6
TIIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN", PORTLAND, AUGUST 17, 1913.
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PORTLAND, SIXDAT, ACGCST 17. 1913.
LANE, CUTTER OF RED TAPE.
Franklin K. Lane. Secretary of the
Interior, who visits Portland today, is
a man of the type which this city de
lights to honor. He Is a man who has
fought his way to success on the Pa
cific Coast. He is imbued with the
"Western spirit. He has made friends
by his human qualities and by being
the friend of others. We instinctively
take to him as a man.
For these reasons Mr. Lane's ap
pointment as Secretary of the Interior
was popular on the Pacific Coast, aside
from any selfish advantage to be
gained thereby. But precisely the
qualities which make him likable and
liked are pledges that he will admin
ister his office in a manner to serve
the interests of the West. The way in
which he has begun is already taken
as vindicating President Wilson's
choice of him. He is succeeding and
will continue to succeed because he
looks at affairs from the human standpoint-
His department is the most
difficult of, all to handle, for It has
more intimately direct dealings with
the people than any other. It must
dispose of the thorny problem of con
servation, with the ultra-conservation,
ists pulling one way and the selfish
exploiters pulling the other, while be
tween the two extremes is the great
body of the people calling for develop
ment of the country in a manner con
sistent with the conservation of its re
sources. Mr. Lane has always been a progres
sive and has been called radical and
socialistic because he held opinions
which have now become orthodox. He
is a pioneer of conservation, for. when
running for Governor of California in
1903. he advocated that principle, but
he combined it with the recommenda
tion that the state conserve Its forests,
develop its water power and irrigate
its deserts. As chairman of the Inter
state Commerce Commission he made
that body a power which the railroads
at first feared and fought, but to which
they now look for Justice between
them and the public. Now he has un
dertaken to do Justice between the
Government and those who use and de
velop the public land.
His manner of approaching this task
is described by Burton J. Hendrick in
the World's Work. He found the Na
tional resources conserved so effectu
ally that nobody could get at them.
His business is to open them up. When
, . 1 ... .......T,. . limit It i a
asHea uu iic - - -
said:
The first thine 1 would like is a liberal
appropriation from Conferees with which to
buy a large supply of scissors. They would
be useful in cutting red tape.
Then he went on to say that the
problems Involved can be solved -by the
application of common sense. Every,
thing could' be settled by getting to
gether all the people Interested, sit
ting down at a table and quietly talk
ing things over. He said:
We need Xo approach all conservation mat
ters from the human point of view. My
great ambition ia to humanize this whole
department.
He found the public lands fenced in
by red tape. He says: "They exist to
be used. We need to develop them so
that we shall have room for another
100,000,000 people." They are not to
be monopolized by men who "have ac
tually dreamed of concentrating the
control over enormous areas," for, says
Mr. Lane: "My ambition will be to en
courage settlement and development in
the real sense of the term." He has
no sympathy with those who would
have the National domain turned over
to state control, holding that the Gov.
emment must manage the Nation's
property. He believes Alaska will be
the home of many million Americans
and that its reindeer will some day
supply the Pacific Coast with meat. He
will ask Congresa to construct a Gov
ernment railroad to open up that territory-
-
Mr. Lane has already given some Il
lustrations of how he would solve his
many problems and of how he cuts red
tape. He called together all those who
are interested in reclamation offi
cials, water-users. Senators and Repre
sentativestalked over their differ
ences with them, removed their misun
derstandings and started the Recla
mation Service to work on a new foot
ing. He ignored whole bushels of
precedents set by his predecessors,
took hosts of long-pending land con
tests out of their pigeonholes and de
cided them from his human stand
point in the light of his personal
knowledge of Western conditions, giv
ing the honest settler his' due. He has
disposed of water-power problems by
granting power sites on terms which
put a premium on maximum use by
the companies and minimum rates- to
the public. He is now making a per
sonal examination of reclamation
works In order to cut the red tape
which ties up those which have merit.
Oregon has everything to hope and
nothing to fear from such a man thus
employed.
In wielding the giant shears to cut
the red tape which has bound up the
West Mr. Lane Is doing the work
which the West has long wished to see
done. More power to him.
