lO
THE 3IORXIXG OREGONIAN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 1920
ittomutjj (Drmttnn
ESTABLISHED BY HENRY I P1TTOCK.
Published by The Oregonian Publishing Co..
bixtn btreet, i-omana, ureguu.
C A. MORDEN. E. B. PIPER.
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THE FIRST RATE VICTORY.
A most important victory has been
won by the Columbia river basin
through the findings of the examin
er for the Interstate Commerce com
mission in the rate cases against
Fuget Sound and Astoria. It is not
final and decisive, for the ultimate
decision . must be rendered by the
commission itself, but that body so
rarely departs far from the findings
of its examiners that these findings
may safely be taken as indicating the
general tenor and purport of the
final decision. Arguments are yet to
be heard by the commission on the
question whether the findings shall
be confirmed, modified or rejected.
The commission will then decide, but
the possibilities are Just as great
that any modifications which it may
make will be more favorable as that
they will be more adverse to the
Columbia river basin than are the
findings.
After hearing and weighing all the
evidence. Examiner Thurtell finds
that both class and commodity rates
between territory south of Snake
river and Portland and Vancouver
should, be 10 per cent lower than to
Pnget Sound and Astoria, but that
they are not in themselves unrea
sonable. He finds that rates from
Inland empire points north of Snake
river, which were also alleged to be
unjust because equal with those to
Fuget Sound and Astoria, are not
unjustly prejudicial. He recom
mends that the complaint of the In
land Empire Grain Shippers' associ
ation be dismissed, but apparently
because it alleged that grain rates
to Portland were unreasonable in
themselves, not because they were
discriminatory or unjustly prejudi
cial, for the grain shippers profit
equally with others by the finding
that commodity rates south of Snake
river should be reduced 10 per cent.
If nothing more should be gained
than is conceded by the examiner,
the victory is great. It gives to Port
land the advantage of shorter dis
tance and lower cost of service on
shipments of grain and other prod
ucts from northern Umatilla county,
Oregon, and from Walla Walla, Co
lumbia, Garfield and Asotin counties,
Washington, also on goods shipped
from the coast to that territory. It
deprives Astoria of the 100 miles of
free haul which that city, has en
Joyed since the last Astoria decision.
But most important to Portland's
position as a port and as the com
mercial metropolis of the Columbia
river basin is the fact that this ac
tion is the first breach in the artifi
cial rate structure which has been
built up by competing railroads to
nd competition among themselves
by placing on an equality ports
which are unequal in natural advan
tages. It accepts distance and cost
as the Just basis of rates between the
coast and the inland empire, thus
conceding that blanket rates may not
tTtT" fairly applied to distances so
frbort.
This is but the beginning, the first
battle of a campaign. The same
principle which justifies lower rates
to Portland south of Snake river ap
plies, though with less force, to the
territory between that river and Spo
kane. South of the Snake distance
favors Portland on an average for
the six most Important points fifty
six miles, north of Snake, river about
xnirry miles. as Seattle will no
doubt vigorously oppose confirma
tion of the findings as to rates south
of the Snake, there will be a good
opening for Portland to contend for
lower rates than Seattle enjoys
north of the Snake. It will be for
the attorneys to decide their policy
5n this respect after reading the text
of the examiner's report.
There Is other ground for conten
tion in the one-sided application of
th rule of parity now practiced in
making local rates for short distance.
When distance favors Seattle, that
city gets a lower rate: when dis
tance favors Portland, that city gets
an equal rate. The blanket stretches
for Seattle, not for Portland. This,
port may justly insist that its elas
ticity be made impartial.
little doubt need be entertained
that Astoria will lose the 100 miles
of free railroad haul awarded to it
by the decision of 1916, by which it
hoped to filch away Portland's com
merce. That decision was won by
tricky legal strategy, which led Port
hind not to intervene, and it could
not stand when the rights and equi
ties of all the parties interested were
fully stated. Astoria pretended that
T'ortland was not affected, saying:
The cosnplnlnt does not allege discrim
ination In favor of Portland hut only In
favor of the ports of the state of Wash
ttigton. Counsel for Astoria further dis
claimed any intention to ask parity
with any other ports than those of
Puget Sound.
Yet the commission did consider
the effect on Portland of a decision
giving Astoria parity with the
Sound, as the Sound and Portland
were already on a parity. It as
sumed Portland's neglect to inter
vene to be due to lack of interest,
and it went out of its way to decide
a question which was not before it.
Because Portland was already on a
parity with the Sound and because
tne commission found that Astoria
should be on a parity with the Sound,
It found that Astoria should also be
on a parity with Portland. No sooner
does the matter come before a man
v. ho hears all aides than be reaches
the obviously logical conclusion that,
as rates to Astoria and the Sound
should be equal, rates to Portland
should be lower.
Astoria and its Portland propa
gandists have recognized the weak
ness of its position. They have
known that, when all the facts of
an arrangement that was so fla
grantly unjust were set forth, it must
be upset. Therefore they have con
jured up the shadowy fiction of a
port of the Columbia extending clear
from the Pacific ocean to the base
of the Rocky mountains, where the
class of vessels by which various
depths of water can be navigated
range all the way from a mammoth
ocean liner to a rowboat, simply to
bolster Astoria's baseless claim ato
parity of rates with Portland. That
fiction is now swept away.
