Morning Oregonian., March 21, 1914, Page 8, Image 8

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THE MORNING OREGONIAN, SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1914.
POETLASD. OatCON.
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FOBTLAXD. SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1914.
TWELVE GOOD MKJf.
' The Oregonian does not think well
of the newest scheme to abolish something-
because it does not work per
fectly that is, the drastic and revolu
tionary proposal to do away with the
State Senate. Let the abolishers abol
ish themselves for a while and let the
constructors get to work. Building
up, not tearing down, is the present
need of Oregon.
If we want representative govern
ment we must have a Legislature.
That is obvious to the poorest intelli
gence. If we are to have an efficient
and workmanlike Legislature, we
must send good workmen to the state
capital.
. What the publio observes now is
that the candidates who offer them
selves for the Legislature from Mult
nomah County are for the most part
young men who are worthy, no
doubt, but who are not well known as
capable, successful and trustworthy
citizens. Some ar& young lawyers
who are hunting for a reputation;
others have a desire to render some
public service with whatever inci
dental benefit may result to them
selves. But few of the candidates, for
the lower house, at least, are recruited
from the available citizens who have
demonstrated that they know how to
get results.
It is imperative that the personnel
of the representative branch of the
Legislature be strengthened and im
proved. There ought to be some way
to Induce men of affairs to stand for
the Legislature. The Oregonian could
name offhand a hundred men in Port
land whom the public needs at Salem;
and not one of them has been sug
gested as a candidate for the Legisla
ture. Why is it not possible to induce
men like the following to become can
didates for the lower house?
Ben Sailing J. M. Letter
L. G. Clarke W. A. Bushone
Theodore B. Wilcox K. C. Knapp
A. H. Arerlll i Joseph Simon
Edward Ehrman W. L. Morgan
Andrew Madeen T. N. Stoppenbach
Amos Benson H. D. P.amsdell
W. F. Woodward H. B. Van Duzcr
W. P. Olds B. Lm Paget
Dr. A. J. Gleay H. H. Northup
John M. Gearln W. B. Glafke
W. H. Fitzgerald George Lawrence, Jr.
Thomas Hlslcp Amedee mlth
J. B. Holbrook W. G. McPheraon
C. B. Moores M. B. McFaul
And many more. We do not pre
sent the foregoing as anything more
than a typical group of citizens of all
shades of political opinion who ought
to be willing to give up forty days of
their valuable time at Salem for the
general benefit.
Twelve candidates for the lower
house are to be elected from Multno
mah. Why should they not be chosen
from the first citizens of the county?
BCSIXESS OUTLOOK.
Fundamental conditions affecting
business continue favorable and de
cided Improvement only awaits re
moval of some doubtful factors
which cannot be long delayed. De
mand for manufactures still improves
and causes increase in the forces of
Eastern industries. There has been
a slight slackening in the increase of
unfilled orders for steel, but the gain
in January and February brought the
orders close to capacity of the mills.
Advances in prices on February 1
checked demand, but this condition is
considered but temporary. Output of
pig iron is 85 per cent of that in 1913,
which broke all records.
Another favorable factor is the
good prospect of large crops. Wheat
in December showed the best condi
tion in eleven years and losses from
Winter-killing are believed to be "the
smallest in a long period, justifying
the expectation that the April report
will show prospects of the largest
crop on record on the largest acreage
ever planted.
This prospect should stimulate
trade in the farming regions, where
merchants have been buying from
hand to mouth until, as a Kansas
City dispatch says, their shelves are
more nearly bare than they have been
in years. Building has revived in the
small cities of the granger states and
banks are well able to finance it.
Business activity will receive a
more decided impetus when the rail
road rate Question is settled and when
Congress has disposed of anti-trust
legislation. There has been a slight
stiffening in money rates on the At
lantic Coast, but this is pronounced
only temporary, and an easy money
market is promised and will be aided
greatly by the opening of the Federal
reserve banks. This event will re
lease part of the reserves now held
by National banks and will provide
them with an open discount market
for paper. Such a money market will
be favorable to the placing of rail
road and industrial securities and will
open the way for expansion of indus
tries and for new railroad construc
tion and improvements.
The one step above all others by
which the Government .could accel
erate business revival would be ap
proval of the proposed advance in
railroad rates, which has been in
dorsed by many organizations of
shippers. It would strengthen the
credit of the railroads and enable
them to market securities, to buy ma
terial and to put the unemployed
army to work. How quickening an
effect this would have on all business
may be judged from the fact that the
railroads are estimated to consume 35
per cent of the steel products in nor
mal times. Every man added to the
working force of the steel mills and
the railroads would add a consumer
of all other products to the present
total. The beneficial effects wouM
extend through all channels of trade.
