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I RTI..A NT, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2. 1908.
SUBCONSCIOUS MIND.
One of the ancient sages had a theory
that tho universe was full of invisible
forms or molds. They were supposed
to float about through space in incon
ceivable abundance, faces, arms, stom
achs, fins and tails, all separate, wait
ing for the gods to Join them into com
plete men and animals. When a man,
for example, was to be produced, a set
of molds, or models, would be selected,
one for the face, another for' the brain,
and so on; 'they would be pieced to
gether and according to their outline
the human being would grow up. If a
fish was desired another set of forms
would be selected and this time it
would be fins instead of legs, gills in
stead of lungs, with all the rest of the
changes necessary to construct a being
fit to live in the water. Sometimes the
gods would become careless and join a
fish's fin to a man's body, but not often.
Usually the molds were selected with
care and wisdom, so that the creature
was shapely and suited to his environ
ment. Thus it came about that men ss they
grew up always tool! the human shape.
If there were no molds or patterns to
control the life forces, why ehould not
men have wings sometimes Instead of
arms? Why ehould not human beings
have hoofs like cattle, or webs like
duck?? Why should a living creature
develop into any particular or definite
form? When a sculptor makes a statue
he must have a model to guide hie
hand. When a hunter casts a bullet
he must have a mold. When Benven
uto Cellini cast his bronzes he needed
forms for the metal No iron molder
thinks of making a piece of machinery
without a pattern. How then can the
blind natural forces build up the bodies
of meh and animals unless there is
some pattern for them to work to? Cut
off a polywog's tail and a new tail will
grow from the wound. Why a tail?
Why not a leg or a head? And why
should the new tail be exactly like the
old one? Is there something that re
members how the old one looked and
that forms the new one according to
the same pattern? If there is not, then
please account for the shape and size
of the new tail.
All the recent attempts to explain
these mysteries are sheer word jug
gling. Among the vainest of the many
vain things in Herbert Spencer is his
talk about this matter in his Biology;
nor has any other thinker hit nearer
the mark. Commonest of all things, it
is the most occult. In-the old school
readers there used to be a lesson enti
tled "The World of Chance." It de
scribed a sphere where Law, so-called,
did not control and men consequently
had elephants' trunks; apples grew on
cucumber vines and walnuts on tomato
stalks. Some men had feet growing
out of their shoulders; others had eyes
in the back or their heads. Well, why
not? What prevents such misfits? The
obvious reply' is "Natural law." But
wrfat Is natural law? What reality lies
behind these easy words which. slip so
glibly- from our tongues? Law does
nothing' of itself. It is but an inert
name unless there be some active agent
to give it effect. Who or what is it that
enforces natural law and makes our
shapes as they are? What enables the
liver to pick out from the blood its
own particular nutriment, while the
brain selects something very different?
Perhaps it is chemical affinity. Very
well. Then what is chemical affinity?
Let us not be content with names that
mean nothing to us. Let us enjoy for
a moment the exhilarating experience
of delving to the bottom of things. A
person once asked a naturalist what it
was that guided the wild geese In their
migrations? The naturalist answered
"Instinct." But when the inquirer
pushed his question a step further' and
.asked what Instinct was, the natural
ist's only response was a displeased
silence. Words explain nothing unless
behind them there is a clear and well
defined entity. Behind the current ex
planations of most natural facts there
is no such entity. The whole matter
ends in words.
But later thinkers are dissatisfied
with the noises in the air which have
been made to do duty for explanations.
They seek the deep realities. Accord
ing to Lombroso and others the key to
many, if not all, the ancient mysteries
of life and thought tits in. what they.
call tho "subconscious mind." " This,
they say, is the active agent in all na
tural processes. It shapes the blade of
grass and the human body. When the
lizard' loses his leg It is the sub-conscious
mind that remembers" Its shape
and size and patterns the new one
after the old. It remembers the proper
outline of .a man's limbs and sees to it
that arms, ' and Vever': fins or wings,
grow from his shoulders. It is the sub
consciousmind that selects one species
of nutriment for the liver' and another
for the brain. Likewise It holds the
earth In its orbit under the name of
"gravity," joins oxygen and hydrogen
to make water under the name "chem
ical affinity," draws iron to steel under
.the name "magnetism" and keeps us
all moving and thinking . under the
name "life."
According to Professor James of Har.
vard the subconscious mind is a reser
voir of power, infinite in possibilities.
Great men are those who have the gift
of drawing upon It. The magnetism of
the orator is an Influx from this ex-
haustless source. The potency of the
evangelist is subconscious mind work
Ing upon the conscious. Genius is not
the ability to take infinite pains, as Sir
Joshua Reynolds mistakenly said, but
the ability ' to tap the subconscious.
