THE BDKBAY QREGONIAN, PORTLAND, MARCH- -2G,. 1905.
Entered at the Postofaee at Portland. Or.,
as second-class matter.
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, PORTLAND, SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 1905.
r-
IDEAL FOREIGN NEWS SERVICE.
4 No Intelligent American can have
. failed to note In recent years the re-:
markably efficient foreign news service
of the Associated Press; the Impartial,
accurate record of the world's great
events, set down and transmitted In
stantaneously around the globe day by
day hour by hour -were more exact
with the same fullness of detail that at
taches to the chronicle of domestic hap
penings. Since the new century opened
reaaers. or newspapers served by the
Associated Press have become so ac
customed to this comDlete record thnt
they regard it with no greater feeling
-or wonder than the publication of the
weather report or the Chicago wheat
market
This ever-vigilant. never-Inactive,
widespread agency did not reach its
present proportions by chance. It went
; direct to the thrones of Europe for Its
political news, just as It goes to the
President of the United Staes and his
Cabinet Ministers for facts concerning
our home affairs. To the April num
ber of the Century Magazine, Mr. Mel
ville E. Stone, general manager of the
'Associated Press, contributes the first
of a series of articles on his associa
tion's general foreign service, leading
up to Russia's abolition of press cen
sorship. Mr. Stone points out that up to 189S
we received practically all our foreign
news from London. Through a British
news agency or from English special
dispatches we derived our" European
news. "We saw men and events
through London . eyes, and British
opinion, in large measure, became our
opinion. "With the close of the Spanish
"War our vision was suddenly widened
and there came a universal demand
, that we should observe the movements
of foreign peoples for ourselves. "With
what degree or .fidelity and integrity
the Associated Press has performed this
Service. lt th niv! cnlnmnii nf Tl
Oregonian attest.
Certain great newspapers, notably the
London Times and the New York Her
ald, have put a lot of energy and have
shown enterprise In the collection of
foreign news, but each made colossal
blunders. Not so with the Associated
Press, "While It Is almost always first
wilh the news, it nei'er guesses. It
Iknows. "When startling or extraordinary-
natt'o ls 1 A
V " j uuiiEkiucu me .rt.sfcui.i-
iated Press, no reader stops to Inquire
.whether it is true. "Wherever in the
" civilized world that impersonal agency
transmits Information, there goes with
lit ithe brand of genuineness.
4
t SOLDIERS ON PROBATION.
Officers of the Army. are confronted
by a perplexing problem in the fre
quency with which enljsted men desert.
This is the usual, or at least not an
uncommon, feature of military life in
time of peace. The more restless and
jactlve soldiers, men in whom the initi
ative Instinct is the. more strongly de
fveloped. weary of the monotony of gar
'rison life. The routine at the posts be
comes featureless, their better Judg
ment succumbs to the pressure, and
numbers of them cast consequences to
the winds and desert. A scheme has
been suggested which promises to
lessen the number of desertions, or at
least the number .of court -marJJals for
desertion. This schemecomprehends a
change Ju -the maimer of recruiting for
the Armjg. It has been noted that the
largest percentage of desertions Is
' alnnnp vrv vntmp- roinUr Tv..
quickly discover that many of their
TireeoneplvfMl of a cnirMor-'o ttf
are erroneous and find in this sufficient J
' excuse for desertion. The new' plan Is
to receive the recruits and drill them
for several weeks, subjecting them to
all the restrictions of Army life, but
without giving them uniforms or
swearing them in. In this manner they
will be able to judge of the experience
that a soldier's life has In store for
them. If they conclude that they do
not like it, they may leave with Im
punity. That Is to say, that, not hav
Ing taken the oath, -and their names not'
.appearing on 'the Army rolls, they can
not be called to account and court
martialed. The Army simply drops
them and puts in their places men who
are more reliable. A difficulty In the
way of the success of this scheme In
keeping the ranks of the Army full Is
obvious. If the monotony, drill, rou
tine and discipline may be cast aside
after a term of probation, it is doubtful
whether the required number will
enter into "full commission," as our
Methodist brethren would say,' to keep
the Army up to the required numerical
strength. The plan suggests in a way
that of probationary marriage In advo
cacy of which considerable was said re
cently in this city. The tendency in
both cases would be toward a serious
depletion of the ranks of those who are
willing to make the best of a bad bar
gain and thus subscribe to the "first
principles of duty and individual responsibility.
A PUZZLE FOR PAGANS.
"What view of the war is to be held
by a Christian missionary in Japan?
