Morning Oregonian., December 25, 1916, Page 8, Image 8

THE 3IORMXG OREGOXIAN, 3IOXDAY. DECEMBER 25. 1916.
Gty (Dmwnian
rORTLAXD. OREGON".
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PORTLADJIOM)AY DECEMJJER, 23, 1810.
CHRISTMAS.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease.
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old.
Ring In the thousand years of peace.
The Impressive thought of the day Is
that In a world of wars we are at
peace. Probably its blessings are not
fully realized by all of us; but certainly
they are deeply and gratefully and
prayerfully accepted and appreciated
by most of us.
There are some yet among us who
know by actual experience the trying
and awful horrors of war; there are
others who have been left behind to
wait and wonder, and perhaps to
mourn, while husband or brother or
father shouldered his gun and valiantly
marched away to do, and, if need be,
to die for his country; there are others
who have but shadowy memories of
tramping men and beating drums,
waving flags and cheering crowds,
with other fading impressions of an
guished mothers and desolated homes,
silent processions and sorrowing
friends; and there are still others who
are able to forget, or ignore, the pas't
and to live only in and for the present.
Abroad, not here, there are millions
of men ten millions or twenty mil
lions at war, and there are other mil
lions newly burled in unmarked
graves; and still other millions wasting
away, or, if they are fortunate, recov
ering from their wounds in hospitals.
While In bereft homes there are mil
lions many nillions of patient and
suffering women and millions many
millions of wondering children In
nocent victims of needless war, com
mon sacrifices of man's inhumanity to
man. The tragedy is colossal and well
nigh universal, except as to the Amer
icas. Whether we havo escaped
through our own superior wisdom or
through chance, or through the favor
of an overseeing Providence, we shall
not now ask; but we are so far free
to pursue our own peaceful alms and
to pity the less fortunate.
We do not need to reproach our
selves that we are calloused or indif
ferent of the fate of others, for we are
not; but we are all but helpless before
It. A well-intentioned suggestion of
peace from our President, speaking for
a whole nation and in the high name
of humanity, is bitterly resented by one
group of belligerents, and It is accept
able to the other apparently because
it thinks it will benefit greatly in ma
terial ways by an early end to hostili
ties. Any possible plan of succor to
the sick, or the maimed, or the starv
ing, must be utterly Inadequate, and
for that reason doubtless there is not
a mightier Btlr among us to do our
Christian duty to relieve from our
strength and to give from our bounty.
We have done much indeed and are
willing to do more; but it is very little
In the ocean of calamity and misery
which has inundated the world. There
Is nothing for us to do but to follow
the paths of duty through the fields of
neutrality so clearly marked out for
us; and to wait, as patiently as we
may, for the light to break through
the clouds.
So, while we should not forget the
woes and griefs of half the world to- f
day. It is meet for us to rejoice that
the star which two thousand years ago
shone over the lowly manger of a
Savior newly born still shines with un
failing luster and undimmed glory.
For us the harvests have been plenty
and the days have been beneficent.
The Winter Is dark, but we do not
worry, for Spring is at hand.
THE DANCING MICROBE.
We no sooner adopt measures to
protect ourselves against one danger
than another looms in our pathway.
It seems but a short while since the
discovery was made that the public
drinking cup was, a menace to health
and life; now the bubbling fountain
Is under fire. The fault, however, is
not with the general principle of the
fountain, but with its construction.
Scientists say that if the jet be in
clined at a slight angle, say fifteen
degrees, although fifty is better, the
bubbling fountain will do all that was
originally claimed for it.
The University of Wisconsin labo
ratory of bacteriology has made care
ful investigation of the subject and the
results are commented on by the of
ficial organ of the American Medical
Association. It seems that attention
had been called to the danger by an
epidemic of streptococcus tonsiiitis in
one of the dormitories of the univer
sity. All the fountains in and about
the university were examined for bac
teria and the surprising discovery was
made that there were streptococci
present in more than half of them.
By way of clinching the evidence,
baccilli prodigiosi were introduced
Into one of the fountains by means
of a pipette. By a series of exceed
ingly minute and careful tests, it was
found that these remained in the
water from two to 135 minutes. The
Inference was plain.
Anyone who has seen a ball dan
cing In a garden fountain will be able
to vizualise the situation presented by
the microbe in the drinking fountain.
A good many are driven away, but
not all. Those that remain are quite
sufficient to spread infection. Where
the fountain was used at frequent in
tervals it was easy to see how the
bacteria dancing in the water column
might spread a dangerous infection.
Further experiments proved that the
bacteria existed even when the col
umn rose to a height of four inches.
Beyond that there is no evidence that
they were able to remain, but this is
not necessarily conclusive.
