8 THE MORNING OREGONIAN. FRIDAY. MAY 28, 1915. fflnB PORTLAND. OREGON. Entered at Portland. Oregon. Postoffice as second-class matter. Bubcripnon Rates Invariably In advance: (By Mail.) a11y, Sunday Included, one year $8.00 J)aily, Sunday Included, six months ..... 4.25 Ially, Sunday included, three months ... 3ally. Sundav included, one month J -ally, without Sunday, on year 600 Dally, without Sunday, six months 3-r rally. without Sunday, three months ... X.iO 3ally, without Sunday, one month ...... .So "Weekly, one year ................... l-'?u Sunday, one year 2.O0 Sunday and Weekly, one year 3-pO (By Carrier.) ra"lTy, Sunday Included, one year 8.00 Xatly Sunday included, one month ..... .75 How to Remlt-Send Postofflce money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency ara at sender's risk. Give postoffice address In full. Including county and state. Postage Rat4 12 to 16 pages. 1 cent: 18 to 32 pages. 2 cents; 84 to 48 pages. 3 cents; f'O to 60 pages. 4 cents: 62 to 14 pages. 5 cents: 78 to 2 pages. ft cants. Foreign postage, double rates. Eastern Business Office Veree & Conklin. New York, Brunswick, building: Chicago, Ptenger building PORTLAND. FRIDAY, MAY S8, 1915. ALL DEPENDS ON Bl'LGABLi. , Italy having made the plunge, diplo. matic efforts of the two groups of belligerents are now turned with re doubled energy to the Balkan states. Throughout the war each party has sought reinforcements In this quarter, but their efforts have resulted only in a deadlock. Bulgaria Is the' pivotal point In the i Balkan combination. Much as she desires to acquire territory from Tur key, she is loath to gain It at the cost of definite surrender of that part of Macedonia which was snatched from her by Serbia after the second Balkan war. She has visions of a greater Bulgaria, an empire with Constanti nople as its capital. Very early in her history as an independent state she renounced the guardianship of Russia Vy electing a German ruler and set out to work out her own destiny, not merely without regard to, but in di rect conflict with, Russian policy and ambitions. She can never forgive Greece and Serbia for taking Mace donia, which is largely populated by her people and Is consecrated by their blood; nor Roumania for taking the Dobrogia and for intervening at a stage when she had gained the upper hand over the Serbs and Greeks. Hence the thought of helping Russia .to capture' Constantinople, helping Greece to acquire territory in Albania and Asia Minor, helping Serbia to arr nex the South Slav provinces of Aus tria and helping Roumania to seize Bukowina and Transylvania is repug nant to her. But Bulgaria may consider the pos sibility that allied victory might ac complish all these things without her aid. Then she would be entirely left out in the final settlement and the door would be forever closed against her expansion. That possibility nat urally suggests the wisdom of seeking to avert it by aiding Germany, Aus tria and Turkey, but the- thought is Immediately stifled by consideration of the certain consequences. Russia, Roumania, Serbia and Greece would pounce upon her from all sides. Both Austria and Turkey would be too fully occupied with self-defense to aid her, and, though Germany might possibly break through the ring of enemies to her aid, such a contingency is highly Improbable. By allying herself with Turkey, Bulgaria would shut herself out from expansion in the very direc tion where she wishes to expand, for In the event of victory, she could .not profit at the expense of an ally. Thus Bulgaria has been halting be tween two opinions -whether to Join the allies or.o remain neutral. Could she but obtain from Serbia and Greece the coveted part of Macedonia, she would probably have been enlisted on the side of tbe allies ere now. While the allies were striving, to obtain for her concessions in that direction, Ger many was Impressing on her the wis dom of neutrality. Venezelos, ex Premier of Greece, had arranged these concessions and had obtained the King's consent. Counting on the co-operation of Greek and Bulgarian land forces, the allied navy made its attack on the Dardanelles. But King Constantine denied having consented to war and Venezelos resigned. Bul garia at the same time obtained a loan from Germany, and postponed deel eion, the Greek King's action furnish ing a good excuse. The naval attack " on the Dardanelles was no strategic blunder, but was designed to prepare the way for a promised land' force which cjjd not appear. Botlv Greece and Roumania now await the decision of Bulgaria, while Bulgaria awaits the result of the allied operations on the Dardanelles. Roumania would probably be glad to attack Austria, could she feel secure from a flank attack by" Bulgaria, Greece is restrained by the opposition of her King, by his illness and by the Influence of her Queen, who Is the . Kaiser's sister. Her people would gladly fight, for they- foresee the loss of a golden opportunity through allied conquest of Turkey and Italian con quest of Albania, Would Bulgaria but make the plunge, these two states would quickly follow. When General von der Goltz went to Sofia he caused a deadlock which only the fortunes of war can break. OLD SONG DAYS. Kansas has many singular habits, one of the strangest being the cele-. oration of "Old Song Day." On that festive holiday the schools and the general population join in singing "the old, familiar teongs" which every body ' knows by heart or ought to. Kansas has many such songs which recall the bloody days of her struggle with the border ruffians, "Old John Brown" and "Lea Marals des Cygnes." Perhaps Whittier's poem