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vrORTUND, SATIROAV, MAY 13, J913.
i rRKSIUKT WtLSON'S NOTE.
President Wilson's note to Germany
"Is such as the Nation had a right to
. expect. It is firm, dignified and un
rnistakable in its meaning, though
..clothed in diplomatic language and
garnished with many terms of com
- pliment and respect. It contains no
w evidence of flinching from insistence
on our demands, even though the
.i most extreme measures should be-
come necessary to uphold American
rights. It is Worthy of the Chief Ex
i -cutive of the American Nation and
will pass into our archives as one of
our great state papers.
" The President ignores as unworthy
Of consideration the sophistries by
which Germany has excused the
wholesale murder, not only of non-combatant
men, but of women and
.children, including babies at their
mothers' breasts. He takes his stand
. on the firm grounds of international
'."law, which declares the rights of hu
' manity and of peaceful citizens to
traverse the seas unharmed. No suf
ferings which the enemies of Ger-
miinj" may Inflict on her people can
-justify vengeance on neutrals or the
conduct of war in such manner that
neutrals are harmed deliberately.
Standing on this firm footing, we oc
cupy a moral position that is im
Ipregnablc. .The President's immovable deter
mination to maintain our rights at
any cost is plainly expressed in the
.last paragraph of the dispatch, which
reads:
.. The Imperial German Kovernment will not
'expect trie Government of the United States
J to omit any word or any act necessary to
,.tbe performance of its pacred duty of maln
, talrins the rights of tho United States and
Mis citizens and of safeguarding their free
"exercise and enjoyment.
'J Kvery thoughtful person who reads
-those words will realize that the
American Nation is face to face with
a grave crisis a crisis as momentous
.as any in our history. The Govcrn
'(itient will not "omit any word or any
act necessary to the performance ot
'its duty." That implies that we will
exhaust the resources of diplomacy in
!thc effort to maintain our rights. If
"they fail, then pressure of other
kinds, but short of actual force, may
.'.Tic brought to bear an international
boycott in conjunction with other
neutral nations, for example. As a
last resort, we may appeal to arms.
" The gravity of the crisis consists in
-the fact that, while the President
...makes his demands with unmistak
able determination, Germany shows
very evidence of a purpose to con
tinue the methods of warfare which
;he calls upon her to abandon. The
President refuses to permit the ques
tions at bjsuc between Germany and
the United States to become entangled
'with those at issue between Germany
;Bnd Great Britain, but Germany in
sists on thus involving them. Ger
pnany. contends that her submarine
campaign is justifiable reprisal for
!lhe British blockade, which, she
".maintains, is designed to .starve her
;-ivil population. Britain retorts that
"Hie blockade is reprisal for Germany's
inhuman methods ' of warfare. The
.President wisely refuses to bargain
for respect by Germany of American
rights. He will not buy from Ger
'.jnany what is indisputably ours by
"seeking to induce a third nation to
relent from any warlike measures it
has adopted against Germany. Had
;the President permitted the discus
sion to be led away into this bypath,
rthc result might have been a long
diplomatic correspondence while the
slaughter of Americans and the sink
Mng of American ships continued
- without abatement.
The gravity of the emergency is,
however, intensified by the purpose
of the President to keep the question
at issue between the United Slates
and Germany clear of all other mat
ters. Mr. Wilson's dispatch goes so
directly to the point that it hardly
' Admits of any other reply than a
; direct "Tcs" or "No." Onthe very
day when the President's dispatch 1s
i published there is also published an
interview with a high Germany gov
ernment official declaring Germany's
! unshaken purpose to continue the
; submarine campaign.
j The President also takes advanced
ground on the use of the submarine
; in war. After stating that a subma
i rine cannot put a prize crew on board
; a captured ship and take her to port
i nd "cannot sink her without leaving
! her crew and all on board of her to
' the mercy of the sea in her small
; boats." he says that "even that poor
; measure of safety was not given" and
then makes this significant statement:
Manifestly submarines cannot be used
. against merchantmen, as the last few weeks
iae shown, without an inevitable violation
of many sacred principles of Justice and
humanity.
Germany could not accept the prin
ciple here set forth without practi
cally abandoning the only means,
aside from mines, now available for
her to carry on naval war against her
; enemies' commerce. She denies that
i even sufficient warning for a ship's
crew to take to the. boats can be
given without imperiling the subma
rine. The war is being conducted
' with such ruthlessness, both on sea
, and land, that there is small hope of
Germany's abandoning her most
deadly naval weapon.
Germany's announced policy and
, purpose are thus in such direct con
flict with the President's demands
that small hope remains of bringing
them Into agreement by resort to
words. Jt remains to consider what
acts can be done by the United States
to express our resentment at the
wrongs we have suffered and to bring
Germany into a more reasonable
frame of mind. The first step "would
; naturally be dismissal of the German
Ambassador, recall of our Ambassa-
dor from Berlin and severance of dip
lomatic relations. Such action would
brand Germany as on outlaw nation,
with which we refused to have any
intercourse. This could be followed
by an embargo on commerce .with
Germany. The war has almost en
tirely stopped direct trade with Ger
many in recent months, since the
British blockade became effective.
