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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (May 7, 1914)
f 10 THE MORNING OREGONTAy, THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1914. xmtmt PORTLAND. UUSGON. Entered at Portland. Oregon, Foirtofflce a Mcond-clau matter. Bubscriptioa Jiates Invariably In Advance: (BY HAIL.) pally. Sanday Included, ana year. .....JS.OO pally. Sunday included, alx month!.... 4-25 Ially, Banday Included, tnree montiia. LaUy. Uunduy Included, one moaU. ... -76 pally, without Sunday, one year -0" pally, without Sunday, alx montiia. . .. . S 5 Ually, witnout Sunday, tnree mitntna... 1.76 pally, witnout Sunday, one molata. .... -SO Weekly, one year. l-t0 bunday. one year. .............. eunday and Weekly, one year.......... oUU (BY OARRIBH) pally. Sunday included, one yeai . . ... .9.0O Ltally. Sunday included, one month. ... .73 now to Hemit Send postorfice money or- er, express order or pereonal cneok on your local bank. Stain pa, coin or currency are at leaders riak. Give poetomce addreae 1a full. Including county and atate. Poetas-e Jiates 12 to IB paces. 1 cent; IS to pases, 2 cent; 34 to 4a pages. 8 cents; M to ft) pages, 4 cents; to id pages. 6 vents; 78 to v- pages, o cents. Foreign post age, double rates. Eastern bumeeo Offices Verree A Conk In, Mew York, .Brunswick building. Cnl aago. Sugar building. ban ranciiMK Ottioe H. J. Bldwelt Co. 142 Market street. I-OKTLAjri, THEESOAI, MAY 7, 1S1. IN'DEFKNSIBLii. The action of Governor West In suppressing the Friars Club at Mil waukie through the militia is further notice to the -world at large that the Governor of Oregon purposes to ig nore the constitution and trample be neath his feet the established guar antees of liberty whenever he is seized by a lawless -whim to take the Jaw into his own hands. The Milwaukie resort may or may not be an offense to public decency, and its proprietor may or may not be a violator of law. We do not know. But we -will assume that the Friars' Club is a disgraceful and disorderly, place, and that the complaints against Its methods and practices are abun dantly justified. The proprietor is nevertheless entitled to his day in court. If he shall be deprived of his rights by the petty . persecutions of any minor police officer, or by the high-handed and arbitrary acts of the state's Chief Executive, it is yet a vio lation of the commonest precepts, of public Justice. What are the courts for? . is the Governor of Oregon at once prosecu tor, trial Judge and executioner? Are tve living under civil government or a military despotism? If the Mil waukie road house keeper has no rights, and his liberty may be invaded and his property destroyed by mere executive fiat, without recourse of any kind, so then Is every other citi zen in Jeopardy through the en croachments of executive power. The courts cannot protect him; the law is no refuge for him; he is at the mercy of a Governor who may be actuated by passion or prejudice, or by an un worthy purpose to strip him of every thing he has. It would appear to require only the barest statement of the extraordinary acts of Governor West to elicit from the public severest condemnation and most earnest reprobation; yet it is true that, for his pretended policy of law enforcement, he has open support in influential quarters. It is not law enforcement; it is law viola tion by the highest official of the state, who has taken a special oath to obey the constitution and uphold the laws. He utterly disregards the con stitution and he himself interprets the laws to suit any given emergency. It is no Justification for Governor West that he has acted in a good cause. The best and greatest cause in civilized states is human liberty. It has been achieved through a thousand years of struggle and bloodshed, and it may be preserved only by the most zealous and watchful guardianship; yet it has become a mere plaything with the Governor of Oregon. It may be probably it will be a good cause to shut up the Milwaukie re sort; but it is a far more important thing to every citizen that it should be done through the orderly processes of law. The flagrant nature of the Milwau kie episode is accentuated by its spe cial circumstances. The Attorney General of the state had been directed by the Governor to take action for feiting the charter of the Friars Club. He had complied, and the case was put in the hands of the County Attor ney of Clackamas County, an ap pointee of Governor West. On Fri day last. Circuit Judge Eakln had made a ruling on demurrer favorable to the club; It was not final, but was a mere Incident in the hearing. Then the Governor, impatient for immedi ate action and determined to have his own way, usurped the constitutional function of the court, and with his militia descended upon the Milwaukie tavern. If the Governor had any fact about disregard of law by the Friars' Club, he has not deigned to make them public; but it is a likely enough assumption that he had no facts, but only suspicions. But whether he acted upon well-grounded complaints, or mere surmises, his in vasion of the Milwaukie tavern is yet an indefensible proceeding. Governor West overrides the consti tution by setting the military above the civil power; by instituting the right of search without court author ity: by depriving a citizen of his prop erty -without due process of law; by usurping the province of the courts to try an accused person; by suspending civil processes without legislative sanction. There never was such