8
TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN, MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1920
- 4. ' '
ESTABLISH KU B' HENRY 1.. PITTOCK
I'ubU-hed by The Oregonlan Publishing Co.
135 Sixth Street. Portland, Oregon.
C A. MORDBN. K. B. PIPfc-R
Manager.
The Oregonian 1b & me
variable beauty of the northwest is bers of people in Portland this day that unless taxes are imposed after
of persuasive power that brooks no i and hour who would listen to theandin acordance with close study of
negative reply. Those who seek the , plea of Shouite's slayer with the in- economic principles, they will be ul-
advancement of this state have long: j tentness of utter belief. Just a few
since made its wonderful outof doors i months ago local officers of the led
their most captivating and convinc-
Eduor. ing argument. Witness Frank Branch
ber of the Asm- Riley, who talks tired easterners in-
elated Pres.. The Anaociated Pre Is tQ enthusiasm for vacation trips in
exclusively entitled to the use for puolica- t ...
tion of an new. Si-patt -he, credited to it i Oregon. Accepting thts dower of
or not otherwise credited in this paper and beauty as an asset, for always we re
al. the local news published herein, '".turn to the practical, it follows that
VZX:1" d'SP f-.ty must be assured by the preser-
vation oi trie state s natural aurac-tiveness.
.$.oo
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. 1.95
. .65
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WHO Tt'KNKD OK THE SVPrl.Y?
One of the most incomprehensible
features of the gasoline shortage is
the almost utter absence of adequate
explanation concerning its origin,
kittle has been said of that, while pyr
amids of persuasion, both oral and
printed, have been decanted upon
the motorist in the effort to enlist his
economical assistance toward rem
edying the deficit and bridging the
gas rap. Self interest should dic
tate that owners of motor vehicles
conform strictly to the relief meas
ures outlined, without evasion or
more than moderate complaint, for
the only immediate means of sur
cease seems to rest with the sensi
bility of the individual. But those
who motor for pleasure, as those
who serve commerce with' truck ana
delivery wagon, and whose not in
considerable investment in automo
tive equipment is partially idle, have
the inalienable right to arise and ask
whose fault this is and where the
blame rests. With the continued dis
covery of new oil fields, the produc
tivity of the old, and the present
boom prosperity of the Industry as a
whole, the query concerning the ab
sent gallons of gasoline is -perfectly
pertinent. The actual obstruction to
a reliable supply should be definitely
known and forever removed.
It is said by some observers, claim
ing to be closely in touch with the
situation, that the shortage has its
inception in the excess profits tax
upon crude oil and is rooted .firmly
wherever the derricks lift above the
treasure sands. The paternal demand
of the federal government, these say,
that producers pay an excess profits
tax of 60 to SO per cent or the in
come from their wells, constrained
many provident oil producers to cap!
their wells and enter temporary re-!
tirement, pending the tidings that
the tax has been removed. As crude
oil is the base of gasoline, the corking
of the heavily producing properties
created millions of dusty motor
tanks. If the excess profits tax
really has wrought this catastrophe
all the violent things that have been
said of it are in a measure justified.
While the excoriation is proceeding,
however, a few selected phrases of
indignant reproof ought to be re
served for the producers. In posses
sion of the easiest means yet found
of achieving wealth besides which
the fruition of the alchemist's vision
becomes genuine day labor the pro
ducers deliberately evade the na-
tional levy that is laid upon all other
business and create an interlude in
which less fortunate citizens can
neither haul wood nor go fishing.
That may or may not be the ex
planation. At any rate, it is the only
plausible one that has been offered,
and it was volunteered by a returned
oil man who recently has visited all
the major petroleum fields of the
continent. But it is so humanly
probable, so in keeping with the pop
ular frenzy of "gimme!"' that it has
the aspects of an adequate answer to
the gasoline shortage. How often
are those who buy largely of their
nation's own innate natural resources
compelled, by the demands of greed
to conjure a happier conception of
absolute federal control? How often
are they forced to reflect that.in
logic and fairness, the natural her
itage of their country is theirs, in
trust to certain corporate bodies of
men merely for the purpose of de
velopment and public service,' and
that false stewardship merits revo
cation?
These are strange times. Predic
tion or tnem a lew Drier years ago
would have been buffeted with
laughter and sarcasm, as ludicrous
and, illogical dreams. Who could
. forsee the time when a nation of il
limitable lands, fertile as the valley
of the Nile, would go to market and
return with potatoes that cost more
than sirloins were wont to? Or who
so idly speculative as to fortell a
criminal era in wheih sugar and gas
oline would be the choice plunder of
thieves loose-moraled gentry who
had deserted second-story pilferings
for the profit of stolen comestibles
and motor fuel? All these have come
to pass. With the dearth of gasoline
in Portland motorists make bitter
plaint that their tanks are drained
by sneak-thieves, who bootleg the
spoils at prices of excessive altitude.
It might be funny, so the milkman
. says, if it weren't so peculiarly per
sonal and serious, in its humorous
aspects.
THE VKTO OF TIIE Bl'DtiET Bil l.
President Wilson has destroyed
one of the most valuable laws passed
by the present congress. Need of a
budget system has been realized
more generally every year since ap
propriation of a billion dollars, in two
years prompted somebody to coin the
phrase "the billion-dollar congress."
The demand became loud when un
der the present administration the
total reached a billion dollars a year.
It has become urgent and insistent
since the war started the administra
tion on a career of spending which
it is mentally and morally unable to
halt. The budget bill was a well
tievised measure to inject business
methods into the government, to pre
vent waste and to compel observance
of the law by officials who have been
running wild for four years. .'
