s
TIIEMORXTXG OREGONIAX. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1914.
PORTLAND, OREGON.
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PORTLAND, THURSDAY, FEB. 19. 1914.
AS TO NATIONAL HONOR.
President Wilson says" our National
honor demands repeal of the toll ex
emption clause of. the Panama Canal
law. He has taken up the cry of
those railroad advocates In and out
of th newspapers who have suddenly
become sensitive on the point of honor
and of those peculiar patriots who are
always prone to onslder their own
Nation in the wrong. These people
have constituted themselves the spe
cial guardians of our National honor.
Scarcely an article on this subject ap
pears in an Eastern newspaper which
upholds the British interpretation of
the treaty without harping on Na
tional honor. The President has joined
in this chorus, though in so doing he
reflects on the personal honor of the
many good Democrats in Congress
who voted for exemption.
The President admits that there
Is "an honest difference of opinion"
on the subject. Then why not sub
mit this honest difference to the-arbitration
of a tribunal drawn from
a disinterested nation? If the verdict
be in our favor, our National honor
will be vindicated and our National
interest made safe; if it be against us,
our National honor will bo unstained,
for we can still fairly maintain that
we were honestly in error. But if we
yield without adjudication ' of the
question we shall thereby Justify the
charge that we knowingly erred and
shall stain our National honor.
But while we are on this question
of National honor, how about personal
honor? .The President was nominated
on a platform which declared un
equivocally for exemption from tolls
and the majority of the platform com
mittee have testified that the plank j
in question was regularly adopted and
was not "smuggled in." That he ap
proved of that plank appears from
the following passage in a speech he
delivered on August 15, 1912:
One of the bills pending, Just passed by
Congress, passed. I believe, yesterday by
the Senate as It had passed the House,
provides for free tolls for American ships
through that canal and prohibits any ship
from passing through that canal which Is
owned by any American railway company.
You Bee the object of that, don't you? We
don't want the railways to compete with
themselves, because we understand that kind
of competition. We want the water car
riage to compete with the land carriage, so
as to be perfectly sure that you are going
to get better rates around by the canal
than you would across the continent.
The President now repudiates the
plank and the speech indorsing it. He
is so far embarrassed by them, how
ever, that he is said to have decided
not to send a message to Congress
recommending repeal of the exemp
tion plank. Had he done so, that mes
sage would have made an Interesting
parallel to the plank and the speech,
especially if it had laid much stress
on National honor.
HN" ACCURACIES.
The most charitable comment that
can be made on Mr. TTRen's letter,
published elsewhere today, is a state
ment that perhaps he has not read
either the circular, to which his sig
nature is attached or the editorial he
attempts to dispute. .
The circular carries the text of the
11500 exemption, amendment and an
argument for its adoption. In the
argument it is stated that the "rich
man" owns "automobiles" exempt
from taxation. There is no implica
tion, as Mr. U'Ren now assumes, that
by "rich man" somebody i3 meant who
helped Initiate the household exemp
tion law and wa not taxed in 1912
on an automobile he may or may not
Jiave possessed. The phrase is inclu
sive and gives the uninformed voter to
understand that automobiles are not
taxed in Oregon. In Multnomah Coun
ty, alone, there are 8000 autos on the
assessment rolls paying state, county,
school and local taxes.
While we are about it we may as
well point out another inaccuracy. Mr.
TTRen'B circular declares that "ac
counts, notes and mortgages are ex
empt In most counties, partly by law
and partly by the custom of the As
sessors." Tet the official summary of
the assessment rolls of the several
counties of Oregon, compiled by the
State Tax Commission, reports notes
and accounts listed for taxation In
thirty-two of the thirty-four counties
of the state. They are "exempt" only
In the two counties of Clatsop and
vv neeier.
Concerning the poll-tax fraud per
petrated by Mr. ITRen in 1910 the
facts are known and were not mis
stated by The Oregonlan. The dollar
poll-tax law had previously been re
pealed. The road head tax had be
come largely inoperative because un
enforceable. In Multnomah County
which has one-third the voting popu
lation of the state, no attempt had
been made to collect It for a decade,
and Multnomah County gave the
U'Ren Jokerlzed amendment all but
44 of the 2044 majority it received at
the polls. These facts have been men
tioned by The Oregonlan several times
and the article Sunday was in con
formity therewith.
THE ENGLISH TEACHERS' STRIKE.
Mayor Gaynor once said that if the
police tyranny to which New Torkers
meekly submit were to happen in
England it would shake the throne
Rebellion would be prompt and
fierce. The Ministry would be Inter
pellated and the government driven
from office. In the United States
there is no way of interpellating the
Government. News of tyrannous out.
rages circulates but slowly and Is
often overlooked entirely by the pub
lic. Were the disagreeable facts pa
raded in Congress as they are in the
British Parliament they would be on
every tongue and could not be Ignored.
