THE MORNING OREGONIAN. FRIDAY, APRIL' 2, 1915.
10
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;' In recently published articles on the
Rational reservation policy we thought
we had made It clear that our objec
tions did not concern wholly what
was within the law, but chiefly th
administration of the law. We still
believe that no one could possibly
misunderstand one brief paragraph
wherein It "was stated that the law
permits homestead entries on agrlcul
tural lands within the forest reserves,
but that the Forest Service defeats
the law. Tct today, from Corvallis,
Mr. Wendover writes a letter pointing
triumphantly to the law to prove that
no agricultural lands are reserved
Moreover, by quoting the sentence
wherein The Oregonian stated that
agricultural lands within the forests
were open to entry and by deleting
that portion of the paragraph wherein
It was stated that the Forest Service
defeats the law, Mr. Wendover
"proves" that The Oregonian has made
n inexcusable error or a purposely
misleading statement.
The "misleading statement" is that
60 per cent of this state is closed to
entrv and use. At no time has The
Oregonian made a statement so broad
as that. It has said that the forest
reserves "cause isolation of settle
ments, increase the cost of state gov
ernment and make unappropriated
lands so remote that their settlement
is slow and unattractive." Within the
forests the law does in words permit
the settlement of agrlculturanands. but
if a Government bureau prevents set
tlement the lands are in-fact reserved
from use. And we are dealing with
facts, not 'words. Xor can nearly
16.000.000 acres divided into numer
ous tracts scattered throughout the
state and closed to use and entry (we
are still dealing with practice, not
theory) avoid making unappropriated
lands outside the reserves isolate and
remote, and thereby discourage their
settlement.
The forest reservation policy cuts
two ways. It ties up that which is
within the forests and it causes waste
of much that is without the forests
Of what inducement to settlement are
the roads, trails and telephones the
correspondent mentions if they lead to
lands eo protected from settlement by
restrictions that the homesteader will
not have them? -Mr. Wendover say
It cannot be that The Oregonian believes
the. National parks should be neld by pri
vate Parties or that litigated lands sut h A!
tha O. at C. lands should be (riven to private
holders before title Is established In the
United States Supreme Court. Therefore the
objection must be to the land held In the
ferest reserves and unappioprialed public
domain.
The correspondent is in error. The
Oregonian, of course, does not sug
gest that the Oregon and California
land grant be given over to private
holders before title is established.
But under an existing Federal en
actment. If the Government recovers
title to this grant, the lands will con
tlnue to remain off the tax rolls until
Congress acts. The Oregonian does
not intend to await the outcome of the
litigation to point out the disastrous
effect upon Oregon of the addition of
more than two and three-quarter
million acres of land in alternate sec
tions In the richest part of Oregon
to th permanently preserved area
The time best to bring home the con
dition of Oregon is when the need for
x relief is greatest. Several counties have
been deprived of large tax revenues by
reason of the litigation over the rail
road land grant. They are deprived
tf this money in a period of depres
sion when they need It most. Imme
diate relief cannot be had, but we
can get ready to demand it when it
becomes possible of attainment.
There are other singular statements
in Mr. Wendover's letter. An instance
is the complaint that Oregon has
grudgingly .given $30,000 for forest
protection .Another is tho inquiry
as to what the state would do in the
light of this policy if it owned the
National forests. The J 30.000 ap
propriated by the Legislature for for
est protection goes largely 'or admin
istrative expenses, and is for protec
tion of lands not owned by the state,
but -by individuals. It Is by no means
all that Is expended on fire protection
in the forests outside of the reserves.
The large owners do their own patrol
ling. The little ones are taxed for
patrol under a state law. The fact
that the Legislature recognizes that it
has a public duty to perform in behalf
of individuals leads one to the con
viction that It would not fail to pro
tect its own heritage.
Do we think that under state or
private ownership the state's income
from the forests would be increased
without greatly impairing the future
value, and productiveness of the lands?
The state now receives 35 per cent
rf the proceeds from the National
forests. Under state ownership it
would receive 100 per cent. Mr.
Wendover answers his own question
when he says, "It is no fault of the
forest officers if a man does not get
the land he applies for, since the 160
acres described in the application will
almost invariably include timbered
hills or mountain, some of which, it
Is true, could be cleared and profitably
used for agriculture, but only at a
acrifice of greater forest values."
There we have the forest policy in
a nut shell. To the forest officers a
tree is a sanctified thing. Better sur
vey the lines of the homesteader's ap
plication around one than to permit
it to be destroyed. Keep the settler
out rather than lose a tree. It is
better that the agricultural land should
go to waste than that one infinitesimal
part of the vast resources of the forest
should be withheld from future gen
erations. We believe that if the state had
control of the forests it would place
the Value of prosperous homes and
contented citizenship above that of a
few tree here and there in the area
necessary to round out 160 acres of
a, homestead on agricultural land.