Because he finds in one provision
of the bill a suspected encroachment
on his executive powers, the presi
dent vetoes it. The strictest con
struction of the constitution may
sustain his argument, for the bill
took out of his hands the power to
remove the controller-general, and
that power seems logically to go with
the power of appointment which is
vested in the president. But there
are sound reasons why this particu
lar official should be not only remov
able but appointed by congress,
though the bill gave the president
power to appoint him. His principal
function is to check the expenditures
of the departments by the appropria
tions under which they are made In
order to see that the appropriation
law is observed. He is also to give
congress his opinion as to whether
each sum has been wisely or necessar
ily expended. He is therefore pecu
liarly an officer of congress, its
watchdog, to guard the public funds
against improper use by the executive
branch. Proper performance of that
function requires that this officer's
appointment and removal be in the
hands of congress, and that the ex
ecutive, upon whom he is to keep
check, shall have no power over him
to impair his independence. He might
properly have been regarded by the
president as an officer of congress
in the same sense as the sergeant-at-
arms, clerk and others, therefore to
be appointed and removed by con
gress alone.
Mr. Wilson is a strict construction
ist when he suspects encroachment
on his own "powers, but he is a very
liberal constructionist when he at
tempts to enlarge those powers at
the expense of another branch of the
government.
eral service arrested a crazed mystic
who -taught to dozens of Portland
residents witchcraft and magic far
beyond the circumscribed traditions
and capabilities of the Yakima reser
vation. The credulous paid him
money for teaching them how to
cure yellow jaundice by poking
grandmother's chemise up the stove
pipe. He had worsted three witches
and cast out oodles of devils and
minor fiends, acording to his claims
and his followers. Not all the gray
wolf sorcerers, nor all their be
witched followers are on the reser
vation though this is the twentieth
century.
THE FACTS IN THE SUGAR CASE.
The facts cannot be evaded. All
except a small part of the Cuban
crop was offered to the sugar equal
ization board on July 29, 1919, "un
der such terms as may be agreed
upon by the contracting parties at a
price moderate, but compensating to
the producer and well within the
economic reach of the consumer.
For the part already sold private
parties had paid 6 14 cents a pound.
an indication that the government
could have bought at that price. This
offer was submitted to the president
on August 14 with a recommendation
that he authorize the board to nego
tiate for the crop, in which all the
members of the board except Dr. F.
W. Taussig joined. The board said
that by purchasing the entire crop
in 1918 it had assured to the people
"a regular and sufficient supply of
refined sugar, and at a wholesale
price not exceeding 9 cents at refin
ing points, being the lowest price for
refined sugar in any country in the
world." But for the purchase "the
BV - PRODCCTS OF THE TIMES
timately paid by some others than
those from whom" congress intends
to collect them, will impose on the
consumer burdens far exceeding tne
revenue which the government col
lects, will dry up the sources of capi
tal for expansion of industry and the
sources of public revenue also. Those
are the vices of the excess profits
tax, which the preceding congress
imposed under the. delusion that it
would be paid by the ncn. it is not.,
it is paid by the consumer, rich and
poor alike, but disproportionately by
the poor, and it is doubled before the
goods on which it Is paid reach him.
It takes surplus income which should
be invested to supply the country's
crying needs or it drives that surplus
into unproductive investments, or
tempts extravagant expenditure by
men who say to themselves: "I may
as well spend this money or Uncle
Sam will take it." Leaders in con
gress may well have decided that,
with such a man as Mr. Wilson in
the White House seeking a" pretext
to veto any bill that is fathered by
his political opponents, it would be
better to put up with the clumsy tax
law that we now have than hastily to
pass such a law as would meet Mr.
Wilson's approval, for they must
realize that another fiscal monstros
ity, would probably be the result.
This congress has passed several
laws which in ordinary times would
have made the recent session mem
orable. Among these are the railroad
and shipping laws, which the presi
dent says he accepted only because
I despaired of anything better." An
other is the mineral land leasing law,
which lifts an embargo on develop
ment of western resources that can
relieve both the gasoline famine and
the railroad congestion. Though Mr.
Wilson controlled both branches of
congress for six years, he failed to
get that embargo lifted. The water-
nrice would have been much hicrher "
The board nredioterl that "the world power bill would in a few years have
sugar shortage for the year 1920 will given immeasurable reuei irom tnose
be more acute than for the year
1919." Receiving no answer, the
board wrote to the president again
on September 20, warning him "that
the time is fast approaching,if it has
not arrived, when we will be unable
to control the Cuban crop of sugar
for 1919-20 unless action is taken
at once." The only reply was a note
dated September 22 saying of the
board's letter: "I shall bring it to the
attention of the president at the first
favorable opportunity." But -the
same day the Cuban committee wrote
to the board withdrawing the offer
and saying:
Unfortunately the logic of the situation
has not impressed the government or. in
evils, but the president subjects it to
a pocket veto. This congress also
took . a step toward economy and
order in national expenditure by
passing the budget bill, but that was
vetoed in an excess of jealousy for
the executive prerogative. In the
same class was the veto of restric
tion on department publications
which fill ten thousand waste baskets
in a time of acute paper famine.
Much of the president's irritation
is doubtless due to the exposure of
reckless waste of over a billion dol
lars on an aircraft programme which
netted only a couple of hundred
flaming coffins at the front; of many
more millions squandered on cost
Many of Our Common Words Have
Hnd Queer Origin.
