10
the" aroiixixG oregoxiax wedxesdat," February -23, 1020
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r r-iTABLISIIKD BY HEVRY L. PITTOCK.
Publithed by. The Oresonian Publishing Co..
liO Sixth Street. Portland, Oregon.
C. A. MORDEN. fc. B. WER.
' Manager. Editor.
The Oresonian li a member of the Asso
ciated Press. - - The Associated Press w
:usively entitled to tne uo 'or V?"!"1'
-- tion of a. I u' dispatcbes ;rll".,' ;
r not otherwise creuiti d in this paper ana
parties with the aid of the interstate
commerce commission to remove the
least justification for a. railroad
strike by promptly -adjusting wagis
on the scale prevalent in other in
dustries. Shippers realize that this
will involve higher rates, but If jus
tice to the railroads and their em
ployes dotnands it and if the advance
is equitably distributed, they will not
ito the loca. nests published nere a. trtb , . ,... th.,
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be obtained without- them. When
that Is the case, a strike is stamped
in advance as an attempt to get by
coercion more than is just, The
people will not tolerate that, for in
the end the people pay the cost of
a strike. They have but dimly real
ized that hitherto, but they realize
it forcibly now
SHORTNESS OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT.
- It may almost be doubted that "life
7- Imprisonment" for crime Is more
than a statutory threat against evil
" doing. It Is true that the sentence'
:v has been carried out in the cases of
-" '. twenty-six of the 264 persons who
have been so committed in the his
tl tory of the Oregon penitentiary, but
- the twenty-six were singularly un-
fortunate in that their average pe
riod of life after entering the peni-
tentiary was less than four years
If they had managed to survive five
' ": and one-lialf years the law of aver
ages governing that institution would
apparently have released them.
We are indebted to the Salem, Or
gon. Statesman for the figures. That
newspaper's investigations disclose
that 154 of the 264 "life-termers"
have been pardoned, ten have es
'": caped, fourteen have been trans.
ferred to the state hospital for the
:r insane, three have been sent back
to Multnomah county for new trials,
and twenty-six have suffered an un
timely end. Of the whole number
- of 264 oiYly fifty-six are now in the
: penitentiary, and one of those was
once pardoned but violated the terms
V of his release and was sent back.
The Salem newspaper does not
'- produce the number of hangings
tnat occurred prior to abolishment
of capital punishment in 1914, but
it does reveal the fate of twelve men
who were originally sentenced to
hang but whose sentences were com
v muted to "life imprisonment." Only
two of . them are still in prison
-'' Kight have been pardoned, one -has
escaped, and one is in the insane
- nsylum. The ones who were .par'
I.' rioned maintained the usual average.
They served about five and one-half
years.
; We can think of several among
1. the unfortunate fifty-six, still in the
penitentiary, who have by no means
completed the usual five and one'
" half years. They may be left to a
.j life of hope. But there must be some
"I: smong the others who are excep
' tions to the general rule. They have
7 no friends on the outside, they com
mand no influence, or have no money
with which to employ legal aid to
demonstrate to the pardoning power
the injustice of courts and society.
. Here is work for the Oregon League
of Mushy Sentimentalists.
To those of sterner minds it may
lie said that capital punishment is
not a complete preventive of the ex
ercise of leniency toward major
offenders. Life imprisonment is im
posed for other crimes than premed
Hated murder. It is imposed for mur
der in the second degree, and may
be imposed for' rape and certain
forms of robbery. But by far the
greater number Tf men sentenced for
life have been found guilty of mur
- der. But there is a value in the
death penalty as a deterrent in the
fact that once imposed there is no
recall. The life sentence is severe
In sound only. The chances are bet
' ter than even that he who- receives
. it will sooner or later be released
generally sooner.
WHICH ONE IS SUITABLE?
The Oregonian, in weighing the
other day. the various" troublesome
phases of the problem concerning
the succession to the governorship,-
made the following remarks: -
The dilemma is perplexing. We fear
that we sba.l have to get back to the d
idea, several times voted down, of a HeU
tenant governor elected by the people.' But
the people have said they want no snctr
prerogative and no such official . Wjiat a
to oe doner
Now an esteemed correspondent
at Corvallis expresses himself as
pleased that The Oregonian has at
last come to indorse the proposal for
the lieutenant-governorship. A more
nearly accurate definition of The Or-
egonian's observation is, we think.
that it expressed an apprehension
rather than a conclusion
The basis of The Oregonian's ob
jection to the lieutenant-governor
ship Is that it is, or has been, i
superfluous ofUce, and that multipli
cation of jobs, however pleading to
politicians, is a burden on the tax
payer. The scheme was beaten in
1912, and again, by an overwhelm
ing vote, in 1914; yet it was revived
at the legislature of 1919, in cold
blooded contemplation of the prob
able death of Governor Withycombe,
and placed on the ballot for the June
election, where it was again roundly
defeated.
The principal purpose of The Ore
gonian, in bringing forward the mat-
tor for discussion at this time, is to
remind the people of the fact that
at least three times lit the history
A BLOW TO LOBBYIST COKItt IWN.
.' No more striking contrast in legis-
- lative conduct within a brief period
i is to bo found than that between
; the action of congress in 1916 on
the Adainson bill and in,l:20 on the
t'uminins-Ksch bill. In the former
ear congress bowed meekly to. the
liemand of the brotherhoods when
they threatened a strike. This year
the brotherhoods have lobbied as
persistently and.hajt'e been as free
with strike . threats, but the two
houses of congress on two consecu
tive legislative days passed the bill
in defiance of them.
The explanation is to be found -in
the temper of the people. When
they make their wish known beyond
doubt, congress obeys in spite of the
importunities and threats of the
most active lobby representing a
minority. With a few honorable ex
ceptions congress has just as much
courage in resisting the demands ol
well-organized sections of the com
munity as the people infuse into it.
