THE MORXTNG OREGOXIAN, TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1914.
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-PORTLAND, TUESDAY. MABCH 81, 1814,
i WILSON'S TROUBLESOME PLANKS.
H Mr. Wilson's citation of the anti
ubsidy plank of the Baltimore plat
form against the toll exemption plank
shows the beautiful inconsistency of
that famous instrument. Either the
convention did not consider exemp
tion a subsidy or It tried with one
.plank to catch the votes of those
who opposed subsidies, while with
:the other plank It tried to catch those
Who favored them.
But Mr. Wilson's excuse for pro
posing repeal of exemption does not
agree with the circumstances under
which Congress voted exemption. In
Sthe House twenty more Democrats
?voted against exemption than voted
tfor it, but in the Senate twenty-one
Jvoted for it and none against it. The
'only Senators who voted against it
"were stand-pat Republicans, wno
have always shown a weakness for
;subsidies. In his desire to do away
with what he now considers a sub
sidy, ho turns for help to those who
;have an Insatiable appetite for that
Ispecies of Governmental favor and
'turns away from those who, like
: Speaker Clark and Representative
Underwood, have always denounced
:such favors as iniquitous.
In choosing which planks of his
platform he will stand on -the
President displays much mental agil
;ity. - In his campaign speeches he
fstood squarely on the exemption
5 plank, but after he became involved
Tin the Mexican troubles he stepped
:nimbly to the anti-subsidy plank. He
;has very carefully avoided the single
iterm plank and has paid no attention
to the civil service reform plank.
When the woman suffragists ap
'pealed to him he scrutinized the plat
Jform and Informed them that he
.could not find a suffrage plank to
iSstand on. Now he stands firmly on
;the anti-subsidy plank and regards
ithe exemption plank with abhor
'rence. Tho President will need to walk
"circumspectly, lest he inadvertently
-step on the wrong plank.
VALUATION OF RAILROADS.
The Interstate Commerce Com
mission has just entered upon one of
ithe greatest tasks ever undertaken
"by the Government the valuation of
"all the railroads in the United States,
'?-a total of about a quarter of a mil
lion miles, with all their terminal
' property and buildings. In an arti
cle in the World's Work C. A.-Prouty,
who directs the work for the Com
'. mission, estimates that it will occupy
four to six years from July 1, 1914,
fand will cost $12,000,000. This seems
"a large sum, but Mr. Prouty shows
rthat, by comparison with the value
-oC the railroads it Is a mere trifle,
rlf it should vary the amount paid
tin rates by only 5 per cent on the
'$20,000,000,000 of railroad capitaliza
. tion, the annual saving to the public
"would be $1,000,000,000, which, in
vested at 6 per cent, would return
"annually In interest five times the
entire cost of the valuation. This cost
"would be only from one-tenth to
'one-twentieth of the value of the
roads.
The Commission is to ascertain the
t': cost of reproducing every railroad,
' less depreciation. It has already
T..' called upon every railroad to furnish
maps and inventory of its property.
It has now set to work to verify the
inventory by dividing the country
into five districts and by sending out
engineers to determine the amount of
construction of every kind and its
Tcost and the amount of depreciation.
One railroad in each district has been
selected for a preliminary survey,
which will occupy several months.
This done, the work will proceed rap
" Idly and accounting In Washington
will keep pretty close pace with the
engineers. According to the estimate
the report should be completed any
time between July 1, 1918, and July
1, 1920.
Some difficult questions have al
ready arisen, as Mr. Prouty shows.
For example, should the San Pedro,
Los Angeles and Salt Lake. Road be
credited with the cost of the two
lines through Nevada which were de
stroyed by floods before it finally
constructed one which would "stay
put"? Should the Northern Pacific
,be credited with the $5,000,000 en
hancement in value of its right of
way through Spokane, which cost
nothing, that enhancement being due
, : to the growth of the city, which In
" " turn was largely, If not mainly, due
to the presence of the road? The
valuation Is not to be a mere physical
-1 valuation, for the Commission is to
' x determine the value of each property
after having ascertained the amount
of money invested and the sources
from which it was derived and after
having taken note of the earnings.
Although the valuation was for
.; years opposed by the railroad com
panies, they now recognize that it
will be of great benefit to them. It
'" will dispose once for all of the much
bruited charges of over-capitalization,
by showing which roads are worth
more, and which are worth less than
their aggregate stock and bond issues.
It will give the investor a safe meas
ure of value by informing him which
ing a fair return on their actual
value, and what the securities of oth
er roads are really worth. It will
thereby attract capital to railroad in
vestments and put the roads in a
r-position where they can render -ef-
ficlent service.
t Though the valuation will be of
great service in adjusting railroad
j rates. It will be by no means an ab
solute guide, for other factors must
be considered. Competitive conditions
: not only between railroads but be--.'
tween shipping points enter into the
'. calculation. Rates between compet-
ing lines to the same point must be
the same, but a rato which .would
yield a fair return on the weakest
line would yield an excessive return
on the strongest. On the other hand
a rata which would yield only a fair
return on the strongest line might
yield nothing on the weakest. Those
roads which are over - capitalized
would not be permitted to earn prof
its on water, while a road like the
Pennsylvania, which in the last ten
years has reinvested about $200,000,
000 of earnings In its property, would
be permitted to earn income on that
sum.
