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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1915)
Jlf' (lj 11 VOL. I.V.-XO. 1G.97o. PORTLAND, OREGON, "WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1915. PRICE FIVE CENTS. T D CAVC DADMCO 1. II. unlu Uhlli SCORNED PEOPLE Tale of Conference Is Told on Stand. LEADER RATED AS SPOILSMAN Colonel, at Ease, Discusses Case With Presiding Judge. OWN CAREER DESCRIBED Organization of Konjrli Riders Re lated 'With Especial Pride Or ders Given to His Men Are Cut Off by Court. STKACUSE, N. T.( April 20. Theo dore Roosevelt went on the witness stand in the Supreme Court here today and testified in an effort to prove his contention that he was justified in causing the publication of the state ment upon which William Barnes sued him to recover J50.000 for alleged ltbeL Under oath, he said that the former chairman of the Republican State com mittee had urged him not to antagonize men of large business who contributed to both the Democratic and Republican parties so that they would be protected. Colonel Quotes Barnea. Mr. Barnes told' him. Colonel Roose velt swore, that it was essential to pro tect big business .interests because un less they were protected they would not make contributions to the party failing to protect them and that with out such contributions it was Impossi ble to carry on the organization. With out organization leaders and bosses, the ex-Tresident quoted Mr. Barnes as say ing, party government would be im possible. Colonel Roosevelt also quoted Mr. Barnes as telling him that "the people are not fit to govern themselves. They have got to be governed by the party organization and you cannot run an organization, you cannot have leaders, unless you nave money." Ilonnh Kldern Dlnruwed With Pride. Colonel . Roosevelt in his testimony sketched his political career and with considerable pride discussed the regi ment of rough riders he organized for service in the Spanish War. He told where the recruits came from, where they gathered, where they went, and just what they did. He even described the first brush with the Spanish forces and would have related orders he had given the men under him, had not coun sel for the plaintiff objected. Then he gave detailed testimony about his relations with the late Sen , ator Thomas C. Piatt, with Mr. Barnes, and conversations ho had with both those men on various occasions. He will continue testimony tomorrow. Cane Dlsciised With Court. Colonel Roosevelt talked to the coun sel for both sides, offered suggestions and entered Into a discussion of more than one point with Justice Andrews, presiding, whom he addressed as "Judge." He was entirely at his ease in the witness chair. He stretched his arms over the back of his chair, crossed first one leg and then the other and . tcjusted and readjusted his glasses lrom time to time. He cut all his words off short ex cept when he mentioned the name of Mr. Barnes. He drew out the name of his opponent and put a peculiar pro nunciation on the last syllable. Spec tators said that every time he men tioned the name of Mr. Barnes they v ere reminded of the noise made by a pebble dropping into a pool of still vater. Plaintiff Lose Intrreat. Mr. Barnes himself appeared to oe much interested in the first part of Colonel Roosevelt's testimony. As It progressed, however, the plaintiff In the action seemed to lose interest, and lie first retired from a seat close to the witness stand to one farther away anil then left the room. Mr. Barnes' attorneys had rested be fore Colonel Roosevelt was called to the stand. They completed presenta tion cf their case in 20 minutes and called as their single witness, the de fendant's own private secretary. . "1 don't remember just where I first met Mr. Barnes, but I think it was dur ing my campaign lor Governor," said the colonel ill the course of his testi niany. "I was introduced to him by the chairman of some committee In New York. 