President Wilson has considered it
necessary to ask the consent of Con
gress to his acceptance of a .statue
of William Pitt, the English states
man, from an organization of English
women. No doubt he will get consent
and then he will do well to study the
career of the statue's original. The
dispatch does not say which Pitt ia
the original of the statue the elder,
who fought the French and Indian
War and denounced the tyrannical
acts which drove the American col
onies to revolt, or the younger, who
led England in relentless avar. against
Napoleon. But whichever it Is, the
President will find that he enhanced
his country's power by maintaining
'ia armed strength, not by letting the
Army and ' Navy dwindle while he
talked sweet platitudes about peace
and arbitration.
KXFIOetfVBS IX THE BALANCE.
Far more interesting and important
than the discovery of a thousand va
rieties of new explosives is the an
nouncement from France that a device
has been perfected which sets up a
vibration of wireless rays which
explosives cannot resist at a dis
tance of fifteen miles and more. The
rays are set in motion by a small In
strument which is readily transported
and they suffice to set off any ex
plosives yet devised. Steel hulks of
battleships merely serve as a con
ductor, carrying this mysterious cur
rent to the ship magazines, which are
exploded. .
If further governmental experi
ments prove that this wonderful
agency is all that has been claimed,
war will have to go out of fashion or
else be revolutionised. Explosives,
which are the very life of modern con
flict, certainly would have to be elim
inated. What ship would dare go to
sea with a supply of explosives? What
coast garrison would dare maintain
filled, powder rooms? What field
army would be able to carry ammuni.
tion supplies?"
We cannot suppress a strong wish
that the new discovery will be fully
perfected and put to use. It is to be
hoped, further, that some ingenious
and misguided experimenter will not
be able to perfect an explosive that is
proof against the new force. Explo
sives, as applied in war, are a thorn
in the flesh of civilization. We. are
not optimistic enough to believe that
their elimination would end war at
one blow. Man would simply return
for the time being to the lance and cat
apult and double-bitted sword. But
with explosives out of the way, mod
ern warfare would lose most of Its
horror and the old war god would be
given a blow from which he might
eventually sink Into decay and disrepute.
' A DANGER OVERCOME.
There is a curious article by Su-
sanne Wilcox in the current number
of the Independent. It gives an ac
count of a "talk" she made lately to
some college girls who were, most of
them, sorority members. Susanne Wil
cox believes, like most other sensible
people, that secret societies In high
school and college are, upon the whole.
an evil influence. They promote snob
bery, intellectual shallowness and un
dermine that democratic feeling which
lies at the foundation of true Americas
life. Her idea is that college educa
tion ought to promote seriousness in
stead of frivolity among students of
both sexes. Her talk was rulded by
that thought
She began by telling the girls some
stories which are all worth repeating.
but there is space here for only one or
two. The first was about a girl who
entered a certain women's college with
a high repute for scholarship. Her
mother and some of her relatives had
graduated there and so had many of
her friends. They. Joined in recom
mending her to the sorority of which
they had all been members. But the
girl was rejected. After receiving some
social courtesies, she was voted upon
and blackballed.
Why? Because, as one of the soror
ity members explained, "her people
are quite poor and if you had seen
the dowdy coat she wore at our eve
ning party I guess you would have
been for turning her down, too." Is
this not a beautiful spirit? Are wom
en's colleges founded to promote fine
feathers at evening parties or to pro
mote intelligence? Apparently the for.
mer, at least In many cases. " '
Here is me second story, a coiiege
girl was visited by . a young fraternity
man from her home town with, whom
she spent an hour or two talking., A
sorority friend asked her ' what she
had been discussing with him "so long
and so seriously." On being told, she
cautioned the gfrl never to be guilty
of such an indiscretion again, because
It was her duty to make her sorority
popular and fraternity men did not
like girls who talked seriously."
There used to be a rumor that col
lege girls were disposed to break down
their health by too ardent devotion to
their studies. If Miss Wilcox' stories
are typical, we should Infer that this
peril of college life had been pretty
well overcome.
A DESERTED RKBt'KK.
