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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 24, 1914)
THE HORXIXG OREGONIAX, MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 1914. 6 PORTLAND, OREGON Entered a: Portland. Oregon. Postofflc 5econd-c;ui matter. Subscription Rates Invariably In Advance (By Mail) Dally. Sunday Included, one year. . ..18.00 Daily. Sunday Included, all montha... Dally. Sunday included three monthi Daily, Sunday Included, one month... Daily, without Sunday, one year Dally, without Sunday, alx montha... Dailv. without Runtiav. three montha. 4 - a.J5 .7$ s.oo l.li 1.75 Daily, without Sunday, one month... 6" Weekly, one yaar '? Sunday, one year ?fJJ Sunday and Weekly, one year (BY CARRIER) Daily. Sunday Included, one year 8?? Da::r. Sunday Included, one month How to Remit Send Poatofflce money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamp, coin or currency are a. ie.-.dtrs risk. Qlva Postofflc addres In full. Including county and state. Postaca Rates 11 to 16 paces. 1 eentr M to 32 pages, 1 cents; 34 to 48 pace. 8 cents; 10 to 60 paces, 4 cents ; 62 to 76 paces, a cents; 78 tc Z pages, cent. Foreign post age, double retea Eastern Businees Office Verrea Co,k lln. .New York, Brunswick building. Chi cago. Steger building. -an Franciaeo Of lice R, J. Bldwell Co., 74a Market street. PORTLAND, MONDAY, AUGUST S4, 1U. JAPAN'S MARTIAL ACTIVITIES. It was entirely to be expected that Germany would not accede to the terms of the Japanese ultimatum and that war would ensue. There was a marked resemblance between the Jap anese demand on Germany and the Austrian ultimatum to Servia. It was & document that could receive but one answer or no answer at all. While the action of Japan Is delib erate, even cold-blooded, one must re call the German ultimatum of nine teen years ago, when the Kaiser stepped between the rising- young power in the East and the fruits of her victory over China. It is re corded that the Japanese tauntingly copied the ancient German phrase ology in advising Germany to elimi nate herself from the Far East. To Germany the ultimatum must have come as an ancient diplomatic aggres sion returned home to roost, a sow ing of the wind and a reaping of the whirlwind. Yet humors of diplomacy do not make for war. Naturally, there is a deeper and more abiding reason be hind Japan's action. Nor must it be assumed that Japan is prompted by no greater reason than treaty obli gations with England, for by the terms of the treaty she is compelled to act only for "the consolidation and maintenance of the general peace in the regions of Eastern Asia and India." The treaty calls for Japanese co-operation with England when there has been an "unprovoked at tack upon British territory" in the Orient. Attention need not be called to the fact that no such attacks have occurred in the present situation. However, Japan has shown no evidence that she Is acting in other than good faith. She has announced that the German holdings in China will be returned to China in due time. That it Is in the public mind to hold Kiau-Chau as a prize of war is sug gested by utterances of the conserva tive Japanese press, yet there is no present reason to question the gov ernment's sincerity. If there were our cause for alarm might be vastly increased. While the trouble between Ger many and Japan will be a small af fair so far as the great world war is concerned, there is no other aspect of the vast conflict that so deeply concerns and interests the people of the United States. We have been as sured that Japan will limit the scope of her operations to the Far East, yet this announcement Is subject to a wide interpretation. The action of President Wilson in .maintaining a strict attitude of "hands off" in the difference is to be commended. He is fully justified in the assumption that it is not our quarrel and that Japan's full sincerity Is not to be questioned. But the United States must follow developments of the future with the deepest concern. Should the Japanese aggression extend to the German pos sessions in the South Pacific we may feel some cause for discomfort in the extension of the Japanese line half way across the Pacific. The question of whether we might then countenance a Japanese naval and coaling station on our ling of communication with the Philippines, within easy striking distance of Hawaii, and on the route to the Panama Canal, might become a pressing one. As to the Japanese treaty with Eng land, that need be no cause for con cern on the part of the United States since, so far as it operates upon us, the treaty was practically nullified by the Anglo-Japanese agreement of 1911, wherein England was relieved from participation in war with any nation with which she-might have an arbitration treaty agreement. Obvi ously, this arrangement was devised with the United States in view, since we have such a treaty with England and England would naturally have deepest aversion to making war upon us. That England has an explicit under standing with Japan as to the scope of her present martial activities In. the Pacific would seem to be probable in view of England's own deep Inter est in the matter. England, at this time, can little afford to antagonize the United States, even were she so Inclined. Then her own people In Australia are even more apprehensive of the Japanese than are Americans In the western portion of the United States. British Columbia Is bound by similar sentiments. Naturally enough, England is willing to gain the assist ance of a distant ally in thrashing a mortal enemy, yet it is inconceivable that England should not have a full agreement