THE MORNING OREGONIAN, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1915.
PORTLAND OREGON.
Entered at Portland, Oregon, postofflco aa
Mcond-claaa matter. . . .
SnbacrlpUon Katee Invariably to Advance.
IBT KAIL)
'Dally. Sondey tncludxl. one year 8-
Ieliy. Sunday Included, eta monlne I'2,
Ijaiiy. Sunday Included. lhree montna ..
Lilly. Sunday Included, one montn -"J
really, without Sunday, one year
Daily, without Sunday, eix montna
Pally, without Sunday, tnree montna. .. - j
Paiiy. without Sunday, one month . . - j-M
Weekly, one year j'y
Sunday, one year --.0
Sunday and weekly, one year
(Bt CARKIXB)
Dally. Sunday Included, one year
tally, Sunday Included, one monta
. How Beaait Send poetotllee Jr
er. cxpreaa order or pereonal cheeky on y o r
local bank. Sinmpe. coin or
eendere risk. Give poetoffice addreaa m
lull. Including; county and atate.
- Peetaxe Katee 12 to 16 paea, 1 cent; 1
to 7?tea?7nt.; s ...4P.
0 to 6u pagea. centa; tl J '.t.
eente; 7s to ta pasea, ceata. roreia
ate. double ratea.
Eaatera Buelneae Offk-ea Verree Conk
Hn. New York. Brunawlek bull urns- -"'-cage.
Steger building.
San Franclerv OlXlce R. J. Bldwell Co..
TU2 Market aL
European Office No. 3 Recent street a
Lonaoa -
JtIiTLAM, FRIDAY, KEPT.
1913.
A NATIONAL FOREIGN rOLICT.
The flounderlngs ana wobblir.gs of
Secretary Bryan and his revival of
the spoils system In making appoint
ments to the diplomatic service have
served more than ever to Impress on
patriotic citizens of all parties the ne
cessity of continuity In our foreign
policy. Whatever be our partisan dif
ferences, they should be confined to
our domestic affairs, and no Admin
istration should be hampered in its
management of foreign affairs by crit
icism designed to make political capi
tal, so long as it adheres to the Na
tional policy once adopted.
The first requisite to a continuous
foreign policy Is a Secretary of State
who has a National outlook above par.
ty and who has no hobbles to ride.
The second is a non-partisan diplo
matic service. Mr. Bryan is not the
one and he is fast depriving us of the
other. His first act was to reverse
the hitherto prevailing policy with re
yard to the Chinese loan. Then, in
experienced in diplomacy, he prepared
John Land's instructions without con--sulting
John Bassett Moore, the coun
selor of the State Department. He
thus put us into the untenable posi
tion of attempting to dictate to a
neighboring republic whom it should
elect President. He wounded the sus
ceptibllltes of Mexico and gave Huerta
an opportunity to rally the people to
him on the platform of patriotism and
no foreign interference. In contrast
with the instructions to Mr. Lind is
the skillful manner in which the
President, with the aid of Mr. Moore,
handled the developments therefrom.
Mr. Moore assisted in preparing the
President's message and passed upon
it before it was read to Congress. That
message was as forceful as Mr. Bryan's
instructions were weak.
Although he has proved himself to
Be in great need of experienced as
sistance, Mr. Bryan is doing his best
to get rid of that which he inherited
from his predecessor. W. W. Rock
hill, who was first appointed to pub
lic office by President Cleveland, was
continued and promoted by Presidents
McKinley, Roosevelt and Taft. He
was John Hay's choice to conduct the
negotiations in China growing out of
the Boxer rebellion and well he ac
quitted himself. He was promoted to
be Ambassador to Turkey by Mr.
.Knox and could have rendered valu
able service there, but he has been
upplanted by Henry Morgenthau, a
novice in diplomacy, whose chief rec
ommendation seems to be a gift of
30,000 to the Wilson campaign fund.
In Santo Domingo William J. Pul
11am, a Democrat, who was appointed
general receiver of customs by a Re
publican President because of his
knowledge of Spanish and his experi
ence in the customs service, has been
supplanted by Walker W. Vlck. of
New Jersey, who knows no Spanish
and is ignorant of customs affairs.
His recommendation Is that he is a
Democrat, and hetls described by the
;Xew York Times as "an intimate
friend of intimate friends of the Pres
- ident."
One of the greatest achievements
of Secretary Root was the lntroduc
: tion of the merit system into the dip-
lomatic and consular service. He pro
; cured its approval by a Republican
i Congress with no small difficulty.
" That system was followed by -his suc
cessor, and for years men have been
' moved up step by step in the service
on their merits, no thought being
given to party affiliations. The pros
' pect of promotion and continuity of
; service, unaffected by changes of ad
' ministration, was inspiring zeal in our
' Ministers and diplomats.. We were
1 , , n i. KuHriine im a. trained, ex
perienced diplomatic and consular
corps. Mr. Bryan is tearing it down
and sending abroad men who, what
ever their natural ability, are without
training or experience and who threat
en to make our representatives as
great a. laughing stock In foreign capi
tals as they were under the old spoils
system, which we imagined to have
been discarded forever.
