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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 14, 1914)
8 TTTE MORNING OREGOXIAX, TUESDAY. ' APRIL. 14. 1911. r?w . mxnn POIITLAKD OfiEGON. Entered at Portland. Oregon, Postofflce as secona-ciasa matter. Subscription Ralta Invariably in Advance: (BY MAIL.) Daily, Sunday included, one year.. .$8.00 laily, Sunday included, six months.... Daily, Sunday included, three months. . Daily, Sunday included, one month.... Dally, without Sunday, one year 4.J3 6.00 Daily, without Sunday, six months 3.-5 Daily, without Sunday, three months l.T." . Daily, without Sunday, one month.... '"Weekly, one year............ Sunday, one year. ..................... - Sunday and Weekly, one year.......... .60 1.50 3.50 , (BY CARRIER) ; Dally, Sunday Included, one year $9.00 t Daily, Sunday included, one month 73 ' How to Remit Send postoffice money or . der. express order or personal check on your ' lacal bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Give postofltce address in full. - Including county and state. ': Postage Rates VZ to 16 pages. 1 cent; 18 to 32 pages. 2 cents; o4 to 43 pages, 3 cents; . &0 to 00 pages, 4 cents; - to 70 pages. 5 cents: 78 to 12 pages, 6 cents. Foreign post ' age. double rates. astern Business Offices Verree & Conk , lln. New York. Brunswick building. Chi ' cago, Stoger building. San Francisco Office R. J. Bldwell Co., - 742 Market street, ' PORTLAND, TEESDAY, APRIL 14, 191. COLCJIBU RIVER A WATERWAY. The interest in the improvement of the Columbia and Snake Rivers felt by the people of the whole Columbia River basin is made apparent by the large, representative gathering at to day's Waterways Convention. The whole Inland Empire is alive to the fact that cheap transportation 4s a most powerful aid to development and that water furnishes the cheapest transportation. The impending open ing of the Panama Canal fastens at tention on that subject. As the canal will stimulate trade between our two coasts, so will improvement of the Columbia, and its tributaries stimu late trade between the interior and the Pacific Ocean. It will, If we use the opportunity. All that nature does for man is to furnish an opportunity; it rests with man to improve and use what nature has provided. We had the oppor tunity to make a port for seagoing ships, and by the combined efforts of the Government and the Ports of the Columbia it has been made, and is being made better, all the way from Portland to the sea. We had an op portunity to make a navigable chan nel for another 100 miles above Port land, and it was made by the build ing of the Cascade locks. We had an opportunity to extend that channel to a point 400 miles from the sea, and in another year that channel will be opened by completion of the Celilo Canal. It is now incumbent upon the people- of the Columbia basin to use what they have to its fullest capacity, in order that they may obtain Govern ment aid in deepening the lower channel between Portland and the sea and in extending the navigable chan nel farther towards the Canadian boundary. A harbor crowded with ships and a channel the capacity of which is taxed to float ships are the best object lesson in the need of a more commodious harbor and of a deeper channel. A river traveled by tugs towing fleets of barges Is an object lesson in the need of extending the navigable stretch of that river. That these things may be done, it is . necessary to build modern docks, not only at the deep water, but at the up-Hver ports. It is also necessary to create feeders to our trunk line the Columbia that the traffic of the tributary country may flow to it. There must be cheap and rapid means of transfer between river and ocean ' craft barges, lighters and tugs. ; These facilities provided, traffic -will ; flow to the river in accordance with the inexorable laws of trade, against which sentiment and enthusiasm are powerless.- In this matter the interests of the : upper and lower river country are identical. Portland, Astoria and In tervenlng ports cannot get cargoes to , load ships, cannot sell the cargoes ships bring, unless the. interior is shipping the produce of the country ; down the river and is buying supplies to take up the river. The better chan- ' nel we have in the lower river and ; over the bar, the more willingly will ; ships come up to Portland and the lower will be freights. The lower the freights, the. greater will be the far mers' profits and the more the far mers will produce. The better chan nel there is in the upper river, the , cheaper will be carriage to the lower ports and the greater the volume of traffic that will flow hither. By recognizing that the best way to get more for the Columbia River ' is to make the fullest use of what we have, by recognizing that the partic- -, ular Interest is the general interest and by pulling all together, the Wa terways Convention can promote the development of the river as the great artery of commerce for which it was designed by nature. THE CATHOLIC THEATER MOVEMENT Among the most Interesting symp toms of a growing disposition to en Joy the drama rationally and critical ly is the "Catholic Theater Move ment." This has reached the point where it publishes a bulletin and it has the approval of distinguished ec clesiastical authorities such as Car dinal Farley, who says that he "hopes the Catholic theater movement will have the active support of every pas tor and priest of the archdiocese of New York." Of course the design is to make it spread over the entire coun try and work a thoroughgoing change in the habits of theater-goers of at least one denomination. "It is' pitiful." says the bulletin in Its April number, "to leave the young subject to the