THE SUNDAY 0KEB0NIA2T, PQSTLAOT, MAECH 19, 1905.
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PORTLAND, SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 1005.
1 r
THE PLIGHT OF RUSSIA.
Russia Is a victim of her Ignorance
of Japan. She underrated the lighting
power of the country with which she
provoked war. It seemed to Russia
really absurd, In Japan, to raise her
protest against the continued; military
occupation of Manchuria by Russia for
what was Japan going to do about it?
Russia therefore treated Japan's pro
tests with contempt. Some of them she
didn't deign to answer. To others sho
returned evasive answers, after long
periods. Russia was "bored. She
thought Japan Impudent. She deemed
it presumptuous for such a nation as
Japan to press insistently as she was
doing on mighty Russia for satisfaction
as to the matters in controversy. Rus
Eia was in Manchuria and meant i to
stay there. She had Port Arthur and
was fortifying it, contrary to agree
ment; was converting It Into a power
ful naval station. To the remonstrances
of Japan she turned a deaf ear since
it pleased her majesty to suppose Japan
couldn't help herself. Japan wouldn't
dare to go to war with mighty Russia,
and If she should. Russia would crush
her In three months and there would
be an end.
Of course, had Russia known what
Japan's resources were, had she known
the spirit of the Japanese and how they
could light, she would have met the
protests and remonstrances of Japan In
a diplomatic way, and war would have
been averted. But Russia had no doubt
she could afford to treat Japan In a
haughty and supercilious way; and if
war should come, why then with one
sweep of her mailed hand she would
wipe the little brown men, the race and
nation of pygmios, oflthe map of the
world And, not only were the Japs
brown or "yellow," but "pagan," too.
Japan did not Insist on withdrawal
of Russia from Manchuria, but merely
on her adherence to the terms and con
dltlons -under which she went there.
The concession, through lease, of Port
Arthur to Russia, for commercial pur
poses, was not contested; but Japan
constantly Insisted on military evacu
ation of Manchuria; and Russia had
9 agreed upon the date (October 8, 1903)
when it would be commenced. But the
day came and passed, with no sign of
the evacuation; weeks and months ran
by, end Japan could get no satisfactory
trnswer. The policy of Russia was
equivocation, evasion and delay. It
was the contention of Japan that Rus
sian "military occupation of Manchuria
would continually threaten the. inde
pendence of Corea, and in the end
would Russianize both that country
and Manchuria, by which they would
be closed to the' trade and economic en
terprlse of Japan. Such certainly would
have been the result; and Japan felt
that she must stake all on the effort
to defeat the aims of Russia, or virtu
ally perish by the process of strangula
tlon thus clearly foreseen. Russian oe
cupatlon of Manchuria threatened
Japan with far greater dangers than
our country was threatened with by
French occupation of Mexico. In what
we call the Monroe Doctrine there Is a.
principle wider than any application of
that particular doctrine itself.
To her amazement and discomfiture.
Russia has found that Japan can fight
end fight terribly. Most of Russia'
Pacific fleet is at the bottom of the sea.
and her armies of more than half a
million men have been Touted from
strongly Intrenched positions, on their
own railroad, and virtually destroyed.
No wonder It astounds Russia; for it
surprises all the rest of the world. Now
the problem Is how Russia is to meet
her difficulties. It Is easy to say she
will send other armies. But to get
other armies and their supplies for
ward, with an enterprising enemy
ready to meet them on their arrival la
detail for they can't all be got for
ward at once Is a mighty problem,
Moreover, It is useless to send raw
levies against such soldiers as the vet
erans of Japan; and it the Russian res
ulars are sent, can- the new troops, just
drawn from the people, be trusted at
?iome7 This war shakes Russia farj
more severely than ever Napoleon "was
able to shake her.
Japan, advancing through Manchuria
and towards Siberia, will organize and
consolidate the country against Rus
sia. Here is the basis of a political
scheme that will organize and control
against Russia the whole northern line
of the Chinese Empire. Here Is a new
starting-point inHhe history of the
world. There have been prodigies here
tofore; why not prodigies now? Russia
will be shut up in Europe and In Arctic
Asia. Japan will be the leading Ori
ental nation. China, though retaining
her nominal Independence, will admit
or accept the hegemony of Japan. His
tory is full of surprises. Here Is one
of them.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.
Subdivision of lands Is" a great need In
our newer states, and will be", yet for
long time. It Is necessary, not only
in Itself and for Itself, but for its effect
both on town and country life. It is
the first necessary step towards relief
from Isolation; for the towns cannot
have growth unless occupation of the
lands of the country precedes It. "We
shall reach a stage after a while where
subdivision of lands will cease, and In
crease of the size of holdings will take
its place. But not soon. Conditions of
life vary, according to times and cir
cumstances; and the movements of one
age do not repeat those of another.