on the theme, last mentioned has been set to music for Kansas schoolchildren. If it has not It should be. The songs the people sing are of no (particular' race, time or country. Dixie." "Old Black Joe," "The Kan sas Emigrant" and "The Wearin' of the Green" are some specimens ot this cosmopolitan musical outpouring. The Boston Transcript notices that no good song piece is shut out of the Joys of State Song- day because it hap pens to offend the delicate sensibili ties of some pampered nationality. Th various hyphenated elements of the community learn that they must , put up with some things they do not like. They are not "babied and nursed Into the fancy that they have special rights and must have special exemptions." In Kansas all these various ele- ments of the population must learn to like what other Americans like and no doubt the discipline is wholesopie for them. It is-just as well to cease coddling foreign prejudices and race Smtreds on this side the water. Kan- Baa has set a good example which the rest of the states might follow with abundant profit. IT CAN'T BE DONE. Is there anything (more absurd than the claims of the meterites? In stallation 'of meters, we are assured in passionate tones, will reduce the consumption of water, and because the water thus "saved" will flow down the sewer outlets of the reservoirs Instead of going through the mains, the price to the consumers can be reduced. We are promised that we shall use less water, be charged less for it and that out of the decreased revenues we can pay several hundred thousand dollars for meters and the added cost of meter reading.' Portland, according to a newspaper meter advocate,' consumes 30,000,000 gallons of water dally. The watei revenues for the year are estimated by the department at $750,000. The average rat paid by the consumer is therefore a trifle more than 6.8 per 1000 gallons.. Suppose the meters reduce the con sumption one-sixth, or 5,000,000 gal lons. The average daily consumption will then be 25,000,000 gallons, and If the same rate of 6.8 is applied the annual revenues will be about $620, 000. But' the fixed charges against the water fund are $712,000. 'There would be a deficit of $92,000 in in terest charges and operating expenses, with no provision for meeting the cost of the meters. If an appreciable re duction . in water consumption is caused by meter installation the aver age rate-"must be raised. HASTE TO WED. . The plight of the couple at New port who are surf-bound in their ef fort to cross the bar, get beyond the three-mile limit and there be wed in spite of Oregon divorce laws may arouse the tender sympathies of the romantic, but the couplewill probably save themselves future heartburnings by consulting a lawyer instead of the weather man. The law prohibiting remarriage be fore the expiration of six months after divorce cannot be evaded any easier than the law prohibiting bigamy. The divorce is not actually complete until six months have elapsed after entry of the decree. The one granted a de cree still has a living spouse in a legal sense for six months. The new mar riage beyond the thfee-mile limit would not' be considered more lawful after the couple returned to shore than if the decree of divorce had never been granted. It Is a good thing for persons di vorced in Oregon to remember that the courts have passed conclusively on the question. Inasmuch as the law prohibits remarriage before the ex piration of , six months, the courts hold that a marriage fente'red into in another state within that period is a fraud upon the other state or upon the persons performing the ceremony. and that the marriage is void. The marriage state is not to be light ly entered into and troubles generally pursue those who do so. A num ber of uninformed persons in other years innocently remarried within six months after securing divorce. ' This caused the Legislature in 1911 to make the law on the question more positive, but at that time the Legis lature also validated marriages that had been so contracted" prior to a cer tain date. We have heard of one man who divorced No. 1 and married No. 2 before six months had elapsed. Then learning that his second marriage was Illegal, deserted No. 2 and married No. 3. Thereafter the Legislature by general law validated his second marriage and wife No. 2 preferred charges against him for bigamy. The lesson is that a void marriage Ehould be formally declared void by the courts to be on the safe side. ANOTHER COSTLY BLUNDER. The decision of the Customs Court sustaining the tariff rebate of 5 per cent on goods imported in American ships and declaring that it must apply to imports in ships of countries hav ing favored-nation treaties, brings to light another example of'' bungling Democratic legislation. When income daily shows a decrease and outgo an increase, and when every dollar of revenue is needed to keep down the deficit, this decision comes, requiring refund of $15,000,000 in duties already collected and reducing revenue $11, 000.000 or more yearly. Had real statesmanship been shown In preparing the Underwood bill, the full legal effect of this rebate pro vision would have been, ascertained before it was Incorporated in the bill. But in its anxiety to gain the politi cal benefits of throwing a sop to the shipping interest, the committee adopted this provision, the caucus swallowed it and then, of course, the House had nothing to do but accept it. After the bill was passed, the Attorney-General raised the very1" point on which the court has ruled as to fa vored-nation treaties. Another jump was made at a conclusion and the re bate provision was declared