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PORTLAND, SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 1900.
THE NEW METHOD.
Of course the Legislature is to elect
the Senator of the United State?. But
Is the Legislature to Ibe guided by the
expressed -will of the people, or to ad
here to the old way of traffic, of "bar
pain and sale, employed at the state
capital, time out of mind?
' This method enabled unscrupulous
aspirants, partly "by direct purchase,
partly by -promise of office and favors,
not only to control the election of Sen
ators, "but to corrupt the life of the
state in its domestic policy, and to
control the official life of the state in
its relations to the National Govern
ment at Washington,
t He -who was responsible, chiefly, for
this system in Oregdn has passed away.
Had he lived, the abuse could not have
been carried much further. The new
legislation that Oregon has enacted
was the effort of a people to rid them
selves of the consequences of this cor
ruption. The primary election law, with the
obligations it Imposes, was adopted and
enacted as a means of raising oun po
litical life out of this corruption and
degradation. It is not perfect, of
course, and it is easy to find fault
with it. But honest adherence to it,
and enforcement of it, will cut off the
old traffic at Salem.
As the Salem Capital Journal ex
presses it, "There are graft, venality,
fraud and corruption on the side of the
old way of electing Senators. The office
is put up at "bargain and sale, raffled
off to the highest "bidder, the greatest
corruptionist. This has been the rule,
not the exception. Nine times out of
ten money and patronage have carried
the day, instead of honesty and prin
ciple." m r
The results of this system its legiti
mate consequences have at last over
, taken the system and those who have
employed it. The results are collapse
of the system, disgrace to those who
have pursued it, dishonor, infamy and
death. '
But a- new light appears. "We shall
not say it is a clear and .perfect light.
It is easy to find fault with it: easy
to say it does not answer every pur
pose of Illumination and reform. But
at least it will shut off or put an end
to the old system of purchase, bargain
and sale.
There is a plutocratic Influence in Or
egon, that has its headquarters in Port
land, whose purpose it is to continue
the old corrupt regime. It puts up its
money -without stint for support of its
newspaper organ; it desire is to render
the primary law abortive: it believes in
the power of money, and thinks every
man has .his price. It plays a game
between the parties, professing attach-"
ment to neither. It has no principles,
save the principles of pelf, and there
fore professes to be "independent." All
It wants is special privileges, from the
public Its ambition is to .possess fran
chises, control officials, manage legis
lation, municipal, state and National,
while it poses for philanthropy and
rakes in profits. -
Under the primary law. this Influence
can control neither party, certainly
cannot both of them. The people of
Oregon are awake, and now and hence
forth will cast these selfish and corrupt
influences out of their politics. The
candidates who receive nominations
may not be ' those whom everybody
wants, but at least, or at worst, they
will not be the candidates of small and
corrupt cliques, in alliance with pluto
cratic combines. The new method, how
far soever-it may "fall short of ideal
results, will effect a change; and any
change must .be for the better, cannot
be for the worse.
The unwillingness of midshipmen to
give testimony against their brutal
tormentors at Annapolis shows the hold
which the system of hazing there prac
ticed has upon the institution. These
students evidently prefer, from their
knowledge of the methods employed to
harry and torment, to abide in silence
the Ills which they have, rather than to
incur still greater penalties. It is
clearly time that prosecutlbns were
conducted under the statute of 1903,
which, makes it an "offense punishable
"by dismissal ""-to participate in, encour
age or countenance hazing." . It is time
the prosecutions under the statute of
1874, under which active participation
in hazing must be proved In order to
secure conviction, was substituted in
the trials in progress by the newer
statute. It Is reasonable to suppose
that only the certainty -of conviction
under the later statute has caused the
cases thus far to be tried under the
old one.
A PIECE OF IMPUDENCE.
Mr. Malarkey's attempt to -pry into
the "private business" of the Ineffable
Oregon "Water 'Power Company was
presumptuous, to say the least. Few
would protest, perhaps, if it were pro
nounced sacrilegious. This poking and
peering into the sacred mystery of cor
poration, profits is "becoming all too
common. Mr. Hurlburt. that peerless
champion of the higher ethics, did mar
velous wisely to rebuke It when he had
the opportunity.
The opportunity came when Mr. Ma
larkey impiously inquired of Mr. Hurl
burt, who had condescended to be a
witness in the. Anderson case, what
share the "Water .Power Company got
of fares it compelled patrons of The
Oaks to pay to the favored line of re
turn -boats. ' "I don't know, and I
AvouldnV tell if I did." replied the
sublimely enraged Mr. Hurlburt. This
was well. Ii was exactly the withering
rebuke for a sovereign corporation to.
inflict upon the impudently meddlesome
public. "What business has the public
with the profits of the Oregon Water
Power Company?