Ou many occasions the majority ol
the people have a more or less defi
nitely formed opinion en a pending
measure, but for lack of expression
it is disregarded in favor of the de
mands of a minority which makes it
self heard persistently. On this oc
casion the people have declared un
mistakably against the PIunb plan
or any other scheme of government
ownership, against railroad strikes
ttnd in favor of return of the rail
roads to their owners under such
conditions that they can render good
.service. Although strikes are not
forbidden, such provision is made for
tettlement of labor disputes by ar
bitral and judicial means that strikes
would surely meet with public con
demnation. The action of congress is a rebuke
not especially to the railroad brother
hoods nor to labor unions generally,
thot e;h thty happen just now to be
tn trie public eye: it is a rebuke to
any class or any minority which
tries to dictate its selfish will or its
pet theory to congress. We have
heard much about efforts of this,
thar-or the other interest to dictate
or influence legislation to its pur
pose, y The people have risen up
against that sort of thing. They
have before them an example of
minority rule -carried to perfection
in Russia, and it does not please
them.
It rcuiaius for the railroad com- !
of Oregon, there has occurred,
through death or otherwise, a va
cancy in the governorship, and the
secretary of state has, in- accord
ance with the constitution,' succeed
ed him. On the ballot, for June, is
a measure changing the succession
so that the president of the senate,
and in turn the speaker of the? house,
will take the executive chair. In an
emergency. If. it b true, as has
been said mistakenly, we Xhink
that the people. In electing a- secre
tary of state, have in- mind the ex
pectation that he may bcome gov
ernor, and govern themselves ac
cordingly, ' we should like to hear
the-arguments as-to .the suitability
of any of the present candidates, for
secretary to be governor.
tion has been to preveajt rebates, dis
crimination or extortion at spots, not
to prevent too high a general level
of rates. It was perverted to the lat
ter purpose under the influence of
public clamor and of prejudice which
survived from the days before the
roads were brought under public con
trol. The most salutary leseon which
the people have learned from the
war period is that, when they hold
rates to a point below that at which
reasonable net earnings can be made,
they injure themselves, by impairing
tne quality of service and by block
ing improvement, antf extension.
After, the roads arer handed back, to
their owners, the people will not need
to learn that lesson again, and a fair
start will be made. v
The United States' promises to be
the only country of any consequence
where the American policy of pri
vate ownership and operation under
public regulation will be fairly tried
Great Britain has temporarily adopt
ed public operation for the period of
reconstruction, and socialism gains
power so rapidly, there that this pol
icy may become permanent. Canada
Is fast traveling in the same direc
tion, and -allEurope. Australia and
South .America have already reached
the goal. The demonstration which
this country has given of the super
iority of individualism to . socialism
may be expected to -aause socialists
to- concentrate their attack upon it,
for so long as this standing example
of the fallacy of socialism exists, oth
er countries may revert to the indi
vidualist system.
A COMMON FORl'M.
A public-spirited citizen of.Tam-
hill county has devised- a' plan of a
forum which shall discuss all affairs
of current moment in government,
and which shall make recommenda
tions to taxpayers, to public officials
and to the general body of citizens;
It is noted, for example, that at the
coming June election there will be
a number of measures on the ballot
bonding, capital punishment, suc
cession to the governorship, millage
tax, and .the like--and there is no
convenient opportunity for an inter
change of opinion as to their respec
tive merits. To be sure, each com
munity has its commercial club, or
its grange, oY its debating society,
its church or social organization,
each of which has more or less to
say and do about current affairs;
but no county, so far as we know,
has any representative organization
with accredited delegates, which
shall make a study of all problems
of current political interest. -
To investigate any question does
not necessarily mean that there shall
be a formal decision by the whole
body. But certainly there will be
a clearer understanding by the citi
zen as to the viewpoint of others
as well as his own. He may easily
learn something by debate that he
did not know, and would not know
if he refrained from contact with
others. Possibly u common ground
vill be found on which all can stand;
;f not, it will at least be' ascertained
where the individual will not stand.
Curbstone and corner-grocery
opinion is good, as far as it goes.
Its danger is that the enlightening
apostles of argiimentatioa who find
eisure to pursue It lire rather more
fond of dialectics though they would
not call it that than of knswleagc.
Socrates; to' be sure,, challenged all
comers, and they came, and - the
world as the gainer for'his method
but hot-stove clubs usually enjoy an
exclusive membership, and light does
not radiate, far beyond their imme
diate circle. ,
The county forum would, or should.
eek to be representative of all
classes and all Interests. It would
be a symposium of varied views and
would seek to promote sound under?
tanding as well as good will. In a
tate where the people have reserved
to themselves control of government,
and insist on deciding for themselves
all issues affecting their interests, it
would appear that a project which
bids fair the better to qualify them
pass on public questions would
meet their favor. -
BIGHTS AND THEIR ABUSE.
Any citizen has a right to speak in
favor of a constitutional amendment
establishing the soviet form of gov
ernment in the United States. Any
citizen who proposes that a body of
armed men should disperse congress,
should kill or imprison the heads of
government departments and should
install a soviet government by force
ought to be . locked up without bail
and on conviction imprisoned for a
long term. The one-man exercises
the right of free speech lawfully,- the
other abuses it. Any intelligent judge
and jury shouid'be able to recognize
the distinction, so that no man's
proper exercise of his constitutional
right would be restricted. .
