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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 27, 1914)
6 turn PORTLAND. OREGON. Entered at Portland. Oregon. Poitotflco a Second-claas matter. SubacrlpUon Rate Jnvariably In Advanca. (By Mall) Dally, Sunday Included, one year Daliy. Sunday Included. lx montlu Dally. Sunday Included threa month. . l. Daily. Sunday Included, one month Daiiv vllhAut fiundiv. nn vear S.Ul Dally) wltnout Sunday, mix month J-Jj ......... c. K. mnnlhl... l.ia Dally, without Sunday, ona month . Weekly, ona year J-S Sunday, one ar f-?V tur.dav and YvVeklv. ona vear a ou I RY I ARR1EK) Dally, Sunday Included, on year 80J Dally, Sunday Included, ona month How to Bemlt Send Poitofflc money f.T .T.,r... .ril.r or- nrunil check OO JOllf local bank, stamps, coin or currency are at ler.aer risk, uive i'ui-.omce www lucludlug county and atate. Poatage Kate 12 to 16 pages. 1 cent; 18 to 32 pages, 2 cents; 34 to 48 pages, 3 cents; iO to 60 pages, 4 cents; 63 to "S pages, a cents; "8 to 2 pages, 6 cent. Foreign post age, double ratea . Eastern Business Office Vrre CPJ?" lln. New York, Brunswick building. Chi cago. Steger building. nan Franciaco Office R. J. Bldwell Co.. "43 Market street. PORTLAND. THURSDAY. AUGUST 27, 1811. NAVAL STRENGTH. While the German military tidal wave is sweeping down upon France and ruthlessly brushing aside French, English and Belgians in the first heated stages of the war, the question naturally reverts to the naval situa tion which. Just now, is wholly ob scured from the eyes of an expectant world. What Germany is in a mili tary sense England is in a naval way. The tremendous offensive forces of the great German army are equalled only by the vast striking power of the English navy. Between England and possible defeat in the war lies sea control. It is the safeguard of Brit ish possessions, thsfprce which keeps the sun from setting''-on the British Empire. Reports that British armies have been defeated will cause the world no surprise. The British fighting man has matchless courage, spirit and grit. But from the standpoint of organiza tion and numerical strength the British army is nothing more than a military toy. Its fate will be the fate of the French army, which it is able to support but feebly. If the French are doomed to final defeat the British military operations are not . sufficient to save the day. So the British dependence must fall upon the British fleet if military calamities continue to pile up. At the same time the German Empire must reckon with that same fleet. Even if successful on land Germany would still be practically isolated from sea with the Brulsn neet intact, aim the German fleet is held back obviously inadequate to give pitched battle to the British squadrons at this time, at least. Several weeks have elapsed since the British fleet left Portsmouth un der sealed orders intent on meeting and giving battle to the Germans. The expedition was unaccompanied by press correspondents. Its move ments have since been covered by the deepest secrecy. Rumors have flown thick and fast in the interum. Reports have been received of British minor defeats, of the sinking of seven Brit ish war craft. Other reports have had German crart at the bottom. It is incredible that the English War Office should conceal the fact of a British naval victory, no matter how relatively unimportant. For their own reasons the Germans might have seen fit to keep secret news of suc cessful operations, for the German naval situation is plainly a desperate one. But it is safe to assume that no really important engagements have taken place. Nor is it probable that a serious engagement will occur at an early date. German naval strategy is opposed to early aggressions. The Germans must await a more oppor tune time. Bottled at either Wil-helmshavc-n or at the Kiel Canal they can afford to await serenely until the British blockading squadrons in the Xorth Sea have worn themselves out operating from a distant base on English shores. By use of torpedo boat destroyers and submarines they can sally forth under cover of fog or darkness and seek to pick oft one or two hostile boats in the hope of even tually reducing the British force of numbers to a more equal basis. Then should the German main fleet under the naval genius of the age. Tirpatz, succeed in defeating the British fleet, German domination of Europe might loom as a possibility. The chances, however, would appear to work against such a victory. In the meantime, while Britain dominates the seas of nearly the whole world, the German naval force Is able to control the approaches to her territory in the North Sea and also to maintain control of the Bal tic, thus holding back Russian hordes by sea. The protected Kiel Canal makes this possible, giving the Ger mans easy access to either sea, while contact mines, which she has scatter ed widely, prevent the British from forcing the issue in the Xorth Sea. German provinces in many parts of the world, however, must remain un protected for the time being. They are now open to seizure by the British or their allies. Such a fate already confronts Kiau-Chau and may even tually overtake other German hold ings in Africa. Asia and the South Pacific. This would be something of a blow to German prestige in world trade but whether these seizures would stand would depend neces sarily on the final outcome of the great issue. So, while Germany appears to be sweeping the Allies before her in the first land