TIIE MORNING OREGON! AN. SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1015.
. . . rOBTUND, OREGON.
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rORTLANU oATl-RDAY. JUNK B, 1915,
THE STBKI, CORPORATION ECISION
The decision of the United States
District Court holding; that the United
States Steel Corporation is not a mo
nepoly and can be prevented by the
Federal Trade Commission from un
lawfully controlling: prices has been
rendered in the light of conditions as
they existed at the time when the
Oovernment's suit was instituted and
us they exist now, not in the light of
the conditions existing; and created at
the- organization ef the corporation
-o doubt exists in the minds of dis
interested observers that J. P. Mor-
San and his associates intended to
reach after monopoly and to maintain
prices artificially. President Taft
truly said that, when the natural ef'
feet of men's acts is monopolistic they
must be inferred to have designed
that effect. The acquisition of the
Tennessee Company confirms that in
ference.
Events, however, prevented the or
ganizers of the steel corporation from
carrying out any purpose to absorb
its competitors. Public opinion was
tio strongly opposed to such combina
tions that only under the stress of the
panic of 1907 did they venture to
absorb the Tennessee Company, and
then not until President Roosevelt
had promised not to interfere. That
merger raised a storm and provoked
the suit, which served as a warning
against further acquisitions. While
the great corporation's expansion was
blocked, its rivals grew in strength
and number, and the percentage of
the total business controlled by it de
creased. The result in a moral vic
tory for the Government. By the acts
.of the corporation and the course of
events the situation has come to con
form to the demands of the Govern
ment.
Healthy growth of competing steel
works is a vindication of the anti
trust policy. That policy is based on
the belief that, with restraint re
moved, competition will develop. The
ability of a corporation to monopolize
a certain Industry arises from its
pewer to crush or absorb existing
. competitors and to frighten possible
new competitors away from its field.
Otherwise it has no advantages; its
size is rather a handicap. A corpora
tion of such magnitude has passed the
paint where size contributes to econ
omy and efficiency; its size militates
against those elements of success. The
tte el corporation suffers from another
handicap in the shape of watered cap
ital, estimated at half the total.
President Wilson has aptly compared
such a corporation to a man carrying
a. tank of water on his back and rac
ing with another who carries no bur
den. Though much of the water has
. been replaced by real money derived
from earnings and spent on improve
ments, the burden remains of dimin
ished size.
Its activities being checked as they
have been and now being under the
eye of the Federal Trade Commission,
the steel orporation may now be per-
imitted to continue on its way without
danger to free competition. ' The
pressure of its younger, less unwieldy
and more efficient rivals may even
. compel its dissolution into more work
able pajts. That outcome would
finally disprove the plea that enor
mous ctfmbinations are means of
"economy and efficiency.
DISCIPLINE FOR THE "SLACKJiRW."
Appointment of David Lloyd George
as Minister of Munitions may be a
last attempt to get the maximum out
put from the British workman with
out resorting to force. It will be his
duty to bring about the operation of
gun works, shipyards, ammunition
and all military supply factories to
their utmost capacity. He will doubt
less use his eloquence, his powers of
persuasion, his unbounded energy and
his popularity with the workingmen
to induce them to work full time. He
will appeal to their patriotism and
their desire for gain, according as one
or the other motive seems strongest
with them.
The trouble with the British work
man seems to be that he either does
not care or does not realize how
greatly his country needs the articles
ha produces, and he does not care to
earn more money than he needs for
a living. Thus a British White Book
shows that in one great establishment
engine fitters were losing one-fourth
of their time; in shipyards building
warships the time worked was 65 per
cent for riveters7 75 per cent for plat
ers. 7 8 per cent for caulkers and
drillers'. In one shipyard 32 per cent
of the ironworkers, 33 per cent of the
platers, 32 per cent of the riveters and
holders-on, 53 per cent of the drill
ers and 24 per cent of the carpenters
failed to report in the early hours.
' liven at later hours absentees ranged
from 13 to 30 per cent. An advance
In wages, instead of being an incen
tive to industry, has the reverse effect,
for after such an advance absenteeism
-Rctually increased.
Admiral Jellicoe told the First Lord
of the Admiralty about the serious
amount of loafing, writing:
I am very uneasy about the labor situation
on the Clyde and Tyne. . . . Today an
officer In a responsible situation arrived.
His account of things on the Clyde was most
disquieting. He said that the men refused
altogether to, work on Saturday afternoon,
. that they took "Wednesday afternoon off
every week, if not the whole of Wednesday,
and worked all of Sunday because they sot
double pay for It.
