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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (May 18, 1915)
6 THE MORNING- O "REG ONI AN. TUESDAY, MAT 18, 1915. PORTLAND, OEKiON. Entered at rorlllnd, Ore ton, Fostofflcs aa iccond-L-Itu matter. Subscription Rates Invariably in advanca: Tally, Sunday Included, one year ... Tily, Sunday Included, six months . Ia.lly, Sunday Included, three months Jalty, Sunday Included, one month. Iaily, without Sunday, one year .... neatly, -without Sunday, six months . . Tially, without Sunday, three months Xially, without Sunday, on month. . . M'eeJtly, one year Sunday, one year Sunday and Weekly, one year (By Carrier.) Talty, Sunday includea, one yotr ... Xsiy. Sunday Included, one month . 2! . 5 ." 1.75 .u J.W S.eO u.ou 9.00 .73 How to Rmit irnd rostnfflna money or rter. expreos order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at pander's rtik. Give postoffice address In full, including- county and state. I'oitwo Rates 12 to ltf pages, 1 cent; 1.1 to 3- pages, cents; 34 to 4S pages, 3 rente; CO to tso pages. 4 rents; 2 to 7 ti pases, a etit.: 7 to paices, tj cents. l-'orelsn postage, douM rater. Fasstern Ruslneea Office Veree St Oonklln. Kew York, Hriinswick building; (Jliicaso, tenjcer building". Pan Francisco Office It. J. Bidwell t;om panv, 741! Market street. poRTi.Ayn. Tlf.ODAV, MAY 18. 1815. OTHF.R MKANS BE8IOKS WAR. "Entertaining little hope tliHt Ger many will yield to the demands of the United States until great pressure is brought to bear on her, many Amer icans are turning attention to the means short of war to which we could resort. It Is not expected that a mere severance of diplomatic relations would have the desired effect. We could, however, ,lnfluence Germany by reducing her supply of war materials, food and manufacturing materials from abroad and by closing foreign markets to her. The most obvious device for attain ing this end is a league between this and other neutral countries. Were the United States alone to place com merce with Germany under an em bargo. It would accomplish little un less it applied to American commerce passing through other neutral coun tries. If the United States made it so apply without their consent ill-feeling In those countries might be engendered against us. But they have almost as great a grievance against Germany as we have, for their ships have been punk and their sailors and passengers lrowned By German submarines. Over tures for an armed league to boycott commerce with Germany might be "well received, but there are other points beyond the injury they have suffered for these nations to consider. The European neutral nations most injured by Germany's submarine war are also those which profit most by trade in contraband with Germany. Holland controls the lower Rhine, which Is one of Germany's great com mercial arteries, and that country has doubtless handled some war material in transit. The quantity has been limited, however, by an arrangement with Britain, securing Dutch shipping gainst molestation on condition that II imports of contraband are con signed to a monopoly-which has given guarantees not to export them to Ger many. Holland shows a relativoly small increase of imports from the United States during the eight months ending February 28 from $78,626,000 to $81,007,000. She is so irritated by the sacrifice of her ships, by the in jury to her commerce, by the expense of mobilization, by the burden of caring for Belgian refugees and by the misery inflicted on her neighbor Belgium that she might be willing to lose some of her commerce in the ef fort to assert her rights. But Holland fears German vengeance similar to that wreaked on Belgium. While she fears Germany, she does not trust Britain and she still nourishes a grudge for the conquest of the Boer republics. Sweden, Norway and Denmark have Buffered much by the depredations of German submarines and mines, but they have profited more than any other European country by the con traband trade with Germany, if their imports from the United States in the eight months ending with - February, as compared with those for the cor responding period ending February 1914. are any indication. The increases are:. Denmark, from $11,299,000 to $32,0S9,O0O; Sweden. $9,554,000 to $47,593,000: Norway, from $6,172,000 to $27,491,000. It is safe to assume that a very large proportion of these increased exports to Scandinavia was contraband destined for Germany, al though part of Sweden's share was sent across the northern frontier to Russia. This trade has been a large source of profit, and the Scandinavians may think twice before abandoning it in order to join a neutral boycott on Germany. There are other motives also. Sweden has no love for Russia and has a wholesome respect for Germany. She might not be inclined to adopt a course which would help Russia and which might provoke Germany to re taliation. The Kaiser might treat a boycott as an act of war and he might sink every Swedish ship in the Baltic or drive them to port. He might bom - bard the ports of all three countries, both from sea and air. As Germany is supreme on the Baltic and has cut off trade with Russia, trade with Ger many is about all there is on that sea. While American trade with Germany, either direct or through Scandinavia, constitutes a small part of our whole trade, Scandinavian trade with the em pire is so large a factor that it could not readily be sacrificed. Hence President Wilson might encounter in superable obstacles in organizing a neutral league to boycott Germany. Such a. league, however, was organ ized in 1780 during the American