soulless, unprincipled powers of today that recognize no definite religion and no definite moral code. With them the most sacred ob ligations of life are debatable. Through this subtle propa ganda of questioning, of doubt, of false liberalism, they seek to sow the seeds of evil in every soul." To coun teract in some measure this sort of thing: the Catholic theater movement has been started. One of its most promising steps thus far has been the preparation of a "white list of plays." which are such that no harm can come from witness ing their performance. In framing the list four principles were followed: The play must not occupy debatable ground in regard to morals. It must be generally accepted as clean and wholesome. Its appeal should be simple and universal. It should be fit for theater-goers of all ages and suited to various tastes. Ib short, sums 'up the bulletin. "A play to be on the white list should be one that every member of a Catholic fam ily, young and old, could safely attend." The list, as published, seems to be fairly Inclusive. Of course there Is nothing of Ibsen In it or of Shaw, nor utp mm Is 'The Bluebird" admitted. Indeed, all of Maeterlinck's works have lately been forbidden to Catholics. But it admits "Ben Hur," "'Monsieur Beau caire." "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" and many other excellent plays. The compilers explain that "it has not proven feasible to make an absolutely complete lift nor to include the very latest play," but it is sup posed to furnish a standard by which other plays may be Judged. Upon the whole, the items are carefully select ed and the list ought to be of great service to persons who realize the ad visability of some authoritative as sistance in judging of the merits and demerits of plays. OUT WITH TUB SOAP KETTLE. . The -individual wHo has unlimited faith in the wisdom of the people and still maintains faith in his own wis dom in supporting things the people oppose Has a very adaptable brain. It is such a novelty that Its discovery ought not to go unnoticed. One of Mr. ITRen's chief qualifica tions for the office of Governor, ac cording to his own statement, is his unlimited faith in the wisdom of the people. "Unlimited," mind you. Mr. U'Ren has presented single tax twice and proportional representation twice for a verdict of the people and each time and on each measure the verdict has been negative. Yet Mr. TJ'Ren's own faith in single tax and proportional representation remains undimmed. Just how he accounts for it is unknown, but per haps Mr. U'Ren the candidate and Mr. U'Ren the lawgiver do not cling to the same opinions. As a lawgiver his measures have not been free from okers or attempts at initiative log rolling, things hardly to be expected from one having unlimited faith in the wisdom of the people. But another qualification of Mr. U'Ren, modestly ' self-admitted, is knowledge and experience in prac tical politics." It used to be intense ly practical politics to soft-soap the voters. Mr. U'Ren has merely haled forth the old rendering kettle. Mean while the wise people will look out for jokers in proffered U'Ren legis lation. TRYING TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION. The attempt of Senator Myers, of Montana, to procure passage of a bill allowing the sale or lease of coal land in his state to the Republic Coal Company, a subsidiary of the Mil waukee Railroad,, was defeated by a vote of 38 to 27. Mr. Myers took advantage of his position as chairman of the public land committee to pro cure a favorable report on his bill. and he was loyally supported by Sen ator Chamberlain. The excuse for the bill was that the railroad needed the coal, which has been withdrawn from sale. So do hosts of other people need other coal, as well as oil, gas and phosphate, but they are required to wait until Con gress has decided on a general policy for disposal of such land. If an ex ception had been made in favor of the Milwaukee road, other exceptions would have been sought, and the con servation policy might have become more honored In the breach than in the observance. If Senator Chamberlain can con sistently vote to make an exception to a general policy in favor of the Milwaukee road, why could he not vote to make an exception to the Ad ministration tariff policy In favor of the wool, lumber, dairy and fish in dustries of Oregon? Ah! but that was different. The lash of the Ad ministration whipped him into line on the tariff; on the Myers coal land bill he was free to follow his own in cllnations. So now we know which way his inclinations lie. THE AUDITORIUM. Complaint has been made by sev eral architects who competed in the Auditorium plan contest that the building designed by the successful architect could not be built for the amount specified. It is obvious that If plans are asked for a building to cost $450,000 the contest is unfair if drawings for a building that would cost $700,000 are considered. Here tofore. it was not unreasonable to sus pect that the criticisms of the award were the' usual plaints of losers, but a responsible engineering and contracting firm has estimated the cost of the Auditorium at more than $700,000 if the Freedlander plans are followed. It would be folly to go ahead with the construction of the building on such pluns. It is fortunate, however. that the city has paid the architect but a small fraction of his claim. The circumstances seem to warrant expectation that the architect will conform his plans to the original re quirements, without additional cost to the city. Otherwise the contract with him should be canceled if there is legal ground for so doing. The site for the Auditorium has been selected. So much money is available for construction