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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 1901)
THE SUNDAY OBEGOOTAN, PORTLAND, OCTOBER 6, 1901. f&te rg0suai Entered at the Postoffice at Portland, Oregon, ts second-class matter. REVISED SUBSCRIPTION BATES. By Mail tpostage prepaid). In Advance Dally, with Sunday, per month $ 85 Dally, Sunday excepted, per year......... 7 60 Dally, with Sunday, per year...... 0 00 Sunday, per year . 2 Oy The WceMy, per year 1"50 The Tieekly, 3 monthB , 0 To City Subscribers Dally, per week, delivered, Sundays excepted.lSc Dally, per week, delivered. Sundays included.20c POSTAGE BATES. United States. Canada and Mexico: 10 to l-page paper,...-. ....... ...... .......1c 10 to Z-page paper. .................... .....2c Foreign rates double. News or discussion Intended for publication In The Oregonlan should be addressed Invaria bly "Editor The Oregonlan," not to the name of any Individual. Letters relating to adver tising, subscriptions or to any business matter should be addressed simply "The Oregonlan-" The Oregonlan does not buy poems or stories irom Individuals, and cannot undertake to re turn any manuscripts sent to it -without solici tation. No stamps should be inclosed for this purpose. Puget Sound Bureau Captain A, Thompson, ofllce at llli Pacific avenue, Tacoma. Box 055, Tacoma Postoffice. Eastern Buiness Ofllce, 43, 41. 45, 47. 4S, 49 Tribune building, New York City; 460 "The Rookery," Chicago; the S. C. Bcckwlth epeclal agency. Eastern representative. For sale In San Francisco by Xi. E. Dee, Pal ace Hotel news stand: Goldsmith Bros.. 238 Sutter street: F. W. PKts. 1008 Market street; J. K. Cooper Co., 746 Market street, near the Palace Hottl; Foster & Orear, Ferry news etand. For sale in Dos Angeles by B. F. Gardner. 259 So. Spring street, and Oliver & Haines, 108 So. Spring street. For sale in Chicago by the P. O. News Co., 217 Dearborn street. For sale In Omaha by Barkalow Bros., 1612 Farnaro street. For sale In Salt Lake by the Salt Dake News Co., 77 W. Second South street. For sale In Ogden by W. C. Kind, 204 Twenty-fifth etreet, and by C. H. Myers. For sale In Kansas City. Mo., by Fred Hutchinson, 004 Wyandotte street. On file at Buffalo. N. X., in the Oregon ex hibit at the exposition. For sale in "Washington, D. C, by the Ebbett House news stand. For sale in Denver, Colo., by Hamilton & Kcndrick. 908-912 Seventh street. TODAY'S "WEATHER Fair; slightly wann ter; northwesterly winds. YESTERDAY'S WEATHER-Maximum tem perature, 07; minimum temperature, 55; pre cipitation, none. 3PORTLAJTO, SUNDAY, OCTOBER C. A CABAL IS THE 'AW. It is evident that there is a clique, ami a large one, in the naval service of the United States, that is hostile to Rear-Admiral Schley. It 1s evident, too, that this clique has gone as far as it possibly could in a series of acts that can be interpreted as little lees than a conspiracy against him. By this clique the Secretary of the Navy has been filled with prepossessions against Schley: and the course of the inquiry so far supplies conclusive proof that men -who dislike Schley aTe trying to "down" him. No one who reads the reports of the inquiry in its daily progress can fail to see that Schley is the victim of a naval and departmental cabal, that is making utmost endeavor to furnish matter in justification of its hostility and slanders against him. The so called historian, Maclay, clearly is -but the tool of this official conspiracy. It was through him that Schley was ac cused of insubordination, incompetency and cowardice. Of course, he was but the mask used by other men; for he is a person of no consequence, and though he was recognized by the department as its official historian, he Is now ut terly forgotten in the controversy which was instituted chiefly through him. He will not be called as "witness, to dis close the sources of his statements against Schley, for the board would rule him out; but he will be summoned as a. witness, If there shall be a Con gressional investigation, which, indeed, there ought to be. Through such in vestigation .only can the sources of this conspiracy be laid bare. It was Schley who commanded in the naval battle of Santiago. It was Schley who destroyed the Spanish fleet. It was Schley's ship, the Brooklyn, that had the brunt of the fight and was hit by more shots than all the remainder of the vessels of the fleet. If incompetency wins battles, and Insubordination and cowardice produce results of this kind, it would seem that words had strangely changed their meanings, and that the qualities for which the words in their new meanings stand should be culti vated more at large in the Navy of the United States. "WHITMAN'S REAL FOES. The Whitman legend has enlisted the attention of no less historian and critic than Mr Ripley Hitchcock, who contributes a thoughtful and interest ing study of Dr. Mowry's book to the New York Times' Saturday Book Re view. Of course, if Dr. Mowry and hip school of Whitman worsliipers are wrong, they are badly wrong, and their error is one that deserves sharp repro bation. It is no menial offense to dress up hysterical tradition and call it truth. Therefore no one need be surprised that Mr. Hitchcock boldly pronounces "in compatible" Dr. Mowry's two asser tions, "this book is history," and "the clearer grew the light that Dr. Whit man saved 'the Oregon to the United States." f Mr. Hitchcock rehearses the famil iar facts concerning Whitman the mis sions, the dubious results, the dissen sions, the determination to discontinue the southern mission, the doctor's de cision and the Tesultant journey. Then he passes from "this colorless summary of historical facts" to what he calls "the Whitman legend." This he finds to have been developed after Whit man's death, primarily