This first success is a vindication
of those men who have insisted that
the way to get just rates is not to
sit down complacently in confidence
that Portland's natural advantages
will automatically bring them, but to
fight for them; that the way to get
anything in this world, even bare
justice, is to go after it. A good be
ginning has been made, but much
more remains to be done In order to
secure for the port the full benefits
of its location, both In railroad rates
and service and in ocean traffic. An
uninterrupted offensive will smash
the present unjust rate structure, in
which the first breach has been
made, just as it smashed the Hinden
burg line. When water grade rates
bring traffic to Portland from the
interior, they will attract many more
ships to Portland docks to carry that
traffic overseas, and no long time
will elapse before this port will take
its proper rank on the Pacific coast.
Pl'BLIC TASTE.
Mr. Devereux. who has brought to
Portland an admirable company of
artists for the presentation of classic,
and old-fashioned comedies, has
adopted the Shakesperean concep
tion that the "play's the thing." But
he has failed to convince the public
which, fixed In its own conventions.
has consistently and almost unitedly
stayed away from the municipal
auditorium during several interesting
and educative nights. , The play is
not necessarily the thing; but . the
star is, and the theater itself, and
the general habit of finding enter
tainment at certain places and
times.
This does not mean that the
Devereux players are not competent,
for they are; or that the auditorium
is not an appropriate setting for any
production, for it Is. Nor does it
mean that the comedies of a cen
tury and more ago have no intrinsic
interest for the average theater
goer. It means that Mr. Devereux
and his company are practically un
known here, and that the auditorium
is associated in the common mind
with spectacular and notable affairs,
or great public events. We have a
notion that if Sothern and Marlowe
were to put on the "School for Scan
dal" at the auditorium, it would be
filled. The reason would be that
these finished actors would have
come with a prestige for artistry
and for adequate and brilliant pre
sentation that would have furnished
all needed drawing power, no mat
ter what they played. This is not
to say that they could have put on
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" or "Ten Nights
in a Barroom": but it would be as
sumed that the vehicle chosen by
them would be satisfactory.
It may be recalled that Joseph
Jefferson has appeared here in "The
Rivals," and in "School for Scandal,"
and Warde and James, with Kath
eryn Kidder, in the same repertory.
Nat Goodwin ventured once on a
time to give his conception of Bob
Acres: and in all these instances
there was no trouble about the
audiences. The latter actor indeed
had less success in other things.
We may be inclined to impugn
the public taste for its failure to
crowd the auditorium to see the
Sheridan and Goldsmith plays, stnd
to comment sadly on the undeniable
fact that the vaudeville houses and
the motion picture houses, which
continue to be crowded, illustrate the
real state of the general intelligence.
But it must be agreed that only a
small fraction of the people are
seeking mental and - spiritual pab
ulum for its own sake; but they are
interested in life, in men and women,
in easy and cheap entertainment,
and they know where to get it and
there they go. Does not the current
week at the auditorium prove that
the theater managers, who give the
public what it wants, know their
business? Why do not the people
who are loudly complaining that
they cannot see high-class drama at
the average theater flock to the
auditorium?
Withal the auditorium plays are
worth while, and nobody who goes
there will be disappointed, but will
De refreshed, enlightened and alto
gether pleased; and we share the
regret of those who know that the
public has not found out that the
play's the thing.
ANOTHER PINCHOT NOSTBIM.
Scarcity of pulpwood and high
price of newsprint paper has inspired
Gifford Pinchot and his Society of
American Foresters to propose a
temedy. He attributes the trouble
to devastation of the forests by lum
bering and, as might be expected,
his remedy is more regulation. The
society mentioned agrees with him.
for it Is composed mainly of mer.
whom he enlisted in the United
States fjjrest service and who are
therefore graduates in Pinchotism.
Doubt is cast on the efficacy of
Mr. Pinchot's remedy by the fact
that he, more than any other man, is
responsible for the evils to which it
is to be applied. There is abundance
of pulpwood in the western forests
to supply all the needs of the Ameri
can paper market for many years to
come, but he caused it to be reserved
under regulations which practically
place an embargo on its use, leaving
billions of feet of timber to decay
after reaching maturity. There is
abundance of waterpower in the na
tional forests to grind this wood into
pulp and to manufacture paper, but
Mr. Pinchot strained his power as
chief forester to restrict its develop
ment and has continued to oppose
every practicable waterpower bill
that is introduced in congress. These
are the main causes of the pulpwood
and paper famine.
He is now anxious for replanting
of cut-over land, but he suggests no
plan for selection of land that is
better adapted for agriculture from
that which is best suited for timber.
His tree-worship Is so fanatical that
he would probably replant all land
that ever grew trees, no matter how
good it may be for farming. He pro
poses a "national commission with
authority to mane ana appiy sucn
regulations as may be necessary to
prevent forest devastation on private- J he has justified himself by ar spe
ly owned lands." which means more cies of service which buyers usually
government regulation of the same
kind as he has practiced. If the cut
over lands were to be replanted to
day, a generation or two would pass
before they would be ready to cut,
and no relief would be given In the
present emergency. Methods of log
ing are destructive to young trees,
and forests should be replanted, but
that will naturally result as timber
land grows in value and diminishes
in area. Timber land and lumber
have risen to such prices that, as a
matter of business, timbermen may
soon turn their attention in that di
rection without the aid of any of
Mr. Pinchot's commissions.
The pulpwood of the west is needed
in the Immediate present, and the
obstacle to its use is lack of water
power development. The less Mr,
Pinchot has to do with it. the more
likely is the development and the
sooner it will come.
