19
Tl'" "I7I"tfG OREGOXIAN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1913.
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PORTLAND. WEDSE8DAY. NOV. 19, 1918.
THE CASE OF PINDELL.
' "Washington has been taking a few
Bays off from discussing Mexico and
currency, of which It Is weary, to talk
about Plndell, of Peoria, and the rest
of the country has Joined In. The sub
ject has a. large enough element of
ihumor to furnish a pleasant relief
from those other topics, although It,
too, has Its serious side.
There are two versions of the Pin
Sell affair. One Is that Mr. Plndell.
i as editor of the Peoria Journal, was
fcho original Wilson man of Illinois and
that Mr. Wilson himself made the first
move to reward him and conducted
the negotiations for his appointment
ea Ambassador to Russia, the Chicago
Tribune saying "the President has
taken full credit for the negotiations."
Secretary Bryan says the appointment
"was tendered him without any so
licitation on his part" and that, in
accepting, the Peorian said "he did
not feel that he could conscientiously
obligate himself to serve the full or
dinary term." Mr. Bryan adds: "The
President asked him to accept it for
as long a time as he could stay, and
he consented."
Another version la presented by the
letters which Senator Lewis wrote or is
purported to have written to Mr. Pln
dell. In one of these he appears to
have offered the appointment with this
proviso: "If you accept the position,
It must be with the understanding that
you resign on October 1, 1914." This
letter contained suggestions that Mr.
Plndell and his family would haver a
pleasant vacation abroad, would hob
nob with the crowned heads of EuJ
rope and would improve their social
position. Mr. Lewis In the first in
stance acknowledged authorship of
some such letter, but Mr. Plndell said
he had never received it and that the
only understanding ho had with Mr.
Wilson was that "I might resign in
a year if I found It desirable to do
so for business or personal reasons."
That put Mr. Lewis in an tftabarras.
sing position, from which he sought
to extricate himself by denouncing the
letter as the invention of a discharged
employe of hU office, "the stenogra
pher having memory that letters of
some kind on the subjects referred to
have been dictated by me to Mr. Pin
dell." Having been mercilessly .ridi
culed for his alleged suggestions that
Mr. Plndell's mission would be a mere
picnic, he says:
The language used and the phraseology
In the Invented letter were so foreign to
Anything ever used by me that for three
weeks throughout the country ho bad been
unsuccessful.
Later, through eo-operatlon of some ene
mies of Mr. Plndell Cin Illinois, as I am
Informed), who vouched that such letters
had been seen, either In the - possession of
!Mr. Plndell or had been spoken of by him
as having been received, this faithless em
ploye was able to impose on reputable news
papers. What are the facts of these contra
dictory versions of the Plndell affair?
Did Mr. Lewis write the letter, the
authorship of which he admits, for
the purpose of asserting himself as
Senator, of Ingratiating himself with
Mr. Plndell and of placing himself in
a position to select Mr. Plndell's suc
cessor at the expiration of that gen'
tlemon's stipulated year In St. Peters
burg, knowing that the appointment
had been decided without regard to
Jilm? Did the letter contain the sug
gestions of a Plndell picnic or were
they inserted by a faithless employe In
a garbled version of the letter for the
purpose of holding the Senator up to
the derision of the Nation? Or is the
, letter genuine evidence of a private
arrangement between the Senator and
the editor for the latter's Intended
early resignation, which is plausibly
explained to the public as made nec
itssary by Mr. Plndell's business?
i Had Mr. Lewis kept copies of his
letters, he could have resolved all
doubt as to whether the Plndell letter
was an outright forgery or a garbled
version of a genuine letter, but he
teems to be careless about his cor-
xespondence.
The Eastern papers, however, do
not confine themselves to discussion
of Mr. Lewis' part in the affair. They
devote much attention to the question
of Mr. Plndell's fitness for so impor
tant a position as the Russian Em
bassy. The New Tork Evening Post,
which is ordinarily a staunch defender
of the Administration, quotes Mr.
Bryan's reference to Mr. Plndell as
one of the "best qualified men" and
comments:
(Plndell of Peoria the best Qualified man
when the country might have called on such
men as "W. W. Rockhlll and John "W. Rid
dle, who have spent years in the diplomatic
service Rockhlll his wholo life both hav
ing been at St. Petersburg and other capi
tals T What may we not expect next from
Mr. Bryan T we sincerely wish that tn
Senate would not confirm this nomination,
The Globe is more impressed with
the injurious effect of such appoint
ments as that of Mr. Plndell or others
In the diplomatic service. It says:
No one will pretend that Mr. Plndell
whatever his merits as a man. is qualified
for a conspicuous diplomatic post. He is
without training or prestige, ills selection
exhibits in an extreme manner the vice at
fllctlns our foreign service.
