6
THEMORNIXG OKEGONIAX. 3rOXDAY; OCTOBER 18. 1915
ommt
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I'ORTIAND, MONDAY, OCTOBB 18. 1915.
UNMATCHED CHICKENS.
More than one envious comment
was made in connection with the dis
position of the railroad land grant
concerning the fortunate condition of
the State of Washington. The particu
lar reference was to the forehanded
xiess with which that state has admin
istered its school lands and thereby ac
cumulated a great irreducible- fund
which provides a steady income for
school maintenance. In the light of
recent statements made hereabouts
this pessimistic little paragraph from
the Seattle Argus is a little discon
certing: Tho Post-Intelligencer brags that Seattle
pays a larger sum per capita for schools
than any other city on the Coast. That
would be all right if that paper would
kindly show where we get more for the
money expended.
There is no doubt as to Washing
ton's possession of a large permanent
school fund and its enjoyment of a
handsome income from it. Still, it
appears that Seattle pays out more
for schools than any other city on
the Coast and there is some question
about its having any better schools.
Probably the explanation is that
the public school system is so thor
oughly in public favor that school tax
levies are rarely questioned. Conse
quently the people's money some
times goes for school fads and school
luxuries.
Vet The Oregonian would not let
this fact influence it against the
proposition to acquire for the schools
the difference between the actual
value of the land grant and the rail
road's interests therein. The Ore
gonian would be quite willing to see
the increment go to the public schools
provided the grant was not made the
basis of state speculation but was
converted to agricultural ard indus
trial use at once. It would also be
quite as willing that the increment
should go into a fund for state recla
mation projects, or state road build
ing, or that it be used to aid home
seekers. There are some things, like schools,
Irrigation and roads, that the state
must spend money for. To say that
the profits the state might obtain
from the grant should be expended
for one of these and not the other is
a mere expression of enthusiasm for
an ideal. The money that pays for
them all comes out of the same
pocket.
If the state gets a legacy and turns
It into the school fund the schools are
not likely to be improved, for they
will be kept up to standard in any
event. But school taxes would be re
duced if we were watchful of extrava
gance. If turned Into a road fund we
should probably build more roads
than otherwise but still raise as much
road taxes. The condition would
be similar as to irrigation.
If converted to rural credits the rise
of tax values would be accelerated
and in the long run there would be
as -much money available for schools,
irrigation or roads as if the legacy
were devoted directly to their aid.
The land grant problem has been
clouded by animated and sometimes
violent discussion over nonessentials.
We have been like a husband and
wife quarreling as to whether an in
heritance they might or might not get
should be applied to the grocery or
the meat bill. The result is that the
state is appealing to Congress for a
disposition of the issue that there is
not the faintest prospect Congress will
grant. We are to go to Congress
without an alternative proposition,
when there are several that are equal
ly good and much more likely to be
heeded.
KKEl- THE DUTY OX SUGAR.
The necessity of not only preserv
ing every present source of Govern
ment revenue but of drawing more
heavily on some of those sources is at
last impressing on the mind of Presi
dent Wilson the wisdom of retaining
the duty on sugar, at least until the
emergency caused by the war is past.
Beet-sugar production has proved so
profitable that it might have in
creased, without the protection af
forded by the tariff, and the" consumer
might have benefited by lower prices
had sugar become duty-free, but the
disturbance of market conditions con
sequent on the war has deprived us of
the opportunity to prove by expe
rience whether that belief was well
founded. The fact remains that ex
clusion from the world's market of
the German. Austrian and Russian
supply of beet sugar has held prices
at a high figure. It has Impressed
upon us the wisdom of developing a
domestic supply to supplement that
which we draw 'from our Insular pos
sessions. There is no reason to be
lieve that under present conditions re
moval of the duty would materially
reduce the price.
The question then naturally arises,
why not retain the duty and thereby
encourage increase of the domestic
supply to meet our own needs and at
the same time to give the Govern
ment sadly needed revenue? A duty
which adds only slightly to the price
of sugar brings in so large a revenue
as to be wise from a revenue stand
point alone. It has been so recog
nized not only by protectionist coun
tries but by free-trade Britain also.
Were the present duty continued
for a few years without change and
then reduced, if at 'all, only by de
grees as it becomes unnecessary for
revenue and as competition assures to
the consumers the benefit of reduc
tion, the beet industry might be great
ly extended and firmly established.
Oregon soli is so well adapted to beet
growing that a sugar refinery is now
projected for Medford. and one may
soon be erected in Portland. Oregon
offers an extensive home market for
beet sugar in the fruit canneries
which are becoming numerous. The
fertilizing properties of the beet are
also so gTeat that the production of
other crops may bo increased by the
use of beet pulp from the refineries.
The American people are having an
important lesson in the value of being
economically independent of other na
tions. Let us apply it in the matter
of sugar, as we are beginning to apply
it in relation to chemicals, dyes and
many other commodities, for which
we have hitherto depended on imports.
