THE STTXDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, FEBRUARY 6, 1910.
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PORTLAND. SUSDAI, FEB. 8. 191ft
SEXATOB ( ILAMItKKT-AXN'H STAND.
It la interesting to observe that Sen
Btor Chamberlain, of Oregon, not only
does not approve the Pinchot-Glavis
method of conservation, but that tlia
Taft-Bal linger method is too conserv
ntlve for him. In his remarks at
Springfield, Mass., on Friday nfght Mr.
Chamberlain said an edifying thin,?,
which will bear repetition from The
Oregonian of yesterday
It is true that our distinguished president
aeems to have modified his views somewhat
to suit those of some of our ultra-conserva-
tlve friends in Congress. It seems to me
that If he had cone out with a scalping
knife or a big stick to compel those con
servatlves, or I might pay those opponents
of progress, to his way of thinking. it
would have been better for him and for the
country.
Senator Chamberlain knows what
the sentiment of Oregon and of other
undeveloped states is, on this subject.
certainly. They who hold the ultra
conservative views of conservation,"
entertained by the Pinchot-Glavis
group, are "opponents of progress"
and even President Taft and Secretary
Balllnger are cpnceding too much t'l
these theorists and doctrinaires, who
know little or noth'ing about the real
conditions and needs of development
Jn the sparsely settled states; wherein
If initiative enterprise is now to be
obstructed, growth will be arrested, or
at least greatly retarded.
Convinced that it has been, from
the first, pursuing the right course on
this subject. The Oregonian is glad to
learn that the views of Senator Cham
berlain are in accord with ta own
Obstruction of the development of our
resources by making conditions and
Imposing restrictions heretofore uti
known can have none other than an
Injurious if not paralyzing effect upo.i
the growth and progress of our newer
states. When the matter shall reach
the Senate we shall hope and expect
Senator Chamberlain to let the coui
try hear from him on this subject,
ont of first importance to our unde
veloped states. There will be a fine
opportunity to remind the older states
how they have prospered and how
great they have become, under a pol
Icy that is now stigmatized by theo
rizers as "robbery," when we come tJ
apply It tcj the needs of our situation
in mis yet unaeveiopea country
Here we have waited three genera
tions for the capitalistic effort neces
sary for transformation of a vast rs
glorr from the solitude of nature to a
seat of general industry and prosper
ous population. Our remoteness from
the older centers has held the growth
back; but railroad speed has now
overcome distance and time, and we
are In the world, at last. But Just so
soon as capital begins to flow in and
enterprise starts upon the opportuni
ties offered here, comes an edict that
the policy is to be changed; govern
ment will not allow, as formerly, the
sale of lands that carry timber and
coal and water powers and ores; there
Is to be "conservation of resources'
use of the prodigality of nature Is to
tie forbidden, and our streams, as In
the past, are to hear no sounds save
their own dashings. We are virtually
to preserve the solitude, and call it
conservation. "The Romans" said the
old Briton, speaking through the Im
agination of Tacitus, "make a solitude
and call it peace." With us "conser
vation" Is the word.
It may be that the older and more
powerful states have so far forgotten
the history of the policy that has
made them great that their Repre
sentatives in Congress will now insist
on depriving us of the far West of
the benefits that would come to our
states through Its continuance. Such
choice names as "robbers," "pirates,"
"freebooters," are applied to us by
citizens of states which have grown
into enormous wealth, population and
prosperity, through this same policy of
reasonable freedom in development of
rfatural resources; which, however, is
found when we begin any real use of
it, to merit execration as schemes to
"plunder of the wealth of the people
of the United States.'
riANOS AND THE SUBSIDY.
The National Association of Piano
Dealers of America, which met In Bos
ton a few days ago, passed a resolu
tion calling on Congress to pass the
Humphrey ship-subsidy bill. J. A.
Coffin, of New Tork, president of the
"Musical Industry Merchant Marine
League," which Is one of the new ones,
assured nis hearers that the piano
trade feels that it and others will be
greatly benefited by the provisions of
the measure." The ship-subsidy forces
are so well organized and are circu
lating such an enormous amount of
misleading and untruthful literature
that it is not surprising to find a sen
timent favoring the colossal graft in
such places as Winfleld, Kan., or other
Interior points where the question is
not thoroughly understood. In the
case of the piano dealers, however, it
Is not at all clear why they should
expose their Ignorance by Indorsing
the statement that the plRno trade,
would be "greatly benefited" by pass
age of a subsidy bill.