and no more. It is a straight business proposition. A RECREATION MANTAIV State Superintendent Churchill has done a valuable service to Oregon by publishing a "Practical Recreation Manual for Schools." It is prepared with the thought in mind that play is fully as valuable as study in educa tion. "It is a matter of history." says Mr. Churchill, "that while all her people deemed it an honor to struggle for the laurel leaf, Greece' led the world and set a standard for all time in art,- science and literature." That is, the Greeks were pre-eminent in everything else as long as they were pre-eminent in play. But they became degenerate when they "degraded ath letics into professional contests." But Superintendent Churchill sees more than intellectual values in play. He tells us that "there Is still more to be said for the moral value of It." This is made pretty clear as soon as we perceive that "where there is self ishness and dishonesty play cannot continue." In fact the moment trick ery becomes a factor jn college ath letics, for instance, the play 'element more or less gracefully retires from the field and self-seeking takes Its place. Superintendent Churchill's manual Is intended to place at the service of our teachers all material on the sub ject of play that will be "immediately and practically" helpful to them. To this end there are chapters on "Equipment." "Types of School Buildings." "Plays and Games" and so on. The pamphlet closes with an excellent chapter on the schoolhouse looked at as a "Social Center." This supplies, says Mr. Churchill, the nat ural want of a "get-together place." In the ordinary neighborhood the schoolhouee is the only building avail able for such purposes and the fact that it has lain so long unused in most districts is one of the pitiable tragedies of rural life. Mr. Churchill believes that a "common torum" fo the discussion of public questions is one of the prime necessities ot fur civilization. Out of the lack of it, he suggests, "has grown the spoils sys tem of American politics." The cure for this and other diseases of the body politic is "more light" and the only way to secure the light is through unhampered discussion. THK LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER. The North Dakota Agricultural Col lege has Initiated an enterprise which deserves careful study by all those who wish to make the theater a power for good in our civilization. It has built a "Little Country Theater" which is said to be "complete in ev ery detail." The audience room Is Just about the size of an ordinary town hall or, let us hope, not much larger than the usual country school room. It seats about 2 00 persons. The stage is thirty feet wide and twenty deep with an opening toward the audience fifteen by ten. The walls are decorated in a scheme of green and gold. There are eight large windows draped with "tasty green curtains" and the stage curtain is of green vel vet or some such substance. The ac count we are following calls it "velour." The scenery, which Is extremely realistic, is painted in plain colors. The doors are of wood and In the scenic windows there is real glass. Evidently this theater with its simple fittings is well within the ca pacity of an ordinary union school district. The school auditorium is easily adaptable to such a purpose. The North Dakota Agricultural College describes the "Little Country Theater" in a bulletin issued express ly for that object. Nor do we believe that too much importance has been ascribed to the enterprise. We can think of nothing more suitable to arouse and refresh vital interest in rural life. Its object, we are told. Is "to produce such plays as can be easily staged in a country school." But the college also has its dramatic eye fixed on "the basements of coun try churches, village halls, sitting- rooris in country houses," and many oth'-r alluring retreats now rarely used for anything. It is to be hoped that the North Dakota college will presently supple ment this most interesting bulletin. with another giving a suggestive list of plays adapted for these purposes. e can think of two or three of Shaw's which would suit admirably. Ibsen's "Ghosts" might be played very well in any ordinary church base ment. There is no good reason whi ttle "Oedipus" of Sophocles should not be given , by high school classes. Scarcely any apparatus is needed and but little scenery. We have not heard the last of "The Little Country Theater." BKYAX VERSUS WILSON. Secretary Bryan's statement may be taken as an authoritative reply, on behalf of the Administration, to ob jections that have been raised to its policy on canal tolls. If it be the best defense the Administration can make, then the President's case is condemned out of the mouth of his Secretary of State. Mr. Bryan declares that the repeal of toll exemption "cannot be con strued to be a construction of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty." The Presi dent, in his message, gave as one rea son for repeal that exemption "is the plain contravention of the treaty." Mr. Bryan denies that repeal is a surrender to England, but England is the only country which has formally protested, and Mr. Wilson said: Everywhere else the language ot the treaty Is given but one Interpretation, and that interpretation precludes the exemption l am asking you to repeal. Does that statement not warrant the conclusion that repeal would be surrender to England? Mr. Bryan asks: -What has Or eat Britain done to justify the accusation that she Is trying to die. tate to this country? Only Mr. Wilson and those In his confidence know, but that Great Brit aln has done or may do something is plainly implied by these words of the President: I ask this of yon in support of the foreign policy or the Administration. 