Change in the constitution may be
advocated at'' a- public meeting, pro
vided that citizens are simply urged
to vote accordingly.- If change by
violence be advocated, the right of
free assemblage ' is aTbused,' and the
speakers and all-1 who support them
become, enemies of the government,
and should be locked up (without bail
and punished. ' . fa
No surprise need be felt at the
failure of convicted traitors Tike Hay
wood, Debs and Berger to distinguish
between lawful discussion of public
affairs and open support of the na
tion's enemies or open incitement to
violent destruction of the govern
ment. These men deliberately seek
sympathy by. causing confusion in
men's-minds between proper exercise
of a right and' their , own criminal
abuse of that right. Thus they as
sume the pose ofwnartyrs. That is
part of the .radical game. It should
not deceive a man of the ability of
Herbert Hoover, who says he could
not vote'n with, "a pa.rty if It were
dominated ti? groups who seek to set
aside ourwconstitutional guarantees
for free speech or free repjesenta-:
tion.1' yet anti-sedttton bills were no
sooner introduced in congress than
the same hue -and. cry was raised
against them. '.
Congress . should be capable
drawing a' 'bill which. would deal ef
fectively with the reds by sending
them to. prison, the gallows or their
native land without in any way re
stricting the proper exercise of law
ful rights by loyal citizens. If congress
canhpt draw sjjch a bill or lacks the
;ourage to pass it, the time has come
for wholesale change in its member
ship. A man who cannot or will not
discriminate between freedom and
treason 1st not fit to make laws for
this republic. .'
down needlessly, simply because we have
not realized the possibilities' of prevention
through properly organized scientific re
search in this field.
The sum of our knowledge of the
laws of sound consisted in the be
ginning of certain conclusions ar
rived at largely in laboratories by
research workers. But another high
ly practical result was seen "in the
work- of another group of mathe
maticians who developed a method
by which it is now known that hun
dreds of great guns were located by
computing the center of the sound
wave from observations made on the
time of the arrival of the wave at
from three to seven suitably placed
stations. This method had never be
fore been used in any war and "it
proved extraordinarily accurate, ' a
gun being located five miles away
with an .error of less than 50 feet."
It will be recalled that the famous
"Big Bertha" of the Germans was
finally located in this Way. A three
fold improvement in the ' accuracy
of placing bombs by ' airplane was
made possible by the abstract cal
culations of other, mathematicians
tnd physicists, and Professor Milli-
kan reminds us that this was pre-
isely equivalent to three-fold multi
plication of production of bombing
planes -and, . it may be added, ot
trained aviators for manning them. .
We are bidden, however, not to
cherish the notion -that pure science
is justified only by its great service
in the war. The new. opportunity in
science is based on a .more endur
ing foundation. The war has taught
chiefly how greatly we are depend
ent on scientific training for success.
Professor MiHikan has a larger
vision of the possibilities of scientific
research in industry. The scientist
here is exhibited at his best, show-
ng that he also is balanced by a
romantic imagination. We like his
issumption "that most men are at
bottom altruistic, that most men like
;o direct their lives into channels in
which they can make them most
worth while for the race." Those
who agree with him, and who assent
to his division of altruistic effort into
three - p; eaf classes reUgio-pniiO'
soDhical. social (as those who are
concerned with the! equitable diS'
tribution of wealth), and creative
(directed to creation of wealth rather
than to its distribution) will find
something to think about in his sug
gestion that the field ot effective
ness in contributing to human well
being may be larger in the depart
ment of effort to create wealth than
in energy devoted merely to devising
gvstems of distributing it. Sociology
and pure science approach very close
ly, even overlap, for.' 'example, ui
Professor Millikan's proposition:
S A IT II THE OREGON NEWSPAPER
Those Who Come and Go.
SOCLLIM-S CHANCE LOST.
Return of the railroads to Iheir
owners will end the final trial of
public operation in this country,
rather than begin the final trial of
private ownership, as stated by Her
bert Hoover. His statement of the
vicious effects of public operation
leaves no doubt "of his opposition to
that development of socialism, and
doubt of the success of private oper
ation can be justified only by re
fusal of the government to give pri
vate enterprise and individual initia
tive that free scope without which
they cannot give results.
Notwithstanding all the evils
which accompanied unregulated pri
vate ownership, it' is nevertheless!
true that that policy gave the United
States more mileage of railroad in
proportion to population than any
country which had government
roads. It also gave better service at
lower rates than any other country.
Public regulation, was necessary to
impress railroad companies that they
perform a public service and must
therefore render it on equal terms
for all individuals and communities
under the direction of public author
ity. , The chief use of public regula-
TRE ALTRIISM OF PURE SCIENCE.
It is impossible to get away from
practical application of the so-called
abstractions ot science, as we are
reminded occasionally by unexpect
ed developments growing out of the
researches of professors engaged in
the pursuit of knowledge for its own
nnlra -fin., nf .ha louunn ,i f tin, war
l nointed out in a recent lecturft hv
Professor R. A. Millikan, of the Uni
versity of Chicago,' was that the en
deavor of all the principal belliger
ents to utilize the- inventive genlue
of the""average citizen" was a dismal
failure. .Every major belligerent had
a board of invention and research
to which every man with an idea was
asked' to communicate .- that idea.
"They all agree," remarks Professor
Millikan, whose eminence in connec
tion with the National Research coun
cil is guarantee that he speaks
with authority, "that not one sug
gestion in 0,000 which came in that
way. was of any value whatever, and
that the occasional worth-while idea
which was presented t these boards
was in general, arrived at earlier in
other ways." On the other hand,
results obtained hy application of
principles worked out by expert
physicists were not only pro
ductive of results. that helped to win
the war, buf in many instances will
be carried over into the-industries
of peace.
Lord Northcliffe reiterated on his
trip to the United States in the spring
of 1917 that the submarine was
"the" problem of. the war, and itwas
soon thereafter realized, as'Professor
Millikan says oh the authority of Sir
Ernest Rutherford, that the problem
of submarine detection was a prob
lem of physics pure and simple.-: It
was not then evert a problem in engi
neering. The - number-of trained
physicists available was small, but
a representative body of these were
concentrated on the task. The most
effective detector that actually was
put to use was the "-result of the
work of scientists of various coun
tries, who, when they had previously
made their original experiments to
determine .the laws governing sound,
had no idea of the use to which
their determinations would be put.
