THE 3IQRXIXG OREGONIAX. TTTUKSDAT, JANUARY 22, 1914. (Hp (Dixmmtrot PORTLAND, OREOOM. Entered at Portland. Oregon, Postofflce a i aecond-clasa matter. ' Subscription Kate Invariably In Advance! 1 (BT HAIL) Pally, Sunday Included, one year .-99.00 Dally. Sunday Included, alx month! 4. 25 Dally, Sunday Included, tare montaa . .26 Ijatly, Eunday Included, one monta .. .Io Dally, without Sunday, one year -" Dally, without Eunday, sla month ..... 1!5 . Daily, without Sunday, three month ... 1.73 - Dally, without Sunday, one month ..... . Veekly, one year ...........- l.oo Sunday, one year - 2. 60 Sunday and weekly, one year -0 : (BT CARRIER) i Dally, Sunday included, one year ss.00 ; Dally, Eunday Included, one month How to Remit Send poatofflce money or. der. express order or pereonal check on your local bank. Stamp, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Give poatofflce addrea - In full. Including oounty and state. FmUks Bate 13 to IS page. 1 cant: 18 , te 82 page. 2 cent; 84 to 48 pagea, 8 cents: . 10 to 60 pages. 4 oanta; OK to 78 page. 0 1 rent; T8 to U2 pages, centa. Foreign poat age. double ratea Eastern Business Office Verree Conk .'. lln. New York. Brunswick building. Chl ', cago, Steger building. ; fmn Francisco Office B. J. Bldwell Co., ; T43 Market street. rORTUXI), THURSDAY, JAN. S2. 1914. SrOILSMEV JtAII AGAIN. Emboldened by success, Democratic Congressmen are attempting another raid on tho civil service. Having withdrawn deputy marshals and dep uty collectors of Internal revenue from the operation of the merit sys tem, they next excluded lncorqo tax and Federal reserve employes. They now propose to add assistants of first and second-class postmasters, num bering about 2400, to the spoils. They propose to do so by the pernicious, underhanded means of a rider to the postoflice appropriation bill. They have- not the courage to come Into the open and attack the civil Service law with a bill for that express pur pose. They cover their work by hid ing it in an appropriation bill,, by which means also they provide the President with an excuse for conniv ing at it, namely, the plea that he cannot veto the obnoxious rider with out vetoing the entire bill and thus Injuring the public service. The people have been sparing of their criticism of Mr. Wilson for his yielding to the spoilsmen, for they have recognized that he . must make some concessions to the accumulated appetite of sixteen years in order to carry through the great measures for which the country is waiting and on which he has staked his Administra tion. But the opinions of several lead ing Democratic newspapers, which are friendly to Mr. "Wilson, indicate that the people consider concessions to the spoilsmen to have gone far enough. The New Tork World indorses the Civil Service Reform League's . de scription of the postofflce rider as "a plain attempt to get 2400 valuable Jobs to pay political debts." It de scribes the Postofflce Department as an "incompetent and stupid monop oly," which "has suffered further de moralization under the burdens of the parcel post" and which "Is likely to collapse," if turned over to the spoils men. Admitting that "many, if not most, of the assistant postmasters were appointed originally for political reasons," the World says they have become experienced and familiar with their duties, are removed from the field of active politics and "are public servants, not partisan servants." It says that to remove them to make places for untried men "would be an act of Inexcusable folly." It closes with this warning: The spoils no longer belong to the victors, and If the Democratlo majority seeks to im pose a government by spoils upon the country, the Democratlo party will toon cease to govern. The New Tork Times is equally em phatic in its condemnation. Detect ing in Congress "a determined tend ency gradually to ' break down the merit system and to o en the way to restore the old. bad spoils system," the Times denounces the rider as "a more determined and dangerous 'at tack upon the merit system" than any that have preceded it. Recalling the quiet revolution wrought by the civil service law In the last thirty years, it accuses "a large part of the Demo crats in Congress" of wishing "to go back to the miserable method of ap pointment for political or personal fa voritism." It says that, while signing bills which carry such riders, the President "has explained that his be lief in the merit system is unshaken and that he means to enforce it," yet these measures "seriously cripple his power" to enforce it. His position is called feeble and exposed to further attacks and he is warned that he is "definitely threatened with a break down of the merit system that would bo disastrous to his Administration." He Is urged to have the rider stricken out or to veto the bill, for "no plea In excuse would in any degree palliate his failure," to do so. The rider is termed by the India napolis News another wedge thrust into the merit system. It says the spoilsmen hope to force the President to approve the bill and thus to turn over these 2400 offices to them. The News maintains that the President should have power to veto separate items and Congress should be pre vented from attaching riders to bills, and that, in the absence of that pow er, he should veto the postofflce bill, "should it come to him with the ob-r Jectlonable provision included." A statement by the Brooklyn Eagle's Washington correspondent of the number of