lO
TITE MORNING OREGONIAN, TUESDAY, SEPTE3IBER 2G, 1916.
mam
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PORTLAND, TUESDAY, SEPT. 26, 1916.
WHAT IITJGIXES WOULD NOT DO.
Desperate for an answer to Mr.
Hughes' exposure of the blunders,
weakness, bloodshed and humiliation
which have marked the Wilson Ad
ministration, Democrats cry with iter
ation, "What would Hughes have
done?" The Oregonian does not pro
fess to know what Mr. Hughes would
have done in any particular contin
gency with which President Wilson
has been called upon to deal. It
doubts whether Mr. Hughes himself
would undertake to say' precisely what
he would have done, but he has stated
very plainly the principles by which
he would have been guided. We
know from his public acts that he
would have adhered In office to the
principles which he advocated when
6eeking office. Hence we can judge
pretty accurately what he would not
have done.
He would not have countenanced
as Secretary of State a man who pro
claimed that there would be no war
while he held office, who rewarded
men for party service by giving them
positions where the United States -v-as
trustee for another nation, who toured
the country with vaudeville perform
ers and who gave a private tip to a
foreign Ambassador that his demands
upon another nation were for home
consumption only.
He would not have retained as Sec
retary of the Navy a man who re
jected the advice of experts and who
Insisted that the Navy was efficient
when he knew it was noft, who muz
zled or removed officers who told
the truth, but who rapidly changed
front when public opinion gave voice
and who by his later acts admitted
the truth of all that he had formerly
denied.
He would not have kept as Secre
tary of Commerce a man who smoth
ered all inquiry into the Eastland dis
aster and who shielded from punish
ment the Inspectors who had pro
nounced safe a ship that drowned
nearly a thousand people.
He would not have refused recog
nition to Huerta in Mexico on the
ground that the latter attained power
by assassination and afterwards have
recognized Benavides in Peru, though
he became President by the same
means. He would not have interfered
with the internal affairs of Mexico by
demanding that Huerta he not a can
didate for President, nor would he
have occupied Vera Cruz on the pre
text of exacting a salute to the Amer
ican flag when his real purpose was
to drive out "Huerta. He would not
have put the arms embargo off again,
on again, for the purpose of aiding
or injuring first one faction, then an
other, in Mexico. He would not have
abandoned the Americans at Tampico
to be rescued from a mob by foreign
warships. He would not have run for
President on a platform promising
protection to Americans abroad and
then have refused protection. When
American territory was Invaded, he
would not have permitted the activ
ities of his pursuing army to be lim
ited by denial of use of railroads or
by orders that they must move in only
one direction that of retreat. When
American troops were treacherously
attacked at Parral, he would not have
been inactive. When, they were at
tacked at Carrlzal he would not have
been content with return of prisoners
and of bodies of the slain.
He would not have laid down the
principle that Mexico had a right to
settle lt3 troubles without foreign in
terference, and yet have violated that
principle' by armed intervention In
Haiti.
He would not have informed Ger
many that it would be held to strict
accountability for the sinking of the
Lusitanla and yet have permitted sim
ilar deeds to be committed for a year
before sending an ultimatum.
He would not have accepted the
platform pledge on Panama Canal
tolls and then have demanded that
Congress repudiate it.
He would not have insisted that the
Government waste $50,000,000 in buy
ing merchant ships to compete with
private owners, especially when every
shipyard is swamped with contracts
for new ships.
He would not have approved the
many bills containing provisions for
breaking down the civil service sys
tem, to the support of which Mr. Wil
eon is pledged by his platform.
He would not have removed trained
and experienced diplomats to make
room for political officeseekers. '
He would not have run for Presl
dent on a platform pledging him to
the single-term principle unless he in
tended to aoiae oy tne pledge, nor
would he have schemed to defeat that
principle before he took office and
have violated the pledge by accepting
nomination for a second term.
He would ;ot have approved pork
barrel river and harbor and pension
laws.
He would not have driven a bogus
eight-hour law through Congress in
two days under threat of a Nation
wide railroad strike.
He is not too proud to fight. He
fought the bosses when he was Gov
ernor of New York and beat them.
He opposed the labor unions when he
thought their demands unjust or un
wise, yet he was acclaimed by the
spokesman of labor as "the greatest
friend of labor laws that over occu
pied the Governor's chair." In the
words of one of his veto messages,
he was "rigorous in the demand for
justice to all ... even at tho risk
of loss of votes." He is not only an
able man, but he is a brave, upright
man who, seeing his duty, will do It
without fear of consequences to him
self. So '-'delicate and so accurate are
modern instruments for the measure
ment of energy that it is possible to
calculate the total force expended in
the performance of any task, and a
writer in tie Popular Science Monthly
points out that a simple air played on
tho violoncello requires as much
"work" as is done by an average la
borer In an entire day, although the
artist is employed only five minutes.
