6
TIIE MORNING OKEGONTAN, MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 1914.
PORTLAND, OREGON.
Entered at Portland. Oregon. Potofflc a
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rOETLASD, MONDAY, JAN. 12, 181.
CARRYING SAILORS TO xjOAJT.
When a law is passed in one house
of Congress in response to the demand
of one Interest concerned, and when
another Interest declares the law de
structive of its business, then Justice
and -wise statesmanship require full
hearing and calm consideration by the
other house. For this reason the House
should hear and consider the serious
objections made by the ship owners to
the La Follette seamen's bill.
It is first necessary to examine the
conditions with which it is proposed to
deal and to see whether the bill fits
them. The bill legislates for the sea
men the sailors on the apparent as
sumption that they are the most im
portant part of a ship's crew. It seems
to assume that ocean commerce Is still
carried In sailing vessels. The truth
is that the sailing vessel has almost
disappeared from the sea and with it
the able-bodied seaman of song and
story. Its place has been taken by the
steamship, the most important part of
whose crew is in the engine-room.
Nest in importance on a passenger
steamer comes the steward's depart
ment. The deck crew now has little to
do except clean the decks, boats and
brasswork do Janitor's work, in fact
load and unload stores and baggage,
or drop the lead when the ship is in
shallow water during foggy weather.
It is rarely called upon to furl or un
furl a sail. A Hamburg-American
steamer recently came into Portland
with a crew of forty-nine, only four
of whom were in the deck crew.
The safety provisions of the La Fol
lette bill require two able-bodied sea
men of three years' experience for
every lifeboat, and enough lifeboats to
carry all on board. Atlantic liners
already carry the required number of
lifeboats, but the bill discards life
rafts. The steamship Congress, which
Is to ply on the Pacific Coast, has
fourteen lifeboats and fourteen life
rafts, which the Inspectors pronounced
the best ever fitted on a vessel, no
skill being required to lower or hoist
them, but the bill would substitute
twenty-one lifeboats. On this vessel
the deck crew would have to be in
creased from twelve to thirty-two, the
bill permitting five officers, four quar
termasters and the coxswain to serve
as boat-handlers. The extra twenty
men would have nothing to do except
in case of accident; ,lhey would be
simply paid to loaf. The Congress car
ries a total crew of 170, and the ma
jority of the men In the steward's and
engineer's departments are equally
competent for boat work, but they are
left out of consideration. Recent ma
rine disasters have shown many of the
latter men to be equal to seamen in
handling boats, for they have had
training.
Reporting on the Volturno disaster,
the captain of the Grosser Kurfuerst
says the first boat he sent to the res
cue carried three men who were not
sailors, the second boat four and the
third boat .five. These boats rescued
thirty-two persons before daybreak in
a heavy storm and high sea. The cap
tain says:
Not only our sailors, but all the men em
ployed In the different departments on
board, are constantly drilled In handling
lifeboats.
The Kroonland rescued eighty-eight
petsons from the Volturno, and her
captain says In a telegram to Senator
Burton:
Many volunteers from all departments of
my crew offered to go In the boats. All
were eligible for the work. I selected
crews composed of sailors, firemen and
stewards. In my Judgment the snld firemen
and stewards being more competent for the
work than somo of the deckhands, due to
our frequent training In Boat-drills.
The competency of men In the stew
ard's and engineer's departments to
handle boats is proved by the fact that
the three departments on the Mauri
tania have an annual boat race in New
Tork Harbor and by the further fact
that the firemen's crew won the recent
race, attributing its victory to its' hav
ing taken the coxswain from among
the firemen instead of from the deck,
as formerly. The same statements ap
ply to vessels on the Great Lakes. The
Detroit & Buffalo line gives a prize
to the most efficient boat crew on each
vessel and a grand prize to the-best
crew in the whole fleet. A crew of
Greek firemen won the prize on the St.
Ignace and then won the grand prize.
The manager of this line says:
"We have ten boats in our fleet, and in a
number of cases the steward's crew were
first in efficiency. The able seamen crew
were usually second or third.
The La Follette bill ignores all this
excellent material for rescue work in
a ship's own crew and compels it to
carry a large number of extra hands
ta do the work which can be done by
the steward's and engineer's men. It
does more. It excludes from classifi
cation as able seamen the men in the
life-saving service, who are trained to
do nothing else except save life. It
also excludes the fishermen and bay
men, who would make splendid mate
rial for boats' crews.
In the provisions as to number and
experience of seamen the bill draws
no distinction between the degree of
risk involved in navigating different
waters, except that it does not apply
to vessels on rivers, harbors and small
lakes. Obviously, the risk is less on
a coasting vessel, which is rarely out
of signaling distance from shore, or on
a lake vessel, which is rarely out of
sight of land and which on some
routes is always in water so shallow
that, if it were to sink, the upper decks
would not be submerged, than on
vessel which crosses the ocean. But
the bill throws all into the same class.
In requiring enough lifeboats to carry
all on board, Atlantic liners would
Mem to exercise super-abundant cau
tion when the wireless has come Into
general use and, as in the case of the
Volturno, promptly brings many
steamers to the rescue.
