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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 1914)
THE MORNTNG OREGON'TAJf, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3. 1914 8 FOKTLA.ND, OKEGON. entered at Portland. Oregcn. Poetofflce a Second-class matter. Subscription Rates Invariably In Advance (By Mall) Daily, Sunday Included, one year Daily, Sunday Included, six months Dally, Sunday Included tnree montne. . w--.. , . .Uj ... . ., uus - - Cai.y. without Sunday, one year J-jy Daily, without Sunday, an months ? Daily, without Sunday, three month..- a," Dally, without Sunday, one month -VI WeekJy. one year H5 Cunriav nn, i.- 2.50 fcundnv' and Weelclv. nni vear .... 3.a0 (BY CARRIER; Dally, Sunday Included, one year 0-? DSllv. Rimdiv included 'one month.... Una In Rmlt Send Poatoffice money or der. express order or personal check on yur local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Give Postolfice address in Including county and state. Postage Bates 12 to 16 pages. 1 cent; IS to 12 pages, 2 cents; 34 to 48 pages, 3 cents; 10 to 60 pages, 4 cents; 62 to 76 pages, a cents: 78 tc 92 pages, cents. Foreign post age, double rates. : Fakl,rn ki.in.L. Cilflr Verreft & ConH- lln, -New York, Brunswick building. Chi cago, iteger building. San Francisco Oltice R. J. BldweU Co. Market street. POUT LAND, TflTRSDAT. SEPT. 3, 1814. AliUlL DANGER OF WAR. When war has destroyed or im paired the credit of the principal Eu ropean nations and has caused prac tically all international business to be done on a gold basis, the production of gold should naturally be stimulat ed, yet gold mining has been hit as hard as other industries. The reason ia that the principal chemical used in extracting gold from ore is cyanide of potassium; that we are largely de pendent on Germany for that com modity, a,nd that our supply is shut off by the blockade of German ports. Hence gold mining is obstructed be cause Germany is at war. We hate a good market for textile products and should hve a better one, for our mills should supply the markets which have hitherto been held by the belligerent nations. But American mills depend on Germany for dyes. Therefore expansion of our textile Industry is obstructed by the blockade caused by Germany's wars. Even the price of type has gone up because we depend on imported an timony. Our present tariff is based on the theory that it does not matter where we buy any commodity; that we have the whole world to draw on and have the whole world as a market. Ex perience proves that, if we depend on any foreign country for any commo dity, our supply may be cut off at any time by war and that our industries may be seriously embarrassed. In order to be independent of wars in which we have no part, our only safe course is to develop at home a supply of every raw material to be found in this country. While an industry is in its infancy, its product may cost a little more under that policy than if we derived our supply from abroad, but we shall always have it, war or no to:. Secretary of the Interior Lane, al though he has a leaning toward free trade, has seen the bearing of the present war on our tariff polioy. He says the war will benefit us by mak ing our people realize the value of our mineral resources and utilize them in expanding our industries. We may become independent of imports by developing our own neglected resources. The present crisis shows that there Is as much danger in flying to the one extreme of tariff for revenue only as there was in going to the other extreme of excessive protection. Many men -who have hitherto been inclined toward free trade are now turning to the policy of a scientific tariff which would give moderate protection to all industries proportionate to the differ ence between home and foreign cost of production and which would stim ulate development of neglected re sources. Such a tariff could be de vised only by a non-partisan commis sion and would satisfy neither the claimant to excessive protection nor the champion of free trade. A tariff commission should lift the tariff as completely above politics as the rail road Question is being lifted to the higher plane of semi-Judicial deter-' mination by the Interstate Commerce Commission. NOT EXPLAINED. Mr. U'Ren has not corrected his inaccuracy by blaming it on the re porter of his official organ. He says his statement was that there had not been more than eight Democrats in the lower House since he came to Oregon or in a period of twenty years. In 1899 there were twenty-four mem bers of the Legislature who were not Republicans. How they were distri buted between the houses is not a matter of available record. But in 1901 there were twenty-three Demo crats in the Legislature, sixteen of whom were Representatives, or double In number the maximum Mr. U'Ren fixes. In 1903 there were eleven Democrats in the House and in 1905 there were ten. Those who read his letter today will remark, if their memory be good, that Mr. U'Ren has not attempted to reply to the main charges concerning his misrepresentations in behalf of his measures. He excuses his state ment that the State Senate is an imi tation of the English House of Lords by saying that it is an imitation of our National Senate which was in tended to represent wealth as well as the states, and was an imitation of the House of Lords, which was in tended to represent wealth and the nobility. But, whatever the original intent in creating the National Sen ate, it does not represent an aristoc racy of wealth or birth and did not at the time the Oregon Senate was cre ated. Moreover, neither