8
TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN, ' WF.TXF.lT AT. DECEMBER 23, 1914.
ft
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PORTLAND, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23. 1914.
LAW MUST BE REVISED.
In adopting1 a compensation law,
Oregon departed in a number of im
portant particulars from the provisions
recognized by other states and by
thorough students of the subject as es
sential to complete success of the en
terprise. It may occur to mind that
compensation law is practically new
legislation in this country and there
iwas a chance to gain efficiency by
experimenting. But Oregon has expe
rimented and it now appears that the
working of the law for the brief period
It has been ia existence is not wholly
favorable.
The most important phase of the
situation Is the prospective failure of
the insurance premiums to keep up
the benefits. It is asserted that at
present the fund is solvent, but that
a continuance under the existing sys
tem would mean a deficit in a year
or two, which would have to be met
by direct appropriation and at the ex
pense of the general taxpayers.
In one particular the law attempts
that which actuaries assert is impossi
ble. It seeks to provide an adequate
fund for payment of compensation to
injured persons by establishing a com
paratively low yet practically flat rate
governing all employments. Proper
consideration is not given to the extra
hazardous character of certain indus
tries. As the law "was originally framed
and if industrial conditions did not
fluctuate because of depressed business
conditions, the principle adopted might
have been successful. But the rates
of compensation established by the
commission that framed the act were
Increased materially by the Legisla
ture and no attempt was made to en
large the prospective income. Since
then a severe business depression has
occurred, particularly in lumber man
ufacturing, which Is the largest of Ore
gon's industries and the one most will
ing to embrace the compensation prin
ciple. Moreover, the benefits under the act
are not based on the average wage of
the injured workman, as is the rule
in most of the twenty-six states hav
ing compensation laws, while the in
come to the insurance fund Is gov
erned by the payrolls. There has
been a decrease in wages, but no de
crease in benefits allowed.
It is imperative that the law be
changed In the particulars that have
contributed to the financial danger
that confronts the state insurance
fund. One of the latest reports of
qualified investigators of compensation
for industrial accidents is. that of the
special committee appointed by the
Conference of Commissioners on Uni
form State Laws. This committee has
prepared a draft for a uniform state
compensation law. This draft provides
for classification of employments and
a flexibility in insurance rates im
posed on each class, under the direc
tion of a state insurance manager.
Separate accounts are kept for each
fund, but for the payment of com
pensation the state insurance fund is
deemed one and indivisible. At the
end of a year dividends may be de
clared for the benefit of contributors
to any fund, or the rates increased or
special assessments made, as condi
tions warrant. Compensation is paid
on a. percentage of wage, with a fixed
maximum and fixed minimum.
The plan has virtually unanswerable
arguments in its favor. If properly
administered. It will prevent the less
hazardous industries from earning a
part of the insurance of the extra-hazardous
employments. Moreover,' the
common-fund provision will avoid in
solvency, such as occurred in one of
the separate funds in the State of
Washington. The flexibility in rate
of premiums would prevent a recur
rence of the present condition, where
the Industrial Accident Commission
must go to the Legislature for an
amendment to avoid financial disaster.
The Oregon law differs from most
other compensation statutes in other
particulars. Here, so far as the com
pensation treatment of industrial ac
cidents is concerned, the state main
tains a monopoly. Almost universally
elsewhere compensation insurance is
permitted In stock companies, or mu
tuale, or the employer may carry his
own Insurance, all subject to state
supervision and regulation. This does
not mean, as is occasionally said In
Oreeon, that the injured workman in
employ of one who has taken, out
compensation insurance in a stock
company is compelled to go to law
to obtain compensation for injuries in.
the manner that prevails where the
liability laws are in force.
In the draft of the proposed uniform
state law heretofore mentioned the
schedule of compensation is the same
as that prescribed for alternative state
insurance. A permanent state com
mission passes on questions of fact In
reported injuries. There is appeal
from the decisions of this commission
to an arbitration board, consisting ef
one member of the state commission
and one person appointed by the em
ployer and one appointed by the in
jured employe. The findings of this
board as to facts are final and the fees
and expenses are paid by the state.
It is notable that in this bill the
Industrial Accident Board, created to
make awards and perform other func
tions, has not supervision over the
state insurance fund. That fund and
. the regulation of premium rates there
in Is left to the management of one
man, who is wholly independent of the
board, the idea being that the board
is largely a judicial body, which may
decide claims against the state fund,
and should not act both as a party
defendant and the court which decides
the case.
It has been said that the only true
function of state Industrial accident
Insurance is to prevent private monopoly-
In Insurance. With that opinion
we are in accord. If a stock company
or a mutual company can successfully
compete with state insurance and is
so regulated that the injured work
men are not defrauded or burdened
with litigation, we can conceive of no
logical reason for denying it the priv
ilege. It has been said that monop
oly in state Insurance keeps the money
paid for premiums at home. Yet in
surance laws require the maintenance
of large reserves and the insurance
companies invest largely where they
get their business. As the Oregon law
now stands the state is paying heavily
for the retention of industrial acci
dent insurance money at home. Its
contribution to the industrial accident
fund and the cost of maintaining the
Industrial Accident Commission result
in the state paying about 25 per cent
interest on the money thus kept in
Oregon.