What the subconscious does is done al
ways with surprising ease, as Shake
speare wrote his plays, not at all with
care and pains. Genius never under
stands" its own power nor knows how it
produces its effects. Milton" fed on
"thoughts that voluntary move harmo
nious numbers." There was no 6train,
no effort. Xhe subconscious mind is the
poet's muse and the sculptor's inspir
ing angel. It is Napoleon's generalship
and Webster's oratory. It guides the
chisel of Michelangelo and the pen of
Shakespeare. The phenomena of spirit
ism are modes of the subconscious; so
are the healing miracles of Christian
Science. Mrs. Eddy is a great religious
genius because she has taught us how
to draw in some measure upon t.his ex
hauttless reservoir of power. Sacred
shrines are bungholes in the cask of
the subconscious through which its vir
tue flows. All religions are methods of
drawing upon it. It is the part of us
which makes life efficient and the only
one, of our elements which survives
death. '
Thus thinkers weave their web of
theory from the new and inviting
threads of knowledge which seem to
lead us down into the primal mysteries
of the universe.
Perhaps they truly lead to the great
secret which all the ages have sought
in vain; perhaps they mislead. Those
who live long enough will know.
A SHORT REVIEW.
Sufficient explanation of a 6erles of
episodes growing out of the attempt to
indict the proprietors of The Oregonlan
is furnished through the news report of
the proceedings in the Circuit Court
yesterday. The statement supplies all
that is necessary in explanation of the
matters treated. The Oregonian, how
ever, has a word to say on its own
account.
It was the entrance of Mr. Wood into
the grand jury room, as a private prose
cutor, that led up to the whole con
tention. If he had a legal right, there
was no moral right. Judge George,
speaking for Mr. McGinn, has stated
the matter with clearness and force.
Mr. McGinn's own full recital is -his
explanation. In entering the grand jury
room his sole object was to inform the
grand jury of Mr. Wood's relation to
the complainant, Mr. Ladd, and to en
ter his protest. It is not the province
of The Oregonian to enter, into any
contention between Judge Sears and
Mr. McGinn. We suppose it to be, as
between them, a closed incident. .
Of the cartoon, which gave rise to
this whole affair, it is unnecessary for
The Oregonian to make further state
ment, or new recital of the controversy
that gave rise to the, publication. The
OregonJan could not suppose that any
one would hold, in the circumstances,
such publication libelous, within the in
tent and meaning of the law, and
therefore carrying liability to prosecu
tion. It was part of a long contention,
begun in wanton aggression by a news
paper with which Mr. Ladd's name is
identified. On this point Mr. McGinn's
statement includes The Oregonian's
view of it, and the view also taken by
the grand jury, which said: "The al
leged libelous matter submitted for
consideration might justify return of
true bill, if presented independent of
and aside from a controversy raging
between the managers of two publica
tions." But, "the complaint appears to
have been inspired more by personal
feelings, or for the purpose of revenge,
than to punish violators of the law."
Finally, "We have concluded that pub
lic justice does not demand that the
criminal courts be used for purposes of
this kind."
The course pursued by Mr. McGinn
was taken and pursued upon his own
judgment as to what he ought to do
for protection of his clients and vindi
cation of himself. The Court three
judges present deemed Imposition of a
fine necessary to the dignity of the
bench; but allowed the right of appeal.
We believe Mr. McGinn emerges from
the contention without blame from a
discerning and disinterested public. We
shall not further censure Mr. Wood It
is enough that it is known to the pub
lic that he was. present in the grand
jury room to conduct an investigation
for the state, with the vengeance of a
private prosecutor. This could not "be
right even though the like may have
been done heretofore. .
THE JAPANESE.
"It took a vast deal of time and no
small pains," says Harper's Weekly,
"to distribute the races of mankind
w.here they ought to go. It was only
partly a matter of distribution. It was
chiefly a matter of development, since
country and climate were the chief fac
tors in making the differences in peo
ple." In this view it is held that the
peoples of Asia belong to Asia. They
will not become Americans. The Jap
anese, the most adaptable of the Orien
tal peoples, will always be Japanese.
Clean, well-mannered, industrious; bet
ter folk by far than many other new
comers, they are not our kind and will
not merge. They belong to Asia; their
hearts and Interests are there. They
deserve good treatment in this country
and will get it until their numbers ap
proach the danger point, as in Hawaii,
when, being a resourceful Nation, the
United States will take adequate and
peaceable , methods to check their ad
vance. This is said in connection with
the objection to Japanese in large num
bers that has developed in San Fran
cisco. It follows In spirit, though In
moderation, the opposition to the Chi
nese Influx into California some twenty
five years ago. The Chronicle states
the case plainly In these words: .
