Morning Oregonian., March 06, 1917, Page 10, Image 10

10
TITTS 3IORXIXG OREGOXIAX, TUESDAY. 3IARCH 6, 1917.
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POBILAXD, TUESDAY, MAKCII 6, 1917.
THE RECALL FOB LANK?
There is now discussion as to the
legal possibility of recalling Senator
Harry Lane. That It is the opinion of
the great majority of people In Ore
gon that he ought to be divested of
hie high position there can be no
doubt.
Senator Lane has demonstrated his
utter unfitness to be a United States
Senator. In his filibustering address
ho displayed less than a superficial
understanding of the international is
sue Involved. Out of utter shallow
ness of mind he adopted not only a
disloyal but an unrepresentative at
titude. The people of Oregon, whom Sen
ator Lane is supposed to represent, did
not give their electorate vote to Wood
row Wilson in the last election. They
constituted the one state entirely west
of the Missouri River that was not
Impressed by the ','kept-us-out-of-war"
slogan. Above all things, the
people of Oregon 'are patriotic. In a
National crisis they know no politics.
It is naught to them that the Presi
dent of the United States Is not of
their choice, if he is upholding the
honor' and protecting the rights of
the Nation. With hardly a dissenting
voice they are behind the President
of the United States at this hour.
The Oregonian has received many
Inquiries as to possibility of applying
the recall to a United States Senator.
The Oregonian is confident that state
machinery is ample. "Every public
officer in Oregon," reads the constitu
tion, "is subject to recall." United
States Senators are now elected di
rectly by the people. A petition by
25 per cent of the voters of the state
would start the machinery in motion.
Unless Senator Lane resigned within
five days after the filing of the peti
tion an election would be called with
in twenty days thereafter.
Eut whether the Senate would ac
cept the credentials of another Sen
ator so elected would be entirely with
in the discretion of that body. The
Senate is the sole Judge of the quali
fications of its members. In short,
Oregon could proceed under state law
to displace Senator Lane, but whether
its action would be recognized at
Washington is somewhat problemat
ical. There !s no precedent on . which to
base a prediction an to the action of
the Senate. Probably on the one hand
in the Senate there would be a desire
to promote loyalty and to accept the
will of a Senator's constituents, and
on the other hand a fear that recog
nition of the recall in this Important
particular would act as a precedent
for Invoking the doctrine over trivial
Issues. But If the international issue
was still acute at the -time the mat
ter was under- consideration by the
Senate the will of the ppople of Ore
gon would doubtless be sustained.
KEEP YOUB EYE OX TILE SENATE.
By President Wilson's denunciation
and by the loyal Senators manifesto
the twelve copperhead Senators and
the one Jones of Washington who
climbed on the fence are placed in
the pillory as targets for outraged
public opinion. They . should be
branded collectively and individually
as men who dare to maintain that,
when this Nation is attacked through
its citizens and its ships, it should
not defend itself. . In no other way
can this Nation at present escape the
shame and Ignominy with which the
cowardly or disloyal dozen would over
whelm It before the eyes of the world.
The stain can and will finally be re
moved by the passage of the armed
neutrality bill by the Sixty-fifth Con
gress, whose term began on March 4.
The President points straight at the
radical defect which has enabled the
minority to defeat the will of the ma
jority. That defect is the Senate rule
under which a time for a vote cannot
be fixed without unanimous consent,
and under which a vote can be post
poned so long as any Senator wishes
to speak. The twin evils are unani
mous consent and unllnaited debate.
They must be removed in order that
one-eighth of the Senate may not over
come seven-eighths.
By calling the Senate alone In extra
session, the President has focused pub
lic attention on that body. Its first
business must be organization and
adoption of rules. ' Under the lash of
public opinion the Senate will be
driven to amend its rules in such man
ner that the majority perhaps a two
thirds majority may set a time when
debate shall end and a vote be taken
on any measure. The House not being
in session, there can be no legislation
to distract attention. The eye of the
people will be on the body which by
obstinate adherence to obsolete rules
has perverted the Senate into a ma
chine for defeating the public will and
for leaving the Nation defenseless
In a time of danger.
In order to be complete, the reform
must Include a change In the rules of
. organization. Under the present rules
the Senator of the majority party who
has served longest on any committee
automatically becomes chairman of
that committee and no holdover or
re-elected Senator car. be removed
from a committee without his consent.
That rule has raised the copperhead
Senator Stone, of Missouri, to the
chairmanship of the committee on for
eign' relations, for which he has proved
utterly unfit. The man who holds
, that office should be the right hand
of the President in carrying through
the Senate any legislation relating to
foreign affairs. He should be in har
mony with the President- on the gen
eral lines of foreign policy.
Mr. Wilson has found that In lean
ing on Mr. Stone for aid he has leaned
on a broken reed. Worse, when he
looked to the Missourian for aid in
the present emergency, the slippery
Senator turned directly against him.