lnoper ative and was ignored. Importers were not to be disposed of in this offhand manner, however. They saw a chance to- save that 5' per cent and they went after it. . They claim the rebate on imports in both American and favored-nation ships. As the court recognises no executive power to -suspend acts of Congress or treaties, it finds for the importers. The Democratic party, in an --effort to benefit fifty American ships, has care- lessly given the same benefit to 5 500 foreign ships, 'thus destrpying the value of the rebate to our ships. The scope of the provision is so broad that it is equivalent to a further hori zontal reduction of 5 per cent in the tariff. A wise colloquial saying is: "Be sure you're right, then go ahead." Mr, Underwood and his colleagues went ahead blindly and found they were wrong, as usual. They have con ferred no benefit on American ships. The benefit has all accrued to the for eign manufacturer and the American Importer. A HINT FROM THE ERIE CANAL. Opening of the Celilo Canal on the Columbia River gives the people of the Pacific Northwest an interest beyond the ordinary in the progress of th Erie Canal enlargement in New York. The latter canal is 85 per cent finished and last week the five great locks near Waterford were used for the first time in the presence of Governor Whitman and other state officials. They are the highest flight of locks In the world, making acombined lift of 169 feet in a distance of a mile and a half For the canal proper $108,000,000 has been appropriated and $19,800,000 ad ditional has been provided for term inals. ' The type of boats to be used has not been determined, but will be of inter- est to the Oregon country, for it may aid us in deciding how to use the Ce lilo Canal and loeks with greatest economy. Although the Erie water way is called the 1000-ton barge canal, a single boat of 2000 tons or more could be locked through, while two of 15i00 tons each could be locked tandem, and some persons think one powerboat and three consorts having a combined capacity of 3200 tons would fill a. lock. This discussion of large barges and of strings of barges towed by a power boat is worth the attention of Colum bia River steamboatmen. By the use of towb'oats to propel large fleets of coal barges down the Monongahela, Ohio and Mississippi rivers, traffic on those streams has successfully sur vived railroad competition. Where the vessel which supplies the power car ries ,the cargo also, river traffic has fallen into decay. Expansion of traf fic on the Colombia, in order to be successful, -must follow the lines sug gested for the Erie Canal, lines which have long been followed on the great waterways of Europe. A great water traffic has flourished there through being conducted in this manner. In no other manner does it seem possible to revive and develop similar traffic in this country. GREAT EXPECTATIONS. The Anneke Jans Bogardus case is up -again in New York for the doz enth time. The numerous descend ants of that .prolific old Dutch (fame are suing Trinity Church for possesr sion ,of the farm she once owned on Manhattan Island.' In her day the estate was used for chicken-raising and dairying and was worth no more than any, other piece of agricultural land. Now it is cov ered with tall buildings and is worth a million dollars a square inch, more or less. At any rate -it -is valuable enough to excite the cupidity of the Bogardus heirs and they periodically bring suit against the Trinity Corpora tion for its recovery. Their, bad luck consists in the fact that the property was sold a good many years ago and their legal title extinguished. So they lose every time they sue, but that does not discourage them. Hope springs eternal in their breasts and the lawyers wax fat on their perennial folly. Mrs. Anneke- Jans Bogardus, who was an ample and amiable Dutch farmer's wife, never dreamed what a heritage of litigation she was be queathing to the world when she closed her account and placidly re- Ired to'' the tomb: The unintentional evil that she did lives after her and the legal, profession rejoices. . The faith of supposititious heirs in the reality of imaginary inheritances is invincible. Disappointment haa no effect upon them. A hundred failures do not deter them, from new effort3t to recover what 3oes not exist. The Bogardus heirs who- pursue a chimer ical claim in New York are no more foolish than the scores of American men and women who are litigating to get possession of estates in England, Holland and Germany that nobody ever saw but the lawyers. When An drew D. White was Minister' to Berlin he was so pestered with these silly claims that he printed a circular to the heirs telling them of their non sensical waste of time and money. The circular had no effect. "The claims poured in upon him just the tame as before. England is the favorite loca tion for these fanciful estates. Every few months we hear of a. new set of heirs who expect to acquire enormous wealth by contributing to fee some enterprising' lawyer who has discov ered their heirship to a vast ducal do main. Investigation always sbows that the domain exists nowhere but in the lawyer's imagination, but every disap pointment seems to generate sr new and eager crop of victims. If it were not for humbug what should we have to make us happy? ' VENICE. Remembering what has happened In Belgium, people who -value the monuments of human genius are dis posed to worry a little over a possible bombardment or capture of Venice by the Austrians. Italy has gone into the war deliberately and with her eyes open. No doubt she is prepared to endure the consequences equably, whatever