Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 1915)
THE MORNING OREGOTiTAjV. FRIDAY, AUGUST 6. 1915. II!: it i M '. I t tl-l I 11 I I 1 . U : i - ; m tit - Hi I' 1 II II '. i f i i n i i i I ( I t tl I I l I t ' I ' I POTLAD. OHXCO.V Entered at Portland. Oregon. PostoBle as Mcor.d-cAM mauar. aaocnpuoa itaiss Invariably la earnae: r-itv ftundav Included, on jrr Lel.y. MiUn Included, si month . 1-ii.j. unia Included, !" month 1-el.r. ouniiay Included, on month . Li.y. ithout Sunday, on r . Ial.y. without Sunday, sla month .. l-ai y. without Sunday, thro month Lilr. without Sunday, month .. 4.M . .74 . lw . S-i L5J . .W . 1.M . o Wev-KIy. on yr fcuncay. on I r .......- Sunday had Yloaaiy. oo year tBy Carrier.) Daily. Sunday Included, on rar .... Tja.lv. Siuilftr. Included, on most .. 9.9V .1 Hw I arall d PostoBIc mn or" der expre order or personal caeca on your .! tiai. stamp, cola or currency arj at senders risk. tit soaioffic eddr la tau. Including county ana slat. rai aim 13 to It pago. 1 ent: l to mi . I cut. M to 4 a-. S enu, SO to pasca, et. Si to PfS"" ? cut: 7 to 3 . CMU. orals pota. douolo rat. EMtn a oeir Vro Conk lln. KruniaxH halldin. Nw York: ere a Conk. in. 8ter bundlnc Chicago: nan Francisco representative. K. J. lildasU. 1 )iart tru l"ORTLAD, FRIDAY. ACGCST 11. CAFTVBE Or WARSAW. The loss of Warsaw is the penalty which Russia pays for the obstinate attempt to penetrate through the Car pathian Mountains into Hungary. By making that attempt ahe alarmed Ger. many lest Austria and Hungary should collapse and lest the Balkan states should stampede to the allied cause. Russia unduly extended her line of battle, exposed her western front in Calicla to successful assault, sacrificed a. huge number of men to win the passes and perilously lengthened her lines of communication. Germany saw the necessity of sav ing Austria and saw also the opportu nity of dealing a body blow at Russia. She massed in Western Galicla and In East Prussia every man and every gun she could spare from the western front. Joined them to the Austrian for-es and broke the Dunajec line with C y.el i ( ahell. At the same time she force,! iiu U to extend her line by In. vailing Cotirland. taking Libau and threatening Riga and the i'eirograu Warsaw Railroad. Since the first on slaught late In April the German-Aus trian progress has been almost con tinuous. In withdrawing from the Carpathians hundreds of thousands of Russians and hundreds of guns were captured, and captures on a smaller scale have been made from time to time ever since. The Russians lost all except a small corner of Galicla and were kept moving so continuously that they could not bring up enough rein forcements for a rally and a counter offensive. Having once driven the Russians to their own territory, the Austro-Ger-mans began a huge encircling move ment aimed at the capture of both Warsaw and the main Russian army. Her western frontier is a weak line of defense for Russia, for It bulges be tween East Prussia on the north and Galicla on the south, exposing her to a double flank attack, and Warsaw Is near the center. In the effort to straighten and thereby strengthen her line. Russia Invaded Galicla and twice invaded East Prussia, but could do no more than hold the line west of War saw against all assaults. Germany now set about crushing, by closing In on both flanks, the sadly weakened army which she had been unable to break by frontal attack from the west. She has adopted the course foreshadowed by The Oregonlan after Russia abandoned Lemberg. Lake the two blades of a giant pair of shears, the Austro-German armies have crowded back the Russians from north and south. They have rendered the western defenses untenable, have cut off the retreat by way of Lublin to Kleff. and at last reports had also cut the railroad to Petrograd. Long before they reached the outer defense of Warsaw they had destroyed all hope that the Russians could hold that city. For the last three weeks the Rus sians have been fighting stubborn rearguard actions with a view of hold ing the city and Its environs only until they could extricate their army and all Its supplies and everything of military value which the city contained from the trap which their enemies strained every nerve to close upon them. Warsaw Is dismantled and largely de populated, the surrounding country Is laid wsste. and the Germans entered an almost empty city and a devas tated land. Whether the victors will capture any considerable number of troops remains to be seen. Probably the bulk of the army, artillery and supply trains had escaped in the direc tion of Moscow and Petrograd before the city was lost, the later resistance being designed only to cover the re treat. There Is a general consensus of opinion that the Russians will now endeavor to hold an Intrenched line stretching from the vicinity of Riga on the north through Vllna. Blelo stock. Brest-Utovsk and Tarnopol to the Roumanian frontier, as The Ore gonlan surmised some weeks ago. Germany may endeavor to press her advantage with a view to preventing the Russians from becoming firmly established on this line and with a view to extending her gains to Riga, on the north, and even to Odessa, on the south. Prudence may. however, move her not to lengthen her lines fur ther, but to hold Russia at bay while she hurls her main .forces at the French and British before the British land more armies In France or get more munitions as the result of Lloyd George's efforts. ROAI3 AS I VESTMENTS. The Louisville Courier-Journal gives some concrete examples of the advantages conferred upon farmers by the building of good roads past or contiguous to their farms. The first Is taken from Better Roads and ' streets, a publication of wide repute. It la as follows: It Jackson County. Alabama, a bond issus of 2.w waa voted for road Improvement, and 14 p-r cnt e( th road la to county w r workol or and Improvod. Prior ta this road laprormrBl tb ara Mlllnf pr.r of farm land la Jackaos County wa from to III Pr a-r. arrordinc to th lAciloa. otl and thor Bral condition, put afir th Improvements were completed and their advaota realised th reras selling grtr of th ram land adYaacd to an arerag of f 11 to per acre. Another example Is given of the benefits conferred upon landowners by building good roads In Virginia: la Lee County Virginia, a farmer owned too a're a:g th road between Ha Hur and Joeieovill. and which, before lb rat we Improved, ho had offered tn for glwm. which offer waa not accepted, devaral year later agltatloa wa trtd for ta Improvement of Ihle road, aad th frmer owning IB Unt bitterly fought aralret th proooeod Improvement, mm a portloa of tb ren would b levied acalnet his farm, th levy, however, beta very am a. Th rd waa Improved, however, and shortly after tno Improved road wa opened to trafie th farmer is fused a voluntary offer of (SxOo tor tb same farm. These HTtistraslon of the rue In farm values axe Indicative of what take place wherever highways are placed In rood condition. rvo doubt In our own state, along- the fine roads, say. in Jackson County, the same rise in values has taken place, and the same "will prove true wnerever good roads are constructed. The revolution in means of travel caused by perfection of the automo bile-has set almost every taxpayer in town and country to thlnkls and talking better roads. We ere un doubtedly entering upon a road-build' lng era of unprecedented scope. But let no man think the money put in good roads is wasted. It will only be wasted when the sum Is niggardly, when It Is too small to accomplish the desired results. When enough Is pent, the results will show that It is the best investment a farmer can make. WE UTI TO LEARN. The osteopath U ts tell us that there Is too much surgery and too much medicine, and seek to prove it by demonstrations of their manipulative skill over human subjects afflicted with various His. The surgeons refuse to regard osteopathy as a science, or as an established school of therapeu tics, and say that It Is only massage with a college education. They deny that it is a cure-all and they prove it. By the same token osteopathy Is able to show the same limitations upon both medicine and surgery. For ourselves, we have a notion that there is a lot of truth in what both the osteopaths and the regulars say, There Is no such thing under the sun as a panacea for all ills. No sensible regular will deny the healing effect of osteopathic treatment for many ail ments any more than he would say that fresh air and abundant exercise sr not the best tonics in all the world. We know of an osteopath who found that tne limits of his practice and krowledge were too narrow and dropped his work and became a stu dent In a regular school of medicine and surgery. He sought only to broaden his experience and re-enforce his skill. He succeeded. He Is still an osteopathia and also a surgeon. It seems to a lay observer that a little osteopathy Is a good thing for the surgeons and a little surgery for the osteopaths. tSTXR-NATlONAL MARRIAGE MARKET. Although the war has caused a boom In the production of munitions, it has caused severe depression In the international marriage market. Euro pean noblemen are too busy fighting to come to the United States In searcn of heiresses, and the routes of travel are so seriously obstructed by subma rines that American heiresses do not venture to Europe in search of noble husbands. The war has interfered with social activity In Europe to such a degree that, were travel as free as usual, the opportunities for the heir esses to meet the lords would be re stricted. If the heiresses should withhold the attack until the war is over, they would have a sadly mutilated assort' ment of lords to choose from. The lords are generally officers, and much larger proportion of officers than of privates is being killed and wounded. The heiresses may have to be content with lords minus a leg, an arm or an eye mere remnants or. men. On the other hand, the number of ellgibles will be Increased by the killing off of holders of and heirs to titles and In some Instances of entire direct lines of succession. Thus younger sons and collateral lines are brought into the eligible list. The war mill, however. Impoverish the Euro pean nobility to the point where a very liberal expenditure of American dollars will be necessary to maintain the prestige of baronial halls. While the war continues, an oppor tunity will be afforded good, red- blooded American men to carry off some of the heiresses who might in peace times have become duchesses or countesses. If they take advantage of this opportunity in any consider able number, they may expand our favorable balance of trade by keeping at home some American fortunes which would otherwise have been ex ported to Europe. aue.eee for. reservation. In many of the suggested plans for disposition of the Oregon & California Railroad grant lands the Importance of unpaid taxes now due and the fu ture taxation of the lands Is almost If not wholly overlooked. The current Issue of the Oregon Voter estimates that on the books of eighteen counties In Oregon more than f 1.000.000 la rep resented by taxes 'levied against the railroad and Coos Bay wagon road grants, of which no one knows how much ill ever be paid. Taxes on the railroad grant for this year and the preceding year remain unpaid. In 1J1J they aggregated S4SO.SC4.90. This year taxes were levied on the grant by every county except Douglas, but adding In Douglas at the rate and valuation adopted in 113. the total for this year Is 1433.115.91. The unpaid taxes on the one grant therefore aggregate at pres ent S903.980.81. and it is easily probable that unpaid taxes on the Coos Bay wagon road grant bring Oregon's tax losses up to more tb.an Sl.ooo.ooo. The predicament some of the coun ties are In Is Illustrated by the case of Coos. The Coqullle Sentinel reports that on June 30. 