By valuation the railroads will be
set right with the people and a sound
basis for future relations will be es
tablished. An end should then be
put to the period of agitation, decla
mation ad exaggeration on the one
side, and to the period of high fi-
J nance, stock-watering and complaints
of inadequate earnings on the other
side.
HAPPY PRODUCERS.
Over In Tillamook County, where
they produce timber, butter and
cheese, they are diligent and Inter
ested students of the tariff. The Tilla
mook Headlight, which is not alto
gether happy over the current era of
Democratic good times, addresses a
few pertinent inquiries to a Democratic
contemporary, and The Oregonlan re
produces them to show the style and
quality of thought now possessing
some Oregon minds:
Wasn't the tariff altered for the express
purpose of lowering the price of everything
raised on the farm, and allow, food stuffs
from Australia, China. Canada, Siberia and
other countries to come in free and under
sell American farmersT If the value of
farmers' products Is reduced one half, won't
It reduce the value of their land as well?
One hears a great deal about "knockers,"
but we are glad we are not one of those
who advocate free trade to knock the bot
tom out of the farmers' products and at
the same time knock the value out of his
land, for the value of a farm Is estimated
by the amount of money that can be made
off it. .
Doubtless it has been noted In
Tillamook that, under the new tariff,
statistics given out at Washington
show that there has been a gain of
20 per cent in food-stuff imports
The Oregon producers of food
products are no doubt greatly delight
ed with a decline in prices brought
about through the beneficent results
of a tariff that invites and procures
foreign competition.
Hail, prosperity in Oregon under a
Democratic tariff!
THE SHORT CUT AGAIN.
Judge Bennett seems to take the view the
Governor acted illegally at copperfield.
There is no basis for that view. The Cir
cuit Court of Baker County has ruled that
the Governor was within the law in what
he did and an Injunction against the Gov
ernor was refused. East Oregonlan.
The Pendleton newspaper should
read the decision in the Copperfield
Injunction case.. The court did not de
cide that the acts of the Governor and
the militia were within the law. It
held merely that the Governor had
power to declare martial law and that
judicial restraint could not be in
voked against an abuse of discretion
ary power. It also held that if ille
gallties had been committed by the
Governor and the militia the remedy
of the injured was to institute civil or
criminal proceedings.
There is more talk In the Pendleton
journal concerning roundabout civil
procedure and superiority of a short
and direct course to remedy an
abominable situation. Yet there is
but a roundabout course available to
those who may be Injured by the
proceedings of an emotional execu
tive. There Is no direct or speedy
remedy for them. They must await
the tedious process of the courts.
It is against the attitude of a Gov
ernor willing to constitute himself a
long-distance judge of local condl
tions, take snap judgment and make
himself the lord high executioner of
the laws as he thinks they ought to
be, that Judge Bennett and other fair-
minded citizens protest. If martial
law was a proper course in vicious
little Copperfield merely because the
available legal method of enforcing
the law was more tedious, martial
law is the proper law anywhere and
everywhere that the law is violated.
The machinery of the courts op
erates slowly everywhere. We might
as well, if we uphold the Copperfield
incident, abolish the whole fabric of
civil and criminal procedure and con
stitute the Governor a military dic
tator in fact.
ASQUITH MEETS THE EMERGENCY.
Premier Asquith's decision to add
the war portfolio to his other duties
brings to a head the crisis arising
from the mutinous action of the
army officers who were ordered to
Ulster. It has evidently reunited his
followers behind him after Colonel
Seely's paltering with the mutineers
had started loud mutterings of dis
content among the Radicals and La
borites. It shows that the Premier
is ready to stand to his guns in de
fense of Irish home rule and in op
position to attempts at military dic
tation to the government. .
Ancient custom requiring that when
a member of the House of Commons
accepts a position of profit he shall
resign his seat and return to his con
stituents for a renewed expression of
their confidence, Mr. Asquith's resig
nation is the prelude to an electoral
campaign. Formerly when a mem
ber sought re-election under such cir
cumstances, his opponents would out
of courtesy refrain from contesting
the election, but as political contro
versy has become more bitter, this
custom has been more frequently set
aside. Occasionally the minister thus
seeking re-election has been defeated
and some devoted follower whose
seat was safe has resigned to make
way for him. Mr. Asquith's majority
at the last election in East Fife was
so large that little short of a political
revolution can defeat him.