In one test made recently, a virtuoso
exerted pressure with the forefinger
equal to three pounds in weight, and
the pressure required to produce a
Bach aria averaged two and three
quarter pounds to the note. The total
energy expended on the aria was 9415
pounds, or nearly five tons. Thus
new significance is given to the phrase
"It's all in a day's work," especially
when reference is made to the labor
of a professional musician.
M'ARTIIIK.
Mr. McArthur has completed a part
of his first term in Congress with
credit, and, it may be Sloped, with
satisfaction to his constituents. He is
an alert and aggressive man, with out
right methods of speech and conduct,
and with none of the arts of the
demagogue nor the acrobatics of the
sidestepper. He has unquestionably
"made good" in the short time he has
been at Washington, but he returns
to find, nevertheless, a somewhat for
midable contest under way for his
seat.
The opposition to Mr. McArthur
surrounds again the Indefatigable and
versatile Lafferty. This time Mr. Laf
ferty, once a Republican, then a Pro
gressive, then both, is an independent,
who purposes to support Woodrow
Wilson and who has sought to com
bine in one grand ensemble the Demo
crats, the labor unions, the prohibi
tionists, the anti-Catholics, the German-Americans
and others for his
own benefit. A stupendous combina
tion under the Lafferty tent if it is
there, which it is not.
Lafferty is everything in turn and
nothing long. The amazing game he
now seeks to play would be under
taken only by a political adventurer of
his great daring and known unscrupu
lousness. He will do nothing for any
of these elements in Congress, for he
can do nothing. Nor will they be de
livered to him by those self-elected
agents of. political artifice and con
venience who have sought to turn over
these heterogenous masses of votes to
Lafferty. They are in by far the
greatest part citizens who own their
own votes.
It Is said that McArthur's vote on
the wage bill alone in Congress will
cost him many votes. It may be so;
but it ought not to be so. Particu
larly should It not be so if they are
to be lost to such a candidate as Laf
ferty. Tour average . Congressman is a
coward. That is the reason there Is
no other reason why the so-called
eight-hour bill passed without the
slightest pretense of consideration or
investigation. But ho ought not to be
a coward. He would not be if he was
to be' rewarded by an approving con
stituency for standing up to his con
victions for the noble qualities of
courage, candor, manliness and
straightforwardness.
What is, or will be, the lesson to
be drawn from the defeat of Mc
Arthur and the election of Lafferty?
LA FOLLETTE'S F I-ITR-VLI T Y.
The statement, originating in a
Portland "independent" newspaper
with wholly unique sources of misinfor
mation, that Senator La Follette was
nominated by the Wisconsin Repub
lican primary with a majority of 75,-
000 has been going the rounds of the
parrot press of Oregon. For example,
this from a McMinnville "nonpartisan"
newspaper: . .
By a majority of 75.000 Senator La
Follette has been renominated by the Re
publicans of Wisconsin. Not much comfort
here for the Hughes people. La Follette has
been with Wllsun on almost all Important
legislation. He voted for the new tariff
bill, was with Wilson on the Mexican situa
tion and was the sole Republican Senator
to vote with the Administration forces on
the strike legislation. It Is evidence to the
effect that thousands of Republicans share
tne .La .toilette views.
The majority of Senator La Follette
was not 75,000, nor one-half that to
tal. To be exact, it was 32,596, the
final figures being: La Follette, 99,-
043; Jeffris, 66,447.
It may be conceded that Senator La
Follette won a signal personal vic
tory, but it is significant that at the
same primary Governor Philipp, a
conservative and a political foe of
La Follette and La Folletteism, was re
nominated by a plurality of 36,324.
Undoubtedly, Governor Philipp, an
able executive, will be re-elected.
Doubtless, La Follette also will be re
elected. If the La Follette triumph was a
victory for radicalism, what was the
Philipp victory? It is a sign, unques
tionably, that the voters of Wiscon
son are wearied of the vagaries and
uncertainties of La Folletteism and
desire a return a safe ground.
The contradictory result in Wis
consin would seem to Indicate both
the confusion of the public mind and
the weakening of the La Follette hold
upon the organization. The La Fol
lette machine was overthrown when
Governor Philipp was nominated and
elected two years ago and again in
the divided delegation at the Chicago
convention. Sentiment and habit
save La Follette himself; but he is a
survival of other times, other pur
poses, other conditions.
TO UNDO A DECADE'S WORK.
We have been fussing around since
1907 over the Oregon & California
railroad land grant. It has been the
subject of legislative resolutions and
memorials to Congress. It has occu
pied the attention of the courts from
the district to the United States Su
preme. It has served as political cam
paign fodder and has brought to
gether a large, solemn but ineffective
conference of distinguished citizens.
It has inspired newspaper articles by
the column, produced consultations
with railroad officials. Invited whole
sale frauds for which men are on the
road to the penitentiary, has caused a
disturbance in Congress, and has seri
ously retarded the development of
Oregon.
