10 TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN, FRIDAT, OCTOBER 15, 1920 ESTABLISHED BY HENRY L. PITTOCK. Published by The Orego'nian Publishing Co., - a tVr.SJ'1 u p,pfr The Ornonian U a member of the Asso ciated Preas. The Associated Press Is ex clusively entitled to the use for publication of all news disDatches credited to it or not otherwise credited In this paper and also 1 iJVi.i:;" pu5ll"he?.l1V.?1;teh.rtoer" In are also reserved. Subscription Rate Invariably In Advance. f Ttv Mailt T.1W C. .-lH- nn.r JS.Ofl I'aily, Sunday Included, six months ... 4.-5 lJaily, Sunday included, three months . ' ! 3aiy, Sunday included, one month .... Ially. without Sunday, one year o.OO JDaily, without Sunday, six months .... S-25 Daily, without Sunday, one month. .... . - - 1 00 Sundiiv. one vear .-.........- 5.00 (By Carrier.) Dally. Fun day included, one year ? ?? Iteilv Kunil. IniiHd three mon-UlS. I'ally. Sunday included, one month ... Ial'.y, without Sunday, one year ...... 7. HO laily. without Sunday, three months. .. l.5 JJally, without Sunday, one month 65 How to Kemlt Send poftoffice money rder, express or personal check on your tacnl hsnlc RtiLtnnfl coin or currency are at owner's risk. G'ive postoffice address In full. Including county and state. - Kj&te 1 to 16 oaices. 1 eent; 18 to 3-- pages, 2 cents; 34 to 48 pages, 3 cents: f0 to 64 paces. 4 cents: 66 to 80 pages. S cents: 82 to 96 pages. 6 cents, foreign postage double rates. EnKtern Huainrss Office Verree A Conk- lln. Krunswick hi.ild.nl New York: Verree c Conklln. Steger building. Chicago; Ver ree & Conklin, Free Press building. L trolt, Mich. San Francisco representative, R. J. Bidwell. WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN T I To have obstinately held up the peace I f the world for eighteen months; to have rejected the opportunity for amicable ad justment of differences as to methods; to have projected the issue into the presi dential election, la the greatest failure In American statesmanship since the civil war. Real regard for the welfare of our neonle and the world would have acceptea the treaty with reservations. From the IndianaDOlls speech of Herbert Hoover. A few months ago there was a vast flutter among the false-label "independent papers of Oregon over the possible candidacy of Mr. Hoover for president. They were for him, so long as his candidacy boded trouble for the republicans, and gave promise of at least half a democratic success. Now that he has shown his Teal Independence by speaking his own mind about Wilson and his failures, they are furiously angry- One of them compares Mr. Hoover to the criminal who turns state s evi dence, and another says his action is a "fine example of the insincerity and moral bankruptcy of politics, and that Hoover "seeks to justify his support of reaction by ignoring facts and falsifying history.' Falsifying history? The verdict f history must be that the senate was willing to compromise with Wil. eon, but Wilson refused to com promise with the senate. " In November, 1919, President WIL eon Issued a letter after the senate had adopted the fifteen committee reservations, expressing the "sincere hope that the friends and sup porters of the treaty will vote against the Lodge resolution of ratification." It was defeated forty-one ayes, fifty one noes. Except for the opposition of the White House It would have been ratified. Later discussion f the treaty was revived, and on February 11, 1920, it came up again for ratification. All of the modified reservations had been adopted by the senate. The European powers had made it clear through Lord Grey and others that America might enter the league on Its own terms. Article X was the crucial point. Both sides had agreed on a form of reservation for article X. "This is unacceptable to me, wrote Woodrow Wilson across Its face. Tet the vote on the resolution of ratification was forty-nine ayes. thirty-five noes (fifty-six, or two- thirds, being required). Twenty-one democrats broke away from the Wil son leadership, and joined the re publican majority in its favorable vote. Then ana there the treaty was killed, never again to be revived. Woodrow Wilsoh slew his one child. because his constitutional advisers insisted on making slight alterations la its garb. I THE DIMTSISHING Ft R SUPPLY. The United States department of agriculture overlooks in it3 bulletin calling attention to the threatened extinction of the fur supply the rather obvious suggestion that the practice of wearing furs in summer might be discontinued, but it makes clear that an economic crisis is im pending. Unless fur-bearing ani mals are rigidly conserved, the biological survey reports, the time is not far away when many of the more valuable species will be exterminated and furs will be worn only by the rich. The fact is recognized by the fur trade generally and by experts who have studied the subject; it is doubtful whether it is understood by the vast body of those who created and who have maintained the de dand. There has been a striking change In the century since the oriental de mand for furs stimulated exploration of the Oregon country. In that day the domestic market was negligible. The center of the world fur trade, however, was transferred to the United States In 1914, and values of skins have risen to heights that have surprised even insiders on the mar ket. The government report relates this incident, as showing the un realized nature of the boom that has recently characterized the industry A man fcought a mink-lined coat com let In 113 for $i00; after wearing the coat two years he sold the lining for 11000 and replaced it with nutria at a -cost of 1150); in 1917 ho sold the nutria lining for I'J.M) and put in a muskrat lining at a cost CT D.". in ltw ne sola tne muskrat lining for 1300 and still has the shell of the coat aula a Clear proxit or. 1343. Not many ultimate consumers of furs in the past six years have fol lowed the example of this thrifty citizen. The department of agricul ture regards the demand for furs as having been established and is con