the National nor the State Senate has hereditary or life memberships such as prevail In the House of Lords, while their powers and functions widely differ from the latter's. There Is no honest excuse for the statement that the Oregon Senate is an imitation of the Bouse of Lords. Norway, which, Mr. U'Ren reiter ates, has a single house parliament, makes no distinction in members in the mere matter of election. They are chosen as if they were all to sit in one chamber. But after convening they separate into two houses and do busi ness, with only slight variations, as do other bi-cameral legislative bodies. These are facts that may be con firmed by ready references in the Public Library. But as to the graver misrepresenta tions in support of his pet measure, the $1500 exemption amendment. Mr. TTRen is silent. He does not "explair?" his untrue statement that automobiles are not taxed, or his false assertion that notes and accounts are exempt In moat counties in Oregon, or his unwarranted charge that the rich men of Portland have a legal exemption on money in bank. The Oregonian insists that the ar guments for proportional representa tion. Senate abolishment and the tl500 exemption ought to be founded on absolute truths. Attempt to gain votes by arousing prejudices is an im moral practice in itself. It is quite likely to lead to excesses in misrepre sentation or displays of ignorance. It seems to have done so in Mr. U'Ren's case. CONDEMNING HIS OM'N RECORD. PORTLAND. Sept. 2. (To ttie Editor) Referring to the record of Dr. C. J. Smith as State Senator In The Sunday Oregonian I consider his votes on the different meas ures highly commendatory. Your paper sup ported many of these measures and their passage was advocated editorially by you. How do you reconcile your condemnation and criticism of Dr. Smith's record while supporting for the Legislature such gentle men as Ben Selling, John Gill and Dr. An drew C. Smith, who were In the Legislature at the same time aa Dr. Smith and voted as he did. All three were members a part or all the time Dr. 8mlth was there and a reference to the Senate Journal will con firm above statement. Do you consider it fair for The Oregonian to condemn Dr. Smith for doing the things for which you commend Mr. Selling, Mr. Gill and Dr. An drew Smith? G. Y. HARRY. The Oregonian seriously questions the accuracy of the statement made by this correspondent that the three Multnomah County delegates voted aa Dr. Smith (C. J.) as State Senator voted. For example. Dr. Smith voted for every appropriation bill at the session of 190B, except on the one or two occasions when he was absent. The record does not disclose a single measure to which he registered his opposition. If any other Senator has such a record. The Oregonian would like to know who he was. But of course Mr. Harry oes not state correctly The Oregonian's expo sition of State Senator Smith's legis lative record. The issue is not as to whether the legislative appropriations were Justified, but whether Dr. Smith as a candidate has a right to criticise the Legislature for making them. If Candidate Smith seeks to prove that Legislatures have been extrava gant, it is pertinent to show what State Senator Smith did as a legis lator and how far he contributed to the legislative record which he now assails. It is also pertinent to inquire whether Candidate Smith, in approv ing Governor Chamberlain's vetoes of twenty-four appropriation bills, also condemns State Senator Smith for his failure to vote no on more than four of the vetoed bills. The Oregonian is obliged to Mr. Harry for his open defense of the Smith votes in the Legislature. Why has not Candidate Smith the courage to do for himself what his friend frankly does for him? PAYING THE FIDDLER. Twelve states of the Union have no debts. Bills payable in the others range from trifling sums to heavy burdens. In Massachusetts and Arl sona the state debts are per capita larger than the United States debt. If any city in the country is free from bonds and floating obligations its name is unknown to fame. Most of them have large debts which are steadily growing larger. Bonds are Issued frequently without a thought how they are to be paid. Some great financiers even tell us that they never ought to be paid. In their opinion the bigger a city's debt the more abundant its prosperity. They excel the shrewdness of Becky Sharp, who solved the problem of "living on noth ing a year." They boldly propose to the cities of the land to live on the Interest of their debts. But municipal obligations are a trifle compared with the great Na tional burdens, the consequences of war, rumors of wr and warlike prep arations. A competent authority has reckoned the present national debts of Europe at one-tenth of all its wealth. A man worth $10,000 owes at least $1000 to the national creditors. These debts were ruinously heavy before the war broke out. Before It ends they will all be immensely In creased. Russia began hostilities by an issue of paper money. Germany had a considerable horde of gold in store, but how long will it last? When it is gone the Kaiser must follow the Czar's example and set his printing presses at work manufacturing money unless he can borrow. The borrowing power of the belligerent nations has pretty nearly reached its limit. Of course it will depend somewhat on the way victory inclines, but there are lew financiers who care to risk a great deal more of their resources on the chances of war. The purse strings of the world are visibly tightening as the armies fight and the cities in their path are burned. The world's credit