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PORTLAND. FRIDAY. OCT. it.
1913.
THE
SUBVEY OF THE
POBTXAXD
SCHOOLS.
By this time,. we suppose, very few
citizens of Portland are unacquainted
with the report of the committee ap
pointed to make a survey of the city
schools. The Investigation seems to
have been perfectly unhampered, and
admirably searching. The report is
quite free from bias of any kind. It
makes no reflections upon any In
dividual, but at the same time it
brings unsparingly to light the de
fects of the system under which our
children are being taught. For a
long time Portland has been pervaded
by rumors that these defects were
both numerous and destructive, but
until the report was made and pub
lished nobody could say precisely
what they were or suggest an ade
quate remedy. Now we all know ex
actly what is wrong and if we fail
to apply a remedy it is our own fault.
No doubt the defects of the Portland
public school system have arisen, as
the committee suggests, mainly from
two causes. The first is the tardy
evolution of the schools. While the
city has grown from a country vil
lage to a metropolis and has taken on
Itself metropolitan ways as far as the
police and fire departments and the
great interests of trade are concerned
the schools have clung to the narrow
ness of rural conditions. We have
been trying to educate the children of
Portland as if It were still a little
village hidden under the fir trees
on the banks of the Willamette.
An unceasing brake on the develop
ment of the schools ha3 been their
subjection to the Legislature. Port
land lives under the same school code
as Champoeg. except where changes
have been made by special acts of the
Legislature, and these acts, if we
may believe the survey committee,
have not always been well advised.
wt- ova Hmmi rn vin cr in sev-
iX.tJ CU1 w " a" "
eral particulars. For one thing the
city i3 obliged to use the same text
books as the rural schools. This may
be well enough in many cases, but
in some it works badly. The com
mittee refers to some textbooks which,
it savs. "are utterly unfit for use in
the city schools." Our authorities
ought to be able to get rid of books
of that kind without waiting for a
noai legislative act. Again the
taxes are voted by the qualified elec
tors of the district in a public meet
Inc. lust as they were in pioneer
ime vhn the citizens numbered
onlv a score or two. This entails the
most regrettable consequences. Some
times no more than a dozen or two
attend the meeting. Sometimes there
is a large attendance called out by
spite or ignorance. In all cases the
method Is unsuited to the needs of a
city and It should be changed.
Parallel with this pernicious de-
nAidence upon the State Legislature,
our school Bystem has suffered, ac
cording to the committee, hy an un
wise assumption of power by the
T?oard of Directors. They seem to
have taken upon themselves duties
which are more propertly left to the
superintendent and his corps of as
sistants. The committee specifies many
varieties of petty requests which are
formallv submitted to the Board and
handled by it, as If they were of
the first importance, when, under a
wiser system, they would go directly
either to the City Superintenaent or,
more properly perhaps, to one of his
crinclDals. The employment or teacn-
era. In particular, is a duty with which
the Board of Directors should not
concern Itself. It should be left en-
tlrely to the superintendent, as it
actually Is In every city which has a
model school system, une assurap
of undue authority over the ed
iieational side by the Board has led
to an unfortunate desiccation of the
school work. Business men naturally
tMnlr more of form and organization
than of that subtle process whioh Is
nronerlv called "teaching." wnen
they have made of the public schools
a mnoothly running machine they are
apt to Imagine that there is nothing
farther to be done. unis is wnat naa
harraened la Portland. Nothing could
move more gracefully than the public
school system and nothing, If we may
believe the survey, could be more cold
and lifeless. The committee speaks
of the curriculum as "dead." They
can attention to the vast array of ex-
aminations which consume one-fifth
of the time of the school year and
which, in their opinion, "are of little
value." Again they speak of the ex
cessive formality of the school exer
cises.
In the lowest grades, they say. the
teaching is alive.. The teachers exert
nersonal influence on their pupils and
one can perceive geniune spiritual and
mnntal growth going on. in me next
higher grades the evil effect of the
machine becomes perceptible. There
is a deadening of the personal lactor,
ThA inflexible curriculum ana tne in
exorable rules under which it must
be taught chain the teacher's intelll
destrov her ambition to excel
and reduce the class work to a dull
routine. As we go higher in the
schools this deplorable effect becomes
more noticeable still. Throughout
th svstem there is a marked tend
ency to transform the living teacher
into an automaton, wniie me princi
pals are almost forced to assume the
function of petty inspectors and fault
finders Instead of being educational
1 purlers, as they should
The recommendations which th
committee make for the cure of this
state of things are clear ana sensioie.