The effect of this state of affairs on
land operations' is shown by this ex
tract from a London Times dispatch
from Northern - France:
The result of our attacka on Sunday last
In the districts of Kromelles and Kiche
bourg were disappointing. We found the
enemy much more strongly posted than we
expected. We ha 1 not sufficient high ex
plosive to level his parapets to the ground
after the French practice, and when -our in
fantry gallantly stormed the trenches, as
they did In both attacks, t'ney found a gar
rison undismayed, many entanglements still
Intact, and maxims on all sides. The want
: f all unlimited supply of high explosive
ix fatal bar to our success.
- The correspondent contrasts this
failure with the success of the French
offensive between Arras and Lens,
where, "by dint of the expenditure of
27 6 rounds of high explosive per gun
in one day, all the German defenses,
except the villages, were leveled with
the ground.'"'
Unless Mr. Lloyd George can per
suade the British workman to do his
part towards victory, Britain may find
resort to conscription necessary in or
der not to get men to fight, but to get
men to work. If a "slacker" has no
stomach for fighting, he may be in
duced to work steadily by being of
fered the alternative of going into the
army, though such a man would make
a poor soldier. The men in armament
works may be enrolled in military bat
talions and required to work so many
hours a day under martial law.
THE CALLED JADE TTIJiCES.
"Why," cries the Portland Evening
Journal, "why this hounding of Com
missioner Daly by The Oregonian?
Its -willful, malicious nd
brutal assaults on a -man . who is
conscientiously and ably .serving the
people should be rebuked."
If The Oregonian has willfully, ma
liciously or brutally assaulted Mr.
Daly, it acquiesces cheerfully in the
demand that it be rebuked. But it
has done nothing of the kind. It
leaves to its bellowing contemporary
a monopoly of the practice of vilify
ing and humiliating public men, by-
persistent impugnment of motives, by
false characterization, by personal ex
posure, by misstatement of their eay
irigs and by misrepresentation of their
doings. It has a long and dishonor
able record of that sort of thing.
Mr. Daly represents aggressively 1
school of thought and practice in pub
lie matters with which The Oregonian
totally disagrees. He is a socialist.
He was elected as a moderate and
fair-minded representative of the la
bor interests, because a large major
ity of the people of Portland The
OregonlanJ among them thought it
good policy to give recognition in the
public service to that important ele
ment. But it transpires that Mr. Daly
is not a conservative, but' a radical,
and that in his important policies he
discards the counsels of experience
and accepts the unseasoned proposals
of mere innovators. He is the author
of the senseless and unworkable 13
minimum wage scheme. He is re
sponsible for the utter failure of the
City Commission to devise an ade
quate ordinance to eontrol and regu
late the jitneys. He proposes to make
the taxpayer pay for the gratuitous
collection of garbage. He wants to
spend needlessly large sums to install
water meters. He does other things
which Justify the statement that he
has a definite programme of socialis
tic control of the municipality's utili
ties and services, which he proposes
to carry out. Seeing these things.
The Oregonian definitely and emphat
ically dissents, in the public interest.
A newspaper that has so little scru
ple or conscience in its attacks upon
men. with whom it disagrees and in
its criticisms of measures which do
not please it really ought not to be
so thin-skinned or thick-headed.
TO A WONDERING NEIGHBOR.
Tt Is generally conaeded that great cor
porations such as the Portland CJas Com
pany and the Portland Hallway, L,lght Jk
power company adopt the moist scientific
and economic meusures obtainable in the
conduct of their business. We wonder if
rhe Oregonian would attempt to say. to
these corporations that it would be the
proper thing for them to discard their
niiers and sen gas and electricity at flat
rates 7
This pleasant tribute to the sound
business methods of two great Port
land corporations is from the Labor
Press, which is for water meters be
cause Commissioner Daly; is for wa
ter meters. We cheerfully respond to
the inquiry of the Labor Press by thus
removing all occasion for wonder
ment.
If the two corporations, or either
of them, were to be favored by Na
ture so that a great natural supply of
gas or electricity were stored at an
available and convenient place lrrthe
mountains, and it could be piped by
gravity into the houses of Portland
consumers, they should be, and prob
ably would -be, prohibited by law from
limiting the customers to minimum
use, and preventing maximum use.
What would be said or thought of a
monopoly which deliberately threw
away water, or light, or gas, rather
than let the people have it? Would
not the Labor Press demand that Its
officers be put in jail?
The Bull Run water supply belongs
to the people of Portland. It is de
signed for their use and benefit. The
Oregonian does not hesitate to say
that the real duty of its Water Com
missioner is to devise and install' a
distributing system which will furnish
he people freely of their own water.
for their liberal use (not abuse).
Yet we have a Water Commissioner
who fancies that it is better to leave
half or more of our water n the
mountains, and to turn millions of
gallons a day into the sewers," rather
than encourage its distribution
through Portland homes, in 'Portland
gardens and on Portland lawns."