Before the blockade was established
the volume of such trade had shrunk
enormously. Imports from Germany
In the first eight months of the pres
ent fiscal year were $75,727,000, as
compared with $127,289,000 in the
corresponding period of the previous
fiscal year. The decrease in exports to
Germany was still more impressive,
namely, from $262,719,000 to $28,
768,000. There has, however, been
such an enormous increase in exports
to the Scandinavian countries contig
uous to Germany that the conclusion
is irresistible that Germany has been
importing war material and food
through those countries. In order to
be effective, therefore, an embargo
on Germany's commerce would need
to include commerce passing through
contiguous countries. ,
By cutting off intercourse with
Germany we should not necessarily be
placed in a state of war, but the con
ditions would abound in possibilities
of and provocation to war. The pas
sions of Germany are already at war-fever-heat,
and a few more submarine
outrages would inflame American
sentiment to the same degree. Sev
erance of relations and an embargo
would Intensify irritation. We should
thus be dangerously near war." Since
Germany is unable to invade this
country at present, her fleet having
been driven from the sea, and since
we could only reach Germany in Eu
rope, a state of war would be purely
nominal unless we sent an army to
Europe to co-operate with the allies.
Should we refrain from doing so, pru
dence would compel us to put our
selves in a position of ample pre
paredness, for Germany would not
for many years forgive the affront
we had put upon her. In fact, pru
dence would dictate co-operation with
the allies. Were we to stand aloof
and were Germany to win in the pres
ent war, we might afterwards he
compelled to fight her alone, while
we should now have powerful allies
at our side.
This discussion of possible even
tualities serves to show how the pres
ent crisis might result in war by an
unavoidable sequence of events, not
withstanding our most earnest efforts
to uphold our rights without resort
to that extreme measure. It should
impress upon every citizen his pa
triotic duty to keep reason supreme
over passion and to do and say noth
ing iwhich may embarrass the Presi
dent in his efforts to uphold our
rights without being drawn into the
whirlpool of war.
LOVAI. CITIZENS.
The New York Staats-Zeitung is the
leading German-American paper in
the United States. Its editor is Her
man Ridder. a native of New York
City, but of German parentage. Mr.
Ridder is a prominent figure in
American politics, business and jour
nalism, though his paper is printed in
the German language, for he is a
director of the Associated Press, hav
ing been re-elected only last month,
and ex-president of the American
Njewspaper Publishers' Association.
He is widely known and universally
respected as a courageous and out
spoken editor and as a patriotic and
earnest American citizen.
During recent troubled months, the
Staats-Zeitung has naturally enough
upheld the cause of Germany. But It
is not surprising. In view of Mr. Kid
der's undoubted loyalty, to find that
the Staats-Zeitung now says:
Nor is this a time to burden millions of
the American people, with unjust- and un
necessary ancuish of mind. The Ocrmnt
Amcriciin niu;st suffer, in any conflict be
tween the t'nited States and tierniany, pains
of -which their fellow citizens can never
know anything. It is rather a time for
showing thein the greatest degree of con
sideration. They have fought to uphold the
tlajr in the past and they will do so again,
against any enemy whatsoever. They de
serve the fruits of past loyalty, until they
have forfeited the right to claim them.
Tin re has never been but one flag under
which the German-American has fought.
There never can be but one flag under
which he will ever fight; and that flag Is
the stars and Srripes.
Nor can there be the slightest
doubt v here other Americans of Ger
man ancestry as a body stand. They
have never faltered in their devotion
to America, nor will they now, trying
and difficult for them aa the situa
tion is.
THE M.IVOR IS RIGHT.
Jlr. Daly's petulant criticism of the
Mayor in his letter today is not be
coming. In spirit and Intent the city
charter designates the Mayor as the
one chiefly responsible for municipal
policies. Surely the power given the
Mayor to distribute the work" among
the Commissioners and to transfer a
Commissioner from one department
to another for the benefit of the
public service implies the right oii
his part to question the acts or pol
icies of his subordinates. In the
opinion of The Oregonian, Mayor
Albee could assert himself with pro
priety considerably more than he
does.
There are other-things far more
pertinent to the water meter issue
than comparison of the economies
practiced in the Department of Pub
lic Utilities and in the Department of
Public Safety, Economy under this
administration cannot be gauged
solely by ledger figures. Service must
be taken into account and consider
ation given to just what was provided
with the money previously expended.
A Commissioner who may have super
vision over activities previously han
dled in an extravagant manner is not
entitled to credit over another who
may have assumed work that w-as
previously conducted in an inade
quate or parsimonious manner.
