THE MORNING OREGOMAN, TTESDAT, DECE3IBER 26, 1916. PORTLAND. OREGON. Entered at Portland (Oregon) Postoffioe aa second-class mall matter. Subscription rates Invariably In advance. (By Mall.) Dally. Sunday Included, one year S8.00 Dally. Sunday Included, six months 4.2a Dally. Sunday Included, three montha . . 2.25 Dally, Sunday Included, one month 75 Dally, without Sunday, ona year ........ 6.00 Dally, without Sunday, three montha . .. 1.75 . Daily, without Sunday, one month 00 weekly, one year 1.60 Sunday, ona year 2.60 Sunday and Weakly 8.t0 (By Carrier.) pally, Sunday lncludled, one year 8.00 Dally, Sunday included, one month 78 How to Remit Send postofflce money order, expreae order or paraonal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Give postofflce address in full, including county and atate. Postage Kate 12 to 18 pages. 1 cent; 18 to 32 pages, 2 cents; 34 to 48 pages. 3 cents: 60 to 80 pages, 4 cents 62 to 78 pages, 5 cents; 78 to S2 pages. 6 cents. Foreign post age, double rates. Eastern Business Office Verre & Confc Iln, Brunswick building. New York; Verree aV Conklin. Stenger building, Chicago. San Francisco representative, R. J. Bldwell, 742 Market street. PORTLAND. rtBSDAY, DEC 86, 1916. INVESTIGATIONS WITHOUT RESULT. When the Federal Trade Commis sion was established, great promise was held out that It would confer end less benefits on the people. Signs would no sooner appear that the price or supply of some commodity was arti flctally controlled by some monopoly than the Commission would be hot on the offender's trail. It would prompt ly Investigate, and, on finding the sTullty, would by solemn warning com pel them to desist or would hale them before the courts with jail in prospect. In a majority of cases long investiga tions by grand Juries, endless taking of evidence by courts and endless appeals were to be avoided. The Commission was to provide a prompt, sharp and effective remedy. An opportunity to make good has been offered to the Commission by the rise in the price of gasoline. Sev eral arbitrary advances in price were made In the latter part of 1915 and in 1916. The Commission was making a general Investigation of the petrol eum industry, but many complaints about discrimination in the price of gasoline In different districts caused it to turn aside to that particular branch of the inquiry. To use Its own words, "a rapid, but comprehensive, Investigation was made," and a pre liminary report was made to Con gress on April 10, 1916. The investi gation was nearly complete when, last June, the Commission "had public hearings, at which testimony was taken." One would reasonably ex pect that In the succeeding six months a conclusion would have been reached and a remedy applied, but all that the Commission had to say in Its an nual report, published a few days ago, was that "the final report was not completed nor issued during the fiscal year." The Commission did not complete Its report, but the oil companies com pleted theirs, brought down to a much later date than June 30. The oil com panies have maintained the advanced prices and have paid extra dividends. The Commission has done nothing to prevent them from doing so, or to ex plain that market conditions justify the advance, or to bring prices back to the normal level, or to compel restitu tution of sums wrongfully taken from the consumer. While it has been in vestigating, and with grave delibera tion preparing its report, the oil com panies have got clear away with the money. The Federal Trade Commission ap pears to have been devised to prevent effective Investigation of trade abuses by making investigations which lead to nothing. THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY. A recent report of the Lincoln High Way Association upon the third anni versary of the proclamation of that truly gigantic undertaking is impres sive because of the light it throws on what actually has been done In that relatively brief time, and it is inter esting for other reasons. It shows how vast a conception in the interest of human progress such a highway must become to arouse in it the inter est necessary to its completion, and how the appeal to patriotism succeed ed where a narrower theory of materi al benefits might have awakened only a languid inquiry. The report says it was early realized that good roads must be made a question of unified National concern, rather than one of petty local strife. This might have led to the conclusion that as such it was a function of the Federal Gov ernment, but, as a matter of fact, the Federal Government was equipped with no machinery for the purpose. So the pioneer work was attempted by a private association, and the Lin coln Highway was designed as the Nation's object lesson road. How far it has succeeded in ac complishing this one can glimpse from the summaries in figures. It is esti mated, for example, that ten million dollars has been expended by states, counties and towns in the three years since the movement was launched, and that two-thirds of the amount was ex pended in the last year, showing that interest has increased consistently. Particularly was this true in the West. Wyoming expended more than ten dollars per capita of the popula tion residing along the route. The full Import of this will be gathered from the statement that If a similar per capita amount were appropriated by the people along the highway from New York to