The same device is now being prac
tically-applied to the elimination of
the chief remaining terror of naviga
tioncollision in fog. Professor
Millikan will have? the support of
thinking Americans in- his conclu
sion that
When it It remembered that the pre
vention of a single disaster liKe the sink
ing of Uie Tiruuic. or of the Kmpress of
Ireland more than pays without any ref
erence fo t.be value of human lives, for al!
the time' an money spent by England.
France and tne United States combined in
developing detecting dea-ices it will be aeeq
bow auort-sighted ft Is lor any country to
fai) to find In soma- way tie funds .neces
sary for carrying on research and devel
opment work tit underwater detection. For
centuries we hava- allowed ships to go
It goes without saying that It is Impos
sible to distribute mora.. wealth than il
created. . . . Tire Inequalities and in
justices which strike the eye" are of muc-tl
less general significance than the super
flcial observer realizes. A progressive
economist told me that I was probably
m.lilnr an overstatement when I stated
that a. complete leveling of ail incomes in
the United States might possibly increase
the income of the average worker by 10
per cent. ... It is probable that the
total- possibilities of improvement through
changes in distribution are very lim
ited, while possibilities of improvement
through increase in production are incai
r.iuhle . . The present distress in
Europe is not due to bad distribution, but
simply lack of production.
One little neW advance, we are re
minded, like the discovery, of ductile
tungsten isa larger contribution to
human well-being than "allTslnds of
changes. 'in the social order." The
man. who finds a way to harvest his
hav so aa to make a given plot of
ground feed twice as many cattle
as it did. before has contributed im
measurably, to human welfare.
Or, again, the pure scientist who for ten
-vears worked out the properties of dis
charges of negative electricity througb
highly exhausted bulbs and so made pos
sible the use of pure electron discharges
in multiplying enormously the possibili
ties of telephonic and telegraphic com
municationthe cornerstone ol' interna
tional cood will have made their lives
count for humanity as very few political
or social reformers have ever been able
to do. These are the sort of opportuni
ties wLich lie betore the young man who
Is now choosing his life work in science.
It will be hoped that Professor
Millikan is not too optimistic in his
belief that "most men .are at bottom
altruistic.":. There is, however, no
inconsistency between this assump
tion and the suggestion that the field
of Dure science is filled -with oppor
tunities. It is .an inviting thought
that it. is impossible for a man to
make the "-world ; better for other
people without-.nialqng.it better for
himself. , The pure scientist has at
least succeeded- in making out a
strong case for his own profession,
izers of that party stand for.
Romance la WaahlnsitoB C-oanty,
Hillsboro Argus.
"Will the Irish ' batcheldar who
called on the widow on Commercial
street some time ago call again, or
write?X
Please publish in Hillsboro paper
once. Stamps to pay for publishing.
' Publisher's , note The Argus, re
ceived the above Tuesday. As 1t is
about up to leap year and this is
"naebuddy's" business but the bache
lor's and the widow's, we hasten to
publish. ' .. . - -
"Coonakin" Trie New- Deal.
Port Orford Tribune.
William Johnson, known to many
bf his associates as "Coonskin," re
cently decided that a jitney was too
slow for him and invested in a Max
well. Bill is an old deep-water sailor
and more'recently a hunter and trap
per. He knows how to make the ships
and varmints go, but Sunday he went
joy riding with some of his friends in
his new car and was forced to hoist
distress signals and come back in tow
of the milk truck.
One of Perry'a Dreams Is Trne. '
Scio Tribune. .
The .cartoons In The Oregonian of
the country grocery club have their
counterpart in Prochaska's store.
Drop in and listen to the discussions.
Oregon Colonel Optlmlflm.
Jefferson Review.
;' We met our old friend ' Colonel
Ho'fer Saturday, looking fine and as
full of politics as a woolly -dog is of (
fleas.
Sfew League Does Not Attrart Farm
ersOther , Comment.
Lehnnnn f"Vttrlrtn.
There seems 'to be little danger of1 thero are five business
the Oregon farmer being caught in ! blocks being erected in Enterprise,
the net of the new political party and on i three-story. They sre all
formed at Salem last week. As a ' made of brick." began Daniel Boyd,
whole the farmer does not take too boosting his home town, "and we are
kindly to such exploded theories as Paving 22 blocks with hard surface,
"single tax," "government owner- We've got a new hotel and now they
ship." "soviet rule" and the hundred ! are building an addition to it with y
and one other -isms that the organ- i more rooms. The Commercial club
uaa aig ura up to puna ivu auuKBi 401
it is impossible to rent a house in the
town." Incidentally Mr. Boyd con
fessed that he expects to be a candi
date for delegate-at-large to the re
publican national convention at Chi
cago, providing his business arrange
ments in the meanwhile do not Inter
fere. Mr. Boyd was a delegate in 1912
and 1916.
T. E. Keefe, superintendent of ho
tels for Yellowstone park, was loafing
at the Multnomah for a few hours
yesterday morning while passing
through the city. Once upon a time
he was chief clerk at the Multnomah.
Mr, Keefe is on his way -to Los, An
geles to open the annual office to ar
range for the beginning of hotel sea
son and to secure help. We look for
ward to an immense business, this
coming season," he says. "The auto
road between Yellowstone and Glacier
park will be better equipped than last
season and will be greatly appreci
ated by those who wish to take in
both of America's great parks."