In the first place the Board or ui
rectors should confine Itseir to tn
large financial affairs of the schools
Thev ought also to overlook legisla
tion and see to it that no destructive
acts are passed at Salem. Occupied
with imnortant matters of this kind.
they will leave the educational side
entirely to the Superintendent. It
will be his business to employ the
teachers and make proper contracts
with them: to co-ordinate and super
vise the work of the principals and to
attend to the evolution of the curricu
lum. The principals themselves are
to have much more freedom than
now. The control of their respective
buildings when used as social centers,
fnr amnle. Is to be left to them
without Interference from higher -au
thorities. If they abuse tneir power
the remedy Is obvious.
As to the curriculum, the commit
tee looks upon it not as a fixture
but as a continuously evolving organ
ism. It is not to be constructed once
for all and then imposed upon the
chools like the laws of the Medes ana
Persians, which never changed. The
curriculum of the schools should be
intimate relations with the traae
and Industry of the city. This is ob
vious when we reflect that it is the
duty of the public schools to prepare
the pupils for their part in the city's
life. Inasmuch as that life is for
ever changing, the curriculum must
change with It unless we are re
igned to see the schools Decome a
mere museum of dead ideas. In or
der to escape the ever-threatening
blight of uniformity the survey sug
gests large liberties for the teachers.
They are to study the Individual pupil
and adapt their instruction to his
needs. This requires a new principle
as a basis for promotion. In no par
ticular Is the report more admirable
and inspiring than at this point "The
basis for promotion." It says, snouia
be, not what the pupil has learned,
, . -, ., . t,A noan t r. Inn rn " Com
mon sense can go no farther. But
think or the changes of Ideal method
which would follow if the principle
era to be adopted. In pursuance or
the individual welfare of the pupil the
committee recommends extensive de
velopment of the "practical worn or
the schools. Manual training la to
be Introduced in the lower grades and
made less formal from beginning to
end. The trade school Is to be made
more important. Drawing is to be
rescued from arid academism.
In short, the breath of life is to be
breathed into the whole system. How
is this to be done? There is one
way and only one. With a Board at
the head of the system wmcn is
willing to confine itself to Its proper
work, a capable and energetic su
perintendent should be intrustea un
reservedly with the entire responsi
bility for the education of the city's
children. If he is the right man for
the place he will do all that is nec
essary to reform the system, as Mrs.
Ella Flagg Young did in Chicago and
as others have done elsewhere. This
Is the sum of the whole matter:
When the right man has been cho
sen as Superintendent give him un
restricted powers."
ONE-PARTY SUPREME BE3TCH.
Four candidates for State Supreme
Judge are to be nominated at eacn
forthcoming state primary in May.
Each political party will make its
selections, and the several groups
will contest with one another for the
election in November. Doubtless we
shall have four Republican Judges,
or four Democratic Judges, or four
Progressive Judges as a result of the
election. We assume that the four
Republican candidates are likely to
be successful, and that the entire
bench of seven members will thus
have been recruited from a single po
litical party.
It has been many years since jre-
E-on has had on Its Supreme Bench a
Democrat, except by appointment oi
the Governor. It is not a wholesome
situation that a candidate from that
party, or any party, should have no
chance of election for reasons of par
tisan politics. It 13 not a wholesome
situation that the personnel of an en
tire bench should be determined on
thA basis of partisan politics. Few
states are so rigid or so hidebound In
their political methods, or so narrow
in their Judicial outlook that they
deny to a minority party representa
tion In superior or supreme Judge
ships.
New York has the bipartisan
method; Washington has the non-par.
tlsan method; Oregon, under its pri
mary system, has the partisan method.
It Is time for a new method in ure-
gon. , '
AFTER FORTY.
It is exhilarating to notice a re
turning wave of good sense In regard
to the dead line of human capability.
Ever since Dr. Osier made his unfor
tunate reference to the man who has
oassed the forty-year mark we have
heard nothing but nonsense on the
subject. The gossips made the learned
physician, say that every man more
than forty years old might as well be
killed, for his best usefulness was
past. In reality he said nothing or
the sort, for he knew better.
The best work of the world, wltn
some remarkable exceptions, has al
ways been done by mature persons
and without question It always will
be. Poetry, no doubt, flows more free
ly from young genius than from gray.
Byron, Keats, Shelleyv Burns unite
to teach us that sad lesson. We may
as well add. that great conquerors
have usually won their most bril
liant victories before the grasshopper
became a burden. But the important
common work of the world is always
done better by men of ripe experience
than by youths. This nobody who
knows the history of men and tneir
achievements ever questions, but for
all that It Is a comfort to see the com
mon opinion supported by science.
Dr. Cressey L. Wilbur, chief stalls
tlcian of the census bureau, asserts
roundly that at the age of forty years
"a man's industrial and commercial
value is not Impaired." He is still
able to do a full day's work and do it
well. There Is said to be a rule in
force upon some railroads that a man
past forty Is to bo quietly dropped as
soon as a decent excuse can he round.
and It has given rise to much com
plaint.
