Morning Oregonian., April 13, 1914, Page 6, Image 6

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DUE . MORNING OREGOXIAN, MONDAY. APRIL. 13, 1914.
FORTXAND, OREGON.
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PORTLAND. MONDAY, AFKIL IB, 1914.
THB GOVERNORS AND THE LAD LAWS.
r In view of the generous share
which Secretary Lane has proposed
that Congress give the states from the
proceeds of leases of mineral land and
' in view of the favorable disposition
f the majority in Congress to Mr.
Lane's programme of land legislation,
"the governors' conference does not
eeem to have acted wisely in propoB
:ing a direct grant to the state of 5
"per cent of the public land for roads
and 10 per cent for Irrigation and in
opposing the leasing system. So large
a body of the people have their minds
set on leasing mineral land that there
lia small prospect of legislation for
"its sale, even if that were desirable.
; Mr. Lane proposes to lease coal, oil,
: gas and phosphate land and to give
' each state at least 25 per cent of the
: royalties raised within it. or a higher
percentage if the Government may
:use the funds in co-operative irriga
: tion, to be paid to the state, when re
turned by settlers to the reclamation
"fund. That division would be a gen
erous substitute for taxes and would
procure to the states the more rapid
development of their arid land, which
iAvould then become subject to taxa
tion. By accepting the Lane plan the
-states would secure a large increase
lof productive area, population and
-tax revenue, without direct outlay.
-.When irrigation worTc was completed,
;they would secure refund of the min
; eral royalties invested in irrigation
-and would thenceforward have a pef-
.inanent annual' revenue from those
: royalties. The states would thus have
" ample means for building roads and
for other public works. Congress
shows an increasing disposition to
- keep a grip on the mineral land, hence
the prospect of further land grants is
remote, but Mr. Lane's plan would
, probably yield an equal, if not larger,
return.
The Governors insist that water-
power or non-navigable streams be
: under state control exclusively, and
' they deny that ownership of public
land gives the Government lawful
: authority to exercise control. What
is the use of raising this issue of ju
' risdiction when both Government and
states are working to the same end?
: Water power cannot be developed
without use of the adjacent land, and
: obviously the land cannot be put to
; its best use construction of power
; plants without the water right. Evi
; dentlv the case is one for co-opera-
tion. Mr. Lane proposes to lease
power sites without charge, provided
. the plant revert to the Government
after fifty or sixty years on payment
of the appraised value of the tangible
property, such as distributing system
and machinery. He would make the
": rates within the states subject to state
-regulation; between states, to Federal
regulation. Senator Jones' bill would
give the Government a rental equar
to 5 per cent of the appraised value
of the site, would give a state or mu
nicipality the right to lease sites and
would reserve to the Government the
same right of purchase as Mr. Lane
proposes. Under either plan the con
sumers would get low rates fixed by
public authority, Mr. Lane's plan be
ing more favorable in that respect
than Mr. Jones'. When it is possible
to secure all the essentials, why hag
gle about jurisdiction?
So also as to leasing of grazing
land. A bill is before Congress per
mltting leases subject to the home
steaders' right to locate on a tract of
leased land and to have it taken from
"the lessee. That permits conversion
. of grazing into agricultural land, but
Jt also provides individual control so
- long as the land is used for grazing.
Such control is essential to renewal
- -and preservation of grass on the
; range, as sad experience has proved.
We find public opinion in the East
.- opposed to handing over the public
". domain to the states, but we probably
"can. through the influence of Presi-
. de-nt Wilson and Secretary Lane, se-
' cure legislation and administration in
;:the interest of the public land states
and on lines which are favored by the
West. That is all we want. Then
why ask for more? Why lose the
substance in grasping for the shadow?
FRESH-AIR CRANKS.
The Louisville Courier-Journal
: ; ever loyal to what is old and deca-
; . dent, mildly chides fresh-air cranks
- : in an editorial. It is puzzled to de
; cide whether they are on one side or
l:the other of the line that divides
; "sanity from lunacy." To illustrate
;,the fallibility of fresh-air theories it
; tells of a man who could not sleep
.' in a certain room because all the win
dows were shut. He tossed and twist
; ed on an uneasy bed hour after hour
'.and finally found relief by smashing
a window with the poker. After thi
; valiant deed he sank into a chlld-lik
: clumber and dreamed happily until
'. dewy Morn showed her rosy fingers in
the east.
The early light revealed, however,
: : that he had broken the glass door of
: a bookcase instead of a window
Thus does imagination trick even th
most hygienic souls. But we submit
that the folly of extremists does not
disprove the necessity for fresh air.
Man m nis primitive days was so
v afraid of wild beasts and insects tha-t
; -might beset him while he was asleep
rsnd helpless that he made his dwell
- ing as tight as he could. "Safety
- first" was 'his motto, and it was a
- excellent one for the time when it was
.' invented, but. unfortunately, he car-
- rled it too far in practice. His fea
; of night extended even to night air,
snd he invented a fancy that this life-
. giving substance was poisonous.
