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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 1915)
8 THE MORXIXG WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1915. xmxwx PORTLAND. OREGON. Entered at Portland. Oregon. Postofflcs aa aecond-ciaaa matter. Subscription Kates Invariably In advance. (By Mall.) Pally, Sunday Included, one year .$3.00 "Daily, Sunday included, six months -4. 20 Ijaily, Sunday inciutied, three months... 2.0 "Daily. Sunday Included, one month. ..... .H "Daily, without Sunday, one year........ 6.00 lixily, without Sunday, six months ? Xiai.y, without Sunaay, three months.... l.'t.o "Daily, without Sunday, one month 0u Weekly, one year l.ou fcunday, one year 2.5U fcunday and Weekly, one year S.5u IB Carrter.) Pally. Punday Included, one year COO "Dai.y, but day included, one month 7" How to Kemit Send postotfice money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, cum or currency are at sender's risk, dive pojst&ffice address in lull, including county and state. Postage Kates 12 to 1J pases, 1 cent; 18 to US pages, '1 cents; iti to 4a pages, 3 cents; 6'J to ou pages, 4 cents; o2 to tt pages, 5 cents; 78 to mi pages U cents. Foreign post age douDie rates. Eastern Ituines Offices Verree & Conk lln, Brunswick building, New York: Verree Conklin, sieger buildins. Chicago; San Kranciseo representative, hi. J. Uluwsil, T4Z Market street. I'OKTLAND, HD.EUAV, SEIT. 13. 1915. WHAT OF PUBLIC POLICY? Unfortunately there is no process by which it can be ascertained from the courts in advance just how the city can briny the jitneys under regulation. The City Council must go ahead experimenting until it guesses right, and then the safety and convenience of the public- may be protected. Even a vote by the people may be ineffective in future as it has been in the past. There has been quite a com edy of errors in the matter. First the Council referred a jit ney ordinance to the people. Although the people approved it, it was held Invalid by tho courts because the Council had not formally approved it - before the people did. Next the Coun cil approved a jitney ordinance with out giving tiie people a. chance to vote on it. That was wrong, too, according to Circuit Judge Bagley. But there is a more important phase to the later decision than to that by the Supreme Court. It denies the right of the City Council to pass any emergency measure, notwith standing that the public peace, health and safety may be dependent upon the ordinance's immediate operation. Even in the face of a terrible disaster, no city in Oregon could, under the decision, vote a dollar for immediate relief or protection. The solemn proc ess of waiting thirty days to ascer tain whether the people desired to v vote on the appropriation would have to be observed. We think Judge Bagley could have consistently rendered a decision that would have preserved the right of ref erendum and still not have called into Question the right of the city to put into immediate effect a measure of vital emergency. His decision is based primarily on the following portion of KoMinn la nf irtlrlo TV nf tho Statrt Constitution: The initiative and referendum powers re served to the people by this constitution are hereby further reserved to the legal voters of every municipality and district as to all loc.it, special and municipal lcglBla- tion. of every character, in and for their respective municipalities and districts. The provision is somewhat ambigu ous. The "referendum powers as reserved to the people by this consti tution" defined in the precetiing section do not apply to emer gency laws. There is a specific exemption of them. Thus ref erendum powers that do not apply to emergency measures are extended by the succeeding section to all municipal lgislation of every character includ ing emergency measures. The court, it eeems, was unable to read the two sec turns together in conformity on this point so he rejected the limitation put on the referendum by Section 1. If the succeeding section is to stand bo lirmly by itself in this particular. why not in all respects? We can dis cover nothing therein which prohibits the ordering of a referendum against an emergency ordinance. In other words, there is nothing In Section la nf thp r-onstittition fitanrlinir alone which makes the ordering of an ordi nance in the interests of public peace health and safety into immediate operation inconsistent with the right of the people to reverse that order by riling a petition signed by 10 per cent of the voters. Judge Bagley lias taken judicial knowledge that it is the practice in Oregon for the operation of an ordl "? nance to be delayed until opportunity lias been given to file a referendum against it. 'Why should a law deemed emergent by the City Council not be put into immediate effect with the right still reserved to the people to overrule the emergency? The point we have hoped to make clear is that it is not necessary that declaration of an emergency defeat a referendum on a city ordinance. The court, it seems to us, has assumed that a mere prac- tice of tiling a referendum before a law has become operative is inviolate and on that basis has declared uncon etitutional a city charter provision relative to emergency laws which is sustained by every consideration of public policy. AN OLlrTIME HERO. . The Washington Star's poet laments tunefully the disappearance of Jack Harkaway, one of the oldtime heroes of romance. "You were the hero of my dreams with strong and ready arm," exclaims the melancholy poet, "With you the age of