Pittsburg, a distance equal approximately to that across Wyoming, the funds would build the entire highway in permanent concrete from New Tork to San Francisco twice over. The effort in Wyoming, moreover, was typical of the entire West. New problems, financial as well as of an engineering nature, are found on the great stretches of the desert. There Is in Utah a bit of' roadway of some 20 miles which, ..when im proved, will eliminate more than 65 miles of present terrible road condi tions. Water is absent for long peri ods in the dry season and at other seasons the entire country is under several Inches of water, which, says the report, in addition to presenting the UBual drainage difficulties, puts other engineering obstacles in the way by being highly alkaline. The region under consideration is more than fifty miles from the nearest railway. This stretch of road is regarded as the "keystone of the highway arch." The cost is far beyond the ability of the local county or the state to pay. Nevada, too, has an area more than half that at Franco and a population about equal to that of Des Moines. The state is practically helpless In the face of the tremendous problem, and the road Is more needed by the popu lation of the East and the Pacific Coast than by the residents of the counties it traverses. This suggests the need of a plan of aiding the more thinly populated Western states, espe cially since their engineering prob lems are so much more difficult and the Interest of their people so dwarfed by the larger use to which the road will be put by travelers from other parts. It was a wise policy that led to the choice of a route that should be as nearly as possible the shortest be tween the principal cities in a line drawn from ocean to ocean. Consid erations of "seeing America first" were once urged in favor of a wind ing road, built to enable the traveler to visit as many as possible of the points of Nation-wide interest. It was well that this plan was abandoned in favor of the policy of constructing one permanent road across the country, no matter how desirable other roads ac tually might be. This .National highway is broadly significant because it is so much more than merely a piece of engi neering and construction. It promises to do much toward uniting the East and the West. The railroads created the West, and-now these new high ways give promise of making both sections one. In addition to that, it will provide a stimulus for road con struction such as the country never has known before. That much is proved by the progress made by the highway in three years. Even ten years ago this would have been im possible. THE SHRINE IN 1919. The meek and useful camel, friend of man, has carried many a pilgrim across the burning sands to the shrine of an ineffable peace: and the camel has a symbolical relation not wholly clear to the uninitiated to the solemn rites of the great order of the Mystic Shrine. Perhaps It Is only a coinci dence, but the camel is also a familiar figure In every dry city and state. The real beast of burden in the desert is able to go many days without a drink. He doesn't miss It. He is the object of envy, not to say admiration and reverence, among certain mourn ing citizens in some 23 states of the Union which are undertaking the great experiment of prohibition. There is universal wonder as to how he does it. We are led to these remarks, intend ed to be jocular, by the observation that the great order of the Mystic Shrine is to be Invited to Portland, a dry town in a dry state, in 1919. Things are rarely as bad as they seem; Indeed, they are often better. We have been told that, prohibition would prevent many a National order, like the Shrine, from coming to Oregon or Washington. Why? Has the Shrine made a condition heretofore that the city of Its choice should be "wet"? Certainly not. There are many attractions here for the Shrine. There Is an enthusiastic and representative membership in the local organization, and they know how to play the host. They will be able to guarantee that the facilities for transacting necessary business by the Shrine will be of the best, and that the entertainment features will compare favorably' with any of the past. The plan to procure the Shriners' convention in 1919 Is a most impor tant undertaking and it deserves en couragement. It Is in the right hands, and no one need have any fear that Portland will fail to come up to the highest expectations. LANE'S LITTLE JOKE. We wonder what percentage of the reports of prohibition's failure have no better foundation than a recent dispatch in the St. Louis Globe-Demo crat. The article is headed: "Stone Asserts He Peeped In Saloon In Dry Oregon," and the following colloquy is said to have taken place on the floor of the Senate between Senator Stone, of Missouri, and Senator Lane, of Oregon, having been inspired by a bill proposing prohibition for the Dis trict of Columbia: "When did the state of Orecon go dry?" asked .Senator Stone of Lane. "About four years ago." answered Lane. "I was in the state a year ago last Sum mer, and in Portland I saw open saloons at the hotels,' said Stone. Lane There was an exception In favor of hotels at one time, but the barrooms have been closed now. Stone I am not entering into any con troversy; I was asking for information, for it was only a little over a year ago that I was in Oregon, and in browsing about In the great and