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PORTLAND, Sr"DAY. AITGCST 1. 109
IMPFKUL DEMOCRACY.
Taking note of a speech delivered
by Mr. Nacre 1, Secretary of Commerce
and Labor, at a dinner of the National
Travelers' Association at Chicago, the
other day. In which it was argued that
proper protection of the Interests of
labor can be had only under uniform
and stable National control, the New
York World offers this comment, to
wit:
Why ahould not Mr. Navel carry .hla
theory to lta I?giraJ conclusion and urjre
that the alatea be abolished T If the control
of all business, commerce and industry la
to be centralised in Washington, why go to
the trouble and expense of maintaining
forty-six state governments? Their few re
maining functions eould Just as welt be per
formed by the Federal Government, too,
and there is plenty of room In the waate
baaket for the Constitution.
Just so, and exactly so. If Is a pro
gressive movement towards an Im
perial Democracy, wherein the states
can have no place. Towards this result
the corporation tax and the income
tax and the whole protective system,
are directly In line; and regulation of
the Interests of commerce at Wash
ington and from Washington,- belongs
to the same movement. Will the states
be necessary at all? Why ahould they
be? Observe, however, that all these
tendencies to concentrate power In
the Federal Government are supported
by the mass of our working popula
tlonvTvho have an Instinct that there
will be advantages in It for themselves.
It Is ' a movement towards Imperial
Democracy, with a tendency to Social
ism. A mighty Jolt Is coming, some
day, as a consequence. But, since
order must be maintained, this abso
lute democracy Is preparing the way
for Captain Mitrallleur known weH
in Paris and at Manchester's Peterloo
awhile ago, and now at Barcelona
and for Carlyle's whiff of grapeshot.
But O, well! don't worry. What's the
use ?
INFANT INDUSTRY'S 1TTCBB.
Steel common', the favorite of the
stocks of the steel trust. Is still break
ing records. It may be only a coinci
dence, but It Is noticeable that new
high records should be scored for this
stock almost simultaneously with the
predictions that the Aldrich bill ad
vance of nearly $6 per ton In the duty
on building steel will be retained on
the final passage of the bill. The In
iquities of the steel trust and the co
lossal tribute which It Is wringing from
the American consumers have been
freely discussed. The consumer and
t times the small manufacturer who
finds his financial life In danger from
the greed of the trust are naturally
opposed to It. The big manipulators
of capital who guide Its destinies and
other members of the protected trust
families are Its natural defenders. Be
tween these two opposing classes, there
Is an occasional Impartial outsider who
can give a disinterested opinion of the
trust and its profits.
The "Wall street brokers who deal
In steel stocks, as well as other securi
ties wherein- brokers' profits are the
same whether the public buys or sells,
belong in this category of impartial
observers of the trend of the steel
business. One of these firms recently
sent oat an Interesting statement which
was evidently Intended to attract in
vestors. This statement told. In detail
of the organization of the trust, and
Its gradual growth by absorption and
combination unlll the capitalization
had reached the almost Incredible fig
ure of tl.466.S83. 600. a large portion
of 'Which was water, but which had to
earn . dividends. .The comparatively
recent addition of the Tennessee Coal
A Iron Company and other minor com
panies, and the Installation df modern
machinery doubled the capacity of
blast furnace products, and of steel
Ingots and other products the increase
In capacity was from 67 to 80 per
cent-
All of this had been accomplished
with only trifling addition to the capl.
tal obligations, and. while the regular
dividends were being paid, there was
also deducted for ordinary mainten
ance and repairs $177,355,000. For
extraordinary replacements $92,535,
000 was expended, and for additional
property and construction, $255,499,
000. Of this vast sum of $348,000,000
more than $308,000,000 had bean
taken from the earnings during the
period of eight-years. As a result of
the expenditure of these excessive
earnings, the par capitalization per ton
of annual capacity of $182 in 1901 was
but $101.10 with the completion of the
Oary plant this year.. In other words,
the consumers of the country have not
only paid heavy profits on an Enorm
ous amount of watered stock, but they
have also paid an additional $300.
000.000 which the trust has used
practically to double the output, with
an Immense attendant economy of pro
duction. ,
The impartial Wall street brokers
who present these official figures for
the information of intending Investors,
estimate that with the elimination of
.-radically all competitors accom
lished, and with the vastly improved
'abilities for producing cheap steel
products, the common stock -which Is
iow soaring has an earning power of
14 per cent after all other expenses are
provided for at the minimum price for
'.he product. At the average price
from 1902 to 1908, it would earn 21
per cent and at 1907 prices the earn
ing capacity would be 27 per cent.
These earnings are expected to be still
"urther increased when the Gary plant
a in full operation.
