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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (May 11, 1915)
6 THE MORNING ORECONIAX. TUESDAY, MAY 11, 1915. PORTLAND, OKKI.OX. Entered at Portland, Oregon, foatoffice ai .e aeconU-clasa matter, Subscription Kates Invariably In advance: " (By Mail.) ? naily, Sunday lncluued. one ear (8.U0 , J ijuly. Suntlay Included, alx months ...... lall , Huuuay included, three niunthi .... 2.-0 . j'Miiy, nunuMj uKiuucu, one mount . mlv, Mllhuul StiuiJdy, one year .... -1'Nily. without Sunday, ttix mouths . Jiaily, without Sunday, three months Uallv. without Sunday, one month " MpKly, one year t.ur.day. one year .1 Sunday and W eekly, one year 8.0U a. -s 1.73 1. ao 2. jO (By Carrier.) -. rally, Sunday Included, one year ....... .00 'J-ally, Sunday included, one month .35 low to Remit Send Fostofflre money or ,'lr. expit-ys order or personal check on your IochI hank. Stamps, coin or currency are at ndci''s risk. wive postofflce address in full, Including county, and state. . a roMagrt Kate 1J to IB pages, 1 cent; IS r to 3- imu'cH, - cents: i4 to 4.S paues, 3 cents; , Mi to On pages. I cents; ;! to 7 ti pages, o 4 tents; Is. to U'J pages, ti cents. Foreign - postage, double rates. Kstitern Buxlnrm Office V'eree & Conki.n, Vurk, iirunswlck building; Chicago, rfeiengci bulldtnff. ; Sao Vranrisro Office It. J. Bidwell Com. ,-pany, 742 Market street. rOKTLAM), TIESUAV, MAY 11, J1B. .;. THE PRESIDENT'S DUTY. President Wilson waits to hear from .public opinion before deciding what "faction to take In regard to the slaugh ter of American passengers on the Lu- - sitania by German submarines. Sen ' ator Stone and Speaker Clark tlepre ' eate any expression of public opinion on this one topic, which Is uppermost , In the people's minds. If public opin .ion is thus slifled it cannot make it '"self heard hy the President and he will be deprived of its guidance. The Oregonlan has no hesitation in "expressing its opinion. As between (!reat Hritain and Germany we are - neutral, but as between' the United Stute.t and Germany we are for the United Stales. -j The torpedo which struck the Lusl ."tsnia, 'killed American citizens, and Ithe hand which fired it struck a blow through them at this Nation. The f wrong thus done cannot be redressed 1 by an expression of regret for the con- sequences of the deed, accompanied 2 by a defense of the deed itself. That ".defense carries with It the implioa Mlon thai the deed will be repeated ,2 unless we comply with the demands of Germany. Those demands are that we abandon our neutrality by becom- ing in effect her ally. Germany's campaign of terrorism is calculated to realise us to abandon neutrality, but In 5 the opposite direction to that she de- sires. Tho united States cannot be ..terrified into espousing the cause of ,.erniany. 4 President "Wilson "warned Germany, before th it country opened a. subma "Tlne campaign of massacrclng neu LCtls, that, the would be held to strict accountability. Now that Germany has made good the threat, it is in cumhent upon him to make good his warning. The ration looks to him as its chosen head to vindicate its honor, to uphold the right of its citi zens to travel the seas unmolested by the deliberate acts of other nations and to exact appropriate reparation for the wrongs already done. Whatever means he may choose, provided they are adequate to the purpose, the Na tion will stand by him. The United States Government exists for the pur pose of protecting the lives, liberty and property of American citizens at home and abroad. Any measures which fall short of accomplishing this end will not suffice. The Oregonia.il repeats that it is not neutral in any issue between any other country and the United States. The only reason or excuse for a so-called neutrality, in a crisis likely to affect the destiny of the United States and the life and liberty of its people, is cowardice, sheer cowardice an at tribute just now not becoming to any American citizen or American news paper. The Orcgonian would be ashamed, at such a time, to confess by- silence that it had no opinions, or, having them, feared to express them. A WAXDEKOTC PROHIBITIONIST. lu an interview in the Oregon Voter Mr. U'Ren deplores the adoption by the last Legislature of the law order ing a special election in November in ca:e any referendum petition is filed. It "hamstrung the referendum," he says, because it costs $112,000 to hold an election. True enough as to a number of pif- fling measures which the voters at r large care nothing about voting on. But Air. U'Ren, who professes to be an ardent prohibitionist, complains that a referendum on the liquor law was prevented. This is his argument: . It is not in any sense a prohibition measure, allowing- every Individual to have twenty-four quarts of beer and two quarts t- of whisky a month. It discriminates against the manufacture of whisky and beer in Oreiron In favor of the producers In other states. It Is a vicious discrimination and wholly unjust. Aa the law stands now it does away with the open salnnh. We T should be thankful for that. The boot- legger is an outlaw, anyhow, and we should . have Just as much trouble with him either way. The preservation of the prohibition law was the main argument presented in behalf of the special election bill. Application of the referendum in the absence of a special election law would have meant that there would be no . , specific statute to enforce the prohi " bition constitutional amendment until - November. 