THE MORNING OREGONIAN. WEDNESDAY, .tttt.y .15, 1914.
10
PORTLAND, OREGON.
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PORTLAND, WEDNESDAY, JULY X.
I -
YOUR BTJTTEB.
The Oregonian the other day told
the Btory of the Chinese eggs in the
Oregon market. A great many thou
sand dozen eggs have, since October
3, 1913, when the Wilson-Underwood
tariff went Into effect, been Imported.
It Is but the beginning. The exper
iment of bringing the little known
egg of China Into competition with
the fine white egg of Oregon has been
successful. Next Winter the incom
ing trans-Pacific steamers will be
loaded with them. The Oregon hen
is up against 1L We have excluded
the Chinaman, but we have opened
wide our markets to the unbranded
and unsanitary Chinese egg; and we
eat It without knowing where it came
from, except that a hen somewhere
gave it to the world.
Now it Is butter. The price Is go
ing down. There was a 2H-cent cut
In Portland yesterday. The tariff la
the principal cause. The American
market is open to New Zealand and
other foreign butter.
The fact that the cost of living Is
going down ought of course to be
hailed with Joy. But In these partic
ulars it is being done by the sacrifice
of the American producer. He is
forced to divide his own market with
foreign competition. He sells either
at a loss or without profit.
Perhaps some eulogist of a Demo
cratic tariff will explain how lower
prices for American staples and
large importations of foreign food
stuffs, involving actual loss to the
American producer, will restore pros
perity. The Oregonian cannot. We
want cheaper butter, certainly; but
will it benefit anybody if we get it
below cost to the American producer?
RESEARCH THAT FAILED.
It would have been wise on the
part of Director Cleveland, of the New
York Bureau of Municipal Research,
had he had closer consultation with
the representatives sent to Portland
before he impugned the motives of
The Oregonian, as he does in a letter
published elsewhere today. "The re
lation of The Oregonian to the Port
land work," he says, "has been unfor
tunate from the very beginning for a
number of reasons, of which perhaps
the most important was that a rival
paper was influential in first bringing
the Bureau to Portland." As a mat
ter of fact. The Oregonian has not
long been aware that a newspaper
had exerted Influence in that respect.
At the "very beginning" the repre
sentatives of the Bureau in Portland
stated to The Oregonian positively
and definitely that they were neither
allied to nor aligned with any local
newspaper In the enterprise.
Moreover they announced their
conviction that "system" was greater
than all other considerations. Given
the system they would devise and
Portland's affairs could not go wrong
no matter what type of officers were
elected. Tet their system has gone
wrong., and in spite of the fact that
Portland has a pretty fair set of Com
missioners. Either Mr. Cleveland is
mistaken In his contention that the
Bureau's salary standardization and
efficiency records provide an unas
sailable system or his co-workers
are mistaken in the theory that sys
tem is everything. The Bureau has
a golden opportunity to accomplish a
little standardizing and harmonizing
nearer New York than is Portland. A
little of those qualities applied to the
opinions and statements of its own
representatives would not be amiss.
The complaint against the salary
standardization plan adopted on rec
ommendation of the Bureau is that it
has augmented rather than dimin
ished the influence of politics per
haps favoritism would be a better
,.n! in advancements In the city's
Bervice. Efficiency ratings are in
many instances matters of judgment.
The exercise of Judgment as to the
efficiency of employes has been
transferred by the new system from
a single authority to several. These
several efficiency markers are as
prone to consider friendship, are as
subject to Insidious influence and are
as lacking in sound discretion as was
the one authority. If not more so.
Charges that individual dislikes find
expression in demerit marks and that
personal popularity gains merit
-. r.ira a rA f ren u en tl v heard. Of
'course the result is demoralization
And dissatisfaction among the em
ployes. Possibly violation of the letter of
the code is in part responsible, but in
a municipal corporation such neglect
cannot be readily combated unless
the system has the approval and con
fidence of the public. As Mr. Cleve
land says, "one of the greatest fundar
mental Impediments to the, rapid de
velopment of efficient city govern
ment is local prejudice." The cir
cumstances of the advent of the New
York Bureau of Municipal Research
. Portland did not tend to inspire
public confidence. It came to tell
Portland what was the matter with
Its city government at a time when a
new charter had been drafted and
was in process of presentation to the
people. It came to diagnose after
the remedy had been prescribed by
others.
The Bureau also began its "system-is-everything"
investigations during
a primary election campaign held
under the old charter in which men
then in office were seeking nomina
tion for re-election. The Bureau
blamed all faults of the past on the
system. Its reports were therefore
available to further political aspira
tions, and its .activities, whether Just
ly or not, were given the color of a
political scheme.
A wise directorate would have fore
seen the outcome. It was obvious.
The Bureau, among many In Port
land, has thus by lack of wisdom ac
quired a reputation for caring more
for additions to clientele than for its
own good name for willingness to
be used If it gets its price. The Ore
gonian dees not assert that this repu
tation is wholly justified, but it does
believe that whatever usefulness there
might have been in a survey and rec
ommendations by the Bureau in
Portland has been destroyed by its
disregard of proprieties.
