8
THE 3IOEXIXG OREGONIAN, SATUEDAT, XOTEFBKR 23, 1910.
PORT LAN D, OREGON.
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PORTLAND. SATURDAY. NOV. 25. 1916.
THE DIET SQUAB.
The world has g-one beyond the point
where it laughs every time someone
proposes to make the human body a
laboratory for the study of economic
problems. The country poked a good
deal of fun at Dr. Wiley and his "poi
eon squad" in Washington only a few
years ago, but it is prepared to enter
tain in a wholly different spirit the
experiment now being conducted by
Dr. John Dill Robertson, . health of
ficer of Chicago, the purpose of which
Is to demonstrate that a person can
live well for a matter of 40 cents or
so a day. Kor the fact stands out that
our food situation has come to be an
exceedingly serious problem and it is
realized that the solution will not be
found through the speculative vapor
lngs of those who talk glibly about
corners, and middlemen, and unwise
distribution, but when pinned down
reveal that they know little or noth
ing about the .subject. The suspicion
Is growing that the late James J. Hill
was right some years ago when he
said that the cost of high living was
the cause of the high cost of living.
The question now seriously to be de
termined is whether or not, along with
such abuses as may have crept in, in
the way of unnecessary profits to the
middleman, and so forth, there Is not
perhaps a fundamental reason deeper
down, and whether we ourselves are
not most responsible.
There is a striking parallel between
the recent utterances of a German
statesman concerning war-time condi
tions in his country and those of Mrs.
Julian Heath, president of the Na
tional Housewives' League of America,
nnd the general sentiment is echoed
by a Chicago commission merchant,
who. although he has profited by re
cent food-market conditions. Is willing
to discuss them frankly. The German
statesman was quoted as saying that
his. people were simply learning to eat
nutritious foods that they had for
gotten about in times of plenty. He
recalled the days of his own boyhood,
under the stern discipline of a father
who tolerated no "nonsense" at meal
time. It was this parent's idea that
certain plain and wholesome articles
of food belonged of right in the dietary
of a growing boy. If the boy con
ceived a finical dislike for oatmeal, for
example, oatmeal was set before him
and he was required to eat a specified
portion as a condition of receiving
certain other foods of which he was
especially fond. The result, as this
man recalls the experience, was that
In time he came to eating without
question the good things that were
set before him, thinking nothing of it.
The Chicago commission man
strikes the same chord when he says
that people have grown too insistent
on particular articles of food. It is
for this reason that they are easily
made victims of the speculator. It
Is possible for some far-sighted men
to accumulate large stocks of a much
desired foodstuff in advance of an ex
pected shortage, but it would not be
possible for them to make a large
profit if consumers would give thought
to the possibilities of using something
else instead. Under present conditions,
people are loath to do without their
favorite foods, even In times of scar
city and high prices, which in itself
is a controlling factor In making such
high prices possible.
Mrs. Heath's plan Is for housewives
to make it a practice to stop buying so
far as possible the foods that are par
ticularly high in price. She believes
that it would not take long, if people
would act in something like concert,
to make a profound impression on
market conditions. The difficulty, of
course, lies in bringing about unan
imity of action, but there is no doubt
that it would make a tremendous dif
ference, for example, if our 110,000,
000 Americans would cut their con
sumption of eggs, or butter, or some
other one item, to one-half the cus
tomary amount for a single week. The
mere process of addition will show
what the effect would be.
The essence of good "merchandis
ing" Is said by successful business men
to be the creation of desire, the stimu
lation of demand after which the fill
ing of the order Is a relatively simple
matter. The Modern Merchant and
Grocery World voices this principle in
a conspicuously printed article, which
says: "Consumers are being educated
today by a variety of conditions to
pay good prices for everything they
buy. The retail merchant who does
not take advantage of that would bet
ter drop out." Now, It will not be
contended that the dealer does not
have a perfect right to put up an espe
cially attractive article in an especially
ornate package and ask a good price
for It. It is not only his right, but,
as has been said, it is the essence of
good merchandising: but the consumer
also is within his rights when he con
cludes that the simpler life was meant
for him about that time.
There is no doubt, either, that the
average man eats too much. This is
pretty well admitted by physicians and
food specialists. While no one In sound
health wants to go to his meals with
a table of calories constantly before
him, it will not hurt him to know, as
the Chicago diet squad Is seeking to
show, that certain rather plain foods
are ample not only to sustain life but
to give variety and pleasure. It is
not necessary to go to the extreme
proposed by Professor Isman Boas, a
German expert, who has dembnstrated
that a person can live "scientifically'
on almost nothing. As to that, we
are inclined to agree with the editor
of the Berlin Vorwaerts that such a
life would be almost not worth living.