With such a showing, and it Is not
fanciful or overdrawn, it is not sur
prising that steel common la breaking
" all records. These monumental profits
on well-watered stock, however, are
Q awful drain on the consumers, and
aaavaal the xnaxchless and unapproach
able nerve of Aldrich and his satellites
v, i ,( ia i-nroii mm I runner iu
strengthen the embargo against foreign
steel, wnicn mignt ease me u
the consumer if a moderate reduction
were made in the tariff.
A HISTORY OF WASHINGTON.
A work of unusual industry, re
search and merit is a new History of
the State of Washington, in four vol
umes, by Clinton A. Snowden, of Ta
coma, with sub-title of "The History
of the Rise and Progress of an Ameri
can State." In these volumes for the
first time, the subject is adequately
treated; that is, the narrative is writ
ten with breadth of view and very
complete detail. In making this state
ment. It is not intended to undervalue
the work of others who have treated
the subject; but here, for the first
time, an author has given himself
room and scope for a history of Wash
ington on an extended plan. Mastery
of the subject appears in arrangement
of the detail, in the selection of the
material, and yet in the fulness of the
plan and execution.
The first and second volumes deal on
a comprehensive scheme with the dis
covery, exploration and general move
ment towards the Pacific Northwest.
Including the Spanish, English, Rus
sian and American undertakings. The
material, as all know who have made
search for it. Is very extensive, yet
very widely scattered. Here is the most
successful effort to collect it that has
yet been made. That so great degree of
completeness has been reached by this
writer is a high testimonial to his In
dustry and skill.
Large use has been made by Mr.
Snowden of the materials of the early
history of the Oregon country; and
of course, no history of Washington
could be written without use of this
preliminary matter. Thus, the intro
ductory portion of the work is neces
sarily long. But the skill of the ar
rangement and the fulness of the in
formation about the various expedi
tions of discovery by sea and land,
with the part borne In them by the
several nations, the claims of each and
the final settlement, require space for
adequate treatment. But the narrative
is not tedious; for the author has
made use of the materials on a plan
and system of his own. and has com
mand of an easy and perspicuous style.
Proceeding in detail with the sep
arate history of Washington, the au
thor finds greater abundance of ma-
nriaia in tHo rernrds besrinninsr with
the Americas settlements; and a severe
test in writing such a bgok is eniorcea
by necessity of selection and combi
nation,' by study and Judgment in sep
aration of essential from unessential
things, and by construction of an his
torical picture which, shall have the
proper proportion and color of a
.whole. The advance of Washington
through the territorial stage, as pre
sented In the third volume, and down
to the middle of the fourth, is a fine
portrayal of pioneer life and Us-progress.
Such a story' attracts attention
largely on account of the parts borne
by separate individuals in the organ
ization and work of the growing social
and political body: and "the element
of personal Interest, in such a work
becomes one of Its chief attractions.
The sum of the painstaking labor
employed in writing this work nevet
arrrHnrri fullv bv any. except
such as have studied the history in all
its accessible sources. The maps ana
portraits, that accompany the text,
prove that the author is fully aware of
this demand for llifTstrations, awaken
ed and promoted by the modern art
rt nhntnrrpnhv and enerravtng. These
voluhies. therefore, have a beauty,
not excelled in any modern wortc.
Ti,B Hniu- -nrtti tnk lta rjlace among
the Indispensable records of the Pa
cific Northwest. On every page, it bears
k imnrint of conscientious Judg
ment and painstaking labor. In com
mending the book to tne pudiic, mo
Oregonian extends its congratulations
ihn nnthnr. and to his publisher.
The Century History Company, of New
York.
Ot R FISHERY WEALTH.
ctstiiMn on the fishinsr Industry of
the state, as compiled by the census
bureau, show the value of the 1908
atch to be $1,366,000. in compan
on with our $15,000,000 grain crop,
ia nnn nnn inmhr mitniit. or a num-
'n nth hto- wenlf Ti-nroducers like
fruit, dairy products end livestock, the
fishing Industry does not loom large.
In the particular localities in which it
Is engaged to the greatest extent, how
ever, it is a most vaiuaDie ia.ciur
nearly all lines of trade, as practically
every dollar represented by the value
r th ramh circulates through a
great many channels, and in the end
has developed a. purchasing power
m.mv times greater than the figures
shown by the census bureau. The re
port shows that the total catch oi o.-
74,000 pounds of fish was maae Dy
oi a inriananrinnt fishermen and 2548
wage-earning fishermen, and that in
the work there were empiojea
etanmor an il launches and 2312 fish
ing boats, the total value of the equlp-
ent being nearly ii.suu.uuu.
tu. flohlnir industry in Oregon, un-
iii v.i in nth.r nnnarwlse countries.
does not supply employment all the
year round. This feature, instead oi
being a drawback, is in some respects
a positive benefit, for the fishermen at
the close of the season enter employ
ment ashore, and in thousands of
cases along coast streams and bays
ave hewed a .fine home out oi me
.-llderness whlth stretches down to
k mitur'i ricp These nshermen-
farmers-ranchers-loggers are thus slm-
ul
nonneiir ri evelorjln r two or more
industries that are of great import
ance to the state, and the value of
the improvements which many of them
put on their homes each year is not
Infrequently greater than the value of
the fish they catch during the season.