postmasters appointed by Mr. Wilson in the ten months he has been President gives little hope that he will stop the raids of the spoilsmen. He has appointed 2982 postmasters, nearly a third of them in the South, where Republican post masters who formed a part of Presi dent Taffs steam roller have been dis placed. Nearly a third of the re movals have been in the South, 216 of them in Texas alone and .103 In Ok lahoma. Referring to the large num ber of removals in normally Republi can states, the Eagle correspondent says: It needs no political expert to aee at a r'anee that all of these well-favored North ern States are strateglo from a political atanapoint. Referring to the frequent complaint of Congressmen and political leaders that they do not receive enough pat ronage, the correspondent says: That such a complaint Is Justified con cernlng President Wilson is not generally regarded here as being borne out by an examination of toe figures. The President seems to have adopt ed a species of reciprocity with Con gress, whereby the members get Jobs for their favorites in exchange for their votes for his constructive legis lationv in other words, the legislative skids are greased with ppoils. If this be so and unless the President heeds the admonitions of the leading Demo cratic newspapers we have quoted and of others Ilka the New Tork Evening Post, there is small chance that much will remain of the merit system when Mr. Wilson's term expires. A HOrSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF. The Oregonian reprints today from the San Francisco Argonaut a sum mary of the California voters' regis tration in various cities of that state, complied ten days after the books were opened. The Argonaut warns the public that no safe conclusions can be drawn from the early show ings; yet a deduction or two Is obvious and may be indicated. There was last year In California a pseudo-Republican party controlled by men wha had really deserted the party and who had an avowed pur pose to destroy it. These "men and their followers have abandoned the masquerade and have set sail under their true colors. The residue are registering now as Republicans, and it is safe to assume that they Intend to stand indefinitely by the old or ganization, sink or swim, survive or perish. The early returns disclose that more citizens have so far registered as Republicans than as Progressives. Whatever the final figures it is prob able that the two parties will have strength somewhere nearly equal. The members of the new party are recruit ed almost wholly from the Republi cans and there have been few gains by the Republicans from the Democrats; so that two parties have risen In Cali fornia on the ruins of one. What will be the result? The Demo, cratic party in California is virile and numerous. It lost the state in the re cent Presidential election by a hair, though it Is doubtless true that large numbers of Republicans then voted for Wilson. Some of those Republi cans, if they find the outlook hope less, will doubtless continue to affili ate with the Democrats as the easiest way to escape a Progressive triumph. A man with one leg is no fit entry for a footrace; and a party with one wing will not fly far in a political contest. If no change occurs, Cali fornia is safe for the Democrats. THOSE WICKED CTJXMBN. One of the indictments against Cop perfleld enumerated by Governor West in an address before the Ad Club was the number of firearms found in the village. Sixty-three were taken from persons who attended a meeting called by Colonel Lawson and a search around town increased the collection to more than 2 00.- We would not for a moment defend the act of carrying a weapon into a public meeting but in what way does ownership of 140 odd firearms not carried Into the meeting justify a proclamation of martial law? The right to bear arms is guaran teed by the constitution and elab orated by statute. Governor West pro fesses to have acted in accordance with statute in usurping civil author!, ty. . But ownership of firearms in a community is not statutory cause for calling out the militia. On the con trary, it not only is lawful, but both civil and military officers are forbid den by law to take firearms from the owner unless also the services of the owner are required to keep the peace or defend the state. Private citizens were not impressed into military duty at Copperfield. The sections of the code on the right to bear arms are as follows: 33B8 Every white male citizen of this state above the age of 3 6 years shall be entitled to have, hold and keep for his own use ana aerense tne Tollowlng Xlre nrms. to-wlt: Klther or any one of the following named guns and one revolving pistol, a rifle, a shotgun (double or cringle barrel), yager or musket: the same to be exempt from execution under the laws of Oregon. 