8
THE MORXIXO OREGOyiAy. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1913.
PORTLAND, OREGON.
Entered m.t Portland. Ore coo, Postofflc u
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rORTLAND, WEDNESDAY. JUNE . 1813.
INWARDNESS OF STJAB DUTIES.
The best feature of the Under
' wood tariff la one of the two which
are most opposed within the Demo
i cratic party. This Is the provision for
' free sugar at the expiration of three
years. It is practically adopted from
1 the McKinley tariff of 18S0 and is
J therefore Republican policy. After
having departed from that policy In
the Dingley and Payne-Aldrich tariffs,
j the Republican party should be ready
i to return to It. Sugar duties fall upon
rich and poor with a closer approach
to equality than any other taxes and
r.'are therefore inequitable. The income
tax. graduated as is proposed, af
i fords an opportunity to remedy this in
' justice without loss of revenue.
There Is more lobbying for and
against the sugar provision than prob
J ably any other provision of the Un-
derwood bill. Washington swarms
i with sugar lobbyists. They are fight-5-
ing among themselves. Some of the
Eastern refineries cry for free sugar;
J' others, aided by the wholesale grocers,
i propose a material reduction, and the
beet sugar refiners oppose any reduc
j tion. These several interests are
i flooding the country with pamphlets,
5 which serve the useful purpose of let
v ting in light on the whole subject.
. They enable us to draw certain safe
' conclusions.
i The first of these is that the retail
J price of sugar is enhanced 1.6 cents
per pound by the . tariff, or about
,,$1.30 per capita per annum for the
4 whole population of the United States,
, '.which is nearly double the estimate
J made by defenders of the duty. An
j other is that under protection, profes
leedly designed to promote home pro
J duction of our entire sugar supply,
; the beet sugar industry has not de
veloped sufficiently to offer any fair
" promise of accomplishing that end.
Though much coddled, it has pro
1 gressed only to the point of produc
j ing 15 per cent of our annual con
i sumption. We are asked by the beet
sugar men to pay an extra 1.6 cer.ts
4 per pound on 3,504,182 tons of sugar
J in order to foster an industry in the
United States which In 1912 produced
j only 789,200 tons of that total. Of
j this latter quantity 257,194 was cane,
I 516.851 beet and 15.155 maple and
j molasses. The Louisiana cane sugar
men and the Western beet sugar men
a ask us to pay too high a price for
j the privilege of having their Industry
' kept alive.
The plea put forward on behalf of
J the beet men Is that the duty would
stimulate beet culture, which in turn
J would promote Intensive farming and
Increase crops of cereals grown in
! rotation with beets, and enlarge the
; , cattle supply fed on pulp from beet
sugar refineries. We are pointed to
, the great Increase In cereal crops in
Germany as beet-growing has devel-
oped. But beets cover only a frac
tion of the acreage sown to root crops
In rotation with cereals In Germany,
. and there has been as great, in some
. cases a greater, increase in yield of
; cereals in England, where no beets
'. are grown. The increase is due to in-
tensive agriculture in general, not to
beet-growing in particular. In dwell-
, Ing on the beneficial results of beet
l growing to the farmer, the sugar tariff
, men have over-reached themselves,
for why should the rest of us be taxed
as an inducement to the farmer to do
that which Is obviously to his advan-
tuge?
The beet industry has not extended
.. in the United States because It requires
' a large amount of hand labor, which is
' not available In farming districts. That
' la why we have so little intensive
' farming and have an annual cry for
harvest hands. The pretense of the
' beet-sugar refiners that the sugar tar
'. 1ft la necessary to maintain Ameri
, can wages Is laughable in view of the
fact that labor in the beet fields is
- foreign and is cheap Chinese, Jap
anese, Hindus and Mexicans mostly.
Nor do the farmers get the benefit,
for the price paid for beets is about
the same as in Germany, though the
German duty on raw sugar is only 47
. cents per 100 pounds as compared
, with our J1.6S5. The German price
is the minimum, and the farmers re
ceive in addition a share of the refin
ers' profits, and the seed and pulp are
returned to the farmers, while the
American refiner re-sells these by
products to the grower. So Indifferent
are the refiners to the Interests of the
growers that they have been trying
to have sugar beets put on the free
list and secured a reduction by the
Payne-Aldrlch law from 25 to 10 per
cent. I
How little excuse there is for a
duty to protect beet sugar refiners can
be sx?en from the extent to which their
stock Is watered and from the propor
tions of their profits. Authorities place
the necessary capital per ton of slic
ing capacity In a beet sugar refinery at
$1000, but the average capitalization is
J2458 per ton, of which 1458 is water.
This is admitted by some promoters."
who go from place to place, organize
companies with preferred and common
, stock and sell the common. The Mich.