by EE Spal ding, whese fanaticism and unreliabil ity, due partly to the shock of the mas sacre, have been described by Gray, Mrs. Victor, Bancroft, the Oregon Statesman of August 11, 1S55, and other commentators. The legend itself we need not here repeat, but will quote two significant paragraphs from Mr. Hitchcock's critique: This .... is the legend which -was cre ated by Spalding, bolstered up by the uncer tain and easily excited memories of a Jew contemporaries, and decorated by local pride, aa by the psychological influences which ren der concrete hero worship so necessary to the popular imagination. Nearly 20 years ago this picturesque myth was popularized in. Bar row's Oregon." and since then it has found piaco in several otherwise reliable histories and books of reference. The success o" Spald ing has boon second only to that of Weenis with his tale or "Washington and his hatchet. Marcus Whitman -was not the savior of Ore gon, but he was a brave and devoted pioneer missionary, -who gave up his life for his ause. He himself was not responsible ior the Whit man legend. In the latter part of his life he was disposed to magnify somewhat the im portance of his journey East, but the extrava gant claims pat forth iri his behalf originated tv.th others long after his death. Secondly, in view of the circulation -which this legend has Obtained through reputable historians and ref erence books, credit should be given to Mrs. F. F. Victor and others who have laboriously ex amined the evidence. Who are the enemies of Dr. .Whit man's memory? Not those who are called to the painful task of correcting the errors of tradition, but those who have built up the fabric of error that makes the denial necessary. That a brave and devoted missionary should be disputed the honors claimed for him and pilloried before the world as a claimant for bogus honors Is Indeed pitiable, and it is important that the responsibility should be accurately placed. No man needs forgiveness for the sins of his fool friends more than Whitman does. His consecration and martyrdom deserve a better fate than to be made the subject of false enco mium and the inevitable work of correction. SAVAGE MAfCERS OF HISTORY. One of the most persistent and hu miliating errors of popular belief lg the tradition that as a race the Indian "has perished from the land." The fact is that the Indian population has been stationary for a long time, and the latest census shows remarkable gains In the inhabitants of our reservations. The sources of this error are many. Colonial Imagination doubtless peopled the whole continent, or such as was then known, with swarming tribes of countless numbers. Compared with the slender settlements along the Atlantic, the redskins were numerous enough, -and today the Indian's decline In war like activity is apt to be confused with a non-existent shrinkage of population. Some interesting light on early Indian history, emphasizing the misconception of original numbers, has been recently contributed by Mr. J. Mercler McMul len, author of "The History of Canada," designedly In correction of some errors concerning the great explorer, Cham plain. Champlain, unfortunately has been too lightly regarded as a historian, and too exclusively as a man of action. A recent biography says that he left but one work; but Mr. McMullen shows that he published several volumeB of his life and work. Instead of one. In 1603 his "'Des Sauvages" appeared; in 1613 and 1619 he published his voyages, with valuable maps, and In 1632 an abridgment of the first two voyages, with a continuation bringing down the narrative of his stay in Canada to 1629, together with an appendix on seaman ship and examples of the Huron and Montaignes language. In 1859 the Hak luyt Society of England published an excellent translation of his voyage to Mexico and the West Indies, and in 1870 all his other works were again given to the public. Readers of Parkman will remember that Champlain's career Is little else than a story of battle and diplomacy with savages, He had not that genius for fatherly dealing with them pos sessed in such eminent degree by Fron tenac, but his talents were versatile and prodigious. At the time of his founding of Quebec, July Z, 1608, a memorable chapter In North American annals had closed and another was open. Algcnquln supremacy had given way to the reign of the dreaded Iro quois. This virile and historic tribe was in the seat of power, having ar rived at the proud position of domi nance toward which the Tagalogs were rapidly climbing In Luzon at the time of American accession. They had sub dued and disarmed the Pennsylvania Indians, and forced Penn to pay them over again for the land he had bought of that luckless tribe. On the north they had possessed the western shore of "Lake Champlain and the region about Lake George, made forays into Algonquin New England, penetrated to Montreal, fished In the Huron country and built a fort -on the Canadian side of Lake St. Clair. These achievements and the subse quent victories over the Algonqulns and the weaker Hurons are remarkable, when we consider that the Iroquois,' with all their five nations, could at no time muster more than 2500 fighting men. Their effect upon subsequent his tory is doubtless tremendous. They drove Champlain to a natural alliance with the Algonqulns and Huron3 against the Iroquois. Thus it set the Iroquois against the power of Canada. They crippled it, and later they helped the Americans against the French. Herein lies a most significant chapter in ourhlstory. The rise Gf the Ijo quols helped make the United States a great Nation. Their vigor and states manship, their very cruelty and vln dlctlveness, were working unconscious ly for English civilization. Had their prowess been less, Canada