TITE aiOIKOXG OREGOXIA37, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 191G.
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rOKTLAJiD. OREGON.
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J-ORTI.AND, SATURDAY, FEB. 6, 1916.
THE SUBMARINE ISSUE.
The issue between President Wilson
and Conrress is now sharply defined.
The President says: "I shall do every
thing in my power to keep the United
States out of war," but he also says:
"We covet peace and shall preserve
It at any cost but the loss of honor."
The majority of his own party is pre
pared to revise this last declaration,
so that it will read: "We covet peace
and shall preserve it, even at the cost
of honor."
No other conclusion can be drawn
from the proposal to forbid American
citizens to travel on belligerent ships.
It would be a sacrifice of a great prin
ciple to expediency. The President Is
undoubtedly right when he says:
To forbid our people to exercise their
rlghta for fear we might be callod upon
to vindicate them would be a deep humilia
tion Indeed. It would be an implicit, all
but an explicit, acquiescence in the viola
tion of tho rights of mankind everywhere
and of whatever nation or allegiance.
It voui be a deliberate abdication of
our hitherto proud position as spokesmen,
even amid the turmoil of war. for the law
and the right. It would make everything
this Government fcas attempted and every
thing that it has achieved during this
terriUe struggle of nations meaningless and
futile.
These words have the more weight
because Mr. Wilson has so persistently
exerted himself to uphold the prin
ciples they express without involving
the Nation in war as to draw upon
himself the criticism of many who see
as he does the vital importance of the
principle at stake. The Oregonian the
more readily affirms the correctness
of his position because we have been
among his critics.
The leaders of the Democratic party
in Congress are prepared to yield the
principle which the President deems
it the Nation's duty to maintain at
any cost. Senator Kern, leader of the
Senate, is against him. Representa
tive Kltchln. leader of the House,
heads the white-flag contingent in
that body. Senator Stone, chairman
of the Senate committee on foreign re
lations, to whom he should be able to
look for the most unflinching support,
means to be with him "up to the last
limit," but gives him to understand
that "the last limit" is far short of
what the emergency requires, for Mr.
Stone denounces as "so monstrous as
to be -indefensible" the last limit
which the President has set. Mr. Stone
describes as guilty of "a sort of moral
treason against the republic" those
who exercise the undoubted right
which the President would support.
visiting upon tnem equal condemna
tion with that which he visits upon the
Nation which would infringe upon that
right.
The white-flag Democrats are Joined
by a certain number of individual Re
publicans who are moved by local or
political influence, or by so strong a
desire to keep out of the war that
Ihey are blinded to the evils of the
course they favor. But the responsible
leaders or me tepuDiican party, sucn
as Senator Lodge and Representative
Mann, place themselves unhesitatingly
behind the President and will no doubt
be Joined by the great body of their
party in Congress.
The Democratic party is responsible,
through its President and its majority
in both branches of Congress, for the
maintenance of the rights and honor
of the Nation. Its President is pre
pared to do his duty, but the majority
of his party in Congress not merely
withholds its support but paralyzes his
arm by plainly showing its readiness
to abandon our rights and forfeit our
honor rather than risk a fight for
them. In so doing they accept as their
leader Mr. Bryan, whose false teach
ings and whose intrigues have stif
fened the will of the nation which
threatens us.
These craven, shallow politicians
fervidly imagine or pretend that by
taking this course they are warding
off disaster from the Nation. In truth
they are inviting disaster upon disaster
until this Nation may cease to be, for
no words in the President's letter to
Senator Stone are truer than these:
It Is Important to reflect that if In this
Instance wt allowed expediency to take the
place of principle, the door would Inevitably
be opened to still further concessions, once
accept a single abatement of right and
many other humiliations would certalply
follow and the whole fine fabric of Inter
national law mirht crumble under our
rianda piece by riece. What we are con
tending for In this matter is of the es
sence of the- thlnsrs that have made Amer
ica a sovereign Nation. She cannot yield
them without conceding her own impotency
k a Nation and making virtual surrender
of her Independent position among the
nations of the world.
That which is true of the policy of
surrender to threats, as now proposed,
is true also of the entire Bryan prop
aganda against preparedness for Na
tional defense. As each surrender of
our rights would be an invitation to
new encroachments, so would leaving
the Nation unarmed for defense be
nn invitation to attack. Those na
tions to which force is law would,
after taking all that we would yield
to threats, take by force all that, re
mained. Then the American people
would fall a victim to its own confi
dence in the abstractions of pacifism
and to its blindness to the hideous
facts of war which are borne in upon
us by every dispatch from Europe.
But the American people will not
blindly follow these blind leaders. The
clear common sense and the courage
which have enabled it to. face and
overcome many dangers from wlthfn
and without will surely triumph over
the sophistries with which its under
standing is besieged. It will follow the
courageous leaders who avert war by
being ready for it and who by so doing
also preserve honor.
