THE ST7VDAY OREGONTAX, PORTLAND, MAY 31, 190S
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PORTLAND, SUNDAY, MAY 81, 1908.
SOME THINGS ABOUT OREGON.
It was natural and necessary that
.Western Oregon should have been the
first part of the Oregon country to at
tract settlers. . The Willamette Valley
was a paradise for pioneers. Nature
had endowed It with every possible at
traction. Moreover, through the rivers
it was accessible from the sea. The
first settlers were agriculturists, and
the f Valley of Willamette opened to
them finer opportunities than else
where in the region of Oregon. Cali
fornia was still Mexican territory. The
Puget Sound country, though accessi
ble from the sea. was not accessible
from the land, and the pioneers, mak
ing their way across the continent,
were unable to reach It. The early
Immigrants could not remain in the
Interior region. In the upper valley of
the Columbia, for communication with
the sea was necessary, and the Indians
of the interior were more inclined to
hostility. The Immigrants therefore
spread over the Willamette and other
valleys of Western Oregon, and later
passed into the Puget Sound country
from the Columbia, by way of the
Cowlitz. Expulsion of the missionaries
from the upper valley of the Columbia
by hostile Indians left that great re
gion without settlement for many
years; till finally discoveries of gold
took a white population there and
slowly gave It permanent establish
ment. Military posts protected the
people, and after the railroad came
the population grew rapidly and towns
and cities appeared. Extension of rail
roads across the mountains to Puget
Sound led to quick and tnormous de
velopment of the country about that
great estuary, and to creation of ports
of commerce there. But Western Ore
gon, the seat of the original settle
ment, has made slow progress. Port
land is Its one large town. Develop
ment of the coast region of Oregon
has lagged from want of roads and
railroads, and for the like reason the
ports of the coast region have been
neglected. Progress Indeed all the
time has been made by Western Ore
gon, but It has been slower than might
have been supposed; while Eastern
Oregon yet contains an Immense re
gion that scarcely has been more than
visited by explorers, or at best partly
occupied by herdsmen.
There is a difference between East
ern Oregon and Eastern Washington,
much In favor of the latter. The ele
vation of Eastern Washington Is much
less; It Is better watered; the Columbia
River traverses the whole breadth of
It, and with Its tributaries has cut
down the general level of the country
below that of Eastern Oregon. Again,
the great railroad systems, terminat
ing at Puget Sound, have covered
Eastern Washington with a network of
lines and branches; while In Eastern
Oregon there has been no railroad to
compare with It. These facts explain
why Eastern Oregon has fallen In its
development fur behind Eastern
Washington. In Western Washington
there Is little agriculture compared
with that of Western Oregon, but ex
ploitation of the resources of timber
and coal have been much greater; and
Puget Sound has the bulk of the Alas
kan trade. By the census of 1900 the
population of Oregon was 413,536;
that of Washington 618,103. The dif
ference then In favor of Washington
was 104,567. It will probably exceed
200.000 by 1910. Washington first ap
peared In the census of I860, with a
population of 11,594. Oregon, which
had become state In 1859, had. in
1860, 52,465. Washington first passed
Oregon in 1890; her population then
was 349,390, while that of Oregon was
313.767. .
From 1870 to 1880 the growth of
population in Oregon was 93,865; from
1880 to 1S90, 188,999; from 1890 to
1900, 99.769. The Increase during: the
present decade may be estimated con
servatively at 200,000. It would be
more if activity in railroad construc
tion should be renewed within a year.
Settlers will not go into Isolated parts
without the railroad or prospect of It.
Our coast counties, which have re
sources for support of half a million
people, are yet cimost unoccupied;
and though Eastern. Oregon contains
much land yet classed as desert, great
tracts will surely be reclaimed, as soon
as possibility of transportation shall
make it worth while to do it. For
merly, development preceded the rail
road. But that day Is past. Few now
will live in places remote from the
movements of life and business. ' - - -
The 'timber of Oregon is still almost
untouched, and within a few .years
will become the basis of an Immense
activity; while large part of the timber
of Washington la, gone already. Ore
gon, therefore, has an industry coming
which In Washington within a few
years will be practically exhausted.
There is a probability that within a
period not exceeding twenty-five years
the population of Oregon may again
exceed that of Washington; since, rela
tively. In this state bo little has been
done "upon the resources which Nature
has offered to Industry and enterprise.
M'KINLF.Y'8 "BURIED POLICIES."
In the course of an editorial eulogy
of Mark Hanna, the New York Sun
speaks of Roosevelt as "the heir of the
man, early and long distrusted by Mr.