"We do 'not want them here In large num
bers because we find by experience, as white
men la Hawaii 'cave long since found, that
we cannot maintain the American standard
of comfort for the masses of our people in
the face of the competition of an industrious
race which has a lower standard of life. If
they come, white men who compete with
them must live as they do. Wherever in
America they go that will be found true.
Therefore, we do not want them.
BIGGER LAND LOOT THAN IN OREGOK.
It will come to light, soon or late,
that land frauds in Oregon have been
exceeded In other states, as to richness
of plunder . and extent of conspiracy.
The revelations, which are reported to
have led to indictment of the Union.
Pacific, the Oregon Short .Line, the
Union Pacific Coal Company and two
officials of those companies in Salt
Lake City last week and wMich have
involved the two Senators of Wyoming
and which are threatening to enmesh
officials of government and land man
ipulators in other states, show that
widespread fraud has preyed on the
public lands and bulged the pockets
of respected thieves with great wealth
only a small part of which doings
have taken place in Oregon.
Yet for two years Oregon has been
held up to the Nation as the biggest
nest of land thieves. One of Oregon's
former Senators was charged by Sec
retary Hitchcock with making hi6 com
mittee room in the National capltol a
den for them, with the aid of another
citizen of Oregon, then Commissioner
of .the Land Office. One of Oregon's
Representatives in Congress has been
convicted of complicity in land fraud
and the other Representative, who ob
tained his present office after eject
ment from the position of Commis
sioner of the Land Office, stands under
indictment in Oregon and in Washing
ton, D. C.
, But it is becoming known that other
states were scenes "of greater plunder.
The loot in Oregon was large, but lands
more valuable elsewhere have been
trafficked in fraudulently, and have en
riched the perpetrators more than in
this state. The more the Government's
sleuths and prosecutors delve into the
black business the more hidden secrets
they find and the wider grows the
6Cope of the grab and loot. ,
Oregon's frauds were unearthed and
the probe for this whole business was
started by enmity between Secretary
Hitchcock and Binger Hermann, whom
Hitchcock forced out of -the General
Land Office. Hitchcock asserted that
Hermann's tenure had been inefficient
and dishonest. Hermann immediately
came back to Oregon for "vindication"
and got it through election to Congress.
Whereupon Hitchcock began the "prob
ing" which brought to light the land
frauds of Oregon and the complicity
in them not only of Hermann, but also
of Senator Mitchell, Representative
Williamson and numerous others. One
of the first of the offenders discovered
was Puter, who Is now seen to have
been the humblest of them all, and
whom his powerful confederates offered
as sacrifice, in hope of stopping the
probe.
Tho fraud methods used in Oregon
were common everywhere. Chief of
them was subornation of perjury,
whereby speculators or hired agents
paid individuals, to enter, upon Govern
ment land and to swear that they were
securing the land for their own per
sonal use and then to turn the land
over to the manipulator, . or the grasp
ing corporation. , 'w."j
The reputation for this evil business
has rested on Oregon long enough. It
is fitting that other states where
richer steals have been perpetrated,
should share, their part of the infamy.
FATHER AND SON.
To the credit of common decency and
humanity, be it said. It is not often that
a father holds up his head in a respec
table community and tries to defend
himself against the charge of parental
negligence by attempting to defame the
character of his young son. Such a
spectacle as this was presented before
the County Court a few days ago, the
father asserting that his sixteen-years-old
son was unworthy of fatherly con
sideration. The probation officer, more
kindly and humanely disposed, testified
that the boy was an unusually bright
lad, not naturally disposed to evil
ways, and had come to the trouble with
which his father taunted him through
paternal neglect.
Where was this father and what was
he doing for his young son when the
latter was consigned more than once
to the' care of the Boys' and Girls' Aid
Society? Who, if not this neglectful,
Irresponsible father was to blame that
the energies of this lad "unusually
bright" and restless was not kept in
school or given some useful, honorable
trade? Did this father, when the lad
ran away, after the manner of many
another restless boy during the adoles
cent period, fo'low him with kindly ad
monition, induce him to return home,
and encourage him tp expend his su
perabundant energy in a useful, even
if a lowly, vocation? Did he not, on
the contrary, treat the boy as an out
law and threaten him with violence if
he returned, and seek to exculpate him
self by blaming others for his own
shortcomings? Oblivious to all sense
of parental duty, to every instinct of
common humanity must a father be
when he can rise up in court and
shamelessly proclaim his own delin
quency by casting aspersions upon- the
character of his neglected young eon.
The plea that a boy is wayward does
not cannot absolve a father from a
father's duty. To the question, who
has sinned, this boy or his parents? in
that he fell early Into delinquency,
there can be but one answer. It is
somebody's fault that the influences of
a good home, the care, direction and
restraint that were necessary to bring
this boy out of an active, restless boy
hood into an honorable, capable young
manhood, did not wait opon his child
hood. Whose fault was it? Out-of the
father's mouth has come the answer.
an answer that records his own de
linquency and disgrace of which the
delinquency of the boy is but the sad
reflection.
