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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 31, 1908)
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, MAY 31, 1908. LONDONERS have no definitions ot any sort. Their most striking trait Is. paradoxically, a vague uncer tainty, and this i seen in everything connected with London from the weather lo the gauzy, undecided, wavering scarfs which the" women universally wear. Indeed. I do not know of anything tif so perfectly represents the men tality of an Englishwoman as these same uncertain morsels of drapery. Thlsstate of things is doubtless founded on a logical topographical fact. Bae deker states that the City of London Is built on a tract of undulating clay soil, and the foundation of the average T.ondoner's mind seems to be of equal instability. t have learned from the recent news papers that, owing to these lamentable subsoil conditions St. Paul's Cathedral is even now cracking and crumbling, and parallel cases may sometime be noted among the great minds of the Britons. I trust this will not be mistakenly thought to mean any disparagement to the British mind, whether great or small. It is. I am sure, a matter of taste; and the Rnglish peoplo prefer their waverlng ncss of brain, as the FIsan Tower pre fers to lean. The result of this state of things is. mllv A 1 n (" U m rtf a B. n Qa nf nrnnnf. it is tins that makes it impos or at least improbable, to gen- anything so uncertain as their so- y ways can scarcely be called cus- 1B. received one morning from Mrs. C. hastily-written note of invitation to That Bor an Advertisement of Rowlands Macassar OIL ,iine with her that same evening. "Qute (nArmalltr Vi a nsta at o 1 'anil a f fur. SJarly Sutherland's. " L 4 1T h4 laomaH that "nittlA In fnrm. fj -A it wam n will Hr-z-tr. n at r P.WM Mil T ) J v zr 1 If V. X In disfranchisement Keynote of Dispassionate Views of One BY MRS. M. K. STAFFORD. I 9 it not a sad commentary on I woman's sense of justice that a mi ' nority of the women of our state the' -avowed advocates of "equal rights n tit a nam nf "iihertv ann liiRtlre to ...... mA n.hnllir unnuHArl. for conditions upon the other and greater portion of women who feel that they have no grievances commensurate with the added obligations and responsibili ties the enforced duties of political suf fiHK" would entail upon them, and that there is nothing in the whole gift of political suffrage that would benefit them iu the least way. Individually or collect ively or that would compensate for the saerlflce of our homes and family life. Tlw means employed to accomplish our voters, in .whose power this whole timtter rests, by entreaties and threats which practically amount In many cases to an attempt at "coercion. This manner of exercising the privi lege of the referendum is not only an injustice to women, but an imposition unon our voters, who have already many hnes stated emphatically their own opinions and desires In this matter. I believe' that down deep In every man's heart he feels that this Is not best and that he has no right to dis criminate in favor of one class of "mothers of the race against nnother. but finds it hard to Vresist the insistent importunities of solicitors. ir he -wish to square nimsen 'with his conscience he would do well to consider the matter as one of our best known and most highly respected cttlsens did at our last election, in speaking of it afterwards he said: "This question puts a man In a difficult position. Above all else. I admire and appreciate true muni an hood and would do anything in my power to please the women, but, al though I made a number of promises that I would vote for enfranchisement, yet, when It came to casting the ballot, I sim ply could not do it. 1 do not understand. There is something fundamental back of it the cause lies deep, but whatever that may be. It appeals to the highest and best there is in me." , VYc ear safely trust our destiny with such men as this, and they are In the majority.- Of course, we cannot attribute the best of motives to all men, but the gen erality of them can be relied upon for inking this higher view and votlnn ac curdlnjc to their beat convictions, which . . I iln... til Ha An tUa mi, 4 a rt lha Vitont majority. With all due respect to the promoters of Woman's - Kqual ufTrago and their elf -imposed hardships and trials in the ndeaeor to foist this un welcome measure upon our state. In doing which they only tighten the fetters that bind, according to a well-known law in metaphysics, whim puts this penalty upon those who try to obtain something for themselves to the disadvantage of othrs, yet the burden of proof for any n-ed of this law still rests upon them; a I ho nil explanation as to why the wom en of mir country have made such splthdid progress, having built up power ful organizations one In particular, having; the recognition and co-operation of the United States department of educa tion with the President and leading statesmen. In the advisory council with wUicu they are moving heaven and earth. ally' meant anything its writer chose it to mean, I was uncertain as to the formality