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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 1915)
r-rr-r- irnTVTVP nPTT.flVH "V TTTTCST) A V. FEBRUARY 2. 1015 V PORTLAND. OREGOH. -Kntered at Portland. Oregon. Postoffice as Subscription Kates Invariably In advance: .. " ..' ,oo Paily, Sunday included, six month ..... X'ailv, Sunday Included, tnree monm iair, bun-day Included, one montH- -? Jiiy, witaoui sunoay, ou-o 'Pailv, without Sunday, six month rilv, without .Sunday, three month ... r-ly, without Sunday, one month "W- eekly, one year i'TJ; Fundav, one iHtr . ... t'Tk Sunday and. Weekly on year (By Carrier.) Dally, Sunday Includwi, one year 3-w j at-i I . , eunaa ninuutu, . . How Remit Send P""0''1?0"?'": !er. express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency arj at sender's risk. Give postoffice address In lull, including county and state, Pontsute Kates 12 to 18 pages. 1 cent; lb to Z'2 pages. 2 cents; 14 to 4S pages. 3 cents, ISO to t pages, cents; 82 to 7 pages. cents; 78 to i pages, 8 cents. Foreign post, aye. double rates. . Easter. Boslnesa Officer Veree yonK Iln. now Tork. Brunswick building; Chicago, fetenger building. Ma Francisco Office R. J. Bidw"" Com pany, 742 Market street. ' PORTLAND. TCESDAY, FEBI t, 1918. XICTORY FOR A FREE PRESS. ' A notable victory for the free press has been -won in the United States Supreme Court by the New Tork Trj bune, and an attempt of this Admin istration, which promised to do busi ness in the open, to establish a censor ship has been defeated. The Tribune published articles which led to charges of smuggling against Robert T. Heitmyer and Mrs. E. M. Alexander and against ex-Representative Lucius X. Littauer. Both these 'publications were denounced as pre mature by the Treasury Department, and the department attempted to dis cover the Tribune's informant among its subordinate officials, for the pur pose of disciplining him under a de partment regulation which forbids making public official matter without authority from the Secretary. The Treasury Department invoked the aid of. the Attorney-General and George Burdick. city editor of the Tribune, and William L. Curtin, a reporter, were summoned before the grand Jury. They were called upon to name their informant, but refused to answer all questions, on the ground that by doing so they might criminate them selves. In order to overcome an apparently insuperable obstacle to their obtaining the desired information, the officials then adopted an extraordinary expe dient. Messrs. Burdick and Curtin had been convicted, of no crime, had con fessed no crime, had not even been accused in any form, but President Wilson was induced to grant each of them a pardon "for all offense against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in" in connection with the publications in question, "thereby ab--solving him from the consequences of every such criminal ar t." It was hoped that these pardons would be accepted as grants of immunity and would thus force the newspapermen to break faith with their confidertinl informant. They held, however, that a pardon nrrics with it the stigma of guilt. They had committed no crime, and they refused to place such a stigma upon themselves. They therefore re fused to accept pariion, persisted in their refusal to answer questions and were sentenced to fine and imprison ment for contempt. Proceedings were stayed pending appeal to the United States Supreme Court, and that tri bunal has decided unanimously in favor of the Tribune men. The court held that a pardon cannot be forced upon a person, but must be accepted In order to become' effective. In con sequence, they arc upheld in refusing to answer questions which may in criminate them. Thus once more is an official at tempt to muzilc the press defeated. Unless a newspaper is free to obtain information on public affairs from subordinate public officials and to conceal the sources of their informa tion, we shall lie dependent for news upon such scraps of self-laudatory news as heads of departments choose 1o give out and our best safeguard against official wrong-doing will be removed. A censorship will then cx ist. such as muzzles the press, keops thc public in the dark a:id shields 'delinquent officials in such despotic " ruinitries as Russia. Liberty in this 5 regard will nut be complete until all confidential communications to news- papers about public affairs are privi legetl. but the Tribune has won a most ; important point toward insuring that - public business will be done "in the ; open." as the President promised, but - as he now appears not to wish. JOHN BILLS BREAD IN DANGER. There may be a connection between the Gerjimii- submarine raid on the west const of England and the recent seizure by the German government of all stocks of wheat, corn and flour. Submarines cannot tow wheat ships imo German ports, but can sink them. Thev can make Britain feel the same pinch of hunger as Germany fears, if Germany does not already feel it. A few of these lurking devils of the sea can send many of John Bull's wheat and meat ships to the bottom and can force up the price of food in the British Isles to a point where the poor may feel acute distress. The l.riti.