The Sunday Oregonian., April 13, 1913, SECTION THREE, Page 6, Image 42

THE SUMJAY OREGO.MAS, PORTLAND. APKJLL 13. 1913.
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rOBTLAD. SUNDAY.
APRIL IS. 1
THE TROIBI-E WITH THE CHAHTKK.
Whatern may be the result of the
vote on the commiwion charter, it
win t. nrur-tirailv certain that the
vrrriiri will not have been Intelli
gently rendered. The pamphlet os.
tenslbly designed to aid the electorate
in riotermininz the merits of the
charter contain such a mass of Ir
relevant material that the tendency
of the average man or woman bent
on study la to cast it aide In despair,
a. rule the voter is thus left to
vote "whatever prejudices he may
derive from listening to statements
that this or that interest is opposing
or supporting the charter for ulterior
reasons, or is called upon to vote ac
cording- to his faith in the sincerity
and knowledge of the few who are
familiar with the present charter and
have made a study of the new docu
ment.
In a way it is to be a repetition
of the attempt last November to ob
tain an expression of the people on
the subject of commission government.
At that time, it Is true, the issue
was involved by the submission of an
alternative charter, but the question
was presented at a special election
held four days before a Presidential
election. Interest was centered In
state and National affairs. The voters
to rhooea four days later not
onlv officer but to vote on more than
40 measures submitted by initiative
and referendum. The opportunity
given to study the official charter at
that time was not a fair one. It is
therefore small "wonder that some of
the Important features contained
therein and reproduced In the pres
ent charter draft should be attacked
now for the first time.
Protest was made by The Orego-
nlan last Fall as to the selection of
the date for the special charter elec
tlon. The authority responsible for
that mistake erred no more grievous
ly than the authority responsible for
the Jumble of stuff now put out in
pamphlet form. That there Is a dis
position to shift responsibility for the
later error Is an argument in favor of
centralized authority, but it does not
help the voter determine whether the
commission churter now under con
sideration Is best or even good.
Concerning the late criticisms di
rected against the charter, the one
that Involves the preferential voting
system apparently Is the most weighty.
On one hand It has been demon
strated that It presents an oppor
tunity for a well-organized minor
ity to defeat the will of the
majority in the selection of city
officials. On the other hand Its le
gality has been seriously brought into
question. It Is plain that unless the
city has very broad home rule
powers the state primary and general
election laws must apply In Portland
municipal elections. If the primary
law cannot be set aside by the city,
the men nominated by each political
party In the coming primary will be
entitled to have their names on the
June election ballot, even though the
commission charter carries.
The general election laws prescribe
a form of ballot which Is not in ac
cord with the form set forth in the
proposed charter. The general elec
tion law also permits election by plu
rality. Adoption of the charter there
fore means legal complications in de
termining who shall serve as the first
Mayor and Commissioners thereunder.
If the primary nomination right be
waived and the preferential ballot
form adopted there still remains the
possibility that some candidate may
receive a plurality of first choice votes
but not a majority, and will claim vic
tory under the general election law,
though not entitled to It under the
preferential system. But eliminating
these possible, even probable, contro
versies, we may still find that the de
sires of the people have been circum
vented in the manner Illustrated by
Mr. Lombard.
. This apparent defect In the charter
has been cited as the most serious.
There Is at least a plausible argument
opposed to the assertion that the
Mayor would have autocratic power to
control legislation by exerting his au
thority to change assignments of de
partments and work among the Com
missioners. This theory contemplates
a danger not only that the Mayor may
be unfit but a possibility that at least
two of - the Commissioners may
be spineless or willing to be coerced
or bribed. It places importance upon
the chance that three out of five offi
cials elected will be unfit for office. It
would seem that the same danger
would be Just as strong If the duties
of each department were established
by the charter Itself and the Com
missioners elected to specific places.
In a commission of five three unfits
can control legislation and most of
the details of administration, whether
the Mayor or the people assign the
Commissioners to their departments.
As to the preferential voting sys
term. about the only thing In its favor
that can be discerned Is Its proposed
elimination of the expense of a pri
mary election. If It Is Illegal it coun
teracts one of the strong arguments
advanced to satisfy those who object
to the high salaries proposed for
Mayor and Commissioners. If It Is
valid It may be expected that the op
portunity it otTers for political manip
ulations will be used. It is a grave
weakness that has been discovered
at a date ao late that the trouble can
not be remedied.
The trouble heretofore encountered
In securing the submission of a suit
able charter draft in Portland has been
the Injection of themselves into the
drafting body by men of an experimen
tal turn of mind. Defeat of the charter.
