THE 3I0RXIXG OREGOXIAN, TTJFSDAT. AUGUST 19, 1913.
FOBTLAND, OBECOX,
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PORTLAND. TUESDAY. AUGUST 19, 191S.
JIB. L4SE'8 LAND POLICY. .
Secretary Lane's expressions
: -: i).liraHrvn nf DOliCV
Opiuiuu nnu " ' i "
those who have met him in Portland
-um (hot h, fniiv realizes the dlf-
flcult -work -which lies before hhn. He
has made clear his purpose to steer
clear of the extreme conservation pol
liirina aettlers from the
public domain and of the unreasonably
suspicious attitude towaras "u"
which has the same effect. He is
friendly to the actual settler, who
proves his good faith by culUvating
hi. i.nj hut h will show no consid-
.im fft. the onor-ulator. who takes
a homestead either as a dummy for
some person or corporation or un
the purpose of selling at an enhanced
..in. wihnt r-nmnlvinBT with the law.
His greatest difficulty in thus dis
criminating between settler ana specu.
lator comes in dealing with reclama
.i .n.r Thn Government has in.
vested many millions In watering great
areas and must recoup irom mo sei
it.n iii nriinnl cost and the expense
of maintenance, that it may escape an
annual drain and may have funds for
other reclamation work. But many of
through miscal
culation of engineers and from other
causes have cost much more man
the original estimate and the settler
finds himself saddled with a much
heavier annual maintenance charge
than he anticipated. Some men in
cnrM faith settled on Irrigated
land with insufficient funds to carry
them through the first unproductive
year or two. They find they cannot
ih. r-harees. thev are in danger of
losing all they have spent and they
cry for relief. Some pretenaeq seiners
went on the land with no intention of
.4na-t. it unHor cultivation and mak
ing it their home and the source of
their livelihood. They intenaea omy
to pay the water charge and do the
least amount of work necessary to
hold the claim for a year or two and
then to sell out at an advance. They
are speculators in disguise. Much of
the reclaimad land is owned, not by
the Government, but by individuals,
who have contracted to pay the main
rharre in the hope of selling
at a fancy price and passing on the
burden to the purchaser.
All cry for relief, but obviously all
are not entitled to it. The Govern
ment should deal most leniently with
the genuine settler, but it snould lay
a heavy hand on the speculator,
whether open or disguised, for his
course of action defeats the very pur
pose with which the Government re
claimed the land. This was to have it
brought under cultivation and made
the homes of citizens. Some plan must
be- devised by which the Government
can help the genuine settler, but freeze
out the speculator. The time within
which the genuine settler must com
plete payment of the construction cost
of irrigation may well be extended, but
not to so long a period as to restrict
the supply of cash for further work of
the same kind. The speculator dis
guised as a settler should, on the con
trary, be shown no leniency and should
forfeit all rights whenever he defaults
in any of his payments. Even less
mercy should be shown the private
land owner who uses Government work
as excuse for boosting the price of his
holdings. If possible, means should
be found of eliminating him in ad
vance by requiring that title to all
land to be reclaimed shall vest in the
Government before work is begun or
by a contract limiting the price and
terms at which his land shall be sold.
There yet remains the case of the
impecunious settler, who, thoutrh act
ing In good faith, lacks means to see
him through the first year of heavy
expense and small return. His plight
may be due pwMrMv or in part to delay
In putting water on the land. He may
be able to pay his water charge and to
scratch along on a hand-to-mouth ba
sis, but he cannot bring himself and
his farm to their full efficiency with
out capital. The Government cannot
be expected to lend him money di
rectly, but it can facilitate his raising
it. This can be done by creating rural
banks, where farmers would be both
depositors and borrowers. A clear
record with the Land Office and the
Reclamation Bureau should establish a
settler's credit with such a bank. Funds
for farmers' loans might be swelled by
placing postal savings deposits in
' rural banks, as suggested by Postmas
ter Myers.
What Oregon needs most Is settlers
to cultivate her undeveloped land. Idle
land is worse than a negation of de
velopment. It Is an obstruction, for a
man will far less willingly settle in an
unpeopled wilderness than in a well
populated country which has roads,
schools, churches, banks, telephones
and offers inducements for constmv
tion of steam and electric roads. Tii..s
each settler draws more settlers, aid
each unpeopled waste repels settlers.
Mr. Lane has shown that he h3 a
correct conception of the problem be
fore him. His heart is in the Wsi
and he looks at the subject from the
Western standpoint. He will find a so
lution satisfactory to those who seek
the progress of Oregon.
President Wilson is said to contem
plate wielding a big stick to hurry the
Senate's action on the tariff. A state
ment as startling as the one about the
lobby is predicted. Democratic lead
ers are among the worst offenders,
for the Republicans no sooner make
an Irritating remark than such men
'as Senators Simmons, Williams and
Stone make speeches. Perceiving
their weakness, the Republicans pur
posely "take a rise out of them, then
laugh while they talk. Should the
President turn his guns on the loquac
ity of the Senate he may stir up public
opinion to the point where that body
will be driven to drop its unanimous
consent rule and adopt the cloture
against its will. Just as it was driven
to vote for direct election of its mem
bers. Notwithstanding its swollen dig
nity the Senate has shown itself
amenable to public opinion fully
aroused.