THE ROBERT FULTON MEMORIAL.
The Robert Fulton Memorial Associa
tion is considering the removal of the
body of the great engineer, discoverer
and inventor from its present resting
place in the Livingston family vault in
Trinity Churchyard, New York City,
to a place suitable for the erection of
a monument that will be a suitable
and dignified, memorial, which it is pro
posed to erect in honor of - his great
achievement.- The cost-of the contem
plated monument will be not less than
$600,000 and 'the most; eminent artiste
and architects are to be' consulted with
regard to theu design. Fulton died in
1815. : By the simple process of earth
burial, his body would long ago have
been returned to Its original elements.
Shut up in a vault it may still be a
tangible thing, which case-takers may
handle without desecration and deposit
in another place. There is something
grewsonw la thus hawking a human.
body, or the dust of a human body,
about from -place to place in order to
do honor to the name and achievement
of man.
The world will grow wiser on this sub
ject in the course of time, perhaps, and
disassociate the ,un perishable, achieve--ment.
pf genius frqrn the- dust-which it
toncev- caused to pulse with life.
A monument to the genius of Robert
Fulton would be just as effective with
out his body as with It. However, if
folly or sentiment has preserved his
body for nearly a century it will be
well to take it now and bury it, lest
in some after age vandals In the name
of science may hawk it about for dis
play in a museum a shriveled brown
unsightly thing. This was the fate of
the mummy of - the Great Pharaoh,
though by the unexampled fidelity arid
cunning of the Egyptians this fate was
delayed for centuries.
MORE TROUBLE FOR RUSSIA.
The "handwriting on t the wall" for
Russia seems to be more legible than
ever before. Among all the rulers of
the 'earth, none had less cause for
thanksgiving Thursday than the Czar,
skulking and cowering in his palace.
With a painful recollection of what
happened when the people were given
a little experimental power last Spring,
the nobility is now preparing to elimi
nate all possibility of a recurrence of
such scenes as marked the first step
in the ascendency of the people. In
the parlance of the frontier, the nobles
are now engaged in "stacking the
cards." They seem to have faith in
their ability to selectsuch members as
can be depended on to "take pro
gramme" from them, regardless of the
wishes or needs of the people. . ,
An effort is making to change the
final election laws so that the old sys
tem of class distinction will again be in
force. If this can be re-established . it
will be Impossible, of course, for the
people to secure any of the mucbneed
cd reforms for -which they have been
fighting for years. The comparative
liberality of the present election laws
resulted in the seating "of a large num
ber of radical representatives of the
people in the last House of Deputies.
As will be remembered, the action of
the Czar in promulgating these laws
aroused violent opposition and criticism
from the nobility, which could hardly
endure the thought of having common
people represented in a legislative body
which for generations had been ex
clusively in the hands of noblemen.
It is very-doubtful If the Czar him
self Was in favor of these laws, but
they were put out for much the same
reason that the Russian peasant is said
to throw a child from the sleigh to the
pursuing wolves. The peasant, of
course, desired to keep his --child, and
the Czar desired to keep the power
where it was, but the exigencies of the
case were such that action distasteful
to him became a necessity; But the
Czar did not act in good faith with
the people, and when tho members
of the Douma discovered that there
was a strong string on the election' re
form which the Czar had offered them,
(hey demanded that which .had been
promised, and, failing to get it. engaged
in "rough-house" politics, which jarred
the nobility quite severely: "
Now It is announced .that the nobil
ity will exercise such ca re "In" the se
lection of delegates Mapthe' masses
will have little voice in. ' the next
Dquma. . This programme is followed,
according to a St. Petersburg dispatch,
because it is feared "a second dissolu
tion of the house will shake the foun
dations of the throne." If the time
honored Russian creed, "might makes
right," can be lived up to, the founda
tion of the throne may not be shaken
by the dissolution of the Douma, but
this reversion to a policy so productive
of anarchy and bombthrowlng Is cer
tain to . cause some throne-shaking
from other sources. With millions of
people starving, the victorious Japan
ese crowding over the limits of the Far
Eastern . territory, assassination and
anarchy Tife at the capital, and a fever
ish unrest among til of the Czar's sub
jects, the pomp and glory of being
ruler. of all the Russias must seem dim,
lusterless and wearying to the "Little
Father," whose real position is that of
a scapegoat for the merciless nobility
which has cursed, embittered ind im
poverished the land of their birth.
OUR GREAT CANAL.