chivalry once more was in its prime. And your acquaintance only cost a paltry silver dime." The unpalatable truth is that Jack Harkaway was a dime-novel cham rion, and boys had to read of his prowess out behind the barn. At school he was safe nowhere but behind the covers of the biggest attas. Even with that protection, the boy who read his adventures too devotedly was apt to be suspected and caught. To this day the teacher is apt to be on the alert when a bad boy suddenly applies himself to his book. ' Piety- must have become a habit if it expects to be taken at its face value. Jack Harkaway, despite his humble circumstances, was a stalwart and thoroughly healthy hero, a great trav eler ad an indomitable fighter. No wonder boys liked his company and preferred to sail the- seas with him rather than study their geograph books. And perhaps it did them quite es much good. The Jack Harkaway stories are still extant, and there Is nothing in the world to hinder the Washington Star s poet from reading them again if he so longs to do it. But the truth of the matter is that he does not want to read them. The impression they mad upon him in boyhood they would not make now. and the poet is wise to keep his memories safe from th shock of renewed acquaintance with Lba old time. herot for ha would dis- cover the great Jack Harkaway to be little better than a humbug. His philosophy was commonplace, his courage was only animal spirits, and his practical wisdom mere sham. Boys liked him because they had not experience enough to see through his pretenses. The poet of the Star would And Harkaway the same old braggart that he was forty years ago. Time has not touched him, but it has touched the poet, and because he is wiser and richer in experience than he was then he would no longer enjoy the company of his boyhood's hero. M A IX FACTS. The cardinal fact of tho land-grant situation is that the railroad company owns the, land under a grant made by the United States Government nearly fifty years ago. The terms of the grant provided that the land be sold to actual settlers, at a maximum price of $2.50 per acre, in lots of 160 acres or less.- The Supreme Court of the United States, in its recent decision, did not decree a forfeiture; but it declared the original grant to be absolute and said it was an "enforceable covenant." The sale of the lands was restrained for six months, and the whole question was referred to Congress for action. Now demagogues arise to say that the railroad lands are, or will be, available for squatters or grabbers on the original terms; and there is a newspaper campaign on to get the state, or the Government, or some body, to buy the railroad's "equity," and then to dismiss the corporation from further consideration. The railroad's ownership is not an "equity." The company has now, as it has long had, a clear title to the lands. But the original restrictions in the grant as to sale stand. Just what Congress can do, or will o, is not clear. But the Supreme Court appears to have referred the whole matter there for solution. It may be taken for granted that neither court nor Congress will surrender any rights or equities without provision for a fair deal to the public, to the, settler and to the railroad. Nothing less can rightfully be done nothing more ought to be expected or asked. The main interest of the state is the settlement and development of the lands. TWO PRISON POLICIES. Governor Withycombe. too, is granting: a goodly number of paroles to Inmates of the Oregon State Prison. The parole board, as before, makes recommendations to the chief executive. McMinnvilie Kewe-Reporter. The implication is that the prison policy of the present state executive follows the erratic practices of his predecessor in turning loose upon the state many convicts who had no deserts from either the law or society. It is far from the truth. The West policy and the Withycombe policy are not the same. Governor Withycombe does not conceive it to be his duty to empty the penitentiary of its felons without sound reason. The Salem Statesman gives the rec ord of the former Governor. Summar ized it is: Two hundred and twenty-nine pardons nd commutations in four years. Thia list includes pardons, complete or conditional, to thirty-nine murderers, thirty highwaymen and thirty forgers. Irrespective of their minimum sentence, often contrary to th express recommendations of Judge, District Attorney and citizens of the community af fected, thoy left the penitentiary at the whim of West. It is a startling showing. It was the method of the former Governor to pardon, or to commute, whenever the notion took him, or his too quick sym pathies overpowered him, whether the Parole Board had acted or not. That not the way of the i incumbent. There have been few pardons not recommended by the Parole Board. The Withycombe prison policy is in accord with the humanitarian princi pies of the parole law. The West pol Icy included an extraordinary ' honor system" which was fashioned after the former Governor's own special notions. PRESERVING CAME. There is any quantity of facts to support Dr. Hornaday s statement that hunters left to their own devices quickly exterminate wild game. We need only think of the "passenger pig eons" which once flew by the million over the Mississippi Valley states. Now there is but one alive in all the world The prairie chicken of the Wisconsin and Dakota harvest fields has gone the same way. Dr. Hornaday says we shall soon see the last of the Ore gon sage grouse if it is not efficiently protected. His plan of