8859 No officer, civil or military, or other person, shall take from or demand of the owner any firearms mentioned In this chapter, except where the services of the owner are also required to keep the peace or defend the state. As reason for martial law the Gov ernor's count of firearms owned in Copperfield Is about as important as a census of brickbats and . potato mashers. HTJRKAHTNG FOR TROUBLE. In the subsidized single-tax. cam paign of 1912 Oregon heard a great deal about "single tax" in Vancouver. Pels Fund press agents asserted time and. again that the Vancouver tax system was responsible for the tre mendous building and Industrial ac tivity then in progress in the British Columbia city. Now and then one was forced to admit that Vancouver did not have single tax only near- single tax. Nevertheless it was free dom from certain taxes that induced manufacturers and building Investors to flock to Vancouver, iwe were told. Today Vancouver is experiencing a business depression and upon Invita tion from a Portland evening newspa per with single tax leanings one of the elngle-taxers who used to delight In making Invidious comparison be tween Vancouver and Northwest cities on the American side of the line comes to the rescue with an ex planation. The trouble in Vancouver, it ap pears, is that the city did not go the whole road in single tax. "With six sevenths of the rental value of land to speculate with the real estate boom produced Just what it did in cities of this country an ultimate relapse," says this eminent tax authority. Bearing in mind that, on authority of the same writer expressed in 1912, the Vancouver boom was promoted by near-single tax, we are led to more serious misgivings than ever as to the effect of the step toward single tax the same propagandist is now ad vocating for Oregon in the $1500 ex emption on improvements and per sonal property. If near-single tax will produce a boom and an ultimate relapse in Van couver, wiirit not have the same ef fect In Oregon? Are the single taxers deliberately steering us toward a hard fall? Is it their purpose to teach with the adversity of near-single tax the glory of full-single tax? IN'TELLECTCAL WASHINGTON, We feel no apprehension whatever that the Washington smart set will strain their minds to the danger point In pursuing the new studies which they have taken up. Psychology and ethics are the branches which have been thus distinguished by aristo cratic favor. According to reports, the rage for these Intellectual diver sions bids fair to drive out the tango and make bridge teas desolate. The rumor that the President's daughters expect to attend one of these classes before a great while gains some cred ence, since these maidens are deeply Interested in all that pertains to the higher regions of thought. The psy chology which has become "the ulti mate scream" at the National Capital is, above all things, new. No delving into the mines of meditation. No waste of time pondering over perplex ing problems. Nothing of that vulgar sort. The science has been made plain, simple and easy, as befits those who have condescended to study it. There is a royal road to knowledge, at least to the kind of knowledge that pleases the brain, of fashionable Washington. A few words of learned length and thundering sound, a few catch phrases and cant terms, some doses of saccharine sentiment, some "moral ity" of the up-to-date variety, - mix these Ingredients well together in a mortar with a little risky sexual al lusion and you have the psychology which fascinates the upper circles at the Capital. The ethics which our so cial luminaries have undertaken to arouse their lighter moments by studying is of a similar character. It begins with the motto that "self-expression is the first law of life" and ends with the precept that the high est form of self-expression is attained by running away with your neighbor's wife. We should expect this science to be enormously popular, not only in Washington, but In every other city where Idle people with too much money for their own good are gath ered together. Even a fashionable mind cannot be satisfied forever with utter vacuity. It has to pretend to exert itself once in a while, or insan ity would ensue. Hence these new "studies." CENSORING TirE STAGE, v Experience does not encourage us to expect any positive results from a censorship of the stage. The Portland committee, of which Dr. Foster is chairman, seems likely to give its at tention to constructive measures rath er than to mere faultfinding with what is bad. He says the committee should seek "to devise some positive method to improve the character of vaudeville productions," Instead of in sisting upon "negative aspects of the matter," Although this committee will concern itself officially only with vaudeville, still the principles upon which it plans to act are applicable to all sorts of theaters. Denunciation of the bad has never been so fruitful as promotion of the good. The Drama League has probably hit upon the only method of "elevating the stage" that will ever lead to anything of consequence. The silent disapproval of undesirable plays, with a steadfast direction of patronage to what is bet ter, will work wonders in course of time. Probably the only effective censor ship of the stage we shall ever at tain must come from the great public itself, rather than through drama leagues or some similar organizations. In countries where official censor ship has been long established and active the people have uniformly re fused to be guided by it. The surest way to make a play popular, of late years at any rate, is for some censor to condemn it. Experience shows that official Judgments upon literary productions of any sort are likely to be not on"ly insufferably stupid, but vitiated as well, by social and political prejudices. The Russian censorship Is, of course, the model of all that Is bad in that direction, though, secretly, it is the ambition of many local cen sorial bodies to Imitate it as closely as they dare. - The scope of the Russian censorship is unlimited. It covers all printed and spoken matter as well