tttt: aroi?xixf otoon-taw. Saturday. arAiicii is. ioi6.
PORTLAND. ORtXiON.
Entered at Portland Oregon) Postoffice a
eecona-cias matter.
Subscription Kates Invariably In advance:
(By MaiL
Taily, Sunday Included, one year 8 H0
Iaily, Sunday included, six months..... 4.25
l'a;ly. Sunday included, three months... Hj
J 'ally, (Sunday included, one inontU -5
I'aily, mithout Sunday, ono year .
Iaily, without Sunday, six months
lailv. without Si.mlnv. Mre months... 1.73
3ailv. with month 0
Weekly, ono vr 1.50
Sunday, one year . .... 2.50
tsunuuy ana weekly, one year. ........
(By Carrier.) .
rat!y. Sunday Include. 1, one year .
iJaily. Sunday included, o&e month 75
How to remit Send postofflce money or
der, express order or personal check on your
loral bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at
Sf-nder s risk. Oive postofflce addresses In
lull, including county and state.
I'ofttage Kates 12 to IB pages. 1 cent; 18
to 32 pages, 2 cents; 34 to 4s pages, 8 cents;
rt to K0 rc. 4 cents; (13 to 70 pases. 5
ents; 7S to pases, a cents. Foreign post,
age, double rates.
Kantern Business Office Verreo & Conk7
lln, Brunnwkk building. New York; Verree
Conklin, Steger building, Chicago. an
Krancisco representative, H. J. Bidwell. 742
Market street.
PORTLAND, SATt'RDAr, MARCH 18, 1916
1 :
WHICH PARTY OFFERS SAFETY?
In the coming Presidential campaign
the American people will be called
upon to decide whether they will up
hold the National honor and rights
and provide the means of so doing,
nd to choose one of the two great
parties as the agency through which
these things shall be done. There are
practically only these two to choose
between, for the Progressive party has
returned to the Republican ranks and
all other parties besides the Repub
lican and Democratic are negligible.
The duty of deciding great questions
concerning their international rela
tions, among which that of National
defense holds a foremost place, has
suddenly been forced upon the Amer
ican people. They are bewildered, be
cause they are unprepared, not only in
a military and industrial sense but in
tellectualy also. Their education and
habits of thought have not equipped
them to decide. Their perplexity is
aggravated by the presence among
them of many who have the right as
citizens to a voice in the government
of this country but who use that right
to serve other countries, chiefly those
which have done the worst injury to
the United States. They have a Presi
dent and a Congress which were
elected on purely domestic issues, with
little thought of foreign relations.
Our traditional attachment to a pol
icy of peace has been used by many
citizens as an argument for putting
peace above honor and above defense
of our citizens' lives. The President
and members of Congress, unprepared
to deal with the new and urgent prob
lems suddenly forced upon them, have
been bewildered by the importunities
of the merely nominal citizens and of
the pacifists. The President has baTe
Jy avoided a serious concession to Ger
many, by making which he was likely
to have involved us jn war, while striv
ing to keep us out. His extreme pa
cifism has ' cost us many lives and
much humiliation in Mexico and has
led by logical steps to that Interven
tion tlhich he was striving to avoid.
Congress, its members anxious for
their political future, and influ
enced by the clamor of the foreign
born and the pacifists, has been with
difficulty restrained from rendering
the President powerless to maintain
our National rights or even our neu
trality. '
The Nation needs leadership in de
ciding upon its course and in pursuing
that course. It must look to either the
Republican or the Democratic party
for such leadership. Which party of
fers the better prospect of supplying
it? The Democratic party is led by
President Wilson, who has faltered
with both the Mexican and the" sub
marine affairs and deferred the ur
gently needed increase of our defenses
until driven to action by irresistible
public opinion. It is hopelessly di
vided on the question whether and
how we should maintain our National
interests abroad. A large element in
that party led by Mr. Bryan is unal
terably opposed to any resort to force
In defense of those interests and to
any Increase in our means of defense.
This element gained such strength
that the President has been compelled
to whip Congress into line for the pol
icy he now pursues and to demonstrate
to the world that our legislative body
will sustain him.
On. the other hand, the Republican
party Is practically united in support
of a vigorous policy to protect our
citizens in Mexico and in favor of a
large increase In our Army and Navy.
The only division in its ranks on for
eign policy has been betrayed by .the
vote on resolutions warning Americans
not to travel on armed ships. A large
proportion of the Congressmen from
the Middle West, where people of anti
American sympathy are most numer
ous, were influenced by political mo
tives to vote for those resolutions. But
the strongest, clearest and most posi
tive declarations in favor of a vigorous
policy of upholding American rights
and of equipping the Nation to uphold
them by force of arms have come from
Republican leaders and are to be found
in Republican platforms. The men
who have spoken in favor of such a
policy consistently from year to year
are Root, Lodge. Roosevelt, Butler,
Borah. In the Republican party are
to be found the. few men who have
proved themselves able stnd willing to
maintain that policy.
