8
THE -3IORXISG OREGOXIAX, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY o, 1914.
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POKILAVD, THURSDAY. FEB. 5, 191.
WISE RCXIGS
The. suits instituted to prevent the
carrying- out of the results of local
option elections held in Oregon last
November presented several angles, all
of which were outside the real intent
of the local option law. That intent
is. of course, to permit the voters of
each community to decide for them
selves whether the sale of intoxicat
ing liquor shall be licensed or not. In
the several cities a dry period was
voted by the majority, but procedure
was attacked on the score that the
local option elections were not held
on the day of a regular city election
and on the further score that signers
of the local option petitions were not
legally registered voters. In Salem,
where the legality of a local option
election was questioned, a charter
amendment had subsequently been
dopted prohibiting the sale of liquor.
The validity of this amendment was
elso questioned.
The Supreme Court in upholding the
elections has followed its admirable
tendency, evinced, particularly in late
years, to subordinate technical forms
to main issues. It was only by con
structive technical analysis not plain
to the electors who enacted the local
option law by direct vote that it could
be held that local option elections in
cities could be held only on the day
of a regular city election. The plain
purpose of the particular section in
volved In this angle of the controversy
was to set a time for local option elec
tions when judges and clerks of elec
tions were performing other election
services. The local option elections
attacked were held on the day of a
state-wide referendum election. They
required no special employment of
judges and clerks. There was every
opportunity for a free expression of
the will of the people. If under such
circumstances a date-fixing detail in
cident to election of city officers
should controvert the expressed desire
of the people, Oregon would be un
fortunately short of possessing popu
lar government
The local option law requires that
petitions for local option elections
shall be signed by registered voters.
At the time these elections were In
stituted a new registration law was
accepted as being operative. This
law cancelled all prior registrations.
Had any voters demanded registra
tion in accordance with the provisions
of the old law they would have been
denied their request. Later the Su
preme Court held the new registration
law unconstitutional. In actual prac
tice, therefore, it was impossible for
any voter to be registered at the time
the local option petitions were cir
culated. Yet the voters who had reg
istered under the new law had plainly
demonstrated their status as legal
voters. The purpose of registration
is to establish that status. The pur
pose of the local option law in con
fining signatures to those of regis
tered voters is solely to insure that
the petitions shall be signed by legal
voters. It is unreasonable to suppose
that the Legislature, by some inad
vertence or undue , assumption of
power in respect to a collateral sub
ject of legislation can wholly suspend
the operation of so important a statute
as the local option law.
But perhaps the most interesting
point in the decision is the ruling that
cities are not confined to local option
procedure in enacting prohibition.
The initiative is reserved to the voters
of municipalities by the constitution.
City voters may therefore enact prohi
bition by ordinance or charter amend
ment; and ordinances and charter
amendments are subject to adoption
at regular or special elections. Thus
the ruling points out to prohibitionists
a new weapon which they may find it
expedient to contemplate before seek
ing repeal of the home-rule amend
ment. They are proposing to Initiate
both prohibition and repeal of the
home-rule amendment in November.
It is possible that the one may be de
feated and the other adopted. There
are some advantages from their stand
point in the home-rule amendment
that are not to be despised.
EFFECT OF TARIFF OX" MEAT PRICES.
In the opinion of H. A. Jastro, pres
ident of the National Livestock Asso
ciation, the American people need ex
pect no decrease in the price of meat
as a result of its being placed on the
free list. This Is still an exporting
country, notwithstanding the great di
minution in our domestic meat supply,
.and as our consumption approaches
our production, the creation of an
open market will simply throw us into
competition with other consuming
countries for the supply from those
countries which have a surplus for ex
port. This will advance prices in the
surplus countries so much that, in his
opinion, it will not be profitable to
ship to the United States. He esti
mates that our imports in 1914 will
not exceed 2 per cent of our consump
tion and predicts that any decrease in
price will not reach the consumer, but
will be absorbed by the packer and
Importer. The only good effect of
free meat, he predicts, will be to pre
vent violent fluctuations in price by
steadying the market. The plain fact
1s that the population of meat-eating
countries increases faster than the
meat supply.
Instead of looking to foreign coun
tries to make up our deficiencies in
meat supply, we must increase our
own production, which Mr. Jastro be
lieves can be doubled by remunera
tive and steady prices. To this end,
he favors lease or sale of the semi
arid land. He also looks to irrigation
for a vast volume of forage to enable
'the West to raise more live stock.
It may be impossible to reduce the
price of meat permanently by increas
ing the supply, but the price may be
prevented from advancing further by
maintaining the eupply at the present
ratio to population. That will require
an annual increase equal to the in
crease in population. Livestock of all
kinds can be raised to a larger extent
on the farms, and the immense waste
duo to disease can be stopped. Mexico
may become a source of larger supply
when it rests from revolution. Venez
uela and Brazil may become cattle
growing countries and might become
such important factors in the indus
try as to reduce the level of prices. '
WITHOUT THE WOMEN-?