Now when the whole Issue is ap
parently settled, to the liking of some
and the dislike of others, along comes
Mr. U'Ren with a wholly collateral
constitutional amendment, which if
adopted would set the question back
where it was a decade ago. '
The U'Ren measure proposes that
every landowner shall pay to the state
the full market rent of his land in the
form of taxes. The Government owns
the land grant, if "the law recently
passed by Congress is any good. The
state of Oregon has pledged itself not
to tax Government lands. The Gov
ernment proposes to sell the grant to
actual settlers. But how could the
Government find settlers to purchase
If, as soon as title passed, the state
would seize the land and offer it to
the highest rental bidder? Nowhere,
of course. No man will buy land and
pay rent on It too.
Some persons, it Is true, might be
willing to take a gambler's chance on
the timber which is to be sold sep
arate from, the land, provided the
Government made the minimum price
attractive enough. But the" Govern
ment would doubtless rather hold the
timber than sacrifice it. It cannot
possibly be determined from the read
ing of the amendment whether pri
vately owned timber is to be relieved
of taxation or confiscated.
In this grant are more than 2,000,
000 acres of land, all of which is un
improved. Undet1 a full rental value
tax unimproved land will and must
lose completely its sale value.
Among other things the land and
loan measure indirectly proposes is
that the Oregon & California land
grant, which we have striven so hard
to have opened to settlement, shall
be retained as a wild and unattain
able reservation.
HORACE I). BAMSDELL.
Few men were better known in
Portland than Horace D. Ramsdell,
and certainly none were better liked.
He was an important member and
officer of a well-known firm Lip
man, Wolfe & Co. and a contributing
factor through many years to its suc
cess. He knew the public, and he had
sound ideas as a merchant for meet-
ng its manifold needs and changing
desires.
But Mr. Ramsdell was more than a
business man. He was identified with
public and semi-public bodies doing
community service, and he sought al
ways to do his share, and a little
more. A genial and kind man, he had
many friends; a charitable man, there
were many objects of his bounty; a
good man, he was relied on to pro
mote, the interests of religion through
the church with which he was long
associated.
Mr. Ramsdell had the appearance
of robust and abounding health; but
for several years he had known that
he was likely to be called at any hour.
Yet he had to the last a cheerftH and
optimistic spirit and an unclouded
mind fine evidence of his courage
and self-control. He led an unblem
ished life and ho died in the knowl
edge that ho possessed the affection
of an intimate circle and the respect
of many acquaintances.
LET'S rSE SOME SHIPS OCRSELYES.
Mr. Hardy's advice that Portland
do not permit all tho ships built
in its yards to pass into outside own
ership deserves attention from our
people. Without ships owned by our
own citizens, this port is as depend
ent on others for means of continuing
in business as is a storekeeper who
hires his competitor's wagon to make
his deliveries. The British govern
ment is giving the world an example
of the manner in which" that prac
tice works. It has first call on two-
fifths of the world's ships, first for
military and then for commercial
purposes. Other nations get the leav
ings, which are very slim.
The car shortage is showing Oregon
that prosperity, even survival, in busi
ness is contingent on ability to deliver
the goods and that delivery is impos
sible without vehicles to carry them.
Had the lumbermen been able to ob
tain cars they would have made much
money which has gone to competitors.
Had Portland merchants owned ships
and operated their own vessels from
their own port, their coastwase and
foreign trade would not have shrunk
when the war absorbed Europe's
ships and they would have brought
home cargoes of merchandise and of
material for manufacture here.
Now is the time to remedy this neg
lect. The world is clamoring for our
goods, but has no ships to send after
them. We are building ships, but are
selling them to carry goods from other
ports to satisfy this demand. Why not
keep some of them ourselves to deliver
our own goods rather than those of
competing ports?
the STnrcLxrs op necessity.
It was to be expected that scarcity
of various so-called industrial neces
sities, brought about by the war, would
stimulate the production of substi
tutes, and that some of them would
prove so efficient that it would not be
necessary to return to the old ways.
This has come to pass with potash,
which furnishes a striking example of
how resourcefulness Is developed un
der pressure. - The demand of such
enterprises as glass making was not
only for potash, but in the extensive
nature of the business for a supaly
that should be both plentiful and
cheap. Expensive potash would mean
prices for the finished product that
would greatly curtail Its use. The
public is more or less familiar with
the efforts made in the United States
to provide a supply of potash of Its
own. Experiments with the potash
bearing rock of Nebraska and with
the kelp beds of the Pacific Coast
have been measurably successful, but
this has been true under the influence
of war prices. It is said to be a fact,
also, that despite what has been done
in this direction, only about 10 per
cent .as much potash is now being
produced in the United States as for
merly was imported into the country.
