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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (May 5, 1915)
8 THE MORNTNO ORFOOTCTA TT. WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1915. PORTLAND, OKKCON. Entered at Portland, Oregon. PostoSica aa econd-class matter. Subscription Ratea Invariably In advanca: (By MalL) Iaily, Sunday Included, ona year. . . .$8.0O lxlly, Sunday Included, six mootli. . . . .- 4--5 Xal)y, Sunday iucludud, three months. ... 2.w liaily, Sunday Included, one muulb .5 liaily, without Sunday, one year 6.00 Ually, without Sunday, six months. . ... 3.25 Xally, without Sunday, three months.... 1.75 Ially, w lthout Sunday, one montli. . .... "Weekly, one jear l.oO Sunday, one year. 2.O0 unday and Weekly, one year. . 3-O0 (By Carrier.) Xally, Sunday Included, one year ..S9.O0 Luily, Sunday included, one month.. .... .to How to Remit Send I'ontoSlce money or. dcr, expreaa order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. (Jive postotCIce address In full, Including county and state. Poatsiire Kates 12 to 16 pases. 1 cent: 18 to 32 rages. J cents, 34 to 4a pases. 3 cents; Co to Stl pages, 4 cents; 6! to 7tt pases, o cents; 78 to U2 pases, 6 cents. Foreign post age, double rates. Eastern Business office Veree A Conklln. Sew York, Brunswick bulldtns; Chicago, fctenger building. Kan Franeisco Office It. J. Bldwell Com pany, 74' Market street. 1DBTLAM), WEDNESDAY. MAY S, 1915. TOO SIX ( H GOVERNMENT. Senator Weeks', comments on the Crowing interferencetf tho- Govern ment with private . business are given added weight by-tho controversy be tween the Treasury Department and the Biggs National Bank of Washing ton, D. C. Mr. Weeks said that he had read the correspondence between the Controller of the Currency and the Riggs bank and that no banker could read that correspondence with out feeling cold shivers run down his back. It is charged that Secretary McAdoo tnd Controller Williams have used their supervisory power to persecute the Rlggs bank for the gratification if private vengeance. They have au thority to see that the bank is solvent .nd is conducted according to' law, but they are accused of having at tempted to dictate to it in matters which are its own concern and of hav ing thus attempted practically to run the bank. This interference was re sented by the- bank, and its officers accuse the two officials named of having withdrawn Government de posits , from it and ' of having insti gated " withdrawal of other " busi ness. Were not the Rlggs bank un commonly strong and had It not the backing of the National City Bank of New York It could not have withstood such attacks. Its experience may well cause a tremor to run through any banker whose institution lacks these advantages and which may incur the displeasure of the autocrats in the Treasury Department. Had these of ficials exercised with impartiality the powers they have assumed, individual Initiative and competition in banking would be destroyed. The perils of the situation are enhanced when lawful authority is thus exceeded for the gratification of a personal grudge. The Oregonian feels the more free to condemn such treatment of banks because when the Federal reserve law was under discussion we held fears of political control over banks to be without cause. We refused to believe that any man occupying such high po sitions of trust as those of Secretary of the Treasury and Controller of the Currency would prostitute his powers to political or personal ends. There is now good reason to believe that the very misdeeds then held to be highly Improbable have been done before the Federal reserve banks have been in actual operation for six months. The Riggs bank case brings to the front the whole subject of Govern ment activity in and regulation of business. Such abuses had grown up under unrestricted private conduct of business that the Interstate Commerce Commission was created and Its pow ers have several times been extended and the Sherman anti-trust -law was passed. When the Monetary Com mission proposed a Federal reserve system under control of a federation of banks with a minority of Govern xnent directors, a cry went up that this would clinch financial control by the "money trust." The late Congress passed substantially the same meas ure with the exception that it substi tuted control by the Government for control by the banks. A commission has also been created to regulate in ternal trade and is vested .with au thority to declare when competition Is and is not fair.. The people felt so keenly the ills inflicted upon them by unregulated railroad,' the money trust and the industrial trusts that they set up these new rules. If the conduct of the two principal members of the Federal Reserve Board be any criterion we have not greatly mended, and may have weak ened our condition as regards banks and we have cause to fear what the Federal Trade Commission may do to industry. The Interstate Commerce Commission has done some valuable service and is the least open to criti cism, but it, too, has shown a disposi tion to stretch its power by settfng aside fundamental natural laws through motives of policy. No other explanation can be found for the de cision In the intermountain rate cases. Kxpress rates which were excessive, have been reduced below a profitable scale. The advances In freight rates were first denied and then delayed. for no apparent cause than fear of clamor from railroad-baiters. Public regulation of business has - fallen far short of the expectations of its advocates, but we are offered not merely more regulation but actual operation of