Only abolition of the musty seniority
rule can rid the Nation of such an
Incubus and clear the way for men
of capacity and patriotism. Mr. Stone
Is a survival of the type, .of Senator
which was elected under the old in
direct system. He is a tricky machine
politician, uninformed on foreign af
fairs and mentally and morally Inca
pable of the broad, far-seeing, patri
otic statesmanship necessary to their
proper conduct. His presence in- the
position which he disgraces is in itself
a condemnation of the -system by
which he attained it.
It need not be expected that these
reforms in the Senate rules will be
made without a struggle. The evils
described are a relic of the days when
the Senate regarded itself as a club
of amiable old gentlemen, in which all
other considerations must yield to
Senatorial courtesy. It was discour
teous to prevent a Senator from talk
ing as long as he wished, to force Sen
ators to vote so long as any of them
wished to talk or to deny a Senator
elevation to the chair of a committee
which he was presumed to have earned
by long service, no matter how ineffi
cient that service may have been.
Many of the older Senators of both
parties will cling to the rules which
courtesy has evolved. Others will fear
that majority tyranny will take the
place of the evils under discussion and
will prove a worse evil. The bakers
dozen of copperheads will naturally
object to being shorn of that power
which they have so conspicuously
abused.
Only the weight of a determined,
watchful, active and plainly expressed
public opinion will avail to drive the
Senate to the desired action. The peo
ple will need to give members of that
body clearly to understand that they
are not members of a club that is
maintained by the public as a public
ornament, but that they have been
elected to a public body for the rea
sonably expeditious transaction of the
public business. There are among the
Senators able, patriotic, determined
men; who will lead the fight for the
public interest. . In order that they
may succeed, it is essential that the
public get behind them and get after
the recalcitrants, lest the latter delay
a decision Indefinitely.
Keep your eye on the Senate, and
make its members realize that de
feat will be the penalty of further sac
rifice of National honor and interests
to the will of an obstructive, disloyal
minority.
COWARDS ?
The Oregonian has received five let
ters from peace lovers who resent the
general characterization of pacifists
as "cowards" or reference to them in
similarly harsh terms.
Probably the term "coward" is too
severe to be applied to all pacifists,
but a peculiarity of the communica
tions is that not one of the writers
has had the courage to make his iden
tity known.
But something worse than cowardice
afflicts two of these writers. They
express violent opinions in violent lan
guage, yet with the utmost indifference
as to the stigma that might attach
to loyal men by publication of their
letters.
One signs a common surname with
initials only, and no address. By the
thoughtless reader the letter might be
taken to express the views of any one
of the three citizens of Portland, who,
so far as The Oregonian knows, are
Imbued only with lofty ideals of pa
triotism. The other signature would
fit a dozen different men.
With such persons as these acting
as the oracles of peace, it is no wonder
that pacifists are greeted with con
demnatory terms.
"COMrCLeORl" COLLEGE COCRSES.
The prevailing impression that more
young men go to college than ever bo
fore is ruthlessly upset by the dean
of the University of Wisconsin. Just
as statistics had been compiled to
show the vast increase in attendance
throughout the country the worthy
dean puts it on record that almost
no one "goes" to college these days.
Instead they are "sent." Whereas the
sturdy youth of fifty years ago fought
his way to a college education the
ease-loving youth of today Is dis
patched to the centers of learning by
doting parents, who insist that he must
be educated. The dean obviously is
much upset.
Doubtless there is considerable truth
in this statement. But a survey of at
tendance at universities establishes the
fact that many young men and women
are working their way. Perhaps tho
number is not so great in proportion
to population as it was fifty years ago.
Data are not available on this point.
The number may be larger. But what
ever the cause. of increased attendance
the effect is good; and even if the
youth of the land is lacking in thirst
for lore it Is a healthy sign of the
times that parents are Increasingly
provident and are forcing the educa
tional issue with their progeny. It
may be an unhappy state that the old
craving for education does not burn
so intensely as of yore in the youthful
breast. The reason therefor must be
looked for in conditions that surround
them.
But a thousand men sent to college
must be set down as a more fortunate
circumstance for a nation than a hun
dred men forging their way to the
seat of learning. For one thing, the
man who works his way through col
lege Is at a disadvantage because of
divided energy and interest, a fairly
well-settled contention the good dean
must have lost sight of. The impor
tant fact la . that more young men,
many fold, are going to college now
than were attending fifty, twenty-five,
ten or five years ago. That many,
or even a majority of them, are forced
to attend need cause no one undue
concern.
UNFETTERED FLIGHTS OF FANCY.
Miss Amy Lowell, peerless exponent
and promulgator of free verse, has
undertaken to give some inside infor
mation concerning the cult which has
captivated so many young poets as
well as a multitude of readers. She
has gone to the length of attempting
to define free verse. Fortunately,
after reading that which she has to
say, one is little, if any, the wiser.
But that she should be guilty of any
such indiscretion is cause for dire
surprise, for once reduced to tangible
formula how little freedom would free
verse retain?' Would not this wild
poetry immediately lose its freedom?
