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rOBTLAXD.- WXDiT. DEC. M. .
1 THK JKCW WIUJA
Mr. tluap Clark cheerfully a
sumra the roponaiblilUea of Speak
ership of the Sixty-Second Congress, a
j-rvor and more la hdvimce of tu
probable election, and aa cheerfully
turns buck to the body of the Uue
the toornoui power, or wine of
them. ht Immediate prfJ)ri have
usurped.- Speaker Clara will not
appoint the committee. He would
nd would be the mere Instrument of
he House In carrying- out Its sovereign
UL The H.U!e Is the master. He
AS HO QUIT VUl IV W - - - -
... . . ... Ka M nllW
-r-.., .inr-ilnrlv like the linao
mcloved by Speaker Cannon to ex
plain and defend the much-reviled
-Cannontsm." No autocrat he; Ju
the poor weak voice f the great body
it the people expressed through tne
Republican majority In the Ifouse of
Repreevntatlvra. wherein, there were
certain necessary rule to enable that
body to d btifinres and a certain
necessary way of enforcing them. It
was the sworn duty of the Speaker to
hold the Constitution, oocy tne
is. and Drmt the majority to rule.
Lt was all: no more. Oh. yea.
noaki-r.elrct Clark bear hla ex-
I ted honors with dignity and hu
:y: and he. too. wants the ma-
Ity to rule, though he Is Just as
ue as bis Iron predecessor In dlf-
nlUtlng between the wnoie nnu
: the Iemocratlc majority tnereoi.
nrlniKlr srveaks of the House
in.. it. r.a,n committees and the
laocratlc caucus naming the cora-
-ees through the rules committee
I the wsy and means committee.
doesn't know which: he doesn t
tn want 1 for the House.
he Democratic majority, to take
thankless and difficult JoD on
hands. It will.
ere. then. Is the result of the
!ity war made on the autocratic
arbitrary organization of the
se of Representatives, such aa
effected by the speaaer ana ms
I riHal cabinet. We are to have a
l.ker who will be a mere presid-
10 fflcer. like the epeer 01 ui
' ; . k iinni of Commons, an d like
(President pro tempore' of our own
n..i ih Sneaker can hardly
tv. - mora nnnnartLoan flcurrhead. not
a mere parliamentary mouthpiece, for
the House must have rules and the
rule must be rigorously and Impar
tially enforced. The House will be
a do-nothing body without organiza
tion and experienced and powerful di
rection. Hpeaker Reed, as long ago
as ! found that the Democratic
minority was able to block all pro
cedure by the simple expedient of re
fusing to vote and he defeated such
tactic of plain and Intentional ob
struction by "cotintlng a quorum." to
the Immense Indignation of the oppo
sition. Tet no one will y that the
practice of the Speaker etas not Jus
rrfled. for It waa a parliamentary ne
cessity. No succeeding House,
whether Democratic or Republican,
has changed the rule: and no mem
ber Is now able to regard himself as
constructively ahewnt. while physi
rallr present. Then began the era
of Cxar-llke rule br the Speaker,
broken down finally by the, combina
tion of Democrats and Insurgents and
lw the verdict of the people.
Now what are we to have In place
of the House oligarchy dominated by
the Speaker? We will observe now
the reign of the House machine dom
inated by a committee selected by the
Democratic caucus. In other words,
there will be several bosaea. and not
cne boss. But there must and win be
a boss, or group of boe. The
House cannot get along without them
and will not trr.
' lOU.-VMOX CHA.l0.
L'fukllled labor has supplanted the
highly desirable agricultural elasseei
In the stream of Immigration that la
pouring Into this country from the
Old World, accorniug to me trpvri -i
the Congressional Immigration Com
mission. This change ha been ap
farerrt to all who have come In con
tact with the horde that In recent
jsars filled the steerage of the big
west-bound Atlantic liners, but the
figures presented by the Commission
ax even more lmpreeelve than a eas
al observation of the Illiterate mass
that saanna down the gangway at
Kills Island. They show that from
119 to 1S3 more than S per cent
of the total Immigration from Eu
rope originated In the Cnltrd King
dom. Ucnnany. Scandinavia. the
Netherlnnils. Belgium. r"rance and
Jiwltirrland. Irnm l'SJ doan to the
prrirnt time there has been a steady
Increase lit the proportion of Immi
grants ptn Austro-Hutigary. Italy
and Ruwla. and a corresponding de
crease In the proportion supplied by
the countries which gave the I'nlted
States its first European immigration.
The oMer Immigrants, who came
prior to 1SJI. were a much more. de
sirable c:ars than those now arriving.
uc to seea nomrs in toe n-
tKAtr miuih- turned to uricul-
im-ricam were shifting
-a . - 1nt in orort num.