Mr. Asquith has evidently taken
a firm stand against army dic
tation, though he tries to mollify
Generals French and Ewart. When
orders are given to the army, no
conditions laid down by the officers
are to be considered. Reluctant as
he is to lose the services of Colonel
Seely and of two of England's best
generals, he will not retain them at
the cost of subordinating the civil to
the military arm of government.
'British aristocracy has thus blun
dered once more, as privileged
classes, In their arrogance, are in the
habit of blundering. Their hope of
defeating home rule rested In divid
ing its supporters. Their own action
has bound those supporters together
more firmly than ever and has fur
nished a slogan which will probably
rally tho British masses to the Lib
eral standard. It has pushed the
Liberals farther along the road to
Radicalism and has added fuel to the
flames of Radicalism.
The army mutineers have fur
nished Lloyd George and his follow
ers with a strong argument ror a
ivstem of reorganization which will
thoroughly democratize the army and
will realize Napoleon's ideal of put
ting a Marshal's baton in every knap
sack. Indignation against the army
will be apt to add violence to the at
tacks on the aristocracy, and political
lines of demarcation may be sharply
drawn between the classes. The
Unionists will doubtless do their ut
most to withstand the tide with ap
peals to religious bigotry in defense
of the covenanters and the army, but
plebeian John Bull Is coming to care
less for these things every year and
to care more for things which con
cern abstract justice and his bread
and butter. V
TAKING TOKREOX.
Upon the final outcome of the bat
tle at Torreon must depend the future
progress of the revolution in Northern
Mexico. Without Torreon Villa can
make no further advance against his
ultimate goal, Mexico City. With
Torreon in the hands of the rebels
the Huerta forces would find them
selves on the eve of a final desperate
struggle for their existence. Thus the
desperate fighting about Torreon Is
readily understood. Torreon is the
key to the situation. Until they have
taken it the rebels can never go
farther. If the federals hold Torreon
they have nothing very much to fear
at least from the northern rebels.
Torreon is wanted by Villa as a
base In the next stage of his advance
on Victoria and San Luis Potosi. To
press forward on these points he must
control the railroad lines and have
Torreon to fall back on for supplies
and water. Otherwise he could not
hope to penetrate the 200 miles of
hopeless desert where water is un
known and even chaparral doesn't
thrive.
Taking Victoria and San Luis Po
tosi he then has a much easier prob
lem, for he has entered the fertile
plateau country, where water and
subsistence for his troops can be pro
vided readily. He would also control
a direct line to Tampico and be In a
position to knock boldly at the gates
of Mexico City. Should Villa capture
Torreon, then Victoria, then San
Luis Potosi the overthrow of Mexico
City and the Huerta government
would come within the range of Im
mediate probabilities.
FROM A PIG'S EYE.
Melancholy reflections must arise
in the brain of the anti-vlvisectionist
as he peruses the account of a recent
surgical operation in Baltimore. A
child's eye, which had been badly in
jured by disease, has been restored
to sight. The cornea had become
opaque. The useless part has been
cut away and a perfectly clear piece
put in its place. No doubt the child
and its parents are happy. The little
boy, who seemed condemned to go
through life with only one eye, now
has two.
But pause a moment. It is all
very well for the boy and the boy's
relations, but what of the j)oor pig
whose life was ruthlessly sacrificed
in order that Its eye might be utilized
in this operation? Has not a pig its
rights? Shall a lovely porker lux
uriously waddling through its poetic
career be doomed to death every time
a human infant happens to need an
eye? Think, too, of the pig's rela
tions. Doubtless it had a mother.
Perhaps it had an aunt. We dare
say their tears over the dreadful fate
of their relative will outnumber the
smiles of the little boy's friends.
If the-antl-vivisectlonlsts are con
sistent this is the view they will take
of the operation by which a boy's
eye was restored to sight. Their com
ment upon the event will be that if
human beings cannot cure their dis
eases except by sacrificing anlrmils
it is better for them to go uncured.
To give some semblance of sanity to
their contention they take the ground
that vivisection never does any good.
It does not advance knowledge.. It
does not help perfect the practice of
surgery. Experiments upon germs
are worse than useless, because the
germ theory of disease is false from
beginning to end.
The anti-vivisectionists are certain
ly thoroughgoing in their denials.
hey even deny facts with heroic
firmness. Such stories as that of the
little boy's eye being cured by graft
ing from a pig's eye they stubbornly
refuse to believe. And they do well.
If they did believe them what would
become of their own theories? It Is
but a washed-out antl-vivlsectionist
who does not value his theories far
above human welfare. Let the babies
go blind. Let them perish if they
must. But spare the pigs and cats.
USE FOR WHAT WE WASTE.