as the stage. Such innocent and meekly conservative publications as Dr. Ly man Abbott's Outlook cannot be cir culated in Russia until the more. "sub versive" pages have been inked out. The native press is ruled with an iron hand and writers who incur-the-disapproval of the official critics are bun dled off to Siberia without delay. No American censorship can hope for a grant of power quite equal to this, but it is the goal toward which such ambitions usually aim. The Austrian censorship enjoys the glory of having suppressed the best works of Grillparzer, . the nation's greatest dramatic poet. It also be deviled Richard Wagner when his af fairs were at their darkest. Any line of play or opera which the censor's imagination can distort into an attack upon the government or smacking, no matter how faintly, of "sedition," Is sufficient in that blessed country to blight the entire production. England has had the ben efit of a more or less farcical censor ship for many years. The function is exercised by an official of trie court who has been ridiculed by Bernard Shaw until all the world knows what an anomaly the censorship is in this age of the world and what a simple ton usually performs it. Shaw says, indeed, that no person Intelligent enough to be a competent censor could be hired to exercise a duty so mean and malignant. However that may be, we all know how the British censorship has worked out in prac tice. It has uniformly allowed foolish and vicious plays to proceed unhin dered, while it has been the consistent enemy of good dramatic art and sound morals. As far as we have had any experience with official censorship in the United States it has operated in the same way. France and Germany, which are measurably free from the meddling of official censorship, are the two coun tries in which the drama flourishes best. We shall be told at once to look at Norway, which has produced Ibsen and Bjornstjerne Bjornson, but, un happily, these geniuses are both dead and neither of them received much of a welcome at home until the more lib eral foreigners had sealed their fame. It is in France and Germany, with their intellectual freedom, that the theater thrives best. England, to be sure, is doing very well, but that Is because her censorship is nothing but a pretence in most cases. It only be comes active when some play is of fered which seriously attacks vice con ditions. In the United States a great many good people take it for granted that ther theater is a sink of iniquity which is past redemption. At its best it Is hopelessly evil. At its worst it is not much blacker. This mistaken feeling leads some ministers to preach against all play-going as if It were one of the deadly sins. What we need in this matter, as In so many other di rections, is the power to discriminate between the good and the bad. Of course. It Is temptingly easy to say that' "all dancing and theater-going are Immoral" and there end the mat ter, but unfortunately judgments of that kind are so hopelessly inane that they satisfy nobody of more than In fantile intelligence. There is more promise in the feeblest effort to edu cate the public taste and morals than in whole volumes of restrictive ordi nances. Our good people have been saying "don't" for so many centuries that the human race Is weary of their iteration. What we want now is a code of "do's." Dr. Foster's position as chairman of the censorship com mittee is singularly happy. Inasmuch as he fully understands the potency of constructive thought. We shall ex pect the) committee under Us Inform ing leadership to frame some sensible measures for educating the public and little or nothing In the way of penaliz ing the theaters. Penalties abound far too much already. It Is time to try something more effective. A writer on the Boston Transcript has converted the name of John Lind Into a noun and a. verb of definite meanings, which, he suggests, should be incorporated in the dictionary, as follows: IJN'D, n. A project, secretly conceived and carried forward In mystery, from which great result are expected, but of which nothing comes, v. 1. To Intermeddle, where there Is a half-assumed right so to do. To consume a great deal of time in waiting seriously for what does not happen. President Wilson's Mexican policy can be said at least to have enriched the language. Is there any good reason why the German and Swiss societies should not be permitted to amuse themselves as they like? Their . members are good citizens of trustworthy Judg ment, who need very little police su pervision. There is some danger lest our zeal for other .people's morals may degenerate into puritanical fa naticism. If It does so a reaction Is sure to follow, which will leave mat ters worse than they were before re form began. The Christian Science Monitor, re ferring to The Oregonlan'a recent de sire for a supply of competent in structors In co-operative management, says that this "should open a new vocation for intelligent and active young men." In the same connection we may mention that our progressive Agricultural College will soon open a new course of instruction in co-operative management In harmpny with modern needs. A strike of the employes of the mu nicipal street railways, gas and electric works of Leeds, England, has been broken by the action of the citizens in taking their places. Would the people of an American city which owned its utilities show equal public spirit by enduring the obloquy of be coming "scabs"? That