'
THE SUNDAX OKEGONIAX, PORTLAND, 3IAT 26, 1907.
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PORTLAND, SUNDAY, MAY 26. 1807.
r
THE NEW THEOLOGY.
Theology differs from religion as a
corpse from a living man. Theology
smerges Into prominence as religion de
cays. Religious phenomena compose
the most significant portion of history.
Theological phenomena are but pale
ghosts with marrowless bones and icy
blood. Still they, too, have their im
portance. Religion has ever been a
bond of unity among men, softening
manners, perfecting! Institutions, beau
tifying life. Theology has been a source
of endless discord., having more strife,
crueity and bloodshed to its account
than ail other agencies of misery taken
together. Plain as the difference Is be
tween theology and religion It has al
ways been the effort of the priestly class
to identify the two, denouncing criti
cism of themselves as sacrilege and at
tacks upon their creeds as atheism. Yet
there never has been a priesthood that
would not have been better for criticism,
and there never was a creed that could
' withstand attack by its sheer merit.
The apostles of the so-called New
Theology spare neither priest nor creed.
They say that the common statements
of" religious belief as used in the
churches are mostly rubbish and that
our ecclesiastical teachers have for the
most part failed In their duty to both
God and man. This most significant
and Interesting movement pervades the
whole Christian world. Sometimes it
appears under one aspect, sometimes
under another. Here it incorporates it
self in the watchword, "Back to Jesus";
there It stakes all upon the doctrine of
the "immanence of God." In France
and Italy it is an unrest within the fold
of Catholicism, a cry for new light and
a more thoroughgoing harmony be
tween the church and modern thought.
The great Italian novelist, Foggazaro,
a man of deep piety, has voiced its as
pirations in the shadow of the Vatican.
Dr. Campbell, of London, and Sir Oli
ver Lodge, the distinguished scientist,
seem to be its most prominent apostles
in England. In America, so far as one
can discern just now, the newspapers
are preaching the new doctrine more
boldly than anybody else.
The New Theology throws emphasis
upon conduct and decries the impor
tance of belief. "It is ridiculous," says
Dr. Campbell, in the Hibbert Journal,
"to preach that salvation is obtainable
by believing something." It is obtain
able by deeds, alone. The uprising of
the ethical .consciousness, we are told,
will "sweep away the common mislead
ing and inadequate statements of be
lief." It is "In conflict with the popular
theology of the churches." It will
"adopt articles of . practical ethical
value" and no others. "It admits no
dissonance between religion and sci
ence." Now, all this Is interesting, but
it is not new. Ifhas been the theology
of many sensible men for a great while.
They will naturally rejoice to see it pen
etrating at last within the ecclesiasti
cal preserve, but they will not concede
that it is novel in the least degree. Who
outside of the theological machine ever
did admit that the Almighty would re
ward or punish us for our intellectual
conclusions? Who has ever attached
any importance to creeds except those
who- found creeds useful in maintaining
their control over men?" Who have
ever denied that conduct was the sole
criterion of excellence except those who
had some scheme of Immunity to offer
from the consequences of evil conduct?
What is this all-conquering dogma of
the immanence of God? It is the exact
opposite of what our theological in
structors have been preaching for a
thousand years or more. They have
taught us that the Almighty, who made
the universe, sits outside of it some
where on a throne and rules It as a
monarch rules his kingdom. Here on
earth we are In exile from his presence;
when we die we shall appear before the
throne for judgment. To die. in the
common belief, is to go into the pres
ence of the Lord. The New Theology
teai-hes that God does not rule the uni
verse from the outside. He is within it.
The laws which science discerns, of
raviLy, of liiht, of rrjajrDetism axe his.
laws.- They are expressions of his ac
tive will. When we learn them we
learn about the Almighty. Every nat
ural phenomenon i a manifestation of
the indwelling deity, a revelation of
him. Every event Jn history is part of
his biography. When Shakespeare wrote
that there are sermons- in stones he
stated the truth inadequately. God
himself is In "the insentient clod which
the rude swain turns with his share and
treads upon." The old theology taught
with vague Inconsequence that God Is
everywhere. The New Theology teaches
it with vital insistence. If he Is every1
where he is necessarily everything. "So
where I go he goes," Whittier makes
Tauler the mystic exclaim, "I cannot
lose the presence of my Lord." He Is
the energy of the world, its form and
Its purpose. He is tho grain of sand
and the human soul.
The immanence of God implies the
unity of men with him and with one
another. The dogma gives new mean
ing to the scriptural phrase that all the
nations of the earth are of one blood
They are of one substance and that
substance is identical with the Creator.