The corporation, it may be said, was
created by the public, obtained its right
of way from the public and lives by
what it can extort from the public; but
all this is aside from the question. The
Southern slave-owner derived his
wealth from the labor of his slaves.
Did he owe them any return. Nothing.
The slaves were created to make
wealth for their masters. Likewise
the (public exists to make wealth for
the Oregon Water Power Company,
and we ought all to be thankful for the
glorious privilege of giving our dimes
and dollars to such a noble corporation,
with such a grand and good president
as Mr. Hurlburt. What the corporation
does with the money Is -no business of
ours. Is it any business of the sheep's
what the shepherd does with his wool?
What does it matter" to the steer who"
gnaws his nicely-roasted ribs? It is
sufficient for him that his ribs were
made to be gnawed. So the pockets
of the public were made to be emptied,
and it is sweet to think that the Lord
has sent us a corporation to do the
emptying so admirably skillful about
It as the Oregon Wat,er Power Com
pany. A BOLD CONTENTION OI" SCIENCE.
Science, wearing the broad cloak of
humanity, has frequently in recent
years advocated the advisability not
to say the duty of relieving intense
and hopeless suffering from disease or
injury to the human body by bringing
painless and speedy death to those
thus cruelly afflicted. It has gone
farther than this, by including In this
effort the congenital idiot and the in
curably insane, urging, in the name of
common humanity, that a sleeping po
tion be administered in such cases suf
ficiently (powerful to give eternal
quietus to the sufferer. Opposed, to
this view is the theory of the sacred
ness of human life, which Is held to
demand that under all circumstances
and conditions the vital spark should
be kept alive, however feebly, as long
as possible.
Most persons of sound and progres
slve views, based upon the mission of
human life, taking into account the
generally accepted views upon its
whence, wherefore and whither, agree
with the statement which declares that
it is cruel and in no sense either logical
or merciful to prolong hopeless suffer
ing in a human creatureHhat would toe
relieved In the name of pity, and hu
manity, were the sufferer an animal of
the brute creation. But custom is
strong and sentiment an unreasoning
thing, because, as often as the ques
tion has been brought forward. Its con
tention has, after more or less stormy
debate, met with disapproval.
The strongest reason urged against
reducing this theory to practice In the
case of desperate illness is that no one
is competent to say that the recovery
of the patient Is impossible as long as
the breath of life lingers In his body.
The severe and nearly fatal Illness of
Jtudyard Kipling- In New York, a few
years ago, is cited as conspicuous. If
not conclusive evidence of the truth of
this contention. Mr. Kipling's life. It
will be .remembered, was despaired of
for many days from an attack of pneu
monia. The most hopeful of his physi
cians at times fixed Its tenure at a fetv
hours, but were unremitting in their
efforts, by means of the most powerful
stimulants, to prolong those hours to
the utmost limit possible. To the sur
prise of all, the sturdy Englishman
rallied, recovered, and In due time,
went out into the world again, a well
man. His case is to this day regarded
as a phenomenal one, but it is cited
as a triumph for those who proclaim
that "while there is life there is hope."
and act upon Its bare suggestion to
keep an apparently bopeless -sufferer
alive as long as possible.
This contention fails, however, when
the patient has received injuries that
are necessarily fatal and writhes in
hopeless agony, begging science for the
only relief that It is possible to bestow.
It also fails utterly In the case of the
congenital idiot, and in that of ' the
maniac, beating for 3ears the Iron bars
that are symbolical of the body that
holds him In cruel . thrall. Objectors,
however, fall back upon the theory of
the sacredness of human life, oblivious
to tlie fact that any condition that
renders life a burden and a curse to the
individual, from which death Is the
only ' possible release, nullifies - the
theory and makes death and not life
the sacred thing the boon to be
craved.
Among the latest advocates of the
theory that the hopelessly insane, the
congenital Idiot, the Incurably -diseased
and the victims of mutilating accidents
should ,be given a quietus by Bcience
are Dr. Charles Eliot 'Norton, of Cam
bridge, Maud Ballington Booth, of the
Volunteers of America, and Miss Anna
S. Hall, a humanitarian, of Cincinnati.
Dr. Norton was formerly professor of
literature at Harvard, and his opinions
as a thinker and scholar have weight.
Maud Ballington Booth's humanity,
sympathy and kindness cannot be
questioned, and her work and that of
Miss Hall have been largely among
the Jowly and the suffering" of -earth.
The opinions of such persons as these
cannot be put aside s unworthy of
attention. On the contrary, they are
entitled to weight In a discussion that
.deals on one side with the sacredness
of "human life, regardless of conditio.-.
and on the other- with the human prin
ciple -which decrees that It is merciful
to put an end to hopeless agony and
mental darkness-or terror by helping
Nature to cast oa an outworn garment
that binds the wearer to hopeless suf
fering or imbecility.
