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PORT LA M, SfXPAY. PEC, to. 19-
CHEISTMAS AIX THK TTKAR.
Some features in our common cele
bration of Christmas might be al
tered without substantial loss to the
joy of the occasion. The Vciice of
Assessing underlings in public offices
and elsewhere to give costly presents
to superiors is not very beautifu - The
monev which buys the silver loving cup
or the gold .watch for the great man
at the head of the department might
better be spent on shoes for the chil
dren at home. Men in high positions
who accept such forced levies from
their subordinates ought to do
ashamed of themselves, well knowing
as they must that no love promptathe
gift, but rather cringing fear. The
practice of using Christmas gifts as
indirect bribes has spread astonish
ingly with the general commercialism
of the holiday. The man who wishes
a favor, the officeholder who seeks to
keep his place, everybody who feela
obliged to pay court to one above him.
buys a Christmas present and gives It
under the guise of affection, but in re
ality it is a bribe and nothing else.
The Oriental custom of openly offer
ing money to judges and rulers is a
ureat deal better than our way of buy
ing favor with hypocritical pretenses
of friendliness.
If the business of exchanging pres
ents with the secret purpose of out
doing each other in lavish display or
purchasing political or social advance
ment were all there is in the Christ
mas spirit, the sooner we abolish the
holidav the better. But it is not all.
It is not even a fraction of the true
Christmas spirit. Wasteful or thrifty
giving Is nothing better than an ex
crescence which has grown out of the
proper celebration of the anniversary
of the Savior's birth as cancers grow
in healthy tissue. Powerful as the
tendency is to make Christmas an oc
casion for a show of wealth and flun
keyism. it has by no means crowded
out the real spirit of the season. We
still make holiday at the Winter sol
stice to commemorate the birth of the
Prince of Peace. For a day or two
we hear the voices of the angels in
Bethlehem singing good will among
men; for one night, at least, we see
the beams of the miraculous star and
follow its light to the manger, where
tie babe smiles his blessing on the
world. There is a truce proclaimed in
the war of clashing interests. The
cruelty of competition is covered with
a white veil of kindliness. Greed for
gets to pursue Its prey and avarice
loosens its clutch. For twenty-four
hours all men are brothers. The ban
ished Prince of Peace is admitted for
one day to his kingdom and rules tt
benignly. Love displaces hate, misery
meets everywhere with compassion,
and from one sunrise to another the
wad old world actually becomes what
Jesus told us it might always be.
Then the slump ensues.
Our Christmas exaltation Is like the
spiritual flights of a certain old ex
horter. famous in the pioneer days of
the Methodist Church. '-Brethren."
he would sob. "sometimes when I've
cllm to the mountain peaks of glory
and stand there Happing my wings in
the Joy of salvation, it Just seems to
me as if I could UTt myself up and
sail straight to Abraham's bosom. But
the minute my feet get off the ground
and there's nothing under me but the
thin air of faith, down I flop to the
deepest gulfs of backslidden sin." It
Is the same way with all of us. On
Christmas we climb far up on the
mountain of human kindliness and
flap our wings in the pride of a great
achievement, but the next morning
we backslide and our latter state is
worse than the former. When Christ
mas is over we begin to hate and fight
a little harder than ever to make up
for lost time. The holiday spirit Is a
grand and beautiful thing while it
lasts. The pity is that it cannot last
longer. It is fine to stay up on the
mountain pea!: and flap our wings for
a few hours, but how much finer it
would be to stay there and keep on
flapping forever.
Perhaps it is a little unjust to say
that in our backslidden post-Christmas
conditi6n we are worse than we
were before. There are signs abroad
that the real Christmas spirit has be
gun to permeate the whole year. Some
thing of the sort ought to happen after
twenty centuries of the gospel, and
there Is evidence that it has hap
pened. Scientists tell us that during
the nineteenth century the world made
more progress in material comfort
than it had during all the preceding
ages. Why may not something of the
same sort happen in the spiritual
realm during the twentieth century?
Why should not great geniuses arise
to solve the spiritual problems which
have always baffled us as Darwin and
Kdison arose to deal with the prob
lems of matter? How to make all the
year -an unbroken Christmas is one of
these problems. Kven now thou
sands of minds are at work upon
It. though apparently it still awaits
its Xewton. Pessimists tell us
it cannot be solved. but they
are a discredited tribe, for they have
faid the same of every difficulty that
mankind has met. In many particu
lars the mystery of human misery has
already been unriddled. Other parts
of it still are dark, but surely we may
hope for the full light before long.
Jesus taught that earth could be made
a place where all men should be at
. Pace and all should find perpetual
Joy in the abounding flood of the love
of God. That was his message to us,
that was his gospel. It has been per
verted, obscured. forgotten, but in
these latter days it begins to shine
stgaln like a star of hope, like a sun
rising on a world of nightmares. For
two thousand dark years we have
ben sleeping, dreaming dreams of de
spair, but now the dawn is breaking.