is one point to consider in discussing public own ership. Following the recent storm, beach comb er at Atlantic City have been finding in the shifted sands jjuarts of diamond rings. pearl necklaces, gold watches, tiaras and other bathing accessories of Jersey mer maids. .Boston Transcript. There should be a placer mining stampede to the Jersey beach, equal to those to the Klondike and Nome. Appeals for betterment of condi tions of the farmer's wife can be made by Government commissions and livestock associations until the cows come home of their own accord but the results desired will not be at tained until the old man Installs a bathtub and buys an automobile. Before he had been in office two weeks. Mayor Mitchel, of New Tork, quarreled with W. R.. Hearst. That fact gives ground for expectation that he will be a good Mayor. At least he will be Mayor, not Mr, Hearst's HllTYITVIV ' The modern Democratic platform in Oregon: To hades with the civil power. Down with the constitution. Let the military power rule. All other public officials but the Governor are crooks, and he is the only honest man Japan Is very impatient at failure of the United States to answer its diplomatic correspondence. But the Japanese should bear in mind that Secretary Bryan is too busy to attend to such trifles. Editor McManus, indicted for help ing himself to the goods of a delin quent debtor, simply ' followed the time-honored precept of "grain taken on subscription." An odd commentary on the speed of Justice is found in the St. Louis liti gation over a baby. With the suit now at an end the baby has grown to maturity. The difference between Noah and an Oregonian is that the historic Ad mlral never went ashore during the wet spell and had little need of a raincoat. A Methodist minister at North Tak ima disputes the story of Jonah and the whale; but, as he falls to offer anything better, the biblical tale will stand. When the idle begin to burn Van couver they will run against a bit of British law that will make them wish they were In the easy-going States. Two Vancouver couples came to Portland to get their marriage li censes. Must have wanted records they could be proud of. Governor West is busy trying to ex plain he was not slurring a man for his misfortune, and, as usual, expla nations are "odorous." Between starting things and ex plaining them afterwards Governor West keeps the publicity pot boiling right merily. The Kaiser forbids German offl cers taking hold of the female arm. but neglects to mention the waist. Tour true Prohibitionist laughs at these continued rains as he contem plates a possible long "dry" period. The carload of smelt sent from Kel so to Kansas City will spoil the appe tite for mudcat along the river. One woman mauled two policemen. What chance has mere man got in the world any more? Dealers at the Chicago stockyards are paying record prices for beef. Pity the poor consumer. Idaho University has raised the ban on the tango. Too late. The tango is passe now. A party of four has about as much to fear from a cougar as from a field mouse. The crop of political plums this season is a rich and tempting one. Washington society is going in for the study of ethics. High time. The annual revival of the yellow peril appears to be about due. Are we to Have a snowless Winter? What's become, of Mexico? Stars and Starmakers BT X.EONB CABS BaBB. MTiCTRESS is Peruvian beauty," shrieks a headline. If she looks like the picture printed of her she's hardly worth , Peruvian barking about. e As nigh as I can figure It out. every actress who gets mixed up In taxi acci dents, railway wrecks or burning hostlerles suffers a compound fracture of her Jewelry department. m m In a little town out from Los Angeles licenses are required for chickens. The musical comedy profession well may shudder. N Emma Goldman Is described as wear ing "an anarchy veil." Made of bomba zine, I suppose. - e Bee where a business man has mar ried four actresses In succession. Greater admiration for a profession has never been knows. e a Report says "quinine will be cor nered." In which event its pronuncia tion will probably be established. Louis Leon Hall is playing a role he likes that of the hero traveling sales man at the Baker this week, "My best pal was a traveling salesman, drummer. so-called," said L. L. H., "and like Kip ling, who learned from others, I learned from my friend a lot about habits, reputed and otherwise, of the brotherhood of salesmen. Students who have closely observed the animal In his haunts will know that 14 times out of nine he is bending over a musty old hotel desk making out his day's sales "list, forwarding cards to the next stop ping place, writing letters to the house" and to the wife and the kiddles, or maybe to the girl at home, while the little world he has his being in sits ana twirls its fingers and rolls Its eyes, calls him a devil and whispers that he probably Is luring Lizzie, the beauti ful gum-chewing head waitress, to leave the little one-horse village and elope with him to wicked Salem. In stead of flirting the hours away he spends most of them attending to his employers' interests, else it would go to rack and ruin, and there would be another merry little salesman on the Job and that quickly. Among the things that are not so black as they are painted I head the list with that gay devil, the traveling sales gent" a The "Honeymoqn Express," the Win ter Garden show, is coming to this Coast in about five weeks. May