As is shown by the particulars pnnt
ln the census bureau's report in
yesterday's, Oregonian, the fish cred
ited to Oregon last year are all tajcen
the rivers or bays, the salmon, oi
nT-oiinmlnatine.' There still re
mains for exploitation a much greater
fishing preserve in wnicn uregcrn u
yet has taken but small Interest.
That preserve Is the Pacific Ocean,
and out of its depths deep-sea trawl
ers plying out of Astoria, Coos Bay,
Tillamook and other ports will some
time take an annual toll greater than
any that has yet been taken from the
rivers. Salmon, our great staple in
the fish line, la increasing in demand
much more rapidly than the supply,
and naturally there must be a corre
sponding advance in prices. With the
Pacific Northwest rapidly reaching
settlement and a vast area of territory
as far Inland as Montana in which the
fish can be sold, there Is a great future
In store- for the deep-sea fisheries of
the Pacific.
In the development of those fisheries
will some day lie the solution of the
problem of. cheap food. It is from.
the sea that more than one-half of the
population of the cities of Great Brit
ain depend for cheap food, and while
it will be many years before our peo
ple reach a stage where financial rea
sons make a fish diet a necessity, the
time is coming when we will levy meat
toll on the ocean food" wealth of the
Pacific Ocean.
SALOONS AND PROHIBITIONISTS.
It is gratifying to hear that our cor
respondent, E. T. Bryant, has found
pleasure and instruction "through his
careful perusal of the columns of The
Oregonial, while necessarily detained
at a local hospital. It may be hoped
that a good habit thus formed may
not be broken when- our prohibition
friend emerges from his confinement,
which The Oregonian ' trusts will not
be long, since he may then be en
lightened on a few subjects about
which he Is now very much in the
dark.
For example, Mr. Bryant, like other
prohibitionists of the uncompromising
political variety, fancies that the
saloon has been put out of business
in one half of the territory of the
United States through the zeal and
potent energy of the prohibitionists.
Not at all. They have been a hind
rance, rather than a help. Theyv-have
blocked and embarrassed the well
directed and effective efforts of the
real temperance and antl-saloon
workers everywhere; and the so-called
prohibition, or local option, movement
would be today Just where it was years
ago if their lead and their advice had
been followed.;
The recent movement against the
saloon has been mainly economic, not
political; moral, not religious. It has
been' directed more against the saloon
as an Institution than against liquor.
It has been supported and its success
has been made possible by many men
who take a drink occasionally, or
regularly. If it had teen left to the
abstainers, or to the men who never
go Into a saloon, it would have made
far less progress and in many places
In most places, indeed no progress
at all.
In other words, the average citizen
through his own observations and ex
perience has become convinced that
the saloon is an evil and he has de
termined that it must be restricted,
and, where practicable, or desirable,,
abolished. It is practicable to abolish
the saloon in communities where the
general sentiment Is .against it, not
elsewhere. Tour prohibitionist would
attempt by rigorous law and Its In
discriminate enforcement to wipe out
the saloon everywhere, and at once;
and he would fail, as he has failed.
He prefers apparently, the reign of
the "speak-easy," "the deadfall," and
the "dump" to the licensed saloon.
TENNYSON'S HTNDREtlTH BIRTHDAY.
On August 0 one hunderd years will
have passed since Alfred Tennyson
was born. He died In 1892 at the age
of 83, and his entire life from boyhood
to the day of his death was devoted to
writing- poetry. To good Judges like
Edward Fitzgerald, Tennyson's genius
was manifest in the first verses he
published, but it was not until "The
Idylls of the King" appeared, in 1859,
that he fcecame really popular. Be
fore that time he '''as admired chiefly
by persons of more than ordinary
taste; afterward he was read and.loved
by the whole English-speaking world.
"The Princess," which was published
in 1847, ought to have been a popular
poem, but it was not. The question
of women's colleges and their position
in the world had not yet stirred the
multitude much, so that the story of
"The Princess" and the speculations
it contains fell on inattentive ears.
The notion of a woman's college was
too fantastic in 1847 to be very inter
esting. Now it has become common
place and much of the reasoning about
woman's rightful place In the world
which struck Tennyson's contemporar
ies as humorously grotesque is as trite
to us' as the multiplication table.
Termyson himself rather preferred
"Maud" to all his other poems. When
he read aloud, as he often did to a
party of friends, he was apt to select
some passage from "Maud." In 1855,
when the poem first appeared, it was
derided as a morbid affair of the Wer
ther and Manfred type. The hero was
foolishly identified with the author,
who barely escaped reprobation as an
Imitator- of Byron. A sounder criti
,i.tt n.r-lvpq that "Maud" Imitates
neither Byron nor Goethe. "It is, 'as
Tennyson told Henry van iiyse, uw
..t - ii.tfftTiiii n hla napma. and one
UlUBl VJ I lO'i'i" w ..... i- ,
of the most- beautiful. . It Is the only
thing he ever wrote in wnicn passion
breaks the bonds Of British reticence.
