THE MOEXIXG OREGOXIiX, FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 1922
- pX$vnm Bre$anxan
ESTABLISHED BY II EMiV L. PITTOCK.
Published by Ths Oregonian Publishing Co.
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THE WAK ON COMPETITION.
One of the grave consequences of
the principle maintained by Exam
iner Disque of the interstate com
merce commission in his report on
the transcontinental rate case. If it
should be sustained by the commis
sion, ia brought out in the report of
Chairman Devers to the Portland
Traffic & Transportation association.
Being forbidden to reduce rates to
Pacific ports to the point where they
could compete with water lines, rail
roads would do their utmost to cause
rates on water lines to remain at the
level which the railroads would be
compelled to maintain. " Freed from
fear of railroad competition, inter
coastal shipping lines would combine
to maintain as high a standard of
rates as possible without causing
traffic to turn to the railroads, and
the latter would in every conceiv
able way encourage this tendency.
While active competition prevails,
the disposition of each party is to
reduce the price of transportation
until it pays only cost plus a living
profit and thus to get traffic. Each
drives the other down, forcing it to
practice higher economy and effi
ciency as the means of still realizing
profit in spite of the reduction. The
Disque theory would remove this
pressure, 'and the public would be
deprived of the benefits of competi
tion between rail and water just
when it is most needed to deflate
cost of transportation.
Railroads are already working on
these lines with regard to inland
waterways. The water competition
produced by the Panama canal does
not stop at the coasts; it extends up
the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio
rivers all the way to Louis,
Chicago and Pittsburg. The steel
corporation, though its controlling
powers are heavily interested in rail
roads, has taken to shipping steel
by barge from Pittsburg down the
Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans
for transhipment through the canal
to the Pacific coast. The Harvester
company has sent farm implements
through the drainage canal and by
the government barge line down the
Mississippi to New Orleans for ship
ment to Portland. The traffic of
the barge line is rapidly increasing
at the expense of the railroads.
Their prices having fallen, manu
facturers are seeking every avenue
Ol escape Hum m tiiiuittiiy xiigii i.u-
road rates, which remain at the peak
except in particular instances where
they have been reduced in order to
stimulate or to prevent loss of traffic.
on inland waterway competition.
They won the fight to exact tolls
from intercoastal ships on the
Panama canal. They now make the
serious proposal that the government
should charge tolls on inland water
ways suflicient to pay interest on the
cost of improvement and cost of
operation and maintenance. They
du not stop with the rivers, but want
the same rule applied to the Sault
Ste Marie canal and other channels
connecting tho reat lakes. Though
the interstate commerce law requires
through rates and through traffic by
rail and water lines combined, rail
roads refuse to comply and stub
bornly oppose all efforts" to compel
them. They still regard water lines
on river, canal, lake or sea as their
natural enemies, to be fought to the
death. They already strive to kill
inland waterway competition by
raising its cost of operation through
imposition of tolls. If they should
be forbidden to compete with inter
coastal ships by reducing trans
continental rates, they would work
harder than ever to prevent exemp
tion of those ships from Panama
canal tolls and they would do all in
their power to cause cost of operat
ing ships to be held high and to
make water ratesjiigh in order that
they might be able to compete at the
high scale of rates which the Disque
theory would force them to maintain.
If the people of the iniermountain
country who regard the Disque find
ings as a victory for them believe
that they would profit by elimina
tion of railroad competition with
water lines and that seaports would
be the only losers, they delude them
selves. To all interior points where
the water rate plus the local rail
rata on goods from the east would
Kn la fVian the. frftnifintinpnl!il
rail rate, goods would be carried by
water, . and the same rule would j
apply to goods shipped from interior
points through Pacific ports to the
Atlantic coast and foreign ports.
The consumer pays the freight on
niodities such as wheat, the price of
which is fixed in world markets, the
producer pays the freight, for every
cent added to the freight is deducted
from the price paid on the farm.
Svutg excluded from competition for
transcontinental traffic, the railroad
must make good from other traffic
the revenue that it loses. He looks
to westbound traffic to pay the cost
of hauling cars west for transporta
tion of Pacific coast products east,
just as a lumber sip relies on a
cargo of coal from Newcastle, Aus
tralia, to pay for the homeward
voyage, and if possible to pay its
share of the overhead cost. Oji the
Disque principle the railroad must
get this unavoidable part of its
expenses from other traffic. That
means an increase in the general
scale of rates, including those which
the interior pays on sea-borne goods
to and from the coast. It would be
no small increase. On the Northern
Pacific alone revenue from trans
continental traffic is estimated at
$12,000,000 to $15,000,000 a year.
The interior people by killing rail
road competition with water lines
would help all those influences, both
railroad and shipping, which strive
to keep rates high, and they pay
the freight.
The most serious remaining obstacle
to complete return of normal pros
perity is high cost of transportation.
Prices have fallen, but this cost in
general has not nowhere in the
same proportion. It is therefore a
greater burden than it was when
prices were at the peak, for it is a
higher percentage of the selling
price of goods. The one factor
which has done most to revive pros
perity is, the revival of sea trans
portation and the fall in ocean
freight. It has enabled lumber to
reach Atlantic coast markets in great
quantities when railroad rates were
prohibitive. It has lowered trans
portation cost for the intermountain
country as well as for the coast.