Nor would we go, either, to the lengths
of the Danish scientist, Dr. Hindhehe,
who has been living on potatoes, bread,
butter and fruit at a cost of six cents
a day. But somewhere between the
two extremes, between a theoretical
six cents a day and a system that de
mands only, the "best cuts" and lets
the trimmings go to waste, there Is a
medium worthy of serious considera
tion. It is this medium, we believe,
that is being sought through such
practical experiments in the human
laboratory as are now being conducted
by Dr. Robertson.
Some persons will remember the
time when Dr. Atkinson, of Boston,
got himself called "Shinbone Atkin
son" because of certain demonstra
tions he made as to the food value of
some of the less desirable parts of
the meat animal. The psychology of
it was peculiar. He doubtless was in
spired by a sincere desire to be help
ful to the poor and to people of mod
erate means, but they thought they
saw instead a deep-laid scheme to
make it possible to reduce the wages
of the workingman. But times have
changed. Food economies seem about
to be forcing themselves upon all
classes alike, and with the removal
of the "class distinction" that was
then unworthily thrust into a plain
economic question, it seems quite
probable that serious students and
experimenters will find a more fertile
soil for their propaganda.
WHAT'S COMING tPf
The unexpressed text of an ar
ticle on reform of the initiative and
referendum published in a contem
porary is: Let him who is without sin
cast the first stone. The lawyers, hav
ing suggested ways of eliminating fraud
from the initiative petition process, are
advised that if they are bent on re
form they should first reform them
selves by kicking the shysters out of
the profession, or devote their energies
to the reform of court procedure.
Suppose we -do turn this job of re
forming the initlative.and referendum
over to somebody else. The bakers
have enough to do reforming the size
of the loaf to fit the high cost of
flour; the dairymen should spend their
time reforming the few men in their
business who do not observe cleanli
ness; the barbers should see that the
lazy men In their trade keep their
razors sharp; the real estate men
outrht to reform the exorbitant nrlces
at which! some of their clients hold
property; the preachers should devote
their time to kicking out an occasional
unfit and reforming their godliness to
meet the habitual criticisms of the
ungodly.
The list might be pursued until
every class has been eliminated on the
test of qualifications until we get down
to the professional political reformers.
It is of course their exclusive business,
but, alas! the stage has been reached
where they cannot successfully operate
unless wholesale petition forging re
mains easy and unlikely to be pun
ished. Naturally, they cannot be ex
pected to do anything that will put
themselves out of business.
It is discouraging to reach such an
impasse. But we are approaching an
other one In the operations of the
direct primary. It is becoming bo that
a candidate for office who has made
a success ' in private life Is deemed
unfit on the theory that he must per
force represent the predatory Inter
ests, while the candidate who has not
made a success In private enterprise is
deemed undesirable because public
affairs should not be trusted to a man
who has not been able successfully to
manage his own.
But reverting to direct legislation.
the query persists: Why should any
body object to elimination, through
the efforts of anybody, of the frauds
and forgeries of petition making, un
less he has something in mind to put
over on the people?
"STAKING" A WIFE-HUNTER.
Those who have read of the fabulous
sums which society leaders on the
Atlantic Coast pay for lavish enter
tainments would not Imagine that a
swell" caterer could ever go bank
rupt, but that Is the misfortune which
has befallen Carl Berger, who supplied
many luxuries to the wealthy of New
York, Long Island and Newport. All
is not "velvet" for the caterer to so
ciety.
One causa of loss was that, on an
Introduction from the late Theodore
Havemeyer, the caterer "staked" a
Hungarian nobleman who had little
besides his title and who came to the
United States in search of a rich wife.
The Count de Kutack had good pros
pects of marrying one of two wealthy
widows and he gave great dinners, for
which Mr. Berger extended credit, also
lending the Count $5000. The widows
married others, and the Count went
home disconsolate, leaving his creditor
to mourn over $15,000. Other for
eign noblemen and diplomats owe con
siderable sums, one since 1896, and the
final crash came In 1914, when the
war broke out and prejudice against
his German nationality caused many
rich customers to cancel orders they
had given for the Newport season.
As more light Is let In on the meth
ods by which poor European noblemen
hunt American heiresses, the more the
wonder grows that they are so easily
taken in by the owner of nothing but
a title and a mortgaged estate. The
courting of an American wife appears
to be a business enterprise, not unlike
the gold-hunting expeditions to Cocos
Island. The suitor Is backed by cater
ers, florists and the whole flock of
those who provide entertainment and
clothing, and who hope for a share of
the plunder, when the heiress yields
to the fascinations of the title. In
fact, the tradesmen gamble on the
success of their customer in his suit.
If he falls, he leaves them holding
the bag.
THE CANAL A SUCCESS.