BEGLT AT THE WRONG TIME.
The Democratic National Commit
tee is preparing for the campaign of
next year by polling the country on
the sentiment regarding the . Wilson
policies. It has sent to county chair
men a series of questions as to the
feeling of Democrats and the people
generally towards the Administration,
asking which particular policies are
most cordially , approved or disap
proved; whether independent voters
are favorable or "unfavorable . to the
Administration; whether business
conditions are good, bad or indiffer
ent, to what cause they are ascribed
and whether they are '' improv
ing; as to the condition of Republi
can and Democratic organizations.
whether Republicans and Froeres-
ives are getting together, whether
the Democrats would fare better to
day than in 1912 and whether the
Republicans are active.
This is a most inopportune time to
make such a canvass. In the present
critical state of American relations
with foreign powers, the natural dis
position of every good citizen with
out regard to party is to suspend dis-
usslon of domestic politics for the
present and to support the President
in upholding American interests
abroad. That is the disposition of
The Oregonian, and we shall adhere
to that course unless the Adminis
tration unwisely forces to the front
some domestic question on which we
cannot agree with it. This being the
general temper, it would detract from
the value of any political canvass that
might be made at the present time.
the present crisis the events of a
few months may disjoint aJJ calcula
tions. If the Democrats desire- an
accurate reflection of public senti
ment, they will wait until the pres-
nt disturbing factors are removed.
There is a bit of a lesson to par
ents ia the etory c-f tba 12-year-old.
who slept in the street the other
night, fearing to go home after los
ing his brother's coaster. Accidents
happen; they are not premeditated
affairs. There are many boys in the
world, now growing old, who look
back to the days when these things
were passed on lightly in the house
hold, and there are others who can
describe the treatment as. "being
licked for everything." Which class
do you suppose has the kinder mem
ory of the old folks?
CORRECT A WRONG IMFRESSIOX.
The Panama-Pacific International
Exposition is just getting under full
swing in San Francisco. There are
millions of dollars, years of labor and
thought and scientific cunning un
measured tied up in the big bundle of
divertissements, educational and oth
erwise, at the fair. The fair has
been open about -four months and. air
ready millions of people have ta'ken
advantage of its wonders and attrac
tions. The tourist season is just now
opening and vacation time is only
here. For the remainder of the Bum
mer and Fall the travel to the fair', of
course, will be greater in proportion
than it has been the first four months.
Yet the word seems to have gone
out, to the East especially, that the
San Francisco fair was about to close.
Moreover, the report seems to have
gained credence. Only yesterday a
man from New York stopping in Port
land en route to San Francisco re
ceived a letter from his daughter ask
ing if it were true the fair hd closed;
and if so, advising him he need not
expect .to join her at Ban Francisco?
as had been prearranged, C. M.
Baumgras, the New York man in
question, came to The Oregonian to
confirm the falsity of the report. 1
In many ways we are led to believe
the San Francisco Exposition is ahead
of all others. At least it is the most
modern and sufficiently spectacular to
stir the most blase. ThA travel to and
from the exposition means much to
Portland and , other , cities on this
Coast. It is a duty of those in the
West who have friends in' the East to
advise them the fair at San Francisco,
to which, after all, the entire world
has contributed, is still. pn, and from
all indications will remain on. . The
memory of the Jamestown Exposition
doubtless has affected the East. The
impression is wrong. It should be
corrected.
j 1. t-
WHp 18 THE BETTER GUIDE?
The interview with President Jor
dan and., the .address of Admiral
Fiske present two opinions about. the
sufficiency of v our Navy between
which the people are free to choose.
Dr. Jordan Is a pacifist who re
luctantly admits the need of National
defense, but he maintains that our
Navy is second only to that of Britain
and is sufficient. ' He can see no pos
sibility that any European nation
would attack our coast.
Admiral Fiske ia a practical, trained
naval man, whose business Mt is to
know what force could be brought
against us and what force we, must
have to overcome It. He describes
the possible hostile force and ttoen
states that we have "a smaller
number of dreadnoughts, pre-dread-noughts.
and destroyers, no battle
cruisers, no effective scouts, one air
ship recently contracted for, only
three good aeroplanes, -not yet ready;
anembryonic aeronautical service;
two mine depot ships, one mine-layer
and twelve mine-sweepers; also
about forty-five submarines of all
kinds and ages distributed over the
Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, Panama,
Hawaii and the Philippines, an in
adequate merchant marine from
which to get auxiliaries; an enlisted
personnel insufficient even in time of
peace, and no trained reserves and
no general staff or similar agency to
direct the whole."
Whom will the American people
choose as a guide in these critical
times the college professor or the
man whose business it ia to judge with
what we may have to ' contend and
what means are necessary to contend
successfully agajnst it? We trust the
judgment of the expert rather than
that of the theorist. ' .
