAINING.
The Oregonian has been publishing
so many letters for and against voca
tional education in the public schools
lately that a little comment upon some
of them may perhaps appear oppor
tune. We might as well begin by sug
gesting that the purpose of vocational
education is pretty commonly misun
derstood. Thus one correspondent re
marks that if young people "acquire
special vocational training it should
be at their own expense, for the sim
ple reason that millions must continue
to perform common, unskilled labor."
This gentleman evidently understands
that the schools provide vocational
training for the benefit of the indi
vidual. That is true only in part. The
main reason for it Is the protection of
society. A person of either sex who
Is destitute of the capacity to earn an
honest living is a menace to the com
munity In which he lives. If he does
not actually stir up riots and defy the
law, he may at any time become a
public burden, and if he marries and
brings children into the world they
are only too likely to repeat their par
ents' sad history. The best welfare of
the community clearly demands that
the number of such helpless persons
should be reduced to the lowest pos
sible limit.
It is, of course, true that a great
many people must do common, un
skilled labor, unhappily, but we must
not overlook certain facjs in this con
nection. One of them is that the
relative amount of unskilled labor re
quired by the world diminishes every
day. When George Herbertwrote his
poems sweeping floors was Just about
the most unskilled labor he could
think of. So he sang, "Who sweeps a
floor as in God's sight makes that and
the action fine," meaning that the
vilest tasks become divine when loy
ally done. But sweeping is no longer
a vile task. It is done to day by the
most exquisite machinery and requires
the service of a skilled hand. So it
goes with other tasks of old time
deemed dishonorable. The progress
of science and invention Is rapidly
elevating them, and the demand for
"common and unskilled labor" can
not be depended to last long in any
given quarter. But aside from all
that, we wish to emphasize the point
that it is from the lowest level of life
that many if not most gf our social
perils arise.
Our correspondent says that voca
tlbnai training "makes those that are
compelled by circumstances to per
form common, unskilled labor dis
contented with their lot." The dis
content with a poor Job which a man
feels who knows he is fit for a better
one is not very dangerous to the
world. It is in fact the true American
spirit which all our institutions are
framed to encourage. Every good
American expects to rise in the world
if he has the ability. Dangerous dis
content originates among people who
feel incapable of ever attaining any
thing better than they have now.
The consciousness of hopeless inferi
ority exasperates and inflames them.
When a man has a good trade, his
discontent leads on to higher employ
ment and better wages. But If he is
educated under the old system and
cornea out of school with a head full
of thin book knowledge and hands
utterly useless, he is an apt pupil of
the demagogue.
Nor must we forget the sad conse
quences to the individual of an educa
tion which leads to nothing but airy
theories. Investigation has shown, for
example, that the business of prosti
tution is recruited wjth pitiful reg
ularity from the women who can
not earn an honest living. Schooled in
empty forms and fine theories, with
nothing marketable to depend on for
their bread, the poor creatures sell
the only thing they possess which has
money value, that is, their bodies. We
know, too, that the penitentiaries and
homes for delinquent youth are sup
plied for the most part from the ranks
of those who have no trades. A per
son provided at the outset of his ca
reer with the means of 'earning an
honest living is comparatively safe
amid the vicissitudes of life.. If he
happens to fall into the ranks of "com.
mon, unskilled, labor," he is- almost
certain to rise again to something
higher. But if he has no trade, once
in the slough he stays there until death
ends his tragic tale. The safety of
society depends upon giving as many
persona as possible the capacity to
earn a good living by honest effort.
The number of the incapable and inef
ficient must be reduced as rapidly as
possible. The only way of doing so is
to push vocational training in the pub
lic schools. Before this prime neces
sity of civilization all pretty theories
and elegant fancies about the func
tion of the schools must give way.
