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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1915)
6 tiie aionxixG oiiegoxiax. Tuesday, apiiie 20, 1913 PORTLAND, OREGON. tittered att Portland. Oregon, rostoftic as second-class matter, frubscription Rates invariably In advance: (By Mail t aiy, Su'iday included, one year $8.00 Fai)y, Sunday inciudsd, six months 4.-j Xally, Sunday Included, tliree months,. :i.i Tany, Sunday Included, one monlh.... .to XVuly. without Sunday, one year 6.UU X)ajy, without Sunday, jlx months..... 3.25 jjaily, -without Sunday, three months... l.io Iaily. without Sunday, on month bo .Weekly, one year... l.uU teunday, one year . 00 Sunday and Weekly, one year U-uU ( -By Carrier.) TVaily, Sunday included, one year $9.00 Jjaily, Sunday included, one month 15 How to Item it Send Poctoffice money or -ar, express ordor or personal cbecK on your wtal bank. Stamps, com or currency are at sender's risk. Give postofflce address in rtill. Including; county and state. Postage Kales i2 to It) pages, 1 cent; 18 wJ pages, 'J cents; 34 to 48 pages, 3 cents: Tio to tio pages, 4 cents; 62 to 76 pages, o Jems: 78 to pages, 6 cents. Foreign post age, double rates. SKatern Business. Office Veres A Conk n, New York, Brunswick building; Chicago, ai'njcr building. Sao Francisco Office It. J. Bldwell Com yany. 74'J Market street. VORTLAXD, TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 1013. THE BARNES-ROOSEVELT CASE, a. The trial of William Barnes' libel uit against Colonel Roosevelt will bo jiatched with keen interest through out the country for other reasons than the prominence of the parties. One is jliat a libel suit growing out of a po litical campaign is rarely pushed to a .trial after the campaign is over. An other is that the suit may end in a judicial decision defining the bounds to which political criticism of individ uals may go without infringing on their personal rights. We are so accustomed in the United States to the reckless cut and thrust in political controversy that we con cede the broadest license without call ing upon an opponent to prove his fiords or pay the penalty. It has come To be understood that, when a politi cian is called a scoundrel in the course !pf a campaign, he is only called a po litical scoundrel and that no reflection cast on his personal character; he may be known as most honorable in all his dealings outside of politics. He Ts expected to retaliate in kind and let ft go ut that. If he takes legal action, Jse is considered not a "good sport." pUe may bring a libel suit, but it is .usually held to be only for political ffcct and is dropped after election. The Barnes-Roosevelt trial is an evi dence of new tendencies in this re spect. There is a growing disposition to hold a politician accountable for 2iia words and to inspire him with cau tion' not to say that which he cannot prove. Perhaps politicians are becom ing more sensitive, more tender as re 1?srds their reputations. Perhaps their .hides are becoming loss callous, less impervious to the shafts of the orator and muckraker. Perhaps a new style lot politician is coming to the front, Tiolding both public office and personal ihonor in high esteem. Whatever the reasons why the Barnes-Roosevelt case is being carried to a conclusion, it is as well that we should know to what bounds one may go in political controversy. Writers, .'and speakers need a warning that they ;may be held financially responsible for their words. Colonel Roosevelt cannot J .complain of being used as an example, i ;for he was awarded damages from a Michigan editor, who had branded him ,'as a drunkard. Unless he can prove 'it. ho was no more justified in de claring Mr. Barnes "responsible for maladministration and corruption." Such amenities of politics cause many men to shun political controversy and public office whom the people would fain have in their service. Reckless bandying of baseless charges also diminishes the seriousness with which rwell founded charges are received. iPolitics will be improved if every poli tician be required to weigh well his words before littering- them. . IDAHO'S LOGGEO-OFF LAND PLAN. In a law passed by the recent Idaho Legislature is an interest ing application of the principle of lo ical improvement assessments to the logged-off land problem. , Two years .ago Washington adopted a farra-lm-rovement statute which embraces logged-off lands and it was presented to the - public with glowing expecta tions. The Idaho law, however, is quite dissimilar. In Washington the formation of an improvement district by special election is authorized and the district thus created is given the sime power to bond or tax that now rests In cities or other municipalities. The Idaho law is a straight bonding plan on the local assessment principle. Fifty per cent or more of the own ers of land in a proposed assessment district n.y initiate proceedings. The proceedings then become to all intents and purposes a hearing in equity be fore the district court. If the neces sary facts are established the district is created by decree of the court. At the time of entering the decree the court appoints a commissioner to sur vey the district and estimate the cost of the improvement, which estimate becomes the basis for an assessment on each tract within the district. The assessments are thereafter a first lien exclusive only of other taxes and may be paid in eighteen annual in stallments, the first payment becoming due at the end of three years. Bonds are to be issued against the liens thus established and are declared legal In vestments for state and other public funds. The clearing' operations are to be done by contract, and the commis sioner