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PORTLAND, SUNDAY, JAN. X, 1905.
"NIHIL FIT."
A peace meeting was called, in the
midst of our Civil War. "Fellow-citi
zens," said the leading speaker, "mr
Is the most terrible o$ the calainittes
that fall upon our race. War is the
scourge of God. War is both a curse
and a disgrace to humanity. Why
should war ever be?" Then the orator
paused, for at this place he was to in
troduce a select classical quotation. In
impressive tone he resumed, "Nihil
fit." Here a roar arose in the audi
ence. One Jumped up on his seat and,
swinging his hat, shouted: "Bully for
Nihil! Three cheers for the man who
fit!" It was a fighting time.
And the fighting time comes to every
natn, J:he time when it must fight or
cease to llvef -So Japan is fighting now.
We all want peace, but we all wish
to be and must be in position to have
it on terms not degrading or ruinous,
nor even injurious to ourselves; and to
have peace on these terms we must be
in -some state of preparation to fight
for It.
The matter of war between nations
lies in their inevitable competitions and
rivalries; of civil war in the conflict of
great opposing forces that arise In the
course of national growth and change.
Such wars are of very long prepara
tion; find In such situations it is as use
less to try to prevent war as to pro
pose to arrest the tides or to stop the
roll of the planet.
President Roosevelt mentioned the
"blgtlck." A bunch of critics assailed
him, and he thought to disarm them or
escape them by proposing a new ecu
menical eirenicon, or universal peace
conference, for removal through arbi
tration of all causes of war. For the
first time In his life the man gave way
to "buncombe."
None of us all, among the nations of
the earth, want war; but, we are all
going to fight when It is necessary; and
we are the judges of the necessity, for
ourselves.
Such questions as that of American
independence, or of the preservation of
the American Union, 'are not settled by
irbltration. No more can the pressure
rot Russia upon Japan. No more could
.the contest between Austria and Pros
sia for the hegemony of Germany. No
more could the duel of revolutionary
France with monarchical Europe. The
proposal to abolish war Is the "Irldes
cent dream." The proposal; however.
does honor to human nature and yet
it doesn't, because it goes against hu
man judgment, formed on universal hu
man experience.
The superiority of moral force over
physical is acknowledged. But the ar
gument framed upon it begs the ques
tion. Of the political morality Involved
in contests between nations there is no
common judge, nor can there be. Even
If there were, the attempt to enforce
the decrees of such a judge would ex
tend the area of war. Great Britain
would have fought the half of Europe
sooner than abandon South Africa
Russia would risk war with other pow
ers rather than abandon her pressure
upon Manchuria. Corea and Japan.
War now indeed, much less than for
merly, dependB less on accidents of per
sonal temperament in rulers, wounded
sensibilities of pride between women of
the court, religious or theological dis
putes and trifling things of all sorts
but it has causes that are unavoidable
and ineradicable, too. No concert of
nation could have prevented the one
great war now in progress; for what
court could havo undertaken to say to
Russia that she must abandon her de
signs upon Manchuria and Corea, or
to Jauan that she should not resist
them?
Among the oldest topics of literature
are thtf miseries of war. Herodotus
makes an old moralist who was endear
oring to dissuade his King from war
say: "Know that In peace children
bury their parents; but in war parents
bury their children." No speech more
pathetic wtfs ever uttered. "War, hate
ful to mothers," was a similar expres
sloa by the greatest of -Roman poets.
In English, literature the powerful es
says of Robert Hall and of William El
lejy Channing on the horrors of war
and of the enecn oi war upon znorais
will always ks,ve place. Tet for all that
and all that, war never will be external
nated. for the causes lie too deep, They
spring from, the nature of things in the
development and progress or nations.
The Japanese, though until now the
xnst unAemoos-trative people in the
wort. xct. perhaps, the North
American tmtisns, gave their victorious
Admirals, Togo and Kamlmura, a most
enthusiastic greeting upon their late
arrival la Tokio. The demonstration
was slcnillsed by mild and joyous
ahouts of welcome and by gaily doc
orated streets1, while, thousands ot
school children added their Joyous -acclaim
to the clamor of the populace.
If any one is so,iupld as to suppose
war. japan is not advancing in the way
;of civilization, let him read the details
of this reception to her naval heroes at
the capital of. the empire, and revise his
Judgment. Not even- Admiral Dewey
was more Joyously welcomed' when he
returned from the Philippines than
were these quiet, gray-bearded brown
men of the Mikado's navy upon their
arrival in Tokio Thursday. Truly the
Japs are awakening all along the line.
A year of struggle has changed them
from a quiet, undemonstrative, smiling
people to an eager, shouting, enthusi
astic host, still willing and ready to die
for their country, but quite willing also
to make a noise In their country's and
commanders honor.
rnOGBESS OF THE D38AMA.
