tttt: morxixg oregoxiax.' Saturday, December 20. 1913.
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I'ORTLAT. SATTRDAY. DEC .
1913.
I rSINO THE BCHOOUIOUSES.
f The public demand for a wider use
f the schoolhouses is not likeiy to
diminish. It is a new thing- in our
day. People are Just beginning to
discover what art opportunity for en
tertainment and profit they have been
roissing by permitting the school
houses to remain vacant for the great.
r part of the time and their common
.sense will insist upon a more efficient
iuse of their property. There will ul
timately be a demand for the constant
opening of the schoolhouses to po
litical meetings, dramatic perform
ances, debates, dances and all sorts of
social gatherings. Already the question
of dances Is troubling the school di
rectors. Folk dances have been taught
to soma extent during school hours.
lAt least one request has been received
to open a schoolhouse for a public
dance. The authorities should make
up their minds to meet this growing
demand in a spirit of broad toleration
und decide it with the utmost wisdom
hey can bring to bear. The lack of
suitable places for social . gatherings
Jias nrrought much evil, both in cities
and In the rural sections. In some
country towns neighborhood life has
keen almost extinguished by bad roads
combined with the want of pleasant
halls for public meetings. Undesir
able gatherings have held their own,
but we cannot derive much consola
tion from the persistence of evil.
In the cities, while the schoolhouses
have besn closed and dark, young
people have danced In low dena to the
accompaniment of beer and vice.
Amusement has been commercialized
because It could not be free and for
the sake of profit the worst has
thriven and the best been stifled. Now
'he public is moving toward better
things. The schoolhouses offer an op
portunity for both entertaining and
instructive meetings under safe man
agement, with the eye of the whole
neighborhood upon them, where young
people may associate with their par
ents. Instead of being left to them
selves. This movement Is full of the
most promising possibilities. Democ
racy means equality of opportunity
both for profit and for amusement.
Open schoolhouses mean broader and
saner public relations. They mean the
continuance of education beyond the
ordinary schoolbook curriculum into
the fundamental relations of life. They
mean the abolishment of class lines
and social snobbery by mutual con
tact under healthy and uplifting con
ditions. But If we are to attain these desir
able advantages we must consent to
pay the price for them. Every bless
ing that is worth having Implies some
sacrifice. Neighborhood use ot the
schoolhouses cannot be carried to Its
legitimate extent without a wider
rpirlt of tolerance than some of us
are In the habit of practicing. Po
litical opinions will be expressed
-which we deem destructive. Young
eople will indulge in amusements
which some do not approve. The nat
ural tendency in cases of thin kind is
to force our own views upon others if
we can. We all dearly love to re
strict everybody else within the bounds
which we prescribe for ourselves. But
that will never do if we wish to make
the neighborhood idea prevail in the
schoolhouses. The principle, "IImb and
let live," is the only one that will
work. Those who do not approve of
dancing should not try to compel
s-verybody else to think exactly as they
do on that subject They must ac
rept the fact that others may differ
v-ith them completely and still be Just
as honest and conscientious as they
re themselves. Should a dance be
lield. in one of the schoolhouses no
body Is obliged to attend it. Any man
may stay away and In good time get
hls'innlngs by delivering a lecture on
the sin of those who tripped the light
fantastic toe.
The point to keep in mind in re
gard to dancing Is that it has always
been practiced by young people and
always will be. Our only choice lies
between holding dances under good
auspices with friends and parents on
guard or seeing them slink away into
dark dens, where no one restrains and
where evil marshals all Its incentives.
The children of well-to-do parents al
most invariably are taught to dance.
The principal amusement of that so-
lety which we all agree to call "the
best" is dancing. When, therefore, we
undertake to say to the children of
the people that either they shall not
dance at all or else they must do it
under viciously debasing conditions
the dlscrimlnatirm seems to lack fair
ness. It is perfectly proper to argue
with thorn on the subject. If we can
convert them to our own ascetic views
jso much the better, perhaps. But when
Jt comes to forbidding them to use
the schoolhouses for dances under
good supervision and at proper times
we are going too far. The attitude
taken by Mr. Sabin and Mr. Plummer
Is fur more rational. Mr. PaNn said
at the Board meeting, where the sub
ject came up for discussion, that he
sympathized with those who wanted
to' dance." His sympathy did credit
to his humanity and good sense. Mr.
IVummer pointed out that his own
children learned to dance and he
t ould not tee why all the public
rfiould not enjoy similar advantages.
Hie Judgment Is sane and true.
In deciding matters of this kind we
must bear In mind that many men of
many minds are concerned and that
all have an equal right to the use and
njoyment of neighborhood property.
The Ideal condition is attained when
each group of Individuals gets Its full
charo without unduly restricting the
others. The "dog-in-the-manger- at
titude is to be shunned at all hnrards.
The maxim that "what I don't like
nobody else shell do" is. fatal to all
neighborhood life. The true maxim to
follow 1 that "what I don't like I
will not do, but U is not my province
to prevent others from doing It." Of
course the line between what Is prop
er and what Is not must be strictly
drawn, bat no mere fanaticism should
be permitted to draw it.