By a curious development of super-
-stition people became more afraid of
- the air on which their very lives de-
: pended than of anything else in th
world. Nothing was so dangerous as
a current of air. Nothing was so bad
for the Jiick as a breath, from out
doors. Nothing was so Inelegant as
to admit a wave of pure air to an
aristocratic ballreom. The world
stewed and smothered in the prod
ucts of its own internal combustion
until half the race was ill of tubercu
losis. Now we have learned that the
way to get rid of this scourge, with
dozen others, is to breathe pure air
nd plenty of it.
But naturally there are some souls
who love stale old air as they love
everything else that is stale and old.
Purity and wholesomeness revolt
them because antiquity Is necessarily
dusty and noxious. They are Joined
to their Idols. Nothing can be done
for them. .
POSSIBLE WAR tOSSKS.
One of the weeklies has made a dis
covery that fills it with horror. This
discovery purports to be plans of the
War Department for possible action
in Mexico. It Is advised that
the official plans involve use of a
force of more than 600,000 for in
vasion and some 300,000 men as an
army of - occupation. It hastens; to
the characteristic deduction that the
difference of something like a quarter
a million men between the army
of invasion and the army of occupa
tion represents the estimates for war
losses. It demands' to know, with a
shudder at its own conclusion, if
anyone wants such a thing.
No one doubts but that a war with
Mexico would be more or less un
healthy, but that nearly one-half of
the American force would be- killed,
disabled or driven to desert is a con
clusion that can be based on nothing
else than Imagination. While the
American military force is poorly
prepared for the exigencies of modern
warfare, our soldiers would be fully
equal to a Mexican campaign and
would encounter a minimum loss in
battle. It is safe to estimate that the
total loss from all causes would not
go higher than 2 per cent, instead of
more than forty.
Where the alarmist jumped the
track was in not properly accounting
for shrinkage. The reduction of the
forces after invasion would be due to
the recalling of militia and volunteers
hich would not be needed in the
work of occupation and reconstruc
tion. Incidentally it is well known
that the employment of an initial
force of 500,000 men. is not contem
plated by the War Department in the
event of intervention, a force of 250,-
000 to 800,000 men being considered
ample by tacticians.
WATS TO REDUCE TAXES.
The hold-over members of the State
Senate are to be commended for their
plan to study methods by which the
cost of state government may be re
duced. It Is a large problem and one
that cannot be properly solved if It is
left wholly to the busy days of the
Legislative session.
On the programme for considera
tion, aside from proposed consolida
tions heretofore mentioned by others.
is the suggestion that the two ap
pointive places on the State Tax Com
mission be abolished. The State Tax
Commission is now composed of the
Governor, Secretary of State and State
Treasurer and two members appoint
ed by the ex-officio members. Aside
from acting in an advisory capacity
to County Assessors,, preparing blanks
and performing numerous other mi
nor duties, the State Tax Commission
performs two important . functions
they are the work of valuing the
property of public service corpora
tions and the equalization of state
taxes.
But there is another state body that
values public service property, al
though for a purpose other than tax
ation. . The Railroad Commission
compiles this information to deter
mine the reasonableness of rates and
service. One valuation ought to serve
both purposes.
Equalization of state taxes Is large
ly clerical. The Tax Commission es
timates the amount of revenue needed
and apportions it among the counties.
Counties do not value property for
taxation on the same basis. Some use
a lower percentage of the true value
than others. In order to equalize
state taxes fairly it is necessary that
all the county valuations be calculat
ed on the same basis. In performing
this work the State Tax Commission is
in session not more than thirty days
each year.
Prior to 1909, the year in which
the Tax Commission was created, the
Governor, Secretary of State and
State Treasurer constituted the State
Board of Equalization. We do not
recall that there was serious com
plaint that this or that county then
paid more than its share toward the
cost of state, government.
A change to the old formation of
the State Board of Equalization and
the transfer of the distinctive assess
ment duties of the Tax Commission to
the Railroad Commission would save
the state $15,000 annually. It is worth
considering.
THE SOUTH IN REVOLT.
New Orleans ' newspapers contain
additional reasons why that city was
ignored in the location of Federal
reserve banks. New Orleans is call
ing upon its Senators to vote against
repeal of canal tolls exemption. This
is no partisan movement, for the New
Orleans Association of Commerce
non-partisan body, appealed to every
citizen of Louisiana to write or tele
graph his Congressman, urging him
to vote against repeal.
Most significant of the disastrous
effects of repeal to the Democratic
party and to the Nation's foreign re
lations is a cartoon in the New Or
leans Item. It is headed: "Burying
party and principle to make an Eng
lish holiday." It represents the Pan
ama Canal and President Wilson and
the London Times on one side trying
to pull the Democratic mule into the
canal, while Speaker Clark and Rep
resentative Underwood are pulling the
mule up the bank by a rope tied to
the stake of "Honest Democracy and
Sound Americanism." On the other
side stand ex-Presidents Roosevelt and
Taft, saying: "We dug that ditch for
American commerce, but Woody
wants to use it as a grave for the
Democratic party." John Bull sits
on the bank, smiling, rubbing his
hands and saying: "Hali my hown
and not a penny to pay." On the
walls and in the bed of the canal are
memorial tablets, gravestones, mark
ing the burial spots of National self-
respect, party pledges and the like.
