Morning Oregonian., November 21, 1922, Page 10, Image 10

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TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN, TUESDAY, N0VE3IBER 21, 1922
iJ
ESTABLISHED BY HENRY L. PITTOCK.
Pttblinhed by The Oregonian Pub. Co.,
lUi Sixth Street, Foreland, Oregon.
C. A. MORDEN,
Manager,
E.
B. PIPER,
Editor.
The Oregonian is a member of the As
sociated PresB. The Associated Press is
exclusively entitled to the use for publi
cation of all news dispatches credited to
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and also the local news published herein.
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NOT CURE FOR HIGH TAXES.
"There are some points of special
merit about the gross income tax
on corporations," remarks the Pen
dleton East Oregonlan. "California
has such a law, and as a result the
tourists in California pay much of
the state tax. Outside people who
buy California products do the
same thing, usually without know
ing it. "Why not follow the same
plan in Oregon?" The Pendleton
paper continues:
It has been objected that a gross in
come tax would relieve our public utili
ties from local taxation,, and that the loss
from such a law would merely balance
off the gain. However, that need not be
the case. The state could collect the
gross revenue tax and then divide it
among the counties in proportion to the
utility's assessments in each county, mucb
as the auto license money is distributed.
In that way we would not lose our local
revenue and the state could secure an
income it does not now enjoy, much of it
coming, as already mentioned, Irom peo
ple living outside the state. (
It is clear that local losses of tax
revenue under the proposed plan
are not hard to adjust. The county
would not as at present contribute
any share of the cost of state gov
ernment, but it would lose revenues
it now obtains from the local tax
ation of public utilities. California
adjusted the matter by providing
that if any county stood to sustain
a loss by the change, that loss
should be made good to it out of
the general fund of the state.
But we are bewildered by the
statement from Pendleton that the
state would secure an income it
does not now enjoy and that much
of that income would come from
people living outside the state.
Public utilities pay taxes now.
They pay them out of their gross
revenues. The amount of gross
revenues is not now the measure
ment of the tax; still taxes are paid
out of gross revenues. The amount
now paid is determined by the gen
eral property levy and by the as
sessed valuation of the corpora
tions' physical properties. It is, of
course, possible to determine what
percentage of the gross revenues
these companies now pay in taxes.
In 1920 the telephone companies
paid 7.5 per cent; the water com
panies 9.6 per cent; the electric
utilities 6.3 per cent; the gas utili
ties 7.4 per cent; the heating utili
ties 12.P per cent; the electric rail
roads 7.4 per cent and the steam
railroads 5.4 per cent. ,
The gross revenue tax would
change the method of measuring
the amount of taxes to be paid.
That is all. It could not by any
mysterious sort of process collect
it from any source not now taxed
and therefore no other than the
persons who are paying the taxes of
these corporations at the present
moment would then pay them.
California gets all of its revenues
for general state purposes from
taxes imposed upon public utilities,
insurance companies and banks.
Its tax on public utilities is defined
as a franchise tax. The franchise tax
is a percentage of gross receipts;
the bank rax is a percentage of the
true value of the bank shares; the
Insurance tax is a percentage of
gross premiums. Real estate owned
by banks and insurance companies
is subject to local taxation and the
amount so paid as local taxes is de
ducted from the state tax.
. Roughly speaking, the California
system is no different from Ore
gon's as regards foreign insurance
companies. Here there is a tax on
premiums, -while- certain fees are
exacted, all of which go to the
state treasury. The state's income
from that source in 1921 was about
$324,000.
Oregon also taxes bank stock.
The law implies that the shares
shall beassessed at their true value
against which shall be applied the
regular state, city, county, school
and other levies. California takes
one bite for the state and the local
communities get no taxes from
bank shares.
On public utilities the California
tax is affixed percentage of the
gross receipts. In Oregon the tax
on utilities is the combined state,
county, city and other local levies,
applied to a valuation fixed by the
state tax commission. In Oregon
all communities get a share of pub
lic utility taxes, the state included.
In California the state takes it all,
but in California the state does not
get any tax money from farms.
homes- and other property, as does
Oregon.
In California, in 1920 the public
utilities paid considerably less in
taxes in proportion to their receipts
than did Oregon utilities. In fact,
under the beneficent California
system' they paid a lower rate of
taxation than did the average in
dividual taxpayer. The legislature
In 1921 passed a law raising public
utility, bank and insurance tax
rates and this law was referred to
the people in the last election under
the requirements of the California
constitution. The rates were raised
by it to the same level that the in
dividual pays. The people defeated
the amendment by a vote of two to
one, thereby Indicating either a love
of corporations or a knowledge that
under state regulation of rates, the
consumer of public utilities invari
ably pays the company's taxes, or
a realization that to give the tax
eater more to snend is no way to
promote economy.
The California system is purely a
divorcement of state and local tax
ation. To repeat: In Oregon the
land owner pays both state and
local taxes and the railroads and
the other public utilities also pay
both state and local taxes. In Cali
fornia the land owner pays no state
taxes but public utilities pay no
local taxes. If rates are equitably
adjusted all around this divorce of
state and local taxes means a stand
off for both elements of the tax
paying public.
There are a few good arguments
for divorce of state and local taxa
tion. There are some good argu
ments against it. But in the course
of considerable reading on the sub
ject, we have never, until the recent
campaign was under way, encoun
tered an argument for or against
it that had as its premise the claim
that any great relief from high
taxes flowed from the plan. None
does flow from it. If presented it
ought to be presented with truth
and understanding. - .