The Intellect of man has at last come
face to face with his old enemies,
hunger, disease and vice. The fight is
on and there, is none to mediate be
tween them. It Is a light unto death,
and seeing that there is a good God in
the heavens above us and a Savior
born on earth, who can doubt where
the victory wiH abide?
RAISING TEACHERS' SALARIES-
The School Board has decided to
submit to the taxpayers of this city,
at the meeting next Wednesday even
ing, a proposal for a graded increase
of from 5 to 13 per cent in the sala
ries of the public school teachers of
this district. This plan will, if adopt
ed, increase by the larger per cent
the salaries of the teachers who are
now the better paid members of the
force and apply the smaller per cent
of increase to the smaller salaries..
This was exactly what happened when
the lost Increase of salary was given
to teachers. Those already fairly
well paid, and whose work, though
considered more responsiuic, i.-,
leis exacting, both in the time and
effort given to it, than is that of many
of the grade teachers, received the
bulk of the Increase. This is mani-e-o-tiv
,.r,tiiKr and It should not again
occur. The work of the teachers is
increasing all along the line; it costs
.t oc miii'h for a teacher in the
eighth grade, or any other grade, to
live as for a principal or an assistant,
in h hiirh school. The difference
in responsibility in the various posi
tions was taken into consio.ern.uuu
n-Vw.n ih jKilnrv schedule was first ad
justed. Since the Increase in salary is
asked chiefly on the nasis 01 in
creased living expenses, it is manifest
that it should. If allowed at all. be ap
plied impartially all along the line.
If the increase Is to be 2 0 per cent
the advance asked by the teachers, or
15 per cent, or 6 per cent, let it be
applied Impartially. If it is not to
be an equitable adjustment. It should
be voted down.
MIDGET STRIFE IN VENEZUELA.
Holland. Venezuela.
ar".:::: .. .
Warships J'J llo,.
Total armed forces 51,81j Aouu
A1 ?"'.. " "1lT.9,194 $2,210,913
Such are the respective sinews of
the midgets that are amusing the
world with threats and flourishes,
y-.., -,.i in -nmnlptelv satisfied
that Queen Wilhelmina should under
take- chastisement or me uuuusu,
bellicose Castro. The Venezuelan
president has acted like a ,razy man
in International comity, and has of
fended and Insulted several foreign
countries, although none of his acts
have amounted to downright declara
tions of war. It has been expected
that Castro soon or late would in
volve himself in serious difficulties
with some foreign power, and at last
this appears to have come to pass.
It is eminently fitting that Holland
i i,i v.u tho individual among the
nations to give Castro a drubbing.
The United states nas n"""'1"
against him, but chose not to engage
in a brawl, and therefore ignored
him. But now he is "tackled by one
of his own size." and Uncle Sam looks
on with complacency. All Uncle Sam
in tv,t fm..nq 1 that Holland
LIU A V i ... - -
shall have respect for the Monroe
doctrine, and not use tne cuin.ii-i
a pretext for territorial aggrandize
ment. .
x-.,t.K. rr 4ha enmhatanta will bo
able to strike the other's vitals. Vene
zuela cannot, of course, reacn i
Netherlands, and the most The Neth
erlands can do Is probably to make
a naval demonstration off the Vene
zuelan coast and capture, now and
then a vessel. Should actual hostili
ties break out and Holland declare a
blockade of Venezuelan ports, en
forcement of the blockade along the
1000-mile coast line would require
a considerable naval force. The
principal Venezuelan ports, however,
are within easy distance of Curacao,
Dutch islands off the Venezuelan
ports. Coffee is the chief export of
Venezuela, and shipments are soon
to begin. Holland's actions, therefore,
appear to be well timed. Meanwhile
a revolution is In progress, and Hol
land can perhaps depend on the
Venezuelans to dispose of Castro
themselves. Castro will find the
Dutch hard customers to fool with.
They have world-renowned grit and
stubbornness. All the power of Spain
in Its zenith could not break ihe
Dutch. Great Britain found a most
difficult problem in South Africa,
even though the Dutch were not in
cited by tyranny and assassination as
in the. days of Philip.
SAVING A'I SPENDING.
Professor Charles Zueblln, of Chi
cago University, lectured recently be
fore a body of three hundred womep
of New York on "Saving and Spend
ing." What he had to say. dealt not
with the small savings of the weekly
wage that prudence so persistently
urges upon the masses, but the lavish
spendings which have come to prove
the American people a Nation of was
trels reckless almost beyond belief.
In the course of his remarks he ridi
culed mercilessly society's expendi
tures in New York, and ,of the house
keeping waste of that great city he
declared: "There is enough waste
from the back doors to feed the whole
city of Paris." Of American extrava
gance he said: "One million dollars
is the only mathematical unit of com
putation that we now use," adding
that most social functions were de
signed only for display.
These statements are startling chief
ly because they represent incontro
vertible facts The word "wastrels."
as applied to the American people,
represents the manner In which they
handle their vast resources of forest,
their game and the large surplus that
remains of the products of their fields
and orchards after the great market
able surplus is disposed of. and the
enormous sums that are dissipated In
vainglorious display: Of this latter
form of spending, Profesjor Zueblin
-ifo.i .nnRnimious examples in C. K.