Early in the war American chemists
called attention to the advisability of
substituting the potash element by the
use of soda in various medicinal sub
stances, and this was done to a con
siderable extent, but the use of potash
in medicine is small by volume as
compared with its employment in
other industries. Glass making is one
of these. Where glass formerly was
made by a fusion of silica with potash,
sodium carbonate Is now utilized suc
cessfully instead of the potash, and
the sodium carbonate is obtained from
enormous deposits of salt that are
found in the United States. The glass
industry has gained in another way.
FormerlyMhe United States was vir
tually . dependent on Germany and
Austria for Its supply of glassware for
technical and scientific purposes, but
now this demand is being wholly met
at home.
Another important departure in
manufacturing has been the substitu
tion of soda for potash in the making
of certain grades of soaps, for which
potash until recently was regarded as
Indispensable. . The way In which
chemical Industries are wonderfully
Intertwined is well illustrated in this
operation. In the making of caustic
soda from salt, chlorine is liberated
by the electrical process and also is
used for various important purposes,
among others the manufacture of
chlorinated lime, a bleach for paper
and for textiles that are made from
vegetable fibers. Bleaches which we
formerly imported in large quantities
are now made at home, and as the
industry grows the trade balance
should be in our favor In later years.
These facts are brought out in con
nection with a forthcoming National
Exposition of Chemical Industries
soon to be held in New York. There
has been much talk of the possibilities
of the chemical industry in America,
and some of it has been exaggeration,
but there also has been material
achievement. New possibilities in mln-
ing Incidentally have been opened up.
Formerljowe have been accustomed to
look upon the miner as a delver for
the commoner metals. 'In future he
will be a man who extracts from the
ground a great many of our necessary
chemicals as well. This brings to view
vast possibilities for the hitherto
"waste places" of the land, for chem
icals may be found without reference
to the accessibility or the arabillty of
the surface soil. But higher skill will
be required, and the prospector of the
future will do well to fortify himself
with a working knowledge of higher
chemistry, as well as the rudiments
of metallurgy with which heretofore
he has been content.
Reported repressive measures in
Bohemia indicate that there Is a state
of feeling in that country about which
the world at large may not be fully
informed. The Bohemians, or Czechs,
represent perhaps the highest state of
culture to be found among the many
races that have been amalgamated
Into the so-called dual monarchy, and
their pride is a factor to be consid
ered in any undertaking. Bohemia Is
highly developed as to its manufac
turing industries, and its farmers are
among the most advanced of Central
Europe, as a natural consequence of
which its people are inclined to a cer
tain aloofness from neighbors whom
they regard as their Intellectual In
feriors. There have been ambitions
for an independent Bohemian king
dom, with a capital at Prague, and
even talk of a republic, which are re
ported to have been sternly kept with
in bounds by the authorities deriving
their power from Vienna. Meanwhile,
Bohemia is contributing her full
quotas to the prosecution of the war,
but with less enthusiasm than some
others who do not have national long
ings of their own.
If new inventions are to be fairly
judged, the board which is to investi
gate new types of machine guns for
the Army should include business men
accustomed to decide similar ques
tions in manufacturing as well as
Army officers. The official mind is
too prone to conservatism, to consider
that untried fields are unsafe, and that
what is known is good enough without
launching into the unknown. That is
why Navy officers opposed steam for
war vessels long after its success in
merchant 6hips had been proved. It
Is why the Lewis machine gun was
rejected by the War Department, only
to' be adopted by the British army.
The present war is proving war to be
the most progressive of sciences, and
the nation which docs not view every
new invention with an open mind falls
behind and Invites defeat.
The United States Army lias not
experienced the reduction In the cost
of living which was promised by the
Democrats in 1912. The ration has
not been changed since 1909. In 1913,
when the Democrats began to rule,
it cost 23 cents a man. Its cost has
increased every year and Quarter
master General Sharpe told the House
military committee that for 1917 it
would cost 30 cents. For the regular
Army and National Guard this is an
annual increase of $6,300,000 over the
cost under Republican control. The
higher cost of living for the civil pop
ulation is at least as great as that
for the Army.
Candor goes a long way toward ob
viating misunderstandings, and hypoc
risy only aggravates them. The New
York workmen who propose a sym
pathetic strike but would disguise it as
a refusal to risk their lives on "trains
run by green motormen and guarded
by policemen" are not thereby helping
their cause any more than Is President
Shonts, of the Interborough, when he
puts his concern for the employes now
at work at the head of his reasons for
refusing to meet the strikers. Telling
the truth on both sides would be a
good way to begin" restoring the era
of good feeling.
The man who buys fruit at a stand
and does not discover until at home
that part Is decayed has little re
course. He cannot prove the fact in
court. To be sure, he might gather
his friends and wreck the place before
the police could respond, but that is
unlawful and risky, although hearten
ing. Here's a hullabaloo Indeed! A wom
an alleges as reason for seeking her
decree that her husband contracted
the habit of smoking after marriage
and strikes matches on the baby's car
riage. Instead of suing, she should
learn to chew, and that soon would
bring the husband to his senses.