LET MULTNOMAH DO ITS FART.
Clarke County has done its part no
bly toward building the Columbia
River bridge, as all were confident that
it would. By an almost unanimous
vote it has decided to issue bonds for
Its share of the cost. It now remain
for Multnomah County to show equal
energy in advancing the great project.
While the bonds will be voted and is
sued by the county, the interest will
be paid by the state, the amaunt -being
deducted from the county's :hare
of the state taxes. Multnomah Counry
will therefore be assuming a burden
equal only to about one-third of the
interest, that being the proportion of
the state taxes paid by this county.
The benefits to be derived from the
building of the bridge are so great and
so sure that there should be no hesi
tation about voting the bonds. Traffic
between Portland and Vancouver long
ago outgrew the capacity of the ferry.
It chafes at the slowness and Incon
venience of that primitive means of
crossing the river. The bridge has be
come a necessity. Though its cost will
be large, the annual saving in time and
the increased intercourse between
Washington and Oregon will be so
great that the expenditure will be a
measure of economy.
The close approach of the time for
opening the Panama-Pacific Exposi
tion at San Francisco renders early
action imperative. A large proportion
of the visitors to the Fair will make
the tour of the whole Coast, and many
of them will use automobiles for the
purpose. All three of the states bor
dering on the Pacific are improving
their roads with a view to completing
the Pacific Highway from the north-.
ern to the southern boundary before
the Fair opens. Unless there is to be
a gap .in the highway when tourists
reach the Columbia River, no time
should be lost In getting to work on
the bridge. ,
POWER OF GOLD.
Harry Thaw's escape from the in
sane asylum shows the administration
of the law in New York State to have
become a mockery. While a corrupt
political machine is struggling for
control of the government of the state
with a man who gambled in stocks
with misapplied funds, Thaw, made a
trusty" by his custodians, slips
through the lax guard kept upon him
and is dashed to safetv in a swift auto-
nn),M. K 1.1. .nnU.Ml.. 1
The story of Thaw's crimes, trials.
imprisonment and escape goes far to
corroborate the opinion that money
can do anything in New York. Money
bought lawyers to defend him and
alienists to testify to his sanity. After
his incarceration at Matteawan, by
means of money a ceaseless struggle
for his release was kept up by bribing
his custodians and through lawsuits.
If money was not actually used to
procure him privileges not accorded
to poorer prisoners, adulation for' a
rich man brought about the same re
sult. Money brought the automobile
to the asylum and sent it dashing
away into Connecticut in defiance of
all law and all speed limits.
News of Thaws escape no sooner
spreads than a shudder of fear goes
through all who have given him real
or fancied offense. His wife, who laid
bare her shame to save him from the
electric chair, trembles for herself and
for the child whom he disowns. She
knows him best and she foresees that
his maniac craft will find a way to
reach all whose blood he seeks. Law
yers, alienists, judges. Jailers, all have
cause to fear his vengeance. They
place small trust in the law, for greed
of gold has paralyzed the hands of
Its instruments so often that they
know not If any can withstand the lure
of Thaw's money. His foolishly fond
mother can be relied on to replenish
his supply and so long as it lasts he
can find willing tools to defeat the fal
tering, blundering, half-hearted efforts
of those who try to catch him.
A state which permits the adminis
tration of the law to be made a grim
Jest, which is governed Indirectly by
one type of criminal and which cannot
hold a criminal of another type, even
when it has him in its grip, shows the
height of presumption when it pro
fesses to teach other states how they
should govern themselves. Its polltl
cal leaders say that such a govern
ment as it has, of criminals, by crim
inals, for criminals, is a bulwark of.
the Constitution and that the people
cannot be trusted with their own gov
ernment. The latest demonstration of
the efficiency of the New York sys
tem is the maniac, Thaw, slipping
through the fingers of its officials and
the whole state trembling at the pros.
pect of his running amuck among his
enemies.
TALK ABOUT ROADS.
It Is encouraging to read that the
Woodland Grange is to dedicate its
annual picnic day to a discussion of
good roads. Other granges are doing
the same thing. Never has there been
so much attention paid to the theory
of good roads as now. Speeches,
lectures, picture shows, college In
struction, all help on the cause. The
day is coming, perhaps it is already
here, when the most ignorant man in
the country can discourse, fluently on
the theory of roadbullding.
Meanwhile practice continues to lag
a little. The ancient ruts jon ana
bump much as they did fifty years ago.
If anything they are a little deeper
and the antediluvian flints in the
wheel tracks have grown a little
sharper with the progress of the years.
Each, Winter washes the gullies some
what deeper. Each Summer accumu
lates a thicker layer of duBt. If work
were as cheap as talk, what roads we
should have in this part of the world!