diminishes with every bomb that falls from an aeroplane and every building that is set on fire. Is it conceivable that the peoples of Europe will forever con sent to pay interest -on debts created to make holidays for their rulers? Who would be bold enough to predict the financial consequences of the war? THE GREATER PARCEL POST. The fifty-pound limit on parcel post shipments goes far to blight all efforts to connect consumers with producers by that medium. Food cannot be snipped in small parcels except on a scale so trifling that it scarcely af fects prices in city markets. Of course the quantity brought in by farmers in their carts has still less effect. It is a great convenience to housewives to buy fresh food at pub lic markets, but unless some arrange ments are made to ship in food by the carload and proper storage facili ties provided the advantages are largely illusory. The parcel post will not confer its full and proper benefits upon the public until it has been greatly ex tended. Not merely fifty pounds or a hundred or a thousand should be admitted to shipment, but entire trainloads. This is the logical out come of the system and the sooner it Is attained the better for the country. As matters stand, apples cannot be shipped to Portland by parcel post with any advantage to producer or consumer. This single fact suffi ciently illustrates the disappointing nature of the system as it stands. Chicago has begun an agitation for an enlarged parcel post in the hope of lower prices for food. The whole country should unite for the same purpose. We never shall see reason able prices for country produce again until the man who raises it Is brought in touch with the one who consumes it,, and this Is possible only through Government agencies. We have tried the middleman in all his transformations and have found him a complete failure. His touch raises prices as if by magic, lowers quality and discourages production. There is no sound reason why the Government should stop half way on the road to public service through the parcel post. The first step has been taken, but it is a short one and leaves us far from the goal. What we need is a postal service that will accept train loads as willingly as small parcels. A few months ago people smiled at the thought of sending a peck of potatoes by mail. Such transactions are per fectly familiar now. It will not be many years before trainloads will be quite as common under postage stamps. CALIFORNIA REGAINS ITS SENSES. The Republican party is about to regain its old supremacy in California, if we may take the incomplete returns of the recent primary election as a guide. The full vote will not be as certainable until the official canvass Is completed about September 16, but Df 340,437 votes for Governor counted within a couple of days after the elec tion 175,639 were Republican, 85,990 Democratic and 78,808 Progressive. That the Republicans can safely count on the votes cast for Governor is implied by the fact that only a few hundred more were cast for Senator. The Democratic and Progressive vote combined is less than that of the Re- publicans alone. The total primary vote is expected to be about 700,000, and the San Francisco Chronicle estimates that later registration and campaign ac tivities will bring up the total vote at the election in November to about 1,000.000. The partial, primary re turns indicate that the Republicans will poll 500,000 of these votes and will carry the election. The Pro gressive party, which In 1912 did not even leave the Republican party its name, seems likely to drop into third place. California has been swift to repent it political aberration, experience with third party rule has shown per formance to fall far short of promise and disenchantment has followed. The Progressive wave rose highest In California and its recession there forecasts the definite retirement of the party as an active political force In the Nation. THE LOST ART OF MARKETING. Marketing is a lost art. In days of yore, those golden days of good living and low prices, the housewife rose with the lark, arrayed herself in a lovely gown and with bright eyes and rosy cheeks betook herself to the market or the store to buy the day's dinner. Bewitching was the picture she made as she moved from stall to stall choosing the best cuts, the fresh est vegetables, the most savory rel ishes for the delectation of the dear ones at home. The merchant read thrift and shrewdness in her spar kling blue eyes. Were his conscience never so lax, he dared not stint weights with that pellucid gaze fixed upon him and his scales. If he tried to slip in a second best steak at. the price of the first, prompt justice descended upon him. No wan and withered sweet corn for the ta bles of those blest days, no chickens venerable with age and the vicissi tudes of unkindly fortune, no rump steaks passed off for porterhouse, no third-rate tea sold for "our very fin est." The grocer is honest even in these degenerate days, we suppose, but in those happier times he had no chance to be dishonest. The vigilant housewife saw to it that he was not led into temptation. Sad is the change. The up-to-date lady of the house rises at 9 or 10 o'clock reflecting on her last game of bridge or Joy ride instead of her fam ily's needs. The market basket, that symbol of domestic prosperity and conjugal love, reposes in the base ment among broken bottles, worn-out switches and the accounts of the lat est divorce suits. Yawning, she wraps her languid limbs in a silken kimono and indolently she calls up the cook to find out what must be bought for dinner. The