With few exceptions those Demo
cratic leaders who have spoken in the
came strain are but recent converts
and have found it necessary to unsay
many things which they had formerly
said. Chief among these is the Presi
dent. The chorus of approval with
which the declarations of Republican
leaders have been received, especially
in their own party, shows which way
T'ublie sentiment and particularly Re
publican sentiment tends. In order
to give the Nation that which the
crisis demands Republican leaders
need only to continue on the course
they have been following and to swing
n minority of the party into line.
The conclusion to be drawn from
these facts is that no strong, united
eiction In the National interest can be
expected from the Democratic party
und that there is every hope of such
siction from the Republican party.
That expectation is warranted by the
entire history and by the foundation
principles of the Republican party. It
conceives of the United States as a
Nation, a unit in domestic and foreign
affairs. The Democracy's conception
of the Nation as a unit in its foreign
relations is weakened by that party's
conception of the Nation in its domes
tic relations as a mere bundle of loose
ly tifd states. Current events prove
the necessity cf building up the Na
tion's industries and Its economic In
dependence as a vital factor in Its de
fense. The Republican party has made
lhat policy one of Its cardinal prin
iples and has been the principal
fcgency in bringing the Nation to its
present advanced stage of industrial
development. The Democratic 'party,
on the other hand, has always favored
a fiscal policy which would open our
markets to the competition ' of the
world and would Inevitably destroy
some-industries which are necessary
adjuncts to our defense In time of
war.
Restoration of the Republican party
to power at the coming eiection is
therefore necessary to the Nation's
safety in these times when the full
development of the Nation's strength
in arms, industry, diplomacy and in
the education and training of its citi
zens can ward off war or, if war should
come, can overcome the enemy. In
such times the Nation's destiny can
not safely- be entrusted to a party
which has halted, and still halts, be
tween two opinions.
WHILE WE WATCH AM) WAIT.. .
The Oregonian has watchfully waited
for a week: or two, since the Gor reso
lution was tabled", to sca; what its
Democratic Oregon contemporaries
might have to say In approval or con
demnation of Senator Chamberlain, for
his action in voting against the Admin
istration. But In vain. Not a word,
not a syllable. The faithful followers
of .a wobbly Administration and the
loyal boosters of a recalcitrant Demo
cratic Congress keep up the good work
of commending everything the Presi
dent does, and of supporting, openly
or tacitly, everything the Democratic
Senators do, whether it is In accord
with the President or not. It is a
method that has some embarrassments
for a mind trained to take one side of
a position at a time, but none for those
editors whose course is mapped out
for them and who play the game,
whatever happens.
But we find occasionally an inde
pendent newspaper which refuses to
bow down to the idol of partisanship.
Here is the Capital Journal, of Salem,
heretofore not unfriendly to Our
George:
Senator Chamberlain's little buncomb
speech In the Senate yesterday about Villa
becoming a "national hero" and rallying
(fc.0(H trained soldiers under bis banner is
about as silly as anything we have heard
for some time past and many silly things
are being uttered in these days when statrs-im-n
ought insted to show cooler Judgment
and higher courage. ' . -
We advise our Salem neighbor to
wait and see. whether, after all, the
Oregon Senator does not know what
he is talking about. We think he does.
We are surprised only that he is' not
ardently defended by those of his own
party who have never heretofore seen
anything in his official sayings or acts
to criticise. Has the long lane (no
pun intended) found a turning at
last?
There is a paper in Portland which
a couple of weeks ago vigorously de
nounced as "Kaiser's Senators" those
members of the upper house who
dared to vote against the President
on the submarine issue. It would be
interesting to know why a policy of
stigmatizing all opponents of the Presi
dent, thus boldly proclaimed, has pe
tered out into a painful and cavernous
silence.
SLANDERING THE COLUMBIA RIVER.
Reports from Washington say that
the proposed voyage of the cruiser
Pittsburg to Vancouver in order to
embark the Twenty-first Infantry for
San Diego has been abandoned by Sec
retary Daniels on the pretext, as given
in a letter to Senator Jones, that "Navy
records showed that the Columbia
River bar had a depth of only twenty
six feet, and that inasmuch as the
Pittsburg drew more water than that,
it was impracticable to send her up
the river."