Igan Sugar Company, capitalized at
three times the cost of its plant, pays
7 per cent on preferred stock, 6 per
" cent on common and In 1910 paid a
stock dividend of 35 per cent and
carried 1.025,000 to surplus. In
. 1910 President Money, of the Great
Western Sugar Company, wrote to
President Thomas, of the American
Sugar Refining Company offering the
following explanation of an extra
charge of $1,000,000 to depreciation:
I do not wast this year's earnings to ap
pear aa large as they would If we had not
made this antry.
s He admitted that the Surplus was
nearer $9,000,000 than the $5,000,000
-'. oh own in his report.
The beet sugar refineries, in which
the sugar trust owns 6 4 per cent, are
growing enormously rich on capitali
sation of the tariff which the consumer
Davs. Thev could makp a foi. nfnflt
without protection, but they do not
even share its benefits with the
farmer.
BONDS IN DISFAVOR.
Unpopularity in Portland of new
bond issues is undeniable, unless tie
proceeds are to be devoted to some
enterprise that will create readily dis
cernible benefits. The incinerator bond
issue was in the exceptional class and
therefore carried. Additional parks
and playgrounds, however, while ac
knowledged to be nice things to have.
did not impress the voters as necessi
ties or as presenting other than indi
rect material benefits to the public. A
new incinerator will permit the instal
lation of the municipal garbage-collecting
system, for which bonds have
heretofore been voted, and its advan
tages will be readily apparent. But
it is difficult to conceive of a hardship
on which one could place his finger
and assert that the hardship would not
exist if more parks and playgrounds
had been provided.
These facts might well have been
taken into consideration in preparing
the park bond measure. Doubtless,
the amount of the proposed bonds
had something to do with their rejec
tion. The same sum for the same
purpose was but recently denied the
Park Board by the voters. A tactical
blunder was committed in submitting
the same proposal. Bonds in a smaller
sum would have had far better chance
of approval and would have been bet
ter than no bonds at all. The second
defeat of the proposal has now weak
ened the park and playground issue
for a long time In the future.
The Council Crest purchase and the
construction of an historical building
were matters almost wholly of senti
ment. Council Crest Is now a free
park and the chief objection to its
status is that it is the site of commer
cialized amusement features. The
chief advantage of public ownership
would be the elimination of garish at
tractions and the making over of the
park into a nature beauty spot and
viewpoint. There is also annoyance
from loud amusements 'suffered by the
lower heights residents, but we speak
only of the general public's interest.
The viewpoint remains undisturbed as
to free access. Only public ownership
and amelioration of Inartistic sur
roundings remain absent as result of
the bonds' defeat. The bond meas
ure was not one that could be expect
ed to attain approval against well
founded and widespread opposition to
new financial obligations.
The appeal in the bond issue for an
historical building was to the same
element of our nature. In this in
stance, however, prudence in respect
to the safety of valuable relics ought
to have been a weighty consideration.
But we shall have to trust to fortune
to save the property of the society
from destruction until the newer gen
eration and the newer population
come to realize the priceless charac
ter of mementoes and records of pio
neer Oregon.
GT7MSKOE1NG WITH A BRASS BAND.
In the general post-mortem over
the late unpleasantness of Monday,
June 2, In this year of grace, The Ore
gonlan brings to light this gem from
some one who signs himself "A Disin
terested Student":
Allow me to Inform you that C. L,
McKenna Is destined to be the next Mayor
of Portland. I do not lenow anything- about
him, but I know that he is the man who
will, be elected.
The. trouble with your political cal
culators is that they know so much
that ought to be so, but Isn't. Here is
a fine specimen of the conceit that
seizes the prognosticator who takes
his pencil and adds up some figures.
It could be figured out, before elec
tion, of course, that McKenna was
sure to be elected, since everybody had
to vote for him either as second or
third choice. Clearly, if that were so,
he would get as many votes as Albee,
Rushlight, Kellaher and Smith put
together would get on first choice.
There was no way to stop McKenna,
if he made a modest request for sec
ond or third-choice votes and if the
friends of the other candidates com
plied. All McKenna had to do was to
look pleasant and await the election
certificate.
The McKenna campaign manage
ment had the same lucid idea. Another
great nonpartisan movement to put a
Democrat in office could again be en
gineered to a successful Issue. The
word was passed around to lie low.
and awajt results, and there would be
nothing to it. There was nothing to
it, since the same thought occurred to
others. The fact that the election of
McKenna was possible on second or
third choice was advertised every
where. The public governed itself
accordingly and didn't vote for him.
The moral is that a brass band has
no proper place In a gumshoe cam
paign. PORTLAND'S TERMCIAL 11. AN'.
One of the most important measures
adopted by the people of Portland at
the recent election was the charter
amendment providing for a common
transportation terminal within 1000
feet of harbor lines. This amendment
looks to proper connection of each
railroad with all other railroads and of
all railroads with all docks. It looks
to the expansion of both rail and water
terminals to meet the growing require
ments of the city's business and to
their development with a view to
the greatest economy and efficiency.
