TIIE MORNING OltEGONIAN, MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1916. muB w$$mnn PORTLAXD, OHEOOy. Intered at Portland (Oregon) Fostofflce as second-class mail matter. Subscription rates Invariably in advance. (Br Mail.) Bally. Sunday Included, one year s2 Daily. Sunday Included, six months.... 4-5 lally, Sunday included, three months.. 2.5 Dally, Sunday Included, one month.... .5 Daily, without Sunday, one year 6-00 Daily, without Sunday, three months... 1-' J Daily, without Sunday, one month -'I, Weekly, in year A Sunday, one year 2.50 fcunday and Weekly 8.00 (By Carrier.) Dally. Sunday Included, one year 9.00 Daily. Sunday Included, one month 73 How to Remit Send postofflce money order, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Qlve postofflce address In full. Including county and state. Postage Kates 12 to 16 pages. 1 cent: 18 to 32 pages, 2 cents; 84 to 43 pas's. 3 cents; 60 to 60 paces, 4 cents; 62 to 76 pages. 5 cents; 78 to e2 pages, 6 Cents. Foreign post, age. double rates. Eastern Business Office A'erree A Conk 11 a, Brunswick building. New York; Verree Conklln, Sieger building, Chicago. Sau Kranclsco representative, K. J, Bidwell, 742 Market street. PORTLAND. MONDAY, DECEMBER 11. 1916 TAKE AW AT POSTOITICE SPOILS. One of the most Important recom mendations In the report of the Postmaster-General is that the classified civil service be extended to include first, second and third-class postmas terships. This recommendation has received the support of President Wil son, and Is the outgTowth of the con troversy between the Civil Service Re form League and the Administration regarding fourth-class postmasters. Fourth-class postmasters were cov ered Into the classified service by President Taft, who thus gave Repub lican Incumbents permanent tenure. A demand for their displacement by Democrats arose upon the advent of Mr. Wilson to office. Postmaster General Burleson held that the spirit of the civil service law required that these offices be filled by competitive examination, and he arranged that the Incumbents should stand this test along with other candidates, one of the three receiving the highest rating to be appointed. It has been repeat edly charged that, whenever a Demo crat was among these three, he was appointed, no matter what his rank among the three. Circumstantial evi dence corroborates this charge, for the requests, of the Civil Service Reform League for opportunity to verify or disprove it by eamination of the lists were refused by the Civil Service Com mission with the approval of the Presi dent, and one reason given by the Commission was that the publication of the report might embarrass the Administration. Mr. Burleson denied the charge, saying that Information is "Immediately available here and now" that 60 per cent of the "incumbent fourth-class postmasters were not dis turbed." Still the League is denied access to the records, and the entire course of the Administration and of the Democratic party In Congress sup ports the belief that It fears to make known the facts, and the League in its annual report says that Mr. Bur leson's utterances "do not appear to agree with the results of the exami nations." They certainly do not agree with this remark of Vice-President Marshall: Did 1 say jtvll service or "snivel serv ice" T We found the offices guarded by snivel service and our only regret was that we couldn't pry more of the appointees loose and fill their plaoea with Democrats. If there la any office under, tho (government that a Democrat can't fill. I believe that office should bo abolished. If the policy of requiring Incum bents to stand examination along with other candidates when a new class of offices Is covered Into the classified service were followed impartially, there would be no serious objection. The spirit of the law demands that the best among the successful candi dates be appointed, be he Democrat, Republican or of any other party. Ordinarily he would be the one with the highest rating, though occasionally one with a Blightly lower rating might be preferable on general grounds. But the course of the Administration with regard to fourth-class offices causes apprehension lest the law would be used purely to confirm In office Demo cratic Incumbents of first, second and third-class postofflces. Just as it ap pears to have been used to crowd Re publicans out of fourth-class offices and to supplant them with Demo crats. There seems to be no way of avoid ing this perversion of the law under our custom of treating public office as spoils, but having once been placed tinder the merit system, the postofflces would not be spoils upon the next change of Administration.- We should be obliged to trust to such organiza tions as the League to keep the greedy fingers of the spoilsmen off by con stant vigilance and the widest pub licity for the workings of the law. Not withstanding the reaction toward the spoils system which has marred the Wilson Administration, the general trend of public opinion favors the merit system, and those who look for progress toward efficiency, will rely upon a public enlightened by knowl edge of the facts and results. A campaign In favor of the change proposed by Mr. Burleson Is being or ganized by the League. It Is encour aged by the growing belief among Senators that "patronage Is a liability and not an asset." It has already ob tained pledges of support from many Representatives-elect In nine Eastern and Middle Western states which It has canvassed. It will strive for ex tension of the reform to collectors of customs and internal revenue, district attorneys and marshals, whose "use as political agents of the party In power Is a prostitution of the civil service." The more success attends its efforts. the more will politics become a mat