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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 10, 1915)
THE -MORNING OltEGOXIAN. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 1915. 10 PORTLAND. OBEGOM. Entered at Portland. Oregon. Postofflce as aecond-claas matter. Subscription Batee Invariably In advance: (By Mail.) Daily. Sunday Included, one year 5"S Daily, Sunday mciuaea, irc zz Iaily, Sunday included, one month ' Daily, without Sunday, one year Xally, without Sunday, six months , . . .. .1 - k m nnthl ... 1-1 O 9 'lit Dallv. without Sunday, on month -Y Weekly, one year J-J" Sunday, ore year r rV Sunday and Weekly, one year (By Carrier.) Daily. Sundav included, one year 9-? Iaily. Suaiajt included, one month a Hoar to Remit Send postofflce money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stampa. coin or currency are at ... sender's risk, tjive pnslornce auiw iiirtmiinc ruumi and alate. Postage Batea II to 1 pages. 1 cent. 18 to 22 (ao 2 centa; 4 to i pages, i ceatj M to 6u oagea. 4 cents; BI to i pages centa: 7 to t2 pages. 6 cent. Foreign post age, double raiea. Eastern Business Office Veree Conk lin. Near York. Brunswick building; Chicago, Etenger building. San Francisco Offlcew-R. J. Bidwell Com pany. 7i Market street. J-OKTLIND, WEDNESDAY, FEB. IB, 1915. TWO EIXTJ8 OF 6HXP ' SUBSIDY. Defeated in argument at every other point in regard to the ship-purchase bill, the thick-and-thin supporters of the Administration accuse Republi cans, and those Democrats with whom patriotism outweighs partisanship, of being advocates of ship subsidies. This is the burden of an article in the New York World, which makes Sen ator C Gorman its particular target. It saya that "subsidy was able by stealth" to secure the adoption of the canal tolls plank in the Baltimore platform and "subsidy under Demo cratic colors made a very determined stand when Senator O'Gorman and his assistant Republicans" fought the canal tolls bill. Because The Oregonian is opposed to subsidy in any form, it opposes the ship-purchase bill. There is no essen tial difference between taking money out of the Treasury to pay to ship owners as a naked subsidy and taking the same money out of the Treasury 1o make up losses on operation of Government steamships. Tho one is a subsidy to the shipowner, the other to the shipper. The shipowner's sub sidy has at least the merit of sailing under its true colors, while the ship per's subsidy is cunningly disguised as a public benefit and is excused by the presence of a great emergency. For this reason alone The Orego nian would oppose Government ship purchase, even in times of profound peace. Still more do we oppose it during a time of wprld-wide war, when the belligerents are striving to strengthen their cause by dragging in neutral powers. One need but observe with what gratification our diplomatic controversies with first one power, then the other, are regarded by the Enemies of the power at the time con cerned, in order to perceive the lurk ing desire to drag the United States into the quarrel. We cannot eade the clear logic of the following extract from a letter to the Xew York Sun: For all practical purposes there are no available vessels which the Government could acquire by purchase to add to the free (hipping at the present disposal of the world's commerce except the Gorman mer chmt ships which have b.en interned In various ports. The ship bill becomes then an avowed measure for the purchase of these German vesjels. interned by allied control of the seas. . No nation will question the good faith or the transfer of their title -to the United States Government, but that Mill not meet the objection of Great Britain and Prance that our purchase and operation of German ships will deprive them of the fruits of their belligerent control of the seas against Ger many How can anybody of Intelligence suppose that Great Britain and France will fall to challenge the United States Govern ment if. while avowing neutrality. Washing ton in effect attempts to tuke away some of the advantages which the allies have won In the war? That is the situation in a nutshell. We can only purchase the only ships available for purchase at the cost of being drawn into a serious interna tional quarrel which may easily in volve us in the war. If there is one resfVct in which this Nation is more nearly unanimous than in any other, it is in its determination to re main rvntrnl throughout this war. The doublful benefits of a doubtful experiment are not worih the . price which we should risk being compelled to pay. namely participation in this hideous war. A JlfTlllAHI.E MLlBlSTr.lt. Democratic Senators were fiercely demtnoiatory when Republican fili bustered ntrainst the ship-purchase bill, but when division in their ranks put them in a minority temporarily, filibustering suddenly became a highly Airtuous practice. Although the most 4. ted filibusters of recent times have been the work of Republicans. Derao- rats buvo resorted to that means of political warfare whenever they saw an opportunity to - gain their end thereby. Some filibusters have been prompt ed by mere factionalism, political big otry or determination not to yield the opinion of a small minority to the will of the majority. Filibusters, however, have rarely, it" ever, been adopted 011 a measure whereon public opinion has been clearly expressed. They have usually been aimed at measures which had been brought to the rout between elections and on which the people had, therefore, had no opportunity to speak their minds. In several notable in