President Wilson showed his appre
ciation of the importance of National
unity of sentiment and action in for
eign affairs by his appeal for the sup
port of Congress, without regard to
party, in his Mexican policy. Re
publicans in both Senate and House
responded, and thus silenced Huerta.
who threatened to make a point of
our divisions. In the same spirit the
President should call on his Secretary
of State to avoid a clear break in the
continuity of the policy of his prede
cessor. He should put a stop to the
process of emptying the diplomatic
service of its trained men and give
notice to his party that at that point
the hand of the spoilsman will be
stayed.
A BIOGRAPHY OF JOHN BRIGHT.
The American people remember
John Bright as a friend In need. In
; the dark days of the Civil War, when
almost every English statesman was
doing his best openly or clandestinely
i to help the Confederates, John Bright
stood manfully for the North and free
; dom. The appearance qX a new biog
raphy of this remarkable man will be
' welcomed in the United States as
; warmly as in England, especially since
t it is the first good one ever published.
' The author is George Trevelyan, a
man of liberal antecedents and con
nections with, the great progressive
" families of England.
John Brlghfs consistent honesty In
politics and his unwavering democ-i-racy
are traced back by his biogra--'pher
to his Quaker training. He was
.'. born into that denomination and re-
- mained faithful to it all his life. He
- took part in four great campaigns for
'' civilization. The first was the fight
" against the British, corn laws, which.
had been framed for the benefit of the
landholdlng aristocracy. Bright, Cob
ani ,iaIi narfv rjrmosed the corn
laws, which involved a protective pol
icy, on the ground mat tney Durueueu
the whole country for the sake of a
particular privileged class. It was
freely predicted tnat tne removal w
the corn duties would be followed by
-a- fro in thn mills, but nothing
of the kind happened. On the con
trary, wages rose as soon as tne uu.ea
were abated.
wi sAr-nnri Treat campaign was
against the wicked and foolish? Cri
mean War. For opposing it ne ms
denounced in the usual language of
iinffniam am ft tm itnr a. Russian, and
so on, but he stood his ground and
when the fury was an over t.ngiana
acknowledged that he was right. He
nnnnMPrl the war feeling of his coun
trymen again in the American war.
Through John Brlghfs influence the
British cotton workers were msnuiy
tn tno TTnfrtn. an d it may well have
been their voices that prevented Eng
land from recognizing uie oouin.
Brighfs last task was the extension
of the suffrage to the British working
class. He began this work and saw it
partially completed, but old age over
rtr him hefore the final triumph
took place. He was great both in in
tellect and character, ana piayea a
foremost part in one of the world's
dramatic ages.
BACK TO MATTEATVAN.
Thaw 13 not a "tourist passing
hm.,o-h ratiafla" and therefore free
from molestation by the immigration
authorities, as he claims; but he is a
homicidal maniac possessed of an ab
normal cunning, who has escaped
from custody in New York by bribery
and other common devices of criminal
conspiracy.
It is satisfactory to note that the
Canadian Minister of the Interior has
directed the authorities to "deal with
the Thaw case summarily." He knows
that Canada has no duty or nospiianty
to Thaw or any other fugitive Amer
ican murderer, sane or insane. He is
not cajoled or deceived by the subtle
ties of the lawyers or the intricacies
or the law. He knows that his high
est duty is to protect the public
against Thaw and his kind; and he
purposes to exercise a power inherent
in any state to restrain or expel an
undesirable or dangerous citizen and
In nlaln obligation to deny
asylum in Canada for the criminal
subjects of a friendly neighbor.
If Thaw should escape tnrougn mo
axness or willingness of the Canadian
authorities, it would be a scandal only
Hico-rnoafnt than the connivance
of some of the officials at Matteawan.
But now he Is not to be permitted to
remain in Canada. So long as Thaw
has money. It appears to be a difficult
problem to hold him in America,
FAC-SMILES.
The McMlnnville Telephone-Register
is pursuing an investigation into
the subject of historic newspapers,
rniimHnr a recent discovery that a
citizen of Yamhill County had in his
possession a treasure in a copy of the
Ulster County Gazette printed Janu
ary 4. 1800. and containing an ac
count of the death of George Wash
ington, which occurred on DecemDer
14, 1799. The Lafayette Visitor in
form fh TeleDhone-Register that its
editor had about thirty years ago
bought an Ulster County Gazette (Jan
uary 4, 1800) "for five cents at a news
stand of some faker; but it was
claimed to be only a fac-slmile."
Doubtless it was.
Koi lone aer an impecunious citizen
came into The Oregonlan office, offer
ing to sell for the modest sum of 25
nt three remarkable relics tne
Ulster County Gazette (January 4,
1800), the New York .Herald tApru
is isfis with an account of the as
sassination of President Lincoln) and
th Vleksburar Rebel, printed on wan-
paper at the time of the great siege
of 1863. It was an opportunity toai
-i. risr-iinart. to our subseauent re-
W sav reeretfully. for it is
clear that every well-organized news
paper in the world ought to nave on
hand for immediate reference or dis
may one or all of these imperishable
mementoes of great events, and it was
a mistake to decline an oner oi uie
original articles for so small a sum.
or any sum.
It is probably not an exaggeration
oetimntA that a. million families in
the United States are today in pos
session of one or anotner or uiese
rare papers. The Oregonlan has never
on nna of them that it believed to
be genuine; all, or practically all, are
fac-similes, printed long aner tne
events which they report. But as fac
similes they are interesting. Why.