The Item contains an editorial
headed: "Your duty is to your state
and Nation, gentlemen, not to Mr.
Wilson, Britain and Canada's rail
ways." and addressed to Senator
Thornton and Louisiana's other- Con
gressmen. It begins:
Theodore Roosevelt dug the Panama Can
for the American people.
Woodrow Wilson and. William J. Boas
are doing what they can- to make It the
grave of the Democratic party.
As surely as the people are made to un
derstand the surrender of this Nation's sov
ereignty and the betrayal of its property
to Great Britain, Just so surely will they
repudiate those responsible for It.
The Item does not dispute the pur
ity of Mr. Wilson's intent, but it
says that Mr. Bryan's negligence of
his duties and proved spoilsmanshlp
leave his motives open to question,
and further on it says of him: "We
have not had a more negligent and
Incompetent diplomat than he sincej
we Degan to rememDer things.
Mr. Wilson is accused of bartering
the sovereignty of the United States
over the canal for British silence
about the murder of Benton and for
ritish abstinence from interfering in
Mexico.
The sentiments of New Orleans are
probably those of the entire Gulf
Coast. They bespeak a revolt of a
large section of the South against the
flabby foreign policy of the Admin
istration. The President has split
the South after little more than a
ear in office. After an era of good
feeling dating from the Spanish
American War he has opened a period
f resentment against England which
111 continue as long as the sense of
being wronged persists in American
breasts. Thus he has defeated the
very end he sought in proposing re
peal of exemption. It serves no good
purpose to win the good will of Eu
rope if by the same means 111 will
against Europe is stirred up in the
united States.
THE DC EL IN GERMANY.
Germany is almost the last of the
Christian nations to condemn the
duel. ' This savage institution has
flourished there in great vigor while
has been decaying everywhere else.
Even in France, the native home of
military "honor." the duel has degen
erated into a farcical encounter be
tween two combatants who are strict
ly careful not to Injure one another.
French duels are fairly common, but
they are as harmless as schoolboys'
fisticuffs. Not so in Germany. There
military men who arrange duels fight
to kill one another, and up to very
lately public opinion has approved of
their conduct. At any rate, the aris
tocratic section of the public has ap-
roved.
Of course among the "lower
classes" dueling Is as rare as other
luxuries. In the Kaiser's army it is
positively incumbent upon an officer
whose "honor" has been injured in
any way to challenge his enemy and
fight him. . There is a regular code
governing the affair. The facts in the
case are submitted to a so-called
court of honor," which exercises
some authority over the choice of
weapons, length of the combat, and
so on. The court of .honor can even
forbid a duel if it sees fit.
Under the stimulus of modern ideas
there is now a healthy reaction
against dueling In the German army
The opposition is most vigorous on
the part of the Catholic element
which is represented in the Reichstag
by the Center. Two recent instances
have thrown water on the wheel of
the anti-duelists. The first is the case
of Lieutenant Ha age, whose wife was
unpardonably disgraced by a Lieuten
ant La 'Vallette, one of those rakes
whom militarism produces so abun
dantly. Army sentiment obliged
Haage to seek redress by risking his
life in a duel and he was killed by his
infamous opponent. Such is the jus
tice that the duel dispenses. The
second case is that of a religious
young officer who refused to fight
duel because his principles forbade.
Army sentiment obliged him to re
sign.
Such instances are too flagrant for
modern, enlightened Germany to tol
erate. It Is pointed out that officers
fight duels not for the sake of their
honor at all, but because they are
afraid of being called cowards. The
practice does not make them better
officers, while as men it makes them a
great deal worse. As things look
now it seems likely that we are about
to see the last of the duel in Ger
many. Humanity will gain by its dis
appearance. There really seems to
be no good reason why officers and
even common soldiers should forfeit
their right to obtain justice through
civilized tribunals.
THE SPRING BOOHS.
Out of the abundance of the books
appearing this Spring the New York
Times has chosen 500 for special
mention. Some of the fortunate ones
thus honored we may suppose to be
unusually meritorious, but it is im
possible that they should all be ex
ceptions. We may as well approach
the subject by making frankly the
sad confession that most of the books
published this Spring like most' of
those published last Spring and roost
of those to appear hereafter are trash
The Times in the goodness of its heart
says consolingly that "new writers,
whether indulging in fiction or non
fiction, now seem to write with more
precision. There seems to be more
movement to their style." This would
indeed be a precious piece of news if
we could believe that the movement
took them anywhere, but Inasmuch
as it is for the most part a sort of
milling round and round in a narrow
circle of ancient follies it falls to bring
much comfort. 'The ordinary novel is
Just - as silly this Spring as it was a
year ago, and there is no reason to
hope that it will ever Improve.