'Later in Albany I saw Mr. Barnes many times. In 149a I had a number of conferences. X had more conversa tion with him than with any other of ttie leaders except Mr. Piatt and Mr. Udell." Legislative Action Dlscnsaed. The witness added that he also dis cussed legislative action with Mr. Lames. "Did you talk to Barnes about canal mailers at any time?" Mr. Ivins objected to tho question on the ground that it was Incompetent and irrelevant. He was upheld. "Did you discuss the proposed fran chise tax?" asked Mr. Bowers. "We had many political discussions, l or the most part they were in regard to the relations between myself and the leaders of the Republican organ ization, particularly Senator Piatt. There were certain issues between us two. Piatt was known as the boss of he organization which controlled the majority of the Republican members ot tho Legislature, who sometimes co operated with the Democrats. We were at odda principally over legislative mutters." Mr. lvlns was on his feet in an In- iCencludcd on o. Column l. j ILu MEXICANS FIRE ON U. S. ARMY AIRMEN 7 0 SHOTS SENT AT BIPLANE OVEIl AMERICAN SOIL. Drunken Carrnnza Officer In Com mand of Attackers Arrested and Apology Is Offered. BROWNSVILLE, Tex., April 20. A United. States Army -biplane, flying over Fort Brown, near here, was fired upon by Carranza soldiers In Matamoros. About 20 rifle shots ar.d 50 shots from a machine gun on the Mexican side, it Is believed in Army circles here, were fired at the air craft The machine land ed safely. The biplane was piloted by Lieuten ant B. Q. Jones, with Lieutenant T. I). Milling as passenger-observer. Both were unaware of the Incident until they landed about 5:30 o'clock. The biplane was not struck, but one bullet hit the Army wireless station at Fort Brown and another was picked up near the city hall in this city. The air craft, which was sent here recently for border patrol duty, had made a circle near the Rio Grande when fired on by the riflemen. On making a second circle when within about 300 feet of the river the rattle of the ma chine gun was heard. All the shots were fired over American territory Colonel A. P. Blocksome, command ant at Fort Brown, has reported the matter by wireless to Major-General Kredcrlck Funston, commander of the lower border patrol, at Port Sam Hous ton. San Antonio. Jose Z. Garzo, Carranza consul In Brownsville, made a personal Investi gation and reported to American Army officers that the firing was the work of a few Carranza soldiers under the command of an intoxicated sub-Lieutenant. The officer, according to the consul, said he had believed the air craft to be one of the Villa aeroplanes. He was placed under arrest. The consul assured American Army officers the guilty parties would be properly punished. Consul Garzo, on behalf -of General Nefarrate, com mander at Matamoros, apologized to Colonel A. .P. Blocksom for, the firing. ADVERTISER'S PROFIT BIG Merchant Starts With $1436; In 12 Years Sells for $35,000. EUGENE, Or., April 20. (Special.) Twelve years ago George Stanley in vested 1436 in a small store on Wil lamette street. He became one of the heaviest newspaper advertisers in Eu gene. Today he sold this store for $35,000. The new purchasers are J. H. Baker,' of Spokane, and P. P. .Morrow, of Coour d'Alene, Idaho. These men will take possession at the end of 30 days, and will be known as the Baker Morrow Company, dealers In general merchandise. "We were looking for a location," they said today, "and we sized up all the towns in Western Oregon and Washington. The livest town we found was Eugene." BURIED GOLD BACK IN BANK AVar Scare Ends and Eugene Iklan Digs Up $5 00 From Yard. EUGENE. Or., April 20. (Special.) Five hundred dollars in gold in an old tin can were dug out of a back yard in Eugene today and taken, cov ered with rust, to the Bank of Com merce for deposit at 4 per cent inter est. The coins had been taken out of the bank at the beginning of the pres. ent European war and were buried for safe keeping by the nervous possessor. "When the war opened many people became scared," said one of the bank-' ers. "Four per cent on 'saving deposits, however, looks better than the cold ground." TURKISH DESTROYERS LOST Two Blown Up by Russian Mines at Entrance to Bospliorus. PARIS, April 20. Two Turkish torpedo-boat destroyers were blown np, says a SalonikI dispatch, while passing through a mine belt which Russian ships had succeeded in laying across the entrance to the Bosphorus while the Turkish fleet was cruising In the Blaek Sea. The explosions caused by the de struction of the two Turkish boats gave warning to the remainder of the fleet, which, the dispatch says, was obliged to remain in the Black Sea be cause no mine sweepers were avail able. RUM DENIED WATER FORCE Eugene City Hoard Prohibits Use of Liquor by Employes. EUGENE, Or., April 20. (Special.) Although Eugene is a "dry" town, the Eugene Water Board has prohibited the use of liquor by its employes, both off Cuty and on, dismissal being the pen alty for violation of the rule. Twenty employes are in the water service. Members of the Board say most- of the employes are abstainers. The action is said to be the first on the part of an Oregon municipality to enforce prohibition among employes. PRUSSIAN