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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 1905)
THE SUNDAY 03?EGOKIA3s7 PQHTLAND, FEBRUARY 19. 190o. Entered at the PostofUce at Portland. Or., as second-class matter. SUBSCRIPTION BATES. INVARIABLT in advance. (By Mall or Express.) Daily and Sunday, per year $9.00 Daily and Sunday, six months S.00 Dally and Sunday, three months - 2.55 Dally and Sunday, per month.., .85 Dally without Sunday, per year 7.50 Dally-without Sunday, six months ...... 3-90 Dally without Sunday, three months .... 1.05 Dally without Sunday, per month .0 Sunday, per year --J Sunday, sir months Sunday, three months 60 BY CARRIER. Dally without Sunday, per week 15. Dally per week, Sunday Included. . 20 THE WEEKLY OREQONIAN. (Issued Every Thursday.) "Weekly, per year "Weekly, six months Weekly, three months 50 HOW TO REMIT Send postofflce money order, express order or personal check on your local honk. Stamps, coin or currency are at the sender's risk. EASTERN BUSINESS OFFICE. The S. C. Beckwith Special Arency New Tork; Rooms 43-50 Tribune building. Chi cago: Rooms 510-512 Tribune building. The Orcgonian does not buy poems or stories from individuals and cannot under take to return any manuscript sent to it without solicitation. No stamps should he inclosed for this purpose. KEPT ON SALE. Chicago Auditorium Annex: Postofflee News Co., 178 Dearborn street. Denver' Julius Black, Hamilton & Kend Ick. 906-912 Seventeenth Btreet, and Frue nuft Bros., C05 Sixteenth street. Kansas City, Mo. Ricksecker Cigar Co Ninth and Walnut. Los Angeles Harry Drapkln; B. E. Amoe, C14 West Seventh street: Oliver & Haines. Oakland, Cal. W. H. Johnston. Four teenth and Franklin streets. Minneapolis M. J. Kavanaugh, 50 South Third; L. Regelsburger, 217 First avenue South. New York City L. Jones & Co.. Aator House. Ogden F. R. Godard and Meyers & Hor rop; D. L. Boyle. Omaha Barkalow Broc, 1612 Faraham; Mageath Stationery Co.. 1308 Farnham. Salt Lake Salt Lake News Co., 77 West Second street South. San Francisco J. K. Cooper It Co., 740 Market street: Foster & Crear. Ferry News etand; Goldsmith Bros.. 236 Sutter; L. E. Lee. Palace Hotel News Stand; F. W. Pitts, 1006 Market: Frank Scott. 80 Ellis; N. Wheatley, 83 Stevenson; Hotel St. Francis Nows Stand. Washington, D. C. Ebblt House News Stand. Dos Moines, la. Moses Jacobs. 809 Fifth street. St. Louis. Mo. E. T. Jett Book & News Company, S06 Olive street. Dallas, Tex. Globe News Depot, 260 Main street. Sacramento, CaL Sacramento News Co., d29 K street. rhoenlx. Arte. Tho Berryhlll News Co. Santa Barbara, CaL S. Smith. San Diego, CaL J. Dlllard. PORTLAND, SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 16, IMS THE LEGISLATURE. Viewed at this short distance of time, ithe twenty-third biennial session of the Legislature seemB to have been quite similar to its predecessors. If it was either better or worse, the difference does not yet appear, though the de velopments of the next few months may show much to its credit or discredit, ac cording to the manner in which Its acts affect the business and social, public and -private interests of the people of this state. The signing of the last bill does nbt disclose the record that has been made, for not until the laws go into operation and theory has been sub jected to the test of practice will it be known whether the work is good or bad. The previous Legislature hud to Its credit the enactment of the corporation tax law a measure that Is conceded to be one of the best acts of legislation in the history of Oregon. But that assembly had also In its records a revision of the assessment and taxation laws so de fective that a special session of the Legislature was necessary to cure the error. No one act of this session stands out in such relief as to make it the starting-point of new and better gov ernmental policies, and it is to be hoped that, on the other hand, there has been nothing done that will give occasion for the calling of an extra session. Appropriations have been heavy at this session, reaching approximately $2,250,000, or more than at any previous session except that of 1903, when the total was $2,623,000, including $500,000 ior the Lewis and Clark Fair, $265,000 tor the portage road and canal, .and $100,000 for the Indian War Veterans, Q7or ordinary state purposes the appro priations of this session are something1 like $275,000 heavier than they were two years ago and four years ago, and $700, 000 more than they were six years ago, The average annual revenue produced for state purposes in the last sixteen years has been $692,000, or a tax rate of 5.16 mills upon the dollar, on the total taxable property. The revenue now necessary is $1,125,000 a year, of which $125,000 may be derived from the cor poration and' insurance taxes, leaving a million dollars to be raised by direct tax. This means a - levy of 5.55 mills, or, if computed according to the total revenue, as was done before the indl rect taxes were imposed, would mean a levy of 6.25 mills. It therefore appears quite clearly that the appropriations are growing much faster than the value of taxable property. In keeping with the reform movement of the day, the Legislature passed sev eral acts Intended to Improve public morals. Among these were the act ere rating juvenile courts In cities of 50,000 inhabitants; the act forbidding propri etors of saloons to permit females un der the age of 21 years to be in any place where liquors are sold or served, except In open restaurants or hotels the, act to punish the corrupt use of