It has been said that a Chinese
family could live on what an Ameri
can family wastes. That saying is
brought forcibly to mind by an ad
dress made by ex-Governor Curtis'
Guild at a recent convention of the
National Association of Waste Ma
terial Dealers. Many have been
accustomed to think and speak
disparagingly of the junkman, but
the members of this association are
simply junkmen on a large scale and
there are among their numbers men
who have done a business of a mil
lion dollars a year and whose credit
is AA. They deal In scrap metal of
various kinds, scrap iron in particu
lar, paper stock, woolen and cotton
rags, scrap rubber and many other
odds and ends. They bring home' to
us the truth underlying the conserva
tion theory, that there Is use for
everything.
Mr. Guild reminded his hearers
that they are simply doing what oth
ers have been doing In a larger way.
He described the savings bank as the
use of waste capital, which was for
merly concealed in a sugar bowl, a
wooden shoe or hidden under a loose
stone in the hearth, but which has
now added $7,000,000,000 to the
amount available for American in
dustry. In like manner the farms of
New England were abandoned as
worn out by Americans and became
waste land, but are now made to
yield abundant crops by Poles, Portu
guese, Italians and Irish, until the
agricultural products of Massachu
setts last year were , valued at over
$60,000,000.
Cotton seed was regarded as use
less until a use was found for Its oil
and the husks were ' pressed into
cakes for cattle feed. Now Its product
In the United States alone is Valued
at more than $58,000,000 a year. We
export sisal strings to Europe to be
made into cheap tooth brushes for
the peasants. Worn-out painters'
brushes are cleansed of white lead
and oil, and the bristles are made
Into scrubbing brushes within reach
of the tenement dweller's purse. The
worn stockings, which the American
woman scorns to darn, are exported
to Germany and unraveled, .and the
thread used as packing for grapho-
phones and electrical machinery. Old
stockings which, the thrifty Euro-
peans darn and patch are imported
to this country for paper stock
Waste material Is cleansed and sort
ed and made into the sanitary paper
drinking cups which are now used
Waste rubber becomes cheap water
proof shoes and clothing for the
poor, and cheap wool stock makes
warm blankets.
To what dimensions this business
has grown Mr. Guild showed l,by cit
ing five classes of material, our ex
ports of which in 1913 totalled $7,
100,000, and six materials our im
ports of which totalled $15,500,000.
When bewailing the high cost of
living we may well take a lesson from
the humble junkman and find a use
for that which we have been accus
tomed to destroy or throw away, and
thank him for what he does to pre
vent the cost of living from going
higher. Growth of a business of such
magnitude from what we discard
should-impress on us the wisdom of
seeking to make the dollar go farther,
not only by Increasing the aggregate
production, but by using all that we
now produce. Apply that lesson and
our stump lands will become sources
of wealth instead of remaining un
sightly wastes, and the refuse of the
city will become a source of public
revenue, as in Paris and other cities.
The Hillsboro Argus was twenty
years old last week, which fact serves
as a text for a few remarks. The
Argus is a typical country newspaper,
issued weekly on a schedule that calls
for going to press by the clock. In
that way its subscribers get their pa
pers always on time. Published with
in twenty miles of Portland, in a field
of prosperous people well supplied by
the daily papers, it does not attempt
to cover the general news; it aims to
be a local paper and it succeeds, for
there is no happening in all of Wash
ington County that it fails to record
Its specialty lies in its personal men
tion of people of the county and a vis
itor to the county seat must indeed
be nimble to escape the Argus eye
of the editor. Unlike many of the
Oregon papers, the Argus has a reek
ing air of prosperity, and this is due
to individual effort and endeavor. Mr.
Long has been called the Warwick of
Washington County. That may be
true; but' as editor of one of the best
papers n the state he finds more
honor. In being the exemplar , of coun
try journalism.
Dr. Lyman Abbott's Outlook Rem-
iniscences have got as far as his col
lege days, which he describes with
entertaining garrulity. His alma "ma
ter was New York University. At
that time, about 1840, it had no li
brary. no regular courses In modern
languages and no laboratories. Still
it was just about as good as any of
the colleges. Harvard was perhaps
a year ahead of it. The change In
externals from that day to this has
been astounding. Has the internal
improvement in education kept pace
with the outside?
For the coming season the Harvard
baseball nine will be maneuvered by
its captain, who is a student. The
professional coaches will efface them
selves, at least while the games are
playing. The pestiferous alumni
coaches will also be condemned to an
Impossible silence. What is an alum
nus at a college game without his
mouth? It is prophesied that these
new rules will help clean up inter
collegiate athletics. The prediction is
bold considering the magnitude of the
task, but there may be something
in it -
There should be no trifling with
the Bull Run reservation. The inroad
just now made is slight, but it may
form a dangerous precedent. The wa
ter supply of a great city is more im
portant than the Interests of a few
homesteaders. This is a matter con
cerning which Portland must exer
cise that eternal vigilance which is
the price of good water as well as
liberty.
In these days, when the state of our
trade with South America gives so
much concern, trifles grow important.