Seekirur information in TMrard in th
removal of District Attorney Hav ana
the causes of It, The Oregonlan is told
on good authority that he is not ac
cused of participation in the trans
actions of the parties under prose
cution .or accusation In Oregon, but
that his political and personal re
lations with some of the chief
persons under the inquiry render it
improper, in the President's judgment.
that he should be continued in the of-
flee. In the circumstances, Mr. Sail
could scarcely be expected to be an ac
tive prosecutor of political and personal
friends to whom he owes so much. The
President therefore seems to have acted
on the suggestion that he was a hin
drance to the prosecution, or at least
or best no help to it. In the circum
stances Mr. Hall may be glad to be re
lieved from an embarrassing position.
This proceeding means, further, that -
the President is standing behind this
Investigation and intends that it shall
be pushed to the uttermost. No one can
say that it is malevolence on his part.
There have been frauds here, and it is
his purpose that they shall be probed
to the bottom, without favor to any or
wrong to any. If it shall be proved
that the relations of Mr. Mitchell and
Mr. Hermann to the persons who have
been convicted were such merely as
The Oregonian has heretofore conjec
turednamely, that they put the claims
through, not knowing them to be fraud
ulent, because they were asked by Ore-g-mlans
to do so the people of Oregon
w.'U be lenient in their Judgment; for
representatives of the state at
VvoShington have much work to do for
constituents, into the details of which
they cannot particularly Inquire.
But, what will the testimony be?
Since Mitchell and Hermann have also
been indicted, there will be extreme
eagerness to hear the evidence. Till the
trial comes on it cannot be known. But
it Is the most interesting drama in the
history of Oregon.
It Is not the province of The Orego
nlan at this time to excuse or to ac
cuse. Jn view of the present situation.
and of all the past. It simply awaits
results. The right will win, and The
Oregonlan quietly waits for the salva
tion of the Lord.
LOCKS OR SKA-TXVEL?
Not yet has it fceen settled, definitely.
whether there is to be a canal with
locks at Panama, or a sea-level canal.
Construction of a sea-level canal will
require not less than fifteen, perhaps
twenty, years. A canal with locks may
perhaps be completed In half the time.
But the chief engineer of the Canal
Commission, John F. Wallace, thinks
we ought to build a sea-level canal. He
urges that a sea-lcvel canal would be
less expensive to maintain and to oper
ate; that time and expense would be
saved In transit or passage through it;
and that these advantages would, on
the whole, compensate for delay in con
structlon and for additional cost Thus
far the work that has been done could
be utilized for a sea-level canal. But
if the plan is to be changed to a canal
at the sea-level, the time required for
its completion will be extended perhaps
to twenty years, and the cost will run
to $300,000,000. Is It worth the time and
the money? That is the question to be
settled.
A great majority of the American
people were for a canal at Nicaragua.
In the first report of the Canal Com
mission to the President, in November,
190L in which the two routes (NIca
ragua and Panama) were examined to
gether and put in contrast and com
parison, the cost of construction was
thus estimated:
Nicaragua
Panama -x
S189.SG4.082
But the French company at Panama
was then demanding 1U3,141,KX) for
their rights and property; which would
have carried the cost at Panama up to
$253,37-4,858; whereupon the Commission
decided in favor of Nicaragua. Then
the Frenchmen reduced their demand
to 340.000.000, and the Commission
quickly reported in favor ot Panama.
It will devolve on Congress to decide
.whether a. canal with locks or a sea-
level canal shall be built. Perhaps the
declBlon will not be made for some
tlmo yet; for the work thus far under
taken can be utilized for either plan.
It Is a matter, largely, for engineering
judgment.
THE "EYV HIGH SCHOOL.
The new (High School building, per
mission to construct -which was granted
at the annual meeting of the taxpayers
of School District No. 1, was urged as
a necessity. The proof of this estimate
is conclusive. If nve are to maintain
the High School idea, we-must furnish
the .necessary equipment, which In
cludes, first of all, suitable and ade
quate buildings for the accommodation
of the pupils who apply for High School
privileges. It has been evident for sev
eral years that our present High School
building is not up o the requirements
of our growing population. It was con
structed a number of years ago, and
even then was not an entirely satisfac
tory building. Intelligent effort has
been made by the Board of Directors
from time to time to correct the detects
in sanitary lines, which were glaring
from the first. This effort has been In
a gratifying degree successful, but with
it all the building still stands for archi
tectural defects which -will not be re
peated in a new building. This, how
ever, is not the base upon which the
demand for a new High School build
ing rests. Simply stated, the educa
tional interests of the district as rep
resented by the public school system
demand it. Briefly, we need more
room. The city Is growing, and will
continue to grow. Our school facilities
must keep pace with growth in other
lines. First of all, they must keep up
with the demand. A city without
homes is impossible; homes without
children are not to be desired, and.
evenf they were, the dally outpouring
ot juvenile humanity from the public
school buildings tells a 6tory that has
in it no suggestion of race suicide.