NEWBERRY.
Senator Newberry was a heavy
liability to the republican party.
The best service he could have done
for it was to resign. Yet, except for
the circumstances of his election,
and the controversy growing out of
it, he might have 6erved his state
and nation with honor, even with
distinction. It is to be remembered
for him that he was a friend and
associate of Theodore Roosevelt,
and had his confidence. He was a
member of the Roosevelt cabinet as
assistant secretary and later secre
tary of the navy. He served in the
United States navy during the
Spanish-American war, and also
during the world's war. He was in
the active service at the time of his
election to the senate in 1918.
Against Newberry it is a fact that
great sums were expended for his
election to the senate. They were
not expended by him, but for him;
nor has it been said that any voter
was corruptly approached. The
sole count was that too much
money was expended; and it is true.
WHO DIDN'T DO IT?
From a letter to the press by-
Brother Clarenoe True Wilson, for
merly of Portland, now represent
ative of the committee on Conser
vation and Advance of the Metho
dist Episcopal Church, we seques
trate the following astonishing sum
total of misunderstanding and ig
norance as to the causes of the late
political debacle in Oregon:
Balance that, if you will (Volstead's
failure at re-election) with the over
whelming defeat of C. N. JIcArtnur ol
Portland. Or., who has been saturatingly
wet, though representing a ' bone-dry
sta.te. There are eighteen republicans
tor every one democrat in tne city oi
Portlands McArthur's congressional dis
trict, and yet the republican was over
whelmingly defeated and a dry demo
crat elected to take his place. There is
a similar situation in the state where
Governor Olcott inherited the office by
being secretary of state at the death of
the real governor. He has given an ad
ministration wet and feeble ana thougn
there, are hardly democrats in the state
enough to count in normal times, they
have elected the congressman and Pierce,
a democrat, as governor, showing that
there is no slumping of moral sentiment
or Independents in voting out in Oregon.
It is a familiar phenomenon that
a specialist in disease will almost
infallibly relate every known hu
man ailment to his particular
hobby or occupation. It is much
the same with your expert in poli
tics or morals or philosophy. On
no other ground can we account for
the fact that a minister of the
gospel, who of all others should be
careful of his facts, is willing to
subscribe his name to a series of
statements so far from the truth.
In this instance Dr. Wilson cannot
make even the poor excuse that he
did not have the opportunity to
knew the facts. The record is no
toriously available.
Mr. McArthur was not over
whelmingly beaten; and his record
in prohibition was the smallest pos
sible factor in his defeat. There are
not eighteen republicans to one
democrat in Portland; nor ten nor
five. The registration shows some
thing like three to one; the average
in an election less than two to one.
But our interest is chiefly in the
assumption that Mr. Olcott lost be
cause of his failure to enforce the
prohibition law. There are prohi
bitionists who will testify that Ore
gon is the driest state in the Union;
and it is not over-dry at that. There
was no charge, until Dr. Wilson in
vented it out of a too fertile imag
ination, that Governor Olcott was
in any way pandering to wet senti
ment. It was not heard of in the
campaign. Even Mr. Pierce over
looked it.
Now evidently there is an ardent
faction of prohibitionists to tell Mr.
Pierce they elected him. The pa
triotic societies think they did it;
the kukluxers say they did it; and
the newspaper tax economists are
certain they did it. During the late
hectic unpleasantness, we had some
tearful testimony that Mr. Pierce
was making his fight single-handed.
After January 1, 1923, Governor
Pierce is likely to find refuge in the
consoling thought that, after all, the
believers in his great personal ef
ficiency and sufficiency in his own
behalf were right.
PRACTICAL YAIXE OF SCHOOLING.
The federal children's bureau
has completed a study of some
eight hundred boys who left school
at the age of fourteen to go to work
and has reached the conclusion
that they have definitely handi
capped themselves by neglecting to
pursue their studies at least two
years longer. The statistics of the
inquiry as summarized show that
33 per cent of the boys had new
jobs every three to eight months,
while an additional g per cent
shifted about more frequently
than that. A large majority were
out of work a good deal of the
time. Job hunting and discourag
ing idleness absorbed much of the
two years that these youths believed
they were saving by leaving
school.
It is apparent that the funda
mentals of school training are more
necessary to a reasonable degree of
success in life than they formerly
were. The bureau's figures make
it appear that the years to and in
cluding the sixteenth can be profit
ably devoted to education, whatever
may be said as to the subsequent
ones. The table of earnings of the
boys under investigation showed a
range from three dollars a week
to sixteen dollars, with an average
of less than eight. What they do
not show is, however, fully as im
portantthe relative capacity of
the young men of this class after
the age of sixteen by comparison
with those of the same age who
continued in school.
An impressive revelation of the
conference on illiteracy recently
held in Washington was General
Lassiter's statement that the draft
had shown that "only one-third of
the men who claimed to be skilled
at their trades actually possessed
the degree of skill necessary to
warrant a rating of journeyman."
The reason in all probability will
not fe hard to find. The technical
requirements of most modern
trades are such, and industry moves
so rapidly, that the worker who
lacks at least a fair education in
the rudiments of all knowledge is
handicapped in" his efforts to keep
up with the procession. Fourteen
is too early an age to leave school,
to begin the perennial round of
hunting for jobs which in their
very nature are unlikely to be
either permanent, attractive or
promising for the future. The few
exceptions here and there do not
impair the validity of the rule.
