8
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1916.
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POBILAXD, lltlDAY, SEPT. 8, 1916.
1TCGITE3 AS A FRIEND OF LABOR.
Mr. Hughes made clear-cut declara
tions of his policy on labor questions
In his speeches at Nashville and Lex
ington. Those declarations must be
read in the light of his acts at the time
when he had the opportunity to trans
late his opinions into deeds. He had
that opportunity during his two terms
as Governor of New York. He did not
approve every law which was passed
at the instance of labor unions; on
the contrary, he vetoed several bills
which they supported. But, owing to
his initiative, laws were enacted in the
interest of labor embodying some of
the most important features of the
progressive code of social and indus
trial justice laws the main provisions
of which have only recently been
adopted with a great flourish of trum
pets by the party which opposes him.
One of his first acts was to rec
ommend in his first message the re
organization of the State Department
of Labor by consolidating several bu
reaus, increasing its efficiency and
thoroughly equipping it.-
In the same message he urged- legis
lation for the protection of children,
which was adopted. Employment of
children under 1G in dangerous occu
pations was forbidden and in other
occupations it was limited to eight
daylight hours. Similar restrictions
were placed on the employment of
women and girls, especially in occupa
tions dangerous to health.
He urged the passage of a bill trans
ferring the inspection of mercantile
establishments from local boards of
health, which had proved inefficient,
to the Labor Department. It was so
powerfully opposed by the merchants
that the Senate rejected it, but Gov
ernor Hughes urged it again at an ex
tra session and procured its passage.
He approved a law requiring steam
surface railroads to pay employes
twice instead of once a month and,
finding the penalties for violation in
adequate, he recommended an amend
ment, which was passed at the next
session.
He procured the passage in 1910 of
an act for the regulation of employ
ment agencies, which protects the un
employed from exploitation, limits
fees and prohibits misrepresentation.
Mr. Hughes was a pioneer in the
movement for workmen's compensa
tion and for extension of employers'
liability. He initiated the movement
In 1907 with a speech in which he de
nounced the old legal principle that
the workman should take the risk of
accident and said:
The interests ' of labor are the Interests
of all the people and the protection of the
wage-earner in the security of his Ufa and
health by every practicable means is one
of the most sacred trusta of society.
He proposed inquiry by a commis
sion into workmen's compensation and
employers' liability in his message of
1909 and after the commission had
reported he made recommendations in
his message of 1910 which bore fruit
in two laws. One extended employers'
liability and the other provided a plan
of compensation by voluntary agree
'ment, as to industry in general, but
made its adoption compulsory in dan
gerous occupations. This was the first
state law in the United States which
adopted the principle of compulsory
compensation. The compulsory clause
was declared unconstitutional by the
Court of Appeals, which, however, ap
proved the principle and urged an
amendment to establish it. Such an
amendment has since been adopted
and the law has been re-enacted.
While Mr. Hughes' official acts
showed his practical sympathy with
the purposes ot labor unions, he did
not hesitate to disapprove measures
proposed by them when he thought
' such measures unjust or unwise, for
he said in a veto message on a highly
popular bill:
It may seem easy to get votes by Just
getting a pair of shears and a red book and
clipping wherever you think it would be
popular. I do not want to be Governor on
thoBe terms. ... 1 won't sign any bill
simply because It may be deemed popular.
On the contrary, I will sign anything that
I can think is in the Interests of the peo
ple and veto anything 1 think is not in the
interests of the people.
In accordance with this rule he
vetoed the railroad full-crew bill be
cause it did not discriminate between
roads where a third brakeman was
and those where one was not necessary
on freight trains. He also vetoed the
bill providing for equal pay for equal
work for both male and female teach
ers in New York City because the prin
ciple was not applied broadly enough.
He opposed inequality as affecting not
only women teachers but all public
servants and would extend the same
rule to all cities.
When a delegation called on him in
1908 -in favor of a six-day working
week, a minister made a long address
from the religious standpoint, but the
Governor told the speaker, pointing to
the labor-union delegates, that they
were making the six-day week a pos
sibility. In the same spirit he said In
the same year:
T regard it (organized labor) as a fine
opportunity for the amelioration of men
working with no other purpose than to
make the most of themselves and to achieve
something for their families.
Under wise leadership, with statesmanlike
sruldance. with a sincere intention to pro
mote the benefit of -the community and to
secure honorable progress, the mission of la
bor organizations is one of the finest that
any association of men could guard.
That these words were not mere
flattery was shown by Mr. Hughes'
entire course as Governor in relation
to labor. Voluntary testimony to that
effect was given by the Legislative
Labor News, the organ .of the New
York State Federation of Labor. Dis
cussing Mr. Hughes administration as
Governor after his resignation in 1910
that paper said:
H was the greatest friend of labor laws
that over occupied the Governor's chair at
Albany. During his two terms he has signed
56 labor laws, including among them the
beat labor laws aver enacted In thla or any
ether state.