The cold fact of the matter Is that it is
Impossible to raise money enough by
taxation to put all the roads In decent
condition. The public would rise in
rebellion were such a thing attempted.
In order to obtain good roads before
the next millennium we shall have to
supplement public by private work.
Patriotic individuals will have to take
off their coats, roll up their, sleeves
and dig dirt with their own aristo
cratic hands. Men will have to go out
upon the highways with their horses
and wagons and donate work to the
public. They did this one week in
Upper Michigan. Everybody turned
out along a stretch of 200 miles and
when the orgy was over they had ex
actly 200 miles of good road. It was
made In the right way and it was made
to last. '
The trouble with most voluntary ef
forts In the past has been the poor
quality of road constructed. The edu
cation of everybody to a practical
knowledge of permanent road-building
methods is where one Important value
of talk lies.
Public spirit, patriotism, sacrifice,
devotion to the welfare of the com
munity, these qualities must be stimu.
lated and developed in us If we want
good roads. There ought to be a con
tral organization in every county for
the purpose of Inciting citizens to go
out and work on the roads without ex.
pectation of pay. There should be a
branch organization for the same pur
pose in every precinct. Here is
chance for some man to make himself
famous. Who will take the bull by
the horns?
BONDS FOR SMALL INVESTORS.
By offering $200,000 of bonds for
sale in denominations of $100 each the
Dock Commission offers small invest
ors an opportunity to buy securities of
their own city paying 5 per cent inter
est. This is a step forward in popu
larizing municipal bonds in line with
the policy pursued in several Eastern
cities, notably Baltimore.
Any person can bid on one or more
of these bonds by depositing a forfeit
of 5 per cent of the value of bonds
bid for. He can thus obtain bonds he
knows to be good, can earn 5 per cent
on his money, can uphold the credit of
his own city, and by helping the city
li save brokers' commission he can
reduce the cost of public work and
thus reduce his taxes.
. For those who wish to make a
larger investment the Dock Commis
sion offers 150,000 worth of $500
bonds on the same terms and invites
bids for one or more of them.
This being the first move to sell
bonds directly to Investors at public
sale, the offer should meet with a
ready response.
. DR. MONTESSORI'S SEW BOOK.
Dr. Maria Montessori's first book,
'The Montessorl Method," has
been almost dangerously popu
lar. It may have appeared
sometimes as if her new ideas
on teaching the young were to fall into
the hands of faddists and suffer the
fate of Browning's poetry. Nobody
needs to pray more earnestly to be de
livered from overzealous friends than
one who, like Dr. Montessorl, sends
into the world a revolutionary idea
which" is susceptible of misinterpreta
ton by soft-headed enthusiasts. The
first American edition of "The Montes
sorl Method," consisting of 5000 cop
led, sold out in four days, and at the
end of five months the book was in its
sixth edition. This is pretty well for a
work on the theory and art of teach
ing. What other volume of the kind
ever rivaled Its popularity? Mean
while the methods of Dr. Montessorl
have -been spreading rapidly through
out the world. The governments of
Switzerland and Australia, ever in the
van of progress, have established
schools to put them into effect. The
cities of London, Rome, Stockholm and
Johannesburg have done the same. In
the United States and the Argentine
Republic Montessorl schools have been
founded by private subscription. In
Japan and even in Syria, as well as In
dia, her new methods have also gained
a footing. It is Interesting to learn
that it is the Franciscan missionaries
who are push'ng the Montessorl doc
trlnes in Japa.i and Syria.
Her book vas first translated from
the original Italian Into English, but It
has now been rendered into French
and Russian and translations are under
way into German, Spanish, Roumanian
and Polish. It will be seen, therefore,
that Dr. Montessori's scheme of edu.
cation is not a light hidden under a
bushel. To avert the peril of misun
derstandings and false applications
she has now .prepared another book,
"Pedagogical Anthropology," which
places her methods on a strictly scien
tific basis. Most of this volume Is
composed of Dr. Montessori's lectures
delivered while she was professor of
anthropology at the University of
Rome. It covers the ground which
has been vaguely and somewhat senti
mentally traversed by previous au
thors under the nebulous banner of
"child study."
Dr. Montessorl lays down for us the
fairly sensible proposition that in or
der to educate a child effectively we
must first understand him. We mast
know what possibilities have "been
communicated to him by heredity and
therefore we must inform ourselves
concerning his parents. It is also es
sential to learn what bodily singulari
ties he has, if any.where he surpasses
and also where he falls short of the
normal mental and physical standards
of mankind. The investigation of these
and kindred subjects makes up the
science of pedagogical anthropology.
It places the education of a child on -a
rational basis. Dr. Montessorl discards
with merited contempt the abstraction
known as "the child." She says scorn
fully that no such thing as "the child"
exists. There are millions of individ
ual children, but no theoretical
"child" was ever seen on earth. He
is a sort of Platonic idea, existing, if
anywhere. In the realms serene beyond
the stars. The trouble with our old
time pedagogy has been that It- set
out to educate a non-existent creature
which It learnedly called "the child."