1 s a, result of this movement
live and naturttn'-tj enurni hmo
country. h 1 ces asslml-
qulte rapidly and an excellent
I of cltiieus necame permanent
rnt. The class mac ioiiowm
has proved far less desirable,
has huddled Into the cities and
advantage 01 me superior uo-
Uttien of this country to earn
lit could and hasten back to the
vorld to spend It.
-rrtng to thi class, tne report
, ,'.mmWii asserts that "The
I emigration cU to rtr le5S
i xit than the old. nor inaa
one-third of all those over H years of
age being Illiterate uhen admitted.
Racially they are for the most part
unlike the British. German and other
peoples who came during the period
prior to liO and. generally speaking,
they are actuated In coming by differ
ent Ideals, for the old Immigration
tn h. mrt nf the country
while the new In a large measure i
cornea with the Intention or pronuna
In a pecuniary way by the superior
advantages of the New World and
then returning to the old country."
Of this new Immigration, the report
urt tht at least . 40 per cent re
turns to Europe an 10 per cent re- I
mains there. The immigration prob- I
lem Is one In which the Pacific Coast
will have a steadily increasing inter
est, for with the completion of the
Panama Canal the ports of this coast
will receive thousands of Immigrants,
most of whom can be used here to
better, advantage than In the con
gested centers of the East.
DIK1XT KUOtTIOX OF aENATOHH.
Senator Borah, a Republican, and
Senator Rayner. a Democrat, outnum
ber Senator Dillingham, a Republican,
as members of a sub-commit tee of the
Senate committee on Judiciary, and
hey will offer to the full committee
a recommendation for a constitutional
amendment for the direct election by
the people of aJL United States Sena
tors. It Is Interesting to recall that
Senator Borah was the popular choice
of his party, expressed through a
state convention, and got the unani
mous vote of the Republicans In the
Idaho Legislature. Senator Rayner
has Just been Indorsed by the Demo
cratic primary - of Maryland for re
election. Senator Dillingham doesn't
have to worry about re-election till
1915. and he stands pat. He always
has stood pat. He may In time find,
however, that his state doesn"t stand
pat. Other old-time Senators have
been rudely awakened rrom. tneir
peaceful slumbers In Washington to
find that the procession had moved
along.
Senator Borah wants no expedients
or makeshlftaor roundabout methods
In the direct' election of Senators.
Senator Rayner agrees. Senator Dil
lingham doesn't want anything but to
be let alone. -
Tet the Senate will be forced to act
favorably on the measure If It get
the chance. The Senate knows that
the people want, and long have
wanted, their Senators elected by di
rect vote. They want the real thing
In direct elections. Tho Senate Judi
ciary committee wouldo appear to be
up against It this time. It will take
adroit sidestepping or a fine assort
ment of grand and lofty parliamentary
tumbling, to avoid a vote on the' ques
tion at this session.
TAXE.. ,
There Is never money enough, either
for public or private expenses. Here
u-a hi Mn increase for 1910 in as
sessment of Portland property amount
ing to about i3o.uuu,vvv. me pro
ductive power of the taxpayer is en
larged proportionately and the reve
nue from taxes might thus be auto
matically increased proportionately.
The city and county government, the
School Board, the Port of Portland
and the entire governmental ma
chinery would benefit normally by the
added 130.000.000 on tho basis vt last
year's tax levy.
But the tax levy la never stationary.
An Ideal arrangement would be that
the tax levy should go down as the as
sessed valuations go up. But does it?
Hardly? The city must have more,
and the levy must go up one mill over
last year's: the Board of Education
will ask for at least one mill Increase;
the Port of Portland will move Its
levy up a notch, and the county will
do the same. What the state and the
other tax-making powers will do re
mains to be seen, but the net result In
Multnomah will be an increased levy
on the basis of Increased valuation.
There Is no check or balance or ef
fective limitation on our tax-making
machinery, as there Is no end to tax
eating and tax-spending. Everybody
levies taxes; everybody that can get
a public Job spends them. Is it a business-like
arrangement . that permits
half a doxen different bodies state,
county, city. Port of Portland, School
Board and the like to gather what
taxes they please without accountabil
ity to any central or reviewing au
thority? ,
THfteTT-FOOT CHAXVtU
With a view to the future, the Port
of Portland la already considering
plans for a big dredge for use In deep
ening the river to a thirty-foot stage.
The success thitt has attended the
work of the organization in the 'past
Is a guaranty thst the thirty-foot
channel i-lll be much easier to se
cure thai the twenty-two-foot chan
nel for which we labored so hard
a years ago. From back In the old
flays) when the sixteen-foot vessels al
ways grounded en- Pt. Helens bar.