Education puts a sinister veneer on
the aboriginal. The buck who caused
an Indian girl to commit suicide from
grief at Celilo last Spring has been
arrested for eloping with another
from an agency school. He is a bad
Indian qualifying to become a "good"
one.
Parallel with the announcement
that Colonel Roosevelt will not visit
the Coast. The Oregonian published
the news that four bears had been
killed recently near Wheeler. If the
Colonel sees that, he will not be able
to stay away.
The exploit of the man who saved
himself from drowning by excluding
the water with a big chew of tobacco
equals that of the other man who
grabbed the cake of soap and washed
ashore from the wreck.
Wives are not so plenty in Alaska
that men can afford to lose them by
divorce; but when a husband uses ths)
argument of choking, there is nothing
left for a wife hut recourse to a pistol
General Trevino may have been
hurt physically in his encounter with
Villa, but his deepest wound is in his
vanity.
Paper bags are among the goods
that cost mofe. and the lunch brigade
squanders money unknowingly.
Another widow has forfeited mil
lions to remarry. Isn't that Just like
a woman?
All the Wilson men have registered.
It is Republicans, only who are care,
less.
Substitution of "condemn" for
'damn" is polite, but lacks vigor.
A higher city tax is likely to affect
the vote next year.
Six weeks to election day. Where's
your button?
Make a date for the State Fair
grounds.
Ghosts of a Bloodstained
Peace.
By Daa Collins.
The master of words and doubtful
deeds "
Heard the voice of his people rise.
And he muttered hastily: "I must needs
Some message for them devise
That will quiet them for a ltttle term
Till my place on my seat Is made more
firm.
And the threatening wave recedes."
The master of words called forth to
those
"Who came with their question stern:
"To know how I've served ye, ye pro
pose? Then listen and ye shall learn!"
And he spread his cloak as a screen
before
Where his broken pledges lay, -"
As the people gathered to hear once
more
What the master of words might
say.
The master of words cried: "Know you
then,
I have given ye wealth untold "
(And the blood of old Europe's fight
ing men
Flowed west in a flood of gold).
Cried the master of words, "I have
given you
All things that ye asked me for.
And hearken further my bounties too
I have kept you out of warl"
Then laughed the ghosts of a score of
men
Who had dlel at Vera Crux,
They laughed in the hearts of the
people, then:
"Give heed to the master's news.
We followed a quest at his behest
But that which' he sent us for
To the winds he threw yet he tells
you true.
He hath kept us out of war.
And up spoke the ghosts of a score of
men
From the sands of Carrlzal:
"'Twss the master of words who sent
us, when
We rode out to fight and fall;
Yet though we were attain, 'twas all in
vain
For that which he sent us for
He hath never won yet this he hath
dune
He hath kept us out of war."
Then cried tho ghosts of the weary
hosts
That had died in a foreign land;
Women and men and children then:
"Yea. hearken and understand.
Our flag no more, is tho shield of yore
And wo looked td it vainly for
Protection duo yet he tells you true,
Ha hath kept us out of war."
And the master of words and doubtful
deeds
He smiled with a smile benign;
"From triumph to triumph thus pro
ceeds
This beneficent rule of mine."
And laughed the hosts of tho' blood
stained ghosts
As they shredded in mist away.
While the master spoke, as he spread
nls cloak
Where the broken pledges lay.
WHO IS REAL FniEXD OF LABOR t
Mr. WlUon Showed No Sympathy Until
lie Needed Vote.
PORTLAND. Sept. 26. (To the Editor.)
Now is a time for labor to take an
inventory of its real friends. When did
W ilson aver show any sympathy witn
organized labor until he became a poli
tician? Addressing a class of students
at Princeton June 3, 1909, he condemned
the "standard of labor, declaring it
gave as little as possible for wages
paid and was filling tho country with
unprofitable servants. At a dinner in
the Waldorf Hotel. New York. March
18. 1907, he said: "We speak too ex
clusively of the capitalistic class. There
Is another as formidable an enemy to
equality and freedom of opportunity as
It is. and that is the class formed by
the labor organizations and leaders of
the country." His "History of tho
American People" is full of similar sen
timents. Now, as a vote-seeker, he
tries to change front. Just as ho did on
Panama tolls, and woman suffrage, and
free sugar, and preparedness, and the
tariff commission, and Mexican embar
goes and a dozen other things.
During the very years that Wilson
was denouncing the labor organizations
in Princeton and tho Waldorf Hotel and
elsewhere. Hughes was making his roc
ord as Governor of New York. Review
ing that record, an organ of the Federa
tion of Labor in that state declared that
he siiowed himself "the greatest friend
of labor laws who ever occupied tho
Governor's chair in Albany, and that
during his two terms as Governor he
signed 56 labor laws. Including among
tnem me Dest laDor law ever enacted
in this or any other state." But he
never hoped or indulged in palaver.
