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1913.
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PORTLAND, SUNDAY, FEB. .
A GREEK TE.HPLE TOB. LINCOLN.
The debate in Congress upon the
Lincoln Memorial bill gave many
members an opportunity to deliver
eloquent speeches. Mr. Humphreys, of
Mississippi, and Mr. McCalL of Massa
chusetts, carried off the laurels, ac
cording to the report, but others
scarcely fell below them in the pro
fusion and beauty of their oratory.
The bill carries an appropriation of
12,000,000. The better opinion seems
to be that the money should be spent
upon a Greek Temple near the Po
tomac, but there is opposition. One
faction favors an automobile road to
Gettysburg. Another wants a temple,
but not a Greek one.
Mr. Humphreys prefers the classic
memorial. To quote his burning words,
he "would not stain the even virtue of
our enterprise by exchanging the in
spiration of the artist for the sordid
commercialism of the road builder.
No doubt he is right, bat a pensive
philosopher might reflect that we have
not seen very much of the road build
er's commercialism in this country.
On more intimate acquaintance with it
we might perhaps discern that it was
not irredeemably sordid. Roads are as
fall of inspiration as temples. The
Greeks did not build many because
they traveled by sea, but the Romans
did and, from one point of view, the
Appian Way is as worthy a monument
as the Erechtheum.
Still a temple is no doubt more ap
propriate than a road for a Lincoln
memorial, though one cannot help a
longing glance toward a great highway
from ocean to ocean and wondering
which of the two Lincoln himself
would have chosen. And since we
must have a temple and there is no
American architecture the next best
thing is to fix upon Greek models and
Imitate them as well as we can. Con
gressman McCall believes that we shall
thus "cultivate and satisfy our sense of
beauty."
One may agree with him that build
ing Greek temples will cultivate our
sense of beauty, but let us hope that
no such Imitative process will satisfy
it. The democracy of Athens produced
works of eternal beauty which ex
pressed their spirit and genius. Some
time American democracy may achieve
a similar triumph. While we are wait
. . i, ; .n iTtMi.n m7A can do
nothing so excellent as to imitate the
Greeks. The only architecture that
can rival theirs for an instant is the
Gothic, but this speaks too much of
gloomy fanaticism to suit the calm and
gracious memory of Lincoln. Some
Congressmen might like to build the
monument after the model of the
churches in their native hamlets, but
aurely the country will be preserved
from a calamity of that sort.
A NEW SECTIONAL DIVISION.
The fight between conservation and
reservation has divided the country on
new sectional lines. Party is forgotten
by Western conservationists in their
determination to have our natural re
sources used and developed. Party Is
equally forgotten by Eastern reserva
tionisU in their determination to
treat as thieves Western men who seek
to use the public domain, to allow no
man to acquire publio land by patent
or lease unless he pays fat toll to
Uncle Sam, the landlord, to. play the
miser with our latent -wealth, to bury
our one talent of silver deep in the
earth where it will show no increase.
Secretary Fisher. Republican, and As
sistant Secretary Adams, Democrat,
forget their party differences in their
common zeal to compel the West to
pay tribute to the East.
The laws under which the public
land has been to a large extent alien
ated In huge subsidies and by fraud
were made by the East, not by the
West. Western Senators and Repre
sentatives were numerically too few
to inject any element of prudence and
common sense into the legislation by
which tracts as large as empires were
donated to railroad companies. The
West is not responsible for the timber
land law which, intended to provide a
wood lot in the hills for farmers on
the treeless valleys, ignored the fact
that the whole stretch of country west
of the Cascades was heavily timbered
and that similar conditions existed
hi T?nrirv and Blue Mountains.
The West, therefore, is. not responsible
Tor the vast holdings of timber by syn
dicates, hlch simply seized the oppor
tunity created by the law as the East
made It. The East, not the West, left
the range open to be destroyed by im
provident grazing.
It is high time that the East ac
cepted the guidance of those who, by
Intimate knowledge of the West,
where Is practically all that remains of
the public domain, are best qualified to
legislate for and administer our
natural resources. It is time that this
work was placed in the hands of men
who do not regard a desire to acquire
public land as presumptive evidence
,. a man is n. thief and a perjurer.
The section of the country which has
bred trusts, stock gambling, etoc
watering, custom-house frauds, and
which submitted supinely to the
grafting which has been exposed in
New York. Philadelphia, Pittsburg,
rhii-am Cincinnati and other cities, is
no fit censor of Western morals. The
West knows its own problems ana
t-. y,mv tn snlve them better than
the Eastern men who in 1S96 rode
through the Wesron Pullman cars to
create forest reserves where nothing
for forty or fifty
miles and who in later years- have
committed blunders of equal enormit
through a combination of Ignorance
and indolence.
The tim has crone by when the
West will allow the East to make
laws for the West, as the Czar and his
ministers rule Siberia. Though still in
the minority. Western members of
Congress are strong enough in num
bers, ability and Influence to compel
attention. As Fisher and Adams have
forgotten party in their zeal for reser
vation, the West can forget party in its
united fight for its own right to de
velop under a rational system of con
servation. PTT ON AN EMERGENCY CLAUSE.