of the function, and having no idea who Lady Sutherland might be, I asked information of a casual caller. "Who is she? was the response, "why. In social importance, she's only next to the King! that's all! She's the Duchess of Sutherland. She lives in Stafford House. You may not be familiar with Stafford House, but It is on record that when Queen Victoria was there, calling on a former Duchess of Sutherland, she took her leave with the remark, "I wiil now go from your palace to my humble home," referring to her own residence in Buckingham. I .was dumfounded- To be invited to Stafford House in that careless way, and to have the Duchess of Sutherland men tioned casually as Lady Sutherland well! And so for the informal dinner I ar rayed myself in the most elaborate cos tume In my wardrobe. "Nor was X overdressed. The Informal dinner proved to be a most pompous function, and after it we were all whisked into carriages, and taken to the reception at Stafford House. Once Inside of the beautiful palace I ceased to wonder at Queen Victoria's re mark. Admitted to the most beautiful of all English private mansions, Stafford House seemed to my American experience far more wonderful than Aladdin's palace could possibly have been. The magnificent entrance hall, with its branching staircase and Impressive gal lery, seemed an appropriate setting for the beautiful Duchess, -who stood onJhe staircase landing to greet her guests. Robed in billows of white satin, and adorned with what seemed to me must be the crown jewels, the charming, gracious lady was as simple and un affected of manner as any American girl. She greeted me with a sincerity of wel come that had not lost Its charm by hav ing already been accorded to thousands of others. Then, a mere atom of the thronsing multitude, I was swept on by the guiding hands of belaced and bepowdered lackes, and quite in keeping with the unexpected ness of all things in London, I found my self suddenly embarked on a sightsee ing tour. But this was a sort of sight seeing toward which I felt no objection. To be jostled by thousands, all arrayed in costumes and jewels that fvere sights In themselves; to visit not only the great plctui gallery of Stafford House, but the smaller apartments, rarely shown to visitors; to be treated by guests and at tendants as an honored friend of the family and not as an intruder; all these things made me thoroughly enjoy what would otherwise have been a sightseeing I It, was a marvelous pageant, and to stand looking over the railing of the high balcony at the crush of vague-ex-pressioned lights of London society, drifting slowly up the staircase in their own Impassive way, was to me a "Sight which should on no account be omitted." With a sort of chameleonic tendency, I Involuntarily acquired a similar air, and like one in a dream I was Introduced to celebrities of all degrees. Authors of renown, artists of repute, soldiers of glorious record, all were presented in bewildering succession. Their demeanor was invariably gra cious, kindly, and charming; they ad dressed me as if intfnseby Interested in my well-being, past, present and future. And yot, combined with their of the Matters to Be Voted on In Oregon at the Coming Election as it were, for -the betterment of man kind, white the Woman's Equal Rights or Equal Suffrage Association, as it Is now called, which is the oldest women's organization in our country, having spent an immense amount of money and agi tated much for the past 50 years or more, with but one object An view, the en franchisement of women by states, with the result that only four out of the 46 have adopted the plan of equal suf frage for women. These four states, owing to certain local conditions, largely contingent upon their remote and isolated position, naturally offered the least resist ance, andVheir record for advancement shows nothing to their credit; in fact, quite to the contrary In some respects, as it Is said that they comprise with four others. the only states that have not been touched by tht great re form wa ve that h as been s wee pin g the country with four others. In fact, this is characteristic of the whole movement, for, instead of making any gain, it has lost twice, the State of Kan sas having given municipal suffrage to women, after a thorough trial repealed the law by a large majority, as did also Washington State. Disenfranchtsement is the keynote to our advancement, paradoxical as this may seem. therefore let us welcome let us honor It. for through its restrain ing 'influence we have found true liberty, which gives to women that subtle power supreme. Mr. William Jennings Bryan, the great erstwhile champion of woman's suffrage, must have been moved by this thought when be made that great anti-suffrage speech on his return from- abroad, in which he said: "The United States is the foremost na tion on the globe, a fact due to the ad vanced liberty and freedom of American women." In this flight of oratorical eloquence be made the most telling anti-suffrage speech on record, entirely refuting the time-worn hackneyed cry that "all American men," including himself, "are serfdom