We do not exactly understand the
Justice of such a rule. It cannot be
denied that when he passes the forty
mark, or even when he slips beyond
thirty years, a man loses a certain
alertness. His eye is not quite so quick
as It was and his muscles are less
flexible. Prizefighters know these
facts to their sorrow. It is reason
able, therefore,- to believe that the
railroads do not wish to retain men of
forty years and more in situations re
quiring special activity and keenness
of vision, but why turn them adrift?
Are there not other positions where
their mature sense and quiet efficiency
might be utilized?
The momentary lull In Britain
which has followed upon Mrs. Pank
hursfs departure seems to be advan
tageous to her cause. Lloyd-George
has taken a long breath and an
nounced, we know not how tremu
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, FRIDAY. OCTOBER 24, 1913.
lously, that women will have the vote
before a great while. If Mrs. Pank
hurst prolongs the relief of her ab
sence other statesmen may follow his
example, so that when she goes home
It will be to participate in a glorious
victory. We may well endure her
presence If that is to be the outcome.
COLORFUL NEWS.
From the troubled domain of Mex
ico comes a thrilling article through
the graphic and colorful medium of
an alleged news association. It deals
with a dramatio incident In the rapidly-changing
panorama of Mexico's
current events. The particular
beauty of the article is Its wealth of
detail. It describes with pleasing lit
erary touches and flourishes the trip
of one General Vidaurazaga, to use
the correspondent's own spelling of
the name, to the ship which was ap
proaching Mexico with Felix Diaz on
board. The General's mission was to
endeavor, in the name of Dictator
Huerta, to dissuade Felix from land
ing in troubled Mexico.
With that intimate knowledge of
all that happened, the article tells
fully of the meeting. Would General
Diaz keep away? He would not. It
then went Into details of an all-night
meeting, which concluded when Gen
eral Diaz announced: "I will land at
once."
That's getting the news, Isn't It?
That's escaping censorship and secret
service safeguards. No doubt the press
correspondent went out with the Gen
eral of the elongated name on the
mission;-that is, provided this same
author of the dispatch wasn't other
wioa occurred in New York, or Balti
more, or Portland, or wherever the
Mexican bureau of that particular
news dispensary is located.
ft is a cruel prank of fate, what
really happened on thl3 memorable
occasion. But the General witn tne
transposed alphabet for a name got
lost when he sailed out to meet Felix.
At least the gunboat which transport
ed him lost its course and hence tne
meeting didn't occur. inciaeniauy,
thA cantaln of the gunboat was fired
for the stupid blunder of losing his
course; all of which Is set out in the
dispatches from Vera Cruz yesterday
of th Associated Press, which con
fines itself to sober facts and leaves
fiction for the popular magazines ana
its rivals.
NOT A LAWGIVER.
Tt mav be said in response to the
Inquiries of Mr. W. S. URen, printed
elsewhere on this page, that The Ore
gonlan is not ambitious to displace
him in the Job of promiscuous jaw
giving. It has no tax exemption law
to propose, and if its "friends" have
drawn one to encourage reclamation
of logged-off lands, they have not con
sulted The Oregonian. It Is noted
with some satisfaction, however, that
Governor West has appointed a com
mission, to investigate and make rec
ommendations on forestry taxation
and that this commission is particu
lar ehareed with the duty to pro
pose measures that will encourage the
settlement of cut-over lands.
The loe-ered-off land problem is one
of the most urgent confronting the
people of Oregon. Cut-over tracts,
almost without exception, are non-
speculative. The task is not to re
duce the sale price of tnese private
holdings so much as it is to devise
some aid, be it by tax relief or bond
ing methods, or what not, mat win
encourage men to undertake the ardu
ous task of reducing them to a pro
ductive state.
Mr. TJ'Ren's $1500 exemption law
offers no help in this particular. It is
but an indefinite promise of a par
tin! Vialtlnor in future of the progres
sive increase in taxation that would
otherwise keep pace with the settler s
ability to pay. It proposes a handi
cap rather than assistance. The ex
emption, which gives no benefit to
cut-over land in the raw state, would
Increase the taxes on them because
they would have to share the burden
evaded by other property- The class
of men who will reclaim Oregon s cut-
over land need encouragement that is
Immediate. Instead they are offered
an obstruction.
The Oregonian does not Joke about
taxation. When It states that taxes
are charges for value received it states
broad principle. The occasional
souandering of tax revenues is an evil
generally recogiuzeu, uul an. u "
amendment does not aim at its cor
rection. He would change the collect-
.. - 1 v... HIT- TT'B.n'B
in r not the disbursing, system. If
there is any humor in tne situation, it
la the anxiety of Mr. U'Ren over the
farmer's taxes. As a disciple of Henry
George, a believer m "community
made values," an advocate of public
onrnnrlation of "economic rent" or
virtual confiscation of land by high
taxes, his worry over increase in farm
taxes brought about in large part oy
gain in farm values, does not appear
sincere.