1 shall not know how to deal with matters of areater delicacy and nearer consequence If you do not grant It to me In ungrudging measure. To what matters did the President refer? The natural inference has been that he referred to Mexico, for the most serious questions of foreign policy relate to that country. But Mr. Wilson, has indignantly denied that Mexico had any connection with canal tolls. When Senator Jones in troduced a resolution asking for more Information, it was hustled off to committee, and when he undertook to discuss the subject in open Senate strenuous but vain efforts were made by Democratic leaders to silence hi TThe repeal of the law," says Mr. Bryan, "cannot be construed to be a construction of the treaty. It s sim ply a refusal on the part of the United States to raise that question In that way." Then why does the Presi dent object to any amendment of the repeal bill keeping open the question of our right to exempt coastwise ves sels? Simply because he wishes to commit the country to his policy and to throw obstacles in the way of its reversal. ir. Bryan taunts advocates or ex emption for delaying ratification of the British arbitration treaty In order to prevent arbitration of the toll question. They did so for a very good reason, for that treaty provides arbi tration before The Hague tribunal, which is drawn from interested na tions. No effort has been made to arrange for a disinterested tribunal but negotiations have been permitted to lapse while Mr. Wilson drives through his repeal bill. Certainly Congress should support the President In dealing with foreign affairs, but it should use its own Judgment as to whether the means the President suggests are the best or the only means. The President de sires to remove a cause of irritation between nations. He is going the right way about relieving the lrrita tion in Europe by aggravating it in the United States. By arbitration he could have ended Irritation on either hand. Just as the Geneva arbitration established good years afterwards, ing irritation; he feeling for many- He Is not remdv is simply transfer- ring it. Mr. Bryan boasts, that we occupy a proud position among the nations we are the foremost advocates o peace and arbitration." Then wh neglect a good opportunity to appl our principles, decide once for all th meaning of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty and remove all sources of dis pute on that subject, both now and hereafter? But Senator Lodge does not agree with Mr. Bryan; he says other nations distrust and dislike us. If other nations think we have been bluffing about canal tolls, will they distrust and dislike us any less if we back down when our bluff is called? Will they not at least respect us more If we stand pat and prove, by agree ing to arbitrate, that we are not bluffing? The plea that the free-toll plank of the Baltimore platform conflicts with the anti-subsidy plank is re newed by Mr. Bryan. Then how did this pernicious little plank escape the watchful eye of Mr. Bryan, who was chairman of the resolutions commit tee and therefore chief architect of the platform? Was he reaching out for the votes of men en both sides of the same question? There Is only one condition under which toll exemption can become a subsidy to ship-owners that is, the failure of the Government to enforce those other provisions of the canal law excluding from the canal railroad-owned and trust-owned ships. With those provisions enforced, com petition would be open and would re duce both water and rail rates by the amount of the tolls. Then the whole people would get the benefit. Can a whole nation subsidize itself? Then the American Nation already does so by permitting the use, toll-free, of the Soo canal, of the locks on the Ohio and other rivers in the East and on the Columbia River at the Cascades In the West. It is about to subsidize navigation on the Willamette by abol ishing tolls at the Oregon City locks. Exemption of coastwise navigation from "tolls at Panama accords with the policy we have always pursued with regard to our waterways. Certainly changed conditions Justi fy a President in Ignoring a platform pledge, as Mr. Bryan maintains, but the people will judge whether the policy which brought about the change was wise. If they find that the President has involved us In such difficulties that the only way to extri cate us was to surrender a valuable right, they will judge him according ly. If they find the surrender was unwarranted, they will judge him the more severely. He is the steward of the Nation and he must give account of his stewardship. Mr. Bryan lays stress on the fact that a majority of the Democrats n the House in 1912 voted against ex mption, but the majority was small nly about twenty and the whole influence of the party organization was against tolls. In the Sen ate every Democratic vote was cast n its favor, and all the eleven votes cast against It were those of stand pat Republicans. Mr. Bryan must feel out of his element in such com pany. Standpatters are not the kind f men to vote against a subsidy. They knew well for what they were voting the Testrlctlon of water com petition with the railroads. Mr. Bryan In the same camp with the rail roads against which he formerly lev- led his invective. The country shudders 'sympatheti cally over the new rule proposed for debates in the Senate. Its tyrannical purpose is to confine debate "to the question." This has been done with some facility in country debating clubs, but never In the Senate. Our Conscript Fathers claim the proud privilege of talking on any and every subject under heaven, whatever "the question" may be. And shall they give it up? Never. Let the sky fall first. It is a satisfaction to know that New York has finally shipped her four "gunmen" on a voyage from which they are not likely to return, To be sure, they were only pawns in he great game of police corruption The really important pieces still stand uninjured on the board. But the hos tile player Is not without skill and they may follow their humbler tools before a great while. The O.