WHO CARES FOB EXPENSES?
Government la not a mere issue of money.
Cheap government is not necessarily good
government. Cost is not the only consid
eration. The tax levy is not the true test of
value. s
The question rather is what are you get
ting for what you pay for government.
These are the thoughtful sentiments
of a Democrat expressed at the Sat
urday meetings of the Civic League.
They present a wide departure from
the Jeffersortian principle that "that
government governs best which gov
erns least." Modern Democrats, if
the speaker's voice is that of leader
ship, believe that that government
governs best which governs most in
an honest way, no matter what it
costs. It is but a short step to pater
nalism. .
Still it would be harsh to call this
Democratic heresy. Oregon Democ
racy has ceased to be Jeffersonian De
mocracy. The old state righters in
these parts have gone over bodily to
the Nationalists. They are even willing
that Oregon citizens should pay the
Government to take control of their
own water powers. -
But reverting to the plea that econ
omy is no virtue in government if the
money spent is spent honestly, why
did the commission charter advocates
so often make the noisy promise that
its adoption would save the City of
Portland $1,000,000 annually?
MARRIED TEACHERS.
It is doubtful if the question of the
School Board's right to discharge a
teacher for the reason that she has
entered the married' state will be de
cided by the Supreme Court solely on
the public policy element in the case.
Apparently the attorneys for the
School Board think that way. for their
brief of fifty-five pages devotes only
three to public policy. 4
Public policy as the crux of a law
suit ought to stand out unmistakably.
In this instance it does not, at least
to our mind. The brief contends that
unmarried women who are compelled
to work for their livelihood expect
that one in their ranks who marries
will step aside and make room for
one who has no husband to support
her. And it is related that for the
thirty-six vacancies in the Portland
schools last year there were applica
tions from 3000 unmarried women.
But teachers do not constitute the
whole of society. The married teacher
who properly performs her school
duties employs some other woman to
perform her household duties. It may
be directly in the person of a servant
in her own home or it may be
indirectly through the medium, of
boarding-house cooks and chamber
maids. Probably so far as society is
concerned the account nearly bal
ances. Furthermore, countless un
married women are employed who
are not compelled to work for a live
lihood. If public policy bars the mar
ried woman from teaching because of
a theoretical dependency on others, it
bars countless unmarried women.
But there Is another phase to the
question. The brief asserts that so
ciety at large expects the husband to
support the woman he marries. And
society expects or ought to expect of
the married woman that she perform
the racial, natural and patriotic duty
of motherhood. Employment sup
plies a financial inducement to remain
childless. It is an incentive that is
rarely ignored.
There are enough angles to the
question to provide material for any
number of debates. Were employ
ment of married women clearly an
tagonistic to public policy it would be
an issue in other than 'school employ
ments. It is rarely considered in pri
vate employments. Probably there is
no hard and fast rule that can in jus
tice be adopted. In one instance em
ployment of a woman whose husband
is able to support her may aeually
be a benefit to society. In another
instance her employment may be a
detriment.
WHAT A SOLDIER'S WIDOW SAYS.
The woman who did raise her boy
to be a soldier has spoken. She' tells
why in the Woman's Home Compan
ion, and her story is an unanswerable
reply to those women who say: "I
didn't raise my boy to be a soldier."
This woman is 73 years old. Only
a few weeks after her betrothal to a
well-paid machinist who, she proudly
says, "had a genius for mechanical
things." he joined the Union Army,
and she continues: "Every Sunday
for four years I went down and stood
for hours before the bulleti-boards
watching the names of those who
were killed and wounded." But her
lover returned a Major and they were
married. Three months after their
marriage his sight began to fail, in
consequence of a sunstroke received
in the Wilderness. He gradually be
came blind and so he lived until forty
years after the war.
This woman is moved to write as
she does by the conviction that those
four years of suspense while her lover
was at the front and those forty years
of suffering while her husband "cul
tivated his little garden and did me
nial work for the neighbors" until his
sight completely left him were entire
ly unnecessary. They were the pen
alty this good couple paid for the
Nation's unpreparedness for the Civil
War. She quotes Professor Johnson,
of Harvard, as saying that with 60.000
men the Government could have pre
vented that war and that "every war
we have ever had has been ten times
as costly in the lives of our boys as
it would have been had we been pre
pared." She recalls that in tho Revo
lution Washington "could never mar
shal more than 20,000 men at one
time, because they were all so poorly
equipped and trained," and -that, in
consequence. ' "nearly 400.000 un
trained men had to risk their lives
during the seven years to do what
50,000 trained men could have done
in one."
She tells women of the younger
generation that it is not enough "just
to pray for peace." She reminds them
that they do not "take the locks off
their front doors or leave their chil
dren alone with the windows wide
open" and that "defenses are the win
dow locks and door locks of a. coun
try harmless when they are not
needed, but ready to keep any enemy
out." She then says:
I do not want to see a big army in this
country. I hate armies. I have reason to.