Revolution, in resentment against British naval warfare. Russia, took the lead in forming a league composed of Russia, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Prussia, Germany (then headed by Austria), Portugal, Turkey and Naples, to defend the freedom of the seas, by force if necessary. Britain was Isolated among nations and was driven to modify her naval policy. If Germany were to be isolated as com pletely, she might feel the pinch so severely that she would call in her submarines. If no league could be formed, the T'nited States could not only boycott Germany commercially but could seize German property in this country and confiscate debts due by Americans to Germans. Under this policy interned German ships could be seized and placed in the service of American commerce, where they are much needed. Germany might retaliate by seizing American property within her borders and even hy imprisoning American citizens. Tho antagonism thus aroused might grow to the point where actual hostilities would ensue. though the Government would do its utmost to avoid them. Danish women are not likely to thank their Parliament for giving them the franchise, since they must confess to twenty-five years in order to vote for members of the lower house and thirty-live years in order to vote for those of the upper house. They may not balk at the twenty-flve, but what woman will confess to thirty-live? The law will be held to attach a penalty to the exercise of a right. W AS IT SCIC1DK? The versatile Dr. Dernburg, ambas sador extraordinary to German public opinion in the United States, voices one argument In favor of the destruc tion of the Lusitania and all on board, Including American non-combatants, w hen he says; Oermany Issued a general warning ad vertisement before tho Lusitania sailed. If after such a warning: and publication of thf. fact that a ship contained contraband people still want to travel In her it la their own affair. Nobody can prevent their committing suicide If they wish. it seems to be assumed that the pas sengers on the Lusitania were pleas ure bent and that they were simply going abroad" to spend their Amer ican money. It is not true. It was and is the policy of the Government to deny passports to all w ho can give no sufficient reason for going to Kurope. Women and children going to join husbands and fathers, men who have large business interests in Great Britain or on the continent, nurses for Knglish, Germans and French, news paper men, theatrical men and the like made up the steamer's passenger list, so far as it was represented by Amertcans. Now as . to contraband, Herman Winter, of the Cunard line. says: The onJy munitions of war on board were too cases of Remington small rifle car tridges and a shipment of unloaded shrapnel shells. The cartridges were packed in separate metal cases and could pot have injured tile vessel by exploding. They certainly do not come under the classifica tion of ammunition. The t'nited Slates au thorities would not permit us to carry am munition, classified as such, on a passenger liner. The. brutal Dernburg assertion that the Amerlcaus on tho Lusitania "com mitted suicide" belongs with the fa vorite Southern fiction that the negro who has Jufft been burned at the stake died from self-inflicted incendiarism. NOT . THE ITNAt, WORD. The Supreme Court of the United States has seen fit to take the techni cal view of the conduct of Robert V. Booth in the La Raut and Jordan cases. Tho court affirms the decision of the Court of Appeals canceling the patents, and thus reverses the District Court of Oregon, which had held with Mr. Booth on the four La. Raut cases, though against him in the Jordan case. It will doubtless be recalled that the La Raut-Jordan litigation played a prominent part in the recent cam paign. It was contended that the Booth-Kelly Lumber Company had, through Jordan and the La Rauts as dummies, sought to acquire valuable timber land claims at a nominal cost. The contention of Mr. Booth was that he had merely sought to help the La Rauts, who were his .relatives, and Jordan, a company foreman, for their benefit, and not the company's benefit. The Supreme Court rejects the Booth explanation that he had acted in a spirit of benevolence and with the idea of putting his relatives and his foreman in the way of self-help. Yet The Oregonian accepts it now, as it did during the campaign, and it be lieves it will be accepted at face value by all who know Mr. Booth. It la entirely consistent with Mr.' Booth's lifelong practices and with his known record of constant and practical in terest in dependent relatives and numerous friends. it ought to be recalled that the methods of the Booth-Kelly company were scrutinized by the Government in the most particular and searching manner, and it could not be found it was never charged that its timber holdings were acquired in any other than a regular manner by purchase in the open market except as to these five small claims. They represent less than one-tenth of 1 per cent of the Booth-Kelly possessions in timber There were no dummy entrymen, no conspiracy to get something for noth ing, no scheme to evade the law, no exploitation of the public domain. At a time and in a country where such things were common the record of the company is remarkable. Mr. Booth acquired his fortune which Is probably not so large as many ininh, o pcisontti imitt, Jtiaia tent and intelligent energy and by see ing and seizing opportunity. He has given away thousands, and he has al ways sought to help others. It seems that he took the wrong way of ren dering a service in the La Raut-Jordan affairs: yet