Without doubt, the President's visit
to the Canal Zone and inspection of
the water-way route will prove an im
portant stimulation to the Canal con
struction. It-will also furnish, through
the Teport pf his findings in his Annual
Message, information at first hand.
concerning the work arid the surround
ings of the great enterprise that has
long been desired by the American peo
ple. These will be given in the terse,
vigorous language of, the Chief Execu
tive of the Nation at a time now close
at hand.
There has been a great deal of mis
representation of Canal matters some
unintentional, due primarily .to the ig
norance of the narrators; some made
with intent, to serve interests , or up
hold the hobbies of those who, for one
reason or another, are opposed to the
great undertaking. There has been
indeed a wide misconception of the
character and scope of the work to be
done, and a tendency to belittle the
importance of that already done as
preliminary to this great scheme. Of
ficial and other reports, relating to the
subject, have been discredited and. In
not a few instances, have served as a
basis for charges of inefficiency, graft
and greed of contractors and their
satellites.' .
To the average mind, the mind of the
layman who understands his own busi
ness thoroughly and conducts it with
out delay or loss, the undertaking has
seemed to be simply one of digging a
navigable ditch through the forty or
fifty miles of earth separating the At
lantic and Pacific oceans, and, when
all was ready, of letting the water in
at either end of the ditch. As a matter
of fact, however, engineering skill, of
a very high order. Is required to solve
this seemingly simple problem. The
effort is toward utilizing the advan
tages and overcoming the difficulties,
not only of ditch digging through a
most resistant barricade of Nature, but
of canal construction in the most sci
entific, economical and expeditious
manner.
The engineers, for example, are pre
paring to provide, through artificial
means, a body of water the equivalent
of Lake Nicaragua, which was consid
ered an especially dlsirable adjunct of
the Northern route at first contemplat
ed. This lake will be about . third
of the length of the Canal, and will
be' made by constructing an immense
dam across the Chagres River, thu3
impounding its waters and giving a
long, deep fresh water; channel as part
of the great scheme.
This is but one. of the many impor
tant links in the chain of endeavor
which is being forged under the name
of the Panama Canal. Of this and
other parts of this stupendous work
the President will be able to. speak
authoritatively in his. forthcoming mes
sage, thus giving the American people
a clearer idea than they have hereto
fore ,;had'ebejTgnhude-rami status
of tKelr great, undertaking.
PORTLAND AND ALASKA TRADE.
Shall our Itnterprlsing neighbors on
the Sound be allowed to . continue,
without challenge, by Portland, to
clinch more firmly their practical mo
nopoly on the most lucrative trade on
the Pacific Coast?
The four commercial bodies of this
city in their representative capacity,
and the great majority of business men
appear to have determined to say no to
this question. It remains for all inter
ested, and others who are not, to sup
port the effort to establish on a solid
basis the Alaska steamship line about
to be organized.
There is in the present project evi
dence of a spirit of energy, a union of
effort, which augurs well for success.
Hitherto Portland has waited month
by month, and even year by year in
the vain hope that such transportation
interests as have mainly built up San
Francisco and Seattle would bring
steamships to Portland and invite our
merchants to fill their ships with Ore
gon products, and at their expense, not
ours, try an important commercial ex
periment. Meanwhile the ancient tubs
and discarded carriers with which
Seattle began operations ten years ago,
have won fortunes for their charterers
and owners. The original two have de
veloped into a fleet of thirteen-or four
teen ships, with more in prospect. And
this from the profits of the business.
So much for the ship-owners and
charterers. What Is the recent history
of the commercial interests concerned?
The Seattle ships have been constantly
filled with Oregon produce, manufac
tures and consignments, taken to com
plete cargoes after local orders have
had first room, first choice, first terms.
Thus Oregon merchants and producers
have vainly struggled for a hold on
Alaskan business in the face of such
obstacles as have forced submission to
conditions under which either toll was
paid to Seattle, by orders being passed
through its merchants and commission
houses, and burdened with their need
less profits, or else by such delays and
obstructions In forwarding and deliv
ery that Alaskan citizens have been
taught that it was foolish to try to
trade with Portland.
If the promise held out by the organ
izers of the Portland-Alaska Steamship
Company Is verified, and four modern
steamships, far, superior in construc
tion, power and speed to anything In
the Seattle fleet, are set going on the
three main Alaskan routes Nome, Val
dez and the Southeastern Alaska- ports
the evil days will have passed for
good and all. Oregon produce will en
ter on fair terms Into a 'wide -and lu
crative market, where excellence of
quality and reasonable price will win
its way, a golden stream of Alaskan
exports will be turned to this city, and
Alaskan miners, cannery men and
traders will fill every berth on these
fine and speedy ships..
.Fortunately there seems to beno time
for dallying. It is now or never. The
opportunity is here. Shall Portland
seize it?
WORTHY OF THE PLUNDERBUND.