People always wish to get out of life
and living the best they can, In the
circumstances In which they find them
selves; and It Is right that they should
do so. On the whole. In our present
situation, during many years to come,
we shall establish and maintain better
conditions of life, social and economic,
tnrough subdivision of lands and in
crease of rural population. But In
course of time a limit here also will be
reached, as In our older states. It Is
not necessary to go to New England
to see the tendency now towards larger
holdings. It may be observed in Ohio.
Indiana and Illinois. But In our states
of the Pacific Coast we a In iho
newer stage of development, which
must oe traversed oeiore we reach
the conditions that are to succeed 1L
We haven't yet done with agriculture
or ror agriculture one-tenth part of
wnat Is to be done here; and manufac
tures cannot make much advance till
we have done more for agriculture and
have established a larcer nonulatfon
of producers and consumers.
Tet even In these newer states we
may observe a distinct tendency of our
population from country life to town
life. "We see youne men nushinir ('.
where into trade. Into mechanical Dur-
sults, into the learned professions, into
insignificant clerkships. Into .salaried
positions of every sort that will take
tnem Into towns and support and hold
them there. It is Impossible to driye
poor people from the cities with threat
or starvation, or to coax them with
promise of better pay and cheaper fare.
Young women resort to the shops and
lactones rather than take service In
the -farmers' houses, where they are
received as members of the famtivr
and when they marry they seek an al
liance, when practicable, with mechan
les and tradesmen who live in the vil
lages and large towns. The youth of
both sexes who have seen nothing df
tne world, have an overwhelming de
sire to meet life and to be among the
multitude. They feel their country life
to oe narrow in Its ooDortunitles and
rewards, and the pulsation of the great
social heart, of which they have some
observation, thrills them with longings
ior tne places where the activity 'ccn
t-ers. j.ney are not to be blamprt fnr
this. It Is the most natural thing In
the world.
The time will come, therefore, when
the farms will be growing larger with
us, as In the older states; and subdi
vision of lands In these new states of
ours is checked by this tendency to an
extent even now. But on th whnlo
we shall have and must have mor
subdivision, first because we need It-
ana Decause tne conditions demand It
xne movements of a people are not con
trolled very much by their volitions,
but chiefly by the clreumstnnrM in
which they happen to be placed In
umer worus, oy tne environment. A
country must pass through one stage of
aeveiopment before It can reach an
other.
A COUNTRY, OF EXPERIMENTS.
In the Southern hemisphere are the
two islands which make tip New Ze.
land. The -area is about 115,000 square
mnes, comparing with Oregon's 95,000,
j.ne population is now S50.000. and
growing rapidly. The climate Is
healthy, the land productive, the people
prosperous. All this is In the hand
books. "What has not yet been pub
lished broadcast Is that, although labor
unions are strong and aggressive, al
though employers are self-assertive
and bound in associations, strikes have
been practically done away with since
tne arbitration and conciliation act
passed in 1894, was amended and passed
into general and compulsory -use In 1900,
j. wo courts are thereby created. One
is the Conciliation Court, composed of
an equal representation of employers
ana employed, with a disinterested
chairman to hold the scales. Any party
to a labor dispute may apply to this
court and get prompt hearing. If either
party falls to appoint the necessary
arbitrator, the government selects one
and the hearing proceeds. Appeals may
be taken to the Arbitration Court, and
from Its decisions there is no further
appeal. This court, at Its own option
either gives advice or issues an award.
i-aiiure to comply with the award
brings a penalty of 52500 on .a culpable
employer, and the same amount against
a trades union If a party. If the union
fails or is unable to pay the "penalty.
each member of the union Is xesponsl
ble for its default up to the amount of
9v. unuer uus system serines are said
to have disappeared, and work goes on
without interruption.
The most noteworthy experiment
among these enterprising people is that
of old-age pensions. To qualify for
pension an applicant must be 65 years
old or over, have been a resident of th
.colony for twenty-five years, or a nat
urallzed citizen of five years standing,
He must not possess property yielding
an Income of $260 a year, or of a cap
ital value of over $1600. By the pension
the Income may be made up to $260
year, but the maximum contribution
by the state must not exceed $90 a
year. .Absence from the colony for
four years out of the twenty-five dis
qualifies. This act has been in force
since 1S9S, and the annual charge on
the public revenues has now reached
about $1,000,000. Fancy the Oregon
Legislature being called on to add
$500,000 a year to the appropriation bill
for "old-ag pensions." This is about
what would be the "parallel charge.
