10
THE MORNING OREGONIAX,- FRIDAY. MARCH 10, 1023
ittontiwj (Stogomnn
ESTABLISHED BV HtNJBY L. FITTOt'K.
Published by The Oregonlan Publishing Co.
23j Sixth Street, urtiaad. Oregon.
C. A. AlOKDEN. E. B. FiflfiK.
Alsnager. Editor.
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land by rail. Every producer being:
a consumer, he would oe wnipsawett,
receiving: less for what he Bold and
paying more for what he bought, all
to keep the jobber of the interior
town in business. Nor would that
jobber profit. Water lines would
make rates low enough to permit
the coast jobber to deliver goods- at
the interior town at least aa cheap
as the local competitor, and the
coast jobber, doing- a larger volume
of business and therefore having a
lower overhead cost, could under
sell him.
The great need Of the lnter
mountain country is development,
to which railroads are essential-. It
has many thousands of square miles
of country lying- fallow' for want of
modern means of transportation. It
can get railroads if the railroad
business pays enough return on the
Investment . to attract capital for
more construction. It3 progress
should not be sacrificed in a vain
fight against a natural condition
which cannot be changed.
non-member state banks have lived
for many years and are honestly and
conservatively managed and have
weathered many a storm, but they
would gain strength to live through
a crisis by joining the federal reserve
system, and the security of the
deposits would be proportionately
greater.
INWARDNESS
BATE
OF TERMINAL
CASE.
If the producers and consumers
of the intermountain country would
read with open ' minds the brief of
counsel for the Portland Traffic &
Transportation association in the
Pacific coast terminal rate case, they
would at least begin to realize that
they would profit by rail competi
tion with water lines, and would be
injured if the 'railroads should be
forbidden to compete. Opposition to
competitive rail rates comes from
jobbing houses at intermountain
cities, which are unable to compete
with those of the coast cities because
the latter can ship goods In by sea.
This is a natural advantage of which
they cannot be deprived In normal
times. They lost it during the war
because ships were withdrawn from
Intercoastal service and because, for
that reason, the interstate commerce
commission suspended competitive
rail rates. But the commission then
said that water competition was only
suspended and the whole tenor of
its decision has been that, when
water service is restored, railroads
will again be permitted to compete.
Intermountain jobbers are in poor
position to oppose this action. They
based their protest against competi
tive rail rates to the coast during
the war on the fact that there was
no water competition, and the com
mission heeded their plea for that
reason. Since water competition is
now extremely active, their own
argument works against their pres
ent opposition.
So far la the permission of rail
competition with water lines from
adding to the burden of transporta
tion for the intermountain people
that it actually diminishes that
burden. Rates are not reduced to
the point where traffic is carried at
a loss, for the law requires them to
be "reasonably compensatory,'
which Is fairly construed to mean
compensatory under the circum
stances. The commission's applica
tion of this principle was thus stated
In a former decision:
HE LOYES HIS GRIEVANCE.
when the league covenant was
under debate, Senator Reed objected
to Article X because he held that it
imposed a legal or moral obligation
on the United States to resist aggres
sion on another member nation. He
now objects to the Pacific treaty
because Senator Lodge says it im
poses no moral or legal obligation
to take any sort of action except to
consult because "w" have done
absolutely nothing except to agree
to talk things over."
The Missouri senator is very hard
to please. He condemns one treaty
because it binds us, another because
it does not bind us to the same kind
of action to which the first bound
us. The secret of his present peev
ishness seems to be that he does not
want to be robbed of his grievance
The only way to place the Missouri
senator is to take for granted that
he will oppose anything that any
other senator proposes. The sure
way to arouse his opposition is to
take seriously any of the reasons
that he gives for it. His mind is
incapable of proposing anything or
of supporting what other men pro
pose.
Did anyone ever know of a
measure being named "the Reed
bill?" If such a bill ever was, it
was necessary to keep Mr. Reed
constantly in mind of his paternity,
otherwise he would have opposed it
through force of habit.
The railroads are enabled to fill up their
trains with traffic which, although not
highly profitable, yields m revenue mate
rially greater than the out-of-pocket costs
of securing and handling the traffic, there
by adding to the net returns of the car
riers and to that extent lightening the
transportation burden borne by other lo
calities. These transcontinental railroads can
fairly expect such consideration aa will
permit them to continue to earn a rea
sonable return upon their property devoted
to -public use. If government control is
so exercised as to prevent them from secur-
. ing any considerable share of the business
to and from the terminals and the largest
. possible return therefrom, such return must
be derived from the other communities
along their lines.
It is practicable for a railroad to
derive a net return from competitive
traffic to coast terminals at lower
rates than are charged on local
traffic. Competitive traffic Is hauled
long distances, local traffio short
distances. Rates include terminal
cost and line haul cost. Terminal
cost on a carload is the same,
whether it is hauled a hundred or
a thousand miles. Then each mile
of a 100-mile haul must bear ten
; times as much terminal cost as each
- mile of a 1000-mile haul. By accept-
- ing a lower percentage of net return
than on local traffic, a railroad can
" secure a share of long-haul traffic
. In competition with water lines and
" add so much to its total net revenue.