LAND REFORM IX ENGLAND.
The land question which has con
vulsed Ireland and. In a less degree,
Scotland, has been raised in England
by the campaign which Mr. L,ioya
George has begun. It is the inevita
ble coincidence of a population which
already exceeds the- food-producing
capacity of the country and a body of
landowners who show no conception
of the moral obligation imposed on
them by the proprietorship of the soil.
In Ireland the land controversy-was
embittered by the fact that the land
owners were mostly aliens in race and
religion and were regarded by the
Irish as the English garrison. They
treated their land as purely a source
of income to be spent in other coun
tries and their tenants as little Bet
ter than serfs. In Scotland the land
lords deliberately drove out the hu
man population In order to people
their estates with deer and grouse,
until the uprising of the crofters
forced legislation to stop the process,
but not until much of Scotland's best
blood had been drained to the United
States and the colonies. In England
and Wales, where the teeming popu.
latlon needs the greatest possible
vield from every acre of soil, great
nrrai arA given up to noblemen's
narka and came preserves.
Laws of primogeniture and entail
have prevented alienation of the land
from the noble families, have often
kent ereat estates in the hands of
hankruDts. and have prevented divl
slon of the land among men who
would make It productive, some
progress has been made in breaking
entail and in putting estates In the
honria of men financially able to
maintain them, but the social pres
tige enjoyed by the owner of a landed
estate has proved a barrier to division.
The cream of England's rural popu
lation has flocked to the great manu
facturing cities or has wandered
across the ocean and the sturdy yeo
manry which fought England's battles
In former years is vanishing.
This anomalous condition has re-
crulted the growing army of radicals
of which Mr. Lloyd-George is the
spokesman. It has caused the cry
The land for the people" to go up.
The beneficent results of peasant pro
prietorship In Ireland have causea
demand that England share them. As
the Irish began with a demand for
fair rent, fixity of tenure and free sale
of their Improvements Instead of
higher rents based on those Improve
ments, so do the English, but they do
not stop there. Mr. Lloyd-George
would empower the government to
reduce rents and to reclaim waste
land but he alms to make the farmer
owner of his farm when estates are
divided and wild land Is reclaimed.
Before the veto power of the House
of Lords was restricted, there was no
chance that such radical changes
would become law, for that house has
been well named "The House of Land
lords." But the Lords' power is now
limited to delay, and the home rule
bill and Welsh church bill will no
sooner be out of the way than the
land question will become the burn
ing issue. It will be fought with
great bitterness, for it is a class
issue. It will, probably drive the
last of the old Whig landed aristoc
racy out of the Liberal party and. di
vide England on the sharp line of the
classes and the masses. Mr. Lloyd
George will exultantly ride the storm
he has raised.
The purpose of the Russian Black
Hundreds in staging the Beiliss ritual
murder trial has partially succeeded.
They hoped to stir up the superstiti
ous populace to wholesale massacres
of the Jews in all parts of Russia.
Thus far only one outbreak has hap
pened and that was In Sasnowitch.
There ten Jews were attacked as "rit
ual murderers" and would have been
killed if the police had not Inter
fered. The wonder is that the Rus
sian police in any city should have
protected the Jews. There must have
been a misunderstanding of orders.
"I break the law from no selfish
motives. I have no personal end to
serve. I should not break a single
law if I had the rights that you pos
sess. There is one way to put a stop
to our agitation. It is by doing us
lustice." These sentences are from
Mrs. Pankhursfs salutatory as she
landed on Columbia's shores. They
sound well and If one may break the
law to enforce his rights, they are
convincing. But may that be done?
If we all resorted to Mrs. Pankhursfs
remprlv what would become or tne
social order?
Our Joy in the thoroughgoing mod
esty of Chanute, Kan, is poisoned by
a haunting dread. The police of that
virtuous city go about with paste and
white paper and discreetly drape the
female figures on theater posters.
They have been doing so -ever since
the great revival began in tne cna
nute churches a few weeks ago. But
will they keep on with their grand
work after the revival is over? That
Is the question that chills our Joy and
it reveals the doubt that haunts us.
Secretary Lane's project to establish
a demonstration farm on every recla
mation tract commends Itself to tne
intelligent mind. Settlers on these
tracts commonly lose years of time
and a great deal of their capital in
fruitless experiments. Often they
grow discouraged before they discover
what crops are adapted to their land.
A demonstration station would save
all this expense and worry and give
rich returns In the development or
the country.
Tha DeDartment of Agriculture has
been slow to recognize the merits of
that much-abused hoodoo sign of the
Democratic party the crow. This
may have been due to politics at the
National Capital, and since the bird
can no longer figure on the post-election
menu of the party he is coming
Into his rights. In time It may be
shown that even the skunk has his
uses.