Only 163 labor laws have been enacted In
this state since its erection in 1T77, In 138
years. Oae-tbird et these, exceeding la
quality all of the others, hart been enactad
and signed during Governor Hughes' terms
of three years and nine months.
This record as Governor of New
York should bo borne In mind when
reading' this emphatic statement of his
position, made in "his speech at Nash
ville: Now then I stand for two things. First
for the principle of fair, impartial, thorough,
candid arbitration; and, second, for legisla
tion on facts according to necessities of the
case. And 1 am opposed to being dictated to
either in the executive department or Con
gress by any power on earth before the facts
are known. .
That statement was evidently made
with reference to recent events.
Though he will never yield to dicta
tion nor approve legislation before
investigation, he will always stand for
justice to labor, as he has always
stood. He will promote labor's best
interests, which are the interests of
the Nation.
MEM IXXCEXDO.
A discreditable development of the
Democratic campaign for Mr. Wilson
and against Mr. Hughes in Oregon has
been the publication of an article
making the charge that Mr. Hughes
came to Oregon a quarter of a century
ago as the attorney for the bondhold
ers of the old Oregon Pacific, a bank
rupt railroad.
The charge Is true, most true. Mr.
Hughes was a lawyer, and he had
clients, even in those days. These
clients were the unfortunate victims
of, or sufferers from, the extraordi
nary financial operations of William
Hogg, promoter of the Oregon Pacific, i
and they invested millions of dollars
In his scheme for a transcontinental
railroad with a terminus at Yaquina
Bay. The Hogg project got into straits
and the bondholders employed Mr.
Hughes to come to Oregon and rep
resent them. He did. There is no
intimation from any source that they
were not honest men and women.
Properly concerned about the fortunes
of their large investment: but Mr.
Hughes, it appears, is guilty of a
heinous crime in looking after their
interests.
It does not appear from, the record
that Mr. Hughes ever succeeded in
recovering a dollar forthem from the
Oregon Pacific wreck. It is remem
bered also that the laborers employed
on the railroad got only a. small part
of their dues. Mr. Hughes was, of
course, not responsible for the fail
ure, nor for the workmen's losses, but
the object of the publication Is to
show that somehow he was engaged in
Iniquitous business.
Mr. Hughes as a lawyer representing
his clients has an unblemished record
and it has not heretofore been as
sailed, even by Innuendo. As a pub
lic man, he has been just and fair to
ward labor so Just and fair that as
Governor of New York he brought
forth the open commendation of labor
leaders and labor organs. But his op
ponent where, oh, where was he
about this time?
Let those who desire to know about,
Woodrow Wilson and labor read the
baccalaureate address of President
Wilson before the graduating class of
Princeton in 1909. It is a direct at
tack on trades unions.
But it has been the easiest thing
always for Woodrow Wilson to change
his mind. Why, along about the same
time, he was for knocking William
Jennings Bryan into a cocked hat.
THE PATIENT HOMESTEADER.
The cautious critic of the reserva
tion policies of the United States Gov
ernment will of course want to know
all the facts before he determines the
merits of the Crane prairie contro
versy: but there is one significant and
characteristic development of the
campaign to get the Crane lands out
of the hands of the reservationists and
into the possession of the settlers that
deserves attention.
Mr. Mohler, who has taken up the
cause of the homesteaders, on October
22, 1915, filed a petition at Washing
ton asking that the Crane prairie
lands, now a part of the Deschutes
National forest, and also withdrawn
in connection with the Deschutes rec
lamation project, be restored to
homestead entry. He also requested
that a time and place be designated
where Mr4 Mohler might, at his own
expense, submit evidence in support
of his contention that the lands are
suitable for agricultural purposes.
The request has not met with any
kind of favorable response. The Wash
ington officials are not in a hurry to
hear from the homesteaders, or any
one representing them. They are not
anxious to know that the Interior De
partment or the Agricultural Depart
ment, or whatever department is re
sponsible for the confused status of
Crane prairie, too told that It has made
a mistake. The settlers if there are
any settlers can wait, The lands ca,n
wait. Development of the country can
wait. Mr. Mohler can wait. He has
been patiently waiting for a year to
know if somebody at Washington will
hear him, but what of that?
When lands in Oregon are once "re
served" they stay "reserved."
HAY ARMY SYSTEM A FAILURE
The recall of the Oregon and other
troops from the border, the order that
they be mustered out Of the Federal
service and the announcement that all
National Guard troops are shortly to
be recalled to their respective states
and mustered out signalize the failure
of the Hay military organization and
the farcical nature of the entire Ad
ministration plan of preparedness, so
far as the Army is concerned.