After all reasonable precautions are
taken, a person cannot expect to be
as safe, when traveling as when at
home. There la a certain danger at sea
against which no human agency can
guard. It can be avoided only by not
traveling. Even if it could be elim
inated, sea voyages would be so ex
pensive as to be impossible for any
except the very rich.
BIXL IS NOT ADEQUATE.
The chief fault of the newest pro
posal for dispensing with the paid
petition circular that which was
printed in full In The Oregonian Sun
day is its failure to cover referen
dum petitioning. The bill applies only
to the Initiative and provides a sys
tem for starting new measures on the
way with 100 signatures, which must
be supplemented, however, by the ap
proval of eight per cent of the voters
registered thereon at the primary elec
tion. Th most extensive forgeries yet dis
covered were on the university refer
endum petitions. Moreover, the refer
endum lends Itself more to abuse in
other particulars than does the initia
tive. Fewer names are required and
a smaller amount of money will secure
them and put the law to vote. The
ease with which referendum petitions
may now be obtained at small expense
is a constant temptation to affected
interests to apply the referendum
merely for the benefit of two years'
delay in the operation of the law. No
measure designed to correct the abuses
of direct legislation will be complete
unless it covers all phases of petition
ing. Other Justifiable criticisms may also
be directed against this particular
measure. It proposes to submit to the
voters merely a short title, and the
title of every proposed measure must
be printed on every primary ballotJ
xtie printing cost thus involved could
better be expended, in publishing the
entire measure on enough copies to be
distributed In limited numbers in each
polling place, there to be signed by the
voter if he so willed as he would sign
any other petition. The voter could
thus obtain a clearer idea of the pur
pose of the measure and the signing
would be wholly voluntary. The ex
pense of counting the . votes which'
would accrue under the method pro
posed in the bill would be reduced, but
the count would be Just as accurate.
I
AVE I.I, PITT.
"We rather like the terms and typo
graphical manner in which the ap
pearance of the latest child of the
U'Ren brain is announced in h's home
organ. As to the value of the measure
itself, that is, of course, another mat
ter. We are informed that "on the ba'1'.-t
next Fall will be this simple, plain,
direct proposition," emanating- from
Mr. ITRen and others: "THE STATE
SENATE AND OFFICE OF SENATORJ
IS HEREBY ABOLISHED." The cap
italization and grammar are not orig
inal with us, but with the aforesaid
organ.
Whoever before heard of Mr. TTRen
submitting a simple, plain, direct prop
osition? Has the practice of involving,
sugar-coating and Jokerizing reached
its Just oblivion? If so, the change of
policy certainly Justifies a little ef
fort with display type.
. NO CHANGE " IN POLICY.
That apostle of obliquity, the Port
land Journal, Is unduly suspicious that
its own slanting methods of giving
support to candidates are about to be
adopted by The Oregonian. As The
Oregonian expressed disappointment
over Dr. C. J. Smith's announced atti
tude on law enforcement, and because
Mr. Gus Moser happens to agree, with
The Oregonian on the one issue, the
keen detective instinct and timid state
of mind of our neighbor give it the
conclusion at once that The Oregonian
is promoting Mr. Moser's candidacy.
It will probably occur to- level
headed persons that a determination
pot to resort to lawlessness to suppress
lawlessness, while an admirable reso
lution, is not in itself a sweeping qual
ification for the office of Governor.
That, on the other hand, an intent, if
elected, to set up oneself as military
dictator and supreme Judge of law
violations disqualifies one for Govern
or, no matter how sound may be his
other policies.
In conformity with Its usual custom.
The Oregonian, if it discovers among
the Republican aspirants for nomina
tion one it deems to have peculiar fit
ness for the office, will not leave its
opinions to inference.
All who may be inclined to Judge
their fellows by their own fear of
toeln-g the mark are advised that it is
useless to attempt to read between the
lines of this article. There Is no in
timation herein that Th Oregonian
will or will not support Mr. Moser,
Mr. Dimlclc, Mr. Crawford or any
other aspirant for the Republican
nomination. When The Oregonian
takes part in the contest. If It does, it
will take part In such a way that every
reader of The Oregonian will know
who is its preference or whose candi
dacy it is promoting.
WALKING IN HOUSEWORK.
A reader of The Oregonian at
Amity a woman who, we fancy, has
had some experience in housework, as
her name carries the prefix "Mrs."
and Amity is not noted for its idle
rich writes a letter questioning the
accuracy of the pedometer carried by
the Vancouver housewife. This in
genious instrument, It will be remem
bered, indicated that that particular
woman walked In performing her
household duties an average of thir
teen miles a. day, and on some days,
when she had the care of an invalid,
a total of thirty miles.
"Is it not true," asks the Amity
doubter, "that a pedometer Is set for
some specified length of step and that
each movement of the body, even if
but a few inches, causes the instru
ment to register the full length of the
average step for which it is set? That
is,' if it were set for twenty-seven
inches and she moved but six inches
it would register the twenty-seven
inches each time?"
