Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, December 21, 1914, Image 6

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Morning Oregonian., December 21, 1914, Page 6, Image 6

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Newspaper Page TextTHE MORNING OREGONTAIf, MONDAY", DECEMBER 21, 1914. PORTLAND, OREGON. Entered at Portland, Orexon, Postofflcs a second-class matter. Subscription Kale, Invariably In Advance: (By MalL) Daily, Ennday Included, on year . ... ...8.00 lJally, Sunday Included, six months ..... laiiy, Sunday Included, three months ... 2ajl, Sunday Included, one month ..... laily. without Sunday, one year ........ J'! Ijaily, without Sunday, six months ...... -r l&iiy, without Sunday, three months ... Lt&iiy, without Sunday, one month Wey, one year J- t uiiday, on y ear ?" feuncay and Weekly, one year "Su (By Carrier.) Cally, Bandar Included, one year laiiy, Monday included, one month . o How to Remit Send Postofltce money or. der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Give postofflcs address in full, 'iaciudln county and state. Fostsae Bates 12 to IB pases. 1 cent; 18 to pages, 4 cents; 84 to 4s pases, 3 cents; bo to few pages, cents; 62 to 7o pages, a cents; 78 to ui pages, o cents. Foreign post age, double rates. Eastern Business Office Verree t;onk 11 n, Jiew York, Brunswick building; Chi cago, Stenger building, bui .Francisco Office R. J. Bldwell Com pany, 742 .Market street. 1DKTLAM), MOJfDAr, DEC. 81. A- OFFER OF HOPE. The understanding reached betweep Secretary Lane and Senator Chamber lain and Representative Slnnott rela tive to Irrigation funds for Oregon seems to be pretty much In the nature of a compromise. Secretary Lane does not recede from his position that Ore gon, although having matched and al ready expended In Irrigation an the amount previously allotted by the Government for co-operative work, has technically failed to co operate. He will not permit the ex penditure of the $450,000 already al lotted unless a further $450,000 be appropriated by Oregon. But, on the other hand, in recognition of the fact that Oregon has been discriminated against In expenditures from the rec lamation fund. Secretary Lane la will ing that Congress directly appropriate $450,000, or a larger sum if neces sary, for Independent work in Oregon. Oregon, of course, had full liberty to go to Congress with a request for an appropriation without consulting Secretary Lane, but his approval of the appropriation asked will doubtless be helpful in obtaining it. It is pretty well established that state co-operation with the Govern ment in any development does not mean co-operation in the full meaning of the word. Rather, state and Gov ernment co-operation means that they shall make available like sums and that the Government shall have full authority to say where, in what do tail, and how soon, the full amount shall be expended. Presumably the central idea of co operation in reclamation work and the main purpose of the Reclamation Service are to reclaim land in an in telligent and practical way. It is not charged that Oregon has wasted or even unwisely expended the $450,000 it has devoted to the Tumaio project. The state has completed one unit of a feasible project with its own money, understanding that if it thus showed its interest and good faith in reclama tion work the Government would spend a like amount. But the objec tion is raised in. Washington that the Government was not consulted as to the manner of expending the state's money. The fact that no showing has, been made that more land wou! have been reclaimed or as much lan reclaimed at a cheaper price by such consultation is ignored. The good that has been accomplished is overshad owed by a technicality, and immediate and certain enlargement of that good is denied because of the technicality. The understanding in view of which Oregon expended $450,000 on the Tumaio project, and prior discrimina tion in the allotment of reclamation funds showing the use in other states of so large a proportion of the money paid by Oregon citizens for Govern ment lands, ought to make a strong case in Congress, in behalf of the di rect appropriation which will be re quested. Oregon will be asking for the return of only a small part of the money taken out of this state and for recognition in substantial form of its own efforts and -expenditures in behalf of what the Government has elected to make a Federal function. AMKKICAX RAILROAD POLICY. Granting: of the advance in railroad rates emphasizes the position of the Interstate Commerce Commission as the arbitrator between shipper and carrier, which it took up when it au thorized a slight Increase to tne Mast- ern roads at the end of July. That function was lost to sight during the earlier years of the commission's his tory, for then its principal work was to redress wrongs done by the rail- reads, which fact gave rise to the be lief that it 'existed only to serve the shipper. The commission Is now coming forth in its true light as a body designed to do Justice between two classes.' The public Interest is now seen to be serVcd r- much by securing remunerative rates to the carriers as by preventing the exaction of excessive or discriminative rates from the -nipper. The present increase In. rates must however, be regarded as only an emer gency measure. The. commission has heretofore pointed out to the railroads neglected sources of revenue and neg letted economies by which they may Increase their net income. Financial and traffic conditions