another Governor in Oregon; there ought to be none other like him', for the safety of the state and the protection of its institutions. WHAT WILL SLEWATIOX EFFECT T The mediators' plan of composing the differences between the Mexican factions before undertaking ,to ar range satisfaction of American de mands has miscarried, owing to the refusal of Carranza and Villa to par ticipate. The Constitutionalist chiefs see in Huerta simply a murderer in his quarrel with the United States merely a scheme to rally the people to his failing cause, and in the move for an armistice pending mediation a trick to gain time for Huerta to recruit his forces. They reason that they "have got him going" and that their best policy is to keep him going; that they would' gain nothing by an armistice, while he would gain time to recover himself. In contrast with the caution of the Constitutionalists not to be beguiled into concessions to Huerta is the course of the Wilson Ailmlnwmi.. If the mediators were empowered to adjust an our points of disagreement with Huerta. Mr "Wl!n . well reject their good offices,-but the reiusai or uarranza to accept - their aid has rendered them practically worthless to us. While South Amer ican dlDlomacr follows 1t Jnt .... i course. Villa will keep hammering away at the Federals until he may eliminate Huerta by force before the mediators have done so by diplomacy. Practically no subject of mediation remains except the insult to our flag. That is hardly a subject for media tion. It is equivalent to a slap in the face, for which satisfaction can take the form only of an apology between nations a salute Kr a knockdown blow. But Mr. Wilson seems willing to negotiate about anything, even an insult to the Nation. Were the mediators to go about their work in business-like manner, they could adjust the matter in a week, but they are likely, after the fashion of diplomats, to stretch it over months. While they are doing so, Huerta is mining railroads, fortifying his capital, making dynamite bombs, recruiting armies on the pretense that they are to repel the invaders and then sending them against the rebels. Ho has gained that Inestimable boon, time, for doing all these things, while our forces sit idly at Vera Cruz, ready for the campaign, but compelled to wait while their foe makes their probable task infinitely harder. NOT YET. The state constitution, revered by our fathers, and yet respected by many of our citizens, is something of an obstacle, it appears, to the Napo leonic designs of Governor West, and he proposes through the initiative an amendment reading as follows: The Governor shall take care that the lawa be faithfully executed and to this end may command -the co-operation of every District Attorney. Sheriff and Constable. He is hereby empowered and it is made his duty to remove from office District Attorneys, sheriffs or Constables who, in his opinion, refuse or fail to perform the duties of their respective offices or to co operate with him In the enforcement of the laws of this state. He shall have full power to fill by ap pointment any and all vacancies caused by such removals. The Oregonian agrees that the Governor of a state might properly have the power to suspend from of fice for cause any subordinate officer; but it is unthinkable that the accused should not have the right to a hearing in court. Yet that is what the Governor proposes. The Governor, in his power of removal over officials elected by the people, is not to be restrained, in any way, or for any cause, from his right of summary dismissal. The Oregonian thinks the people of Oregon have not lost their senses. TWO WAYS OUT. In his quest for evidence on the tolls exemption question Senator Lane has hit upon an interesting bit of information. Canadian ships, he says, can pay tolls and still carry freight cheaper to the Atlantic Coast from Victoria or Vancouver than American ships can carry freight be tween American ports. The only -way to get Coast benefit from the canal, he argues, is to change the shipping laws. Until that is done free tolls to American coastwise shipping will be of no benefit. , As the Canadian ships will carry principally lumber from Canadian ports to American ports on the Atlan tic, and as they have an advantage in cheap Oriental labor as well as more favorable shipping laws, it might oc cur to the Senator, were he not a Democrat, that it would be a good thing for his constituents to restore the tariff on lumber. But of course there is not a word of , that in his letter. Aside from that. If Senator Lane could demonstrate to the whole world that his theory about the Ineffective ness of toll exemption is correct, he might pose as a truly National figure. The tolls question originated- in Can ada. Over there they look upon free tolls to American coastwise shipping as a menace to their industries. It would seem, therefore, that all that is needed is widespread knowledge of Senator Lane's private information. If the Canadians should learn that they had been making all the fuss over nothing they quite naturally would subside in chagrin and no doubt apologize Other than the novel view that the tolls question in the present status of shipping laws is a matter of economic Indifference Senator Lane's letter does not differ from his other two. He still duplicates the open-mlnded-ness of the famous Oregon jurist who announced: "The Court will take this case under advisement for three days and on next Monday will render a decision in favor of the plaintiff." ANOTHER