. Alas for the confirmation many
women got of their firm conviction
that they walk each day as far as
Oregon City and back, it must be ad
mitted that the pedometer is at best
but an Ingenious toy. It approaches
accuracy only when a person's aver
age step Is ascertained by walking a
measured distance, the Instrument Is
set accordingly and the pedestrian sets
out on a definite expedition
Probably no two women walk the
same distance in doing housework.
Some houses are more conveniently
arranged than others; some ' women
plan their work better than their sis
ters. Four miles an hour Is a good
swinging gait on a straight-away
road. An Army on the march aver
ages two and one-half miles an hour.
To cover thirty miles between day
light and bed time Indoors one would
have to travel a fixed path, round the
corners on the fly and attempt noth
ing with the hands in the meantime.
It will be remembered that In the
Vancouver illustration the presence of
aa invalid in the house Increased the
pedometer's daily record from thir
teen to thirty miles. Seventeen miles
were apparently walked in behalf of
the invalid, yet If the bedroom were
on the first floor an average distance
for each round trip to the bedside
would hardly be more than 100 feet..
There would have to be. nearly 900"
calls from the sick chamber to ac
count for the seventeen additional
miles. In the face of such a record
one would have to admit that the pa
tient was somewhat querulous or the
pedometer wrong.
The average woman has ' cause
enough to be tired when night comes.
There is no doubt about that. But
her weariness is not the result of cov
ering long distances. For the ordinary
person it is actually more tiresome to
stand still than to keep moving.
Housework keeps a woman 'on her
feet almost continuously and house
work is never done. It is not de
preciating her industry to doubt that
she covers thirty or even thirteen
miles a day in performing her duties.
INI) Kit THE CONQUEROR'S HEEL.
Acquittal of the German army offi
cers accused of assault on and wrong
ful Imprisonment of citizens of Za
bern will only intensify the hatred felt
by Alsatians for their foreign ' rulers
and will encourage the soldiers to
greater outrages. The spirit which an
imates, the German soldiers Is shown
by the action of the court-martial in
believing whatever was said by an
officer and disbelieving whatever was
said by a civilian. There we see the
root of the whole trouble assumption
of superiority by the Germans and con
tempt for the Alsatians. How can the
Germans hope to Germanize the con
quered provinces wh.en they continu
ally keep the people in mind of the
hateful fact of conquest?
This trouble began when Lieutenant
Von Forstner ordered all his Alsa
tian recruits to report themselves with
the formula, "I am a wackes."
Wackes is a word coined by the Alsa
tians as a term of contempt for unde
sirables, conveying the Idea of rogue
and loafer together and being- applied
by Germans' to Alsatians in general.
Soldiers are sometimes attacked by
civilians and Von Forstner told his sol
diers to use their weapons If attacked
and he would give ten marks to any
man who stabbed a wackes. , Alsatian
soldiers repeated the remark in town
and an angry crowd - pursued Von
Forstner and besieged him in a house,
calling upon him to come out and be
lynched, until troops dispersed them.
Many Alsatians escape the German
yoke by fleeing to France and enlist
ing in the Ii-ench foreign legion. In
structing his men on the folly of this
course, Von Forstner coupled, as he
says, service In the French army and,
as his recruits say, the French flag,
with a word which -is debarred from
educated society in all countries. The
blaze of indignation burst out anew.
Von Forstnerwas hooted on the streets
and was given a guard of four soldiers
to pursue any who Insulted him. The
affair was discussed in the Reichstag,
and civil authorities thought - the
Lieutenant should be disciplined for
provoking the uproar. Instead, the
recruits were hauled out of bed one
night and made to sign a declaration
that they could not remember what
Von Forstner had said, and a dozen
were arrested on suspicion of gossiping
about regimental affairs, but were re
leased. Then the young people of Zabern,
from twelve years of age upward, be
gan a practice of laughing or shouting
whenever a lieutenant passed, with
the certainty that a commotion would
ensue. One afternoon a young man
shouted something at Von Forstner
and a dozen other officers. They drew
their swords, pursued and caught him,
but he got away, to the delight of the
crowd. Fifty soldiers, with fixed bay
onets and with drums bea'ting, wheeled
out of the barrack yard, and the Lieu
tenant announced that, unless the
crowd dispersed, he would, give the
order to fire. Of course, the crowd dis
persed, and theasoldiers followed. As
they passed the courthouse two Judges
came out, a soldier told one- of them
to move away, and he replied that the
soldiers must not give him orders. He
was arrested and taken to the castle,
but released.- Thiry other persons were
detained in the coal cellar.
The soldiers are now in a feudx not
only with the people, but with the civil
authorities. The latter seem to aim at
conciliation, but the soldiers deliber
ately antagonize the people and keep
the fire of revolt smoldering.
WHY THE RIVER IS NOT USED.
Withdrawal from service on the" Co
lumbia River of the Open River Trans
portation Company's line of steamers
gives force to the plea recently made
In The Oregonian by Mr. Smailwood
for increased use of the river. We are
asking the Government to follow the
construction of the Celilo Canal by
improving the upper river and
we indulge the hope that by degrees
the navigable channel will be extend
ed until a steamer can go from Port
land across the Canadian boundary.