Th Oree-ontan is fair to the pro
gressives and Just to Itself and the
public when it approves the plan to
amend the election laws so that we
may have our own primary, writes a
gratified Progressive; and there is
m of the same. The Oregonian
will go somewhat farther in its com
mendation of the proposed legislation,
at the risk of offending the self
called iruardlans of the Oregon sys
tem. It thinks an emergency clause
ought to be added to the bill, ana mat
it ought to pass the Legislature by
(inanimmis vntA. And be sisned by the
Governor without hesitation or ques
tion as to whether it Is for tne "puduc
health, peace or safety." Yet we are
It la for the eeneral political
health and for thepeace.of all con
cerned. And what could be safer man
an act of unquestioned propriety and
common fairness?
The Progressives of Fortiana aesire
to participate In the Portland primary
which occurs May 8. If the proposed
measure shall pass, but shall not be
effective till ninety days after the ses
sion adjourns, there can be no progres
sive primary, but the memDers oi tnai
nnlrlnr nartv must resort to the ob
noxious convention system. If they
shall be permitted to register ana to
hold a primary, the issue with other
parties will 'be clearly drawn, and
there will be no occasion to complain
that any Progressive interfered- in
some other party's concerns.
The Progressives now have a party
and they wish to get it a-going. No
one should put any obstacle in meir
path.
THEIR BROKEN IDOI.
The New York Globe, a long-range
.An.B.i.Btinnlet nf -Via Advanced tv IjP.
is unable to discover anything in the
recent mavis exposure to juauu
doubt as to the integrity of Glavis'
actions in the Ballinger ' episode.
Sharply rebuking the New York Trib
une for raising the inquiry as to
whether Glavis may not have wronged
Secretary Ballinger, the Globe says:
Glavis charged Secretary Ballinger with
trvlng to get the Cunningham claims pat
ented. He also charged that these claims
were presumptively fraudulent. After Bal
linger got out and Walter Fisher became
Secretary the Interior Department did de
clare these claims fraudulent. This official
declaration upheld one of Glavis" main con-
.. . i i 1 V. . him
tentions. tne contention winii ui.".
Into conflict with Ballinger. Between the
beginning oi tne conirumiajr nn .....
of it an inquiry took place before a com
mittee of Congress. In the course of this
Inquiry Secretary Ballinger, under cross
examination by r,ouls D. Brandels, gave one
of the most pitiful exhibitions of shiftiness
that any Cabinet officer has given for years
and years and years.
As an illustration of persisting in
standing by one's preconceived
prejudices, the Globe does very well.
The whole case against Cunningham
was built up by Glavis. All the con
temptible effort to entrap Cunning
ham, from the dubious capture of his
personal note-book to the sneaking
alliance with Cunningham's enemies,
was traceable to Glavis. The explicit
Issue was Glavis vs. Cunningham; the
broad issue Pinchot vs. Ballinger.
Glavis and Pinchot won; but that is
far from saying they should have won.
t, ia YiDt,,rai fnr thfi honest but
wholly mistaken Journals that former
ly regaraea tjiavis a . ucm, o
cambvoU eaiii Via wnfi to have a aualm
or two now and then when they know
the truth about mat pronen iaou
CREATING A ' DENTAL OLIGARCHY.
When the State Senate passed the
extraordinary measure for the crea
tion and perpetuation of a dental trust
in Oregon (officially described as
Amended Senate Bill 11) it is to be
supposed that it either ignored -wholly
the provisions of the bill or was un
informed as to their nature. The Sen
ate is fortunate in having among its
embers one or more practicing
dentists; and no other Senator would
presume to raise a question about any
measure favored by Senators who have
expert knowledge of their subject.
Naturally not; but we are restrained
by no such laudable and delicate feel
ings of formal courtesy and we shall
venture to point out the design and
probable results of the bill, in some
of its Important aspects.
The bill is "to regulate the use of
diplomas and certificates of dentists,
and to provide punishment for tne
violation thereof, and to provide for
revocation and suspension of licenses
for the misconduct of the holders
thereof." All these powers are lodged
with the State Board of Dental Ex
aminers. Now let us see who shall be
affected by the act. Section 3 has this
significant clause, re-adopted from
the original dental act passed aDout
1905:
Bat nothing In this act shall apply . .
to those who have been engaged In the
actual practice of dentistry In the State of
Oregon for rive years immeaiateiy precuu
Inw Jnnuarv 1. 1903. and upon proper proof
by affldavlta and other evidence being fur
nished that the applicant has been engaged
in the actual practice of dentistry during all
the term ox five years immeaiateiy precea-
lng January 1, 1806. It shall be tne duty oi
the 8tate Board of Dental Examiners to
issue a Ucense to the applicant upon payment
ot the regular examination fee.
