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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (June 6, 1913)
D 10 THE MORXING OREGOXIAX. FRIDAY. JTTVE 6. 1913. POBILAND, OREGON. Kr.tercd at Portland, Oregon, Postofflce as econd-olaaa matter. Subscription Kates Invariably In Advance: (BT MAIL) Oalljr, Sunday Included, one year $8.00 Dally. Ennday Included, tlx months 4.25 Dally. Sunday included, three month... 2.20 Daily. Sunday ncTuded, one month..... .76 Daily, without Sunday, one year 6.00 Dally, without Sunday, six month! 3.25 Daily, without Sunday, three months.... 1.75 Dally, without Sunday, one month SO Weekly, one year 1.50 Sunday, ona year 2.50 Sunday and Weekly, one year 3.50 (BT CARRIER) Daily, Sunday Included, one year 9-00 Daily, Sunday Included, one month 75 How to Remit Send postofflce money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Give postufrif address in Cull, Including county and state. Postage Kates Ten (o It pases. 1 cent; 1 to 28 pases. 2 cents; 30 to 40 pases. 3 cents; 40 to 60 paxes, 4 cents. Foreign postage, double rates. Kastern Business offices Verree St Conk lln. New York. Brunswick building. Chi cago. Steger building. San Francisco Office R. J. BldweU Co., 742 Market street. Knropesa Office Mo. 3 Regent street S. W.. London. Portland, nun ay, jtjxe 6, 1913. ABUSING A FRIVII.KGK. The referending of the workmen's compensation law has one feature In common with several other measures that have been taken to the people by Initiative or referendum. The Influ ence or Interest that Is promoting a vote on the Issue is working under cover. It was so with the referendlng of the publio utilities bill. It was so with the Initiating of the Heusner franchise. It is so with the referend lng at those less Important measures the county attorney act and the ster ilization law. It is so to an extent with the hold-up of the university ap propriations. Men actuated by poll tics, spite or personal interest have teamed how to overcome the will of the majority, at least for a time, with out bringing down upon themselves an avalanche of adverse public senti ment. A procurable lawyer, a few paid petition hawkers and several days' work by them in the slums and among voters who know little and care less about laws passed for the public weal will do the trick. It 1b to this disgraceful end that the direct legislative power is not occa sionally but frequently prostituted. The well-meaning portion of the pub lic Is continually combated by skulk ing enemies who call to their aid innu endo, class prejudice, willful misrep resentation and other powers of evil. Our corrupt practices act is so elabor ate that It Is trifling in some particu lars, yet It does not reach or attempt to reach the dishonest petition circu lator. Signatures are solicited and ob tained by grossest misrepresentation. The law requires the filing of state ments of campaign expenditures, but the statement is not demanded until after the issue has been settled at the polls, and even then ways of avoiding disclosure as to origin of funds are numerous and frequently followed. The corrupt practices act needs tight ening. The solution of the problem of petition abuses presents serious com plications, but that of attack from am bush is comparatively simple. It would be easy to draft a measure that would compel a revealing of the iden tity of those who invoke the system. The referendlng of the workmen's compensation act Is typical In its dis closure of the needs of reform in direct legislative procedure. The act In volves a principle the merit of which Is established. Opponents of the prin ciple are inconsequential In number. They are rare Indeed outside the ranks of the few beneficiaries of existing lia bility laws, and those beneficiaries are almost exclusively the casualty compa nies and the lawyers who make a spe cialty of personal injury cases. The representatives of the casualty com panies have subscribed to a statement denying responsibility for the hold-up of the measure. The so-called ambulance-chasers have not spoken. Dis satisfaction with the details of the act as adopted might have Impelled a group of employers or employes to at tack the act through the referendum, though the possibility is remote. If either of the latter are backing the referendum, their procedure is due either to misconstruction of the pro vision of the law or a misguided idea of the way to improve it The employer need not fear the compensation law. It is elective, and If he chooses not to be bound by it he need not be. If he declines to accept the act, it is true that the common law defenses are denied him, but they are practically denied him now by the lia bility law, which will prevail if the workmen's compensation law be de feated. The compensation act Is elec tive, too, as It concerns the employe. Th workman, simply by giving notice, can remain on exactly the same foot ing In regard to his right to recover for Injury as he would possess If the voters reject the law. If either em ployer or employe believes a better law can be drafted, the initiative Is as readily at hand as the referendum. The latter need not be Invoked, but if both initiative and referendum are applied, two competing acts go before the people at the same election, and, as history has proved, one will defeat the other regardless of majority sen timent favorable to the principle In volved. The case resolves itself into this: The workmen's compensation law has been referred