sons of servile women." He also said that "we have a double standard in the homes of our country a one-to-one standard." This la quite an 1m prlvement over the statement thai "man's opposition to political suffrage Is a struggle to keep woman a do mestic animal, a mere cipher in the fiome; also, that the subjection of our women Is a blot upon our civilization. ' Possibly Mr. Bryan meant, however, to confer the honor upon the women of the Little Four Mountain States for having placed this distinction upon us, for they alone are enjoying the privi lege of the ballot and the "right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness according to their own choosing." Ida M. Tarbell. who has made a care ful study of the economics of the woman question, says that It is not too much to eay that women in this country can get anything a majority of them really wants and the Individ ual can practice any trade or profes sion without let or hindrance. Notwithstanding this open door 'at titude of our Government to all kinds of progress "for all the people, yet there are those who feel so limited that they have been waiting for lo. these man years for the right of equal suffrage to unlock the door of opportunity to them for doing good. In the name of all philanthropic en deavors, and they are legion, by what authority have women been In the great field of good works? To such as make this claim I would advice that they wonld attend some of the great conventions of the National Congress of Mothers and warm interest, was that 'indefinite, pre occupied, wave ringn ess of - expression, that made me feel -positive if I should suddenly sink through the floor the speaker would go on talking just the same, quite unaware of my absence. The feast prepared for this grand army of society was on a scale commensurate with the rest of the exhibition. Apparently, whoever was in charge had simply provided all there was in the world of everything; and a guest had merely to mention a preference for any think edible, and it was .immediately served to him. The Londoners, of course, being quite unaware what they wanted to eat, vaguely suggested one thing to another at random: and the vague waiters, ap parently knowing the game, brought them something quite different. These viands the Londoners consumed with sat isfaction; but in what was unmistakably a crass isnorance of what they were eating. - All this fascinated me so that I greatly Advancement 1. learn what mighty power for good women are silently wielding without the use of the ballot. I refer especially to this organization first, because its members recognize that the family is the unit and that the home, the hope of the people is the very founda tion of our success as a Nation the preservation of " which, with all its j moralizing Influences is dependent upon i the revival and maintenance of the tsue spirit of wise and inteiligent mother hood, also, because Its aims are for the moral, physical and intellectual develop ment of the child through the science of child study. Our worthy President Theodore Roose velt, who is frequently referred to as being an advocate of woman suffrage, has not, as a matter of fact, ever com mitted himself publicly to political suf frage for women. He stands, as would naturally, be expected of one who holds such advanced Ideas of human progress, for the full and free emancipation of woman on the higher planes of her exist ence. As a member of the executive board of the National Congress Mr. Roosevelt said, in addressing the convention at Washing ton. D. C. f'that he agreed with G. Stanley Hall that this work was in advance of all the other women's organ izations that he knew of and that he ex pressed the sense of the entire White House when he said this for Mrs. Roose velt, who Is also a member, agreed with him that this was the organization that appealed to them most, for woman's work lies at the foundation of all true Na tional greatness and happiness. In put ting Into woman's keeping the destiny of coming generations the President said: "That all the questions of tariff, of finance, of foreign policy sink Into abso lute insignificance compared with the great problem of securing and keeping a proper home life In the average family of the average citizen of the Republic and if we fail to appreciate this wa fall to appreciate tie root morality upon which all healthy civilization is based." United States Commissioner McFarland said on the same occasion: "We are deep ly interested in your campaign of edu cation and improvement. Also our philo sophical observers agree that there is great need of your work, not only be cause ot the changed character of Im migration., but because the economic and social changes of recent years have so seriously affected the most American'' of homes and have actually Increased the number of those who must look to the state for the , father and mother care which their homes do not give. We ask your support for every project we have before Congress- to Improve conditions. There Is much that we need and we look to your influence to help us to obtain the legislation and to strengthen public