stances the public Judgment has at the next opportunity indorsed the ac tion of the filibustering minority. That was the case with the late Senator Quays successful opposition to the force bill: with Senator Carters fili buster against the river and harbor bill in McKinley's time, as a protest against neglect of irrigation; also with the insurgent Republican protest against breach of platform pledges by the Payne-Aldrich tariff. Tho filibuster against the ship-purchase bill is Justified on several grounds. Such a measure was not thought of in the campaign of 1S12 and was little discussed in that 1914. The great reduction of the Democratic majority In the House in dicates that whatever opinion was formed upon it last Fall was adverse. The report on the bill by committees cf House and Senate was preceded by very little inquiry and very little dis cussion and an attempt has been made to rush it through with the minimum of debate. With this end In view. Democrats have sat almost dumb In the Senate, offering little explanation or defense of its provisions and leav ing discussion to Republicans. Not un til division in their ranks brought dan ger of defeat diJJJemocrats open their mouths, and they then adopted fili bustering tactics. Yet the measure is so radically a new departure that the fullest discussion is advisable. In order that tho people may become informed nd that their judgment may crystal lize. The action of the Republicans Is Jus tified by results. All the great news papers, except the, most rigidly par tisan Democratic sheets, have declared against the bill, and under the pres sure of public opinion some demo cratic Senators have turned against it. These, results Justify not - only the course of Republicans In the past, but a continuation m tne same course tu the end. ACTION, NOT TALK. Now we hear from a veracious am ateur legislative correspondent that there Is a "powerful lobby of the big interests at Salem" to promote the programme of consolidation and econ omy, which, it is intimated, is against the public welfare. If taxes can De lowered and efficiency accomplished, through pressure from big Interests, or little interests, or all together, let the Legislature be not dismayed or dis couraged by the old demagogic howl that the "lobby" is busy and is trying to "put something over." It is high time that something be "put over" to reduce the padded payrolls of the state. But the cry for lower taxes and fewer easy Jobs for the Job-getters does not come so much from the large as the small taxpayers. The big fel low can stand it somehow:; the little fellow cannot If the Legislature fails to make good its pledges of economy, the plain citizen is going to make himself heard.- Whence comes this warning cry to go slowly, and to keep hands off. and not to cut too deeply, and to let this or that functionary alone? Whence comes U? It is mainly the voice of the State house machine. A complicated and elaborate organization, dispensing many Jobs, has been painstakingly built up during the past ten years, under the plea of reform. The re former has been at the helm, and he has managed to raise taxes three-fold or four-fold. Now it is time that the people be given a rest, so that they may assimilate the reforms they have taken from legislative and adminis trative doctors of every school, and devote their energies to ways to make them workable, and cheaper, if pos sible. The Legislature is confronted by a plain duty. If it does not carry out a real programme of economy it may be sure that the people have not for gotten that the initiative is among their reserve powers. THE SPRING STYLES. Women's Spring fashions respond subtly and delicately to the influences of war. It has been said by cynics that woman is. in truth a. more mili tary animal than man. While she a nnt nptnallv ea to the front and shoot or bayonet the foe, she inspires her male consort to pertorm me act while she stays at homo and applauds him. This applause may be expressed i triune nil! sometimes in songs and kisses, sometimes in the clothes she wears. Just at present women are expressing their innate military predispositions by submarine petti coats and ballerina sKiris. me pem- n-r.i;on of shimmering: green silk and up and down its breadths appear scenes such as men on suuum rine service might be expected to be hold. There are gilded fishes, sub- ,-,i.,n of fairv flowers and coral banks bedecked with starry mol luscs. The spiral petticoat is a van f ih anhm.-irine. It is surround ed with an ascending spiral of ruffles and expanded at the bottom with a n. Fividontlv it is intended to represent a mortar siege gun in mys tic sartorial symbols. No doubt the single hoop at the bottom of the spiral petticoat por tends an early return of that singular rnm.il. nmHiiiunr. the hoon skirt. It will begin with an arrangement about the size of a nail keg ana pjaaudiu expand season after season to the di- rxt hoHheod. Then it will collapse, as it did in its former in carnation and totally disappear. As everybody Is aware, feminine fashions move in cycles which repeat tnetn selves indefinitely at periods moro or less regular. "Afrything that has been worn in the -ptrst: is sure to be worn again in the future, though its turn mav be a long time in recurring. The balierlna skirt is a reminiscence of a ballet girl bedecked for the stage. It Is as short as the moral squad permits and stiffly starched in order to con ceal as few as possible of the charms it adorns and enhances. The wearer is supposed to pirouette gailv about the drawing-room, evincing thus her