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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (June 8, 1914)
6 THE MORNING OREGONIAN, MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1914. PORTLAND. OREGON. Entered at Portland, Oregon, Postofflce as ofcona-ciau matter. Subscription Rates Invariably In Advance (BT MAIL) rjmllv. KllnriaLv fnnluriad nnu va . . .S8.O0 Xaiy( Sunday Included, six months ..... -25 taily. 8 unci ay Included, lores months ... .2o Daily, Eunday included, one month Ially, without Sunday, one year ....... BOO Daily, without Sunday, six months ...... Xally, without Sunday, three months .... 1.7ft llB ' V arlthfiiit KnnHnv - n m (inl Vi ... . (lO Weekly, one year !-& Sunday, one year ..... aLw) Eunday and Weekly, one year 8 iu (BT CARRIER) Dailv. ftundav Included, one year ..... .28.00 Xfally, Sunday Included, one month ..... .7ft How to i&eniit Send postofflce money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at aenaera risk, uive postornce aaaresa m run. Including county and state, Postage Kates 13 to ltj paces. 1 cent; 18 to pases, 2 cants; 84 to 48 paces, 8 cents; SO to K paces, 4 cents; 02 to 78 pages, 5 ccau; 1 9 to pages, o ceuuj. r wzo post ge. double rates. Kestara Businetua Offices Vam A Conk' II n. New York, Brunswick building. Chi cago, Steger building. - baa Francisco Office R. J. Bldwell Co., Ttz Market street. PORTLAND, MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1914. CORNERED OX CANAL TOLLS. j Democratic Senators are cornered - ion the- canal tolls controversy. They :flnd no way of escape from the corner except a plain repudiation of one of ; the principal reasons given by Presi dent Wilson for repeal 'of coastwise I exemption t and have adopted it. In : Ills address to Congress on March S : Mr. Wilson said: In my own Judgment, very fully considered - and maturely formed, that exemption. . . : Is in plain contravention of the treaty with i Great Britain. ; The Democratic leaders" in the Sen '. ate now propose to adopt an amend--xnent to the repeal bill reading: The passage of this act shall not be con 1 aimed or held as a waiver or relinquishment . of any right the United States may have un der the treaty with Great Britain, ratified ; November 18, 1901, or otherwise, to ex- empt the vessels of the United States of its . citisens from the payment of tolls for pas- sage through Bald canal, or In any way waiv. J'C uiiiiawi nig ui oi.dl .in auj (t(ui vi. ma United States under said treaty, or other wise, with respect to the sovereignty over the ownership, control and management of aid canal and the regulation of the con ditions or charges or traffic through the same. Which is to say: "We don't admit that we have no right to exempt coastwise ships, but we will not exer cise our right just now." That is very different from Mr. Wilson's Judgment, and "very fully considered and ma turely formed," that we have no such right. The President said: We ought to reverse our action without raising the question whether we were right or wrong. The Senate leaders now propose to raise that question and deliberately to keep It open. The amendment leaves the eco . nomic reason as the sole ground for - repeal. The Democrats must con- vince the people that exemption of : ships not owned by trusts or railroads ' would be a subsidy to the latter class of ships, which are excluded from the r canal by a law which they supported : In 1912 and which their President is by his oath of office bound to en force. If they deny exemption to coastwise ships and admit to the ca : nal foreign ships that are subsidized ' or for which canal tolls are directly rebated, they must show that they do ! not thereby subsidize foreign ships to ; the extent of the tolls paid by Ameri- can ships. " A Russian, Austrian, French or Swedish vessel bringing goods through . the Panama Canal to the Pacific Coast ; receives its tolls back from its gov ' ernment; a British or Japanese ship receives a subsidy equivalent to a par ! tial or total rebate of the tolls; an i American ship bringing competing goods from our Atlantic to our Pa cific ports is to pay tolls and not to receive them back from the Govern ment. Surely exaction of tolls In the latter case Is equivalent to a subsidy from the United States to the com peting foreigner to whom they are re rtatrt The Democrats are on the run. J ; Their position as to canal tolls Is Rhown hv their own conduct tn he tin c tenable. They said It was clear as daylight that we were wrong and that National henor required repeal; now they say it is an open question wheth er we are wrong, and they propose to repeal, but to reserve our rights. They are ready to consent to arbitration. uui me men wnvso uuiy. ii wvum u e to arbitrate have admitted In advance "that the other party is right. They . are in me emoarrassing position. 01 A.fAnr - . 