they may be, but the friends of civilization in other countries can not be expected to look on without grief should the "Stones of Venice" be endangered by cannon balls or the rage of conquerors. Not since the days of the Huns has war been so destructive to the finy elements in civilization as it ,is now. Some of the belligerents have pro claimed that "effective warfare must destroy, the intellectual and moral -resources of the enemy" as well as his troops and fortresses. The monu ments of art sustain national pride and therefore encourage -the fighting spirit. Kence they must go down into ruin. The Queen of the Adriatic is exposed to the fire of modern long range guns on the shore and the shal low waters of the lagoons in which her mud flats lie hardly, protect her from the ingenious naval attacks of our day. The mud flats on which Venice is built are -formed from the detritus carried down from the Alps by the rivers of Northern Italy. The strong southward current of the western Adriatic deposits the material in long banks parallel with the shore, leaving canal-like straits between them From a remote antiquity these un stable islets have been inhabited by fishermen who, before historic times. lived in huts constructed of .the long reeds that grow in the fertile mud Toward the close of the sixth century of the Christian era a great many in habitants . of the mainland, fleeing from the merciless Huns, sought safety with the fisherfolk on the in accessible mudflats. Rain furnished their only water supply. Fish was the only food obtainable except by import Still the population increased. Fresh incursions of the barbarians drove new bands to shelter there. A trade sprang up with near points on the sea. , The immigrants gradually amalgamated with the aboriginal fish ermen and a political unity was formed with a great future before it. The turbulence which wrecked the rest of the world in the dark ages was favorable to the growth ef Venice. Protected by its situation, it throve upon the necessities of its neighbors and founded a lasting prosperity upoji the exchange of commodities between the east and the west. Apart from Its growing commerce the early history of Venice centers around a great struggle with Genoa for maritime supremacy. In 1358 Venice was defeated in a terrible sea fight by her rival, her entire fleet taken and the city itself exposed to capture. But the Genoese did not push their advantage to extremes and some thirty years later they were brought low by their old enemy. After 1380 for more than a century Venice ruled the' Mediterranean and commanded the profits of the trade with the Orient. In 1204, during the fourth crusade, Venice led the soldiers of the Cross to the capture of Con stantinople. The Doge Dandolo con ducted a siege which ended with the sack of the Greek capital and the foundation of a Latin empire on the Bosphorus. But the new monarchy did not last long. The Greeks rapidly recovered their power and the Vene tians lost their golden prlze After the crushing defeat of the Genoese in 1380 Venice began to feel an ambition to found an empire on the land. Like Japan, the city longed for territorial expansion. Ample provinces in Northern Italy soon fell under its ' sway and its dominion seemed built on an enduring basts. But foes arose on all sides, as usually happens when a nation becomes too powerful. The Italian cities were Jealously hostile. The Turks gnawed away her empire in the Levant and the discovery of the Cape route to India broke up her monopoly f the Orients J trade. The climax of her troubles came with the League of Cambral, formed by the Pope and the European powers in 1508, which took away her possessions on the main land. From that time Venice slowly de clined. But it was in. the period of her decline that the great artists, Titian, Tintoret, Georgione, flourished, so that the years of Venetian decay were those that make th city most interesting to the modern world. One of the best of the numberless books on Venice was written by the Ameri can author, W. D. Howells. It is called "Venetian. Life" and was pub lished in 18S6, the year when Venice became free from Austria and joined fortunes with united Italy. The resuscitation of little Emma Williams with a pulmoter by the Salem firemen shows what modern methods can do for persons supposed to be '.dead from sdrowning. Every year many persons are buried alive who might be resuscitated by patient, scientific effort. - Life' Is not extinct for hours in many victims of drown ing accidents. It can be restored if those' at hand will take - trouble enough. The Princeton class of 1915 has chosen for its favorite literary lights Tennyson, Dickens and Shakespeare. Tennyson is more musical than the author of the "Spoon River Anthol ogy," but he is not so up to date. College students -are supposed to have their eyes on tl future. It is enough if they look backward when they are old. If our young men cling to dead authors, who will encourage the liv ing? SomeVities have founded a "tooth brush week" in the public schools. The purpose Is to habituate the pupils to take care of their teeth. Dr. Osier said once that bad teeth are? more dangerous than alcohol. The schools have long waged war on drink. It is pleasant to see them attacking an other and perhaps a worse enemy to health. There seems to be a hoodoo on braggart names for battleships. The Formidable, Inflexible, . Irresistible Triumph and Majestic have all fallen prey to the insignificant submarine which is distinguished only by a letter and a- number- ' What right has Bryan to Interfere to prevent the hanging of a number of