is authorized to call for bids and let the contract subject to the ap proval of the court. , In one sense the law has an at tractive feature in that it seems to concede the unlikelihood of the owner of land in an improvement district be ing able to derive sufficient profit from cultivation short of three years TO pay assessments. This provision, cmi the other hand, would seem to miti gate against sale of the bonds to pri vate capital, because, as a rule, capital does not care to wait three years for interest on an investment, unless the interest when it is paid is at a high rate. A low rate of interest is as es sential to success of such an enter prise as is long time. But possibly in a state where public funds are avail able, for investment the three-year period of no payments would not be aii obstacle. On the whole the plan is not dis similar from one that has received some discussion in Oregon, though in the latter lase it has been proposed as "a means to reclaim arid lands. Here it has been also, suggested that rhere should be a waiting period be fore payments are exacted from the landowner. To avoid high interest pates -why should not the state guar antee the interest on the bonds for-the Qrst three years? The guarantee Tould be a loan, for the interest. If paid out of the public funds, would ultimately be returned. The $430,000 appropriated as a loan to complete the Tumalo project would, if applied as an Interest guarantee for three years at 5 .per cent, insure J3, 000. 000 worth of work instead of $450,000 worth of work. It must be admitted that the reclam ation of logged-off land is as impor tant a problem in Oregon as the rec lamation of arid land. It is as Just to extend state aid to one as to the other. But if aid to one and not to thf other is proposed, sectional differences are almost certain to arise. The Western Oregon man does not fully recognize the needs of Kastern Oregon or the advantages to him of giving Eastern Oregon assistance. The Eastern Ore gon man is just as unsympathetic to ward Western Oregon." Land in need of reclamation in Oregon is so exten sive that for the state to assume the whole burden is clearly out of the question. The conversion of an appropriation for the entire cost of one or more projects into a revolv ing fund is slow process, except as to the Initial undertakings. If some public-spirited . citizen will devise a law which will guarantee the stability of long-time loans at low-- Interest on both logged-off and arid land,s and thereby encourage their rapid develop ment, he will deserve the gratitude of Oregon. It seems to us that the Idaho law offers such a citizen a good basis for work. THE Sl'PEBWOMAX IS HERE. Monsieur Jules Bois, an illuminated and psychological Frenchman, is lec turing in the palaces of the rich and great at Xew York on the super woman. He contends that she must make her advent on earth before we can reasonably look for the coming of the superman. Happily, if M. Jules Bois is not mistaken, the superwoman in all her glory is not far away. In fact she has already begun to shine upon these blessed shores of ours. It is in the United States that the French poet and savant finds her al ready blooming in radiant perfec tion. The body of our native super woman, he says with poetic fervor, "is developed, harmonious and athletic. She is respected. She is free." As far as her mind is concerned, Amer ican men readily concede the sover eignty of the more intelligent sex. The facts are all on M. Jules Bois" side. Men of outstanding eminence have invariably had remarkable mothers. To prove this point we may cite the mothers of Lord Bacon, John Wesley, Saint Augustine, and many more women whom history has deigned to mention. If we knew a little more about those whom it has consigned to oblivion the list could be extended in definitely. THE TAILORS' . OrrORTlNITY. Fond hopes are entertained by our patriotic tailors that the war will en able them to make American fashions prevail throughout the world. The warring nations of Europe will so greatly admire our good sense in keep ing out of the trouble that is ruining them that they will be ready, when peace comes again, to follow our lead in everything, even in clothes. This gives us a grand opportunity to strike a killing blow at the forked tails of the evening coat. These monstros ities have imposed so long upon the tolerant good nature of men that many think they cannot be dethroned. But the American tailors are more hopeful. They believe that both the flapping, satin-lined tails of the evening coat and this dilated skirts of the "prince albert" can be demolished and they have set about the glorious task with zeal and energy. Naturally they begin their stupen dous undertaking with a campaign of education. Our people must first learn that coat tails are useless. We may then hope to convince them that these caudal appendages are not beautiful. Being neither useful nor beautiful, they must disappear as soon as they are fully found out. So the tailors argue and, confident in the strength of their logic, they look for an early victory over these un gainly habiliments which they justly stigmatize as "survivals." The man who attaches a tail to his person puts himself to that extent on a level with the ichthyosaurus and the pterodactyl. The tailors hope for better things of us as soon as our intelligence has been brought to bear on the subject. We admire their courage and hope fulness and wish we could share their expectations. But our observation has been that neither utility nor beauty has anything whatever to do with the reign of fashions. We suspect sorrow fully that men will continue to sport split-tailed evening coats and