Usually Tennyson is reflective rather
than t, u uoinnytp - Even his songs, with
all their beauty, appeal strongly to the
Intellect and kindle light rather 'than
fire in the soul. They are melan
choly, reminiscent, profoundly specu
lative, but they seldom flame. Such
pieces as "Break, Break, Break," and
"Tears, Idle Tears," have a place of
their own In lyric poetry- Nothing
lovelier was ever, written, but If they
are passionate at all, It Is with the
passion of fathomless thought. Both
i Anr treat the same theme.
mournful longing for vanished days.
In one the feeling is waitenea Dy mo
hMaVinr on the cold gray
stones. Listening to them, .the poet
would that his heart couia utter u
thoughts that arise in him. But he
-onnnt iittT them, he can only sug
gest them by the music of his verses.
The music means Infinitely more than
the words. In "Tears, Idle Tears,"
the ineffable regret rises from walking
In the happy Autumn neias ana uuun
ing of the days that are no more. It
comes from the depths of some divine
iiunnir Tt In deeD as first love. It is
sad and strange as the earliest pipe of
half-awakened birds to dying ears in
the Summer dawn. It is dear as re
membered kisses after death. The
charm of these songs Is inexpressible
and there are others almost as beau
tiful.
in Mpmnriam." undoubtedly the
poem by which Tennyson will be
Judged in the long run, is a series or
short lyrics connected by the continu
ous thread of sorrow for his dead
friend Henry Hallam. which Inspired
them and whlchtney . sing ;in . every
Tn lvrlra are lntrosDective.
metaphysical, scientific - They raise
the question of the ruture me anu
leave it unsettled. They ask what
reason there is for believing that the
world is ruled by a good God, and find
that neither earth nor heaven can
- tVftm all noet can see
glVCI Vlls. . w ... " a
there Is Just a much evidence that
the ruler of the universe la a demon
. th,i h la benevolent. If we-wish
to believe in omnipotent goodness, it
must be througn an act oi ia.ii.ii, auu
not an easy act either. "In Memor
lam" discussed the bearing of evolu
tion on the religious beliefs of the race
long before Darwin wrote "The De
scent of Man." It is not true, as many
fancy, that Tennyson simply restated
the teachings of the m:d-century evo
lutionists in his poem. If there was
any restating, Darwin, Spencer and
Huxley did it, for Tennyson preceded
them all. He was original in his sci
entific thinking, as he -eras in his ideas
about the rights and position of
woman. It is not correct to say that
he took the tone of his time in regard
to these questions. On the contrary,
the time took his tone. Tennyson
popularized the theory of evolution
more powerfully than controversial
ists like Huxley ever did or could have
done. They spoke to the Intelligence
which seldom becomes a convert from
the force of argument. Tennyson ap
pealed to the feelings of which the
Intelligence is the. obedient slave. In
the great and victorious warfare
against superstition which was waged
throughout the nineteenth century he
was a commander of the highest rank,
and if the human race marches more
freely and happily to its aims in the
twentieth century than it ever did be
fore, it may thank Tennyson for help
ing as potently as almost any other
man to breakr its intellectual chains.
THE FAULTS OF HARVARD.
Some newspaper writers appear to
be greatly disturbed over the recent
departures of Harvard University from
ta an.4ont acnopt nt BtTf Tl P BTAVltV."
'The Boston Transcript accuses it of
believing that Mars carries passen
gers, that alcohol is the only sound
basis for morality, tnat laboring men
are the privileged class, that the dead
can communicate with the living."
None of these things has been
taught by Harvard University, but
some of them have been defended by
Harvard professors. Professor Bar
rett Wendell is responsible for the ab
surd notion that worklngmen are a
privileged class, but it would hardly
seem advisable to turn him out of his
chair for thinking so. Foolish as -the
Idea is, he has reasons for it, and any
body is at liberty to read them In his
book on the subject. It would be a
sorry day for Harvard University when
any of its professors had to submit to
discipline for publishing thoughts
which did not please the Boston
Transcript, or any orner paper. "Se
rene gravity" is an excellent thing for
a university, but academic freedom is
a great deal better, and the two are
not always compatible.
Where intellectual life is vigorous, it
will occasionally present phenomena
which are neither serene nor grave,
but for all that, they may be healthy
and Indicate that good work is going
on. The most serene thing oh ea-th is
a mudpuddle, and nothing could be
graver than a donkey. It never smiles.
The people who lament that Harvard
resembles a living being more than a
marble statue also bewail the fact that
"sound, old-fashiorred scholarship re
mains in shadow." WThat nonsense.