Unless use follows up improvement,
this hope is doomed. -When we ask
the Government to Improve another
stretch of the channel, we are likely to
be met with the answer:
"Why don't you use what we have
already given you? So long as you
don't use that, what reason have we
for believing that you will use-" a
longer channel? The Government
does not improve rivers merely to sup
ply work to men and to excite admir
ation. It improves them to carry the
commerce of the country?"
That answer would be a poser. It
behooves the people of the Pacific
Northwest to remove the possibility of
being faced with it. They must make
water transportation not only a the
oretical possibility through the mere
existence of a navigable channel; they
must make it a concrete, daily ex
isting and growing fact by using that
channel. They must use It on its mer
its, because It Is the cheapest and best
means of transportation.
The withdrawal of the open-river
boats seems to be practical proof that
the river is not the cheapest and best
route. It is in other countries; why
not in this? Because In creating the
navigable channel we have only begun
the work; we have onjy done as much
a3 a railroad company does when It
builds a trunk line. Its work is not
done until it, has built stations and
branch lines to open the tributary
country and bring traffio to the main
line.
Our water lines will not succeed un
til we have built modern wharves at
all river ports, with modern, economic
means of loading and unloading, free
from 'all control hostile to water car
riage: nor until we have built short
railroads reaching from river ports
into the interior, which are as com
pletely tied to the river as a. railroad's
branches are tied to the main line;
nor until we substitute for the single
stern-wheel steamer powerful tugs
towing strings of barges; nor until we
have in Portland, facilities for quick
transfer of cargo between river and
ocean craft. By these means we can
make the river the trunk line of a
transportation system .and can prove
that, rightly developed, such a system
is far cheaper than a -rail line, even
if we add to the river rates interest on
the cost of Improvement.
Able, determined men, backed by
capital and by a community alive to
its own interests and not willing to
sacrifice the large, ultimate gain for
the small, . temporary gain, can do
these things. They can thus clear the
way for what should be done now. but
can be done only when practical dem
onstration has carried conviction to
the minds of railroad men the co-ordination
of rail and water lines, so
that each shall be a complement to,
not a rival of, the other. Then
railroads will not be crying for capital
with which to Increase their facilities
for -the handling of traffic which has
outgrown their capacity. They will not
need to ask higher rates that they
may raise this capital, for they will
carry the high-class freight, paying
high rates, and will leave the low
class freight, paying low rates and re
quiring great terminal space and vast
rolling stock, to the water lines.
We need a readjustment of our en
tire transportation system to accord
with economic law. When we have
made it, the water lines will be crowd
ed with traffic and the railroads will
profit by the fact. As in. recent legis
lation, the people must do good to the
railroads against the railroads' will.
There appears to have been a change
of policy on the part of the Adminis
tration in regard to the treatment of
Mexican combatants who come to the
United States. During the first days
of the siege of OJinaga federal refu
gees were disarmed by American
troops and driven back across the
border. Those who. crossed when the
rebels captured the town seem to have
been disarmed and interned in Texas.
The latter is the procedure recognized
by international law. ' It was followed
in. 1870-71, when the whole French
army took refuge In Switzerland. The
Swiss fed and cared for the men until
the war ended, then sent the men
home, sent 'the bill to France, and
France paid it. The difficulty in fol
lowing this procedure on the Rio
Grande seems to have been that the
Mexicans came over in units and strag
gling parties over a long extended line,
not as an organized body under their
commanders.. Our immigration laws
may also have been an obstacle. But
it would, seem that all legal obstacles
to granting asylum might have been
waived in the case of men fleeing from
a victorious army which makes a prac
tice of murdering prisoners.
When the Democrat in the back
woods, cogitating on all the years the
Republicans have handled the money
of the country, reads there is $35.11 in
the United States Treasury for every
man, woman and child in the land and
writes to Washington for his "share,"
he is bound to give his head a doleful
wag when Informed by a heartless
official that the money Is not to be
passed around. For what, indeed, was
Woodrow elected?
While people in other states are
asking Federal aid in draining swamp
land, Willamette .Valley farmers pre
pare to do the work with their own
resources. This is an example of self
help worthy of emulation. It is in line
with the action of the state in under
taking the Deschutes irrigation project
and with that of Portland in improv
ing the harbor and the Columbia River
at Its own expense witrl only partial
aid from the Government.
The New Tork Idea of municipal
ownership as applied to the Stapleton
ferry is to tie up' the ferryboat and
keep the crew on the payroll. What
was the use of running the ferryboat?
It was -only a pretext for drawing the
salaries, anyhow. Doing away with the
pretext is more honest, straightfor
ward, and therefore, commendable in
the eyes of Tammany.
Mayor MItchel is seeking a police
commissioner who can not only catch
the criminals, but steer them through
to prison, for the courts of New Tork
City have a great habit of giving sus
pended sentences to those who have
friends higher up. Tammany judges
may thwart the work of an anti-Tammany
administration.