delight in military heroism. War and the ballet are connected by many In timate associations. None but the brave deserve the fair, as Dryden says. !IVI10N OF STATES. The Oregonian has received several letters disputing the correctness of its statement that no new state except West Virginia has been formed out of an existing state. The only point in which we find we have erred is in regard to Maine, and there the circumstances were so exceptional as perhaps to excuse the mistake. That state was originally a separate colony under a royul grant which conflicted with the Massachu setts grant. Massachusetts asserted her claim and took advantage of the rebellion in England to annex the ter ritory between 1651 and 1608, but the King in council decided against her in 1677. Massachusetts then bought the adverse Waim, and Maine remained a part of that state until 1820. In 1S16 the Massachusetts Legislature authorized a vote in Maine on separation and, the vote being fa vorable, fixed the terms and separa tion was finally carried in 1S19. Vermont is cited as a state which was formed out of other states, but that state was composed of territory lit dispute among Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York, the set tlers in which rebelled against all three colonies and against royal de crees in favor of New Hampshire as to one part and of New York as to another. This rebellion was in prog ress when the rebellion against Britain broke out. The Vermonters organized a state government during the revolu tion, and adverse claims were aban doned by New Hampshire in 1782 and by New York in 1790. Vermont thus was never under the acknowl edged rule of any other state, for no other state ever exercised effective Jurisdiction over it. and It established Its sovereignty before the Union was formed. , As regards the territory west of the Alleghenies. this was ceded to the United States before it had any or ganized government under state rule, and states were not formed from it until for a considerable period it had been under Federal rule as organized or unorganized territory. The states between the Allegheny Mountains nd the Mississippi River were therefore not formed out of existing states. Our original statement was correct. We are well aware that Texas has the privilege of dividing itself into five states, but the suggestion that this "privilege be exercised never meets with favor in Texas. AH the facts as to the states support our conclusion that the present division, with all its inequalities and incongruities, will continue indefinitely. PEANCT POLITICS. One time" Woodrow Wilson called upon all "forward-looking people" to support him and his ideas and ideals. Now Woodrow Wilson has descended from his lofty pose as the intellectual, moral and spiritual prophet of the netv time, and is, while "temporarily" the President his own description of his job merely the leader of a politi cal party. The partisan spirit of the President reached its bluntest expression in the Indianapolis speech, which was a mere political harangue, not becoming to any President, and it has achieved its most definite and significant action in the proposed appointments for the Federal Trade Board. There are to be five commissioners, of iwhom not more than three shall belong .to one political party. It is the obviotfs right of the. President to name three Democrats; and it is his equally obvious duty to select the re mainder from the minority party. It would be defensible to appoint one Republican and one Progressive; but the announced purpose of the Presi dent to name two Progressives is not defensible. It is said that President Wilson has the notion that he will thus aid to keep alive the Progressive party, and indirectly fortify the Democratic party. But how could he do himself or his party a worse turn than by orfending the country's general sense of fair play? The President shocks the public with his latest petty exhibition of partisan Job-giving, and justly sub jects himself to the suspicion that Ms ideals are forgotten and his practices no better than Bryan's. USEFUL CHIEFLY TO MURDERERS. So successful is the Maxim silencer that Herman Auerbach was able to shoot and kill his wife and two daugh ters without awakening his son, who slept in the same apartment. The very efficiency of the silencer is a conclusive argument against its sale to the public. It is one more weapon placed in the hands of the brutal, cold-blooded, cowardly rndrderer or of the homicidal maniac to commit his crime without detection. There are enough such weapons in existence, in the shape of knives, daggers, poisons and narcotics. We need no addition to the number. The useful purposes to be served by the silencer are so few and the occasions for its proper use" are so rare that they do not compare with the evil uses to which it may be put. The hunter may increase his kill by not alarming a whole herd of ani mals when he shoots one, but the big gest bag of the best game that was ever taken in the hunting field does not outweigh in value one innocent human life, taken by a secret mur derer. In war the silencer may be useful for a silent, sudden, night at tack. Then it should be manufac tured for military use only and under such restrictions as will render im possible its use by a civilian or its unauthorized use by a soldier. The manufacturers have, of their own volition, taken measures to pre vent use of the silencer by criminals, for they will not fit it to a revolver for sale to the public. Evidently at least one silencer has escaped ttieir vigilance. State or