The Democratic caucus at Washing
ton ingenuously slides -around the
woman suffrage issue by pronouncing
it a state, and not a, B'ederal, question.
The Democrats might just as well try
to escape their international duties by
saying that the Japanese race issue is
not the Nation's matter, but Califor
nia's. We fancy that California might
settle it in lt3 own self-centered way:
but would Japan' accept the result?
Japan would not, of course. Nor will
the women who are demanding Con
gressional action on suffrage retire to
their respective states and fight it out
there.
The Democratic party is making a
valiant effort through the polite eva
sions of the President and the par
liamentary maneuverings of Congress
to dodge the issue; but it will neither
fool nor deter the women.
Five years ago the Honorable Wil
liam Jennings Bryan, who had the Na
tional convention at Denver in the
hollow of his hand, ruled out a direct
primary plank on the ground that it
belonged to the states; but in 1912 the
convention at Baltimore, still under
the spell of the Bryan influence, had
advanced to a position where it de
clared for a Presidential primary by
states. Now the President confounds
his counselors and confuses his party
by proposing to make the Presiden
tial primary a Federal law. The
Democracy progresses, when led by
the nose.
Now it shifts, sniffles, sidesteps and
gumshoes around on votes for women.
The President does the same. But
the Democracy is likely to find that
the women understand quite well that
quibbling and equivocation mean op
position, and will govern themselves
accordingly. Can the Democracy
maintain itself without the women?
FRANCIS X. MATTH1EC
The long life of Francis Xavier
Matthieu, brought to a close yesterday,
spanned the development of all the
great frontier country of North Amer
ica from primitive territories to high
ly developed Btates. He saw much and
he did much in his early days In
Canada and in his maturer life In
the great Northwest.
When he came to the Oregon
Country, in 1842. Francis Matthieu
was 2i years old. He spent nearly sev-
enty-two years here, rearing a large
and worthy family, taking a promi
nent personal part in exciting and im
portant events and helping to build
a great American commonwealth.
The incident where Mr. Matthieu,
in May 2, 1843, cast the deciding vote
as to the formation of the provisional
government for Oregon, virtually plac
ing the early government under the
American flag, is memorable. The
Oregon boundary question had not
been settled and the ultimate destiny
of the mighty Pacific Northwest was
altogether uncertain. All the various
steps leading to the final extension of
American sovereignty over this region
are part of the stirring history of Ore
gon and were then the chief matters
of public interest in the life of the
struggling population.
Mr. Matthieu was of the sturdy type
and always bore his part well. He was
much honored, and deserved to be, for
the bold and self-sacrificing part he
played in the early days, and during
his later years was a conspicuous fig
ure in the enjoyable annual reunions
of the pioneers. Living to be a very
old man, he was fortunate in having
a retentive memory, good health, a
devoted family and a great many
friends.
THE DECAY OF FICTIOIT.
One of the less cheerful critics of
current fiction sadly remarks in a
newspaper article that "the novel is
now threatened with drowning in its
own slop." Dire disaster of some sort
always threatens literature and the
stage. It is only by repeated miracles
that they evade the perils forever be
setfcing them and live on through the
ages.
Just now the "slop" that is doing
the worst to drown the novel is slip
shod conversation. People have for
gotten how to talk. They contrive in
deed to express their thoughts after
a fashion, but in language that has
no style. There's the rub. Style is
what the drawing-room conversation
of our time totally lacks. We em
ploy slang instead of good, solid Eng
lish. Even our college professors
seem to prefer slang to anything bet
ter. In their classrooms their ex
pressions are as elegant as one could
wish, but the minute they enter gen
eral society they lapse into the rude
vernacular with an eager relish, which
shows plainly enough where their
hearts are. At a teachers' meeting in
Salem last Summer an educational
light from the Atlantic Coast delivered
a panegyric on slang which, we un
derstand, was heard with loud ap
plause. This love of slatternly English puts
the aspiring novelist in a dire predica
ment. If he Is to be true to life he
must make his characters talk as they
would in the parlor, on the street, at
afternoon teas. But if he does so his
book is too insufferably vulgar to
survive. On the other hand, he may
make his men and women speak pure
English, but then he runs into another
danger. They will appear stilted and
unnatural.
The most popular recent novels of
fer a great deal of dialogue and com
paratively little description. The de
scription is usually excellent, while the
dialogue is disreputably slangy. The
reformers propose to cut out the great
er part of the dialogue and expand
the descriptions. Their purpose de
serves all praise, but we do not believe
it will be carried out in practice. Au
thors commonly want to sell their
books and the modern reader will not
buy them unless they are well sprin
kled with conversation. Hence we
greatly fear that fiction will continue
to decay.
The most persistent opponent of all
measures for revision of the land laws
on the lines of rational conservation
Is Representative Mondell, of Wyo
ming. He must share with the Pin
chot reservationists responsibility for
the embargo on development of the
West which has prevailed for years.