Surely there can be no freedom where
the fetters of formality are snapped
from this will-o'-the-wisp of flighty
fancy.
One can understand that poet or
poetess, once having achieved public
favor, cannot resist the lure of dis
cussing technique. But what is free
verse if not the absence of technique,
of formula, of formality, of form? And
what is to become of It when these
are applied? Suppose Miss Lowell
should persist in her definitions until
finally we had a tangible analysis of
free verse. What then would become
of the free versifiers? Their very hold
upon us Is the Irresistible fact that
wo do not know what on earth they
are in a. frenzy over. One follows the
unfettered flights of transcendental
genius as exemplified by free verse
always with the feeling that one Is
just three laps behind. One may not
admit defeat without admitting poetic
and intellectual inferiority. So free
verse goes its way, commanding awe
and admiration.
But given an intelligent notion of
what It all is about and disillusion
ment might spill the golden beans.
The free versifiers should demand of
Miss Lowell that she deny the au
thenticity of all past interviews and
refuse to give out any more defini
tions; else they should cast her out
of the fold.
WHAT AMERICA STANDS FOB.
President Wilson's inaugural ad
dress was an able, eloquent statement
of those high ideals which have al
ways inspired the policy of the United
States in its dealings with other na
tions. It defines our attitude toward
the war in accord with those ideals,
and it should put to silence those tra
ducers of their country who confound
defense of our elementary rights with
war for the gratification of greed and
aggression. He truly said that we
have "'wished nothing for ourselves
that we were not ready to demand for
all mankind fair dealing. Justice, the
freedom to live and be at ease against
organized wrong." We have armed only
"to make good our claim to a certain
minimum of right and of freedom of
action."
When such is the purpose of our
armed neutrality, when we aim only
to protect our citizens from wanton ieeman was a ploneer publisher, fol
murder on the high seas, those men ,owlnr tho Unlon Paclfic RaUroad as
are doubly base who defend their op- t pro&ressed westward and printing
position to such armament with the
plea not only that we should better
endure the wrong than fight to pre-
vent it but that the right we defend
is put to so sordid and mercenary a
use that we should better abandon
than maintain it by force.
America stands for the principles
governing relations between nations
which the President laid ' down. It
stands for those principles for all
mankind, not for itself alone. Tet the
men who obstruct his efforts to defend
rights which underlie those principles
would have us cower before a league
of ruthless, faithless, military oligar
chies which has bathed the world in
blood ln the effort to destroy all that
America stands for.
The peace which this league would
establish would be founded on destruc
tion of Americanism wherever it has
been extended to the old world. The
league would then strive to extend the
same kind of peace to the new world.
That is the kind of peace which the
bakers' dozen of copperheads would
promote by having the American peo
ple stand aside while the league clears
the sea of all commerce and travel,
neutral as well as belligerent. It is
not the kind of peace for which the'
President and the vast majority of
the American people stand and for
which the Revolutionary fathers
fought. That is a peace In which all
men and all nations, small as well as
great, stand upright unafraid, and
travel the seas with equal rights and
in equal security It is a peace for
which the American people have
fought and for which they are ready
to fight again, if need be.
HAPHAZARD PREPAREDNESS.
Eastern publications have a great
deal to say concerning a bellboy in
fantry battalion that has been formed
among the employes of a great Wash
ington hotel. Three hundred bellhops,
all provided with uniforms of a pat
tern approved for Peruvian Generals
and equipped with rifles of an obso
lete pattern, are put through their
paces several times a week. The In
cident Is pointed to as another evi
dence that the spirit of preparedness
is abroad in the land and that the
American people are awakened at
last.
But the spectacle should cause the
educated patriot to groan. There are
multitudinous companies of this sort
scattered throughout the land. They
are uniformed in as many different
ways and armed with everything from
target rifles to broomsticks. Mean
while our Army and National Guard
are struggling in vain to get a cor
poral's guard out for drill. The bell
hop brigade Is only another evidence
of our lack of a military policy, or a
military spirit, or of any conception
of National obligations. A Nation
with the greatest potential fighting
strength in the world, America ranks
below numerous mere dependencies in
Europe, so far as actual organized
force is concerned. While the organ
ized forces cry in vain for men, a
mockery is made of preparedness by
every known order of mushroom mili
tary growth.
The intentions are good, so far as
those participating are concerned, and
public approval leads them to believe
they are doing their cluty. The sad
part of the situation is that the Nation
preserves a perverse impotence in the
matter of marshalling its forces for
actual training as actual military
units. So far, preparedness is nothing
more than a word to be mouthed
over and a term to be trifled with. It
may be that it will not become concrete
until too late, as our military prophets
are so fond of predicting. Certainly
the time has passed long since for
mere after-dinner patriotism and bell
boy battalions.
FALXCRB OF THE ZEPPELIN.