Stockmen from cattle land are clut
tering the lobbies of the hotels in
Portland this week. 'From all parts
of the range In Oregon and parts of
Idaho, the stockmen are bringing
shipments to the North Portland mar
ket. The price has been on the de
cline recently and many of the stock
men are trying to get their stuff din
posed of before the quotations drop
lower. Others have fed as long as
they could and are now forced to mar
ket their cattle, being short of feed.
As a rule, the shippers are disgruntled
ever the way the market is going, but
they figure that it is better to pocket
a small loss now than a larger ona
later on. -
On his way to look over California
cattle, with a view to buying, Seth R
Dickson of Prineville was at the Im
perial yesterday. He recently pur
chased 2800 acres from George Watt
In the Wood river valley, in Klamath
county, for $200,000. The Wood river
valley is the mecca of stockmen, for
there is always plenty of water and
feed, no matter-what the conditions
may be on the high desert range. The
valley is near Fort Klamath., where
Captain Jack, chief of the rebel
Modoc Indians, was executed after he
directed the massacre of General
Canby and the pe3ce commissioners.
' "We are expecting a big travel to
Cannon beach this summer." says Mrs.
H. L. Harris, who Is registered at the
Hotel Washington. "The highway
from Seaside to the beach should be
completed in time for the summer
trade. The weather at the beach is
beautiful." Mrs. Harris is thewife of
tne postmaster at Ecola. which stu
dents of Oregon history will recall
was where the Lewis and Clark .ex
pedition . found Indians carving and
eating a whale which had drifted
ashore through the breakers. Before
going to Ecola Mr. Harris was in the
wool business at The Dalles.
. Bit of Wisdom From Morrow.
Heppner Gazette-Times.
Wherefore, the sooner all classes of
people begin to realize that the big
gest question now is , not greater
wages and shorter days but rather a
busier country, at least until this debt
begins to shrink. The sooner we be
gin to realize that the better for
everybody, and let us deal justly, es
pecially with the workmen, but let
not fool away our capital nor
smash our investments.
Above, all, let us have an end to
strikes. Farmers will plant corn next
May as certain as the season comes
b-ound. In the same way and for the
same reason let all men- everywhere
tifprk at the jobs which they have se-?
lected by reason of the occupation
they have chosen.
'-An X-ray movie has been per
fected and a man at all interested in
his -"innards" will be able to see
how they work. This will solve the
time-honored problem of the woman
who swallows a snake, as well as
revi'al the contortions of the tape
worm for people, grown blase on
picture stuff;, if meddlesome, censors
permit.
The mayor, of Bridgeton, N. J.
says he, has cured many a wild boy
by. use bf a: spanking machine, com
posed of barrel staves with handles
carved, on them. Something con
vinces us that the mayor is about
right ' '
A. Bryn Mawr professor suggests
smoke signals as ' a. good way to
signal to Mars. - Irf that ,ase; the
solution is eas We can be in com
munication with Mars whenever con
gress is in session. 1
The government is more excited
over the little moonshine flurry in
Iron county, Michigan, than over
vastly more important issues. .But
then it gives officials a chance to be
spectacular. '
Mexico has increased the life of
passports for Americans . to three
months. It would make a bigger
hit with the Americans if this" lib
erality applied also to passport
Sir Oliver Lodge says that de
parted spirits flo' not smoke or chew.
The presence of good spirits in the
other world will be some consolation
for the loss of tobacco.
" Wanted Endeavor.
Monmouth Herald.
The common' laborer Is said to be
going crazy over diamonds. It might
be well at this juncture to call his
attention to other cards, in the deck.
The spades, for instance." x
Defying; the "Allesrator."
Harney County News.
There is a standing invitation for
anyone to say what they d d please
please about the mean "wrapping
paper contemuoraries." We're not
afraid of just criticism and leave the
unjust to the "contemporary" for sal
vation; hy fire-cleansing.
No More' m "Traveling Man."
Jefferson Review.
Our Maltese cat Carrie hack. He had
been boarding with Charlie McKee at
the butcher shop, bnt soo4t as he. seen
that ad he came home at once.
"Watts." the Answer?
La Grande Observer. .
Now the scientists say that light
has weight. Light weight, of course.
Ethics at Lakevlew.
Lakeview Examiner.
Hereafter all gentlemen attending
the baturday-night dances at the
Antlers hall will be required to pur
chase a ticket, regardless of w;hether
they dance or not. It has been found
absolutely necessary to adopt a rule
and it will be strictly enforced.
Bryan fortExample.
Weston -Leader.
If a man will forget himself for a
little while, other people are apt to
think more of him.
Sometimes It Happens.
Woodburn Independent. ,
If you want a murderer or thief
caught in Portland offer a reward,
and make it big enough so that it will
be worth while.:
Fillers or Fuel.
' St.- Helens Mist. ,
- Oh, no. Hoover will not be a can
didate, for' president. We can speak
witn authority, ror already we are
beginning td receive bundles of free
publicity eulogizing Hoover.
The "Adroit Mr. West.
Mdnmouth Herald.
': Whoever is steering Herbert Hoov
er's: campaign for the presidency, if
it'ean be called such, is making some
aaroit political moves, we are be
ginning to tnink .Hoover has some
chance.. .
'- His Grip Has Slipped.
J . Scio Tribune. -fex-Postmaster
Myers of Portland.
though removed from office, strives
to hang onto the job. He likes the
J500 per month he has been getting
the past seven years. When he was
made postmaster Fra-nk thought he
became the democratic party of Ore
gon. He now thinks differently.
" " Problem In Theft.
Corvallis Gazette-Times. -
An Oakland man pleads nervous
disorder in defense of a theft. The
next thing will be color blindness, the
thief1 being unable to distinguish his
own money, from the other fellow's. t
In the f.rab Rag.
Brownsville Times.