He is pursuing the same tactics to
wards the Alaska railroad bill. When
it was proposed to substitute the bill
which has already passed the Senate,
for the bill pending in the House, he
objected and thus delayed final action
He represents the opposite extreme to
the Pinchotites and would continue
th old, improvident method of han
dling the public domain, which has
thrown vast tracts into the hands of
corporations. Those who desire to
see the West and Alaska developed
without permitting the land to be
grabbed, by private interests need "to
fight as vigorously against Mr. Mon
dell as against Mr. Pinchot.
IAST CHAPTER OF PINDEI.L.
The closing chapter of the Pindell
incident has all the appearance of a
"frame-up" by which all concerned
got out of an embarrassing position
as gracefully as possible. The Rus
sian government could not close its
eyes to the Lewis letter and to the
discussion which it provoked. Had
it accepted Mr. Pindell as Ambassa
dor, it would have seemed to assent
tacitly to the assumption of Senator
Lewis that the diplomatic relations of
the greatest Nation in America and
the most populous empire in Europe
are of so little consequence that the
office was a sinecure. The theory be
littles Russia and offends her dignity.
Moreover, it is unsound, for a new
commercial treaty must be negotiated
and the delicatequestion of the status
of Je wis-American travelers in Rus
sia must be settled. Not only is there
work for our Ambassador to do, but
it requires ability of no mean order.
In fact, the man who did it well would
establish a. reputation as a diplomat.
The text of the Lewis letter implied
that Mr. Pindell did not possess such
ability and that Mr. Pindell could only
get the appointment on the under
standing that he was not to attempt
the work. After the letter was pub
lished, Mr. Pindell could not decline
the appointment without giving
ground for belief that this implica
tion was justified and that he knew
it. President Wilson could not with
draw the appointment without giving
excuse for the same inference and
thus reflecting on the judgment of
himself and Mr. Bryan. The Senate
could not refuse confirmation without
a rebuff to the President and a like
reflection upon him, yet the commit
tee knew that there were serious ob
jections to Mr. Pindell's appointment.
A way out had to be found and it
seems to have been found by a pre
concerted arrangement that Mr. Pin
dell should be confirmed and should
immediately decline the appointment
and that Mr. Wilson should accept his
decision with heartfelt regret. Thus
all concerned escape from an unpleas
ant complication with the least pos
sible wound to pride or dignity or
other tender susceptibilities.
After that, who will dare to say
that Mr. Wilson is not a smooth poli
tician ?
A PERPLEXED STENOGRAPHER.
The Oregonian prints today in an
other column a letter from an unem
ployed stenographer. She says she
has tried diligently to get a situation,
not neglecting to advertise in the' pa
pers, and- has failed. In her opinion.
the market for such labor as she has
to offer is greatly overstocked. The
business colleges are turning out large
numbers of stenographers, typewrit
ers and other clerical assistants, who,
finding jobs less numerous than ap
plicants, ruinously underbid one an
other. She might have made her point even
more incisive by remarking that the
public schools have now begun to
train office help so that the supply
will still further outrun the demand,
if her reasoning is correct. She no
tices that many young women en
gaged in office work dwell at home
and thus have no board or room rent
to pay. They can, therefore, afford
to work for less than a self-supporting
girl must demand and, other
things being equal, they naturally ob
tain such Jobs as may fall vacant.
Our correspondent also remarks
upon the unfair competition of mar
ried women who have husbands abun
dantly able to support them. They
work for low wages, she says, and
spend all they earn upon personal
vanity. Hence they are a pernicious
factor in the labor market.
This young woman submits two
remedies for the condition she de
scribes and deplores. The first is a
law to prohibit the employment of
married women whose husbands can
support them. The second is a simi
lar law for girls who are supported
at home and work only for frivolous
purposes. Wth such legislation In
force the Jobs would all be reserved
for those who need them and unem
ployment of the calamitous sort would
cease.
Some objections might be made to
our correspondent's statement of the
facts of the situation. There is a
common belief that a competent
stenographer, for Instance, can usual
ly obtain a situation without a great
deal of difficulty, but waiving con
siderations of that sort, it is worth
while to reflect a little upon the rem
edies outlined above. Our correspond
ent insists that married women shall
not compete in the market for clerical
help. To be consistent she must also
debar them from such avocations as
writing novels, giving lectures and
teaching school, for in all such cases
they take jobs which might go to
some other person and thus deprive
a suffering sister of bread.
We can see no Justice In any such
legislation. A woman does not forfeit
her human rights by getting married.
If she has abilities she retains the
natural right to exercise them irre
spective of her ' husband's income.
Many modern thinkers contend that
every married woman ought to be
self-supporting and urge that it de
grades her to depend upon her hus
band for .the necessities of life. De
pendence of that kind, they argue,
means thinly-disguised slavery. In
any event, it may be taken for grant
ed that married women, will not sub
mit to legislation which deprives
them of the right to work if they can
possibly help themselves. What we
have said about married women ap
plies with equal force to girls whose
parents maintain them at home. If
they possess the ability to earn money
and wish to do so it would be the ex
tremity of Injustice to forbid them.