Federal authori ties should take such measures as win insure that not another shall thus es cape, even to the extent of totally pro hibiting its manufacture. saving, infant lives. The Children's Bureau of tho United States Labor Department has pub lished some shocking figures relating tr. infant mortality in Johnstown, Pa. This place was chosen because the" oopulation of workpeople was small enough to be studied conveniently, while the number of women laborers did not appear to be abnormally large. Johnstown is a typically Amer ican town in that it has an aristocratic quarter and a descending series of slums .beginning with an area which is fairly decent and ending with one where almost a third of the children born into the world perish'before the end" of their first year. In the best districts of Johnstown five times as any infants survived as in these sloughs of misery. It was found that tb.e family means bear a direct rela tion to the infant death rate. In fam ilies whose income la less than $10 a week the mortality rises to 256 in the thousand. Where the receipts rise to $25 a week the death rate falls to 84. Those who wish to prevent race sui cide and upbuild the American family have thus a perfectly clear course be fore them. All they need do is to give each wretchedly poor' family a three fold increase of income. It was found also that the infant death rate depended intimately upon civic improvements. Bad sewers and neglected pavements hastened the de- narture of the little ones to the other world very greatly. Coffins and dirt run an even race in Johnstown, Doth. being headed for the same goal, that Is to say for the cemetery. Moth ers who labored most constantly 111 the factories lost the most children, as might have been expected. Little ones need a mother's care and when the home must be forsaken for dally toil they do not get it. Where the mother's enforced absence is supple mented by the deadly milk bottle the mortality rate is still more inflated. Evidently there are some plain and simple reforms in the municipal con ditions of' Johnstown which would save many a promising human atom from premature extinction. WAR AND KEADINU. TUa Fiirnnpan TVflr has nrOfOUndlV affected the mentality of the world. Many things that were deeply inter esting last year are now stale and flat, -,t1 ntViara thAt then seemed out of date and smacking of barbarism now fill all minds. No doubt runner psy chological changes will emerge as the war" wends its destructive way on ward. It contains the germs of im mense political revolutions as well as far-reaching mental disturbances. It has particularly altered popular pref erences for books. As soon as the war broke out a great many readers forsook their best-seller novels, their favorite poetry and philosophy and began to pore over military literature.. The geography of Europe assumed a sudden importance and the former al liances .of the belligerent nations glowed with romantic interest. It was discovered, to the surprise of the pub liee, that history, commonly supposed to be so prosaic, fairly glows with dramatic situations and surprises. The Oregonian referred not long ago to' the remarkable popularity of Shakespeare's "King Henry V" in London this Winter. It is said to be even more popular in the theaters of Germany. The play is quite in harmony with the prevalent mood of the world. It presents a semi-barbarous military chieftain living only for the pride and glory of conquest and enjoying noth ing half so well as a fight. Some Germans profess to see in him a strik ing likeness of the Kaiser, while the time of King Henry V in England seems to them, If we may believe the reports, to have bee.n full of virility and energy, a good deal like modern German -life. Possibly these resem blances are real and not purely imag inary, though we hardly like to pic ture the Kaiser to ourselves as quite the bloodthirsty savage Shakespeare makes out of the British King. Peo ple are eagerly reading military liter ature of all sorts, especially war poetry, which is swallowed with an appetite in spite of its wretched qual ity. Fighting has lost so much of its fictitious beauty in modern times that it is hard for poets to get up much -ardor for it, but readers do not appear to mind. They revel in the doggerel as rapturously as if it were real poetry, . perhaps more so. It Is all very well for the Hoquiam Washingtonian to attempt a defense of pie by suggesting that Addison Bennett's rugged health is due Jo his smoking and his drinking "several things besides water" rather than to his abstinence from pie, but why does it attempt to transfer the glory of Ad dison Bennett's achievements to. Ar nold Bennett? Has not Arnold Ben nett won glory enough by his plays and novels without being given credit for Addison Bennett's journeyings through the Northwest and writings thereon in The Oregonian? We fully recognize the merits of Arnold, but we doubt whether at the age of 70 he would be able to make a trip through the Oregon Coast country and return healthy and Smiling as Addison did. Lord Beresford's plan to hang Ger man raiders as pirates will not be countenanced by the civilized world that is not fighting. War is war, and if one side appears to have a tempo rary advantage, the burden of better fighting lies on the other. The ethics and niceties of the game must be pre served. While on the subject of pir acy, Lord Beresford overlooks the action of the commander of the Lusi tania, which is on a par with piratical masquerading. The progressive citizens of Albany have offered a prize of $25 for