TIITI MORNIXG OltEGOXTAX, TTTESDAT. JANUARY 13, 1914.
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PORTLAND. TUESDAY. J AX. 13, 1914.
WILSON'S AJITJ-TRrST PLANS.
Submission of the New Haven Rall
; jroad to the demands of the Govern-
xnent breaks up the transportation mo
: xiopoly which It had created in New
' England and is another decisive vic
tory for the Government in its cam
paign against monopoly. In this, aasin
ether recent examples of surrender by
monopoly and financial power to the
law, we see again the fruit of that
: long struggle for supremacy of the
law which was begun by President
' Roosevelt and carried on with re
doubled vigor by President Taft. It is
a response to the appeal of President
Wilson to the business men to come
Into common council with him on the
prosperity of the country an appeal
which was accompanied by a warning
as to the conquences of recalcitrancy.
This being the disposition of the
heads of corporations, the President's
programme of anti-trust legislation
may go through Congress without se
rious opposition. Congress, without
regard to party, Is generally agreed
as to the main purpose and as to the
principal instruments by which that
purpose is to be attained. Discussion
and difference of opinion will likely
center on details. Under these clrcum
. stances, the Democrats may be willing
to accept suggestions from their oppo
nents for strengthening the measures,
and we may see them yielding a share
of the credit to the Republicans, while
they take to themselves the honor of
Initiating and steering the legislation
to enactment.
By forbidding interlocking directo
rates of corporations engaged in cog
nate Industries, the Administration
would strike at the chief means by
which monopoly carries out Its alms.
Without representation on the board
It would be well nigh Impossible for
one corporation to control the action
of another. By forbidding manufac
turers and wholesalers to agree on
prices the second of the three Clayton
bills would destroy the motive for
continuing common ownership of po
tentially competing corporations, for
by making guilt personal on the part
of offending officers of corporations
It would increase the risk enormously.
By forbidding dictation of prices at
which goods shall be retailed, this
bill would end that hounding of com
petition all along the line, which now
enables the trust to extort its price at
every step until its products reach
the consumer. It would rescue the re
tailer from a situation where he is
little more than a paid agent of th-
trusts and set him free to buy and sell,
no longer merely in name, but In fact,
at competitive market prices.
The third bill renders violation of
the other laws a perilous undertaking
financially for the trusts and their
officers. By enabling injured Individ
uals to become parties to Government
suits, it really makes each anti-trust
suit by the Attorney-General the nu-
cleus for a collection of Individual suits
for damages and injunctions. It causes
l that official practically to fight the
battle for the injured individuals. It
insures that an adverse decision would
not merely dissolve a trust and Impose
fines, which have hitherto been rela
tively insignificant, upon its officers.
That decision would carry with it ver.
diets for three-fold damages In favor
of the Injured Individuals and against
the trust and its officers. Trusts
would go out of business after one or
two examples of this kind, for they
would have become a luxury too rich
for business men to enjoy.
Nothing is said so far about Mr.
Bryan's famous percentage test for
deciding whether a corporation is or
is not monopolistic. Apparently Mr.
Cliiyton has recognized that monopoly
is a matter of conduct, not of per
centage. Nor are we enlightened as to
the machinery by which it is proposed
to administer the new laws. All pre
ceding bills amending the Sherman
law have created some kind of com
mission. That may appear when the
bills are cast into their final shape for
Introduction.
ELLEX EITZ PENDLETON.
Wellesley graduates are bestirring
themselves today to receive with be
fitting attentions the president of their
college, Ellen Fltz Pendleton. There
will be a reception in her honor at the
University Club this afternoon and
other less public parties will pleasant
ly dispose of the rest of the day.
Miss Pendleton, who is a woman of
great distinction In the educational
world, was born in Rhode Island in
1864. She received her bachelor's de
;gree at Wellesley in 1886 and sine?
that time has earned numerous aca
; demic honors. She has been a student
and teacher ever since, her specialty
; being mathematics. After teaching
. this subject for a year or two at Wel
lesley she studied at Newnham Col
lege, Cambridge, in England, and then
, returned to resume her work of in
struction. In 1901 she was made pro
; fessor of mathematics at Wellesley
i and In June, 1811, she was chosen
! president of the college. Her brll
j liant gifts have been amply recog
nized by learned institutions. In 1911,
for Instance, Brown University con
; ferred upon her the degree of Litt. V.,
j and in 1912 Mount Holyoke that of
; LL.D.
f Wellesley College, over which Miss
! Pendleton presides, has become
f a great educational Institution. In
I November, 1912, It had 1368 students
registered for degrees, coming from
all parts of the world. Only 373 of
them were from Massachusetts, the
state where Wellesley Is situated.
There were thirteen from California,
sixteen from Colorado, three from Ore
gon, one each from Rusnia and
t Turkey and so on. It is emphatically a
cosmopolitan college, as it deserves to
tie from its declared purpose, which is
''to give, young women aa education
equivalent to that commonly provided
ror young men" and "to provide for
me supreme development and unfold
ing of every power and faculty" of the
students. What aim could bo higher
or better?