Not for months has a Zeppelin raid
over England been attempted and the
fact gives color to the report that the
great airship works at Friedrichshaf en
have been closed and are being dis
mantled and that the Zeppelin airship
has been abandoned as an engine of
war. This decision is ascribed to the
success of the defensive means adopted
by Britain, resulting in loss of two
Zeppelins on the last raid, and to the
meager results of the raids.
Disaster has accompanied the de
velopment of the Zeppelin from the
first. Of the twenty-five ships com
pleted before the war, thirteen were
wrecked. One was brought down by
a storm at sea near Heligoland, with
the loss of fifteen out of her crew of
twenty-two. Another exploded in the
air, her entire crew of twenty-eight
being killed. But the old, Count per
severed, for his one passion was to
make his airship a terrible engine of
war in humbling and devastating Brit
ain. With this hope he labored for
forty years and sank his entire for
tune. He so inflamed the imagina
tion of the German people, who have
long looked forward to war with Brit
ain, that they subscribed large sums
of money to make good his losses.
When the prospect of his success
seemed good, he was kissed on the
cheek by the Kaiser, who hailed him
as the "most eminent of all Germans."
When failure came upon him, he was
given the cold shoulder by sovereign
and people.
The Zeppelin has failed from two
main causes. Its great bulk makes it
the toy of the wind, confining its
operation to calm weather, and makes
it an easy target. It is forced to fly
at heights of 5000 feet or more, and
must fly at night for fear of anti
aircraft guns. Its chance of selecting
a target with any accuracy, and of
hitting the target under these condi
tions, is slight. Bombs do not drop
perpendicularly, but advance with the
motion of the ship and are diverted
from their course by the wind. An
airship captain can have no accurate
knowledge of the air currents pre
vailing In the space of 6000 or more
feet below him. An airplane, on the
other hand, can descend to within 200
or 300 yards of its target before firing
and can then swoop upward as swiftly.
Fire of guns on airships has been
made fairly accurate by use of search
lights to spot them. Two searchlights
can each seek out a Zeppelin and then
cast their powerful rays upon It so as
to direct gunfire to the point at which
the beams of light converge.- Air
planes can also climb above them and
then drop bombs or fire machine guns
at them, either setting them on fire
or piercing the envelope and releasing
the gas which keeps them aloft.
The French, having beer, far in ad
vance of the British In aircraft at
the outbreak of war, soon made Paris
secure against Zeppelin attack. Under
the constant prodding of public opin
ion, the Asqulth Cabinet brought the
aerial defense of London near perfec
tion, and repeated disaster ended Ger
man hope of supremacy In the air.
Freeman's Farmer, published at
North Takima by Leigh R. Freeman
until his death two years ago and
slnrA rtv 7ni Vi 1 T--J i 'i h cncnnnrlAd
a paper at the end of the track. His
that ,khv,h " fit
farm paper ln tbe Unlted states how.
ever, was erroneous. The Thomas f am
ily was running the Albany Cultivator
and Country Gentleman before he was
born. This was purchased by the Cur
tis Publishing Company a few years
ago. Mr. Freeman was that kind of
genius who believes ln his dreams
until they appear real.
If Senator Stone's revelation of the
Navy Department's plans for the pro
tection of American ships is not legal
ly treason, it is so in effect and spirit,
for it is a direct aid to the country
against which these plans are aimed.
In almost any other country, the Mis
souri Senator would have been im
peached for this betrayal of important
secrets, and there may be a good case
for impeachment, even ln this easy
going land. -
One unspoken speech will not be
published in the Congressional Record
under the leave-to-print rule. It is
the speech which Senator La Follette
did not make against armed neutral
ity. The people owe Senator Hitch
cock thanks for saving it from that
infliction.
Young women and young men think
they know a lot of what is required in
husbands 'and " wives, but since the
world began they have swept aside
ideals when the right one appeared.
Adam and Eve were the only people
who were not particular.
Ingenuity of auto thieves Is offset
by the disadvantage of numbers neces
sary in the gang. Too many part
ners reduce profits and Jealousy de
velops squealers. Stiff Jail sentences
should back the work of the police.
The Turks having been driven out
of Egypt and the Germans cornered
in East Africa, the war is almost ended
in one continent, but it threatens to
blaze up more fiercely than ever in
Europe and Asia this year.
The young fellow who followed ad
vice of that Chicago preacher ln pro
posing by asking "Are you willing to
be tho mother of my children?" would
be shown the door by the girl's mother
if she heard him.
We are so occupied ln this country
with the war of words about the sub
marine that we have little time for
the war of shells and bullets which
continues without Interruption in Eu
rope and Asia.
The last chance given by Congress
to fourteen states before they become
bone-dry will cause an immense rush
of original packages during the next
few months. After July 1 they will be
as is Oregon.
The German spies who eavesdrop on
ex-Ambassador Gerard on board ship
will be marked men if they ever ven
ture to land in the United States and
their usefulness to Germany will be
destroyed.
The old familiar talk about chang
ing inauguration day to a less incle
ment season will now flame up for a
few days, to die down aivl be revived
after the next inauguration.