protection is to estab lish game preserves in the Govern ment forests upon land which is not available for farms. The project is excellent. With proper protection in the breeding season almost any spe cies of game may be made to increase rapidly. There are vast areas of land which could be caused in this way to produce great quantities of food for man, while for other purposes they are worthless. Hitherto most of our game laws have been repressive. They have for bidden improper killing but they have done little to propagate. Dr. Horna day's plan would supply this omission in a highly desirable manner. VALUE OF OLD COINS. Seemingly ineradicable is the popu lar delusion that all old coins are so rare and so eagerly sought after as to be worth more than their face value. Rare coins have unusual value to collectors only, whose number i very limited, and enhancement in value must necessarily be regulated by demand and supply and by the inten sity of a collector's desire to possess a certain coin. Finders of old coins do not realiz these facts and when informed that their find is only worth its face valu they suspect fraud. A man offered dealer six Continental notes which had been hidden in an old house and was incredulous when informed that they were worth only 60 cents each. The dealer then offered him a handful at the same price. The 1804 dollar, said a coin expert, is supposed to be worth an enormous premium but, in fact. there are no 1S04 dollars. There are large quantities of counterfeit coins of that year, many of which were made from 1S01 dollars, while others were made with a machine which th Government did not begin to use until 1S36. The Queen Anne farthing is sup posed to have a high price, because several which had never been used were once sold at a great premium but used coins of that denomination are worth about $10. The Jewish shekel is worth il, though often sup posed to be worth $250 by amateurs. The dollar of 1795 brings about $ and the half-dollar of 1S03 i3 worth about 65 cents. The supply is limited, but so is the demand. Soma of thQ greatest finds of pld coins were made on the Roman wall which formerly crossed the north of England. When the Romans aban doned Britain they took away the gold nd silver, but the copper coins, being too heavy to carry, were dumped into the wells. The town of Hexham, ear the wall, has the coin-collecting craze in an acute form, and any day r night one might find a group of men in a tavern striving to decipher the inscription on a Roman penny ith a magnifying glass. Roman ioney was in active demand, but a Roman penny was only worth an English penny. A bibulous tailor one day found several thousand copper coins in a well and for several years they kept him supplied with whisky. the tavern keepers, willingly accept ing them in payment. Ml'D l-'OR DEFENSE. Mr. Bryan's idea of National pre paredness is a complete system of modern highways. They would be very good for our army to travel over, provided we had an army, but they would also be a great help to an invad ing army if we had no force to block its advance. How the Germans must have blessed the splendid roads of Belgium and France, and how they must have cursed the muddy roads oi Poland and Russia- Mud is an aid to an ill-defended country. To be consistent, Mr. Bryan hould recommend mud roads to match his opinions of National efense, or he should reverse those opinions by proposing a sufficient rmy to prevent an enemy's advance over his model highways. AN EXTRATERRITORIAL LAW. The Austrian law making it a crime for an Austrian subject in a foreign country to make war munitions for Austria's enemies the law which Ambassador Dumba endeavored to enforce in this country was passed expressly for this country. It could not be effective in Austria until those who had violated it returned to that ountry. It could not become effective in this country unless proclaimed by- agents of Austria. The proclamation was an invasion of American sover eignty and made a crime of what our own laws hold to be lawful acts. Dr. Dumba professes deep sympathy for the "white slaves" of Bethlehem. Then why did they come to this coun y, and why do they stay here? They came in shiploads to escape the white slavery of their native country, and many of them are adopting resolutions applauding the dismissal of the phil anthropic Ambassador from their dear native land. If they should return to Austria, it would not be for love of its Gqvernment but for love of kins folk they left behind. WE STILL FEED THE ALLIES. There was a decided lull In exports of wheat in July, the total having de creased from 23,840,241 to 9,826,542 bushels, compared with July, 1914 There was an increase in exports of all other breadstuffs, so that the total value for that class of commodities decreased only from $29,713,469 to $23,297,088. Oats contributed chiefly to the offset of the decrease in wheat showing an increase from $26,776 to $5,212,715, while flour increased from $3,815,081 to $5,265,222 and corn from $435,284 to $1,755,480. The seven months ending July show the enor mous increase from $91,094,146 to $343,032,094. Exports of cattle, hogs and sheep took a great spurt in July, from $71 868 to $1,253,731, while the seven months ending July show an increase from $629,173 to $1,806,663. Thus nearly two-thirds of the increase for the seven months was made in July. Meat and dairy products also go out in greater volume each month, the fig ures for July being $19,660,673 against $8,112,035 in July last year, while the seven months show an in crease