But what 1 would like to see is plenty ot
bars on our front doors forts and subma
rines, and a fine, strong fleet. And then 1
would like to se every boy "raised to be a
soldier."
She recalls the words of Sparta's
king, who pointed to the young men
undergoing military training and said:
"There is Sparta's wall; and every
man -is a brick." She would like to
see every man in this country a brick,
"ready to form a wall if the call
came," and she speaks of training
for the boya as developing "the
finest sense of patriotism" and of
training for the girls in nursing, scout
duty and the rules of health as "a
grand thing for the development of
the race." She closes with this decla
ration: T iln Kir. .!. . . , , i ,1 . T .
My Boy to be a Soldier." i did raise my boy
' oe a soiaier. iie s captain of his com
pany in the State Guard. If a million other
mothers, if every mother in the country
forever.
Let those men and women who per
mit their abhorrence of war to mis
lead them into opposing as "militar
ism" every effort to equip their coun
try for its own defense take to heart
this woman's Rtorv nnH Vi ai1vla
Let them remember that millions
sucn as she will Join them In oppos
ing aiTCTeSSinn hv tho TTnifA. Statu
and that those millions propose only
to nuiia a human wall around this
country in order to keep war out.
The purpose Is not needlessly to ex
pose our boys to slaughter but, if the
safety of our homes demands, to equip
them SO Wftll tyt f'l r fa-ara-w -nrtlt . .
death than" would die if they went out
uumuiiea to meet an enemy.
"CRIMES", OF AMERICAN'S IX MEXICO.
Denunciation of American business
men in Mexico as freebooters, "who
have been exploiting the resources of
that country solely for personal profit
at the expense of helpless, impover
ished Mexican masses," has- called
forth a vigorous retort in the New
York Evening Post from Preston
Stewart Krecker, who "spent upwards
of a year in that country in the capa
city of newspaper correspondent and
student of conditions." He denies
that foreign investors "have had any
share in keeping the Mexicans in ig
norance and degradation," placing the
responsibility on the Mexican land
owners. Foreigners have done what
the Mexicans lack the capacity to do
developed the country by building
railroads and other public utilities.
opening mines and oil fields, building
factories and introducing American
inventions. He sums up thus what
the much-denounced foreigner has
done:
Far from being party to anything which
WOUld tend tO keen thi Mpvirnn maaoa in
degradation, American capital has developed
Mexico wonderfully in the last twenty years,
and in- so doing has created countless new
and profitable fields of employment for the
Mexican people, has raised the standard of
wages in that countrv nma Run tn Jiul nr
cent, has with higher wages raised also the
sianaara or living, has spread modern civili
zation among people to whom it was un
known, and in a thousand ways has uplifted
i"w JieiiLan masses.
The charge that foreigners have
Incited Mexicans to revolution for
their own ends is termed by Mr.
Krecker "a figment of credulous
Imaginations." He admits, however,
that foreigners are "responsible for
tne present revolution, or rather evo
lution, in Mexico," in the sense that
"it was they who first taught Mex
icans how to better their conditions,
built up a middle class, which had its
eyes opened to the woful deficiencies
of the Mexican social fabric, and in
spired in them a desire to free them
selves from political slavery."
Tet the men who have conferred
all these benefits on Mexico have
never been able to get a hearing from
Secretary Bryan, much less from
President Wilson, and "have been
studiously ignored as though they
were outlanders."
In the eyes of this Administration
any American who applies his energy
and capital to developing the re
sources of a neglected country and
incidentally to uplifting its backward
people is a suspect, not worthy to be
consulted about our dealings with
that country. Enterprise and success
seem to be a crime in the estimation
of thi3 Government, and the only
persons worthy to be heard about
Mexico are personal representatives
of the President and of the Mexican
bandit leaders. It is no marvel that
Americans in Mexico pass themselves
off as British subjects in order to
obtain the protection which their own
country denies them, but it is small
credit to the United States.
KEDFIELD VERSUS FURUSETH.
In defense of the few objectionable
provisions of the new seamen's law.
Secretary of Commerce Redfield has
made a plausible argument to his col
league. Secretary of the Treasury
McAdoo. He feels aggrieved because
Manager Schwerin of the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company did not ascertain
how he would interpret the language
clause before throwing up the game
and selling the company's ships. He
presents an elaborate statement of the
value of the ships and of the price at
which they were sold, his purpose be
ing to show that the sale was prompt
ed by opportunity to sell depreciated
property at a profit after it had lost
money for years and was only then
making very small profits.