The Government's policy is one of
selfishness. It claims the merchanta
ble, timber, but not the agricultural
land. Use- of the agricultural land
within the forest reserves "will build
up the wealth of the state. But the
Government will not contribute one
iota, from its timber to induce the
settler to make use of tho land the
Government cannot use itself.
The measurement of agricultural
value as opposed to forest value is
not truly one of determining whether
this or that ten acres standing alone
is more valuable for wheat than for
timber culture. It is whether the
160 acres in the entered homestead Is,
as a whole, more valuable for agri
culture than for timber. And in that
measurement the value to the com
munity of more homes, more citizens,
more children la as important to con
sider as the bushels of wheat or the
number of board feet of lumber that
might be produced. v
Yes, The Oregonian believes that the
state's income and the state's welfare
would be enhanced, and tho forests
not be impaired, if the forests were
under state control.
H13 CHANCE.
The Oregonian does not subscribe
to the theory of the Bowlby cult that
all contractors are dishonest. But let
us suppose that they are, and that
the first duty of the State Engineer
is to save the taxpayers from their ra
pacious greed. Major Bowlby, who
has been removed as State Engineer,
has been asked to remain as special
engineer with authority to close up
every contract mado by him as State
Engineer. He ought to do It. He will
have a great opportunity to show up
the crooked contractors who, he says.
have "out the skids' under him. un
doubtedly the contractors will go Into
tho courts, and they may win. But
Bowlbv will have done his duty, and
the public will know then that the
courts also are crooked. Else how
could the contractors prevail Over an
honest engineer like Bowlby?
But Bowlby will not accept the joo
of completing his own work. H,e has
learned from the Attorney-General
that there cannot be two State Engi
neers and he will not play. It does
not suit him to work as special engi
neer. even when given full authority
to do what remains to be done on his
own work, or to unao muen uwi i
been done.
The world is all wrong indeed. All
the contractors are against Bowlby
The county courts, formerly for him,
are against him to a man. Disinter
ested engineers have taken a stand
against him. Everybody Is wrong but
Rowlbv and his whining Portland
newspaper friend.
RADIUM AND AGRICULTURE:
The European war has cut off the
potash supplies that formerly came to
this country from Germany and the
agricultural experiment stations are
concerned to find a new source of that
mineral fertilizer or invent something
to take its place. Seaweed affords a
iirnmisine: substitute. But it nas to
be calcined before the potash it con
tatins Is available and this process re
nuires soecial machinery. The ocean
contains the second largest supply of
potash in the world and no douot its
treasures will become useiui some aaj,
but it may not be for years.
The Illinois experiment station at
Urbana has been' trying radium in the
hope that it might replace potash in
agriculture. Radium is not a plant
food, but it might possibly accelerate
the release of potash from granite and
other rocks and thus serve the same
Dumose in the end as If it were. Or
the radium might stimulate the vital
activity of plants and thus in a meas
ure dispense with the ordinary min
eral foods.
The three substances which plants
need most are potash, phosphorus and
nitrogen. The two lormer are utReii
into plant circulation in mineral form,
but the nitrogen must first be made
organic." It is at this point that
tho immense value of the clovers is
manifested. The microbes existing on
their roots transform atmospheric
nitrogen into the organic form and
thus contribute an indispensable serv
ice to agriculture. Since tho nitrogen
n the atmosphere is not likely to be
exhausted soon we need not worry
about that element as long as the
clovers continue to thrive.
We have also abundant native mines
of phosphorus. But potash is another
matter. Our native mines are not very
productive and the main supply has
always come from Germany. ne
Urbana experiments with radium as a
substitute for potash have not led to
mvihlnr encouraging. There is no
conclusive evidence that it either dis
engages potash from the rocks or
stimulates plant vitality. Its use wouia
therefore, according to present lights,
be a -wasteful expense.
COI.l.tliE WOMEN AND BACK SUICIDE,
The charge that women college
graduates prefer the stngje to the mar
ried state as a rule is proDaoiy true.
It mav also be confessed that even
when married they do not bring a
e-reat many children into the worm.
at least not nearly so many as their
less erudite sisters who never went to
ciIWp Professor sprague, or tne
Massachusetts Agricultural college,
has published statistics upon this sub
ject to the sound of tne narp ana tim
brel as if he had made Known some-
thino' wonderful. But there is nothing
wonderful about them and certainly
nothing to make us afraid.
"Race suicide would go serenely on
Its way if every woman in the unitea
States were forcibly married ana
Dinstcrhood made a felony. We may
as well admit, first as last that there
re a large number of women who are
y nature illy equipped for matrimony
nd childbearing. These vocations do
ot attract them. Women differ In
their dispositions just as men do, some
being fitted by nature for one duty
and some for another. The hypothe
sis that all women are designed to
make homes and bear children Is a
figment of the medievalized imagina
tion. Some are and some are not.
Among the women who go to college
there Is probably a goodly number who
prefer some other occupation to mat
housekeeping and proiincation.