As the principal products of the
north Pacific states are of relatively
low value, but high weight and bulk,
they require many cars but can only
pay low rates if they are to move
at all, and if they do not move
industry and development must lan-
guish. If the railroads were not
permitted to make competitive rates
on westbound traffic on the basis
described, they would have to haul
empty cars west in which to carry
these products east. In order tfrat
they might earn the 'total net reve
nue necessary for them to provide
service, they would have to add this
heavy cost to their rates on other
. traffic. That would cause those
"other localities" and "other com
munities" of which the commission
spoke and many of which are in the
intermountain country to pay their
share.
Competitive rail rates confer a
direct benefit on the interior in
addition to the Indirect benefit due
to their holding "down the general
scale of rates. Water transportation
to Pacific terminals is a fixed fact,
which cannot be changed. If rail
roads were forbidden to compete,
practically all traffic between the
two coasts would be carried by
water. Then the people of the in
terior would have to pay the water
rate plus the rail rate from or to
the coast on all eastern goods that
they bought and on all of their own
products that they sold In the east,
but the rail rate would be higher in
proportion to the revenue that the
railroads lost by being excluded
from competition with the water
lines. If that competition were per
mitted, the rail rate would be lower,
and the intermountain producer and
consumer would get the benefit.
If local rates from the inland
empire to the coast should be forced
tip, the addition would be deducted
from the price which the grain
grower obtains for his wheat In
Liverpool, the woolgrower for his
wool in Boston, the fruitgrower for
his apples in the east and Europe.
An equivalent amount would be
added to the price which the con
sumer must pay for goods carried
to the coast by sea and shipped in-
THE SOURCE OF STRENGTH.
The organization and operation of
the federal reserve bank system will
of themselves answer the inquiry
published in another column as to
what greater security a depositor
has in a member of tha federal
reserve bank than in a non-memler
bank. There are twelve federal
reserve banks, each owned by the
banks of Its region which subscribe
to its capital. National banks are
required to be members, but it is
optional with state banks. Member
banks elect "the majority of the
board of directors, deposit their
reserves with the federal reserve
bank and control it subject to the
federal reserve law and the super
vision of the federal reserve board,
which determines a uniform policy
and co-ordinates the action of the
regional banks. Each of the latter
rediscounts commercial paper ac
cepted by its member-banks from
their customers, issuing, its notes to
them, and these notes now consti
tute the bulk of the paper currency.
The contrast between the old and
the present system is the measure
of the advantages of the new. For
merly the volume of currency was
limited by the capital and surplus
of the national banks and by the
amount of government bonds, by
which it was secured. Thus it was
rigid, haying no relation to the
amount, of business the country was
doing. National banks were required
to deposit their reserve funds in
central reserve cities and, as New
York was the center of speculation
and could therefore pay the highest
interest, they deposited the much I
larger proportion there, to be lent i
on call with stock and bond col
lateral. When there was a surplus
of money for regular business, it
was used in stimulating speculation.
When the country demanded money
for its legitimate business, a stock
panic ensued, the speculators could
not pay their loans, banks all over
the country. had to stop loans because
New York banks could not repay
them, and many could not meet the
demands of their depositors because
they coiild not realize on assets.
Underthe federal reserve law the
reserves of each region remain in
the federal reserve tank of that
region, and are available as a basis
for rediscount of customers' paper
by the member banks. A member
bank need not close for lack of
funds to pay .depositors so long as
it has good commercial paper. It
can take notes, drafts and bills of
exchange arising out of actual com
mercial transactions for agricultural,
industrial or commercial purposes to
the federal reserve bank, can redis
count them and receive federal
reserve notes with which to pay its
customers or make new loans. .This
privilege is denied to notes secured
by speculative collateral like that of
Wall street, therefore bank funds
cannot be tied up by a stock ex
change panic, as in 1907. When
federal reserve notes are no longer
needed by member banks for circu
lation, they are returned to the fed
eral reserve bank, which cancels
them. By this means the volume of
currency rises and falls with the
amount of dealings in the actual
products of the country.
'A member of the federal reserve
system has the strength which the
other members give. By practically.
pooling its reserve with those of the
other members of its federal reserve
region, it gets the support of the
combined reserve of all the members.
Federal reserve banks must hold a
gold reserve of not less than 40 per
cent of their notes except by special
authority of the federal reserve
board, but any that approach this
limit may borrow from others.
During the period of stress In 1920
the four in the northeast made large
loans to those in the south and west.
The federal . reserve board could
have compelled them to do so. but
use of this authority has not yet
been necessary. Thus each member
bank practically has the support of
all member banks in the entire
system.
Non-member banks have none of
the strength derived from this sys
tem. Each one stands on its own
bottom with suatu limited Bupport as
it can get from having as city cor
respondent a bank that is a member
oi the federal reserve system. Many
in
FACI' THE FACTS.
Demanding the recall of the public
service . commission, the Eugene
Guard offers the following:
The Oregonlan says leave it to the leg
islature and the legislature has never
abolished or reformed a commission in all
the history of the state. That is tanta
mount to advising the public to take their
medicine and say they like it. How can
The Oregonlan or any other conservative
newspaper or citizen object to invoking
the recall in this Instance? It is a flagrant
case and one which calls for the most
drastic action. The advocates of the recall
stood aside for those who favored the re
hearing plan, and wo have the result be
fore us.
Let us recall all the members of the
present commission and put in their places
men or business or- proiessionai standing
who are pledged to guard the interests
of the public and who are not professional
politicians ana office-seekers. There
ample time now to hold the recall electio
along with the primaries at little addi-
tional expense.