If defeat It be. will not be a decision
wgalnst commission government. It
will be due to the Interference of vis
ionaries In drafting the charter and
to a strange carelessness In providing
means of Information for the voters
by those who profess to be favorable to
Its adoption.
COLONISTS.
Unusually heavy Is the press of col
onists Just at this season. With each
succeeding day whole tralnloads of
new homebulldera are being brought
to this domain of new opportunity and
new inspiration. Every section of the
state Is sharing in this Invaluable In
flux, for every section of the state has
Its peculiar opportunities and induce
ments to offer.
As the heavily-laden trains sweep
Into Western Oregon the contrast be
tween old homes and new is Immedi
ate and powerful. The travelers have
Just left lands blanketed with snow
where the Icy grip of Winter has
been slackened but not released. Here
Spring is found well advanced. Early
flowers are blooming on hills and In
fields. The grass Is gTeen and long.
The fragrant odors of the season
freight the warm atmosphere. It Is
cloudy, perhaps, or a mild April show
er is falling, but It Is the shower of
Springtime and bears no chill.
This first cheering, wholesome Im
pression of the new land will be
confirmed by time and experience.
The newcomers will find anon that
they have Indeed reached the coun
try of opportunity and plenty.
Boundless resources await their touch.
Nature's richest storehouses stand
ready to yield to the key of Industry
and 'intelligence. Opportunity beck
ons from every quarter of Oregon to
those who come with a staunch spirit
and some fixed formula of endeavor.
All such will find in Oregon a response
to their energy and Intelligence such as
might not be hoped for in sections
less favored.
WHO'S Ht'RT BY FREE WOOL?
ASTORIA. Or.. April in. (To the Editor.)
Ten minutes after I flnlahed reading your
editorial. "Free Wool Could Ba Defeated."
I wu atlll gasping for breath. "The con
trast." you state, between the susar Sena
tors, who are fighting for a tariff, and the
wool Senatora. who are not. "does not put
the wool Senators In a favorable light be
fore their constituents." Who are these
constituents? Are they the two or three
hundred flock masters throughout the West
who. not satisfied with having Uncle Sam
provide them free paeturage for the past 60
rears, but must also ask him to tax the In
habitants on their clothing in the Interest
of them and their sheep, or are they the
tena of thousanda of folka who wear clotheoT
Free wool will not shut down the woolen
factory where "free American' labor" haa
the proud privilege of working and support
ing a family. In this highly protected in
dustry, on the munificent sum of $40 a
month. Free wool will not cloaa any fae
torlea and It cannot reduce wagee, for wages
have already rearhed the bottom.
What. then, will It dor It will spoil the
graft of a couple hundred flock masters. If
It should result In wlplrg out the wool-grow.
Inc business It will knock out about 200
sheep shearers, about "0 sbeep herders and
about 20O owners In the whole West. If you
dispute these figures, produce your atatla-
tics.
Fre wool will do something elae. It will
put better clothing on the backa of 90,-
0U0.OO0 Americana. Who are the more Im
portant, the flock masters or the whole peo
ple; BILLY BUTTS.
At the possible risk of causing Mr.
Botts to expire of suffocation. The Ore
gonian will cite a few statistics from
the United States census reports to
show the absurdity of his contention
that only 600 persons are Interested in
the woolgrowtng industry.
In the "whole West" the eleven
states west of the Rocky Mountains
our eminent and accurate authority,
the Government Census Bureau, avers
there were on April IS, 1910, a total
of 23.000.000 sheep of shearing age
Now, if there are but 200 owners and
each employs one herder and one
shearer, each herder cares for 115,000
sheep and each shearer Is expected to
clip the wool of an equal number.
We don't know much about shearing
sheep, but we fancy It would be a busy
Utile shearer who could clip 115,000
sheep in the period allotted to that
work.
Mr. Botts' mental aberration is no
doubt due to permitting the large
holdings of a' few sheepmen In the
range country to cloud his vision. In
stead of there being but 200 sheep-
owners In the whole West, there are,
according to the census, 635 farmers
In Oregon, alone, who own sheep and
whose average flock numbers 308. In
Benton County, whence comes some of
the famous Willamette Valley wool.
there are 28.67 sheep. Little Curry
County, which is not Included In the
domain of the great sheep barons, re
ports 34.911. Douglas County, of
greater fruit than wool fame, pro
duces 75,918 sheep.
Total destruction of the sheepgrow-
lng Industry, which Mr. Botts looks
upon with equanimity, but which The
Oregonlan has not asserted would re
sult from free wool, would diminish
the wealth of these three Oregon coun
ties more than $520,000. But that
free wool will lower the returns to the
many growers must be true. If, as con.
tended. It will save the consumer on
his clothing expenditures. And have
our free wool friends contemplated the
probable Increase In meat prices If the
flocks diminish? Is It an advantage to
the consumer to save money on wool
ens If he must pay out the equivalent
of that saving for food T
nxsrr or work ron congress.