Henry Lane Wilson has begun to
learn at what promises to be the close
of his diplomatic career a lesson
which he should have learned at its
beginning the virtues of discretion
and silence. An Ambassador who, in
irritation at an official act of a for
eign minister which he considers re
flects on him. publishes a statement
directly questioning "the veracity of
that minister, puts his own govern
ment in a most embarrassing posi
tion. No alternative to an official
disclaimer of his words remains. That
involves an apology for discourtesy,
which carries with It the humiliating
confession that this country has placed
in high position a man lacking In
self-control and in respect for diplo
matic usages.
The only excuse for Ambassador
Wilson's conduct is that his nerves
are probably shaken by three years
of turmoil In Mexico, during which he
has been called upon to deal with a
very delicate situation and to .meet
some trying emergencies. He natur
ally feels some Irritation at the re
jection of his advice, by the Adminis
tration and at the acceptance of his
resignation. But men are chosen as
diplomats because of their assumed
ability to meet Just such emergencies.
and the very qualities which make for
success In meeting. these emergencies
should restrain them from impatient
outbursts when their advice is re
jected and their actions are criticised
by a foreign minister. The diplomat
who wins distinction is precisely the
man who steers a skillful course
through troubled waters: he who trav
els only In smooth currents has no
opportunity to distinguish himself.
There are especial reasons why
nothing should be said or done at the
present time to disturb our friendly
relations with Great Britain. Had
that country been less friendly it might
easily have taken the lead in forcing
our. hand in Mexico, and there are
other powers which would only too
gladly have followed Its lead. The
Intolerable condition of affairs In that
country furnished ample excuse for
a demand that we should either do
something to end It or leave other
nations free to act We may now owe
It to British forbearance that we have
not already -been called upon to choose
whether we shall intervene or con
sent to the Intervention of some Eu
ropean power. - While the canal tolls
controversy is pending we should also
be careful to avoid any additional
and unwarranted cause of Irritation.
Each party to that controversy honest
ly believes it is .right and no bitter
ness should be engendered by any out
side cause to hinder Its settlement in
a perfectly friendly spirit
The retiring Ambassador needed the
reminder that the diversion of twist
ing the British lion's tall, once popular
in this country, has gone out of fash
Ion. We had such unmistakable evi
dences of British friendship during
the Spanish War as cannot be forgot
ten. The two nations now march
arm-in-arm as leaders In democracy
and In the promotion of peace. Presi
dent 1 Wilson has wisely proved that
no momentary Irritation of a displaced
diplomat will be permitted to Inter
fere with these happy relations.
- AN ICK-COVEKED CONTINENT.
Captain Koch's party narrowly es
caped adding one more to the trage
dies which grow out of Arctic ex
ploration. Seven-eighths of the area
of Greenland, . which is 1(50 miles
long and 800 miles wide, is covered
by a great Ice-cap, rising gradually
to a height of 9000 and perhaps 10,
000 feet Devoid of life. Intensely
cold and swept by wind and snow
storms, it is a most forbidding land.
The explorer must take all his food
with him and failure of the Koch
party to find pasture for ponies im
plies that he must carry it himself.
What privations must be, endured by
men who penetrate this lofty, frozen
wilderness in the cause of science can
be left to the Imagination.
Greenland is the source of a large
proportion of the- Icebergs which im
peril ships In the North Atlantic
Ocean. All precipitation ultimately
becomes ice. which pours in glaciers
down the slopes and the deeply buried
valleys Into the fjords, which indent
the mountainous east and west coasts,
there breaking off In huge icebergs.
The ocean currents sweep the bergs
southward to float in hiding for ships
amid the fogs of the Newfoundland
Banks. From such bergs came the
Titanlc's terrible fate. The glaciers
move more rapidly to the sea than
those which cover the sides of moun
tain peaks In the United States, act
ual measurement' having shown one
to have traveled 125 feet in twenty
four hours. ,
Greenland is a continent locked
against human habitation by the Ice
and the extreme cold, which reaches
50 degrees below zero. Explorers
penetrate It only to rob it of Its
secrets and flee for their lives. . Only
narrow fringes along the coasts are
habitable and the population 1 la less
than 12,000. Having learned what
there is in the interior, 'man willingly
leaves it to the Joint dominion of ice,
snow and wind.