Mr. Redfield blames the Pacific
Mail for throwing up its hands "with
out so much as asking whatithe law
meant from those who alone could
tell it." If we judge by his own con
struction of its plain language, he
would not be a good authority. He
says that a passenger on the Pacific
Mall ships "did not need to speak
Chinese to order his dinner, to have
his berth made up, to take his bath or
to transfer his "steamer chair about
the deck," and he gives as the rea
son that the stewards "understand
English sufficiently well." But the
law says nothing about the passengers
understanding the language of the
crew or the crew understanding that
of the passengers; it says the crew
must understand the orders of the
officers. Lacking its exact language
we quote from a synopsis of the law
issued by Andrew Furuseth, its spon
sor. He says that section 13 "estab
lishes a standard of efficiency by re
quiring that at least 75 per cent of the
crew of the vessel in each department
thereof must, be able to understand
any orders given by the officers of
the vessel."
Mr. Redfield contends that, so large
a proportion of the crew understand
ing passengers' orders, there should
be no difficulty about finding an
English-speaking Chinese crew. He
suggests that a force could be in
structed or that "English-speaking
Chinese sailors could be engaged -in
an English port like Hongkong, and
he cites the circumstance that Mr.
Schwerin has tried to teach Chinese
crews English In support of his
theory. The fact is that this attempt
failed miserably; the Chinese could
not or would not, learn.
In contending that Chinese could
still be employed under the new law,
Mr. Redfield comes into direct con
flict with one of the main arguments
advanced by Mr. Furuseth in favor of
the bill. In a memorial to Congress
in 1910, the latter quoted the United
States Court of Appeals as saying, in
deciding a case growing out of the
wreck of the Rio de Janeiro, that the
ship had "a crew of 84 Chinamen,
officered by white men." The court
continued:
The officers could cot understand the lan
guage of -the Chinese, and but two of the
latter the boatswain and chief firemen
could understand that of the officers. Con
sequently, the orders of the officers had to
be communicated either through the boat
swain or chief fireman, or by signs and sig
nals. In explaining the opposition of for
eign ship-owners to the language sec
tion and to other provisions of the
bill, Mr. Fiiruseth said:
They will - not be able to ship men in
those parts of the world where wages are
lowest, as in certain sections of the Baltic
the Mediterranean. India, Japan or China,
bring those men to ports in this country,
hold them against their will and then take
them out of United States ports at, say, one
fourth or one-third the wages which they
would be compelled to pay if thev were to
ship their men In tho United States.
Here is revealed the purpose of Mr.
Furuseth, at whose dictation the sea
men's bill was passed, to use the lan
guage test as a means of driving Chi
nese crews off American ships. As a
reason for the test he says frankly
that "vessels will go to sea with men
who are unable to understand the or
ders of the officers." Which tells the
truth Mr. Redfield, who says Chi
nese seamen understand English, or
Mr. Furuseth, who says they do not?
Which rightly interprets ' the purpose
of the law Mr. Redfield, who as
sumes that it is to get Chinamen who
understand English, or Mr. Furuseth,
who says it is to get rid of China
men? If the effect of the law were to
substitute American for Chinese sea
men on American ships. The Orego
nian would be Inclined to favor It
But the effect is to retain Chinese
and Japanese seamen, but on ships of
those nations, and to drive American
ships to other flags or from the Pa
cific to the. Atlantic Ocean. The
American seaman does not benefit
and American commerce is irrepar
ably injured.
Interference of the Swedish govern
ment in the execution of Hillstrom
at Salt Lake is of no avail and the
man will be shot. His assertion that
the wound he Tecelved the night of
his arrest was In a quarrel over a
woman may be true, but he refuses
to divulge her identity and will go to
his death' in a mistaken - idea of
chivalry. The probability is that he
is "stalling" In the hope of clemency
at the last moment.
In the matter of polygamy after the
war, if the situation were reversed
and polyandry were to be the fashion,
what a howl would go up from the
men. Yet it is hard to get by the
truth in the old saving that what is
sauce for the goose is sauce for the
gander.
Architecture cannot be a paying
occupation in Chehalis, since one of
the profession has been caught taking
a neighbor's stovewood. On the other
hand, the man who exposes such val
uable stuff on a cold night is placing
temptation In somebody's way.
If anybody thinks Great Britain will
abandon the Dardanelles he has an
other guess coming. . Great Britain is
not in the habit of giving up a fight.
The only time of record is more than
125 years ago, when she abandoned
the United States to its fate.
That Silver Lake boy writing a
loganberry" epic chose the readiest
rhyme to "Willamette,"- overlooking
"lam It" and "slam it" and other
effective words. Like many, he thinks
a little profanity is funny, and it Is,
but not off the stage.
Gold coins of the United States are
the acme of integrity and the man
who counterfeits them deserves a
maximum sentence. Ofttlmes posses
sion of one by an innocent person is
a real calamity, for it may be the sum
total of his wealth.
Employers may growl at having to
give two months' vacation yearly to
men who train in the new citizen
army, but they will soon recognize an
improvement which will put a pre
mium on men of military training.
O'Donnell Bennett's remark that
"soldiers don't hate each other" only
corroborates experience. A good fight
always inspires combatants with re
spect for each other, and respect soon
casts out hate.
