THE MORNING OirEGOXIAN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 19M.
PORTLAND. OREGON.
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rORTLAXD, THIRSDAY, JAN. 29. 1914.
MAKJNO A GREAT PORT.
Portland is inclined to think that it
is expending: great sums in improving
Its channel and in building docks, but
in. order to view our work in correct
proportion we must consider what
other porta are doing and what they
need to do in order to attain equality
with Portland in. channel depth and
with other ports in dock facilities.
London's supremacy as the world's
chief port has been threatened by the
inroads of Hamburg, Liverpool,
Southampton, Havre and other conti
nental ports on its commerce. The
Old port authority, the Thames Con
servancy Board, had power and re
sources too limited to accomplish
much. The- channel was shallow in
many places and the docks were pass
ing out of date as to depth, capacity
ana racmues. Parliament created a
new body named the Port of London
Authority, which has jurisdiction, over
about 100 miles of the course of the
Thames, embracing practically the
whole navigable channel, and which
has large borrowing power. The Au
thority has surveyed the whole river
from Teddington to the Nore and has
begun execution of plans involving ex
penditure of $70,000,000. These in
clude dredging the channel to a depth
of thirty feet at low water from the
Nore to the Albert Docks, twenty feet
thence to Greenland Dock, sixteen feet
to Thames Tunnel and fourteen feet to
London Bridge, a total distance of
forty-seven miles. This "work requires
removal of 22,000,000 cubic yards of
material in addition to the constantly
accumulating sil
There were under construction in
the year 1913 additions and improve
ments to the docks costing $18,750,
000. Docks are made necessary by
the tides, the range of Spring tides
being seventeen feet at Southend and
twenty-one and one-half feet at Lon
don Bridge, while that of neap tides
is thirteen feet at the former and sev
enteen feet at the latter place. At
London Dock the passages are " being
widened and deepened and a Jetty,
800 by 190 feet, is being constructed
and covered with a tw.-story shed. At
West India Dock two of the quay
walls are being widened and three
great sheds erected. At East India
Docks the entrance passages are be
ing widened and deepened, great sheds
erected and pumping plant Installed.
A new dock is being constructed at
the RoyalAIbert Docks, having sixty
four acres of water, two and one-half
miles of quay and an entrance lock
800 feet long and forty-five feet deep,
while another dock Is being enlarged.
A cold storage-house to hold 250,000
carcasses is being erected with transit
sheds and sorting floors at these
docks, while another cold storage
house for 78,000 carcasses is being
erected near Smithfleld Market. At
Tilbury the main dock is being ex
tended 1611 feet, transit sheds erected
and a reinforced concrete jetty con
structed. 1000 feet long.
The Thames does not compare with
the Columbia in natural advantages
and tributary productive country, but
Improvement begun by the Danes over
a thousand years ago has been con
tinued and has given London the
greatest commerce in the world. By
much smaller proportionate expendi
ture Portland can secure a broader,
deeper channel and equal dock facili
ties. We have the present and' poten
tial commerce to justify a much larg
er expenditure, if it were necessary.
When we consider our great oppor
tunities and compare them with Lon
don's and when we consider what Lon
don has achieved "with much less op
portunity, the sums we have spent and
are spending on jetties, dredging and
docks seem beggarly.
WHAT THE FCBI.TO SCHOOLS HAVE
DONE.
Often the best friends of the public
schools are their severest critics. Their
enemies are not silent either, and be
tween the wounds of friends and foes
it sometimes seems as if the little red
schoolhouse, with all it stands for,
were doomed to go under. That the
public schools can and ought to be
made better than they are few will be
bold enough to deny. That the system
ought to be destroyed is a thought
which no good American would tol
erate for a moment.
The rational plan is to make the
schools as good as possible in every
way, both by spending more money
upon them and by raising the quality
of the teaching force. With all their
faults the schools have accomplished
wonderful things for the American
people since the republic was founded.
In the last forty years they have ed
ucated 90,000,000 .boys and girls, ac
cording to figures given out by the
Federal commissioner of education. In
the same interval they have reduced
the general illiteracy of the country
from twenty-two to seven in the hun
dred. Among the negroes the schools have
done still better work. They have
reduced illiteracy from ninety-five in
the hundred to fifteen. Among the
foreign immigrants the percentage of
Illiteracy has gone down to twelve.
These statistics show conclusively
enough that the public schools are
genuine bulwarks of our liberties. For
liberty in a democracy like ours de
pends upon the general intelligence 'of
the people and in the modern world
there can be little effective intelligence
without the ability to read and write.
An illiterate person may in exception
al Instances attain to some success in
life and be, upon the whole, a worthy
citizen, but such Instances are so rare
that we may neglect them. As a rule
n illiterate person is defective both
in mind and morals.
It has always been the ambition of
the American people to give every
child an opportunity to acquire the
fundamentals of human knowledge.
They have sought to attain this jmr
pose through the common schools and
within the limits of human achieve
ment they have done what they set
out to do.