operations, the end is still remote and the outcome a deeply veiled question. In a larger sense the whole campaign in France may be re garded as but a single phase of the war. Not only must the British navy be reckoned with but the Russian hordes, which have not yet gotten fairly into action, are yet to be heard from. France, crushed but uncon quered. would still have her Navy, which has the Austrian squadrons hopelessly blockaded in the Adriatic. It may be that the odd distribution of strength will serve to keep the combatants engaged to the point of exhaustion and bring about a peace which will not greatly alter the map of the world. THE GERMAN INFANTRY ADVANCE. British military experts who were scoffing at German infantry tactics a. few days ago must have revised their opinion by now. Perhaps they are able to see some virtue in the depth and density of the German firing line. The German advance is based on the most aggressive princi ple, with the grim aim of gaining and maintaining fire superiority. The cost in lives is made a secondary consid eration. Having reached the point of de ployment, the German infantry puts forward a thin line, followed at a brief interval by u second line, third, fourth and fifth line. When the first line strikes the point of contact the other lines are fed in with suffieftnt rapidity to gain a heavy volume of fire and fill up all gaps caused by losses In killed and wounded. By the time the Germans have advanced down to the charging point they pre sent an almost solid wall of humanity. It is a line which affords a splendid target but at the same time pours forth a deadly Are and tacticians have found that superiority "f fire Is the thing that counts. The logg thin lines of ten years ago are seldom used in modern warfare. As a result of these tactics it prob ably will be found when the casual ties are counted that the Germans have suffered more heavily than the Allies, even though they have gained the advantage in the fighting thus far. But the Germans stand ready to accept heavy losses provided they at tain their objective victory. WHY A WAX TAX? The Oregonlan finds in the Wash ington correspondence of the Boston Transcript an exceptionally interest ing item about the increased cost of government under the present Admin istration. The departmental expendi tures for the single month of August as shown by the pay-roll made the following extraordinary showing: iir,. lu Legislative establishment .. C86.2SS $647.7! State Department 283. 50 17n.ll0 Trasury Department Excluding public builuings.2.223,829 LMf.OZl Public bSllSings 1.S56.079 Sol'.iOl War Department Military 7.S16.676 7.0S6.69J Department of Justice 835,160 110.797 Navy Department . . , . X.v.1 8.309.2S5 7.31S.81S Civilian 703(' Interior Department Excluding pensions and In- dlana 1,6i.j,oS s.o.sst vn of JkafrieultnreL80S,SSl S56.6S.1 Department of Labor 229,320 143,500 Independent offices anu 11901 rnmm fis on 1,8, 8S 116,yul District of Columbia 554,776 371,139 Thus in a. single month there IS an excess of 3, 000.000 for ordinary ad ministration over the same period a year ago. It is not surprising that the Admin istration la tnrti,-il hv the emergency that confronts It in the Imminent loss of revenues through the war. It contemplates a war tax., but fears the political result, and will postpone the inevitable day till after the November Section. But there will be a war tax, r some similar expedient. ThA nresent Comrress is the most extravagant in history. All pretense of economy has been thrown to the -tnit No wonder the Adminis tration Is alarmed about a war tax. It might have been avoided if the Democratic party had carried out its platform promises. BACK TO HIS POST AT LAST. It would be pleasant to believe that Mr. LaKerty's sudden withdrawal from the scene of, his campaign activ ities was due to his strong sense of public duty calling him to Washing ton. It would assuredly leave an agreeable impression with his con stituency, if he were to make it clear to them that his obligation to per form a public service, and not any acute alarm about his pay check as a Congressman, was responsible for his change of plans. It may be re called that Mr. Eafferty has hereto fore said that he intended to remain in Portland till the close of the cam paign. 'But Mr. Lafferty gives out the brave announcement that he has "sent the enemy scurrying to cover" and that "believing the enemy com pletely routed" he goes East. Hatving completed his private errand In Port land, he is free to go back to his of ficial post. He makes no pretense that the call from Washington is in any way imperative. His supreme task was to combat and defeat his private opponents. All other matters, including the state's urgent need of representation at Washington, could wait. Beginning with April 24, the last recorded date of Representative Laf Fe,iv' Teenee in Con-reas. he has achieved a record of absenteeism ex tending to one hundred and twentj four (124) days. By the time he re ports, it will have been one hundred and thirty (130) days. SUDDEN DROWNINGS. pvorv rinv or two we read of some sudden and mysterious death In the water. A strong swimmer disponing himself in the waves eoes under like a flash and is never seen again alive. A boatload of merry maKers capsizes onri however nromDt rescue may be. some person is found to have per ished. Usually it is tne su-uhbtoi u party who thus inexplicably loses his life. The young man who seemed perfectly able to take care of him self is the one