Other experiments have shown that
bacteria existed for some time in the
water column even where the source
of supply was absolutely uncontaml
nated. Fortunately the remedy is not
difficult. It lies between inclining
the tube at an angle sufficient to in
sure that the microbe will not linger
from one drinker to another, and in-
creasing the pressure behind the jet
sufficiently to permit the user to im
bibe water at a distance of five or
six inches from the outlet. The for
mer plan is probably the more prac
tical. At the same time, it is well to
remember that not everyone who
takes a microbe into his "system"
necessarily contracts disease. All of
us, despite every precaution, acquire
more or less of them; the best we
can do is to hold the number down
to the lowest possible terms and trust
to luck and a good constitution to
pull us through.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
The distressing accident on Wash
ington street the other day would not
have happened had the Jitneys been
operating under the terms of the fran
chise proposed by the City Council.
That franchise would keep jitneys
off streets In .which streetcars operate.
If there Is any ' street in Portland
where Jitneys should be prohibited
from operating, it is Washington street.
The Jitneys say they cannot live If
forced off streetcar routes. Tet Mr.
Carver is willing to accept a franchise
in that part of the city for which
Washington is the main artery and he
agrees to confine his autos to Alder
street below Its intersection with
Washington.
The nature of the Jitney business as
It is now conducted Is conducive to
reckless driving. Each is operated In
dependently. None has a fixed sched
ule. It Is the business of the jitney
driver, as it is of nearly everybody else,
to make as much money as he can.
The more trips he makes the more
passengers he carries, and the greater
the number of passengers the larger
his income. He hastens at maximum
legal speed sometimes exceeding it
from one end of his run to the other,
dodging around other vehicles that Im
pede his progress.
Every driver of a private automo
bile has come to know without look
ing that the car which flits around
him on slippery pavement is either a
jitney or a private automobile whose
driver is made foolhardy by the exu
berance of youth.
No driver with the least sense of
caution will attempt to pass a streetcar
on the left side anywhere on Washing
ton street below Twenty-third when
the street is wet. It is reckless to do
so when the street Is dry. Yet the jit
ney business demands that the jitney
driver do it, and he does. Not only Is
he intent upon making as many trips
as he can, but the fact that his transit
Is more rapid than the streetcar's is
one of his assets. It brings him pa
trons. No bond could have saved, or
could have recompensed, the life
of Father Cestelll or Mrs Cham
breau. But enforcement of the
Jitney franchise, with Its wholly
reasonable, sensible and safe provision
that Jitneys build up arterial traffic
routes of their own, would have pre
vented their death. The authorities
will proceed during the next few days
to determine whether Jitney or street
car was responsible. They are con
cerned only with cold, matter-of-fact
law. But public opinion may prop
erly concern itself with moral as well
as legal responsibility. It will be dis
posed to trace that moral responsibil
ity back to its source.
WHERE GOES THE. MONET T
There still comes complaint that,
because of the six per -cent tax limi
tation amendment, the state of Ore
gon will not have enough funds for
legitimate needs. But this complaint
seems to be based upon the idea that
all the things that have been done in
the past which cost money must be
r'nn n In tn futurfi T la fwnftrpd tViaf
the purpose of the limitation measure
is to force economy. There are per
fectly feasible ways of reducing state
expenditures, ways that should have
been adopted without the imposition
of a constitutional amendment. For
our part, we are Inclined to wish that
other taxing districts found themselves
in the predicament that the state
does as regards continuation of un
necessary activities.
A clipping from the Denver News,
which throws light upon the subject,
has just been received. This clipping
reveals that Denver, which has ap
proxfmately the same population as
Portland, will this year raise by taxa
tion for all purposes nearly $3,000,000
less than Portland. Whereas the Den
ver tax levy is 17 mills, the Portland
levy is 27. mills. Yet we have never
heard that Denver folk are in a be
nighted state for want of paternalistic
government.
Denver, to be sure, does not have
some of the expenses that accrue to
Portland. But the dock and port
levies and the cost and maintenance
of bridges do not come near account
ing for the difference of $3,000,000 in
tax revenues. ,
One obvious aid to Denver economy
is consolidation of city and county
governments, but that does not explain
a difference of $400,000 in the cost of
maintaining city schools nor a differ
ence of nearly $300,000 in city con
tribution to cost of state government.
The most striking item in the Den
ver schedule is the reduction shown in
the tax revenues raised for city gen
eral purposes. Last May Denver over
threw commission government and
adopted a modified councilmanic or
near-manager system. The tax levy
has been cut $879,000 in one year.
Those who are Interested in compar
isons are Invited to examine' the fol
lowing table, which shows the amount
to be raised by taxation next year in
the two cities and the purposes
thereof:
Portland.
$ 030,1)06.0-1,
Denver.
$ 033.55S.01
state .
Schools
(county
and city)
2,417.112 53
1,440.091.82
2.55.24S.4
152,622.20
3.17,500.82
171.083.23
1.54R.60T.S.-,
County
City
iS:i. 358.01
1. 838.4OO.02
County Library.
Port
Docks
Parks
Mountain parks. .
Sinking fund ....
Interest . . . .m . . . .
Firemen's pensions
318.308.33
30,ecn;.-,7
B7.941.33
88.759 34
15.303.3o
Total
$8,045,571.18 $5,205,133.39
For purposes of fair comparison It
should be stated that In the city levy
for Portland are included cost of
parks, interest, sinking fund and fire
men's pensions, which are provided for
by separate levies in Denver. When
these items are added to the Denver
city levy the total is $2,387,320.02, a
sum about $169,000 less than has been
levied In Portland for the same pur
poses. Here are two cities compared. They
are nearly the same In population.