ter of principles, not of spoils. "LOOK TO QUALITY IX IMMIGRANTS. One result of the decrease In imml gratlon produced by the war has been that much closer inspection of lmml grants has been possible, and that the percentage of rejections has been greatly Increased. Total arrivals fell from 1.218,480 In 1914 to 326,700 In 1915 and to 298,826 In 1916. At the same time, the percentage of rejec tlons increased from 2.3 In 1914 to 6.3 In 1916 and 4.9 In 1916. A more intensive physical examination of de fectives was possible, and 9.37 per cent of those who were thus examined were rejected. The entire report of Commissioner Camtnettl abounds In evidence that no further delay should occur in passage of the Immigration bill now pending cerore uongress. -This bill strength ens all the weak points in existing law which hae been revealed In Its admin istration and by court decisions. The only serious point of disagreement be tween the President and Congress re lates to the literacy test. This test has been approved by Congress three times and has been the cause of vetoes by. three Prsidenta Cleveland, Taft and. Wilson. Since CongTess has re mained of the same opinion through the changes of twenty years, either the President should withdraw his ob jections or those members of Congress who have already passed the bill by more than a two-thirds vote In the first instance should stand firm and should override the veto. A revised immigration law is one of the necessary measures of prepared ness for after-the-war times. A large number of persons who have been physically or mentally crippled by war Is likely to seek admission. There are prospects of a rapid Increase In Immi gration from Western Asia, where the population has been debased by Turk ish tyranny and neglect of medical and sanitary laws. The settlement and development of our country has reached the stage where we should pay more attention to quality and less attention to quantity of Immigra tion. Our aim should be no longer to acquire mere human units; it should be to acquire people of economic val ue, who will be good raw material for citizenship. OTHER DATS. Warner Miller, writing to the New Tork Times, recalls that In the 40s the farm on which he lived produced practically everything that was worn as well as eaten. Wool was carded at a nearby fulling mill and mada into rolls, being spun and woven at home. Caps were made from rabbit and other skins. When cattle were killed the hides were tanned at a tannery in the neighborhood and a community shoe maker made boots usually too small. Linen was made from flax grown on the farm. For food, there was every thing needed. Vegetables were stored for the Winter. Meat was smoked and "corned." Cheese was made at home. Even soap was a home product. That was before the advent of labor saving devices on the farm. Farming has been speeded up since that day, for the farmer has a larger city popu lation to feed, and there is scant time for him to stop to make his own cloth ing and boots and implements. The situation grows more and more com plex. Solution of the problem of high living cost bids fair to require the time and efforts, as Mr. Miller says, of our "greatest minds." IF SHE SHOULD YFESD! Steady. Reader, who lives in Ho- quiam, Wash., has hit upon an .issue which to some may represent a hypothetical crisis In National affairs. He presents it in the following con cise phraseology: Hoquiam. Wash., Deo. 9. (To tho Editor.) I have been a reader of The Oregonian for years and have seen many questions an- ewered. I have one I would like to ask. Can tho name of a member of Congress be changed while representing a district from which he or she was elected 7 If not. what would happen If Miss Jeanette Rankin were to marry while representing her Montana district as a member of the House of Rep resentatives? Steady Reader, obviously, has not had the advantage of that Interchange of ideas on weighty subjects which Is common In smaller communities. It is a safe guess that the question Steady Reader propounds would not hold the attention of philosophical Antelope more than a minute. The village of Antelope, as careful readers know, presents some of our knottiest problems. It would at once know that Montana has not elected a name to Congress, but a person. But Antelope would doubtless pur sue the thought. It would Inquire what would happen if Miss Rankin, while a member of Congress, should become the bride of a Prince or Duke. There Is a real question, pertinent when the public's interests are con cerned and impertinent when only Miss Rankin Is considered. The constitution provides that no person shall be a Representative who has not been seven years a citizen of the United States. If the lady mem ber from Montana were to wed a for eign nobleman she would owe al legiance to France or Spain or Britain or some other country, yet she would still have been a citizen for seven years of the United States. Could she hold the Job? This timely, vital, throbbing issue 13 passed along to the school-debating societies in the opinion that it is as good a subject to engross the youth ful mind as the adopted one pertaining to the theory known as compulsory social Insurance. ONE OF THE "RIO FOTR." In late years three great livestock shows have been held in the United States each yeai" in New Tork, Chi cago and Kansas City. It is certain that there will be four great annual shows of that kind in the country. One of them will be on the Pacific slope. Whether it is to be located at Portland depends very largely on the interest the people take in the mat ter. There is one thing certain the show in Portland last week more nearly approached the three big shows mentioned above than any . event of the kind ever before held on the Coast. In numbers of animals, in quality