Hanna, who undid Mr. Hanna's work;
who In the teeth of his most solemn
vows let McKlnley's policies be burled
In McKlnley's grave."
And what were McKlnley's policies T
Whatever Hanna had promised In his
name. Hanna had made arrange
ments with "the Interests" and with
the boss politicians alt over the coun
try. Had McKlnley 'lived, there would
have been no prosecutions for land
frauds In Oregon nor anywhere else,
no attack on railroad rebates or other
corporation misconduct, no effort to
curb the rapacity of predatory wealth
In any direction. McKlnley's function
as President was merely to carry, out
the bargains made by Mark Hanna.
It was done In Oregon; it was "done
everywhere. Mitchell, with whom
Hanna made the bargain as to Ore
gon, was able, through that bargain,
to control everything in Oregon and
to secure "protection" for everybody
and everything in Oregon, so long as
McKlnley lived. These were the "pol
icies" that Roosevelt refused to con
tinue, not only In Oregon but through
out the United States.
It was Roosevelt's "burial" of these
"policies" that gave him the tremen
dous popularity attested by the elec
tion of 1904, and manifest ever since.
THE PARDONING POWER.
The pardoning power is one of the
most Important of the executive func
tions. It Is a power vested In the Gov
ernor of the state and the President
of the Nation in order that injustice
may be averted in those few instances
In which innocent men are convicted
or In which subsequent occurrences
render clemency advisable. The par
doning power Is not a pvrsonal priv
ilege, to be exercised according to the
passing whim, prejudice, interest, or
sympathy of the officer possessing It.
A Governor, like a jury, is bound by
the law of the state, and It Is his duty
In all his acts, to support the Consti
tution and laws of the state and not
to set them aside whenever It suits
his own personal views so to do. A
Governor has no more moral right to
set free a guilty prisoner than a judge
has to refuse to sentence a guilty man
after conviction.
Because of the frailty of human
Judgment and the occasional miscar
riage of Justice due to circumstances
which strongly indicate the guilt of a
man who Is In reality Innocent, it is
necessary that there should be lodged
somewhere the power to undo a wrong
inadvertently committed under the
forms of law. But It Is not and never
was Intended that the executive de
partment should revise or reverse the
verdicts of Juries and the Judgments
of courts where the only question Is
one of opinion. Courts were created
for the purpose of construing laws,
and juries were established for the
purpose of weighing evidence. Appel
late courts are maintained In order
that errors in trial courts may be cor
rected. Thus Is provided a complete
system for the administration of Jus
tice and there is no need for the exer
cise of the pardoning power except in
those rare Instances in which all the
material facts are not brought before
the Jury at the trial. A Governor who
asserts and exercises the power to re
vise a Jury's verdict or a court's Inter
pretation of the law, assumes Judicial
functions which it was never intended
that he should possess.
Before a Governor grants a pardon
he should have before him evidence
which was not before the Jury and
which Is of such importance as to
convince him that If the additional
facts had been known to the jury the
verdict would have been materially
different. Aside from circumstances
of this kind, there are few conditions
which warrant executive Interference.
Deeds of heroism while In prison, or
acts of peculiar value to the state may
make It proper to grant a convict his
freedom as a reward, but cases of this
kind will always be rare.
THE OKLAHOMA BANKING LAW.
It sometimes happens that a project
to which there are many theoretical
objections works well in practice.
When the plan of building the first
ocean steamer was broached, an emi
nent scientist proved very satisfactor
ily to himself that It could not carry
coal enough to take it from New Tork
to Liverpool. For another example
we recall an article by Professor Si
mon Newcomb a few years ago which
demonstrated that no airship could
ever be made to fly. In spite of such
learned objections to their possibility,
steamships now navigate the seas and
the Wright brothers, have shown
pretty clearly that vessels will soon
navigate the air.- Discouraging pre
dictions are no safer than other
prophecies.
This may be the happy fortune of
the Oklahoma law to Insure bank de
posits, though it can hardly be said
yet that Its success is assured. When
this law was first passed there was
much forecasting of the evils that
were sure to flow from it. Some
prophets feared that it would drive
conservative bankers out of the state.
Others opined that it would break
down under the strain of the first fail
ure that occurred. In actual practice
the law has so farnot disturbed the
business of a single banker. Adven
turous financiers axe not whit more
common in Oklahoma than elsewhere.
The truth seems to be that they are
less common, since the effect of the
law Is to weed them out by making
careful bankers exceedingly watchful
of the . rash. ones.. This is a conse
quence of- that section of the law
which compels all banks to contribute
ta the insurance fund.