WARNINGS FROM WASHINGTON.
Imminence of the day for armed
intervention in Mexico and possibility
that the United. States may fight Ger
many have extorted from many who
have hitherto opposed such action ad
missions that the Nation must make
ready for war and that its present
military resources are miserably in
adequate. Our mobile army does pot
exceed 30,000 men and is- wofully
short of artillery and ammunition
We can reinforce it only with the
National Guard, which is only half
trained and is still more lacking in
artillery. We are little better pre
pared than we were in the. days of
George Washington. The criticisms
he made on our military policy a cen
tury and a quarter ago fit our pres
ent case with but slight changes.
This Is proved by the publication
of some letters of the first President,
written at the ritical period of the
Revolution, many of, them to the -New
Hampshire Committee of Safety. In
September, 1776, the states-began en
listing men for three years or. the
war, and in 1779 many time-expired
men left the ranks. The war for the
time being came practically to a stand
still. In a letter dated October 18,
1782, a year after Yorktown,- Wash
ington reviewed the war, showed
short-term levies to be useless and
pleaded for an effective army, which
could be obtained only by enlistment
for the war. He wrote:
Had we In the commencement ' raised an
army for the war. such as was within the
reach of the abilities of these states to
raise and maintain, we - should not have
suffered these military checks which,. have
Incurred auch enormous expenditures as
have destroyed our paper currency and with
it all public credit. A moderate compact
force on a permanent establishment capable
of acquiring- the discipline essential to
military operation, would have .been able
to make head against the enemy, without
comparison better than the throngs of mi
litia which, at certain periods have been,
not in the field, but In their way to and
from the field, for from that want of per
severance W-hich -characterizes all militia,
and of that coercion which cannot be ex
ercised upon them, it has always been
found Impracticable to detain the greatest
part of them In service even for the term
for which they have been called out, and
this has commonly been so short that we
have had a a-reat proportion oC- the
time two sets of men to feed and pay, one
comma; to tne Army and the other going
from it. ... I mlfht add the diminution
of our agriculture by calling- off at critical
seasons the laborers employed in it, aa has
happened In instances without number.
He further said:
'Tis time we should ret rid of the error
which the experience of all mankind 4ias
exploded, and which our own experience
has dearly taught us to reject the carrying-
on of a war with militia, or (which
is nearly the same thing) temporary levies
against a regular, permanent and disrinlinorl
force. The Idea la chimerical and that
we have so long persisted In It is a reflec
tion on the. Judgment of a Nation so en
lightened as we are. as well as a ntrfnv
proof of the empire of prejudice over rea
son, ir we continue in the infatuation we
shall deserve to lose the object we are
contending for.
Ana ixauon peraibiea in-jne poiicyj
which Washington condemned and
paid the penalty in the War of 1812.
It put into the field a total of 537.000
men, while the largest number of
British regulars employed at one time
was 16,800. The Americans were al
most always defeated on land until
the battle of New Orleans, and the
capital was abandoned to an army
little more than half as numerous as
its defenders. Failure in that war
was due to reliance on untrained, raw
levies of militia who were continually
coming and going and who did not
remain long enough, with the Army
to become effective soldiers.
Except that we have as the nucleus
of an army 30,000 available regular
troops, we are in the same position
today. The National Guard is little
better trained and equipped for serv
ice than were the levies of militia in
1776 and 1812. Before we shall be
ready for a campaign, we must bring
the National Guard up to the required
standard of efficiency and must raise
raw levies of volunteers to reinforce
it. But these volunteers will not be
fit for service short of six months, for
Las Light Horse Harry Lee said: "That
nation is a murderer of its people who
sends them unprepared and untrained
to meet in. war men mechanized and
disciplined by training."
If we should engage in military op
erations, either in Mexico or else
where, care should be taken after they
are over that we never again relapse
into the same condition of weakness.
Hitherto we have, been saved from
disaster by good fortune and by our.
isolation. The progress of science is
destroying our isolation and we dare
not rely on fickle fortune to protect
us indefinitely from the consequences
of pur negligence.
The Oregonian has received a num
ber of letters from readers who de
sire to discuss the two contributions
of Dr. Wise to the literature of peace
and war. One or two of the mildest
and shortest will be printed, chiefly
because they had been accepted for
publication; but it seems necessary to
withhold the others, for Jn the aggre
gate they run to large space, and
some of them are quite acrimonious.
not to say heated. Enough has been
said too much, perhaps and it is
well to close the controversy. '
The hardships of a policeman's life
have not made it unpopular in Port
land.. The prospect of 400 candidates
at tne next examination warrants a
certain pride In the good character
and physical fitness of our young men
Of course few would apply without a
fair chance of success. We must
therefore have a great many husky
lads In the city. A policeman's life ia
aa useful as any they could have cho
sen. If some fail this time, we ad
vise them to coach up and try again.