money at elections; the act to Increase the penalties for keeping houses of ill fame; the act to provide heavier pun ishment for persons having Illicit rela tions with females under 18 years of age, and the act to provide for the pun ishment of parents and guardians who neglect to exercise control over their children. It is unfortunate that the Legislature did not pass some act to revise the law governing the taking of the census In 1905. This subject was discussed through the press and attention was called to it in the report of the Secre tary of State. The present law was enacted nearly half a centujy ago, and is entirely inadequate to the needs of the time. The information to be gath ered under the present law is incom plete and of comparatively little value. Secretary of State Dunbar prepared a bill to amend the census law so that it will correspond with the Federal stat utes and rules, but the measure was defeated, apparently, because the mem bers did not take the time to consider the need for the law. A In enacting a flat-salary lawthe Leg islature has met a public- demand, but has fgnored the plain language of the constitution, which "fixed" the com pensation of state officers. The. new schedule of salaries will not go Into effect until 1B07, at the close of the terms of present Incumbents. No change, or attempt at change, was made In the compensation of the State Printer, although the constitution gives the Legislature absolute control of the compensation of that officer, with the single limitation, that the rates shall not be changed during the term for which the Printer has been elected. This Legislature could have changed the rates so as to take effect In 1907, but when the Legislature of 1007 meets another Printer will have been elected and no change can be effected for four years more. Just before adjourning the Legisla ture rushed through a hill in the Inter ests of Government irrigation work, the measure, it is understood, confer ring power upon the Attorney-General to bring suits to condemn private water rights where the Government desires to construct reclamation systems. The act creates the office of State Engineer, whose duty is to make hydrographic surveys to ascertain the quantity of ap propriated and unappropriated water in a stream where a controversy has arisen. The Engineer will have none of the dictatorial powers in the control of the use of water, as was Intended by the measure prepared by the Irri gation Commission. In turning down the bill proposed by the Commission the Legislature pursued the conserva tive policy that is in general character istic of Oregonians, but time may prove that it was a case of overcautlousness. It seems improbable that five men of recognized ability would study irriga tion laws and conditions for several months and then draft a code that would be so objectionable as the oppo nents of the Cole bill considered the product of the Commission's labors. The measure was fought, however, by intelligent men, who were actuated by good purposes, and perhaps its defeat was proper. If the law passed will en courage the Government to undertake reclamation work in Oregon, there can be no particular harm in the elimina tion of the other features of the original bill. The work of the session just closed was hampered, as is always the case, by the introduction of a multitude of bills that do not arise from any general demand or need. The slightest objec tion to any detail of the provisions of existing laws is made the occasion for the introduction of a bill, and the time of the whole Legislature, and particu larly of the several committees. Is oc cupied by the reading and considera tion of these measures. Charter bills also occupy a large part of the atten tion of the Legislature, though the sev eral members have no Interest in bills of this character and do not know their contents. The purpose of munici pal Incorporation is local self-government, and something should be done to hasten the time when the people of a city will frame and adopt their own charter, without the absurd formality of passing without question a charter that has been drawn by one or two men, perhaps in the interest of some politician. Some means should be de vised -by which trivial measures can be suppressed and local measures kept out. so that the attention of the Legislature can be given to matters of large im portance. SAFEGUARDING THE POLICY-HOLDERS. In the high-pressure life of modern times, when Increasing competition In all avenues of industry and labor in tensifies the struggle for existence, life Insurance appeals more strongly than ever to our people, especially to those In only moderate circumstances. The prudent husband and father, realizing the uncertainty of life and understand Ing the difficulties that will be encoun tered by the wife and children In event of death, invests his money in life In surance for much the same reason that he Invests It. in fire Insurance, to the end that there will be a fund that will at least partially repair the loss suf fered. In no small degree does it con tribute to his peace of mind to know that, no matter how suddenly he may be removed from life, his loved ones will not be left helpless in their Strug' gle with the world. But this peace of mind would be sadly disturbed if there was a suspi cion that the custodians of the fund from which a policy was to be paid were incompetent or careless in. their management of that fund. It Is this suspicion that is not Infrequently dl rected against some of the big compa nies, and that promotes