THE MOEXIXG yOREGONIAy, TKIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1922
' ESTABLISHED BY UENKY L. PITTOCK
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INGRATITUDE.
The announced intention of Mi.
Booth and Mr. Yeon to follow the
course of Mr. Bai'ratt and resign
from the state lughway commission
provokes some unpleasant reflec
tions upon the quality of rewards
for high-grade, disinterested pub
lic service. Oregon has been sig
nally fortunate in having a highway
commission composed of men who,
had they put a monetary considera
tion on their time and labor con
sistent with their business expe
rience, ability and previous success,
would have been beyond the price
of state employment.
True the state is big enough and
rich enough to pay for the best tal
ent that may be had, yet the fact
is that it is not done and Jt will not
be done so long as the public atti
tude toward official salaries re
mains as it is. It is only when a
state can arouse pride of citizenship
and individual interest in great for
ward movements that it is possible
to obtain the services of men of the
type of those who now constitute
the highway commission or the men
who preceded them.
Here is a commission which was
appointed without regard for poli
tics and which has kept its opera
tions, from contract-letting and the
very making of the road map down
to the smallest detail of adminis
tration, free from politics, yet finally
withdraws from devoted endeavor
in behalf of Oregon because of poli
ticspeckish, fault-finding politics,
yet of such high origin that contin
uance in office is obviously felt to
b incompatible with the commis
sion's self-respect.
It is possible, of course, that the
' charges made against the commis
sion during the recent political
' campaign were intended to be taken
seriously by the voters and not by
the commission itself. That might
have been the result were the pres
ent commissioners practical politi
cians.. They are not.
Oregon was one of the pioneers in
extensive road building. The work,
In the beginning, was more experi
mental than could then be realized.
Mistakes were made here, as mis
takes were made in Washington
and California. Increases in weight
and volume of traffic could not
then be foreseen. Some of the early
light roads went to pieces, but they
constituted but a small percentage
of the total road construction and
by honest comparison are probably
proportionally fewer here than in
either of the neighboring coast
states. Yet these errors in judg
ment, nonpolitical in character and
errors that would have doubtless
been made in equal number by a
commission appointed by a gov
ernor of any other political faith
or one selected from any other walk
of life, were dragged forth as argu
ment for political overthrow!
The other charges, directly and
Indirectly attacking the fitness of
the highway commission, had even
less of an honest foundation. It
was charged that roads had been
completed at a cost in excess of the
contract price. Now it is shown by
Mr. Booth that in every such In
stance specifications had been
changed to secure a wider or
heavier pavement and thereby avoid
the breakdowns that had previously
occurred and which, as pointed out,
were a basis for other charges
against the commission. These
changes did not result in greater
unit costs, but in fact resulted in
lesser unit costs than those spec!
tied in the contracts.
It was charged that the commis
sion was loaded up with a vast
number of automobiles. It is shown
that these were, in great part, a
gift from the government and that
the profits from their operation will
exceed their cost of upkeep.
, It was charged that Washington
had built more roads than Oregon
and on less money. It is of record
that the charge is not true.
There were junkets charged
against highway engineers. The
charges were based on one perfectly
legitimate and worthwhile trip of
engineers to attend a special high
way test in California, and cost the
state of Oregon the pitiful sum
of $35.
There were charges of extrava
gance in engineers' salaries, charges
thoroughly incompatible with the
known facts as to the going cost of
the services of competent engineers
charges that are made ridiculous
by comparison of these salaries
with those of engineers similarly
employed.
Let it be again remarked that the
members of the highway commis
tsion are men having large private
interests and that they receive no
pay for their work on the commis
sion. The present commission has
within the year held forty-seven
meetings, covering a total perfod of
more than one hundred days, and
in addition to devoting one-third of
the working days to meetings of the
board the members have traveled
thousands of miles on inspection
tours. They have virtually sur
rendered their time and ability to
the furtherance of a great public
vork, a work costing $10,000,000 a
year, and they have done it at an
immeasurable sacrifice of private
business. Against them there has
been laid only the false charge of
J inefficiency or carelessness. There
has- been no hint or murmur of
corruption or graft among the em
ployes of the commission or in the
letting of Contracts, and the un
founded charges of inefficiency
were of political moment only
under the most superficial sort of
reasoning.
The highway commission, indeed,
had a right to expect the thanks of
the commonwealth and the for
mally expressed gratitude of the in-
coming state executive, regardless
of his politics. But aevoted en
deavor has been scorned and the
men who gave it have been humil
iated. In the light of this expe
rience, what possible reward is
there for personal sacrifice in the
public's cause, other than secret
self-consciousness of duty well per
formed? What inducement is there
to other men of similarly high at
tainments and disinterested purpose
to exert themselves in public move
ments? Is there another first citi
zen of Oregon who wants to take up
the job of highway commissioner
and run a gauntlet of political nag
ging? IS the consciousness of duty
well done so sweet that the one can
with indifference Withstand the bit
terness of public denunciation and
semi-official misrepresentation?
Perhaps under the circumstance
of an absence of competent takers
of a less-than-thankless task the
proposal Will be made that we have
a paid highway commission. It is
the logical sequel of this partial
breakdown of the effort to create
and maintain a nonpolitical, high
grade commission. There is no con
ceivable salary that the public will
willingly pay that will tempt men
fit to carry on a programme simi
lar to that carried on by the present
commission. Perhaps We shall now
call a halt on highway progress.