BMW AT THE WEST. Among the public institutions over which the economy advocates and the pork advocates in the Democratic party are struggling are the mints and assay offices. The appropriation committee of the House proposed to abolish the assay offices at Carson, Boise, Helena, Salt Lake and Dead wood, and promptly had a fight on its hands with the Representatives of the states interested. It proposed to retain the assay offices at New York and Seattle and the mints at Phila delphia. New Orleans, Denver and San Francisco, which also do the work of assay offices, for commercial reasons, but it urged abolition of the other assay offices on the ground that it was not the business of the Govern ment to furnish the miner a market for his bullion and then to transport his bullion to the mint, when the business was done at a loss. That is where the committee got Itself into trouble, for the Western men showed that the loss on the New York assays office business was much higher than that on Western towns, and that there was less excuse for an office at New York because the mint at Philadelphia was only ninety miles away. The New Orleans mint was shown to lose heavily on bullion purchases, but It was declared neces sary to purchase gold from Central and South America and to store sil ver dollars. The outcome was that amendments to reinstate the Deadwood, Boise, Carson and Salt Lake assay offices were defeated, while the committee was beaten by the triumphant de fenders of Huerta, but this action was reversed by the House when the bill was reported. It - may be only a coincidence, but the fact is worthy of remark that the states which lose their assay offices are all Republican except Nevada and Montana, and Nevada has but one Representative, while Montana has but two. New Orleans has been hit so . hard with free sugar and denial of a regional bank that it was probably considered unsafe to deal another blow at it. The slighted states have only one or two Representatives each, while - those which do not feel the knife of eeon omy have big delegations, the weakest being Washington with five. So commercial advantage is a good reason why the Government should ao losing ousiness in Duillon-ouylng at cities which have large delegations oenina tnem, particularly if they are Democratic, but strict business prin ciples are to apply to cities backed by small delpfatMnn namila.ln t a , - J . i Hit-J are Republican. The sole plausible defense of this discrimlnation-e-that the Government pays freight on bul lion from assay offices to mints could have been met by increasing the charge sufficiently to cover freight. Then the action of the House would have stood out nakedly as an attempt, to deprive the weak of the convenience of assay offices, while the strong are left in possession of those advantages. A NEEDED REFORM. There ought to be a corrupt prac tices act governing ' the rejection of manuscripts by magazine editors. A peculiarly flagrant case has been called to the attention of The Orego nian by an Oregon writer. This individual is able, by display of certain birthmarks, by quotations from the scriptures and by an intel ligent application of the mystic num-1 ber "seven" to his name and career, to prove that he is the Messiah. Now there is returned to him from an Eastern magazine his manuscript on. the subject, accompanied by a neatly-printed slip stating, "We al ready have more of this class of mat ter than we can use." "I wonder how many Messiahs have written to this magazine," writes the only true Messiah to The Orego nian. Sure enough. So do we. Think of it! A man proves that he is the one and only Ruler of the Uni verse, but is insulted with the state ment, "We already have more of this class of matter than we can use." There ought to be a law against rejection of manuscripts except on reasonable grounds. THE COLONEL'S RETURN. - Colonel Roosevelt has emerged into civilization from his Brazilian explor ing expedition and his first words to the representatives of the press are big with interest. Although his travels have been extensive and hazardous, he - returns to the world In good health.- Once he almost lost his life running the rapids on a river of the interior wilderness. Five canoes out of seven went down and the travelers had a hard fight with the boisterous waters, but they came through safely. On another occasion they fell in with a tribe of savages who fought with poisoned -arrows. The timely death of a dog which they had wounded re vealed the peril to the adventurers in time for them to make their escape. Thus, through "most disastrous chf.nces," through "moving acci dents by flood and field and hair breadth escapes," the dauntless Colo nel penetrated the untraveled wilder ness of the Amazon. When we read hi3 complete story we may be sure that' it will abound with accounts of "antres vast and deserts idle, rough quarries, rocks and hills whose heads touch heaven," and much more of the same kind, all which to hear the American people will seriously Incline. For they are fond of the Colonel and proud of his quenchless vigor, both of mind and body. Anthony Fiala, one of his com rades who has come back ahead of him, says that nothing could surpass the endurance either of the Colonel or of Kermit, who went along. If anything, Kermit could outwork his indefatigable father, though either of them was more than enough for the indurated Brazilian woodsmen. On one occasion, as Mr. Fiala relates, the Colonel and Kermit kept up a lively pace tnrough the fallen