-W. R. & N. road is doing patriotic work with Its seed corn The variety sent out to the farmers has been bred to suit local conditions and will mature in the Willamette Valley. Samples planted last season produced seed that has germinated under test conditions. hat more could one desire? The simple truth Is that the railroad company is mak ing a corn country out of Oregon. The Administration insists that Mexicans must salute the American flag at Tampico. But how quickly the Administration would back-pedal if the Mexicans refused to do so. An explosion the source of which cannot be ascertained occurred faun- day in East Portland. Possibly the h'oom of some gubernatorial candi- date blowing up. Delegates to the Democratic con- ventlon are shown to oppose free tolls. Why didn't they let a hint of It escape at Baltimore? Twenty Nebraska towns took a ref erendum on Sunday baseball and only five voted against it. How shocked Deacon Bryan will be. The copper miners' strike In Michl- lgan is at end and the men gain most of the demands, s.t cost, however, that cannot be computed. American warships are to be put through the canal on a testing cruise. British sanction, no doubt, has been obtained. An Idaho couple, dared to get mar ried, immediately accepted the dare. Let us hope no one dares them to get a divorce. Anna Held's former husband hi married Billie Burke. Harvesting the peach crop. From lace ruffles on the Summer hosiery to "chaps" In Winter It but few steps. Let noon. the office boy go this after- He'll be worthless, anyhow. "Fair' and westerly winds" for .to day is doing very well. Mr. Beats. The weather rhan appears about one lap behind. to be These are Oregon days, when It Is good to be outdoors. The electric current is a sure cure for a bad gunman. Fashion decrees tier stockings. Is to weep. It Exit the gunmen. Str-r-riko o-n-e! NO LEUAL OR MORAL CLAIM EXISTS What Colonel Koowrrll Saya f Colom bia and Panama CanaL Theodore Roosevelt's Autiblography. From the beginning to the end out course with Colombia was straightfor ward and In absolute accord with the highest of standards of International morality. Criticism of it can come only from misinformation or else from a sentimentality which represents both mental weakness and a moral twist. To have acted otherwise than I did would have been on my part betrayal of the interests of the United States, indifference to the interests of Panama nd recreancy to the Interests of the world at large. Colombia had forfeited every claim to consideration; Indeed. this la not stating the case strongly enough: she had so acted that yield ing to her would have meant on our part that culpable form of weakness which stands on a level with wicked ness. As for me personally, if I had hesitated to act. and had not in ad vance discounted the clamor of those Americans who have made a fetish of disloyalty to their country, I should have esteemed myself aa deserving a place in Dante's inferno beside the faint-hearted cleric who was guilty ot '11 gran rlfiuto." The facts show that from the beginning there had been ac ceptance of our right to insist on free transit. In whatever form was best. across the Isthmus; and that towards the end there had been a no less unl versal feeling that It was our duty to the world to provide this transit in the shape of a canal the resolution of the Pan-American Congress was practically a mandute to this edict. Colombia wa then under a one-man government. dictatorship, founded on usurpation or bsolute and irresponsible power. She eagerly pressed us to enter into an agreement with her. as long as there was any chance of our going to the alternative route through Nicaragua. When she thought we were committed. she refused to fulfill the agreement. with the avowed hope of seizing the t rench company's property for nothing and thereby holding us up. This was a bit of pure bandit morality. It would nave achieved its purpose had I poa sessed as weak moral fiber as those of my critics who announced that I ought to have confined my action to feeble scolding and temporizing until the op portunity lor action passed. I did not lift my finger to Incite the revolution ists. The right simile to use la totally different. I simply ceased to stamp out the different revolutionary fuses that were already burning. When Colombia committed flagrant wrong against us, I considered it no part of my duty tu id and abet her in her wrongdoing at our expense, and also at the expense of Panama, of the French eompanj and of the world generally. There had been 50 years of continuous bloodshed and civil strife In Panama; because or my action Panama has now known' lu years of such peace and prosperity as she never before saw during the four centuries of her existence for in Pan; as in Cuba and Santo Domingo, It was the action of the American people against the outcries -of the professea apostles of peace, which alone brought peace, We crave the people of Panama self-government, and freed them from subjection to alien oppressors. We did our best to get Colombia to let us treat her with a more than generous justice; we exercised patience to beyond the verge of proper forbearance. When we did act and recognize Panama, Colombia at once acknowledged her own guilt by promptly ottering to do what we had demanded, and what she had protested