We are entering one of the quadren
nial periods that enrich the language.
The Manchester Guardian recalls that
the now dignified word "constituency"
was anathema to purists 80 years
since. When Macaulay. accepting a
noble woman's invitation, mentioned
his appearance before a constituency.
she replied she would admit him, but
not the word. American ears were
early Inured to political slang. Most
people are familiar with the theory
that "caucus" originated in the de
risive tory appellation. "caulkers"
club," and with the fact that it was
really born much earlier from an In
dian word adopted when Sam Adams
was young and the Caucus club met.
as John Adams wrote in his diary, in
Tom Dawe's garret. It simply showed
squeamish ness that 50 years after it
entered common use. John Randolph
in uttering It added. "Excuse the slang
of politics." Dark horse is nearly aa
old; derived from racing, it refers
to a horse whose record, not whose
coat. Is dark. Disraeli lined it early
in the century unhesitatingly in a
sporting novel. Von Hoist, writing
about 18S0, apologized for "the slang
of our day" but then Herman was a
German.
It would be a nice question to de
cide just how long ago "boss," derived
from the Dutch English speech in
South Africa shares it with us took
on political meaning. It is clear that
it did so bcforev"boodle," a word from
the same source. "Boom" Is one of the
few terms whose exact moment of
birth we know it appeared in the St.
Louis Globe-Democrat for 1878, and
its inventor has told how he was
struck by the likeness of Grant's ris
ing popularity to what pilots called a
booming river. The word "poll" for
voting place is used wherever Anglo
Saxons vote, but Americans nearly al
ways use-it in the plural, Britons often
in the singular. "Lobby" In the politi
cal sense is our own, so is "primary";
so are a dozen others. What a sen
tence could be manufactured to shock
Macaulay's fastiditious friend, incor
porating "snap convention," "float
ers," and all the rest! And political
managers win give a small fortune
to "ny one who will invent a new
phrase as good as "the square deal"
or "snivel service reform." New
York Evening Post.
Those Who Come and Go.
BIti-HEARTED BOYS.
Big-hearted boys they were and
are. Though Voltaire sired the sar
casm that God is always on the side
of the heaviest battalions, the defeat
of Germany refuted it. And America
will always proudly Incline to the be
ef that her boys won because of
their great hearts and manly attri
butes, rather than through the com
mon mastery of arms. France knew
'les Americains" as gallant, laughing.
spendthrift prodigals who stooped
to pat the heads of children, and
lossed the littlf sons and daughters
of the republic to their broad should
ers, as big brothers would. The
American expeditionary force made
more material demonstration of this
spontaneous kindliness when, in the
midst of war, its members adopted
temporarily more than 3700 French
children whom the war had made
fatherless.
With the organization of the
American Legion upon the return
from overseas, when other interests
pressed them closely, "les Ameri
cams" did not forget their small
wards left behind. And the Legion
through an official campaign now
in progress, is calling upon its thou
sands of posts to readopt the home
less children whose fathers fell when
the way to Paris was barricaded
witn valiant bodies. Left to the
pity of France herself a land
neaped with reconstruction prob
lems and beset with financial strin
gency the war orphans, however
warm the heart of their own land,
would become little more than
friendless waifs. The Legion is
proving its own nobility by this ben
efaction, characteristically disguising
its service by terming the adopted
orphans "post mascots," and unwit
tingly reasserting the truism that
"the bravest are the tenderest, the
loving are the daring."
keeping with its traditional policy the plus contracts for cantonments, ships
mit the market to be ruled by the natural and munition factories; of the heart
law of supply and demand. less barbarities committed on sol
A copy of that letter was sent to diers by court martials under a me
the president on September 23 with dieval military code; of the neglect
a note saying that American refiners to care or troops on demobilization;
had been informed of the conditions, I of the navy departments failure to
so that they may purchase raw send ships to the war zone in the
sugar as per pre-war times." I critical period of submarine war: of
That sugar was sold to European I the extreme kindness shown by Sec
countries or American refiners at 6 I retary. Baker to slackers; of the nest
to 7 cents. The price of 514 cents I of parlor bolshevists in the labor de
paid in 1919 was considered by thelPartment who protect the reds from
growers high enough to stimulate deportation. Mr. Wilson cannot for-
production, as were corresponding Bive congress for ruthlessly slashing
prices paid in Hawaii, Porto Rico, the swollen estimates of the depart
Louisiana and to beet sugar refiners.
It secured to the American people
sugar at retail for 11 to 12 cents a
pound, the lowest price of any coun
try in the world except Denmark,
which paid 10 to 11 cents. An addi
tional cent for the 1920 supply
would have given the American peo
ple sugar at 13 cents.
ments, thus forcing on them a real
ization that the glorious days of free
spending are ended.