"GOOD WORK.
The crusade of Mayor Albee and
his private secretary, Mr. Warren,
against certain lawless and demoral
izing public grills of Portland has
borne the following substantial
results:
Denny grill, conducted by Martin Denny
at Third and Jefferson. Renewal of liquor
lcene refused lat December because of
record of immorality connected with the
place and it habitues.
Pltuburg grill at Sixth and Stark atreet.
Renewal of licenae denied at same time and
on substantially same charge.
Levens grill at third and Ash atreet. Re
newal of liquor license refused at same
time because of charges to the eriect tnai
the place was a resort for women and men
of the underworld.
Green River chill parlor at Fifth, near
Madison. Renewal of liquor license refused
because of Immorality connected with the
place and adjacent rooming-house.
Tannansee grill at Fourth and Madison
street. License revoked on July 10 on testi
mony of policemen and other that the
place wa frequented by immoral women
and that the liquor laws had been violated.
Richard grill at Park and Alder street.
Licenae revoked June 26 on testimony of
policemen and others showing the place to
be a resort for women of the underworld.
Law violations also charged.
Bottlehouee, a notorious saloon on Burn
Bide treet. License revoked July 7 on tes
timony of policemen and others to the
effect that the place was a resort for
habitual drunkards and that cheap liquor
wa Bold and drinks were served to drunken
men.
These are, or were, among the
worst places in Portland. Their evil
repute is well deserved. If they shall
be put finally out of business, through
revocation of their liquor licenses br
the City Commission, an immense
contribution will have been made to
public decency. The father who has
a wayward son or the mother who
has an erring daughter will now
know that he or she will be spared
the necessity of searching for them
In these wretched places.
THE RHODES SCHOLARS.
According to the latest accounts
the American Rhodes scholars at Ox
ford are not such dunces as some
have made fhem appear. They have
actually taken a prize or two. The
Matthew Arnold prize for an English
essay and the Oldham prize for a
classical essay have both been wbn by
American youths. The classical es
say was not written in Latin, we as
sume, or it would probably have gone
to some other person.
The American students at Oxford
do not shine in Latin and Greek.
Their preparation in these branches
is extremely defective, compared with
that of boys from the good English
schools, and in the university race for
honors they are left far behind. We
hear an extraordinary quantity of en
thusiastic talk about the value of the
classics from our college professors,
but with talk and little else the mat
ter ends. They have not yet mastered
the art of teaching these sacred sub
jects effectively. Hostile critics of the
Rhodes scheme of scholarships give
us to understand that very few of the
American students shine at Oxford in
any department of scholarship.
These fault-finders aver that the
intellectual work carried on In most
of our schools and colleges is super
ficial compared with what British
boys have to do. The Rhodes schol
ars go to Oxford, therefore, with
minds comparatively untrained and
with their capacity for work scarcely
half developed. The consequence is
that they make an inferior showing.
Since the doctors differ upon these
points it is impossible for one outside
the inner academic circle to form a
competent opinion concerning them.
It is well known, however, that while
the English schools are narrow and
reactionary, they teach thoroughly
what they pretend to teach at all.
The United States would probably not
suffer any great loss if the Rhodes
scholarships should be discontinued.
Oxford is the most reactionary uni
versity in the world. Its spirit is
wholly un-American and its influence
is not likely to promote the influence
of Washington. Benjamin Franklin
and Abraham Lincoln upon the minds
and hearts of our young men.
AS TO UNFAIR COMPETITION.
Debate in the Senate on. the Trade
Commission bill is resolving itself into
a discussion whether unfair competi
tion can be clearly enough defined by
the Commission to make its prohibi
tion practically without lodging too
great power in that body. Some Sen
ators contend that unfair competition
can be as easily defined by the Trade
Commission as unreasonable rates are
defined by the Interstate Commerce
Commission or as false pretenses are
defined by a court.
The parallel between railroad rates
and unfair competition in trade is
forced, for the reason that all rail
roads . have for sale the same
commodity transportation which
is governed by certain general rules,
while the question whether competi
tion between merchants and manu
facturers is unfair must hinge upon
the circumstances governing each
case in each trade. In the eyes of a
defeated competitor, his successful
rival's competition is almost always
unfair. If a manufacturer whose op
erations had been confined to Mis
souri started to extend them into
Iowa by offering his goods for sale at
a lower price or on easier terrns than
his competitors who already occupied
the Iowa field, he would be pursuing
a recognized custom. The Iowa con
sumer would have the choice of an
other variety at a lower price for a
time, until the Missouri manufactur
er had become entrenched. He wouli
then raise his price to a fair standard.
He would be doing precisely what his
Iowa competitor would do in invading
Missouri, but that competitor would
be apt to exclaim: "Price-cutting;
unfair, ruinous competition." It is
the kind of competition which has
been practiced successfully since the
birth of trade, and it has contribut
ed greatly to the world's material
progress.