business by the Govern ment. The Postoffice Department 4s far from efficient and its parcel post rates are full of glaring absurdities, such as aAyro In traffic business could detect. It shows a deficit by robbing the railroads with no apparent excuse except that the railroads formerly robbed the postofflce; also by depriv ing settlers on the frontier of postal service. Yet it has the audacity to ask authority to mismanage tele graphs and telephones also. The banks are to be subjected to regulation in . the smallest detail by vindictive offi cials. The water owned by the West ern states is to be leased and taxed by a Federal bureau and the Government is to be the perpetual landlord of a huge estate equal to the personal holdings of the Czar. We are to be given proof that the converse of Jef ferson's dictum is true, namely, that that government governs worst which governs most. In this tendency of the Government to meddle with, regulate and run everything may be found the explana tion! of the slow and hesitant pace at which prosperity returns and enter prise revives. With abundant capital in the banks, great crops selling at high prices and an active foreign de mand for our products, wo have all the elements of prosperity except one confidence. The people lack confi dence, not in business conditions, for they are sound, but in the Govern ment. Men fear to launch new enter prises because they cannot feel confi dent that the Government 'will per mit them to run their own business and earn their just reward. The Riggs bank case is ominous of a state of mind on the part of the Government which has produced a corresponding state of mind among the people. THE HUGHES STATEMENT. Justice Hughes announces that he is "not available" for the Presidency. He is not in any sense a candidate. He cannot permit his name to be used. He is a member of the Supreme Court of the United States, and it is clear that he put all ambitions for the Pres idency behind him when he assumed the ermine. Three years ago, in the most positive terms, Justice Hughes forbade the use of his name in con nection with the Republican Presiden tial nomination, and it is not - at all surprising that he should reaffirm that declaration. Justice Hughes considers it beneath the dignity of a judge to aspire for political office. It is more, in his es timate. It is a violation, of a true con ception of a judge's duty to his con science and to his oath. He should be a judge, and nothing else. He should regard, all matters of purely private concern in an entirely imper sonal way, and he should Jiot permit himself to be influenced, consciously or unconsciously, by any consideration but the public welfare and justice be tween litigants. :j No, man can be a safe and true judge and at the same time be seeking great honor or glory for himself. The high integrity of the Judge's motives and the fundamental sound ness of his position must be conceded. Yet it is conceivable that a judge might be impressed as a candidate for the Presidency without . dishonor to himself, and with real benefit to the Nation. , Let us suppose that a Na tional convention, unable to agree upon a candidate for the Presidency, but united in its opinion of the merits of a certain judge, should unanimous ly turn to him and ask him to accept the nomination. There would be no taint or suspicion of connivance on his part in such a consummation, and the call upon him .would . be sincere and spontaneous. How could any man re fuse to heed such a demand upon him? ' TILE JITNEY FIASCO. A report from Seattle that suit has been brought against that city for large damages for injuries suffered in a jit ney accident emphasizes the derelic tion of the Portland City Commission. The theory on which the suit is based is that the jitney Is a common carrier and as such it was the duty of the municipality so to regulate its opera tion that the welfare of ifs patrons would be safeguarded. It may be a fanciful theory that the city by neglect of duty to regulate common carriers becomes financially liable for personal injuries they in flict, but there can be no logical de nial that that duty exists. Since the accident occurred which is the basis of the action jitneys have been put under bond in Washington and other regulations have been imposed. In Portland they now operate as they will without restraint and no bond for protection of passengers is given or is to be required. The ordinance adopted by the Com mission, lacking as it does a bonding provision and weak as it is in other particulars, has been subjected to the referendum. The opportunity to vote on it satisfies no one except those who favor no regulation whatever. If adopted it will possess that assumed sanctity which attaches to "the peo ple's laws" and discourages their amendment; if defeated it will be pre sumed that the public desires no jit ney protection. The Commission has been negligent in not providing a suitable ordinance with an emergency clause attached There is an emergency. The public safety is directly involved. The emer gency, it is true, would ' have fore- stalled a 'referendum, but a city elec tion was near at hand and public dis approval, if that doubtful element ex isted, could have been as well ex pressed in an initiated measure re pealing the one in force as in a refer endum. Even assuming that an im proper hardship bad been imposed on the Jitneys in defiance of public opin ion, that hardship would have been but shortlived. But the vote on the ordinance will mean nothing. The "noes" will repre sent the combined opinions of those who want no regulation and of those who desire