"Unity." says Dr. Campbell, "is the
great word of the New Theology." It
teaches the unity of science and re
ligious belief. Science is the effort of
man to understand the world; religion
Is his feeling of the purpose of the
world. They are the two sides of the
same shield. It teaches the continuity
of life. There is no solution of conti
nuity between earth and heaven. The
kingdom of God is an earthly kingdom,
but its rule is within the heart. "The
church has nothing to do with getting
men into heaven," writes Dr. Camp
bell; "her work Is to get heaven Into
this world." It teaches the social
brotherhood of man. And finally it
teaches the unity of man with God.
The tollers of the world have forsaken
the churches, says Dr. Campbell, "be
cause the churches have Ignored the
divinity of man." The New Theology
reasserts this noblest of truths, thus re
uniting the humn race with the Sa
vior. Since the kingdom of God is
earthly, to advance It we must cure the
radical causes of evil. It is not enough
to tell men that they will be happy In
heaven, if they ever get there; we must
work at the problem of suffering until
they have become happy here. The
task which the New Theology has un
dertaken is clearly no light one. but it
Is certainly better worth doing than to
discuss the geography . of Paradise or
investigate the" temperature of Hades.
JTST A FEW WORDS TO ASTORIA.
We do not say that the Astorian
(newspaper) speaks for Astoria, for we
don't know that It does. Doubtless
much of tie population of Astoria
would say hay. The Ast6rian (newspa
per), however, objects and long has ob
jected to the efforts of the people of
Portland to make Portland a city. Not
much success has attended the objec
tion, it is true; and perhaps it should
be noticed no farther. The efforts of
Portland have been devoted largely,
during many years, to the plan and
work of opening the Columbia River to
deep-sea vessels. The main points of
this work have been the improvement
of the entrance from the sea, the deep
ening of the channels and the reduction
or elimination of the burdens of pilot
age and towage.
We think these are all worthy ob
jects .though; somehow the Astorian
(newspaper) Imagines they are against
the interests of its town; we sup
pose for the reason that it hates to
see Portland make progress as a city.
Hence "lean-faced envy In Its loath
some cave." While we cannot suppose
the Astorian (newspaper) can or would
be induced to take a different view of
things, or that its view of these things
can matter much anyway, we should
be glad nevertheless to find it exerting
itself to make a city at Astoria, con
vinced that . Portland Is to go right
ahead, whether that peculiar newspa
per continues its snarling or not.
The obstructions at Astoria have at
times been serious, or at least annoy
ing; but henceforward they will be less
so, for the people of the great Columbia
basin Portland included will not stop
till they get rid of the last of these also.
Astoria herself will take on new life and
make new and mighty growth as soon
as she quits the tactics of obstruction
and kicks off the clogs of her ancient
fossillsm. Towns get ahead as men do,
not by trying to check others, but by
making opportunities for themselves
and using them.
A PRACTICAL PHILANTROPY.
Not all sermons that find voice are
preached from pulpits, nor are all les
sons learned in early life given from
text books approved by educational
boards. This statement is none the less
true because it is trite, and not the less
to be indorsed when its examples are
presented under the guise of amuse
ment and recreation.
A striking illustration of the truth of
this estimate is shown in a beautiful
and practical philanthropy conducted
by Miss Minnie 'Herts in the great lower
East Side of New Tork. City. This ef
fort takes the form of a "theater beau
tiful," and ' it represents the energetic
work of its gracious patroness. To it
the children of a district that literally
swarms with childlife flock by hun
dreds every Saturday -evening and Sun
day afternoon ' to witness wholesome,
well-staged' plays, for which they pay
an admission price of 10 cents a seat.
Tickets to these plays are all sold long
before the opening hour to a restless
throng that watts eagerly for the doors
to open and the play to begin! The hall
of the Educational Alliance, in which it
Is held, seats 1,000 children, and hun
dreds of disappointed ones besiege the
men at the door at every performance
for admittance, which is necessarily re
fused. The scope of this work, as noted by a
correspondent , of the Pittsburg Dis
patch, is not limited to the apprecia
tion of good, clean drama and high
class Ideals Instilled into the minds of
the children, though these alone would
make the effort well worth while. This
theater's greatest educational value lies
in the training It affords those who may
take part in the performances, teaching
them pure, grammatical English, the
discipline of obedience, that can be
learned no where to greater advantage
than on the stage, the accomplishments
of graceful bearing and gentle, refined
manners.
The actors in the children's theater
are the young men and women of that
quarter of the city. Most of them are
of Russian-Jewish parentage and have
been in this country but a few years.