to the people by inter ests pecuniarily benefited by the old law. else the movement is the product f ignorance. The subterranean char acter of the opposition indicates that the flrst-named interest Is responsible. As It is obviously hiding out of respect to public sentiment, public sentiment in demanding that it come to the sur face will not prevail. The case em phasizes the need for a lefral club to drive such pernicious workers from ambush. But the weapon's true value would be as a deterrent. The motive that now Impels concealment would be trong enough in many Instances, were concealment Impossible, to deter a per nicious minority from activity at all. 1 iaiMsi:i F1UIRES. The accidental transposition of a column of election figures, throwing other figures out of their place, in the election tables of The Oregonlan yesterday caused The Oregonlan to re verse the relative positions of Mr. Dieck and Mr. Brewster as Commissioners-elect, and It has likewise led our benumbed contemporary, the Journal, to suggest that it is The Ore gonlan, not the Journal, which Is "be wildered." We meekly accept the re buke and admit that the mistake was particularly unpardonable In its lia bility to mislead the Journal, which never knows who is elected In Oregon until The Oregonlan appears. The Oregonlan gathers election re turns with thoroughness and at very considerable expense. It Is a task that taxes the resources of any news paper. Few Journals Indeed under take to do the work on their own ac count, but rely upon the easy method of waiting ( for the returns to be brought in. The Oregonlan sends meg. sengers to all the precincts on the night of election, and on succeeding nights, and makes its own compila tions. It is not surprising that in the great hurry with which the labor Is done, an error should here and there be made; it is astonishing. Indeed, that so few errors are made. It may be recalled that The Orego nlan on. Tuesday the day following the election made the estimate that Albee's plurality would be about 5500 votes. The actual plurality is 6412. On Wednesday morning The Orego nian was able to make the first an nouncement of the election of Daly, Dieck, Bigelow and Brewster, and to give, besides, full and authentic in formation as to all other candidates and the initiative measures. It was a very important news service ren dered by The Oregonian In a matter of real moment; but that is the busi ness of The Oregonlan, and it does whatever is to be done in the publi cation 'of news with completeness and without needless flourish. FAIR DEALING. Mr. Heusner submitted to the people a franchise in terms prescribed by himself, and it was heavily defeated. The Oregon-Washington Railway & Navigation Company and the Southern Pacific made an open and frank appeal to the public to sustain their fran chise rights on the East Side, and a verdict was promptly returned in their favor. It was in each instance a con spicuous illustration of the public's acute understanding of the equities and of fair dealing in their relations with large business. Mr. Heusner took the public into his confidence only to the extent of declar ing in outline what his unknown prin cipals proposed to do. The city wants new capital and It wants street rail road competition; but it is not ready to turn over to a promoter large and Important franchise rights on his per sonal assurance that the men to whom he intends to assign his privileges are all right. Who are they? The public is enti tled to know. When it learns, it will grant a franchise on favorable terms. In the meantime it will not permit Mr. Heusner or anybody to blindfold its eyes as a condition precedent to the grant of a franchise. HOW TO WIN AN ELECTION. The eighteen leading candidates for Commissioner, in the order of rank as determined by the vote cast for them in the recent city election, were the following; Daly. Dana. Dieck. McAllister. Bigelow. Driscoll. Brewster. Munly. Stoppenbach. Werlein. Hurlburt. Watklns. Clyde. McMonies. Baker. Benbow. Cellars. Craig. In the eighteen are the entire twelve indorsed by the Committee of One Hundred, and six others who, by rea son of personal popularity or political strength, or support by special inter ests, or otherwise, were formidable candidates. Not one of the six was successful, though a powerful effort was made to elect several of them. The first six of the eighteen were all indorsed by the Committee of One Hundred. Below the lowest candidate of the eighteen a candidate indorsed by the Committee of One Hundred comes the highest of the miscellaneous can didates; but the drop is twenty-five hundred votes. There are more than fifty candidates who had less than 6000 votes on the three choices. Clearly, the effort by the Committee of One Hundred to bring about con cert of action, so as to rescue the city from the peril of undesirable candida cies, was a remarkable success. DEMOCRATS YIELD TO LOGIC. The Democratic tariff framers in the House turned aside from their straight path toward free trade in opposite directions and at times they found themselves trying to travel in both directions at the same time. They angled for the farmer's vote with duties on agricultural products, for the consumer's vote with free food products. In so doing they got them selves into a boggle. They thought to win the farmer by taxing foreign wheat and admitting flour free, oblivi ous of the fact that this would injure both the farmer and the miller. The Canadians