Carrying out of the people's will in
this regard requires hearty co-opera
tion by city, railroads, and waterfront
owners and carriers by water. Had the
new policy been inaugurated with an
attempt to repeal railroad franchises.
this co-operation would have been im
possible; instead we should have had
long and bitterly contested litigation,
pending which no progress "would have
been made. These proposed ordi
nances having been rejected by the
good sense of the people as repellant
to their views of Justice and sound
policy, all interests can now meet
with good feeling born of confidence
in each other's disposition to deal
fairly, and can work out in conjunc
tion the new terminal plan.
Adequate terminals are now the
most urgent need of the railroads.
Their construction has taxed the brains
of the best men and the financial re
sources of the railroads. The need is
particularly great in a city like Port
land, which Is about to experience a
great expansion of business through
opening of the Panama Canal, opera
tion of trans-Pacific steamship lines
and development of inland waterways.
Necessity of providing for Interchange
of traffic between rail and water and
between river and ocean-vessels makes
the problem one of combining land
'lth water terminals. To insure
economical handling and efficiency,
these must be developed together, as
one undertaking, not separately.
Hence the need of co-operation.
The terminal problem calls urgent
ly for solution throughout the coun
try. It Is one feature of the general
improvement of transportation facili
ties demanded by our swelling vol
ume of trade. Owing to the inade
quacy of tracks and terminals, a
freight car moves on the average only
two hours a day. The Investment
made in it and its contents Is lying
idle one-twelfth of the time It Is in
transit. This is a waste which the
consumer ultimately pays. If the roll
ing stock of the railroads could be kept
moving, it might prove sufficient to
carry the traffic. As James J. Hill well
said in an address to the Railway
Business Association, to increase the
mileage and traffic of railroads with
out corresponding enlargement of
terminals is like enlarging the bottle
without enlarging the neck. The re
sult Is a blockade such as has con
gested freight terminals almost yearly.
Railroads must have capital in order
to enlarge the neck as well as the bot
tle. It is as much to the interest of
the shippers as of the railroads that
this capital be secured. It cannot be
secured under present conditions, for
cost of material, wages and taxes
have been going steadily upward, while
rates have been going downward. The
margin remaining is so small that cap
ital is reluctant to buy railroad bonds.
Of the total amount of general securi
ties listed in 1903, railroad securities
were 49.2 per cent, while in 1912 they
were only 19 per cent. Although high
er interest was offered, more could
not be sold, and many roads have
been borrowing on short-time notes to
make ordinary Improvements which
should be paid for with surplus in
come. The shipper, or rather the con
sumer, really pays this added Interest
in the end, either with Inefficient serv
ice now or with higher rates later on.
He might as well pay the higher rates
now and insure efficient service now.
In opposing measures forfeiting fran
chises, he is sustaining railroad credit
and helping the roads to secure capital
at moderate interest to make im
provements which will insure efficiency
all to his own advantage.
A NOTABLE &PELUNO BEE.
The spelling match which has been
arranged between some eloquent Con
gressmen and erudite newspaper writ
ers at Washington ought to be an oc
casion of spiritual refreshment. Most
of the contestants will probably show
how badly they can spell. It Is not to
be expected that they will distinguish
themselves except negatively. If a
booby prize were to be offered, no
doubt most of the competitors would
be tied for it. For spelling Is one of
the lost arts In these degenerate days
and it Is only rarely sifted individuals
who can practice it triumphantly.
It is amusing to those of us who
never miss a word to think what mon
strous blunders some otherwise very
estimable people make at spelling bees.
We recall one where the daughter of
a Congressman had. been chosen to
stand at the head on one side. She
was a beautiful young creature, most
elegantly gowned, but she went down
on "begin." She spelled it "beguin."
Nobody blamed her, since we all knew
that our lovely tongue sets all sorts of
traps with useless letters, but if the
daughter of a Congressman cannot
spell "begin," what must we expect
of the Congressmen themselves? If
such enormities are committed In the
green tree, what frightful perform
ances are to be looked for in the dry?
We should not be surprised to read
after the match is over that some hon
ored representative-of the people had
been floored by "sieve or "gauge." It
is these pestiferous short words spelled
without rhythm or reason that slay
their tens of thousands at spelling
matches. Long words are not so per
ilous. Such polysyllables as "ante
diluvian" and "implacability" look ap
palling, but their bark is worse than
their bite.
Happily, most of our English poly
syllables are spelled phonetically, imi
tating the Latin from which they are
apt to be derived. All modern scien
tific words are phonetic. That is, they
are pronounced exactly as they are
spelled, so that they present few ter
rors to the orthographic champion. It
Is the little words, like the little sins,
that bring perdition. They are utterly
lawless and their correct spelling is a
pure act of memory. Usually the more
insanely the speller combines his let
ters the nearer right he is.
A STARTLING DISCOVERY.
Postmaster-General Hitchcock made
a record in office which excelled
that of any predecessor, taking strict
notice of all of them from the first
Ben Franklin down to Mr. Burleson
and by no means overlooking John
VYanamaker, who came nearer putting
the Postofflce Department on a busi
ness basis than any of those who
came before, or after him save only
Mr. Hitchcock.