The interest of all, in the interior as
well as on the coast, demands that
this cost shall continue to go down,
down, down to the minimum at
which a fair return on capital can
be paid and the efficiency of the
railroad system can be maintained.
Competition alone can determine
what that minimum is. It is more
powerful and more accurate in its
Working than any law, any decree of
a court or any decision of a commis
sion, for it consists of the combined
force of the instinctive desire of
many millions to supply their needs
at the lowest possible price.
expectancy figures, read by them
selves, might be misleading, since
they would not take into account the
greater liability of men to violent
death as the result of their more
general employment in hazardous
occupations. But even in the ages
when the chances of both sexes
ought to be equal, females exhibit a
greater capacity to survive. In the
United States 127 males die in in
fancy to every 100 females. Norway
is often cited as having the low
est infant death rate of any country
in the world, yet 81 Norwegian boy
babies die before the age of one year
to every 67 girl babies who fail to
survive the first 12 months. Pre
sumably in this as.well as other civ
ilized countries infants of both sexes
have the benefit of equally intellf
gent and affectionate care. The
deep-lying processes of nature in its
efforts to preserve the race against
extinction still baffle analysis. We
are no nearer to the truth in this
respect than we have ever been.
' SHALL PORTLAND PAY FOB IT?
The decision of the managing
committee of the 1925 exposition to
go ahead with its plans was alto
gether proper, in the circumstances.
It is indicative of the spirit to do
and to serve which has made Port
land a strong and growing city and
which refuses to accept or recognize
failure in any enterprise for the
benefit of community and state. In
view of the offer last fall for an
outright appropriation of $2,000,000
by Portland vote of more than 4
to 1 the committee correctly deter
mined that it was under definite
instructions to act.'
But it is not too readily to be
assumed that Portland alone has
decided to finance the fair. Ob
viously a satisfying exposition can
not be held unless Portland ia willing
to give directly more than $2,000,000.
There must be a stock subscription
of. $1,000,000, and the people in the
city must vote $3,000,000. It is to
be noted that the committee in its
statement declared that, its "plans
are not in any wise contingent upon
any legislative appropriation." Yet
it is clear that, if the state is to
participate, It must be through legis
lative action. The intent of the
exposition management, doubtless, is
to leave that question wholly and
freely to the legislature. WTiether
it appropriates anything or nothing,
there will be a fair, provided (mark
the "provided") that the people of
Portland subscribe to $1,000,000 in
stock, and vote directly to give
$3,000,000. If the state appropriates
anything, one-third will be paid by
Portland.
The question of holding the expo
sition is to be re-decided by Portland.
That the decision will be favorable
Is probable,; but it can all the better
be assured by- clear evidence of the
state's Interest. That interest will
be shown in the first instance by
the extent of outside stock subscrip
tions. If they are meager the re
action upon Portland will not be
agreeable. For whatever Portland
does about an exposition it will be an
Oregon, not a Portland, enterprise.
FIRE BUREAU DUPLICATION.
The legislature of 1921 created the
office of state fire marshal and
levied an assessment against the
gross premiums of fire Insurance
companies far maintenance of the
office. For the year 1921 the reve
nues for this purpose were $27,736;
for 1922 the sum of $22,364 has
been collected.
The state fire marshal and his
deputies are charged with inspection
of buildings for fire hazards, with
investigation of fires, with enforce
ment of fire drills in the public
schools and similar duties. Yet in
Portland the taxpayers support their
own fire marshal and 11 lieutenants
who perform similar inspections and
investigations. The taxpayers also
support a separate building inspec
tion department, clothed with some
of the powers of the fire prevention
bureau.
By state law the Portland fire
marshal is an assistant state fire
marshal and is required to perform
the duties thereof without additional
compensation. If there were no city
fire marshal, the fire chief would
automatically become assistant state
fire marshal. If it were deemed lm
practical for hosemen to make the
required inspections and investiga
tions, there Is no equitable reason
why some of the state fund used foi
paying the salaries of deputy state
fire marshals should not be devoted
to that purpose in Portland. For
while the cost of the state fire mar
shal's office is paid by assessing the
premiums of the insurance compa
nies, such assessments come out of
the pockets of the policy holders
and the policy holders of Portland
pay a large share of the fire insur
ance premiums collected in Oregon.
The policy holder is in most cases a
taxpayer. He pays twice for fire
prevention.
Still, some folks wonder why taxes
are high.
LIVING LONGER.
We are not prepared to accept the
conclusions of Dr. M. P. Ravenal,
of St. Louis, ..who is quoted by the
Globe-Democrat as saying that
"Americans are living too hard
and too fast," just because the aver
age expectancy of life has been in
creased chiefly as the result of the
greater age at which children die
during the first five years, while less
progress has been made as to dis
eases of middle life and later. The
charge that "Americans have not
learned how to live" has become a
cant phrase, not always, however,
bearing the hallmark of thought.
The testimony of nearly all men who
have lived long and usefully agrees
on the point that the constantly busy
man has the- best chance of reaching
a good age.
The death rate for both sexes, Dr.
Ravenal finds, is lower in the coun
try than in the town, from which
we shall not too hastily assume that
this is so because life is "less stren
uous" amid bucolic surroundings.