were so suddenly disturbed by the war that immediate relief was needed without awaiting the result of action on these sugges tions. . Physical valuation of railroad nroperty. which is now making rapid progress, uniform accounting of ex penses and a consideration of the con dition of the money market and of traffic conditions will in a few years enable the commission to arrive at a basis on which rates can be adjusted in such a manner as to assure the shipper of reasonable rates and the railroads of income adequate to pay interest on bonds, to pay fair dividends and to maintain and improve their property. When the commission has all the requisite information to guide It, part or all of "the recent increase in rates may be revoked; but whatever is done the public can feel assured that it will not be required tt5 pay dividends on fictitious values, while theMnvestor in railroad securities can feel assured o obtaining current interest on his cap ital. The railroads will then be able to raise the money needed to meet the growing demands of an increasing population in & fast-devel oping Country. We shall have a fair trial of the Ameiican policy or per mitting the transportation system to tie owned by private corporations un der public supervision, in contrast with ! the policy adopted by other countries of government ownersnip. xne Amer ican policy has given us the best serv- Ice in the world at the lowest rates for such service. There Is no cause to doubt that it will maintain that standard and will dispose of legitimate criticisms as fast as they appear. BAD ASSASSIN; GOOD MURDERER. Father O'Hara's letter today ex presses briefly and plainly the thougtit that is in the mind of those who criti cise and condemn the Administration's Mexican policy, or lack of Mexican policy. The protest is against the distinc tion made between cutthroats. Right thinking men cannot, in any event. countenance moral support and en couragement given a murderer who wades to power through the blood of thousands and leaves pillage and rapine in his wake. Much less can they countenance such encouragement when it comes from those who as sumed an exalted aloofness from an other murderer who gained control of Mexico by assassinating two men, in stead of thousands. There has never been a demand from a responsible source that an army be sent to Mexico to subdue the warring factions. There is, however, a firm desire for vigorous protection of American lives and property, which, as demonstrated at Vqra Cruz, may be attained without entering upon organ ized, continued warfare. But at the- moment there is a stronger demand, as a result of Mr. Roosevelt's revela tions, that this country abandon its friendly attitude toward Villa, and give a murderous bandit a murderous bandit's due, insofar as moral force will do it. THE RECOUNT FOR SHERIFF. There is a common assertion among the newspapers clamoring for a shrievalty recount that the public will be required to pay nothing. For ex ample, one paper says: If the county were to be put to any ex pense. . . . many taxpayers might feel that this is not the time to spend the pub lic money to satisfy the doubts of anybody. no matter how well founded they seemed to be. But the examination of the ballots will not cost the taxpayers a dollar. All of that money must be put up from private Bources. If the money were put up from pri vate sources, there might be no valid objection to a recount; but Mr. Word is not going ahead in pursuance of the newspaper programme. His first ef fort is to avoid putting up a bond to cover costs, but to arrange that the county shall pas', whether he wins or loses. The expense of a recount, run ning through many weeks, will be large. Somebody must pay it. It will be the public, if Mr. Word has his way. There Is another sample newspaper argument: For some reason or other The Oreronian Is desperately afraid of the recount. Why should any reputable newspaper fear to have spread out so that everybody may see them thq votes cast at an honest election ? Mr. Word does not charge that fraud was committed, to beat him; he simply asserts his belief that by Inadvertence ballots marked for him were counted for someone else. From the long Word complaint fhls paragraph is taken: That the clerks and Judges of Precinct Number one (1) of Multnomah County, Ore gon, counted one hundred four (104) votes for contestee, and one hundred thirty-eight (138) votes for contestant, but that said count was erroneous iud that in truth and In fact ninety (UO) votes were cast in satd precinct for contestee. and one hundred fifty-two (1F2) votes for contestant, and also that ten (10) void ballots were counted In favor of contestee. The same charge (with new figures substituted) is made with monotonous regularity for every Multnomah County precinct, 326 in all. The whole staggering mass of detailed al- egation against the competency of every Multnomah County judge and clerk of election, and against the In tegrity and honesty of the count in every precinct, is supported by the oath of Thomas M. Word. The enor mity of the 'charge is amazing. Is it credible that Mr. Word can even be lieve that in every precinct, 326 in all, the votes were cast one way and counted another? The very expres sion of the wholesale suspicion is an offense and an insult to every man and woman who served on the elec tion board in Multnomah County. Yet Mr. Word has made an oath to it all, giving specifications covering 326 cases of "erroneous" count. If his com plaint Is not tantamount to a