the growth of so many small beneficial and fraternal Insurance associations. With these fret ternal Institutions the administrative officers who handle the funds are in roost cases not so far removed from the immediate friendship or acquaintance of the policy-holders as to admit of sus picion attaching to their methods. With the big companies and the big com panies carry the vast bulk of the In surance of the country this is Impossi ble, and In lieu thereof it becomes necessary that the management of these institutions should be rested in Individuals In whom the policy-holders have the utmost confidence. The best method for gaining this con fldence is so far as possible to mutual lie the business. Special attention is called to this matter at this time by the prospective displacement from the head of the Equitable Life Assurance Com pany of young James H. Hyde, by in heritance a large holder of stock in the Equitable Life. Young Mr. Hyde has been indulging in some wild- extrava1- garices which have given him a Na tional reputation that has caused some uneasiness to thousands of policy-hold ers In the company. The young man Is Immensely rich, and can undoubtedly afford to spend the $100,000 which he Is reputed to have squandered on a single dinner party, but as the custodian of policy-holders funds aggregating more than $300,000,000, his actions will not meet with general approval. He might continue giving these $100,000. dinners and in the course of time get some of the property of prospective widows and orphans mixed up with his own. Mr. Hyde is not the kind of a man that these widows and orphans would select to guard and invest their property, and the wisdom of the other stockholdersin forcing him out of his prominent posl tlon is to be commended. m me readjustment, aue to the re tirement of young Mr. Hyde from man agement of the company very liberal offers for a controlling Interest In the stock were made by Thomas Lawson and B. H. Harrman, the bid of the for raer being reported at $10,000,000. This Is said -to be in excess of the value of the stock from a legitimate dividend' paying standpoint. -Mr. Lawson, how- ever, has not made his career spec tacular by too close adherence to a financial policy that returned only le gitimate dividends. It is not improba ble that he desired control of the Equi table Life for the purpose of handling the $400,000,000 assets of the company. He might exercise such rare Judgment In handling hls trust as to net the policy-holders liberal returns, and he might, on the contrary, make an error such as he recently made when he ad vised the sale of Amalgamated Copper at 40, only to .experience the humiliation of witnessing its rapid advance to 75. The policy-holders and the stockhold ers of this great company do not care to place their property in the hands of a stockjobber like Thomas Lawson or a spendthrift like young Mr. Hyde. For this reason they will be pleased to learn that the conservative element in the company was sufficiently strong to pre vent the control of the company's af fairs remaining with one of these dan gerous men or drifting Into the hand3 of the other. The great American public has no serious objection to seeing a fool and his money soon parted, but it de clines to permit the fool to handle its money while he Is engaged in the pas time of parting with his own. GREAT MEN AND COMMON OBJECTS. If the shade of Washington could visit Portland in this month of his birth it is probable that" the ghostly mind would be greatly puzzled over the sig nificance of the numerous hatchets dis played in the store windows. And when it was borne in upon the shade that these toys symbolized none other than George Washington, the dignified father of his country, it is entirely within the bounds of probability that there would be an explosion of ghostly wrath. Time's whirligig plays strange pranks with great men's memories. Feats of arms may be half forgotten, while every child babbles of a triv ial domestic Incident. Washington's name is forever linked with a hatchet in the minds of youth, and the story or the cherry tree may be lisped when the mist of centuries has made the hero a figure as vague as King Arthur. Alfred the Great, whose shining deeds a thousand years have not yet -entirely dimmed. Is familiar to every child as the King who burned the cakes. But for that piece of carelessness for the person who must have tradition authen ticated is a despicable creature Alfred would not be even a name to the thou sands who now tag him with a charred griddle-cake. Then there Is that other klngiy character, the Bruce. Bruce? Oh, the King that watched the spidery If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." The name of Columbus doesn t call up a picture of cockleshells daring a voyage over the confines of the world so much as the .picture of the sailor making the egg stand on end. The caravels may be forgotten, but the egg has passed into the proverbial philoso phy that time cannot kill. Franklin, the essentially American nhllosoDher. Is best remembered by a kite. Newton, who compared himself to a youth Picking; up- shells by the great ocean, truth, Is known to every child as the man upon whose head dropped the apple, a fruit, by the way, which seems a favor ite with tradition and with fame, There was the apple of discord among the goddesses and the apple of discord that Eve set her teeth Into, although some sarre has recently declared that the cause Qf all our woes was a quince. Tell- must shoot at an apple, and Ad miral Collingwood munched one as the