The college was opened with one
building in 1875 and immediately be
gan' to send into the world young
women trained with singular excel
lence for practical life. It now has
many buildings on a beautiful campus,
among them a library containing 74,
000 volumes. Under the new presi
dent the college will grow more rap
idly than ever In beauty, culture and
power.
DUTY FOR MEN AND WOMEN. '
The registration books are open at
the Courthouse and a few hundred
citizens are responding daily to the
call of public duty. But the showing
is far smaller than it should be. The
responsibilities of citizenship In Ore
gon are heavy; the Oregon system is
still an experiment; the penalties of
indifference and Inattention by intel
ligent" voters are known to all.
The women of Oregon have a spe
cial duty to register and vote. They
have been enfranchised, and, whether
all of them like it or not; they are
the political equals of the men.. What
are they going to do about it?
The women are said to be easy to
arouse to a live Interest in any issue
having a moral phase. Very well.
There will be plenty for them to do
at the polls this year.
FEEDING T1IE " HUNGRY SPOILSMEN.
The New York Evening Post sup
ports President Wilson in the general
and special policies of his Administra
tion, but it has not been able to view
with satisfaction the disrupting activi
ties of Secretary Bryan in the diplo
matic service and it has not hesitated
to print the astonishing record and to
voice Its disapproval. The Post's sum
mary of the Bryan devastation in for
eign appointments has led to newspa
per Inquiry Into his activities inside
the State Department, with the fol
lowing result:
William McNelr, chief clerk since 1909, In
the Department since 1881, has been re
moved; his successor. Hen G. Davis, was
Bryan's confidential clerk.
Charles M. Pepper, foreign trade adviser
since 1902, has been removed; his successor,
Robert F. Rose, was Bryan's private secre
tary in 1900 and 1908. and before that a
Chicago court stenographer.
Evan E. Young, foreign trade adviser, has
been sent to the Halifax Consulate; his place
Is taken by William B. Fleming, who has
held other .of fices outside the State Depart
ment and was once a Louisville Alderman.
W. T. S. Doyle, chief of the division of
Latin-American affairs since 1911. resigned
and Boaz W. Long got the Job; "no previous
training in law or diplomacy."
Fred M. Dearing, the experienced assistant
chief of that division, has been sent to Brus
sels as secretary of legation; his successor.
Calvin M. Hitch. Is an Insurance solicitor
from Georgia and has made himself useful
to Senator Bacon as private secretary.
Hansford S. Miller, chief of the division
of Far Kastern affairs since 1909 and before
that secretary of the Embassy at Tokio, has
been sent to the Seoul Consulate; his chair
in the Department stands empty.
There's a new chief of the division of Near
Eastern affairs, Albert S. Putney; no previ
ous experience. !
All but two officials of Importance
have been banished to foreign Con
sulates or have been beheaded without
scruple. The State Department has
not suffered from so riotous an orgy
of spoils-hunting and job-making for
a great many years. It may well be
wondered how far President Wilson
will permit Mr. Bryan to go, when he
manifests every intention of going as
far as he likes.
LOGICAL DECISION.
It Is difficult to understand how
there could have been any other ex
pectation than th,at the courts would
hold that the State Railroad Commis
sion has exclusive jurisdiction in
Portland in the regulation of Port
land public utilities.
The state act unmistakably applies
throughout the state. It was at
tacked by referendum on the ground
that It deprived Portland of the pow
er of local regulation. This referen
dum originated In Portland, but in
the vote thereon the people of Port
land declared 'for state regulation
by a vote of nearly two to one and the
bill carried in the state at large by
25,000 majority. Moreover, while the
state law was held up by referendum
a' local public utilities law was sub
mitted to the voters of Portland. That
law was rejected by a vote of 8239 to
15,711. A similar law also had been
defeated in June, 1911.
Thus the whole history of the ef
fort to secure public regulation of
public utilities Indicates a clear under
standing in the mind of the. people
that a state law would give the State
Commission regulative control of
Portland utilities. Not only that, It
revealed a clear knowledge among the
voters of the distinction between the
two methods of dealing with the pub
lic service problem.
Judge Bean's decision, however, is
not necessarily a final victory for the
street railway company In Its opposi
tion to reduced fares. In that partic
ular it is in effect a ruling that the
city has adopted the wrong method.
The city does not have plenary
power to reduce fares. It may, how
ever, present the matter to the Rail
road Commission. That body has
ample authority to act and doubtless
it will act if it can be conclusively
demonstrated that the sale of six
tickets for a quarter is justified by the
earnings of the company.
FOREIGN TRADE EXPANDING.