Since the whole teaching" of Christian
ity is against war, it might be expect
ed that the missionaries, would be unan
imous in condemning the present terri
ble war, not for any peculiar reason,
but for Ihe general reason that all wars
are to bs condemned. So far- is this
from being the case, however, that we
find the Kobe Chronicle stating that
several missionaries In Japan have jus
tified the war, one or two have publicly
blessed It, and that, so far as the
Chronicle can learn, not one mission
ary has taken, a stand against It on
principle. One may agree with these
-ministers of the gospel, and yet -wonder
at the effect which their attitude must
have upon the Christianized Japanese,
to say nothing of the observlrig pagans.
Here are men who have left their na
tive land for the sole, purppse of spread
ing the kingdom of peace found approv
ing the most dreadful war of modern
times. How Is the practice to be recon
ciled with the precept? Over here we
are accustomed to little discrepancies
of this character, but how does It ap
pear to the Inquisitive and logical
heathen Japanese?
One missionary,- the Rev. J. H. De
Forest. D. D.. goes so far as to nraise
the war in a three-column contribution
to the Japan Times., "Already," says
Dr. De Forest, "there are manv cTeat
and permanent results for good that
can be positively enumerated, and that
tend to fill. the hearts of all who love
humanity with Joy and CTatitude"
The reverend contributor then goes on
to enumerate seven of the great and
permanent results that tend to fill his
heart with joy and gratitude. Very
orieny summarized, the results are:
1. The higher valuation placed upon East
ern peoples by Western.
The Iweon that a non-Christian nation
can fight on higher humanitarian lines than
Christian Russia.
3. The partition of China has been averted.
4. China is being awakened.
E. -Russia Is being awakened to political" lib
erty.
6. Japan. Great Britain and the United States
are ehown to stand lor a dvlllzatlen based
on free Institutions.
'. The awakening of the religious life of
Japan.
Most of these "results" are for good,
the surprising thing being that a Chris
tian"" minister should rejoice over the
second and the seventh. That Japan
Is more humanitarian than Russia If
such Indeed be the case Is surely a
sorry result for Christian teachings.
Still more inexplicable .Is the pleasure
of a man engaged In -spreading Chris
tianity In the revival of alien religions.
That the Japanese soldiers before going
to Manchuria "flock to the temples to
hear prayers and to buy charms" does
not seem a reason for rejoicing In a
missionary, whose avowed purpose is
to spread his own religion. Man is an
Inconsistent creature, and to belogical
is to be unhappy. At the same time,
one would like to know just what the
Japanese think of. the reasoning of Dr.
De Forest and of the other mission
aries. THE INDIAN AS A HISTORIAN.
The Oregon Historical Society has
placed the mark of Its disapproval on
the Indian yarn which had Lewis and
Clark resting under a large oak tree
that Is still standing at St. Helens. As
neither of those Illustrious explorers
carved his initials in the tree, and there
is nothing but the Indian story to lead
to the belief that they ever visited the
spot, the tree will not be brought to
the Exposition. The Indian as a chronr
icier of events or a recorder of history
has never been much of a success. Too
frequently his untutored mind has en
abled him to grasp the Idea that a
thrilling He would win larger rewards
of firewater than a commonplace state
ment of fact. There are two classes of
Indians with which the American pub
lic Is more familiar than any of the
others. One of these can be found In
front of tobacco stores with a bunch of
cigars in his wooden hand, and the
other is continually before us In the
public prints as. the owner of an ex
ceptionally valuable gold brick.
Both of these Indians have distinct
ive traits of the real Indian, in that
there is considerable sham about them.
Small children will cry at the sight of
the cigar-store Indian and his toma
hawk, and feeble-minded speculators
looking for a sure thlng.wlll buy gilded
bricks from the blanketed pirate In the
forest, although neither of these In
dians Is the real thing. But to return
to the historical -Indian, who Is ever
ready to tdrn oat tradition and history
In accordance with the wishes of the
one who carries a black bottle or other
attraction dear to the Indian mind.
"What a part these saddle-colored, chil
dren of the forest have played In .cloth
ing so many historical Incidents with
the garb of fiction!
There's the beeswax ship or which
Old Adam, the THJamook- Indian, used
to tell us. No ordinary tale of
Pirates coasting the Spanish main
And ships that never came back again
Coujd equal the venerable Adam's, story
of that "mysterious craft, and his ver
satility added charm to the recital.
for he wrs never accused of giving the
same version twice. This peculiar In
dian talent for daubing on new color
whenever they exhibit one of their
specimens of word-painting has ena
bled historians and other writers to
give to the world at least a dozen dif
ferent versions of the Nehalem bees
wax ship. Quite a number of the trad
ing vessels of the "Boston men" were
wrecked along the Pacific Coast In
early days, and in every case the de
scendants of the Indians who were eye
witnesses of the wrecks have ascer
tained the favorite kind of a story the
latter-day whites would like to have
about the tragedy, and at once have
given It to them.