SOMK EARLY 1IGI RES.
The Oregonian will make no at
tempt now to interpret the 1914 regis
tration figures for Multnomah County,
since they are quite incomplete and
the results before the books close may
be much modified. But it is well
enough to show what the surface in
dications are and to suggest that
something or other ought to be done
by somebody or other if (1) the worn,
en are to display an appropriate in'
terest; (2) the Progressive party is to
survive; (3) the Republican party is
not to perish from the earth, and (4)
the Democrats are to abandon their
old habit of registering in large num
bers as Republicans.
The men are registering more nu
merously than the women nearly
four to one. Why -do not the women
register? Was the old-time conten
tion of the anti-suffragists that only
a Bmall part of the women, wanted the
ballot well founded?
The Republicans outnumber the
Democrats three to one; but in no
election ever held in Multnomah
County has such proportion been
maintained. Why do the Democrats
or some of them continue to be
ashamed of their own party?
The Progressive registration is one
In twenty or thereabouts. Where are
the brave patriots who once stood at
Armageddon?
MARTYRS OF THE "SYSTEM."
Tim Healey is a veteran of the
Spanish-American War and a special
officer of the law. Three months ago
ho was married. All his life he has
been a good citizen, a faithful friend
and a deserving worker. Now he is
dying at St. Vincent's Hospital, with
his weeping bride at his side, and a
shocked community stirred by his un
timely fate. He was. shot by a vaga
bond in the performance of a police
man's duty.
The man who shot him, one Louis
Stros, was himself shot by Healey,
who discovered him prowling about
Portland Heights with a companion.
When Healey. in the pursuance of his
duty, demanded that the strangers
give an accounting to him, pistols were
drawn, and two men are near death
as a result.
Now there is an appeal for Stros
and, impliedly, against Healey and the
law, because Stros was one of the un
employed. Stros was in the "army"
that marched upon Salem. Then he
came to Portland and Joined a fellow
vagrant in a scheme of burglary.
"What kind of a country la this," he
is reported as saying, "where a man
can neither eat, sleep nor be sheltered,
and where a man is forced to commit
burglary to keep body and soul to
gether?" It is not such a country. It is des
picable and detestable that there are
Individuals and newspapers that
clamor loudly and continuously that
it is. They blame the "system" indis
criminately for both the sins and mis
fortunes of individuals.
Stros was a loafer and an idler,
Jailed many times for vagrancy. Un
doubtedly he would not work. But
he had a pistol and he attempted burg
lary and when thwarted he promptly
committed murder.
Who shall be held accountable for
crime 'but the criminal? Who is to
blame for sin but the sinner? Yet we
have fallen on times when society and
civilization are Indicted for the mis
deeds of individuals and men who toil
and save, and obey the laws, moral
and civil, are held to be in a gigantic
conspiracy against men. who will not
work.
Poor Healey! Poor Mrs. Healey!
ANOTHER "SO" ELECTION.
Before good money is expended in
initiating bills and amendments for
governmental novelties the proponents
may find it profitable to glance over
the prospective direct legislation bal
lot, hark to the noise of the campaign
for office already beginning and recall
what has happened in the past to
overloaded ballots.
The initiative ballot has a fair start
with ten state-wide measures submit
ted to the voters by the Legislature.
Definite work by the direct route has
commenced on six more, a list of
which was published in the news
columns of The Oregonian Tuesday.
Not mentioned therein as probabilities
or possibilities are three measures
from the anti-saloon element a pro
hibition amendment, a prohibition
statute and a repeal of the home rule
amendment; Mr. Bourne's bill to pro
hibit paid petition circulating and two
or three others of similar import; an
amendment to abolish the State Sen
ate,' and a measure to do something
or other to water-front titles in, Port
land. The list thus already gives promise
of exceeding twenty-five in number,
notwithstanding the fact that the gen
eral election ballot has by special elec
tion been cleared of five referendums.
A United States Senator, a Governor,
a Representative in each Congres
sional district, members of the Legis
lature. Justice of the Supreme Court,
several state officers and a large num.
ber of county officers are to be elected.
There will be much to think about
aside from lawmaking.
It has been very plainly demonstrat
ed that a long ballot means a general
ly negative vote on initiated and ref
erended measures. Legislation really
desirable is often defeated when the
public is annoyed by the noisy clamor
of a hobby-wedded minority, while
freak bills thus advertised have scant
prospect of enactment. What is the
use? How many rebukes must the
people give to pernicious law tinkering
before it is ended?
STANDING PAT FOB PINDELL.
The Senate has-decided that if
Henry M. Pindell is the kind of man
President Wilson wishes to send to
Russia as his representative he is wel
come to that kind of a man and the
Senate will not interfere with his
wishes. That is the position taken by
the committee on foreign relations in
recommending and by the Senate in
granting, confirmation.
The Senate cannot thus evade Its
share of the responsibility. The Sen
ate is required by the Constitution
not only to consent to but to advise
upon appointments. It advises and
consents to the appointment of Mr.