who sinks beyond re covery. There are a thousand theories to account for such baffling accidents. We hear of heart failure, apoplexy, spasm of the pneumogastric nerve and so on. But none of these ex planations is satisfactory. Physicians seldom find any heart trouble in per sons who have suddenly expired in the water and the pneumogastric nerve Is not so delicate as many seem to imagine. It will stand rough usage well enough If the rest of the physi cal frame is in sound condition. A new and plausible theory explains sudden deaths in the water by defects in the tympanum or ear-drum. Many persons whose health Is ex cellent In other respects have de fective ear-drums. This membrane may have been pierced in childhood bv the inflammation of scarlet fever or measles. It may have been ruptured by an accident in later life and the in jury never repaired. However the tympanum may have been pierced, such a defect is dangerous in the water because It gives access to the wonderfully sensitive structure of the internal ear. Cold water flowing into this cavity may cause instantaneous death by affecting either the brain or the stomach. A strong swimmer who enters the water immediately after a full meal risks his life if his tym panum has been punctured. Such are the trifles which decide the issue of life and death for us. The natural conclusion is that every' person should have his ears thoroughly examined by a competent physician before he ventures into the water. In fact, the practice of sub mitting to a full physical examination at least once every' year is growing in favor among prudent people, whether they ever wish to swim or not. It in sures other organs besides the ears. Agriculture is probably one of the lost arts." It has been partially lost THE MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, at any rate, though not wholly, we hope. The Carthaginians made Northern Africa far more productive than the moderns can. They had a great treatise on agriculture in many volumes which has been lost except some fragments preserved by the Romans who were also pretty good farmers. Plentiful slave labor solved many problems in those daj'S which are now perplexing. IRISH FARMING EFFICIENCY. There is much food for reflection for the American farmer in a state ment of crop and produce conditions which has just come from Ireland. It serves to emphasize once more our wastefulness, and inefficiency. The report discloses that there are 608, 074 farms In the country. Of this number 8S.133 are of no greater size than one acre. The farms run from that up to fifty acres, a farm of that size being the limit. On this they raise an immense quantity of potatoes. The yield for 1913 is shown to have averaged about 200 bushels to the acre. The very best we can do is 110 bushels to the acre. Some Americans do better than that, but many do worse and 110 makes the average. Conditions do not favor the potato in Ireland more than In the farming districts of the United States. The difference is one of meth ods. Nor is the potato all the Irish grow. On their frugal farms they produce such vegetables as they need, grain, hay," fruit, flax and have land left for pasturage. Of course we have not so pressing a population that we are forced to make such intensive use of the land. Yet the example shows us what we could do if we had to. It is in striking contrast to see the Irish gardener thriving on his acre and jthe Amer ican eking out but a wretched ex istence on ten. twenty or sixty. Thou sands of American farmers have al ready learned the lesson and im proved their methods but thousands remain who have yet to learn. A RECORD OF MISREPRESENTATION . One phase in the campaign of the promoters of the U'Ren measures that deserves severe condemnation is their failure to stick to facts in their argu ments. Among these promoters Mr. U'Ren is perhaps the worst trans gressor. The other day in a speech he declared that the diamonds in which a man has ' invested" $5000 are exempt from taxation. Yet the facts are that only diamonds in use are exempt. "Invest." in relation to financial transactions, always means the laying out of money with the ex pectation of deriving profit. Dia monds held for sale are subject to taxation. Mr. U'Ren now. retorts in a letter published today that 'we are quibbling over the w ord "Invest." It is not quibbling over a word when the choice of that term gives an untrue meaning to what Is said. That Mr. U'Ren inadvertently said "Invest" when he -meant "spend" would be a more plausible explanation had he not committed various other misrepresen tations in connection with his propa ganda. In the same speech which contains the foregoing inaccuracy he asserted that not since he came to Ofegon had there been to exceed eight Democrats in the Legislature. This was used as an argument for adoption of proportional representa tion. The facts are that there were thirteen regular Democrats in the 1903 Legislature and three "non-partisans" who voted with the Demo crats. In the 1903 Legislature there were fifteen Democrats and in the 1909 Legislature thirteen. Earlier in the campaign an argu ment bearing the signature of W. S. ITReft among others appeared in be half of the $1500 exemption. In this It was stated that the rich man's nutnTrinhllo is exemnt from taxation. It was an assertion wholly false, as reference to the statutes ana me thousands of machines listed on the tax rolls proves. in the same areument it was averred that accounts, notes and mortgages are exempt