A white man could probably tell just-
as thrilling a yarn as an Indian about
great many of these Incidents, bxiV
bis lie would lack thecharm''of the In
dian lie. Of course the veracity of the
inaian as a chronicler of history does
not always go unquestioned, but
throughout the Pacific Northwest he
has frequently driven the stake from
which a good many lines of fake his
tory have been run. Amiable and at
times intelligent white women who
have failed in securing' husbands of
their own race have been known to
marrv Indians, arid with this knowl
edge In mind it Is-fair to suppose that
much of the credence that has been
given Indians' yarns was due to the
lack of any better source from which to
secure the desired Information. Fairly
close contact with the race for many
years has enabled the people of the
"West to make a much more accurate
estimate of the value of Indian testi
mony on any subject than can be ex
pected from the Easterners. For that
reason any Indian relics or Indian tra
ditions regarding Lewis and Clark
must be the real thing In order to
have a part In the big show.
PORTLAND'S SNOWFALL.
By way of a suggestive contrast, the
following table of snowfall In some
Eastern cities Is printed. The table
gives the average of the total snowfall
for six years ending June, 1903, and the
total fall of the last two "Winters, in
Inches:
Average of 6 1003-4. 1001-5.
Cities. Years Ending Nov. 1- Nov. 1-
JuneSO. 100X Ap. 20. Feb. 28.
Boston 42.5 75.0 41.3
New York. 34.0 33.0 53.S
Philadelphia 23.2 29.4 39.3
Buffalo 82.2 107 J 7043
Pittsburg 30.4 20.3 30.9
Cleveland 44.7 53.0 38.9
Chicago 30.8 59.3 29.2
St. Louis 13.0 24.0 21.S
From the United States Weather Bu
reau of Portland, Or., the following
comparative figures, In Inches, are ob
tained: Total snowfall, average of five years end
ing December 31, 1903. 0.4 Inches.
Total of one year ending December 31,
1004. 2.4 Inches.
Total for January and February. 1003,
2.5 Inches.
Let our readers shiver as they think
of obstructed traffic, of dirty snow piled
along the streets, of slippery or slushy
sidewalks, of gangs of laborers picking
and digging at the frozen snow, of the
bitter winds at the street corners, of
waiting for the crowded street-car
while the snow beats In your face and
eyes and lodges In your coat collar. Let
them think of the coal famine wh!l
striking miners and resolute operators
flgft It out. between them, and mean
while the sick poor cower In freezing
rooms, and the children cry In the cold
kitchen. Then let them wonder how
they dare abuse Oregon soft rain, and
grumble If thesun Is hidden for a week.
It Is said a person "can't live on cli
mate." True, yet climate Is always
with us, and more of the dally and
hourly comfort of mere living depends
on the kind of air we breathe and the
degrees of heat and cold we either en
joy or have to overcome, than most of
us think. Let us neither forget our
selves, nor fall to make the most of to
others, the kindly and genial climate
In which our lot Is cast.
EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES.
The December and January numbers
of "The Philippine Teacher" have been
received, the latter having been de
ferred In publication until early In
February. This publication has thirty
six pages." quarto size, well printed, on
good paper, well Illustrated, not over
burdened with advertisements, and Is
of interest from cover to cover. It Is,
of course, published at Manila, and Is
the official organ of the department of
education, and 'is edited under super
vision of the General Superintendent of
Education. To one with eyes to see,
brains to appreciate and a heart to es
timate earnest and unselfish work, the
story told Is the best justification for
the presence, of the Americans In the J
x-muppines. .racis can De garnered
from the address of the General Super
intendent to the convention of School
Superintendents for the Philippine
Islands, held at Manila on December 12
last, which demonstrate these conclu
sions. Summarizing the policy fol
lowed, the main purpose is to place prl-i
mary Instruction within the reach of
every child In the Christian provinces
of the archipelago. There are 1,200,000
children between 6 arid 15 years of age
to be dealt with. Therefore schools to
teach 400,000 children at one time must
be provided, on the basis of a three
years' course of primary Instruction.
"What will these three years do for
the little Filipinos? The superintend
ent says:
Our experience trachea us that the Filipino
child learns to understand English and to
speak It with considerable facility am! ac
curacy He learns enough so that he will
never give It up as a medium of communica
tion. He learns to read with sufficient flu
ency, to that periodical literature and books
of rlmpJe English are not beyond his under
standing. ... In the second place, two
years work In arithmetic Is enough to en
able the boy to understand the ordinary com
putations on which the simple business of
Ms Mfe Is conducted. He galea enough
knowledge of numbers and arithmetical com
putations to avoid being swindled and outdone
in every commercial transaction in which he
has n part- ... Two cars of Instruction In
arithmetic given to every child will In a gen
eration destroy that "peonage." or bonded in
debtedness, that prevails throughout the coun
try. ... In the third place, at least
one o'ear of elementary geography. In which
the child learns something of the world at
large. Its countries,. Its peoples and a good
deal of the Archipelago which constitutes his
native land.
