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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1908)
6 1 UK SUNDAY OlIEGOMAX, rORTLAXD, ArKIL 5. 1908. 6CBSt RiPTION BATES. INVaRIAFT.T IN AOVANCB. By Mall.) tutly. Sunday included, on year rial lv Kunriaw lirl;ilri Mix months... soo 4 25 i.23 Iiaily. Sunday Included, ttiree months., bally. Sunday mrluded. oni montn.. tlelly. without Eunday. na year Dally, without Sunday. six months.. ... Dally, without Sunday, three montna. . Dally, without Sunday, ona month..... .75 s oo a.i3 171 CO so Sunday, ona year T Wkly. ona year (lisued Thursday)... J Sunday and weekly, cao year BY CARRIER. Dally. Sunday Included, one year...... 00 Dally, Sunday Included, cn month. . . . HOW TO REMIX Send postottlce money rder. express order or personal check on your local bonk, Stampe. coin or currency re at the sender's rlsK. Olve postofftce ad dress In rull. Including county and state. POSTAGE BATES. Entered at Portland. Oreajoa. Postofflce a Second-Class Matter. 10 to 14 Pages , 1 to 29 Pacee 10 to 44 Pages J . 4 to 60 Pagea cen-" Foreign postage, double ratea. IMPORTANT The postal lawa are etrtct. Newspapers on which poinn la not ruuy prepaid are not forwarded to destination. EASTERN BUSINESS OHltE. The S. C. -ck.ltb special Agency New Tork. rooms 43-50 Tribune bulidlng. Cni cago, rooma Tribune building. KEPT ON BALK. f hlcarn. Audltcrtum Annex; Foatoftlce Km Co., 17 Dearborn atreot; Empire News Stnnd. , , St. Paul. Minn N. St. S!arle. Commercial fliatlon. Colorado Springe. Colo. Fell. H. H. Denver. Hamilton and Kendrlck. Seventeenth street; Pratt Book Store. I-1 Fifteenth street; H. P. Hansen, B. Klce. jiiRe Carson. Kansas Uty. Mo. Tilcksecker Clgat Co.. NInih end Walnut: Toma Newa Co. Minneapolis M. J. Cavanaugh. DO South Third. Cincinnati, O. Toma Newa Co. (lerrland. O Jamea Pashaw. SOT Su- lertor btreet- Washlngtoa. D. C ibbltt House. Penn sylvania, avenue; Columbia Newa Co. I'lttaburg, I'a. Fort Pitt Newa Co. Philadelphia. Pa. ityan's T neater Ticket Office: Perm Newa Co.; Kemble, A. P.. Lancaster avenue. New York City Hotallngs newstands. J Tark Row. S8th and Broadway, aid ana Broadway and Broadway and 'JOth. Tele phone 6U74. Single copies delivered: Jones Co.. Astor house; Broadway The ater Newa Stand; Empire Newa Stand. Ocden. 1. I. Boyle; Lowe Bros.. 114 Twenty-flfth street. Omaha. Barkalow Bros.. Union Station; liaxeath Stationery Co.: Kemp A Arenson. Ilea Moines la. Moso Jacobs. Fresno, Cal. Tourist Newa Co. Sacramento, Cal. Sacramento fewa CO.. 430 K strnc: Amos Newa CO. Salt Lake Moon Book oi Stationery Co.; Itosmfcld fc Hansen: O. W. Jewett. P. O. corner; Stclpeck Bros. Ling Bench. C al. H. E. Amos. Pasutlcna. Cut. Amos News Co. saa Diego. B K. Amos. Kin tlofcc. Kmeison W. Houston, Tex. Internationa! Newa Agency. Dallas. Tex. Southwestern Newa Agent. 844 Wain street: also two street wagons. I't. Worth. Tex. Southwestern N. and A. Atnarllla. Tex. TImmons ft Pope. fcan IranrlM'o. Forster A; Orear: Ferry News 8land; Hotel St. Francis News Stand; 1.. Parent; N. Wheatley; Falrmount Hotel News Stand: Amos Newa Co.; United Newa Agency. 14 ij Eddy street; 13. K. Amos, man ager three wagons; Worlds N. S.. -8-3 A. Sutter fctreet. Oakland. I'.il. W. H Johnson. Fourteenth and Franklin streets; N. Wheatley; Oakland News Stand: B. E. Amoa. manager Ave wagons; Welltngham. fci. ti. (iolrinrul. Nev. I.oulo Folllo. Eureka, tal. Call-Chronicle Agency; Eu reka Nt'tis Co. PORTLAND. SINMV, AfKII. S. 190. TEOrLK'S TARTY r.LATFORM. It was to Wt- eNpoetrd 'iat tr"" plat form of the TVople's party would deal niHinly with tinantial and social ques tions. Some of the suRgfstions are sound, tmt perhaps impossible of pres ent realization. Others are exceed ingly crude. Chief of these Is that which relates to the currency of the countr. One of the fundamental errors is the assumption that paper currency is money. Tlilf. Indeed, is the basis of all the rest. Paper currency is simply a substitute for money, (rood only so long as its redeemability In gold Is maintained.. . Rut the platform of the People's party calls for paper cur rency, and demands that it shall no UmKcr bo issued through banks, but "direct to the people." But what are the ieople to be required to (rive for il when they (ret it? And how is its rcdremabllity to be maintained? Doubtless our friends of the People's ,:irty would say that it is not to be redeemed flt all. but Is (rood enough ivlthout redemption, or promise of re demption. Uf treasury notes there are now out-si.