logs, under brush and swamps for a whole dav. with the Brazilian helpers toiling painfully and hopelessly in their rear. Toward nightfall the- foresters lay down to rest. Kermit and his tireless rather shouldered the servants' guns. hooked each an arm through a load of shoes taken from swollen feet, and thus accoutered marched valiantly to camp. The Colonel's contributions to science will be considerable. He has collected birds by the hundred, dis covered and named a. river and amassed a rich store of animal speci mens in many forms. The party seems to have had its worst luck with serpents. Fiala says he saw no genu ine monsters for his part and we gather 'from some melancholy re marks of the Colonel that he fared but little better. "The poorest part of our collection," he told the report ers, "is the snakes." Mr. Fiala tells a snake story or two. at Second hand, which will go far to soothe the country's disappointment in this particular, and we feel confi dent that Mr. Roosevelt himself has some still better ones laid up for the delectation of the public. If they are as good as the fish story he told in the Outlook among his adventures on the Parana River, the most avid ap petite for marvels will be happily ap peased. The fish in question is not very big, but it is gifted with a ter ribly sharp set of teeth. The fero cious little monster lies in wait for a cow or a man who may incautiously wade the river. At an opportune mo ment it rushes out and snaps off a teat or a finger as the case may be. The flowing blood attracts a countless shoal of its insatiate kindred and be fore the victim can struggle ashore he. or she, is devoured alive. The account of this cannibal fish is one of the best pieces of literary work the Colonel ever did. It la calm, minute, fascinating and ineffably plausible. Defoe never wrote anything better In his happiest moods. Mr. Roosevelt has been pouring rorth exhaustless accounts of his South American wanderings ever since he started and they are all cap tivating. The southern half of the trip is recounted in the Outlook. The northern and more exciting portion is contributed to Scribner's Magazine. Mr. Roosevelt has covered about all there is of any interest in South America except the northwest corner. He crossed Argentine and the Andes into Chile, finding a host of things to admire and describe all the way across the continent. The lively Chileans, the Greeks of South Amer ica, liked and criticised him. They are a people after his own heart, tire less, bold and intelligent. From Chile he came back to the Parana River, up which he sailed, full of eager in terest in everything he saw. The ranchers and cowboys, the cannibal fishes, the birds, the flowers, the In sects, the Institutions of the country, its resources, history and prospects were all studied with equal xeal and described in the same vigorous English. As the Colonel's pen becomes more prolific it does better and better work. In the account of his Arizona trip last year he dropped into a poeti cal style which was new to him but extremely charming. His South American narratives are sober, easy and accurate. Ten years ago when one read Mr. Roosevelt's articles the creaking of the literary machinery was far too audible. The 'pompously balanced sentences, the martial array of formal connectives, the stiff adjec tives stalked down the page like mi litiamen on training day. Now there is nothing of the sort to be seen. His style slips along as smoothly as Swift's. He has mastered the art of writing accurately and delightfully. We wonder if he has improved as much in politics as he has in literary style, not that any improvement was needed. . But if he has, we advise his enemies to look out for him. From the trip up the Parana the Colonel passed into the Brazilian wil derness. WhfrV Amiri i, n n .-, 1 ... n ests and mighty rivers, he has been lOSt tO the WOrld SinCA last PhHotmoa The country has expected his return wim oounaiess confidence m his un failing luck, but not without some nine anxiety, xne Colonel Is a Na tional rtossessinn tnat wa ntil afford to lose, and while everybody felt perfectly certain that he would come back safe and sound, nobody could help worrying a little as the vague stories of his perils drifted in. Now that he is restored without even the smell of fire on his garments, the wnoie jation Joins in felicitating him while it wonders where he will go next in search of new adventures. A COntemnnrnrv hoirnila V. . -ho., ' . . . I 'Ik. . v lot of our candidates for office who, it groans, are targets for everybody's graft. We had sunnosoH thv wai-a pretty well protected by the corrupt practices act. At any rate, as far as we can discern, they bear their trou bles right bravely. We are no gam blers, but if we were we would bet a cooky that most of the candidates weitrh more than thov u-v.An tk.