would grind their wheat and ship it across the border free as flour. The English would import Canadian and Argentina wheat, grind it at sea ports and ship it to us as flour. Oats and oatmeal, cattle and dressed beef were treated in the same manner and like results would have followed. Re plenishment of our depleted herds was to be obstructed by duties on cattle, but cattle-growing and beef-packing were to be stimulated in Argentina, Canada and Australia by free admis sion of meat. In their anxiety to pro tect the farmer and to put the manu facturer on a free trade basis, they actually offered protection to the foreign against the American manufac. turer and took away from the farmer with the one hand the protection which they had given with the other. The provisions of the Underwood bill as originally drawn would not only have built up the milling indus try of Canada, England and Germany at the expense of both the American farmer and the American miller, but would have stimulated the same in dustry in China and Japan. Mills have been built In those countries, but the industry has languished for lack or market for bran and screenings, which compose one-third of the prod uct of wheat. The Underwood bill proposed to admit these by-products free, without the proviso attached to free flour, for free admission of the American article to the country of origin. With the American market thrown open, not only to their flour but to their bran and screenings, the Japanese and Chinese could have shut the Paciflc'Coast mills out of the Ori ental market and have invaded the American market, both on the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts. The proposed duty of 10 cents a bushel on wheat would have been a direct aid to them against the Americans. The millers were in a peculiarly strong position to attack these In equitable provisions, for. unlike other classes of manufacturers, they asked no protection. They only asked Con gress to do as other nations do im pose a duty on flour and by-products equivalent to the duty on wheat, or to admit both wheat and Its products free. They are ready to face compe tition with the world, unaided by pro. tectlon. They protest only against being subjected to discrimination by their own government. Their position was unassailable and the action of the Democratic members of the Senate committee in putting both wheat and flour on the free list is an admission of the fact. A DESIRABLE REVOLT. A person fond of epigrams might speak of the new spirit in the colleges as "the revolt of the grinds." For many years the miserable grind has lain contentedly at the bottom of the college community. The swell society man has lorded It over him. The glorious athlete has despised him. However arduously he might toil, he won no renown. The professors might pretend to admire him in the lecture room, but outside they joined in con temning him and gave their genuine suffrages to the beau and the football champion. The grind, who excelled in nothing but mere study, was the par iah of the institutions of learning. In tellect was ridiculed in its own home and muscle exalted. With muscle some other things not quite so innocent were exalted. The art of winning athletic victories be came highly developed. It Involved not only muscular prowess, but also, and in a higher degree, that sort of craft which distinguishes the political manipulator. College athletics ac quired more or less of the taint of ward politics. It was also about as mercenary as the mythical Big Busi ness of which we hear so much. With all this going on over their humble heads, the grinds lay peace fully In the mud of college life while their betters walked upon them. Per haps it is the world-wide spirit of de mocracy which has roused them to as sert themselves. Perhaps the college communities as a whole are growing ashamed of worshiping muscle and craft instead of mind and wisdom. At any rate, the grinds are lifting up their heads and demanding a share in the activities of their institutions. They are asking for fame such as is show ered upon the heads of the football heroes. The two prize essays in the Harvard Advocate's competition this year both incite the grind to rebellion. Two thirds of all the essays submitted for competition took the same subject. Revolt against the reign of the world, the flesh and the devil in the form of football and "society" is in the air. If it thrives our colleges may again be come seats of learning. COPPER AND CANCER- In moments of depression, when one is disposed to complain that all the world has gone money mad, a useful corrective may be found by consider ing how many scientists of first-rate abilities are devoting their livs to the investigation of cancer. Their re searches are not likely to bring them much wealth and they may be unpro ductive even of fame, for the subject is extremely difficult and discovery In regard to it proceeds very slowly. Still, the men of science persist and the pos sibility that they may contribute even in a small way to the good of mankind is reward enough to hold them to their task. Shut up in their laboratories, away from the hum of the busy world, they patiently try one experiment after another, test new remedies and ex plore new theories undiscouraged by failure and made happy by the faintest spark of success. Thus far it is ad mitted that the cause of cancer is un known. A number of more or less plausible hypotheses have been ad vanced to account for its