General Goethals has some ground
for the scorn with which he answers
those persons who have predicted the
failure of the Panama Canal. He has
spent years In studying the geology
of the isthmus and in adapting the
structure to its peculiarities. He has
employed men of the highest scien
tific and practical knowledge to ad
vise and assist him. The Canal is his
great work, which will make his name
live through history. It naturally
galls him to see men whose knowledge
of the Canal is limited to a few hours'
examination declare it a failure and
to observe their opinions given equal
weight with those o men like him
self, who really know.
Accepting as true General Goethals'
statements of fact as to the nature and
movements of the ground where slides
have occurred, one can realize by ob
servation of any work where the
natural slope of the ground has been
altered that slides were bound to come
and that they will grow smaller until
they cease. That is the story of every
cut that is made for a railroad, street
or canal. The earth settles to Its nat
ural slope and then rests. The case
of the Canal is different chiefly in the
depth and width of the cut and in
the consequent extent of the slides, but
the general principle is the same.
Where a slide in a railroad might be
removed with shovels and wheelbar
rows, a slide In the Canal occupies a
fleet of dredges. Given the knowledge
and the necessary equipment, the
Canal slides can be removed and final
ly stopped as surely as any other
slides.
This is said on the strength of the
assurances given by General Goethals,
for he is the man who knows. Others
base superficial judgment on hurried
visits and on preconceived ideas. With
some foreign critics, too, the wish
that the Canal should fail Is father to
the thought.
SIAXEtt AND HI3 INTENTIONS.
The inventions of Sir Hiram Maxim
may be said to have been the principal
means of revolutionizing warfare. The
automatic gun effected such slaughter
among dense masses of men that close
order fighting became a practical im
possibility. Hence advance in open
order, taking advantage of every bit
of cover, became the rule. Smokeless
powder prevents the fire of artillery
from hiding Its target, but Indirect fire
has lessened the importance of clear
vision. Aircraft, in the invention of
which Maxim was the forerunner of
the. Wrights, facilitate indirect fire
and have limited the scope of strategy
in battle by practically eliminating
surprise attack. But for the inven
tions of Maxim, the long deadlocks of
the present war would hardly have
been, and some brilliant feats of gen
eralship might have ended it long ago.
Many may be inclined to blame
Maxim as the indirect cause of the
bloodshed which now stains Europe.
That opinion raises the moral ques
tion whether a man who makes such
discoveries as his should, from a moral
viewpoint, suppress them, or profit by
them and leave events to determine
whether they will work finally for
good or evil. He may have reasoned
that he was making war so deadly
that no nation would engage in it and
that therefore he was promoting the
abolition of war. He may have be
lieved that he gave the first use of
his inventions to a nation which would
use them only In righteous war, and
that therefore he was serving human
ity. Or he may have taken the strictly
business view that he was entitled to
the fruits of his genius and that he
was not accountable for the use which
others made of his Inventions. After
all, it is a moot point in ethics.
JACK LONDON.
Even before the tapers begin to burn
out about the bier of Jack London
the critics of literature are beginning
to put the last penscratch on his card,
preparatory to filing it away perma
nently in Its proper place in the Index
of literary greatness.
From time to time posterity will
extract that card and make altera
tions thereon, perhaps to score some
thing out, perhaps to add something.
Until posterity has finished revising
it, the world will be obliged to depend
for its estimate upon the word of the
critics and upon the vast nebulous
mass of untrained public opinion and
public opinion has a disconcerting way
of setting aside the dicta of authority.
In its appreciation and its estimate
of a writer.
London died In the fullness of his
productive power. Ho was only 41
years old. He had not reached the
stage where a pitiless public could be
gin to look for the symptoms of senile
decay in his work; he was not snuffed
out in young manhood, to leave the
world wondering regretfully which
might be the breadth of his wings
had they been full grown. For this
reason It Is probable that another gen
eration will bring a fairly complete
estimate of his place and magnitude
In American literature. In the mean
time those who attempt to write
epitaphs to his genius will have to be
content only to approximate.
London might have stood at the
head of an epoch in American litera
ture. He might have created a Lon
don school. But apparently he has
not. Instead of being the center of
a new literary solar system he seems
to be, to change the figure radically,
one of a host of Imposing planets that
revolve about the real center.
It Is rather cruel to both parties
concerned to begin to talk of Kipling
and Jack London In the same breath,
but those who follow what Is to be
said about London In the next few
weeks will probably find it being done
again and again. For, in our present
perspective at least, he appears to bo
one of the major planets In the Kip
ling solar system. He shines with no
mean luster in the multitudinous drift
of minute asteroids that sweep about
the same great center.
London's literary life-story closely
parallels tsat of every other writer
who has applied himself through a
long period of productivity. A breadth
of sweep, an enthusiasm, a daring of
young and unf retted Ideas and ideals,
an assertlveness, a positlvcness un
taught and unmodified by experience
and reverses, characterize his earlier
works. As he advances he abandons
wings gradually and comes more near
ly to using his feet. Ho arrives at
autobiography, at personal philosophy
and at an effort to understand the
conditions about him. From a youth
ful enthusiasm to shatter the universe
to bits and to remold It nearer to the
heart's desire, he arrives at a sober
willingness to study It and try to find
out how It was constituted.