This is one advantage which the
"Parliamentary system" of govern
ment seems to have over our Congres
sional system. The British Ministers
have seats In Parliament and must
take their share of questioning- and
rebuke. Perhaps this difference of
governmental policy arises from a
fundamental difference of disposition.
Americans are constitutionally dis.
posed to sit down under mistreatment.
They dislike to make a scene. They
expect ridicule rather than sympathy
from the bystanders if they resent the
tyranny of a policeman, a streetcar
conductor or the gas man.
The British, on the contrary, are
pugnacious. They enjoy making a
row and they know that they will have
a great deal of public sympathy in any
controversy they may cause. There Is
always an eager party of protest In
England which can be rallied to any
cause, however absurd it may look to
us. For this reason the striking
school teachers of Herefordshire, who
would have been laughed out of their
position in the United States, 'have
won public support In England and
actually gained their point.
HI GIIX RESURGENT.
There is a new HI GUI in Seattle.
He is the Hi Gill who says the old HI
Gill was a most unfit person to be
Mayor of Seattle, and that the people
were right, quite right, In recalling
him. Now he is a chastened and purl,
fied Hi Gill and he will be a moral
Mayor of a moral town, if they will
elect him once more.
Apparently Seattle enjoys its in
termittent spells of Hi Gillism. When
Hi Gill ran for Mayor, four years ago,
waving the red light and hurrahing
for a wide-open town, they elected
him. Seattle got what it wanted in
Hi Gill, for he scrupulously lived up
to his campaign promises. Having an
open town, and having Hi Gill, Se
attle promptly concluded that It was
mistaken when it .turned the town
over to the saloons! the gamblers and
the underworld, and it recalled Hi
Gill. Thus HI Gill was punished vi
cariously for the repentant Seattle's
offense in electing HI Gill.
The lesson of Seattle's experiences
with HI Gill would seem to be that
Seattle must not be taken too serious
ly when it proclaims an open-town
policy or a closed-town policy. The
way to green pastures of complacent
ease for a Seattle Mayor would appear
to be best found by setting his moral
compass about 90 degrees off the
course prescribed for him in any elec
tion. Of course Hi Gill has not yet been
elected Mayor. Seattle has merely
made a preliminary declaration of in
tention to make him Mayor again. Se
attle may change its, mind again, to be
sure. But the omens are nevertheless
auspicious for another hectic HI Gill
period. The recallera might as well
be getting their petitions ready.
DALY'S MILLION-DOLLAR FAD.
Let the public make its own cal
culation as to the cost of the general
use of water meters in Portland and
thus ascertain for Itself the colossal
folly of the Daly water policy. It ap
pears to suit the purposes of the over
zealous journalistic defender of Daly
ism in any form to assail and mis
represent The Oregonian as to this
gross water extravagance; but that
does not matter much.
It is in no, sense a fight by the "big
interests." It is the concern of the
55,000 domestic water users of Port
land. They are the people whom
Commissioner Daly purposes to tag,
check up, and padlock with his water-meter
Idiocy. Here are a few facts
and The Oregonlan challenges the
Water Department, or the Commis
sioner, or his newspaper, to dispute
their complete accuracy:
The overhead expense in the Port
land Water Department in 1912 was
8.55 per cent of the total income. The
ovearhead expense In 1913 (six
months under Commissioner Daly)
was 14.47 per cent. The increase
(about $50,000) was due to the
monthly billing system.
There was no monthly billing sys
tem before water meters were in
stalled.
A water meter (Installed) costs
$11.40. Commissioner Daly now asks
to be authorized to buy. 5000 meters
at a total cost (including installation)
of about $55,000.'
Commissioner Daly's plan contem
plates the installation of water meters
for all consumers, large and small.
The total number of water users in
Portland is about 55,000. About 15,000
meters are now in use.
The total cost of metering Portland,
under the Daly plan, will be for
the remaining 40,000 meters about
$450,000.
The total cost of all meters (55,000)
in Portland will be more than
$600,000.
The life of a water meter is about
12 years. The cost of inspection, bill
ing, repairs and so forth will be large.
There will be an army of inspectors
and another army of bookkeepers.
The Daly water-meter plan Is a mil
lion-dollar plan. In its essence it is
wasteful, unnecessary, foolish and
burdensome on the small home-owner
and the renter.
Can nothing be done to head off
Commissioner Daly? We complain of
high taxes and the high cost of living,
and wonder why. We ought to know
why.
A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.
Elmer Ellsworth Brown comes bold'
ly forward as the advocate of a Na
tional University at Washington. Dr.