There is to be no dearth of work of.
fered to the extra session of Congress.
Bills have been introduced dealing
with every Important subject now be
fore the people, or deemed Important
by their sponsors. Some of these
subjects cry so urgently for action and
those most interested In them are in
such deadly earnest that the leaders
in Congress will have difficulty to keep
them in the background until the tariff
bill Is passed. There will be frequent
occasions when Senate or House will
be marking time on the tariff while
awaiting action by the other body.
Men with pet measures will seize the
opportunity to demand action and
inly toy "sitting on the lid" may the
leaders hold some of them down.
The vetoed Immigration and sea
men's hills of last session will surely
command attention. Both subjects
were well threshed out and the vetoes
of a Republican President will be re
garded as points in their favor by the
Democrats. Alaskan railroads are
considered ripe for action by Pacific
Coast members, especially in view of
the report by the commission of Army
engineers. The terrible floods have
made control of streams a vital Issue
on which the people of the Middle
States will not brook delay, and the
Administration will And difficulty in
resisting the pressure.
One subject of first importance is
currency and banking reform, which
President Wilson has pronounced ur
gent, but any final action at the extra
session seems unlikely. The most
sanguine can scarcely hope to get the
tariff out of the way before July. By
that time the intense Summer heat
will have begun and will disincline
n embers of Congress to take up an
other weighty subject fraught with so
much controversy. Long and arduous
committee work will be necessary to
draft a bill and to reconcile the many
divergent opinions. These latter are
almost as numerous as the members,
and all will demand expression when
the bill comes before House and Sen
ate. After the labors of the tariff de
bate. Congress will not be In the mood
to enter upon an unlimited discussion
of so Intricate a topic. The best that
can be expected is that a bill will be
whipped into shape for consideration
at the opening of the regular session
in December. If the contrary should
prove true, this Congress will develop
unwonted energy.
6IG'IFICA"T FIGrRES.
It Is improbable that a serious
breach In the relations of the United
States and Japan will result from the
Dresent alien land law agitation. No
doubt a solution of the problem will
be found and the usual spirit of
friendliness between the two nations
will persist. At the same time the
situation offers an opportune moment
for a casual survey of our military
status.
The while California Is goading
Japan with an objectionable anti-alien
bill the American military establish
ment boasts a mobile army of 20,000
men. True,' the authorized strength
of the United States Array is in the
neighborhood of 100.000 men. But
20.000 is the total mobile force avail
able for actual field ' service and it
would take considerable time to mob
ilize this handful on the Pacific Coast
should its presence there be deemed
advisable.
Compared with this slender force
Japan can mobilize in a few hours
about 350,000 seasoned regulars,
trained up to the minute. Added to
this force she can mobilize effective
reserves sufficient to bring her total
mobile army . up to 1,000,000 men.
These reserves are far more effective
than our own mere 110,000 National
Guardsmen which would augment the
United States regular establishment in
the field.
The Oregonlan . isn't in sympathy
with the yellow peril agitators. Nor
does it foresee difficulty of a serious
nature with Japan. But It believes
that these figures are important and
should be borne in mind. In Califor
nia they might, if known, help foster
discretion, and in other sections pro
mote a sentiment favorable to pre
paredness in times of peace.
MIWS OF THE VSrvERSITIES.
One of the easiest inferences to be
drawn from the registration statistics
which Science has complied from
twenty-eight leading universities is
that the "boom period" of collegiate
expansion has passed and gone. Five
big institutions showed an actual fall
ing oft In their total enrollment for
the year 1912. The largest gains were
made by Columbia and California uni
versities. Harvard's lead in this par
ticular seems to have been perma
nently lost. Its gain In 1912 over the
previous year's enrollment was only
303 students, which Is pretty small
when we remember how many depart
ments It has. In 1912 there were uniy
three colleges which could show an in
crease of more than 300 students. In
1911 there were seven such. Decid
edly our educational institutions are
passing out of the period of mushroom
expansion into what we may hope to
be a steady development of something
better than mere size and numbers.
Columbia, with her 9002 students,
headed the list for numbers In 1912.
Tale stood fifteenth with only 3265.
Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois were
far ahead of her. No doubt the time
is approaching when Yale will be
classed among the minor colleges as
far as enrollment goes, though of
course in precious old traditions and
sacred memories she will always lead.