Irwin, who opens tonight in "A Widow by Proxy" at the Hellig, sent me a cook book which she wrote all by herself. It arrived yesterday. Its title in "Home Cooking." As my home con sists of a hotel apartment, and the nearest approach to a stove that I pos sess is the steam radiator and an alco hol teapot, I am not In a position to say that I have "followed" any of the recipes and "found them delicious." One chapter on puddings is a Btirring article and. one on onions reduced me to tears. See where a bevy of chorus maids have banded together to carry canes to protect themselves from mashers. Well, unless the chorus ones are better looking than some that have been sent us of late the problem can be solved by taking the blinders off the mashers. Lilian Tingle is preparing menus for breakfast, luncheon and dinner for the marching I. W. Ws. ).",. Ida St. Leon, -who came out to this Coast with "Polly of the Circus," plays the role of Amy In "Little Wom en," coming to the Heilig next week. Marta Oatman, who plays Mrs. March, is a California girl, whose home Is in Riverside. She played in stock in Los Angeles and San Francisco and then went to New York, where she appeared for three years with Henry Miller's companies. To stimulate interest among the photo-playwrights, the Balboa Amuse ment Producing Company, of Los Ange les, is offering a prize of ,200 for the best three reel drama to be submitted before May 1. In making the offer the Balboa com pany reserves the right to reject any scenario submitted, and to buy any others at reasonable rates. Scenario writers are requested not to write drama of military or Western life, as those subjects are not deemed available by this firm of producers. i Read where Trenton, N. J., had a ban quet for its Commercial Club, where they ate three-year-old eggs. Huh, that's nothing. I eat one every day or so older than that, and never rush into print about it. Ann Swinburne's picture in colprs decorates the front cover of this week's Dramatic Mirror. V A telegram sent to this department from A. Kaufmann, of the Dramatic Mirror, says that "Thais Lawton has contested honors with Mantell all along the route, and the public and critics have showered her with such praise that this rnay be the reason for her sudden separation from the company." A note from Miss Lawton says that she Is to open in "The Family Cupboard" in New York. Fanny Anltua, an Italian contralto, has arrived In New Tork after a brief and disastrous experience with the Western " Metropolitan Grand Opera Company, which played a short season at the Tlvoll Opera-House. San Fran cisco. Mme. Anltua Is returning to Milan to rejoin the La Scala organiza tion. She says she hopes she will never see the Pacific Coast again. m The Sothern repertoire for the week of February 9 is here given in its re vised form: Monday and Tuesday nights and Wednasday and Saturday matinees, "If I Were King"; Wednesday and Saturday nights, ."Hamlet"; Thursday night, "The Merchant of Venice"; Fri day night, "Taming of the Shrew." e It has come at last, a playlet founded on the affair between the late Melvin N. Couch, of Montlcello. N. T., and the woman whom the New Tork Journal Is pleased to call a "love slave." The play let has been written by Edward Weitzel and James Clancy, and Is now on the bill at Poll's Theater, Bridgeport, Conn. For several years Mr. W eitzel was of the staff of the Detroit Free Press. He also is the author of a vaudeville sketch called "The Magpie and the Jay." Of course, one of the principal char acters Is Adelaide Branch, the woman in the case. The death scene is intro duced and the character of Mrs. Couch is made prominent. See where a woman named Myrtylla Pounds is running for office. Well, her nomination gives avoirdupois to the ticket. SA'DTOXE IS OF GREAT UTILITY Northwest Product Admirable lat Color and Stability. . PORTLAND, Jan. 15 (To the Edi tor.) Fearing that the public may get the wrong Impression regarding the qualities and usefulness of sandstone for buildings from the statement pub lished In The Oregonian a short time ago, made by Mr. Maaon, condemning tne stone taken from the old library building, I beg to submit the following: Fifty years' test ought to prove the worth of any sandstone, at least one of the better known sandstones In the Northwest which has been used for building purposes and has been subject to this test and in no way found wanting. -' Others have, although not so long In service. Indicated their usefulness and ability to stand for ages. The stone used In the old library building was what Is called surface stone, taken from the surface of the quarry which carries all over about 10 feet in depth. It has a rich buff color, and when properly selected possesses great stability and while It is used mostly for interior work. It is also used regularly for the exterior. Our blue-gray sandstones are, how ever more admirably adapted for gen eral building uses, interior and ex terior, than stones of other color. Many notable examples of this variety of stone may be observed In various prominent structures throughout the Northwest," not a few of them standing for a score of years and upwards. It may be described as bluish-gray in color, live and sound, soft and full of sap when quarried, and easy to cut and carve. This makes its cost very reasonable. When exposed to the air a very short time It becomes very hard; In fact, so hard that experienced stone cuttera won't use it If you would give it to