-indins all that the Government fan safely carry, with proper provision, or c,ld reserve, for assurance of redemp tion or maintenance of the notes at par witli gold. Any considerable in crease of the amount would throw the notes oft the sold basis and reduce th-m to uncertain value. The reason why national bank notes are author ized and employed is simply that the bairkine; interests of the country may be required to help In supporting; the currency of exchange and maintenance of it on a basis of exchuncenbility at par with Rold. The Government could not do It. alone, without banking up jjold in masses so extraordinary as would quite upset the exchanges of the world. Nor could the Government af ford direct supply of currency, where needed, as the banks can; each of whtch knows the needs of its locality, and from its knowledge of local busi ness and standing of customers, can take care of loans and collections. Government never could do It, without a great central bank and a vast sys tem of branches; and even then. Gov ernment would find it necessary to associate private individuals with it, as in other countries, where the like system exists. The Teople's party wish the Gov ernment to tiwn and operate all the railroads and all the public utilities. Some progress may be made in this direction, with time; but assuredly it will be very slow. Caution requires tentative movement in this direction; for even the problem of municipal franchises has not yet been solved, nor is likely to be. these many years yet. From any serious proposition to take over the whole railroad system, or at present any part of it, the coun try now undoubtedly would start back vith alarm. It could not .see the way, safely, to so radical a change. Unquestionably there are those with wliom considerations of prudence and safely have no weight whatever. .They merely have their hobbles, but have no regard for consequences. They never look ahead. It is the way of In novators, theorists and projectors. What they propose probably will4eome about after we shall have taken our economic and political philosophy from the republic of Utopia and the kingdom of Laputa. The demand for laws and for en forcement of laws for better protection of working people Is sound. Con tinual progress is making in that di rection, through both state and Na tional legislation. All working condi tions must be made as safe and sani tary as possible. Wages will always depend on the state of industry, the condition of markets, and the general law of demand and supply. The platform declares there should be a law to prohibit courts from as suming Jurisdiction involving the con stitutionality of acts passed by Con gress and approved by. the President. Slrrce the courts from the first have exercised this function, and since the results are interwoven with the whole fabric and system of our Government, it cannot be expected that such law will ever be enacted; at least till the Constitution shall be changed or abol ished. The country at this time would not allow a change so revolutionary. The question as to authority of the Supreme Court to override state legis lation, that refers to matters of state policy and action, is a question of an other kind." LIMITATIONS OF A TRIST. The American Society of Kquity, which was organized for the purpose of correcting some of the shortcom ings of the ancient law of supply and demand, has experienced difficulty in overturning that well-established economic law. The Society of Equity is a trust, but not the bad kind of a trust that makes the farmer pay more for his plow than is warranted by the law of supply and demand, which. If unrestrained, would flood our country with the pauper-produced plows of the Old World. The farmers' trust is organized for the purpose of making every consumer of wheat, corn, pork, tobacco, and other great agricultural staples, pay more than they would pay if the supply of these various com modities were not withheld from them by unnatural methods. This trust is one that it is proposed to exempt from the operation of law by an amendment providing that the anti-trust law "shall not apply to any arrangement or agreements or com binations among persons engaged in agriculture or horticulture, made with a view of enhancing the price of their own agricultural or horticultural products." But this good trust, which is only aimed at the man who must use farm products, has apparently found the way to monopoly beset with obstacles. Wheat and tobacco were singled out as two particular com modities on which the price was-to be forced above the old supply-and-de- mand-regulated figure, and in neither of these staples has overwhelming success attended the efforts of the trust. When wheat was hovering around SP cents per bushel in the Chi cago market about a year ago, the Society of Kquity advised its members to hold their crops for Jl per bushel. Soon after this notice was sent out, the green bug, the chinch bug. rust, dry weather,' and a few other '.'re actionary" features of life in the wheat belt appeared. These, together with drought in India, poor crops in Russia, and nothing doing In Australia, sent prices well above the dollar mark in Chicago. Then the director-general of the farmers' trust sent forth an edict that wheat should be held for $1.25. This disclosed the limitations of the farm ers' trust so far as wheat was affected. and, while some of the American farmers may have held for the $1.26, others sold, and the Argentine began selling so much wheat, even before It was floated, that the price dropped bock on the wrong side of the dollar mark, and has hung there for months. It may advance again, but if It should. It will be in response to the old law of supply and demand, and not in ac cordance with Society of Equity rul ing. With tobacco the trust has been even less successful. The contest on this staple was perhaps more popular. because it was directed primarily against the tobacco trust, but, as tobacco is a luxury, and bread is a necessity, the distinction