,We are -pledged -to the High School
idea. Perhaps some of wt "may not in
dorse it; but that is no matter. As .the
climax of a system of free education.
It Is regarded by thousands, who have
no thought of seeking its benefits for
their children, as something within
their reach If they cared .to possess'
themselves of it. It Is an institution
that is as firmly established In the
American thought as Is the free school
itself. This being true, provision must
and will be made for its expansion in
accordance with the demand that fol
lows the city's growth, and in keeping
with that feature of civic pride that re
quires an intelligent community to do
acceptably what it undertakes to do.
THE THEATER.
"Why are there no .American drama
tists? Who reads an American book?
was asked a great many years ago by
Sidney Smith. Who goes to see an
American play? has been a common
question in England and on the Conti
nent until within the recent few years.
No one today in France, In Germany,
in Austria. In Italy or anywhere in
Europe, Indeed, cares to see the product
of an American dramatist or play
wright, and few in any of these coun
tries care anything, about an American
Ltook or 1X1 American painting or an
American piece of statuary. It Is true
that some Americans, like whistler.
Abbey, Sargent, St, Gaudens, MacMon-
nles and Story, have made an Impres
sion upon the European world of art;
but these are merely the exceptions.
Most notable progress by any branch
of art In Europe has been made by the
American playwright. It is perhaps
true that the products of their literary
MH. constructive fancy and of their
practical stage experience uo uui nw
to the realm of genius; but nevertheless
the works of William Gillette. Augustus
Thomas, Clyde Fitch, George Ade, Paul
Potter and others are practically as
well known in London as they are in
New Tork. The names of these play
wrights are at leaEt as -familiar In Eng
land as the names of Marshall, Jerome,
Plnero and others are known here. It
Is not easy to understand the reason of
the decided progress of the modern
American drama In England, unless It
is to accept the statement of Charles
Frohman that It all comes about
through his control of both London and
New Tork theaters. Mr. Frohman. Is
the most Important theater manager In
the world. He contributes to the cur
rent issue of Harpers weekly an
article of decided Interest on "New
Phases of Theater Management." Its
purpose appears to be mainly to record
a defense for the theatrical syndicate,
otherwise known as the "trust." It Is
sufficient, however, to notice this phase
of his discussion only in so far as he
declares that the purpose of comblna
tlon is solely to facilitate the trouble
some problem of booking attractions in
all parts of the United States. In all
features of theater management In the
production of plays, in engagement of
actors and the running of theaters
members of the combination Work sep
arately and are competitors in the
strictest and severest sense. Discuss
ing the question of plays, Mr. Frohman
says
Foreign plays. It successtul, are valua&ie in
America. A succesrful play, though. Is not
Question ot geography. If a foreign play
is serious in Its Intention and of genuine ap
peal it does not matter whether the scene
Is laid In Mayfalr In the Champs i.iyses
so far as' an American audience Is con
cerned. The successful English play is
one that makes for construction and sit
uation. The French play Is passing
far as the American stage Is con
cerned. The French play begins where our
plays stop. "With the French play the inter
est begins with married Ufe and the Oimcui
ties surrounding 1L In America and Eng
land the Interest chiefly centers around peo
pie who are engaged in- courtship. The
French play Is almost invariably concerned
with lnfldeUty.
The surprislngTlse ot musical comedy
Is the most Interesting feature of the
modern American stage. We have often
heard predictions from critics of the
drama that the musical comedy would
soon have its day and would disappear.
But this expectation, so far from being
realized, has been entirely confounded
by the growing necessity for larger ex
pendlture and "greater elaborateness of
this pleasing variety of stage produc
tlon. The reason is not hard to find. It
is solely that the accepted view of the
theater today is that its mission is to
entertain, and not to instruct. It has
come to pass that the society drama no
longer appeals successfully to the pub
lie unless it is presented by a. star of
established reputation or perhaps by
a permanent stock company. On the
other hand, the public taste appears not
to weary of the musical comedy. Why
Because it contains color, beauty, sing
ing, light, grouping, dancing, a chang
Ing variety of attractive and tasteful
stage pictures that enchain throughout
the interest of the average auditor. We
may quarrel with the public taste; we
may reprobate the avarice of mana
gers; we may -groan aloud about the
decline of the stage: but we must face
the fact that the public wants what it
wants, and that it will get It. whether
it pays 10 cents at a vaudeville house
or 52 at the leading theaters,
RUSH WORK Br LEGISLATURES.