of exhibits, in interest and in prices paid for animals sold, the sixth annual Pa cific International Livestock Show has made a record that no other city west of the Rockies ever approached. Hence It may seem that Portland already has the fourth great show In the country without going to further efforts. But it cannot be held per manently unless it can be properly housed. Six shows have been held under tents and, as a rule, have been fortunate as to weather conditions, But the limit for outdoor shows has been passed. The storm last Monday and Tuesday taught the management that the show must have permanent and adequate buildings. If Portland does not provide them, some other town in the West will do so and take the show bodily, for the stockgrowers will not take the chances of sending their stock to a show without proper buildings if good accommodations can be had elsewhere on the Coast. The stock show has come to be one of the greatest events Portland has. In some respects it outstrips the Rose Festival. Probably it is a far better business-getter. If it is continued on the ascending scale and made really one of the Big Four, it will bring more money and more business to Portland every year than all of the other shows and festivals held here. It will do for Portland what the third great show has done for Kansas .City. The largest contributor to the show is the Oregon Bankers' Association which gives annually $10,000. Is it not true that that association is made up of men of high intelligence and good business acumen? How can the show help the banks except as It builds up the farms and enriches the farmers? In no. other way can it do so. If its influence is worth $10,000 a year to the bankers, what is it worth to the merchants of Portland? What is it worth to the state as a. wii&Je? No man can tell In dollars and cents, but this is true: We cannot afford to lose it. ' In some way, through some method, adequate buildings must be erected before the time for the next show, in December of next year. NEW MILLIONAIRES A NEW POLICY. The number of rich men in the United States has doubled during the last year. That is the outstanding fact of the Internal Revenue Commis sioner's report. While the tax paid on incomes between $20,000 and $50, 000 a year increased 60 per cent, the amount paid on Incomes from $50,000 a year upwards Increased 100 per cent. The increase represents the new crop of ' millionaires and .moderately rich men which has been produced by war prosperity. Coincidence of war prosperity with imposition of the income tax and other internal imposts has swollen internal revenue to such dimensions that the tariff as a source of revenue is thrown into the shade. The Commissioner estimates the total Internal revenue for the current fiscal year at $687,- , 000.000, of which $244,750000 will be derived from taxes on individual and corporate Incomes and $124,000,000 from emergency taxes, andvhis esti mate for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1917, is $709,550,000. The people are so prosperous that they pay this enormous sum in direct taxes without wincing, and denunciations of the notorious extravagance of the Government produced no impression during the recent campaign. This financial revolution leads us to expect a new attitude of the people to ward questions of taxation. Contin uation of the present era of prosperity may make the people increasingly In different to the tariff, both as a means of protection to our industries and as a source of revenue. We may settle down to study calmly what rates of duty are necessary to keep alive our Industries, especially those which we consider essential to economic inde pendence and military security, with out much regard to the revenue to be derived. We may use the tariff as a means of international commercial bargaining and may regard the sacri fice of revenue by lowering an import duty as negligible if we thereby in duce some other nation to open new markets to our products. We may throw away the revenue derived from other duties by making them prohibit ive, in order to extort some conces sion from another nation. The tariff may not be taken out of politics In tlfe sense in which that phrase has been used; it may be kept in politics by the adoption of rival policies on' these lines by the rival parties. DENMARK HAD THE SAME EX. PEKIENCE. There is some resemblance between the present position of Greece and that which Denmark occupied twice dur ing the Napoleonic wars. In 1800 Denmark Joined an armed neutrality leagxfe with Russia, Prussia and Swe den to resist British maritime en croachments, and Nelson was sent in the following year to destroy the Dan ish fleet, bombard Copenhagen and compel desertion of the league, all of which he did most effectually. Again in 1807, after Napoleon had made peace with Russia and Prussia, Britain received secret information that he was about to force Denmark to place its army and navy in his service. A British fleet went to Co penhagen, demanded an open alliance and surrender of the fleet to British control, and, on refusal of these terms, bombarded the city and compelled surrender of the fleet. Denmark was driven Into alliance with Napoleon and remained his ally until his downfall, just as Greece Is now being driven into the arms of the central empires. Though the allies' coercion of Greece is having much the same ef fect as had that of Denmark, the allies have a somewhat better case. Greece invited their army to Salonikl, after having refused to live up to Its treaty with Serbia; pledged itself to benevolent neutrality and then sur rendered forts, troops and war mate rial to the Bulgarians. Its independ ence and the form of its government being guaranteed by Britain, France and Russia, those nations have a col orable