Patrons who think the rural mail
carrier has a "snap" must raise their
estimate on learning that an Illinois
servant of Uncle Sam who got tired
and quit early on Christmas has been
found guilty and maj be fined $500
and sent to Jail besides. The Govern
ment is not a hard taskmaster, but
does not relish excuses.
The Waterbury watch will be al
lowed to run down. A generation ago
this remarkable timepiece furnished
diversion to It3 owner, for when he
had nothing else to do he wound it.
The running-gear was always a few
laps ahead of the stem-wind, but not
many.
Despite belief to the contrary, the
domestic has many more "rights" than
her mistress. A fine way to get the
whole bunch Is to organize a domes
tics' union and adopt a minimum scale.
Then Labor Commissioner Hoff will
attend to the matter of hours and
overtime.
If anything more were needed to
show the. moral unfitness of Spain to
sit among world nations, it Is fur
nished in the news of wide prevalence
of lotteries. The lottery is to a nation
as the drug habit to an individual.
When all. the "bottoms" in the val
ley have been drain-tiled and "white"
land made productive, the storehouses
will not hold the yields. It will be a
huge work, but it will pay in propor
tion. Results on a small scale are seen
In several counties.
H. L. Gill has returned to his first
love, the Woodburn Independent, after
a few years In commercial life in Port
land. He made the Independent a
powerful paper in the old days and
will do so again.
The election of Professor James
Dryden to be one of the officers of the
Central Willamette Valley Poultry As
sociation is vindication of his work
with the Oregon hen and her utility.
The deluded robber who rifled a
mail car out of Los Angeles Saturday
night will have many years in which
to consider his foolishness. They uover
get away.
Eugenic Shakespeare
By Dean Collins.
If Shakespeare, when he wrote his
plays
Possessed the dope of modern days.
He would have done some tall revising
Upon his style of dramatizing:
"Macbeth" a problem play should be
In criminal psychology: .
And "dual personality"
Would "Comedy of Errors" see;
And if eugenics were the rage
That his attention did engage.
That little scene, I'd like to bet,
Twixt Romeo and Juliet
Would show up thusly on the stage:
Romeo entering we see:
june aoove, on the balcony;
- .... .3 ' L1J upillkCU f C3,
And, after this fashion, his merits he
cries:
"Oh, Juliet, my heart's bright star,
I do eschew the vile cigar.
And drinking I'll have none of It
But keep me physically fit:
The doctor, with his stethoscope
Upon my heart has taken dope .
And certifies it sound and strong,
My lungs he found were also sound;
With my digestion nothing wrong,
And Jikewise he remarked, "You afn't
Got no hereditary taint!
(Authoritative did he speak
Although in grammar somewhat weak.)
Since this is thus, then Juliet,
If you'll be mine, then I'll be thine.
And it will make a marriage fine
Twixt Montagu and Capulet.
Oh, Juliet!"
And Juliet would say But no!
I thank the K-oda it was not so.
I'm glad that Shakespeare's plays pro
line
Came in an era non-scientific:
For, with eugenics in his bean.
He would have spoiled a dandy scene.
WHICH SIDE GIVES INSPIRATION f
Parallel Between Andretv Jnckson and
Oov. West Ends at Certain Point.
PORTLAND, Jan. 1L (To the Edi
tor.) If correctly reDorted Governor
West explained it all in - his speech at
the Jackson Club luncheon if lunch
eon is the right word for a gathering
vl Jacponians without mint Julep and
cigars. As I understand it, when
tnirsty for an inspiration for a con
stitutional bust, our Governor drnwa
his inspiration from a bust of Andrew
Jackson. There ought from now on be
a orisK demand for busts of Jackson
so that the faithful can bust away as
uswam ousts.
Since everybody "hollers for Wood
row" now, I go to the fountainhpud of
the "holler" to inform myself whether
our great, governor inspires his in
spiration with true Jaclsonian In
spirerity. I quote from Woodrow Wil
son s iiiatory of the American Tn
ple, volume 3, page 274, et seq., using
the text consistent with space, so far
as it relates to the Governor's inspira
tion.
Says Mr. Wilson in effect:
The Impulses of Jackson's time craved for
a hero, rather than a statesman; not for a
ininaer or an organizer of parties. To the
unterrlfied, tho Constitution and laws
suoorainatea to "the will of the peo
ple," whatever that Is. Men not all mn
believed what thev chose nna thoi. inri.
who now inspires our Governor "was as
Implacable and obstinate In error as he 'was
honest and direct In action." "Bred by the
rough processes of the frontier," his own
schoolmaster, tutor and lawyer, he made
himself a soldier by taking the field in com
mand of frontier volunteers as unschooled
as himself In discipline and .tactics. . .
His prejudices, once fixed, were Ineradi
cable. He believed . . . when once en
eased In any public matter, that those who
were with him were his friends and the
country s, tnose who were against him ene
mies of the country as well an himself
. . . He believed every one who held
opinions opposed to him to be moved by
ouiuci euri ui puouc or private malice.
In volume 4, page 9, Jackson, we are
toia, ought to he unceremoniously
mrown out or oi.'ice; showed a con
tempt for law; "the peril of the coun
try lay in the fact that he chose to
disregard precedent and to Internrpt
all laws for himself the law nt tho
Constitution, no less than the -laws of
tne statute book."