ORGANIZING CHARITY.
Not a slight drawback in the work
of organized charity has been the cost
of administering it Very often this
has been an expensive matter. After
the cost of collecting money for chari
table purposes had been defrayed' and
it finally had been applied to the ob
ject of the charity there wasn't a lot
left It Is not unusual to note from
25 to 50 per cent of charity funds
eaten np before the money is available
for uses for which It was contributed.
In view of this condition Interest at
t aches Itself to an experiment that is
being undertaken with considerable
success in Cleveland. In that enter
prising Ohio metropolis a combination
has been made of the fifty-three
philanthropic organisations. In past
years they have been receiving for
charitable purposes an aggregate sum
of $160,000. But by the time the
financial solicitors were paid. It Is re
corded that only $107,000 remained.
These solicitors received In commis
sions anywhere from 15 to 60 per cent.
the average being 33 per cent Thus it
will be seen that the average cost to
each society was 31000 per annum.
. Under the consolidation plan a uni
form commission rate is fixed, the cost
of offices and administration is re
duced, and it Is estimated that some
thing like half will be clipped off the
cost of administering charity in Cleve
land. There Is no field where economy
should be more rigorously practiced.
SCXZER HAS XO DEFENDERS.
The charges made against Governor
Sulzer. of New Tork, and his refusal
to answer them have deprived him of
every supporter, perhaps every friend,
among the newspapers of New Tork
City. All, with- one accord, call upon
him to explain, if he can. and many,
including some of those which for
merly stood by him most staunchly,
say he cannot escape Impeachment
and consequent removal. His political
career is considered at an end.
The World, which was formerly his
best friend and has always been and
still is the bitterest foe of Tammany,
calls upon Mr. Sulzer to resign and
thus "save New Tork from the dis
grace of seeing Its chief magistrate
Impeached for corruption by a Tam
many Assembly and removed from of
fice by a Tammany Senate," for, it
says, the Frawley committee will be
compelled to recommend his Impeach
ment. ,
The Globe scouts the suggestion of
resignation. It says he should not be
allowed to resign, but should be im
peached and removed as the only
means of upholding the dignity of the
state.
-After having called upon the Gov
ernor to explain, the Brooklyn Eagle
a few days later calls for his resigna
tion or removal. It says he cannot
explain, that no Jury would hesitate
to pass Judgment on the facts. It con
trasts the disclosures iwlth Mr. Sul
zer's dramatic promise In his inaugu
ral address to "walk in the street
called Straight" and says the thor
oughfare he has traversed has been
serpentine and slimy.
The technical defense which has
been made by Mr. Sulzer's private sec.
retary against the charges is declared
by the American to aggravate the of
fense, which the source of the expos
ure does not lessen. That paper says
the Governor cannot escape impeach
ment and removal, possibly conviction
of crime, unless he can answer the
charges.
The Sun contrasts Mr. Sulzer's plea
that the law did not require publicity
of campaign contributions with his
speech in Congress delivered years ago
In favor of publicity. Its evening edi
tion said when the charges were first
made that his refusal to answer them,
"when It does not suggest foolish de
fiance, unpleasantly hints at actual
fear." But after the committee for
mulated its Impeachment the Sun up
held his right to withhold his answer,
because now he Is to be- placed on
trial for removal from office.
After censuring the Governor's
friends for refusing to testify and for
talking melodramatic nonsense, the
Tribune called upon the Governor to
answer. It said that Judgment could
be suspended no longer, that no ques
tion of procedure or Jurisdiction was
pertinent for the Governor was an
swerable to the public.
The Time asked what explanation
Mr. Sulzer could make "that will
change the damnable showing of his
check indorsements and his Wall
street accounts." It said "the shame
and disgrace he has brought upon the
state of New Tork will end his career
and put him out and keep htm out
of public office."
