1Q
THE 3IORXIXG OREGOXIAX, MONDAY, NOVEMBER C, 1923
ESTABLISHED BY HENRY L. TITTOCK.
I'ublished by The Oregon-fan Pub- Co.,
Hi Sixth Street, Portland, Oregon.
C. A. MORDEX, E. B. PIPER.
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EDUCATION AND THE 6TATE.
(In Several Articles Final Article.)
The Oregonian has reviewed the
arguments for and against the
pending compulsory school bill. It
does not underestimate the bene
fits to be derived from education
of all children alike, in English, in.
all standard branches, and, if pos
sible, in the public schools; and it
is the last to say that the pro
ponents of the measure are not
actuated by a sincere motive for
the public welfare.
The merits of compulsory educa
tion in a democracy are not to be
doubted; but the wisdom of any at
tempt to enforce it upon objecting
parents so as to make all children
go to a common school, is to be
doubted. Behind any broad ques
tion as to the justice or efficiency
of the measure are the constitu
tional rights of the minority and
the certain increase of taxes. They
are weighty considerations and
they should not be forgotten or ig
nored. The present law of Oregon re
quires compulsory education of
children of grade school age; but it
permits the maintenance of private
and parochial schools under cer
tain conditions. The proposed law
would have the certain effects of
outlawing and abolishing private
a nd parochial schools, organized
to teach children between the ages
of 8 and 16.
The precise powers of the school
authorities at present over the in
dependent schools are obscure. But
they need not be. They should bo
exact, sufficient, detailed, and pro
vision should be made for their ex
ercise. In other words, the solution
to tho problem of tho private and
parochial schools is regulation, not
abolition. The standard branches
should be taught. Tho instructors
suuuiu ue ouDjuct to puonc exami
nation. They should bo inspected
by the state, county or city superin
tendent, or his assistants. The
state should have authority over
such matters as ventilation, sanita
tion, crowding and the like. The
powers of tho superintendent over
the private and parochial school
should in brief be as complete as
at present in the public schools.
And no teacher should be permit
tod to appear in the school room in
the garb of any religious denomina
tion. REVOLT AGAINST SOCIALISM.
Both the accession to power of
the fascisti in Italy and the defeat
of the labor party in the British
municipal elections point the same
way revolt against socialism and
return to individualism as the way
to bring cost of government within
revenue and to reduce it further in
order to reduce taxes. Because ad
ventures in socialism were made by
non-socialist parties and because
the avowedly socialist parties con-
. tinned in nnlitijtl nTni i n,a
Timrfl not raollail ?l,nt . L.
governments of Europe have al
ready become socialist nor to what
extent their financial burdens are
duo to that fact.
National ownership of railroads,
telegraphs and telephones, munici
pal ownership of public utilities
and government monopolies of
" 6uch commodities as tobacco are
common in Europe. Britain has
not gone so far in that direction as
have other nations. Railroads are
privately owned, but the telegraph
and telephone systems are owned
dv ine government anii rp mn af
u. iuas, aim must, cities own tneir
utilities. Government doles are
paid to the unemployed. The gov
ernment ran the railroads at a loss
during the war and for some time
, afterward, but has returned them
to me owners, 'ine government
Had a monopoly of trading in es.
sential commodities during the war
auu, iiiuugii it cuum nix ine price,
.1 ,4 .n,,nV. -. 1 .1 i . . . .
it did business at a heaw In rt
nas witnarawn from the mercantile
- business and has refused to nation
alize coal mines. It is the first bel
ligerant nation in Europe not only
to balance its budget but to reduce
its debt.
Fascism began in Italy as a re-
volt against socialism, and Musso
nni evidently intends to go the
whole way in restoring the public
services and monopolies to private
enterprise.. That will relieve th
government of enormous losses and
will remove a horde of nennlo tm-m
the public payroll. If the expert
ence of France is an indication, all
. public services are greatly over
manned, for the number of employes
oi one rrencn railroad was doubled
soon after it was acquired by the
government. Having set 15 hours
as the working day for his minis
ters, Mussolini will have small
patience with the eight-hour day.
c viuciiuj Dew mat iiarti worK
and economy from the head of the
government down to the humblest
workman must be combined with
"," for private enterprise in order that
Italy may pay its way, reduce its
- debts and regain prosperity.
The deplorable fact about this
return to economic sanity is that it
is undertaken by a distinctly mili
tarist party. If the fascisti should
attemnt to make frond the claim tn
an me territory mat was once
- Ttfl li.art. thpv will mharlr fripli
. country in wars that will destroy
1 all the fruits of their economic re-
coast of the Adriatic sea, also the
Dodecanese islands off the coast
of Asia Minor, on the ground that
they were formerly held by Venice,
though they are not Italian in
population. By asserting such
claims Mussolini will embroil his
country in war with Jugo-Slavia,
Albania and Greece, but not only
with them. His programme of ex-
pansion implies violation of all the .
the settlement made by them. His
claim to naval supremacy in the
Mediterranean sea will be disputed
by France, and his treatment of
Britain as an intruder in that sea
will be sharply resented. His policy
threatens to array all of western
and central Europe against Italy.