"What do the bright young men who have
entered the diplomatic service to work their
way up think as they read of a Plndell ap
pointment? What encouragement does it
bring to them to work hard and to deserve
promotion 7 ,
The New Tork Sun says these are
some of the questions which will be
asked in the Senate:
"Was the appointment of Ambassador to
, Russia turned over to Mr. Bryan as his pe
eullar patronage?
Did he and the Hon. J. Hamilton Lewis
and Editor Plndell enter Into an agreemen
or make a bargain about the term of
service?
What are Mr. Plndell's qualifications
other than his reputation as the "original
Wilson man In Illinois?"
"Who is Plndell, anyway, and what ac
complishments has he for an Ambassador
ship? If he is so choice and valuable a
diplomat, why should the President Jump
at him tor a snort term at St. Petersburg?
The Lewis letter seems to have fo
cused attention on Mr. Plndell's lack
of qualifications and more than ever
the State Department as the weakest
spot In the Administration.
V-
GROUNDLESS ALARMS.
The uneasy fears of the Japopho-
bists, who see a deep design against
America in every military or maritime
project of the enterprising nation
of the East, should be calmed by the
following remarks taken from a
speech last week at Washington by a
man noted for his great common sense
and for his understanding of Oriental
problems, so far as they concern us.
William Howard Taft said to the Na
tional Geographical Society:
The transportation of any army across the
trackless wastes of the Pacific with all
the chances of attack upon the troopships
that would have to carry them Is an Idle
dream, and the Japanese would not deal
in Idle dreams even if they coveted our
country, which they do not.
But what would the Japanese do in
case they desired or were willing to
have trouble with the United States?
Let Dean Worcester, late Secretary of
the Interior for the Philippines, who
was interviewed for The Oregonian in
San Francisco, answer:
The (Filipino) natives cannot govern
themselves. Trouhle would result imme
diately, and there would be intervention by
other nations at least by one other.
The one other, of course. Is Japan,
which will never embark on an un
dertaking the transportation of a
mighty army across the wide Pacific
(which has no precedent in the his
tory of the world.
ANOTHER KNOT IN OUR MEXICO
With Carranza's hands fully as red
as Huerta's in the blood of his coun
trymen how can the United States
consistently recognize that rebel
chieftain? Carranza cannot well es
cape responsibility for the wholesale
assassinations performed by his lieu
tenant. Villa, at Juarez. Hence it is
hardly conceivable that the United
States can give him further moral
support or backing. But whom will
the United States recognize?
The matter has gone too far for any
backing down so far as Huerta's elim
ination is concerned. Without refer
ence to the wisdom or folly of having
taken such a stand in the first place
we cannot alter our course at this late
date without serious loss of prestige.
And with Carranza thrust aside, by
what mediums are the orderly proc
esses of constitutional government to
be restored?
Does the Wilson Administration
suppose the situation will adjust it
self; that some new figure will rise to
meet the emergency? If so, how else
than by a coup d'etat,, a form of
Latin-American political activity upon
which we frown so severely?
The Wilson Administration has re
pudiated the dominant figure in Mexi
can politics. Following the course
by which he was put aside, the Ad
ministration must repudiate the ex
ecutioner Carranza, who countenances
the shooting down In cold blood of un
tried civil and military prisoners.
Splendid morals! But is It? What
have we to offer? Our waiting policy.
Is It to be- assumed that when bank
ruptcy has overwhelmed the govern
ment and chaos been made complete
that Mexico will rise up. Phoenix
like, out of her ashes and adjust her
self to the ways- of civilized nations?
Perhaps so.
A NEW REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN.
An essential part of the projected
reorganization of the Republican
party will be the selection of a chair
man for the National Committee who
is in harmony with the prevailing sen
timent in the party. It is no reflec
tion on Mr. Hilles, the present chair
man, to say' that he is generally re
garded as representing an element
which was repudiated at the polls and
which was mainly responsible for the
great schism of 1912. He was Presi
dent Taft's personal choice and took
the position in loyalty to the man
whom he served as private secretary.
He would probably be glad to retire.
The National Committee should
have as chairman a man whose per
sonality will help to win back those
who abandoned the party last year.
He should personify the new Repub
licanism, which Is the rising hope of
the party. Mr. Hilles cannot do this,
for he is associated in men's minds
with Mr. Taft and with those men
who procured Mr. Taft's renomina-
tion. His record would be an ob
stacle to accomplishment of that end
which is most earnestly sought by all
except the remnant of reactionaries
a reunion, under new leaders, . with
new organization and on an advanced
platform, of all those who hold to the
party faith In its latest interpretation
There is plenty of material . from
which to choose. A choice at the
committee meeting In December would
be an earnest of the spirit In which
the work of reorganization would be
undertaken.
THE FARMER AND HIS DUTY.