volumi nously absurd prince alberts until the command comes from some royal arbi ter of fashion to discard .them and then they will probably, under-the same sanction, put on something still more unreasonable. WORav of wireless in war. The revolution in methods which marks the present war is due as much to wireless telegraphy as to any other single cause. Co-operation between widely separated allies, whose wire communication was cut off, has been made possible and bombardment of invisible points at long range has been directed by wireless from aeroplanes. Airmen have spied on concentrations of troops at both remote and nearby points and have sent wireless warn ings, thus rendering surprise almost impossible. Allied aeroplanes over the Darda nelles have wireless with a field of 60 to 100 miles, by which they give the range to ships firing across the Gallipoli Peninsula at the forts, a dis tance of ten or more miles. They have also reported the effect of shots and movements of the Turkish batteries and troops. By wireless aeroplanes directed the fire of British naval gun ners on the German submarine base at Zeebrugge. General Liman von Sanders admits that wireless enabled the British in Egypt to keep in con stant communication with their ships and to watch every step of the Turks. Aeroplanes flew over the desert of Sinai and kept the British informed of Turkish preparations to march against the Suez Canal. Wireless en abled Admiral von Spee to gather the squadron which sank the Good Hope and Monmouth off Coronel and it also warned Admiral Sturdee of the ap proach of the same squadron, which e sank off the Falkland Islands. Wire less signals informed Admiral Beatty that the German squadron was cross ing the North Sea in another raid and enabled him to make the dispositions of his ships by which the Bluecher was sunk. Pleasantries between hostile ships have been exchanged by wireless. When the British cruiser Yarmouth was convoying a merchant ship out of Singapore, she answered calls and re ceived from the Emden a request for the result of the inter-regimental foot ball match. The news was sent with the expression of a hope for Cartain von Muller's company at the next match. A British Admiral is said by a bluejacket to have tried to entice the German fleet out for a fight by the wireless message: "It's a nice day for a sail, sir." , Russia is completely cut off by blockade from cable communication with her allies, but by wireless the sev eral nations keep in close touch. Lon don and Petrograd are in frequent conversation through the air. By wire less the British Admiralty directs the movements of the fleet in the North Sea and the Dardanelles and can order coal from Aden to any point. Secrecy is at a discount in military movements, though it is at a premium in the news which is given to the pub lic regarding them. NOW IS THE TIME TO BUILD SHIPS. " The war is likely to stimulate per manently the expansion of the Ameri can merchant marine, in the opinion of the Pacific Marine Review. The cost of merchant shipping in Great Britain has increased about 20 per cent since the war began and skilled labor Is at a ' premium in the shipyards, wages having been greatly advanced in consequence, both there and on board ship. The Review predfets that wages will never again recede to the ante bellum level and says: It is extremely doubtful if high-class ton nage will ever again be produced much more cheaply abroad than It can be in the Cnlted States. At the present time a high-class, well-found freighter or tanker can be built as cheaply in the United States as in the yards of any of the nations at war, with the exception of Japan. These facts, coupled with the heavy advance in the wages or British seamen, are bound to have a heart ening effect on the champions of an Ameri can foreign trade merchant marine. The close of the present struggle will leave the cost of building and operating a vessel under the American flag much nearer an equalitv with the cost of operating an Knglish-built. English-manned ship than it has been in the past. The moral of all this Is that now is the time to build up Ameri can shipping. If Congress would take up in earnest the revision of our shipping laws, with a view to eliminating- those excessive operation charges to which Captain Robert Dollar has repeatedly called attention, the cost of building and op erating ships under the American flag might be brought down to an absolute equality with, or even below, the Brit ish cost. We should then be able to enter the world's carrying trade in earnest and on equal terms with other nations. Success would end all talk of subsidies, for the foundation would have been knocked from under the subsidy-seeker's argument. THE LIQUOR QUESTION IN BRITAIN. The wave of prohibition sentiment which swept over Great Britain when the slackness of workingmen was as cribed to drinking and was held to be the chief cause of "insufficient output of ammunition and other war mate rial is decidedly receding. The Labor party in Parliament resents the infer ence drawn from the complaints of the shipbuilders and from the speeches of Mr. Lloyd-George that workingmen are more' addicted to drunkenness than other classes. That party main tains that men who work hard in fac tories need stimulants. Men who have made a scientific study of alcohol's effect on human efficiency may scorn such pleas, but Premier Asquith must give heed to a party comprising more than forty of his supporters. He up holds the right of the House of Com mons to contlnue'sale of liquor within its -precincts and the Under-Secretary for War says the sale of beer in army canteens will not be stopped. The British people draw a broad dis