How near have they got to their
Ideal? By October last at least 3700
Filipino teachers, employed by the mu
nicipalities, were at work, teaching on
an average sixty children each. In ad
dition, 294 primary teachers were paid
by the Insular Government, making
4000 primary Filipino teachers In all.
Further progress was Impossible until
the recent internal revenue act added
350,000 pesos to last year's funds, so
enabling 1500 more Filipino teachers to
be employed.
Critics objected that the Filipinos
cared not for education. But facts
give them the lie. In September, 1503,
there were In these schools 1S2.202 pu
pils; in March, 1904. 227.600;; in Septem
ber, 1904, In the primary course 322,000
pupils were enrolled, SOOO In the Inter
mediate course and 12,000 In the night
schools, chiefly In Manila; total, 342,000.
By the time of the convention, on De
cember 12. 1904, at which the official
figures were presented, 338,000 was the
approximate number In the primary
schools. Adding the enrollment in the
Moro province, the Intermediate and
secondary schools, the night schools,
and the three technical schools in Ma
nila, a total of 364,000 pupils Is reached.
The schoolhouses are built by the mu
nicipalities. Very large sums have been
provided without objection for this
purpose. School building Is now push
ing Its way Into the "barrios," or larger
villages, in spite of the poverty of the
people- Donations are being made and
funds subscribed adequate for build
ings, playground and school garden.
Although the primary school work Is
limited to the" few subjects stated, yet
reference is frequently made to the
simple Instruction In "science." So the
children learn about plant and animal
life, the use of tools In agriculture and"
easy .mechanics, and have simple teach
ing In sanitary matters.
It will be readily seen that this sys
tem has taken root, and Is no longer
mere experiment. In more advanced
education thirty-eight provincial' high
schools are at work, and three technical
schools at Manila the Philippine Nor
mal School, the Philippine School of
Arts and -Trades, and the Philippine
Nautical" School. The officering of this
teaching "army- Is intrusted- to the
American teachers and district and di
visional superintendents. High testi
mony Is borne to their earnest and
hlghmlnded work by the General Su
perintendent of Education, David P.
Barrows, and by General James F.
Smith, the Secretary of Public Instruc
tion. But the results of their labors.
Indicated by the facts and figures
quoted, speak in no 'uncertain tone.
"When Secretary Taft lands in the
Philippines In the near future with the
Congressional party (among whom will
be Senator Dubois, of Idaho, we are
glad to see), no result of the American
occupation will be shown by him with
more pride, with less excuse, than the
living, working system of education in
the'lslarfds, 'designed, organized, super
vised by American men and women,
but brought by Filipino teachers to the
children of their neighbors and coun
trymen. A FRIEND TO THE BUFFALO. .
Much has been written In reminiscent
and regretful strain In the past twenty
years about the passing. of the North
American bison. The, practical extinc
tion. In a wild or free stater of this
ponderous beast. Immense herds of
which roamed the great plateau of the
continent until about the time of the
completion of the Northern Pacific
Railway In 1SS0, is one of the facts of
National history; of that vast section.
There is a reason for this extinction
outside of the predatory Instinct of the
hunter a reason similar to that which
took the Indians off of the great plains
and restricted them to reservations.
The country was needed for purposes of
civilization, and civilization and the
buffalo cannot dwell together. A praise
worthy effort has, however, been made
In recent years to preserve this animal
from extinction, but again, like the In
dian, the buffalo deteriorates In con
finement, and the decimation of his
numbers goes on slowly In spite of the
Government's caretakers.
To prevent this, Colonel Jones, who
has charge of the game In the Yellow
stone Park, recently went to "Washing
ton hoping to secure funds and permis
sion to enlarge the area to which the
National buffalo herd is now restricted.
Ranging In the National preserve are
twenty-five or thirty head of pure
blooded bison. The guards protect
them from overzealous hunters of big
game, who otherwise would eoon ex
terminate them. Their most formida
ble and persistent enemy, however. Is
the puma, or mountain Hon, one of the
wild beasts that yet roam the Rocky
Mountain region, with a price on his
head.
Much sympathy. It will be remem
bered, was bestowed upon this animal
at the time- of the President's last
hunting trip In Colorado, it being al-'
leged that he was ruthlessly pursued
and barbarously killed by members of
the Presidential hunting party. That
this sympathy was wasted Is evident
from the report of Colonel Jones, In
which he expresses the belief that one
full-grown puma will destroy In one
year more game which It Is desirable .to
preserve than would fall before the
guns of half a dozen lawless hunters. !
The attempt to preserve buffalo, elk
and mountain sheep from extinction is
made In the Interest of natural history
and Is thoroughly commendable. The
relatively small sums required for this
purpose should be cheerfully given and
wisely "expended. "Wisdom In this ex
penditure requires that war be made
upon the natural enemies of these
herbaceous creatures the carnivorous
animals that In tile wild or unrestricted
state represented a fixed principle la
the economy of Nature for keeping the
peaceful creatures from starving each
other out through unhindered increase.
