Morning Oregonian., February 24, 1915, Page 8, Image 8

.1 . -
8 TITE MORXIXCr OREGOXIAy, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 34, 1915.
PORTLAND, OREGON.
Entered at Portland. Oregon. PostoHice
second-claw matter. -Subscription
Kates Invariably in advance.
(By Mall.)
Dally. Sunday Included, one year...
llaily. Sunduy included, six months. ..
Daily. Sunuay included, three month.
Laily, Sunday Included, one month...
Dally, without Sunday, one year......
Imity. without Sunday. six months.. ..
Itaily.without Sunday, three months..
Iietly. without Sunday, one month.
Weekly, one year
Sunday, one year...
Sunday and 'Weekly, one year
(By Carrier.)
Dally, Sunday included, one year....
Dally. Sunday Included, one month..
. 4.23
. 6.0U
. 3.25
. l.i. "
. .0"
. 1.M
. 3.50
.0.00
.73
u nw i. Hem it send Postofflce money or
der, express order or personal check on your
local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are lit
sender s rick. Give postofflce address In iuu,
lni'lnriinv pnnntT and state.
I'aetaice Kates 12 to IS pat?es, 1 cent; 18
to 32 pages. 2 cents; 34 to 48 pages, S cents:
SO to tvo pages, 4 cents; 62 to "6 pages, 5
cents; iff to 12 pages, a cents, ioichn
age, double rates.
Eastern Business Office Teree ft Conk
lln. New York, Brunswick building; Chicago,
Stenger building.
baa Fraacb.ro office R. J. Bldwell Com
pany, 742 Market street.
PORTLAND, WEUXESDAT. llili. 2. 1816.
OREGON'S CA IX TO THE WEST.
Oregon has taken the lead in a
movement to set forth and maintain
the position of the Western states on
the best policy for applying the prin
ciple of conservation in development
of water-power within' their borders.
This Btate has invited ten other "West-
am ,tatp t send reDresentatives to
a conference which shall devise means
for securing adoption of the principles
set forth in . the resolution aaoptea
hv th Orpcon Legislature. It is
nrnnosed that each state send its Gov
ernor and four delegates, elected by
it Tislature. to the conference. If
all the states interested accept the
invitation, there will be sixty-five
delegates.
This conference is called not to op
pose conservation, but to promote one
policy as against another for putting
that DrinciDle in practice. The West
is as anxious as the East to conserve
its resources and to prevent waste,
mnnoriolv and speculation in the
process of developing them. The
West simply contends that, in the case
of water-power, the state, not the
Nation, is the best and only lawful
v through which ihis can be
done. Congress and the Eastern con
servationists contend that in this mat
ter the Nation alone can be trusted
and should be supreme. The West,
therefore, is called upon by Oregon
to unite in opposing the Ferris water
power bill as contrary to public policy
and state sovereignty and to demand
modification of the other conservation
bills in such manner that the rights
of the states shall not be violated.
The Oregon Legislature has set be
fore the Nation fhe Oregon view of
this question and what we believe will
be the view of all the Western states,
in opposition to the Federal view as
embodied in the Ferris bill. The
resolutions constitute the Western bill
of rights as a bulwark against Fed
eral usurpation. They assent that the
state owns the beds and water-powers
of all streams within its boun
daries, subject only to Federal con
trol over commerce in. navigable
streams. They do not concede that
the proportionate value of water
power "to the value of land necessary
to its development is less than the
ratio of fifty to one." They main
tain that "it is to the benefit of pub
lic policy that the Government re
linquish to the states its title to lands
needed for water-power development
under such terms as will safeguard the
public from monopolistic or specula
tive control." They also condemn,
as an interference with creation of
hydro-electric markets, "burdensome
restrictions on the settlement of pub
lic lands and on the utilization of
mineral and timber products," ex
tending over nearly GO per cent of
Oregon's area.
The state's ownership of the water
and beds of streams has been upheld
by repeated decisions of the United
States Supreme Court. The ratio of
fifty to one, between this state prop
erty and the National property
requisite to power development, is not
exaggerated, as any man familiar with
rie-character of the land in question
C-a testify. Damsites are usually
rocky walls on the sides of canyons,
and reservoir sites are the beds of
these canyons or depressions near the
summits of mountains, worthless for
any other purpose and deriving their
only value from their availability for
power purposes. Only a narrow strip
of land would be needed for a trans
mission line, but much of this also
would be rugged mountain-side,
worthless for other purposes. The
Ferris bill proposes to use Govern
ment ownership of such tracts the
mere scrapheap of the public do
main as a club wherewith to com
pel the states to submit to Its dicta
tion in disposing of property having
fifty times the value. The Ferris bill
assumes that the Government has the
right, by virtue of its ownership of
the land, to lease not only its own
land, but the state's water, to collect
the rental for the whole and to dic
tate the ratio in which this rental shall
be divided between the two owners.