There is more sound knowledge, even
of Latin and Greek, In Harvard today
than there ever was before, while of
other and more useful subjects the
knowledge has been multiplied a thousand-fold.
.The truth of the matter Is
that as useful studies come to the
front in our colleges the old and mere
ly ornamental ones are overshadowed,
but they still flourish and always will
as long as there are people who pre
fer dead tradition to living activity.
THE CLUTCH OF THE PAVING TRUST.
Portland finds itself in the clutch
of a paving trust, because tied down
by charter and ordinances, so that It
cannot compel competition of bidders.
The members of the trust lay asphalt,
bitulithic and hassam and though
Jealous of each other, have made peace
for division of the business on the
principle that "there's room enough
for all, if we don't get to fighting."
Some time ago, when "a brick paving
company tried to" invade the field, all
the members of the local trust made
common cause and whipped it out of
town.
By the present arrangement, ' the
city specifies whether it wants for a
certain street, asphalt, bitulithic or
hassam. There is no competitive bid
ding. The trust members fix their own
price and the city must accept. The
several paving companies pught to be
.nmnoiieri hv rhanccs in the city laws,
to compete with each other. Land-own
ers should get the Denent oi rivalry
between the various kinds of pave
ments. Each of the companies claims
superiority for its particular brand
over others. Then let the companies
offer bids for paving streets and the
city can select what it wants, price and
quality considered.
Mayor Simon is trying to break the
clutch -of the paving trust. He points
out that changes in the laws will be
needed. The amendments ought to be
made. In special election If necessary.
In the last city election, a charter
amendment was presented, barring out
nnerifirvitlons. all kinds of
patented articles. This amendment was
too sweeping, since it wouiu ex
tended far beyond street Improvements
in Hnriv the city of patented
articles that in many cases it must
have. The caving combination in ron
land has mulcted property-owners long
enough. Mayor Simon s on the right
track.
THE "HOMELESS MAN."
TTn a ev tho ahove hoad the Associ-
ated Charities of - several Eastern
cities notably New York, i-nnaaei-nniu
nri Plttshursr are discussing the
tramp problem in its several phases
of physical incapacity, moral delln
,noir nnri mental dereliction. The
same " question has been frequently
discussed' under tne neau oi ui
"tramp nuisance" a term- more com-
l.Anolifo norhnnR. but mUCh lefiS
gracious In its designation of . the
restless, irresponsible pervertea uraj
r iriionesa that stalks throughout the
land, owning no home and living with
out shame upon the industry oi oiners.
r-i-i,n,to v l,ewis. of the Organized
Charities of New Tork, has given the
problem much study ana i3 eiiu
,ti,i -orriat he conceives to be an
effective plan for Its solution. He pro
poses a work test for all who are
physically competent. tie uoen uui
h thin rjolnt, however, as far as
they do in Denmark, where the ex
aminers also take into account me
...mi itMltiireq of the subjects which
is Induced by years of vagrancy the
Inability to stick to a tasK.
The burden of derelict humanity is
nA ViiiT-.ln induced bv fire
losses the heaviest economic burden
that is carried by - the proaucmg
,.onMa rf this country. It is wide
spread, continuous and growing. Po
litical economists, wonting aiuus
remedial lines, conceive tnat it wouiu
be much cheaper in the end to carry
i. ti.iiih tnr a time than to drag It
along indefinitely and haphazard, so
to speak. In this view it is proposed
to segregate this vast army of .home
less men, otherwise tramps, into
classes according; to the possible de
gree of effectiveness of each, estab
lish' them in homes, and pat them to
work suited to their capacity.- Other--wise
they will go on increasing in
numbers and predatory .tendencies
sodden hulks and dangerous derelicts
upon the sea cf life.
It is a condition, not a theory, that
confronts us here. While there is
absolutely no excuse for. any able
bodied man of ordinary intelligence to
be homeless in this country of enor
mous area and wide opportunity the
fact remains that thousands and tens
of thousands are homeless' . in the
sense of shifting, purposeless vagrancy.
The question, as presented by the
study of this problem, Is an economic
one and in no sense sentimental. The
question is whether it . would be
cheaper in a financial sense and safer
in a protective sense to let these home
less men drift about, gathering volume
and committing crime , by the way,
or to take them in hand as derelicts
and tow them into' harbor. The di
lemma is a perplexing one from what
ever standpoint it .Is viewed and the
solution becomes . each year, more
urgent possibly more difficult. It
foreshadows a close0 encounter be
tween thrift and unthrift, between the
home and the open road, between the
home instinct and the wander-lust.