1916. The law might be defeated then, in which event there - would be no prohibition statute until the Legislature acted in 1917. At that time If Mr. U'Ren's ideas of preserv- . ing the referendum were adopted the new bill would be subject to referen dum, possibly defeated in 1918 and the question passed on to the Legis lature in 1919 to be referended once more. Public opinion as to just what the prohibition law should contain is not yet definitely formulated. v But the Jaw adopted is at least a suitable one , to provide enforcement of the co-nsti- tutional amendment pending the in troduction through the initiative and adoption by the people of one that Uetter suits them. We can understand how a "radical prohibitionist can dis approve of some of the provisions of ' the new law, but we cannot under stand how one so mentally constituted can consistently prefer no law at all for ten months nfte the date set by . the constitutional amendment for the abolishment of manufacture and sale of Intoxicants. That is Mr. U'Ren's exact attitude. But we wonder how he would feel about a referendum on the amend ments to the workmen's compensation law. The Seheubel bill, he admits, ' was a good one. Tet if all the wild j reports of a campaign by casualty companies to defeat the original act are true the absence of a special elec tion law would have left a strong in r .centive to opponents of compensation "to referend the new act. The compen- 'Nation fund was headed toward hank- ruptcy. A referendum without the special election law would have held up the amendments to the compensa tion act sixteen, months. Operation during that period under the old rates might ha-e turned the trick. Mr. U'Rert makes a fetish of the people's rule. He Insists on maintain ing an open door for tinkerers, for getting .or ignoring the fact that per sons financially interested in delaying good legislation may . use the same portal. PORK BARRELS AJill PORK BARRELS. The Oregonlan Is making a lot of fuss about the opening of The Dal les-Celllo Canal, and seems to forget that the "pork barrel" supplied the funds which made pos sible the removal of this obstacle to the free navigation of the Columbia Hiver far as l.ewiMon. If Congress had listened to The Oregonlan there would have been no cele bration of the completion of the locks. Salem Capital Journal. Here is another little newspaper, strong for the uplift, critical always of practical methods, and abusive of practical men in politics, but wholly amenable to practical considerations when it fancies it can "smell its own particular from the general weal." Pork-barrel Journalism is no more honest nor worthy than pork-barrel statesmanship. The Celilo Canal has been complet ed with Government money, and no pork barrel with its accumulated fat was rolled through the recent Con gress at either session. Yet the ap propriation for rivers and harbors at the first session was J20.000.000 and at the recent session $30,000,000, all apportioned and expended under di rection of the Government agencies, and Celilo got its share. The Capital Journal is not well in formed when it says that failure of the pork barrel would have shut off funds for Celilo. But assertion with out knowledge is a habit of the Salem paper, and there is little hope that it can be cured. It is curious, but it is true, that there is a group of newspapers in Ore. gin which profess to be horrified whenever the pork barrel makes its appearance in the Legislature at Sa lem, but manifest a most genial and receptive spirit when they think largess is to be distributed from the pork barrel at Washington. TirE AITHORS' I,EAGrr,, When the "Authors League" has effected its proposed merger with the "American Authors' Copyright League" the united body 'Will bo im posing from numbers and influence. At its recent meeting the Authors" League formed plans to safeguard thp rights of its members and' no diffi culty is expected in carrying them out. The principal publishers of the coun try, it is said, have agreed to co-opcr-nte with the organized writers in these matters. The league will secure a "standardization" of publishers' ac counts and gain free access for all its members to publishers' books so that there should be no more complaints that exact Justice has not been done. Hitherto the author has been rather a helpless lamb in the jaws of the publisher, who has often been likened to a devouring wolf. The costs of liti gation are so great in this country that the victim cculd seldom venture to bring a suit for his dues and conse quently he suffered his real or imag inary wrongs in silence. The growth of the Authors' League is changing this condition radically. It takes charge of the legal rights of its members and pays the expense of litigation when they have been wronged. Last year the league prose cuted more than . thirty important cases involving literary property. But of course litigation is not the main object of this organization. On the contrary It aims to establish good re lations between writers and publishers and thus benefit both. But it has dis covered that an essential preliminary to peace is the ability to wage war when occasion seems to require it. BATTLE OF THE DARDANELLES. The Dardanelles now divide with Tpres, St. Mihiel and Alsace in the west and with the Carpathians in the east the interest of those who closely watch the progress of the war. The British and French are following the example set by the United States at Santiago. After an abortive attempt to win by naval attack alone, they have undertaken with their land forces to clear the way for their ships to pass through the straits into the Sf a, of Marmora, as Shafter's army re duced the forts of Santiago and by closing in on the city drove out the Spanish ships to meet the American licet. The allies have a great advantage over Sampson in the fact that they can use their ships to aid actively in their '.una operations. The fleet lying In the Gulf of Saros covered their land ing at the foot of Kaba Tepe, a pla teau 1100 feet high which rises from the water to a summit four miles from the landing place and commands the road leading to the Narrows, five miles distant. With the aid of aero planes the fleet attacks the forts in the rear by indirect Are and