The revenues of the Postofflce De
partment are the wonder of the coun
try, reaching well up to $200,000,000
a year. During Mr. Hitchcock's last
year in office he so well husbanded the
resources and pared down the ex
penses that he made them come out
about even he says the department
a little better than paid its way. But
when Mr. Burleson took' hold he ap
pointed his first, second, third and
fourth assistants and the chief clerk
of the department, all new men, to
look Into Mr. Hitchcock's statement.
and they have, after a cursory exam
ination (for they have not been long
enough in office to do more than this)
found that instead of making money
the department ran three-quarters of
a million dollars behind in the past
year.
Consider a man saying he had the
sum of $2.6 6 on deposit, when he
had only $2.65, iwhat a terrible error
that would be! Think of a business
man making a bank statement of his
affairs and setting down a credit of
$266 when it should have been only
$265! Would the bank throw out
such an account? Not by any manner
of means.
Really the Administration must be
hard put to it to stoop to a trifling
difference in figures, for that is all
the "discovery" of this "wonderful"
discrepancy amounts to. The ramifi
cations of the business of the depart
ment are so great that it often takes
several months to ascertain Just how
affairs stood on a particular date. It
frequently takes years for a retiring
postmaster to get his accounts
straightened out. Why? Because peo
ple buy money orders and do not
have them cashed for months, perhaps
years. Even persons taking contracts
do not always collect their money
when due. Much of the business of
the department is always months and
sometimes longer behind.
For Mr. Burleson to say he and his
untutored assistants have in the short
space of ten weeks got . the figures
down to a dollar is merely a political
guess, a statement -which is made for
the purpose of allowing them in the
future to explain how and why the
receipts and expenditures under their
management are not satisfactory to the
country. For it is almost a foregone
conclusion Mr. Burleson cannot equal
the achievements of Mr. Hitchcock.
Fearing that Republican filibuster
ers may obstruct passage of the Un
derwood tariff. Senator Owen proposes
a new rule allowing the majority to
decide when a vote should be taken
and then to call for a vote. This Is
called the closure In other countries.
But men on both sides of the Senate
are unalterably opposed to limiting de
bate and would talk till doomsday
against the new rule. In short, the
closure cannot be adopted without
first applying the closure, unless the
opposition should talk itself into a
state of exhaustion with no reserves to
call in. That is how Senator La Fol
lette's filibuster against the emergency
currency bill was ended.
Governor Sulzer has defied Tam
many once more. He appointed Judge
John B. Riley, of Plattsburg, State
Superintendent of Prisons, but the
Senate refused to confirm the appoint
ment in the last week of the session.
He then appointed Herman Ridder,
but that gentleman refused to qual
ify. The Legislature having adjourned
In the meantime, the Governor again
appointed Judge Riley, who has quali
fied and made the changes in his staff
which the Governor desired. Mr. Sul
zer delights in making the tiger show
his fangs.
How miserably things are arranged.
At night, when it is cool, one is per
mitted to wear as few garments as he
likes. He need not wear any unless
he wishes. But by day, when It is
blazing hot, one must wear a heavy
coat and ponderous hat, with all the
paraphernalia thereunto appertaining.
Ernest WllllHg Darling, of Stanford,
preaches a gospel of no clothing. We
hope he will convert the world If this
spell of weather holds on.
"Deal Justly with your domestic servants,"
advises Vice-President Marshall, addressing
sweet girl graduates in Washington. Hubl
The domestic servants will see to that
Louisville Courier-Journal.
The Vice-President Is dreaming of a
bygone age. His remark would have
been more up to dote had he exhorted
the domestic servants to deal Justly
with their employers. He also com
mits an unpardonable offense In call
ing them servants. They are the
"lady help" and the "gentleman help."
I When a man's own brother goes
back on him and calls him a foe to
humanity his case looks pretty black.
Dr. Friedmann, of turtle serum fame,
is besmudged by just such an incident.
His brother says he ought to have
given his cure to the world and de
nounces him as a mercenary for not
doing so. But there is a crumb of
comfort. The brother, outraged as he
is, insists that Frederick Franz is on
the right track.
Senator Johnston, of Alabama, who
says he Is going to stand for re-election
on the sole issue of anti-suffrage, for
gets that reputations are not built on
negatives. It is the positive statesmen
who attain lasting success and are re
membered gratefully by posterity. His
tory exalts no man on account of the
Issues he opposed, though such nega
tive characters as Senator Johnston
are useful at times.
Secretary Bryan may think he has
muzzled the Japanese war-mongers
with his scheme for nine months' post
ponement of hostilities when Interna
tional disputes are pending. He is
mistaken, for the jingoes can howl un.
interruptedly for nine months.
The lobbyists may be Innocent of
using corrupt means to influence Con
gressmen, but the fact remains that
their persistence and pernicious pre
dictions of dire and disastrous ruin
have caused many to imagine that
they spoke for the people.
Nat Goodwin insists that his last
marriage was purely a love affair. We
thought he was merely trying to
break the modern marrying record set
by Brigham Toung.
