THE SUNDAY OEEGONIAN, PORTLAND, AUGUST, 11, 1901.
: ,
I CONTEMPORARY THOUGHT J
In. an article in the August Atlantic
Monthly on "Reciprocity or the Alterna
tive," Broogs Adams discusses the alter
native feature of his subject as follows:
Americans are apt to reckon on their
geographical position as in itself an in
surance against "war risks, on the prin
ciple that, like Itoe tortoise, they are in
vulnerable if they withdraw within their
shelL Such, was the case formerly, but
is not the case now. On the contrary, in
European eyes, America offers the fairest
prize to plunder that has been known
since the sack of Rome, and, according
to European standards, she is almost as
unprotected as was Holland before Louis
XIV.
America has an army of less than 100,
000 men, with a short supply of officers,
and no reserves either of soldiers or of
material. At the mere rumor of war 100,
000 men would have to leave the country
to garrison Cuba, Porto Rico, the canal,
the Philippines and Hawaii. More ought
to go, if more could be obtained. But to
send 100,000 men abroad would strip the
Union bare. Even the ports would be de
fended by militia, and no reinforcements
would be at hand to supply the waste in
the tropics. Such garrisons could hardly
stand against the overwhelming mass of
troops which could be concentrated
against them.
The Navy is even feebler, in proportion
to the task which would be required of it.
The United States has 520,000 tonB of war
ships, built or building. France and Ger
many have 1,162,000, and France, Ger
many and Russia have 1,731,000.
Americans, furthermore, are" disposed to
assume that no coalition could ever be
formed against them. Judging by the
past, nothing can be more certain than
that coalitions both can and will bo.
formed against them, if they so behave
as to make such ventures worth the cost
and risk. Combinations always have been
made, under such conditions, and probably
always will continue to be made. To be
opulent, unarmed and agreesive is to put
a premium upon them. An arrangement
of this character was, In fact, contem
plated In 1E9S, and is generally believed to
have been abandoned only through uncer
tainty as to the neutrality of England.
Suppose an alliance of two or more pow
ers, of which France were to be one:
they would possess an admirable base In
the West Indies. In Martinique or Guada
loupe, and also convenient bases in Asia.
No station on the whole Asiatic coast is
more commanding than Port Arthur, held
by Russia. Fleets, therefore, of any size
could be concentrated and supplied close
to the seat of war, and Europeans com
pute that ships could be concentrated
against us at the least in the ratio of two
to one.
Our rivals believe that a couple of de
feats secured by overwhelming numbers
would settle the war; for iron-clads can
not be built In less than two or three
years, and they calculate that two or
three years of Isolation, resulting from the
loss of control of the sea, would produce
enough domestic unrest to enforce accept
ance of their terms. Those terms, they
assume, would suffice to insure their fu
ture safety.
Such possibilities have not yet been ma
turely considered In the United States,
because the change in the position occu
pied by the country Is recent. Men do not
Immediately divest themselves of their old
prejudices. Nevertheless, Americans are
inclined to believe, and with reason, that
their country is becoming the modern seat
of empire. If this be so, they must accept
the dangers and the cost of greatness
with its advantages. AIL situations have
their drawbacks.
From 1S15 to the Boer "War England
claimed to be the financial capital of the
world, and that claim was admitted.
England, consequently, paid heavily to
Insure herself against attack. She not
only maintained a navy supposed to be
equal to that of any combination which
could probably" be formed against her, but,
adopting free trade, she bought from all.
France proceeded on the opposite theory:
and yet, although France has kept up vast
armies, she has been thrice disastrously
defeated, .twice actually conquered, and
has never attained her end.
If a country would live In peace,' expe
rience has demonstrated that she must
not be too grasping; for excessive greed
makes her overthrow a benefit to all, and
competitors act accordingly. On the other
hand, certain races have felt themselves
adapted to win victory in battle, and have
prospered; if the American people, after
due deliberation, feel aggression to be
for their best interest, there Is little to be
urged by way of precedent against the
logic of their decision.
If Americans are determined tJ reject
reciprocity in all Its forms, to Insist on
their advantages, to concede nothing to
the adversary; If, having driven In the
knife, they mean to turn It in the wound,
they should recognize that they are pro
voking reprisals in every form, and ac
cept the situation with Its limitations. To
carry out an aggressive policy in some se
curity, the United States needs 300,000
trained men -whom she can put in the field
In 20 days, with an ample reserve of offi
cers and of material. She needs well-fortified
coasts and colonies, and an effective
transport service. More especially, she
needs a navy. Judging by the example
of England, who has always done her
best to make her friendship of value, 100
battle-ships and armored cruisers,
equipped and ready for sea, would hardly
suffice.