opinion in behalf of model laws for the protection of the home and for the care of the children." Here is a solemn appeal from our Chief .Magistrate and the head of one of the important departments of our Nation's works which should touch the, hearts and awaken the minds of all women to the pressing needs of the hour. If through domestic duties or disabili ties of any kind any woman feels that she cannot engage in united or public endeavor, she may safely accept her limi tations' as the possible means of ex erting an influence for the good of hu manity that will surpass the combined power of a whole community or even a nation of women. The silent force of a single woman's thought and her original planning for the saving of humanity gave an impetus to the greatest work for the cause ever known and her influence still goes out In ever Increasing waves of sal vation and glory to the farthermost desired to try experiments, such as sprinkling their food thickly with red pepper or putting sugar in their wine. I have not the slightest doubt that they would have calmly continued their re past, without the slightest suspicion of anything wrong. The air of the 'passive patrician" of London society is unmistakable and ab sorbingly interesting; and never did I have a -better opportunity to observe it than at the beautiful reception at Stafford House, to which I was invited, "quite in formally." In contrast to this, and as a fine ex ample of the Londoner's utter absence of a sense of proportion, listen to the tale of a lady who called on me one day. I had met her before, but knew her very slightly. She was exceedingly po lite, and well-bred, and of very formal manner. The purpose of her call was to invite me to her house. She definitely stated a date ten days hence, and asked if I would enjoy a bread-and-milk supper. convrrn of the earth through the greatest organized army in the history of man. A single mother through her only child, by a life of self abnegation and sincere devotion to her country whose influence has made the deepest and most lasting impress, in its way, upon the whole world was the Duchess of Kent, mother of the late Queen of England, who, being left a widow at a very early age with a little daughter who was in the line of succes sion to the English throne, and who, notwithstanding her youth and personal pre possess en ce and the fact that she could have led in social life at the British court, yet resolved to devote her highest and best her life if need be. to her country through this daughter, whose reign event ually became the most-glorious and eventful- in the whole history of England. The womanly tactfulness with which the queen exercised her high sense of justice has contributed to the peace and prosperity of the whole world, but above everything else, was she admired and appreciated for the example she set as a true type of womanhood in her life as a wife and mother and her devotion to home duties. That the Britisher never forgets, however, the original source and his obligation to the noble woman who so carefully molded the character and life of his adored queen may be seen in a glowing tribute paid her by one of the leading London papers which said: "We can feel more sensibly than she could, what safeguard her success has thrown around the sanctity of our homes. When she shut herself up at Kensington to devote her best -energies to the educa tion ot a daughter and queen she thought Great Britain, but the whole world under obligation " to herseif. The joy of all Joys is the joy of going on under the guidance of the Almighty hand, whether it be through our own per sonality or that of another, or in some indirect evolutionary process in which we are unknown, save by our own divine consciousness. The laudations of the world as compared with this unspeakable joy are as the rippling of the little wave cap over the deep. Many morejeases in which women have immortalized "themselves through benedic tions to -mankind might be mentioned, but enough has been said to convince the most skeptical as to woman's power un der the dispensation of the new and true (mental) emancipation--which- delivers her from the oppression of her own bond ridden mind, giving freedom to her God given powers. In the larger sense, the days of op pression and servitude for women, exist only in memory, and those who cannot free themselves from the corroding thoughts of limitation and bondage are forced to re-live the smaller life of the past. This claim for freedom is a per fectly natural process of human progress. It represents that state of undevelop ment which cannot recognize the bound less liberty that is ours by right of divine inheritance. When we understand the deeper things of life we will be free, be cause we have found the truth which points the way to the sublime purpose of our existence. Our attitude toward old subjects is constantly changing. We are ever press ing onward. livery day is & "New Thought" day, and new thought is simply the extraction of the good that was in the old thought, separating the wheat from "the chaff as it were, casting out the tattered and worn fragments of