1915, there were out. standing S 175.301 of county warrants on which there was accrued interest to the .amount of SS400, making a total of S1S3.T01 of floating Indebtedness. But there Is due the county at least It Is a book asset $260,000 In taxes. ntcrest and penalties assessed against the two land grants. About one-half of that amount. If collected, would be segregated for state, school, ipad. city and port taxes. The county's half would come within about S53.000 of wiping out the floating debt, and that balance would be nearly met by the payment of taxes due on other large properties. The counties In which grant lands are located now have a million dol lar equity therein. Although they knew that litigation was In progress over the grants It was not wise policy to exclude the lands from the tax rolls, for It could not be foretold what turn the decision would take. Nor la it practicable to levy more taxes than the estimated needs of the county. Eighteen counties are therefore now confronted by a financial stringency. Moreover future procedure must be as speculative as In the past. The Government may acquire the lands, in which event they cannot be taxed, and If levies have been made against them county books will again fall to balance. So long as Congress does nothing the counties are confronted by another tangle. Taxes run against property, not against the person. If the constitutional requirement that uxes be equal and uniform is observed the lands must be taxed at a value equal to that of other lands of similar auaiitv. similarly situated. But now could such taxes be collected? Nat urally the railroad, having only 12.60 interest in each acre, would ob ject to paying taxes on, say, a SS0 valuation, and It is doubtful, under the terms of the grant, whether the lana could be sold for delinquent taxes. The taxes though called for by law would be uncollectible, yet would be an asset to be taken into considera tion In estimating revenue. But the main question is whether Oregon will quietly- submit to a re moval of the grant from the tax rolls through Congressional action covering it Into the forest reserves. Oregon mill quietly submit only If the people are satisfied to contribute S450.000 vearlv to the enlargement of the Gov ernment's reservation policy. That Is what Government acquisition for res ervation purposes would mean in cola flrures. When property that pays S450.000 annually in taxes Is removed from the rolls, the property remain ing on the rolls must make up the deficit. And this would be but an Initial contribution. The potential tax value of the lands to Oregon is far greater. If converted into settlement or use under private title values wouia increase immeasurably. "FREE ELECTION." There is some speculation In Indiana as to the validity of a pro vision of the new primary law which calls for a payment of 1 per cent of the official salary for one year in order for a candidate to get his name on the ballot. Lawyers refer to decision by the Nebraska Supreme Court holding a almilar provision to be in derogation of the constitutional guarantee that all elections shall v be free and equal. But it so happens that courts are not aereed on the question. ine Washington law has a like provision which has been upheld by the Su preme Court of that state. Abridg ment of individual rights by such an enactment Is wholly theoretical. Con stitutions also provide that justice shall be open and without price, yet the first step in obtaining Justice is the navment of a court fee. As a contribution to election costs, which are increased by the entry of every candidate into the lists, the fee is as fully Justified as the exaction of court costs from those in pursuit of Justice. In discussing the questlot. the In dianapolis Star remarks that "if the Legislature could say that only men able to pay fees may become candi dates. It might go further ann say that only those who could secure the indorsement of a party committee or convention might have their names on the ballot and thus defeat the pur- none of the direct primary." Yet Oregon's original primary law, op erated under for a number of years. made the indorsement of a given num. ber of electors a qualification for can- dacv. To be "free" as the Indiana critics of the law interpret the word, no can didate should be trammeled in his aspirations by fees, labor of himself in obtaining petition signatures, effort of his friends In circulating nis peti tions, or payment of petition ham-kers to get the names. To obtain a reauy free" election the state snouia not only pay for ballots, polling booths. clerks and Judges, but meet tne ex nenses of the candidates on tneir speaking tours and provide them with the advertising that no candidate for moortant office in this day can do without and be successful. Still if Indiana or any other state is worried over the fee question in adopting a direct primary law, it may eot valuable lis-tit in Oregon. In this state a new law makes It optional whether a candidate shall get on the ballot by paying a fee or by securing petition Indorsement, in practice the Detltlon. in nine case out of ten, is procured by purchase. That is, a petltion-shover is employed at a