In a word, the experience of ages has
tiemonstrated that alternatives are pre
sented to aspiring nations In regard to
the payment they will make for their
prize. The one is the alternative of Cob
den, the other that of Colbert. There is
no middle course. Destruction has
awaited the gambler who backs his luck;
the braggart who would be. at once rich,
aggressive and unarmed. Such a .man or
such a nation puts a premium on spolia
tion. It is only necessary to reflect upon
the late of France In 1S70, to accept this
Inference as true. America enjoys no im
munity frqm natural laws. She can pay
for what she takes, or she can fight for it,
but she cannot have the earth for noth
ing. Sooner or later the Inexorable tribute
Trill be exacted from every predominant
community, from the days of the grandeur
of Babylon to those of the glory of Im
don; for, since time began, no race has
won for Itself supremacy without paying
a price In gold or blood to other races as
ambitious and almost as powerful as Itself.
TXIOJ.IZIXG THE STEEI, INDUSTRY.
If Capital "Will JVot Compete Why
Should Labor Do So?
Review of Reviews.
"What the employers had already agreed
to as a reasonable scale of prices for the
Iron and steel workers In the union mills
ought, said President Shaffer and his col
leagues, to be the standard of pay for oth
ers, engaged in the same work; This, It
was believed, would produce a uniform
ity and harmony of conditions that would
make for the avoidance of future trou
ble. But the really Important thing that
President Shaffer and his colleagues say
that they asked "was that the men be
released from the contracts now binding
them to belong to no labor organization
and be allowed to join the association
without being discharged." It was per
fectly obvious, even to the casual IooK-cr-on,
many weeks ago, that the Amalga
mated Association was preparing to urge
this point upon the attention of the Unit
ed States Steel Corporation. The point
was vital from the men's point of view,
and sooner or later it was bound to come
up. Such questions have to be dealt with
as matters of large policy. The details of
wage-scales ought, of course, to be left to
the officials of the subordinate companies
to work out with the representatives of
labor; but the fundamental points of prin
ciple must in due time be considered by
Mr. Morgan and the directors of the TJnlt-
ed States Steel Corporation. Mr. Lincoln
said of the United States that this country
could not permanently live half slave and
half free. And some men say that the
United States Steel Corporation cannot
succeed permanently in its present pol
icy of trying to carry on its mills on the
plan of half union and half nonunion.
In the end, they say, It must be one thing
or the other, Irrespective of the results of
last month's strike. Sbme of the state
ments given to 'he press on the morning
of the 15th by the representatives of the
companies to the effect that they had
merely been protecting their nonunion
men from the tyranny of the Amalga
mated Association were brought into ques
tion later in the day when it was dis
covered that certain nonunion men them
selves were disposed to join the striking
union men and walk out of the mills. It
seemed to be the fact though the truth
about such things is not always easy to
,obta!n that some, at least, of the non
union mills would have been unionized in
very short order if the workmen had been
allowed to have their own way. Every
thing In the situation made it hard to be
lieve that there would have been any
strike if Mr. Shaffer had allowed time for
a more thorough Investigation and discussion.
FAILURE OF TWO-PARTY SYSTEM,
Experience of United States Com
pared "With. That of Europe.
Albert Watklns in the Forum.
Since the demoralizing defeat of the Bry
anlzed Democratic party at -the last elec
tion, many former Democrats, notably
certain former leaders of -the Cleveland
type, have persistently urged that the
party should "get together," or be organ
ized, along the old conservative lines. In
all this contention, singularly enough, it
seems to be assumed that It is not only
practicable, but desirable, for the so-called
Cleveland Democrats and those who es
pouse the present Bryan organization to
work together In one party. It seems to
me that this proposition is neither prac
tical nor desirable; or, at any rate, that
It would not be desirable, even if it were,
at present, approximately practicable. In
short, has not the bi-party system had its
day, and would not a nominal or attempt
ed continuance of It be Illogical and un
wholesome? Hove not the divisions be
tween hard-and-fast Republicanism, con
servative Democracy, and Populism been
sufficiently persistent and marked to leave
no doubt as to the correct answer to this
question?
The two great English-speaking nations
and the self-governing English colonies
have adhered, substantially, to the bl
party system, while in Germany and
France there are many parties, groups, or
wings under distinct names. In the pres-j
ent German Reichstag there are about a
dozen of these party groups with a mem
bership varying from only three or four
to one hundred. The members of each
of these parties or groups are elected on
account of a few specific principles which
they and their supporters regard as of par
amount importance. They are not called
upon to stultify themselves by subscribing
to principles which they do not believe
in, as is the case under the omnibus party
system of this country and England. Our
system puts a blanket morgage on truth
fulness and on independent thqught and
action.
How vhidly one still remembers the Im
moral spectacle of the delegates from tho
prairie and mining states going to tlte St.
Louis convention, In ISM, shouting for
silver, and coming back shouting for gold!
The only explanation they offered, or
could offer, for their absurd self-contradiction
was the stupid shibboleth, "We are
Republicans." Before the- Chicago con
vention prescribed free silver as a pan
acea for the business depression which
had clouded its economic vision and goad
ed it into desperate temper, a largo num
ber of Democrats were stoutly opposed
to such a policy, and believed It to be
Immoral, Inexpedient aa a party measure,
and menacing to business interests, yet,
after the convention had adopted the sil
ver policy, most of the mombers of the
party fell into line and declared that It
was good. And, though the silver ques-
"u" wk me vuai issue or tho cam
paign, many thousands of gold standard
Democrats defended It, and 'excused their
self-stultiflcatlon on the ground that the
declaration of the convention was party
law, and that they were therefore bound
py It. Such pernicious spectacles are an
Inevitable result of the bi-party system
under present conditions. In 189G we heard
for the first time, I think, the definite as
sertion of the dogma that men are made
for parties, and not parties for men.