Contracts that Will consume (most
of the remaining highway funds
have been let. But, if there is to be
ambitious road building under a
paid Commission, then look oUtt in
deed, for political and sectional fa
voritism, Incompetence and graft.
HIGHWAY AND TRAIL.
The movement to "change the
name of the Columbia highway to
Oregon trail" takes too much for'
granted If it assumes that the
identity of the present highway is
to bo thereby surrendered, and it
lacks historical foundation so far
as it proceeds on the theory that
the present highway, with all its
associations, is part of the original
route to which the name "Oregon
trail" was given. The old trail had
its western terminus at The Dalles,
at which point, until Barlow and
Rector and their associates hewed
a path through the mountains back
of Mount Hood, the pioneers were
wont to abandon land transporta
tion and make the rest of the jour
ney to the settlements by water.
That this was a most perilous
stage of the journey is a fact well
established, and it gives color to
the claim that it should be included
in the whole. But Columbia high
way also h is its historical signifi
cances, it is inseparably associated
with one of the most ambitious
road-building enterprises of mod
ern times, and it is already so well
known by its present name that any
attempt to erase it from the map
would be as futile as it would be
unwise. Even as the original trail
blazers marked the route from the
Missouri river, through the South
Pass and west to the Columbia
with their ox-teams, the twentieth
century highway builders contri
buted significantly to historical
progress, though by methods
sharply in contrast to those of the
earlier time.
A more plausible proposal is
that recently adopted in eastern
Oregon, by which the "Columbia
highway division of the Oregon
trail" and the "Mount Hood loop"
division of the same trail are to be so
designated. There can be no quar
rel with such a plan, because it
gives recognition to the old trail as
an idea, rather than as a route to
be followed in minute particulars,
and because it also concedes that
which is made desirable by exist
ing conditions. So constituted, the
"Oregon trail" from the seacoast
to the Mississippi valley, with its
designated subdivisions, will be a
memorial to the entire period dur
ing which it was discovered,
evolved and developed, and will de
prive the pioneers of none of the
glory of achievement that is theirs.
THE DANGEROCS CRIMINAL.
The arrest of a youngster of
tender years and under-develop'ed
sense of responsibility for a series
of crimes involving potential vlo
lence Illustrates the difficulty of
determining who, in a given num
ber of criminals, are the really dan
gerous ones. All lawbreakers are,
of course, an inconvenience when
not a grave menace to society. We
should soon be reduced to a state
of anarchy if there were no security
in property, to say nothing of life.
But some yeggs and highwaymen
and burglars are more dangerous
than other pursuing the same
occupations, because in addition to
the usual motives that inspire of
fenders of these classes they pos
sess a certain daredeviltry which
( passes lor bravery but which is
nothing 01 the Kind, it is a moral
defect some call it a mental one
which simply renders them incapa
ble of weighing consequences. This
want of the sense of ethical propor.
tion is probably ingrained. They
fight when cornered, and kill on
occasion, not because they are cour
ageous but because they have no
conception of the enormity of the
crime of murder and no realization
of the value of human life.
This is apt to be an lrreformable
characteristic. A criminologist of
wide experience has found that the
reflective faculties are least capable
of development by educational
methods now at our command. His
remedy, for the protection of so
ciety, would be perpetual isolation,
under humane conditions and in
productive employment, but with a
view to reducing, by attrition, the
number of individuals who ought
not to be at large. This recognizes
the existence ot a stigmatized crim
inal type, which some reformers are
inclined to dispute without very
much evidence to sustain them. It
presupposes a modification of the
system of sentence and parole a
change, however, which gives first
consideration to the law-abiding
member of society, whose interests
the sentimentalists are apt to ig
nore. Not long ago the women of
entire neighborhoods were held in
terror by a criminal of this type.
The sneak-thief who felled a wom
an with a blackjack, inflicting a
dangerous wound, was another. The
(
callow moron on tjie highway Is far
more a menace than the seasoned
footpad who does not lose his head
and who knows how far he may go.
The fact is that the burglar and
holdup man of this grade of moral
irresponsibility who go prepared to
slay are essentially as guilty of
murder as if they had committed
the overt act. If the science of
criminal psychopathy is as capable
as some of its exponents claim it to
be it ought to be possible to reduce
the number of potential murderers
by putting them away in advance.
Reformation of criminals may be
excellent where It is practicable,
but it Buffers at the hands of its
overzealous friends. The peaceful
householder, the unoffending way
farer, are entitled first of all to
the protection of law.
FREE TEXT BOOKS.
The memory of .The Oregonianis
not entirely in accord with Mr.
Woodward's on the subject of free
text books In the public schools of
Oregon. The .school director and
legislator writes to question the ac
curacy of certain statements on the
subject contained In The Oregonian
last Sunday.
The free text book bill was not
sectarian interests, as he avers. A
bill had been passed doubtless
With their approval and support-
making it optional with school dis
tricts to furnish free books, with
the proviso that such books be
given, also, to private and parochial
schools conforming to required
standards. No district, so far as
The Oregonian knows, took advan
tage of the measure's terms. It was
repealed by a succeeding legisla
ture, In response to a public serfti
ment 'hich insisted that, if free
books were to be provided for pu
pils, it should be in the public
schools alone.