is not all in favor of the Society of Equity. In an attempt to maintain -prices at Society of Equity figures, the farmers' trust has all but brought on civil war1 in Kentucky. Anti-trust farmers who wished to grow tobacco and antitrust dealers who wished to sell it have been murdered and maimed, their barns burned and crops ruined. "Night rid ing" has become as serious a menace to peace as was the old Ku Klux Klan of a generation ago. The tobacco war of the Society of Equity has temporarily abolished free, government in Ken tucky, but it has thus far failed to establish the tirlce of tobacco. KAII.KOAIIS- riKtRKASFD EARNINGS. The January returns for the Amer ican railroads offer strong reasons for the earnest desire of their managers for what James J. Hill designated as a "period of rest." A compilation made by the New Tork Financial and Commercial Chronicle for the January business shows a falling off In gross earnings of nearly $25,000,000, a rate which, it continued, would show a de crease in earnings for, the year of ap proximately $300,000,000, a very iml presslve amount. In this compilation were 103 roads, representing 157,629 miles of road. The gross earnings of these roads in January, 1908, showed a decrease of 12.91 per cent, and the net earnings decreased 29.93 per cent. The total decrease in net earnings was $1 1,496,346, this being the third time in 13 years that a decrease has been recorded, and it was more than $10, 000,000 greater than the largest previ ous decrease, which was in January, 1S97. But four roads in the United States succeeded in scoring increases in net earnings for the month, al though the Canadian Pacific " is credited with an increase of $75,663 and is Included in the list with the American roads. Some of the roads, which were supposed to be in an im pregnable position, suffered more than others which had been regarded as vulnerable. The New Tork Central made a poorer showing than either the Michigan Central or the Lake Shore roads, although, as the parent stem of these systems, it has generally made the most favorable showing.. In this connection, it Is interesting to note that the New Tork Central, with a record business to Its credit in 1907. and with gross earnings showing an increase of more than $6,000,000, was obliged to face a decrease of more than $4,000,000 in net earnings. In explanation of this contradictory showing of aji increase in gross and a decrease in net earnings. President Newman states that "hours of labor have been shortened by law. rates of fare. have been reduced, liability for accidents has been increased, and in ways too numerous to mention bur dens have been placed on railroad companies which other corporations are not subjected to, and their ability to bear them has been lessened.' Since February 1; unofficial reports in the newspapers indicate that there has been some improvement, but a large portion of any Increase scored for a while will be impaired by the necessity of expenditures which were held down very close to the danger point in order that a less gloomy statement might appear during the period of depression. That there has been a determined effort on the part of railroads to Im prove this showing is disclosed in the item of operating expenses, which de creased $8,529,000. The universal na ture of the depression is shown in a summary, grouping the roads info seven different sections. In this group the 26 Southern ronds suffer most, with a decrease of S6.53 per cent irr net earnings, and with the Middle West second, showing a decrease of 33. 8S per cent; the best group being five anthracite coal lines,' which show a decrease of but 7.75 per cent. Nine teen roads. Including the Northern Pacific, Great Northern and Milwau kee & St. Paul, were not Included In the totals given, as they made np returns except on gross' earnings, which showed a decrease of 11.91 per cent, although the Hill roads both showed an increase. Viewed as a whole, the report Is not a pleasing one. and there will be general satisfaction If the official figures for February and March bear out the news reports of Improved business and lessened ex pense. THE FIMBISTER. Legislation by "unanimous consent" and the edicts of the committee on rules has been rudely Interrupted in the National House of Representa tives. Mr. Rereno E. Payne, who is Mr. Cannon's right-hand man In the standpat policy of doing nothing, calls the Interruption a filibuster. Mr. John Sharp Williams, leader of the revolt, says It Is nothing of the kind. With a certain acuteness he remarks that a filibuster is an effort to prevent business being done while the sole purpose of his rebellion is to force the Republican majority to do busi ness. He declares that Mr. Cannon and his satellites quake with fear lest some member should try to carry out those Presidential policies which they all profess to admire. Their plan, of campaign is to spout innumerable speeches in praise of Mr. Roosevelt's recommendations, but carefully to re frain from enacting any of them into laws. Mr. Williams believes that the coun try is eager to see several laws passed which would transform the President's recommendations from theory into fact, and he has announced that the Democrats will prevent the transac tion of all routine