Mr. Albee expressed a courteous
and logical opinion. It was to the
effect that the supply of water was
ovef-abundant and that the use of
water by the consumers, so long as
the supply is sufficent, should be en
couraged. His contention, as we un
derstand it, is that whatever fault
exists is in the distributing system
and that where that fault is found
it can be corrected easily without en
tailing the great cost of meter in
stallation. Mr. Daly asserts that hydraulic en
gineers the world over indorse the
meter system as the only economical
basis for constructing and operating a
water system. It may be granted that
the meter system Insures general
economy in the use of 'Water. Is that
the kind of economy the hydraulic
engineers mean? If so, we do not
need to practice it. We have an over
abundance of water. But if hydraulic
engineers contend that installation of
meters will permanently cure local In-
efficiencies in the distributing system
Mr. Daly would have spoken more to
the point if he had used the same
space in quoting a few of them that
he devoted to assailing the Mayor's
administration.
VOlIt LETTER OX THE LUSITANIA.
Communications discussing the
Lusitania disaster have been received
by The Oregonian in such volume
that they would occupy more space
than that allotted on this page to let
ters to the editor. A number of them
will be published Sunday, on a page
especially devoted to that purpose.
The Oregonian takes this .oppor
tunity to admonish its contributors to
be moderate in expression both as to
the main issue and as to the patriot
ism and intelligence of writers with
whom they do not agree. Letters ap
plying epithets to rulers or to
correspondents will not be printed.
Nor does The Oregonian believe that
the Lusitania incident properly opens
the way for a discussion of the causes
of the war now in progress or the re
sponsibility therefor.
The issue is between Germany and
the United States. On that issue The
Oregonian is glad to receive and print
the opinion of its readers when of
reasonable brevity and if free from
personalities and extreme expressions.
COPPKRITJCA niSM.
Supposing this country was at war with
Great .Britain and Germany had a ship
lnad of guns and ammunition that she
wanted to land for Canada, in a British
frhip under a British flag:, and it put the
stuff on a passenger liner in hopes to encak
it through.
Supposing there were a hundred German
passengers on that boat and Germany was
at peace with us.
After we had warned Germany that we
would torpedo that liner, and warned the
passengers they would not be safe when
the enemy's ship entered the war zone, and
Germany and the passengers scoffed at us
A'hat would we do?
We would! no doubt do Just what Ger
many did to the Lusitania. Benton County
Courier.
Here is a definite charge by a
newspaper printed in an American
city, peopled by citizens known for
their loyalty the seat of a great
American college that the American
Government, if at war, would spare
neither peaceful men, nor innocent
women and children, but would ruth
lessly destroy them in open and con
temptuous defiance of the recognized
rules of war and the common dic
tates of humanity. The assumption
is as wicked and contemptible as it
is unpatriotic and false.
The United States has suffered and
survived several bloody wars. The
Nation has more than once been in
sore peril and its armies in desper-
te straits. But when the outlook
was blackest not once has any Presi
dent, nor any responsible agent or of
fice of any American Administration,
been led into any act which violated
the accepted rules of war or iwhich
involved the undeserved death of
neutrals, wherever they were, or
even if they were non-combatant citi
zens of a belligerent country. There.
is no stain on the National escutcheon.
It has been left to a Corvallis paper
to give to a patriotic state the dis
agreeable disclosure that copperhead
ism is not dead.
THE TELEPHONE A FRIEND TO AST,
We know of an eminent judge who
will not tolerate a telephone in his
chambers. The incessant jangling of
the bell irritates him past endurance,
we suppose, and would impair his ju
dicial efficiency. It might even put
him into a state of mind where he
would hang somebody out of pure
cussedness. Some citizens will not
allow telephones in their dwellings
for the same reason, It brings the
rush and hurry of the competitive
world into the dining-room and par
lor. It makes the fireside an annex
of the office and destroys that happy
isolation which Is one of the charms
of family life.
But there is such a thing as too
much isolation. We have read of -old-fashioned
people who prayed the
Lord to make them deaf in order that
they might escape from bores. Had
their prayer been granted, the
chances are that they would have
been sorry. Excluding" the telephone
from office or dwelling is much the
same to a person as deafness would
have been a century ago. It saves
some worry and irritation, but how
much of life's vital current it shuts
off.
Like photography, the telephone
was supposed to be inimical to art.
AVe mean, of course, the art of con
versation. The jangling bell and the
curt operator at "central" were not
friendly to prolonged interchange of
thought and feeling. Such were our
fears when the instrument was new,
but time has brought better knowl
edge. It is now believed by enlight
ened connoisseurs of conversation
that the telephone is a positive help
to their beautiful art.
When a voluble talker gets a. lis
tener securely attached to the other
end of the wire there is no escape
for him. He cannot hang up the re
ceiver and flee, for that would be the
lowest depth of bad manners. He
cannot make signs of boredom help
him out of the difficulty because the
conversationalist half a mile or ten
miles away cannot see them. He can.
not swear over the line, for that is
against the law. All he can do is to
stand meekly and listen. Now a se
curely imprisoned listener is all that
a conversationalist needs for the at
tainment of perfection in her art. We
may take comfort therefore in the
belief that the telephone will be of
vital use in that direction.