TOO DRASTIC.
A Eugene correspondent, -who with
many others Is honestly Interested in
devising some method of correcting
1 initiative and referendum petition
abuses, invites the attention of The
Oregon Ian to a proposal that no
county be permitted to furnish a
greater proportion of names on any
petition than the number of voters in
the county bears to the total number
of voters in the state. In other words,
Multnomah County, having one-third
of the voting population, should not
be allowed to supply more than one
third of the signatures on any peti
tion, and so on down the list of coun
ties. i We are not sure that this corre
spondent, who approves the sugges
tion, hag carried Out the plan to its
mathematical conclusion. In filling a
petition under the proposed system it
would be essential that every county
be represented thereon. On a pro
portionate basis no twelve or fifteen
or twenty of even thirty-three coun
ties could produce a valid petition.
Every one of the thirty-four counties
would have to furnish its quota of
names. If in Curry County, for ex
ample. It waa found impossible to ob
tain Curry'a proportionate nunjber of
signatures a bill Would fail to get on
ths ballot, no matter if the petition
were signed by fifty per cent or all
of the voters in every other county of
the state.
The Oregonlan believes that what
ever plan is devised for regulating the
filing Of petitions that plan should
have for its foundation the abolish
ment of the paid circulator. It is not
content that the paid petition circula
ting should be made unlawful unless
some reasonably adequate substitute
for the paid solicitor's services is made
available. If there are to be no paid
circulators and a requirement is put
in the law that a petition shall be cir
culated and names obtained In every
county in the state the Initiative and
referendum will be practically Inop
erative.
THAT TREATY WITH HOLLAND.
Secretary Bryan meets with success
In negotiating peace treaties with na
tions with which the United States is
never likely to have war and which
are hopelessly outclassed by Us in
military strength. Holland is decid
edly more respectable than Salvador,
but In military resources it is not In
our class. Peace treaties with Holland
and with petty Central American
states are one-sided bargains. We
might find it necessary to chastise
them as we chastised the pirates of
the Barbery Coast a century ago and
as we chastised Spain fifteen years
ago, but the treaty would forbid us.
There is no probability that any petty
state w.ould wish to declare war on
the United States, hence the treaty
binds it to do only that which it
would do without a treaty.
Mr. Bryan will not have accom
plished anything of value In the cause
of peace until he has negotiated trea
ties with nations Which are some
where near a match for us. If he
should arrange for postponement of
hostilities pending inquiry Into, a dis
pute .with such powers as Great
Britain, France, Germany, Austria,
Russia or Japan, he would have some
cause for self-congratulation. He has
already dropped an important part of
his original scheme by not including
in the agreement, with Holland the
stipulation that war preparations be
deferred until after the year of In
quiry. If he should make treaties
with any of the great powers without
this stipulation and If a dispute with
any of these powers should become
the subject of Inquiry, a year of fever
ish war preparation might ensue.
This would make the year's truce a
period of great expense and of great
suspense. It would be the next worst
thing to war. If war preparation
were forbidden by mutual consent, the
expense would be avoided and the sus
pense greatly mitigated.
Without regard to party, the Nation
is In sympathy with Mr. Bryan's de
sire to diminish the possibility of war,
but a calm review of the steps he has
so far taken shows that he has made
no real progress. Tieing our hands in
our dealings with the little fellows is
not progress: that would only be
gained when we tied the hands of our
equals in strength at the same time
that we tie our own.
MEXICO'S P05KHSLCB NEXT RULER.
What manner of man Is Pancho
Villa, who has made the constitution
alists masters of all Northern Mexico
and who himself rules with military
rigor a large part of that areaT The
answer will help us In forming an
opinion as to the prospects of perma
nent peace, order and good govern
ment in Mexico, should Huerta fall
before the assaults of the rebels.
Villa is half Indian, but is reputed
to be of good family. Upon his fath
er's death he became guardian of his
sister. A neighboring Sheriff eloped
with her and Villa pursued and over
took them. He forced a marriage,
compelled the Sheriff to sign his own
death certificate, to dig his own grave
and to lie beside It. Villa then shot
the man and rolled lilm into the
grave. The Sheriff's father rode to
Villa's ranch and was shot dead at the
door. Villa fled to the hills with a
price on his head and became a
bandit.
That was fifteen years ago. Since
then he has been a murderer, bank
robber and bandit, holding together
his followers with the lure of loot. Last
March he returned from the United
States with a "borrowed" horse, two
sacks of flour and nine men and re
cruited a band of kindred spirits in
the constitutionalist cause. By forced
marches and sudden attacks he has
overcome one body of federals after
another, and success has swelled his
forces until now; he is at the head of
between 10.000 and 20,000 men. He
procured 95 per cent of his guns and
ammunition and all his artillery by
capture from the federals, saying,
"taking them from cowards Is the
easiest and best way." He has thus
acquired thirty-eight large fieldpieces,
fifty rapid-fire guns, a tralnload of
ammunition and other trainloads of
supplies. By robbing banks and by
forced contributions he has accumu
lated more than $3,000,000 Mexican.