Indeed, an authentic reproduction of
one or another should not be Just as
miunhin aa an orielnal. except for
reasons of sentiment, it would be hard
for any one to explain.
OX JOrXTN'G THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY.
If The Oregonlan could be as sure
of some things as Miss Carpenter ap
pears to be of all things she has to
say in her letter today, it would be
able to go calmly ahead over seas of
controversy without the slightest con
cern about anyone else's opinions or
knowledge, or attitude. Miss Carpen
ter is an organizer for the Progres
sive party and she is well equipped for
the Job. For besides knowing all
about the base betrayal of the Pro
gressive party in Maryland by its two
conspicuous official representatives,
she knows what Colonel Roosevelt is
going to do In 1916 or is not going
to do and she knows what the Pro
gressive party is going to do and the
Republican party is going to do.
Therefore she knows more than any
other person whatsoever. She is the
Ideal Progressive.
Yet it Is difficult for us, being with
out perfect omniscience or absolute
powers of prophecy, to forecast on our
own account what Colonel Roosevelt
will do in 1916; and we are wholly -unable
to see the relevancy of Miss Car
penter's quotation of the Colonel's re
cent remarks in Chicago. ' We can
only be 6ure that Colonel Roosevelt
will be a candidate or will not be a
candidate for President in 1916,
whatever then seems to him advisable
or expedient; and whatever he may
have said or thought or done in 1912,
or 1913, or any other year, may then
be easily forgotten and Ignored.
Meanwhile we beg to assure- Miss
Carpenter that The Oregonlan is in
entire good humor about her grand
work of organizing, or reorganizing,
the Progressive party of Oregon. All
conjectures to the contrary, we are
somewhat progressive ourselves with
a big P. If by the publication of her
letter, or by this little article, she has
procured any advertisement of herself
and her activities through The Ore
gonlan, she is welcome, quite welcome.
Let the Progressives go ahead and
have a party. Let everyone who thinks
there is a future for such a party, and
agrees with its principles and enjoys
the company of Its members, enlist
under the flag so gallantly borne by
Miss Carpenter. Yet we find our
selves speculating somewhat on what
is to become of the party when Colo
nel Roosevelt decides to come back
into the Republican party, or moves
on to some other party If he does.
THE TROLLEY AS A DEVELOPER.
The driving of the golden spike on
the Portland, Eugene & Eastern elec
tric road at Monroe signalizes more
than the completion of a line forty
one miles long. It marks the comple
tion of another link in a system which
will extend throughout the Willamette
Valley and which will bring each
community in .that rich, broad area
Into touch with the others.
The rapid transit 'and frequent
trains which this system will afford
will tempt men to go into every part
of this valley and develop it to its
greatest capacity. Orchards, dairies
and every crop which, by intensive
cultivation, will give a large yield from
small acreage will fill the valley. Large
farms occupied by single families will
be subdivided into small ones, each
providing a good living for a family.
Creameries, cheese factories, canner
ies and many other industries will
grow up on the foundation thus laid,
and the cities and towns will be
quickened into new life.
With denser population will come
many of the comforts and conven
iences which are denied to the now
widely separated farmers. Good roads,
good schools, county high schools,
churches and many forms of amuse
ment will follow the trolley. Country
life will be rendered more attractive
and will be robbed of the terrors of
Isolation which have driven the people
to town. The trolley line is the best
developer and upbuilder of the country.
PROTECTING THE BIRDS.
The stand which Senators Lane and
Chamberlain have taken on the ques
tion of Importing wild bird plumage
will probably save the day for the
birds and the farmers. The latter are
as much interested in the matter as
the former, since, as Sentor McLean
said in his speech upon the subject,
"we need the birds more than they
need us," and the farmers need them
more than anybody else. As the tariff
bill left the House it contained a pro
vision to prohibit the Importation of
the feathers, wings and skins of wild
birds. No distinction was made among
the species because long and sad ex
perience had taught the birds' friends
that any such distinction was sure to
be interpreted so as to countenance
fraud. The House provision was se
cured after years of hard work by the
Audubon societies and other people
who are interested In the preservation
of birds and the welfare of agriculture,
subjects which are too Intimately con.
nected to be considered separately.
Expert naturalists, travelers who had
visited the ends of the earth, scien
tific investigators of world-wide re
nown, all laid their experience before
the House and the result of their dis
interested labors was the prohibition
which we have specified.
The tariff bill then went to the Sen
ate, and with it went the prohibition
against importing bird plumage. In
due course it was turned over to the
finance committee for consideration.
The public does not know precisely
what influences were brought to bear
upon that sapient -body. Senator Mc
Lean says In his speech that many sci
entific men testified as they had in the
House. He adds that the millinery
trade was also most competently rep
resented. Strange things happen in
the mysterious recesses of committee
rooms and when the provision to pro
tect the birds emerged It had been
marvelously altered. It now forbade
the Importation of the plumage and
skins of all except "game, noxious and
pestiferous birds." Innocent as this
change in language may have ap
peared to some members of the
finance committee, it totally altered
the significance of the clause. There
la scarcely a bird of bright plumage
which is not somewhere or other shot
for game. Robins and thrushes are
"game birds" in sunny Italy. The
most beneficial birds in the world are
hunted as "noxious and pestiferous"
by ignorant peasants and savages.