Experts say that much may be lost
or gained by a letterhead. The South
Americans despise flaring braggadocio
and like clean-cut, businesslike pre
cision. A wise merchant, who courts
their trade will therefore make his
stationery neat, accurate and modest.
The Oregon onion is a meek and
lowly member of the vegetable king
dom, but there is nothing meek and
lowly about the man who grew it
last -year, with the article selling at
four . or five times the price of he
apple.
A paper at Mexico City has been
suppressed for failing to report a fed
eral victory at Torreon. It's now up
to Villa to hang a corresponderit or
two or not reporting a rebel victory.
That old health officer in Spokane
who suggests rubbing cheeks as a
substitute for the world-old method
of osculation must have a stand-in
with the safety razor people.
Eighty thousand railroad hands In
Italy are agitating a strike. Who
would have suspected there were that
many Italian railroad hands outside
the United States?
The Frenchwoman who has gone
to Rome to induce the Vatican to
rescind the recent order for decency In
woman's dress will have her trouble
for her pains.
Grandma Todd, 104, has been ad
vised to quit smoking for her health's
sake. Her habits seem to' have served
her pretty well so far.
As medical science progresses very
likely we shall be able to buy new
eyes with the ease that we now ac
quire glasses.
The federals at Torreon are re
ported by Villa to be withdrawing.
To celebrate a victory, perhaps.
Rains are coming, announces the
general weather bureau, i That's not
a prophecy; it's history now.
There is a little space left in that
part of the ticket allotted to candi
dates for Coroner.
Bill Hanley will acquire the title
of Senator by brevet, anyway.
Tomorrow is the day of baseball,
fishing and April fools.
The fly campaign is on and all
needed is a few flies. ' ' ,
Of course, we'll have to take the
first game. -
What's the score;
WHERE MOST BILLS COME FROM
TaieatlnK Officialdom Impoaes on
Members of Legislature.
SALEM, Or., March 29. (To the Edi
tor.) Your editorial naming some fit
persons for places on the Legislative
ticket in Multnomah County is very
much appreciated by thinklag people.
If more newspapers had the courage to
name some fit persons in each county
it would be easier for the people to
get their minds fixed on at least part
of a ticket that might not be entirely
unfit. But our politics has become so
permeated with cowardice that It is too
much to hope for. The men who are In
office have such an advantage that
only the most nervy seeker for a
profitable job will announce himself.
Speaking for those who have their
all invested in Oregon real estate, and
are easy marks for the taxgatherer, I
wish to call attention to the bad break
in our governmental system. We are
supposed to elect men to the General
Assembly once in two years to appro
priate money to carry on the state
government and make new laws for
county and state government. These
alleged representatives go up to the
General Assembly supposedly to repre
sent the people who elected them.
Mostly they go there with no bills of
their own to introduce, and their con
stituents have asked them to introduce
no bills, or if they have said anything
about it have protested against more
laws and have even begged for the re
peal of many existing laws.
Now what takes place? The Legisla
tor who has no bills, who is not asked
to create any new laws, and generally
has not the brains to get up a law, in
some mysterious way grinds out in the
last session 640 pages of general laws,
and In the coming session of 1915 in
due proportion we may look for 1000
pages of new legislation, who gets
them up for him? He has them not
under his hat nor in his coat pocket
The people do not contrive them. His
stenographer or committee clerk is in
nocent in this matter. Whence comes
the flood of legislation? Is it not
fact that nearly all the new legislation
originates In the desires of public or
ficials and boards and commissions at
the seat of government or at Portland?
It appeared in the late city election
at Portland that the 23 measures
initiated for the people to vote upon.
and which were all rejected by some
ma:onty, were all the handiwork of
the members of the City Commission,
or other city officials. In the last gen
eral state election nearly all the bills
submitted to the people were from the
various state departments or boarus or
commissions, and they, too, were nearly
all rejected. In the same way that
officialism has loaded down the bal
lot and which the people have sys
tematically learned to distrust and re
ject the officials, boards and commis
sions descend upon the untrained and
unsophisticated members of the Legis
lature and lobby through the 640 pages
of legislation creatine offices and car
rying appropriations and new grants
or powers.
On top of this pernicious influence
come those who desire new places cre
ated for themselves and their depend
ents. In 1903 Oregon had 13 boards
and commissions costing $67,600 in ap
propriations. In round numbers as the
result of the session of the 1913 Legls
lature ana intervening sessions we
have 55 commissions, boards and agents
having total appropriations of $1,178,-
oai.su. .Reliable figures show followin
increase in appropriations for state of
ficials since 1903:
Office 1903.