Brown is the chancellor of New York
University and, as such, speaks with
some authority upon this old and
much - debated question. George
Washington left a legacy toward the
founding of a National university. The
money is probably still in existence
and may have accumulated some in
terest, though we should not be too
confident in regard to that. There are
many ways at Washington to dispose
of threatened accumulations.
Some educationalists oppose a Na
tional university on the ground that
it would set up unfair competition with
other institutions such as Tale and
the University of Michigan. Others be
lieve, or affect to believe, that it would
degenerate into a political machine
and thus lose its beneficial character.
We are not so n uch afraid of the
latter possibility as formerly. Ameri
cans are gradually making the dis
covery that their Government can
manage educational and other enter
prises as well as the German and
French "governments can. It was a
poor consolation to us to think that
our Federal authorities were incurably
inefficient and corrupt. It Is cause
for thankfulness that the progress of
events encourages us to believe better
things of them.
Dr. Brown would prevent competi
tion with other universities by with
holding the power to grant degrees
from the Washington institution. Wa
fear his plan would not work very
well at this point Degrees are really
of little consequence, but they are
highly esteemed as ornaments. Stan-
l ford University began its career by
scorning degrees but it now grants
them with the same pomp as its sis
ter schools. The learned world Is very
fond of tinsel. Think of the gorgeous
gowns it dons on academic occasions
Can we believe that It would be satis
fied to forego gorgeous diplomas and
imposing titles?
Very likely the National university
will be obliged to confer degrees if
it wants any students, but we cannot
believe that its competition with other
institutions would be a bad thing.
Probably it would stimulate them to
better work and elevate their ambitions.
REMAKING RAILROAD EMPIRES.
Attorney - General McReynolds is
said to have brought the suit for dis
solution of the Southern Pacific and
Central Pacific merger in the hope
that his success will be followed by
acquisition of the latter road by the
Union Pacific. The Springfield Re
publican contends that Mr. McReyn
olds" duty is only to enforce the laws,
not to make and unmake railroad em
pires, and that the question whether
the Southern and Central Pacific
should be torn apart is one for a com
mission of transportation experts,
such as the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
Since It is the duty of the Attorney
General to enforce the laws, it is his
duty to enforce dissolution of the
merger between these two competing
lines. There his duty should end, and
the work of the Commission should
begin In requiring the railroads to
maintain continuous traffic routes for
the public accommodation without re
gard to diverse ownership. It would
be within the province of the Com
mission to require the Union and
Central to maintain through traffic
between Omaha and San Francisco
and to require the Southern and Cen
tral to maintain through traffic be
tween Portland and San Francisco.
The public would then be served,
while the railroads concerned would
suffer no injury.
To maintain that, because two cor
porations which should compete have
become entangled by the deliberate
acts of their officers in illegal rela
tions, they should not be compelled to
return to a legal status, is to maintain
that the law has no remedy for such
a wrong. In other words, ' the care,
skill and success with which a wrong
has been done should give Immunity
to the doers and should guarantee its
perpetuation. The suggestion, plainly
stated, is revolting to common sense.
MISS IATHBOr9 GOOD WORK.
The Federal children's bureau, over
which Julia C. Lathrop presides, has
undertaken an original piece of work.
It is important, too, and not merely
of theoretical interest, because it goes
to the roots of our National life. Miss
Lathrop's purpose is to make a' sur
vey of the child life of the country.
She will begin with Johnstown, Pa.,
and pursue her investigations tlirough
a large number of small towns. It
is more necessary to survey child life
in rural communities than in the large
cities, inasmuch as sanitary conditions
are, upon the whole, much worse in
towns of a few hundred people than
they are in larger places. The worst
conditions of all are frequently found
on farms. The method of the survey
is to be a little different from any
thing of the kind that we have heard
of before. Of course Miss Lathrop's
object is to brint to light facts bear
ing on the death rate of children and
thus encourage measures 'of hygienic
reform. But she will not rest satis
fied with learning the causes which
bring infants to untimely graves. She
has in mind a much broader and
more scientific plan.
The survey when It is finished will
present a complete history of the
Infant's family surroundings during
the first year of its life, unless death
intervenes to cut short the tale. When
her report comes out it will give "a
picture of the social, civic and indus
trial conditions of 1551 Johnstown
families," and the same method will
be applied in many other towns.
A mass of information will thus ac
cumulate which ought to be of funda.
mental value for the solution of prob
lems connected with the infant death
rate in the smaller communities of
the country. Miss Lathrop has found
a surprising reailness on all sides to
assist her work. . The visitors who
have entered dwellings to ask the nec
essary questions have been warmly
welcomed for the sake of their cause.
The Johnstown health authorities
have co-operated zealously and the
women's clubs have done all they
could to help the business forward.
In towns where the women are not
well organized Miss Lathrop's survey
Is likely to find its worst difficulties,
since men are only too prone to in
difference where young children are
concerned.