The Interstate Commercey-Commis-sion
does well to ferret out unsound
financing of the New Haven, Frisco
and Rock Island roads and improper
accounting of the Milwaukee road,
but 'the relief of railroads, and
through them of business generally,
from their excessive burdens should
not be postponed until the same
process of housecleanlng has been re
peated with every railroad in the
country.
Adverse conditions to business in
this country can be removed by our
selves and they are in process of be
ing removed, except the Mexican
muddle, but Europe is not in that
happy position. It is disturbed not
only about Mexico, but about Brazil,
which has caused trepidation by the
shrinkage in the sinking fund for re
demption of its debt; about Ireland,
where civil war threatens; and about
France, where financial depression
continues and where the Cabinet is
shaky.
On the Pacific Coast, with reason
able prospect of good crops, with the
lumber Industry gradually reviving
and with trade expanding northward
to Alaska, and westward to Honolulu,
we are in a happy position to partake
of the good times which are forecast
by Eastern business prophets.
ORNAMENT NOT NEEDED.
Initiation of an amendment to per
mit one individual to present a law or
amendment to be voted on at the pri
mary election as a preliminary test to
its submission in the general election
is hardly in harmony with a pledge to
promote lower taxes and guarantee
economy.
The amendment would transfer the
cost of initiating measures from the
authors to the state, there to be
doubled and redoubled by the appli
cation of a more complex system and
the encouragement the change would
give to the introduction of bills and
amendments without number.
If this amendment is drawn with
due regard to the rights of voters who
are not members of the three major
parties, it must provide for a separ
ate ballot of measures, that the Pro
hibitionists, Socialists and independ
ent voters may have opportunity to
say what measures shall be voted on
in the general election. The printing
cost and the additional expenses of
election boards would be enormous.
The election system would be greatly
elaborated and still the chief abuse
Incident to paid payment of petition
circulators would not be avoided. The
worst damage committed by paid pe
titioning Is the holdup of legislative
enactments through a money-bought
referendum. The referendum is not
susceptible to a primary vote.
The remedy for abuses of the direct
legislative system does not lie in rad
icalism. ,Nor, do we believe, is suc
cess in the election dependent upon
the advocacy of governmental frflls
and fancies. A clean, specific pro
gramme for backtracking on extrav
agances, without ornament or conces
sion to the visionaries, is the winning
policy.
SUFFRAGE AND THE SOUTH.
When the vote was taken on wom
an suffrage in the Senate nearly all
the Southern members were counted
against it. The reason they gave was
that they feared it might increase
negro - influence at the polls. No
doubt there were other reasons not
so openly acknowledged. With all
their professions of chivalry and their
glorification' of women, there is a
good deal of secret contempt for the
female sex among the politicians of
the1 old slave states. They are quite
willing to honor women with their
tongues as long as they are not asked
to do anything more substantial, but
when it comes to demonstrating con
fidence in their intelligence by be
stowing the vote, another tune is
sung.
The mentality of the South is still
largely medieval. It is behind the
world in many particulars. The per
centage of illiteracy is large. This
is true both among whites and blacks,
though, of course, the negroes are
worse than the whites. Schools lag in
many parts of the South. In some
sections there is positive objection to
educating the negroes. It is supposed
that if they learn to read they will
no longer "know their places."
The Southern cotton mills are the
secure asylum for child labor. The
forces which oppose humane legisla
tion have triumphed in all directions
and little children work long hours
for the profit of their employers un
der conditions revolting to the moral
sense. In the South prisoners are
still worked on the chain gang. If
they escape they, are pursued with
bloodhounds and 'shot down at sight.
with little regard for the sacredness
of life. In labor camps convicts are
flogged mercilessly at the whim of
the contractors. Sauthern Justices of
the Peace make "deals" with chain
gang contractors whereby innocent
men are often condemned and the
profits divided.
In communities of this kind we
ought not to expect much sentiment
favorable to woman suffrage.
IE A ft OF ITEM-VETO.
The argument presented by Mr.
tTRen today against an item-veto
amendment to the constitution is an
argument against any form of. veto.
The secret threat of veto may be
made by the Governor against the ap
propriation that stands alone as well
as against one or more items in a gen
eral appropriation bill. But perhaps
Mr. TJ'Ren is opposed to any kind of
executive veto.
In any event, the "logrolling" of
local appropriations has ceased to be
a practice in Oregon, if the proceed
ings of the last session are a cri
terion. The general appropriation
bill of the last session which Gover
nor West vetoed on the ostensible
ground that it contained extraneous
items carried no local appropriations.
It may be interesting to relate at
this time Just what the general ap
propriation bill of 1913 did contain.