beautiful city of Port land I happened to observe that there were saloons. I did not think anything about it. I Just supposed It was common there as It was in other places, but 1 saw it; in fact, I peeked into one or two of them Just to see what was going on. iJine replied that the Missouri Senator did better than even the officers of the law, for the state was dry then, he de clared, and no saloons were In existence. If Senator Stone was In Portland in the Summer of 1915 he may have peeped into many saloons, for prohibi tion did not take effect until January 1, 1916, and there never was a distinc tion made between hotel and other kinds of barrooms. Doubtless this misrepresentation has occurred through the failure of Senator Stone and all others to under stand the subtle humor of the Senator from Oregon. Oregon adopted wom an suffrage "about four years ago." and It Is a matter of common gossip that that was the first act in the process of going dry. . As for the Senator's reputed insis tence that no saloon existed In Oregon -in 1915, let us blame that UDon the fallibility of the press. The Senator is awfully busy with affairs of Na tional Importance, but who shall say that he has not had time to keep In touch with passing events in his na tive state ? CARP AND ITS PRIBNDS. The Gazette-Times has always admired The Oregonlan. The admiration began away back 30 years ago when this affiant was a resident in this state, then a ter ritory. Ho has always heard it highly spoken of in the Middle West where it is in high esteem, for its editorials are ad mired for their ability, uprightness, fair ness, reliability and consistency. But. alas! the faith we had is shattered! On Decem ber lu. page eight, it has a column cap tioned "Good Things to Eat." and under this head is listed, among other things, "German carp." o Temporal o Mores! O Carpo! o Oreronlan! Froh. Pudor' Corva'.lis Gazette-Times. We make no charges, but we are struck by the coincidence that the introduction of German carp in Ore gon and the former residence of the Corvallis "affiant" were just about a third of a century ago. We have no recollection that Oregon was a terri tory at that time. As to carp: if you like fish of that kind, that's the kind of fish you like. The Oregon variety is supposed to have been "made in Germany," but the Germans are guiltless of any special responsibility for its local prevalence, as carp is known every where throughout the world. There is encyclopaedic authority for the statement that there are 1400 varieties of carp and that it grows at times to the length of four and one-half feet. and is of corresponding weight. Only one variety Is known in Oregon, and it is enough. The largest fish are not over 10 pounds, though, doubtless, rare catches run higher. Carp was introduced in Oregon waters because a few alarmed citizens thought there was not enough life in our lakes and streams, and their In herited old-country tastes ran to the coarse and muddy carp rather than to our own delicious fish the incom parable salmon, trout, halibut, shad, smelt and the rest, all of which abound here. The carp is the hog of the waters, and he has all but de stroyed the w a p a t o. growing In sloughs and lakes, and regarded by ducks and geese as a great delicacy. The black bass makes war on the carp, but he is so greatly outnum bered that he accomplishes little, yet he does not despair. Withal, the carp has a place In many a larder. It is sold in the local markets and in Eastern cities in com petition with more edible products of the waters. But evidently our Cor vallls friend has an educated palate. PRECEDENT IS SHATTERED. The Estimate of State Expenditures for 1917-18, otherwise known as the state budget, is an imposing document presenting the needs of nearly one hundred institutions, departments, boards, societies, commissions and of fices. The budget Is subject to re vision by the ways and means commit tees of House and Senate in particu lars that must be covered by-state ap propriations. These revisions, it Is ap parent, must accomplish a total re duction in the budget of $715,382.09. It is said that places on the two committees, always in demand, are as much coveted this year as at any previous time. But it is a safe guess that those who succeed to them will have a better understanding of the terms "midnight oil" and "sweating blood" before the forty legislative days are over. Therefore It Is quite appro priate that of all the institutions, de partments, boards, societies, commis sions and offices the sole one which asks for an increase but kindly ac knowledges that It can get along with the same sum granted two years ago Is the Oregon Humane Society. But there Is another striking de partiire from the general rule. One board actually offers to take over the work of another board at an estimated saving of nearly $30,000 for the bl ennlum. This bold, ambitious and wholly unique proposal comes from the State Board of Health. Two years ago its appropriation was $31,000. It announces that if allowed $44,688 It will bo better equipped to transact Its own duties and will perform all the services now performed by the Oregon Social Hygjene Society, for which the latter has put In an estimate of $40, 000. The Social Hygiene Society is silent in the budget as to what it thinks of the suggestion to consolidate it out of business. Perhaps It was not ad vised of the Board of Health's inten