The Hay plan entrusted the defense
of the Nation to a regular Army of
178,000 active troops, to a regular
Army reserve, to an enlarged National
Guard and to volunloers who were to
undergo voluntary training and to
complete their training while the other
troops held back an enemy. It has
been proved impossible, under present
terms of service, to enlist the required
number of regulars. Consequently the
reserves would fall proportionately
short of our needs for defense. The
petering out of the Mexican crisis and
the prospect of Indefinite, inactive
service on the border without any
emergency to Justify it chilled the pa
triotism of the young men who would
ordinarily have enlisted. A mere hand
ful of recruits has been obtained since
June 18 and many organizations, the
Third Oregon among them, which
went to the border at peace strength,
have not yet attained war strength.
When parts of the Guard were or
dered home for possible strike duty,
labor-union opposition to service was
stiffened and labor's patriotism was
stifled. The young men who are mus
tered out have acquired valuable mili
tary knowledge, good health and good
appetites, but many of them are out
of a job. Enlistment In the Guard has
stopped and, after this experience, is
not likely soon to revive. The -work
of molding the citizen soldiers into
an army capable of being handled in
large units Is stopped before it is well
begun.
This Is the result of permitting a
sans of pacifist and pork-loving poli
ticians to undertake the task of de
vising a. military policy. The first
thing they did was to throw into the
wastepaper basket the well-considered
recommendations of the War College,
composed of men who. know. They
gave like treatment to the Chamber
lain bill, which made a close approach
to the War College plans. They ad
hered closely to the old terms of en
listment which, Mr. Hay admitted, had
proved Incapable of producing more
than 150,000 men and they made that
limit the ground for rejecting the War
College figure of 260,000. They were
persuaded to raise the paper limit to
178,000 combatants, but did not con
sider changing the terms so as to stim
ulate enlistment. They have had a
demonstration of the futility of their
plan, tor the War Department has
been trying for five months to raise
20,000 men to bring the Afmy to full
strength, but has utterly failed, the
Army now being 1756 men weaker
than a year ago.
. The Hay idea was to use the Na
tional Guard as a second line of de
fense, but events have proved the
regulars to be inadequate even for the
Mexican emergency, the reserve to be
a fiction and the National Guard our
only reliance even for such minor
service as border patrol. That organ
ization has no chance of attaining the
strength and efficiency which the Hay
law purports to contemplate, so long
as it is subject to police duty in strikes
and to border duty against mere ban
dits. The pacifists have cramped our
military system by preventing its de
velopment to adequate strength in
cither the regular or the militia arm,
while endowing it with a most im
posing paper strength.
OTTNIOX OX THE STRIKE SETTLEMENT.
Extracts from the comment of the
principal Eastern newspapers on the
settlement of the railroad dispute
which has been effected by President
Wilson and Congress show an almost
complete agreement on one point
that Congress was coerced into hasty
enactment of the four brotherhoods'
demands. There is a difference only
in the forcibleness of language in
which this opinion is expressed. With
the exception of a few unfaltering sup
porters of the President, the newspa
pers agree that Congress at his recom
mendation legislated in a panic with
the club Of a great threatened strike
held over its head.
There is small attempt, even among
the President's half-hearted apologists.
to evade the conclusion that he has
dealt a blow at the principle of arbi
tration by insisting that Congress con
cede the brotherhoods" principal de
mand without arbitration or even in
vestigation. Some, going into the mer
its of the case, argue that the Presi
dent has not caused adoption of the
eight-hour day but has induced Con
gress to order an advance in wages
by enacting that eight hours shall be
the basis of calculating wages. The
opinion is generally expressed that this
law- adds a large amount to the cost
of railroad operation, which the public
must pay.
This "surrender" of Congress to
brute force, as many newspapers call
It, is held by them to be only the be
ginning. It warrants and directly en
courages similar demands enforced by
the same means from the other four-
fifths of the railroad employes. -Next
would come employes of other public
utilities and next those of industrial
concerns, until the wages of all would
be increased by law, living expenses
would be increased in like proportion
and as regards the purchasing power
of money we should all be where we
were hefore.
Little confidence is expressed in the
validity of the new law. Some news
papers express the conviction that it
will not stand fire In court and some
express hope that the railroads will
attack it. A few unhesitatingly de
nounce it as a merely temporary ex
pedient of Mr. Wilson and his party
to avert a strike and at the same time
to win votes.
While a few newspapers defend the
action of the President, even these few
give it no warm commendation. If
the newspapers reflect public opinion
in the East and Middle West, he has
brought upon himself criticism with
out Btlnt in almost all quarters and
has added not one atom to the re
spect in which he was held.
SARTORIAL, HARMONY.
St- Louis is disturbed by the sugges
tion recently left behind by an aggre
gation of advanced thinkers that there
ought to be established in Its schools
a course in harmonious clothes. It
seems that the suggestion was made
in all seriousness, although it cannot
be said that it has been received that
way. There is a hint in the local com
ment on the subject that St. Louis
feels that it has been unjustly singled
out. While making no special claim that
it derives its modes and fashions from
London or Paris or any other sar
torial center of authority, and con
tending only that it does not pattern
after Its sister city of Chicago, the
city on the Mississippi feels that it has
been maligned.