as to the scope and limits of Japanese activities. So far as the position of the United States Is concerned In the present sit uation our tranquility need not be dis turbed to anything approaching the extent that might be occasioned were Japan and Germany bound by treaty. With two such powerful nations en trenching themselves in the Pacific we might foresee their early domi nance of the western pathways of commerce. Germany's violation of Belgium neutrality suggests that Hol land might be over-run and a pre text established for seizing Dutch pos sessions in the vicinity of the Philip pines. True, we do not value the Philippines highly. Yet so long as they belong to us we must defend them. Then, too. Germany has never recognized the Monroe doctrine, to which she might have assumed a more openly hostile altitude with such an ally as Japan to reinforce her. It is clear that the combinations of na tions that have been made are less calculated to disturb our serenity than combinations which might have been made. As to the immediate effect of the Japanese-German conflict it will serve to drive German Influence out of the East. It is inevitable that the Jap enese shall win easily and quickly. Overwhelming force of numbers ad mits of no other outcome. What the ultimate result will be may depend largely on the outcome of the con flict In Europe. Free to give her full attention to Japan, Germany would make a far different showing. There would seem to be little prospect, how ever, that the German fleets will be free during the course of the present war to head for Pacific waters. If they were the Panama Canal might enter acutely into the situation; but such a possibility is too remote for serious consideration. Only an un foreseen calamity to the whole British naval force would render such a thing possible. OPEN THE STOREHOUSE! One advantage to the Pacific Coast will accrue from the war In the other half of the world if Congress is proded into action concerning the Alaska storehouse. There is reason to believe that it will be. The United States' naval vessels in the Pacific have been using eastern coal brought from the Atlantic in foreign bottoms. Foreign ships are no longer available, while every American ship is needed to carry on our overseas trade. Geologists affirm that there are large quantities of coal In the Bering River field suitable for naval pur poses. The Cordova Chamber of Commerce asserts that this coal can be placed on the market within ninety days after beginning construction. Alaska now not only needs Alaska coal for home consumption but it gravely needs the additional industry to revive other industries or take the I place of those that are. declining be cause of the war. Prices in the terri tory have leaped to war figures and two of the largest copper mine,s have ceased work since the war began. A change in sea control, though hardly likely, would menace the ship ment of coal from British Columbia to which the Pacific Coast, as well as Alaska, now looks for a large part of its supply. It would be 'good judg ment to open the Alaska coal fields on some basis that would encourage American capital to invest or for the government to undertake operation itself. UPHOLOING TRADITION. The German stand at Klau-Chau is a forlorn hope. The little garrison of some 4000 men cannot hope success fully to defend the place against the Japanese hosts. The Japanese have dispatched a full army division of 16,000 men, with siege guns, to take Kiau-Chau and it is improbable that additional troops will be needed for the assault. No better trained nor more spirited troops can be found any where in the world than those making up this minor expeditionary army and they will be lacking neither in the courage nor the ingenuity to push home the attack. That warfare is affected vastly by tradition and sentiment is suggested by the German stand in China. The Ger man forces, if they persist in the de termination to fight, will have not the slightest chance of gaining any ad vantage. They can expect no relief from the Fatherland. Germany has no means of sending re-enforcements either now or at any later time In the siege of Kiau-Chau. So the German soldiers must spill their blood and that of their foemen needlessly. The only thing they can hope to gain is the hollow glory of death in battle. They may achieve a place in song and tra dition beside that of the Light Brigade. But certainly their action in defending Kiau-Chau will have no standing in the light of reason. Acting intel ligently they would surrender prompt ly in the face of an utterly hopeless situation. However, reason is not so much of a force in the world as we had, until recently, fondly led ourselves to be lieve. PROMOTING CLASS WARFARE. The U'Ren organ in Oregon City finds it refreshing to turn from the speeches of Dr. Withycombe and Dr. Smith to one delivered by Mr. U'Ren at a picnic held at Selah Springs. We also find it refreshing, in a way, for Mr. U'Ren is prone to speak of things and conditions therefore known only to himself in the whole wide world. The following excerpt is taken from the Selah Springs address, as published in the Oregon City organ, and given light for the edification of the people and their posterity: "A man may invest $5000 In dia monds and be exempt, but the man who invests $500 in clearing wild land mupt pay taxes on the clearing." This was said in behalf of the $1500 step toward single tax. Possibly Mr. U'Ren does not know the meaning of the word "invest" but as a candidate for high honors and re sponsible position it is fair to pre sume that he does. Nearly everybody else does. It means to lay out money