more and better regula tion. The "ayes" will represent those who believe something ought to be done .with the jitney problem, but are indifferent as to what it shall be. UNCUS SAM: PRICE BOOSTER. When the Government inaugurated the forestry conservation policy it was presumed that the National forests would not only serve as a permanent source of timber supply but that the Government through ownership of forests would regulate the market price of timber. Instead of utilizing the National forests to bear prices the Forest Service for years has demanded the prevailing price for stumpage. Whenever the price of private stump age has gone up the Government price has climbed to the same level. At no time has the Government undertaken to force down the market price of timber .by underselling its private competitors. " There Is not an exact parallel be tween th forestry problem and the power problem, for the Government does not propose to develop power. But the Government does propose to lease its power sites and derive .reve nue from them. The Government will Impose conditions on its power lessees that will not be imposed on the pri vate power companies which were in the field ahead of the Government and own their own sites. Moreover, long-distance Federal regulation tends to increase the cost of the commodity regulated. Whenever the Government attempts to derive revenue from water powers not already appropriated and regulate their use at long range, it will put the private companies in a preferred position. Either they will underbid among consumers the proj ects held under Government lease or they will increase their own rates. In the first event new development will be discouraged. In the second, the Government will have done as it has with the forests encouraged a rise In the cost of an Important commodity For these reasons Secretary Dane was not fortunate in the choice of an argument in favor of the Ferris wa- i.mnw.r .Hi Th rrt that waterpower companies were pre! paring to effect a combination which would control fifty per cent of the developed power of the West, con cerns companies which have pested rights. They own their power sites and they have established themselves in a way which subjects them to state regulation but not Federal regulation. The Ferris bill would not extend Fed eral regulation over them and It would affect only water power devel opments of the future on sites owned by the Government. Nor la the Ferris 'bill needed to forestall a possible monopolistic grab of power sites at present unappro priated. Such sites are now effect ually reserved by the Government. The bill fills no need in that respect and offers no permanent relief from existing or prospective power monopo" lies. " The Government power sites ought to be opened to development, but under terms that not only would prevent trust control, but would en courage capital to invest in them. But to make development possible only by payment of a license or rental which inevitably falls upon the con sumer and does not come back to him remotely or otherwise is not only needless but unbearable. BIERCE'S WRITING 8. The San Francisco Argonaut con tributes a critical and discriminative analysis of the literary character of Ambrose Blerce presumably the late Ambrose Bierce inspired by renewed reports of his death in Mexico. It is taken for granted that the story of his appearance with the allied armies in Europe is groundless; and that noth ing definite or authentic has been heard from him In America since De cember, 1913, when he wrote a letter to his secretary at Washington giving the Information that he was with Villa's army. Bierce was more than 70 years of age, and in bad health. and it is easy to assume that he met his fate in some tragic way In the midst of the Mexican conflagration. The Argonaut places Bierce at the head of California's literary army, for it is impossible to deny his real genius; but it says that he lacked wofully the element of constructiveness In his writings and for that' re&sort- his tal ents were largely unrecognized. Says the Argonaut: Bierce wa rarely or never constructive. He was forever festooned with the scalps of his enemies, and he made enemles'and mur dered them with the hand, or rather with the pen, of the expert. But he was never a builder. He had gibbets for our mistakes, but never a laurel for our virtues. He could wield the lash with a certain pitiless deiisht In the process, but the equally po tent implement of praise and encourage ment was not in his equipment. , It is said that early disappointment in love soured Bierce's nature and that like the murderer in Macbeth, he was so "Incensed" that he "reckless what he did to spite . the world." But the tale is probably apochryphal. The men who fall to get over their early love affairs or their one early affair, if they are so unfortunate as to have had only one exist only in story books. A predisposition to mor bidness may Indeed have been aggra vated by disappointment and misfor tune, and he became the stormy petrel of American literature who made sor did tragedy his handmaid and the in nocent ambitions and harmless deeds of minor men the subjects of his bru tal and sportive fancy. There are in deed one or two gentle tales from Bierce's pen, but they were excep tional. The domirfant note of his for mal writings was horror, and of his newspaper offerings a bitter and ma licious irony. The writings of Bierce" have been collected by some one and published In a set of fourteen or fifteen volumes. They are gloomy reading. A. TROPICA!. CIVILIZATION. A United States official who has seen public service