STATE FINANCES.
In the annual report of the state
treasurer, just issued, the citizen
will find an unfamiliar item. It
was once the traditional policy of
Oregon to keep out of bonded in
debtedness. That policy has now
been abandoned, but for one that is
not reckless but conservative. The
state's bonded indebtedness now to
tals $10,665,760.
More than $10,000,000 of this in
debtedness has been incurred for
road building. There is one Item
of $450,000 issued to provide Ore
gon farm loans under the state rural
credits law adopted by the people.
The sum thus borrowed is lent
by the state on good farm securities
and will be repaid. Another bond
item of $75,750 provides means for
guaranteeing interest on improved
irrigation district bonds and its dis
position is also in the form of a
loan. Both of these issues will in
the long run cost the general tax
payers nothing, as interest and prin
cipal will be paid by those who bene
fit from the loans, while the state
at large will profit from better and
larger development.
The much larger sum devoted to
road building is also so to be paid
that it will not become a tax burden
upon property in general. Interest
and sinking fund are met from ac
cumulated automobile licenses and
a tax on gasoline. These two items
in 1919 produced 'more than $1,000,
000 in revenue, and in 1920 will pro
duce vastly more by reason of a
large increase in motor vehicle li
cense rates.
That portion of the report which
deals with administration of funds
shows that Treasurer Hoff has con
ducted the office with care and
judgment. Funds available for de
posit in banks have been en' .ged
by reducing active accounts, and this
larger sum has been more widely
diffused throughout the state by In
creasing the number of depositories.
The net result is that more money
is put at the disposal of banks for
use in aiding local enterprises, while
the state's revenue from the interest
paid by banks on such deposits is
increased. Industrial accident funds
have been advantageously placed
and a larger revenue obtained. In
fact all the larger state funds show
substantially increased interest earn
ings. It is a gratifying report.
BRAKES ON THK 11. C. I,. MEBRV-I.O-
BOIXO.
Officials of the four big railway
brotherhoods and the shop crafts
affiliated" with the American Federa
tion of Labor, reported in the news
dispatches from Waslalngton as hav
ing concluded that "satisfactory re
lief from the high cost of living"
i probably is unobtainable "either
through further wage advances by
the railroad administration, or from
the anti-profiteering campaign of
the department of justice." have
opened the way, many thoughtful
persons will believe, to a real set
tlement of the most vexing imme
diate problem of the time. The
familiar figure of the cat chasing its
own tail, constant repetition of the
threadbare phrase, "vicious circle,"
all that is implied in the merry com
petition to see who can get the high
est wages and give the least in re
turn for them the futility of hoping
that in any such way will economic
equilibrium be restored is at last
becoming plain. The brotherhood
officials are not the only ones who
realize that there is no end to a
circle, but they represent the first
large body of employes to recognize
the fact. They see that someone
must take the initiative, and they
propose to take it. Details will be
worked out later. It may or may
not come to pass that some pet
scheme of co-operative buying will
furnish the desired remedy, but
much has been accomplished when
the co-operative spirit has been in
voked successfully.
Mala rw a fo t in Iha et.it
and skirt trade in New York, already
receiving from $50 to $75 a week,
but now on strike for more: milk
wagon drivers in the same city con
tending that earnings of $50 a week
and upwards are equivalent to no
more than pre-war wages, when
measured by the power of the dol
lar to purchase necessities of life;
drivers of bakers' carts making $50
a week and demanding more these
incidents in one day's, news are re
minders that we must look beneath
the surface for the remedy. The
latter Is to be found In "co-operation,"
but chiefly in co-operation to
the end that production shall be in
creased, and waste diminished, and
the wage of the workman made
higher through making it possible
for It to purchase more of the out
put of a worker In another industry
than It does at present. It is of no
avail, ps the railroad men see, mere
ly to pay everybody more indis
criminately, regardless of what they
do or how they do it. "Diligence,
initiative and efficiency should be
encouraged and adequately re
warded," as is suggested In the re
port of the Portland Rotary club's
committee on industrial relations,
and it is equally important, on the
other- hand, that "indolence, indif
ference and restriction of production
should be discountenanced." "Co
operation in production.'" mentioned
in the plans of the brotherhoods,
will not be confounded with co-
operation
to restrict production.
Whatever else Is done, the way will
have been cleared when this impor
tant principle is widely translated
into action.
There Is to be, also, if the brother
hood plan goes through, "co-operation
in distribution," with a view of
eliminating the middleman. The
middleman has. been a favorite bug
bear of all time, the cause of most of
the attempts to enforce sumptuary
laws, that history records. But the
middleman has successfully resisted
efforts to exterminate him because
were willing to pay for. To dispense
with him implies sacrifices which
buyers must be willing to make as
individuals. If consumers insist on
niceties of service, they must be pre
pared to pay for them. This will be
true whether the distributor is a
merchant depending on a margin of
profit for his compensation, or the
salaried employe of a "co-operative
establishment" conducted by workers
themselves. One difficulty that co
operative enterprises have encoun
tered in the past has been that their
members were easily deflected by pri
vate competitors, who, spurred by the
profit animus, offered more attrac
tive goods, or put them up more se
ductively, or gave inducements aside
from mere utility.
Bert M. Jewell, acting president of
the railway department of the Amer
ican . Federation of Labor, Is right
when he says that "an increase in
pay will not solve the problem." Mr.