It seems a little unfortunate that the
public schools should have a full holiday
on Lincoln's birthday, while Washington's
ecu by Uh merely passing notice. It
Is of course, true that holidays should not
be multiplied unnecessarily in the schools.
"We already hove quite aa many as cir
cumstances wairant. taking the year round,
and to In the month of February would
pjrhaps appear to overdo the matter.
The foregoing from a learned Port
land contemporary, we take it, is in
tended as a rebuke to Abraham Lin
cola for having been born on. a date
s
that would ever fall on Saturday,
which it did this year. There is a
state law on the subject which puts
both anniversaries in exactly the same
category. The law provides that
neither day shall be a school holiday
but that a part of each shall be de
voted to appropriate exercises.
TWO VOICES.
The Oregonian has received in
course of the mails the issues of two
state contemporaries for Wednesday,
February 23 the one the Salem Cap
ital Journal and the other the Med
ford Mail-Tribune both with elabor
ate discussion of the Portland-Astoria
rat case. It is Dleasing to note that I
the Salem paper, by due ascertainment
of the facts and intelligent apprehen
sion of the situation, supports fully
the Portland contention; while the
Medford paper enters into a violent
diatribe upon Portland for its "little
Oregon hog policy," with the intima
tion that the city has suffered the
"pentecost of calamity" for its many
misdemeanors through" many years.
It appears to be worth while to
print the Salem article, since it seems
to The Oregonian to be an exact and
unanswerable review of Portland's po
sition; while it appears expedient to
reproduce also a paragraph from ,the
Medford article, merely to show how
faint an impression the presentation
of Portland's most reasonable and
proper claims makes upon some
minds:
The trouble with Portland is that her
growth has been forced upon hr by her
location without her own effort. Her enter
prise and energy has been spent in devieing
ways and means to smother other Oregon
citias and grow at -their expense. Portland
capital hns stayed in Portland and not de
veloped the state. Portland has been con
tent with the goods the gods dumped in
her lap. She has allowed Oriental aa well
as Alaskan trade to slip through her fingers
and done nothing to secure them. The non
development of Oregon has deprived her of
a market for her own manufactures.
It is unfortunate that there is a
newspaper in any community which
would be willing to take and seriously
offer to its readers such poisonous
and malicious stuff about any Oregon
community. Yet it is the habit of this
little newspaper, which specializes in
its hatreds and is most adept in its
libels, to malign Portland constantly.
It is not a good way to stimulate good
will.
The facts about Portland are set
forth with some fullness and with con
spicuous fairness by our Salem con
temporary. Attention is invited to the
article printed elsewhere on this page.
Portland has done fairly well in the
way of self-help. It has done its share
in the larger duty of 'building up Ore
gon. But it does not subscribe to the
notion, common with certain short
sighted apostles of a greater Oregon,
that the true method is to tear down
one community in order to build up
another. The sound policy is for every
Jpart of Oregon to have fair opportu
nity to develop and realize its own
dVstiny.
MAYOR ANI PROFESSOR.
Ttie literary output of the press
bureau set up in the Mayor's office
for publication as the "Official City
Hall Report," contains this brief but
interesting version of a discussion be
tween His Honor and a member of
the Reed College faculty:
On M nc".ay of this week ... a young
lad. apparently in his twenties, called at my
office and made himself known as Professor
Ogburn. oT Reed College. After suggesting
that probably I had never thought of the
importance of the large establishments sub
stituting for the saloons, he gave a lengthy
dissertation on law enforcement, giving a
treatise such as no boy of mine would be
allowed to imbibe. Notwithstanding the
fact that I gave him the information con
tained In the following article, the lad saw
fit to lump Into print In an interview,
which, if accurately quoted, shows a disre
gard for honesty and fairness unbecoming
in one holding a position similar to his.
Our excellent Mayor Mas, as we un
derstand, set sail upon the uncertain
seas of journalism as a contributing
editor to a contemporary because the
newspapers none of them were able
to' report City Hall affairs with that
enlightened impartiality which is the
just due of every good man in the
public service. But the Mayor himself,
alas! cannot resist the temptation
which daily besets every commenta
tor to cover his antagonist with with
ering sarcasm. Our recollection of
Professor Ogburn is that he is about
40 years old. and looks it, six feet
two inches tall, and looks it, and a
man of dignity and weight, and looks
it. Yet by a few strokes of his facile
pen our literary Mayor transforms
hint into a young lad of twenty tender
years.
