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withdrawn deputy marshals and dep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