It provided for salaries, office ex
penses and general maintenance of
the offices of the Governor, Secretary
of State, Treasurer, School Superin
tendent, Attorney-General, Supreme
Court, State Library, Tax Commis
sion, Railroad Commission, Fish
Warden, Sheep Commission, Pilot
Commission, Board of Horticulture,
Commissioner of Labor, State Veter
inarian, Desert Land Board and State
Land Department.
It provided for the state's share of
the salaries of Circuit Judges and
Prosecuting Attorneys and deputies;
for the expenses of the legislative ses
sion; for maintenance and' expenses
of the State Board of Forestry, the
State Capitol, the portage railway, the
naval militia, the immigration office,
the state printing 'Office. It appro
priated money for pursuit and arrest
of fugitives and contained eleven mis
cellaneous items aggregating the com
paratively small sum -of about $13,
000. These included proclamation
printing, the Governor's special agent
fund, rewards for arrests, expenses of
th Board of Higher Curricula, print
ing for the State Horticultural Soci
ety, expenses of the Oregon Library
Commission, services and mileage of
the Textbook Commission, per diem
and mileage of Presidential Electors,
refund to counties for support of non
resident poor, expenses and clerk sal
ary for State Purchasing Board, and
salary and clerk hire for state land
agents.
Such is the bill that Governor West
vetoed to make a spectacular record
for economy. As The Oregonian has
heretofore pointed out, he had the
power, after the bill was passed over
hla veto, to prevent the expenditure,
of some of the large appropriations
and reduce others it contained had he
been inclined to practice real-econ
omy.
It would be hard to discover in the
general appropriation bill where item
veto threats' could have won over sup
port to the Governor's policy. There
were numerous county measures
passed, but the - appropriations were
in separate bills. There were appro
priations, each one in a separate bill,
for three armories, two experiment
stations, a road investigation, the Co
lumbia Southern project, the Supreme
Court building, a walnut experiment
station, and a few others. There
was opportunity in each for the Gov
ernor to logroll.
The item-veto would be particularly-
valuable in cutting down inordinate
demands for clerk hire in state de
partments and in reducing extrava
gant appropriations for Mate institu
tions, if such there be. But there is
no more cause to fear Its enactment
than there is to fear the enactment
of any measure conferring power on
a state officer or state department.
Every power is subject to abuse. . If
with the direct primary, free elections,
the recall and the referendum all in
force we must stand in dread 6f in
efficiency and wrongdoing on the part
of public officials, it is time a people
with government so thoroughly . in
their own hands began a serious study
of the duties of citizenship.
NORMAN ANGEIX.
Norman Angell, who is speaking in
many cities of the United States and
will soon be in Portland, is the fa
mous author of "The Great Illusion."
This book has moved public opinion
more profoundly than any other ever
written upon the subject of interna
tional peace. The author's opinions
are strikingly original and many
thousands of thoughtful readers have
found them convincing. He handles
his subject with an assured power
gained by long experience and wide
observation.
Mr. Angell was born in England in
1874, but he was educated in France
and Switzerland. Later in his career
he came to the United States and,
like Mr. Roosevelt, passed some time
following ranch life. He "afterward
went into newspaper work and
formed many Intimate acquaintance
ships among the leading characters of
Great Britain and the continent.
His book, "The Great Illusion,"
contains the ripe fruits of his experi
ence and reflection. The author pub
lished it himself and it came into the
world without any of the supposed
advantages of pompous advertising,
but it passed speedily through many
editions. Statesmen soon began to
quote it in their public speeches.
Thoughtful people everywhere eager
ly bought and read it. Translations
appeared in one country after an
other, until now it is said to have
been published in twenty languages.
The opportunity to hear the author
of a book of this quality speak the
living word is not one to be neglected,
but readers must guard themselves
against expecting grandiloquent ora
tory from Mr. Angell. He speaks very
quietly and makes his effects by the
power of his thought rather than by
brilliant periods and eloquent rap
tures. Some have sald.that his first
appearance on the platform is dis
appointing, but presently the weight
of his argument causes everybody to
forget his modest demeanor and he
usually masters his audience before
he closes.
Mr. Angell discards pretty nearly
all the traditional arguments for in
ternational peace. He makes nothing
of the old contention that force is
always wrong. About the "horrors
of war" he has little td" say. Nor
does he put extraordinary faith In the
development of a tribunal which shall
Judge the nations as our common
courts judge individuals. His case is
exclusively economic.
Nations go to war because they ex
pect to gain something by fighting.
Mr. Angell argues that they can gain
nothing under modern conditions and
are fearfully likely to lose. He main
tains that even a victorious nation,
like a victorious suitor in some courts,
really comes out of the struggle a
loser. We may brush aside the popu
lar notion that wars are started by
waves of enthusiasm among the
masses. Such waves never occur un
less they are systematically worked
up by hidden agencies and usually
these agencies have something to gain
by bloodshed, or think they have.