Legislation should stimulate the de
sire to work, not repress it. Most of
us are quite lazy enough as it is.
No doubt there is too much eager
ness to get "elegant employment."
Men, as well as women, rush into the
vocations which do not soil the hands
and clothes. Most of the clerical oc
cupations are badly overcrowded. Re
lief will be found, not by veering off
into "the easiest way," as our corres
pondent suggests, but by a wiser
choice of work. Domestic service is
despised, but in time it will be on a
better footing and will then attract
many who now despairingly beseech
the employment agencies for clerical
positions.
At least two-thirds of the women
"who are studying stenography ought
to be studying domestic science, dairy
ing and so on. Dairying offers great
rewards to bright, energetic women.
So does the .cultivation of small fruits.
In occupations of this character they
can earn a self-respecting competence
without undergoing the sacrifices
which city life involves and without
once listening to the seductions of the
tempter. Where there is a will there
is a waj.
The Interstate Commerce Commis
sion's condemnation of payments by
trunk lines to industrial railways
owned by shippers and the suit against
Frisco officials for refund of syndicate
profits may be intended as an intima
tion that, before being permitted to
advance rates, railroads must show
a clear record as to collection of their
Just dues and as to economical man
agement. The plea of railroads for
higher rates on the ground of insuf
ficient earnings has thus become an
invitation for closer supervisiqn of
their affairs untit every detail of both
receipts and expenditures will ' be
scrutinized.
Not to fill a long-felt want, as is
said customarily on such occasions.
nor to make a barrel of money for the
editor, as is the ambition mostly, but
to let the world know there Is some
thing doing In the nursery town in
Washington County is the sole reason
for the existence of the Orenco Her
ald, a creditable paper issued by H.
V. Meade. Unlike many that rise,
bloom and decay within a short
period, the motto of the latest paper
In Oregon is to put the "kaw" in cau
tion, and it will be published annually,
in January, and will not take wood or
produce on subscription.
"A college on wheels" is the title
aptly given by some genius to demon
stration trains like the one now mov
ing up the Willamette Valley. It takes
the quintessence of live education to
the farmers and they are rapidly
learning to appreciate and apply it.
What they' now need is a grand ef
fort to put marketing conditions in
be 'pr shape. No professor who
speaks to farmers should omit to
dwell on co-operative marketing.
The prisoners at the Penitentiary
adopt some Ingenious plana to gain
new subscribers for their magazine.
Lend a Hand. Among the premiums
they offer are shawls woven with their
own hands after the regular day's
work is done. They also make inlaid
knives, glove buttoners and '.other at
tractive trinkets. Occupations of this
sort occupy their leisure hours Inno
cently and profitably, to the exclusion
of tho. bitter thoughts which might
otherwise possess their minds.
What has become of the anti-cigarette
crusade? A few days ago it
promised to sweep away the last ves
tige of the filthy weed. Now every
body seems to have forgotten it. Re
forms are not effected by sudden and
transitory ebullitions of wordy zeal.
To accomplish anything worth while
against the cigarette someone must
work and work hard. Talk is all very
well In its place, but deeds and good
example are better.
The account of the Champoeg meet
ing of May 2, 1S43, attested by George
W. Le Breton, contains more than
one inaccuracy. It says, for instance,
that there was "a great majority" in
favor of organizing the provisional
government, which is far from the
truth. Le Breton's account also does
scant Justice to Joe Meek, but happily
that stalwart worthy has received his
dues from other sources.
Two men and their sons are in jail
at Hillsboro to await the grand jury
for robbing henroosts In Washington
County. If they are the villains who
stole the laying hens when eggs sold
for 60 cents they deserve all they will
Bet.
Peruvians put the skids under their
President yesterday. He was a native
son, although named Bllllnghurst. It
Is evident they want the real thing
down there, with a pedigree dating
back to the Incas.
A Pennsylvania man who spends his
money recklessly every time he gets
a few thousand ahead wants a place
for his bust in the Hall of Fame. As
proving the old adage about a fool
and his money?
The death of F. X. Matthieu cuts the
tie that binds present-day Oregon to
the formative period. The grand com
monwealth is monument to the men
of Champoeg.
With $900,000,000 of taxable prop
erty, Mr. Rockefeller would be a val
ued acquisition in any community,
getting his name in the paper every
week.
No action will be taken now on the
Asiatic exclusion amendments. No,
better wait until the Democrats cut
our Navy down a little more.
An Oklahoma boy was sent to Kan
sas by parcel post. When the limit
is increased to 150 pounds mother-in-
law may drop in any day.
In speculating on jobs for Governor
West when his term shall have ex
pired, nobody seems to suggest open
ing a cafe at Copperfield.
The women who rode the town flirt
out of town on a rail r"ust pay a fine
of $100 each. Perhaps they feel they
got their money's worth.