The field of Jurisdiction which the
Nation, through the Ferris bill, at
tempts to occupy is no twilight zone;
it Is not a field which the states have
neglected to occupy. It is already
fully occupied by every Western
state, for all have laws governing the
disposal of water. JThese laws are in
operation as to all water, the use of
which is not dependent on the use
of adjoining public; land, and their
administration upon water which is so
dependent is prevented only by the Gov
ernment's withdrawal of power-sites.
The Ferris bill, as amended by the
Senate committee, purports to recog
nize the state's right to the water
as paramount, by providing that no
lease to a power-site shall be granted
until the right to the necessary water
has been obtained from the state, but
that which is conceded in one sec
tion is taken away in several others.
The states are urged to waive their
rights In order to hasten development
and we are informed that certain per
sons are ready to invest millions of
dollars In power development as soon
as the Ferris bill becomes a law. v"e
do not believe that any person would
make the investment, for there would
be such a conflict of Jurisdiction at
many points between state and Na
tion that he would find that he had
Invested in a lawsuit. At almost
every step he would be required to
decide whether he should obey one
law and disobey another. He would
be in the unhappy position of a man
trying to serve two masters. Investors
refuse to run such risks and to sub
mit to such aggravating conditons.
Hence they would stay out of the
water-power field until either state
or Nation yielded it to the other.
Men impatient to "get something
done" propose that the states yield
rather than prolong the present situa
tion, urging that more Is to be gained
by hastened development than by in
sistence on the state's rights. It Is
impossible for the states to surrender
their jurisdiction, even if it were ad
visable, unless the Federal constitu
tion and, perhaps, the state constitu
tions were amended. The limits of
their Jurisdiction are fixed by law and
by the constitution as judicially con
strued, and can be changed in no
other way.
Even were it possible, it is not ad
visable for the states to surrender
their Jurisdiction in order to make
the Ferris bill operative. They have
already fixed the order of preference
in which water-rights may be ac
quired, usually domestic use first, ir
ritation second, power third. The
Ferris bill D laces power first and
might prevent necessary use for do
mestic purposes and for irrigation.
That bill provides for equal division
of rentals between state and Nation,
though the Nation's interest is only
one part in fifty. That revenue is
worth contending for, as most of the
states already have laws governing
power development and have efficient
machinery for regulation of puolic
utilities, and there is no cause for the
Government to step in for protection
of the people against imposition, even
if it had the power. If any states
have no regulative authority, the Gov-
eminent can refuse to grant land for
power purposes until such an au
thority is created, though it Is no part
of the Nation's duty to protect a state's
citizens from its neglect to perform
such functions.
. Finally the Oregon declaration is a
direct challenge to those who have
contended that the Western states are
so improvident with their resources,
that they would fall a prey to
monopoly and that the Nation alone
is capable of so controlling the water
power business as to ward off these
evils. The Western states invite com
parison between their efficiency and
that of the Government in controlling
public utilities. They contend that
water-rights can be better adminis
tered on the ground in conrormlty
with state needs and conditions than
At a distance of 3000 miles by an un
wieldy, slow-moving machine, the di
rectors of which are ignorant of and
indifferent to state needs and con
ditions. They maintain that power
development will be a more inviting
field to investors when conducted un
der state law than when subject to
the varying opinions of a succession
of Secretaries of the Interior, who
change every four years.
The Oregon invitation to a confer
ence on water-power legislation is an
invitation to the other ten states to
unite with Oregon in a declaration
that they need no guardian, that they
can walk alone and ask no outside
power to take them by the hand and
lead them. Now is the time for
these states to act. The programme
of the Eastern conservationists has at
last taken concrete form and the West
should offer an alternative. No action
by Congress is likely before next Win
ter, and ample time will Intervene
for the West to lay its case before the
country.
FOLLOW TA1TS ADVICE.
No more lofty spirit of patriotism
has been displayed in late years than
that which inspired ex-President
Taffs speech on the duty of the
American people during the present
war. Setting above everything the in
terests of the United States, he for
got all party differences in calling
upon all citizens to uphold President
Wilson's efforts to preserve our neu
trality while upholding our rights.
The President's duty is most diffi
cult to perform. Any swerving from
the narrow path of strict "impar
tiality" laid down for a neutral na
tion may be used by some nation,
whose passions are heated by war, as
a pretext for dragging us into the
conflict. While avoiding this danger,
it is incumbent upon Mr. Wilson to
permit no right of this Nation or Its
citizens to be violated by any bel
ligerent without exacting full satis
faction. It is necessary that. In so
doing, he give the offender to un
derstand fhat he is ready to use the
whole power of the Nation in uphold
ing its dignity,y It is also necessary
that the Natiof V.stand as a unit be
hind him, rePMor such an emer
gency.
By following the patriotic example
and advice of Mr. Taft we can pre
serve peace and, at the same time,
maintain our rights and National
honor. Let every man keep his head
cool and stand by the President in
his course with regard to the war,
whatever he may think of Mr. Wil
son'' policy in other matters.
oVke
TIIB REVOLT OF THE PROFESSORS.