Each is the metropolis of its state.
The states are nearly the same in area
and population, Colorado being a little
larger as to both. Yet the people in
one city raise in one year by taxation
approximately $3,000,000 more than do
the people in the other city. It is a
matter for profound reflection and con
sideration. The justly celebrated mistletoe, for
all its associated romance, is a para
site, a nuisance and in some regions
a menace to worthier forms of vegeta-
be life. Even the kissing legend that
goes with it does not redeem it In the
eyes of those who would like to see
it exterminated from the groves In
which it lives. It saps the vitality of
valuable trees and gives nothing but
a holiday custom in return. The fruit
is eaten by many birds and it is
through their agency that it spreads
from place to place. It attacks both
deciduous trees and evergreens, its fa
vorites being the apple and the oak.
but in the Pacific Northwest the wil
low, poplar and maple are also among
its hosts. The reverence in which It
is held Is exceedingly ancient and it
figures in the legendry of many coun
tries. Its action is something like that
of Ivy, but it lacks much of being so
beautiful a plant.
OTJR PROSPEROUS WOOL INDUSTRY.
No illusions are indulged In by
President W. B. Barratt, of the Ore
gon Woolgrowers' Association, as to
the source of tie prosperity which
the sheepmen now enjoy. In his ad
dress to the annual convention of the
association he referred to "the won
derful prosperity of the business, the
record-breakings prices for both wool
and mutton, and the bountiful supply
of forage on our ranges," but he
made this frank confession:
We are living in a fool's paradise. The
bloody scourge of ICurope, the wanton waste
of life and prosperity Is In a large measure
the cause of our prosperity; every dollar we
are receiving for our wool and mutton above
Its normal value Is wrested from the life
blood of our fellowman. 'Men are dally
dying by the thousands and women and
children are starving by the million and
being robbed of their .birthright to satisfy
the cravings of war's awful lust. What
man amongst us, no matter how much we
love the almighty dollar, would not gladly
go back to normal prices for our products
If by so doing this horrible and useless
slaughte would cease? God grant that It
may soon cease.
That declaration is In itself a rebuke
to those politicians who presumed so
far on the credulity of the people as
to claim for their tarriff policy the
credit for prosperity which springs
only from war's awful ravages. It
vindicates the woolgrowers from the
Imputation that they have been de
ceived, or that they regard with sat
isfaction a prosperity which springs
from such' a source.
Since what may fitly be termed the
fortune of war has put the woolgrow
ers in strong financial position, the
time is opportune for them to adopt
Mr. Barratt's suggestion that they
abandon the practice of contracting
the sale of their clip in advance, while
it is still on the sheep's back's. The
busineslike course for them is to es
tablish local warehouses, or to ship
their wool to, the Portland warehouse
for sale by sample on Its merits, with
out regard to where It is grown. If
ho could not sell at market value at
the home warehouse, he would consign
his clip to Eprtland, giving these rea
sons: For by so doing I would have my wool
practically at home and In a measure con
trol the disposition of It, and furthermore
I would be encouraging an Infant and home
Industry on this Pacific Coast; for with our
waterways open to the sea, the Panama
Canal open to the traffic of the world. Port
land Is destined to become one of the prin
cipal wool markets.
Portland is as, surely the natural
market for the wool of the Pacific
Northwest as it has been aboundant
ly proved to be the livestock market of
that region. The Panama Canal has
made the rail or river haul to this
port and the ocean haul to the At
lantic the cheapest way of taking wool
to market. Success of wool manu
facture in Portland and other Willam
ette Valley cities has established a
home consuming market. Establish
ment of shipping lines and extension
of commerce with Australia should
make Portland the importing point
for the wool of that continent. Ore
gon manufacturers would then have a
ready supply of suih Australian wool
as they need to mix with domestic
wool. For the benefit of both the
grower and the manufacturer, Port
land should become the center for
both sales and exports and imports of
wool.
MR. BRYAN'S NEW ISSUE.
Mr. Bryan's proposal to make Na
tional prohibition the leading issue
of the Democratic party in 1920 is his
first bid for the Presidential nomina
tion of that year. Notwithsatnding Ms
breach with President Wilson, he has
carefully preserved his regularity by
supporting the President for renoml
nation, and by stumping the Middle
West In support of Mr. Wilson's re
election. He still has many devoted
admirers in Congress and In the party
at large. He is still keeping himself
in line for achieving the one ambition
which has beset him for twenty years.
In setting his sails to . catch the
Democratic wind four years hence,
Mr. Bryan seems to have looked ahead
in order to forecast the political con
ditions of that year. Mr. Wilson will
then be out of the running, if the anti
third term precedent is to be ob
served. Mr. Bryan's loyalty has given
the President cause at least for not
being hostile to the latter. The war
will probably be over by that time
and the Nation will be nerved for the
economic struggle which is surely to
follow. Prohibition can be put for
ward as contributing powerfully to
that efficiency which will be consid
ered essential to success in the strug
gle. Mr. Bryan seems to have found,
from the course of political events In
the 2 0th century, that the Nation Is
responsive to appeals on moral
grounds. He has especial facility at
making such appeals.