Let us get down to the hard facts
of the situation. The recall is likely
to be successful undoubtedly will
be and we shall 'name three new
public service commissioners. One
of them will serve for the remainder
of the year, and for his place there
will be another election in Novem.
ber. 1922.
Meanwhile the Hotelmen'a asso
elation will place on the ballot
November a measure abolishing th
present elective commission, creat
ing a reorganized commission to be
appointed by the governor, and re
storing the telephone rates as of
March 1, 1921, until such time as
the reorganized commission shall
have passed on them. The people
will probably pass such a measure
in November. Certainly, they will
pass it, by an . Immense majority,
they are not entirely satisfied with
the personnel of the new commis
sion elected under the recall, Or
by any chance tha present commis
sion should defeat the recall ana
remain in office.
We are confronted by the prospect
of a pretty mess. Has the Guard
any confidence that in the excite
ment and turmoil of the recall elec
lion, and in the general anger and
resentment against the present com
mission, "men of business or profes
sional standing who are pledged to
guard the interests of the public, and
who are not professional politicians
and fcffice seekers," will be elected
commissioners? If so, and if they
are available. The ureg-oman win
contribute what it can to such
result. But we would like to have
the Guard trot out its candidates and
let us look them over.
A public service commissioner is
not, or should not be, a political
officer. The selection of commis
sloners should be as far as possible
removed from the ordinary political
method. For that reason it is desir
able to have the commission ap
pointed, and the appointing author
ity held responsible for his choice
trials. The rights of defendants
were respected in every Instance but
under the pressure of public opinion
the courts frowned on unnecessary
delays. The result was that a large
number of criminals were brought to
trial within a week after their arrest,
all pending cases were cleaned up at
the end of the five weeks period.
nine first-degree - murder verdicts
had been returned, some scores of
highwaymen had been sent to prison
for long terms, and professional
law-breakers had practically aban
doned the city. If other communi
ties would follow Philadelphia's ex
ample the crime wave would be a
thing of the past in an exceedingly
short while.
if
SLEEPING SICKNESS.
The malady to -which laymen, not
without justification, have given the
name sleeping sickness and which
appears from recent census reports
to be gaining headway in the United
States deserves particular attention
because of the mystery attending its
invasion or the northern hemisphere
and also because of its seeming assb
elation with epidemics of influenza,
although it does not partake of the
nature of the latter disease and there
is no apparent relationship between
the two germs. But the profound
oncern which scientists feel over its
ppearance in northern climes is due
to the discovery that there is ap
parently no immunity of climate or
temperature, as until recently had
en assumed. Almost total want
of knowledge of Its true nature, the
uncertainty of its method of attack
and the helplessness of its victims
invest it. with a peculiar dread that
is as fascinating as it is strange.
Like yellow fever and leprosy, the
sleeing sickness has already claimed
its victims among medical inves
tigators. The case of Dr. Albert C.
Pervell Is a classic of its kind. This
devoted physician went to South
Africa in 1901 to make a study of
the disease on its home ground. In
that year he was bitten by a fly
known to be a carrier of the dreaded
germ, but after a number of experi
mental treatments, which greatly
encouraged those engaged with him
in research work, he seemed to have
recovered. In 1915, however, he suf
fered a relapse which resulted In
death. His work and that of others
who had become interested in his
case went for naught. ' No data of
value in determining the nature of
the infection were obtained.
The disease nevertheless did not
appear in Europe until 1916, or in
the United States until two years
later. Why, after centuries, during
which it had' been confined to equa
torial west Africa, it had chosen this
period to Invade regions which had
previously supposed themselves to
be immune is an unsolved enigma
which adds aest to the quest for-a
cure. Nor is there much comfort in
the knowledge that extermination of
the tsetse fly, which it was hoped
would rid the world of sleeping sick
ness as war on mosquitoes had robbed
yellow fever and malaria of tfceir ter
rors, may not in this instance accom
plish the desired end. Fundamental
causes may lie much deeper than
has been assumed a fact which
only accentuates our interest and in
tensifies hope for the early discovery
of a cure.
As is usual in matters of the kind,
there are reports that a specific has
been discovered. The latest ema
nates from Germany, which also a
few years ago raised a false hope
with a premature announcement of
a tuberculosis lymph. The announce
ment will be accepted by medical
men with reserve, in view of the un
doubted gravity of the malady itself,
for nothing could be more disastrous
than a false sense of security at this
time. The intimate connection be
tween sleeping sickness and influ
enza, however, points to redoubled
precautions against the spread of
the latter. It is pretty well estab
lished that those who avoid influenza
are in a double sense keeping on the
safe side.
The account of how Philadelphia
abated a crime wave In a campaign
of five weeks is interesting because
It shows that determined citizens
have a sufficiently powerful weapon
In existing laws. There was first a
systematic mobilization of the agen
cies, of law enforcement, and then
an especial effort to obtain prompt
BORROWING AT USURY.
A Californian who twenty-four
years ago borrowed $100 for three
months at 10 per cent a month
compounded semi - annually now
find3 himself in debt in the sum of
$304,840,332,912,685.16 and, accord
ing to the news dispatches, judg
ment has been entered against him
for this amount. We are not sur
prised by the statement that he will
evade payment by bankruptcy pro
ceedings, any more than we are by
the news that the court was com
pelled to call in an expert mathe
matician to determine the amount
due his creditor. Even our famili
arity with war costs and national
debts since 191"4 does not quite
prepare us to think In trillions. The
total wealth of the world is a matter
upon which economic statisticians
are not agreed, but does not in all
probability aggregate more than a
trillion dollars, or something less
than a three-hundredth of the sum
that this Californian owes.