Senator Cummins suggested where
to draw the line when he said that
unfair competition was that which
injures the public. If the Missouri
corporation had a business Nation
wide in scope, was 'reaching after
monopoly through extermination or
absorption of its rivals and cut prices
in Iowa with this sole end in view, its
methods would clearly injure the pub
lic when its design was completed.
Those methods would therefore come
within the prohibition of the bill, and
the Commission would forbid them.
But the pursuit or exercise of mo
nopoly injurious to the public being
the test of unfairness In competition,
the Trade Commission, in the exer
cise of its power of investigation.
would be cognizant of what was go
ing on. It would understand and in
terpret the practices and designs of
the actual or would-be monopoly, and
would report it to the Attorney-General
for prosecution. The unfair com
petition would form an important part
of the evidence for the prosecution
and would receive due consideration
by both the Attorney-General and the
courts, as in the oil and tobacco cases,
wherein it greatly influenced their
action. Some of the forms which it
has already taken have been con
demned specifically by the Supreme
Court, but it changes form as the
chameleon changes color; hence it
can be identified only by considera
tion of all the circumstances of each
case, such as the Supreme Court gave.
We do not need legislation against
unfair competition of itself, for it is
already illegal as an incident of mo
nopoly. The broad terms of the Sher
man law, as . construed by the Su
preme Court, have already condemned
it in all the forms it has already as
sumed, and the courts will doubtless
continue to condemn all forms it may
assume in future. The cry hag gone
up for many years that we have too
many laws, and that we need their
strict enforcement more than we need
more laws. Before enacting a new
law, Congress should see whether an
existing law will serve its purpose.
What we need chiefly in our war on
the trusts is machinery such as the
proposed Commission, to prevent the
growth of monopoly and to enforce
the Sherman law promptly and un
swervingly. Prohibition of holding
companies and interlocking director
ates is about all the further supple
mental legislation we need.
NEAR TO CONSUMMATION.
The State Supreme Court brushes
aside all technical objections to the
interstate bridge bonding act, and
finally clears the way for the build
ing of the great structure over the
Columbia River at Vancouver. The
court takes a broad view of the ques
tion and decides in effect that Mult
nomah County has full constitutional
authority to issue bonds to Improve
its highways, and that the arrange
ment between state and county by
which the former is to pay the inter
rest and the latter to assume and
finally to pay the principal, all with
due legislative sanction. Is wholly
proper.
All along the south bank or the Co
lumbia River from Seaside to the east
boundary of Multnomah County
160 miles or more workmen are
busy with the great Columbia High
vcav Tt is a stimendous work. Clat
sop, Columbia and Multnomah Coun
ties have joined to make this magmii
cent dream of a great riparian thor
oughfare a substantial reality within
the next year. Multnomah's share Is
nartlv done and will be practically
complete, except for hard-surfacing,
this year. Clatsop and uoiumDia are
far along in the preliminaries and will
finish the inh in 1915. Hood River
County is to vote today on a bond
Issue of $75,000, and the state expects
that pntprDrisinar - and wonderful
county to do its part. Then will come
Wasco; so that soon tne entire lengtn
n the Columbia from The Dalles
down or later from a point beyond
that city will be Doraerea wnn me
world's greatest scenic road, built,
however, chiefly for utility.
Now comes confirmation of the
great Columbia bridge plan. It is the
mnst imnnrtant link in the north-
and-south Pacific Highway. Truly it
- , I . J
is a great year tor uregon in its ad
vance toward consummation of its
effort for good roads.
MYSTERY OF THE VOLCANO.
Lassen Peak, the California volcano
whose pruntlons have attracted the
attention of the world, is situated in
thp Htrtme southwest corner of Las
sen County about equally distant
from Susanvilie on tne east ana rteu
ding on the northwest. Some ninety
miles to the northward is Mount
Shasta, an extinct volcano, which is
connected with Lassen peak by a se
ries of volcanic cones ana intermit
tent lava beds. Modoc County, on
tht nnrth of Lassen. Is almost cov-
rii with lava beds whose strange
distortions have excited the wonder
of travelers. In their labyrinthine
caverns Captain Jack and his tribe
found refuge from the military for
many months.
This same lava formation extends
nnrthwarrl throueh Oregon and Wash
ington and may be traced across
Mahn Into Montana. Around Mount
Lassen the evidences of volcanic ac
ii, ara. plentiful. At its base (rei
sers flow periodically with great out
bursts of hot water ana steam, oevtn
miles from its southward declivity are
situated Drake Springs. At this point
there issues from tne eartn a strong
stream of hot water the year round,
tvhilo not far awav there are soaa ana
sulphurous waters in abundance.
T.ssen peak has been m active
emotion before. It is known from
the evidence of lava with trees grow
ing upon it that mere was an erup
tion about 200 years ago. Another,
which took plRce in the middle of the
last century', was observed by settlers
and travelers. Neither of these out
hnrst.Q was o f exceptional violence,
while the present one has been still
weaker thus far. All tne avanaoie
ovirienc encouraees the belief that
Lassen has seen its best days as a
volcano. It is now on tne way to
that goal of extinction which Mount
Hood and its sisters reached long ago.