British dignity provokes the New
York Tribune to gibes. It accuses the
Tnrv Pall Mall Gazette of running a
tailor's advertisement, at me neaa, oi
its editorial columns and the London
Times of advertising stock in a "no
torious Paris night resort." Yes, their
advertising columns are yellow, but
their news columns are still dull ana
respectable.
After having promised In the Balti
more platform that tariff revision
would reduce the cost of living. Sec
retary Bryan is already preparing the
naonle for disappointment. In the
course of a year or two he may be
explaining a rise In the cost of living
and may be telling us that tanrr re
duction prevented it from rising
faster.
"I am In favor," says Governor
Blease, of South Carolina, "of plenty
of good horseracing, plenty of honest
poker playing and plenty of game
chicken fighting." He should move
to the future Philippine republic ana
run for President on his cockpit rec
ord. '
That was a cosmopolitan fleet that
went to the rescue of the Volturno.
English, French, Germans and Rus
sians were the component parts of its
crew. When we come to relieving dis
tress, the federation of mankind al
ready exists.
In a school near Walla Walla there
Is not a. single pupil In attendance.
What a nice time the school board
must have with no Indignant parents
to cope with.
Relations are now becoming strained
between the United States and Eng
land over Mexico. That peace-loving
chap Bryan is going to. get us into
trouble yet
Defeat of the Moose In Illinois Is
laid to the absence of the big chief.
Perhaps he saw It coming before
heading toward South American
wilds.
Barnard college lyis adopted a rule
that all women students must pass
an aquarian test. Wants them to be
In the swim, as It were.
Japan Is buying heavy shipments of
wheat. What interpretation do Messrs.
Hobson and Hearst place on this?
But then the Bible has
quite a number of critics.
survived
The Sulzer case makes child's play
of fiction.
Dr. Shaw opposes Mrs. Pankhurst.
Time!
Give
fund.
something to the Festival
tats: press and university
Wnnt Oretron Newipasew Are Snylns
About Referendum of Approprlauona.
Stop the Tinkerta.
Pendleton East Oregonian".
rt ka knnnd tha university ap
propriation will be sustained by the
people at the special election November
4. The appropriation was held up by a
few men who assert the university and
the Oregon Agricultural College Bhould
be combined, preferably at Corvallls
and therefore no more money should be
expended on buildings at Eugene.
Ae-ainst this oroDosltion the greater
portion of the people having Informa
tion on the BUDjeci sianu njm.
There Is grave loubt If any economy
whatever would be gained by such a
move. On the other hand consolida
tion might men a considerable loss In
ffic.iAncv.- The experience of other
states leads to this belief. Generally
where the schools are comDinea tne
technical courses are neglected and
seldom are they given the attention
their Importance deserves. If the
nrnsant move In this state should carry
and the consolidated schools be located
at Corvallls the university would be
the one to suffer. But that would be
unfortunate because the university
does valuable work, particularly among
cultural lines, and this state can well
afford to maintain that work.
Oregon can afford both an agricul
tural college and a state university
but it cannot afford to Injure either
school. "Vote for the university appro
priation and stop the tinkering.
Women Should be Interested.
Condon Times.
We are getting nearer and nearer to
that referendum election on November
4 and people do not seem to take'
much Interest In the measures. We all
know there was little need of any such
election, but now that it has been
forced on the people at a cost of $100,
000 It is right that the people should
come out and vote, especially the wo
men, as there are two measures that
affect their children. We 'mean those
for the appropriations for the new
buildings and the repairs of buildings
at the University of Oregon. The num
ber of students has doubled In the past
six years, which shows that the Uni
versity is popular and doing good work.
The college should have the recognition
of the people and an affirmative vote
should be given for these appropria
tions. Vote Ought to Be "Unanimous,
Cottage Grove Sentinel.
If for no other reason than to re
buke those who brought the referen
dum Into disrepute, the university ap
propriations Bhould receive a unani
mous vote In their favor.
The Sentinel Is no particular friend
of the initiative and referendum in
their present form, but they represent
the wish of a majority ana snouia
therefore have every possible safeguard
thrown around them. Those who abuse
them should be administered a lesson
that will forever deter them rrom
fnrthr manlDUlatlonB such as those
which have made necessary the ap
proaching speolal election, ana its at
tATniincr arreat exDense, An amount of
money equal to the appropriations will
be spent becauee or this malicious at
tempt to defeat them.
Stand by Our College.
Salem Capital-Journal.
It is our university, yours and mine,
and we refuse to let any disgruntled
politician or gang of them dictate to
us what we shall do with it. It gives our
children a chance. It Is sustained by
our money, and we propose maintaining
it at the highest state of efficiency pos
sible. It needs buildings and needs
them badly, to care for our boys and
girls are we going- to cut off Its sup
plies and put It out .of business? Well,
hardly. There should be a full vote out
to carry this measure through by such
an overwhelming majority that the
Parkisons and that class shall be
made forever ashamed of themselves.