He led in sacking Torreon and is re
ported to have taken J3.000.000 cash
from there. He has looted Chihuahua
and compelled the rich to add to his
treasure. He has issued decrees con
fiscating the vast estates of the Ter
rains and Creel families. He shoots
as traitors prisoners taken in battle
and women fall prey to his brutal sol
diers. Should the revolt succeed, its most
successful leader would become the
chief power ia the government, and
any attempt to restrain him would be
likely to lead to a new revolt. Car
ranza, who has himself countenanced
military executions and forced con
tributions, may become President, but
Villa would be the man behind hm.
This would be a long step downward
from Madero, who endeavored to
carry on war according to civilised
methods and who stayed his hand
when the execution of Felix Diaz
might have averted the revolt which
ended in Madero's death. There may
have been some excuse of political ne
cessity ' for Huerta's murder of Ma
dero, and by comparison with Villa
the Provisional President is humane.
Tet the outcome of American policy
may be Substitution of Villa for
Huerta.
After Diaz, the dictator who brought
peace, order and prosperity to Mexico,
cane Madero, the idealist revolution
ary chief; after Madero came Huerta,
his murderer, a military chieftain;
after Huerta may come -. Villa, the
bandit chief and mankiller. Are low
er depths possible? Are we mending
matters by freezing out Huerta with
out offering a better man for hts
place T
poRTLAjrrys fctcbe.
Professor Lyman's opinions upon the
future greatness of Portland harmon-
ize very well with predictions Which
The Oregonian has often published.
Our situation at the head of naviga
tion on a great Inland water system
ought to be decisive of the matter.
When the transportation arrange
ments of this part of the world are
complete it will undoubtedly be prac
ticable to transport heavy freight
from Eugene down the Willamette
without transfer of any kind on the
way. And it will also be practicable
to ship wheat and other produce from
points far up the Columbia and Snake
by water direct to Portland. This
will be accomplished by systems of
locks and canals, which, compared
with the cost of such Works elsewhere,
Will not be very expensive.
Before a great many years regular
lines of steamers will traverse Both
the Columbia and Willamette Rivers
through the greater part of their
courses and freights will then be
much cheaper than they are now from
internal points to Portland. This city
will be the natural distributing focus
for Western Oregon and the entire
Inland Empire and its growth will
correspond to the extent and resources
of those great regions.
No part of the United States has
kept pace with -European countries in
the development Of Inland waterways.
France and Germany have built ca
nals to eke out the transportation
capacity of almost every one of their
rivers. This, together with channel
Improvements and the protection of
river banks against wash, has made
Internal navigation expeditious and
cheap, so that the railroads carry far
less freight, proportionally, than they
do for us.
The European countries are con
stantly Improving their water trans
portation. While we, .for the last half
century, have been neglecting ours.
Not only have we built comparatively
few canals, but some old ones have
been allowed to fall into disuse and
ruin. This was all very well In the
flush times, when It required no great
effort to pay comparatively heavy
railroad charges, but now as economic
pressure begins to show Its effects a
change of policy will probably be ad
visable. ROOT AS A PROOKEHSIVK.
Senator Root, who was denounced
less than eighteen months ago as a
leader of reactionaries, has placed
himself at the head of the Progres
sive Republicans of New York. The
occasion of his doing so was also the
occasion of the reappearance as a Re.
ublican of W. A. Prendergast, a
leader among those who" followed
Colonel Roosevelt to Armageddon.
The Senator offers the party in his
state a programme of progressive
measures which Is termed radical by
some, but which is approved by news
papers of all political stripes.
Mr. Root, by the speech which he
made at the Republican conference
and by the readiness with which his
advice was accepted, earned endorse
ment by hosts of Republicans of
Colonel Roosevelt's remark that Sen
ator Root was "the ablest man In the
public life of. this or any other coun
try in my day." He called upon the
Republicans of New Tork to "re
orient themselves, to clarify their
ideas and to seek greater efficiency."
They should have an affirmative and
progressive programme which would
benefit the greatest number of people,
and the party should have strength
and efficiency enough to have the
programme adopted by the people.
What the party needed, he said, was
solidarity, loyalty and an honest de
sire on the part of its. leaders and
members to subordinate individual
ambition and individual opinions in
matters necessary to party efficiency.
He went on:
Aa to efficiency, no party can be fit to
govern that does not act aa a whole. To
Inrure efficiency a party mint afford an
opportunity for the expression of opinion
by every member of the rank and file. Every
voice should receive Its due weight. When
there le no such opportunity we have the
situation which, makes revolution respectable
in Mexico. W hen there is that lair oppor
tunity, then the man who takes office and
repudiates his honorable obligations is ob
taining office nnder false pretensea. .