-h public is assured that there is a year's supply of t heat in the isl s'tnls. but already the price of flour ha risen 50 per cent since'August 1. High ocean freight and war taxes have done this much. Germany seems determined to give her enemy a dose of the "medicine he administers, her iim being to restrict, if she cannot cut olf. his food supply. The submarine is the most difficult of all war vessels to combat. It is not easy to descry when on the sur face, but when submerged no part "Tif it is visible except the periscope, which is a mere tube projecting above water and which is the boat's eye. Submerged, the boat cannot be dis covered from another vessel except fr the periscope, which offers a poor target from a ship tossing on the sea It can best be spied out from an aero plane, for an aviator can see some distance into the water and can signal a warning to a threatened ship. Unless the British have invented a vessel which can combat and destroy a submarine under water, they will find necessary a strict patrol of both the rorthern and southern entrances of the Irish Sea by cruisers, destroyers and airships. Cruisers and destroyers may ward off attack upon themselves by following a zigzag course, and air ships may signal the location of sub marines accurately enough to afford a chance of running them down or of drowning them by piercing their turrets with shell. A hydroplane might perhaps approach close enough to drop a bomb on them when sub merged. Britannia's task of ruling the waves is made more arduous by each new invention in naval warfare, and her two-power standard navy is proving none too large. Her next step may be to construct a weapon which can hunt the submarine in its watery haunts. WARNING THE LEGISLATURE. The Legislature is daily warned not to 'touch this appropriation or that appropriation, or to, disturb this, that or the other public officer, in its heroic struggle for economy, else the whole structure of government will fall down. The Oregonian has daily, almost hourly, appeals from men or women, or both, interested in good roads, In social hygiene, in the girls' industrial home or widows' pensions or forest protection, or state accountancy, or game preservation, or agricultural ex tension, or university education, or in one or another branch of the public activities, asking it to protest against proposed or threatened retrenchment in the particular kind of public serv ice they are favoring. If the Legislature yields to pressure brought from every quarter, including the men interested in holding their jobs, it will get nowhere in its pro gramme of economy. If The Oregonian consents to make exceptions to its general demand for retrenchment all along the line, it win merely give counsel of imperfection anj'confusion to the Legislature and justly expose itself to the charge of insincerity in us campaign ior re form and moderation in state ex penditures. The Oregonian has no fear at all that the Legislature will go too far. The cause that has merit or justice to support it need not get into a panic. Let the respective advocates of the many interests that have or want state support go to Salem. They will get a respectful and considerate hearing. RIG NAVY. MODERATE ARMY. Rear Admiral Chadwick (retired), of the United States Navy, in a letter to the Xew Tork Sun, says he would have a great Xavy and only a mod erate Army. The views of a profes sional naval expert are likely to be colored by his training and interests; but the Admiral nevertheless presents in powerful fashion the reasons why the question of preparedness for the United States is naval, rather than military. An army unless it should be an enormous one would be com paratively useless for either aggres sion or defense unless it were to be supported by a strong navy; a large navy- would be adequate for protection with a comparatively small army, well equipped and thoroughly ready. In all the present agitation for strengthening the military arm of the Government there is no real senti ment for a large standing army. It is not alone that the people of a free republic have an hereditary dread of the military power; it is not alto gether that war in itself is unmiti gated horror. The consequences of war never end. The money cost to the United States is probably greater per capita than to any other nation. Following the Civil War the United States has paid out in pensions the incalculable sum! of 4,000,000,000. For our little war with Spain we have paid J4S.000.000 in pensions. If the United States were to be involved in a great world's war, 4t would never get over its effects unless its post bellum policies should be radically changed.. THREE SHIPPING POLICIES. Three alternative policies are of fered the American people for the es tablishment of an American merchant marine. One is the oft-rejected sub sidy to ship-owners; another is Gov ernment ownership and operation at a loss, which is equivalent to a sub sidy to shippers: the third is general revision of our shipping laws in such manner that ships can be operated under the American flag as cheaply as under foreign flags.. Subsidy to ship-owners has come to the front again during the debates ou the ship-purchase bill, but it has no prospect of adoption by either a Dem ocratic or a Kepublican Congress, for all Democrats unci all except standpat Republicans, oppose it. That policy has been tried by France and has failed. It is repugnant to the spirit of the times and has been condemned so often in Congress and at the polls that any attempt to secure its adoption would prevent action of any kind. It is. for all these reasons, not a prac ticable relief in the present emer gency. Government ownership and opera tion of merchant ships is subsidy in new guise, the beneficiaries being shippers instead of shipowners. It would involve the Government in great expense when a deficit is in