In this neat way it is arranged that
the newcomers alone shall come with
in the purview of the board, and the
others the established- practitioners
who are pioneers through the fact of
their residence and professional work
in Oregon for a brief period of years
shall have a license for the asking,
whether they are competent or not.
But the mantle of security, for the
dentists now on the ground is even
broader. If "nothing in this act shall
apply" to the established dentists be
yond a direction to give them licenses
without examination and without any
condition beyond the fee, it is clear
that "nothing In this act" authorizes
the board to forfeit or cancel any
such license for any reason whatever.
The list of offenses which other den
tists may commit is enumerated at
length, and the board is given auto
cratic authority to suspend or revoke
the license of any dentist outside the
favored group.
The proceedings under this sec
tion" (relating to revoking licenses)
declares the bill, "may te taken by
the board from matters within its
knowledge, or may be upon the in-
formation of another." In other
words the board may do Just what it
pleases with any offending dentist,
with or without taking evidence, and
upon its own Initiative; and that evi
dently is final. For nowhere,, from
beginning to end. does me bin pro-
vide Ihe right of appeal to any court
or any other reviewing authority.
What a remarkable grant of unlimited
Dower over the dentists!
There are other provisions of the
bill which are highly interesting, and
are aismlficant of its eenerai design.
such as the requirement that a dentist's
diploma must be from & aentai col
lege which is a member of the Na
tional Association of Dental Faculties
or from a college whose "requirements
for graduation are equal to tne nrsi
association- But it is further
arranged, in most handsome and dis
criminating fashion, that a resident
of Oregon who shall have been "en
gaged in pupilage" or the practice of
dpntistrv "rjrior to the passage of this
original act" need ot be a college
graduate. Evidently all others must be.
This dental measure throughout is
hlchlv Antertainine- as reading and as
disclosing how far some dentists will
go to arrange hard sledding lor
other dentists; . but as legislation it is
poor business.
DRAWING A CONGREGATION-.
Ethically, the New York preacher
who preached twenty-one sermons in
as many hours may deserve the
censure that Is being directed against
him by many preachers of a more
conservative mold. Actually, he may
be commended for adopting methods
that attract attention to himself and
thus insure large congregations.
Should the ministry be wrapped in
a stolid, unbending dignity or should
it recognize the fact that unusual
methods often must be employed these
stirring days to attract people away
from the many counter attractions on
Sunday. If advertising or spectacular
methods, provided they are not car
ried to undignified extremes, will fill
the church of a pastor, why should he
preach to empty pews? No matter
what motive draws the sinner to
church the fact that he is there puts
him in a wholesome atmosphere
where great rood may come.
The New York pastor in question
has been accused of grand-standing,
of exploiting the gospel of Christ for
the sake of ephemeral notoriety. It
is unjust to say that he was more
than strenuous and enterprising and
determined to draw people to his
church in spite of themselves. The
straight-laced preacher who refuses to
bend and is content to preach to fail
ing congregations may be lauded for
his regard of professional ethics, but
the preacher who draws people to his
church is the one who must be rated
the greater success.
ON LOSING ONE'S MEMORY.
The world Is full of marvels when
one stops to think of it. One of the
greatest is the fixity in our minds of
ihe association .between names and the
things they stand for. Why do we not
occasionally call a horse' a cow ana
an ax a spade? Such a question may
annear Killt- to the thoughtless, but if
It were not for the peculiar structure
of the human mina we snouia uo
making mistakes of that sort con
stantly. Memory really depends on the
power of association, which, as it were,
glues words to objects and at the same
timA Hiia o-hiArts tosrethec- into work
ing groups. Were we differently
framed the world would do composeu
of entirely different groups of things.
TVia minri unites them for its own pur
poses and then treats the result as if
it were decreed by universal law. What
grammarians call common nouns cling
to their objects more closely than
proper names. When the intelligence
begins to disintegrate from oia age or
disease it is the names of persons and
places that we forget nrsu xo torget.
In this sense at least, means simply
Via hrpnkine- ut of the association d-
tween the significant sound and the
object It stands for. Tne name imam
nff- l iv on a direction, the thing in an
other, and the mind is unable to bring
them together.
Rainh Waldo Emerson was a great
sufferer from this affliction as he grew
old. The names of his best friends
mranprl him and he could only greet
them with that benign smile of his
which signified more than language
does on the lips of most men. It is a
ni-Attv snfA uiirn of advancing age
when we begin, to stumble mentally
over names. Normal persons retain
their common nouns to the very verge
nr tViA o-ran-A. hut not the titles of per
sons and places. Sooner or later they
must resign themselves to rorget tne
names of their best friends and their
children. They are fortunate if they
can recall their own as the shadows
deepen. It is common enough to
hear the mother of a large family
make an indirect -approach to the
name of her youngest Doy wnen sne
wishes to scold him. She begins by
Viaiiino- Viitn an John, then Thomas,
William, .Henry and Peter until finally
she lights upon hl9 true name, wnicn
la .Tnmes Association is strong in her
mlnrt between the older names and the
boys they belong to, but James has
been in the world only a iitue iraui
and the glue has not had time to
harden. v
tmcohka often does the same work
as old age in disassociating words from
v.aIt- fihieots. It la not infrequent to
..oo a individuals who suddenly for
get their whole past, including men
names. De Morgan makes use or sucn
on in.MHont in "It Never Can Happen
Again." The hero enters the story in
total ignorance oi nis antecedents anu
the plot turns on the eventual dlscov
his hlstorv. De Morgan's hero
owed his defect to a shock from an
electric current In a trolley car. Any
imi,itai incident mav Droduce the ef-
rKi if It Is startling enough. The
brain seems to experience a Jar which
shakes the associations asunaer aiia ou
disarranges them that they cannot
.,nita a rein ATnst of our associations
are temporarily deranged In sleep, but
they fall back into meir places agaiu
nn m-akino- The nrocess Seems to be
largely mechanical, though, of course.