The tardy realization of the danger of
extinction that menaced the buffalo, elk
and mountain sheep comprehends In
the means of protection of these ani
mals not only ample area for pastur
age and protection from the eager
hunters of big game, but war upon the
puma, a most persistent hunter, that
now holds Nature's commission to
slaughter, wherever found, creatures
that can offer no defense against his
teeth and claws, his Invincible strength
and his quickness of movement.
The President has another hunting
trip for the Rocky Mountain region
scheduled. All friends of the buffalo
and other animals that the Government
seeks to preserve from extinction
should join In the hope that the forty
pumas killed during the past "Winter
by Colonel Jones In the Yellowstone
National preserves may be duplicated
In number by the Presidential hunting
party, thereby Increasing by so much
the safety of creatures worthy of pres
ervation. DOGS AND CHILDREN.
Between. licensed dogs and untrained
children. It Is evident that many citi
zens who desire to make Portland In
truth a "city beautiful" will ave, and
Indeed are having a hard time.' L.
Samuel, a practical advocate of gener
ous rose culture on lawns arid street
parkings, some time ago voiced . his
plaint against the destructlveness and
defilement of dogs In the residence dis
tricts, and now he speaks out In words
as clear against the filthy nuisance that
these creatures make of themselves In
the business sections ofVthe cltj Mr.
Samuel Is not an enemy of dogs, but
he does believe, and strenuously urges
his belief, that dogs should be kept off
the streets In the Interest of cleanli
ness and civic pride until after the Fair
is over. In this view It Is hoped that
even the most devoted admirers and
fond owners of dogs of high and low
degree will acquiesce.
But the dog question thus in elusive
hope disposed of, what about the un
ruly children who extend their play
rough and boisterous, as becomes the
sports of healthy childhood to the
neighbors' lawns, and who ruthlessly
break down and trample under foot the
rose bushes and carefully cut sward of
the parkings? Clearly they cannot be
chained up in the back .yards of their
homes, and to Suggest to parents' who"
are" In the habit of giving their children
free rein, -that they keep these playful.
depredators- on their own grounds,
would be to throw down the slogan of
neighborhood war. This, of course. Is
not to be thought of, since the specta--cleof
women making faces at' each
other-' across lots, from front porches
or. open windows, would not be condu
cive to the good effect that we hope to
produce upon visitors. This Is indeed
the most perplexing question that has
been-, presented In behalf of the "city
beautiful." Its solution Is still awaited.
no scARcrrv of money.
The Railway Age predicts the con
struction of more than 9300 miles of
railroad In the United States this year,
contracts for 7500 miles being already
let. This Is the greatest amount of
new mileage projected" for any year In
the past decade. In addition to this
there will be an enormous expenditure
for doubling tracks, Increasing equip
ment and Improving the physical con
dition of roads already built. In every
previous period of railroad expansion
this country has been dependent to a
considerable extent on European capi
tal. So Important has been the part of
this foreign capital In financing rail
road extension in the past that the
British capitalists are awaiting the
coming boom with a mild degree of ex
pectancy. The London Statist, In an
article on the situation, seems to take
It for granted that the remarkable pros
perity In this cquntry will present op
portunities for the employment of Brit
ish capital. The Statist says:
The period when European capital will again
flow to the United States 'for employment ap
pears to be at and. From many points of
view the most attractive- Investments for
European capitalists are the bonds of Amer
ican railways earning large profits In excess of
their fixed charges. There can be no doubt
whatever that the financial condition of the
railways of th United States is stronger than
It has ever been before, and that the security
which they can offer Is, with rare .exceptions,
very good. But for whatever- purpose capital
is cent to the United States, It Is evident that
the Idea that America, had passed beyond the
stage where It could find employment for Its
own growing capital resources was not Justi
fied: nor will it, we think, be warranted for
many years to come.
Unquestionably, the United States
will require more capital to carry out
the industrial enterprises projected for
1905 than In any previous year, but It Is
equally true that never before have we
been so well equipped financially for
handling American enterprises with
American money. The savings bank
deposits are larger than ever before,
while the big Insurance companies have
almost fabulous amounts of money,
available for investment In high-grade
Industrial securities, on terms fully as
advantageous as any obtainable from
the foreigners. The Statist, apparently
underestlmates the volume of Amerl
can wealth that has been plllngnp In
the last half-dozen years, of good crops
and high prices. Not only have our
agricultural Industries during that
period created more wealth than ever
before, but the mines, factories and
forest products of the country have
aided In swelling our fund for Invest
ment to such proportions that for any
legitimate undertaking, promising a
moderate Teturn, there Is an unlimited
supply of American capital.
