8
TiTE Mdrtyrxo onEGoyiAy, Thursday, December 10, I9t4.
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FOKIUND, THCB8DAT, DEC. 10, 1914.
LEASING OF PUBLIC LAND.
Secretary Lane in his annual report
takes credit to the Government for
having, by the passage of bills for the
leasing of public land, "given to the
mora remote states greater assurance
of its Interest in their welfare than
has been given for many years." Con
ceding that the Government has shown
this interest. The Oregonian questions
whether the water power and general
leasing bills, as passed by the House,
will promote the welfare of the West
so much as Mr. Lane predicts. It de
nies that these bills are Just to the
Western states.
These measures, together with the!
forestry, Indian and National park
laws, exempt from state taxation a
large part of the area of the public
land states. In Oregon this area is 60
jper cent, in Idaho a much larger pro
portion, of the state's area. The leased
land will be exempt from the state
laws governing real property, but will
lie subject to the state's criminal laws.
If a. crime is committed on leased land
or in a National forest or National
park, the state must bear the respon
sibility and expense of capturing, try
ing, convicting and punishing the of
fender. As the land in question is
almost invariably the most remote
from the centers of population and is
mountainous and forested, the diffi
culties and expense of apprehending
criminals in these areas are abnormal,
but what revenue is the state to derive
from leased and forest land wherewith
to meet this expense?
From the National forests the states
are given 25 per cent of the gross re-1
ceipts. to be spent on roads and
echools, and an additional 10 per cent
Is spent by the Government on roada
In co-operation with the states. It is
proposed that revenue from powersites
and mineral land shall be used by the
Government in reclaiming arid land,
but no provision Is made that it shall
be spent in the state from which it ia
derived. Oregon excels in water
power, development of which might
produce large rentals. Idaho has great
areas of phosphate land which would
yield much revenue. Under the bills
as passed by the House, this revenue
might be used in reclaiming arid land
In other states, as the proceeds of
Oregon land sales have been diverted,
while the arid land of Oregon and
Idaho remained barren. In this re
spect the states are worse treated
than Alaska, for the Alaska coal land
leasing law requires that all revenue
from coal land leases shall be used in
reimbursing the Government for the
cost of Alaska railroads. In other
words, all revenue from Alaska coal
land is to be' used In Alaska imme
diately. 1 The states are to wait until rentals
from leases have been returned by set
tlers on reclaimed land before they get
any revenue from that source. That
Implies long years of waiting. When
the money is returned it will return
only In driblets, as repaid by settlers
through a period of twenty years.
Then the states are only to get half of
the amount, and Congress dictates to
what use it shall be applied, namely,
roads and schools. The experience of
Oregon with the Government's prom
ises of co-operation with the state in
Irrigation Justifies apprehension lest
the state might never get any money
from this source. Congress has twice
changed the terms of the reclamation
law to the disadvantage of the state
and the Interior Department has
qulrmed out of keeping its promise
of co-operation. The Government has
more than once "kept the word of
promise to the ear and broken it to
the hope." There is every ground to
tear that it would do so again.
The public land states should be sat
isfied' with nothing less than payment
to them of an annual amount equal to
What the taxes on leased land would
le if the land were in private owner
ship, this payment to begin with the
first year when the land begins to
yield revenue to the Government. All
restrictions as to the use to which the
states may put this money should be
removed. The Government has no
authority to direct the use which
states shall make of their revenue.
Such dictation savors more of the
treatment given by a centralized Gov
ernment to its provinces than of the
relation which a Federal Union bears
to its sovereign, component states.
The revenue derived by the Govern
ment alone from leased land should
be applied to reclamation of arid land
In the state whence.it coriles. If tem
porarily diverted to some other state.
It should ultimately be used in the
state which yields it, and strict provi
sion should be made to insure that
this be done. The leasing laws should
be treated as a contract between Con
gress and the public land states, sub
ject to change only with the consent
of the states and not at the will of
Congress alone.
If Congress should refuse to recog
nize fully the rights of the states in
some such manner, the states would
be Justified in attacking by legal pro
cedure the validity of the whole leas
ing system. They would have a good
case. The. act admitting Oregon to
the Union provides that this state "be,
and she is hereby, received into the
Union on an equal footing with the
other states in all respects whatever."
The public land in states of the East,
Middle West and South has been sold
and has thereby become subject to
state law and state taxation. With 60
per cent of its area excluded from its
civil Jurisdiction and exempt from tax
ation, Oregon is not on an equal foot
ing with those states. The act of ad
mission forbids Oregon to tax land or
property of the United States or" to
interfere with the primary disposal
of the soil within the same by the
United States or with any regulations
Congress may find' necessary for se
curing the title in said soil to bona
Udo purchasers thereof." but this very
reference to bona fide purchasers
proves that the policy of the Govern
ment then was to sell, not to lease,
land. Thus the state was led to expect
that It would in a reasonable time be
come full sovereign over its entire
area and on this understanding it ac
cepted the terms and entered the
Union. By changing the conditions
under which the state entered into the
compact. Congress would release the
state from moral obligation to ob
serve it. The state could maintain
that, in all essentials, leasing- of pub
lic land has the same effect as sale.