Thus far Woodrow Wilson on An
drew Jackson, the Inspiration of our
famous Governor, who will deny that
l" luapirauoii is not inspiring, though
we freely admit, both the Inspirer and
tne inspired were moved by worthy
motives, honest and sincere, if that
will add any glory to the Constitution
ana tne laws.
But your genuine Jacksonlan. nnt
the gent who inspires with his coffee
and toothpicks and smiles at the
ladies, finds inspiration in other sides
or jacKsons character, which is his
political heritage and needs not a re
minder thereof. In his heart of hearts.
Jackson was a constitutionalist, as
tne u-overnor of Carolina found out to
well; was a fighter who could fight
when something came up worth fisrht-
ing about. When, on the. high crest of
nis popularity, he clashed with the
civil authorities of New Orleans, and
was haled into court and fined $50, he
paid It on the spot and complimented
the Judge for fearlessly performing his
duty. He was frequently called to the
front in critical times, went there in
person and had no little woman secre
tary. J. HE.NNESSY MURPHY.
How For Does Woman Walkf
AMITY, Or., Jan. 11. (To the Edi
tor.) I read on page one of The Ore
gonian, January 8, that a certain lady
of 200 pounds weight walked 13 miles
per day, and some days 30 miles. I ask,
does she? I should not like to come
in contact with a 200-pound object
moving at the rate of 30 miles a day in
an ordinary house.
I may be mistaken, but should like
to ask if a pedometer is not an instru
ment for estimating distances, but Is
almost never accurate? Is it not true
that it la set for some specified length
of step and that each movement of
the. body, even if but a few inches,
causes the instrument to register the
full length of the average step for
which it is set? That is, if it were set
for 27 inches and she moved but six
inches it would register the 27 Inches
each time? This would make sorne
difference In the number of miles
traveled.
Will some one kindly tell me if I
am correct? If I am, the lady was cer
tainly not moving with such velocity
as she thought. MRS. M. 6. P.
, Golden Rule.
DAYTOX, Or Jan. 11. (To the Ed
itor.) In order to settle a controversy,
please -inform us where the Golden
Rule had its origin, and where in the
Bible, . if. It appears therein, we may
find the following or a similar quo
tation: ""As ye would that men should
do to you, do ye even so to them."
, READER.
The Golden Rule substantially as
quoted is found in Matt. vll:12 and
Luke vi:31.
Confucius, several centuries before
Christ, enunciated the Golden Rule in
negative terms, as follows:
"What ye would not that others
should do unto you. do ye not -unto
them. " The rule had also been "ex
amined and approved" by Socrates and
other Westerners. '
Financial Progrress In Wooing.
Washington (D. C.) Star.
"So you want to marry my daugh
ter," said Mr. Cumrox.
"Yes," replied the young man.
hope to hear you say take her and'be
happy!"
"No, sir. I'm not going to shoulder
any implied responsibilities. All I am
going to say is 'take .her.' "
1884.
PORTLAND, Jan. 11. (To the Ed
itor.) In order to settle a dispute,
please state what year was it that the
Coxey Army left Portland for Wash
ington, D. C. SUBSCRIBER.
HARDSHIP IS SEEX I H TAX I. AW
Severe Construction la I'nt on iVctt Act
by Mr. C. W. Hodson.
PORTLAND, Jan. 11. (To the Ed
itor.) Just another word relative to
the new tax law discussion.
After all the "explanations" and
apologies have been made, and demon
strations based on theories and hypo
thetical cases have been disposed of.
we find:
That the rebate of 3 per cent for
prompt payment of taxes has been done
away with, in the face of the undis
puted fact that It costs over twice that
amount to make the collection.
That, Instead of being permitted to
make installment payments, without
penalty and interest, we are now com
pelled to pay all before April 1, or pay
a penalty of 12 per cent up to Septem-
Der l, when an additional penalty of
10 per cent is levied, not only on the
tax unpaid, but also on the 12 per cent
penalty, thus compounding it; and.
tnen, on top of all that, another 12 ner
cent interest is charged on the whole.
mat, instead of havinsr six months in
which to pay the second semi-annual
payment, without penalty, the time
has ben reduced to five months, with
penalty.
That, Instead of havlnar six months In
which to pay delinquent taxes, penalty
ana interest, oerore a certificate of de
linquency can issue, the time ha3 been
cut down to one month, and the 15
per cent additional Interest still at
taches. That, Instead of rates of Interest be
ing reduced to conform with the state's
law covering usury, they have been
leit tne same, as In former years.
A learned, though strained, thesis on
the question of absorption of losses
sustained by non-payments, etc, and
the statement that whether w eee
such items or not, they are In the
levies. Is wholly beside the Question.
