6
1 UK SUNDAY OlIEGOMAX, rORTLAXD, ArKIL 5. 1908.
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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!