The Weston Leader, commenting
sympathetically upon some remarks
of The Oregonian concerning agricul
ture In Oregon, says that the writer
of them "may never have harnessed
a work team nor put his hand to a
plow, but his thought plant Is in ac
tive operation." This Is so compli
mentary that we are naturally dis
posed to agree with everything else
the esteemed Leader has to say and
for the most part we do. Still we
think one of its observations admits of
a little amendment. Here it is: "The
farmer should realize that he doesn't
own the land, but is merely its tenant
for a few brief years at the option of
the Creator. He Is here to produce
foodstuffs for the Creator's children
and the more he produces the greater
will be both his mundane and ultimate
reward."
This reads beautifully and in great
part it is true. But we question wheth
er it can all be accepted literally. For
Instance, the farmer has another mis
sion besides producing food stuffs
He is also here to sell them for a
fair price and unless he can do the
latter it seems somewhat' unfair to
hold him strictly to the former. .
As long as the farmer cannot sell
what he raises at a profit one can
scarcely admit that the more he pro
duces the greater will be his mundane
and ultimate reward." He may, to be
sure, be compensated in a better world
for raising food to lie on the ground
and rot, but he never will be in this
one. The simple truth is that the
Weston Leader, like many another of
our highly valued contemporaries,
misses the point of the agricultural
problem. It is not a question of more
production at the present Juncture. It
is a.question of marketing what-is pro
duced already.
This is the portentous difficulty
which confronts the agricultural com
munlty and every other must be held
steadily In the background until it has
been solved. The Oregonian's remarks
upon which the Leader comments so
kindly went directly to this point. Six
essentials were mentioned for the. lm-
provement of our agriculture: Rural
credits, good markets, good roads,
willingness to work, community cen
ters and scientific Instruction in farm
problems. All these essentials con
verge in the market.
WOMAN'S WAR ON EGO TRUST.
The Housewives' League has de
lkred war on the egg monoply. Hav
ing ascertained that there were in cold
storage in New York State on Septem
ber 1, -739,084 cases of thirty dozen
eggs each and that there are now 335,-
609 cases in New Tork City, the league
says there are plenty of eggs and that
there is no excuse for high prices. Tet
cold storage eggs are selling at 40 to
55 cents. The league maintains that
30 cents a dozen would yield a fair
profit and has started a campaign
backed by its 700,000 members In
many states to reduce eggs to that
price. The league broke the market
last year and caused the dealers heavy
loss. It trusts for help this year to
the new tariff, which admits eggs free
and which has started Imports from
Germany, Austria and England.
When the women make war on. a
trust, they are very apt to take its
scalp. When the individual act of ex
tortion Involves only a small sum, the
average man does not consider It
worth bothering about, but a woman
will hold out as strenuously for a
dime she considers rightfully hers as
a man will for a thousand dollars.
Woman Is right . in this respect, too.
for the" dimes she thus saves In a year
add up to a Tespectable total, and her
known determination to resist the
smallest imposition serves as a warn
ing against the attempt.
If the housewives pursue the same
tactics with regard to other commod
ities which they now pursue with re
gard to eggs, they will materially re
duce the cost- of living. The increase
in this cost has come gradually and
almost imperceptibly by the addition
of a cent here, a nickel there and by
short weight. It has been largely jus
tified by Increased demand, reduced
supply, luxury and extravagance, but
dealers have taken advantage of the
upward tendency of prices to give
them, an extra boost, while when the
price of any commodity has taken a
downward turn, the retail price has
been slow to follow the wholesale
price down. The vigilance of woman
over prices will prove a valuable cor
rective. GERMAN AND AMERICAN .MEDICAL
SCHOOLS.
Medical education in the United
States presents two incongruous fea
tures. We have, in the first place,
some of the best medical schools in
the world. The training they give is
so excellent that students from Ger
many find much in them to praise and
a person who has graduated from one
of them finds little or nothing in Eu
rope superior to what he has enjoyed
at home. Of course he may think it
"wise to enlarge his experience by
hearing lectures at "Vienna, but the
work he has done at the American
school ranks well up with that which
he does abroad. The Johns Hopkins
Medical School, which has Just re
ceived a gift of $1,500,000 from the
General Education Board, is an in
stitutlon of this kind and we have
others to match it..
But we have also others, many of
them, which do not match it. Queerly
enough, side by side with schools of
unsurpassed excellence we have those
which are almost beneath contempt
Without hospital facilities, with the
lowest possible admission require
ments and with graduation conditions
which let anybody through who has
graced the school with his occasional
presence for two or three years, these
institutions are a reproach to the
country.
It is through their agency that the
annual flood of unqualified physicians
Is poured out over the land. And it
is these schools again which are. re
sponsible for the unwholesome compe.
tition which we witness in the medical
profession and the wretchedly meager
earnings which the ordinary physician
makes. Mr. Abraham Flexner de
scribes in the November Atlantic the
far better condition of medical edu
cation which prevails in Germany. The
best schools of that country are no
better than our best, but, unlike our
selves, they have no 'worst.
A general level of medical training
Is maintained throughout the nation
and it averages far higher than ours.