declara tion that a gigantic conspiracy to cheat and defraud him, involving a thousand or more election officers, ex isted on election day, we do not un derstand the English language. xoe regumaii is not iiprencnsive about a recount. It can be and is "on cerned only in the honesty of the elec tion machinery and the verity of the returns in any election. Any dofeat-3.1 candidate for office is entitled to a re count under the prescribed forms of law. But he is entitled to ro more. WAR IN EUPHRATES YAXAJEY. One of the several theaters of hos tilities in the war to which little at tention has been paid, but on which events may be fraught with great con sequences, is the Euphrates. Valley, in Asiatic Turkey. While the Russians have penetrated from the Caucasus into the upper end of this valley, the British Indian troops have driven the Turks from the lower end of this val ley and have seized Bussorah, the most important part of that region. If hostilities should be pushed from both directions, the forces of the allies may meet midway of the valley and occupy the whole of Mesopotamia. This region was the most fruitful in Asia in ancient times and supported great empires, among which Babylon and Ninevah became famous, but Turkish misrule has made it almost entirely barren. Plans for its recla mation had been made by British in vestors several years ago and con tracts for the first work, consisting of a barrage on a branch of the Eu phrates, were signed in 1912. The plans drawn by Sir William Wiilcocks contemplate the Irrigation of 3,500,000 acres, at a cost o about $130,000,000, and the total irrigable area is about 12,500,000 acres. If the Turkish blight should be removed from the country and if this work should be carried out, we may see Mesopotamia recover its ancient fame as one of the most fer tile and populous regions of the earth. Asiatic Turkey has been the scene of the hottest rivalry between Ger many, Great Britain and France. The Bagdad 'railroad has been, in large part, constructed by the Germans from Anatolia through Asia Minor and down to the Euphrates Valley to Bag dad, work being prosecuted from both directions. Aleppa is on a branch running from Adana, in Southeastern Asia Minor, to the Euphrates, and a French line runs from that city through Syria. The war promises to decide whether the regeneration of Western Asia is to be in British, Rus sian and French hands or in those of Germany. What's the use of an army? We only need General Hugh L. Scott to talk to the bellicose In order to Insure peace. His salary might be raised to $50,000,000 a year and we should still save that amount by hiring him and disbanding the Army. EVTL8 OF SINGLE CROP, The plight to which the South has been brought by its devotion to a sin gle crop may be the opening of a new era. In the very year when it has produced the greatest cotton crop in history its market has been tempora rily destroyed and is only now being revived. Cotton has been dragged from its throne as king and is now a drug on the market at or -below -cost of production. The South may now take to heart the lesson learned elsewhere that it is not safe for any section of the country to plunge on a single crop. Oregon and Washington are learning that the growing of other grains, of beet and other root crops and of alfalfa with that of wheat is the sure road to soil conservation and permanent prosper ity. These states, also, produce fruit, hops, dairy products and livestock. The failure of one crop cannot now reduce the whole inland empire to poverty, as It did in the nineties. By turning to other crops besides cotton, the South may now play safe and may escape the necessity of calling on the Nation for help. Corn-growing is al ready increasing, and other crops can be grown as profitably. The main difficulty in the way of diversified farming in the South Is the lack of the right kind of labor. The negroes are the South's main reliance, and they know little beyond cotton. Education with special reference to ag riculture is needed for diversified farming according to modern methods. This will come gradually from Tus kegee and like institutions, and the South will serve its interests best by promoting education of the negroes. DO NOT EXCLmB PATRIOTS. The Senate has struck out of the immigration bill a pernicious provi sion, which was proposed by the com mittee. This amendment would , have excluded jiot only aliens who had been convicted of or admitted the commis sion of crimes, but those who were accused of crimes. It would have pre vented this country from becoming the refuge og any person fleeing from tyranny against which he had rebelled, for it would suffice for an European government to accuse him of some non-political crime. That trick was at tempted by Russia fn the case of a man involved in, the disorders of 1905 who had fled to this country. Our extradition treaties furnish am ple means of securing the return to a foreign country of persons accused on sufficient evidence of a non-political crime, and we should not, with out discrimination, exclude all per sons whom a foreign government chooses to accuse. Caution in this re spect is the more essential because thb courts have held the decision of an immigration inspector after private in quiry to be final. There is probability that as the re sult of the war there will be consid erable transfers of territory from one nation to another, and any inhabitant of annexed territory who might write or speak against the change could bo indicted on a trumped-up charge. Had