When the Oregon law was adopted
it was acknowledged not to be per
fect. Amendment was anticipated
and, as it turns out, revision in some
particulars is imperative. There is
now better material available than
ever before for guidance in putting
the act on a permanently practicable
basis. A thorough consideration of the
law and broad reformation should not
be discouraged.
LATTER-DAY STATE RIGHTS.
The outstanding fact about the Hob
son amendment is that it is a proposed
Federal constitutional amendment to
be adopted or rejected by the states.
It will take a three-fourths vote of
all the states to make it the funda
mental law of the Nation. Yet here
we have the panic-stricken Demo
cratic majority crying out that it is a
"question for the states," and that it
ought to be "left to the states."
If submission by Congress to the
states of an amendment to the Con
stitution is not a grant of opportunity
for a direct exercise of the modern
(not the ancient) Democratic princi
ple of "states rights," what Is it? The
measure is left to the states. They
may accept it, or not, as they please.
But if thirty-six out of the forty
eight states act favorably, we shall
have prohibition in the United .States.
Surely the Democracy does not now
stand for nullification by one state
against forty-seven others. Surely the
Civil War settled that question.
Yet should not a three-fourths ma
jority of all the states prevail over
the remainder? Are we going forward
or backward?
WARM HEARTS AND OPEN HANDS.
The weather is cold, but hearts are
warm. The genuine Christmas spirit
is abroad in more than common
power. Perhaps the knowledge of
Belgium's suffering has awakened us
all to the fact of suffering at home.
Pockets unlock more readily , than
usual this holiday season. Hands are
open, hearts beat with kindliness. The
beggar is relieved without too close
inquiry into his worthiness. He may
be a fraud. Heaven forgive him if
he is, but in any case his plea is piti
ful and he receives his dole. If he
misuses it that is his fault, not the
fault of the person who gives.
The prophecy is common among
men today that we stand at the be
ginning of a new world. We are in
the dawn, some say, of a better civ
ilization and the European war Is ttffe
last convulsion of an age that is pars
ing away. The war is the dying throe
of militarism. This may be true, or
it may not, but in any case it Is cheer
ing to believe that the world is grow
ing better in spite of appearances to
the contrary. Those who really want
it to grow better can help realize their
desire by bettering the lot of Rome
unfortunate. The more happiness there
is on earth the nearer we are to the
millennium, and there is nobody so
poor that he cannot add a little hap
piness to somebody's lot.
REAL DANGER OF WATER-POWER BILL.
That ultra-conservationist newspa
per, the Chicago Tribune, expresses
alarm kest the Senate committee which
is considering the water-power bill
should, heed the demands of water
power interests which oppose public
control. The danger from this source
is not that the power interests will
succeed in obtaining freedom from
public control. Representatives of
these Interests made plain at the hear
ing by the Waterways Commission
several years .ago that they favored
such controLigrhe real danger is that
they may induce the committee to in
crease the 'Jfieasure of Federal con
trol to the exclusion of control by the
states.
As passed by the House, the bill
provides for state control of intra
state rates where states have regula
tive bodies and for Federal control of
interstate rates and of lntra-state
rates where the states have made no
provision for regulation. The corpor
ations would rather be under single
control and generally prefer that of
the states. They particularly object
to having to deal "with one or two
departments of the Federal Govern
ment and one or more states, and
with some reason. Gifford Pinchot
and others of his type attribute the
power companies' preference for state
control to its Inefficiency, and they
regard the provision made for state
control as only temporary, to continue
until the Government takes full con
trol. Their objection is sufficiently met
by the provision of Federal control
of intra-state rates where the state
has no regulative commission. Their
reflection on state commissions is not
justified by the experience of Ore
gon, Washington, Wisconsin and sev
eral other states with such bodies, and
is born of an unjustified belief that
the states are more susceptible to
corporation influence than the Federal
Government. Even ' if their belief
were Justified, it furnishes no ground
for Federal Invasion of state jurisdic
tion. The power interests have good cause
to criticise those provisions of the
bill which vest wide discretion in the
Secretary of the Interior as to the
terms of leases and as to all relations
between lessee and the Government.
Those provisions make the lessee a
creature of the changing views of suc
cessive Secretaries of the Interior. A
company having a fifty-year lease
would have to deal with at least a
dozen consecutive Secretaries, and men
may well hesitate to risk their capital
on the fairness and sound Judgment
of so, many unknown men.