Pindell with full knowledge of all the
facts showing his unfitness. The com
mittee's inquiry showed these facts
to be more damaging than those
which have been published and they
prompted Chairman Bacon to criticise
the nomination. Mr. Pindell admitted
to members of the committee that he
did not expect to remain long in the
diplomatic service, thus corroborating
the impression created by Senator
Lewis' letter that Ills annaintmeat, is
designed only to give him a year's
travel in Kurope with all the per
quisites and prestige of an Ambassa
dor. That letter wafts said by Mr. Pin
dell to be even more remarkable than
the one which was published and
which Mr. Lewis denounced as a
forgery.
Letters written by Mr. Pindell to
Representative Stone, of his district.
concerning appointment of postmas
ters were also condemned, Mr. Burton
saying they undoubtedly suggested a
plan to use postmasters In promoting
business for Mr. Pindell's newspaper.
Mr. Wilson cannot escape an iota of
responsibility, for he had seen these
letters before he sent the nomination
to the Senate.
The President's persistence in the
face of the revelations which have
been made Is in line with his disposi
tion to "bull things through," once he
is committed to action. He displayed
this disposition in accepting Mr. Mc
Nab's resignation and in retaining Mr.
McReynolds and William B. Wilson In
his Cabinet and Mr. Caminetti at the
head of the immigration bureau. He
is a new kind of standpatter and the
fact is not to his credit.
POOLING THE READER.
The "Confessions of a Successful
Man," which the Saturday Evening
Post has been publishing in install
ments, came to something of a climax
In last week's number. Giving him
self the fairly appropriate title of a
"Goldfish," the "successful man" pro.
ceeds to describe the education, he re
ceived in his boyhood and to point out
how it might have been improved
upon. The incautious reader must not
imagine that this individual was suc
cessful in anything but money-making.
He married a wife long years ago, but
she never has been a helpmeet to
him. Her part in his life has been
to bear three children and spend large
sums of his money. Beyond her ca
pacity for those duties he knows noth
ing about her. His children, two girls
and a boy, are even, more strange to
him than his wife. Occasionally he
meets the latter at home and even
stops to speak to her, but the children,
who are now grown, only come home
to sleep and not always for that. They
are lost, as far as their father is
concerned, in the whirlpool of society.
It is doubtful if he would readily rec
ognize them on the street.
They are educated, polished, efficient
for their parts in the world, but one
does not discern much humanity
amongst them. The son is a successful
lawyer like his father. He has a desk
In a prosperous firm's offices and
manages to make a good deal of
money first and last. Just how he
does it his father cannot explain, but
the dollars are concrete evidence of
the young fellow's ability. The father,
who purports to write the articles for
the Post, makes about $50,000 a year
by his law practice. From what he
tells of his knowledge and general ca
pacity it is -difficult to believe that he
could make fifty cents without friends
to help him. But he comes of good
family and has hereditary friends who
give him business, so that fees accumu
late. The practice of stfch a lawyer
in New York consists of drawing up
papers, arranging transfers and so on.
It requires no oratory, very few ar
guments in court and scarcely any
publicity. It is purely machine work,
so that after all even a man as in
competent as our author depicts him
self might manage to do it fairly well.
His principal complaint is against
the education he received, which, he
believes, is far less satisfactory than
his father's was in the good old days
of plain living and high thinking. He
says, I was an imitation educated
man, but though spurious I was a suf
ficiently good counterfeit to pass cur
rent for what" he pretended to be.
Apart from a little Latin and some
considerable training in English com
position he confesses that "he had no
culture at all." He went to college
with his head empty and came away
with it full of conceit. He got "the
semblance, but not the substance of
education." He learned to talk pre
tentiously about dozens of great writ
ers and famous captains, but really
knew nothing about any , of them.
When Bergson came over to New York
to lecture, our author could not listen
to him intelligently because he "had
not the rudiments of knowledge nec
essary to understand what it was all
about." In history his case was worse
still, if that be possible. Of this
branch he says that neither he nor any
of his fashionable associates knows
anything whatever. "I pass socially,"
he assures us, "as an exceptionally
cultured man, one who is well up on"
such matters as history and biog
raphy, "yet I confess to knowing today
absolutely nothing of history either
ancient, mediaeval or modern."
This is tl-o kind of education he and
his chums- received at college. It not
only lef them densely ignorant, but
it destroyed their capacity to learn
anything in later years. They all pos
sess the faculty of talking as if they
knew a great deal, but their heads are
quite empty. His set is ignorant of
the common facts of life. Though he
is a lawyer, he does not know the
names of all the Supreme Court
judges and only remembers who one
of -the New York Congressmen is.
About such subjects as good govern
ment, Tammany Hall and reform they
never trouble their heads. Why
should they? For them the world is
all cakes and ale. No matter how the
city is governed, our author's valet will
come into his room precisely at 9 in
the morning, light the fire and tell
him his bath is ready. His elegant
breakfast will be served and the day
will pass as luxuriously as heart could
desire. He and his friends are the
chosen of the earth. They have no
hum.an worries. Money smooths every
thing for them. They have no learn
ing, no patriotism, no family affection.