the rejected provision been adopted, such a person would be automatically excluded, though this Nation is largely made up of such persons or their de scendants. Were Germany formally to annex Belgium, that provision might exclude the most patriotic Bel gians who aroused the wrath of the conquerors. EDWIN MARKHAM ON OREGON". Edwin Markham's new book on California will corns from the press in good time to catch the wave of inter est in the Panama exhibition. Cali fornia and San Francisco with their natural and artificial wonders will be the goal of great travel next Summer. We dare say thousands of the sight seeing pilgrims will fortify themselves by reading Markham's book. The work does not confine Itself to Cali fornia. There is a good deal in- it about Washington and Oregon also. Residents here will smile wishfully to read of that part of Oregon where the August and January temperatures have not "varied over thirteen de grees" for the last eighteen years and wonder where it can be. Mr. Mark ham erred by not locating it more specifically. The pioneers will relish his account of the old days when shoals of salmon crow ding one another out upon the banks of the Columbia "overturned a stage coach" and the annual migrations of red'-wlnged black birds and pigeons darkened the skies. All of them now sleep with the snows of yesteryear. Edwin Markham duly recounts how Jonathan Carver saw this land in a distant vision of the Imagination and Invented for It the mysterious name Oregon. Why does not somebody con coct a plausible theory for the origin of this word? It is so much like a dozen others in various languages that the correct etymology seems to hang just ahead of one in the air. Markham contents himself with timidly suggest ing "Aragon" and believes It might have been conferred by the old Span ish adventurers. We receive the sug gestion with a doubtful "perhaps." He does his full duty by the quotation from "Thanatopsls," passes Lewis and Clark with a hasty salute and descends upon the splendid days of Dr. Mc- Loughlin, "the grand old man who like another Mount Hood, dominated that world of forest and water." This is the most poetical characterization of the kindly doctor we ever read and it has the unusual poetical merit of being strictly true. It will interest Markham's readers to learn that he was himself born in Oregon; at Ore gon City, in fact, when that town promised to be the commercial center of the state. His people came overland from Michigan in 1847 and the poet was born five years later, in 1852. It is pleasant 'to read Markham's Intelligent notice of Jason Lee, who is sometimes slightingly mentioned by authors as a missionary to the good- for-nothing Willamette Indians and nothing more.- He says that "Lee's work was the seed of Americanism in the far Northwest. He was a man of extraordinary zeal, a man afire with a dream. . . . Like a wise man he saw that religion must have an earth hold, so in connection with his mis sionary work he established several farms and was the first Oregonlan to turn to agriculture. He employed every hour of his time in spreading his gospel of religion and building the ramparts of civilization." Markham quotes T. T. Geer, who says that it is impossible "to go beyond Jason Lee in Oregon history. Back of him there is a void, no schools, no churches, no agriculture, no home." All this is so Jason Lee comes more and more con splcuously to the fore as the one big American figure In Oregon's, pioneer history. Remembering the full justice he has done Jason Lee, we can easily pardon Markham for dealing out the "Whitman myth" as if it were really historical. "It is believed," he says, that Whitman's "earnest pleading saved Oregon to the Union and has tened her rise to statehood in 1859." Markham does not forget to give his readers some account of Oregon as the state appears today. He speaks of Portland as the "dominant" city, compliments the University and Agri cultural College and reminds the world of the "Oregon system" with its fruit In the shape of woman suffrage. Pro hibition came, a little too late for spe cific mention, but he pays his respects to The Oregonlan, which "has the aspect of a state institution," some what like "the Times of London or the Transcript of Boston." "visitors are cautioned against overlooking the Rose Festival and they are urged for their own good to climb to Council Crest "because from this lofty eleva tion you can see the city of Portland below you spread out trim and trig like a corner of New England." He adds that "the clean busy streets, en girdled by groves of fir and cedar, are brightened by rose gardens that are roses all the year." The blooms are particularly bright and fragrant this December. It is a pity that the expo sition pilgrims cannot see them in their Wintry glory, Markham grows eloquent over Ore gon's scenery. "Both Oregon and Washington," he writes, "can satisfy the heart's desire for beauty of sea, of lake, of peak, of forest. Everlast ing, snows are on their mountain tops and glaciers girdle the mountain sides." He writes of the caverns in Southern Oregon that "when lighted by the torch of the explorer these chambers take on a strange splendor and seem as though they might be the secret but spacious halls for the coun cils of Kings." The Klamath country wins still more ardent praise from him. Crater Lake, its crowning glory, is the great wonder of Oregon and one of the great wonders of the globe. Here is the truncated cone of Mount Mazama that once stood tall and beau tiful