Two of our correspondents present
pictures of the public school as they
would have It. Both pictures are at
tractive in a dilettante way and both
are as useless as a cobweb floating in
the September sunshine. One, a
woman, says "the function of the
school should be to make a well-bal
anced, reasonable creature, sympa
thetic,' Idealistic," and so, on through
the familiar catalogue of the virtues.
This Is admirable, but she forgets that
the way to produce such pupils Is not
by drilling them In Jheoretlcai text
books, but by reaching their intelli
gence and conscience through practi
cal work. There is more moral value
for a boy In a single piece of carpentry
competently done than in a whole vol
ume of ethics. This woman goes on
to say that "a well, hearty,- wholesome
person can always find something to
do to supply the necessities of life.
He can, if he has some marketable
skill to sell. If he has no suoh skill
he is in serious danger of becoming a
hobo in spite of all his delightful traits.
In discussing a question as Important
as vocational training we must not
shut our eyes to facts and slip away
Into the realm of dreams unless we
wish to promote human misery.
Another correspondent believes that
the schools should "imbue children
with a deep sense of honor," teach
them to use good English "and imbue
them with the desire for further
study." This is all very well, but
It Is precisely what the old
fashioned school of theory never
has done and never can do,
Carl Schurz learned French by writing
compositions about the things he was
actually doing. That is an excellent
way for a youth to master English
But- if he is not doing anything at all
except pore over textbooks, how Is he
to use such a method? The ideals of
our correspondents are as lovely as the
dawn, but their notion of the way to
attain them is as nebulous as the
clouds of even.
The custom of sending Grand Army
men to address pupils of the public
schools in connection with observance
of Memorial day Is one feature of
American patriotism that must nevet
be allowed to lapse as long as one of
the boys of '61 is alive, and ere that
time elapses perhaps the men who
wore the gray may be Invited to tell
among other things, how "the Yanks
never crossed the bridge that morn
ing." This -is one great, big, united
country, and asperities of half a cen
tury ago are losing their bitterness.
If the Japanese women of Seattle
were not becoming Americanized they
would not have formed a club. No
doubt they will presently follow our
National customs in scores of other dl
rections, and we may hope that what
ever prejudice exists against them will
abate as they merge into the undis
tinguished mass. Some of the hatred
against the Japanese in California is
caused by their industry and frugal
habits, but we may expect even this
to diminish when they learn our lan
guage and wear American clothes.
Now it is the Boston schools which
are to be "tinkered," to borrow the
alarmists' favorite word. Superin
tendent Burke is going to drop out a
great mass of venerable rubbish from
the lower grades and replace it with
"pre-vocational studies. Through
these the boys and girls will learn
about the various ways of earning a
living and so prepare themselves to
make a sensible choice later on. Slowly
but surely the schools are shucking
off their humbug and becoming a more
useful social agency.
The New York Tribune Is not
pleased with Professor Walter Sar
gent's idea of "one established style of
dress for women." Perish the thought!
What scope would there be for the
genius of dressmakers, for the society
reporter in describing gowns, for the
women in choosing- and crlticls
Ine them? How could a woman
choose a dress to suit her complexion,
style of beauty, slimnesa or embon
point? We need variety of costume,
even though it bankrupt all the hus
bands in the land.
The New York Evening Post re
marks upon the blindness of Chicago
policemen to evils which were quickly
discovered by a new official In the po
lice department. A close relation be
tween the degree of blindness and the
size of bank accounts would proDaDiy
be discovered on closer inquiry.
Senator John Sham Williams- brave talk
about Duttln&r manufacturers in jail Is per.
fectly safe. There are no manufacturers In
John's district. Philadelphia Ledger.
We have heard no such brave talk
from Senator Lane or Senator Cham
berlain about putting protesting wool-
growers in Jail, which corroborates
the Ledger's inference.
That the races will commingle is
held as established by the marriage of
a Japanese to a white woman at Min
neapolls yesterday. But the wife will
become an outcast, despised by both
races. Experience has proved it.