might to day have extended to New Yorlc and the Ohio. Had their ascendency come earlier, Champlain might have made them allies and driven our colonists Into the sea. "So perchance in the Phil ippines our problem has been partly solved In Luzon through the antag onism felt by minor tribes toward the Tagals, it Is true, but efficaciously also by the way opened for us through the Influence of Agulnaldo and his leaders. The stream of history, like rills upon the mountain side, Is often diverted In Its upper waters by humble things. The destiny of a continent was largely formed by the blind forces of savage conflict. YELLOW JOURNALISM. There Is a satanlc press which stands for the abuse and misuse of all the high and beneficent opportunities and func tions of journalism. A satanlc press Is a newspaper that never In practice rises above the level and spirit of the tramp quack who sells cheap nostrums, sings ragtime songs and expectorates smutty anecdotes between sales. The satanlc press is a corner gossip, printing anonymous scandal, ribaldry and covert or open obscenity, always clean up to the safety limit of the law, and not seldom beyond it. Its concern is not with principles that underlie the public weal, but chiefly with the dissemination of vulgar and Illegitimate, unprovoked personalities. It is the turkey buzzard, the carrion fly and the polecat In Its public .func tion; It Is a kind of human civet cat, that either scratches the objects of its hostility furiously with Its claws or thrashes them with Its malodorous tall. It looks at life In the same spirit that Falstan! does when he says to Bardoinh. "Sing me a filthy song to cheer me up." It sometimes grows rich on the wages of sin, just as outlaws and outcasts of both sexes sometimes coin their infamy into filthy lucre. The satanlc press has many readers, for the same reason that malignant gossips always have a larger audience and street following than men of. decent speech and useful action, The satanlc press is constructive of nothing but falsehood. It crawls on Jts belly like a Gila monster over men of good report, and then, pointing to its own sllmp track, imputes the smutch it has made on his scutcheon to the hand of the man that is stainless. It is chiefly on, the moral cowardice or moral indifference of reputable and de cent men who hesitate to defy defama tion that the satanlc press leans for public toleration, recognition and covert support. The man who pretends to loathe "yellow journalism," but con sents to support it on the plea that he does not care to invite its abuse by his contempt, or on the worse plea that he likes to read the latest rot and ri baldry of the hour, stands for the kind of folk that makes the satanlc press flourish. This nominally respectable support of yellow journalism not sel-: -dom suffers Just retribution, for In their weakness and cowardice it either sojls them with the slobber of disreputable friendship or in its capacity of venal "free lance" turns and rends those who have carelessly cast the pearl of their own self-respect before such swine. fTellow" journalism is like a "yellow" dog It Is a mongrel that wor ries no man successfully who is better than a sheep. THE DRAMATIC SEASON. The season of dramatic entertainment is upon us an entertainment 'that Is welcome when persistent raia and leaden skies, that are repressive of outdoor recreation, are nor far distant. Measured by its capacity for humane culture of the minds and manners of men, the stage has no rival In the round of popular recreation that be gins to be its peer. There Is no com parison between the" excellence of the influence of the stage, theatric and op eratic, and any other form of demo cratic amusement. The contests of the turf, the spectacle of public athletics, even when separated from gambling and brutality, are but narrow in their educating influence, compared with the stage. Extravagant devotion to violent and boisterous athletics does not stimu late the human impulses of the heart and does not brighten, if it does not always dull, the brains of both actors and spectators, while the decent thea ter and opera Is more than recreation; it Is a positive humane culture of the mind and heart of the audience. The dramatic stage has always "impressed into its service the noblest minds of literature, while the operatic stage has been the favorite field of effort for the genius of the greatest musical compos ers, who have made the grandest his toric episodes and heroes eloquent to us in the melody and harmony of mag nificent music. Next to Homer, the Greek drama stands for the most splen did poetry of antiquity. The supreme and universal excellence of Shakes peare found expression in the drama, and outside of Shakespeare the plays of Masslnger, Jonson, Beaumont and Fletcher, Ford, Webster, Marlowe, con stitute a noble part of the literature of the Elizabethan age. A form of popu lar entertainment that has always en listed in its service the best literary genius of Its time, of course, rises above the domain of mere recreation Into that higher domain where the form of rec reation Is so stimulating to mind and heart that It becomes' valuable culture. It Is a popular theory that the stage Is a fair measure of the average moral sensibility and mental tastes of Its au dience. If this theory De accepted as correct, what a wonderful public must have been that which assembled. In London to applaud the masterpieces of Shakespeare. . It Is easy to understand that the average audience of Shakes peare's day would greatly enjoy the comic side of his genius, the genius that drew Falstaff, Sir Toby Belch, Au tolycus, Lucio, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, ShallGw, Bardolph, Pistol; It is easy to understand that an average audience of London at