Unrest and bombs are stirring Port
ugal. Give the mobs a taste of that
sort of thing and they never know
when to quit-
That St. Louis show which will have
6600 actors- should give temporary
employment to all the "hams" In
Christendom.
Three New York politicians have
been sent to Jail. We fail to note In
the list, ' however, the name of one
Murphy.
Adjustment of pay to the fifty-
pound scale for rural carriers will pro
vide for the keep of the extra horse.
It is charged that modern fashions
deform women. Which will not alarm
them in the least.
Thirty davs in 1ail Is the rjenaltv
Georgia man must pay for a kiss. Was
it wortn it?
Dr. Aked may find all the miracle
he wants in holding his Job.
Huerta says he will not retaliate
Kind of him.
Sunny Oregon.
WANTS
WORK I
Wnlch Leads Her to Reflect at Lens-fa
on He r Lot.
PORTLAND. Or, Feb. 2. (To the
Editor.) I am about to lay before you
for solution a problem the magnitude
of which, to use a vulgar expression.
has "got my goat" and I .find myself
unequal to the task of arriving at the
answer. As the editorial page of your
paper seems never to be at a loss to
diminish in size and reduce down to a
mere bagatelle questions the hugeness
of which compare only in size to your
beautiful Mount Hood, I thought you
the proper source from whom to seek
my enlightenment.
You have In your midst a stenog
rapher, not of the ordinary type (to her
way of thinking), but of the extraor
dinary type; one with much expert-
ence in all that the word implies,
stenographically. Said stenographer
has for some time been seeking em
ployment in your beautiful city of roses
and rain (strong on the latter), and
there is not & stone that has been left
unturned in her mighty efforts to make
use of her "two willing hands" (plagiar
ized from your recent editorial); she
has even advertised in the excellent
advertising medium The Oregonian,
and to no avail, so there must be some
thing radically wrong. Nor is the ap
pearance or personality of this young
lady undesirable, and yet her "two
willing hands" in lieu of "tickling the
keys" grasp in the one an umbrella,
while dangling from the other is a
purse, the weitrht of which lcssnna Hair
by day, while she alternately hot-foots
it about your progressively torn-up
streets, vainly seeking eniolovment.
and then again has her shoes half-soled
for the next relay. Now what is this
stenographer to do if your beautiful
city of roses, and rain continues to
turn Its Mount Hood shoulder on her
every effort? And still she continued
this everlasting constitutional!
JNow should this same stenoerarjher.
or any other, after effor-ts and money
had been exhausted, turn to "the
easiest way." I suppose the world
would say "ishka bibble" aid pass on.
never taking into account the fact that,
tn a measure, it might be to blame.
You know nature has constructed some
or the frailer sex so frail that to do
menial work would only mean to hasten
their grand exit. Then again, when one
has a vocation requiring a certain
amount of intelligence they wish to ply
mat traoe, as it were, and not crowd
those out of employment whose onlv
choice is the work of a domestic or
saleslady. The question then arises,
what is to be done if things. are al
lowed to continue thusly?
The trouble is that the stenographic
market is more overstocked than any
market on earth. The business colleges
are turning them out as a butcher does
his sausages. Therefore the wage
scale is becoming lower and lower and
competition so great as to make a de
sirable position almost unprocurable
without an extremely good "pull."
lie writer would sutrgest one wav in
which this matter could be cured to a
very considerable extent: There should
be a law enacted in Oregon, prohibit
ing the employment of married women
whose husbands are not incapacitated,
but who are earning a sufficient
amount to Keep tnetr wives, as ocr
their marriage vow. A preat many of
the most lucrative positions in this city
are being held by women whose hus-
Dands command salaries quite adequate
for the support of both. The writer Is
acquainted with one young married
lady who commands a salary of $125
per month, while the husband is re
ceiving no less than a similar amount.
Naturally, she dresses in the height of
fashion. Now would it not be better for
such women to be home raising a fam
ily and helping to carry out God's will,
than to be depriving some poor girl of
work, who doubtless not only has her
self to care for but probably a mother,
or some other dependent, as is the case
with the writer. If women wish to con
tinue work, then they should not
marry! The state is then granting
them a double livelihood while de
nying the single girl a single livelihood.
A great many states have a law pro
tecting the working girl, in that it will
not permit the employment of married
women who are livinsr with wage
earning husbands; and it would seem
to the writer a very opportune time
for Portland to take some note of the
fact that its unemployed is not con
fined to men and boys, and that, unless
It wants to erect another Gypsy Smith
tabernacle for the housing of homeless,
jobless girls, it would be well, while
displaying that much-boasted-of prog
ressive spirit, to see that the "city's
fathers" think of their daughters oc
casionally, and not be so man-centered.
It is a safe bet that there are more
working girls contributing to the sup
port of another member of the family
than is the case with the vast majority
of unemployed men. True, the eight
hour law has been a boon to the nerv
ous, overtaxed girls, but there are other
phases of the subject that have been
lost sight of keep the married women
at home and give the girl a chance!