Tax exemption was intended to con
tinue only until the land came into
use. The only process then consid
ered of bringing; it into use was sale,
therefore sale alone was mentioned;
had lease then been contemplated, the
state would surely have contended that
lease ' should render public land
taxable.
IITS XEXT STEP.
The New York Sun shines through
double leads In the following luminous
prophecy as to the future course of
the privatest of private citizens:
Theodora Roosevelt la not at this time in
politics. . . . Our own unsolicited opin
ion, a private opinion of the privatest sort,
is that Colonel Roosevelt's next reappearance
will be in the old familiar act of issue
snatching; the victim once more, aa so many
times before, being- the unfortunate Mr. W.
J. Bryan.
We venture the prediction that the next
snatched Issue by which Colonel Roosevelt
Is to profit politically at the expense of
Mr. Bryan will be the enactment of prohi
bition In the fundamental law by means
of an amendment of the Federal Consti
tution. The date on which the Sun gave
birth to this great thought was De
cember 2, 1914. It would be memor
able forever in the annals of Journal
istic soothsaying, except for the fact
that five days previously to be exact,
November 27, 1914 the same mo
mentous assessment of Colonel Roose
velt's intentions was made by The
Oregonian.
But no matter. We waive all claim
to any monopoly of Ideas about Colo
nel Roosevelt. We do not wonder that
the same thought occurred to our New
York contemporary. As a student of
Colonel Roosevelt's mental processes
and political methods it is natural
enough that the Sun should clearly
foresee his next spectacular step.
AS TO OCR MILITARY POLICY.
If the correspondent .who writes
from Walla Walla to give his views
on the matter of American military
policy were merely an Individual, his
effusion, which appears in another
column, might be cheerfully consigned
to the wastebasket with merely a pass
ing flicker of interest. But unfortu
nately he is a type and an altogether
too prevalent one. It may be said that
the very cause of our present help
less state of unreadiness for eventual
ities rests with the victims of such
sophistry who fail to profit by the
broader facts of general history and
who disregard or fail to see the world
as it is.
Provincialism has never taken a
worse form, nor a more dangerous
one, than that found in the argument
that the United States Is secure from
attack. We enjoy the blessings of
peace, yet the horizon is not as clear
as some of the peace propagandists
would lead us to believe. Possible en
tanglements may be seen quite clearly
by one whose vision is not shut off
by dark goggles of provincialism and
ignorance. So far as the ways of cau
tion and diplomacy can serve us, we
will strive to avoid those entangle
ments which find their source in that
one great cause of all war the world's
food supply.
But when diplomacy falls us and. as
a great, wealthy Nation, we are con
fronted by the necessity of defending
our National integrity, thorny will be
our path if we are not equipped to
meet the situation. Such is our plight
at the present moment thanks to Just
such insipid beliefs as that dispensed
from Walla Walla- Yet there is a
hopeful sign. It is that the American
people are slowly but surely out
growing their provincialism in such
matters.
LAST TSAR; AND THIS YEAR,
Secretary of the Interior Lane's
reasons for declining to support his
own reclamation service in the Tumalo
fiasco have a decidedly ex-post-facto
aspect. They appear to have been
discovered and formulated long after
the specific agregnjjht for co-operation
ueuweea tii recia.mo.uon oiiicers ana
the state and the general co-operative
understanding between Secretary Lane
and Governor West.
The Secretary's present idea of co
operation appears to be to have the
state put up two dollars to the Gov
ernment's one; his notion last year was
that the. state had been sadly mis
treated in the apportionment of rec
lamation funds, and he would go far
to repair the wrong..
The Oregonian is charitable enough
to think that the Secretary meant
what he said in 1913, and that he did
not fully understand the plan of co
operation, which he then approved.
It would appear now that he is re
pudiating the acts of his own reclama
tion officers, in refusing the carry out
the Tumalo co-operative contract.
But we can see no reason whatever
why the Secretary should seek to
"pass the buck" to Governor West.
An Oregonian dispatch from Wash
ington, upon information doubtless
from the Interior Department, has
these statements:
After Secretary Lane had agreed .to allot
$450,000 and after the state had appro
priated $450,000, Governor West ordered the
State Engineer to proceed with the construc
tion of the first unit of the Tumalo project.
He did this without consulting the Wash
ington authorities and without submitting
to them the plan of the project. The proj
ect which the state has built will cost. In
round figures. 840 an acre. . . . Esti
mates show the second unit will cost no
less than S0 an acre, double the cost of
the state unit. Secretary Lane not only Is
unwilling to expend Government money on
the $80 project at Tumalo, but is unwilling
to spend any of the Government's $450,000
unless there Is available, to be used with
it. an equal amount of state funds.