The first veracious account of the
ertiption was obtained at the begin
ning of June by an adventurous party
from Susanvilie, who ascended to the
edge of the crater and photographed
the surroundings. One man was low
ered Into the smoking depths of the
crater by his comrades and thus ob
tained a film of the interior, jsut
since it reveals nothing but dense
masses nf smoke or vaoor it is hardly
worth the trouble and danger it cost.
According to the report of this party,
th heat of the eruDtioin was not
fierce enough to melt the snow
around the crater, it sun lay mere
three or four feet deep when their
etnres were taken and the ashes
cast out by the eruption covered it.
In some places tnis deposit was a
yard deep. Great boulders were
thrown out of the crater In such pro
fusion that they now cover acres of
ground near the summit of the peak.
Aithoueh it is impossible to doubt
the circumstances as the Susanvilie
party describe them, sun tny are not
niiv .nnsLstent. It is difficult to
conceive of a volcanic eruption vio
lent enough to send out great quan
tities of ashes and boulders which
nnt at the. same, time develop
heat enough to melt the surrounding
snow. Usually heat is tnougnt to De
an Indispensable factor in volcanic
phenomena. Its absence in this in
stance seems to support the opinion
of the forest rangers that the report
ed eruption of Lassen peak was more
like a geyser than a volcano.
"Various theories have been ad
vanced to explain phenomena of this
kind. Two circumstances must be
accounted for. The first is the great
heat which is uniformly observed.
The second is the explosive violence
of eruptions. There are as many di
verse opinions about the origin of the
heat as there are speculative scien
tists. Some attribute it to chemical
action, Others to the energy of breaks
and grindings in the earth's cruBt.
The latest hypothesis attributes it to
radium, which exists In all igneous
rocks and constantly emits heat. The
reader is free to take his choice
among these views, since nothing is
settled on the subject. The explosive
violence is undoubtedly duo to gases
of some sort. Water vapor probably
plays the greatest part.
Whatever may be their immediate
cause, volcanoes occur in certain well
defined regions of the world. The
entire Pacific Coast from Cape Horn
around through America and Asia to
the Philippine Islands is the site of a
volcanic chain. Most of the cones are
extinct, but many are still active, and,
as we see in the instance of Lassen
Peak, those which appear to be dead
are liable at any moment to come to
life again. Whether Mount Hood will
ever renew its activity is a question
which nobody in the world can an
swer. It may help us form a fair
judgment on the subject to remember
that Ml Vesuvius had been quiescent
for centuries before the terrible erup
tion which overwhelmed Hercula
neum and Pompeii.
It never rains but it pours. George
W. Crites, of Newberg, who lost heav
ily by fire last year, sees house and
home go up in smoke this Summer.
In spite of all the rationalists in the
world, we insist that Mr. Crites has
bad luck. It is all very well to say
that the universe is ruled by impar
tial and inexorable law and that there
Is no such thing as luck. But will you
please .explain why losses are heaped
mountain high on some men's heads,
while others no better or wiser go
unscathed? Impartial law, forsooth!
What does Mr. Crites think about It?
A municipal Judge in Chicago asked
a man accused of drunkenness if he
was married. The answer being "No,"
he said:
If you promise to look around and marry
some nice woman within a year, I'll let you
go. If you had a wife to take care of you.
you would not go out at night and get
drunk.
What grudge has the Judge against
the nice women?
100,000 Roosevelt buttons have been de
livered at the Progressive headquarters. To
Judge from recent Moose returns, each of
the faithful will have to plaster himself
Uke a Mexican general with medal. Now
York Evening Sun.
The Mexicans' love of adornment
might create a better market for the
buttons than the United States offers.
The South has adopted a new plan
of discrimination against the negroes.
Cities are trying to segregate them in
certain sections and Louisville ne
groes are protesting and threaten a
lsjwsuit. Such laws in Baltimore have
thrice been declared Invalid by state
courts.
Ex-Senator Beverldge is to be Colo
nel Roosevelt's substitute in the Illi
nois campaign against Cannon, Mc
Kinley and Rodenberg. Albert will
furnish the words and George will
furnish the dollars, but voters are not
as easily charmed this year as in
1912.
The Duchess of Marlborough says
rich women need the ballot to protect
them from profligate and spendthrift
sons-in-law. Would they pass a law
forbidding them to give money to
their sons-in-law? That would be
maternal legislation.
The Wilson policy is nominally
benefiting the local consumer of but
ter, for prospect of Importations
across the Pacific makes a drop in
price. The welfare of the producer is
not considered, which Is a Democratic
custom.
Pretty soon may be expected re
ports from Josephine County of a
wild man running naked in the woods.
A nature man is to do a sixty-day
stunt, if the entire animal kingdom,
from mosquito to cougar, will allow
him.