This nondescript monster was sup
posed to roam the world in vast herds
of which every individual was exactly
like every other, so that they could
be gathered Into droves and taught
their lessons by wholesale as the winds
and the waves educate schools of cod.
Dr. Montessori's method differs from
the old-fashioned pedagogy by aiming
directly at the education of individual
children. Since a pupil cannot be edu
cated until he has been studied as an
individual. It abandons the old-time
school classes and deals personally
with each pupil. It deals with him
personally, not merely for a few mo
ments occasionally, but all day long.
The Instrument by which standards
are fixed in the Montessorl method
and progress measured is the "biolog
ical chart upon which the advance of
the pupil is recorded day after day.
By this chart the teacher sees at a
glance what the pupil ought to be do
ing, both physically and mentally; ob
serves how much he surpasses or (alls
short of the ideal, and directs her ef
forts accordingly. Clearly, It would
be Impossible to use - the biological
chart effectively for pupils taught In
classes which are supposed to move at
the same rate In everything week af
ter week throughout the school course.
Its basic assumption is that different
pupils, having individualities of their
own, will move at different rates.
The biological chart stands in about
the same relation to the periodical
written examination of our schools as
the dally newspaper does to the an
cient missives sent by slaves from one
corner of the Roman Empire to the
other. It Is a continuous record show,
ing Just what has been done for the
pupil and Just what ought to be done'
at every instant. It differs from the
deceptive written examination as
Bergson says real time differs from
mathematical time. The latter cuts .
out bits of duration here and there
and seeks by piecing them together
to make a delusive image of reality.
The former goes on forever without a
break. And precisely as, in Bergson's
opinion, mathematical formulas can
give us no true knowledge of life, so
tHe written examination, with its spas
modic and hysterically false revela
tions, can give us no true knowledge
of a pupil's progress. The biolog
ical chart is concerned with the
whole child. It Is as much interested
In the strength of his fingers as In the
tenacity of his memory. It cares as
much for his lung power as for his
knowledge of the multiplication table.
It is catholic in the full. sense of the
word, and a teacher who educates
children by the Montessorl principles
must make her work as universal as
the chart which guides her.
Nobody should pay any attention to
the plea heard now and then that Dr.
Montessori's methods do not "prepare
children for the grade schools." They
are not Intended to do anything of the
sort. They are Intended to prepare
children for life. It is to be hoped
that by the adoption of her revolution
ary scheme both the grade schools and
our other educational foundations will
be so thoroughly transformed that ra
tional teaching will not be as glaringly
out of harmony with them as it is
Wi suppose some bigoted Republicans
will feel like congratulating Senator Lewis
upon being taken for a waiter. Chicago
Inter-Ocean.
The above paragraph drew the fol
lowing remarks from the New York
Sun:
While the subtle depth of this observa
tion is somewhat beyond our limited ken,
still we are not consciously bigoted and
we could truthfully stats to Senator Lewis
that to be taken for a waiter Is not only
proof that he was properly hablllraented as
an acme of fashion, but that he has had
naturally the compellina presence of one
who looks down upon those around him with
supreme hauteur. The proudest moment of
our life .would come if we could actually
impress some simple soul with the belief
that we were a real head waiter.
Senator Lewis is satisfied if the spot
light be upon him, whether attracted
by his clothes, his whiskers, his fas
cinating smile or his brilliant intel
lect. Mr Lane's (Franklin K. Lane) editorial
policy on the silver Issue strikingly Illus
trates not only his economic sanity, but his
Journalistic courage. His paper (The Ta
coma News) was the only one on the Pa
cific Coast that refused to support the
free sliver, campaign Burton J. Hendrick,
In 'The World's Work."
This untruth strikingly Illustrates
not only Mr. Burton J. Hendrlck's
careless methods but his utter lack of
knowledge of Journalistic or political
history. Of course Mr. Hendrick
does not know how Oregon and Cali
fornia were saved for McKlnley and
the gold standard In 1S9S or what
newspapers of Oregon and California
made the fight. Mr. Hendrick does
not want to know. He could have
found out by asking the subject of
his sketch. Mr. Franklin K. Lane.
Lots of pleasant and unpleasant
memories follow the news of the loss
of the State of California in Alaskan
waters. During her long run between
Portland and San Francisco she was
the champion pitcher of the fleet, a
terror to the man or woman the least
bit disposed to become seasick, but to
the good sailor a royal pleasure, com
manded and officered as always she
was by princes among gentlemen.
When Secretary Lane preaches
against the. land speculator he utters
the thought of a wide and patriotic
public. The man who holds land un
improved and selfishly waits for his
neighbors to enhance its value by their
industry is not a benefactor of the
community. The country is developed
by clearing land, planting trees, erect
ing buildings, not by sitting idly in an
office and waiting for somebody else
to do it.
A local pastor prayed for Governor
Sulzer, rain in Kansas and Tammany's
overthrow. Why didn't he go ahead
and help regulate the rest of the uni
verse ?