The Times includes in its copious
list a great many books which are not
novels, of course, for, strange as it
may appear to some persons, the press
Is not wholly occupied in producing
love stories and tales of sloppy ad
venture. But it- is the list of novels
that will first and perhaps exclusively
interest the great majority of readers.
None of our "great authors seem to
have neglected the duty of publishing
Spring novel this season. Amelia
Barr, Elinor Glyn, W. B. Maxwell and
all the rest of the shining throng
come out with new books to match
their Easter hats and coats. The au
thor of "Elizabeth and Her German
Garden" favors the world with a fresh
story which she calls appetizlngly
"The Pastor's Wife." If it Is half as
good as her previous works it will be
greedily devoured by the hungry pub
lic. There is always a demand for
such stories as she writes and authors
of her grade cannot begin to produce
books enough to satisfy it. The rea
son why trash sells so welt is that
people continually hope each new
book will turn out to be a "Benefac
tress? or a "Wandering Blacksmith
and they are continually being dis
appointed.
' Jack London publishes a new novel
which he calls "The Valley of the
Moon." We suspect he has borrowed
a crumb from Ariosto in his title. The
romantic Italian poet consigned a
great number of "earthly people and
things to a valley in the moon where
they were able to trots around as they
liked without doing a great deal of
harm. Jack London's valley is in
California, a state where lunacies of
one sort and another are as much at
home as in the moon. His hero and
heroine make the rash experiment of
forsaking city life and reverting "to
nature." It is wonderful to see how
vital Rousseau's ideas still are after
all these years. He told the world
the only road to happiness led back to
unadorned nature and our better nov
elists are never tired of exploiting his
thesis. Jack London has a social the
ory to Illustrate by his love story and
he manages to weave a good deal of
wholesome doctrine into his thrills
here and there.
Among the books "in lighter vein"
which are not novels the most notice
able is George Ada's new volume of
those weird things that he calls "Fa
bles." It is a take-off on "society."
Naturally the subject furnishes end
less material for satire. The scene is
Western town with its parvenus.
climbers, sweet young things of either
sex and established society leaders.
The indurated politicians of the wom
an's club, the gallant dames who want
to run the club and cannot, the out
siders, the female pillars of the vari
ous churches with their overflowing
springs of love for one another, all
these characters and many more play
their amusing part in Ade's sketches.
There is more of Luclan's spirit In
htm than in any of our other writers.
What is there under heaven, or in it
for that matter, which he does not
laugh at? Among the histories we
notice several about Mexico and its
everlasting troubles. They come hot
from the press in order to catch the
tide of Interest tn our quarrelsome
Southern sister. The "historian" of a
certain sort seldom forgets to put out
hisdiah when it rains porriflge.
Senator Burton's announcement
that he will not be a candidate for
re-election "unless circumstances arise
which he does not anticipate" Is re
gretted by the Baltimore Sun. though
it disagrees with him in politics. It
says:
The publlo service suffers when men of his
caiiDer are torcea into retirement or mere
party dissensions and temporary - political
disturbances. Wo are constantly deprived.
in this way of men of force and value who
ought to bo retained in publlo life.
Mr. Burton has followed up valua
ble service in the House with equally
valuable service in the Senate. He
did more than any other man to cut
the pork out of the river and harbor
appropriations by requiring a favor
able report from the Army engineers
as a first requisite to favorable action
by committee. If he should retire.
the fact will be one of the deplorable
fruits of Republican dissension in
Ohio.
John Galsworthy, in a letter to the
London Times, protests against the
heartleasness of Parliament in paying
no attention to certain offenses
against humanity. He enumerates
sweating of women workers, insuffi
cient feeding of children, employment
of boys on work that ruins their
chances in after-life, foul hous
ing, summary confinement of paupers
In insane asylums, export of wornout
horses, mutilation of horses by dock
ing, caging of wild things, especially
songbirds, importation of birds' plum
age "to decorate our gentlewomen."
All the reforms which Mr. Gals
worthy enumerates are desirable; all
the evils he would remedy are relics
of barbarism.
Louisville, the slighted home of the
star-eyed goddess, explains its being
overlooked in the distribution of Fed
eral reserve- banks by the statement
of the Courier-Journal that the work
"has been done in the old-fashioned
and once popularly accepted way. Just
as appropriations for rivers and har
bors have been made in the past.
The Courier-Journal also says:
Unquestionably Louisville suffered th re-
snlt of ber negllgenc In not securing the
presence of the Williams family tree on this
side of the Blue Ridge Mountains before the
tree sprouted John Kkelton. who, from the
Richmond point of view. Is now a pattern of
tne patriot.
Perhaps Portland might have fared
better if it had had a John Skelton.
The slump in the Progressive vote
continues. Since 1912 it has decreased
in the Seventh New Jersey district
from 4476 to 611 and in the Twelfth
Massachusetts from 9201 to 3592.
About the only thing which keeps the
party alive is the refusal of such men
as Chairman Barnes, of New York
Senator Penrose, of Pennsylvania, and
ex-Senator Foraker, of Ohio, to rec
ognize that they are a prize collection
of political Jonahs. Mr. Foraker's at
tempt to get back has caused Senator
Burton to announce his retirement,
but Is not expected to succeed.