higher cost to the candidate than the nrdinarr fee exacted by tne state amounts to. Of course courts will not take udlclal knowledge of that lact. The Detltlon method of getting on the ballot is. in tne judicial esumauou, as free as air or salvation. There fore no constitutional rights are abridged In Oregon. The candidate la not compelled to pay a tee to tn state for the privilege of running for office. He has a "free" method at his disposal which, paradoxically as may seem, costs him more man the fee. THE THOMPSON'S I LAND SCHOOL. Ever since 1834. as we learn from the Outlook, the best modern Ideas of vocational education have been In Dractice at a trade school on Thomp son's Island in Boston Harbor. This exemplary Institution was founded by some eminent citizens of Boston, who designed It principally for farmers' sons. The purpose was to give the lads an education which would pre pare them for useful careers instead of Inoculating them with Ideals of aristocratic Idleness. It has been found, as the methods work out. that the pupils are fitted by their homely and practical education for all sorts of careers. Some become lawyers, some merchants and some farmers and en gineers. The beauty of the story Is that nearly all succeed. The failures monr the graduates of tne 1 nomp- son's Island School, as It Is called, are few Indeed. If experience Is' worth anything at all. the history of this re markable school teaches us that the value of the traditional classical and mathematical curriculum is next to nothing. Pupils succeed In spite of Its effects. It does not help them. At the Thompson s Island Sschool the boys first learn a thing and then, in accord with the precept of the famous Mr. Squeers. "they goes and oes it." Or rather, they "learns it as they does it." Charles UlCKens new a great deal about tne proper way to nurture and discipline boys, but he knew nothing about actual teaching. If he had he never would have held up to ridicule the great idea of practical education. The Squeers theory, which he derides. Is the only way by which the evolving mind can be taught anything to ad vantage. Even language is dmi learned "by doing." It pupils usea the vocabularies and rules as they memorise them we should see less of the "language study," which ends In elnless Ignorance. A score of French words at the tongue's tip. ready for use, are worth a whole grammar full of syntax and declen sions. In the Tnompsona isiana School the boys have had a self-gov- ernlnr community for many years. Its fundamental principles are like those of the George Junior Republic, though they were not borrowed from that well-known experiment. Self-government grew up at Thomp-j son's Island in' the most natural way out of the needs of the boys. One Summer when their old sleeping quarters were undergoing repair the lads were housed in tents, so much to their satisfaction that some begged permission to stay there permanent ly. Others followed their example and before a great while a little vll lage had grown up where each dwelling sheltered one or two boys. Thus arose the call for some sort of government and the boys responded. as thev always will when their natural inclinations are not thwarted or perverted. They provided for cleaning the streets, keeping the peace, observing the Sabbath, and so on, without any inteference from the school authorities. They even es tablished a court where offenders against the village code are tried and sentenced, but, as might be expected, the more serious offenses are re ferred to the principal of the school for treatment. This system of government Is pure ly voluntary with the boys. They in vented it and one generation after an other submits to It because it Is liked and because it is natural. Man is a gregarious animal and he sub mits to the laws of the herd without protest when they conform to ele mentary justice. When he resists it is because his inner nature is out raged. The example of the Thomp son's Island schoolboys teaches us that It Is just as easy to fasten good traditions upon a body of pupils as evil ones. The customs that . pass from one generation of schoolboys or college students to the next are usual ly not creditable. They consist of enmity to the Instructors, mean little" tricks played upon the college prop erty, spiteful exhibitions against some study and the like. For Instance, the Ann Arbor students were bound by tradition for many years to burn their geometries on the college campus as soon as they had "passed" in that study. Perhaps they do it still. Tra ditions of that silly sort might easily be eradicated from college and health ful ones substituted if the professors would only apply the common sense that seems never, to have failed at Thompson's Island. When we compare this morally sound, thoroughly wholesome self governing community of boys with conditions at the Annapolis Naval Academy It is not so easy to feel proud of the latter. Vast sums of money are spent on the education of the Annapolis lads. They are sur rounded with circumstances of ease and inspiration, but for all that their moral tone Is not high and they are sometimes detected in the -worst kind of cheating. The fault is not in the boys. It is in the unnatural system of discipline to which they are sub jected. Inveterate spying and sup pression stimulate the worst there Is in them. When they escape from the evil Influences of their medieval school these boys become the finest of men. ' Some way should be dis covered to combine that strict outer discipline which is indispensable in the Navy with the inner freedom which is enjoyed at Thompson's Island. The two are not incompatible. Cromwell's men were free as the wild nss ox urn ucoci