prospect, and would be an experiment in socialism. For these reasons, even if it would accomplish the purpose, this policy would be justified only if there were no other way out of the predicament. The great need is an increase in the supply of ships to carry all kinds of American products to foreign countries. Charter rates are now five or six times as much as before the war. Exports of cotton, lumber and various other commodities are pro hibited, or the producer's price is un reasonably depressed by high rates. The only way in which Government purchase can increase available ton nage immediately is by purchase of interned German and Austrian ships. Purchase of ships of other belligerent nations would not increase the sup ply, but would divert many" ships from one line of traffic to another, and would not reduce freight rates. It is stated in Washington that the Government would not buy interned ships unless the allies agreed to treat them as neutral. It is extremely doubtful whether the allies would make such an agreement, since they have undertaken to starve out Ger many. If they refuse, the United States cannot buy and operate these ships without Involving this Xation In a quarrel with the allies. Evidently the seizure of a ship owned by the United States Government would be a far more serious cause of dispute than would be the seizure of a ship owned by an American citizen. If it Is necessary that this Xation, in order to foster its commerce and to main tain its rights, risk a quarrel with other nations, the American people will not flinch, but ordinary prudence dictates that, if the same end can be gained by some other means, those means be adopted. Another objection to Government ownership and operation is the fact that the ocean-shipping business is controlled by an international trust. If the Government were to engage In that business, it would have the al ternative of joining or fighting the trust. If it joined, it would be in the embarrassing position of becoming a party to a practice which its laws condemn. If it fought, the Govern ment, with only a fraction of the world's shipping, would be engaged in a trade war with the ships of all other nations and with those of its own flag which are controlled by the combine. The present famine of ton nage would probably prevent ruinous rate-cutting until after the war, but afterward competition would be fierce. The American ships, being able to draw on the United States treasury to make good their losses, could carry on the war until foreign shipowners yielded, provided the American peo ple were willing to stand the drain and provided foreign governments did not come to the aid of their citizens. But the combine is countenanced by other nations, and they might finan cially back their shipowners. Our foreien relations would then become very strained. The purpose oi me Administration is to sell the Govern ment ships as soon as the lines on which they are operated become profitable, but the rate war would indefinitely postpone that time. International disputes about pur chase of Interned ships could be avoided and an increase in the.aup-, ply of tonnage could be effected were the Government to contract at home or abroad for the building of ships. Actual construction of ' a first-class ocean vessel takes seven to nine months, but the preliminaries of drawing plans and letting contracts would extend the time to a year, es pecially "Tor the Government, which is notoriously slow about everything. Hence the really grave emergency might be past before new ships would be ready for service. . Were the Gov ernment to build ships, they would not be completed as quickly as if they were built for private parties, and the dilemma of dealing with the ship ping trust would still remain. The third alternative would have the recommendation of meeting the emergency as promptly and as effect ively as either of the other two, with less risk of serious international com plications, and would build up our merchant marine permanently. We need only remove the legal obstacles to equal competition between Ameri can and foreign shipowners in order to tempt capital into this field. They would be free either to buy interned ships or neutral ships or to build ships. They would have the inducement of high profits throughout the war and for some time after its close, for the tonnage market will be short of all the ships which have been destroyed, and the work of reconstruction in the warring countries is likely to stimu late commerce artificially for several years. FARMERS' WEEK AT CORVALI.I8. Farmers' Week has come round again at the Agricultural College, with its array of practical demonstrations, theoretical study and lectures. 'The week is said to be more attractive than ever this year. The instructors who will meet the attendants are among the best in the country. Ex perience has taught the college au thorities how to make the confer ences a great deal more profitable than they were in former years, and the lectures offer a wide variety of useful and entertaining material. The farmer or farmer's wife who cannot put. in the week at the Agricultural College this Winter with pleasure and intellectual benefit must be extremely hard to suit. The attendance is cer tain to be very Jarge, and the mere association with so many people, all engaged in similar vocations, cannot but be beneficial. The farmer's prac tical problems are more pressing now than they have ever been before in the United States. He needs increased knowledge and mental alertness to meet and