An Eastern contemporary, which
stands emphatically for culture, is
deeply exercised over the great turn
ing of university professors toward
practical affairs. Their defection
from books to agriculture Is particu
larly disturbing. The ideal college
professor is a person who knows noth
ing about anything in the world but
books. In the printed page he lives
and moves and has what little being
he is allowed to possess. His proper
place is in the classroom serving as
the excuse for a lot of idle boys to
gather there and crack jokes while
he feebly discourses on some erudite
subject of no interest to himself or
anybody else. His demeanor Is sup
posed to be meek, his voice placatary,
his eyes weak enough to overlook al
most anything in the way of ridicule
from his promising charges.
The rebellion of the professors
against these old-time and highly
respectable traditions i3 nothing less
than terrifying, all the more so be
cause it is widespread. It began, no
doubt, with the irruption of this
servile group Into the field of elec
trical engineering. Millionaires en
gaged in the exploitation of water
powers suddenly discovered that pro
fessors like Rowland and Duncan, and
students like Steinmetz, who knew all
about electricity, could be of immense
use to them. So they lured the
learned recluses out of their monkish
cells by the proffyer of vast salaries
with which the universities found it
difficult to compete.
Other practical investors fojlowed
the example of the electrical exploiters
until now we find professors al
most everywhere correcting proud
spirited ignoramuses with their Im
pertinent knowledge. There are the
Minnesota professors whom James J.
Hill has spirited away from academic
halls in a palace car to lecture to the
farmers. There Is the stock expert
at the Kansas Agricultural College
who saved a man $1000 in a horse
trade the other day by happening to
know the pedigree of a steed which
the seller was trying to patch up a
little. . There are dozens and dozens
of scholars who ought, by good rights,
to be burning the midnight oil in
stuffv cells with bieary eyes and
pallid cheeks but who, instead of that,
are careering wildly over the coun
try telling the farmers how to plant
corn, spray trees and breed nogs.
What a falling off from the sacred
academic Ideal!
A professor who Is good for some
thing else than delivering antiquated
lectures to inattentive students is in
deed a portent. Something ought sure
ly to be done to woo him back to
the gods he has forsaken. Who will
ero throuE-h the sacred motions of
teaching Greek and Latin if all the
professors take to engineering, agrl
culture and sociology?
EIGHT HOrRS AT $3 DAILY.
The City (?ommission will act to
day upon the plan to establish a mini
mum wage for all laborers, skiuea
and unskilled, engaged in contract
work of any kind for the municipality,
The daily wage is to be not less than
$3, and the hours are to be not more
than eight. Preference is to be given
to local labor.
No proposal of greater consequence
to the taxpayers and to the general
public has been formulated or con
sidered- by the Commission. It re
quires only a statement of its scope
and purpose to give the measure of
its large importance.
Every jcontractor who does work of
any kind for the city must pay
sCale far higher than the prevailing
wage. Obviously the cost will be
more, and obviously, too, it will in
some cases be proniDitive. in an
cases the city will be at greater ex
pense in carrying out a given work
than any private contractor.
The reason given for the new
policy is that the laborer is entitled
to a living wage. That may be
agreed. But It is questionable if he
is entitled to more for the same work
than a fellow workman in private em
ployment gets. If it be then said
that the private employer must pay-
more, too, it may well be asked how
he is going to pay it in the present
situation? How is the city Itself to
stand the greater burden? A condi
tion, and not a theory, confronts the
people of Portland.
It seems to The Oregonlan that the
real problem for the City Commis
sion to solve is how to employ many
unemployed men at a wage it is pos
sible to pay, rather than a few men
at double the wage other men are
glad to get in these times. Not long
since delegations from various civic
bodies waited upon the City Com
mission with an earnest request for
the employment of the largest possi
ble number of men on public works.
No doubt the members of the Com
mission were as well aware of the in
dustrial crisis as any citizen or group
of citizens, and no doubt they keenly
appreciated the need of doing every
practicable thing to relieve the situ
ation. Yet it would appear that the
real duty of the Commission lies In
that direction, rather than in an ef
fort to keep at a high standard the
pay of the men now at -work, and
to raise the barriers in front of con
tractors, who are struggling to keep
together their respective organiza
tions, by paying what they can and
doing what there is to do.
If the cost of contract work is to
be enhanced there will be less of
such work and less employment. If
the pay for unskilled labor is to be
$3. and the limit eight hours, the
fit will be chosen and the less capable
will have to Join or continue to re
main with the idle army.
The Oregonian says again that the
workman is entitled to a suitable
wage, but in times when hundreds of
men or women are giaa to De em
ployed at any wage, and when stand
ards of employment are largely
broken down, it would seem to be
most ill-advised to seek to establish
any arbitrary rules under which men
may work and other men may em
ploy them to work. How are they to
be paid? Are men to be left to starve
because they are not to be permitted
to work for less than $3 or longer
than eight hours? '
DEAR WHEAT.
The quantity of wheat in the United
States available for export this Win
ter was 357,000,000 bushels. This the
Agricultural Department ascertained
by a simple calculation. The entire
crop was 967,000,000 bushels, of which
S10.000.000 were needed at home.- The
remainder, 357.000,000 bushels, cftuld
be shipped to Europe without' dis
turbing domestic conditions.