the best suggestion of a name for their new uniformed organization. The Oregonian modestly ventures to enter the competition. Albany is the Hub City of Oregon, being a live railroad center. What better name for the new body, representing the enter prise and activity of Albany and typi cal of its spirit; than the Hubbubs? A friend of The Oregonian writes to say that farmers fail to co-operate successfully because they lack busi ness ethics. This means in plain Eng lish that they are not men of their word. He believes that a prerequisite, to any betterment of rural conditions! is a course of education in the obliga tion to keep contracts. Can there be any grounds for these opinions? President Wilson, having sent a representative to Europe on a mission of peace, no doubt the war will ter minate shortly. Just as the Ad ministration's peace representatives straightened out the tangle in Mexico. Tho British government will get the blank check to finance an army of 3,000,000 men just as soon as Mr. Bull is convinced the Kaiser is determined to win. John is stubborn and very set in ways and opinions, however. However, the President should not grow too peeved about British mis treatment of the American flag. Such disrespect is the natural fruit of our present foreign policy. Fogs are causing a cessation of ar tillery actions along the coast, says a dispatch. , Must be one of Ihose English fogs and too thick for pene tration by shells. A local cop has had thirty-two years' service and still continues on the beat. In New York he would be able to retire in ease after half as much service. Now liltlo Roumania is jumping on to Austria. It is remarkable how these petty kingdoms avoid anything of their size. u a n,-inps Viavb advanced in Seat tle. However, Seattleites will be able to subsist on sea tooct lor tine ume being. A cargo of Portland lumber con signed to Quebec will make British Columbia sit up and ask questions. Smelt in the Kalama River, avoided the fishing nets by taking a new course. Must have smelt a trap. More revenue is being earnestly sought by the Democrats. Hurry, boys. The time grows short. Reports of the South Pole expedi tion will afford us some diversion from the war, anyway. . Probably the poorest baby on earth is the just-born heir to the Austrian bankruptcy. This is a good time to spring an anti-vaccination bill on the Arizona Legislature. Wyoming will be the "wet" link in the "dry" chain across half the con tinent It is difficult to be a hero by South Pole explorations this season. Those vases bought by John D., Jr., must be real "vawzes." Will the Wilhelmina reach Ham burg, or Liverpool? The Idaho House took water in theirs. ' This is groundhog weather. Half a' Century "Ago From The Oregonian February 111. 1805. Letters which passed between Gener al Robert E. Lee and Lleutenant-Gen-eral Winfield Scott, commanding the United States Army, showing the spirit in which Lee resigned his commission in 1S61 have been printed in the London Times and reprinted widely In the state. Save in the defense of his native state Lee said he did not again. wish to draw his sword. The Louisville Journal, in "cutting" politics, says: ' "We have dissolved our alliance with the Democratic party, for it was never intended that we should merge our selves into the life of ouf lifelong op ponents. We can yield to the President our most earnest exertions to carry on the war. We can accommodate our state to the destiny which awaits the insti tution of shivery. . . . Wa are de voted to the support of the Union Gov ernment." Leopold Wolff, of the Portland Bar Association, will lecture Friday evening on the "Law Merchant" at the Portland Commercial Academy. It Is to be the first of a series of lectures. Nicolas Weitzel and Miss Anna Bow er were married by Justice of the Peace L. Anderson, at the Miner's Home. Feb ruary 6. John Tracy and Miss Martha Bidwell. both of Clackamas County, were married at the home of Lorenzo Tracy, January 25, by J5. C. Norton. At the residence of Mr. Bidwell. Myron Bidwell and Miss Ellen Bonny, of Clackamas County, were married Janu ary 29, Mr. Norton officiating. A number of gentlemen of this city have associated themselves together by the organization of a board of brokers and have taken rooms over Ladd & Til ton's Bank. We hope to eee a Mer chants" Kxchange or a Board of Trade grow from the movement. Mine host of What Cheer, M. O'Con nor, has contracted with an excellent painter, B. S. Terwiiliger, late of San Francisco, to paint a large sign and decorate the interior, of the hotel. Samuel J. Dennis, a pretty fair comedian, who frequently has amused Portland audiences on the boards of our theater, has gone into the service as a cavalryman in Company F. He was joined yesterday by "Keddy," the famous bill poster and "property man" of the theater. The house of Joseph Younger in Mo hawk precinct, Lane County, was de stroyed by fire last week, according to the Eugene Review. SOCIAL HYIENE SOCIETY HEARING Misapprehension aa to Bill for Appro priation Is Corrected. FORTIfAXD, Feb. 9.-(To the Edi tor.) I beg to correct an error in the report this morning of the hearing be fore the ways and means committee yesterday in Salem upon the appropria tion for the work of the Oregon Social Hygiene .Society. The report stated that this was a bill to appropriate $31. 