Senator Lane Is already beginning
to hear from home, but what he hears
now is mild by comparison with what
he will hear on election night ln 1918.
If -the German Chancellor had had
any Idea to what prices paper, would
rise, he would not have spoken so con
temptuously of a scrap of paper.
If men are to wear a kind of hip-fit
corset, there ought to bo provided
some kind of a "dowager" article for
those built on lines of rotundity. .
Portland policemen must not be al
lowed to wear anything but the 'flat
foot," even tnough It necessitates a
rise in pay.-
Plenty of snow packed in the moun
tains presages lots of water for the
ditches when irrigating time arrives.
Roosevelt declines debate with
Bryan, which is kind. His language
might shock the gentle pacifist.
Popular feeling Indicates Senator
Lane will find the way mired if he
would again run.
Do you know where your wandering
dog was last night? Just call up the
pound man.
Senator Works, filibuster, is deliv
ered to the tender hands of Harrison
Gray Otis.
Lane denies he's a filibuster. Safe
enough. He's more of a U-boat.
If Senator Lane has fear of war,
he should wait until he gets home.
Lew Dockstadter's dry humor Is not
too damp for a "dry" town.
People who keep within bounds do
not get into murder cases.
Machines sold on easy terms seem
easily to be stolen.
Wild Life in America.
Buffalo Oi Ontmnabered All Cat
tle Now Id United States.
In a' communication to the National
Geographic Society, E. W. Nelson, chief
of the United States Geological Survey,
gives an amazing account of North
American wild life in prehistoric times.
A portion of the communication has
been made public by the society in the
following bulletin:
"The original buffalo herds have been
estimated to have contained from S0,
000.000 to 60.000.000 animals (the lat
ter figure Is 6,000.000 greater than the
total number of cattle ln the United
States, according to the census of 1910).
and ln IS 70 it was estimated that about
5.500.000 still survived exceeding: by
1.400,000 the number of mules in the
United States in 1910. A number of
men now living were privileged to see
some of the great herds of the West
before they were finally dstroyed. Dr.
George Bird Grtnnell writes:
'In 1870 I happened to be on a train
that was stopped for three hours to let
a herd of buffalo pass. We supposed
they would soon pass by, but they
kept on coming. On a number of oc
casions in earlier days the engineers
thought that they could run through
the herds and that, seeing the locomo
tive, tho buffalo would ston or turn
aside; but after a few locomotives had
been ditched by the animals the engi
neers got in the way of respecting the
buffaloes' idiosyncracies.'
"Astonishing as was the number of
buffalo which roamed the plains of old.
even more numerous were the antelope,
though the latter dlA not attract as
much attention as the larger mammals.
Besides these, the chroniclers of the
Colonial days give many interesting ac
counts of the Incredible number of oth
er wild animals, including bears, wa
piti, white-tailed deer and turkeys, on
which the wolves made fierce war. One
writer narrates that during the Winter
of 1670-71 fully 2400 moose were snared
on the Great Manitoulin Island, at the
head of Lake Huron.
s
"The wealth of animal life found by
our forebears was one of the great nat
ural resources of the new world. Al
though freely drawn upon from the
first, the stock was but little depleted
up to within a century. During the last
100 years, however, the rapidly increas
ing occupation of the continent and
other causes, together with a steadily
increasing commercial demand for an
imal products, have had an appalling
effect- The buffalo, elk and antelope
are reduced to a pitiful fraction of
their former countless numbers.
"Practically all other large game has
alarmingly decreased and its extermi
nation has been partly stayed only by
the recent enforcement of protective
laws.
"The fossil beds of the great plains
of North America and other parts of
the West contain eloquent proofs of
the richness and variety of mammal
life on this continent at different pe
riods ln the past. Perhaps the most
wonderful of all these ancient faunas
was that revealed by the bones of
birds and mammals which had been
trapped in the asphalt pits recently
discovered in the outskirts of Los An
geles. Cal. These bones show that prior
to the arrival of the present fauna the
plains of Southern California swarmed
with an astonishing wealth of strange
birds and beasts. The most notable
of these are saber-toothed tigers, lions
much larger than those of afrlca, giant
wolves, several kinds of bears, includ
ing the huge cave bears, even larger
than the gigantic brown bears of Alas
ka; large wild horses, camels, bison
(unlike our buffalo), tiny antelope the
size of a fox, mastodons, mammoths
with tusks 15 feet long, and giant
ground sloths, ln addition to many other
species, large and small.
"With these amazing mammals were
equally strange birds, including among
numerous birds of prey a giant vulture
like species (far larger than any con
dor), peacocks and many others.
"There is reason for believing that
primitive man occupied California and
other parts of the West during at least
the latter part of the period when the
fauna of the asphalt pits still flour
ished. The folklore of the locally re
stricted California Indians contains de
tailed descriptions of a beast which is
unmistakably a bison. probably the
bison of the asphalt pits.