business, or delay t they cannot prevent it, until their opponents consent to do what the people wish. It is to be hoped that they will persevere in their plan. Republican leaders in the House have adopted a policy of inaction which Is bad for the country and bad for the party. With a doubtful campaign just ahead it looks like folly to go be fore the voters with a record- of wasted time and cowardly paltering with great measures. Of course, Mr. Williams hopes to. obtain for his party the credit of forcing their opponents to act. If he succeeds his party ought to have the credit. The long domination- of the Republicans in the National House has reduced that body to abjnet sub mission before half a dozen politicians whose abilities are mediocre and whose purposes are questionable. Hardly any freedom of speech remains to the members. Debate has become a lost art, deliberation is forbidden and what might be the most impor tant legislative body in the world does nothing but obey the mandates of its bosses. It has become impossible for a new member to rise to prominence in the House except by servile adulation of Mr. Cannon and his three or. four close allies.. The ambitious repre sentative of the people must lay aside every wish that is not In harmony with the purposes of this clique. He must obey their commands, toady to their vanity, submit to their regula tins. If he shows an Independent spirit he is doomed to political ruin. He is not permitted to speak" on the flier, he is excluded from important CDr.mlttces, he is snubbed and humili ated. Thus the House has lost its representative character in large part and degenerated into a- mere mouth piece for a little cabal of politicians. It is time that this state of things came to an end. If Mr. Williams can reform it by filibustering or by any other method, he will deserve the gratitude of the country. Both the Speaker of the House and the com mittee on rules have too much power. The former should be reduced to the position of a presiding officer. He has been a dictator too' long. The latter should not be permitted to tyrannize over the House. It is piti able to see a legislative body so bullied and henpecked by its own servants as our National House of Representa tives is. THE BABY HOME A NO ITS MISSION. In a sirburb to the southeast in this city, standing upon a beautiful and commanding site that was donated for the purpose by the late J. W. Kern and Sarah, his wife, is a building which is the home the year round of from twenty to forty babies, who with out its shelter would be , homeless. Upon its front, in large letters, are the words "Baby Home," and seeing these words the magic of its purpose is re vealed. The work of caring for the helpless Inmates of this Home is prac tically and tenderly supervised by a competent board of control, and is performed by the most suitable helpers that can be procured. Natur ally the task is a delicate and exacting one, and, unfortunately, it has been hampered at many stages In its progress by lack of funds sufficient to meet its legitimate demands. No dis couragements, .however, have con tributed to daunt the spirit or abate the energy of those who) serve this charity. Every effort has been made to give the babies sent to the Home the inestimable benefit of a right start in life, and to place them, when they outgrow the period of babyhood, in 'suitable individual homes. That this effort has been successful is shown by the reports received from foster parents of the gratifying prog ress toward useful manhood and womanhood of the children trans ferred from the Baby Home to their care. Judged by this irrefutable testimony the work of the Baby Home has proved a success. That it will con tinue to be so cannot be doubted, since, in a -Work of this kind, there is no place where a halt can be called no place, indeed, whvre those who have made its interests their own, wish to stop. . There is always in such work, need of money. The public will bear this in mind In connection with the benefit ball which the Knights Templars pro pose to give on the last day of the current month, this institution, to be the! berrehciary. Charity has never asked aid in a better cause than this, nor made the means of compliance more attractive on the social side of life than they will be made upon this occasion. THK PIONEKHS. June 11 has been designated "Pio neer Day" for the present year by the officers of the Oregon Pioneer Asso ciation. This means thut the gray haired host that has for many years partaken of the hospitality of the citi zens of Portland will rally somewhat earlier this year than usual, exchange greetings, renew old friendships, re view the scenes of former years, ban quet at flower-decked tables upon the fat of the land and pass into the eclipse of quiet home life for another year. The records of the Association show that an, unusual number of pioneers have answered the final roll can in the past year.' which," while in accord ance with the decree of nature," will cause sadness and regret to all re maining. The pioneers are not given to lamentation, however. They learned early in life to accept the in evitable cheerfully, and take up the events of life as they came to them without waste of time and energy In repining. So, while they