The statement that free text
books mean more taxes is true. But
the public Bchools are free, and
should be. Books are a necessary
part of the machinery of the pub
lic schools, it would appear as log
ical and fair to require a pupil to
furnish his own desk as his own
books,
WESTER WKATHJER-
There are several thinrs about
the weather. It can be relied on
to furnish a universal topio of con
versation. It IS a fruitful subject
for argument. It obeys ho law of
probability. It is always or nearly
always making history. As to past
weather, Only the records are apt
to be right. There is no nat
ural phenomenon concerning which
more is said- and as to which indi
vidual recollection is more apt to be
at fault.
Consulting the archives of Mr.
Wells, therefore, we are able to
assert with Confidence that winters
are commonly salubrious in Port
land, notwithstanding the expe
rience of the past few days. Our
mean winter temperature is $0.9
degrees, by which is meant the
average temperature over a long
period of years. But ere this it is
likely to have been forgotten that
only five years ago, the winter of
1917-8, was a season of nearly con
tinuous spring, with an average for
December, January and February
of 45.1.
The memory of the inhabitant is
more likely to recur to the season
of 1883-90, when the mean was
only 86.3, or to that of 1892-3,
when it was 36.6. This is the kind
of weather that impresses itself on
ouf memories. It is at the bottom
of the Widespread belief that "old
fashioned" winter was not like the
kind we have nowadays. We were
speaking of coldest winters. They
were not Coincident with the cold
est weather we ever had. The win.
ter ot 1887-8, in the course of which
the thermometer declined to its low
mark for Portland, on January 25,
1888, When it reached 2 degrees
below zero was, on the whole, rela
tively mild. It owes its bad reputa
tion to the single prank.
We shall need to go back thlrtv
years for the greatest accumulation
or bhow on the ground at any one
time, When, between December 21
and 24, 1892, 27.5 inches fell with
out melting. This stands as far
and away the record of our time.
Yet the winter of 1919-20 was re
markable in many ways. On
December 13, 1919, the thermome
ter fell to three degrees above
zero, which, except for the record
of January, 1888, had stood as the
low mark since 1879. Three days
previously, on December 10, 1919,
there was an accumulation of 13.7
inches of snow, traffic was ham
pered for many days, and oldtimers
were almost persuaded that the era
of old-fashiohed winters had come
back.
Winter in 1921-2 was not onlv the
second coldest we have known but
u was the longest a particular in
which the recollections of most of
us will be right for once. For an
exceptionally long period, from De
cember to April, the average tem
perature was 2.7 be!, normal and
there were forty-six days on which
the temperature declined below the
freezing point at some time of the
day.
Yet from the viewpoint of public
inconvenience the weather in Jan
uary and February. 1898. in nil
probability still holds the record for
an time past. Snow began falling
on January 26 and continued nearlv
without intermission, but with some
rising temperature,-until February
8. On the seventh day of the storm
the mercury-fell to 8 degrees. The
total snowfall for the period was
31.8 inches. There was frantic com
petition for labor to Bhovel snow
from the roofs of buildings then
threatened with collapse, and wages
soared to previously unheard-of
heights. Business was practically
at a standstill for more than a week.
Curiously, this winter later achieved
the reputation of havine lairl th
foundation for the unprecedented
high water of 1894, a phenomenon
with which It had nothing what
ever to do.
The truest thing known about
weather is that it is always unde
pendable. They are fortunate who
are able philosophically to take It
as it comes. It means nothing that
the current winter in a few super
ficial aspects resembles that of a
year ago. If we are able to deduce
anything from the records of a long
period, it is that that which has
already happened will not come to
pass again in precisely the same
way.
The Columbia highway was not
built for pleasure riding alonej and
should be kept clear of snow. Up
Spokane way, where heavy snowfall
Is a regular thing, they keep trac
tors at work with plows.
BY AUTOMOBILE ACROSS SARAH...
Sahara is to be conquered by the
automobile this month, if it should
prove humanly possible for a party
of eight Frenchmen, headed by G.
M. Hardt and L. A. Dubreuil. Four
cars with caterpillar traction and
with a range of speed from three to
forty kilometers an hour will at
tempt the journey of nearly iOOO
miles across the desert from Tu
gurt, terminus of the South Alge
rian railroad, tD Timbuctoo, On the
Niger river. Stores of gasoline have
been placed in advance along the
two ends of the route, a few wells
will be found, but each car must
carry a large supply of both of
these necessaries, and two of them
will have machine guns for protec
tion against bandits. About half
way the Hoggar mountains will be
reached, and thence for 300 miles
southward the Tanesruft region of
thirst must be crossed. The Cars
have been tested on a sandy stretch
in France and on the edges of the
Sahara desert.
This is one more effort to dq
what has been deemet impossible,
one more effort to discover the un
known, which modern invention
has encouraged men to make. It is
inspired by that insatiable curiosity
which has driven explorers across
unknown oceans, to the poles, up
unexplored rivers and across deserts
and mountain ranges until the
world has few secrets from man. It
is little more than half a century
since Livingstone penetrated to the
heart of Africa and Since the
sources of the Nile were-discovered,
and now Africa's last and most for.
bidding wilderness isto be subdued
by a machine of which Livingtone
could hardly have dreamed.