That physicians, in pursuit of their
professional duties, reduce this theory
to prac.tlce, unknown to anyone save
themselves. In many instances of in
tense suffering from necessarily fatal
accident or Incurable disease, there can
beno doubt. They simply follow the
dictates of humanity rind remain silent
until their views .upon the subject are
asked, when, forjfthe most part, real
izing that the time1 Isnot. ripe for open
advocacy of thepftnciple involved, they
register a protest more or less vehe
mentagainst it,v ' '
The time wlll.come' when professional
skill will not be devoted to the purpose
of adding many hours or few as the
case may be to Ibe misery of conscious
life by stimulants or surgical opera
tlons In the case -of mortal disease or
torturing and .necessarily fatal acci
dent, but ratberto "Hastening the end.
peacefully and 'painlessly. But It Is
not yet, and the agitation of the sub
ject now In progress will In due time
subside not, "however, until It has
sown seed for a later effort and a far
away harvest.""
FREEDOM OF THE rUIJlT.
Every nation or people known to his
tory has had some sort of religious
organization. This organization has,
with the lapse of. time, invariably
hardened Into a machine, more or less
completely destitute of vitality and
progressive Impulse. The men In con
trol of It, naturally satisfied with the
arrangement upon which their power
and Influence depend, bave uniformly
framed a concept of their duty In har
mony with, their Interest, that duty, as
they, perhaps with honesty, conceive It,
being to perform strictly the cere
monial offices of their religion and to
hand down to their successors without
change for worse or better, the tradi
tions, the creed and the literature re
ceived from the past. Defending this
dubiously precious heritage from at
tack, as they must constantly," for,
though they stand and beat time, the
world never does, the guardians of the
religious -machine soon -perceive that
the best defense for It is to declare it
sacrosanct. The whole apparatus has
been established, they "assert, by the
decree of the Almighty. The genuflec
tions and ejaculations of the ritual he
has prescribed, as an Edward or Will
iam prescribes the ceremonial of a
court presentation. The articles of the
creed he has revealed. The holy liter
ature he has dictated to amanuenses.
Thus an attack upon the religious
machine becomes an attack upon the
Almighty. To Initiate change, to ques
tion the creed, to criticize the historical
or scientific accuracy of the literature,
is to defy the decrees of God. It Is
marvelous how successfully the "stand
pat" party In every religion has Im
posed this view upon the people, nor
need we Relieve that they have taught
it Insincerely. Men believe without dif
ficulty what their Interest suggests.
They defend and teach, without the
least hypocrisy, whatever dognias in
theology or politics buttress their own
power, . But meanwhile the pioneers of
thought' Invade the realm of the un
known. They explpre the starry
heavens and find the planets wheeling
In' their, orbits in obedience, not to the
dogma of the priests, but to the law of
gravitation. They delve Into the strata
of the earth and the fossil bones of
dead saurians emerge front their aeons
of silent slumber to belie. the consecrat
ed myths of the creation. They ponder
the forbidden problems of right and
wrong and face down Jehovah, Zeus or
the Anglo-Saxon God with Iron evi
dence of his deep Injustice, 'inasmuch
as he has set wrong on thrones and
chained the bodies rfnd souls of men.
They climb to the mountain-tops of
thought, where the air Is pure and the
light is heaven's own and there they
get sight of the true God. nameless and
fearless, who dreads no truth and loves
no wrong, the God of the chalnlcss
pioneer, whose will Is the march of the
free Intellect and whose worship Is
righteousness.
. Thus under every civilized religious
cult two theories of the deity develop:
one that -he Is the God of what is, the
other that he Is the God of what ougnt
to be; and parallel with these oppos
ing theories of the nature and will of
the Almighty -two antagonistic views
obtain .of the purpose of religious
teaching. It is held, on the one hand,
that the preacher's office is to Incul
cate with such power of eloquence us
he may the traditional beliefs, cus
toms, ceremonies, and nothing more.
The deity long ago uttered himself
completely and for all time the preach
er's sole business now Is to reiterate
the items of the ancient revelation. On"
the other hand. It Is held that all prob
lems, present or past, scientific, politi
cal or social, are fundamentally re
ligious. Inasmuch as ttrey have their
roots in the relations between the
world and Its maker. And those who
adopt this view claim for the preacher
liberty to think and utter his thought
from the pulpit upon whatever touches
the weal or woe of men.
Thus the flgbt for the liberty of the
pulpit cannot be distinguished, from
the ancient and endless war for free
dom of thought. Those who -would fet
ter the preacher's tongue would fetter
also, if they could, the philosopher's
mind. Those who have stood for truth
in science have also stood, for truth
In religion and Its unrestricted teach
ing. Socrates contended for the liberty
of the pulpit no less than Dr. Wise, for
he, too, believed that the religious
teacher must solve all human prob
lems. This commission from on m"gh
was to teach men "to know them
selves," since self-knowledge by men
Involved the knowledge of the. Al
mighty. The philosophers of classic
times held In their world the same re
lative position as the free preachers
and scientists of today, opposed to the
orthodox religious machine, to vulgar
Ignorance and conservative injustice.