The charity, ot ihe state. Is managed.
by the -Charitable Aid Board, which
nils the function of our organized char
ities. The old-ajre nension law has ma
terially lightened their labors. But the
state recognizes the duty of Dublie
charity, and cheerfully pays the cost.
The public school system of the
Islands Is excellent. For. some years
the plan of one good school at the most
accessible spot in three or four adjoin
ing country districts, in place of a poor
and cheap school In each district, has
been in force. A jrraded school with
competent teachers accessible to every
child Is the aim. The children living
at distant homes are "taken to the
school for their lessons and returned
when school is over, at the expense of
the school fund. The same plan is
making Its -way In some of the East
ern States, In one at least of the states
of the Middle "West, and Is under ex
periment In Oregon. The results, both
In advantages gained and In cost In
curred, will be watched with much in
terest.
In many other directions New Zea
land Is boldly accepting the Idea of a
paternal government. Its ownership of
afl the 2400 miles of railroad In the
colony, except 100 miles of a private
road, and its absolute control of the
railroads with no bugbear of interstate
commerce and all Its complications, has
enabled It to Teduce the profits of the
roads to 3 per cent on the capital In
sisted by the state, all excess over that
return being used In reduction of fares
and freights.
Under this regime we see a thriving
people trying out their Udeas of self-
government and general devejopment,
frie from any outside Interference,
called a colony, but independent In life
and government, If ever that word can
be applied to any people on this wide
earth.
THE MISSOURI REPUBLICANS.
Missouri has finally elected a Repub
lican as United States Senator, Major
William "Warner, a lawyer, an ex-
Congressman of Kansas City, and a
well-known figure In Grand Army cir
cles. It Is a satisfactory solution to a
most vexatious and discreditable fac
tional row that bade fair to throw away
entirely the fruits of a hard-won and
unexpected Republican victory. The
contest had lasted from January 18 to
the day of the legislature's adjourn
ment, and had been conducted with
much bitterness and some scandal.
It ended finally In great uproar.
Niedringhaus was the caucus nomi
nee. He Is chairman of the Missouri
Republican State Committee, and he
was boss of the Republican state or
ganization. He had supplanted In
control of the machine Richard C. Ker
ens, a very rich man who had led the
party In a consistent record of defeat
through many years. The Roosevelt
upheaval found Niedringhaus in posl
tlon to claim the fruits of victory. But
Kerens organized a caucus bolt and
the result is that these two bosses have
killed off each other, and permitted
desirable choice to be made.
wnen any one sets himself up as
owner of a political party, he is due for
fall. His ruin may be accomplished
by the clamorous persistence of reform
era, or by the overwhelming force of
the popular will, or by the activities of
an aspiring rival. It would have been
untortunate if .Niedringhaus. a mere
machine politician, had been made
Senator by his own machine; It would
have been deplorable If Kerens, another
machine politician, had been successful.
But because neither would let the other
have the Senatorship, a good man gets
It, and the Republicans of Missouri
have done well In spite of themselves.
DOOM OF) THE SAILER.
Foreign shipyards have received very
heavy orders for 1905 delivery of steam
tonnage, but throughout the Knlted
"Kingdom not a single new order has
been received for a deep-water sailing
vessel. The doom of the sailer has be
come something more than a figure of
speech, and never again will the white-
winged argosies of trade play the prom
inent part which In the past they have
taken in the world's commerce. With
the passing of the sailer there also de
parts from the literary field a theme
which from the earliest ages has sup
plied great material for romance and
story. There was beauty In every
curve of the famous clippers which
raced around the world before the age
of steam. -and even the broad-beamed
merchantman, booming along under a
cloud of canvas, always presented an
Inspiring sight. These were the craft
which originally "drew the world to
gether and spread the race apart," and
they developed a race of seamen and
navigators such .as the world will never
see again.
The modern steamship, which has
driven the sailing ship from the ocean.
Is a prosaic piece of machinery that
places navigating skill at a large dis
count compared with that which was
required of the men who guided the
course of the sailing ships In the golden
age of the clippers. Not even. Captain
Marryat or W. Clarke Russell could
find romance or feel any thrills over
the strictly mechanical movements of a
steamship. When the old-time clipper
knocked hours and days off the record
the performance was a triumph of skill
on the part of the captain, whose nerve,
daring and knowledge of the elements
of Nature wind, tides and currents
and whose judgment of the strain each
mast would bear without breaking,
brought fame to himself and fortune to
the shipowners. With the successors of
those wonderful creations of wood and
canvas records are broken by a soot
grimed swarm of human machines
shoveling coal Into batteries "6T fur
naces with a degree of precision that
renders them as nearly automatic as
the machinery with which they are sur
rounded. And the man on the bridge who
guides this mass of steel and Iron that
goes thrashing through the waves?