Probably as a matter of fact St.
Louisans have no worse taste than the
people of the average city of the size of
St. Louis in the United States, when it
comes to the matter of personal adorn
mcnt We mention the size of the city
as entering into the calculations bo
cause It Is pretty generally admitted
that, particularly in the Middle West,
there are many smaller towns in
which the sunbonnet and blue serge
seem never to go out of style. The
ambition for modlshness is more or
less an attribute of the dweller in the
more pretentious city. But it will be
admitted by thoughtful persons that
the vogue is not always artistic: far
from it. Not only do colors fight each
other, but shapes -have reached the
outlandish stage. What with fat peo
ple dressing to look thin and the slim
ones putting on fictitious adipose tis
sue that is nothing more than a cun
ningly contrived combination of cloth
and stays, avgood deal of our dressing
has come to te a fraud and a sham
So far as colors go, who until recent
years ever saw such blending of pink
and green, or purple and yellow, as
pass for art in these ultramodern
days?
The difficulty Is that it is hard to
tell where to begin, even if we want
to reform. We seem to be passing
through a period of sartorial anarchy.
The rules are far from clearly defined
and our strong individualism, upon
which we pride ourselves even to ex
cess, interposes obstacles, rather than
Sds in the" solution. However, it is
one of the trials that we must bear,
until the way is opened to us. Estab
lishing a course of study in the schools
would not be practical unless we could
first form a standard for a working
basis! And anyone who will take the
trouble to look up and down the street
on any busy day will realize that such
a standard is a long way off.
No greater change has come over
the spirit of the French people than
is shown by their new attitude to
ward their criminals, of whom un
happily a few still remain. In the be
ginning of the war there was a dis
position to send offenders to the front,
and frequently they were assigned to
tasks of danger. Now public opinion
looks upon this course as an "insult
to good citizens who are fighting for
their country," and as an honor not
deserved by violators of the law. So
the administrators of public justice
have set about devising disagreeable
rather than perilous sentences as
means of punishment, the privilege of
dying for France being reserved for
those who are regarded as more
worthy of the distinction. The crim
inal is to be deprived of all opportunity
for glory, which in the minds of a peo
ple in the present position of the
French is regarded as the greatest pos
sible punishment.
WHO PREVENTED A PANIC t
In a recent speech President Wil
son said that the Federal Reserve sys
tem "saved the country from a ruinous
panio when the stress of war came
on." In his annual report for 1914
Secretary McAdoo said of that period
that "the Federal Reserve system was
at that time only in process of forma
tion and was therefore unable to ren
der any service in the situation."
The President should consult the
official reports of his Cabinet be
fore making publio speeches. He could
thus avoid such embarrassing contra
dictions. The truth of the matter Is that the
country was saved from panic during
the months immediately following out
break of war by the issue of nearly
$400,000,000 of emergency currency
under the Vreeland-Aldrlch law. When
that law was before Congress in 1908,
it was violently opposed by the Demo
crats and was passed In the face of
their opposition.
The Federal Reserve banks have
brought good results, but these have
arisen from those features which were
taken bodily from the Monetary Com
mission's bill. The new features which
were engrafted upon the system by
the Democratic party have impaired
Its usefulness to such an extent that
many National banks have become
members only because that was the
only alternative to surrender of their
charters and that state banks have
held aloof from the system. Only 36
out of the 18,000 state banks have
become members. The others are still
waiting to see how the plan works out.
State banks are wary of coming un
der the Federal Reserve Board's con
trol because its seven members include
two men who are frankly politicians
the Secretary of the Treasury and the
Controller of the Currency and only
two men experienced in banking. The
attitude of Controller Williams to the
hanks has so antagonized them that
they have recommended the abolition
of his office as a fifth wheel to the
coach since the Board has taken over
practically all of its functions. The
supervisors of state banks have sought
to strengthen them by resolving to
encourage the deposit of their reserves
with state banks in large cities. The
universal check-clearing system adopt
ed by the Board has caused wide
discontent among the small National
banks and has been denounced as
"neither just nor equitable" by the
state supervisors.
Protection is extended by the treaty
between the United States and Great
Britain, recently ratified by the United
States Senate, to 1022 species and sub
species of the most valuable and in
teresting migratory birds of North
America. The compact, though en
tered into with Great Britain as a
formality, affects Canada only, and It
has been noted that it is the most im
portant step ever taken for tho pro
tection of birds that has ever been
taken by any country. The treaty was
initiated by Senator McLean, of Con
necticut, more than two years ago,
but after the preliminaries had been
disposed of and it had been signed by
Secretary Lansing and the British
Ambassador, it was quickly disposed
of, only thirteen days intervening be
tween its signature and Its formal rati
fication.
Prompt Indictment of the mob lead
ers In Lima, O., will do much to put
a damper on the lynching spirit, and
if punishment is reasonably prompt
it ought to go a long way toward
stamping out the practice. The trou
ble in the past has been that pursuit of
the law-breaking citizen outside the
jail has not been conducted with the
persistence that the crime deserved.