Thelreason why no modern war can
be profitable to either side Mr. Angell
finds in the marvelous extension of
credit and the close interdependence
among the business affairs of all the
nations. Credit knows nothing of
boundary lines. It is a perfect unity
the world over and no disturbance
can happen to it in one country with
out producing disasters in all coun
tries. Suppose then, Mr. Angell says,
Germany should conquer England,
what could it possibly gain?
No private property would change
hands. Modern sentiment does not
permit the conquerors to rob their
individual victims. A huge public in
demnity might be exacted, but with
what results? In order to pay the
indemnity England must withdraw
her credits from other countries.
German . bankers, among others,
would feel the terrible drain. Busi
ness in Berlin and every other capi
tal would be upset. A world-wide
panic would be almost certain to fol
low, in which the Germans would
lose more than they would gain by
their indemnity.
- Mr. Angell goes so far as to con
tend that Germany was actually in
jured by the French war indemnity
of 1871. To be sure, a period of
great prosperity followed, but that
would have come In any case from
the consolidation of the empire and
it would have been more stable and
far-reaching without the indemnity.
For the proof of this seeming para
dox the reader must consult Mr. An-,
gell's book. He will be surprised at
the force of the arguments brought to
bear upon it.
"The Great Illusion" has already
produced tangible consequences by
inspiring people in England and else
where to organize "polity clubs."
These clubs ' propagate the doctrines
of Mr. AngeU's book and may in the
long run profoundly change popular
opinions on the subject of war and its
effects. To. promote the. organization
of polity' clubs is said to be part of
Mr. Angell's mission in the tour he
is making through the United States.
Although recent suffragette out
rages create the impression that mili
tancy is still rampant in England, the
London Mail -says they are only the
final frenzy of a diminished and dis
credited group." It says the number
of militants has shrunk from about
fifty to about a dozen, seven of whom
are known. It explains the govern
ment's failure to keep them in prison
by saying "the suffragette leaders "are
hoping for the death of one of their
fanatics in order to regain public sym
pathy." That accounts for ,the fury
against the "cat and mouse" act. It
subjects the militants to the pains of
martyrdom, but denies them the
crown.
We may - judge how little there is
In the cry that book are not much
read in these flays by some New Tork
figures. The public library of that
city has gained more than 100,000
new patrons within a year. In other
words the reading population has in
creased 31 per cent, while the gen
eral population has increased only
3 per cent. If this happens in frivo
lous, tango-mad, Tammany -infested
New Tork, what may we not expect
elsewhere? The truth is that people
read more books and better books
now than ever before. V .
If every Judge had as much com
mon 'sense as Judge Tuttle, of De
troit, there would' be less ' complaint
of partial injunctions. On one of the
usual flimsily specious- pretexts he
was besought to hurl an injunction
against some striking ' messenger
hoys who had fought .with the lads
that took their jobs.- Judge Tuttle re
plied that the fights were business
for the police." We commend his
wisdom. Injunctions and martial law
are becoming a little too common to
suit old-fashioned Americans. v
The world wflV. sympathize with
Wellesley College, which has suffered
fire losses far beyond what the in
surance will cover. In some respects
Wellesley is the best of the women's
colleges. It is fairly free from the
snobbery which pesters some of them.
It began democratically and has so
continued. This quality with high
educational standards has given Wel
lesley a unique place among colleges.
Whoever, has money to give just now
may well think of giving it to Wel
lesley. Referring to Ambassador Page's
jocular remarks on the Panama Ca
nal in London, the ".New York Tri
bune suggests that, if he had had a
chance Secretary Bryan would have
blue-pencilled them and that he
should censor "in advance all Mr.
Page's threatened after-dinner hu
mor." Surely, a fellow-feeling would
restrain Mr. Bryan from cutting out
Mr. Page's most telling phrases, for
had a censor edited all Mr. Bryan's
speeches, where would he have gained
his fame? -
The manufacture of synthetic prod
ucts proceeds apace. -Artificial "or
ganic" nitrogen has become a com
monplace article of commerce. Lab
oratory rubber made from sage brush
Is under way. It may be announced
tomorrow. Synthetic, or ' artificial,
milk is actually here, or at least it
is In London, which comes to the
same thing. Made from the modest
soya bean, it yields cream and butter
and fattens babies as well as the best
dairy article.
Mr. Taft's commendation of com
mission government. for .cities is wel
come, though It conies a liWle late.
Give him time and he will catch up
with the world In spite of his weight.
He attaches more value to the so
called "merit system," however, than
some thinkers do. Many who have
investigated the subject candidly are
Inclined to believe that it ought to
be called the "demerit system," but
upon some points we must agree to
differ. '
At least, we might arbitrate the
tolls matter. By submitting to the
findings of an arbitration court we
would set a finer, example to the
world than by lying down in cold-
footed timidity.