Knowledge upon this subject is scarce
ly more than rudimentary among the
common people everywhere. It will
be understood, therefore, what an
opening the Senate committee's alter
ation gave the millinery trade to con
tinue its onslaught upon the bird life
of the world.
Many Senators understood the mer
its of the question. Mr. O'Gorman, of
New York, for example, and Mr. Will
iams, of Mississippi, were perfectly
aware that the prohibition as it came
from the finance committee was a
mere sham. But there was serious
danger that the committee's report
would be adopted as it stood by the
Democratic caucus and thus become
a party matter. If that should hap
pen, there was no hope for the birds
and the farmers, because the reverence
of the Democratic Senators for their
party caucus amounts to blind super
stition. Senator McLean, of Connecti
cut, made his speech for the birds on
August 16. His remarks covered the
whole ground. He entered into the his.
tory of bird protection, spoke briefly of
the crime and cruelty of the men who
collect feathers in all parts of the
world, and pointed out, as others have
done time and again, the economic
disaster which is certain to follow
upon the extinction of our feathered
friends. Organized effort to protect
the birds began with the formation of
the Audubon societies in this country
and Europe. Their influence has
spread in the face of selfish opposition
and Indifference until they have finally
enlisted the co-operation of many
periodicals and legislators. Humane
sentiment is with them everywhere as
soon as the facts are understood. In
1898 Lord Wolseley forbade the use
of bird plumage in the British army.
In 1902 the government of India pro
hibited the exportation of feathers.
Many years ago Germany forbade by
imperial act the slaughter of beautiful
and useful birds and In 1868 the
tweny-sixth annual congress of Ger
man farmers and foresters appealed to
Austria to take the same action. Aus
tralia prohibits the exportation of plu
mage under heavy penalties. In 1906
Queen Alexandra of England took up
the cause and "publicly stated that she
never wore egrets herself and would
do all she could to discourage the cru
elty practiced on beautiful birds." One
might suppose that an example so ex
alted would have moved women in
general to discontinue the barbarous
custom of wearing bird feathers, but it
seems to have had little effect. Fash
ion's decrees, no .matter how cruel, are
superior to all other influences with
many women.
Senator McLean was asked in the
course of his speech why it would not
be sufficient to forbid the slaughter
and sale of our home birds. What do
we care for thosa of foreign lands?
The answer was simple. Our birds of
beautiful plumage and economic value
are all' migratory. The humming
birds, for example, -pass the Winter in
Cuba, where they are slaughtered
relentlessly. Their skins are sold In
London at 2 cents apiece. If the
bloody work continues, it will not be
long before the humming bird be
comes extinct. The same story is told
of all the rest. The only way to pro
tect the birds Is to destroy the mar
ket for their plumage. Appeals to the
humane sentiments of women will
help, of course, but the only effectual
measure is to outlaw the international
trade in feathers, wings and skins.
When the bird slayers can no longer
sell their booty, they will cease their
abominable practices. Every year It
becomes more difficult for the farmer
to defend his crops from insect ene
mies. The birds which are slain for
their plumage are worth millions of
dollars to him every season, but as
their numbers decrease they naturally
accomplish less and less. It has been
said that man cannot exist upon the
earth without the help of the birds.
Experience shows only too clearly that
while the statement may be exagger
ated, it contains a fearful element of
truth. The Senate ought to adopt the
House provision unaltered.
No negro must hold a higher posi
tion than one of the superior race un
der this Administration. A negro was
railway mail clerk between Norfolk
and Raleigh, N. C, and had a white
subordinate. Representative Small, .of
the Raleigh district, was asked to In
vestigate, and he did. He learned
from the Civil Service Commission
that the negro had passed the exam
ination better than some white men.
That made no difference to Mr. Small.
He said the people along the route
"would not stand for a negro being
placed In charge of a mallear with
white clerks as helpers." The Com
mission saw the point and the negro
has been made the helper.
The despised tin can Is on the
threshold of a brighter day If days
have thresholds. Two great allevia
tions of its wretched lot have Just been
consummated. Some chemists have
found that an old oyster can im
mersed in a certain solution is easily
transformed to shining copper. An
other benefactor has been inspired
with the notion that flattened cans
will make excellent shingles, a little
noisy perhaps, but otherwise wholly
desirable. The maxim that there was
a use for everything seemed to stum
ble over an exception In old tin cans,
but these discoveries clear up the ap
parent anomaly.
There is talk in Constantinople that
Bulgaria has relinquished Adrianople
to Turkey in exchange for concessions
elsewhere. She could hardly do other,
wise, for she is not in condition, un
aided, to drive out the Turks a second
time. The Turks will not give up
their sacred city unless compelled to,
and Bulgaria can look nowhere for
help. The great powers may send a
few notes to the Sultan, but he will
only laugh at them. The Turk gains
one more lease of life through division
of the Christians.'
Mayor Gaynor can be relied on to
make the New York campaign Inter
esting by his fondness for inventing
names. He calls the fuslonists "the
mingle-mangle committee," having
borrowed from this phrase in one of
Hugh Latimer's sermons: "When they
called the hogs. to the feed trough they
cried: 'Come to your mingle-mangle.' "
The Mayor will have more phrases of
the same kind to fire at his opponents
before November.