the close of the sixteenth century would appreciate such active, stirring scoundrels as Macbeth, Richard, Iago and King John, or such magnifi cent heroic impersonations as Hotspur, Prince Hal, Faulconbridgo and Othello; but It Is hard to understand that Shakespeare's Hamlet, his Lear and his Tlmon were easily able to hold the stage In hi3 day. There is not a thea ter In the English-speaking world to day whose audience would give con stant support to a drama so heavily weighted with power of thought depth and variety of poetic Imagination as that of Shakespeare and the best of his contemporaries. There was not a theater that was equal to the remu nerative production of Shakespeare's plays after the Restoration, or even during the reign of Queen Anne. It was not until the middle of the eigh teenth century that the genius of Gar rick lifted Shakespeare's greatest crea tions to the front of popular favor, Even today, with every care exercised in the adaptation of the fprm of Shakespeare's plays to the modern stage; with every pains taken to cre ate splendid accessories In shape of scenery and picturesque costumes, it cannot be said that many of Shakes peare's great plays are In such" steady demand as to be sure winning cards before an average English-speaking au dience. Shylock, Richard, Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth and Iago are about all the great characters that have per manent, steady life upon the modern stage; but the London audience of Shakespeare's day supported his thea ter so generously that In fifteen years he was able to retire with a conjfortable fortune when he was but 40 years of age. Of course, the theater of that day way frequented by all classes; the gross obscenity and rankness of speech placed In the mouth of Shakespeare's rakes and clowns proves that. But the great plays we have mentioned did not owe their popular support to coarse stuff of this sort, for there are few blemishes of this kind In their lines compared with the majority of Shakespeare's work. The audiences that supported Shakes peare's work must have been of very high Intellectual quality. They must have been composed of men and women of high mental quality and spiritual refinement to have made It profitable for a playwright to people his plays with such Women as Viola, Olivia-, Mi randa, Isabella, Hero, Portia, Rosalind, Hermione, Perdita, Constances Lady Percy, Cordelia, Ophelia and Imogen. We hava been particular to lay stress upon the presence of so many splendid spiritually minded women In Shakes peare's plays, for it clearly proves the presence of a very refined and Intel lectual quality predominant In his audi ence. Our modern generation "of play goers evidently does not stand on so high a level as that occupied by the audiences whose tastes made it profit able for Shakespeare to people his plays with the perfect woman, nobly planned. The success of Shakespeare was due to the fact that he was a great poet wVlt Ing for the recreation of a far more poetic-minded people than exists Jn London or New York today. We are more civilized than the England of Elizabeth, but we are not so receptive to pure poetic imaginative appeal. This mood rose to Its cllmaterlc under the peculiar Impulse of that time; it de clined rapidly under the mean-spirited successor of Elizabeth; it died a .vio lent death by strangulation under the Commonwealth, and It never rose again In Its old form of poetic power and beauty such as pervaded the dramatic literature of Shakespeare's day. While our modern stage is far below the in tellectual and spiritual level of Shakes peare's thrilling tragedies and charming comedies, it is still true that the thea ter holds possibilities of the widest and most far-reaching character for the education of the masses; It Is a most powerful instrument to "entertain and yet tc elevate, while It amuses the au dience. These possibilities of the thea ter make for good or evil, acdordlng as Its art, like -the art of literature, painting,- sculpture, music and poetry, is used to lift hurnan nature up or drag its better angel down. PERNICIOUS AFTERTHOUGHT. . Sentence of death was passed a few days ago by the court at Stevenson, Skamania County, Wash., upon one James G. Green. The murder for which he is condemned to suffer the death penalty a few weeks hence was com mitted In a rural community in Ska mania County last March, and was a peculiarly cowardly and atrocious act His trial and conviction followed "in May, and at last, full seven months after the crime was committed, the final stage In the tragedy approaches! There were threats of lynching at the time, the execution of which was pre vented by the vigilance of the officers and the reasonable assurance that the murderer would . be brought to strict account in orderly manner by law. It is said, however, that this stage of the proceedings having been tardily reached, an effort will now be made possibly has "already taken shape the' purpose of which Is to secure, through a petition to Governor 'Rogers, the commutation of this man's sen tence to imprisonment for life. The details cf this murder, as report ed at the time, and subsequently re peated in evidence before the court, stamped the act as one of special atrocity. E. C. Benjamin, the victim, was seated at supper with friends with whom he had been making merry at a country darfce, the customary Winter recreation in sparsely settled commu nities, when without warning or thought of danger he was killed by a shot flred through the window by James G. Green. The cowardly as sassin made little attempt at escape or concealment. Such excuse as he offered for the crime was based -upon hfs alleged "love" for a woman who sat next his victim at the table, and the furious jealousy which the sight of their evident