The fuss appears to be over the
Mayor's policy toward the Burnside
resorts. The Mayor has stopped the
card games for 5-cent checks, on the
ground that they are gambling, be
cause the City Attorney has so ad
vised him and the Police Judge has
so ruled. He has in mind remedial
legislation so that while no man or
woman can indulge in the wicked
pastime of gambling for a nickel
check (which is to be cashed for a
soft drink or food), he will be able
to do something just as good. Play
tlddlewinks, perhaps.
VProfessor Ogburn has said, among
other things, that the prohibitive pol
icy of the police, under the Mayor's
direction, in stopping the games, is
"without consideration of the social
viewpoint and will result in more harm
than good." "The men play cards, ne
said, "paying for the privilege of play
ing 5 cents, for which they may also
buy a 5-cent meal or drink. The
losers pay for the game to the win
ner, somewhat as in billiards or in
bowling. Practically all social work
ers testify to the harmlessness of this
game."
We shall refrain for the present
from taking a hand Jn this titanic con
troversy, awaiting developments with
what patience we can command. But
we really think a reporter, bound by
the most solemn pledges to write down
only what takes place, and to tell the
truth and nothing but the truth, ought
to be privileged to be present at the
next interview between the Mayor and
the professor.
JERSEY'S SKEETER. MENACE.
Examination of campaign plans
against the Jersey "skeeter" indicates
that the mosquito in New Jersey is
anything but the Joke the paragraphers
make it. A preparedness rally was
held the other day at Atlantic City at
which the necessity of driving out the
tormenting invader was urged in stir
ring addresses. An official of the State
Mosquito Extermination Association
read data which he had prepared with
great care. New Jerseyltes were told
that mosquitoes lop $200,000,000 from
the taxable property of the state, that
only by relentless warfare might the
people wrest this latent wealth from
the invader.
The figures are large, but they are
not incredible. The sunny environs of
New Jersey offer a strong appeal to
crowded New Yorkers.' But everything
the weather and open fields do for Jer
sey the mosquitoes undo. Many a
shrewd bargain in Jersey realty has
been spoiled by the savage encroach
ments of a swarm of bloodthirsty super-mosquitoes
of the variety that
thrives in Jersey. Wealthy residents
have been driven out of the state,
great enterprises have been frightened
away. Even men whose greed is
stronger than love of personal comfort
may not find themselves able to en
dure life in the vicinity of a Jersey salt
marsh.
- So Jersey talks of banding together
in a real campaign. The state is to be
thoroughly awakened. No longer con
tent with stunning a few mosquitoes
with clubs and wounding a few with
cannon, it is now proposed to attack
their breeding places. Salt marshes
must be pumped dry. Every breeding
aid must be exterminated. Millions
of gallons of oil must be used if nec
essary. But when they have expelled
this frightful invader there will remain
the task of routing the army of New
York humorists who buy limousines on
the proceeds from Jersey mosquito
jokes.
FOR YOUTHFUL DIGGERS.
As a matter of self-defense, The
Oregonian feels compelled to) say
something about majority and minor
ity leaders in Congress. Apparently
some enterprising instructor in the
schools has set an inquiry going on
the subject, but whether to sound the
pupils' knowledge of current events
or test their ingenuity in digging for
information is not quite clear. At all
events, they are digging, and The Ore
gonian office seems to be considered
a fertile field for their activities. To
express the situation in overworked
phraseology, the wires are kept hot.
The majority in each house in the
existing Congress is composed of . the
Democratic members; the term "mi
nority" is applied to the Republicans
because of their inferiority in numbers.
In the Senate the majority leader is
Senator Kern, of Indiana; the minor
ity leader. Senator Gallinger, of New
Hampshire. In the House the major
ity leader is Representative Kitchin,
of North Carolina; the minority
leader, Representative Mann, of
Illinois.
All are primarily caucus nominees,
except Mr. Kitchin, who holds the post
and title by reason of his position as
chalrmah of the House ways and
means -committee, to which he suc
ceeded by rule of seniority. Mr. Mann
was the Republican caucus nominee
for Speaker. In the upper House
Senator Kern was chosen in Demo
cratic conference; Senator Gallinger
was chosen in Republican caucus as
Republican nominee for president tem
pore of the Senate, chairman of the
committee known as conference of the
minority, and floor leader of the
minority. As the majority controlled
the election of Speaker and president
pro tempore, the Republican nominees
became the floor leaders of their
party.
The position is not one created by
formal act of Congress and It carries
no financial emoluments. The post
is an outgrowth of custom and prece
dent and it involves certain duties, in
cluding those concerning strategy of
debate On important issues, and in
some instances, at the opening of Con
gress, the duty of preparing the slate
of committee assignments for sub
mission to party conference.
It Is doubtful if anything that can
be said to school pupils on the sub
ject is of particular value unless they
have first been pretty well grounded
in Congressional methods of doing
business, formal rules of procedure,
parliamentary law, government by
parties and the difficulties encountered
by a large deliberative body in doing
business.' Congress is a mine of vast
ly richer treasures for the youthful
mind than a study of floor leadership.