If the Navy Department records at
Washington show no greater depth of
water on the Columbia River bar than
twenty-six feet, they are as far be
hind the times as Mr. Daniels him
self. The last survey by the Army en
gineers showed a depth of thirty-five
feet in the bar channel. The records
of the hydrographic office in Portland
show the same depth, and it Is up to
Mr. Daniels to revise his records at
Washington more promptly, in order
that they may contain the latest in
formation.' The Columbia channel to
Portland has a depth of thirty feet
at low water and is much deeper at
the present stage of the river. The
Pittsburg, when loaded, draws twenty,
sevenjeet and would have an abund
ant margin of safety in crossing the
bar and coming up the river. In fact,
the present depth of the entire chan
nel is sufficient to float the largest
ship in either naval or merchant serv
ice. It is now incumbent upon the Port
land Chamber of Commerce to lay the
truth before the Secretary. The mails
are so slow that resort to them would
defeat the purpose. The telegraph
should be used in reaching the Secre
tary and in stirring our somnolent
Senators to action. The worst injury
that can be done to the Columbia
River as a port would- be the sending
of the Pittsburg to 'another port for
the reason stated. The best proof that
could be furnished that the largest
ships can safely navigate the river
would be to have the Pittsburg come
to Vancouver. The enemies of Port
land are moving in every way to do
the injury and to prevent the proof
from being given. No stone should be
left unturned in thwarting them.
DIAMOND LORE BY MAIL.
Enterprising correspondence-course
teachers have extended their scope un
til they now guarantee, to teach you
anything from osteopathy to hydro
graphy by mail. If you want to be
painter, pianist or poet, preacher, pu
gilist or professor, psychologist, phy
sician or phrenologist, merely send a
self-addressed envelope and you will
be well upon the highroad to profes
sional proficiency. The rest is a mere
matter of application and tuition. Par
ticularly tuition.
Tens of thousands have taken
courses in how to increase their earn
ing power from $10 a week to $10,000
a year. Perhaps all of them are not
yet qualified "to pay an income tax,
yet they have had the Joy of hoping,
which is a pleasant sensation, unless a
measure of fulfillment is delayed too
long. The movies have offered an es
pecially fruitful field for correspondence-course
promoters lately, but this
flourishing vineyard must be falling
into an unfertile state, for a new course
has been announced and one calcu
lated to appeal to hundreds of thou
sands. Baseball playing will now be
taught by a correspondence school of
recent origin.
All the intricacies of curves, strikes,
base stealing, inside plays and other
technical requirements of successful
playing can be taught successfully by
mail, we are told. An alluring appeal.
But we have our doubts. Might as
well try to teach sprinting by mail.
Successful baseball players, like poets,
must be born as well as cultivated. The
big players are a survival of the fittest,
the product of a process of selection.
The whole country plays baseball while
it is young. There is nothing concern
ing the game that the average healthy
youngster can be taught. He learns to
play before he is out of his swaddling
clothes and if he has the elements of
a successful player in his physical and
mental makeup the facts assert them
selves sooner or later. It may be
possible to teach a man how to ac
quire a wife by mail or how. to make
a million dollars, sing a song, paint a
picture or write a whole epidemic of
epics, but one suspects that the mail
order educators have overreached
themselves in casting , a hook among
the Nation's ball fans.
A JOKER IX THE ARMY BILL.
In their efforts to secure funds for
the Muscle Shoals power project on
the Tennessee River, Southern Demo
crats have secured insertion in the
Army appropriation bill of a provision
Lthat $20,000,000 of Panama Canal
bonds be sold and the proceeds used
to construct a twenty-six-mile canal, a
dam and locks, the estimated cost of
which is $18,700,000. This is a joker
reviving the scheme which was in
cluded In the 1914 river and harbor
bill and by which a "Government do
nation and loan," according to Repre
sentative Frear, were to be made to
the Alabama Power Company, which
already has a 400,000-horsepower
plant at Muscle Shoals and also owns
96 per cent of all the power In Ala
bama. The plant was to have been
leased to the company on terms by
which in the-course of 100 years the
Government would get back only $8,
376.000 of Its investment.
Mr. Frear evidently knew of the
scheme to insert this joker in the
Army bill, for in his minority report
on the river and harbr bill he says:
"It is not now lncuded in the (river
and harbor) bill but will be inserted
elsewhere and remain according to
predictions." Evidently the "else
where" was the Army bill. The In
dianapolis News says it was inserted
"at the instance of Chairman Hay, at
the request, it is alleged, of Senator
Underwood, of Alabama."
This provision has no place in the
Army bill nor in the river and harbor
bill.' It is of a nature which comes
under the provisions of the Shields
water-power bill. If the power to be
developed by the proposed plant can
earn enough to pay a profit on the
entire investment for power and navi.
gation combined, it should be financed
by a private corporation under the
Shields bill; if not, it should be aban
doned or the Government should only
contribute a share of the cost equal
to the benefits to navigation. In its
present form and place the scheme is
a foul-smelling Job.
PATRIOTISM AND MUZZLES.
General Funston, who has had much
experience with his friends the corre
spondents, expressed considerable sur
prise at the tranquil manner in which
the sober portion of the American
press received his rigid censorship.
Having been a correspondent himself
once upon a time, he knew the im
patience with which enterprising
American newspapers seek big worth
while news. Yet the application cf a
rigorous censorship brought upon him
no ill-considered criticism nor censure
from the press. It continues to view
him as a big, sensible Army leader who
has met every situation that ever con
fronted him and is capable of meeting
even bigger ones if occasion demands.