This is possible there on account of
the central authority, which keeps up
strict supervision over all departments
of education and whose word of com
mand must be obeyed. In the United
States there is no such central au
thority. The various states have vari
ous' laws. Almost anybody who
wishes may found a medical school
and send out graduates with full
blown degrees regardless of equip
ment, admission requirements and the
grade of the work done during their
course.
The German educational system en
Joys a great advantage over ours in
that its highest officers are statesmen
instead of professional teachers. The
latter are essential In the schoolroom
and in the superintendent's office, but
when it comes to forming a broad
scheme of organization providing for
flexibility and progress and en
couraging scientific innovations i
man who has not the professional type
of mind is far preferable. This truth
is illustrated in the French and Italian
schools as well as in the German.
Their organization is thoroughly
centralized and in each case the head
is a Cabinet official, who Is more like
a politician than a teacher. The con
sequence is that in each of these
countries the school children are at
least two years ahead of ours ac
tual scholastic attainments. Of course
other factors enter into the situation
We must not forget that the phonetic
spelling of the German and Italian
languages greatly facilitates elemen
tary education. A-large fraction of
the time which our pupils waste is
spent in memorizing our unscientific
spellings.
But when everything is considered
we must allow that the better or
ganization of the European school
systems is a powerful assistance to
the teachers in their daily routine and
pushes the pupils ahead faster than
ours can hope to move until condi
tions have changed for the better.
This observation applies to education
in all its branches. The medical
schools illustrate it no better than all
the rest.
Mr. Flexner assigns two other rea
sons for the advanced position of the
German medical schools. One Is the
secondary training which is rigorous
ly required for admission to them. We
have made such a fetish of admission
requirements in the United States that
it is somewhat disconcerting to be told
they are too lax, but we must dis
tinguish. Too much insistence upon
adamantine adrnission requirements at
a school or college of general educa
tion is an evil thing because' it ex
cludes many1 who might profit excel
lently by the training offered.
The purpose of the general college
is to produce a certain state of mind
and establish certain habits. This
can be done without too much regard
to what a student knows when he en
ters. But the purpose of a technical
school is to produce actual profes
sional skill and that cannot be done
unless the student is properly pre
pared at entrance. It follows that
while the general college may very
wisely make Its entrance requirements
extremely liberal, those of the medical
school ought to be inexorably rigor
ous. The Germans have ttlt upon this
distinction and adhere to it unbend
ingly. We, . a little absurdly, have
laws of the Medes and Persians re
garding entrance to college, where
they are worse than useless, arid .Jet
anybody who likes slip Into the medi
cal schools, where preparation Is In
dispensably necessary.
Ansther point of superiority in the
German system which Dr. Flexner
mentions should not be overlooked. It
is the freedom from Irksome routine
duties which the professors enjoy.
They have liberty to arrange their
own schedules of teaching very largely
and thus reserve for private Investi
gation long stretches of time. They
have "strength and leisure for orig
inal work," as Mr. Flexner puts It
and can thus Inspire their students
with high ambition.
When the teacher is a mere drudge
we cannot expect his students to be
anything better than routine mechan
ics with their eyes perpetually on the
clock. The United States needs Fed
eral legislation upon education as se
riously as upon marriage and divorce
This is assigned by some as one among
the many reasons why the Constitu
tion needs amending or, at least. In
terpreting, i
An editor at Eugene, which is the
seat of the State University, has writ
ten this letter to the editor of a paper
at Medford, which is near the seat of
the proposed Southern Oregon Nor
mal School:
Permit me to express to you my personal
thanks for the splendid editorial support
given the University of Oregon appropria
tions before the recent election. Let me
say also that when the Southern Oregon
Normal School bill is voted upon next Fall.
the Register will not merely support it hut
win make an active campaign for It
Yet we have been told that the Ore
gon system would put an end to the
ancient and dishonorable practice of
legislative log-rolling.
The Oregonian continually harps on the
lack of a united Republican party, and
claims that this or that would have oc
curred had the party been united. The
party Is united enough as far as it goes.
the only trouble with The Oregonian being
that It Is trying to claim allegiance from
voters w-ho will never again aff iliatevlth
the party. xallas Itemlzer (Democratic).
Is or is not a party entitled to the
allegiance, or support, of . men and
women who register as members of
that party?
The surgeons who operated on a man
for appendicitis and found it had been
removed are equaled by those in Cali
fornia who declared, a man crippled
in a tralnwreck would never again
waUs. He fell out of a tree and re
adjusted a dislocated kneecap and
walked out of the hospital. Of course
there may be a technical explanation,
but it is too profound for the layman.
- "A Vassar girl." observes the Detroit Free
Press, "threw a baseball 20S feet the other
day. How's that for a woman's right?"
Maybe she was a southpaw ? Boston Tran
script.
But (before entering upon comment upon
the achievement, maybe it would be well
to ascertain how many throws it took.
N8T lorlc Herald.
It would also be wejl to ascertain
whether the ball traveled In the direc
tion she intended.