000 for teaching sex hygiene in the grammar grades of the public schools. On the contrary, our society is defi nitely and repeatedly committed against the introduction of courses on sex hygiene into the schools. What we do stand for is plainly stated in our circular No. 17 for teachers. Several incidents, for which we are not responsible, like the error above referred to, have caused widespread misapprehension and have in many quarters diverted attention from our genuinely conservative and construct ive policies. Our reports will show that most or our efforts have been directed to hold ing citizens' conferences and mothers meetings in 35 of the largest towns of the state, parents' conferences, mothers and daughters' meetings, fathers' and sons' meetings, talks to older boys with parents' consent, maintenance of exhibits and of advisory department, talks before labor unions and in fac tories, co-operation with druggipts, dis tribution of circulars to parents, talks before business colleges and the al most total elimination of advertising specialists: W. G. ELIOT. JR. TYING HANDS OP THE 'OFFICIAL C. E. S. Wooa Analyse Effeet of BIbb ham Paving Measure. PORTLAND. Feb. 9. (To the Edi tor.) Why not entitle the Bingham paving bill "An act to declare County Commissioners incompetent?" At the risk of being charged with holding a brief for the Warren Con struction Company I want to ask the legislators and the people to consider the vicious principle which Is peculiat Iv American of electing executives to office and then tying their hands. We elect a Superintendent of Instruction, School Directors. County Commission ers and City Commissioners. They are men of our own choice and we have the power of recall yet we are bitten with that old bug of the time of kings, that to give a man power is to invite tyr anny and corruption. In fact it is the only way to avoid tyranny and cor ruption and secure efficiency. When the people feel the man of their choice is to have the responsibility the office requires they will be more careful to choose a fit man, and will watch him closer, and with responsi bility given him, the office holder can make no excuses. In the name of mod ern government and self-government let us get rid of the idea that we have to tie the hands of our own elective officials with a hard and fast law. Let us leave our executives free to exer cise a wise discretion and let us hold them responsible. Are we unable to select tit men? C. E. S. WOOD, s James Barton Adams the Author. CORVALLIS. Or.. Feb. 8. (To the Editor.) In The Oregonian January 28, appeared a poem entitled "Bill's in Trouble," under the name of James Bar ton Adams. Now this poem appeared for the first time a number of years ago the author's name not being the same as in this case. Who is really the author of the poem? I should very much appreciate an explanation. Evi dently there has been a mistake, doubt less unintentional. MARY ALDEN. The verses. "Bill's in Trouble," first a iinea red in mv "Denver Postscripts" column of the Denver Post in 1895, and 1 ..... .mhnilf.il in n vnllimA O f Til V nmc laic. .........-... - - -- - verse publislftd and copyrighted by the Post Publishing Company in Isaa, a copy of which volume is now in my nossesslon. They had a remarkable run through the papers all over the land and were in a number of Instances printed without credit and were "ap- nronriated" by several poetic pilferers and appeared above their names. They have been extensively used as a reci tation bv Dlatform entertainers, not ably bythe late Marshall P. Wilder, some of whom wrote me for permis sion to so use them and announced their authorship to their audiences. In the verses as they recently appeared In Tha Orearonian I located BiU in the Oregon Legislature instead of in the Colorado Legislature, as in the original version. JAMES BARTON ADAMS. Vancouver. Wash. Dip NeHe Inquirer Sousht. rUAlUAil'i is"- " V " --- . .. - . , If tho person from Willamina who was making an inquiry as to the dip needle or switch will communicate with me I snail appreciate iu a. vi. 6022 Fortieth Avenue Southeast Timely Thoughts Contrib uted on Abraham Lincoln. BY JOHN A. ROGERS, (Eugane, Or.) THIS anniversary of Abraham Lin coln's birth comes when the for eign world is distressed with all the horrors of war and our own country disturbed by various Influences. It is no exaggeration to gay that Lin coln contended with conditions relative ly as serious as those of today, at noma and abroad combined, and In that fact and his triumph over it is found the truest present measure of the man. Tho obstacles against which he struggled, tho complete separation of North and South, the Intensely bitter conflict and the divided sentiment in rthe territory whose united support should naturally have Deen nis uui o not placed him in a position more trying and mora critical perhaps than that confronting any national leader today. Regardless of tho actual accuracy of this statement there Is seemingly an increasing reverence for and won der at Lincoln's character and achieve ments. There are those inclined to invest him with mora than human pow ers, to regard him as ona partly divine: but to do bo, even were It reasonable, U to deprive him of that which makes him dearest, his great humanity. nd renders his achievements less than should be expected from one so en dowed. Far better it -is to view him as a man, tho most extraordinary of pro fane history probably. Capable ot greater concentration, greater patience, greater charity than any other mere man of all our times. At times he may have lacked the impressive dignity and sonorous eloquence associated in our minda with greatness, but ha pos sessed tha simplicity, the tenderness the patient endurance which mark the perfect man. He was tall and awk ward, bowed and