Small indeed are his opportunities for
the display of skill and judgment. He
is expected to go from a given port to
another given port by the shortest and
safest route. If a head wind blows
throughout the trip, his steamer
smashes Into it and the human ma
chines down in the bold must work a
little harder and a little longer, but
rare Indeed are the opportunities for
the captain to display any skill or gain
anything by deviating from the course
In an endeavor to make better weather.
But the old-time sailing master could
not drive his ship Into the teeth of the
wind and make headway against it.
For days and weeks at a stretch he
was forced to fight every mile of the
course, and it was a clear case of the
skill of the navigator pitted against the
mightiest forces of Nature.
These were contests which developed
the "breed of the oaken heart" that
has made the sailer of the sea one of
.the. most- pScturesqjue ..figures. iixro-
mance and history, and another such I
a breed can never be developed In the
modern steamship service. All that
glamor of romance which literature has
thrown around the pirates and their
pursuers on the Spanish Main would
have been missing had the black flag
hung from the masthead of a steam
ship Instead of a trim sailing vessel.
whose chance for safety or capture
rested to so great an extent on the skill
ot the navigator in charge. The steam
ship has even, cleared away nearly all
of that mystery of the sea and robbed
it of that
Magical power which like the wind
There Is nothing can stay and nothing can
bind.
It has drawn the world so close to
gether and churns around that world
on such well-defined courses or high
ways that there has been a steady less
ening of the mysteries of missing ships
and there are but few ocean routes to
day that are not so well covered but
that the whole world Is in almost con
stant touch with the movements of
vessels. The sailer has fulfilled Its mis
sion in the development of the world's
transportation system, and, like the
bateau of the trader on inland rivers.
or the ox team of the pioneer on land,
it seems destined to pass Into history
as one of the utilities that was good In
Its day, but Is now out ofylate.
The successful writer of sea stories
for the present generation must cut out
all reference to the whistling of the
wind through the rigging, the creak of'
the blocks and' the swelling canvas, and
In lieu thereof must draw his Inspira
tion If he can from the throb of the
engines, the purr of electric ventilators
and the hiss and roar of waves angered
by the thousands of tons of Iron and
steel hurled through them at railroad
speed. The change will not be wel
comed, especially by the sailor man
himself, but It Is Inevitable, and must
be accepted, regardless of any affronts
that it may give romance and litera
ture, neither of which has much of a
place In business.
THE SACAJAWEA STATUE.
Local Interest has been reawakened
In Sacajawea, the Intrepid Indian
woman who contributed so much to the
success of the Lewis and Clark expedi
tion, by announcement that the clay
model of the statue that Is to be placed
In" a central position on the Exposition
grounds will soon reach this city. The
thrilling story of this century-ago jour
ney 13 replete with Interest. The com
monest events detailed rise almost to
the stature of the heroic, and none are
more replete with heroism than those
with which the name, the tact, the en
durance and the loyalty of the "bird
woman" are connected. The patience,
helpfulness, cheerfulness, of this young
slave wife of the wholly worthless and
stolid human mongrel who was 'her
master must appeal to the chlvalrlc ad
miration of all men and enlist the sym
pathy of all women who learn of her
through the journals of the great ex
plorers.
Her story, lost, as it seemed. In the
shadows of the years, was recalled as
the Lewis and Clark Centennial ap
proached and Interest In the wonderful
achievement of the explorers was re
vlved. An Indian woman who had
scarcely passed beyond the years of
childhood; a mother giving birth to her
first-born on the trail and bearing him
m ner arms or upon ner back over
drearj' stretches of plain and moun
tain; the slave of her husband and the
camp servitor for the entire company,
Sacajawea came through with the ex-
jedltlon to the shores of the Pacific,
returned witn it again to tne iar-away
region wnence sne was taken, and
dropped out of sight.
The clay model, executed, as is fitting,
by a woman. Is that of an Indian
woman, strong but lithe of limb, clad In
Indian fashion', apd In Indian fashion
bearing upon .her back her pappoose,
Pointlner wlthlter one free arm ever to
the west, the strong outlines of her
face and figure represent purpose and
endurance that may well be perpetu
ated in bronze.
The daily achievement of this Indian
woman, apart from her native Intelll
gence and the traits of character which
made her Invaluable to the explorers
snouio command attention in an age
that Is boastful of the strenuous-
ness or us endeavor, ior it may
as well be conceded that nothing
in this line surpassing the dally rou
tine ot bacajawea's lire for many
months together is being enacted any
where In the world today outside of
the war area In Manchuria.
"THE RING AND THE BOOK."