The clergyman who officiates at the
marriage of an Asiatic and a white
woman may think he is doing the
Master's work, but white and brown
folk believe otherwise and generally
results prove them right.
Portland people generally do not
know the treat to be found in a visit
to the rooms of the Oregon Historical
Society. Nowhere else is the process
of Oregon in the making to be seen.
An unknown woman attempted to
leap from the Morrison bridge yester
day for unknown reasons. Essaying
to escape from the vote-chasers, pos
sibly. w e.
John Havs Hammond is losing $1000
a day salary, through attendance at
court as a witness. Think how much
his employers are saving.
Guarding railroad bridges against
possible attack by white men is a com.
forting way to state that vigilance for
bids trouble. '
Someone or other suggests that it
will be recorded by history as the Un
derwoodrowwilson act.
Pannla rlisnnapd to Write DOemS On
the "weather will note that this
weather la a poem..
ti llil nf Pandora' box was lifted
this week to allow forty-six graduates
to escape.
When the rood weather did set in. it
certainly was worth waiting for.
Mav.hu. 'after all. Bryan has talked
'em out of doing anything rash.
' But how on earth did Wilson get
Marshall silenced?
The straw hat and peekaboo waist
crops are blooming.
The Rose Festival is the next big
event.
Get a maxim silencer for Sisson.
Summer picnics next.
Stars and Starmakers
By Leone Cass Baer.
Beth Tate, who started her thea
trlcal career 11 years ago at the old
Chutes in San Francisco, is making
name for herself In London. A cor-
respondent from there says:
Beth Tate came here two years ago ab.
solutely unknown and today she oommanda
her own price. 1 understand that her only
work before she went on the halls here was
anvtsoearance In an American farce, w hat
ever her training was she certainly -knows
how to sins- songs which catch on. and she
knows to a nicety Just what will please her
audienoa.
e
W. C. Hoefler, comedy cyclist at the
Empress, is one of the pioneers of
trick bicycle ' riding and Is one of the
few wheelmen alive who went to Eng
land in 1889 with the Barnum Sc Bailey
circus when P. T. Barnum Invaded the
other side of the Atlantic for the first
time. Hoefler then was but 16 years
old and performed on the old style
high bicycle. He recalls seeing Glad
stone among the circus spectators.
Hoefler is the only bicyclist who has
traversed the Western porttqn of the
Sullivan & Consldlne circuit four times.
This visit marks his fifth appearance
In Portland. He was featured at the
Orpheum several seasons ago before
Joining the Empress chain of theaters.
Henry Hall will open a Summer
stock season at the Spreckles Theater
In San Diego on June 16. This Winter
he has been leading man in stock In
Spokane.
"The Passing Show of 1912" will dis
close -its entertaining self at the
Helllg soon. This attraction Is of the
revue type, and In ingenious and en
tertainlng fashion mirrors and traves
ties political and theatrical activities.
It will be the first of the Winter Gar
den Shows to come to Portland, so the
engagement will ba notable from that
standpoint alone. The cast contains
such stars as Charles J. Rose, Trlxle
Frlganza, Adelaide and Clarence Har
vey and Eugene and Willie Howard.
Maude Adams believes that Ameri
can parents neglect to tell their chll
dren enough fairy stories. She is of
trie opinion that they should have these
tales. One of the principal reasons she
accepted the role of Peter in the Bar-
rie play was to arouse the dormant
spirit of parents and to create a new
desire for the fairy play. Miss Adams'
engagement opens tonight at the
Heilig. Because of the tremendous de
mand for seats, there is to be an espe
cial matinee tomorrow afternoon, as
well as Saturday.
Keating & Flood have taken a long
.
lease on ba Star Theater, Seattle. The
building will be torn down and a new
theater built on the site with a seat
ing capacity of 1200. It wilP be ready
about October 1. The policy is to be
musical comedy three a day the
same as is observed in their local
theater, the Lyric
.