G. Billings' horseback dinner at
Sherry's, and the $50,000 Bradley
Martin ball at the Waldorf. Such ex
penditures as these are defended upon
the ground that they give $50,000
worth of returns upon materials used,
and in employment all along the line,
and they contribute to the social en
joyment the basis of which is good
fellowship. These defenses Professor
Zueblin breaks down by answering in
substance, that it is not society. In the
largo or general sense of the term,
that is called to whatever enjoyment
there is in such a function as this
ball represented, but only a very small
fraction thereof, and that nobody goes
to such a function to enjoy his fellow
men. They go to see and be seen
for display; not for fellowship; that,
so far from being social, such a func
tion is distinctly unsocial, glaringly
anti-social. He even eliminated the
plea that in the choosing of a fancy
costume individuality was taxed and
expressed, declaring that "it would
not tax the gray matter of even the
Four Hundred to choose fancy cos
TIIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, PORTLAND, DECEMBER 20, lSOS.
tumes, so trifling is the effort necessary."-.
Professor Zueblin is not an ctdvo
nf uiHnr In the painful way that
begets niggardliness. Saving to in
sure the financial independence of
children, he regards as possibly the
worst form of that virtue that a man
can cultivate, since it exalts selfish
ness. And thrift, though a virtue In-
kiA in , v. nnhnlMltiff of fam-
lly and National life, is a virtue that I
is likely to become too Interesting, i
and to degrade into greed and I
the vice of miserliness. Citing
Russell Sage as a conspicuous
example of thrift of this char
acter, he said: "This man stinted
all his life to leave a great fortune
to a wife who had no chance to culti
vate the art of spending." Finally,
correlating the two arts of saving and
spending the latter in his estimation
being the more difficult of the two to
acquire and use wisely Professor
Zueblin said: "The two must be cor
related. The spender must spend
while saving. One cannot be learned
without the other." The problems
presented were probably too deep to
be readily sounded by the audience
that heard them, but they will, never
theless, furnish wholesome food for
thought, and later for discussion by
members of the Society of Ethical
Culture, before the woman's confer
ence of which the address was made.
MURDER MANIA CURE.
Gun-bearers have been the foes of
tyrants and usurpers In all ages, and
by them have been lmonsonea, tor
The makers of
the Federal constitutions in this coun
try sought to protect the imerty or
o-nn-honrers bv declaring: in Article 2
of the National Constitution:
A well-regulated militia being necessary
to the security of a free state, the right of
the people to keep and bear arms shall not
be Infringed. - -
In the Oregon constitution. Section
27 of the bill of rights. says:
The people shall have the right to bear
arms for the defense of themselves and the
nte but the military shall be kept In strict
aubordinatlon to the civil power.
Constitutions do not, however, give
ii,t tn far-TV -wearjons concealed.
L 11C Ufiiifc w ' . .
In every state, laws prescribe punish
ments for persons wno carry muutu
guns or deadly knives. Practically
all murder maniacs sm iui .
cealed pistol. There are many of
them in this country. Could they be
.,i rrnm obtaining (runs anal
ammunitibn they would be, in nearly
every case, harmless, rnat is nuw
nroblem for city councils and state
legislatures.
In Portland a councilman nxa iu
r.aA on nrrllnance declaring that no
person shall buy a weapon without
first obtaining rrom tne tniei ui ir
lice a certificate of good character.
If there were any danger, as in cen
..i nnot that a tvrant should seize
the Government, that ordinance would
enable him to disarm his enemies, it
is more to the point to inquire
whether murderers are always known
v-- thoir Heed as bad characters.
and whether a chief of police would
recognize them as such. Jim Finch
could not have been denied a gun
for that reason, since he had always
been a peaceable citizen. ao nau
, ,,.,cr Chester Thompson, slayer of
Judge Emery. Besides, Finch could
have bought a weapon in any one ui
the numerous suburbs of Portland
for his murderouB act.
A resident of Albany nas proposed
a bill or legislative enactment pro
hibiting the "carrying, ownership or
possession of dangerous or deadly
weapons," unless licensea ay inn
County Court. A state law would cer
tainly bo more effective than a city
ordinance, being of wider scope in
niif-a H nn nut it could not prevent
interstate commerce in deadly weap
ons any more than a state law can
nmhihit sWnmpiit of llauor from one
state to another. If the National
Government should put severe restric
tions on shipments of weapons, we
fancy a howl would go up from per
sons who use them for right pur
poses The city of Portland cannot elimi
nate gun murder by the proposed
ordinance, though in some cases It
might withhold guns for a short time
from a murderous person. The state
can go further in restricting sale of
weapons, but cannot prevent their im
portation. The Federal Government
can put rigid restrictions on ship
ment of weapons, but not on their
sale. None of the agencies of Gov
ernment can withhold the right of
possessing weapons, if constitutions
mean what they say. The problem
Is a very perplexing one.