The Evening Post says the exposure
"needed only one thing to make it
completely crushing, and this he him
self has furnished. It Is his entire
failure to make any explanation or
denial." It says that he now pro
vokes shame, "together with the hot
demand that the man who has dragged
the good name of New Tork in the dirt
should tike himself out of its sight"
The Mall, which has been one of the
Governor's warmest champions, re
fuses to believe the charges, but says
he cannot afford to remain silent while
the whole country Is ringing with such
a story of shame and that the con
stitutional and other legal issues can
wait while he answers.
The Herald tells Mr. Sulzer the
charges "must be fairly and frankly
met; there must be no hiding behind
technicalities, no equivocation," add
ing: "The case is going to be tried by
the people of New Tork and strictly
upon its merits."
The Commercial calls upon the Gov
ernor, if he Is not guilty, to deny the
charges without equivocation, and
warns him that It will not be suffi
cient to answer with counter-charges
of corruption or with technical in
terpretations of the letter of the law.
But Governor Sulzer has not an
swered without equivocation. He has
made counter-charges of corruption
against Tammany. He has resorted to
the letter of the law as a defense
against Impeachment. The question at
issue Is not .whether Tammany is cor
rupt but whether Mr. Sulzer Is. The
people are not concerned with the
question Just how or by whom he
should be impeached, but with the
question of whether he should be im
peached. The newspapers of New
Tork City, brush aside all legal ques
tions and fasten upon the main point
at issue Is Sulzer guilty? If so, they
hold he should be removed.
SOME HEALTH RULES.
The sensible health rules which City
Health Officer Marcellus has sent out
in his bulletin for July ought to be
studied by every citizen. One of them,
"If you use Ice water or other Iced
beverages, do so sparingly," varies
from counsel lately printed in some
of the wise magazines, but we must
expect the doctors to differ on minor
points. As long as they agree in the
main we should feel composed. And
they do agree with Dr. Marcellus that
the best of all health hints for hot
weather are to keep as clean as pos
sible and eat as little as may be. He
says that "uncleanliness of any part
of the body is especially dangerous in
hot weather," and warns the diner not
"to overload his stomach." One can
stuff himself to repletion In Winter
without half the danger that delightful
Indulgence entails in sultry August
Cleanliness is a word of wide sig
nificance in the vocabulary of the
modern health official. It Includes not
only the traditional jsoap and water
which, keep the face and parts of the
hands presentable, but also an internal
purity which our ancestors left for the
most part to Providence.
It Is known to modern science that
the accumulation of waste matter in
the sewers of the body is responsible
for some of our- most deadly disor
ders. The person who wishes to keep
himself "fit" must attend to this mat
ter, unpleasant as it may be. Nobody
can do his best work with, his system
constantly poisoned from within any
more than he can with his tissues im
pregnated by tobacco and whisky.-The
primary condition for internal purity
is a sparing diet It cannot be re
peated top often that most wen-to-do
people eat too much. If they would
cut down their table Indulgence by a
half, or even two-thirds sometimes,
they would feel the better for It and
be able to do more good work than
they now dream of. Work when a per
son is really "fit" is a Joy, at least up
to a certain point But when the sys
tem is clogged and dull It is painful.
One could have wished that Dr. Mar
cellus had added to his excellent rules
a warning against strong drink In
Summer. Many fancy that it keeps
their health up,' but It never does.
Wine is a mocker and strong drink Is
raging.
REBEL, THE SOCIALIST.
August Ferdinand Bebel, who died
at Zurich August 13, has been a con
spicuous figure In German politics for
more than forty years. He was born
In 1840 of poor parents and began life
as a turner. He happened to choose
that trade, he tells us in his autobiog
raphy, because a good examination
which he had passed in the catechism
pleased a master turner who heard It.
This man offered to. make hjm an ap
prentice. By the trade which he thus
learned In boyhood Bebel has earned
his living all his life.- He set up a
small shop In Lei pale early In the '0s
of the last century, and It was in that
great center of European Intelligence
that he first became acquainted with
working-class movements. About the
year 1862 workingmen's clubs began to
spring up in that part of Germany
"like mushrooms after a warm rain."
They were not by any means Socialist
organizations. They were more like
the craft unions in which many of our
American worklngmen are enrolled,
and sought only to Improve the living
conditions of the members. In later
years, when the true, Socialist move
ment arose, these clubs proved to be
an obstacle ' to its progress, and it
never gained headway In Saxony until
they began to decay.