LEGISLATION OX WATER POWER.
President Wilson's discussion with his
Cabinet of water power on navigable
streams is the first movement made
by th,e Administration toward legisla
tion of which the West would be the
chief beneficiary. Water power devel
opment Is almost at a standstill in
consequence of the obstructive tactics
of the pseudo-conservationists and of
the legislation they have promoted.
Regulation has been carried to the
extent where there is nothing to reg
ulate. We need a law which will pro
mote development while protecting
navigation and safeguarding consum
ers of electric current against extor
tion. With these essentials provided,
it is immaterial whether the power is
developed and sold by a public body
or a private corporation, though pri
vate enterprise has proved more eco
nomical. The dam act passed in 1910 gives
the War Department power to grant
permits subject to such indefinite
charges and conditions that investors
are repelled. Restrictions are im
posed and further restrictions are pro
posed, which leave would-be investors
uncertain what return they can get on
I their investment or whether they can
get any return at all. An arbitrary
limit to the term of permits is pro
posed in legislation or i3 imposed by
executive officers, which takes no ac
count of diverse conditions and com
pels investors at the expiration of the
term to hand over their business to
the Government for the value of the
physical property without allowance
for sums invested in building up the
business.- The present law is an eX'
treme assertion - of Federal power
without regard to expediency or to the
rights of states and Individuals. Hav
lng obstructed development by these
means, the ultra-conservationists try
to shift responsibility to monopolists.
whom they accuse of holding power
sites out of use.
The concern of the Government in
dams built on navigable streams re
lates only to protection of navigation.
Regulation of the sale of power de
veloped at the dam is a function of
the Government only when it is sold
in more than one state; otherwise It
is a function of the states. The states
have amply proved their readiness
and ability to regulate. Those who
rave against monoply insist that pow
er companies should pay royalty,
which would yield considerable rev
enue to the Government. They ig
nore the fact that this royalty is real
ly a tax Imposed on the consumer.
They also ignore the fact that the
business is in its nature monopolistic
and that such a monopoly is helpful
rather than Injurious to the consum
ers when regulated by the state, for
limitation of charges to a fair return
on the actual investment prevents ex
tortion, while absence of duplication
of plant makes the total investment
less and the charges proportionately
less.
If, as the dispatches indicate, the
Government should work out a system
of co-operation with the states, it will
do much to remove obstacles. If it
insists that plants be given "to the
Government at the expiration of the
permit, it will only enhance the
amount which each power company
must earn annually in order to get
back Its capital. On the other hand,
if the company is assured adequate
compensation for its plant and busi
ness if the Government or state takes
it, capital will be more ready to in
vest and charges can be lower.
Improvement of the Columbia River
has now reached a stage where the
people of this region have a vital in
terest in the proper settlement of
these questions. The Celilo Canal will
soon have made the river continuously
navigable for .400 miles above its
mouth. Its course above that mouth
has many rapids which, while ob
structions to navigation, are oppor
tunities for power sites. Dams, locks
and power plant can be so combined
that the power companies would be
willing to construct the whole plant
and render the river navigable as far
as the Canadian boundary at the cost
of the slight additional charge for
electric current represented by inter
est on the extra cost of navigation
works. Cheap power could be fur
nished to the whole upper basin with
in reasonable distance and water
could be raised to irrigate arid land
several hundred feet above the river.
But capital will not make this invest
ment if Its tenure is uncertain and
is burdened with restrictions.
The Oakland man who eats a
quart of pickles at each meal wrongs
the world by living in a country
town. He Is fitted to adorn a me
tropolis. Little does he dream how
high society would hail him. The
main trouble of every hostess is to
get her pickles eaten. To compass
this end she inflicts torment upon
every stomach that comes Into her
power. "Do try these pickles. Just
one of these delectable cucumbers.
What, you aren't tasting my lovely
pickled apple cores?" What a bless
ing the Oakland man would be to
guests and hostess both.
We do not quite agree with some
of our austere contemporaries that
"the growth of luxury is a sign of
National decadence." It is such a
sign only if luxury kills out the hardy
virtues. A person may very well lap
himself in sybaritic ease one month
and the next disport himself on the
ice-clad mountains hunting grizzly
bears. Luxury is well enough in its
place and the more we have of it the
better as long as everybody gets his
share and nobody gets too much.
Since that biting fire horse, after
being cured, reverted to its vicious
practice immediately on seeing a uni
form, it is not hard to guess the cause
of the horse's bad temper.
A Walla Walla druggist has been
fined heavily for selling whisky. One
of these days an astute druggist will
set up the defense that the drug-store
variety isn't really whisky. "
South Africa has defeated equal
suffrage, but the majority was small.
Contempt for women Is a peculiarity
of the male sex on the faraway side
of the earth.