- set out on their thorny road. Senator -Lippett, of Rhode Island, has quite an ear for ailitnratlnn n "villainous Villa" is as good an ex ample Of that Dleasine- ficnrA ajx wa have ever seen. Should the Senator from our smallest state, to which his mind conforms wonderfully well in magnitude, devote himself to alliter ative poetry we see no reason vhv Via should not rival our Saxon ancestors witn wnom he agrees so accurately in His views or current events. ' The United States troops have not taken sides in the Colorado trouble. They are dealing out even-handed Justice, setting an example which some judges might find it profitable to imitate. The Nation is too great to upnold any corporation in wrong ing its men or to uphold the men in withstanding their employers. What the country wants is exact justice to all parties, no matter whether they speak English or Greek. Four of Becker's underlings in crime have been offered up as a sop to justice. The master criminal is enjoying a new trial, a luxury denied to his subordinates, who' were com paratively poor and friendless. Should he be convicted again, no doubt grounds will transpire for a third trial, and so on indefinitely. "Plate crime with gold and the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks." William Balderston, who died at Boise Tuesday, was .editor of the Idaho Statesman in the days when the capital city emerged from its vil lage clothes, and he kept the news paper a little ahead of the municipal ity's progress, which is to his credit, although all in the day's work. After looking over many precious jewels Congressmen were unable to make any selection for the McAdoo Wilson nuptials. Takes a few days to get accustomed to the idea of parting with so much money. President Wilson went to the circus and amused himself by feeding the elephant. Nothing new about it. He has been feeding the "elephant" for some time with his Mexican policy and free tolls stand. August Belmont's son escapes with a payment of J100 a month alimony to his actress wife. While the amount Is trivial for the Belmonts, Just sup pose that August Belmont's son had to earn the money. It is reported from Albania that 250 Mohammedans have been crucified at the church in Kodra. There are parts of the world where Christianity is more of a form than a true religion. Woman suffrage and Nation-wide prohibition were passed unanimously in committee. In the House, however, the measures will begin to encounter rougher sailing. A Benton County horsethief was landed in the penitentiary within twenty-four hours after arrest, which procedure beats hanging by an excit ed mob. One of the Roosevelt party went mad and disappeared in the jungle. Perhaps Teddy was trying to convert him to Bull Mooselsm. The war among candidates for Coroner Is not as bitter as customary, but more than a week remains until the primary election. If some of the Democrats could havetheir way, our Navy would soon be on a. par with Mexico's and we'd have no Army at all. Villa has ousted his lieutenant Chao, says a dispatch. Now if he would reduce his ally chaos it would be more to the point. The House of Lords is a self-important body, looking upon woman as a chattel. Rejection of suffrage was to be expected. Of course, the usual methods of enforcing the law are not spectacular enough for some publicity-craving officials. Funston has rare fighting judg ment and will extend the lines to the Rio Grande if necessary. Events of recent days tend to con firm the belief that Carranza is mere ly Villa's puppet. But the Colonel Is out of the woods only so far as it relates to Brazilian fastnesses. Funston has been given full au thority to extend his lines. On to Mazatlan! President Wilson is considerably numan. iie took the children to the circus. The hope of suffrage Is faint in a country that uses women for tend ing bar. The seashore is beginning to call. Stars and Starmakers BY IEONE CASS BAEB. From San Francisco comes the more or less disconcerting information that only brunettes are to be engaged for the chorus of the musical comedies to be presented in San Francisco during the Pacific Panama Exposition next year. The reason, blandly given, is that Californians have always shown a marked preference for dark-haired coryphees. The subject is one for argu ment. And, anyway, it's a poor blonde who cannot become a brunette at a few hours' notice. e e e Also if they confine the lightness to their feet we should bother. It's better than having it all In their heads. e e e Madame Sarah Bernhardt made a dis mal failure in a new play, "Tout a Coup." at her Paris theater last week. The play was withdrawn after its only performance, and Madame Bernhardt revived "Jeanne Dore" for the rest of the season until mid-May. when she goes on a tour through France and Belgium in this play. A correspondent says that "the diva appeared personally and re ceived much applause, but her age is naturally apparent, and her persistency in still acting does not add to her glory." e e Gee. but the war is putting an awful crimp in the white slave picture indus-trv- -A-ll the photographers have gone to the front. e- e Ottumwa, out in Ioway. has put the kibosh on Sunday shows. Two theaters in San Francisco have been listed at auction. The Princess, on Ella street, and the Valencia, in the Mission, are to be sold to the highest bidder on May 21. see Robert Edeson has bought his first automobile, says a news story. I am In clined to believe this, but when I read of an actor getting "another one to add to his collection." I take it with a pinch of salt, Mr. Edeson, by the way. Is playing a stock-star engagement until June 1 at the Academy of Music in New York. He left the "Fine Feathers" Company, claiming he was "ill and tired." His contract called for three more months with the "Fine Feathers" and Mr. Edeson has been served with papers by H. H. Frazee to prevent his accepting any other engagement until his time with them expires, which will be in August. e I wish the Jujrjlers. acrobats, ven triloquists and men who demonstrate athletic development clad In white union suits would all be called upon to enlist. see Isabella Flptch.i. nni ri 1 . - -- - vuanca Ay