CEXTENARt OF TIIK WOMAN'S COL.
LKOK.
This year is the centenary of the
founding of the first woman's college
in New York. Its site was Troy and
the founder was Emma Willard, as
Chauncey Depew reminded the world
in a speech on his 81st birthday. She
began operations by a petition to the
Legislature for a charter, but that
sapient body was horrified at the
idea of a woman's college. It would
destroy the home, break up the fam
ily, annihilate religion and plunge the
land into anarchy.
Education for women was as black
a specter in those days as votes for
women are now. All the destruction
that suffrage will now wreak was
then to be brought down upon us by
Latin and Greek.. The timorous antis
change the objects of their appre
hensions from time to time, butthey
never cease to shudder at something.
Each successive vision of the imag
ination throws them into new frenzies
of terror, but they seem to relish the
experience.
The New York Legislature rejected
Emma Willard's petition for a char
ter, but that did not deter her from
her enterprise. Without legislative
sanction she founded at Troy a semi
nary for the higher education of girls
and thus "that brave and wonderful
woman," aa Mr. Depew justly calls
her, began a work that has spread
throughout the world.
One of the pioneer advocates of
feminism in England was the poet
Tennyson, though his courage can
hardly measure up to Emma Wil
lard's. In his "Princess" he feebly
outlines a possible girls' college, but
the project seemed half absurd to him
even while he appeared to approve of
it. He made the college a failure and
the Princess who founded it sought
consolation in matrimony and a hus
band's petting. She was a cowering,
half-baked creature not to be com
pared with such women as Emma
Willard and Mary Lyon.
The latter founded Mount Holyoke
College twenty-one years after the
seminary at Troy opened its doors.
Since that time the development of
women's education has been rapid in
the United States. Both Harvard and
Columbia now have women's annexes,
while such great institutions as
Wellesley, Vassar and Bryn Mawr ad
mit no men. Emma Willard began
a revolution which was second in im
portance to none that the last cen
tury witnessed.
FIXING RESPONSIBILITY.
The Independent notices in the re
cent history of the United States a
tendency which it thinks is of vital
importance to the success of democ
racy. It is the new disposition to fix
responsibility upon definitely desig
nated officials. Our old National
habit was to diffuse responsibility in
a dozen different directions. The
"checks and balances," which we es
teemed so highly, operated to para
lyze the hands of men who wished to
serve the public effectually and
shield those who wished to serve
themselves.
Among the multiiude of driblets
into which authority had been dis
tributed it was impossible to fix upon
any Which led up to the accountable
source. The consequence was that
the people were badly served, espe
cially in municipal affairs, while in
terests hostile to the public flourished
luxuriantly. The new movement "Seeks
to escape from the system of checks
and balances except where it is clear
ly useful and substitute for it a re
sponsibility which cannot be evaded.
In accomplishing this difficult task
spontaneous organizations of citizens
have been found useful.
Such organizations have sprung up
in a great many cities and their ef
forts have been sometimes more po
tent than the law itself in eliminating
bad government. They have always
materially aided the law. The public
sentiment which effectually encour
ages municipal honesty and efficiency
is almost wholly due to their propa
ganda. Democracy does not tolerate
a hereditary governing class, nor does
it approve of appointed officials ex
cept where they are unavoidable. Its
failure, where it has failed, comes
from the lack of that expertness
which resides in hereditary and ap
pointive official classes.
To make up for this defect democ
racy is now developing the faculty of
raising experts from its own ranks.
When it reaches the point' where it
can tell the difference between genu
ine ability and fraudulent pretense it
will have gone far on the way toward
good government. ' When It can not
only recognize honest ability but has
the resolution "to put it in office, then
it will have reached the goal.
Foolishness over capital punish
ment has ended in Arizona and a
number will soon swing, although the
warden declares he will resign rather
than execute them. There have been
like wardens elsewhere to make that
threat.
The average Chinaman, and there
are none of other kinds, believes in
luck, and where the celestials do con
gregate they will be found marking
t,he spots. The fondness for the lot
tery equals his liking for "lats and
lices."
Depression of the lumbep industry
is largely due to the fact that lum
ber's rivals have had it all their own
way. The extended publicity cam
paign which is now projected may
bring lumber into its own again.
The patriotism which mobbed Ger
mans in London seems to have been
a mere cloak for looting. It Is a safer
form of patriotism than that which
takes men to trenches, confronting
armed Germans.
When Colonel Roosevelt quoted
William Barnes as referring to the
riffraff, perhaps he was only read
ing Mr. Barnes' mind and expressing
it in his own language.