Tost Office bar. Willow bar, or some
of the other numerous -high spots" In
the river. Portland has always risen
tu the occasion and provided a good
channel "aa the demands of commerce
required It. We are yet a trifle short
of the thirty-foot channel, but with a
record of more big flour and lumber
cargoes than have been cleared from
any other port on earth and with 10.-000-ton
ship coming and going with
out the slightest Selay. It Is quite ap
parent that wa, are keeping well up
with the requirements of the field for
which this city 1 the distributing
center.
The great work or deepening tne
channels by which ocean carriers en
ter and leave port Is being carried out
at all of the big ports of the United
States. Philadelphia, whU h Is situ
ated somewhat similar to Portlnnd. Is
endeavoring to Induce Congress to
provide a thlrty-flve-foot channel, and
New Orleans la preparing to handle
buMnesa through the new Southwest
Pass which will have a depth of
thirty-five feet replacing the present
thirty-toot stage In the South Pass.
Galveston. Penacola, Mobile, Balti
more and New York also are deepen
ing their highways to the ocean. In
ternal commerce has branched away
from the river banks along which It
concentrated in the early days of the
country. o that railroads have sup
planted the river In the carrying trade
above tidewater. This has had a
tendency to' enhance the importance
of keeping the outlet to the ocean in
the beet posslblo condition for hand
ling big ships. WKh the excellent
railroad facilities that are now center
ing at Portland the traffic of nearly
JiO.OOO square miles will be drawn to
tidewater at Portland on a down-hill
haul.
The matter . I getting thi traffic
THE SUNDAY OREGOMAX, POKTXAVD,' ' DECEMBER 18, 1910.
down to Portland no longer will cause
any- anxiety for the city, tne rail
roads prefer hauling it down.hill to
lifting it ovor the mountains, and
they will bring it to Portland if Port
land will provide the harbor and
channel facilities for sending It on to
the high seas. It la full time to begin
the preparations for the thirty-foot
channel In the river, and If the present
Jetty system docs not provide the nec
essary forty-foot channel on the bar
the dredge should be kept. at work un
til the sufficient depth Is obtained
there. The result already secured on
the bar and river show quite plainly
that the-matter of securing a thirty
foot channel In the river and a forty
foot channel on the bar Is no longer
a serious problem. We should, how
ever, abandon rainbow chasing and
center our efforts on the river. Im
provement that are most needed.
OCTDATED SCHOOL. METHODS. '
That" there are soma things per
taining to the management of our
public schools some details or feat'
ures of the system Itself that have
been outdated by events and that are
a clog upon our educational Interests
is no doubt true. To make assertion
to the contrary would be to declare
that our public school system and the
details of Its operation are perfect.
That some of our school buildings
have cost more In construction than
the typo of buildings that have been
furnished warrants Is also probable.
Everyone who has tried to work out
preconceived Ideas on the building of
a dwelling-house for himself knows
how hard It Is to get Just what Is
wanted at a price that he is able or
willing to pay or. for that matter, at
any price. This la not to say that all
architect and builders are dishonest.
It 1 merely to say that different peo
ple have different ldeaa In matters
pertaining to building and Its reason
able cost. and. Indeed, that Individual
ideals and Ideas change even wnue
construction is In progress.
We recall In this connection that
when the D. P. Thompson school
building was completed some ten
years or more ago it was considered
perfect In plan and construction. Even
so sagacious a business man and one
so observant of details aa was the late
D. P. Thompson, and for many years
then a member of the School Board,
expressed himself as perfectly satis
fled with the building, and hailed
It os a model for the purpose for
which It was built and has since been
used. Tet who la there today that
regards this building aa a model, and
tht would be satisfied with a high
school building worked out according
to the same general plans?
Times change and people change
In Justice to the Board of Education
of this district It must be said' that
Its members, severally and collective
ly, have done all In their power to
meet, upon the tax levy allowed, the
heavy demands that growth has
made upon the achaol accommodations
nnd management of the district. Their
work is open to criticism, but not.
we believe, from tho standpoint of
neglect of duties or collusion with
dishonest contractors. They are
working In a prosperous, growing city
under an antiquated school regime
a system which befitted the village
ra In which Portland so long re
mained, but which does not meet the
requirements of a progressive age In
an opulent place like the Portland
of today.
HIUJAM JAMES.
Very likely the philosopher William
James came as near to what we may
call National popularity aa any man
we have ever had whose career did
not follow practical" lines. The cltl
xena of this country" whom everybody
knows or has known Intimately have
been aoldlers and politicians, with now
and then an inventor like Edison. Our
men of science have remained strang
ers to their countrymen for the most
part.. Even Simon Newcomb, with all
his democracy and his numerous ele
mentary books, was not a very famil
iar figure, while such men aa Henry
and Rowland might as well have been
Russians for anything the average
American know or cared about them.