tion. A careful examination of the budget reveals that this Is the only suggestion or advice offered as to ways of overcoming the predicament caused- by tho tax limitation amend ment. That one governmental state In stitution should volunteer to take over another's duties and save state money is so unprecedented that one naturally hesitates to expound Its merits. There fore we await developments. Mean while, with this shining example at hand. Is It too much to begin hoping that at some time some board or com mission will offer its own head for de capitation? THE WILL TO CONQUER. It would not be surprising if the war In Europe should In the next year. If It continues so long, pass from the material stage to the realm of the psychological. It will then become a test of racial fiber and soul endur ance, as well as a question of men and guns, money and ships and food. How long can human nature endure the strain? This does not mean alone the tortures of men wounded on the battlefield, but the tremendous welerht of nerve - racking responsibility, of anxiety, of uncertainty permeating every belligerent nation down to the last man and woman in it. The cables have told how modern shell fire is the most destructive of the nervous sys tem of any form of warfare ever de vised, but It must not be thought that the armies in the trenches are the only sutrerers. The people at home, torn with daily reading of the casualty lists, grieving silently and making ma terial sacrifices of every description, must be reckoned with In the final accounting. The man who predicts the end will need to be acquainted with something far beyond the physical, or even the mental, characteristics of the people. How long can a nation continue, on the one hand, to pile up victories without seemingly arriving at the end? How long, on the other, can a body of people suffer passively? How mifch dead weight of woe can an impassive group endure? It is said that con sciousness of winning is a powerful stimulant, but will not the time come when it only cloys? Blow on blow, thrust on thrust, give and take: which side can bear the strain upon the soul the longer, without reference to the outcome of the local combat? The belligerent countries of Europe have come to the pass when no indi vidual In them goes unscathed. Com batants and non - combatants are all engaged in war. Those who do not carry the sword In hand have loved ones on the battle line, or are feeling the stress of war in some other poignant way. Personal privations are the smallest part of the sacrifices they are making. They must put up with their own meditations, and share in the crowd - psychology besides. Ex citement and depression, triumph and defeat, the will to do and the desire to quit, are not for any one man alone. They are contagious In spite of him. And so, presently, it may come to a new situation. In which nothing we know of any Individual Englishman, or German, or Austrian, or Frenchman or Russian will help us to reach a conclusion. It will be a question of how far the will to conquer per meates the mass; of how much of everything put together they can with stand before the breaking point comes. In a war such as this, one can almost conceive such a thing In the end as a national emotional collapse, like that which in the individual. In cer tain forms, we call insanity. News of the death at San Francisco of Albert Bonnheim, of Sacramento, will be read with keen sorrow, not only in his own state, but throughout the West as well, for he was a man whose benevolences knew no state boundaries and whose sympathies were catholic In the highest degree. As the almoner of a substantial fund which he himself created In memory of a young son, he had made It possl- ble for many young men and young women to attend college who other wise would riot have been able to do so. His kindly Interest In them did not end at that point, but was extend ed to help them in finding the" right kind of employment and to watch over them afterward. The number of those who so benefited, financially and spiritually, by contact with Mr. Bonnheim must have been very large. This was his most memorable and, no doubt, most effective benevolence, but he had other interests of a like nature, and managed to give them a good deal of attention, despite the. responsibili ties of a successful business career. He exemplified the adage to the effect that "if you want something done In this world you must get a busy man to do It." CAN 'A TRUST BE TRUSTED? There is little difference of opinion as to the wisdom of permitting trade combinations for development of for elgn commerce, but an almost equal need exists for similar combinations at home under Federal supervision in certain industries. This need is found in those Industries which Involve pri mary natural resources and in those which produce commodities necessary to our economic Independence and to our defense. A referendum on the lat ter subject is being taken among all commercial bodies by the United States Chamber of Commerce. One Industry in which such co-operation Is needed, and in which It would redound to the National good, is lumber. It could still further stand ardlze grades, improve systems of ac counting and credit, promote use of lumber and spread Information as to its uses, promote bett6r methods of logging to prevent waste, and find uses for waste material In making by products. Further, it could