American interests are affected
by this policy, for Italy has not yet
ratified the naval limitation treaty
and the expansionist aims of the
fascists would require a powerful
navy, far beyond the ratio assigned
to Italy. If Mussolini should per
sist in his claims, he will doubtless
refuse to ratify the treaty, and the
entire scheme will fall to the
ground. If a competitive navy
building campaign is to be avoided,
either the other interested powers
must exert united pressure to force
Italy into line or they must make
some new combination to which
Italy would not be a party, directed
against that or any other country
which attempts to compete, with
them. But when Mussolini begins
to calculate his means for making
good his claims, he will find them
utterly inadequate. His country
lacks capital and the natural re
sources needed lor armament on
sea or land, chief among them be
ing iron, coal and copper. The
other signatories of the naval treaty
could cut off Italy's supply of these
materials and force it to their
terms. The world will welcome an
internally regenerated Italy, but
would quench the ambition of a
militarist, conquering Italy.
THE TEST.
Pierce versus Olcott.
Promise versus Performance.
We are to know once more next
Tuesday what wins elections.
SEW TARIFF NOT PROHIBITIVE.
In his address to the American
Manufacturers' Export association
Sir George Paish, the British econ
omist, took as his premise the as
sumption that the new tariff is in
tended to prevent imports to this
country. From this he argued that
the United States prevents debtor
nations from importing to this
country the goods which are their
only means of paying their debts.
He contends that, in order to obtain
payment, the United States should
make it easy for its debtors to soil
goods to us and that by so doing,
we should increase our sales
abroad.
But the assumption on which his
argument is based is erroneous.
While some duties in the new tariff
are no doubt prohibitive or would
severely restrict imports, all duties
are subject to revision by the tariff
commission to the point where the
cost of foreign goods laid down in
this country will equal the cost of
American goods. That basis of
duties does not prohibit imports;
it only requires that they shall com
pete at equal cost. The cost taken
as a basis is to be that of the prin
cipal competing countries. The op
portunity is open for other coun
tries to attain a lower scale of cost
and to ship their goods to America
at prices with which our manufac
turers cannot compete. This ad
vantage will continue until the
countries in question become recog
nized by the tariff commission as
principal competing countries and
until duties are raised to the point
where the advantage will bo taken
away.
The prohibitive effect of the hew
tariff has evidently been exag
gerated for political ends. Al
though no duties have yet been re
duced by advice of the tariff com
mission, it is announced that cus
toms revenue under the new law
has exceeded expectation. This
could happen only if goods were
coming in at the new tariff; if the
tariff had shut them out, revenue
would have decreased.
Like indiscriminate critics of the
new tariff from political motives,
Sir George Paish does not realize
that we now have a flexible tariff,'
which is designed to regulate com
petition between American and for
eign producers, not to prevent it
The tariff is competitive, therefore
cannot be prohibitive. If finally
fixed by politicians, it might have
been prohibitive while purporting
to be competitive, but the work of
the politicians is to be revised by
the economists composing the tariff
commission, who ascertain facts by
scientific inquiry, then act upon
them. Our debtors are free to pay
their debts with goods, but not to
swamp us with goods that drive our
own manufacturers from the field
while they are sold at exorbitant
prices by importers and retailers.
LITERATURE AND DIPLOMACY,
Thomas Nelson Page was one of
a number of Americans represent
ing the profession of literature who
have served their country ably in
diplomatic posts, to the mutual ad
vantage of the nations by which
they were appointed and to which
they were assigned. It is not for
gotten that George Bancroft, the
historian, was our envoy to the
court of Prussia, to the North Ger
man Confederation and finally to
the German Empire in an interest
ing and significant period of re
adjustment in European affairs,
after having a number of years
previously served us well at the
court of St. James.
Washington Irving was secretary
of legation at London from 1829 to
1S32, during which period he wrote
the undying "Alhambra," and after
ward was appointed to Madrid. The
names of James Russell Lowell,
Charles Francis Adams and John
Hay, of Dr. Henry Van Dyke and
Brand Whitlock occur readily. In
minor and semi-diplomatic posi
tions there were, among others,
Bayard Taylor, who created the
vogue of the travel letter, and Bret
Harte, who introduced to Europe a
new western American literature
which in all probability did more to
foster good feeling than a score of
technical pourparlers could have
done.
The records of our literary am
bassadors are such as will raise
doubt of the expediency of commit
ting the duties of diplomacy solely
to professional diplomats, as some
nations have done and as some
Americans propose. The achieve
ments of our non-professional en
voys 'have been noteworthy, both
as to tangible and intangible re
suits. This was peculiarly true of
Thomas Nelson Page, of Walter
Hines Page and in an earlier period
of Bancroft, Adams and Lowell.
The last named, indeed, ought to
be credited with having produced
sounder and more enduring results
in the direction of fostering mutual
understanding between the peoples
arship and ripe culture than most
men better versed in ambassadorial
routine could conceivably have
done.
Our men of letters whom' we
have sent abroad' have usually
risen to occasion. It ought to be
borne in mind in appraising their
value that the technique of state
craft, of the diplomacy which is
associated with devious practices,
is but a relatively small part of the
task. The literary instinct of ap
preciation, capacity for receiving
and transmitting impressions, cath
olicity of taste, have served a higher
purpose than was conceived by the
older school, while our own litera
ture has been enriched by the ex
periences of those of its devotees
who have been diplomats as inci
dents of their careers.