Illinois is to aid the building of a
concrete road twenty-three miles long
from Aurora to Elgin. Six miles of
the distance its within incorporated
towns, which must pave their own
share, so the state will build seven
teen miles, half the cost of which will
be paid by the county.
Credulous folk may believe the story
from Umatilla County of a chicken
hatched from an egg a year old, but
the probable fact is that another hen
laid in the nest. An egg kept so
many months in lime and salt loses
fertility, or all the poultry lore of the
ages is at fault.
The season is on for egg stories, and
the Cottage Grove Sentinel holds the
record with the tale of "a duck-egg
laid by a common, ordinary white
Minorca hen." This is fully as scan
dalous as a bunch of little white pigs
with a coal-black mother.
If the Duluth widow suing for 190
000 for accidental death of her hus
band gets it, many a man going to
an untimely grave will depart in com
fort for the precedent.
V hen proposed legislative pro
grammes are carried out, what
shocking number of people must work
for a living!
Those French scientists who declare
the proper time for dinner is 7:30 A.
M. must mean dinner of the day be
fore. All the candidates need now is some
kind of bacteria to extract the polit
ical nitrogen from the hot air."
Carelessness with dynamite at Celilo
should land somebody elsewhere than
in the hospital or the grave.
The forecast and the fact did not
agree, for rain- fell on Easter Sunday.
The Beavers owe it- to the fans to
get into the first division this week.
Confiscation of "booze"
is becoming a habit.
at Albany
OX TRAIL OF THE CORSET TRUST
Wssisa Wants Law PrniltUsg Sex to
Wear Male Attire.
OREGON CITY, Or, April 11. (To
the Editor.) Kindly allow me space
to express my humble opinion on the
most lifeless question called fashion. I
think it does more harm than the sa
loon. I am not in favor of the liquor
traffic, neither am I an favor of such
outrageous, disgraceful fashions as we
are having. A young girl will run all
kinds of risk just to dress in style,
some ignorant of the facts, some know
ingly, yet they never think for them
selves how they are classed or judged
by men who are always on the lookout
for Paris fashion women.
Go back to our mothers' days and
see how sensible and respectable their
wearing apparel was; how comfortable
yet neat and healthful. I think the
corset has caused more misery than the
saloons. Most all aliments tn the fe
male sex are due to the corset. Con
sider how women who want to be Judged
stylish torture their unborn offsprings
and what suffering the mother endures
just to be In fashion. If their bus
bands would cause one-half such pain
they would sue for divorce on the
grounds of cruel and Inhuman treat
ment, and get it. too. Why Is It that
in Germany and Sweden and other for
eign countries the fashions change per
haps once in a lifetime, while here
where the people think some of them
that they are the smartest under the
un, are such "gods of fashion?" How
much better and healthier would the
coming generation be "If" we would
have more sensible women such as Dr.
Mary Walker. I hope that she will
live to see the day and it la not far
off when the people will erect a monu
ment for the lesson she taught human
ity. Why can't all women be as in
telligent as this grand old lady? Men
have discarded their dresses long ago
nd are wearing sensible clothes.
I noticed in a weekly paper that in
London girls are dressing like boys.
and they say they like trousers. If
you want your girl to be hearty and
strong give her the same privilege as
you do your boy, and she will be his
equal physically, morally and mentally.
God Intended her to be. If you
want to be healthy be natural. Tou
will have sickness only when you vio
late nature's laws. In nature the cor
rect measurement of the waist Is two
nches less than the bust measurement.
How many girls and women can you
find nowadays that correspond to these
measurements? The foolish young men
say that It looks nice to see girls with
small waists. I have known some glrln
to make their waists as small as pos
sible just to please such simpletons.
But after they are married and he has
to pay the bills he Isn't pleased,
though, when the doctor preesnts his
ccount.
If there isn't a law in Oregon, and
I don't know that there la such a law,
to allow women to wear male attire
if they so choose, the people of Oregon
ought to work for a law to this effect.
am in favor of bursting the corset
trust of this Nation for the betterment
or tne coming generation.
QUEENIE LTLE.
CA.VAL TOVEL THROUGH RANGE
Fantastic Scheme of French Engineer
Recalled by General Anderson.
PORTLAND. April 11. To the Ed
Itor.) Colombia has now accepted an
offer of $25,000,000 In quittance of all
claims against the United States of the
North, as our Latin-American neigh
bors designate our country. By this Is
the Colombian government estopped
from digging a canal across the
Isthmus of Darien paralleling our
Panama water bridge? This question Is
pertinent, as we have only recently
heard that some German engineers are
making suspicious survey. This puts
me In a reminiscent mood. hen
was a young lawyer in Cincinnati 60
years ago, a Monsieur Belle, a French
engineer, came there with a reputation
or having just made a survey for
canal across the Darien Isthmus.
remember the name from the line:
Stout Cortes and his men stood silent on the
pealc of Darien.
Of course It was Balboa and not
Cortex who first saw the Pacific Ocean
from that point. From Cincinnati M.