in most coun ties in Oregon, in contradiction, me ror-nrric of the State Tax Commission show that notes and accounts are listed by the Assessor in every county but two small ones. Similarly inaccurate is the affirma tive argument, also signed by Mr. U'Ren, in the state pamphlet, on the hnlish the State Senate. Among the unwarranted assertions therein is the one that tne atate Senate is an imitation of the British House of Lords," and the statement that Norway has a single house Legis lature. Characteristic therefore is the state ment by Mr. U'Ren in his letter today in relation to a oumorted list of per sons in Portland whose household exemption amounts to more tnan $3000 each. "Many of these persons," he says, "have an exemption of many dollars in the bank under Section 3574 Lord's Oregon Laws.'' The truth, is tnat section 3574 is a dead letter in Portland so fay a cnidincr the Assessor in as sessing banks or money Is concerned. Not a dollar is exempted irom tax ation under its provisions. The section in Question provides a method for assessing the property of associations, loan companies ana tne Hire which are not incorporated as banks, yet do a banking business. The section provides that the deposits in Buch Institutions are not to be taxed against the bank. But the Assessor's records show that not at single asso ciation exists in Portland that comes nnier the nrovislons of the section. There are a few unincorporated asso ciations that have tne word -Dana In their title but none of them carry- deposits. It may be said here tnat no DanKs pay taxes on their deposits. If they were compelled to do so there would be no deposits and consequently no banks. The law contemplates that that money shall be assessed to the owner. Money in bank is legally tax able to the owner the depositor but it is only the man with the acute conscience who permits the Assessor to know that he possesses It. Rich and poor alike avoid paying taxes on money. The only states that have ever succeeded in collecting taxes on monev- In fair DroDortlon to the amount in existence are those states which place a very low rate on it. Under the uniform rule in Oregon it must be taxed at the full rate. In Portland the man or woman who has savings in bank at 3 or 4 per cent interest or on current deposit natural ly objects to paying 2.7 per cent in taxes on it. If existing law were en forceable against current accounts and if it were enforced, the depositors would certainly withdraw their money from bank and sequester it in safety deposit boxes or buried tin cans. .Mr. U'Ren is ambiguous in his statement that "men who have ob tained laws under which they are legally exempt on values anywhere from $5000 to $100,000 are showing-1 a mighty mean spirit when they op pose allowing the farmer and the little home-owner such a compara tively small trifle as $1500 ex emption." He apparently is referring either to the unincorporated-bank law (Section 3574 L. O. L.) or to the household exemption law. Nobody can tell which. If the former, his argument is unwarranted, for there is no exemption under it. If the lat ter, it is only necessary to quote his own assertion that "No one class can make the law in Oregon now. It was not so before (he initiative and refer endum." The household exemption was adopted by the people. We can see but one purpose in the general tone and many misrepresen tations in Mr. U'Ren's arguments in behalf of his several measures. He is endeavoring to excite class prejudice where there is no justification for It. His measures are Socialistic and he adopts Socialist tactics in an attempt to gain them favor. r v. s Wood's oDtimistic predlc tlon that tffe present war "will bring about a disarmament qf the nations would be more cheering if it did not fly so boldly in the face of history. Warn of conquest have often brought disarmament and peace by destroying the fighting power of the vanquished but other wars have simply bred crops of hatred and revenge leading on to fresh bloodshed. The Franco Prussian war of 1870 was typical in this respect. "Romantic incidents" and miraculous escapes will multiply in the imagina tions of gossips as the war proceeds. The company of naked British Hus sars who stood off an attack of Ger man cavalry, at a place not named, did pretty well but we shall read of much more astonishing feats of valor in a day or two. If real armies could fight its well as imaginary soldiers do wars would be brief, though terribly sanguinary. The proposal to cultivate England's idle land as a war measure may lead to permanent good results. The "Space for his lakes, his parks, ex tended bounds, space for his horses, equipage and hounds" which the British magnate now withholds from productive use would go far toward feeding the nation if it were wisely tilled. Once brought under cultiva tion it would hardly be allowed to re lapse into uselessness again. Colonel Wood is a. West Pointer and was too young to be engaged in the Civil War. If he had been old enough fifty years ago he would have been inflamed by the inherent patriot ism he decries in the youth of Eu rope. Though striving to put himself in the aged class, Colonel Wood is not old enough for counsel. The death of Mrs. Fairchild in a hospital two hours after being hit by a motorcycle emphasizes the need of vigilance in crossing a street. The rule to look first to the left and when past the middle to the right is simple and safeguards the pedestrian when followed. It is devoutly to be hoped Kitch ener