in some other form of wealth as a means of obtaining income or profit. An "investment" in diamonds is not exempt from taxation. Diamonds that come under the head of "jewelry and similar personal effects actually in use" only are exempt from taxation. The Jeweler who buys diamonds to sell at a profit or the person who puts his capital into them in expectation of an increase in value must pay taxes upon them If the assessor does his duty. Moreover, If the assessor complies with the law. it is not strictly accurate to say that the man who invests $500 in clearing wild land must pay taxes on the clearing. The law of 1913 provides that "cultivated and uncul tivated land of the same character and quality, and similarly situated, shall be assessed at the same value." Clear ing is but one of several steps toward putting land into cultivation. If this law Is observed the owner of the wild land is paying on a cultivated value before he clears It, and pays no more after it is cleared. It may be said that the assessors do not now obey this law. But the asses sors do not obey another lav which requires that all property shall be assessed at its full value. Then why make more law for them to disregard? If the $1500 exemption be adopted it will be within the power of the asses sors of the state to say whether it shall materially affect the distribution of the tax burden. If a man's im provements are now assessed at one third of their true value and there after are assessed at two-thirds, the exemption becomes nil provided his original assessment was $1500 or more. A sudden determination by the assessors of the state to assess at nearer the true value would wipe out practically all the so-called benefits of the exemption. It is not overlooked that a propor tionate increase in the assessed value of both large and email holdings would still give the small holder an advan tage in the exemption. But large. Income-producing holdings are now assessed at a higher percentage of true value than are the small tracts. In Portland high class business property has an assessed value as high as 80 to 85 per cent. The percentage graduates downward in residence property in ac cordance with the class of the dis trict to as low as 35 per cent In the poorer localities. It is safe to say that a readjustment of assessed values in Portland would not fall heavily on the big property owner. Nor should it. He is now paying in some instances twice as high taxes In proportion to the true value of his property as is the small home owner. But nobody knows what the asses sors of the future will do If the $1500 exemption carries. Facts about their present system of bearing lightly on the small property owner are more important as showing the injustice of the attempt by Mr. U'Ren to saddle still more on the large owner. The chief purpose of the measure, in the light of his loose statements about the rich man's exemptions, and in view of' the real facts, is seemingly to promote class warfare. And that, too, is apparently the object of his propor tional representation scheme. Mr. U'Ren is at heart a Socialist. He is working for Socialism. Class warfare is a subtle part of the game. A NEW VIEW OF EVOLUTION. There is little to disturb the minds of orthodox evolutionists in Professor William Bateson's new hypothesis. As president of the British Association his words carry great weight and his ideas must receive consideration, but how ever strange they may appear at first we need not Jump to the conclusion that they are revolutionary or that science must be reconstructed. Evo lution as it came from Darwin taught that the species of living creatures have arisen from simple beginnings. The original primitive forms of life were gradually modified by "varia tions" which arose nobody knows how. But really it made no difference how they arose. The important fact was thafsome variations gave the posses sor an advantage in the struggle for existence. Hence creatures iavored with such variations survived and propagated their kind while the rest died out. This process was called the "survival' of the fit." In our day we have given the word "fit" a moral value. We have made it a term of "worth," as the writers on ethics say. But to Darwin's mind it conveyed no such meaning. By the word "fit" Darwin meant the "adapted" and nothing more. Crea tures which were adapted to their sur roundings lived and throve. Those not adapted perished, just as we see them doing today. The pride of the successful and fortunate makes them wish to believe that all creatures fit to survive are at the same time worthy to survive, but nothing could be farth er from the truth. Worth is a moral quality. Fitness is purely bodily or mental. A person extremely unfit physically may be of the highest worth morally, as all history shows and as rash apostles of compulsory eugenics are slowly learning. Small variations added together through numberless generations finally became large ones and thus, according to Darwin's views, the various species of living things came into being. The point is that in Darwin's theory, "variations" were something added to the primitive creature. Neither Darwin himself nor any of his successors explained how they came to be added until Bergson solved the mystery. Herbert Spencer thought that the variations were accidentally acquired by the parents and then transmitted to their offspring but Weissmann prcyed that this could not be so. Ac quired variations, as he demonstrated, cannot pass on by heredity. A later hypothesis was that new traits are brought out by crossing different spe cies and no doubt there is some truth in it. Mendel's law