Attention has several times been
called in these columns to the need of a
change In the Joint rules of the two
houses of the Legislature with a view
to preventing the rush of work that
makes intelligent action Impossible dur
ing the last two or three days of a
session. As everybody knows, a vers
large, number of bills are introduced
and it takes time to have them printed
and put through the several readings
Comparatively few are passed during
the first twenty days of the session, and
the greater part remain for final ac
tlon during the last ten days. Under
the present rules, no bill which has
been passed by one house will be re
ceived by the other during the last two
days, except by unanimous Joint con
sent of both houses. Under this pro
cedure each house sends to the other
Just before the time limit elapses a
large number of measures which have
been passed by the house In which they
originated. As a consequence the last
few days of the session are given en
tirely to passing bills, and even with
the greatest haste there are always
some left that could not be considered
for want ot time.
A scene in the State Legislature on
theiast day of the-session inspires the
spectator with anything but confidence
in the result of the day's work. Half
of the members are preparing to leave
for their homes, and It is with difficulty
that the presiding officer keeps together
a quorum with which to transact busi
ness. Members rush around In confu
sion trying to ascertain whether their
bills have been reported, passed or en
rolled, and very few pay attention to
the work that is .going on. The read
ing clerk takes una 111 after another
and -hums through them so fast that no
one can understand feint- The vote fc
taken and the members-answer "Aye."
while most of them do not even know
the subject upon which they are voting.
The bills go- to ihee&rsIUng commit
tee, where they are copied, .nearly as
last as they Wert read, ana are men
signed by the presiding officers. And
this is- lawmaking. No wonder that
clerical errors are foundj.and members
afterward admit that they passed bills
Inadvertently.
The fault is not with tie members.
but with the system. The time limit
during which no bill passed by one
house wilt.be received by the -other
should be extended to at least five days,
and a time should be specified within
which committees- shall report bills un
less they have consent under suspen
sion of the rules to retain them longer.
In this way work would be hastened In
the earlier part of the session and there
would be time to act with deliberation
during the last few days, when the
most Important measures receive final
action. For the sake of their own rep
utation the members of the Legislature
should change a system which is so
conducive to errors as that now In use.
Men who have had experience In past
Legislatures should be able to devise
some plan that would make mistakes
less probable and obviate the necessity
for special sessions.
CURATIVE MEASURES lOR INSANITX.
Dr. Burton Chance has an article in
a recent number of the Outlook upon
Needed Reforms in the Care of the
Insane," .which appeals not only to
medical science, but to all thoughtful
men, for indorsement. Both from an
economic standpoint and from that of
humanity, the presentment of Dr.
Chance i3 a strong one. He cites as
the groundwork for his. statements that
insanity has been steadily increasing In
the United States and Great Britain for
many years. According to the latest
estimates, there are in England and
Wales 113.964 certified Insane persons
under restraint. In the public institu
tions provided for their care In this
country there are at a conservative es
timate 150,000 of this hapless class. The
National statistical tables show that
the proportion of recoveries, calculated
on the admissions to the asylums, is
about 40 per cent. Of these, about one-
half relapse, and 10 per cent of the res
ident patients die. "What," asks Dr.
Chance, 'would be thought of a gen
eral hospital In which only 40 per cent
of the patients recovered and one-half
of these had to come back?" The point
that he wishes to make Is that an Jn
sane asylum should be pre-eminently a
hospital In which the conditions that
bring the patient there shouldbe recog
nlzed and treated as a disease.
True, the ailment Is a most subtle
one, and its manifestations include
every form of expression. The brain
Is a physical organ through which
mental phenomena are manifested, and.
In common with other organs of the
body, it is subject to disease. "Insan
lty In all Its forms," says Professor
Carter, "is as purely physical as lame
ness or measles. A man walks lamely
because he has a weak. Injured or dis
eased leg, and he thinks lamely lc
cause he has a weak, injured or dl3
eased brain-."
Little of the pathology of Insanity is
known, and this. Dr. Chance contends,
is due to the fact that proper attention
has not been paid to Insanity as a dis
ease, the cause and cure of which, is not
beyond the power of scientific fcnowl
edge and research. The truth Is that
the attitude of the public . toward the
Insane has never been entirely freed
from the Influence of medieval supersti
tion, and the progress of science in this
matter has not kept pace with its ac
complishments in other diseases. Soci
ety has to be protected, so the Insane
are placed under restraint. The cura
tive function of the. Insane asylum has
been and still Is subordinate to that of
restraint. The medical portion of the
superintendent's duties Is very much
subordinated to his executive duties.
In the first place, he owes his appoint
ment to -political influences' rather "than
to special adaptation for the work of
ministering to the mind diseased. His
assistants are chosen on the same basis.
Discipline Is often enforced by the most
brutal men through the most brutal
means, and the curative function is
often lost sight of In the details of the
management of a large community of
brain-sick people.