The act of the Legislature authoriz
ing the 'appropriation of $450,000 for
the Tumalo project, to be built under
direction of the Desert Land Board,
became a law February 25, 1913. The
Governor proceeded in strict accord
with its provisions. The co-operative
contract between state and Govern
ment was signed subsequently May
5, 1913 and the letter of Director
Newell, indorsing the Tumalo project,
and announcing the approval of Sec
retary Lane, was dated June 7, 1913.
The personal visit of Secretary Lane
to Oregon with his inspection of Cen
tral Oregon and other projects was in
August, 1913. It is clear that the rec
lamation officers understood exactly
what the state was doing, and it is dif
ficult to see why Secretary Lane did
not also understand.
But there is another instance where
the Secretary is not in accord with his
engineers. He says that, while the
cost per acre In the state's unit Is $40,
the estimate on the second unit is "no
less than $80 per acre."
John T. Whistler, Government engiy
neer, who Investigated the Tumalo
project, says the cost per acre for the
second (Government) unit' will be
$43.44 per acre (Aubrey Falls diver
sion) or $41.40 per acre (Laid law di
version). It would appear that the
estimates have in some unaccountable
fashion doubled when laid before the
doubting eyes of the Secretary.
It is a disappointment that Secre
tary Lane, who in the enthusiasm of
his new work was willing to do so
much for Oregon in 1913, has cooled
down so much that in 1914 he
will do very Utle. It continues to
be a long way to Oregon's reclamation
Tipperary.
FASHIONABLE GEOGRAPHY.
The European War has made geog
raphy all the rage. It Is quite the
thing now to understand parallels of
latitude and meridians of longitude.
Self-respecting people long to know
where the various straits, cities and
islands which they read so much about
are located. a Maps are assiduously
perused and the globes are almost as
fashionable as they were in the Vicar
of Wakefield's day.
Seven eminent citizens of Spring
field, Mass.; as we learn from the- es
teemed Republican, lately conceived a
scheme to test one another in the
newly popular science. Each of the
seven submitted five questions which,
in his opinion, the other men ought
to be able to answer. The total num
ber of questions framed was thus thirty-five,
but as some of . them were
merely local the public is not con
cerned with them. The other thirty
seem interesting enough to be repub
lished in The Oregonian. The reader
may puzzle his brain over them by
turning to another part of the paper.
Upon the whole the questions are
pretty well chosen. And yet a person
might be able to answer them all with
out knowing anything about the real
essence of geography. They appeal to
the memory only. Reason Is not called
into action in the slightest degree.
There, is not a solitary "why" in the
whole list. Nothing is Bald about pro
ductipns and routes of trade. The
names-of various big cities are asked
for, but there is no thought of the
causes that make them big The list
is chiefly valuable, perhaps for its
demonstration of what - geography
study should not be. "
AMBROSE BI L'RCE.
Ambrose Bierce's long and mordant
career has ended, if the reports are
true, in the whirlpool of the Mexican
troubles. He went there, it seems, in
search of adventures. He found the
greatest adventure of all. At his age,
72 years, a plunge into the Mexican
vortex indicates an unusual hunger for
exciting experience, but it was of a
piece with his whole life.
Ambrose Bierce never knew much
inner serenity himself nor permitted
much to others when he could help it.
His ambition was to rasp, to bite, to
inflict pain. His outlook on life was
cynical. His interpretation of men's
motives was deeply uncharitable. In
the world around him he saw little but
evil. The inner gloom of his nature
was reflected In the character of the
tales he wrote. They were usually vis
ions of horror. Some say that his
short stories were the most gruesome
ever, written in the United States. This
is anr exaggeration, for Bierce at his
worst fell far short of Poe's hideous
power in that field, but they were bad
enough. Why anybody should want to
imagine such stories Is a marvel.
After a fashion Bierce was a critic
of current events, but his comments
lacked value partly because he saw the
trivial side of affairs rather than their
deep meaning and partly because of
his incurable disposition to interpnet
everything evilly. If the world were
a hundredth part as bad as Bierce
pictured it there would be no need of
a theological hell. He is greatly ad
mired by many for his English style,
which was wonderfully clear, simple
and effective. If what he said had
been as valuable as his way of saying
it was excellent he would have ranked
wi,th the princes of literature.
Though his thought was for the
most part shallow, his facility in ex
pression gave him a certain power.
While he was on the Pacific Coast he
won an unenviable reputation as a
lampooner. Reputations went down
before his. pen like grass before the
scythe. But, it comforts one to re
member, they quickly revived.