has them at a disadvantage, as they are built only to fire toward the straits. If the British capture the heights, they can use their field artillery for the same purpose and also in a frontal bom bardment of the Asiatic forts. The landing at Bulair was doubtless designed to cut off the troops on the isthmus from reinforcement by land. The isthmus is hardly three miles wide and is a plain crossed by a single road leading down the peninsula. The land ing at Enos, on the mainland shore of the ' gulf, was probably intended to protect the fleet and transports against bombardment from that direc tion The fleet can cover the land attack and can Are clear across into the straits, thus hazarding Turkish ships which bring supplies and men to the front. The landing of J British at Sedd-el-Bahr and of French at Kum Kale, on the capes at the mouth of the straits, was doubtless intended to protect ships from attack while entering the lower strait. No advance of this French force up the Asiatic shore is likely, as the Turks would have room to take advantage of their superior numbers on the adjacent plains of Troy and as the forts on that side can be reduced by artillery from the pen insula and by the fleet from the gulf. The French invasion south of Smyrna Is aimed at the capture of that city and of the railroad which runs from Anatolia to Bagdad. Loss of this city and railroad would be a blow only less important than loss of Constanti nople, for Smyrna is the second city of the empire and the railroad is the means oC communication with Syria and the Euphrates Valley. Should the French gain these points, they might advance along the Asiatic sh re of the straits to co-operate with their allies in an attack on -Constantinople. . Should the allies succeed in clearing both sides of the straits of the enemy and" in removing obstructions from the water, the fleet would be free to enter the Sea of Marmora. It would, however, be exposed to attack from the Prince's Islands, near the western end, which are doubtless fortified, and by torpedoes and mines' all along the route to the capital, which is 105 miles from Bulair. The British army would advance along the north shore and at tack in the rear- the coast defenses, which the fleet would simultaneously bombard from the front, while the French fought their way to Scutari, on the Bosphorus, opposite Constantino ple. Should the combined land and sea forces reach the latter city, they would have the co-operation of the Russian Black Sea fleet in the Bos phorus. THE CLOSE OF THE STRUGGLE.. The fortnight following May 4. 1865, witnessed the astonishingly rapid col lapse of the Confederacy. On March 17 it had more than 300,000 troops under arms. The main bodv was of course with Lee in Virginia, but there were two other considerable com mands, one under Kirby Smith be yond the Mississippi, the other under Richard Taylor in Alabama.. This Taylor was a son of Zachary, afore time President of the United States. He surrendered his force without making any particular resistance as soon as he saw the cause was hopeless. Many of Kirby Smith's men went home of their win accord in spite of his efforts to keep them together. This brave commander had two ob jects in mind. He wished for one thing to prolong the war on the chance that events might, however unexpectedly, take a turn favorable to the Confederacy. But his more im mediate purpose was to keep a guard to protect Jefferson Davis in his pro jected flight to Mexico. Both pur poses aborted and Kirby Smith's force was soon badly depleted. This was well for the men and better, perhaps, for the country. In a prolonged fu gitive struggle there was nothing for the Confederate troops to gain and much for the country to lose. At the close of May came Kirby Smith's formal surrender at Shreve port. Between May 4 and that date the total number of Confederate solf diers who fell into the hands of the Government was 268,789. The disparity- between this number and the 300,000 who .were in arms on March 17 is accounted for in various ways. Many of the men had gone home. A few were still assembled in scattering bands. The troops at Galveston, for example, kept their flag flying until June 5. , But by the end of May the Confed erate army no longer existed as a fighting force. In its prime it had probably included 700,000 'men, as good soldiers as were ever seen in the world. AVere they all assembled on one field thejv would make but a puny showing in the present war, but they supported a definite cause, which is more than the European armies now in the field can say, and when they finally surrendered they closed an epoch of history. STARVATION" NOT INVOLYEO. The war which Germany is making on the commerce of neutrals and ene mies alike is defended by her on the ground that Britain and France are endeavoring to starve her people by preventing the importation of food. The truth is that the allied powers have established, in fact though not in name, a blockade against German commerce, not onlyjn food but in all other commodities. The allies have not declared food contraband of war. They prevent importation1 of food un der the rules of the blockade, not as contraband. Secretary Bryan complained last December that British cruisers were seizing many American cargoes, in cluding coal, consigned to neutral countries, andthat these seizures were contrary to the principle laid down by Britain herself in the Boer war. That principle, in whicfi the United States concurred, was that . "foodstuffs can be considered as contraband of war only if they are for the enemy forces." In his reply, dated January 7, Sir Ed ward Grey renewed adherence to this principle, but added: We cannot give an unlimited and uncon ditional undertaking in view of the de parture of thoae against whom we are fighting; from hitherto accepted rules of civilization and humanity. This hint at probable reprisals