But for the assumption, based on condi
tions which had long ceased to exist, that
it was practicable and essential to main
tain the two-party system, instead of the
fiasco and false pretense of the organiza
tion which resulted from the Indianapolis
convention, there would have been formed
there, in good faith, a party composed of
sound money" Democrats excepting
those who were prepared 'to make the
movement a mere adjunct of the Republi
can party--and large numbers of disaffect
ed Republicans who have stayed with
their party only because there was no
where else that they could consistently
go. or no other organization with which
they could efficiently work.
GREAT RICHNESS OF PORTO RICO.
Good Financial Condition Promise
of Industrial Development!
Governor-General Charles H. Allen, In
Collier's Weekly.
Porto Rico is in truth the "rich port."
Delightful In climate, beautiful in scenery.
In every way healthful and attractive, it
offers almost an "original proposition" in
all things connected with tropical agri
culture, and its people start out into the
new business associations with the United
States under the most encouraging circum
stances. With not a dollar nor a bond to
be provided for by sinking funds; with, as
yet, not a loan to impair its credit; with
its governmental affairs safely, honestly
and prudently administered; with a sur
plus of over $700,000 In cash; and with a
valuation jof the island, made upon a most
conservative basis, so that year by year
as resources are developed, Jt can be read
ily increased, it already shows a valua
tion of over $100,000,000, without one dollar
of Insular Indebtedness charged against
It. Ior does this amount Indicate its full
financial assets, for there Is yet unex
pended from the so-called "two-mllllon-dollar
fund" at the disposal of the Presi
dent a balance of something like $S00,
000, so that Its actual surplus subject to
check, upon the date of the free trade
proclamation, amounted to about one and
one-half million dollars. And It should he
saJ ? .the. credlt o the PeoP'o and the
Administration, that civil government in
Porto Rico has not cost the people of the
United States one penny, as civil govern
ment in the Island has been from the be
ginning entirely self-supporting.
Those who are contemplating an invest
ment in a large way will first of all be in
terested in the sugar proposition, which
at this time promises so much for the Inl
and. The Island has some 2.000,000 acres of
land, of which less than 500,000 are under
cultivation. Of sugar lands there Is a
large acreage, a good share of which has
never been cultivated, but Is eimplyvwalt
ing for the coming of the pioneer. As a
rule, these lands are along the sea on
the north and south shores. The range
of mountains running through the center
of the Island, from southwest to north
east, presents a lofty front to the trade
winds, blowing with great regularity from
the northeast, and Intercepts the clouds
charged with rain, so that on the north
side the moisture is more generally pre
cipitated and the lands there abundantly
watered. Sometimes, though seldom, on
the south side, a crop has been lost by
drouth, and for that reason lands In that
section could formerly . be bought at a
lower price. Artificial Irrigation has, how-
ever, changed all that, and this year the
largest crop of cane per acre was ob
tained from fields In that very section,
bought since the American occupation,
and at a very low figure because of the
lack of water. With the installation of
a plant of driven wells, the production
this year was SO to 90 tons' of cane per
acre, as against an average in other parte
of the island of 30 to 40 tons per acre.
The price of such lands is at present
reasonable, but there Is a decided upward
tendency, which Is not unnatural. The
titles, as a rule, are excellent, but should
be carefully looked Into.
It ehould perhaps be said that while the
normal production of sugar in the island
for the past ten years has been 30.000 to
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MISS GENEVIEVE HECKER, OF NEW YORK.
The wlnnlns of the Metropolitan championship In two successive years aum
clently Indicates Miss Genevieve Keeker's place In the golfing world, fpr the class
of play required to sain first honors Is but little Inferior to that needed In tho
women's championship itaelf.
Perhaps the most remarkable feature in connection with these triumphs Is that
the winner only commenced to play the game in the Autumn of 1808. So, al
though she has not completed her fourth season at the sport, she la very justly
rated as a first favorite In the women's contest which takes place this year at
Baltusrol.
For the first 12 months of her career she played at the "Wee Burn Club, to
which she then belonged, without taking Instruction from any one; but naturally
she did not fail to profit by what she saw golne on around her. In the Summer
of 1809 she took up the game seriously, her Intention belne to play In the wom
en's championship at Bala. Accordingly, she put herself In the hands of George
Strath, the professional at Wee Burn, and worked hard under him to Improve her
game. Her style, however, was already formed, and Strath made no attempt to
change it, corilantlnff himself with correcting some errors, and helping her out In
her own way. The full, free swing, which Is such a feature of her name, was
always there, but practice and Instruction enabled her to get a longer ball than
hitherto. She Is now one of the longest drivers In the country.
The result of her" first ppearance in a National event was perhaps not all that
was hoped for, but she qualified with 105 inJhe championship sixteen. In Itself
no mean achievement, and then she was put out in the first round by Mra J.