One thing that certainly ought td
be done is to withhold weapons from
vicious or lawless persons. That is
evidently what the Portland ordi
nance alms to do. But the authority
supervising the obtalnment and pos
session of guns the Chief of Police
would be unpopular.
The best of all remedies is tha
hanging of murderers. When slayers
were disposed of promptly on the
gallows there was respect for life and
law. The big Increase of murders in
this country ultimately will bring Its
own remedy, since society is bound
to protect Itself from violent mem
bers. Maudlin sympathy with the
"insane," the "irresponsible," and the
victims of "brain storm" soma day
will end, and juries will convict. The
cause of wholesale murder lies In tha
wretched condition of public senti
ment, which leads Juries to acquit. If
public sentiment would demand con
viction, juries would send the crimi
nal insane to the gallows, where they
belong. The first reform should come
in public sentiment. If the public
conscience will not hang murderers it
will not withhold from them pistols.
It cannot even " be depended on to
convict persons who carry concealed
weapons. More laws are not needed
so much an an improved public mind
to enforce laws that are old on the
statute books.
GATES AJAR.
It Is no uncommon thing for mur
derers to refuse spiritual consolation
on the gallows, but not for the reason
assigned by Henry Harvey. He re
fused to be prayed for, according to
the accounts in the papers, because he
"wanted to go to hell for a special
purpose." What that purpose was,
unfortunately, remains a mystery.
Would it not be worth while
for some enterprising medium to
try to unravel this mystery? In
Bernard Shaw's play the hero selects
Hades as his place of residence for
reasons which are clearly stated and
which seem in pome degree satisfac
tory. The company there, he claimed,
was much more lively than anything
to be found in the upper realm, while
the usual occupations of the inhab
itants were vastly more interesting.
It may be doubted whether the
negro murderer. Harvey, preferred to
go to Tophet for this or any similar
reason, but many persons of lntelll
genoe far superior to his have been
somewhat disenchanted by the pros
pect of the occupations and amuse
ments commonly said to be found in
heaven. The old Scotch woman who
thought of tha better world as a place
where she could sit forever in her arm
chair and darn stockings had an un
usually bright idea of its charms;
Most of us Imagine it as a rather glar
i.. it -nrlth streets of shining gold.
which would be most distressing to
the eyes, and whose inhabitants seem
to have nothing to do but sing psalms
and play upon the harp. Certamly
this emplos'ment, exciting as it might
v. e o oontnrv or two. Would grOW
wearisome in the course of eternity.
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, in ner lime
book called "Gates Ajar." gave a very
attractive description of heaven as she
conceived of it. The psalms were
i.h on h nonnla occupied them
selves much as they do on earth. Is
this delightful book ever read now
adays?
RECORD HOARD OF GOLD.
The Bank of France at the close of
business Saturday a week ago, held
the unparalleled stock of $685,000,000
in gold, and, as it was still drawing in
supplies from all over the world, the
hoard by the end of the year will un
doubtedly be in excess of $700,000,000.
This marvalous accumulation of bul
lion seems all the more remarkable
when it is remembered that France,
with its 40,000,000 of population, has
at no point in its European posses
sions a single important gold mine.
All of this vast accumulation must ac
cordingly be drawn from other coun
tries which, of course, must he in
debted to France, or for other reasons
feel warranted in sending gold to
Paris on demand. Yet the United
States, with all of its great gold mines,
and with more than double the popu
lation of France, -with resources latent
and developed far in excess of any
thing the French have ever known,
has never got together such an enor
mous gold reserve as is now taxing
the capacity of the vaults of the Bank
of France.
The secret of this ability to accumu
late gold and draw it in from all parts
of the world is undoubtedly found in
the remarkable thrift of the French
people. Always spending less than
their income, and steadily refusing to
go in debt for anything, this econom
ical nation has repeatedly surprised
the world with its ability to supply
gold at a time when it was practically
unobtainable elsewhere. During the
panic 'of 1907, when the United States,
the richest nation on earth, was un
able to secure sufficient gold. to keep
the wheels of trade moving, it was
Paris that came to our relief, partly
with direct shipments to this country,
and to a greater extent with ship
ments to England and thence to tha
United States. Even England, which
has been famous as a storehouse for
gold, was obliged to call on tha
French for gold during the Boer war,
and Russia has borrowed from France
such vast sums that that country is
... nimid tnrrpA to finance any loan
that Russia needs in order to protect
those already made to tne itussiana.