there is more to it man me mere
operation of a machine. The will can
hair, nut the memorv in its difficulties
now and then, but on o'ther occasions
it is a hindrance. When one has a
name on the tip of the tongue, but
nonnnt onAoir if Ajxactlv it is useless, as
a rule, to try consciously to recall the
elusive vocables. They noat rouna ex
asperatingjy on the fringes of the
memory, but they will not come to
hand and the more one seeks for them
the farther they flit. The best way to
get hold of a name that will not de-hai-
itself un is to DUt the subject
quietly aside and let the subconscious
mind work at the difficulty. This dili
trans' And efficient servitor will labor
while its master sleeps. Perhaps a day
or two will pass Derore me tasic is
done, perhaps it will be weeks or
mnntha hut In the long run if a per
son has ever known a name and there
I. nn lAdnn in the brain, the subcon
sclous mind can and will recover it if
we do not keep nagging it by futile
efforts of the volition.
But when names are lost In conse
quence of destructive disease the sub
conscious mind is unable to help. It
may go on working Just as before. No
body knows whether it does or not,
but at any rate its work is unavailing
because the connection between the
parts of the machine is severed beyond
the power of art to unite them. Sur-
erv does wonders in me way oi re
lieving pressure on the brain, removing
abscesses, and regulating nutrition,
but when once the internal lines of
communication are broken it is baf
fled. It cannot join them again. The
reticulation of the system is too
minute and complicated. Hence when
a person loses his memory as the re
sult of a disease which actually dis
integrates its seat in the brain he need
never expect to regain it. But that is
a very different thing from the mere
breaking up of associations Dy a shock.
In such cases nothing need be per
manently impaired and in time the old
connections are pretty sure to fall into,
Dlace aeain. When a man appears,
coming apparently from nowhere and
la unable to tell anything about his
name or antecedents the chances are
that if we are patient with him it will
all come back.
Frances Hodgson Burnett has in
troduced one of these tantalizing char
acters in her new serial "Tembaron."
The hero found him wandering help
lessly in a vacant lot He has not
d laved much of a part In the two in
stallments which have been published,
but the reader feels certain that he is
going to figure largely in the story by
and by. Of course when he recovers
his past will reveal stirring secrets
about the hero.
MR. U'BEN'S WICKED PARTNER.
OREGOV CITY, Or.. Feb. T. (To the Edi
tor.) It would be very difficult to put more
of falsehood in the same space than there
Is In your editorial this morning on a "Re
jected Innovation." Instead of having made
an efrort to prevent legislative repeal or
amendment of laws adopted by the people,
I used air my Influence when the Initiative
and referendum amendment was prepared to
leave that power with the Legislature. I
have always been of the opinion that the
legislature should have that power, though
think now It should require a two-tniras
majority to make euch repeal or amend
ment. -
As to Mr. Bchuebel'a proposed amendment
for "Recall of Judicial Decisions," I know
absolutely nothing about It except what I
read in The Oregonian today. Mr. Schuebel
and I are partners In a law office at Oregon
City. In politics we are both Republicans,
but differ very widely on many measures.
In all fairness to the parties criticised and
to the readers of The Oregonian, I do think
the editor should be more careful to know
and write something of the truth in the edi
torial columns. W. 3. 17HBS.
The Oregonian is fully Informed as
to the nature of Mr. ITRen's efforte
in the past to deprive the Legislature
of power to amend or repeal the peo
ple's laws. It has learned to look for
jokers and obliquity in all of the
U'Ren proposals and it has found
both in most of his measures from
poll-tax repeal and proportional rep
resentation of 1910 to graduated tax
and proxy voting of 1912.
In his so-called legislative reform
amendment submitted and defeated In
1912 was the following provision:
No statute, ordinance or resolution ap-
o roved by vote of the people shall be
amended or repealed by- the Legislative As
sembly or any City Council except by a
three-fourths vote of all the members.
His amendment, presented and de
feated in 1910, which proposed radical
changes in the make-up and power of
the Legislative Assembly, contained a
similar provision.
Mr. U'Ren knows, or ought to know,
that such a provision would be an
inhibition against the improvement or
correction or repeal of any initiated
bill by the lawmaking body. Of
course he would permit the dog to
eat, but only with a muzzle on.