Jewell knows that "vicious circle"
will lose its force as a figure of
speech only when there Is greater
production and less wasted effort;
more thrift and less idling on the
job; when all meet on the common
ground of recognition that they are
working for others besides them
selves. The "spirit of idealism that
rules in the hearts of the American
people," which ex-Mayor Fassett of
Spokane Invoked in his address be
fore the Portland Ad club, Is not in
consistent with enlightened self-interest;
it is but the essence of the
right kind of co-operation between
all workers. There is a way to in
duce it to function, and that is by
education as to the interdependence
of all industry.
Another way in which co-operative
production, as suggested by the
brotherhood leaders, may operate
advantageously is by placing greater
emphasis on production of essentials.
When this has been done, a long
step will have been taken toward
reducing the cost of them. It is no
secret that many common articles
are expensive because both labor and
capital . have been attracted by
greater profits in other fields. This
is one" of the greatest single factors
in the rise in prices of things we
must have. The brotherhood com- ,
mittee, and the committee of the
Rotary club, and others representing
widely diversified interests, begin to
see alike in important particulars.
This is one of the most encouraging
signs of the day.
. Really, that case where an Idaho
author is suing the Pullman Car
company for $17,000, alleged to 'be
the value of a book manuscript lost
in a Pullman car. is simplicity itself.
The Pullman company merely neg
lected the formality of sending him
a rejection slip.
Dr. J. W. Morrow wants Mrs.
Alexander Thompson to give up her
seat as associate national committee
woman. Surely the doctor ought to
realize that a woman should never
be asked to give up her seat.
This is the time of year when the
man of the house raises his right
hand heavenward and declares sol
emnly he will next summer lay in a
million cords of wood and a million
tons of coal.
A bill has been Introduced in con
gress prohibiting interstate shipment
of "blood and thunder" films show
ing activities of outlaws. Now what
did Bill Hart do to offend congress?
Mr. Turner, who hurled a "gas"
ball at a dead president in the dem
ocratic conference yesterday, is an
office holder, which may explain.
Fealty demands loud noise.
A sheepman and a banker together
made the biggest buy of real estate
in Boise, and the time is not so dis
tant when they were not in the sunie
class.
Mrs. Alexander Thompson is a
woman of keen political instincts,
but why the "Alexander" in a state
where woman is the eciual of man?
Howie, who was "confirmed" into
jail for five months by the circuit
court for ret-kless driving, must be
a young fellow in good health.
Professor Porta says he predicted
the earthquake in Mexico. Next
thing he'll be claiming credit for the
shakeup among the democrats.
Very proper in leap year the party
should take a big jump to the coast.
but for the fact that all conventions'
are held in a leap year.
A few sacks of potatoes put in
just now will be cheerful fillers
when the price goes to $10 a bushel
in the late spring.
In denying seats to red members
the New York assembly set a pace
that should be followed in employ
ment and all els.
It is a popular fallacy that east
ern Oregon visitors go to bed with
the chickens. They may at home,
but not down here.
When enough alienists have testi
fied to the weakmindedness of Harry
New, perhaps the poor child will
be turned loose.
Just as well the "fight" was called
off at Milwaukie tonight. Profes
sional boxing every week is going a
little strong.
It's just possible the robbers who
held up a drug store the other, night
thought they might find a little Sp.
Frumenti.
One of the beauties of rate case
decisions is that no one seems really
to be able to tell just what they
mean.
Pedestrians ought to be wildly in
favor of one-way traffic. Then they
can be run down from one direction
only.
The $132,000,000 deposits in four
of the city banks on the last day of
the year show where Portland stands.
By setting a date at the end of
June, the democratic party admits
it's on the defensive.
The two sphinxes kept the country
on the teeter point for two days and
that was something.
The forecaster says "continued
cold." Tighten up that stovepipe
and watch the flues.
California gets the convention In
appreciation of the republican fluke
in 1D16.
BY-PRODUCTS OP THE TIMES.
British General May Fulfill Prophecy
of Early Scottish Bard.
The prophecy of Thomas the
Rhymer, who wrote "Tyde whay may
betyde, Haig shall be Haig of Bemer
syde," bids fair to be fulfilled. A
movement is on foot in London to buy
the Scottish estates of Bemersyde to
gether with the historic mansion and
present them to Earl Haig (who
adopted the designation of Earl Haig
of Bemersyde on his elevation to the
peerage), as a record of the British
people's admiration for his triumph
ant leadership of the British armies
during the war. The property is now
owned by Lieutenant-Colonel A. B.
Haig.
It was to Bemersyde where Tur
ner, the painter, was taken by Sir
Walter Scott, the poet, for the pur
pose of making drawings to illustrate
the scenery of Scott's poems.
The estates, which include the
famous mansion, have an area of 130C
acres and the market value is put at
$268,000, for which sum it has been
decided to appeal. They have been
owned and occupied by the Halgs
continuously for more than seven cen
turies. Bemersyde is situated in the parish
of Mertoun, Scotland, in the very cen
ter of a district which for more than
300 years was the battleground of two
hostile nationalities as well as the
scene of almost never-ceasing inter
nal conflict, rapine and dissension.
Of the hundreds of forts and castles
which once existed on the Scottish
side of the border, Bemersyde fs the
only one that Is still Inhabited as a
manorial residence and inhabited, too,
by the family that were Its original
founders.
Geologists are realizing more fully
as they extend their studies the mag
nitude of the work done by plants and
animals in building up and tearing
down parts of the crust of the earth.