"Martin Ederi" probably marks that
transition point between the period
which produced the "Sea Wolf," with
Its savage Individualistic ideals, and
"John Barleycorn," which represents
the later phase of his development.
"Martin Eden" was Jack London's
summing up of himself, in which he
admitted the despair of his old meth
ods of thought and turned himself to
find out patiently what manner of
universe he lived in.
"I just sort of hammered around
In the dark until I knocked holes
through here and there and caught
glimpses of the daylight," were his
own words expressive of his philo
sophical struggles, long before the tran
sition period. After "Martin Eden"
he really got down to the business of
knocking holes through.
Getting aside from the philosophical
phase to the literary phase, the rea
son Jack London does not stand at
the head of a new literary epoch is
probably because his genius was elabo
rative rather than creative. All of
his experiences, all of his1 reading, all
that he gleaned from his relations with
his friends germinated into stories, but
the germ idea and the originating im
pulse always came from without. His
brain did not cast off spores of new
Ideas, but it proved a tremendously
fertile field in which they might grow.
Accordingly we find his history
flecked with incidents of accusations
of plagiarism, which may or may not
have been well founded. Probably
they were not. He was an Incessant
reader; he was endlessly throwing
himself in the way of new experiences.
"All things interest me the world
is so very good." he said. And every
thing that touched him took root and
shot up into some fantastically elab
orated narrative form.
An obscure writer produced a story
based upon the life habits of primeval
loan A short time afterward London
wrote "Before Adam," more elaborate,
more powerful, more popular. It was
told by a man who was a better story
teller. There was some talk of plagiar
ism, but all the evidence indicates not
plagiarism, but a development of the
germ idea, a development In every di
rection, under the elaboratlve genius
of lndon.
Posterity will probably take Jack
London's card out of the index and
cross out the entry under plagiarism,
or at least smear Ink over it. In the
meantime, while the critics are fin
ishing the cataloguing of the departed
writer, and posterity is reaching lei
surely for the card to make the final
corrections, the vogue of London's
works will continue. Part of the peo
plo will be bored by him as in the
past and will vote him raw and
strainedly shocking, and another part
will hall him as a prophet of the
primordial.
In Ihe twilight zone between the two
factions will be a large group that
will love him as a man who was able
to combine his experiences with his
expression, a tireless story-teller, one
who worked consistently toward reali
zation of his literary ideal, a writer
whose wings brushed at times very
close to the high heavens of complete
genius.
It has been discovered that the
white pine blister rust, which now
threatens the white pine forests of the
Eastern states with extermination,
does not spread directly from pine to
pine, but succeeds only through the
intermediate aid of such agencies as
currant and gooseberry vines. This
fact points the way to reduction of the
danger by a thorough cleaning out of
underbrush, which, however, is a task
of great magnitude and is not always
feasible, even when the stake is large.
Forestry experts have decided that in
future It will be inadvisable to make
any new plantings exclusively of white
pine, but that this shall be planted
only in connection with the two-needle
species that Is not subject to the rust.
The white pine In question Is a five
needle variety. The red pino is not
so valuable for Its timber as the white
pine, but foresters must choose be
tween two evils, and until the white
pine blister is better understood or a
natural enemy is found, drastic meas
ures are necessary.
Senator Hoke Smith Is the most un
popular of men among the women of
Georgia, and he has only to thank his
unguarded tongue for his troubles. He
recently delivered an address on rural
credits at Macon, and the undergrad
uates of the Wesleyan Female Semi
nary filled the gallery. He said In
beginning his speech:
I will explain the subject in surh simple
words that even the young ladies In the
gallery can understand it.
That assumption that woman's In
tellect is Inferior to that of man was
too much for the women. Not only
the young ladies In the gallery, but the
old ladles, the middle-aged ladles and
the young married ladles are after
him. Woe to him If the women of
Georgia ever get the ballot. But do
not his words express the opinion of
woman that Is held by the "chivalrous
South"?
Bets on the length of the war are
already beginning to be paid. Two
groups of Amsterdam business men
made a bet of $120,000 on its ending In
October, 1916. but both parties hedged
by insuring themselves the risk of
losing by giving 10 per cent premiums
to Insurance companies. The winners
finally got $103,000, the losers had to
pay $12,000, and the Insurance com
panies were the heaviest losers. Lloyds
had a regular schedule of rates for
bets on the ending of the war on cer
tain dates, but nearly all of those
dates have passed and the hopeful
ones have lost. None are now san
guine eaoogh to bet on an early date.
The nitrate deposits found In the
United States are pronounced by the
Geological Survey, after two years' ex
amination, to be commercially worthies-.--.