Any of these piano, dealers can se
cure unlimited f reight yspace for any
part of the world at rates so low that
no American ship can meet them at
least the subsidy-seekers say the
American ship cannot meet the rates
of the foreigner. It is unnecessary
nowever, to fro so far away as Boston
o find examples of misleading ship-
subsidy sophistry. The San Francisco
Chronicle, printed In a port where for
the past three years there has been a
surplus of Idle tonnage of nearly
every country on earth, in making a
plea for the ship subsidy says:
The main beneficiaries will be the pro
ducers of tha marketable products In. all
rverts of the country. Tne benefit of h
auihaililna- Industry Wi.l be aA Incident,
but It la difficult to see why that Industry
should not get whatever benefit naturally
follows from an enterprise Intended to bene
fit the producers of exportable goods and the
consumers of such aa are lmportea in
parts of the country.
The only reason why the "producers
of marketable products" as well as the
consumers of goods Imported are not
using American tonnage lor handling
their business today Is that the for
eigners are carrying It so cheaply that
the American shipowner is forced out
of the market. In other word
freights are too low,- for the American
producer and consumer are not paying
enough freight to enable the American
ship to enter the field. Tet we are
asked to believe that these producers
and consumers will be the "main
beneficiaries" of a system which is in
tended solely and exclusively to in
crease the cost of carrying our im
ports and exports. The only logical
excuse that can be offered for the pro
posed change is that we are getting
our products to and from the world's
markets at too small a cost, and we
must increase that cost by taxing our
profitable industries in order to sup
port an unprofitable one.
In event of the subsidy bill failing
to pass, the piano dealers might get
rid of the money they seem desirous
of paying out for higher freight rat?s
by reducing the price of their music
boxes. In these days of complaint at
the high cost of living it is strange
indeed to read these arguments
against the low cost at which our
products are being carried to the
world's markets.
SENATORS BY DIRECT VOTE.
Oregon undoubtedly will favor
amendment of the Constitution of the
United States so as to provide for elec
tion of Senators by direct vote of the
people. This state already has gone on
the record by petition for convention
to propose such amendment. Almost
two-thirds of the states the number
necessary have adopted the petition.
It is believed the necessary two-thirds
will ere long join In the application
for the convention.
Whether the act of any Legislature
on such resolution would lapse, if the
required number were not secured
simultaneously, or within reasonable
time, may not be clear. But Oregon
might do well at the next session of
the. Legislature to adopt the. resolu
tion again.
One result would follow in Oregon
the ratification of this amendment oy
three-fourths of the states. It would
clear away "Statement One" and all
1 1 . . I 1 1 - . . 1 A11 nnc.V,
about th oblljratlon of members of
the Legislature to obey "the popular
will" in election of Senators. But it
is probable our "Statement One" peo
ple, and forcers of members of the
Legislature to '"obey" plurality vote,
will now oppose amendment of the
Constitution of the United States on
this subject preferring the hook-and-crook
method now in use wherein they
have or suppose they have a striking
advantage. So soon as the Constitu
tion shall authorize election by direct
vote of the people of each state, party
action will come fully into play; and
such despicable Juggles as those which
have been going on in Oregon during
years past will be no more.
A TEST THAT IS NOT A TEST.
At the two dormitories of the Uni
verslty of Washington an experiment
Is to be made with a vegetarian diet
for one week. If It proves satisfac
tory, It is said, meat will be perma
nently dropped from the. students' bill
of fare, or the quantity served will
be greatly reduced.
It does not require a prophet to see
that the experiment will be unsatis
factory. In the first place abstinence
from meat by young men who have
'been meat-eaters from their cradles
will bring them to the table at the end
of a week with wolfish appetites. The
trial period is so short that it will only
whet their appetites. The results of a
three months' trial might prove satis
factory and make them vegetarians,
but a shorter period would be scarcely
a test at all. Dietary specialists, such
as advocates of uncooked or pr
digested foods, a purely vegetable
diet, etc., generally refuse to take
coses for the treatment of chronic
ailments by dieting for a less period
than three months, arguing that It
requires that length of time to adjust
the appetite and for the reconstruction
of the tissues to the new regime.
This seems reasonable, that is, if
any of the contentions of food special
ists and body reconstructionists may
be so considered. However.thls may be,
it certainly does not require a savant
to decide -that a few days' abstinence
from meat will not test the individ
ual's ability to repress a longing for
the flesh pots. The experiment At
the University of Washington, how
ever, will be watched with some in
terest. Publication of the menu dur
ing the trial week might be of value
in homes where abstinence from meat
is compulsory because of the prevail
ing high prices.
BETTER FARMING )(DED.
Professor C. B. Buffum, specialist
in the science of plant-breeding and
advanced agriculture, predicts
doubling of the present production o
farm staples within a few years. In
an interview at Chicago, he said: "We
have already practically doubled the
yield of corn by selection and breed
ing. but we need not stop with corn
as we can deal with, all other crops in
a similar way. The reason that this
has not been done earlier is that
plant-breeding has been utilized here
tofore mainly for the production of
curiosities." There still remains In
this country In an uncultivated state
an immense area , of rich farming
land that will steadily add to the
output of farm staples; but even
greater possibilities for an increased
production lie along the lines referred
to by Professor Buffum.