The purpose of the bill is to get
water power developed. Its accom
plishment requires that the terms of
the bill be such. that men will Invest
money under them. If the bill be
merely ideal from the conservation
standpoint, but Induces few. If any,
men to develop water power, nothing
will be gained by it.
A contemporary sorrowfully asks
why modern bachelors shun matri
mony. Jt suggests v variety of an
swers, but misses the true one, which
Is the cost of living. If we ever find
a way to enable people to satisfy their
reasonable wants without excessive ex
ertion, matrimony will become as pop
ular as it was in the Golden Age.
When Uncle Sam was able to give
every man a farm, the demand for
wives exceeded the supply.-
TRANS PLAN TING FOLK-SCHOOLS.
H. W. Foght. of the Federal Bureau
of Education, believes that the Danish
folk-schools can be transplanted to
the United States. Why not? We
have transplanted the Dutch free pub
lic schools and the German university.
Why should we not be capable of as
similating the Danish folk-schools?
These are schools for adult pupils.
They are in session at those times of
the year when country people are least
busy on their, farms and their studies
are adapted to rural needs, though it
is important to add, the cultural stu
dies are by no means overlooked. To
make such schools mere arid .grinds
of work and trade would be an unpar
donable blunder.
We need these schools in our rural
districts worse than Denmark did be
fore they were founded there, but it
seems fairly likely that the village
high schools may be made to supply
the want. They are emancipating
themselves from the idiotic routine of
Latin and mathematics and taking
hold of current needs, at least in some
quarters. No doubt the change will
spread.
Mr. Foght thinks the Allegheny
Mountain region would be a good place
to make a beginning with the Danish
folk-schools. There is small doubt
that they would be popular wherever
they were started. The "moonlight"
schools recently begun in the Tenne
see mountains by an inspired woman
show how the people would take to
them. If more proof of their sure
popularity is wanted we have only to
look at the Chautauqua, which Is, in
a way, modeled upon the Danish folk
school, though its work is, of course,
far less systematic and thorough. But
it does attract adult students and re
kindle the sacred fire of intellectual
ambition at a time of life when, by
all the dismal old standards of pro
priety, it ought to be extinct forever.
There ought to be a folk-school
In every school-house in the United
States. Grown-ups need education as
badly as the children. If they had
more of it we should see and hear less
of the unintelligent opposition in the
rural districts to co-operation and col
lective marketing. We should also
hear less of the migration of whole
families from the country to the city.
THOMAS AND HOOD.
The battle near Nashville in which
General Thomas defeated Hood and
destroyed the last vestiges of the Con
federate power in the western border
states was fought December 15, 1864.
The. news of it was slow to percolate
through the country and only on De
cember 21 did it reach The Oregonian.
The Oregonian of that date contained
a dispatch which said that Hood had
been defeated near Nashville by the
army under Thomas. The same num
ber of The Oregonian contained the
news that Sherman had carried Fort
McAllister by storm and iwas besieg
ing Atlanta.
When Sherman set out on his march
through Georgia he sent Thomas back
to look out for the safety of Tennes
see, making the task rather difficult
by depriving him of almost all his
troops. It was thus Incumbent on
Thomas to build up a new army out of
raw material and this he immediately
began to do. Much depended upon
his celerity and effectiveness because
Hood had abandoned the vain pursuit
of Sherman and returned toward Ten
nessee, evidently to make trouble in
the Union rear. On November 30 he
was repulsed at Franklin, as The Ore
gonian recounted the other -day, but
this by no means disposed of him.
Hood continued to advance on
Nashville and the country watched his
progress in a fever 6t anxiety. Thom
as, who had the only force anywhere
near Hood, delayed to strike. To the
excited American people his inaction
seemed criminal. It was commonly
said that he was repeating the dila
tory tactics which had made McClel
lan's fine army so useless. There was
even talk' of recalling him. His im
mense services at Chickamauga were
for the' moment forgotten. An order
for his removal was actually signed by
Stanton, but it was happily cancelled
before it had done any mischief 'except
to mar the satisfaction that Thomas
felt in his victory when he had won
It. At last when he believed his prep
arations complete Thomas attacked
Hood and beat him unmercifully,
driving him back eight miles the first
day and harrying him out of Tennes
see soon afterward. This ended the
power of the Confederacy in the Ten
nessee country.
Thomas received a belated commis
sion as Major-General for his brilliant
piece of work, but ho believed that It
had ' been given unwillingly by the
Washington authorities. ''I earned this
at Chickamauga,'" he said with par
donable bitterness when the commis
sion came. "I never received a pro
motion that they dared to withhold."
Neither . Grant . nor Stanton liked
Thomas. They were only too ready to
listen to his backbiters and readily
persuaded themselves that his merits
were inferior. What he won he won
nobly.- To' favoritism and backstairs
influence he owed nothing.
MR. BRYAN'S MILLION MEN.