NOT AWAKE TO TREND.
Railroad men still cherish hope
that government ownership of rail
roads will become a fact in this
country. Ignoring the fact that
the railroad strike is already set
tled, a subscriber writes to the
Locomotive Engineers' Journal sug
gesting as a means of "ending
largely the strife between labor and
capital" that the government take
over all the railroads and put them
in charge of a director-general.
The editor of that paper says that
solution is "unquestionably right in
principle" but that it "necessitates
the election of congressmen who
are aware of and responsive to the
needs of the people."
The needs of the people are lower
cost of transportation, which is
only possible if cost of producing it
is reduced. The reduction so far
effected has resulted from undoing
what was done while the govern
ment operated the" roads, and
further reduction is possible only
by undoing still more of it. The
principal sufferers by the present
high rates are the farmers, who re
ceive for their products what is
left of the world price after rail and
ocean freight and other costs of
handling have been paid. They had
a great .awakening, have com
pared their earnings with those of
railroad men and will not vote to
restore a system which deflates
their earnings by making transpor
tation more costly.
The whole tendency is away from
government ownership of railroads
and from socialism generally, as
has been proved by recent events
in Italy and Britain. Government
in business was all very well while
a few of the people paid direct
taxes to make good the losses, but
now many millions pay them and
call for business in government,
which means that the government
withdraw from business in which
cost of operation grows but which
loses money. Socialism has been
proved a failure by practical
demonstration, and the American
people, like other nations, want
less, not more, of it.
CONCH .SIOX OF MERGER DEBATE.
Having become sharply divided
between the opposing claims of the
Southern Pacific and Union Pacific
railroad systems, the board of di
rectors of the Portland Chamber
of Commerce acted wisely in falling
back on the original question which
gives Oregon an interest in this
controversy namely, what new
railroads and what new connections
are needed for development of Ore
gon? When we look at the matter
from the viewpoint of Oregon; we
find that eastern Oregon comprises
the greater part of a large triangle
which is devoid of railroads except
for short branches ending nowhere.
What Oregon wants is construction
of railroads across this triangle,
connection of branches with one
another and with main lines, and,
where desirable, the common use
of certain lines or parts of lines by
two or more railroad companies.
Thereby the people would gain the
benefit of competition in opera
tion and service without duplica
tion of investment.
The question, what is the proper
disposition of the Central Pacific
to be made in grouping the rail
roads into systems under the trans
portation act, should be considered
with the end In view, not only for
Oregon but for California and for
the other states affected; for Ore-
on's interest does not conflict with
that of California but is in close
harmony with it. The intense
propaganda that is being carried on
by the two rivals for control of the
Central Pacific the Southern Pa
cific and the Union Pacific has
pushed this purpose into the back
ground by enrolling many worthy
citizens as partisans of one rival or
the other. .The chamber therefore
was unable to agree as between
them, but It had small difficulty in
agreeing on that which was the aim
of both parties, namely what Ore
gon should gain in the settlement.
That should be one of the principal
considerations in the mind of the
interstate commerce commission
when it groups the roads into com
peting systems; for the vast, empty
triangle will be the principal field
of development for the Union and
Central Pacific roads, to which
ever group the latter may be as
signed or If it should become in
dependent of both.
There is room for the activities
of both systems, also for a north-and-south
line from the Columbia
across central Oregon to connect
with the Central Pacific in Nevada.
Irrigation is well begun in that re
gion and should produce a remu
nerate volume of traffic. The
timber of southeastern Oregon
should enable that country and its
railroads to share the prosperity
that has come to the lumber indus
try of the Pacific coast. Comple
tion of a railroad from the Colum
bia river into Nevada would make
it a feeder to both the Union and
the Central, would give the north
ern roads entrance to California
and would provide a strategic mili
tary route for national defense be
hind the great barrier of the Cas
cade and Sierra Nevada ranges.
Western Oregon needs more out
lets toward the east by direct
routes, and it needs competing
lines, while the projected lines in
eastern Oregon need western Ore
gon's traffic to fatten their reve
nue.
Naturally the rival railroad, sys
terns desire that these changes be
brought about in such manner as to
serve the interest of each without
much regard for that of the other,
and the people of Oregon disagree
as to which system is the better me
dium through which they can real
ize the desire they have in common
The duty of grouping railroads into
competing systems has been im
posed upon the interstate com
merce commission. In performing
that duty the commission must con
sider the present relation of the
several roads to one another, the
bearing of the supreme court de
cision against the existing merger
of the Central with the Southern
Pacific upon the provisions and
purpose of the transportation act,
the possibility of maintaining
grouped lines as competing systems
in fact after fhey have been estab
lished as such on paper.
It must consider the relations of
the spstems in the east as well as
the west, and must allot eastern ex
tensions to the Pacific roads in
such a way that they shall have an
even start in the race of restricted
competition that is the purpose of
the law. For congress evidently
contemplated such a grouping of
weak lines with strong ones that
there should be an end both of the
rate-cutting by which "weak lines
formerly struggled for traffic and
of the pooling of traffic by which
rates are maintained, the result
sought being that the conditions
should be so nearly equal as would
inevitably lead to maintenance of
uniform rates.