There is no chance, of course,
that the debt ever will be paid. The
incident serves as a reminder, how
ever, or the way inconsiaerea
trifles have of mounting up, at
compound interest or any other
kind of interest. One does not need
to consider the usurious rate of 10
per cent a month to realize that
this is true. At 10 per cent a year,
compounded only annually, a given
sum of money Is doubled in only a
fraction - over seven years. ' And
seven years are not a long while, to
debtor. "If you would have a
short Lent," says Poor Richard,
"borrow money to be paid at Easter."
Time flies while interest is accumulating.
Modern laws against usury may
protect the unfortunate against the
rapacity of loan sharks but they
cannot quite take the place of the
practice of prudence , In obtaining
loans, or of caution in entering into
obligations. Not all of the old . vie
tuns of the usurer had claims on
our sympathy,' though many of -them
had. The fact is that too many
people incur debt without -giving
much consideration to whether they
will be able to pay when settlement
day arrives. These are intensely
grateful for the opportunity to bor
row and just as, bitter when the
creditor shows an inclination to
exact his pound of flesh. Most mis
understandings between debtors and
creditors of this class arise out of
obligations that ought never to have
been entered into at all.
One need not let the bill run into
some hundreds of trillions to nave
an object lesson ready-made. Let
him borrow money with which to
buy something - that he does not
eally need, and that will be worn
out before he is ready to pay for it,
and be the rate of interest ever so
moderate and the creditor ever so
complaisant he will find thatit irks.
There are few tasks so dispiriting
as paying for a dead horse.
The Listening: Post.
By DeWitt Harry.
Those Who Come and Go.
Tales of Folk at the Hotels.
AT THE Orpheum theater this
week a mental phenomenon
begged members of the audience to
Burroughs Nature Club.
Copyright, Houghton-Mlfflln Co.
More Truth Than Poetry.
By James J. BloXtaajac.
Weather, is 20 degrees warmer on
the coast than in Portland. I was
astonished when I looked out of the
ask questions. "Who was Paul Bun- i car window this morning and saw a
The new head of the state reform
school finds the institution Is shoot
ing wide of the mark. Court records
prove it. Methods must be changed
There is less expense in reforming
boy after his first lapse than in
housing him as a graduate criminal
The controversy over the color of
Washington's hair is as little likely
to be settled finally as the indentity
of his authentic body servant or the
true list of places where he made his
headquarters" while commander-
in-chief of the colonial army.
The plan of renumbering streets
must wait two years for the money
eeded mere matter of $25,000.
Better make it 200, with better use
the money. Man knows ' his
number now: why confuse him?
The adjustment of the flapper
controversy ought to be left to a jury
f elders with good memories. They
ould remember that young people
were not so very different when they
themselves were young.
John Ericsson did more than
nvent a "monitor, but that was
plenty. People nowadays cannot
realize the thrill that pervaded a
stricken union when the Mefrimao
was defeated.
Trouble over women jurors need
not be great. Determined husbands
can settle it, except In the matter
of5 widows and aged maiden ladies.
Then it is up to Providence.
Texas is a large state and a
blizzard in tha "panhandle," though
.locally disastrous, is much like a
snow storm on Mount Hood as
affecting the rest of Oregon. ""v
An Alaskan girl is traveling 1700
miles, much of it by sled, to be
married in Juneau. Well for the
man that he appreciates that kind
of wife. .
The wicked . flee around a small
world. The Kelso banker who com
mitted "suicide" in an elaborate
manner has been located.
yan?" called a voice from the gallery,
and the brain shark didn't know.
Didn't know who Paul Banyan was!
To make certain that Paul gets prop
er credit for his deeds, this column
is unearthing a few facts connected
with bis past life that will clarify
some puzzling historical questions
Bert Geer, ex-sheriff of Lincoln
county, writes of a momentous dis
covery of a portion of Bunyan's diary.
"Stanley Anderson of Toledo, a one
time logger, has unearthed from his
grandfather's trunk an authentic rec
ord which does not dispute but rather
coincides with facts already published
concerning Paul's trip west after he
had logged off about all the timber in
Michigan and the mid-northern states
The record, blue in color, written with
the blood of the blue ox in Paul's
own handwriting, on the inner bark
of a spruce tree, says:
In the fall of 1869. havintc observed that
tne corn was growing- tleht on the coo
and that the migratory geese were flying
backward, and knowing by these signs
that a severe winter was at hand, I de
cided to come west, where, I had been
told, there remained unlimited timber and
there maintained a mild climate.
Everything went well on the trip untfc
wa struck Spokane Falls, where the blue
ox became frightened at the roar of the
water and ran away with the provision
sled and the swamp hook. After tearing
some terrible gashes in the face of the
earth, the swamp hook finally stuck In
the top of the Cascade mountains and 1
was able to catch up with that frightened
ox. We are now in the depth of the
sllets river forest, where the timber is
so big and thick that every time the
blue ox starts to run he fails down: 1
Intend to stay here until Babe gets thor
oughly familiar with the roar ot the ocean.