res, who have been playing leads at Ye Liberty in Oakland. Ca.1. f nT- havamI months, will close May 10. Miss Fletcher has accepted an engagement with the Redmond Stock Company. Sacramento. Beth Taylor, one of the cleverest leadinsr wnmnn , i will take Miss Fletcher's place and will pen in rne Amazons." Mv 11 Ivan Miller, a former m.mh Bishop Stock, will also make his re appearance at the opening. - Lefw Hearne and his buxom frau, Bonita. are In vaudeville In London and will stay there all Summer. e e e Sigurd Ibsen, son of Henry the mis understood, has finished a. th.. drama called "Robert Frank," e e. "Willard. the Man Who Grows," who grew for us on Pantaaes' ci rcnlt twn years ago, is growing in Paris Just now, ana is nourishing so luxuriantly that he has been booked for Hammer stein's Roof this Summer. William Hodge, the quaint comedian. win do seen at tne Helllg Theater soon In "The. Road to Happiness," a play that has scored emphatically. Hodge occupies a unique position on the American stage. He toured In "The Man From Home" connMiitiv.i. something like six years. Ina Claire, at One timA nnrii1 among those to be brides of Vincent scored the biggest hit yet to be registered by an 'American woman at the Palace Theater in London, in "The Passing? Show" Shs v... i., i a great pow-wow with Ethel Levy, who has a claim to attention in toinV ,. divorced wife of George M. Cohan, and aiBO me "oiggest hit scored by an American woman in London " until th. slim little Janls with her line of cor rect imitations came along. The cause of the pow-wow Is that on Miss Janls' opening night Miss Levy sat In a stage box and attracted attention from the stage. When Miss Janis did her imita tion of Miss Levy, that lndv lsri th. ap plause, while the audience divided its smiles in the direction of both actresses. There wu a. fin hnwi-.i.. after the performance and Miss Janls aDsoiuteiy refused to appear any night . - . in . . - . "' am iovy sat out iront. As Miss Levy is not independent of theatrical managements sne Has to stay out or else come In a veil. Lakes and CommlssloM Government. SHANIKO, Or, May i. (Ta the Edi tor.) 1. Are the important lakes la Southern Oregon salty, alkaline or fresh? Have they any outlets? Are they getting smaller? Are the con ditions swampy? Is the land around them arid? 2. Is the commission form or government proving satisfactory? V. M. 1. Klamath Lake is fresh and has an outlet. The waters of most of the other lakes east of the mountains carry quantities of salts and other minerals In solution and have no permanent outlets- Some overflow and form large marshes. Some very productive lands are found on the shores of several cf the lakes. Around Summer Lake is a fruit district famed throughout Central Oregon. 2. Most cities that have established commission government look upon it as an improvement over the old form. Am Old Bible. VANCOUVER, May 6. (To the Edi tor.) Can you tell me what an old Bible is worth and the best place to sell it? I have one between 400 and 500 year old. C M. TAYLOR. Mere age does not make a Bible par. tlcularly valuable. The writer may be able to get information about bis par ticular possession by addressing a let ter to "Brentanos. New York; City.' s Yes. SEATTLE. May S. (To the Editor.) Can a foreigner or alien buy and own property, and if he wishes to sell it, can he give a good deed if he has not declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States, in the State of Oregon? CARL NELSON, Half a Century Ago From the Oregonian of May 7, 1864. Our candidate for Congress. Rev. Mr. Henderson, will address the citizens of Portland it 1 P. E, today. The Oregon Steam Navigation Com pany have in process of construction a line of telegraph from The Dalles to Celilo. a distance of 14 miles, for their exclusive use. So soon as a boat from above appears in sight of Celilo. the fact will reported by telegraph to The Dalles and a train of cars immediately sent to meet it and by the time the pas sengers are fairly landed at Celilo, they can step Into the cars for The Dalles. A fira flOPIIPMl in V. , v s-t Brooks' store on the corner of Front and Taylor Btreets yesterday. It ws SDeedilv RiihHnul -i ; v.... .in. v- , UVtUS U I. IWlllllK damage. The site of the Monitor Hotel, corner f Front and Alder streets, has given ISA tn 11 fin. , . - . -- - - j on uwiure, tnree atones high. 75 feet front by 100 feet deep. uuuer tun supervision or p. Slnnott, late of the Columbian, and to be oc cupied by him as a hotel Portland hn, nmh.XI. i ... men as can be "scared up" anywhere. Which Wm mnHfll . . J I. .. -- w i . t n n. , m a j u y a. run to the fire on Taylor street. The .hub occupied in reselling the spot from the farthest engine-houae with ma- rhlna Q 11-4 hn- .... .