Competitiogf among communities
is another end in view. All the
ports of the Pacific are in some de
gree competitors for ocean traffic:
not only they but the interior ter
ritory which they serve. In order
that each port may stand on an
equality with the others in this
competition, it should be served by
two or more competing railroads,
each of which should be restrained
from favoring another port termi
nal by fear of losing traffic to a
rival road at the port against which
it discriminates. Obviously if one
railroad system had lines into all
pacific ports, it would hold such a
dominating position that it might
promote growth of commerce at
one and retard it at another with
out seriously impairing its revenue
in the aggregate.
A wise, just solution of all these
problems cannot be reached in a
general public debate among people
who are swayed this way and that
by propaganda of the interested
railroads or by private interest and
who at best take a strictly Oregon
or Pacific coast view of the subject.
Inability of the special committee
and of the board of directors of the
Portland chamber, after an inten
sive study extruding over several
months, to reach a conclusion as to
tho grouping by which Oregon's
needs can be supplied proves that.
The desired solution can only be
reached by a small body of men
which approaches the problem with
mind free from self-interest, from
prejudice in favor of any railroad,
state or city and having a clear
comprehension of the extent and
limits of its authority. Such a body
is the interstate commission. It
must make a mental survey of the
transportation lines and needs of
the whole region from the Pacific
coast to the great lakes, the Missis
sippi river and the gulf. Its task
demands a combination of the ad
ministrative, the business executive
and the judicial functions.
In leaving to the wisdom and jus
tice of the commission the decision
as to the form that consolidations
should take, the directors of the
chamber have well ended a con
troversy that had become over
heated. TJi a t controversy has
served a good purpose. It has pro
duced propaganda that, in spite of
its partisanship, has been informa
tive, for it has led the railroads to
bring into prominence facts that
were unknown or obscure. It has
led the rival roads to make prom
ises to which Oregon should ask
the commission to pin them down,
for any consolidation would be
gravely imperfect that did not se
cure for Oregon all that they have
promised. But controversy should
end at this point. Its continuance
can only divide the people into ir
reconcilable factions, and the gains
of each party would be offset by
those of the other. We know what
the state wants and what each rail
road system is willing to give. The
state's case should be so presented
to the commission that, in which
ever way it groups the roads, the
promises will be kept and railroads
will traverse the state where nat
ural wealth awaits development.
Walter II. Evans, candidate for
circuit judge in departmept 6, is
now the judge in that department.
He was advanced to the bench by
governor's appointment from the
position of district attorney. Judge
Evans has proved himself an up
right judge and a just judge. He
has . no sort of prejudice in his
makeup. He was appointed to Ore
place on demonstration of merit
and is now entitled to election on
the ground of his experience, fair
ness and learning.
The easiest money can be made
today by betting: it on the right
man. To pick the winner, consult
the advertising columns.
Get a sample ballot today and
study the proposals that are neces
sary to the welfare of Portland. It
will pay.
A
The wind is getting Into the right
quarter for a republican victory.
Fair weather means more out to
vote.
The firm that makes it easy to
send an Oregon red salmon to an
eastern friend is a benefactor.
The fire bureau must be kept up
to its efficiency mark. The 3-mill
tax will do it.
The great-question: Are those
dairy maids open to matrimonial
proposals?
When there is a break in power,
the other people in the car are
amusing.
Mussolini's rule may be only a
foot instead of a yardstick.
. Arrange to vote early. That will
start the counting. J
"Like a horse race,"
with its also-rans.
of course.
A city on a big river is built on
its bridges, ' A ,
WHITER FEARS FOR HIGHWAYS
Mr. Pierce's Advocacy of Costly
Methods Opens Eyes to Danger.
PORTLAND, Nov. 4. (To the
Editor.) I have read with a good
deal of interest and apprehension
Mr. Pierce's attack upon the high
way commission.
He criticises th pay of the en
gineers. If he thinRs cheap en
gineers are an economy he is not
informed upon construction work.
The positions are worth the salar
ies. Engineering is not a routine
that the "office force" can run just
OS well. The personal element is
nowhere more - valuable.. If the
present engineers are not worth
their salaries they should be re
moved and men who are put in
their places.
The cause of apprehension is this.
The governor appoints the highway
commission and they in turn run
the work. But at any time the
commission does not suit him he
can change it and put in men who
will do his bidding. The detail Mr.
Pierce goes into in criticising the
highway commission indicates he
would want to run the highways.
Now, we recall that when he was
in the legislature he introduced a
bill to do all. public work by day
wages and none by contract. Un
fortunately our law provides that
having called for- bids the commis
sion may reject the same, for cause
or not for cause, and the bids being
rejected they may proceed to do the
work in any way they please, by
day work, private contract or any
old way. In view of Mr. Pierce's
bill it Is plain to see ha would want
to do work by day wages.
As to doing work by day wages
let me quote from a carefully pre
pared paper read before the Ameri
can Society of Civil Engineers of
southern California:
In the Joint report of the. two great
automobile societies of California you
will find the statement that of S00 con
tracts done -by the state by day's labor
amounting to $7,000,000, the state ac
counts, showed unit costs on but five,
nn wn nf these five they had called for
bids, rejecting them on ine recommenua.-
tion ot the engineer, wno tnen ei
ahead with the work by state forces
m,. r.rarj ahowsi the followlne figures:
On one the engineer's preliminary esti
mate was $102,000, contractor's bid $117,
000. cost by day labor $160,000. On the
thr It ran: Engineer's estimate $43.