Royal Sovereign went into action at Trafalgar. George III Is better known for his question as to how the apple got Into the dumpling than for his discov ery of how America broke out. Coming down to the present day, one must wonder. In the light of the past, how our notable men are likely to be known to the next century's children, taught by merit-system teachers tql take an intelligent interest in history. What object will be associated with the memory of President Roosevelt? Will Cleveland be remembered in connection with some big bass? Will Sheriff Word and a sledgehammer be coupled In kin dergarten minds to the eclipse of Thor? And to revert to our original hatchet, what homeric figures will tradition make Carrie Nation and Mrs. Belle Bales, of Washington County! NO MORE WORLDS TO CONQUER. A very small portion of the world which we now know had felt the tread of the conqueror when Alexander the Great sighed for new fields for con quest. It was a comparatively restrict ed territory in which Alexander made himself famous, and the low standard of civilization in that ancient era of warlike conquest In a measure dwarfed the vision of the great Macedonian. This same old, world has witnessed the rise and fall of many an empire since Alexander pitched his tent on "fame's eternal camping-ground." Each pass ing century since that time has left a record of new discoveries and new ter ritory brought under the Influences of civilization, but not until the beginning of the twentieth century is it apparent that the end is in sight, and In reality there will be no more worlds to con quer. Warlike leaders with a thirst for power will still fondly conjure visions of conquest which will add to their greatness, but their craving for more worlds to conquer can be satisfied only by working over old territory for which the nations of the earth have already fought and bled. Industrial conquest. as well as warlike conquest, seems to have reached the limit in mapping out and opening for settlement new coun try, and in this respect there are no more worlds to conquer. The current number of the Sunset Magazine has an Illustrated article showing the progress of a railroad from Nome to the Arctic Ocean; the daily papers are printing much news from Fairbanks, Alaska, a mushroom city In the Tanana district. almost on the Arctic circle; miners and settlers are rushing Into the Peace River and McKenzIe River districts of the Northwest Territory, and a delega tlon of Manltobans are at Ottawa ask lng that the boundaries of their country be extended to Hudson's Bay. This frozen nortbland kept its mys teries from the explorer longer than any other part of the world, with the exception of some of the more remote portions of darkest Africa. It Is the only land on earth which has yielded up to science, not fossil remains, but hide, flesh and bone, the complete re mains of the mightiest animals that the world ever saw animals that roamed the earth unnumbered centuries before the birth of Christ, So rapid has been the exploration of Alaska that within another decade there will be nothing new to he learned of its resources and the Arctic circle cities, will be in closer communication with the Pacific North west than this country was with the cities of the Middle West a quarter of a century ago. It has been many a year since the "Oregon" River heard "no sound save its own dashlngs," and when the on ward march of civilisation destroyed Bryant's favorite synonym for solitude the wolfs "long-drawn howl on On alaska shore" was seldom heard by hu man ears. Now the "Northern lights come down of nights" upon the Arctic circle and ariK dazzled by the bright ness of the electric lights of Fairbanks, a city of 7000 people. The explorer's work. In Alaska, as well as In Tther parts of -the world. Is completed, and that country is now ready for the sur veyor and the 6ettler who follows the miner. ANOMALY IN ENGLISH POLITICS. The dispatches announce a strange state of affairs in Parliament and na tion. For about two years Mr. Cham berlain has been busy trying to per suade the people to make a change In their financial system from free trade to more or less protection. But the trade returns keep on helying hi3 story of impending disaster. As fast as he and his allies point to a special Indus try as that one which, for its life and health, demands abandonment of the free-trade policy, facta and figures are piled up so fast to disprove It that be has to turn to another. It seems ludi crous that the only trade in real dan ger Is that in confectionery and sugar goods, which is working under the sugar convention, approvea Dy air. Austin Chamberlain. The artificial rise in the price of the raw material has de stroyed the manufacturer's profits, and that trade is in genuine danger. The great proposed fiscal change lies at the bottom of all English politics. All the single and side elections for a year past have failed to bring in one recruit to Mr. Chamberlain, but in each one the issue has been on free trade or its displacement by some open or modi fled form of protection, and the free trade candidate always wins. But by the unyielding party loyalty of the Con servatlve Unionist party in Parliament the opposition can neither obtain a ma jority vote nor compel a dissolution The Prime Minister resolutely declines either to identify himself with Mr. Chamberlain or to disown him. Hs draws distinctions so fine that it takes a devout student of economics to ap predate them. Mr. Chamberlain makes a great speech and the sun seems to shine on nrotectlon. Out