them for nothing. When It bo comes hardened it is good for a thou sand years, and there is no better building material to be had. I beg to submit herewith report of Henry Landes, geologist of the Wash ington Geological Survey: Permit me to aay that I have visited your atone quarry at Tenino a number of tlmea. and that I am quite familiar with the quality of your aandstone and of Its general appearance when placed In buildings. The Tenino atone la very massive In char acter, and In the quarry no evidence of bedding planes Is apparent. The rock Is very uniform In color and largo quantities may be had Identically the same In general appearance and physical character. The stone hardens 'after quarrying and reaches a condition of hardness such that It may be transported and laid Into buildings without any likelihood of chipping or suffering breakage. Our state geological survey made some tests upon this Btone about ten years ago, and found that It has a crushing strength ot 5750 pound to the' square Inch. A sample tested at the Watertown Arsenal on July 8. ran 0870 pounds to the square Inch and ultimate strength of 176,100 pounds. The atone has a specific gravity ot 2861 and a ratio of absorption little over 5 per cent. Since this quarry was opened the stone has been widely used along the Coast In Wash ington, Oregon and California. The build lngs that were made of It a good many years ago show that the stone has been very dur able and that no deterioration has suffered in time. To my mind. It Is a very desirable and pleasing building stone and worthy of very general use. I may say that the fine ness of the grain of the stone and the ease with which It may be eut when quarried makes It a very superior stone for differ ent kinds of carving work where sandstone la used. 11. A. HEFPNER, Gold I'roductlon and I'rlces. INDEPENDENCE, Or., Jan. 20. (To the Editor.) Please answer the fol lowing question: "Why does an in crease in gold production make prices higher?" Because it makes gold worth less in proportion to other commodities, and the only way to give effect to the re duced value of gold Is to raise the price of the other commodities as expressed in gold. The situation can be easily understood if we first dismiss from our minds the Idea that gold Is money and regard It as a commodity, like potatoes or apples. If one farmer trades his po tatoes for another farmer's apples and if potatoes are abundant while apples are scarce, the ona farmer must give more potatoes and accept less apples than he would if conditions were re versed. The buying of a commodity with money In a gold standard country Is in the end simply bartering of that commodity for gold. When gold is abundant, a man gets more gold for a bushel of potatoes than he would If gold were scarce. If, as was the custom in primitive times, a certain quantity of uncoined gold were weighed out In payment for other commodities, we should quickly realize that, when gold Increased In abundance. It would be as correct to say that gold was cheaper as it would be to say that other commodl ties were dearer. Having for conven lence adopted gold as a measure of value with stipulated quantities named dollars, cents, etc, our only means of putting In effect the enhanced or re duced value of gold is to reduce or raise the price of the commodities we exchange for It, As to Pattentn. THE DALLES, Or., Jan. 17. (To the Editor.) Are patents granted upon useful devices made of ordinary paper? Or must they be of specially prepared paper? In other words, which gets the patent, as in the Instance of the sanitary drinking cup, or the sanitary paper towel, the device or the paper? A. B. C, ' Patents for paper cups might be granted under devices, but more prob ably would be patented under that class of patents which covers compo altlon of matter. Paper towels would be patented under the composition class. If the composition of the paper of which cups or towels are made is patented no one other than the owner of the patent would be permitted to make drinking cups of the same paper. If ordinary paper, not protected by any patent. Is used, then the article. whether It be towels or cups, must be patented as a device. Variations of Compass. PORTLAND, Or., Jan. 16. (To the Editor.) Kindly let me know how many degrees the needle of the sur veyor's compass varies from north and south, say on Willamette meridian. C. W. RHODES. In regard to the amount by which the pointing of the needle of the sur veyor's compass differs from the true north and south meridian, this varies in different localities which" may be near the same north and south line. The average variation is between degrees and 22 degreese, and the needle points that much to the east of the true north. The variation is sometimes greatly affected by the presence of iton in the underlying rock formations, but the above are good averages for this vicinity. Gnllty.; PORTLAND. Or., Jan. 21. (To the Editor.) In the course of my custo marily attentive perusal of The Ore gonian today, I discover this gross lapse: "Business lays neglected." How do you Justify it? READER. It cannot be Justified. The writer, the editor, the compositor and the proof-reader are Jointly guilty of a high crime and gross misdemeanor against good usage and sound English. Twenty-five Years Ago J From The Oregonian of January 22, 1SS9. Salem. Jan. 1. A lot of innocent- looking envelopes were distributed in the Senate this afternoon. Steel opened one and withdrew a printed circular letter, charging that the railroad com pany had spent thousands of dollars to secure the re-election of Senator Dolph. Department and in the German legation there is considerable anxiety and ap prehension concerning the state of af- New York .Tan 1 A .t...l r-.. hardt says in case of war with Ger many over SsLmrn ofv.i... .. operations would probably be confined ' loiana, ana aitnougn our Navy weaker than Re have a decided advantage In being able to throw a large body of troops on the ground much quicker than Germany. Albanv. Op.. Tnn 91 r.i.