An Interesting feature In almost all
the universities and colleges is their
new cult of the Summer session. Be
ginning as a sort of diversion where
Indolent professors Imparted watery
Information to dilatory bands of vaca
tion plcknickers. the Summer session
has become an important part of the
college year. The courses are included
in the regular work of the institution
and the students expect to profit as
much as they do at other seasons, or
even more. One great advantage of
the Summer term is that it permits of
an exchange of professors among the
colleges. Almost every Institution
sends elsewhere for some of its in
structors. This gives the home teach
ers a much-needed vacation and pro
vides for the students something of
that variety which they obtain in Ger
many by migrating from one univer
sity to another. In this country we
have developed a loyalty to particular
colleges which sometimes goes beyond
reason and positively restricts the ed
ucational advantages of the students.
The numbers we have quoted above
refer to the entire attendance at the
various Institutions, including law,
medical and graduate students. Co
lumbia does not retain her leadership
when we consider only "college under
graduates"; that is, the men and
women working for the bachelor's de
gree. Harvard leads off in this par
ticular with 2800. -while Columbia
has only 1400. New York, with its
metropolitan advantages, attracts ma
ture men and women more strongly
than freshmen and sophomores. The
University of the City of New York,
in spite of its vicinity to Columbia, Is
among the most rapidly developing in
stitutions in the country. Its enroll
ment exceeded Yale's last year by
more than a thousand students, while
It is rapidly acquiring prestige for vig
orous and progressive educational
methods. Its president, John Flnley,
belongs In the same group of Johns
Hopkins students which gave Wood
row Wilson to the country. Albert
Shaw, editor of the Review of Re
views, was also one of them. They
formed a band of extraordinarily suc
cessful men. No doubt in the early
days of Johns Hopkins they caught
something of that primitive vital Im
pulse which we are told accounts for
the creation of life Itself.
As one might expect. Cornell heads
the list In respect to agricultural stu
dents. Her enrollment is 1185. Wis
consin comes next with 802. The di
vinity schools of the various colleges
do not compare favorably with their
other departments in numbers. North
western University, a Methodist insti
tution in Illinois, has more than any
other, but its enrollment only foots
up 222. The Baptist Chicago Univer
sity has 132 divinity students, while
Yale has but an even 100 and poor
Harvard only forty-eight. Harvard's
orthodoxy has always been suspected,
and her paucity of candidates for the
ministry may possibly tend to prove
that the country Is reverting to a
stricter view of religious doctrines
than it formerly held. The pulpit
does not apparently offer an attractive
career for young men of this genera
tion, whatever the reason may be.
Some say it is because the salaries are
comparatively small, others account
for the falling off in divinity students
by lamenting the rigid traditions to
which they are obliged to subscribe.
Perhaps both factors may have some
effect. Compared with divinity, the
new science of forestry is turning out
to be highly attractive to students.
The classes in this subject are not
counted separately at California, Har
vard, and so on, but they are at Syra
cuse, where we find 177 In the new
department, and at Ohio University,
where there are seventy-four.
Probably the universities are proud
er of their "graduate departments"
than of any others. Here is where we
find the students who have taken the
bachelor's degree and are forging on
ward in "true university work." These
departments were Imported from Ger
many not many years ago. but they
have developed wonderfully. Colum
bia has 1399 graduate students. None
of the other universities have nearly
so many, but Harvard makes a fair
showing with 532 and Chicago with
490. The largest school of Journalism
in the country is at the University of
Wisconsin, which enrolls ninety-five
students In that delightful subject.
FREE GOVERNMENT LAND.
Ever since the 320-acre homestead
law was enacted, some four or five
years ago, the eastern portion of the
country has been flooded with litera
ture telling about the wonderful oppor
tunities awaiting the homesteader in
the various counties In Oregon east of
the Cascade Mountains. That there
have been good lands in this state
subject to homestead entry ever since
the original homestead law was passed
is quite true, but the area has, of
course, diminished with each succeed
ing year. So far as the western por
tion of the state is concerned there
is now very little land open to entry
that is worth having.
East of the mountains there Is still
a large amount of suitable land, but it
must be remembered that homestead
ers have been picking and choosing
from them for almost fifty years,
hence the best of them were long
since taken. It Is true, however, that
In almost every one of those eastern
counties there are still many claims
worth having, but as they lie in the
foothills and consequently quite rough,
they are still passed over as they
have been all these years,
The people in quest of homesteads
almost universally want bottom land,
or at- least level land. Neighboring
settlers, land locators, land office of
ficials every person they meet may
tell them that the north slope lands
In the foothills are better than the
lower lands, but all such advice and
Information nine times out of ten Is
of no awail. Level land or none for
them.