pops the Prime Minister into view. A cloud crosses the sky and a free-trade candi date Is chosen. Back slips Mr. Balfour Into his niche, and na thunder and lightning in the Parliamentary sky can drag him out. Meanwhile a familiar spectacle is seen In the English world. An old Par llament, which has long outlived the Issues of Its election, holds on -by force of the Ministerial majority. It has to deal with new scenes,, new conditions. new men. But there Is no power to compel It to commit hari-kari, however Houdly an obvious popular majority, de mands it. There Is much to be said for short sessions and frequent elections. SOME FACTS AND COMPARISONS. According to the census taken just prior to 1900, Belgium, with an area of 7,278,720 acres, had a population of 6,410,783, or one person to every 1.13 1-3 acres. By Intensive farming and a ro tation of crops in general use covering twenty years, Belgium produced nearly enough food for her population. Yet a good rpany miles- are in the Ardennes Mountain region, yielding no food prod ucts, and much of the level land is sandy and of poor quality. So the yield ner acre from the cultivated land is very high. Yet the farming population though so successful in getting food re sults from their work, are to a consid erable proportion of low standard of education, with poor Ideals, little Imag ination, inheriting stagnation of mind from many generations of tillers of the sou. The dead level of their farms Is paralleled by the level of life of the farmers and laborers. The activities of the nation are found chiefly in the cities and towns. Were It possible to apply a measure to Intelligence and to strike an average for the nation, the towns would raise, the farms would depress, that average. One of the results that there Is a drift from country to town of the more progressive and am bltlous class. Their discontent with farm life and Its vista of perpetual dead level can neither be wondered at nor blamed. In the British Isles there is ah acre age of 57,564,S00, with a population In 1S79 of 33,707,275 persons, or 1.707 acres to the individual. In a paper read re cently before the English Charity Or ganization Society by Mr. R. Winfrey, it was stated by him that there are to day 473,000 fewer agricultural laborers in Great Britain than in 1854. The number of farmers is also falling off. With a total acreage in the islands of the fifty-seven and one-half millions of land, only forty-seven millions of acres are in cultivation in crops or pastures The rest affords space for the cities, towns and villages, and the unculti vated lands in woods, hills, commons, moors and In roads and lanes. Hence the British people depend, as every one knows, chiefly on the Imports of wheat, and of meat and other food. And the yield from the British Islands does not keep pace with the population. Such conditions prevail, more or less, In other European countries. So comes the im migration Into these Western States of the active-minded - and intelligent classes, seeking here the chance for set ting up prosperous, healthy and at tractive homes. Now Oregon, with sixty-one and a half million acres land and a population- of about five hundred thousand at present, shows an average of 122 4-5 acres to the person in contrast with the 1.13 in Belgium and L7 acres In the British Islands. From the point of view of acreage. then, there is abundant room for the swarms issuing from the old countries' hives. What can be done not only to attract but to settle the best of these people here In Oregon? What have they a right to ask, in addition to all the natural advantages of the Oregon farm? The first Item is the opportunity to prosper. Without this the head of the new family will not see his way. The raw materials oi prosperity are rooted in the fertility of our soil. Will he be obstructed In his work of making his Investment profitable? He must have, first, the power to produce large ly, the second to market profitably. To bring the first about the farmer must know how. Without this interest the farmer's life is montonous and dispirit lng. -x How can this newcomer learn to meet conditions widely apart from those he has left behind? Several agen cles -will help. The farming papers of Oregon can. be recommended to him .in good faith. The Agricultural College and experiment station-are doing their ork well: The fanners' Institutes arc being multiplied and made more Inter esting. Every day the number-Is grow ing of successful and Intelligent farm ers and orchardlsts. me newcomer will not feel himself or his family strangers In the new land. He can then produce largely, and find in his wonc scope for all his powers. Can the newcomer market profitably? Speaking generally, there is no limifc to the sale of the products of the-farm. orchard, dairy and range. But there Is In Oregon, as elsewhere, much to be done before normal and natural mar ket conditions and prices can be relied Here, as elsewhere, we are look ing forward to the removal of restric tions In the lines of transportation and of the sale of products. The tidal wave of reform must reach and have full play before there can be entire satisfaction in these matters. But Oregon is surely as well off as her neighbors, and better than most. The other question is if life on the farm In Oregon Is, or can be made, at tractive", not only to the head of tho house, but to the wife and children. This Is a harder question. We must raise still higher the standard of the country schools. If the suggestions of the Superintendent of Public Instruc tlon can