PORTLAND'S RANK AS A PORT.
Rise of Portland to eighth, place
among ports of the United States
and to second place among ports
of the Pacific coast in tonnage of
cargo entered and cleared to and
from foreign ports is the more con
vincing proof of the strength of
the port's position for the reason
that it has had no artificial aid. It
has been denied first-class service
by the shipping board and it has
the exclusive support of no great
transcontinental railroad. No reg
ular line of ships is owned or con
trolled by its own people, to work
for the development of Portland
commerce ir preference to that of
any other port. A line of freight
vessels operates directly between
this port and the orient for the
shipping board, but it competes
with fast passenger-cargo lines
from other ports, and vessels are
added only as cargo offers. Other
lines, to both foreign and domestic
ports, call at other ports on even
terms, and this port gets business
strictly on its merits.
The weak point in Portland's ton
nage statistics i the great dispar
ity between inwVrd and outward
cargoes, imports being but a frac
tion of exports. This is in large
degree the consequence of prefer
ence shown by the shipping bbard
and some of the railroads for other
ports. Valuable import cargoes
cannot be expected to come to this
port until equal service is given in
speed of ships and frequency "of
sailings. The new line to the east
coast of South America wilf demon
strate what Portland can do when
placed on an equal footing with its
competitors. There will be oppor
tunity to import tropical fruits,
coffee, rubber, sugar, hardwood,
and other commodities, which
should go tiy to balance the lum
ber, flour, fruit, furniture and ma
chinery that we shall export. With
as good service to the orient as
Other ports have we should bring
full cargoes of hemn. ennra. Kiio-ar.
rubber, tA, jute, silk, soya bean oil
and other commodities.
Volume of tonnage passing
through this port, even under the
present handicaps, is an irresistible
argument for removing those
handicaps by giving it equal service
with competitors which "handle less
tonnage. Cargo attracts ships and
if discrimination prevents Ameri
can ships from coming, foreign
ships will fill the void and the ship
ping board will be hard pressed for
justification of any discrimination
against them, so long as it refuses
to provide that which they offer.
The strength of Portland's position
as a point at which traffic is as
sembled for transfer between ship
and railroad must beat down all
obstructions and bring this port
into its own.
IF NOT SHIP SUBSIDY. THEN WHAT?
Democrats and the farn bloc
threaten to filibuster to death the
ship subsidy bill, to expedite which
President Harding has called con
gress in extra session. They take
this position in disregard of plain
facts, democrats from partisan mo
tives, though the bill is unani
mously recommended by a bipar
tisan board, the farmers because
they shy at anything in the nature
of a subsidy. They offer' no alter
native plan for dealing with the
facts which they cannot deny.
Fact No. 1 is that a great fleet
of transports is necessary to our na
tional defense. In time of war,
ships in great number are needed
to carry supplies to the army and
to carry troops and war material
if we are to take the offensive in
the enemy's territory, as is the
American instinct, rather than wait
for the enemy to invade our terri
tory, as Mr. Hearst would have had
us do In the world war. We cannot
be sure, in our next war, of allies
to hold the enemy in check while
we build a fleet to transport our
army to their aid, and the enemy
will certainly not wait till we have
built ships; he will bring the war
to us by attacking us, bombarding
our ports and shipyard? perhaps
capturing them. Even if we should
be so fortunate as to have allies or
if the enemy should be so accom
modating as to wait for us to send
our army to him, it would be reck
less waste to spend another three
billion dollars on building a fleet
and then to scrap it when peace
was restored.
Sound economy demands that we
preserve and complete our present
fleet and find employment for it in
peace time in order that it may not
be an intolerable burden and may
be ready with trained, loyal Amer
ican crews for service in war. Our
growing foreign trade offers ample
employment. Until the emergency
fleet was built, almost all of our
ocean transportation was furnished
by foreign ships, chiefly : British,
though our exporters will find
Britain their keenest competitor in
foreign markets. We can secure
efficient service only from Ameri
can ships, giving our goods prefer
ence and. working to assist our
sales. We can neither build nor
operate ships at as low cost as other
nations, and Americans will not en
gage in the foreign-going shipping
business unless the difference in
cost is made good to them. Exten
sion of the prohibition law to our
merchant marine adds materially to
this difference and requires in
crease of government aid in order
that we may operate : passenger
ships.
The proposal in substance is to
make this difference good by set
ting aside 10 per cent of the cus
toms revenue and all tonnage dues
or subsidies; by granting shipown
ers exemption from Income, tax
when the sum remitted is invested (
in new ships; by granting shippers
a rebate on income tax equal to 5 .
per cent st freight money paid to ';
American ships; iJso by lending ;
government funds at 2 per cent in
terest for ship construction. The
highestestimate made by an op
ponent of the bill is that the an
nual cost to the government would
be about $75,000,000. At that rate
we should have to be immune from
war for forty years before the cost
of subsidizing, the merchant ma
rine would equal the cost of con
structing the emergency fleet for
the world war. In the present state
of the world we shall be fortunate
if we escape war for half that
period.