If one of the big parties should get
Hoover to head Its ticket It would
stand a chance to get the union-labor
vote, an element to be reckoned with
in the next election.
Fallbridge residents, the few there
are of them, are quite willing to see
some arrangement made whereby au
tomobiles can use this structure across
the Columbia river near the mouth
of the Deschutes. The Dalles wants
a bridge and so does Hood River and
Stevenson, Wash., but the Fallbridge
structure is now a reality and there
is talk of adapting it for motor traf
fic, providing the railroad officials
are agreeable. Mr. and Mrs. F. J.
Duryee of Fallbridge, are among the
arrivals at the Hotel Oregon.
Mayor Frank A. Rowe of Wheeler,
who is also the banker at that saw
mill town on Nehalem bay, is at the
Multnomah. What Wheeler wants is a
state highway connecting it with the
beach resorts on the south and with
Nehalem and Clatsop county on the
north.
When there is a fire at Lexington,
Morrow county, which isn't often, the
populace looks to Karl L. Beach to
put the kibosh on It, as he is the fire
chief. Satisfied that there will be no
-conflagrations for a few days, Mr.
Beach is in town at the Imperial, with
his townsman, Lewis Frederickson.
A party of Salem women, wives of
well-known husbands, arrived In Port
land yesterday, making the Seward
their headquarters while out on a
social expedition. The group consisted
of Mrs. Ben W, Olcott, Mrs, Georg
F. Rodgers, Mrs. William F. Lytic,
Mrs. W. Melvin Plimpton and Mrs.
George L Rose.
Crook county stockmeni known as
"big feeders," because they buy much
hay for their cattle, are Gseorge Slaten
and Linn Nichols, who were at the
Imperia yesterday. Mr. Slaten oper
ates on the Ochoco and Mr. Nichols
has a ranch on Summit prairie and
other ranches scattered around.
M. W. Pettigrew, who was formerly
editor of the Spokesman at Redmond,
is registered at the Hotel Washing
ton, ifr. Pettigrew sold out his news
paper property and is now not wor
rying about press time, copy or adver
tising. - . .
WHO SHALL SUCCEED tiO V KRAORt
Arrrweat for the Piss of. ' Lies-J
tesan-4Terar.
CORVALLIS, Or, Feb. 13. (To th
Editor.) I am much Interested in the
discussion of the question of succes
sion to the governorship In case of
a Tacancy; and not with very great
pleasure that Ths Oregonian .has
finally come to endorse the provision
calling for a lieutenant-governor to
be elected by ths people. I get this
endorsement from the editorial article
in The Oregonian headed "A Dilemma"
answering an srtlcl) by the Wood
burn Independent. .
Trosi our people have sevsral limes
voted down this pcoposal -to -treats
the office of lieutenant-governor, but
I feel, as did the efficiency and
economy commission of which I had
ths honor to serve as chairman, and
In keeping with their report as filed
with the 30th legislative assembly,
that Oregon should by all means have
provided- a proper succession to the
governorship In esse of a vacancy;
and that this successor should be se
lected by tha people wlt( ths view of
qualification for this position Just as
wo select our governor as one whom
we consider qualified st the time of
his election. If The Oregonian and
the other leading state papers 'could
have bsought themselves, through
their editors, to a proper support of
this measure ' heretofore, we would
now have this law upon our statute
books,
I might add that the continual In
crease in expense of government un
der the old rule, and particularly
under the conglomerate system which
we have In our state, which has been
brought upon us by ths addlng-to
process for all these yeara and no at
tempt to cut out or consolidate any
departments will no doubt in time
appeal to men of clear Judgment and
thinkers, to the extent of calling for
the support, from nawspapera and
the public, for.. a complete -revision
through proper consolidation of th
many departments along the lines
proven so successful in Illinois where
Governor Lowden has shown it pos
sible to reduce the expenses of state
government in that state of approxi
mately $700,000 each year for the past
two years, right in the face of the
high cost during and following ths
great war. ' V
May I not again appeal to you to
study the report of our consolidation
and efficiency commission above re
ferred to If this plan approaches
that of the great state of Illinois
which seems to be working so verjc
successfully as some other sttates
are also- finding It to work during
the short duratioi. of trial so -far
then can we not expect your support
for this, or some similar plan, so that
our people may be educated up to tha
point where they will rise up as one
man and demand that our state gov
ernment shall thereafter be organized
and conducted on strictly business
principles,-just as we insist that our
private business must be organized
and conducted.
A. J. JOUXSON.
More 1 ruth Than Poetry. I
By James J. Moatasras.
0 ERROR I.V. NEWELL FIOl'RES
"Grand weather at Newport," states
D. M. Walker of Yaquina bay. who Is
at the Hotel Washington with Mrs
Walker. The Walkers take things
easy. They divide their time between
Newport and southern California.
One of theheavy taxpayers of Aber
deen. Wash., is K. Zejasko. who is
registered at the Perkins. Being the
owner of houses and store buildings,
Mr. Zelasko is classified as a cap'
italist. t
Engineer Defesds Statistics and De
nies Advocating R-Crnt Fare,
PORTLAND, Feb. 24. (To the Ed
itor.) On reading the communlca'
tion in The Sunday Oregonian from
E. G. Hopson on the street car stu
atlon I was astonished to find him
stating that serious errors had been
found In the figures which 1 1 pre
pared for the city council, and that
this fact was brought out at the
hearing before the public service
commission. Mr. Hopson Is entirely
mistaken.
I presented to the council a state
ment of the company s situation, as
based on the revenues for last July,
the latest month for which figures
were available when I began my In
vestigation. I gave them also an
estimate of what might be expected
for a year, if the same traffic con
ditions continued. The same state
ment was presented before the pub
lic service commission, where no one
disputed it. I also gave the commis
sion similar figures for the inter
vening months. I showed that there
had been a alight increase in traffic
with a corresponding reduction In the
cost per passenger during the latter
part of 1919, but there Is nothing sur
prising in this, for street car traffic
varies constantly, Tn accordance with
the seasons and with climatic and
business conditions. The earlier fig
ures were correct in every detail and
the latter merely gave additional information.