cook natural ly makes out the most expensive bill of fare she can contrive, since she gets a commission on the items. Thus fortified, our fine lady dawdles to the telephone, where she haughtily calls up in succession the grocer, the butcher and the fishman, who take her orders with polite submissiveness and then send her whatever they be lieve she will put up with. No mat ter what they send there is little dan ger of a row and loss of trade because my lady's mind is occupied with other things than food and domestic economy. If the dinner is bad she blames the cook and the cook blames the delivery boy. Marketing by telephone brings in its train a long series of useless ex penses. There is the delivery wagon, for one thing, with its horse and driver, which the dinner table is plun dered to pay for. There is excessive buying, for another. The woman who goes to market and sees what she is getting seldom buys too much. Over the telephone prudence is cast to the winds. Pounds are purchased where ounces would do and the surplus goes to the garbage box or to the cook's cousins. The waste In quality exceeds that in quantity. Even in buying sta ples like tea and sugar the house wife's eye is a wonderful stimulus to the grocer's conscience. When fruit, vegetables and meats are to be bought her stern gaze saves him from innu merable sins both of commission and omission. The telephone is a seduc tive convenience, but it is the deadly foe of the family budget when the wife allows it to do her marketing. How shall we account for the deca dence of the market basket? The primrose path to the telephone doubt less has much to answer for. Fashion has more. Our grandmothers took pride in their shopping ability. They loved bargains. They plumed them selves on their capacity to "set a good table" for little money. Their daugh ters sometimes boast of the amount they waste. Saving has become bad form. Economy is vulgar. The high cost of living is not, as Mr. Hill fa cetiously said, the cost of high living. It is the cost of carelessness and vanity. We live no better today on $500 a month than our fathers did on $100. Part of the difference is accounted for by high prices, but not all of it. To understand the high cost of living we must reckon in the price of vain and indolent neglect of the plainest household duties. Is it too much to hope that American women will re form their bad marketing habits? They never will until they recover from the delusion that they are "un crowned queens." The housewife is not a queen. She Is her husband's business partner. His part is usually to replenish the fam ily purse. Hers is to expend the com mon fund with shrewdness, economy and forethought. When she fails to get her money's worth she makes her husband's task, to. lire harder than, it need be and robs her children of joys they might have with better manage ment. Every penny wasted by tele phone marketing is a penny diverted from legitimate pleasures or held up on its way to the savings bank. It ia the "queenly" view of existence that has made our American women the miserable household managers so many of them are. They refuse to perform their legitimate part in the routine of life. They demand service of every sort, but are unwilling to give fair service in return. This fail ure of reciprocity has unbalanced our National life. It fills the divorce courts, it tempts retail business into dishonesty and it will go far, if it is not reformed, to destroy the home itself. Travelers by automobile do not see much of the country they traverse. They go too fast. Slow travel Is best for the sightseer. Of course, the auto can go slow. It can be brought to a full stop, but it seldom is merely for the sake of natural beauty. Some people are preaching a reform in this matter. Why cannot travelers by auto content themselves with moderate speed and thus permit themselves to enjoy wayside beauties? Vice-President Marshall's confes sion that Mr. Wilson will run to suc ceed himself is superfluous. Of course he will. The Democrats have no other plausible candidate except Mr. Bryan, who is a little over-ripe. Still, if the Wilson-Bryan entente should be rifted within the next few months we might behold the Boy Orator of the Platte running again. The official rainmaker of the Weather Bureau declines to promise anything like a shower "for some time to come." Perhaps we may get the blessing without his help. With so many persons in town who stand in high favor with the rain-producing powers it seems odd that we get so little. What has become of the persons who can obtain rain by pray ing for it? If a foreign foe were to levy a war contribution on the City of New York, who are the four richest men who would guarantee payment and save the metropolis from destruction, as Belgium's four richest men have saved Brussels? J Congressional parsimony in the matter of paying the rural carrier is small business. That official earns his money. He has become an insti tution, Just as has his brother in the city. The 1915 Rose Festival should ex cel all, for the San Francisco Fair visitors will be passing through Port land and will be reinforced by the would-have-been European tourists. Seventy thousand Russians cap tured. Mere squad so far as Russian military resources are concerned. Yet it is larger than the whole mobile army of the United States. The Czar would better desist. "Petrograd" is easy; but wholesale changing of names will put the mind of the copy-reader into the condition that borders on lunacy. xjy umgeuue aim guwu mi iuhc un gress may have a vacation of a month or two. But think of the