Make your X election day between the
number 300 and yes, make another
cross between 302 and yes.
What Is Their Motive
Corvallls Gazette-Times.
Malicious parties, for political or
Other reasons, have succeeded in at
taching a referendum to the bill which
calls for appropriations for tha State
University. What their motives are for
trying to kill the institution no one
seems to know. There are many dif
ferent, prevailing Ideas. Is It a matter
of taxes? If so then why don't these
people who are back of the referendum
start the same thing with the Agricul
tural College appropriations? Why
don't they make a howl about every
new state office that Is created? Why
don't they attach a referendum on
every appropriation, for It Is apparent
that If ' ever an appropriation was
needed, it Is needed by the State Uni
versity. Rebuke the Agitator.
Medford Mail-Tribune.
The pretense Is put forth by Parkl
son that he is acting in behalf of the
future consolidation of the Oregon Ag
ricultural College and the state uni
versity. Consolidation would mean a
single institution located at Portland
and create a fortune for the land specu
lators alleged to be backing the scheme
and a great loss to the state In the
abandoned institutions.
It is time the people rebuked the per
sistent effort of unscrupulous agitators
to cripple higher education. Every
good citizen should go to the polls and
vote yes on these two measures.
Abasing; Our Privileges.
Hood River News.
In the case of the referendum meas
ures H. J. Parklson, formerly a Port
land labor agitator. Is responsible for
the abuse of the referendum for spite
purposes an effort to cripple the State
University and hamper its useful work
In order to "get even" with the City
of Eugene. .
It Is high time that the people re
buked the efforts of unscrupulous agi
tators to crtDDle higher education In
Oregon. What is more, the use of the
recall and referendum from motives of
petty spite should be emphatically dis
couraged. Backed by Peraonal Spite.
Lebanon Criterion.
- The people of Oregon have done queer
things in the past, but we hardly think
thev are In a mood to follow the lead
of the men who have no other motive
in invoking the referendum on a law
than that of Dersonal spite, or personal
desire to profit by the defeat of the
law. It Is not reasonable to suppose
that the thinking, reasoning mass of
voters will do so. Th9 greatest dan
ger lies In the probability that voters
of thlg class will fall to go to the polls
and vote their conviction.
Combining Would Save Money.
Oregon City Courier.
University of Oregon new building
appropriations This one Din wouia vote
1100.000 on the state ror new ouiiu
lngs. and its companion would voto
$65,000 more for repairs, additions, etc.
Combined with the Agricultural Col
lege great sums would be saved to the
state. As it is now conducted the peo
ple do not get value received for the
Immense sums it pays. Vote 803 No, 301
No.
Poor Economy Proposed.
Albany Daily Democrat.
- Oregon has the best agricultural col
lege on the Pacific Coast. It should
have the best state university, but It
can't expect to build up a great Insti
tution of learning at Eugene without
giving the board of regents proper
financial support. It Is poor economy
to denv the university funds which are
Lnecessary to Its proper development.
STAND IS AT DIVIDIJfQ OF WAYS.
We Must Support tnlveralty or Pro
nounce Agralnst Higher Education.
PORTLAND, Oct. 22. (To the Edi
tor): The calling of the referendum on
the State University appropriations
provokes the thought that we should
do either the one thing or the other
regarding this question we should as
a people decide to support our univer
sity in a manner sufficiently liberal to
enable it to accomplish its purpose and
to do it willingly, or altogether aban
don the pretense that we favor supply
ing tha nntiortunlty to our young men
and women for preparing themselves to
enter the various avenues of a business
life, it is a matter concerning which
than, is no room for a middle course
to be taken. We should either decide
that wo consider it money well invested
to provide for a more general extension
of technical preparation for the needs
of the rising generation, on the ground
that a little leaven leaveneth the whole
lump, and'that, therefore, everybody is
hninoii hv the movement, or abandon
the crippled and crippling policy of
half doing the work that results in
largely throwing away the money that
w. ra now a-rudelngly giving.
For years the State University has
been compelled to appear neioro
session of the Legislature as a mendi
cant, and through the force of surrounding-
circumstances secure what It
may through the pursuance of methods
savoring very strongly of the lobby
ing system itself. As a result of the
opposition which it always encounters
it begs for what snouia do ireeiy oi
fered as a state Institution and the
Bemi- victory thus gained is usually
followed by a subsequent attack
through the referendum, which not
only delays the performance of Its
great work, but necessarily dampens
the enthusiasm of Its supporters and
to a certain degree the efficiency of
its results.