President Wilson finds that oppo
sition to his tolls programme is grow
ing. The rest of the country Is not
quite so afraid of Europe.
If Huerta really reopens negotia
tions we suspect it will be a mere
ruse to extract cash from our guile
less Administration.
The State Department will have a
new counsellor at once. Chautauqua
time draws near and someone must
be on the Job.
Coast lumber will compete with
Southern lumber in the East. We've
got the branching-out habit in earn
est, now.
Governor Colquitt says he will pro
tect Texans with rangers at all cost.
The "quit" in Colquitt is a misnomer.
Every day in the year is an Inde
pendence day for women. What ails
that Eastern suffrage association?
Great care is now exercised by
bandits to molest no foreigners other
than mere Americans.
Robert L. Stevens, late tentative
candidate for Governor, is yet young.
Spring arrives officially today to
find Summer already on the Job.
A new railroad for the Valley. Who
said there'd be a slowing down?
The English bull dog may have to
shake the Ulster rat terrier.
All the rest of Ireland is smiling
at the trouble in Ulster.
The weather must have joined the
"Oregon dry" movement.
The first rose of Summer is bloom
ing; but not all alone.
These fruit trees in bloom are am
bitious, but foolish.
The fight for the Coroner's job is
slow in starting.
Ulster Volunteers must appeal to
Canada for help.
Mexico Is about due for another
upheaval. '
Vacation plans are now in order.
Ring for taa Jce man, .-'.,.; fl -
WHAT WOULD HAPPES TO PARKS.
School Children and Grass on Same
Plot Are Incompatible,
PORTLAND, March 20. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Oregonian, March 16, ap
pears a letter of protest against the use
of any of the park blocks south of Sal
mon street for school playgrounds.
This letter was evidently written by an
observing and discriminating taxpay
er, one who writes with a full knowl
edge of conditions as they are, not as
they might be if all the children at
tending the public schools of Portland
were taught to respect the rights and
property of others.
In The Oregonian. March 17, appears
a letter insisting that "the new Shat
tuck School be built on one of the
blocks facing the park blocks," that it
would be the aim of the snattucK
School Association to make the park
block in front of the school more
beautiful so as to help teach the chil
dren a love for the beautiful and the
healthful." It is asked: "What could
be more beneficial or inspiring than an
attractive school building facing upon
a beautiful garden or park? i an
swer: What?
But if such conditions existed in this
city, that letter of protest would never
have been written. Look at the condi
tion of the park block in front of the
Ladd School; look at the condition of
the ground surrounding the Shattuck
School. Both are a disgrace to those
pupils who are the cause of it, and to
the city of Portland.
The writer of that letter personally
may not want swings, ladders and ball
grounds on the park blocks, but others
who have considerable Influence do
want them. Where, if not on these
park blocks, would the 700 to 800 chil
dren play? Surely not in the streets
where automobile are endangering
their lives.
There are at present two schools fac
ing on the park blocks, and if there is
to be a change in the location of the
Shattuck School, it should, by all
means, be situated in or near the Cen
ter of the district from which the pu
pils come. This would be about Fourth
and Lincoln streets.
As for streetcars, when the proposed
line is extended along Broadway to,
Grant street, there will be few loca
tions free from them. However, they
pursue a definite course along their
rails and are not the menance to life
and limb that automobiles are. Beau
tiful gardens and respectful, refined
children are a joy and a blessing, but
we must meet and face conditions as
they are and realize that seven or eight
hundred children on a small park block
would not leave much room for flow
ers, shrubs or grass.
L. VICTORIA HAMPTON.
FLAT BATE IS NOT EQUITABLE.
Water Maid Be Measured to Determine
Price, Aaserts Mr. Watson.
PORTLAND, March 20. (To the Ed
itor.) In The Oregonian I notice an
article written by J. W. Conway, chair
man of the Water Meter Commission,
in which he comments on some re
marks I made In rejjly to his inquiry as
to what I thought of the meter situ
ation. What I said was that the shortage
of water in this city during the Sum
mer months was, in my opinion, caused
b- the careless, reckless and sometimes
vicious waste. Now, when the people
turn the water on to "get even" with
the city, or to "get their money's worth,"
as they sometimes express it, or "to use
as much water as their neighbors," that
is in nay mind victous waste.