Mr. Bryan has always sought to
ride on the crest of a wave of public
sentiment. In 1896 he saw in the
free silver craze an uprising against
Wall street domination and a chance
to wrest the West from the Repnb
llcan party. In 1900 he thought anti
Imperialism would be a winning ap
peal to those people of the Middle
West who opposed territorial expan
sion and to those of the East who re
gardedrule over islands In the far
Pacific as a useless burden or as a
violation .of our principles of govern
ment. In 1908 he uttered the catchy
cry: "Let the people rule," because
he saw the people rising against con
trol of parties by bosses and conven
tions. In the spread of prohibition he
now sees that the people are ripe for
extermination of the liquor traffic, and
he offers to place himself at their
head in completing another great mor
al reform.
There are several evidences that Mr.
Bryan errs in selection of this Issue,
as he did in selecting former para
mount Issues. Prohibition had its
rise In the Republican states of the
North, and not until recent years has
it won much support among Demo
crats. It has spread without regard
to the political complexion of states,
as an issue entirely divorced from
party, drawing its support indiffer
ently from all parties. Its greatest
and most recent gains have closely
followed adoption of woman suffrage,
and It will dourftless continue to gain
as fast as women get votes in more
states. Republicans will not cease to
support it for the mere .reason that
the Democratic party attempts to
make it a party issue, but they will
not on that account become Demo
crats. When 'the Federal prohibition
amendment comes to a vote in Con
gress, party lines will be as completely
obliterated as they have been on other
non-political legislation. No subject
can be made a party issue on which
the people refuse to divide on party
lines, or to recast parties on the lines
which it defines.
In attempting so far in advance of
the event to define the issues on which
the campaign of 1920 is to be fought,
Mr. Bryan Is over-bold. By that time
the war is likely to have given place
to the economic struggle, which we'
have mentioned. There may have
grown out of the war or the Mexican
muddle, or both, new foreign compli
cations of the gravest kind. Prohibi
tion may then have been already
adopted In so many states that adop
tion of a Federal amendment by Con
gress .and Its ratification by the states
may be a foregone conclusion. The
people will vote upon the new Issues
which will then have arisen, not upon
that which they will probably consider
already settled. Their votes will be
guided by their Judgment of the ca
pacity of the parties to deal with the
new questions. As those questions
will probably relate to foreign affairs,
their votes are not likely to be given
to the man whose administration as
Secretary of State was the most spec
tacular failure In our history. His
record In that office would be over
hauled without mercy, and would It
self become the leading Issue If he
were nominated. There Is no prob
ability that the Democratic party
would nominate Mr. Bryan, or that,
if It did, he would be elected. The
position of this Nation in 1920 prom
.ses to be such that the people will
require sterner stuff than the flabby
sentlmentallsm of Mr. Bryan as the
guiding principle of their President.
A writer on art proposes that busi
ness encourage art by letting artists
design useful things with an eye to
beauty and utility combined. Artists
do appear to have some part In de
signing furniture, carpets, crockery
and glassware, but some designs seem
to be the work of sign painters or of
what contractors call "hatchet and saw
carpenters." There Is room for a
closer alliance between art and indus
try, similar to that which Is growing
stronger between science and Industry.
Thomas W. Lawson Is just amusing
himself at the expense of the Adminis
tration by saying there Is a leak in it
without telling where the fteak is. His
statement that he expects to use the
leak again will put nil the Federal
sleuths to work and will cause every
body In Washington to suspect every
body else. A pretty state of affairs at
Christmas!
Japan also Is spending much of its
profits on war babies In naval expan
sion, but If that country Is bent on a
navy-building race with the United
States, it will be the first to get out of
breath. Our chief danger undeoSec-
retary Daniels Is that we shall not have
enough trained men to fight all our
ships.
"Ham," said 'Noah, as he sat in the
starboard gangway on the spar deck
the evening of the eighty-seventh day,
"how's Ararat precinct going?" "Dry,
dad; dry as a , bone," replied the boy.
"Ah, rell," sighed the old gentleman,
scratching a match on the customary
place, "this spirit of reform is grow
ing." i .
U At last ajiovernment report has ap
peared mat Is run or genuine human
interest. There is material for a dime
novel which would thrill any boy In
the story of Gustave Nelson's adven
tures on the Caribbean Sea, but it
comes in a report to Acting Secretary
of Commerce Sweet.
The man who expected little and got
It, Is more to be envied than the man
who hoped for much and met a double
discount. Laborers In the Canal Zone
enjoy a rise In wages of 1 to 2 cents an
hour, which, being small, they will ap
preciate. All the belligerent governments and
all the beMlgerent newspapers have
had their say about the peace propos
als. Now let them all get down to
statementsof what they want. The
preliminary debate should be ended.