He never dodged or changed front.
There was neither demagogy nor vacil
lation. He is the same always, whether
as Governor, as Judge, as private citl
sen or as Presidential candidate. Hon
est labor asks no Judge to make the
law on the bench. All it asks is
honest Interpretation. Judga Hughes,
when he gave the Danbury decision,
against labor, gave the law squarely
and honestly. Just as he did in the case
of the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy
Kallroad vs. McGuire. and in his dis
senting opinion in the case of Coppage
vs. the State of Kansas, when he sus
tained the contentions of the labor
unions. Wo have a true Index of his
character in his declaration: "I won't
sign any bill because it Is popular. On
tho contrary, I will sign anything
think in the interest of the people and
will veto anything I think is not
their Interest. I stand for two things
first, for tne principle of fair, impar
tial, thorough and candid arbitration
and, second, for legislation on facta
according to the necessities of the case
and I am opposed to being dictated to
either in tho executive department or
Congress by any power on earth, before
tho facts are known." Here is shown
tho type of man worthy of the trust
and confidence of any patriotic citizen
who asks for himself nothing more than
fair play and a square deal.
Under a Washington data line of Sep
tember 8 the press informs us that the
President, stung by public critlclrm
has definitely committed himself to
future programme of legislation on the
strike question, the first item of which
calls for "compulsory investigation of
railroad disputes along lines of the
Canadian commission plan." as Garrett
son. Stone. Carter and Leo. represent
ing tho brotherhoods, have declared
that "since the abolition of slavery no
more effective means has been devised
for insuring tho bondage of tho work
ing man" than this samo "Canadian
plan." it will be interesting to tee tho
President wiggle out of the trap ho
has fallen Into In nls attempt to bam
boozle the labor vote.
CHARLES B. MOORES.
Woasd to Her Pride.
Atchison Globe,
Tho wound to your pride Isn't apt to
be mortal, but it may hurt worse than
the other kind.
Junt Keep Smiling.
Atchison Globe.
A cheerful man is the greatest ag
gravatlon to a grouch.
CEMETT BRAND IS EXPLAINED
Rltnllthlc" Kind Is "I" Grade As
phalt, Says Clnnde T. Hire.
PORTLAND. Sept. 25 (To the Edi
tor.) Last week I noticed in The Ore
gonian that Commissioner Dieck in-
ends to demand a forfeit from Gleb-
Isch & Joplin unless they complete the
paving of East Tenth from Going to
Alberta streets without further delay.
Thia is practically tho only mention
that The Oregonian has made of this
contract, yet it is one in connection
with which much of importance to
Portland taxpayers has taken place.
Tho insertion of the word "bltullthic"
in specifying the asphaltlc cement that
must bo used has cost the property
owners of Portland much money, for it
has enabled the Warren people not
only to get their royalty upon the
ardage laid but also to increase tne
price which tho contractors must pay
for the asphaltio cement used, as only
Warren Bros. Company can sell, brtu-
lithvc cement, for they alone can say
what is and what is not bitulithic
cement. Bitulithic cement is merely a
erm that this company applies to
whatever binder It finds It expedient to
use in laying bitulithic pavement. In
some parts of' the East it is nothing
but common coal tar. In other parts it
Is something else. Hero in tho Pa
cific Northwest it appears to be nothing
but D' grade asphaltio cement from
the Richmond, Cal., refinery of the
standard Oil Company, as well-in
formed independent engineers fre
quently have maintained.
That the so-called bitulithic cement
Is nothing but "D" grade asphalt seems
well shown by the fact that In all
physical and chemical tests the two
give identical results; moreover in con
nection with this East Tenth street
contract Walter B. Warren showed
clearly that neither he nor his engi
neers can tell so-called bitulithic
cement from any other asphaltic cement
when they lose track of the refinery
numbers that they claim are bitulithic
ref inings.
From the middle of June to tho mid
dle of August the Warren people kept
tho Public Works Department of Port
land In a turmoil In regard to this
East Tenth-street contract- They as
serted that Giebisch & Joplin were
about to do the property owners along
this street irreparable injury by using
ordinary asphaltic cement and not
their miraculous bitulithic cement in
the paving mixture. Giebisch & Joplin
asserted that they had bitulithc cement
at their plant for tho work. Warrens
asserted the contrary. Tho bureau of
standards reported that tho cement in
all physical and chemical tests ap
peared to he bitulithic cement. Com
missioner Dieck bucked and filled,
stopped the work, ordered It to go on.
called in the aid of tho City Attorney
and for weeks kept everything In a
tangle, simply because he always took
the assertion of (lie Warrens as pre
sumptively true and as many times as
sumed that tho contrary statement of
tho contractors was untrue. Finally a
special session of the Council had to
be devoted to unsnarling the tangle.