from $71,810,523 to $155,257 395. Exports of cotton have been most erratic. During the early months of the war, at a season when shipments are usually heavy, they were almost suspended, but the last few months, a season when they usually drop off, show heavy increases. Thus July shows an increase from 126,186 to 244,474 bales and the seven months an increase from 3,713,234 to 5,937,- 361 bales. Apparently the troubles of the cotton-grower are over for the present, for the increased consumption for ammunition in the allied countries may compensate for the loss of the German and Austrian markets. Owing probably to tho blockade against Germany, exports of mineral oils continue to decrease, the figures for July being $14,036,049, against $12,711,950 in July, 1914, and for the seven months $86,482,167, against $78, 818.69S for the same period of last year. THE $1,009,000,000 LOAN. The negotiations for a $1,000,000,- 000 loan with the Anglo-French finan cial commission are giving American bankers needed education in inter national finance. They assumed that the two allied Governments could be induced to give collateral security for any loan that might be made and that they would confer a favor by lending the money on those terms. The com missioners reply that the general credit of two nations which have never defaulted, based on their great revenues and world-wide commerce, is sufficient security. They can point to the fact that, owing to their naval supremacy, their commerce is only diminished, while that of their adver saries is almost destroyed. They inform our bankers that, if the loan is not made, Britain and France will reduce their purchases from this coun try to a minimum and will pay for them in gold. These are what salesmen call "strong talking points." Only over whelming military disaster, followed by the loss of colonies and commerce and by exaction of an enormous indemnity could shake- the credit of Britain and France. The events of the war so far do not justify antici pation of such a disaster. The allies are holding their own everywhere except on the eastern front and are on the offensive in Italy and Turkey. The German navy has only dented their control of the sea. The full military power of Britain has only begun to enter the field, and the Ital ian army is comparatively fresh and unimpaired, while the Teutonic empires are already exerting their full strength, and Turkey is decidedly groggy. The only factors going to impair Anglo-French credit are the great debt those nations have already incurred and the further debt they must incur in order to carry on the war. Against these are ,to be set the possibility that victory may give them a great indem nity, establish their security for at least several decades and. buttress their power more firmly than ever. They never have borrowed money on collateral and they do not feel the necessity of beginning, even in this struggle for national existence. The effect which material reduction in Anglo-French purchases in this country would have on American commerce and industry proves that our bankers are in no position to dic tate terms. The a present revival in business is mainly due to those pur chases, and our bankers. would do a serious injury to their clients by refus ing to make a loan which, advantage ous in itself, is a necessary condition to the continuance of this revival. Were the allies to curtail their pur chases of foodstuffs, the chief losers would be the farmers and cattle-grow ers and those trades which handle their products. As purchases of war munitions would continue. Eastern manufactur ers of those commodities would lose little. With a 1.000, 000. 000-bushel wheat crop, of which -400,000,000 bushels will be available, for export, the price would tumble, and wheat would become for a time a drug on the market were the allies to exhaust the supplies of other countries before turning to the United States. Other cereal crops being almost as large in proportion, the same statement is true as to them. Widespread depression would replace prosperity among the farmers and would extend to all allied trades and to merchants in the farm ing states. Payment in gold for the great quantities of munitions which the allies buy from the United States would seriously derange our financial system. Our banks already have more gold than the business of the country- can healthily digest, especially when our new reserve bank system has expanded credit by $2,000,000,000 to $3,000,000,000. Great additional imports of gold would make credit so easy as to tempt the people into specu. latiort, with its usual disastrous sequel There is no valid reason for the Administration to object to the loan In every recent war, neutral nations have lent money to belligerents, the United States having been among the number during the Russo-Japan ese war. It is a right which has never been disputed. The right to lend money is a necessary accompaniment of the right to sell war munitions, which the Administration has upheld against German and Austrian protests. We cannot sell the goods unless we lend the money. Having the right to do the one thing, we surely have the right to do the other. By opposing the loan the Government would impair the prosperity which it is so anxious to increase. By making this loan, American bankers would establish the position of the United States as a creditor Nation and as the leading financial Nation of the world. The flow of bond interest, which has hitherto gone eastward across the Atlantic, would be turned westward and would not be