They live through the luxurious rou
tine of their days for their own pleas
ure and nothing else. Even this pleas
ure lapses finally into a stupid same
ness and ceases to satisfy.
The articles of this diverting series
are all brightly written. The one
which describes the "Goldfish's" edu
cation is particularly meritorious from
a literary point of view. The author
describes himself as a perfect fool and
does it with consummate skill. He
proves himself utterly ignorant of his
tory by displaying an incredible wealth
of historical knowledge. He demon
strates his incompetence in every
day affairs by v telling how suc
cessfully he has mastered them. To
convince the reader that his education
was worthless he explains that he has
made a fortune practicing law and
puts the narrative into English so
clear and pungent that we are
charmed from beginning to the end.
Some inconsistencies are permitted to
every writer, but there are a few too
many in this case. The author chose
his fool injudiciously. While pretend,
ing to fix the honor upon himself, he
really confers it upon the reader, who
la expected to belleva this mass of im
probabilities, it would have been
more polite to the public to adopt
some other device.
The Interstate Commerce Commis
sion is apparently preparing the way
for that advance in freight rates by
showing some of the railroads how
they can Increase their revenue with
out outside help. It is just as well
that the ground be cleared of syndi
cate operations like those of the
Frisco officials and of excessive allow
ances to industrial railroads before
the main question is touched. We need
to get down to bottom facts on not
merely what the earnings are, but
what they should be at present rates
under economical and impartial man
agement. An Eastern contemporary well says
that better rural schools must precede
any real movement back to the land.
Country homes are often broken up
to give the children an education in
town. It is possible to have model
schools in rural communities, but only
by combining the resources of several
districts for each school. This obliges
some of the children to g a long dis
tance daily and requires some sort of
transportation. thus we land once
more in the good roads problem,
which is basic everywhere.
We fear the Montana rancher who
has plighted his troth to Miss Virtue,
the suffragette, will have to wait a
long time for his wife. They are to be
marnea as soon as English women
ret the rleht to te an pvont rf
which the immediate future holds out
no promise, Miss Virtue is at present
pining in a aungeon deep ana damp
for refusing to move on when a Lon
don policeman so ordered. We Sup
nose hp.r invor rtnlH let rwnef AT-Ino- Vtta
r - " - - ---r ill u.' VVI .11), 111-J
gallant cowboys to rescue her. Here's
wisuiug mm 1UCK.
A newspaper publisher yesterday
testified before a Congressional com
mittee that the Canadian government
paid him $42,000 a year for publishing
"dope" to allure Americans across the
border. That is a high price to pay
ror much of the immigration. On the
other hand, this country gets the
brightest and best young men and
women of Canada for the mere price
of a welcome and opportunity to pros
per. After what the Senate committee
learned of dictatorial rule during the
West Virginia coal strike, it Is as well
that there should be inquiry into mar
tial law In Michigan and Colorado. We
need to guard against drifting Into ab.
solutlsm under the guise of public ne
cessity, for a dictator always makes
that the excuse for perpetuating his
rule. It is but a step from public ne
cessity to divine right. .
If three Bull Moose out of the local
party numbering sixteen are seeking
office, that is a fair average 18 per
cent. But such figures are not re
liable. The great body of Progressives
is overwhelmed with modesty after
their leader. P. S. A long way after.
It is erroneous to suggest that boss
ism ruled at the Progressive nominat
ing convention. Since the total at
tendance was but- sixteen, the worst
charge that might arise must neces
sarily be that of straw-bosslsm.
The New York grafters kept a book
to record distributions of pie. They
may also have a card index of high
way and canal contractors who con
tributed graft, for they are business
like grafters.
It now appears likely that the Ad
ministration will lift t'.e embargo on
arms for the benefit of Mexican reb
els. Which is a most effective way
of storing up future trouble for our
selves. In estimating the height of women
at the San Francisco registration
booths, hats, hair and heels will count.
In many cases a division by two would
be necessary to arrive at the real
height. .
There are three things due the end
of the world, free locks at Oregon City
and a new postofflce building at Port
land. It is devoutly to be hoped the
other two beat the first.
The Japanese are said to be fur
nishing Huerta "with arms. But those
little .25 caliber Japanese army guns
would hardly Inconvenience a coarse
grained Mexican rebel.
Election petitions may no longer be
circulated in corridors of the Court
house. It will now be possible to com
plete a brief business visit there in
one day.
General Kuropatkln has challenged
a newspaper writer td fight a duel.
The offending editor must have re
ferred to that "I regret to reportsky"
episode.
In celebrating his sixty-fifth birth
day Samuel Gompers is subject of con
gratulation for the good work he has
done in the past generation.
In the interest of an early Spring,
Mr. Beals is asked to continue the bad
weather until Tuesday at least. This
is a ground-hog' case.