even a court decision is not the final word. TirE OLD AND THE NEW SCTSOERT. The New York Medical Journal prints an address by Dr. W. W. Mc Keen in which modern methods of military surgery are compared with those that prevailed in the time of the Civil War. Dr. McKeen was present in the field hospitals at Gettysburg and .elsewhere and knows intimately the facts of which he writes. He tells of one terrible night about two weeks after Gettysburg when he was called to treat five cases of "secondary hemorrhage." This occurred because the wounds had been infected and were not healing properly. He adds that since the adoption of Lister s an tiseptic method in 1876 he has never seen a case of secondary hemorrhage. Many of the men wounded in the Civil War recovered but It seems to have been in spite of their surgical treatment, not by its help. "Wounds were washed with old sponges," (jays Dr. McKeen, "and lances were sharp ened on dirty bootlegs. It was com mon for blood poisoning, gangrene and abscess to follow as a conse quence." The reader will remember that Walt Whitman contracted his lifelong illness by infection in a hos pital where he was caring for wounded soldiers. A soldier who is wounded in the present war is pretty sure to recover if he receives timely treatment. If he lies neglected on the ground he con tracts infection and then the case be comes more difficult. But even that contingency is partially provided for since each man carries a first-aid package of sterilized .lint with proper medicines fo staunch his wound until assistance arrives. If not too badly in jured his chances of recovery are good if he takes advantage of the resources which science has put into his hands. Dr. McKeen insists positively that these advantages are derived from vivisection. "The chief means of our progress in medicine and surgery," he says, "is animal experimentation." Death would reap a far more abundant harvest on modern battlefields were it not for the experiments on living ani mals that have been made in our laboratories.- Thus far It has been found easier to heal the bodies of the warring troops than the minds of their masters. Perhaps some psycho- logical Carrel or Lister will one day invent a serum that will deprive the war germ of its virulence. Peace will then come automatically and our pa cifists may lay down their arms. METEK8 AID TICK RICH. A correspondent writes to The Ore gonian today that installation of a water meter at his premises resulted in raising his water rates, although he practices economy. This is not at all surprising. For the family of ordi nary size living in the ordinary house the flat rate is at present low in com parison with that charged the same sized fajnily residing In a house with extra conveniences. Like the Income tax, the water rates in a rough way are now graduated in accordance with ability to pay. For example, in a house occupied by say five persons the existence of certain facilities or conveniences is charged for by tho Water Department when under no possible circumstances do such conveniences tend to cause use of more water than that incident to a house occupied by the same num ber of persons but having fewer of the same type of facilities. Thekind of equality the meter will give is that which raises the water rates of those less able to pay and reduces the rates of those better able to pay. The man who can afford to live in or own a house with a private bath room attached to the guest chamber or in a residence equipped with steam or hot water heater would probably profit by the attachment of a meter. He must pay additional water rates for either luxury, yet it is doubtful if existence of either or both is a per ceptible drain upon the water service. It is the man in the- ordinary house who will make up the saving enjoyed by his wealthier neighbor, if water meters are installed. Yet it is "labor's friend" who presents the scheme. UNION'S SEVENTH ANNUAL. LIVESTOCK 8 HOW. Year by year the livestock show at Union improves. When the first show was held seven years ago it was at least intimated by those who "knew" that the Union people would make a mess of it, chiefly because Union County did not have the stock neces sary to afford a credita.ble display. There was an element of truth in the statement but that element has been dissipated and principally because of the shows. Now there are but few counties in Oregon where the horses, cattle, sheep and swine rank as high as In Union. The coming show will be held on June 2. 3 and 4 and there will no doubt, be a display of livestock worth going a long way to see. Aside from that there will be track events aa well as a programme depicting life on the range. The people of Union offer free entrance to all events and in all stock classes, free shelter and free feed; the citizens also offer, as usual, a greeting as warm and a hospitality as large as can be found in the West. PE ACE DAY. Today the thoughts of the whdle country are concentrated upon peace, As a rule we think too much about war. We read and talk too much about it. There is too much military poetry In our school readers and too many of the hymns commonly sung breathe military ardor rather than Christian forbearance and love. It is well therefore to devote one day out of the year to the contemplation of peace. The time might be extended to several days without harm. Perhaps we shall live to see peace made as much of in our textbooks and class rooms as war has been in the past. Peace is worth contemplating. Its beauties will stand investigation. It has no horrors to gloss over with foi words, no miseries to conceal with banners, and