"The discovery in these pits of the
bones of a gigantic vulturelike bird of
prey of far greater size than the con
dor is even more startling, since the
folklore of the Eskimos and Indians
of most of the-tribes from Bering
Straits to California and the Rocky
Mountain region abound in tales of the
'thunder bird' a gigantic bird of prey
like a mighty eagle, capable of car
rying away people ln Its talons. Two
such coincidences suggest the possibil
ity that the accounts of the bison and
the 'thunder bird' are really based on
the originals of the asphalt beds and
nave been passed down in legendar)
nistory through many thousands o)
years.
"Among other marvels our fossil beds
reveal -the fact that both camels and
, horses originated in North America.
The remains or many widely aiiierent
species of both animals have been
found ln numerous localities extending
from coast to coast in the United States.
Camels and horses, with many species
of antelope closely related to still ex
isting forms in Africa, abounded over
a large part of this country up to the
end of the geological age immediately
preceding the present era.
m
"At the time of its discovery by Co-
lumbbus this continent had omy one
domesticated animal the dog. In most
instances the ancestors of the Indian
does appear to havs been the native
coyotes or grey wolves, but the descrip
tions of some dogs found Dy tne eariy
explorers indicate very different and
unknown ancestry. Unfortunately, these
strange doga became extinct at an
early period and thus left unsolvable
the riddle of their origin.
"Before the discovery of America the
people of the old world had domesticat
ed cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats and
cats, but none of these domestic ani
mals except the dog existed ln America
until brought from Europe by the in
vaders of the new world."
M.VYOR'8 MHSSAGE IS COMMENDED
Albany Correspondent Avers Pacifists'
Acta Are A Win to Treason.
ALBANY. Or.. March 4. (To the Ed
itor.) It was with greatest of pleasure
that I read Mayor Albee's outspoken
denouncement of the cowardly propos
als of such pacifists as W. J. Bryan,
David Starr Jordan and the smaller fry.
to sacritice Americanism and neutrals'
rights on the high seas and to submit
to the orders given out at Berlin.
We are now almost at wr with Ger
many, which makes the above propos
als dangerously akin to treason. As it
has been pointed out many times be
fore in American crises, we find this
type of men ready to throw obstacles
in the way rather than to aid the Na
tion in its need. They have been called
by the various names. Tories, copper
heads and pacifists. Even, though the
motives of these men are unquestion
able, the fact still remains that they are
giving valuable aid to the enemies of
their country.
The trouble with them seems to be
that of all other pacifists, that-they are
visionary ' and impractical and unable
to see facts. What the country needs
now is practical men, not theorists. I
would recommend that the college
pacifists confine their energies to the
academic pursuits, where their theoriz
ing will be comparatively harmless. As
for W. J. Bryan, he is an infliction that
the Government has "borne so long that
we probably have to endure him for
some time yet. AN AMERICAN.
The Twelve Who Were.
By Dean Collins,
'And there were twelve good men and
true"
Speak It ln charity. If we may.
As we clean off the slate to write anew,
Spit on and .smear the names away.
Wipe out the names of those men who
were.
And swallow the words that would
brand them bad.
And try to imagine that men may err.
Or weak brains totter, and men go
mad.
Late, 'tis late for the Nation's ire
To blacken the corpse that has tasted
flame
For there they lie on their ghastly
pyre.
Crisped ln the blast of their deathless
same.
Speak not the speech that Is on your
tongue
For the men who were, aa they lie
forlorn.
Lest they crumble, ai Into their ears
Is flung
Scorn that should shrivel the name
of scorn.
Let us imagine that men may err, .
Men of a little and cowardly breed;
Surely the souls of those men who
were.
Had died, long
the deed;
Died long since,
thing
That left them
since, ere they did
ere they dared the
crouching, despised.
abhorred.
Under the cloak of an alien king.
Kissing the feet of a foreign lord.
Weak bralno may totter, and men go
madl
Or try to Imagine that men may err.
And swallow the words that would
brand them bad.
As we wipe out the names of those
men who were;
Spit on and smear their names away.
As we clean off the slate to write
anew.
And. speak it In charity. If we may
"Once there were twelve good men
and true!"
BUT ONE WAY TO SUSTAIN NATION
That Is to Support President In De
fense of National Rights.
SILVERTON, Or., March 4. (To the
Editor.) After having read your sev
eral excellent editorials on prepared
ness, pacifists and standing by the
President, and, on the other hand, the
many articles and public addresses
contributed by pacifists. I can no long
er refrain from entering the ring of
objectors to such mollycoddlistic ver
bosity as is being poured out of the
mouths of some of these pacifists, in
the first place I think The Oregonian
is entitled to congratulation upon its
patriotic attitude ln the present crisis
in upholding the -President, regardless
of party affiliation.
I never have and never will vote for
Woodrow Wilson, but at the present
time he is our President and, for that
reason. I consider it the duty of every
patriotic American citizen to stand by
him, for in no other way can we stand
by the Stars and Stripes. We do not
want war; we do not want other na
tions to be at war.- But we surely
should not want to be continually in
sulted, to have our commerce destroyed,
our citizens murdered and our National
rights denied us.