The growth of graft Is Insidious
and the City Council very properly de
clines to pay for telephones in the
homes of employes.
The President of Haiti is now a fu
gitive. Thought the Wilson policy in
Mexico was going to put a stop to
that sort of thing.
Rhode Island, about as small as
states are made, is facing a deficit
that would hardly feaze an Oregon
county.
Jerusalem will have trolley cars and
electrio lights. . For a young city Je
rusalem certainly has a progressive
Bpirit.
A Japanese farmer sent Secretary
Bryan a radish. Recently, also, a
Jap in Tokio cabled him a lemon.
It's a rare Winter day now In Port
land -when we don't get a peep at the
sun.
The policeman who shirks in the
face of danger should lose his star.
The Pope pronounces the tango
dull. That's the surest way to kill It.
Anna Held does not mind the taint
on the money.
Picked out your 1914 oar at the
Armory jatZ
LIBRARY FLOOR PLAN CRITICISED
Patron Finds Inadequate Room In Moat
Frequented Department.
PORTLAND, Jan. 27. (To the Edi
tor.) Although we have in Portland a
better building for our Public Library
than any other Pacific Coast city, I be
lieve that local citizens would approve
vigorously any effort to overcome the
present inadequacy of the circulation
room.
This department should have been
Improved when abandoning the old
building, but if any change has oc
curred, it has been for the worse. The
visitor on entering jostles between two
counters or desks, around which are
crowded people who are ready to leave.
The same door is made to serve for en
trance and exit,' The two counters most
used are both close to this door caus
ing congestion and confusion. The en
tire room is too small. In small towns
the library starts as a circulation room.
That remains, and should remain, the
main feature. Other departments are
added as needed. In our new building
other departments, useful as they are,
seem to have been given all the room.
A cubic half block of air space, from the
second floor up, contains a card cata
logue and Information desk nothing
more. The circulation room the most
actively and constantly patronized de
partment of the institution, is ill-arranged,
is crammed and Jammed, and
considered as the chief literary clearing-house
or exchange of this city, it
is ridiculously small. I have noted many
instances where certain books are spe
cifically called for. they are brought in
from the stack-room, not appearing on
the shelves at all, probably for lack of
shelf space; all this in a public library
building of four stories and occupying
a full block.
Daylight enters this crieulation-room
through windows In the south wall, and
falls on the books against the north
wall. The south wall section is nat
urally the darkest portion of the room,
so against this wall have been placed
the books containing plays, literature,
poetry and fiction. These must be sought
in gloom and shadow, while the north
wall brightly displays all those marveli
ous biographies that no one reads for
eign politics, books on exploration and
discovery, etc., mostly published in 1840
or prior thereto.- If I exaggerate re
garding the north wall, the fact still
remains that only one person makes
use of that side of the room to every
six or more people who must crowd and
jostle about the dark south wall.
, I do not wish this to be construed as
an attack on the corps of librarians or
attendants. I have found them courte
ous, efficient and willing: to please.
H. C. SChAPPERT,
749 Water street.
UNIVERSITY EQUIPPED FOR WORK
Not Expensive to Maintain. Engineering;
Course, Says Writer.
EUGENE, Or., Jan. 27 (To the Edi
tor.) A recent article in your paper
signed "Granger" gives a wrong im
pression and an unjust criticism of the
Board of Higher Curricula in regard to
engineering courses at the State Uni
versity. They have done what is prob
ably best for the general good of the
state. Oregon has been gaining a bad
reputation all over the United States on
account of her treatment of the Uni
versity. What must Intelligent people
think when they read the articles about
the enormous waste and unheard-of ex
travagance, such vast sums spent in
duplication of courses?
The fact is. Oregon educates her stu
dents at about the lowest cost per cap
ita of any institution of its class east
or west. Other states give liberally
and say little about the expense. We
give very little, and talk of the com
paratively small sums as if it were a
most heartbreaking affair to give any
thing that could possibly be withheld.
If the university had no equipment
there might be more reason to talk, but
the state has spent large sums of
money for buildings and experiments
and has turned out from the university
some of the best engineers in the
Northwest. To keep some branches go
ing is not expensive, and it will be an
advertisement for Oregon worth many
times its cost, while removing these
courses will cause widespread un
friendly criticism which will injure the
state.
We fear "Granger" is sailing under
false colors, in preaching economy and
closing his article with a veiled threat
of moving the university to Corvallis.
That would be very expensive. It
would cause the state much loss, would
greatly Increase expense: it would in
jure both institutions and give the
state nation-wide notoriety of a very
unfavorable character. The action an
nounced by the Board would incur so
little expense that it would not be a
matter of dollars and cents to most
taxpayers. It would be a matter of only
a few cents each year. Public spirit has
built California and Washington ahead
of Oregon. Littleness and penurious-
ness on the part of Oregon's citizens
alone could keep her in the lower
ranks.