cerned chiefly with future supplies. To this end it calls attention to the possibilities of domesticating fur- bearing animals, as livestock is now raised, and of establishing local pre serves where they will be safe from molestation. Beavers and martens already are threatened with extinc tion, but muskrats and skunks, in the opinion of department experts. offer inducements for breeders. Some breeds of fur-bearing foxes have been found, as the result of govern ment inquiry, to be profitable when "farmed" under suitable conditions. Natural sources of supply have been drained by practically six years of unrestrained indulgence. Whether we shall wear furs a generation hence may depend on the alacrity with which the department's hint to potential fur-farmers is acted on. How far Portland leads any other elty on the Pacific coast in the live stock, business is shown by statistics I for July published In the Market teporter of the United States bureau of markets. San Francisco did not report anything, Portland and Se Lattle being the only cities mentioned. Total cattle shipments were: Port- land 659, Seattle 0; horses and mules. Portland 347, Seattle 21. As to hogs, Portland received 13.046, killed 7369 an(J shipped 8500, while Seattle received 3353. killed 2675 and suippeo. ooo. roraana received 24 6 sheep and shipped 21,044; Se attle received 9434 and shipped none. Here is conclusive proof that Portland is the packing center of the Pacific coast. HOW TO REDUCE TAXES. The La Grande Observer offers the radical proposal that the "way to reduce taxes is to suspend until after the reconstruction period public work of all kinds, commissions and boards of various natures, and. In stead of planning new enterprises. go to driving in plugs in the leaks of the ones we have." The way to iave money, public or private, is undoubtedly not to spend it. The remedy proposed at La Grande would be effective; but whether it is practicable may be an other question. We fancy we hear from La Grande that the way to economize Is to economize, and we might begin by suspending unneces sary activities and supporting only necessary activities. Quite right. The next step and an Indispensable one is to determine what are neces sary and what are not. How? The excellent Observer makes one concrete and apparently , easy sug gestion. It remarks that the trouble is that some of those who talk tax reduction go to Salem and support a lot of tomfoolery which adds new commissions and boards and what not to the cumbersome state government, all of which calls for salaries and overhead expense, which necessarily comes from the money raised from taxation." The sins of the legislature are many; but Is it fair to hold it re sponsible for the heavy burden the taxpayer Is bearing? Let us see. The Oregon Blue Book has a sum mary of the taxes levied in Oregon in 1919. Take Union county taxes: State S 81.3O-4.20 County 137.:;4.87 General school ................. 5O.600i00 ftpeciaj school ll'J.7."i3 R.S Municipal &I.110M Miscellaneous. 7, 490.00 Total J439.003.2S Thus it appears that the tax paid in Union county for the state gov ernment is about one-seventh of all taxes. It is the same everywhere, for the entire state tax (1919), in Ore gon, was $3,021,402 and the total for all purposes (not Including road bonds) was $25,658,926.27. Reduce taxes, to be sure. But why start at Salem? Try La Grande. WHAT THE HEW MERCHANT FLEET DOES. Progress of the shipping hoard toward its goal of carrying 60 per cent of American commerce in American vessels is shown by- a state ment just issued. In the fiscal year ending June 30 shipping board .ves sels carried 30 per cent of exports. 27 per cent of imports and 28 per cent of the total. . The figures show continued concentration of shipping at a few ports. New Tork carried 27.9 per cent of total imports and exports, and the 11 ports of the north Atlantic division carried 53 per cent. Seven ports handled more than 72 per cent of the total tonnage. Of the five ports leading in exports three are in the north Atlantic and two in the south Atlantic division, while of the five leading in imports three are in the north Atlantic, one in the gulf and one in the Pacific division. Portland ranks fifteenth in per centage of total tonnage handled, with 262,243 or 1.3 per cent of the whole. In exports this port is thir teenth with 248,776 tons or 1.9 per cent; in imports It is twenty-fifth with 13,567 or 0.2 per cent. Seattle ranks ninth with a total of 679,558 tons or 3.3 per cent. Its total ex ports were 536, 34o tons or 4 per cent and its imports 14 3,213 tons or 2 per cent- New Tork is far in the lead, Baltimore and Philadelphia are tied for second place with 10 per cent each. New Orleans is fourth, Norfolk fifth and San Francisco sixth. The number of ports handling less than 1 per cent of the total Indicates that the board has made a bare be ginning at that dispersion of com merce among the ports which is needed for well balanced develop ment. The large proportion handled at north Atlantic ports, especially New Tork, goes far to account for railroad and port congestion. There is much careful work ahead of the new shipping board to carry out the policy of the merchant marine law. and it is needed to relieve the rail roads of traffic that they cannot handle efficiently without excessive expenditure for improvements. THE TARIFF IssrrB VERT HCCH ALIVE, Senator Hitchcock will hardly re ceive thanks from Governor Cox and his managers for discussing the tar iff in this campaign. ' Mention of that subject revives such painful memories of 1913 and 1914 that we may even suspect that one motive for. making the league of nations the principal subject of discussion was to prevent people's minds from re curring to them. The Underwood tariff had been in operation about ten months when the outbreak of war began to drive every other subject from the public mind. In the first half of 1914 it caused such a decrease of exports and such an increase of imports that large exports of gold became neces sary to settle our balance of trade Depression was