Wheat has been going abroad at the
rate of about 1,000,000 bushels a day
for some time and is not likely to go
much faster. The supply for export
was sufficient, therefore, ,to last some
357 days, or until long after the next
harvest is reaped and threshed. Since
the export demand can thus be more
than satisfied it is difficult to under
stand why prices should rise so high
on the strength of it.
THE FALL OF CHARLESTON.
The first notable consequence of
Sherman's northward march from Sa
vannah was the fall of Charleston.
This seaport had been besieged by the
Union fleet ever since 1863, but with
out much hope of success. Fort Wag
ner, in the5 harbor, had been taken,
but Fort Sumpter remained appar
ently impregnable. The fire of the
fleet had reduced it to a heap of
ruins, but the Confederate garrison
managed to find shelter among them
and wield their guns as well as when
the fortress was Intact, or even better,
perhaps. No vessel could pass Fort
Sumpter to land troops on the water
front, so that, although, much dam
age had been done in the city by
shells from the fleet, it could not be
taken.
It was finally decided to abandon all
efforts to attack Charleston directly.
The siege was turned into a blockade
and it was expected that the conquest
of the back country from which
Charleston drew its supplies would
ultimately reduce the city. This proved
to be sound reasoning. By the time
Sherman reached Columbia, Hardee,
who commanded in Charleston, began
to withdraw his men.
This was on February 17, 1865.
Hardee, as he was leaving Charleston,
gave orders to set fire to some stores
of cotton, to the Confederate ironclads
in the harbor and to the public build
ings. Nature carried the flames far
ther than he desired. They spread to
the powder magazine, which exploded,
killing some 150 persons. The night
of the 17th was a terrible ordeal for
Charleston. Hardee's troops added
plunder and riot to the horrors of the
conflagration and it was only' as the
Union troops began to occupy the city
that order was restored and the fire
extinguished. Columbia was also des
olated by a conflagration at about the
same time. How the fire originated
has been a matter of dispute, but fair
minded people can hardly question
that the Confederates were to blame
In both cities. On forsaking Columbia
they set fire to the stores of cotton,
from which the frames spread
throughout the city. Perhaps other
factors contributed to the disaster.
With Sherman were some Union pris
oners whom he had released fromhe
horrible Confederate dens where they
had been confined. Naturally, these
men resented the treatment they had
suffered, and we may at. least feel
assured that they did not labor very
ardently to check the flames. Whether
they actually took a. hand in spread
ing them is, of course, a matter of
pure conjecture.
Germany denies that British pris
oners are being treated cruelly and
the world will believe her. To be
sure, the food may not be what they
would gret at home, and they miss
the morning "bawth," but the tier
man subsistence department is not in
the hotel or restaurant business. Peo
ple disposed to complain might, vith
advantage, read of the treatment
given prisoners at Andersonville half
a century ago by the Confederate
government, an institution that had
the profound sympathy and more or
less moral and substantial support of
the British people.
Some students are , blaming the
Russian novelists for the European
war. since most or tne accuaeu me
dead una unable to answer back, it
is a happy thought to load them with
the burden everybody elsa shirks. The
argument for the prosecution runs
that the. Russian novels have been
imitated by the English. Thus an
entente was established which stim
ulated German envy and thus brought
on the fighting.
The revolt- of the Piute Indians
should give new life to the expiring
taste for scout and cowboy stories,
It may even revive the dime novel of
50 years ago which reeked with gory
scalos and midnight massacres. With
all its bloodthirstiness the boys' fie-
tion of that day was superior to much
of the simpering stuff that has re
placed it. ...
Organized charity has long super
vised the poor. Now the State or new
York Is about to supervise organized
charity, probably for good reasons,
The Rockefeller charities investigate
labor and the Federal Labor Commis,
sion investigates the charities. The
men and things who- are not under
suspicion in these times are few and
lucky.
Captain Mitchell, of - the General
Staff, who said a foe could take and
hold the American seaboard, has been
excused by the Secretary of War, as
he talked in a private meeting. He
told a truth, to be sure, but neg
lected to add the foe aforesaid would
be making attempt to commit suicide
and would succeed.
Raids by Zeppelins on armed camps
and concentrations of troops are
legitimate part vof war, but dropping
bombs on cities and killing non
combatants are not. and if there is
any power that can advise the Kaiser
to this effect the word should not be
slow in going.
Constantinople is the end of all
Russian ambition and news comes
she is preparing to capture It. borne
times it seems as if Russian intrigue
were responsible fcy the turmoil in
Europe, with this result in view.
Even the county prisoners at Eu
gene would raaiate, out a na.ru-
hearted Jailor discovered the etrort
in time to prevent get-away.
With a new dam at the headworks
at Bull Run to impound 500,000,000
gallons, Portland is preparing to get
along during a dry spell.
With Federal intervention the
Piute uprising will be quelled and the
redskin learn another lesson in the
white man's "bunk."
The Germans gained ten feet on the
line near Ypres the other day. Jean
Orapand must have been dreaming of
dear Paree.