Presenting such "stuff" is an Insult to
th intelligence of the tax-paying pub
lie Given false premises, equally false
conclusions can be reached. This is a
concrete question: one that needs be
.looked squarely in the face: that will
brook no hocus-pocus in an effort to
"explain." Let every taxpayer take his
last year's receipts, as has been sug
gested, and compare the payment de
manded this year with those made last
year. He fully understands why his
obligations have been largely in
creased. But towerine- awav above and
beyond everything else stands the fact
that he must pay it all at one time or
submit to the usurious exactions of the
state.
It is useless to pursue the subject
further, so far as attempting to secure
relief for this year is concerned. We
are confronted by a real condition, not
a theory pay or take the conseouences.
Let the close of the month of March
tell the story.
In the meantime let the taxpayers
give tnougni to tne ract that our Dri-
mary election is approaching. We will
soon select candidates for legislative
positions men who will enact our
laws. Would the suggestion be out of
place that in making these selections
heed be given to the type of men who
present their names? Would it not be
possible to induce men of substance, of
standing In the community, of known
aDiiity and probity, of sterling moral
fiber, to offer their services. If assured
iney wouia not do set aside for a
coterie of "cheap skates" who will an
peal only to class prejudice and pas
sion? If the oft-repeated statement be true
that the man who labors with his
lands, and is one of the "ultimate con
sumers." is, in reality, the one who ii
the final analysis pays the taxes, then
how imperative It Is that he weiirh
carefully the question of'his support of
candidates in the coming election. I
wonder how this suggestion will be
received. C. W. HODSOX.
We think Mr. Hodson does not read
the law correctly in one particular.
though perhaps that inaccuracy does
not affect the argument for the in
stallment plan of taxpaying or for the
rebate principle. If the property-own
er pays no part of his taxes before
April 1 the penalty is one per cent per
month for the next five months. This
maKes the total penalty, up to Sep
tember 1, not inclusive, a total of five
per cent, not' 12 per pent, as stated by
Mr. Hodson. On September 1 the pen
alty is increased to 10 per cent if the
taxes are still unpaid, and also there
after the delinquent taxes bear 12 per
cent interest from September 1. We
are unable to discover in the law any
authority for the statement that inter
est is compounded or that penalties are
imposed at any time on accrued penal
ties, except that a certificate of delin
quency, when issued, bears 15 per cent
interest on the total paid in by the
purchaser of the certificate. That
total Includes, of course, the taxes,
penalty and Interest assessed against
the property.
RAT SHOOTING XOT LONGER GOOD
Colonel La-rrnon's Prorrna With 1
TOlver Bring Forth Inquiries.
SrMIXXVILLE, Or., Jan. 11. (To the
Editor.) To settle a dispute, please
state at what distance it was the Gov
ernor killed the rat, and did he kill
him the first shot, or did he have to
shoot him several times? Must have
been small caliber that did the killing
was it not!
A says through the shoulder is the
best place to hit a rat. B claims
through the head is a more vital spot.
Which is right?
Was it a wharf rat or a wood rat the
Governor killed, and have there been
any other rats killed In this state of
late years? A man at Whiteson, In
this county caught a field mouse in a
trap some time ago and we have heard
oldtimers say there was a rat killed
here by the early settlers.-
Was the rat a male or female, and
what did It measure from the end of
his nose to the tip of his tale?
YAM HILL.
The disputants are entirely at sea.
It was not Governer West who shot
the rat, but Colonel Lawson, superin
tendent of the penitentiary, and com
mander cf the Intrepid forces at Camp
Copperfleld. It was neither wharf rat
nor wood rat that was killed. It was
a rat of much lower intelligence, else
It would not have broken into prison.
Prison rats are said not to be more
vulnerable in one spot than another.
Probably they now fall dead from
fright at the mere sight of Colonel
Lawson.
The Incident of the rat shooting was
not altogether novel either as to marks
manship or kind of animal killed.
Veracious reports of popping over
things that are out of accurate gun
range may be found in such standard
works as "Deadshot Dick" or Six
shooter Sam," but for further particu
lars as to this particular tale the cor
respondent is referred to any honor
prisoner now at liberty in his neigh
borhood. Rata are not wholly extinct
in Oregon, but the shooting is no
longer considered good by informed
sportsmen.
Mothers' PenxionM.
YAMHILL Or., Jan. 10.' (To the Ed
itor.) I have heard that widows of
Oregon may get a pension if they have
no other means of support. If this is
so please state where to apply.
MRS. E. SPKAGQ.
Pensions are granted widows only
where there are minor children to' be
supported. Application should be
made to the County Court.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonian of Jan. 12, 1880.
Salem, Jan. 11. A largo number ot
legislators are in the city and are be
sieged by candidates for clerkships.
doorkeepers, pages, etc.
Sal v ni, Jan. 11. The Marion County
Pomona Grange passed resolutions .
asking the Legislature to memorialize
Congress to create a department of ag
riculture; aiso to amend tne tjonstitu-
tion of the United States so that Sena
tors may be elected by direct vote of
the people.
Hon. Joseph Bimon's friends main
tain that" he will be elected President
of the Senate. It is conceded that
either Mr. Thompson, of Portland, or
Mr. Smith, of Hood River, will be elect
ed Speaker.
The sub-committee which will have In
charge the preparation of a charter for
the consolidated cities met Thursday.