The main thing about the trafflo or
dinance in effect October 1 to get Into
our heads is that streetcars will stop
on the near side of crossings of paved
streets. This, it is to be hoped, will
eliminate the wild stampedes now
"viewed with alarm."
The repeal of stamp taxes by the
new revenue law is in accord with the
Democratic policy to bring home their
extravagance to the smallest possible
number of voters, consistently with
the main purpose of getting the
money.
The State Industrial Commission
and the bureau of labor having de
clared cutting wood Is a hazardous oc
cupation, it is up to married men to
inform their wives. The breadwinner
must not be sacrificed.
When the war is over Canada will
use the number of soldiers it has con
tributed as a convincing reason for
having a voice. hereafter in the government-
of tho British Empire and it
will not be denied.
Carrftnza probably objects to par
ticipation of American troops in the
pursuit of Villa because they might
eliminate him and he is useful to Car
ranza as a campaign issue.
Since a Detroit bank teller routed
would-be robbers, bankers may re
quire that all men who handle cash
be "quick on the draw."
If you have not registered for the
November election and have a little
time to spare, attend to the matter
at once.
Every time a man is gored,, advice
is given freely to use a pole on the
bull, but the next victim ignores it.
The victory on the Bulgar-Rou-
manlan frontier is always with the na
tion which sends the bulletin.
As the elephant said to the giraffe.
all days look alike except Sunday on
the lot.
Great idea, that an Oregon woman
cannot get a license to hunt big game
Now, then, to get the Third Oregon
out Of the trenches by Christina si
. , t
I PRESS OPINION ON RAILROAD STRIKE I I
, J II By Dr. W. A. Kvana.
Brooklyn EaKle, Den.
CONGRESS is in the position of a
man confronted by a highwayman
whose pointed revolver decisively
reinforces his demands. It has to choose
between two desperate alternatives. It
accepts the. one that avoids or post
pones a conflict which would possibly
bo prolonged and which would certain
ly cost heavily in money lost and in
convenience inflicted.
The brotherhoods have disclosed a
power at once amasing and sinister.
They have driven Congress as a pack
of sheep dogs drives a flock of sheep.
They have established the dangerous
precedent that legislation can be ex
torted by threats, regardless of the
merits of the issues involved, without
time for investigation and without
time for debate.
New York Sun, Rep.
Four hundred thousand men threaten
to strike and cripple the country. They
will not hear of arbitration, although
the other side asks only that. Mr.
Wilson knifes the principle) of arbi
tration, adopts a course likely to cap
ture the trainmen's votes and find
ing that he cannot readily force his
procramme upon the railways, offers
them political bargains.
New York Tribune, Hep.
To pass the entire programme while
the "Big Four" leaders stand at the
doors of Congress, "dynamite" in band,
would be bad enough. To pass this
measure alone (the eight-hour bill)
would be such a craven surrender to
the labor unions, such a mockery of
legislative deliberation, such an injus
tice to the people at large that It is
scarcely believable even a Wllson-domi-nated
Congress, willing to play politics
with the labor vote, would dare do it.
Boston Herald, Rep.
The real issue will spring up with
redoubled force when the investigating
committee makes ita report. The
President and Congress will then have
to take definite action. The whole
question will be reopened. Where,
then is the Value of Mr. Wilson's set
tlement? If Congress can be forced to
rush legislation at the threat of four
union leaders, is not labor justified at
all times in taking its demands into
politics rather than attempting to ar
rive at direct settlement? If large
financial interests can bribe the Leg
islatures and labor leaders can bully
the Legislatures, where does any
symptom remain of that stability so
vital to the continuance of American
industry?
New York Globe, InA,
Congress will be asked next Winter
to decree a like raise of wages for
railway shopmen, switchmen, station
agents, signalmen, sectlonxnen, bridge
hands and perhaps even of railway
clerks. Thus the bill that the publio
can look forward to meeting in higher
rates is nearer $200,000,000 than $60.
000.000. Then it would seem legal and
expedient for the states to decree
wage increases for the employes of
publio utility companies. When the
process is completed and every one
has received his 25 per cent increase)
by grace of the law, then it will be
found that the prices of everything the
wageworker buys is up 25 per cent, and
actual wages that is, wages measured
in purchasing power will not be up an
lota.
New York Evening Post, Dem.
It was bound to come, we suppose,
the pitch of insolence on the part of
the railway unions. It is a familiar
and favorite phrase of labor leaders
which the president of the trainmen
now uses: "No power on earth" can
prevent the strike, unless the men get
what they want. It is a form of words
which ought never to be flung as an
Insult in the face of the American
public. For that is precisely what it
is. under existing circumstances. This
Is the moment chosen by a union chief
to tell the people that no power on
earth can avert from them the impend
ing disaster nothing but complete
surrender to a body of men represent
ing but a fraction or even the railway
workers, and not amounting to one
half of 1 per cent of the entire popula
tion. The force of reckless impudence
could no further go.