throws light on this particular point. Factors which have long lain hidden in a species may cease to be recessive and become dominant when it is crossed with an other. But, as Professor Bateson shows, no such explanation suffices for the varieties of sweet peas. This plant cannot be crossed with any other. Hence all its varieties must have arisen from its own innate prop erties. This harmonizes fairly well with Bergson's explanation. In his view all variations arise from the un foreseen impulse of the "life force" which is liable to do anything what ever on the spur of the moment with out regard to precendent or conse quences. Professor Bateson does not, how ever, accept this view of the matter. He assumes that all variations in liv ing creatures have arisen just as they must in the sweet pea, that is, from innate factors and neither by external accident nor 'primarily by crossing. How, then, did they arise, if not from the momentary impulse of the life force? It is all very plain and simple. Variations in living things are brought out by the "removal of factors that control, mask, suppress or inhibit latent powers or faculties." A variation then, in the light of the new theory, is something removed from a creature, not something added to it. Here is the clash between Professor Bateson and Darwin, but it is not a very serious clash. It Is more a mat ter of words than substance. Darwin taught that the new power lay hidden in the external environment. Bate son teaches that it lies hidden in the creature itself. In either case some fortuitous or purposive independent factor is required to bring it out. Bateson looks upon evolution as the unfolding of potential faculties, all of which were rolled up. in the primal creature itself. To Darwin it was an unfolding of faculties wrapped up In the environment. Practically, then, there is not much difference between them. And' yet the Bateson hypothesis is more In harmony with the great trend of modern thought. Recent discoveries have shown that an unexplored reser voir of power lies hidden In the deeper nature of every individual. Some per sons are able to draw upon this reser voir almost at will. They are the geniuses of the race. Professor Bate son implies that all of us might do the same thing If trie inhibiting or suppressive factors that chain our fac ulties were removed. Evolution, in his opinion, has been the gradual breaking of these chains. It has been a continual removal of inhibitions. In Bergson's language it has been a grad ual Interpenetration of Inert matter by the life force. Both expressions come to the same thing. The French philos opher sees the life force at work seek ing to drive its way through matter. Bateson sees matter gradually giving way here and there. He sees bar riers broken down, pathways opened, imprisoned powers set free. Nobody can say what barrier may fall next. Modern investigators see reason to be lieve that evolution proceeds by "mu tations" rather than by slow changes. Wide breaches are made in the dead walls of resisting matter and revolu tionary forces may appear over night. Thus the new hypothesis enables us to discern meaning in situations that have sometimes looked hopeless. Per haps the war that has swept over the earth may be the unavoidable tumult that accompanies some world-wide and infinitely happy mutation. MILITARY CENSORSHIP. Strict military censorship of the news on the firing line in Europe is showing serious disadvantages even to the several contestants In the great conflict. The principal drawback Is an inaccurate or overdrawn state ment In many cases of what Is going on at the front. When the news comes from troop commanders it , apparently cannot be free from bias. The commanding officers are inclined to put their own interpreta tion upon what is occurring and that without due consideration to the ene my's viewpoint. Thus the conflict ing military claims of the present status of affairs at many points. Were competent, unbiased corre spondents permitted to send out uncensored reports the world would know with a greater degree of ac curacy just what is happening from hour to hour. Provided the corres pondents were prevented from disclos ing important troop movements, no. especial harm could be expected from such reports. In fact much good might come from a true account of the condition of affairs and an ac curate statement of the real course of battle. Neither side may hope to gain any advantage by claiming a victory which has not been reaped. Let's see! Wasn't there a man by the name of Withycombe nominated for some thing or other at the May primaries? As we remember it, a man of that name was running for Governor a few weeks ago. Oregon Messenger (Dem.) Let us hope that our Salem Demo cratic neighbor will continue to make his opposition to Mr. Withycombe as emphatic as possible. Mr. Withy combe is thus advertised by his un loving friends. Did The Messenger ever hear the classic tale ot Ajax ana the lightning? The ten-acre Summer homestead bill seems to be well designed, though It may endanger the water supply of Portland and perhaps other cities. Commissioner Daly thinks it best to oppose the bill. Would it not be wiser to propose an amendment to cure the objection? Surely it is an excellent plan to make the forest reserves as useful as possible. The news that Nelson's prayer was read on all ships is comforting to every Briton, home-born and colonial. Additional words of comfort might have been given by stating just where the warships are and what they are doing. A racing programme that is all har ness events are classy, but what the public wants and will pay to see is a number