There Is a great gap In English and
American literature. Fortunately this
great gap Is about to be filled, so that
the discovery of Its existence need not
worry the public unduly. Jack London
Is the man who has discovered the
lacuna, and he is the man of letters
who has volunteered to remove the re
proach from the literature of the Eng
llsh tongue. "The prize-ring has never
been comprehensively done Into -liter
ature," says Mr. London; "when It has
been attempted It has been a descrln
tlon of a contest between world cham
plons by a man who didn't know any
thing about It. who bad never felt the
jolt and smash of the gloves or known
the shock of the "knockout." We shy
at that precious "done Into literature"
It smacks of the "literary society," but.
passing over such a trifle, it must be
admitted that most of the men who
write ofthe ring do know very little of
the jolt and smash of the gloves, espe
daily the real literary gents. Byron
was a bit of a boxer, but he didn't do
a fight into literature. President Roose
velt Is also handy with the gloves, but
we doubt ifhe will ever rank as
maker of literature, except of the tab
loid kind exemplified by "A square deal
for every man." It Is unfortunate that
the men who are long on literature
should be shy on practical experience
of boxing, but in the nature of things
we fear Itjls Inevitable In the majority
ox instances.
Conan Doyle used to be a good ama
teur boxer, and In "Rodney Stone" he
has given us a readable story of the
ring, but "Rodney Stone" is hardly "lit
erature." Kipling's Mulvaney stories
are sometimes regarded as coming
within the Vague boundaries, and Mul
vaney s lignt witn tne railroad con
tractor is not a -dull affair, but we do
not know if Kipling has ever felt the
jolt and smash of the gloves. Judging"
from his photographs, we are inclined
to doubt It. Richard Harding Davis
wrote a good flght story fn "Gallagher,"
whether or not he has been jolted and
smashed. The schoolboy doesn't care
a straw for the. Aeneld as literature,
but he has a little better opinion of
Virgil after Entellus wallops Dares, and
Is presented with the prize bulL Entel
lus affected gloves of aeven-ply. bull's
1 hlds.relatprad jft t h jX rijsv. nLJsMsaJjii gas
that his figh was outside even the old
London prize-ring rules. The schoolboy
also enjoyed Tom Brown's great fight
without knowing or caring whether or
not it had been done Into literature.
And of less pretentious fights how
many there are, from Jack Harkaway
of glorious memory to that Interna
tional batle In "The Witch's Head,"
one of Rider Haggard's most vivid
scenes. "We omit such travesties on
clean-cut fist fighting as Gunters story
of "the tenderfoot's kick" a college
football man kicks a cowboy so far
that the distance Is marked off as a
show place for visitors!
College men. by the way. are always
figuring In ring stories in the maga
zines, and they always beat a cham
pion. Conan Doyle's "Master of Crox
ley" Is perhaps the best of these. The
result comes as a great surprise to the
talent, of course, and the young college
man makes enough to pay off the
mortgage on the old homestead.
Great stories all, but literature?
Never mind that; take them for what
they are worth, and be glad that the
ring and literature are at last to be
united by Mr. London. The first part
his story, "The Game," appears In
the Metropolitan Magazine this month.
It looks as if It will be a good story.
as most of Mr. London's are. That it
will also be literature we know, be
cause Mr. London says: "It has no
mere superficial motif. It Is universal,
and beneath the bare story and realism
is a motif of motifs." Anything with a
motif Is literature.
It Is fitting that San Francisco should
produce the story in which the prize-
ring is first done into literature. San
Francisco is long on both the ring and
literature, and, since the Ralston law
has been deservedly solar plexused, bids
fair to prolong Its golden age. James
Edward Brltt and Jack London-what
city can match them?
THE PRIVATE SOLDIER.
After all, the science of war consists
In delivering the best-equipped, the
bravest, most enduring, most healthy,
best-Instructed private soldier at the
critical point of attack or defense In
greatest force. To this one end are
bent the energies of the General Staff.
the Commander-in-Chief, a.'l subordi
naie commanaera oown to company of
ficers. To efficiency there, efforts of
commissariat, transport, medical staff.
communication service, all tend. We
have heard so much lately of the Jap
anese private, all are so Impressed with
his virtues and special qualifications,
that It may be worth while to see In
what his superiority consists, andjif It
be reany so marKeo over otner races,
In Frederick Palmer's most Interest
ing book, "With Kurokl In Manchuria,"
we see'the private soldier of Japan at
close range. He Is brave but not reck
less, trained to a high point In endur
ance. In marching power equal to any,
superior to nearly all, temperate In diet
and healthy, obedient to orders, and ed
ucated up to the point of comprehension
of orders, treating himself In thought
and act as a unit in a squad, company
or regiment. He Is loyal, to Emperor
and country to the highest degree,
kindly and self-sacrificing. With whom
shall he be compared? With his Rus
sian antagonist?