There have been many homesteads
taken In Eastern Oregon that never
produced grass enough to pasture a
jack-rabbit. These cases are excep
tional, the lands lying on alkali flats
that are not of great extent. But close
to these lands, along the hillsides,
there were good claims open for en
try at the time such selections were
made, and the locators more than
likely showed those lands also. Had
they been taken the settlers would
perhaps still be on them,- housed in
comfortable, happy homes. The' al
kali lands taken were soon abandoned
and the homesteaders left, broken in
purse and spirit.
As to the 320-acre homesteads it Is
true that as a rule they He at a high
altitude, there is often a dearth of
fuel, and drinking water must be
hauled a long distance, or obtained
from wells sunk to a great depth, from
400 to 1000 feet. The cost of one
such well is greater than the value
of several sections of the land. As to
the chance of raising a crop on these
arid or semi-arid lands, we must con
sider that the precipitation averages
from three to twelve inches, say eight
inches year in and year out.
Is it wise then to Invite settlers, poor
men with families, to take these
lands? Is it not better to tell the
truth about them, to tell that they are
grazing lands pure and simple, never
have been anything else, will not be
anything else for years and years to
come? It might be well for each com
munity in Oregon to have in connec
tlon with its Commercial Club a lo
cators' committee to see that Incom
ing settlers do not locate on lands
where failure is as sure to follow
as day is to follow night.
A PHXLOSOPHT OF DESPAIR,
The New York Times deprecates
the publicity which has been given to
the social evil by recent investigations
of vice and wages of women in Illinois
and of the police In New York. It
looks back regretfully to the days
when discussion of the subject was
shunned in public and private. It
says publicity does not visibly lead to
religious conviction, to any reform in
morals, or to any practical remedies,
but modesty and purity of mind are
endangered. It despairingly says:
Where la there the slightest evidence that
good wilt come? The evil will continue r
there will always be an underworld.
The Times concedes that "the white
slave traffic Is a monstrous crime
against humanity, which must be
stopped by the sternest enforcement
of law." It believes that segregation
would tend to control some of the
worst evils, but it has no hope of
the enactment of a segregation law.
It therefore 'pronounces the only prac
tical end of publicity unattainable.
This is the philosophy of prudery
and despair. It assumes that knowl
edge and recognition of the existence
of evil are themselves evil. It assumes
that for him or her who closes ears
and eyes to everything which bears on
the social evil, that evil ceases to exist.
It assumes that Ignorance is purity.
Because a practical remedy cannot be
secured without that education of
public opinion which Is necessary to
enlightenment and because this edu
cation would require public discussion
of the forbidden subject, the Times
would make no effort to provide the
remedy. ' ,
Knowledge of the existence of the
social evil does not corrupt, provided
unchastlty.is presented as an evil and
is not attractively dressed up to coun
terfeit good. That knowledge is tjie
first safeguard against the evil, pro
vided it Is extended to include knowl
edge of the awful consequences. No
clean man or woman to whom is pre
sented a true picture of the life of
the libertine and the prostitute will
deliberately choose that life. If he or
she has already begun it and has
strength to turn back, he or she will
do so. Knowledge of evil Is power
against evil.
Try as we may to shut out from
our minds the existence of the under
world, we cannot do so. It does not
stay under. It Is constantly beckon
ing and tempting:. It is spreading its
poison through the upper world. It
is involved with every problem with
which we have to deal education of
children, home training, woman's and
child labor, wages, divorce, the pres
ervation of the home as the social
unit, the white slaver, the liquor ques
tion, police graft. Even questions
which appear to be purely economic,
such as the tariff, the monetary sys
tem, trusts, the cost of living, agricul
tural development have ' an indirect
bearing- on the problem. We must
learn what relation each one bears to
the social evil, that we may success
fully combat it.
That we may do this we must
know all about the social evil. Its
causes, its strength and xwith what
weapons it is armed. All of us must
know these things, then we as voters
can agree on what are the best weap
ons. If segregation be one, knowl
edge will convince the people and
they will adopt it. True, there will
always be an under-world, but we
can keep it under and rescue many
from Its clutches. Instead of the phi'
losophy of despair, let us be guided
by the philosophy of hope, which has
brought humanity to its present stage
of civilization and enlightenment.
reason for a navy.
' Unless we now adopt a definite pol-
icy of naval construction, we shall be
outmatched in 1920 by Germany,
France and Japan, leaving Great Brit
ain out of consideration. We must
decide now what naval power Is neces
sary to uphold the Monroe doctrine,
the open door in China and our Asiatic
exclusion policy against any attack.
We must then either provide and
maintain that power or prepare to
abandon our policies whenever any
stronger nation challenges any one of
them. We cannot stand oft the world
with a bluff at a navy.