enjoyment of each other's company kindled In the mur derer's breast No other evidence in justification of the act was adduced at the trial, and the crime stands upon the records as one of the most cold-blooded and cowardly midnight as sassinations in the criminal history of the State of Washington. It is inconceivable, w.ith the . testi mony upon which this convictlbn was secured, that any friend of the assas sin, however bold, will have the temer ity to approach the Judge, jury and District Attorney, by whom and before whom this case was tried, asking them to affix their signatures to a petition for the -commutation of this criminal's sentence. There is not the slightest basis In justice for such commutation. There Is, indeed, no basis in decent sympathy even for asking it. If any man,'s life is jusily forfeit to society, It is that of the midnight prowler who sneaks upon his victim, and, whatever the provocation, deliberately shoots him through a window. This act James G. Green committed; for this he has been tried, convicted and sentenced to death; for this he should (and will, if the purpose of the law Is not perverted by unwise and puerile sympathy un becoming self-respecting, sslf-controlled men) at the appointed time suffer the penalty of death. The Judge, jury a,n& Prosecuting Attorney should. If ap proached with a proposition to undo their work In this case, by signing their names to a petition for commu tation of a most righteous sentence, re gard such approach as an impeachment of their sacred honor In the premises and resent It accordingly. We have too much of this pernicious afterthought Induced by misplaced sympathy for criminals in this country, and especially qn this Coast. General ly speaking, the District Attorney who has used every effort to secure the con viction of a criminal, the jurors who upon evidence have found him guilty as charged, and the Judge who has passed the sentence of the law upon him in pursuance of his duty, stultify or may be held to stultify themselves bpfore the community by signing a pe tition to the Executive to undo or par tially undo their Judicial work. If these post judicial acts were less frequent, and the course of justice generally more prompt and unswerving, the an archistic spirit, as shown in the nu merous lynchlngs throughout' the land, Would be much less" bold. ART OP KEEPING WEIX. It was a delightful bit of satire when a physician once wrote to a friend that he was moving from a certain city he cause the people there were so distress ingly healthy. Happy Is the man who does, not know physicians or surgeons in their professional capacity. Yet the requirements of industrial progress in pur age are such that toilers have to work harder than their fathers or grandfathers, and many workers are growing old before their time. It Is argued that exhausted strength and muscle require medicine, and the tend ency of the present generation Is to call In the physician at all times and all seasons to make ailing folk well. When the father of a family reaches 40 years of age and finds a certain bald Spot on the top of his head expanding, his weight perceptibly increasing, his breath diminishing as he goes upstairs, and his temper shortening, he says to his" inner self: "Why, I am getting to be an old map before my times What's the matter?" He is a commercial man, we will say. In the morning he awakes from unhappy dreams In which the other fellow In his dreams was con tinually getting the better of him in a stock deal. However, he eats a heavy breakfast, In. which a pqrtei;house steak and hot bread and coffee figure largely. The usual worry begins In his office, be cause he startp the worry, and then the dally grind to make money goes on, only to be broken for an interval for lunch where he steals five minutes to run hurriedly to a lunch counter and bolt down coffee and apple pie. Hurrying back, 'our friend is soon immersed In his correspondence and the details Qf his business until he boards the trolley car in the early evening for home. Here an elaborate dinner Is served, consisting of five or six courses, and he either boards the trolley car to take his wife and family to a theater or he decides that he Is too tired and stays at home. But at night, just when he has tumbled into bed, his conscience asks him, "How many cigars have you smoked today?" He owns up to fifteen. His muscles ask, "What exercise have you taken today?" He Is compelled to answer, "None." Continued life of this kind soon sends this citizen to seek the aid found in Medicine alley. He becomes a source of income to our friend the physician. Instead, why should he not try these two things diet and exercise? It Is a generally admitted fact that the flesh food an outdoor laborer or mechanic can easily digest, because he works his muscles, arms and legs In his toll, would not be beneficial in the case of another man of sedentary habits. The latter is probably a merchant who personally superintends his bookkeep ing and large correspondence, or he may be a bookkeeper, a stenographer, a literary man or a clergyman. These men ought to have a special form of diet, because the probability Is their digestions are weak; Beef once a day, plenty of Oregon fruit especially peaches, apples, prunes, figs and or angeslittle or no pastry, coffee and tea now and then that bill of fare has often made well people. Plenty of exercise Is just as Impor tant. To all people walking Is not ex ercise, and neither is riding in a trol ley car. If you fit up a Whitly's ex erciser in the privacy of your bachelor home, you will work furiously at the machine for two weeks, and then your enthusiasm will cool. It's too lonely. Athletes have discovered in the waning days of the bicycle that the machine does no't develop the arms and