IMS
Governor S11.000
$J5,70O
68.000
35,530
20.600
13,000
Secretary of State.. 24..SOO
Treasurer 10,600
Attorney-General 7,200
Board of Horticulture 1),000
Labor Commissioner 2,600
Library Commission 2,000
S.OOO
6.000
These are only samples to show that
the Influence comes not from the much
abused Legislature, but from Dreda-
tory officialism, that serves not the
people but itself, and we need men in
the Legislature who will stand off the
horde that has forced our state taxes
to a point where Investments in proo-
erty or industries or tranSDortation
lines or even banks become almost im
possible.
lour services to the rjeoole of the
state in bringing out a better class of
men for the Legislature should be fol
lowed by a general movement of the
business men and women of the state
to secure a man for Governor who his
not been a part of the system that has
neaped up present and almost intoler
able burdens. If the people are foolish
enough ta take up men who have prov
en burdensome taskmasters then they
must not complain if new burdens are
laid on their shoulders. Handine out
campaign promises is assuming that
ma peupie are easy marks, ana as a
rule they are. But when the taxes on a
bank amount to 6 per cent of its capi
tal stock, when the rent on a home
amounts to no more than the taxes, it
is time to demand more than promises.
uregon needs a dignified man for
Governor, who has not been a partici
pant in the looting of the taxpayer.
Give us a candidate for Governor who
has been on the firing line with the
taxpayers, and not a leader of the tax
eaters. Such a Governor would be able
to assist the Legislature in withstand
ing the raids of the organized graft
now misnamed our state government
The determination of the people to elect
such a man Governor, who is not on
any board or commission, and who has
not lobbied measures throuch the Leg
islature in the interest of his own de-
la, viiicim itum vuuiu lur Buiiteiiiiiig
and infuse courage and resistance into
the backbone of the Legislature.
E. IIOFER.
Author of Poem.
KNOB, Wash., March 29 (To the
Editor.) Please publish the name of
the author of the poem "Oh, why
should the spirit of mortal be proud?"
A. B. KINGSBURY,
The line is from the poem
'Mortal-
ity," by William Knox.
Worthy.
"He has some sins," St. Peter said
"but
cover them with chalk;
He's often listened for two hours to
other people talk."
Dallas
News.
The Fly Campaign
B7 Dean Collins.
Wake me early mother.
With loud and lusty cry;
For I and little brother
Go forth to swat the fly;
And for a season, gaily
With all our might and main.
We'll do our duty daily
In this wild fly campaign.
No quarter for the fly;
Never come to terms:
Swat surely; he must die.
Lodging-house for germs.
On the wall or on the chair,
Zizzing swiftly through the air.
Perched on papa's dome,
Crawling over baby's eyes.
We will always swat the flies
Everywhere they ream.
Big 'flies, little files, (
Flies both old and young,
Lean files, mean flies,
'Neath our blows are flungf
Wejhave beaten, all alone,
Samson with the big jawbone,
And we'll always try
Daily to add to our store.
More and more and more and more
As we swat the fly.
Flee flies, flee away
From the zone of strife;
For we are out today
Bound to get your life.
Anywhere or everywhere.
There is not a spot
Where the fly to rest may dare,
On the earth or In the air,
While the children swat
SOCIALISTS NO REPRESENTATION t
Mr.
Barsee Thinks They Have
a Vse-
less Franchise..
PORTLAND. March SO. (To the Ed
itor.) As a citizen of a minority party,
with unimpeached citizen's rights, 1
ask space for this letter.
Demand for proportional representa
tion? Yes; disputed but unrefuted. So
cialist party demand? Yes; also the
probable demand of other minority par
ties after their convention meeting.
Franchises and representation are the
fundamentals of any republic. We
have franchise but not representation.
Fair representation should meet with
favor from any fair-minded citizen who
believes in a representative form of
government
Why give state recognition to a po
lltical party if its constituents be de
nied equal rights with other citizens?
Why not repudiate such citizenship
and disallow any such party rec
ognition? ' Has the writer of the
editorial any better, cleaner or more
useful citizen's qualifications, aside
from his natural ability and opportu
nity. than the writer of this letter, be
cause the latter belongs to the Socialist
party? These questions are pertinent
but not Impertinent
Has the Republican party not access
to the initiative as well as the Socialist
party? If Socialists are to be denied
representation of their party demands
where laws are discussed and made,
why not the Republican party also?
wny not aooiisn the Legislature alto
gether and allow all parties an equal
opportunity at lawmaking in propor
tion to their citizenship, if they be
qualified citizens? C. W. BARZEE.
There is no actual political represen
tation in the Oregon Legislature. Every
candidate provides his own issues and
his own pledges. Neither of the three
dominant parties has or will have a
state party platform. The men they
elect to the Assembly will have party
membership but no party obligation on
any issue. Mr. Barzee Is not denied the
right to vote for any candidate under
the present system.
The writer of this statement has the
same right and nothing more. Propor
tional representation is a plan to give
the Socialist and other minority parties
or groups the power to combine state
wide numbers and secure the election
of party or group members in the Leg
islature without reference to legisla
tive districts. It is a plan to make
party membership more important than
actual representation of any locality.
