10
TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN, FRIDAT, OCTOBER 15, 1920
ESTABLISHED BY HENRY L. PITTOCK.
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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.