homely, deficient in the polish and superficialities attached to lofty station, but he suffered and sympathized, pardoned rather than pun ished, his purpose was firm and right eous, his hope fervent, his charity unfailing, yet he saved a Nation. Self-trained, he lifted himself above privations of the extremest nature, and developed a power of concentration and analysis that later enabled him quickly to determine the only correct Issue upon which the war could be nuciess fully fought, the preservation of the Union. Slavery was a secondary ques tion, hut it was not until later years that tho wisdom of his foresight be came apparent. He was a supreme logician and his sense of values was most accurate. Therein rested his success. The present European conflict will raise up no one like him because there are not parallel circumstances, no such high principles involved, no marked moral issue at Ktake. Wa hear no words from the Continent like these said to have been part of Llncoln't last public utterance: "Enough live have been lost. We must extinguish our re sentments." To what extent we Americans of the present day benefit hy his example Is. of course, problematical. Each political party tries to parada Its virtues or conceal its frailties tinder the banner of direct succession to his principles, but it is doubtful if any of them could prove any right to Inherit. It is possible, however, that a char acter like Lincoln's is of greatest aid to the individual as moral example is hard for an assemblage of humans to absorb and assiiniliate. and the true greatness of his nature can only be grasped after study and reflection, and even then only In part by the average person. Abraham Lincoln sleeps his Iouk Bleep back there in Springfield, In the Illi nois he loved and served. Wa are alive with our varying years before us. What is each of us doing With the great heritage he left to us? That is the question for this birth day anniversary. BY FRANCES MORE LA X D. (Portland.) Next Friday will be the 106th anni versary of the birth of Abraham Lin coln. Here is one of the holidays Amer icans" cannot afford to Ignore. Lin coln's memory does not iieed anything that we will do, but we need to exer cise ourselves in that direction. It will do ua good to stop for a spell and think upon the life and work of the great man who was so big he did not need a family tree to hang on. nor wa.- he tickled by any of the jim-cracks of tha snobs that were pleased to call themselves the society of his day.. It takes a big man to live above such things; to admit that he has no ances tors to speak of. and has not been in itiated into anything or has no pos sessions worth while. A lot of people who will try in their Insane way to do'honor of his memory noxt Friday will be folks who could not understand his viewpoint and only now stop to no tice him because his work is down and he is dead. The thing will be very much like the"sight one sees in churches too often, of slick, self-satisfied men, well fed, wearing fine clothes and pretty, silly women who have never earned their own living, bowing down stiffly be fore the image of one who once walked about through dusty roads condemning their kind and making his friends among low persons with whom the "better classes" would never think of associating. It is wonderful what changes come when once wa are dead. Jesus and Lincoln must often look hack and mile to see people who are no spiritual kin to them, trying to toady to the memory of them. But It all has its hopeful side, for here and there will be a person of genuine under standing who wil catch the spirit and forsake the cheap and hollow things of life to livo the real things. Property Rlgbta. PORTLAND. Feb. 7. (To the Editor.) Four years ago my husband pur chased a ranch in Oregon, giving; me a deed for same. We still owe $3000 on the same, having given the original owner 'a not for that amount, signed by both of us, as required by law, and this note la secured by a firwt mort gage. Should I secure a divorce, in Oregon, from my husband, what prop erty rights would I hold in the ranch? Who would be liable for the amount of indebtedness? In case of a divorce, would I be held liable for the amount Jif a personal note given two years ngo, and signed by self and husband, if he would re fuse, or plead inability to pay any part of same? If I should refuse to live with my husband, and he should get a divorce on plea of desertion, what Interest In the above-mentioned ranch could ho claim? All, subject to mortgage. You would. Yes. One-third. Dost With a l.ont Pedlaree. Cleveland Plain Dealer. The Lady You say the dog has a long pedigree? Tho Dealer Yes. maun, 'e has. One of 'Is ancestors chewed off th' corner of th' Magny Charty. on' an other of "em bit a hola In good King Halfred. Yea. marm. Yrm; July 1. IPIS. PORTLAND. Feb. 8. (To tho Ed itor.) Was the battleship Oregon 'ever in Portland harbor? and if o, give mo the date. SUBSCRIBER. .Mnnlo for Some Speaker. Baltimore American.. "Why is it the law wanta to muzzle some speakers?" "Maybe it is afraid of their biting remarks." Twenty-five Year Ago From The (ireucnlnn. Feb. 10. IM. Palem K. II. Bellinger, a prominent real estate man of Salem, formerly of Jefferson, was drowned Jast nlaht In North Mill Creek. Mr. lielllnxcr and his 16-year-old son. In a bumsy at tempted to ford the creek, as hnd been their custom, but the recent flood had washed the creek bed to a great depth. Mr. Bellinger awnin for a whllo. but It is believed ho whs hit by a log and dazed. The son escaped. York Tha Now York Herald publishes