The Irish the genuine Irish in
Ulster were tolerant in Knowledge of
right and Justice to come, and passed
up the celebration of the anniversary
as the dying spasm of a vanquished
foe. '
Differences that mean a strike of
locomotive engineers must be settled
at once. The country Is not in condi
tion for anything that will tie up the
movement of a huge grain crop.
RositHe inses the Elks next year
and that Is a misfortune to the whole
Coast, for there is no city always ex
eeDtlnsr Portland that can do the af
fair justice like Seattle.
Judge Hennessy Murphy will take
notice that the House of Lords yes
terHav amended the home rule bill
and sent it over to the Commons, and
resharpen his pike.
Old Statistics says the Oregon po
tato crop is not as good as two years
ago. That is a blessing undisguised.
It was too good that year, it will be
remembered.
Reflations in the Federal Court
show the crop of suckers does not
diminish. The gambling instinct is
inborn, no matter about the disguise
of the lure.
The United Railways Company, of
San Francisco, being anxious to sell
to the city, the city shows the buyer's
customary indifference.
Perforated music gets a lower
freight rate from the East, while chin
music continues at the usual passen
ger rate.
Tr-nr something reliable on the Ben-
son-McNary contest, see the official
ballot in November.
The Conntv Commissioners did not
intend all that poison for each other,
at all events.
Bryan does not need to send ma
rines to Haiti. A bunch of money
will do.
Croker is coming back. That ought
to stir Roosevelt.
There is something doing at Seat
tle, not far away.
Where is Oswald WestT
EFFICIENCY CODE IS DISCUSSED
Director of New York Bnreao Defend
System Declared Failure In Portland.
NEW YORK, July 7. (To the Editor.)
In The Oregonian recently there ap
peared an editorial based on a news
item published the previous Saturday,
both of which referred in no uncertain
language to the complete failure of the
salary standardization and efficiency-J
record procedure prepared for your city
by the New York Bureau of Municipal
Research. This article is not Intended
as a reply attempting to assail your
opinion of our organization or its rep
resentatives, but to present to you cer
tain facts and situations concerning
which you evidently have not been
fully informed.
Any organization attempting to assist
in revolutionary changes In estab
lished customs of any sort will be sub
jected to continual criticism by the un
informed public. In addition, criticism
from instinctively unfair critics is also
to be expected at any time on any sub
ject and against any person. So we
must ask you to believe that this arti
cle is not written in reply to criticism,
but on account of the fact that your
published statethents imply that the
principles of the salary standardization
and efficiency records are to be aban
doned in Portland.
One of the greatest fundamental Im
pediments to the rapid development of
efficient city government is local
prejudice. Too often it is found that
one city absolutely refuses to accept
the best practices of another simply
because such practices were designed,
installed and first operated In another
city. The field division of the New
York Bureau of Municipal Research
was formed primarily to act as a clearing-house
for good ideas and to make
the best practices of all cities avail
able for use by every other city. With
this idea in view it is not surprising
that the New York bureau does not at
tempt to grasp credit for the original
thought on every proposition which
they are willing to back. This state
ment applies particularly to the salary
standardization and efficiency - redord
work Included in the Portland admin
istrative code. It would be ridlculou
for this organization to claim complete
credit for the Trojan work done in
salarv standardization and efficiency-
record development in Chicago, In New
York and in many other cities, the best
points of which have been included in
the Portland administrative code, with
adaptations for local conditions and
one or two other changes which have
since been admitted to be superior to
former procedure.
Of the procedure described In tha
chapter of the Portland administrative
code relating to salary standardization
and efficiency records, 90 per cent of
the detail had already been In success
ful operation in many cities and sev
eral large corporations. The principle
of salary standardization is absolutely
unassailable. This is not our opinion,
but the universal opinion of those who
have made a study of similar condi
tions.
As a matter of history you may be
Interested to know that while the in
vestieatlon of salary conditions was in
progress, the fact that many of the
principles proposed were already in
use was made known to the Portland
city officials and the representatives of
the local press. They were also in
formed by the representatives of the
New York Bureau of Municipal Re
search that they must be prepared for
a very trying situation because the sal
ary standarlzatlon and eff iciency-rec
ord work was a knockout blow for dls
penslng political patronage under cover
of the city's civil service. Of all the
confirmed practices of the old-time
wasteful or dishonest political adminis
tration of government none dies hard
er than patronage. The prophecy
seems to have been a statement of fact.
As human nature seems to encourage
criticism of those who are away from
the scene of action, and a the New
York Bureau of Municipal Research
needs no favorable criticism from dis
gruntled city employes whose salaries
have been decreased through the appli
cation of principles of standardization
or efficiency records, the Portland city
officials were advised that It might
facilitate their work if all unfavorable
criticism were shifted to the shoulders
of the representatives of the New
York bureau who "were engaged on
this work. This suggestion seems to
have taken root, as exemplified par
ticularly by the description of those
representatives included in your edi
torial comment. That question Is not
important per se but if such criticism
is developing a state of mind In the
city officials and citizens of Portland
to such a degree that the principles of
salary standardization and efficiency
records are being questioned, then
something should be done to change
the trend of thougnt.