Boston claims to have freed itself
from flies by destroying their breeding-places.
In so doing it destroyed
much filth which breeds various dls-
It seems the lawyer killed by the
editor at Qutncy, Cal., was unarmed
when he sought trouble. A verdict of
suicide will be comprehensible.
If Colonel Roosevelt were In the White
House the war with Mexico would now be
over. Milwaukee Sentinel. '
And the aftermath of trouble would
have Just begun.
If you'wlsh to learn anything from
Biblical data to batting averages, call
up the new information bureau at the
City Hall.
A California fishing expert avers
that chewing gum is great for bait.
Depends on what you're fishingfor.
Woman is weak, even unto forgiving
the unpardonable sin. Mrs. Diggs will
take the stand for the defense.
Ben Tillman is afraid womanhood
will become degraded with the ballot.
The old villain!" There!
Sulrer has acknowledged Lawson's
offer of a couple of million or so.
Thoughtful of Sulzer.
"Uncle Joe" Cannon will seek re
election. Hard to keep an old war
horse from the fray.
This is an off year in elections in
Oregon, but there is the Roundup for
a thriller.
So long as he doesn't Huerta certain
John Lind, Vlctoriano may hang on a
while yet
Secretary Lane denounces the land
speculator. Certainly is a needless
parasite.
Mr. Lane must now realize quite
fully that it is some interior he is sec
retary of.
Odd idea' for a man just out of an
asylum to want rest and seclusion.
The fate of Clackamas County offi
cials should serve as a gentle warning.
Harry Thaw will take New York's
eyes off Sulzer for a day or two.
There remains the hope that Miss
Pankhurst will never marry.
Score six more points for the speed
fiend.
Quite a thaw out at Matteawan.
Thaw is a recurrent nuisance,
FRILLS OX BRIDGE! NOT NEEDED
Dssger to. Interstate Spaa Project ia
' High Estimate of Coat.
PORTLAND. Aug. 18. (To the Edi
tor.) It was a fortunate thing for us
in Multnomah County that Clarke Coun
ty, Washington, pioneering the way and
not being blessed with too much money,
was enabled to find sponsors for an
adequate bridge to cover their half of
the Columbia River for $500,000. Not
withstanding this plain inference, how
ever, we are treated to an interview
with J.. H. Xelta, who has to a certain
extent helped the scheme along. Having
in view the fact that the people of
Multnomah - ounty have expressed
themselves pretty loudly and empha
tically against bond issues recently,
we are treading on dangerous ground
to ask more than to match Clarke
County's proposal Hh one greater on
this side of trre river.
To ask for II, 500,000 of bonds im
perils its acceptance by the people. To
ask for not exceeding $700,000 will
doubtless be approved. The costly ap
proaches Mr. Nolta calls for may well
be relegated to the ordinary road
building, under the general authority
of the County-Commissioners with no
break-neck haste about it either. To
build an elaborate sand-papered and
gilt-mounted structure to meet our
neighbors from across the way Is a
useless and uncalled for expenditure.
Our $500,000 should match that for
Clarke County for the bridge proper,
and $200,000 additional for our ap
proaches may not suit the fastidious,
but will answer just as well and leave
no unpleasant reflections after it is
done, that some one got in on us for
graft.
We owe it to Clarke County, Wash
ington, after their vigorous campaign
over there, not to imperil the prob
ability of Multnomah meeting them in
marriage bonds and result in the joint
benefit of the united couple.
The taxpayers will look askance at
any appearance of extravagance. The
$500,000 for the half bridge cannot be
glossed over with fairy tales that ours
should cost any more. The state will
undoubtedly take it off our hands when
the inter-state road project comes to
fruition, and If any extra "flxln's" are
required let George do it.
-Another reason why the smaller
fund should prevail, is that the less
money, the less time will be consumed
in its construction; the sooner our
trade relations get the benefit of its
completion. Is that much better for
our prosperity. That bridge ought to
be open for business in one year's time
with proper management.
CHAKbr.6 P. CHURCH.
DIYISIO.V OP INCOMES IS WANTED
Correspondent Suggests Commission
With Broad Powers.
PORTLAND, Aug. 18. (To the Edi
tor.) It is said anybody knows which
side of a, Jug the handle is on. How
ever, why a committee should not be
appointed to find out what amount is
absolutely necessary to keep the work
ing women out of the poorhouse, and
without even hope of ever accumulat
ing anything, and not reporting as to
what the employers could or should
reasonably pay as a fair division of
the net Income from any business that
depends on said help for existence, is
a conundrum.
The express people of California are
said to have been clearing 136 per cent
on the investment, and hollered like
a Camanche Indian when the amount
was curtailed. It would appear that
all people should protect as far as pos
sible the hand that feeds, clothes and
houses them. It is public sentiment
that protects the weak, or the poor, as
it were. The condition of the workers
Is the very best Index to a civilization
in our own Portland, or any other
community or country.