When drawn into the theater for the
first time by a sign outside asking for
a volunteer speech and action class,
their whole knowledge of English is
such as they have picked up on the
streets or from their half Americanized
associates- Jn the schools or sweat
shop"- - A great thaiUTa-. indeed, a. radi- J
cal transformation follows their volun
tary attendance for a few months upon
the speech and action class, candidates
for -which must be at least IS years old.
There are also junior classes in the set
tlement from which children are drawn
when it is imperative to have them in
yie play.
This, briefly outlined, is the work of
the "theater beautiful" to which Miss
Herts is devoting her life. Its lessons
are those of every day, carefully staged
and presented in language and 'action,
which introduce these waifs that have
drifted hither from a foreign land to
the best that lies within the compass
of their lowly station. They, are not
exhorted to rise above the conditions
that hamper them, but are by the ex
ample of a clean drama, the correct use
of the English language, the reflected
discipline of good manners and the re
quirement of a door fee which Is within
their ability to compass, given the les
sons that are needed as a groundwork
for useful American citizenship.
The effort is gracious in Inception,
generous in pursuit and practical in
application. Of It It is truly said that
in a great city noted for its benevo
lence, as well as for some things not so
gracious, there Is no philanthropy more
unique or that gives greater promise of
lasting results than that which has
found expression in this conception of
the "theater beautiful," as worked out
by a young Jewess through a practical
understanding of the needs of the
swarms of children of ' her race who
have crossed the sea and settled there.
FLATTKRIN'G THE SOUTH.
The disinterested spectator, wrapped
in philosophic calm, observes with
amusement the contortions of the anti
Bryan Democrats. Their once luminous
countenances are "dimmed with ire,
envy and despair." Hopeless of strik
ing a responsive note among the intel
ligent voters of the North, they turn
with frantic appeals to-the reactionary
prejudices of the solid South. Even in
the South they do not dare to address
themselves to men of active, though
perverted, intellect, like Tillman and
Vardaman. These men, with all their
dire savagery or spirit, nevertheless
move with the times. They are aware
of the dawn of a new day and the
emergence of new issues. Hence the
reactionary enemies of Mr. Bryan
avoid them and turn to the flotsam
and jetsam of the old rebel hierarchy,
the stranded wreckage of a bygone and
tempestuous era, the men who learn
nothing and forget nothing, the genuine
Bourbons of the bucolic South. One
paper, bitterly hostile to Mr. Bryan,
quotes with approval an absurd letter
from "an old-time, simon-pure, rebel
Democrat," which calls Mr. Bryan "a
lunatic who hasn't political sense
enough to get in out of the rain," and
surmises that this "letter states "the
convictions of a vast number of South
ern Democrats." If it does, then Mr.
Bryan Is not tho only Democrat who
has developed well-marked, symptoms
of lunacy.
The ancient, long-haired, slouch-hatted,
pistol-fjting element in tho South,
who seem to be the last hope of the
anti-Bryanites, are naturally elated by
the purely factitious prominence which
the exigency of the moment has given
them, and they respond to the voice of
the flatterer with no little enthusiasm.
One gathers that they actually fancy
themselves to be an important factor in
the next Presidential campaign. It
seems to be almost a public duty to
undeceive them. Certainly it is a work
of charity. Suppose soma necromancer
were to summon the ghosts of the
sheeted dead from their graves andi tell
them that their votes would decide who
was to be the next President of the
United States. Would it not be unkind
to the ghosts? And would not he de
serve their gratitude who informed
them of the deception and urged them
back to their quiet Tepose?
The opinions of this element in the
South are important only to them
selves. They cannot guide the great
body of the Democratic party; much
less can they guide and control the
whole country. And the very simple
reason is that their opinions deal with
matters which nobody else cares about
and are based on events which every
body else has forgotten. This fraction
of the Southern people, happily grow
ing smaller as intelligence permeates
the backwoods and sylvan hamlets, sits
perpetually under the weeping willow
gazing pensively upon the creeping ivy.
It "shrouds itself in enamels," with its
eye forever turned longingly upon the
past. "The beauteous now, the divine
to be," have no charms for it. The
only thing which it cares to achieve is
to compel the negroes to ride in Jim
Crow cars. The only thing it cares to
prevent is the marriage of its daughters
with "niggers." Upon these two exalt
ed purposes all the forces of Its intel
lect are directed, and they seem to ex
haust all its resources of statesmanship.
How can such people expect to lead the
rest of the country politically?