for Germany's violation of the rules of war was followed on February 10 by the statement that captures of contra band trade by the British had not "contributed nearly so much to the shortage of shipping as has the de struction of neutral vessels by subma rine mines indiscriminately laid by the enemy on the high seas, many miles from the coast in the track of mer chant vessels." Up to that date twenty-five neutral vessels had been destroyed by mines. Sir Edward quoted Prince Bismarck as refusing to protest against treatment of food as contraband of war. He said that "an elaborate machinery has been organ ized by the enemy for the supply of foodstuffs for the use of the German army," and that it was impossible to distinguish between food intended for the civil population and the govern ment because "there exists such a tre mendous organization for war in Ger many" that "there is no clear division between those whom the government is responsible for feeding "and those whom it is not." . He predicted that food imported for civil use would be requisitioned for the military. When the steamer Wilhelmina, loaded with foodstuffs consigned by an American firm to its manager in Hamburg, was captured by the Brit ish, the State Department protested that the order of the German govern ment taking possession of all food did not apply to goods imported after January 31. . The State Department pointed out that by the German order such goods were to be distributed to the civil population by the municipali ties and were not to be used by the crmed forces. The reply of Sir Edward Grey was that the original German order made no provision restricting use of im ported food to the civil population and that the supplemental order was not known at the time when the Wilhel mina was seized. He said, however, that the German decree establishing a government food monopoly was "not the only ground" on which the seizure was made. He placed the seizure on the ground of reprisals by saying: The German government have In public announcements claimed to treat practically every town or fort on the English east coaat as a fortified place and base of operations. On the strenKth of this contention they hava subjected to bombardment the open towns of Yarmouth, Scarborough and Whit by amona; others. On the same Kround a number of neutral vessels sailing for English ports on the east coat with cargoee of sroods on the German list of conditional con traband have been seized by German cruisers and broupht before tho German prize court. Again the Dutch vessel Maria, having; styled from California with a cargo of rraiu consigned to Dublin and Belfast, was sunk In September last bv the German erultfcr Kailaruhe. This could only have been Just ified If the cargo could have been proved to be destined for the British government or armed forces, and if a presumption to this effect had been established, owing to Dublin frr Belfast being considered a. fort ified place or a base for the armed forces. The German government cannot have it both ways. If they consider themselves Justified in destroying by bombardment the lives and property of peaceful civil Inhab itants of Knglish open towns and watering places and in seizing and sinking ships and cargoes of conditional contraband on the way thither on the ground that they were consigned to a fortified place or base. His Majesty's government must be at liberty to treat Hamburg, which Is in fact protected by the fortif icatinns- at the mouth of the Elbe, as a fortified town and a base of operations. The purpose of the British blockade is indicated more plainly in the last paragraph of this dispatch, which reads: If. therefore. His Alateaty's government should hereafter feel constrained to declare foodstuffs absolute contraband or to take other measures for interfering with German trade by way of reprisal, they confidently expect that such action will not be chal lenged on the part of neutral states by ap peals to laws and usages of war whose validity rests upon their forming an Integral part of that system of international doctrine which aa a whole their enemy frankly boasts the liberty and intention to disregard.- This was followed by Mr. Bryan's proposal for a modus Vivendi, where by both Germany and Great Britain should agree to cease sowing mines and attacking merchant ships withJ submarines except to enforce the right of search and that each- should aban don the use of neutral flags. Ger many was to agree that imported food be distributed to the civil population by American agents. Great Britain was to agree not to make food abso lute contraband and not to interfere with shipments to American agents in Germany. Germany attached certain condi tions to acceptance of these terms, which Britain understood as a refusal to abandon the practices which pro voked reprisals, and a long-range blockade of all German commerce was proclaimed by Britain and France. It applies to goods going to or coming from Germany through neutral coun tries, but it does not involve the full penalties of blockade-running, name ly, forfeiture of ship and cargo. 