old argu ments, while still holding on to the vital principle by vhich process freedom loses nothing. If we wM live the larger and better life of the present by putting ourselves in harmony with the eternal laws of progress, vthough thinking and acting the t ru th, we wi 1 1 men tall y free ourselves and everybody and everything about us, and through this atmosphere of freedom, all undesirable things will disappear. When we can all take this view of the subject we will be united on higher grounds and eternal freedom will, be ours. "For we are plain folk' she said, "and do not entertain on an elaborate scale." I accepted with pleasure, and she went politely away. But I was not to be fooled by intima tions of informality. "Bread and milk," indeed! that, I well knew, was a eupho nious burlesque for a high tea if not a sumptuous dinner. I remembered that she had called personally to invite ine; that she asked me ten days before the occasion; and that the hour, 7 o'clock, might mean anything at all. Therefore, when the day came, I donned evening costume, called a hansom, and started. I had never been to the house before, and on reaching it found myself con fronted by a high stone wall and a broad wooden door. Pushing open the latter,1 I. doubtfully entered, and seemed to be in a large and somewhat neglected garden filled with s tangle of shrubs, vines, and flowers. Magnificent old trees drooped their branches low over the winding paths; The Bible the Keply to an Agnostic Who BY H. P. A-NDREWB. THOUGH not a minister. I will try to meet the' request of a correspon dent In a recent issue of The Orego nian for answer to an. attack on Chris tianity by an infidel. One of the arguments of the cor respondent referred to laid stress on the destruction or extermination of tribes or people by divine command, as example, under Joshua, when entering- the Land of . Promise. The evidence, though, con firms the statements in the Old Testa ment that these tribes . had become so corrupt and vicious that their existence had become a curse to the world and region In which they lived. In a similar manner, we might say, the presence of the Spaniards in Cuba had become (as with nations In other parts of the world) a curse, and their removal necessary. However, the destruction was not in all cases total, a part of them being saved and Incorporated with the conquering nation. Who could say that the Almighty may not need to punish nations as well as individuals for their sins? We hang men for murder by law and think nothing wrong of it, also punish them for other crimes. If the universe is ruled by law, who can say such may not be necessary? What is mankindhere for? Whence come we? Where go we? These are serious questions and if man SOME MIRACLES OF TODAY One Man W ho Has Hop of Cniver - sal Salvation of Mankind. PORTLAND, May 27. (To the Edi tor.) I would -like to Bay a few words about miracles, in view of what was printed in last Sunday's Oregonian. What Is a miracle? Webster says: "A devia tion from the known laws of nature; a supernatural event." But when we know the law. it is no longer a miracle, or su pernatural event, because when we know the law it is supernatural no longer. The law is natural. Things are natural or supernatural according to where one stands. Man is supernatural to all lower phases of life, such as plant life, mineral, tc. When mineral is seized upon by the living plant and elevated to the or ganic kingdom, no trespass againHt na ture is committed; it merely enters a larger environment, wh Ich before was supernatural to it, which now is entirely natural. When the heart of man is aaln seized upon by the quickening spirit of God, no further violence is done to natural law. I believe Christ never said, or claimed, that he performed miracles, but said we all could do what he had done, even irreater. Were it possible to bring some of the ancient people among us today would they not think we' were perform ing miracles with all our modern science and inventions? No doubt Mr. Bernard Shaw is a very learned man. but I beg to differ with him, if he claims there has been no substantial progress In ' the human race since the beginning of his tory. Through natural law all peoples and nations, evfirythins:. is evolving through natural laws: everything is vibrating; nothing can stand still. The next step in man's evolution may be nearing the superhuman. Mr. Shaw speaks of Profes sor William James, of Harvard Univer sity. I should like to take his hand an greet him as brother. He knows. Ha speaks truly. There is a universal reservoir of knowl rustic arbors, covered with earwiggy vines, would have delighted Amy March; here and there a broken and weather beaten statue of stone or marble poked its head or its heedlessness up through the wandering branches. I started uncertainly alonfr the most -promising of Use paths, and at last came in sight of a house. 