likely ever to be reversed. It is hard to see why lending a bel ligerent money is any more a breach of neutrality than selling him shells. The billion-dollar loan, if it. is made, will be a private transaction with which the Government has nothing to do. As long as the neutrality laws are not broken no harm will be done. Neu trality is a matter for the Govern ment. The individual is within his rights if he obeys the law. The grape festival at Kennewick is henceforth to be one of the pictur esque incidents of the year. Several towns take part in the joyous event, grapes are shown in variety and abun dance and an interesting programme performed. Before a great while every agricultural section will have its own festival in Summer or Fall, and rura life will be correspondingly enriched Uncle Sam is big enough to give us all a farm and to provide diversities of weather to suit all tastes. On the same day, September 13, he exhibited snowstorm in Montana, sunshine that killed six people" in Ohio, and the balmiest of Autumn weather in Ore gon. A person who could not satisfy himself with this variety were hard to please. The news that "peace may bring revolt in Russia" is not surprising. It did the same thing there ten years ago. If peace does not bring revolu tionary changes in mora, lands than Russia, certain parasites who live on human folly may thank their lucky stars. "War is a game which, were their subjects wise, kings would not play at." The latest'health reformer to invade this city is advising not to eat a break fast. That is nothing. There are thousands here who eat no breakfast, but all are in the cemeteries. Hurry those sausages and hot cakes! By promoting small farms, irriga tion is helping the revival of rural life. When farmers are close together on 40-acre tracts they combine many of the advantages of town and coun try- life. Justice Burnett's limitation of place: of business that may keep open on Sunday to those that administer to needs and wants of the people will lead to sweeping away the whole statute. Let it be understood that if those riotous Austrians in the neighborhood of Linnton harm an officer in pursuit of his duty their punishment will be swift and sure. Secretary Reynolds, of the Repub lican National Committee, says the Republican party will win next year. Say it again, Mr. Reynolds, and say it loud. Why the need of conscription i England if the report is true that men are offering their services faster than they can be equipped? Wine and liquor glasses may be legitimate equipment of an Oregon public utility in 1915, but they will not be so in 1916. That must have been a great fighter who required the services of four patrolmen in being subdued. William Van Home, though knighted by Britain, will lie in the land of his birth. This country not being at war, the Columbia River fishermen are pleased to talk strike. Are a few jitney people running thip city or a few hundred thousand other people? What the allies want is simple store credit for a billion. European War Primer By National Geoarraphical Socley Unlike the other belligerents, vulner able in every part, Russia has unlim ited reaches of territory where no wounds of war could be inflicted. where no invaders would ever come, and where, if they came, their coming ould be to no purpose, as it could work no damage. Such a security from the perils of war is enjoyed by the orth of Russia, by the wild, thinly- eopled governments of Archangel and Olonet. In the north of European Russia . .-idles a land of endless forests, of mmense belts of moor wastes, and of grayish tundra which blurs as far as the eye can reach Into uncertain hor- zons. Here mighty, unfrequented riv- o cut tneir ways to the northern wa- ers. some drowsy and reed-cluttered nd others--swlft. and strong and cas- ade-broken. Here are Innumerable itasant, wooded lakes and huge in- ind seas, and throughout all of the royal reaches of this north are good unting and wilderness. e Archangel is the only city in this re gion whose name is known in the out- lde world, and the only place that has een able to achieve an individual dis tinction in the midst of the vastness.- mission as is asked for. what induce, the desolation and the congealing V. in- ment is there left for established pub ters of Russia s north. Ihere is much Uc utiiity corporations to extend their economic value in the north, the for ests are filled with valuable fur-bear- ng animals, the lower forests are rich in noble trees, the higher forests in pitch and tar, the tundras in reindeer herds, and great sturgeon are cautrht through the ice of the rivers, which produce large quantities of this deli- ate fish meat and caviar. The English established a tradintr factory" near present Archangel, dur ing the reign of Ivan the Terrible, and ince their coming the region has been exploited by pioneers, by adventurous traders, trappers, huntsmen and fisher men, but the country has never passed the pioneer stage. The roads, for the most part, are barely marked trails, narrow, unleveled ribbons through vast forests, indifferently-corduroyed cause ways through swamp and marsh lands. and uncertain tracks through the northern tundra. Post stations are scattered over the governments, far apart, where hardy little horses and prehistoric types or conveyances are kept for the occasional trader, the oc casional letter and the rare visitor. The tllages are small and poor nnd for etful of the modern world and all that it contains. Between them are leagues of solitude. The northern Dvina and the Pech ora are the two great