Even under the discouraging circum
stances attending Its career in recent
years, thus outlined, we have a very
fine Institution at Eugene, but our pol
icy as a whole has been one which with
one hand appropriates a dollar for Its
support and with the other indirectly
diminishes its value largely by Inaugu
rating a fight against the use of itl
We should either keep abreast of the
times In matters of education, present
an opportunity to our young people
equal to that afforded by other states,
or openly take our place In the rear
and notify the public that we are op
posed to higher education and that
those who desire to prepare themselves
to meet modern conditions In business
and professional life must go elsewhere
for their training.
It Is not believed that our people are
ready for this kind of a notice to be
sent abroad, but the enemies of the
university are busy In their field and
It behooves all its friends to remain
active until the November vote is
taken.
It calls for a yes vote from every
thoughtful citizen in the state.
T. T. GEER.
TWO PHASES OP SOCIAL PROBLEM
Difficulty of Correcting: Kvll Pointed
Out by Writer.
PORTLAND, Oct. 23. (To the Ed
itor.) I see quite often In The Orego
nian arguments in regard to the great
evil "the social sin" which has beset
all civilized races at all times In all
parts of the world. The thought has
often occurred to me. Why Is only civ
ilized man afflicted with this curse?
Whv are savages (so called) or the
children of nature free from this and
a great many other evils? I have un
dertaken to reason It out along lines
hitherto Ignored by other writers' on
the subject.
Civilized man to exist as such must
enact certain laws which are brought
nto conflict with the laws of nature.
Nature herself cares not a fig for the
marriage ceremony. But society does,
and seeks to punish those weaker mor
tals who break the one to obey tne
other. I say "weaker mortals," but I
do not mean Intellectually weak; only
weak where nature's voice called. For
we all know that a host of splendid
mortals have snapped their fingers In
disdain at man-made laws and yielded
to love. May I mention Caesar, Na
poleon. Shakespeare, Byron, and we all
are familiar with Burns. Can we ever
speak disdainfully of Shelley, of Abel
ard and Heloise7 No, we cannot. Why?
Because at heart the world loves a
lover.
And society is learning to be merci
ful. We are all helping to maintain
homes for those poor little young moth
ers and their offspring who sinned, not
in the eyes of nature; only in those of
society. So much for the laws of love,
which In fact are nature's very own.
Now, let us Investigate prostitution
in all fairness and in the light of rea
son. What causes it? What keeps It
alive? What keeps our land almost
soaked in alcohol? Why have we
opium? All are known to be dreadful
curses. We have seen whole races of
so-called savages melt away on com
ing into contact with some of these
evils of civilization.
I shall here answer my own ques
tion: The reason we have these things
Is simply because there Is a demand
for them sufficiently strong to keep
them In existence. Where there is no
great desire for a thing, that thing
eventually fades away ceases to be.
But it seems there Is a demand for
prostitutes. Where does this demand
come from? From the same society
that seeks to punish. We Bee (unless
we are blind) or densely Ignorant) a
host of social units who cannot marry.
Thousands of men are unfit to marry;
manv are homeless and therefore go
wifeless; many others rind themselves
so ill favored by nature that they can
not win the love of a woman, wow
about another vast army of men. those
who run foul of father time, who have
passed the period of winning love?
Time robs us of our charm and yet
leaves us in the full vigor of life. '
Is it possible to banish this evil in
the face of such odds, or may we hope
to 60 change our social structure that
they will die out and cease to exist
only as a hideous dream?
GEORGE H. SANDS.
HE WOULD CONSIDER. SUBSTITUTE
Mr. U'Ren Makes Generous Offer Con
cerning? His Tax Exemption Bill.
OREGON CITY, Oct- 22. (To the
Editor.) In an editorial Tuesday last,
you Bald taxes "are charges for value
received." Who receives the value?
But I suspect you were Joking when
you wrote that and did not suppose
anyone would take it seriously. I do
not think anyone will, especially among
the farmers who are paying four times
as much tax this year as they paid In
1907 on the same property.
But seriously, If I understand your
editorials, you think there should be
some further exemption laws that
would encourage men to turn the land
of Oregon into farms, and especially
the "logged-off" lands. What Is your
plan? Have you or your. friends drawn
a bill for that purpose? If so, will
you publish it?
My object In politics Is to help make
such laws as will render It easier for
a worklngman to get a better living
by his labor, whether he be farmer or
wageworker. This object cannot be
fully accomplished without also making
it absolutely certain that his chance
to make such better living for him
self and his family will grow more
sure from year to year. The $1500
homes tax exemption amendment was
prepared by my friends and myaelf as
one step in that direction. But I
should be very glad to help The Ore
gonian In any good plan to accomplish
that purpose. I cannot do much, of
course, but such service as I can give ly
at The Oregonian's command. If your
plan is really better than ours I think
all the members of the Homes Tax
Exemption League would be willing to
abandon their plan and help on yours.
W. S. U'REN.
Half a Century Ago
From The OreKonlan of Octobsr 24. 1863.