appearance and destructive growth, but none of them has been found satisfactory In all particulars. The problem of cancer has yet to be solved. Nor is there any "cure" for this most frightful of diseases. Palliatives exist which often give relief, and in some cases seem to extirpate the tumor completely, but they cannot be de pended upon. The latest of these par tial remedies is described in a nfeport by Dr. Leo Loeb, who carries on his researches in the Barnard Skin and Cancer Hospital, at St. Louis. Dr. Loeb makes a preparation of copper with the aid of an electrical current which has been found beneficial in a great many instances, but he warns the public that it Is liable to fail when the tumors are unusually malignant. That is, of course, exactly the time when a true "cure" would not fail, and Dr. Loeb very properly protests that his preparation is not a cure. The copper is divided into fine particles and held in a sort of solution. It is technically described as being in the colloidal, or Jellified, state. Horticul tural readers will recall that the fa mous "Bordeaux mixture," which is so effective against the fungoid ene mies of fruit, is a colloidal preparation of copper sulphate and lime. In the view of some scientific men cancer Is not unlike a fungus in its nature. Hence it might be natural to expect that some preparation of copper should react favorably upon it. Dr. Loeb has tested his remedy upon human beings and obtained some highly encouraging results. He finds that his colloidal copper properly In jected into the patient's system will actually stop the growth of some ex tremely dangerous tumors and com pletely cure others. It Is not apt to be effective when the patient is "run down'" by the disease. The more ro bust the general health is the better for this as for other cancer remedies. Hence the invariable warning is to be gin in time, before the enemy is too strongly fortified to be dislodged. Dr. Loeb's preparation again fails, or is pretty sure to fail, when the cancerous cells have been transplanted to vari ous parts of the body. This trans planting process is characteristic of cancer and forms one of its most ter rible means of resisting medical effort. The lethal cells migrate along the channels of the system and establish themselves in glands often far remote from the original tumor. Thus the whole body may become infested with deadly seeds, and when one growth has been destroyed others spring up almost overnight. Such cases are hopeless, in the present state of sci ence. Again the precept is, "Begin in time. Do not wait until the enemy is Intrenched." Finally. Dr. Loeb's rem edy fails, as we have said, when the cancer is extraordinarily malignant. But making all these concessions to scientific conservatism, the blessed fact remains that Dr. Loeb's copper prep aration has checked the growth of some cancers which were too deep seated and too much entangled with vital parts to admit of surgical opera, tion, and In this way it has prolonged life for many sufferers. But, not to excite false hopes, it ought to be add ed that, even after a cancer has been checked by the copper preparation, it is likely tq resume Its growth if the doses are discontinued. Dr. Loeb makes the discouraging state ment that the copper tries the veins severely and must sometimes be stopped before it has completed Its healing work. The patient then re lapses. Still all Is not lost. There is a preparation of casein which mv r.. Injected when the copper becomes dangerous or in conjunction with it, and the two remedies in co-operation will often do what neither can do alone. Dr. Loeb has another word of hope. He Intimates that neither the colloidal copper nor the casein may prove to be the most powerful remedy obtainable against cancer. The world is full of substances which may possi bly be more efficacious, and of course physicians will go on trying them one after another. Some bright morning the right one will be hit upon and the discoverer will be crowned with ever lasting fame. In the meantime it can not be too often -reiterated that the safest of all remedies for cancer is the surgeon's knife. It is always reliable if the disease is taken in time. Death from cancer usually results from unpardonable delay. Any little SOre Which Will not hpnl nrnmntlr any insignificant growth which looks uniamlliar, should be attended to in stantly. Some physicians have the bad habit of pooh-poohing such lesions and telling their patients not to worry about them. Their advice is as bad as possible. This is a case where worry is the only safe state of mind until the beneficent knife has done its perfect work. The most unpopular man with Democratic Senators and Representa tives is Representative Britten, of Illi nois, a Republican. He inserted in the Congressional Record a list of Federal offices not subject to the civil service law and sent, out thousands of copies with letters urging people to "pick out the job you want and then see your Democratic Congressman." This has redoubled the clamor for jobs, which was already loud enough, because President Wilson is deliberately with holding appointments until the tariff bill is passed. The resentment of the pestered Congressmen towards Mr. Britten can only be equaled by that against Mr. Wilson and Is doubtless more openly expressed. It is pleasant to read that the vari ous state normal schools are graduat ing big classes this season. The pub lic schools need all the teachers who