1 -, ir n-Vlnh kI.t-. i4.,1r n . A ctcij (lai -j t xi i. n uut.no uu drakes with National rights. REGULATION OF FARM LABOR. : There is apprehension among the farmers of Washington over the pos sible enactment of an initiated eight hour bill applying to all classes of labor. In the proposed act an . at-, taamnt tn wenm Is A t V nAptilfar notAa. : cities of the farmer has been incor porated but it Is of doubtful con- cultural labor an additional two hours n i4b.. w.a. V a bIIaw.J ... n 1 . AM.JT 111 IX. J miu r, 7 1-1 1V1 nillR it V. . t u nnairnMQhl. n i 1 a acp n 1 ' incidental to farm management." It , is questioned by some whether this - exception applies generally during un- . avilti oillff 1 lltl V. 1. . rt 0i, nl n a .ab . a.wiuawij lull .ivuxa oui.ll Vlivow . ui lho uai vent yciiuu ur 4LLjijiie3 mot eH ly to the foreman or manager. But even accepting the broader con- struction there is likely to be much ,ifiAae1nMB 1n a mint, MmmiinltiAa concerning the measure. It may be said in behalf of the farmer that in - the harvesting period the supply of labor Is usually short of the demand. The farmer Is not within easy access of labor supply, moreover, when there Is no labor shortage. Necessity often comes unexpectedly. He can not provide two shifts of men as can the building contractor in the city, but In the event he employs his men overtime he must pay them for the overtime one and one-half the rate allowed for the eight-hour period. Practically every farmer . would find his farm labor cost ma terially Increased by the operations of - the law, provided the rate of pay per day remained at the prevailing figure of the past. But what assurance has the laborer and what necessity confronts the farmer that the pay for eight hours at farm labor shall remain the same - Hn 4a .... Y. n . . u uio iwjr iui itu vi vncivo uuuia ; Farm labor Is unorganized. Its recompense Is fixed by what the ' laborer la willing to work for when 'the labor supply Is scarce and by - iwhat the farmer Is willing to pay - when labor is plentiful. It is not al- together certain that ' the farmer VTVU.1 UWt. 111. I U I. OTAtllll .1 If d to reduce the pay of the farm hand r for eight hours' work to a pro rata VI U1V OUU1 UVW VaJa UliU 1U1 lrmp-Ar hourjL or strife, a. IavaI srhlpli . inciuuing regular pay ana overtime, ." would be equivalent to the wages of I - the present unregulated day. While It Is a general rule that re- Auction in working hours does not cause a reduction In wages, most of the observation in this particular has been confined to fac.ory employment. There, too, it has been quite amply demonstrated that more and better work is performed by the employe in eight hours than In ten. But what would be the effect of an eight-hour day on work that in one period of the year is casual as affecting the larger body of workers while in other periods it affects Individual employ ment and large numbers only be cause distributed over a wide area, is problematical in this country. It is by no means positive that the ef fect of the law would be more detri mental to 'the farmer than the laborer. It is within the range of possibil ities that the farm laborer under an eight-hour law would find himself working for smaller wages than there tofore and compressing into shorter hours the same amount of labor he had performed In a considerably longer day. WHERE TI1KNT General Carranza says he expects to be in Mexico City within three weeks. If he shall be, he will be the conqueror of Huerta and the practical ruler of Mexico. But If General Carranza. agrees to mediation he must suspend hostilities, abandon his plan to overcome Huerta by force, consent to the actual Presi dential tenure of Huerta at least until the armistice is over, and submit the fortunes of the rebel cause, now near to victory, to the decision of' outside nations. It may well be wondered whether Carranza will yield to the pressure upon him to surrender all he has and all he hopes to have Into the hands of the representatives of three South American republics. Perhaps he wilL If he does, he will be acclaimed a great patriot. But Is it not obvious that he deems himself now the savior of his country, both from internal usurpers and external meddlers? If Carranza shall decline, or sur round his' nominal acceptance with impossible conditions, the United States may find itself through media tion as the ally of. Huerta against Carranza. The way out of that di lemma may be to abandon mediation. Where will we be then? Still at war with Huerta over the trifling flag in cident, now almost forgotten? THE DEADLY BATHTUB. This is a prophylactic age. All pro gressive people have abolished the roller towel, the common drinking cup, the community hair brush, and the public soap cake; the streetcar strap is under suspicion, the milk, the meat and the plumbing are Inspected, but the end Is not yet. The hygietalc bureau of a New Jersey town has condemned the family bathtub. The dangers discovered in the bath tub, however, are not those found by an old gentleman in the State of Washington who had always been ac customed to performing his ablutions in the creek in Summer and in a washtub on the kitchen floor in Win ter.-' When he confidently- stepped Into a slippery porcelain tub for the first time his feet flew out from un der him and the fall broke a leg. It is not the smooth interior which condemns the bathtub to the intelli gent mind of the New Jersey city's health department. It is some latent danger of infection. The solution Is a private bath for each one In the family. Thus bathing may become a luxury prohibited to all but the well-to-do. American Ingenuity that Invented the folding paper cup will at least be taxed to provide a bathtub substitute within reach of all. If it is not suc cessful iwe shall perhaps be compelled to agree with the estimable gentleman aforementioned, who, after the deplor able incident of the bathtub confided to his friends that "the way folks bathe nowadays is carTyin civilization Just a leetle too far." WHAT IS THE MATTER? Several months ago President Wil son gave warning to trusts," captains of industry and others that there must be no pernicious tampering with the prosperity of the country. Anybody he detected In such depredations would be "hanged higher than Ha inan" in the public estimation. Haman's altitude record on the gal lows Is still untouched by anybody who has made war on prosperity in order to