If we wish to become Independent
of Chile for our supply, we must take
nitrates out of the air, and we can
only do that economically by develop
ing water power on the same scale as
have nearly all European nations. That
we may do this. Congress should push
Mr. Pinchot and the other cranks on
one side and pass the water-power
bills with provisions which will secure
capital and avoid conflict between
Federal and. state jurisdictions.
As 110 of the 118 marriages solem
nized in Bellows Falls, Vt.. in October
were of non-residentH, that town fears
to become another Gretna Green and
will ask the Legislature to make the
marriage laws less liberal to non
residents. Probably no person In Bel
lows Falls except the parson profits
by the weddings. A condition of mar
riage In that town might be that the
bride's trousseau and wedding cake
should be bought In the town; that
would be passing prosperity around.
Representative-elect Jeanette Ran
kin, of Montana, has found it neces
sary to enlist the services of her big
brother, a former Harvard football
player, to guard her against photog
raphers, cranks, beggars and would-be
husbands. If women in office are thus
to be dependent on their male rela
tives, where then Is the boasted indD
pendence and equality of the fair sex?
Or Is woman hereafter to supply the
brain for the work of government,
while man supplies the brawn?
Bryan declares he will quit attempt
ing to regulate the universe and de
vote his time to reforming people.
Continued hammering by defeat Is re
forming the prairie commoner.
A "landmark" leaves the Columbia
when the old ferry-boat Kalama de
parts. Everybody remembers his first
ride on that boat.
The Chinese regard raids on their
lotteries as due to freakishness of tho
"white devils" and build another door
in the hallway.
Talk of a boycott on eggs Is non
sense. The man who wants them and
has the price Is not stinting his stom
ach. A man In California was put In jail
six hours yesterday for betting on
Hughes, and this Is rubbing it in.
Christmas 1b a month off and now
is the time to begin arranging for the
community tree.
Postal employes should learn to tie
the square knot, so the twine can
again be used.
Men will be safe on crossings In the
Spring. Fashion says skirts must be
longer.
Turkey shooting; Is healthful rifle
practice,
V
AMENDMENT 15 THOUGHT rXJCST
Writer Therefore ApprOTPi "pa II lire to
Observe Constitution In South.
ROSEBURG. Or.. Nov. 22. (To the
Editor.) I must insist that you have
not explained your assertions of how
the electoral college Is based on votes
or ballots as tho basis for apportion
ment. Although should I admit that
I am an Ignoramus. I should consider
It a favor if you would consult any
good authority on constitutional law
on this one question of fact.
In regard to the 15th amendment. I
will say that constitutional lawyers
generally regard tho ballot as a privi
lege, not as a right. Hence, some states
grant the right of ballot to women and
men, others to men only, as perhaps
you are aware. Some states have quali
fications concerning residence, others
concerning education, as Massachusetts,
etc You have not yet shown distinctly
how the Southern states violate the 15lh
amendment, for their means of restrict
ing tho black vote is not. theoretically,
at least, based on race, color or previ
ous condition of servitude.
But If I should grant that these
states break the tenor of this amend
ment, you must admit that this amend
ment was passed without their fair
consent, indeed, without any fair repre
sentation. Many Northern people think the
South abusive In dealing with t,he col
ored race. But allow me to po'iut out
that many Northwest towns have
barred the presence of colored people
from their limits by threat and boy
cott. Further. Northern people lynch as
readily as Southerners, when It is con
sidered how few colored Americans re
side among the Northern whites.
The Southern white view of the col
ored man is not one whit worse than
the Western view of the Mongolian.
There are. recorded, historical in
stances where the Chinese districts
have been surrounded, tho buildings
fired. and when the Inhabitants
emerged, they were shot like rats.
Would the Northerin or Western white
treat the black American more satis
factorily than the Southern? Is not
race prejudice In the mind of the aver
age white, as much in one section as
another?
Let me again ask, would The Orego
nlan rob the South of Its representa
tion in the electoral college? Despite
your sarcasm I continue to insist that
population id the actual and the just
basis for representation of the elec
toral vote, and not the actual registra
tion, or vote cast. E. P. STRONG.
The Oregonlan has not asserted that
representation In the electoral college
is based on votes. It Is based on rep
resentation In Congress, which In turn
is based on population. There Is. how
ever, a provision In the Constitution
which requires that when tho right to
vote Is denied any male citizens, who
have attained their majority, that
state's representation in Congress shall
be reduced In proportion.
This provision Is not a part of the
15th amendment, but of the 14th. It
does not apply solely to denial of suf
frage on account of race or color, but
to denial for any reason except par
ticipation In rebellion or crime.