EXTRAVAGANCE AND ITS CURE.
The necessity of increased expendi
ture on National defense imposes on
Congress the imperative duty to prac
tice economy in all expenditures, both
for peace and war. By economy is not
meant neglect of any proper work of
the Government for the public good,
but limitation of Government activity
to such work and restriction of ex
penditure to the actual value of the
thing desired.
This economy is possible only
through a complete reorganization of
the machinery by which sources of
revenue are developed and by which
expenditures are authorized and made.
There should be the closest connection
between the taxing and spending au
thority, but at present this connection
is but slight. A committee of Con
gress prepares a revenue bill based on
certain economic theories and on cer
tain estimates of necessary revenue,
but it has no power to keep appro
priations within those estimates. Other
committees divide among them the
task of initiating appropriations, and
no power exists anywhere to trim these
appropriations in such a manner that
the total will be within the revenue.
After these committees have done their
work. Congress may increase the
amounts they propose to spend and
may order expenditure on entirely new
undertakings without providing addi
tional revenue to meet the added ex
pense. Responsibility for estimates and ap
propriations is so scattered and hidden
as to be practically non-existent. Esti
mates are prepared by subordinates in
each department under no supervision
and without comparative data as to ex
penditure for the same purpose in pre
ceding years. No programme is sub
mitted showing the work to 'be done
within the year. There is no tfhiform
plan or logical order for estimates, and
excessive lump sums are asked in ex
pectation of reduction by Congress. No
forecast is made of the general finan
cial result of total appropriations. The
President cannot supervise estimates
and department heads are not held re
sponsible for them. No study or re
vision of them as a whole is made by
any body before submission to Con
gress. As submitted, they compose a
clumsy volume of 1300 pages and are
a mass of uninterpreted figures with
out correlation, comparison or plan.
They are parcelled out among a num
ber of committees of Congress, which
may by great labor secure the in
formation needed to guide action, but
this information is not available to the
rest of Congress, no one committee
studies and is responsible for the bud
get as a whole, nor is such study pos
sible. Congress does not know, when
voting, what and where are the in
creases in appropriations nor their ef
fect on the finances nor the effect of
each item on the total.
In consequence, increases are hid
den and are voted without proof of
their necessity. Inefficiency and ex
travagance are encouraged. Expen
ditures increase every year, and taxes
become higher, indirectly affecting
every citizen.
This is the substance of an analysis
of present methods which has been
made by the Institute for Public Serv
ice. It explains an Increase of nearly
50 per cent in estimates for the fiscal
yean 1917 over appropriations for the
fiscal year 1911. For different de
partments the increase ranges from 22
per cent in legislative expenses to 273
per cent for independent offices. Of
the great departments, Agriculture
shows an Increase of 186 per cent and
Interior 137 per cent, while Justice
shows the smallest increase, 24 per
cent.
Reform in the methods of raising and
expending money by the Government
has become urgently necessary, be
cause in time of peace our present
wasteful methods have already
trenched upon sources of revenue
which should be reserved for times of
war. Until 1909 the Government was
supported by indirect taxes on im
ports and on domestic production of
luxuries. In that year began the im
position of direct taxes to meet or
dinary peace expenses. The first of
these taxes was that on corporation
income. Next was added a tax on per
sonal incomes and finally the emer
gency taxes were Imposed in 1914. It
is now proposed to add largely to the
income taxes and to impose more
direct taxes in order to make good the
deficit resulting from past waste and
to provide means of meeting defense
expenses for a time of peace. The
people are bearing burdens in peace
which should never be imposed except
In war; resources are being used in
peace which should not be touched ex
cept for war, and extravagance is re
sponsible. The faulty machinery for raising
revenue and for controlling expendi
ture is primarily responsible for ex
travagance. The first step necessary
to secure economy is adoption of a
budget system such as has been
adopted by every civilized nation ex
cept our own. The central point about
a budget system is that the finance
minister and the Cabinet are directly
responsible to the ruling party for
every proposed measure of revenue
and expenditure and that that party
is directly responsible to the people.
Under that system responsibility can
not be evaded and the legislative body
cannot add to the finance minister's
estimates, though it may reduce them,
and expense cannot be Incurred un
less revenue to meet it is provided.
KEEP TIEE CARS MOVING.
It is intolerable that, when the lum
ber industry is taking new life, deliv.
ery of its products should be ob
structed by a shortage of cars. Were
all the cars in the country used to
their maximum efficiency, they might
suffice to carry all the traffic, even
in these days of industrial high pres
sure. But cars stand idle for days in
blockaded yards and after reaching
a seaboard destination they stand
more days at a glutted wharf, waiting
to be unloaded.