Confidence In the expansion of our
foreign trade was expressed by James
A. Farrell, president of the United
States Steel Corporation, in a speech
to the Illinois Manufacturers' Associa
tion at Chicago and the figures he quot
ed as to exports and imports justify
him,. While exports of foodstuffs and
raw material have been decreasing,
those of manufactures have Increased
so rapidly that they are now 49 per
cent of the total and have vastly In
creased the balance of trade in our
favor. Taking merchandise clone, ex
ports were $2,533,570,882 in the year
ending October 31, 1913, as against
$2,297,317,891 in the preceding year,
and the excess of exports over Im
ports grew from $519,598,954 to $766,.
192,509.
Our progress In export trade, said
Mr. Farrell, "has been made in t'-.e
face of many seemingly insurmount
able difficulties," but our manufactur
ers have gone painstakingly to work
and the great annual Increase Is the
result of adapting products to foreign
markets; of knowledge acquired by
bankers and manufacturers; of assis
tance given by the Government and
Consuls; of more efficient production.
They have contended against many
obstacles until, said Mr. Farrell, "their
products have been Introduced by
thousands, the, quality of American
goods recognized and business secured
on competitive lines without conces
sions In price."
Although the general Impression Is
that Secretary Redfield's inquiry Into
the economic efficiency; of big busl-
ness is designed to discredit the claims
of such combinations as that of which
Mr. Farrell is the head, the latter
shows no fear of K, saying:
In this study. It will no doubt be found
that the large companies are taking . ad
vantage of every opportunity to reduce costs
of manufacture without reduclner waaes. and
are improving their plants and processes to
" extent enabling them to compete in the
markets of the world, and maintain their
position as exporters on a large scale, pro
moting the commercial interests of the
United States in foreign countries through
the influence of their large shipments, and
through extension of the knowledge and ex
perience with American - manufactured
products throughout the world; and by cre
ating an exchange of values which Is re
flected In a favorable balance of trade in
volving hundreds of millions of dollars.
He even says that every manufac
turer will support these efforts of the
Government and later, in speaking of
the consular service, he says: "The
commercial interests of the United
States should support and fortify in
every possible manner the splendid
work of the Secretary of Commerce."
This speech is significant, both as
indicating the optimistic spirit with
which the greatest trust and the one
hardest hit by the new tariff views
the prospect of foreign trade and as
evincing a disposition to co-operate
with the Government In developing
foreign trade. It is one more evidence
that the estrangement between the
Government and big business is pass
ing away.
13 SHAKESPEARE POPULAR?
It Is a curious and somewhat sad
dening reflection that Shakespeare is
more popular in Germany than in the
Bngllsh-epeaking countries. Ever since
Goethe wrote his great Interpretations
of Shakespeare the plays have grown
in favor at the German theaters until
now It is said that they are played at
least twice in that country to once
either in the United States or England.
There are good reasons for this. The
Germans have a truer and more cath
olic taste in the drama than any other
nation. Ibsen found his first "welcome
there. Their native dramatists, if not
greater than those of any other na
tion, are more closely in touch with
life and their progressive ideas give
the key to playwrights in all other
parts of the world. The German stage
never since the days of Lesslng has de
scended quite to the depths with
which we are contentedly familiar. It
has always aspired to treat the drama
as an art rather than as an - idle
amusement. Plays are taken seriously
and in acting them a sense of propor
tion is maintained which Is foreign to
our habits.
By the sense of proportion we mean
the feeling that every part In the play
and the actor who takes It are Impor
tant. Not equally important, of
course, but still essential to the per
fection of the play as a" work of art.
The Germans go to see the play as
Shakespeare wrote it. We, as a rule,
go to see some star who dwarfs all
the other actors in a way that the
great master would have discounten
anced. Shakespeare took as much
pains to develop the characters of his
fools, his servants and his common
soldiers as those of the great protag
onists in the plays and the scheme of
the drama is spoiled when any char
acter is permitted to overtop the oth
ers until they are lost sight of. Even
in Hamlet the hero is merely the
greatest among a lot of great charac
ters. Horatio is not a nonentity, by
any means. Polonius is drawn with
careful elaboration and so is Laertes,
to say nothing of poor Ophelia, who,
however, usually gets her dues. As we
see the play the so-called minor char
acters are often slighted. As long as
there is a star to play Hamlet no
body cares what becomes of Laertes
and Horatio. They would not be
missed by some of our theater audi
ences if they were omitted altogether.
This is probably one of the reasons
why Shakespeare does not become
truly popular in the United States.
His plays lose Interest when the har
monious relations of the characters
are destroyed and attention is fo
cused on a solitary figure. But this
is what we have come to expect when
his plays are presented and therefore
if the star happens to be less than the
greatest many seats are likely to be
vacant.
If we could but bjing ourselves to
forego the demand for an over-towering
central figure and learn to en
joy the consummate beauty of plot
and character, the wit of the dialogue,
the interplay of motive, the potent
charm of the poetry which flashes
like chain lightning through every one
of the plays. It is likely enough that
Shakespeare would become truly pop
ular again. Perhaps the succession of
supremely great actors from Garrick
down who have taken the leading
Shakespearian parts - have actually
weakened the hold of the master on
the public. We have learned from
these marvelous men and women to
think of the actor to the exclusion of
the play. If we truly loved the stage
the play would attract us more than
the player and even when poorly ren
dered we should find beauty enough in
the character, plot and dialogue to
make it worth while to sit it out.