Their education makes them no dif
ferent in this particular from what
they were before. It merely prepares
them for the lire they wish to lead. It
does not unfit them for the life they
dislike and which they never would
have led in any case.
In all highly civilized states there is
a preponderance of women. They
cannot all marry and bear children
unless wc revert to polygamy, while
few even of the most determined ene
mies of race suicide would wish'them
to bear children without marriage. If
these women, who must be Childless
whether or no. choose to go to college
and thereby contribute to the welfare
of the race In other ways shall we
grumble ana growi over jii .vt af not
try to be sensible about "the college
woman"? There is no necessary rea
son why her existence should make
men write silly magazine Articles.
HEN AND WIVES.
The Chicago Bureau of Public Wel
fare has just finished one of those ex
tremely modern investigations which
promise a great deal and occasionally
perform a little. This investigation
tackled the question why husbands de
sert their wives. The answers obtained
by assiduous inquiry are all entertain
ing and a few of them instructive.
It is found that fat women retain
their husbands better than lean ones,
no doubt because they are less given
to nagging. The lean and hungry
looking wife is at much the same dis
advantage as courtiers of the same
type. Husbands are like Caesar wh,en
It comes to preferences in the matter
of rotundity and the equable temper
ament that goes with it.
Good cooks are also found to have
a strong hold on wayward husbands,
quite as one might have expected.
Nor is there any great mystery in the
revelation that eweet-tempered wives
are less apt to be deserted than the
cross-grained. These facts are fairly
obvious without the aid of a scientific,
Inquiry -with its paraphernalia of
clerks and specalists.
The investigators also learned that
children bind husbands to their wives
and homes. We should suppose this
might be true as long as there was
food for their hungry mouths, but
once the larder is empty it can hardly
be conceived that a houseful of babies
crying for bread is an incentive to
marital fidelity. Even the charms of
a good cook may fail to enchain the
husband's heart when there is nothing
for her to exercise her skill upon
Love proverbially flies out of the win
dow when poverty comes in through
the door. We dare say this is as true
in Chicago as elsewhere. If all work
lngmen had steady employment at liv
ing wages some of them might still
forsake their wives, but not many
would do so.
The problem of loyalty to home and
wife is economic at the bottom, like
most of our other problems. Too much
money destroys fidelity as it does the
other virtues. Tho want of money
eats into the heart and conscience and
blights the finer qualities. Those who
really care to maintain the ljome
would do well to begin by giving
homemakers a chance to earn plenty
of bread and meat.
PROHIBITION AS A WAR MEASURK.
War bids fair to do what has
proved beyond the power of a century
of agitation by hosts of the ablest and
most earnest men to stop the sale of
alcoholic liquor in both Great Britain
and Germany, two of the greatest
liquor-conBuming nations in the world
Each nation may do for its preserva
tion as a nation that which its indi
vidual members are unwilling to do
for their personal welfare. The neces
sities of war rise above all ordinary
law and set aside all personal rights
They demand that each member- of
each belligerent nation work to his
highest efficiency and abstain from all
habits which impair.
Germany is organized far more
highly than Great Britain to concen
trate the energies of the whole nation
on the supreme purpose. Govern
mental power is more concentrated
and in wartime is subject to fewer re
strictions in that country than in the
British Isles. Hence the Federal
Council has delegated to each state
authority to limit or to restrict the
sale of spirits. In Great Britain such
authority can emanate only from Par?
liament. At any other time enactment
of prohibition would be impossible, for
the British are more jealous of tneir
personal liberty than any other nation
on earth. The Germans are more do
cile, for they have become reconciled
to the paternalism which Bismarck
inaugurated. It is noteworthy, how
ever, that the German edict refers
only to spirits, apparently leaving the
people free to indulge in beer.
In Great Britain indulgence in al
coholic liquor has had a strong hold
on tlje people from early Saxon times,
and is practiced by the poorest as
well as the richest. In fact, abstinence
is probably practiced more among the
rich and well-to-do than among the
poor. Saturday and Sunday are the
favorite days for carousal, and mines
and factories can rarely secure a full
force on Monday. The men who do
work on that day are often not at
their best. Heavy, stupefying ale is
the favorite beverage rather than the
light lager beer consumed in this
country and Germany. Ale is drunk
with meals, and a liberal supply of it
is considered the inalienable right of
harvest hands and dock laborers,
while the Iron and steel workers have
an unlimited capacity for it.