"Mr. Andarson says his grandfather
was Paul Bunyan's shoer for the blue'
ox, that the record was written in
blood out of the ox's foot, which was
hurt In the runaway and that out of
the wound Paul caught several bar
rels of blood to use for writing pur
poses, his supply of ink having been
among the losses from the provision
sled. Mr. Anderson vouches for the
facts, handed down by his grand
father, that the ox running 'away with
the swamp hook resulted in gouging
out the Columbia river, gorge, the
tearing down of the bridge of the
Gods, and where the big steel hung
up in the Cascades and Paul pulled it
out. Crater Lake remains as a per
manent mark of the . point of the
book. Blood from the wound on the
ox came off the hook in the ground
and turned the water in the lake the
color of indigo. When the swamp
book was lifted, water began pouring
in at the bottom of the hole and Paul
started to throw in some rocks to
stop the leak. He had dropped one
rock when he noticed Babe grow
ing nervous at the roar of the ocean
and had -to abandon the job. The
Phantom Ship is the one rock Paul
dropped." .
heavy frost," said Jesse Bartlett of
Coos Bay, registered at the Benson
while passing through to eastern
Oregon. "The hyacinths and other
early spring flowers are in bloom
down In Coos county. Spring has
arrived there." Speaking of general
conditions, Mr. Bartlett says that
"all the mills are operating on full
time. The Japanese trade , is a con
tributing factor, for the Japanese
market is consuming large quantities
of Lawson spruce, also known - aa
Port Orford cedar. Coos county and
Curry county forests are, apparently,
rebuilding Japan, judging from the
amount of this cedar that the Japa
ness are purchasing. Japan is
plagued with an ant which bores teak
or any other hardwood within a short
time.-. The Japanese find that the
ant does not bother the white cedar,
because it has a high content of oil.
The cedar is veneered and used to
cover other woods, thus acting as a
shield against the boring ants. The
shipments are going direct fcom
Coos bay to the orient and to Port
land, where the material is trans
fered to Japanese steamers in the
harbor."
"New automobiles are not being
bought in Polk county, nor are the
farmers paying $1.50 to have their
cars laundered contending that a
little mud on the wheels won't hurt
the automobiles," observed E. C.
Kirkpatrick of Dallas, Or., former
county judge of Polk county, who is
in town. "The people are holding
down expenses, although the county
is in pretty good shape, for it has
diversified crops, such as hops, fruit
and grain, and we are not as bad off
as some other places. Then In th
town of Dallas we have sawmills, an
electric shop and other concerns,
that there is a payroll of from 300
to 400 people, and there are trai
crews, all of which means that mone
is kept in circulation. It cannot be
said that Polk county has returned
to normal yet, but things are movin
along nicely."
"W-a have hoard much all over th
United States of your Columbia river
highways," stated W. L. Pieplow, sec
retary and manager of a big stove
and range factory of Milwaukee, who
is registered at the Multnomah. "You
should also send tourists to visit you
wonderful library, which I conside
one of the finest In the country.
have been president of the Milwauke
library system. I was interested i
going through 4he different depart
menu and was surprised to find that
there were no men librarians. You
librarian has brought the library to
a high state of efficiency and the in
stitution should be included in you
Bight-seeing trips. As the highway
becomes more widely advertised you
will find that it will bring not only
thousands of Americans but thou
sands of tourists from abroad."
Just a sort of a spring hodge-podge
of one morning's accumulation. Cro
cus in bloom on the south side of the
house. Wife reading seed catalogues.
Tulips begin to appear above the
ground. Lots of rubbish in the va
cant lot next door now that the weeds
fall to hide it. New houses springing
up like mushrooms, on every side.
Gang of men digging trench in bright
sunshine. Seem to be throwing more
dirt per minute than a year ago.
Girl getting on car with new spring
dress, no truth in longer skirt rumor.
Dimpled knee . and bright garters.
Gone are those intimate glimpses, ev-
everything is aboveboard and in the
open now. Wonder how a girl would
look unpainted! Our fashion expert
says there are to be brighter cheeks
this season. Met a friend who has
sacrificed his mustache. Looked sort
of naked. Says wife made him do it.
Wear ours for the same reason. The
dramatic critlo with ears. Swears
this is the style and not exposing
them for business reasons.
Going towards lunch place, ; only
two hours to eat. Remodeling build
ing into tiny stores. Sign says "One
shop, 8x10 feet, to rent." Like con
cessions at a country fair. Tamales
for dinner. Wonder how many ta
males can be made from one chicken
or sea gull! Worse than oysters in
the stew.
Shorty was a dapper little chap.
but, jobs being scarce, on his- arrival
in Portland from Oklahoma, he went
to work as a waiter, it is nearly
impossible to avoid being cast in the
role of eavesdropper at times, and
the diner heard Shorty tell the cook,
he waited for an order, of meet
ing a girl from the home town on the
street.
'Surprised? You bet I was!" ex
claimed Shorty, "but I never lost my
nerve. Kept a tight grip, though I
was excited. Why, I used to rush her
at home, and she sure is some queen.
Where you workin'?' she asked, and
I told her,' 'In the state bank.' "
'If you ain't an idiot," came back
the cook as he deftly flipped a pan of
hash. "That bank a closed."