bear fruit and the resources of several weak schools be gathered to strengthen a centrally placed school, much will be effected. The local tele phone is a power. It destroys the sense of lonesomeness In the Isolated farm house, outside of its business worth to the farmer. It is to be encouraged to a wider scope than it now fills. The par- els post is another agency for bring ing closer the town and the country. Whatever a commercial body of the city may say, it is demanded by the farmers. We shall see which will carry the day. The last point to be insisted on is the beautifying of the surroundings of the farmhouse. Where do flowers and fruit grow better, where are they more easily cultivated, than In Oregon? And how can the children of the farm be better set to work? Truly, some of our farm homes are "beautiful In situation, a joy to the whole earth." And there are chances here for thousands more. In these directions will be found the means for stopping that march of the best and brightest of the farming population from the country to the city, which, in all nations. Is causing so much anxious thought today. A final word: A social movement is the aggregate and result of numberless individual movements. He who has made life on his own farm prosperous and attractive has done his part toward solving one of the hardest problems of our time. "What would this country do in the event of war with a strong foreign power and with our people without a sufficient number of shlp3 to handle our business?" This Is the question that is ever bobbing up whenever the shlppin subsidy question la. under discussion, and whenever it is answered by one of the subsidy-seekers, the answer is mis leading. What this country could do and what It would be forced to do under such circumstances would be to adopt the policy that has made other nations great In the maritime trade. As an illustration the following London dispatch under date of February 16 is Interesting: The Union Castle liner Roslln Castle, which arrived at Tilbury last night, discharged her ore tv at once, took on a German, crew, who were awaiting her arrival, had her hull painted black, hoisted the German flag and was re named the Reglna. It was explained In the item that the general belief was that the Regina was purchased on Russian account. - This transaction might help to explain what the United States would do In case It needed a few steamships when a war was on. It would Immediately drop the antiquated idea that it is improper to buy steamships where we can buy them the cheapest. The number of ships that could be assembled under the American flag would be limited only by our pur chasing power, which is not small in war time, although it would be smaller If we wasted too much of our money In subsidies for millionaire shipowners. Labor. troubles, stirred up chiefly by agitators, appear to be an incident of every great exposition. The labor unions are not making the trouble at the Lewis and Clark grounds. They are fully as much Interested In the suc cess of the enterprise as all other citi zens of Portland, and they do not seek to take undue advantage of the situa tion to urge their claims- or press to the front their grievances, if they have any. The Fair contractors have in the past shown a disposition to accede to any reasonable demands, and doubtless they will manifest the same spirit in future. But they should not, they cannot, sub mit to any hold-up. Paris is to have a World's Fair in 1920. The Rouvier Ministry has In dorsed the project, and a bill to that end has already been introduced in the French Chamber. Its purpose is to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the birth of the present republic World's Fairs nerv? In view are: Lewis and Clark Exposition at Portland In 1903; Jamestown CVa.) Centennial In 1907; four hundredth anniversary of Balboa's discovery of the Pacific, at San Fran cisco. In 1913; semi-centennial of close of Civil War at Chattanooga in 1915; and Paris Exposition in 1920. Portland is In good company. Count Inouye, the Japanese Minister in Berlin, expressed the views of Japan when he stated In a recent Interview that a mere truce was. above all things to be avoided. Should a patched-up peace be made, Japan would lose all she has gained by preparation. Russia would undoubtedly prepare for a re sumption of the struggle at a more fa vorable time. A satisfactory arrange ment now or a crushing defeat of the Russian forces is what Japan demands. New Tork women are said to have in the Colony Club the most elaborate 'building for club purposes in America. It Is a sign of the times that In this luxurious club the arrangements for athletics should be deemed worthy of special mention in the -description of the building. It 1s not so long since the idea of a gymnasium In a women's club would have been something unprece dented. The most pessimistic American should cheer up1 on reflecting that he might have been born a Grand Duke. Kansas may bp the WInkelrled to make a gap In the line of Standard Oil spearmen. Wedrlnghaus, of Missouri, is holding out better thaa Addlcks barrel, did. in Delaware. ' SOTE AND COMMENT. A Sacramento. CaL. physician .has a lit tle 4-year-old son. 