When the first British expedition
was sent across tne cnannei ioru
Kitchener warned the soldiers to ab
stain from liquor. At the same time
the hours for sale of liquor were short
ened. It has been found impossible,
however, to wean the British working
man from his beer. Although the
needs of the army and the losses of
ships In war rendered imperative tlte
greatest possible expedition in loading
and unloading ships, In order that they
might be used to the utmost, dock la
borers have held out for their Satur
day half holiday, for their right to
loaf on Monday and against working
overtime. It has been demonstrated
that success in war depends largely on
abundant supply of artillery and am
munition, but the same difficulty has
been encountered in the gun foundries
and ammunition works. The necessi
ties of the war require that shipyards
work to their capacity in building and
repairing war and merchant ships, but
the employes have held out for their
right to loaf, drink and strike. A new
army of 2.000,000 men has to be fed,
clothed and armed. This proved be
yond the capacity of existing factories
in those lines, and other factories
have been reconstructed to enlarge the
capacity, yet workpeople by their un
willingness to work full time or to
work overtime have limited output.
Such a situation is intolerable to the
British nation, for its mind is firmly set
on subordinating all other considera
tions to victory in war. It is especially
intolerable .to Lord Kitchener, whose
success hitherto has been due to con
centration of all his energies on the
one end in view and to avoidance of
everything which would impair those
energies. He has evidently instilled
his sentiments into the King and into
his colleagues in the Cabinet. They
propose to deprive the boozing work
men of any excuse for complaint of
discrimination by abstaining from al
cohol themselves. They appear confi
dent that, when the British workman
has got the booze out of his system.
his efficiency will be increased as
greatly as has been that of his Russian
ally by abstinence from vodka. M.
Barek, the Russian Finance Minister,
says Russian, efficiency eett J"
creased 30 to 50 per cent, and that,
though the government has lost an
enormous revenue by prohibition, he
does not believe revival of the liquor
traffic possible. German restrictive
measures seem to be due both to the
necessity of economizing food supply
and to the waste of human energy
through alcoholic Indulgence.
This war has banished vodka from
Russia, absinthe from France and
seems destined to banish ale and
whisky from Britain and spirits and
beer from Germany. If it shall ac
complish the sobering up of the na
tions, it may prove to be worth all of
the awful cost in blood and wealth.
But the greatest of paradoxes would
be that man should, in order to attain
the highest efficiency in the art of kill
ing, do that .to which the most inspir
ing appeals to his higher nature had
in vain urged him.
The Japanese voters have approved,
at the election just held, the govern
ment's policy of "peaceful penetra
tion" in China. This means the es
tablishment of an Asiatic "Monroe
Policy" and a ban upon all future
acquisitions of Chinese territory by
European powers. The time for this
perilous attempt is well chosen. No
European power, except Germany, can
afford to antagonize Japan just now,
and Germany is powerless against her,
So many English rural laborers have
gone to the war that the farmers have
petitioned Parliament for permission
to work children of school age. Once
established on farms, child labor would
doubtless re-enter the factories, and
conditions abolished fifty years ago
would be seen again. European civ
llization is rotting from the infection
of war rather more rapidly than
seemed likely at first.
The English Lord Rothschild has
gone to a court where his money
will not enhance his favor, but the
Rothschild family will continue to
thrive. Their fortune, all told, is the
largest in the world, and It has been
acauired honestly. They do not need
to endow charities to modify the
world's hatred, for their career is
neither marred with crime nor tainted
with hypocrisy.
We Join our contemporaries in com
mlserating those two wretched Los
Angeles babies, a boy and girl, which
are growing under the burden of half
a dozen baby show prizes, 'ineir
fond mammas have agreed to marry
them in due time and thus continue
the perfect breed. The unhappy mon
sters will be classed with prize pigs
all their lives. We willingly spare a
few minutes to weep over their fate
Human ingenuity should discover
some way to keep convicts busy with
out unfair encroachment on free
labor's rights. Idleness is bad for
them physically and mentally. It
unfits them totally for honest lives
when they are discharged. Unless we
agree that the purpose of imprison
ment is to ruin the convicts we snouia
devise a scheme to employ them regu
larly.
Prominent educators find encourage
ment in the new fondness for debate
among college students. The exercise
is agreeably exciting, while it stim
ulates the habit of research and cul
tivates the art of public speaking.
From every point of view, it is prefer
able to those college "orations rwnicn
formerly contributed so much to the
pomp and Imposture of college Hie.
The street railways in Vancouver,
B C. carried 1.138.333 fewer passen
gers in January. 1915,. than in Jan
uary, 1914. The falling on is at
tributed to jitney competition. Van
couver exacts a percentage Of the
street railway's earnings which nor
mally amounts to J3000 monthly. The
iitnevs have cut into this revenue
quite seriously.
"Lend a Hand" says, editorially, that
the American prison system is a fail
ure. It is the state prisoners' paper
and should know whereof it speaks.
If the convicts themselves testify that
the nriBon does them no good it
difficult to contradict them. But what
shall take the place of the prison'
Must we give up punishment alto
gether?
One of the many evils of country
life is the senseless opposition of "good
people" to dancing. Young men and
women will dance in spite of every
thing. If they cannot do so in good
surroundings they are apt to run the
risk of bad ones. For the evil that
ensues the unreasonable prejudices of
saintly critics are often responsible.