In illustrating the fact that a great
deal is being done for the comfort of
the Insane, gathered together in large
families. Dr. Chance describes in detail
a model asymm lor tne insane wnicn
he lately Inspected. The arrangements
of the Institution were elaborate. There
was a well-equipped laundry, a soap
factory and flower gardens; a great
dairy with sheds filled with" cows of
approved breeds, each one stalled with
the nicest distinction In regard to her
physical condition, with a veterinarian
in charge to look after the herd. There
were perfectly equipped piggeries, huge
reservoirs of pure water, a cold-storage
and Ice plant, a central power-house
which supplied heat, light and ventila
tion; storehouses and granaries, and a
perfect system of bookkeeping by which
every penny of the cost of this vast
establishment was accounted for. Noth
ing in this vast equipment was omit
ted that would serve to maintain for
the institution a high character as
model lodging-house for the Insane.
But beyond this, what? Nowhere,
says this critic, was there a suggestion
of treating the disease that brought
these hapless lodgers there. All other
needs were supplied save that. He
adds: "One could not refrain from ask
Ing, What are you doing for the man's
insanity? He Is not a. prisoner; he is a
patient; you amply -clothe fils body,
suitably feed him and comfortably pro
tect him. What have you done for the
treatment of his diseased brain?"
One cannot avoid the conclusion, af
ter reading this strong presentment.
that In the treatment of the diseased
brain medical science has fallen short
of the success that It has achieved in
other ot the more occult sciences. The
Insane have been relegated to asylums.
the, primary object of which Is to dis
pose of them in, such a manner that
they may neither Injure themselves nor
others. For the rest, they are permit-.
ted to get well If they can.
The -steady Increase ot Insanity de
mands something more than this. No
other countries bestow such enormous
sums on the public care of the Insane
as do England and the United States.
But this expenditure is not directed
toward the prevention and cure of in
sanity. It Is applied mainly to custo
dial effort, with such provision for the
comfort of the brain-sick as humanity
and civilization, demand. Concluding.
Dr. Chance Bays:
AKylums are obviouity neceseary. An
enormous proportion of those who are In
sane are srobahlr Incurable, and therefore
beyond the staxe at which Shnidaat b&sjt
-stBdy them prettahly. For sack we aeea t
provide shelter and protection. Wje we
have fulf.Ued'thU duty we xaaet net -Sold
our hands and forget that this very duty was
largely brought upon us by our failure to
deal with this treat and growing evil toy
curative measures in Its earlier stages. "We
must strike at the. roots it the. growth. Is to
be arrested. - -
home-orowx ncnox.
Human nature, said some cynical
Englishman, Is the same the world over
except in Ireland. The phrase might
be twisted into more truthful form -by
saying that human nature Is the same
in all professions except authorship.
Tour author Is a pernickety person.
He must hate the publishers or the
critics, or the public, or possibly all
three. He or she, as is Increasingly
the case Is perpetually wrangling.
Here we have-uch dissimilar writers
as Andrew Lang and Hall Calne tilting
In the newspaper lists at the quintain ot
copyright, for no particular reason. It
would appear, beyond a desire "to stick
their lances Into something. Langs
grievance regarding American copy
right Is that the question is one he
doesn't understand. Calne's grievance
is that he Is satisfied with IV Conan
Doyle, true-blue Conservative and Pro
tectionist, calls for protection for the
British author, although it Is not quite
clear from what he must be protected.
All that the chattering nest of writers
can agree upon la that British authors
should, like authors using another lan
guage than, English, have the privilege
of American copyright within a year
after publication. As the law now
stands, a British writer to obtain copy
right here must have his book pub
lished In America not later than in his
home country. This provision acts
against the little-known writer, who
finds It difficult to arrange for publica
tion here. The-matter, however, is not
one of Importance; it merely serves to
call attention to the change in the
American "market," an appropriate'
term In dealing with "best sellers."
Without reference to the fiction of
James or Howells, but considering only
the more ephemeral novels of the day,
the vast increase in the number ot pop
ular American writers is very notice
able of late.- Nor should these less pre
tentious writers be deemed unworthy
of notice, for there Is a visible advance
In style in their stories. A writer in
the Atlantic Monthly thinks that be
cause we have not a "highly organized
and finished society" we cannot have
good American novelists. It Is among
the plain people that the American
writer is to find his true field, and the
popularity of those that have made the
essay is a cheering sign of the times.
WIster, Mrs. Rice, Allen, Churchill and
others present American characters.
and are likely to last longer than the
authors of less racy novels, such as "To
Have and to Hold." or the once-popular
but now forgotten "When Knighthood
Was In Flower."
In the Christmas number of the Book
man the lists of best-selling books In
New Tork and Chicago, respectively.
are as follows:
"A Pillar of Light" (Tracy).
"Tho Simple Life" (Wagner).
"BeverSy c Graustark" (McCutcheon).
"The Masfjaeraders" (Thurston).
"Whosoever Shall Offend" (Crawford).
'God'a Good Man" (CorelU).
"The Sfasqueraders" (Thurston).