Tho 14th amendment In this par
ticular Is not enforced. Oregon could
legally, for example, enforce a law
denying the franchise to any citizen
who was not 40 years old. But If it did
It would be subject to reduction in the
number of Its members of the ' lower
house of Congress and consequently In
its electoral college representation
that Is, If the 14th ameodmcut were
obeyed.
Nobody need present an argument
that race prejudice exists In Oregon
Its existence has been demonstrated
by" tho votes of more than 100.000 per
sons who, imagining that negro and
Chinese citizens could not vote in Ore
gon, refused to pass an amendment
which they thought would enfranchise
such persons.
The Oregonlan would not "rob the
South of Us representation in the elec
toral college," but it would have the
Constitution enforced If it hud its way.
It is" not sound argument against a
law's enforcement that certain sections
or persons are opposed to it. The
rural districts have just voted Portland
bone-dry against Portland's will. Does
tho correspondent believe the bone-dry
amendment should, for that reason, be
ignored in Portland?
I'LIILIC VlIUtALLV OWNS SYSTEM
Onn Interests Sacrificed in Permitting;
J liner Ilaida on Streetcar Uusineas.
PORTLAND, Nov. 24. (To the Edi
tor.) In the discussion of the Jitney
problem, every one eeems to overlook
the fact that tho enactment of the
"public utilities' act has completely
changed the relations existing between
the city of Portland and tje street rail
way company, licit interest as well as
Justice now requires that the company
be permitted to earn a fair return on
its investment. The fair value of the
company's property has been deter
mined after a careful and thorough in
vestigation. If at any time It appears
that the company is making more
than a fair return on its actual, not
its nominal. Investment, the 1'ubilc
Service Commission is empowered to
order a reduction of rates or Increase
of- service.
This puts the publlo virtually in the
position of owners. Tho nominal own
ers are permitted to retain the title
and to operate the property; they are
required to bear tho loss, if any, but
are permitted to receive the profits
only up to tne point which the Com
mission may deem a "fair return."
Anything beyond tnat must bo returned
to tile public In the form of Improved
service or lower rates.
This privilege of sharing the utility
company's profits carries with it moral
obligation to allow the company to
make a reasonable profit If natural
conditions will permit, and makes it
to the public Interest to aid tho com
pany by all legitimate means, in mak
ing Its operations profitable.
It is not only unjust to subject tho
company to unfair or unequal compe
tition; It Is unwise to subjectlt to any
competition at all. While the" public Is
a partner In the business, it can re
ceive no part of the profits until all
the expenses "iave been paid and the
other partner has had his share. Com
petition, fair or unfair, must first de
stroy the community's part of the prof
its, that is the hope of better service
or lower rates, before It can affect
tho company's Interests. The Jitney is
therefore as great a menace to the true
interest of the patrons of the street
cars as it Is to the Portland Railway,
Light & Power Company.
J. P. NEWELL.
MENU LCXIRY FOR SOME FOLKS
Housewife Who Is Economizing Smiles
Over Chicago Experiment.
PORTLAND, Nov. 24. (To the Edi
tor.) In Tie Oregonlan Nov. 22 and
23 I notice where a number of people
are on a diet. I must say it makes me
laugh. I. for one, live on less, and
there are hundreds of people who have
to live on less than I do. I have plenty
and don't think what the diet squad
is doing is amounting to much, as their
menus are of tie fat of the land.
I noticed about one-egg muffins. I
have been making egglees muffins and
all 6orts of hot breads, cakes and
cookies without eggs for the last four
years of Democratic prosperity and we
have four more years to contend with.
It would be a blessing If wo all could
live as good as the diet equad In tho
next four years. A SUBSCRIBER.
FEAR OF ItOOSEVELT MAIN CAl'SC
Writer Thinks T. R. Responsible for
Defeat of Sir. lluahrs.
PORTLAND. Nov. 24. (To tho Ed
itor.) With great Interest I have read
your articles as to tho cause and the
result of the election. Tou have told
a great deal of truth, but not all the
truth.
The main cause that Wilson was re
elected '.a the fear of tho man with Vie
bulldog teeth. "Roosevelt."' I have met
people of all colors since the election,
who told me they had no use for Wil
son, but they voted for him for fear of
Roosevelt. Not only full-blooded
Americans, but Germans and Swiss",
who are outspoken German sympa
thizers, not to mention women.
If this was the case here It certain
ly was so much more so In the East and
Middle West. I expected an official
announcement In tho 12th hour, as I
havo read it In an Eastern paper, that
Roosevelt would not have a place in
the Cabinet, and that would undoubt
edly have wor for Mr. Hughes.
I am very glad that you do not jus
tify the bone-dry law. Thousands of
peoplo are preparing to leave the state
and It seems Oregon Is doomed bv such
fanatical laws. We were all we'll sat
isfied with the law we had and there
is no call for such a law-. People will
not be enslaved. R. Bt'ETlKOFKlt.