make war on Democracy. Nobody is even under indictment for the offense, so far as we now recall. Yet from Mr. J. C. Hudson, a Portr land Democrat confident In his opin ion, we receive a missive of which the following is a part: In The Oregonian, June 5, yon say, among other things, that "If we were to be asked to choose between Wilson and hard times and Ttoft and good times, we should have no difficulty in deciding what to do." This is very true, and was decided by the people in 1912 by an overwhelming majority in favor of Wilson. For those who voted for Wilson well kixew that if he were elected we should have dull times lust in proportion to the length of time required to reduce the power of the Wall-street combination below that of the Government. Just how much the in dustries of the country are influenced by the trusts, may be known by the extent of hard times during the Wilson Administration. They can no longer deceive the people re garding the cause of dull times whenever there is a change from a Republican to a Democratic Administration. Woodrow Wil son went Into office entirely free from prom ises and obligations to the bosses of Wall street, and of course, they are doing all In their power to embarrass the Wilson Admin istration. We waver between two convictions. Either Mr. Hudson knows more about the villainy of Wall street than does the President or else Mr. Hudson is not an Administration Democrat. We have enough confidence In the Presi dent's sincerity to believe that If he knew as much about Wall street as does Mr. Hudson someone would promptly be hoisted at the end of a long rope in effigy if not in person. But Mr. Wilson says dull times are psychological. We merely think hard times and, lo, we have them. This certainly absolves Wall street to the contradiction of Mr. Hudson. All of which moves us to remark that now is the time for all good Democrats to get together on what is the matter with the- country. PUBLIC INTEREST IS PARAMOUNT. When business - throughout the country is already suffering from pro longed depression, disturbance Is threatened through a strike of the er-glneers and firemen on 140,000 miles of railroad between the Missis sippi River and the Pacific Coast. De mands have, been made on behalf of 65,000 engineers and firemen for an increase of wages and have been re jected by the managers. A strike vote is now being taken preliminary to another conference on July 14. A statement of the points in con troversy and of the negotiations has been Issued by the conference com mittee of managers. It places the In crease in the payroll which would re- suit from granting the concessions de manded at 50 per cent, or approxi mately $33,000,000 a year. It goes into detail as to each one of the em ployes' demands. In the absence of a statement from the other side and of a detailed study of the controversy which could be made only by arbitra tors, it Is impossible for The Orego nian to form any conclusion as to the merits of each point in dispute, but The Oregonian unhesitatingly indorses the following statements of the managers: That "railways are engaged In a public service." That "the public is the chief suffer er from whatever Impairs the ade quate maintenance or efficient and economical operation of railways." That, "should the Western railways be tied up by a strike, the results would be calamitous, and that here again the public would be the chief sufferer-." That, If large Increases -In pay are made under present business condi' tions, the railways must either reduce expenses or obtain Increased rates on traffic. In other words, the public must pay in the end through . demoralization of business if a strike should ensue; or through Inferior service or Increased cost of transportation if any material increase of wages should be granted. This being the case, we deny the right of the railroad managers and employes alone to settle the contro versy. It Is a question in which the public is a directly Interested third party. The public, therefore, has a right to a deciding voice in preventing a strike and In making a settlement. By the Newlands arbitration and con ciliation act means are provided for adjustment of all such disputes in an amicable manner and without Inter ruption of traffic. 1 The public will not consent to im pairment of the efficiency of railroad service in .order that wages may be raised without increasing rates. Nor will It consent to rejection of Just de mands of employes on the sole plea that the railroads cannot afford to grant them. Nor will it consent to permanent increase of rates In order to meet this added expense, regardless of whether the railroads are managed with due economy. We- do believe, however, that. If it be necessary to increase expenses in order to pay fair wages, the public would consent to a purely temporary Increase in rates pending close Inquiry Into the econ omy and efficiency of railroad man agement. This would be justified by the indisputable fact that, broadly speaking, the railroads' cost of living has been Increased both by economic conditions and by law. THE CANKINQ MYTH EXPLODED. The generally accepted fact that the Monroe doctrine had Its origin in the mind of George Canning, the British statesman, and was by him suggested to President Monroe is proved to be a myth by Canning's own letters, which have recently come to light. By quotations from these letters and from the letters and speeches of American statesmen, Charles H. Sherill, ex-Minister from the United States to Argen tina, proves that the Monroe doctrine was of purely American origin, and that, for all Canning cared for liber ty, South