But, say the Little Americans and
peace advocates, that policy would en
gage us in the mad race of armament
which is now bankrupting the great
European powers. They tell us we
would better show Europe the folly
of her ways by refusing to Join in this
race and by declaring that we will ar
bitrate any disputes we may have. The
answer to that argument is that the
best demonstration of Europe's folly
is to prove our greater ability to stand
the strain and then say: "We can keep
this up longer than you can, but are
willing to stop whenever you are.
Have you had enough ? Would we not
better stop buying ships and guns and
agree to settle our quarrels by diplo
macy and arbitration?"
This would come with far greater
force and have far more effect, com
ing from a Nation amply armed, than
from one known to lack ability to en
force its demands. It is the argument
which Winston Churchill has ad-
dressed to Germany. It can be used
far more truthfully by the United
States, for, once we buckle down to
the work, we can build a Navy able to
crush that of Germany with less strain
than can even the world-wide British
empire. Should Germany prove deaf
to Mr. Churchill's reasoning, it be-
comes us to be ready to cope with her
navy or any other that can possibly
attack us, and by that means, if possi
ble, to convince her of her folly.
WAGNER.
The century which has elapsed since
the birth of Richard Wagner Is the
most varied and picturesque in the
history, of the world. It began with
the downfall of Napoleon and the col
lapse of the power which he had ex
tended over Continental Europe. It
ends with the reign of science over na
ture and the triumphal march of de
mocracy into every department of life
and thought. Even philosophy, that
ancient fortress of intellectual aristoc
racy, becomes popular in the hands of
Bergson. Wagner's life paralleled the
resurgence of Europe from the pit into
which it fell when the allies destroyed
Napoleon's armies and shut him up in
exile. In his boyhood the chains
which Metternich and his fellow con
spirators had riveted upon the limbs
of the nations seemed too strong ever
to be broken. By the time Wagner
reached early manhood the fetters be
gan to show signs of weakness. The
giant whom they bound felt his
strength again and the links broke as
his muscles tested their power. Wag.
ner was 35 years old when Europe
plunged into the revolutionary mad
ness of 1848.
Like all great geniuses, Wagner was
susceptible to the influences which
surrounded him, political and philo
sophical as well as musical. He was
one of the first to catch the spirit of
the new time as revolt began to stir
In the suppressed populations of Eu
rope. He took a hand in the disturb
ances of 1848 side by side with the rest
of Germany's gifted and generous
youth, and suffered the penalty which
fell upon his comrades. He was ban
ished from Dresden, lost his means of
livelihood and became a homeless
wanderer on the face of the earth. The
same catastrophe which sent Wagner
adrift gave Carl Schurz and many an
other enlightened German patriot to
the United States. The Immigration
of that period was the best we have
ever received from the continent of
Europe. Like France when the edict
of Nantes was revoked, Germany drove
out her most gifted sons to replenish
the wisdom and Industry of other
countries, in order that a horde of
useless and parasitic princes might
continue to dwell In peace at home.
Wagner caught the philosophical in
fluences of his time as readily as the
political. In his younger days, when
the wakening world seemed full of
promise, he was an optimist. No
hopes were too brilliant to be realized.
no dreams too bright to come true.
Later on, when his marriage had
proved unhappy, when he had passed
through years of misunderstanding
and penury, when his best efforts had
failed and his highest achievements
passed without reward, he fell under
Schopenhauer's keen logical power
and became a theoretical pessimist.
"The first duty of man," he wrote In
one of his despairing letters, "is the
abnegation of the will to live." With
Schopenhauer he had ceased to seek
for the promised land through effort
and saw no surcease of human misery
except in universal death.
But Wagner's' pessimism was also a
passing phase. When he came to
compose the Nlebelung drama he had
fought it down and passed on Into a
new optimism. Why did, the revolu
tions of 1848 fall? Because men were
bound by psychological chains which
fettered their minds as effectually as
the royal armies subdued their bodies.
Wagner attained to his new optimism
by pondering the problem how to
break the chains of the mind. He
saw in the Germanic myths the ex
pression of the deep spiritual ambition
of the people. The myths told what
the Germans would have been and
done If they had been free to develop
their life according to their inner na
ture. Circumstances had thwarted
them In every direction, so that' in
government, religion and literature
they had reached only a perverted
parody of the ideal. But in the myths
they had exercised full liberty and
brought their ideals to complete ex
pression. For this reason Wagner
seized upon the national myths for the
foundation or his optimistic drama.
His purpose was to throw them into
powerful dramatic form and glorify
them with splendid music in the hope
that a national spirit of freedom and
high resolve might replace that of
submission to governmental tyranny
and religious failure. Of course all
creeds and political systems were fail
ures as Wagner saw them.