carry for ward processes of home manufacture to the finished article. This is highly Important, for by exporting raw ma terials we permanently reduce our store of natural wealth without get ting the maximum benefit for our peo ple from its production, while the na tlons to which we sell raw materials are enriched by putting it In finished shape. One of the new Industries which have sprung up during the war Is the manufacture of coal tar products. Manufacturers in this line are alive to the need of stabilizing and stand ardizlng the industry and of linking up Its several branches, and are working for the formation of a strong organl zation. They have been spurred on to this action by Dr. Thomas H. Nor ton, the Government dyestuffs expert, who has been impressed with the need of compact organization In this coun try by the fact that German manufac turers, who have always worked In close co-operation have recently com bined,' with $30,000,000 capital. He ascribes Germany's past dominance in the world's markets to the close sol idarity of the Industry as a whole. Per manence of the industry in this coun try is important as a measure of Na tional defense, for coal tar Is the source of many materials for explo sives. The proposal to be submitted to the Chambers of Commerce raises the question whether our laws can be so revised and administered that the peo ple can get all the benefits which Ger many derives from combination with out suffering any of those evils which have resulted In this country and against which our anti-trust laws are aimed. An idea of the amount of time lost by wage earners of the United States on account of sickness is obtained from the estimate made recently that 30,000,000 men are absent from their work from this cause nine days apiece on the average, which is a total of about 900,000 years in all. Their wage loss in that time is half a billion, and a considerable proportion of their work being the creation of permanent wealth, this Is foregone for all time. The Federal Council of Churches In america recently announcea its inten tion of attacking the problem by sys tematic study of the causes of condi tions which cause sickness and lessen vitality, and by seeking the co-operation of every possible recognized au thority and existing agency. A cam paign of four years' duration has been planned, designed to "end in a united National attack upon disease and death." Evangelist Hayward bases his con tention that December 2 5 cannot be the birthday of Jesus on the premise that shepherds would not be out with their flocks at that time. He may be right, but it may have been an open Winter and the sheepmen were do ing as they often have done since, taking a chance. A murder yesterday was the result of cold-blooded calculation, shown by the attitude of the man. Hanging has been abolished and the penalty of imprisonment never can offset desire of revenge. Boys who received sleds yesterday will have opportunity to use them. Indian George's prediction of a hard Winter assures that, for a hard Win ter without plenty of snow cannot happen. When one considers the trainmen bucking snow, with all the chance of accident against them, they cannot be blamed for wanting what others call "big pay." A Coos Bay boat, the Adeline Smith, is the greatest lumber carrier -in the world and that is distinction enough for Mr. Kyne to put her into "Cappy" Kicks' fleet- Beyond the few cases that need the hangman's attention, everybody felt well disposed yesterday and had a cheery greeting for all others. One of the settings of a Christmas casualty comprised three empty whis ky bottles. -Those things never fail to get results. The boy who failed to get all he wanted yesterday morning will see that his boys get theirs in time to come. Every employe in the postal serv ice has the knowledge that Portland appreciates the work of the weeks past- Mount Lassen indulged yesterday to be In line on tho- Christmas smoke. Like most of them, it was odoriferous. Summed up after a day of joy, this is a good section of a good old world. This is catch-up day, when "ginger" is needed. Isn't Santa ripper? Claus a regular old Gleams Through the Mist By Dean Collins. TUB DAT AFTER. 'Twas the day after Christmas and all round my couch I beheld the deep blue of a 'day-after" grouch. While the realization kept growing in volume That I'd have to get tip and start writing a eolyum Oh. sad Is the lot of the scribbling dub Who whittles out rhymes for the gen eral pub.. When he wakes In the morn and he wishes to snore But has got to get up and get busy once more. "Tls Christmas comes once in a year, it is true But the day after Christmas comes also once, too. So I crawled out of bed and I pulled on my shoes. And put on my bath robe and phoned to the Muse: "Oh, Lizzie, get busy and send o'er the wire Some high Inspiration to cheer and in spire." But all that I heard In the solemn gray dawn Was a sound from the Muse very much like a yawn. Then I heard her hang up and In vain did I yell, Tou can't wake a Muse with a tele phone bell. So I sat on my bed and I held my poor head. And tear after tear after teardrop I shed, I rocked back and forth and I pounded my knee. But no Inspiration came floating to me, But I knew though the Muse had con veyed mo the mitten That eolyum Just simply had got to be written. I plucked the guitar and I twanged on the harp. And I picked the banjo with the bone of a