both in Cuba and in the CanaT Zone expresses highly encouraging opinions about the future of the tropical regions of the world. In his opinion those regions, in spite of their present drawbacks, are des tined to develop a more advanced civi lization than has been seen elsewhere, He seems to expect that the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea will some day xcel the rest of the American continent in art and lit erature, much as the Mediterranean region has at times excelled Central and Western Europe. There are some obvious grounds for views of this kind. The tropical parts of the earth are far more productive than the temperate zones. Labor is more disagreeable on account of the enervating temperature, but this is compensated by its greater returns. Moreover, the difficulty of working continuously in the tropics is in creased by the obstinate disposition of Europeans and Americans to cling to their native habits of life. They in sist upon dressing as they did at home and frequently refuse to modify their diet. The results of such unreason are usually disastrous. 'No doubt the more northerly peoples will ultimately learn how to accommodate themselves to tropical conditions as far as food, dress and hours of labor are con cerned, and we shall then hear less about the depressing effects of life there. The -world's best civilization has thus far uniformly developed in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, ut perhaps there is no insuperable obstacle to something still better appearing in the tropics. There is already great promise of advance ment in Australia and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere, but those lands again are in a temperate zone. REPUBLICAN BUT PROGRESSIVE. Political tendencies in the West are being studied for the Outlook by Frederick M. Davenport. The nature of these tendencies is indicated by the fact that Mr. Davenport, who was Pro gressive candidate "for Governor of New York last year, treats the Pro gressive party as no longer a factor He discusses the prospects of the Re publican party in 1916 as hinging on its choice between reactionary and progressive leaders and programme, assuming that, with the progressive element in control, the Republican party will receive the support of those who turned against it In 1912, while reactionary control of the Republic ans would mean Democratic triumph He considers no third party as a fac tor. Thus by implication another Progressive party leader returns to the fold. Mr. Davenport finds no trend toward reaction in Michigan and Minnesota, the states he discusses in the current Outlook. Michigan, which voted for Mr. Roosevelt in 1912, "is in general thoroughly recommitted to Republic anism," but It is "established as a commonwealth of progress." Though the state "would like to be Repub lican, if there is any monkeying with popular freedom, Wilson will run far ahead of his ticket" in 1916. Of Min l nesota he says: L."- SSSFi! ZuXl. . . , 1 think Minnesota wants to be Ke- publican in 1816, but how that state will sideswipe a reactionary candidate or a re actionary platform. Minnesota la perma nently progressive. Mr. Davenport also found. an earn est effort in Western States to put their government on an economical business basis, and he declares that the time has come for enlisting in the service of the ' people, not Installing In control of the Government such progressive business men as Henry Ford and Thomas A. Edison. The people are in no mood to put the reactionaries in power as the only refuge from Democratic incapacity and depression. That is the conclu sion to be drawn, not only from Mr. Davenport's articles, but from the ut terances . of progressives who re mained true to their party in 1912, also from the almost entire tone of the press. With great efEort and with much mutual recrimination the peo ple have rescued the parties and the Government from the hands of the bosses and machines and have taken affairs into their own hands. They are now disposed to settle down quiet ly in the new groove, watchful against any attempt to regain control for the purpose of serving the selfish few but ready to welcome the aid of big busi ness men in running the Government for the service of all. ' Next year promises to be a good year for the Republican party if it rejects the leadership and advice of the men who led It Into the ditch. Those who would turn the party from the course which its masses wish to follow must be rebuffed at the outset, for the voters have acquired the habit of independent voting. If called upon to choose between the two evils of Democracy and reaction, they might prefer Democracy, even after four years of that bitter medicine. Here Is a typical Democratic cam paign arraignment of "reactionary Republicanism": Mark Hanna was Its exemplar, Aldrich Its sreat captain, and Penrose is its high priest. Piatt was one of Its cunning, crafty, secret manipulators and Mr. Roosevelt has ad mitted to us how it controlled at Albany, how It administered the Vice-Presidency, and how It even- Invaded the American White House and helped exercise personal dominion there, not stopping- at the dis cussion of campaign ' contributions with a Hariiman. accepting the guidance of a Mor gan in giving a quietus to a competitor of the steel trust, and authorizing no prose cution of great -corporations that had been generous campaign contributors It Is a kind of Republicanism against which nearly 4.000,000 Lincoln Republicans protested In JW1Z. when they abandoned the old guard leadership of the Hoots, Lodges, Cannons and Penroses and went by