Rockefeller gave away more than
ix million dollars last year, a sum
much greater than most men make in
lifetime.
Heavjf war insurance on United
States property is being placed in Lon
don. Quit it. Such reports make us
nervous.
When the Johnson-Willard bout Is
held in Mexico, villa should be on
hand to garner the box office receipts.
Whatever is handed to the Russian
by the Teuton he . passes on in
diminished volume to the Turk.
Scandinavian' governments will not
oin us in our protest against Ger
many. They're taking no chances.
More civilians killed by Zeppelins
at Calais. One of these days a Zeppe
lin will kill a soldier by mistake.
Berlin reports 100,000 new prison
ers taken. We should think it harder
to feed than to fight such a force.
Just as rose time dawns in Port
land the blizzard season comes at Jts
worst in South Dakota.
Russia is concentrating for an at
tack on Constantinople. Wonder how
England likes the news.
The German Government Is seizing
all raw rubber. Probably to feed the
men on the firing Jine. .
The bottom of the North Sea is
becoming quite a rendezvous for
American vessels.
The Russians admit having been
routed by the Germans. Must have
been some rout.
President Theodor, of Haiti, - has
gone to the Southern Continent for his
health.
Even Congress is waking up in the
atter of our military needs.
Baker is putting on metropolitan
air in smiting mashers.
Germania rules the waves, subject
to revision, of course.
Cheer up, everybody, the Legisla
ture has adjourned.
We will now quietly await the base
ball season.
The last of the Piutes are Ja action.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oreeronlan, February SI. 1S65.
Ex-Senator . Toombs, of Georgia, is
serving on the staff of General Gustav
V. Smith, ex-Street Commissioner of
New York. He is now a person of no
consequence. -
Washington Information from the
Army of the Potomac as late as yes
terday morning reports all quiet. About
300 deserters from the rebel ranks
have come within the Army of the Po
tomac withinxhe last few days.
The Albany Journal says an effort is
being made to complete the work on
the Willamette Valley and Cascade
Mountain wagon road, and a public
meeting was held recently to urge the
matter.
If there is any one fact more than
another that is matter or congratula
tion in ronneetlon with the successes
achieved by General Sherman, It is that
the National flag once more noais ovci
Fort Sumter and that Charleston, the
hotbed of treason, once more owns
Federal rule. The Federal troops
arched into the cradle or secession.
playing "Yankee Doodle" ana waving
their tattered and pattie-scarreu
kee flags.
Wuhinfinn The House has passed
the Senate bill establishing steam mail
service between United States, China
and Japan.
Councilman Bennett has some very
fine "Tigs" at his stable, corner of Mor
rison and Second streets, which he and
his partner. J. S. White, delight to own. I
.,Mm these however, we observe
monv hpr fine carriages and animals
G. W. Vaughn has an excellent pair ot
horses there. H. D. Green and John
Green also each have a fine span. Fly
bv Night, the famous trotting horse
owned by Messrs. Wells & Eddy, and
h Mihr9tail Rlnrk Hawk, owned by
Mr. Davis, and the fine animals of H.
C. Leonard and Dr. Wilson are among
those stabled in the Fashion btaDies.
At a meeting of the Trustees of
wtiimtt University. February 16, a
medical department was organized to
be located in Portland and to be called
tho nree-rm Medical College. rne iac
ulty which was appointed at that time
met Wednesday evening and dented the
following officers: A. C. UlDDs. president-
R T! "Wilson- vice-president: A
M. Loryea, dean, and R. Gllsan, treas
urar.
H. W.. Longfellow, of Cambridge.
Mass.,' has returned his income as 14,
171 and Daid the tax upon it. Poetry
Is no longer synonymous with poverty
DUPLICATE!
PUBLIC UTILITIES
Evils ot Double Service and Reedlcsa
Cost Are Pointed Out.
PORTLAND, Feb. 20. (To the Edi
tor.) For many years It has been i
common custom, at . various. jin.c
throughout the country, for the public
to be imposed upon by telephone com
panies and other public utility corpora
tions, partially due to the power or
money, and partially as a result ui
thoughtlessness or negligence on the
part of influential citizens and public
officials in permitting the installation
of a second, public utility system, where
one xvstnm is sufficient to serve the
public.
For Instance, an independent tele
phone company is granted a franchise
with the understanding that service
will, within a reasonable time, be estab
lished throughout the city in competi
tion with the Bell telephone service,
which would be nothing Jess than a
complete duplication of investment for
the public to pay interest on in tne
form of an increase of charge for serv
ice, that a fair income may be realized
on each investment as provided by Fed
eral and state law.
In many cities the terms and condi
tions of the franchise are violated to
the extent that the independent service
is confined to the business district and
thicklv DODulated residence districts.
where the investment is most profitable,
thereby partially duplicating the in
vestment and dividing the revenue In
the profit-paying districts to such an
extent as to justify the public officials
in permitting an increase of charge for
service throughout the city. In order
that a fair return may be realized on
the investment of the Bell company In
remote and thinly populated districts.
The first graft is chargeable to the
independent company for violating the
terms of franchise by confining its serv
ice to the profit-paying districts, there
by taking a good portion of the profit
able part of the business only.