will drop a tender tear to the memory of departed comrades, they will rejoice in the oc casion, shadowed though It will be by the absence , of some familiar faces, thankful for the opportunity to meet and greet those who are sjill in the ranks. SPRING. The objector interposes wltfc a de murrer at the very outset. If he had his pernicious way we should not be able to say a word upon our theme. "Everything that can be said about Spring has been said already. What is the use of repeating it?" But for that matter, nothing now can be said upon any subject. They were all written out a thousand years ago, and the best anyone can do now is to reiterate ancient wisdom and repeat timeworn folly. "That which hath been shall be again and that which is to be hath been before." If novelty is what is wanted, one must emigrate to. some other world, and we dare say when he got there he would find things much the same as they are here. The chances are that severe disappointment awaits thos good people who expect everything to be different when they get to Heaven. Emlnen t Eschatologists like George Bernard Shaw give us to understand that Heaven will be so much like earth tha. the blest are bound to be disgusted when they arrive and will petition for a residence In Hides. All the really valuable things in the world are so old that they are com mon property. There Is no novelty and no excluslveness about the Pyra mids, 'the Pantheon, Homer and Shakespeare. They belong to every body, and they are old as the hills. Novelty is not merit. It Is rather a demerit. Most people enjoy best a good, old tale like that of Grouse in the Gun Room, which they have heard daily for the last twenty years, while for genuine mental satisfaction give us an idea that has dwelt with us from childhood. To the old books, old friends and old wine of the maxim we would add old jokes and old thoughts; they are the best. Away with novelty. What if we cannot say anything new about Spring? Wre can recall the dear old sentiments. We can repeat the ancient verses that go to the heart with their babbling and stir the fountains of tears. At this time of the year., farmers will tell one, the corn sweats in the bin, feeling the primal soul of things at work and longing dumbly to par take in the resurrection of the world. Men shut up in cities are like the corn. Life is resurgent within them when the sun has crossed the Tropic of Cancer, and if they find no natural and healthy outlet for their, energy they turn to what is unrfatural. They gather in great mass meetings to spout revolution. They rail at society. They throw bombs at policemen. If the wild-eyed anarchists in New Tork and Chicago could be led out to the gardens of the Mississippi Valley and Oregon to plant cabbages and pull weeds they would become the most lamblike people iri the world. They are fierce and frenzied because they are shut off from the hate influence of the earth at the season of the new birth. Plant the anarchists out on the land and they will cultivate flowers with the same fury that they now waste upon bombs. It is in Spring that we feel most deeply the misfortune of modern life, which debars men from their needed communion with tho great mother of us all. The ferocity of our city mobs is a species of homesickness; their protests against real and imaginary wrongs are the wailing of lost children for the cradle and lullaby of the sun warmed ground. Marvelous is the voice of Spring; mighty the chords of its orchestra; but the music is massive rather than loud. It tills ;the soul without stirring us to frenzy. It in spires to long effort, but hushes the rash ambition that would scream for a day afid die. Spring has a sym phony for the evening when the great procession of the stars begins its silent march across the heavens and the natural human world goes to rest. It is a symphony of a thousand in struments all toned low and the chords are full of memory, of mys tery and wonder. As sleep comes on the meaning deepens and the last sound that fills the ears in the begin ning of slumber is the voice of the patient, watchful, unforgetting God. "Sleep, frail creature, for the Soul of the world is waking. Smile in your dreams, for God is making all things new." Then comes the chorus of the morn ing moving in quicker time, the har mony built of major chords and gay with the piccolo notes of birds. The music of evening means rest and pro tection; that "of the morning inspires to toil. Why should we be idle when the Almighty works always, both hy night and day? In Spring it is .im possible to doubt that there is a God. Anybody can go out into the air and see Him actually at His task. The hand is invisible, but you may watch as it moulds a bud upon the end of a maple bough or forms a blossom on a peach tree. Do not be so fatuous as .to say that the peach blossom makes itself; nor is it much less fatuous to say that nature makes it. What 'Is nature? It is either some thing or nothing. If it is nothing, then your phrase that nature does thus and thus has no meaning. It Is a mere form of words to eseTape from thought. But if nature is something that works and plans and builds then you- mean by the word precisely the same that others call God. Nor Is It any refuge for the godless man to deny that there