Moreover, a failure has now oc
curred, and we can see how the Okla
homa statute stands the test. For one
thing there was no descent' of a flock
of harpies, lawyers, receivers and de
posit brokers upon the wreck. The
) State Commissioner took charge of the
broken bank without delay. There
were no court fees, no attorneys' bills,
no plunder of " any sort. Within an
hour or two all the depositors had re
ceived their money cent per cent,
without ceremony, delay, robbery or
red tape, and the business was over.
' All is well so far. How the law
would stand the strain of a general
panic remains to be seen. It may be
said that there can be no panic, if
there is-confidence that every bank der
positor will get his money. That Is
true, no doubt. Bui there will be no
confidence under any system unless
there shall be honest banking; and
honest banking can be made . certain
only by honest and complete Inspec
tion. If there shall be honest Inspec
tion, then, to support the deposit guar
antee scheme, it will be all right; but
bo, no doubt, would any system of
banking be safe In the same circum
stances. THE DZRECTOIKE, GOWJf.
The history of women's costume Is a
study which attracts many investiga
tors and huge volumes have been
written about it. Many have tried to
discover some law or fundamental
principle which would account for the
numerous changes In bonnets, gowns
and blouses, but nobody seems to
have succeeded. Scholars are pretty
well agreed that fashion depends alto
gether upon fancy, which is a lawless
thing whose vagaries cannot be ac
counted for by principles or predicted
by rules. Still, one discerns without
much difficulty an economic motive
running through the changes In
women's attire and men's also. It Is
not a bad thing for the purses of mil
liners and tailors to have the cut of
garments so altered four or five times
a year that everybody who wishes to
be respectable must clothe himself
anew. So much is evident. But how
do the milliners and tailors compel
the human race to contribute in this
way to their enrichment? How do
they go about it to force their new
fashions upon the world?
It Is done, like almost everything
else that affects great numbers of peo
ple, by hypnotic suggestion. Orators
know that any crowd is exceedingly
susceptible . to suggestion. By a ges
ture, a smile, a tone of the voice,
they can change the mood of the mul
titude and sway its will as they please.
The same Is true In even greater de
gree of mankind as a whole. Nations
are hypnotized every day by politi
cians, cranks, . statesmen, playwrights.
What we call commonly the Imitative
tendency is only another name for our
susceptibility to hypnosis or suggestion
and the influence always works best
when it flows from persons who are
eminent In some way, either on ac
count of wisdom or folly or wealth or
crime. The cause of their eminence
does not seem to make much differ
ence. Whatever they say or do we
all rush to imitate. Milliners and
tailors, like everybody else who suc
ceeds In business, are expert practical
psychologists. They have studied hu
man nature so far as it concerns their
own affairs and know exactly how to
turn it to their profit. Political econ
omy, though it makes great preten
sions to being an Independent science.
Is only a branch' of psychology.
Those who Invent new fashions
know that the whole world will adopt
them If they are first worn by some
body who Is talked about a gyeat deal.
They may be ridiculous, like the hoop
skirt; they may Incommode everybody
In the neighborhood, like the merry
widow hat; they may be destructive to
health, like the corset; they may be
painful, like tight shoes, with the heel
in the middle of the instep; they may
be everything that Is absurd, uncom
fortable, monstrous, or wicked; all
that Is of no consequence. When a
new fashion has been worn by King
Edward or a Parisian actress, the
whole world will wear It and suffer
whatever may ensue. Against this
tendency-of mankind It Is Idle to rea
son. The wisdom of the ages and the
exhortations of all the saints stand no
chance whatever of victory against the
dictates of a French milliner or the
example of a royal dude. If every
preacher in the, world should join in
saying that the new dlrectoire gown
was wicked and every doctor should
declare that It was deadly, . within a
few weeks we should see all the women
wearing it just the same.
But is It wicked? Is It a thing to be
ashamed of? From a cut printed In
The Oregonian yesterday we know
how It looks. It has the skirt slit
down one side, and somewhat shorter
than we are used to seeing, producing
a good deal of the effect of a long
overcoat. One gathers from the pic
ture that the directolre gown must
give women much more freedom of
movement than they have hitherto en
Joyed, while It Is hard to discern any
thing about it that ought to disturb
the sjiost vigilant susceptibilities, and
yet it may be immodest. The subject
of modesty In women's attire is fully
as perplexing as contingent remainders
in law. It Is Improper to wear upon
a dirty street a gown which does not
trail in the filth and sweep It up to
be redistributed in parlors, but It is
entirely proper to parade about upon
a public bathing beach with scarcely
any clothing at all. What the general
rule may be about this delicate mat
ter It Is almost Impossible to decide.