Other factors may account for the
difference, the economic among
them, but in all probability a great
er proportion of outdoor workers,
who may or may not be "strenuous
ly" occupied, has a good deal to do
with the showing made. The hy
gienic advantages of fresh air and
exercise are undoubted but they do
not necessarily prove that the w-ay
to live longer is to slow up. A de
creased average life expectancy after
the age of 50, often cited in sup
port of the theory that we "live too
fast," is misleading, taken by itself.
Allowance is not always made, as it
ought to be, for the circumstance
that in saving a greater proportion
of lives in the earlier years, a great- !
er number of individuals are pre
served to swell the mortality totals
from degenerative diseases. Unwise
living, though not necessarily faster
living, undoubtedly contributes to
the result. .
The doctor does not Interpret,
either, the figures which he cites as
showing that the longevity of women
is increasing by comparison with
that of men. One of the social
phenomena of the century has been
the vastly accelerated pace of wom
en by comparison with the past. Yet
the new freedom, with its Industrial
burdens, its women in industry and
the professions, its jazz, its social
complications and its nerve-racking
demands, has not, it seems, short
ened women's lives. Why it should
do this for men and not for women
is not explained; a convenient infer
ence is that the so-called killing pace
of civilization is not so devastating
after all. It is not, in any event,
killing the women, as the figures
show. The average expectancy for
females of all ages, which 10 years
ago was three years greater than
that for males, is now three and a
half years greater.
It is incidentally interesting to
note that the innate vitality of the
feminine sex continues to be strong
er than that of the males. Average
A WELL-MERITED REBUKE. '
Rejection by the majority of house
republicans of the leadership of their
own chiefs in favor of that of Presi
dent Harding on the naval bill is an
example of what the president can
do when he chooses to take the lead.
It is a merited rebuke to those re
publican leaders in the house who
have on several occasions under
taken to shape legislation according
to their own ideas without attempt
to work in harmony with the presi
dent,' and to act contrary to his
advice, even to the point of seriously
interfering with his administration
of the government.
The proposal of the majority of
the appropriations committee to cut
the manpower of the navy far below
the limit recommended by the navy
department was a particularly flag
rant case. The president had by
means of the Washington five
power treaty effected a great meas
ure of economy while providing
adequately for the national defense
at sea, and the ratification of that
treaty by the -senate had made it
law. Determination of the number
of men needed for the navy thus
provided was a work of simple cal
culation for the navy department,
and the house should without much
debate have voted that number of
men and the necessary funds. With
an eye to the campaign, the house
leaders undertook to make a record
for economy all their own by cutting
down the force, though they would
have wrecked the president's work
by reducing the navy below the
agreed ratio, even below the, strength
accepted by Japan. This was spur
ious economy which would seriously
impair the national defense and
would entail national danger and
excessive expense whenever we be
came engaged in war. It is greatly
to the credit of the majority of
republicans led by Representative
McArthur and of those democrats
who joined them that they stood by
the president and deserted their
recreant leaders. Having been
beaten by a majority of almost two
to one in their own party the little
navy men should be in a very
chastened mood.
It is much to be desired that the
president would more often assert
himself as leader of the republican
party, as he did on this occasion.
The people hold that party respon
sible for the government, and they
look to Mr. Harding to lead it.
extra-legal executions is not In a
situation to exult over another
merely because the latter has com
mitted the same offense a greater
number of times. The moral issues
are lost to sight when the contro
versy takes this turn, heat rather
than light is emitted and people who
ought to unite to remove the cause
dissipate their energies in a series of
non sequiturs.
The minister quotes the prophet
Isaiah: "He that covereth his sin
shall not prosper." There is no
doubt, he avers, that a very large
number of people who regard them
selves as good citizens on the whole
either excuse or indorse lynching.
"Many of them will not admit it
when stated baldly, but it is the
everlasting truth." Most all news
papers and nearly all lawyers and
preachers denounce lynching for any
and every offense, but a majority
condone it "under certain circum
stances," forgetting that when one
excuses or indorses it for one of
fense one has let down the bars and
indorsed or excused for everything.
No fence is higher than its lowest
place and no chain is stronger than
its weakest link. The gap in the
fence and the wen . place in the
chain, in this observer's opinion, are
found in the reluctance, sometimes
inspired by fear, of the better class
of citizens to aid in bringing lynch
ers to justice. It is constantly omit
ted from the calculations of such
men that, as Epictetus said, "I am
never a great sufferer except by my
own faults." Lynching reacts upon
the community that permits It, just
as crimes that inspire lynching cause
irreparable injury to those who ex
cuse them.
The- remedy suggested Is briefly
the systematic education of public
opinion upon the subject. Admitting
that his own state of Georgia Is sta
tistically the worst offender among
the states, the minister believes that
it should be the central point from
which should radiate a great organ
ization having this purpose in view.
He outlines a programme. He would
make the state the unit of organiza
tion and would carry his propaganda
into the schools. He would offer
prizes to white scholars for best es
says or speeches on the cause and
cure of lynching; and particularly in
the southern states he would carry
out a similar programme in the
negro schools, where he would offer
prizes for essays on the best way to
promote co-operation between the
races in working out the problem.