The programme which he set forth
and which was adopted by the con
ference is distinctly progressive, but
contains no parts which can reason
ably cause division In the party. It
commands approval of Democrats and
of all Progressives who care more for
progress than for revenge on the Re
publican party. It Includes "a pri
mary bill that Is real, and not a sham
like the last Democratic bill"; the
short ballot, with no elective state of
ficers except Governor, Lieutenant-
Governor and Judge of the Court of
Appeals; a compulsory workmen's
compensation bill; a state budget and
revision of the rules of the Assembly
that will prevent the smothering of
legislation in committees in such man
ner as to prevent us from knowing
who did it."
Mr. Root showed his wisdom equal
ly in the fight with .William Barnes
on the direct primary and In his re
fusal to carry opposition to the state
chairman to extremes. When Mr.
Barnes proposed reaffirmation of the
direct primary planks In the plat
forms of 1912 and 111 3 Mr. Root
fought him and won by a narrow
margin. When the subject of elimi
nating Mr. Barnes as chairman of
the state committee was raised at a
meeting of that body it was shelved
with the understanding that he would
resign voluntarily in the Spring. Thus
the healing of one breach is not to
create another. Having Deen otit
voted on a matter of detail, the
Barnes forces can cheerfully yield to
the majority in the interest of that
party unity on which Mr. Root laid
stress, but personal humiliation of,
their leader might have driven them
into revolt.
Discussing the action of the confer
ence In conjunction with the return
or Mr. Prendergast to the party, the
New Tork Times says: "The Republic
ans of New Tork are preparing to
meet their returning brethren half
way," and of the five items on the
programme it says:
They represent progress, they art progres
sive; and the pursuit of these policies by the
Republicans of New Tork will leave the
Progressives no particular reason for pro
longing their existence.
The World says:
Senator Root has presented a programme
which If Honestly carried into etteot will put
ths Republican party on its feet again. It
le a programme which has the additional
merit of being non-partisan. It Is progres
sive in the true sense Democrats as well aa
Republicans oan subscribe to It, and it rep
resents the settled political convictions of a
vast majority of the voters of New Tork.
It wishes there were "somebody Of
equal Influence and ability who would
do the same for a discredited and de
graded Democratic 6rganization," and
concludes:
When men like BHhu Root are willing to
fall Into step with honest, eane radicalism,
American institutions ean face the future
with renewed confidence and serenity.
The Globe cannot lose the opportu
nity to deliver a homily on Mr. Root's
part in ths split of 1912, but calls the
resolutions of the conference admira
ble, though their , good effect "Is
marred by the fact that the Confer
ence did not call for the retirement
of the men Identified in the public
mind with everything reactionary." It
adds:
It is not likely the Progressives will re
turn Id a body If they understand that Mr.
Barnes Is the ohlef member ot the reception
committee.
Since Mr. Barnes early elimination
is assured there will be no difficulty
on that score in the way of Progres
sive return to the fold.
The Marine Corps Is always ready
for an emergency, for it is the first to
be called upon. When riot or revolu
tion endangers lives and property of
Americans, the American Naval com
mander lands marines and with their
guns draws a deadline, which dis
order dare not pass. They fight, and
fight well, when occasion requires, as
they have often proved. Honor to the
marines! .
The Christmas number of the Seat
tle Argus, always welcome, has ap
peared and is full equal to preceding
numbers. With a colored photograph
of great beauty on the cover it la filled
with fine photographs of Seattle and
the scenery of Puget Sound and the
North Pacific Coast in general. It
also contains many interesting arti
cles abounding in useful Information
about the Washington metropolis.
Mr, Taft's appearance at the Pennsylva
nia Society dinner as a satirist was a dis
tinctly new role but a successful one; giv
ing promise that by the reduction of the
smile as well aa the superfluous flesh that
encumbered him ln'1912, he may show up In
1916 as a gladiator with hie hat in the ring.
New York World.
Is that meant to Imply that Mr.
Taft can "come back?"
By some oversight, did Senator Root hap
pen to repeat one of hts 1896 campalgd
speeches? iew Tork World.
Since the man against whom Mr.
Root spoke in 1896 is now in the sad
dle, the occasion would seem to re
quire the repetition.
Dentists in session at Ashland fa
vor a dental education movement in
the schools. The schools are heavily
laden with frills already, but primary
teaching in the movement of the
toothbrush, will not overload the pupil.
The small community that holds a
public Christmas tree, on which some
thing Is hung for every child, large
and small, comes nearest exemplifying
the true holiday as well as Christian
spirit.
The case involving the boycott of
the Danbury hatters amounts In judg
ment and costs to more than a quar
ter-million already. When settlement
day comes there will go up a howl.
A German Army lieutenant has been
sent to Jail for cutting down a cripple
with his saber. They should also kick
him out of the service, which is no
place for a mangy coward.
A War Department order directs
that a lot of Kansas militia generals
nd colonels must be dispensed with.
Wait, until that order reaches Ken
tucky! The city is being overrun with
woodsaws, say the operators, because
the license is too low. The man with
wood to be cut is not aware of It.
Chief Wappenstein has been par
doned on condition that he remain
away from Seattle. Want to keep him
out of temptation, you see.