chest and the muscles of the neck. Many bi cycle riders are sufferers from indiges tion. True exercise is taking part In some sort of vigorous outdoor pastime rowing, gymnasium work, or better still horseback-riding. Every man can not own a horse, but he can hire one and get safe lessons from competent in structors at riding schools. The archi tect of the "future, In designing the American house for the working popu lation, will surely plan an exercise room, which. shall be used by all the family to make strong, healthy bodies and pure minds. Public gymnasiums will be better patronized, and our friend the horse will receive his share of at tention. Physic has its uses, of course. So have surgeons and hospitals. Diet and exercise could not heal a broken limb. But it would be a service to our gen eration if by diet and exercise we could make some sick people well and bring the bloom of health to pale cheeks. A wise man once wrote: "Throw physic to the dogs and you will see they won't take it," The proposed revision of the canons regarding divorce by the convention of the Episcopal church at San Francisco will prove of no practical consequence, for the present divorce law of New York State is treated with contempt by the leaders of fashionable society In that church, The daughter of the late Bish op Littlejohn, of the Episcopal church, whose canons today forbid divorce save for scriptural cause, a few years ago secured a divorce In Rhode Island with her father's help, or at least his tacit approval, which she could not legally secure in New York State, and In the first rank of New York society upright .women who are conspicuous In the churches do not hesitate to get di vorces for other than scriptural causes In Delaware, Rhode Island, Connecticut or Montana that would be denied them in New York, and this action on their part does not Injure their standing a particle in , society or the church, be cause public opinion has reached the sound conclusion that it is gross In humanity, If not Immorality, to force a good woman to remain legally bound to a bad, worthless or cruel man, or a good man to a vicious, depraved wom an, unless adultery, not an easy thing to prove, can be shown. It will not make a particle of difference, practical ly, what the Episcopal church may do with Its divorce canon, for Intelligent and humane American society In all the churches will never in practice limit divorce to the single cause of adultery. The church has not been able In the past to secure any general obedience to this view that adultery shall be the only grouria for divorce; it has not even been able, even if It has been willing, to subject offenders against the church cancn to any ecclesiastical pen alty, and it will not make any dlffer ance what the church convention does about It, our Intelligent humane society In all the churches will continue to tol erate divorce for other than so-called scriptural cause, o The details of the Samar massacre show that It was Invited by the out rageous want of ordinary military pru dence and discipline on part of the officers commanding the American sol diers. That a company of regular sol diers should sit down to breakfast' in an enemy's country, leaving their rifles exposed to easy capture, seems Incred ible. It Is well the officers are dead. If they are responsible for the failure, to place proper guards In position to pro tect the arms of the men at breakfast. The exceedingly treacherous character of the natives was known; the Inhab itants of the Island had never been re duced to submission. Samar was as much a hostile country as the Sioux reservation would be ln event of an outbreak by that trjbe. What would be thought of an Airniy officer who left the rifles of his command without suf ficient guard while breakfasting dur ing a campaign again the Indians? Some officer, high or low, was false to ,hls military duty, or the rifles of a Whole company would never have been left exposed to capture while the men were at breakfast. The general public knew the late John Flske almost exclusively as a lec turer and a historian, Evidence of his wonderful versatility along these lines was not wanting, and to this has been added a pleasurable surprise In an J essay, ''Life Everlasting," recently yuuusutiu. j-u mis suujecc mr. JtJisKe brought a wealth of mental resources, the products of a wide and varied read ing, a breadth of thought and a force of conviction which caused him to deal only with the essentials of his theme. His argument Is on the line of evolu tion as carefully traced in man's devel- I opmept, inferring from what he has al ready .become by the play pf the f in finite force in whose hands he is that the logical sequence to the natural life Is the life spiritual. The groundwork of hope In life everlasting Is broadened and strengthened by this presentment. Its appeal to the reason is strong, and its conclusions are, In a comfortable degree at least, satisfying. Stories of cancer pursue King Edward from Copenhagen to Balmoral. There Is probably some foundation in fact for the persistent rumors, since they are supported by the announcement that His Majesty's allowance of cigars has been cut down to three a day. Of course, he would submit tcno such pri vation as this unless the demand for It was more peremptory than a physi cian's order could make it. The truth Js that King Edward Is an old man for his years, and they are not few. A sufferer for some years from rheuma tic gout, and latterly a victim of "throat trouble," it is beyond reason able expectation that he will for many years survive the dignity of the ex alted position to which he was born, but to which he succeeded so late In life. The story of the late Emperor Frederick of Germany is likely to be repeated in the case of Edward