Fame has treated our literary men
a little better, but not much. Long
fellow enjoyed a certain genuine pop
ularity for a few years, but people
are now forgetting him aa they have
forgotten Whlttler and Lowell.' The
effort which the public schools once
made to Insure permanent popular
renown to these apoets did not amount
to much. They are on the way to
that oblivion which lurks on the schol
ars' shelves.
There la a dispute as 'to whether
Emerson's fame Is growing or waning.
Abroad he shares w ith Poe and Mark
Twain a repute which few of our
other writers have gained, but at home
there are many -who decry his emi
nence. It la pretty certain that Walt
Whitman Is more read and talked
about now than he was ten years ago.
and the signs seem to foretell a rising
Instead of a declining rank for him as
the years pas. His may be one of
"the few, the immortal names that are
not born to die." and naturally the
same may be said of Nathaniel Haw
thorne. But Whitman and Mark
Twain stand on an entirely different
footing from any of the rest of our
literary men. Their writings have a
flavor which seema to be of the es
sence of democracy. At least foreign
critics seem to think so and they are
read more and more as democracy be
comes predominant In European
thought, Tho same peculiarity exists
In William James' philosophy. It Is
democratic through and through. The
article by James Jackson Putnam In
the January Atlantic, which gives
manv entertaining personal memories
of the Harvard philosopher, does not
hit upon this radically Important
fat-t. but others have.
in his later years William James
settled down more and more content
edlv with the pragmatic view of life
and truth. This may bo expressed In
the phrase that whatever works well
In practice Is true in Theory, at least
over the ground which the practice
covers. It corresponds In speculation
with what Is called "opportunism" in
politics. The opportunist directs his
conduct not at all by a set of abstract
propositions whose truth he has dem
onstrated In his study, but by the
needs of the moment. He Is guided
by the necessity of the case, and not
by the necessity of logic. In the same
way the pragmatic philosopher takes
everything for true which mollifies
and "sweetens life. That Is, It Is true
In so far as It does this, but no far
ther; and the same thing which Is
true for one person may be false for
another. Of course, the reader per
ceives Instantly how strongly this doc
trlna tends toward Individualism.
TVtioYi" avo accent it we are emancipated
from formula and precedent and at
liberty to choose from all the realms
of offered beliefs those which best suit
our circumstances. The criterion on
which our choice depends is not so
much the possibility of demonstrating
truth by logic as by proving that it
suits our particular needs. What,
meets the requirements of an Individ
ual's life is true for that Individual.
, William James showed his love of
Individualism as much In other direc
tions as In his philanthropy. He was
as far as possible from being a "pro
hibhionist" of any variety. Hla maxifa
waa not to forbid the wrong, but to
teach the right. When tho contro
versy arose In Massachusetts over the
Christian Scientists and there was talk
of making it illegal to consult their
healers. Professor James came out
boldly In favor of liberty. Although
he did not believe in the new doctrine,
he held that any person who desired
to treat his diseases by Mrs. Eddy's
precepts had 'the right to do so and
the law should not Interfere with him.
Mr. Putnam rightly reminds us that it
took some courage to do this when the
controversy was at Its liveliest. James
proved hla courage in many other
ways. One of the most interesting
waa hla bold resolve to investigate
"occult" phenomena at a time when it
was aa much as a man's scientific
reputation was worth to be caught in
communication with a medium. Since
he set the example, : other men of
learning have Imitated him and truth
has gained by it.
James also had the habit of encour
aging men who had Ideas in their
heads but no way of bringing them
before the public. He obtained a Hear
ing for many of these humble think
ers. Including some very odd ' ones.
But In his estimation an idea was prer
clous, no matter where It came from,
and ho never left off the hnhit of seek
ing out obscure philosophers. Natur
ally he was ridiculed for this as well
as for his Intimacy with dubious spir
itualists, but he was not disturbed.
These traits of his, as well as the pow
erful thought and incomparable style,
of his books, made him a popular tig-,
lire In the large sense of the phrase.
He Is better known throughout the
country than any other philosopher
or man of science we have ever ha",
and there are numerous indications
that his fame will increase with time
rather than diminish.
PROMISE AND rOI-ITICAl. PROMISES.
The good old Democratic practice
has been to look upon a promise to
the people as an excellent Instrumen
tality for getting into office and a
more excellent thing to forget as soon
as one was safely Installed. The an
cient wheelhorses must therefore sec
something almost portentous in Gov
ernor Woodrow Wilson's opinion that a
promise Is a promise even if it is mado
to the public. To be sure the prom
ise of the politicians tofablde by the
results of the direct primary on the
Senatorial candidacy was only Implied.