solve them. From the long list of topics for regular instruction during Farmers' Week we select at random. Canning Demonstration. Pruning the Prune, Breeding for Eggs, the Farm Water Supply. Advertising and Selling Farm Products. These are a few out of scores, all equally practical and im portant. The conferences will take up such subjects as Marketing and Food Problems, Necessities and Lux uries in Dress, Home Reading, Pre serving Eggs, and the like. There is something for every variety of farming and many topics which should interest everybody, whether he lives on a farm or in the city. The exercises of Farmers' Week are free to everybody. The Agricultural Col lege has enthusiastically accepted its mission to educate the entire state, and Is going about the great work with vigor and intelligence. -The farmers who do not avail themselves of these opportunities will suffer an inestimable loss. We expect to hear that the college halls have been thronged during Farmers' Week with a multitude hungry for more knowl edge and better methods. SIXTEEN BEST BOOKS. Lists of the best fiction are always interesting when they are anything hotter than lists of best sellers. The London Xation has issued an honor roll of novels for the year 1914 which Includes some really good books. It contains sixteen numbers. Xone of them has made much of an uproar in the world, but all have been read by a great many people of good taste and sound sense. Novelists who write books of this kind seldom grow very rich by their craft, but they achieve a solid reputation which seems to many people better than riches. If a writer can have substantial fame and be a millionaire by inheritance from his father, his state comes as near the ideal as terrestrial circumstances often permit. In the Xation's list of novels H. , G. Wells figures twice, a distinction allowed no other writer. His "Wife of Sir Isaac Harmon" and "The World Set Free" probably rank with the very best fiction which has appeared lately. Few writers pub lish so- much as Mr. Wells, and none gives us two worthier books. He is not afraid to think, and by rare good fortune he has acquired a circle of readers whom thought does not frighten. James Stephens appears In the list with his "Demi-Gods," and May Sin clair with "The Three Sisters." Both these writers have long since estab lished the excellent habit of publish ing good work. Nobody expects any thing else of them. William De Mor gan, whose "When Ghost Meets Ghost" is included, is also expected to come up to a high mark, but he is disappointing now and then. We do not imagine that his latest book is quite so worthy of the company we find it In as some of the earlier ones. G. K. Chesterton's "Flying Inn" is as good as anything on the roll. What ever he produces is readable, and usually it brims with ideas. If Mr. Chesterton would try a little less eagerly to make his thought startling he would be a .more agreeable com panion for a long journey. Of course, "Joseph's Chance" is included. To omit it would have been, a sad breach of literary good manners. The Ore gonian reprints the entire list elsewhere. Four great motor roads are .now building on this continent. The Pa cific and Atlantic highways skirt the two oceans from north to south. The King Edward and Lincoln highways traverse the continent from east to west. A fifth road is projected which, taking a horseshoe form, shall inter sect all the others in Its course from ocean to ocean. Road prospects are brighter. for the motorist than for the farmer just now, but their interests cannot be permanently separated. The college professors of the United States have formed an association from which presidents and other of ficials are excluded. Its purpose is twofold. T4re professors seek, in the first place, protection from that ad ministrative pressure which some times suppresses honest opinion, and secondly, they want more voice in conducting their colleges. Both aims will find much sympathy. The devotion to the classics which has so. long characterized English schools has produced some discon certing results. The pupils, according to a recent report, are often "ignor ant of geography and history and unable to write English correctly." The ability to write Latin doggerel Is no longer regarded as full compen sation for these deficiencies. For thirty years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock they had hardly any money. Instead of coin they used the Indians' wampum as a medium of exchange. This had only Imaginary value, but as long as everybody was 'willing to accept it that made no difference. What val ues are not imaginary, in whole or part, in the last analysis? In the palmy days of river steam boating trips were from 500 to 2500 miles long. Xow the average length is less than 400 miles. The run or 749 miles from Cincinnati to Memphis is still made, and an occasional boat goes between St. Louis .and St. Paul, but only the melancholy ghost of the old river trade survives. Of a given quantity of radium one half is lost by decay in 2000 years. Radium emanation suffers the same loss in four days. The next day half the remainder goes, and so on. Which will have lost all its strength sooner, the radium or the emanation? Chicago women must tell their ages which registering. This, it - is feared, will keep many from the polls. The desire to seem younger is in herent in woman up to 70, and with the male sex after 50. Tet nobody is deceived. After six months of war, England complains of the rise in price of bread. What conditions will he six