Congressmen in a spelling match
with Washington newspaper men will
fail. What does a statesman know of
the lexicon? That Is the secretary's
province.
The Rushlight following was hope
ful for a few hours yesterday -while the
redlight vote was being counted.
The defeated candidates at the pri
maries a month ago extend the hand
of welcome to their brethren.
The younger generation, listening to
tales of high water, is hoping for the
worst.
The Columbia would be a fine har
bor just now for the Pacific fleet to
run Into in case of stress.
The Kansas grasshopper of forty
years ago has followed the course of
empire.
The only trouble with McMinnville
is that it has too many wealthy men.
What will become of the Commoner,
with Bryan in Washington and Met
calfe in Panama?
In the matter of the recall of Judge
Worden. of Klamath County, the Judge
stays sot.
Japan has signed up to be good for
ninety days, by which time there may
be another cause of agitation.
We are able to repeat, and more per
tinently back to the plumbing shop.
Now a Bible association holds hell
to be a myth. In this wfather?
The voters think Portland has
enough bonds outstanding.
The grasshopper invasion never can
pass the Southern Oregon turkey.
Bet a dish of Oregon strawberries
would break the hunger strike.
Hot sunshine means cheap strawber
ries for the housewife.
Secure your June bride early and
avoid the rush:
The, women voted right. Woman is
always right.
What a croo-el world this is for most
of "em!
The also rans had their brief day of
glory.
The vacation lure is taking form.
Now for the Rose Festival.
OF
COMPOSER
Portland Resident Once Tipped CI us a
of Wine With Richard Warner.
PORTLAND, June S. (To the Edi
tor.) The Oregonlan's recent very in
teresting editorial on Richard Wagner
brought back memories of my personal
acquaintance with this, the greatest
musical genius since Beethoven. In
1882. while I was at Weimar taking
a post-graduate course with Liszt, the
marvelous wizard of the piano, who,
as is well known, was Wagner's father-in-law,
the entire musical world was
aglow with curiosity as to the coming
initial performance of "Parsifal" Wag
ner's last opera. Of course, Liszt would
be present, and the master in his ever
kindly heart extended an Invitation to
several of his pupils to come to Bay
reuth and continue their lessons with
him there. I was among the fortunate
number. Simultaneously 1 received a
telegram from a New York musical
Journal, asking me to go at once to
Bayreuth and send reports of the great
event, which agreeably furnished for
me- the extra where-with-all. Through
Liszt I was invited to the Wagner
home, having received an invitation in
Frau Coslma's own handwriting to at
tend several soirees at Villa Wahn
fried. I so met the composer of "Parsifal"
yes, and even tipped a glass of wine
with him! It was surely a proud mo
ment for a student (and I afterwards
wished that I had retained the glass).
Buy my heart thumped as I entered
the famed portals for sacred they
seemed to every music enthusiast? And
what a gathering! Liszt, Saint-Saens,
Rubinstein. Dellbes and many other
composers the famous conductors, and
great opera stars of the day these
moved about modestly as though it
were an everyday occasion.
The master was smaller in stature
than I had expected from his photo
graphs. His voice was high and clear,
his manner of utterance Jerky and
barking-like, while he gesticulated an
imatedly. In answer to a question, he
replied: . "No, I will hardly bring out
another opera." And this proved a
prophecy, for "Parsifal" was his last.
More of a religious allegory than an
oper,a, it proved to be his requiem, for
eight months later he passed away at
Venice, where they had gone to spend
the Winter and from where I had re
ceived from Frau Wagner a letter only
a short time before the news of his
death shocked the world.
Many, and among them a good sprin
kling of Americans, will remember the
great "Parsifal" banquet at Bayreuth,
at which sat about 600 musical people
at large tables, arranged as an oblong,
with Wagner and Liszt side by side at
the middle of one of the longer sides
of and facing this oblong. Think of
these two genial and patriarchal heads
side by side Liszt, meditative and as
modest and self-effacing as Wagner
was assertive and egoistic. Yet, Wag
ner arose and made a speech, in which
he warmly acknowledged his great in
debtedness to LHzt, who did more than
fifty ether musicians to bring Warner's
genius first to public notice. This was
a historic moment in the annals of
music. CARL V. LACHMUND.
WORD FOR THE "BOYS IN CAMP"
Pisa-ah Mother Sends New of Home
and Appeal for Aid.
PORTLAND, June 3. (To the Edi
tor.) I take this means of communi
cating with the boys in the camps
knowing that they will be glad to
hear from Pisgah Home and "mother."
We have a new minister and this
morning we had a beautiful morning
service. He used the text, "She Hath
Done What She Could." The story
told of the Mary who had been a great
sinner. But so much had been forgiven
her and because she loved Christ so
much she brought precious ointment in
a beautiful alabaster box to anoint his
weary feet. She took this means of
showing her gratitude. We have not
that privilege now. But he tells us
that Inasmuch as we minister unto the
least of these or any that are in want,
we are ministering unto him. We that
are in ' Pisgah are carrying this work
on. The work that Jesus -came to do.