i. o lives were concerned, but there were no better soldiers In the world and none more obedient to military reg ulations. The schoolday at Thompson's Island is divided between "culture studies and actual "work1. Part of the re- oulred work is In the machine shops, part on the farm. Boys wno spena the forenoon period in the shops take their turn outdoors in the afternoon, Thus even the Gary expedients, up to date as they are, have long been ap plied at Thompson's Island. The en tire school plant is kept in use all the time. The rigorous requirement of physical labor does not Interfere with the culture studies. Plenty of time is found for them. Manual m-ork might be introduced Into the dally routine of the public schools with the same results. The only con dition for it would be to use, fruitful ly, time which is now wasted in the vain repetition of ' Idle scholastic formulas. Canadians have a way of adminis tering laws that can spread over the border to advantage. Their latest is the arrest of the president of a trol ley company on charges of negligence tha.t caused fifteen deaths a month ago. Anything of that nature in the United States would start all the gen eral counsels jumping. The man with a fifty-inch girth should heed the advice of one of the visiting osteopaths and quit making a monkey of himself by walking on his hind legs. Women folk, for obvious reasons, must be excused. If Britain comes out victor, the part which her colonies have taken in the war Is likely to bring about a federal system which would put even tne American Union In the shade. Poland and Belgium, not concerned in the lust of war, are the battlefields of the chastening wrath, while Tur key, the one nation that needs the rod. escapes with little damage. Coeur d'AIene mines last year yielded S24. 000.000 mere "chicken feed" when compared with Idaho stock and agricultural output. Tou will note the Kaiser has the staff photographer along when asking Mackensen and Hlndenberg how they did it. If Italy wants to borrow S50.000.000 in the United States, all she need do Is pass the word to her former subjects here. Does osteopathic medicine have the proper bad taste? That is the main thing for the patient. How suddenly the Mexicans stopped fighting on the border when Funston got orders to shoot. Senator Tillman in advocating naval expansion does not talk like a molly coddle. The Kaiser has said nothing about eating Christmas dinner in Petrograd. Dr. Aked is on record against vaude. ville and Includes Rev. Billy Sunday. "Woof! Woof!" grunts the Bear, which Is Russ for "Good-night!" There will be no taint to the money earned by the "singing parson." Maximum temperature, k8 2. Now is the ttnve to buy Curs. How about osteopathy the morning after? Twenty-Five Years Ago From Tha Oregonlan of August 6, 1890. SALEM, Or., Aug. 5. At a meeting of the City Council here today the Free Methodists, now holding a camp meet ing on Marlon Square, were ordered to vacate.- t London, Aug. 6. The police of War saw have expelled from that city 54 foreign Socialists, with the warning that if they return they will be im prisoned at hard labor. It Is reported that cholera In a virulent form has ap peared in several Russian towns on the Polish frontier. Sanitary precautions are being taken to prevent the spread of the disease. Mrs. Lydia Rogers, of Coos County, died July 25. aged 84 years. She Is an Oregon pioneer and leaves a husband 90 years old and six children. "The Pearl of Savoy," upon its sec ond representation last evening, was witnessed by a large and interested audience, and Miss Esther Lyons, In the eharacter of Marie, exacted the warmest approval of the audience. The Cottage Grove Leader contains an account of a wonderfully rich dis covery of gold-bearing quartz in the Bohemia district. Lane County. Some of the rock was sent to San Francisco and assayed over S2000 per ton. There is great excitement in the neighbor hood over the find. Mr. E. W. Rlner, who has the con tract for building the main sewer in Albina, left last night for Albany and Eugene to figure on brick sewers to be built in those cities. The new elevator in the Esmond Ho tel will be launched this afternoon at 2 o'clock. Owing to the fact that it will be dropped from the top story to the ground "floor with three or four men inside and without a brake to re tard its progress, the event will be quite exciting. The elevator is sup posed to slow up by the compression of air in a close box at the bottom. which will act as a cushion. George H. Shepherd, of Skamokawa, is at the St. Charles. Prince Herbert Bismarck cherishes carefully the wreck of a watch which he carried during the Franco-Prussian war and which stopped a bullet that otherwise might have killed him.' LEGAL RESTRAINTS ART TOO MANY Multiplicity of Una Inspires Larries, neas, Saya Correspondent. GOLD HILL, Or., Aug. 4. (To the Editor.) The public .school teacher who makes many rules for the govern ment of his little democracy thereby suppresses initiative, engenders con tempt for rule government and ends in chaos. It is Just as true, since the principle is the same; that much help paralyzes Initiative, suppresses origi nality, rendering the pupil passive in stead of active; waiting for his "cue.' A- healthy, vigorous public opinion in school government is more potent for good than many rules. Society is but a larger scnooi ana we are all pupils, and since principles are universal, those applying to tne gov ernment and education of little folk are Just as applicable to big folk. The multiplicity of laws, state and National, many of which are a positive ,An.v.,nlAn n . . p III .on a i a tnsiav th. chief menace or society. so-caned criminals are simply