is not a prophet. A three-years' war, with killings at the rate made in the last three weeks, will leave Eu rope with nothing but noblemen, derelicts and cripples and hopeless women and children. The outcome of the pending elec tion in Oregon is fixed in the public mind. Interest in political matters waned with the war and will not be revived until it is ended. Germany is arming boys from 16 to 19 years of age and Austria has called out even her old men. The Teutons seem intent on fighting the thing to a finish. Peasants in Belgium were com pelled to halt their work and dig graves for 2000 soldiers. And that sort of work has barely commenced. If Kitchener is right and the war lasts three years Europe will be but a shadow of itself when the thing is finally ended. London waiters have gone to the front en masse. Wonder if the Gen eral has to tip them to make them fight? With the football season approach ing the gridiron hero will shine but dimly these warlike times. The non-fighting nations will sus tain a steady pull for Red Cross funds it the war lasts three years. Columbia River salmon have, too, become deluded into thinking their troubles are over. Diamonds are going to be dearer. Another obstacle in the way of Fall engagements. The men are led on by the lust of fighting. The real bitterness falls upon the women. The bombarding off Coos Bay Is referred to Captain McGenn for in vestigation. If wheat goes much higher the Oregon hen will subsist on breakfast food. It's so dry our bones are beginning to rattle. Are the Japs and Germans In ac tion off our coast or is Coos Bay hear ing things? Of course there is the chance that the German machine will overtax itself. t Once more let us thank the men who gave us Bull Run water. We may get a glimpse of a big bat tle off the Oregon coast yet. Dumdum bullets and Zeppelin bombs are in the same class. The Turk is gazing with horror at the work of the Christians. Perhaps Kitchener used the Boer war as basis for figures. So far we have heard nothing of the French sang frold. This will be known as the year of the big drouth. Make the idle men work or move. AUGUST 27, 1914. Then and Now AiiR-st 27, 1014. Fifty-five years ago today the first driven oil well In the United States began to give up Us precious fluiii. The event marked an epoch in the Illumination of the world and the be ginning of many huge fortunes. The chief illuml nants of that day were sperm, or whale, oil, retail ing at $2.25 a gal lon; "Camphene," a derivative of turpentine and very liable to ex plosion: "coal oil," 1 obtained from coal and Scotch bog head, sellintr at about $2 a gallon. How to light the home and work shop cheaply was i serious econom ic jiroblem. It was that argument that influenced two Connecticut financiers to ad vance $1000 to "Colonel" Edwin L Drake. ,who proposed to drill an oil well near Pithole. Pa., whern for generations the local residents had been gather ing oil as it float ed on the surfaces of creeks and pools. Drake be gan work In 1857. His early attempts resulted in fail ure; his financiers refused more money and his workmen desert ed. His scheme became the joke of the country side. "He might as well drill for w h I s k e y," r e -marked one rural spectator. When on the verge of starvation, Drake finally secured financial aid from Pennsyl vanians and re sumed his opera tions. Months passed. Several drilling methods proved fruitless, until he sank a six-Inch Iron pipe. At a depth of 71 feet the pioneer finally found traces of oil, and the next morning the liquid was found flowing lib erally upon the ground. It waBthe, beginning or one of the greatest of modern industries. Today the oil wells of the Unit ed States are an nually producing nearly two-thirds of the crude pe troleum consumed throughout the world. The yield reaches the enor mous total of about 10.000,000, 000 gallons a year with a wholesale value estimated at $500,000,000. They have created the greatest single fortune it the world, Rockefel ler's. Scores of other multimil lionaires owe their present wealth to the sticky fluid. Oil has called into existence huge webs of pipe lines, aggregating more than 25,000 miles in length, which convey the crude product of the oil wells to the refin eries, where it is transformed into Its many forms of commerce gaso line, naptha. ther apeutic ointments arfO jellies, lllu m i n a 1 1 n g oils, greases and poi sonous dyes. It has created great fleets of specially designed oll-car-rving vessels that sail the seven seas distributing the" product of . American oil wells to all parts of the earth. In the guise of gasoline It Is driving the mil lions of automo miles through the world. It supplies the power for ves sels and railroad engines. It has driven wax and tallow candles from the market by substl t u 1 1 n g one of its by-products, paraffin, which is made up annually into 300. 