The Government is viewing "grave
ls-" the loss of an American on a
steamship sunk by a submarine. That
it is to be supposed, is in distinction
from the tolerance with which it views
the murders of Americans in Mexico.
The Senatorial delegation should
have drag enough to get us a fleet
of warships, not jitneys, we have had
cruisers, monitors and destroyers. Now
get us the real thing. Why are Sena
tors if not for these things?
For the open door Japan would
substitute a barbwire fence, charged
with electricity, around China. Other
nations being otherwise engaged, it is
up to Uncle Sam to ply his wire-
cutters.
Telegraphy has rendered Impossible
repetition of the feat by which
Nathan Rothschild made a fortune out
of'advance knowledge of the result of
Waterloo unless one could fix the
censor.
Austrians and Russians surrender
in big bunches on the eastern battle
front. They must have that tired
feeling which comes with Spring.
The war correspondents may have a
chance to give an eye-witness descrip
tion of a naval battle if the Prinz
Eitel Friedrich puts to sea.
The rain god did very well jester
day In his attempt to make up the
March deficiency.
The jitney ordinance is lacking, in
that it does not forbid smoking in
the vestibule.
Too bad the Prinz Eitel could not
put the joke on the blockaders yes
terday. Huerta need not return. From best
accounts, Carranza "kopped" all there
was.
Villa would make Mexico "dry,"
seems, sincere.
and
. Partly cloudy at Twenty-fourth and
Ya,ugaa ibia afternoon. . .
Twenty-Five Year Ago
Prom The Oregonian ot April 2, 1890.
Washington Chairman McKinley, of
the Ways and Means Committee, is not
alarmed at the apparent opposition to
the "tariff bill his committee has
framed. Generally, It is conceded the
best that can be devised, and the hos
tility of the West and Northwest, it
is believed, will yield in time. The East
protests violently, thus hoping to pre
vent further cuts.
Spokane Falls Charles E. Clough
has been elected Mayor over F. E. Cur
tis by 900 votes at least. Curtis is a
Prohibitionist and his supporters ineo.
in vain to deliver the labor vote.
Clough Is a real estate dealer and has
a fortune represented at over a quar
ter of a million.
The election through Kansas, and
Missouri yesterday was featured by
the exercise of the franchise by the
women in Kansas and the use of tne
Australian ballot in Missouri.
Berlin Popular demonstrations that
approached a celebration at night
arreeted Prince Bismarck on his seven
ty-fifth birthday. Crowds gathered in
front of his home and sang patriotic
songs and hundreds of friends called
or sent messages. The Emperor sent
a handsome pipe and an autographed
letter.
The Times-Mountaineer, of The
Dalles, says Colonel T. S. Lang is at
work in earnest preparing his report
on internal commerce in Oregon, rata
tl sties embracing all resources and
characteristics of Oregon, including ell
mate. soil, timber, mineral and general
wealth, population, churches, schools
and transportation facilities, will be
compiled. The report will be distrib
uted throughout the civilized world.
William Hahn, who for a week has
been down with the grippe, is expected
to be-out again in a few days. He is
steadily recovering.
Dayton & Hall began moving yester
day morning preparatory to erecting
a new building on the site they now
occunv. The new building will be
known as the "Wildwood Block" and
will cost about $20,000.
Dr. A. D. Bevan. having completed
his course of lectures at Rush College,
Chicago. ha returned to Portland and
can be found at his old offices. First
and Morrison streets.
Thomas H. Boyd, who represented the
Tacoma Globe at the recent session of
the Washington Legislature, is in Port
land for a few days and on his return
to Tacoma will become city editor of
the Globe. s
School was begun at Woodlawn Mon
day, with Miss Llewellyn as teacher.
THE "TIRED NUMBERS.
The clock had just struck midnight,
The music store awoke
The souls of copies came to life
Just after the last stroke.
A torn and tattered "Spring-Song"
Hailed a weary Wedding March
(Which had to amble slowly.
The way she walked in church).
Together these two went about.
Beneath the rows of shelves,
Calling, "Wake up! Come! Protest!
Let's organize ourselves!
"All who are tired of being played
Come down out of your places; ,
We two suggest that we all put
Blank staff-lines in our cases."
The leaves then rattled everywhere,
Copies were alert
To lose their notes, and skip away;
Their freedom to assert.
"Cavalieri Rusticana" lead Handel's
"Largo" out,
"The Sky-blue Water's Captive Maid,"
"The Lost Chord," Schubert's "Sere
nade,"
"The Swan," quite lame with age and
gout.
Mendelssohn's "Consolation,"
The Thais "Meditation" '
Poor Old Lucia's overworked "Sextet."
They sang. In joyful chorus.
The whole world lies before us;
We're free; we've gone; our notes men
cannot get;
No pupils more shall buy us.
To feebly, weakly, try us;
And tear our Souls to tattered bits
again.
The fiend who must request us.
The crlticB who molest us,
Shall search us through their pro
grammes now, in vain.