have been trained for them, and a great many more. It is a pitiful thought that the rural schools, w here competent Instruction is most sorely needed, are often provided with un trained teachers. The consolidation of districts is one remedy for this, but some way ought to be devised to raise the general qualifications of the pro fession. A larger attendance at the Monmouth school would be encourag ing. A woman student of the red man told the Senate committee yesterday that education of the Indian was a failure, and the race would better return to aboriginal ways and work out its salvation. This is hardly fair. An occasional Indian falls from grace and his dereliction is heralded wide; but seldom is a word said for the hum ble hundreds who make good. ' Car lisle has produced great baseball and football players; now let her turn out a champion of the ring and confound the detractors. The negro chauffeur of Governor Blease of South Carolina has been fined several times for speeding at Columbia. The Governor gets even each time by appointing an additional liquor constable for the county In which Columbia Is, and that city has to pay half his salary of 90 a month. The Governor has thus de vised an Ingenious method of punish ing a community for enforcing the law. Blease must have a queer con ception of the meaning of his oath of office. We shall soon see how much of a "Czar" the Mayor Is to be under the new charter. It is announced for one thing that Mr. Albee proposes to dis cuss his assignments with the other four Commissioners. Czars do not dis cuss. They decree arbitrarily. The real question is not at -all what the Mayor could do if he were a maniac without a conscience, but what he will wish to do as a man of sound sense in view of his full responsibility to the public. While remembering the Maine, we should not forget the states whose names Congress refuses to honor with battleships. Naval authorities say we should have forty-eight dreadnoughts, so there are Just enough names to go around. Missouri factory girls refuse to go to resorts where only soft drinks are served their escorts. Probably feel that soft drinks don't make the mn soft enough to propose readily. Another "lifer" doing his "bit" for cold-blooded murder has been given liberty. The man who does not swing always Is sustained by hope if in the Oregon penitentiary. Mexicans have nerve to protest against the Arizona anti-alien law. To be sure, they do it at long range, showing proper respect for the Ari zona code of ethics. Heavy shipments of diamonds are pouring into the country. That's cheering news. We were afraid the supply might run short. Mistaking L. W. Hill for a farmer in the sagebrush country was natural. Farmers over there are prosperous, and look it. Jack Johnson may as well submit and take his medicine. Decency is bound to get him. despite technicali ties. China will make a study of aerial ! navigation. What China needs most 1 is to get down to earth. Now would be a great time to buy Ross Island, the price to be based on the acreage above water. Meanwhile General Hearst's great armies in the American-Japanese con flict are marking time. Rose has been elected Mayor of Los Angeles. We'll repeat the perform ance next week. The building not decorated for the Rose festival will be conspicuous in its nakedness. Kansas is having heavy rains and will need the 40.000 harvest hands af ter all. Save a little energy for next week. You'll need it. Billions of roses are ready for the harvest- AJIEBICAN HUSTLE SHOCKS JAP i'renk CrirK-lsraa of Ilorltiasj-Cholrs, ("hcwliiK-tium, aud Chatter. Oriental Review. A Japanese who has spent consider able time in the United States gives his impressions as follows: Some active minded women might ask a Blow witted Japanese six different questions before he could make up his mind how to answer the first; and by the time he opened his mouth the charming questioner would as likely as not be speaking to another guest. Just as a Londoner once said of a New York subway train: "It travels so fast that it takes one's breath away, and by the time one re covers his breath he finds he Is breath ing somebody else's!" The society people go to their Sum mer resorts to rest, and there again they entertain and are entertained ex tensively, so that eventually they find it necessary to seek other places, sani taria even, for real rest. This condi tion of things is but the result of the extreme prosperity of the American people. The abundance of saloons In the large cities strikes casual observers as totally irreconcilable with the simple and austere life of the Pilgrim fathers. out in ract it is a mere corollary of the nobis principle, paradoxical as this may sound. In older countries moderate drinking In the company of wives and children Is not considered wicked, but In this country frail humanity has to take a glass or two of strong waters before public bars on Its way home from the day's work so that when It sits down to dinner with the family it can drink water and yet be merry. To me it seems that the American Invention of chewing-gum, which, by the way. Is now Invading prudish England, Is also directly traceable to the influence of Puritanism. Because there are so many places and occasions precluding the enjoyment of smoking men began to use chewing-tobacco; because women cannot smoke, at least in public, chewing-gum was prepared to place them on the footing of equal ity with men. Because they are paid for their