Even microscopic organisms perform
a large part of this work.
Engineers have learned that iron-
depositing bacteria may be trouble
some pests through their ability to
clog the pipes of city water supply
systems with hard, thick crusts and
slimy, k-usty masses composed of mil
lions of individual bacteria. " E. C.
Harder of the United States geological
survey, who has examined deposits
of iron ore In many countries for the
special purpose of determining their
mode of origin, has recently made
close studies of the action of bacteria
in forming iron ores. He has found
the so-called "iron bacteria" actively
engaged in the depositing of com
pounds of iron not only in surface
iron-bearing waters, but in mine
waters to depths of several hundred
feet, and has made laboratory cultures
of various iron-depositing bacteria.
Charles A. Seluen, a traveling cor
respondent, was much impressed by
an incident which he relates In hii
letter to the New York'Times:
At the theater one evening in De
troit recently a young man in even
ing clothes sat down in the -orchestra
chair next to mine.
"Here we are again," he exclaimed.
"This afternoon 1 sold you a news
paper and now we are seeing a show
together."
He explained that he sold S0O0
papers a day and had the most prof
itable street stand in Detroit. II
regretted that he could not make his
money in Detroit and live in New
inrK, wnere ne would find more
theaters.
"I cannot understand, sir," suid th
young man, who had neon paying
some attention to a young lady, "why
you should permit your - daughter to
sue me for breach of promise. You
remember that you were bitterly op
posed to our engagement because I
wasn't rroo'l enough and would dis
grace IVo I'amily."
Young man," said the commercial
father, "that was sentiment. This Is
business. Pittsburg Chronicle-
Telegraph.
A man's devotion to his family is
proved before breakfast with the fur
nace even more conclusively than in
the glow of the evening lamp. Phila
delphia Public Ledger.
An inquirer asks the Providence
(R. I.) Tribune who wrote the word
"I shall not pass this way again.
j3eiiiiarri b iiuok or quotations" says:
"Every effort to identify the author
of this much-quoted saying has failed
It has been attributed to Stephen
Grellet. an American Quaker of
French birth, who was born in 177:
and died in 1855; to Ralph Waldo Em
erson; to Edward Courtenay, earl of
Devon, this being, however, a mis
take due to a partial resemblance to it
in the earl's epitaph; to Sir Rowland
Hill (1744-1883); to Marcus Aurelius
to Thomas Carlyle-;. to Miss A. B,
Hagenian and others. It i said that
the germ of it is to be found in the
writings of a Chinese philosopher.
There seems to be some authority in
favor of Stephen Grellet being the
author, but the passage does not occur
in any of his printed works."
In "Blessed Be Drudgery," by Will
iam C. Sennett, the saying is thus re
corded: "The old Quaker was right.
'I expect to pass through this world
but once. Any good, therefore, that
I can do, or any kindness that I can
show to any fellow creature, let me
do it now. Let me not defer or neglect
it, for I shall not pass this way
again.' "
The Namlis of Pnu7 Foot'
MARSHFIELD. Or., Jan. 6. (To the
Editor.) I noticed In an article in
The Oregonian a statement copied
from the Christian Science Monitor,
to the effect that William E. John
son. now working for prohibition in
England, acquired his title of "Pussy
Foot while employed by the gov
eminent at Sioux Falls, S. D.. in 1910
The writer was rooming at the
same place as Mr. Johnson in 1906 In
Muskogee. 'Okla., and at that date he
was always called "Pussy Foot." He
was at that time employed by the
government In keeping liquor out of
what was then Indian Territory.
I do not know how long previous
to this time he had borne this title
A. L. MARTIN.
On Hla War. Perhaps.
Blighty, London.
She was a professor's wife, and she
was awfully proud of her hubby. One
day when the plebeian Smith-Joneses
came along to tea. she told them all
about him. "He's a wonder, is my
husband." she said. "Just at this
minute he Is in the laboratory con
ducting some experiments. The pro
essor expects to go down to poster
ity "
B-r-r-r! Crash! Rattle! Another
B-r-r-r! from the direction of the lab
oratory. "I hope he hasn't gone," said one of
the plebeians, anxiously.
Those Who Come and Go.
"Wasco- county court isn't giving
Mosier a square deal, and is using our
pile of rock screenings to get some
thing from the state highway com- '
mis.winn tnr- ih. .nnihtri, mart of the
county," is the joint statement of;
J. M. Carroll and Charles T. Bennett, I
... v.. r. ........ ..-V. ..- - a I. 1
town yesterday. "The county court
offered to let the Mosier people have
ritlA nf Nrrfn i mm tn nlarn nn the :
roads leading out of the town if the 1
Mosier people would spread the
screenings. We levied a special l
mill tax and have $2000 available for
this purpose. The court, however,
has since given the screenings to the
state highway commission to use on
the Columbia highway, leaving us
without the screenings we are in need
of There Is gravel available which
will serve the purpose of the high
way commission just as well as the
screenings, but the gravel would not
do us as much good as the screenings.
In explanation of the breaking of the
pledge to us. the court said in open
meeting the other day that the high
way commission was given the screen
ings so that the court can get some
thing for the south end of the county.
Our complaint is not against the high
way commission, but against the
county court."