-Of course, if Great Britain or Ger
many should suffer from such a congestion-
of money that Interest rates
would become abnormally low, an open
ing could probably be found for some
of the surplus In this' country. Such a
contingency Is remote at this time, for
the reason that there are other less
prosperous countries that will be In the
market for foreign funds. There Is
practically no limit to the field for In
vestment that will be opened up at the
close of the war in the Far East
Americans will undoubtedly take an
active part In Industrial exploitation
across the Pacific, and. If their own
funds are profitably engaged at hbme,
they may find employment for foreign
money. The Statist and all" other for
eign financial authorities can accept It
as a fact, however, that never again
will the United States make such de
mands on Europe for Investment funds
as we have made In the past. Our finan
cial independence of the rest of the
world Is nearer to being an accepted
fact than ever before.
-It will be a distinct loss to the local
amusement world If the Columbia
Stock Company shall be obliged to close
Its season. It Is a formidable under
taking for any manager to put on
standard plays and comedies by a first
class company at low prices; and when
he embellishes his productions with
attractive scenery, fine costumes and
expensive stage accessories, his
chances of failure are greatly en
hanced, unless he shall have generous
public support. The Columbia com
pany has many members of .fine ability
and much personal charm. They have
one and all shown a steady devotion to
their art, and a continuous purpose
to Interest and please. As a result, the
public has during the past "Winter seen
many things It could not Jiave other
wise seen, and the things It might
have seen from road companies have
also been well done. -If It shall be pos
sible for the season to be continued, the
remainder of the" theatrical year will
not be almost a blank.
The logger with his railroad has be
come a powerful factor In the develop
ment of Oregon and "Washington, and
some very important transportation
systems have-grown out of the small
beginning made to afford an outlet
for the timber. Enterprises of this na
ture on shore have become quite com
mon, but now we have a-case of log
gers building a navigable stream which
will remain an Industrial highway long
after all of the available timber has
floated out of.it. The Benson Logging
Company Is building a channel from
Beaver Slough Into' the Clatskanle
River, straightening' out three miles
of tortuous stream, over which steam
boats have previously had great diffi
culty In traveling. ' In a manner, this
Is more beneficial than a logging rail
road, for -while the Tails of the latter
may be taken up and the road aban
doned, the new waterway will remain
forever.
The schooner Klose Is the latest ad
dition to a long list of vessels which
have refused to break up, go ashore
or become total wrecks after their
crews have abandoned them. If the
motto "Don't give up the ship" had
been strictly adhered to by the sailor
men on the Pacific Coast, the death
roll In the past twenty years would
have been much smaller. A water
logged and unmanageable schooner Is
not a pleasant place of habitation dur
ing a gale, but, had the crew of the
Klose remained on board until the ar
rival of help they would today be safe
at Aberdeen. Rare Indeed have been
occasions where .men have bettered
thelr condition by leaving- a craft
which still possessed sufficient buoy
ancy, to float and, no water In the cabin.
If the Russian "War Office has . sent
750.000 soldiers to the front during the
war over a line of railroad, nearly 6000
miles long. It has achieved a most as
tonishing military and railroading feat.
Presumably the great majority of the
soldiers were sent from Russia over
nearly the whole length of the road.
The war has been on for fourteen
months. On .that basis the average
number of soldiers sent forward dally
was a few less than 2000. Probably not
more than 500 could be carried byia
single train. The time consumed in
traveling was at the lowest calculation
two weeks. Fifty-six transcontinental
trains must have been constantly' mov
ing east, and a similar number west.
This does not take Into account the
commissary trains, or the accommoda
tion of regular traffic, or the trouble
some crossing at Lake Baikal. All
sorts and conditions of cars and loco
motives were doubtless used. If Russia
has done this thing, it has done a gi
gantic work. But perhaps it did not.
There Is much to support th&, opinion
that many Russian soldiers were sol
diers on paper, for commissary pur
poses only.
A contractors' pool? "Whoever heard
of such a thing? But what of it and
why expose It? "We had a sewer con
tractors' pool once, and an exposure
on Tanner Creek, and a lot of Indict
ments, and a lot more scandal, and
there It seems to have ended. "We had
a Mqrrison-street bridge investigation,
mdan exposure, but the bridge Is still
here and so are the contractors. Then
we have had sensational talk about
itreet-pavlng. and cement walks and
telephone franchises and police cor
ruption, and much else, but somehow
the world continues to wag in the same
old way, except, of course, for Tom
"Word and the gamblers. "Where are
we coming out? But no- matter. "We
are enjoying a wholesale revival, and
everybody Is going to be good.