The sort of stuff with which the
demand for adequate National defense
Is met can be conceived from this sam
ple, the product of our peaceful Sec
retary of State:
The President knows that If this country
need l.OOO.OOO men, and needed them in a
day, the call would go out at sunrise and
the sun would go down on 1.000,000 men In
arms.
In his enthusiasm Mr. Bryan has
overlooked a few minor details. Before
this country can have 1,000,000 men
In arms it would need to provide the
arms and before the arms would be
of any uBe it would need to provide
ammunition. Before our 1,000,000 men
would be. anywhere near a match for
an equal number that might be put
in the field by a military nation, they
would need instruction in the use of
arms. They would, above all, ' need
training in the art of working in large
masses as a unit, in discipline, in obe
dience to orders. They would need td
become imbued "with that martial
spirit which Mr. Bryan so greatly
abhors but which inspires men to
count their own fate as nothing, the
cause for which they fight as every
thing. These essential qualities could be
developed In the 1,000,000 men only by
officers who must have had several
years' training in the (In Mr. Bryan's
eyes) execrable art of transforming
men- into soldiers, for a man does not
become a soldier Immediately upon
being armed. About four years are
needed to produce a competent officer,
and after he has learned the theory
in college, he must acquire practice
in commanding larger and larger
bodies of men, until an army has some
men qualified by experience to com
mand a million or more men. If Mr.
Wilson were to call 1,000,000 men to
arms this morning, he would find the
supply of officers necessary to train
them non-existent. . After he had
trained or Improvised officers, Mr.
Wilson would find it necessary to wait
from six months to a year before his
army could be put in the field with
any chance of success. Lord KitcTi
ener began recruiting the new British
army at the beginning of August and
he has crowded training at an unprece
dented pace, requiring the men to de
vote ten or twelve hours a day to it,
but the new army is not expected to
go to the front until Spring.
While the infantry were being
trained, it would be necessary to pro
vide artillery in a certain ratio to in
fantry and cavalry and to train men
in its use; to provide cavalry horses
and equipment, and to train men and
horses; to provide uniforms and equip
ment for the whole army, to say noth
ing of commissary supplies, tents, land
and sea transport, medical and hos
pital service and supplies.
The time which would elapse be
tween the call for 1,000,000 men and
their entrance into the field would be
more nearly a year than a day, and it
would be an extremely busy year. If
the country had no other means of
defense than the newly-enrolled mil
lion, an enemy could overrun it dur
ing that year and break up the train
ing camps.
Before' Mr. Bryan delivers himself of
any more oracular utterances on Na
tional defense, he should consult his
colleague, Mr. Garrison. He might get
a few hints which would save him
from making himself ridiculous.
There is a move on foot to reform
the "expert witness." The hope is to
make-him more truthful than he has
been for a long time. The' Illinois
Law Review gives an account of a
plan for this laudable purpose. Ws
wish it success, but we cannot help
remembering that the expert heart ia
desperately wicked, particularly when
there is a fee in sight.
We think we can tell Superintend
ent Seymour, of Monmouth, how to
"interest parents in the schools." Let
Jthe schools begin to teach matters
that are of importance in life and
conduct. As soon as their work be
comes vitally interesting, parents and
all others as well will be interested
in it.
Elmer H. Curtlss projects another
over-ocean aeroplane. Its wings will
spread 100 feet and the other dinjen
sions will be in proportion. The mon
ster Is to be built at Buffalo and when
it is done Mr. Curtiss will fly across
the deep and dark blue ocean in it
perhaps.
Japan will be missed in the parade
of warships In the Canal celebration.
As the sea is clear of Germans, she
has nothing to fear, and must have
in view something great pretty soon.
Los Angeles will not participate of
ficially in opening the San Diego fair
because a San Diego editor had a few
Jesting remarks to make about' Los
Angeles. Come, come, children.
. The boys in the manual training
schools want to work during the holi
days and do not want a vacation.
Those are the foremen and superin
tendents of the years to come.
Tsing-Tau's quick fall Is attributed
tq shortage of shell. And yet the
shortage was not so great as that at
most of our fortified positions.
The two hundred young men and
women learning Spanish in the city
night schools will be the advance
guard of business ere long.
Paris reports that the British have
made 500-yard gains. Think of It!
In about seventy-five years they will
get to Berlin at that rate.
Austria says she will not pay debts
due enemies; that is, not just jet.
When the war is over she may be
glad of the opportunity.
The Kaiser is now hurrying to the
western battle zone. It keeps the
Kaiser on the jump visiting all the
spots of stress.
Effort to kill Carranza with a wild
locomotive was futile. The weapon
was unhandy. Only the meat-ax will
do the Job. .
Wouldn't old General Mortality
laugh with glee if a fairly durable
coating of ice should tempt skaters to
the river?
Senator Farrell would c"ut the pay
of state and county officials twenty
per cent. Why stop at such a modest
figure?"
The eleventh-hour shopper will
awaken with a sudden start in the
course of another forty-eight hours.