The president's unfeigned relief at
the adjournment of congress is
doubtless equaled by the relief of
that body on abandoning the hope
less task of getting any more con
structive legislation past the obstruc
There was still an opportunity to I tion at the White House. -Little can
acauire a larce part of the nrnn In be done at the short session of
October if legislation could have been moribund congress which will begin
passed expeditiously, but it was not,l'n December. The people must look
owing to the treaty debate which lo a hew president and a new con
then occupied the senate. I gress for the remedial laws on which
All other important countries now I w-orK should have begun immediately
control sugar, but in the United I after armistice day, but the present
States the law of supply and demand congress has good cause for pride
has been manipulated by speculators I over wnat it has accomplished in
to raise the price to 28 cents. The face of the obstruction which it en
difference between what the people 1 countered.
pay and what they might have paid
In the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
writes Ered B. Pitney in the New Tork
Tribune, is a 17th century wheel-lock
pistol that belonged to King Charles
I. It is of the short-handled form
typical of the period, and the slender
barrel Is incased for nearly half its
length in decorated gilt bronze. Inset
In the handle are silver plaquettes
showing mounted huntsmen armed
with pistols urging hounds on deer
and on the butt there is an engraved
plaquette showing1 a huntsman in
buff coat with slashed sleeves and a
wide hat with a feather. The maker's
name, Felix Weeder, Zurich, and the
date, 1630, are Inside the lock plate
Experts agree that its quality marks
it as having belonged to a great per
sonage, while it Is not unlikely that
it was made especially for Charles I
and that the figures on the plaquettes
are intended for portraits of him. The
pistol belonged to the late Canon Har
ford of Westminster abbey, whose
note, attached to the pistol, said:
"This pistol was bought by Charles
Joseph Hartford, M. A.. F. S. A.. M. P.
of Stapleton Park. Gloucestershire
about 1790, of a Scotch nobleman in
whose family it had been handed
down as having been in the celebrated
collection of King Charles I."
Prince Rupert was particularly itv
I want a good-sized outside room
on that side of the house where the
parades will pass," ho remarked to
Ross Flnnegan. clerk at the Benson
hotel, yesterday. "Here Is a very
fine room on the fourth noor. aaiu
Ross. "There, my dear, what did I
tell you." the visitor remarked to
his wife, "I knew if we came earlier
we could get a room. Now we'll just
keep it for the entire month of June
and we'll have the laugh on those
Salaam pals of mine. The Shrine com
mittee wrote me they could not get
a room for me for love or money, now
we've got one of the best rooms in
the house, and we'll keep It. I know
It has cost us something, but bless
mv soul, it's worth it." Finnegan had
listened to the conversation of the
worth v Newark. N. J. citizen. les
he said, "vou'll be able to see a fine
T. P. A- parade, another excellent
Kiwanls street showing, probably the
Masons and the Pioneers will be out
in force, too, and maybe the state
jewelers, but I'm not sure. You'll
see all these parades, but er we
shall have to ask you to vacate your
room in advance of the Shrine. Our
rooms are nledced." "What," stormed
the easterner. "What?" "Sorry."
said Finnegan. "Sorry, nothing, don't
you understand we have come across
the country two weeks ahead just
to get a hotel room here?" "Well.
I am sorry," said Finnegan. "but I
can't help you out. but if you go to
the Shrine committee in the morning
they will be glad to find you a nice
room in someone's home, and they
say jou can still get seats at some
of the grandstands for the parades."
They were two dear young things
on a Twenty-third-street car. it
was crowded to the fenders, and they
clung to straps as they discussed
modern traction problems. One was
dark, vivacious and colorful. The
other was a shade this side of bru
nette, with a demure manner that
became her excellently; Is it st
ays like this on the way out to
your house; asked tne iiveiy one.
Gracious, I don t see how you stand
it. But you hafta stand it. don t yuh?
Anyway, we're standing!" The de
mure one shifted her poise to the left
rilby, with a shimmer of silken
osiery. "Naw," said sue, "it ami
Iways like this. Worst thing is
that these conductors never call your
treet. and you hafta look for the
orner store to know where to get
ff. You remember that party we
were at last Saturday ntght? Well.
was sitting here thinking, and the
ar was as still as a cnurcn. ah
once I heard someone call, Ella!
My heart just jumped right out at
me, and I thought well, you know
what I thought. But it was only
hat fool conductor. 1 guess he just
woke up."
represents the cost of the president's
neglect.
WILSON'S ATTACK ON CONGRESS.
President Wilson's partisan mind
Is incapable of recognizing the very
solid good that has been done by a
The storekeeper who set the big
fire that destroyed nearly a block a
week ago in Oregon City has con
fessed. The poor fool did it to realize
on his insurance, regardless of en
dangering lives of. sleeping people
and the immense damage to other
men's nronertv. Arsnn 1 nt a hano.
congress controlled by the opposing intr matter in nMu ,
party, or that the president himself but a very good penalty goes with it!
i iiicLiuiy icdpuiidiuic iui Lite ueiay
The recent fire in Oregon City has
been traced down to the owner of a
music store, who has confessed, ac
cording to the police, that he set it
Vi i r. . . 1 If . 1 . j 1 . . -
ho hart actor! hv Qnrl with rho a H,ri ' " many
and consent of the senate, as the con- . the re.cent song hits we cant
maL w c uiauic nun greatly.
of urgently needed legislation. His
own arbitrary conduct precipitated
the controversy over the league of
nations which has been the main
cause of delay. If from the outset
stitution requires, the treaty could
have been concluded much sooner.
the covenant would have been in
eluded in it, the chief cause of con
troversy being thus removed, ratifi
cation could have been effected
within three months after signature
the country, now could have been at
peace and congress could have de
1 voted the last nine months to the
v. ...v - .11 I Mr, t. It. 1 1VQLF.
'He had the powers of the gray dent so deeply deplores. The presi-1 he candidates are finding in Chi-
dent also might have been in good cago,
The falling off of percentage of
increase in New York's population is
due not wholly to decrease of immi
gration. Babies come high in the
metropolis.