of running races. These pro vide the thrills that bring men and women to their feet. Belgium has protested to the United States over the German In vasion. Well, we're sorry, but we politely beg to be excused from doing anything about it. Italy and Austria are about to be drawn in, as well as the Balkan states and Turkey. Slowly, but surely, the conflagration is spreading over the whole world. Although one word of common sense would save them, the Germans at Kiau-Chau announce that they will fight. This is a strange old world after all. The proposal to bring German prisoners of war to Canada to clear the land is ticklish enough to pro duce equine cachination. Paris food prices, in common with those of Berlin, are lower than usual. We are the goats, thanks to our busy little price Jugglers. At least men in the service of Ger man cruisers in the Pacific are not likely to be bothered by life insurance agents. A French artillery commander dis patched his own son on a mission that meant certain death. War works weird changes in the human animal. The bravery of the allies is ex tolled. But how about their co-ordination in military' operations on a large scale? When an automobile can skid onto the sidewalk the pedestrian's safe course is in the middle of the street. The war office with the speediest typewriter is the one that wins the most battles in the dispatches. The greatest Rose Festival yet Is being planned for next year. We are setting ourselves a hot pace. Darius Miller is fortunate. His ap pendix was removed before the train load of first aids arrived. The allies will raise a war fund of $100,000,000 for Belgium. The Bel gians are earning it. But if this thing keeps up. where shall we get our customers for the Panama Canal? Picking the early hops starts this week. Get your umbrella into com mission. France declares that the Germans are to be driven out of Belgium. Into France? Dollar wheat and ten-dollar hogs make the Pacific Northwest farmer rejoice. , Is the neutrality law being violated in selling oats to Canadians? However, a really great battle re mains to be fought. A Zeppelin flying over London will create a sensation. Perhaps Germany was too busy to answer. The Yellow Sea will be blood red. Sons of Albion, attention! CONFLICT VINDICATES MALTHUS War Will Be Natural Until Man Curbs Oivn Fruit fulness. PORTLAND. Aug. 23. (To the Edi tor.) Perhaps the war in Europe may be explained In one word: overpopula tion. The fecundity of the human ani mal is such that sooner or later popu lation will outrun food supply, and then comes the bloody fight which deter mines who is to control subsistence. It is pretty generally agreed that the great movements of the Slavic and Germanic barbarians southward upon ancient Rome were caused by growth in the numbers of the Invading and mi grating hordes. Likewise the period of peace preceding the Crusades had re sulted In overpopulation in relation to the ability of society to produce food for its members. Hence an overflow was necessary toward the east. The equilibrium was again restored by war, famine and epidemic. The discovery of America in 149 made possible the expansion of popu lation and relieved the pressure in Europe. Similarly the religious wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth cen turies reduced the surplus. The wars of Frederick the Great in the eighteenth century made over crowding Impossible. The Napoleonic wars in the early nineteenth century, with their toll of eight or nine mil lion lives, Kept tne puyuiauun .,..... knmtih Since the last great confljct, the Prann.PrimRlfln war of 1870, the powers of the western world have been at peace witn eacn oiner. oam tary and medical science has decreased the death rate. The Germanic and Slavic nations have increased vastly i nnn..ia,ltn Torrltnrv In F.uroDe. the cultivable area, is limited. The result is that these two prolific races are treading on each other's toes on their respective frontiers. Either one of two things was inevitable irom tne ginning: war or control of human Malthus has again been vindicated in the essential soundness oi me uicij n0 -.mniainn in oniv nnft country in the world has the Malthuslan law of increase been supersoaea oy mo in tervention of human Intelligence, and that is France. She may yet have to pay the penalty for standing at the front of civilization surrounded by na tions less capable cf controlling a great natural force, mat ot uusnain v r wa nmv he. certain: war will be Inevitable until mankind has learned to adjust its own reprouueuvo powers to the capacity of tho earth to bring forth sustenance. Any intelli gent farmer will tell you it is easier to overstock himseii witn cauio nn It is to raise food to bring them to ma turity and fatten them for market, tt i mufh tho same with the human species. Even with the most Intensive methods of agriculture, re-lnforced by science and mechanics, the time will come when population will press upuu food supply. Then an equilibrium will be restored either by nature through war, famine, epidemic and natural ca tastrophe or by artificial restriction, rrk;. An.imi. limitation In practiced . k manV hilt : .' V8St niaSS Of ivu.i uj mil i a, - mankind as yet knows nothing about it. t r q e wa mflv dislike to do iiri.. '-, . i . . ' . .