TOWN IS RAIDED Russian Aviator Kills Woman With Bomb, and Wounds Children. BERLIN, via London, April 20. The Tagebiatt's correspondent at Inster berg. East Prussia, says that a Rus sian aviator dropped four bombs on that town Monday morning. A woman was killed and two children were wounded. The material damage was slight. GROWING DFOATS NO PROFIT TO FARMER Only Two Mills Made on Bushel of Corn. THIRD PAY FOR PRIVILEGE Government Expert Submits Data at Rate Hearing. TENANTS' AVERAGE $870 Cost Accountant in Behalf of Ship pers Says Cars Earu Profits on Main Line Hauls and Gives Eigures in Detail. CHICAGO. April 20. Discussion of farm earnings was anew angle which entered the Western freight rate hear ing today with the testimony of E. J. Thompson, of the United Stales De partment of Agriculture. Mr. Thomp son, who is in charge of the section of farm economics, told of data gath ered by Federal officials in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. He testified that in that district one farmer out of 22 made more than $2000 a year after deduct ing all expenses and o per cent on the actual investment, "One farmer out of every three on 273 farms considered in the three states," Bald Mr. Thompson, "paid for the privilege of working his farm." Average Tenant Earns f8TV a Year. His statistics on rented farms gave the average yearly earnings o a ten ant farmer as J870 a year. The figures applied to 247 tenant farms and he testified that the owners of the 247 farms received an average net return of 3.5 per cent on their property in vestment, after allowing for taxes and Insurance. The cost of growing an acre of corn was placed by the witness at 20.30 for an average yield of 45 bushels to the acre. "Based on the actual selling price of fered to'- the farmer after harvest," said Mr. Thompson, "the farmers re ceived only two mills' profit on a bushel of corn. The cost of raising a bushel of oats, figured on actual data from 577 acres, was 4 9.9 cents, and the aver age price received for oate was 33 cents a bushel, a loss of 11.9 cents a bushel." Oata Rained at I.ona. "There is no profit in raising oats," said the witness. "That crop has to be grown by the farmer to preserve the rotation of crops." Counsel for the railroads objected to the introduction of the testimony on the ground that it was irrelevant to the question of the proposed advance in freight rates. Arguing for the submission of the farm. earnings testimony. Clifford Th.orne, counsel for the Western States' Commissions, urged that as the rail- J-inclulel on Page ii. Column 1.) N yZJnC 6IT NEfflOOSK INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS Tho Weather. TESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 5S.0 degrees; minimum, 4 ."1.3 degrees. TODAY'S Fair, westerly winds. Germans announce advances in west. Page 2. Zeppelin raid interfere with Carolyn Wil- so.i'n tory writing in faxi. Pass 3. Japan hard hit by conflict and Jap-Chino situation grow acute. Page 1. American dye industry being developed as result of war. Page 17. British capture important hill at heavy cost In lives. Page foreign. Great Britain declares for open door In China. Pa 5:0 o. Mexico. Wilson agent has conference with General Zapata. Page 8. United Htatee Army aeroplane fired on at Brownsville Page 1. National. Federal expert says farmers raise oats at lost ani make profit of only 2 mil la on busJitl of corn. Page 1. President defines his position as to neu trality in plea for "America first' at luncheon of Associated Presa. page 1. Domestic. Colonel Roosevelt testifies Barnea told him people were not fit for self-government. Pago 1. Rock Island Railroad, In hands of receiver, to make larger expenditures than ever. Page 5. Sports, Pacific Coaet League results: Salt Lake t. Portland 2; Los Angeles 6, Oakland 4 (13 innings) ; no game between Venice and .San Francisco. Page 1-. Phillies keep up marvelous winning streak In National "League. Pajje 1-J. Coach Hay ward demands of hia athletes that they lake all fiist in Curvallit dual meet. Page 13. Northwestern League opens Page Pacific Northwest. Senator Cusick defends land grant suit In tervention. Page 6. . Copperfleld liquor storage bill held up by Governor Withycombe. Page 6. Commercial and Marine, Oregon prune crop larger than last year's, but not bumper one. 17. Peace- rumors are factor in wheat decline at Chicago. Page IT. Rtok turn strong with rush of buying or ders. Page 17. Forty-mile gale sweeps coast and liners are late. Page 14. Delayed title to locks expected to pass Fri day. Page 14. Portland and Vicinity. City Superintendent