The most one can say is that women
seem to be under binding obligation to
show as little as possible of their feet
and as much as possible of everything
above their feet. If this is a correct
statement of the law of fashionable
morality, then the directolre gown sins
against modesty, for it shows the feet
quite distinctly and conceals every
thing else.
There Is a common saying that men
dress for their business while women
dress to make playthings of them
selves, but, like most maxims, this is
unfair. Women dress for their busi
ness quite as much as men do. Those
who deck themselves out like dolls or
playthings as a rule are playthings.
They make their living in that way
either under legal sanction or without
it. Women who have useful occupa
tions In the world dress for them as
sensibly as men do, though with differ
ent costume, of course. The attire of
industrious people changes with the
fashions, but not nearly so much or so
strikingly as that of the Idle. Those
whose income and standing In the
world depend upon their looks must
draw attention to them by constant
novelty ta their clothes. Those who
live by work are disposed to , make
their garments subordinate to comfort
i ana ireeaom or movement. Alter an,
we must'probably agree that the eco
nomic motive dominates in fashion as
' it does elsewhere.
HANDICAP ON ORIENTAL TRADE.
In his testimony before the Inter
state Commerce Commission at Wash
ington, Wednesday, Traffic Manager
Stubbs, of the Harriman system, called
attention to a matter of grave import
ance to the Pacific Coast ports, as well
as to all of the Interlying country be
tween these ports and the Mississippi
River. Tie present hard-and-fast rule
which prevents the railroad company
from meeting the competition of the
Suez Canal carriers with a low through
rate from the East to the Orient has
practically killed the Oriental trade
out of Pacific' ports, except for the
comparatively small amount of busi
ness originating at the Coast ports.
Theoretically it may not seem right
that the Hongkong merchant should
receive his freight from Chicago under
a through bill of lading at a lower
proportionate rate than is demanded
from the Portland merchant who is
also shipping goods over the Harriman
line from Chicago.
But the freight originating at Port
land, at Seattle, Tacoma or San Fran
cisco Is insufficient to supply cargoes
for enough steamers to give these
ports as freguent a service as is re
quired for the expeditious transaction
of business. " Accordingly it becomes
necessary that the steamship compa
nies either make the sailings less fre
quent and thus hamper our local busi
ness, or secure enough Eastern freight
to fill out cargoes for a frequent serv
ice. Facing such conditions, the Coast
people are naturally desirous that the
railroad should secure this needed
Eastern freight anywhere and at any
rates at which It can be secured. By
shipping this freight through the Pa
cific ports, and not by way of the
Suez panal, the railroads can bring to
this Coast hundreds of cars which can
be. used for hauling to the Eastern
markets lumber, hops, fruit and other
Western commodities, periods when
there Is a sufficiency of cars for this
traffic being most infrequent.
Under the present restrictive rule of
the Interstate Commerce Commission
the money paid for this American
freight going to the Far East by way
of the canal Is practically all paid to
foreigners. The Suez Canal, with Its
heavy dues, absorbs the greater part
of it, and British coal yards along the
route take up the little remaining
aside from the moderate profit to the
foreign shipowner. If this traffic were
permitted to follow the shortest route
to the Far East, It would nearly all
be shipped through the Pacific Coast
ports, conferring on these ports; in ad
dition tp the benefits already men
tioned, the benefit of steamship and
railroad disbursements at terminals.
Under the low rates that it is
necessary to make In order to meet
the competition of the Suez, these ter
minal disbursements, with the actual
cost of moving the freight across the
continent, absorb practically all that
Is received for the service, and perhaps
more, but the money Is all spent in
this country, and the loss. If there
should be a slight one, is more than
offset by the advantage gained In
bringing loaded instead of empty cars
across the continent. International
trade Is different from interstate traffic
and the Interstate Commerce Commis
sion should - remove the restrictions
with which they have hampered it.
Here at last is a case In which the
people of Portland, as well as all other
Pacific Coast ports, will stand solid
with Mr. Stubbs and wish him success.
THE SUPERANNUATED TEACHERS.