regiments, brl- gaaes ana divisions into tne ranks or tne Progressive party. They are Lincoln Repub licans, but not Penrose Republicans. These 4,000,000 .Lincoln Republi cans left the Republican party, no doubt,:; because they wanted to put back in the White House a President who permitted the bosses to "invade" its sacred doors, discussed campaign contributions there with a Ham man, accepted the guidance of a Morgan, and refused to prosecute certain fa vored corporations. A tunnel through the Gallipoli Pen insula near the neck, say from Kara- lik to Cukuragan, would admit the al lies to the Sea of Marmora and en able them to Invest Constantinople. The troops already on the peninsula could dig the tunnel in a few weeks with the aid of plentiful dynamite. The expense would probably be less than It will cost to reduce the Dar danelles forts. The British Cabinet was sharply di vided on the question of entering the war. For some hours its action was uncertain, but finally the bolder opin ion prevailed. There was some ex pectation that the government would be wrecked by Internal dissensions, but after Burns and Lord Morley re signed harmony was restored and it is stronger now than ever before. The teachers in the Franklin High School have made an interesting ap plication of the "extension" idea. On Friday afternoons they give lectures to the pupils of the Creston School. It is pleasant to note the gradual dis appearance of the notion that a teach er's duties are strictly limited by the walls of his classroom. Dr. Marcellus' all-Summer cam paign against files ought to bring re sults. A few days aimless swatting of the pests is ail very well as an amusement, but more thorougH""vork is required to extirpate them. It must begin by destroying their breeding places. Russians are not responsible for all the casualties this Spring. An Aus trian working on the Hood River highway exarmining a charge of dyna mite that was slow in exploding vol planed into a canyon seventy-five feet below. Great Britain is now going after the real fighting men, with drop of the standard to five feet one inch. The six-footer looks grand on parade, but it is the sawed-off Tommle who fights. All the murders in the Colorado strike were not committed by Lawson and his followers. Justice will not be done until the murderers among the mine guards are also convicted. ' The patrolman who went to sleep on duty offered valid excuse and will be forgiven. He worked overtime be bween beats, which, by the way, is a bad practice In the bureau. Oregon clams are said to be excep tionally fine thfs Spring and it is to be hoped the supply will last until the beach resorts are well populated.'. The Sebastian case at Los Angeles is reaching the acute stage, now that he is being shot at through the win dow of'hls home. Ground squirrels in Douglas will chatter in glee when the news spreads that a woman hunting them shot her self in the foot. The Kaiser is said to look much older. Why not? He has troubles on hand that will' bring lines into his face. Those were heartless robbers who rode in a Jitney bus and despoiled the chauffeur of his collection of nickels, The American ambassadors are be coming ambassadors for all nations which are not on speaking terms. Nothing but severe prison penalties will put a stop to reckless driving1 of automobile. It is high time Kitchener's army began "the war. Greetings to the great port of Lew. Iston. All aboard for Celllot Twenty-Five Years Ago From The Oregonian. May 5, 1S00. Washington Senator Hearst is mak ing a strong bid for the construction of two battleships for the Pacific Coast. He says the ships are of more value, as they can go out and meet the enemy Instead of waiting for the enemy to come. He wants two men-o'-war sta tioned outside the Golden Gate. At ..Senator Mitchell's request the mail route between Oswego and Wll- sonvllle has been ordeVed changed so as to include Aurora. Stillwater, Minn. Millions of feet of fine and valuable timber are being de stroyed by forest fires in the St, Croix Valley. The National Baseball League of Great Britain has been completed and plans for Introducing the "American National game on the Island have not materialized. The principal football grounds of the country will be utilized as grounds. E. T. Bartlett reports four feet of now in the Hungry Creek raining country in Jackson county. Albert Haynes, a Union County rancher, was thrown from his horse and one of his bones thrust out of the socket. He was badly gashed on the head. Hon. E. L. Smith, of. Hood River. Or., who was secretary of Washington Ter ritory for three years under- 'General Grant's Administration, and Speaker of the House of the last Legislative As sembly of Oregon, will go to Olympia to reside. He will be associated with T. C Van Epps in the real estate busi ness. Mr, and Mrs. Cummings, who reside on a ranch near Shanghai, were badly burned last week. They were burning a big log when Mrs. Cummlngo' clothe caught and when Mr. Cummings at tempted to aid her he also was burned. Charles C. Bell, a prominent citizen of Minneapolis, accompanied by his es timable young wife, has been spending a few. days in Portland. "Portland re minds me more of Minneapolis than any place on the Coast," said Mr. Bell yesterday. "I was here two years ago and now I am astonished at the growth In that time." Mr. Bell and Mrs. Bell. who was formerly Miss Clara Pearson. were schoolmates of an Oregonian re porter in the Minneapolis High School. Arthur D. Marshall, brother of Archi tect George Marshall, has been appoint ed to a position with the Interstate Commerce Commission in Washington. KEEP