It is also Incorrect to charge me
with advocating an S-cent fare. I
presented to the commission calcula
tions showing the revenues to be ex
pected from various rates of fare, hut
have not at any time recommended
any specific rate, in response to a
direct question I did say that In my
opinion, a 7-cent fare with 1 cent lor
transfers would yield sufficient rev
enue to meet the present situation,
but added that I would prefer a rate
of seven tickets for fio cents with
an 8-cent cash fare, since the burden
on the car riders would be about the
same, with less annoyance. I'ndor
such a plan all regular passengers
would use tickets at 7 1-7 cents, and
only the occasional rider would pay
8 cents. This is very far from ad
vocating' an S-cent faro.
. . . J. P .NEWELL
THAT I'COMC TAX I1LANK.
Tts filed my Ineoms tax return.
(A modest one withal)
I stated frankly what 1 earn.
And. ttaounh the sum Is small.'
I'm filled with terrirymg doubt,
I csnnot sleep st night
For fear that when I mads tt silt,
1 didn't gel It right.
The thing waa full of baffling blanks
I ditin't understand.
Like, "Interest on Cash In Banks."
And "Funds From Siile of Land."
And "Income from Fiduciaries."
(Which were not even named)
And "I-iontisea. Director's Kees."
Ard "Obsolescence Claimed."
All these appalled end puitlrd nts
Profoundly." 1 confuss.
What obsolescences mlcht bs
I could not even guess.
On ranching them, I recollect,
I skipped 'em. every tlrr.e.
And I'm afrnl.l that thin neglect
atay constitute a crime.
For I cannot forget one line
- Whhh nmkos nie cringe and snail.
It rends "Ten Thousand Dollars Pins
Or else one Year In Juil
For Making Fraudulent Return."
And chill my pulses run '
And I srn filled with deep concern
Lest that Is what I've dons.
Kot Worth It.
If a congressman's time Is wort
120 a day. It has cost a little mors
than IWJ.000.pOO to deride that Victor
Berger Is still entitled to a hsarlng.
s s
$ Tsey Are Hot leoaorUsta.
Ths osturs of ths eontents of
number of suit cases nowadays hss
moved even baggags smashers to b
a little bit careful.
s
Ahnnt Right.
The woman who left ?0 0 In a
taxi ought not to complain. That was
probably the amoi.r.t of the (are.
(Copyright. 1020, by' Ths lisll 8m ,11 rats.
Inc.)
'Mornin, Mr. Robin."
i Br Craor K. Hall.
'Mornin', Mr. Robin! Been a right
smart spell
Since I s?en you hoppin' 'round
hope you're rcelln' wellT
Look ss pert as ever eyes are Jost
ns keen.
Seems as thouirh your crimson vest
has a brighter shetni
Plndin' many early worms on my
greenln' lawn?
Heard you kind of chlrpln' there Just
at break of anw-n;
Like to se your spindle legs sort of
struttln round.
Head cocked always to one side.
vlewin' what you've found!
Say! You always make me laugh
w-hen you pry and pull
At them stubborn Hngl) worms when
your "tomu-h's full!
Like as n,t you're packln' them for
the wtnter, though
Never thought of that before, I was
tickled so!
Build yourself a heme 'round here
plan for babies, too.
Needn't have a single fear no one
sore at you;
Limber up your little threat, hang
around and sing
Glad to pay you fcr each note, with
cherries. 1n the sprlr.u!
In Olh.r Days.
Twenty-five Years g-.
From The Oreaoniiin of February 2o. IWY
Golf, the Scotch national giinie, has
at last struck this section, and a f w
who arc familiar with it have taken
to playing at Piedmont.
A movement Is on foot at Dnyton to
have a flouring mill built at that
place.
Milton A. Stratton. president of tli
East Portland Natlonul bunk, died
suddenly yesterduy afternoon at his
residence, 82 East Tenth stri et.
Work Is proceeding favorably at
the Cascade canal and one of the bla
sted gales is partially hung.
IF FOR INK, WHY MOT FOR ALL?
After doing business a few years
with the consolidated ticket office,
Portland would not like to see. a
change. It is a great "store."
Butchers will note the -order ' to
trim prices and obey, of course.
Butchers are accommodating fellows
when it comes. to trimming.-
It may be true enough that whisky
is worthless as a cure for flu. Where
its great popularity comes in seems
to be as a preventive., ' ?'.,
The' (real offense. In Iron county
will be lost to sight in the conflict
over authority. ,
CRITIC DEMOCRACY Ql'KSTIO.VED
Like -. Senator' Chamberlain, ; Mr.
Hamaker Is Off lYIIsonian Track.
PORTLAND, Feb. 24. (To -the Edi
tor.) A gentleman named Hamaker,
hitherto unknown to fame, criticising
Senator Chamberlain for disloyalty to
the democratic joss, appears to be dis
loyal himself. Secretary Baker and
the president have both declared for
universal military training, but Ha
maker says it will cost Jl. 000.000,000
annually and' abuses Chamberlain for
joining Wilson and Baker in favor
of it?. He la no better democrat -than
the 107 who in caucus the other day
deliberately slapped the president in
the' face on that question.
Hamaker also abuses Chamberlain
for favoring the free passage of
American ships through the Panama
canal. He should read the national
democratic platform of 1912 demand
ing such free passage and some of
the fierce editorials of the Port
land Journal denouncing those who
were false to that platform's demand.