tinction between temperance and total abstinence, which is overlooked in this country -where abstainers assume that they alone are temperate. Britons contend that denial of stimulants to the temperate because some persons get drunk is a violation of their liberty and is visiting the sins of the guilty on the innocent. They deny that pro hibition would stop drunkenness, say ing it would only lead to secret drink ing. They admit that there is too much drinking, but they denounce sweeping charges of National intem perance as a libel on their country. They call prohibition "unpractical, tyrannical and utterly un-English." They also urge that it would deprive the nation of $160,000,000 of revenue and would deprive 3,000,000 persons of employment. Temperance people as distinguished from prohibitionists in Great Britain resort to moral suasion and adopt measures by private in itiative 'and . public regulation to rid the liquor traffic of its evils instead of abolishing it. The most far-reaching of the private enterprises for this end is the corporation founded by Earl Grey, which, aims to take the drink shops back to the standard of the old fashioned inns. These were houses of public entertainment where travelers could find not only alcoholic drink, but other beverages, as well as food and lodging. Earl Grey fights drunkenness and its attendant evils by buying saloons and reconstructing them. Beer and liquor are pure and of high quality, but coffee tea and other beverages and food may also be procured. There is no long bar where men stand and drink. There is a short bar little larger than a serving table, where drinks are dispensed. On one side of the entrance is a men's room, where smoking is permitted; on the other, a family room, where a man may take his wife and children. These rooms are comfortably furnished, and cus tomers give their orders seated at ta bles. No attempt is made to push the sale of stimulants; in fact, the man ager is paid a commission only on non alcoholic goods. No-language or con duct offensive to women is permitted, but there is nothing of the goody goody about these houses, of which there are about 400. The price list is adjusted to yield only 6 per cent profit, and any profit over that rate is put back into the business. A liquor reform measure of the same type is the temperance or absti nence pledge, which is far commoner in England than in this country. Some persons pledge themselves to absti nence; others to moderation, one form of pledge formerly in vogue binding the taker to drink no stimulants ex cept with his meals. The agitation growing out of the war caused thou sands to take the pledge at single meetings in London. These methods of fighting the liquor traffic are a rec ognition of the fact that the typical Englishman can be moved by an ap peal to his intellect, his moral sense or his sentiments, but not by fbrce. Resort is no sooner had to force than he resists, although he may know that for which he contends to be evil in itself. Sooner or later the business of every government must, in Klihu Root's words, outgrow the government's or ganization. A revision of trrt; funda mental law then becomes Inevitable. In Bourbon empires such a revision comes only by revolution. In the Unfted States it is a regular part of our governmental system. Only de mocracy is truly conservative. War emergencies are likely to have a revolutionary effect on women's status in British employment. Within a few days 50,000 women registered for employment in order to fill up the ranks of labor and release men to fight. A London club has introduced footwomen in place of footmen. Women are being employed as gardeners, to run elevators and news-stands on the railroads. It is proposed to employ them also to sell and collect tickets, a9 gatekeepers and signalers, as letter carriers and traveling saleswomen. War has given the emancipation of women from dependence on man an impetus. Tiring of exchanges, the editor f the Bandon Recorder has changed his course of reading, and taken to Bible study. His reward was instantaneous and startling, In the Acts of the Apostles xxi:l he found: "And it came to pass that after they were gotten from them, and had launched, we came in a strait course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patera." The two American war correspond ents who took pot shots from a trench at soldiers on the other side did them selves no credit. If they killed any body they are murderers morally if not legally. In any event they have shown themselves guilty of such wretched taste and judgment that few will allow much weight to their re ports. Admitting for the sake of argument that Senator Chamberlain's charge of railroad opposition to waterway im provement is true, that is only one more reason for making the-case for river and harbor appropriations stronger by cutting out the pork Worthless schemes only give an open ing to enemies of all improvement. Comparatively early in life the body stops growing. A little later the mind hardens and closes to new ideas in most of us. But not in all. Now and then a man continues receptive to fresh thought, defying time to the end. Such a man is President Eliot. He and his kind are the salt of the earth. Mr. Barnes' libel suit against Colonel Roosevelt seems in a fair way to ex pand into a political campaign. The court room is packed with shouting partisans of the two heroes and spell binding seems likely to count for more than evidence. 