This acceptance of censorship by
editors is a -most hopeful sign that
the good of the country is coming to
be held superior to all other considera
tions in the public mind. In the event
of a great war a vigorous censorship
would be a prime necessity unless
American newspapers were to provide
the enemy with full information re
garding our movements. Nothing
short of a strict censorship, accepted
by the press in a spirit of patriotic co
operation, could prevent enterprising
correspondents from learning the most
closely guarded field secrets, we sus
pect. Article 8 of part 2 of the Amer
ican Field Service Regulations sum
marizes the matter in a way that is
peculiarly eloquent:
The press has public functions to perform
with respect to the collection and dissemina
tion of news concerning the operation of the
Army in time of war. The dissemination
of falsehoods or distortion of facts, no less
than the premature disclosure of movements
or plans, is so fraught with dangerous con
sequences that the greatest care should be
observed in its prevention. The press oc
cupies a dual and delicate position, being
under the necessity of truthfully disclosing
to the public the facts concerning the oper
ations of the Army and, at the same time,
of refraining from disclosing those things
which, though true, would be disastrous if
known to the enemy.
Therefore successful establishment
of censorship by General Funston for
experimental purposes augurs well for
the conduct of the press should a real
emergency arise. The fact that not
even necessity of a strict censorship
on the border has been questioned, a
question that might have been raised
with some showing of logic, bespeaks
the patriotism of the American press,
which might easily have stirred up
considerable hubbub over interference
with its news-gathering functions.
FRTNTS AND PAINTINGS.
In a brief biographical note pref
acing his excellent work on the gold
en age of engraving, the late Frederick
Keppel recounts hisliumble beginning
as a collector of prints. His demise
has called attention to a field which
he has done s,o much to cultivate and
which has added vast stores to Amer
ican culture in the past quarter of a
century. There are thousands who
have followed Mr. Keppel's lead in
gathering those scores of masterpieces
of the engraver's art and many of
these have found themselves rewarded
not only by the joy of possession but
by fabulous increases in money values
of the little prints they gathered and
kept.
To him with the eye of an artist
and the purse of a pauper the great
masterpieces, even the lesser works of
great artists, are denied, except for
occasional glimpses in public galleries.
Yet the burin and needle have placed
many of these treasures within his
reach. While he may not have the
fortune of a Morgan at his disposal,
he may exercise an even richer and
riper taste in selecting prints, which
serve him quite as well. The wealthy
collector who pays a King's ransom for
the original proof of a Zorn -or Whis
tler may gain a far less representative
collection of Zorn' and Whistler etch
ings than the penny-saving collector
whose means are less substantial than
his tastes. Even assuming that both
are connoisseurs, the pleasure that
comes of tracing the niceties of tech
nique and expression is mutually
shared, since the capable etcher does
more than present a photographic re
production of his subject.
, The print-collecting hobby is one
that should be encouraged. The false
notion that an original painting by a
dauber is preferable to the -print of
a master has gained too wide a prev
alence and is deserving of ijcbuke.
Such notion savors of "etiquette book"
culture. Many of the finest treasures
of the ages, from Rembrandt to the
modern American engravers, are at
the command of the print collector,
and what one lacks in means to pur
chase rare and expensive works he
may gain in the exercise of taste and
discrimination.
The extent to which American in
genuity has been employed to over
come shortages caused by the Euro
pean war in materials used in large
quantities is not generally realized.
Who would suppose that had, not sub
stitutes been devised the telephone
service of the country would have been
impaired? Yet the annual report of
the directors of the associated Bell
telephone companies shows that serious
difficulties have been met and over
come. Strips of specially prepared pa
per of great length are utilized in
the insulation of .the wires in tele
phone cables. The yearly expenditure
for new cables is from $10,000,000 to
$12,000,000, and in some years the in
sulating paper strips used would ag
gregate in length 2,000,000 miles. It
was necessary to devise substitutes for
this paper under conditions when an
error in Judgment might cause serious
failures in 'the cable plant. The prob
lem was satisfactorily solved. Like
wise the engineering department of the
company successfully overcame short
ages in dyestuffs used for insulating
material, in chemicals for batteries, in
contact materials and in a fine hair
like insulated iron wire used in the
manufacture of loading coils. Of the
last-named material, as much as 900,
000 miles is newly employed in some
years.
An open letter to the Hon. Harry
Lane from J. A. GilEey, of Corvallis,
congratulates the Oregon Senator be
cause he "voted to table the Gore reso
lution" and thus proved himself a
"worthy descendant of his honored
grandsire." Continues the eulogist:
Oregon is proud of your Americanism;
proud of your confidence in the Chief Magis
trate of the Nation in one of Its greatest
crises; proud of your vote, which will compel
the war-mad nations of Europe to have a
more respectful regard for neutrals of what
ever race or nationality.