THE TARIFF IN POLITICS Nob-Partisans Are Denounced by Pen dleton Man, Who Opposes Commission. PENDLETON, Or.. May 2. (To the Editor.) I noticed in The Orego nian an article entitled. "Shall we drop the tariff issue?" I do not agree wun you on tnat issue. I will say first that a real non-nar- tlsan is a nobody. there is no non-partisan, but some ow-down person who has not enoueh mind to be anybody. The so-called non-partisans are hvD ocrites pretending to be non-partisans. out in reality are bitter partisans in tending to do some dirty work. The talk of taking the tariff out of poll- tics is bosh. It has always been the talk ever since I can recollect. I distinctly remember the campaign of 1844. when Clay and Polk ran for president. I remember singing "Hur rah for Clay and the Constitution, tar iff, banks and distribution," which shows that tariff and the currency were the issues then and they were tne issues in 1812 and they will be the issues indefinitely in the future, and why? The Constitution eays that all revenue bills must originate in the lower house of Congress. Does The Oregonian want to take away the people's rights? Are the scheming politicians better judges than the people? I think not. Then don't try to cheat or deceive the people. If tne rtepuDiicans are in power they will appoint a Republican commission; If the Democrats are In power they will appoint a Democratic commission. there you have it. From the close of Cleveland s Administration until the enactment of the Underwood tariff bill there was a balance of trade in our tavor of over eight thousand mil lions or aonars and no nation ever prospered so fast in the history of the world. If it had not been for Roosevelt. La- Follette. Murdock and company flirting with the free trade goddess, the Re publicans would have been In power yet and our country would have kept increasing in wealth and power. Deprive the party of its most potent planks in its platform and the Repub lican voters will stay at home and the Bourbons and demagogues will ex pioit tne country to nil their own pockets. Hill says. "Experience has shown that every general revision of the tar iff, whether for better or worse, means two years of doubt, hesitation and bad business." He ought to know better, for It is not true. Business discounts a bad tariff Immediately and times get hard, and a good tariff brings immediate revival in business every time. S. P. HUTCHINSON By a non-partisan commission we do not mean a commission of non-parti sans, for we have much the same opin ion about tnat Dran-a oi politician as our correspondent has. We mean a commission composed of men of both parties. President Taft appointed such a tariff commission, composed of men of high character, who unanimously reported fa"cts to guide Congress. We have not proposed that Congress be de prived of power to -draft revenue bills. There la no cause for alarm lest the Republicans could not find an issue after the tariff was taken out of poll- tics. Tne tarirr as an issue has been more useful to the Democrats, as their victories in 1884. 1893 and 1912 show. THB FAIRER GLORY. "They saved the day," Lord Kitchener said They stood like heroes true; 'Gainst mighty odds they fought and bled. As only brave men do; Before the brunt of the attack. By foes to frenzy driven. Nor lead, nor steel could drive them back, Nor could their ranks be riven. ' 'Gainst each succeeding wave of death That swept the hillside, gory. They turned not from the war lord's breath. But won, 'tis said, fresh glory. At last when was secured the crest. The enemy slow retiring. Relieved, these men had earned a rest Where unexposed to firing. Then as death's specter stalked the height. His face grew livid, grinning; For, lo! the carnage there in sight - Bespoke their ranks' srfd thinning. The corpses strewn about the field Made sad Indeed war's story: Scarce doth it satisfaction yield That comrades earned such glory. Ah. better is that glory won Through strife of competition. Where man sees not his work undone Through war's stern, imposition; Where victor and the loser gain Through sharing some new blessing. In place of spreading grief and pain And every ill distressing. E, TLACKETT. LIGHT IS TCRXED OX DIRECTORS Physiognomist Reports on Photos of Chamber of Commerce Leaders. ASHLAND. Or., May 3 (To the Edi tor.) I waa born with a gift of reading faces, and after looking over the faces of the directors of the Chamber of Com merce as published in The Oregonian May 2 I will give you a brief reading. I was boru in Scotland ard raised in Ireland; wont to the national schools to the extent of receiving a common education; then emigrated to America; settled at Darlington, Lafayette County, Wisconsin, where I lived for 40 years. My life's work was farming and mining. was born In 1853. Two veara aaro I sold my farm in Wisconsin and came to Ashland, the beauty sDot of the world, and was glad to get to such a paradise. I hope to remain here the balance of my days. Well, here goes for a brief reading of the faces of the prominent men of the metropolis of our grand adopted state: W. F. Woodward Too Impulsive. C. C Colt A man of good Judgment. Nathan Strauss Altogether too stub born and set in his ways. O. M. Clark Very erratic. W. J. Hofmann A man of good judg ment. Will do to follow. A. J. Kingsley Fair judgment, but a little narrow. Dean Vincent A solid fellow for him self. J. C. English A man stuck on him self. Guy W. Talbot A man of splendid Judgment, fair, and a good man. to follow. Phil Metschan Just medium in Judg ment; has not had hard enough time to get along. O. K. Helnts A rood financier