widespread, many hundreds of thousands of men were out of employment and the best ex planation that President Wilson could find without acknowledging the true cause was that the depres sion of trade was "psychological." That Is to say that merchants de creased production and cut profits to the vanishing point, workingmen got out of a job and farmers sold their crops at low prices because they were in the "state of mind" to have hard times. This condition continued until the flood of war orders began to pour In during the fall of 1914. The war and the period of reconstruction im mediately following it suspended the effects of the Underwood 'tariff on American industry. Return of peace and of the warring nations to pro duction is bringing those effects into operation again. Woolgrowers contend with free wool at steadily falling ocean freight rates. Prices are depressed by the danger that the British government will dump the immense stock of wool which it accumulated for the war, and by increased production in every woolgrowing country. Wheat-growers find their price de pressed by a flood of free wheat from Canada. By providing that this cereal shall be admitted free from countries which impose no duty, the Underwood law practically places it In the power of the Can adian government to put the Ameri can tariff on or take it off Canadian wheat. When there is no danger that Canada will import American wheat and when Canada has a sur plus for export, the Canadian privy council has power to remove the Canadian duty. Thereby it auto matically takes off the American duty on Canadian wheat, and grain pours across the border. If condi tions should change so that the United States might export .wheat to Canada, that quickly acting body puts on the duty again. Change in the American tariff must await ac tion of congress, but the Canadian privy council acts without awaiting a meeting of the Dominion parlia ment. The "off again, on again" provision of the Underwood law works wholly to the benefit of the Canadian as against the American wheat-grower. Dairymen have to compete with New Zealand butter, imported under a duty of 2 hi cents a pound in place of 6 cents a pound under the Payne tariff. Poultrymen compete with Chinese eggs, imported free. They formerly paid a duty of 6 cents a dozen. Lumbermen not only are shut out of the middle west market by the advance in freight rates; they com pete with a greatly expanded lum ber industry in British Columbia, which ships to the United States duty-free. The duty formerly ranged from 50 cents to $2.75 per thousand feet according to the degree of finish. The price of hogs is falling, per haps because pork is admitted free, though the Payne tariff imposed a duty of 1 cents a pound on fresh, 25 per cent on prepared or preserved pork. These are some of the principal products of Oregon. Voters of Ore gon who produce them will take note of the fact that Mr. Hitchcock does not consider the tariff issue dead, and they will recall the psy chologic hard times of 1914, when the unemployed camped in the Gypsy Smith tabernacle because they had not the price of a bed. Mr. Hitchcock is mistaken in sup posing that the republican party has put the protective tariff In cold stor age. The principle of protection is clearly reaffirmed in the Chicago platform. It is subordinated to the Wilson autocracy as the leading is sue because even protection is of less importance than preservation of the constitution. In fact all other ssues are merged in that of autoc racy, for if Mr. Cox were elected, he would hold the popular verdict to be a license to continue the auto cratic method of forcing bills through congress and of killing bills, includ- ng protective tariff bills, of which the autocrat did not approve. FARM INCOME FALLACIES. The preliminary summary of the 1920 census, which shows that the number of persons dwelling in "rural territory" is 48.1 per cent of the whole population, requires interpre tation to make it an index of the actual agricultural strength of -the nation. The term "rural territory" in the first instance may be mislead ing to any but census experts. It Includes, for illustration, all towns of 2500 or less, and many of these are non-agricultural. Proportion of "persons engaged in agriculture as an occupation" in 1910 was set down in the census of that year as 32.9 Also in 1910, the population living in "rural territory" constituted 53.7 per cent of the whole, by comparison with 4 8.1 per cent at present, as stated, a decline of 5.6 per cent. De tailed analysis of the census, there fore, is likely to show that the pro portion of persons "engaged in agri culture as an occupation" has dropped below 30 per cent. This furnishes a true basis of comparison with the occupational statistics of previous censuses, which show the proportion of farmers in 1820 to have been 87.1 per cent; in 1840, 77.5 per cent; in 1870, 44.5 per cent; in 1890, 39.2 .per cent; and in 1910, 32.9 per cent. Figures prepared by Professor Asher Hobson, recently assistant chief of farm economics and farm management in the United States de partment of agriculture and now professor of economic agriculture at Columbia, show the fallacy of cer tain popular methods of estimating average family incomes derived from farming. Professor Hobson takes as an example an article which was widely circulated some time ago, in which the statement was made that "the average income of the farmer family of the United States in 1909 is estimated as $4000, as compared with $1500 for all families." Pro fessor Hobson proceeds to analyze this by taking the figures Issued by the bureau of crops estimates for 1909, which show the estimated value of all crops produced in the United States in that year to have been $16,025,000,000,' and the esti mated value of all animal products to have been $8,957,000,000, a total of $24,982,000,000. The number of farms In the United States in 1909 was 6,717,000. Dividing the assumed total value of all produce by the number of farms, the wholly mis leading figure of $3719 is obtained as tne average value or all