'Tis thus that they try political lawsuits In Equador. It is notorious that Leo Frank's con viction was secured by mobbing the court that tried him. But since the court record is formally correct he is debarred from all hope of justice. The decision that denies him a fair trial seems to give mob law a higher sanc tion than it deserves. Registration books are open, but those qualified to vote last Fall who have not changed their residences or previous condition of servitude, which means young iwomen who have mar ried, need not journey to the Court house. Representative Fitzgerald is added to the number of Congressmen who came to see Mt. Rainier and went away to praise it. But how did that Se&ttle-Tacoma committee settle its difference about the mountain's name? What cannot be comprehended by the small boy, ordered to "eat the crust, too," under maternal super vision, is why people in parts of Europe are making a fuss for more bread. i The Daughters of the American Revolution are tightening their belts and sharpening their tomahawks for tomorrow's election. The Daughters are worthy descendants of fighting sires. The day boards of the recent elec tion who usurped the rights of mem bers of the night boards will not get the easy money they hoped. This is a sad world in spoLs. The harvest of Sunday speeders was great. In extenuation it may be of fered that the lure to "hit her up" was great, for it was a great day for April in Oregon. The man who is specializing in rTiubarb at Canby Is showing other Oregonians the way to prosper. Suc cess in Oregon is mere matter of seiz ing opportunity. - Habit is an awful master. The wheatgrower in the Inland Empire who received a check for $200,000 for his crop in .1914 wants another this year. There should be a fellow-feeling be tween the American Mazamas, who climb mountains, and the French Alpine chasseurs, who fight for them. Canby is a growing town. During the Winter and Spring thirteen dwell ing houses have been built at a cost of $31,000. The Terre Haute criminals at Fort Leavenworth will lose much of their hilarity if the prison officials follow the rules. The District Attorney of Tillamook, who closed all the stores last Sunday, evidently wants to get into the news papers. Mouths of Britons and Germans must water when they read of George Drumheller's 8500 acres of wheat. WThen the apostles of unrest congre gate here they will find welcome in hospitable cells. Shipment of rails and other mate rial looks like business on that Alaska railroad. Japan shows good intent by order ing home all war vessels in American waters. The roads are good just now and so is the fishing, and one leads to the other. The high cost of existing has at last hit the favorite beverage in Germany. Russia has negotiated the Carpa thians, but at a terrible cost. Imported strawberries will be cheap enough to eat in a few days. Half a Century Ago From The Oregontan of April 20. I860. On every side there is indication of a speedy peace. It has long been evident that when Richmond shosild fall and when Lee's army, constituting the head and front of the rebellion, should be overcome and lost to the rebel cause, peace' would shortly thereafter be con summated. We believe the South will now aban don the leaders by whom they have been misguided and consult their own safety and advantage by returning to the performance of duties as citizens. Loyal people will. demand that the lead ers of the great plot be .dealt with justly. At Montreal and Quebec great forti fications bis being built. The Canadians awhile ago tried to persuade them selves that a war with this country would result soon, but after & while they.found that this country would not he the aggressor. The reciprocity treaty with referenoe to trade with Canada will shortly expire. The people of the province will then be deprived of a lucrative commerce. This depriva tion will then be a just recompense for their duplicity. A large number of the citizens met at the Common Council chamber last night pursuant to call for the purpose of appointing a committee to act in conjunction with the committee of the Council to inaugurate proceedings for the proper ceremonies in this city for tne observance of the funeral rites and ceremonies for the late President Lin coln, on the date set for the obsequies. Mayor Failing was called to the chair and E. J. Northrup was chosen secretary. colonel C it. Larrabce moved the ap pointment by the chair of a committee of three from the citizens at large, which was so amended as to consist of six. They were appointed as fol lows: C. II. Larrabee, S. .1. McC6r mick, A. B. Hallock, E. J. Northrup, S. Goldsmith and Dr. W. H. Watkins. On motion four others, chosen by the citi zens, were added to the committee, as follows: W. W. Baker, W. F. Wilcox, C. A. Burchard and W. H. Bennett. Marriage, the divine rite, instituted by the Creator for promoting domestic felicity, the civil and religious contract by which parties engage to live to gether in mutual affection and fidelity until death shall separate them, was performed at the Presbyterian Church last night in the presence of a number of the friends of the bride and bride groom. We were notified of what was to transpire in order that we mlcht wit ness the important step of our bachelor friend as he cast aside the robes of sinarle blessedness, but we were not permitted to witness the scene. A notice however, appears in the proper place, and the handsome marriage favors ex tended to the toiling printers at the' case warns our Front-Rtneet agent of The Florence that "J. B." is no more of that bachelor clique. One by one they are dropping into line and are be ing numbered with tUe domestic circle. We congratulate friend Wyatt upon his happy ascension and welcome him to "our" ranks, having served through two sieges of the "infant-ry" corps with out a repulse, we wish him the same happy result. May thej- live long and happily