Ambitious schemes to convert the
desert into an inland sea by cutting
a canal from the Mediterranean
have been proved visionary by the
discovery that all except small
tracts are far above sea level, As a
whole, Sahara is a plateau from
1300 to 1600 feet above the sea,
while in the center the plain is
1900 to 2500 feet in elevation and
the Hoggar mountains rise to
peaks of 6000 to 9800 feet. Along
the deep valleys extending from
this range and from the Atlas
streams flow for short distances to
be lost in the sand, forming vast
subterranean reservoirs. Which fer
tilize the oases where they come to
the surface in the few depressions,
If any part of the desert is ever to
be reclaimed, it IB likely to be done
by artesian wells tapping these res
ervoirs. That is a task for France,
which is sovereign over two-thirds
of the area.
Automobile drivers are asked,
but not expected, to keep out of car
tracks cleared of snow by the trol
ley company. The autolst seeks the
line of least resistance, and the
other fellow can go hang!
General Dawes' characterization
of members of congress as "pewees"
and "cormorants" will send the
boys to the dictionary. - What is
there about a pewee that makes it
resemble a congressman?
The nations that stand ahead of
the United States in literacy have
had the material advantage of hav
ing had only their own people te
educate. The melting pot problem
is peculiarly our own.
This is the season of year when
the cry goes up In every state for
"fewer laws and better ohes," and
next month the bills begin to fall
into the legislative hoppers in the
good old Way.
The helpmeets of the carmen
rather stole a march on the house
wives' council the other day; but
that is part of their system. A good
wife looks after her husband's in
terests. The potato crop of the world is
the largest of record. The potato,
served any way, is the most satisfy
ing vegetable grown. Why not eat
more and .help relieve a situation?
The Community Chest is about
three-fourths full. The man who
refuses to contribute would grumble
on a three-fourths ration. Ever
think of the list as a roll of honor?
"Kisses to sterilize the lips would
have to be hot enough to blister
them," aeserts a Chicago authority
on bacteria. Some of them seem
that way in the close-ups.
The cast-off inamorata of the ex
kaiser is reported as bitter over the
turn of events. When Bhe recovers
her sense of proportion she will
thank her stars.
The threat of the Tiernans to go
on the stage is probably an idle one.
There is a limit beyond which even
an American vaudeville audience
will not pass. .
The burden of paying the last in'
stallment of income tax in the
Christmas season could be avoided
by p..ying the last half in Septem
ber.
It is a pity shipping conditions
here do not allow the building of a
bridge with the artistic beauty of
that at Oregon City.
Salespeople call it "henning'
whew- a person looks over all the
goods and does not buy. Don't be
a henner.
Decline in income tax collections
is partly a logical exemplification of
the principle that you can't tax a
man rich.
Remember the days when men
wore plug hats and every boy was
star pitcher in embryo in snow-
, 1111167
- Now they're trying to make peace
by Christmas, without even a word
of acknowledgement to Henry Ford.
E Pluribus Equinel The auto can.
not compete with the horse-drawn
sleigh for two at $10 an hour.
Railways may need the traffic
money, yet it is a grand time to
stay at home.
The weather man stands in with
the stores that have sleds to sell.
"Thassall."
The authors of odes to the snow
seem to be frozen In,
HOW PREPAREDNESS SERVED tiS '
Incidents Are Recalled Danger
. Give seaai Notice.
OLYMPIA. Wash., Dec. 13. (To
the Editor.) From Wolf Creek. Or
egon, over tbe signature of A..W.
Zoellner, the pacifist breaks loose
again In The Oregonian. The story
of no one wishing to attack us is an
old one; we heard It. time and again
in 1860, 1916, indeed, most loudly and
frequently in times immediately be
fore a war period. How do Mr.
Zoellner and his fellow pacifists
gain such insight into the minds of
all the world as to guarantee this?
Its probability just now may be a
reasonable assumption, but that is
not the whole story by any means, j
Time may come when that is not so,
and now in a time of comparative
security Is the very time to prepare
for future danger when we have
plenty of time to do so. By becoming
careless of our military needs we are
doing our best to invite danger to
our peace if not actual attack. Ag
gression does not necessarily take
the form of actual attack; it may
show itself in a variety of petty an
noyances and even dangers which
would never be offered to a power
sufficiently prepared to resent arro
gance. An excellent example is When
France withdrew her troops from
Mexico in 1866 because she knew it
unsafe to defy us in our then state
of preparedness with 1,000,000
trained men fresh from our Civil
war.' By the same preparedness we,
with power to attack the undefend
ed Canadian frontier, secured arbi
tration, payment and apology for
damages by the Alabama and other
such vessels.
In the present state of World un
rest We need such preparedness as
has been recommended at Washing
ton properly to play our Dart in the
world and be a proper influence for
good, which a weak nation can
never be.
Mr. Zoellner goes off upon the old-
time pacifist tangent about "mili-
tarism." Pacifists and others harp
upon their hobgoblin of militarism
Withoht the lease knowledge of army
life and organisation. Militarism
means rule of the civil power by the
military and. where the army offi
cers and their selection and promo
tion are from a favored class only.