Wallace Munro is coming to town
soon, heralding: the delights or rne
Case of Becky," David Belasco's big
production, of which Frances Starr Is
star. Mr. Munro Is accompanied.
usual, by his wife, who 1b none Other
than the handsome and distinguished
Charlotte Tittell, one of the trio of
well-remembered Tittell sisters. Dur
ing their stay In California they are
being showered with, social attentions.
Hon Bergere, of "Chocolate Soldier1
renown, is, a member of the stock-sing
ing organization now at the new Ti
voll in San Francisco. "When Johnny
Comes Marching Home" is their bill
this week. Teddy Webb, locally a fa-
vorite. Is also of the company, and so
Is Charles Galagher. Matinees are
given on Saturdays and Sundays, and
the old Tivoli prices, 25 cents to 73
cents, will prevail.
Alia - Nazlmova, coming soon in
'Bell Donna," ought to draw well.
Charles Yule opens next Monday
with the Bishop Players In Oakland.
The Baker Players will not close, as
first reported, until after the Rose
Festival. Ida Adair will continue as
leading woman. ,
News was received In New York i
few days ago that an Interesting fam
lly event is looked for In the family
of Police Commissioner George Creel in
Denver, whose wife is Blanche Bates.
After her marriage, about a year ago,
Miss Bates .was tempted to return to
the footlights by Charles Frohman
with whom she signed a contract, and
It was announced that she would make
her reappearance on the stage in "The
Witness for the Defense" next season,
but the anticipated event may change
this plan.
The announcement that- George All
son, one time leading man with the
Baker Players, has severed his connec
tion with the Crescent Stock Company
in Brooklyn, is causing regret among
the patrons of that popular house. The
Brooklyn papers are printing letters
from patrons of the theater deploring
the retirement of the popular leading
man, of which the following la a fair
sample:
"I trust that you will afford me a
small space in which to voice the re
gret of the public in general upon
learning of Mr. and Mrs. Alison's In
tention to appear no more before the
people who loved them so well. Be
yond all doubt they were unsurpassed
by any other stock players who have
appeared in Brooklyn houses, and I
fear that their leaving Brooklyn will
quell the enthusiasm of Crescent-goers
to a very great extent, Indeed."
Walter Selgfrled and wife (Mamie
Hasslam) returned last week from New
York, where they closed the season
with the Walker Whiteside Company.
They will spend the Summer visiting
relatives and return to New York in
August for rehearsals, having signed
for next season. Mr. Selgfrled is play
ing at the Baker in "Mary Jane's Pa."
The week's Dramatic Mirror says:
Twelve chorus airls from the Merrv wid
ow Company, now touring the Pacific Coast,
ueuacu uy liuuiw iuun, raijier man return
to New York and wearing out their dainty
footgear on the hard Broadway pavement,
have organized Into a walking club, and at
the close of the season they will lay in a
supply of hobnail shoes and start on a tramp
from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon.
The young women display a wnnHcrfiO
amount of hardihood, and if they carry out
their purpose they will profit by it in
brawn, muscle and good digestion. They
hould end with being aa hard as the nails
a their shoes. But, if we correctly recall
the. conformation of the territory they are
about to tackle, we can predict with cer
tainty that they will have their ups and
owns, in sierras are not as level as a bll
ard table, nor are the roads there naved
with asphaltum. Neither is it an, assured
fact that Colonel Savage will see them all
baok In the company. Thece are many lone
some miners, wood and ranch men along
that route. However, hete Is luck to you.
Iris, ana goaspeea on tne wayi
COMMISSION COST IS TOO MUCH
Added to Other Burden It Binds Tax
payers, Says Mrs. Duntway.