The first snowfall of the winter is
reported on Mars. This may account
j legislation. lack of which the presi- for the chilly atmosphere some of
One of the eternal truths is that
the destruction of beauty can never
be repaired. However deft and lov
ing the solicitude, however deep the
chest of consecrated gold, the glory
of its first form does not return. For
cathedral and master canvas, once
shattered and rent, are as visualized
ideals that have been ravished, and
the dreamer who wrought their be
ing is in the slumber of ages. True
of mortality's masterpieces this is of
surpassing truth in its application to
the unstudied art of nature, whose
Infinite conception set the larches
on the flanks of the hill and strewed
the turf with larkspur and anemone,
with ladyslippers and shy violets
These are material beauty, and for
no other causes, though a myriad
practical reasons may be ascribed
does the casual stranger enter Ore-
umoer woir. My son fell sick. 1
went to Shouite's teepee and argued
with him to let my boy alone. He
ran at me, brandishing his toma
hawk. Then I shot him four times
and went away from that place."
The jury freed a Yakima Indian
last week, when he gave the fore
going narrative of why and how he
had slain the tribal medicine man.
The deliberative processes of the jury
doubtless were swayed by the easy
assumption that it was not the busi
ness of white men to administer jus
tice in an affair that concerned the
redmen only, much as Portland citi
zens have observed that, after all, the
strire or tne Chinese tongs and the
resultant obsequies are the intimate
personal perquisitiea of the tongsmen
so long as the bullets do not flv
wua. men, too, Shouite, if he laid
claim to the malignant magic of the
gray umoer wolf, died most exne
umousiy wnen ne was but taken at
his word. The white man's liiuHoa
though it may have skirted the law.
wouia appear to have functioned
with rare discernment.
The plea of the medicine man's
slayer reads as a paragraph from
some dim archive of aboriginal
superstition. Savagery strides forth
from. it. and the howl of the lobo
antedates the arrival of Captain Gray
at the mouth of the Columbia. It is
so remotely romantic and elemental
health, applying a vigorous mind to
solution of the problems of recon
struction.
The railroad law is the product of
close inquiry into a most intricate
subject, was passed within the limit
of time set by Mr. Wilson for ending
government operation and Is gen
erally approved by those whose
wishes ought most to be considered
those who use the railroads. The
shipping law deserves the same
praise. Both of these laws were sup
ported by democrats as well as re
publicans in congress, but the presi
dent implies that nothing but imper
ative necessity of some new laws re
strained him from vetoing them
Congress has acted on his request
tor legislation to remedy the high
cost or living, tor it continued the
food control law in operation. He
had an opportunity under that law to
buy the Cuban sugar crop at a price
wnicn would have insured the con
Burner sugar at 14 cents. Owinir to
his neglect to exercise the power
given mm by the congress which he
maligns, we now pay 28 cents and
may pay more. The same law gives
to the attorney general drastic power
to prosecution of profiteers but he
has used it so ineptly or so discrim
inatingly that the worst offender"!
the speculators who Intervene be
tween producer and consumer t-n
l""1' cauci almost is tempted tolree anu lne oniy cnecK to rising
icgaiu wilii aurairauon the fictional 1 prices is appnea Dy the federal re
..Wllif. r 1 ., . . . 1
serve ooara, uui its remedy strikes
When all the power of streams big
and little In this region shall be de
veloped the heating problem will be
settled. "White coal" is the stuff.
aoiniy 01 tne newswriter whose
fingers pounded it out. But it is
court record, undoubtedly, and stands
as the proof that the unusual is con
tinually pouncing out upon the or-
tron on pilgrimage and- remain to dinary
build a greater state. The wild and ; for that matter, there are nu in
terested in the royal collection of arms
as keeper of the armory. The Scotch
were the chief supporters of the
Stuarts after the civil wars in Eng
land, and as the royal collection was
dispersed after the death of Charle
I. it is quite possible that one of hi
pistols found its way into the posses
sion of the Scottish family.
Under the caption "A Forgotten
War. Prophecy." the Springfield Re
publican reprints the following, writ
ten by a military expert and pub
lished in the Army and Navy Journal
of August 7. 1914:
"The present war In Europe will
not be the last war, as some are rash
ly predicting. As long as racial prej
udice exists and until there is uni
versal brotherhood wars will occur.
The treaties that will be signed at th
close of the war will last until th
vanquished 'have gained sufficien
strength to attempt to regain thei
lost honor and territory. The wa
will be a short and decisive war. More
men may be killed in battle, but th
percentage of the casualties will
scarcely be larger than In forme
years. Owing to improved methods o
sanitation and In training soldiers, th
number of deaths from disease will
be reduced to a minimum. The devel
opmenls of modern implements
warfare will shorten the time of th
war and reduce the amount of su
fering and financial loss. Within a
year Europe will be in peace again,
and in a few years will have recovered
almost entirely from the effects of the
war. lit will not be so terrible that
in another crisis like this nations will
refuse to go to war."
A. W. Norblad. known to his Intl
mates as Al, and to the rest of tne
state as Senator Norblad, has prom
ised a certain Portlander one of the
amed Columbia river salmon all done
up nice in a cake of Ice for more
ban a year, and each time he comes
o Portlands he starts making ex
cuses about failure to aenver. nesiaej
representing Clatsop county in the
state senate and watching over the
destinies of fish legislation in the
u oner branch, the senator takes time
now and then to practice law. One of
these days when a new congressiona
district is carved out of the coast
counties his supporters say he will
graduate up with "Pat" McArthu-r and
W. C. Hawley. And it is also witnin
the realm of possibility that one of
these days he is going to ship that
cebound salmon to Portland. He leit
for home yesterday.