I believe that the boys that were
with us in Pisgah House last Winter
will gladly help us to do this work in
providing the necessary funds to finish
the roof and get the house ready for
the Old Ladies' Home. I am waiting
just now for re-enforcements. 1 know
if this letter gets into the hands of the
boys that they will heartily respond
with a check to help me. It is not
that these cannot earn money, but they
cannot keep it when in the power of the
enemy.
Just now we are In great need of
help In both homes. We have now
only a few men in the home. These are
cripples and convalescents. Perhaps
you remember the brother who had
both legs amputated and so faithfully,
all Winter, pared the vegetables. This
morning he called me to him and said
"mother, if I could only walk I would
take a card and I would go around
and get you the money to pay the rent."
I said, "How?" The tears stood in his
eyes as he replied: "I'd tell the peo
ple of the condition we fellows are all
in." I comforted him with the as
surance that if they would all pray I
would come through some way and
keep the home over their heads. Boys
you must all come up with your
money. I can't turn these helpless
ones out in the streets. I helped you in
your need; you will respond now in our
need I am sure.
The boy who had asthma came home
well and strong. He stopped as he
went through the city both he and
Ryan and each put a gold piece In
my hand (Just like them). You re
member the asthma boy was so irritable
the boys thought him ungrateful. But
he wasn't; he was just sick. He proved
himself fine.
I shall' expect a. regular avalanche of
letters from you boys in the camps.
How glad I shall be to hear from you
all. You must each one describe your
self so I'll know who you are, ' for
you know we dont know much about
names In Pisgah.
You read In the papers of Brother
Joseph's sad death. The cars caught
him and took off both legs. You know
why. He was not himself. That was
a day of mourning in Pisgah Home.
Boys remember the counsel I gave
you all Winter. Keep off of the
enemy's territory.
PISGAH MOTHER.
Thaddeua Stevens Politics.
OREGON CITY. Or., June 2. (To the
editor.) The editorial in The Orego
nian. June 1. on Thaddeus Stevens
mixes dates and parties In a way that
may mislead young readers.
The Anti-Mason party belonged to
the period of the formation of the Whig
party, the Know-Nothing party to that
of Its decay and death. The two had
nothing In common. Thaddeus Stevens
was of the first party but not of the
second.
He was never a Free Soiler in the
party sense of the word. That was
the name taken by those who nomin
ated Martin Van Buren at Buffalo.
N. Y in 1848. Mr. Stevens was their
bitter opponent.
The tone of fairness in the editorial
gave me pleasure to read. The old lion
left behind him so many jackasses who
take delight in kicking at his memory
that we who knew him In life appre
ciate decency. J. A. ROMAN.
Kill the CaterplUar.
PORTLAND, June 3. (To the
Editor.) The army caterpillars
are here In numbers. Please
notify in a conspicuous place In The
Oregonlan so that all may look out
for them and kill them now while they
are in clusters and before they scatter.
They can be found on the bodies of
the trees and on their lower limbs.
They are mostly on the apple and prune
trees. J. C ifGREW,
REMINISCENCE
I VEW THEORY AS TO GRAVITATION
It la Panhiag Not Pulling; Force Accord.
ln to Ennrllah Scientist.
ALBANY. Or., June 1. (To the Edi-
tor.) May I attempt to explain a mar
velous new theory in the realms of
physics and chemistry? It is a theory
developed by a leading English math-j
ematlclan of the University of Man-
Chester which has recently been ex
plained for American scientists by the
professor of physics of the University
of Minnesota. The claim is made for it
by cautious scientific thinkers that it
has already risen from the rank of
hypothesis to that of mathematically
demonstrated truth. This new theory
furnishes an explanation of gravita
tion, makes clear the relation between
the ether of space and matter, showing
that both are built of the same stuff,
and makes intelligible the statement of
Oliver Lodge, the English scientist,
published some years ago. that matter
"is some sort of a rarefaction of the
ether." ,
Only a few years ago at a time when
the physicists were- counting the elect
rons into which every sort of atom sub
divides, the leading chemist of Europe
declared that he saw no reason for ac
cepting the theory or the composite na
ture of the chemical atom. The new
theory goes a step further in the sub
division of matter and finds atom,
electron and ether all composed of what
it calls ultimate cosmic grains. These
cosmic grains are infinitesimal little
spherical balls, absolutely rigid, dem
onstrated mathematically not to be
divisible further, filling- all conceiv
able space In almost the closest con
ceivably contact with each other.
The characteristic or ether is contin
uity. The spaces between its parts
are only 1-400.000.000,000 part of the
diameter of the parts (the ultimate cos
mic grains). The characteristic of mat
ter is discontinuity. Every atom moves
through paths millions of times the
length of its own diameter. Its every
neighbor atom Is to it like a distant
world. To conceive of the relations "t
electrons to atoms one should men
tally magnify the smallest of atoms.
mat or hydrogen, to the size of a house.