Alderman starts war on illiteracy. Page 18. Patrolman Bailey snuspended on charge of auborhatiou of perjnry. Pace IS. Professor Kodarna, seer of Tokio, predicts war'a end in Fall. Page 11. "Clean-up and paint-up week" for state and city to be May 4-11. Page 7. Degree of Honor and United Workmen lodges convene. Page 11. Weather report, data and forecast. Page IX LAUNCH SAVED BY TIDE Sea Bird Washed Into Harbor nt Aberdeen With Crew Exhausted. ABERDEEN, Wash.. April 20. Spe cial.) The ill-fated launch Sea Bird, from which four men :; nd two women, including C. E. Beach, ot Tacoma, were lost last Fall, limped into Westport last night waterlogged, half submerged and with dead engines. The launch contained three fisher men, who were exhausted and out of food. The engines gave out as the launch was crossing the bar. An in coming tide washed the launch into the inner harbor and safety. Miss A. Rupert, Salem Teacher, Dies. SALEM. Or., April 20. (Special.) Miss Annabelle Rupert, assistant in structor in the commercial department of the Salem High School, died' today after an illness of Wright's disease of several months. She was 35 years old. Her parents. Mr. and Mrs. P. M. Itu pert, and five brothers survive her. The sister. Miss Mabel Rupert, is a teacher in one of the Stayton schools. Funeral arrangements will not be made until the arrival of the brothers, one of whom lives in Iowa, another in Illinois and a third in Wyoming. YESTERDAY ITALY WAS SWINGING BY JAPAN HARD HIT BY PRESENT WAR Demand of French for Silks Drops Off. CHINES duTC0TT NOTABLE Effect on Far Eastern Situa tion Vital. POLITICIANS BUY VOTES Oscar Kins Davis, Writing From Vokohania, Goes Into Detail Rel ative to Jtecent Election Chi nese Case tirowlnjr Acute. BY OS0AT1 K ISC, DAVIS. fCopvrignt. 1P1B. by tho ChiraBn Tribune. RepubUgtied by arrangement wltli the Trib une.) YOKOHAMA, April 1. Supporters of the government are rejoicing today in the signal victory that seems to have been won by tne government parties in the general election held through out Japan two days ago. Counting of the returns is not as prompt here as in trie United States and it is thereiore not possible to say with accuracy yet just what the re sults are. but it is apparent that the government has won In a number of districts that vere either doubtful or practically hopeless, and so its friends are claiming a substantial victory. They assert that the returns from the country districts will increase the triumph that It is now known definite ly the government won In the cities We have seen these things go differ ently in the states, where the country districts have a way of upsetting the city victories. But there is a logical reason in this case lor believing that the Japanese rural districts will em phasise the urban successes of the gov ernment. Uoverimrnt He.da Cam pmia n. This reason is that for the llrst time in the modern political history of the nation the government that is, the Premier and members of his Cabinet have taken an active part in the cam paigning. Count Okuma. the head of the government; Baron Kato, the Min ister for Foreign Affairs, and all the other Cabinet members have been on the stump all over the country,' show ing the greatest activity. They have taken a leaf out of the American campaign book and have traveled in 'special trains, making speeches from the rear platform and even from car windows.' Hundreds of thousands of circulars, letters and postcards have been circu lated and at the last Count Okuma resorted to a device which seems to have brought many votes to the sup port of the government candidates. This was the expensive but effective method of sending personal telegrams Concluded on Page 3. Column 3.) ONE TOE. Tuesdays War Moves WITH Cabinet ministers In the House of Commons and the House of Lords subjected to a rapid fire of questions and Premier Aaquith deliver ing a. SDeech to the armament workers (at New Castle last night, the British public expected that many of the ques tions on which information was desired would be cleared up. The ministers, however, wero not much more com municative than usual. No indication was given as to the government plan for dealing with the drink question, which Mr. Asquith did not even mention in his speech. This was devoted to an appeal to the work ing men, who, he declared, liad not been slack, to use every effort to increase the supply of war munition. Members of the House of Commons who sought information were informed that they would have to wait for the government statement and they there fore devoted their time to discussing the