The Russian soldier was described
and photographed the other night by a
three years observer. He. too, Is
brave; so the blood-eoaked battlefields
of Manchuria testify. He Is simple and
obedient, strong with physical advan
tages. There he stops. He Is excitable,
and open to panic on one side, to bar
barity on the other; keeping the peas
ant's Ignorance and stolidity under the
soldiers unuorm; siow-wiiiea, unoai
anced, prone to-excesses when the door
Is opened; dependent on his officers for
all Initiative. By training a machine
like performance of ordinary duty Is
secured.
Yet how manifold are the races wear
ing the Czar's uniform. Russians great
and little, Lithuanians, Poles. Cossacks,
Siberians, Finns, Tartars, and a score
of others; at home they are wide as the
poles apart. In the army mill, It seems
as If Individual character had been
trround down. These two armies are
seen under the limelight of the hard
est and longest campaign of modern
times. In no trade does a man mature
so rapidly as In war. The raw recruit
of today becomes the veteran In a year.
British commanders In the Boer War
testified that their regulars took nine
months' ripening before It was decent
to them and safe to the army to ex
pose them In actual fight to the Man
sera of the Boers. The colonial troops
on the other hand Australians, New
Zealanders, Canadians and the irregu
lar African British-born levies, took
naturally to that warfare: Excellent
rifle shots, good horsemen, hardy, In
telllgent, out-of-doors soldiers, after a
short acclimating they proved equal to
all situations.
Under similar conditions and habits
of life many of the soldiers of Amer
ica have been reared. Iu Cuba and the
Philippines the severe tests of tropical
and savage warfare have been success
fully met. The training of the Amer
lean soldier has developed individual
tty, but not at the expense of discipline.
The comment of military observers at
the time of the Boxer War was
"What splendid soldiers! Pity there
are so few of them!" They were tried
then, If ever. They marched with the
Japanese, fought side by side with them
and the British, and were at least up
at the finish. C
In both German and French armies
the training of the private soldier has
been carried far and high, not only In
the old ways of drill, but In the new
ways of athletics, and- Individual de
velopment- The only places of com
parison have been in the great army
maneuvers. There seems to be little to
choose between them. The Frenchman
keeps his national cheerfulness and
brightness in camp and In the field, and
seems to enjoy his soldiering more than
his German neighbor. Both are Intelll
gent soldiers, and quick to learn dur
ing the two or three years' term with
the colors.
Compulsory military service has been
In "force long Enough in all European
countries, except Great Britain, to pass
the great majority of the men of the
nation through the military mill. Once
through the term ot active service, they
return to the pursuits of civil life. In
case of war, the stress must, fall on
men recalled from the field, the office
factory and store to serve. Hence it
follows that the national character will
be shown In its reality through the
military uniform. Therefore, what the
German, the Frenchman, the Russian,
the Italian Is at home, he will be In the
field. So the character of the private
soldier ot this time can fairly well be
told In advance. He will act up to but
will not be ahead of his national stand
ard. It seems, then, that the cam
ot th.g flitaire, a of th graeeattj.
will be won by the force of organiza
tion and cemmand. by the perfection ot
each and every part ot the machinery
of war that, if well equipped, com
manded and cared for, the private sol
dier ot all the leading races of the world
will do his part well la the furnace of
the campaign.
The "college spirit, as shown by
what has long been known at the Uni-
erslty of California as the "charter
rush," on the 23d of March, takes on
this year a new form of expressIonLycsterday. Seattle would have been a
According to the new programme the
under classmen will celebrate the day
by building on Charter Hill, back of the
college, an enormous "C" In concrete.
The letter will be sixty feet high and
twenty-six feet broad, and will be built
by students of the freshmen and soph
omore classes under direction of the
civil engineering department of the
university. It will be visible from any
part of Berkeley or San Francisco, and
will be a much more fitting' expression
of college pride than the broken heads
and suspended students of former
Charter day" celebrations have been.
This Is not (all. It will show that stu
dents themselves have become tired of
rowdyism as exemplified in the annual
rush," and have concluded to super
sede It with an effort not less strenuous
but more manly.
King Alphonso of Spain Is abroad.
presumably taking an Inventory of the
charms ot the various marriageable
Princesses of Europe. It was an
nounced recently that the Kaiser would
gladly bestow his only daughter upon
the young King, but, though not re
jecting the flattering suggestion, His
Spanish Majesty did not accede joyous
ly, but replied that he was In no hurry
to marry. He goes now to London,
where the Inexhaustible supply of
grand-daughters and great-granddaughters
of the late Queen Vic
toria Is supposed to await his choosing.