The great men who founded the mod
ern world all championed the same
cause. Luther, Hubs, Cranmer, all
staked their lives for liberty of
preaching, and some of them " lost.
Savonarola went to the stake for a
free pulpit. The monastic orders In the
iCatholic Church stood originally for
.liberty or preaching, in opposition to
the regular clergy; nor has the eJdcr
church ever gone to the same extreme
in fettering -her preachers tongues as
the Protestants, so long as they kept
clear of dogmatic heresy.
The prophets were the free preachers
among the ancient Jews. It was they
who "kept religion alive In opposition to
the dead formalism of the Lcvitlcn!
priesthood; and it is one of the bitter
ironlec of-fate that their 'poems and
philosophies, almost every one a cry
of revolt against established wrong,
have been consecrated by later ages
to the cause of both Hebrew and Chris
tian orthodoxy. The Jewish pulpit of
the present day is as free as the Chris
tian, but both are In general deplorably
subservient. To tooth the wealthy pew
holder forbids all vital dealing with the
sins which have made him rich. Both
stand In terror of the ghosts of dead
dogmas. Both tremble before the ig
norant prejudices of the mob. In gen
eral, the preaching from all pulpits .Is
adapted to please the worst of the rich
church members, and the most Ignor
ant poor ones. But to this statement
we must admit exceptions. There are
free Christian pulpits, there are free
Jewish ones and, rare though they, are
as yet, the number Is probably increas
ing. Upon their continued Increase
hangs the problem of regaining for
religion Its Just influence In the affairs
of the world, for that Influence will
never again be conceded, to empty'
forms and discredited dogmas.
BENEFITS OF WATERWAY IMPROVE
MENT. New Tork will expend 5100.000.000 In
enlarging the Eric Canal so that It will
admit 1000-ton carriers. Vast as 'this
sum appears in comparison with any
other expenditure ever attempted for
Interior waterways, the traffic Involved
easily warrants the magnitude of the
undertaking. Water transportation Is
not only the cheapest, but It Is lso
Immune from the designs of the monop
olists. New York will undoubtedly get
its money back with Interest In the way
of Increased (rade with the territory
tributary to the enlarged canal, but the
greatest beneficiaries under this enor
mous expenditure will be the producers
themselves. It is announced that the
great work has been projected for the
purpose of winning back some of the
trade that has been diverted to Gal
veston and other ports while Nmv York
was resting In a self-satisfied manner
on the laurels It had won In the past.
This trade can be shifted only by of
fering better terms to the shippers and
producers than they now receive. This
was the advantage -which Galveston
offered when it began making Inroads
on the business which had previously
paid exclusive tribute to New York and
the Northern ports. It was on the plea
that by improving the harbor and In
creasing shipping facilities Galveston
could offer a better route to the sea
than that ending at the Northern ports.
Congress supplied the money for mak
ing the necessary Improvements. Some
thing like 56.000,000 was expended by
the Government, nnd- it was a mere
bagatelle In comparison with the In
creased profits of the producers and
shippers In the Immense area of coun
try that had previously found an outlet
to sea by the more expensive routes.
Now, If the enlarged canal proves as
effective as New York hopes It will be.
some of the old trade and a large share
of the new, will drift back into the old
channel. The natural growth of the
country will carry Galveston along to
greatnes. but, even If It were other
"wlsc, the Government appropriation
has accomplished all that was expected
of it, a betterment of the conditions of
thousands and hundreds of thousands
of producers.
Exactly similar conditions exist on
the -Columbia River, and the expendi
ture of a comparatively small sum' of
money will give the producers of a vast
empire an unobstructed highway to the
sea. River and harbor appropriations
are made, not for the benefit of any
partlcular seaport where the work be
gins or ends, but for the entire terri
tory drained by the waterways or their
rail feeders. This Is the principal reason
why every individual In Eastern Wash
ington. Oregon and Idaho Is vitally In
terested In Columbia River appropria
tions which are now in jeopardy.
CORRUPT PRACTICES.
Senate document No. S3 for the first
session of the Fifty-ninth Congress
may be read with more Interest and not
less instruction than usually pertains
to literature from that fertile source.
It Is an article by Perry Belmont on
"Publicity of Election Expenditures."
first published in the North American
Review, and now reprinted and dis
tributed at public expense. Mr. Bel
mont points out that 15 states- have al
ready passed laws more or less effec
tively regulating election expenses.