'But it is declared on the authority of both Germans and British that Ger many ha-s jam pie food to last until harvest and that she is increasing her production this year. Observers sent by London newspapers have reported that Germany cannot be starved out. The attempt at starvation as a reason for the Lusitania massacre therefore fails. The American people paid $275, 000.000 for admission to picture shows in 1913. The amount for 1914 must have been much larger. The invest ment in picture theaters is now about $120,000,000. Every village, almost, haa on and their popularity shows no signs of declining. Next to the press the film bids fair to be the greatest influence in our National life. Governor Capper, of Kansas, fan easily "keep the best brains on the farm," as he says he wishes- All he needs to do is to show how to make farming pay more in money and honor than politics, law, engineering and so forth do. For the Governor of the most uplifted state in the Union this task should be a mere trifle. It is comforting to learn that Count Bernstorff "regrets" the slaughter of American passengers on the Lusitania. When a small, weak country like the United States gets in the way of a full-grown angry nation it must,- of course, take the consequences. The full-grown figtiter is sorry, but the law of the stronger must prevail. There are twelve towns in the United States named after Bismarck. In the Arctic regions, says the Chris tian Science Monitor, there is a Bis marck Cape and a range of Bismarck Mountains in New Guinea. The fame of the great statesman is pretty evenly spread over the face of the earth. The execution of Leo Frank will be an indelible stain on American justice. He was tried by a mob and nobody, except himself, knows whether he is guilty or not. It seems strange that with all our imposing legal machinery no way can be discovered to right this crying wrong. Diggs and Caminetti, of odorous fame a year or two ago, had a day in court yesterday to be denied a rehears ing, and will take the customary ap peal to the highest court of the land. body noted for just interpretation of law. If "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" were to revisit their old home, they would find it full of strangely armed men, as much bent on fighting as though they had lived In the middle ages. If every man who lost a relative on the Lusitania Joins the allied army to get revenge, the Germans will not have helped their cause by sinking hef. The Coroner's Jury having charged Emperor William with wilful murder, all needed is to extradite him. How is it to be done? Riches cannot affect the nobility of blood. Astor and Vanderbilt died as Americans die, favoring the weaker sex. The Salt Lake team, that "couldn't play ball," has been assisted to the top of the table, all the same. Japan did not mean any harm, any how. . She was misrepresented by those wicked Chinese. Mexico becomes green with envy at seeing her war pushed into the back ground, i . The Victorians were frothy Sunday night. The patriotic hoodlum is most ly fool. How would you like to have the President's job just now? Save the coupon and vote for Queen of the' Festival. Every Briton has a brick in his fist for the U-39. It's an easy guess on Italy. lajuatlce to Tteptlles. Washington (D. C.) Star. "There used to be a good snakes around here." "There's many some tew yet." replied Farmer Corntosfel. "But none of 'em is poisonous." "When I was here before the snakes were de scribed as most deadly." "We didn't have prohibition then. Everybody that saw a snake took so much snake-bite remedy that poison couldn't hurt him. Since the remedy is out of reach we find jW-c'd been doin' the reptiles quite n injustice." made: ISSIE S. G. Hovey Ssggests SnfTraice Miosis Be Left to Each State to Settle. EUGEN'E, Or, May 10. To to Ed itor.) The tendency or action of the Democratic party or certain of its members seems to be along lines not in accord with 'certain of its former doctrines or heresies, among them that of secession or disunion. As an old time Kepublican I think it is time to allow fitting recogr-riition of said fact if it is a genuine act or tendency and not a make-believe or gallery play as is often staged by politicians. This is on the principle of coming half way, where there can be no sacrifice of self respect In so doinar, and restoring bet ter fraternal relations and the build ing tip of the country and its interests anyway. The specific acts I refer to are the reported support by the Dem ocratic party of National regulation of certain commercial activities not for merly recognized by them as beirjg within the purport of Congressional action, though more generally regard ed as rightfully subject to said action. While each party has its individual history and peculiar training or theo ries of government, yet policies in re gard thereto change or are modijied to some extent occasionally as circum stances arise. Instead of being a sec tional, party as was formerly charged (and at that soon after the war), we can successfully prove that the Kepub lican party is capable of giving broad consideration to all sections and has the ability to legislate or act for the best Interests of all. Its only consid eration or desideratum is that the Union be acknowledged as supreme. Until that is admitted it w ill hold back as it has done in the past. The sacri fices that have beon made for the pres ervation of the Union, it says, should not be lightly regarded, but muft be maintained sacred and forever so. Now, however, this much admitted, let it, as one or more advised lately, seek to re move the differences which have sep arated the sections. Amonjr the differences the chief one, or the one which has caused the nm.st trouble, is the so-called race question white and black. While some, per haps many, have hoped that this would settle itself in time, yet it has not al together. As happens with many questions, some legislative action will be necessary. It is too large a mat ter to let custom settle, great as cus tom is. It enters into the warp and woof of all society in any country where the matter is broached or made an issue. Hence any decision in it must be written plainly in the law. As a matter of public policy we think the status or condition of the situation as regards the races now existing; in the Southern states or states where the colored race lives, should be recog nized in other words, the right" of suffrage in such matters should be left to each state, with certain restric tions, which could be plainly stated. For instance: 1. That no white or Caucasian over 21 who can read or write and is not convicted of crime should be deprived of the ballot. 