If we permit our. merchant ma
rine to diminish to its pre-war pro
portions and then have to fight, we
shall save the subsidy but shall I
probably have to. spend another i
three bTttions on building another
emere-pnr-v fleet nrovided we can
emergency iieet, proviaea we can
keep the war waiting our leisure,
We should in that event spend in
the brief duration of the war all
that we should otherwise spend on
subsidies in forty years and we
should risk invasion. We should
also lose the service of our ships to
our foreign trade and should pay
vast sum in freight money to for
eign ship-owners instead of our
own.
It is highly improbable that the
annual aid given to our ships
would reach J75,000,000 or would
continue at so high a figure. Under
the bill, when net earnings exceed
10 per cent, half of the excess is to
be paid to the government. The
various preferences given to our
ships would tend to insure full car
goes, which would go far to offset
the high cost of operation. If the
law were well administered, Amer
ican efficiency should by degrees
bring this cost hear an equality
with that of foreign vessels and the
subsidy should be reduced in pro
portion. .
The Oregonian has severely criti
cised some features of the bill, but
they can be amended without im
pairing its main structure, of which
we approve. Greater care should
be taken to limit the powers of the
shipping board in administering the
bill, to compel it to give public
hearings and to justify its decisions
on all questions except mere rou
tine, and to deal openly in selling
ships. The sections permitting rail
roads to own foreign-going ships
and to make exclusive contracts
with shipping companies should be
eliminated, as should the prepos
terous definition of an entire coast
line as one "domestic community."
The board should be compelled to
abandon its secret, arbitrary meth
ods, which have justified suspicion
that it discriminates in favor of a
few big companies and their chosen
ports.
By this policy the board has
alienated many who might have
been friends of the bill and has
made enemies where it might have
won, and where it needed to win,
friends. The bill should be so
amended and administered that the
subsidy and all its benefits' would
be placed within reach of all ports
and of all producers in the interior.
By such a policy the board would
make the merchant marine an en
terprise of the entire nation, not of
a picked few. By holding public
inquiry into all questions and by
giving wide publicity to its action
and the reasons therefor, it would
keep public interest awake and
would enlist public support which
its star chamber methods have for
feited. Destructive critics offer no alter
native to the subsidy policy. The
government cannot sell its ships to
Americans unless it gives aid that
will secure them against loss in
operation. In operating them itself
it is losing $50,000,000 a year and,
if interest, depreciation and insur
ance were added, probably double
that amount. At-that rate the sub
sidy policy would save money, even
if we accept the highest estimate of
its cost. If we reject both the sub
sidy scheme and government oper
ation, one of thjree alternatives will
have to be adopted sell the ships
to impoverished foreigners at their
own price, scrap them or take them
out to the middle of the two oceans
and sink them. . If the indiscrim
inate critics favor any of these al
ternatives, let them say so. They
boast with wearisome iteration that
they are progressive, but there is no
progress in stubborn opposition to
every, positive action. .
The Chinese minister of finance
has been pulled up short on a
charge of grafting a commission of
half a million on a thirty million
loan. He could give officials dis
posed to dicker that way all the
good cards in the deck and beat
them.
Among "crimes and casualties"
may be noted the sinking of a
launch off Long Island with 9600
quarts of Scotch. The crime is In
feeding such stuff to the passing
fishes.
The city is thrifty.. Soon it will
sell at auction several thousand
gunny sacks. Time was when the
gunny was thrown away as rubbish.
Portland is second ranking port
on the Pacific and eighth in the
country. Stick a pin on the map
where rail and river meet.
It's a world of perversities. When
a fellow has money enough to pay
for a high-price turkey, the market
rules low.
This "week" business is hanging
on. The president wants an Amer
ica Education week next month.
Always pays to tell the truth.
A company that makes speedome
ters declares an extra dividend.
If everybody would give, as he
knows he 'can afford, over the
chest would go with a rush.
There is a time for the easterly
wind, but not in winter time. ' In
the spring it is a tonic
The Community Chest needs
$648,329. That is less than one
day's payroll here.
California' has the record as the
most murderous state with automo
biles. One time when being chesty is
not offensive.
Newberry will feel more resigned
today, , i l
The Listening Post.
By iJeWItt Harry.
ONE of us exactly hate our-
elves and self-esteem is con
sidered a virtue. Isn't It possible
even to carry some virtues to ex
tremes? Take the case of L. N. Wing On,
the evidence in which is offered
herewith. To say the least -Wing
is naive and wfngs away on some
lofty flights. Judge for yourself
what sort of an alert mental mortal
is this who writes the following,
seemingly in seriousness, from Van
couver, B. C:
L. N. Wing On, Chinese student, will
become in the future a prime minister
"''"a - He has already made a life
elements of this age. Being; possessed
of a gifted, powerful brain instinct, he
nas latey invented a new secret method
of ehecklng the poisonous gascs emiUed
by bombs and flying machines of any
K'nd from enemy countries and so safe
guard human life. He has also dis
covered a new food for human consump
tion which absolves the cruelty of kill
ing livestock. He also possesses -the
power of regulating the minds of crimi
nal offenders, sd that the number of
criminals and wrongdoers will be mini
mized and their tendency of resorting to
criminal practices will diminish. He has
also the power and method of felicitat
ing nations, so that a better mutual un
derstanding will arise between the va
rious nations of the world. He will also
be able to assist the poorer classes so
that they will not have to toil so stren
uously, but have a better outlook on life
in general and their children as well.