months later, when Germany shall have been in real action, is a matter of conjecture. Conan Doyle's story may then be looked upon as prophecy. The New Tork real estate man who killed his wife and daughters and committed suicide, leaving his son, a high school boy, probably thought he acted for the best; but his legacy to his son is a great handicap. Fat men will snow what may be called their "disgusting shape" in the Spring fashions, but the man whose waist measures more than fifty inches never is vexed by opinions of his rotundity. Any talk of peace said to-come from Berlin is somebody's dream. The Kaiser resembles General Grant in at least one respect: "Unconditional surrender." Between cold and heat, droughts and floods, the Middle West provides one continual round of excitement. All of which it is our privilege to escape. No, Eunice, the groundhog is not an avaricious holder of real ostate, but a small animal which tomes out in quest of its shadow today. It's a discriminating chicken, thief who will raid only coops of blood fowls. That is Rastus' alibi; for all feathers feel alike to him. The Germans -are going to try to break through to the French coast, it is reported. The announcement has a very familiar ring. The Idaho Legislature has enacted seven laws in twenty-seven days. This is one function wherein it pays to make haste slowly. Another great peace movement has been undertaken among the school children. Not to mention the steady spread of the war. While the Kaiser's voice is said to be failing, he is still able to make himself heard In the world somewhat above a whisper. . Canadians are talking of a boycott on American goods. Well, they don't buy anything of us, anyway, that they don't have to. . The Greek Is a fighter by nature and will help his Serbian relative, taking all comers. Turks preferred. German submarines are in the Irish Sea, but it will be noted are not dropping any feathers on Ireland. The London bobby has received his full instructions for action during air raids. Bring on the Zeppelin! Austria's refusal to pay Italian creditors may stir up another earth quake of a more violent sort. Berlin and Vienna are discussing peace terms. How about Petrograd, London, Paris and Tokio? The Turks are following the same old route. They've been routed again by the Russians. Snring millinery of battleship de sign must have the proper rake. Chicago is fearing a thaw. Xew Tork, too, fears a Thaw. Dwellers along the Ohio are hitting the high Fpots. Welcome to our midst, Mr. Groundhog: Twenty-Five Years Ago. From The Oreeonian, February 2, 1890. The waters of Tanner Creek, swelled bv the rains of the last few days. found on obstruction In the small conduit under the old gas reser voir on B street between Twelfth and Thirteenth yesterday and the result was something had to give way. Some thing did give way and the mad waters burst the sewer back of the old Catholic Church. Several more breaks occurred in the course of the afternoon. Superintendent of Streets W. S. Chapman and Deputy William Connor, had a crew at work all day long. Their prompt action saved con siderable property. A flock of chickens and other livestock were crowned. CniAm Tha Flrnt Vallnnnl Rnnk of Joseph, Or., has been incorporated. D. 31. -VlCtJUliy, r. X .HCiuiij, i iivima Roop. J. A. Masterson. W. P. Powers, W. A. Leslie, A. C. Smith and E. J. Forsythe are the incorporators. The capital stock is 150,000. Joseph is in Wallowa County. Frank Lendescher. proprietor of the Atlantic Bakery, was awakened yester day morning by cries from his baby. Investigation showed that some rats had painfullv and seriously attacked the child, gnawing both its hands and its face. Dr. Giesy was summoned. Rev. Mr. Eliot gives his lecture in the social science course next Wednes day night. His theme will be the Australian ballot. Alphonse Daudet. who hag a large following in this country, is said to be contemplating a visit to the states in the near future. Krupp. the maker of big guns, has established a fund of $125,000 from which his workmen may borrow for the purpose of building homes for themselves. Speaker Husted gave Tammany an awful chill in the selection of his committees, but Governor Hill is said to be satisfied. Bishop Morris, who is in Philadelphia, is expected home in a short time. . Mrs. John Effinger gave a very bril liant dinner party Friday night, the oc casion being to allow formal announce ment of Miss Eugenie Smith's engage ment to T. H. Burtlett. Robert Morrow, who is visiting his parents. General and Mrs. Morrow, was given a reception at their home at Sidney, Neb., the evening of January 25. Miss Florence Savier has returned from Seattle, where she went to visit with a sister. MargF.ret Mather has proposed to Sarah Bernhardt to play "Romeo and Juliet" with her this coming season in this country. COLD WEATHER DAYS RECALLKU. W. P. Gray, of Pnsco, Goes Into Winter Lore of Columbia Basin. PASCO, Wash., Jan. 31. (To the Editor.) I have been noticing several items in The Oregonian of the last few days regarding cold weather in the past. Some of the oldtimers, like Joe Buchtel, Pum Kelley or George Wat kins can tell ot the hard Winter of 'VI and '62, when old Father Kelley drove his ox team and wagon loaded with potatoes across the ice on the Willamette at Stark street. There was another road across front the peni tentiary to Ciiclc Jimmio Stephens' place. The coldest weather was 4 be low zero that year. The cold weather began between Christmas and New Yeur's. 1 was attending achool on the block where the Hotel