Bebel was gifted as an orator and
an organizer. His eloquence and zeal
soon made him powerful In the clubs,
but like his fellow members, he knew
and cared nothing about Socialism. His
first initiation into that philosophy was
gained from the works of Lassalle,
whose "Letter to the Central Commit
tee" of the clubs appeared in 1863.
This called for a general congress of
laboring men with a view to effecting
a class organization distinct from the
comparatively isolated craft clubs.
The effect of the letter was slight at
first but Lassalle's arguments split the
managing committees of the clubs and
prepared the way for the new philoso
phy. "Like most of those who became
Socialists at that time, I came to Mirx
by way of Lassalle," writes Bebel. His
first attempt to read one of Marx
somewhat arid works was futile. "Five
years previously," he says. "I had tried
to study Marx work entitled "A Contri
bution to the Critique of Political
Economy,' but did not get beyond the
attempt" This book by Marx was
published in the same year as Darwin's
"Origin of Species."
Later, through Lassalle's Influence.
Bebel was led to study the first vol
ume of Marx work on "Capital." and
thence passed on into the Socialist
movement It Is commonly stated that
he was converted to Socialism by Lleb
kr.echt but Bebel is at some pains to
correct this misunderstanding. "Lieb
knecht was fourteen years older than
I." he writes, "so that he had the ad
vantage of a long political experience
when we met He was a sclentlncally
tralned man and I lacked such train
ing. That Liebknecht should exert
considerable influence over me in such
circumstances was a matter of course.
But I should have become a Socialist
even without Liebknecht. My Inti
macy with Liebknecht hastened my
transformation Into a Socialist That
was his real part In the matter." By
whatever process. Bebel certainly be
came a Socialist about the year 1865
and continued one of the most uncom
promising of the brotherhood to the
day of his death. His Jail sentences
were numerous. In the Winter of
1867, when his turner's business in
Leipslc was Just getting on its feet he
was shut up by Bismarck for 102 days
and almost ruined financially. At the
close of the war with France be was
accused of, high treason and lese maj-
este at the same time. For the former
he was Imprisoned two years and then
obliged to serve nine months more for
the latter. He was banished from
Leipslc in 1886 for his socialistic ac
tivities, and again Imprisoned a few
months afterward. It would be tire
some to set down the whole catalogue
of his Jail sentences, but numerous as
they were, they never in the least
checked his enthusiasm.
Bebel entered the German Parlia
ment in 1867 from a Saxon constitu
ency and held his place, with short In.
termissions, for the rest of his life.
During his parliamentary career his
struggles with the government and
with his opponents In the Socialist
party were numerous and often bitter.
In 1870, for example, he mortally of
fended Bismarck by voting with Lieb
knecht against the extraordinary sub
sidy for the French war. The elec
tions went disastrously against the So
cialists about that time, and Bebel was
the only member of his party who sat
in the Reichstag in 1871, but Isolation
did not dampen his ardor. He op
posed the annexation xof Alsace-Lor
raine, wnicn he denounced as interna.
tional robbery, and made a speech de
fending the Paris Commune.
One of Bebel's famous struggles was
with the "Young Socialists," a Berlin
contingent in the Reichstag, who, like
our American syndicalists, opposed po.
lltical action. This was in 1890. So
long does It take a psychic wave to
cross the Atlantic. A little later Bebel
had to oppose the "reformers." who
wished to abandon the Marxian revo
lutionary principles and content them,
selves with "amelioration." Thus Be.
bel ostensibly chose the middle of the
road, but, with his entire party, he has
gradually forgotten the more positive
revolutionary Ideas of Marx and
moved toward opportunism. He sup
ported the recent subsidy for increas
ing the German armament, and had
long before warned foreign nations
that "if they attacked Germany they
could not expect the Social Democrats
either to help them or remain neu
tral." In 'other words, he and the
party he led were no longer extreme
"Internationals," but had become pa
triots.
It is this practical, common-sense
turn of German Socialism which ac
counts for its growth and powerful in
fluence. Besides "his political activity.