MODERN LANGUAGE STUDY
The movement among language
teachers for a more practical study of
French and German ought to be en
couraged. It is true enough, as the
Springfield Republican remarks, that
Americans have little need of foreign
tongues in their dally lives. We have
a great many immigrants among . us,
but they are compelled to learn Eng
lish, or else live in isolation. Mer
chants and employers' never think of
speaking any other language, no mat
ter how convenient it might be. The
pressure upon foreigners who come
here to acquire English is so relentless
that the second generation at any rate
rarely use the language of their par
ents. The parents themselves some
times cling to their native speech, but
it is . only, at the cost of giving up
everything like social life outside their
own little community. Attempts to
perpetuate foreign- languages in Amer
ica for religious or political purposes
have' not succeeded appreciably. There
was a time when certain European
fanatics hoped to ' make German a
permanent language in Wisconsin.
They went so far as to urge public
school teachers to use it in their-class-rooms,
and here and there this was
done, to the scandal of the state.
The result of the foolish propaganda
was the so-called Bennett law, which
forbade the use of foreign tongues in
Wisconsin schools. Incidentally the
Bennett law provoked a little tempor
ary hostility to the Republican party,
which passed it, but its spirit has tri
umphed in Wisconsin and every other
state in the Union. The habitual tise
of a foreign language in recitations in
any public school is unthinkable.- Al
though Minnesota and. the Dakotas
have been settled largely by Scandina
vians, nobody dreams of making Dan
ish or Swedish the common speech.
The settlers have abandoned both for
English. In many .. respects English
seems to be the most vital language in
the world at present, and some think
it may become universal'. That will
not happen, however, for a long time
to come. If it ever does. The outlook
for German is scarcely less promising.
Even the Ministers and Consuls whom
we send to foreign countries often
speak no language but English.
Though their ignorance puts them at
a great disadvantage, we are willing
to submit to it rather than confess that
foreign tongues are worth learning, it
seems.
The economic motive for studying
languages is very slight in the United
States. We are represented abroad,
as an English writer says, principally
by missionaries and Consuls. The
former learn the speech of the people
whom they live among, as a matter of
course. The Consuls are apt to de
pend on interpreters. The banks and
business houses which Americans once
owned all over the world, he says, are
gone. We may thank our prohibitive
tariff for that. It has acted in two
ways first, the secure possession of
the home market, with the privilege of
plundering consumers at will, has de
stroyed the spirit of enterprise in our
business houses; second, our refusal
to trade with foreigners has naturally
made them reluctant to trade with us,
so that establishments abroad may be
at a disadvantage. We feel, therefore,
no- need for learning foreign lan
guages. There Is another cause for our neg
lect of FTench and German. It is the
common feeling that our political ar
rangements, our habits of life, our civ
ilization in general, are superior to
those of any other nation. Study of
their Institutions would only reveal
how much better our own are. Why,
then, should we bother to do it? "Much
less is It worth while to learn their
languages. American travelers carry
this feeling abroad with them very
often. They go only to places where
English is spoken and patronize no
hotels and stores except those which
provide American comforts. They
gaze at the sights with more or less
profit, but the life of the countries
they visit remains to them a closed
book. Travel of this kind amounts to
nn- -nn,.. thin a visit to the circus.
j;t may Instruct somewhat, but it does
not enlighten, tioou as our inomu
tions are, it is possible to make them
v- Wo micht to remember, too,
that they will not stay good without
continual modification to suit cnajisnns
,nnna Cnnaervatism consists in
keeping things as they are; but, to
quote a wise saying or tr. is.. t-nesLer-ton,
you cannot keep them as they are
without everlastingly tinkering them.
This is the most evident of truths
but it seems to be the hardest to ham-
tntn neonle's heads. If you want
to keep a post white, says Chesterton,
it will not do to -sit a own mor iuu
have once painted it and let wind and
..i their will UDOn it. TOU
wcauici " "
must keep on painting it over and
over again. If you do not, it will not
stay white, but will turn gray or a
dirty brown. The application of this
Is that our institutions, excellent as
they are, will not stay excellent wlth-
mrtHlficatlnn - to Bult
QUI JJCiyctua. ... .-
evolving condiflons. Germany is al
most as good an example as Japan of
a nation which has profited by hospi
tality to outside ideas. The Germans
snap up every political or mechanical
invention that appears auywuero iu
the world. They test it, and if it
turns Out to be valuable they apply it
forthwith. In order to ao tms me
.-. ani , i ni a onrl monev in
VjCTUlttUa BH6UU "
studying foreign languages. They are
incomparably1 better linguists than
either we or the English are. Just as
they are vastly more hospitahie to
ideas. Like all nations seated on wide
continental areas, with millions of
square miles of territory, far from the
sea, the United States tends to crys
tallize into an Inert lump of human
material. The tendency is inevitable,
but it may be counteracted by a deter
mined effort. The common schools
have been our salvation thus far, but
unhappily they are themselves not
Immune to the very disease they are
depended on to cure. Even schools
sometimes stagnate. .-Curricula, and
methods which were excellent for yes
terday will not do at all today. The
proposal to make French and German
part of the course of study in the
lower grades for some pupils is good
from every point of view, but chiefly
because it opens the door to foreign
life and thought. New blood usually
means good blood.