Some of the statutes are manifestly de
vised to delude the public, having pro
visions which either can not be en
forced or fall to lessen corruption when
they are enforced. Ohio, at the In
stance of James A. Garfield, passed a
"corrupt practices act" In 1SS6. which,
though with undeniable defects, con
tained the vital principle which alone
can give vigor and effect to such legis
lation. This was a clause vacating the
office of a successful candidate who had
violated the provisions of the law.
An effective corrupt pratlces ct Is
the Inst thing desired by politicians of
a certain class. The Garfield law must
hnve been a hindrance to their meth
ods, for they did all they could to dis
credit it, and finally. In 1902, got It re
pealed. Virginia has a good law, to be
found In the code of 1901. It requires
detailed publication of the expenses of
every candidate, both in caucuses and
elections, and.-makes void the election
of every person who violates, its pro
visions. California lias also a law ad
mirable as far as it goes. It limits the
money a--candidate may spend In an
election, but docs n6t vacate the office
In case he exceeds the limit. The much
vaunted Massachusetts act also shuns
this essential provision, -which It re
places by fine and imprisonment. The
only penalty for corrupt election prac
tices which can ever be effective Is to
.make elections won by corruption ab
solutely void. This stops the practice
y canceling the motive for It. At the
New York constitutional convention In
1904, Mr. Root, now Secretary of State,
argued powerfully for a law which
would limit and control election ex
penses and, especially, prevent contri
butions from -corporations. The Judic
iary committee reported an excellent
amendment. It ordered the legislature
to declare expressly what election ex
penses were legitimate; and It forfeited
every office when the successful can
didate bad "used or promised money or
other valuable thing," which the law
forbade, to win his election. New York
politics fcelng what they are. of course
such an amendment could not be adopt
ed by the convention. It was rejected
on the hypocritical ground, that the
legislature already had the power to
enact whatever regulations were need
ed, for elections. 4
There is no doubt whatever -that all
the state legislatures have power to
forbid corrupt election practices under
penalty o.f forfeiture of office. The dif
ficulty Is. to Induce them to use it. Con
gress alto has rpwer to penalize the
excessive or wrongful use of money in
any election at which a federal official
Is to be chosen. When state offices are
to be filled at the same election the law
of Congress may apply to the whole
ticket, local and national. Mr. Bel
mont proves this by conclusive cita
tions from Supreme Court decisions.
Thus no authority is lacking either to
the state legislatures or to Congress.
They may enact laws as severe and
sweeping as their courage and their in
terest permit.
What they have done so far rather
encourages Mr. Belmont, who seems of
a disposition naturally cheerful One
less bouyant by temperament might not
find the case so pregnant with hope.
The matter of regulating .party elec
tion expenses has not entirely escaped
the attention of our lawmakers. We
can say so much. More we cannot
say. Parties and party elections are,
however, an Integral and necessary
portlon of our governmental machin
ery. They belong to It as much as
Congress, the executive or the Judic
iary. The expenses of the Supreme
Court are strictly regulated by law;
so are those of the President and Con
gress. Why then exempt from the reg
ulation of law and deliver over to, an
archy and corruption those elections
and that party machinery which
are the very source whence all the
agencies of government are derived?
FARMERS' PROFITS.
In discussing the agricultural abun
dance of last year, as shown by the re
port of the Secretary of Agriculture and
by the records of every farming com
munity, the Saturday Evening Post
says:
ThU agreeable condition la not altogether
due to the farmers themselves. The fact I
that American agriculture Is the ptrongest
Industry In the world by the grace of Provi
dence. It succeeds with Individualistic and
competitive methods that everybody eUe has
abandoned, only because of the fertility of
the eoll and the enormous market.
There Is something In this estimate,
no doubt, but the fact, as stated farther
on that the "farmer simply raises his
grain, and sells It" Implies Industry that
Is untiring and thrift that Is commend
able. Still, it must be .conceded that
the farmer gets the lowest price when
he has the most to sell. In this respect
agriculture stands alone amohg the In
dustries. For example, the production
of Iron Is now the greatest on record,
and the prices are very high. . Mills
working as a unit through their trade
agreements Increase their capacity only
when prices begin to advance. When
prices show signs of declining they
promptly curtail their output. By this
means they get the-hlghest prices when
they have the most to sell, thus manip
ulating the -hoary law-of supply and de
mand In their own Interest. The pur
pose of the co-ordinated, unified Indus
tries Is to let the demand come first
then meet It with supply. They are
thus able to fix the price. With the
farmer the supply comes first and de
mand fixes the price.
It will not be forgotten that efforts
have been made time and again to
place the agricultural industry upon
the basis here suggested. Such efforts
have almost uniformly failed and
brought disaster to all except their pro
moters. The painstaking, earnest, ag
gressive attempt in this line made by
farmers In Yamhill. Marlon. Polk and
perhaps some other counties of this
state, to control the output of their
fields and orchards," some year3 ago, is
well remembered. Their plans were
well laid, but heavy losses resulted. In
cluding that of a steamboat built for
the Independent movement of 'grain on
the Yamhill River. There are. reasons
for this and similar failures that will
readily suggest themselves. In-the first
place. It Is Impossible to tell a year
ahead what the crop output will be
and a year Is the shortest time In which
the agricultural supply can be worked.