Fortunately or unfortunately (I can
not say) girls usually possess too much
pride (maybe false) to become an ob
ject of pity or charity, and as there is
always one course open to a woman,
naturally the white slave market con
tinues to do a flourishing business not
always because of choice on the girl's
part, but because environments gradu
ally and almost imperceptibly lead her
on until, like 'Ostler Joe's wife, "Annie
listened and was tempted; she was
tempted and she fell as the angels fell
from heaven to the blackest depths of
hell." And then the lawmaking, law
breaking lords of creation straight
way join with their brothers in de
nouncing the girl, without remedying
the matter which, to a great extent, it
is within their power to do. Perhaps
their own wives and daughters would
not have resisted temptation as long as
the fallen sister had they met with sim
ilar adverse circumstances. Refuse to
employ other men's wives and give the
position to the needy. It would also be
well to devise some law prohibiting the
working of girls whose parents are
amply able to support them, as is their
duty.
Oh, would that I had been born a
Mary MacLane. or forsooth some other
foolish girl whose rantings tne public
would fall for; but as it is. all I can
do is unload my mental anguish upon
the ever-patient, ever-bored, ever-riled,
everlasting editor of The Oregonian,
and to what avail?
Now who is to pay for my bean sand
wich in the not distant future if the
astronomical heavens do not move
pretty soon In my behalf?
Would state I am none of the "in
flux," but a Portlandite and a 1 ortland
booster.
AGITATED STENOGRAPHER.
P. S. Now In case your office should
become besieged with offers of employ
ment (an unlikely contingency), will
state that I have retained a carbon of
this "effort" so do not, let any Impostor
secure the fruit of my brainstorm,' as I
would materialize very promptly with
my little copy should I secure a cue
through The Oregonian.
How Do Yon Pronounce "Hoertar'
We still preferta
Call it Werta.
Chicago Tribune.
But thousands dareta
Call it Whereta.
Peoria Journal.
And some do careta
Say Hoo-airta.
New York Sun.
We can't think yoorta
Call it Hocrta.
Houston1 Post.
It makes us jeerta.
Hear it Heerta.
Boston Transcript.
All wrong. Alberta v
Name is Wherta,
t. Louis Post-Dispatch.
STEXOGKAP11ER
BACOXIA.VS QUESTIONS A.VSHEHED
Theory That Shakespeare Did not Write
"Shakespeare" la Spurned.
PORTLAND, Feb. 2. (To the Editor.)
In The Oregonian "True Blue Ba
conian" takes issue with Mr. Sothern,
the actor, in the authorship of the
works ascribed to William Shakespeare,
I read Mr. Sothern's first article, and
while it is not overly convincing, it is,
so far as regards Jonson's testimony,
fairly satisfactory.
Mr. Sothern should have quoted the
language of Shakespeare's fellow ac
tors, Heminge and Cohdell, in their
preface to the Folio of 1623, the evi
dence of Francis Meres. Leonard
Dlgges, the poet Milton and other con
temporaries. He would then have made
out a much stronger case for the Strat
ford poet.
"True Blue Baconian" propounds 12
questions relative to the matter in dis
pute, and I would like very much to
answer them. I fear T. B. B. hasn't
read either Shakespeare or Bacon very
carefully, or he would have, had no oc
casion to ask many of the questions.
To quote Parolles: "T beseech you let
me answer to tho particulars of the
interrogatories: Demand them singly."
First Lord Macauley proclaimed Ba
con a great poet. Is not this signifi
cant? Answer No. If Bacon were a poet
and wrote the plays, poems and son
nets, he would have claimed the "Venus
and Adonis," "Rape of Lucrece." "Pas
sionate Pilgrim" and "Sonnets."
. Second Is it not a fact that Shake
speare was unknown to the people of
his 5wn time except as a player, not as
a poet?
A. No; Shakespeare was known both
as a player and poet, but his reputa
tion and fame among his contempo
raries rested wholly upon the plays,
poems, etc.
Third Is it not a fact that the only
books in Stratford in Shakespeare's
time were chained to noblemen's
tables?
A. By no means. How could tho
scholars in the Stratford grammar
school have studied if all the books
were chained in noblemen's houses?
The facts are that from the invention
of printing to 1500 A. D. 30.000 volumes
were printed in England. From 1500
to 1600. more than 100.000. and from
1G00 to Shakespeare's death in 1616
many thousands more. The presses
continually poured out an endless
stream of matter of all kinds. Books
were very common in Stratford.
Fourth Why was Shakespeare not
mentioned in any biography of the
time?
A. There were none of consequence
written. No Plutarch or Parton lived
during the time. As the poems "Venus
and Adonis," "Rape of Lucrece." "Son
nets." etc., and "15 of the plays were
published under Shakespeare's name
during his lifetime, that was ample ev
idence to the readers and patrons of
the theaters that Shakespeare was the
undisputed author of the works bear
ing his name. Also see the dedication
to the Earl of Southampton, in the
"Venus and Adonis" and "Rape of Lu
crece." Fifth Is it possible that a butcher's
son of 24 could havo written the son
nets attributed to Shakespeare?