Very pleasant, very pleasant indeed.
But we wonder a little at the reference
to the honored grandsire. If the Cor
vallis panegyrist has in his possession
any evidence, for example, that the
honored grandsire of the present Sen
ator gave any conspicuous or con
vincing evidence of his desire to up
hold the- hands of President Lincoln
during the Civil War, The Oregonian
would be - gld to correct a general
impression that he did nothing of the
kind.
The Federal reserve law has made
the Controller of the Currency very
much of a fifth wheel to the bank
regulation coach. The annual reports
of that official and of the Federal Re
serve Board cover the same general
subject and contain recommendations
which conflict at several points. The
National banks have become Integral
parts of the Federal reserve system,
but as distinct banks they are under
the supervision of the Controller, while
their relations with the reserve banks
are controlled by the Federal Reserve
Board, though they cannot be consid
ered apart from the reserve system.
The National bank act should be re
vised and the duties of the Controller
newly defined to harmonize with the
new law and with the new organiza
tion. The sowing of the ocean highways
with floating, unanchored mines is an
even more dastafllly violation of the
rules of war than the. torpedoing of
ships by submarines. The submarine
does take some risk and has some idea
at what it shoots, but the sower of
mines takes practically no risk and is
indifferent as to what may bump into
his infernal machines.
Italy and. Serbia will pull together
for the mastery of the Adriatic until
they have achieved it. Then the
wrangle will begin as to which shall
have the territory where the Italian
population is mainly confined to the
towns, while Serbs and Croats pre
dominate in the rural sections.
Senator Poindexter is at least wide
awake and has put through his bill
for the building of battleships at
Bremerton. What are Senators Lane
and Chamberlain doing about a naval
base on the Columbia River?
The war is wearing out the health
of Ministers and Generals at a rapid
pace, unless ill health be a mere pre
text for getting rid of misfits and fail
ures. Every belligerent Cabinet has
had some retirements for that reason.
1
The hungry man in Albany is in
hard luck on Sunday when his grocer
can sell him a loaf of read but not
a can of pork and beans to go with it.
Canada wishes to borrow $75,000,000
from American financiers. But have
any of them time to bother' with such
a trifling sum ?
- Something may be discovered just
as good as 50-cent gasoline, but noth
ing can replace sugar, no matter how
high it goes.
, The switchman east of the moun
tains with three alleged wives must
have taken them flying to show his
dexterity.
With Carranza troops helping them,
the American soldiers should keep a
sharp watch on their valuables.
But then Villa may sleep late some
morning. Remember the story of the
tortoise and the hare.
Suppose all those Portland attorneys
get into the same company of the Na
tional Guard!
' However, all naval critics will admit
that our first line can cope with the
Mexican navy.
Wilson wore a green tie and sham
rock yesterday and is proud to be
Scotch-Irish.
That is a lot of good American am
munition to be given any kind of
Mexicans.
Von Tirpitz having been entirpated,
non-combatants may draw an easier
breath.
Every British tar will hope the Kai
ser is sincere in wanting a naval battle.
Why should Governor Spry worry?
There are no Harry Orchards in Utah.
The opening of the Panama Canal
may grow into an annual affair.
The Germans bid fair to stir up the
Dutch.
Or maybe Villa will give himself up.
On to Torreon!
Registered?
FRUIT FLY DANGEROUS INSECT
Method of Getting Rid of Gnats That
Infest Decayed Blatter.
PORTLAND, March 17. (To the Ed-,
itor.) Please inform me how I can get
rid of a certain fly which thrives in tno
Summer. I do not know the name of
this fly, but it is called by some a gnat,
others call it a vinegar fly, which dDeS
much damage, mostly frequenting vin
egar, sweet pickles, reliao.es, etc.
This fly. after alighting in the bar
rels of the aforesaid, condiments hatch
millions o maggots. Have tried poi
soned fly paper, but without success.
AN OREGONIAN READER.
The fly mentioned is the drosophlla
ampelophila Loew, commonly known
as the fruit fly. It is attracted, to de
caying vegetation, especialy to fruit,
like decaying apples and the refus3 ft
cider nulls, ant. is frequ-soMy found la
houses in the Autumn about dishes
containing peaches, peat's, bananas anJ
grapes. Fruit furnisher not only food
but aplaca to deposit its t-ggs, because
its larvae live in decaying vegetable
matter. It does considerable damage
to pickles and canned fruits; it also
frequently damages vinegar and it is
often very difficult to prevent the fly
from entering fruit jars. There are
about 30 - species of this fly, one ,of
which is the drosophlla cellarls, which
occurs in cellars in fermenting liquids,
such as wine, vinegar ami cider, also
in decaying potatoes.
These fruit flies are dangerous in
habitants of houses, since they may
mechanically convey the. germs of ty
phoid fever, dysentery, cholera, diph
theria and other communicable dis
eases, as do all other varieties of flics.