is a plan, and plead that evolution has produced the glory and magnificence of Spring. Why did Evolution produce it with all this beauty and compelling charm? Why has Evolution upon the whole been kindly and not cruel? Why has it filled the' world with potential good Instead of evil? Evolution is but a method: behind the method there Is a power that patiently through the in finite succession of the Springtimes works out his eternal will. VIVISECTION. Pending before the Legislature of New Tork there are one or more bills which aim to restrict the practice of vivisection. They have been intro duced by persons to whom cruelty to animals looks worse than cruelty to the human race. Most of the opposi tion to vivisection comes from an ab normal sentimentality which almost deities dogs and cats and despises men and women. Such periodicals as Col lier's Weekly oppose the bills because they tend to retard the progress of sci entific medicine and subject mankind to needless suffering. The praotlce of vivisection needs regulation, in all likelihood. Irrespon sible persons ought not to be allowed to inflict cruelties upon the lower ani mals nor should anybody do so with out the best of reasons. But to sub ject scientific research to the censor ship of ignorant politicians and sljly sentimentalists Is the height of folly. Physicians do not experiment upon the lower animals because they enjoy suffering. Their purpose is to prevent suffering. Both beasts and men have benefited by these experiments. Tu berculosis in cattle, for example, can only be controlled , by knowledge gained from tests upon living animals. If this terrible disease could be eradi cated, cattle would be healthier and so would human beings. Still it must be acknowledged that the main purpose of vivisection Is to benefit the human race, and if that purpose is achieved it Is worth all it may cost in suffering to the lower ani mals. We owe to vivisection the ser ums which control diphtheria, erysipe las, pneumonia and possibly one for spinal meningitis. If a cure for can cer is ever found It must be by this method. What does the temporary sufferings of a .few dogs and cats amount to compared with the solution of the fearful problem of a cancer specific? Let vivisection be regulated, but let it be done In the interest of the human race. AX OPEN'. VIIX3AR PUT. Life in what is called the upper cir cles of society in New Tork. and only In a lesser degree in other large cities of the East, because of the relatively smaller population and wealth, is faithfully indexed by the disruption of the marital relations . of men and women who have more1 money than they know what to do with and who, in exploring for a while together the dreary realm of boredom come to find each other the most intolerable of all bores. It is a dull week, indeed, In these select circles of money spenders, in which a Vanderbilt does not apply for relief from the bonds of marital boredom by seeking divorce, a Gould parade his or her follies and the vices of .the other party to a mercenary marriage contract before the.' world; or the flagrant indecencies of a Thaw or a Corey are not flaunted in the face of the public with unblushing fidelity to noisome detail. Preliminary to these disgusting re citals of marital differences, shameless liaisons and reckless debauchery, there is at irregular intervals a marriage celebrated with all the solemnity a church can bestow upon it and all the display that wealth can give. We all remember when Consuelo, daughter of divorced parents of the house of Van derbilt, was married with regal pomp and went away to England as Duchess of Marlborough, her mother immedi ately thereafter crossing over into Connecticut to become the wife of a man whom she decided would not be such a. bore as she had found her Vanderbilt husband to be. Consuelo recently came back to visit her mother, after an arrangement had been made whereby she could discard her dueal husband for a money con sideration. The splendor of the mar riage of Anna. Gould to a French Count a dissipated little mercenary whom her father. Jay Gould, would have kicked out of doors had Castel lane come a-wooing his daughter in his lifetime became eclipsed by the dark shadows of scandal and debt and indecency that began to gather before the. honeymoon had waned. Divorce followed a French divorce. And as if Madame Anna had not contributed her full share to the aggregation of indecency under the name of marriage she is about to repeat the scandalous farce, with herself principal come dienne, by going through the mockery of marriage with a cousin of. her late discarded lord, who is. if possible, a more notorious roue than he whom she but now pensioned and set aside. But why cite further examples of the straits to which certain of the idle rich arc driven to provide amusement for themselves while disbursing their unearned money? The play is open, vulgar and common. Its scenes shift rapidly, but, except' for occasional change of names in the title role, they disclose nothing new.. It Is simply repetition hammered on the ear the same old slabbered tale that does not even boast a new title. It presents, as Upton Sinclair has it. as "the most conspicuous fact about society, its un utterable and agonizing boredom, the