If Mr. U'Ren had steered a straight
course toward enactment of his other
ideas some doubt might exist of a wil
ful intent on his part to shear the
Legislature of a needed and never yet
abused power. But his county option
tax amendment was concealed and
carried' under a provision repealing a
poll tax that did not exist. His grad
uated tax measure was framed with
such cunning that hundreds of voters
approved it, 'believing that it preserved
the present taxation system and only
Imposed a sur-tax on large holdings.
In the same amendment he professed
to retain county power to repeal
single tax but so hedged it about with
sly restrictions that its application
would have been impracticable and
next to impossible had the amend
ment carried. Such things as these
have opened all of Mr. ITRen's work
to suspicion of concealed intent.
If Mr. U'Ren had read the news
dispatches from Salem Wednesday
morning, he would have learned that
he was reported to have attended a
conference held for the purpose of
drafting the Schuebel bill for recall ot
Judicial decisions. The privilege is
cheerfully accorded him of denying all
knowledge of the measure and of
placing the whole odium of its author
ship, like the lawyer of fiction, on
my wicked partner.
"IC ANTIQUE SHIPPING LAWS.
Discussion of our shipping laws has
been stimulated by Panama Canal
legislation and by the Titanic disaster
has been brought to the front as one
of live public interest. A remarkable
example of the antiquity and injustice
of these laws is their limitation or the
liability of the ship-owner to the
owner of cargo and to passengers. It
Is a survival of the days of sailing
ships, of individual owners of single
ships, of long voyages, when the ship
was for months cut off from communl.
cation, and of the days when England
was doing her utmost to encourage
ship-owning and foreign commerce in
order to maintain naval ana commer
cial supremacy and. to secure her sup
ply of food and raw material. It is
entirely out of date in these times of
steamships, of telegraphy by wire and
wireless, of ownership of a whole
merchant navy by a single corpora
tion. It makes carriers by sea a fa
vored class, exempt from liability to
which land carriors are subject.
Prior to 1893 the courts had uni
formly held that ship-owners were
liable to shippers for loss or damage
due to their own on their employes
negligence or mismanagement and had
held void, as against public policy,
"negligence clauses" in bills of lading.
But as such clauses were valid in
other countries; notably in England
foreign ship-owners insisted upon
them and the frequent necessity of set
tling disputes abroad under foreign
law enabled ship-owners to escape
liability.
In order to furnish relief to shippers
and to bring the law relating to ocean
carriers into conformity with that
governing land carriers, the Harter
bill was introduced in the House" in
1893. It placed upon the owner re
sponsibility for loss or damage due to
faults or errors of navigation and
mansurement of ships plying between
American and 'foreign ports. The
House passed the bill, but the Senate
so amended it as not only to relieve
owners of ships in foreign commerce
from this liability, but to relieve those
engaged in domestic commerce aiso
from the liability placed upon them by
the then existing law. The House was
misled into accepting the amendments
and thus the shippers were left in a
worse nosition than before.
Senator Nelson has introduced a bill
to give redress, so far as foreign com.
merce is concerned. He proposes to
declare void clauses In bills of lading
relieving ship-owners from liability
for damage caused by faults or er
rors in navigation or management, but
to continue the present law as apply
ing to vessels plying between American
ports.
The Nelson bill would place respon
sibility where it belongs on the ship
owner. It would compel him to exer
cise proper care in loading and navi
gating his ships. It would deter him
from hiring cheap, unskilled, reckless
officers and seamen.- It would put a
check on the speed mania and cause
masters of ships to avoid ice and fog,
even though.' their voyage were
lengthened a few hours or even a day.
It would therefore add to the safety of
passengers and crew.
The bill is' not made to apply to
coastwise and lake carriers, for the
reason that they generally assume
voluntarily the responsibility which it
Is proposed to put on ocean carriers.
But the same law should be made to
apply to all alike. Those carriers who
now voluntarily- assume liability can
have no objection if those who do not
are compelled to assume it.
This is only one of several evidences
that our entire shipping code needs
revision. The laws relating to seamen
place them in semi-slavery and have
almost driven Americans from the
sea. The law limiting liability of a
ship-owner to the passage money and
the value of salvage is out of date, w e
may have trouble with ' England, but
the logical working out of our free
ship policy will gradually relieve us
from her dictation in maritime law
and place us in a position to deal with
her on equal terms.
SOUTH AMERICAN DIFFERENCES.
Diplomatic speculation concerning
differences and threatened war be
tween Bolivia and Peru suggests that
Peru may be utilizing a tentative
quarrel with her immediate neighbor
as a blind for preparing to wage war
on some other country. It isn't clear
to students of Latin-American affairs
Just why Bolivia and Peru should
fight. . Even should Bolivia desire a
free means of egi-ess to the Pacific it
would be difficult to Imagine her at
tacking her ancient chum in order to
gain that end.