Proportional representation would
mean that some districts would go un
represented. The knowledge of state
needs that can be had in a Legislature
only by electing Representatives by
the district method is a far greater
essential than a distribution of Jobs
on a party basis.
BUGLE! CALL OF PEACE! SOUNDED
Undignified to Throw Stones at Eng
land, Asserts Correspondent.
SPRINGFIELD, Or., March 29. (To the
Editor.) In this period of progress
when nations are striving for ascend
ency in that which makes for peace
commensurate with the moral status
we trust to have attained, it is beneath
the dignity of our political representa
tives to throw stones at England over
the heads of our Government.
The American people know that Eng
land Is not "hostile to America" as has
been asserted. It ie time for men of
good political standing to cease such
utterances; to use the strength of their
united efforts in speaking words of
peacefulness that will be to all people
a dignified expression of their worth
iness to represent the people, large
numbers of whom are making tireless
efforts in the direction of a true
brotherhood which our forefathers gave
their lives to establish, not knowing a
better way than was chosen at that
time.
When a brother wins a political race
there should be no root of bitterness to
spoil the vines of earnest deeire to
serve humanity. 'Jitiere will be service
for all willing workers and the render
ing of this service may be the office
of every man and woman in their vari
ous pursuits among men. Our work
then in home, church and state will be a
power in bringing forth the supremacy
of justice tempered with mercy, of
wisdom, truth and love. It shall not
be said that the labor of great men
and women has been vain in the past
or present Ye who are striving for
the establishment of peace are the first
fruits of their labor, being channels
also for the inflow of righteousness.
the executors of lightness for human
ity. The turbulence of many differing
opinions restrained by the compassion
ate touch of love for humanity will
quell the strife engendered by many
factions which in their attempts to do
good often add fuel to a flame kindled
by ignorance.
The bugle call to peace has sounded:
let us answer the call with brave
hearts and be on the positive side, the
side of successful peace-making.
MRS. S. ELIZABETH HILL.
DEAR. OLD-FASHIONED MOTHERS
They Bore Many Children, Lost Many
and Died of Overwork.
New York Times. Cor.
You report that Mrs. John Jerome
Rooney has administered a scolding to
"advanced" women gathered at the
Church of the Messiah. I wonder how
many of the men and women who ap
plauded Mrs. Rooney stopped to 'think
Just what "the old-fashioned home"
was, and the "old-fashioned mother."
I should like to tell of mine, and I dare
say the description fits thousands of
others. I was born more than 40
years ago in an old-fashioned home."
My mother had 10 children. She made
carpets, bedquilts, soap and butter; knit
our stockings and mittens, and made
all our clothes.
Poor mother, what of her?
Just an endless round of drudgery
and suffering that made her irritable
and peevish. She could not give proper
care and attention to so many chil
dren. Whooping cough, croup and
diphtheria carried off six in early child
hood. Consumption carried off the
seventh early in manhood. At 40 years
my poor mother was a widow, white
haired, bent and toothless. What
thoughtful, intelligent person could
wish for a return or continuance of
such a condition for woman? Those
who cry for it should give up their
and tiled baths and go back to the
woods. .
Fly Farmlnc Impossible.
PORTLAND, March 30. (To the Edi
tor.) I note in The Oregonian Satur
day a letter describing the business en
terprise shown by tha children of Texas
in breeding flies for prizes in fly cam
paigns similar to the one now proposed
for Portland.
The period of incubation, the larva
and pupa states and the emergencies
of the mature fly requires from eight
to ten days. It there were in the City
of Portland children of sufficient scien
tific training to successfully breed flies
within the ten days' limit set for our
campaign they would deserve any prize
they might secure, because they would
have accomplished something that the
scientists of the Biological Department
of Washington have not been able to
do under the most favorable condi
tions. LOIS P. MYERS.
Chairman of the Executive Committee,
Anti-Fly Campaign,
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonlan of March 31, 1SS9.
Washington, March 30. The Senate
today rejected the nomination of Murat
Halstead for Minister to Germany by a
vote of 25 to 19. His paper, the Cincin
nati Commercial Gazette, says he was
rejected because he honestly criticised
the methods by which men were elect
ed to the Senate. The origin of tho
matter was the election of Henry B.
Payne.
The medical department of the Uni
versity of Oregon last night graduated
J. D. Fenton, C. M. Cornelius, J. W.
Haines, J. p. Tamiesie and H. A. Watt
Albany, March 30. Captain Robinson
and the three men from the schooner
George H. Chance were found in a per
ilous situation near Nestucca Bay,
about 30 miles north of Yaquina, where
they had drifted in a small boat Their
boat was filled wUh water and they
were nearly perismed. They had been
out two days without food.
Tacoma. March 30. The Northern
Pacific will begin running two trains
a day on April 7 between Tacoma and
St Paul and will reduce the time 1-'
hours. One of the trains will be ves
tibuled. Patsy Cardiff left for San Francisco
yesterday to go into training for his
fight with Peter Jackson.