In this hearing, August 11. Walter
B. Warren told the Council that by lot
number, physical and chemical tests, he
and hid engineers were certain that
tho cement in question was not and
could not be bitulithic cement. Hepooh-
pooned the possibility that his engi
neers and chemists could be mistaken
In this matter. Yet within five minutes
alter this assertion of his it was shown
by records of the bureau of standards
that the very, same lot numbers that
were upon the barrels at the Giebisch
& Joplin plant had been reported earlier
in the year by the Warren Company
itself as bitulithic lot numbers. In
other words the Warrens have finally
hanged themselves by their own strap.
For Immediately upon this revelation
the attorney for Warren Bros. Com
pany asked for adjournment and later
in tho week tho Warrens cams forward
with the proposition) that they take
this cement back, barrel for barrel,
without cost to the contractor and re
place it with dyed-in-the-wool bitu
lithic cement.
Surely it is high time that this term
bitulithic cement bo taken out of
Portland's specifications and that they
he made to read as do the Multnomah
County specifications for bitulithic
pavements, in which tho cement used
only has to stand up to certain physi
cal and chemical standards and docs
not have to have a monopoly trade
mark to qualify It, This will make the
cost of bitulithic pavement somewhat
less than at present, for tho independ
ent contractor - then can buy his
asphaltic cement in the open market
without paying royalties to the. War
rens a second time. But unless the
people of Portland get busy themselves
nothing will bo done in tho matter.
CLAUDE T. RICE.
BIRD CATCH IXC
'Slid the many scenes of childhood that
come drifting back to me.
There's a barefoot boy.
With radiant Joy.
And & heart brimful of glee.
With salt in his breeches pocket he
chases the lark or quail.
As he tries his best.
With a childish lest.
To put salt upon its tail.
Wo draw full many a lesson from "the
little things of life.
There's the bird of fame
We should like to tame.
So we enter the dizzy strife.
Wo labor and sweat and struggle and
then In the end wo fall.
For that bird roosts high.
And he keeps his eye
Peeled back on his precious tail.
The dove of pure life lures us, and with
faith In ourselves wo run.
And our bare feet pass
Through the tangled grass
As bravely we struggle on.
But tho sea of life is stormy and our
bark of effort frail;
We helplessly strand
On the bleaching sand.
And no salt upon its tall!
NTw, there Is tho bird of riches, and It
flaunts Its .plumage gay
With a peacock's pride.
And a taunt beside.
It dares us up and away.
It flutters Just beyond us and we
strive, without avail.
And we make a pass
With our salt. Alas!
It never touches Its tail.
Our .Senator George creeps slyly on the
bird of Oregon.
With a hungry greed
He doth coax and plead.
"Hold still, little Pelican!"
But our proud bird moans in anguish
and shrieks with an awful wail:
"George, what are you 'bout?
You've pulled 'em all out.
And I haven't got no tail!"
There's a game old bird that perches on
tho staff where "Old Glory" waves.
And poor Woodrow tries.
With tears in his eyes.
To capture the prise he craves.
But our eagle laughs as he rise aloft
on his feathery sail:
"Woodrow, It's no use.
For Charley Hughes
Has put salt upon my tall!"
DICK POSEY, Ashland, Or.
He Is m naptlst.
PORTLAND, Sept. 23. (To tho Edi
tor.) Kindly publish whether or not
the Republican candidate for President
of the United States is a Catholic.
MRS. EDWARDS.
Dr. S. K. Smith Wrote "America."
ST. JOHNS. Or., Sept, 24. (To the
Editor.) I notice the question: "Who
wrote 'America'"? Dr. Samuel F.
Smith wrote it,
MRS. PEARL LASKJ2Y.
In Other Days.
Twenty-live Years Ago.
From Tho Oregonian of Sept. 26, 1S91.
Berlin, Sept. 25. The Czar has re
quested that his passage through Ber
lin on his way to Moscow, whither ho
is going because of the death of tho
Grand Duchess Paul, be strictly pri
vate, with no reception at railway sta
tions. The Ciar arrived here late to
day and was received by Prince Leo
pold on behalf of Emperor William.
After dining, ho resumed his journey.
Chicago, Sept. 15. England and Ger
many have each applied for about five
acres of space in the World's Fair
buildings for their exhibits.
At tho close of lee first week of
school yesterdav there were 7137 chil
dren enrolled in the public schools, 4138
on the West Side and 2999 on the East
Side. The gain this year over last is
349.
W. H. Kennedy, engineer In charge
of the work of making the survey of
tho railroad from Goble to Astoria, is in
the city. Tho survey Is progressing
favorably and the two parties engaged;
on the work will soon meet. The peo
ple along the line are displaying great
liberality in the matter of donating tho
rights of way.
Tho new town of Whlteson, In Yam
hill County. Is named after Henry
White, a pioneer of 1S01. upon whoso
farm the new town Is being built. Mr.
White is now 80 years old.