The Iing of England calls' himself
King of France. The King of Italy
calls himself King of England,
rrance, opain, Jerusalem and many
other countries. These titles are but-
vivals front old wars and contain
nothing but the ghosts of dead claims
Still the dead may be resurrected and
nothing is more active than a ghost
fitted out with a new body. Almost
every European potentate would be
Emperor of the world if all his titles
stood for realities.
The "small claims court" starts out
encouragingly on a career which
should be extremely useful to people
of small means. Its purpose is to cur-
tall lawyers' fees, simplify court pro
ceedings and render speedy justice in
petty suits. Its efficiency will depend
on the courage and sympathy of those
who conduct it. They can speedily
involve the small claims court in a net
of technicalities if they choose.
The Inhuman, practice of leaving
boards with nails sticking up from
them for horses to tread on Is too
common. "Wise farmers, and their
boys, stamp such nails down as soon
as they are found. The unwise pass
them by and have presently a wound
ed horse to care for. The nail with
its dirt and germs penetrates the frog
of the foot and makes a sore very
difficult to cure.
The more, hospitably Portland can
entertain her Chinese visitors the bet
ter for trade. The surly talk we hear
nowadays about a boycott of Ameri
can goods in China might all have
been, prevented by the practice of
common politeness to our neighbors
across the Pacific. It i3 a little late
to "begin now, but better late than
never.
The Oregon Countryman, published
at the Corvallis College, is the. most
practical magazine we are privileged
to read. The June number discourses
of loganberries, alfalfa for pigs, how
to adjust the mower, worms in chick
ens and the like. We wish the farm
ers might all read the Countryman
and profit by. its lessons.
1 j
A Petrograd correspondent com
ments on the possession by Germany
of plenty of important ammunition, as
if everybody does not know that the
empire means business in fighting and
being prepared to fight.
A man who journeyed to the asy
lum the other day to satisfy "hlmseli
as to his mental condition was. tajcen
in. Not all the erratic-minded are so
candid. , .
A sailing, radius of 3400 miles is
not remarkable in a German subma
rine, though it might be so in a vessel
of another nation.
A scientist declares that the prog
eny of the nations in the world war
will be shorter. Yes, in more ways
than one.
A man might duck a bomb from a
French aeroplane, but darts are the
recrudescence of savage cruelty.
Prussian losses total 1,388,000, but
the Germans are feeding more than
that number of "outsiders."
Isn't it great to be alive this
weather and know there is more of it
due?
Get a sample ballot today and study
it in the shade on the lawn tomor
row. Buy blue pencils today and give
them to the kids to mark the walls.
Where is the pessimist, who feared
there would be a lack of roses?"
Only an athletic girl can retie the
shoe that laces in the back.
Keep the fire laddie's in mind for
flowers next week.
Przemvsl is in her second Bui Run
stane, '
Twenty-Five ' Years Ago
From The Oregonian June 5, 1890.
Lincoln Bradahaw- York County,
Neb., was hit by a cyclone yesterday
and a number of lives lost. The dam
age probably will be fpund to be heavy
and extensive in the surrounding coun
try. McMinnville The following compose
the jury just selected for the Scott
murder trial on here: Isaac Lambright,
William Nelson, Henry Hopkins, W. K.
Da-vis. John Redmond, W. F. Ralston,
John Parrott, A. George Bryan and A.
M. Detnier'ng.
Colonel Geer, of Burns, has bought
the necessary machinery for a flouring
mill, the second he is is to establish in
Harney County,
New York Amos Rusie pitched the
crippled- New York team to a 4-to-l
victory over Brooklyn yesterday.
Brooklyn got enly five hits.
J. II. Flsk and Clarence Coulter have
Just returned from an extensive trip
through the Bitter Root Mountains
country. Mr, Fisk went to examine
mining properties fbr some Portland
capitalists.
People have for a long time known
that toothpicks were in .great demand,
but the novel shipment of 3000 barrels
of this necessary commodity by Wood.
ard, Clark & Co! almost takes our
breath away. v
Adrian McCalman and Miss Julia Dll
ley were married at their future home,
348 Fifteenth street, last night by the
Rev. Thomas L. Cole, of Trinity Church.
Among other gifts was a handsome
present from Foster & Robertson, Mr.
McCalman's employers.
While Miss Lola Brown was on' her
way to a party at R. B. Knapp's resi
dence last night her carriage was
stopped in fronj of Judge Bellinger's
home. The driver went into the house
to call for Miss Bellinger and Miss
Brown remained In the carriage. A
passing vehicle frightened, the horses
and they started 011 a dead run. After
three or four blocks the horses ran
into a vacant lot and the carriage was
upset, throwing out Miss Brown. Miss
Brown, a little disheveled, but not
seriously hurt, proceeded on her way
to the party.