The electron, that are its parts, will
then be like grains of sand flying
about within It with the speed of light.
They will number about 1800 to the
atom. A large, heavy atom like that
of gold or of radium may be conceived
as of mountain size with some hundreds
of thousands of electrons widely sep
arated and violently agitated within it.
The diameter of the ultimate cosmic
grain has been measured in terms of
the wave length of violet light, and is
reducible then to inches. The diameter
in question is 1-700,000,000.000 of a
wave length and a wave length is
1-70,000 of an inch. Forty-nine thou
sand million grains ultimate cosmic
grains ether grains stretch in a row
through every inch of space. Each one
of them vibrates with inconceivable
rapidity from neighbor to neighbor.
The earth, as a whole, in its Journey
around the sun travels 19 miles a sec
ond. These grains In their short path,
which is only a very small fraction
of their diameter in length, accomplish
a journey of 18 Inches a second. This
small motion of its component parts is
the bails of the nearly perfect elas
ticity of ether. The enormous energy
of this motion occasions a mean pres
sure within the ether that is 3000 times
greater than the pressure required to
crush the strongest known substance.
Every part of the ether sustains a pres
sure of 750,000 tons per square inch.
Spherical balls may be piled or fitted
together in a variety of positions.
When shaken well together In a bag
they arrange themselves in what may
be called normal piling, and then oc
cupy less space than when in any other
position. Ether grains are arranged in
normal piling In the ether. Matter is
a result of abnormal piling of ether
grains In which they have separated
somewhat from each other and occupy
more than normal space. The .body of
the material atom Is simply ether, that
is, it is simply cosmic grains in normal
piling. The surface of the atom is a
spherical shell, where the grains are
abnormally arranged and have sepa
rated. It Is a "surface of misfit" and
relative absence of mass. These atomic
surfaces are also called spherical cracks
in the medium. They travel throunh
the medium like waves and appear as
the rarifled surfaces of everchangin
ether masses. Presumably the elec
trons within the atoms also have bodies
of ether (cosmic grains in normal pil
ing) ana surfaces of misfit that form
spherical cracks around normally-piled
cosmic grains. Larger bodies of mat
ter are composed of atoms and are com
pared to locust Bwarms or dust clouds.
The new explanation of gravitation
follows naturally from the new theory
which sies in matter a hole in the
ether. The rarefied spherical cracks
In the ether are pushed through denser
ether in various directions precisely
as bubbles are pushed through water
In one direction. The direction of the
motion Is affected by the presence of
other masses of matter, but the
motion is not to be explained as an
attraction. It is the result of pushing
and not of pulling.
F. G. FRANKLIN.
CONTROVERSIES WITH ENGLAND
Correspondent Questions Fairness of
Great Britain Toward America.
PORTLAND, June 3. (To the Edi
tor.) A gentleman writing In The Ore
gonlan lately and extolling England for
her fairness in diplomatic matters over
looked Important facts of history In
relation to same. The position of Great
Britain toward the United States during
the Civil War which he mentioned
was far from decent or even neigh
borly. It is true open recognition of
the Confederacy did not go farther
than to give the South belligerent
rights, but this didn't cover the case.
England secretly permitted the fitting
out of vessels for use by the Confed
eracy In her own ports and let them
sail even after protest by the United
States Government, which was contrary
to the laws of nations.'
Of course the United States having
the rebellion on her hands was unable
to enforce her demands, but the act of
Great Britain was none the less per
fidious. After the war she was com
pelled to make amends to the United
States, but was let off with only a
small amount ($15,500,000) compared to
the damage her vessels in the Con
federate service did.
Again in the Venezuela case, which
was quoted as an example of British
justice or fair play. Great Britain at
first refused to arbitrate as any fair
nation would, but had to come down
from her hlh horse at the behest of
the United States. Finally a decision
was made which gave Venezuela some
share of the disputed territory. If you
have any old piece of land lying loose
which you are unable to defend look
out for Great Britain.
Of course in saying this we are
aware that the sympathies of large
numbers of the British people were
with the North. The common people or
laboring class favoring liberty and free
governmental institutions; the aris
tocracy or nobility, which at that time
ruled England, being our secret if not
open foe; but nations have to be judged
by their acts, not thoughts alone, and
the records are never to be effaced.
A. C JOSLYN.
Too Grateful to Physlclana.
London Tit-Bits.
A custom that seems to be peculiar to
South Africa Is. that of printing thanks
to Medical attendants in connection
with death announcements. Some of
the bereaved even go so far as specif
ically to thank the physician for his
"prompt attendance." Although it is
meant in all kindness, the South
African Medical Record finds the prac
tice very objectionable, and the medical
association Is attempting to suppress
these too Inclusive "in memoriams."
When Returns Were Slow
By Dean Collins.
'Twas the day after 'lection day.
And in the highways, soft and low
Rose faint, uncertain, far away.
The song of the "I-Told-You-So."
Not very loud did he begin.