The method of getting rid of them
is the same "is for all the other spec.es
prevent the breeding places by keep
ing all fruits, whether cooked or raw,
thoroughly coverjd and place traps
baited with these things in the back
yard and on the back porch. The mpst
important part of the procedure is to
throw all decaying vegetation into a
thoroughly covered garbage can aud
keep all preserves, vinegar, raw trui;3,
etc.. well covered or well screened.
PREPAREDNESS IN WAR OF 1S0S
.Legal Aceouterments of Militia In
cluded Flints and Fondcrhorns.
PORTLAND. March 17. (To the Edi
tor.) In the year of our Lord, 1898,
at the outbreak of the Spanish-American
war, the revised statutes of the
United States provided that when any
member of the militia of, any state in
the Union should be enrolled in the
armies of the United States ho should
be provided with accouterment as fol
lows: Every citizen shall, after notice of his en
rollment, be constantly provided with a good
musket or firelock of a bore sufficient for
balls of the eighteenth ' part of a pound, a
sufficient bayonet and belt, two spare flints,
and a knapsack, a pouch with a box therein
to contain not less than 24 cartridges, suited
to the bore of his musket or firelock, each
cartridge to contain a proper quantity of
powder and ball; or with a good rifle, knap
sack, shot-pouch and powder horn, -0 balls
suited to the bore of his rifle, and a quarter
of a pound of powder: and shall appear, so
armed, accountered and provided when called
out to exercise, or into service, except that
when called out on company days to exer
cise only, he may appear without a knap
sack. The foregoing equipment of the an
cient mariner continued to be the law
of the United States until 1901.
This fine example of -unpreparedness
is commended to the business and bos
om of our long-haired men and short
haired women who believe in peace at
any price. JOHN F. LOGAN.
THE OLD YELLOW GOURD.
The gallery of memory holds pictures
ever fair
Which oft we pause to scan with
loving eyes
Bright pictures of the long ago when
life was free from care.
And not a cloud in boyhood's happy
skies. , '
We see the farmhouse in the trees
where first we saw the light.
We hear the busy bees upon ,the
wing.
And once again we seem to quaff the
water, cool and bright.
From that old gourd that hung beside
the spring.
The fields of wheat in. billows roll as
gently waving seas.
The breezes whisper through the
standing corn.
And borne upon the Summer air from
'mid the old home trees
We hear the music of the dinner
horn.
The harvest hands, with bare, brown
arms, obey the call to come
When in their ears the notes so
clearly ring.
And pause to cool their heated throats
with heaven's nectar from
The yellow gourd that hung beside
the spring.
We've quaffed the wines of sunny
France that sparkled in the glass
At tables where the merry toast
went round,
We've sipped the liquid treasure from
the land of bluest grass
The nectar of "The Dark and Bloody
Ground."
We've glasses clinked when amber
beer was glinting 'neath the foam.
And thought we heard sweet music
in their ring.
But not a cup could cheer us like ttaa
cup at childhood s home
Quaffed from the gourd that hung
besides the spring.
Oft 'neath the blazing Summer sun
x when life a burden seems.
When lassitude has bound us in its
chain.
We sit and fan our heated brow and in
our sweltering dreams
We see that rock-walled crystal pool
again.
We hear t-Iie music of the bees, that
round it used to hum.
The m'eadowlarks that near it used
to sing.
And, O! we wish for Just one sip of
crystal coolness from
The yellow gourd that hung beside
the spring.
James Barton Adams.
Read the Contract.
RAYMOND, Wash., March 16. CIo
the Editor.) I purchased a set of
books and agreed to pay for them on
monthly installments. The book! do
not come up to my expectations. Can
I refute to take them, or rather, as I
have already taken them, to date paid
$S on the account, can I refuse to pay
balance and advise company to make
whatever disposition they wish with
the set?
The company refused to rnaki a
change for another set. W. IT.
It depends on the kind of contract
you slgne.
No Fixed Price for Plays.
THE DALLES. Or., March 16. (To
the Editor.) Kindly state what royal
ties are paid the authors on plays such
as are presented at the Balrer and
those which come-to the Hellie.
A SUBSCRIBER.
The rcyalties pa'd on plays vary as
widely as prices on diamonds, automo
biles, "women's hats or real estate.
No.
CASTLE ROCK. Wash.. March 16.
(To the Editor.) Is there any value
other than face value on a 10-cent
piece dated 1834. with seven stars on
one side of the face and six on the
other? SUBSCRIBER.
ROOSEVELT CAN'T RESTORE PARTY
Salem Republican Finds Much Opposi
tion to Roosevelt's Nomination.