When Shakespeare's plays acquired
their first vogue there were no Booths
or Irvings. They were presented by
a company of actors who were hardly
more than mediocre. Shakespeare
himself, who played a part now and
then, was nothing wonderful on the
stage. With no scenery to distract
their attention and no tremendously
great actor whom fashion compelled
them to watch and applaud, the spec
tators were permitted to enjoy the
play itself and the chances are that
they derived far more pleasure from
it than we do.
The tendency In the most modern
theaters is to diminish the splendor
of the star and enhance that of the
minor actors. To effect this better
the stage is made small. In some in
stances the actors are. brought into
the very bosom of the audience. At
the plays lately rendered by the Reed
College students, it is said there was
no stage at all. The amateur actors
almost mingled with the spectators.
This was certainly the practice in
Shakespeare's day. At least the wings
of the stage were crowded with peo
ple and some actually sat on the scene
Itself. It has been found that our vast
theaters make it almost impossible to
present Ibsen's plays effectively. They
require a small setting and an in
timacy between actors and audience
which too much space forbids.
No doubt, Shakespeare suffers as
much as Ibsen from vast and grandi
ose surroundings. Most of his great
est scenes are Intimate and they would
be far more affecting if the actors
could speak In their natural low tones.
How much more pathetic .Ophelia
would be in her talks with Hamlet
if she were not obliged to shriek in
order to be understood. But we must
take things as they are, for the pres
ent and comfort ourselves with the
hope that some time they will be bet
ter arranged. In the meantime lovers
of Shakespeare neglect no opportunity
to see his -plays. Mr- Mantell favors
them particularly on this visit by pre
senting King John, which is not often
seen on the stage In this country. It
is singularly adapted to a company of
capable actors, since it has several In
teresting characters and none so great
as to dwarf all the rest. The King
Is no Iago, but he Is a seasoned vil
lain, with cowardice enough to save
him from utter fiendishness. Arthur
is pathetic and charming. His
mother, Constance, is one of Shake
speare's strong women.. The Bastard
Falconbrldge Is one of the most manly
men he ever depicted, with a man's
vice and baseness. King John ought to
be among the most pleasing of the
Shakespearian . plays. We dare say
Mr. Mantell and his company will
bring out it3 best possibilities..
Ex-Ambassador Bryce has bloomed
into Viscount Bryce and in his new
character bewails the decadence of
the English schoolboy, his careless
ness of learning, his lack of faithful
ness and energy and his neglect of
Bible study. He urges a greater use
of women as Instructors In boys'
schools at the precise time when many
men in this country urge that men
should teach boys. The Brooklyn
Eagle thereupon remarks:
If too little of teaching by women makes
mollycoddles of English boys, and too much
of it makes mollycoddles of American boys,
sclenoe would seem to be astray.
Perhaps much depends on the kind
of women who teach, the kind of boys
they teach and the method of teach
ing. In other words, we may have an
exaggerated idea, of the influence of
sex.
Billy Swaggert wants It distinctly
understood that he has no Circuit
Judges among the list of members of
his Llnnton Bowling Club, which is a
roadside resort far from Linnton. Mr.
Swaggert had been reported by
Sheriff Word as making a claim to
eminent respectability for. his place
by stowing that he had members of
the bench for patrons. Of course the
statement was Incredible. The Judge
who Is willing to give the Swaggert
roadhouse a certificate of high moral
character would better hesitate. Yet
If the place is not fit for a Judge to
frequent, it Is not fit for anybody
else. Sheriff Word ought to be en
couraged and not discouraged in his
effort to put the Swaggert club out
of business.
Sawing wood with a bucksaw is no
longer vulgar. Since the Kaiser has
taken it up for his daily exercise it has
become a refined amusement with
which our Idle rich will divert them
selves happily and diligently. Already
gilded youths are selling their polo
ponies and buying sawbucks. Cord
wood is at a premium on account of
their demands. We understand also
that as fast as they saw It up they
will give it away to the poor, just
like the Kaiser.
A writer in the Boston Globe urges
New England to imitate Switzerland
by catering to Winter tourists by
building a coaster slide down Mount
Washington and a skating rink with
a fine pavilion and orchestra. If New
England becomes so gay and com
mercializes her mountains and snow,
Oregon will have to put on her think
ing cap and find some Winter attrac
tions. Could anything excel a ski
ride down Mount Hood's snowflelds?
Ask the Mazamas. .
Matrimony Is a sacrament, yet now
and then people conspire in attempt to
make It seem ridiculous. For example,
the New York couple married by an
Alderman several weeks ago and re
married Sunday under the ritual of
a new kind of religion after they had
passed the "vibration test," whatever
that may mean, said to have been
brought down from prehistoric times.