It is not in the power of a man like
Bierce, who is known for his malig
nity, to do much permanent harm. In
his column in the San Francisco Ex
aminer, headed "A Record of Individ
ual Opinion," he enjoyed wide liberty
of expression and might have done
much to influence public opinion had
his outlook on life been a little less
clouded.
Bierce wrote some good poetry and
many fine critical essays. Perhaps he
paid too much attention to technical
"style." Kipling's English did not
exactly please his exacting taste and
he found more or less fault with How
ells. But both those authors will be
remembered and read long after
Bierce, with all his verbal niceties, is
forgotten.
NOT A PARTY QrESTIOJf.
In its eagerness to combat the
movement for a public inquiry into
our National defenses, the Adminis
tration, supported by Its newspaper
organs. Is endeavoring to convict Rep
resentative Gardner and his associates
of partisan motives. They are accused
of attempting to prove the Democratic
party responsible for our unreadiness
for war, and the New York World, in
making the charge, tries to shift the
blame to the Republican party. It
cites increased Army and Navy appro
priations by the present Congress to
prove that the Republicans are more
culpable than the Democrats.
This attempt to make a party issue
out of a question that should and does
rise far above party explains the hos
tile reception given by the President
and Democratic leaders in Congress
to the Gardner resolution. They im
agine they are attacked by political
opponents, and therefore they oppose
an inquiry by a non-partisan commis
sion and offer instead an inquiry by
committees of Congress. At first they
opposed a public inquiry, but have
yielded so far as to make the com
mittee hearings public.
Responsibility for our military un
readiness rests on both parties, and
we are not now concerned with as
certaining whether one is more re
sponsible than the other. Primarily
the people are responsible, for Con
gress acts on great problems only in
response to public opinion. The people
have not been on the alert and have
permitted Congress to go its own way.
Under such circumstances, abuses
creep in, efficiency is relaxed, local
Interests override National Interests
and much money Is spent with little
result. Improvement is possible only
by bringing the pressure of public
opinion to bear on Congress and by,
keeping it awake.
Military unpreparedness Is no party
question; It is a subject on which an
appeal is made to the highestopatriot
lsm of every citizen, for it concerns
the preservation of the Nation. Any
man who would make such an appeal
for party advantage is himself lacking
in patriotism. The proposal of Mr.
Gardner is put in its true light by
Senator Lodge In a statement pub
lished In another column of The Ore
gonian. Our Army and . Navy have
been pronounced to be inadequate and
inefficient in many particulars. The
people should be Informed whether
these statements are true; they should
know what they are getting for their
money.
The proposal to have an Inquiry by
a special commission rather than by
committees of Congress is in harmony
with 'this .view. Such a commission,
including representatives of the gen
eral public as well as of the Senate
and House, would be apt to seek and
find facts without regarding the effect
on individuals or parties.. Committees
of Congress which have been charged
with drawing up Army and Navy ap
propriation bills would be disposed to
regard themselves as under investi
gation, to bring out. favorable facts
and to keep in the background
unfavorable facts, as would any man
or body of men that was put pn the
defensive. The committees would be
disposed todefend the acts of them
selves and of their parties. It- is not
proposed to put any man or commit
tee or party on trial, and the inquiry
should take such form as to dispel any
misapprehension on that point.
A non-partisan commission having
the single purpose of discovering our
shortcomings and of finding a remedy
would command public confidence and
would gain public attention as could
no committee of Congress. It could
show us how we could greatly
strengthen our defenses without great
ly increasing our Army and Navy
budget. It could focus attention on
those abuses to which frequent refer
ence has been made in official reports
and in newspapers, but which have
been passed over by a people occupied
with other things. It could lift the
whole subject of National defense
above party, above militarism, pa
cificism and all other 'isms, and could
lay before the Nation the necessity of
being amply ready to defend ourselves
as a broad .question of public safety.
Ellen Terry, sprightly under the
gathering years, says she "fears sloth
fulness more than anything." When
a woman grows fat and slothful she
might as well be dead. "It is the e'nd,"
says Ellen Terry. Life means activity.
Too much quietude lures us down into
the grave or buries us while we are
still alive.
The sooner both sides begin general
use of dum-dums and buckshot cart
ridges, the quicker the war will end:
Success comes to the side that kills or
disables permanently the other. As
the object in war is to kill, why prate
of merciful means to attain the end?
Deacon Robert Bailey ought to feel
satisfied with his labors for Nannie
Strickland's soul. The little girl will
commit no more sins, thanks to the
good deacon's revolver. But his mis
sionary methods are a little too vigor
ous for general use, we suspect.
Britannia still rules the , waves.
Nothing could be more gallant than
the German fight against heavy odds
in the Pacific, but British seamanship
has finally prevailed. It takes time
to make a nation of sailors.
It is unnecessary for the Adminis
tration to explain that no drastic ac
tion is intended in sending troops to
the border. We have not yet forgot
ten what was done at Vera Cruz.