Half a Centnry Ago.
From Tho Oregonian of Sept. 26, 1SS6.
Washington. Sept. 24.- Secretary
Seward has recovered and was at the
State Department today attending to
his olllclal duties.
Chicago, Sept. 24. Interesting ex
periments oft projectiles upon iron as
material for a permanent fortification
are in progress at Fortress Monroe.
We are Informed by our Dalles cor
respondent that the number of horses
and mules stolen by Indians from Camn.
Watson recently was 79. The latest
news from the place was brought by a
Dr. rooks.
William Qulgley, early last Spring.
discovered upon the Pend d'Oreille rive
loads of silver-bearing quartz. The
test of some of the samples now shows
a value of I2000 per ton.
The ball at Oro Flno hall, given by
the Washington Guards last night, is
hailed as tho most attractive aflalr of
the season.
It is estimated that tho yearly in
come of the Atlantic cable will be near
ly 4, 500. 000.
RAILROAD MANAGERS DISTRl'STED
Printer Say They Are Not mm Tractable
ai Employers of Ills Craft.
BAKER. Or.. Sept. 24. (To tho Edi
tor.) I have read the editorial entitled
An Example to Labor Unions" in Tho
Oregonian.
I am a printer a union printer and
as such cannot restrain a feeling of
prldo at your laudations of tho mem
bers of the International Typograph
ical Union, Individually and collect
ively. However. I don't think tho compari
son of railroad an.l printing conditions
Is fair. In January. 19i6. to be exact,
tho union printers throughout tho
United States united in a demand that
eiKht hours constitute a day's work. A
larse proportion of the members of tho
I. T. U. were then enjoying that boon,
and many more received it on demand,
but many employers, who erroneously
believed the union was "trying to run
their business'" remained obdurate and .
it became necessary, in a number of
cases, to call strikes in order to en
force the demand.
I belonged to a small union, which
found it necessary to strike. We lost,
as did many other small locals, but In
tho main it was possible to reason with
the employing printers, most of whom
had fought their way up from the
ranks, which eventually resulted in the
adoption of the eight-hour schedule by
practically all of the masler printers
within the Jurisdiction of the I. T. U-.
the exceptions in most instances belni;
due, not so much to the arrogance of
the employers, as to the assinity of
unorganized printers, who did not and
would not understand the great prin
ciples of unionism In general and as
applied to printers in particular.
However, had the employing print
ers been egotistically and arrogantly
unfair and discriminative as are tho
railroad managers, not only to their
employes, but to the general public. I
am sure there would not now be tho
feeling of co-operation that exists be
tween printers and employers, nor
would there be arbitration.
Arbitration consists of a fair and
equitable adjustment of differences,
but who can honestly state, basing his
orinion upon treatment he has re
ceived at tho hands of railroad man
agers, that he believes the managers
would even consider arbitration if they
did not feel certain they would re
ceive all the benefits? A railroad of
ficial's idea of a square deal is 99 per
cent advantage on his side, the re
maining 1 per cent to be divided be
tween the other fellow and thedevit.
A railroad magnate respects only
power, be it political, strategical or
financial, and superiority in any of
these is the only club with which he
can bo subdued.
Who ever heard of a railroad mac-j
nate conceding anything to anyone
without coercion? And does anyone
believe that had the brotherhoods con
sented to arbitration, the bosses would
have stood by the decision of the ar
bitration board had that body conceded
the eight-hour day to stie workers?
The eight-hour work day in tho
march of progress, is bound to become
universal, but like all other great
strides which civilization has made, it
will encounter obstructions placed by
our "leading citizens," who ought in
reality to bo pushing ahead Instead of
pulling back. W. J. M CULLEY.
SLOGAN NOT FOUNDED ON FACTS
Peace Due to W 111 of People, Not to
Deeds of President.
PORTLAND. Sept. 25. To the Ed
itor.) Under our form of government
all powers are vested In either the ex
ecutive, legislative of Judicial depart
ments. The duties of esch are measured and
limited by the Constitution. In which
Conefress is vesttd with the authority
to enact laws, the Judiciary to construe
and the President to enforce them.
Among other thinps section 8 of article
1 of the Federal Constitution provides
"that Congress shall have power to
declare war." "to raise and support ar
mies." "to provide and maintain a
Navy."
Under the Constitution the power to
declare war" is vested in Congress and
in CongrehS only. Why then should
anyone vote for President Wilson un
der the claim or pretense that "ho has
kept us out of war?"
The people of this Nation did not
want war and it Is for such reason and
for such reason only that Congress has
not declared war. Whenever the people
of this Nation want war Congress and
not the President will 'declare war.
It Is our form of government and
not President Wilson that should have
any credit for keeplrg this Nation out
of war. No person should be mislea
or deceived Into Toting for President
Wilson on the theory that "he has kept
us out of war."
Wo are living under a republican,
form of government.
CHARLES A. JOICCS.