These are the days when the deliv
ery boy gets his first taste of sales
manship on temporary promotion.
Time for the oldest settler to tell
how they used to drive ox-carts across
the Willamette on the Ice.
Last call to do something for some
one and avoid the dullness and regret
of a selfish Christmas.
Max Cohen's time will expire be
fore the lawyers exhaust the mess of
technicalities.
How'd you like to be lying in the
trenches this weather? Millions are
doing it-
Father will blossom forth in a new
multi-colored necktie very shortly.
Drunken automobilists sent to Jail
need the "kangaroo" degree.
Old Mr. Stork is picking his winners
for the day after tomorrow.
Now they're attacking old Demon
Rum right in his capital.
The Democrats are squabbling again
over division of the pie.
Juvenile circles are now agog with
excitement.
It will be Judge Gantenbeln, Mr.
West.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
From The Oregonian December 22, IS 88.
Washington Among the Senate con
firmations yesterday was that of Or
viUe T. Porter as Marshal of Alaska
Mr. Porter is from Oregon.
.
- Archbishop Gross has returned from
abroad, where he visited with the Pope.
Archbishop Gross said the Pope enter
tained the highest opinions of the peo
ple of the United States as a people and
as a Nation.
Ex-Emperor Dom Pedro and all his
kin have been banished from Brazil in
a proclamation which decrees a spe
cial election next September 10.
' B. H. Day, who" founded the New
York Sun and printed its first copy in
1,833, died yesterday, aged 80.
Russell & Macleod, brokers, yester
day negotiated, the sale of the Hoyt
property on Third street opposite the
Merchants' Hotel. The consideration
is said to have tjeen $50,000. A week
ago the same firm negotiated the sale
of the Breck property at Fifth and
Morrison streets for JS0.000.
T. J. Goodenough, of the firm of
Leinenwebor & Goodenough, of Astoria,
real estate brokers, is visiting in the
city.
County Judge Catlin will not occupy
his seat in his new courtroom until
the steam heaters have been installed.
The Caledonian Club elected officers
Tuesday evening as follows: I. A. Tay
lor, cnier; J. Turnbull. A. Muirhead. J.
Newlands and J. Menzles, chieftains;
Dr. 11. Hicks, physician; William P.
Finley, standard bearer, and A. Don
aldson, Dr. William McLean and.K. A.
J. McKezie, trustees.
Miss Fannie C. Grottyan, the artist,
has arrived safely in Paris.
Wilton Lackaye will support J. M.
Hill's new star. Miss Cora Edsall, In
Henry Guy Carleton's new play, "The
Australian."
Miss Pauline Hall is said to be the
richest comic opera star in the world.
Miss' Sarah Lowengart has gone to
Baker City to visit friends.
W. D. Washburn, Jr., of Minneapolis,
who is to wed one of Portland's fairest
belles soon, is in the city.
Henry S. Stockford and Miss Helen
Dillenback were married at the home
of the bride's parents, 326 Clay street,
recently. Rev. Alfred Ktimmer offi
ciated.
Henry T. Wolfe, who for nine years
past has held a responsible position
with S. Lipman & Co., and who is well
and favorably known to Portland
ladies, has purchased the entire busi
ness of S. L. Stone's, opposite The Ore
gonian.,
DERIVATION OF NAMES OK OREGON
' i
Early Pioneer Ia Authority for State
ment That Orisin la Irian.
PORTLAND, Dec. 22. (To the. Edl
tor.) In reading your editorial on Ed
win Markbam's book I noticed the deri
vatlon given for the name of our
state as having probably come from
"Aragon." Inasmuch as the origin of
our state's name is still a matter of
doubt, permit me to give a version
given by the late Captain William
Bratten, of Rldgefield. Wash., in the
early '80s of the last century.
Captain Bratten was one of the earli
est pioneers of the Pacific Coast, hav
ing been brought here by Dr. John
McLoughlin from England to erect the
first flouring mill that ever turned a
wheel on the Pacific Slope. It came
about in this way: Colonel James Nes
mith, Tom Monteith, of Albany; Cap
tain Bratten and the writer were tak
ing lunch at Joe Boyd's cafe on First
street, when, in the course of conver
sation, the meaning of the word Ore
gon was discussed. We . all tried to
solve the perplexing subject, when
Mr. Bratten, who had been listening
very attentively to the various deriva
tions, said:
"Gentlemen, you are all wrong. It
was an Irishman who gave the name
to this state and the great river that
flows so near our door. It came about
when' Jonathan Carver's party, in de
scending the Snake River, struck that
splendid body of water we now call
the Columbia River. In Carver's party
there was an Irishman by the name of
Harrigan, and as he was a very lively
fellow, he was dubbed by Carver as
'the O'Regan,' in honor of one of the
chiefs of a clan in Ireland of that name.