With the war in Europe and Roose
velt preening his war-bonnet, the No
bel committee could do little else than
postpone giving the peace prize.
Japan announces the necessity of
cutting expenses. But is careful to
provide that the cut shall not be made
on the Army or Navy.
Anyway, the ' Germans can now
claim three converted submarines in
the Pacific as a little gift from th
Britlsh.
Supposing Germany had had our
sort of military policy. It would have
been a Slav province long ago.
In these days of rigid inspection, a
fire caused bv defective wirintr is a
Joke on the insurance people.
Switzerland, like the United States,
is at peace with the world and "en
Joys" its manifold blessings.
Another fearful disappointment for
Bryan. The Nobel peace prize is not
to be awarded this year.
Wilson promises to trive business a
rest. A much-neded and hard-earned
rest, it might be added.
Steel can be made many times more
durable by a new process. Hard news,
this, for the yeggmen.
Ilwaco cranberries are not "made in
Oregon," which does not interfere with
being Just as good.
Army officers say our artillery is
effective. Yes, the three or four guns
that we have.
Now the Japanese officials say they
are going to keep Kiau-Chau. We
thought so.
When Petrograd hints, at Russian
reverses they must be something
frightful.
The Army officer who Is satisfied
with our artillery force has missed his
calling.
We are now feeding 70,000 war vic
tims. And can feed 'em all if nec
essary. More artillery sent to the Arizona
border. Merely a change of station.
Britannia is again ruling the waves
in the South Atlantic.
The survivors of the German fleet
are "going some."
" Germany appears to have caught
her stride again.
Poincare has resumed business at
the old stand.
Sunny Oregon.
Stars and Starmakers
BY LEOKE CASS BAKU.
In Denver Victor Morley. star of "The
Quaker Girl." playing; In that city on
Thanksgiving day, attached the box of
fice, with the result that the manage
ment closed the show.
see
Richard Vivian, once a Baker player,
is playing with the James Post dra
matic stock in Sacramento, Cal., at the
Grand Theater. Beth Taylor Is lead
ing woman.
Thurlow Bergen and his wife. Elsie
Esmond, both of them former Baker
onians. are in New York for a rest,
after a six months' engagement with a
moving picture company.
see
"Watch Your Step" opens tonight in
New York at the Amsterdam Theater,
with the Vernon Castles, Frank Tinney,
the blackface comedian; Fannie Br ice
and Charlie King and Elizabeth Mur
ray In the principal roles.
v
T. P., who writes and does not sign
a name, asks for "addresses of pro
ducers of vaudeville sketches." Joseph
Hart, In the New York Theater build
ing. N. Y., and Arthur Hopkins, 1493
Broadway, N. Y., are good producers,
e .
Al Jolson wants a new chorus for
"Sister Susie's Sewing Shirts for Sol
diers," and "wants it bad," his press
agent says. "Bad" is the way amateurs
usually write choruses. But It wouldn't
do many of the Pacific Coast chorus
writers to compete because the prize
Al offers is a box for bis show,
"Dancing Around," at the Winter Gar
den. Al's present chorus runs thusly:
Sister Susie's sewing shirts for soldiers.
Such skill at sewing shirts our shy young
sister Susie shows.
Some soldiers send epistles, say they'd
rather sleep In thistles
Than wear the saucy soft, short shirts for
soldiers sister Susie sews.
Mr. Jolson suggests a play on the
word knit.
e
A rattling of the skeleton is heard in
the revival production of Charles A.
Taylor's play. "Yosemite." last week In
New York at Daly's Theater. This is
a melodrama of California's early civi
lization and many years ago its original
version played up and down the Pa
cific Coast at ten-twent'-thirt' prices,
with Laurette Taylor", then Mrs. Charles
A. Taylor, as the heroine. Since those
days Laurette has dazzled Broadway
and is now trying to make the English
stay away from war and attend her
play of "Peg 'o My Heart," in London
She is married now to the play's au
thor. Hartley Manners. '
.
Frank Keenan is playing the lead
ing masculine role in "Yosemite." Ethel
Clifton, who was leading woman In Se
attle with one of the Baker companies,
has a role in "Yosemite."
m o o
Henry Miller will . shortly begin a
starring tour which brings him to this
Coast in "Daddy Long Legs." He will
play the title role.
see
According to the Dramatic Mirror,
only quick action on the part of stage
hands saved the life of an itinerant tat
tooer at the Alhambra Theater, in New
York, last week. Some wag at the
booking offices sent him up to see Kitty
Gordon and propose embellishing her
beauteous and eVer-blessed back with
the arms of the house of Beresford in
India Ink. Now Kitty cares much for
her gallant captain, who. as a soldier
husband, is distinctly a credit to her
and his family, but she balks at tat
tooing his armorial bearings indelibly
upon her fair person and considered
the proposition as an Impertinence
warranting violence.
e
Four members of George Arliss' com
pany, now playing In "Disraeli" at the
Heilig Theater, have at different times
appeared at "Royal Command" per
formances at Windsor Castle. The
actors who have been thus honored are
Charles Harbury. Henry Carvill, Ar
thur Eldred and Vincent Sternroyd.