America might have been reconquered by Spain. The Canning myth Is founded on the dispatches of American Minister Rush and on Canning's own public boasts. Rush said that toward the end of August, 1823, .Canning sounded him as to whether there could be ef fected some public expression "inti mating the joint disapprobation of Great Britain and the United States of any projects which might be cher ished by any European power, of a forcible enterprlze for reducing the (Spanish) colonies to a subjugation on the behalf or In the name of Spain; or the acquisition of any part at them to Itself by cession or conquest." But this was after Rush had suggested to Canning that English follow our lead, taken In 1822, in recognizing inde pendence. Canning's real Inclination was shown . by the fact that, when questioned in Parliament "whether the King of Spain would be allowed by this country to seek to recover his Transatlantick colonies," he contented himself with stating "that the mother country had the right to attempt to recover her colonies, but that no for eign power had the right to make that attempt in her behalf." On Novem ber 24, 1823, after he had made the foregoing suggestion to Rush, he is quoted by Rush as having expressed" his belief that a monarchy would be the best form of government for the Spanish colonies. Monroe's message was read to Con gress on December 2, 1823. It was the climax of several years' discussion of American policy towards the Span ish colonies. Henry Clay had striven since 1816 to cause our recognition of their Independence and in the Winter of 1821 he secured the passage by the House of Representatives of a resolu tion pledging support to the President whenever he might deem that policy expedient. On May 13, 1818, as shown by the diary of John Qulncy Adams, then Secretary of State, Monroe put the following question to his Cabinet: Whether the ministers of the United States in E-urope shall be instructed that the United States will not join In any project of Inter position between fepain and the south Ameri cans, iwhich should not be to promote the complete Independence of those provinces; and whether measures shall be taken to ascertain if this be the policy of the British Government, and If so, to establish a con cert with them for the support of this policy. On July 31 of that year Rush was sounded by Castlereagh as to joint British-American mediation between Spain and her colonies, but Rush had already been authorized to reply that we tfould not take part "except on the basis of the Independence of the colonies a determination t,o which his Government' had come on much deliberation." Jefferson wrote to William Short on August 4. 1820: The day is not far distant when we may formally require a meridian of partition through the ocean which separates the two hemispheres, on the hither aide of which no European gun shall ever be heard. Independence of the South Amer ican republics was recognized by the United States in 1822 without British co-operation and the Monroe doctrine was proclaimed on December 2, 1828, also, without British co-operation and as a ripened policy which had long been forming in American minds. That Is proved by the words and deeds of American Statesmen. It Is now proved up to the hilt by the recently published letters of Canning to Bagot, British Minister to Russia. On Janu ary 9, 1824, Just after receiving news of Monroe's message, he wrote: . How far that part of the speech ef the President, which relates te Spanish-America may ... have been prompted by a knowledge of the sentiments of hla majesty's government.- upon that subject. It la impos sible to say. Speaking of the differences between those sentiments and this speech he goes on to say: The first and most essential difference la that the Government of the United States have actually acknowledged the independence of the late Spanish colonies, while his majesty's government continue ... still to withhold such recognition. . . . If the message of the president im to be considered as objecting to an attempt to recover her dominions on the part of Spain herself, there s again as Important a difference between his view of the subject and ours as perhaps. it is possiDie to conceive. . The theory that Canning suggest ed the Monroe doctrine to Rush, that Rush transmitted the suggestion to Monroe and that Monroe adopted it as the Inspiration of his message is exploded by the following excerpt from the same letter; Z lost no time in applying amicably to Mr. Rush for an explanation of that part of the President's speech. Mr. Rush professed to bo wholly unprovided with instructions on the subject. He says that he haa not heard from his Government since the open ing of Congress, nor even received officially a copy or the Presidents speech. Yet Canning had the audacity to say In the House of Commons on De cember 12, 1826: I called the new world into existence to redress the balance ox the old. The truth seems to be that Canning feared that some member of the Holy Alliance, to which England was hos tile, might conquer some of the South American colonies and thus extend its power. He wished to prevent this from being done, either openly for purposes of conquest or on the pretext of helping Spain. He had no objec tion to Spain's unaided reconquest of the colonies. He had no love for lib erty and would have preferred to see monarchies instead of republics In South America. He sought the co operation of the United States in ac complishing these ends, not in guar anteeing South American independ ence. When Monroe proclaimed a policy which shut out not only th'e Holy Alliance, but Spain and Eng