-I J 1 . . . " v. . , i.o uia uui vsceea five minutes after the alarm had been s'"". wnne io. x ana ro. 4 were each taking suction at the cistern, corner of First and Taylor streets, in less than tuice minutes irom tne tap of the alarm. ' At a mAoflnir 1... ... , . .... Courthouse for the purpose of organis- "s rimery company, the foilow- Payne; First Lieutenant. A. Rosenheim; Second Lieutenant. I. Bergman: First Sergeant. W. N. Patton; Second Ser creant. B. Barr- Vlt-.t rnnn--! - -j -. Second Corporal. J. S. Guild- T" V- I "- , n- uiijurm, i. rariey; r ourtn cor poral. W. R. Shaw; treasurer. James - Bwtcuujr, w. .n. ration. Tho hark T-l 1 nr i - - - - ... Aimjr win leave this port today, touching at Spring ville. where she will take on 2500 bush els of oats and proceed to Rainier to auau niMi juiuoer ior ban J? rancisco. We are without tiAc,,nku i patches this morning. The wire parted between Yreka and Calahan's yester day, making seven breaks this week. Married A t V. . -i. . Magers. Waconda, Marion County. May "j iBr .i nines juagers, Air. Albert WOOdilllrtOn to Miss Kit ra h l9.an at the residence of the bride's father, Philip Foster, Esq., Washington Coun ty. May i. by Hon. Hyer Jackson. Mr. John G. Henrici. of Multnomah County to Miss Victoria E. Harris, of Wash ington County; at the residence of the muiner, muranae, isaner coun ty. Or.. April 21, by Rev. W. T. Lawrence- ftnmnol x n.o . .. .ft.. - . Howe, all of LaGrande. Died At the risll.nn. tf t - -... lin. Esq., near Monticello, W. T. Alva McWharter. aged, about 25 years; In this city. May 5, of acute meningitis, Clara Minnie, daughter of W. p. and L. S. Abrams, aged 8 years and 8 months. SHIPPING LAW MUST BE CHANGED. Free Tolls No Benefit tfnttl Then. Says senator Lane. WASHlNfiTdV Tl C A II Ol y-r.. the Editor.) A few days since my at- icuuuu was caneo. to a letter which Was addreKHArl tn ma k x t-, n Cooper and published in The Oregonian! wuuiu ieeoi it a ravor 1 r you will kindly give space in your paper to the inclosed communication to Mr. Cooper in reply to his open letter to me. HAKKY LANE. WASHINGTON. D. C, April 21. Mr. D. F. Cooper. The Dalles. Oregon. Dear Sir: Your letter to me of April 8, which you published In The Ore gonian April 14. has been received. and I note with much interest your position on the Panama Canal tolls question and also your statement that while you "have stood with me here tofore on questions of public concern you do not agree with me when It comes to lining up with. John Bull," and that there are many others "besides yourself" who hold the same opinion that you do respecting this question and the position which you assume that I occupy in relation to it. In reply I beg to say that I thank you for your candor and wish to as sure you that I have every reason to believe that you are quite right in the assumption that I will part company with many of my former friends and supporters if I vote for the measure now under consideration. Others, who seem to be equally as sincere as your self, assure me that I will fall in my duty in upholding the honor of the Nation and will be assisting in grant ing a subsidy to certain shipping In terests if I vote against the measure and there you are, or rather there I am, with the assured certainty of los ing friends whichever way I vote, which position, you must concede. Is an interesting one for a person to oc cupy. Ihave replied to these gentlemen, as I do nere now to you, that I have re served the right to Investigate the sub ject carefully and to hear both sides of the question fairly and fully presented before I decide how I will vote upon the measure. In the meantime, and until I have done so. I will esteem it a favor If you will give me plenty of rope and hold your criticism In leash. I think you know me well enough to feel reasonably sure that I will do what I think Is right without fear or favor. either to "Johnnie Bull" or to anyone else. There is one aspect of the situation which. It seems to me. is of irreat im portance, and to which you do not give the consideration it Is entitled. Under our navigation laws foreign ships can pay the tolls and still carry freight from Vancouver or Victoria, B. C, at a lower rate than can American ships sailing from Puget Sound, Portland, or San Francisco. At this time it looks as though our coastwise shipping will suffer severely when the British Co lumbia ports take advantage of the lower rate of shipping thus afforded them by the laws of their countries. Under our laws foreign bottoms are not allowed to compete for coastwise traffic. Quite naturally this country will labor at a great disadvantage in competing for the markets of the world. If the Coast is to benefit from the canal, we must either change our navigation laws In such a way as to place our ships on an equal footing with foreign vessels or allow the latter to enter freely Into our ports. One of these things we must do, whatever position we take in regard to the tolls, if we are to profit from the construe' tion of the canal. To do either would fill our ports with ships manned by Asiatic sailors. If, after that, we grant free tolls to our own shipping a great advantage will accrue to our ships, and not otherwise. It is unfortunate that the agents of this Government aid not definitely set tie the tolls question In a way which would admit of no doubt when the treaty was made. In closing allow me to assure you that my only desire is to have this question settled equitably and honor ably. HARRY LANE. Twenty-five Years Ago From The Oresronlan of M v -j icco Paris, May 6. President Carnot to day opened the great international ex position. Walla Walla. May 6. G. W. Hunt is about to submit a proposition to return an the subsidy heretofore advanced by the people of this countv and then bond the county for $300,000. for which he will build a road from here to Grand Ronde Valley: also the contem plated line to Waltsburg. Dayton and Prescott. The proposition meets with hearty approval. Pendleton. May 6. The Supreme UrJ8 ln ssion. Judges Strahan and Thayer and Clerk Touiir present. fc. i.. btiaron was appointed deputy clerk and W. W. Nye bailiff. McMinnville. May 6. Asa H. Hudson, a prominent hiHtr... . i . day, aged about 0 years. Walla tl'.ll. . ... ,- ; -iy . lion. u. s. t i m" a"d H- pl"er. of Colfax: - "" i r-aiouse Uity. and Thomas Griffiths, of Spokane Falls. M-fM n s 1" as. I - V. I a . T : merest or tne whit man County Courthouse injunction suit. The East Pnrllanil i , .. r .t'uncii yes terday received from the East Port land Water Company a protest against tne aDDOIntmont r,f tv. rr t r . - - - i . i ItrilDUIl and J. II. Han as commissioners to ad- Ju"i water rates. The second annual meeting of the Portland Woman's Union was held In the Unitarian chapel yesterday. An ad dress was read by Mrs. Rosa F. Bur rell. the president- and th ru,,-tn.