rivers of the country, and, before the railroad pene trated to Archangel, they formed the commercial outlet of the land to the Arctic Sea. The famous and fabulous ly wealthy monastery of Solovetskl an nually attracts 15,000 pilgrims into the far north, to the wooded island 14 hours' sailing from Archangel in the Gulf of Onega on which it is situated. This monastery was founded in 1429. It was bombarded by the English fleet during the Crimean War, and the marks' of hostile shells are still proud ly shown. The northern peasants are very inde pendent, quite the most independent of all the Russians. They have the self reliance and self-respect of true pio neers, and, as free hunters In the forests and prospectors of the tundra, they share many of the characteristics of the free, careless people of our own early West and of the present Cana dian Northwest. Lacking even int. the rudiments of education, picturesque in their costumes, primitive in their cus toms, they are a simple, straightfor ward, stalwart and hospitable people. Some of their songs linger long in memory. Their tales are stirring, of privation and of adventure. Their woods are full of game, and their riv ers are lavishly stocked with fish. Woodcock, capercailzie, tree-partridge and blackcock are to be shot in abun dance among the trees that fringe each village. In the forests are foxes, wolves, and sombre Russian bears, nursing their peculiar, perpetual grouches. The peasants sometimes hunt the bear, armed only with long knives. Wolves, however, are the most thrilling quarry. They are hunted in summer and autumn on horseback; the hunters, aided by trained hounds, drag down the wolf and stab it to death. This is exciting and dangerous sport. In Winter, they are hunted by parties in sleighs, and often the quarry hunts the hunters, the pack racing by the side of the sleigh, snapping at the cold rifle muzzles and at the horses. This sport is also exhilarating. In Autumn, in the time of change. this whole region is shut off from the outside world, the roads become Im passable and all communication ceases. There are 20 words, for ice, 11 for cold. 41 for snow and 26 for the process of freezing in the speech of the Lapps, and this goes far toward making plain the Autumns, the Winters and the ear ly Springs or North Russia. CRATER LAKE. Abysmal lake! whose rock-rib'd bed. from central gloom Was dug: hot-heated with the fires of burning fears. And battered Into shape and use with shocks of doom. Then dipt In scalding baths of hiss ing tears. Unfathomed lake! Tho jangling earth is now at peace; No longer discord brays; and fury's rage is spent In deep, abysmal gloom. The cycling storms now cease. The hollow wind's deep tone dies far away, nor bent On ravage. Wakes the Joyful day, with brilliant light Aflame; and all. the flaring banners swiftly run. Now melt the thick and murky shadows of the night. 'Till radiant noon glows with fervent kisses of the sun. Now dims the shining arch of heaven's sapphire dome; Now flames the crater's rough and rock-rib d hills, ablaze: Where twilight's purple shadows make their restful home: The fusing point of all the circling nights and days. Pellucid lake! Stilled 'neath thy rugged, beetling banks; Whose sturdy trees, their bold, brave arms outstretched on high. By breezes soft are stirred nor nod to gleeful pranks. In thy unfathomed waters' depths, the mirrored sky. Lends radiance. Enchanting scene so weird and wild. Now charming nature softly speaks now dims the stars: Ton full-orbed moon, ablaze with glory mild. Keeps watch and ward above this wondrous world of ours. T. E. SCANTLIN. Medford. Or. Living; on a Farm. Atchison Globe. Ab Adkins lived on a farm when a boy and used to be glad to see school begin &o he could get a little rest Call for tne Chorea. Atchison Globe. A good story-teller is so apt to let the performance interfere with his reg ular chores. Worth of Carapnlfca Clc-ir. Exchange. Next to a joint debate, a campaign cigar probably has the least influence pa votes and voters. UNFAIR TO 0E OF COMPANIES Compulsory In terra anare of Telephone Service Unjust, Says Mr. Coolldg-e. PORTLAND, Sept. 14. (To the Edi tor.) The complaint filed by ex-Governor West before the Public Service Commission to compel the interchange of service by telephone companies is, in the opinion of the writer, unjust and inequitable and should not be granted. There is no question as to the ad visability and desirability of but one telephone system in any community, but to obtain this result by the pro posed means is manifestly unfair to the Pacific States Company, for several reasons: The Pacific Company has far the greater number of subscribers and for equal facilities furntshed charges a higher rate than the Home Company. K the interchange of service is ordered by the Commission, and the present dif ferential in rates is maintained, the immediate result will be the loss by the Pacific Company, to the Home Com pany, all of its subscribers who now have a duplicate telephone service. It is true the Pacific Company will be compensated to the extent of a division of the fixed charges and maintenance costs of euch of its plant as is put to this use. but what of its profits? And where will the loss of its subscribers to the opposition company stop, so long as equal service can be obtained by payment of a lesser rate? If such an order is made by the Corn- facilities, to be used indiscriminately by any concern that sees fit to estab lieh an excuse for a telephone, or electric power plant, and make such rates as will be an