This differs from the usual run of
cults, in that a marriage certificate
precedes the testing.
The memorial business is being run
into the ground when a boulder is
placed on the spot where Lincoln first
met Jeff Davis in 1832. Yet a hun
dred years hence some enthusiast may
want to mark the spot where Jeff
was captured in his historic mas
querade in 1865.
The Kaiser must of necessity pull
out on his job of cutting stovewood In
the backyard of the palace. A la
borer who cut a bigger pile would be
guilty of lese majeste.
An American soldier, shot by Mexi
can, rebels, was dragged across the
border and arrested. How much long
er are we going to stand for that sort
of thing?
A new thought wedding has been
tried in New York. Now if the young
couple don't get mixed up in any al
tercations they will get along fine.
Dr. Dawson says some Eskimo have
extra vertebrae in their spines. Some
of the surplus should be transplanted
to our foreign policy.
Bryan has Just closed another pro
tracted speaking tour. He will now
return to the State Department for a
much-needed rest.
Effort to Americanize the Canadian
into turning to the right on the road
has failed. It was Just a Yankee
scheme, ye know. ,
A newspaper was used to stop a fire
in a local business house. Newspa
pers are also useful In building up a
business house.
All the East is in the grip of zero
weather. We must be getting such
warmth as Is left in the temperate
zone. ;
The 500 American cavalrymen could
also have taken care of Villa in his
ugliest mood, had it been necessary.
A "swat the cigarette" campaign Is
to begin. The cigarette Is far more
deadly than the fly.
Kermit Roosevelt has chosen a
wealthy bride. Which, of course,
helps some.
Thaw says he will start In some
kind of business. Monkey business, no
doubt.
A New Hampshire commission finds
that Thaw Is not Insane. He's merely
crazy.
"Free eats at the Statehouse" ought
to catch 'em in both directions.
The Gubernatorial handicap Is now
on in earnest. ' '
The fan will soon be stirring In his
sleep.
Woodrow Is back at the woodpile.
Have you- registered.?.
OREGON CANT ESCAPES PROBLEM
Reed College Professor Will Assemble
Local Feeble-Minded Statistics.
PORTLAND, Jan. 12. (To the Ed
itors'One of the most important prob
lems we have before us today la that
of the feeble-minded. There are, ac
cording to the World Almanao of 1913
and other good sources of Information,
20,755 feeble-minded people In institu
tions in the United States. Dr. Goddard,
of Vlneland. N. J., has estimated that
there are not less than 150,000, and
possibly as many as 800,000 feeble
minded people In this country who are
receiving no care whatever.
Feeble-mindedness, although Incur
able, may In Its lesser forms be sus
ceptible of amelioration and of modifi
cation, Just in proportion as they have
been superinduced by causes con
genital or accidental. Feeble-mindedness
Is a. term that has been used to
designate all degrees of mental de
fectiveness, from the one who la merely
dull and unable to learn fast to the
one who is a gelatinous mass that sim
ply lives and eats.
As I have said, there are from 150,000
to 300,000 mentally defective people In
this country receiving no care. A com
mittee on the mentally defective in
New Jersey reported to the Governor
recently that there were 1832 feeble
minded and epileptic patients being
cared for in institutions, and that 4422
cases were receiving no care whatever.
Now, If Oregon has the same propor
tion of defectives in Its population,
there would be 1820 In this state. Since
the State Institution for the Feeble
Mlnded cares for 255, the state asylums
41, and the Portland Defective School
18, the total being cared for is 314.
This would leave 160S who are not
provided for at all.
Whatever the number may be, the
problem Is a sad one. And, what is
more, f eeble-mlndedness is inherited,
absolutely. Out of 480 descendants of
Martin Kalllkak. Jr.. only 46 are known
to be normal. All the rest are or were
feeble-minded, or died In Infancy.
The Royal Commission of England Is
authority for the statement that feeble
mindedness is Increasing at twice the
rate of the general population. If this
is true. It behooves us to lose no time
In meeting the problem. It Is not only
necessary that we care for the present
defectives, but we must prevent de
fectives from being brought Into so
ciety. Oregon is yet young. It has few old
settled communities. Consequently,
there are probably fewer feeble-minded
people here in proportion to the popu
lation than there are In the Atlantic
States. But, when Oregon grows older
we will have to face the same condition
that the older states are now facing.
Possibly the proportion here Is Just as
large as elsewhere. What we need
are the facts.
Our prisons, almshouses, asylums, re
form schools and detention homes are
full of people who have come from un
wholesome environments. But feeble
mindedness is one of the chief causes
making men hunt bad environments.
Do away with feeble-mindedness and
we then do away with much of the
evils of society. For Instance, Dr.
Goddard and others, after much ex
perimentation, have shown that 50 per
cent of all prostitutes are feeble-minded.