oratory. But there are worse things than war, as Mr. Taft and other advocates of honorable peace have told us many times. A peace which involves submission to insult is not especially beautiful. As James Russell Lowell said in 1865 in a letter to his friend, Charles Kliot Norton, "No naiion Is great enough to sit down under insult, for greatness means the power to resent insult." Peace is worth talking and workln for. It is particularly worth while to talk to the pupils in the public schools about it, for their minds are impres sionable and what they hear will af feet their whole lives. They may be inspired to Jove peace so well that they will live for it all their days and turn whatever influence they may have toward making it permanent both at home and abroad. We may even be lieve that young people may be taught to love peace so well that they will fight for it when occasion arises, as every good citizen should.- CHARLES FRO H MAX. Perhaps Charles Frohman will be as much mourned as any man who went down with the Lusitania. The plays which he produced have given delight to multitudes and no doubt he would have greatly added to our debt of gratitude had he lived out the full measure of his years. In choosing plays his preferences were decidedly in favor of foreign authors, although his fortune was founded by the American play "Shenandoah." His predilection for plays of foreign au thorship does not seem strange when we remember the bad luck that at tended many of the American works which he accepted. During his last year as a manager he produced four American plays every one of which was a failure. In previous years his luck had been about the same. To make matters all the more exasperating, while Froh man's American plays were falling some of those produced by other managers attained & brilliant success No wonder he formed the habit of going abroad for his ventures. Human nature is fundamentally much the same in all civilized coun tries and a play which has succeeded in France or Germany is pretty likely with proper adaptations, to succeed in the United States. Mr. Frohman acted upon this principle. From the German Mr. Frohman took "All the Comforts of Home" and "Mr. Wilkin son's Widows," which William Gillette worked over, for American use. His "Lost Paradise" again was translated with very little alteration from Lud wig Fuda's German play of the same name. His comedy company acted very few plays which were not of French origin and for his leadin actors he usually selected English plays. Thus Mr. Frohman could not be counted among those who most active ly encouraged American genius. By using plays which had proved popular In other countries he lessened the risk of his business, but he did not stimu late the native drama a great deal. It said, however, that Mr. Frohman ould have changed his policy in this particular if he had lived. COPPER TRUST TO DIS.SOI.VK. Another great corporation is about to dissolve without any compulsion on the part of the Government, but of its own free will. This is the Amalga mated Copper Company, which is a holding company for mines in Mon tana and Wyoming. having an authorized capital of. $155,000,000, of hich $153,887,900 has been issued. The Anaconda Copper Company bought stock of various mining com panies, issuing its own stock in pay ment until the total reached' $115, 000,000. The Amalgamated then bought $79,609,150 of Anaconda tock, which gave control, and bought mines in other fields, but never en gaged directly in mining or smelting. Its dividends have averaged nearly 6 per cent and have run as high as S per cent. The dissolution will be effected simply by dividing tie stock of the subsidiary companies among the holders of Amalgamated stock in the same manner as the Standard Oil ompany was dissolved, the parent company having no other property. The reasons given are that public sen timent is against the holding company and that the New Jersey laws forbid further acquisition of other com panies' shares. The latter reason probably had less eight than the former or than the additional reason- that there was nothing to be gained by maintaining the combination. Trusts are grad ually realizing that they have exceed ed the limit of size where economy and efficiency are gained. As the law prevents their deriving any advan tage from monopoly power and as the threat of enforced dissolution contin ually hangs over them, they may as ell dissolve voluntarily and escape the odium attaching to them. The Russian "intellectuals" have published a manifesto against persecu tions of the Jews. Their argument is that internal discord will mar Rus sia's hopes of a national greatness. These "intellectuals" are high-brows in the universities, authors and public men who see a little farther and more learly than ordinary politicians. Per. haps their advice will be taken, per haps. The international Y. M. C. A. cdu- ational committee reports eighteen railroad associations in this country ith more than fifty members each. The one at Philadelphia has 505 mem bers. The educational work is co operative in these associations, being supported partly by the men and partly by the company. Moving pic tures are much used by the instruc tors. R. M. AVade was a pioneer in the Implement business of Oregon as at tested by what might be called his trademark, "Since 1865." In that half century he saw the fields of the valley and the plains of the Inland Empire subdued to the use and benefit of man, and he' helped in large measure. His name will not be forgotten while hands hold the. plow. In celebrating the year's success of the Albina market we should not forget to