"It was just a regular, legitimate
fight," says Captain G. B. Macdonald
of the tanker Buck, explaining how
his ship sent a submarine to the
bottom. "The sub had two six-inch
guns and I had one. but we had the
better marksmen, or more luck. Any
way, we finished him." Captain Mac-
Donald, who is at the Imperial, says
the Buck was attacked in mid-Atlan
tic, about 400 miles north of the
Azores. The Buck was attached to
the grand fleet, supplying fuel oil.
Speaking of the loading of tankers,
the captain says the oil is pumped in
warm, but 90 degrees is the maximum
of heat at which it will be accepted.
There is one port where the Buck
can be losded in five hours, but owing
to the chilly atmosphere in Portland,
it will require about 48 hours to
empty the cargo.
"I've lost 118 pounds." boasts Hugh
O'Kane of Bend, "and now I'm down
to only 224 pounds. Hard work is a
great reducer." Mr. O'Kane, who is
at the Benson. Is in Portland with
J. A. Eastes. mayor of Bend, and E.
I Payne, of the same place. These
three constitute the backbone of the
democratic party in leschutes county.
which the mayor says Is overwhelm
ingly republican and the trio are in
town for the double purpose of at
tending the Jackson day celebration
and the irrigation congress.
D. S. Smith, former sheriff of Linn
county, is in the city, hob-nobbing
with the politicians. Mr. Smith Is a
son of the late Delazon Smith, who
was the first United States senator
from Oregon. Delazon Smith was
elected by the legislature, his term
being from February 14. 1859. to
March 8, of the same year, while
Joseph Lane was elected to serve
from February 14. 1859. to March 2.
1861. The original senator was a
democrat and so Is his son.
"With two inches of snow in Spo
kane, the weather seems milder and
more comfortable there than it did in
Portland this morning." states Glen
D. Hite. manager of the Washington
hotel, who returned to Portland yes
terday from a business trip to east
ern Washington. "The hotels in Spo
kane arc all crowded and are turn
ing away people every night, while
the halls are filled with cots. It is
a mystery to the hotel fraternity
where all the people are coming
from.'
Frank Curl, for years chairman of
the republican committee of Umatilla
county, is at the Imperial from Pen
dleton. Mr. furl expects to be a
candidate for delegate to the repub
lican national convention from the
3d congressional district In the May
primaries. At home Mr. Curl is
wheat raiser. He says some hard
wheat was sold tor $2.85 a bushel
up his way a few days ago.
H. .1. Overturf of Rend, who is reg
istered at the Hotel Portland, is re
ported as considering the advisability
of projecting himself into politics lo
the extent of being a candidate for
state senator on the republican ticket
for the district of Crook. Deschutes,
Jefferson, Klamath and Lake, a po
sition now occupied by George T.
Baldwin of Klamath.
W. N. Burtner of Dufur, who lias
been active in grange matters for
years, arrived in town yesterday to
inform his fellow democrats that the
democratic flock has lost its shepherd
and that democratic candidates are
defeated by the apathy of democratic
voters who will not take the trouble
to go to the polls.
John M. Wall, mayor or Hillsboro.
drove in yesterday to attend the dem
ocratic caucus and- the Jackson club
dinner. Mr. Wall is one of those re
ferred to as "war horses.'"' that being
the highest tribute that one democrat
can pay to another.
Superintendent of the schools of
Lake county is Charles E. Oliver. The
superintendent has left the younc
Idea to shoot without his guidance
while he Is attending the democratic
and Irrigation gatherings in Portland.
M. M. McCoy of Kalama. Wash.. Is
ready to tell the world what his oc
cupation Is. for on the register at
the Perkins, following his name, he
writes "Assessor of Cowlits county.
Washington." That makes his Iden
tity definite and certain.
Wheat growers of Pomeroy. Wash.,
on their way to spend some of the
profits of the crop In California, are
Mr. and Mrs. Peter McClung and Mr.
and Mrs. Peter Gearhardt, who are
at the Multnomah.
Crescent, which is a postofflce In
the far reaches of Klamath county,
contributed one representative to the
democratic lovefeast at the Benson
yesterday. The delegate was W. D.
Lewis.
Our. of the large apple orchards on
the Umpqua river. In Douglas county,
is owned by Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Paul
son. The orchard ists arrived at the
Multnomah yesterday from Roseburg.
Robert G. Smith of Grants Pass,
known in democratic councils years
ago as "Smith of Josephine." was in
Portland yesterday mingling with the
other democrats at the Benson.
J. B. Bernhardt of Centralla- Wash.,
is at the Multnomah while purchasing
supplies from the wholesale houses
for his Centralla store.
J. E. Chllberg of Seattle, where he
Is president of the Chllberg steam
ship line, and is a banker as well. Is
among the arrivals at the Multnomah.
Walter Meacham, secretary of the
Commercial club at Baker, is among
those In the city attending the con
gress of irrlgationlsts.
An arrival at the Multnomah Is E.
M. Davidson of Hood River, where he
is tne secretary nt mo unuiu x- run iarfi;e. r guir stream is or varying wiatn at
company. j All constructive criticism Is wel- ' different points. Its width, according
i corned by the joint conference board j to the conditions that Influence It.
Marsr Full of Coffee. i and "Inquirer" is cordially Invited to ; may vary from 45 to 100 miles, ft-nd
Home Sector. I the Monday-noon luncheon at the ; its course also varies slightly from
"I suppose you never saw coffes ! Hazel wood restaurant, where six em- j time to time. In popular usage. th
like that before," boasted the board- ployers and six representatives of the 1 name is often applied not enly to des-lng-house
lady proudly. "Oh, gosh !"; building trades drink soup together. , lgnate the gulf stream proper, but
ejaculated the war-hardened star j O. G. HUGHSON, Secretary. much of the oceanic drift of the
boarder. "The Marne was full of it-" (
With a Kick in It.