Nobody said outright that he would
not run for Senator before the Leg
islature If the people rejected him, but
that was the understanding. It was
upon that implication that the people
of New Jersey took tho trouble to cast
their votes. If they had believed that
the votes meant nothing and that tho
election returns would not bind tho
consciences of the politicians they
would have paid no attentioa to it.
There would have been no expression
of the public preference for United
States Senator. But the people ac
cepted the primary law of New Jer
sey in good faith. They knew it had
no legal obligation but, to their un
derstanding, its moral obligation was
infinite. '
But Senator Smith did not think so.
The good man, who belongs to the
old. expiring type of politicians,
laughs at promises which are not se
cured by bond and seal. In defiance
of the people's wish he announced
that he would run for Senator again
by tho dear old methods of wire pull
ing and intrigue in the Legislature.
New Jersey therefore began to look
forward to the customary saturnalia
of Iniquity this Winter at the state
capital. '
It how appears, however, that there
will be no saturnalia. New Jersey is
enjoying the novel and refreshing ex
perience of having a Governor, or a
prospective Governor, who doea. not
approve of saturnalia and has the will
to stand up against them. Woodrow
Wilson declares that the expressed
will of the voters must be obeyed and
It seems that the politicians deem It
advisable to heed him. This shows
what one able and determined man
can do when ho puts himself on the
side of decency and right.
PITCIM'8 NEW OrERA.
Giacomo Puccini's now American
opera which seems from the newspa
per accounts to have set musical New
York Into a mild frenzy, emerges
through an Interesting series of trans
formations. Tho basis of It Is Belas
co s "Girl of the Golden West. For
operatic purposes the plot or this wild
plav was worked over a little and the
keen. Incisive phrases of the d'a10"
were elaborated into a smooth libretto
by an Italian craftsmaa. From tho
beautiful Tuscan tongue It was trans
lated back into English by an English
man. How much of the real West Is
left In the libretto after these adven
ture the reader can Imagine. No
t..inAn.M llnirer. but the
Clou ui 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 in. "
spirit must have evaporated rretty
thoroughly.
. Of course, all that is known about
Puccini's music for this strange pro
duction comes at second hand as far
as Portlanders are concerned. The
critics say that he has followed the
Wagnerian system of attaching a leit
motif to each of the principal charac
ters which, reappears as often as they
come on the stage. Thus tho villa
who Is also the hero, wafts with him
a "salvation melody." or 'redemption
theme, which- predicts his ultimate
rescue from his wicked ways by the
heroine. This theme is heard at the
beginning of the opera as well as at
critical momenta while the action pro
ceeds, naturally not bein omitted
when the "Girl of the Golden vest
stands off the boys who are on the
point. of lynching her shady lover
It was not to be expecteu that
Puccini, who Is an Italian of the
Italians and steeped In the traditions
of European art. could understand
or faithfullv Interpret the American
Wet- With all. his fondness for in
novation in music he is still civilized
through and through, while the men
and women whom he has ventured to
bring into his opera are primitive, ir
not savage they are far from being
civilized, in the Italian and artistic
sense. Between their ways of looking
at the worldjand the concepts of ucu
i:
a man as Puccini there is an impass
able gulf. According to the reports
he has produced an opera which con
tains a great deal of beautiful music
but which presents a Wild West with
out' a shadow of reality.
Charles Lamb said that the world
of opera was always unreal. It must
be so, he argued, or we never could
tolerate its morals and improbabilities
of conduct. But the world of the
mines and mountains which Puccini
has Imagined must be singularly un
like tho one that lived and acted. It
is doubtful indeed whether , truly
primitive life ever gets Into art or
literature. While it exists it is too un
conscious to "try -to depict Itself and
when It has become sophisticated it
never can remember what It was in
the vanished time. Careless persons
speak of the Iliad as If it wer5 primitive-literature,
but scholars know that
It dates from an old 'and probably de
cadent civilization. It marks the end,
not the beginning, of an age. The
same Is true of the books included in
the Bible. They are the ripe products
of a culture running back through
numberless generations. Here and
there they contain explicit references
to older books which were again no
donbt the latest expressions of races
with a long history behind them.
To Europe the oddities of the West
are its realities. To Americans they
are amusing but trivial. The realities
pertain to empire building, new exper
iments In democracy, titantic strug
gles - with nature. The revolvers,
poker chips and oaths which were to
Puccini the most notable things in the
life he sought to depict with music
are no more than variegations upon
the surface of a profound' economic
warfare. Owen Wlster was not too
blind to see something of this. His
"Virginian" was, odd enough to suit
the most exacting European demands
but he was also shrewd enough to get
a wide area of irrigated land into his
possession before it was too late.