The last ravival mAAtintr nt Mpck
Studd and Brown was held last night
at tne Jjirst I'resoy terlan Church.
Annie Firmln and John. ' Jack will
head the company of stock players at
the new Park Theater.
J. Grandy. of Pleasant Home. Jid
last Saturday and was buried Monday
unoer tne auspices of the M. A Ross.
Post, of Pleasant Home, and Farragut
Post, of Latourelle Falls. He was com
mander of the latter post.
Circulars are posted at the Tnntnmnn
asking for sealed proposals for carry-
ins tne united crates mails from Port
land to Albina, 1.4 miles, 14 times a
week each way by schedule of one-half
hour's running time each way.
Hon. John H. Mitchell and A. H. Tan
ner have formed a partnership for the
purpose or law practice and have se
cured offices over the Commercial Na
tional Bank building, Second and Wash
ington streets.
George M, Hoyt, of the O. R. N.
Company, has a copy of the first Port
land, city directory, which was issued
In 1S63. It is the copy which was
given by the company to the officers
of the steamboat Wilson f. Hunt.
Samuel Connell, bookkeeper at J. C.
Carson's planing mill, returned yester
day from a trip to San Francisco, San
Jose and the Santa Clara Valley.
Half a Century Ago
From Tho Oregonian of Jan. 13. 1S64.
New Orleans. Dec. 18. At a late con"
venti-on of the Free State men, called
for the purpose of electing delegates
to the convention of Union men of the
slave states, to be held at Louisville,
a delegation of colored men was ad
mitted to seats and the convention was
opened with prayer by a negro min
ister. Washington, Jan., 1. Information
from Bermuda confirms the report that
the privateer Florida had been run on
a reef and a hole knocked in her bot
tom, having been frightened by a Brit
ish mail steamer.
Washington, Jan. 1. A. bil i will be
introduced instructing the President to
call out iOO. 000 men in addition to the
300,000 mentioned in the last call; not
that 800,000 are expected to be secured,
but that one-fourth at least will be
obtained and J300 e.c-h from the re
mainder. Last evening a srenral alarm of firr
was occasioned by the burning of ;i
portion of the roof of Starr's smoke
house and bacon-curing establishment
on Front street, between Oak and Fine.
The house contained five or six loa;lK
of bacon belons-inpr to A. IT. Johns, m.
of the Empire Market.
Bark Industry. The weather having
so far moderated as to rrnder free nav
igation of the Columhiii downward in
a day or two very probable. Captain
Corno will complete loading his vessel
today.
We are informed by Captain Troupe,
engineer, that the steamer Vancouver,
Captain Turnbull, will essay a trip to
Vancouver today.
Why Xo Teacher on Programme f
PORTLAND. Jan. 11. (To the Ed
itor.) The city of Portland has every
reason to be pleased with the interest
that Is being shown in her schools
through the Parent-Teacher Associa
tions. At a luncheon in the Crystal dining
room of the Oregon Hotel on Jan. 11.
were assembled 350 representatives of
Parent-Teacher Associations and edu
cators of Oregon.
The addresses were made by State
Superintendent, President of City
Board of Education, City Superinten
dent of Schools, a representative of
business men, father-president of Parent-Teachers'
Circle, mother-president
of Parent-Teachers' Circle, president
of Oregon Congress of Mothers, past
president of Oregon Congress of
Mothers, a principal of city schools, a
supervisor of a special department, but
no teacher was represented on .the
programme.
Will someone kindly explain why
called a Parent-Teacher Association
when no address was delivered from
the teacher's standpoint? The one
speaker designated in the news report
as a teacher, is a supervisor.
INTERESTED.
Oriirin of "Oregon.'' !
CENTRALIA, Wash., Jan. 10. (1
the Editor.) How did the State
Oregon get Its name?
William Cullen Bryant in 1812 sai
in Thanatopsis: "Or lose thyself in ta
continuous woods where rolls the Orl
gan, and hears no sound save his o
dashings." What river do you Burl
pose he referred to? Bryant spells
Oregan instead of Oregon.
E. J. CROFT.
The origin of the name "Oregon" hoi
long been a matter of unsettled disl
pute. Bryant's reference Is to the Col
lumbia, which was originally known a
the River Orecon.
A Sign Post to
Year-End Bargains
January inventories are now in
order.
Merchants and manufacturers are
cleaning house and disposing of
short lines, odd lots, broken sizes,
and discontinued styles.
Tho one place for you to learn
about the attractive goods thus of
fered and the alluring price reduc
tions, is In the advertising columns
of The Oregonian and other good
newspapers.
There is not a day goes by with
out its sale of this or that-
Opportunlties shrewd buying
are numerous for every individual
or every family.
The advertising In The Oregonian
Is a bold sigrj-post clearly pointing
the way.
Don't pass It by but follow Its
direction.
It leads you down the straight
road to Opportunity and Economy.
N e w s p a per advertising, always
profitable to those who make it their
business to study it, is now so full
of reward to the reader that nothing
but sheer carelessness should keep
one from heeding its valuable sug
gestions. Adv.
1