Ity Linton 1.. Davlrs.
THIS IS MY FALCON." I
This is my falcon. May he strike the
swan,
The brant, the
heron
and the
whistle-wing. m
Free and un-hooded in the maiden
daWIl.
ing Spring.
This 18 m' 'alcon.
Wild and fierce
and bold
Yet to my hand
he
doth return
again
For praise and pleasure, when upon
the wold
Low lies the proud cock-pheasant
of the glen.
This is my falcon. Merciful is he
Who stoops as swiftly, terrible and
true
A flashing death above the flower
ing lea.
A feathered shaft of surcease from
the blue.
This is my falcon
Lo, when Fate
shall frown
And close the book of bitter, bonny
days.
I pray the falcon Death may strike
me down
After the fashion of my falcon's
ways.
FRIAR TUCK.
Think of Having to Govern Tikhor
yetskaya. It's Hard Enough to Write It.
"Admiral Kolchak Threatens to
Cede Portion of Siberia to Japan."
reads a news headline.
We didn't know the admiral" had a
grudge against the Nipponese.
She Ought to Be County Treasurer.
Dear L. L. D. Miss NellVe Thrift is
city clerk of Aberdeen.
majuu n.
Ah. Mr!
I like the good old cavaliers.
Those courtly gallant men Ions
gone.
Who used to laugh and love, my
dears.
And fight their duels at dawn.
At dawn, or noon, or set of sun.
Whether occasion served or not.
They drew the gleaming steel for fun
And fought because young blood Is
hot.
They fought because the soup was
chilled.
They fought for Marigold's bright
eyes)
And we are told much blood was
spilled
For that fair bosoms heaved to
sighs.
Ah. me! The golden days are done.
The race of men is sadly spent
For instance, each of us knows one
Who with his slippers is content.
And slippers, be they fresh or frayed.
And bath robes frazzled or new
wrought
Are but at best a sorry trade
For old romance and fancy's
thought.
Now. gather round me, whilst I say,
With positive effect, my dears.
The man who strides the stage today
Is not as were the cavaliers.
Woe's me! If there be hearts to rue
Far batter 'twere that grief should
rise
For those who laughed and lightly
drew
To quarrel for their lady's eyes!
GRANDMA.
He Must Have Keen With the A. F.. F.
Dr. B. F. F. has written to the edi
tor of the American Legion weekly,
inquiring. "What are the professional
possibilities for American dentists in
South America"?
-Ve Ciet Chin Mnxlr tn Portland.
"BARBKH wanted in .small town
who plays clarinet or other band in
strument.
HOW WALK SCHKIll LK A AS KI.XKll
Main I'urpunr to Promote I'rnee and
Stability In Building; Operational.
PORTLAND. Jan. 8. (To the Edi
tor.) In reference to the letter from
"Inquirer." on the building trades
wage scneaiue in i ne nui:nj (,..- (
nlan, the public is entitled to know ;
how this list of wages was made up
and the object in making it up.
Having been present at all of the
meetings where the matter was dis
cussed and being in possession of all
ihe minutes and correspondence, as
secretary, the writer is prepared to J
eaIi that the General Building Con-; 1'uring the year 18!U t lie steamer
tractors' association and the Build- .Telephone, owned by the Columbia
ing Trades Council arrived at the liivi-i- ,t Puttet Sound Navigation
published wage schedule by w riting company, marie .112 round trips ba
the various specialty contractors -'tween I'ortlano' and Astoria,
the master plumbers' association, the
electrical contractors and dealers. , V. Fulton of Astoria and Thomas
etc., and asked them to state what j n Ton mi,. ,.f Washington county
wages they were then paying their r.HV1. established headquarters at the
men. Also a similar iikjuhj
made or eacn union in mo i.unu ,
trades as to wages received at that
time and when all this information
In and nrooerly checked up ami
verified. the committee having the
matter in charge compiled the scale
as it stands.
As the building business had beer,
declared more essential during tho
war and as wages were Jumping up
without any system, giving rise to
o-rtto iinfrtainiv In mn k in i: ud esti
mates. It was thought that it would
be a wise move in the Interest of a
stable wage basis and of great bene-
fit to the owner and building investor
If an arrangement could be made so
as to stabilize wages for a certain
period.
Under this arrangement, and so
far as ths members of the General
Building Contractors' association, and
all of whom are parties to the agree
mean, there will be no advances in
wages to them only as the entire
Building Trades Council approves the
request of any union and this ap- !
proval is sanctioned by the joint con-
f... n . a hnard hnvlnff charfire of watres 1
and working rules. Wages so raised fense anil found not guilty by two
may not exceed 5 cents per hour and impartial juries consisting of 24 men.
may not go into effect until 90 days tJuries both civil and criminal.) His
after the approval of the. joint con- last offenses were no greater than
ference board. ! those committed by hundreds of
A carefully prepared list of living ! 1 'ortland autoists who have gotten
costs has been filed which will form ' off much easier than did Sorenson,
a working basis for future wage ad-j and with very little criticism from
Justments which take place May 1 ! the above mentioned papers,
of each year, when "the scale may i What is the purpose of the court?