000, contractor's bid $4,000, cost by day's
labor stsi.ooo. m xue atuny i in.um.,
Highways." by the United States bureau
of public roads, in an analysis of 20
nntracm. 10 of which were done by
contract and 10 by state forces, the con
tracted jobs exceeded tne engineer s u
s r,w cent, while the state day
labor jobs exceeded the engineer's esti
mates by 11)3 per cent.
We could look for no different
results here today. Day labor worn
9iwiv works out the most ex
pensive method. I had known of
Mr. Pierce's bill to do all public
wnrt hv dav labor, but until his
attack upon the highway commis
sion it had not come home to me
what a catastrophe it would be if
he was elected governor.
CHAS. MALCOLM.
WORLD ADVANCE ADMITTED
But Writer Is Reminded of Religious
Rows of Colonial Days.
PORTLAND, Or., Nov. 4. (To the
Editor.) Present conditions in Port
land remind one of -the good old
days when Roger Williams was run
out of Rhode island lor Deing
BaDtlst. when Massachusetts was
banishing Quakers and hanging
witches in Salem, and when an anti
masonic party was demanding the
destruction of all masonic lodges
as a menace to American institu
tions. Since then the world has
moved some.
Recently a moth-eaten resolution
nassed 52 years ago by a Presbyter
ian assembly has been exhumed as
evidence of Presbyterian sentiment
on the pending school monopoly
bill. Nothing is easier than pass
ing a resolution. By what vote or
under what circumstances this reso
lution was passed does not appear,
but the fact that it has laid dorm
ant for 62 years indicates that it
was not taken seriously. If it was
how can the great Presbyterian
church of America excuse itself for
not. in all this time, having lifted
a hand to stay the mad and de
structive work of the private and
parochial schools? Where and
when has it taken a step to make
that resolution effective?
It is significant that out of 181
Presbyterian ministers said to live
in Oregon, 25 have protested against
the compulsory bill, but three have
publicly advocated it, while all the
rest have ignored it altogether.
ANTI-SCHOOL BILL.
Jews in Poland.
PORTLAND, Nov. 3. (To the Edi
tor.) I will appreciate it very much
if you will tell me whether or not
it is true that all Polish people
have Jew'sh blood. C.
It is not true. This idea arose,
no doubt, on account of the unusu
ally large Jewish population of
Poland. This feature had its origin
in the early hospitality shown by
the Polish government to this-race.
Warsaw was the principal Jewish
city of the world until New York
recently succeeded to that distinc
tion. Denniker puts the Poles in a ja.ee
quite apart and names them after
their chief river, the "Vistulan." In
language they are Slavs. They
show more of the Teutonic and lit
tle of the Asiatic element of eastern
Europe.
Hnyes-Tilden Election Claims.
PORTLAND, Nov. 3. (To the Edi
tor.) Was Charles R. Miller, who
died lately, the editor who first
claimed Hayes' election or the
famous night editor of The Times?
J. E. HENDERSON.
Charles Ransom Miller, who re
cently died, was editor-in-chief of
the New York Times at the time of
the Hayes-Tilden controversy.
Charles Richard Williams in his
"Life of Rutherford Birchard Hayes"
says: "On November 8, most news
papers of both parties announced
that Tilden was elected. The New
York Herald and New York Times,
however, declared the result in
doubt." He makes no mention of
The Times claiming the election for
Hayes.
No Pension for Pioneers.
BAKER, Or.. Nov. 2. (To the Edi
tor.) Is there such a, thing as a
home in Portland for the early pio
neers of Oregon; also if the early
pioneers draw a pension, as I have
heard that they do? .
READER OF THE OREGONIAN.
There is no pension for pioneers as
suchv There is no home in Portland
particularly endowed for the care
of pioneers. There are homes for
the aged. For entra-noe require
ments write, to Home for the Aged.
Base Line road. Old People's Home,
Thirty-third and Sandy, Portland. '
A 8 Ingle-Track Mind.
Life.
North I can get you 6 per cent
West Great! Man, I can taste it
already!
"No, I mean for your money."
"Well, I expect to pay for it, of
course.".
Those Who Come and Go.
Tales of Folks at the Hotels.
Telephone company owners ol
managers have their troubles n4
matter ow large or how small theil
company may be. This is the ad
vice of John Boyer of Grand Ronde,
who has been spending a few days
in Portland straightening out prob
lems that have presented them
selves to him as owner of the Grand
Ronde telephone system. Almost 20
years ago Mr. Boyer went from
Dallas to the Salmon river country
where he took up a valuable timber
claim. After proving up on the
claim he built a toll road which led
down to the ocan and operated this
for a number of years. Two years
ago he sold out and went into the
telephone game at Grand Ronde and
the new lumber town of Grand
Ronde. He declared that the In
dians in old Grand Ronde are be
coming more and more independent
due to the fact that the slayer of the
federal prohibition agents. Price and
Todd, was acquitted of the slaying I
of Price by a jury in Dallas recently.