Multnomah County will not be dis
tressed financially If it shall keep the
old men at the poor farm supplied
moderately with tobacco. Man finds
comfort in a smoke, and the older and
poorer he is the greater the enjoyment
he finds In it. Granted it is a habit;
so Is eating, and many can as easily
break one as the other.
The maker of a popular automobile
predicts that within a few years ma
chines that will travel 200 miles an
hour will be common, In which event
the man hit by one need not bother to
learn what killed him.
Recently the dogcatcher at Albany
resigned and expressed the opinion,
based on firm conviction, that it Is not
a Job for a white man. Every owner
of an impounded animal will agree
with him.
The marriage of Manuel and Au
gustine Victoria is of as much moment
as that of any other poor couple, ex
cent that Manuel does not work for a
living.
Balkan atrocities are now charged
to Greeks. More atrocities may be
needed to determine who perpetrated
the last ones.
Dancing masters in convention de
clare that the wiggle dances are vul
gar. Did any one ever deny or doubt
it?
' Huerta may become a candidate to
succeed himself. We have made of
him a popular man in Mexico City.
The Southern Paclflo Company will
send all wooden cars to the scrapheap.
There they belong.
Ex-King Manuel, having married
his heiress, may now proceed to get
the family jewels out of pawn.
The present rains are said to help
all crops. How about the straw hat
and X-ray dress crops?
Johnsons outnumber Smiths in Chi
cago. The Smith family would better
look to its laurels.
The City Park elk died of some
strange malady. Too much civiliza
tion, mayhap.
Local butter has advanced in price.
We'll have to spread (t on thinner to
keep even.
If New York really wants Thaw,
why not give Burns the Job of getting
him ?
Everyone appears to want to help
entertain the Portola girls. We bid,
also.
And the day after aviation is proved
safe another aviator joins the toll.
Bank capital is growing in Oregon.
Along with the general prosperity.
A big party of Mexicans will pray
for peace. That's the Bryan plan.
Thaw seems destined for Mattea
wan. Hard on the lawyers.
SPIRITISM AS SEEN BY HUXLEY.
His. Criticism Based on Character of
Evidence Offered.
DALLAS. Or., Sept 3. (To the Edi
tor.) Your editorial on "Science and
Spirits'" in The Oregonlan last Sunday
was quite interesting reading. I am
quite sure, however, that your state
ment of Huxley's attltuda towards
modern spiritualism does not fully and
accurately elucidate his point of view.
You say: "When Huxley was invited
to Investigate some occult phenomena,
he replied that he did not believe the
reports about them were true, and if
they were true they did not interest
him. This has been the attitude of
scientific men for, a great while. So
long has it continued and so arrogantly
defiant has it been that the spiritists
have serious ground of complaint
against the high priests of orthodox
science."
Huxley was anything but dogmatic
In his views on the abstract question
of immortality, unless it Is dogmatic
to say that you cro not know a certain
affirmation to be true, when you don't
know. Such intellectual honesty ap
pears to me to be more nearly akin to
the Jewel of modesty than to the blud
geon of dogmatism. Huxley was the
child of physical and mental science,
and he had little faith in the occult,
for he knew only too well the awful
desert waste It had made of the intel
lectual world In former ages. He was
a student and an Interpreter of natural
phenomena, of the relations of cause
and effect; and his keen, analytical
mind saw only order and harmony in
the seeming disorder of the shifting
phantasmagoria of nature.
Huxley possessed many intellectual
gifts, but his most remarkable men
tal characteristic was his extraordi
nary common sense. He had little pa
tience. It is true, with so-called spirit
phenomena as manifested through the
agency of questionable mediums in
their sequestered cabinets and dark
ened rooms, 'from which all light was
excluded. In -his judgment, all such
manifestations smacked so loudly of
the charlatan's trickery and the
sleight-of-hand performer's legerde
main that but little credence could be
given them. Indeed, it would seem
that the light of day is certain" death
to the spirituallstio microbe, which
like certain vegetable fungi, has its
favorite breeding ground in dark
places. But, alas and alack, the spirit
rappers, it would seem, have at last
gained a slippery foothold in the in
ner circles of the star-eyed temple of
"orthodox science," In this year of
grace 1913. How the mighty have fal
len and the spouters of twaddle come
into their own!
The full text of Huxley's reply to the
committee's invitation, referred to in
your editorial, is as follows:
I regret that I am unable to accept the
Invitation of the committee of the Dialectical
Society to co-operate with a committee foi
the investigation of "epf ritualism" ; and for
two reasons: In the first place, I have
not the time for such nn inquiry, which
would involve much trouble and (unless it
were unlike all inquiries ot that kind I
have known) much annoyance. In the sec
ond place, 1 taice no interest in tne suDject.
The only case of spiritualism' I have had
the onDortiinlty of examining into for my-
,self was as progs an imposture as ever came
under my notice. But suppose the phe
nomena to be genuine they do not interest
me. If anybody would endow me with the
faculty of listening to the chatter of old
women and curates in tne nearest catnearai
town. I should decline the privilege, hav
ing better thlnge to do. And If the folk
in the spiritual world do not talk more
wisely and sensibly than their, friends re
port them to do, I put them in the same
category. The only aood that I can see In
the demonstration of the truth of spirit
ualism" Is to furnish an additional argu
ment against suicide. Better live a crossing
sweeper than die and be made to talk twad
dle by a "medium" hired at a guinea a
seance. -J. r.