Iowa convicts are fighting the
sterilization law. Long ago a nan
said: "No thief e'er felt the halter
draw with good opinion of the law."
The million-dollar fire of the Van-
derbilts is not so distressing as when
the isolated farmhouse burns just
after the policy has lapsed.
After having closed down the
schools, striking English teachers
have forced - a higher wage scale.
That's teaching 'em.
A brief denial is Issued from the
White House of a report that Miss
Margaret Wilson is engaged. Prema--ture
or erroneous?
A year from now we will all be
looking up time tables and sailing
dates south, unless an earthquake
scares us.
The striking teachers in Hereford
won without burning a schoolhouse.
They can teach tactics to the mili
tants. More of Raphael's paintings have
been found at Naples.' Which means
more American money for Italy.
A Southern Oregon man eats a
quart of dill pickles at every meal.
Why doesn't he marry the girl?
The heads of the fuel company
were found guilty, but customary
technicalities will intervene.
A local man, after shooting himself
twice in the head. Is not seriously
hurt. He should now enlist
Rockefeller went to work shoveling
snow on his estate Economizing to
meet that $12,000,000 tax.
The deposed President of Peru must
suffer exile. In Mexico he would
merely be assassinated.
Los Angeles has 37,000 laws." Must
take a special course of study to avoid
becoming a lawbreaker.
Price of Oregon wool advances de
spite the tariff. Can't keep a good
thing dawn. '
Our Daly water promises to become
about as costly as our daily bread.
An earthquake has struck Reno.
Retribution.
Gill nominated. How fickle the vot
ing public!
Time for you tail-enders to register!
Stars and Starmakers
BY LBONK CAES BAKR.
See where Mary Mannenng says all
babies should be raised on a pure food
system, in pure air houses, with pure
thinking people. Teh but you can't
make pure mud pies or dfg in a pure
sandplle or wade in a pure puddle.
Saydye got a bonnet
Spick and chick and new.
- And the woman right next door
Got one like It too.
Saydye met the neighbor.
Gave one tearful look.
And then to make things pleasant
Gave her bonnet to ho cook.
Mary Edgett-Baker, who doesn't own
a motor car, although her father does,
was an enthusiastic attendant at the
recent automobile exhibition. I met
her there one' day and asked her why
she was so ardent about the demon
stration. "Well." said Mary E. B., "It's lovely
once a year to come and look at a
whole mass of cars that you don't have
to dodge."
Mclntyre and Heath are headed Port
land way in "The Ham Tree," coming
from the South. They will be at the
Heilig on Washington's birthday.
At the sale of Alice Lloyd's house
hold furniture In a Broadway auction
room t'other day the principal articles
offered were framed pictures of Tom
McNaughton, Miss Lloyd's husband.
Oliver Morosco's Chicago company,
presenting Jack Lait's drama, "Help
Wanted," began the ninth week of its
engagement at the Cort Theater, Chi
cago, last Saturday night. Henry
Kolker Is the featured player in this
organization. "Help Wanted" is In its
second week in New York, too, at the
Maxine Elliott Theater. The cast in
cludes several folk well known on the
Pacific Coast. Among them are:
Charles Richman, Lois Meredith, John
Miltern, Desmond Kelley, Charles Rug
gles, Jessie Ralph, Charles A. Abbe and
Katherine Emmet.
Edward C. Woodruff met his I. W.
W. friend again last week.
"Why don't you go to work?" asked
E. C. W. of the L W. W.
"If you only knew how much happi
ness work brings you would begin at
once."
Said the I. W. W. one: "I am trying
to lead a life of self-denial in which
happiness counts absolutely no figure.
Do not tempt me."
Arthur Cunningham, well known In
Portland,' is again a member of the
Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company
which reorganized and opened the
26th of last month in Montreal. Be
sides Mr. Cunningham the cast in
cludes Alice Brady, daughter of Will
lam Incorporated Brady; Arthur Al
dridge, Herbert Waterous, John C.
Thomas, Gladys Caldwell, Sara Ed
wards, Florence Lee, Gertrude Self
and Marie Mordaunt. The main piece
in the repertoire this season will be
"Iolanthe." The company will visit
Portland. De Wolf Hopper heftds It, as
of yore.
Adeline Genee is still "retiring" from
the dancing stage. When she was here
nearly two years ago she was going
to retire just as soon as that tour was
ended. Now she says that when she
has completed the eight weeks season
whlcb is due to begin on March 2 at
the London Coliseum she will forever
shake the dust of dancing off her
twinkling toes.
e
Speaking of Genee, the London cor
respondent says: "Mile. Genee con
fesses to the age of 36 only." No
woman "confesses" to 36. Only a
Biblical birth record could make one
own up to that many years.
And if she confesses to 36 she Is
probably 41.