case for interfering in its in ternal affairs. But-the result of their interference has been the same as that of British coercion of Denmark to add one more to the number of their enemies. Though Greece is small, it is important, for its ragged coast af fords many hiding places for German submarines. The allies now face the necessity of reducing Greece to absolute subjec tion before Von Mackensen's army ap pears on the Macedonian front and puts their army between two fires. PRODUCTION OF FOOD. The problem of making the food production of the United States suffi cient for the needs of the American people and for a large export trade Is shown by the report of the Secretary of Agriculture to be one mainly of fully using our resources in produc tion and of getting into the hands of consumers the largest possible pro portion of what we grow. We can grow a surplus of meat, wool, cereals, fruit and vegetables if we put each acre of land to the use for which it is best adapted, and if we organize our dis tribution and marketing systems so that the product can be sold at a fair profit. In solving the problem of accom plishing these ends, we find a close relation between several other prob lems leading up to it. Production of the largest output from each acre of which it is capable without exhausting the soil requires diversified and ro tated crops and the growing of cat tle, sheep or hogs, or all three, on a large majority of farms. By these means the fertility of the land would be maintained and increased. But a high price for any one crop in one year tempts the farmer to plunge on the speculative growing of an undue proportion of that crop the next year and to depart from his plan of diver sification and rotation. Thus the whole scheme of proportioning proAuct to needs may be thrown out of gear. Speculative farming can best be pre vented by stabilizing prices, and sup ply and demand. Stability requires that the farmer be solvent, in order that he may not be com pelled to sacrifice his crop in haste to raise money. That end is served by the rural credit law, which gives him long-time credit; by the Federal reserve law, which gives him short time credit, and by the warehousing law, which makes his warehouse re ceipts negotiable. Stability also re quires that prices accurately reflect supply and demand, whereby sudden fluctuations are prevented. That end is served by wide dissemination of cor rect and timely information as to mar ket conditions, and by co-operacive marketing, for then the market is urt- likely to be either starved or over loaded. Mr. Houston shows that prevention of waste is one means of maintaining full supply. Waste of cattle is caused by disease and by wild animals, the war on which by the Government has saved many millions. It is also caused by destruction of grazing land. This has been stopped in the National for ests and their productive capacity in livestock has been increased 15 to 30 per cent, but it still continues on the open range. War on insect and small animal pests, prevention of decay in transit and expansion of the canning Industry have stopped much waste of cereals, fruit and vegetables. An important point regarding our economic independence is made in the Secretary's reference to the sheep Industry. He says that only one In seven of the farms of over 20 acres raise an average of one sheep to three acres, and we Import 300,000.000 pounds of wool a year. If one-fourth of the remaining farms raised a sheep to every three acres, the total In crease would be 60,000,000 sheep, pro ducing these 300,000,000 pounds of wool. As we approach more closely to the Ideal in production and distribution of the various .food products, we sh.all approach solution of the problem of the high cost of living. This Is due as much to ill-balanced production of various foods, and tq, a machine for distribution which works with much jar and friction, as to any other cause. The President of the United States has, in addition to his salary of $75, 000 a year, an allowance of nearly $200,000 for various purposes .con nected with the maintenance of the Kxecutlve Office and Mansion, but not all for his personal use. The appro priations made by Congress for the year ending June 30, 1917, according to the report of the Treasury Depart ment, included $76,780 for salaries for the Executive Department, which includes the President's private secre tary, his clerical force and other as sistants; $25,000 for traveling ex penses, a comparatively recent Inno vation, and $3000 for printing and binding records of the office. There are, in addition to these, appropria tions of $5000 for improvement and maintenance of the White House grounds, $53,000 for repairs, fuel, etc., for the White House and $8600 for lighting the house and grounds. The White House is formally known as the "Executive Mansion" for appro priation purposes. The last three ap propriations mentioned are expended under the direction of the Secretary of War as part of the cost of keeping up the public buildings and grounds in Washington. The world supply of food is such that the American farmer could great ly increase his production without causing a serious reduction In prices, but the same causes which bring this about stand in his way. The war, which has made prices high, has made labor scarce and high also. He Is restrained from enlarging his crop acreage and from intensive cultiva tion by the fear that he may not be able to get labor at any price next harvest. There would be no Joy "for him In having a large crop of $2 wheat if ho could not harvest it. Accordlng to a New Tork grocer, the food investigators are playing into the hands of the bear speculators. He says a butter company's agent told him butter- was down four cents and would stay down while the investiga