Haviirg cleared the names of his
royal enemies from the roll of the
Order of the Garter, King George
may now fill the gaps with some of
his war heroes.
In closing the Winter home for the
unemployed yesterday, the Council
took timely action. The working sea
son is at hand and the city's guests
must swarm.
If the Boers were taken to Europe
after completing the conquest of
Southwest Africa, 'the war -might be
all over but the shouting.
Haines, up in Baker County, is
without water, and with the example
of Copperfield before it, must stay
dry for awhile.
As the judges and lawyers cannot
agree, a jury is to decide Thaw's san
ity, which is about where Thaw will
want the case.
Cupid wore a lifebelt oil the Lusi
tania and an -engineer and milliner
who met in the disaster are already
wedded.
The Beavers stay at the bottom, but
so do the Giants, and the Athletics
are but one removed. The season is
young. .
We might- boycott Germany by
stopping sale of munitions to the al
lies who let the Germans capture
them.
Governor Withycombe named some
excellent citizens for the Fish and
Game Commission.
Before fighting the Teutons the
Italians will fight out the war issue
among themselves.
The Mauretania. too, is to be tor
pedoed; but not if she sees 'em first.
Enjoy the showers now, for you
will not in a few weeks.
Constantlne has pleurisy and Sophie
has the grip.
Press and President's Note
What Xrnipnperi of'Xnitrd tatea
Say Cdaeernlng the? ommanlej
tion to Germany Compiled by As
sociated Freaa.
New York Tlmei It is the great diplo
matic achievement of the note that it puts
upon Germany the choice not only of what
her reply shall be. but of what is to follow.
The President's eloquent appeal ,to
her great traditions, to her sense of honor
and of Justice, must triumph over any war
like inclination she may feel to pursue a
course that can have but one ending.
New York Tribune He (the President)
has drawn an indictment against the Ger
man nation which will lie for all a?es to
come, if the Kaiser's government falls to
meet the demand of the President of the
United States promptly and completely.
Wronged, we have offered Germany
a peaceful solution in the present crisis, but
and the President's message sums it
all up . . . We shall omit neither word
nor act necessary to the performance of our
sacred duty.
Nc-.t York Herald It might have been
stronger; it might have been weaker; it
will serve. Mr. Wilson has overcome the
influence of those members of his 'abinet
who are for peace at any price. He has
lived up to the very best traditions of his
character.
New York World It is calm; it is re
strained. It is courteous, but with a cold,
cutting courtesy that gives added emphasis
to every word. ... By the strength of
his case and the moderation of his tone, the
President has made it as easy for Germany
to do right as to do wrong. If lie is to fail
in his effort it will be in good conscience
and in a good cause.
New York Sun The note ... Is Im
peccably urbane, though not without little
ironies In Its lone, friendly in spirit, reso
lute In its assertion of American rights and
of the freedom of the seas. It recalls Ger
many's contention for that liberty. . . .
The President has spoken firmly. The coun
try, supporting him as firmly, awaits with
out passion the German reply.
New York press Into the end of his note
to Berlin, President Wilson has put some
teth and not too many at that Into the
end, because the first of It ts filled with
those graceful, but empty, rhetorical
phrases which long ago exhausted the pa
tience of Americans, no less than they ex
cited the de-ision of the Berlin militarists.
New York American The President's let
ter is undeniably vigorous, but it is possibly
dangerous as well. The Nation desired that
Its rightful demands should be laid before
the German; government, but it did not an
ticipate that the President would go so far
beyond the plainly and soundly rightful
scope of those demands aa to Invite a re
buff. Springfield (Massf) Republican The Gov
ernment's position in this case is the coun
try's position, it is not extreme, yet It cov
ers the ground.
Columbus (Ohio) Ohio State Journal
How Germany will promise to protect the
lives and property of our people in the
future, or in what manner this country will
rece've her refusal to, remains to be seen.
It is a grave alternative; and while it is
not likely to result In war It will bring
about an enmity toward Germany that will
be full of anxiety.
Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal The note
to Germany meets the requirements and is
euch as the Government of : the United
States should address to Berlin. The Presi
dent leaves little room for parley and none
other than mouthings or rupture remains for
Germany.
Louisville (Ky.) Anzciger We agree with
the President that the German government
must explain the loss of the lives of Amer
ican passengers, but we do not think the
death of Americans gives the President the
right to demand the cessation of Germany's
undersea warfare against British commerce
so long as Kngland does not abrogate its
starvation warfare.
Chicago Tribune Whatever the fate of
our relations with Germany, the President
undoubtedly 4ias voiced the sentiment of
the Nation upon the use of the aubmarlne
as to the rights of neutrals on the high
seas.
Chicago Herald There is now no possi
bility of mistaking the position of our Gov
ernment. And it Is a position in .which
the American people will sustain their Gov
ernment in whatever measures may be neces
sary to uphold it.
Indianapolis Star In many fashions the
President's note does not shrink from the
logical consequences of his position, but ac
cepts the full significance of his attitude.