Villa says he will protect foreign
property. He carefully abstracted
everything In sight, though, before an
nouncing this policy.
Tuan. is opposed to Parliament.
Governor West is opposed to the Leg
islature. The truly great want no
opposition.
New Tork property sold for $307 a
square foot. Takes a . millionaire to
get his feet muddy on that sort of
ground.
-Chicago bee. men would take their
hives to California for the Winter.
Think they would survive the frost?
If Northern bees can be induced to
work during Winter in the South, why
not try translation of the hen?
A local couple eloped In a' racing
auto. By aeroplane, however, is the
up-to-date way.
Habit developing is urged in the
schools by Professor Alderman. Habit
moves the race.
' Fresno has established a rockpile
for tramps. Exit Fresno from' the' bo
Itinerary. '
With a minimum temperature of
40, Portlanders think the weather Is
cold..
Wilson is up and about again. Hope
he's In a better humor.
French suffragists are using smiles
and violets. They'll win.
Holland agrees to the Bryan peace
treaty. Safe at last.
We know what should be done to
Lothario Ghormley.
Just watch Troop A, First Oregon
Cavalry, on parade.
Dugdale believes in continuous
bawi." ...
NEED OS" KKIFB GROWING 1.ES8
Struma and Antitoxins Are Taking: Vm
Away Press Serg-ery.
Dr. John B. Murphy, of Chicago, In an
Interview in the Milwaukee Journal.
No other Investment made in the his
tory of the world ever resulted in such
beneficial returns aa money Invested
in original research work. The new
est thing in surgery is that we are
trying to get away from It, and it is
through original research work that
we have already accomplished wonders
and hope for still greater things.
For .Instance, we have discovered
that many ailments, at One time supposed-
to be due to different causes,
are traceable to exactly the same germ.
We now know that rheumatism is an
infection caused by the same germ
that in some patients causes ulcerated
stomach. In others inflammation of the
heart, in others, general rheumatism, in
others, muscular rheumatism, and so
on. It all depends upon the soil the
germ finds in the infected person, what
manifestation it makes. So now rheu
matism, which we once treated as a
dietic mistake is treated as an infec
tion. The Confirmation Of this theory
we owe to Dr. Rosenow. of the McCor
mick Contagious Diseases Hospital
fund staff. It was original research
work that did it.
Take common lockjaw, if you want
an example of our getting away from
surgery. It was nothing uncommon
In the old days in. Chicago to hava
dosens of cases of locked jaws, for
which we had to operate, after a
Fourth of July. Now we rarely have
a looked Jaw. Antitetanus serum has
done it. Take diphtheria. You have
heard of operational relieve a patient,
A surgeon is only a retailer. Suppos
ing he saves a patient or two by an
operation. What becomes of the un
told multitude ho cannot treat because
of his physical limitations? The dis
covery of the antitoxin for the cure
of diphtheria was their salvation. It
works wholesale. In Paris, where they
keep their statistics very well, the
percentage of mortality in diphtheria
cases was 4. Since the serum was
discovered it has dropped to 1 8-16.
Over in India, you know, the natives
are subject to dysentery. It kills them
by the thousand. We had known that
ipecao relieved the patient. A man
named Rogera, who had been experi
menting at Calcutta for years, recently
discovered an alkaloid made from
ipecac which be named emetine, He
can cure all cases of dysentery in from
three to five days by an injection
of emetine. That's original research
work. You remember how we had to
operate for an abscess of the liver, put
In a tube that we didn't get out for
months. Now, Rogers injects emetine,
the absceess is killed, and the- liver
heals itself.
Our great effort ts to find a means
of curing without resort to the
grosser and cruder methods of treat
ment, of which surgery is the acme.
It is only by original research work
that this can be accomplished. There
fore, there is no higher purpose, to
which a rich man can put his money
than endowing original research lab
oratories. The men who work in them
work for a pittance enough only to
keep alive. Few of them reach fame.
Thev hut be compared to the bricks in
a great architectural construction.
Hardly anybody notices tne Drichs. a
few notice the capstones, but every
body halls the setting of the keystone,
yet were it not for the bricks there
would be no nlace to set the keystone.
The genius who comes along in re
search work and sets tne Keystone ue
pends absolutely upon the work of the
humble and unsung workers in the re
search laboratories. Every great dis
covery has been due to their work ex
cept, perhaps the X-ray, which was
discovered by accident.
Serums and antitoxins are going to
take the place of the knife and the
saw. The research laboratory will be
the physical salvation of the race.
HOW TO SAVE VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
Route Xcw Orearoa City Cars on MI1-
waukle Street, Says Writer.