PORTLAND, May 19. (To the Edi
tor.) As the plethoric columns of The
Sunday Oregonian have notified me
that proceedings have begun to test the
legality of the "preferential" mlx-up
so graphically portrayed by your car
toonist in The Oregonian today the
time has come to rest our pre
dicament with the Supreme Court of
the state, while, we speak and write of
other things pertaining to the public
welfare. It fell to my lot to be car
ried, a few evenings ago, to a public
meeting in the suburbs or Woodstock.
Our way led through a vast expanse
of beautiful grounds, tasteful homes,
improved streets and graded, graceful
ly lald-out lawns and gardens, all be
tokening thrift and prosperity. By and
by we came to whole blocks, and some
times several acres of natural wild
wood, with here and there a pretty,
natnted bungalow, peeping like a set
ting swan from the midst of a little
clearing-. Again we would reacn a cms
ter of attractive looking little homes,
manv marked, like many vacant clear-
Inss. with signs "for sale," reminding
me of the dozens of real estate adver
tlsements that reach me almost every
week with enterprising pertinacity.
At the meeting, which we reached at
last over a long stretch or unfinished
road through which our auto floun
dered like a ship In a storm, I could
not help portraying to myself and
mentioning to my hearers the fact that
the time is once more near at hand
for a financial stringency. These strln
gencies come almost with the periodic
regularity of the precessions or tne
equinox, and I am sure they could be
as accurately predicted as tne return
of a comet if our financial experts
would study them as closely as our
astronomers study the stars,
From what I learn by studying the
real estate circulars before mentioned
I can see that a very large percentage
of these homes are builded on "futures"
and are plastered with mortgages. The
ultimate titles rest with agents, or
their employers and the street assess
ments are chargeable to the mortgages.
If no financial depression should come
the probability is that most of these
honest homebuilders will pay out and
secure the land, or foundation title in
fee simple. But If the crisis comes,
interest will come due, assessments
will mature and street Improvements
vsill demand payment. Now for the
warning: These honest people, men
and women, are asked to burden
themselves by voting taxes, In addi
tion to the financial loads they now
carry, or over jzo.uuu annually, i"
five gentlemen with ofifces in tne
City Hall, and probably as much more
annually to the many appointees of the
said five gentlemen all to be raised
by taxation, from which no little home
can escape Its share. Big business may,
and doubtless will, evade much of its
share; skyscrapers will increase their
rentals to match their increased taxa
tion, etc., but even these great build
ings will find interest on mortgages
coming due; renters must vacate IT
employment ceases, and all this time
the salaries aforesaid must do paia Dy
constantly accruing taxation. I am
not frightened, for I believe this dan
ger that now threatens us will be set
aside by the sagacity of the Supreme
Court. But if this resort should fail
us, we have the Initiative and referen
dum, and we'll find a way out of our
dilemma through the votes of an awak
ened people. Abraham Lincoln wisely
said, "You can fool all the people part
of the time and part of the people all
the time, but you can t fool all the peo
ple all the time."
ABIGAIL SCOTT DUN1WAI.
ROOSEVELT IS WARMLY DEPENDED
History Will Record Him as Great
Fearless American, Says Admirer.
PORTLAND, May" 13. (To the Edi
tor.) Permit me to say that I con
sider the statements In a recent edi
torial in The Oregonian entitled, "High
on a Throne in Royal State," lacking
in the fairness which usually charac
terize the editorials of The Oregonian.
Theodore Roosevelt's work and life
need no apology. His place in history
Is secure. More than any other man
in our time he has been the embodi
ment of "fighting Christianity." Like
the crusaders of old he has always
been marching forward asainst the
common enemy, fighting for the right
as he saw the right, and striking at
the things he believed were wrong. If
his personality has meant any thing
to the people of this country? It has
meant general rejoicing because God
raised up a man at once so honest and
so courageous a man who could both
see the right and also go down to de
feat, if need be, lighting bitterly in Its
defense. I want to say to you, more
over, that It will be the decree of
posterity, that the most courageous act
n Theodore ttooseveits lire was nis
leadership of the Progressive move
ment in the last Fresmentlal cam
paign. Even his enemies concede his
wisdom as a politician; and admitting
that wisdom, no one knew better than
he the possibilities of defeat. It is
safe to say that there never has been
a President of the United States who,
secure In the popularity which Roose
velt enjoyed, would have dared to face
the danger of National reversal, we
ust then believe that he took this
step with a full realization of its
seriousness, believing earnestly in the
movement which he was called to lead,
and believing too, with that supreme
confidence In himself, which Is the chief
indication of greatness, that he was
perhaps the fittest among the avail
able leaders.