The second graft is also chargeable
to the Independent company for selling
ts system to the Bell company for an
excessive price, which, in many In
stances, was evidently the "ultimate
hope" at the time application for fran
chise was made.
The third graft is chargeable to the
Bell company, as is justified by the ap
parent willingness to purchase the In
dependent system at an excessive price.
thereby permanently establishing the
duplicated investment for the public to
pay "double interest on for the re
mainder of time.
Divided telephone service is poir tele
phone service, and creates a duplicated
cost. ED WARD.
I He of "Making."
PORTLAND, Feb.. 22. (To the Edi
tor.) I read the communication of
Nellie Buckley in The Oregonian Feb
ruary 19 on the use of "making" and
also The Oregonian's answer to her
questions. . You apparently discourage
the use of this form In favor of is
being" in such sentences as "Four
great motor roads are making and
state that the textbooks usually pass
by the subject in order to avoid con
fusing the student's mind. Gramma
rians are the ones confused by "is
being" In that it is a duplication of
the verb "to be" and in the term "is
being made" is said to combine a pres
ent tense, active voice, with the past
tense, passive voice, contrary to the
rules of grammar. To people who use
it, however. It conveys sense, and those
who know English understand its
meaning. Its ue first appeared in
writings' In 1795 and it appears to be
an unwelcome newcomer irum tne
grammarian's standpoint. Verily, a.
storm is brewing, the grammar Is be
ing tested. "- STUDENT.
Wittingly or unwittingly, the writer
upholds and repeats the point advanced
bv The Oregonian, but hl3 argument
tan only confuse the young student
who miarht be passing through the
throes of 'English grammar or coming
within the variable whims of gram
marians and teachers of grammar.
There fs no question of the form being
understood: the case cited proves its
use Is confusing and Its efficiency as
grammar; thereby impaired.
Troops' Trip to Fair.
VANCOUVER. Wash.. Feb. 21. (To
the Editor.) In regard to the removal
of the troops stationed at Vancouver
Barracks to the San Francisco Fair. I
must say, 'as a resident, of Vancouver,
tht the, nresent attitude of the Van
couver Commercial Club has certainly
been changed. Only a year ago iney
stated that thev wished that James J.
Hill would build railroasi shops on the
present site used for training govern
ment troops. Now. why do they protest
to their Congressmen to try to stop
the Twenty-first Infantry from going
to the fair? Certainly It is not because
they have any respect for the soldiers,
for they have not.
Edward Hjan Answers Mr. Shanahnn
and I'erhnpa He Pokes Fun.
PORTLAND, Or.. Fob. 22. (To the
Editor.) I respectfully ak The Ore
gonian to publish the following letter
in reply to L. Shanahan:
Mr. Shanahan has again erupted and,
having- no arguments to offer, he re
sorts to abuse. He says he is a na
tional executive of the V. I. L. His
language would Indicate that he should
more appropriately hold an executive
office In the I. W. W., and It may be
that the V. I. L. and the I. W. W. are
one and the same or kindred organ
izations. However, in reply to this
emissary of the only foreign political
organization known to the writer as
an American Irishman. 1 wish to say
without fear of contradiction by Mr.
Shanahan or any of the other five
members of the U. I. L. that there Is
no treaty of peace between England
and Ireland, for the home rule bill Is
indefinitely postponed, and that is the
ultimate and final achievement of
Messrs, John Redmond and T. P. O'Con
nor. For this indefinitely postponed home
rule bill Messrs. Redmond, Shanahan
and Hennessy Murphy would have all
the Irish youth shoulder their muskets
and. with drums beating, march on
Berlin. If Messrs. Hennessy Murphy,
Shanahan and Redmond wish to ad
vance on the Germans in consideration
of this great charter of liberty, which
Is only a fake, let them get red coats
and Lee-Metford rifles and advanco
themselves. There shall be no obstacle
placed in their way. I prefer to re
main a neutral Oregonian while these
proud heroes and warriors of King
George rush to annihilate the Kaiser
and his triumphant hosts. Such a
im. orrav. with Hennessy Murphy
at the head, would undoubtedly strike
terror to the Germans and even cause
the gates of Heldelburg. Coburg, Pil
sen and Muenchen to be closed.
Unquestionably after such an Inva
sion a treaty of peace would be en
tered into, participated In by the U.
I L and Its executors, and thereafter
the 'great charter of liberty, excluding
Ulster, would come Into effect. hen
that happy day arrives and the lion and
the lamb lie down together, our good
t-i a a Mi.mhv find Shanahan. will no
proclaimed prophets, who. with a keen
vision of future events, saw the great
charter put Into effect. until ..,.
happy consummation, however, we.
whose perceptions are not so clear and
whose trust In England is not so great,
will hope for a victorious Germany and
a free Ireland. EDWAKD in AN.
ENGLAND'S HKDUESS ACfEPTAIILE.
"J. T. D." Say Let Bjgonea Be njgonea
In IriNh-BrltlKh Contrnery.