for Helntz. Narrow on public spirit. John U. Yeon A nrat-claas man In all respects. A. good and successful leader. J. C. Ainsworth Too slow: takes too much time to make up his mind. D. Timma A little too conceited. though a live one. Charles B. Woodruff Too awfullv slow. C. C. Chapman A live wire, but a little selfish for his own town. Not big enough for a state man. He la all Portland. Henry E. Reed Too fond of antrum to extremes. Emery Olmstead Should have been a minister. Has tine morals. A. G. Labbe Always wants every thing to' go his own way. fc.dgr Flper-Jealous that his own town does not get the lion's share of everything: needs to widen out a bit. V rr.tiK ku. Smith A man of verir trnnH judgment, but cannot stand opposition witn good grace. . John hi. Cronan A man of fine 1udsr- ment; will do to lead or follow. Abso lutely fair and just. Never Jealous. Allen Lewis A eood follower. T fair and just but easilv InilurnH hv his friends. Has no use for his enemies. Thomas Kerr A very able man but fet in his Ideas. M. H. Houser A little stuck on hla own Ideas: hard to influence. Itobert Kennedy Will do no ennri i.n. less he can have his own way. L. L. Thompson A man of srood and progressive ideas. Franklin T. Griffith A verv fair m.n Is conservative in all matters. John T. Dougall One of the most re liable men on the board. D. W. Mitchell The one vhx I be at the head of the whole business. ib aoie. nas splendid Judgment and is very resourceful. I guess you will find this Is all right. I. MacNAB. STATE'S RIGHT TO WATKR POWERS correspondent Hopes to See Reserva tion Policy Uefeated. ROCK CREEK. Or.. May 8 (To th Editor.) The object of this letter I to commend the deep interest you are taking in behalf of Oregon's rights in leasing power sites in this atate. You ate no doubt aware of the fact that Jackson and Polk both argued that it was unconstitutional for the United States to apply money derived from sales of public lands to internal improvements. Bee Jackson's mes sages to Congress of December 4, 1833 and December 1, 1834, and Polk's Teto' message of December 15, 1847. These arguments have ceased to be used and are not Invoked in suits now pending in state and United States courts in regard to land grants and dummy entrymen. Cleveland's wish, expressed in his message to Congress on January 17 18S, seems likely to.be law as Inter preted by state and National courts that the time is unlimited in which a state or nation can sue to recover lands which have been patented by dummy entrymen or obtained by non compliance with law by railroads. Time will tell. I hope you will not consider me as intruding on your time when I call your attention to the fact that there is already a conflict aa to whether the state or Nation controls these cower One ruling by the General Land Office in regard to one of these power sites that I saw a few years ago says as long as this one-quarter section of land is reserved "it cannot be appro priated tor any other use." The slate controls the use of the water for power or irrigation, but the Nation refused to allow an irrigating ditch to be located across this one-quarter section of land, known as power site No. 34. The opposition Senators to this leasing bill contend the Nation's land is the same as any other owner's If I own land that corporation or Gov ernment wants it can be condemned and sold and thus be appropriated for public use. Can any court compel the Interior Department to deed or lease the Government land along these Bite""? f reson for tl,e U8 ot Power These power site reservations are in ......j uiouutea oniy sections or frac tions of sections along the rivers of Oregon, while the balance of the land is already patented to settlers. No further settlement can take plate. One of these sites -was surveyed about 14 years ago-and it was reaurveyed this ifSK,. 'Cter' a",d " tar th s-eneral public knows it may be 14 more ere anything more will be done. The land reserved can only be leased for grazing purposes, subject to cancela tion on six months' or a year's notice. I hope you will continue your inter est in the legislation now pending to see that Oregon is allowed to develop along natural lines. Those who have read Senator Borah's speech In Phila delphia Tsee how Idaho Is handicapped by these reservations of public lands, and does Oregon fare any better? J. E. DAVID. GOO IS LOVE." The fleeing years have onward rolled Like waves across the aea Since the faith of Jesus lulled The storm of Galilee, And yet, O World, the kindly voice That spoke the troubled sea Still bids the stricken heart rejolcs; Still calls. O Man, to thee. Though ages vast should onward sweep 'Til earth shall be no more, Tet not in vain shall sorrow weep On life's uncertain chore. For, hark! The voice of Jesus swells Above the strife and roar. A hope divine forever dwells: God loves us as before. And listening souls at last may hear The rustle of a wing: The Lord of Galilee is near And heavenly voices sing: "God is love." He feels the tears That mortal eye outpours: Through all the sad departed years His mighty love endures. He sent the star of Bethlehem. Which stood o'er Judah's hilll A guide in other days to men, A promise to fulfill! GEORGE H. SANDS. Half a Century Ago From The Orenonian, May 5, Clarence J. Prentice, son of the ed itor of the Louisville Journal and an especially virulent rebel, lately under took to capture Tazwell. Tenn. He had 1&0 men. The place was held by DO men under Lieutenant JenmnRB. Prentice demanded surrender: Jcnnlnus refused: a right ensued and l'rentlc- was whipped most decidedly. Instead of taking the plac; the