A year ago The Oregonian recorded
the retirement from the teachers' pro
fession, after forty years' continuous,
conscientious effort as professor of
Latin and Greek in Pacific University,
of Professor Joseph W. Marsh. In
this connection it was glad to know
that the institution that he had served
so long and so well rendered him due
honor, and that as a beneficiary of the
Carnegie fund for college professors of
high grade and long continued serv
ice, he was assured of a comfortable
support for himself and wife during the
remaining years of his life. Professor
Thomas M. Gatch, late president of the
Oregon State Agricultural College, has,
too, within the same time, gone out
of active work, after a long, honorable
and highly useful record In the educa
tional history of the Pacific Northwest,
and he, too. Is to be a beneficiary of
the Carnegie fund.
A few days ago there was printed in
The Oregonian a sketch of the life
work of George A. Peebles as com
prised In forty years of continuous
service, mostly in the schools of Ma
rlon County. Neither Professor Marsh
nor Dr. Gatch, nor Mr. Peebles, nor
any other man or woman who follows
the vocation of teaching throughout
all his effective years, was able to ac
quire a competency as the fruits of
his earnest, strenuous, Intelligent en
deavor. Forced Into retirement, by
conditions which no man is able to
control, conditions due to time and
change and the long stress of labor
the worn-out and outworn teacher Is
left to the approval of his conscience
and to such small devices for a liveli
hood as come within the range of his
physical ability or mental aptitude.
The scope of these, as everybody
knows, is narrow, the remuneration
that they offer is meager. Except that
in the dignity of his life and In the
high order of his mental and educa
tional attainments he Is above the
reach of pity In the ordinary accept
ance of that term, the condition of the
superannuated teacher, like that of
his superannuated brother in the min
istry, would appeal to the gracious
commiseration of his fellow men. But
pity Is profitless. It is besides so
closely allied to charity that no self
respecting man Is a subject for It, in
a financial or industrial sense. What,
then, when a man finds himself after
forty years of strenuous effort as an
educator In the common schools with
out a modest competency for his old
age? Manifestly -he is too old to be
gin life over. Is not the humble teach
er who has during forty years in his
vocation come in contact with and
laid a shaping hand upon the lives of
thousands of boys and girls worthy of
some such consideration as is being
shown to the honored beneficiaries of
the Carnegie fund for superannuated
college professors? Since paternalism
in the Government is so much In evi
dence these days, is it too much to
ask that it be extended to meet the
simple necessities of life for the su
perannuated teacher? " Our economic
system Is manifestly at fault where it
comes in contact with our educational
system. Otherwise teachers of ac
credited value, as attested by long
years of service, would, receive a year
ly remuneration from which It would
be possible to save the rainy-day fund
for which prudence in every walk of
life strives. In no vocation more care
fully than in that of the teacher. But
since this is a fault "that Is' not likely
to be corrected, there is a strong ele
ment of merit In the plea that is now
and then made, and has In some places
been allowed, for pensioning superan
nuated teachers not as a matter of
charity, but of justice.
WHY HAVE A STATE UNIVERSITY?
It Is believed that it may be a good
plan just now to restate some of the
arguments for the University appro
priation. Beyond question the voters
of Oregon wish to decide this contro
verted matter upon lis merits. They
desire to do the right thing about it,
to take action which shall be best, not
only for their particular towns or
counties, but for the whole state, and
nof for the present merely, but for the
long future through which Oregon
must pass before its destiny Is fulfilled.
It Is not believed that their votes upon
the appropriation will be decided by
petty considerations of profit and loss.
If the measure carries, a few cents will
be added to pur taxes for every thou
sand dollars of property; but the bur
den will hardly be felt. But even If it
were felt, and felt severely, the public-spirited
citizen who cares for the
welfare of his family and the slate
where he lives would not permit his
vote to be determined, by that consid
eration alone. He would look at the
question from all sides and tr-jhls best
to decide It with broad and statesman
like wisdom.
Oregon needs educated brains today
more than anything else. Providence
has given us mines and soil and for
ests; but If we ever have political ef
ficiency we must earn it ourselves, and
there Is no way to acquire It except
by study and wise practice. Every
voter in. this state has undertaken to
do what is left elsewhere to trained
statesmen. Hence he needs the edu
cation of the statesman. The educa
tion of the common schools is not
enough. He needs all the wisdom of
the world, all the thought and experi
ence that mankind has accumulated.
And this there is no way to get except
through a great popular university
which is supported by the people and
belongs to them. From the schools
endowed by millionaires knowledge
comes down to us perverted to class
uses. The truth Is taught in them
with a bias. They are consecrated to
privilege and the maintenance of the
conventions upon which privilege
rests. It is in state universities alone
that thought Is free to erect the Intel
lectual bulwarks of democracy.