To this extent he recognizes the
racial character of the issue in cer
tain localities, but he would go fur
ther than that. Ultimately it is his
aim to create a first-class literature
on a topic that has suffered in the
past for want of orderly, thoughtful
consideration. He believes it pos
sible thus to develop "such a con
science as would touch the whole
state." Leadership is needed at the
outset, but this need not be hard to
find.
There will be general agreement
that it is only through the develop
ment of a sound opinion among the
people that permanent reform can
be hoped for. The fact is plain to
those who think broadly that defi
ance of the law in the long run oper
ates against the community which
practices or tolerates it. There is
need of a vigorous educational cam
paign in behalf of respect for the
law, in other particulars than lynch
ing, but this crime, because of its
enormous social consequences and
its menace to organized society, fur
nishes a convenient starting point.
It may be that it is not the only way
to check lynching, but It would seem
to be one way. It is, moreover, a
good sign that the suggestion has
been received seriously by the people
of the south itself.
The Listening Post.
By nJwitt Harry.
PREVENTION OF LYNCHING.
A thought-provoking contribution
to the discussion of the causes and
the cure of lynching is made by a
Methodist minister in Georgia, who,
in a letter to the Atlanta Constitu
tion, points out that a mistake has
been made in the past by those who
have persisted in regarding lynching
as primarily either a racial, a sec
tional or a political issue. Funda
mentally, he says, it is neither, and
every word said with these assump
tions as a basis has only complicated
matters without clarifying them.
The main features are mora, rather
than political, and -national rather
than sectional or racial. The writer
holds that by taking the parochial
view w o u 1 d-b e reformers have
greatly retarded accomplishment of
the object of their desire.
Lynching is not confined to the
south, though the south appears on
the face of the statistics to be the
worst offender. Other sections may
well take note that when the lawless
spirit holds sway, mob violence is
apt to overrun geographical lines.
That disregard for law feeds upon
itself is well known, and is a fact at
tested by the circumstance that a
minority of lynchings in recent years
have been incited by the particular
crime which formerly used to be
cited in excuse for lynching. The
principle that mob rule is wrong
does not rest upon numerical com
parisons and a region that permits
Senator Shortridge of California
would tax all aliens $24 a year so
long as they do riot become citizens
and put the money in a fund for
education in Americanism. The esti
mate of $2 a month as the value of
the protection of the stars and
stripes is low enough, to say the
least, and an alien who does not
think the figure reasonable can well
be spared.
Canadian officials are co-operat
ing with United States prohibition
officials, it is announced, jo prevent
the shipment of American bonded
whisky into Canada to be re-shipped
back into the United States. Well,
it's only natural that" they should
give preferential rights to British
Scotch.
Nevada is tiring of notoriety con
sequent upon use of lethal gas in
executing criminals. let tne vic
tim" can in all decency be given a
choice of means without offending
anybody. Rope or ball hurts, while
the gas route may be gentle trans
lation. -
A jury of men in New Jersey
promptly acquitted a wife who felt
compelled to kill her young sister
for intimacy with the husband. It
might seem the man most needed
killing, but the jury thought other
wise. A jury of women might vote
differently. - .
ERIC HAUSEE is a regular fellow,
the sort who never backs down in
anything. His ventures in Portland
have proved him of this type and a
recent adventure serves to accentuate
it.
Chauncey Bishop of Pendleton sent
half a dozen of the biggest chiefs of
the inland empire down to visit the
French warrior, Joffre. Poker Jim,
chief of the Cayuse tribe, led the
delegation) while Roy Bishop acted
the role of chaperon while the red
men were in the big city. They were
guests of the Multnomah hotel and
Eric Hauser, being their friend of
several round-ups back, had the' six
chiefs as his guests at breakfast one
morning.
Now if there is any one thing at
which an Indian excels it is at table
sports. Hauser turned the chiefs
loose on the menu and they did it
justice, paid the hotel and the chef
and the entire management a sincere
compliment, somewhat like the one
the locusts paid the Mormons' crops.
The check for the six Indians' break
fast totaled $42.
In line with our recent eyebrow
hint one of our flapper readers asks
If we know how to measure ear
rings, and then goes on to explain the
process. It seems that the longer
the neck the greater the possibili
ties. The ear-ring of this day is at
tached by means of a set screw and
it is no longer necessary for the one
who wants so to adorn herself to go
through the tortures that the orig
inal savages did when they had the
lobes of their ears bored or pierced.
When they used to expose the ears
and .cover the knees, back in the
days whenpompadours were the rage,
the girls wore solitaire diamonds in
their ears, but no diamond cl03ely
attached after this fashion would
have the ghost of a chance now when
the ear snugly nestles in a bun of
hair. Dangling attachments are
necessary In order that they may be
seen, and now comes the secret for
measurement, according to our in
formant. The longer the neck, the
longer the ear-rings, or whatever
they should be called today.
Those Who Come and Go.
Tales of Folks at the Hotels.
Glide Vork, Mare Buker!
Ay vanting say Aman to Mare,
An' all dps folks das ban prepare
To mak big fight on all kin' drug,
An' giving peddlers gude big slug.
Ay alvays tank, lak. Canon Bliss,
Dat sailing drug ban Yudas kiss.