While they sang, they put away
Blank sheets, where they used to stay;
So that salesmen in the morning.
Should not have the slightest warning.
Their notes they threw Into the fire,
Laughing as the flames rose higher.
When their forms were all destroyed
Their souls departed, overjoyed.
The Swan was leading, calling, "Come,
We'll find a land of deaf and dumb.
We've labored long, and earned our
rest.
But hurry; run like all possessed!"
The last of them had shut the door.
The music-shop was stTll once more;
When, feebly crawling to the street.
Two others went, with trembling feet.
So worn out they could hardly walk
And much too tired to try to talk;
Hand in hand, with gait grotesque.
Narcissus and the "Humouresque.
FRANCES GILL.
THE SEAGULL.
Tour only clothes are your feathers.
Your only home Is the sea.
Your path the drifting rain cloud,
As high as ever can be.
I've watched you fly straight into the
west
Till I couldn't see you. And I guessed
To what far land you may have flown
All by yourself alone alone.
The little land birds fly together
And don't go out In rainy weather.
But you just spread your wings and
sail ;
On the windiest days you ride the gale,
As if you loved the storm the best.
Do you esaer geally rest?
Always alone. You don t even sing;
You're a lovely, lonely, wandering thing.
F. G.
Second MortKagehelder'a Rlgbta
M'MINNVILLE, Or., March 29. (To
the Editor.) Does the holder of a sec
ond mortgage retain any hold on the
property after the first mortgageholder
has started foreclosure proceedings?
If so, for what length of time?
SUBBCKIBEK.
Until the first mortgage IS actually
foreclosed he would retain practically
the same right as before. But he would
be made a party defendant to the fore
closure suit and his claim would be
foreclosed with that of the mortgagor.
Rumor of Frsu Joaeph'a Death.
LOOKING GLASS, Or.. March 30. (To
the Editor.) Has The Oregonian at
any time since the beginning of the Eu
roDean war published an account to the
effect that Emperor Franz Josef of Aus
tria was dead? If so. at aDOut wnat
time? If this rumor was published, is
it not, in fact, erroneous? H. J.
The Oregonian did publish a report
from London that It was rumored
Franz Joseph was dead, but that Con
firmation was not expected. There were
many such rumors, but The Oregonian
Hi Mi ftUiilsil.-ftAZ- a factfl .
SOT FAULT OF FOREST OFFICERS
ReaeratioD Poller Finds Defender la
Corvallis Correspondent.
CORVALLIS, Or., March 31. To the
Editor.) Taken together, the editor
ial in The Oregonian March IS. the let
ter from B. ,F. Jones in The Ore
gonian March IS and the editorial
comment thereon form a series worthy
of thoughtful reading by anyone In
terested in the present prosperity or
future development of Oregon.
The editorial of March 16 states: "In
thlB state about 60 per cent, of the
total area is in National forests. Na
tional parka and other reservations,
litigated land grants and unappropri
ated publlo domain. In Idaho nearly
83 per cent of the state has been
withdrawn from entry and use."
These alleged facts The Oregonian
evidently finds objectionable. It can
not be that The Oregonian believes that
National parks should be held by pri
vate partiea,or that litigated lands such
as the O. & C. lands should be given to
private holders before title is estab
lished in the United States Supreme
Court. Therefore, the objection must
bo to the land held In the forest re
serves and unappropriated public do
main. Since all unappropriated pub
lic domain is open to entry, and (I
quote from the editorial of March 28),
"the law very plainly states that agri
cultural lands in the National forests
are open to homestead entry," the
statement that 60 per cent, of the
area of this state Is closed to entry
and use is either an inexcusable error
on the part of The Oregonian or a
purposely misleading statement. The
6.000,000 acres of "good agricultural
land" which Senator Borah says are
lying Idle in the forest reserves of
Idaho and which the editorial says
are "closed to settlement" are In fact
and according to The Oregonian of
March 28, not closed, but open to home
stead entry.
Forest reserves. according to the
editor, "cause isolation of settlements,
increase the cost of state government,
and make unappropriated lands so re
mote that their settlement Is slow and
unattractive." The fact is, roads,
trails and telephone lines are being
constructed on National forests as fast
as money becomes available for such
work, and in like manner the scat
tered areas of possible agricultural
land are being examined and classi
fied as fast as funds are available. The
merchantable timber is being sold as
rapidly as there Is any market for it
Any person may enter tho forests for
all lawful purposes, including prospect
ing, locating and developing mining,
as on any other public lands. Grazing
is permitted under regulations so fair
that the users are Its strongest sup
porters. Termits for developing water
power are granted on easy terms.
The editor complains that the Na
tional reserves cannot be taxed, yet
must be given police protection by the
state; but he ignores the fact that
under state ownership these lands
would be equally exempt from taxa
tion, and he says nothing about the
character of the "police protection,"
nor its cost. Nor does he consider, ap
parently, the cost of administering the
National forests, nor compare that
cost with the revenue to be obtained
from the forests. Fire protection
alone In this state, for Instance, costs
$480,000 per annum. Would the state
be willing to assume this charge? It
was only after heated discussion and
under loud protest that the recent
Legislature appropriated $30,000 per
annum for two years for fire protection.