manufactured and in great numbers by rules of action called laws, which, in the light of psy etiology, should never have been made, at least as they are, and a contempt for irrational rules of action is grow lng in the minds of multitudes of peo ple who are not criminally Inclined. Our big school called Government ia surely tending toward a state of chaos Out preachers are not yet tired of telling the story of the luring apples, not made to be eaten, but. just think of it. to tempt our first mother to break that irrational law, who Forth reaching to tha fruit, sha plucked, she ate. Earth felt th wound, and nature through all her parts Sighing, gave signs of woe that all was lost. Is it any wonder, with this story as a starter, that Government, fashioned under it. should be blind to the limlta tlons of human control? Suppose In the place of laying a heavy duty on ODium a valuable apple in another form thus over-tempting the ava rlclous desires of some men. the law concerning It should have made the importation of this dangerous drug, otherwise than for medicinal purposes, a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment, one or both. The Gov ernment would have lost tne revenu ah. there's the pinch but saved many a man from becoming a criminal in the eyes of the law. This is an extreme case, calling loud ly for law reform. Trees of forbidden fruit have been multiplied and are be ing multiplied in so-called legal ways. almost indefinitely, while society is losing the initiative of self-preservation, in trying half-heartedly to be conventionally good by law. The game and fish laws of Oregon are a costly farce, "more honored in the breach than in the observance," tending strongly further to weaken that moral fiber which in the last analysts is the foundation of society. Poor anarchy ridden Mexico has laws and laws, pat terned after ours, but little or no moral fiber, without which the law Is dead In view of the fact that the manner of government must set up psychologic tendencies for weal or woe, its respon sibility is transcendent. In every legis lative hall should be Inscribed in gold en letters the motto: "It is the duty of government to make it easy for a man to do right. J. R. KENDALL. Lent Wo Forget ST. HELEN'S, Or., Aug. 4. (To the Editor.) Please inform me whether the W. J. Bryan who now ridicules the theory of those who advocate a larger Navy and a larger Army and who sar castically refers to them as taking a cud of raw blood before breakfast. Is the almost forgotten Colonel W. J. Bryan, who organized a regiment for service in our recent war witn Spain, and with a courtly gait and swagger and a silver (16 to l)-handled dagger. rushed toward the front in search or Spanish blood. Is he the same colonel itryan whose friends berated President McKinley for holding him back and not giving him a chance to make good by blowing up a few Spaniards before breakfast? GEORGE H. SHINJv. Social Debts In India. London Standard. To such an extent do all classes of India load themselves with unsupport- able debts for the sake of the show and pomp of a marriage occasion, that the eovernment of India 1 has become aroused, and has recently passed laws intended to make impossible tne in curring of debt beyond the ability to pay. Punishment In Kansas, Indianapolis News. A Kansas paper replies to the criti cism of those who point with scorn at the large number of life prisoners In Kansas prisons by calling to their at tention the fact that there is no capi tal punishment In the state. Trips to Wsr-Searred Rnlna. London Mall, nv. divs' excursion trips through devastated Belgium are) advertised by the Kolnische Zeitungl "to view tne ruined cities of Liege, pinant Namur, etc" - ( WHAT IS NEEDED FOR DEFEJfSE Writer Snarg-ests Outline lor American Military Preparedness. CAMAS. ' Wash.. Aug. 4. (To the Editor.) If all the money now appro priated by Congress at each session for the Army and Navy was expended as Judiciously as it is in Germany our force would now be three times as great as at present. The reason it is not is because, apparently, each mem ber of Congress as soon as an appropri ation is talked of immediately begins to think of pork. Instead of interest ing himself to see that the money is spent where and so the Government will get the best value and his coun try most in the way of protection, he immediately tries to get it spent in his own district, regardless of whether it is the best and most economicplace. A report, seen In the papers is to the effect that a certain Congressman is about to attempt to induce the War Department to open a plant for the construction of submarines in Portland. Will this really be for the benefit of the Navy Department or the defense of Uncle Sam, or will it be most for the benefit of Portland and Incidentally the voters who elected this Congress man? Witness numberless useless small Army posts scattered about the country, not only of great value for other purposes, useless and kept up at an immense expense in money which should be spent for. the defense of Uncle Sam, but a great detrlment to the efficiency of the Army. The greatest need of our regular Army (outside of more of it) is the op portunity to drill and maneuver large bodies of men, and this the small post prevents. But if a move is made to abandon them the Congressman from that district immediately makes a great and patriotic (?) "holler" and all the other Congressmen who have small posts or useless naval stations Join in and support him on the ground that his pet may be next attacked. This is why our military forces cost so much in comparison to that of other coun tries. If it were possible to elect men who would prefer the welfare and se