PORTLAND, Dec. 19. (To the Edi
tor.) The reference in The Oregonlan
. .ni nn -Tllwniiki( street"
ij uajij v, .. w -
1 Aoo-erAat-Inn nf !3 't calculated
to Influence the public mind adversely
to tne reierenoum peuuwn iu in
vention of track laying on Westmore
1 i ' Cuntilonnth Ot rfftf Soma SUb
sidlary of the PorUand and Oregon
City Railway apparently naa sudh.
used The Oregonlan to boost the rail
T Cantnantll dtroAt ifl Ot)(1ied SS &
railroad it will oeieai me very pur
pose for which the city needs a drive
within sl few hundred feet of Mil
waukle street The latter, crampea
with wide gauge tracks, is inaaequate
for all trarric ana as ier
. i j -..n ...... a tlnrrlqnn n.nd Wash
ineton. so should Seventeenth take care
r vhl(.lAa nther tnan streetcars, me
very way to diminish the "number of
accidents to venicies is m ru" i"
n a riraunn City half hourlv cars
over the common user tracks on Mil-
..1.1a Bvont
The Inference that the railway right
of way will solve tne controversy m
the opening of Seventeenth street
un..o-h -Midway la entirely without
merit and misleading. The opponents
of the previous opening; uigvomouio
have been the taxed property holders
i ivia ATnnt Westmore-
in t;j
land owners, taxed from $7 to almost
100. were in favor or opening; sev
enteenth long ago, but some as rar
south as Sellwood demurred when
taxed il and $2 for the improvement,
which would certainly have benefited
them tenfold, and so defeated the
opening. These latter folk have now
been misled. Dy agents oi m
into the belief that the Seventeenth
. ...ni. ,mi will be assumed bv
the railroad and are now great boosters
for a carllne ana an upeii ocrtNi.""
through Midway.
The width ot a railroad track or
two if the Portland & Oregon City
chooses so to burden an otherwise
beautiful thoroughfarecould at the
. , i .. pnGl trt the former
most put rcuu 1 -
obstructionists 60 to 76 cents each, and
It seems to me that for this paltry
mess of pottage citizens would not sell
out the best interest of all that great
number who must have access to this
trreat wide soutneasi eection.
HIGH SCHOOL MAIDEN OX GIVING
Five Dollars Father Saves on Her
Christmas Presents Goes to Peer.
PORTLAND. Dec. 19. (To the Edi
tor ) There has been so much about
poverty said and printed these last few
weeks, that I thought perhaps my plan
of charity work might be a suggestion
to some of the young readers of The
Oregonian. . , .
I belong to a family having an aver
age income, but my father and I made
an agreement several years ago that
we have carried out each Christmas.
I suggestedSto him that, instead of his
spending so much on my present, ha
Sive me J5 of the money for some
charitable purpose, and spend -only the
balance on myself. He immediately fell
in with my plan, and each year I have
been able to help some one who would
have gone without a Christmas.
Five dollars, however, is a small sum
when the list of poverty cases Is in
creasing so rapiuu. - -
all know. Portland has more poor fam
ilies than ever.
There are many of us girls who can
snare at least 11, and if every high
school girl gave 1 what a great deal
of good could be done with the sum!
Let us form the habit, then, as we can
never start younger, and feel that we
. . ; than mil iha in
are not. uu-m - ---
aiding our poorer fellow-men. Let us
show xne cn""" ..... ' .1
the rising generation is back of them
in their good works!
A WASHINGTON HIGH STUDENT,
WE DOTT WANT WHAT WHS WANT
That Is, After We Oct It or Are About
i Acquire It,
PORTLAND, Dec IS. (To the Edi
tor.) It's a painfui duty, an immense
responsibility to keep the editors in
the straight and narrow way. to see
that they continuously walk the chalk
line of correct conceptions of the
many great and momentous questions
that agitate and worry us. But. like
Josiah Allen's wife, two or three times
I had to do it, yes, just had to do It.
But Just now 1 have a still greater re
sponsibility; I've bad to . sound a note
of warning to the Postmaster-General
regarding Government ownership of
telephones and telegraph.
I've always been strong for Govern
ment ownership of telegraph, but now
that there is a possibility of getting it,
as you will note from the attached let
ter to the Postmaster-General, my at
titude is somewhat like that Of Port
land voters toward Commissioner
Brewster. Sure we wanted efficiency!
That's what we elected him for. We
demanded that the payroll be pruned
of ail useless timber, and that Only the
most efficient be employed, but Mr.
Brewster couldn't understand that
when it comes down, to brass tacks we
merely want efficiency in the abstract.
Here he goes and fires an old man
when many of us are supporting old
fathers while nearly all of us are
worrying about what is to become of
us when we get old. Away with such
a Commissioner; throw him to the
lions!
Therefore 1 Cannot think of permit
ting the Postmaster-General to have
his way until he fixes it just right.
This Is what I wrote to him:
I am not opposed to the Government
ownership and operation of telephone and
telegraph linee In connection with the pos
tal service if we can have a seven-day
service each week, but the fact must not
be overlooked that a vast multitude whom
nn man can number honestly believe that
God Is offended with any work performed
on Sunday, and who would ever seriously
object to the Government's transgression of
their conception of God's laws.
A personal experience with Canada's pos
tal service as operated through its poatofflce
Induces me to give you this advance warn
ing. My Wife was visiting her mother in a
small town lrl Ontario. I became very 111.