1 take exceptions to Mr. Conway's
idea that water is a free product. It
costs a great deal of money to put in
a water plant, and the people of this
city will be paying interest on the
bonds issued on that account long after
Mr. Conway is dead and gone; and it
would not be equitable for the city to
furnish large amounts of water to one
class of citizens at the same price that
a smaller amount is furnished to
others. Hence, in order to determine
what shall be an equitable charge for
the water so furnished I claimed that
to determine the price at which the
water shall be furnished to the citizens
of this city it is .necessary to have the
water pass through a meter to ascer
tain the amoupt delivered to any one
citizen or corporation. If Mr. Conway
knows of any other way to ascertain
the above facts I would like to have
him name how.
In regard to anlarging the mains,
what I said was that it was a big
proposition and would cost a great deal
of money, and that the placing of
meters on all service would accomplish
the same result, preventing the neces
sity of going to the expense of enlarg
ing our distribution system for some
time to come.
I did say that I pretended to know
something about the cost of enlarging
our distribution system, as has been
suggested, as I was in the pipe manu
facturing business for many years. I
did not state that water would run out
of a pipe faster .than it would run in;
In that the reporter misunderstood me.
I said that if you left one end of the
pipe open it would run out as fast as
it ran in. That remark was merely
made Incidentally in the course of the
conversation.
Mr. Conway says there is plenty of
water. If there is, why thlB howl from
certain sections of the city every Sum
mer that they are without water sup
ply? The manager of a large corporation
owning waterworks in different parts
of the country stated to me a few
days since that in one plant In a city
they had complaints of a Snortage of
water. Meters were installed and after
that water was abundant.
J. FRANK WATSON.
HOW JAILER OXCE MET CRISIS
Lock of Funds to Feed Prisoners Pre
vented by Wise German.
PORTLAND. March 17. (To the
Editor.) The problem of keeping the
city prisoners suitably employed was as
much of a problem of the old City of
East Portland 25 years ago as It is of
Portland at present. The jail was then
In charge of Constable Charlie Bartel,
a good-natured German, who saw to it
that the prisoners did not suffer any
privations while in his charge: con
sequently the ..ail was generally full in
bad weather. Once there were too
many and provisions and money for
their .maintenance were getting short.
The Mayor and Charlie had a consulta
tion and the latter agreed to procure
some relief if the Mayor would let
him have his way. ..
Next morning the squad of prisoners
was seen marching over Sullivan's
Gulch on the old Fourth-street bridge,
each one carrying a pick or shovel,
while Charlie, unaided, was acting as
guard in the rear armed with a big
Navy revolver. He set the prisoners to
work digging stumps (there were plenty
In the middle of Grand and Union ave
nues those days), and kept them pretty
bnsy for an hour or so. Then he said:
"You fellows just keep working until
I get back. I'll be back as soon as I
can."
Charlie took a walk towards town.
Happening to look back after going
about a block he saw the last of his
prisoners disappearing down Sullivan's
Gulch. He fired his revolver a couple
of times yelling, "Hy, you fellows, come
back right away."
Not hearing any response he gathered
up his tools, got someone to help him
take them back to the jail and an
nounced to the Mayor that the Jail was
now empty and plenty money on hand
to get along for a while again.
Now what botherB me is: Are the
hobos any wiser at the present time,
or are the police?
OTTO KLEEMANN.
One Year.
GOODING, Idaho, March 18. (To the
Editor.) How long must a woman re
side in Oregon before she can obtain
a divorce from her husband on the
grounds of non-support?
-; A SUBSCRIBER.
STATE IS LOSIXG $200 PER DAY.
Tax Honey Is Withheld Ty Counties
From Stat Treasury. .
SALEM, Or.. March 19. (To the Edi
tor.) The current tax fiasco presents
the anomaly of the state paying inter
est at the rate of 6 per cent per annum
on $1,200,000 outstanding warrants
while it has In the hands of the County
Treasurers of the state more than
twice that amount applicable to the
payment of the state tax, which be
longs to the state and cannot be used
for any other purpose. See Lord's Law,
section 3691:
On or before the first day of May of each
year the several County Treasurers of the
state shall pay over to the State Treasurer.
In gold and sliver coin, one-half of the
amount of state taxes charged to their re
spective counties; and on or before the first
day of November in each year the said
Gounty Treasurers shall pay over the remain
der of the money so charged to their respect
ive counties, without any deduction for any
cause whatever, which tax shall be paid out
of the first moneys collected and paid Into
the County Treasury over which the county
has control.
The legislative intent was manifestly
that the County Treasurers should pay
these "first moneys" as fast as they
were received for taxes, "on or before
the first day of May," etc., and not to
set them aside until that date and pay
them over in a lump sum. Taxes col
lected by the county for municipalities.
school districts, etc., are paid weekly
as they are collected.
The refusal of the Treasurers of the
several counties to so pay over the
state moneys costs the state now. In
Interest," $6000 per month $200 per day
the amount Increasing daily and will
increase until the County Treasurers
throughout the state respond to the ap
peal of the State Treasurer and wipe
out at once every dollar of the state's
indebtedness. J. H. ALBERT.