curity of the United States to the ma terial enrichment of their particular districts the matter would at once be remedied. Our need, outside of the Navy, is to have trained, drilled and organized a sufficient force to defeat any army which could be landed on our shores. This would take a regular Army, of 150,000 for each side of the continent. If ve had such a force we could await the organizing, officering equipping and training of the second line, the volunteers, and hold back the enemy until then,- if necessary, though the probability is that no one would then attack us. We should have 200 regiments of 12 companies, of 250 men to a company, on .a war footing; have them at all times fully equipped and always have a full quota of three officers to each company. This would make 600.000 on a war footing and a plenty for the first line. Enlist these men for six years, but after two years retire two-thirds of them. Let them take their guns and equipment with them and be respon sible to the Government therefor; make them appear for the following four years for two months' drill and inspec tion, each year rejoining for that pur pose their old companies. Government paying transportation and paying them, say 85 a month, right through, they to draw their- pay at the annual camp and be subject to instant call at any time, having complete instructions just where to go and what to do. In this way there would be for im mediate service, to repel invasion, 600, 000 trained men, while the Government would only detain from the affairs of private life one-third that number, and would have the certainty of their serv ices for a small sum. The companies would consist in time of peace of 83 men each, the regiments of 1000, but the full quota of officers would be at all times on the job keep ing abreast with the latest methods. Immediately on call for active -duty the reserves would go back to their old companies and there would be ab solutely no confusion or delay. Concentrate the Army in three great camps, one on this Coast, one at Fort Reilly and one near Philadelphia, to give the higher officers a chance to handle men. Have two or more ma chine guns to each infantry company; have a regiment of artillery to every three of infantry and cavalry. Your second line will be uostly infantry. They take less technical training, make the proportion of artillery very heavy for this first line field artillery, siege artillery, howitzers of large caliber, bombthrowers, etc. Apparently the three dominant fac tors in this war are the aeroplane, the machine gun and the submarine) Wright brothers, Hiram Maxim and Lake and Holland, Americans all. J. D. CURRIE. WHAT WERE SPOOKS DOING t Alisky building long has been a spirit- haunted house. And yet It burned down in a night, 'mid the firefighters voice. Tho' Spiritists infest the place like yellow Jackets Whew! All telling fortunes, nights and days. and charging dollars, too! They meet there twice a week, to hold a conclave strong, and wise. Each with his "guide" or her "control," to see through seers' eyes. Both past and present they describe. for so much per. while you Adjust their guesses to your life and wonder if 'tis true. They tell you when to move or stay. where to invest or search. Whose wife or husband goes astray. and warn you gainst the church! The mediums lived in those old walls for generations past, And spirits roam along the halls, to sound the warning blast. These angel-teachers, pure and sweet. on all these floors they range; They tell us why we don't succeed and what to lo for change; Watch over all with loving gaze "with ne'er a wink o' sleep," They lead them into safest ways and warn when dangers creep. And yet she went down In a night! Poor old Alisky Hall! The mediums half died with fright so sudden was the fall. No spirit-guide or guardian-soul on Sunday gave the word, Tho' many "messages were told by sentries then on guard. They spoke of love, of business deals. of stores and of mines; Proclaimed that "Warsaw soon must feel the tread of German lines"; But never gave the slightest hint of smoldering, wicked Are That next day must have cruel vent in consequences dire. Why don't the spooks look closer home and help their ' subjects more? And warn them when their troubles come, when danger s at the door? Their boon companions to beware when just such fate portends? If Bpooks were gentlemen down there, they ougnt to warn tneir friends. RUFUS G. AMES. Average Love Better. Atchison Globe. Bein? composed principally of mush. and enclosed in a suitable receptacle, the average love letter should be al lowed to take advantage of parcel post rates. First Almanac Issued 147S. Almanacs are in existence that were compiled in the 11th century, but they are in manuscript; the first printed almanac was issued about the year 1475. Salmon Cost In Ireland. London Tit-Bits. Fishermen in Ireland who use a sal mon rod and line must pay a license duty, of $5, Half a Century Ago From The Oregonlan of August 6. 1S63. , In a sketch of the life and character of Lincoln, the following is given as a short sermon which he was in the habit of preaching to his children: "Don't drink.