We wish It clearly understood that
the New York Bureau of Municipal Re
search has no quarrel with The Ore
gonian or with your opinions of our
organization. The relation of The
Oregonian to the Portland work has
been unfortunate from the very be
ginning for a number of reasons, of
which, perhaps, the most Important
was that a rival paper was Influential
In first bringing the bureau to Port
land. You may object to the personnel
of our Institution, but we assume that
you surely are in accord with the good
government and efficiency citizenship
movements of which the New York
Bureau of Municipal Research Is but a
part. The principle of salary standardi
zation is an integral part of the good
government movement, and, as such, we
trust that It will be possible for you
to make a thorough investigation of
what salary standardization and effi
ciency records really mean a consid
erably brpader field than that outlined
through a rehash of City Hall criticism
by a City .Hail reporter. May we sug
gest that you give this letter the same
publicity as was given to adverse criti
cism? F. A. CLEVELAND,
Director.
Money a Great Blessing;.
Stanford Chaparral.
Gibbs So you send your wife to the
mountains for three months every
Summer? It's great to have money.
Dibbs Yes. Money is certainly a
great blessing. .
Picking a Place.
By Dean Collins.
So many places are there to go,
When one begins an Investigation,
That really, truly It's hard to know
What trip Is best for a man's va
cation. Maps and pamphlets are there galore;
One cons them carefully o'er and o'er.
But after he reads them all he'll find
'Tis deuced hard to make up his mind.
Here 's a European trip;
Here a vovaere to the Indies bright;
Here a Mediterranean ship
With a cruise that's nice and the
price all right.
England, Germany, France and Spain,
Italy, Greece I say again
They all look good. One is sorely
pressed
To settle upon which trip is best.
Huntine trios in the Northern-wood;
iriohir rtut n'er the deeD-sea banks:
Yachting: trips where the scenes are
good;
Equally fine each prospect ranks.
And the man who studies the matter
o'er,
Finds himself baffled more and more.
From all this list of attractive haunts
To settle upon which one he wants.
Dainty cities of far Japan;
e,i,n T?nme or Vienna fair;
Tiflis, Singapore, Ketchikan;
Hundreds of places are listed there.
I can't determine just which is best.
But on tnat SCOre 1 am nut uisueaacu,
t nnt rtiv nn a destination
I'm sticking at home in this vacation.
ARBITRARY ACTION ENCOURAGED
For Tfcat Kraaon CrTepondent Object
to Film Censor Ordinance.
PORTLAND. July 13 (To the Edi
tor.) The city film censors, who are
demanding a more drastic ordinance
under which to work, stand in need of
a little common-sense reflection, lest
they go to an extreme that may lose
them the respect of all right-minded.
and clear-thlnklng people.
How much room for misunderstand
ing and arbitrary official action Is pos
sible under the wording of the proposed
ordinance Is easily Imagined when the
enumeration of things forbidden ta
read. Thua It la made unlawful to
exhibit any picture or film of "any
nude human figure ... or a thing
of an obscene, indecent or immoral
ipature."
This sounds very proper. Indeed, but
all these adjectives do not represent
fixed qualities by any means. On the
contrary, people's notions as to Juat
what la "nude," "obscene," "Indecent"
or "Immoral" differ very widely.
For instance, would the censors,
under the proposed ordinance, be In
clined to prohibit the Annette Keller
man pictures, now at the Helllg? Any
one who can see anything indecent, ob
scene or Immoral in that splendid film
must have a particularly depraved
mind. The nudity of a beautiful body
can no more be Indecent to a thor
oughly wholesome man or woman or
to a properly trained boyaor girl than
is an uncovered face and neck. In
Mohammedan countries even to ahow
the face unveiled la considered "ob
scene." and a woman losea caste by
doing ao.
In' other words, obecenlty and in
decency do not He in the external ob
ject per se, but in the perceiving mind.
Two persons, both intelligent and re
sponsible, will view a picture. To one
it will be Indecent; to the other, a beau
tiful work of art. We had an Illustra
tion of this a year or so ago in the
case of "September Morn." A Chicago
policeman said the painting was lewd
and lascivious," but a Jury, after hear
ing testimony, found that the at
tributes complained of had their ex
istence only in the policeman's mind.
and the art dealer who exhibited the
picture In his ahow window was ac
quitted.
Would a film representation of some
of the wonderfully beautiful nude
dances of the ancient Greeks be classed
as indecent under the new ordinance?
We have had such dances on the stage
from time to time In Portland. People
are never corrupted by such dances.
But there are persons who bring cor
rupt souls to the theater; they project
the evil within themselves Into the
thing they see and then are firmly con
vinced that it ought to be suppressed.
They are too stupid or too degraded to
understand that the cleaner our mlnda
the less evil we see In nature and na
ture's manifold works.
The celebrated Havelock Kills has
pointed out that nothing contributes so
much to sound morality as becoming
accustomed from youth up to the sight
of the nude human body. To Invest It
with even a hint of impurity is de
moralizing to both the young and the
mature. Let us hope that our film
censors may not unconsciously become
accessories to that process of demorali
zation by condemning that which la
only wholesome, natural and beautiful.