This is the element in the South
which listens to the voice of the pluto
cratic charmer and derides the opinions
of Mr. Bryan. It derides them, not 'be
cause it has studied and understood
them. Such people never study any
thing and they understand nothing but
the two or three little parochial matters
which they have most at heart. Even
those they do not understand very well;
not half so well as they might if they
would enlarge their outlook a trifle. Of
course there are strong objections to
Mr. Bryan's theory of Government own
ership and to the National Initiative
and referendum which he suggests, but
the benighted voters to whom his ene
mies appeal do not know what they are.
They object to these things simply and
solely because they were not part of the
programme of Andrew Jackson. To
their minds'it is inconceivable that any
thing should be excellent which was
not made an issue before the war. They
dwell in an enchanted realm surround
ed by chimeras. The living questions of
the day have no significance for them.
Barrett Wendell, explaining' the ante
bellum literary sterility of the South
erners in his Literary History of
America, says that their minds were so
occupied with slavery, its dangers and
difficulties, that they could think of
nothing else. The prolongation of the
same subject has doomed, them to polit
ical sterility since the war.
It may not be uninteresting to quote
one of the arguments against Mr. Bryan
which has been concocted by his
Northern plutocratic enemies- solely
for Southern consumption, Just as a
special and inferior grade of calico 1b
manufactured to sell to the Hottentots.
The Atlanta Constitution, an able news
paper friendly to Bryan, says in his
favor that "every policy of constructive
reform now under way in this Nation
originated with the Nebraskan." and
that he is therefore the natural leader
of the Democracy. The damning reply
is, not that his policies are dead, not
that they would injure the common
wealth. biLtmerely .that Populists
taught them before he did. What dif
ference does it make to any sensible
man who first taught a doctrine? The
oply rational question is whether the
doctrine is w-lse and true or not. Do
we think any the less of Mr. Roosevelt
because he has put in practice some of
the best of the Populist theories? The
efficient statesman takes a correct pol
icy wherever he finds it, and every sane
citizen praises him for doing so. But
any nonsense is believed by the North
ern plutocrats to be good enough for
the South. All that is required to make
it go down is a whoop and a yell, a sug
gestion of race hatred. and a spice of
state sovereignty. Why not try a
small, experimental dose of common
sense upon the Southerners? Is it quite
certain that they are such fools as the
Northern corporation bcguilers take
them for?
LET THEM TRY THE INITIATIVE.
Termination of the university refer
endum proceedings by a technicality
preventing filing of the petition is to
be regretted, because it will be unsatis
factory to those who have fathered the
movement and will quite likely result
in litigation which cannot aid in reach
ing a conclusion upon the real question
involved. A suit over the petitions at
tacking the university appropriation
must also involve the validity of all
other petitions filed, thus engendering
feeling and controversies entirely un
related to the merits of the numerous
questions primarily presented by the
petitioners. The Oregonian has opposed
the movement for the referendum on
the university appropriation bill, and
Is still opposed to it, but would have
preferred to see the petitions withheld
by the promoters rather than see them
thrown out on technicalities. As this
paper views the matter, the filing of
referendum petitions will injure " the
university, discredit the state abroad,
and result in no saving of money, for
it is quite certain that the people will
approve the appropriation.
If the referendum petitions are fatally
defective, as the Attorney General be
lieves they are, the friends of the uni
versity should not rest upon this tech
nical victory over those who have de
manded a popular vote. The question
Is one of which the friends of the uni
versity need not be afraid. Let them
prepare an initiative petition fixing the
appropriation at $125,000 a year, as the
legislative act fixed it, and submit the
question to a vote of the people upon
Its merits. If assurance be given that
this will be done, the advocates of 'the
referendum may be satisfied to let the
matter rest for the present, even though
their petition has been thrown out upon
a technicality.. They have secured the
number of signatures required by the
constitution and may be expected to
insist upon a popular vote being had.
Friends of the appropriation should be
willing to concede them this right if
they will refrain from taking intovourt
the question that has been decided
against them by the Attorney General.
The Oregonian has always insisted!
that the initiative presents the proper
agency for settlement of the normal
school question, and it believes that by
resort to the initiative the university
question can best be settled without in
any way impairing the efficiency of
the institution while the controversy is
pending before the people. '
BONDS FOR A FIREBOAT.
The Portland waterfront and con
tiguous territory are entitled ' to ade
quate fire protection. The present in
efficient flreboat and other Fire Depart
ment equipment do not give the desired
protection. Nearly all the heavy fires
in recent years, and, indeed. In the en
tire history of Portland have occurred
on the river bank, or near it. A first-
class flreboat ready at all times for
service, might have prevented some, or
perhaps most, of these disasters. Un
doubtedly it would have prevented some
of them. By an ingenious mechanical
arrangement through the so-called
"dry" mains, it is possible for the flre
boat to reinforce powerfully the ordi
nary fire-fighting equipment In confla
grations at a distance of many blocks
from the river. Sueh mains it is pro
posed shall be laid through the business
and industrial center of Portland If the
new bond issue of $275,000 shall be
voted.