There was neither wizardry, magic
or even luck involved in the process
by whtch two bushels of corn were
grown where but one had grown be
fore. The result was obtained by the
simple process of carefully selecting
the best corn obtainable for seed and
by exercising the maximum of care In
planting it and cultivating it. Natur
ally a knowledge of the soil and the
treatment ,to be given it were essen
tial points in securing the results, but
In these days of the agricultural col
lege and the demonstration train, with
soil and plant experts ever ready and
willing to shed the right of modern
farming, there is not much excuse for
ignorance. The tremendous economic
change that can be wrought by better
farming can be understood by con
sidering the one item of wheat.
Home consumption of this premier
cereal is overtaking the native supply
at such an alarming rate that, unless
there Is an increased yield. It is a
question of bufa very few years un
til we shall be obliged to Import
wheat from abroad. Tet nearly all
of the wheat of the United States is
raised on the most fertile wheat land
that can be found anywhere in the
world, and still the average falls be
low 15 bushels per acre, compared
with the 30-bushel to 33-bushel av
erage shown in England, France and
Germany. It cannot be said that the
higher prices usually paid the for
eign wheat-grower warrant the spe
cial care which he gives the soil, as
the price paid the American farmer
for the past two years has been so
near the same as paid the foreigner
that the export business has almost
ceased. It is thus apparent that, with
the same care shown by the foreigner.
It would be possible to double the
wheat yield of the United States.
' Last year we produced approxi
mately 700,000,000 bushels, which was
from 100,000,000 to 150,000,000 more
than was needed for home consump
tion. By doubling this yield there
would be available for export an Im
mense surplus, the distribution of
which would add enormous sums to
our permanent wealth. One reason
why.our farmers have failed to secure
the maximum possible yield from their
I farms has been the lack of incentive
which is now being supplied by high
prices. With the population of the
world increasing so rapidly there is
not much likelihood of a recession
from these prices, and it will soon
become imperative that the soil of our
wheat farms be worked up to the limit
of its capacity.
FOB A BIG EXPOSITION.
If the preliminary enthusiasm dis
played over this season's livestock
show Is a criterion, Portland will next
Fall give the finest exposition of its
kind that has been held in the Pacific
Northwest. The livestock show, which
was a logical result of the remarkable
success that attended the display
made at the Lewis and Clark Expos!
tion, has never yet received from the
Portland people the support to which
it was entitled. This poor encourage
ment was in large part due to the in
adequate car service, a fault which
can be remedied; but, in attracting
exhibits of fine stock from all over the
Pacific Northwest and from many
points east of the Rocky Mountains,
the fair has always been a great sue
cess.
The selection of- this city by the
great packing interests of the United
States as the headquarters for their
Pacific Coast operations has placed
Portland on the map as one of the
big livestock centers, and the attend
ant prestige, is of inestimable value to
the city. Bad management and the
costly mistakes which are seldom
avoided in any new enterprise have
made the work of getting this fair on
a permanent basis rather expensive
for a few public-spirited Portlanders,
but there is no disposition on their
part to relinquish the burden. This
year, with even half the support the
project merits from the people of
Portland, the fair will prove a big
success. While not necessary to the
success of the fair, it would add to
the interest aroused if an exhibit of
the goods manufactured in this city
were to form a feature of the exposi
tion. Some of the manufacturers are
said to be in favor of this amalgama
tion of Interests in order to get the
full benefit of the attendance that
would be brought out by the livestock
fair as well as by the manufacturers'
exhibit. .
This Is a feature which would also
appeal with force to the visitors from
points beyond the state line. More
than twenty-five years ago, when Port
land was but little past the village
stage, the Mechanics' Fair, at which
was exhibited the comparatively few
products which then bore the stamp
of "home manufacture," attracted
large crowds from all parts of the Pa
cific Northwest. If Portland will now
extend to the enterprise of the Port
land Livestock and Fair Association a
proportionate degree of the support
given by the old Portland to the Me
chanics' Fair, the coming September
should see even the Lewis and Clark
Fair attendance records broken.
PRACTICAL, TEMPERANCE LESSON.
A notable example of the crusade
for the most part silent, but deter
mined and persistent that is being
made in the responsible business
world against drunkenness is found in
the new clause in the constitution
adopted almost uanimously by the
United Mineworkers of America in
session at Indianapolis. It provides
for the dismissal of any officer of that
organization, or delegate to any of its
conventions, ho 'becomes Intoxicated
on duty.