PORTLAND, Feb. 23. (To the Edi
tor.) I wonder if Mr. J. B. ('"r'n,e.y
speaks for the rest of the "loyal Brit
ons" when he says that they view w th
suspicion all expressions of loyalty
coming from Messrs. Murphy, bliana
han and others.
Being one of the "others," I will en
deavor to answer Mr. Courtney's ques
tion, "What is the meaning of it all.
as far as I can personally do so. I do
not pretend to speak for any of my
fellow-suspects.
I have been a member of the British
Benevolent Society for many years and
generally "come across" when nskod
to do so. I have even contributed my
mite towards the British National Bed
Cross fund. I have never felt that 1
owed any Englishman an apology be
cause I am an Irishman and have on
more than one occasion, in your paper,
called attention to the shortconunKS
of England toward Ireland.
I never felt like going to any Brit
ish function where I thought 1 would
be treated with either suspicion or tol
eration, and that there is danger of nn
Irishman being so treated at a typical
British gathering Is amply proved by
the tone of Mr. Courtney's letter.
But to answer nis question.
an Irishman, i Know mm
to let others know mat Mfunu
wronged Ireland in the past, but when
England commences to make amends 1
m u-niinir to let bygones be bygones.
in th nresent crisis, where the lss
a niainlv marked between England
and Germany. I am wltn ijngiana nimn
and soul. 1 hope i nave aone my kmxio
tn heln her out. Put I may say in eun-
clusion that I am not in the least con-
erneri whether certain nRMnniiien
view my expressions? with suspicion or
approval. j. i .
THE DANCE OK THE SOI L.
In appreciation of Ruth St. Denis.)
Goddess of motion,
Come, dance with my soul.
Dance of love, of life
Dance of the world as a whole.
The dance must have fire;
The dance must have life
Dance to the vibrating of the soul.
Spirits of flowers.
Movements ot souna
Dance to the mountain top.
And dance again down.
The dance of the arms.
The dance of each limb.
The danre of the babies, the mothers
The dance without sin.
Tli8 dance of the snowfleck.
The dance of -the rain.
The dance of tho growing soul
The dance above shame.
The dance of the ocean.
The dance of the waves.
The dance of the lightning and clouds
The dance ot tho sunbeams.
The fairies and gnomes
The dance for only the brave.
The dance of today.
The dunce of tomorrow.
The dance of years gone by
The dance of the ever-now.
The dance of tears.
The dance of joy,
The dance of the kiss
Of a girl and boy.
The dance of the silence,
The dance of the stars,
The dance of White and
The dance of night.
her colors-
The dance of the grass.
As the wind sighs through
The dance of falling dew.
The dance of seagull.
The dance of the swan.
The dance of the fishes in the seas
The dance of the rocks and the giant
trees.
The dance of the violet,
The dance of the rose
The danee of the dying day.
The dance of the swirl.
The dance of the whirl
The dance of a cat and her kittens.
The dance of Adam,
The dance of Eve
The dance of the snake
In the Garden of Eden.
Dance on; dance on. oh. life:
And then, oh, soul; dance of the ever
dance with death.
JULIAN r. SCOTT.
Vessels in the Navy.
VALE. Or., Feb. 20. (To the Editor.)
Will you kindly inform me where I
can obtain a list of the vessels In the
United States Navy and their officers'
names? C. P. STILES.
Perhaps the Assistant Secretary of
the Navy would oblige you. Write him
at Washington.
Boaa of the Function.
Philadelphia Ledger.
Sunday school teacher What
outward, visible sign of baptism?
Johnny The baby, mum.
Is the
Twenty-five Year Ago
From The Oregonian February 24, 1i.
London Inquiries at the t'nlted
Stutes .legation lat nisht at I o'clock
brought the Information that there u
no change in tho condition of Mr. Lin
coln's son, Abraham, who atlll con
tinues in a very dangerous elate nt
health.
Washington The Indications are that
Chicago will be awarded the World's
Fnlr. New York Is the second rhntee
and St. Louis and Washington follow
ing. New York Pom I'edro, the deprwej
Emperor of Brazil. Is willing to re
nounce all claims to his title and, will
If allowed, return to his country as a
private citizen and give all aid pnsslhle
In establishing Uie republic. It Is re
ported here frorn contents of a letter
from Paris, received by Charles Flint.
John Luce, of the John Day Valley,
reported that out of his band of
sheep he had lost 2S00 thus far this
Winter. Ilis Neighbor, Mr. Brown, lis
lt some 5000,
According to the Sulem Statemsn,
there are those who hae seen smoke
Issuing from that peaceful and hosrr
old sentinel of the Cascailca. Mount Jef
ferson. There was a volcanic eruption
In Japan a few rtnvs uko. and 8alem in
not to he behind the limes.
The work of soliciting auherrlptlonf
for a Ohnmher of Commerce bulldlna"
will go ahead this morning accorilliic
to Tresldent Macleay. of the l'onrd .f
Trade, who has appointed a committed
to undertake the work.
Jonathan Bourne-. .!r.. has completed
a careful resume of conditions and
prospecta of the Fourth of July mln
in which so much Portland capital la
Interested. Several mining experts have
epoken In glowing terms of the pros
pects of the mine.