great solemtt functions of which are attended by women half asleep behind their jeweled fans." It is a phase of the pace that kills, th disclosure of a weak and vicious strain that idleness and unearned wealth have Injected into the blood of sturdy men and virtuous women of a past generation, sapping its vitality and prostituting It tovile purposes. Rome, which at on her seven hills "and from her throne of beauty ruled the world," or words to that effect, is still the same old Rome, go far as en forcing the law is concerned.; So many ef the sons of sunny Italy went back from the United States of America in the steerage last Winter that labor conditions are congested, and a strike has resulted. But a strike in old Rome is different from a strike in Mauch Chunk or some other labor center In the land of the free, where the organgrinders wcquire the strike habit. As soon as the strikers became obstreperous, the troops fired on them, killing three rioters and injuring a number of others. This treatment is so different from that which is usually encountered in the United States Chat there will undoubtedly be an evacua tion! of Rome, and a swift retreat to this country of a large number of stiletto bearers. The death of Mrs. Mary Holmes, which oceured In this city Thursday, recalls the pioneer era in which the name of Holmes figured conspicuously in and about Oregon City. The late husband. Captain Samuel Holmes, was a lad in the old pioneer town half a century ago. His father, whose name made "Rose Farm" on the hill a few miles east of Oregon City a synonym of hospitality for two generations, was a contemporary of A. F. and Joseph Hedges, Governor Abernathy, Lyman Latourette, S. W. Moss, S. K., William, James and J. L. Barlow, Peter Hatch. X. F. Paquet, J. C. A Ins worth, Robert Caufleld, W. L. White. John R. Coburn, Governor Curry, Dr. Barclay, W. C Dement, Thomas Charman and others, whose names will be recalled as representing actors in the civiliza tion of their day. AH of those abova mentioned except the last have long since passed away. The name of one recalls those of the others, and the whole make-up and rank and file of a sturdy, self-reliant host, each of whom performed well his part in the drama of life as it came to him. We are drifting into the fourth month of the new year, and the Ar gentine, which began shipping heavily early in January, is still pouring wheat hito the European markets in record- breaking quantities. Shipments for the week ending Thursday reached a total of 6.640.000 bushels, and, with the immense amount of tonnage still under chapter to load at the River Platte It seems probable that this high average may be maintained for at least another month. The prevailing high prices have, of course, served to draw the crop out more rapidly than usual, but the proportions of the weekly shipments are somewhat sur prising, and if they are continued much longer may have a tendency to Increase the foreigners' independence of the American markets. The situa tion Is most peculiar and the future course of the market is a difficult problem to solve. It is, doubtless, an agreeable thing to Judges in Multnomah to escape or avoid the trial of the indicted officials of the Title Guarantee & Trust Com pany. But The Oregonian believes the officials could have been tried impar tially and justly here. Of course, there Is no intention of casting any reflec tion upon the-opinion or action of the other Judges; but the dissenting opinion of Judge O'Day seems to us to be sound and just. His statement of the relation of newspapers to the public is particularly worthy of com mendation. A newspaper of " Eastern Oregon asks: "Can you give one good reason why a Republican should be afraid to take the Statement No. 1 pledge, in Oregon, a state having a Republican plurality of at least 40,000 votes?" Everyone, of course, . will deal with Statement No. 1 as may suit or please himself. But don't you let that no tion of 40,000 Republican majority in Oregon, or any sure Republican majority, weigh too heavily on your mind. How often have we seen it, in the scale, fly up and kick the beam! The free baths should be taken over by some philanthropic organization or by some person or persons who love their kind. A city as a rule does not manage an institution of this sort so well as private individuals. In the absence of the two public-spirited men who Inspired the baths and have fostered them for several years, per sonal direction by a man in sympathy with boys is rtecessary in order to se cure the best results. Who will volun teer J Mr. C. B. Aitchison, Railroad Com missioner, has been "indorsed" for re election by the Municipal Association of Portland. This is one of our extra good organizations. We think the As sociation now ought to declare for Thorburn Ross for Bank Examiner. Mr. Aitchison's devotion at the last session of the Legislature to the ef forts of Brother Ross to get the right kind of bank legislation ought to be entitled to this recognition. When it is stated, and the public given to know, that a brother of "Father Torke" was' for a long time a contractor in San Francisco under the Schmitz-Ruef regime, and doubtless would be yet but for circumstances over which Father Torke has no con trol, it becomes unnecessary