Fire is menacing large forest areas
lh the Kootenai country. The
Forestry Departments of Idaho and
Montana have combined their ener
gies and equipment to fight the flames
which have already done great damage
near Bonner's Ferry. Fire In the wild
growth, whether of prairie or forest,
was once alone the settler's dread,
and single-handed they fought the
flames or went down before them.
This was before the Government had
taken cognizance of Its timber wealth
and awoke to knowledge that it was
not Inexhaustible. While the sub
stantial forces that it is now able to
rally for sthe protection of the forests
are not able to prevent great waste
every year of the timber resources of
the country, they can, in a degree,
check the devastation and indeed fre
quently do by the timely and concert
ed effort of Government forestry em
ployes and state rangers when upon
occasion they unite to fight the com
mon foe.
With a shortage of hay, not only
possible, but probable, tie dairymen
who followed Dr. Wlthycombe's advice
to grow thousand-headed kale, will
reap the benefit of the rise in the price
of butterfat. The leading Oregon
creamery Is already offering"? 1H cents
and it will not go lower; on the con
trary, the quotation will rise until the
cost of butter to the city consumer
this Winter will be governed only by
what it will cost to bring in a fancy
eastern article. Dairying for profit Is
no longer a chance affair depending on
the beneficence of Nature; it has be
came a business that includes a study
of scientific detail and a long look
ahead.
Ex-President Eliot's remarks about
the religion of the future, says the
New tork Evening Post, have brought
forth a hornet's nest of objections.
Ministers of the gospel of various de
nominations . have felt themselves
called upon to protest against what
they deem the destruction of religion
through withdrawing its emotional
element. They call the "new religion"
pragmatic, utilitarian, uninspired, and,
as such, they say, it cannot appeal
deeply to the religious imagination.
And just think how many emotional
fakers would be out of business.
Senator Chamberlain will vote
against the tariff bill, because it
maintains too high rates. But he
voted at various stages for high rates
and higher rates on all things that
could compete with products of Ore
gon lumber, wool, hops, hides, and
whatever else. He'll come home and
tell the people how high tariff op
presses them; and yet, he insisted on
high and higher tariff on all things
that could compete with products of
Oregon. Some doubtless will clap and
applaud this mighty atatesmanshlp.
Great Is humbug!
The Tacoma Tribune, in an article
on' "Tacoma and Portland," asserts
and declares that Portland can be
nothing in comparison with Tacoma,
"because of the bar ac the mouth of
the Columbia River." But there is no
bar at the mouth of the Columbia
River that compares as an obstacle
with the bar of the Cascade Moun
tains, east Of Tacoma. Hence, and
therefore, the Northern Pacific and
Great Northern built the North Bank
(Columbia River) road.
A Fresno farmer who has fasted
thirty days says that he no longer feels
hungry and believes that he has over
come the habit of eating. This new
departure for a farmer will hardly
meet with the approval of his breth
ren, who subsist on the eating habit
along with the rest of mankind. The
proper man to make an endurance
test in the food-saving line would be
some of the many craftsmen who are
obliged to pay tribute to the farmer
whenever they get hungry.
An 11-year-old lad arrived in Spo
kane last week, after a journey alone
from Ireland. This is not remarkable,
however, for the Irish have the habit
of getting there early in life and keep
ing it up late.
If. the State of Oregon or the citizens
thereof should make one-tenth as
much trouble for Harrlman in railroad
building as Porter Brothers are doing,
wouldn't Harriman's men howl and
threaten?
Mrs. Collins doesn't remember. Same
way with many other persons who
do fool things and regret them. By
this test, far more persons are crazy
than are in the madhouse.
Somehow the Portland fans are
viewing the headlong flight of the
Colts for the cellar without a quiver
of excitement. Somebody has to be
in the cellar.
It Is to be noted that Harriman's!
railroad foes . in the Deschutes, have
cured him of what the European spe
cialists diagnosed as "partial paralysis
of the legs." ,
Bonanr- Stone may have been right
in slapping "the nigger," but there
will be a mark on tne soies oi nia
boots, when he travels that will nx
him.
Since Latham failed to negotiate the
v.onnoi tho Rrltons are a little reas
sured. Bleriot had all but convinced
them that anybody could fly across.
Is President Taft to be the guest
of Senator Bourne at Portland? It
will be 'all right Knly there are
echinates in Oregon.
oi ThniiBir.il men in 3000 boats are
adding variety to the life of the salmon
as they pass Astoria.
' The season for killing buck deer and
your best friend "by mistake," will be
gin today.
Tnhn R.ill can still thank goodness
that ' Dreadnoughts don't fly.
POEMS BY TENNYSON
Bora Aujfn.t 6, 1S08; Died October
, 1893.
TEARS, IDLES TEARS.
From "The Princess."
"Tears, idle tears, I know not what
they mean.
Tears from the depth of some divine
despair
Rise in the heart, and gather to the
eyes.