He will also be able to extend men's
allotted span of life by ten or 'even 20
years owinj to certain systematic modes
of readjustment. He will also be able to
effect great changes for the better
among all living men, savages and the
people of other civilized and uncivilized
nations and tribes.
The Chinese proverb la as follows:
"How is a dragon a thing to be kept
in a pond?" The answer to this is a
person of extraordinary Intellect is bound
to rise and yotr cannot, keep, him down.
The student aforesaid is a young man
and is still making a life study of fu
ture revelations which will astonish the
world.
In about ten or 15 years from now he
trusts to- accomplish the results of this
lifelong study. The secrets of the in-'
vention will not be published until after
the expiration of 15 years, when the
great work will be accomplished. This
man is bona fide.
For years the doctor's wife has
been bound by shackMB to duty. She
has had to sit at home and answer
the telephone and find- the doctor if
he was needed in a hurry.
In the telephone book, under near
ly every doctor's name, now appears
a little legend, "if no answer call
Tabor ." It is merely the appli
cation of the clearing house idea to
the medical profession. The number
refers to an information bureau that
consists of a telephone switchboard.
two operators who are nurses, a
filing system and a corps of mes
sengers. It works like this:
Dr. Sawbones goes out on a call.
He tells the information bureau
where he has gone and how he can
be reached. . Another patient calls
and wants him. He is referred to
the number or address left by the
doctor and finds him all without
tut; a niiE, niiu, in
dayg gone by, had to sit quietly at
home, eschewing bridge and the
theater, a slave to the jingle of the
telephone.
A number of Portland men are in
terested in a big tooth-powder mine
in central Oregon. The story goes
that an old tobacco chewing pros
pector found the diggings years ago
when he discovered that the fine
powdery substance would clean the
stains from his teeth. Tons of this
tooth powder, designated as diato
maceous earth, reaches the markets
of the world through this port.
It is mined in mountain-like de
posits and comes to Portland in
freight cars to be trans-shipped here
to other ports. This white, light
earth can be used to polish silver,
manicure nails, make false teeth,
shine up optical goods, whiten shoes,
in surgery and for shampoos. The
deposits are in the sagebrush coun
try. "BIRDS OF A FEATHER."
A gossiping woman lived under a tree
That wars scraggly, crooked and old;
In a raucous voice, to passers-by.
The daily news she told.
Some crows that lit In the tree one day
When they heard her voice, replied;
Thinking it might be another crow,
With lusty vigor they vied
To outdo the shrew and oh, what a din!
It was -caw, caw, caw and chin, chin,
chin!
Yes, "birds of a- feather cling together."
The crows decided to stay;
When they hear the raucous voice of the
dame
The concert Is on every day.
And its caw, caw, caw and chin, chin,
chin!
They all talk together and oh, what a
din! y
Bight in the center of the close
in east side, with dignified Irving
ton on one side and Little Russia on
the other, is a stock ranch. Just
east of the new Fremont municipal
park and playground is a wide ex
panse of pasture where browse the
livestock of this foreign sort of a
community. This is one part of the
town where there is a barn instead
of a garage in every back yard.
In the late afternoon the herds
men plod their weary way home,
driving the family cow ahead. It
has every appearance of a country
scene, with this difference, the
herdsman has most likely accumu
lated his tired feeling digging
ditches during the day.- At even
tide the scene from several loca
tions is one of peace, quiet and
contentment.
f .
. The distinguishing garb of the
cowhand is a high-crowned, wide-
brimmed Stetson and boots with tall
heels. On a recent trip to eastern
Oregon a telegraph lineman was ob
served, equipped with ' spurs and
safety belt, at the top of a pole mak
ing a splice. He wore the complete
cowboy equipment except for chaps.
-
In commenting on a recent wheat
shipment to an Italian famine zone
a local grain man observed that it
would no doubt return before many
days, like bread cast on the waters,
as macaroni.
After the traffic officer Bad
stopped the party on the highway
he explained to the driver: "I don't
blame you, but I do blame the peo
ple in your car. One of them should
have seen me and warned you.
Bobbed hair does not seem to
gain much of a foothold in China at
least. The Chinese have a belief
that women who wear "bobbed1
hair will. In the next world, be
transformed into men.
According to a soph at the State
university a girl's idea -of a good
time is to go off somewhere with
a lot of other girls and eat an onion
and keep it a. dead, secret.
Those Who Come and Go.
-
Tales of Folks at the Hotels.
From Joseph, Or., to Portland in
15 hours is the time made by Mrs.
F. D. McCully. Accompanied by the
Wallowa county court, Mrs. Mc
Cully took the wheel and covered
the 378 miles without breaking the
speed laws or even exceeding 25
miles an hour. It was not the in
tention originally to push through
to Portland in a day but when the
party had dinner at The Dalles at
8 P. M., it was suggested that they
might as well go on to Portland.
The only trouble experienced was
when approaching Crown point. A
dense fog hu.ng over the Columbia
river highway and the spotlight and
headlights were almost useless, as
the fog swallowed the glare. In
this predicament the county judge
and two county commissioners got
out of the machine and walked
ahead, carrying flashlights to see
j where the road was, and Mrs. Mc
Cully drove slowly at the heels of
the officials. The party also stopped
to assist in getting a car back out
of the ditch. Mrs. McCully says she
did not realize whab good running
time she was making or she could
have brought the crowd to the Im
perial several hours earlier. The
Old Oregon Trail, over the Blue
aiounains, at Pamela, is almost
completed, there being about a mile
more to do, according to the Wal
lowa delegation. Considering the
time of year, the roads the entire
distance between Portland and
Joseph are in splendid condition.