long vaca tion many of its members will be Secretary McAdoo says no nation has the right to deny the United States right to purchase vessels. But he fails to reckon with our spineless diplomats. China protests to the United States against landing of Japanese troops. Please excuse. We are slightly deaf in one ear and unable to hear in the other. The highwayman with a pistol is dangerous only when he can shoot straight and shooting straight with a pistol is a rare accomplishment. The Russians say they buried 16,000 Austrians in one field beyond Lemberg. Such disclosures turn the stomach of a non-combatant. The war will prove a blessing to New York if it teaches the house wives to go to market instead of buy ing over the phone. The French say they are resorting to a "wearing-down policy." They are certainly keeping the Germans on the move forward. Germany hastens to deny designs upon this continent in event of vic tory. Protestation is needless. Uncle Sam will sit tight. The National Guard of Montana now waits in fear and trembling for Kaiser Muckie McDonald, of Butte, to declare war. Since people w-ho eat in restaurants must take their food on faith, the activity of the inspector is to be com mended. Remembering Steunenberg, the Governor of Montana could be classed as a doubtful risk by insurance men. McAdoo insists this Nation has a right to buy the ships and the family must sustain him. The National Guard rules for gov ernment of Butte leave nothing to the imagination. We have troops enough to last about seven minutes in one of those big battles. An "honor" man has run away to get opportunity to reform. It is woYtb. the trial. Mr. Lee, who keeps the saloon, de serves a medal for being a good shot. The sacredness of the ballot is ex emplified in the College of Cardinals. Where are the French airmen who are supposed to be guarding Paris? The German military vise grows tighter at the French throat. On to Lemberg, the Liege in the Russian advance on Berlin! However, the weather man neglect ed to forecast the shower. General Pluvius' outposts have reached this city. Rain at last eight drops of it. Let 'er rain! WHY NOT -LET PEOPLE Rl'LEr Single Tuers Try to Do surreptitious ly What Voters Have Rejected. VALE Or. Sept. 1. (To the Editor.) Messrs. Barzee, U'Ren, et al. express themselves as anxious to enter Into an argument in re some Intricate land question, noted in your columns Au gust 28. I rather doubt my ability to argue, to any successful conclusion, questions that have occupied the attention of great logicians for a lifetime without attaining a satisfactory result- Most of us are. not original thinkers and therefore would only fill the columns of a generous and complaisant journal with reiterations from the books of long since past philosophers, contribut ing neither anything new nor much pleasure to readers. But that which all can do. that which I am very desirous of accomplishing, and that which Barzee and his coterie neither want nor offer, is to pass up variations and side issues and go directly to the point. By this I mean: If we desire and think it proper for the people to have single tax, let us put the best arguments we can before the voters; arguments on that subject and not cloud and befog the question with side Issues. That which I would be greatly pleased to see is more confidence in the people, by those who are so anxious for their welfare. Messrs. Barzee. U'Ren et al, are continually shouting "let the people rule," but when the people declare their wishes at the polls and those wishes seem not to coincide with B., U. et al., who are self-elected directors of public opinion, they come back with some Joker which will ac complish, surreptitiously, the object sought in the first place. Personally, I have supreme confidence in the Judgement of the whole people, if they have made careful study of the subject. But the farmer and laborer, who carry the olection, are busy and are prone to jump at conclusions from specious arguments put forth with frenzied acclamations of oratorical economists. These shapers of public opinion, drawing their living from labor organizations, must earn their money and make some showing. Hence. I suppose, come the Mills, Marks, Ntlsche, Malthusian quotations which pass for argument. Passing for argu ment they conceal the real question: Do the people want single tax? Right here and now, I would like to impress upon readers, particularly those who are dissatisfied, and in doubt, that there are but two real political parties in the field. There are only two responsible political parties in the country Republicans and Democrats! In these two parties will be found all political opinions worthy of the name. Practically every voter in the coun try is one or the other at heart. Vote then, in the coming and in all elec tions, for members of one party or the other. Run not after false gods. There Is no such thing as an "inde pendent," no such thing as a "non partisan." Let your home man get off the fence and put himself squarely on one side or the other. Stay with your party and with its principles. Be ruled by the best judgment, that leg islation of any good character can only be had by strict adherence to principle. Do not let a minority again rule the country. Do not let any minority succeed in robbing the treasury as are the members of the Southern Democ racy. Read your Congressional record and note the outrageous payments being made to Southern claimants. Do not let a minority pass laws tnat, but for a horrid European war, would have completely destroyed our pros perity. That which the majority desire they