That so many colleges are teaching
socialism and pacifism at this time is
to be deplored, but that may be ac
counted for by the fact that Germany
is considered a great nation from the
standpoint of art, science and philoso
phy. But, at the same time. Germany
is the hotbed of socialism, militarism
and atheism. We should no longer
worship that nation for Its great
schools of the above-named subjects.
We have equally as good men. schools,
statesmen and general resources as any
other nation upon earth and for that
reason we should love only our own
country and stand united, especially at
this time, and back up the President in
the present grave international crisis.
Again. I congratulate The Oregonian
for being patriotic in standing by the
President at this time.
MARK PAULSON.
BETTER FATE FOR OLD IRELAND
Judge Murphy Doesn't Take to Tomb
stone Idea Advanced by Another.
PORTLAND, March 6. (To the Edi
tor.) I'm not unfriendly to Captain
John McNulty, who euloglxed Robert
Emmet in Hibernian Hall March 4, but
believe he ought to be in the United
States Senate with Gumshoe Stone and
Wryface Harry and the rest of his men
tal collaborators.
On September 8 last Captain McNulty
said in a newspaper letter ln part: "I
would suggest that all who still live ln
Ireland the Lord forgive them follow
the example of our ancestors and come
to a better place. . . .
"Depopulate Ireland and dedicate the
Green Isle as a tombstone for the mu
lion dead heroes of a hundred centu
ries who struggled for freedom as a
monument to British oppression."
Captain McNulty may be sincere; so
are most men who don't know what
thev are talking about. That is why
they are so attractive. Irishmen do not
sneer at those who still live ln Ireland;
but blees them and cheer them and aid
them to keep alive their cause, and
the exile's universal prayer is "God
save Ireland."
Our ancestors did not leave Ireland
for selfish reasons: they left in sorrow
and tears those who were not deport
ed or left to escape starvation left
with a price on their heads, the penalty
of the love for their country, and the
official mouthpiece of the British gov
ernment gloated over their departure
and predicted that soon the Irish Celt
would be as scarce ln Ireland as
red Indian on the banks of Manhattan.
Robert Emmet did not take Captain
McN'ulty's advice. He died for Ireland
and his last prayer was. not that she
be a tombstone, but a nation once
again, so that his epitaph may be writ
ten in Glasnevln.
I cannot understand how any man
who wants to see Ireland depopulated
and the land of a million dead heroes
turned into a tombstone as a memorial
to British oppression can speak for the
"idol of the Irish race," Robert Emmet.
whose name is an inspiration to all
men who love America and are willing.
like Emmet, to die for their country.
J. HENNESSY MURPHY.
. BO-50 In Matrimony.
PORTLAND, March 5. (To the Edl
tor.) There are two articles in The
Sundav Oregonian. one signed "Fern
HoDe." the other "A Bachelor Girl.
Each of the writers asserts that girle
are all that is to be hoped lor, that
they can meet their future husbands
on a 50-50 basis, while the boys fall
way behind.
Now, I claim that Just as big a per
centage of women as men are not all
that can be hoped for. I claim that
unfortunately our women are not
what they should be. The very fact
that they themselves complain about
the men proves that they are not.
Who brings up the men? The wom
en the mothers do, don't they? Well,
and if the men don't come out es they
should, the women Juet show that
they can't yet fill the most Important
job assigned to them.
Make a man out or your boy, my
lady fair, and there will be better men.
A BACHELOR MAN.
In Other Days
I
Twenty-Five Yean Ago.
From The Oregonlsn of March 6. 1893.
Washington, March 4. It was an
nounced President Harrison would con
tinue his duck hunting until next week,
but he will be here tomorrow, recalled
by vfery important telegrams. Another
foreign complication demands immedi
ate attention.
Paris. March 4. The Due de Roche
focault and his bride, formerly Miss
Mitchell, daughter of Senator Mitchell,
of Oregon, have returned to Paris from
their honeymoon and are at the Hotel
Continental.
Berlin, March 4. A number of un
employed workmen in Pantile en
raged on account of being unable to
obtain employment. looted several
bakers shops today, crying they would
steal before they would starve.
Hon. H- W. Corbett entertained at
dinner last evening a party of pioneers
in commemoration of the 41st anni
versary of the arrival In Oregon of W.
S. Ladd. Henry Failing, C H. Lewis
and himself.
The great question to come before
the Presbyterian General Assembly,
which .will meet ln Portland about 10
weeks hence. Is the revision of the
Presbyterian cor"esslon of faith, con
cerning which the church has been ln
suspense for a number of years.
Half a Century Ago.
From Tho Oreronlan of March S, 1868.
The tops of all the higher hills in
sight about Portland are covered with
snow and, though the weather has been
for two or three days partially clear.
It has been quite cold and Winter like.