There seems to be something rifling
fll the time at Eugene. The latest is
'1 fQ otrtmr v- -i Ir n V. a ,3 1 . . A .- 1
suitable woods having been found.
"Blames his crime to drink" is a
trite saying with regard to criminals,
but the drink does not climb into
their mouths; they put it there.
Ambassador Page denies that he
has resigned. Why should he let go?
The work is pleasant and the pay fair,
while the glory is without end.
The bishop of London's remarks
about bombs savor of the sentimonrst
entertained by the warrior-bishops of
the middle ages.
In the days when the tyranno
saurus roamed the Montana plains,
husbands stayed at home nights in
their caves. -
These are the melancholy days,
when it is too warm to start the fur
nace and too stuffy to sit in the
kitchen.
Commissioner Daly's men who "fol
low the brooms" must qualify for
other jobs. Cannot they inspect some
thing? There are enough "tooters" In the
university to form a brass band and
the institution is to have one.
doubtless watching anxiously for the
reuer snip Dnnging oeer.
Funny the way the Germans cap
ture cargoes of cotton bound from
Norway to Denmark.
"Rev." Ed Werleln seems to prefer
the outskirts of the city in which to
practice preaching.
The law Is getting a grip on Lawyer
Rossman, held now In Seattle and
wanted here.
Scarcity of candidates for office
may be a sign of prosperity at Ray
mond. '
Tomorrow is Apple day. Arrange
to "buy "em by the box."
Germans Interned at Guam must
have their beer.
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian of October 17. 1S45.
The work of macadamizing Wash
ington street has commenced.
The property holders on Stark street
have taken the matter out of the hands
of the Council and will immediately
proceed to the improvement of that
avenue in good shape.
The Indians have again run off all
the stock on the Boise and Chlco stage
line and destroyed most of the stations.
The coaches will not be started again
until next year. Meantime the malls,
it is said, will "be carried on horseback.
Howell Cobb wants Georgia to re
sume her place in the Union. And he
wants to resume his own. we presume,
as speaker of the House of Representa
tives. The contractors have turned over to
the city. Front street from the south
line of Morrison street to the center
of Harrison street, finely finished and
in good shape, of macadam road. Not
really a macadam road, either, for the
genuine macadam has a certain per
centage of asphaltum in it and this has
none.
Six townships surveyed in Umatilla
County by Mr. Odell are now open to
pre-emption or occupation under the
homestead law, as the surveys have
been approved.
Captain Williams' company of 1
men of the Oregon Infantry had a fight
with about -75 Indians near Harney
Lake, September 25. Thomas Smith,
son of Captain John Smith, of Linn
County. arx5 another private named
Griffin were wounded. Two Indiana
were reported killed.
The Review says that the gross re
ceipts at the last State Fair were 1 8000.
r
How to Meet la Qaeatlosu
PORTLAND, Oct, 17. (To the Edi
tor.) I read with much pleasure the
letter In The Oregonian by Frances
Ball entitled. "How May Sensible Folk
Meet," After a chap comes very near
being lemoned once and then . comes
very near lemoning himself once, nat
urally he is a little wary of the sex. yet
I know as well as does Frances Ball
that there arei hundreds of good wo
men, but how In kingdom come is a
man with little experience with the sex
to get acquainted with them?
If there .was some good guiding
guardian angel to take timid old bache
lors in hand this world might be dif
ferent at least be different for them
and some of Eve's fair daughters, for
they are as much at b loss for ways
and means of meeting the right sort
of sensible men as we fcols are.
As "I grow older I have convinced
myself that the average man knows
nothing about women. It is only the
exceptional, man that is fortunate In
this respect and not being an excep
tional man I repeat the question: "How
are we to meet sensible women?" I am
earning more than the amount named
in the letter mentioned.
HENRY B. LIND.
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
(The text of the following poem Dy
w. D. Gallagher has been supplied by
Troy Sheiley. of Hood River. In re
sponse to a request from a subscriber
published recently. The poem appeared
in school readers printed in the '60s
and will doubtless interest Oregon
pioneers.)
A song for the early times out West,
And our green old forest home.
Whose pleasant memories freshly yet .
Across the bosom come;
A song for the free and gladsome life.
In those early days we led,
With a teeming soil beneath our feet.
And a smiling heaven o'erhead!
O, the waves of life danced merrily.
And had a Joyous flow.
In the days when we were pioneers ,
Fifty years ago!
The hunt, the shoot, the glorious chase.
The captured elk or duor:
The camp, the big. bright fire, and then
a no ricn ana wnoiesome cheer;
The sweet, sound sleep, at dead of
night.
By our campfire blazing high
Unbroken by the wolf's long howl.
And the panther springing by,
O, merrily passed the time, despite
Our wily Indian foe.
In the days whe we were pioneers.
Fifty years ago!
We shunned not labor; when 'twas due
We wrought with right good will;
And, for the home we won for them.
Our children bless us still.
We lived not hermit lives; but oft
In social converse met;
And fires of love were kindled then.