crops and livestock" produced by farmers in that year. The common fault of duplication. which runs through almost the entire fabric of farm statistics, is typified here. As Professor Hobson points out, it is a mistake to add the value of crops yielded by the soil and the value of animal products and to call the sum the net value of all farm products. A considerable pro portion of crops produced is con sumed in feeding animals. Thus it is estimated that 80 per cent of corn, 75 per cent of oats and 90 per cent of all forage crops are utilized on farms where they are grown. The computation further does not take account of expenditures made by farmers in conducting their opera tions. From a total income obvious ly much less than $3719, therefore. it is necesssary to subtract an unde termined sum for expenses, and the remainder is greatly less than $4000, estimated as the average farm in come by the article in question. There is, on the other hand, the more illuminating reoord of a sur vey made by the department of agri culture of incomes of 8712 farms in twenty-eight representative districts of the United States, some of th figures covering several years. The survey allowed 5 per cent interest on Investment and minimum wages to members of the farmer's family who actually performed farm labor, and showed an income of less than $500 to pay the farm proprietor far his own work and his managerial abil ity. Professor Hobson asks: Granting that the farmer Beta the bone over his head, cuts fuel wood from his farm, and uses milk:, butter, eggs, etc., all of which helps him to maintain his indus trial position, does a yearly labor Income of lees than S50O, together with the things supplied by the farm, represent to the farmer an acceptable standard of living T He concludes that curtailment of food production, where this has oc curred, has been due to high prices of machinery, fertilizers and seed and the high cost of farm labor in proportion to its efficiency,, and that large areas were not put into tillable crops last spring because the ex pense of production was not covered by prices which the farmers expected to receive at harvest time. He holds that the yield of present farms can be increased whenever prospective prices seem to justify increase, by increasing the amount of fertilizer used and by improving cultural methods all the way from planting through to harvesting and storage. But this involves reconstruction of the public's attitude toward the value of the crops the farmer pro- uces. The present drift to the cities he summarizes as being "ex plained in large measure by the fact that the return from a given expen- iture of energy yields a greater amount of satisfaction in the city than In the country under present farm conditions." It will be ob served that he expresses the reward terms of satisfaction, rather than dollars and cents, which leaves open for discussion the relative drawing power of social and other conditions in town and country. It is a subject that has engaged the at tention of social economists ever since the movement away from farms began, to be alarming, and that has resulted in much discussion distinguished by being non-productive of results. Professor Hobson, however, makes strong point and coins a thought- provoking phrase by saying that the problem will not be solved by any widespread movement to place the inexperienced or those who are not farm-minded" on the land. "Farm- minded" is more than an ingenious and mouth-filling designation. It runs, perhaps, to the root of the present difficulty. A century ago, Americans thought in terms of the soil and of methods of food produc tion. The Father of His Country plumed himself not a little on his mastery of the minutiae of agricul tural economy. Statesmen found time to direct farming operations. The changed mental attitude of the people is a factor not interpretable by statisticians. It will be agreed that any system of social rewards and penalties that would foster farm- mindedness would be ideal. The difficulty here is that the construc tive programme is still lacking. Adoption by Spain of the Ameri can juvenile court system brings that country Into line with the spirit of reform in the treatment of chil dren that found definite expression when the first juvenile couft was established in Chicago, in 1899. The world was long In awakening to the Idea that the child is not a criminal. that his treatment should be educa tional, not punitive, and that pre vention is easier than reformation. The example set by this country twenty-one years ago has been fol lowed by England, France, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland Austria and Hungary, according to the federal children's bureau, and was operative in parts of Russia be fore the bolshevists came Into power. The distinctively American phase is the appointment of probation offi cers and avoidance of prison sen tences so far as possible, and to this Spain has added a provision pro hibiting under heavy penalty the publication of information about juvenile delinquents. The result aimed at In that country, however, Is attained in the United States by common understanding and without necessity for drastic penalties. The prospect of $1 wheat In Can ada emphasizes the need of backing up Harding by election of a republi can senate, so that a tariff wall may be erected immediately to prevent the dumping of this wheat Into the United States and the ruin of Ameri can farmers. The idea of a public market is to get the stuff to the consumer at a lower price, eliminating the middle man's profit. That such is not the result here is due to a system but what system remains to be learned. Free rent is about all the economic result now. The internal revenue department rules that heads of families in Cali fornia may manufacture 200 gallons of wine a year for home use only. Evidently the department has great respect for the capacity of California families. Considering the efficiency of the local department, it would seem that the bigger the city the smaller the fire loss. Tet Chicago had a fire