Scholars who are supported by the
gifts of millionaires necessarily side
with the privileged classes. It is folly
to expect them to quarrel with their
bread and butter. If the people desire
sympathy from the learned they must
develop a learned class from" among
themselves and support it from their
own pockets. Hence the outcry against
the state university Is not by any
means in the interest of democratic
ideas, but entirely the contrary. It Is
aristocratic In Its source and tendency.
Should It prevail It would lead to the
destruction of the people's sole access
to the repositories of higher knowl
edge and make expert political educa
tion the exclusive possession of the
wealthy and their sympathizers. It
follows that the downfall of the State
University would amtfunt almost to po
litical suicide for the popular cause in
Oregon.
DELAYING PROSPERITY'S RETURN.'
Industrial expansion in this country
was halted by high prices for prac
tically every commodity required in
the transaction of business. The In
creased cost of living and of every
article in use by either capital or labor,
oventually reached such alarming
heights that the immutable law of
gravitation appeared, and the structure
of unexampled prosperity, which had
been reared somewhat hastily and
carelessly, wavered and fell. There
was no crash such as has been ex
perienced In previous troubles of a
similar nature, and it might be a more
accurate comparison to say that the
structure settled back on its founda
tion, where It now awaits the neces
sary repair work. In some lines there
is a disposition to accept the changed
conditions and get busy with the re
pairs. In others, there Is .a stubborn
determination to cling to the old
standard of prices and prolong the
Inactivity until the unselfish efforts of
those who are making concessions,
like the constant dropping that wears
the stone away, shall succeed in ac
complishing readjustment of unsettled
conditions.
No more striking contrast In the at
titude of two great industries can be
Imagined -than that of the steel trust
and the New England cotton manu
facturers. The steel trust magnates,
at a grand banquet held at the Waldorf-Astoria
a few days ago, decided
that "the prices of steel are reasonable
and should not be reduced." As the
steel trust, when the panic was at Its
height, took advantage of its opportu
nity and absorbed the last remaining
vestige of competition in the trade, the
fiat that was sent forth from the Waldorf-Astoria
Is Inexorable. Through
out that vast empire lying west of the
Mississippi River are innumerable rail
road projects designed to open up new
territory and Increase the producing
powers of our country. Reduction In
the price of steel, the most expensive
product used In railroad building,
would Induce capital to take up some
of these projects. It would supply,
employment for thousands of idle men,
both In manufacturing the steel and
In building railroads.
Europe felt the pinch of slackening
trade, and with reduced wages and
lower cost of material has kept her
factories working. Were It not that
the steel "trust of a thousand million
aires" is so firmly intrenched behind
impenetrable , tariff walls, we could
bring to bear some pressure against
the despotic monopoly by admitting
competition based on a supply and
demand policy. This would enable the
railroads to proceed with their con
struction work, new territory would
he developed, new wealth created, and
in a short time we should again be en
joying high prices, high wages and
general . prosperity, conditions which
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM MEASURES
. The Oregonian prints herewith In full
the titles to all the various measures to
be passed on by the voters Monday, In
the order In which they will appear on
the ballot, with a suggestion as to suit
able action by the voter In marking his
ballot. On several of the measures, how
ever. The Oregonian offers no advice. In
most cases It seems clear to The Orego
nian what the electorate of the state
ought to do:
Referred to the People tr tbe le7l-
lature.
For an amendment of section 28 (evi
dently Intended to be section 29) of arti
cle IV of the Constitution, changing the
compensation of members of the Legis
lature to 3400 for each regular session
and 810 per day for each extra session
Instead of $3 per day and mileage. (Sec
tion 28 provides the time when laws take
effect, and the proposed amendment is,
therefore, wrongly numbered.)
Vote. NO.
For an amendment of section 3 of arti
cle XIV of the Constitution, to permit the
location of state Institutions elsewhere
than at the seat of government by act
of the Legislature and vote of the people.
Vote NO.
An amendment to article VII of the
Constitution by. Increasing the number of
judges of the Supreme Court from three
to five, until otherwise provided by law,
and authorizing the Legislative Assembly
to provide by appropriate legislation for
the exercise of the Circuit Courts, of the
probate jurisdiction theretofore exercised
by the County Courts, ad for the trans
action of county business by and before
some appropriate body or tribunal.
Vote NO.
For amendment of section 14 of article
n of the Constitution, changing the time
of holding tne regular general biennial
elections from tne first Monday In June
to the first Tuesday after the first Mon
day in November.
Vote YES.