until his summit was suddenly blown off by subterranean forces. A great tragedy was enacted here before ever the towers of Ilium vanished in flame was enacted here in the old abyss of the centuries, but has its record only in the kalends of Chaos." This is fine language; but not an atom too fine for the subject. But what of the voters? They howl about bad government. They wail about taxes. They shriek for economy. They groan and they ululate. -They snarl ana tney ki the elr, and they fill the land with their lamentations. Portld Journal. Thus our unhappy neighbor elo quently reproaches a defenseless elec torate for its heinous offense in elect ing C. M. Hurlburt, Republican and undesirable, over Roscoe P. Hurst, Democrat, and friend of the Journal and Governor West. The Journal, The Oregonlan and other Portland news papers joined in the effort to elect Mr. Hurst; but they failed. Can it be that the united influence of all Portland newspapers, aided by the whole Dem ocratic party, and all supporters of good government, is not enough to elect a Journal-West candidate? The efforts of the Bachelors' Club of Sliver Lake to secure brides from the East are commendable, but this is a "Made In Oregon" year and surely there are plenty of young women in Lake County of proper age, disposition and other requirements to qualify. The divorce mill ran lively Satur day, eleven wives being given decrees and sent onward rejoicing. The reel ings of the eleven husbands were not recorded, but can be guessed. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Clews, Jr., hav ing each had an experience in divorce, should be able to go through the pro ceedings again like experts, if occa sion should arise. If snow falls to delight the boy who has a sled and the man who owns a sleigh, the ground will be Just rlgltt to make the pleasure last a while. Mr. Bryan must be tremendously agitated by the German Ambassador's showing of dum-dums, and Mr. Bryan Is a military man of record, too. Malheur people are preparing to re sume drilling for oil and If eventually they do not find it the sole reason will be that it is not there. Feed the birds, even the despised sparrow. The example in persever ance set by the pest is worth some thing to somebody. How sadly has Princeton wandered from the precepts of its former presi dent when Its students ask for military instruction. Taft says the recall makes jellyfish of officials. That might be believed where people have not enjoyed the ex perience. That Troutdale man who sheared his "sheep in December is not having his hair cut with clippers, it is safe to say. It has come to a pretty pass when a bull must carry lamps in order to escape being knocked out by an auto Secretary Bryan should really de liver one of his peace lectures to Rep resentatlves Moon and Heflln. As the allies gain a few hundred yards a day, they realize that It is a long, long way to Berlin. Apples will be fine at Hood River next year. The mercury dropped to JO above the other night. Washington will have three holidays in a row. Who would not hold down a Job in that state? That 5 per cent Increase in rates was all the roads needed to push the optimistic button. A white Christmas and the jingle of bells will just suit Santa Claus when he visits this city. The question, who is winning In Po land, depends on the origin of the dis patches. It will he a merry Christmas in the rail mills, carshops and locomotive works. Austrians pared the cheese rather thin to float the latest war loan. Even the great Morgan get stung in a railroad deal once In a while. Never mind the weather, is on the way tomorrow. Summer Half a. Century Ago From The Oregonlan, Dec. 20, 1864. Navigation on the Columbia closed yesterday, 10 days earlier than any season in the memory of the oldest inhabitant. The state of the river from Portland to the Cascades is such that officers of the Wilson G. Hunt decided not to attempt a passage today. On Saturday a lady passing along Front street Just above Morrison got her hoops and dress hitched to a box and almost tore the delicate articles from her person. Scarcely a day passes without something of this kind hap pening, and yet no effort is made to clear the sidewalks. The steamer Sierra Nevada, which sailed for San Francisco yesterday, carried $272,000 treasure, shipped by parties as follows: Wells, Fargo A Co $225,000 Laaa & niton.... az.uw Others 15,000 Total $272,000 Sherman's victory In front of Sa vannah was complete. With 20,000 men he drove the rebels from their trenches and utterly routed them, taking 1200 prisoners. Our troops were too tired to follow up the advantage and the enemy retired within the fortifica tions of Savannah. Richard Cobden addressed a great meeting at Rochedale, England. Novem ber 23. Adverting to the war in America, he asked why the South, as in other cases of rebellion, did not put forth its grievances.. The reason was, he thought, that it had but one. and that was the perpetuation and exten sion of slavery. The . Dalles. Dec. 19. Passengers down from Walla Walla yesterday re port .the roads pretty tolerably rough and the weather anything but warm and pleasant in the upper country. A dividend of 30 cents a share has been declared on the capital stock of the John Day Gold and Silver Mining Company, and will be paid at the of fice of President H. D. Green. AFTER MANY TEARS. "I'd just got my pension, your honor, and thought it'd do me no harm. My eighty-year bones bein' chilly, to take in a bit somethinsr warm. And while I was sippin' hot toddy