The Interstate Commerce Commis
sion and the various state railroad
commissions should co-operate in im
pressing upon railroad, shipper and
consignee that cars are built to trans
port, not to store goods in. Railroads
are inclined to be lenient with shippers
in enforcing demurrage rules, espe
cially when they must frequently ap
peal for forbearance to the same ship
pers. Were the commissions to in
sist that demurrage charges be ex
acted in every case where they are
incurred, cars would be kept in mo
tion for many more days and the short
age would be perceptibly diminished.
The railroads were caUght as un
prepared for the present traffic boom
as were some nations for war. They
are paying the penalty in being re
quired to compete with munition
manufacturers and with foreign na
tions for the material of which cars
are built. Shippers are paying the
penalty in car shortage for laws which
have starved the railroads of revenue
with which they might have bought
cars during the time of depression.
During that period the manufacturers
would gladly have supplied -the cars
which are now needed, which are. de
livered at the builder's convenience
and which cost boom prices.
The Pacific Coast is reasonably safe
as long as the world is too busy with
the present war to permit any nation
to invade the United States and as
long as slides block the Panama Canal,
but a Pacific- battle fleet is the only
sure defense.
People stabbed by the Seattle man
who ran amuck with a dirty knife
surely will die of blood poisoning if
the wounds do not kill them. Seattle
needs a law to compel murderers to
use sterilized weapons in their diver
sions. .
.Major McAlexander shows that the
safety of the Pacific Coast is de
pendent on the good will of other na
tions rather than its own defenses,
and there is not much good will
abroad in the world these days.
The Northern Pacific robbery was
well planned, but there are bound to
be flaws in the getaway. The man
who can rob the mail and escape be
fore death, has not been born.
It is not so much that California
wants to prosecute a clairvoyant who
swindled farmers as it is that the al
leged swindler has gone to Chicago
to "blow" the money.
An auxiliary army may be needed to
guard the gold which foreign nations
ship to the United States and the
goods which this country ships
abroad.
Dr. Lyman (s such an elusive in
dividual that the Federal officers can
not feel sure they have him for keeps
until they land him in a New York
jail.
The oldest Oddfellow in Iowa is dead
at 89 and he was one, sure enough,
for he wore a straw hat all the year
and never wore an overcoat.
Part payment of salaries in war
bonds may force thrift on many a
British civil service employe who
never sayed a dollar.
Women are said to be slow about
registering. Once they get their Spring
millinery, the rush will be on.
The tong gunner does not carry his
handkerchief up his sleeve. It might
hinder his draw.
It is devoutly to be hoped there will
be no humiliations until the Lusitania
affair is settled.
When a cookstove explodes the
neighbors wonder whose wood was
burning.
Lyman has again been caught, but
what's the use?
The beach season is opening early.
Five more days for the warsmiths.
The Turks are still backtracking.
4
PORTLAND'S CONTENTION CORRECT
Juat and Intelligent Vlexr of the Rate
Controversy.
Salem Capital Journal".
We do not agree with The Oregonian
on many things, mostly political,, but
its stand in the Astoria rate case strikes
a responsive chord, for we believe It is
correct. It is the only newspaper In
Portland that seems to understand the
importance of the event and what it
means to Portland. It realizes the sit
uation is grave and says so in no un
certain terms.
Te Oregonian points out that while
it conceded Astoria's contention was
correct, that Portland's salvation as a
shipping point was at stake, and that
a vigorous, united and persistent fight
must be made until she is given prefer
ential rates as compared with, those of
Astoria or the Sound.
For 40 years Portland has spent her
money generously to open the Colum
bia and remove the bar at its mouth.
Through her efforts the general Gov
ernment has done a great work, and
Portland has not stood idly by while
this was being done, but has put up
her coin and her energy in aiding the
good and necessary work.
She has done a man's part in opening
and deepening the channel of the Co
lumbia and made herself an - inland
seaport. Her work has brought the sea
110 miles nearer the Inland Empire
than Astoria.
Why should she not be allowed the
advantages arising from this work?
Astoria has an undoubted right to
have the same rates as Sound ports,
and Indeed from a strictly honest view,
really a little better rates far the rea
son the haul is shorter.
Why should Portland not have better
rates on grain from the great wheat
belt of Eastern Oregon and Washing
ton than Seattle with a great moun
tain climb or a haul through Portland
180 'miles longer, or than Tacoma with
a haul of 150 miles further, or Astoria
110 miles?
At the loading end of the routes the
railroads are careful to make rates ac
cording to the length of haul. The
rates from Wallowa to Portland are
higher than from Pendleton. Why?
Because the haul is longer. They are
higher from Pendleton to Portland
than from The Dalles or Biggs. Why?
Because the haul is longer. Why
should distance be always counted by
the railroads on one end of their roads
and not oh th.e other?