As Harrigan had been the first one to
decry the union of the Snake with the
Columbia, the great father of waters
of the West was named 'the O'Regon,'
which in the process of evolution or
corruption became the Oregon of .Bry
ant, and hence the name our state."
We all accepted Captain Bratten's
version as a very reasonable explana
tion. In passing permit me to remark that
corruption of names is often going on
unnoticed. At the present time there
are three Generals at the eastern bat
tle line in Europe. The Prussian Gen
eral, Mackensen. is a descendant of a
Scotchman who found shelter with the
Karl Marschel of Scotland, after the af
fair of 1745. in Prussia. The Macken
zies came from Stornaway. The other
two are the Generals Odoutcheff and
Obrutcheff, in the Russian army. Their
names before their ancestors left Ire
land were, respectively, "O'Bryan" and
"O'Donnell." GEO. POPE.
MIGHTY PROUD O' JIM.
Thought the world o' little Jim
When he come; the likes o' him
In the baby line we thought
Hard to beat, an" done a lot
Of exalted braggin", jest
Preachin' that he was the best
Bunch o' baby to be found
In the neighborhood around.
In the school the teacher said
When he wasn't at the head
Of his class 'twas when he tuk
Down with measles, but he struck
His ol' gait as soon as he
Got the measly spots off. Gee!
How he swallered l'arnln" till
Teacher said he had his fill.
Growed to manhood on the farm.
Big o' body, strong o' arm.
An' when he detarmined to
Git out in the world an' hew
Out the destiny that he
Said was waitin'. ma an' me
Both believed we'd see his name
Scribbled on the scroll o' fame.
An' he got there. When we see
His name in the papers, me
An his mother feel so. proud
Come near shoutin' right out loud.
As a pitcher he's the scream
Of the Tigers' baseball team.
With some kinks no batter yit
Has devised a way to hit. " v
One newspaper said 'at he
Was a comer; wouldn't be
Hidin' in the bushes long.
'Less his pitchin' wing went wrong.
Jim he says he'll bet, the day
Isn't very fur away '
When that same amazln' arm
"LI pitch the mortgage off the farm
JAMES BARTON ADAMS.
Game Fish In Washington.
GOLDENDALE. Wash., Dec. 22. (To
the Editor.) Kindly give the address
of some one who Is an authority on
the game fishes of the State of-Wash-lngton.
. SUBSCRIBER.
Write to L. H. Darwin, State Fish
and Gam Commissioner, Seattle, Wash.
BELLIGERENT RIGHTS IN CANAL.
What the United Statea Mar Do Under
Hay-Panncefote Treaty.
NORTH YAKIMA, Wash.. Dec. 21.
(To the Editor.) (1) May a nation at
war with the United States have a war
vessel taken through the Panama Canal
by paying toll?
(2) May any nation at war with an
other nation, other than the United
States, have a war vessel taken through
the Panama Canal by payment of toll?
(S) Do the same port or navigation
laws obtain in the Canal Zone aa in
other United States ports, and, if not,
kindly show difference.
FRED SHARP.
(1) Under a strict construction of the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty, as Interpreted
by those who supported the Canal tolls
bill at the last session of Congress, the
United States Is as fully bound as any
other nation by all the rules govern
ing its operation. Rule 1 says: "The
Canal shall be free and open to the
vessels of commerce and of war of all
nations observing these rules, on terms
of entire equality." Rule 2 says: "The
Canal shall never be blockaded nor
shall any right of war be exercised nor
any act of hostility be committed with
in it." Taking these two rules to
gether, the United States would be un
der a moral obligation, under the inter
pretation mentioned, to pass the ships
of our own enemies through the Canal
on payment of tolls, and would be for
bidden to blockade the Canal. If at
war we should be forbidden to take
stores on our war vessels in the canal,
to embark or disembark troops or war
munitions there, and our war vessels
would not be permitted to remain in
canal waters more than 24 hours.
The canal tolls bill was amended
however, by inserting a proviso that- it
should not be construed as abandoning
any rights the United States might
have under the treaty. That proviso
leaves the way open for the United
States to adopt the contention of op
ponents of the bill that the rules gov.
ernlng the canal were adopted by the
United Statea, as owner, in dealing
with its customers who use the canal.
and that the United States is not bound
to enforce these rules against vessels
of Its own flag. This would conform
to the statement of the British For
eign Minister who negotiated the
treaty, that, in case the United States
was at war we Bhould be free to take
care of ourselves. That term may be
understood to mean that we could ex
elude our enemy's ships and use the
canal as we pleased for our own ships
(2) Yes, but no belligerent ship may
remain longer than 24 hours in canal
waters, and a vessel of one belligerent
may not depart within 24 hours of a
vessel of the other belligerent.
(3) We have no Information. Write
to the Panama Canal Commission at
Panama.
PLEA IS MADE FOR MODERATION
Mr. Topken Believes Americans Should
Obey President's Admonition.