MRS. Q. A,
ORANGE COVENANT HELD HITMBL'G
Delphic Wording; Seen In Pleilite to Re
alt Home Rale.
PORTLAND. July 14. (To the Edi
tor.) There wai no trouble In Ulster
July 12 and 13. Nor did Carson, speak
ing for the Ulster reactionaries, "defy
the government," nor has he ever "de
fled the government." Whatever else
he may be, he Is no gull In the akin of
a decoy duck. Nor doea the Orange
covenant defy the government. It de
fies an event that Is not yet an event.
When the Dublin Parliament la estab
lished by the authority of the Crown,
then will be the time to defy lta au
thority an authority maintained by
250,000 armed Nationalist volunteers. If
not by the military arm of the empire.
Says one of the editors of the "Amer
ican and English Encyclopedia of Law."
James David Kenny, in the July Forum:
This I what the covenant says upon the
question of resistance. "And in tha event
of sucls a parliament being Ihruat upon us,
we further aolemnly and mutually pledge
ouraelve to relt It authority."
This statement ahow what a crafty and
tricky document the covenant i. for lh
covenantera, with the provlalona of th
government of Ireland bill before them,
knew that they were entirely safe in writ
ing down a solemn pledge which wa a
solemn humbug. They didn't dare to pledge
themselves to resist the authority of th
Parliament of Great Britain, for If they
did, they might all be hanged, and some of
them, no doubt, would be to let them see
that there was a material difference be
tween one parliament and the other.
Moreover, the result of the "Battle
of the Boyne" was not a triumph of
Protestantism over Catholicism: it haa
been tortured into such by the leaders
of the ascendancy party for their own
base purposes. One of the articles
agreed to between Jumes and the Irish
osileftalns, before they would take up
bis cause, was religious tolerance. This
demand by the Irish chiefs of Jamea
has been emphasized In many of Grat
tan'a orattona, and can be found In any
standard history of those times. James
cared as much for a Catholic as ho. did
for a Protestant, and he cared little for
either. What concerned him was the
recovery of his throne. .
J. HENNESSY MURPHY.
Lack of Fellowship In Charrhr.
PORTLAND. July 13. (To the Edi
tor.) On several dates I have read ar
ticles In The Oregonian on the matter
of church-going. One of the writers
in particular lamenta the non-church-going
especially among the newcomers
who were active In church w rk back
East, but after coming to this great
Western country loae Interest and In
many caaea quit going to church al
together. If you will allow me a little apace I
will give a little of my own experience.
I came to Portland 10 years ago, was
active In church work back East, and
expected to continue my activity after
landing In thla glorious Western coun
try. So, on my first Sunday in Port
land, I attended one of the churches of
my choice: also on the following Hun
day, and ao on far five consecutive
Sundays. But not one person spoke to
me during all this time. But being of
a charitable nature and having great
respect for the cause, I tried with all
my powers to look at the matter aa
simply an ovc-rslgnt on tne part oi ine
gojd people attending that church.
After attending a week-night prayer
meeting, at which there were about 150
people, and after taking part with
many others In song and prayer, aa
waa my custom In the East. I gave It
up. At the cloee of that meeting not
one gave me a word, much lesa a wel
come hand.
Good people, don't blame the stranrer
In a atrange land who cjraei to you
for Christian fellowship and sympathy,
and finds none. If he naturally turns
to the world. I must Bay that aa cold
as this world seems to aome of ua, we
can find among thouaands of non-church-golng
people a warm welome,
a handshake and a good word.
READER
Whose Pigeon Wa Thfaf
TjtnriEKlELD. Wash.. July 13. (To
th Rditor.) I have found the remains
of what I suppose was a carrier pigeon
in my wheat rieia. no. a was
stamped on one wing and on one leg
Is a red rubber band with No. 33011.
also a glass band marked thus: AJ
27439. A cat had evidently caught tne
bird. Can you tell me where this bird
came from7 Please answer In Orego
nian J. ANDERSON.
Twenty-Five Year Afo
From The Oregonian of July II, ttlt.
Pacific arova, July 14. Th Tenth
Annual Assembly of tha Pacific Coast
Branoh of the Chautauqua Literary and
Scientific Circle will close this evening.
Blahop H. W. Warren, of California, de
livered the sermon thla morning.
Olympia. Uuly 14. It ia rumored that
the steamer Multnomah, of Portland,
will aoon be put on the route between
Olympia and Kamllchle.
Buffalo. July 14. William Burnley
haa been awarded a patent on what he
tylea a combined telegraph and tele
phone device. Thla was tasted on a cir
cuit one mile In length. It enablea two
persons to use one wire fur the double
service of telephoning and telegraphing
at the same time.
A move ta being made by the . it:
sens of La Grande to raise 126.000 for
tbe erection of a good hotel.