tions continued, then would go up. The agent's advice was to "buy now." Why should not the consumers take the hint and buy now any commodity which has depreciated under the in fluence of the outcry? The Federal Trade Commission makes out a clear case for permitting export lumbermen to do that which the law forbids them to do. However, the Webb bill was talked out of the last session of Congress by Senator La Follette, and unless the Senate wears him out with long sittings he is apt to do the same at this session. He sees a trust behind every bush and will riot rest until he swats it. Funston asserts the morals of his men are as good and a little better than those of most men who do not enlist and there Is no need of revivals on the border. As Funston is in posi tion officially to know, he must be right. Six inches of snow in Eastern Ore gon point to a bumper. wheat crop. If the price a year hence should be as high as it now is, the farmer would have nothing left to desire. Richard Crocker has come to Amer ica to remain until the end of the war and indicates how far ahead he thinks that is by arranging to stay two years. - A McMinnvllle boy fighting abroad has been wounded on the "French front," which must be a more danger ous zone than the German rear. Roosevelt will seek the devilfish in his lair and not go to the isles where prospects - are pleasant - and beach combers are vile. Comparatively he is an honest man who pleads guilty to committing bur glary at the time he is suspected of wife-murder. If the meetings on the high cost of living accomplish little, they. at least serve as a safety, value for feminine indignation. Pedestrians who observe the new traffic rules cannot get hurt, provided drivers of vehicles are equally cau tious. Two weeks to Christmas and, as about all the children, have seen Santa Clause in multiple, now is the time to buy. General Funston would probably rather chase another Aguinaldo than jangle with a revivalist. Portland has 1314 miles of streets, but the oldest inhabitant does not know the names of half of them. If the leather trust does not get con trol of the supply of shark leather, its stock is due for a tumble. Such of the male sex as is not tied to the place will see the town of Uma tilla once. Must be another sign of a hard Winter when a. horned owl raids a henijery. The German cruiser is at large in opportune time. The first pages need her, How o Keep Well. BY DIU W. A. EVANS, tf-kM4(Ana n.n,nt tn hvclcne. SO-hltatlOll and prevention of disease. If matters of gen eral Interest, will be answered in this col umn. Where space will not permit or i" subject is not suitable, letter will be per sonally answered, subject to proper limlta- .-h.ra atamneri addressed envelope Is Inclosed. Br. Evans will not make diagnosis or prescribe for Inulviaual diseases. -requests for such services .cannot be answered. tcopyngnt. Dy . v. Published by arrangement with the Chicago Tribune.) . OPIUM. OPIUM la the dried milky exudate from the white poppy, a perennial indigenous to Western Asia but cap able of cultivation In many parts of the world. The medicinal properties of opium are due to the 20 alkaloids con tained in it. The best known of these Is morphine. Others well known are: Codeln Combined with the morphine and codeln. calming agents in opium. Is the bane which is capable of pro-, ducing convulsions, much as strychnine Is. From morphine is made apomor phlne, which Is an emetic, and heroin, which Is a calmative agent even more poisonous than morphine. From opium paregoric, laudanum and Dover's powders are made. Opium stops spasms, fluiets pain, calms the mind, produces sleep, stimulates the heart, causes sweating, induces Itching, checks the intestinal secretions and contracts the pupils. Morphine acts more quickly than does opium. It is more sedative, more ano dyne. On the other hand, it Is less constipating, less stimulating and causes less Itching. .Opium is at once the most valuable and the most harmful of all medicines. This statement applies also to the alka loids from opium, and especially mor phine, codeln and heroin. It checks coughs, lessens diarrhea, eases pain, quiets the mind, controls convulsions. and, where a nerve element is a promt nent factor, it lowers fever. It Is in finitely the best controller of symptoms known. As people know disease by symptoms, opium, which is essentially a symptom controller, looms large in the public mind. The physician anxious to stop a disagreeable symptom gives opium. A patient tired of a symptom takes opium from his physician, in a patent medicine, or from some other source. High strung, on edge, neurasthenic per sons, devoid of stoicism, demand opium for the ease, physical and mental, it brings. Opium does not cure the underlying causes. At best it only relieves some contributing cause. As such it is at Its maximum of value. A hacking -cough will prevent a lung ready to heal from healing. A dose of opium will give it the chance. A bowel needs a little quiet to get back its balance and permit nature to cure. A dose or two of opium will give it the chance. An agitated mind will regain its poise If it Is held in .check for a few hours by a dose of opium. Note that tn each of these cases a few doses of opium are beneficial. If more than that is given, gain no longer follows I presume we must continue using opium to relieve symptoms, pure and simple. As to nine out of ten cases where it Is used we would be much better off If we had more stocism or If we relieved the symptoms by heat, mas sage, electricity, baths or by the use of phenacetln or other simpler drusrs. Where a pain Is long continued opium Is almost powerless for relief. It is only good for a few days or a few weeks at best. It is In every sense a quarter horse, in no sense a distance