old Comrade O'Brien came in And asked me to Join him with some thing, and I took a hot toddy again. The two of us then got a-talkln' of days when we toted a gun; The marches and camps 'way down yonder, and the desperate fightin' we done. And- one toddy follered another till my legs reached a rubbery stage. And when I got back to my senses I found myself locked in a cage. "What regiment? Ninth Indiana, in Cap Baker's Company A. Say, there was a soldier, your honor. I had quite a time with one day; 'Twas at the big battle of Shiloh in a desperate charge that we made. Our regiment bein' pushed forward again a whole rebel brigade. When we got near their line chargin' bay'nets the Colonel 'twas leadin' us saw He'd bit off a chunk o hard fightin' 'twas more than his soldiers could chaw. And ordered a fallirn' back over the field strewn with wounded and dead. And it wasn't no leisurely movement we hit the high places, by Ned! "While the yellln' treat. Johnnies. a-shootln' and was follerin' up our re- We passed Baker layin' there wounded and tryin' to rise to his feet I knowed 'twas the horrors of prison. or worse, If we left him behind And as quick as a flash of greased lightnin'. or quicker, I made up my mind. I was young then, and husky, your nonor. and was strong in both body and limb And I throwed Baker over my shoulder and run like the devil with him And while them reb bullets was hissin' like venomous snakes in the air I got him clear back out o' danger and in the field hospitals care. "His wound was a bad one, your honor a ball had cut into his breast Somewhere, we was told, in the region of where his brave heart had its nest, And he had to go out o' the service un fitted for duty, and say. If he's yet in the land o' the Ilvln he's cussm his luck to this day. My savin' him got me promotion, and I kep' cllmbin up till one day I put double bars on my shoulders as captain of Company A, And after that day It was always my leadin ambition and aim To be gallant and brave as the captain a rebel put out o the game. "Don't hit me too heavy, your honor. It's a good many years since I had A load in my system sufficient to put my legs to the bad; t know I deserve to be punished, but I am a-hopin' you'll not Be hard on a veteran soldier whose pension is all that he's got. The judge left his seat, and the people assembled were filled with sur prise To see two old veterans standing and staring in each other s eyes. The crystal teardrops of remembrance coursing down each old time- wrinkled face As the Judge of the court and the cul pi-it were locked in each other's embrace. But the mystery was solved In a mo ment by the grizzled old veteran, who Cried out In a voice all a-tremble: "Captain Baker! My God, is it you! James Barton Adams, Rifle Clubs In America. MOSIER, Or.. Dec 18. (To the Edl tor.) In answer to Mr. Hartman, of Winberry, Or., who. In today's Orego nian, commends the Sweedlsh system of encouraging rifle practice, which gives that Small country, with scarcely 5,0000,000 people, 170,000 well-trained sharpshooters. The United States has inaugurated a similar and a better system, by act of Congress, April, 1914. The War De partment will now issue to civilian rifle clubs affiliating with the Na tional Rifle Association of America Krag rifles and free ammunition to the extent of one rifle to each five mem bers and an additional rifle for every man qualifying as "sharpshooter" or "expert," and 120 rounds of ammuni tion per man per year. Club members may purchase then their respective clubs' ordnance sup plies at the same prices as furnished the Army or militia. For example: Krag carbines, $2.50; Krag rifles, $5; New Springfield, ' $13.61; Krag ammu nition, which retails at $5 per hundred, $15 per thousand; New Springfield ammunition, which retails at $6 per hundred, $25 per thousand. Packing and transportation to be paid by the purchasing club. Many other valuable privileges go with club membership which space here forbids enumerating. Clubs may be organised with a minimum mem bership of 10. For exact and com plete particulars write Lieutenant Albert S. Jones, secretary. National Rifle Association cf America, 1025 Woodward building, Washington, D. C. - A. J. EVANS, Secretary Mosier Rifle Club. ARM V FOR MEXICO IS NOT ASKED Demand Is That Administration Cease to Treat With Terrorists. PORTLAND, Dec. 20. (To the Edi tor.) The meeting held, on- last Sun day in St. Francis Hall was called for the purpose of taking action in regard to the reign of terror in Mexico, and the sympathy of our Government for the terrorists. The meeting was a rep resentative gathering of Catholics from the different churches and organizations of the city. They were law-abiding citizens and good Americans, and con ducted themselves in an orderly and dignified way. Judge Munly's references to the Pres ident were marked by restraint, respect and consideration for his high office. After a reference to the President's high motive in his treatment of Huerta, the policy of the Administration towards the constitutionalist leaders was sub jected to criticism. The feeling pre vailed at that meeting that the same motives which caused the President to reject Huerta should actuate the Ad ministration with regard to the terror ist leaders now responsible for the deviltry In that unhappy land. That meeting put itself on 'record as op posed to the policy of friendly recog nition of and co-operation with them. Those assembled, and not Judge Munly, take responsibility for the proceedings of that meeting. It is