Portland stands. Professor Boynton had held school ou Christmas, and told us that he ex pected the scholars to be present when the bell rang Now Year's morning. The weather- was cold and skating good on Couch's Lake. Tom Ilcnsell. George McCoy and myself decided that the bell shouldn't ring. So we stole into the school house, carried a bucket of water and some rags up into the belfry, about 9 o'clock at night, turned the bell up mid filled it with rags and waler, and left it to freeze. There were more kids on the ice than in school that New Year's day. I was not interested in dales and records in those days, but the weather grew colder' after New Year's, until the river froze over. In front of town it was rough. The last place to freeze was about where the Kroadnay Ilriil&js is. and it was good skating. Hut the deep hole opposite Clinton's Point did not freeze. One Saturday a crowd til us were on t lie ice piaying tag. .My brother. .1. il. 1 .. and cousin, Phil Schu:- lei-, were chasing mo. 1 went so cbise to Iho edge ot the airhole that my skates began to cut through the ice at every strike. I tried to be an aeroplane. (Did you ever try it and try to make yourself weigh about three pounds?) But I broke through. The iea was so thin I could break il with my fist. My brother laid flat on the ice as far out as possible and flung the sleeves of his overcoat out towards me. Phil laid behind him on the bending ice and held on to Henry's foot. Hank Green, Tom Davis and others backed up Phil, and when I had broken the ice near enough to catch hold of the overcoat sleeves, we were pulled ashore or rather onto solid ice. .While being hauled out the" ice broke under W to the place where Phil had lain on the ice. I skated for shore at the foot of Ash street. The weather was so cold it froze my clothes solid, so that the bending of my knees in skating and running home caused the ice to cut my pants through at the knees. Do you blame me for remem bering the cold Winter of '61 and '62? In the Winter of '64 and '65 the ther mometer went to 4 -above zero at As toria and Cathlamfct Bay was frozen over. That bay, was also frozen over in the early '70s, I don't remem ber the date. But I believe that the settlement -of the Columbia River Basin is having an equalizing effect on the extremes of temperature. It used to be almost a yearly occurrence for the river to be closed by ice be tween Portland and Astoria. Now it is a remarkable occurrence. In February, 18S3, it was 32 below at Ainsworth, and IIS in the shade in August. In January, lSSii, it was 31 below at Pasco and Kennewlck when the falsework of the Northern Pacific bridge between those two places went out, and we used three cars of giant powder to blast a channel to the steamer Billings, in Winter quarters, and laid a half mile of railroad track on the ice to transfer 350 cars of coal to relieve a fuel famine. By over-confidence that the bridge could be used at any time, there were only three ex tra cars of coal between Pasco and Heron Siding, and the O. R. & N. Co., taking advantage of an old contract, charged the N. P. 7 a ton to haul coal from Portland to Wallula. For the N. p. to haul their coal from the Roslyn mines over the Cascades and via Ti coma to Portland, and then pay the O. R. & N. a ton for a 200-mile haul looked like a holdup, and General Man ager J. M. Buckley worked us night and dav to get from under, regardless of the weather. The following Sum mer the thermometer registered 114 in the shade. Put there has beenno such extremes of temperature in the last 20 years up here. W. P. GRAT. The J ark. PORTLAND. Jan. 21. (To the Edi tor.) In playing a game of solo two men cut the cards. To settle a dispute, which card is high, the Jack or 10? W. H. ISE OI SERXMS DISCREDITED Eugenic Correspondent Dlaenasos Rev elatlona ot SHrace. EUGENE. Or., Jan. 31. (To ths Edi tor.) I had the pleasure of reading an editorial In The Oregonian Janu ary 25 on the elimination of typhoid from the Army.' by vaccination. In which you ask: "Can any better proof be demanded of the efficiency of mod ern scientific medicine?" Impelled by a sense of duty to the public. I am constrained to ask for that better proof. Just now the general public is being stirred as never before in regard to serums and vaccines. The health journals and some of the "reg ular's" journals are overflowing with denunciations of them; the press re ports are beginning to take notice of the deadly work. reporting eight deaths in one bunch from the Los Au geles hospital from Salvarsan. while the pro-vaccination medical Journals are badly divided as to the therapeutic value of such toxics. American Medicine, a "regular" medi cal Journal of the vaccinationist type, sums it up In these words: "The statement that typhoid fever can be driven from the country by ty phoid inoculation Is absolutely false, and if tried, will be followed by a dreadful aftermath of tuberculosis." "Many Journals of the American Med ical Association carefully exclude from their columns all references to the dan gers of typhoid vaccination." It might be possible that the Surgeon General is a little biased on this ques tion. At any rate many of the "regu. lars" take issue with him and quote from his own figures to show that It Is not vaccines but sanitation that Is doing the good work. Again, speaking of the growing opposition to vaccina tion it tays: - "Their only argument is that there la some . danger attending vaccination an occasional pus Infaction. and very rarely tetanus and that the risk ia more than getting