together is the profound wish of Leo Kalitems. t James B. Wyatt and Miss Maggie F. Congle, of Portland, were married last night at the First Presbyterian Church by Rev. P. S. CafTrey. AS TO I'SITED STATES DKFKNSK Working Men and Women Should Ask Military Preparation, Is View. PORTLAND, April 17. (To the Ed itor.) Irt reading the arguments for and against military preparation, I can not help being surprised by the atti tude of the women and the working men of the United States. In case of invasion the largest part of our army of defense would be com posed of men who work for a living, therefore I cannot understand why working men object to having an ade quate supply of tools with which to perform the required task. Instead of unqualified disapproval of all military preparation, why do we not insist on the proper use of the funds appro priated? Instead of making every mud hole harbor into a navy-yard, why do we not insist on having the money spent on ships? Instead of havlnur our Army scattered all over the country, why do we not insist on having it con solidated on the two seacoasts where it would be available for defense? Vhen I read that the mighty voice which holds the position of Secretary of State said that a million would fly to arms. I could not help thinking: what kind of arms will they fly to, and what will they do with them, and who will teach them how to do it? It takes three years to make a loco motive engineer. The modern big j?un is a much more complicated piece of machinery. Can the American workin man run it at sight? During the Spanish-American war the volunteer army was armed with single-shot, black-powder rifles, and when they reached the firing- line were very often forced to lie idle because they disclosed their position to the enemy by smoke and noise. Many of them died on account of inadequate commissary and medical departments. Has this taught any lesson at all? I am afraid not. I can sympathize with the woman's point of view when she sees her sons and brothers march away, but, on the other hand, who suffers from the so called "unspeakable atrocities"? Women primarily, and mostly those of the working class. I think that the father whose daughter has been shamed by the invader must suffer just as keenly as the mother whose son has fallen in battle. I believe we should have a navy equal in every way to any in the world.- We should have an army of approximately IjO.OOO men stationed on both seacoasts. An American army of this size., with complete commissary, medical and flying corps could prevent invasion until the volunteer army could be prepared. It is likely that my views will not find favor with other working men, but I give them for what thev are worth. JAMES M'DON'ALD. Descent of Property. PORTLAND, Or., April 18. (To the Editor.) A man and his wife have saved together J75,000, of which about JjO.000 Is out on real estate loans bringing in interest, and the balance in Cltv of Portland real estate. There are no children. (1) If the man should die without a will, how much would the widow get? (2) If the man should make a will, what would the law of Oregon make him will the widow? All the property and mortgages are In his name. (3) If the man is inclined to give her only what the law requires him to, would it be best to make a will or not? ' MRS. S. (1) All of it. (2) A dower, or half of the real estate during her life. (3) If the man made a will, he could dispose of all his personal property and half of the real estate as he pleased. If he made no will, she would aret the entire estate under these con dition. CousIbs, M'MINNVILLE. Or., April 19 (To tne Editor.) A and B are first cousins. What kin would A's children be to. B and B's children to A's children? A SUBSCRIBER. The children of first cousins arc sec ond cousins to each other. The child of one's first-cousin is properly called "first cousin once removed," but is ottcn popularly called "t-econd cousin." SI2ASOXAL KMPLOVMKVr AT FAILT Much Winter Suffering; by Labor Could Re Avoided, Says Mr. Snrtt. PORTLAND, April 18. (To the Edi tor.) Your recent editorial entitled "The Hotel Liberty" commenting on this hotel an an institution to accom modate Seattle's unemployed army and discussing generally the problem of un employment carries with it so sympa thetic a chord as to permit ine to be lieve that a further discussion may be Welcomed. From the standpoint of the attitude of business men in former years It is surprising that Seattle's Chamber of Commerce is making a friendly inves tigation of the Hotel Liberty. The for mer view of Seattle's business men was the view held by business men all over the country. The riots in New York on one coast, and In Los Angeles on the other were the response of starv ing and shelterless, destitute unem ployed that business men failed to understand. In Sacramento they were taken to the outskirts of the city and the city fire department turned the fire hose upon men who dared to seek for work and starve because unem ployed. And in our own Portland, after the suffering and m!ery of hundreds of destitute unemployed had suffi ciently stirred observing citizens eventually to make some organized effort to relieve distress, it took much urging to prevail upon tiie city admin istration to permit the throwing open of the unused Gypsy Smith Auditorium that ' these men he housed there, though the city would be put to prac tically no expense. And after it was open, it required only a rumor that a man was sick with a contagious dis ease to clo-te the building without an provision for shelter for nearly a thou sand men utterly destitute. This on one of the stormiest nights we ever had in Portland. A bitterly cold driv ing rain