rebel was forced to send a Hag of truce so lie could bury his dead. Slavery now seems to be doomed the world over. By the constitution ot Brazil slavery will expire In that em pire in 20 years, but many of the lead ing statesmen are anxious for a more Bpeedy end. " We are told by a friend th:it some time ago a gentleman by tlio name ot Robinson, of itoseburg. In Southern Oregon, went to Mexico to aatifty himself us to thn advisability of emi grating there. His friends in Doug las County anxiously have awaited to hear his decision, as the question nf their own emigration depended largelv on it. Mr. Robinson, after traveling considerably in Mexican territory, now advises them that It would not be a favorable move and is discouraging thr plans. General Jo Lane was said to be one of the most oetermined Roio burg residents who contemplated a speedy departure, but he also iftw Is partially discouraged. John Lane, son of General Joseph Lane, was surrendered to General Grant with the Army of Northern Vir ginia. John had risen to be a Major in the Confederate service. At the commencement of the war ho was at West Point. It is a pity he used his military education ou the wrong side. General Sherman will have a nlco time reading in the newspapers com ments upon his treaty with Johnston and Breckinridge. The editors arc handling him quite freely and it will have a tendency to make him moii: nervous than ever. Bierstadt. the artist, who traveled through Oregon some time since, seems to have electrified the world ot fine arts with his magnificent portrait ure of Mount Hood. Alex T. Btewart is said to have offered the painter T-0,-000 fur tlie work. J. P. White, Supervisor, has depu tized B. P. Cardwell to collect the road tax in District No. 4. XEW FISHING LAW LAMENTED Use of Nets Between Oregon City and Oineti Held Fatal to Sport. PORTLAND, May 4. (To the Ed itor.) Last Winter during the session of our Legislature there was a great deal of argument regarding salmon fishing in the Willamette River at and near Oregon City. The sportsmen wished to close this river to net fisher men from the falls of the Willamette to a point near Oswego. A compro mise was eventually effected and there was enacted a law cloning the river to all fishing, except with Iiook and line, from the falls to the Oregon City bridge. Unfortunately this law does not become effentive for some little time yt. I trust that those who opposed tlm champions of a closed river have had an opportunity of observing operations at this point for the past month. Uvery day a great Meet of bouts could be seen on the stream. In each of which sat from one to three euxer fishermen. On Sundays it is estimated that tine number of bnuts on the river ran well up into the hundreds. Many line fish havo been taken, although hundred have as yet not been fortunate to maiia a capture. Again and again they try the sport, sttmulatt-d by tlie sight of ' some fortunate capture. A few days ago the lt of May the rlvtr was thrown open to net fishermen and I ask the opponents of a closed season to note the result. No longer do thousands visit this point, eager for an opportunity to catch a wonderful tlilnook salmon. In a few days the stream will be swept quite clean of fish. Just watch the loads taken by nets at this point. Little use for one after that date to use hock and line; he stands Juat about sk good a chance under one of ourbrldgea here in Portland. I contend and always have contend ed that it is a shame to allow net fish ing at any point between Oswego bridge and the Willamette Falls; that the thousands of visitors should be al lowed to enjoy themselves on the river; that all tho fl.sh these thousands will take in a season will be but t drop in the bucket as compared wilii the tons taken In three or four days by a handful of net fishermen. I main tain that with no net fishing in th-. stream between Oswego and the falls thousands and thousands of sportsmen might still enjoy a day's oiitin- for a couple of months to come. In tlio meanwhile thousand of tiHli would Tin able to make their way over the falls to provide eggH for the hatching sta tions on the McKenzie River. I tru.t that the people will eventually wakn up to the situation and realize what we have on this river something that cannot be duplicated In the world and that nets may be excluded from a Ion:; stretch of this water. THOMAS G. FARRELL. Arsrument for Chickens. Washington (D. C.) Star. "Do you think It pays to keep chick ens?" "Yes." replied Farmer Coru toasel; "a few chickens are a good ad vertisement. They keep the Summer boarders cheered up, thlitkln' rnebbe the first thing they know they'll see a couple of 'em on the dinner table." Idea for a ew Novel. Washington (D. C.) Star. "I have an idea for a novel." Mr. Penwlga-le. "What is It?" laid A very large volume thickly upholstered. When you get sleepy after reading a few psges you can use it for a sofa pillow." Criticism oa Shooting. ' Washington (D. C.) Star. "Why do you compare my marks manship with lightning?" asked the re cruit. "Because," replied the In structor, "It never hits twice in the same, place." Taka Care of Your Furs With the approach ot warm weather the moths begin to get busy. Furs and woolens must seek places of safety. Modern storage has devised al most perfect preservation usually of a kind equally good against fire and other dangers. From time to time the placet where proper protection may be had are advertised in The Oregonian. A little Information promptly act ed on may save you many dollars. But that is the mission of news paper advertising, to savo you time and money. ) i