Mines, water powers, timber, and the
battle for their possession are the vital
realities of the West and no art deal
ing with it will ever be true and great
which does not take account of the
episodes and' results of this , mighty
contest. Very likely it is idle to look
for anything of the kind from Euro
peans. They can no more understand"
us than we can share in their inheri
tance of a storied past and a tlpeart.
Some Americans think they can by
dint of great effort share In this in
heritance but the pitiful figure they
cut in the eyes of cynical observers
makes their error sufficiently clear.
For us the spiritual treasures of the
Old World will always remain ex
ternal. The soul of America must
bfalld Its own palaces or else continue
to dwell out of doors and It must
adorn its own inner chambers before
it can ever feel at home In them.
The genuine life of this country will
not get Into "art until some American
puts it there. If nobody Is born who
can do the. trick, then it will remain
undone. No doubt we must wait for
the consummation until our first rate
intelllgencies have grown tired of
making money and look for some
other employment. Perhaps wc must
wait longer. It may- bo that the soil
and climate of the United States are
inimical to the nohlo arts. But there
Is encouragement In the thought that
we are not so dependent intellectually
and socially upon Europe as wo were
once. Some of our childish ways we
have outgrown. Americans no longer
copy English books with complete
servility, nor do we reverence the mere
name of a lord as formerly. We still
think our own language unfit for the
lyric stage. A real artist must sing
In German or Italian and no Ameri
can composer appears quite so desir
able as a Pole' or Bohemian, but these
Imbecilities will pass away. Critics
who are capable of judging aver that
"My Old Kentucky Home" Is a better
piece of music with more, true Amer
icanism In It than any European com
poser has ever written on a trans
Atlantic theme. It Is not a negro
melody either, as some people idly
suppose. It comes from "white folks."
The only barbaric trait about it is the
dialect.
PRX'DENCB IN SCHOOL. ATHLETICS.
Student body activities, so-called
and the expenses Incident thereto are
becoming burdensome both to teach
ers and patrons of the public schools
of Portland. Tho football teams, first
and last are a vexation and an ex
pense that the results of the game in
nowise Justify.! More than this there
is a menace to the morals of boys of
the high-school age In the junketings
about the country that match games
between teams of widely remote
schools include.
Take for example the strenuous
effort that is being made to get a
Chicago High School team to-come
to Portland and play a team from
one of our High Schools. A guaran
tee of several hundred dollars in gate
money Is contingent upon securing
this attraction and pupils are called
upon to pledge this sum or be con
sidered disloyal to their school or
without proper .confidence In the
prowess of their team. This means,
of course, that parents must put up
the money, since relatively very few
high school pupils have developed an
earning capacity. In the meantime
the course of study drags or pupils
are pushed and pulled over it while
their minda are on the coming
"game." -
And what of the boys who, under
guarantee of all expenses paid, come
all the way from Chicago to Portland
to play a game of football? Are they
of an- age that justifies the under
taking with the hilarity, loss of sleep
and recklessness that attend such a
Jmiket? And in -the very nature of
things are not their studies neglect
ed, their teachers harried and their
parents worried by this proceeding?
Briefly is not Chicago the best place
for schoolboys whose homes and par
ents are in Chicago? What does Mrs.
Ella Flagg, Young, City Superinten
dent of Chicago schools think about it,
we wonder? And really, what do the
school authorities of Portland think
about It? No need to- inquire what
the patrons of our public schools
thin, since expressions of disapprov
al of this midyear Interruption of the
course of study and of the excitement
and expense attendant upon the "big
game" that Is scheduled are heard on
every hand. Prudence and economy
should rule In this matter and in this
ruling the true interests of education
will be served.
With the courage that has been a
leading factor In the management of
that institution. Pacific University is
preparing to enter upon a vigorous
campaign- for funds wherewith - to
erect a library building on the cam
jua. The experience of the past two
or three years has determined the
trustees of the university to build no
more wooden buildings. The Car
negie funa of J20.000 for a library
building is contingent upon a. similar
sum to. be raised by the university.
Mr. Carnegie's pledge was given five
years ago, but because 6f the heavy
expense incurred by replacing the
girls' dormitory that was burned in
the interim, and the building of a
gymnasium at a cost of 125,000, the
library fund has lagged. It is hoped
that a vigorous canvass In this Inter
est will result In securing the required
amount, one-half of which has al
ready been subscribed during the
Winter. '
Figuring prominently in the De
cember exports from the United
States Is a record-breaking volume of
money orders. The reports of the
first half of the month of December
for New York City alone indicate
that the month's business will reach
a total of about $12,000,000. As the
practice of sending back a cash re
membrance for Christmas is universal
among foreigners scattered through
out the country, the grand total that
will be shipped out this month will
undoubtedly- be many times as large
as the sum reported from New York.