poured all that night when one shivered and was chilled and soaked through in a little while, though well clothed. That was only one of the Incidents. There were many others rcgardfng the attitude of business men and officials and the public to the unemployed. One of the last, before closing the audi torium, was the request of a Ini-g con cern for about 100 men to work. These men were to be paid $2 a day. All ar rangements were made that they ap pear at a certain time and place to be taken to the place of work; and then these men were informed that the pay would he" $1.50 a day and they were to replace other men who had been paid J2 a day and who refused to accept a reduction to $1.50 a day. In spite of their misery and destitution, the .men at tiie auditorium refused to replace other men by accepting r0 cents a day less. Only six men responded. And then our newspapers in headlines anil business men all over the city made much of the fact that some 100 men were offered work at the auditorium and only six responded. We look to Seattle, where much in deed wis accomplished by the Hotel Liberty, and the previous year by the Hotel De Ginks. How many know that we in tiie Gypsy Smith Auditorium provided ."(). 0d0 beds last Winter and gave loO.OOO meals? That was pioneer work. The public didn't understand. The unemployed were the shiftless, the worthless, the hobos, the criminals. But many men and women, the coun try over, came in close touch with the; unemployed. It was found that pretty generally they were men of like abil ity, eneray, intelligence, honesty and willingness and desire to participate actively in life's work as other men do. They were crowded out by a condition. There was work for a certain number; those over that number were unem ployed. And men and women acquaint ed the public of the conditions and cities and states and the National Gov ernment studied the problem that has come to be regarded as one of the most important confronting this country, as, before the war, it had nearly all other countries. And so last Winter the public under stood better, and in Portland we find the business men when asked to meet to take some action relative to unem ployment, met promptly and endeavored to co-operate in a movement to open up public work, and more recently men and women represent ine: most ivic bodies met to lay plans for rindinc work for 100 destitute unemployed with large families depending on them, and the work was actually provided. It only requires a thorough knowl edge of the facts Incident to unemploy ment and the unemployed to awaken a wholesome sympathy and a willingness to share in the responsibility of this world problem. We need not wait for nor expect a genius to find or work out a solution for unemployment. Enouch has been accomplished by stu dents of this problem all over the coun try to form a basis for action. Most ot our trouble is due to seasonal employ ment. We do our work at haphazard, with no regard to spreading it over the months when work is slack. There is no reason why work that can be done during the Winter months should be done at any other time. A very large portion of puhllc work can be deferred to the Winter months. There should be an unfailing rule that no public work be permitted at any other time that can well be done during Winter. Private work should also be regulated so that every bit of work that can be done during Winter months should be deferred until such time. This is already being done to some ex tent in certain Eastern states, where there is much manufacturing. Here is where business men can work out a practical means to aid the problem. Labor loses much in the lack of knowledge of the labor market: The main means of being Informed In this regard is by private employment agencies, which have frequently ex ploited labor and in whom labor has no confidence. Ftate labor bureaus have been established In other states that materially assist men to find em ployment, that acquaint men with the labor market, that save much waste in needless travel, that regulate labor properly throughout the state, that bring employer and employe in closer and more intelligent touch with each other, that prevent exploitation of labor by employment agencies, and generally servo a wholesome purpose in the prob lem of employment. It is Interesting to note that when an effort was made to have passed through the last Oregon Legislature a hill of a like State Labor Bureau, it was over whelmingly defeated. I think the main reason was to save the state $'0,000. Another instance of men who did not or would not understand. Business men who would save the state a few dollars and permit a condition of helplessness and dependent privation, bitter suffer ing and starvation among the unem ployed. We have only to seek to understand the miseries of the unemployed and the causes ' of unemployment and we will learn the means to a reasonable solution. ISAAC SWETT. lesra Society. PORTLAND. April 19. (To the Edi tor.) Can you tell me whether there has been an Iowa Society organized in Portland? If so, when, who are Its officers, where does It meet and when? A FORMER IOWAN. Former Towa residents met March ! at the Public Library and organized a society. Judge J- B. Cleland was elect ed president, and P. H. Kneeland sec retary. They proposed to draw up a constitution and bylaws and meet again in the near future. Comfort for a Lover. Houston (Tex.) Post. "Sir, your daughter has promi.-rd to become my wife." "Well,- don't come to me for sympa thy: you misrht know somcthui would happen to you, hanging around bcre five nights a vv ?" " Twenty-Five Years Ago From The Orconian of .irll 'jo. 19o. -New York. The American Frdr-ia-tion of Labor will begin a campaign within a fortnight to have ihc number of hours that shall con.