Mexicans in Arizona today? If the condemned men did not deserve pun ishment they would not get it. This country is going mawkish mad. , "Goody, goody," said the little 3- year-old son of Captain Greene, of the Nebraskan, when informed that his daddy was safe. Many a little 3-year- old in other countries will not be able to say that of his daddy. The German Ambassador at Wash ihgton says floating mines are harm less when, adrift. His Admiralty neg lects, however, to attach the fast and loose tags so a fellow can know dan ger when he sees it. That gigantic Pan-American steam ship scheme sounds good, but under what flag would the ships sail? Pos sibly a composite of the flags of all American republics might be designed for the occasion. A man was killed by an auto the other night while crossing the street In the middle of the block. The in ference is that safety lies on the cross ing, but it is just as well to be "wary there. District Attorney Ivanhoe, of Union, must have a large element of humor in his makeup.' Learning the petition of recall was being circulated, he re signed. That was real spiteful venge ance, The girls of Jefferson High will grow into sensible women. They graduate this year in cotton gowns. with wild flowers a,nd roses from the family garden. Villa claims a victory. Who's Villa? Some such name did figure in the dis patches a year ago, but it has been pushed into obscurity by other names. The Austrian is said to be retiring before the Italian.' No wonder. He does not mind being shot, but does hate to be macaronied by a bayonet. Governor Withycombe has the right idea about the Fish and Game Com mission to take money off the pay roll and put it into fish and game. Happy Home, in Linn County, is a name that 'now means what it says. The first Sunday .school In fifteen years has been organized. - These showers will have run off all the rain before the cherries are big enough to crack. Not being a candidate. Mr. Taft- can safely expres his real opinions about labor unions. Senator Langguth has the unique distinction of having an office thrust upon him. - This is baseball week here, but the weather table gets mixed with the box score. , . ' Now, Mr. Beals, the moon changes today. Quit, fooling. .- Do not drown. swat the fly. Let him European War Primer By National Geographical Society. The geography of the territories thai Austria was willing to cede to Italy to purchase peace, as pifblished by the diplomats negotiating, is as follows: Austrian proposals to Rome lnciuaw the cession of the Southern Tyrol, or hat paj"t chiefly populated by Italian- speaking people, and of a strip of ter ritory running from Tarvis to the Gulf of Trieste. Italy was to receive thai part of Tyrol which cuts deeply into Northern Italy, ah outlying, irregular. wedge-shaped land, whose apex reaches nearly to Verona, The new interna tional boundary was to be drawn Just south of Bozen, giving to Italy more than. 2000 square miles or 'lyroiese country, wherein are the larger cities, Trent, Rlva, Roveredo and Male. Trentino and surrounding country that was to be turned over to the ltal- ans would have straightened out the Italian northeastern frontier, bringing the border line well into the difficult, mountainous Alpine country of Tyrol. This region bristles with Austrian for tifications and almost every foot of its way is adapted to stubborn defensive military operations. More than 150.000 people are supported in Its valleys. Most of these people speak the Italian tongue and their region has long oc cupied the fervent "lrredentlsm" of Italian partrlots. The proposed Austrian cession upon the northeastern borders of Italy af fected a strip of land, roughly 50 miles along the border line and 10 miles wide, or comprising somewhat more than oOO square miles. Throughout this territory, likewise, the Italian- speaking population far outnumbers that of German or Slavonic tongue. Well-fortified hills, also, dot the north eastern border. This additional ter ritory-would have brought Italy to a position upon the Gulf of Trieste, chang ing the sheltered Austrian harbor Into harbor whose northwestern gate would be in the power of a powerful neighbor. Austria-Hungary's reason for reject- nsr the dftmnndfl nf Italv in Raid to ha Her view that it would have resulted in an effective checkmating of both her commercial and her 'political interests on the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, almost as thoroughly as were her Aegean ambitions destroyed following tne successful struggle 'of the Balkan states with Turkey and the establish ment of a greater Serbia. These de mands, the dual monarchy contended, were planned to give Italy strategic control, naval and 'commercial, of the Adriatic and also that their acceptance' by Vienna would have struck a vital blow at the monarchy's future. as minimum concessions Italy asked the cession of the Province of Trent, in the Austrian Tyrol; the cession of East ern Friueli, east to Nabrcslna; the for mation of a state entirely independent of Austria out of the territories Trieste and Istrla; cession to Italy of the dom inant islands off the lower Dalmatian coast, Curzola. Lissa. Lesina, Rrazza and Maleda; the abandonment of Aus trian interests in Albania. and Austrian acknowledgment of Italian sovereignty over the Albanian port and great land- locKed bay. Avlona. These conces sions would have changed the status of the Mediterranean- from that of an Austro-Italian lake to that of an Italian lake. Such parts of the dual monarchy's coast line as Italy would have left In Its undisputed possession is territory that Serbia shopes to get some day In tne