A telegram was sent Sunday morning for
her to return immediately. The law (either
local, state or national) prohibited Sunday
delivery. Late In the afternoon my brother-
ki-law met the postoffice clerk, who was
suoh a close friend that he permitted my
wife's brother to sneak in and get the tele
gram for her.
Just last week. I read the lecture of a
famous American who was speaklne- In Lou
don about 60 years ago. With great pride
he related how in a town In Massachusetts
a railroad had committed the unpardonable
sin of running a freight train one Sunday,
bow a bale of cotton took fire, and with
what satisfaction the bystanders saw two
carloads of cotton burn, refusing to unload
it. The audience even included one ot the
.road's directors, who took satisfaction in
seeing the conflagration because he had vot
ed against Sunday service.
Our theology and bigotry have experienced
wonderful evolutions since then, but you
notice we object to keeping the Postoffice
open on Sunday. The question naturally
arises, have we as a whole yet reached that
conception of God and his laws that we
would permit the Government to operate the
telegraph and telephone on Sunday? Cer
tainly it would offend the religious sense
of tens of thousansd of good citizens in
every state, and the Postmastor-General
would be ever li hot water unless the Con
gress In passing such a bill absolutely pro
vided for a full seven-day service irre
spective of the demands of any village, city,
county, state or official even including the
Postmaster-General.
Would Congress pass sucl a last Try it!
I have my ''doots." And if they would not
then, THICK forget It.
GEO. T. ATCHLET.
SEA RESORTS NEED BEAUTIFYISG.
Coast Climate Sot Antagonistic to Or
namental Shrubberf.
PORTLAND, Dec. 19. (To the Ed
itor.) While visiting various ocean
Coast resorts during the late Summer
and Fall, the writer observed with re
gret that few attempts at beautlflca
tlon, by means of shrubbery, had been
made, although there is no place like
ocean beach homes for delightful, ro
mantic and highly interesting devel
opment of lovely dens.
Most people appear to believe that
because many trees and shrubs fail to
grow when planted near the coast, all
must eventually perish in a salty soil,
a saline atmosphere and a strong coast
wind, yet there are a few varieties of
both trees and plants that under certain
obtainable conditions will thrive quite
well while enduring such common ocean
coast exposure. There are others which
when planted under the part protection
of these hardier ones will also grow, and
because they are making growth un
der different conditions from those of
their natural habitat tbey often form
coils and nests which would at a cas
ual glance make one think they be
longed to another species of trep or
plant, than their legitimate line. Yet
this tendency to take on peculiar char
acteristics by trees, vines, shrubs and
all plants, has the effect to add new
interest and beauty to every lot which
has been so improved.
The writer hopes to see a vast change
made for the coming Summer season by
the owners of all lots at resorts all
along- the coasts of North America. The
season for tree and shrub planting on
the Pacific Coast is after the first cold
weather of March Is past or between
the 20th and last of that generally
windy month. ' J. ALBRIGHT.
Oregon's Minimum Wage,
r New York World.
What elsewhere is a matter of con
jecture the State Welfare Commission
of Oregon has reduced to a certainty.
By unanimous vote it decides that
"the minimum sum required to sustain
a self-supporting woman In frugal but
decent conditions of living is $8.25 a
week."
No commission ' could have reached
this conclusion without the support of
public opinion and the concurrence of
many women likely to be directly af
fected by it. The solution of the
problem even in its incipiency, so far
as one commonwealth Is concerned, is
a noteworthy achievement In the field
of social and economic progress.
Whether the decision is wise or un
wise, time alone will prove, but the
fact that an issue everywhere dis
cussed can be put to the test in a free
and enlightened state under the most
favorable conditions is of the greatest
value to all states.
The value of this Bystem of local
self-government is too often lost to
sight by hasty reformers who want
everything regulated by National de
cree at Washington. Our numerous
states are the proper fields for experi
mentation. What is good will sur
vive. What is bad will perish.
Self-Made .Men Ineligible.
.PORTLAND, Dec. 19. (To the Edi
tor.) The new rules for admission to
practice law in this state require
that the applicant "must show certifi
cates of graduation from a high school
or literary institution of equal or bet
ter standing." How about self-educated
men who have never attended
even a common school? Could Abra
ham Lincoln, if living, be admitted to
the bar in Oregon?
This new rule strikes me as being of
the diaphanous gown variety. Are the
dentists and lawyers of Oregon afraid
of open competition by self-made
men? How about it? R. H ROY.
No to Bota Questions-'
ROSEBURG, Or, Dec 17. (To the
Rdltor.) Is a woman owning property
Jointly with her husband and subject
to taxation, entitled to vote at a school
election held in the district where she
resides if her name does not appear on
the tax list?
Since women have been enfranchised
does it make any difference in school
elections?, S. GETXE,
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonlan of Deo. 20. 18SS.
Washington. Dec. 19. Senator Ed
munds introduced a resolution stating
that the Government of the United
States will look with serious concern
and disapproval upon any connection
of any European government with tho
construction or control of any ship
canal across the Isthmus of Darien or
across Central America.