The Portland vice commission
says there are 2500 prostitutes in Port
land. Judge Stevenson, of the Munici
pal Court of Portland, Is authority for
me statement that the maiorltv of
these women have, had children. Here
we see some of the evils of society due
to the feeble - mlndedness of certain
people.
We can combat the effects of fenhle-
mindedness by having proper marriage
laws, segregation of defectives, sterili
zation, negative eugenics, etc. But
what we need are the facts. Therefore,
I am asking any one who reads this
article and knows of any feeble-minded
person or defective in the State of Ore
gon who is not In some institution
purposively used for the feeble-minded.
to communicate the facts to me at the
address given below. I would like very
luucn to nave. ir possible, a complete
list of all mental defectives in the State
or Oregon. Of course, all such infor
mation would be kent In strlntpn r-nn
fidence. It might be well to give the
name of each case so that no two cases
will be duplicated. All details for each
case would be of value also.
The writer would be pleased to have
all newspaper editors in the State of
uregon copy this article.
GLENN R. JOHNSON.
Reed College. Portland. Or.
Property Held Jolntlv.
CORVALLIS, Or, Jan. 11. (To the
.cvaiior.; i am lert a widow; the prop
erty is deeded Jointly, there being no
cmiiiren living; mere are no debts, ex
cent for rjavine-. whlrh fa
year bond. Do I have to administer
ana ii so now ao l proceed? Or would
it be legal and all right, if I Just did
nothinsr at all?
Please tell me plainly just as you
would a child, as I am very Ignorant
mi an legal airairs ana have such a
fear of all lawyers professionally.
MRS BE AN A ANDERSON.
If the deed ran to husband and wife
jointly, administration Is not a legal
requirement The formality of admin
istration Is advisable, however, In order
that a public record may be established
of the non-existence of Indebtedness.
This record, would be needed In event
the widow decided to sell the property.
An intending purchaser would be re
luctant to buy on the mere word of the
widow that there was no Indebtedness
there might be bills out which she had
forgotten or knew nothing about and
they would become claims against the
property. In administration, advertise
ments are published which have the
effect of removing this uncertainty. A
reputable lawyer may safely be In
trusted with the matter and in this case
the expense ought to be slight.
Problem In Brldgre.
PORTLAND, Jan. 11. (To the Edi
tor.) Please give the correct answer
to this problem In auction bridge. A
bids one royal; B bids one no trump; D
bids two hearts; A raises her bid two
royal; B raises her bid two no trump;
C says nothing; D says nothing; A
raises to three royals; B changes her
bid to four diamonds; C says nothing;
D goes back to three no trump; A and
C are satlsSed. Who plays the hand?
The original bidder in no trump or does
the partner D play It?
SUBSCRIBER.
B keeps the bid on four diamonds.
Spending Money, With Judgment.
Boston Transcript.
"My son, it is a great deal harder to
spend money with good judgment than
it is to make it." "Well, father, let me
take half the burden off your hands.
You make it and I'll spend it."
TO PORTLAND.
O Portland, lovely city
Where a thousand fountains flow,
And In the aftereven
The Western sunlight glows.
O Portland, home of beauty.
Where from thy rolling hills,
A sight of nature's wonders
The glowing heart o'erfllls.
O Portland, seat of commerce
Placed on that mighty link.
From grand Canadian Rockies
Down to Pacific's deep.
O Portland, home of strong men.
Of those who conquer all.
The forest, rushing river.
Each answer to thy call.
O Portland, famed' for women
Of which our Nation's proud.
"Fit mothers of a future race!'
The Gods e'en cry aloud.
CHARLES BANKS,
COMPOUNDING OF TAX PENALTIES
Mr. Hodsos Insists New Law la Op
pressive In That Particular,
PORTLAND. Jan. 12. (To the Edi
tor.) Please do not permit any of your
readers to be misled relative to the
compounding of Interest and penalty
on unpaid taxes. In your comment,
following my communication published
yesterday, you say you find no au
thority in the law for my statement
that penalty and interest are com
pounded. I contend that, according to
the law, taxes are earned, due and pay
able April 1. Failure to pay Imposes
a penalty. Just as surely as the tax is
earned, due and payable. Just so surely
also Is the penalty earned, due and pay
able. Then, on September 1, an addi
tional penalty of 10 per cent Is levied
on what remains unpaid (which cer
tainly includes -the legal penalty pro
vided for the five months, as well as
the unpaid taxes), and then the whole
draws Interest at the rate of 1 per
cent a month until paid. Then. If a
certificate or delinquency Issues, all
unpaid taxes, penalty, interest on taxes
and penalty, the additional penalty of
10 per cent attaching on September 1,
together with the 1 per cent a month
interest charged after date of de
linquency, carries an additional 16 per
cent Interest.
If that is not compounding interest,
I am not able to read the English lan
guage understanding. There is no
escape from It. No court In the land
will. In my Judgment, ever render any
other decision. I think you will have
to admit you are In error, not I.