Charles Harbury, who plays the pres
ident of the Bank of England with Mr.
Arliss, was for 10 years a leading mem
ber of Sir Henry Irving's company.
. Adele Blood is going into vaudeville
for a while, before her new play Is
ready for her In February. Her man
ager's name is Hope, I. W. Hope. The
L W. probably stands for I will.
-
Florence Roberts, the Zaza Florence,
and. not the present character actress
at the Baker. Is rehearsing a new
vaudeville sketch.
e
Mrs. Leslie Carter contributed a quiet
surprise in her work for the screen In
Los Angeles. It is declared that the
actress not only adapted herself to the
situation called for in this partially
new work, but "registered" beautifully
In all the action given her In "The
Heart of Maryland," which is being
produced by Herbert Brenon. Other
prominent stage geniuses have not ar
rived so easily, when plunging into the
film game.
The End of the Spug
By Dean Collins.
With Christmas spirit ir the air.
And streets aa warm with merry
throng,
A-shoppjng here and shopping there
For foolish gifts the whole day long.
It seems there's surely . something
wrong.
One ancient peat doth not appear.
And so I ask in lilting song:
"Where are the Spugs of yesteryear?"
The Spug put on a righteous air.
And talked of thrift unto the throng;
The reckless giving here and there
He viewed with features stern and
long:
"Such foolishness," he said, "is wrong.
When useful gifts. It doth appear,
A man can purchase for a song- "
Where are the Spugs of yesteryear?
The Yuletide fairly fills the air.
With foolish whims that whirl and
throng.
Why, Christmas time was Just put there
To give fool gifts the whole day long.
The gloomy Spug is quite in wrong.
Who'd make such giving bad appear.
He has no place 'mid mirth and song
Where are the Spugs of yesteryear?
He doth no more his gospel air
'Gainst the glad follow of the throng,
That still goes gaily here and there
And mocks his counsel wise and long.
On Christmas one can do no wrong.
So let the foolish streak appear.
Stopped are their mouths and hushed
their song
Where are the Spugs of yesteryear?
L'ENVOI.
Spug, thou hast done my soul much
wrong!
Exceed, erump, no more appear!
Loud swells the triumph of my song
Where are the Spugs of yesteryear? J
LET THE PEOPLE! KXOW THE FACTS
Senator Lodge Favors Inquiry late
Hstlesal Defenses.
Senator Lodge has come to the sup
port of Representative Gardner's move
ment for an Inquiry Into our National
defenses, and announces his reasons In
the following statement:'
"fs, I intend to introduce in the
Senate a resolution similar to that of
fered by Mr. Gardner in the House, call
ing for a commission to Investigate and
report upon the condition of our Nation
al defenses.
"This does not commit us to any
expenditures of any kind or to, any
policy. It is merely a resolution of
Inquiry, which. I think, ought to be
adopted by both Houses and approved
by the President. It seems to me that
the country ought to know Just what
the condition of the National defense ia
We are at peace with all the nations
of the world, and I fully believe we
shall remain at peace with them all.
Our policy is simply of maintaining a
strict and honest neutrality. But the
great nations of the earth are at war
and we are living in' the midst of an
armed and fighting world. Under these
circumstances it is well to know what
the state of our. own defenses is.
"We hear it said that from our regu
lar Army and militia combined we
could not at this moment get together
1 20,000 men for our defenses. It has
been publicly stated that we have not
sufficient ammunition even for such
troops as we have; that the fortifica
tions for our great cities are very in
sufficient; that we have few if any
guns of greater range than those on
battleships; that such troops as we
have, instead of being concentrated at
the points where they are needed, are
scattered through the country in posi
tions where there Is no need of troops.
"It is said that we have nothing
resembling reserves, either of men or
ammunition, and that no sufficient ar
rangements have been made for pro
viding mines to protect our harbors. I
should like to know, and I think the
American people would like to know,
whether there is truth in these state
ments. "If we turn to the Navy we can read
In the newspapers almost every day
statements of a similar character. I
know that we are short of scout cruis
ers, having only three. A proper num
ber of scout cruisers is essential to the
efficiency of the fleet. We are insuf
ficiently supplied with aeroplanes and
hydroplanes, which are so essential in
modern warfare. We have a large
number of submarines not enough in
proportion to our fleet but It is stated
that many of those, of early types, are
not up to recent standards. It is said
that we have only one torpedo to each
torpedo tube. I should be glad to
know whether this is true or false.