CITY'S SHADE TREES MISTREATED j
Bad Franinar and no Pruning; Give
Streets Unkempt Appearance.
PORTLAND, June S. (To the Edi
tor.) Portland needs a haircut. As
a man Is untidy, unkempt and unat
tractive with long, untrimmed and
unbrushed hair, so also docs Portland
appear along many of her streets in
some of the residential sections of
the city. Go through the streets from
Third to Sixteenth; drive in the old
section from Couch to "Overton; along
Broadway and through Irvington;
take a little spin out Belmont in
short, go Into any locality where
trees have reached, or are attaining
maturity. Along Holladay some
branches hang low enough to brush
a child's head. At Nineteenth and
Belmont one -tree throws a branch
nearly across the street and it hangs
so low as to almost touch the top of
a car.
Then, there is the other extreme.
The Portland vogue in pruning maples
is is little short of ruthless butchery.
Instead of eliminating merely the
superfluous branches and pruning the
maples in a shapely manner, useful
as well as useless branches are sawed
off square. Result: Resemblance of
an inverted multiple-tined pitchfork
with handle stuck in the ground. Last
evening 1 observed such an example
of tree butchery in front of a very
handsome residence where there was
a broad beautiful lawn artistically set
with ornamental shrubbery. It will
be at least two years before these
trees regain their beauty and use
fulness, being in the meantime only
eyesores.
Several years ago a prominent citi
zen of Portland commented on this
aspect of our city's residential
streets; but It appears to bo generally
unnoticed, at any rate, ignored. This
year we expect many visitors from
eastern cities. Easterners are accus
tomed to shapeliness of their trees
at all times; and this condition Is
obtained through sensible and regu
lar, not spasmodio and violent trim
ming. Visitors from eastern cities
will be quick to observe our thought
lessness and carelessness in this par-
cular.
When foliage exceeds the root sup
port, the leaves turn, wither and
rop in summer and early autumn be
cause the roots cannot supply tne
requisite nourishment to an over
abundance of leaves and branches
Particularly is this true In such sec
tlons as the upper stretches of Fourth
nd Fifth streets. The pavements and
sidewalks divert the rain and sprin
kling water from the trees to the
ewers: and houses being close to
the walks, there is small open ground
space through "which water can reach
the tree roots.
Most trees in Portland can be
rimmed to advantage from three to
five feet farther from the ground
than thev are today. This will not
impair, but Improve the appearanc
of the trees and the attractiveness o
the thoroughfares. It will permi
passersby to view our homes; and a
additional advantage will be a bette
circulation of air. To appreciate this
condition, go into the old part of
town and note the tremendous mass
of dense foliage too dense for beauty
in the day and for health during th
sleeping hours. A commendable ex
ample of an attempt to bring one o
our handsome grade school Dutioing
into view of the public Is the recen
pruning of trees in front of the Couc
school. It probably is not an exag
geration to state that Portland has
hundreds of beautiful homes that visi
tors to our city this summer will not
be able to see because they will be
obscured by untrimmed trees.
We have had a "clean-up week as
it pertains to garbage and ret use.
Now let us have at once a tree-trimming
campaign. A TRICU FRIEND.
More Truih Than Poetry.
By James J. Heatiga.
I'm willing to give up my room
for the Shriners during convention
week, and I'm willing to cat at sec
ond table like I did when a kid at
home when we had an overflow of
company, but you can t cneat me out
of my bisr chair up here oy tne iront
window of the lobby," insisted' one of
the lobby hounds at the Multnomah
yesterday as ho lounged about com
fortablv reading the Sunday papers
This particular guest at the aiuitno
mah. who, by the way, has been mere
for years, never starts the day right
unless he can nave tne same easy
chair at the same window each morn
Ing for two steady hours. It s a dally
habit with him and It nas oecome e
strong that he couldn't finish the day
without It. Kay uiarK nas proiuieu
to place a "reserved sign on in
particular chair during tne week.
"I Intend to take a trip over into
eastern Oregon and inquire into sal
aries of all county ofliciais in ever
countv of that section," said Jon
Bell, state senator from Lane county
who Is chairman of a special coimty
salary committee of the upper legls
lative branch. "Our committee i
empowered to Investigate all county
and state salaries and bdoui tne om
thino- we will leave alone is our own
The pay of a legislator is so blamed
weak that It we attempted to uo any
thine- with It would Just naturally li
down and die." Senator Bell returned
to his home at Eugene last night.
WORTH A CHANCE.
I have heard a lot of talk about a
frame-up,
That the bosses who control the
G. O. P.
Haven't got the least intention that
the lads in the convention
Shall get messy over who's tha
nominee.
Everything, my friends aver, has
been decided.
The proceedings will be featureless
and tame.
And there won't be any riot not a
thing but peace and quiet
But I'm going to Chicago just th
same.
It is possible they'll follow out the
programme.
And that ail will bo delightfully
serene.
Disappointing those who hanker for
the turbulence and rancor
Of conventions when T. R. was on
the scene.
It is possible as well that there'll be
trouble.
That the furniture may fly, and
ink-wells whizz
1 a medley of dissension, and fm
firm in my intention.
To be sitting at tho ringside If
there is.
San Francisco. Tm Informed, will be
symphonic.
When the democrats go into session
there:
They'll give cheers, prolonged and
nearly. lor the glory of the
Party.
And loud cries of mutual love -will
fill the air.
Though they haven't picked the man
to tote the banner.