ITEJ VETO THOUGHT DANGEROUS
Mr. U'Ren Thinks Governor May Be
Elected Who Would Abnae It.
OREGON CITY, March 19. (To the
Editor.) I am sorry to be obliged to
oppose Attorney-General Crawford's
initiative amendment to give the Gov
ernor power to veto single items and
sections of appropriation and other
bills, Suppose this power is given to
the Governor, it would not decrease the
temptation of members of the Legisla
ture to logroll their appropriations to
gether. But it would give the Gov
ernor a secret log-rolling power equal
to the combined log-rolling power of
two-thirds of the legislature, because
it takes a two-thirds vote to overrule
his veto.
Suppose a member of the Legisla
ture wants an appropriation for his
county and the Governor wants that
member's vote for a particular bill. A
Governor could have a tip quietly given
to the member that he had better
"stand in" unless he wanted his ap
propriation to run against the veto. I
do not say any Governor would do this,
but he could do it, and the responsibil
ity could not be traced to him. If the
member must "stand in" or lose his
appropriation, what will he do?
No public Officer Ought to have any
power that ha can exercise secretly, if
it is possible to compel him to doit
publicly. The threat of the veto power
can be used secretly, and made a great
influence In legislation. For that rea
son I do not think it is wise to give
the Governor this additional veto
power. W. S. U'REN.
Author of "Evolution."
PORTLAND, March 20. (To the Edi
tor.) Please tell me who wrote the
following poem:
When you were a tadpole and I was a fish
In the Paleozoic time.
And side by side on the ebbing tide
We sprawled through the ooze and slime
Or skittered with many a caudal flip
Through the depths of the Cambrian fen,
My heart was rift with the Joy of life.
For I loved you even then,
and so on through all the stages, in
eight more verses. SUBSCRIBER.
The late Langdon Smith, a New York
journalist.
None.
PORTLAND. March 20. (To the Edl
tor.) Two brothers. Joe and Jim Smith,
married two women no- relation to each
other. Both couples had children. Joe
died and his widow maaried a Mr.
Jones, and by this union had children
What relation are they to Mr. and Mrs.
Jim Smith's children?
A SUBSCRIBER FOR 30 YEARS.
Marrlaare Under Assumed Name.
ROSEBURG, Or., March 18. (To the
Editor. ) If a man marries under an
assumed name, can he after the mar
riage have this assumed name recorded?
If so, is the marriage legal without an
other marriage? READER.
The marriage Is legal without any
iurtner formalities.
Population of Cities.
PORTLAND, March 20. (To the Edi
tor.) Kindly advise me respective
populations of Boston, Mass., and De
troit, Mich., according to the latest
census. c. W.
Boston, 670.585:Detroit, 465,766, by
1910 enumeration.
Learning Photography.
PORTLAND, March 20. (To the Edl
tor.) Will you tell me where I can
learn photography ? And how much
education is required? AMBITIOUS.
Apply to some established photog-
rapner.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of March 21, 1864.
Washington, March 17. In the House
a bill enabling Nebraska to form a con
stitution and admitting her into the
Union was passed without debate.
Nashville, March 17 General Grant
issued general order No. 1 today, as
suming comand of the armies of the
United States. He says:
"My headquarters will be in the field
and. until futher orders, with the
Army of the Potomac."
Eugene. March 19. The Lane County
Union convention today made the fol
lowing nominations: For State Sen
ator, S. B. Cranston; for Representa
tives, J. B. Underwood, G. Callison, A.
McCormack; for County Clerk, A. A.
Skinner; for Treasurer, J. G. Gray; for
Sheriff, W. H. Hailey. The following
were elected delegates to the state con
vention: B. J. Pengra, F. W. Folsom,
M. Wilkins. S. S. Sailor, A. S. Howes, N.
Humphrey, J. H. D. Henderson, James
H. McFarland.
Washington, March 7. Richmond
papers admit that Kilpatrick pene
trated to within three miles of the
city and add: "How narrowly General
Lee escaped capture!"
London', March 1. Austria and Prus
sia agree to a conference on the Danish
war in London, but they will not dis
continue hostilities.
' The Linn County Union convention
at Albany elected the following dele
gates: Dr. William Miller, T. S. Ken
dall, S. T. Miller, O. W. Rishardson,
W. A. McPherson, W. F. Smith, G. F.
Colbert, D. W. Ballard. W. R. Bishop.
A. W. Waters, E. Frum, S. T. Jones. ;
While a hired man was plowing some
newly-cleared ground for Drs. Haw
thorne and Loryea, near the Insane
Asylum on the East Side Saturday, out
of the horses became unmanageable,
knocked Dr. Hawthorne down and
trampling on his body, broke four ribs
in the right breast.