should have, either state or National, but see to It that it is a majority. Vote solidly and straight for one or the other and let the majority rule. Do not be carried away with the laudable ambitions of a home man. If he wants office let him get out in the open and ask for it- Witness an out spoken Democrat running on a Roose velt ticket for Senator. Make them quit being Jobhunters and let them come out In the open as one thing or another. Kill oft all disgruntled Laf fertys and political accidents. JOHN RIGBY. Foreign Born In Flitted States. HOQUIAM, Wash.. Sept. 1. (To the Editor.) I notice in The Oregonian your reply to a question as to the pro portion of foreign born naturalized cit izens of the United States, and you say the majority are Germans. I maintain that your reply Is at least misleading, because you draw a dis tinction between English, Irish, Cana dians and Newfoundlanders, who are all Britishers, and should be grouped to gether. This would give a percentage of Brit ishers of 2S per cent, as against 18.6 for Germany, or, if you think a divi sion should be made between Great Britain and Ireland and her colonies, even so, that would still give Great Britain and Ireland (which you could no more separate than you could Ger many and Prussia or any other of the principalities composing that empire), a larger percentage than Germany, i. e., 19 per cent, against IS. 5 for the latter country. F. W. GODFREY. The distinctions are those used in the United States census summary. More--over, the question to which The Orego nian replied asked for comparative numbers of Germans and "English." The figures speak for themselves as showing that a greater percentage of the foreign-born in America are of British or British colonial nativity. Terrific Flight tor Pence. ESTACADA, Or., Sept. 2. (To the Editor.) Apart from its awful trag edy the war in Europe is rich in hu morous features. They are all fight ing diligently to preserve the peace. They have been burdening themselves with debt, preparing huge armaments for many years in the cause of peace. The rulers and high officials all, ac cording to their own evidence, used every effort to prevent bloodshed. Japan is especially profuse in her assurances that it is purely from a dis interested love of peace that she is at tacking the German position in China. The cartoon in The Oregonian some time ago representing Japan casting his honorable hat Jnto the ring was certainly a good one. The combatants do not appear to be conscious of the vanity of their own pretensions. I see by the dispatches that the French are going to fight to a finish and the Belgians are going to stay with if till the last man Is dead. In that case there will be peace among the men, but the women will probably continue the struggle. J. L. JONES. Contraband of War. CENTRA LiA Wash.. Sept. 1. (To the Editor.) As a reader of the best paper in the West, The Oregonian, I would like, for my own knowledge (and there are many others as ignorant as myself) to have you tell us through your col umns what we, as a friendly nation, may ship to the warring countries of Europe, and how can it be shipped. Is wheat, or foodstuffs, contraband of war? What have we, as a friendly nation, the right to sell to the warring parties? I think an explanation of what con stitutes contraband of war, what we havn a right to sell and how It may be delivered will be appreciated by many. TOUR CONSTANT READER. The Oregonian has already covered the subject extensively in Its columns. Lists of contraband and conditional contraband articles are too long to be here given. Those interested are re ferred to The Oregonian for August 2 and August 7, . VALl'E OF PROPER ClXTIVATIOSi Farmer liaa Moisture Near Surface In Cornfield. Tuonan Season Ia Dry. GRESHAM. Or., Sept. 1. (To the Editor.) The writer has read with in terest your editorial Sunday, entitled "The Dry Spell." While in the main it may give the faots, it seems to me to be misleading to the stranger and to the newcomer In Oregon. Tou say: "Usually by digging a few feet mois ture is reached, but not this Summer." I cannot speak for all of Western Ore gon, but here in Powell Valley, from 15 to 20 miles east of Portland, one may see green grass and clover still growing In fields and even by the dusty roadsides. The dairyman's standby, kale. Is growing thriftily, where It was set at the proper time, and the army worm has not Interfered. The writer dug In a small cornfield today In search of moisture and found the precious fluid at a depth by actual measurement of one to one and one half Inches. This fleld was cultivated in the unsual manner and also by chickens running in It, which gave tt constant stirrings at the surface an other object lesson of the value of frequent cultivation, as this field had no moisture except what nature sup plied, which Is admittedly scanty this season. You well say "apple trees standing In a dust mulch continue to grow a little and their fruit Is maturing nor mally, but those In grain fields and pastures suffer terribly." "Let the or chardlst learn a lesson and attend to his cultivation hereafter." Fruit trees in grain fields and pastures should not be expected to do well and they and their owners deserve to "suffer" or at least the owner should not be sur prised If he falls to receive a profit able crop. You also speak of "when the parching wind 1( still for a day or two," but we have had not more than three, or four days this Summer of east wind, which Is the only kind thut does any Injury. Our prevailing wind (when we have any) is from the west or southwest and is always