Whosoever Shall Offend" (Crawford).
"A Chicago Princess" (Barr).
"The Son of Royal Langbrlth" (Howells).
"Bethany" (Watson).
"Prlioner of Madamolaclle" (Roberts).
in fortlana the novels most in re
quest at the public library during the
past week were:
"The Masqueraders" (Thurston).
"The Croojlng" (Churchill).
"The Prospector" (Connor).
"The Silent Places" (White)..
Out ot the New Tork, Chicago and
Portland lists but three novels are by
British authors, so that the increasing
popularity of American writers dealing
with American subjects is not confined
to any particular section of the coun
try. It will be strange lr something
with more claim to fame than appear
ance In the list of "best sellers" doe3
not come from all this activity and In
creased interest on the part of the pub
lic
rOOL I7UEND3 OF GOOD ROADS.
A new movement, however good, is
likely to be Injured by its friends, un
less they are careful not to force the
project faster than the people at Targe
are willing to support It. It is thus
with the good roads movement, which
is one of the most meritorious enter
prises that has ever occupied. the at
tention of any country. The people are
a unit upon the proposition that better
roads are needed, but they are not a
unit upon the methods of securing
them. It Is in the introduction of new
methods that care should be taken, and
nothing should be forced upon the peo
ple until they are brought to see its
usefulness.
At the State Good Roads Convention
it was asserted without contradiction
that it will pay a county to employ a
5150-a-month engineer to lay out roads.
establish grades and supervise the
work. This Is probably true, for thou
sands ot dollars now thrown away . In
the "working" of roads, according to no-
deflnlte plan, would be saved if the
roads were "built" with a view to se
curing permanent results. But It does
not follow that every county should
hire an engineer at $150 a month, or
that it has use for an engineer for
more than a short time each. year.
Clackamas County was- acknowledged
to fee the leader in the building of first
class roads, and County Judge Ryan
told the members ot the convention
that no permanent work Or Important
changes in grades are undertaken with
out employing an engineer. Neverthe
less, the expenditures for engineering
services were only $200 per year, a sum
sufficient, and yet not large enough to
have a semblance of extravagance,
There are thousands of farmers who
think they know as much about road-
building as any polished young gentle
man who was ever graduated from the
engineering department of a college.
They are honest In their belief, and
perhaps some of them are right. There
are a great many of them who would be
certain they are right If Count;- Courts
should employ high-salaried young men
In white shirts and stiff collars to ride
around over the country and tell the
farmer boys how to do the work. The
horny-handed sons of toll won't stand
for that sort or thing in this or any
other state, and the adoption of that
plan would create sentiment against
modern methods in roadDuiiaing.
Funds for permanent rcadbuilding
are limited, and the amount of work
that can be done In any one year is
comparatively email. Jf employed only
when there Is something for him to do,
an engineer's services would be needed
not more than four or five weeks In a
year, and probably not that much.
When farmers have learned by obser
vation -the-vafue of TOcksurfsced roads
with liat grades, they will be ready
to levy "special road taxes to raise funds
for more extensive work, and then there
will be more for . an engineer to do.
When tfce men wha bear the burden of
roadbuilding see the advantages of em
ploying competent engineers, they wlll
not object to paying whatever salary is
necessary.
If. as stated at the meeting of the
taxpayers, there are a thousand appli
cations on file for positions as school
teachers, it seems strange that it is not
possible to &?Ject a full force of good
teachers. Objection was raised to a
horizontal advance In salaries on the
grounds that some of the teachers were
not worth more money than they were
now receiving. From this It follows
that these poor teachers are overpaid
or the good ones are underpaid; but it
is not at all. clear, with such a number
to select from, why we should have any
but the best teachers. The good teach
ers are entitled to more money than
they are now receiving, but the poor
ones are overpaid, no matter how small
their wages may be.
The Northern Cheyenne Indians are-
said to be starving to death because of
failure of the Indian agent to supply
them with provisions. The Indian
agent, to demonstrate a theory that
the Indians could be made eelf-support-
lng, advised the Commissioner to issue
food only to the aged and infirm and
very young. In his request he neg
lected to ask that employment be pro
vlded for the Indians who were able
to work. This oversight is responsible
for .the unsuccessful demonstration of
the theory. The "root-hog-or-die" pol
icy is all right, provided there is a
place to root, and something to root for.
If the story from Rosebud agency Is
true, a new Indian agent is sadly need
ed at that point.
The Crook County Stockman's Asso
ciation met at Prineville last week and
discussed the range difficultlesr but, un
fortunately, was unable to advance a
satisfactory method of procedure by
which the brutal killing of sheep could
be prevented. . There is a world of truth
in the clumsy statement that "two
wrongs never made one right," but It i3
within the range of possibilities that If
the sheepmen displayed the same readi
ness to drive bullets into the herds of
the cattlemen that the latter have
shown regarding the sheep, the oppos
ing forces would be much nearer on
even terms, and accordingly better
qualified for settling the question on
Its merits.