Iliehard Koehler has been appointed
mannger of the Portland 4c Willamette
Valley K.'illrui'l Company, according
to William Held, vice-president of th
company.
T. W. Bleick. the present school clerk
of Albina. is a candidate for re-election
Monday, March 10.
Jay Gould Is reported to have been
taken in to the extent of ?r,n.nflfl In
recent deal In Kicliinond Terminal.
The planiht von Billow (the first
husband of Frau Conlma Winner) In
consequence of disagreement with the
royal supervisor of the Herlln Theater,
has resigned all his offices at court.
Now his viMtlng cards bear thla In
scription: "tr. Hans v Itulow. orchestra,
leader and pianist in orrilnarv, to Ills
Majesty, the (iuiniHu people."
San Francinco A phonoernph recoi'l
has been made of Tattl's voice.
Ono of tho cara on the cabin rosd ran
away down the Fifteenth street Kra1
last niKht shortly after 8 o'cloek. At
the corner of Fifteenth It flew tho
track uud lnndet bottom hide up along
(he street. Fortunately there were only
three passengers aboard none of whom
was fatally hurt. 1 . W. 1 j.ittis iind Mrs.
I.iarns ami II. A. Caleb are the persons
who took tho fearlul ride. Mrs. IJiinis
escaped unhurt but Mr. IJams and Mr.
Caleb each received scalp wounds and
bruidcs. Tho grlpnuin. (i. Carey and
Conductor A. K. I'YIman are both ex
perienced men. They any tho brakes
were on but tho cnble wns not gripped.
M,l IIH1(; l ACCKTF.I YOWF.I.ft
llernuin LnediiiK, of Milwaukee, Dnea
.ot Think Pendulum Will twln Bark.
MILWAT'KEE. Or., Feb. 22. (To the
Editor.) An editorial Item appearing
in The Sunday oregonian February "I
on tho change in tho pronunciation of
EiiKlish stales Hint the unaccented
vowels iiro all slurred into the sound
of "er" and that those whom this
chniiKO worries mny take comfort from
the fact that no pendulum swluss long
In the same direction. For Information
I would like to know whether you re
fer to tho unaccented vowel In "fig
ure." "tailor" and similar Vords having
a final r or other classes of words con
taining unstres.ve'l vowels, "rboeolale."
for lnstnncr. In which "r" does not ap
pear. What slurring takes place In
this word?
I Infer from the article the writer
believes the pendulum will swing hsi k
lo the pronunclat Ion of "ffg-yoor."
"tail-or," Instead of "flg'r," "tull'r." s
at present. Persona My, I do not bcllev
tho pendulum will swing hnck, any
moro than it did to Chauser'a pronunci
ation. Is this phonetic corruption ie
plornblc? HEUMAN I.OKDING.
Itetultlng Mages.
PORTLAND, Feb. 2.1. (To tho Edi
tor.) Why are not newly-built thea
ters equipped with revolving stages
during thta modern times?
A Sl'K.SCimsKH.
For about ID years a revolving Isr
has been found successful In Ye Liberty
Theater at Oakland. Cal. In one or two
other cities In this country and In sev
eral abroad tho revolving slsse has
been constructed as an experiment and
found fairly satisfactory. Generally
speaking, however. It is acrcrd that the
demand for the revolving stace is not
compatible with the expense Involved In
constructing it. Too few of the trav
eling productions actually reoulre am-h
a convenience, inasmuch as the art of
striking and setting a scene has reached
a high point of efficiency.
I'lanrrOe psiiiklsa.
PORTLAN1 , Feb. !.1. (To the K.rtl
tor.) Noticing that the ISo.OJfl flra
Sunday, February 14, luia been attrib
uted to a carelessly-thrown clraretie
stub, mlKht It not be timely for tho
next Ix'Blslature to have a bill Intro
duced making It obligatory that a man
carrying a pall of water be detailed to
follow everv clKarelte smoker. It
miaht be well to leave to the discretion
of the water "toter" how the water
should bo used to ulve the maximum
ot protection, whether lo wet down the
burning cliiaretlo end or the devil-
may-care smoker. It Is protection we
need. KOHKI1T II. TATK.
MILTON, Or., Feb. 21. (To the Ed
itor.) If a person Is rtivorco.1 In Ore
gon and goes to California anil Is mar
ried Insldo of six months. Is the mar-
riaite logs I? i yi l it t , ix
71
Hello! Mr. Merchant
Business Is Callinsr
When your telephone rings you
are quick to answer, are you not.
Mr. Retailer?
Very well, why not do the sam
thing when money calls to you quite
lustily?
This ' Is exactly what happens
when a reputable manufacturer ad
vertises his goods In this news
paper. He creates a demand for those
goods which will knock at the store
door ready to receive It.
The up-to-date retailer la quirk
to appreciate this demand and
profit by It.
He shows the goods and let the
consumers know that thla store la
tho best place to buy them.
For that reason It la most effect
ive for manufacturer and retailer.
- -x