proposal that intoxicating liquors should be barred from the House of Commons refreshment-room, but being unatile to agree on this question, they postponed the debate. The consensus of opinion among the members was that abstention from drink was a personal matter and that prohibition of the sale of liquor in the refreshment-room, where only $1 worth was - sold during two days last week, could not have much effect. A definite answer, however was made to the question as to whether the government would Introduce con ecriptioiv ravkl Lloyd -George. Chan cellor of the Exchequer, said the gov ernment was of the opinion that there was no ground for believing that the war would be more successfully pros ecuted thereby, and added that" Karl Kitchener, Secretary of War. was much gratified with the response to his ap peal for volunteers. In the House of Lords Earl Curzon tried to get further information re specting the operations in Mesopotamia and throughout Africa, but he was lit tle more successful than his colleagues In the lower house, the Earl of Crewe, In behalf of the government, saying that the military authorities were op posed to giving Information until re ports were received from the (Jenerals on the ground. Lord Lucas, who answered for the Colonies, said that no fighting had oc curred in Nyassaland since the Germans were defeated In September, while In Northern Kamerun the British and French forces were dealing with the German stronghold. Along the remain der of the frontier there were many minor engagements, and considerable losses had been Inflicted on the Ger mans. In addition itwu comt;.'rora German Southwest Af'J-.ca "t JniAtier success ful operation, by General Ixmis llotha's army, which has occupied the impor tant town and railway Junction of Keetmanshop, which Is a German base In the southern part of the colony. Further details also were published of the British capture of Hill 60, near Ypres. Severe fighting in which both sides suffered heavy losses took place at this point. The British success is declared by Field Marshal French to be an Im portant one, as it gives the British guns command of a considerable area occupied by the Germans and paves the way for an attack on the passages of the Lys, by means of which the towns of Lille, Roubaix and Turcoing can be approached. Along the rest of the western front there has been considerable fighting at separate points, but no battles of importance have occurred. In the eastern aune the Russians have been busy repulsing Austro-Uer-man attacks In the direction of Stry and to the southeast of Lupkow Pass, and have themselves captured another height on the Eastern Roszanka chain of the Carpathians. The British Admiralty reports a brilliant "cutting-out" operation in the Dardanelles. Young officers and sea men from the British ships volunteered for the dangerous task of destroying the submarine E-15, which stranded near tho Turkish guns and which It was essential should not fall Into the hands of the Turks. They did their work well and all that was left of the craft was a tangled mass of iron from which the Turks are not likely to learn any of the secrets of the latest British submarines. Although the plucky crews in their little boats were sub jected to a heavy fire, they escaped with the loss of one man. The Austro-Itallan situation Is still shrouded in mystery. A German wire less dispatch says that the recent frontier incident has been settled, but dispatches by way of Paris describe the position a.i hopeless. Jt also is re ported that martial law has been pro claimed in Trent, owing to disorders. BALL RAZES HOUSE ON BOY Lad's 0n Hat Causes Wreck Which Kills 3 1 i in ; Homeowner iSned. LOS ANGELES. April 20. I. Reyes sued Max Goldschmidt today for 110,000 damages, because Goldschmidt s house collapsed and killed Reyes five-year-old, son, Leo. when the youngster batted a baseball against It. Reyes alleged Goldschmidt was re sponsible because his house was In a shaky condition. WEATHER STOPS F-4 WORK Sunken Submarine Now Kcr-lsi Jn Sflial lower Water. HONOLULU. T. 1 1., April 20. Work on the raising of the sunken submarine F-4 has been halted by bad weather. The hulk Is now closer to the shore than when first located, having been raised 12 feet yenerday and towed Jit until !t touched again in thalloiter v atci . AMERICA FIRST, IS PRESIDENT'S PLEA Wilson Defines Views on Neutrality. CALM RESTRAINT IS URGED Nation Relied On to Aid in Re construction After War. BOTH SIDES TO BE HELPED Address lciicrcd at Annual Lunch eon of Associated I'rcss IK tinclion AwaitM in t'oniing laja of Readjustment. NEW YOIIK. April ;. I'r-t.il"-nt Wilson today pave n definite and rlrar statement of the neutrality hlrn i guiding his administration durin; Hie war in Europe. He choree the occasion of the annnl lum-tieon of the Associated I'r-s for what he said he rfgardfj as a stat -ment of grave.