Louis F. Chanute hag left $50,000 to
the Socialist party, and members of
the party regard this bequest as the
foreVunner of other endowments. But
the Socialists should beware of the
corroding influence of wealth on their
cause. With wealth often come con
tentment and indolence, which drive
out enthusiasm.
Czar Ferdinand of . Bulgaria Is "the
goat" for his country's defeat in its
latest war. He was the catspaw of
Austria, which desired to cripple
Servla and Greece, but dared not fight
herself lest Russia, attack her.
German army officers having been
ordered not to dance the tango while
in uniform, civilian attire is bound to
become popular In the service.
A retired official criticises the Phil
ippine policy as too political. That's
the most temperate description of it
we've heard in a long while.
Washington officials are not alarmed
over th Mexican situation. Prob
ably feel there's no danger of Wash
ington being Invaded.
Harry Thaw was released and im
mediately rearrested yesterday. Leave
it to the lawyers to see that he doesn't
get out of reach.
It is a maxim that money invested
in making good roads is simply in
crease of capital stock of Multnomah
County.
"Huerta must go" is a familiar
headline in the newspapers these days.
But Huerta does not go; he stays.
Rabbi Wise went from this Coast
to wake them up and Dr. Brougher
may follow with the fireworks.
Mr. Charlton has two cards in- his
hand that take all the tricks the big
apple and the big potato.
Why deaf people will persist in
walking on railway tracks remains an
unsolvable mystery.
. "x
Cheer up! The Mexican situation
will settle itself out of deference to
the Bryan policy.
Pat Lavey has been a model pris
oner and no doubt will now be a model
citizen.
British firms loudly demand an
op'en canal. Let's see, who built this
canal?
Takes us back a few years to read
that the redman is on the warpath
again.
As a moving picture show the battle
at Recreation Park was great.
The ball fans are grateful for a lit
tle recreation between seasons.
Now that we've got the habit every
day will be apple day.
Good roads bring a dividend that
everybody shares, -
DID LEWIS WRITE THIS LETTER t
Communication la Issue 1st Controversy
Over Russian Post-Following-
is the text of the letter,
referred to in another column, which
Senator Lewis Is alleged to have writ
ten to Henry M. Llndell. of Peoria, 111.,
offering him the appointment of am-
DassacioT to Russia, which Secretary
Bryan announces as about to be made:
Hon. Henry M. Plndell. Peoria. 111.
Dear Plndell: I must ask you to con
sider this letteras extremely confiden
tial and personal. It is up to the Ad
ministration to appoint an Ambassador
to St. Petersburg, but it is a position
wmcn, if offered to you, would not
necessitate your losing control of, nor
association with, your paper.
jnow, tne idea of Secretary BryanMs
that if you would accept the place of
Ambassador to 6t Petersburg, and all
the honor that goes with the position.
youcould resign in a year say Octo-
Der i, and return to your paper,
before losing track of your business
affairs, and yet have the great honor
aitacnea to the place.
-xnere will be no treaties to adludl
cate, and no political affairs to bother
witn, lor the Administration will see
to that for a year, and you would not
be tied to St. Petersburg, but would
have trips to Berlin and Vienna, and
the other capitals of Europe, and also
siocKnoim, and perhaps to Copenhagen.
na aii. tne attendant delights that go
with such trips.
-you would meet with the delierhtful
companionships of the English and
other officers connected with the
various legations at St. Petersburg, and
wouia do socially and officially treated,
as my letters to those abroad would
serve you.
I think you have a little daue-hter.
Think what it would mean to her all
the remainder of her life to say that
her father had been Minister to Rnsaia.
and of all the honor and prestige that
win go with it to the third and fourth
generations!
"If you will accept this position for a
year, kindly wire me at once. I have
the Secretary on the telephone, and
am writing this letter after the most
conn-dential conference with him.
PJo diplomatic matters will be taken
up during your service, and von will
nave ail tne honors of havine- been
Ambassador to Russia, but if you ac
cept the position it must be with the
understanding that you will reslsrn on
October 1, 1914, and then you will be
apie to, ana no doubt glad to. return
to -your business interests in Peoria
and your paper.
"You will not have to be at the ex
pense of a permanent residence. a. r
other Ambassadors, and vou will have
in your iamiiy forever the honor that
must accompany the holding of such a
position. And in doing this you will
please the President and also your good
friend. Secretary Bryan. Please con
sider this confidential In all its parts,
and answer, too. Yours with best
wishes. J.HAMILTON LEWIS."
LOADS DOJPT MAKE HORSES SLIP.
Animals Drairlng Llgrht Rigs Principal
Victims, Ssys Writer.
PORTLAND, Nov. 18. (To the Edl
tor.) I read Mr. Donaldson's answer
to the Horse Owners' Association this
morning and it seems to me ridiculous.
I am not a member of the association
but I own a number of good teams and
my loads are no heavier than in for
mer years. From my observations it
is not always the heavily-loaded teams
that suffer from the slick streets, but
more often the light delivery horses.
and even those with practically no load
at ail.