City Auditor Barbur"s plan of mak
ing gardens of vacant lots Is meritori
ous, but a way must be devised of pre
venting the best on each being stolen
just before It Is ripe.
Judge Hennessy Murphy did not find
a free Ireland In his stocking this
mornlnV, nor did the Czar see Constan
tinople when, he looked In his; but
both are youngi
The device invented by a local man
may be Just what is needed by the fat
man's wife to keep him from hogging
all the quilts and comforters on a cold
night.
The main difficulty in the way of
peace is that each party wants to dic
tate the terms, and neither will accept
what the other dictates.
Though he gave each personal em
ploye a $10 gold piece, Mr. Rockefeller
has $10,000,000,000,00(0 (figures not
official) left.
Clarke County Republican managers
must be pegged up. They elected their
ticket and iave a surplus In the cam
paign fund.
Without newspapers today, Omaha
drops Into the custom of forty years
ago, when holidays were days of inac
tivity. If ever the time comes when Tom
Lawson's talks and acts coincide, there
may be startling revelations.
The new home of art given by Har
rison Gray Otis lacks a bust of Hughes
as a top dressing.
Will Beath proved that nerve sup
ported by a loaded revolver Is a match
for a train-robber.
The eight-hour day award to the
swltchmgn is a mixed blessing, but the
best to be had.
If your Christmas package is in the
postoffice, your carrier will deliver It
today.
Santa Claus is never a myth to those
who believe in him.
Be merry today, even if you must
make a bluff of it-
It's a sorry Christmas "somewhere
near somewhere."
How toKeep Well.
By Dr. W. A. Evaas,
Questions pertinent to hygiene, sanitation
and prevention of disease. If matters of gen
eral interest, will be answered In this col
umn. Where space win not permit or the
subject Is not satiable, letter will be per
sonally answered, subject to proper limita
tions and where stamped addressed envelope
is Inclosed. Dr. Evans will not make diagnosis
or prescribe for Individual disease. Re
quests for such services cannot be answered.
Published by arrangement with the Chicago
Trltuno.
HEALTH A LIVE ISSUE.
WITHIN the last three weeks I
have attended three health meet
lngs In , widely separated parts of
the country. The success of these meet
ings Indicates that health Is In the
same class with the high cost of living
and the Adamson law as matters of
public Interest.
In Atlanta about 3000 people attend
ed a meeting at which infantile paraly
sis was discussed. The great epidemic
of 1916. apprehension as to 1917. and
the evidence that the bacteriologies
diagnosis of the disease has at last
been made available for ordinary state
and city laboratories made this subject
attractive.
In St. Louis nearly 2000 came to hear
a discussion of repression of vice and
prevention of venereal disease. fcU.
Louis, having abolished Its segregated
district, is'about ready to take the next
step In the repression of vice, and,
simultaneously, is considering" adding
venereal diseases to the diseases
against which its health department
contends.
But by far the largest of these meet
tings was that at Minneapolis. Some
3000 people occupied all the available
Beats In the Auditorium. Large num
bers were turned away. An overflow
audience, said to be 1000 In number,
was addressed by speakers sent from
the platform. Minneapolis was having
a Health and Happiness week. The
week began with a health parade,
which served to catch the attention of
the people. The circus people have
demonstrated the pulling power of pa
rades. The newspapers have served
the community by keeping the public
attention focused on the exercises of
the week. A dozen or more health
talks each day had keyed up public In
terest. Then came the big meeting. Dr.
Gaylord, of the New York Cancer In
stitute, told the audience that the
cause of cancer had not been discov
ered. No cure for the disease Is known,
but, while the scientists are laboring to
solve these problems, there are certain
practices which. If followed, will save
many from the disease. He said that
nothing should be allowed continuously
to irritate any part of the body. If a
Jagged tooth cut the tongue. It must
be removed or smoothed. If a
smoker gets a white spot on
his tongue he must quit- smok
ing. If a little sore on the Hp would
not heal, it must be cut out. If the
lip was that of a smoker, he must stop.
If a woman over 30 gets a lump on the
breast she must have It removed. If a
woman past the change of life began
to bleed she must have an examination
for cancer at once.
Dr. Oakman told of the handicap un
der which a school child labored if his
teeth were bad.
The compelling speech was that of
President Vincent, of the University of
Minnesota, whose theme was positive
health. He wishes for Minnesota that
It might adopt the Scandinavian plan
of making the development of the body
compulsory and as a part of the edu
cation system. The great annual physi
cal contests at Copenhagen and the
customers which they foster are in
great part responsible for the clear
headedness, the poise, the agricultural
and commercial success, and the low
sickness nnd death rates of the people
of Denmark.
The recent enactment of the New
York Legislature, usually termed a mil
itary service measure, is In reality a
compulsory physical development meas
ure of somewhat the same type of those
found successful in Sweden and Nor
way. Suppositories.