Inexplicable to them also that Christian gentlemen at the head of our Government should not, when knowl edge Is brought home to them of the savage deeds of these miscreants, cease to treat with them, cease to co-operate with them. Carranza has now defied the Government. Villa is still in favor. The Catholic people ask for no Army to go to Mexico. All that they wish is that the moral force. of our Na tional Government should be exercised against all such, and not in" their favor. This course should meet the approval of all good citizens without regard to religion or politics. Judge Munly dis tinctly disavowed any appeal to war. and approved of the President's desire for peace. It is too late at this day to question the patriotism of Catholics. It must not be forgotten that among the first who gave up their lives In the defense of the flag at Vera Cruz was a Catholic; that out of the 17 who fell, six were Catholics. Nor can it be said that Catholics have, at any time in any war in which this country has been in volved, failed to do their patriotic duty. It is painful and discouraging to note that outrages which vie in ferocity and barbarity with those of the French revolution should have failed to elicit a public expression of abhorrence at Washington, or stir the people of this land, until Colonel Roosevelt's letter called attention to the same. If Catho lics failed to give him expression of their gratitude for the service rendered their sorely tried brethren in Mexico, they would be less than human. That their words of sympathy for the unfor tunate victims of the lust and greed and blood-thirstiness of the barbarian Indian assassin. Villa, should fail to receive a hearty response from any one professing a love for civil and religious liberty, is still more painful and dis couraging. EDWIN V. O'HARA. The Voter Who Did Kot Think. PORTLAND, Dec 19. (To the Edl tor.) I presume that more genuine thinking has been given the prohibition question since the Portland Retail Druggists' Association uttered their proclamation a fortnight since. Their resolution to stand from un der, expounding , the bald fact that they refuse to be the goat this time, as has been, customary in the past by meekly accepting any imposition that the public has seen fit to saddle on them. Many a weak-kneed brother is now lamenting that he understood the pro hibition measure to mean only the abolition of the common saloon, and now that the physicians have declared that they will stand aloof by amputat ing the booze prescription, the wise heimer who was saying that "I know where I can get it" is due for some rude reversals since both the doctor and druggist will ascend above the scurrilous suspicion that would prevail unless they established such an ulti matum. We hope that the airtight squad will make prohibition mean just what was intended it should; and the mercenary individual who whetted up his sclme ter in anticipation of annexing oodles of the tranquil mazuma will find -himself holding the sack. It may be true that drug substitu tion has contributed to populating the cemeteries; but it must be remembered that old King Alcohol also has legions of representatives in the silent cities, not to mention the attrlbutary grief and suffering that it has deflected upon the innocent. Yes, indeed, fellow prohibitionists (?) the fiat will go forth at the specified time, indorsed by that handsome ma jority and with its edicts so sagely commandered that those who injudi ciously or maliciously Ignore Its man dates will soon be brought to realize that prohibition means the abolition of alcoholic beverages beyond the bound aries of Oregon Just as was Intended by the ballot. Sympathetically yours, THOMAS WRIGHT, Ph. Q. No. 251 Halsey street, city. Let Those Who Have. Spend. PORTLAND, Dec. 20. (To the Edi tor.) I read with interest the attitude of the several matrons regarding the simplicity of social functions. Simplicity in itself is beautiful, but when you say it assists the needy, it certainly is a great mistake. There is no better way for giving assistance than entertaining as many do in the absence of entertainments. The poor charwoman receives the extra work; the florist discharges help for most of the flowers and plants are used for decorating; the modiste discharges her help she has no work and can not keep the girls; the caterer employs none; so you see there are all ranks who will not have work. I should like to see more elaborate even lavish entertainments than ever. The needy wish to work for their money. . AN OREGONIAN. OREGON WEATHER. Say! This weather is surely good Just like living on old Mount Hood. If 'twould only get colder' and freeze up tight Why, I tell you, then it would be all right Then let us have a foot of snow So the boys with - sleds can have a show; To hear the sleigh bells merry Jingle And your nose get cold and your ears just tingle. O say! Wouldn't it all be simply great 'Twould make a record for our old state; She and good New England would be together With this splendid crispy, wintry weather. B. KUNYON. Thursday. PORTLAND, Dec 20. (To the Edi tor.) Kindly tell me on what day of the week June . isus, reii. MRS. F. W. Twenty-Five. Years Ago From The Oregonlan, Dec. 18, 1SS9. Washington. President Harrison has announced new treaty negotiations with Canada, which will greatly In crease the list of extraditable offenses. Embezzlement will be one included. Salem. W. C. Riggs was killed accl- dentallv. according to the Coroner's Jury that Investigated the killing. which occurred