the other day that did a million damage. Talent is not a big city of Jackson county, and few know of its exist ence, yet it bonds itself for $450,000 to irrigate 8500 acres around it. The world will hear more of Talent. Portland will not get the meeting of state hotel men in December. Pat Foley, who has two hotels at The Dalles, wants that meeting and has a way of his own. President Wilson intends to write a history of the war after his retire ment. With emphasis, no doubt, on how he kept us out of it. Hope the fact that congress is to be enlarged doesn't necessarily mean enlargement of the Congressional Record. "If I am elected president, be gins Christensen. There are sup posititious cases of easier solution. The rain falls like unto an April shower, but nobody is misled. Pos sibly it's good for the roses. Chicago hanged only two yester day, saving the other six for later adjustment. These new winter costumes ap pear charming on the other fel low's wife. Good show, weather to talk, livestock BY-PRODUCTS OF THE TIMES Hotel Keepers Sometimes Give Credit to Traaslents, bat Kot Always. Roy K. Moulton. the gifted colyum nlst of the New Tork Evening Mall, has a grievance. It is best related in his own words: "We see how these swindlers and others who get into the bankruptcy courts, with their assets and liabili ties as far apart as Trotzky and Pil sudski, often swing the hotels for large bills. "Many of them go to hotels with out baggage, live in expensive suites for two or three months and then move to another hotel without seeing the landlord. 'One ndght last winter we were obliged to stay in the city all night because our suburban train had given up the ghost, and we bad no baggage. We went to a large hotel near the Grand Central station and blithely shoved our card across to the room clerk. He gave it the once over with out showing any sign of awakening intelligence and said we could have room. "It will be $9," he said. That's all right." we said. "The price is all right. "But it will be $9 now," he said. Before you get the room." "Prolonged argument did not pre vail upon him to let us have that little batch of well-earned sleep without Davlnc for it In advance. Yet the same hotel recently started suit against some foreign gink who had been in this country only a few weeks for a bill amounting to $7,000. Shall mothers "out of wedlock" be pensioned? Discussion of this question led to violent conflict of opinions at a state conference on mothers' pensions at Columbus, Ohio. These women are abandoned crea tures and do not deserve the help of the state." insisted one woman dele gate. "How about the babresr- asicea Common Pleas Judge Frank W. Gei- ger of Springfield, who. addressing the conference, urged adoption or an amendment to the Ohio mothers' pen sion law extending Its benefits to mothers of illegitimate children. Pointing out that the Ohio law as it now stands limits pensions to mothers whose husbands are dead. permanently disabled, prisoners, or who have deserted their families. Judge Geiger declared that this prin ciple is wrong. The real purpose of the pension is to protect the children, to help in keeping the family together. The illegitimate child needs this protec tion as much, or very much more than any other," said Judge Geiger. "Why penalize this class of youngsters.' They enter life with too large a handicap as it is. The mother or tne , illegitimate child, likewise, needs this help from the state. Her-lot. at best. is not an easy one." Although a number of delegates vigorously opposed the proposal, de claring such an amendment would bring about a "storm of protest," the conference adopted a resolution fav oring the granting of pensions not only to mothers of Illegitimate chil dren, but to children whose mothers are dead, payment to be made to tne next of kin who are custodians of the children. The natives of many foreign coun tries sit down to tables spread with fine American cutlery. During the past year exports of American table cutlery amounted to $2,300,000. In Europe Norway was the best custo mer of our cutlery industry with pur chases totalling $226,000, while such a comparatively small market as Den mark was able to take table cutlery up to the value of $146,000. But the most Important markets for U. S. table cutlery are now found in the two American continents. The big gest purchaser of table cutlery Is Brazil with a total requirement of $524,000 during the last, year. It was followed by Argentina with a purchase totalling $289,000, while Chile and Cuba each took far in ex cess of $100,000 and Mexico was just touching the $100,000 line. This growth of the foreign demand for American table cutlery shows best the great progress that, has been made in the manufacture of high class cutlery in the United States. The table cutlery business ef the world was In the past practically the domain of European producers. The only thing wrong with this yarn is that it didn't happen in Win sted. Conn., says theNew York Amer ican, which springs it upon an unsus pecting public: Tabitha. feline extraordinary In the family of Howard Carrodus; of Fish kill Village, N. T.. awaits headline honors in Mr. Keith's theaters. It ap pears she was on the porch yesterday, and having scratched in vain for en trance, calmly climbed the screening, extended a paw, rang the electric bell and was thus admitted. Sherman Weeks and Arthur Fra leigh were eye-witnesses, and Mrs. Carrodus believes them. Inasmuch as the village cider press is being over hauled. A man from a bone-dry Arkansas community went to a wet Missouri town and was invited by an acquain tance to have a drink. In the saloon the friend asked: "What are you going to have?" "Have?" dreamingly returned the visitor, blinking at the glorious array of barreled and bottled goods. "I ain't going to have nuth'n." "What do you mean, Gabe? Tou won't have a drink after coming all this distance?" "Nope!" answered the Arkansawyer. There hain't no such place as this. I'll wake up in a minute." A modern tragedy In three acts. Act I Terrible thirst. Act II Wood alcohoL