PORTLAND, Dec. 22. (To the Edi
tor.) I sincerely appreciate the Impar
tiality of The Oregonian. generally
speaking, in its editorial comments
upon the happenings of the day. As it
faithfully observes the appeal of Presi
dent Wilson for neutrality in print, so
it becomes the duty of every American
citizen faithfully to follow the Presi
dent's prayer for moderation in state
ment and speech. It also becomes us
to extend the hand of welcome to great
and learned men from foreign lands,
who come to us. to tell us their side of
the story. May this be now Professor
Kuehneman, at a later date a Lloyd
George or Clemenceau, all should be
equally esteemed, equally honored as
representative citizens of their respec
tive countries, and to their message we
should extend a respectful hearing.
That their statements are often ex
treme is to be regretted, but we should
not forget that, as patriots, to be im
partial, while naturally partial, is an
accomplishment which even a great
mind seldom attains.
On the other hand, if an American
citizen, who should take an absolute
impartial view, indulges publicly In ex
treme criticisms of such men and accu
sations of one country or the other, he
commits a breach of etiquette to say
the least, especially so when his knowl
edge is derived from reports only and
not from actual experience and obser
vation. He offends the dignity of an
American citizen and disregards the
prayer of President Wilson. Every one
has the indisputable right to his opin
ion, but we should not forget that, while
we have an American republic, we are
still in the process of formation aa a
nation.
We, therefore, are often confronted
with delicate situations, but we must
meet them as gentlemen. Is" there a
single correspondent who has not modi
fied his views? Did not Irwin state that
he had expected to find Louvain totally
destroyed, but after all there was hard
ly 20 per cent?
For this reason I believe Mr. Chap
man will change his opinion. At pres
ent I most emphatically disagree with
him and with me are millions in this
country that his opinion is American
opinion. Let ua hope that this war
ia to end war. FRED TOPKEN.
Valne of Coin.
HERMISTON, Or., Dec. 21. (To the
Editor.) Kindly inform me as to the
value of a $10 gold piece made in 1853
that has not "In God We Trust" on It;
also if it is worth more than the face
value, where could I send It to receive
the difference? MERL M. PHELPS.
The coin is not in demand by collect
ors and will bring only face value.
Message) From New York.
Judge.
Ezra My son has just sent me a
message from New York, but I can't
make out whether it says "No funds"
or "No fun." Eben What's the dif
ference? The Kayrldge Cornet Band.
Heed Calvin. In Collier's.
Yer from the city. Ain't thet so?
Wal, city life Is nice;
I know the city fellers, though!
I've been to New York twice.
But this here town of ourn's the place!
We ain't so got durned grand.
But. I tell you, we're In the race
Ild y'ever hear our band?
Wal. yuh shouldn't leave the place
Tell yuh do. (My yam plays bass,
An' by gum there hain't a better in the
land.)
Hear 'em once, an' yuh kin say
To yer great-grandson some day
That yuh heard the Hayrldge Sliver Cornet
- Band.
"We've got a org'nization there
Thet hain't surpassed by none.
It's ekal to the best there air.
(Fust trombun's Rube, my son.)
Them city bands thct's bragged up so.
We'll match 'em any day.
I gol. yuh oughtta hear 'em, though,
Play "Hail columbl-a.''
No str-ee! Don't leave the town
Tell yuh hear 'em play "John Brown."
Folks kum frum miles around to hear em
play.
Clean from OrchardviHe they kum.
(My boy William plays the drum.
An' the solo-cornet is my oldest, Ray.)
They play next Friday to a dance.
(My John Dlays clarinet.)
Jest hear 'em while youh've got the chance
Maybe the last yun u get.
(My Tom, my second old: st boy.
Flays berrytone, an' Luke
Is second clarinet, an' Roy.
My youngest, he plays flute.)
Jest drop in befur, yuh go
An we'll play yuh "Old Black Joe."
I played cornet once. I've lost my teeth now,
though.
So I set time when they play
Sort o' leader, yuh might say,
Wal, good-by. It's too durned bad yuh
nave to go.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian, December 22, 1804.
Thomas' victory over Hood Is not
only confirmed, but the world is given
details of as brilliant a battle as any
of the war, hardly excepting Sher
man's last victory over Early. Tho
Union lost some 3000, but took at least
9000 prisoners.
The Corvallis Gazette cornea to ua, a
sprightly weekly. It is edited by W. K.
Boyakin.
Sealed bids will be received at the
County Clerk's office for the construc
tion of a new county Courthouse. Clerk
H. C. Coulson has issued and published
the notice required by law.
John Selwood has advertised for
sale a cottage and lot with good well,
located on .fifth street, between Alder
and Morrison.
C. N. Humiston has purchased the
entire interest of Wilson and Stephens
in the firm of Humiston. Wilson &
Company.