In order to bridge the chasm be
tween the ideal and the practical he
created the image of a perfect man
toward whom the popular mind might
aspire. In Siegfried we have the ex
pression of all that Wagner hdped and
dreamed for the human race. Encum
bered with superstitions and enslaved
by ancient tyrannies of the mind and
soul, men never could attain to happi
ness. To be happy they must become
powerful enough to forge the sword
of liberty and courageous enough to
use it in all directions. So Siegfried
began his career by forging a sword
that no obstacle could withstand. It
typifies the free scientific intelligence.
Siegfried's victorious power flowed
from his superiority to fear. Given a
mind which has command of scientific
method and which nothing can terrify
and we are in a position to slay all
the dragons in existence and acquire
whatever treasures they may guard.
When Siegfried slew the dragon he
gained possession of the material
wealth of the world. The road to
the spiritual wealth was revealed by
the bird's song, which he Understood
as soon as the dragon's blood had
touched his tongue. What is the sting
of the dragon's blood but the satiety
of the soul with the material? The
bird led him through the circle of fire
to Brunhild, who slept an enchanted
sleep on the rocky summit where the
angry god had imprisoned her. Sieg
fried's union with Brunhild is that of
matter with spirit, from which flows
perfect happiness and through which
all the problems of the world will ulti
mately be solved. It was .the confi
dence that such a union might be ef
fected which brought Wagner out into
the light of his final optimism.
In a restricted sense any New
Yorker may enter Columbia Univer
sity without an examination next year.
This great, progressive school has de
cided to open Its advantages to the
whole public Instead of catering only
to a fortunate few, and will therefore
offer courses to which anybody may
be admitted upon paying a moderate
fee. The purpose Is to offer a new
and very broad kind of university ex
tension to New Yorkers in the hope of
producing an "improved citizenship."
The poultry business Is not like any
other. Dairymen, wheatgrowers, or
chardists all grow rich by selling their
products to consumers. Poultrymen
seem to make money only by selling
prodigious roosters and monumental
hens to one another and now and then
working off a setting of eggs upon
some tenderfoot at a fabulous price.
Who ever heard of a successful egg
producer who sold to consumers? This
business needs new methods ana
more solid foundation.
The Belgian Socialists and Liberals
propose a doubtful remedy for injus
tices of the franchise laws. Nations
refuse to be held up. A general strike
would arouse as much resentment
against the strikers as against those
at whom they struck. It would make
friends for the clericals among many
who had been Indifferent. It might
thus defeat its own purpose.
At last we have the secret of th
Mpvloan success at Naco. where 200
Federals have been whipping 2000
rebels. A couple of Americans and
an Englishman are doing the fighting
The wife of a Los Angeles preach-
or- nronta n divorce because her hus
band forbade her to strike more than
eight matches a day. We assume sul
phuric matches are alluded to.
Th. wnrM la irrnwlnr hptter every
day. according to a New iotk cier
a-vman. We should like to near nis
report on the nights.
A rtnrlv nf chorus eirls has been
caught in New York trying to smug
gle in false hair. They should be
switched for it.
Announcement that Mexico's treas-
ury is about empty would seem to
lend color to a report that Huerta is
about to quit.
Tr miff-ht be lust as well to nut a
pnnnlA nf hundred aside out of vour
pay this month for that Summer vaca
tion trip.
Quintuplets have been born to Mrs.
Smith, of New York. This popular
family is multiplying rapidly.
As poor prophets the express com
panles excel. They told us the parcel
post would not last.
Anon we shall spring from the
clutches of the coal man into the
grasp of the ice man.
Anyway this Japanese agitation
may cure the Democrats of their
small-navy Insanity.
Have you given your annual garden
seed banquet to your neighbors'
chickens yet?
This is the particular season when
we are between heavy underwear and
la grippe.
Mrs. Pankhurst is out of jail. Ja
pan's position on the first page is in
secure.
Anyway we shall be able to blame
our wife if the election doesn't go to
suit us.
If California persists in her folly
let her face the dire consequences
alone.
If you don't register tomorrow you
are disfranchised for the time being.
Bryan is now handling the Japan
ese problem. Hold your breath.
The baseball fan is now in a state
of high nervous excitement.
. But why don't those suffragettes
go on a silence strike?
Hard sledding is ahead for the local
Shylock fraternity.
It is now your move, this being
moving time.
Robins and snakes are common.
Flies next.
Swat the fly clear off the field.
Scraps and Jingles
Leone Caaa Baer.
See where a baby haa been chris
tened Monia. Case of New Monia, in
a way.
see
Garden hint: Oats may now be sown,
and .If wild oats, the sooner the better.
Dress rose hedges by hanging the
family wash on 'em.
T. P., in The Dalles, writes to ask
about the relative amount of dew fall.
I think there Is the greatest amount
of falling due on the first of the month,
T. P.
e e
Article says that the mahogany tree
is fully grown only after S00 years.