Mrs. L A. Writes: "My baby girl
will be 6 weeks old November 5. Dur
ing the first three weeks she did not
gain with natural feedings every four
hours. During the last three weeks
have fed her every three hours, with
result that she has gained steadily. She
sleeps very well, and Is perfectly
healthy, apparently. On doctor's ad
vice she has been given glycerine sup
positories every morning before her
bath with good results. Tried skipping
this treatment one morning, but her
bowels did not move. Can any harm
result from suppository usage and is
it advisable to continue indefinitely. un
til she has natural movement? My bow
els are regular.
2. Is baby too young to do away with
feedings during night?
3. Baby seems to like to sleep on
back with hands up over head, getting
in that position herself. Will this re
tard circulation?
REPLY.
1. It is bad Judgment to use glycerine
suppositories regularly. You ean stimulate
her bowels to move by giving her malt food
in place of milk sugar. At three months she
can b?gln to take orange Juice.
. Yes.
3. No.
Examination Needed.
S. S. R. writes: "I have taught school
for 27 years, am 54 years old. For the
last 10 years I have become nervous,
growing more so as time went on; and
it has taken a form of a smothering
sensation in the upper part of the
chest, just behind the breastbone. I
cannot stand any offensive odor, even
one so mild as a woodshed or stable.
Recently a twitching has developed,
but I have never had any pain. 'I no
ticed recently that much moisture In
the air caused more difficult breath
ing. I did not teach this year, but did
light outdoor work. The work caused
me to gain In weight, and I was a little
too heavy for jay height."
REPLY.
I think you had better have a physician
examine you. Your nervousness, twitching,
and your undue sensitiveness to odors Indi
cate that you need to cultivate mental con
trol and poise. But on the other hand, "a
smothering snnsatlon In the upper part of
the chest Just behind the breastbone" In a
person 54 years old Is never to be passed
over lightly. It may mean, and usually
dos mean, angina pectoris. Besides every
man of f4 should have a physical audit once
a ear.
Like Lincoln's Steamboat.
VANCOUVER, Wash.. Dec. 23. (To
the Editor.) Regarding Secretary Lan
sing's irresponsible utterances, "bung
ling" or "faux pass" don't begin to de
scribe It; It is pure blattergowl. No
wonder all Europe Is puzzled. "Oh, the
funny Americans." It Is evident Mr.
Lansing is suffering from an ailment
common to the office Which he holds.
This ailment Is known to science as
brain stalL
In this affliction wagging of the
tongue automatically closes certain
Ben valves leading to the brain and
the brain Immediately ceases to work:
then God alone, if even he, knows what
the tongue Is going to do next. Presi
dent Lincoln illustrated this condition
In his account of a Mississippi River
steamboat. He said Its whistle was
very large and Its boiler very small, so
that each time the whistle was blown
the engine stalled and the boat drifted
and lodged on a sand bar.
ANOTHER OBSERVER.
In Research Work.
puck-
"I hear Starr has won great honors
for research work."
"Yes. he's found an article of food
which has not gone up in price.
MERIT IN CITY MANAGER PLAN
Responsibility Re-ally Centered In One
Executive Under Tkst System.
PORTLAND. Dec. 23. (To the Ed
itor.) The question of adopting the
city manager plan of municipal gov
ernment for Portland or of retaining
the present commission form or of go
ing back to the Councilmanic system
is a question that may be referred to
the people of Portland for their de
cision within the next year.
What Is known as the city manager
plan Is well worth the careful consid
eration of the citizens and especially
the taxpayers of Portland. This form
of city government has been develop-!
ing rapidly in the United States the
past three years, during which time It
has been adopted by more than 25 mu
nicipalities. This plan retains the merits and
eliminates the defects of government
by commission and is a great Improve
ment over the old form of Council and
Mayor. The principles upon which
the city manager plan is based are
scientific organization and business ef
ficiency such as characterize well-organized
and successfnl corporations.
Under this plan: (1) The citizens are
the shareholders: (2) the City Com
missioners are the board of directors,
or trustees, this board being elected by
the shareholders; (3) the city manager
Is the chief business head or executive,
who is selected by the board because
of his special qualifications for that of
fice. The selection of such city manager
should bo made from men whose rec
ords show them to be well qualified to
handle big business problems and en
terprises and he should be chosen for
& term of years, continuing in office
from term to term as long as he proves
satisfactory. Yet he should be sub
ject to recall by the people. As the re
sponsibility of a successful administra
tion rests mainly upon the city man
ager, he should have authority to ap
point (possibly subject to confirmation
by the board) the heads of the various
city departments to act as aids to the
manager and who should be responsj
ble to htm and subject to dismissal by
him. As a matter of good business he
should be required to hire only such
chiefs, experts and help as are special
ly fitted for their respective duties.
The members of the board of com
missioners or trustees may vary In
number from say three to seven. The
personnel of the board should consist
of business men of well-known integ
rity and business ability. They may
serve either without salary or for a
nominal compensation.
The election of the board and all ap
pointments should be nonpartisan.
The city manager plan, properly
worked out, would greatly reduce the
expenses of our city government, se
cure greater efficiency In the various
departments, reduce to a minimum the
Play of petty politics and selfish office
seeking by Incompetents, eliminate
waste and extravagance, provide a
businesslike handling of the budget
and keep the city's expenses within ap
propriations. Instead of the hydra
headed government we have at present,
with practically five Mayors, which
makes an expensive executive admin
istration, there would be one executive.