work servants are "help," and need not hu miliate themselves by expecting or thanking one for gratuities. Some of them therefore simply say, "All right," when they take tips, as if to mean that they allow you to do It. Because they are equal they must all wear gold or gilt watches, chains, rings and other trinkets. Just as silver Is more in evi dence where social or class distinctions are recognized. Because they are equal in opportu nity and in spirit this Is, as far as I know, the country with the least num ber of beggars and petty thieves. So far, so good; nay, admirable! But the equal rights of all races and nationali ties gave birth to that lamentable lynch law, to the polite exclusion of negroes, Jews and Chinese from cer tain utilities or privileges. I know a Christian countryman of mine who married a Christian woman born of an English father and a Japa nese mother. She was well educated, and had been a missionary In Japan for some years. When she died she expressed the wisn in her will that her remains be burled in the cemetery of a certain Christian city, but all the efforts both of her bereaved husband and her American pastor could not in duce the management to sell a lot for her Interment. The cemetery being a business corporation, it could not well afford to allow Its stock to fall In price on account of a half Japanese being burled there. American hustling and restlessness from which has tome many a labor saving and time-saving mechanism, command admiration, but an admira tion that is ever tinged with pity. The rocking-chair is characteristic of the people who cannot keep quiet even when they mean to rest. WHAT TITLES COST HEIRESSES Twenty-One Million Dollar Expended by Three American Girla for Glory. Kansas City Star. Marriages between American heir esses and titled foreigners have been so frequent this year that newspapers give them each only a paragraph, and news of a divorce would command scarcely more space. Perhaps the price has decreased within the last few years, but the following shows what titles have cost some American girls: "Anna Gould had to pay $11,500,000 for Count Boni de Castellane's lebts and extravagances, and then married the Prince De Sagan, who owed $4, 000.000. which she Is now helping to pa- The Earl of Yarmouth had his debts of $2,000,000 paid by Alice Thaw and had Jl.500.000 settled on him. A mil lion of this was in real estate, and was saved by the Thaw lawyers when the couple separated. The earl soon will wed a middle-aged and wealthy English widow, and Miss Thaw recently was married to an American. Count Szechenyl had $5,000,000 settled on him, of which he was to have the Income for life, when he married Gladys Vanderbllt. Three million more, which she had as her share of the Vanderhilt estate. Is gone, and four years of the income with it. in the count's efforts to be a financier. Equalisation of Taxes. McMINNVILLE. Or., June 3. (To the Editor.) Does the State Board of Tax Commissioners sit In judgment and ad just the amount of taxation of the sev eral counties in this state, and is the Idea to have the assessment equal in the different counties, or does the ad justment of the assessment and taxa tion of a county rest only with the County Board of Equalization? This county (Yamhill) assesses mort gages at 60 per cent valuation, while Polk County, adjoining, does not assess them at all. and we here do not feel as though this is equal taxation. SUBSCRIBER. The intent of state equalization is to adjust such differences in assess ment as that mentioned in the forego ing letter, to the end that each county shall pay a share of taxes levied for state purposes In proportion to the value of taxable property located with in such county's borders. TROUGH, TOICH TROUGH. (Thoughts of a fisherman on the beauties of English spelling while waiting for a bite at Columbia Slough.) Oh! Columbia Slough Is a good place for yough And me tough go tough. Some fishing tough dough. Besides there's a veough Of a mountain or tough Tough cheer us aneough If our luck makes us biough Through catching so feough Of the 'fish for which yough And I came tough the slough. The magnificent veough From this famous old slough Should encourage both yough And me tough renough Our puraought of those fish In Columbia Slough. ANGLER. Mothers' Day. PORTLAND, June 4. (To the Edi tor.) Kindly publish the origin of Mothers' day. the reason for observing A-ay 11, and the significance of the car nation in connection therewith ard oblige. SUBSCRIBER. Mothers' day was founded by Anna Jarvls. of Philadelphia. Its object Is "to honor and uplift motherhood, and to give happiness to 'the best mother who ever lived.' ". The carnation is the badge selected to signify that the wearer is observing the day. Half a Century Ago Prom The Oregonlan of June 8. 