An' not skol be no meaner skunk
Dan faller charging two, tree plunk
For dope das robbing pocketbook
An' sending soul to hal to cook.
Ay hope bote tousand man or two
Ban yoining dls har fighting crew.
An' make gude scrap vith des har
scamp
An cleaning out dope peddlers' camp.
By yee, it seem lak dos ban shame,
Ven gude young vomen sal der name
An' eferding dey prizing most
And mak demsalf ban look lak ghost,
Ven some slick faller ban to blame
And wracking vomen ban has aim.
Ay tank gude yank of hangman's
rope
Ban lot too gude for saling dope.
An ven detectiff catch dos houn
Ay bat Ve run dem out uas town
An' landing dem in som gude penn
Ver not skol ruin folks again.
OLE OLESON.
On of the members of this con
spiracy, that is one of the regular
readers of the column, reports what
she considers the highest test of
friendshin as it occurred on a Union-
avenue ear the other evening; Two
girls ridiaa together, one in dire dis
tress but with no handkerchief. After
feverish search for the bit of linen
her companion came to her relief by
passing over the much needed ac
commodation. After use the hanky
was returned, the impressive fact be
ing the total absence of any appear
ance of the unusual in the transac
tion.
One night last week at a house
party at which a newly married cou
ple attended there were several sin
gle young men. The bridegroom" hap
pened to discover a woman's hand
kerchief on a chair. He raised it to
his nose and pocketed it, with no
dea that he was doing anything out
of the way. It greatly amused the
bachelors, who had never seen any
thing of the kind before and they re
ceived a totally new idea of how
well married couples become ac
quainted when they get things down
to such a fine point that all their
senses are on the alert to tell of each
other.
Just as soon as he can sell out his
holdings in New York he intends re
turning to Portland and remaining
here. This was the announced inten
tion of Thomas C. Devlin when he left
for the east last night after a brief
visit here. Mr. Devlin was, a few
years ago, one of the best-known
men in Portland, For years he was
city auditor and then became a candi
date for mayor in one of the most
hotly contested campaigns that was
ever waged in this community. Fol
lowing the campaign Mr. Devlin suf
fered a breakdown in health and went
to the east, settling in New York
state. For about five years he had
never slept in a bed until his recent
trip to Portland, owing to his com
plaint, and all his sleeping had to
be accomplished in a chair. While
in Portland Mr. Devlin felt so much
better that he resolved to return here
permanently. When he left New
York for the Pacific coast his health
was such that it was believed he
could not survive the trip, but mak
ing the voyage by steamer greatly
improved his condition. Before be
coming a mayoralty candidate Mr.
Devlin was the author of a textbook
on municipal government. In the
olden' days he had a personal friend
who has since become celebrated as
a writer, Harry Leon Wilson, author
of "Ruggles, "Merton of the Movies
and "Ma Pettingill."
P. A. Flnseth has owned the Bee
Hive clothing store on Main street
in Dallas since the memory of man
runs not to the contrary. There in
the spring and in the fall the youths
of the Polk 'county metropolis flock
to obtain the latest styles. Mr. Fln
seth was In Portland yesterday to
transact some purchasing business
and was at the Imperial. He is the
father of Lelf Finseth, grand chan
cellor of the Knights of Pythias of
the state. Some time ago Mr. Fin
seth made a trip to Norway, where
he visited his old home. He also went
to Paris, Berlin and other European
cities. At the present time he is
keenly interested in the prima situa
tion. Growers of the country around
Dallas are expecting great prune
crops this season, he said yesterday.
Last year the prune crop in Polk
county was practically a failure and
many of the growers- did not go to
the expense of harvesting their crops.
This season a contrary condition
exists and the trees are loaded down
with buds that are starting to burst.
Many of the prune men are of the
opinion that it would be much better
were the trees not to be so heavily
loaded with fruit as prospects now
indicate they will be. "They desire
quality rather than great quantity,"
declared Mr. Finseth yesterday. "A
heavily loaded tree cannot produce
the good grade of prunes that can be
obtained from a moderately loaded
tree."
A. J. Dickinson, passenger traffic
manager of the Great Northern rail
road of St. Paul, Minn., and C. W.
Meldrum, assistant passenger agent
of Seattle, are registered at the Mult
nomah. Mr. Dickinson states that
'many of the special parties of Shrin
ers who will go to San Francisco this
summer to attend their convention
have made plans to stop over in Port
land. As a result of his investigation
of conditions on this trip, Mr. Dickin
son believes that business conditions
a-re generally improving. .
J. F. Kronenberg, a merchant of
Bandon, is at the Multnomah. B&ndon
is looking forward to the time when
there will be a good highway betwee
that town and Coquille, which will
place it at an advantageous spot on
the Roosevelt highway. Bandon is th
shipping point for white cedar an
dairy produce from Curry county
Bandon being the only suitable outie
for the dairy products, although con
siderable of the cedar goes out of Port
Orford harbor.