This exportation of so many millions
Is quite a drain on the country even
though at a season when we are also
shipping out large quantities of prod
ucts for which gold will be sent back.
The one redeeming feature of the per
formance is that the arrival of so
much money In Europe will act as an
advertisement among intending im
migrants, many of whom will use the
money in purchasing tickets to this
country.
A million Chinese are threatened
with famine in the northern part of
the province of Anhul. Destructive
floods and the inability to reach the
flood sufferers with supplies are the
reasons given for the unfortunate sit
uation. While the purchasing power
of many millions of the Chinese is
wretchedly small, and as In some parts
of the great country starvation is al
ways in evidence, it Is the lack of
transportation that is the greatest
drawback to their alleviation. Perhaps
If-(he Chinese use that 125,000,000
Joan which they have recently nego
tiated for the purpose oi Dunaing
railroads, they may be able in future
to take care of the sufferers whom
floods deprive of means of living.
It has been mose than half a cen
tury since Longfellow In his "Build
ing of the Ship" wrote of "the deer
haunted forests of Maine," but the
phrase still remains appropriate. Dur-.
ing the hunting season which closed
Thursday there were shipped through
Bangor out of the Maine woods 3391
deer, 100 moose and 22 bear, an in
crease of more than 300 in the num
ber of deer sent out In previous sea
son. It is gratifying to note that while
there was an increase in the amount
of game killed the death roll among
tho hunters was materially reduced.
But eighteen hunters were killed this
year - compared - with thirty-one last
year and twenty-eight in 1908.
An experiment in one of the refin
ing arts- will bes undertaken today,
when the best musicians of Portland
will give a concert made up of the
best music that Portland is capable
of producing with Instrument and
voice. This is not a money-making
scheme. The purpose of the men and
women who have gone into it is to
create a love and satisfy the longing
for "harmony of sweet sounds." Re
ceipts from admission go to pay expenses.-
If enough interest is shown,
similar concerts will be given every
two weeks during the Winter. THe in
trinsic merit of this undertaking com
mends it. It ought to meet with am
ple response. '
The endowment of a chair in the
School of Forestry at Yale by Mrs.
E. H. Harriman as a memorial to her
husband is commendable, not only as
accomplishing the purpose of a mem
orial, but as doing this through a liv
ing channel of usefulness. The ques
tion: '
Can honor- voice provoke the silent dust
Or flattery soothe the dull, cold ear ot
death? . -
must always be sadly answered In
the negative. Yet honor, that is 'not
flattery is bestowed in this endowment
In the name of a man whose large ac
cumulative powers led to great wealth.
Who shall say after this that the
modern cooking school is not a pub
lic benefactor? There is an institution
of this kind in Minneapolis that has
discovered that the carrot is an excel
lent substitute for eggs! This an
nouncement just at this season, says
the Baltimore News, falls as gratefully
upon the housew ife's -ear as if she had
been told that soap wrappers had
been made a legal tender.
It will set a dangerous precedent
if the Board of Education remits the
fine imposed on five public school
principals who neglected to call fire
drills. Failure to perform this im
portant duty is unforglveable. There
can be no valid excuse. The fire
drill Is the last' thing in school disci
pline that should be overlooked.
Merely for preliminary exercise.
Champ Clark's outlining a platform
on the tariff question Is not open to
objection, but it Is a good guess that
he will not be in the Speakers chair
one month until he has hold , of the
hot end of a poker.
As the red-blooded college boys
themselves are patching up the row
that occurred at Corvallis the matter
need not be referred to Carnegie's
new peace commission. Let the 10,
000.000 be spent where it is worse
needed.
No doubt the Jackson Club of Port
land will celebrate the next anniver
sary of Jackson day with greater
eclat than at any time since 1892. In
this case, hope, though deferred
eighteen years, maketh the heart glad.
Sixteen feet of snow in the. moun
tains back of Baker is reported. Thus
early in the season there Is offered
a text for the I-told-you-so's to pre
dict a big flood "ext June-
Some enterprising dealer advertises
butter fit for the President's table.
What we need is butter fit to be
spread on bread baked in Portland
for the multitude.
When the Portland Y. M. C. A. ar
ranged for a lecture on "First Aid to
the Injured."- why didn't Secretary
Stone think to send an advance copy
to the Colonel? ,
POLITICAL GOSSIP
What Bad Gets.
A fan for sister Mary.
A sleigh for' brother Fred,
An opal ring for Jennie,
. A diamond pin for Ned.