Anyone standing on the approach
of a bridge or at any of the grades,
sucn as union or lirand avenue North
also many places on the west side
of the river, can see for themselves
that it treats all horses alike, whether
they be heavily loaded or not. They
simply cannot hold their feet on the
slippery pavements. The heavily
loaded horses go slow and are pro
tected by steady drivers, with good
stiff lines, while the lighter wagons
go raster, and there being so many
more of them than there are heavy
wagons and horses, consequently more
careless drivers and more suffering
among norses. I say, by all mean
sand the streets where bad places exist.
We that have many horses can
double up on our teams on slippery
mornings, but those that have only one
team or else single delivery horses
cannot, and those horses, as well as
our heavier horses, need protection. .
U. S. HOWL. AND.
Topical Verse
The Starry Night.
I mind myself a little child.
Maybe that ragweed's height,
When first I lifted up my eyes
And saw the stars at night.
I saw them caught among the leaves
Like fishes in a net;
The wonder of the child I was
Comes back upon me yet.
My father took me by the hand
And pointed overhead.
Where every great big star I saw
Blazed green and blue and red.
There in the North the Great Bear
Went prowling through the sky,
I saw the Pole Star flash its lamp
For ships to journey by.
He pointed where the lady sits
Inside her shining chair Cassiopeia
And told me those that travel take
The Milky Way up there.
Above the mountains Venus hung,
Above the sea blazed Mars.
Ah! God the wonder of that night
When first I saw the stars!
Westminster Gazette.
Masked and Unmasked.
'Twas'at the latest masquerade
I lost Belinda's hand;
The trick that she upon me played
Is plain to understand.
She told me I might meet her there.
But not in fancy rig;
I'd know her by her raven hair
" She'd wear a brunette wig.
Belinda's blonde and fair as May;
So when I reached the ball
I recognized her right away.
In spite of mask and all.
But when the time came to unmask.
Oh, how my head did whirl!
What was the matter? Do not ask!
I had another girl.
Belinda wore her own true locks,
A perfect golden yellow,
And sat all evening in a box.
Along with the other fellow!
Puck.
First Through the Canal.
Who was the first through the canal.
'inrougn tne mighty ditch?
Not a stately merchantman
With a cargo rich.
Not a pleasure-seeking yacht
Speeding on the tide,
Nor a deadly man-o'-war
Flaunting battle pride.
Nay, 'twas to a better type
That the honor fell.
Just a snorting little tug
Pulling burdens well.
Like the humble citizen
Of this nation great.
Plain and stubby; faithful, strong
He who pays the freight.
New York Sun.
Both Necessary.
The parting from brother
Was tearful and sad.
"Be good," whispered mother.
"Make good," counseled dad.
Pittsburg Post.
Ace of Prevarication.
Of the iron age wo often hear.
And the fabled age of gold.
But now the Income tax brings near
An age of wealth untold.
New. York Sun.
QUARTERLY WATER TAX RAPPED.
Proposed System. Would Be Expensive
One. Says Mr. Frlede.
PORTLAND, Nov. 17. (To the Edi
tor.) At the recent meeting of the
People's Equality League, discussing
the proposed : measure suggested . by
Commissioner Daly, to have water col
lections made quarterly, and the fail
ure to pay by the tenant to be a Hen
against the property, a number of
facts were presented which of them
selves are sufficient to overshadow all
that can be said in favor of the meas
ure. The fact that the present consump
tion is only one-fourth of the water
supply available and conducted to this
city of Itself speaks convincingly. If
the commission will consider the best
means of satisfying a public, and at
tne same time placing no burden on
the taxpayers or water consumers, it
should make a flat rate of say $1 per
month, for each householder, with an
additional $1 per month for water con
sumed during the Summer months for
lawn and garden purposes, as well as
a special rate for industries using a
larger proportion of water.
This would be a deed deserving of
appreciation and away beyond the spec
ulation or business idea that seeks
by extending mains to the extreme
city boundaries, earning 6 per cent on
the investment and supplying water to
towns not Identified with our munici
pal corporation.
Also consider the cost of . Installing
25,000 meters at $12 each, to be re
placed each 12 years, the approximate
life of a meter, and counting 6 per
cent on the investment, thus consum
ing all and more in the hope of saving
for clerical outlay. Then there Is the
further saving In the simplified mak
ing of bills, based on a flat rate, and
a bill involving a special mathematical
calculation. Other practical reasons
could be suggested why the Commis
sion should not entertain the proposi
tion to collect water bills quarterly
which in many cases would be the
equivalent of shifting the obligation
from the consumer to the property
owner who, by the way, is well loaded
at this time with tax burdens.
LEO FRIED E.
HESEY AND HIS NEW AMBITION
Keen SIxe-TJp of a Man Who Would Be
California's Senator.
m
San Francisco Argonaut.