SIDEWALKS IX nriUL DISTRICTS
Law Compelling; Non-resident Ovrnera
to Build Is Needed.
JENNIXOS LODGE, Or.. Nov. 24.
(To the Editor.) I want crudely to
suggest nn idea to our state legisla
tors, viz.: An enactment to require non
resident owners of platted property
outside of incorporated towns to build
sidewalks In front of their property.
There are thousands nt Iniiii.. i
jOrepron where people are collecting to
gether In little villages and establish
ing postoffices, stores, getting phones,
electric light and gas. and macadam
izing the roads and imnrovlng their
streets and In every way enhancing
the value of non-resident owners" prop
erty. We build our sidewalks, but as
soon as we get to the non-resident
owners property we must Jump off Into
the mud. Now. why not develop thi
Idea and push It into an enactment?
In any platted part of a countv In
Oregon a certain per cent (majority)
of the residents of any street between
the two cross-streets may require t:e
ow-ner or owners of any property along
said street to build a sidewalk in front
of his property, and if he shall fail
to do so within days, said residents
may elect to build said sidewalk along
said property and said owner shall pav
the costs thereof and if he shall fail
to do so for 30 days said costs and
charges shall become a lien acatnst "Us
property. P. D. NEWELU
RACK TO THE Oin HOME FARM
(An Oregon Pioneer to His Good Old
Life Pard.)
It seems surprising don't It, wife, to
think that at our time o" life two
oldish kids like you an' me 'd think o"
trapesln' back where we begun this life
together where you caught me fast in
Cupid s snare? Back to the old New
England farm where you an' me walked
arm In arm into the best room, where
we stood afore the whole durned
neighborhood an' had the preacher
couple us up tight for better or fur
wuss. Tomorrow we will speed away
back there to spend Thanksgivln- day.
an stay a month, an' mebbo more,
among the folks we knew afore we not
our youthful minds upon a home out
here In Oregon. We labored hard to
git a start, en' you. God bless you. did
your part In bulldin" up this splendid
home on what was wild land when wo
come. We've prospered on the farm,
old wife, are comfortably fixed for life
We've plenty to bo thankful for. I'm
free to say a good deal more than
them that lauched an' Joshed us so
when wo lit out for Westward ho! I
think I yet can hear 'em say that wild
goose chasln' didn't pay an' prophesyin'
that within a year they'd see us back
apin. But. praise the Lord, we kept
our nerve, from our Intentions didn't
swerve, an' now when we git back an"
tell tho story of our goose chase well,
thy'll know it wa'n't no goose that we
was chasin', but prosperity, an' that w-e
caught It In this grand an' wealth
producln' promised land. When we go
back 'twon't be the way we come here
in that early day behind an ox team,
but we'll ride as sassy as kin be in
side a Pullman sleepin' car. by Ned!
an' have a coon to make our bed on'
wait on us Just like ho thought that
we was 'rlstoerabs. Eh. wliat!
JAMES RARTON ADAMS.
New Spirit of Thanksgiving Well
Featured in Sunday Oregonian
YOUR TURKEY'S READY Where Oregon's Thanksgiving: turkeys
come from is told in one of the special articles in The Sunday
Oregonian. Patriotic natives of the Eeaver state will be dad to
learn that the great mass of the local supply comes from the unique
turkey farms of Douglas County, which are interestingly described
in this article.
A NEW ROAD TO HAPPINESS Mary Inez Martin contributes tn
The Sunday Oregonian an interesting account of a novel method of
preserving the home and of bringing husband and wife into closer
harmony. The plan is simple and effective, and is delightfully
described, with a sprinkling of character delineations that add
charm to the Btory.
HOW TO HOLD HANDS Amateur public speakers are not the only
folk who are oftentimes unpleasantly aware of their hands. The
young woman who thinks it "the thing" to hold her little finger
prominently elevated will also find interesting help in an article on
the beauties of the human hand that is one of the features of The
Sunday Oregonian. The article is profusely illustrated.
PROGRESS IN ALASKA Frank G. Carpenter contributes to The
Sunday Oregonian another article on the Far North, this one
dealing with the development of the Indian and the Eskimo under
, the influence of the religion taken into the Arctic by the white man.
HISTORY FOR CHILDREN Probably nobody in Orecon knows more
about the state's early history than Mrs. Eva Emery Dye, of
Oregon City, who has written a number of books on the pioneer
days of the Northwest. In The Sunday Oregonian is another of a
series of articles by Mrs. Dye, in which the growth and development
of the state is told for the special benefit cf the little folks.
POLLY'S PA AND DOC YAK The comic section of The Sunday
Oregonian will be enjoyed by children and grown-ups alike. It
continues the adventures of Polly and her father, and adds yet
another chapter to the adventures of Doc Yak and his little Yutch.
Other funny favorites also have their etories to tell.