Mile. Genee, who is married to an
English barrister, or real estate agent,
or somethings, says, or asks, rather:
"Why should I, who have, as my
friends the Americans say, made my
pile, go on dancing until my limbs be
come stiff and my hair gray! It is so
much better, when one is able to re
tire from the stage gracefully! It is
one of the earliest things we learn on
the stage; it should be one of our lat
est accomplishments!"
"Miltstones," the Bennett-Knoblauch
comedy-drama, is to play but two cities
on the Pacific Coast, Los Angeles and
San Francisco. It Is making a record
trip of the United States, but for some
reason, known only to the booking
agents, we have been left out of the
tour.
Julian Eltinge has tried out his new
musical play and found it to his satis
faction. It Is called "The Crinoline
Girl." The piece is by Otto Hauerbach.
Assisting Mr. Eltinge are Herbert
Corthell, Maidel Turner, Helen Lutrell
and Edna Whistler. Miss Whistler has
the interesting task of playing the
star's double in the piece, and the re
semblance in makeup is said to be per
fect. And the printer in another paper got
William Thrift Pangle as William
Thirst Pangle. That is not my idea
of a real joke.
Frank Harwood, who until recently
was director of the orchestra In the
Empress Theater, In Portland, has
gone Into the vaudeville! field and Is
beginning with a song Bkit, all of the
music composed by himself, on the
Fisher circuit on the Sound and in Can
ada. Mr. Harwood came to Portland
from London, where he had been di
rector in two of the larger houses and
had played with the Italian opera at
Covent Garden. In England he com
posed songs for a number of the Eng
lish comedians. His entrance into
vaudeville with his own songs In the
Northwestern circuits' Is his first re
sumption of composing and production
since he came to America. The lyrics
for Mr. Harwood's production are the
work of Dean Collins.
Isadora Duncan announces she will
return to the stage shortly. She has
not appeared since the death of her
two children, drowned in the Seine,
near Paris, In a motor car accident
Prlscilla Knowles is sploshing
around in very mellow-drama at the
Academy of Music in New York. This
week she is taking a chance with "A
Desperate Chance," written by Theo
dore Kremer around the remarkable
career of the Biddle brothers. The
pretty little play depicts the murder
of a storekeeper and a detective, the
subsequent escape from prison with
the help of the warden's wife and the
thrilling recapture of the notorious
brothers. Prlscilla is just in her ele
ment in a play like this. - '
TAXING RICH MAN'S Al'TOHOBItE
Mr. U'Ren Implies Xtw Meaning to
Statement In Circular.
OREGON CITY. Or, Feb. 17. (To the
Editor.) I think you were hasty in
expressing conclusions in that editorial
on "The Falsehood and the Joker,'
Sunday. Last year I had a friend look
up the Assessor's books of Multnomah
County for 1912 for te milllo-naires
who paid most of the money to submit
that law which .exempts all household
furniture and "jewelry and similar per
sonal effects in actual use." Under that
law some of Its advocates escape taxes
on very many thousand dollars of "jew
elry and similar effects In actual use."
The friend who made the search for
me reported that the books of the As
sessor showed some of these men were
assessed for farm machinery, but no
automobiles. If The Oregonian will give
the name with the book and page of
any person who Is assessed for his
automobile, and who was among the
large contributors for that household
exemption bill, with its jewelry exemp
tion joker, I shall be very much
obliged and will certainly correct the
error in all future statements concern
ing the $1500 tax exemption amend
ment It ie absurd to say that the $3
license fee on an automobile Is a tax.
I am astonished to see The Oregonian
repeat that old story that there was
no poll tax law to be repealed in 1910.
The shortness of the editor's memory
Is all the more astonishing because the
falsehood of that statement has been
exposed and proved so many times. -W.
a U'REN.
A reply to this letter Is published
elsewhere on this page.
Palindrome Example.
WENDLING. Or., Feb. 16. (To thi
Editor.) A brief editorial on the pal
indrome appearing in The Oregonian a
short time since, recalled to the writer
that several years ago. as a pastime,
he was responsible for taking liberties
with our language In framing a num
ber of the "freaks." some of which were
published by the Oregon Teachers" j
monthly at the time.
To those who would try the recipro
cating, crawfish style, the following ex
amples are given: Wet stew, salt an
atlas; lion oil, oil of folio; race car;
rise, sir; turn in rut; rob all labor;
never even; O. had I Idaho; a man, a
plan, a canal, Panama; pure Boston did
not sober up; devil never even lived;
walnuts stun law; Ned got Ogden; draw
O coward; Eve verses order, red roses
reveve; a ham, of Omaha; ye Nome
money; tender noses on red net; Deity
tied; now I'd no maid a diamond I
won. R. W. POWELL
' V
Effect of Canal.