Bolivia and Peru have been looKea
upon as the Damon and Pythias of
South American countries. Their
armies have fought side by side as
allies in many a long, hard battle.
When Bolivia set out to gain her inde
pendence from Spain in 1825 Peru's
troops helped. Ten years later the
allies got into a bitter quibble, went to
fighting, and were having a right"
merrv melee when Chile lntervenea.
The allies immediately fell into each
other's arms and some years later
combined on Chile to their mutual
sorrow. Bolivia lost her coast line and
Peru had her line greatly reduced.
Amone other things produced by
Bolivia is a Quarter of the world's tin
supply. Her exports reach the world
bv way of the Atlantic, necessitating a
series of river hauls, a fact which long
has galled the Bolivians. Pacific Coast
Dorts would be a national boon, to oe
sure. At the same time the rumor that
Bolivia may seek to wrest coast line
from Peru doesn't ring true. It sounds
too much like a report that the United
States and Britain may fight over the
Panama Canal. Hence the latest views
of diplomats that the two countries
have an understanding ana an ulterior
motive in war talk and preparations
are plausible. Perhaps they will seek
recovery of coast line lost to cnne,
though that would be a big under
taking for the diminutive allies. Any
way, whatever they are up to, we will
watch them with a great deal of inter
est in our capacity as peacemaKer
and policeman of the American con
tlnent. -
HUE KINDLY SIDE OF JOHN BROWN.
John Brown's only surviving son,
Salmon, who lives at Lents, near Port
land, has contributed to the Outlook
an account of his father. It is brief
and fragmentary. No new incident is
riven and not much light is thrown
upon those long known. The value of
the contribution lies in the urgency
with which Salmon Brown insists upon
the tenderer side of his father's char
acter. We hare all been taught that
the old hero of the anti-slavery fight
was a man of rugged sternness, un
bending in his fanatical devotion to an
ideal and almost destitute of the
gentler traits of manhood. He com
mitted murder without scruple when
he had made up his mind that it would
bring his ends nearer. He planned
without remorse a slave insurrection
that would have deluged the South
with the blood of women and children
If it had fallen out as he wished.
Knowing these circumstances, it
surprises one agreeably to read in Sal
mon Brown's account that his father
was, in his domestic life, a man of un
UBually kindly habits. He loved to sit
before the wide fireplace of his dwell
ing on a Winter night and sing hymns
to his children. Often three of them
would nestle in his lap at the same
time. He kept sheep and when the
lambs were born he gathered them
In his arms like a veritable Good Shep
herd and saw to it that they were
warmed and fed. If we may believe
what is said of him in. the Outlook
and elsewhere, there never was a man
who loved his children 'better or clave
more faithfully to the wife of his
youth and old age than John Brown.
But these domestic virtues did not
hinder him from doing bloody deeds
to carry out what he thought was his
mission. He seems to have been one
of those men who are able to separate
their duty, as they call it, into dis
tinct departments entirely disconnect
ed with one another. In one depart
ment they may be false, cruel and
unscrupulous, execute hideous crimes
and plot outrages on humanity, while
In another an"d almost at the same
time they may be gentle and passion
ately kind. Many men have exhibited
this strange contradiction of character
and through It all. Just as John
Brown did, they have managed to keep
up the conviction that they were serv
ing God and man. How they did it is
not so much of a mystery as may ap
pear at first We are all more or.
less under the illusion, if it is an illu
sion, that deeds may be done in an
official, or representative, capacity
which are not permissible to' one who
acts as a mere individual. The case
of the soldier Is the simplest and per
haps more to the point than any other.
As an individual he obeys the Ten
Commandments, says his prayers and
loves his fellow man, but as an instru
ment of the government he kills,
burns and plunders without a thought
that he is doing anything wrong. It
sometimes seems as if the great Con
federate commander Lee exhibited this
species of divided personality as clear
ly as any man who ever lived. His
private character was no doubt per
fectly impeccable. His honor was
stainless, his sentiments sweet and
pure. But for all that he betrayed his
country, fought for human slavery,
and, if he had had his way, would
have perpetuated that monstrous
wrong at the foundation of a powerful
empire.
Lee has fared better at the hands
of history than John Brown. His
offenses were far worse, but they have
been overlooked and only his kindly
personality is remembered with the
shining abilities which made it irre
sistibly attractive. John Brown had
no great abilities. He was the plalnr
est kind of a plain man, or he would
have been, had It hot been for his im
mense devotion to duty. This amount
ed to genius in him, or insanity. If one
chooses that view of It. By one theory
of life all sacrifice for duty is insane
and there is only a difference of de
gree between John Brown and Bene
dict Arnold, the latter being far the
wiser of the two. The divided person
ality which seems to excuse breaches
of the moral law when a man is some
one else's instrument runs through all
life. Poor humanity eagerly grasps at
the slightest excuse to sin without in
curring responsibility. There is a fear
ful Joy in committing crimes as the
agent of the deity or the servant of
the state which would horrify us if we
were answerable for them as individ
uals. The troublesome question is
whether we really do escape accounta
bility by the plea that we are nothing
but tools. The law has long held mat
the principal is responsible for what
his agent does, but how about the
agent? Can he go scott free, no matter
what orders he executes? The Britisn
theory Is that he cannot. With charm
ing consistency it is held over there
that, on the one hand, me riing can
do no wrong, which amounts to saying
that he can give no improper com
mands to his ministers; while on the
other hand it Is also held that the min
isters can receive improper commands
from him and if they proceed to obey
them they will be impeached and pun
ished. Next to a Lord the British
mind loves an anomaly. Macaulay ex
pressed the national feeling pretty
well when he said that he never would
remove one as long as It did no posi
tive harm.