A large ornamental frame con
taining half a dozen beautiful hand-
colored photographs of the Roose
velt coast highway in Coos and
Curry counties will be installed in
the leading Portland hotels. C. W.
Parker of Coos Bay is in town with
one of the frames, which has been
set up in the lobby of the Benson
The photographs give a splendid idea
of the magnificent scenic points on
the highway in the southern coast
counties, where the road has been
carved out along the cliffs over
looking the Pacific ocean. The
county courts and the Good Roads
association of Coos and Curry are
financing these pictures and they
plan also to have large signs erected,
One sign will be at Crescent City,
CaL, another will be at Grants Pass
and another at Roseburg. Between
the large signs, every few miles.
will be smaller signs telling tourists
how to get to the Roosevelt coast
highway and Coos Bay highway.
John R. Nickelsen of Hood River
who'sees that the section of the
Columbia river highway in that
county is kept in apple-pie order,
left for home yesterday. Mr. Nickel-
sen, being a member of the state
senate, was in' Portland conferring
with his colleagues and seeing what
could be done about lining up sup
porters for B. L. Eddy of Douglas
for president of the senate. It was
a year ago that the highway was
completely blocked by a big snow
storm and silver thaw, the storm
blockading the highway for weeks
and doing great damage to the tele
phone lines. The storm was a freak
and as such it attracted attention
throughout the state, for nothing
like it in the Columbia gorge had
occurred in nearly 40 years.
A. W. Norblad has been combining
business with pleasure in Portland
tie nas been representing a man
charged with moonshining, in the
federal court, that being the busi
ness, while the pleasure was at
tending a conference of coast county
delegates wno want a highway com
missioner. Having been a member
of the state senate, Mr. Norblad was
called into consultation- yesterday
with eastern Oregon senators to
see what can- he done about organ
ization. In the June primaries Mr
Norblad was a candidate for the
republican nomination for the first
congressional district.
Something must be wrong with
Urants Pass, Or., for John Hamp
shire, who is at the Hotel Portland
with Mrs. Hampshire and their
small son, does not register from
anywhere leaving the line follow
ing his name blank. Mr. Hampshire
did much toward boosting Grant;
ra.ss ana saying "it's the Climate
embossing the name of the- town
and the climatic eulogy on hotel
registers whever he went. Mr.
Hampshire Is in the city to submit
a Did to tne state nignway commis
sion this morning.
They say that there isn't any
man in the Coos Bay country who
knows more about the timber of
that section and its possibilities than
A. Er Adelsperger. There may be
others who know this subject as
well but none who are better in
formed. Mr. Adelsperger is . man
who went into the coast country
and worked in the woods and made
good. He is in the city on business
and is registered at the- Hotel Port
land.
J. Merrill Smith of Tillamook was
a very busy man in the hotel lobbies
yesterday. Mr. Smith came to Port
land as member of the delegation
which wants a state highway com
missioner appointed from the coast
and yesterday he was active in try
ing to see what he could do abou
electing Charles Hall of Marshfield
as president of the state senate.
. W. A, Gore, banker of Medford,
Or., and former member of the leg
islature, in which body he was on
the roads and highways committee
and had a hand in devising the Ore
gon state highway system, is at the
Imperial. Mr. Gore says that there
was a good pear crop this year in
the Rogue river country and that
there was a good price but not such
a favorable report can be made re
garding the apples.
The Mclvenzie river stlu run
down hill," reports William Nesmith
of Lane county, who arrived in town
to look around for a few days. Mr.
Nesmith knows the McKenzie stream
from its source to its mouth an
has fished its entire length and
with success.
Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Kreba of El
more, Tillamook county, are at the
Imperial for a few days. Mr. Krebs
is the justice of the peace and lead
ing citizen of. Elmore and Rockaway,
Attracted by the meeting of th
state highway commission, J. G,
Shotwell is in Portland from Her
miston. Or. Mr. Shotwell is in the
road, contracting game.
W. C. Crittenden and E. Tropp of
San Francisco are at the Benson
They were interested in the recent
ale of the Wells-Fargo building,
Madame Gadski, the singer.
among the arrivals at the Benson.
Masefield on Oregon Men.
CORVALLIS, Or., Nov. 19. (To
the Editor.) Is it true that we send
prunes to California to be relabeled
for the market? Another Oregon
product, ihowever, seems to have es
tablished Itself under its own name.
John Masefleld. listing the types
and races crowding to the Compton
racecourse in his poem, "Right
Royal," p. 31, includes:
"Oregon men of six foot seven '
With backs from Atlas and hearts
from heaven."
It is plain that he knows us.
This for those Oregonians who,
like the writer, are always behind in
their reading or who Just don't read.
- "... M.E.S.
Burroughs Nature Club.
Copyright, Houghton-Mlfflln Co.
Can Yon Answer These Question.
1. Is the cormorant a bird of
prey?
2. How many litters a year do
rabbits have?
3. Please inform me of the habits
f the mud puppy, Necturus or hell
bender?
Answers in tomorrow's Nature
Notes.
Answers to Previous Questions.
1. Is there any such bird as a
booby?