-.v it, we must reconcile ourselves to war as natural until the time comes wnen Intelligence will guide man in the more efficient control of his own fruit fulness. NEO-MALTHUSIAN. WHY SHOULD NOT WOMEN IlISEt Thrv Mm. Not to Make but to End War, Saya Mm. Dunlway. PORTLAND, A"g. 23. (To the Edl nr i sitting at mv window, reading and pondering over the terrible war news, of which the press dispatches are full, I cannot but wonder how much longer it is to he before the women oi n, cnooioa shiill he empowered with sufficient ubiquity and wisdom to arise In their might ana reiuse iu soldiers at their peril, to' be butchered by hundreds of thousands at the com mand of the enthroned, intermarried n,i intorhrert offspring of the Hohen- zollerns, Guelphs, Habsburg, Braganzaa and what-not, who are quarremua among themselves? The onlv consolation I can gather from all this terrible slaughter is the hope that it may hasten the day when nnniA will arise, in their majesty and demand the creation of the United States of the World. Who knows but that the mission of such world-renowned peace advocates nauid star Jordan. May Wright Sewall, Madam Breshkofsky and Carrie Chapman Cart has been the means of stilling the souls of the women peas antry into ultimate open revolt? These peasant women. Having doi no io butchered soldiers at their peril, and now harvesting tne crops hi more soldiers for future siauKnteis, aiu studying out the why of it all, as they toi! in the fields while their hearts are breaking: and their sons are rotting in the trenches. The women s late peace coniereuce, held at Budapest and Rome, followed, as they are, by the International wars that are raging, are slowly awakening the peasant women of the world, arous ing them to a future uprising against the fiat of the double-and-twisted cous tc.v.i.x rr TTin-rtnejin monarchies, requir ing no spirit of prophecy to foretell an approaching time when the monarchs, who create the wars, shall do their own fighting and become the personal vic tims of their own butcherlngs. ABIGAIL SCOTT D UNI WAY. PRAYER AND FAITH SUFFICIENT Mr. Hofer'a Enlent Not Neceaeary to Obtain Katu. Says Mlnlatcr. CLATSKANIE. Aug. 22. (To the T7.ji- t t e i.ta T hjivft been deluged with requests to importune .. s a j .. I All mlm I Almignty joo iu hchu am. Al fl ae 1 pa rlnin lircat LflaL lilt: lUioni . -o D damage, also that the lata potatoes, gardens, etc.. can be greatly benefited OJ' a gOOU HUaiWUB am. i r, mil aoA iinnn I'pfl rl I n C Mr. I W aB 111 Hi-11 aumovu K w " " Hofer's description of the necessary - - 1.1.. w .. . . ,.,i equipment lor rain niaiwi's- . . i . .t;,-.. a n H TV A W t A nmVfiT. Howling UUl o...... r- God answers prayer for materia! things, . t i . i c n l.i, iic aulr as wen as tor spiiimw. God to send rain when it is needefl. Christ said: "Whatsoever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them.". People too often pray like the woman who prayed for the mountains In front of her house to be removed. In the morn ing when she looked out and saw It she said: "Just as I expected." I will say. that we have held two i .. v,, nnp Ttiesdav the SerVlCCB HIM " w.. 1 - other Wednesday in which we prayed for rain and mat tne luicai n.wa M,b, be extinguished. The rain Is now being sent in some places in direct answer to our prayers. t ,i,...fn,a nnw na.lt- thnt all who may read this article pray for a general rain. i.rn is n " . mww-.. Red Cross Needs Aid. WASHINGTON. D. C. Aug. 18. (To the Editor.) The Red Crose la greatly in need of funds for Its war relief -ir it io eendlnc- surgeons, trained nurses, surgical equipment and hospital supplies over to all the countries in volved in the war. - dv thousands of sick and wounded men. Their numbers are growing daily and any great battle will add Its tens of thousands to the number. Our people have not yet apprecratea the great need for assistance. The Red Cross would be very grateful if The Oregonlan could help It to arouse pub lice interest and urge people to con tribute to its fund. Funds could be sent to the Red Cross, Washington, D. C, or to your local treasurer. Donors may designate, If ,kA on rfouire for what countries they wish their contributions used. Tlease help the Red Cross. MABEL T, BOARDMAN. PURPOSE IS PLAIN SINGLE TAX 91500 Exemption Amendment Is DIs arnise, Sara Mr. HisTby. VALE, Or.. Aug. 21. (To the Edi tor.) Do the people of Oregon want single tax? That Is the question. Whether to endure the Ills we have, without attempt to remedy them log ically or fly frantically to the tangled forest of theoretical taxation. On the statute boks today we have the law: "Uncultivated land shall be assessed as cultivated land equally sit uated." While license Is here given somewhat to the assessor, this one clause indicates a long stride toward the Henry George theory as explained In "Progress and Poverty." Comes now Barzee & Co., In connec tion with Inde-Prohl-Oregon City law maker and candidate, presenting an other Henry George joker for the Ore gon voter to unknowingly confirm in the $1500 exemption act. They fill columns with specific ex amples showing how It would help the payer of taxes as now constituted, taking taxation from the poor and placing It on the rich. Great Is the dodging of the real facts. Great the pandering to the proletariat. It must be conceded at once that the exemp tion will let those who have hut a lit tle personal property and those who never expect to have but little per cnnfli nrnn.rtv escaDA romnletelv from direct taxation at least. These are facts: If a county or mu nicipality needs $10,000 and the tax roll Is $10,000,000 the rate must bo 1 per cent. If there are 2000 taxpayers exempted $1600 each the tax roll le di minished $3,000,000 and the rate made 1 43-100 per cent. The levy must then be on visible property, land. The farmer who has been exempted $1500 must pay the higher rate on the re mainder, and when a new asaeBament Is made land values must be higher if the rate is to be lowered. Attending to fundamental