For mother, yes, God bless her,
The best that can be had,
A train of cars for Willie,
A two-bit pipe for dad.
Cut glass for good Aunt Susan,
A music roll for Elo;
A flaming vest of scarlet
For Jolly Uncle Joe.
Fine things for everybody.
And isn't it too bad,
Nobody will go stronger than
A two-bit pije for dad?
- Detroit Free Press.
Tho Population.
We sure are soma big!
In spite of the roasting
Our critics hand out.
No wonder we're boasting.
We've counted ourselves.
And though not in the billions,
We'ae cutting some shine.
With ninety odd millions.
Advantages, too.
Fit themes for orations,
We surely can hold
Above other nations:
For we're growing still.
And for places to stow In,
We've !got half the land
To give room to grow in.
Tha quantity's great.
But there we're not stopping,
Though records that way
' From others we're lopping.
As matter of fact -
Past all reason of polity.
With quantity; too.
We may say we have quality.
Philadelphia Inquirer.
The American Hen.
(The eggs laid yearly in the United
States exceed In value the production of
all our silver mines. Press Item.)
The humble hen commands our love.
She brightly shines;
Her eggs surpass the value of
Our silver mines. ,
Her output, if placed end to end.
The scholars say,
Would belt the globe and then extend
A lengthy way.
Or. if we placed them In a pile.
With such a mass
No pyramid along the Nile
Could ever class.
The output of the hen, I vow.
Should be our boast.
Td like to have a couple now
On buttered toast.
Washington, D. C Herald,
. Kasy.
The poet has an easy Job;
He never has to think;
He only needs a fountain pen,
Some paper and some ink.
Leavenworth Post.
The hod carrier has such a cinch '
He never cares to shirk;
lie totes the brick up seven flights,
A man there does the work.
Houston Post,
The knocker has it pretty soft.
For almost any slammer
Can land his blows both hard and oft.
And never use the hammer.
Exchange.
OP Man Sandy Claus.
Ol' Man Sandy Claus a-comin'
Chillun, head 'ira off! -Hear
dem wagon-wheels a-hummin ?
. Chillun, head 'im .off !
. His face is black
Ez de chimney-back.
An' ho comes wid de drum an oe
jumpin-jack:
An' de mostest things in his Christmas
, sack-
Chillun, head 'ira off!
Nail yo' number on de do'
Chillun. head 'im off!
Fr'en' ter de young, an" de ol' an' po -Chillun,
head 'im off!
He stayed away '
Fer de longest day,
Twel de chilluns 'lowed dat he los" his
way, , . .
But he comin 'now, wid de hip hoo
ray! Chillun, head 'im off!
Atlanta Constitution.
Without Redress.
The lass who minds the telephone
Is busy as can be; :
She has a most convincing tone.
And, though you cannot see
Her face, you fancy there's a frown
Upon her classic brow
When she remarks and turns you down,
"The line is busy now."
Although' the rich and wise and great .
In power may be sure.
She is the one who holds your fate .
Within a grasp secure.
In silence you are left alone, ,
You wonder why and how.
When she exclaims in placid tone,
"The line is busy now!"
Washington, D. C, Star.
Does This Mean Yon?. -'
'
See the children of the poor. '
Look with longing, hopeless eyes
At the windows gay with toys, ,
Poor tots, barred from Paradise i
Eager they, for childhood's bliss.
Yet by poverty denied
All that Christmas means to them, .
All its pleasures and Its pride.
Little prisoners are they.
Shut behind cruel Iron bars -From
the luxury of life,
Knowing but Its jolts and jars:
Taken from the childhood's rights.
Forced to labor premature.
At a time when they need love.
Taught hard privation to endure.
Listen to their muffled sob.
Hushed to silence by the roar
Of the busy world about,
Pitiful, all the more.
Let no) empty stockings plead
All in vain, for loving heed:
Gives the children of the poor
In this Christmas time, full meed!
Josh WinkV
Do It Early. .
Do your Christmas shopping early, do
it early, mother dear.
For you know you were exhausted wltb
tho flurry yesteryear.
Please go out and get the trinkets fol
the prattling little ones
Get the engines and the candy and th
pistols and the guns;
Better start right out tomorrow wltb
your money and your list
But at ten o'clock on Christmas ev
you'll think of one you've missed
Do your Christmas shopping early, ere
the drifting snows are here.
For the day before is madder than all
. others of the year
At no odds how soon you do it, when
the final days have come
You will he right in the struggle show-
ing how to make things hum,
And on Christmas eve, dear sisters, all
. of you, including ma.
Will exclaim-: "Well, goodness gracl.
ous. Wc had quite forgotten pa!
Chicago Fust