Act III Wooden kimono. "Did you have any trouble in seeing that captain of industry whose time is reputed to be worth almost a mil lion a. minute?" "None at alL" "How did you contrive to get into his private office?" "I stood Just outside the door and engaged his secretary in a loud con versation about golf, in which I dis played a superior knowledge of the game." Birmingham Age Herald. Oil companies are getting as thick in Hot Springs as pig tracks around a country schoolhouse. If all the en ergy that is devoted to attempts to sell oil stocks were concentrated upon the digging of oil wells there might soon be enough of good stocks to go around without pushing. Arkansas Thomas Cat. Those Who Come and Go. He Is called the -."potato king" and he has become immensely wealthy growing and selling the tubers. His name is George Shima and he is regis tered at the Imperial from San Fran cisco. Mr. Shima, who Is a Japanese, is on his way to Keamond, or., witu George Burt. They are interested in several thousand acres near Redmond and their proposition is to clear the land of sagebrush and plant spuds. The potatoes of the Redmond district are particularly large and possess high food value. The qualities of the soil are such that potato raising on a gigantic scale is the programme. There has been some agitation around Redmond over the advent of Mr. Shima, as it has been feared that he and his associates In the enterprise will colonize the land with Japanese laborers. Assurances that such will not be the case have been given by Mr. Burt in meetings with the farmers of the Redmond district. Mr. Shima is believed to handle more potatoes than any other one individual in Califor nia. Having loaded up with goods before the panic struck Japan, the Sealers there are now selling back to Ameri cans the goods which the Japanese bought last winter from America, says P. J. Perkins, who passed through Portland yesterday, going to New York. Mr. Perkins has been making a study of commercial condi tions in Japan for a New York trade paper. He says that steel is offered at bargain prices in Japan now, and that the only shipbuilding of moment Is the construction of war boats. The Japanese press has a jingo tone and an atmosphere not overly friendly to America. The Chinese trade, which Japan hoped to secure when the Ger man commercial interests were driven from the republic has not been lucra- I tiye, for the reason that the Chinese people are persisting in their boy cott on Japanese merchandise. After an extensive tour of the ori ent, J. J. Kelly and family have ar rived at the Hotel Washington. They are on their way home to Walla Walla, where Mr. Kelly is editor of the Bulletin. Mr. Kelly says that the Japanese are very unpopular in China at present and that the Chinese are continuing their boycott against Japanese and Japanese goods, despite all the efforts which have been made to suppress this retaliatory action. Conditions in Japan are far from sat isfactory in financial circles, the silk market being badly demoralized and many long-established concerns are in tight straits. Business houses are en deavoring to be as conservative as possible to tide them over the storm. "About 60 per cent of the wheat growers are all right, but the re maining 40 per cent are somewhat worried," according to Marion Jack, wheatman of Umatilla county, who was at the Imperial yesterday. The wheat situation is not the most pleas ing to the growers. Some of them contracted their wheat at $2.50 a bushel and some refused to contract because they had a hope that wheat would go to $3 a bushel. Of late it has been . dropping and has long since gone below the $2.50 mark. There is still a considerable quantity of wheat In the fields awaitinc threshing and until the grain has been threshed there is no means of telling what amount of damage has been caused by the unusual rains. "Awful" Is the way F. J. Donovan of Aberdeen, Wash., designates the condition of the lumber market. Mr. Donovan voices the sentiments of practically all the lumber operators, except those who are handling spruce. Aberdeen, which thrives chief ly through its sawmills, is feeling the effect of canceled orders. The cause is attributed to the recently increased freight rates which have scared buy ers. Mr. Donovan is at the Benson. W. H. Walther. connected with the power and water plant at Medford was in the city yesterday. Mr. Walther is considered such an active member of his community that there was a movement afoot last spring to have him become a candidate for the legis lature, but this finally simmered down because of his connection with a pub lic utility. Alvln Brown, who lives in Walla Walla, but Is in Portland for the winter, suddenly collapsed in the Im perial lobby yesterday, suffering from a stroke. Mr. Brown, who has taken apartments with his wife on the east side, was unable to speak so that his address could be obtained. J. W. Maloney, president of the Inland bank at Pendleton, and James Gwynn. who is in the abstract and real estate business at the same place, arrived in Portland yesterday from Coos bay, where they attended the grand lodge of the Knights of Pythias. I. W. Swagler, district attorney for Malheur county, who has been frater nizing with lodge brothers at Marsh field, could not miss the opportunity to visit democratic state headquarters yesterday while in Portland. Mr. Swagler will go on the stump for Gov ernor Cox. "Jinks" W. R. Taylor, sheriff of Umatilla county, is registered at the Benson. Mr. Taylor is returning home from Salem, where he escorted the murderers of his brother. Sheriff Til Taylor, the noted peace officer of eastern Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Carlisle NIhley have arrived at the Hotel Portland from Salt Lake City to spend their honey moon. Mr. Nibley is a son of Bishop Nibley of the Mormon church. Mr. and Mrs. Dwlght Douglas of Detroit, arrived at the Hotel Portland last night- Mr. Douglas is a lumber man with interests in Oregon and is here to look into the business con ditions'. Lafe Flnseth. newly elected grand