Any citizen of Oregon who would do
anything to impair the usefulness of
either of our state institutions Is sadly
lacking in public spirit. Let us stop
unjust criticism, look over some acts
and faults, as we see them, of our
officials and all Join hands in the up
building of Oregon and she can take
her place in the sisterhood of the
states, fairest and most desirable of all.
JONATHAN JOHNSON.
CHARGE WOULD IMPAIR SYSTEM
Mr. "White Opposes Removal of Postal
Bank Limitations.
PORTLAND. Jan. 27. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Oregonian I find the
following: "The removal of all maxi
mum limitations on amounts of postal
savings deposits"; "establishment of
checking account privileges."
The advocates of the Postal Savings
Bank wished the system adopted for
the purpose of affording a depository
where the poorer classes could place
their savings and have absolute secur
ity (1. e., as safe as the foundation of
the Government) and not be at the
mercy of the unscrupulous.
To the best of my knowledge there
was no Idea of the Government going
into a general banking business. I
admit there should be facilities for the
depositor to get his money without a
lot of "red tape," but I believe the
checking proposal is both unwise and
unnecessary, if for no other reason
than that many accounts would be
liable to withdrawal, being so easy;
and the further fact that many small
accounts now transacted In legitimate
banking institutions might be trans
ferred and thereby cause friction.
The maximum might be raised
somewhat, yet If the depositor can ob
tain interest-bearing bonds of small
denominations I fail to see any advan
tage In a change. The class most in
terested have a good thing estab
lished and it would be wisdom to leave
things alone.
I am not a banker, nor depositor in
the Postal Bank, only one of the earlier
advocates of a system that was pre
dieted to "wreck" the banking indus
try, therefore am somewhat familiar
with this subject. E. C. WHITE.
535 Savier street.
Irishman Keeps .His Job.
Lippincott's, Philadelphia.
One of the bosses at Baldwin's loco
motive works had to lay off an argu
mentative Irishman named Pat, so he
saved discussion by putting the dis
charge In writing. The next day Pat
was missing, but a week later the boss
was passing through the shop and he
saw him again at his lathe. Going up
to the Irishman he demanded fiercely:
"Didn't you get my letter?'
"Yis. sur. Ol did." said Pat.
"Did you read it?"
"Sure, sur. Oi read it inside and Ol
read It outBide," said Pat, "and on the
inside yea asid I was fired, and on the
outside yes said, 'Return to Baldwin's
LooomoUna Works in Ave dayat
DREDGIXG FOR BIGGER PORTLAND
Destiny of Colombia Basin's Fort Calls
for" 40-Foot Channel.
PORTLAND, Jan. 27. (To the Edi
tor.) Occasionally, some without due
consideration, claim that Portland's
270.000 population is top-heavy in pro
portion to Oregon's 750.000 people over
one-third the state, they say. But such
is not the way to look at it. Thoy
forget that Portland is on a line be
tween Oregon and Washington of
2,000,000, and is more or less a natural
city for both states.
They also overlook that Portland
commercially Is the natural city for
the great Columbia River basin, com
prising three-f mn-tH rt fw,.,r,.,. . ....
quarters of Washington, the whole of
Idaho, and parts of Wyoming, Nevada
and Western Montana and a large por
tion of British Columbia all drained
down to this city by cheap river transit-ways,
and with down-grade hauls
for railroads and other forms of land
transportation, which basin drain has
now a total of nearly 2,500,000 people.
In addition, Portland is somewhat at
present, and prospectively, a great
competitor for immense additional
territory in portions of Alberta, Sas
katchewan and Manitoba, in a down-
tO-the-Sea OUtlet for tholr- (romance
shipments of wheat and lumber and
utner products, wnere they now have
over 1,000.000 more of population.
Besides. Portland Is Tinw no .......
destined to be, a Pacific seaport for
impuris ana exports or our whole
country, ' east and west. Who would
think of calllnor N'pw "Vn-i- rittr v. ..
Atlantic topheavy, because it has over
nan or trie population of New York
State?
Portland is small, compared with de
mand for a erftt oitv en t ii a ri.i,ni.u
outlet to the Pacific Ooean on the
completion of the Panama Canal and
the final Improvement of our great
river mouth. The Columbia's natural
channel has now only about a half
mue or car, 28 feet low water three
feet of which wsq t-ohkm-.wI tiiio i c
Summer with f hi. uttiA r - v. .-, ir
dredge. Years ago, and before the
soutn jetty, wnen mere were two chan
nels. Captain Flavel used to hitch on
to (1 n f af hln tiioo a Vi o ,,- .1 ,11
- - n -. " i o.ju Afi
It over bumps in the bar and let the
uuneiit scour out to advantage even
then. Captain Gorringe, in Villard
daVS. Raid WA ntlP-ht in IrnAn a
at work there constantly. We should
now get a leviathan dredge and not
wait for more Jetties.
Portland's t' r tti m prpn . 1 . m m n j m-1. . i
depth. Our foreign Imports and ex
ports ougm now to be eight times
uiih.l oi rugei souna, ratner than the
reverse at present.