Subordination of military to civil
power and absence of favoritism in
selection and promotion of officers
true preparedness and a' safe
guard against militarism.' Absence
Of the latter condition' in Prussia
made militarism of the most dan
gerous kind. - -
Another army condition too little
known to civilians is the high stand
ard of honor required of officers
and soldiers, If we had such en
forced standards in civil life civili
zation would be much farther ad
vanced than It Is, If German, or,
better still, Prussian military train
ing had been as humane as ours it
is possible that we need not . have
declared war in 1917. but that is
another story. Owing to our high
standard of army training and
honor universal military training
would be a most welcome boon to
Ue, mentally, morally and physi
cally. It would greatly improve our
stamina In a great variety of ways.
We Would have it now but for the
politicians' cringing fear of the
newly enfranchised, female vote in
J 920. The same cowardice of poli
ticians crippled our army "for
economy" in the last Session of con
gress. It is high time we had
enough of all that.
JAMBS H. B. BAIK3.
HAN TIED TOO HARD BY CUSTOM
Awakening Vistoned When Humane
ness Will Displace Pomp,
PORTLAND, Dec. 14. (To the
Editor.) I quite agree with Charles
F. Barber that we are inclined to
accept only that which is tangible,
though we have but to turn to the
past for many examples Ot the fu
tility of this attitude. The predle
tion that carriages would go with
out horses, men Would fly, etc., was
a matter of ridicule at the time of
prediction, and yet we are more apt
than ever to scoff at unusual ideas
and deductions, or rather at the one i
who dares advance or act upon the!
unusual. Nevertheless, the advance-
ment of the world is so achieved. 1
Many of our customs now accepted
and rigidly followed by the learned
and unlearned alike are absurd If
we take them singly and carefully
analyze them. Many who receive
unusual impulses and inspirations
do not for one instant consider act
ing upon them because they conflict
with custom poor, old, worn-out
customs that have been thought
lessly adhered to for ages.
Among the news events at a
photoplay house recently I wit
nessed the pageant of a king and
queen attending a government func
tion. An effort to carry out the
pomp and state of a by-gone age
was apparentequipage, robes and
attendants, a lot of costly needless
show, while half of the world is
starving to death.. As I thought of
all this, my very soul questioning, I
caught this vision:
A scene wholly different, a pag
eant of people, sans pomp and dis
play, but splendid with earnestness,
faces radiating truthful endeavor,
banners portraying, and voices pro
claiming a new regime for hu
manity, a new era for the world.
Whether it be through so-called
spiritism, science or what not, the
awakening is at hand. The futility
of narrow, worn-out creeds is ap
parent. Men are giving heed to the
results ot error and bondage and are
seeking for the true.
1 visioned the result of the awak
ening; I eaw a new army, an army
of endeavor, with earnestness,
righteousness and truth for its
goal. JANETTE MARTIN.
No Morris Plan Bank. -
BUTTE FALLS, Or., Deo. 13. (To
the ' Editor.) Is the Morris Plan
bank organized in Oregon and how
does it comport with the Oregon
banking law? JOHN E. DAY. ,
There has beeri no legislation
covering the establishment of banks
under the Morris plan system of in
dustrial banking In Oregon.
Sections 6299-6304, Oregon laws,
provide for the organization of co
operative state banks. Up to the
present time provisions of this stat
ute have not been exercised, but we
are advised that plans for the or
ganization of a co-operative bank
within the city of Portland are in
process of preparation.
Inemplsyment la 1921.
TENINO, Wash Dec. 13. (To the
Editor.) 1. Kindly publish statis
tics as to "the number of men un
employed in the United States dur
ing 1921 and 1922.
2. Also wril you publish the num
ber of free employment agencies In
the United States at the present
time? . . : STUDENT.
1. In- 1921 the number of the un
employed varied from three and a
half to five millions. Compilation
for 1922 not available, but involun
tary unemployment by persons able
to work is known to be negligible.
2. There are about 250 in the
United States. There are four in
Oregon; two la Portland, one in Eu
gene and one. in Marstofield,
Those Who Come and Go.
Tales ot folks at tie Hotels.
There is a good trail tip the Rogue
fiver from the mouth to Agness. It
would dot require a very large sum
to widen the trail and make it a
county road. The forest people are
willing to help on this widening if
other money is available for the
purpose, according to W. A. Wood,
county judge of Curry, the most
southwestern county of - Oregon.
Judtre Wood IS registered from Gold
Beach, which Is the county Beat of
Curry county, and It is the only
county seat in Oregon which is not
Incorporated. The Judge is in fort
land to ascertain what the highway j
commission's plans are regarding
work on the coast highway in Curry
county in the coming year. Some
thing will be done, he was assured,
but how much depends on the action
of congress. The commission would
like to bite a big chunk south of
Gold Beach if congress does the
right thing in the way of federal
aid appropriations.
P. A. Young, mayor of Albany,
who has been mentioned as a possi
ble appointee on the state highway
Commission, appeared before the
road builders and announced that
Linn county is prepared to assume
responsibility for the structure
across the Willamette if the road be
tween Albany and Corvallis is paved.