to say a single additional word about Father Torke. Says the Baker City Herald: "Don't let anybody scare a Republican with the Governor Chamberlain bogy. Oregon is a Republican state." But indeed we shall learn more about this after a while. Possibly after all the recall might not be so bad. Some of these reform ers, perhaps the lawgiver himself, might be elected to office some day. Try hard as she may to conduct herself with propriety and.lie in re tirement. Evelyn Thaw finds it impos sible to keep off the first page. ' No protest over the change of venue to Salem will be heard from the pas senger department of the Oregon Electric. Be it noted with pride, not unmixed with gratitude, that Portland led every Pacific Coast city in bank clear ings. Testerdaj's sunshine, invigorating air and baseball bulletins combined to lend eclat to the real advent of Spring. After all is said, embezzlement is the same In Marion County as in Mult nomah, It Is not too late to start a Presi dential boom for Frank Gotch, jtf Iowa, VERSE BV HARRY MtJRPHT. HOWJJ WITH DISTIRBFJRS. Down with disturbers and dreamers who prate. Of recompensed toll and an honest state! The fools who say that the world was mode For the srood of man. not the glory of trade: Who talk of courts' corrupt and laws Debased to serve the rich man's cause; Of purchased leaders and legislators, llcfaulters. grafters and rebaters. Avaunt. then, vagrant visionary! Tls unsettling, and fatiguing, very. Tills sort of thing, to the gentle-hre'd Who hold the earth from their fathers dead. Out on the raNble who won't percetvaj That if we shall wear someone must weave: That we are the talent and they are th tool. "TIs for rouf to serve and for rank to) rule. So an end of this cant of "common good," This unreasoning rant of brotherhood. ( IT IiOWJf TUB PLEASURES. These times are dreadful'.y hard; Let's see; 'u some plrajure discard. Now. which shall it be? h. I know' That of doing my duty must go! roi:T. If courts of law the dice would shako, Justice might have an eve.i break. EXEMPT. It seems to me quite clear the Ten Commandments are for other men. THE SIEASl RE. What's In himself each one may find. And only that, In all mankind. MERIT. As to merit. If you can't attain It, Do as the rest are doing feign It. RAIX. Umbrellas are dripping. There's a gentleman slipping Zip splash, how provoking! The water-spout's choking: There is banging of shutters. And windows; the gutters Are gushing and rushing; The crossings are flushing; Moist females are flying To snops, but not buying; The nag melancholy. Droops 'neath the damp volley; No doubt he is thinking His master's long drinking. O'er the roof sounds a scudding; The uasement is flooding; The plaster is leaking. For the cause there is seeking. Tills rain would o'erflow a Dozen arks sueh as Noah And the animals met in To weather the wet in. THE ERA OF TJ REST. Wrong trembles on her throne of gold, She feels the fear of time foretold By visioned men. The latter dawn Tn splendor and portent broods on The world. Infamy, greed and hate Cower before the call of fate; Loud purple privilege and gray Tradition clamor their dismay. O, thin-clad, pale-faced poor, who bear A double burden, ye who share Not In the glory ye have wrought, O weary children, who laugh not; O Women tragic-eyed with want; O sullen men, grimy and gaunt; O simple million toiling for The subtle ten; your night's near o'erj The potent On has heard your woes Who swung the suns and stained the rose! Hail, era of the purpose just, Come to redeem the right from rust! POINT OF VIEW. This author's exceedingly fine His views are exactly like mine. . Here's one from me differs: alas! Poor man! I much fear he's an aaa. CHARITY AT HOME. Each deems his vice as fair As virtue found elsewhere. A FRIEND (SIC!. A friend Is one who all tha ill reveals That's said of you, and all the good conceals. HOW TO STJCCEED. Tou'd succeed? Well, here is the surest of rules; Tou mustn't be nice in the choice of your tools. FAME. If In her record Fame Would look, she'd blush, poor darnel SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. The Attest they say will survive; The truth of this thing they'll sdmlt If the subtle and selfish who thrive ' On the simple be meant as the fit. LIFE. Life's an awkward tool that few Ever get accustomed to. WISDOM AND FOLLY. True Wisdom at Folly ne'er rails: If we've mountains it's clear we'll htT vales. OETTIXti NOTICED. To insure being; seen thore sra those Who trample on other folks' toes. HONEST POVERTY. He Is "poor hut honest" because Only wealth is immune from tho laws. CRITICS. your critics all would He the dog if they could: Hut that cannot be. So instead they're the flea. SOME PEOPLE. Sonic people tlieir neighbors would rather annoy Than for their own profit their efforts employ. FRIENDSHIP. The world is not thy friend," quit clearly eau't Mean him who's vet a benefit to grant. THE I "NEMPLOl ED. "Our unemployed" Is an enigma whleh We'd solve if we would put to work the rich. Klinl.'S A DM IR VI'ION. Tiic admiration of a fool's a thing to fear: So, too. the highest commendation Is his sneer. pooii man: I One satre writes down all men as wt-akj Another tells us not to seek Where weakness is a soul sincere. Poor man s an evil Jot. I fear!