The courts have found the divided
personality we are speaking of at work
in the big corporations. Men of the
most saintly character in private Ufa
have been discovered lying, stealing
and even countenancing murder for
the advantage of the companies they
represented. Where Is the moral dif
ference between their conduct and
John Brown's in the Kansas frays? If
there is a difference it is on his side,
since, like Torquemada, he sinned for
the glory of God, while our corporation
magnates sin for dividends.1 In Kan
sas and at Harper's Ferry John Brown
merely put in practice, a little harshly
perhaps, a theory which runs through
the entire structure of civilization. We
find it in business, in diplomacy, in
war. We even find it active in the
colleges. On what other grounds could
faculties excuse the tricks by which
they evoke appropriations from reluc.
tant Legislatures? Put in plain words
this theory is that all means are justi
fied to gain an end which is command
ed by the deity, the government or a
corporation. If one could always be
sure that the commands were authen
tic would the theory be sound?
More than seen hours' sleep per
day makes criminals of men, says a
St. Louis professor who has given
several years to the subject. We can't
help recalling, however, mat jtsismarcK
required twelve hours' sleep a day and
that Lieutenan t Becker gets along
with six.
nffir-era mav be sent to Ger
many to learn the latest wrinkles in
military science. With Turkey s ex
perience in German tactics before us
we suggest that our officers be kept
away from Germany.
The United States will meet the
ruta that befell Rome, according to
the prophesy of a noted prelate. At
that we have something over 800 years
yet to run, so why worry
A Chicago judge rules that it is
illegal to hit the umpire. But then,
in fairness to all concerned, it must
be admitted that the temptation is
very great at times.
When Chicago plain clothes detec-aA.io-ht
m rescue him from con
fidence men, a Canadian farmer
fought them off. He knew, when he
was well off.
A Portland woman wants 1250 for
a stolen kiss. No doubt the jury will
viaita tr iaVa samnies in order to de
termine whether the claim is excessive.
To add the final touch of Democratic
simplicity President-Elect Wilson
might wear that felt hat and ride a
bicycle in the inaugural parade.
Castro is to have at least another
week of freedom in New York. After
two weeks on Broadway he oughtn't to
care what happens.
More than seventy-two millions in
deposits in Portland banks make a
creditable showing for active business
of the metropolis.
A Pennsylvania man has been ar
rested' for repeatedly robbing a pie
bakery. Who can guess the fellow's
politics?
There is an unconfirmed report that
Doc Cook is writing a second novel
entitled "My Attainment of the South
Pole." . - - "
It may be that Bolivia and Peru
have been signed up for a little scrap
by some moving-picture concern.
Now that the divorce colony at Reno
has been wiped out we probably shall
never hear of the place again.
Harry Thaw says he now is resigned
to Matteawan. What an awful -blow
to the laywers and alienists.
X great musical comedy could be
built around William Rockefeller's
plight.
Wilson says he will take no vaca
tions. Does he expect that to be pop
ular ? . '
London scientists assert they have
created an atom. Pretty small busi
ness. Our Navy Is rapidly being converted
Into a South .American police force.
Purely by way of a memory test,
who is Mrs. Finley J . Shepard ?
The shoe-last trust didn't last.
Father's Farewell
By Dos Collins.
mnnir bv a Senator to His Bill.)
Little bill, with many clauses,
Led across the Senate floor
By thy father, now who pauses
Just outside the mystic door
Where the atern committee waits;
vnr he hopes to Ket a line
On the dllt'rent kinds of fates
They are mixing .there today,
tr vnn list, vou'll hear him sari
"Little bill, what fate is thine?"
Little bill, the road Is bumpy
Leading to the last O. K.:
Other bills have found it humpy
As they struggled on their way.
Father's heart may yearn to guide the,
But he can but stand and pine.
Figuring what may betide thee.
In that dark committee room
Hear him murmur in his gloom.;
"Little bill, what fate is thine?"
Little bill, without direction
From thy father's tender hand.
Others now will make selection
Of thy path through Senate Land.
There are pathways bright and fair,
Leading to indorsement fine;
Pathways leading otherwhere
To the basket by the casement:
To the furnace in the basement
"Little bill, what fate is thine?"
Little bill, will -they have pity
On thine innocence, or rather
Will you come from that committee
Changed, unrecognized by father?
They have done the like before
To a many a bill of mine;
So I stand outside the door.