WALKA WALLA, Wash., -Feb. 16.
(To the Editor.) Kindly state some
direct benefits the Pacific Coast will
derive from the opening of the Panama
Canal.
A gentleman connected with a firm
doing a flour-exporting business
claims that the opening of the canal
will be a detriment to us. His argu
ment is that our market for wheat
and flour is in the Orient and wheat
raisers will not profit by any reduced
rates to Europe. Lumber is the only
thing that will. Cargoes intended for
the East from the Orient will pass
through the canal Instead of landing
at our ports or being shipped across
the Continent as at present.
VICTOR HUNZIKER.
The Oregonian published a formal
discussion on this subject on this page
November 26, 1913. . .
A Slx-Montss' Exteniioa la Possible.
BRIDGEPORT, Or.. Feb. 16. (To the
Editor.) If a mail stage line contract
were let by the Government for a cer
tain length of time, and the contract
expired, and there were no bids- sub
mitted for a new contract, could the
Government hold the old contractor for
a certain length of time? Or is he al
lowed to quit the day his time ex
pires? SUBSCRIBER.
The postal regulations provide that
the old contractor may be held to con
tinue the contract six months after the
date of its expiration, if no one is
secured to take a new contract. This
may be done without any additional
contract and the contractor's bonds
men are held liable for his perform
ance of the extra six months' service.
Some Lambs.
DAYTON, Or., Feb. 16. (To the Edi
tor.) I noticed a communication from
a Washington County farmer in The
Oregonian, stating he had a ewe which
had three lambs, which speaks well
for the mother sheep. But I want to
verify the old adage. "Yamhill against
the world." In the language of the
poker sharp, we can go one better.
Last year I had 30 ewes, and they
had 47 lambs; one ewe had four, an
other three, and several had twins. The
same flock are lambing now, and from
the way they are shelling out the
lambs they may break the record. Al
most all are having twins, one has
three, and more to hear from.
The ewes are descendants from the
Richard Scott strain of Cotswolds, and
the buck from the Ladd flock.
B. F. SWICK.
Reminiscence la Awakened.
PORTLAND, Feb. 17. (To the Edi
tor.) In the column of "Half a Cen
tury Ago" in The Oregonian February
15 I saw a news item that was very
Interesting to me. It was the arrival
of the ship Wild Pigeon at San Fran
cisco from China with news of the
Pirate Alabama.
I was a sailor on the ship for sev
eral years, arriving In New York In
March, 1861. which ended my sailor
life. While off Cape Horn on our last
voyage from the coast of Chili we
spoke a whaler from New Bedford.
Mass.. who informed us of the election
of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency.
PERRY TOMLINSON,
949 Francis Avenue.
Lent and Easter.
AUDREY, Or., Feb. 16. (To the Ed
itor.) (1) How Is Lent regulated? (2)
Is Easter Sunday supposed to be the
day that Christ arose?
(3) If a woman is sent to the peni
tentiary can her husband obtain a di
vorce? B. M. H.
(1) Lent comprises the 40 week
days preceding Easter.
(2) Easter is observed In commem
oration of the resurrection.
(3) Yes.
Land Suit Unsettled.
ALSEA, Or., Feb. 16. To the Editor.)
Kindly state In your next issue as to
what the courts have done about the
S. P. R. R. grant. Respectfully,
SUBSCRIBER.
There has been no decision except in
the lower court and the case is now
on appeal.
Value of Coin.
PORTLAND, Feb. 16. (To the Edi
tor.) Kindly tell me if an Indian one
rupee, dated 1887, the Golden Jubilee
of Queen Victoria, Empress of India,
Is of any value? A READER.
Write to Scott Stamp and Coin Com
pany, New York. .
Yes.
PORTLAND, Feb. 16. (To the Edi
tor.) Can a man become President of
the United States who was born abroad
while his father waa representing the
United States as an Ambassador?
G. M.
Twenty-five Years Ago
(From The Oregonian of Feb. 19, 1S39.)
Washington. Feb. 18. Judge Edger
ton, who was recently removed as Civil
Service Commissioner, has written an
open letter to the President, denounc
ing him.
Salem, Feb. IS. The Senate tonight
passed Gilbert's bill amending the
charter of Portland, but adjourned be
fore reaching the consolidation bill,
which will probably be taken up to
morrow night
Salem, Feb. 19. Governor Peiinoyer
today sent to the Senate the nomina
tions of J. W. Grimm, of Aurora, Wallis
Nash, of Corvallis, and F. A. Bailey, of
HiUsboro, to be Reganta of the State
Agricultural College.
Seattle, Feb. 18. The case of the
Territory vs. James W. Wickersham,
Probate Judge of Pierce County,
charged with the seduction of Miss
Sadie Brantner. was called by Judge
Burke in the District Court this after
noon. Eugene. Feb. 18. The variety thea
ter owned and run by J. W. Egan &
Co. was burned this morning. The loss
is about $5700, divided among J. W.