SALEM. Or.. March 16. (To the Ed
itof.) I have taken occasion recently
to interview quite a number of Re
publicans of prominence in Salem' and
vicinity as t their Presidential prefer- I
ences ana. nna a aeciaeo: majority ad
verse to the candidacy of Roosevelt
Some openly proclaim that they will
repudiate him if nominated at the Chi
cago convention and will vote for Wil
son. Others hope the contingency will
not arise which will force them to de
cide between T. Rr and another four
years' reign of Democracy. They would
only vote for Roosevelt as a choice of
evils. I find a very small minority
who prbclafm allegiance to the "Big
Stick" and think Roosevelt would
prove a strong candidate.
On the whole, if I may Judge the bit
uation clearly, it would be suicidal to
nominate a man who would not com
mand the united support of the party.
The writer, who las been voting for
the Republican candidates ever since
the days of Garfield, will no doubt vole
for the Chicago nominee, whoever he
is. but really could not enthuse over
Rcosevelt. in view of the antagonism
which 2 is nomination would cert'iiniy
provoke among a very large element
in the party. Cannot the Chicago con
vention give us a man whom all fac
tions can enthusiastically indorse?
It is useless and unprofitable to dis
cuss the reasons for this antipathy to
Roosevelt. That it exists la clearly
apparent to all who have studied po
litical conditions for the past four
years. In the language of Grover
Cleveland. "It is a condition, not a
theory that confronts us." It 13 a fact
that many thousands of earnest Re
publicans will not vote for Roosevelt
if ho is nominated at Chicago.
Is it wise and judicious for the
friends of Mr. Roosevelt, knowing the
feeling in the party ranks, to persist
in their efforts to force his nomination?
Viewing the situation dispassionately,
I fear if they are successful in thetr
plan to foist a man as a leader who i
distasteful to such a large number of
ardent Republicans that it will spell
disaster next November. Please deliver
us from another Democratic adminis
trat.on. UNHYPHENATED REPUBLICAN.
Runner Ducks Prolific Layers.
PORTLAND. March 17. (To the Ed
itor.) Upon reading of the great pro
ductive ability of the Cottage Grove
editor's hens. I thought that the story
of my little brown ducks misrht be of
interest. In April, 1914, from one set
ting of brown-penciled Indian Runner
duck eggs I had the two little ducks
which commmenced laying October 8
and 12, at Ave and a half months of
age. The larger one finished on Aus
ust 2. 1915. with 281 eggs to her credit.
The second one. which is quite small,
laid her last eggs for the year on
October 4, 1915, with 343 esrgs to her
credit. On three occasions she had
laid two eggs in one day.
They both spent two months In
moulting and getting a good start for
their next year of usefulness, then
commenced laying asrain about an egg
every other day, through the bad
weather, when they were shut up and
without any green food. Since tno
first of March they have laid an egg
apiece daily and on March 8 the
heavier layer again had two eggs to
her credit-
I do not know if these are unusual
results or only what might be expected
"f this variety of duck. They nave
never been fed whole grain, just 1 m.isii
of ground grain twice (ach clay, wuh
the usi.-al amount of sand, shell aud
beef scrap. MRS. L. A. C'.-tOFUT.
651 Liberty street.
Law n.i to Mortgagees.
TURNER, Or., March 17. (To the
Editor.) (1) How long after a note
becomes due docs a mortgage become
outlawed?
(2) If ,a second mortgage is taken
against the property, docs it affect the
time the first can run before it be
comes outlawed?
(3) Must all mortgages to hold be
recorded? f. l.
(1) A note standing alone becomes
outlawed in six years, a mortgage in
10 years from date of maturitv.
(2) No.
(3) Recording serves the purpose of
public notice of incumbrance of prop
erty. If an unrecorded mortgage stands
against property sold to an innocent
purchaser the mortgage then holds
only against the orlelnal mortgagor.
What a NewJusti.ce of the Supreme
Court Faces
The Sunday Oregonian
"The Supreme Court of the United States is the only National
tribunal in the world which can sit in judgment and can declare an
act of all three powers of the Union States, Congress and Ex
ecutive to be null and void." That is the leading: paragraph of
an exhaustive article on the Nation's highest tribunal, and the
duties that devolve upon its members. This bis Sunday feature
contains all the details of the procedure of the Supreme Court,
what its functions are, what traditions povern its action and what
care must be exercised in the choice of its members.
TEMPLE SKETCHES A new series by Temple, whose human-interest
pictures have made him Nationally known, has been started
in The Sunday Oregonian. "Choosin' Up" and "Jiggers" are two
sketches that will appear tomorrow whose titles are bywords with
young America.
BIRSKY AND ZAPP Birsky and Zapp find meat for discussion in
the, rumored food shortage among European belligerents. The sug
gestion of feeding British prisoners "mattress brend" finds full
discussion between these two Sunday favorites.
BILLlE BURKE'S FIOURE No one v.-ho has seen Billie Burke in
her first "movie" will want to miss the chance of reading the ex
planation of the c harm of her figure, "the figure of a girl of 16."