Aubery Harpending, Alfred Rubery
and Rldgely Greathouse, the pirates of
the ship Chapman, were each sentenced
at San Francisco to 10 years' Imprison
ment and $10,000 fine, for engaging and
giving aid and comfort to the rebellion.
Washington, Oct. 15. The rebels un
der Lee occupy most of the old Bull
Run battleground and the road leading
Into London Valley. Last night, under
cover of the coming darkness, he at
tempted to turn Meade's ilank. The
second corps resisted most vigorously
and drove him from the field. The third
corps, moving on Monday night to get
possession of the turnpike to Warren
ton, fell in with an overwhelming force
of the enemy. It Immediately deployed,
gave battle and routed the enemy.
Chattanooga, Oct, 15. The mutiny In
Bragg's army was occasioned by the re
fusal of the Georgia militia to remain
longer In active service. Bragg re
fused permission to return home and
they stacked arms. Longstreet's men
were ordered Into line and discharged
several volleys at the men, 60 of whom
were killed and 200 badly wounded.
Shortly after the entertainment to be
given by the Concordia of the Portland
Academy and Female Seminary had
commenced In the academy building and
while the room was crowded, tne center
stanchion beneath the floor gave way
with a startling crash and the flooring
settled seven or eight Inches. No one
was hurt.
Trcka. Oct. 19. To Oregonian: Line
has been down between here and Marys-
ville since Saturday morning, ana up
to this evening we have been unable to
find break. Operator, Treka.
During the past few days of clear,
dry weather the overland stage line has
been constantly gaining time. The stage
arrived last evening 11 hours in ad
vance of schedule time.
A handsome gold watch, valued at
$200, will be presented by the ladies
of the church to Father Macken this
even inc.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonian of October 2. 1888.
Major Jones, who receives daily re
ports of the work done by the city
dredge at Swan Island bar, says she is
doing first rate.
The floor beams of the suspension
bridge at Oregon City have boen laid
and poople can now cross the rivet-
on it.
A lare-e nloce of petrified wood taken
from the Oswego iron mines at a depth
of Borne 900 feet has been presented to
the Oregon Alpine Club by Dr. J. H.
Kessler.
Professor Charles E. Carr died sud
denly last night. Mr. Carr had only a
short time ago resigned as professor In
the High School to go Into business at
Rltzvllle.
Justice Phelan's courtroom has been
ftited up with a Btove so small that
It will bo a wonder If some one does
not run into it without seeing It.
The members of the insurance fra
ternity, having learned that Mr. H. K.
Pankhurst, surgeon of the Pacific In
surance Union, was to be married to
day to Miss W. H Johnson, presented
him with a handsome mantel clock of
black marble..
An Important addition to Portland's
industries Is the Paclflo Coast Furni
ture Manufacturing Company.
Colonel Will L. VisBcher, the poet,
lecturer and humorous writer, now em
ployed on the editorial Btaff of The
Oregonian, will make his first appear
ance before a public audience in this
city tonight.
Her Danghter'a Fnllnre.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The Mother "If you are polite, my
dear, and have good taste in dress, and
marry discreetly, I shall be perfectly
satisfied." The Daughter (aged 12)
"Then I don't need an educatlonl Isn't
that lovely!"
The Rich Old Mr. DUklns.
Tonkers (N. T.) Statesman.
"How's old Bilklns doing?" "He's
quite wealthy now." "His young wife
still living with him?" "Yes, but he'll
soon be rich enough for her to sue for
a divorce."
A Dream of a Marriage.
Exchange.
Henn Do you believe In dreams?
pP-k No; I married one.
SUNDAY
FEATURES
World's Greatest Naval Unit
It will be the United States
fleet that sails through the
Panama Canal led by the
proud old Oregon. A full
page analysis, illustrated, of
our Navy as it will apply to
fighting needs after the canal
ia opened.
righting Special Privilege
Theodore Roosevelt discusses
the street franchise and in
surance fights in New York.
Problems of Married Life
Another discussion by the do
lightful writer, Rita Reese.
She points out a frequent
cause of domestic infelicity
and suggests a course for
avoiding troubled waters.
The Fanner's Puture An il
luminating hnlf page on the
part invention will play in in
creasing the tiller's capacity.
Guesswork in Cooking It is
compared with scientific
methods in an illustrated ar
ticle no housewife should
miss.
Which Mind Have You?
Eleven different kinds of
minds are compared and con
trasted. Mexico's lighting Men They
are a motley lot, reports a
correspondent who has looked
into the subject on the
ground.
Should Women Smoke? One
well-known woman insists
that they should indulge that
habit publicly if they wish.
Two Short Stories "Cluig's
Last Appearance," a circus
tragedv by J. R. Ellis, and
"By Help of Wireless," by
Crittenden Marriott.
NUMEROUS OTHER FEA
TURES. Order early of your
newsdealer.