Kt, Paul Pioneer Press The American
note has reached to a wonderful height of
forceful diplomacy. Hoping for the best,
the universal American sentiment wiil be
that America has done Its duty and the
people will support the President through
whatever may be the consequences.
Fprincfield (III.) State Journal It is the
dignified protest of a .Nation which, while
feeling that Its rights and the rights of
other neutrals have been violated, is neither
xindictivc nor resentful.
St. Louis Westliche Post For the preBS
of the whole country, there is at present
but one sacred duty, to leave nothing un
done to avert inner strife. That wo Amer
icans of German descent with a bleeding
heart contemplate the possibility of an
armed conflict between the L'nitcd States
and the land of our forefathers no falr
manded person will condemn us for. There
still is hope for an honorable understanding
on both sides. May Providence grant that
the worst be averted.
Lenver (Colo.) Post The President's note
to Gerninny i. mjniy and patriotic. The
rtand of the United States Is unquestionable,
not w it lutanti ing tile suave ami diplomatic
evpt e.s'sjons usd. The red-blooded people
of the West would have preferred a note
containing a little more emphasis and a
little less circumlocution. But. anhow,
come what will, the contents of this note
and its sentiment are indorsed by the unan
imous eentimcnt of the great Ilocky Moun
tain regions.
Kichmond (Va.), News-leader Germany
must now deride w hcther she will accept the
American protest as an ultimatum or as an
opportunity of rescinding an indefensible
proclamation. If she is determined to con
tinue her submarine warfare she- must face
at leait an immediate severance of dlpio
mitic intercoms with this country. If she
is willing to abandon a policy of wholesale
murder and cowardly assassination, she can
do so with no loss ot prestige by a simple
disavowal of tho acts of her naval officers.
Omaha Bee The prote-t unquestionably
voices the sentiment of the great majority
of the American people. in the paramount
proposition it is clear cut. namely, that the
I nitcd ctates will not recognize or acqui
esce in violation by any of the warring
nations of Luropo of the rights accorded by
international law to our citizens.
Cincinnati Kreie Presse The part of the
note dcaii-ig with the loss of lUrs in the
Lusitania catastrophe more properly ought
to have been directed: to fc.ngiand. Eng
land alone is responsible for the Lusftania's
destruction through her brutal threat to
star a nation. Germany cannot stop her
undersea warfare without surrendeing her
self, bound hand and foot, to a brutal
enemy. We are not obliged and have no
right to set up ourselves as the protectors
of British shipping.
Philadelphia Inquirer We have not al
ways agreed with the President of the
t'nited States, but when it comes to a ques
tion of the Nation's honor, the President
must he upheld. The note is written de
liberately and coolly. There is not a word
spoken in haste.
Cincinnati Volksblatt The note Is disap
pointing in that it disregards the Just com
plaints of Germany and appears to es
pouse the cause of Great Britain. We think
that the difficulty admits of a satisfactory
solution by advising American citizens to
travel on American vessels. Cnwittlngly,
the President shelters British cowardice
which tries to make British ships immune to
German attacks by taking American pas
sengers aboard,
San Francisco Chronicle Unmistakably
firm, the note is yet friendly In tone and
though this latter qualification may be dis
pleasing to the jingoes, it commends itself
to tho common sense of people unaffltcted
with inflammable hatreds. The Nation
mourns the loss of her citizens, but while
demanding justice, does so as one who would
render Justice to all others.
Salt Lake City Herald-Republican It Is
gratifying to observe the President is at
last correctly interpreting public opinion.
Wherever these demands may ultimately
take the country, even to the last resort, of
which the President hints, the people will
cheerfully follow.
" "Boston Christian Science Monitor There
is probably nobody of opinion -In rfle United
States who will be dissatisfied either with
the tone or temper of this note,
St. Taul (Minn.) Volks Zeitung The stand
taken by the President serves notice on our
so-called leaders and the irresponsible Jingo
press that this country will not. go to war
without full Justification. We are glnd to
see the President take such a strong stand
for upholding the rights of American citi
zens; we sincerely trust he will demand
that hereafter all countries will respect our.
right to the sacred freedom of the seas.
Whatever the outcome, no matter how greai
the suffering and mental agony that German-Americans
would undergo, there can be
no question about their loyalty to the Stars
and Stripes.
Milwaukee (Wis.) AbcndpoKt We do nol
remember ever having written an article
with heavier heart. While ne compose It
wo are under pressure of the most cruel
situation of which an American citizen of
German extraction may have to fact that
which always appeared to us not only as
direst calamity that could befall u, but
also as the most heinous crime that could
be committed against civilization, has ap
parently at least become a possibility a
war between the two countries dearest and
nearest to our hearts, cm one side there
is no sentiment more nutural and more
beautiful than a loving attachment to the
country where our cradle stood.