It would be worse than useless to
deliver a stereotyped temperance lec
ture to any aggregation composed of
the rank and file of this body. Even
the lurid pictures of the stomach and
other viscera of the drunkard, brougnt
out in several tones of crimson, shaded
to purple, with which Dr. J. W. Watts,
of .Yamhill, the sonorous apostle t
prohibition, was wont In years past to
illustrate his nasal bellowings, would
be laughed to scorn by the tipsy miner
who regards the right to get drunk
when and where he chooses to do so
as inalienable. But when the command
to abstain is given indirectly, as con
tingent upon the privilege of holding
office or otherwise representing his
organization, or of holding any posi
tion of emolument and trust in a cor
poration, the man with the exagger
ated idea of his right to get drunk,
neglect his duty and jeopardize life
and property takes counsel of expedi
ency and reduces his consumption of
grog to the minimum.
Selfishness finds expression in self
indulgence In the case of the man who
drinks to excess regardless of his duty
to family, society and the interests of
his employer. The family, being help
less, has protested In vain against the
wrong thus inflicted upon it; society
bears or shifts the burden imposed as
it must or can, being also without
power that the man who drinks to in
toxication respects. But when the
employing force, backed In its purpose
by the responsible element in indus
trial organizations, issues an order to
discharge and discredit any man who
becomes drunk' while on duty, the
right of the individual is merged into
the right of the superior force to pro
tect Itself against the loss and re
proach that attaches to drunken em
ployes or representatives.
The man so far gone in drunkenness
as to fail to meet the requirements of
sobriety in business is practically
worthless to the employing force and
Is cast aside; while the tippler who
has not yet become a toper takes
warn in of expediency, and learns
self-control. We are told that the
delegates to the miners' convent! tn
were highly amused" by the argu
ment by which the demand for the
dismissal of men who became drunk
while on duty was supported, but they
answered It. nevertheless, by practical
ly a unanimous vote in its favor and
greeted the announcement of Its adop
tion with a "laughing cheer."
It is thus that in making a merit of
necessity men sometimes betray traits
of humor and prudence that they had
not before been suspected of possess
ing. It is only the man who has lost
all self-respect, who feels no pride :n
horrors bestowed by his associates;
and only he who is utterly devoid of
personal and family responsibility is
impervious to the argument upon
which depends his earning power or
opportunity. Men of these types have
been dropped by the score from th
payrolls of the great railway, business
and manufacturing corporations "n
recent years, for the simple reason
that they are untrustworthy; men .f
stronger mental and moral force have
from expediency learned the great les
son of temperance in. order to escape a
like fate.
Self-protection, the first law of Na
ture, is behind and stands sponsor for
this decree. It has been brought
about by the exigencies of business
without clamor or argument, beyond
the simple statement that It is neces
sary. The example at Indianapolis is
the latest evidence of its perspicacity
and power; its acceptance by a body
of men representing miners with "a
laughing cheer" is the latest and one
of the most striking exhibitions of its
progress.
THE SOUTH POLE.
The languid interest of civilized man
in the Antarctic regions will be stim
ulated somewhat by Commander
Peary's announcement of a new at
tempt to explore them. Lieutenant
Shaclileton also intends to make an
other voyage, according to the re
ports, so that perhaps our knowledge
of conditions near the South Pole
in a way to be greatly extendel.
Antarctic exploration has always
lacked the commercial stimulus which
gave the original impulse to the
search for the northwest passage
There was no southwest passage to
seek for. Both the southern conti
nents taper off to points at the ex
treme south, and it is no great feat to
sail round them. The Carthaginians
probably rounded the Cape of Good
Hope many centuries ago. The pass
age at Cape Horn is more or less per
ilous. The everlasting fogs at Tierra
del Fuego make the Strait of Magel
lan a dismal locality, but the actual
difficulty of sailing from the Atlantic
to the Pacific at the extremity f
South America is not excessive. The
routes of commerce at their farthest
southern limit run many degrees
north of the ice cap which surrounds
the South Pole, so that commerce has
supplied but a faint impulse to the
exploration of .that most dismal region
of the world.
Many voyagers have sailed thither
for purely scientific reasons, and
much valuable work of exploration
has been done, beginning perhaps with
the bold Frenchman, Bouvet, and
ending for the present with the fine
labors of Shackleton, but the annals
of the Antarctic regions present no
romantic adventures like those of the
unfortunate Greeley expedition, and
no tragic episodes like the loss of Sir
John Franklin. The expedition of
Captain Wilkes from the United States
about 1840 was ill-contrived and his
men were exasperatingly Insubordi
nate, but, after all, his woes were
petty and his reward enduring, while
the contributions which he made ti
science were acknowledged all over
the world.