Because the count was not all In,
Therefore, as yet. he did not know
Just what it was he "told-me-so."
A nervous man paced to and fro
And watched the bulletins come in.
I marvelled, he did fidget so.
And Bigh. "Who do you think will
win?"
"Why are you nervous thus?" I cried
I!1. cannt guess," the man replied.
'Until the count ends, which ones wen
Elected for Commissioner.
"A.fe you a candidate?" I said.
, ' Ye3- I was one." the man replied.
But late last night my fate was read
I'm clearly on the losine side."
Said I: "Then wherefore puzzle so.
If your own fate e'en now vou knowt
W hy vex your mind? Cheer up and
grin.
Oh. what care you for who gets In?"
He gave a dep and doleful sigh:
"Alas these slow returns play hob
With all my plans, for how can I
Guess who controls the luscious job.
Oh bitter woe! I polled no vote.
And yet a deeper woe to tote
I can't guess which opponent I
Must hitch to if I want some pie. "
rrora The Oregonlan or June 4. 1SSS.
Washington June 3. The House com
mittee on public lands considered yes
terday the bill forfeiting The Dalles
military wagon road grant, which, with
other grants, is included in the bill
Introduced by Representative Hermann.
The large river steamer built at
Pasco by the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company and sold to the Columbia Im
provement Company for the Salmon
River trade, was launched June 1 and
will be ready to start running in 30
days.
The following Is clipped from the
Harney Valley Times: Mr. Ivan Huma
son and Dr. J. M. Wells, of Portland,
arrived in Burns yesterday on a sight
seeing expedition through Eastern Ore
gon. The Willamettes yesterday gave the
Seattle. Browns a thorough walloping,
the score being 8 to 3. The second
game at the new Riverside grounds
yesterday, between the Portlands and
the Western, of San Francisco, resulted
In another victory for the home nine
by a score of 13 to 12.
The foundry and machine shop be
longing to John Atchinson at Milwau
kie was totally destroyed by fire yes
terday morning.
H. M. Netz. night inspector of cus
toms, resigned his position on Satur
day. .
Mr. J. D. Shaw, formerly traveling
salesman for Murphy, Grant & Co., has
purchased an interest in the general
merchandise store of P. F. Stenger at
Burns, Grant County.
Paul Schulze. general land agent of
the Northern Pacific at-Tacoma, came
to Portland yesterday.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonlan of June 4, 1863.
Messrs. Snow. Turley & Co., offer to
pay 4 cents a pound for every pound of
pitch brought to them, having estab
lished a pitch, rpsln, tax and turpen
tine manufactory in this city.
Chicago, May 28. The rebel reports
of our repulse at Vtcksburg seem to
have been correct. The Memphis dis
patches of the 27th say the steamer
Sullivan, from Youngs Point, reports
that last Friday May 22 the Federal
troops were repulsed at Vlcksburg.
The next morning they retrieved their
position. At one place it was neces
sary to scale a steep hill with ladders.
General Hovey led the assault. The
rebels rolled shells down the hill at the
Federals, which exploded among them,
making a fearful havoc
Murfreesboro. May 27. Dispatches
from Grant arrived today. The Gen
eral says Vicksburg is completely in
vested. The enemy were driven from
the outer works by storm and are hud
dled together within the Inner works,
with every prospect, of being captured
soon.
Headquarters, Army of the Potomac.
May 28. The rebels are evidently mov
ing. Lee issued an order, which has
been read to the troops, congratulating
them upon their past achievements and
foreshadowing a raid into Maryland.
Willamette Theater A tolerably fair
audience was at the thp.tpr
and the performance very good. To-
uigm me trageay or "The Gamester"
will be played. Miss Edith Mitchell as
Mrs. Beverly and-Mx., Waldron as Mr.
Beverly.
Massachusetts' Ban on Red Flag.
Boston Cor.
The carrying of any flag's other than
the National or state Amr,la.m.
nags of friendly foreign nations and
tueir cepenaencies in any parade in this
commonwealth is prohibited In a bill
which has received the approval of
Governor Foss. The measure further
provides that no sign bearing an in
scription opposed to organized Govern
ment or which Is sacrilegious or derog.
atory to public morals shall be car
ried in parades
Men DO Read
Advertisements
There has' been some lively
discussion on this subject lately
and at a dinner of advertising
men in one of the larger cities
recently a prominent advertiser
rose and asserted that "after
all, very few men read adver
tisements." "Yon are absolutely wrong-,"
retorted another advertising
man, the manager of advertis
ing in a department store. "We
bad a sale of shirts one day last
week that was the most suc
cessful in the history of our
business. Ninety-nine per cent
of those who came in and
boupht were men. They came
in direct response to our news
paper advertisement."
Everywhere in every station
of life men find interest in ad
vertising. It may not be cloth
ing, shoes or hats; but it may
be something that relates to
real estate, banking, the stock
market, to automobiles to
any of the thousand and one
things that constantly form the
subject of wide-awake adver
tising. .
J Twenty-five Years Ago '