The bridge was originally built by
Albany and later turned over to the
county. The bonds issued for the
bridge matured before a sinking
fund had been created and the bonds
had to be refunded. There is a
steadily swelling sinking fund now,
however. ,
"Lookut!" gasped a man swathed
in a great fur coat, as he stood in
the Imperial lobby glancing out at
the people on the sidewalk. "B'gosh,
there are the flappers I've heard
about wesSrlng galoshes and Bilk
stockings and short skirts. It's a
wonder they don't take cojd and
die." The galosh hit Portland hard
yesterday. Only a few flappers
have worn the arctics- heretofore,
but yesterday the warm but ungain
ly foot coverings were much in evi
dence. The girls usually wore them
unbuckled and the buckles rattled
and clattered like chains on an au
tomobile tire hitting a fender.
When R. H. Bunnell, county judge
of Klamath, and A. Fordyne, com
missioner, left home Klamath Falls
was not bothered with snow and
the automobile stages were running
to Lakeview, on the east, and to
Ashlard, on tbe west. They came
to ask the highway commission to
widen the road between Lamm's mill
and old Fort Klamath from 13 to
16 feet. The commission ia hesitant
about making a commitment, as
funds may be required for work
f,,,-tiioi- Trrrh. .TnHe'A and commis
sioner are at the Imperial.
On the edge of the storm, which
practically chased him into Port
land, came Dave Anderson, from
Welches, on the Salmon river, up
Mount Hood way. The going Isn't
particularly good between Welches
and Sandy, but Mr. Anderson made
the grade and finally landed at the
Imperial. In winter the people
around Welches gather a couple ot
times a month and hold an all-night
dance. Those attending bring food,
and at midnight a big, warm supper
is held. After the refreshments it
Is "on with the dance" until day
light. Despite the discomfort of the
snow storm there was considerable
satisfaction and pride displayed in
the Perking lobby yesterday. Two
days before the young blizzard
struck the Rose City, Mr. Quimby,
pioneer, had scrutinized the barom
eter in the lobby and predicted a
storm within 48 hours and insisted
that the storm would be snow and
not rain.. A vote of confidence was
yesterday placed in the barometer.
Which, in return, began forecasting
fair weather in the offing.
"I'm still practicing law," was the
way John C. Kendall of Coos Bay
n Ha nnlirinn.1 f-nssirj that
he may be appointed on the circuit
bench. Gossip says that if Judge
Coke of Coos Bay is made United
States attorney for Oregon, Mr.
Kendall will be appointed to fill the
vacancy on the bench. Mr. Kendall,
howevef. declined to discuss the
matter While in Portland yesterday.
The only sign of a Chinook yes
terday was the name oi tnai wasn
ington town on the Imperial regis
Taogn TTnntBnn is the wanderer
from Chinook, which is named after
the tribe of Indians who lnnaoiteu
that section of the lower Colum
Kio u.i rfietrip.t. The warm wind
which comes along and melts the
snow in the raciric nonnwesr. Biaies
is called a Chinook, after the tribe
of aborigines.
At Cochran, on the summit of the
Cascades, Where tne TiuamooK rail
road attains the "hump", there is
n,... lmrt a. sufficiency of snow
and the lumberjacks, are not crazy
about the crystallized moisture. Con
ditions being as they are, Mr. and
Mrs. J. R. WilliB have left Cochran
for the time being and are at the
Imperial.
W. T. Campbell, county judge of
Morrow, and L. P. Davidson, county
commissioner, are attending the con
vention of county courts and county
Commissioners and incidentally try-
intc to coax the highway commis
sion into promising to build the
last section of the Oregon-wasning
ton highway in Morrow county.
E. B. Aldrich, one of the score of
men mentioned as a possible mem
. ber of the highway commission un
i der the Pierce administration, is
reglBiereo at me rauiei roruana. ivir.
Aldrich is bitterly opposed to the
Wallula cutoff, being a resident of
Pendleton.
Dr. A. G. Prill, mayor of Scio
town, hag been asking that the road
from Jefferson to Scio be placed on
the state highway system. Having
been informed that the matter will
be, taken under advisement, the doc
tor, returned nome.
Manufacturing culverts, sewer pipe
and the like ia the business of C. n.
Knowles. who has hie plant at
Klamath Falls, Or. Mr. Knowles,
called Jak because that isn't his
name, was formerly in the Multno
mah county highway department.
Among the numerous mayors who
graced Portland with their presence
yesterday . was C. Mc. Johnson of
Reedsport. He is the head of a
lumber concern bearing his name
as well as being "bizzoner" of
Reedsport The mayor is at the
Imperial. -
H. D. Norton, attorney and banker
of Grants Pass, Or., is an arrival at
the Hotel Portland. Mr. Norton de
clares that the future of Josephine
county in general and Grants Pass
in particular has never been so
bright as it is now.
Paul Wallace of Salem and L. A.
Grate of West Salem journeyed to
Portland yesterday to see if the so
called River road, running through
Hopewell to Dayton, cannot be
made a state highway.
Despite the Bnow storm and cold
temperature, A. R. Edmunds of Til
lamook drove his family to Port
land, getting through in fair time,
They are registered at the Benson,
Burroughs Nature Club.
Copyright, Hons ton-Miff lis. Co.
Can Ifon Answer These Questions?
1. . Have seedless apples ever
been produced?
2. Will hogs and goats cross?
3. Why is the -elm tree euch a
favorite for orioles to build in?
Answers In tomorrow's Nature
Notes.
Answers te Previous Qnestlons.
1. How many broods does the
blue jay raise each nesting season?