It is easy to forget how much the
loss of Sir John Franklin perpetuated
interest in the northern regions. With
out the motive of search for his re
mains it is not likely that Arctic ex-
ploratlon would have been nearly so
active in the last century as It was.
It would have languished almost cer
tainly when the long-sought northwest
passage was found to be impractica
ble, had it not been for disaster after
disaster which kept human curiosity
on the alert and supplied heroic ad
venturers with the .direct and noble
purpose of rescuing their predecessors.
We must not forget that the search
for the North Pole as an immediate
object is very recent. It only grew
out of the northwest passage expedi
tions toward the close of the nine
teenth century.
As for the South Pole, it seems far
off and unrelated to human affairs.
It might almost as well be on another
planet for all the practical concern we
have with it. Interest in the dismal
area which surrounds It is purely sci
entific and artificial. Nothing exists
there to excite the imagination of
common men. An uninterrupted ex
panse of snow and ice varied by moun
tains which' present nothing but more
snow and Ice soon wearies the atten
tion even in the most animated de
scriptions. Moreover, the South Pole
is singularly inaccessible. At the ex
treme north -there is an open sea, or
what passes for one, while the south
ern tip of the earth is land. Journey
ing to the north the sailor can creep
almost by sleight of hand along the
western coast of Greenland, inching
northward under the kindly shelter of
glacial isles until he is within a few de
grees of the Pole, which, as Peary has
shown, it Is possible to reach by a botd
dash.
At the south this cannot be done.
Hundreds of miles from the Pole the
traveler meets the frightful ice bar
rier which borders the entire Antarc
tic continent and affords no opening
to the Interior. Between the ring of
icebergs which perpetually guards th?
inhospitable shore and the frozen land
there is a lane of open water, but it
never leads Into inland sounds. The
explorer must abandon his vessels at
the beginning of his task and resort
to toilsome travel over the snow.
Nothing has ever grown there, and the
feeble power of the sun is insufficient
to produce a drop of water. Even 4n
Summer the snow drifts in the wind
in fine, piercing needles.
In the Antarctic continent the cold
Is more severe than it is in the far
north. Several reasons for this are
given by the learned. The most in
teresting is the fact that the southern
hemisphere has Its Winter when the
earth is at aphelion, or farthest from
the sun. This naturally Intensifies
the cold. On the other hand, though
It Is Summer there when the earth Is
nearest the sun. nothing is gained by
it because the -bordering oceans con
tinually wash the'skores with icy wat
ers. It is curious, too, to notice that
th Antarctic continent Is exposed on
all sides to the sweep of winds which
have trained Impetus over thousands of
miles of sea. It is completely devoid
of windbreaks, like our Coast moun
tains and the Andes of South America.
The land seems to rise steadily toward
the Interior instead of lurking behind
sheltering ranges.
Owing to causes of this nature, the
cold near the South Pole is terrific at
all times. Tlie truth Is that there "s
probably little to find if It were
reached, and that little must be sought
through Incredible suffering and peril.
Still the Impulse of mankind to know
whatever is knowable will not permit
adventurous explorers to rest until
they have seen it. No doubt, too. they
are haunted by an unacknowledged
hope that it may turn out more inter
esting than they expect. Perhaps the
Garden of Eden was situated at the
Souh Pole and the adamantine -gate
which Gabriel locked when he drove
our parents out still stands there. Per
haps the branches of the tree of
knowledge can be seen peeping over
the walls.
IX) KING THE COST OF IJVrNG.
The suggestion made recently by a cor
respondent, himself a merchant, in regard
to saving in the cost of living by or
dering grocers supplies in bulk suffi
cient to last for several days, and
doing away with deliveries twice a day,
or oftener, is in line with the view fre
quently expressed by The Oregonian.
There is no excuse of greater
weight than sheer thoughtlessness on
the part of housewives (which Is, in
fact, no excuse at all) for purchas
ing standard groceries by the hand
ful. All '-'dry" food supplies, such os
sugar, tea, beans, rice, spices and
canned goods, can as well be ordered
for monthly as for daily delivery.
Some vegetables and fruits can also
be purchased In moderate supply.
Two tolls, for example, may be saved
in buying potatoes by the sack and
apples by the box that of the added
cost and always possible short weight
that comes from the favorite order of
"twenty-five cents' worth," and the
cost of delivering these things in
Bmall parcels over that of delivery in
greater bulk. Of course it needs no
argument to prove the truth of state
ments so simple and obvious as these.
They are accepted without dissent by
all intelligent buyers, who, however,
go on in the old way with a grievance
firmly lodged against high prices.