The company of volunteers being or
ganized by Captala Powell has over
run the minimum and application was
made to Colonel English yesterday to
muster the company into service.
The Governor has commissioned the
following officers in the Washington
and Yamhill company: Ephriam Palm
er, Captain: Mr. Walker. First Lieu
tenant, and John W. Cullen, Second
Lieutenant. Mr. Palmer is a brother
of General Palmer and served In the
Mexican War. Mr. Walker is a son of
Rev. Walker, of Washington County.
Mr. Cullen is a "typo" and recently
commanded an independent company of
cavalry.
Professor Sinsheim has fixed up a
music store on Front street, adjoining
the postoffice and is displaying a fino
lot of holiday goods.
Santa Claus has arrived in town and
established headquarters at McCor
mick's bookstore, 105 Front street (op
posite Mount Hood).
The Paris correspondent of the New
York Times intimates that Napoleon is
coveting tho mining resources of Mexi
co and there would be little or no sur
prise if the French government "squat
ted" on some of the valuable claims
down there.
LOYALTY TO OREGON' PRODUCTS
Builders Exi-bange Re-plies to Crltl
ciama of Letter Uiacussing Labor.
PORTLAND. Dec. 22. (To the Editor.)
The writer was very much surprised
to notice In The Oregonian that the
president of the Manufacturers' Asso
ciation "criticised the Builders' Ex
change for opposing the efforts of other
local bodies in support of the local ma
terials." Tlie writer is in position to know
that there is .no organization in th
state more loyal to, Oregon and her
products than the Builders' Exchange,
and there was nothing in the article of
December 17, which Colonel Dunn is
criticising, to the contrary unless by
inference, and the inference, if any",
was entirely unintentional and is glad
ly withdrawn.
At the time the article in question
(material for The Dalles Federal build
ing) was written, the bids Indicated
that a California contractor was low
man on "local stone" as against Georga
Isackson, a local man, on "outside
stone," and our only point was that It
was a better Oregon policy to em
ploy an Oregon contractor who would
use all Oregon labor than an outside
man who would doubtless bring his
skilled labor, at least, with him to the
state. And the point is pertinent when
consideration is given to the large
number of contracts that are let out of
the state. .
Our only plea was for the Oregon
contractor as against the "foreign
man," and if there is no danger of the
job going out of the state, then there
exists no desire whatever to call in
question any and all attempts to de
velop local enterprise. All the con
servative Oregon contractor will re
quire will be that the Government ac
cept the stone, and that the stone peo
ple deliver the goods.
The interests of the Manufacturers'
Association and the Builders' Exchange
are too closely allied for any misun
derstanding to be allowed to exist, and
we are quite sure that the president
of the Association will, on a second,
or probably a first, reading of the
article in question, discover that his
criticism is entirely unfounded.
BUILDERS' EXCHANGE.
J. S. Seed, Pres.
O. G. Ilughson, Bec'y.
J lint n Little Too Mneh.
Palmer (Mass.) Register.
Conductor Pave Daley Is willing tho
ladles shall get off a moving cur back
ward if they prefer, and they can go aa
far as they like with the Blit skirt.
Rather than have a long argument he
will give up 45 cents in change when
they hand him a quarter and claim it
wus a half. He is also willing they
shall vote If they will support the good
old Democratic ticket. What he objects
to ia blaming the conductor because tho
steps are too high for the present stylo
of apparel. ...
Anto Put Bull's Light Out.
PORTLAND, Dec. 22. (To the Edi
tor.) I seen the bull what was killed
by the auto when ho should not a
been hurt. It had two lamps. You
could see the light in his lamps till
the auto put his light out. His wal in
front. He had no wheels and didn't
need rear ones.
There's too much beefing about tho
facts. You got tho wrong steer. Some
one's bulling you.
JOHN BULL'S SON.
Mont or tbe Wir Caanaltlew.
London Punch.
Husband It seems to me that shrap
nel has been the cause of most of tha
war casualties. Wife But, George,
isn't he a war correspondent; not a
General?
When Middle Age Is Reached.
Exchange.
By the time he reaches middle age a
man is apt to arrive at the conclusion
that nothing matters much.
When a Woman Is Bosa.
Atchison Globe.
And as far as woman ia concerned,
frequently the softer her voice tho big
ger a boss is she.
Inside Facts
"T am convinced that the daily
newspaper offers to a general ad
vertiser of an article of home con
sumption the best medium and the
one of the greatest known value.
It affords the beet moans to ac
complish the most essential thing in
advertising, which is the establish
ment of a permanent mental im
pression in the minds of a large
number of individuals.
"The newspaper is the best and
surest medium for making this kind
of an Impression, because it per
mits the most frequent repetition of
the merits or claims the advertiser
wishes to advance. Day after day he
can bring his facts to the minds of
readers who are consumers, never
permitting them to forget."
This statement is made by the
advertising manager of one of our
most successful food products.
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