From a zealous but misguided man
named Baker The Oregonian has re
ceived an Invitation to assist In chang
ing the name of the' language we use
from English to American. Were there
no other objections to this alluring pro
ject the fact that it Is in flat opposi
tion to popular tendencies would be
sufficient to condemn it. There is a
growing inclination among the masses,
who are the highest court of appeal in
these matters and irrevocably decide
all questions of names, to speak of our
tongue as "Unted States." Sometimes
an orator in his flight will soar a little
too high and his audience will fail to
follow. The admonition that comes to
him in such cass Is "Oh, speak United
States."
The Italian and the Russian Jew
learn to speak, not English, but "United
States." The unlettered mob has a
deep affection for this term. If the
name of the language should ever be
changed, therefore, the new title is not
likely to be "American." Mr. Baker
assigns many reasons for his contem
plated revision of usage, some of them
peculiar. ' "There are American thresh
ing machines," he suggests, "American
beer and American woolens; why not
an American language?" The best rea
son we can advance for there being no
American language is the fact that
there is none. We use the English lan
guage; that Is the simple truth of the
matter. Had we invented a language
of our ow n when we became indepen
dent we might properly call It Ameri
can; but, so long as we use English, if
we are honest we shall call it English.
To call the language American will in
no sense make it so. - We did not origi
nate the language nor have .we1 been
in a large way contributors, to Its per
manent literature. - Our literature was
for many years an humble Imitator of
the English and- since it ceased to imi
tate it seldom brings forth fruits meet
for independence. With notable excep
tions, the great literary monuments of
the language are transatlantic. The
fact that we have borrowed the lan
guage and have used it for some gen
erations with more or less lack of skill
does not entitle us to claim it to the
exclusion of the Britons. To call the
language "American"1 would be a sin
gularly flagrant piece of Immorality.
It would amount to what the lawyers
call "Trover and conversion," even If
it were not outright embezzlement by
bailee. Is it possible, that some of us
have fallen so much into the habit of,
grabbing whatever comes within reach
that we are now ready to steal an en
tire language?
As the electric cars on Madison
bridge have a franchise which will last
some fifteen years yet and for which
the cars pay only $100 a month, it
might be well for the city to abandon
the present structure when it ehall be
worn out and build a new one at Jef
ferson street. The heavy cars, for
which the bridge was not designed,
have worn it out twice. They should
be compelled to pay tolls commensurate
with the value and wear of the third
structure.
The death of President Samuel Spen
cer, of the Southern Railroad. In the
railway collision at Lawyers. Va.. has
made a profound impression ip railroad
circles. President Spencer was a prac
tical railroad man, having spent the
active years of a long life in the trans
portation business. He earned his first
laurels on the section of road upon
which he I03 this arc. As a fittitng trib
ute to his endeavor, every wheel on
the entire railway system of which he
was the head will stand still for five
minutes today, beginning at 2 o'clock,
the time set for his funeral in Wash
ington. Colored men who served him
humbly and faithfully in life will bear
his body-to the grave and his asso
ciates in business for a lifetime will be
his mourners.
It cannot be expected that the Ladd
organ will report correctly anything
against the interest or wishes of Mr.
Ladd, or will fail to misrepresent,
when it is supposed such course will
suit his interest. Hence there can be
no surprise to find it saying that
"District Attorney Manning is aeeuiied
by Mr. McGinn of carrying tales to
Scott and PIttock, while they were be
ing investigated by the grand Jury."
Mr. McGinn made no such accusation
or statement. The grand . jury made
its report and adjourned on Thursday,
November 22. It was the following Fri
day night that Mr. Manning epoko to
Mr. Scott, who communicated the state
ment to Mr. McGinn, as the latter says,
in his statement to the Court, on Sat
urday November 24. In all the state
ments of the Ladd organ on this sub
ject the public may expect studied In
accuracy, or more direct falsehood.
Russia is said to be very much dis
satisfied over the attitude of the Jap
anese regarding fishing rights on the
Amur river. It is even Intimated that
there may be a resumption of hostili
ties which only recently closed with
such disastrous results for Russia. As
Japan has lest no time In strengthen
ing her position in the recently acquir
ed territory, and Russia is about as
near bankruptcy as it Is safe to ap
proach, it Is hardly probable that the
present dissension will attain propor
tions at all serious. The Japanese w ill
permit Russia to growl and protest
over the alleged infringement on her
fiching rights, but in the end Japan
will take about what she wishes to
have, and Russia will submit to the
inevitable with as good a grace as
possible.
"Jack" Matthews Is taking no part
in the fight for organization of the
Legislature; of course not. He fre
quents the political meeting places,
without visible me3tis of support, and
"sees" members of the Legislature and
others simply for sociability. Mr.