Both Heney and Rowell are slated as
candidates for the Senatorship. The
former has already announced his can
didacy and the latter is practically an
avowed though not yet, we believe, a
formal candidate And It will be more
or less of a scrap. The two men,
albeit representing very different types,
being of different purposes and tem
peramental qualities, have long worked
in co-operation, and now it will be in
teresting to see what will happen when
they engage competitively. Heney
always sees t-he devil incarnate in any
body who opposes him. His tempera
ment inclines him to acrimonious con
tention. It has been remarked that
such is the inherent combativeness of
his disposition that he could not as
sist a sister of charity across a muddy
street without entering into a quarrel
with her midway. It is safe to "say
that within the first hour of open com
petition with Rowell he will fall to
denouncing the latter in terms which
would bar a verbatim report thereof
from tle United States mails. Rowell,
while Infinitely a man of higher in
tellectual grade, and incidentally with
a lower blood pressure. Is not without
idiosyncrasies of his own. His pose is
always in tune with the good, the true
and the beautiful. His habits of polit
ical thought were established In the
days when he was a critic of organized
politics, and he carries these habits
into his more recent character of ma
chine politician. In his political char,
acter he is something of an ostrich
himself very much in view, he takes
care to avoid seeing anything that is
going on'. In Mr. Rowell's view Mr.
Rowell Is always representative of all
the virtues; those who oppose him are
always corruptlonists, and otherwise
creatures of the baser sort.
Now when these two fine gentle
men have come to want the same thing,
and want it bad, and when each sees
in himself a prophet of righteousness
and the hope of political virtue, there
is apt to be as between them some
thing in the nature of fireworks. Be
fore he is done with it Heney will be
denouncing Rowell for all the sins of
the Progressive regime and they are
many and Rowell will be denounc
ing Heney for those amiable vagaries
which invariably leave a sizzling
lurldlty in his immediate wake.
TUBERCULOSIS SUNDAY OPPOSED.
Bible Day Suggested as Substitute by
Toronto Man.
TORONTO, Nov. 12. (To the Editor.)
Press dispatches report that the As
sociation for the Study of Tuberculosis
are approaching the churches, the
schools, the labor organizations, the
President and State Governors, etc.,
asking that on Sunday, December 7,
they will devote themselves to a dis
cussion of tuberculosis.
If this Sunday Is to be taken up with
the consideration of tuberculosis, why
should we not devote another Sunday
to cancer, another to diphtheria, an
other to typhoid fever, and so on Tor
51 Sundays, and then complete the cycle
of the year by consecrating the 52d as
Insanity Sunday?
We understand the Sabbath to have
been instituted as a day of devotion to
God, as well as a day of release from
human toil; and this year, for the
first time, the churches of the United
States and Canada are beginning to set
apart this third Sunday before Christ
mas as a day on which to call special
attention to the Bible as the inspired
word of God and 'call the literature of
the tuberculosis people to witness that
If the word of God were really the
guide of the home that disease would
cease to exist.
Wherefore let the anti-tuberculosis
association cease to persuade the min
isters of the Christian religion to de
grade this day in such manner, but
rather let them Join in exalting that
word, which, if faithfully followed, will
do away with all diseases.
, CHRISTOPHER WEST.
NEW SYSTEM GOOD FOR FIREMEN.
Plan Gives All Equal Show for Ad
vancement In Service.
PORTLAND, Nov. 17. (To the Edi
tor.) Kindly allow me space to give
my views In regard to the so-called dis
satisfaction in the Fire Department.
From my personal acquaintance with
a great many of its members and my
long residence in Portland I am in
clined to believe that the rumors of
dissatisfaction are caused on- the out
side by those opposed to the present
administration.
The fire boys believe the new merit
and zone system to be the only fair and
impartial way to advance the ordinary
fireman to a' superior position. Mayor
Albee is doing everything he can to
promote harmony in all his depart
ments, and especially in the Fire De
partment. There is a string of people
going to the department houses and
talking to the firemen and telling them
how absurd they are. They are getting
$100 per month now and want a raise
and more time off duty. There is no
city in the West that pays its firemen
such good wages as Portland for the
time they put in. Many men with
families would be willing to take the
job for $50 per month. Under the new
merit and zone system the taxpayers
will get better results for their money
and the firemen will all have an equal
chance for promotion and some day
wear a badge of honor in a superior
position. J. E. WILSON.
Twenty-five Year Ago
From The Oregonian of Nov. 19, 1888.
The Spokane Review is exhibiting
more than its usual -enthusiasm over
the result of Judge Buck's candidacy
in North Idaho and considers that the
vote proves conclusively that the an
nexation feeling is practically unani
mous in Latah and Nea Perces counties
and pretty strong in Shoshone, Koote
nai and Idaho Counties. ,
vapmiu i.uuiuw, who was kiuuus iuc
State's passengers, stopped off at As-
General Wharton, the Government
land inspector, is again invthe city.
The annual report of the president
of the University of Oregon shows an
average enrollment for the year of TO
men and 40 women.