To render such suggestions effec
tive it will be necessary for house
keepers to act In some sort of unison
in the matter. One woman or half a
dozen women or forty women, acting
each upon her own volition, could not
change the fixed order of things,
which requires grocers to keep a fly
ing brigade in the field filling rush or
ders from 8 o'clock in the morning
until 6 in the evening. The utility
department of the Woman's Club (if
there is such a department) would
find in working up a movement in
accordance with this suggestion full
scope for the energies of its mem
bers. Clubwomen dearly love to or
ganize are devoted indeed to organ
ization. Why not organize here to
some practical purpose? Why not in
augurate a movement upon the basic
principle of economy in the purchase
and delivery of grocers' supplies
asking housewives throughout the
city to Join It by simply agreeing to
purchase standard foods in bulk suf
ficient for family needs for a week; lo
attend personally to their daily mar
keting at the butcher's, baker's and
grocer's, and carry home such small
purchases as can easily be tucked into
a light market basket? Or if for any
good and sufficient reason of which
there are many a housekeeper can
not attend to the marketing person
ally, to "bunch her orders so that a
delivery twice a week, or at mot
every alternate day, will adequately
supply her needs?
BURTON'S "KAS1DAH."
Sir Richard Burton's "Kasidah
which has been republished by T. B
Mosher, of Portland, Me., is like
gust of north wind from the middle
of the nineteenth century.
"Kasidah" reminds one .somewhat
both of Tennyson and of FitzGerald
There are passages in the poem which
might have been lifted almost bodily
from the "Rubaiyat." This is an ex
ample: "Retorts the Tartar, "Shall I
lend mine only ready money now, for
vain, usurious then like thine?
Avaunt, a triple idiot thou." " This is
clearly Omar's "Take the cash and let
the credit go" diluted and not at all
improved. In general if Burton did
borrow from FitzGerald he has no
Shakespeare's sufficient apology that
he bettered whatever he stole. As
rule he has weakened the ideas of his
model, while his language never
comes within hailing distance of the
exquisite beauty which FitzGerald
rarely misses. Lady Burton says, how.
ever, in a preface to the "Kasidah
that Burton -wrote it years before he
had read the "Rubaiyat," and this
not incredible. The resemblances,
thoogh marked, are superficial. The
general tone of the two poems is en
tirely different. Omar is an agnostic,
but a jubilant one, who finds full com
pensation for what he doesn't know in
what he can pet through his senses.
Life is a jolly thing to him, even if It
does end at the grave, and over the
fancies of the theologians which he
rends he has no tears to shed.
Burton, on the other hand, is a veri
table fountain of tears. The "Kasi
dah" is almost as weakly melancholy
as In Memoriam, ' to which it owes
vastly more than It apparently does
to Omar. The intellectual scheme of
the poem might have been borrowed
entire from Tennyson, with one nota
ble exception. There Is the same la
ment over the terrible consequences
of evolution, the same timidity in a
universe bereft of its theological deity,
the same. lack t.f faith in the will to
live which is at the bottom of things.
But while Tennyson was convinced
that life was dust and ashes without
his theological deity. Burton, on the
other hand, finds some semblance if
comfort In old-fashioned stoicism.
Both poets cllna; to the hope, albeit
faintly, that there may be a future life
after all, but doubt of it hrows Tenny
son into exclamatory agonies while n
Burton It excites a sturdy determina
tion to get along bravely in any case.
'Pluck the old woman from thy
breast, be stout in woe, be stark fa
nveal." he cries valiantly. And again:
'Glancing down the range of years.
fear not thy future self to see; re
signed to life, resigned to death, as
though the choice were naught o
thee." This is not very alluring poe
try. It possesses only the faintest ves
tige of lyric enchantment, but it is the
courageous old philosophy of Marcus
Aurelius and it braces one's nerves to
read it. After all what good does it
do to whine, and in the long run. what
better off are we for trying to make
Duroslvea believe what we know, is. not
true? This Is Burton's legacy to the
world and it is not bad for those who
have nothing better.
The "Kasldah" is a more whole
some poem in its entirety than in de
tail. Here and there one comes upon
a passage which is""half idiotic In its
fatuity. Take for instance the vers?s
in the fourth canto where he laments
over the banishment of the gods of
Greece by Christianity. The Nazarene
came, he moans, and seized upon the
seat of Pan. "His saddening creed of
herited sin spilt o'er the world its cold
grey spell; In every vista showed
grave, and neath the grave the glare
of hell. Till all life's poetry sinks
to prose, Romance to dull reality
fades," and so on. Now nothing is
more certain than that the "dull grey
creeds" of so-called Christianity have
not the slightest connection with the
teaching of the Nazarene, who was
much more like Omar himself than
like a medieval monk. The genuine
Christianity of the middle ages, which
hawed itself at its best in chivalry.
did not blot the poetry from life by
any means. It was the very essence
of romance. Moreover, it Is extremely
doubtful If the reality which Burton
hates so bitterly is a dull thing. It s
likely enough that when we once mus
ter up the courage to face it man
fully we shall find it Incomparably
more alluring and more tenderly beau
tiful than our dearest Illusions evt-.T
were.