Unless the Sultan of Morocco can
keep his subjects in a little better con
trol than he has been exhibiting re
cently, some aggrieved power will send
out something beside a ransom and an
example for him. The vicinity of Tan
gier has been in an. uproar since the
seizure and release under ransom of
Perdlcaris, and yesterday's advices
state that the home of an Englishman
within a mile of Tangier had been
robbed and a Spanish employe mur
dered. Morocco Is not such a large
country as to warrant such high-hand
ed proceedings being carried on without
hastening a day of reckoning.
John s McMillan, the millionaire lime
manufacturer of Roche Harbor,- Wash.,
is the latest candidate for the United
States Senate in our neighboring state.
As a candidate for the office sought,
Mr. McMillan is not playing a new role,
for in the Turner-Allen deadlock twelve
years ago he received quite a number
of votes and was at one time regarded
as in a fair way to break the "deadlock.
The early indications point to a very
strenuous contest before the successor
of Senator Foster Is elected, and the
field of" entries for the race includes a
number of men who are well equipped
for the position they seek.
A doctors union is one of the innova
tions which British Columbia has to
offer. According to the testimony of
one of the "nonunion" doctors at Van
couver, B. c, tne profession or Busi
ness of curing- the ills of mankind has
fallen into tho hands of a close corpora
tion, which, is stifling competition
whenever the opportunity offers. It is
to be hODed that the principles of
unionism will not be carried as far in
this line as in some others, for it would
be embarrassing for one of -the union
medicos to be called on an urgent case
in which the victim was without the
union label.
The Japanese accuse the Russians of
placing Chinese women in the front
ranks of their forces to ward off the as
saults of the enemy. The Muscovites
are also charged with Adopting the old
Jeff Davis disguise by appearing in
women's clothes, thinking that the at
tire would prevent the Japs firing .on
them. Whether these charges be true
or not, it is a certainty that much of
the fighting that has been done by the
Russians was fully as effective as
mlcht be expected from a lot of old
women armed with broomsticks.
Expansion is the watchword at tho
Lewis and Clark Fair grounds". Now it
appears that extensions to the "Machin
ery or Transportation building, or both,
will beneces5ary In order to accommo
date the exhibits that are otierea m
mechanical lines. It looks now as If
the cry for 6pace will be heard at a
time when there Is no space to be had.
Jn the meantime, however. Exposition
officials are busy devising ways and
means whereby it is hoped all appli
cants may be served.
Two attendants of the Insane Asylum
at Napa, Cal., have just killed a patient
by beating him to death with straps
and brass knuckles. Of all brutal forms
of murder; nothing approaches in flend-
lshne9s the attack of attendants of the
Insane on the helpless victims in their
power. If the facts In this latest out
rage are as reported, the murderers
should snend the remainder of their
lives behind the bars.
Admiral Kazankoft's return from the
North Sea Inquiry to Russia excites no
wonder at the St. Petersburg Admi
ralty, because It was feared when he
was appointed that he could not sup
port the strain. As a sidelight on the
ways of the Russian Admiralty this In
cident Is Instructive.
Armor-plate for American "battleships
Is lower; but not so low as it Is at Port
Arthur.
Compensations.
Atchison GIoBe.
The mother of a girl child hasn't any
advantage: the mother ot a boy child may
have great cause for worry when he 13
young, but wncn tne girt is grown up
worse things can happen to ner man get-1
ting drowned.
KQTE AND COMMENT. .. :
Has "the grand jury overlooked any one?
This" Is to be a great year for the shades
of -Lewis and Clark.
The Seattle Star, which has less -than
most other papers to occupy its tlmoMn
getting tfct newt. Is executing a wealthy "
Klondlker's commission to procure him a
wife. Some papers spend all their energy
In getting worthy persons into trouble.
More and more frequently of- late do
we nna instances or woman s strengtn
and man's weakness. The latest is that
of the Chadwicks. Dr. Chadwlck returned:
from Europe yesterday. What did hajdo
when he heard the story of his wife's
frenzied financial operations? Smile? Say
"Well, wot of it"? No; Dr. Chadwlck
wept. How different from Mrs. Chad
wick's action. She did not weep, but .
said that everything everywhere was all
right. We would sympathize with Dr.
Chadwlck in tho appealing weakness of
his sex were It not for his mean Inten
tion to write a book.. Such a course will
dry all the springs of sympathy, and we
warn this weeping author that his miser
able scheme for revenge Is likely to result
In the organization of a Clean Slate Club
to put him out.of existence, at any rate.
as a writer.
Porto Ricans are suffering from a para
sitic disease. We knew thesh Island folk
were unfitted for republican Institutions.