carp. And I whistled me high and I whistled - me low. And I scraped on the fiddle a minute or so. But vain were my musical lurlngs, you see. For no inspiration came floating to me. I searched 'neath the bureau in deep consternation. And found collar buttons but no In spiration: I searched 'neath the sink with a wild gleam of hope Found no Inspiration, but did find some soap; I searched 'neath the bed with a stu dious squint. But no inspiration I found 'monr the lint. I searched In my sleeves and my coat pockets, too. Found no Inspiration but found a corkscrew; I searched up my cuffs and my collars but still Found no Inspiration, but laundryman's bill; I searched all the wardrobe In vain searched it through And all that I found was ; "This eolyum is due!" And so I sat down to my desk rlth a sigh And threw my typewriter plumb into the high. And started to beat out a eolyum complete With nose and with fingers, toes, elbows and feet. For when Inspiration has failed one. indeed. He sometimes can save things by put ting on speed. I played on the lower case keyboard and flew From the lower-case Into the upper case too. I wrote punctuation and figures arm spaces. But mostly I pounded out wordaes and phrases. men same I have found Is a fine thing for you On the day after Christmas, when colyums are due. I pattered forth words with a rythmn and rhyme. Like time, and like mime, and like dime, and like lime; Like prunes, and like spoons, and like glove, and like shove. Like pickle and tickle and fickle a mickle: A rhyme I beat out like those rhymes there above; Which Is one way. I find, when th pressure In high And you must write a eolyum. for von to get by. I thumped on the keyboard with all of my graces And beat out the wordses and beat out the phrases. For line after line, sudh was my con sternation At having to write things without In spiration, And when I had finished, before me lay spread The wordses and phrases that you have Just read. I scanned the batch o'er and I mut tered: "I know 'em To be pretty poor, as one judges a poem, But ah. I will trust to my readers, this time. To let me get by on the rythmn and rhyme; They'll surely absolve and forgive me for this mess Considering this Is the day after Christmas." So I closed my typewriter and rubbed my poor head. And pulled off my bathrobe and crept back to bed. Oh, sad Is the lot of the scribbling dub Who 'pends upon versification for grub. When he wakes on a morn when he wishes to snore But has to get up and get busy once more. King of Gypsies. PORTLAND. Dec 24. (To the Edi tor.) Please state whether gypsies have or are ruled by a king or queen and. If so, where does the king or queen reside? M. F. WRIGHT. Gypsies have no rulers as a race. Their wandering bands sometimes maintain some sort of tral organisation. "COIXO TO HELL ACROSS LOTS.3 Writer Maintains State Has Riant to Save Men Pro as Selves. PORTLAND. Dec 25. (To the Ed itor.) Is there a God-given right of men to ruin their minds and bodies and wreck their fortunes and families with rum, with which the stale may not in terfere because it will infringe on per sonal liberty? So some judges tell us. Other Judges, equally eminent, have spoken differently. I discuss the pres ent popular fad of saying it was fine to abolish the saloon, but would be wrong to interfere with men's personal liberty to drink as much as they please. Hear what the highest courts have said concerning the right of the states, if they see fit, to prohibit not only the traffic in. but the consumption of in toxicating drink. In Crowley vs. Chrlstensen. 137 U.S. 86. Mr. Justice Field, speaking for the court, said: It Is urged that, as the liquors are used as a beverage, an injury following; them, if taktn in excess, is voluntarily inflicted, and is confined to the party ortendlng. their sales should be without restrictions, the contsntlon bolus that what a man - shall drink, equally with what he shall eat. Is not properly matter for legislation. There la in this position an assumption of a fact which does not exist, that when the liquors are taken in excess the Injuries are confined to the party offending. The In Jury, It Is true, first falls upon him In his health, which the habit undermines; in his morals, which It weakens, and In the self abasement whloh it creates. But. as it leads to neglect of business and waste of property and general demoralisation, it af fects those who are immediately connected with and dependent upon him. In West Virginia vs. Adams Express t-o. (C. C. A.). 219 Fed. 794. the court said: In trying to comprehend the legislative purpose In prohibition statutes. It Is impor tant to remember that the ultimate end sought In prohibition legislation Is not the prevention or restriction of the mere sale of Intoxicants, but the pag-vention of their consumption aa a beverage. The ease being ttie most usual and obvious means by which drinking is accomplished, legislation is more often directed against sales. But It Is upon the recognised evil or individual consump tion as a beverage that the right of a stats under Its police power rests to enact pro hibitive legislation. In Southern express Co. vs. Whittle (Ala.). 