The Industry Is not an exact one as to
yield. With the Iron Industry it Is dif
ferent. The control of the output Is
merely 'a matter of banking the fur
naces or running them full blast. Sup
ply can be depended upon to follow
demand promptly, and with an exact
ness that insures a profitable market.
With agriculture the supply Is In the
power of wind and weather, and a de
mand which It may not always be able
to meet Is possible.
There have, however, been some com
binations in agriculture, uhd especially
in fruitralsing. that have proved pro
tective to the Interests of farmers. It
has been found impossible In this state
for fruitgrowers to handle their prod
uct individually, with profit, or indeed
without loss. Combination has, how
ever, rendered ,lt possible to make
fruitralsing pay'in Oregon, even with
the disadvantages of a distant market.
As cited by the Post, the frultralsers of
Michigan were mostly "broke" until
they formed associations and thereby
kept control of their supply and had
something to say as to what prices
they should get, and now they are uni
formly prosperous.
PRIVATE INTEREST VS. DUTY.
In the second book of his voluminous
"Confessions," Rousseau tells of his
first great lesson In morality a lesson
well learned and long remembered. He
relates that he had inherited property
from, his mother, but that during his
absence from home his father, who had
married again, enjoyed the income from
the inheritance. This circumstance
made the father willing that his. son
should remain away, and Jean lays
down the comprehensive rule that "we
should ever carefully avoid -putting
our Interest in competition with our
duty, or promise ourselves felicity from
the misfortunes of others; certain that
In such circumstances, however sincere
our love of virtue may be, sooner or
later it will give way, and we shnll
imperceptibly become unjust and
wicked In fact, however upright In our
Intentions."
Many a parent has learned by sad ex
perience the truth of this rule, for, hav
ing confidence In the filial affection of
his children, he transfers to them his
property with the agreement that they
wlll provide him a home the remainder
of his life. Perhaps In some cases of
that kind the son or daughter fulfills
the obligation to" the letter, but In the
great majority of instances the conflict
between personal Inerest and duty les
sens the acts of kindness, and often re
sults in an entire repudiation -f what
should be a sacred obligation.
WTienever a public official lets his
own affairs assume such a character
that his personal interest comes into
competition with his duty, he has start
ed upon a career that is almost certain
to end in unfaithfulness and disgrace
An employe who lets his own interests
conflict with those of his employer
places before himself a temptation
which he has small Intention of resist
ing. A young man, starting In the
.world for himself, can adopt o safer
rule than that of Rousseau's to. avoid
putting his own interest in competition
with his duty.
Admiral RoJestvensky has. through
the skill of Japanese surgeons and the
excellent care of Japanese nurses In a
Japanese naval hospital, recovered
from the wounds received in the battle
of the Sea of Japan, and comes forward
with a report of that great naval con
test In which he attempts" to show that
he himself planned. the encounter with
Togo's fleet, knew from exactly what
quarter the attack was coming, had a
correct knowledge of .the strength of
his enemy and, in brief, ordered the
fight from the bridge of his own flag
ship. He neglects to state why, under
these advantageous circumstances, his
fleet. Instead of that of Togo, was not
victorious. These assumptions may
make It difficult for the Admiral to
explain o the satisfaction of the Min
ister of Marine thegreason for the sud
den disappearance of the Russian fleet
from Eastern waters.
It Is reported from Washington that
an agreement will be signed early this
year by Secretary of State Root and
British Ambassador Durand providing
for a commission to draft laws by
which the United States and Canada
are to have Joint control over the Ash
ing Industry on the Great Lakes. There
has been a steady decline In the num
ber of fish taken, and the necessity of
adequate protection is quite plain. If
this commission should prove success
ful In its work. It might be well to In
clude the Industry In Western waters
which wash the shores of both Canada
and the United States. The necessity
for International co-operation In pro
tection of salmon on waters tributary
to Puget Sound has long been recog
nized, but thus far nothing of import
ance has been accomplished In secur
ing It.
There never was a normal child that
didn't . deilght In a good story about
animals. With healthy youngsters,
nothing so stimulates the imagination.
And when the story is told in rhyme,
with a rollicking Jingle and has "go"
to it all the time, you have something
rare even In an age when llterary
amusement for children engages the
best effort of creative talent. Such a
production The Sunday Oregonlan of
fers today In "The Roosevelt Bears."
the first installment of which appears
on page 46. Of course, this is only the
start. What happens to the bears
when they get into touch with the
effete East Is more Interesting and
entertaining. These stories will run for
many woeks in the Sunday issue.