smallpox. . This attitude is not confined alone to lay men, but Is taken by those leading men In the medical profession, who post pone vaccination to their own kith and kin until the last moment." Heading between the lines of many of the leading journals of the Ameri can Medical Association you will dis cover their wavering faith in the im munity of such therapeutics. One of them, the Boston Medical and Surgical Joudnal, in reporting on 135 cases of typhoid from which recovery was made 40 having been previously and prop erly vaccinated was compelled some what to doubt immunity and to lament sadly the fact that vaccination was not just what it should be, as 20 per cent of the inoculated relapsed to 1 1 per cent of the others, and that complications resulted in 37 per cent of the Inoculat ed as against 21 per cent of those not i vaccinated. The Surgeon-General'j own report shows that for the first two years fol lowing the introduction of typhoid vac cination into the Army 60 per cent more deaths resulted than occurred in the two next previous years. Lastly, when we consider tha strict sanitary regulations adopted by the Army in the last few years as well as the reform In Its dietic department, and the further fact that many of the leading "regulars' of the medical pro fession deny the claims made for ty phoid vaccine by the Surgeon-General, and attribute the good work entirely to sanitation. ma not the layman well pautie and ssk for more proof before accepting what the medical journals are pleased to style "cxlravaannt claims'' made by a few financially in terested chemists and physicians? Would it not be well to have slnte and National Inquiry into the effects of these questionable toxics, hy represen tative commissions not interested In their propagation nnoVuse? If it is true, as admitted by all, that their effects are often deadly and disastrous and that these qualities have been kept well covered, would it not be veil to accept with a few grains of salt the state ments made by a few who are bent nn forcing such poisons upon tue people'.' From the statements made pro and con by the medical profession itself, I would infer that vaccines and serums were absolutely unfit to be injected into the human body. Dlt. W. RUBLE. bum' hooks ninnirin in iim List r'fniillr4 hy London Nation I -rludea 16, One Writer iorlna Tulee, The London .Nation presents a list ot Ih best lict ion for the complete esr 1!U4. Here it is: ' 'Tint Encounter," by Anne Pouglns ScdK H ick. "Sinister Street," volume II. by Comn ton Mackenzie. "The lrmi-'oda." by .Ismcs Stephens. "The'WIfe of Sir Isaac 1 In mm n," by II. G. Wells. "The Three Sister." bv May Sinclair. "The Price of Love," by Arnold Hen net t. "The New llosd." hy Neil Mllnro. "Children of the Head Knd." by Pat rick Mctiill. "Vandover and the Brute." by Frank Norris. The World Set Free." by II. G. Wells. "The Ragged-Trousered Philantbro. pists." by Robert Tressall. "Time and Thomas Waring," by Mor. ley Roberts. "Hail and Farcwoll' Vale"" by George Moore. ' "The Flying Inn," by G. K. Cheater ton. "When Ghost Meets Ghost," by Will iam tie Morgan. "Change." by Joseph Conrad. PropHrty of KxprrawlonM. PORTLAND. Jan. St. (To the Kill tor.) Will you please criticise the fol lowing expressions from the stand point of good taste: '(1) Don't let nic discommode you. (21 This is not good etiquette. SUBSCRIBER. (1) As it stands, the expression Is good, doubtlessly, but it probably would be better to say "Do not let mc 'incommode' you." There Is a shade of distinction in the use of the two words. (2) The Oregonian would Jiot hesi tate in" aav "good etiquette." although some authorities will say the use of "good" is redundancy. Etiquette Is a cMremonial code for polite social usage; conventional decorum. Whether there is "bad" etiquette or any degrees of etiauette is no doubt the rock on which controversy would founder. Home Brewer? Rights. SALEM, Or., Jan. 31. (To the Edl- . . . . . ' I'k. atala ftf tor.J 1 rise w iimiBBi. Oregon said by a majority of nearly 4U, uuu, inai mtu"'" ' " or sold in Oregon. Now the Legislature wants to atiow eaun iciui. - - - two quana oi K ' " ui -" M sent in from abroad, if the people are . 1 1 . k.... it vKv nif lj.t it to De AIIUKCn I- L. ir f J . w ...... - - be made in this state and the money . . . i . A .anriinir it In I ' d 1 1 - Kept nere uioicau v. - - - . i ... . - T , ja nnt fair tornia ana umcr to our own breweries that can brew such excellent stuff and to our distil leries that can distil such "fine old whisky. nnit can x uu n. A. L. BROOER. Old People's Home. DESCHUTES, Or., Jan. 29. (To the Editor.) Will you kindly advise me through the columns of your paper If there is a home for old people in or near Portland or In the Northwest. If so give address and denomination. E. C. L Old People's Home (non-sectarian). Sandy Boulevard, between East Thirty- second North and fcaet jnirty-tniro North. Half a Century Ago. From The Oreeonlan. February J, 1.V There Is no doubt that the great ruh of prospectors the present Spring will be towards the new gold mines dis covered on the waters of tha Columbia River last year. A gentleman frem California says all the pmspeeiors and others are waiting only for the ttprlna to open, and they all say that ths Kootenai Is their destination. Ther ems no doubt that etenl mines have been struck there recently. Rich regions sre reported 17 miles north of the old Kootenai counlry. Oregon la very much Interested, not alnna in ths gold field", but In the travel the rush will occasion throUKh this