Under the present system 35 per cent.
of the gross proceeds of the National
forests is returned to the state for
roads and schools. Does- the editor
think that under state or private own
ership the state's Income from the
forests would be increased without
greatly impairing the future value and
productiveness of these lands?
Having worked in the Roseburg dis
trict. I have a pretty thorough know
ledge of conditions obtaining there.
Mr. Jones statement that "some of the
best unappropriated lands are in the
forest reserves" Is . incomplete. It
should read, "Some of the best un
appropriated timber lands are in the
forest reserves." Some of the finest
stands of Douglas fir in the state oc
cur in the Roseburg district. There is
but little agricultural land In the dis
trict. and that little occurs in small.
scattered areas. It is no fault of the
forest officers if a man does not get
the land he applies for, since the 160
acres described In the application will
almost invariably Include timbered
hills or mountain, aome of which, it
is true, could be cleared and profitably
used for agriculture, but only at
sacrifice of greater forest values. The
applicant gets all the land In the tract
applied for that he could turn to agri
cultural use. even if he had the full
160 acres in square or rectangular
form, and he has full grazing privl
leges on adjacent forest land without
tho responsibility of ownership, free
from taxation.
The fact mentioned by Mr. Jones,
that since the enactment of tho three-
year homestead law homestead filings
have fallen off 60 per cent is easily
accounted for. It is not. as he states.
because the cultivation requirements
make It impossible for a man to com
ply with the law. The requirement
for cultivation is 1-16 of the area of
the land entered, beginning with the
second year, and an additional 1-16
the third year. This amount may be
reduced if the character ot the land
Is such as to make the required amount
of cultivation unreasonable. If the
homesteader, who, as the editor points
out, has no capital and cannot live
In idleness for an indefinite period, can
not cultivate one-eighth of a small
tract in three years, how would his
condition be bettered by giving him a
large area of land which must be
logged, cleared and otherwise ex
pensively processed before It can be
ade agriculturally productive at all?
The real reason why homestead filings
have fallen off Is that under the old
aw homesteads were . often taken up
at least as much for the timber as for
the agricultural land: often for tim
ber exclusively, and under the now law
this Is not possible.
Mr-Jones' charges that the National
forest reserves are nothing hut a play
ground for uniformed officers and
rangers la childish, vvniie not a per
fect institution, it must be recognized
by those who have studied the achieve
ments of the Forest Service that it Is
remarkably efficient service, and
the forest officer or worker who docs
not earn his salary Is rare Indeed.
The allusion to dreamers who "look
forward a few thousand years to pos
sible benefits of unborn generations"
likewise an Indication that ir.
Jones cither cares nothing lor tne
future of the state so long as he gets
what he wants, or that he is ignorant
of the real purpose and character of
Forest Service work.
R. r. nti.uucK,
Tax Title Possession.
M'MTNNVILLE. Or.. March 29. (To
the Editor.) I have a tax title lot in
rwflnnrl that I bought at a Sheriff's
sale about 13 years ago and have paid
all taxes and assessments against it.
have never heard from the original
owner. Is tnere any law mat t can
arnuire a title to this lot so that I
can sell and give a good deed? If so,
please state how. R. H.
If you have held this lot for 10 years
without dispute, you have automat
ically acquired title by adverse pos
session. 1ght Law Classes.
PORTLAND. March St. (To the Ed
itor.) Will you kindly give name of
law schools in Portland that tench
night classes? J. O.
University Of Oregon law depart
ment land toe. Pfegoix-L.ajiiSc.il ool,
NO EVIL EFFECTS OTV Pl'BB UTTO
Prrsoaa of Habitually Cleaa Thought
Not Harmed by Dancing.
PORTLAND, April 1. iTo the Edi
tor.) It Is gratifying to note In an edi
torial in The Oregonian. March II, the
very common-sense view which Is taken
on the subject of nanclng. The corre
spondent who wishes dancing annihi
lated and who signs himself or beraelf
as "One Who Knows." is very evidently
one who does not know. I do not "trip
the light fantastic" myself, though at
one time I was very fond of so doing
and 1 can truthfully assert that at no
time did any evil or suggestive,
thoughts obtrude themselves upon mv
consciousness, for I well remember
making the remark to a friend of mine
while present at a dance that I could
not understand why aome narro -minded
people objected to the act oT
dancing, and that for my part I would
not be afraid to meet Christ himself
should he make a sudden appearance In
the ballroom.
There are always soane peoole who
object to the pleasures of others which
do not coincide with their own views
of what Is right and of which thry
themselves do not approve. If danrlng
is wicked, then why la it that littlo
children invariably express their Joy
by dancing movements? There Is
scarcely a child that can keep its body
still when lively music la played and
I have seeV tiny tola trying to danca.