It was not in her power to do. But the offer came too late. What we would gladly have done before, it had by that time become impossible for us honor ably to do; for It would have necessi tated our abandoning the people of Panama, our iriends. and turning them over to their and our foes, who would have wreaked vengeance on them precisely because they had - shown friendship to us. Colombia was solely responsible for her own humiliation, and she had not then, and has not now. one shadow of claim upon us, moral or legal; all the wrong that was done was done by her. If, as repre senting the American people. I had not acted precisely as I did, I would have been an unfaithful or Incompetent rep resentative, and inaction at that crisis would have meant not only indefinite delay in building the canal, but also practical admission on our part that we were not fit to play the part on the Isthmus which we had arrogated to ourselves. I acted on my own responsi bility In the Panama -matter. John Hay spoke of this action as follows: "Th. action of the President in the Panama matter is not only in the strictest ac cordance with the principles of justice and equity, and in line with all the best precedents of our public policy, but it was the only course he could have taken in compliance with our treaty rignta and obligations. I deeply regretted, and now deeply regret, the fact that the Colombian government rendered It imperative for me to take the action I took, but I had no alternative, consistent with the full performance of my duty to my own people, and to the nations of mankind. I am well aware that the Colombian people have many fine traits; that there l amnns- thpm n rirrl nf Klf.li.KpaH men and women which would reflect I honor to the social life of any country I that there has been an Intellectual and I literary development within this small I circle which partially atones for the eiabiiai.iuii anu iiiiiiir fj L ilia IliaSS OI the neonle. and T also know that the Illiterate mass possesses many sterling qualities. But unfortunately in International matters every nation must be judged by the action of its government. The good people in Co lombia apparently made no effort, cer tainly no successful effort, to cause the government to act with reason able good faith towards the United States, and Colombia had to take the consequences. If Brazil, or the Argen tine, or Chile had been in possession of the Isthmus, doubtless the canal would have been built under the gov ernmental control of the nation thus controlling the Isthmus, with the hearty acquiescence of the Unlte1 Slates and of all other powers. But in the actual fact the canal would not have been built at, all save for the action I took. If men choose to say that it would have been better not to build it than to build It as the result of such action, their position, although looiisn. is compatiDie with belief in their -wrong-headed sincerity." But it is hypocrisy, alike odious -and con temptible, for any man to say both that we ought to have built the canal ana that we ought not to have acted in the way we did act. WroBi Impreuloa Corrected. PORTLAND, April 13. (To the Editor.) Owing to a wrong Im pression at the time of the Merrill trial, on February 5-1. I wish to state that the baby mentioned was not my baby, but I had cared for her since she was 36 hours old. intending to adopt her later. But. upon certain conditions arleing in my home, I concluded that I loved her too well to keep her and upon my own request, and for these very reasons. 1 gave her back to her own mother, who loves her and is caring for her. Mrs. Ploeger. Wilcox building, can verify these statements. as she knows all the circumstances of the case. MRS. W. D. MERRILL. 1S4 East Second street. North. Darkey'a Idea of the Taam. Atlanta Constitution. This illustration of the tango Is cred ited to an Arkansas City negro: "Pat tango, boss, am sort "f a easy motion, le Jis goa stealing alon? easy like ye didn't have any knee Joints and wua walking on eggs that cost fo'ty centa a dosen. KXCITINU i.k.i:m ok hot lake Sailor Oare Cure of Three (racked ' Rlba nai Starli Habit. PENDLETON. Or. April 12. (To the Editor.) Forty years ago. before the wonderful Hot Lake. Union County. Oregon, had been acquired by the Ore gon - Washington Railroad & Naviga tion Company and Improved Into a mod ern health and pleasure resort. It wa- merely part of a ranch occupied by a worthy bachelor. The rancher's hired man Friday was a diminutive, middle aged sailor, a perfect picture -book type of the English Johnny Bull. This Tommy Atkins had sailed the wide world round, from Hongkong to Val paraiso. Chile. He was the most able orator of godless sailor cuss words to be beard in months of travel. Gossip had it he had been a most wicked actor, on sea and land. Rumor darkly whis pered that, among his terrible deeds. Tommy had slain no less than three men, mere landlubbers, in British Co lumbia. Even if gossip wronged Tommy At- Kins. no was so frankly profane that his eternal fate apparently hung lu the oaiance by a thread. But he was most, loyal to the curative power of healing! Hot Lake, whose boiling, steaming waters had for centuries been the faith ful remedy for hosts of Indians from near and far. Tommy swore loudly that the 'ot water of this odd lake would absolutely cure any human ailment. Tommy was the proud owner of a mountain ranch and 30 horses, among which was a young mare, beautiful in form and color, but wild, fiery and un broken. Tommy swore that he would tame and ride this animal. The res'uU of the first lesson was that the tndltr nant equine pupil hoisted aloft the sailor, then stamped, kicked and bit, him. The maimed Tommy was picked up for dead and hauled