Just at this time there is keen ln-
nnt t.nmiTnii with, anxiety, as
mitLi
to the 'reasons for this hoarding of
gold by France. That country nas
been brought very close to war with
Germany several times in the past
few years, and there is still much un
rest over the Balkan Peninsula. If
it is fear of trouble with Germany that
is causing this hoarding of the yellow
. . . ' ,l nn vnavr hdilTTlA SPY!
metal, tne siluhuuii
ous for other countries. France would
undoubtedly need all of this gold and
much more to proteet her private
banks and finance the war In case
Tn such an event.
the United States, and in fact all of
the rest of the world, would ieei some
effect of this massing of gold. The
United States could In fact be serious
ly affected if a number of European
countries which have large invest
ments in this country should suddenly
be obliged to protect their own dwin
dling gold reserves against the French
drain.
r.n. ii iwon drawing heavily
on England and Germany, and if
either of these countries should feel
called on to get together an extra sup
e n vhiinw metal for an emer
gency purpose at home, they would
most certainly make a aemana o mo
TTnitoii states for a considerable
amount of gold. The extent of the
damage which such demands might
cause this country would depend on
the siza of the withdrawals. It is cer
tainly within the power of the for
eigners to fix the discount rate at a
figure that would Induce liberal sell
ing of American securities and at
tendant demands on us ror goia iu
payment.
hi: was a bachelor."
from Clatsop County
of the death in his cabin on a lonely
ranch, where he had uvea in seciuaiuu
30 years, of Judson A. Meek, a native
of California, 51 years old. Lying on
his cabin floor, fully dressed,- his
booted feet under the cold stove, a
few dollars in his pocket, he had to all
appearance been dead a week when a
neighbor, who cnancea xnt 'ij,
fnnnii him. This brief record of tho
close of a life that was existence
merely, and that had covered the
more than half a century, ends with
the words that head this article. Of
course he was "a bachelor a man
to whom the tender ties of life were
i,niniwn a mji.n who found commun
ion with his own starved, undeveloped
nature surriclent ror nis narrow nccua,
a nian for whose existence of half a
century neither himself nor the world
was in any way benefited.
He was a bachelor certainly. Why
mention in connection with his bare
and unprofitable existence a fact that
the announcement or nis lontij m
and death so amply attested?
Thirty years ago, so runs the rec
ord, this man built a cabin on land
that was probably a gift from a ben
eficent Government under the condl-
(nna nt n nf Its land laWS. He W8S
21 years old then. In and out over the
threshold of his cabin door he went
n4 pgma o inno rlav after dav. year
after year. Neither the welcome of a
wife's voice nor the nappy ciamor ui
children fell upon his ears at his ap
proach. Finally he came and went no
more. Early decrepitude had over
taken him and, prone upon his cabin
floor, clad in his rude garb of every
day, his booted reet unaer tne- tmio
in m-hsi ho hmi not strna"th to keep
a fire, he died as he had lived alone.
Perhaps to save the world a nuisance,
perhaps from some emotion of pity,
his body was carried by friendly hands
to a home, the counterpart in tsola-
lnn on1 lAnallnaaa nf the One that he
had so long inhabited. Pity can, hardly
reiuse to urup icoi " 1 1 -
ence so void of life and a passing so
utterly bereft of human care.
A narrow, selfish, useless life has
here left a record that, is scarcely mora
than a blot upon each successive page
as it was turned by the finger of Time
in passing. Men in some of the walks
of life have lived bachelors all their
years and, passing, have left a heri
tage that has made tne worm wi
richer and the better, in tnat tney una
it a i WhitHur Siinff not leSS
uveu 1" 1 L ,T.fcv.-
sympathetically than did Longfellow,
but his sweetest meioaies were i a.
family life, of which he was a part,
and the strongest notes In all his lays
had for their inspiration rreeaom ana
love of human kind. Phillips Brooks
huH nr, immarliate family ties, yet he
was in close touch with humanity, per
formed a noble work among nis lenow
men and went to his grave universally
loved and mourned, leaving tne worm
better than he found it. Washington
Irving's message through hi3 pen ed
ucated and exalted his own and suc
ceeding generations.
Men like these, ana otner ijpes ui
intellectual development can live in
the family sense, outside of home and
Its precious endearments, and still
leave a record of usefulness behind
thom Tnt nnr the man of ordinary
attainments the ' man . whose lot is
cast in rural life or In relatively
isolated environments. Living alone,
his nature, perhaps narrowed to the
horizon of self m tne oeginnms,
becomes stunted In ' expression and in
due time barren of Joy and im
nuriHrnm to the svmDathy which
comes of the human touch. In the
onora nf M vi n ?H t i nn sl home in a re
stricted sense is made possible through
the genial presence ana aaiiy greetings
of friends. But In rural solitudes this
Is impossible, and the man who se
cludes -himself under such conditions
fails in his first duty to himself, to the
community, to his country and to the
world. When such a man dies as he
has lived alone a correct diagnosis
of his final ailment might be ren
dered in the words, "cirrhosis of the
eoul."
one view of divorce.
It seems to be difficult for many
ministers to approach the subject of
divorce without bias. Our common
marriage ceremony is a survival from
a very ancient rite, much older than
history, which "was formerly more
elaborate than it is now and a great
deal more sacred. The training and
mental habits of the clergy cause them
to emphasize the primeval sacredness
of marriage, losing sight of many
facts which make the relation very
different today from what, it was
among Nature-worshiping tribes many
thousand years ago. In those times a
woman was essentially a chattel, and
for her to seek a separation from her
husband was the same as an assault
upon his property rights. Moreover,
since the man valued his female pos
sessions chiefly for their labor power,
to divorce a wife was much like giving
away a horse or cow.