Bradstreets weekly table of barik
clearings shows Portland well up
toward the head of the column with
an Increase of 49.6 per cent over the
corresponding week last year. The
average daily clearings were In excess
of $700,000. Coming at a time when
the wheat has practically ceased mov
ing, and It Is still too early for wool
or other Spring staples, these figures
reflect a highly satisfactory conditlpn
of trade. Other Coast cities also show
a healthy increase over last year's fig
ures, the average of the Pacific Coast
cities as a group being much better
than those for any other group of elm-ilar-slzed
cities In other parts of the
country.
The Russian "War Office own3 up that
it dispatched to the front since the
war "began nearly 800,000 officers and
men. "What became of them It is not
easy to learn, inasmuch as the effect
ive Russian fighting force in Man
churia Is now probably about 300,000.
If the Russian losses in one year's
fighting counting dead, wounded, pris
oners, deserters' arid, sick have reached
the Immense totaj of 500,000,..the Rus
sian, disasters have been the.-most stu
pendous In modern history.
Scandal In local contracting circles
has drifted f rom sewers to bridges with
strong hints that more exposures are
to follow. "We believe that It was the
late lamented Chief of Police. "Watklnds
who mixed' his knowfedge of mythology
slightly with local conditions when- he
announced his determination, to "clean
out the Oregon stables." A reformer
like Bill "Watklnds Would . And himself
busy these days.
"Do not tolerate an immoral preach
eri" said Booker T. "Washington in a
recent speech. "Do not give him any
thing to eat." But let us feed our good
preachers well. It helps to make and
keep 'em good.'
Kansas goes -Minnesota with its bot
tle of sparkling water, one better, and
will christen the battleship Kansas
with abottle of crude oil. There ought
to be a grasshopper In It.
After all, It Is beneath the Czar's
dignity to fight on equal terms" with
upstart barbarian Islanders like the
Japanese. .
If the stockgrower gets 5 I cents a
pound for his beef and the consumer
pays 18 cents for it, who gets the 13
cents?
General Constant "Williams' high
opinion of the efficiency of the Oregon
soldier boys is shared by sundry Fili
pinos. Russia is beaten,
seems to know it-
Even Russia now
New Horror to Sea Life.
Sheffield Dally -Telegraph.
A novel courtesy of the sea was paid
Filey yesterday by the Grimsby steam
trawler Syrian, which put Into the bay
for shelter from the strong westerly
gale. She had no sooner anchored under
the" lee of the Brig, and swung round
with her head to the. wind, than by
means of an organ pip arrangement on
her. siren she gave full blast to AuId
Lang Syne." The tune was most ad
mirably played, and brought scores of
folk running to the foreshore and cliff
tops to Investigate the strange occur
rence. After a short pause the siren
broke Into "A.Life on the Ocean "Wave,"
the boat meanwhile pitching short at
her anchor, whilst thunderous seas
dashed over the reef. "The Bay of
Biscay" was next rendered, the melody
later giving- place to "The Death of
Nelson." The novel salute of the town
was acknowledged by the dipping of
flags.. Later in the afternoon the
steamer obliged with "Rule Britannia"
and "God Save the King."
Jet Is Popular.
- New York Evening Sun.
"White Jet is the jewelry novelty of 1903
In Europe. It is very, like Ivory, but
sparkles, and when it has been carefully
cut the effect is. said to be dazzling. Old
jet, both black and white. Is being un
earthed and reset. Queen Victoria had. a
magnificent collection, which Princess
"Victoria, of Scbleswig-Holsteln, inherited.
Evil Effects of Smoking.
Now York Evening Sun.
As an Instance of how smoking stunts
the growth, it. Is noted that the Rus
sian giant now on exhibition in Lon
don is 9 feet 64 inches In height and
smokes 200 cigarettes a day.
What's on Fourth Side?
New York Evening Sun.
A remarkable hotel is In. the Sahara
Desert. From the windows, on two
sides nothing but pathless sand ' is to
be-seen. On a third side stand 280,000
palm trees. - .
- NOTE AND -.COMMENT."; -Busting
the Trust'. .
This is a -tale of monopoly'.s wiles," .-
And how they availed in the Cannibal Isles.
' "
The mission schooner, tho Morning Star.
"Was wrecked on the reefs ot those Islets far;
And the preachers and teachers- and" young
sters, too,
"Were found on the beach by the Chief Goo
Goo. "
LHe built them a pen and he shoved them In.
-Ana my. how that wicked Goo-Goo did grin.
"When a feast-day came, for something nice
A thousand cocoa-nuts .was his price;,
And If tiie consumers lacked enough
To pay Goo-Goo. they got something tough
A preacher old, or a teacher prim.
As the chieftain said, biz was bis with him.
And since he controlled tho visible crop.
What .a chump he'd be to let prices drop!
So the natives went short on ste'wr and
roasts," v -' -.
And hunted for shellfish along their coasts.