territory. Mining is not the only Inducement of fered In that tipper country. There Is a wonderful climate and rich ground. (,'azlay's Pacific Monthly, published at New York, ha" made Us Initial ap pearance here. Though published In ths farthest Kast on the Atlantic Coast It professes to be intended for readers of the Pacific States. Philadelphia. A special dirpateh from Washington aays: it Is known In best Informed clrclea that commissioners from Jeff Davis, consisting of Vice President Stephens. R. M. T. Hunter and General G. W. Smith, have arrived at Annapolis with full power to arrant a settlement of our troubles. It la be lieved that from an understanding be tween Blair and Pavla that the terma will be entirely satisfactory to the Ad- ' ministration and Congress, and wi'l chiefly consist of amnesty to all offenu ers and ths withdrawal of ths confisca tion proclamation. Frederic Mosehbercer and r;ila i ' shet. of Clackamas t'ounty, crc ni: . -rled January 24 at Needy. Or., by Itev, Jesse Jdoreland. Both are from Switzer land. G. F. Gray has moved his ofllt es for the dispensation of Justice one block north of the old ofliee. on the east aids of Front street, nearly opposite ths Mansion House. E. P.synor. copyist and draughtsman, has stuck out his shlnEle. so to speak, at room I, Vaughn building, ." Morrison street. A meeting was sinld at Vancouver. W. T.t last Saturday for the purpose, of taking steps toward erecting a woolen factory in Clarke County, .lames I-;. Wyche called the meeting to order. Levi Farnsworth was madu chairman and H. Struve secretary. FOR AMERICA! N TIO I. Ilhl i:ni: Admiral C karinlrk Tell V v a (.real .Navy, Not a lreat Arm, la Neetjeil. From ilie Nw Yoik Sun. To the Editor of the Sun Sit: As it e seem to be aroused sonirvthst to the subject of National defense. I h lo offer some views to the method of arriving at eompb tene-s at least COM. If there is any absolute fact It is titat our pension laws prohibit the em ployment of a large atniy In war, unless we propose tu risk ba n krupi i uMr Ihc .Na tion. To saddle ourselves with the pensions of. say. 2.("M'.ii'ii turn, hi addi tion to the pensions amount inu now to nearly t200.(i0u,00tt a year for the rem nnnl. of the army of the Civil War and for the comparatively fi w of Ihe Span isli War. Is from nn economic view an imiiox.cihlo thini, to cmileitipliilp. I under-.! a nd Ihitt we have already paid over MK.OOO.non In pcii-lon for ths men employed In Ihe 111 days' war with Spain, thouuh unl mote than one sevenlh of thoo enrolleil evci left the counlry or saw an enemy. Whsf I am about lo sii-uel bes not mean Ibat we lo not u I an niiiii. We need a considerable one of Mulir! qual ity, anil we can never, utven our pres ent conditions, expect lo h:ive a tirn' army of such quality. Any l.i-se aimv Willi us must he an Improvised body, and such an iniprovl .a I in is. as rvriy reasonable man knows, nelrsa mkhmisi a powerful disciplined force. Cut lie army wnatever of anv si.-.e or :.n' quality can prevent a blockade or the oocupanev of Important porls of our coast. Security ngstnsl Invasion and blockade, our s.lfrty, in a word, can only he assured by a Haw, and till should he so powerful a to he abso lutely preventive of a'lack. And not only does a powerful raw assure safely, but It assure constant readiness, economy In upkeep, and. a said, economy most of sll In pensions For H fleet of even o balllehips wlln Its sd.liliicls of er'Psers. submarine-, etc., a power eqnsl lo ally combination acainst us. would reoiilre but ahonl 1 20.0H0 men and Ihe fust co-t of rais ing our fleet to such a level would ! but a baoatolle rompnre.J with the lived charges of future pensions. 1 would put this llrst cost at lnn. 1)1)0. AO, the equivalent roughly of three venrs of our present pen-ion ns meets F. P. CHAmVU-K. Newport. P.. I.. Jan. 21. Nationality or "l ance." I'fir.TLAXP, Feb. t. lTo Ihe edi tor.) Kindly stato Jusl what national. Ity the name "Inee'' w. Sl'BScniRKn. Lance is a prevalent I'ncMsh Chris, tlan name, and Is very much rhosen In parts of England. As a surname, II has bear, borne many years hy estab lished English families. However, Its origin may be traced lo a Greek -I m in origin. I se of -pell." POltTLANP. Feb. 1.-- (To Ihe Cijitor ) Would you kindly Inform mo whether or not there is turn a word In the Une llsh language a "spelt." being part of the verb "to spell." anil. If so. In w hat way It is used? A RI'APF.rt. Spelt or spelled Is correct for the past tense of spell, acco'ding lo Web ster. Spelled is cited u preferable, hut either Is correct. War and Herring t-'lahlna. Ivlinburgh Scolsman. The. effect of the war on (he herring fishery on the east coast of Knsland Is Indicated hy the, fact that Ihe total retell to date, this season Is 40,0"(t.0l" fish fewer than uaual. Conleats of Ihe Ores as. Pathfinder. It is estimated that 1 per cent of tha contents of the oceans would cover tha land of the world to a depth of 1i) feel. WOMAN'S CURIOSITY ' Is a' woman really more curious than a man And behind the sugBested trait of the ancient Jibe are there not cer tain very admirable character trails? Woman Is by. nature thrifty. Shs knows the value of a dollar. She buys with discretion and If there are "hsrgalns afloat" she likes to get them. She knows before she shops. She lets her so-called "curloj.lt y" lead her eyes to the advertising col umns In the newspapers with great frequency. She wants to be posted before she spends her money and nino eases out of ten she always buys at the best advantage to herself. ,