VII. Long years of waiting and training for empire, followed by a brief period of sovereignty, shadowed heavily by dis ease and quickly ended by death, seem likely to be his portion In life and fill his place in history. Henry Loomis Nelson, in the Boston Herald, disputes Senator Piatt's asser tion that President Roosevelt as Gov ernor of New York was "an organi zation man"; that Is, a man controlled and dictated to by the organization. Governor Roosevelt refused to reap point Aldrlch Superintendent of Public Works, abated the scandal of "Lou" Payn at the head of the Insurance de partment, refused to reappoint Perry archltect of the Capitol. All these new appointments of Governor Roosevelt were In direct hostility to the expressed will of the "Piatt" machine. In the field of legislation Governor Roosevelt prevented the enactment of Piatt's state police bill; he obtained, in spite of the opposition of the machine, the repeal of Governor Black's nerveless civil service aw and the enactment of the present law. Governor Roosevelt secured Ram apo legislation against the 'will of Piatt, and the passage of the franchise tax bill against Piatt's strenuous oppo sition. The Inventive genius of man is con stantly manifesting Its power In the world of material things. A conspicu ous example of this manifestation is found .In turning to account, through mechanical invention, the product of thousands of acres of wire grass that grows upon the marsh lands of Min nesota. Five years ago this grass, being lnnutritlous. was worthless. Now It Is harvested and manufactured Into twine and various articles of furniture and has become one of the most valu able products of the state. One com pany in St. Paul alone has 6000 men working on wire-grass products. Ths is the largest single industry In the city, and promises further expansion. Our pme-needle industry in Southern Oregon Is analagous "to this In that It conyerts into articles of commercial value a heretofore worthless and prac tically Inexhaustible product of the land. English yachtsmen, In their bitter disappointment at the failure of Sir Thomas LIpton to lift the America's cup, say that there will not be another attempt made In this line for at least a decade. Of course, no man or men can know this. It is not at all probable that this manly, exciting, adventurous international sport will upon one side of the water feed on disappointment for so long a period. The true Briton's con fidence In himself will forbid it. The death at his home In this city of James R. N. Sellwood removes from the scene of many years of upright en deavor and usefulness a man whose family name stands for much that is honorable in the community. A mem ber of a pioneer family whose work lay chiefly in ecclesiastical and educa tional lines, Mr. Sellwood has passed to his rest leaving a record of good words and works behind him. The death of General George W. Getty, of the retired list of the regular Army, at the age of S2, leaves but few survivors of the Mexican War among the retired officers of the Army, and among them are General D. H. Rucker, who is 89; Major William Austlne, who is 86; Colonel L. P. Graham, who Is 86, and General Thomas J. Wood, who is 78. Miss Stone, It is said, finds her Bul garian captors disposed to humor her lightest whim. It may be feared that when the time limit for her ransom has expired without bringing the modest sum of $110,000 to view, these gentle manly brigands will forget their man ners. The country will be justly entitled to congratulation when Senator Depew Is safely married, since a garrulous old man's opportunities for making a fool of himself will be thereby substantially curtailed, Anarchy la Atheism. Boston Herald. The Key. Dr. Huntington, of GraCa Church, New York, In his sermon last Sunday, made a diagnosis of the case of the anarchists much more profound and reasonable than that of many other preachers. "Men say let us -cure this evil by more law; let us make such crimes Impossible by heaping up fresh penalties. Ah, my friends, our trouble lies too deep for such an easy curs as that." He wishes that the trouble might be so got rid of, but deems the expectation delusive, for the reason that fundamentally "an archy Is atheism; it Is the denial of any overruling providence and the refusal to recognize any God whose will Is law." The remedy, therefore. Is to be found in religion. What the Nation greatly needs Is a revival of genuine religion. He thinks our whole educational system needs a religious illumination from base to cope. "Let us Inject more of Christian morals. I do -not say of Christian dogma (al though there Is close connection between the two), but more of Christian morals Into our scheme for maturing the child life of the Nation; let us heal our miser able ecclesiastical divisions; let us call back our people to a better observance of the day of sacred rest;, let us per suade our young men of wealth and posi tion to see In their fortunes (as, thank God, some of them are doing) opportuni ties to help Jn healing the sores and bruises of society, and we shall have done what we can to cure anarchy. It will be a slow healing process, but there Is no other, no other." That the anarch ist is an atheist is one of the prlmary facts. He denies that there Is any di vine authority to rule him as defiantly as that there Is any rlghtf human author ity. Because he is an atheist, he has little awp of death SLINGS AND ARROWS. Come Asa In. Come again Sir Thomas, with another golden, yacht. For the cup will still await you, and you'll win it. like as not. There'll be spindrift flying leeward and a gale upon the sea. And a stanch defender straining' at her moor ings eagerly; Come again, and spread your canvas off old Sandy Hook once more. And the fates may smile moro