A flreboat, too, or two fireboats. in
case of failure of the water supply, such
as was threatened in Portland yester
day through the accident at Gresham.
would be indispensable. The only avail
able means of fighting Are anywhere in
that event would be by water from the
river. The only way to get vwater in
quantity from the river, either directly
or through the dry mains, would be by
fireboats. (Here is an Important con
sideration that the Gresham accident to
the Bull Run pipe line enforces on pub
lic attention.
It -may be questionable whether bonds
are the most desirable way of securing
funds for construction of a flreboat. We
think' it is not. The cost of a flreboat
ought to be paid out of the current rev
enues of the city. A long and persis
tent effort to persuade the city admin
istration to build another flreboat from
such funds failed, however, and the ex
pedient or bonds was resorted to. We
seem to be going into the bonding busi
ness on a very large scale, and we
might as well let the tall go with the
hide, and build the flreboat and con
struct the mains; for there is no doubt
wnatever that such an adjunct in the.
Portland Fire Department is urgently
needed. .
A SUGGESTION'.
The struggle between Governor
Hughes, of New Tork, and the Senate
of that state over the retention of the
Incompetent Kelsey and the nubile
service bill has worthily held the atten
tion of the whole country. It has
evoked comment from the press every
where. Erven the religious periodicals
have found it a fit subject for edifica
tion. Among them The Outlook. Dr.
Lyman Abbott's magazine, has distin
guished Itself by a column of comment
which presents unique features.
Writing in a melancholy vein. The
Outlook says: "The attitude of the
Governor had much to do in Influencing
Senators to vote for the retention of
Mr. Kelsey. From the first the Gover
nor has refused to use his powers of re
moval and appointment to strengthen
the hands of those who support his poli
tics and weaken, the hands of those in
opposition. He has consequently in
spired few public office-holders with the
spirit of loyalty, and has not yet put
much fear into the hearts of the un
scrupulous." And 'The Outlook adds
mournfully that "as a politician in the
sense in which that term may be ap
plied to Abraham Lincoln or Theodore
Roosevelt, Mr. Hughes has yet to prove
his mastery."
This was written, of course, before the
Senate, made iLs.lncIarlQus submission
to the Governor and acknowledged it
self beaten in every quarter. It is in
teresting now only as an illustration of
the ethical standards of some of our
leading religious periodicals. The secu
lar press, almost without exception,
commended Mr. 'Hughes for refusing to
barter with the recent Senators and
predicted that his trust in the power of
public opinion would be rewarded with
ultimate victory. And they were right.
It remained for a great religious jour
nal to bewail his uprightness and la
ment that he did not prostitute his pow
ers to buy a temporary and ephemeral
triumph.
Which was the better politician. Mr.
Hughes or the writer in The Otlook?
Which took the nobler view of the is
sue and the one that led to the higher
success? St. Theresa in her day prayed
for the conversion of the Pope. Would
it not be well for the churches to ap
point a week of prayer for the conver
sion of the religious newspapers?
The world's rice crop in 1905 aggre
gated 170,000,000,000 pounds. The great
bulk of this enormous yield was pro
duced and consumed by the people of
Asia, the Chinese taking the lead both
in production and consumption. A peo
ple dependent for food upon a single
staple, as are the millions of China,
Japan and large portions of India upon
rice, axe under constant menace of
famine from failure of the crop. The
enormous crop of 1905, followed by fail
ure due to the inundation of the rice
fields by the overflow of the Tangste
last year, counted its famine victims
by thousands. - It is impossible in a
country of diversified interests and
agriculture to be overtaken by disaster
to human life so terrible as this, or
for its people to understand from mere
recital of events the awful conditions
that have prevailed among rice consum
ing peoples during the past half year.
To crouch before this menace and beg
for relief is the only resource of people
who are as absolutely dependent upon
one product of agriculture for subsist
ence, as were the North American In
dians upon the spoils of the chase.
The voice of their wailing is heard per
iodically throughout the world, and,
since they seem to be unable, from the
sad lessons of experience, to revise their
economic conditions, there Is a prob
ability that it will continue to be heard
at intervals for an Indefinite period of
time.