course of her natural expansion. To meet the minimum demands ex pressed by Rome. Austria must have surrendered her greatest seaport, Trieste, the New York of Southern Eu rope, together with her principal naval base, Pola4 at the apex of Istria. upon whose development the dual monarchy has Invested many millions of dollars, and must have abandoned all hope of tne strategic value of the Dalmatian coast with the cession to Ita.lv of the large slands that screen It. , Deprived of her Adriatic seacoast, her Tnly out let to rree water. Austria-Hungary felt that she would finally sink to the importance of a portless, land-bounded Serbia. Besides . Italy's rlvarly with Austria for leadership upth the Mediterranean, "irredentism" played a strong part in the determination of her demands. "Ir redentism" is the desire of various na tions to bring within' their boundaries contiguous areas inhabited by the same race, speaking the same language and filled with the same Ideals. "Irre dentism", is an enthusiasm widely spread in Europe, an enthusiasm that has succeeded in greatly complicating the Issues of the present war. Thus, the Germans claim that the Baltic provinces are German and must be reunited to their fatherland: Roumania. with still more reason, holds Transvlvania and Bukowina as "unredeemed Roumania.;' m.o icveiiii iter irom reaening an understanding with the Germanic powers; Bosnia and Herzegovina are "unredeemed lands" to Serbia, while Russia sees In Germany's Polish prov inces Slavonic lands in Teutonic bon dage. . Italian irredentism affects not only Austria but also France. The French paid themselves for their valuable aid to Italy's cause of unity on the field of t-oirerino by enriching themselves with Savoy and Nice. Thus Italian irre dentism looks to lands and countrymen lost to France as well as to Austria. The Trent Province of Tyrol was de manded of Austria by the Italians sole ly ou the basis of unredeemed Italian land; this land had been Italv's ami ft was peopled by Italians who have clung to their mother tongue. Likewise the coastlands .around the Gulf of Trieste and around the Istrian peninsula are largely Inhabited, by Italian-speaking people, though sorne of this terrltnrv has been In Austrian ipossegsion for centuries. Below Flume the Austrian coastland is peopled almost exclusive ly by Slavonic races. Co to Fiume ir. redentism, or the movement to deliver ienow countrymen from the rule of strange peoples, was the mainspring " Jia-i.an action, eeyona J) lume politi cal and commercial rivalries dictated tne Italian course. Fragrant Paeonla. PORTLAND. May 25. (To the Ed itor.) Permit me to say a few words in vinaication or the paconia. which you assert, is Hike the Oriental poppy) "all show" and without fragrance. Doubtless you refer to the old-fash ioned "pined" fPaeony Officinalis) of our grandmothers" Hardens and are proDaoiy unfamiliar with the wonder fully improved sorts by which this has been eclipsed In recent years, such as i-ouone d Or, Queen Alexandra, La Tu lips, JJuke of Wellington, Madame .rorei and dozens or others. I do not own zu.ooo paeonies (wish I rnnlrf'i but am the happy possessor of a 60 foot hedge of the newer varieties all or which are as fragrant as they are oeaumui. ... i neir fragrance is as ex quisite and delicate as that of the La France rose. What could he sweeter? MRS. F. X. LEGRAND, 607 Holly street. Market for Herbs. CLATSKANIE. Or.. Mav 26. (To the Editor.) I read in The Oregonian last Fall that many medicinal herbs could be gathered and sold for a good price. Will you please tell me what is the nearest market for herbs if properly cared for? H. K. K. Herman Metzger, Fifteenth and Lovejoy streets. Portland." is the only firm' in. this city which buys medicinal herbs on a large scale. He purchases for sale to Eastern houses. The market for herbs is said to be rather low at the present time. Gttlns; I'p Early. Atchison Globe. I Why do old people get up early in the morning? They haven t much to do. USELESS. BUT COSTLY APPEXDAGE Why Spend Cily Money (or Meters hrs Other Ttalnsra Are Needed r PORTLAND. May 27. (To th Edi tor.) There seems to be a mystery shrouding the persistency of advocates for the -installation of meters In the City of Portland. If the waterworks belong to the city, every citizen Is a minority stockholder, and if he steals a few thousand gallons of water he t merely pilfering from himself, at no cost to others, provided the assertion Is true that has not been gainsaid, that there is an over-supply of water, that It costs nothing to deliver. It being done by gravity. According to the declaration of May or Albee, the quantity of water now going to waste would be sufficient to supply the estimated growth of Port land for many years 10 or 20. If such is the case, why spend a large sum of money for an unnecessary appendage when we want many necessary ad juncts to the city, such as auditorium, good public markets, etc? I don't see force in the argument that the money that pays for the meters Is derived from the water taxes. It matters not from whence it is derived. It belongs to the city and can be diverted to other uses if the water system does not need it. Insofar as some people are quoted to be using the "water unnecessarily by allowing It to run through the hose all night over their lawns may be so. The neighbors should inform on them. as It is no unusual Incident- Among the breeds of animals there are thou sands of high-headed and proud horses, bovines and sheep to one hog, which should not be an excuse to increase tbe city's Indebtedness. In regard to domestic waste, I will repeat ail argument I heard