vln-t-hancellor of the Knights of Pythias, was in Portland yesterday. The honor was conferred on Mr. Fin seth at Marshfield this week. He lives at Dallas. Or. To attend the commandary, Dr. H. L. Henderson of Astoria, who Is much Interested in the Masonic fraternity. is at the Imperial. M. F. Davies of Union, is in Portland for the same purpose. S. L. Baer and brother. Max, who operate a large department store in Pendleton, are in town placing orders. They are at the Hotel Portland. Robert E. Strahorn. who registers from Spokane and wants to build rail roads in Oregon, is among the arrivals at the Hotel Portland. Seaside is having just as good weather as Portland, asserts Mr. and Mrs. F. Burk. who are at the Hotel Washington for a few days. A. E. Voorhies of the Rogue River Courier, published daily at Grants Pass, is registered at the Hotel Fort- land. A. E. Adams, once with the Wood- burn Independent, but now registered from Eugene, la at the Hotel Wash ington. O C. Sither. in the real estate busi ness at Olendale, Or., is an arrival at the Hotel Oregon. A. E. Waugh, owner of a depart ment store at Aberdeen, Wash., is at the Benson oa a buying trip. The City on the Hill. Br Grace E. Hall. There is a city clinging to a bluff. While at Its base the ocean threat ening roars. The wild winds beat upon it, rude and rough. And shriek fierce maledictions at its doors; The gray fogs, slipping inland, cold and drear. Wrap round it clammy, dripping, sodden shrouds. Till there remains no elgn of life or cheer. But only phantom outlines in the clouds. If man approach at twilight from afar. And see this city cringing on the hill. With here and there a dim light like a star That seems to strive its mission to fulfill. He must be caught in tidal wave of gloom. That comes In steady rhythmic sul len beat Of breakers that forever pound and boom Against the rocks below the wind ing street. But oh. if he approach In sunny morn A wondrous spectacle shall greet his view! A pleasant murmuring to the ears is borne. And all the throbbing waves are deeply blue; The city nestles on the mountain's crest With seeming faith that it shall sheltered be. And clinging fondly to the rugged breast. Looks fearlessly down on the threatening sea. caught two visions in this little town Upon the heights, and long abide: they shall dark, cast The one was of a spirit down. Where Melancholy walks row's side; by Sor- The other was of Faith's white cara van. That moves across the miles of life's gray plain. Each picture wrought within the mind of man. And colored by his moral loss gain. or COMMERCE HIGH NEEDS Bl'ILDING Mr. Woodward Points Ont Some Other Pteeds of Srhooln. PORTLAND. Oct. 14. (To the Edi tor.) A half century of educational effort, condensed into a column of The Oregonian editorial page Mon day, is fascinating reading to every lover of our national ideals and those power houses for good citizenship our common schools. The article in question sets forth, too, clearly and concisely, the love and abiding faith of our forefathers In free education, the value of "com mon" schooling, where all children from every class, no matter what the status of birth, wealth or religion might be, are gathered together under a single roof to become bv a-sisocia- tion In their studies and play mem bers of a common family. The writer, one of our school board has visited during his brief period of tenure most of our public schools. Every additional task in connection with hs office but adds to Its interest and fascination. We have nearly 40, 000 children In our schools today and the material problems connected with their echool work are engrossing and at times perplexing to every mem ber of the board. That the citizens of this district are Interested truly In our schools, is at tested by the liberal manner in which they have contributed towards the district's expenditures, now some ten thousand dollars for each day in the calendar year: next year It will ex ceed $12,000. With all this we must lag behind our needs. One hundred and fifty-seven port able schoolhouses. war's makeshifts, should be replaced by permanent buildings. The children of many of our schools are playing in the streets, by reason of the lack of ground area. We have over seven hundred young men and women in our High School of Commerce and while the liberality of one of our citizens has made pos sible educating our boys in a tech nical school, modern and splendidly equipped, would that another such would arise who would provide a suitable site and building for the fine young men and women strusrelintr to equip themselves for the business life which Portland's growing commerce now makes necessary. If the writer recalls correctly, there are only two public schools in our city today which in any material way- nave been remembered by an indivi dual citizen. James John, pioneer, gave his relatively small fortune for edu cational purposes. fcimon Benson has not waited for posthumous honors and the splendid technical school bearing his name will ever be a monument to his gen erosity and far-seeing vision. Over one thousand fine youths now pass through Its doors every day. There is pressing need for a new high school or commerce, with ample grounds, as well as a technical school for girls and young women. We need additional breathing space about many of our elementary schools. What finer monument can any man or woman, favored of for tune, ask than the grateful remem brance of generations of echool chil dren, born and unborn, associating a beautiful building and spacious grounds with the generosity of the donor. WILLIAM F. WOODW4.RD ANOTHER POET ENTERS LISTS Sweet Singer of Eugene Challenges Hrppner Man's Laureate Title. EUGENE. Or.. Oct. 13. (To the Edi tor.) I read with interest in The Oregonian of the verses from Heppner on Harding. Cox and the Issues of this campaign. TVhile of course we do not attempt to rival the Heppner versifier. wo cannot let tnat town run away with an tne lyrical glory. Hence the following: A Wail Krora Mr. Cox of O-h-l-o. I'm Mr. Cox of O-h-i-o. Listen to my tale of woe! I'm the fellow the democrats picked. 