Belle went down to Lexington, where
he was given a dinner. Having ex
pressed the desire to taste the wine of
the country. Bourbon whisky was
given him In sherry glasses by John
Morgan and Basel Duke. When he re
turned he said the horses of Kentucky
were fine, the women magniflque, but
that the wine was execrable.
Ten years after, when I was mili
tary commandant at Laredo, the Mexl
can General Quirtgo. who had cap
tured Maximilian, gave tne a French
pamphlet which proved to be a report
or .M. Meiies LarUn survey. I man
aged to make out that his plan was to
tunnel the rirst range of mountains,
and thus open the way to a river which
ran into the Darien harbor on the Pa
clflc side.
I do not think we have any reason to
fear a renewal of the project, yet
Darien has always been a word of evi
omen. It was called the curse
Scotland from the loss of men and
money that the Patterson project caused
tho people of Scotland 200 years ago.
Vasco Nunez de Balboa, after realiz
Ing that he had seen a new ocean, rode
into Its waves and claimed all of Its
shores for Spain. Possibly this was
suggested to him bv the lrgend that
the Arab Chief Gharick had ridden
into the Atlantic Ocean and made the
same claim for the Califs of Islam.
All that Balboa got for his achievement
was a Judicial murder and an un
marked grave on the shores of the
ocean he had discovered. Now. after
the lapse of 400 years, Spain asks the
privilege of placing his statue on the
Pacific end of the Panama Canal.
THOa M. ANDERSON.
8ALEM WITCHES NOT BURNED
Pepnlar Delusion, However, Frequent
ly Rrfrrred Te by Writers.
New York Mail.
Professor George L Burr has written
a book on witchcraft In which he re
minds people and most of them need
the reminder that Massachusetts was
not the only American colony that had
witchcraft persecutions in the 17th
century.
In New York there Is an account of
the trial as a witch of a woman from
Setauket, L. I.: in New Hampshire
there wss a case tried at Great Island;
in Pennsylvania one Important case
tried In Philadelphia, and there were
also some cases in Virginia
It is a "curious thing people In gen
eral can never get over the delusion
that people were burned for witchcraft
at taiem. t-very little while we see
some newspaper or literary reference
to the "burning of witches at Salem."
Witches were hanged at Salem, but
none was ever burned.
By the way, a distinguished legal au
thority has examined the evidence used
in the witchcraft cases at Salem, and
declares that it was irrefragableall of
the ironclad and most conclusive sort.
No Jury would fail to convict today on
such evidence as was adduced In these
cases. Just the same, witchcraft was
a horrible delusion.
"r'nll Eejulpmrnt" for Pedestrians.
PORTLAND. Or, April 11. (To the
Editor.) Touching the proposed ordi
nance which . Mr. Clemens and others
of the Auto Club are trying to Induce
the City Fathers to consider favor
ably, some time ago there appeared
in The Oregonian In reference to this
traffic ordinance, a suggestion that
pedestrians carry horns by day and
red lights by nieht. I commend this
suggestion to Clemens, ct al, as it
might help some.
CUJDION PEDESTRIAN.
FORTUNATE FEW Sl'PPLV GAUGE
Writer vtonld Arrest Welfare of
Minority as Basis for Profit.
PORTLAND, Or, April 10. (To the
Editor.) I beg leave to ask for a little
enlightenment on a subject that you
see fit to comment upon In your edito
rial of April lu. J. U. Burgess says
there are few sheepmen in Oregon
"so situated" that they can realize a
profit in producing wool If the price
is less than 20 cents a pound. Then
I take it. there are some "so situated"
that they can make a profit at less
than 20 cents a pound. Then.- accord
ing to my way of thinking, 20 cents,
taking his own figures, is a fair, just
profit for all.
In the next sentence he says, "If they
were protected by the tariff as they
should be, they would receive from
II to 22 cents a pound this year." tHe
should have said "we" all the way
through Instead of "they," for he is
one of them.) Why, 21 or 22 when 20
Is a fair, just profit? Why should the
consumer be forced to pay one or two
cents more per pound when 20 cents
is Just and fair? Add one or two
cents a pound onto everything we
wear, eat and use and where are "we?"
And. I take U. 20 cents would be a
big profit If all were "so situated."
Whose fault Is that? Many of us could
double our salaries so that twice as
much money would be ours each
month if we were "so situated."
I do not mean to be Impertinent,
but I think this, the simple point of
contention In the entire tariff Ques
tion. Bearing tn mind that 20 cents
If fair for all and big profit for some,
whose word should we take for it.
when a sheepman says "if they were
protected as they should be" they could
extort 21 or 22 cents per pound?
B. J, LOCKWOOD.
There are some employed women
so situated" that they could get
along comfortably on $3 a week, so S3
a week Is a reasonable wage for all
women, according to the reasoning of
this writer.
There are some folk "so situated"
that they can get along nicely with
out better roads. So let's drop all
talk of good roads.
There are some workers "so sit
uated" that they are in no danger of
Injury from exposed machinery. Then
what is the good of factory inspection?