several years ago relating to this question. It was said that if families were strictly to use only water that was absolutely necessary for domestic purposes the sewers would become stagnant and foul and emit poisonous gases through man holes and. defective plumbing that would depopulate the city in one month: that a plentiful supply and use of water for all purposes in a city is absolutely necessary for cleanliness and sanitation and in the congested districts a liberal use should be urged. Some cities charge a flat rate, which a citizen can avoid by installing a me ter and paying for what he consumes. had a neighbor whose water bills were about half of what I paid. He had a meter; I paid flat. All the water costs the city Is interest on bonds for the building of reservoirs and pipes. plus deterioration, if any; after the pipe line reaches the city the cost of water ceases; the cost for general distribution is to be paid by a tax on the tenants that is maintenance and off lce'charges. There is spigot and bunghole In cre ating a large indebtedness to police and deliver us our own water. It won't pay. If users think the flat rate is too much, give them the privilege of in stalling a meter at their own expense. If the city was buying water from a foreign corporation, as gas and elec tricity, there would te some justifica tion for the use of meters, or if the water was a product, the manufacture of which was expensive and consump tion equal to output from day to day, then meters would be justifiable, but in this case it does seem to be foolish. G. C. NEWBERRY, 737 Homer Street- A CALL TO ARMS. Hear the voices of those I came for. Bleeding as I bled How long must such things be? And you speak In my name and lray for me. Came I In vain. Can I not find a single leader in a world of men Are all such cowards as to need a gun? Taught I to shoot, to stab, to kill For brothers to reek In brothers' blood- Commanded I such things? There's but one way! . , You asked me and I told, you: 'To love one another;' And now, will none follow In my way! My burden is light. If borne with love. I care hot for your voices As you cry: "Lord. Lord. With greed, and hate, and rear within your heart- Know you not that I asked for love? And you. in robes of black, and crosses made of gold. Dare nut one of you follow me? You fear the crucifixion of my way Yet count the slain of greed, and hate, and fear. There's but one way Ty-irough love and nothing else but love. I loved and tried to teach you how to love And now I hear the cannon roar. I came to give you love and peace. For love and peace is life. To arms'. Lay down your arms! And go among my heep and teach them love and peace! Come join my colors, the rainbow's colors For I came'to save all men the world. My countrymen The noble, brave Be free! Be not afraid to die For love! To Mexico, to Germany, and to France, To England, to Russia, and the world To teach the world to follow Christ. JULIAN V. SCOTT. Dee. Oregon. J Measures on Ballot. At present the jitney bus and auto mobile la not subject, to regulation ex cept such regulation as applies to all other vehicles. They pay no city li cense and are subject to no restrictions regarding the carrying of passengers. On the ballot at the city election, June 7, Is a measure which, if passed, will subject them to limited regula tion. The measure was prepared by the City Council and passed April 'I The referendum was Invoked by Jitney drivers. The measure is not as stringent as has been passed In some cities where the Jitney has started in competition with the streetcars. It is severe enough, however, to be objectionable to some of the Jitney drivers. They object to being forced to follow a given route and to being forced to give serv ice durtng certain specified hours. Following is a summary of the prin cipal provisions of the measure; No Jitney shall be operated without ttre operator or owner first scurin a permit. Application for permit must show rout to be followed, by Jitney, seating capacity and the schedule of trips to be made. Kee ot -' month rharg-ed for Jitneys sest Jng; up to seven passensrers. Twenty-five cents a month fee extra for each additional seat. Council my revoke permit of Jitney owner or 'driver for cause. Service must bs siven dally from A. M. to in A. M. and from t P. M. to 11 p. M Jitneys shall mske complete lrips to end of routes except durlnc morning and evenins rush hours. Bate of fare limited to S cents. No morn passengers than seating capacity shall be carried. Jitneys to be inspected for meehauilral defects that might cause accident. Weekly fumigation of Jitneys required. Jitneys must be lighted at night. Jitneys shall not leaxe their routes during operating hoars. Bxamlnttlon of chauffeurs to determine ability to operate car safp.ly provided. Driver convicted of reckless driving shall be barred from driving for one year. Route signs must be attached permanently to front and aides of cars. Operation on Washington street front Third street to Broadway prohiblted. Twenty-Five Years Ago From Th Oregonian of May SS, It0. ' Manager Jeff W. Hayes, of the Pa cific Foetal Telegraph Company, has found the Town of Linnton, one of Portland's latest suburb, to be growing- so. rapidly in importance that ho has established an office at fhat place. Will J. Llndy. a very desei-i-lnar Portland young man, was appointed chief of the keyboard, and took charge of the new office yesterday. Captain R. H. Lannon, clerk of the t'nited States Court, who has been In Southern California with his family since last November, Is expected home tomorrow. The Board of School Directors held an Important