Things are altered now. A woman
does not necessarily sell herself when
she marries. She retains the control
of her person and her earnings, and
therefore divorce can no longer be
construed as an Infringement of the
right to property. It is notable that
divorces have multiplied almost in a
direct ratio with the Increasing recog
nition of woman's status' as a human
being instead of a chattel, which seems
perhaps to Indicate tnat our old Aryan
respect for marriage was one form of
our respect for property. But minis
ters are slow to alter their opinions.
They are prone to overlook fundamen
tally new conditions, and even when
forced to admit that conditions have
changed on earth they can always as
sert with perfect safety that there has
been no change In heaven. In that
sphere, they often allege, marriage is
held just as indissoluble as it ever was.
Some deem it a fault in ministers
that they seek to decide earthly ques
tions by heavenly precepts, some a
merit. But the fact that they do so is
unquestionable; at any rate so many
of them do that the minister forms a
rare exception who will or can, take
up a question like divorce and treat it
solely from the point of view oi Hu
man welfare. Dr. Joseph Krauskopf,
the eminent Philadelphia rabbi, seems
to be such an exception. When he un
dertook to preach on divorce the other
day, he did not inquire what anybody
else thought about it, or what liter
ary men in Greece, Egypt or Palestine
had to say on the subject three or four
thousand years ago; he asked simply
how It affects men and women who
have to live on earth today. His meth
od looks sensible and his question
seems fairly pertinent. Even if di
vorce was generally ill-advised in Pal
estine when the Gospels were written.
it does not necessarily follow that a
woman ought to be compelled to suffer
the abuse of a drunken husband now.
Dr. Krauskopf finds that by far the
larger number of our divorces are ob
talned by women whose husbands have
been unfaithful, and he Interprets this
fact In a way which Is truly hopeful.
It does not signify, in his opinion, that
marital infidelity is more common now
than formerly. On the contrary, it is
perhaps- less common, but women are
not so willing to condone it as they
once were. "They find it more and
more insufferable," declares Rabbi
Krauskopf. This seems to Indicate that
women's standard of morality is ris
ing in this particular, which can hard
ly be bad for the race. If the rabbi's
statistics are to be trusted, our multi
plying divorces therefore are really a
good sign. They denote that a genuine
moral uplift is taking place in one
sex at least.
Very likely the other will follow suit.
In most of our moral as well as econ
omic advances, woman has set the ex
ample and man has dangled after her
with his eyes turned longingly back t6
the flesh-pots of Egypt. Still, in the
end, he has forsaken the flesh-pots
and followed his wife to the higher
plane. He has done this in the mat
ter of dueling, drinking liquor and
wearing decent clothes; In relations
with women he has hitherto made a
great pretence of accepting the stand
ard his wife has established, but his
hypocrisy was pretty transparent. Our
numerous divorces. Rabbi Krauskopf
thinks; show that patient womankind
is tired of hypocrisy and has begun to
demand genuine marital fidelity. There
are abundant reasons, over and above
purely sentimental ones, why she
should. Unfaithful husbands might
possibly be tolerated if they merely
broke their wives' hearts, but since
we have learned that they convey In
curable diseases to the mothers of
their children and the children, too,
the case against them looks pretty
black.
Dr. Krauskopf believes that freedom
of divorce will operate to subject men
and women to a common standard of
morality. He may be right. If wo
men cease to marry licentious men,
evolution will do the rest. The loose
liver can then leave no offspring and
his kind will necessarily perish. It is
literally true that women can make
of the human race whatever they
choose. In body, mind and spirit. The
difficulty is to get them to choose.
A system of peonage through which
laborers are kept in debt to tho em-
ploying force of a i manufacturing
company maae to au intents
purposes slaves has, it Is said, been
discovered near Summit, a town some
30 miles from unicago. a siotmuo
hHS been built there, In which the
debtors of the company are confined
at night, armed men keeping guard
to prevent the escape of the Inmates.
Where Js Upton Sinclair, that he Is
not on hand to follow this clew? Has
his sense of smell become so Diuntea
by the prodigious tax that was laid
upon it when he trailed about Pack
ingtown collecting material for "The
Jungle," that he can no longer follow
a trail? If not, he should cut short
his visit to San Francisco and post
pone further protest against the ex
cessive charge made at the hotels
there for a breakfast ot snreaaea
wheat biscuit, and hie him back to
Chicago, and out to Summit, where
materia. 1 for another storv from real
life awaits exploitation .
The statement that George Gould
does not want his sister Anna to
separate from her present husband for
fear "she will gtt another divorce and
make a more unfortunate marriage"
has no basis outside of-the imagina
tion of an attorney driven to his wits'
end tq find reasons that will justify
the French court In giving the Castel
lane children Into the custody of their
father. The plea Is wholly without
basis, even in possibility, for did not
Anna Gould rake the gilded slums of
Paris over and draw from thence two
husbands, each of whom was worse
than the other, and both the very
worst that could be dawn from that
reeking social cesspool, known as the
decayed French aristocracy? As bad
as either of these may yet remain in
this cesspool of avarice, malice and
all uncleanness, but not worse. Oh,
no.