Every so often Joe Matty of Lafay
ette. Or., takes a few montns on
e-oes back to England, the scene of hi
boyhood. - Mr. Matty is a wealthy
farmer in the Lafayette district, al
though he uses McMinnvme as ni
rjostoffice. His activities have not
heen confined to Yamhill county, how
ever, for years ago he invested in
Portland and built the Lafayette block
in this city. Mr. Matty will be in
England several months but has no
intention or caning on olius i6
L. A. Duncan, in the insurance busl
ness in The Dalles, is registered at
the Tmnerial. The Dalles likes to cal
itself the cherry city, without regard
for the feelings of the people ot ta-
7em. Within two weeks the cherry
nrfharris around The Dalles will be in
full bloom. The lower parts of the
rreea am now throwing out a few
blooms.
Among the arrivals at the Benson
is one of the four democratic can
didates for eovernor. Will E. fnray,
who has a bath house at Salem. He
was elected one of the delegates to
the democratic national convention
in San Francisco from Oregon and
offended some of his fellow dele
gates from the Beaver state by the
policy he pursued mere.
One of the prominent stockmen of
the John Day country is rl. ri. l row
bridge, who is in own for a few
days. Mr. Trowbridge registers from
the town -ot John Day, which is on
the John Day highway, and the John
Day river flows nearby, jonn w
was a pioneer hunter, and, as Irving
Cobb would say, it is a pity that they
Burroughs Nature Club.
Copyrleht, Houehton-Mtfflln Co,
More Truth Than Poetry.
By Janrs J. Moatagne.
What has put the spirit of hope
into the hearts of-so many democrats
this spring to induce them to file for
nomination? The optimism of Dr.
Morrow, national committeeman,
must be all-pervading.
Sam Kozer, secretary of state,
figures on need of 140,000 motor
licenses next year. Sam is an opti
mist, but this is real business. About
every rod of new- pavement means
a few more.
It is said people use profanity
because their vocabularies are lim
ited. Just so! Only somebody tell
us what a linguist says when he hits
his thumb.
But how can any serious pro
nouncement for the Russian govern
ment be expected of an envoy who
spells his name Chicherin?
As to drunken affrays at inns and
such, it would seem to be the duty
of prohibition officials to find the
sources of the intoxicants.
The vogue of taking over an old
barn and transforming it into an at
tractive residence has been receiving
a great impetus of late years, espe- ( aldn't name something after him
cially in view of increased building
costs. There are any number of per
sons who have made exhaustive
studies of the subject and who are
endowed with an all sufficient vision
when it comeB to looking at an old
tumble-down house and plotting out,
In their Inind's eye, just how neat it
would appear with a little gable
stuck on here or there and a new en
trance hall with a trellis and a few
yards of lattice fence.
But when it comes to the remodel
ing, taking the1 word of one who has
made the experiment, another sort of
a story develops. It seems that it
costs quite a lot to go out and make
over the old barn into a neat little
plastered bungalow and then, only
too often, the result is not altogether
satisfactory.
A man went into bankruptcy the
other day with $35,000 liabilities and
no assets. One who can do that is
a real "financer."
Despite her career. Lady Astor
is charmingly old-fashioned about
woman's dress.
Spokane is in a "milky" way, the
price dropping three cents.
Oregon 192 5 Portland.
Striking incidents of daily life fre
quently passed by as too usual receive
accentuation from contact. How many
people wear glasses, how many are
taking X-ray treatments, how many
eat beans for lunch, how many chew
gum, how many visit fortune tellers?
These questions at random give some
idea of the scope of the field for the
one who will observe more than ordi
narily.
Just step into an optical shop the
number of patrons is astounding. It
seems as if everyone is wearing
glasses. In the specialist's office the
same is the rule, hundreds of patients
come every day seeking attention for
some complaint. In the beanery they
cannot seem to serve the crowds. The
lobby confectionery stands pass out
tons of gum weekly that go to spat
ter the pavements or find a resting
place under restaurant chairs or ta
bles. And the fortune tellers find
that more than one is born every
minute.
George T. Cochran of La Grande,
stato water suoerintendent, is regis
tered at the Imperial while on his
way to Salem. Supervision or tne
waters of the state and of their ap
propriation, distribution and diver
sion, and the adjudication of existing
water rights, are some of the things
which occupy the time and attention
of Mr. Cochran.
Conditions in Idaho are improving
and the advance in the price of wool
and spring lambs means much for the
stockmen in the southern part or tne
state, according to H. F. Wood of
Nampa. who is at the Multnomah with
his wife.
Astoria arrivals at the Benson
today are John Tait, laundryman,
and W. P. O'Brien, lumberman, both
of whom are about as well known in
Portland as they are on Commercial
street in the city by the sea.
R. Whitman Jr. and E. W. Brain-
ara oi jviarsniieia are in rui nu-iiu at
tending the Penney stores convention
and are registered at the Multnomah.
H. S. Royce is a fairly important
factor in the automotive industry of
Oregsm, for he is a dealer in Medford,
Klamath Falls and Bend.
A. L. Ribelin and family are at the
Multnomah from Chehalis, Wash,
where Mr. Ribelin is a merchant.
Annulment of Contract.
FOREST GROVE, Or., April 19.-
(To the Editor.) A sells a tract of
land to B under contract, saia con
tract providing that in case B fails
to keep up his monthly payments he
shall forfeit the contract. B failed
to keep up his payments. The con
tract was witnessed but did not have
any notary seal thereon. Would A
have to take the matter before the
courts to have the contract annuled?
OLD SUBSCRIBER.