New York Timti, Dent.
The blackmailing' of the whole Na
tion under the threat of a strike, the
extortion from a Nation's Legislature
of a special apt granting the demands
of the brotherhoods without time to
inquire into Its Justice or its practica
bility, puts upon the country an In
tolerable humiliation, it reduces 100.
000,000 people to a condition of vas-salac-e.
Contributions in money may
be, have boon, extorted from conquered
cities by armed force. Unjust laws
may be put upon the statute books
through tho agitation of factions or
groups strong enough to make their
political influence relt. isut mere is no
other instance where a Congress of
the United States has been forced to
ake laws under threat or a small part
of the people to do lmmeasuraDie ana
irreparable injury to the others-
New York Mall, Hep.
v . o 1 1 i f-) ....... . . .
the public the cost of this innovation
in order to nave a perfectly needless
: , I Hv tm PrnRlilpnt htm-
TMLIItllU'll -1 . .. -
self. Worse thsin that is the principle
of the thing. t ne men sio i.iusm. !
brute force, threats, are the ways to
attain their ends. Idly the President
talks of enacting legislation iu iumo
future strikes less likely by forcing
railroad employes to submit their cause
to investigation before stopping work.
Xtn York Herald, Rep.
There nevff was such a situation be
fore the halls of Congress. There never
... . 4h.n,t i n I n u t 1 1 1 n npnc'A
and welfare of the country. The strike
may be averted, nut it is at wsi u. mis
handled Jug the Government is handing
. .i . . . " n r nfirt in n tnrnV
IU I II U u J ill. .- ....j I -
is the motto of the party in power. The
eight-hour aay at aw nuurn
i .- .1 (n Bfqtnto Vint vrtin hni
UB rut;uijuic in .
had the courage to say that the publio
IS U lOUi win f
Chicane Evenlnn Post, Ilfp.
The surrender is made.
Congress has abdicated its power to
the four railway brotherhoods, appar
ently finally impelled to that course by
the modest request of one of the union
chiefs that he be saved a "Gethsemane."
The abdication is complete, and en
tirely worthy of Leader Kltchin and
Woodrow Wilson, under whose auspices
It was arranged. We must all hope
that our new masters will be generous
to them and to us.
Manhood and courage have gone out
ot Washington.
Springfield Republican, Dem.
Freight rates ought to be Increased
if, for solid humanitarian reasons, the
work day of trainmen on railroads
should in effect be shortened, and If the
Increased cost of operation caused by
the change would be more than the
stockholders of the railroads should
bear alone.
It is idle to say that Congress was
clubbed by labor unionism into this
legislation. The Senate could never
have been driven Into passing such a
measure within two or three days, al
most without debate, unless an irre
sistible public opinion, concerned first
of all with a paramount puDiic interest,
had demanded instant action.
Indianapolis Star, Rep.
It is a significant fact that in popu
lar discussion of the railroad crisis one
never hears any reference to the merits
of the question, so far as the Presi
dent's action is concerned, but only
oplnloas as to the effect his action will
have on the industrial and especially
the political situation, and more than
anything or all things else, speculation
whether he has done his campaign
prospects benefit or harm by his radi
cal course.
Here is an all but universal popular
Impression that the President's action
in this supreme business crisis amounts
to nothing more or less than his delib
erate balancing of the labor vote
against the capitalistic vote.
Boston Transcript, Rep.
It was Mr. Wilson's opportunity to
be the spokesman of enlightened public
opinion in this crisis. He has preferred
to make himself the pliant tool of those
who from the first have refused to ac
cept arbitration and relied upon their
political power to seduce or sandbag
the President and tho Congress into
yielding to their demands by threaten
ing to defeat the Democratic party for
re-election and at the same time
paralyze the transportation systems of
the country.
Indianapolis News, Ind.
The only question now left for the
people to consider in connection with
the railroad situation is whether the
price that it is proposed to pay for
peace is too high. That some price
would have to be paid has been clear
for some time. But the President
and Congress will no doubt agree with
him has decided that peace is worth
purchasing and that the price to be
paid is not too high.
Chicago News, Ind.
With this humiliation terminates the
myth of "the great power of the presi
dency," a tradition that took its rise
first under Grover Cleveland and again
under Theodore Roosevelt.
Woodrow Wilson had made it evident
that the presidency is no sacred thing
which in itself can bend men to its
ptirposes and save itself from insult.
Ho has shown that unless the greatest
elective office In the world Is filled by
a man, it Is about ns powerful as the
office of keeper of the dog pound. He
has humiliated himself, he has humili
ated Congress, he has humiliated the
people from whom he Is supposed to
take his "great power."
Chicago Herald, Ind.
Very soberly and solemnly and with
out rancor the people should and, we
believe, will Insist that arbitration in
the case of disputes In the transporta
tion field be made compulsory.