It Is strange tHat a man who, like
Burton, was essentially f ortltudinous
and a lover of the true should have
spent his time wailing over a false
and hollow idol like Romanticism. But
in the wisest of us the fool lurks half
hidden. Without the clown perhaps
our tragedy of life would Be unbear
able.
A Washington correspondent once
asserted that Kate Chase Sprague, at
one time a leader in Governmental
society circles at the National capital.
was a woman of the most perfect self
control, one who never-" by word, ges
ture or glance indicated any annoy
ance in public. As an example of.
this perfect self-control it was re
lated that at a state dinner on one
occasion Senator Sprague, whose
bibulous propensities were well
known, after babbling , inanely for
some time, rolled helplessly from his
at. "Senator Sprague Is 111," said
my lady, calmly; having beckoned a
servant; "call a carriage." Where
upon she arose with stately dignity
and without a shadow except of well
feigned concern accompanied the
sick man" to their home. Now
Mrs. Winters, wife of the Dayton,
Ohio, millionaire, had been that sort
of a woman she' would not have so
abashed her husband by Interposing
remonstrance to his consumption of
high-balls at social functions, and the
poor man would not now be chasing
from Texas to Dakota and back again
to Ohio In quest of a court that would
grant him a divorce from his too
solicitous spouse on the ground of
cruelty. Some women have so little
regard for the feelings of their hus
bands! Poor Mr. Winters! And there
is a pretty stenographer in the offing,
too, but still no divorce in sight.
Restoration of the interior of the
old MrcLoughlin home at Oregon City
will be undertaken by the McLough-
lin Club the coming Spring. The
work will be Interesting from a remi
niscent standpoint. It will be com
menced none too soon for the accom
plishment of the purpose indicated
since it will require the personal
supervision of some of those who were
familiar with the old home in the
lifetime of its august master. The
passing years have reduced this num
ber .to a very few, and these are
longer young. The effort Is a gracious
one and will doubtless receive such
assistance as is possible from those
who are competent to furnish it.
The objection that is made to as
sembly or convention, that "there-are
a great many Republicans who d
not want a few to dictate nominations
to them," is Just the condition that the
representative system, working through
assembly, designs to avoid. Whr
many candidates are seeking the same
office, and. one gets a petty plurality,
Hie nomination i "dictated by a few'
and then the majority is likely to
vote for and elect the candidate of the
opposite party. Here Is just the con
ditlon that the managers of the minor
ity party in Oregon desire. It is the
basis of their fight against assembly
Let citizens who are so fearful abou
assembly or convention calm them
selves. They needn't vote the ticket
offered by the assembly for the pn
mary unless they wish to; and there
is the general election to follow, in
which every man may vote how he
pleases. Where is the reason for li
dignation or ground for ,arm?
The wife who got divorce becau
her husband spat tobacco juice at her
neglected one important duty before
turning him loose. She ought to have
given him a good washing down with
the hose.
Let us hope that Brother Brougher
in his salutatory sermon today at L
Angeles will not repeat the offense
committed here six years ago when
he called Portland the Sodom
America.
of
At the meeting of the Republican
state central committee next Satu
day, Oregon's crystallizing sentiment
in favor of the assembly plan will
find emphatic voice.
The Kentucky, which was boun
this way for the Alaska traffic, san
in the safest spot In the sea off Cape
Hatteras. Probably a lucky wrec
They say that Binger, If acquitted,
will run for Representative -in Con
gress. But hasn't he signified that
he would like to be Senator?
With the erection of Teon's 15-st6ry
building to be commenced next month
the canyonizing of Alder street w
be far advanced.
There seems to be only one alte
native. Either lower steps or change
in the fashion of nether garments for
women.
Saving of the crew of the lo
steamer Kentucky adds another vie
tory over death to Marconi's envlab
list. '
The big track meet announced for
June is certain to bring to Portland
a large number of fast young men.
The Bay City is getting back to Poo
dla Dog days
LINES FROM THE
"KASIDAH"
Extrarls Krom Barton's Poem, Just
Published, but Benrinc Strlklni
Rnemblsnra to the Unhalyat,
Thouarh Written Before Kttxtier.
a ld't TraDBlstlon of the Latter.
"Eat, drink, and sport; the rest of life's
not worth a fillip," quoth tne
King:
Methlnks the saying saith tpo much:
me swine would say tne sensamo
thing!
Two-footed beasts that browse through
life, by Death to serve as soil
destgn'd.