Where time is essence of .the con
tract and the contract is not recorded,
court procedure ia not necessary.
Can Yon Answer These Questlonsf
1. Is there any rule for the number
of eggs in birds' nestsT
2. Are garter snakes useful?
should they be protected?
3. Does the American prong-horn
antelope shed the core ot its horns
and, if so, at what season?
Answers In tomorrow's nature notes.
Answers to Previous Questions.
1. What do daddy-longlegs feed on?
, On small insects, especially aphlds.
They feed in the day time, but do not
enjoy the full strength of sunlight.
Harmless to man.
2. What is the bright gold-colored
blight on the enclosed specimen of
blackberry leaf?
This was a "rust" which afflicts
both blackberry and raspberry bushes,
and is the cause of much loss to fruit
growers. Also called spring rust, red
rust and bramble rust, and Is caused
by the bramble fungus. Once it gets
established on a bush, it cannot be
eradicated. Wild or cultivated bushes
with it should be dug up aad care
fully burned to prevent the spread
of the disease. Pamphlets dealing
with it can be obtained from various
state agricultural experiment sta
tions. 3. How do gulls manage about get
ting food by following vessels dur
ing the nesting season? And do they
cross all the way with one ship, or go
part way with one, and then pick
up another to return with?
It is supposed they feed near home
while busy with feeding their young.
The nestlings eat squid and sundry
marine refuse picked up near the
beaches. ' Inland, they are fed on in
sects. If the parents follow vessels
at this season, they may take turns in
nesting duties. We do not know
positively as to general custom of
traveling a great distance with one
ship, but individual cases have been
watched and known to travel from
the Irish coast to America.
FOR. SEPARATION OF TAX ISSUE
Reduction League Is Held to Be In
viting Detent.
PORTLAND, April 20. (To the Ed
itor.) It seems to me that it would
be wise and fair to have the proposal
to repeal the 1.2 mills tax for the sup
port of the higher educational Institu
tions on a separate initiative bill, for
a great many electors will not vote
for a measure that will cripple the
institutions of higher education. Prob
ably half of the voters in this state
are unconcerned about the tax rate,
but a very large percentage of such
are ardent supporters of all public
schools.
Fifty-five years ago, or thereabouts,
a distinguished citizen of Portland
had controlled the public schools here
for years and was deservedly popular.
Then a demand for a high school went
out. He opposed it. A contest en
sued at the next school election. The
distinguished citizen was overwhelm
ingly defeated, although he had been
supported by all the banks and big
business. A fine school building now
bears his name, but his influence In
school direction was never regained.
Let us profit by his example.
I have considerable unproductive
real estate on which the tax burden Js
dreadful. I voted against all road
bond laws and in favor of the mill
age taxes for the institutions of
higher education.
The radical changes which the self-
styled tax reducers appear to have
planned will have a mighty "hard row
to hoe" without the opposition of the
friends of the University of Oregon
and the Oregon Agricultural college.
Therefore, separate the issues. Let
each stand on its own merits.
W. S. CHAPMAN.
NOTHING TO WORK FOR.
(Seed catalogues now print accurst and
truthful pictures ot tho vsci-tabies they
list.)
1 learn with much displeasure
That fiction, which in youth
I fondly used to treasure.
Has been replaced by truth.
No longer have I reason
To ply the spade and hoe.
At this delightful season.
And aim to make things grow.
Though gross exaggerations.
The pictures 1 beheld
Raised up my expectations.
And hope within ma welled.
Potatoes like galoshes
(Regarding shape and size);
Leviathanic squashes,
I used to visualise;
I dreamed of giant berries
While delving In the sod;
Of peas as big as cherries
A dozen to the pod.
I knew I'd never reap them.
Because of bugs and blight.
But memory used to keep then
Before my dazzled sight.
That no such things existed
On earth full well I knew.
Yet fancy still Insisted
The catalogues were trus.
I knew ths rare profusion
The seedman'a art displayed
Was only an illusion
And speedily must fads.
But these fond dreams I cherished.
Through all the days of yore.
And now that they havt perished
I'll never Harden mors!
Overproduction.
Every fly lays a billion eggs In a
season. Somebody ought to send Mrs.
Margaret Sanger to talk to those In
sects. ess
Busy.
No one has heard from Senator
Borah lately. Ha has probably con
to his private observatory to look
for another war cloud.
Just as Satisfactory.
There are few hotels In Genes, but
most of the delegates to the confer
ence will want to live at the golf
club, anyway.
(Copyright by ths Bell swHcats. Tim.
Morning'.
By Grace K. HalL
It is the sweet return of life
Incoming tide
Prom the far shores of sleep,
Where day-fret died;
Rebirth of thought
To live Its little span
And wane again
With ebbing strength of man.
It is resumption of the melody
Of feathered throats.
Hushed by night.
To soft staccato notes:
Continuation of eternal dreams
That break at last
With sunset's fading gleams
And sink, at close of day,
E'en as the sun.
Into a sea, cool, gray
Oblivion.
Morning Is the opening of a door
That lets the sunlight through;
The lifting of a somber shade
To show a patch
Of blue;
The gracious opportunity
That God presents
Kach day to man
To kindle every sense.
In Other Days.
Washington School Elections.