Franklin, by 1 up In a 20-hole match. But that her merits were recocnlzed, de
spite this defeat, is evidenced by the fact that Golf, In its criticism of 'the play
at Bala, picked her out as one of the six best players In the country. Last
year, at Shlnnecock, she qualified, being beaten in the second ground by Miss
Eunice Terry by 2 up and 1 to play.
It will be Interesting to see whether she will have the good fortune to win
the women's championship this year, On public form she is quite able to do so
Golf,
50.000 tons, this year, under the incentive
given by the tariff, It has Increased to
about 100,000 tons. Now, with free trade
with the United States, It Is impossible to
say what proportions lt will reach. Ex
perts who have given the subject great
attention during the past year do not
agree, but there have been presented lo
cations where, in some 46 localities, cen
tral factories could bo established, the de
velopment of which would aggregate a
product of some 462,000 tons of centrifugal
sugar.
What thl9 development would mean to
the island can be easily computed, and
what It would be, worth to those early In
the enterprise is equally demonstrable.
There are authorities who predict a fu
ture product of over 500,000 tons of sugar
per annum for Porto Rico. When the
fact Is recalled that The entire sugar croo
of Hawaii In 1879 was only 40,000 tons,
and last year reached over 200,000 tons,
It will be seen how great are the possi
bilities and how difficult It is to prophesy
the result.
Another great advantage, in addition to
that of soil, climate, water and labor,. Is
the nearness of the market. No other
sugar-producing country Is so near, and
this advantage need not be dwelt upon
other than to mention the fact that tne
cost of freight from the Hawaiian Isl
ands to New York is about $12 per ton
as compared with the steamer rate of
about $3 75 per ton from Porto Rico to
New York. And this latter rate is liable
to 'considerable reduction when compe
tition arises, for the preeent rate of 16
cents per 100 pounds Is quite as high as
tile rate now charged from Trinidad an!
Demerara, although the distance of the
two latter ports is quite 1000 miles greater
to New York.
PROFESSOR KOCH'S EXPERIMENTS.
May Turn Enerpry FronV Wasteful
Attempt to Real Accomplishment.
Lawrence P. Flick, M. D., In Independent.
(Dr. Flick is the author of the monograph
"The Contagiousness of Phthisis." which, pub
lished In 1SSS, attracted attention throughout
the world. He was formerly president of the
Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of
Tuberculosis and he Is one of the founders of
the famous Rush Hospital for Consumptives.
Dr. Flick Is now president of the Free Hos
pital for Poor Consumptives in Philadelphia.)
Until Professor Koch has given to the
scientific world, through the medical jour
nals, his views upon the subject of the
possibility or impossibility of the trans
mission of tuberculosis from animals to
human beings and from human beings to
animals, we must hold in reserve definite
conclusions or statements as to their im
portance. It is quite probable that the
report of Dr, Koch's utterances before
the Intcrnatlon 1 Congress In .London,
as given us In the newspapers, Is Incor
rect. The newspaper account of his state
ment seems to make it out Koch has
taken the position that human tubercu
losis cannot be conveyed to cattle, and
that bovine tuberculosis cannot be con
veyed to human beings. The first of these
two propositions is probably Incorrectly
reported. It has been proved, by many
experiments, that human tuberculosis can
be conveyed to domestic animals, both
by Inoculation and by feeding. The sec
ond proposition, that bovine tuberculosis
cannot be conveyed to human beings, may
be correct. It is In line with the opinions
held for some years- by many men. The
fact Is that, although the medical pro
feseion rs a body has acceded to the
theory that bovine tuberculosis can be
conveyed to man. and although govern
ments throughout the world have been
acting upon this theory as though It had
been demonstrated, there never has been
a demonstration and there never have
been many reliable data available In be
half of this view. The most zealous ad
vocates of the theory have been at a
loss for scientific data with which to
support it; and it Is rather remarkable
that so much money should have been
expended along lines of prevention based
upon a theory which had so little scien
tific support
' Clinical observations have made it very
clear that the spread of tuberculosis
among human beings is almost entirely
duf to three methods of exposure:
Pirst, intimate relationship for a long
time between the sick and the well In
tho family circle.
Second, prolonged and Intimate asso
ciation between the sick and the well In
places of business and of other employ
ment, such as stores, offices, factories
and workshops.
Third, the occupation of houses which
have been occupied previously by persona
afflicted with tuberculosis.