In looking on the happy Autumn
fields, And thinking of the daya that are no
more.
"Fresh as the first beam glittering on
a sail.
That brings our friends up from the
underworld.
Sad as the last which reddens over ona
That sinks with all we love below the
verge;
So sad,' so fresh, the 4ays that are n
more.
"Ah, sad and strange as In dark Sum
mer dawns, ,
The earliest pipe of half-awaken'4
birds
To dying ears, when unto dying T-m
The casement slowly grows a glimmer
Ins square;
So sad, so strange, the days that ara
no more.
"Dear as rememberM kisses after death.
And sweet as those by hopeless fancy
feign'd -On
lips that are for, others; deep as
love.
Deep as first love, and wild with all
regret;
O Death In Life, the days that are no
more I"
TRUST TO ME.
From "The Princess.
"Approach and fear not; breathe upon
my brows;
In that fine air I tremble, all the past
Melts mist-like Into thla bright hour.
and this
Is morn to more and all the rich to
come
Reels, as the golden Autumn woodlan
reels
Athwart the smoke of burning weeds.
Forgive me.
I waste my heart in signs; let be. My
bride.
My wife, my life! O, we will walk thla
world,
Yoked In all exercise of noble end.
And so thro' those dark gates across
the wild .
That no man knows. Indeed I love
thee; come.
Yield thyself up; my hopes and thine
are one.
Accomplish thou my manhood and thy
self; Lay thy sweet hands in mine and trust
to me."
FROM "IN MEMORIAM."
Her eyes are homes of silent prayer.
Nor other thought her mind admits
But, he was dead, and there he sits,
And he that brought him back is there.
Then one deep love doth supersede
All other, when her ardent gaza
Roves from the living brother's face.
And rests upon the Life Indeed.
All subtle thought, all curious fears.
Borne down by gladness so complete.
She bows, she bathes the Savior's feet
With costly spikenard and with tears.
Thrice blest whose lives are faithful
prayers.
Whose loves In higher love endure;
What souls possess themselves so
pure,
Or is there blessedness like theirs?
FROM "MAUD." . .
Come into the garden, Maud,
For the black bat., night, has flown.
Come into the garden, Maud
I am here at the gate alone;
And the woodbine spices are wafted
abroad,
And the musk of the rose Is blown.
All night have the roses heard
The flute, violin, bassoon:
All night has the casement Jessamine
.stlrr'd
To the dancers dancing In tune;
Till a silence fell with the waking
bird,
And a hush with the setting moon.
Queen rose of the rosebud garden of
Vglrls.
Come hither, the dances are done.
In gloss of satin and glimmer of pearls.
Queen lily and rose in one;
Shine out, little head, sunning over
with curls,
To the flowers, and be, their sun.
There has fallen a splendid tear
From the passion flower at the gate.
She Is coming, my dove, my dear;
She is coming, my life, my fate.
The red rose cries, "She Is near, she l
near";
And the white rose weeps, "She Is
late";
The larkspur listens, "I hear, I hear" ;
And the Illy whispers, "I wait"
She is coming, my own, my sweet;
Were It ever so airy a tread,
My heart would hear her and beat.
Were it earth in an earthy Ded;
My dujt would hear her and beat.
Had I lain for a century dead.
Would start and tremble .under her
feet,
And blossom in purple and red.
. s " 1
, Tie Hedgehog Simile.
Collier's Weekly.
Senator Bourne, of Oregon, on July 1
made his first formal speech of the ses
sion. In the opening paragraph occurred
a strange word: '
The atruggle was a. titanle one, Bis tasK
herculean, the treatment necessarily horolo.
but Mr Roosevelt waa equal to the emer
gency He first r.wakened the public con
science, pointed out in an echlnated manner
the existing evlla. ....
Such as wish to add this word to their
vocabularies will find this meaning given
by the Standard Dictionary, 20th cen
tury edition:
Echlnated A family of echinoideana es
pecially diadematoideana having testa with
equal diameters, the ambulacra! platea com
pound with pores in triplet, tentacles all
alike, and Jaws with epiphyses. Bet or
armed thickly with prickles.
It seems expedient to add that the re
mainder of the Senator's speech carries
the conviction that his intention waa to
compliment ex-President Roosevelt.
Reflections of a Bachelor.
New York Press.
A man can blame his wife at cards
because there aren't five aces In the
pack.
If a woman can't flatter a man any
other way, she always can by telling
him she can't.
A man thinks he has a good disposi
tion to whip the children with a strap
instead of a club.
After a woman has prayed for every
body In the family she beginB to think
about herself.
When the baby doesn't cry it' be
cause he has a heavenly disposition.
When he does, it's because he's a suf
fering little angel.
What Difference, Indeed?
Washington Herald.
There is this view of it. however.
Suppose an $18 suit of clothes-does cost
$23 under the new' tariff; if you cannot
raise the $18 anyway, whiU difference
does It make?
1-