This Is really a wonderful argument.
It might be pursued Indefinitely and
rid us of a multitude of laws and
restrictions. It would lower taxes and
reduce tht cost of everything. We
consumers would be able to buy every
thing we wear and eat at lower prices.
But the drawback would be that we
would not have any money to buy
with. What a world it would be If all
laws and customs were based on tha
theory that what is suitable for a small
minority must be the proper thing for
everybody!
ANNOYING NOISE OF SONG BIRDS
More Motor Trucks la Use Woald
Urom Thena One
PORTLAND, April 11. (To the Ed
itor.) The guests at the downtown
hotel, in behalf of whom their host
complains to the police that their slum
bers are disturbed by the robins, cer
talnly deserve the sympathy of the
community.
Birds, trees, grass and flowers are a
nuisance and out of place within the
city. Birds, especially robins, are fool
tslily inclined to voice their happiness
at the return of Springtide and its blos
soms. Trees have an unpleasant fac
ulty of enticing these noisy creatures
into their leafy heights, there to hold
high carnival in the sheer joy of liv
ing In beautiful Portland. Lawns and
flowers, especially our much lauded
rose-gardens, also tend to lure the lit
tle "peace-disturbers". out of the woods,
to make life almost unendurable for
poor, suffering, sleepy humanity these
bright Spring mornings.
Now it is against the law to shoot
these birds and an injunction against
them by the courts would, in the stress
and hurry or nest-building, very prob
ably be disregarded: so why not adopt
the methods of other cities now free
from "rest-destroying" birds? Chop
down the trees! Fell everything they
might nest in. Eliminate the grass!
Substitute cement, it's "easier cared
for." Do away with flowers and rose
gardens what are they good for? You
can't eat m! The city might also
arrange for an extra number of auto
busses, motor trucks, steam rollers,
etc.. to lend their daily aid in "drown
ing out" the unnatural bird noises with
a truly metropolitan and up-to-date
substitute.
In these days pf political aspirants,
when each office is literally swamped
with candidates. It might not be amiss
to create the office of "Official Censor
of Birds' as an outlet for the over
flow. As a last resort I would suggest that
an extra squad of police be detailed to
round up and muzzle all stray robins
or other singing birds. as they did the
dogs. "Mayhap" then the birds will
seek other quarters: Joy and peace will
again reign In the hearts of hotel
guests and others who yearly com
plain about them and contented slum
ber visit those whose sad lot compels
them to swell the population of a city
where birds, trees, grass and flowers
are not yet a thing of the past!
MRS. F. X. LEGRAND.
607 Holly Street.
WHAT WRITING 1HEAXS TO HIM
John Bnrronghs Telia How He Uvea te
Lesrs, Enjoy nnd Share
"Our Friend. John Burroughs." by
Clara Barrus.
The least cloud or film In my mental
skies mars or stops my work. I writ
with my body quite as much as my
mind. How persons whose bread of life
is heavy, so to speak no lightness or
buoyancy or airiness at all can make
good literature is a mystery to me; or
those who stimulate themselves with
drugs or alcohol or coffee. I would live
so that I could get tipsy on a glass of
water or find a spur In a whiff of morn
ing air.
Such as my books are, the bloom of
my life is In them; no morbidity, or dis
content, or ill health, or angry passion
hss gone to their making. It is prob
ably nothing to brag of: much greater
books have been the work of confirmed
Invalids. All I can say Is that the
minds of these inspired invalids have
not seemed to sustain so close a rela
tion to their bodies as my mind does
to my body. Their powers seem to
have been more purely psychic Look
at Stevenson almost bedridden all his
life, yet behold the felicity of his work.
How completely his mind seems to have
been emancipated from the infirmities
of his body. It is clearly not thus
with me. My mind Is like a flame that
depends entirely upon the good com
bustion going on in the body. Hence I
can never write in the afternoon, be
cause this combustion is poorest then.
Life has been to 'me simply an op
portunity to learn and enjoy, and,
through my books, to share my en
joyment with others- I have had no
other ambition. I have thirsted to
know things, and to maka the most
of them. The universe is to me a
grand spectacle that fills me with awe
and wonder and Joy, and with intense
curiosity.
AMBITION.
Keep your boy's ambition high.
Teach him how to swat the fly.
Never mind the dog and gun.
Never mind the old-time fun.
Never mind the ball and bat.'
That i not the proper swat.
Keep your boy's ambition high.
Teach him how to swat the fly.
M.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonian of April 13. 1$S.
New York. April 12. A check for
15000 was today sent to the Clipper- to
make good the $10,000 stake In behalf
of Kilraln in his match to fight Sulli
van. Port Townsend. April 12. Herbert F.
Bcecher and William Harned. the in
dicted customs officials, filed S50U0
bonds today.
Victoria, B. C, April 12. Hon. Robert
Dunsmulr. president
of tha Council.
died this evening.
McMinnvllle. April
Henderson and wife,
visiting friends here.
-Rev. T.