2. A provision fixing the time voter should be required to live in any state or county or election district before being allowed to vote. 3. Prescribing the method of vot ing so as to secure him in his said right and prevent trumped-up charges or excuses to drive him from the polls or prevent fair election. S. G. HOVE Y. C1TV LEADS WITH SPITE FECES Writer Aever Saw or Heard of One I'atll He Came to Portland. POBTLAND. May 10 (To the Ed itor.) May I ask a question? I hear and see frequent mention made of "spite fences" and live on a street that boasts a fine specimen. I spent my early life in a small city of the Middle West and was often in Milwaukee and Chi cago, but never saw or heard of such a lence until reaching Portland. They seem to flourish here liko tho mat me wnole world knows." How can such grouches live in this charming region and in this delightful climate? These fences are often built, too, be cause the builder wants to sell at a high figure or buy at a low one. Near Sans Souci. at Potsdam, in Ger many, is an old windmill. When Fred ick the Great built his French palace iioie ne coveted me millers land and offered him a price, but the miller was stubborn and refused it. Perhaps he iuveu nis uome. ferbaps he planted the great trees that now shade it and had watched them grow through the years, while his children played be neath them and the long arms of his mm caught the sunshine above them. At airy rate, tradition says he refused the great King's offer. Having lived on the Pacific Coast, this seemed to me an ideal situation for a spite fence, and when I visited the spot some years ao, i scrutinized the locality, expect ing to find at least the ruins of the fence. I failed, and my bewilderment increases. it cannot be that Portland people are more spiteful than others surely. Then is it that the city gov ernment Is more indifferent or remiss? . .Beems we had a city ordinance limiting lenees to five feet in height, which the court has pronounced in valid. Other cities have similar laws. I happen to know that Spokane, for in stance, limits fences on the street lin ana -on me property line for 60 feet Dae to lour reet, without a special permit. But perhaps no individual has arisen so dead to shame as to con test that law. As the case stands am I right in concluding that we now have no enforceable law as to the con struction of fences? That the town is wioe open, as it were, and mav now revel in a oerfect orsrv of anita rno lately somewhat discouraged? Why shvuld we struggle to be remarkable In the eyes of tourists for our beautv wnen we could so easily excel in spite fences? The law, you know, solemnly respects a man's right to build a nui sance, but coldly ignores the very ex istence of beauty. CURIOUS RESIDENT. mer Open to Ships. POr.TI.AND. May 10. (To the Edi tor) Please inform me as to whether ocean-going steamers can navigate the LoiumDia. i do not mean giant vessels, such as the Lusitania and others of that class, but the average ocean-going vessels. AN INTERESTED READER, The Columbia and. Willamette rivers between Portland and the sea are nav igable for all classes of vessels en gaged in the Pacific trade. Spelling; of Word. PORTLAND, May 10. (To the Edi tor.) Is there any authority, other than mere habit, for using the "o" in spelling abstracter? Webster's dic tionary defines abstracter as one who abstracts or makes an abstract, and spells the word thus, abstracter. We very often see the word spelled with an "o". Why is this? SUBSCRIBER. Funk & Wagnalls New Standard "Dic tionary authorizes either spelling. San Frasrlsro Fair Is Orestent TIMBER, Or.. May 10. (To the Edi tor.) Please state how in area of the grounds and number and size of the buildings, both American and foreign, the San Francisco Fair compares with the St. Louis Fair. E. WRIGHT. The World Almanac says of the San Francisco Fair: "In point of magnitude, cost and diversity of exhibits, it is the greatest world exposition ever held." Near to His Last Dollar. Houston (.Tex.) Post. "Is it true that you are near to your last dollar?" "it is true, and heaven aione knows how far from my next." race: iestio' Half a Century Ago From The Oregonlan of May 11. IStlO. A. private letter to a gentleman of this city, written bj; our old townsman, A- J- W'atson. Esq.. from Virginia City, Mont, gives glowing accounts of the diggings in that section of the country. It states that provisions were scarce and selling at famine prices. Flour was worth ISO per hundredweight and none to be had at that. Tools for working were scarce, in fact, there was not a supply of any one thing in the moun tains but gold. A sturgeon weighing 200 pounds and measuring over 8 feet in length was re ported as caught near Astoria. It seems to uh something is lacking in the matter of efficiency in the giv ing of fire alarms in this city, so that they may be clearly understood. It is well enough known when the bells ring that a fire exists, but the locationof it is a plague to everybody. We have in every other matter needful rules and regulations and cannot the alarms be so systematized that the bells may toll the street or ward? We learn of a new place of amuse ment at Fort Vancouver, tho Garrison Theater. This evening a new comedy entitled, "The Little Treasure." -will be enacted. John Allen, William Burton. Miss Belle Divine and Little Km ma are among the leading performers. Tf Va ........ f . T - I , . .J " . I . . ' . 