69 Sou, Rep.. 652, the court aald: The object and purpose of all our laws governing the subject of intoxicating liquors Is to promote temperance and prevent drunkenness. The evil to be reme died is the use of intoxicating liquors aa a beverage. Preund, in his work on the police power, at section 204, thus amplifies the idea expressed In our eases above quoted: "It Is certainly the more conservative view to look upon the control of the liquor irauic as a means of protecting the com unity from crime and the financial dens of pauperism; but it Is also clear that tne police power, resting upon this Incon testable ground. Is turned Into a power to protect the weak Individual from hla own weakness. Into a power to prevent the wasteful expenditure of money and time, and finally Into a power to Impose upon the minority the sentiments or prejudices of the majority of the community, as to what la morally right and good.' In Mugler vs. Kansas. 123 U. 8. 658. the court, quoting the language of Mr. Justice Grler, holds that: . The true question Is whether the states have a right to prohibit the sale and consumption of an article of commerce which they believe to be pernicious in Its effects, and the cause of disease, pauperism and crime. The police power which is exclusively In the states is alone competent to the correction of these great evila, and all measures of restraint or pro hibition necessary to effect the purpose are within the scope of that authority. In Crane's case, 151 P. 1006, the Su preme Court of Idaho said: The harm consists neither In the nosses- slon nor the sale, but In the consumDtion of it. In State vs. Rhilllns. 67 So. 651. the Supreme Court of Mississippi said: f the object of the rrohlbitlon of the sale of intoxicating liquors is not to pre vent, as far aa may be. the drinking of such liquors, then it Is difficult to Justify the laws prohibiting the sale. If it Is not a menace to the health mor als, welfare and peace of the public for men and women to drink alcohollo liquors. It would seem that the public could have no Interest In prohibiting the sale. The ultimate purpose and end of prohibition Is to prevent the use of liquor as a beverage. The right of the. slates to prohibit the traffic In liquors Is unquestionable. In the last analysis, the one who drinks the stuff Inflicts the chief harm on the community. The courts have seen the logic of the situation, and no outcry about personal liberty Is golrig to avail. A. L. VEAZ1E. HOOD nrvER. The soft, white snow Ilea upon the ground like a robe of white All Winter, and gives tho soli es sence of its purity; Warm, silver rains follow the slumber of Winter's night. Like - natinal shower waking Na ture to her Industry. The sun brings warmth and color, from the soft rose of dawn. Rising boldly to amber rays which light the busy day And warm the earth; when evening says It must be gone. Paints the Western sky crimson and gold before it fades away. To nourish the rich, brown soil that she may mother well her trees. From distant mountain slopes flow waters cool and clear; Sweet scents of pines and wild thlnjrs come from forests on the breeze. And It's God's own breath that makes the pureness of the air. The whiteness of the snow, rain that Is celestial wine. . Sun's gorgeous tints and warmth of life, mountain nectar keeping soil from drought. Forest sweetness. fragrant breezes mingling with the Breath Divine, In one Hood River apple all of these to you are brought. LOUISE BATES HECSNER. Room at the Top. There is always room at the top, 'tis said, for the person ambitious to get ahead; But if he would reach a place up there He must rustle, and always play It fair. If you think you are worth a few shek els more. Don't tell the boss. It Is apt to bore. If it's so, he'll find It out. all right. For your record is quite within his sight. And another thing you must not forget: Never hold back, nor sulk or fret: Maybe you think your paycheck small; You'll soon get more if you earn it all. The task it is your lot to do, you, or someone, must put through: And It's certain you will never excel While you nurse the blues every little spell. There is doubtless room tip at the top. But one must keep going and never nop; The route up there will have some thorns. In the going, though, don't mind your corns. Make up your mind, determined be Big jobs demand efficiency. A. H. O CONNELL Plebeian Praise. Some sing of love, some sing of war. Some sing of things unknown. To sing the song of onion strong Is left to me alone. - Thle juicy fruit grows at the root Has no uncertain taste. , It's very good as pungent food: And there is little waste With soup or meat It's good to eat; It's luscious In a stew. In corned beef hash, for little cash. It makes a meal for you. An onion, slice is very nice Between two slaba of bread: Or as a pickle It will tickle Both your heart and head. A. G. JACKSON. In Other Days. TWEXTT-nfK TEARS AGO. Prom Tho Oregonlan of December 24V lestt Washington. Dec. 25 It is coming to be the general opinion In Washing ion that war with Chile Is inevitable. Chicago, Dec 25. A riot, which at one time threatened to be a most bloody one. took place this afternoon as an outcome of a horse race upon one of the city thoroughfares. Spring salmon, the regular Chinook, made their appearance in the market yesterday. The City Hall, like other public buildings, presented a deserted appear unee yesterday. The ground was whitened with snow yesterday for the first time this sea son, in honor of the day. Lesrend of Owyhee. In olden days, when the earth was young And the sun like a globe of fire swung Through the misty sky. and the moun tains still Trembled and