I hardly think anyone was misled
by my use of the words "12 per cent"
In referring to the first penalty added
for non-payment. Had I said "at the
rate of 12 per cent" there would have
been no possible ground for a wrong
construction to be placed on it. That
was an Inadvertence only.
C W. HOD SON.
If Mr. Hodson's theory is correct,
then his own figures are as wrong as
those of The Oregonian. The new law
graduates the penalties for non-payment
of taxes after April 1. The first
month the penalty is 1 per cent, the
next 2 per cent, the next 3 per cent,
the next 4 per cent, the next 5 per
cent, the next 10 per cent. Mr. Hodson
assumes that the final 10 per cent pen
alty is imposed on taxes, plus penalty,
but begins compounding only after the
fifth month.
If the sixth month's penalty is com
pounded, then certainly the second
month's penalty must be compounded;
likewise the third month's, the fourth
month's and the fifth month's. The
total penalty at the end of five months,
by such calculation, would be more
than 15 per cent of the tax payment
not 5 per cent as Mr. Hodson now ad
mits. The Oregonian believes the courts
will put a more reasonable construc
tion on the law than that given it by
Mr. Hodson. The Oregonian from the
beginning of the discussion has not at
tempted to uphold the law In all Its
particulars. It has merely pointed out
that the act Is not so oppressive as
some people think; certainly not so
oppressive as to call for a special ses
sion of the Legislature, as was orig
inally suggested.
TWO SOULS WITH SINGLE THOUGHT
Reason Points to Support of Will E.
I'urdy for Governor by Jonrnal.
PORTLAND. Jan. 12. (To the Edi
tor.) I notice that the "evening ex
ponent of obliquity" has, by the sheer
power of, logic, provided a Guberna
torial candidate for The Oregonian.
It is only fair that somebody supply
the. aforesaid exponent of obliquity
with a similar asset, or would you call
it liability?
The Journal Is for Will E. Purdy for
Governor. How can It help be? Don't
Its thoughts and Purdy's thoughts on
courts and lawyers run exactly
parallel? Mr. Purdy is an Independent.
The Journal is Independent oh, very.
How could two peas be more alike?
The Journal has had some Interest
In litigation which it lost- Mr.. Purdy
has had a similar experience. The
Journal thinks the court is defrauding
justice and that the lawyers in the
case are despicable villains. So does
Purdy. The Journal never tires of
harping on the subject. Neither does
Purdy.
The delightful harmony between the
Journal and Purdy Is like a Summer
dream of love. It is as symphonous
and ecstatic as a seaside flirtation. It
is like a Mayday vision of bliss. They
look at things alike, think of things
alike and act alike.
Of all the candidates for Governor
only Purdy views the courts and the
lawyers as the Journal views them
The Journal must be for Purdy. Their
tuneful hearts beat as one.
I plead guilty to paraphrasing part
of a Journal article in this tender
epistle. I would like to do more para
phrasing, but a dislike for mixed
metaphor deters me from saying any
thing about "two babes in the woods
excoriating" something or other.
FRED C. DENTON.
Transmuted.
I dreamed of light;
And then In the heart of the night.
Your face came to me, clear, like a
star.
Out of my dreams afar.
My heart and Its breaking.
My love and Its aching.
Went up to you through the night,
And You were the Light.
I dreamed of rest;'
And straightaway, magical, blest
Your hand was laid like a kiss on my
- neart.
And hushed the smart
My striving and sobbing.
My burning my throbbing.
All stilled by a touch ungueased!
And You were my Rest.
I dreamed of song;
And in the night hours long
Your heart from far away did speak
to mine.
In cadences divine:
Music of smiles and of weeping
And great wings sweeping.
Harmonies wild and true ...
And the Song was You.
Alnslie's.
Msrrlsse After Divorce.
PORTLAND, Jan. 12. (To the Ed
itor.) What Is the penalty for parties
marrying in Oregon Inside of six
months after getting a divorce?
A SUBSCRIBER.
Persons wedded under such circum
stances are not legally married. No
fine or prison penalty Is imposed, but
the parties have the same status in the
eyes of the law as if they had begun
living together without the perform
ance of any set ceremony whatsoever.
At the Home Plate.
Boston Transcript.
Judge Describe what passed between
you In the quarrel with your wife.
Man on Stand The plates were reg
ular dinner size, your honor, and the
teapot had a broken spout.
Returning the Compliment.
Texas Coyote.
"Your shavin' powder ain't no good,"
said Rustic Simplicissimus to the drug
clerk; "I put some on my face last
night and the hair is longer than ever."
It In Xot.
HILLSDALE, Or., Jan. 12. (To the
Editor.) Please Inform a subscriber
througn your paper If the office of the
Commissioner of Emigration is a Cabi
net office or. not, SUBSCRIBER.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonian of Jan. IS, 1SS9.
Washington. Jan. 12. This morning
the Senate committee on finance heard
a delegation from the National Wool
growers' Association.
Salem, Jan. 12. An appeal has been
taken to the Supreme Court In the case
of Patrick McGinnls, the Grant County
murderer, and Governor Pennoyer has
granted a reprieve for 60 days.