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 L VIA I . . lyllllOl States lias vitality and resources enoush aurr me war just closing to carry tne National debt, there can be' no doubt whatever that its bonds offer a splen did investment to unemployed capital and especially to men of small meant who have Idle funds but who can loan fafely only where they receive in re turn for their money a representative that may he readily converted into gold if required. Editorial. Undeveloped Oregon. There is a vast extent of country al most unexplored snd supposed to be r.icli in minerals as-. well as in part adapted to agriculture within the hounds of the State of Oregon. East of the Cascade Mountains, south of the line of Rurnt River and Canyon City, there are no settlements-to speak of. No prospefting baa been done to test the fact if precious metals are to be found there, for the reason that hostile tribes Inhabit the whole section south of the line named to the northern boun dary of California and Nevada. Information has been received from (Sreensboro that .leff Davis left there April 25. bound for Texas, escorted by a detachment of cavalry under Gen erals Rec.hols and Burke. They num bered about 300 and had with them a train of 20 wagons. BETTER DANCE THAJi READ .Oi ELS (;rare, nlTalry, Health and ;ood ( Itl arnahJp Are Promoted. PORTLAND. May (To the Editor.) In answer to Mrs. Richard Kozell's letter of May 3, which, as I understand, refers to dancing as an evil, I must say that to me it appears ridiculous. Dan cing has been considered an art since the beginning of time, and should al ways be looked upon as such. Nothing Is wrong in a good, clean dance, for there is nothing that brings people to gether on a common social basis more than one of this kind. By a good, clean dance I mean a dance where only refined and respect able people are allowed, and you must admit that this past season has brought forward & good many of that kind. Do you remember being told of the so-called scandal in the British court regarding the introduction of the old fashioned waltz? Dancing was to be abolished then, and it looks very much like the fox-trot, maxixe, tango and hesitation are laboring through the same stage now. After Interviewing such local authori ties as Robert Krohn, Leon Hullier and Montrose Rlngler, I have arrived at the conclusion that close embracing Is not Indulged in by refined and reFpect able people. It is among the rougher class only that this sort of dancing is considered. That should be the only curb applied, for it takes a good gym nast to perform the ordinary steps. Another thing, any high-minded per son who really enjoys dancing dances for the beauty and grace he can secure with the aid of his partner and what help the music allows, so what chance is there for the "wrong thoughts, feel ings and influences of the dancers?" Practically all of the up-to-date dan cing is very fast, therefore it is almost impossible to dance close with any com fort or grace. Moat dances In the city are through before midnight, and there generally are enough of them going on at one time to make it unnecessary to attend a party where "clouds of dust" are "swished up by the skirts and feet of the dancers." The few hours spent In the education of grace and chivalry along with the healthful exercise and enjoyment Is much more necessary to good health and good citizenship than the same time spent with a novel. People can be too extreme in dancing just as much as being over-prejudiced regarding it, and certainly no harm comes in moderation. My idea is to make all dances invitational and elimi nate such people as those who would go to an extreme. This would do away with the unnecessary dance inspector, who is. as a whole, entirely ignorant as to what is right or wrong in this much commented art, which by many thought less and narrow-minded people Is looked upon as an "evil." GRAHAM P. SHARKEY. CAR STOPS FOl D PERPLEX I. G Woman Visitor Complains of Lark or System at Crosslngr". PORTLAND. May 10. (To the Edi tor.) I have enjoyed the hospitality of your kingly city, with its perfect hotels. Its beautiful streets, its rare lighting system, its splendid water and met the finest lot of courteous business men I ever found in my travels over this and foreign countries. But one thing thou lackest. Do stop all your streetcars on the near side of tho street, as every other up-to-date city does. I was constantly confused: this car stopped on the near side when 1 pa tiently was waiting on the far side, because there was a turn in the street; another time or two the car passed me by for I was on the far side, but the car stopped on the near side because there was a crossing. Oettlng on your cars at the right place caused me more trouble, more uneasiness, more disap pointments than business, war news or getting my hat on straight. Dear City Fathers, take a mighty Btep forward and order all your cars to stop on the near side of the street crossings and you will deserve and re ceive the gratitude of the stranger within your gates snd a host of the home folks. You will avoid a number of accidents and rest content if only this boon might be added unto you. LAURA G. FIXEN, Chicago. Ocean Levels at Canal. XYSSA. Or., May 9. (To tho Kditor.) Have the two oceans at the en trances to the Panama Canal the same level, and what Is the elevation of the highest part of the Isthmus? GIBSON. The Pacific and Atlantic oceans have the same level at the Canal, but on the racific side tides are much higher, at times attaining a stage above those on the Atlantic side of approximately IS t'ect. There are & number of lower. ing extinct volcanoes on the Isthmus. two oi wnicn are over u.ouo lect high. WO UK EMt;nED I KOM .T1 Every Woman Would Prefer Pleasant Home to Outside Employment. LEBANON Or.. May 10.To the Kd Thl 0, d JJO,", -'- letter in thoughts. n,e question of womcn cn terimr into commercial occu pa I ions Is personal with each woman TI.. y are not organized to take the work awav from men. It Is always persona!. 