History does not show where the In
dustries or business of the world were
ever allied to or tinctured with mercy
to any great extent. From, the work
men who were ordered to put straw in
brick when Ibere was no straw to the
peon In her Mexican rubber camps,
the comforts of the worker generally
have been sadly neglected. -
A committee with power and a dis
position to Investigate the income and
deal out absolute justice would appear
to the producer like an oasis in a des
ert. But the Question is, who with the
ability and Influence to carry out such
a measure is willing to take the initial
step? The alacrity with which the em
ployers hastened to keep the per week
wage at the minimum rate is an indi
cation of the opposition that might rea
sonably be expected. Capital and labor
should be full partners and all should
have a reasonable income on their in
vestments. JOHN M. PAYNE.
Failure to establish a commission
such as this writer advocates is not
much of a conundrum. The law would
be antagonistic to the constitution.
Minimum wage regulation can only
be sustained on the ground that its
enactment is within the police power
of the state. Direct government regu
lation of all wages would not be so
classified. It is doubtful If ever a
minimum wage scale could be enforced
In behalf of any but women and minors.
TURKEY TROT IS EXPLAINED.
Medical View Holds It Analogous to
Dsnclsg Manias of Middle Ages.
New York Times.
In the sudden and widespread popu
larity of eccentric and more or less vio
lent dancing, the New York Medical
Times sees a phenomenon closely analo
gous to those dancing manias of the
Middle Ages, which have been so often
discussed by psychiatrists, alienists and
neurologists. The Impulse to "trot" In
ragtime it views as the symptom of a
distinctly contagious disease to which
the victims of a neurotic diathesis are
susceptible, and the diathesis Itself is
ascribed to the unrest of the age and
the various social conditions of a path
ological character.
The influence of a peculiar music
combined with a naive determination to
be amused, starts up the motor reac
tions seen in the new dances to which
a large and specially sensitized class
in several countries has suddenly de
voted so much of its time and energy.
For the scientific observer they beau
tifully illustrated the psychology of
crowds as formulated by Le Bon and
other Investigators of that subject.
It is a fact probably not without sig
nificance, too, that "ragtime" origin
ated in or was highly congenial to the
wild religious emotionalism of negro
revival servicea There, at any rate,
the "trotters" found it,, and dancing
was an essential part of most of the
ancient religions, as well as of not a
few new ones. . It gives outlet and ex
pression to certain primordial and en
tirely normal emotions, but it can be
diverted Into pathological lines, and
that, the Medical Times suspects, is
what has happened now.
All of which should be carefully pon
dered by such votaries of the new or
old sport as have sense enough to
understand it.
GOLD-LACED MEN DON OVERALLS.
Missouri Governor's Staff Must Shovel
om Public Roads. .
Jefferson . City (Mo.) cor. New York
Tribune.
All the Colonels on the staff of Gov
ernor Major either must work on the
roads on the two "road days" pro
claimed by the Governor or pay for the
privilege of remaining away..
GoVernor Major has named August 20
and 1 as the days when men through
out Missouri shall, wherever possible,
work on the roads, and has announced
that he himself will put on. overalls
and delve.
In a statement issued today Gov
ernor Major said that as he himself
was going to work on the public roads
the Colonels of his staff were expected
under the military code to follow with
out orders.
ATTENTION TO CASUAL VISITORS
Writer Believes Much May Be Galard
for City by Boreas at Station.
PORTLAND, Aug. 18. To the Edi
tor.) In the shower -ef Cabinet me
teors Whlclj have illumined the Port
land sky for the past month and who
are being royally entertained during
their visits, I am wondering if we
have not , been blind or negligent to
other visitors whose good opinion Is
also worth something to us. A large
number of people come to our city on
an early morning train or boat and
often spend from six to ten hours be
fore they can make connections. They
are atrangers In a strange land. They
know nothing of the attractive places
in town, nor how to reach them. They
wander out a few blocks from the de
pot and observe the not over-attractive
section of North Portland. They leave
after a long, wearisome wait with a
very poor Idea of our beautiful city.
Of course, there are sightseeing cars
and autos, there are numerous points
of Interest to charm and delight the
visitor: but I'll defy any of you to
learn about them in our waiting-rooms.
I think even a Cabinet officer would
be puzzled If there were no committee
to guide him. It is not that these peo
ple are not willing to spend money.
Those I have met were people who
would gladly pay what It might cost to
view the city properly. But there's no
provision for any such thing. There
ars no signs telling the waiting vis
itor or traveler that if he has a few
hours to spare there is an official In
the depot who will direct him how to
see the best part of the city.
It seems as though it would be a
good Investment to place a sign or two
in our depots, and have some man or
woman delegated to Inform the way
farers how best to use their time, it
they wish to look over our city. We
don't want to get the notion that Is
so common among the porters at the
depot that only people who ride In
Pullmans or private cars are worth our
attention. We cannot afford to have
anyone leave our fair city with the no
tion that we are indifferent to them
unless they have many dollars and
much influence, when a little of the
courtesy and attention now lavished on
the few would win them into admirers
of and advertisers for our city, and as
they speak their good words in our be
half we will find that we have been
entertaining angels' unawares.