'who already gives in dlcatlonai of following in the footsteps of his father. A few days ago he took his little son to a hospital to see a very doar family friend, who was under the father's care. As they left the hospital, tnc tamer said: ; Mrs. Smith 13 very sick, Plerson; what would you recommend?" "Oil, father," the little fellow replied. "But don't you think I had better oper ate?" "No, sir," said Plerson, remembering his experience with castor oil; "the oil will operate." Now that General Grlppenberg has reached St. Petersbug, ho is explaining what a great victory he would have won, If Mrs. Chadwick denies that she owes her maid seven months wages at $45 a month. No wonder. It Is almost an insult for a maid to say that she was to have baen paid no more than $43 In the Chadwick bouse. Now, If it had been $450 a month; the claim might have been admitted. Refinement is becoming a Western trait. Even Kansas Is to establish a state re finery. Rockefeller should remember that Kan sas I full of Lawson?. Daring street robberies' continue in New York, despite tho presence of "Bat" Mas- terson, late of Dodge City. Perhaps cvery one In New York hasn't noticed him in their mld3t. I Columbia University has a special gym nasium for the professors. Next' the pro- fessorts should have football teams of their own, and finally professors and stu dents should bo completely merged. Then the captain of the team will be cx-ofnelo president of the university, and a lot of trouble will be saved. Eastern golfplayers are kicking because ,ot a golf-ball trust. This presumably ac counts for tho high-balls. Pennsylvania will confer tho degree of doctor of laws on the Kaiser. It is only fair to the Kaiser to say that ho gives more than he takes in the way of honors. It has now been decided that Japanese "photograph marriages" are illegal, so far as this country 13 concerned. The rul ing will probably prevent certain abuses over here, but in a country whero its validity is unquestioned the photograph marriage appears to be a pretty good sort of scheme. The man and the woman swap photographs and write on the back of each other's portrait their willingness to marry the original. It does away with the Idiotic period of courtship that pro vokes the wrath and the laughter of man kind in "civilized" countries. The young Japaneso keeps at work steadily, and does not sit up half the night with tho girl, to the clouding of his brain next day for lack of sleep. The Japanese girl docs not find It necessary to wear out her best smile, or to pre-empt half the house for her exclusive benefit. Tho nhotogranh marriage Is a .good, sensible Institution, and should be introduced in this land of absurd customs. Even tho Nihilists must feel a bit sorry for the Czar. "What are little girls made of?" and "What are little boys made of?" arc two nursery rhymeo that are in sad need of revision. Little boys- and- girls of today must be made of something very, very perishable. In the last report of the City Superintendent of Schools In New York was a section devoted to the awful dan Eera Incurred by children through carry ing home their schoolbooks. The weight of the books on the arm tends to develop curvature of the spine, so the superin tendent recommends that knapsacks be used by children who have to tote books to and from school. This would be a half hearted remedy. Why not establish 2 service of motor cars? The drivers could go from homo to home collecting the pon derous volumes required by the pupils of our modern grade schools. A framework might also be. devised to prevent the weight of a child's clothes from making it round-shouldered. An "excuse" recently presented to Troy teacher read as follows, according to the Troy Times: "Please excuse Willie for being late. He fell In a puddle on his way to school. By doing tho same you will oblige." The Seattle ArgU3 has evidently had Its eyes opened to tho real character of the town In which It scintillates. Of Sher iff Word's recent trip It says: "An Oregon Sheriff was in town this wek looking for some bank robbers. Whether or not" he had any other reason for looking for them here than simply because this is Seattle is not stated." Admiral Dewey has tho grip, but the Nation doesn't sneeze with him now as it -would have done seven years ago. According to a Berlin letter the Kaiser recently ordered an equestrian statuo of an Ama3on. When he heard the price, ho sent for the sculptor and asked him It it was not rather hlgb. "No, Your Majes ty," replied the sculptor. "Not when you consider that I must buy a valuable horse and board It for many months while I study alL its movements and characteris tics." To which the Kaiser replied: "I suppose I must consider myself fortunate that you do not have to get an Amazon, too, and board her while you made your statue." At the last monthly meeting of the West End Republican Club, an organization of Now York women, the secretary men tioned in her report that one of the great New York banks had bought 1000 garters for free distribution among Its women depositors. It wasn't a valentine gift, or anything of that sort, for each garter has attached to it a neat chamois-skin purses with a secure lock. The bank does not allude to the things as garters, but calls them "secret receptacles to carry funds." The members of the -club were much excit ed by the new3 and many of them prom ised to transfer their accounts to the bank offering such premiums. After that they J listened to a paper on "Washington," and to Edwin Markham's recitation of his poem on "Lincoln." But what is a depos itor going to do when she loses tha key to the "secret receptacle," as will fre quently be the case? Call in a locksmith? New York's Chief of Police recommends tho placing of a piano In every station house, with encouragement to the men to practice on It. The "third degree" is rap Idly becoming so barbaroua that it will have to ibe abolished. No wonder Russia Is licked by Japan. A pugilist being operated on for appendi citis woud nnd it hard to staled off an opponent WEXFORD JONES. VERSES OF THE DAY. Better. , Edmund Vance Cooke in Booklovers. There's only one motto you need To succeed: Bettor." The other man's winning? Then you Must do Better, From the baking of bread To the breaking a head, From rhyming a ballad To sliming a salad, ; From mending of ditches To spending of riches, , , .. Follow the rule to the uUermost-letter: V-'". "Bettcrl" Of course you may say but a. few Can do, Better. T.T . ' And you're going to strive ' . f".