On the other side we are American citi
zens, who under all conditions havt to con
serve their loyalty to the great country of
their adoption. . . . We can only ex
press most ardent hope that the German
government, while fully conserving its legiti
mate rights, may yet find in Its answer
the tone that will spare us the worst.
Washington Post The note is framed in
moderate language and leaves abundant
opportunity for the German government to
reply in a way that will restore good feel
ing between the two countries. . . The
question is now up to Germany. It is un
necessary to speculate whether the Amer
ican note will lead to war or peace, be
cause the Issue reBts with Germany and
not with the United Stales. The alternative
Is clearly set forth.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
From The Oregonian May 15. IS'.IO.
Washlnprton Considerable opposition
is developing to the rivers and harbors
bill, but Oregon and Washington Her
resentatives are watching guardedly
over the interests of the t'acitle North
west and the Columbia River in par
ticular. Chicago Assistant Postmaster-Uen-eral
Clarkson, in an interview yester
day, voiced his opposition to the pro
posed plan to establish in the United
States a civil service system like that
of England's. It would build up a per
petual office-holding class which would
work toward the goal of holding office
of some kind until they were tit) years
old and then claim a l'ederal pension
New York- A large delegation gath
ered at the office of the Police Gazette
yesttrday to witness the presentation
of the lightweight cha mpionship bei t
to Billy Murphy. The belt carries the
world title. Such men as Jake llavlin.
Tommy Warren, Ike Weir, the Belfast
Ppider; Frank Murphy, of Kngrland. and
tho present holder have foight for the
belt, which is valued at $1500.
Alfred Bacnell, of Gold Beach. Curry
County, while wrestling recently was
thrown with such violence that a leg
was broken.
.T. II. Mansell. of Astoria, has re
ceived a dispatch from A. A. Schenk,
assistant chief engineer of the New
York Central & Hudson River Rail
road, pledging $1000 to the railroad
subsidy upon transcontinental connec
tion. A lad named Artie Boone, said to be
a lineal descendant of Daniel Boone,
killed a large American eagle recently
in Lincoln County, Washington.
W. A. Burkholder. who has for some
time filled the position of superintend
ent of stations for the Willamette Kails
Klectrie Company, is going to Nash
ville, Tcnn., to take charge of the light
stations at that place.
It is understood that Rev. C. C. Strat
ton, who recently resigned the position
of president of Mills College. Oakland,
Cal., is to take the position of chancel
lor of Willamette University.
Sam Calvin, the old man who was a
familiar character as he trudged alontr
first street with his pack of doss at
his heels for a number of years, is no
more. He died yesterday. Calvin ilieu
in his room over the Crystal Palace
saloon. He had been In these parts
since 1S83, having come from Virginia
City, New, where he lived during 11
of the most prosperous years of the
camp. He also for a time was tiie
agent for Wells, Fargo & Co.'s expreta,
at Gold Run Cal. Mr. Calvin was from
Kentucky and was 3 years old.
r,
Building the Alaska Railway
The Sunday Oregonian
Undo Sam now appears in a new role that of a traction magnate.
He has undertaken to finance and build a railroad in Alaska. After
it is built he proposes to operate it. A full-pajre illustrated story in
The Sunday Oreponian will Rive some information of the territory
that this proposed road is to traverse and of the problems with which
the Government will lave to deal in constructing" it. Inasmuch as
the development of Alaska is expected to he of much commercial
advantage to Portland this new enterprise is of much interest here.
SONG OF TIIE SUBMARINE The first papc of the Magazine Sec
tion tomorrow will show a remarkable picture of a submarine
sinking a battleship. "Sons: of the Submarine," a timely poem by
Harry M. Dean, accompanies it.
BOYS IN AFRICAN JUNGLES More than six years airo James
Chapin and Herbert Lang", American boys, set outfor the heart
of unexplored Africa, where they sought to collect natural history
specimens. Chapin has just returned with some rare and remark
able specimens of both flora and fauna secured from spots never
before trodden by man. Lang is still in Africa superintending the
shipping of another lot of their specimens. A full page will be
devoted to an account of their expedition.
CURIOUS PHOTOGRAPHS From many parts of the world come
photographs of curious incidents and curious places. A whole page
will be devoted to reproducing them. An interesting description
will accompany each of the pictures.
GO ETHALS' CANAL STORIES General Gocthals, builder of the
Panama Canal, wjll present another installment of his story de
scribing the conditions under which the big ditch was constructed.
In this number he will tell of the labor problems and how they
were handled to the satisfaction of all interested parties.
ANNIVERSARY OF DANTE'S BIRTH The 650th anniversary of
the birth of Dante occurs this month, and this is made the occasion
of an interesting review of his life and a perspective of his works
as viewed at the present day. The precise date of Dante's birth,
like that of his contemporary, Roger Bacon, whose birthday Oxford
celebrated last June, is not known.