The Indians on the old reservation
are drinking all kinds of moon
shine" declared Boyer . "Some of
them are undoubtedly making it
themselves but no one has been able
to catch them. The stuff they drink
would kill an ordinary man but you
can't kill an Indian with it."
Last year when the Pacific Inter
national Livestock Exposition was
being held here one of the very val
uable cows took sick. John A Todd
of Spokane awoke to the realization
that the insurance company which
he represents had a policy on that
cow. He transferred himself from
the Oregon hotel to the scene of the
cow's illness and there. took up the
problem of nursing the animal back
to health and to a condition that
would prevent the payment of an
insurance policy, v He was success
ful and the cow lived. He arrived
in Portland yesterday to attend the
stock show.
A few years ago it was difficult
to meet a man who took an interest
in the affairs of his country who
was not reading or had read a little
red-backed volume known as "Back
to the Republic." The volume con
tained few pages as it came from its
publishers but it was filled from
cover to cover with warnings re
garding the tendencies to change
our form of government. The au
thor, Harry F. Atwood of Chicago,
was at the Multnomah hotel yester
day. Mr. Atwood is the author of
several books,- among them being:
"God in American History" and "Our
Constitution the Antidote for Bol
shevism." For the purpose of gathering in
formation and pictures that ay be
used in a nation-wide advertising
campaign that will place the pro
posed city of Longview on the map,
Hoy Kolienborn of Kansas City is
here and is stopping at the Portland
hotel. Mr. Kolienborn is a nicmber'
of the Long Boll Lumber company's!
advertising organization. For a
number of years he was a member
of the reportorial staff of the Kan
sas City Star but left the paper to
go with the big lumber company.
He said yesterday that when the
Long Bell company starts advertis
ing it will make use of tho big mag
azines in the country to advertise
Longview.
After having spent several days in
Portland attending to legal affairs
Charles Erskine, attorney of Bend,
checked out of the Benson Saturday
night and returned home. Mr. Firs
kino is one of the leading members
of the American Legion in the state.
He is Oregon's representative on the
national committee of the Legion,
lie was a delegate to the national
convention of the organization
which was held in New Orleans last
month.
Charles W. Robison, attorney of
Astoria, checked out of the Oregon
yesterday afternoon after having
spent the night in Portland. Mr.
Robinson, who is well known here
and at one time was a deputy in the
office of the district attorney, has
been doing some campaigning for
the republicans. He has been on the
stump several times in behalf of the
election of Governor Olcott.
M. F. Hardest-, business man of
Seaside and grand chancellor of the
Knights of Pythias of the state was
in Portland on official business yes
terday and spent his time around the
lobby of the Imperial. He said that
the citizens of Clatsop county have
been so keenly interested in the out
come of the election this year that
they have almost forgotten business.
He declared that he would be glad
when Wednesday came.
It would be a rather difficult task
to keep Brewer A. Billie away from
a football game in Portland, pro
viding Oregon Agriculture college
eleven was one of the participants.
Mr. Billie was here yesterday after
having watched his alma mater rep
resentatives go down to defeat be
fore the Multnomah Club team.
Billie's home is in Astoria. He was
a guest of the Multnomah while
here.
Polk county will remain in the re
publican column tomorrow. This is
the belief of E. C. Kirkpatrick, who
was in Portland Saturday and talked
politics around the Imperial lobby.
He stated that he believed the re
turns would show a substantial ma
jority for Governor Olcott. Judge
Kirkpatrick has been active in the
politics of his county for many years.
Among the scores of people who
were registering at the various ho
tels yesterday was H. D. Avery of
La Grande. He signed his name on
the books at the Oregon and pre
pared to attend the Pacific Inter
national Livestock exposition. He
is a stock raiser himself and takes
a keen interest in shows where pure
blood stock is on exhibition.
N. G. Wallace, who looks upon
Crook county, rather than Prine
ville, as his home, was at the Im
perial hotel yesterday. Mr. Wal
lace is county judge of Crook, and
when he signs his name on a hotel
register he gives "Crook County" as
his residence. He will return home
today in time to cast his vote to
morrow. H. W. Gard, who believes' that the
development of Oregon is dependent
upon extension of the reclamation
of arid lands through irrigation, was
at the Imperial hotel yesterday. Mr.
Gard makes his home in Madras.
Just now he is working for the es
tablishment of an irrigation system
in his section of the state.
Horace Wilson, whose home is in
Rosebnrg, but who holds the gov
ernment position of supervisor of
the Indian agencies of the western
district was at the Imperial yester
day. Mr. Wilson has been in the
Indian service for a long time.
F. Klevenhausen, who operates a
cannery at Altoona, Washington
was a guest at the Oregon yester
day. A Certainty.
Birmingham Age-Herald.
"Is it true that some of our col
lege boys are imitating English
manners?"
"I don't know about that, but I
venture to say that a freshman who
strolled out wearing a monocle
would take his life in his hands."
. Burroughs Nature Club.
Copyright. Houghton-Mifflin Co.
Can You Answer These Question f
1. What is the most useful insect
known?
2. How does poison ivy spread?
Why should it come suddenly in
places that had been free from It?
3. How can a crow's tongue be
split to make it talk? What should
it be fed?