kindly than they have done heretofore, Tou are not the kind of sallorman to give a contest up. Come again, sir. for we want you, badly as you want the cup. Come again. Sir Thomas, for the tides that ebb and flow Change no more than shifting fortunes, as they come and as they go, Long the lane that has no turning, and tho one on which you are Journeying just now. Sir Thomas, has been traveled very far, Build another boat and better, for a million more or leas Xever will be missed a minute from tho ahekeUj you possess; Build a slender single-sticker, stanch and strong, from keel to truck. Fly a third green shamrock from her, and here's wishing better luck. Come again. Sir Thomas, for a gentleman like you Can't be found wherever winds are fresh or light, and skies are blue. And If haply we shall beat you, we shall bo mo3t happy when You have told us that another year will see you here again. Half a century we've sheltered" that old bit of silverware. But we'll send It forth with you, sir. if we send It anywhere. Come again, and if you lift it sometime in the future years. Uncle Sam will speed you homeward with a tiger and three cheers. Come again. Sir Thomas, you alone have made us feel Wo have met up with a foeman worthy of our bronze and steel. You have raced us to a standstill, In a blow and In a breath. And we'll tell you Just between us that you had us scared to death. Meanwhile, we shall not be Idle, we will build another boat That will be the best and swiftest we have ever 3een afloat, And we'll glvo you. If you triumph, In addi tion to that cheer. Just as hard a run. Sir Thomas, as you've given U3 this year. How It Happened Mrs. Wllklrs wanted a servant girl. Mr. Wllklns, whose pursuits are literary, wrote something like this: "Good girl for light housework. Reasonable wages. Apply 411 44th street," and inserted tho same in the morning paper. That wa3 at night. The next morning at 6:13, the Wllklns door bell rang. Mr. Wilkln3. scantfly ar rayed, answered the summons, and con fronted a large woman with spectacles. "Where Is the girl?" said the woman. "You can search me," Wllklns assured her. "Haven't you got a girl here?" pur sued the 'visitor. "No," said Wllklns, "do you want a job?" "Mel" exclaimed the woman. "Well, I guess not." And she flounced angrily down the steps. At 7 Mrs. Wllklns rose, and going to the kitchen Inserted her hands In pan cake dough. "R-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-lng." said tho boll. Mrs. Wllklns went to the door. "Are you the people who advertised about a girl?" asked a smartly-dressed young matron, who had pressed the button. "Yes," said Mrs. Wllklns, "come around to the back door." The woman looked surprised, but pres ently stood looking Into the kitchen. "Now," she began, "how many after noons cut do you want, what are your habits, and what do you know about cooking?" It was Mr3. Wllklns turn to be sur prised. "I know enough enough about cooking, I guess, madam," she said tartlyf "and I do not think the after noons I want out are any of your busi ness. What references have YOU got, and supposing you tell me something about yourself." "Well," snapped the woman, "for a servant If you orn't the nerviest, tho most self-sufficient thing T ever " "Look here, madam," replied Mrs. Wll klns, "who arc you calling a servant?" "Well, I suppose you object to the name, but I want you to understand that girls In my employ ARE servants. I want no ladles In my kitchen." "Well, for goodness sake, whoever wanted to be In your old kitchen." The woman outside looked puzzled. "Didn't you advertise that you wanted a place?" she asked. "Hardly, I advertised that I wanted a girl." The woman pulled a copy of the paper from her handbag, and pointed at the "small add" column. Then It was that Mrs. Wllklns saw that her advertisement had been placed In the "situations want ed" column. She didn't aay much just then, but when, after answering 36 calls at the door bell, and confronting 36 men and women, who looked her over with the air of an employer, she locked the front door and sped away to the house of a neighbor with the baby In tow. she observed In a strenuous undertone: "Gracious, I wish I could get Tom to swear for me, just, a littlo." The Stage Villain. Under the- painted canvas tree The wicked villain stands. With blue-black whlskera on his face In coarse and shining strands. And gleaming daggers tensely held In both his sinewy hands. HU record's bad and black, and long. He's "wanted" everywhere. Detectives crack are on his track. Yet never find his lair. Until, Just as the curtain falls. They land on him for fair. Act in. act out. he malms and slays. And lies, and robs, and steals; He sneaks along with dagger drawn Behind the hero's heels. And yet no crime, however foul. His purpose dark reveals. The children coming home from school (A millionaire's, of course). He gags and binds and carries off Upon a charging horse, And though they howl, and plead and wall, . He never shows remorse. In fact, he says but little, save When some deep plan Is spoiled. When some bold hero lands the girl For whom the villain's tolled. He growls between his close-clenched teeth In awful accents, "F-f-f-f-f-foiledl" He goes on Sunday to the church, And prays both loud and long. And lifts his targe and deep bass voice In spiritual song. For playing the church-member dodge Is where he most Is strong. Killing, destroying, embezzling. Through every act he goes. Each moment sees some new-formed plan To add to human woes, Something attempted, something done. Has foiled his many foes. Thanks, thanks, to thee, my worthy friend, No longer will we lack The means to trace a villain down Apd catch him In hi3 track, We'll straight pursue all deep-voiced men Whose whiskers are blue-black I -J. J. MONTAGUE.