Egan & Co.. R. M. Day. J. B. Coleman.
George Wilson, Charles Lauer, Day &.
Henderson.
Seattle, Feb. 18. The Harrison Le
gion intends to put a party ticket in
the field at the next city election in
June. For a number of years party
politics have cut no figure in munic
ipal elections.
Sheriff Kelly and Deputy Sheriff
Marquam at 7 o'clock last evening
seized a passenger train on the P. &
W. v. R. R. at the depot under execu
tion of a judgment obtained by Thomas
Callahan in Judge Shattuck's court for
$561 and costs. It is the old Ray's
landing boat controversy.
Work Is being pushed at the Cas
cade Locks, about 400 men being em
ployed. Postmaster Koby has ensraered two
additional letter carriers, making 16 in
ait
Mr. Therkelsen has
register clocks for the
ordered threw
North Pacific
lumber mill.
James O. Woodworth, assistant gen
eral freight agent of the O. R. & N.
Co.. has gone East for a month. He
111 visit his parents, and may go as
far as Washington to witness the In
auguration. Captain Louis A. Franck, of the ship
C. S. Bement, was married yesterday
to Miss Kate M. Yates, of Roundpound,
Me., by Rev. A. J. Brown.
The stockholders' meeting of tho
Portland Cable Railway Company yes
terday resolved to increase the capital
from $150,000 to $300,000, Balfour,
Guthrie & Co. having offered to take
the bulk of the bonds on this condition.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of Feb. 19, 1864.
Arrangements have been made with
Mr. Harvey for suitable lots and a sup
ply of water to furnish a company with
a site and power for a woolen factory
at Oregon City. Articles of incorpora
tion have been filed and nearly $30,000
of the required capital has been sub
scribed in Oregon City. For the suc
cess of the project as much more must
be taken and It is hoped that the citi
zens of Portland will help liberally.
Subscription papers have been left with
Allen & Lewis, A. Holbrook and M. S.
Burrell.
The, Yreka Union says a company
has been organized in that place for the
purpose of working coal mines In the
Calapooya region in this state.
Proceedings of the Common Council:
Committee on streets and public prop
erty were authorized to purchase hal
liards and have them wave at the head
of the flagstaff on the Public Plaza
before the 22d and to do anything else
they may deem necessary except short
en the pole. Ordinance was passed
providing for the building of an engine
house for Columbia Engine Company
No. 3, and purchase of a fire engine,
hose-cart and hose for Protection En
gine Company No. 4.
Celebration cf Washington's birth
day Monday next, 22d Instant will be
celebrated by the citizens pretty gen
erally. The military and fire com
panies, civil officers of the Government,
etc.. will uppear In public parade and
a company of troops from Vancouver
will be over with a cannon to fire a
National salute. A general closing of
places of business is advocated. Cap
tain Keeler, provost marshal. Is ex
pected to deliver an address in the
evening.
The halliards were successfully taken
to the truck of No. 2's flagstaff yester
day by George Washington Maxwell,
in the employ of Leonard & Green.
The foundation for a three-story ad
dition to the new What Cheer House
is being constructed on the river front
Tonight is set for a benefit to Miss
Minnie Gillespie at Willamette Theater.
"All that Glitters is Not Gold," and the
burlesque "Metamora" are the pieces
selected.
United States Marshals' Salaries Differ
PORTLAND, Feb. 16. (To the Edi
itor.) What salary does the United
States Marshal get In Oregon, and what
In Washington?
CONSTANT READER.
The United States Marshal for Ore
gon receives $4500 yearly. There are
two districts In the State of Wash
ington. In the eastern district with
headquarters at Spokane, the salary is
$4000. In the western district with
headquarters at Seattle, the salary is
$4500.
$50,000,000 a
Year Saved
A leading New York City news
paper that has been waging a cour
ageous and effective fight for pure
food and a lowering of the cost of
living has just announced that it
has discovered a method of pre
serving eggs for several months.
It is a simple, inexpensive thing
which is calculated to save $50,
000,000 annually that is now lost
through eggs ratting before they
can be sold.
This is a tremendous economy
even for a rich Nation like ours.
But did it ever occur to you that
enterprising manufacturers, retail
ers, and other advertisers in The
Oregonian are constantly offering
opportunities for economy which
amount to many times $30,000,000
that is, if every one would take ad
vantage of the opportunities of
fered? There is a continuous opportunity
to economize in money, time, and
energy by knowing how, when, and
where to buy.
If you are not already one of
those who are making themselves
efficient begin now and give a
proper attention to the interesting
and instructive advertising appear
ing dally In The Oregonian. Adv.
A