WHAT TO WEAR Of special interest to women will be the two
articles on the modes for Winter sports, and the description of a
lace yoke of novel design that can easily be made in time for the
coming Christmas. Other features of special interest to the
housewife at the holiday season of the year will also be found in
the usual departments.
SOMETHING FOR ALL TASTES Aside from these special features
readers of The Sunday Oregonian will find a host of other pages
of special interest. Seven columns of romance the week's
installment of "The Scarlet Runner" will serve to while away an
hour or so by the fire. News photographs showing world-wide
events and people of interest are also a part of the offering, while
Herbert Kaufman's page is as full of things worth while as ever.
The Thanksgiving season receives its share of attention, there
being a complete directory of the special services planned by the
city's churches and a Thanksgiving message frcm the pen of the
Rev. W. O. Shank. Old poems that are favorites among the people,
a page of school news and many other features round out this issue
of The Sunday Oregonian.
5 BIGGER AND BETTER THAN MOST MAGAZINES 3f
In Other Days.
From Ths Oresonlan of November 25. ISni.
Governor Pennoyer, as commander-in-chief
of the Oregon National Guard,
has directed Colonel Mitchell, Adjutant
General, to announce the appointment
of Waiter t. Perry .Major and Assist
ant Adjutant-General. Major Perry Is
a well-known y-uung lawyer of thU
city.
Messrs. F. H. Peavey and E. C. M.ch
ener, of tho grain elevator company,
and James G. Woodwonh. assistant
freight agent of the Union Pacific, re
turned yesterday from a trip through
the wheatgrowing section.
The official, count of votes cast dur
ing tho authors' carnival held In the
Armory last week, the highest nuiber
of votes awarding to the successful
company of the First Regiment two
very handsome military trophies donat
ed by Lieutenant-Colonel Summers, was
made at regimental headquarters last
night and resulted as follows: G. 6i0;
L 2S3; E, 75; C. 11: K, 1; blank. 2.
J. if. Baltimore, of the Evening Tele
gram, who has been very sick for a few
days, is recovering.
James Walker, of Boston, chief clerk
in the office of the Atchison. Topeka .fc
Santa Fa Company in that cltv, who
has been visiting Harry J. Young, of
Portland, left on his return Journey
last Saturday.
TREES TO COMBAT EAST WIND
Need Sursrnted for I.lnlnK lllithvrays
"With rrolrrtlnx (irsntbu.
MONTA VILLA. Nov. 24. (To the
Editor.) Ye, we have a beautiful
place to live here In Oregon, a living
paradise and scmet'.iir.g to be proud
of most of the time. But ricbt here
is where wo fall through. Why not
have it all the lime, at least so far aa
the climate and tfie beauty of the coun
try are concerned?
Not many years asro this country was
t'.iickly covered wuh great fir trees,
and now that they have been removed,
we have left the land quite barren and
at the mercy of fierce east winds. It
we were accustomed to the wind every
day we would not mind it so much, but
it is not natural to have and It touches
a sore spot every time it b.own. If
you will notice, the wind usually con
tinues three days at a time, and "if our
fhare has fallen short.' we c-t a siesre
of another three days, and if we still
seem to need a little more, that same
wind will back up and blow three more
days.
The result of these fierce onsets Is
very trying not only to our visitors, but
to natives as well. It is worse upon
us because we Just have to 'grin and
bear It." while others may hie them
selves away to Sunny California.
Let us find a euro for this "wind
plnirue." I tugest we park tie high
ways. Of course, here we are opposed
by the farmer whose abutting prop
erty may be sapped of some of the soil
nutriment, but we can overcome that
by planting trees that would bear him
nuts or fruit. Of course, the Eversrreen
Conifer is the most sultab!- for an all-year-round
wind break. Merely being
an optimist will not prevent the wind
from blowing. E. NVFF WIND.
Direct Legislation.
SUTHERLIN. Or.. Nov. 23. (To the
Editor.) Kindly name the states be
sides Oregon that have the Initiative
and referendum. DOUOT1IV VANCE.
Among the states having constitu
tional provision for the initiative, and
referendum In full or in part are
Washington. California. Idaho. Ne
braska. South Dakota. Ohio. Nevada.
Montana, Missouri, Alaine. Arkansas,
Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.
I'urtnl.le IluIldlnK.
Exchange.
Portable buildings of small size have
become common during recent years,
but a portable manufacturing plant is a
comparatively recent development of
this form of construction. Tho .circum
stances met in the munitions trade
caused at least one American organi
zation to erect large factories. These
structures are bolted together, although
in appearance they ure of the most sub.
stantial design. It is planned to dis
join and remove them to the main
Plant some time In the future.
I -.H tier.
WELLS. Or.. Nov. 23. (To the Ed
itor.) We wish to settle a dispute. Is
a debating team "beaten" by their op
ponents or "defeated?"
KENNETH CARTER.