A few days, ago we heard through
the news dispatches that Tom Rich
ardson had invited fifty school chil
dren of Chicago to come out and see
Portland at Portland's expense. Then
it transpired that somebody had been
misinformed. Certainly somebody was
misinformed. Tom Richardson would
not make the blunder of planning a
free junket from Chicago to Portland
and return for only fifty chil
dren, and thus run the risk of
offending all the million or so
who were not invited and couldn't
come. It must be that Mr. Richard
son asked them all. Certainly he did.
Portland will be glad to see them,
and will cheerfully pay their way if
it doesn't cost too much.
If any anxious citizens have been
losing sleep over the question whether
Mr. Taft will be able to conduct tha
affairs of the Executive office after
Mr. Roosevelt goes to Africa, his ad
dresses during the past few days
should relieve them of all concern on
that account. While Mr. Taft will
quite likely be less demonstrative than
Mr. Roosevelt has been, indications
are that he will be no less zealous
in demanding progressive administra
tion of Governmental affairs.
The Dallas basketball team, which
Is to tour the Middle West this Win
ter, will have a splendid opportunity
to advertise the enterprising city
from which It hails. The members
and managers of the team will meet
large numbers of people who will be
anxious to learn something of Ore
gon. The name of their team will
become well known in the cities they
visit. The trip was wisely planned.
May it be successful In every way.
If all employers of wage-earners
should engage their help upon the
assumption that the men will get the
greater part of their pay by exacting
tips, as the Pullman Company does,
there would soon be an end to the
whole senseless practice. The public
tolerates it because only a few em
ployers pursue such a policy. Eventu
ally we shall have laws forbidding
tipping, unless the Pullman Company
corrects the evil of its own accord.
The Dunning ordinance, restricting
the sale of firearms to persons bear
ing a good-character certificate from
the Chief of Police, would not prevent
any murderous person from buying a
gun In Vancouver, or Oregon City, or
St John, or Lents, or Troutdale, or
Linnton, nor from receiving it by
mail order from any other city. Rus
sia, apparently, has a fairly , good
police method of restricting sale of
firearms.
Democratic journals of Oregon are
saying that what the Republican
party of Oregon lacks and is in cry
ing need of is leadership. Republi
cans of Oregon resent the insinuation.
It Is a reflection on the magnificent
leadership of Bourne, U'Ren. Cake,
Idleman, Tom McCusker and Hal Pat
ton. The Republican party of Oregon
has leaders." It lacks followers.
If the Washington office-seekers can
only be persuaded that ex-Senator
Turner is correct in his opinion that
Mead will remain Governor until Mr.
Cosgrove qualifies, there will probably
be a decrease in the number of polit
ical pilgrims bound for California for
the purpose of brightening the last
days of the Governor-elect.
It Is indeed strange that a homicide
committed in the presence of a larga
number of people should be the cause
of a long trial. If the Hains brothers
had been laborers they would have
been acquitted or convicted long ago.
Tho length of a trial sometimes de
pends upon the length of a pocket
book. Two negroes and one Chinaman
were hanged at once at New V'cst
minster. If Multnomah's twelve mur
derers were over there, they could be
disposed of in four installment; of
three each.
Before preparing his sermon on
Statement One Dr. Clarence True Wil
son had luncheon with Paul Wess
inger, ' A. A. Bailey and Ferdinand
Reed. That ought to make it a good
sermon.
Washington County papers report
Dr. Large as already distributing his
welcome Christmas gifts. The doctor.
Santa Claus and the stork make an
irresistible "spike" team.
London people are seeking to de
stroy their famous fog by electricity.
Such iconoclastic experiments in this
valley would be shocking.
The brave man in the hold-up, un
like the brave man who reads about
it, doesn't have time to remember his
bravery.
Don't pity the overworked plumber;
he will feel no pity when he sends in
his bill.
TOPICAL VERSE.
lieaiiy for Chrlrtmas.
Houston Post.
Three days after Thanksgivins;
I thought I had a hunrh
I would never want more turkey
For breakfast, dinner, lunch.
But now I feel a yearning.
An empty sort of place.
And, honest, I'm ashamed to
Look a turkey in the face!
A Christmas Protect.
Puck.
Say. artrls when Christmas comes alomr.
What is it makes you choose
The gifts that are not worth a song.
And which no man can use?
It's true I like to smoke, Marie,
Yet nothing quite so shocks
As those cigars you bought for m
At eighty cents a box.
A smoking jacket suits me well
It's quite a handy thing;
Hut why select a pattern. Belle,
They wear up in f-ing Sing?
Thourrh slippers put me at my easa.
And should be fairly large.
Wy foot, lake notice. Fl. iente, please
Is hardly quito a targe.
Christina In the Country riaeefc
Atlanta (-"onstltution.
Christmas in the cjuntry places
There You see the rosy faces;
There the joy tho world entrnncln
Joy that sets the world a-danctn'l
Fine an' free the lifo-blocd races
Christmas in the country places.