land herself from acquisition of Amer ican territory, he was taken by sur prise, but made a virtue of necessity and claimed for himself the credit which belongs to Monroe and Clay. Those South American republics which have erected statues to Can ning should replace them with statues of Monroe and Clay, if they wish to show their gratitude to the men who actually made their liberty secure. PLEA OF THE OLD GUARD. In urging postponement of anti trust legislation Senator Brandegee voices the opinion of the old guard. who desire its postponement to the day of judgment. They complained of the uncertainty of the old law, but now that It Is proposed to remove the uncertainty, they use the depression as an excuse for delay. The only way to satisfy the old guard is to let things alone. ' Their motto is: "Let well enough alone," but what is well for the trusts Is usually HI for the rest of the people. The trusts would be well content to be left alone to work their own sweet will, but to that the people never will consent. Now that Congress has set its hand to the work of anti-trust legislation, we hope it will go through with the Jdb. That question cannot remain settled the trusts way, for the people will keep it open, and so long as It is open agitation will continue to disturb business. It can be settled in only one way the people's way and the sooner it Is settled the sooner busi ness will flow freely In its normal channels. The plea, of the trusts is the plea of the drunkard for "Just ne more drink." The people are determined to snatch the bottle from their hands. As a reader , of the signs of the times Colonel Roosevelt excels all his lieutenants. His decision to confine his political energies principally to New York and to countenance Pro gressive indorsement of acceptable Republican candidates Is significant of the early demise of the third party. He sees the drift of public opinion and goes with it. A Washington Democrat running for Congress would annex Mexico and push the American boundary line south to Panama. Still, if elected, he promises that he will be known as an Administration Congressman. If he gets to Washington we shall expect to see him consulted every day on the Administration's foreign policy. The man who says his wife has a secret but who professes to withhold It out of consideration for her does as much harm as though he told It. Mr. Rapp has set the imaginations of the curious at work on Madame Schu- mann-Helnk's reputation, and they are apt to Imagine something worse than the truth. Competition among Portland's busi ness street by such enterprises as creation of the "Great Light Way" on Third street redounds to the improve ment of the city as a whole. Each spurs the others to greater exertions. Mute evidence of a prehistoric race found in excavations at Berkeley is a certainty. The bones probably were from Missouri in the tide of '4 9. That is enough prehistoric for California. The President's friendship for leg islation beneficial to the West Is pure ly platonlo. We should like to see some of the ardor of passion thrown into It. Polk Republicans have organized for the campaign, although Polk is always safely Republican. It may be simple cause and effect. -.The House Is playing the old game of the spendthrift economizing on necessaries in order; that it may enjoy luxuries. Rapp, like the other foolish men. had the letter-writing habit to his de struction. There la plenty of amnshlne behind the clouds and some of It must break through. The pickpocket who keeps a memo randum book is the victim of vain glory. Rains that hurt fruit help hay, and a big crop of hay Is not to be despised. At any rate, there ,1s no record of the river freezing over In June. Nothing but the glad hand and 'glad rags" will go this week. The moon changes today, and so will the weather. Welcome to our midst, stranger. Walt till the clouds roll by. The Coming of the Queen Br Dean Collins. Heigh-ho! For the call down the river From trumpet and bugle notes, thrill ing and keen! The city shall stand with expectance a-quiver To "watch for her coming the Fes tival Queen! The rose bushes, bowed and with bright blossoms laden. Blush pink as the dawn or the cheeks of a maiden; And streets are ablaze with the holiday sheen: For morn shall be bringing, 'Mid rose garlands swinging. To rule over Portland the Festival Queen. t Helgh-ho! How the broad river dimples And croons to itself as It glides to the sea! How petals shall whirl, as It eddies and wimples, ' And catches them up, where the gar lands noat free. When the boats that come up out of Elf land are flinging Bright blossoms, whose leaves o'er the waters go winging Abroad on the banks and the waters between. When morn summons all To the Festival call. And the barge out of Fairyland brings us our Queen. Heigh-ho! For the thousands assem bling. And gathering to Portland to join In the play! The workaday Imps in their corners are trembling. For Festival morning shall drive them away. The spirits of merriment, scattering laughter. Run free through the streets and the throng follows afterl Ho, ho! It will be a brave welcome, I ween. When the portals unclose To the Realm of the Rose, And we surge forth to greet her our Festival Queen. TARDY APPEARANCE 19 LAMENTED Judge Murphy Repines That Female Militancy Comes So Late. PORTLAND. June 8. (To the Edl tor.) Now what do you suppose Michael Monahan calls our lovely wo men in the June Forum? "The American Peril," think of It! He begins his article by eulogising Admiral cnadwlck as a courageous man for asserting that by reason of the training of our youth under the In fluences ot modern women we