Only by wise action which conserves
the rights of the public will the present
Congress be able to wipe out the bad
impression which the terror-inspired
haste of Its most recent proceeding has
given the country.
Washington Post, Ind.
Sooner or later the public will com
mand employers and employes of the
railroads to suspend their quarrels
until the rights of the third party
the public itself can be ascertained.
Why not command peace now 7
Philadelphia Leferr, Rep.
When the President said that "the
eight-hour day now undoubtedly has
the sanction of the Judgment of society
in its favor" he gave utterance to one
of those half-truths which are some
times more misleading than untruths.
The principle which really "has the
sanction of the judgment of society in
its factor" is that the hours of labor
In every occupation should be reason
able, that they should not sap the
vitality of the worker, that they should
leave him adequate time for rest and
recreation.
It is not easy to imagine anything
that would be more crippling to energy
and enterprise than a universal eight
hour day. It is the amount of labor,
rather than the time necessary for per
forming it, which counts most.
Galveston News, Dem.
The thought which must hurt the
prido of the normal citizen and dis
turb his equanimity as he contemplates
the future is that a nation of 100,000.
000 people has found it expedient to
turrender absolutely and abjectly to
the threat of a well-banded body hard
ly one five-hundredth its number. The
force of unionism has proved Itself
stronger than the force of govern
ment. St. Louis Republic, Dem.
How can the President "discredit the
principle of arbitration" by using his
every means of persuasion to secure
formal arbitration and then by essay
ing informal arbitration when this
fails?
Whatever the President is doing, he
Is not creating a precedent. We are to
have no more precedents "created" by
makeshifts adopted in haste to get out
of impossible situations which we have
slipped carelessly and grndually Into at
leisure. Tho period of happy-go-lucky
ignoring of our perils is at an end.
We have had a rude awakening. It Is
time for constructive artion.
Chicago Tribune, Rep.
That such a threat should be made
shows the quality of the statesman
ship we are afflicted with at this
moment in Washington. It is no exag
geration to say. what the country
should lose no time In realizing, that
the political manipulation by the Presi
dent and his allies of the present wage
controversy Is a peril to the prosperity
and peace of tho Nation unprecedented
for nearly a generation.
New Y'ork World, Dem.
It is silly to charge Congress with
surrendering to the unions. The unions
had a legal right to strike when the
strike was ordered. There is not a
line on any statute book which pre
vents their striking, nor could any law
be enacted before Monday which would
compel them to work. Whatever their
moral guilt may be, they are within
the law when they do the thing that
they threaten to do. Therefore, it is
the duty of Congress to take such
practical means as may be adopted at
once to remove the excuse for a strike.
Whatever further adjustments are
necessary can be left for the future.
That is the common-sense method, and
Congress is displaying far more Intelli
gence and patriotism than Its critics.
Ronton News Bureau, Rep.
Four men, an oligarchy speaking for
an aristocracy, continued to make two
of the world's greatest deliberative
bodies forget all deliberation and
scurry round like performing mice,
while always timidly glancing at the
usurped veto power of the four. This
spectacle of the four and the 52D plus
the President was an epitomized
replica of the relation that existed be
tween the bodies which both represent
ed the 400.000 that likewise would in
timidate the 100.000.COO.
Time and Coat of Divorce.
PORTLAND. Sept. 7. (To the Ed
itor.) How long does it take to ob
tain a divorce, when both parties desire
the divorce? What nre the costs and
where do you apply?
The filing fees vary in the counties.
They are $12.50 in Multnomah County.
Attorney's fees are subject to private
arrangement. Ten days notice Is al
lowed the defendant when the papers
are served and 20 days when service
cannot be obtained. The court can set
the case for hearing at any time after
that.
Somewhat Significant.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
"Our last hired girl gave us a double
slap. She said she was fond of music.
Being a musical family we got up a
little concert for her benefit."
"Well?"
"The next day she left."
v.
How to Keep Well.
Questions pertinent to hygiene, sanitation
and prevention of disease, 1C matters of gen.
eral interest, will be answered In this col
umn. Where space will not permit or the
subject Is not suitable, letter will be per
sonally answered, subject to proper limita
tions and where stamped addressed envelope,
is inclosed. Or. Evana will not make diagnosis
or prescribe for Individual diseases. Be
quests for such services cannot ba answered.
(Copyright, 131S. by Dr. W. A. Bvans.
Published by arrangement with the Chicago
Tribune.)
Teeth and Health.
AHORSE DEALER examines the
teeth of horses in order to Judge
of their age. He Judges by the shape
of the grinding surface and the appear
ance of the obliterated central canal
as it shows on the grinding surface.
A physician of experience can examine
the teeth of a grown person and make
a fair guess as to the health in child
hood and the diet in childhood of hia
patient.
If the teeth are notched in a certaia
way the child has inherited syphilis.