Matthews is in politics quite as much
as when United States Marshal, two
years ago, he denied that he was in
politics, but "worked" politics for all
they were worth and secretly impor
tuned members of the Legislature to
vote for Kuykendall for President of
the Senate and A. L. Mills for Speaker
of the House. It's the same old game.
Meanwhile, he is said to have ceased
to be on speaking terms with those
with whom current report makes him
allied. That's on old trirk. too.
Professor F. H. Grubbs has collected
in a book the proceedings had1 at the
services held last June at Salem, in
memory of the earliest of the nission
aries to Oregcin, Rev. Jason Leo. The
programme and all the addresses,, with
much other matter, are offered in this
volume, in convenient form for perma
nent preservation.' Thus' they are re
covered' from the. character of fugitive
pieces, for ultimate embodiment in the
history of Oregon. The career of Jason
Lee stands at the outer door of our
historical temple. None can enter it
without passing his figure. His work
began the settlement of the Oregon
country, and his place In our history is
more assured than that of many later
men who since have seemed to bear
more conspicuous parts.
Peary could have reached the North
Pole, no doubt, since he was only 200
miles distant from it. but wouldn't
have survived to tell about it. Quite
as essential as- finding the Pole seems
the successful getting back home, to
enjoy the glory.
Not having heard that Boni has taken
the bankruptcy law for relief from his
creditors, we offer the suggestion, sup
posing that, as the French are reputed
to be the most highly civilized people
on the globe, their laws offer this haven
to the storm-tossed.
When the skies are o'ercast and the
red rays of the setting sun illume
naught but Mount Hood, there can be
only one comparison what Old Glory
looked like to the boys in prison stock
ades when Genera! Sherman marched
through Georgia.
Mr. Harriman thinks that Govern
ment ownership of railroads would do
no good to the country. Does he mean
that he is going to prove the superior
ity of Harriman ownership, by furnish
ing more cars?
It would seem from the little investi
gation the Government is making of
the Utah land frauds, that the admin
istration of Lund Commissioner Binger
Hermann may be gone, but It Is not
forgotten.
Like the contrast between the Mult
nomah and the Eugene football play
ers, that between Hood River and
Yamhill apples is entirely satisfactory;
the triumph belongs to Oregon.
Mr. Ladd does well to resign from
the School Book Commission and to
sneak out of sight everywhere, as he
has tried to sneak out of sight and re
sponsibility 'in journalism. -
The people elect their legislators, but
allow the politicians to organize them
at Salem. The people choose their ser
vants, but the politicians put them to
work.
The estate of a Southern Oregon mer
chant was worth about $20,000, but he
deeded $14,000 to the wife, which great
ly simplified the process of administra
tion. The Chicago professor who says men
should choose their wives as stockmen
do cattle is possibly husband to a 90-lb.
bunch of nerves, ginger and vinegar.
Mr. Bryan wasn't ahead of the rest
ol-us in denouncing the trusts, though
he says he was. He emerged into fame
as a supporter of the sliver trust.
Mayor Lane has been In feuds with
other estimable persons than Auditor
Devlin; one of them was Governor
Pennoyer. '
From the looks of things Mr. Puter
will be a fret man when noble citizens
and statesmen shall be behind the bars.
The new train of the Southern Pacific
has solved the local-traffic problem for
the upper Valley people.
THE PESSIMIST.
It was rumored about the streata on
"Thursday that the Thomas Thompsons
were to eat turkey and cranberry aauca
for dinner. We were informed later the
John Does had turkey and cranberry
sauce for dinner, also that tho Richard
Roes had turkey and cranberry satioe for
dinner. It goes without saying that each
of these distinguished families will have
on Christmas plum pudding and brandy
sauce for dinner. Those who have been
fortunate enough to dine with the Thom
as Thompsons, the John Does, or the
Richard Roes have doubtless noticed that
the proper convention has been observed.
Inasmuch as, when they eat lamb, they
have mint sauce for dinner. Even the
common people, when they feast on ple
beian roast pork, always have apple
sauce for dinner. Even the common peo
ple, when they feast on plebeian roast
pork always have apple sauce for din
ner. Occasionally a high-browed philosopher,
a Sir Isaac Newton, a. Ben Johnson, or
an Abraham Lincoln will cat turkey with
out cranberry sauce, or lamb without Its
invariable concomitant of mint sauce, or
even plo for breakfast, but such people
as these are of no account anyhow.
The Worst Yet.
That impudent Italian Caruso
Pinched a lady's fat arm in. the zoo o
Hard that she called
A policeman, who hauled
Him. to jail, because he did do so.
Jones' Views on Christmas.
The usual crowd filled the front vesti
bule of the Broadway car yesterday
morning, as tt waited at the draw for
three log-rafts, two river steamers and a
lumber schooner to pass through. Jones
had. his favorite seat by the front window.