assign due credit to Mrs. Josephine Sharp. She worked early and late for the market, dauntlessly faced all difficulties and finally saw it established, largely as the fruit of her persevering efforts. One determined citizen can do wonders by keeping at it. The North Douglas Herald, pub lished weekly at Drain, is by all odds the most prosperous paper in Oregon, considering field and size. It is only- four pages of twenty columns, but fourteen of these are local advertis ing matter. This is the best recom mendation any community could have. The Turk is relieving the agonies of his last hours by slaughtering the rest of his Armenian subjects. Yes terday Ije disposed of 6000, old and young, and still the work goes on. The great offence of the Armenians is that they are Christians. The Transylvania's escape may be due either to her change of route or to the forbearance of the Germans, who are influenced by the storm which the sinking of the Lusitania. raised. How about relief for the two mil lion starving behind the German lines in France. Will Great Britain and Germany let food go through if this Nation provides it? Italy has been more than eight months making up her mind. When it is made up, it should be so thor oughly made up that there will be no shrinking. A little learning proved a danger ous thing for John Chilembwe, leader of the Nyassaland revolt. It caused him to dream of an Ethiopian empire. Having married a man who is ten years her Junior, Mrs. Booth Tarking- ton may find him more tractable than her brilliant first husband. Admiral Dewey's speech may be con densed into the words: Our Navy is splendid, what there is of it, but there should be more of It. Governor Withycombe shows his poetic and practical soul by proclaim ing a holiday for the last day of the Rose Festival. British casualties for the week in clude more than 400 officers, yet many claim the others are doing all the fighting. The Health Board emphasizes a solemn truth when it says a rabid cat is more vicious than any other ani mal. The cruiser Goeben has as many lives as the proverbial cat. She has been hit again, but is not yet dead. Not many fans knew him as Wallace Bray, but all of them will regret the, untimely death of "Hap Hogan." What is the matter with Filipino activities that the troops in the Islands find time to read story books? After Saturday the woman who buys berries by the box must get full measure or know why. The Kaiser's private tip to his royal brother-in-law is to stay sick. Mr. Daly needs a meter if he intends keeping his muffler open. Twenty-Five Year Ago (From The Oregonian of May 1. 1S90. Portland is in the pennant race after art. It put up an errorless game yes terday and won one from Seattle. Two grounders were partially stopped by Dwyer and Howard while in motion, but they were too hot to be handled in time to score put outs and could not be charged as errors against the fielders. They were the only things that looked like errors. The rest of the playing of the Portlands was right up to the han dle. Yesterday' was a great day for the Portland police force, as they received their first instruction in military prac tice and they doubtless felt as much elated as the small hoy In being made the recipient of his first pair of pants. Thirty-six of the stalwart guardians of the peace, togged out in the regulation police regalia, repaired to the Armory at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and for nearly two hours drilled under com mand of Captain S. J. Coffee of Com pany I, First Regiment, O. N. G. Knsineers have, during the past week, completed their survey for a system of 12 miles of drives winding on easy grades over the slopes and heights of Mount Tabor. When completed these drives will be a surprise even to Port landers, who have felt themselves ac nuainted with the possibilities of Port land's surroundings. President Charles Francis Adams, Vice-President W. II. Hol.-omb. General Manager C. J. Smith and Chief Engineer V. G. Bogue. of the Union f'aclfic, went over to Vancouver yesterday to look after some preliminary matters in con nection with the bridge the company will build there. The tracklayers on the Wavcrly- Woodstock electric railway were push. ing the work at Twelfth and Division streets yesterday. A large force was at work and Fifth street will be reached this week. Work on the stone foundation of the Centenary Church will begin tomorrow and the building stone will soon be coming from Albany. The grading on llollad:iy avenue Is nearly completed and will be graveled perhaps this week. It will be a splen did street when completed. On Friday evening last the long an ticipated ball of the First Regiment, Infantry, O. N. .. took place at the Ex position building and wad in every way a social event, reflecting credit upon all who were concerned in its inception .ind completion. WeseVot of 1'roprrtj . HOUITOX, Or.. May 17. (To the Edi tor.) (I) When husband and wife own real estate jointly, in case of death of either, would the other have a life i rv terest in the properly. Or would the children get half of it when they be come of age? Would administration be necessary? Does it make any differ ence whether the deed reads "and" or or"? (21 If either one makes out a deed "in blank," properly witnessed and ac- I." n soel Aflrrafl in nqn nf -iuarittiuun.iaa or death of the one signing could the! other finish this transfer and would it be legal? (U) Could the necessity of adminis tering an estate be avoided by making out deed and placing them in trust until death and then delivering to heirs? SUBSCRIBE n." (1) Real estate deeded to "husband and wife