the fullowhiu: "ilannrl, l.ist lllttht WfM circulated that Lorenzo O. Woodhouso. the New York partner or .Marsnaii r icut ac i. of Chicago, hnd retired from business relations with' tha firm. A dlapatcii from Chicago says Mr. Field admits Mr. Woodhouse has retired 'entirely volun tarily on hia part' " C. W. Parrlsh la being talked of as a Republican candidate for Senator In Grant County. Chief Clerk Ed Norton and Superin tendent Johnson, of tho Union Pacific. announce tha road would bo open again by 5 P. M. today In all probability. A. B. Ricky, formerly of Portland, now of San Francisco, la visiting hera and says "Boss" Schenck, svho has bean sojourning In California, ia disgusted with tho California raina. lie says It rains considerably In Oregon, but that one can managa to keep dry. In Cal ifornia, however, be says It ralna aide, ways and every other way and that an umbrella la no protection, C. A. Freeman, cashier of tha O., R. A N. Co. for 10 years, will reflR-n March 1. The funeral of Judge l'holan, tha North Portland Justice, will be held to. day at the Catholic Cathedral. .1. P. Burkhart the veteran fraternity man and editor, la reported to be seri ously 111. "Faust" will formally open the Vr quam Grand Theater tonight. Tla Emma Juch lOnglish Grand Opera Com pany arrived lit tho city yesterday and everything ia In readinesa at Ilia tha atcr. I), r. I.KWIK M4.KKK KTM ri.l1 Legislator Relrrratra He Mania tie" Absolutely Ury Bill's Palt. SALEM, Feb. . (To tne Editor.) Ciider tho caption, "Wets I ndaunled by lliiuao Action." your Salan correspon dent discussed the wet and dry situa tion as ho aw It. and among other things said: "Hepresenlatlve lwls, tha fifth member of tha committee, ob jected nly to tho provision that al lowed clergymen to ship Into tha slate unlimited quantities of wine fr sao ramental purposes." This statement is true far aa It K-oes, but does not go quite far enough. I am opposed to the ahove-referred-tu provision as stated hy your staff cor respondent, and voted SKaltikt the same in committee, I am lo opposed to the provisions of the bill that permits ea-h person or family to have two quarts of alcoholic liquors or 24 quarts of malt liquors each month to each In dividual or family, and o voted in tho committee. 1 also pluced myself on record on tha floor of the House as against these provisions. Here are my reasons: There are at least, plus. !. Ouu families In the state of lireaon at the ptvaent time. There are enough people over 21 years of age. ad. led to the families, and not connected there with, so that by allowing to each per son and to each fumlly the two quarts of alcoholic liquor, or it quarts of malt liquor, tho annual quantity admitted Into the state, and more than the con stitution allows, would be es follows: Alcohollo liquor. 1.(109.11110 bottles: malt liquors, loti.SS.i.Sll bottles, and this Immense quantity Is In excess of what can he brought In leaally for scientific, mechanical, medicinal and sacramental purposes. If these liquors are to be permitted to come Into the state, then we had better make them In Oregon and not send our money abroad. 1 think with tho provlsiona of the Welib-Kcnyon law, supplemented by our constitutional provisions, tha state could be made absolutely dry. and so voted In the committee on all bal lots taken. I will aid in tl)e passage of a perfectly dry measure, such as I believe the people voted for. I did not make a minority report, due to the earnest request o( the other members cf the committee, but reserved tho rleht to put m.ielf on record before the House in an explained vote, and V'ir sued this method so that as H'tle fric tion or dlscuksion as possible of tha bill should follow. I again repeat that 1 would aid lit (he passaee of an absolutely lry mess, ui-e In this House, which 1 believe would be In strict compliance with the pledge I made 19 the voters prior to the election. D- IS. Fund F.xfcaustlaa t nnsusl. PORTLAND Feb. 7. fTo the Edl tor)VIU you please infortn me as to why there are no funds on hand I" bring back from California the mur derer of the Italian woman at tlras Crossing", some time ago? I see that her husband Is to furni.-n said funds. Has this ever been neces sary ""s HIWBIBKR. The slate fund for tho return of pris oners was exhausted nearly a year ago. There Is po record cf this having hap pened before In Oreson. Land Within Fence. PORTLAND. Feb. 7. (To the Editor.) If the line fence between my neigh bor and myself Is over the line on his land one rod or several rods, and baa been there for ono year or M year. I there a law In the State of Washington which enables me to hold all the land inside the fence? A PL BSC Kill Kit t e-nAA t,a enclosed votir Innds and has been so recognised by all and you have paid taxes on it yea Motion Plctsire (-aapaalra. PORTLAND, Feb. 7 (To the Kdl tnr.) Would you kindly tell me nsmea of several moving picture rrmpanlrg to whom one would submit plaveT RKADEIt. Universal Film Company, Kalem Com pany. New York Motion Picture Cor poration, all of New York. Mr. Manufacturer Think a Moment In planning a market for your product did you ever stop to think tho kind of people who read this and other nespapera? They are of average wealth. They eat 365 days a year, wear clothing and like noma comfort. They take pride In their families. They are ambitious and aggres sive. They are Interested n your goods if they fit is niche In their dally Ufa. They would know about these gooda if" you advertised In tha papera they read. Here la a whole National mer chandising problem in a few plain words.