BETRAYED PROGRESSIVE PARTY
Some Light on Certain Wicked Trans
action In Maryland.
PORTLAND, Sept. 4. (To the Edi
tor.) Will you permit me the cour
tesy of your columns to correct an
error which appeared In your editorial
page Tuesday on the "Fusion of the
Republicans and the Progressives in
Maryland?
It is quite true that Charles R.
Schirm and Colonel Carrlngton were
formerly of the Progressive party, be
ing National committeeman and chair
man of the state committee, respect
ively. It is also true that they made
advances to the Republicans for the
purpose of "delivering" the Progres
sive party of Maryland, and of effect
ing the tusion you so happily announce.
For this act of benevolent generosity
one was to be made Governor and the
other United States Senator. Un
fortunately for the well-laid plans of
these highly honorable gentlemen,
when their duplicity was discovered,
the Progressive party of Maryland
proved very ungrateful. The National
committee was informed and requested
to withdraw Mr. Shirm as National
committeeman, while Colonel Carrlng
ton was publicly put out of the Pro
gressive party. These gentlemen then
fused with the Republican party alone.
We are very glad to have them go,
and any other Progressives who feel
inclined that way, but the Progressive
party remains intact.
May I also suggest that you have
been misinformed in regard to Colonel
Roosevelt's friends desiring his nom
lnation for the Presidency by the Re
publican party In 1916?
Colonel Roosevelt voiced the sen
timents of the Progressive party that
Is back of him, when he said at Chi
cago less than two weeks ago:
I see there haa been a good deal of talk
about eettlna together. Other people can
get together with us by adopting all our
principles not partly, Dut an.
The Progreesive party stands for princi
ples: It stands for concrete things in accord
ance with those principles. It stands for the
principle tnat alter Que aenoeration tne peo
ple shall have the right to the laws they
may want.
Above evenrthlnir else, we abhor hypocrisy.
When we said the people should rule We
meant it. They must have the right to en
act social-justice legislation, no matter what
the Executive, the Judiciary or the Jeglsla
ture may say.
As a matter of fact, the Republican
party has given up all hopes of fusion.
except possibly In some localities
where the Republicans are more pro
gresslve and are not of the "standpaf
order. As a National party It is
quietly reorganizing as the conserva
tive party of America, hoping to bring
into its ranks those Democrats whom
President Wilson is antagonizing by
his present constructive policy.
ALICE CARPENTER.
Naturalization of Aliens.
PORTLAND, Sept. S. (To the Edi
tor.) (1) Does a person who applies
for final citizen papers have to make
his witnesses appear In person, or will
their depositions do if they live in an
other state?
(2) With whom does a person file
his application for final papers?
A. MAGNUS.
(1) The portion of the five years' res
idence out of the state may be shown
by depositions. Witnesses verifying
petitioner's residence In the state in
which be resides must appear In per
son. . (2) Petitions for final papers
for persons residing In Portland may
be filed in either the Federal or State
Circuit Court in this city.
Heavy and Light Bread.
Kansas City Times.
Mr. PeBter I see by this morning's
paper that our baker was fined 25
for selling lightweight loaves of bread
and I'm glad of It. The scoundrel!
Mrs. Pester You're so hard to please.
Only yesterday you were complaining
that the bread I baked was too heavy.
Mr. Taft's Address.
FOSTER. Or., Sept. 2. (To the Edi
tor.) Kindly give me the present ad
dress of ex-President Taft.
A SUBSCRIBER.
New Haven, Conn care Yale Uni
versity. '
WILL OTJR SOTJLS BE CLASSIFIED?
Death Dlscusaed by Writer In Prose
and Verse. J
PORTLAND, Sept. 3. (To the Edi
tor.) I read very carefully the edi
torial in The Oregonian, "La Mort." I
have read Maeterlinck and many oth
ers regarding this most solemn sub
ject, "Death" a subject, or rather fact
of nature which has always been most
difficult for the average mind to grasp.
Perhaps my mind is only an average
one, but I will admit some capacity
for understanding the best thought of
others. Now suppose all thinking mor
tals who look nature in the face and
study her moods could grasp the great
and eternal truths which seem so plain
to some of us. Those truths are:
All living creatures came into being
according to the laws of nature; the
most imperative law seems to be that
of change, that is trim life to death.
"Life is uncertain, but death is sure."
So much for these facts as we see
them. Now in regard to that other part
of man tfiat he calls "soul." It is seen
that the entire universe is subject to
the same eternal law. We cannot evade
that truth. No more can the mortal
who has the gift of reason ever bring
himself to think that the soul exists
apart from nature.
Conclusion All things being a part
of nature, each atom finding its law
ful nincn and nothine being lost, is It
unreasonable to believe that the souL
will be treated according to law. as
nature treats everything else in her
vast domains? Is it not just possible
that souls after the death of the bodies
they inhabited will find their proper
places in the great unknown, and na
ture, the mother of all, handle their
various destinies according to law and
harmony? Will the soul of Napoleon
or the great Duke of Wellington, or
our own General Grant be regarded no
higher than an Army. cook?. Or could
we imagine for a moment the soul of
Washington being entertained by that
of the immortal Mr. Samuel Weiler?