000.000 candles of more than 700 dif ferent varieties. A 1WKRE TECHNICALITY, HE SAYS. Mr. I'Rea Laeu WronK Word In Re ferring to Tax F.xemptiotj. OREGON CITY. Or.. Aug. 6. (To the Editor.) Referring to your editorial criticism, if I had used the word "spend" instead of "invest," it would have been technically correct. But vou are quibbling over the word. A man does not necessarily expect money profit on all his investments. Jt is not at all unusual for a person to invest savings In diamonds and uther Jewelry because their use is not only a source of pleasure, but he can always turn them Into money without trouble. Does The Oregonian know of a dia mond or any other jewelry outside of a merchant's stock, that is assessed for taxes since the exemption law of 1912? I have a list of 42 persons In Portland whose exemption of house hold goods, diamonds, etc.. is more than $3000 each under the law of 1912. Many of these persons have an exemp tion of m;my thousands of dollars of money In the banks under section 3574, Lord's Oregon Laws. -This is true of nearly Sll the wealthy people I know who constitute the Non-Partisan League and the opposition to the $100 exemption for farmers and home owners. Perhaps I am wrong, but it seems to me that men who have ob tained laws under which they are leealiv exemnt on values anywhere from $5000 to $100,000 are snowing a mighty mean spirit when they opposo allowing the farmer and the little homo owner such a comparative trifle as $1500 exemption of the things he must have to live and with which to get a living. I am not promoting class warfare, but leave that kind of work to The Oregonlan, the Non-Partisan League and their kindred spirits who are try ing to maintain the old system of minority government in Oregon In stead of providing for majority rule. Senator Lane's election In 1912 by less than 31-100 of the voters Is a practical illustretion of minority rule under the plurality system. All my efforts in politics Is and has been for measures tending to remove the causes tnat produce class hatred and warfare. The initiative, referen dum, direct election of United States Senators, proportional representation, short ballot, preferential voting, all tend towards making class warfare impossible. No one class can make the law in Oregon now. It was not so before the Initiative and referendum was adopted. When the people adopt proportional representation, the short ballot and preferential voting by the first, sec ond and other choices method. It will be impossible for any class to elect an official in Oregon unless that class comprises within itself more than one half of all the voters In the state. From that time laws will be made and enforced In Oregon solely for what the majority believes to be the general welfare of all tho people. W. S. U'REN. Section 3574, referred to by Mr. U'Ren as giving the rich an exemption on money In bank, is that portion of the tax law which specifies the method of assessing associations, not Incor porated as banks, which do a banking business. There are none such In Portland which receive deposits. Not one dollar Is legally exempt under this law. Killed In Battle. ELM A Wash.. Aug. 25. (To the Edi tor.) Please give the largest number of men killed in any one battle In the Civil War, and the largest number In any battle outside the Civil War. J. J. IRWIN. The losses in killed and mortally wounded were greatest at Gettysburg of the battles of the Civil War. The total, both sides, was 32,865; in addition 5434 Union soldiers wero reported miss ing and 5150 Confederates captured and missing. Tho losses In the battle of Mukden in the Russo-Japanese war were the greatest in modern history. The Rus sian losses are estimated at 97,000; Jap anese, 40,000 to 50,000. NO REAL VALUE IN EXPERIMENT Writer Falls to See Benefit to Mankind In Kno-fle' Demonstration. PORTLAND. Aug. 26. (To the Edi tor.) In The Oregonian recently ov. r John W. Ellsworths signature ap peared the statement that the experi ment of Knowles "Is a grandly u. I 'l lesson to al the sons and datthUl I of Adam and Eve," and that "there is no doubt of the valuo to mankind it this demonstration." I cannot see It in this light at all. I cannot see wherein it is useful in any degree to me, nor in what way 1 could turn It and apply it to be of any assistance whatever In the ordinary life of the ordinary modern man. what does Knowles' experience argue that js of constructive sociologlc value? It doesn't prove he could support a wife and raise a family or do anything really worth while, except Just a and just where, In a warm and favorable clime, our ancestors long yeara ago wrought out these problems through disaster and suffering and defeat through the winged years. At under what an awful disadvan tage Knowles labored and what's the use the good of it when the. ordinary man has found BO many better ways? Why go backward' when there Is bo much ahead? We are, as some one has said, but standing on the sea shore of knowledge, picking up here and there a bright pebble, while the great DC of truth, unexplored, lies before us. The last time I hunied thrmiith the country where Mr. Knowles "experi mented" it was in the company of a giant mountaineer 240 pounds of heme and muscle. 6 feet 2 inches, clean In heart and life, who knew the ways of the forest and mountains by Instinct, but It was no uncertain experiment with him. He had a sound piece of steel with a little hole In It fastened n a Crooked stick that n fellow by the name of Winchester made for him. and he had a pocketful of round brass do funnies with little lead dodads stuck In the end of them and we had not gone 20 minutes from romp on the next morning after we got up Into that country until we came out Into a mountain meadow and there, about 100 yards away, feeding, were the finest two bucks 1 had ever seen wild. As they saw us they started to run. and, by tho way. no real hunter down there shoots at a deer unless he l running and Henry put this crooked Btlck up to his left shoulder and one of the aforesaid lead dodade went through the heart of number one, and then changed the butt of said stick