Under the city manager plan the
cities or Springfield. O.. and LaGrande.
Or., soon wiped out their floating debts
of $100,000 In the former and $35,000
In the latter. The City of Cadillac,
Mich., under this plan saved 13 per cent
of its running expenses, Dayton, O.,
Is a good example of this form of gov
ernment. This city was dominated by
corrupt politics, waste, extravagance
and ineffeclency. but under the city
manager plan the political ring was
put out of business, efficiency in ail
departments was established and the
city was greatly Improved to the entire
satisfaction of Its citizens.
To adopt the Councilmanic or Alder
manlc form of government again would
be taking a step backward to a system
which was confessedly weak and un
satisfactory to the people of Portland.
JUN1UB V. OHMART.
SURPLUS GOES TO MAKE WAR
Another Writer Analyzes Cause of
IllBh Cost of Living.
WALLA WALLA, Wash.. Dec. 22.
(To the Editor.) I have noted with in
terest the various comments made in
the public forum of The Oregonian con
cerning the high cost of living. Most
of your correspondents do not go be
low the surface of things in prescrib
ing their remedies.
The high cost of living that Is, the
relatively low purchasing power of
wages and incomes is primarily due
to our ill-advised foreign loans. To un
derstand this, however, it is first neces
sary to understand that, under a free
individualistic regime, consumption is
regulated by reference to right by the
raising and lowering of prices pursu
ant, to the natural law of supply and
demand, while under an Involuntary
communistic regime It Is regulated by
reference to need by the Issuing of
bread tickets, meat tickets, etc. It Is
in limiting our consumption by high
prices, instead of by the Issuance of
bread tickets, etc.. that .we are made
to share our living with non-producing
Europe.
The increase In the cost of our living
has simply gone to feed, clothe, arm
and ammunition fighting Europe. This
is the price we have had to pay Tor
our unneutral act of lending our credit
for the purpose of, directly and indi
rectly, carrying on the European war.
Conservative banks will not lend In
dividuals their credit for non-productive
purposes. They will not make
loans that will not automatically liqui
date themselves, for they well know
that this would mean credit inflation.
Yet, we, as a Nation, have lent in vari
ous ways more than two billions of dol
lars for a purpose that is not only not
productive, but is actually destructive!
In the light of this fact how puerile
becomes the charge that the high cost
of living Is due to the cornering of
food supplies. Were It proposed to
make a domestic loan in this amount
for the purpose of enabling a large
proportion of our own people to en
gage In other than productive pursuits.
It would not be necessary for us to call
upon a college professor to warn us as
to a resulting high cost of living.
Again, it is thought that our exports
of foodstuffs are insufficient to ac
count for their large Increase In price.
Those who think thus overlook the
fact that prices must go up much high
er to curtail our consumption of neces
saries than they would have to go pro
portionately to curtail our consumption
of luxuries. People will eat about as
much bread at 10 cents a loaf as they
will at 5 cents a loaf, and In order
then Europe may get a little of the
wheat we ourselves need. Its price
must go up comparatively high.
War Is fought with dollars as well
as it Is with. men. and. though we do
not permit foreign nations to establish
recruiting offices for men In this coun
try, we do permit them to establish re
cruiting offices for dollars. Let us
cease to take an active part In the war
by lending our credit for the economi
cally Illegitimate purpose of financing
It and It will not be necessary to place
an embargo on our food supplies and
the cost of living will come down.
A. H. SAWYER
Honrs of Farmers.
Birmingham (Ala.) Age-Herald.
"I understand automobiles have revo
lutionized the life farmers lead."
"So they have. In one way."
"How Is that?"
"Farmers often return home In their
cars from making a night of it in the
city at the horfr when they used to get
up and go to work."
Waiting for Rnbby.
Boston Transcript.
"Do you sit up for your husband?"
"No; I am an early riser, and am al
ways up in time to greet him."
In Other Days.
Half a Century Ago.
From The Oregonlan of December 25. less.
This morning we give to all a Merry
Christmas. Yesterday evening all was
Jollity and good humor. The various
Christmas trees and the several places
of public resort are too numerous to
be. mentioned individually.
The guest atethe festival given by
the Good Templars on last evening
who made the extraordinary mistake of
exchanging his old. light-colored wool
hat for a new oilcloth hat will do well
to call at the Western Hotel and recti
fy the error.
Canyonvllle. Dec. 24. Twenty feet of
snow has fallen on Scott's Moutaln dur
ing the last five days. It will be Im
possible to tell when the line can be
got up.
A telegram from Yreka December 7
says the weather Is cold and disagree
able. The snow Is two feet deep on the
mountains. Stages are arriving from
12 to 20 hours behind! time.
Twenty-five YearavAgo.
From Th. Oregonlan of Declsmber ML ISO".
The , sight of all the beautiful and
costly toys. books and other things
which children now receive as Christ
mas gifts makes the middle-aged peo
ple sigh to think there was nothing Of
the kind in the days when they were
young.