These three methods of exposure serve
as the explanation of at least nine-tenths
of all new cases of tuberculosis. When
one bears in mind that, year in and year
out, there are nearly the same number
of deaths from tuberculosis, and that, for
every case of tuberculosis there must be
a number of persons who are more or
less intimately associated with the tuber
culous subject for a longer or a shorter
period, one will be able to form soma
conception of the kind and amount of
exposure that is neces&ary for a new im
plantation of tuberculosis. Momentary
exposure in -the streets, or by a visit
to a consumptive, probably never gives
a new implantation; and, really, compara
tively few people are exposed in the
sense of an exposure sufficient for an Im
plantation. The fact that we have known, for a
long time, that these various methods of
exposure are responsible for nearly all
new implantations of the disease, makes
it very easy to accept Koch's new propo
sition and demonstration, that animal tu
berculosis cannot be conveyed to man,
for we have found In the past that it has
not been sp conveyed. Even If the news
paper reports of Koch's demonstration
are exaggerations, much good will come
from It. because It places facts before
the public which will counteract some of
tho mischief that has been done In recent
years by the spread of doctrines, at least
exaggerated, If not false, concerning the
danger of using the milk and meat of
tuberculous cattle. Many people have In
recent years been really afraid to drink
milk, and have thus deprived themselves
of one of the cheapest and best articles
of food because of fnelr undue appre
hension that they might contract tuber
culosis through Its use. The current dis
cusslon will necessarily go far tp remove
this fear, and will thus do much good.
An even greater good, however, -will
arise from the turning of the energy and
money, ostensibly extended for the pre
vention of tuberculosis. Into channels In
which it will accomplish the object for
which it is Intended. If the money that
In recent years has been expended for
the condemnation of cattle and for the
testing of cattle for tuberculosis had been
expended for the establishment of sani
taria for the treatment of the consump
tive poor, wonderful results would have
accrued. We do know positively that ev
ery case of tuberculosis In its first stage
Is not contagious and Is curable. If we
had sanitaria wherein every case of tu
berculosis during Its first stage might be
placed, contagion would not spread; for
the patient would no longer be In sur
roundings where the' disease could be con
veyed to others, when the contagious
stage supervened, If it ever did supervene.
NEW YORK'S TEMPLE OF FAME.
Not for the Dead, but for the Quick
of Many Kinds.
W. D. Howells In Harper's.
The formal dedication of a hall of fame
in New York City Is an Incident of our
ingenious civilization which hardly any
other can parallel.
It recalls a little the perfunctory fetes
of the French Revolution in honor of the
Supremo Being, and it brings dimly to
mind several exemplary Incidents of al
legory In which mild, imaginary despots
of the Orient or antiquity crowned a life
of beneficence by the consecration of a
temple to a virtue or an attribute.
We have got our hall of fame within
less than two years fronv the time when
the first rumor of it struck the lncredu
lous as an effect of the national humor,
and it seems that we have it none too
soon, for without it the memory of 29
Immortal Americans, of all achievements,
would at this moment be exposed to the
malice of. the elements.
As It is, their names are now safely
and handsomely housed against wind and
weather In places to which they were
chosen in a kind of electoral college, by
votes varying from 50-odd to 97.
These soldiers, scientists, authors, sail
ors, statesmen, artists, philanthropists
and divines are not every one of a celeb
rity that has penetrated the popular mind
the most deeply or the most widely, and
a plebiscite might have shown a different
choice.
It might not have shown a wiser choice,
and probably it would have failed In the
matter of just aesthetlcal appreciation,
the taste of the people not being of such
divine quality as Its voice. But what will
seem tto the outside -world a fatal defect
In the composition of the electoral col
lege is that Time, once supposed of sov
erlgn judgment in questions like that be
fore It, was not apparently Invited to its
councils.
We can urge that in many cases Time
had already done his work; but' they
could reply that Time "wants a long while
in thoso things, and that' celebrities over
200 year3 old have sometimes been known
afterward to perish utterly. Ozymandlas,
King of Kings, they could say was a case
in point, and not the only case.
Still we can feel that fpr a new coun
try the Immortals elected to our hall of
fame are not so bad, and there are several
of them who would do credit to the oldest
countries In the world.
The doubt that will remain with more
minds now t'nan in a former age concerns
tho usefulness of enduring fame. The
pleasures of the famous person may be
safely left out of the account.
If he Is somewhere alive on better terms
than ho had here, terms that would al
low him freely and frankly to own himself
what he really was on earth, he is prob
ably so much pained by the mistaken re
membrance of mortals that he would rath
er "be forgotten.
The worthier he is of remembrance tho
more he must shrink from it, and the
question limits itself to those who remem
ber him and how far his memory Is a use
or a Joy to them.
Our hall of fame is not for the dead,
then, but for trne quick; for the young,
the trusting, the Innocent, who can be
animated In their .generous ambitions
by the memory of high examples.
They alone can take the great and good
on tho terms fixed by their celebrity; butf
it may bo a pity that the great and good,
the greatest and best, could not be offered
to their veneration on some other terms.
The old theory Is that youth can be
incited to greatness and goodness by a
conception of these embodied In constant
perfection by certain lives; but the ten
dency of modern history is to find such
lives great and good in spite of a pretty
constant Imperfection.
It has come to be thought that the story
of t'ne struggles and the defects of great
men is that part of their story which In the
light of their prevailing success is the
most significant. But the tablets in a
hall of fame can give no hint of this to
inexperience; and it is still questionable
how far it is desirable they should.
Certainly It Is not wholly desirable; and
possibly the wisest thing would be to
supplement the effect of the tablets by
an Intelligent and judicious ciceronage.