It costs as much to haul grain from
Portland to Seattle as it does from
Pendleton to Portland. Why then does
the railroad make a charge as far as
Portland and none from that point to
Seattle or Tacoma?
If the railroads are paid sufficiently
for hauling grain from Pendleton to
Seattle by way of Portland they are
paid too much for hauling it from Ten
dleton to Portland. That Is an indis
putable statement.
If the rate they now have from Ten
dleton to Astoria is enough, then the
same charge for hauling the same grain
from Pendleton to Portland passes out
of the realm of profit and becomes lar
ceny. In making this discrimination against
Portland they must rob the grain grow
er to pay for their favoritism.
Then, too, It costs towage and other
expenses for ships to come from Asto
ria to Portland and the differential in
Portland's favor should be large enough
to cover this expense to put her on an
equality with other terminal' points.
Why should the railroads haul grain
from Portland to Astoria for nothing,
in competition with paid river traffic?
There is no possible light in which
the situation can be seen that does not
back Portland's contention and point
to a lower rate for Portland than her
competitors as the only honest, square
solution of the problem. It is right,
and therefore wrongs no one.
SELF REPRESSION; NOT DEVICES
Club Man Names What He Consider
Proper Birth Control.
' PORTLAND, Feb. 25. (To the Edi
tor.) Referring to "Club Woman's"
reply to Father Black: The latter has
been unfortunate in his choice of words,
but is absolutely correct in his stand.
What connection there can be be
tween his objection' to the use of a con
traseptive and modern chemistry I can
not understand. Because chemistry has
worked wonders is no reason why it
should be used to defeat natural ends.
It may be of -interest to the lady to
learn that Pasteur, the man from
whose constructive reasoning arose
modern antisepsis, was a most devout
follower of the faith of Father Black.
The trouble is that she confuses the
natural use of a faculty with its per
version. Father Black and his fold
believe in birth control, but by the use
of self-control and not by devices, or
methods which degrade humanity.
In the last few lines of her letter
she quotes from Father Black: "What
has become of men when they seem to
fight God and nature by putting them
selves above God and contesting his
pre-ordained laws?" She follows this
by a query: "How about celibacy?"
Which argument of course amounts to
nothing, except that it rebounds against
her and is an argument for him: It
points to the only proper methods of
controlling the problem, namely, use of
self control and abstinence, the com
panions of celibacy.
Does "Club Woman" believe that
morals are merely conditionate upon
our material welfare and sensuory
pleasures, and that they change with
each succeeding generation?
CLUB MAN.
COLLMBIA HIGBIWAY.
What meanest thou, O man,
That thou should'st glorify
Thyself, for having digged
A shallow trench along
This rugged way.
To peak and gorge and crag
Thine own name give
As if to honor
And herald all thy deeds
From east to west, from south to north,
As if some monumental task
Thou had'st performed.
Alas' But view the narrowest gorge
Adown whose bed the tiniest rivulet
flows,
And thou wilt here behold
A task that brings to naught
Thy boasted skill. ,
Since that remotest past
When cooled the fiery lava
Belched by Hood
Its task began; nor yet complete.
Behold yon ragged peak.
Whose jagged teeth the clouds contend;
These waterfalls that spill
Huge rivers to become
Naught but wind-tossed spray;
Enter Oneonta's narrow cleft.
Whose dripping sides but barely part.
And gaze aloft:
Or from the dizzy top ,of Multnomah
Gaze below.
Consider then thy work.
Nor deign to give a name
To Nature's mightiness.
For know, that he who gazes
On this masterpiece
Has mirrored in his soul .
God's nature name
Beyond expression Infinite.
USING AVAILABLE ADVANTAGES
A. S. Kerry Points to Industrial Oppor
tunity That Awaits on Columbia.
KERRY, Or., Feb. 24. (To the Edi
tor.) During the three years that I
have been located on the Lower Co
lumbia River building a railroad that
would open up a vast timber country,
I have constantly had it in mind that
we would be greatly handicapped by
the rates that prevailed here. At first
I did not care to take an active part
in a matter that had been' under dis
cussion for a sufficient time to cause
considerable feeling among the oider
members of the community, but now
that the matter has been settled and
the lower river is' to be placed on an
equality with all other parts of the
Coast, I feel that it is entirely con
sistent for me to join in the effort
that should be made to bring tho busi
ness that rightfully belongs here.
While I feel that the natural ad
vantages offered to many classes of in
dustrial enterprises by the recent rate
decision are apparent, to me, a lum
berman, it is particularly noticeable
In that line. Placed on an equality
of rates with Puget Sound, British Co
lumbia, Grays fiarbor, or any other
water and rail shipping point on the
Coast (enjoying the same rate), I do
not believe that you cpuld find an ex
perienced lumberman but who. If he
were willing to make a frnnk con
fession, would say that the- 90 to 100
mile stretch of river and rail from
Portland down the Columbia was the
most ideal milling location, without
exception, to be found on the Coast.