1S83. Primary elections for the choice of delegates to the Union convention of California have been held, and It Is supposed that Stanford and Lowe, the rival candidates for Governor, will be about equally represented. We are Informed by a friend. Just returning from Victoria, where he hap pened to be on the Queen's birthday, that generally the American flag was treated with becoming respect on that anniversary, especially at the hotels and by firemen, but that J. Nagle & Co., shipping and commercial agents, hoisted the rebel ensign and seemed to glory in the base distinction of be ing the only business house which so disgraced Itself. Commodore Spencer, of H. B. M. ship Topaze, also gave & ball in honor of the same occasion on board his vessel, where among other flags recognized by his government as having a nationality, he displayed the miserable emblem of rebellion. The Dalles City Council This enter prising body has recently passed an ordinance lunicting heavy taxes called licenses upon the industrious popula tion or tne Bandy city, and esDeciallv upon the dealers In things to eat and drink. This unprecedented outrage has Justly aroused the Indignation of the victims, and it Is proposed to test the legality or tne ordinance. We were shown yesterday a petition with some 600 names attached, praying the Governor to pardon a youth by the name of William Hess, who has been recently sentenced by the Circuit Judge of Yamhill County to three years' im prisonment in the penitentiary for stealing a horse. The committee of arrangements for the celebration of the coming Fourth want a skilled pyrotechnist to take charge of and manage an exhibition of fireworks on that occasion. The steamer John H. Couch towed up the bark Samuel Merrltt from the mouth of the Columbia in the shortest time yet made by any boat In bringing up a vessel. LOVE IS TOLD IN "PERSONALS.' In Ensrland This Nempsper Depart ment Is Called "Agony Column." London Tlt-Blts. The agony columns in the newspapers reveal many a story of blighted and troubled love. Almost every day some lovesick youth and maiden make the newspaper the medium for the outpour ings of their hearts, and their messages often take the form of the most ex travagant rhapsodies. "Why, oh, why, cannot we look Into each other's eyes?" frantically implored an advertiser In one of the London dallies recently, addressing one "Fill." "I suffer every moment we are parted. Do break the silence and let us meet. Your own Jackl." Even this, however, was not quite so extravagant in style as that of a romantic "Romeo," who thus addressed his divinity through the medium of a prominent provincial paper. "Last night I looked at your last let ter. Thanks, thanks, my soul, my queen, my star. I think of the future and tremble with dread. My heart beats in unison with yours. If we never meet again, dear one no, that is unendur able, and I only exist to behold again your beauteous countenance. Until then, desolation and misery Is mine." Who was the lovelorn Frenchman who thus addressed his London sweet heart In a certain agony column: "My own heart, thine Alfonso waits for thee near the Marble Arch. The sun is cold until I see thee. When thou appear, thine eyes sparkle with the love that springs from a tender heart. Don't forget." And It was another sentimental Frenchman who told the world his feel ings in these words, printed in a Paris newspaper: "Thy feet make music in the stone clad streets; thy voice Intoxicates the gods; thy ears were made for whisper ing loves, thy lips for passionate kisses. Won't you write to me?" Let us. hope she did. If only as a re ward for such compliments. Sioux Massacre. PORTLAND, Juno 4. (To the Edi tor.) Kindly publish the date of the Sioux massacre in Minnesota: also the date of the execution of the Indians at Mankato, Minn. H. E. WEYMOUTH. The great Sioux uprising In Minne sota occurred in August, 1862. Sev eral bands of Santee Sioux under their chief. Little Crow, suddenly and with out warning, attacked the settlers. In the massacre that followed about eight hundred settlers and one hundred soldiers lost their lives. An expedition under General Sibley fought several desperate engagements with the In dians and drove them westward to the Missouri River. About three hundred of the Indians were captured and of these thirty-eight of the leaders were hanged on one scaffold at Mankato De cember 24 of the sams year. Little Crow, while a fugitive, was shot by a settler In July. 1863? rblckens ill the City PORTLAND, June 4. (To the Editor.) Kindly allow me space for a few words In reply to "Chicken Fancier," who fails to mention the chief cause of complaint against chickens in the city, viz. the noise they make when the majority of people need to sleep. Hold Chanticleer proclaims the mom. No doubt he's very right: But I wish he'd not begin the hour. So near the dead of night. Chickens seem to know that the early bird catches the worm, but they fall to follow the precept- "Let not the right hand know what the left hand doeth," and when Biddy has laid an egg. she keeps bragging about It to the rest of the flock. As poultry cannot be muzzled they certainly should be excluded from closely-built city districts. p. Statute of Limitations. SEASIDE, Or., June 3. (To the Edi tor.) Can a bill for merchandise goods amounting to $30, bought In Chicago nine years ago, be collected? Is there not a law at the present time that makes that bill outlawed? C. W. KIRKWOOD. A debt becomes outlawed under the Minnesota law at the expiration of five years. The Minnesota statute would apply in attempts to collect the money in Oregon. Partnership Property. PORTLAND. June 4. (To the Edi tor.) A and B are located on property adjoining. Part of their buildings, ma chinery and fences are partnership, each owning one-half interest. Can A trans fer, sell, or remove any of said part nership property without B's consent? E. A. C. Yes; except as to removal of a line fence. Sale or removal of partnership property would usually give B legal standing in a suit for dissolution of partnership. Coal Dust for Stump Burning. PORTLAND, June 4. (To the Editor.) Sometime ago I wrote to thd Scien tific American asking if coal or peat dust could not be burned in the same manner as crude olL They answered that It could be done, but the trouble was It burned everything up. destroy ing furnaces. If this Is so, why could not coal dust ba used to burn out stumps? w. Twenty-five Years Ago From The Oregonlan of June 6. 