Till at length Goo-Goo by his- shameless
capers
Attracted the notice, of Cannibal papers. 4
And tables were printed to show the rise
In preachers and similar household .supplies,
"And long editorials, set double-leaded.
With "Death to the Trust" in blackface
were headed.
Till the Cannibal king, to hold his position.
Appointed a solemn official commission.
And the members reported with never a
smile
That the charge ot extortion had missed by
a mile. - -
Goo-Goo. they declared, found profits were
small.
And on children who're gluttons made
notblngat all.
But the mood of the people grew worse and
yet worse.
With hardly a cocoa-nut left In a purse.
Xow since all were consumers producer
was none:
The householders banded together as one.
And they marched to Goo-Goo's without
troubling to knock.
And left not an Infant alive of his stock.
They stoked up their fires, and when they
were hot w
Put the Morning Star's crew with Goo-Goo
In the jiot.
.
And that's how they countered monopoly's
wiles
In the blamelessly shamelessly Cannibal
Isles.
Is Kansas going to-do anything abou?
the lobster trust?
There's an old saying about appealing
from Philip drunk to. Philip sober. Tho
Czar might try appeallng'from the Grand
Dukes drunk to the Zemsky Sobor.
New York papers contain frequent ref
erences to the "new 'S figure - for wo-t
men." This must have the kangaroo and
the Grecian bend twisted Into a lover's
knot.
A man In Vancouver, B. C,-"married a'
woman he saw In a dream. He's probably
wide awake by this time. i
The medicos might do with the Board
of Health squabbling what they do "with
tho appendix cut It out,
Acting Premier Tittonl has" handed
his resignation to the King of Italy. A
man with such a chirrup of a name
wouldn't do for Premier 'of anything
bigger than a peanut stand.
General Beebe Joins the ranks of the;
dldri't-mean-what-theyrsaids.
A Japnesecomplaln's ihat'be.'was
robbed of. ?5. by three ' women .'fin a
friendly? scuffle.."- r
Vancouver has a horse -that "plays
dead." If any other horses take to
practical jokes, there will have to be
a rev-.-sion of the expression 'horse
sense.
The Igorrotes
your dogs.
are coming. Starve
Chicago reports the-vloss of $60,000
worth of Ice In a fire. No" Insurance on
stock.
A "lonely homesteader" Is advertis
ing for a. wife- -Hcfmakes It an essen
tial requirement that she shall, "Jove
a country life."- Here is a splendid
chance for a girl to get close- to Nature.
They're trying to put the beef trust
on the hog.
General Lew "Wallace used but four
sentences In his will- He evidently im
proved upon his "Ben Hur" style of
writing.
"The Kaiser has decreed that ladles
decollette - dresses shall not be' cut
square," says the New York Evening
Sun. On the square?
A commission Is Investigating charges
of neglect of duty made against tho
Rev. Mr. Smyth-Plggott, a Church of
England clergyman, whose church Is
at Kingston Seymour. Testimony be
fore the commission shows that Mr.
Smyth-Plggotfs sermon3 never lasted
more than ten minutes and frequently
lasted but one minute. One of the ser
mons, reported verbatim, was as fol
lows: Our text this morning Is: "Lift up your
heads, O ye gates, and be ye llftup,ye- ever
lasting door. and .the King of Glory .shall
come In." It Is very suitable, for this morn
ing's' service, -as Davids, -who" wrote this, very
little thought he waa foretelling the ascension
of our I.ord Jesus- Christ.
It i3 rather difficult to follow the rea
soning of the preacher, but we confess
that his brevity would more than, com
pensate us- for his lack of logic
The story published some time .ago
about the surgeon who left-his forceps
In the wound he was sewing -up is
quite eclipsed by one from Paris. A' pair
of eyeglasses was left Inside the pa
tient by the French surgeon, according
to the story. See that the man who
chops you open has a string to his eye
glasses. Satan goes to his corner groggy.
"WEXFORD - JONES.
A Flea for Heathenism.
Philadelphia North American.
The Mikado tells his soldiers fo be truthful.
To obey commands, be loyal, never glum;
To keep sincere and guard against vulgarity:
It this is heatneman, lei'it ccmei
He bids them banish -boasts and. greed anf
quarrels-
To guard, against extravagance be dumb
When duty calls, but face the need with cour
age: - -It
this Is heathenism, let it come!
To prize their reputations and their honor,
Be vlrtuotM and frugal. Is the sum
Of the- rules he has them, ay in camp each
morning:
If . this is heathenism. Jet it come! 4
' A Jab at Him.
Philadelphia . Press.
"Oh. my!" complained Mrs. Diggs. "1
Tinvivr had such an unsatisfactory dav'a
P shopping.-"
"Huh! snorted her husband. "X sup
pose you were trying to ' get-something
for nothing."
"Yes. dear, I was hunting for a birthday
gift for you-" vv '- . .