William A. Daly, an oli citizen of
Portland and a late printer in this of
fice, leaves this morning for the new
mines. He goes first to Placerville. to
superintend the working of some
quartz lodes.
1
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonian of March 21, 1S89.
LaGrande, Or., March 20. Fire last
night -consumed the brewery of Julius
Roesch; loss, $3500.
Albany, Or.. March 20. The City
Council recently ordered Washington
street graded, but several property
owners stopped work by injunction.
Salem, March 20. Articles of incor
poration were filed today by the Baby
Home; J. M. Kern, James Abraham and
A. L. Keenan, incorporators; office,
East Portland.
Spokane Falls, March 20. Private
telegrams received hero from Washing
ton state that the President has decided
to appoint Miles C. Moore Governor of
Washington Territory, and General Mo.
Micken collector of internal revenues.
Walla Walla, March 20. T. B. Wil
cox, treasurer of the O. & W. T. road,
reports Hunt having raised abundant
funds for the Dayton and Grand Ronde
branches.
The City Council last evening appro
priated $5000 to repair the city dredgi;
and let the contract for lighting the
city to the Willamette Falls Company.
The Metropolitan Railway Company ap
plied for a franchise for a street rail
way through South Portland to the
cemetery.
"XTncle Jimmy" Stephens, the veteran
pioneer, has been growing weaker, ami
it Is feared the end is not far off.
C. F. Bunker, secretary of the Smel
ter Company, says it has purchased
110'acres at Linnton, and that the work
of erection will be commenced at once.
The First Regiment. O. N. G.. pro
poses that the Exposition building he
opened on April 30, and that the open
ing be made a part of the celebration
of the Inauguration of Washington.
The regiment proposes to giva a street
parade and a drill at the Exposition
building in the evening, to be followed
by a ball. .
The plat of Kenilworth was filed yes
terday by Drs. MacKenzie, Wilson and
Jones.
The contract for the foundation of
the new wing of the Courthouse was
let yesterday to J. S. Seed, the low
est bidder.
A building permit was Issued yester
day to Dr. R. Glisan by W. S. Chapman,
superintendent of streets, to construct
a two-story brick house on Second
street between Ash and Pine, to cost
$10,000.
The County Court yesterday heard
arguments on reducing toll rates on
the Stark street ferry and the Morri
son street bridge.
liasinir May Be Unlawful.
CORVALL1S. Or., March 19. (To the
Editor.) Please inform me if there is
a state law prohibiting the hazing or
freshmen in the state institutions. If
so, what Is the nature of the law, and
why is It not enforced?
A FRESHMAN.
The law on assault and battery cov
ers many forms of hazing. It is not en
forced because the one hazed generally
does i.ot care to make complaint.
Fashion Photos
Depicting the
Very Newest
Things in Dress
A full page of these photographs
will appear in The Sunday Ore
gonion (tomorrow). You will want
to see them before completing jour
Spring shopping.
Fashion Exalted An unique and
attractive page in full colors oil
fashions as the gorgeous French
magazines treat them.
In addition there will be a num
ber of other fashion features em
bodying everything smart in frocks
and millinery for women.
Five full pages of especial in
terest to women.
Neptune Shocked
A full-page cartoon by Rodney
Thomson, a well-known illustrator,
who contrasts the civilization of
1492 with that of 1914 in a truly
remarkable drawing. It is a pic
ture you will want to cut out and
keep.
Farnrward
This is the season when the city
man's thoughts turn lightly to the
simple life. Some facts and fancies
of the farm lure .are, set down in
an illustrated article that' you
should not miss.
The Cave Man
He is a romantic humbug, and
the whole tribe of aboriginal brutes
who have a certain strange fas
cination for the feminine fancy are
exposed by Rita Reese as barren
savages.
Workers and Leaders
Theodore Roosevelt, in his own
story of his life, has something
more to say about industrial jus
tice. A Woman Executive.
She conducts the biggest hotel
for women, despite her extreme
youth, and the true story of her
struggles and success reads much
like fiction.
Taking Tango Lessons
"John Henry," through the me
dium of the inimitable George V.
Hobart, learns fa, few difficult
dancing steps after many strug
gles. Women Surgeons
They are a tremendous success
and perform many intricate opera
tions with rare skilL A detailed
account of their work and achieve
ments. Fairy Voices
A delightful new feature for the
children. A full page of drawings
and stories for the little ones, in
cluding Motor Goose Rhymes and
a new cut-out doll that will dance
the tango.
Lnisa's Memoirs
Another absorbing chapter in
the story of the Princess of Tus
cany, told by her own pen.
These are but a few of scores of
features.
ORDER TODAY
OF YOUR NEWSDEALER
5 I