to his beloved Hot Lake. He balked at any doctoring, swear ing fluently at the medical men's ver dict that he had three cracked ribs, a broken arm. fractured leg and sundry serious Internal Injuries. After night fall, when the doctors had given up hope and departed, and the rancher had fallen into exhausted slumber, the ap parently doomed sailor quietly crawled out to the shore of the lake. With a volley of muttered oaths, he flopped into the steaming water and floundered around like a fish or lobster. By chance he drifted too near to where the boiling, fiery water leaps up from the earth and is 15 feet deep. Too weak to resist. Tommy was drawn Into this hissing whirpool of hades. His howls, yells, yowls, whoops and gurgling curses brought the rancher out on the run. The rancher heaved a rope to the flopping, screeching victim and towea wu (jo.ri.iy couaea. rosy red sailor to me naroor ana solid land. Some reports assert that this Tommy Atkins waa cured of every ailment, In- ciuuing tne swearing habit. Other stories have it that, when first again on iirm ground, from out the boiling iaae. me tnanktul sailor kneeled and nave grateiui devotions for his dellv ery rrom a "fricassee" death. There are -aouoters who surmise that the ap parent prayer was merely eloquent CENSORSHIP OF WORK SEEKKHS, Meat With Families Should Have First Chance, Sara Correspondent. PORTLAND. April 13. ITo th. vm- Itor.) Some time ago a number of let ters were published in The Oregonian relative to employing certain people. I don't know what came out of It all. but i oo Know this, there are many women in this city who ought to be employed women who are capable, dependable, able to do anything that comes their way. and are so eager to be busy. They are not only eager, but anxious, aa some of them have the burden of help less one. I'd like to add my criticism with those already published acainst the employment of those wnmn n.-v,n .-.- husbands to support them said hus bands making anywhere over S50 a month, unless tnere should be an ex ceptional reason. I have had occasion to be in many homes during the past few months, in many finding women who sit with idle hands because they have not enough to keep them busy. Is this not a reproach, for cannot every gooo. nouseKenper rind something to do? If. after her homekeeping Is done, including sewing, etc. and the neces sary amount of social pleasure and one does not need a whole lot of visit iaiu piuying, tneater going can ne not give ner spare time to the house-mother who Is so busy that she nas no time tor the social side at all? Can she not find those who are lone ly, sad or 111. who would welcome her urisni presence? To me, as one who appreciates home life so thoroughly, this in far better man goln to business, just to earn money for clothes, as many women do ano nave husbands to support them. Surely this, too. might be covered by a ooara or censorship, in order to straighten out another crooked mat ter and make things straight. It would be all right if there waa enough to go around and positions or work to spare and women were really needed to help out. To my mind, men with families should be given first chance, and then women who have to support others, and men women who have to support them selves, and then men under the latter condition. After that those who have enough might be given a chance, for goodness knows there are women a-plenty who need th business train ing, but alas! do they go into public life for the training? 1 fear not In most cases. There is enough and to spare If properly managed, so there should be no need anywhere. Of all sad things in this world. I be lieve worse than sickness and suffer ing. ror that la only physical, is the mental suffering entailed by lack of a chance to make good and the worry that seems necessary to procure the all needful get-along. Blessed is she who doesn't worry, however. LI DA M. BROOM ALL. WAGE LAW IS THOl'UHT EVADED Contributor Avers Candy Factory Em ployes Not Fairly Treated. PORTLAND. April 13. (To the Edi tor.) Oregon's new minimum wage law la unquestionably a step forward and most creditable to the gentlemen who fathered it. Yet enactment of a just law is not one-half so easy as its evasion. A glaring example of easy wage-law eva sion is the present wage system in our "modern" candy factories. The law forbids piecework. Justly protecting the working girl from being compelled to finish an unreasonable amount of work for her $8.64 per week. Yet the candy workers still work at piecework rates, the employer re taining all money earned in excess or $8.64 per week and paying It to the girl once a month, enjoying the use of money belonging to the girl. Should the girl quit or be discharged before the end of the month, the employer pockets her surplus money, being under no legal obligation to pay It to her. Moreover the Intent of the law is that factory girls should receive 16 cents per hour for each hour. Yet in a Port land candy factory a girl recently worked hours for 32 cents, piece work. Should a girl fail to earn $8.64 at piecework rales fixed by the employer, she Is discharged. Perhaps the commission has another ace to play. As the cards fall now, the employer is still king high, JUSTICE. Tears or Drnm Plsylsa. Normal Instructor. "Xo!" said papa, "don't disturb me. Toil can't have it." "Oh! boo-hoo! boo-hoo!" walled the small boy. "Stop; stop!" cried papa, distracted. "Now, then. If I let you play your drum will you be quiet?" Twenty-five Years Ago From The Oregonian of April 14, 1S89. Washington. April 13. M. H. Skin ner and W. O. Meats have been com missioned postmasters at Coburg and Philomath, or., respectively. Harry Cooper, of Salem, has been appointed railway mail aKnt brtwecn