damp. There Is never a real "drouth" in Western Oregon such aa vlstt parts of the Middle Western states, and while some seasons part of ths various crops are light, a crop failure is unknown. This season, which may go down as a record breaker for dryness, good crops of hay were grown and saved aa well, grain is threshing from 36 to 50 bushels per acre, while loads of sweet corn, potatoes, apples, plums, etc., are going Into Portland. Some tomatoes are also being marketed, but all those crops would be benefitted by a good soaker. The agricultural displays at the coming state und county fairs will probably not be quite up to the average, but visitors from the East will no doubt be surprised to see what we can produce during our so-called drouth. I would not have The Oregonian nor any other paper nor person boost Oregon unduly, neither would 1 have the state given a black eye, but feel the truth Is good enough and that Is what this article has tried to give. J. S. BROOKS. PARTY IS I3 DANGEROUS PLIGHT New Tariff Blows to Oregon Industry Cause Cries for "Help." PORTLAND, Sept. 2. (To the Edi tor.) Following are two Items that appear In the two Portland evening papers August 29. The Telegram ar ticle reads as follows: CHINESE BOOS COMINQ. More to Be Sent Here Than Ever Before, According to Reports. That the Portland market will fairly be flooded with Chinese eggs this Fall and Winter is the assertion of several egg hand lers: who are In a position to know what is being done and will be done In the egg line In this city. E. Block, of Shanghai, the leading ex porter of Chinese eggs, was here early In the week arranging for shipments to be made direct to Portland and for others to come by way of San Francisco and Seattle. From here he went to the Suund City and is quoted there as saying that ae a result of the heavy orders placed by Russia and England there will be a falling off In the quantities shipped here. These Sams reports quote Mr. Block as eayin : that Importations of these eggs will cease altogether during the continuance of the war, but when here he admitted that he would continue to ship as formerly, and while not willing definitely to commit him self he let It be understood that he ea pected to send more of the Chinese hen fruit to this market than he had ever done. Shipments will begin to arrive almost any time and will be continued as rapidly as veseels are available. The Journal article reads aa follows: CONTINUED WEAKNESS IN POULTRY INDICATES POOR FUTURE TRADE. In Efforts to clean Up, Hens Oo To lie and Springs to l&c. The poultry market remained very weak today and the prospects are that the depres sion will still be heavy next week. Although the dealers, having large supplies on hand, were willing to make almost any kind of qoncMSions in order to clean up, the buyers were not very abundant and It was evident that much stock Is to be carried over. Most hen sales yesterday were at 14 cents and Springs were poor sellers at 16 Vs centa The trade today for hens was at 12 centa and Springs 15 cents. Under the same date there is pub lished a Washington dispatch saying the Jackson Club, of Portland, urges Senator chamberlain to visit OreKon and make a campaign, saying "he owes a duty to the Democratic party to do so, although, writes the club, "it is true, perhaps. Oregon needs you In Washington to keep up the fight for the rivers and harbors bill. Why does the Democratic party need "Nonpartisan George"? Why, In any event, should he leave the work the taxpayers are paying him to do? The Journal has been writing flamboyant editorials, bragging onhlm for stick ing to his Job. It is apparent that the complaints of Oregon poullrymen and dairymen and lumbermen against the Chamberlain tariff have become to loud that this Macedonian cry for help is absolutely necessary. OBSERVER. MISTAKE WAS MADE BY REPORTER Mr. U'Ren Corects Statement In Oregos City Paper aa to What He Said. OREGON CITY, Or., Sept. 2. (To the Editor.) In the alleged misrepresenta tions you charged to me In your edito rial last Thursday, you were mistaken as to the facts. I have made mistakes and sometimes I have been misquoted, but I have never knowingly misstated the facts. In my speech at Selah Springs, from which you quoted. I said there had not been more than eight Democratic Representatives In any Legislature since I came to Oregon, and the proportion was not much more in the Senate. The reporter tells me he made the mistake of quoting me as saying there were only eight Demo crats in the Legislature. But I do not see that your own state ments helps the case against propor tional representation. From six to 1$ Democrats In a Legislature of 90 mem bers during a period of 20 years Ig one of the best arguments you have yet offered for electing members of the Legislature by proportions of the voters instead of by pluralities. As to the State Senate being an Im itation of the House of lords, my state ment Is substantially correct. It would be more accurate to say that It Is an Imitation of the United States Senate, which was Itself an imitation of the House of Lords. The United States Senate was intended to represent the wealth of the country as well as mere ly the states, just as the House of Lords was Intended to represent the wealth as well as the nobility. As to the one-house Legislature of Norway, i maintain that my statement Is correct. W. 8. U'REN. What Mr. U'Ren says he said does not Improve what the reporter says he said. The true figures are given In another column. Twenty-Jrive Year. Ago From The Oregonian September 1. IMS, Waterbury. Conn. E. M Andrews, i. wealthy