1 A picturesque affair it was. A stair- case ran up on the outside, and a tree an actual tree came up through the mid dle of the roof. It was like a small, tall cottage, almost covered with rambling, vines and surrounded by an Irregular, paved court. From an inconspicuous portal my hostess advanced to greet me. She wore a Summer muslin, simply made, and I promptly felt embarrassed because of my stunning evening gown. Her welcome was most cordial, and ex pressive of beaming hospitality. "You must enter by the back door," she explained, "as. the vines have grown over the trellis, so that we cannot get around them to the front door to enter; though, of course, we can go out at "it. But this side of the house is more pic turesque, anyway. Do you not think It delightful?" A bit bewildered. I was ushered into a room, strange, but most interesting. It contained a mantel and fireplace which had been originally In Oliver Goldsmith's house, and which was a valuable gem, both Intrinsically and by association. The other fittings of the room were quite In harmony with this unique possession, and showed experienced selection, and taste in arrangement. The next room, in the center of the house, was the one through which the tree grew. Straight up, from floor to ceiling, the magnificent trunk formed a noble column, artfund which had been built a somewhat undignified table. Another room was entirely furnished with wonderful specimens of old Spanish marquetry such exquisite pieces that it seemed unfair for one person to own them all. Any one of them would have been a gem of any collection. My friend was a charming hostess; and when her husband appeared, he proved not only a charming host,- but a mar velous conversationalist. So engrossed did we all become in talk ing, so quick were my friends at re partee, so interesting the tales they told of their varied experiences, that the time slipped away rapidly, and the quaint old clock, which was a gem of some period . or other, chimed eight before any men tion had been made of the evening meal. "Why,- it's after supper-time!" ex claimed my hostess. "Let us go to the dining-room at once." The dining-room was another revela tion. One corner was occupied by a huge, high-backed angle-shaped seat of carved wood, which carried with it the atmos phere of a ruined cathedral or a Hof brauhaus. The latter effect was perhaps due to the sturdy oaken table which had been drawn Into the corner, convenient to the great settee. After we were seated, a maid suddenly appeared. She was garbed in a gor geous and elaborate costume, which seemed to -be the' perfection of a peas ant's holiday attire. Huge gold earrings and strings of clinking beads were worn with a confection of bright-colored satin and cotton lace, which would have been conspicuous in the front row of a comic opera 'chorus. If you'll believe me, ' that Gilbert & Sullivan piece of property brought in and served, with neatness and dispatch. Real Textbook of Christianity Made an Attack and Supported It on the Ground of Materialism. kind considered" them in their right light and Import would stir the imaginations as well as the feelings of all for noth ing can be more important than their right answer. There is too much of a hankering after and absorption in that which perishes to the exclusion- of the bouI and super mundane questions. Does death end all? Is still the real starting point as a question of philosophy and religion. Where do members of the Christian faith get their answer to this question? In the Bible, as well as in the book of nature. It would seem any rational being would reeard as certain the existence of a, life londtfhe grave. Our longing for It Is the b?st evidence of our conscious mental processes to ward, that existence. We do not like to be placed on a level with the dog or cow. Conceding that there is a life here after, would It be reasonable that God (the power that rules throughout all na ture) would leave man without any knowledge of that future life, or the fact that there is such a life? In other words, without a revelation of such a fact? It would seem absurd to think of. He wno creates and governs must let the creature know his laws as well as ex istence. Science as wel!y as observation indicates a universal orderly existence or law. Attempts to break the law are counteracted by punishment, and this is a necessary result of law. Is not there the best of evidence both from history and its own substance mat edge, free to all, whoever is willing to do the work and make the sacrifice, to gain this powfr. But do not think the problem so easily solved. I think by the time you have solved it you would be nearing the superman (you think a myth), Tou remark, why should we not all become supermen by availing our selves of this supernatural or subcon scious resource. You all will In time 1 don't mean in one little earth life; it will take many, and it depends on your selves how many, how hard you try to overcome faults and try to become perfect. Christ said we could not go to the father until we become perfect. There ts so much for man to overcome. Self ishness, avarice, anger, jealousy, etc., to love thy neighbor as thyself (that is no easy Job), have charity for all. As yet we are diamonds in the rough, still in ignorance that the soul is ever striving with the flesh, to bring forth the pris matic colors of the gem