are pre paring the way for a nation of molly coddles, "siusies" as bad boys call them, only fit as an escort and to render other puppy attentions as may he demanded by the superior sex." Michael Monahan was born In Cork, and since tradition has It that a cork man will never sink, but tranquilly float on the stormiest of seas, here Is what he says: "We, the American peo pie, are now to all intents and pur poses living under a Gynarchy (a gov. ernment by a woman), and the symbol of government is a powder-puff." Mike blames the whole feminizing business on the women in Journalism, and the writer still remembering the awful fate that befell Pike Davis, does not dare to commit to writing what Mike says of the women writers whom he refers to as "the rice-powder squad of the Journalistic army, and their spe clal function is to Impart a sexual thrill to the department under their charge." The female scribes will have to read the stun; themselves no prudent man will touch it with a ten foot pole. All women are toasted to a coffee brown and the men folks are warned that -if they do not rise and crush this peril of "petticoat suprema cy" Schopenhauer's famous nightmare vision will actually take place. Now I am neither for nor fernlnst Mike in his wild plunge; he has been in the newspaper game all his life and ought to know what's coming. But Til say this on my own hook, that if we Irish had discovered the suf- ragettes in 1898, Grattan's parliament would never have been destroyed and home rule would today be an unknown quantity. Yea, had we Irish had the suffragettes with us in '48 or during the fenian and land league days Justice would eat tyranny up or hell itself would go Into voluntary bank ruptcy. Thank heaven northeast Ulster is beneath the notice of the brave and manly suffragettes. J. HENNES3T MURPHY. MORES ORTHOGRAPHIC OFFEJSE5 Sense Are Real Ones and Other. Dae te Phonetle S7tem PORTLAND, June 1. (To the Edi tor.) I have read with Interest a letter appearing In The Morning Oregonian June 2 about "orthographic offenses." I delayed writing to see if I could give a few more examples, and I have suc ceeded in collecting a few. On Stark street there is a firm which applies its skill to piano "tunning" and repairing. On Second street a printing concern prints "sho' " cards, but, as you see, this is graciously' acknowledged by an apostrophe. On Washington street a firm invites us to take a trip thru the acenlo Wil lamette Valley. How often do we see the acute ac cent on cafef All this mis-spelling Is caused by the Inroads of phonetic spelling Into the spelling by derivation and custom. It is a pity to see so fine an institution of learning as Reed College adopt It. Except we are taught to spell cor rectly when children we will always be prone to make serious blunders. Should this phonetic system of spell ing be adopted wherever the English language Is spoken the diversity of spelling will be as great as the variety of dialect (this, no doubt, accounts for the many inconsistencies evident to me in Reed College literature), and we will lose not only the only compromise we have but sJbo all traces of deriva tion. DE SOUCL Too Hick Bird Protection. PORTLAND. June 6. (To the Edi tor.) Does the spirit of the constitu tion of our Government over rule er roneous laws? If so. Is not the owner of a cherry crop justlfled In killing robins to save his fruit? Meanwhile, let popular opinion demand that the legal protection of robins be removed, while we still protect the many other birds that are sweet singers and use ful in nature's economy. The robins would not he exterminated, only kept within reasonable numbers. CITIZEN. Hatarslisatlsa Law SALEM. Or., June 7. (To the Ed itor.) Can an Immigrant be deported after living in this country for five years, if discovered that he haa been here unlawfuly? t Also, can he be naturalized If he came under an assumed name? AN IMMIGRANT. 1. No. 2. He would have to prove a lawful entry Into the United States. It is a matter for the court to decide. Popular Vote In 1912. SOUTH BEND,' Or, June 7. (To the Editor.) To settle an argument, will you kindly give total popular vote for WOson, Roosevelt and Taft In last elec tion? ROLLIN H. VARWIG. Wilson, 6,291.776; Taft, S.481,119; Roosevelt, 4,106.247. UTOPIAN FALLACY TOWARD CRIME Snch Is Theory That Punishment Should Be Reformative Only. PORTLAND, June 7. (To the Ed itor.) I have received a circular ask ing a subscription to a fund to secure the repeal in Oregon of the law im posing the death penalty. If there is no expressed disapproval of this proposition, there may be an assumption that it meets with general approval. I therefore ask your permis sion to answer in an open letter. It seems like a political platitude to say that the safety of the state should be the supreme law. On this recognized principle 45 out of our 48 states have adopted In their constitu tions the death penalty for the crime of murder. At the close of the Civil War the 11 readmitted Confederate States all readopted the death penalty in their state constitutions. Since then, in my military service in the West, I have seen 12 states admitted into the Union. With one exception these states have adopted and enforced the death penalty. Since Cain committed the primal murder to this day, murder haa been one of the commonest crimes. Life la said to be cheap In America. We have a daily record of its horrors. Travel Is safer in Arabia than It Is between Seattle and Los Angeles. Convictions are as rare as the crime la common. The reason even the death penalty does not seem to be effective is because there is such uncertainty in conviction and