It was evident that he bad something of
great Importance on his mind. There was
a stern look in his eyes, an unllghted'
cigarette was firmly fixed between his
tightly compressed lips: and. since tho
car started, he hadn't said a word. Jlmp
son was reveling In Jones' unwonted si
lence. He had finished his third dog story
and was laughing boisterously when Jones
said sharply:
"Jimpson!"
Jimpson stopped laughing suddenly and
gasped:
"Wha-wha-what's the matter, Jones?"
"Gimme a'match," said Jones.
While Jimpson was searching his
clothes for the ailver match box that his
wife had given him for his birthday,
Jones got a light from the man with
whiskers who sat next to him. and, while
Jimpson was still searching, ha proceeded
to unbosom himself:
"I'm sick of the whole thing already,"
he said.
"Sick?" broke In Jimpson. violently
snapping the lid of Ills matchbox, which
he had just found, to attract attention.
"Sick?" he repeated. "Did I tell you of
the fun I had giving Lazarus castor oil
the last time ho was sick? Tou know
how dogs hate castor oil. Well. I had
him down on the floor in tho basement,
when-" "
Fortunately at this moment perhaps
purposely the motorman joggled Jimp
son's arm by pulling the brake handle
back. The car was not running, and It
was not necessary for him to use the
brake; but anyway Jimpson's match box
fell from his hand and went behind the
controller box. While he was digigng for
it with his umbrella his conversational
powers were in eclipse. Jones with a
grateful glance at the motorman went on:
."I'm sick of this Christmas business"
"Christmas?" said the man with ths
whiskers, somewhat surprised he thought
Jones was going to kick about the draw
being open. "Christmas? You're a lit
tle soon getting unhappy about that,
ain't you, Jones? This is only the first."
"First?" echoed Jones, "that's the worst
of It. If It were only the last It would
be all over with. Tho people In Irv
ingtoii are just beginning to talk about It.
You ought to hear Jimpson lie to his littla
boy about Santa Claus. It Is about tlm
that that bewhiskcred old fraud was
done away with."
"I tell you." declaimed Jones oratorical!-,
waving his cigarette, "the Interests
of Christianity would be better subserved
by allowing that fat old nuisance to sink,
into oblivion. A considerable proportion
of the scepticism of the present day re
garding the resurrection, the raising of
Lazarus, and other circumstances related
in Holy Writ, Is due to the fairy tales
told us when we are young and trustful."
"Didn't your folks tell you about Santa
Claus when you were a boy, Jones?',' In
quired the motorman.
"Yes, they did. and when I lied I got
licked. It isn't much trouble for me to
recall the fearful retribution visited upon
me when I first departed from the path of
truth.
"I was 4 years old. My father and
mother were somewhat older. It was th
same year of our Lord, on an eventful '
Christmas eve when it was bored Into"
nie that others lied besides myself."
"How did it happen, Jones?"
"It was this way." said Jones,' sadly.
"I was a trustful child. The theory that
Hie stories of the bullrtishes and of the
whale were merely allesorlcal did not ap
peal to me. My sympathies for Moses and
Jonah were profound.
"Nevertheless," continued Jones rem
iniscently, tlfre were times when I re
gretted that I was not an eye-witness ot
some o those astounding occurrences. I
didn't doubt them, understand. I was ot
a scientific turn of mind, and liked to
see how things were done.
"The Chlrstmas eve that I'm telling
about, I noticed that father locked tlie
doors and fastened all the windows as
usual.
' 'How is lie going to get in,' I askel.
I hart been a good boy for a week, and
the advent of Santa Claus was certain."
" 'Oh, he will come down through the
chimney,' my mother answered."
"The paucity of invention on the part of
our parents has since been a source of
great wonder to me. In these modern
days a midnight benefactor should at
least be supplied with a pass-key.
"In our house, there whs no yawning
fireplace with cavernous chimney; instead
there was an eight-inch stovepipe hole.
1 " 'Santa (iaus Is coming down through,
that hole. Is he?' I Inquired in a mildly
tentative tone."
" 'Why yes,' my mother replied. 'Santa
always conies down the chimney. "
"Here was a chance denied me in thn
matter of angels raining down stones and
destruction on the cities of Sodom and
Gomorrah. A miracle was to happen I
was there to see it.'
" "Well.' said I, 'I'm going to sit up and
see him do it.'
" 'You go to bed,' said Dad.
"I went to bed. but I didn't go to sleep.
After a long Interval my wakefulness was
rewarded by seeing the representatives
of Santa Claus, In the persons of my
worthy parents, sneak stealthily throtiKh.
the gloom, and deposit objects of great
value in studied abundance around the
room.
" 'That's how Mrs.' Lot was turned into
a pillar of salt. Is it?' I mused after a
period of retiei-tion. When I grow up
I'm going to move to Missouri. "
M. B. WELL3.
A