J. D. CORBT.
WATER RATE PLAN UNDESIRABLE.
Former Change Costlri Proposed Sys
tem Would Be Hardship.
PORTLAND. Aug. 18. (To the Edi
tor.) Permit me to say a few words
in regard to a matter of vital import
ance to the water users of Portland.
Along with my last bill for water was
inclosed a blank form requesting a
vote on the proposition of paying water
rents monthly or quarterly In advance.
I have been paying for water for many
years and have, the same as others, ex
perienced several changes In water
rates and method of payment. At pres
ent and heretofore I have always been
permitted to pay one month, three
months, or in fact any number of
months in advance in any one year.
This privilege I have availed myself
of several times.
The present way of handling the
water bills does not seem to me to be
as good as in former years, for there
seem to be too many mistakes in the
bills. I have had several annoying ex-J
periences since the first of the year,
and while once I was inclined to find
fault with the employes, upon investi
gation I found that It was the system
of bookkeeping and not the fault of
the Individual.
I am informed t'aat the present sys
tem has cost the people about $40,000
and that It la not satisfactory and it is
now proposed to make- another radical
change, which no doubt is only an ex
periment and, judged by the last ex
periment, will prove as bad as the pres
ent system and doubtless as costly.'
From business experiences I know that
it costs money to make changes. It
seems to me that the old way of paying
water rent was just about as satisfac
tory as It was possible to make it. No
system ever was perfect, but I believe
for all purposes the old way would and
did suit most people. It strikes me that
this constant changing from one sys
tern to another is very demoralizing
and necessarily expensive. The hope is
held out to the people that there will
be a saving of something .like $30,000
in the expense of conducting the offer,
but I fancy that the cost of Installing
another new system will far exceed the
promised saving and the probability Is
that there would be no saving, for what
is an apparent saving in one depart
ment will cause a greater outlay in an
other. Big business cannot afford to
be conducted on niggardly lines, and
while I stand for economy I know we
must pay .for proper service and con
venience. The way I understand the proposed
new scheme is to compel every con
sumer' of water to pay three months in
kadvance, whether it is used through a
meter or otherwise. I. for one. am no
wealthy person and cannot always have
the money with which to pay three
months in advance. I believe the privi
lege of advance payments should re-,
main as under the old way, optional
with the people. D. MARTIN.
Not That Way, Marie.
Life.
If I loved a man I should love him
so completely that I should never thin
of anything in which he had not the
first and greatest share. I should see
his kind looks in every ray of sunshine
I should hear his loving voice in
every note of music If I were to read
a book alone, I should wonder which
sentence in it would please him most
if 1 plucked a flower I should ask
myself if he would like me to wear it
I should live through him and for
him he would be my very eyes and
heart and soul. Marie Corelll.
We want to thank you, Marie, for
letting us know in time, but to be real
candid we don't want to be loved your
way; mighty few men do. It all reads
beautifully, but most men don't like
the same kind of books their wives do.
Most men bate to be sung to; and as
for being the very eyes and heart and
soul of any woman not all the time.
Even the best of us like to be left
alone much of the time. When we
marry we don't want to be strapped
down to a 00-horsepower love car. In
a life endurance test two people need
to know each other not too well. It
takes a lot of water to keep Niagara
going. A marriage such as you in
dicate, Marie, would run out of power
in two or three weeks.
I. la cola Conaty Building Stone.
f SEATTLE, Wash.. Aug. 17. (To the
Editor.) I have read with interest
your articles and the letters from others
regarding Oregon stone for building
purposes.
A quarry in Lincoln County, Oregon,
not 150 miles from Portland, has virtu
ally inexhaustible quantities of good
building stone. It is on the Corvallis &
Eastern Railroad, and also on tidewater.
The Ferry building and Call building
In San Francisco and other large
buildings were built of this stone and
stood the fire and the little shakeup
they had remarkably welL
The stone is a beautiful grayish blue
tint, stands the weather and will last
for centuries.
It is better than the Tenlno article of
which I believe your Chamber of Com
merce building was built of.
If Portland architects were to rec
ommend It as they Bhould as citizens
of Oregon there would be no further
trouble. It rests with them. I have
no interest in this quarry.
raa& J. fAKKKK,
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregon is n of August 10, 1853.
The following is the official vote ror
delegate to Congress from Washington
Territory: George E. Cole. 157!; J. o.
Raynor. 1387; L. J. S. Turney. 8; L. c
Kinney, 17; scattering, S.
Washington, Aug. 11. Richmond let
ters say Jeff Davis is still very ill and
doubts are entertained of his recovery;
also that Lee protests against Davis
hanging two Federal offloers in retalia
tion for those hung by Burnside, as It
involves the life of his son. General
W. F. Lee
New Tork. Aug. 9. The Herald's
Washington dispatches contain reports
that C. M. Clay, our minister at St.
Petersburg. haa entered into a treaty
with Russia on behalf of the United
States, assuring Russia that. In the
event of war being declared against
her on the Polish question, the United
States would declare war against Eng
land and France.