Washington, Dec. 19. The President
sent to the Senate the nomination of
Thomas Burke, Of Washington Terri
tory, to be Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of the territory.
"Vancouver, W. T, Dec 19. At 6:30
this afternoon engine No. 1. of the V..
K. & Y. Railroad was safely and amid
great cheering and blowing of steam
whistles transferred from the O. R. &
N.Co.'s barge to terra flrma, the first
railroad engine that ever touched the
soil of Clarke County.
Albany, Dec. 19 The stranded vessel
Yaquina Bay is a hopeless wreck at ,
Yaquina.
Alhany, Or.. Dec 19. A. B. Siauson,
associate editor of The Oregonian, and
Miss Mary Irvine, daughter of Hon.
S. A. Irvine, were united in marriage
this evening at the residence of the
bride's parents, Rev, S. U. Irvine offi
ciating. Salem, Dec 19. Uncle Ed De Lash
mutt, one of the best-known pioneers
of the Valley, died at his home at
Dallas this morning, aged 74 years.
In the United States Circuit Court
yesterday K. C Singletary was awarded
judgment for the possession of certain
lands described in his complaint against'
C F. McKinney. j. H. Wood, Robort
Ivers and Charles Riley.
Rhetorical Will be held at the Holla
day School Friday, December 31. School
then closes for the Christmas vacation.
Among those who will take part are
Kulla McFadden, Jennie Floyd, Bennle
Patterson, Etta Moody, Guy Phillips.
Floy Breyman, Anna Mac Ethel Bond.
Jessie Jones, Tommy Russell, James
Cannas, Mark Bogart, Ethel Taylor,
Floyd Dillon, Hart Rappleye, Eva Tut
tle. Pearl Empkln, Lora Gard, Logan
Roe, Curtis Merrick, Minnie Crozier.
Madeline Crosby, Marian Morris, Nora
Conyers.
The Carlcton Opera Company pre
sented last night at the new Park The
ater Collier and Stephenson's comedy
opera. "Dorothy."
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonlan of Xlecember 21, 1SG5.
Governor Glbbs has replied to Rob
ert W. Wlncapaw and T others, of
Canyon City, who complained that they
had not had adequate protection
against Indians and asked that their
section of Wasco County be exempted
from enrollment. He says he has done
all he could to raise troops to fight
Indians and promises to send troops
to protect them. Ee explains that en
rollment is a preliminary to draft, but
that no draft has been or i3 likely to
be ordered, and that persons who im
pede enrollment will be arrested and
tried.
The office and printing establish
ment of The Oregonian daily and
weekly newspaper have been removed
to Carter's new hrick block, corner
of Front and Washington streets, up
stairs. Entrance on Washington
street, first door from corner.
The pupils of the public school will
give an entertainment on next Wed
nesday, commencing at 1 o'clock r.
M. Visitors will be treated to a va
riety of exercises in vocal music, com
position, declamation and dialogue.
Wednesday, December 30, at 10 A.
M., I will sell at my auction-room,
corner of Front and Oak streets, lots
1 and 2 in block 13 a, situated on Third
street,- running 100 feet westerly on
College street. This choice homestead
property is inclosed with a good, aur
stantial fence, a new cottage, contain
ing seven rooms, closets, etc., hard
finished, a good woodshed and stable
on premises.
A. B. RICHARDSON, Auctioneer.
TUB SUNSHINE WINDOW.
There's a beautiful sunshine window
In a neat little church I know;
Whatever the state of the weather
This window is all aglow.
'Tis built in the north of an alcove
Where least you'd be thinking to find
Continuous, radiant shining.
As tho' from a lamp behind.
Now, whence does it gather its sun
- shine
In dark, gloomy days, will you tell?
I'd almost aver in its own heart
Some wonderful sunbeams dwell.
Our lives, like this marvelous window.
May light shed that clouds cannot
dim;
Kind words, kindly deeds the reflection
Of sunshine that glows within.
MATTIE J. T. BENSON.
Christmas
Features
Scores of bright Christmas
features have been provided for
The Sunday Oregonian.
The fiction features are espe
cially attractive, the contribu
tors including a number of
noted writers, including1 Robert
Barr and John Kendrick Bangs.
A Christmas Storm is a de
lightful Christmas romance,
strikingly illustrated.
Slaves of St. Nick is a bril
liant full-page in colors that
will delight young and old.
Interviewing Santa Claus
The bounteous old sprite of the
Northland tells all about Christ
mas toys, Christmas gifts and
the Christmas spirit.
Christmas in Bygone Days
The day was not always what
it is now. A full page, with bril
liant illustrations, is devoted to
Yuletide. celebrations of long
ago.
Christmas Shopping John
Xlenry goes into the subject
through the medium of George
'V. Hobart.
Luck This is what explains
Anne Swinburne's remarkable
stage success, according to her
own version. An illustrated
page interview with a Portland
girl who is a glowing star in
New York.
This is just a hint of the
many good things in the Christ
mas number, which includes
the Semi-Monthly Magazine
with its array of fine stories
and clever illustrations.
Order early of you newsdealer.