Answers in tomorrow's Nature
Notes.
Answers to Previous Questions.
1. I recently saw the botanic name
of the banana is musa sapientum.
Can you give any derivation? This
seems an odd name for a plant.
"Musa" ;s supposed to come from
an old Arabic word for the banana,
this tree being well known in the
east, and the word was taken to
name a genus. . The "sapientum"
part is rather amusing, said to re
flect the fondness of wise men for
resting (and probably eating) under
the shade of this tree, or tree-like
herb, as it is botanically called.
2. How does a sea urchin move?
Sea urcnins, like starfishes, have
tube-feet equipped with sucking
discs at the tip, and by these discs
they attach themselves to rocks and
crawl along. The urchin's feet are
not easily seen, as they are hidden
among the thick spines which cover
the limy thin plate, or shell, which
serves the urchin for an outside
skeleton. The urchin at times moves
on its spines alone.
3. Is it true that cedar birds will
sit in a row and pass food from' one
to the other?
We can only reply on hearsay,
never having happened to be on
hand when the trick was being per
formed. Reliable ornithologists
testify to having seen it, however.
Forbush's Useful Birds and Their
Protection and Wright's Bird Craft
both speak of having witnessed the
act; and both these authors suggest
it was probably less a ceremony
than an evidence that none of the
party was hungry.
WHERE ARE LISTED EVILS f
School Bill Literature Names Condi
tions That Puzzle Correspondent.
PORTLAND, Nov. 4. (To the Edi
tor.) A pamphlet "published by the
A. and A. S. R. school committee"
was left on my porch yesterday. The
pamphlet contains a series of ques
tions and answers about the pro
posed educational bill. I have read
it with ' great interest because it
must bo trustworthy information
from the chief proponents of the
measure and I note especially the
answer to question No. 2.
"The purpose of tho bill is to make
schools and education free in the
state of Oregon." Are not the schools
and education now free in this state?
Further, "To safeguard America
and American-democracy by teach
ing a common language and a com
mon history. Are there any schools
in this state taught in foreign lan
guagaes? If so where are they? In
what schools is objectionable his
tory taught?
Further, "To enable all children to
meet as equals in the public
schools." Do they not now have this
privilege?
Further, "To make education in
the public schools compulsory and
for that reason the bill, if enacted
into law, will result in tho closing
after a period of years of all for
eign language, religious and private
schools operated for children up to
the age of 16 years." On the face
of the hill this does not appear as
one of its provisions but no doubt
could result from the acts of school
authorities. Is there any need great
enough to warrant such a drastic
stop?
I am of puritan descent through
a line interested in education and
want to do all I can for the benefit
of the present day and future
scholars but I am in doubt about this
bill as my questions indicate.
S. W. WALKER.
ASSERTION BELIED BY METHODS
If Bill Does Not Aim at Sects Then
Why Campaign Against Them?
PORTLAND, Nov. 4. (To the Edi
tor.) The - tactics pursued by the
supporters of the school bill of late
are certainly not going to get many
votes for the measure. It has been
repeatedly denied that religious
prejudice is behind the move to close
the private schools. Why then must
its advocates seek by base methods
to arouse religious animosities in its
favor?
Pictures of nuns teaching in
schools are being circulated to
create the impression that the school
bill is aimed solely against them.
Anybody who has read the b'll
knows that it has nothing to do with
this situation, that the status of
these teachers will not be affected
one way or the other by the passage
or the defeat of the bill.
Insinuations are being broadcasted
that Catholics are responsible for
the burning of the Washington
school. The following quotation
from a local venomous sheet is the
lowest kmd of propaganda. "May
the Foster Road News hint that con
sensus of opinion gathered in the
last 48 hours among Mount Scott
people and others points to oppo
nents of the compulscry school bill
as the guilty parties," (for the burn
ing of Washington school.)
A desperate cause must resort to
desperate methods. Fair-minded peo
ple resent them. The stronger the
pleas to religious prejudice in favor
of the bill are made the more en
ergetically will sane voters arise to
defeat a measure which cannot stand
on its merits but must be advocated
by unfair and inflammatory insinua
tions. F. J. D.
Naming of Slate Not Intended.
PORTLAND, Nov. 5. (To the Ed
itor.) In the November special
school bill edition of the Washing
ton Journal, published by the Wash
ington Journal association, on the
editorial page appears a statement
relative to candidates indorsing the
compulsory school measure, which
is to be voted upon at the election
November 7. A number of the re
cipients of this paper arrived at the
conclusion that this was a ticket, or
an indorsement of the candidates'
names appearing therein. This was
not the intent of the article, as a
number of candidates whose names
do not appear in the list have since
been found to be ardent supporters
of the measure. The list of names
is not a ticket, has not been in
dorsed by any body, fraternity or
publication, the sole intent being to
as nearly as possible register those
who were known to be in support
of the compulsory school measure.
J. S. MOLTZNER,
Business Manager and Editor, Wash
ington Journal.
Dyeing; of Seal Fur.
EUGENE, Or., Nov. 2. (To the
Editor.) Please tell me where seal
fur is dyed. Are the skins all Eent
to the old country, and what coun
try, or are some dyed in this
country? J. L. STAGE.