Astoria, Jan. 12. The journey of C.
W. Fulton, presidential elector, to carry
to Washington Oregon's electorlal vote
will be saddened by the news of the
death of his father, Honorable. Jacob
Vulton. last night at Pawnee, Neb.
Salem, Jan. 12. The Statesman will
come out tomorrow enlarged to seven
columns to the page.
Salem, Jan. 12. The streetcars were
started for trial and practice of the
horses today. All worked well.
Albany, Or, Jan. 12. W. C. Twee
dale has sold his hardware business to
Smith & Washburn, recently from
Cropsy, III.
Edward Davidson, a law student in
the office of Adams & Marquam, has a
small latin textbook which Is bound in
human skin.
Mrs. Mary E. Holbrook yes'crday
sold lot 2, block 59, on Fourth street,
between Taylor and Salmon, to Ar
thur Kohn for $11,000.
The board of directors of the North
west Industrial Fair Association, yes
terday elected Frank Dekum presi
dent; T. M. Richardson, vice-president;
Richard Koehler, secretary, and E. J.
Jeffery, treasurer.
The Oregon Alpine Club yesterdav
appointed Judge J. B. Waldo, .D. f.
Thompson' and W. B. Gilbert a com
mittee on a National park, to Include
the entire summit of the Cascade Moun
tains in Oregon.-
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of Jan 13. 1S.
The steamer Vancouver, Captain
Turnbull, left here at 10 A. M. yetiter
day with the malls and peveral passen
gers for Fort Vancouver and succeeded
in touching the lower wharf at that
place barely long enough to throw the
mall and allow the passengers to pump
on shore. The steamer immediately re
versed her engines, headed down
stream and returned to this city. Mr.
Troup informs us that the Ice above
had broken up and come down the Co
lumbia closely packed Its full width,
meeting the boat Just as the landing
was effected, and had they been de
tained a moment, the boat might have
been crushed.
Yesterday morning early an affray
occurred at the Bank Exchange saloon
between James H. Lappeus, one of the
proprietors of the Oro Fino saloon, and
James Dodson, keeper of a rondo tablo
at the Bank Exchange, in which the
former was shot through the fleshy
part of the thigh and the latter had
the front part of his pantaloons cut
with a carving knife.
During the rush of the flood across
First street yesterday from the foot
hills, Messrs. Weeks & Gilmore con
structed a neat temporary bridge near
their corner, for which they were
thanked by many a. foot-passenger.
The steamer John H Couch, Captain
Holman, will leave this morning for
Monticello, and should the ice permit,
will go through to the end of her mail
route.
Dentistry Dr. J. R. Cardwell's ad
vertisement offers the best evidence in
the world as to the character of his
work his patrons.
Jewelry & Watches John B. Miller
has opened a new store on Washington
street.
Tango Toe
By Dean Collins.
We cannot dance those dances
We danced some weeks ago;
We cannot dance those dances
We have the "tango toe."
And though the light gyration
Once filled our hearts with glee.
We find, with deep vexation.
We have the "tango knee."
Though once we tangoed gaily
With many a glide and twist.
We now must hobble daily
To a chiropodist.
Though music gay is beating.
Alack, we may not go.
For we are busy treating
Our tender "tango too."
The matron, plump and comely.
The dainty social bud.
Forsake the ballroom dumbly
To bathe their feet in mud.
Or poultice them or bind them.
And treat them tenderly.
For very sad they find them
The "tango toe" and knee.
And aged men ""and o'tners
Who stepped It once so free.
Lo, each his curses smothers
About a toe or knee;
They find that compensation
Is sure to come somehow
They danced in exultation;
They pay the piper now.
They cannot dance those dances
They danced some weeks ago;
They cannot dance those dances.
For they are stricken low.
Or, Fate, how strange thy forces.
How bitter thy decree
For dancers "Charley horses"
Or "tango toe" or kneel
What Is a Lawyert
Crescent
Little Willie What Is a lawyer, pa?
Pa. A lawyer, my son. Is a man who
Induces two other men to strip for a
fight, and then runs off with their
clothes.
"Stock Taking
in tha Home
Now Is the time, Mrs. House
keeper, to turn your attention to
your towels and table linens. Sort
over your stock and see what you
have, then consider what you
haven't and what you must get In
order to have a comfortable supply
on your shelves.
Good linen is a good investment.
It launders better, wears longer and
has a glossier look than Inferior or
mixed qualities.
Before you start In replenishing
your supply find out where you can
get the : best grades, at the most
reasonable prices. The Oregonian
advertisements will help you. Lcok
at them.
There are certain standard kinds
on which you can't go wrong. The
Oregonian and ether good newspap
ers will tell you who carries them.
If you don't know much about
linen, you can't do better than rely
upon the word of the advertisers In
The Oregonian.- They have a repu
tation to maintain and they could
not maintain it If they did not give
you honest value for your money.
Adv.