Kiss a fond good bye and say.
As I see you lugged away
'Little bill, what fate Is thine?"
Portland, February 8.
FREE TEXTBOOKS NOT DESIRABLE
System la Both Expensive and I nsenl-
ary, Says) Writer.
PORTLAND, Feb. 6. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Oregonian of a few days
ago appeared an article In which the
writer. "A Renter," advocates the pro
posed free textbook system, and at the
same time criticisea my icwiifc iun.i.iu-
nication favoring our present textboolc
law. While he declares my statements
to he 'Very superficial and misleading."
Is It not possible that unintentionally
our friend may" have made a few as
sertions rather broad in character?
First of all, Mr. Renter says that he
"cannot see how the property owner
pure and simple can have any Interest
except such as he takes voluntarily In
the publio Rchool system." It 1r ob
vious that the proposed scheme of free
textbooks would increase the taxes ot
every property owner In the state,
whether a "man or . a woman with or
without children to support. Therefore,
I wish to ask. how could the payment
of such a tax be a matter of pure voli
tion on the part of the property owner?
Our friend further informs us that lie
considers "the man who pays rent Just
as Important as the property owner, as
he pays the taxes, interest on the
money invested and other incidentals
which the property owner charges up
to him in the way of rent." Mr. Renter
appears by this statement to take It
for granted that every property owner
is a landlord who collects rent. If he
will only Investigate the matter a little
more fully, I think that he will find,
that a large percentage of property
owners are not rent collectors, but, on
the other hand, pay their burdensome
taxes out of each month's salary.
There is one other statement that "A
Renter" makes in his communication In
which I tnink he is mistaken. He as
serts that "under a free textbook sys
tem there is a great saving in books
and stationery, where the students
must practice care and habits of clean
liness in handling the materials lent
to them by the public." Would not the
pupils In the grammar grades and the
students in the high schools be more
apt to use a greater amount ot sta
tionery if they received their supplies
from a public source, free of charge.
Instead of purchasing them themselves?
Is It not true in our public affairs that
more stationery supplies are used when,
they are paid for from the publio funds
and not from the private pocketbook?
As to the matter of sanitation in the
use of free books, it is a fact weU
known to the medical world that books
circulated in public libraries or schools
are one of the principal means of the
spread of disease. They declare it is
almost impossible thoroughly to disin
fect books that have once become in
fected. For these reasons, the maintenance
of the health of the students, economy
of supply, and justice to the taxpayer
and all concerned, I maintain that the
proposed plan of textbook distribution
would be wholly undesirable.
W. VERNON.
DEFENDING THS3 MUSICAL BILL)
Professor Goodrich Haa a Laudable
Pnrpoae to Protect the Dear People.
PORTLAND, Feb. 6. (To the Editor.)
"Bill, 'ere's a foreigner, let's 'eave
'art a brick at 'Im," seems to be tbe
attitude of The Oregonian on all move
ments and measures that It does not
clearly understand. The bill for the
creation of a state board of musical ex
aminers is one of such measures. The
author of the bill now before the Ore
gon Legislature has no desire to com
pete with our morning newspaper as a
purveyor of humor, but is rather in
clined to think that The Oregonian is
the humorist In its newly-acquired zeal
against setting up any kind of a ma
chine. The words "trust" and "machlno" are
splendid terms with which to frighten
the people, but those "professional mu-
Dlnlana" -nrtiA A r A And OilTnH n BT tn 11 TO-
tect the public by this bill have no
thought of forming either of these I
tlllQKS HO Biruuiicui v ....
conscience. A trust is generally under
stood to be an organization to which
only a select few are admitted, but the
proposed state board of musical ex
aminers would not keep out any per
son who possessed a minimum of com
petence. The patron of the music
teacher has as much right to be pro
tected from mis-spent money as the
client of the lawyer, and the incompe
tent music-teacher is as much the
trustee of that money as the unworthy
member of the legal profession.
It Is a great privilege to be attacked
by The Oregonian, for it makes us real
ize that the subject under discussion
Is of far greater Importance than we
had hitherto supposed. ' Still The Ore
gonian is fair, and If it will only ex
amine this question , through the eyes
of the large number of people who will
be benefited thereby, and incidentally
examine the text of the bill, it will be
found that there is another Bide to the
question and in the end our critic might
say with the cartoonist of old, "Bill,
'ere's a foreigner, let's give 'im a
cheer."
By the way, a minimum wage tor tne
music-teacher might not be such a bad
thing. FREDERICK W. GOODRICH.
The Oregonian understands this fool
ish measure clearly enough to know
that it is an absurdity. It Is paternal
ism ' gone to seed. Why not a state
board of dancing masters? Or a state
board of roller-skate examiners? Or a
state board for the regulation of per
forming dogs and bears?
Hla Son-In-Law-to-Be.
Llpplncotfs Magazine.
Girl's Father Before consenting to
your marriage with my daughter, I
should like to know what you are
worth.
young Man Well, I get 10 a week,
but I am worth $60.
f.