If they are irregular in still another
way it is an evidence that the person
had rickets in childhood. If they are
soft and crumbly and decay early, it
is a sign that the person lived on an
improper diet during childhood.
Dr. Eurand, of Seattle, in speaking
before a section of the American Medi
cal association, said, "There is no
doubt that our grandfathers had bet
ter teeth that we have." This he at
tributed to the fact that we eat too
much soft food and too much starch
and sugar and too littlo hard food
such as requires a lot of hard chewing.
The very change in our diet is con
verting the lean, dyspeptic Yankee of
the middle and of the nineteenth cen
tury into the fat. round bellied, com
placent citizen of the first quarter of
the twentieth century and Is maklndC
of us a toothless race.
In an examination of 2000 school
children In Seattle, Dr. Seagrave found
that 73 per cent of tho children who
as babies had been fed on sweetened
condensed milk now had decayed
teeth. The percentage of children who
as babies were fed on breast milk
having decayed teeth was 4 2.
Dr. Durand tabulated his findings In
several better babies contests, with
about the same result. The percentage
of children 'having decayed teeth and
who as babies got sweetened con
densed milk was 63, as compared with
28 for breast milk babies and 23 for
children who as babies were fed on
modified cow's milk. In 104 cases
where the children as babies had been
fed for more than five months on
sweetened condensed milk, 74 per cent
had caries.
In order that the teeth shall be good
the baby should be breast fed. Orangi
juice may be begun at one month of
age if it is needed. Vegetables, fruits,
and meat may be begun at seven
months of age. When the teeth have
come through the baby should be given
bones to gnaw and hard bread to
chew. Older children should not be al
lowed to eat an excess of sweets. If
pastries or candles are given they
should be followed by meat, green
vegetables, and fruits. Chewing on
such food3 will clean the teeth.
Some Dnntrr.
"Would there be any danger In
sleeping in the same bed with a sister
who has tubercular trouble? She had
temperature for about three months.
Has had none for months and seems
better and sleeps in the open."
Reply.
Ys.
Hair and Scalp.
L. P. S. would like to know where
to get a good treatise on the hair and
scalp.
Reply.
Pussey's "Care of the Pkln and Hair."
In Other Days.
Half a Century Ago.
Krnm The Oregcnlan, Kept. 8. lftfl.
Yesterday wo spent n very enjoyable
half hour in Central School, of which
Professor Prambes is principal. The
several departments of the school are
well ordered and arranged. The num
ber of pupils enrolled in both the city
schools is about 670 ami t!i average
daily attendance Is about 5G0.
We are informed by the officers t
the steamer 1'annio Troup, that the ef
forts of the committee appointed by
the ladles of Vancouver to sell tickets
for the Calico Ball In aid of the
fund for the purchase of a fire engine
for that place have thus far been quite
successful. Those visiting Vancouver
on the evening of the ball will bo taken
over and brought back by the Fannin
Troup, free of charge. At the recent
meeting of the Vancouver Common
Council, It was resolved that in case
the citizens would raise $1000 In coin,
the Council would appropriate $1000 in
currency, to the purchase of fire ap
paratus for that place.
The steamship Fidellter, M. C Ers
kine commander, arrived from Victoria
last evening.
Chicago. Sept- 6. The ceremonies of
the laying of the Stephen A. Douglas
monument today were most impressive
and were accompanied by a most en
thusiastic ovation to President John
son. After the corner stone had been
laid by President Johnson, Major-Gen-eral
John A. Dix delivered the oration
on the life and character ot Douglas.
The Pioneer Club played another
game on the common at East Portland
yesterday.
Twenty-Five Years Ago.
From The Orcponlan, Sept. S. 1S01.
Chicago, Sept. 7. Miss Bertha Ison.
formerly of Baker. Or., the beautiful
daughter of the late Judge Luther Ison
and Mrs. Ison, was murdered today by
Dr. Charles E. Ballard, of Sayhrook,
whom she mot two months ago and who
was madly in love with her. He mur-
l 1 K tM 1. wntl.n-n V . K-
and later killed himself. He was 2
years Ola. iney naa oeen fnsaiteu, out
the engagement had been broken.
IT. B. Lltt Is ready for business and
will exhibit this afternoon a fine array
of theater capes and wraps, as well as
a number of ready-made dresses.
Professor Herman Boos, instructor In
the Multnomah Amateur Athletic Club
gmnnsium. has returned from his va
cation. Edward W. Wright, of Astoria, will
begin about October 1. the publication
of an evening newspaper in Astoria
City Attorney W. T. Muir, Sanderson
Reed and Al Miller went hunting along
the Cornell road Sunday and bagged
33 grouse, pheasant and quail.
Two girls were born to Mr. and
Mrs. D. H. Brittain. at 271 1" street,
yesterday. The mother and twins are
doing well.
Sam L- Simpson, the well-known
poet, has penned some lines "Slain by
the Sea," Vn memory of Hugh Todd
rjiaham. the Portland lawyer who was
raed August 21 at Long Beach.