Yes, several birds are thus called,
owing to their stupid habits; but the
one rightly owning the name is- sula
leucogaster, "white belly," belong
ing among gannets. Lives in warm
seas of America and has rarely
strayed as far north as New York
and New England coasts. It looks
ts name, with a disproportionately
long and large neck and head dwarf
ing its body. Total length 30 inches.
.
2. Is there any benefit in the
rattlesnake?
In sections where gophers, prairie
dogs and similar email rodents
abound, rattlesnakes are valuable as ;
checks on these pests. As these ani- 1
mals inhabit ground ruined for
man's use, the presence of rattle
snakes there is not a menace and
they should not be killed, as they
prevent a certain amount of increase
to the rodents.
3. What is the average elze and
age of the following fish: Buffalo
fish, spoonbill cat, carp and catfish?
Impossible to give span of life of
wild" fish, longevity depending on
the luck of the individual in escap
ing foes. Only captive fish can give
any data on length of span, and this
is not altogether applicable to free
specimens. Buffalo fish, grow to 3
feet long, 20 to 50 pounds weight;
spoonbill cat, up to 6 feet and 150
pounds; a common carp might be 2
feet long, 4 to 6 pounds, but there
are 2000 species to choose 'from!
Common catfish or horned pout, 11
inches, up to 7 pounds.
NON-MEAT EATERS HAVE RIGHTS
Another High Per Cent American
Discusses Friday Fish. BiU.
PORTLAND, Nov. 20. (To the
Editor.) Referring to article on
editorial page of The Oregowion No
vember 20 with caption For Pork
on-Friday law," is this meant seri
ously, or is it a joke! If not a joke
it seems to m'e it is almost beyond
belief that a self-styled 100 per cent
American cannot find something
more worth while on which to ex
pand, his energies. "No discrimina
tion," perhaps, but how about equal
rights of people who never eat meat,
not because of religious inhibitions,
but because it is not good for them.
If it is a joke, then I think the
space such articles take on the edi
torial page could be devoted to. more
helpful themes. For instance, telil us
something about" children who are
being helped by the Community
Chest (a timely topic this week) to
get a start in life that even e&tirog
pork and more pork could not give
thiem.
ANOTHER 100 AMERICAN.
The article referred to was obvi
ously sarcasm directed at the re
cently enacted school bill and as
such was timely. It appeared in
space regularly given over to let
ters from the people. The Orego
nian has no unpublished letters
about the Community Chest, on file.
It has given generous space daily to
Community Chest articles in the
proper columns.
GREATEST BARD SPIRITUALIST?
Shakespeare's Works Contain Many
Allusions to Occult.
PORTLAND, Nov. 20. (To the
Editor.) Referring to "credulous
Sir Arthur," . the subject of an edi
torial in The Oregonian November
16, may we not add W. Shakes
peare to the list of famous credu
lists (no pun intended).
"Be thou a spirit of health or gob
lin damn'd,
Bring with thee airs from heaven or
blasts from hell,
Be thy intents wicked or charitable.
Thou comest in such a questionable
shape
That I will speak to thee."
Hamlet.
The works of the immortal bard
abound in allusions to and inter
views between physical man and
spirits. There is, however, this dif
ference, Sir Arthur expects to be
taken seriously, while the poet's
product is more or less fiction, but
many tremendous truths, paradox
ical as it may seem, are divulged
through the medium of fiction.
To be perfectly fair to Sir Arthur
it would be proper to Include in
the list Milton, Byron, Longfellow,
Abraham Lincoln, Lodge (not Cabot),
Crookes, Professor James Hyslop,
and a host of the world's most crit
ical analyists and observers. Be
twixt undue skepticism and exces
sive credulity it is possible for the
race to be deprived of much en
lightenment. A. W. NEALE.
Tenant's Right to Crop.
LEBANON, Or., Nov. 19. (To the
Editor.) A has a ranch rented for
one year, no contract. A was not
told to get off at end of year, but
It was understood by heirs that he
would. A has put in crops this falL
Can he stay until crops are off or
will he have to get off? READER.
The following is the rule as stated
in "Realtors' Legal Handbook":
If the lease Is to expire at a definite
date, the tenant must surrender the
property on that date and the landlord
will be entitled to all crops then grow
ing on the premises, then unharvesLed ;
but If the expiration date Is not defi
nitely fixed, but depends upon the hap
pening of some event, as for instance
the sale of the farm, or the giving of
notice by the landlord, or some other
event, and the tenant at the time of
the event has growing crops, he may,
though required to surrender possession
of the farm, thereafter have free access
to the premises to cultivate, harvest
and remove the crop.
While, you say there was "no con
tract," the wording of your ques
tion implies the possibility of an
oral lease with a fixed date of ex
piration. Stone in Deep Water.
PORTLAND, Nov. 20. (To the
Editor.) To settle an argument,
please answer the following ques
tion: If a stone were thrown into
the deepest part of the ocean would
it sink to the bottom or float about
in the depths? READER,
The basis of this argument is
probably a confusion of pressure
with specific gravity. Pressure
greatly increases with depth of
water but the increase in specific
gravity of water is less than five
per cent at a depth of 3000 fathoms.
It is the greater specific gravity of
a stone that causes it to sink in
water. Being many times heavier
than an equal volume of water at
any depth the stone will sink to the
bottom. The pressure of deep water
will not affect the weight of the
stone. .