I don't want to seem funny about so
solemn a subject, but I often hear
preachers spring jokes even in their
pulpits, so I might Just as well have
mine. Anyway, I hope I am under
stood, for I am the last man in the
world who would regard lightly what
is taken so seriously by the great ma
Jority'of mankind. .1 cannot finish this
in prose, but In verse
Fear not. oh trembling mortal, though death
is near
And on thy fading sight the darkness rolls.
Shrink not at this the natural change In
fear, L
The mother's breast, the gentle earth,
enfolds
Thv droopins form and onward keeps
Her way serene, and death is after all
But rest for thee and dreamless sleep,
Till Nature hears again creation's calL
Tis not eternal, again th dust may rise
In other form perhaps, but yet the thrill
Of living warmth the snme clear skies
Will o'er thee roil, the eternal law ful
filled. .
Perhaps thy childish ears were overfed
-iVith lurid tales of horrors after death.
Heaven for the few but tortures dread
For all who dare to reason on the earth.
Oh what a weapon this to calm the slave,
To petrify and clog the exploring mind.
To frightful make the idea of the grave
And worst of all to claim Itself divine.
GEO. H. SAND3,
SS3 East Alder street, city.
TIME IS NOT RIPE FOR ACTION.
Mexican Situation Does Not Yet De
mand Pugnacious Attitude.
HOQUIAM, Wash., Sept. 2. (To the
Editor.) I should like to say a few
words in defense of the policy pursued
by President Wilson in Mexico, or, more
exactly, a sort of negative as oppose.!
to a positive or supporting defense. The
chief criticisms have been that his
policy was dilatory and that we have
not upheld the dignity and honor of a
great country like the united btates.
Some criticism has also come from for
elffn rjaDers. but this is easy to answer.
The foreign powers would be very glad
to use the United States as a cat s
Daw to Drotect their Interests and pos
sessions in Mexico. They would prefer
to have American soldiers lose their
lives, rather than to sacrifice tneir own
native sons. That seems to explain
their attitude.
If the action of our Government has
been slow, it la because matters have
not been ripe for decided action and
such action has not been needed. The
Internal dissensions of Mexicans are of
interes tto us only as they affect our
Interests. Many there are who write,
talk and by cartoon urge that we take
active and belligerent steps. They seem
to desire war and bloodshed, though
probably not their own, despite the
statements of experts that General
Scott's march of triumph would not be
repeated so easily.
Our honor and standing among na
tions Is too firm, too secure, too well
recognized to need a pugnacious atti
tude In regard to the Mexican situa
tion. The Wilson Administration has
followed more or less accurately the
lines laid down by Taft; no great
harm has been done American inter
ests and no blood shed by American
troops. Now, Instead, of hindering and
crying for bloodshed, let us uphold the
Administration to make it strong and
effective, and If the time does come
when we must fight, we can fight
bravely and fearlessly with a clear
conscience. C. HOWARD FRENCH.
EVERYDAY PUZZLE QUESTIONS.
Answers Readily Obtained, bnt Who
Can Give Them Offhand?
PORTLAND, Sept. 3. (To the Edi
tor.) The ordinary person pays very
little attention to everyday things.
Some time ago The Oregonlan contained
a list of facts which the writer claimed
every well-educated person should
know.
1 wish to get even, because I knew
only a very few of them. Here Is a
list of questions every very observing
person should know. Yet like the oth
er "wise man's" list, they are not ab
solutely essential and a person may
even achieve greatness without know
ing anv of them:
1. What is the wording on a silver
dollar?
2. How many spans are there In the
Hawthorne Bridge?
S. How many counties In Oregon?
How many states In the United States?
4. What Is the wording- on an ordi
nary 2-cent stamp?
5. "Now don't look." How many col
umns wide is a standard newspaper?
6. How many stanzas in the National
Hymn?
7. What Is the area of the city of
Portland? A READER.
Definition, Not Appellation.
HILLSBORO, Or., Sept. 8. (To the
Editor.) I share the feeling of disap
pointment expressed in The Oregonian's
editorial comment concerning the adop
tion of "Willamette Valley Line" for
the P. E. & E. Road. Webfoot Route
would have been vastly preferable;
there is surely among us some native
Oregonlan conversant with the Indian
language from which he could have
composed some melodious appellation.
Not knowing any Indian idiom myself,
I sent in Kalotopia Route, meaning,
route of the Country Beautiful, a name
not altogether devoid of euphony and
Ictus. Why not select from the thous
ands of names about 60 or so and let
the people select one from that lot an
appellative. As it Is, the P. E. & E. is
still nameless, the designation In Wil
lamette Valley Road being merely a
definition. WILLIAM RICHTER.
Personal Property Tax.
PORTLAND, Sept. 8. (To the Edi
to.) Kindly tell me if the payment
of personal tax for 1912 Is compulsory.
I paid my real estate tax but not the
personal as there was considerable con
troversy at that time. I would thank
you for your opinion. TAXPAYER.
In the opinion of The Oregonlan such
forms of personal property as are ex
empted from taxation by the Initiated
law of 1912, are exempt from that
year's taxation, but the question baa
Lnat jet been settled by court decision.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonlan of September 5. 1SSS.