We are told that "David danced before
the Lord" and ha was a man after
God's own heart.
No one but the really vicious would
persist in depraved forms of dancing,
and such persons would nut be admitted
to reputable dancehalls. l-'.vll thoughts
can obtrude themselves anywhere, even
in a simple game of tennia or golf If
people wilfully allow themselves to do '
wrong: but no gentleman or lady, in
tho truest sense of tho word, would ex
perience any evil or suggestive
thoughts to influence thoni during their
simple pleasures, and. what Is far mora
likely, they are probably not troubled
by them, tholr whole mind being given
to the danre or the game. It Is an ab
solute necessity for people, young or
old. to have some form of Tecreatlon
and amusement, and those, who do not
approve of such things are in the same
state, mentally, as Is the dinosaurus
physically namely, "fossil."
MARHO WITTMA.V DIXON".
potato rii.i.s wii.i. Bin.n noo
Saving of Coat of Tubers In Portland
Will Offset PavInK Honda.
PORTLAND, April 1. (To the ICdi
tor.) I regard to the Inter in The
Oregonian Wednesday from Mr. (1. K
Tucker asking for Information as to
the road bonds, will say:
As to whether it is right lo ask
Portland people to pay the lion's share
in paving roHds out of town, we have
got to maintain these roads anyhow,
and it we maintain these main traveled
roads for the next ten years as mac
adam roads, It will cost more than to
pave them. Mr. Tucker is at liberty to
fall at the roadmaster'a office at the
Courthouse and verify this
As to the St. Helens road, it Is not
the road up on the sldehill. but the old
main traveled road which runs from
near the Forestry building down on
the bottom to Linton. sand Is not the
new road which was built last Summer
up on the sldehill.
In comparing the coot of mainte
nance on Columbia Boulevard one
must take Into consideration tho
amount of travel on the road the
heavier the travel the more the main
tenance. These eight roads propoaei
to be paved by this bond issue are the
heaviest traveled roads In the county.
As for the small home owner being
hurt, for each one thousand dollar! of
assessed valuation this bond Issue will
cost 18 cents per year for the llrst four
years and after that It w'.ll run to Hi
cents per year, or n avernge for the
entire 14-year period of 39 cents per
year on each $100(1 of assessed valua
tion. These paved roads will be the caiifo
of a great deal more land being put
into cultivation, "as the auto truck
will be able to haul so much cheaper
that the farmer will be able to make
more money and at the same time this
produce will be sold cheaper In Port
land. This Is where the small home
owner will make his big gain. He will
probably save more each yenr on his
potatoes alone than the entire amount
of his road tax. A. F. BENSON.
THE SONG OF THE SI BIRBWITK.
O, 'tis Joy to haste away from the
labors of the day. 'mid the never-
ceasing racket of the town,
From the elbow-jostling throng mov
ing hurriedly along and the cara
and autos rushing up and down.
And to seek for quiet where there l
vigor in the air underneath the
cloudless heavens' azure dome.
There to revel In the Joys thnt are
never marred by noise in the
' quiet of a nice suburban home.
There Is peace and soothing sweetness
In the quint.
There is life and inspiration In the
air.
Out of hearing of the racket and the
riot
Of the bustling city lying over there.
When the evening shadows fall and the
songbirds softly call to each
other that 'tis time to go to bed.
And tho riowers are asleep and the
starry Jewels peep from their
settings In the heavens over
head. When the passing breesci sigh soft a
mother's lullaby and the placid
moon lets down her sllverv hair,
WJiat a sense of perfect rest fill 'ho
toiler's grateful breast at the
glad release from labor'! cling
ing care.
Every star that In the !iure heavene
twinkles
Seems as reaching downward
through the evening atr
And endeavoring to smooth the gath
ered wrinkles
With its tender fingers from the
brow of care.
At the breaking of the day when we
brush the sleep away from the
eyes that seem reluctant to
awake.
Through the lattlre ronies the tone of
a Joyous feathered throng as tne
morning stillness they ao gaily
break.
And we rise and greet the dawn with
a sweetly lazy yawn, -all our
song-thojghts breaking Into low
hummed words
As we rapturously har coming to the
listening esr surh a glad gooa
morning from the merry birds.
O, the beauty of suburban aay com
mences
When the cooling breath of morn la
In the breeie.
When the meadow larks are singing
on the fences
And the robins swell the music from
the trees.
JAMES BARTON ADAMS.
Meeting the Dull Day
An analysis of reports of lome
large businesses show a "smaller av
erage order" than last year.
Yet these concerns went ahead on
gross business.
Why?
Because they met the condition by
going out after more customers.
Thev did not r'ut their advertising
THF.Y ADVERTISED WORK,
And 'hn returning prosperity
lncresss the "average order" thos
same faf-seelng concerns wlfl (how
a Jump in gross revepue that will
he record breaking.