to his right shoulder and In lee time than I could count them put three pellets all In the Jaw and head of number two, while the buck was run ning aB only a scared buck can through a scattering growth of timber. I dressed the deer and know. The beau tiful five points of dear number two hang In my den today. In 10 days S bucks and grouse and fish till we got tired of them and quit. And dried venison all Winter for our families. What show did Knowles stand? And -.Kc. the h when the Winchester estate is still making those crooked sticks? m , Take a big. husky Adam and peel him down to the skin and furnish him an Eve, ready made: give them a dowry of two generous fig leaves sunt up from California and turn them adrift on Fifth and Washington street, un der the rules that governed Knowles, for 30 days, and if a modern man re duced to primitive conditions could meet his responsibilities surrounded by modern conditions, this might teach us "the valuo of clean, upright, fear less living, and might help BOlve some real problems for the ordinary man." Maybe we could get Knowles to trv it this Winter. . O. G. HUGHSON. OI R LESSON FROM El'ROPKAN " 1 Need to Fonter Home Indimtry Become IMalnrr as Conflict ITorreee. PORTLAND, Aug. 23. (To the Edi tor.) While the American people are, of course, intensely Interested in the European war as a war, the great drift of speculation seems to be more particularly as to whether or not that war will help or hinder the United States commercially. The preponder ance of opinion seems to be that the war, if It shall last long, will hamper our prosperity. That would be a great disaster indeed, for our prosperity at present 'is thin enough as It la. But there are some who believe that the deplorable war in Europe la going to be a means of teaching us a lesson in homo Industry that will completely overshadow everything else we may learn from it. We have already been brought up with a short jerk to learn that we have so far been a bartering nation who have lived by buying an alarming amount of the necessaries of life from abroad and trading them among our- The ehemlc.tl market has been completely upset by the sudden discov ery that it is now almost whihvmij dependent on importation. Wo need not go that far, however, in demonstration of the point. We may take that simple article of commerce, the potato. I believe the statistics show that we waste over a million bushels of potatoes each year. At the same time the statistics also show that we Import something over a million bush els of potatoes per annum. At the same time as we delve further into those statistics we find that In ler many they prevent the waste of a sur plus potato crop by making them Into chips. And If I am not mistaken, we buy large quantities of those chip. 1 presume If we could not Import them we would not eat them at all. There has been no end of writing in the past about our preference for things im ported, but it has done little good, for our perversion In that respect has been sheer insanity. Our predilection for things Imported has been as stubborn as is tho Democratic tendency further to hamper our manufacture by per mitting the products of cheap labor to come here free of duty, and has been the only possible excuse for a reckless reduction in the tariff. If the European war continue any considerable time we are to learn the hard tact that we will have to produce a larger part of the necessities of life which wo have been importing, and what 1b more Important we will be forced to keep the millions which we have been sending away for such Im ports, and thus add to our prosperity. J. A. CLKMENSON. Requtrementa of t'omoenaatlon Law. luvnnri rr Aner. "5. (To the Ed- Itor.) Kindly inform me whether It ia compulsory to pav a tuna to tne Industrial Accident Lommirraon on - e v,e workman's compensation law I have been but a short time here, and am not versed on this sub j . ........ have told mc that it la optional with parties concerned wheth er thev pav it or noi. er tney p n subscriber. i workman engaged in the employ ments named in the act may elect not to receive its benefits or coninome iu the fund by filing written notice with hi. emnlover at least 30 days prior to June 30 in any year; or If newly em ployed, by filing notice upon commenc ing work. A r e ml lover mav elect not to come under the act by filing written notice .rth the Industrial Accident UommiB- ot Salem. Or., within GO days of June 30 of any year; or If he ha newly engaged in business by filing sucn no tice within 10 days after becoming nn emDlover. The latter' employes have 15 days in which to give notice. When wr itten rejections are notineu. employers and workmen In hazardous employments automatically become subject to the provisions of the law. Twenty-Five Year Ago Vrom The Oroonln Avn"i . ' James Steel. alml nlt i atnr of UN estate of the late Hen llollx.lay. oM at public auction In from of (ho Court" house yesterday Ihe clHlm of IL.IIa day against the Government ot M9 000 for Indian depredation -mint : t ed on his overland stage daring the ttMM the redskin were i numei .u ;ei eral Kufu lugall. executor of tha rstate of Mrs. Esther H.dUday, pur chase.! the claim for $7Ju and will en deavor to get something nut of II for Ben and Linda llolladay. Tillamook City, Or.. Aug. I'er hap no part of Oregon ':as had more rapid growth during; the pusl year than that enjoyed by thl OOUMty. Within th.it period the trl-weeUly mail service by way of North Yamhill ha develop, d Into a