Captain R. H. Lamson, clerk of the
United States Court, has returned from
Southern "California, where he passed
six months.
1 Eighteen ceusus-takers hae started
work In Portland and each resident
will be asked 26 individual questions.
The population of Portland ia estimated
now at 60,000.
vvitii good prospects tor tne con
struction of three, additional railroads
centering here being commenced very
soon, everyone is anxious to know on
which one work will be commenced
first. It Is likely that the Union Pa-
clflo will have the honor of starting
work first, as operations On clearing
right of way between this city and
Vancouver will be begun in a few days,
proDaDiy tnis weeK.
CONSIDER CITY'S WATER SCri'LY
If Portland Had to Pump, Filter and
Sterilize, Meters Might Alter Cost.
PORTLAND, June 3. (To the Edi
tor.) Those who honestly favor the Is
suance of $500,000 bonds for water me
ters in l-ortlana must believe that a
benefit will result. The usual argu
1 ints are:
1. That the use of meters is favored
and is increasing in other progressive
cities, therefore we should have meters.
2. That the use of meters will reduce
the Water bill, as shown by the experi
ence of some consumers in Portland.
3. That the use of meters will in
crease the pressure in certain districts.
Argument No. 1 is based on an in
herent fallacy, to-wit: That the condi
tions in Portland are similar to thff
other cities, when in fact this city is
specially favored by nature as to water
upply. In those cltieawhere the use
of meters results in economy, the con
ditions will be found entirely unlike
Portland s, and where the conditions
are as in Portland if any such exist).
e.excess pipeline capacity and grav
ity supply of purest quality sufficient
for many years growth, it will be found
that meters 011 small consumers re
sults only in increased cost for a given
amount of water. Only where the water
supply requires treatment by sedimen
tation, filtering and" sterilization, ex
pensive storage and puniping,-or where
it is necessary to gut maximum service
from a limited source, can the use of
meters' on all consumers be justified.
The Portland supply requires none of
these, and its citizens should be keen
to reap the benefits of its natural ad
vantage in this respect.
The rules of the water department
require larger consumers to " pay the
cost of meters for themselves; this rule
is clearly equitable, and its enforce
ment w-ould settle the meter question.
Has Mr. Daly made any attempt 'to do
s,o. and if not, why?
The second argument is based on the
fact that an unjust proportion of the
water revenues has been collected from
the smallest consumers by means of
discriminatory rate to metered services;
that is, the meter rate is too low. If
all the water now used were sold at
present meter rate, an alarmine defi
ciency would result. Any one can fig
ure this out if the number of unm
tered services is known. If all have
meters, the rate must be raised in or
der to prodjjee the required total reve
nue, even without reference to the add
ed $75,000 annual expense due to the
meters, a clear waste. If a private com
pany were in charge of this water sys
tem, appeal to the Public Service Cora
n.ission would long ago have been used
to correct the injustice, and vet Mr.
Daly and others are using this injus
tice to runner their campaign for me
ters. Ask yourself why. (The laws of
Oregon specially except publicly-owned
corporations from the Public Service
Conamission, regulation of rates, public
officials being supposed to be Just to
the public.)
Argument No. 3 is almost unworthy
of notice, and indicates total absence
of competent engineering advice. Only
by an unwarranted and unsanitary re
striction of use of water could meters
produce any appreciable increase of
pressure. The proper remedies for lack
of pressure are reasonable regulation
of sprinkling hours by districts and
intelligent correction of the defects in
the distributing system.
A vote for the $500,000 bond issue is
a vote to nullify and wipe out a dis
tinct and valuable natural advantage,
without a shadow of benefit to compen
sate. GEORGE EAfJ.
Wife's It I p; lit to Property.
OREGON CITY, Or.. June 3. (To the
Editor.) Will you kindly answer the
following questions?
What are the lawful rights of a wife
in regard to any and all property should
the husband die first? (2) If, through
the special exertions of the wife, a
foundation is laid for a considerable
property, can the husband will all the
property to the children and money to
other relatives and leave his wife life
insurance money only? Would such a
will be legal? s.
The wi'e gets a distributive share of
the personal property and a dower
right to the real property. (2) No, the
husband cannot will away the wife's
dower ricrht in his property. (3) The
will would be legal outside of the pro
visions conflicting with the wife's dow-
tier ricbt to the property.
TROIBIE BEGINS WITH METERS
Agitation Years Abo, Partially Over
come, Recalls AnnoylnK Results.
PORTLAND, June 3 (To the Ed
itor.) Years ago, when the matter of
supplying the entire City of Portland
with water meters was agitated, a man
engaged in the water meter business
gave notice through the press that he
intended to start a meter factory here.