America Is doing this work so
well that few sealskins are now sent
to London, as formerly, to be dyed.
St Louis, Mo., is an important cen
ter for such work.
More Truth Than Poetry.
By James J. Montasue.
A BAD INVESTMENT.
We seldom eat upon our dining
table.
It's very frail, and therefore we
have planned
To dine downtown whenever we are
able
To fill the kids up with our cash
on hand.
It often seems about to come to
pieces.
But when veneers and bits ot
glue it shed
We told ourselves "an antique's
worth increases
With every year that passes o'er
its head."
We've patched the chairs with string
and picture wire,
The children may not sit in them
at all;
We use the floor, when huddled
leund the fire,
And range the Chippendales along
the wall.
But little good such furniture can do
us
Yet we believed that in the by and
by
They'd bring a very handsome for-
. tune to us
Or to the youngsters when we
came to die.
We've saved and scrimped and sac
rificed to get them.
We've tended and we've watched
them through the years.
We've never let our progeny upset
them
For fear the crash would wind up
their careers.
And all because we thought, in fond
delusion.
That when, at last, the creaky
things were sold.
They'd bring the money In In vast
profusion.
Because they're all eo very, very
old.
And now, alas! we learn we've hoped
but vainly!
The French, who set the styles in
chairs and sich,
Declare these antique pieces are un
gainly And buy their outfits In Grand
Rap:ds, Mich.
Beyond our dreams it is to cash to
turn them;
Evaporated is our golden goal;
There's nothing left for us to do but
burn them
And make a little saving on the
coal!
Past Praying; For.
Nobody ever says "God save the
mark" in Germany. It's too late.
JVirmund Zu Haus.
After reading the kaiser's book,
it is still easier to understand why
he lost the war.
.
Practically Impossible.
It is said that the fascisti are
ignorant socialists, but if that were
the case, how could t,hoy pronounce
their name?
(Cniiyrlchl. 102?. hy Bell Syndicate. Inc.)
In Other Days.
Tiventy-five Years Abo.
From Tho Oregonian. Nov. 6, 1SP7.
Reports from Washington indicate
that in case of war with Spain, our
exposed seaports aro not tho only
things whoso need of fortiflention.
would ho manifested. With hundreds
of millions of credit obligations rest
ing on 153 million dollars of gold re
serve our finances are far from in
vulnerable. Rio Janeiro. An attempt has been
made to assassinate the president of
Brazil, Dr. Prudento Moraes. The
president's brother, shielding him.
was fatally shot and the minister of
war. General Betancourt, killed in
stantly. Salem. A lengthy petition to the
Oregon congressional delegation to
have government . improvement on
Yaquina bay is being gotten up in
Salem. Tho petition is now 31 feet
long and still growing.
The Multnomah and the Pacific
college football teams will meet this
afternoon in the opening game of
the season.
Fifty Years Ago.
Wrom The Oregonian, Nov. 6, 1871.
Paris. France will pay Germany
this week 200,000,000 francs, and
will continue to make similar in
stallments until the end of the year,
when only two milliards of the war
indemnity will remain unpaid.
Rochester, N. Y. Susan B. An
tho-ny and eight other women went
in a body to the polls and presented
their ballots, which the inspectors
received and deposited in tho ballot
box. Eighteen women were rejected
in the same district.
The election yesterday, consider
ing the great and Imporiaint inter
ests at stake, passed off witln
scarcely a ripple. So quiet and or
derly was everything conducted that
one would not suppose that tho
presidential election was being held
in the city.
Postal cards are in use in San
Francisco. We may anticipate this
new postal idea introduced here
soon.
Lodge Affiliation of Candidate.
PORTLAND, Nov. 4. (To the Edi
tor.) As a citizen perplexed by the
vast number of unsponsored tickets
bearing the names of candidates for
public offices at the coming elec
tion I wr.te to you to secure in
formation about the opponent of
Judge Walter H. Evans, candidate
for re-election as circuit judge, de
partment No. 6.
1. Is Judge Evans' opponent a
member of the .Masonic fraternity?
2. Has Judge Evans" opponent
ever acted as attorney for Columbia
university, a Catholic Institution?
3. Is it true that Judge Evans'
opponent was educated at Notre
Dame university, a Catholic insti
tution? E. H. PROTHERO,
790 Kearney street.
1. Judge Evans' opponent is not
a member of the Masonic fraternity.
2. We cannot undertake to answer
questions pertaining to the legiti
mate private professional connec
tions of candidates.
3. The book called the Bench and
Bar of Oregon states that Mr. Hurst
attended Notre Dame university
from 1902 to 1906, inclusive.
Persecutions Are Denied.
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal., Nov. 2.--(To
the Editor.) Under date of Oc
tober 26, 1922, George P. Davidoff
published in The Oregonian an ar
ticle describing certain persecutions
to which are supposed to be sub
jected the Macedonians speaking the
Bulgarian language, and the writer
insinuates that these (persecutions
are countenanced by the govern
ment of the kingdom of the Serbs,
Croats and Slovenes.
Permit me to request you to deny
the Insidious claim of George Davi
doff and brand such statements as
absolutely unfounded.
Thanking you beforehand for the
courtesy, I beg to remain,
ACTING CONSUL,
Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and
Slovenes, J