shook In wrath at the Will That set them there, and rivers ran Hither and yon. aa If to scan Some passageway, that they might flee Through tlje barrier rocks to the surg ing sea; And the somber clouds that the tempest hurled Like funeral shrouds 'round the quak ing world Over the lofty summits curled. Ceree. the beautiful goddess, stood On a stony height, and beheld the flood Of a seething lake rise high and higher. Like an ocean wave on a bed of fire, "fill an adamant barrier fathoms wide, Stmmed the ire of its rising tide. Turned the course of its maddening pace. And drove It back in the hill's embrace. And Just below lay a barren plain. Scorched and burnt, and the lake would fain Have rushed from its rocky bed and buret The walls of its prison to quench its thirst. Then Ceres rose and with swift wing clove The misty air to the throne of Jove. "Olve me." she importuned, "the right bur-jTb wield thy thunder-bolt and smite Yon granite rldgo and free yon lake From Its 'prieoninc hills and I win make Of yonder desolate, desert place An Elysium for the coming race." Go. weary traveler, and see The emerald vale of Owyhee: The adamant barrier cleft in twain; The crystal river upon the plain. Slow creeping In a thousand rills; The lake's old prison among the hills; Then Judge If Cerce wrought her plan Of a blest Elysium for man. BEN W. MULKET. The Convert. The "dry as hades" law he cussed with many an angry roar: restricted drinks he got would Just create a thirst for more. The drys In this afflicted state were dog-ln-manger ginks; be cause they didn't Irrigate the rest must pine for drinks. In uesp'rate mood he packed his grip, with envious chums shook hands, and sallied forth to make the trip across the desert sands. Upon the Shasta Limited he stowed himself away and to the soggy southward sped to San Francisco bay. On landing there he sought a place where social glasses clink and through the gate way in his face sent the initial drink, then lapghed in glee to think that he could have a whoop, hurray! could have a gentlemanly spree In strictly legal way. with frequent etops to get a drink he wandered up and down un til the stuff caused him to think he owned the blooniin' town. Ho grew unsteady on his feet, yet drink did he demand till leg bones that ran through the meat seemed of the Good year brand. Long after midnight cocks had crew he tossed upon a cot, his head was big enough for two. his throat was smoking hot. There was no water in the room to soothe the 6ufrring guy. and. staring at impend ing doom he cried: "O. I will die!" Then came a thought he hoped might stop the aftermath of grog he threw his bedroom window up and took a drink of fog. Now he is with us once again and to his memory clings the days when In his booze-wrecked brain were snakes and frogs and things. The booze he now holds In disgust and prays the day is near when Oregon will be dry as dust, or hades' atmosphere. JAMES BARTON ADAMS. The Drama of Clothes. Ney York Globe. Before Serge de Dlachilev's Russian ballet left Petrograd to astonish the Western world 91 out of 100 people were deliberately and religiously tim orous In their choice of clothes. The eternal fear of being conspicuous, which has always been a prime chsr acterlstlc of Northern races, made the large majority of folks cling to almost funeral shades. The change has been not Improperly attributed to the re markable Influence of Russian scenery and costumes. Almost overnight we Occidentals blossomed out in riotous colors. Staid, sober citizens and clti ienesses emerged clad In the fashion of the rainbow. In order to be quietly dressed it became almost imperative to be loud. Poets found it necessary to Imitate the uniform of undertakers so aa to be different from the hordes of clerks and taxpayers. For a while It looked as though even the Integrity of that sacred garment, the dress coat, was Imperiled when one or two hardy souls appeared publicly In dark gray evening clothes. But that awful danger has been safely suppressed. Unfair Parcel Post Rates. PORTLAND. Dec. 25. (To the Ed itor.) Just as an example of Demo cratic gross Incompetency, take their method of charging for mall packages. To a certain zone a four-ounce pack age costs 4 cents. When I took a five ounce package I was charged 11 cents. Surely It is not nearly three times aa hard to deliver my five-ounce package as the four-ounce. If the express companies were to have such an unbusincss-llke, arbitrary method, how quickly would the Inter state Commerce Commission inform them that If they only charged a cent an ounce for a four-ounce package, they must not charge more than a cent an ounce for a heavier one. What Is tho matter with the average Democrat when he gets Into office? Just think of turning the railroads over to them! R. M. TUTTLE. Letter Worth Rending. PORTLAND. Dec 25. (To the Edi tor.) I have been Interested In read ing the article by Eliza Agnew, "Why Do Men Go Wrong?'' I also read the article commenting on It by "A Father." The original article did not refer to children or modest little girls, but men, who go out Into the world to meet temptation and battle with sin. I wish that every father In thle broad land could read the very able article by Eliza Agnew and profit by tt A SUBSCRIBER. SlS.OOO a Tear Each. TANGENT. Or., Dec. IS. (To the Ed itor.) Please publish in The Orego nlan the salaries of the men of the President's Cabinet. BELLE SLATE.