Only one brood. In the latitude
of New York city 'the nest is built
the latter part of May; in more
southern regions earlier. If our cor
respondent (from South Carolina)
happened on a late nest we suggest
the birds may have had some acci
dent to the normal nest and were
making a new attempt.
2. About what height does a sun
flower grow to? I have one with a
13-foot stalk and a blossom 14
inches in diameter.
We can't give a rule for height, as
this varies so with the vigor of the
plant. Eight to ten feet would be
a tall specimen. Apparently this
correspondent had his. plant in soil
that proved exceptionally stimulat
ing. A spectacular exhibit like this
should be photographed with a man
standing alongside to show up the
height.
3 Will tnrmsilrlehvrle can kill in-
sects that Infest the household?
No i it is efficient as a killer oi
baoilli. but not of insects. .Where
gas treatment is desired to clear 4
building of insects a professional
who understands the use of cyanic
aoid gag should be employed. This
is positively a destroyer oi any iorm
o" animal life, including human, ana
is deadly. Sulphur candle will do
vprv well in manv cases and is
easily handled by amatuers. Cover
window cracks ana an openings
with strips of newspaper soaked in
w.t.r .nil laid sie-ninsit the opening.
Sulphur tarnishes metal and often
fades wall paper.
FREE BOOKS IN PtBLIC SCHOOL
Legislature Will Be Asked te Enact
Measure.
PORTLAND, Dee. 14. (TO the Edi
tor.) The Oregonian Sunday carried
column entitled "Free Textbooks
Again to Be Issue." In it the fol
lowing item occurs:
Alftnfr with the movement to compel
all children in the elamontary sradea to
Mtcrid the publlo schools comes another
revival of the free-school book tiil. This
measure has aiWays been defeated in
the past because ot the increase in taxa
tion it would involve. Members of the
1023 session Ot the legislature are op-
pc-oed to the free school book bill
being enacted by mat Doay, ana tney
take the position that, as the subject
is one ot adding & further burden upon
axpayers, the proper Course to take is
for the measure, if it comes up, to be
referred to the people lor adoption or re
jection.
The writer questions the accuracy
Of these statements. Oregon did
have a "free" textbook law some
years ago. It was repealed, how
ever, through the efforts of sec
tarian interests because it did not
provide "free" textbooks for paro
chlal or private schools.
At the last regular session of the
legislature there was introduced
free" textbook bill which was re
ferred to the joint committee on
education. At a public hearing.
which the writer attended, the fol
lowing were present and opposed its
passage or adoption;
Senator John GUI, Rev. isawin v.
O'Hara, Frank Lonergan and Oscar
Home. A majority ot the committee
favored the bill but it failed to pass,
The writer Was informed that if it
were amended to include parochial
schools, opposition would be with
drawn.
Statement at this time that the
present legislative body is opposed
to the textbook measure is, the
writer believes, inaccurate. The bill
referred to as well as the bill which
the writer expects to present at the
coming session, will provide text
books for the elementary public
schools, and from Information
which he has received there is every
reason to believe that it will have
the support of a majority of the
legislators in spite of the opposition
referred to above. It is a juBt
measure and in the Interest of true
economy. ObvlouBly it cannot, and
will not, apply to or embrace private
or parochial- schools.
WILLIAM F. WOODWAKD.
LESSON FOR ALL OTHER TOWNS
Astoria Fire Should Lead to Better
Protection.
Roseburg News-Review, "
The big conflagration at Astoria
last week should act as an incentive
to every city in the state to take
better precautions in the way of fire
protection. Few communities escape
the ravages of fire. They may drift
along from year to year exceedingly
fortunate so far as destructive fires
are concerned, but . when least ex
pected the city s overpowered by a
sudden and unexpected blaze that
reduces it to a mass of ashes. It is
then that a city realizes its utter
inability to cope with a real fire.
Roseburg has certainly been for
tunate in escaping for many years
any senious results from fire. Fa
vored as it is by a very low wind
velocity it has always been possible
to confine fireg occurring here to a
small radius and without great
prqperty loss.
However, these conditions may
not always obtain. Some day,
when least expected, a fire will oc
cur here, fanned by a good stiff
breeze, that It will be impossible
to control with the city's present
fire-fighting apparatus, and the en
tire business district would be
threatened and quite likely wiped
out. ,
Roseburg had better take warning
from Astoria's recent disastrous
fire and start at once to strengthen
the city's fire-fighting equipment
It should be brought up to the high
est standard ot efficiency, leaving
no doubt regarding its thorough
ness to meet any demands made
upon It. It is not good economy to
save a dollar and lose a million in
the loss of store buildings and
homes, and this will be the reeult
unless we are fully prepared to
meet an emergency which is likely
to occur at any time.
Every fire hydrant in the city
should be tested at once, as well as
the water pressure, and every pre
caution made to eliminate all dan
gerous hazards that are likely to
make good foundations for a sudden
fire. The fire-fighting apparatus
ehould be strengthened to the full
est degree, leaving no doubt regard
ing its effectiveness in time of need.
Now is the time to get busy. ' It will
be too late after the city is in ashes.
A'lgilance Needed.
"Deacon," said the preacher, "why
is it dat every time you takes up
de collection you brings back bo
many buttons, plugged nickels and
other trash dat don't help to pay de
pastor's salary?"