MIsb Myra Scott, daughter of Jamea
M. and Rachel Scott, died yesterday.
The atock aubacrlptlon book of the
Real Estate Exchange la now In the
hands of the incorporatora. Measrs.
Griffin. Flower. Steama, McCaffrey and
Hall.
Charles E. Leland has completed ar
rangements to become manager of the
Portland Hotel.
Day Clerk Pendegaat. of the Eamond
Hotel, haa figured out that 140.000 peo
ple visit Portland every year.
Congreasman Blnger Hermann will
today begin hie tour of the state tn
learn the Leglalatlve needa of the
people.
W. J. Gllmore'8 great scenic and bal
let spectacle, "The Twelve Tempta
tions." will he produced at the New
Park thla evening.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of July II. 1104.
At th Philadelphia Sanitary Fair on
June 14, the vote on th 13100 sword
stood: Hancock. 1172; Made. 1J2;
McClellan, 131; Grant, 14. Receipt had
reached (1,000,000.
Philadelphia, July 13. The wire r
again cut by the rebel between Balti
more and Washington.
Baltimore. July 12. The American
has Information from Frederick that
the rrbela ware driven out yestarday at
I A. M. by th advance of Col' caval
ry, who bad a little fight with a email
body of rebel In th atroet During
the time th rebel had posseaBlon. for
aging partlea ware aent tr.rou.gh th
country and cam In. brlnVlng drove
of cattle. ahcp and hogs, literally fill
ing th main street, which were aent
acroas kpto Virginia.
New York. July IS Th lUrald haa
the following tn regard to th oaptur
of th tratna south of Havre d Grace,
about It mil from Gunpowder bridge:
On pistol ahota being heard th tiain
stopped. Th rabel entered with
plstola In hand and ordrd the paaaen
gara out Aa they went out, they war
robbed of their watch and money
with tne cocked pistols at their head.
The cars were then set on fire. General
William B. Franklin. paangr on th
first train, on being asked by th
rebel who he was, replied. "Nobody or
any account" Th guard paaaed out,
but the Baltimore women told who h
was, when they returned, lemanded hla
papere and took him In charge. Th
lady passengers were well treated and
appeared to b acquainted wl many
of th rebels, whom they greeted moat
affectionately.
Th weekly meeting of the Board of
Councllmen Was hld last evening. A
petition from tn O. H. N. Company re
lating to the improvement of halt of
Pine street on th rlvr front in con
nection with th construction of a new
wharf was referred. The earn com
mttt rportd an ordtnanc for th
grading of Main atreet from Front to
Fourth.
The bark Cambridge leavea tomorrow
tor th Sandwich islands with a cargo
of lumbar, htnglas. staves, oata, sal
mon. pitch, varnlah and aplrlta of tur
pentln. Th Cambrldg mad th
preient trip to Portland woon experi
ment. A crowd of boy are In the habit of
congregating at the corner of Front
and V.'aahlngton atreet. wher th
workmon on Mr. Parrlsh' nw build
ing obtain water for mixing mortal,
and tnolat the tank by getting drink,
tc. A aon of Erin determined t put
a stop to the botheration and at noon
yesterday tumbled one of th boys Into
the reervolr, nearly terminating tn a
squabble for his life.
J. It. Howe haa reclvd PPr from
New York relating to hla invention for
manufacturing wheela, aawtng, plan
ing, boring, etc.. which are th precur
sors of his patent.
The exhibit of the financial affair of
Multnomah County for the year ending
Jun I, 14, ahowa total receipt or
$16 333. , expendlturea of S",S& 30,
and balance In th traaury of 2.
490.70. Pld Near Blpat, of cartt ttrar.
John Rlgdon Guerln. on of Jam r .
and Catherine Guerln. aged 5 years and
II monthe; July if. Frank Beadhurat,
son of E. W. Tracy and M. J. Tracy
aged yeara and 8 montba Funeral
this day at i P. t the realdnc of
Mr. Tracy, on North Fourth atrL
Pub II. 1 1. 1 . Is lii Oreawa.
VANCOUVER, Waah.. July 13. (To
th Editor.) I there any homeatea.l
land la Oregon? What ar th flltnu
fee and how long do a parson hav
to live on It to prove up on T
J . F. H.
Write to Portland Chamber of Com
merce for booklet on Oregon public
lands.
. '
PORTLAND, July II. (To th Kdl-
tor ) In a cribbag gam If four card
ara playd like th following. I. . 7, .
will the laat alx make a runT
A READER.
THE CHILDREN'S HOUR
Teach th children to read th ad
vertising in your favorlt nw
paper. It la good clean readlt and tt will
both interest and educate.
The llluetratlona and typography
in th mor carefully r-Prd busi
ness bulletin will appeal to th
artistic senaa ao kn la very ItttU
brain.
The Information give them an In
sight Into bualn ahow them tht
aggressive men don't wait for trade
to come to them but go after It
reliant find It pay to appeal
to children and oftn th advartls
ments are especially written to ap
peal to the younger generation.
The children friend of today are
the Important cuatomer of tomorrow.