Carefully instructed Vergers, after ex
plaining who and what the famous men
were whose names were spelled there,
might give a succinct account of their
faults and follies, so that any of tho au
dience with sense enough to know himself
fallible and foolish might go away hopeful
of not being always and finally so, and
not crushed with despair of their inap
proachable virtue.
To one or two of the attendant group
the verger might frown or wink an invi
tation to remain, and after the others had
departed, might whisper to those chosen
ears a few instances of error in which the
virtuous are bound In a sad solidarity .with
the vicious.
RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM.
A Trenchant Criticism of an AHony
nious Chicago Production.
Edgar Saltua in New York Journal.
There is a malady known to patholo
gists as epilepsy of the epiglottis. It
manifests itself most oddly. The patient
tries to speak and sputters Instead.
We have symptoms of this complaint
every time a new version of the Rubai
yat appears. We had a touch of it when
the first dfshwater was produced. We
suffered at the spectacle of the succeed
ing slabs of veal and now nausea over
comes us again, for here 1s more drivel
on an altar which should be sacred to
every poetaster, however cheap.
Tho present sacrilege, an anonymous
Chicago production, deserves every kind
of reception except perusal. From the
mawklshness of the binding on through
the abomination of its letter press down
to the petty misdemeanor of its illustra
tions It constitutes our beau Ideal of
what bad taste should be.
But It will have Its uses. Though just
what, It would not be honest to state. Be
sides the point is elsewhere, or, rather.
It is here:
A few years ago Ghas ud-dln Abul
Fath Omar Ibn Ibrahim al-Khayyam
Omar th6 Tentmaker for short by whom
the original rubal-y were written, was
rumored to have been a myth evolved
by the modesty of Edward Fitzgerald as
a masque for the perfection of his- own
quatrains.
We knew the rumor was false, and
heartily wished it were true. Literary
mystifications are always endearing.
Prosper Merimee produced a bundle of
plays, which he declared he had found
while rummaging- through the Escurial,
and which he attributed to an authoress
whose existence was confined to his own
Imagination.
Owen Meredith also picked up some lit
tle things, which, however, he passed off
as his own, and that, too, before they
had been lost by their owner.
Incidents of this kind are but examples
of the tricks of the trade. They amuse
.the originator and charm the world.
When, therefore, as part of the world we
heard the rumor about Fitzgerald, though
we knew It was false, we wished It were
true.
"Now we wish so all the more. For If
It were true there would be an end to
the poaching on his preserves. Not shame
poetasters have none but the copyright
would prevent It
Montaigne, In whose company we are
always honored to find ourselves, broke
a pen In this self-same cause. 4Of copy
ists," he noted, "there are plenty, but
authors are passing rare." Though that
is a while ago, times have changed pre-
cious uitie since.
Last year or the year before a patient
plodder produced an historical novel. Tho
wretched book took. Now we are all so
swamped by similar rubbish that history
herself has become a horror.
Prophesying along these lines. It is easy
to foresee that, in view of the Rubalyat
Inundation, sooner or later Fitzgerald will
be hated for having turned a dead bard
into a noxious fad.
"Save goodness only," sang Omar,
''there Is nothing good." And what good
ness could he or any ono possessed ot as
much taste as would fit on the head of a
pin find In the present dilution or In the
brew of the scavengers that have pre
ceded it?
When verse is not impeccable It has no
excuse for being. It is true that as verse
goes the original Itself is not first chop.
Sense It contains and profound philosophy
with It, but you must fumble for the
plums through layers of platitude.
But here Is the gist of It all. Those
plums Fitzgerald took, and through a
wizardry of his own turned Into jewels.
He did better by Omar than Omar did for
himself.
Though Professor Cowell got to the
grave before -him, It was he who resur
rected the corpse, revamped It; tore the
shroud of platitudes aside and set the
Tentmaker's tent with colors which It
never knew.
The necromancy of the performance was
applauded by all the world. And now
to what base uses the grave has come
this latest of its many defacements
shows.
Obviously if this sort of thing Is to con
tinue 'the day is not distant when the
Rubalyat will be in letters what the
"Carnival of Venice" Is In music a gem
lost In the mire of its various and villain
ous variations.
The Birth of the Moon.
Professor E. H. Holden in Harper's Mag
azine. The earth revolves on Its axis once In
24 hours. Millions of years ago tho day
was 22 hours; millions of years before It
was 21 hours. As we look backward Into
time we find the earth revolving faster
and faster, There was a time, ages ago,
long before geology begins, when the
earth was rotating in a day of five or six
hours in length. In the remotest past
the earth revolved In a day of about five
hours. It could revolve no faster than
this and remain a single unbroken mass.
It was at this time that the moon was
born separated, broken off, from the par
ent iriass of the earth. The earth was
then a molten, flattened sphere of lava.
Its whole body was fluid. The tides, which
now are small, superficial. and, so to
say. local, were then universal and Im
mense. - They occurred at short inter
vals. The whole surface of our globe
was affected. And the corresponding
lunar tides In the fluid molten moon were
Indefinitely greater still.