inducement for con sumers to contract for its service, and then obtain an order from the Public Service Commission for use of .the fa cilities of the existing company to doJ Dusinessf By the same lino of reasoning, why should not the Portland Railway. Light & Power Company be required to fur nish the Northwestern Electric Com pany such additional current as it may require to serve its consumers at a lower rate when its power plant is loaded to capacity? This brings in the question of duplication of service which was so aptly illustrated by Mr. G. W. Talbot in his recent article -on the Ferris waterpower bill. These du plications, especially in the case of the telephone service -could not exist were it not for the fact that there is a dif ference In rates favorable to one com pany's subscribers. Either the Pacific Company rates are too high or the Home Company rates are too low. If the rates of both companies were fixed equally for the same class of service, the question of interchange of switch ing would solve itself in a very short time, and tho company which could maintain the best service in the way of promptness, efficiency and reliability wouia soon have the entire field to it self. Why should these duplications be al lowed in these days of Federal and state "operation," as the supervision of service and fixing of rates has become virtual operation of railways and pub lic utilities corporations? The answer, as to some of the exist ing companies, is probably contained in some item or items in feheir accounts ueauea property ana rxancnises' or organization and leyal expenee," or tne distribution of promotion" stock where it would be the most effective in securing desired franchises. C. A. OOOLIDGE. War or Law? PORTLAND. SeDt. 14. (To the Erl tor.) The following is an editorial paragraph from The Oregonian: By refusing to consider PAnnnrnlrntlnn et tne sentences on Ford and Sffhr so long ss the 1. W. YV. continue sabvtaee, Gov ernor Johnson, of California, practically nuius iiw murderers as. Hostages for the (rood conduct of the lawless organization. -mat is tne only possible means of Impos ing good conduct on It. I believe the above interDrextatlon of Governor Johnson's attitude is quite consistent with his own public state ment. II it is. then it is at the same time an absolute vindication cf even the worst crimes with which the I. W. V". has been charged. ord and Suhr are supposed to have committed a crime. Their guilt Is sup posed to bo the measure of their pun ishment. That is the basic principle back of all law. Governor Johnson is sworn to maintain law. If he hold one man as hostage for some other man's good conduct he thereby violates the law and his oath of office. Hence, if Ford and Suhr are to be regarded as hostages, they must be re garded as hostages in the hands of a faithless and foresworn enemy. That is why the I. W. W. demands t.. . liberation of Ford and Suhr, not as a matter of justice, but as a pledge of good faith on the part of Governor Johnson and the hopgrowers. Until Ford and Suhr are freed we have abso lutely no reason to believe any promise Governor Johnson may make. B. E. NILSSON. To Be or Not o Be. Atchison Globe. Every day seems like a crisis to nervous person. Settin' Holdin' Hands By James Barton Adnms. When a fellow gets to thinking of the days when he was young He can feel till yet the feeling in his heart That was planted when the organ of his being first was stung By that stinqrer they're a-callin' Cupid's dart. He can see the dear old farmhouse and the girl he hankered for. And his heart with sweetest memo ries expands As he thinks about the heaven that was near to him and her A-settin' in the kitchen holdin' hands. He could see the Summer lightning playin in the distant skies Through the window that had never known a blind, For Bhe'd never light a candle, wish ing to economize Country girls, you kiiow. were of the saving kind. Never was a love more honest, never hearts more pure and true, Never stronger were affection's golden bands Than were forged by goldsmith Cupid to unite the rustic two Settin' in the old farm kitchen holdin hands. At the mldnisrht hour, or near it, to the cupboard she would slip. To the place where rustic treasures always lie, ' And his eyes would dance with pleas ure when she'd place within his grip A quite hefty wedge of golden pumpkin pie. She would join him In the feeding, good as any god could wish. And when they'd appeased their hunger's full demands. With her head upon his shoulder, they'd resume their old posiph, A-settin' in. the kitchen holdin' hands. Modern youths of modern fastness may at this old custom sneer: May refer to "hayseeds," "rubes" and "country Jays," But there's no such love existing in the present atmosphere As was nurtured in the good old fashioned days. And the handclasp of rusticity, young fellow of today. With the pressure that the heart well understands. In -a thousand times more noble than to pass the time away Settin' at a poker table holdin' hands. Twenty-five Years Ago From The Orcgonlsn, September 15, 1890. Washington It is expected the land- grant forfeiture bill will be agreed to in tne sfnate today. Senator Sawyer will next call up the anti-lottery bill. So far as known there will be no open opposition to it- Seattle Major H. C. Baxter, pro prietor of the Bellevue Hotel and for many years proprietor of the Boston Hotel in Boston, well known as one of the best landlords in the country, died at his home near here yesterday. New York Wall street's new daily financial paper. The Journal of