'Self-possession's my middle name,"
boasted Shorty, "think I didn't know
it- Think I wanted - that queen to
write back and tell the folks "Shorty's
shooting biscuits!'? Not me, I hadta
duck and . get away clean. I usedta
put on too much side back home to
get a comedown from the news she
writes. I tell them in my letters, I'm
on the. roof of the world. That girl
can't get into the bank to find out
whether I am there. State bank was
all right."
The taxpayers' league in Umatilla
county ia becoming active in politics,
according to R. W. Ritner, who ar
rived in Portland yesterday morning
and returned home last night. The
league is presenting a questionnaire
to candidates for office and is sub
mitting nine questions. The first
plank is: "Umatilla county taxpayers'
league stands for a general revision
downward of all state, county and
municipal taxes to lightest possible
load of taxation upon the people, con
sistent with sane, economical and ef
ficient government. " Another plank
is: "The league favors equal and just
taxation upon alt classes of property,
upon the basis of Its value in dollars
and cents, and that all future bonds
and other obligations of state, county
and municipality be made tax-bear
ing."
Let's build a real city." That Is
what Sam H. Webb is telling the peo
ple of Astoria and he promises to
I work for unified co-operattoir and
civic improvement for the betterment
of social and economic conditions. If
the Astorians will elect him as mayor
to succeed James Uremmer, Incum
bent, who is quoted .as saying that
"he wouldn't have the job again on
a bet. Mayor Bremmer is a black
smith. Mr. Webb, the first mayoralty
aspirant, in Astoria, or as he calls it,
"The key city of. Oregon," is regis
tered at the Hotel Portland. There
is one thing about municipal elec
tlons in Astorlr. they are never pink
tea affairs and the campaigns are
lalways waged furiously.
W. M. Bushey, judge of Marion
county, is at the Imperial. The
Marion county court is planning
extensive road programme for this
year and intends paving about 2
miles of county roads, and the ex
penditure will amount to about
$375,000. Four paving plants are
owned by the county and these will
start up as soon as paving weather
comes and be kept in operation un
til the rains of autumn arrive.
Michael Kelly, J. W. Blodgett and
other officials of the Booth-Kelly
Lumber company, which has head
quarters in Eugene and holdings in
many parts of the state, have ar
rived at the Hotel Portland. They
have been at Eugene attending the
annual meeting and electing officers
and directors.
It promises to be one of the finest
hotel3 in the state outside of Port
land, the North Bend hotel, now hear
ing completion at Coos Bay. The
hotel is being erected as a matter
of civic pride to a large extent, and
is being financed by a group of men
in the banking business. Ira R. Goed
lin of North Bend, Or., is registered
at the Perkins. -
Dr. Lovejoy has decided not again
rto be a candidate for congress. Dr.
Lovejoy is a sensible woman. Once
is plenty.
Three weeks more - have been
allotted for filling the chest. One
can believe in miracles if it be done.
The easiest 15 cents a man earns
is by shining his shoes and some of
the bootblacks are realizing it.
This weather is solid comfort to
the man who has a wife ambitious
in garden lines. -
You must admire the semaphore
cop who holds up ' to the job in
stormy weather.
Every idle ten-dollar bill In
man's pocket should be at work
a bank.
In commenting on the custom in
many restaurants of calling the or
ders to the kitchen In "hash house
slang" such as "Adam and Eve on a
raft. Wreck 'em," "double -stack but
tered," "Inky Java, etc.," R. V. H.
says his favorite "chow palace" has
a better method. This manager makes
his waiters call the orders as writ
ten on the me: -i as a valuable means
ot advertising. No abbreviations are
allowed.
They, call out "country ham, crisp,
and scrambled eggs," "little sausages
and waffles," "i-ot of coffee and
clotted cream, etc R. V. H. says it
seems to stimulate his appetite,, for
this system makes it keener than
to know that you are to eat "break
two and iumble" or something of
t.at character.
Seventeen miles northwest pf
Clatskanie, on the Nehalem river
navigable only for canoes and not
much used even for this sort of
transportation since the disappear
ance of the Indians is a postofflce
called Birkenfeld. Maybe there are
70 people living there. A. Birkenfeld
of Birkenfeld is at the Perkins.
Cast You Asner These ftaestloasf
1. What insect lives longest?
2. Where does the Canada goose
nest?
3. What makes the ocean currents?
Answers in tomorrow's nature notes,
..
Answers to Previous Questions.
1. How long will "Actias luna" or
"Tropea luna," take to hatch from the
chrysalid if kept indoors at even tem
perature? This moth hatches in nature in
early spring. Artificial conditions
might vary so, that we cannot give a
rule. It is not easy to hatch moth
cocoons out, as in the house they dry,
and the creature is likely to emerge
with Its wings too dry and stiff to be
properly unfolded. The cocoons should
be sprinkled slightly, but regularly to
keep them flexible.
2. Do any birds but pigeons feed
their young by regurgitations?
Yes, cormorants and herons do, also
hummingbirds.
3. 1 read In the paper sometime ago
that. an attempt was to be made for a
man to go to the moon on a rocket
Was it ever tried, and did it succeed?
Hardly the sort of question for this
column. We never saw the report of
any alleged attempt for a human
being to travel on a rocket. We would
remind readers of such yarns'-to con
sider that human beings cannot live
beyond a certain distance from the
earth, owing to atmospheric condi
tions. The scientists, now trying to
ascend Mount Everest, in India, the
highest mountain in the world, have
to take oxygen supplies to assist
breathing at an altitude. The tip of
this peak at 29,000 feet, is at a negligi
ble height compared with the moon.