Jointly becomes, on the death of one spouse, the property of the sur vivor, the children take nothing and administrator is not required. The deed should read "and." (2) It depends on whether delivery has been made to the grantee. If any string is held to the property by the grantor the property is not deeded. (3) Courts have construed such deeds as testamentary conveyances subject to inheritance tax. Administration to determine the amount of Inheritance tax due would be necessary. Blockade of Foodstuffs. PORTLAND, May 17. (To the Edi tor.) Please advise me if my under standing of Germany's submarine war fare is correct: That foodstuffs were admitted to Germany for the civil population be fore Germany started. her submarine warfare on England's merchant ma- That Ksefns 'In retaliation nut a .t to the above-mentioned i.rivilcsre that 'Germany was enjoying l Th,; un; LT7,ropo.,ition to T.- ,1 . . if l.'....l....t ,1 n 11...- foodstuffs to- be admitted to Germany for the civil population that Germany would stop her submarine warfare on England's merchant marine (which was rather late in the season, 1 think, as Germany started it). I am an admirer of The Oregeilan'a stand In reference to the "Lusitania Massacre." H. R. D. This entire subject was fully dis cussed editorially In The Oregonian May 17, under the head "Shifting Ground." How to Obtain Copyright. PORTLAND, M-ay 17. (To the Edi tor.) Kindly inform me what is the necessary proceeding in order to have a play or story copyrighted. Also can you tell me what the fee would be for a story of 5000 words? SUBSCRIBER. Write to copyright office. Library of Congress, Washington, D. C, for blank affidavit and application form. The registration fee to be transmitted when application is made is $1. Direc tions for securing copyright are printed In the World Almanac and other ref erence works available at the Public Library. Property Ovrn4 tr 'Wife. JTtESHAM. Or., May 16. (To the Editor.) In case of death, what rights has a husband to the real estate and personal property owned by his wife before their marriage? Can said prop erty be held for debts contracted by the husband? A. BINGHAM. (1) If there are no children the prop erty descends to the husband: if there are children, he has a life interest in one-halt the income. (2) Yes, if there are no children; do, if there are children. This answer is on the assumption that the inquirer re fers to property left by the wife, de ceased. Settlement of Oregon Question. ROSKBL'Ra Or., May 16. (To the Editor.) When and who settled dis putes regarding boundary between British Columbia and the United States? CONSTANT READER. The treaty wa.-i drafted by James Bu chanan, American, Secretary of State, and Richard Packenham, the British envoy, and was ratified in 1846. He Still Lives. PORTLAND, May 16. (To the Edi tor.) Kindly answer in your columns if Count Zeppelin, the ordinal inventor of the war balloon, was not killed some years ago while making a flight. J. F. C. OUR TILT WITH liEBHAM IN lt2 Sharp ote Seat Over Sinking of Vene zuelan Beats In Blockade. The note sent by the United Statci to Germany, upon which the interest of the American people today is cen tered, is not tho first in which this country has deemed it necessary to ad dress vigorous language to the German government concerning action taken by the German navy. Thirteen years ago German warships sank three Venezuelan bust in such rhasty fashion that -Secretary of State Hay, acting under President Roosevelt, inquired rather sharply as to the rta.on for sinking these ship, in connection with other summary and warlike action taken by vessels of the. cierman nnVy while enforcing a blockade of the ports of Venezuela. Then, aa now, there vat much com ment adverse to Germany in the presa, to such extent, in fart, that Represen tative Richard Bartholdt anise in his place in Congress on January 2n. Intel, to reply to criticism made of him be cause of his reported connection with a plan to have i Jerman-A merits ns in this country protest against utterances of ill-feeling, toward the German empire. Mr. Bartholdt declared he had been mis represented, and he was loudly ap plauded by his colleagues when he de clared that German-Americans "were yesterday, are today and will be tomor row, nothing unless one and all. heart and soul. Americans, and they have no flag besides Old Glory." Germany and Great Britain took joint action in the closing days of 19112 to compel the Venezuelan government, then headed by Cipriano Castro, to pay claims of citizens of the two countries that Castro had long parried. A so called "peaceful blockade" was pro claimed, and some of the Venezuelan ports were seized. A combined licet of German and British vessels swept in at I jA. Guayra. without waiting for a reply to an ultimatum sent to Castro, and captured the Venezuelan vessels lying there. One was sunk at the. dock where it was being repaired, two others were towed outside the harbor and sunk, and still others were convoyed to other ports. Tho British government hastily dis avowed any responsibility for sinking the ships, and left the reply to Ger many. The latter country's explanation was that the vessels destroyed were of little value, and were so unseaworlhy that time could not be spared to tow them to a port where they could be safely held. Secretary Hay's note to Germany at that time was described as "one of the sharpest notes ever drawn at the State Department." Besides dealing with the summary sinking 'of the Venezuelan ships, it called In question the "peace ful blockade" that had hern proclaimed. giving warning that such a blockade would not be