That burn on warmly yet.
O, pleasantly the stream of life
Pursued its constant flow.
In the days when we were pioneers.
Fifty years ago.
We felt that we were fellowmen;
We felt we were a band.
Sustained here in the wilderness
By heaven's upholding hand.
And, when the solemn Sabbath came.
We gathered in the wood.
And lifted up our hearts in prayer
To God, the only Good.
Our temples then were earth and sky;
None others did we know.
In the days when we were pioneers.
Fifty years ago.
Our forest life was rough and rude.
And dangers closed us round;
But here, amid the green old trees.
Freedom we sought and found.
Oft through our dwellings wintry
blasts
Would -rush with shriek and moan;
We cared not though they were but
frail.
We felt they were our own!
O. free and manly lives we led,
'Mid verdure or 'mid snow.
In the days when were were pioneers,
Fifty years ago!
But now our course of life is short;
And as, from day to day.
We're walking on with halting step.
And fainting by the way.
Another land, more bright than this.
To our dim sight appears.
And. on our way to It, we'll soon
Again be pioneers!
And, while we finger, we may all
A backward glance still throw
To the days when we were pioneers.
Fifty years ago!
Notable German War Poem.
PORTLAND. Oct. 17. (To the Edi
tor.) In a German publication I came
across a few verses relating to the
war which seemed to me peculiarly
appropriate. In order to preserve the
xery fine thought in them I have made
a free translation, which I give you:
THE SPECTER OF THE BATTLEFIELD.'
When the night's stillness abides;
Then out of hiding he glides.
Dancing 'round each cross and
O'er bloody field here and tnere.
With never passing search.
He lifts each weapon of war.
Fingers each crushed shoe.
And smiles anew.
As he flies back Into the night.
A lone sentry stops him In Sight.
What scekest, . what taltest thou, strange
one?
Only a bullet can the work of a ghoul atone.
Back came a wild cry, my son Legion!
The guard shuddered and let him pass on.
The specter waved hie arms. laughed with
scorn.
And danced o'er the wide field till morn.
The same answer came back to each watch
on his round,
As though a whole people did sohblngly
swell the sound.
My son. my son!
ROBERT C WRIGHT.'
BELGIAN DOLLAR CHRISTMAS FUND j
Cdltlo la Little (trr Make gee
Teal's Appeal Vraemt.
NEW YORK, Oct. 14. (To the Edi
tor.) Twelve months agb I made an
appeal to Americans in behalf of the
dollar Christmas fund for Belgians
one of the many efforts made here and
In Europe to avert the threatened star
vation of a nation. The response was
prompt and generous. Not alone the
rich contributed, but even many of the
very poor, with the happy result that
we were able to send to Belgium a
Christmas ship laden not only with
Christmas good wishes, but with food
and clothing. Those were the days
when every shipload meant lives saved.
Some of our best friends were news
papers, and even little children in Sun
day schools gave freely of their penny
banks in behalf of other children less
happy than themselves.
To the American Commission tor Re
lief in Belgium the saviors of Belgium,
to quote Cardinal Mercier has been
left the vital taajc of solving the food
problem, and though the future of Bel
gium In 1916 Is beyond prophecy and
must, apparently, depend to a larger
extent than ever upon American help,
one may feel reasonably assured that
the prospect of famine for this year,
at least has been definitely removed.
One-third of a soldier's ration enough
at least to keep body and soul together
is now served daily to all necessitous
persons in Belgium.
The task now undertaken by the
dollar Christmas fund is to collect
money for shoes, boots and clothes,
which are most urgently needed and
for which special money must be pro
vided. The necessity is appalling be
cause at the present time there are,
roughly. 1.500,000 destitute people in
Belgium, and the number increases as
the Winter approaches. The Belgians
are unable to buy shoes, boots and
clothes themselves many even of the
former wealthy are now in the daily
bread line.
This year-, as last, our fund has the
warm approval and valued co-operation
of a committee ot representative
citizens, including Colonel George Har
vey, Dr. William T. Hornaday, Victor
F. Lawson. Adolph S. Ochs. Professor
Henry Fairfield Osborn, William C.
Reick, Melville E. Stone. Oscar S. Straus.
George T. Wilson. All . our workers
are honorary, and all money collected
will be expended by the American Com
mission for Relief In Belgium. No bet
ter guarantee can be given that every
penny subscribed will be wisely spent.
Percy Sullen, of 66 Broadway, New
York, has again undertaken the office
of secretary.
There are ominous reports today of
greater hardships in store for Belgium,
greater strain upon endurance already
so desperately taxed. Stimulated by
this knowledge, it Is certainly our
privilege, and. may I not add. our duty,
to appeal to Americans doubly blessed
in their peaceful Isolation and detach
ment from the vortex of horrors and
bloodshed and agony of the battlefields
of Europe to help those who are too
poor to help themselves?