Our day is now 24 hours; the distance
of the moon Is now 240,000 miles. When
our day was about five hours long the
moon was In contact with the earth's sur
face. It had Just broken away from its
parent mass. As the length of the terres
trial day increased, so did the distance of
the moon. The two quantities are con
nected by inexorable equations. If one
varies, so must the other. Whenever the
rotation time of a planet Is shorter than
the period of revolution of its satellite,
the effect or their mutual action is to accelerate-
the motion ot the satellite and to
force It to move In a larger orbit to in
crease its distance, therefore.
The day of tho earth is now shorter
than the month the period of revolution
of the moon. The moon Is therefore slow
ly receding from us, and It has been re
ceding for thousands of centuries. But
the clay of the earth is, as we have seen,
slowly growing longer. The finger of the
tides is always pressing upon the rim of
our huge flywheel, and slowly but surely
lessening the speed of Its rotation. So
long as "the terrestrial day Is shorter than
the lunar month, the moon will continue
to recede from us.
Utilizing: the Snn's Energy.
Professor Thurston In Cassler's Maga
zine. Tho uncertainty which the engineer
feels regarding the solar motor Is due
largely to the difficulties arising from the
fact that the sun Is not always available,
even by day, and that It is entirely out of
reach for power purposes for one-half of
the 24 hours, and he has as yet no Idea
of practical methods of storage, either
of the heat or the power, for use during
cloudy periods, hours, days, and weeks
even, when the engine cannot be kept in
steady operation. It Is, of course, possi
ble that much Improvement may be ef
fected in the electric storage battery, and
it Is even true that great Improvements
In that precious device are apparently al
ready in sight; but even the ideal and
perfect battery, could it be realized,
would probably prove so costly and so
enormous as a part of this system of sun
power utilization, as to make its use
practically out of the question In tem
perate regions where the sky is overcast
so often that not over one-half the di
rect heat of the sun 13 e"ach day, on the
average, available, or In the tropics,
where the rainy season makes It unavail
able for months together.
The availability of sunlight and heat
for the purposes of the engineer differ
greatly in different places, and with every
change of latitude, as well as from sea
son to season. This variability is an
enormous handicap where It is sought to
employ this energy. The remark Is at
tributed to Professor Langley that all the
coal deposits of Pennsylvania, If burned
In a single second, would not liberate a
thousandth part as much heat as does
the surface ox" the sun in that unit of
time. Yet It Is evident that our coal de
posits, so long as they last, are. worth
more to us than all the available heat
of the sun.
Knew How to Find Her.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Callerton, but my wife
is out somewhere and I don't know
where. Still, of you will step into the
parlor I'll get her in a minute."
"Why, how. If you don't know where
she Is?"
"Oh, I'll just light this cigar, and If
she doesn't pounce on me in a couple of
seconds It's because she is at the morgue."
Harpers's Bazaar.
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JfcP?"?&5s5S?f
THE PALATIAL
(HI BUILDING
Not a darlc office In the building!
ubnolntely nreproof) electric lights
end artesian Tvaterj perfect sanita
tion and thoronsh ventilation. Ele
vators ran day and night.
Room.
AINSL1E. DR. GEORGE. Physician.. ..COS-009
ANDERSON, GUSTAV, Attorney-at-Law...CU
ASSOCIATED PRESS; E. L. Powell. Mgr..60U
AUSTEN. F. C. Manager for Oregon and
Washington Bankers' Life Association, of
Des Moines. la 502-003
BANKERS' LIFE ASSOCIATION. OP DES
MOINES, IA.; P. C. Auster.. Mgr 602-5d3
REALS, ED'ARD A., Forecast Official U.
S. Weathr Bureau 0X0
BENJAMIN. R. W.. Dentist 31
BINSWANGER. DR. O. S.. Phys. & Bur.410-U
BROCK. WILBUR F., Circulator Orego- .
nlan 501
BROWN. MTRA. M. D ... 313-314,
BRUERE. DR. G. E.. Physician 412-413-4U
BUSTEED. RICHARD 30J
CANNING, M. J 002-tWJ
CAUKIN. G. E.. District Acent Travelers
Insurance Co 713
CARDWELL. DR. J. R 50(J
CHURCHILL. MRS. E. J 710-T17
COLUMBIA TELEPHONE COMPANY.,...
604-605-C00-UO7-013-U14-C13
CORNELIUS, C. W.. Phys. ana Surgeon. ..200
COVER, F. C Cashier Equitable Lire 30J
COLLIER, P. F.. Publisher; S. P. McGulre.