runner. Opium is, of all remedies, tho most aDused. tho one most frequently wrongly used, both by sufferers and by the medical profession. As we come to be more intelligent we will use it less and less. BABY COLIC. C. F. T. writes: "Will you kindly advise a remedy for baby colic? Baby ooy was 4 weeks old the 21st. Is th child's condition natural and is it any thing serious enough to cause worry? w e are reeding the child certified milk as well as mother's nurse, alternating first certified milk and then mother's nurse. REPLY. Yon are feeding the baby too much or else the food Is too rich. Possibly the mother could supply all the milk needed by the oaoy. -o relieve tne colic give warm aro matic teas, also plain warm water. To place the baby against the shoulder and walk him or rock him sometimes helps to get no. oi tne gaa. HYSTERIA. T? TW 13 , A healthy girl of 22 loses her voice every t. .iluuluo, bv, q. i. aiio isiKs in wms pers for a few days, after which she o - - - " -- .j .v. Butua L11UC, US thniich nflllv7oH Who n a I. . V. CP-- , ' - u . u.u (il a JIUU able causes and prognosis?" REPLY. Li i i ii n. duo is Hysterical. XI BO, Tne young lady can be cured through training In emo tional control ORGANIZE WITH, NOT AGAIXST Egg Producer Makes Practical Sugges tion for Reducing Living; Coat. DALLAS. Or., Dec 9. (To the Edi tor.) We have been in the chicken business for the last five years, keep ing about 400 laying hens. Have sold our eggs on the Portland market wher ever we could sell to the best advan tage by the case. Have always endeav ored to produce the best and our eggs grade as extra selects. In November 1912. our average price was 45 cents per dozen. In November. 1913, our average price was 48 cents per dozen. In November, 1914, our average price was 45 cents per dozen. In November, 1915, our average price was 44 cents per dozen. Average for the four years, 45 cents per dozen. In Noverhber. 1916, our eggs averaged 51 cents per dozen, or 5 cents more than during the previous four years. Now. in looking over our feed ac counts Ve find It has cost us eight cents per dozen more to produce the eggs this year than our average "Cost of production for the previous four years. So. while on the surface It looks as If we were receiving 6 cents more per dozen for our eggs, in reality we have been forced to take 2Vi cents per dozen less on account of the increased cost of feed. Housewives of Portland be fair. You are having a hard time to make ends meet these days, we know, but It i not all in the price of eggs. Look at flour and sugar. The poor poultry man must buy these as well as you. The remedy lies in co-operation, and since you have shown your ability to co-operate against us. why not co operate with us? Here is the plan: Form yourselves Into unions of from 20 to 25 itimilies as nearly adjacent as possible, to avoid delivery charges and buy direct from the producer. Twenty to 25 families would use two cases of eggs per week, and two cases shipped together take a very low express rate, Hogs. veal. beef, potatoes, apples all could be bought at wholesale prices di rect from the producer, if you would arrange to be your own retailers. The producer hasn't time to sell in small lots, and that is why the parcel post and free markets have proved failures. Put your minds to work and use business methods, and you can solve this problem to the mutual benefit of all concerned, whereas if you continue the boycott very long the few of ua who have had the courage to stay In the chicken business will have to give up and leave you to the mercies of the unsanitary Chinese egg rorever. PHINETTA B. GAINER. In Other Days. Twenty-five Years Ago. From The Oregonlan Deoembar 11. 1891. Washing-ton Senator Dolph will soon introduce a bill for the establish ment of a gun factory on the Pacific Coast. Valparaiso President Harrison's message on the Chilian affair is looked on here as a decidedly menacing rup ture between the two countries. Charles Y. Lamb was one of the hits in the Company O minstrels at the Mar quam Grand Theater last night. The steamship Zambesi, of the Up ton line, which left Victoria for Port land last Sunday, arrived here late yes terday alter Weathering a dreadful gale and picked up the disabled whale back Charles W. Wetmore, which lost her rudder. J. H. Harrington, of the East Side. has Just returned from San Francisco, bringing with him a bride. Half a Century Ago. From The Oregonlan December IX. 18. The French Charivari has called at tention to the financial feat of the United States in paying off $15,000,000 of debt one year after the war and says It will take off its hat to any European nation that can duplicate the accomplishment. James Steel and Miss Mary F. Ladd were married November 29 by Rev. Dr. A, L. Stone in San Francisco. t Major Davenport., of this city, has been made foreman of the work at the paper mill in Oregon City. Jacksonville, Deo. 10. Rich gold de posits have been found at Randolph, near the mouth of the Coqullle River, and about 40 miles north of the fa mous Oold Beach. BOND DEBT AND CITY SALARIES Portland's Financial Status and Pny of Important Officials Given. PORTLAND. Or.. Deo. 9. (To the Editor.) Please give the following data: (1) Bonded Indebtedness of Mult nomah County; (2) bonded indebted ness of City of Portland; (3) bonded indebtedness of Port of Portland: 4) bonded indebtedness of School District No. 1; (5) average rate of interest on these bonds; (6) salary of the private secretary to the Mayor and each City Commissioner: (7) salary of eacit bureau head tn the city service; (S) salary of other' city employes drawing $150 per month and over; (9) must all bureau heads take a civil service ex amination before appointment? TAXPAYER. The foregoing questions call for a more extended answer than ordinarily Is given on this page. But the ques tions are asked evidently in good faith .nd the inquirer, a woman, has sup plied The Oregoaian with her name and address. The subject, also, is one 'n which there is more than incidental interest at this time: (1) Bonded debt of Multnoman County, rate. 5 per cent $ 2.500,000 (2) Bonded debt of city of Port land, rate 4.3 per cent 17,748,500 (3) Bonded debt of Port of Port land, rate, 4H per cent T04.000 (4 Bonded debt of School Dis trict No. I, rate. 4 per cent 818.50O (5) See answers to preceding questions. (6) Mayor's secretary salary 180 Secretary to Commissioner of public Utilities 123 Secretary to Commissioner of Public Works 125 Secretary to Commissioner of Public Affairs 143 Secretary to Commissioner of Finance 95 (7) Bureau Chiefs" salaries Chief of Police 20 Chief Bureau of Fire 1!