The silence, unbroken for a third of
a century, that has for charity's sake
brooded over the name of Theodore
Tilton, has at length been broken by
announcement of his death. The oblo
quy that attaches to the name of a man
who, from any motive, whether of Jeal
ousy, revenge or for alleged conscience
sake, brings odium upon the name and
fair fame of the wife of his youth, the
mother of his children, a woman withal
who was honored in all womanly ways,
has long darkened the name of Tilton
and drained his self-enforced exile of
the sympathy of his fellow men. It was
thus that oblivion became the portion
of Theodore Tilton, thus that he lived
in seclusion for more than a genera
tion, his very name forgotten and the
fact that he once lived recalled only by
the event of his death. It may be said
to his credit that he chose retirement
after his stinging rebuke by a jury of
his fellow men, courted silence, and
wrapping the tattered mantle of self
respect about him, waited patiently for
the end, which came but yesterday.
Perhaps it is too much to say of Theo
dore Tilton In passing that he lived and
died a "hated man." He was simply
ignored forgotten.
The Anti-Smoke League of New Tork
City, acting in concert wJth the Depart
ment of Health, has succeeded in abat
ing to an appreciable degree the smoke
menace that has hung for years like a
pall over the city. Several large fac
tories on the East Side, which consume
soft coal, are using patent stokers and
smoke consumers, with the result that
their chimneys emit no smoke. A de
vice that would abate the smoke nui
sance as arising from the furnace flues
of city homes would be an Incalculable
and duly appreciated blessing. The fuel
question, in conjunction with the smoke
nuisance, forms one of the costliest and
most vexatious problems of urban life.
Uncle Sam put lands into the hands
of railroad and wagon road promoters
nearly 40 years ago, on condition that
they should sell them to settlers for not
more than $2.50 an acre and take the
money for their own. But now the pro
moters and their successors claim own
ership of the. land and spurn the $2.50.
That's nerve and gall. Isn't It?
Doubtless the obtalnment of fran
chises at San Francisco cost more than
obtainment of franchises at Portland,
for the prizes were larger; but he would
be credulous indeed who could Imagine
that one of the proceedings was less
corrupt than the other.
Mayor Lane says, truly, that the
taxes on private property in Portland
would be much Ices than they are If the.
franchises covering the public utilities
of Portland had not been looted. Tes,
indeed. And we all know who looted
them.
'Harney County residents are said to be
sure that Harriman plans soon to build
the railroad across Oregon. Such con
fidence merits reward, and Harriman
should not lose sight of his friends In
Harney.
Pink and green are the official colors
for the fiesta next month. We violate
no confidence in announcing that these
hues will also predominate in Portland's
rose gardens. .
The weekly table of bank clearances
is the best sort of evidence to outsiders
that Portland is the most substantial
city on the Pacific Coast.
The candidate for Mayor who will
promise to make the "bummers" in the
plaza move on will receive a grateful
quantity of votes.
The steamer J. N. Teal Is busy and
lets us know about It even before going
on the route.
And the Joyous feature of Heney's
Indictments is that he makes them
stick.
It's too bad that those Fourth of July
speeches Will be too late for the elec
tion. The umpire really must be the man
to blame. We' can't think of any other.
' Flour goes up in price again, and the
wheat seller gets the profit, of course.
This kind of weather brings on the
strawberries; also the files.
SYMPOSIUM OF CURRENT STATE TOPICS
How One Yoong Man "Made Good" in Fubllc Life Why the Grange Is Holding
Up the Armory Appropriation Timber and Its Value to the land Actual Ket- -tiers
and the Southern Pacific's Lands Cows' Troubles in Linn County Story
of the Ashland School Clapper Fetr West's Many Divorcee Automobiles on
Country Roads. '
OSWALD WEST, formerly State Land
Agent and now a member of the
Railroad Commission by virtue of ap
pointment by the Governor, is recognized
all over the State as a young man who
has "made good" in public service. This
recognition he has attained by the ag
gressive spirit he displays in taking up
any work that may be assigned him.
Where many others in official position
would have been content to let affairs
drift along in well-worn ruts and in ac
cordance with out-of-date customs, he
has been prompt and persistent in efforts
to establish a better order of things. Be
cause he found practices In force was not
the slightest reason why be should con
tinue them. If they were good, very well;
but if not good they must make way for
the better. Whether the desirable thing
can be done he seldom, if ever, stops to
Inquire. He proceeds upon the theory
that a thing can't be done without try
ing, and he makes the effort. Everybody
told him he couldn't secure convictions
in the "State land, fraud cases, and he
didn't, but he made a try at It and at
least brought to light the facts as to the
manner in which the State lands had
been purchased. The only reason he
didn't secure convictions was that the
criminal laws did not cover the violations
of the land laws. His aggressiveness dis
closed the laxity of the criminal laws.