GOLD CAVERNS UNDER THE SEA From Treadwell, Alaska, the
home of the biggest mining industries in Uncle Sam's most north
erly possession, come the romantic stories of gold mining from the
pen of Frank G. Carpenter.
MEXICAN PICTURES A page of Mexican war pictures, most inter
esting because of recent developments, will appear in tomorrow's
big edition.
HEROES OF PEACE There is much honor attached to heroic deeds
done during war times, but just as great is the honor that comes
from heroic acts that involve the saving of life at great risk. A
number of heroes of peace and the deeds for which they have been
rewarded are named in a special article.
eVgENIE'S TWO SPLENDID WISHES This is the title of an arti
cle that tells the siory of the unhappy life of the once beautiful
Empress of France, now nearly 90 years of age.
"FOKKER KILLER" France's new hero, a man of daring who knows
no fears, has earned the title of "Fokker Killer" through his de
struction of many hostile air craft. The story of his meteoric and
romantic career is a Surtday color feature.
FAVORITE POEMS If your favorite poem has not yet appeared in
any of the Sunday pages, perhaps you will find it in the full-page
collection that will be printed tomorrow. This innovation has be
come extremely popular. . "
MISCELLANEOUS Beside 'many other special features there are
interesting items for the consideration of the animated picture
"fans"; the school page contains the news of the schools of the
city, there are several pages for the young people, the comics for
young and old and all the usual departments of sports, society,
dramatics, churches, women's clubs, real estate and building and
automobile news.
In Other Days.
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO.
"From The Oregonian March 18, 1801.
Sacramento, Cal., March 17. A tre
mendous sensation was sprung today
on the Legislature after the adjourn
ment of the Joint convention. It is
none other than the entrapping of sev
eral legislators in an acttral case of
bribery in behalf of Charles W. Felton
for United States Senator. ' Dan Burns
announced he had information and it
was dug up and showed that each of
several members was to get $2000. The
scandal was turned over to Attorney
General Hart.
Yesterday being the anniversary of
the birthday of Professor I. W. Pratt.
of the Harrison School, the occasion
was celebrated by the school as usual
in what may now be called due and an
cient form.
'There is a petition before the Council
for a drinking fountain to be erected
in front of the National Guard Armory
at an expense of $200 to $300.
General Manager C. J. Smith, of the
Oregon Improvement Company, is re
ceiving bids for the construction of -an
iron drawbridge across Swinomish
slough on the line of the Seattle &
Northern.
Ex-President Cleveland lost his
first case in the United States Supreme
Court, although he got a fee of $10,000.
Conductor N. C. Grady, of the Union
Pacific Railway, came down from Pen
dleton with his family yesterday and
has taken rooms at the Esmond.
Yesterday morning Sheriff Kelly
took "Sandy" Olds, the mo'rderer. to
Hillsboro, to answer to the serious
charge against him.
The sum of $175,000 has been raised
toward the erection of the Portland
University, to be built at Portsmouth.
Paris. March 17. Prince Napoleon is
dead. It required the united strength
of four men to keep the dying Prince
in bed and his cries caused by agony
were plainly heard in the street. Prince
Napoleon was head of the house of
Bonaparte, cousin to the Emperor Na
poleon III and second son of Jerome
Bonaparte by his marriage with the
Princess Frederika of Wurtemburg.
Blockade of Jitneys.
PORTLAND. March 17. (To the Edi
tor.) At the corner of Washington
and Third streets almost any day dur
ing a rush hour a camera man can snap
an entire flock of jitneys. They line
up on Third street so closely that a
woman wearing a modern skirt and o'f
the embonpoint persuasion cannot
wend her way past fenders, lamps,
wheels and bumpers without rufflins:
the contour of the latest offering of
the modiste.
It is a task for a woman to walk
through this congested mass. of throb
bing autos with drivers menacingly
watching for an opportunity to throw
in the clutch. During such a conges
tion this week two ungallant police
men stood at. the corner smilingly
watching the women do a grapevine
wisrgle from the sidewalk to the car
steps. , J. ALDRICH TECK.
Civil War Deserters.
PORTLAND. March 17. (To the Ed
itor.) (1) Did a man who deserted the
Union Army during the Civil AVar for
feit his citizenship?
(2) Has citizenship ever been re
stored to such a deserter?
(3) Does the penalty still hold in
cases of this kind where the deserter
was not caught?
(1) A man did not lose his citizen
ship by merely deserting. Only when
the deserter was caught, courtmar
tialed And convicted did be lose his
citizenship.
(2) Citizenship has frequently been
restored to these convicted by court
martial. (3) No.
Voting: Qualification.
PORTLAND. March 17. (To the Edi
tor.) Could a man hiving his first
papers vote at a school election? He
has voted at all other county elections.
READER.
The Constitution was changed in
1914. Prior thereto first papers en
titled one to vote. He must now be a
full citizen to vote at any election.