They've a number who are fitted
for the part;
Not a cross word is expected when
the ticket is selected
But I'll be in San Francisco when
they start.
For Tve been to see convention from
my boyhood; '
Some were mix-ups from the jump,
and some were not;
Some were slow to get in action, yet
replete with satisfaction.
And I've never seen a dull one In
the lot.
So, although I'm never keen for rail
road journeys.
And I'll have to hock my clothes
to pay the fare.
If I'm well enough to travel when
the chairman slams his gavel.
At the democratic pow-pow I'll be
there.
Little Affinity.
Soap and politics don't seem to mix.
m
The Only Remnant.
In a few weeks the one reminder
that a democratic convention was
held in San Francises will be Mr.
Bryan's goat.
Natural Ambition.
A candidate is a politician who
wants to be a statesman.
(Copyright. 1320. the Bell Syndicate. Inc.)
In Other Days.
Better notify the coroner before
trying experimental substitutes for
gasoline, get a heavy policy and leave
the wife and babies at home.
Everything in Chicago Is -free" for
delegates just now except drinks,
and they do not count much in a
maximum of 60 degrees.
Falling temperature and rain
helped the gasoline situation much
yesterday. It was a poor day for joy
on the roads.
Tourists should not be stranded in
this region for lack of gasoline. They
are visitors and as much guests as
anybody.
Chivalry might enforce "no smok
ing" in the Coliseum, but chivalry
will be a lost dog in Chicago this
week.
It hardly is a crime to steal whisky
from a bootlegger; It just shows acu
men and enterprise.
Mr. Bryan is running in the bet
ting like silver in the market 20
to 1.
the innocent with the guilty.
in bewailing the failure of con
gress to revise tax laws, the presi
dent gives no attention to the essen
tial facts of the situation. Experience
with, the present war taxes proves punchboard.
Never mind the thermometer.
Tou'U see roses aplenty. -
After performing a successful oper
ation on Mrs. Harry Moires, wife of a
Chicago hotelman. Max Thorek was
asked by her husband what his fee
would he. The operation having last
ed 14 minutes. Dr. Thorek replied he
thought $14. or $1 a minute, would be
satisfactory. Mr. Moirs wrote out a
check for U4.000.
What's that for?" asked the sur
geon.
I'm making it J1000 a minute," re
plied Mr. Moirs. "Saving my wife's
life was worth it."
Precept and Practice.
The city man doth plant some seeds.
Sufficient for his summer needs
He thinks.
He simply drops them in the ground.
Then gayly knocks a ball around
The links.
He argues with-an air profound
On how food products should abound;
Then sinks
A little fortune In the weeds.
Which bawl him out. as ne proceeds.
A jinx.
PHILANDER JOHNSON.
President Ulmanis of Letvia, a nation
of 1,250,000 people whicn was corn of
the great war, has lived in America,
and speaks the English language with
American vigor and slang. He worked
on a farm in Nebraska, became a stu
dent in the University of Nebraska
and was later an assistant instructor
I in the agricultural department of that
Uneasy lies the head that owns alcoieKe. He is full of American ideas
Mrs. S. Christofferson, the first
onnun in Oregon to go aloft in a
airplane, registered at the Imperia
veKterrtav from San v rancisco. n
Is the widow of Silas Christofferson
nrec-on aviator, who met nis aeatn
fatxr vears airo in an airplane acclden
tin rhi-itnf ferson took her firs
honeymoon trip with her husband in
his own machine.
J. S. Flint arrived at the north
Portland yards yesterday with a car
load of stock from nis larm near
Junction City. He is stopping at the
Oregon while here disposing of them.
Sam Kozer, newly appointed secre
tary of state and tne repuDiican nom
inee for the office, was an over-Bun-
day visitor with friends in Portland.
He stopped at tne imperial. ne re
turned to Salem last evening with
John W. Cochran. Portland newspa
perman, who has been appointed dep
uty secretary by Mr. Kozer. Mr.
Cochran takes over his work at Salem
this morning.
C. J- Calkins, well known orchard
1st and apple grower of the Hood River
country, is here for a brief respite.
With Mrs. Calkins he is a guest at
the Multnomah.
At this particular season of the
year when' the city folks are trav
eling down to get their feet wet In
the "sad sea waves." A. C. Adams de
cided it was time to come city-ward
for a little rest. He is registered at
the Oreiton from Newport, where, he
reports, the summer colony of tour
ists is just beginning to arrive.
F.very hotel in Portland yesterday
had Its full quota of Elks from As
toria. The Clatsop county antlered
herd were here for a big Elkdom do
ings Saturday night and they used up
all the spare rooms at all the down
town hotels until they returned home
by various ways during the day.
John M. Dolph. prominent eastern
Oregon stock grower and brother-in-law
of the late George Perrlnger, Is
a guest at the Benson from Pendleton.
H. R. Edwards, who sells hardware
to Tillamook county people, is regis
tered at the Imperial from Tillamook.
He Is here on a business mission.
TO ORKftOJi.
It was in April, with its rain-washed
sky,
I came to settle down in Oregon:
The white fleece clouds above me
sailed by.
Benea"th the gleaming of a brighter
sun.
saw the blooming flowers, and
caught the scent
Of fresh woodlands and pastures,
brieht and green;
The ever-flceting shadows came and
went.
Weaving a spell o'er the beautiful
scene.
I saw Mount Hood with mighty tower-
incr head
Reared among the clouds, white
with snow:
Standing as a monument to the dead
Historic age of long ago.