principles. ceaainn to cuvci vu, . - ...... - flclal and deceitful arguments. ir we cease to attempt to fill the peoples mind with false logto and impossible Utopian Ideas the story Is short, rea soning simple and the conclusions axiomatic. Taxation is a necessary burden on society and will Increase with ad vanced civilization. If all personal property should be exempted, all tax put on land, there will follow either a higher rate or greatly lnoreased valuation for taxaj tlon purposes on used land. There w ill be no other land to tax, as It must re vert to the state. The land speculator will unques tionably be eliminated. No chance for argument here. The value of cultivated land will be measured by the value of the improve ments and cost of bringing OncUU" vated land into producing condition for the reason that, being owned by the state, raw land will be ready for the taking without original cost. Are the people of Oregon ready Tor this condition? Are the farmers ready to have their values Increased for tax ation and decreased for transfer. Bringing the entire country Into one homogeneous mass, filled with broth erly love each for the other, each one doing his part simply for the sake of doing, with no other thought than the greatest benent to nis iws " he peasant, coolie, peon or Hottentot, is Utopian. Are the people of Oregon ready for that condition? Evidence is plentiful, accentuated by the present world conditions, that we are so closely related In business and all material affairs no big business can be hurt without all business suf fering. Destroy big business and we relapse into the confusion from which the world has so lately emerged. A people is ready to drag down only when ready to endure the suffering and privation incident during the In terim of adjustment between anarchy and the establishment of the new dis pensation. If the people of "-"i have reached the socialistic condition wherein they are willing to live for the mere sake of living. Ignoring ma terial values and competitive success, they are ready for single tax. The evils attendant on so radical a change will be overcome in time; tho sorrow and suffering of the ulned will cease: the moans of misfortune will gradually die nwny; the new d s pensation will have Its happiness. Its pleasures, its work.. Its g vlng an. taking In marriage; the world will not cease- to revolve: the sun will still shine, the silver lining of the clouds change to gold for some, black de spair to others. The question remains: Do the people of Oreson t MtH tax? JOHN HICBx. Challencre 1" Accented. PORTLAND, Aug. 2S (To tho Edi tor ) Replvlng to the letter of Bertha Dalllnger In your issue of August 21. In behalf of a party whom I will name when details for discussion are ar ranged, I hereby accept the challenge to publicly debate the vaccination ques tion, naming Monday. August $1. 1914. at 8 P at as the date, and request Bertha Dalllnger to advise when I can meet her to perfect arrangements for debate. . I challenge Bertha naiiinger tor proof of the statements of the vaccina tion In Japan. Italy or the United States Army. S. Kub.ita, director of the sanitary burcBU of Japan, says: nf smallnox onTi- J. II U (1UIIILICI VS. w " cially notified in Japan for the year 1H08 was 18,067, wnue tne nuinucr u,n ii.. .......,,.(..,, from the same BWMJ -- .... desease. during that year, wae 6837. . . f ....ii... f w.n a than This was a case taiam 32 per cent. Japanese government reports show . m ... f .mallnox and 49.119 liiiOii imsm i m deaths from that desease from 189 to 1908, and in 1B0 aurrerea tne woii epidemic of recent times. The fore going is a small part of the disastrous results of compulsory vaccination in Japan. , As to Italy, Professor Carlo Ruata, M. D. professor of hygiene in the Uni versity of Perugia. Italy, says: "We have a thoroughly vaccinated popula tion. Well, In only ten years (1887-96) smallpox carried off 69,430 persons." The report of the surgeon general of the United States Army for the first six months of 1901 records 24 cases of smallpox, with 113 deaths, a mortality of about 46 per cent. In the three years preceding, there were among the recently vaccinated 705 cases of snfallpox with 230 deaths. In the two years preceding June. 1900. 13 811 cases needed hospital treatment on account of vaccination. m . . . a & ea nsLnsai nd five daths i nerw - - , of smallpox on the V. S. b. Ohio in volving INSVy Olliciom, mmtm ' official report within the last year. J. E. BROOKS. Further arrangements for this de bate should be carried on by direct aommunicatlon, not by exchange of letters through the medium of The Ore gonian. Facts Against Fiction. PORTLAND, Aug.. 20. (To the Edi tor.) We protest that "Divorced Life" Is not true. It la well written and in teresting, but we want to know how Marian pays her rent at Placid Inn. Places like that cost money, and since she has none and has had no experience in story writing she cannot expect to 4 h.t manner W C knOW bV experience that a few stories written accidentally will not pay noiui um. i iirnrlillir 1 . I" .- T T i I II M iviany ui u " ' " --- Marian and we cannot live at Placid Inn. Kindly tell ua now n is aune. ONE IN A SIMILAR BOAT. Mejraphonc?s for Military Use. London Tit-Blt. Two hundred megaphones have been ordered by the British war office for military use. They will be uaed chiefly by artillery officers to give commands at a distance. Twenty-Five Years Ago From Ths Oresonlan August 14. 