The Tanner Troupe will play tonight
at the theater, presenting a good bllL
Miss Soledad will sing "The Moon Be
hind the Hill." "The Goodbye at the
Door" and the new song, "Nellie Car
dinell." J. M. Moore. City Recorder of Oregon
City, has completed the school census
and he has also tabulated the exact
number of residents. He finds there
are 1018 people ln that city male, 561;
remale, 457.
.Washington, March 1. The Presi
dent has Issued a proclamation declar
ing that the fundamental conditions
imposed by Congress on Nebraska have
been satisfied and accc ' d and that
the admission of said ttdte into the
Union is now completed.
A Springtime Outburst.
Liy James linrton Adams.
The days are gliding swiftlv bv and
lengthening as they scoot and soon Miss
Spring will hither hie dressed In a
green sport suit, the birds will come
from southern clime on migratory
wings and when not singing spend the
time Jn hunting bugs and things and
tourists will the highways scorch and
men who are devout ln Winter will
sidetrack the church to chase the
festive trout and if the conscience claws
should scratch they'll think to square
their sins by giving ministers a batch
of fish with freckled skins. Soon once
again the fans will hear the ever
welcome call that falls so sweetly on
the ear, the umpire's cry, "Play Ball!"
Soon will the silken shirtwaist greet
our timid, modest eyes when -on the
busy streets we meet the girlies we so
prize the waists cut so de-col-i-tay, or
shrunken In the wash, we'll turn our
heads the other way to hide the hectic
blush, and soon when we the drug
Joints pas3 in every neighborhood we'll
sniff the breath or sassairiis mat
chastens unchaste blood, and hubbies at
the wifey's call Spring fever off will
shake and in obedience take a fall at.
garden hoe and rake and smile while
laboring to think, while hearts wltn
Gladness, swell, thev soon will put upon
the blink the durned H. C. of L. Aye!
soon the Spring, the gentle Spring will
smile on us again, the Spring of which
th rhvmesters sinsr in lilts of Joyous
strain, the Spring when gallant youths
anon their girls to joints will taKe ana
feed their lovely faces on ie cream
and angel cake.
TIME HAS COME TO DRAW LINE
Vagaries and License Mast OIvc. v ay
In Face of National Danger.
PORTLAND. March 5. (To the Edi
tor.) Your editorial la The Oregonian.
"Let Oregon Declare Itself." will meet
the commendation of every man who
knowe himself to be an American with
out mental reservation or divided loy
alty to some foreign emperor or kaiser.
Your words mako clear as a moun
tain range that our flag was given to
the skies at Bunker Hill, glorified at
Yorktown, and made perpetual at Ap
pomatox; and that the stars upon Its
bosom are a protest against the lurid
threats of Imported malcontents.
The hour has arrived when we must
draw the line at danger. Our. inetitu
tions may not be perfect, but they have
in tho largest measure extended lib
erty and freedom to a degree hitherto
unknown among men.
We know that our Nation is the bud
and blossom of history that It Is the
realization of the dreams which have
lingered, like angels, around the
hearthstones of the past. The gates
of Castle Garden have always turned
inward, and Invited the poor and mis
governed of the earth to seek shelter
on our shores; we now are going to
a. k the vital question: Are you loyal
or disloyal to the land that -gave you
refuge, comfort, stores and freedom
heretofore unknown to you?
We can Indulge the utmost confi
dence ln the final common se.nee of the
American people; we give the largest
liberty of speech and action to the ven
dors of variegated vagaries, but tho
moment has arrived when we must
draw the line at National danger.
There is only one condition on which,
an alien can live ln our land, and that
Is to respect its laws, love Its institu
tions against all the governmental of
tho earth, and aid its moral, intellectu
al and material development.
Let us invoke the spirit that animat
ed the wholes Nation at the close of the
Revolutionary War, and give to the
republic of Washington and our Presi
dent the undivided allegiance without
mental reservation that we owe to the"
land of our nativity or adoption.
EMMETT CALLAHAN.
Effort la Misdirected.
PORTLAND. Or., March E. (To tho
Editor.) It is .reported that the res
taurant men of Portland are getting
together in an effort to co-operate In
buying so as to bring down the cost of
things necessary in their line of busi
ness, and it is rather significant that
the only things mentioned by them as
being a tax in cost are the things pro
duced around Portland. No mention is
made of the bacon that is shipped from
Omaha or Chicago, or products that come
from a distance. They do not orpraniio
to get the breakfast foods of Battle
Creek cheaper, or the canned goods
from Baltimore; but they want cheaper
eggs, cheaper butter and cheaper milk.
I am convinced that many things be
sides local products contribute to tho
high cost of running a restaurant, and
am satisfied ln addition thaj the res
taurant men can find comnninitiea in
this county where the producers of
butter and eggs will agree to give
them uniform prices for their products,
if the contract is made to buy In bulk.
When people meet ln Chicago to de
clare a boycott, they boycott the things
we raise in Oregon; so, when we are
starting in the boycott business, we
ought to extend its effects farther
from home. MIKE O'TOOLS.