Now I wonder how long It requires
to grow the leaves of the dining-room
table? ,
e e
I can't imagine why they refer to the
cook as an artist unless Its because
she draws the poultry.
see
The agent of the acreage
As Ceres now mu reign.
"Lend me your ears," so runs his ad.
My tracts shall bring you grain,
see
Points of law (after John F. Logan
considerably after):
Property left on streetcars may be
and generally is claimed by tbe person
sitting next the loser.
Post nuptial articles children.
. Original writs Pot hooks and hang
ers. Original bill Shakespeare or moo
be Bryan.
To file a bill See a blacksmith.
A mistake has occurred.
With no one to blame,
I wasn't engaged
When the census man came,
I gave Jack's name and mine
And our ages, too,
Naturally counting
Us both as two.
And now we're engaged.
But what's to be done,
j As two we're recorded
When we ought to be one.
e e
"Man dies of water on the brain,"
says a headline. Hm-hm probably had
a notion in his head. (Diagram for the
cubist and. futurist humorists an
ocean.)
e e e
The worst after effect of this futur
ist and cubist rot Is the Jokes the lay
men are trying to make about it.
see
(On Any Suburban Line.)
The empty streetcars crawl
As slowly as they can.
In hope to grab a k-nlckle
Off some belated man.
And when full they sip along.
Yes they do like fun!
They poke, and Jog, and slowly Jog.
Why do they call it "rua?"
Commuter be not misled
By vain ideas of ease.
Of a place to hang your wesry self
Or room to stretch your knees.
But crowd like little sardines.
Wedge in as best you may,
And maybe you will get to work
Before the close of day.
see
Man has organ grinder arrested.
More organic trouble.
e e c
To a little Girl.
She's five and twenty Inches high.
One inch too tall, you can't deny.
For ahould not the tot so aweet
Run about on Just two feet?
e e
It's up to the jokesmith now for
something merry and pertinent about
that man Fear not having any.
Miss Calamity Step-and fetch-It Is
not dead well, that is no more than
usual. She has written a lovely thing
on her heart and has sent it parcel
post for distribution. She calls it:
"Why I Am Nutty."
My heart is like a -hazel nut. '
Ita surface do not trust,
Tho round, smooth and clean when shut
All Inside it's only dusr,
Wrhen death the nutcrack ahall apply
Then you will know full well
The aad, sweet memories that lie
Like kernels in my shell.
But really small my troubles are.
The turn Is long and wide.
My heart, a rubber-neck car
That carries twenty-three inside.
It's true, that riding 'round perchance.
Some to drop off begin: "
But I should worry: as I advance
I can take others In.
Some hearts like taxis, beside themselves
To only two or four Incline;
But rubher.neckers hold a lot
Such be this heart of mine.
Sonnets of the Season
By Deaa Collins.
I.
Wake, eager Muse, hover on waving
wing
O'er Recreation Park, to frame a lay
Of style and rythmn suitable to sing
In honor of baseball It's op'nlng day.
Wake, annual bromide! Give my ribs
a poke.
And with the season's Inspiration
merry.
Spring once again that hoary baseball
Joke
On office boys' grandmas' obituary.
AM hearts begin with eagerness to
' plug.
And kindling eyes ponder the dope
sheets long;
The "fan," the "nut" and eke the base
ball "bug,"
Counting the minutes, lift a joyous
song.
Only two days, and countless thousands
then
Will throng to greet the Beavers back
again.
II.
Tuesday, the Ides of April! Bright and
red
Twice twenty thousand fans or mora,
that day
Marked on the calendar, have grandly-
spread
To note the opening of the season'
Play.
One thought In their collective cer
ebrum.
Buzzing and big. above all other
swings;
Tuesday, thou Ides of April! Come,
oh come!
And may the Beavers clip the Angels'
wings!"
Ask any fan the question straight and
terse
On Tuesday, and his instant answer
mark: ,
Where is the center of the Universe?"
"Right here, today. In Recreation
Park!"
And I defy you ever to devise
A method to convince them otherwise.
III.
Oh fears of Hades; hopes of Paradise:
Oh Life, or Death, or Fate, or Tarltt
Bills!
What care I for such trifles? I've the
price
To gain admission where the big
game thrills.
Dark Mexico In revolution reels.
And Europe trembles In the throes of
war.
Japan, across the Bea, a protest spiels
To California s land enactments, or
My rent comes due, my fortune drifts
away.
My friend dies, or my sweetheart
turns me down
I reck not! I'll be there on op'nlng
day,
And hope-the Beavers do the Angels
brown.
Let the wild world go staggering In Its
flurry!
The baseball season opens I should
worry I