- officera were elected: Mrs. Rosa F. Bur- presiaeni; airs. H. J. Corbett. first vice-president: ilrs. 15. P. Thompson, second vice-president: Mrs. C. w. Know-les, recording secretary: Miss ll! L. Failing, corresponding secretary; Mrs. t Eggert, treasurer. Professor T?. E i ti . . -K - u . brated mesmerist, who was to hare given an entertainment at the New uiea at ia Washington street Sunday night. The trotting race between Susie S.. owned by Alexander Lewis, of Montana and Lady Maud, owned by Andrew Bray. i nit uuj, win lane place at City View Park June 1. The Hoffman tract, comprising 23 i acres, situated south of Robinson's Hill and west of Sixth street, was pur chased yesterday by W. W. Spauldinc for 55,000. A new rockcrusher is being con structed by Bays & Jeffery on the Barnes road, about half a mile west of the City Park entrance. H. S. Lubboch, supervising Inspector of steam vessels. Is at the Esmond. He has come to Portland to select a suc cessor to Captain J. 1 Ferguson. Articles of incorporation of the Port land and Clackamas Railway Company were filed yesterday by William Reid. P- E. Habersham and D. W. Cummins. SALMON FISHI.VG IN WILLAMETTE. Writer Thinks It Should Be Preserved For Rod and Line Fishermen. PORTLAND, May 6. (To the Editor.) A week ago last Sunday I enjoyed a few hours' sport trolling for salmon at Oregon City. It was. Indeed, a pleas ure to visit the locality and witness the enjoyment the large number of men and women had while rowing up or down the river or anchored, casting or trolling for the king of Western wa ters. Last Sunday a different scene pre sented Itself. Fewer boats and not rha jovial crowd. During the week I know . not wnat Happened, except to have noticed that "gill-nets" were again ln use. The effect was apparent and the ultimate result, but a few years hence, can easily be imagined. I do not know enough about fhe habits of the salmon to speak authoritatively, but I know this net fishing is destroying the fin est sport which Portland has to offer to those inclined this way. And throughout the country, they constitute a large percentage of the people. If salmon are as other living things In this world of ours, the sport at Ore gon City must soon cease. There was a time not much more than 50 years ago when the vast herds of buffalo stalled Union Pacific trains while crossing the prairie: there was a time when the far East was as plentiful in game of all kinds as a few days ago the sallnon at Oregon City. The same extermination took place that there is now going on here? the same ruthless slaughter. Now it is different. The various states are taking care to keep what they have and are restocking.' both in game and fish, so as to main tain and continue the species. They are making amends for the slaughter of the past. Why not here in Oregon, a sportsman's paradise, maintain a God-given sport for all the people maintain salmon fishing while the run lasts? The results of netting adds but little to the food' supply of the people at large, whereas It destroys the happi ness and enjoyment of many. I do not advocate the pole and reel to the ex clusion of everything else, but I do say let netting cease in the Willamette, un less the nature of the fish itself de mands this wholesale slaughter. Is not the Columbia River and es pecially the Alaskan shore sufficient territory for the canneries and cold storage houses? What is the cure? Let the next Legislature take such steps as may lead to the maintenance of this sport and place the gill-nets where they belong in the Columbia. ARTHUR COTZHAUSEN. Shooting From Trains. FORT CANBY, Wash, May S. (To the Editor.) If a man was on a car going 100 miles an hour and a man was on another car behind 100 feet going 100 miles an hour and shot at the man on the front car and the bullet was going 100 miles an hour, would the bul let hit the man on the front car or not. A claims that It would not hit and B claims that it would, as the bullet would be going 100 miles an hour. A and B have agreed to let The Ore gonian settle this argument, ALFRED B. PHILLIPS. Air currents caused by the motion of the two trains might deflect an object traveling from one train to the other, but aside from that the disputants can get a good object lesson by tossing a ball from one to another ln the pas senger coach the next time they go on a Journey together. Spend More Time Out of Doors Fresh air and sunlight are the worst foes to ill health. Look now to your sleeping-porch, and your living-porch. Furnish them with the same care that you do the rest of your house. Awnings, shades, screens, rugs, ham mocks, and cots, benches and chairs appropriate for outdoors are in vestments that pay for themselves many times over ln comfort and good health. Keep ln touch with the advertise ments for suggestions in porch fur niture. Manufacturers and mer chants are vying with one another to bring to your porch every con venience you now enjoy indoors. ft