A. The "sonnets" are first men
tioned by Francis Meres In 1398,
when Shakespeare was 34 years of age.
Sixth Shakespeare gave his second
best bed to his wife, etc.
A. Shakespeare's prift of his sec
ond best bed, with the furniture, has
nothing to do witll his writing plays;
this wife was entitled to one-third of
his property as dower.
Seventh That Shakespeare wrote his
name in several ways 14, in fact, is
indicative of illiteracy.
A. There are but five genuine
signatures of Shakespeare in existence.
The sixth, the one in the "Montaigne
of Florto," is doubtful.
Eighth Would Bacon, as Lord Chan
cellor of England, be likely to put his
name to a stage play?
A- Why not? Does T. B. B.
know of anything in the realms of
literature finer than "Hamlet," "Mac
beth," "Lear," "Othello," the Roman
plays, "Measure for Measure." "Rape
of Lucrece." "Sonnets?" King James
prided himself on his literary effusions.
Sir Philip Sidney courted the muses
successfully. David Hume thought the
King's stuff tolerable. If Bacou wrote
Shakespeare he would have incorporat
ed them in the essays, novum organum,
etc
Ninth Was Jonson bribed into
silence?
A. Not at all. Mr. Sothern's article
disproves thaf.
Tenth If Ralph Waldo Emerson was
a Baconian, is it fair to call us (the
Baconians) Idiots?
A. Much too severe. The re
tort courteous would answer better:
"They lie. under a mistake."
Eleventh Are not Bacr.n's and
Shakespeare's style the same?
A. By no means. The author
of Bacon's essays, novum organum.
could not have written "Hamlet,"
"Lear" or "Macbeth."
Twelfth Is it not a fact that all
the great students of Bacon's works
have been of the opinion that he was
the author of the plays attributed to
Shakespeare?
A. No. If T. B. B. will read
Hume's article on Bacon in his
(Hume's) "History of England," he will
there find the general opinion of
Bacon's admirers. Mr. Spedding,
Bacon's latest (?) biographer, makes
no claim. The late James Parton was
decidedly opposed to it. The idea
originated in the brain of a demented
woman. Miss Bacon, 60 or more years
ago, and has been kept alive, not on
account of Bacon, but because the in
tellect of Shakespeare pervades the
world's mentality. Bacon's memory is
kept alive solely because his admirers
haven't read or studied either Shakes
peare or Bacon. . J. D. STEVENS.
Lodge Organizer Convicted.
PORTLAND. Feb. 4. (To the Editor.)
The New Age Magazine of January,
1914, prints the following:
The Masons of California have had much
trouble with clandestine, or fake Masonry.
In October of last year an organizer for
the "American Federation of Masons"
named Kay was arrested In Oakland and
charged with obtaining money under false
pretenses. One William C. Cavltt. styled
"Grand Master of the American Federa
tion of Masons for the District Grand Lodge
of California," defended Kay In the police
court and stayed proceedings until Febru
ary, 1913, when the case was tried by a
Jury, which disagreed. The case was retried
in April by a Jury, which resulted in a
verdict of puilty and the court sentenced
him to Jail for six months.
This "American Federation of Ma
sons" is the same body or society rep
resented by O. B. M. Summervllle and
C. J. Court, who were recently tried in
this city and acquitted. They claim
authority from one McBain Thompson,
who Is a self-confessed Masonic fraud.
Said McBain Thompson was expelled
from the Masonic order in Scotland and
should he or any of his representatives
ever put foot on British territory, they
know what would happen. Some of the
Federation's officers and organizers are
rejected candidates of three of the reg
ularly constituted lodges of Masons in
Portland. F. W. D.
Olographic Wills fln Waahingrtoii.
PORTLAND, Feb. 2. (To the Editor.)
L'pon what authority do you use the
statement in The Oregonian of the 21st
Inst., answering a correspondent that,
an "olographic" will is valid under the
laws of the state of Washington? B.
The statement was an error. Olo
graphic wills are not recognized by
statute in Washington.
On Guard.
(Paducah Hogwallow Kentuckian.)
The Dog Hill preacher did not have
time to get up his sermon for last Sun
day, as he was busy all day Saturday
guarding his watermelon patch from
the Sunday-school picnic.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonian of February B, 1SS9.
Salem, Feb. 4. The House today
passed Maxwell's bill for a road In Til
lamook County from Yamhill, appropri
ating $10,000; Hunter's bill to appropri
ate SS000 for the improvement of the
Wallowa Conyon road, and Fell's bill
appropriating $10,000 for improvement
of the road from Hcppncr to Monument
in Grant County.