Finance, will announce tomorrow a project for providing Chicago with a vast terminal system. It is to be known as the Chicago Elevated Ter minal Company. San Francisco The new cruiser San Francisco is still lying at the Union Iron Works. She will be ready to pro ceed to Mare Island in a few days. The crew will arrive on the Ranger in October. Moscow. Idaho This city is greatly excited over the discovery of opal de posits four miles northwest of town. James Allen, a scientific Jeweler of Moscow, found them thrown up from the diggings for a new well on the farm of William Leasure. Rev. L. J. Trumbull, pastor of the Baptist Church at Albany for three . years, has resigned. Dr. (Mrs.) Owens-Adair, of Astoria, has offered to donate to Willamette. University 50 acres of land three miles from Clatsop Beach, provided the uni versity will build and maintain its school thereon. Henry Willmer, the well-known po lice officer who went to Sari Fran cisco to participate in the admission day programme, says the people did themselves proud in the undertaking. The Portland football club played another Interesting grame (Rugby rules) at the Oaks yesterday Geary was umpire. Messrs. Mills and Carruthers were the respective cap tains. Mills' team winning. President Osborn. of the Chamber of Commerce, left last night for San Francisco. Mrs. John Ditchburn is visiting at Wilton. Wis. Hali a Century Ago From The Oregonian. September 13. 1S6S. F. B. Sprague who has recently vis ited the wonderful "sunken lake" In Southern Oregon, has written an in teresting account of that scenic at traction of the Pacific Coast. Mr. Sprague says he does not know who first saw the lake and he adds that he does not think it should be named after the discoverer. Sergeant Stearns and Peyton Ford are the first white men who ever reached its waters, he says. rie proposes to name it "Majesty Lake, saying he believes that in all the world there is not so majestic a body of water. The London correspondent of the New York Times says that the demand for the surrender of the officers and crew of the Alabama, which has been so pointedly refused by Earl Russell, has been renewed by Mr. Adams in terms so decided that the Palmerston government is sorely perplexed. Blackwood's Magazine publishes an article from which the following is taken: "Austria will enter into no commercial treaty with us (England). France is outstripping us in these very fabrics in which but a few years ago we beat the whole world and not France only but Belguim likewise, bids fair to become henceforth the source whence we shall derive our steam machinery. Meanwhile we (England) are eating dirt day after day in order to propitiate. If we can. the wrath of the Americans and look ing back with vain regret on oppor tunities presented and thrown away. Our army and navy cost us great sums without anything to show they are worth the outlay. Notoriously we have neither cannon for our ships of war, nor firearms for our troops." The publication of the National Era is to be resumed at Washington after being suspended five years. The Oregon Plowman Is the name of a new agricultural paper soon to be issued from Salem. E. M. Waite wil. be the publisher. INTERCHANGE COSTLY TO PUBLIC Mr. Word Sees Danglers In Proposal aa to Telephone Sen-ice. PORTLAND, Sept. 14. (To the Edi tor.) As a warning to the many Port land readers of The Oregonian, I sub mit the following information for pub-lic-i-tion, which I hope every reader wUl remember: Interchange of telephone service by physical connection of the two local systems, as suggested by the Public Service League, will serve as a protec tion to one telephone company against loss and as a protection to the other company against a general reduction of its .present charge for service. The suggestion of interchange of service is a direct invitation to a long and expensive legal battle through many courts, the expense of which must be indirectly paid by the public. And as a final result the present du plicated investments will remain per manently as a double burden upon the public in the form of high charge for telephone .service in order that a fair net interest may be realized on each investment. If the natnority will Join the major ity in support of only one system the public will ain by a general reduc tion of charge for service. ED WORD, P O. Box No. 2104, City. Early Controversy Vl'fth Austria. - VANCOUVlJn, Wash. Sept. 14. (To the Editor.) Ytyn may recall that about 70 years ago ottr Government had a dangerous complication with Austria about a man na-tn-ed Martin Koszta, a naturalized Hungarian. In 1853 he was arrested in Smyrvia by an Austrian Consul and placed on board an Aus trian gunboat. Capt ain Ingraham. who commanded one of our frigates which happened to be In th.e came port, placed his vessel alongside of the Austrian ship and demanded the surrender of Koszta as an American citizen. The man was tfriven up utdftf protest. A sharp diplomatic correspondence followed. As a resuitf we retained Koszta. In 1854 both houses of Con gress passed resolutiorufi approving the action of Captain Ingraham. T. M. ANDERSON. Harvest the Profit Crop When the manufacturer advertises his product n this newspaper he is sowing seeds for every dealer who carries his goods. It is up to the retaileri to reap the profit harvest. That means co-operation tht will put their stores in- tune with the newspaper advertising. It means showing and pushing the newspaper advertised goods .t the time the advertising is runninT. Dealers should be alert to hajrvest the profit crop.