meeting at the office of ' the School Clerk last evening and I elected Professor J. II. Ackerman. principal of the Holladay School for '. the past year, to the office of School Superintendent.. A meeting of the Ballot Reform " League, which the different candidates for election were requested to attend for the purpose of giving their ex pression to a proposed bill draft4 hy a committee appointed by the league and embodying the salient features of the Australian ballot system, was he'd In the Masonic Hall last evening. The meeting was called to order by C. H. Woodard. All the items put In the river and harbor bill by Mr. Hermann for Oregon went through today without a break. Few states have fared as well as Ore gon, and, compared to population. Ore- ron is far ahead of all others In the bill. The Union Pacific wll begin imme diately the construction of Its branch line to Pujet Sound. It will run vis' Vancouver, Olympia. and Taeoma to Seattle. Bl'8IM3SS PRIXCirLKS VIOI.ATKO Private Enterprise Wonld Not Install Meters If In Control. ' PORTLAND, May 27. (To the Edi tor.) Your position on the establish ment of meters tor waterueers t-eoms to be undoubtedly correct. Their es tablishment at an expense of fion.onn or J500.000 and the continuous annual expense of a large sum of money en tailed each year in examining them to ascertain the amount of water each user consumes are. under all the cir cumstances, an extravagance that seems useless. Many who have meters will be so cautious in using water in fluxhing as to cause an accumulation of filth and its necessary consequence dlses se which counterbalances all extravagance in the use of water while It is not measured. And with a supply that ran easily be made sufficient from Bull Run River to accommodate a city with three times the present population of Portland, it would seem to any business man an absurdity. It would increase the number of em ployes of the city In so many ways that the necessary expense would be a rret burden upon the people. The meters would have to be examined at stated periods and a record kept for each con sumer, and the collection would In crease the burden. It would also re quire clerks to keep a compU-te record of each consumer and collectors to col lect the amounts due. So private per son would ever think of such extrava gance, and if a business man under similar conditions would not do so, why should the public Impose such a burden? W. R. 131DDLE. 300 Glenn Avenue. SO TIME TO SADDLE MORE DEBT Meter Advocates Could Ue Devotlnic Knersix to Better Purpose. PORTLAND, May 27. (To the Edi tor.) Would It not be a far better plan for the city if the. same advocat'-s for an enlarged meter system should de vote their energies towird encourag ing something to provide employment for the people, such as factories. In stead of saddling them with an addi tional tax at this particular time of all times? For heaven's sake give the people a chance to catch up with their present obligatlohs before getting them in any deeper. We all know that we have a beauti ful city, but there r other things to be considered In making a municipality permanently attractive. Why manifest such a reckless disre gard for the other fellow's pocketbook? causing him to feel that the pursuit of such policy unchecked ultimately would lead to the confiscation of his earthly possessions? Don't compel the people to mortgage the future any mote than they already have dune. For as Longfellow said: "If thou wilt buy a thing not needed ere long thou shalt sell thy necessities." 15. O. CARL. 105 East Thirtieth street. Polla May ("lose for Lunch. r JRTLAND, May 17. (To the Edl- . tor.) Kindly state whether or not It In permissible to close the polls on election day while the election board goes to lunch? At the last general election 1 went to the polls. St considerable Inconven ience to myself, and arrived there a fi- minutes after 1 o'clock. I found , the board Just packlntc up their papers to go to lunch and was positively re fused a ballot. I tried to argue the matter with the Judye" hut h.j would not listen to any arguments at all; simply staged that the law allowed them to close up the polls for lunch and they would only be gone an hour or so and I could watt until they came back. Not being a lawyer I could pot con tradirt his statement in regard to It. ' but I have since been told by people I who pretenil to know, that this was a direct violation of the law that the , polls should be open continuously from the time they are opened In the morn ing until they are finally closed In the evening. I would be pleased to have you state what Is the law In the case. A VOTER. Section 3311. Lord's Oregon Laws; also page DSS.Laws 1913. In prescribing the hours for opening and clofclng the polls in all general, special and Presi dential elections, contain the following provision: j "The judges In their discretion may adjourn the polls at 1 o'clock for one hour, proclamation of the same being made, but the judges und clerks shall keep together, and at no time t-h!l more than one of them be out of the presence of the others. " At a Prayer Meeting. The S. U. O. sign is seldom displayed at prayer meeting. Plain Facts for Retailers From every manufacturer's sales men you hear about National ad vertising. Yet the only kind of advertising that can interest ou Is the kind that reaches the people of this city. They are your customers. You know that, they read the newspapers and that if the manu facturers ub the newspapers your customers will be Interested. Tell them, if they want your In terest and co-operation, to do their advertising In the newspaper of your city. r