The steamer from The Dalles last
evening brought abont 40 passengers,
who held a considerable amount of
gold dust-
Twenty-five Years Ag
Prom The Orsgonlan of August 10. lftgs.
New York, Aug. 18. Officers ar
rested 105 persons this morning who
were witnessing a prizefight on a
barge between La Blanche, the marine,
aad John Vasley, middleweight cham
pion of England. Among the persons
arrested was Jack Dempsey.
The Ttvoll is no more, but In its
place is the Standard. Manager Cort
comes to Portland with an established
reputation, won with experience in
Seattle, Tacoma and Butte City.
Captain John D. Biles, tax agent of
the O.-W R. & N. Company, returned
yesterday from the Inland Empire.
W. S. Chapman. T. L. Nlcklln and
O. Garrison have returned from their
bunting trip to Scappoose, Mr. Garri
son killed a panther measuring 8V&
feet in length and Mr. Chapman
floored a good-sized catamount. In
addition, Mr. Garrison landed 367 trout
at two sittings.
G. M. Hunt, the railroad contractor,
has returned from the East and is at
the Esmond.
A. H. Johnson has a fine farm lit
Washington County, of which he is
not a little proud.
Roswell B. Lamson returned yester
day from a vacation trip spent In the
country about Mount Adams. On the
11th, in company with G. H. Marsh, ha
made the ascent of Mount Adams.
The fine, new warehouse of Hazel
ton & Co., at the foot of J street. East
Portland, is now practically completed.
The old sawmill at Millsburg has
been converted Into a brick factory.
FARMER KNOWS HOW AND DOES IT.
Cleanliness and Sanitation Now Under
stood and Practiced.
RIDGEFIELD, Wash, Aug. 17. (To
the Editor.) I have read with much
Interest the letter from Robert G. Dun
can condemning the practice of buying
produce direct from the farmer, and
have not been able to overcome my
desire to protest against his verdict
that farmers do not study sanitation,
do not know how to care for meat or
make butter.
True, Mr. Duncan may have lived on
a farm 30 years and have basis for his
decision. But I cannot agree with
him that "farmers know less about
more things than any other class of
men who have so little to worry them."
It may be Mr. Duncan was on the
farm in the day when the farmer did
not take a daily paper, such as The
Oregonian, or keep up. to date in mat
ters of sanitation or scientific meth
ods of farming. Perhaps, too, farmers
do more work for smaller results than
any other class of men, if one does not
classify as big results the manner of
living, which is above any I have seen
in the city of Portland among people .
of moderate circumstances.
We on the farm do not live from
hand to mouth, but provide well for
the Winter at a small outlay of tlma
and money, for we cannot depend on
the corner grocer to bring us 10 cents'
worth of this or that any time we
run short; we breathe pure air; drink
pure milk and use cream that has not
been given a shower bath In the rnllk
can or in water. We eat chickens that
we really kill, instead of some that
has given up the ghost and died, and
were then sent to market to be put in
cold storage for future use. Out of a
dozen eggs we get the benefit of a
dozen, instead of throwing away two
thirds of them,' as I have seen done In
city homes. We 'use the best of sani
tary methods in making our butter
from cream whose age we know and
we live and enjoy life whether we
sell our produce to Mr. Duncan or not-
In fact. Instead of eating what wj
can't sell, we sell what is left after wo
have enjoyed the fruits of our labors.
MRS. W. A. HEMMELGARN.
Conservation of Oil Laada.
PORTLAND,' Aug. 18. (To the Edi
tor.) Just a line to say you misquote
my suggestions to Mr. Lane in refer
ence to the conserving of the oil and
gas. What I said was that in my
Judgment the Government should con
serve the oil by retaining title to the
land and lease It out to operators in
.W. 1 , I. . . I .. ....... ( , h- in -h
ment had to assist in exploring the oil
fields in a careful and conservative
way.
I don't think the Government should
go into the refining' and pipeline busi
ness. v I feel confident there is oil
enough In the plains and deserts of
the states west of the Missouri River
to serve this Government if explored
and economically developed.
D. M. WATSON.
Systematic
Purchases Reduce
Expense
Every successful business has a
complete system of bookkeeping
from which, at frequent Intervals,
statements are made that snow
Just how and where every cent has
been spent. . ,. .
The finances of a family should
be managed, on a reduced scale. In
much the same way as a business.
Too little stress Is laid on this point
of domestic economy. The dis
bursements of the larger proportion
of families are made in a haphaz
ard, unsystematic way, so that at
the end of the month no one knows
where the money has Ofen spent.
The only sure fact Is that it is
Begin watching and keeping ac
count of your household expendi
tures You will find, without doubt,
that vou have been spending money
without getting good value for
every dollar.
The next move Is to decide In
telligently what you want and to
buy where you can get the great
est amoont of good out of your
money. Read thoroughly The
Oregonian advertisements and you
can't go wrong in picking the places
where a dollar spent will give you
the maximum amount of satisfaction.