I saw the valley sparkling with dew
The Columbia rushing onward to
the sea:
A waterfall dashing down ward through
A canyon, tinkling with melody.
I saw a miehty circling eagle mount
Into the uppermost realms on steady
wing;
Oh. mv poor pen cannot recount.
All the glories of Oregon, In spring.
CARL FRANKLIN BANUliKT.
t
C'nnse of Farm Labor Trooble.
SHERIDAN. Or.. June 4. (To the
Editor.) A recent editorial in The
Orearonian on the "Food Situation
blamed the high cost of labor more
than anything else to the general
exodus from the farm to the city.
I think this is a wrong idea the
real reason seems to be to me that
the farmers are unable to nx the
prices of their produce. The cost of
production- when selling is never
taken into consideration at all. He
has to sell his products for what the
other fellow cares to pay for them
and buy the other fellow s stuff
what he likes to charge for it.
In any other business the cost of
the article Is the very first consider
ation and a profit the second, but to
farm produce this does not apply for
some strange reason.
When the farmer gets the same
deal as the city man you" will find the
exodus will be the other way.
ROBERT BUTLER.
T-wenty-flve Yearn Ago.
From The Oregonian of June 7. 1W15.
San Francisco. Nineteen survivors
of the ship Colima, which foundered
n a hurricane off Manzanillo. arrived
today on the steamer San Juan.
Strawberries sold on Front street
yeEterday at from 2 to 4 cents per box.
An advance in price is expected to
day, as the berries are now of good
shipping quality.
Flour Is quoted by the Albina mill
at $2.60 per barrel. Some of the small
millmen say there is no money in
manufacturing flour at this price and
some of the small mills may close
down.
At a largely attended meeting of
citizens held last night in city hall it
was decided to celebrate the rourth
In a manner to eclipse anything seen
here in several years.
J. Aronson. a motion picture opera
tor of Seattle is a guest at the Ben
son.
I and hustle.
11. Duvall. manager of a Spokane
flouring mill,
Imperial.
Largest Cargo of Lumber.
PORTLAND, June 4. (To the Edi
tor.) What is the largest amount of
lumber ever carried on a ship or
steamer from the Columbia river?
J. A. VERSTEEG.
The largest lumber cargo ever car
ried from the Columbia river was
taken in June. 1910. by the steamer
Knight of the Garter. It amounted
to 5.023.000 feet.
The British steamer Algoa, which
called here in 1913, carried a larger
cargo, but loaded only 3.264.OQ0 feet
here, and the remainder at Eureka,
Cal.
Klfty Vran Ago.
From The Oregonian of June 7. 1870.
The seventeenth session of the Ore
gon conference of the United Breth
ren church was held at Philomath last
week, at which appointments for the
district were made. Bishop Gloss
brenner of Ohio presided.
Jacob Kamm returned yesterday
by the steamer Moses Taylor from a
tour of the states with his family.
New York. Horace Greeleys Illness
has assumed a serious form. Appre
hensions are felt for his recovery.
The republlcaon ticket was elected
in Multnomah county yesterday by a
majority of about 400. The majority
for congressman is about 430.
LAMENT.
This world of ours, all full of bowers
And rocks and shady dells.
May be today all blithe and gay
The next a dozen hells.
The girls that smiled the hours be
guiled And made the old world gay.
Have either wed perhaps are dead
Or else have" moved away.
Now when I dine, I always pine
Because the eats are punk.
And when I drink, this new red ink.
The kick has always shrunk-
The weather's fair, bnt gas is rare.
And getting rarer still.
So I'll sell my bus to Gloomy uus
Another bitter pill.
Now how's a guy when the world's
awry
And drinks are kickless too.
To have a time on days sublime
I sure don't know, do you?
W. LYSLE PERRY.
Condon, Or.
Smaller Freahet in Prospect.
BATTLE GROUND. Wash., June 4.
(To the Editor.) Will, you please let
me know how the back water is ex
pected to be this year?
SUBSCRIBER.
It all depends on how fast the snow
melts in the mountains. Rainfall
throughout the drainage area has
been less than normal, so if usual
weather conditions prevail, the sum
mer freshet should be a little less
than usual.
Theater Managers Sboy.
Baltimore American.
"How was it that Miss Carol, with
that fine singing voice of hers, could
not get into musical comedy?" "I
is registered at the j guess the managers thought it would
Set lUU uau & ..itc, h.
Birds Protected by Law.
MILWAUKIE. Or.. June 3. (To the
Editor.) In our neighborhood are
two men who kill every robin and a
small bird they call "cherry bird"
they see; also several big boys who
have "BB" guns, which carry quite a
good size ball.' One boy said he killed
five Sunday afternoon 'and when asked
what kind of birds were they, said
"Oh I guess they were sparrows."
Will you state what birds, if any,
may be killed, and to whom apply for
protection for them?
The only birds not protected by law
are duck hawks, western goshawks.
cooper- hawks, sharp shinned hawks,
prairie falcons. English sparrows,
great horned owls, cormorants, crow8
ravens, magpies and blucjays. Per
sons found killing ether birds should
be reported to any game warden or
peace officer or to the fish and game
commission.
l.nxt Crnterboard Defender.
WALLA WALLA. Wash., June 4.
(To the Editor.) To settle a contro
versy, please state when was a center
board last used by an American craft
as Amer'can cup defender in inter
national yacht races.
EX-MARINE.
The Vigilant, built in 1893, to meet
the Valkyrie II, was the last of ton
American center-board racers.
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