A little before 10 o'clock yesterday
forenoon, ' as Walter Joy, a district
messenger boy, was on his way to A.
B. Steinbach's residence, 341 Ninth
street, with a chicken, he was attacked
at the corner of Clay and Ninth street
in regular footpad style by three boys
and robbed.
Thft blnolr fin IT-Ira ,(rot i t tx,- n
Morrison and Alder, is now compara
tive! v clear nf hnrkn whlrh ia Inner
congregated there to the annoyance
iL uuaiucoB Hi til.
The work of blasting out the chan
nel at Texas rapids on the Snake goes
steadily forward. Ham Brooks has had
to succumb to sickness and Is in the
hospital at Walla Walla.
Colonel R. C Clowry, vice-president
and general superintendent of the
Western Union Telegraph Company, is
due in Portland next Saturday.
Charles Ellis Boyle, of TJniontown,
Pa- whom President Cleveland ap- '
pointed Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of Washington Territory, to suc
ceed the lata R. A. Jones, arrived yes
terday from .the East.
Assessor Geors-A Harold hnn com
pleted the assessment roll, showing
taxable property worth t22.254.465.
Half a Century Ago
From The, Oregonian of Nov. 19, 1863.
We are indebted to B. G. Whltehouse,
cashier of the C. & O. Stage Company,
in this city, for the use of the follow
ing letter about the Idaho murderers:
"Shasta, Nov. 12, 1863. Mr. White-
house Dear Sir: Beachey holds the
prisoners; the Supreme Court so de
cided yesterday. He will leave by
steamer of the 17th."
Pacifio railroad meeting Mr. Tur-
ley's address last evening at the Court
house was excellent and exactly to the
point.
The new steamer of the Pacific Mall
Steamship Company's line, the Golden
City, arrived at Panama October 24, 51
days out from New York. This, we
believe, is the quickest passage around
the Horn yet on record.
Naval Academy Among the list of
those appointed to this institution we
observe the name of 12. W. Veazie, of
Washington Territory.
The grand jury reports: "The city
Jail has time and again been con
demned by former grand juries and the
present can only reiterate what has
already been said. There ought to be
some provision made for fire. Per
sons should not be barbarously pun
ished by chilling them. J. P. O. Lowns
daie, foreman."
The Siege of Florence
By Dean Collins.
The clouds of war are risln'
And glowerin' gloomily
About the fair horizon
Of Florence by the sea;
Stern Mars his knife is whettin";
He gives a grim guffaw.
And sees the scenes a-settin'
For reign of martial law.
Oh Florence, brutal Florence,
Your crime is black and deep;
It fills us with abhorrence;
It robs us of our sleep;
You ordered from your city
Along the beach to roam,
Poor hoboes O, the pity
Who didn't have no home.
'Twas seven luckless persons
Whose brag was "Freedom's" brag;
Whose crimes were never worse 'uds
Than cussin' of the flag;
Who merely tried to riot
About, rebelliously
Within your city quiet,
Oh, Florence by the sea.
But an avenger cometh
There isn't any doubt.
And Oswald's anger hummeth.
And you had best watch out;
The warlike forces gather, v
And shortly there will be
Something excitin' rather,
'Round Florence -by the sea.
I see the bay"nets glisten.
And banners stream above.
And o'er the wire is hlssin'
The order of the Gov.
Just why thi3 war is brewln'
Is hardly clear to me.
But he says: "Somethln's doin'
At Florence by the sea."
Plenty of Room.
London Punch.
Tyro (who has just missed a sitter)
Extraordinary! Wouldn't have believed
such a thing possible.
Old Stalker Well, well; a stag' a
verra queer beastie. There's a deal o'
room about a stag.
One Ambition of an Athlete.
Detroit Free Press.
"Has your son any particular ambi
tion?" "I should say he has. He hopes
that sometime he'll wriggle himself
free from the bunch and make a 95
yard run for the winning touchdown."
A Nation-Wide
Movement
The Oregonian is a member of the
American Newspaper Publishers'
Association, Bureau of Advertising,
three of whose purposes are:
(1) To point out to newspaper
readers everywhere the benefit to
be derived from an active interest
in newspaper advertising and the
wealth of, valuable information it
contains.
(2) To build up and perpetuate
a continental association among the
better newspapers which will elim
inate unreliable advertising.
(3) To create a fuller apprecia
tion, in the minds of makers and
sellers of Nationally distributed ar
ticles, of the value of daily news
paper advertising.
This Association has progressed a
long way toward these ends. The
responsibility for the success of t)ls
movement rests not alone with the
newspapers themselves but also
with the readers.
Readers of The Oregonian already
appreciate the valuable avenues of
information opened to them through
its advertising pages. They can
help us by patronizing the reliable
advertisers whose announcements
they read In this newspaper; and
by notifying us if they are ever
led Into an unsatisfactory transac
tion through advertising appearing
in Tire Oregonian. Adv.