ATTITUDE ASTONISHES IATMAS
Retaliatory Rejection of Home Sunday
Movement Held Unminlsterial.
PORTLAND, March 9. (To the Edi
tor.) If correctly reported in at least
one local newspaper, Portland minis
ters recently in monthly session re
jected with contumely a suggestion
from the Parent-Teacher association
that March 19 be observed as "Home
Sunday."
Why? Because, if correctly quoted
again, the proponents of Home Sun
day had,. It was alleged by tha dis
senting clergymen, refused to co-operate
with the clergy in the dance
controversy, which the ministers
characterized as a great home issue.
Strange reasoning, forsooth, for a
man of God "An eye for an eye" a
doctrine that seemed to receive fur
ther indorsement from a speaker at
the same session who said: "We want
legislation prescribing that any man
caught grafting . . . shall be lined
up against the wall and shot."
But to return to the ill-fated Home
Sunday movement, which, so far as
the ministers have powers to kill, died
a-bornlng. Ministers, it was reported,
not content with rejecting the Homo
Sunday idea, denounced the Parent-
Teacher association for the sugges
tion and added with unctuous com
placency that the clergy could at
tend to Its own business.
Its own business!" God wot not
the business of him who said his work
was to be about his father's business,
else surely the home, the foundation
of society, the seminary of all other
institutions (Chapin), the backbone of
all business, would be their sacro
sanct business. One might think that
Home Sunday as advocated by the
Parent-Teacher association or as
might be construed by the less ar
dent church-goers was to be stay-at
home Sunday. Absit omen! Nothln
more terrible was suggested than tha
there be on this particular Sunday 1
all the churches special stress lal
on the home virtues. But the clergy
men, all-wise, saw in this an attack
on their Inalienable prerogative o
minding their own business.
Would some member of the malcon
tent ministers for the sake of a sin
cerelv interested layman please ex
pound just what is a clergyman'
business that he Is a law unto him
self?
The suggestion proper that the Par
ent-Teacher association should not re
celve the ministers' thanks for mak
Ing a suggestion which might have
come appropriately from tne minis
ters themselves Is bad enough, bu
that It should be flouted because the
Parent-Teacher association had on
another occasion Incurred the clergy
men's odium theologicum Is unthink
able.
Perhaps the reverend gentlemen
were misquoted. Perhaps they don't
read the venal press. But If they were
misquoted and If they do read the
newspapers it might not be asking
too much for their explanation of an
attitude that seems decidedly unmln
isterlal. un-Christllke and certainly
not encouraging to those who do not
go to church on Sunday.
It might be well to have Home Sun
day just the same. . That Is the opln-
on of the writer, who holds no brief
for the Parent-Teacher association
who does not approve of dancing in
the schools and who does go to church
onsistently to worship, he hopes, in
plrlt and In truth. A. LAYMAN.
IT'S CtOTHKS THAT MAKE TIIU
DIPLOMAT.
In Mexico, before the wr.
They dressed the diplomatic corps
In feathered hats
And green cravats
And such Ilka radisnt raiment;
And all the hidalgos and sports
Went gladly off to foreign courts
To represent
The government.
Without a cent of payment.
Enough for them to be arrayed
In garments of a tropic shade.
If velvet suits
And Russian boots
They only were accorded,
If through a capital they strolled
In vestments made of cloth of gold.
And trimmed with fur.
They felt they were
Sufficiently rewarded.
But Obregon has changed all that.
He rules that every diplomat
Who fain would go
From Mexico
To deal with foreign nation
Must wear no feathers, furs or boots.
But drees In quiet evening suits.
All bright array
He deems too gay
For diplomatic stations.
In consequence there's not a gent
Who Mexico will represent
In any land.
Now boots are banned
And gala clothes abated.
No Mexican would have th face
To take or fill a plain clothes place.
Ana UDregon.
Prom this time on.
Will be quite isolated.
Highly Eligible,
A forward looking man rosy havs
no chance In politics just now. but hs
makes the best kind of a chauffeur.
Good Weather for Golf.
It will soon be spring In Scotland.
and Lloyd George won't have to go
so far from home to attend confer.
ences.
Left Ont.
Up to date the Princess Mary's
great-ereat-unele's wedding Invita
tion hadn't arrived.
ffopyrlsrht by the Pell Rvndlrst, Tn.
Desolation.
By Grart K. Hall.
The waves tonight creep to ths
silent sand
And, moaning, fling themselves upon
the shore;
You passed today they seem to
understand
That you will leave an imprint nevermore;
A gull dips low, with weird sni
pleading cry.
And looks for you, dear heart, In
winging by.
Alixre, I stand tonight beside the
grave
Wherein wa two have laid our lova
away;
Down on the beach I watch a sinu
ous wave
Drench from the, sands your foot
prints of today;
And, desolate as the lone gull In Its
sweep.
I kneel upon the rocks, my own, snd
weep.
Darwin's Birthplace Bought,
Scientific American.
Mount House, Shrewsbury, with the
famous Darwin walk, a wooded prom
enade high above the Severn, has been
bought by the office of - works to
house It clerks.