when soul and spirit is united. Arabian Proverb: Men Are Four. He who knows, and knows he knows, He is wise follow him. He who knows, and knows not he knows. He is asleep wake him. He who .knows not and knows not he knows not. He is a fool shun him. He who knows not, and knows he knows not. He Is a child teach him. R, RIND LA UB. Lengths f Giraffes' Xecks. New York World. At a meeting of the London Zoolog ical Society the secretary pointed out that the young giraffes have relatively much shorter necks than their parents; the neck In the former being not longer than the fore-leg.i. which it largely exceeds- In length tn the lat ter. This, of course, is only what one should naturally expect to occur, but it, nevertheless, serves to bring the g-iraffe one step nearer the oka pi. - a meal which consisted solely of bread and milk! The bowls were of Crown Derby, the milk in jugs of magnificent old ware, and the old silver spoons were beyond price. Yet so accustomed had I become to unexpectedness, and so imbued was I with the spirit of surprise that haunted the whole place, that the proceeding seemed quite rational, and I ate my bread and milk contentedly and in large quan tities. There was no other guest, but I shall never forget the delight of that supper. Never have I seen a more innate and beautiful hospitality; never have I heard more delightfully witty conversation; never have I been so fascinated by an experience. And so if Londoners choose to scribble a hasty note inviting one carelessly to a reception at Stafford House, and if they see fit to make a personal call far in advance to ask one to a bread-and-milk supper, far be it from me to object. I Took a Few Tentative Steps Which Brought Me to the Bust of Our Own Longfellow. But I merely observe, in passing, that they have no sense of proportion, at least in their ideas of the formality demanded by social occasions. T ter that the Bible contains this revela tion referred to? It contains such knowl edge as can- be appropriated by the most ignorant yet also suited to the- most in telligent. It is true some say th'y fall to understand It. But could it be ex pected that God could form or produce a book pertaining to the vast and bound les struth of his eblng and unlversw. with laws and prophecies as to man's present and future development that could be understood at once by his feeble creatures? No. But we can understand enough of it if we approach it in the right spirit to know that it is a revela tion, and so gradually to learn more of it. It is so wonderful in its arrangement, language and style that each one will be able and permitted to know that in it which is peedful to his condition and stage of progress. The Bible is the basis and textbook of Christianity, beginning in the Old Testa ment with- the revelation and growth through the Hebrew race and culminat ing and flowering in the New Testa ment with the relevatlon prophesied in the old as coming through Jesus the Christ. The first treats of man's worldly relations, 1. e., in large part. The other treats mainly of his spiritual relations, both aiming at man's perfection as a being consisting of a spirit, soul and body. Who can make a better book than the Bible to teach morality, religion and all that is highest and best in human na ture as well as a divine revelation? Portland. May 29. LETTERS MOVE CONGRESS Legislation Is Affected by Steady - Stream of Communication. El B. Clark, in the Chicago Post. ' There have been frequent occasions to refer to the value of letter writing as a means of moving Congress to action. The canteen was "letter written" out of the Army; the pure food bill was aided to passage largely by the letters written to Senators and Representatives by their constituents, and many another measure has gone into the statute books that would have failed of place there if the people had not "taken their pens in hand." When the railroad rate bill was before the Senate two years ago much of the letter writing, if one may so speak, was done by telegraph. It may be remem bered that the Senate, in considering the anti-pass provision of the law, concluded that some exceptions ought to be made. Within one week prior to the adoption in the Senate of the anti-pass provision more than 100,000 telegrams were re ceived by Senators from railroad em ployes protesting against the Inclusion of railroad men and their families in the paragraph forbidding the issuing of the passes. The present Congress has proved to be anything but immune from the assaults of the letter writers, who take advantage of the right to petition that is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Thousands upon thousands of letters have been received pleading for the passage of the parcels post bill, ' the postal savings bank bill, the eight-hour bill, and the liquor shipment restriction bill. Within- the last ten days the labor or ganizations of the country have opened a vigorous letter writing campaign on be half of legislation which will exclude labor from the provisions of the Sherman anti-trust law. One Connecticut Kepre scntative received 500 of these letters In a single day. s-