He evidently thought he had struck a
good thing and was willing to push it
along. Perhaps this same meter in
dividual or his spirit is atill hovering
around and in close proximity to Com
misslonerDaly. . In considering the
meter question one might ask if a
private company was running the water
business of the city at this time, would
the. company ueai-de to expend say
$500,000 for meters, as Commissioner
Daly advocates doing?
When the City,-of Portland took over
.the business of. supplying the people
with water it took the place of the
Portland Water Company and others
who previously had beeit engaged in
these enterprises, and purchased their
Plants. The companies conducted
business so as to pay operating ex
penses, pay interest on outstanding in
debtedness, build mains,- etc., and to
realise a profit on their investment.
People were supplied, with Willamette
River, water'. There was a cry for
better drinking water, which devel
oped into a plan for the city to own
the water works and build the Bull
Kun pipe line. All this in due time
was soon accomplished. From that
time on the City of Portland, under the
management of a water commission,
became engaged in the water business.
Now is it not reasonable that the water
department conducted by the city
should be run with as sound business
capacity as a water business by a pri
vate company? (Should not the earn
ings under city management provide
enough revenue to defray operating
expenses, to meet interest payments,
construct additional . water mains aa
required and other necessary things,
and also to provide a fund so as to be
able at some future time to wipe out
1110 do no indebtedness. Just as a pri-
vulc concern wouia do If It were con
ducting its affairs on sound business
principles?
But under city management it ap
pears that when there is not money
available for a purpose some fellow
settles the matter by providing tor an
additional bond issue.
Years ago, when the flat rate system
prevailed here altogether, the affairs
of the water department of the city
ran along satisfactorily and the finan
cial showing was good. Rates were
reduced from time to time as the earn
ings .warranted. The lowest flat rate
finally became 75 cents per month.
There was no complaint from the
water users and everybody appeared
eatislied.
With the installation of water meters
trouble began and it has been trouble
ever since.
The next step was to make people
pay for laying new water mains, not
alone in hew districts, as was said
would only be done when this plan was
proposed, but on Everett street, Tilla
mook street and all over the city
wherever it was found new mains
were needed. This scheme' ended in
a court decision which compelled the
city to give the money back. Since the
advent of water meters the water ques
tion has been the subject of continual
discussion, whereas in former years it
was seldom heard of except in the way
of general meetings of the commis
sioners and general reports. The af
fairs were .managed properly and there
was nothing to disouHa and quarrel
over. Since water meters came there
seems to have been turmoil, misman
agement, financial loss and more water
bonds and consequent interest.
J. MILLEKEN.
Thla I Ills Flrat Term.
CH EH ALTS. Wash, June S. (To the
Editor.) Was Alexander, the present
Governor of Idaho, ever in the same
office before since Idaho became a
tate? I think this is his first term
as Governor of Idaho, and would ap
preciate it very much if you could let
me know. L E L
" 1 1 11
Edison on the National Defense
m
The Sunday
The views of Thomas A. Edison on almost any subject are full
of extreme public interest. He is a versatile man and as practical
as he is versatile.' For several months he has been considering the
- relations of the United States to the European nations now en
Raged in war. He has evolved a plan of National defense for
America that he believes would be successful. His plan will be ex
plained in detail in The Sunday Oregonian.
THIS IS ROSE FESTIVAL WEEK Due to the fact that the people
of Portland are to lay aside the ,more serious affairs of life and
enjoy their annual festival of roses this week, the Sunday paper
will give a full outline of the entertainment that has been pre
pared. A complete and detailed programme of the events for each
day of the festival will be presented. A series of illustrations will
jjive some idea of the novel and varied features provided by this
'year's festival directors.
CANAL ENGINEERING SECONDARY In his regular installment
on how the Panama Canal was built General Goethals describes the
manner in which the administrative forces were organized. He
points, out that whilethe engineering problems were of great mag
nitude, they were of secondary importance when the other details
were considered. The task of transporting supplies and material
was a tremendous one. This story will explain something of the
manner in which this task was handled.
ITALY BREAKS WITH AUSTRIA How Italy has been piling up
hate against her neighbor and former ally and how the diplomatic
bonds that held them together were weakened by the outbreak of
the war, to be severed entirely by the declaration of war by Italy
herself, is told in interesting historical detail by a well-informed
writer. The story will be fully illustrated.
RICH WOMAN FIGHTS DRUGS Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt is using her
- wealth in a crusade against drugs. She not only has given her
money in this causa, but has taken a keen personal interest in
the work. A Sunday article will explain her numerous activities in
this connection. -
GIGANTIC SWINDLER BROUGHT TO BAY One of the most no
torious swindles of modern times was that concocted by Whitaker
Wright, of England. The story of how he perpetrated his scheme,
how he manipulated it, how he profited from it, how he used his
profits to live in luxury and how, finally, he was apprehended, tried
and convicted, only to cheat the law by suicide, is one of the most
sensational tales of modern times.