FLEET TO BE REVIEVED President Wilson, Secretary of the
Navy Daniels, Admiral Dewey and other officials will review the
Atlantic battleship fleet in New York Harbor next Monday. It
was intended originally that the fleet should pass through the
Panama Canal to San Francisco and the Exposition, soon following
this review, but the date of the departure has been postponed. An
illustrated story will give some interesting information on the
present strength of the United States Navy.
ROSE FESTIVAL TIME IS NEAR Within a few weeks Portland
will be in the midst of its annual festival of flowers. The managers
of this year's celebration are preparing an interesting programme.
The head of each department will tell just what he is doing to
provide the people with entertainment, and the feature will be
illustrated with pictures of some of the finest roses now in bloom.
LIBERTY BELL COMING The historic Liberty Bell will be brought
to Portland some time in Jufy on its way to San Francisco, where
it will be exhibited at the Exposition. This is an incident of intense
patriotic interest to every schoolboy and girl and to many grown
folks as well. Ample opportunity will be given for all to sec the
revered relic when it comes to Portland. A Sunday story will
review the history of the bell and tell of the plans for bringing it
on its Western trip.
ATTRACTIONS FOR LITTLE ONES One attractive department
will be devoted exclusively to the boys and girls. It consists of
puzzle pictures, stories, jokes and conundrums. Then there will be
the page prepared by Artist Donahey in which he presents another
adventure of the Teenie Weenies and relates another of his modern
fairy tales. The Comic Section will introduce once more Polly,
Doc Yak, and all the popular characters of the colored sheets.
Half a Century Ago
From The Orrsonian. May lr,, lii".
An elephant and a bull fisht took
place recently at Sa raco..-a. Spain, for
the entertainment and "lif i Co. Lion of
the bloodthirsty inhabitants of that
place. The elephant was walking;
quietly about the rinc when the bull
was turned loose. The bull made a
frantic rush at the elephant, and Jum
bo, taking his time about It, calmly
thrust It back, eventually finding It
necessary to kilt it with his tusk. The
keeper of Live elephant fed it snme corn
while the second bull whs being re
leased, when it was dispatched by the
death route in a coiniai.iilvcly few
minutes, after w hich the elephant uas
led off unscratcheil, practically.
In his message of Iecernlicr.
old Buchanan stated that the Kcntj-al
ifovernment had no power to enforce
its authority in the seceded states and
that though assailed it had no riult
to employ force for its own defense.
The Nation could he attacked but cotil-1
not return blow for blow. From tlii
lucid reasoning it followed that the
Union was hopelessly lost. The cob
webs of the senile dastard's ariruincnl
were brushed away by his mit'ccor;
the riuht of the Government to live and
the right to punish those who set the
laws at defiance were reasserted; tho
people approved the course taken and
the country was, avel. This last was
accomplished by having a man at the
head of the Government instead of a
poltroon.
About a week ago there was great
excitement caused by the alleged dis
covery of gold in th vicinity of Vic
toria. One nugget valued at $106 was
produced. The Colonist said the fin-i
was bona fide, but we are Inclined t-
believe some one brought the'nupael
and coarse gold from somewhere cl.-
and planned on profiting by the spread
of the rumor.
Colonel Jacques, who once visited
Jeff JDavis, delivered a lecture in Phila
delphia recently, in the course of which
he said he had been asked before tho
election why Grant did not take Rich
mond and then the election of Lincoln
would be certain. He always replied
that Grant was not in the field to make
Presidents and would not march his
army 10 miles to elect himself Presi
dent. He was there to put down til."'
Rebellion, and in so doing he would not
have his men slaughtered unnecesba
rily. He knew but one question, and
that was to have Lre by the throat
and hold him till he choked the life
out of him.
Since the adoption of the emancipa
tion ordinance in Missouri there lias
been quite an increase in emigration
to that state and the value of property
is increasing greatly. A steady stream
of capitalists also is pouring into the
state. -Missouri is more peaceable now
than it lias been in two years.
Philadelphia Subscriptions to tho
7-.10 loan today were $17,100,000, sin
gle subscriptions ranging from one to
three millions. The $.( to $100 de
nominations were taken in the sum of
about $1,200,000.
Dr. Watkins was called to East Port
land Saturday to attend George Long,
whose lcar was fractured when a hoisc
he was riding fell on him.
S. A. Clarke, who has been con
nected with this paper for six months
past, has resigned the quill editorial
and as correspondent for The Orego
nian will travel through the minins
country to the eastward, especially In
Idaho. It is the intention of the pro
prietor to supply the readers of The
Orcironlan with reliable information
from all important points intimately
connected with tiie state.
Who, Ton! Iry Mnce t hi Id hood.
Newberg Graphic.
Tom Richardson, of booster funic, ha s.
gone to Houston, Tex., to labor in the
interest of an open sea from that city
to the Gulf of Mexico nt the usual price
per boost. It can't be possible that the
outlook for a dry Oregon had terrors
for nur Tom that carried hint away.
IN