Christmas exercises were held in all
the schools yesterday, and. as usual,
were appropriate to the occasion.
The little ones at the Baby Home
on the Waverly tract will have a treat
today. A gentleman drove there yes
terday and left several fine turkeys.
Yesterday morning was the coldest
of the season, there being ice on pud
dles and frost everywhere.
In several places around town lnrge
clusters of mistletoe were displayed
for sale yesterday. If ever the Eng
lish custom of kissing young ladles
under the mistletoe comes Into vogue
here the oaks of Southern Oregon could
not furnish enough mistletoe to supply
the demand.
SHAKERS AXD QUAKERS SEPARATI',
Writer Disputes Statement an to Origin
of Dlsnppenrlng Sect.
NEWBERG. Or.. Dec. 23. (To the
Editor.) I wish to correct an error
found In an editorial In The Oregonlan
Saturday on the passing of the Sha
kers. You say the -Shakers were an off
shoot of the Society of Friends, some
times, although erroneously, known as
Quakers. I know of no evidence that
Justifies this statement. The Society
of Friends, who in this section of the
United States are known officially as
the Friends Church, originated In Eng
land about the middle of the seven
teenth century. as a result of the
preaching of George Fox. who was
born In 1624 and died In 1690.
The reason for being known as Qua
kers Is not certainly known. being
stated In different ways, but It did not
originate because of any peculiar bodi
ly motion.
The Shakers were founded by Ann
Lee. who was born In 1735 and died In
1784.
I know of no reason for supposing
that Ann Lee was ever Influenced by
the Society of Friends, or came In con
tact with them. The name "Shaker"
attached to them, because of a peculiar
dancing motion which accompanied
their worship.
So far as religious beliefs are con
cerned the so-called Quaker and Sha
ker have as little In common as any of
the numerous sects of Christendom.
The Shaker had no family, while the
true Quaker has never believed In race
suicide.
Since you have somewhat averred a
connection between these two sects I
trust you will kindly give space to this
dlclalmer of such connection.
AARON M. RAY.
The following Is quoted from the En
cyclopedia Brltannlca:
The early Quakers were sometimes called
Shakers and the name, or Its variant. Shak
ing Quakers, was applied in the early ISth
century to a Manchester offshoot of the
English Quakers, who. led by James and
Ann Wardley, accepted the peculiar doc
trines of the French Prophets, or Caml
sards. of Vlvarals and Dauphlne. The
Wardleys were succeeded by the real found
er of Shakerlsm. Anne Lee. who ...
had Joined the Wardley In 17SS and had
Influenced their followers to preach more
publicly the Imminent second coming ani
to attack sin mora boldly and unconven
tloally, The Oregonlan does not question that
Shakers and Quakers differ widely In
doctrine and practice, nor has It as
serted that there is any present con
nection between the two sects.
DIKF1CFLT TO PLAN FOR FUTURE!
Business Progress Halted by War,
Writes Upholder of President.
AUMSVILLE, Or., Dec. 23. (To the
Editor.) Allow me to commend your
editorial of November 22 regarding
President Wilson's peace note. I read
with much Interest your editorial of
November 21 regarding this matter,
which was" evidently written befiffe
knowledge on your part of the Import
ant news item which the same issue
carried, had reached you.
President Wilson has many trials,
and It must be gratifying to him to
have the support of the leading North
west newspaper in times like this, and
even more pleasing to his friends to
see this support coming even In ad
vance of his recent epoch-making
move.
I believe the Mexican situation will
be handled by the President In a more
satisfactory manner in the near future
without resorting to actual arms. All
this Is a very important matter to a
man In business during these strenuous
times, for a man can mot plan an en
terprise of any kind with any degree
of assurance that he will be able to
carry It out along the usual lines on
account of the many contending in
fluences In our business affairs which
this war Is bringing upon us. The
sooner the war Is ended the better from
a business man's view point.
A P. SPEER.
RURBAXK'S LATEST Tit I CM PH.
BY JAMES BARTON ADAMS.
The wizard who surprised the land
with peerless garden sass, the graft
ing cunning of whose hand no grafter
could surpass, who robbed the cactus
of Its sting, the apple of Its seeds, and
by" artistic monkeying made edibles of
weeds; who pumpkins grew on orango
trees and beans on berry vine and
grew abnormal garden peas of lemon
esque design, who from cucumbers'
vlclousness expelled the stomach pain
gave us a thousand, more or less,
creations of his brain, has felt the
sting of Cupid's dart, whose aim Is
ever stft-e, and taken to his wounded
heart the only earthly cure. A charm
ing mate of talent rare will tread
life's trail with him, will pat his cheek
and smooth his hair and keep his socks I
In trim: restore disloyal buttons to
allegiance on his duds, and mayhap
on the washdays do a stunt with soapy
suds. Mayhap his propagatlve skill
from garden truck may shunt, may in
domestic channel fill a long-felt human
want, may gladden the eugenic corps
with something by and by that will
surpass forever more the "better babies'
cry.