recognized. The United States urged a peaceful settlement through arbitration. The United States won Its conten tions. Germany came back with a pro posal that President Roosevelt should act as arbitrator, but the President de clined, and suggested that the oontro. versy should go to The Hague tribunal. Great Britain nulekly accepted this idea; Italy, w hose government also pos sessed claims against Venezuela, foi lowed up. and Germany finallv assented. It is interesting to recall that whilo Germany and Great Britain were joint aggressors against rnezuela. the ac tion of the British government in entrr- lnto "Erefment wlUl h,r present foe was unpopular at home, and when Lord Lansdowne. the Foreign Minister, made a speech congratulating the n tion upon the friendly relations shown to exist in that German and British sailors were marching side by side, there was a flood of hostile criticism Kipling burst forth with a poem. "The Rowers." in which the English tars were pictured as grumbling at having to make common cause with an open foe," also referred to at the close of the poem as the '"shameless Hun." Von Buelow, Chancellor of the German em pire, took notice of thia poem in i speech in the Reichstag, calling Kip ling a "savage." Headquarter of durational Founda tion. PORTLAND, May 17. (To the Edi tor.i in j ne oregonian recentlv you were referring In an editorial article to the Northwestern Educational Fotin datlon. H. C. Henry, president. You win ohllge me enormously if you will give the exact address of the founda tion, where one could reach it by mail T. DAXTZIG. The only office et established is a llft3 American. Bank building, Seattle Measures on Ballot This Is article No. 2. explaining n.eas ' ures . wn""h will he before the vole. ! Bt ",e ci,y election Jll"c " Other 'rf.0' W"' l-'ncd ' IV J ' . most important amendment of the Bancroft bonding act. as proposed In a ballot measure to be voted upon at the June election, is the changing of dates of paying installments and in teresi Dy properly owners on street and sewer assessments. At present property owners pay their interest and Installments annually, the first pay merit being due a year after the as cessment is made. In the amendment as proposed the installments will be payable semi-annually instead of an nualiy. Under the present arrangement the city sells Improvement bond to rais money to finaiKje the Improvements for the property owners. The city pays interest on these bonds seml-an nualiy. As a result the city has to advance six months' interest for the property owner because the properly owner aoes not make his first pav ment until a year or six months has elapsed after the city has to pay its interest. Under the proposed system the prop erty owner would make his first pay ment at the end of six months, thiis giving the city the money to pay. As It is now the city has to'borrow- from the general fund the amount necessary to advance the prapcrty owner s Inter est. As a result of this system a total of $600,000 tias been taken out of the general fund to pay interest for prop erty owners. It is to stop this dram on the general fund that the new plan Id proposed. Following are statements showing tne leatures of the present bonding act compared with the changed proposed: Preaent las'. Owner of property may bond asf-ps-ments amounting to or more. Must bond In tcn. dayg. Malority of owners of property in a y select inspector. D e n o m I nation of bond not lo exceed $500: May be- called In numerical order at any semi-annual interest paying: period after one year from date of bond. Balance in redemption fund December 31. 191 '-, one million dollars. If not paid when due becomes d e 1 I n quent twenty daM thereafter and Is collected In same, manner as delin quent street and sewer assessments. Interest on Improie ment bonds pay able to bond hold ers bv city semi annually. Interest from propero o w n a r s payable annually or six montba after clly h aa to pay. Proposed I -a it . Owner of let or par eel nf land aess ed for $." or more may bond. May hond In twenty day. The owners of ma jority of property jnuy select inspec tor. D e n n m Ination of bond not tu exceed HXK. May b railed In numerical order on the first day of any month after throe years from date of bond. In case there is $100. neo due. and onlv s7.-i.ooo in fund tli' differenea eouid be called on tha first day r,f the folloiv mnntb. If not paid when due all unpaid instal ments beeomn ue linquent twenty d a y a thereafter, but may be rein state by payment of ."i" on unpaid asesnient before date of sale. Interest and Install ments of propertv owners pavable s e m 1-siinuaUy so that city wl:: nr.t have to advanre interest to pay off the bolders the Half a Century Ago Kroni The Orrg'inlan of May IS. 1 S'ii. We hear from Mrioua ouirtrn mm. plaints that "times are dull." We can not see It in Portland, and the serene skies and sunny das are tokens to some degree of brighter skies in the worlds business. Our levees arc verv brisk, and there appears to be plenty of freight for h 1 1 tho boats runn'nar Our streets are daily crowded by teams from the Interior, and our tMilldlntr nterests were never before bo prom-' Ising. The worthy steward of the Meamcr John II. Couch has placed us under oh- liKations for a fine, lartre, froph sal mon. appreciate tho favor and xtend Mm our hearty thank.". Bale iind Baker were hanged about 2:::0 o'clock yesterday. The multttud.- Hssembled from the wdjaeent ooutitry o witness the epoetaete. The unhappv men died without a struggle. We pub lish their confession Ihis morn in The entire population of all th states and territories on th larlfie belonging to I'nclc Sam in ii'i.OMO. (fovrrnor Gibbs has appointed A. W. Adams, of Boston, Commissioner of I'ceds for Oregon an. I '. 