1 m the fellow that s going to be licked. Listen to my tale of woe! I'm Mr. Cox of O-h-i-o, Listen to my tale of woe! I've one story I always tell. I've one misery on which I dwell. Listen to my tale of woe! I'm Mr. Cox of O-h-l-o, Listen to my tale of woe! This is the grief that gnaws in my siats. Hays Is a-plannin' to buy democrats, Listen to my tale of woe! I'm Mr. Cox of O-h-i-o, Listen to my tale of woe! This Is the pain that makes me yell I know the buncb, they re rarin to sell. Listen to my tale of woe! (And if there should be an encore) I'm Mr. Cox of O-h-I-o, Listen to my tale of woe! This is the toughest stunt I try While I'm so wet to prove I'm dry'. Listen to my tale of woe! I - HANNAH SMITH. More Truth Than Poetry. By Jaaci I. Montague. JrSTlCE BY LICK. A Chicago judge In deciding a case had the opposing lawyers shake the d.ce. Time was, ere a lawyer went out for the bench. He boned up on contracts and torts. And burned midnight oil in unweary- toil Over volumes of dreary reports. He had to know Blackstone and Mar shal by heart. And obiter dicta, and pleas. Or he wasn't thought fit in a court room to sit. And solemnly issue decrees. But now. when the lawyers their case have put in. The judge doesn't pull a long face And avidly look through some seven pound book To hunt up the law on the case. But pulls up his sleeve of his billowy gown And murmurs In business-like tones. To settle this suit the attorneys will shoot. Let the bailiff provide them with bones." The lawyers approach, while the Jury looks on; Defendant and plaintiff, wlde-oved. Their emotions control as the ivories roll While the question at Issue is tried. And as soon as five sixes click out of the box. The judge, with an Impassive face. Says grimly. "Have dono; the defend ant has won. The bailiff will call the next case." simplifies legal procedure a lot (A thing badly needed today With the courts far behind in the judicial grind) To settle a case in this way. And as for results well, the litigants say They're exactly as well satisfied As they were in the days of unending delays. When the judge was the one to decide. Wine PreciDllsa, They always hold the Maine election before outside sportsmen decimate the population in the game districts. Mnch the Same Thing. Tt is still true that a man has no chance to escape death and taxis. Their Strong Point. One has to admit that the New York police department has the most mag nificent collection of clues in exist ence. (Copyright, 1920. by the Bell Syndi cate. Inc.) John Burroughs' Nature Notes. Can Yon Ana-vrer Theme Qnrkilonn f 1 How do the tracks of the red and gray squirrels compare? 2 What Is the appearance of the Eng-lish robin? 3 How does the wild ginger flower? Answers in tomorrow's nature notes. AMwrra to Previous Questional 1 What kind of tracks docs the partridge make in the snow? The sharp-rayed track of the part ridge adds to the fantastic embroidery upon the winter snow. Her course is a clear, strong line, sometimes quite wayward, but generally very direct, steering for the densest, most impene trable places leading you over logs, and through brush, alert and expect ant, till, suddenly, she bursts up a few yards from you. and goes humming through the trees. 2 Does the skunk make any sound? The most silent creature known to me the skunk, makes no sound, so far s I have observed, save a diffuse. Im patient noise, like that produced by beating your hand with a whisk broom, when the farm dog has discov ered his retreat in the stone fence. 3 Is a bee hive a monarchy or democracy? - The fact Is. a swarm of bees Is an absolute democracy. The power and utl.onty are entirely vested in the great mass, the workers. They fur nish all the brains and foresight of the colony, and administer its affairs. They regulate the swarmintr. and arive tne signal for the swarm to issue from the hive; they select and make ready the tree in the woods and conduct the the queen to it. (Rights reserved by Houghton-Mif flin Co.) In Other Days. Twenty-five Year Ago. From The Oregonian of October 13. 1 !.-. Salem. The supreme court todnv upheld the sentence to hang imposed on Samuel G. Brown for the killing of r red ixincaid. The Oregon state board of phar macy met yesterday at the Imperial hotel and the fifth annual meeting of the State Pharmaceutical association will open this morning. Vancouver. Wash. The first ship ment of dried prunes from this county was taken to Portland yesterday to be loaded on cars for the east. The shipment contains 48,000 pounds. packed by L. B. Clough in this city. The silk flag for the best exhibit by an Oregon manufacturer at the industrial exposition was last night awarded the Albany Woolen mills. fifty an Asro. From The Oresonlan of October 15. 1870 Salem. It is estimated that 16.000 persons attended the fifth day of the state fair, which was featured by the annual address by Mr. Galloway of Yamhill and an exciting horse race. London. Preliminaries of the mar riage of Frlncess Louisa. fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, and the - Marquis of Lorn, have been arranged. The Patton house has been com pletely rebuilt by William Patton and will be reopened for business on Monday. Word has been received here of the floundering at sea of the steamer Continental, which brought the Mer cer party of lady immigrants to U113 country In 1S64. . Boaest milk Dealer Explains. Success Magazine. "Yon are charged with selling adul terated milk." said the judge. "Your honor, I plead not guilty." "But the testimony shows that U is 2S per cent water." Then it must be high-grade milk." returned the plaintiff. "If your honor will look up the word 'milk' in your dictionary, you will find that It con tains from 80 to 90 per cent waltr, I should have sold it for cream!" Ttratm of Harry Tracy. RAlVniK. Or.. Oft. 13. (To the Kd. itor.) To settle an argument, when and where was Harry Tracy, the out law, captured or killed'.' C. C clonic. On August 6. 1902. Harry Tracy killed himself after he was cornered in a wheat fivld cear Fellow b, Waah., and wounded.