Manager 413
DAY, J. G. & L N 313
DAVIS, NAPOLEON. President Columbia
Telephone Co 007
DICK&ON, DR. J. F.. Physician 713-714
DWTTER. JOE E.. Tobaccos.... 4UJ
EDITORIAL ROOMS Eighth Floor
EQUITABLE LIFE INSURANCE SOCIETY;
L. Samuel, Mgr.; F. C Cover, Cashier... 300
EVENING TELEGRAM 325 Alder street
FENTON. J. D., Physician and Surg....30S-ilvj
FENTON. DR. HICKS C, Eye and Ear....5U
FENTON. MATTHEW F.. Dentist OtTJ
GALVANI, W. H., Engineer and Draughts
man COu
GAVIN. A., President. Oregon Camera Club
2H--'15--.,10-2i;
GEARY. DR. EDWARD P.. Physician aud
Surgeon 212-21 1
GlESY. A. J.. Phslclan and Surgeun..7UU-71u
GILBERT, DR. J. ALLEN. Physlclan...401-4U2
uiLLEdPY. SHERWOOD, General Agent
Mutual Life Ins. Co 4U4-4UO-4UU
GUUDARD, E. C. & CO.. Footwear
......Ground Floor, 12K Sixth street
GOLDMAN. WILLLVM. Manager Manhat- '
tan Lift Ins. Co., of 2ivr York 2u-j-210
GRANT. FRANK S.. Attorney-at-Law..j;jil7
GRI8WOLD & PHEGLEY, Tailors .-..V.-
13L Sixth streets
HA.UAi.Aii BATHS. Turklih and KuiUn..
3uu-.Wl-3y3
HAMMOND, A. B 31U
HOLLISTER, DR. O. C., Phys. & Surg.,504-503
iULt-JiA.N, C. M., Attoruey-at-Law..'io-xf.o
JOHNSON. W. C J12-U1U-317
KADY. MARK T., Supervisor of Agents
Mutual Reserve Fund Life Ass'n CU4-(iU3
LAMONT, JOHN. Vice-President and Gen
eral Manager Columbia Telephone Co 6Cf
L1TTLEFIELD. H. R., Phys. und Surgeon.2UU
MACKAY. DR. A. E., Phys. and Surg.. 711-7 IS
MANHATTAN LIFE INSURANCE CO., of
New York; W. Goldman. Manager.... 20U-210
MARTIN. J. L. & CO. Timber Lands 001
McCOY, NEWTON. Attorney-at-Law 715
McFADEN, MISS IDA E.. Stenographer,. .2UI
McGINN. HENRY E.. Attorney-at-Law..311-ia
McKENSSIE. DR. P. L., Pays, and Surg..512-13
METT, HENRY - 213
MILLER. DR. HERBERT C. Dentist and
Oral Surgeon ....U03-C09
MOSSMAN, DR. E. P., Dentist 513-814
Ait, 1 UAL REaEUVE FUND LIFE ASS'N;
Mark T. Kady, Supervisor of Agents..0U4-605
McELROY. DR. J. O., Phys. & flur..701-702-7W
McFARLAND. E. B.. Secretary Columbia,
Telephone Co 600
McGUIRE, S. P., Manager P. F. Collier.
Publisher 415
MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE CO.. of New
York; Sherwood Glllesgy. Gen. Agt.. 404-3-4
NICHOLAS, HORACE B.. Att'y-at-Law...7l5
NILES, M. L., Cashier Manhattan Life In
surance Co.. ot New York .'...200
OUliN, J. K., State Agent Tontine Sav
ings Association. Minneapolis... 211
OKEGON CAMERA CLUB 214-215-210-217
OREGON INFIRMARY OF OSTEOPATHY,
Dr. L. R. Smith. Osteopath 408-403
PACIMC CHRISTIAN PUB. CO.; J. F.
Gcormley, Manager 513
PORTLAND EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY
Ground Floor, 133 Sixth street
QUIMBY, L. P. W., Game and Forestry
Warden 407
REED & MALCOLM. Opticians... 133 Sixth st.
REED, F. C. Fish Commissioner 407
ROSENDALE, O. M., Metallurgist and Min
ing Engineer 510
RYAN, J. B.. Attornoy-at-Law..... 417
SAMUEL. L., Manager Equitable Life 30U
SHERWOOD, J. W., Deputy Supreme Com
mander K. O. T. M 517
SMITH. DR. L. B., Osteopath 403-400
STUART, DELL. Attorney-at-Law 617-613
STOLTE. DR. CHAS. E., Dentist 704-705
SURGEON OF THE S. P. RY. AND N. P.
TERMINAL CO 700
STROWBRIDGE. THOMAS H., Executive v
Special Agent Mutual Life of New York...400
SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE 201
TONTINE SAVINGS ASSOCIATION, Min
neapolis; J. F. Olsen. State Agent 211
Tii.iwER. DR. GEO. F.. Dentist 010-011
U. S. WEATHER BUREAU.... 007-008-009-010
U. S. LIGHTHOUSE ENGINEERS. 13TH
DIST.; Captain W. C Langntt. Corps of
Engineers. U. S. A - 603
U. S. ENGINEER OFFICE. RIVER AND
HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS; Captain W.
C. Langfltt. Corps of Engineers. U. S. A.. 810
WATERMAN. C H.. Cashier Mutual Life
of New York 400
WILSON. DR. EDWARD N.. Physician
and Surgeon 304-303
WILSON. DR. GEO. F., Phys. & Surg.700-707
WILSON. DR. HOLT C. Phys. & Surg.607-5(s
WILLAMETTE VALLEY TELEP. CO 013
WOOD, DR. W. L.. Physician 412-413-414
Office mny he had by applying to
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room 201, second floor.
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