Taken all in all-Hamaker'a democ
racy doesn't seem to be much better
than Chamberlain's. OBSERVER, i
C. S. McNaughtof Hermiston, whose
father w-as a pioneer of that place
when It took its position in the sun
about 15 years ago. is at the Mult
nomah and comparing cars at the
auto exhibition.
L. E. Whitler and C. P. Sands of
New York are at the Benson. They
have come west through arrangement
with W. C. Slattery, timber broker,
and will look over the lumber indus
try in the vicinity of Cottage Grove.
While the provinces across the line
are not exactly "dry." Mr. and Mrs.
C. W. ABhwin are registered at the
Seward from Drinkwater, Sask.
M. W. Mattecheck, president of the
Mattecheck Hardware company of
Kennewick, Wash., is at the Multno
mah while attending the auto show;
L. M. Eddy, fifth vice-president of
the Order of , Railroad Telegraphers,
with headquarters at St. Louis, Mo,
is at the Multnomah.
J. T. Hinkle, Irrigationist and for
mer member of the legislature, is at
the Imperial from Hermiston, where
he is the city attorney.
Among the dozen or more stockmen
who are rounded up at the Perkins
is A. W. Fargher of Maupin.
-
R. C Bishop, who knows all about
blankets. Is at the Hotel Portland
from Pendleton.
J. Densmore, keeper of the general
store at Scio, is making 's visit to
Portland and la at the Perkins, I
Books an' Vaudeville ec-d Censoring
, More Than Movies.
GOLDEN DALE. Wash.. Feb. - 2J
(To the Editor.) I have been reading
with much interest the discussion
about "movie" censoring. Of this I
know little. Perhaps it does need
to be done, but our books of modern
Tiction need it too, if it is so'1 neces
sary for the films.
What I want to know Is. why some-
xns don't mention censoring vaude-
vill shows. I was in rornana ior a
month this winter, and having little
to do I attended many shows, both
moving picture and vaudeville. I al
ways went to the test theaters. Dur
ing that month's time I never noticed
anything in the pictures that was
vulgar or sugRestive, but oh! you
vaudeville.
The fact :s. I never went to a
vaudeville show that didn't have acts
that were both vulgar and suggestive.
I can recall a dozen or more remarks
and some of the suggestivenesw was
simply "rotten." to use a bit of popu
lar slang.
t don't consider myself a modest
person. -ne ract 's i can- seiaom
muster" a blush. But l ve neen able
to do so in some of Portland's vaude
ville theaters. A FOOL GIRL.
Getting Into Russia.
PORTLAND. Feb. 24. (To the Edi
tor.) Would It be possible for an
American by birth to get to Russia
without a passport from the United
States government, or will they allow
us to leave this country without one?
READER.
It is said that some have succeeded
in getting Into Russia by bribing bol
sheviks at the. Finnish border or by
sneaking across the line. One can
obtain a passport to Sweden whence
ha would .'have to take chances on
further progress.'
.'-
- His Speech Not Liked.
"You -don't seem to care for my
speech on economics," said Senator
Sorghum. "Not exactly," replied the
statistician. "What's the trouble with
it?" "Over-production of phraseology
and shortage of ideas." ,
Fifty Irani Ago.
From The Oreannliin of February '.'". !""
New York Count Olto von Hiileu.
the bogus Prussian count snd cousin
to Bismarck, who succeeded In mar
rying a rich young woman of Kllr.;i
beth. N. J., and swindling the family
out of $1 0.nofl. was arrested yesterday
and Is In Jail.
Roseburg. The steamer Ann was
reported In the little canyon elitlit
miles from Oakland on Saturday and
is expected to riaeh here today or
tomorrow, the object of the trip evi
dently being to prove that Hie I'mp
qua may yet be rendered navigable.
All sleamers of thn P. T. company
are kept busy carrying rrcittlit. Four
came down the river yesterday SS'I
probably as many will return today
Dr. C. H. Mack, formerly s prac
ticing dentist In Portland, has re
turned after sn absence o! tp or
three years and will remain licre per
manently. i 1
I.AIIOIt STAND Wl OI'I'OMAT
Prohibition Isaoe II e J g Itettled
Writer Torus to IWcArthsr.
PORTLANH. Feb. 24. (To the Edl
tor.)I have differed from "Pat" Mc
Arthur in the past on the subject of
liquor. . In . the past he and Mr.
Gonipcrs have been In sweetest accord
on that subject. As a consequence I
have never voted for him or talked
for him. But the liquor question Is
permanently settled.
Now cornea Mr. Gompers, backed l
the federation, adopting the tactic
of the liquor men in the day whet
they used to make the politicians be
lieve that each of the) 250.0H0 saloons
controlled 23 votes and would vole
solid for the men who would run
the country In their Interest ami
against tho men who would run it for
the people in general.
1 am an American and bell-ever In
democracy and this plan to nave mi
country run for the hennfit of or
o..,iv..rf inhor about 10 per cent of
the population probably and the rest
of the country look on and approve
roils - me. Mr. McArthur's stand
against any such unfair plan hss won
my admiration to the extent that If
he Is nominated by his par.y, In May
and I shall talk for him In the mean
time will vote for him in Novem
ber, and work for blm.
I have nothing against labor ss
labor, but the capitalist had to be
controlled by the Sherman law, the
liquor nen by ths prohibition amend
ment and now comes this class seek
Ing special privileges and I am against
any and all special privilege.
I stand squarely with Mr.
Arthur on the labor question, tnsi
they should have all their rights, but
no one's else.
PAKTT PROHIBITIONIST.
fcre Figure Are Tisaated.
Washington, D. C, Slar.
"Figures won't lie!"' declared tli
statistician. "Muybe you're right." sn
swered the mild-mannered citizen.
"And yet, somehow. I can't p it irn
pllclt faith In the numbers that go
up on a taxicab register."