- J fc'o that all may thrive . -1 , Better. - And it's right you are ' To, follow the star. . ' Set In the heavens, afar, afar: But still with your eyes On the skies It la wise To bo riding a mule. Or guiding a school. '".; Thatching a hovel. Or" hatching a novel. Foretelling weather. Or selling shoe-leather: And -remember you must Be doing It Just A wee dust Better. And 'tis quite As right For you to cite That the author might. Or ought to. write A heavenly sight Better. For which sharp word am much debtor. Knowing none other could file my fetter Better. Better. Song of the Cowherd. John B. Kayc in "Vashti." j I hare no thirst for spoils or war. I care no single jot for fame: But o'or the breezy pastures far, Unvcsed by care and freed from blame, tend at will the sweet-breathed klne. Once Yima's charge, now, haply, mine. "With these I tarry day by day. And night by night they hedge me round; For I'm their King; my subjects they. Prompt and obedient at the sound Of voice or horn: my gentle klne. Great MJthra's charge as well as mine. When bends the grass with jeweled drops. And MIthra from tho Holy East Lays hands upon the mountain-tops, And steps into the world, I feast On morning's pomp these eyes of mine, v While feast on dewy blades tho klne. From midday's hotand searching sun. -is cam snaae 01 piane trees ana cmnarw. ffe seek our rest; and one by ono With alghs of easo which nothing max. They He contented down, my klne, -While sleep all undisturbed is mine. At night tha sacred flro aglow Guards us from Zagros altars high, l "While blazing constellations show The far sweet pastures of the sky Where X may some time roam, my kine. Then Mazda's charge as well ad mine. Thus 'tis I would not change my state To be earth's mightiest of men; For Mlthra looks compassionate Upon the klne; so fitly when, I and my herd shall pass, 'twere mice Tond Chinvat bridge to tend the klne. Tho Call of tha Sea. Louise Morgan Sill in Harper's Weekly. Come out to the open, brothers. The open plain of the sea! Leave children and wives and mothers-. And rango afar with me. Afar whero tho winds- ere- giving Their souls to wandor free. Where life's for the lusty living Comet brothers, come- with me.. - e- The spray of the salted surges Cuts sharp with tonic pain. Tho spumo of tho billow merges In Ice, and stings ugaln. But down. long ocean -reaches Tour course- will - lie- to the calm And silver of tropic beaches. The green of the fruited palm. Thus day and night I call them. In Spring. In Winter drear; Whatever the fates befall them They can. but will not, hear. They toll and bear in sadness The ancient yoke of Need The guerdon of all their madness Nor pause, nor hope, nor heed. They soothe a mother' sorrow, . They guard a wife's repose. For marveling children borrow Its fragrance from the rcse. Content "with bribe and barter. And counterplot of care. Half sinner and half a martyr. They dare, and fear to dare. Tet sometimes to my calling They turn with wistful eyes. And under the laughter falling I hear their smothered Blghs. ,. Persuaded. Frank Walcott Hutt In New Orleans Times- Democrat. I am persuaded from mine "unbelief, And to the keeping of my faith am won. Because a little shining of God's sun Clears me a pathway through a world of grief; I could not hut accept the sweet relief. Since I had learned how hard it was to run Where sin's wild tangle. In the shadow spun, Denied my soul her rest, however brief. Whero In the crowd, hope cheers a. droop ing mate. Where kindness, in the sunshine and rain,. Gives to the easement of tha common pain. And points one past the gates of. fear and fate Where prays a penitent his Inmost prayer, 1 am persuaded that the light Is there. To My- Wife. George Sterling In "Testimony of the Suas Not beauty of tho marble set To Art's intensest line. Nor depth of light and color met. Though all. Indeed, are thine Not these thy loveliness impart, For, wrought by wiser hands; The charm that makes thee all thou art Beyond transition stands; ;i And surer fealty to thec, O. .fairest, I confes. For that beyond all fair I eee ,"' The grace of tenderness. Fast Art's endeavor to portray, Or poet's word to reach; For all that Beauty seems to say Is. told In feebler speech. A Song of Worry. V Frank L. Stanton In Atlanta Constitution; What's the use to sit an worry it you lose, who thought to win? Kick the worry out tho winder let the llvln? sunshine ini Time ain't sighln He's a flyla': Worryln" Is bait a sin: What's the use? Tbera ain't a reason, nor the shadder of a rhyme. . . When, the worj rolls on in music, aa th stars are keepln time! Time ain't cryln' He's a-flyin'. An you're on the wings of Time! . ' Keep A-Slnglng. A. J. Waterhouse in Sunset Magitgin'td Though the way ba rough and long. Better keep a-slngtng; Though the shades of trouble throng, Keep your tunes a-rlnging. For there'K one thing we may know;"" Worry's a deceiver ;" ' Who. In jogging to and fro. Always liuhta the grlever. , y '1