Bow prone to Earth whereof they be.
and there the proper pleasures
find:
But you of finer, nobler stuff, ye, whom
to Higher leads tne High,
What binds your hearts in common
bond with creatures of the stall
- and sty?
How Life is dim. unreal, vain, like
scenes that round the drunkard
reel ;
How "Being" meaneth not to o; to
see and hear, smell, taste ana
teel.
drop in Ocean's boundless tide, un
fathom'd waste of agony;
Where millions live their horrid lives
by making other millions die.
How with a heart that would through
love, to I'niversal Love astute.
Man woos infernal chance to smite, as
Min'arets draw the Thunder
fire. .
How Earth on Earth builds tow'er and
wall, to crumble at a touch or
Time;
How Earth on Earth from Shinar-
plain the heights of Heaven rain
would climb.
How short this Life, how long withal;
how false its weal, how true its
woes.
This fever-fit with paroxysms to rr.ark
Its opening and Its dose.
Ah!' gay the day with shine of sun.
and bright the breeze, and Piune
the throng
Met on the River-bank to play, when I
was young, when I was , young.
Such general joy could never fade; and
yet the chilling whisper came
One face had paled, one. form had
failed; had fled the bank, had
swum the stream.
Still revellers danced, and sang, and
trod the hither bank of Time's
deeD tide.
Still one by one they left and fared to
the far misty thither side.
And now the last hath slipt away you
drear Death-desert to explore.
And now one Pilgrim worn and lorn
still lingers on the lonely shore.
Perchance the law some diver hath:
Let be! let be! what canst thou
know?
myriad races came and went; this
Sphinx hath seen them come
and go.
Haply the Law that rules the world
allows to man the widest range;
And haply Fate's Theist-word, subject
to human chance and change.
This "I" may find a future Life, a
nobler copy of our own.
Where every riddle shall be ree'd.
where every knowledge shall be
known.
Where 'twill be man's to see the whole
of what on' Earth he sees In
part;
Where change shall ne'er surcharge
tne thought; nor hope defer'd
shall hurt the heart.
But! faded flow'er and fallen leaf no
more shall deck the narent tree:
And man once dropt by Tree of Life
what hope of other life has he?
The shatter'd bowl shall know repair;
tne riven lute snail sound once
more;
But who shall mend the clay of man.
the stolen breath to man restore?
The shlver'd clock again shall strike;
the broken reed shall pine asrain:
But we, we die, and Death is one, the
doom or Drutes, the doom of men.
'Be ye Good Boys, go seek for Heavn,
come pay the priest that holds
the key;"
So spake, and speaks, and aye shall
speaK tne last to enter Heaven,
he.' ,
Are these the words for men to hear?
yet such the Church's general
tongue.
The horseleech-cry so strong so high
her Heav enword Psalms and
Hymns among.
What? Faith a merit and a claim,
when with the brain 'tis born
and bred?
Go, fool, thy foolish way and dip in
holy water buried dead!
See not that something in Mankind
that rouses hate or scorn or
strife.
Better the worm of Izrail than Death
that walks In form of life.
Survey thy kind as One whose wants
in the great Human Whole unite;
The Homo rising high from earth to
seek the Hcav'ens of Life-In-Light.
And Hold Humanity one man, whose
universal agony
Still strains and strives to gain the
-goal, where agonies shall cease
to be.
Oklahoma Indiana to Get a Newspaper.
Muskogee, Okla dispatch.
An Indian newspaper is to be estab
lish here this month. Chiefs of the five
civilized tribes and other Influential
Indians are backing the movement.
The paper will be edited by Augustus W.
Ivey. of Stillwell, a Cherokee, and will
appear weekly. It will be known as
the "Degwanns Ahcheeta," which
means "Farm and Fireside." Every de
partment of the paper will be printed
in some Indian language. The Chero
kee, Creek, Choctaw, Semlrole and
Chickasaw tongues will be, represented.
That portion of the paper intended for
Cherokees will be printed in Cherokee
characters. The Cherokees ate said to
be the only Indian tribe whose lan
guage has been developed t a point
where its own characters car. be used.
The news of the other tribes will be
printed in their various languages, but
in the English alphabet.
Prohibition In I3na;ene.
Eugene Register.
John Bradley, arraigned before Judge
Bryson yesterday on a drunk and dis
orderly charge, was given a "floater"
with the alternative of going to Jail
If he hung around. He "floated." The
Judge has adopted a most effective pol
icy in regard to itinerant drenks. Tf
he jails the "jagged" they lie out the
term and when liberated usually pro
ceed to "tank" up again, and are thus
a perpetual annoyance and expense to
the city. It is the wisest course to pass
the bibulous ones along to the next
"neighbor." Chief Farrington sayr
that the current month baa been a
record-breaker in the number of drunk
and disorderly, cases thus far handled!