1SSS. Washington. June 5. The announce ment of the Republican victory in Oregon created profound rejoicing among Republican members of Con gress. This morning Representative Hermann In the House extended to the majority of the ways and means com mittee the compliments of the people of Oregon, adding. "With this message Oregon has voted for protection bv a majority of 3000 votes." St. Louis. jUI1e 5. The Democratic National Convention began this morn ing. Stephen M. White, of California, was elected temporary chairman. Republicans have not yet fully realized the extent of their great vic tory. Hermann's total majority so far Is amazing, yet cannot be muchreduced and may be Increased. It is so far 5753. Saturday Mrs. Mary F. Grlswald died at her home. 328V? North street. The regular monthly meeting of the Tollce Commissioners was held lat evening, President Bourne In the chair. A communication was received from Chief of Police Parrlsh notlfvlng the Board of the death of Policeman Andrew Henllne. The Burton House property, 5.(1x95 feet, being lot 2 In block 24, Couch's Addition, at the northeast corner of Third and F streets, on .which Is a three-story brick building, was sold at executor's sale yesterday by A. B. Richardson for $18,500. It was' bid oft by R. Hcndrle, it is understood for S. Junius Mayer, of Fleckensteln & Mayer. The price paid Is considered low. The property belonged to the estate of James J. Burton, who came here from England in 1842 and took up the land on which Portland now stands as a donation claim, but afterwards aban doned it and located at North Yam hill. Bids were opened yesterday at the, office of H. J. Hefty, architect, for a two and a half-story residence to bo built at Eleventh and Jefferson streets for J. Bulllvant. Lowest bids totaled $6195. Robert J. Burdette, the famous humorist, will lecture at the Mechanics Pavilion Friday and Saturday evenings. Rev. H. K. Hlnes has returned from Boise City and will deliver the educa tional address before the East Port land public schools next Sunday. Miss Cora Packard, principal of the Holladay school, will leave for Astoria today. The Republican ticket In Multnomah County Is over 300o ahead. Zoo Animals Need Better Care. PORTLAND, June 4. (To the Edi tor.) Having visited the City Park the other day, and being a c lose observer of animal and bird life. I would like to say a few words regarding care of the Zoo. I believe that it would be far better to vote on an appropriation to sustain and enlarge the collection of animals at the City Park than to vote on a franchise or for a bridge that Is not needed. Portland Is too prosperous and too beautiful a city to have so few animals and such poor accommodations for them. I know of no other city tho size of Portland that has such condi tions as exist in the City Park. I con sider It cruelty. I suggest that as a new Mayor has been elected, and as he Is to take up ,the reins soon, he do something to better the conditions. We have a nice natural park, and some thing to bo proud of, but the animals and birds need attention. AN OBSERVER. Flag Day and Holidays. TONO, Wash.. June 3. (To the Edi tor.) Kindly publish why June 14 was made "Flag day." The Ignorance of the public as to Its origin and purpose is astonishing. Also name the days that are National holidays. SUBSCRIBER. June 14 is the anniversary of the adoption of the flag. There are no "National holidays." Public holidays are named by state, not Congressional enactment. Verbal Leaaea. BROWNSVILLE, Or., June 3. (To ths Editor.) Does a verbal lease on a building hold good under the Oregon laws? SUBSCRIBER. A Verbal lease can be enforced for one year. It Is valid for a longer period in event improvements such as indicate expectation of occupancy and use are made with the knowledge of and with out objection from the lessor. FEATURES SUNDAY Pink Whiskers J. Hamilton Lewis' brilliant hirsute luxuri ance is commonly reputed to have made him, but the Senator gives an interview in which he denies that all there is to him is those pink whiskers. Champion Office Holder He has been holding down public places for 55 years and is to re tire only because he can't sit in a judicial chair any longer. Unknown Republic Found Rus sian explorers, in the heart of Siberia, come onto strange gov ernment, peopled by descend ants of early Russian convicts. An unusual feature. Are Men Chatterboxes? Laura Jean Libbey asks this question and proceeds to give a most in teresting answer. The Messengers A love story by RICHARD HARDING DA VIS. Schools at Sea How (he United States Navy will be utilized to give finished educations to thousands of young men. Death and the Millionaire A short story by Alt'onse Court lander. Nature the First Inventor Many great patents are in fringements on Nature's plans. Gibson Pictures The widow is disturbed by a vision which ap pears to be herself. Theodore Roosevelt He writes the eleventh installment in his autobiography. Don't Swat the Fly! That's the newest health cry. The thing to do is starve the fly. NUMEROUS OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES Order today of your newsdealer.