Dred-A out th hap tn 4n f Aoi
keep it dredged. The interests of our
whole country demand it. Then."keep
your eye on Portland."
M. C. GEORGE.
LOCAL ASSESSMENTS FOR ROADS
Mr. Odell Offers Plan for Statewide
Highway Improvement.
PORTLAND, Jan. 28. (To the Edi
tor.) To the coming of the automobile
and the motorcycle is due the awaken
ing and Increasing outcry for "good
roads." Automobile owners, tourists,
pleasure seekers and joyriders, all see
the need of good roads. This increasing
class has grown to be a very large per
cent of the .traveling public, hence the
outcry commands serious consideration
with prompt action.
Much of the road work in the past
has been misapplied without system,
to little profit, beyond temporary ne
cessities. The day for neighborhood road work
ing, even under direction of college ex
perts, with "split-log drags" has passed
and the demand calls for scientific en
gineering, going back 2000 and 3000
yearn to the builders of the "Appian
Way," made possible under despotic
power witn an army or slaves.
In this age, however, no less skill
and scientific engineering are de
manded, but a better adjustment of
the rights of citizenship, equitably ad
ministered. Utopian dreams and cen
tralized commissions should be avoided,
lest large sums expended on scenic
highways, tourists routes and roads to
pleasure resorts for Joyriders, instead
of embracing all the roads needed in
the entire state. Including outlying.dis
tricts as well as prominent thorough
fares. To this end let each county in the
state be divided into districts of suit
able size under carefully guarded and
wise legislation by which the real es
tate owners in each district shall n
authorized to designate the sections or
roaas to be improved, together with
such other discretionary powers as
may be deemed reasonable and lust-
let all work be by contract, carefully
supervised Dy competent engineers;
when the work is accented Davment to
be made by the adjacent land owners
in the same maner as Is usualy pro
vided for payments for Improvements
or streets in our cities under careful
bond restrictions.
This plan, fully worked out and
properly guarded, would place the cost
of the Improvements upon the adjacent
lands, which would be enhanced in
value, thereby compensating the own
ers It would embrace every nook and
corner of the state, and the opportun
ities for graft and favoritism would be
minimized.
Under this plan road building would
be modified by local conditions and
adjusted to meet the demands for serv
ice. Scenic highways and extended
thoroughfares or boulevards would re
ceive greater care and more extended
improvements; and the adjacent real
estate be proportionately enhanced in
value; so that the burden of cost would
be adjusted to the benefits received.
If this plan has merit it needs no
boosting arguments In support, if not
the less said the better.
W. H. ODELL,
What Mr. Fording: Proposed.
PORTLAND, Jan. 28. (To the Edi
tor.) I beg to correct a mistake ap
pearing in Tne Oregonian, to the effect
that I want jd Republican clubs to in
dorse certain candidates. I suggested
no such scheme. What I did suggest
was that we take steps to secure a test
vote of Republicans on the many can
didates for Governor of Oregon, giving
to each voter a first, second and third
choice, and to do this before the pri
mary so that we need not vote for men
who in fact have no show of nomina
tion. No suggestion was made to form
clubs in the Interest of any candidate
or to bind the club to support any can
didate or even request the support of
any candidate. Because we can have
but one .guess on primary day we
thought it a sane method to throw some
light on the real sentiment of "voters.
It Is true that some protested against
any move that might throw light on
the chances of candidates for nomina
tion and held it to be a violation of law
to in any manner interfere with the
sacredr right to keep the voters de
ceived and divided. Some -of the latter
class insinuated that any practical work
to throw light upon the voter which
would make it possible to avoid Wasting
his vote on a friend would be assailed
by the enemy as an indorsement of the
club. Such claim did not seem to de
mand any denial and I protest against
the accusation that I even hinted at
club indorsement. T. J. FORDING.
Little Hint in Bill Revision.
London Sketch.
Luncher Look here, waiter, I'm very
sorry, but I've only Just sufficient
money with me to pay the bill, and
nothing left for a tip for you.
Walter (confidently) Would you
mind just letting me 'ava another look
at the bill, sir?
Brief Fashion Note.
Boston Transcript.
Mr. Snapp Well, all the fools are not
dead yet.
Mrs. Snapp I'm glad of it, I. never
filsX look, welLJn MaoJs,
Twenty-five Years Ago
Prom The Oregonian of January 29, 1SS0.
Salem, Jan. 28. Simon, of Multno
mah, and Tongue, of Washington, had
a tilt on the Portland water bill in
the Senate this afternoon.
Tacoma, Jan. 28. M. C. Sullivan, of
Portland, with a force of men em
ployed as guards at the coal mines
near Seattle, arrived today and says
work has been resumed.
Seattle, Jan. 28 William Walker to
day sold to J. J. O'Connor, of Elmira,
N. Y., a lot on Front street, between
Marion and Columbia, for $30,000.