One cannot deny this hypothesis
unless one beljeves that the Progres
sive movement was founded In decep
tion, born In hystrla, and cradled In
lsrnorance. And no Intelligent Ameri
can-born citizen of the United States
believes this. The abuses In the Re
publican party were too widespread.
too apparent, and too serious lor any
honest misconception conderning the
sincerity of the Progressive movement
If any apology were -ueeaeo lor tne
movement or its leader it can be pre
sented by the great mass of earnest
and intelligent citizens who registered
their protest against corrupt political
practices in the last National cam-Pa'Sn-
,
The pathetic little Kingoom- or
Albania Is only one of many European
nations that have admired Theodore
Roosevelt, and is only a humble repre
sentative of the many peoples who are
ready to offer that recognition of splen.
did leadership which often comes
tardily in a republic. T. B.
JIR. ALBEE AND GOOD MEN NEEDED
Voluminous Letter Writer Presents
Swan Sone In Present Campaign.
PORTLAND, May 20. (To the Edi
tor.) Your editorial "What Is a Ma-
Jority" in The Oregonian a few days
ago Is timely and Its salient points can
not be too orten repeated.
When it happens that several can
didates do not know how a majority
is determined it indicates the extent of
their knowledge of the charter. And
It may be taken as proof that a ma
jority of the voters do not understand
what constitutes a majority of the
votes.
The Oregonian can do another service
o society by publishing the fact that
the Mayor Is being elected to serve
four years. Not many know It. Sev
eral candidates denied It to me.
It Is gratifying to learn that The
Oregonian will support Mr. Albee. You
are first to declare for any one. and it
Is to be hoped that your declaration
of adherence may result in united effort
for good men.
In the present contusion every one
fears every one; nobody will trust any
body; all are hoping for accidental
election.
With those observations I retire from
the campaign and resume my long
tudy of gray mules.
ROBERT G. DUNCAN.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonian of May 22, 1S98.
Albany, Or., May 21. The farm real
dence of B. H. Irvine at Jordan Val
ley, Linn County, burned to the ground
Saturday night.
San Francisco, May 21. Joe Mo
Auliffe, heavywelBht champion of the
Pacific Coast, knocked out Frank
Glover, of Chicago, in the 49th round
tonight.
Colonel W. H. Efflnger will address
the Democrats at the Courthouse to
night. Don't forget the concert at the New
Park Theater Friday evening, given
by Birdie B. Isaacson.
Harry Penrod, the one-armed printer
employed in The Oregonian compos
ing room, has accepted a nine weeks'
engagement with a dime museum,
commencing at Kansas City.
Messrs. N. Kohn, L. Fleischner, I. N.
Fleischner and A. P. Hotaling and son
arrived Sunday in Queenstown.
Robert Perkins, son of Richard Per
kins, of the Holton House, is very sick
in San Francisco. Mr. Perkins or his
wife will go to San Francisco at once.
Multnomah Camp, No. 2, Indian War
Veterans of the North Paclflo Coast,
held Its semi-annual meeting In the
Courthouse Saturday, Captain J. H.
McMillan presiding. The advanced aire
of some of them was quite noticeable;
Colonel N. W. Chapman, R. Mendenhall.
the two Bonsers, M. R. Hathaway,
Major Dement. B. F. Dowell.