"I have seen it stated, although it
seems to me hardly credible, that we
have had no fleet maneuvers for two
years and no divisional drills for one
year. We certainly ought to know
whether this Is true or false. There
i3 a widespread belief that our Navy
has lately been declining in efficiency
and on this we ought to be informed
and the department cleared from such
charges if, as 1 hope and believe, they
are unjust. "
"I merely mention these few points
which have been widely circulated
through the press to show why I think
that we ought to have the inquiry
which will be asked for in my resolu
tion. I cannot believe that the state
ments in the press that the Adminis
tration is opposed to this inquiry can
possibly be well founded, for there is
nobody who baa so earnestly advocated
publicity as the President in his inter
esting book, "The New Fredom." We
ought to have the truth about these
things, and then it Is for the American
people and nobody else to decide what
they intend shall be done. But let the
people of the country know the facts.
"It is not a party question in any
sense, and the National defense ought
never to be a party question. We are
spending some $250,000,000 a year on
our Army and Navy, and we ought to
know what we are getting for our
money and whether for that money we
are securing the highest possible effi
ciency of result. It is never well in
this country and under our system of
Government to have secrets from the
people. Let us know the truth."
HE WOCI.1) NOT PREPARE FOR WAR
Walla Walla Man Thinks That We Are
Quite- Secure.
WALLA WALLA, Wash.. Dec. 8.
(To the Editor) I have just read
your editorial comments on what you
call President Wilson's "flimsy attempt
to avoid a great public duty" in con
nection with the Gardner resolutions
about war equipment. I feel moved to
ask you if there was ever less need
of preparing for war than right now?
Had you not observed that the na
tions of the world were already oc
cupied? Has The Oregonian the impression
that the German fleet is about to run
the blockade of the English fleet and
land a half million of their army in
New York harbor? Perhaps you
thought that the Russians might quit
fighting at Warsaw in order to let the
Germans detach the East Prussian
army for passing through the Panama
Canal and coming around and taking
Portland.
How many chances do you think
there are in a billion or trillion for
France or England or Russia to de
clare war on us?
Or are you afraid that the. Belgians
might swoop down on us and wipe us
off the map?
Possibly the fear may be that Canada
or Mexico may suddenly penetrate our
country to Washington City and com
pel us to become annexed to themselves.
More likely your expectation is that
as soon as the European war is over
the participants will turn their arms
on us. How much do you think the
wretched victims of this war will
be in the notion of another right away,
and especially with the one country
on which they must depend for food
arid all the chief necessities to repair
their waste places? Also if, as this
same number of The Oregonian notes
or quotes, the nations of Europe have
already lost about two million and a
half men, will they be in any condi
tion to wage war for some time to
come?
In Bhort, is not this whole outcry
of Gardner and other jingoes a little
slopping over of the sheer 'madness,
the black mania of militarism which
is turning Europe into a charnel house?
Does The Oregonian desire our own
people and government to become dis
torted with the same lunacy?
Assuredly If there ever was a time
when we absolutely have no need of
war equipment, right now is the time.
To my mind It is nothing short of
criminal for public men to obstruct
the noble and far-reaching plans of our
Administration to save some hope and
some civilization and some Christianity
in this suffering" world.
W. D. LYMAN.
Whitman College.
Way He Avoided Him.
Kansas City Star.
"Look at that foolish Mr. Booker,"
said one man to another, "out on a
rainy iay like this without an umbrel
la! Is he crazy?"
"I guess so," said his friend, hurried
ly. "Let's hurry on. I don't want to
meet him."
"Why not?"
"He may recognize this umbrella.
It's his."
Who Was First Dentist t
Louisville Times.
Doctor, you told me that It wouldn't
hurt to putt that tooth," he said.
"I did," triumphantly acclaimed the
doctor. "What have you to say about
the matter?"
"Well, all I have got to say Is,"
moaned the patient, "that Ananias must
bava been the 2 rat dentist."
Twenty-Five Years Ago
From The Oregonian December 9, 19S9.
Paris Miss Caldwell, the American
heiress, whose engagement to Prince
Murat has been the subject of much
discussion recently, has Issued a state
ment, in which she denies that the
engagement is broken off. and says
the wedding merely has been postponed.
The reason for the postponement is
the failure of the attorneys for each
side to agree on the amount, of Miss
Caldwell's income over the sum of
which Prince Murat shall have abso
lute control. She says: "I never
offered Prince Murat one sou condi
tionally or unconditionally. I simply
referred him to my legal advisers when
the question of my estate was
broached, and I was much surprised
and my feelings awfully crushed when
the Prince informed me in a very curt
manner that our wedding must be
postponed until my counsel could agree
with him as to the amount of my in
come over that of which he should
have absolute control"
Tha. Prince's debts are about $500,000
and he candidly announces that half a
million from his prospective wife would
put him on "easy street."