Albtna,
11.
are
of
Corvallin, April It. Arbor day exer
cises were held here today. Remarks
were made by Senator Cauthorn. Wallls
Nash. T. M. Johnson and S. T. Jetffreys.
1 Superintendent C. W. Johnson, of
the O. R. Sc N. Company, has gone to
Huntington to meet C J. Smith, the
new general manager. On returning
they will be met at Walla Walla by Kd
ward Cooktngham. assistant to tho
manager, A. L. Maxwell and W. A.
Kennedy, chief engineer.
The quarterly inspection and muster
of the First Regiment. O. N. Q.. was
held at the Armory last night before
Colonel C. E. S. Wood.
Under Professor Robinson's manage
ment Arbor day services were given by
the pupils of East 1'ortland High School
Vesterday. Those who took part were
Miss Fenton, Miss Paquet, Charles Sun
derland, Miss Warnock. Mlas Bar roll.
Miss Born and Miss Kennedy.
The steamer Telephone yesterday
brought from Astoria a baby seel for
the city Park, with the compliments of
Samuel Elmore.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of April 13. 1SS4.
Wesley Muller Is about to supply
Lewlston with water brought In pipes
lrom the Clearwater River at the head
of Reuben's Flat, four miles from town.
Levi Ankeny has arrived at Oro Fino
with his long looked for band of fat
beeves. The news flew like wildfire
through the different mining camps, a
general stampede of the miners took
place and for a day or two Oro Flno
, fast town.
Morris Mensor, at Jacksonville, had
his home burned on Monday evening.
March 28, together with his furniture,,
clothing, etc Loss about $6000.
Jessa Moreland has been appointed
postmaster at Needy, Clackamas Coun
ty, in place of J. S. Vinson resigned:
also Hiram Smith at Harrlsburg. Linn
Couity. in place of A. A. McCully, re
signed, i
Rev. Mr. Waller has broken ground
for tha new building for Willamette
University at Salem.
Memphis, April 9. Grierson's Cav
alry had a fight yesterday with a part
of Forrest's force at the bridge over
Wolf River, which Forrest had Just
completed. Our force captured the
bridge.
A good audience
witnessed "Leah"
last night.
A shingle has been stuck up at the
junction of A with Front street by
some unfortunate driver, who had left
his tracks there, warning teamsters to
beware; no bottom. Similar notices
might be posted at almost every street
corner in the city.
G. W. Vaughn had a few loads of
gravel placed before his premises on
Front street yesterday as an experi
ment. We yesterday witnessed the act of
rolling cigars by G. B. Gray on Front
street.
Mr. Miller, the florist, of Mtlwaukie,
yesterday brought down one of the
most elegant collections of flowers and
plants we have aver seen.
ROYAL DONOR'S WISHES DEMtO
Ckartty Trnatees Can't Throw Legarr
From n Steeple.
London Wireless to New York Times.
On going through their records, the
trustees of. Paddington Charities dis
covered that In order to dispense one
of their oldest charities according to
the exact terms of the bequest it
would be necessary to throw to the
poor from Paddington Church steeple
$5000 worth of bread and cheese.
The bequest dates from Tudor times
and enjoins that the rent derived from
a certain piece of land shall he dis
tributed In this way. The rent at the
time of the testator's death was only
$10 or $15; now it is $5000 a year. Thr
bequest is said to have been made by
the mother of Henry VIII.
THB OREGON flO NEE It DEAD.
(Tunc: "Weary Are' the 'Hearts."" etc)
'Neath the creeping shade sleeps the
pioneer tonight.
All alone by the river side.
Sleeping in the dale it was his to love
so well.
And with his loved ones to abide.
Years have passed and gone since be
trod the dark ways o'er.
Seeking the distant sunset land;
Watching for the foe on every side as
well.
Treading o'er the parching sand.
Heavy are the hearts full of sorrow
tonight.
Longing for the loved ones alone.
Looking through the gates of the new
Jerusalem,
Llst'nlng to the dark sea's moan.
Listen to the call of the boatman from
the shore.
He launches on the pearly wave.
He 11 be coming soon, he's bending at
the oar.
Coming his loved ones to save.
Brightly beam the lights as they wel
come ever more.
Gleaming far across the distant tide.
Sorrows will be o'er, we'll meet our
loved ones there.
Ever with them we'll abide.
J. P. HACKLEMAN.
Albany, Or.
Old Bachelor Wisdom. -
Life.
"Didn't you ever contemplate matri
mony?" "Yes, my boy." owned up the
old bachelor, "but always from a safe
distance."
RETAILING MADE
PROFITABLE
The simplest kind of knowledge
of the rules and practices of re
tailing should tell you, Mr. Retailer,
that the more simplified you can
keep your stock, the more likely
you are to find your profit at the
end of the year in the bank Instead
of wrapped up In a lot of odds and
ends of merchandise.
Concentrate on the kind of things
that people want and demand the
merchandise advertised by National
distributers in reliable newspapers.
Quick sales, s 1 m p 1 if I e d stock
keeping, less capital invested, mer
chandise constantly fresh and desir
able these will spell success for
you.