architect who went to Florida and was later reported murdered. Is un derstood to have been located In Port land, Or. The circumstances of his dia. appearance remain a mystery. Pittsburg. The will . f the late Will iam Thaw has been filed. The estate Is valued st $18,000,000 and Is parceled out to charity, education and religion. Birmingham. England Joseph Cham berlain tonight advised the government before introducing Ihu Irish land bill to submit to Parliament a resolution declaring Ireland, equally with Eng land and Scotland. Is entitled to a de nominational endowment for educa tional lull poses Labor day was fittingly observed throughout the country yesterday al several places for the first time. Kansas City. The Sunday closing law was declared unconstitutional by a Police Judge her. In the baseball world yesterday Cleveland beat Washington a to I. Keefe pitched for Washington, but had poor support. New York beat Pitts burg 9 to 6 In the morning and 11 to 0 In tha afternoon. Boston won both games from Indianapolis. I to 3 and I to 0. Russle pitched for Indianapolis In the morning. Chlrage and Philadelphia broke even. Casey pitched for Phila delphia. Chicago. The Senate committee to Investigate rates on dressed beef met hers today. La Orande. An O. R. N train hit a band of rattle near Hllyard today, was wrecked and delayed eight houra Two Wells Fargo stages were robbed yesterday, one at Bodla and the other at Forest 11111. Cal. Eugene. Dr. Waters, who resides near the city, baa just printed an elab. orate catalogue of College Hill farm fine livestock. Berlin The circulation of tha Sat urday Issue of the Paris Flararo liaa been suppressed throughout Germany. It contained an article Insulting to tha German Emperor. The military hill about to be sub mitted wtll provide for the formation of two new Army corps. Dr. 8. N. A. Downing and wife, of Portland, are In New York. R. H. Thornton and family have re turned from a visit In California. Mrs. Thomas J. Rlggs. a pioneer of 1851, and her son. Scott Klgge, who live near Crowley Station. Polk Coun ty, were In Portland during the week. Mrs H. D. McGuire and family and her guests, Mrs. A. McGuire and Mrs. J. L Stuart, have returned from a two months' sojourn at her cottars at Seavlew, Wash. J. E. Willing. 82. and Matilda John son, 23, and Oscar N. De Lin and Kate B. Downing obtained marriage licenses yesterday. George W. Bates, J. C. Moreland and and John Hale yesterday Incorporated the Willamette Heights Railway. Tha Oregon Alpine Club has closed a contract for an engagement with Mrs. Scott-Slddons, the noted dramatic reader, Tha Portland postal receipts for Au guat were 811,005.82. In Auguat. 1817. the sales amounted to 5&85. Tha Oregon Methodist Episcopal con ference was concluded yesterday. M. C. Wire waa appointed presiding elder of the Portland district. Governor Pennoyar addressed a mass meeting of laborers on the eight-hour day last night. Attorney J. W. Bnwar also spoke In favor of tha eight-hour day. Half a Century Ago From The Oregonian. September . 111. A correapondent, writing from St. Helens, says a grand demonatratlon followed the apeech there the night of Auguat 31 by George L Wooda, Union candidate for elector, who mads an eloquent appeal In hebnlf of Lin coln and Johnson. The Golden Age. the loyal Journal, has reappeared at Lawlaton after a temporary absence, and begins Its third volume, reduced In also, but publlahed semi-weekly. Headquarters Army of tha Potomac, Aug. 24. evening. All quiet today, ex cept the usual cannonading. Our left has been extended six or seven mllea The entire loss of the Fifth Corps August 21 was 6000. New York. The Tlmee' Waahlngton dispatch aaya a gentleman has arrived from Georgia, representing that state to learn on what basis ths United States Government would treat with Georgia as to re.idmleslnn Into tha Union. The Mechanics' Brass Band and a large concourse of cltlsens turned mil yesterday to pay last respects to Mr, Danlal W. Going, who died Thursday. Rev. Mr. Hyland performed at tha obsequies. 9. E. May. Secretary of Stale, ar rived In tha city yesterdsy from Salem. John Ryan and wife and three chil dren. E. Helnts. wife and three chil dren; Mrs. Fox, Mrs. R. O'Kesfa, Miss S. E. Owan Mrs. W. Glasford and chil dren. R. C. 'Daly. William Flnloy. H. L Plttock and R. R. Thompson and wife were among the passengers on tha Julia, which docked last night. There are 52 saloona In tha city. Tha business of each dally averages ftO. The militia company, under command of Captain Powell haa been ordered out on drill near Columbia Slough. Five daya' ratlona will be taken, M. 8. Burrell. of tha firm of Knapp, Burrell A Co., haa reached Dubuque. Ia. He had visited New York via San Francisco. William Abraham, son of James Abraham, living at Mount Tahor. In this county, was killed yesterday, when he stumbled and the shotgun ha waa carrying was scrldentally discharged. H. Parker, of Walla Walla, lias been appointed by Governor Olbba a Commie sloner of Deeds for Washington Ter ritory. Making Dull Days Buy A New York theater attempted the exparlmant of keeping open In July and August and ualng large newspaper advertleamenta to attract audiences. Its buslnesa has brokan records another evidence that newspaper advertising pays. In a recant interview In "Fourth Estate." the advertising agent of this houae said: "In thla hot weather eeaaon'our theater la turning away people at every performance, and la coining money. It la a wonderful house and a wonderful show, but news paper advertlaing turned the trick. "I am for dally newspapers first, last and all the tlma"