Referendnm Demanded by the People
An act providing that in all counttea,
the Sheriff shall have the custody of
prisoners committed to or confined In
the county Jail and such prisoners shall
be worked at such places and for such
me and In Buch manner as the County
Court may direct, and that In counties of
over 100,000 Inhabitants the salaries of
guards and Jailers shall not exceed 890
per month and the price of meals fur
nished prisoners shall be 124 cents each.
Vote YES.
For an act requiring railroads and other
common carriers to grant free trans
portation to state officers and county
Judges and sheriff?-, as a condition prece
dent to acquiring land for corporate
purposes by the exercise of eminent do
main, and to prohibit the payment of
mileage for such free transportation.
Vote NO.
An act to appropriate $25,000 annually
for four years, to be used In purchasing
grounds and building armories for the
use of the Oregon National Guard, the
money to be expended under the super
vision of the State Military Board at
any time during the four years, the
Board not being required to use each ap
propriation the year it Is appropriated.
The Oregon National Guard is required
to pay to the State Treasurer such rental,
for the use of said armories, as may be
fixed by the State Military Board.
Vote YES or NO.
An act to amend Section 3529 of Bellin
ger & Cotton's Annotated Codes and
Statutes of Oregon by Increasing the an
nual appropriation for the support and
maintenance of the University of Oregon.
Vote YES.
Proposed by Initiative Petition.
For equal suffrage constitutional
amendment, permitting women to vote
on equal terms with men.
Vote YES or NO.
For an act prohibiting fishing for sal
mon or sturgeon on Sunday from Jan
uary 1 to October 1, also in the Colum
bia River only from October 1 to Decem
ber 31, also In the navigable channels of
Columbia River at night, also at any
time In Sandy River and In Columbia
River west of west line of Range 9 West,
near Astoria, and east of west line of
Range 16 East, near Celilo; and limiting
cannot obtain until general concessions
are made.
In contrast with the arrogant atti
tude of the steel trust is that of the
New England cotton mills. To stim
ulate the demand and keep the mills
running, heavy reductions were made
In prices, and, with a thorough under
standing of the situation, union labor
gracefully assisted In the readjust
ment which brought with It cheap
clothing for other laborers, and at
least a start toward improved condi
tions. In his report to the members
of the Textile Council (the cotton
workers' labor organization), the pres
ident called attention to the fact that
the reduction was "the heaviest that
had ever been made at any one time In
the wages of the Fall River oper
atives." The report further stated
that "while we realize that the reduc
tion Is a steep one, we hope and feel
that you will not lose sight of the fact
that It is being taken from the highest
rate of wages that has ever prevailed
during the life of the Textile Council,
and for many years .previous to its ex
istence." A universal sentiment of this
nature will restore good times more
rapidly than anything else that can be
Invoked, and the delay will all be di
rectly chargeable to tariff-protected
obstructionists like . the steel trust
magnates.
Mary Hlnton, aged 54, a magazine
writer of some note, was a woman who
at least possessed the courage of her
convictions. In her estimate "life is
something that we have the privilege
of ending when we choose." Of this
strangely estimated' "privilege," she
availed herself a day or two ago, by
turning on the gas In her room in
Washington, leaving the Coroner's
Jury to complete the story, and the
world of Intelligence, that had known
her to some extent, to marvel at the
folly of her reasoning. She was not a
brave woman, else she would not have
given up the battle so soon; not an ob
servant and logical woman, else she
would not 'have made the mistake of
assuming that her life was hers, alone
to use, abuse or forfeit' at her will;
not a womanly woman, else she would
have had ties in life at 54 that would
have made it worth while to live yet
longer If Nature had so decreed. Of
her it may be said in pity and com
miseration. "She died as the fool
dieth."
High winds and dry weather in
Eastern Oregon a few weeks ago had
a bad effect on two leading Industries.
They blew the dirt away from the
seines anywhere In the state to 150 fath
om long and 4 1-6 fathoms deep, and
providing penalties.
Vote NO.
For constitutional amendment, giving
additional and exclusive power to cities
and towns, within their corporate limits,
to license, regulate, control and tax or to
suppress or prohibit theaters, racetracks,
poolrooms, bowling alleys, billiard halls
and the sale of liquors, subject to the
provisions of the local option law of the
State of Oregon.
Vote NO.
For constitutional amendment provid
ing that all dwelling-houses, barns,
sheds, outhouses and all other appur
tenances thereto; all machinery and
buildings used exclusively for manufac
turing purposes and appurtenance there
to; all fences, farm machinery and ap
pliances used as such; all fruit trees,
vines, shrubs, and all other Improve
ments on farms, all livestock, all house
hold furniture In use. and all tools owned
by workmen and In use, shall be exempt
from taxation, in addition to exemptions
now authorized by the Constitution.