18 1, reasonable to suppose a woul(1 go behind a counter and ttHnd throughout the long dav hours and wait on impatient customers ju-t to keep some man out of the position" Is any woman doing any kind of worlr. outside the home because alio pi . fu g it to a pleasant home? I have associated wllh women who work all my life and I know whv they work for the same reason tli.it men work necessity. One must tai, even though she be a woman. If J could make the world Ideal, I would mnkir every man a competent breadwinner and give him a decent job and then 1 would give liini a wom an who was trained to care for a homo properly, and then 1 would send chil dr n into that home to bless it and make a contented "home. There is very little jn ufe or con ditions that even approach my Ideal, and we ail have to u.-c our brains to meet conditions and circuin.-laneea over which we have no control. If you were married to a man who for any reason whatever could not sup port you, would you not get out and work. too. if you had the capacity? Do not say you would get a divorce: you do not know exactly what you would do until, you were in that posi tion. If you were a girl and your par ents could not support you. won 1.1 you not get out and work if you were strong and healthy? If you were a woman, left a widow with a family snd Insufficient Income to live on. would you not cct out and work? Jf you were a woman without support would you work or go lititi Kiy? And If you had to work, would you not try to prepare yourself for that work and do the very, best 3011 could and climb up just as high as competition and jour own limitations would let voir.' J tn i, or is any woman, to ne piamnl because 1 have lo work? And if I must, work, am I lo he censured if I put all Am 1, or is any wonu efforts? Woman has never been censured for taking sewing or washing to do If necessity forced her to it, because man doesn't care lor that work. 1 bellevn it is lh age we live in that has brought about, conditions as Ihcy are. We are all more or less the victims of circumstances, and nothing about us will matter in lf,n ycHr.s from now ex cept the way we have performed our work, whatever it was. T never feel like making any excuse for my own particular activities in business. Rather, 1 would feel like making excuses If 1 refused to work under ths cireumsta uees. MARY C. l;0YI.A.NI, M. IX M II. RIIUI.RI KRV I V M.I A TI E Deputy Assessor Disputes Mrm-nts as to Columbia County H"sd. (IfiRI.IC, nr., Mav 10. (To the Edi tor.) II. I.. How I by had an article in The Oregonlan recently in which he made the statement that the Columbia Highway in Columbia County has -H miles of finished grade. lie. has a strong imagination. li also states that if the State Treasurer had hacked up the Highway Commission (that Is. Itowlby instead of the. reca'led Court of Columbia County there would be no lawsuits on hand at present against . the contractors, and he l right there; for if Mr. Kay had backed up the Com missioner (Rowlby) Colur-ihia County woiild now havo neither money nor credit to start any lawsuits or defend any. either. As for tho Columbia Highway Brad, there may be six or seven miles of the gi-ad. that can be traveled on. but that is old road that was in far better con dition be.forc the highway was started than It is at present, and the baluncr of grade Is a series of disconnected patches of grading with comparatively little of it that Is finished. Taken as a whole, from Tide Creek to the Clat sop County line, leaving the bridges out of the consideration, the work 1" not more than " per cent finished, and if the slides are considered, there M not -'i Per cent of finished work on the line. ... The road is here and can be seen by anyone interested sufficiently to come and see. ,l- c- WOUU. Deputy Assessor. Hlosraphles of Authors. SHLANP, Or.. May HI. (To the Editor) riease publish a biographical . . J' . xi -l.i Hell wi-iizht and of Gene Stratton-Porter. E. . ABBOTT. r;., sit ration Porter is the wife of Charles Darwin Porter. She was born on a farm in Wabash County. Indi ana, in and married in 18S6. She has' been editor of the camera depart ment of Recreation and on the natural history staff of Outing: is author and illustrator of "The Song of the Car dinal," "Freckles," "What I have Done With Birds." "The Harvester" and other books. Her home is near Rome City, lnd. Harold Bell Wright was born in Rome, N. Y in 1872. He has been a painter and decora tor, Jandscape paint er, pastor of the Christian Church at Pierce City, Mo.: Pittsburg. Kan.: For est Avenue, Kansas City: Lebanon, Mo., and RcdlundH. Cal. He retired from the ministry in IMS. He Is author of "The Printer of CdeM a." "The Shep herd of the Hill--." "The Calling of Dun Matthew s," "The. Uncrowned Klna. ' "The Winning of Barbara Worth." "His home is at Holtvllle, Cal. International Boyrott Fert. MARYH1LL, Wash., May 10. (To the Editor.) A modern crisis should he dealt with in modern ways. President Wilson should sever diplomatic rela tions with Germany, call a conference of neutral powers and with their co operation arrange for the complete iso lation of Germany and .ustrla, 1. c., an international boycott. 1 uls could be made to effective that not merely supplies of all kinds would be shut off. hut information from the outside world until such time as Ihcy cease to war on women and children and destroy the property of neutrals. CHARLES H. BABCOCK. f-A Hat For Everyone If milady cannot make a f-alis-factory selection from the hats now being shown ii the millinery shops about town, the fault, we fear, will be hers and not the builders of hats. There is the large, "floppy" hat of the garden species: the small, winsred and quilled hat for suit and street wear. . There is the hieh revere hat of military design: the medium-sized ribboned and ruffled hat that susccsts the old chariot te Coidav style. There is the bril liant flowered hat that breathes of Spring, and the never-quite-passe feathered hat for more drcsey wear. In a word, it will be a season which has for its keynote Yariety of Choice. The adveitlsius columns of The OrcRonlan contain dally announce ments f new millinery. Consult them before you 50 out to buy. f