be raised or lowered upon the show- ', Is it to be guided by law, justice and
Ing made. - I evidence'.' t'r have revenge, preju-
While the wages agreed upon 'dire and bolshevisin taken the place
seemed high in comparison with 1 of these?
former wages, the board found they j Sorenson got no better nor worse
were actually being paid in every j than hundreds of like offenders have
instance and. of course, had no power ; B0t, but the prejudiced and envious
to alter them. Nevertheless, It was see only one glaring fac,t in the case
deemed cheaper to pay for peace and. SorCnson is rich, and is therefore
stabilization Just at this time in the , not entitled to a square deal,
building business of Portland, than , Such papers as the Journal and the
to allow the then uncertain condi- , Xews are a menace to any country,
tiona to continue, and especially so for tnev incite tne ignorant people to
since the wages agreed upon were j think and act afrainst the govern-
but little if any higher than in some mentt and are instrumental In creat-
other sections oi tne country.
It was anticipated that when the ;
wages that were actually being paid j
were collected Into one . schedule. '
criticism would arise, but even so. I
stability and freedom from strike
inKlfAttl Ha ii ArR were considered
of taT Kreater moment to the city at
General Buildlnff Contractors.
More Truth Than Poetry, i
Dy James J. Montague. I
BACK TO THE CAVE DAYS.
The ancient cave-man never told
His neighbor's wealth
in minted
money.
A man was judged, in days of old.
By hides and pelts and milk and
honey.
The prehistoric peoples which
Were here ahead of Father Adajn
Were classed among the idle rich
By these possessions if they had
'em.
But soon, in more enlightened zones.
Where people were a little smarter.
They got to using graven stones
As mediums of trade and barter.
These things had no intrinsic worth
But skins and foods they repre
sented. And that is how. upon the earth
The thing called money was in
vented. -
V recent years it's been enouah
To stamp a person's rank and sta
tion To count the coin (we call it "stuff").
That he can ptU in circulation.
We talk of people s bonds and stocks
Whenever wealth is estimated.
Yet still we're prone to call "em
"rocks,"
Which shows how coin originated.
But now we judge a person by
fiuu eugar ne is noaratng.
We view his stock of Scotch and Rye
And estimate his wealth according.
The fascinating lure of gold
The c harm of money has departed.
Returning to the ways of old
We're going back to where we
started.
It at I ir.it You Don't Suceeed.
A telephone engineer has managed
to send ten conversations at one time
over one wire, which is what our
neighbors have been trying to do on
our party line ever since it was
put in.
In eed of Taritrt Practice.
Lord Grey Aims to Hi.d All Wars -Headline.
He aimed at the same
thing five years ago. but his marks
manship was pretty poor.
I.ayina: Low.
Now that fur coats cost five or
six hundred dollars apiece we do not
believe the ground hog will come out
even long enough to see his shadow.
-
I.iVe Old Times.
Things are getting back to normal.
Nicholas Murray Butler is out again
tor the presidency.
Barely 2.7S Per Cent.
Thieves stole $25,000,000 in New
York City last year exclusive of the
profiteers.
Criminal Luxury.
A Boston man gave a dinner in a
coal hole the other day. in order to
impart Lucullan surroundings to the
affair.
(Copyright,
dicate. Inc.)
1920. by The Bell Syn-
I know not why fierce moods arise
Within my soul to cloud my eyes;
'Tis certain they're no part of me
That I would will should ever be.
For ere I sponsor for each hour
I'd be as lovely as I he flower
That ever nods. Willi rosy hue
A cheery greeting unto you;
I'd be forever calm, serene.
Unmoved by worldly act or st m .
And pleasure would 1 radiate
Were 1 dictator of my fate.
But in my being. g:ly and ii.ti.
Are clouds no sun rays ever clear.
And fierce mood-demons pounce and
prey
Upon my storm-tossed soul each day;
Thus I shall be f ore vermoic
A trial to those 1 most adore.
And when I am most obstinate.
. blame me not. nor yet berate.
Kor I would be forever gay
If 1 might always HAVe'mY WAY!
The price
Whereby tc
s small, you will agree,
live in peace with me!)
In Other Days.
Tnenty-Flve Years Ago.
lr.tn The Oroennlaji of January 9,
Chicago. Eugene V. Debs and the
other officers of the American Rail
way union went lo the Cook county
jaitoday to bet in serving the sent
ence s recently imposed on them for
contempt of court.
ivrkinu hotel and are waginu an ac-
t v. joint canvas
i states sei torship
for the United
Ills
.Morris, with Mrs. Morris
IHl
tiieir daughter, left last night
I for .i w inter sojourn in southern t'al-
if'.riii:i-
ltepori 1'roni many orchardists in
dicate the recent sleet-storm serious
ly damaged the fruit trees of this
j K,'c'
, " "
lo i I A It UEAI. FOH KM.THYf
7
I llundrrda of Antolsts ;et Off Easier
'I'hnn Surrnars for Like Offenses. -
PORTLAND. Or.. Jan. 8. (To ths
Editor.) Will you please tell me if
the Portland Journal and the Dally
News axe In any way behind ths I.
W. W. movement? If not. why all
this hysteria about the "rich" man?
Isn't the rich man entitled to the
same brand of justice as the poor
man V
Snrenson was tried for his first of-
tine the revolutionary spirit.
JUROR.
tiulf Stream Theories.
Boston Transcript.
The current of water through the
I ocean which Is commonly called the
In
orth Atlantic
Me.
Ily (inirs K. Hall.