--1 Importance to tiic American people. The influence of the newspaper in moulding public opinion. Mr. WiNon said, prompted him to make cleur hi Ideas of true neutrality, and in cliMn;j so to impress upon his hearers the importance of adhering strictly t.j truthfulness and lifinesty in the tiir ceminatioii of the news. Opportunity AnaliN Americana. Mr. Wilson seemed to weigh ea'-ii word he uttered. The importance he attached lo his statement was reflected in a request that no attempt be niada to paraphrase his speech or to gia It publicity until the official White House stenographer had transcribed I'. In full. As the only great Nation not engaged In the war or suffering under the Im mediate Influence of the war zone, Mr. Wilson declared that a tirr-at distinc tion awuittxi the United states wh u the hour of readjustment ahould conic. Provided this Nation should prove to the world Its self-control ami srK mastery. The past had been difficult, he pointed out. but the future would be more difficult. Amrrlca Mot Judse of itl.n, America, the President said, never would attempt to sit in Judgment upon another nation. No nation was lit to do that, he added. But America, free from hampering ambitions us a world power, free of a lust for territorj, calm, cool and without self-intercsl, must be appealed lo to sssirt In the reconat ructing prooesses of peace. The neutrality of the United iHatca. Mr. Wilson said, had a higher bu.-i.-i than a petty desire to kcip out of trouble. "There is something so much ;.-rcat.r to Jo than fighting," he said. "11 us think of Amei lea before vu think of Europe, Jn order that America may be tit to be Europe's friend, when the d:iy ot tested friendship comes. The test of friendship is not sympathy with onu sldo or the other, but getting ready to help both sides -when the struggle is over." The President, greeted with chcci.-i when he appeared at the luncheon, con stantly -was interrupted by applau:. ani expressions of approval. vn I'rrrdom of perch Itratraiurd. President Wilson said: "1 am deeply gratified by the gen erous reception you have accorded nie. It makes me look back with a touch of regret to former occasions when 1 have stood in this place and enjoi ed a greater liberty than ij grunted me today. There have been times when I stood in this spot and said what 1 really thought, and I pray God those days of Indulgence may be accorded me again. tiut I have come here to day, of course, somewhat restrained by a sense of responsibility that I can not escape. "For 1 take the Associated Press very seriously. I know the enormous part you play in the affairs of not only this country, but of thj world. You deal in the raw material of opinion and, if my convictions have uny validity, opin ion ultimately governs the world. It is therefore of serious things that I think as I face this body of men. I don't think of you, however, as mem bers of the Associated Press. I don't think of you as men of different par ties or of different racial df riv at Ions, or of different religious denominations. I want to talk to yon as my fellow citizens of the United Stale. Tent W ill tome at llmai, "For there are seriou:; tilings which, as fellow citizens, we ought to con sider. The times behind us, gentlemen, have been difficult enough 1 ho times before us are likely to bo more diffi cult; because, whatever may be said about the present condition of tho . world's affairs, it Is clear that they are drawing rapidly to a climax and at the climax the test v.-Ill come. r"t only of the nations enKaged In the present colossal struggle it will come for them, of course but the test will come to us particularly. "Lo you realize that, roughly speak ing, wo are the only great Nation at present disengaged'.' I am not speaking, of course, with disparagement of thoso great nations in Europe which are not parties to the present war. but I sin thinking of their close neighborhood to It. "I am thinking, however, their live;, much more than ours touch the very heart and stuff of the business; where as we have rolling between n.s and those bitter days across th water three thousand miles of col and silrnl ocean. Our atmosphere is not ? ct charged with tho? disturbing ele ments which must be. felt und niu.vl nernieat') overy nation of Lurot v Therefore, is i; not likclj th;;t f.ie