Salem. Feb. 4. The Multnomah Rep
resentatives held a conference on the
Portland, East Portland and Albina
consolidation bill in Secretary of State
McBride's office. All were present ex
cept Northup and Ladd. Representative
Strowbrldge presided and Harold Pilk
inrton acted as secretary. Councilman
Hoyt and P. L. Willis, of Portland, wert
also present.
Seattle. Feb. 4. Samuel Trumble. a
pioneer of the Northwest, died at Provi
dence Hospital Sunday and the remains
were shipped to Corvallis, Or., for In
terment today. He was aged S3 years
and crossed the plains in 1818.
Olympia. Feb. 4. The city of Shclton
was incorporated today.
Dr. C H. Raffety and wife went to
Salem yesterday.
S. Bullock, past grand high prlet
of the grand council. A. F. and A. M..
has gone to Corvallis to attend the
grand council.
Work was begun yesterday by G. B.
Markle on a street railway on Second
street, from Washington street, youth.
Workmen were yesterday tearlnp
corner of Second and Oak streets. When
trie Duuamars are torn down work on
the new Weinhard building will begin.
Company I, O. N. O., last night elect
ed Sergeant F. E. Cooper Second Lieu
tenant. John Sommervilie and his son Frank
returned from California Saturday.
"Tt has been a enod many years."
said Hugrh Brady, "since I first began
to rescue living and dead people from
the Willamette's hungry waters. I have
taken out 16 in all."
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of l'eb. 5. 1S84.
Headquarters. Department of West
Virginia, Jan. -6. General Sullivan ha.3
just informed General Kelly from Har
per's Ferry that his scouts have just
returned, with Richmond papers stating
that Jeff Davis' house was robbed and
fired. The fire was discovered in time
to save the building-.
L. K. Martin and H. W. Davis yes
terday filed petitions In the Circuit
Court bei'oro Judge Shattuck praying
that the City Collector be ordered to
appear and show cause why he should
not take gold und silver coin without
the 5 per cent penalty for city taxes,
or take greenbacks in full payment for
both taxes and penalty.
On Monday William Bradcn. while
working on the roof ot a tenement on
Second street, lost hi footing: and slid
off the roof. He used his feet to give
his fall some characteristics of a Junii
and cleared the scaffold and landed on
his feet with merely a slight scratch
or two.
We have often heard of thick foe.-,
but that of yesterday morning in tlii.s
city beats us.
Quite a famtly of the species of sea!
that mostlv Inhabit the Pacific Coam
were sen moving down the Willaut--tte
yesterday.
We received the following dispatch
last evening from the citizena of Al
bany: "Albany. Feb. 4, 7 P. M. To
the Portland Press: Albany enjoys
telegraphic communication. She sends
greeting by lightning to her sister city.
Portland. Albany Citizens."
Tong Song.
By Dean Collins.
(War between the Puey Sing Toner
and the Blng Kong Tong is threatened
in San Francisco because of the dis
appearance of Sung Yue with Wonsc
Song. News item.)
Muse, burst into song
To the tuno of the gong.
And the lilt of the fiddle Chinese.
Of troubles that throng
Round tho life of Wong Song.
And the rumors of war in the breeze.
Sung Yue skidooed
Behavior most rude
Witli Wong Song, Sung Yue disap
peared. And rage waxes strong
In the Suey Sing Tong
And war with the Bins' Kong Tonpr?
feared.
What troubles are slung
On the shoulders of Sun?,
In old San Francisco today.
T6 make her the reason
Of tong open season.
Involving two tongs in a fray.
The Sucy Smjr Tong
Whets the ax for Wong Song.
In wrath o'er the loss of Suns: Yue:
The fierce Blng Kong Tong
Denies it was wrong.
Dissensions grow strong,
Ani things hurry along
Toward a mince meat of human chor
suey
There's tong war impending.
What will be the ending.
And how will disturbances cease?
Wong Song, you did wrong
To the Suey Sing Tong.
Sung Yue don't belong
To your company strong.
Wong Song, ring the gong;
Pack your trunk for Hongkong,
Ere fiorhting men throng
And they toll a "Ding dong"
At your funeral, Wong.
Let not Fate play ping-pong
With thy life. O Wong Song;
Say farewell: run along;
And the brave Blng Kong Tong.
And the Suey Sing Tong
Shall entpt an era of peace.
TKN PHASES OF ADVERTISING
No. 2 Telephone
and Telegraph
Havo you a telephone in your
home? Do you appreciate the
economy of the telegraph?
It used to be considered a waste
of time and money for telegraph
and telephone companies to put
their advertisements in newspapers.
But now you can scarcely pick up
a newspaper in any of the leading
cities without reading of the ad
vantages of both the telephone and
the telegraph.
They are the servants of the peo
ple, always ready to do quickly and
economically what used to take bo
much time and patience to accom
plish. The wonderful growth of the tel
ephone and telegraph and their al
most universal use have been
brought about largely through
newspaper . advertising.
The day ia fast approaching when
telephoning and telegraphing will
be as common ? takinir our even
ing meal.
Tomorrow's talk will be about
Public Service. Adv.