SKAMOKAWA. Wash., April 19.
(To the Edrtor.) 1. If a married
woman is born and reared in a cer
tain school district and has lived
there all her life, and the husband
has been working In a logging camp perate battle, have captured Damasl
Twenty-five Years A sro.
Prom The Oregonian of April 21. If7
Dublin. There was a largo attend
ance of prominent Parnellitcs at the
Parnellite convention summoned to
meet in this city by John Redmond.
Athens. The Greeks, after a des-
in Alaska, coming home but twice
year on a visit, can she be refused a
vote at a school election for the pur
pose of consolidating schools?
2. Can a married woman who was
born and reared in the same district
but lived in Oregon until her hus
bands death, some two years ago,
and then returned to the home of her
parents, only leaving to work occa
sionally, but claims her residence at
the home of her parents, where she
holds an interest in property, also
being in district 4 months prior to
election be refused a vote in that
district at an election for the pur
pose of consolidating schools?
A SUBSCRIBER.
1. She is entitled to. vote.
2. She is entitled to vote.
Descent of Estate.
PORTLAND, April 20. (To the
Editor.) 1. A man takes out insur
ance in favor of his wife, naming
her in the policy, thus: Maud X.
Smith. She dies. In the event of the
man's decease, childless, can the sec
ond wife collect the insurance?
2. In case of a man and wife's
joint ownership of property, where
the wife dies, and the man, childless
and intestate, remarries, does the
property in the event of the man's
decease go to the second wife?
SUBSCRIBER.
1. The insurance would go to his
estate and if he made no will and
had no children, his wife would in
herit it.
2. Yes.
from the Turks, and another division
of Greek troops has traversed the
Reveni pass.
New York. The first Cuban coin, a
dollar, about the size of a Spanish 6
peseta piece, will be put In circulation
soon.
Work on the fortification at Fort
Stevens is well along toward comple
tion, and the fortifications at Scar
borough head will soon be started.
Fifty Years Abo.
From The Oreitonia'n of April ?1, 1R7?.
Washington. Representative Bing
ham today opposed the civil service
bill on the grounds that It Is uncon
stitutional and will overthrow oui
system of government.
General Walker, superintendent nt
the census, has reported that the real
and personal estate of the nation val
ues $30,068,018,607.
While our government is consider
lng tho policy of forbidding the
slaughter of buffalo. England in tak
lng precautions againut the threat
ened extinction of elephants.
A resident of East Portland won
bet from bis wife the other night by
undressing, getting into bed, gettinK
up. dressing, undressing and getting
Into bed again ere his wife undressed
Bonus (and Divorce.
LITTLE ROCK, Wash.. April 20.
(To the Editor.) 1. Can a man who
enlisted in Wyoming In 1917 and
whose parents live In New York state,
but whose home is wherever his work
is, get the state bonus from the state
where he enlisted?
2. How long after getting a divorce
in the state of Washington before one
can marry? EX-SOLDIER.
1. The service man is usually re
quired to prove residence at time of
enlistment In the state In which he
applies for bonus.
2. Washington now withholds de
cree for six montns ana marriage
cannot be contracted until the ex
piration of six months after decree
has been entered. The effect is to
delay marriage for one year after
the divorce hearing.
THE KO:VG OF THE FKOfiH,
While sitting alone In the twilight
Of a perfect April day,
A troop of phantoms came toward me
From the shadows across the way.
One was the song that my mother
sung
To lighten a chlldinh wov
And ono was the path beside the
brook
Where the cowslips used, to grow
One was the look in a loved one'r
eyes.
Another the scene of flowers on
rrave.
And one was the night I was sick
with fear.
Though I smiled and they called me
bravo.
They passed and I followed to find
their home.
Through rushes and over log",
To find they were memories of by
gone days,
Awakened by little green frogs.
MRS. MAUD SPOKKOilD KUIILET
When Dob- Is Wot Paid For.
PORTLAND, April 20. (To the Edi
tor.) A sells B a valuable puppy
with the understanding that B will
pay for the same on the following
pay day. The time has gone on for
four months, and the bill Is still un
paid. Can A levy on the pup and
take it back?
CONSTANT SUBSCRIBER.
You can sue on the debt and attach
the dog or other property belonging
to B which is not exempt.
Capital of Russia.
GRESHAM, Or., April 19. (To the
Editor.) What Is the capital of Rus
sia? Is it Moscow or Petrograd?
GRIS PUPIL.
Moscow.
Poll Tax In Wasbincion.
ROSBURO. Wash., April 19. T'
the Editor.) Please state whethe
the poll tax law Is constitutional l
Washington and if tne same was up
held by the United States supreme
court recently, as tiiey are collectlm
same in this vicinity now and say 1
has to be in by April 25.
GUY W. FARMER.
The constitutionality of the Wash
lngton poll tax law has been uphek
by the supreme court of that slate.
Compromise Indicated on Beer.
London Punch.
Farmer (who has sent some beer o'
doubful quality out to the lisrves
field) What be ye lookin' at the neei
like that for? Anybody 'ud thlnl
there was summat the matter will
it." '
Jarge Well, I were Just a-thlnkln
If 'twere any worse we couldn't
a-drlnk It, an' If 'twere any belt'
we shouldn't 'a' got it.