-K Health Officer 8K Municipal Judge 273 Secretary Motion Picture Censor Board SO Supt. street-cleaning department. . 205 Supt. garbage Incinerator 14G Supt. water works 20O City Treasurer -"') Market Master 110 License Inspector 130 City Attorney 400 Supt. Public Employment Bureau . ISO Supt. City Hall 110 Sealer Weights and Measures .... 150 Supt. of Parks 175 Secretary Civil Service Commission ISO Chemical Laboratory Chief 150 Chief of Bureau of Buildings "60 Chief of Bureau of Surveys 175 Chief of Bureau of Sewers 200 Chief of Bureau of Highways and Bridges 200 Ciller of designs and construction, -limination grade crossings .... 200 City Engineer 8 City Auditor 3uo S) Employes drawing $150 per month and ever: Bureau of Police Two Captains of Police 10 Two Captains of Police 153 Harbor Master 215 Superintendent Women's Division 153 Bureau of Fire First Assistant Engineer 203 Socond Assistant Enelneer 1!3 Two Hattallun Chiefs 173 Chief Clerk 173 Supt. fire alarm telegraph ....... 15 Master mechanic ............ 153 Bureau of Health Bacteriologist 150 Chief Meat Inspector Public defender 150 Chief clerk Department of Public. Utilities 173 Bureau of Water Works Engineer JJnO Assistant engineer -00 Draftsman ISO General foreman lto City Treasurer's Office Chief deputy If 5 Cashier ! Two Deputy City Attorneys Three Deputy City Attorneys 175 Engineer JO Playground supervisor 150 Auditor's Office Chief Deputy Auditor ............ 8O0 Deputy Auditor 170 Four Deputy Auditors 150 Accountant ......... 153 Public Works Chief clerk lg3 Structural Engineer 1 3 Plumhing Inspector ! Assistant City Engineer loo Structural draftsman 150 Three district engineers 1!0 Gen Inspector Public Auditorium 200 Asst. inspector Publio Auditorium 130 In addition to the $17,748,500 general bonds outstanding, there is $12,861. 349.SS of improvement bonds which, according to our charter. Is not included in our 7 per cent debt l,mlt. " . . Included In our general bonded debt Is $7 310 000 water bonds, payable from water receipts, which leaves $10,429,500 payable from taxation. (9) Section of the city charter reads as follows: Section 97. AH appointments to and pro motion In the subordinate administrative senlce of the city shall be made solely ac cording to the fitness which shall be ascer tained by open competitive examination, and merit and fidelity In service, as pro vided for In this article. The provisions of this article shall apply to the Incumbents of all offices, places and employments in the public service of the city except the follow ing: All officers chosen by popular election or by appointment by the Council, the mem bers of all boards and commissions, the ludges and clerks of elections, the deputies of tho City Attorney, the chief deputy of the City Treasurer, the City Engineer, the Chief of Police Department, the Superin tendent and the Chief Engineer of the Water Depa-tment and the secretary of the Civil Service Commission, the Mayor's secretary, the members of the Health Department and the Librarian. Information on South America. PORTLAND, Dec. 10 (To the Edi tor.) Please advise me where I could get (1) Information regarding the cllmatlo conditions, agricultural Indus tries and (2) the names of our Min isters to Braill and Argentine Re public S. I. NEWELL (1) "Write to Director Pan-American Union, "Washington, D. C, or ask Rep resentative McArthur to procure for you Consular reports on subjects in which you are interested. (2) Apply to reference department, .Public Library, Foreig-n War Primer. By National Geographic Society. What manner of people constitute the "body politic" of the world's newest kingdom, that of Arabia? Of the Bedouins and the Fellahs (th settled agricultural class) the former are the more numerous people and by far the more interesting. The Bedouin pities the city dweller because fate has de creed that he must pass his days In the confinement of a house or enclosed city, while the city man congratulates himself on his good fortune in being spared the dangers, inconveniences and exposures that are the lot of the tent dweller. The life of the latter Is an uncer tain one. His tent is homemade, spun and woven by the women of his harem from goats' hair, the accumulation of many years. This tent cloth is water proof and a good protection against the fierce sun of the desert. It Is very portable and serves for many genera tions. Each camp has its chief, part of whose tent is set apart as a guest room in which visitors are entitled to three days hospitality. The chief gives the order to move camp and decides on the new pitch. Local disputes are referred to him for settlement and, in the event of his be ing unable to adjust the matter, th disputants must go to the capital and present their case to the Emir. This they are slow to do, for it means a long Journey and absence from home for an uncertain time, as well as soma amount of expense. The chief, too, is responsible tor