delay in applying execution. But say our philanthropists, as we do not give life, we have no right to take it Do we not give life, humanly speak ing? In orthodlx belief, two most de graded human beings begetting life draw a sight draft on the Creator for an Immortal soul. The soul we do not assume to judge, but the sinful body we have a right to deprive of Its merely human existence when it be comes a danger to the community. There is nothing sacred in the carnally created body. Life imprisonment might be justified except that it does not strike terror. There is always the hope of escape or pardon from some Governor who sympathizes more with the murderer than his victim. It is a Utopian fallacy that punish ment should be reformative rather than preventive. Reformation is commend able, but it should be subordinate to the salus popull. Neither does mercy become the throned monarch better than hla crown. That was a bit of feminine Eophlstry. Justice la th hls-hont at tribute of sovereignty. The divine moral law does not punish, it only exacts a penalty. If our philanthropists of the league will only accept this distinction, they will save themselves vexation of spirit, and the public the needless ex pense of referendums. THOMAS M. ANDERSON. SUGGESTION AS TO FIREBOATS Should Be Able te Go Under Bridges and Use Gasoline for Power. PORTLAND, June 7 (To the Edi tor.) Everybody but the city officials of former times has seen the import ance of the fireboats being so equipped that they can go under all the bridges. In London, Paris and every other Euro pean city where bridges cross canals and rivers, boats are built with hinged smokestacks to go under bridges that are much low,er than ours. Now that the old nreboat is being repaired, and now that there is talk of the necessity of havincr additional 1 mhn, t Hiii the city, this feature of their construc tion snouia De considered. The importance of the old fashion be ing discarded was strikingly shown re cently when it was necessary for a nre boat to get on the other side of a burn ing bridge. Fortunately the fire had not nroerreAsetfi an a a r. - i brldsro from being raised, but If It had. -"-n icutijr see iuo Ganger that might have arisen. It occurs t r p-nnA mamv nnnl. 4k. U these days of perfection in the con struction of gasoline engines of all sizes, a nreboat should be thus equipped iuQLrn.ii in wtr in hips m rn 1 i era ii iv the latter fires have to be always kept up, wasting fuel and labor and wearing out the boilers. Gasoline engines on land and on boats can be made that are readv r utmr- n V. I n . needed, and they would be as efficient in propelling mo vessel ana working the pumps as the old style steam en- rlne. Prnhfthlv fhm 1st l.m.n ... administration never thought of this. ine suggestion is made lor the benefit of this administration. R. M. TtTTTLE. One Director te Elect. PORTLAND, June 8. (To the Edi tor.) When is our school election? Wow many directors should be elected this year, and who are the candidates? I have understood that there should be two according to law, but have heard It intimated that the school board U ex pecting or Intending to have but one elected. Can you give your readers correct answer to these questions, ao that we may Know and understand the exact situation. .A SUBSCRIBER. The election falls 'on June 15. There is one director to be elected. Perhaps the report that two should be elected arose from the fact that one director la on the board by appointment to a va cancy, and the regular term has 'not yet expired. When so provided by law an appointee does not fill out the full term, but serves only until the next succeeding election. The school law however, provides that when a death or resignation occurs in a school dis trict of the first class the remaining members "shall fill the vacancy." The candidates are H. B. Miller. Dr. Allan Welch Smith. Dr. L Victoria Hampton. Hardships ot Parade Klsrfct. PORTLAND. June 7 (To the Edi tor.) Regarding protest of E. A. W. in The Oregonian June S as to the new route of electrical parade, it might be well at this time to file a "blanket protest" so to speak, for all of us poor Isolated suburbanites who have to brave the "terrors" and "discomforts" of riding In crowded cars to and from the beautiful parades or take walking as the next best thing. Would that we could but prevail on the generosity and kindness of the Festival officials, the Portland Rail way, Light A Power Company and the rest of the bunch to route the elec trical parade over our several and numerous suburban lines, then we too could sit In comfort upon our lawns and porches and not have to "drag" our invited cuests all the way down to the city to see such a beautiful sight. If we are willing to come several miles to see such a sight It certainly must work a terrible hardship upon E. A. W. and the other said thousands of Eleventh and Thirteenth streets to waiK a matter or a re w blocks. Upon the receipt of a few more such protests the Festival authorities will have to organize a miniature A. B. C. media tion board. C M. M. ' Mean Ins; ' of Greek Word. KELSO, Wash, June . (To the Editor.) My dictionary tells me the Greek word "baptizo" means a "dip ping tn water." To settle a doubt will you nlease tell me if this is correct and all that the word means. Or is there a variety of meaning in the word. EVELYN PATTON. Baptizo means: To dip repeatedly, to submerge, to cleanse by dipping, to wash, to overwhelm. Thayer's Greek- Twenty-Five Years Ago From The Orcsonlan of June . 