Dr. D. W. Dutton of The Dalles
has been meeting golf experts in
the lobby of the Multnomah and get
ting their opinion as to the best way
to lay out a course. The newly-or
ganized golf club at The Dalles will
have a course on ground owned by
the doctor.
Walter P. Reed of Reedsport, Or.,
Douglas county. Is at the Imperial.
Mr. Reed is chaisman of the port of
Umpqua commission, president of the
Reedsport Townsite company and
various other activities in that sec
tion. Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock
Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Crockett were
married in Pendleton, and yesterday
morning they landed at the Benson
on their honeymoon. Mr. Crockett Is
in the newspaper business.
Someone wrote "It's the limit" after
the name of F. S. Bramwell on the
register of the Hotel Oregon. Mr.
Bramwell likes to register "It's the
climate," and has reference to Grants
Pass.
Governor Olcott was in Portland
yesterday in regard to the institution
for the sightless. Sam A Kozer, sec
retary of state, was also here on the
same mission. .
WHENCE COMES ITS STHEATGTHf
Why Bank Is Safer When la Federal
Reserve System.
COTTAGE GROVE, Or.. March 8
(To the Editor.) 1 notice In The
Oregonlan an advertisement of the
Northwestern National bank, In which
it solicits savings deposits. xni
advertisement closes with the state
ment that it is a member of the fed-
ral reserve system.
Because of the recent State bank
of Portland failure, this advertise
ment is of unusual Interest, not only
me but also to many of your other
readers outside of Portland, as Well
as in it.
Anv losers in this bank s failure
will be inclined from this time on to
denosit their savings in their stock
ings rather than any bank, and In
order to secure these deposits it is
up to the banks soliciting their pat
ronage to give some evidence that
their institutions are safe in reality
as well as In name, and I am per
euaded that the announcement that
the above bank belongs to the fed
eral system is for this purpose.
I have long held that we should
have a banking system so safe that
when one made a deposit In any bank
it should be as safe as though in
vested In a government bond. I have
also believed that the federal reserve
system was a step in that direction,
but with my imperfect knowledge of
that system I am free to confess that
I am not sure, and Inasmuch as others
who are perhaps better Informed than
I contend that the depositor in one
of these banks Ls no better secured
against loss tha a depositor In a
bank outside of the system. I am
anxious to know the facts and I feel
sure that many of the readers of The
Oregonian will be greatly pleased if
the subject is treated editorially in
the near- future. If the depositor In
one of these reserve banks has any
greater security than one out of the
system, please tell us how, and If not,
tell us why the existence of the sys
tem. O. M. KEM.
The information desired is given In
an article on mis page.
In Other Day.
Twenty-Five Years .To.
From The Oregonlan of March 10, 1RI7.
John Myers, president of the Com
mercial & Savings bank, was yester
day appointed chief of police to suc
ceed Iwls Kobertson, who resigned
ten days ago.
Washington. President MoKlnley
and the cabinet held their first formal
meeting at-11 o'clock today.
Cincinnati. A heavy rsln, followed
by an outpouring of the Llrklng river,
caused alarm about the flood frui
tion and precautions are being taken.
Plans have been completed for. sn1
a survey made of, the flume site at
the mine of the Klamath l'lums A
Mining company, at the big bend of
Klamath river. Mining operations will
start shortly.
Fifty Years Ago.
From The Oregonlan of March 10. 172.
Brownsville, Tex. A party of trmfi
men, thought to be Cortinas, cross'1'!
the river at Santa Maria ranch an'1
captured all the residents, Including
two customs inspectors. After steal
ing a thousand head of cattle, the
maurauders released their captives.
Washington A bill for the rV- t
ment of $100 bounty to soldiers, their I
widows and orphans, was passea.
Los Angeles. Trouble ls brewing
among the miHsion inuiani ot sun
Luis Rey. Appeal has been made to
Superintendent Whiting.
The first run of Chinook salmon
has commenced running into market.
About 80 men are now employed st
the O. & C. R. R. machine shop No. 1.
and the force soon Is to be increase'!
A letter came through the mall yes
terday addressed to Clackamas lirideo.
That office was moved the other
day by high water particular loca -ity
not now known.
Depositors In Ileservo Bank.
PORTLAND, March 9. (To th Edi
tor.) 1. Klnd'y Inform me If a de
positor In any federal reserve hnnK
s absolutely guaranteea oi tne satciy
of his sav' igs in such a bank. In
case' of a run on the bank necessitate
ng temporary suspension or rumis
does not the government make good
ail deposits?
2. What form of certificate or
bond of short duration Issu'-d by lie
government pays best rate of Interett
and what rate? A SUliaCitlllKK.
1. There ls not an absolute guur
ntee. Read the article on this ph""
ntitled "Its Source of Strength.
2. Your question is not definite
to whether you irean tfoverntnent ta
urines heretofore Issued or those
ewly available. Several contingen
cies such as the period to maturity
and the issue price affect some of
them. If contemplating Investment
c nsult your banker for particulars.
"A"
Perurlty of Bnnk Deposit aim.
PORTLAND, March S. (To tho Kiii
to:) 1. Kindly explain In what mn
a bank holding membership In the
federal reserve bttter saleiTiiaKis Its
depositors.
2. Are the United States National
an.'. First National banks of this city
members of the federal reserve?
a sl'usciu ui:r..
1. Read the article on tb! page
entitled "Its Source of Strength. "
2. The United States National am
First National are members of tho"
fedeml reserve.