Vote NO.
For an amendment to Article II of the
Constitution, giving the voters power to
call a special election at any time to dis
charge any public officer and elect his
successor.
Vote NO.
A bill for a law Instructing members
of the Legislature to vote for and elect
the candidates for United States Senator
who receive the highest number of votes
at the general election.
Vote NO.
For constitutional amendment giving
the people power to make laws for elec
tioh of public officers by majority vote
Instead of pluralities; to provide that
political parties ind voters' organizations
hall be proportionably represented in all
offices filled by the election of two or
more persons, and that a voter shall vote
for only one person for any office, and
may Indicate his second, third, etc.,
choice; and to provide for a simple meth
od of precinct residence and registration.
Vote NO.
A bill for a law to limit the amount of
money candidates and other persons may
contribute or spend In election cam
paigns; declaring what shall constitute
corrupting use of money and undue in
fluence in elections and punishing the
same; prohibiting attempts on election
day to persuade any voter to vote for or
against any candidate or candidates or
any measure submitted to the people; to
protect the purity of the ballot; furnish
ing information to voters concerning can
didates and parties, partly at public ex
pense, and providing for the manner of
conducting election contests.
Vote NO.
For an act prohibiting, after August 25,
1908, fishing for salmon or sturgeon at
any time, by any means, except hook
and .line, in the Sandy River or any of
its tributaries, or in the Columbia River,
or any of Its tributaries, at any place
up stream from Its confluence with the
Sandy River, or with hook and line dur
ing the spawning season.
Vote NO.
For constitutional amendment provid
ing for the choosing of Jurors and grand
Jurors, and that no person can be
charged In the Circuit Courts with the
commission of a crime or a misdemeanor
except upon Indictment found by a grand
jury, except when a court holds an In
dictment to be defective, the District At
torney may file an amended indictment.
Vote NO.
A bill for an act to create the County
of Hood River out of the western portion
of Wasco County; providing for Its or
ganization and fixing the salaries of the
officers thereof.
Vote YES or NO.
Shall the corporate powers of the Port
of Portland be enlarged by authorizing
It to establish and maintain a towage
and pilotage service upon, the Columbia
River bar and on the Willamette and
Columbia rivers, between the southern
limits of said port and the sea: with au
thority, for the purposes aforesaid, to
issue and dispose of Its bonds In amount
not exceeding 8500,000, bearing not ex
ceeding 6 per cent annual Interest; and to
levy and collect annual taxes upon prop
erty within its limits subject to taxa
tion, not exceeding one-half mill In addi
tion to taxes now authorized?
Vote YES.
wheat, and transferred It Into the
heavy fleeces of the sheep. This is
given as one of the reasons for the low
prices offered for wool. There is con
siderable difference In the prices of
fered for this great staple as compared
with those prevailing last year, but if
there should be an Improvement in
general trade conditions It is reason
ably certain that the . wool industry
would Bhare In its benefits.
Judge O'Day, a man of dignity on
the bench, a man of Judgment and
learning and bearing fit for the office,
is one of the description that should
be re-elected. It Is an office in which
politics cannot possibly have a place.
Of John Manning, District Attorney, it
Is to be said also that he has the quali
ties proper for the position he has
filled during his term, and moreover
has- served the public well. When It
can be said that men have proved
their fitness, nothing is to be added.
There is no sort of objection to Mr.
La Follette fighting It out on this lino
If It takes all Summer, provided he
contents himself with publication of.
his exploits in the Congressional Rec
ord, where nobody has to read them.
Senator La Follette spoke 18 hours'
and 43 minutes for his share of the
filibuster. Senator Bourne could not
be found. However, he doesn't care
for speechmaking. He talks through,
circular letters.
Over in Seattle there 1b some con
cern as to whether the A.-Y.-P. Fair
is to be open on Sundays. Here there
Is Just a little yearning to know if
the fair will be open on week days.
The law should be amended to sup
ply a picture album at each polling
place so that voters might better know
how to choose.
The "true" fish bill is the bill to
allow you to take all the fish you can
get and forbid the other fellow to
take any.
Today's prophets will be discredited
tomorrow, but that will not diminish
the crop of "I-toId-you-so's."
Don't forget that Oregon weather
can prescribe better rose food than all
the culturists In the state.
June 1 is at hand. If you don't be
lieve" it, look at the almanac and not
at the weather vane.