18S9. Seattle, W. T., June 7. Fire yester day swept away the entire business portion of the city. The loss will reach 110,000,000. but preparations to rebuild have already begun. A mass meeting was held at the Armory this morning and decision was reached to rebuild only of brick and stone.- George B. Adair asked If $558 raised for the Johnstown sufferers had not better be applied to the home relief fund. One hundred voices replied: "No; let her go." J. M. R., Dlavolo and Lady Beach won the races at the Portland Speed Association's meeting yesterday. The judges were: Joseph Buchtel, G. M. lllsner, R. E. Bybee and C. J. Matlock. The first motor train to the summit of Mount Tabor yesterday took 400 in vited guests. The Taylor-street M. E. Church has been presented with two elegant chan deliers by Mrs. M. A. Smith. . King's Heights Is now platted and on the market The work of raising the trestle over the gulch at the end of Corbett street on the electric motor line of the Metropolitan Railway Company was begun yesterday. James N. Leach and A. A. Sowen have leased the McLaren for five years, and will put In machinery for manufacturing oatmeal. Yesterday evening Flora Maud, the 9-year-old daughter of George F. John son, a salesman for Wadhms & Co, was thrown from a buggy at' Front and Morrison streets, but not seriously in jured. A meeting of citizens last evening decided to abandon the Fourth of July celebration and give the funds to the Seattle fire sufferers. Already there Is over J5000 at the disposal of the citi zens' committeee. Half a Century Ago From The Oregonian of June S, 18G4. Multnomah County election returns. Incomplete: For Congress J. H. D. Hen derson. Union, 824; James K. Kelly, Democrat, 83 2; for State Printer, Henry L Plttock, 1109. The returns indicate a large Union majority In the state. Lane and Jack son counties-are the only ones which have not yet reported Union majorities. H. N. George, who has had editorial charge of the Albany Journal since Its commencement, has retired from the concern. Vancouver election returns Council man, L Farnsworth, Union, 9; L. Sohns. Dem, 111. Representatives I. L Lancaster, Union. 69; Joel Knight, Union, 84: C. H. Reed. Union. 79; John Proobstel, Dem, 88: H. S. Burllngame, Dem., 88; Wm. Bratton, Dem., 95. Young Newell, of The Dalles, left on the last steamer for West Point Mili tary Academy to be trained for a sol dier by the Government. Washington. June 8. The enemy made an attack on Saturday night upon Hancock, Wright and Smith, but were everywhere repulsed. A dispatch from Sherman, dated the 6th at Allatoona Creek, states that the enemy, discov ering us moving around his rlgh flank, abandoned his position last night and moved off. (Signed) Stanton. New York, June 6. The Tribune's special from the front says that Sheri dan's cavalry on the day previous drove the rebels down the Mechanlcsvllle road to within five miles of Richmond. 'New York, June 8. The state com mittee of the War Democracy has re affirmed a preference for the renom lnatlon of Llnooln and for Daniel S. Dickinson for the Vice-Presidency. A packer named Rop and a civilized Indian mortally wounded each other with pistols about 12 miles this side of Canyon City fast Wednesday. .After the polls closed at the Cas cades last Monday a row occurred In an adjoining room, and Edmond Sul livan, Sheriff of Skamania County, ar rested several of the disturbers, when he was fired upon. He turned and a scuffle with Edward Bush ensued, in which Sullivan was murdered. A Cor oner's jury found that he was killed with pistols and knife by Jarvln J. Bush, Geo. W. Bush and Edward Bush. J. P. Dennlson was mortally wounded and died at this city. The three Bush brothers were arrested. Osslan E. Dodge Is announced to give a concert in Willamette Theater. Last week a fine horse belonging to Bills & Co. was snagged by a sliver In the planking on Front street. The water was cut off from the neighborhood of Market and Clay streets yesterday without notice. Major Francis left yesterday morn ing for Fort Hoskins and Fort Yamhill to pay off troops.. r.Ml of Pacific Steamship, PENDLETON, Or, June 1. (To the Editor.) There was recently published an interesting account of the speedy schedule of the new liners of the Canadian Pacific Railroad between Vancouver, B. C, and Asiatic ports. The story narrated that the Empress of Asia and the Empress of Japan are the fastest vessels afloat on the Pa cific Ocean. It was stated that the time for the voyage across the Pacific is now ten days less than before the going into service of the ocean grey hounds of the C. P. R. Consequently. It was figured the United States malls may be carried by these steamers to Manila, P. I. My strong impression Is that my memory, as usual, serves me right In this matter. However, will you kindly Inform me of the number of days that the Empress of Asia requires to steam the voyaye from Vancouver. B. C, across the Pacific Also, please state the number of days required for the passage of the steamship Minnesota from Seattle to Asia. JOHN W. ELLSWORTH. It takes the Empress of Asia, ten days to go from Vanoouver B. C, to Yokohama. It Is true the Canadian Pacific haa extended Its ervleea to Manila, reducing the time to that port ten days. It takes the Minnesota IS days to go from Seattle to Yokohama A Railroad's Happy Thought One of the railroads wanted to at tract the attention of the advertis ing men to the Toronto Convention. So it got out its circular in the form of a bright, snappy newspaper. Naturally the railroad thinks In terms of newspapers when It thlnfca about getting new business. It is a large, consistent user' of newspaper space, and it has found that such advertising lnoreases business and wins the good will of the public.