1S. Williams avenue presents a seen of bustle and excitement A great many men are laying tho track from Grant to Morris street. The street is blockaded with teams hauling away dirt and other teams bringing gravel. c.i- t rm Witt TMlmao-e registered at the Esmond Hotel yesterday morning Me lert on tne mominn irsin it om lcm and will return to Portland today. The notes for the subsidy for building the Waverly-Woodstock electric motor line are all taken up. with the excep tion of a few small ones, and work will go ahead without fall. A force of men were at work yes terday completing the work of making connection between tho rails of the electric motor lino across the steel bridge. A refreshing rain fell from 8 to 4 o'clock yesterday morning, which laid the dust, washed off the foliage, and to a great extent dissipated the imoke. Commencing on September 2 there will be a mall service on tho Portland & Vancouver Railway, with closed pouches, twice a day. Albany. Or.. Aug. 2$. The street cars will commence running Monday. The can were manufactured In Albany and are equal In style and finish to those bought in the East. Salem. Aug. SI. Mre Charles Clag gett, one of Oregon's old pioneers, died thia evening. She crossed the plains In 1852 and has resided In Oregon ever since. Rev. D. O. Ohormley and family re turned yesterday from ClaUop, where they have been for several weeks. Elder R. M MesMek. of Trenton. Mo. will arrive here and take chart of the Christian Church III East Portland by October. Mr. Charles Krancls Adams, prealdent of thu Union Pacific Railway system; Mr. W. 11. HoKomb, vice-president . Mr. G. M. Cummlngs, assistant general manager: Mr. John Sharp, auperln tendent of the Utah Central, and I, H. Hubbard, a railroad man from Kansas City, arrived here yesterday morning. General Manuscr Mellen, Traffic Man ager Hannafoid and General Paaacn ger Agent Fee, of the Northern Pa cific, are expected here today. Half a Century Ago Prom Ths Orcfonlan of Aufusl 24. I MM. Salem. Aug. 22. 1844. OMtai 1 have Just received your Invitation to ad dresn the citlseus of Portland at my earliest convenience. I shall he pleased to make a speech In the City of Port land on the evening of Saturday, the 24th Inst. 0MBOKOI II. WILLIAMS. Messrs. Falling, Smith and others. A little boy 6 years old. son of Dr. J. A. Chapman, of this city, fell Into the river at the foot of Washington street yesterday and was ret -ued by Richard Hoyt barely In lime to aave the child's life. After the little fellow had been restored to consciousness, and taken home he related that M was fishing when another boy pushed him In. The largest raft run down the Wil lamette river for yeara haa been re ceived at the new wharves of the O. S. tt. Company and captain Ankeny In this city. It contains :':'.'. it and the lumber was all cut Inside of a montli ut the Oswego mills of J. Q TorwUliCer. Mrs. J. R. Wltherell haa preanted the Ladles of the Sanitary fair with a handsome American flag or medium also. It la a valuable ami in t fitting contribution. A very large crowd assembled last night at the theater building to listen to the debato on the political questions ot tl.e day between J. F. Uaxley, of Douglas County, one of the Presiden tial electors on the Union ticket, and Judge A. K- Walt, one of the unterrl fled. and an elector also, but on the ticket of the so-called Democracy. An t Taxea. UNITY. Or.. Aug. 21. (To th.- Edi tor.) 1. On what basil Is the las rate decided In this state? 2. Is the tax rato us high In en lao lated county with very few achoola and little worked road. 5. Should taxpayers receive a state ment of assessments, a list of lands or personal property with assessed value? 4. Is a Sheriffs notice of delinquency correct when the time allowed for pay ment is not filled In? I. A vacant. Isolated, dry. untllled farm In on county Is taxed 0 per cent mcro than an occupied, irrigated fnrm with 45 acre In ouUlvatlon. buildings, wells and near school In adjoining county. How can this be made right? INQUIRKR. I. The rat Is the lvy which ap piled to the assessed value of all prop erty will produce the required needs of government. I. It depends on the taxable value of property In the county end the economy of public officials. I. The state statute does not pro vide for the sending out of assessment notlcea unless asked for In writing, and then only on property accurately de scribed by the owner. The reason fnr this I the fart that It Is Impossible for the Assessor to obtain tKe nn and address of present owners of prop erties. 4. Yes; the county has not the legal right to specify the time for payments on certlflcetee of delinquency. 6. Cost of government varlea In the several counties and thla may affect taxea. Some counties adopt the policy of assessing at a low value and levy ing a high rate: other IMM high and levy a low rate. For state taxei the value are equalised to the aoi baals In all counties "Tke Wine Ire." FOREST GROVE. Aug. II (To the Editor.) Please Inform m a to where I can get "The Wine Pre. ' a poem by Alfrd Noy. EVA C. ABBOTT. The publUher 1 Frederick A. Stokes Company, 448-449 Fourth avenue. Nw York City, the price of the book being 60 cents. Any book dealer who ha not the volume In itoek will obtain It on requet. Advertising Good Health Municipal health authorities In various cities are beginning news paper advertising campaigns to Im press on the public the necessity of municipal cleanllnes. The results are mot encouraging and tho Idea should have general adoption. It Is certainly good economy to spend a small sum In advertising to ward off disease. It Is cheaper to prevent epidemic than It Is to stop them. People are newspaper advertising readers and when, they sen an an nouncement from the local health official In their favorite dally they take It a message having authority.