Dr. Washington Gladden thinks
America Is In the midst of a great re
vival of religion. If by "religion" he
means acceptance of creeds and cere
monial functions, he Is mistaken. If he
means a quickened perception of the
difference between right and wrong and
a growing preference for right, all, the
evidence of recent events in church and
state goes to sustain him. To call a
revival of common honesty a revival of
religion may warp language somewhat,
but It Is fine to hear a theologian like
Dr. Gladden approve of "mere moral
ity" under any name.
A Salem Justice of the -Peace con
fessed himself guilty of 'forgery and
subornation of perjury and. knowing
that he cannot be forced put of office,
refuses to resign, but passes judgment
upon smaller criminals than himself.
Here Is not only another demonstration
of the laxity of Oregon's criminal laws,
but presentation of an excellent oppor
tunity for the people of Salem to show
what power public opinion has in the
absence of law.
They say the man Hogan, or Orch
ard, charged with the murder of Gov
ernor Steunenberg. is believed also to
have been the chief of the dynamiters
in Colorado. He Is said to be mentally
Irresponsible, or a monomaniac. Better
hang all such monomaniacs.
The arrest of KeUey and Rossman,
the two alleged murderers of Thomas
Flemmlngst merely goes to show what
the detectives can do when they try;
and an excellent incentive toward try
ing appears to be the liabillay of other
wise losing their Jobs.
Oculists and opticians find no fault
with the Portland Gas Company. The
quality of its product creates demand
for the specialists' services and the
dealers wares. No one can read by
poor gaslight and' retaln normal eye
sight. Gowrnor Vardaman. of Mississippi,
says in hi3 annual message to the Leg
islature that "the negro Is deteriorat
ing morally every day." What else
could be expected with such an exam
ple as Vardaman always before him?
If the New York Times is correct in
the programme it announces for the
Empire State Legislature in the mat
ter of life Insurance reform. Albany for
the next few months will hold place
second only to the National capital.
The curious thing about the free exits
at The Oaks 13 that the only persons
who have ever been able to find them
are the employes of the company. But
of course, they were never Intended
for -use except in courts of law.
It Is hardly worth while to conjecture
what the British would have done to
Rojestvensky's fleet. We know what
Togo did.
We never knew precisely what a free
pulpit was until Dr. Wise defined it.
It's whatever pulpit Dr. Wise occupies.
Difficulties of a midshipman's life are
appreciated when one tries to stand on
his head and ea,t under a table.
The Temple Emanu-El doesn't want
a rabbi In Its pulpit. What It wants
Is a phonograph.
Motto of the Portland Gas Com
pany: Quality no object. We want
the price.
Oregon Is r Great State, and The
Oregonlan Is Her Prophet.
Tacoraa Ledger.
The Oregonlan's New Year number
Includes several well-planned, well
written and highly Interesting sup
plements on the recent progress of
Oregon and her ' commercial capital.
The new railway developments cen
tering at Portland or making that city
an objective get a good showing, and
the customary plea for Government
money to deepen the river is forcibly
put. The illustrations are capitally done.
Oregon .is a great state, - and The Ore
goakut I aer propfeet.
THE PESSIMIST.
A relief party has been organized on the
East Side to search for a mule, which, it
la- feared, has been lost In one of' the
Water-street bogs. - -, i
Until recently the mule was In the em
ploy of the Oregon Water Power &, Rail
way Company, and when last seen was
epgaged In a bitter altercation with the
president of the company. No one war,
cfose enougli to . hear what tlie troubl", '
was about. It was noticed that the mul. .
turned away In a discouraged manner,
and walked along the ridge toward. East
Morrison street.
Jt is not at all unlikely that he threw
himself into the quicksands and was lost, .
Although Mrs. Fltzsimmons' heart Is
still cold, that of th6 Oregon boy-poet
beats stronc and true.
"Two souls with but a single thought:
four fists that" beat as one."
The Boy-poet's letter which is printed
below shows that his position toward
Henneway was slightly misunderstood.
Hl3 apology is accepted, anil I will do
the best I can to make Henneway see the
matter in the proper light.
To the Editor. V I sent you a day or two
j-ince a poem. Jn which I waa gla.il to see you
recognize sufficient worth to Induce yuu to
publish It. In your remark you make men
tion of the Poet Henneway and seem to think
I am trying- to antagonize him. God for
bid! I nm. myself, too familiar with the
taunts and reproaches poets are forced to en
dure ever to bo guilty of Interposing any ob
stacle in the way of struggling genius. I
" Place no fetters- upon him: give him the
freedom of the press, then let the world!
verdict 'decide whose vcrnes are ncarst the'
great heart of humanity.
I am now contemplating a great epic en
titled "Grover Cleveland." which I will write '
when suffetently Inspired. Truly yours.