This year, as last, our dollar Christ
mas fund is in complete sympathy
with every other appeal In behalf of
Belgian destitute, and differs from other
appeals only in the sense that the total
sum received will be forwarded as a
special Christmas contribution from the
people of this country to the destitute
people of Belgium, an expression of
sympathy with sorrow from one people
to another and a tangible proof that
Christmas good will, even In these days
of strife and bloodshed, has not disap
peared from earth. HENRY CLEWS.
Treasurer Dollar Christmas Fund for
Destitute Belgians, Broad Street, New
York.
HOW ARMENIA IS CONSTITUTED
Country Is Divided Among Turkey,
Russia and Persia.
PORTLAND, Oct, 17. (To the Edi
tor.) Since the atrocities of Armenia
have become so terrible, will you
kindly give space to a map of Asiatic
Turkey showing Armenia and indicat
ing boundaries clearly? Modem geo
graphies divide Asiatic Turkey into
Mesopotamia and the Holy Land, not
mentioning Armenia. F. H.
The Oregonian has pruned, and will
continue to print, from time to time,
maps illustrating the phases of the war.
Armenia is not shown on modern maps,
because it is divided among Turkey,
Russia and Persia. It is the high table
land, south of the Caucasus Mountains,
stretching southward toward the low
lands of Mesopotamia and extending
from the highlands of Asia Minor on
the west to the vicinity of the Caspian
Sea. In the widest sense it embraces
the northeast corner of Asiatic Turkey,
the southern part of Transcaucasia
(Russia) and the northwest corner of
Persia, The principal portion is in
cluded in the Turkish vilayets of Er
zerum. Van, Bitles, Mamuret-ul-Aziz
and Diarbekr. comprising about 70,000
square miles. The Russian portion is
included in the governments of EMvan,
Yelisavetpol and Tiflis and the territory
of Kara. Part of the province of
Azerbaijan forms the Persian part
Some years before the massacres the
Armenians in Turkish Armenia num
bered 2.000,000 to 2,500,000, in Russian
Armenia about 1,000,000 and in Persian
Armenia about 100,000, but large num
bers are found throughout Asia Minor,
about 400.000 in European Turkey, tens
of thousands each in Hungary, Euro
pean Russia, India and Africa. There
has of late years been a large migra
tion to the United States.
No Examination for Chauffeurs.
TILLAMOOK. Or., Oct, 15. (To the
Editor.) What kind of an examination
will I have to take to secure a chauf
feur's license? J. F.
It Is no longer necessary for appli
cants for chauffeur license and badge
to pass an examination.
The Oregon motor vehicle law says:
"Every person hereafter desiring to
operate a motor vehicle as chauffeur
shall file in the office of the Secretary
of State an application under oath for
registration on a blank to be furnished
by the Secretary of State for that pur
pose, containing:
"The name and residence of the appli
cant, and that he is over the age of 18
years and Is physically and mentally
competent to operate a vehicle.
"Whether or not the applicant has
been previously convicted of a viola
tion involving moral turpitude of any
of the provisions of a motor vehicle
lar or ordinance or traffic law; and
therewith shall pay a registration fee
of 2.
"For all licenses issued after August
1 in any registration year, only one
half the regular fee is required." Con
formity with the above provisions will
entitle the applicant to receive and
wear the regulation chauffeur's badge
until the end of the calendar year, when
a renewal will be required.
Unmailable Postal Card.
PORTLAND. Oct- 17. (To the Edi
tor.) Is a creditor liable to prosecu
tion if he sends a dun to a debtor on a
postal card? ' C. M.
"Dunning" postal cards are not mail
able, and if they carry threats, epi
thets or defamatory matter the sender
is subject to prosecution. Ordinary
memoranda of-, indebtedness, such as
statements of-lodge dues and the like,
pass without question. It is always
wiser to enclose bills in an envelope.
Twenty-five Years Ago
From The Oregonian of October IS, 1S90.
Burlington, I. T.. Oct- 17. Up to this
indf 3 Chyen" nd Arapahoe
-- "inraci tor tne sale
or their lands. 3.0U0.O00 acres to the
Government. Three hundred and twen-
. . c luiisiiiute a majority.
th?0m. CVT A ,lre th do of
the cathedral at Siena todav was sub-
tiWitmUttX diulty, just before
reaching the church proper, which was
filled with art treasures.
Washington. Oct. 17.Mrs. Jefferson
Davis arrived here today. she re
mained but a short time and left later
for New Wk, where she goes to read
proof of the life of her husband.
New York. Oct. 17. The Heralds
Ht Xs V spie.clal B: It is believed
that the President Will call an extra
anH OD m Con arly in November
Miner t .haPint Attorney-General
. the Supreme Bench and will
make Solicitor-General Taft Attornev
o on era,l.