"Ah don't know, parson." N
"Ah does. It's because you's
proud. Tou hold yo' head high in
stead of watchin' what goes into de
plate." '
More Truth Than Poetry.
By James J. Hontagae.
WHY THE BUSINESS" MAN IS
STILL TIRED.
When, recreation needing,
I yearn to see a play,
I spend the morning reading
The things the critics say,
But when, upon perusing
The different ones, I find
That they are so confusing
I can't make up my mind.
One writes: "See 'D'rty Money";
It's quite the bullfrog's ears;
Sometimes It's madly funny;
Sometimes it brings the tears."
"Avoid," observes a second,
"This 'Dirty Money' show;
It's certain to be reckoned
The season's biggest blow." t
A third says: "Kolin Kidder,
In 'h-assidy the Kop,
Is making, I consider,
A record-breakinsr flon.
A fourth sounds loud the praises '
wi mis same kldder play
And coins ingenious phrases.
LiKe "Best thing on Broadway.. .
And so, when I am tired,
As from my toils I ero.
And with ambition fired
To see some first-class show.
I visit no theayter.
sut lost a while instead
Beside the radiator.
And then go off to bed.
Plenty of Company.
Somehow or other we feel that
the gentle old lady who had a seat
in the senate for a few minutes
didn't find herself such a stranger.
Mean.
It does seem as if Uncle Sam
might postpone that last income tax
Installment till we got our Christ
mas shopping done.
Lucky.
A Pennsylvania college president
wag forced to resign because ths
school football team had been beat
en In every game. In Greece they
would have shot him.
(Copyrlftht, 1822. by Bel! Syndicate. Inc.)
Tablets of Snow.
By Grace E. Hall.
I think the angels must pen their
screeds
On the snowy sheets of the moun
tain Bides;
With diamond crystals outline their
creeds
On the level prairies wide,
When tlio flakes blur whitely
throughout the day
And the acare of the man-lapd fade
away.
I think the angels go forth at night
With their ermine sandals over
the hills
And trace their visions across the
white
As their own sweet impulse wills;
And 1 sense. a pain as I see men go
So stolidly over these screeds of
snow.
In Other Days.
Twenty-five Years Ago.
Prom The Orefonlan, December 15, 107.
More candy, oranges, lemons, figs,
bananas, dates and similar luxuries
have been shipped out of Portland
in the past ten days than ever be
fore during a corresponding period,
and as the holidays draw near the
shipments are still increasing.
Great excitement arose at the
meeting of the common council yes
terday at the appearance of a ,
stranger in the gallery whose sin
gular actions led to the belief that
he was about to throw a bomb at
the mayor. The man was removed
and found to be insane, but without
bombs.
The Alaska business of the Utah
and Colorado cities will pass
through Portland for two reasons,
it was determined at a Salt Lake
City conference yesterday: First,
because it IS the most natural route,
and, second, because Portland is the
cheapest outfitting point.
Fifty Years Ago.
From The Oregonian, December 15, 1872.
The force now in the field against
the, Modoos consists of about 160
cavalry, 60 volunteers and about 20
or SO Klamath Indians, besides
some infantry.
For the first time in the history
of this state a very slight shock of
earthquake was experienced in this
city last Saturday night about 20
minutes before 10 o'clock.
The exoavation for the new ferry
slip above the old distillery has been
completed and preparations are be
ing made to drive piles for the
roadway to the water.
A delegation of Indians came over
from the east side of the river yes
terday. The delegation ' consisted
of bucks, squaws and dogs.
TWO BIG A LOAD FOR FRIDAY
Hangman's and Bad Lnck Day Dees
Not Deserve Pork Stigma, Too.
JENNINGS LODGE, Or., Dec. 14.
(To the Editor.) According to The
Oregonian correspondents writing
in regard to the prospective new
laws which would compel people all
to eat meat, even pork, on Friday,
It looks like matters are going from
bad to worse.
A recent correspondent suggests
that instead of pork we use saw
dust biscuits. I would give a solemn
warning, as I have heard of the
dangerous use of sawdust even for
poultry food.
I heard of a poultry man who, in
order to reduce the high cost of liv
ing as applied to chickens, fed a
partial ration of sawdust, the re
sults proving very unsatisfactory. A
brood of young were hatched from
these sawdust-fed hens and part of
them were woodpeckers and some
ha4 wooden legs.
As to eating pork, if It is com
pulsory by laws made and provided
for such crimes, I am going to vote
against capital punishment as being
the penalty for murder, for as all
hangings are done on Friday, It
would be piling up too many trans
actions and overloading that re
nowned aay oi ins ween a oay in
which some people are afraid to go
on a journey of half a mile for fear
something will turn out disastrously.
A. L. H.
Pay of Election Boards.
HILLSBORO, Or., Dee. IS (To
the Editor.) 1. Please state if the
law fixes the compensation ot
Judges and clerks of an election
board, absolutely, or may the count
court assume the right to say what
the members of such board shall re
ceive? .
2. If a counting board is on duty
until 1 o'clock A. M. are the mem
bers entitled to more than one day's
compensation?
3. How many hours are supposed
to constitute a day for such boards?
SUBSCRIBER.
1. Compensation is fixed by law.
2. Receive compensation for twt'
days.
2. Jwelve hours,