1". Ferry, of this city, notary public When the rtramer Senator left Ore gon lily yonlcrriay Die hells Of No. and No. .1 engine houses strut k up a call for the member to assemble. and by the time the boat reached her wharf here there was a delegation of Hie department out to receive, tho ho s who had been upon the xeursion to Salem. The procession formed and marched through Front and other streets to tho engine-house of Com pany No. 2. headed by Hi.- Mechanics' brass band and the Gcrtnanta. band. and the delegation was welcomed with alt th courtesies of true firemen. They report having had a delightful time. Residents of the Third Ward com plain that through the neglect of the person whose duty It Is to attend to the reservoir of the water company it is allowed lo flood the streets oera -slonally, washing down tho newly graded parks and doinir other damage. Yesterday water was found meander ing Its cotuse through that portion of the city, standing lo Ihe clcr'h of five feet in' place.. The attention of the superintendent is called to the matter. MI'.TKIt RIM--.l HIS WTl:R I i)T Family of l"le Find Irler I".nenlve In Spite of I'noret lnnomy PORTLAND. May 1 R. (To the Edi torsAs a business proposition from e standpoint of the eonsume.r. the water niet"r should he beyond contro versy; to pay lor what you get and no more, and to lie able to get all you need when you need it at ;i fair price meets rvrry economic principle. The principle Is as good for the seller as for rhe buyer: lo reduce the cn.il of production to the minimum: to furni-h your oustomer to the extent of his de mands at a fair price, and not to hur- lc.i the careful and thrifty with th results of the waste and est ravage nee ft the prodigal is always good busi ness. "But It does not work out that way under present arrangements. The con suem is prone to view the matter from his O'.vn standpoint and to consult hi own interest, and when he knows that tinder present rates his water will cost him 20 to 25 per cent more when metered than when furnished at the flat rate, he will be likely to favor his pocketbook when he votes. It won't do to say that under metered service you pay for no more than you get. when tiie flat rate user pays less for the same service. A concrete example: My flat rare under the present sched ule would be and for a year pa-'l has been 75 t?nt5 per month for a family of five: mv neighbors pay the same rate for like, service. Now, under P. metered service T paid for the last three months t?.0. or per cent mor( than Ihe flat rate, yet I am using less water than before becau.'-e of lha meter: 1 am economical In the use of water, vet 1 am paying more ihan 1 would pay for ox t i'a v;i nee and nan ton un:-to under the flat rale. In the sprinliliiiir season the difference will be still greater: flal rate u--ei now pay $1 for the sea.-on. which cover", nominally, four months: for the nil htici' of the year Ihey pav nothing for the use. of the hose for washing walks, rorches anil windows, while I piy for the same purpose for every drop that passes the meter. It may be that T am not paving too much for what 1 g I. but 1 am payinf more li-.an others pay for the same service more than 1 would pay for an intreused ajnount under the. flat rate: hence the Vate i unfair the discrlm Ination unjust. Yet flat tale users are asked lo vole for meters, which will very materially increase thrlr water bills. It occurs to ine that Mr. Dsly should be consistent and ro.uallr.e the rates before he asks the voter to tn- . dorse his plan for universal meters: the principle is right the application of it unjust and unfair. F. V. SMITTT. 150 Hazclforn place. LaurrlhursL Hi; wants ;hik now; mi:ti:h If Water Register t'orea Small .Mains, Why Small I'lpea, Toof PORTLAND. May 17. (To the Edi tor.) The man wno hullt the- house I am occupying installed water service, pipes thai are too small. When tho laundrv tubs in the basement are be ing filled no water can be obtained in the bathroom upstairs. Likewise, when I sprinkle the lawn or aartn. the. water does not flow freely in any part of the house. I am now wondering whether, ir t should attach a little device on lh faucet in the basement and one on the hose, the passage of water through which would make some little wheels go around and cause arrows lo regis ter on a dial. 1 would be freed of trouble in the house when water la being used in the basement or In the vard ,t t(,rm, to i,e on some such theory that . are asked tn vote a half million dollars for Installing meters throughout the oily. In some localities mntns aro so amalt that when part of the consumers are tapping them the others served hy the same, main can not, obtain sufficient pressure. If meters will cure the main diffi culty they ought to cure the service pipe difficulty in my house, fan you Inform me where I can obtain a couple of small meters to attach to the pipe In my basement and to my garden hose? PERPLEXED. One Agent's Comment One of the leading advertising agencies of the country writes to the Bureau of Adverilslng. Ameri can Newspaper publisher.' Associa tion. "In going over Ihe figures for the month nt February thia year I find that our riepnper de portment billed exactly 45 per cent more volume !n lrspi pera thin yrnr over the same month of laat year. Just another Ft raw showing the direction of the advertising wind. The drift of National advertising la toward the newspapers, because the test of time shows them to bo the best result producers. I .J