More Truth Than Poetry.
By James J. Montague.
TOO EARLY.
I've very often wondered.
But still remain in doubt.
Why streams can not be plundered
Of lithe and lusty trout,
Unless a chap arises
At half past three, A. M.,
To tempt the finny prizes
And make a prey of them.
'Twould set my eoul a-tingle
At this time of the year
To stalk through dell and dingle
The dun and dappled deer.
But in the forest lonely
Where these gaunt creatures run
They can be hunted only .
Before the rise of sun.
I understand that rabbits
By no one can be shot
Whose early-rising habits
Were long ago forgot.
And he who lingers idly
Until the sun's bright glare
Upon the world shines widely
Can never harm a hare.
The Nimrod complex in me
Is strong and keen and deep.
But it can never win me
From necessary sleep.
It's lots of fun, I gather,
To kill these creatures dead.
But just the same I' rather
Put in the time in bed.
Private Property.
"Hiram Johnson Carries Califor
nia." Headline. In his vest pocket,
apparently.
Never Satisfied.
Having put half a dozen repub
licans into the White House, Ohio
is now experimenting with an at
tempt to land a democrat there next
time.
But It Won't.
With so many doctors among its
members, the senate ought hereafter
to be able to feci the public pulse.
(Copyright. 1922. by feell Syndicate. Inc.)
In Other Days.
Twenty-five Years Ago.
Prom The Oregonian, November 21, 1S97.
Seattle. The most serious damage
done by the recent floods so far re
ported was at Mount Vernon. The
dikes surrounding the town broke
last night and within an hour the
whole town was under itwo feet of
water.
Berlin. Emperor William intends
to open the Reichstag in person,
which he has not done since 1894. He
will make an effort to bring about
the passage of a measure providing
for increasing the strength of the
German, navy.
Portland is to have a line of
steamers to Dawson City which, will
be equal to any on the coast. A
number of river steamers will be
built for the journey from St. Mlch
eals to Dawson City. The company
is incorporated under the title of
the Oregon and Alaska Transporta
tion company, and will have head
quarters in Portland.
Fifty Years Ago.
From The Oregonian, November 21, 18T2.
Paris. President Thiers has re
signed. General McMahon is ap
pointed president pending the action
of the national assembly, and there
is great excitement In consequence.
Th contract has just been let by
the Willamette River Transporta
tion company for the building of a
large first-class steamboat to ply
on the waters of the upper and low
er Wil'lamett'e In connection with
the steamer Annie Stewart,
The extension being made to the
wharf at the foot of Main street
wall be finished in the course of a
week. The inclination of the wharf
ui allow vessels to land at tho
lowest stages of the river and af
ford ample facilities for the receiv
ing or discharging of freights.
Operations' on the water works dn
east Portland are progressing wdth
great rapidity. The reservoir wU
be supplied from the springs by a.
pump worked by a waterwheel of
sufficient capacity to throw 12,000
gallons an hour.
Descent of Property.
PORTLAND, Nov. 20. (To the
Editor.) (1). How would the estate
of a divorced man be divided in the
event of his death? He had one
child. (2). In the event of his re
marrying, and accumulating the
estate after his second marriage
how would it be divided if he died
intestate? By his second marriage
there were two children. (3). Soma
of the real property is held in his
name and that of his1 second wife,
jointly. Would that make a differ
ence? All the children are minors.
A SUBSCRIBER.
1. It would all go to the child, if
the father died intestate.
2. His separate property would
descend! to the three children sub
ject to the second wife's dower of
a life interest In the income from
one-half his estate.
3. Property held jointly would go
to the surviving spouse. ..
Friendship of Astoria Noted.
PORTLAND, - OR,' Nov. 20. (To
the Editor.) The Oregonian pub
lishes figures the writer had been
hoping might reach print election
returns for the exposition measure.
It is well to know one's really,
truly friend, for his light may not
be hidden in a bushel, or otherwise.
Reference to these returns shows
the proposition carried but threa
counties, outside Multnomah; barely,
at that, in Clackamas and Columbia,
All others, decisively defeated it ex
cept in Yamhill, where it almost
carried.
This leaves one unaccounted for
Clatsop carried two to one! Astoria,
some times said to be our rival and
enemy!
Times, indeed, are changing.
Should not someone offer a rising
vote of thanks to th gallant little
city by the sea?
LYKE A. FAIR,
Adults Need Schooling, Too.
NEWBERG, Or.. Nov. 19. (To the'
Editor.) In recent war days two
measures before the congress tested
the caliber of congressmen.
1. The Infamous McLemore reso
lution.
2. The cowardly Adamson law.
McArthur was marked 100 per
cent O. K. for opposing both and ia
defeated. Hawley voted for both,
and is elected.
Here is another reason why I favor
compulsory education to be applied
between the ages of 21 and 80.
JOHN U. SMITH.
Article Pleases Churchmen.
PORTLAND, Nov. 20. (To the Edi.
tor.) Forty-five Methodist preach
ers in their weekly session voted
that I. their secretary, should con
vey to The Oregonian their high ap
preciation of Mr. Lampman's vividly
written article on "Trail Blazers'
Day" at Centenary Wilbur church.
We thank you for your elaborats
treatment of this event and con
gratulate you upon having such a,
brilliant writer upon your staff.
C. B. HARRISON,
Secretary Portland Methodist
PreacUer' MeetlnE. A