West is an aggressive member of the
Railroad Commission. He docs not worry
himself over the question whether the
commission has the power to take pro
posed action for the benefit of patrons
of a railroad. If it' Is something that
ought to be done, he believes in doing it,
and letting the .other fellow do the wor
rying. Legal obstructions have no ter
rors for him. If shippers make a com
plaint he believes In trying It on the mer
its first, leaving the railroads to Talse
the question of law if It be found that a
cause for complaint existed. There are
scores of young men In official positions
In Oregon city, county and State offices
who could win recognition as West has If
they were willing to undertake reforms
which they admit should be Inaugurated,
but which they hesitate to attempt be
cause they doubt whether anything can
be done.
GE. Spence, the Clackamas County
farmer, who was one of members of
the Grange having charge of the armory
and compulsory pass referendum peti
tions, has a very forceful way of putting
things when he gets Into an argument.
He was very milch in earnest In the
movement for the referendum on the
$100,000 armory appropriation bill. When
he and Jacob Voorhees presented the
petition , for filing, the papers were taken
to Governor Chamberlain's office as re
quired by law. "I think the Grange is
making a mistake in demanding the ref
erendum on the armory bill,' remarked
the Governor, in the course of the con
versation. "I believe we should have a
strong National Guard for service when
needed and that this bill was a measure
of economy."
"We have nothing against the National
Guard," responded Mr. Spence, "but there
were several things we took Into consid
eratlon. We wanted laws passed that
would compel the corporations to pay
their share of the taxes. Measures of
that kind were defeated, and then this
bill was passed taxing the people $100,000
to aid a National Guard that is called out
only when the corporations are to be pro
tected." IT IS difficult for the people of this
state to get over. the pioneer Idea
that timber detracts from the value of
land. A few years ago the owners of
timbered land in the agricultural re
gion were troubled over the problem
of getting rid of the trees and etumps,
and they slashed the trees and burned
them on the ground. It was an ex
pensive operation, but it had to be
done to set -the land under, the plow.
Conditions have vastly changed In the
last few years, and now many a man
owning land near Portland. Oregon
City, Salem, Eugene and othej- West
ern Oregon towns can look back less
than a dozen years and see where be
incurred great expense to get rid of
timber that would be a source of
wealth to him if he still owned It.
And many men still fall to see that
the timber, too small for lumbering,
nevertheless adds value to the land.
Here, for example, is the Eugene Reg
ister telling of the sale of 933 acres of
land less than four miles from the city.
The land contains 40,000 coeds' tf
wood and it ft a down-hill haul all the
way to Eugene. While the price is not
given, the Register says that at 25
cents a cord stumpage the wood will
just about pay for the land. And the
stumpage is doubtless worth two,
three, or even four times 25 cents a
cord. It Is not likely to grow less
valuable as the years roll by.
LINN COUNTY COWS must be of ac
robatic proclivities, if one may
judge by certain legislation in their
behalf. At least, there is reason to be
lieve that they are expected to walk
a tight wire or an imaginary line. Such
is the inevitable conclusion from the
language of Senate bill 156, which was
enacted by the last Legislature and
which is now known in law as chap
ter 90 of. the session laws. That act
says that stock may run at large in
the following portion - of Linn County,
to-wit: "Commencing aX the point In
Linn County where the Willamette
Meridian crosses the North Santlam
River, running from thence south to
the northeast corner of section 1,
township 11 south, range 1 west, of the
Willamette Meridian; thence west
three miles; thence south six miles; thence
west three miles; thence south to south
ern boundary line of Linn County."
It was the intention that stock should
be allowed to run at large east of that
line, but the law contains nothing to
that effect, so stock can run at large
only on the line.
MANY of the people who are so
eagerly endeavoring to secure
some of the Southern Pacific's timber
land under the terms of the grant re
quiring that it be sold to actual set
tlers, are likely to suffer a severe
Jolt when they run up against the
"actual settler" proposition. When the
Southern Pacific has been beaten out
on every other issue, it will still have
the right to insist that the purchaser
shall be an actual settler. In fact. It
will have no right to sell to others
than actual settlers. And proving one's
self an actual -settler to the satisfac
tion of an antagonistic railroad cor
poration is likely to be a vastly dif
ferent matter from establishing the
same fact to the satisfaction of an
easy-going Government land officUil
under old practices. If an applicant
be not lit fact and intention an actual
settler, the railroad people will be
pretty apt to And it out. They will'
make it their business to find out what
claim the applicant lias to their land.
The applicant who is now putting up
his good money for a contest on the
questions of law will therefore be
wise if he looks well to the question'
of fact whether he is or is not in a
position to prove himself an actual
settler. What constitutes an actual
settler is not definitely known, but It is
safe to say that the settlement must
be a little more actual In a contest
with a railroad than In a homestead
entry which goes through witlJt any
contest at all.