-litin. it d.i . labor s t jit eif;ht hours. it 1, pic dictcd several bi itrikes urc about t occur. The Chicago chi-im-iiUis Ju.st now are nailing a baru.-tm with their bosses, but one bl; Loston p-irlui-house has been closed. The l'iltbui railroad men. it is reported, have re fused concessions from the companies, buj. from other sources it is reported the strike has been averted. Lockhaven. I'a. Kx-tio vcrnor James Pollock, who was born in Milton, i'a., in 1810 and graduated from Princeton with highest honors, died last main. Providence. It. I. Kx-cJovcriior Wil liam Warner lloppin, a graduate ot Yale, died here yesterday, uyed SI.'. Charles K. Sitton. proprietor of the Skidmore ciruKstoic, l.'.l Fir.-t mUci. is dead. His booy was found on 1 he Mountain View Park car track, f.iur miles w e-st of. town, yesterday morn ing. The seasons of the Players and Na tional baseball leagues opened yester day in the Kust. Multitudes turned ouL In the big cities to witness the pamce At Boston, when "KtriK" Kelly nn. Johnny Ward marched their Ilrolhci -hood men on lo the field the fans lu the City of Culture yelled themselves hoarse. London. ioudon w;ts litciallv paint ed yellow yesterday in i-oiunieniru at in of the death of Lord Bcaeonslield. The statue of the Tory s!h te.-ma u was cov ered witii primroses and the crowd wa so dense that extra police had to be put into service. The Primrose League, under whose auspices the observance Was held, n imbrrs S17.000. London. It is believed here Jit I Stanley, the explorer, will moio I i k !y become tlnvcriior of the Cone." F' e State rather than enter the III ill-h service. 1 1. Johnson has Keen elected sec retary o the Really l-Jxrhangc. Colonel C. Morgan, of the Third Kejrimcnt. Oregon National ;uard. whose residence has been at The Italics, has accepted a position with 1 he real estate firm of Lambert &: Sargent and will remove to this city. Dr. Alfred Kinney, of Astoria, ban siKiicd contracts wnh J. II. Smith, rail road builder, for the first 3a intlcs of tiack for Ihc South Coast iUilway, out of Astoria. William Kiedt. manager of the U'r-l-eru Land Company, is ml vert i.- insr land opportunities in and around Astoria. Mrs. .1. Hitrrih im gae ,1 pleasant, luncheon Saturday Mt her home, -"ft North Seventeenth street M'RIM, I-V Tin: lll.lllll). If, when the Spring is in the blood. CTis of Irish blood I'm speakin') All the peace o' hacheli irhood Glad ye'd be to be forsaUin' For the hope o' joy that lies lu a pair o' spajkiiu' e e.s Wishful to possess e. Take your chance o' paradise An' heaven bless ye! If, when Spring Is in the blood. Grosser appetites awaken. An" ye feel a thirst that could. Maybe, boar a little slakin'- If. to clear your thrimt o dust, Mountain dew will cas-e ye, Just- Shure, I'd never chide ye. Take your tipple If ye must. An' Wisdom guide ye! If, when Spring is in the blood. Weary 011 your toil, ye' re wishin' You could wander through the wood Where the other lads are flshin'; If such sport as yc could know Where the Irish rivers flow Waters here can leid ye. Seize your day o' pleasure; go. An' Luck attend ye! If, when Spring Is in the blood. Play-boy pranks nor ejes o' woman Stir your heart strings as lliey should. Faith, ye'ro something' less than human ! What ye nerd's another biilli: Thouuh, indeed. 'twould not be worth All the trouble to re-make ye Fit for neither heaven nor earth. The rilvil take yc! T. A. Daly, in the Catholic Standard and Times. (uns In I nlled s-tafes Arnvs-. POIlTLWn, April IT. I To the IMi tor.) Kindly inform inc. as 10 how many Hi-inch guns the I'liiled Stales has. if any, and where are thev sta tioned? giokgl: s. sAFFonu. Officers of the local Army Recruiting Station say that it is impossible to tell the exact number of 16-Inch guns which the United States has. or where they are located, as the fact Is kept moro or less of a military secret. It Is known that the Government has some of these guns at the majority of the big coast defense batteries, such as those at New York City, on Chespeake Hay, at Sari Francisco and the Panama Canal. There are none in ute in the Navy, the arge.-t gun with which the ships have been equipped so far being l(-lnch. OreKol Seeserf Slides. LIBFRTY, Wash., April 1 . (To tlio Kditor.) Will you advise me through your columns: 1. Where can I get the best stereopli con slides of Oregon scenery, especially of Crater Lake and Columbia River? 2. According to Oregon law. If a wife who holds property in her name, which has been acquired by the earninKTs of both herself and husband, files intes tate, having no children, who inherits the property? Will it all go to the husband, or will her relatives share It with him? 1. Address promotion departmenl. New Portland Chamber of Commerce, This department lends slides for c-ihibit purposes or can direct where the bct slides may be purchased. 2. The husband. Ileal 1'nlltlcal -reatnrss. Washington ( 1". C.) Star. "Vuat is your Idea ot real political grefctness?" "Well." replied Senator Sorghum, "these days a man doesn't seem to be considered a really great politician until he can keep a crowd Interested without saying a word about politics." It Pays to Please Customers. Alert ictsilers know that their greatest, asset is the ifoud will of their customers. They like to sell the poods people want Ihey do not urge theni to buy Fomelhing Just as g' oil. They would no mo?-e "subtif ute" than they Would "short channo." They build their business day by day by ilsht goods and -erviec. Patronl.e the merchants who pive you wbat you si el( "iiHtional pro duct" advertised in thi.' newspaper. A dr.