Washington, Jan 29. McComas. of
Maryland, offered an amendment in
the House to the sundry civil bill ap-
propriating J50.000 for the education
of children in Alaska. He said Con
gress had been negligent in its treat
ment of Alaska.
Constable Aleck Keegan has been
indisposed for several days with a cold.
Simon Harris returned yesterday
from the East and California,
A band of Journalists, composed of
N. J. Levinson, Will H. Parry and
Martin Kgan, took flight for the Sound
last night. The majority of their con
freres here live in hopes of going to
the Sound when they die.
There were 578 round-trip tickets
sold on the Portland & Vancouver Rail
way last Sunday, which was 78 more
than ever sold before on one day.
Dr. E. A. Jones will supply his two
new cottages on the motor line, south
east of Lone Fir. by means of a wind
mill and an elevated tank.
R. L. Polk & Co., publishers of the
Portland city directory, estimate the
population at about 48,000.
In about 10 days the remaining
clerks of the Southern Pacific con
nected with the auditing and treasury
departments will go below. They In
clude F. O. Heints, auditor of freight
and ticket accounts; J. L. Wickersham.
bookkeeper, and Max Crandall.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of Jan. 29, 1S64.
Our dispatches this morning speak
of a movement in Congress for the
erection of a new territory out of por
tions of Idaho and Utah, to be called
Montana. This is the name that was
to have been given to Idaho.
Adjutant W. P. Kapus and Lieuten
ant Halloran. of the First Washing
ton Territory Infantry, have tendered
their resignations.
Washington, Jan. 18 The House
committee on territories will eoon re
port bills authorizing state govern
ments in Colorado and Nebraska. The
new constitution of Nevada will be
adopted by Congress.
The citizens of Oregon City are to
give a festival tomorrow evening in
aid of the sanitary commission. The
Mechanics' Band and Captain Thayer,
of the steamer Fair Play, have volun
teered their services.
The Adelaide, formerly used at the
foot of Salmon street, has been brought
into use at the Stark-street ferry, run
ning in connection with the Pony.
If any one doubts that business is
picking up in Portland. let them take
a walk along the wharves from Tay
lor street to the steamship landing.
CRUST WILL CO.VSERVU MOISTlltK.
Farmer Advocates Protection AjraiuM
Wind in Dry Climate.
GRANGEV1LLK, . Cal.. Jan. 27. (To
the Editor.) When the tests were
made at the Agricultural College at
Corvallis to determine which method
of cultivation will conserve the moist
ure best I believe one condition was
not taken into account, though it will
hold moisture better even than the
fine dust covering.
I lo not know if those tests were
made in the open air. They should
have been. Every farmer knows that
wind will dry the soil more than any
amount of heat. It follows that the
condition which will safeguard against
wind will do best service.
The condition is this: The soil Is
prepared the same as in the test that
won out at the college. A packed soil
with a light covering of very fine dust,
then sprinkle just enough water over
the surface to make a thin shell crust,
the thinner the better Just so that the
surface Is sealed. This will prevent
the wind sucking the moisture out
while it does not interfere with the ef
ficacy of the fine surface.
The purpose of the fine surface Is
to prevent moisture coming to the
surface and escaping. This Is good,
but sealing the surface will prevent
suction by wind. Let nature have her
way when she seals the ground all
Winter to hold the moisture, but when
it is necessary to break it for seed
ing let it be closed as soon as possible
by a covering of fine, even surface.
Then should it rain Just enough to
form a thin crust the thickness of a
blade let it not be broken by any tool
whatever.
One can try thi3 out In a garden by
means of a sprinkler.
URIAL GROAT.
Position Is Sound.
VADER, Wash., Jan. 27. (To the
Editor.) My attention was lately
drawn to your timely indorsement of
the sentiments of Granger, whose arti
cle appeared in The Oregonian Janu
ary 20. and I have read your editorial
with much interest.
As one who has been fortunate
enough to receive some of the benefits
of attendance at one of the higher in
stitutions of learning in the good old
state of Oregon, permit me to commend
your attitude as to the most practical
arrangement of the curricula at the
two principal seats of education In your
state. Your position Is well taken and
worthy of the doepest consideration by
those in authority to regulate such
matters.- W. R. D1LLET.
All the Comforts
Of Home."
This is an old and familiar phrase
that suggests many genial and com
fortable thoughts to one's mind. It
was a happy expression years ago
and always will be one, It is hoped.
The comforts of home, however,
have multiplied many, many times
in recent years.
When one considers and compares
the bare household necessaries of
fifty years ago with those of today
the advancement is recognized aa
most marvelous.
Any one who is at all familiar
with the home equipment of a gen
eration or two ago knows well what
remarkable strides have been made.
There Isn't a department of the
home that hasn't benefited by the
inventive genius and skill of an ad
vanced civilization.
Are you right up to the times in
all of improvements?
If not, there is no better way than
to turn to the advertising pages of
The Oregonian, wherein is set forth
dally, interesting Information of
every possible description all point
ing to and describing the things
that go to make the home modern
and comfortable. Adv.
i