dnlly carriage. Astoria, Aug. 26 Mesr.r Adam, Holconib and party arrived on tha Reid yesterday morning ami im mediately trnnaferred to the George H. Memlell. going down to see the Fort Stevens Jetty. Mr. Adam, Mr. 1 1 l comb and Mr. Smith concurred In the statement that they were taking all the preliminary steps necessary fur the building , of a railroad te Astoria al cooti a possible. Chief Morgan atate thl he hae been looking Up different plan for a lircboat B he feel confident that th Joint committee from Portland, BMC Portland and Alhlna will decide to have one built at once. Chehalla, Wash., Aug. 2. Ex-Judge Wlngard. now of Olympla. I here looking after hi nomination for Mti perter Judge. The other aplrnt are Moody of Monteann, Root. Robtnon and I'orter of Olympla, and Yodar of Chehalla. O. W. Lynch, aeneral manager of the Portland Cnhle Hallway OmipM.v. returned ycMerday from a tht-ea weeks' trip to Han Franciaco In tha Interests of the company. Work on the cable road hua been delayed on account of failure of material to ir rlve. He la promised 1250 feet !f '.'t and rail this week, which will enable work to bo resumed on the hill the nrst of next week and carried to com pletion, and the line will be flnthed to the foot of the trestle In about two week. Half a Century Ago From Th Oroaontan. Aurut ST. lo4. Would It not be a pious Idea f.r the city to erect aultable hed on Front atreet and other prominent localities and charge a "hit" a head for horses and oxen kapt feedlne during tho day while the ownara go about town to do their trading? Previous to the adjournment of the Council on Thursday evening. J. J. Hoffman was choaen to nil the vacancy occasioned In the Second Ward hv the resignation of Councilman Oood nough on the 21st tilt. Fort Kearney. Neb., Aug 12. The Overland Ktajto Company have removed all their agents, stock and coach to this post for protection. There I. not m white Inhabitant between here and Denver. All have fled to thl pimt nr protection. The country around Denver Is reported swarming with hovtlla Indiana. The road between here and Omaha la almost entirely deaerted by the white. except at two fortlfled posta, Columbus and Fort Curtis. The following are the appointments made by the annual Methodist Epis copal conference lately In seaalon at Salem, for the Willamette dletrli i: William Roberta, presiding elder; Por t, land, D. Rutledge; Milwaukle. C. II. Hall: East Tualatin, J. F. Do Vor-e; Hlllatioro, O. C. Roe: Dayton and Lafayotte, N. A. Starr; Salem, laaac. Dillon: Dallaa, G. H. Greer; Rock Creek, Edward A. Judklna; Oregon City, C C. atratton; Clear Creek. V. I. t'osper; Vancouver, H. K. Hlner.; St. Helens and Cowlitz, J 8. Doug; William J. Franklin, leanun chaplain to the porta of Astoria and Portland; H. C. Benson, editor Pacific Christian Advocate. COLUMBIA IIK-II WAY GOOD WORK Mr. I'Tlede (ompllmenta Roadmaater Yeora on Ilia Effort. PORTLAND. Aug. 26 (To the Edi tor.) I had the pleasure and good for tune recently to accompany a party headed by Construction Engineer John B. Yeon, going over the Columbia, Highway, and I feel as if many of our citizens like myself, before going over the road, fall to appreciate the vat work being done and the poalble re sults therefrom. We found a roadway of 24 feet width, with no grade ex ceeding five per cent, overcoming what almost ieemed a mountain fatnee. It Is built In a moat ubBtantlnl manner, with retaining walla and bridge, ex tremely artistic, and to endure for cen turies. The scenic effects will become world wide In renown and It fame will at tract tourlBta and travelers a today Europe Is attracting the hundred of thousands annually. It will not only be ot great value to Multnomah ('"iiri ty, but prove an asset to the entire state. While other government are building roadwaya to facilitate the movement of troopa to abaorb their neighboring countries, ours la a road built for the ennobling of mankind and to give posterity the genlua of our civilization, led by auch a noble and patriotic citizen as John B. Yeon, w rl la making great aacrlflcea of tlni, money and comfort for the puhll. ge d. LKOTHIKMi: ItnnnlrK' lllraute Trouble. PORTLAND. Aug. 26 (To the Editor.)-'-! noticed la The Oregonlan that Joo Knowlea Wan unabla to haw il'ir- ing the. so day- forest expartaaet Me might have adopted the American In dian method. It ib ald wfcefl that gen tleman wished a shave he applied a Mr balsam pl:i:ter to hi cliln I re pelled his squaw to pull it off. Inci dentally removing the beard with Ihe plaster. When the pain anno w. I the chieftain, he relieved hla feeling by giving his wife a good beating. But. for Joe. thl method might have failed, there being no party of the nr.--ond part to whom he could apply for relief from hi oer wrought feeling. E. J H. scope of Monroe Dortrlnr. PORTLAND. Arrg. 25.- -'To the Kdl tor ) Please Inform whether the Mon roe Doctrine appllo to the Pa.-lfiO Ocean and to Asia. INyCIRKK It applies only to the Western Hemi sphere. - Production and Profit No article I worth while con sidering M a product unlea it can be marketed at a profit. That means finding aatlafaclory sales at the lowest polble cot. It mean the elimination of wte the ' reduction of overhead ex penses. Newspaper advert laing I the Na tional market maker becaUM It reaches a definite, concrete, com pact purchnalng power. It eliminate waste and Its coste are low. It ha a double pull for the man ufacturer because It Infniem e the local dealer as well a the great purchasing public.