Building has commenced in Feurer's
addition, but carpenters are scarce.
The funeral yesterday of William
Doran was largely attended. In 1857
William Doran was employed as fire
man on the old steamship Columbia
between this city and San Francisco.
In -1861 he went on the middle Colum
bia In the employ of Captain J. C. Ains
worth and Colonel Ruckles and he has
been chief engineer on that route ever
since. His hand held the throttle of
the R. R. Thompson as well as nearly
all the boats brought over the Cas
cades. The free bath fund is growing and
over $500 is subscribed. Among the
latest contributors are Simon Harris,
Gerald Robinson, Harry Boyd and Rev.
T. L. Eliot.
The contract for building the cable
railway engine-house was yesterday
let to J. E. Bennett.
A pleasant social was given Friday
night at the residence of S. Stott on
Columbia Slough.
H. Burnett, an old resident of East
Portland, has returned from Denver.
Douglas and Frank Keenan have re
turned from -Southern California.
J. C. McGrew and wife will leave for
the East on April 8.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonlan of March St. 1S64.
Arkansas is the first of the slave
states to abolish slavery and return to
the Union.
Albany, March 30. The Union state
convention elected Wilson Bowlby.
president and W. C. Whitson and W.
J. Allen, secretaries. A resolution re
questing the establishment of a branch
mint at Portland cerated considerable
discussion betweeh the delegation from
The Dalles, headed by Ivewell, and
delegates from other sections of the
state. Finally it was voted to strike
out the word "Portland," leaving the
location unnamed, but intimating that
the Legislature had already settled that
question. Five ballots were taken on
nomination for a candidate for Con
gress, the fifth resulting: J. H. Hender
son, of Lane County, 60; Joel Palmer, of
Yamhill, 31; Orange Jacobs, of Jack
son. 21.
Judge Shattuck closed the March term
of Circuit Court at Oregon City yester
day. William Stricklin was acquitted
on his second trial for the murder of
Lebbeus Moran. W. W. Page, of this
city, conducted the prosecution and the
prisoner was defended- by A. E. Wait
and J. K. Kelly.
The control of the Overland Press
at Olympia has reverted to J. G. Ab
bott & Co. and it will still stand up
for the Union.
Mrs. Edwards was convicted of mur
der in the first degree in the United
States District Court at Vancouver on
Tuesday evening. The case was argued
by Messrs. Lawrence and Potter for
the defense and 11. G. Struve and J.
Catlln for the prosecution. Judge
Wyche delivered an able address.
The bark Samuel Merritt Is loading
piles at tho mouth of Lewis River for
San Francisco. This bark, has beaten
every vessel in the lino between here
and San Francisco.
J. L. Parrish proposes to erect a sub
stantial brick edifice on his lot at the
corner of Front and Washington
streets. It will be three stories high.
The Portland Stock , Board meets
every Tuesday evening. Subjoined is
tho list of rates bid and askel:
Bid. Asked.
Oregon Steam Navigation Co.... 0' lo0o
P. & M. macadamized road o')',m
John Day Mining Co., per share
Union Mining to., banpam uisu .
per share ... . . . '. .V.-.V.. .$50 ' 75
Santlam Mlnlne Co., Santiam
Dlst.. tier share
Bannock, Boisa Dlst., per share. 5
Crane & Drlgg (Jwyuee uisi.,
ier share 1
Morning Star, Owyhee Dlst.. per
share 1
Owyee, Owyee Dlst., per share. . 5 W
Shoshone, Owyhee Dlst., per
share o
Fine German silver instruments for
the Mechanics' Brass Band have arrived
at the music store of H. Sinsheimer, 105
First street
The steamer Wilson G. Hunt took 3'i
tons of stone from this city yesterday '
to be used for door and window sills
in a new building at The Dalles. The
stone was taken from a quarry across
the river opposite Portland.
E. W. Hodgkinson was nominated by
acclamation by the Union state conven
tion for Prosecuting Attorney of this
district.
National Advertisers
Need Newspapers
Not so very long ago it was said
that National advertisers needed
newspapers.
By National advertisers 13 meant
all manufacturers, producers, or dis
tributers that have anything to sell
to the people of this country.
It doesn't matter what It is they
wish to sell merchandise or service
if they tackle National advertis
ing in a fair-minded spirit shorn of
all sentiment they bring up sooner
or later with this fact:
The biggest advertising successes
In the history of the profession have
been brought about by the use of
good and reliable newspapers.
Ask any enterprising retailer who
understands advertising and the con
ditions in the community which he
serves, and he will tell you that far
and away the best assistance he can
get from the makers of his merchan
dise is newspaper advertising.
The retailer knows from experi
ence and observation that the best
way to make any brand of honest
goods known to all the people in
'his community is to tell them about
t in plain and unn'ilterated Eng
lish in the best newspapers.