Portland nd Corvnllis. The Oregon leles.itlon has recommended .lames C. Tuckery, of Kiverville. for Indian agent at Warm Springs. Ellensluirg. April IS. The tide ot travel toward the Big Bend. Okanogan and Conconully mines has fairly set In. Today a constant stream of 'wagons have been rolling out of Ellensburg. A gentleman reports rapid progress with the Jetty. Rev. Mr. Sllwood. who owns 100 acres of land opposite the Oreo Iran Works, has sold them to a syndicate tor to.ooo. A. Itislpy. whoso place Joins Sellwood s, sold to the same com pany for T0.000. Mr. Saubert sold his 40 acres to John Hoffman for $1200. Mrs. Henry V. Goddard. who has been quite ill. left Saturday for the Cascades and The Dalles. Senator Mitchell will be In Portland the latter part of the month. The little 5-year-o,1 son ot H. C. Shaw, of Grays River, was missed from home a few days ago. Just as his par ents were becoming alarmed, he came toddling In with a string of 4S trout, which he had caught in Crooked Creek. The city yesterday purchased the east half of the block bounded bv Kleventh. Twelfth. Washington and B streets, from I'. A. Van Kridagh. for $35.0oO. It Is the site of the proposed City Hall. Mayor Delashmutt says the bonds for the new City Hall, amount ing to $175,000. will be put on the mar ket when the new charter takes effect May 22. M. H. Deade and family will leave for an Eastern trip about the 20th. J. W. Sexton, grandson of James B. Stephens, and his aunt. Mrs. Elizabeth McCalla. will contest tile validity of deeds to property given by Mr. Steph ens shortly before his death. Half a Century Ago From The Oregonian of April 14. 1S4. Washington. April 11. The Navy De partment has received advices of the rapture of the steamers Sumter and Hattle Brooks by the Columbia, of the South Atlantic squadron. The Hattle Brooks Is a very valuable prize. Nashville April 11. East Tennessee has been abandoned by the rebels. They nave destroyed all the triilir vAn of Longstreet's Generals have been court-martialed on account of the fail ure of the campaign. Londsburg, Denmark. March 2S. This morning an attack was made on the whole Duppel line by the Prussians, who were repulsed. The Prussian sol diers at last refused to obev the com mands of their officers to advance. The organ for the new Presbyterian Church was saved from lasting Injury by a lady who saw one of the boxes containing it to be smoking and crack ling from a fire that had been, mis chievously kindled under it by an ur chin of some seven Summers, A four-horse coach loaded with pas sengers and baggage made its appear ance in the city yesterday, hailing from Yreka. Cal They left Yreka on March 2S and were bound to go through to the mines. The People's Transportation Com pany is preparing the little steamer Skedaddle for the low water of Oc tober and November.,when she will be put on the line between Clackamas Rapids and Oregon City. The schooner Ellen arrived at Aber nelhy's wharf last evening with a full cargo ot bacon and potatoes from Til lamook. Died In this city, April Decker, aged 32 years. IS. LETTER TO AN OREGON SENATOR Kplstle From Comstlttitent Criticises . Mr. Laat'a Staad. THE DALLES. Or, April 8. 1914. Hon. Harry Lane. U. S. SerTate. Wash ington. I. C. Dear Senator: I am somewhnt surprised at the stand taken by yourself on the Panama tolls Ques tion, and in my opinion many of your Progressive and Republican friends are of the same opinion as myself. 1 have stood with you, as you know. In your efforts to better conditions of our state morally, but when It comes to lining up with John Bull against our own country. 1 don't agree with you. In my opinion the railroad corpora tions and Europe will be benefited to our detriment Just to the extent of the tolls charged for our coastwise ahtps passing through the canaL In my opln. Ion when Mr. Roosevelt conceived the Idea of building the canal it was In or der that the people of the I'nlted States might have competition with the vast combined Influence of the railroad cor- poratlons, and now see that object side tracked It looks a little discouraging. However, if that can be remedied by a future Congress and Progressive or Re publican Administration, which Is cer tain to follow, it won't be so bad. but it will ball matters up so thatwe old fellows that are hovering around the nve-score mark may pass on before the reaction takes place. There don't seem to be any more justlre in charg ing our coastwise vessels tolls for pass ing through the Panama Canal than there would be in charging our own boats for going through the Celilo Canal, which has cost Uncle Sam quite a lot of money, but It was built to bene fit the producers, and whatever toll is charged goes into the pockets of the railroad corporations. Hoping you will give the matter care ful thought before the final vote :s taken. I am, sincerelv yours. D. J. COOPER. sonrc-ea of Income Tax. Indianapolis News. The ferret-eyed little man stepped acroas the streetcar isle and whispered Into the ear ot the tall chap in a gray suit: "You'd better wipe that bit of egg off your chin. The income tax man is just two seats In front of you." Apply Your Good Idea A good idea that is not put into practice Is of no use to any one. Don't believe It Is a good idea to keep up to the minute by reading the advertisements in The Orego nian and then nealect to do It, If you fall to put thla good idea into execution, you can't help feeling dissatisfied with yourself especial ly when you see, too lata, that In buying something you have made some mistake, that a little intelli gent advertisement reading would have prevented. To keep yourself informed by means of such newspapers as The Oregonian is the best Idea for prac tical purchasing.