One of these days his betrothal to some
comely and virtuous young Princess
will be announced and the public will
be told that the marriage will be
genuine love match." Commiseration
s due in advance to the unfortunate
oung woman who Is chosen to become
Queen of Spain, and congratulations
may well be showered upon all who
fall to pass muster In this matrimonial
quest.
There Is talk of reproducing at the
Lewis and Clark Fair the fine old co
lonlal home of Thomas Jefferson known
as Monticello. It Is urged, and very
properly, that this would, be a fitting
tribute to the man whose foresight
mapped out the great Northwest Terri
tory and saw the advantage to be de
rived from It as a National possession,
in advance of actual exploration which
resulted in the discovery of its vast
ness and infinite variety of resources.
The picture of the Jefferson home in
Virginia; Its wide verandas, quaint ga
bles and rnany-paned windows, is quite
a familiar one. It would require no
great expense' or skill to reproduce It
and there is still ample time to do so,
The matter Is one that should com
mend Itself, without urging, to the
state societies, especlaly the Dixie So
ciety, all of vhich are working In con
junction with the Lewis and Clark
Fair.
Compulsory pilotage, which was for
so many years a handicap to Portland's
marine commerce, Is faring badly both
north and south of us. Puget Sound
has always regarded compulsory pilot
age as a joke, and paid no attention to
laws requiring It. British Columbia
has never been able to .get rid of It,
but Is now investigating the matter
with a view to reducing or abolishing
the fees. The California Legislature, at
the session just defied, reduced the
rates 25 per cent. If aU of the money
collected for compulsory pilotage In the
California district were paid to the
pilots who do the work. Instead of to
the Commissioners and politicians, the
industry would probably stand a fur
ther reduction without jeopardizing the
service.
Establishment by the Weyerhaeusers
of another immense sawmill in this city
will more firmly than ever clinch the
prestige of Portland as the greatest
lumber port on the Pacific Coast. The
State of Oregon and that portion of
Washington tributary to the Columbia
River were several decades behind, the
Puget Sound country In beginning
manufacture of lumber on an extensive
scale, but the rapidity with which the
Industry Is growing Is assurance that
It will be but a short time until the
lumber exports from the river will ex
ceed those of all Puget Sound ports
combined.
There Is something in knowing
"when you have a plenty." There Is
point, therefore, in what the Louisville
Times says, to-wltt "If Russia contln
ues aggressive tactics for another two
years, the end of that time will find her
without a navy and without an army
deserving of the name. Should Japan
then be forced to agree to peace
through financial exhaustion, Russia
will be too weak to take advantage of
any concessions wrung from her oppo
nent at such staggering cost."
Seeing is believing. There was
brought to The Oregbnlan office yester
day a fresh bunch of alfalfa, not less
than ten inches long, pluckeu" two days
ago on a WUlamette Valley farm In
Linn County. The field was of thirteen
acres; It Is the third year of its growth;
there Is no Irrigation whatever, and the
alfalfa has been pastured by sheep
nearly all the Winter. Let our farmer
friends go and do likewise. The time
for experiment Is past; the day for
practice Is right now.
A handsomely Ulustrated "Lewis and
Clark edition,"' printed in two colors.
has been issued by the Amity Advance.
Photographic illustrations of farms and
farmhouses In Old Yamhill form the
principal feature, and the edition .is
full of Information such as prospective
homeseekers would most desire. Amity
has advanced In prosperity and the
Advance itself does not appear to belle
its name.
We shall soon have to have 65,000 en
listed xken In our Navy. That Is one
for every 1200 of population, and us big
as our standing Army. Perhaps we
shall be In .greater need of a Navy
thaa of an Army in our next war,
which Representative Hull says will be
with the Japs.
The Oregon style of electing a Sena
tor was adopted by the Missouri Re
publicans, with the usual hcrxicaoe re
suit -
NOTE AND COMMENT.
Professor Wllllston. of tho University of
Chicago, has announced that, in a million
years or so, man will have vanished from
the earth, and that the birds will be
bosses of all they survey. The professor
himself Is a bird, which perhaps preju
dices him against poor, ordinary men.
who have not the Inestimable privilege of
pronouncing judgment from a Standard
Oil chair.
The cruiser Washington was launched
3horter name, and would have, meant
much the same thing la the opinion of
Seattle.
Kuropatkln reports that he has handed
over to LInicvltch command of the "land
and sea forces operating against the Jap
anese." Russia probably forcot before-
now that she had any sea forces.
Passing It Along.
'Think not that God does not see you pass
the blind beggar and not drop a coin in his
cup," says the New Orleans Picayune.
"Also think not that the blind beggar doe
not see you." adds the Louisville Times.
"Further think not that the Board ot Chari
ties vrl not condemn you for promiscuous
almsgiving." says Tho Oregonian.