- Don't smoke. Don't chew. Don't gamble. Don't lie. Don't cheat. Love your fellow man as well as God. Love truth. Love virtue and be happy-" Main street at the crossing of Front street is a decided nuisance as it is now situated. There stands a pool of green scum running from a Celestial's washhouse, which has a stench that is repugnant to hogs. A man who could stand it one year would live 10 years in the most filthy part of China. The fire In the woods about the city continues its ravages. The fire on the West Side has spread rapidly, and by night appears fearfully grand. During the past three days considerable prop erty has been destroyed, including sev eral small houses, and a quantity of wood prepared for the market. Tha fire yesterday had spread as far south ward as the line of Alder street. Trees are consumed with fearful rapidity and in falling to the ground send upward a whirling mass of flame and smoke for several hundred feet, exciting pain ful admiration. Dispatche from Salt Lake report that up to yesterday the overland line had not been repaired. There is noth ing later from the wreck of the Brother Jonathan. The stage from Crescent City to Jacksonville arrived at the lat ter place on Saturday night, but brought no further news. The infer ence is that no one on board the steam er, except the persons already men tioned, were saved. There is scarcely now a shadow of a hope that of the remainder of the passengers any suc ceeded in escaping with their lives. A terrible fire occurred at Quebec on June 22. One hundred and thirty houses were destroyed, involving a loss of over a million dollars. Nearly 500 families were rendered homeless, most of them losing everything. PHYSICAL VALUE IX TRAIMXtt Military Drills In Schools of More Dencfit Than Athletlen. PORTLAND. Aug. 5. (To the Edi tor.) In spite of the fact that Mr. Bryan thinks that preparation lor de fense is an invitation for our neighbors to commence war upon us, I still be lieve that this country should have some definite plan for defense so that. If we should be attacked, we would be able to defend ourselves with trained men and it would not be necessary for us to trust to untrained men, for it has been the experience of all nations that untrained men cannot be depended upon for National defense. The military training for the boys in school such as they have under the Australian system would be of great benefit to our boys regardless of whether or not they are ever called upon to defend our country. The pres ent system of athletics in our schools do us a great deal of good, but the boys who get the most benefit are the stars and the average student does not get the' physical training that he should have. I firmly believe- that with such a system as they have In Australia our boys would make better men. They would be accustomed to discipline, have a reasonable amount of physical training and, -best of all. they would have a greater love of their country. There is one thing sure, and that is that this country has got to take some steps toward preparing an adequate defense, and those who are opposed to it should be treated as traitors, and personally I think that the term Jingo as aDDlied by Mr. Bryan and others of the Veace-at-any-prlce party should be regarded as a term of highest honor. None of us want war, for we have had an object lesson as to what war means, but there is a point where our Nation must stand, for its National honor, and rather than surrender that point we will fight. To talk about arbitrating everything is nonsense, for even in our daily life we don't arbitrate everything and will fight for our rights. Nations are but a collection of individuals, and when we as a Nation find and be lieve that we are right and that to sur render would be to surrender our Na tional honor, then we must stand on our rights and fight, If necessary, to enforce them. The Bible teaches us to turn the other cheek to our enemy, but in actual life we don't do it as In dividuals; neither as a Nation would we do it, and to preach that sort of thing as Mr. Bryan Is doing is only weakening us in the eyes of the world. The time has gone by when this Na tion can say to the world that we aro not interested in what you do, for with modern means of communication we are interested In everything that af fects the world at large, and must be prepared to take our place as a world power and to defend our rights as such. The question is how. To me personally the Australian system could be adopted in this country, with some modifica tions, of course, for our form of Gov ernment is not the same as theirs. , S. S. HUMPHREY. Torpedoes In British Xavy. London Answers. The torpedoes used in the British navy are of three dlameters--l 4-inch, 18-inch and 21-inch and they vary in length from 16 feet to 18 feet. As soon as a torpedo hits its mark it explodes automatically. Every torpedo fired in action represents an expenditure of from 83000 to 84000. Baaia for Japanese Submarine. London Mail. The marvelous fiber of the mujberry tree, utilized in the Japanese ' paper called "hashlklrazu," is the basis of the material that Rear-Admiral Yoko yama has proposed for collapsible life boats for submarines. Close Season In England. Indianapolis News. Every week in England there is a close season, during which net fishing for salmon is prohibited. It extends from noon on Saturday until 6 A. M. on Monday. Three-Ring Ceremony. Exchange. Considering the price of admission, as paid in wedding presents, the three ring marriage ceremony isn't such an important show. World's Richest Man. London Standard. The richest man ir the world is Czar' Nicholas of Russia. He once gave 8100,000,000 from his private treasury to Russia's war fund By Its Windows Shall It Be Known The live store is known by its live windows. - They reflect the up-to date char acter of the man and merchandise within. They sound an Invitation with an Implied assurance of good service. Storekeepers know their friends ar; interested in newspaper' adver tising. They know that if a manufactur er advertises his goods In the news papers of their city people will want to see these goods. So they show the newspaper ad vertised brand in the windows and Incidentally show their own "live-ness."