WAS COLUMBUS A JEW? The Oregonian's Paris correspondent
recently has come into possession of facts that indicate that Chris
topher Columbus probably was of Jewish origin. Early portraits
of Columbus which show him with a decidedly Jewish cast of coun
tenance will illustrate the story.
COMPLETE TOURING SECTION For the interest and guidance
of tourists and vacationists the Sunday paper will include a large
section devoted to descriptions, by text and by illustrations, of
Western roads and the scenery contiguous to them. Expert writers
will explain the best ways of travel up and down the Coast, across
the continent and about the state.
SERMON BY DR. BOYD A complete sermon by some prominent
Portland clergyman is a regular feature of The Sunday Oregonian.
Tomorrow will be printed a sermon on "Our Dead," by Dr. John
H. Boyd. It is a discourse that will attract wide attention.
OTHER SUNDAY FEATURES Besides all this the Sunday paper
will include the usual comic section, the department for little folks,
including Donahey's page, the regular automobile, dramatic, society,
real estate and sporting section and a large number of other spe
cial features.
ORDER FROM YOUR NEWSDEALER, 5 CENTS A COPY.
H tlf a Century Ago
-i
rrom The Oregonian, June 5. 15ti5.
The cities of Boston and New Voile
are already moving in Ihc matter of
making some suitable endowment upon
the Lincoln family, it being proposed
that $100,000 be raised in each city.
The late President, it has coirto to
liirht, left but little of this world's
goods for his family.
From Wilkes' Spirit of April 23 we
take the following:
"There can be but little doubt left
ln the niind.s of those wiio have at
tentively perused the dotnils of the
plot to assassinate the leaders of the
Government that Andrew Johnson,
who has endured so murh undeserved
obloquy tor his singular aberration
March 4, was on that occasion uridor
the Influence, not of spirituous '. liquors,
not either of a mere disturbing drus
intended only to disfigure him, but of
a deadly poison, furtively insinuated
in his drink with the view to take hi
life. It is in proof that the assassina
tions were to have been perpetrated oi
March 4 and that Booth, the chief as
sassin, was in a position to have ex
terminated the President about the
time that the Vice-I'resident should
have died. Mr. Johnson's powerful
nature triumphed over the infernal
draught.
Ex-Governor Wright, of Indiana, re
cently made an address in which he
cited by -specific examples which had
comq to his notice that the negro was
able to take care of himself and that
with proper co-operation was capable
of working to the profit of himself and
the white grower who employed him.
Mr. and Mrs. II. Uisgins will soon
open their boarding and day school for
girls.
We learn from Mr. S. Straus that the
editor of the Boise Statesman has been
wounded by a pistol shot flred in the
hand of John M. Murphy, County Au
ditor, Mrs. Stevens, of East Portland, has
lost a "Fort-monnaie" containing $50
in legal tender notes and a $5 gold
piece.
The board of managers of the Ore
gon btate Fair, composed of H. W.
Eddy, Clackamas County, president;
John Barrows, Linn County; R. C.
Ueer and AV. G. Hunt. Marion County;
T. G. Naylor and W. A. Mills. Wash
ington County; Samuel Miller, Clacka
mas County; Joel Palmer, Yamhill
County; A. J. Dufur. Multnomah Coun
ty; N. C Myers, Jackson County, and
J. W. Walling, Polk County, have Is
sued a statement and prospectus for
the 1865 fair, which promises to be an
auspicious event.
Dtaplarlnfr the Klapr.
GRATS RIVER. Wash., June 3. (To
the Editor.) Should the United States
flag have been displayed at half mart
on Decoration day? We were advised
by some to display the flag at half
mast and by others to run it to the top.
Please advise so we may know what
is right in the future. M. & G.
On Memorial day flags on United
States Government buildings are dis
played at half staff until noon. The
War Department requires that the flag
be displayed at half staff from sun
rise to mid-day at Army posts and
garrisons. A National salute of 21 guns
is fired at noon. The flag ia then
raised to full staff.
Violin Authority.
HANFORD, Wash., June 3. (To th6
Editor.) I have an old violin secured
from mountaineers in Arkansas, who
knew its history for about 90 years.
It has the name of Antonlus Stradl
varlus as maker, date 1713. Can you
tell me the address of someone who
Is authority enough to know if it is
genuine?
Communicate with F. E. Coulter, vio
lin maker, Labbe building, Portland,
Or. It Is probably a Stradlvarius copy,
us most of the originals are located.
Oregonian