R. M. Jasporson, who has a milk
ranch at the head of the Canyon, was
gored by a bull Sunday, receiving In
juries which may prove fatal.
The fight between the O. R. & N. Co.
and the steamer Telephone begins to
day. The fare to Astoria by any of
the O. R. & N. boats is 75 cents; round
trip tickets, good for ten days, $1.
One of the most Important measures
affecting Portland to come before the
Legislature next January will be the
consolidation of the cities of Portland
and East Portland.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of May 22, 1S63.
Gabriel Franchere, ono of those sent
out by Astor in the famous Astor ex
pedition and the last survivor of that
party expired at St. Paul, Minnesota,
on April 12.
Victor Smith has been removed from
the collectorshlp of the Puget Sound
Custom-House district and Fred Wil
son, of Washington Territory, has been
appointed.
The Oregon road over the Cascade
Mountains is now open and daily trav
eled.
New York, May 16. The Post last
evening says a serious disagreement
exists between Gens. Halleck and
Hooker. It Is positively stated that
Hooker's new movement, planned be
fore he left the south side of the Rap
pahannock, has been countermanded by
Halleck. A Washington letter to the
Commercial says that a majority of the
Generals and officers of the Army of
the Potomac desire a new commander.
Hooker frankly informed the President
that he would resign if the step was
considered desirable by the Govern
ment.
Mr. V. Paris, tinsmith on Alder street.
was thrown from a house yesterday
afternoon In the vicinity of the Jewish
Synagogue.
The National glass-blowers will give
one of their Instructive exhibitions at
the Turnvercln Hall tomorrow for the
benefit of the schools of the city.
Candldatra and Secret Societies.
ROGUE RIVER, Or.. May 19. (To
the Editor.) The descriptions of the
various candidates for the municipal
offices appearing In The Oregonian are
highly Interesting to your subscriber.
who has read The Oregonian for over
four years with great profit. Yet hn
would like The Oregonian to explain
why at the bottom of each candidate s
pedigree the names of the secret so
cieties he belongs to are enumerated
quite faithfully, while no reference is
made as to the church affiliations of
any of the candidates. Are secret so
cieties considered a . factor In politics
since political parties have been elim
inated by the commission form of gov
ernment? Is the list of secret socle
ties .following the biography of eaoli
candidate some criterion by which his
outlook upon public affairs may lie
reasoned out by those who are more
familiar with the Oregon view point?
From the analysis of the candidates, as
given In The Oregonian, the Individuals
who seem to be so signally favored In
secret am nations appear to be the
ones The Oregonian seems to consider
the most unfit for the public service.
A COMPARATIVE!.,! NEW CITIZEN.
The Oregonian Is endeavoring to give
all the information concerning candi
dates that can be crowded Into a con
densed statement. As a matter of fact
admission to membership In certain
secret orders is a" falf-'lhdlcatlon that
one's personal habits and moral char
acter are good. It does not, however,
have bearing on a candidate's mental
equipment and knowledge of munici
pal affairs. Both good character and
practical fitness should be considered
In selecting city officers.
Cooler Clothing
a Season's Demand
What to wear and where to
go to buy it?
That's an uppermost thought
nowadays.
But it's an easily solved ques
tion scarcely a problem at all,
for Oregonian Advertisements
tell you the answer daily.
Oregonian Ads are fashion's
most trustworthy indexes. They
enable you to turn quickly to
the right store for the right
thing. No guess work; no
-element of doubt.
If it's millinery, footwear,
hosiery, waists, skirts or dresses
no matter what Oregonian
Ads give you desired informa
tion. They tell you the fashion
story of the day in terse, fasci
nating phrases; they vividly
picture the Summer season's
newest, most alluring creations.
It will pay you to read. By
doing sp you increase your
knowledge, and when you buy
from Oregonian adversers you
exercise a degree of economy
that is highly profitable to you.