-..i- - - " ... -j"lJfllUUl .Ult3 excitement was created in this city to day by about 100 Italian laborers who " "coina tun pay rrom the con tractors. KmpU r. . n 1- j, Kt ) on the Oregon Pacific Railroad. They . collected in front of the First National Bank. Mr. Searle tried to rsniinn with them, but they would not be appeased, and as he turned to enter the bank they seized him and one 'or two drew knives and threatened to kill him. Mayor Cowan and several citizens ln- .W i. . . " iuo in u i) waa dispersed. Sergeant B. S. Pague, of the United States signal office, leaves today for Salem in the interest of the bill for a state weather service. East Portland ritv r,nir.n nr- r- sler Introduced an ordinance amending irsncnus bo that steam motors can be used only on N street and horse and electrio power on other streets. A. J. Brownllo, of Major Handbnry'a ofHce, returned yesterday from rape Meares in company with Mr. Lea man. who has the contract for building the lighthouse, and Mr. Rogers. D. D. Oliphant returned yesterday ' S. I from an extended trip East. N Half a Century Ago FTom The Oregonian of January 82, J8M. Mr. Henderson, of Wells-Fargo &. Co.. informs us that navigation is nttll closed above The Dalles and is likelv to be so for some time. He learned from a man who came on foot from Umatilla that the river was frozen from Grande Ronds Landing to the mouth of the Deschutes. The subject of divorces has rerelveil a quietus in the Washington Terri torial Legislature. The committee to whom the first case of the present ses sion was referred returned it with thn recommendation that it do not pass and a memorial to Congress was passed almost unanimously, praying that th organic act be so amended as to for ever close the doors against such a question. There Is a famous resort for all Slwashes Just below the Garden Field Houso and nisht before last it was the scene of a bloody encounter between representatives of the Spokane ami Siletz tribes. Yesterday was the dullest, wettest day Portland has seen this year. Hon. Joseph Engle, of. Belpassl. Marion County, yesterday gave uo facts of a move to aid the sanitary fund. The citizens there contemplate cele brating the birthday of Washington under the auspices of their literary society and are making every .prepara -tlon for a grand festival. Mr. O'Conner, of the What Cheer Houso, has become proprietor of thren buildings on the levee opposite North rup & Co.'a and is erecting a third story on them. The Senator made her first trip to Oregon City yesterday. Gubernatorial Hop By Dean Collins. Old Political Ambition Has been roaming through the land: Old Political Ambition Has a needle in his hand; And it's Jab, Jab, Jab With a sly and subtle stab, Till the veins are full of dope And the brains are full of hope, And men look with eyes of love On the office of the Gov. Things are humming. More are coming. Bigger yet the list is summing Of the men who got the wish From the prodding of "Ambish," And who first could understand How the people's voice is blabbing. When they felt the gentle Jabbing Of Political Ambition, with the needle in his hand. Old Political Arctitlon . .j Many victims has already; Old Political Ambition Finds the list of victims steady. Do they run, run, run From his needle? Nary one. For they like the cheering drop Of the Gubernatorial hop. And he'll get a many more Ere this new campaign is o'er. They are standing in his way. There's a new one every day. Do they dodge from him? Not they: But they wheedle, wheedle, wheedle, "Aw, come on here with your needle:'' And the people's voice they hear Fairly bellow In the ear. So that they can understand. Just as soon as they are Jabbed. Just the instant they are stabbed By Political Ambition, with the needl in his hand. A Friendly Word. (Louisville Courier-Journal.) "I have no bad habits." said the young man. "I don't smoke or drink." "Then I hardly think you will be happy with my daughter," said the old man. "She does both." Investments in Under-vestments This Is the "between season" for a great many women in buying out er clothing, consequently it is a good time to turn the attention to replen ishing the stock of underclothing. You have only to read the adver tisements in The Oregonian to see what an infinite variety there is to suit each person's individual re quirements. Study the pictures and descrip tions furnished by the retailers in these columns and you can easily decide what styles suit you best. There are a great many trade marked brands of underwear that are backed both by the to tation of the manufacturer and of the mer chant who sells them in this city. Such a double guarantee makes you doubly sure of the quality and cor rectness of the garments. There is so much valuable infor mation furnished in The Orego nian's advertisements on this sub ject that if you read them carefully, you cannot go far wrong on qual ity, fit and style. Adv. - A 0