Zanzibar Confirmation of the mas
sacre of Dr. Peters Is at hand. The
camp was surrounded by 1200 Somalia,
and no one escaped.
' The funeral of Samuel B. Ward, a
prominent Oddfellow, was held yester
day from the undertaking rooms of
Horatic Cook.
Vancouver, Wash. On Wednesday
next, under the auspices of the Ladies'
Guild of St. Luke's Church, a church
concert, which promises to be of un
usual excellence, will be given. Those
who will assist are Major and Mrs.
Lydecker, Miss Lydecker, Mrs. Ward,
Mrs. Kilbourne, Mrs. Anderson, Miss
O'Neil, Mrs. Crawford. Mrs. Ellrich. and
last, but not least. Professor N. E.
Skinner, of Portland.
F. Clarno. attorney-at-law. has moved
his offices to 28 and 29 Washington
building.
Officer Joe Day yesterday arrested a
flashily dressed young man, who gave
the name of A. L. Waterhouse. on a
charge of passing fraudulent checks.
The man. suspected of being H. A.
Royce, represented himself to be a
traveling agent of the Chicago Inter
Ocean. Among the arrivals at the Hotel St.
Charles are United States Commis
sioner Fred Page Tustin, of Pendleton:
Sheriff A. W. Hamilton, of Union, one
of the leading aspirants to the office
of United States Marshal: T. A. Mc-'
Bride, of Oregon City; Ed. C. Glltner,
of Salem, and George Gray, of the
Cascade Locks.
Rev. H. V. Rominger leaves on his
tour around the world today. .
The commissioners of the Oregon
Immigration Board have issued an ap
peal to capitalists, property owners
and b. ilders to erect at least 1000 more
houses in Portland to house toe new
comers, who are unable to f;et suit
able places to live.
Olympla. Senator Landes wants to
get married. He wants Justice Holt to
perform the ceremony. Justice Holt,
being a Supreme Court Jurist, has not
any. authority to tie the knot. Sena
tor. Landes wants Justice Holt to tie
the knot, whether or no. As a result
the Washington Legislature now has
before it a bill which Invests In Su
preme Justices the power to officiate
at marriages.
Half a- Century Ago
From The Oregonian of December 9. 1884.
In reply to stories that President
Lincoln had drawn his salary in gold
and invested It In foreign securities.
General Spinner, United States Treas
urer, has issued a statement in which
he says that tje President not only has
neglected to draw his salary for 11
months at a time, but that when his
attention was called to the interest ac
cruing, the President turned the Inter
est back to the Government, and that
at one time the Treasurer was forced
to request President Lincoln to draw '
his Salary so the Federal accounts
could be brought up to date. Treasure:"
Spinner further says that President
Lincoln, when he had more than enough
money from his salary than he needed
for his living, would invest it for his
friends in United States) gold stocks,
and that he turned the Interest over to
the Government. This interest which
he has turned back to the Government
has in one instance- amounted to $800.
Mr. Spinner also calls attention to the
fact that the President has allrwed
himself to lose, personally, to the Gov
ernment's gain, no less than $4000 by
not collecting interest on Government
stocks or bonds.
City Assessor Going has submitted
the assessment roll for 1864. The City
Council last night accepted it with the
supplementary assessments filed there
with. City Attorney Dolph has submitted a
statement in the cases recently brought
against the city by M. B. Morris and
John B. Garrison. Judgment was found
in both in favor of the city. The Garri
son action was for $4800, and it is prob
able an appeal to the Supreme Court
will be taken.
There is a move on foot to give a
benefit for Frank Hussey, of the variety
troupe.
Mr. Hurgen, City Councilman of the
Third Ward, has resigned his position
in that body, and W. S. Ladd has been
selected to till the vacancy.
The auctioin rooms of A. B. Richard
son are undergoing alterations to pro
vide for a greater space for stocks.
Corn-Fed PIk.
PORTLAND, Dec. 9. (To the Edi
tor.) The prizes won by the "College
Method." in our excellent fat stock
show, this week, remind me of the
farmer In Illinois, my native Btate,
who wanted a better breed of hogs
raised by a neighbor: so, he sent his
oldest son with a sack and $5 for a
pair of the desired pigs. The neighbor
accordingly put the two little grunters
in one end of the sack, tying a string
around the middle, filling the other
end of the sack with corn.
Taking the money, he said, "Now
when you get home, tell your father
the pig are in one end and the
breed In the other." C. E. CLJNE.
Shopping Minutes
Count These Days
We will say it again for em
phasis "Don't put off your Christmas
shopping another minute."
Make out your Christmas lists in
advance, noting Just about what you
want to buy and where you can
find it.
Shop In the early morning hours
if possible the stores are less
crowded, the sales people fresh and
of the' overcrowded deliv
eries and carry small parcels when
possible.
In making out the Christmas lists
you will find the advertising in this
newspaper a most valuable help.