And again think not that the blind beggar
couldn't better afford to give you a two-bit
cigar than you could to give him a plugged
dime. Seattle Argus. .
Government employes In Panama com
plain that the three-grain qulnlna pills
sent them from "the States" contain only
two grains. Why don't they take ono pill
and a half then, instead of kicking about
it? But these charges of graft In con
nection with hospital supplies read very
much like the stories about Russia's Red
Cross organization, which caused us to
hold up our hands In horror.
The President Is going to hunt In Colo
rado. Not trusts or anything dangerous
this time; just mountain lions.
A few practicable airships wonld ba
warmly welcomed by the Russian army
just now.
Just a "trifling mistake by the Canal
Commissioners; instead of making the-dirt
fry, they are making the mud fly.
One thing about the Fair: To see It will
be worth paying a fine.
It appears that the officers responsible
for the whiff of grapeshot which nearly
wiped out the Romanoffs "didn't go for to
do It." They were just a little negligent
In their duties, that's all; and in view of
the fact thatvthey nearly hit some one,
the Czar might do well to send these offi
cers to the rapidly-retreating "front."
The weak Sisters to the South are
troublesome lot. Here Is Santo Domingo
bringing out all sorts of charges and
counter-charges in the Senate and else
where, and Venezuela Is laying up & stor
of trouble. As benevolent assimilation on
such a large scale is out of the question,
a little malevolent intimidation might be
powerful good thing.
That famous passage comparing man's
brief life to that of the grass is not fully
appreciated by the man behind the lawn
mower. To be- cut down as the grass
doesn't Impress him -with the fralllty of
man; indeed, he Is inclined to regard it
as an evidence of toughness and tenacity.
Of all annoying thieves the "trousers
thief Is surely the head. To wake up
In the morning ar find one's trousers
gone with all the change that was In
the pockets must ba trying affair and.
besides, must sooner or later lead to
trylng-on affair with the tailor.
There is, however, a way to prevent
such annoyance. The dodge comes all
the way from India, and for once the
Orient gives the Occident a good tip
on practical affairs. Mrs. Ernest Hart
writes in the House Beautiful: "The
first time I was Introduced Into the
harem of one of the noblemen of Hy
derabad, In the Deccan, I was surprised
to find the Begum and her ladles
dressed in tight-fitting trousers mads
of rich damask silks. It being the
fashion to have these trousers as close-
fitting as possible, they are actually
sewn on and are taken off and changed
about once a fortnight." By fol
lowing this plan, the most adroit
sneakthlef would be f-o-i-l-e-d!
Society is literally soaked with al
cohol," says Bishop McFaul, of Tren
ton. Come to think of it. wo never did
see anyone soaked on buttermilk.
A story that might have come from
The Earl of pawtucket" is told of a
visitor tb a London . artist's studio.
Pausing before a painting, the visitor
remarked, "It isn't so devilish bad, you
know." "Now, don't be. fulsome," re
sponded the artist, to whom such out
spoken appreciation from an English
man bordered on flattery.
New departures In "literature" are
always interesting. The Metropolitan
Magazine for April announces a story
called "Outside the Law," a very fine
title. Indeed. "To make the unravel
ling of' the plot worth while," says the
Metropolitan, "a number of very valu
able prizes will be given to those read
ers who shall write the most accurate
and Interesting papers explaining the
actions of the several characters in the
story." This promises well. Hitherto
readers have had no privileges except
that of paying for books which usually
give but a scanty return for $1.50, but
now there is a prospect that publishers
will have to give away premiums with
novels. Literature may yet come Into
its own. Instead of getting 'The Pois
oned Wedding Ring" as a present with
every dollar purchase of dry goods, a
yard ot ribbon may be given with every
copy ot the book purchased for cash.
Lovers of literature will then have
the better of mere purchasers of gro
ceries and dry goods, as they should
have had long ago.
A Burhank is badly wanted "in the
animal world. Whyr for Instance,
should wool not be grown on elephants.
We don't know how many square feet of
hide an elephant possesses, but he must
have an area equal to that ot a -whole
flock; of sheep. Consequently, a man
owning six or seven merino elephants
would become wealthy in a short time,
especially as his flock- could chase away
all the cattle that happened near th
range. Further, the elephant Is so In
telligent that he could be taught In a
few lessons how to wash and shear
himself, pack up the wool and trans
port If; to market
Senator-elect Warner of 'MfytaurL
should understand the meaning ot "la
the nick of time-"
WEXFORD JONES.
More Work for Kansas.
Chicago Tribune.
We commend to the eerious considera
tlon of Kansas the expediency of starting
a" state hennery in onwoaltloa- to the s-
Xfamous egg. trust.