CALLING to their books two gener
ations of school children has worn
out the clapper in the boll on the new
High School at Ashland, and a new
one has been substituted. The bell
was first swung in the belfry of Ash
land Academy in 1869, and since that
time it has sounded the call to school
for Ashland College and Ashland Nor
mal. When the new High School was
established it was" removed to that
structure but a few days ago the
clapper broke from its hinge. Though
the ball of iron on the end had been
battered amost fat, it gave good serv
ice until the hinge was worn asunder.
Because of fond memories this old bell
revives, the people of Ashland asked
that the clapper be laid away among
other historic relics in the archives of
the school.
SEVERAL attempts have been made
Oregon to substitute automobiles
for stages drawn by horses, but In most
instances the experiment has been
found unsatisfactory, chiefly because of
the roughness of the roads. Bad roads
cither prevent rapid traveling or rack
the machines to pieces and in either
event the auto has proven in many
cases an unsuccessful rival of the old
hack stage. But a few successful ex-'
pcrlments have been made. An autd
running between Eugene and Spring
field last season was found profitable "v,
to its owner. Two or three years ago
an auto line between Independence and
Salem was abandoned because toe wear
and tear of the machine, together with
the cost of operation exceeded the
revenue; but this year a machine is
running between Dallas and Salem and
giving satisfaction to its owners. In
dications are that systematic and
thorough improvement of main roads
running east and west across the Val
ley to connecting towns on the three
lines of the Southern Pacific would"
make automobiling so easy that In a
short time all the stages would be
superseded by the machines and more
rapid transportation would be provided.
ALL through Western Oregon the ,
small towns are urging the estab
lishment of creameries In the place of
shipping cream to other towns where
creameries ro already in operation
The argument is that if the community
produces enough cream to supply a
small plant, it will be better for the
town to have the butter go out with the
local brand on it and have nil tho
profits of the manufacture of butter
stay in the community. Farmers take
the view, also, that the more creamer
ies there are the less danger is there
of the formation of such harmonious
relations as will result in the lowerlr-' -
of prices of butter fat. When trly
have their choice between Belling to (lie
local creamery or shipping to Portlaid
or to some other center, they feel mre
confident of getting the best price ie
market will warrant. The present ynr
will see a half dozen new creamers
in Western Oregon. '
JURORS in the Circuit Court will
hereafter draw $3 per day Install
of $2 as in the past. The new fee wll
Just about let a farmer out even whin
called for Jury duty. It will be faliiy
profitable to the average town man f
leisure who delights to serve on tie
Jury. To tho retired "captalist" t,e
$3 will be clear gain, for he can lie
at home, but the farmer will be oit
about $1 a day for board and will hue
to pay about $1.75 a day for a man r
take his place on the farm. It Is alt
gether probable that the change in tie
amount of the fee will makn a differ
ence in the number of excuses offci f I
and the zeal with whicTI they u'e
pressed when men are called to jujr
duty. i
ONE of the remarkable, things aboit
the legislation placed upon th)
statute books by the recent session f
the Legislature was that the new ouaii
antine law which might easily t
necessary for the preservation of tlii
public health and safety, contained ni
emergency clause, while a number of)
acts having no other purpose than thai
raising of salaries were put Into effect)
immediately by declaring them neces
sary for the preservation of the public
peace, health and safety.
PETER WEST, of Pendleton, prob
ably has the world's record in the
divorce business. He is an attorney,
and has tried 307 ".divorce cases in
Umatilla County. More than that, he
has himself been divorced eight tirnc3,
and is now living with his tenth wife.
He is rather an Interesting character
In the Eastern Oregon town, and not
at all averse to discussing his specialty
in legal practice.
First Aid in Broadirsy.
New York Globe.
The passing throng on Broadway is aH
ways ready for a little excitement, and
when an ambulance that had been racing
down the street with strident clanghW
gong the other day drew up suddenly
the curb in front of a popular confer
tioner's shop and a trim-looking yoiiii
surgeon hopped out and. with the serin
air of one who meant business, hurried
entered the premises, there was a grri
twisting of neck, and In a couplo
minutes a good-sized crowd had collect
some oi tnose witn a specially w4-
developed taste for shockers at first hifd
followed the young surgeon Inside Id
gathered about him to hear the quesjm
that he evidently desired to a.sk of i
of tne employes. rsreainiei--siy they s-
tened as the words fell from his llpsf
"W til you let mo navo a pound of etio
lates? was his query.
The crowd laughed. The young snrinn
looked around, puz.led. Finally the
auon aawneu on mm ana ne laugneuJoo.
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