Take the matter of wharves: to one
who has never operated on salt water,
tho item may be overlooked. Untreated
piling in salt water has a life of from
one to three years, and costs from f
to 7 cents per lineal foot; treated piling
costs from 30 to 40 cents. I recently
pulled out a dolphin on West Slough
that had been in for 1 years. It was
entirely sound, und would havo stood
many years longer. Logs on tho rivet
may be stored for years. I have seen
rafts of logs in salt wuter that were
absolutely ruined by the toredo In six
months. There is very little tide on
the river, which is a great advantage
in handling cargo.
It is a well-established fact that
mills having rail and water shipping
facilities get a better average selling
price and a more continuous market
for their product than do Interior
mills. There is scarcely a mill of the
95 miles of waterfront from St. Johns
to Astoria that could not be used for
a mill site. The timber naturally con
tiguous to the river is enormous. The
Nehalem district alone, which at pres
ent is reached only by our road, the
Columbia & Nehalem River Railro.-id,
has sufficient standing timber to keep
three such roads going at the rate of
1,000,000 feet a day each for the next 40
yearn. The next 10 years will seo
wonderful development in milling on
this Coast. Oregon has the timber.
If we fail to locate the majority of
these mills on the Lower Columbia,
then water surely does flow up hill.
A great deal of new capital will
come to the Coast this Spring. In fact.
I know of two milling projects of enor
mous capneity that are being consid
ered on the Sound now. There seems
to bo not only a lack of effort, but a
tendency to discourage. Investment in
this line on the part of the influential
men of Portland, which is a mistake.
Why not ft new capital and new blood
in some of the plants that are here?
The new ones will naturally follow.
If we can get a few Important facts
In the minds of the laymen, things
will work out automatically, as all
that is necessary is an unbiased per
sonal investigation.
A. S. KERRY.
Flying Buttress.
PORTLAND, Feb. 25. (To the Edi
tor.) Will you kindly explain the
meaning of the term "Hying buttress"?
A SUHSCUIlSElt.
Flying buttress is an architectural
term lor a rampant arch extending
from a wall or pier to a supporting
abutment, usually receiving tho thrust
of another arch on the other side of
the wall, which It supports by its
upper end.
GERMANY'S PLANS
TO INVADE EGYPT
In
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN
Historians have related how Moses.lcd the Israelites out of Egypt
into the so-called promised land, and now conies u present-day
writer and describes with intimnte detail the elaborate- plans miulo
by Kaiser Wilhclm of Germany to lead un army of 000,000 soldiers
back over the route taken by Moses and his followers, but in the
reverse order. The start is to be made ut Constantinople, accord
ing to this authority, and the army is to march across the Anibiun
desert to the Suez Canal and thence into Egypt. The account will
appear in tomorrow's Oregonian and will be illustrated in colors.
THE Y. M. C. A. AND BOYS' CLUI5S In recent years the Y. M. C.
A. has been active in the "big-brother" movement and in organizing
clubs for boys. Tomorrow's paper will carry nn illustrated story
explaining the work of the Y. M. C. A. in connection with boys'
clubs.
UNCLE SAM'S MONEY MACHINES Dollnr bills by the mile that
is the way Uncle Sam now proposes to print his paper money. A
set of new machines that will turn out currency in long rihhoru
almost as rapidly as modern machinery can operate. A description
of these machines will appear in tomorrow's paper, together with
photographs.
PARIS HAT SHOPS A newspaper man recently rr-adc a tour of the
millinery establishments of Paris to see how styles arc created.
He set his observations down on paper and The Oregonian tomorrow
will print them; ulso some pictures of latest hat styles.
BIRSKY AND ZAPP This time Montague Glass' philosophical mer
chants discuss the modern trend toward moving-picture activities.
It is up to the usual standard illustrated.
SARA MOORE'S PICTURES Another trio of original drawings by
Sara Moores, who sees life as others fail to seo it, will appear
among the other varied attractions of tomorrow's Oregonian.
SCANDINAVIAN FIREMEN Here is a story of the way they handle
fires in the Scandinavian cities, where fires are so rare that they
are made occasions of social festivities.
GET READY TO PAY INCOME TAX Inasmuch as the time for
filing the annual income tax statements is drawing near, this story
is of timely interest. It explains the processes by which the Gov
ernment keeps track of all citizens who are subject to provisions
of the new tax law.
CARPENTER'S ALASKA STORY Alaska still bears many ontwnrd
signs' that reveal its former relations with the Russian Empire.
Frank G. Carpenter will describe them in a story tomorrow.