near Sublimity last night. He was shot accidentally by Oran Hammond. The Thomas Kay Woolen Mills Com pany has filed supplementary articles of incorporation. Squire Farrar, Thomas Kay and C. P. Bishop are the directors. r? T Smith Vina rtnrnArl from SDO- kane Falls, where he went in the In terest of the railroad affairs under his management. J. E. Hedges, of Tualatin, 75 years old, and a pioneer of 1851, is seeing today after being blind in both eyes for several years, due to hard cata racts. On November 5 the operation was performed by Dr. E. C. Brown and yesterday Mr. Hedges received his glasses and read from The Morning Oregonlan. Mr. Hedges, until today had been unable to guide himself about even in his own home. Now he sees comparatively well. The First Regiment Oregon National Guard has elected C. J. Wheeler secre tary; D. J. Moore, treasurer, and the following committee on the state: Ma jor B. B. Tuttle, H. L. Wells, E. W. Moore and Ben Smith. It has been discovered that Mark Twain's wife has written a book under a fictitious name. The Czar of Russia has issued an edict forbidding applause in the the aters of St. Petersburg. It lnterfere3 with his slumber during an after-dinner performance. S. A. D. Puter, the timber land agent who had a narrow escape from con viction for making fraudulent loca tions, is again In the toils of the law, this time on charges of larceny pre- ' ferred by C. li Clark, C. G. Newcastle. W. L. Hetich. J. W. Campbell. John Marshall and H. J. Morrison. G. W. Bell, one of Yamhill's solid farmers. Is in town for a few days. Mr. and Mrs. J. T. McDonnell have returned from their honeymoon and will take up their domicile with Mrs. McDonnell's parents for the Winter. Strange Lack of Feeling. PORTLAND, Dec. 20. (To the Edi tor.) It is unfortunate that effort is being made to becloud the Issue in the matter of protests against the Mexican outrages. It is not fair to treat Colonel Roosevelt's letter calling attention to these outrages as a pro-Catholic utter ance Nor is it fair to treat Catholics with suspicion and call them f on, en tors of war because they meet to discuss and denounce the torture and mutilia tion of their non-combatant brethren in Mexico. I am not a Catholic, but I have read the Roosevelt article and other accounts of the scenes that have accompanied constitutionalist military successes, and I marvel that any mo tives whatever can restrain Americans from united protest and effective ac tion. President Wilson disapproved Huer ta's assassination of Madero, and with out declaring war eliminated Huerta. Very well, then why is it to incite war to demand that thl3 Government shall cease to countenance crimes in Huerta's successor that are infinitely worse than murder? We don't ask a man's church connec tion before we rescue him from a burn ing building. A few years back we found unendurable the spectacle of General Weyler's reconcentrado camps in Cuba, and I do not recollect that our sympathies were in the least abated because the victims were Cath olics. But even "Butcher Weyler" was guilty of no such reign of terror as that now existing in Mexico, and un der the apparently complacent eye of Washington. Turkish atrocities stir our Indigna tion. Russian persecution of the Jews arouses our righteous wrath. But here are things done equal to any knovrn to history, done just over our border, done by men whom our Government has assisted to power. Here we have a responsibility. It would be coward ice, or worse, to evade it. LOR A C. LITTLE. Prescription Boose Also Fills Grave". PORTLAND, Dec. 20. (To the Edi tor.) In The Oregonian appears a let ter from Dr. G. T. Via, who appears to be terribly worked up over tiie Port land druggists' stand on the liquor question. We are accused of forming a "drug trust." I may say that we have formed a "trust," for decency and sobriety and to put the kibosh on bootlegging doctors. The doctor truthfully says that grave yards are filled by druggists who dis pensed something just as good, but there are also larger ones filled by men who got their booze on doctors' prescriptions. 55. M. CHASE. A TOAST TO TUB MUTS. Here's to the Muts! God bless them, "Men united to serve;" They give their time, their thought, their help To the poor without reserve. How many a heart will lighter bo. How many bodies warm. With food and clothes and fuel To guard from" Winter's storm. To the eyes of many worthy We know will come a tear. When they receive "Muts' " welcome offerings With a touch of Christmas cheer. How many a little child will laugh, And clap its hands with glee. When it gets Its gift from Santa Off the "Muts' " own Christmas tree. There may not be much In names. But here's to "Muts" great and small. For the good they do their fellows God bless them one and all. , H. M. B. Philosophy of n Beggar. Sydney Bulletin. Mendicant Can you spare a pore bloke a trifle, mister? Minister What! A big able-bodied man like you begging? Mendicant Well, yer got to be big an strong ter beg these days wlvout gettln' "urt. Food Education The manufacturers of standard pure food products are doing a great work in educating the American peo ple. They are raising the standards ot living they are missionaries of good health. These pure food manufacturers are swiftly and certainly driving out the fakir and the dopester. Advertising is their weapon, and newspaper advertising their most profitable one. People have come to have faith In the qualities of the food products advertised in their newspaper and in the merchants who sell them.