The following lyric was inclosed with
the letter:
I formerly sung Fltzsimmons' woe.
HI worry o'er an erring wife.
And all the attendant ills which flow
From less of honors gained through llte.-
I sung in language fit and meet. '
That It matters not how high a man's
Rise may be up proud Fame's steep.
He may perchance lose diamonds.
There yet remains a nobler task:
To sing the hero In the ring.
To voice the praise of man. for feats
Which crowned KItzslmmorw king.
There needs should be a bolder pen
Than what I yield, to well portray
Fltzsimmons battling In the ring N
The victor in the fray.
But none ha come, from out the eons
"To sing the song. so. faltering!.
The task I shall essay.
Jim Corbett undisputed flood
Superior to every man. ,
When he came through a carnage fierce
The vletor o'er John Sullivan.
It seemed the heights had been attained.
The perfect man of nil was found.
And thousands with" a mad delight
This victor clamored round.
But then. Just rising Into view,"
Came one He had no statesman's head;
His legs attenuated were:
Spots on hi? back: hair red.
'Twart Fits, unknown, unused to Fame,
Unknown to alt navo might:
He with a bold defiance dared "
The blustering Jfm to fight.
Th-y fught. On history's teeming pag) .
Is writ, where all may read who run.
How Fltx olar plexus blow
Made him at once the champion.
The champion? Yes. of all mankind.
The world was at his feet.
Swift had been his mount, but y.
He was not crazy with the heat.
Not then, as In the world's young day.
When wrathful Xero reigned tn state.
Was human sacrifice required, ' t"T ''
Some vengeful lust to sate.
i ' . 'tX ' " -
Ftrr practiced but the arts, of peace,
Tb cruelty was a foe, , . .. w4
"Was happiest when he could some gift
On suffering want bestow.
Endowed by God with giant strength.
He never was in sullen mood:
In philanthropic deeds rejoiced.
And delighted to do good. .
Xe'er steeped his ser.ee in fumes of wlne;i
On ponies scorned to bet:
Was temperate In his taste; abhorred
The vicious cigarette.
Who would not pause to honor Fits'?
Breathes there a man so mean.
Not what he 13 or hopes, to be.
But for what the old man's been.
There was considerable alarm on New
Year's day. owing to the appearance in,
the residence districts of a large man
with an angry glare In his eye. From a
few muttered remarks It was judged that
he was looking for someone. Several
anxious mothers telephoned in to the po
lice station asking if any boy had been,
hurt.
A careful search next day by the entire
detective force failed to locate anyone
answering to the descriptions sent in. In
one of the down town hotels the night
clerk reported that a man whom he sus
pected to have registered under an as
sumed name acted in a very peculiar
manner. He was very restless the night
before, and in the morning, after he left,
his room was found to be in a Btate of
wild disorder. Pens were found sticking
in the soap, and the floor was strewn with
paper torn into shreds.
In searching for a clew, the detectives
pieced several of the largest scraps to
gether and found that they constituted a
poem of considerable strength. It was
written with red Ink, and, in the main,
was Quite unprintable. These are tlie last
two lines:
"His ways are no more the ways of a
poet.
Than the ways of a mule are the ways,
of a goat."
It was thought by Captain Bruin that it
was some one from Washougal, as the
unused portion of a return-trip ticket
from Washougal was found on the floor.
A dozen men witnessed tho fracas, which
occurred In Flora' saloon, near Clarkla. and.
according to their version. "Walshaw, who had
been drinking, attacked Franlgan, gouging
an eye and biting off an ear, at the sam
time .raying: '"I will chew you down to a
dwarf." Franlgan rallied, and. after kicking
"VValshaw In the head, forced him to cat the
ear he had bitten off. though not until he had
beaten Walshaw half Insensible In a second
affray. Franlgan -p!ced the car with the
bar pepper and saltstanda before serving.
The above dispatch from Idaho Is of
particular Interest, owing to the fact that
George W. Henneway, the celebrated
poet, was one of the spectators. He la a .
brother-in-law of Franlgan, who is Wal
shaw's cousin. Henneway is very fond
of his relatives and goes to considerable
trouble to be present at all family re
unions. He in already at work on a madrigal
commemorating the event,, and has wlred
for apace In next Sunday's Oregonlan.
M. B. WELLS. .
The American Chameleon.
St. Nicholas.'
The American Chameleon, a small liz
ard. Inhabits various parts of the South
ern United States.ft.The little animal has
the remarkable habit of quickly and com
pletely changing Its colon?.,"varying from
brown to yellow and pale green'. Its food
consists of Insects. The little animal i.T
perfectly harmless to higher forms of
life. Is often kept as a pet. and has been
worn attached to a chain as an ornament.
The toes are provided with adhesive pads
which enable the lizard to run upon
smooth, vertical surfaces.
Jj k
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