the good behavior of the people in his district and for th return of the tax due from the tribe. The desert which the Bedouin calls home, has tj be lived In. crossed, slept on, made one's abode for a time before It can be thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed. The boasting of the Bedouins about the free life they enjoy, and their pity for their city neighbors, confined in their close and dark dwellings, can be excused after a sojourn in their tents. But the desert life. Is not all honey by any means, for is there not always the danger of attack from th nothing - to - lose-and-all-to-galn mem bers of society, or the risk of perish ing for want of water, or the giving out of one's food without the possi bility of being able to replenish the supply? When traveling through Inland Arabia the routine of travel Is some what arduous. Up with the daybreak and as soon as possible load th camels, ride for some four or five hours, then put down for the first morning meal, which usually constats of dates and water; then off again until late in the afternoon, when halt Is made for the night. Supper usually consists of warm bread with an onion or dates as a relish. Bread is prepared tn as simple a manner as possible. While the coarse flour and water are being kneaded Into dough a large fir is made which provides a good heap of hot ashes. On part of these the flat tened dough Is laid, then covered with the remainder of the ashes. In about 15 minutes the dougrh is sufficiently baked. It is then well beaten to free It from the ashes, broken In pieces and divided among those who from their bags have contributed to the meal. After the evening feast coffee is made by some member of the party and, in tiny cups, handed round to each one, as much regard being paid to etiquette as If all were assembled In the .most spacious guest room in the largest city In the country. Conversation never lags, and until late in the evening the men talk, some telling imaginary stories, others recit ing impromptu poetry "until, tired out, all, except those designated to keep watch, roll up in their large cloaks and are soon asleep. Most of the houses of Arabia ara built of sun-dried bricks; many of them are three stories high, and all have flat roofs. As a rule the Interiors are quit devoid of furniture, the coffee roaster, pounder, pots and cups being about all that Is visible that savors of dally Ufa and needs. Many of the houses ara doorless, accounted for by the scarcity of suitable wood. FLORIDA LAW IS HECOMMEXDED State's Blethod of Preserving Parity of Primary Suggested for Oregon. PORTLAND. Dec. 9. (To the Edi tor.) It Is a noteworthy fact that states In the "Solid South," with Dem ocratic pluralities' equaling the Repub lican pluralities in Oregon, never send Republican Senators to Congress by Democratic votes. Tne Democrats of the South are too shrewd In politics to per mit Republicans voting In their pri maries to nominate weak candidates against strong Republican candidates, resulting In final Republican victories in the general elections that follow. That game, however, has been success fully worked in Oregon for many years. To show how the states in the solid South prevent debauchery of majority political interests. It might be of In terest to the Oregon Legislature to consider the current Florida law, which, briefly stated. Is as follows: A voter to vote In the primary elec tion must be able to take oath that he voted for the party of his choice In the last general election. Under the law & person wanting to vote in the primary election for either a Republican or Democrat, or other political party, would be required to take an oath that he supported the ticket or the party In the last general election for which h now desired to vote In the primary. As elections in Florida are held every two years, as they are in Oregon, It neces sarily follows that anyone voting for a Republican candidate in the general election, saj 1916, could not vote In & Democratic primary In 1918, but he could vote as he pleased In the general election. Th same thing would be true of a person who voted the Dem ocratic this year and wanted to vot In the next Republican primary. In other words. It is assumed that anyone desiring to vote In a primary election for the nomination of a candidate, which has not been the case In Oregon, would be willing to support the nom inee of the party of his choice. He can vote in the general election for anyone or any party he pleases, but he cannot thereafter vote in a primary for any party until he has voted at least one time for the regular nominee of the party of his choice, be It Republican, Democratic or other party. If that law Is good and works well for the Democratic party In the South, giving the majority political party rep resentation in the upper house of Con gress, why would It not .work equally as well In Oregon? Oregon, under this law, would be represented in Congress by the dominant party, as it is In the South. The state of Oregon Is Repub lican and so are both houses at Salem, the same as the Southern states are in relation to the Democratio party, and what objections could the good Demo crats of Oregon have to the Florida law? Would it not be a wise plan for the approaching Legislature-to give this matter careful consideration with a view of restoring to Oregon what is due her in the United States Senate? ,W. J. JONES. 413 First street. Present of Pint of Llauor. PORTLAND. Dec 9. (To the Edi tor.) (1) A receives his regular allow ance of two bottles of whisky In the month. Can he present B with a pint, though the latter has also received his regular allowance? (2) The question is. can X ha pun Ished'for a violation of the law where there is no sale or barter Involved? PAUL KEU'ALLE. (1) Tes. U) No.