.Ne,W. 0""leans' ct- 17. The body of
the late Chief of Police Hennessey lav
iS-wK1 VLe City Ha" today and was
),Z d, by ttouands of persons. The
runeral was largely attended and Canal
rri ,W" M?"1 with an immense
crowd for a mile.
thMV.HT8 h stockholders of
the Mount Tabor Light & Power Com
h'TL met nd elected the following
board of directors: J. H. Smith. S. lZ
,man J' C- Mre'and. J. M. Arthur
and James D. Hart.
. A ,arR's number of delegates who
Knlthfrn.at e"dinS Orand Lodge,
rviS I 0t PythJa- t The' Dalles, ar
IZZ i fme at noon yesterday and the
remainder came down by boat.
Mrs M. W. Fechhelmer. who has been
& arr,,ved, homo over the Union
Pacific yesterday. Donald Maclcav and
daughters and Mayor De Lashmutt and
.a.m, have been faveling ir.
Europe, have reached America, and
may be expected here soon.
MANY MEN WANT BUTTERFLIES
Lack of Appreciation of Good Sense Is
Also Obstacle to Marriage.
PORTLAND, Oct. 17. (To the Edl
fr) A"er reading the articles In
The Oregonian on mirriii t
trive this reply to them. The article
o.Bueu a oingie Man" contains sensi
ble and true ideas. I have saved money
on less than many earn. I dress well.
Why? Because 1 know how to buy
and sew. I was raised to meet life in
every way wisely, intelligently and
sensibly.
"Wise management" la the kevnote
to success. Too few know now to
manage wisely; are not educated to
meet all sides of life. Some know how
to keep a good man's nose to the grind
stone and are not fit for a helpful com
panion. I have heard some sav. "Men like
cute, pretty butterflies; they don't care
Tor a girl with talents and accomplish
ments." How about that statement?
Every person should be educated for
married life. A doctor has to attend a
medical college and graduate before he
can be a good doctor. It's just as im
portant for men and women to be ed
ucated for married life as welL To be
well informed means happiness, peace
and unity.
How many mothers bring up their
daughters in a practical sensible way?
How many girls know what thev
should about life? How many Innocent
girls are deceived, lives ruined be
cause of Ignorance? How many good
men get a wife who proves a burden
Instead of a helpmate? How many
good girls and women get a miserable
good-for-nothing husband?
We who are good and sensible have
to remain single, because some men
have to taste of the bitter fruit In
order to get their eyes open so they can
see a real helpmate and one educated
for married life.
I do not mean a fine book learning
when I speak of "education." I mean
persons well prepared to meet mar
ried life as they should.
Yes, Francis Ball, in his article, has
the right idea. "How are these sensi
ble people to meet?" I am placed so
that I have not a chance to meet a
good, sensible man. I will never marry
until I do meet a man who is worthy
of the woman I have made of myself in
every way.
I admire those of both sexes who
know the value of a dollar, and know
how to manage wisely, for you can
live and be happy on a small amount.
A SINGLE WOMAN.
Women's Monument to Mrs. Runl way.
CORBETT. Or., Oct- 16. (To the Edi
tor.) It was with great anxiety that
we waited for the daily reports of the
condition of Mrs. Abigail Scott Duni
way, Oregon's grand old woman. And
now as she Is no more, her noble spirit
has passed beyond all things earthly,
and her body lies still in death, we.
the women of Oregon, who gained equal
rights mainly through her untiring ef
forts, bow our heads in silent prayer
and with sorrowing hearts submit to
the will of God Almighty, who doeth
all things well. For our God gave to
the people this grand character, who
devoted her life and energy to that
glorious cause, that of bettering condi
tions among men and women, and her
greatest interest was so deeply mani
fested in that one object, of putting
woman on an equal standing with men.
We now feel assured that if any
ever died happy. It was she. knowing
that her lifelong struggle for women's
rights had been crowned with success.
Now that she is no more here to lead
us onward, what could be more fitting
than for the women of this state to
show our appreciation of her labor, of
which we henceforth will reap the
benefit, by erecting a monument or
statue In respect to her memory in
some suitable place?
MRS. P. ANDERSEN.
Work on Scaosl Gardens.
ALPINE. Or.. Oct, 16. (To the Edi
tor.) Please inform me where I can
get a book or work or Information on
school gardening in the United States
of America, MISS A, BUCHANAN.
The Oregon Agricultural College, Cor
vallis. Or., has published an excellent
booklet on school gardening, written
by one of the members of the exten
sion department, M. O. Evans, a school
garden expert, formerly supervisor of
that work In Portland. The college
will gladly send you one on applica
tion, and may be able to give other in
formation you desire.
Little Miss Wisdom
She Is always alert, smiling,
happy, thoroughly up to date.
She is well groomed and smart
ly gowned.
She Is welcomed everywhere
as a ray of sunshine.
Her conversation shows that
she takes keen interest in the
world and its works.
Storekeepers say she is a
shrewd and careful buyer.
She knows what she wants and
what she ought to pay.
Little Mrss Wisdom regards the
reading of the advertising in The
Oregonian as part of her day's
education.