"What a pleasant picture the Russian
correspondent with tbe very, odd name
draws of life in a Mukden dugout! Smok
ing and teadrlnklng, no rent or taxes, no
pipes to burst, no furnaces to chop up
wood for a little small perhaps,- but
then the modern flat shrinks perceptibly
after an extra coat of paint. And how
perfectly lovely to be able to play pro
gressive euchre all day long.
A nip ot brandy, taken to avert a faint
ing fit. Is said to have made a lovely
actress so woozy that a Chicago audience.
which likes Its money's worth, stamped
out of th house. Definitions are great
barriers to the gentle flow of conversa
tion, but they help mightily in under
standing telegraphic dispatches. With
out a generally understood definition ot
"nip" or knowledge of what the lovely
actress means by it. It is Impossible to
say much about the matter. There is a
couplet which says (in effect) that what's
virtuous In Kew Is a crime in Khatman-
du. Similarly a nip In Chicago may be
a long drink in Boston. In any event, the
incident was distressing to the audience,
which lost part of the show, and to the
8 tar, whose radiance was temporarily
obfuscated. Let all this distress teach
lesson. When feeling faint, avoid the
insidious nip; take a good stiff jolfr and
bo killed tir cured.
A musical critic wrote of a pianist thai
his tones, "smooth, polished, luxurious
tones, lit from within by a strange white
glow these are veritable masseuses" ol
the soul, manipulating its every nerve
with the skilled tenderness of the sym
pathetic psychologist refining on exquis
ite shades of emotion, waking the whole
keyboard of feeling with sure, sensitive
touches." There is something indescrib
ably humorous in that "masseuses of the
soul" tones being of the gentler sex, ap
parently since they are smooth (remem
ber Mrs. Chadwlck), polished and luxuri
ous. Have a soul massage at the sign ol
the Strange White Glow.
Three years close "season for bachelors:
Admiral Togo, In his speech at- Tokio.
addressed his sailors' departed spirits.
That's another point of difference be
tween the Japanese sailors and the Rus
sian; the latter address themselves ta
strong spirits.
At Battlo Creek an actress was robbed
of diamonds that she valued at $15. Thj
only comment possible is !
"Kicked to Death in a Fist Fight."
says a New Tork World "headline. .Oppo
nent evidently gave the man a kick with
his fist.
Articles in the Pittsburg papers oc
London's recent hideous fog betray as dis
Unct tons of Jealousy.
"The Decay of Politeness in America"
is a favorite topic with certain lugubrlt
ous essayists. As a matter of fact, then
is no decay .of politeness in America; os
the contrary, it was never more flourish
ing. Instances of genuine politeness are
found every day in tho most unexpected
places. From a day's exchanges we leare
that a highwayman and a Chicago max
at that apologized to a victim for havini
to commit robbery on Christmas day. It
New Tork a tender-hearted burglar brok
into one of the public schools and, find
Ing a jar of strawberry jam in a teachers
desk, he ate it- Most burglars would hav
left the building wlthouta word of ex
planation, but this soft-hearted felloe
left a note saying: "Dear Teacher please
pardon me for eating your jam." Doesn'l
that beat Raffles? And tho sad thiiuj
about it is that tho soulless police art
using the handwriting as a clue. Pollte
ncss a passport to tho penitentiary! Small
wonder If it. should decay after that.
The bride looked very charming in a dre.
of white cashmere. Tho groom was dressed
as usual in a black suit. Box Elder (Utah
News.
It is seldom that the groom butts his
way Into the "wedding bells" notice al
all; to do so and actually to have his
clothes mentioned Is an unparalleled v!o
tory. It must be admitted, however, thai
the groom, even In this instance, ii
slightingly disposed of. Not a word
about his. looking charming, and then
that "dressed as usual" there is some
thing sneering about it, as If the-editoi
were hinting that- the groom had onlj
one suit In the world.
President Harper, of Chicago Univer
sity, gives six reasons for the decline lc
the number of candidates for the Min
istry. If bo had said that tho Mlnlstrj
is an archafc survival he would have
taken up less space and conveyed abdul
the same .meaning.
PORTLAND, Dec. 31. (To Note and
Comment.) J. F. Boothe reports thai
this morning when he went out to gel
his paper he was surprised to find a
coyote sitting In front of the house de
vouring It. He Immediately returned -foi
his gun. but through long disuse It failed
to explode, and the coyote skulked bfl
up Marquam Hill, from whence It pre
sumably xame.
At the had of Tenth street Uvea Boothe.
Lately known for veracity aad truth.
But the political slate must have addled hli
' pate.
And made him "forget it" forsooth.
His hallucination has taken the form
Of a coyote, driven in by the storm.
Which sits on hi porch. The Oregonlan t
search,
For articles on Munlclpil Raform. X.
The Oregonlan does stick In the throati
of coyotes, and slchllke.
WEXFORD JONES,