Glad enough to hear It hummin';
Waited lonjr to .see it. comln';
Knows the place where we're ft-stayimr
Fine to spend a holiday in!
There is where amazin' grace Is
Christmas in the country places.
City has the good time, too.
Yet, the country calls to you;
There It Is you want to roam
In the frosty fields ot "Home."
Hearty handshake, friendly fares
Christmas in vthe country placesl
Pile the ample oak logs higher!
Room for ona more at . the fire!
Same old tales of Iong Ago
Tell 'em! for we love 'em so!
All life's trouble Jo- effaces
Christmas in the country places!
December Jingles.
Chicago News.
Ol' December cuius along,
Heah him rip en blow;
Lls'en to his blizahd song
Dinah, close de do.
Winteh's cummin' good en stronj;
WId ets ice en snow,
Goosebone say et will be long
Dinah, close de d'i'.
"Shop Early."
Brooklyn Eagle.
Unless you've a heart that is knotty and
knurly,
Tou'll try to see Christmas before It l
here;
Impressed by the motto: "Go out and shop
earl" " .
That strikes, like a Are gong, each listen
ing ear.
The saleswoman, paling, the little cash
girlie.
Half tired to death In a season of cheer.
You've seen. Take this motto: "Go out and
shop earlv,"
That strikes like a fire-gong each listen
in e ear.
Get busy before all the wild hurly-burly
That brings to each buyer excitement and
fear;
Give heed to the motto: "Go out and shop
early."
That strikes like a flre-gons each listen
ing ear
Ave. go before floorwalkers start to be surly:
Ere brains have got whirly, for reasons
quite clear.
There's sense In the motto: "Go out and
shop early,"
That strikes like a flre-gong- each listen
ing ear.
Hair curly, eyes pearly, not one of 'em
churl ',
The salesgirls will greet you with welcome
sincere.
Ignore not the motto: "Go out and shop
early."
That strikes like a fire-gong each listen
ing ear.
The Old, Old Story.
Ttlch. juicv. tender beefti;ak will be a. lux
ury for even the rich this Winter. Cattle
that produce it corn-fed cattle will be
scarce. High-priced corn is to blame. To
peka Dispatch.
Indianapolis New
What? Still another time?. Well, nowf
And with the same excuse for it I
Oh, It's no good to raise a row.
There's not a bit of use for it.
Why.
Just recently they said 'twas true
The corn crop' was quite plentiful.
Which put us cheerfully all to
The dolce far nlenteful;
And
Now they say these trout lea come
Because the price of corn is htgal
Forecasts) are mostly to the bum -Excuse
us if our scorn Is high.
But
The porterhouse, the tenderloin
And other cuts of desirable
Have long demanded so much coin
They've ceased to be acquirable.
So
Our interest In things like these
Is purely academical.
And we d not hand out any wheeie '
In manner that's polemical.
Ah.
Returned prosperity's a game
Of far too rich a stripe for ua!
When we crave meat we'll have the samst
As heretofore It's tripe for us.
The Main Issue.
Nashville Tenneseean.
Revision of the tariff no more loom up aa
the one
And most Important event underneatn th
shining sun;
Nor what Joe Cannon has to say nor wnat
Bill Taft has planned
Nor John D.'s airy porslllage upon the wit
ness stand;
No longer reck we of rebates nor Archbold's
golden power
The times have chaLged and such axe not
the topics of the hour:
They sink to deep oblivion before this
thought that haunts
Ttat every kid on Christmas day gwts every
thing he wants
All manner now of statesmanship Is null
and void and nit
Go. let the dippy Kaiser throw another ver
bal fit;
What member of the Cabinet that Billy
Tuft's appointed
Or whiit Sup'-enie Court Judges in the future
are anointed:
AfTairs of law and order, though Important
to the state,
t,lke "other leading matters, in their turn
must stand and wait;
The octopus no longer scares the trust no
longer daunts
If every kid on Christmas day gets every
thing he wants.
MY STARMOItn.E.
By Margaret Talnier.
If I were the fairy behind the niooti.
Do you know what I would do?
I'd build myself an automobile
And ride the whole night through!
I'd make my auto out of the slars.
with little ones for the whep.
Do you know what I'd call this wonderful
car?
I'd call It my starmoblle.
II
The sparks would always be lighted then
With which to make It go:
And the moonbeams would make a lovely
road
To ride on to and fro.
And every night I'd go down to the world
To see what they were about.
And get back to the moon before morning
came
The' time when the stars go out.
III.
I'd ride to the North Pole on Chiittmas eve.
And help Santa carry, his toys
All over the world: but he'd only give
To the good little glrie and boys.
And all year around I could help him. too,
To keep track of th'ee who were good.
Becauw my mavhlne could travel, you know.
Faster than reindeer rould.
IV.
Now. wouldn't you love to live with me.
Away, way up In the sky?
Every night we'd Jump in my etarmoblle
And down to the earth we d fly.
And we'd see so many wonderful eight.
An whirling along we went.
To live on the earth again I'm stir
You'd never be content.