ANOTHER PAGE OF POEMS Watch for your favorite poem in
tomorrow's Oregonian. A whole page of old-tirrlo favorites will
appear.
A BILLIE BURKE PAGE This shows how Billie Burke passes her
time at home. It also gives something of her philosophy of life.
A new set of Billie Burke pictures goes with the story.
THE OREGON'S TRIP RETOLD Eva Emery Pye, Oregon's cele
brated author, has written a new story on the historic trip of the
battleship Oregon around the Horn 18 years ago this Spring. The
tale as it will appear in tomorrow's paper, will bo illustrated with
photographs of the Oregon and a picture of Rear-Adnnral Clnrk,
who commanded the vessel in 1S98.
ADDITIONAL ATTRACTIONS Other Sunday features will include
Donahey's page of entertainment for the little folks, the comic
supplement, in which Polly and Her Pa are prominent, several pages
of late sporting news, the usual array of society, dramatic, motion
picture, automobile, real estate and church news.
In Other Days.
Tvtrnlv-flve Iron Abo.
From Tho Oregonian Kchruarv IS. ll.
Washington, Feb. L'".. Kepi est nt.i
tlvo Wilson is expecting to call '
during the last six days of tho session
the bill for the purchase of u silo tor
a public building at Spokano Falls.
Olympla. Wash.. Fob. LT.. The spe
cial House committor which has been
dilly-dallying with the alleged hl-lberv
of John L. Metcalfe by Harry A. Clarke
in the sum of $."()(!, by which token
Metcalfe was to vote for V . II. Calkins
for Fnlted States Senator, has reported
at last. The report censures M. t.ulte
on tho ground that although lie. ex
posed the bribe immediately and
turned over the money given him to thu
Speaker of tho llouso. lie actually en
couraged Clarke to oiler it. I'alUins
had no knowledge of tho "deal." al
though others did, tho report lindj.
The commission provided for in ths
act to Incorporate the 'Tort of Port
laud" and provide for the improvement
of the Columbia ami Willamette rivers,
passed by the last Legislature, held its
tirst meeting yesterday. The board
consists of V. S. I.ndd, Henry Falling.
C. 11. Lewis, James Steel. T. M. Rich
ardson, John McCraken. G. H. Markle,
1-:. I. McKce. J. 1-:. Lombard and Kills
U. Hughes, of Portland; C rus Huck
mnn, Pav Raffcty and Simeon Joseph,
of Last l'ortlnnd. and William M. Klll
ingsworih and John li. Stithn. of Al
bina. Ilerlin The secretary of the Admir
alty yesterday made a statement hel'ore
tho Reichstag naval committee that It
was imperative that Germany i-lintild
have a llrst-elass navy or none. I In
pointed out the possibility of a oinl
attick by Franco imd Itusslii.
Senator A. Cogswell, of Lake
County, was in Portland ycslerdiv iiiul
ho said the work of thu Legislature
was, generally speaking, good. The.
principal bills hn retcrrcd W were the
Australian ballot bill, direct primary
bill and the labor bill.
Half a Crnlurjr A an.
From The OregonlHn FI'ruary 1tt
The principal litTerenc! betnenn tha
President and Congress is upon the
question of admitting the Southern
members. The I'resident steps out oT
his own proper sphere and Insists that
Congress shsll practically give up Its
constitutional rights of Judging of the
qua Iilicat ions of its members and re
ceive into its body those whom ttis re
bellious states drive sent from thf
Confederate Congress or from the
headquarters of lh Into rebel armies,
to the National capital. Tho ndmlsston
of these men would, in the Judgment
of the 1'resi.lont, bo the finishing sticks
In reconstruction. Congress cannot
submit to this dictation. . . . Loyal
men have had about enough of I'resi
dent Johnson's manner of "making
treason odious." . . . The country
thanks Congress for its lirm stand.
Tho tv-in Francisco Bulletin has Just
printed a lengthy account of tho m.nner
in which V. L. Adams, tho Astoria col
lector, was robbed of J'0.ru0 In gold
coin while on a recent trip on the
steamer Oregon from Astoria to han
Francisco.
Washington, Feb. 2.1. Tho radical
press says that no such meeting as
yesterday transpired at (Jrnver's Thr-ate-r
and In front of the White House
has ever been held in public. Lincoln
was denounced by one siwnUer. it t
said. Taken 111 connerl ion with t li "
President's subsequent speech t he pro
ceedings of the day, it is said, were
beyond all precedent.
The Republican editors of Illinois
have voted in convention at I'co i.i to
sustain, unanimously, the stand of
Congress.
Captain f. .1. Mccormick, bend of the
Fenian Urot berbood of Oregon, has re
ceived ?20.000 worth of bonds of tin;
lrih Republic to be offered for sale.