Washington, Sept. Senator Mitch
ell, of Oregon, expresses himself as
exclusion bill and favored its passage.
Spokane Falls, W. T., Sept. 4.
Charles S. Voorhees was nominated by
acclamation for delegate to Congress
by the Democratic territorial conven
tion. Stephen Judson, of Tacoma, was
temporary chairman and Hon. B. L.
Sharpstein, of Walla Walla, permanent
chairman.
County Clerk E. C. Wheeler has re
turned from the East.
Port Captain J. W. Troup, of the O.
R. & N. Company, left yesterday for
Riparla to superintend the first trip
of the Annie Faxon.
Thomas Parrott, with Milton Sunder
land and party, has been having a fine
time on the Kilchis River in Tillamook
County, about four miles from Tilla
mook City. Tom writes that "a new
town has been started seven miles
from Tillamook City, called Bay City.
Lots are selling at t30 apiece, provided
you build and are then given the next
lot."
William Dunbar is preparing a lot of
apples for shipment to China.
The directors of the Portland Y. M.
C. A. have decided to call C. W. Beers,
of Santa Barbara, to become secretary.
Grand Master Jacob Mayer, Grand
Treasurer D. C. McKercher and Grand
Tyler Gustaf Wilson, of the Masoqlc
grand lodge, returned yesterday from
Pendleton, where they laid the corner
stone of the new Courthouse of Uma
tilla County.
From The Oregonlan of September 5. 1S63.
Fortress Monroe, Aug. 29. A dia
patch from Newbern says that on the
morning of the 17th a large sloop of
war with ten guns and flying the
British flag swept ptst the blockaders
and Immediately after hoisted the
rebel flag and passed into Wilmington.
This Is the fourth vessel of war that
has run the blockade within six weeks.
John McCraken, T. A. Davis and
Captain Myrlck, of this city, and
Messrs. Holmes, Hedges and Kelly, of
Oregon City, have just returned from
a prospecting tour in the Cascade
Mountains, on the head waters of the
Molalla.
About 100 pounds of gold dust was
brought down on the steamer Julia
last evening by Wells-Fargo & Co. A
large amount was In the hands of pas
sengers, variously estimated from 600
to 800 pounds.
NO NEED TO WIDEN EAST BLRXSIDE
Writer Believes There Are Other and
More Urgent Needs.
PORTLAND, Sept. 4. (To the Edi
tor.) It seems good to read the clean,
healthy protests In The Oregonian's col
umns against this agitation of a few
for a widening of East Burnslde street.
There is not the slightest call for its
being widened. It has never been
crowded with vehicles, nor Is there
much likelihood of Its ever being con
gested. With five bridges and good
paved streets for traffic, no one of
those streets need ever be over-crowded.
As a small owner of property near
East Burnslde I must confess to grow
ing weary of having little groups of
real estate boomers shouting for wid
ening of streets or forcing unneces
sary paving on a district which serves
to saddle the small holder with need
less expense.
I hardly think our Commissioners
are men who can be induced to lend
their Influence to projects of this kind.
But some steps should be taken to pre
vent one or two individuals putting an
entire district to the trouble and in
convenience of securing signatures to
a remonstrance against such projects
as the needless expense of widening
East Burnslde street.
It Is probable that within the next
five years we shall have one or more
tubes under the river and that will be
likely radically to change the traffic
arteries of our city. Ten years ago
they were probably agitating for wider
streets from the old Steel Bridge, but
conditions today show such demands
to have been unwise.
A far more urgent need for our city
Is a municipal garbage collection sys
tem which shall gather and dispose of
the refuse without cost to the Individ
ual householder, but shall form part
of the annual budget for the taxpay
ers as Is done In Buffalo and many
other cities. ' JAMES D. CORBY.
FEATURES FOR
SUNDAY
The Round-Up A Round-Up
page in colors. (Reproduction oiy
the official Poster.)
More Ahout Vice Stirring' days
when he was busy coping with
New York City's policemen, poli
ticians and corruption are recalled
by Theodore Roosevelt, in an illus
trated page article. You tjhould
follow the Roosevelt series. Some
big facts are being set down and
even bigger ones are in store
Men Who Earn $100,000 a Year
An illustrated page on the pic
turesque figures who draw down
princely salaries. Most of them
had most humble beginnings.
Portland Thirty Years Ago A
striking set of photographs em
phasizing Portland's marvelous
growth. '
Gold for Good Girls American
millionaires plan introduction in
America of pretty French custom.
A delightful illustrated feature
from our Paris correspondent.
Whole Tribes Play Baseball
When it comes to interest in this
great game the primitive Samoans
are in a class by themselves. A
Pago Pago writer describes the
most remarkable game of ball ever
played.
Oregon's Hunting Haunts An
illustrated page on hunting for big
game in Oregon's "happy hunting
grounds."
Success Secretary McAdoo,
who has won success, gives a new
recipe for it. He has something
new in the way of advice to those
who have the ladder yet to climb.
Saving the Indian A page in
colors on the novel and picturesque
Rodman Wanamaker undertaking
which is designed to make of aD
remaining Indians loyal citizens of
the United States.
A big variety of other features
will appear. Order today of your
newsdealer.
j Half a Century Ago