Bebel has written much. His book on
"Woman and Socialism)" published in
1893, has passed through many edi
tions. It takes the same radical view
of marriage which Ellen Key has an
nounced more recently.
MORA LOT PLATS.
A morality play Is an allegory
thrown Into the form of a dialogue. If
Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" were
presented as a drama with the descrip
tive passages in the background "as
stage directions, it would be a miracle
play and no doubt the best ever seen.
Even as it stands In Bunyan's homely
speech, and burdened with endless
Biblical texts the "Pilgrim's Progress"
is one of the most stirringly dramatic
books-In the world. Any "Improving"
allegory may be made over Into a mor
ality play without much trouble, but
the result would not be likely to thrill
an audience very powerfully because
most allegories are Insufferably dull.
There are recurrent periods in our psy
chological history, however, when
these risky ventures become Irresisti
bly attractive and people flock to see
them on the stage and" eagerly read
them in prose and verse. . There are
fashions in literary preference as in
jnost other human affairs. During the
entire time known as the Middle -Ages
the world .seems to have preferred al
legories to every other mode of narra
tive. Men's minds shunned the direct
and simple. They Imposed grotesquely
ingenious and far-fetched Interprets
tions upon the Scriptures. They, cast
their fiction in the form of Intricate
allegories which It sometimes required
the skill of an expert mathematician
to unravel. ' ' ,
The "miracle" and "morality" plays
enjoyed the same popularity during
that period as other specimens of alle
gory. They even possessed a decided
advantage over the others because they
were presented on the stage and at
least professed to be dramatic. Men
have always loved the drama better
than any other species of art and have
persisted in going to see plays in spite
of the prohibitions of the church, and,
occasionally, of the civil authorities.
From the beginning of history they
have willingly risked their souls' salva
tion for the sake of an hour's diversion
with dialogue and acting. The medie
val morality plays were not exactly
discouraged by the church. They were
tolerated and in some cases patronized,
but it Is-probably an error to speak of
them as an accepted part of the relig
ious culture of that time. There is
ground to believe that strict ecclesias
tics deemed them dangerous. The
Christian Church acquired its aversion
from the stage through its experiences
In pagan Rome. When the early
preachers began to make converts In
-the Imperial city they found the stage
about as vile as it could possibly be.
Rome had never had much original
literary genius in any form. Its drama
was particularly weak and imitative,
and when the Greek models from
which Terence, and Plautus pilfered
were worn out there was nothing left
but the resources of lnttecency, and
these were exploited to the last limit.
The primitive Christian preacher also
found the drama allied to the abhor
rerft gladiatorial shows in which the
decadent genius of paganism found apt
expression. For these-reasons, to say
nothing of their systematic dislike of
everything amusing, they set their
faces like rock against the stage, and
by the end of the fifth century, or a lit
tle later, they had Just about de
stroyed It
Nothing was left of the Roman com
panies of actors but the more or less
dtsrespectable "mimes" who led a wan
dering and precarious life In the nooks
and corners of Europe, keeping well out
of sight of the law, and especially of
the bishops. They appeared evanes
cently at fairs and now and then at a
church festival, but slunk away again
before the corrective machinery of the
neighborhood could be set at work
upon them. Nobody seems to be quite
able to trace the history of these elu
sive "mimes," but it is known that they
brought down to the Middle Ages some
little memory of the Greek and Roman
stage and a body of dramatic tradition
which later helped to rehabilitate the
theater. The modern drama owes Its
birth, perhaps, to the revival of Chris
tian letters which took place in Ger
many in the daj-s of Otho the Great
along In the tenth century. About that
time the Saxon nun Hrotsvltha pro
duced some famous comedies from the
most unpromising material. She based
her plots upon the sufferings of the
martyrs and the miracles of the saints.
The world found them amusing, or at
least edifying.- Other sacred person
ages Imitated Hrotsvltha's example and
there arose a monastic drama which,"
queer as it was. permeated the whole
of Europe and became as popular as
the moving picture shows' are in our
time. The Normans carried these
pious diversions over to England,
where they were acted partly by the
obscure "mimes," partly by the Nor
man Jugglers who- had, accompanied
the conquerors from France.
This was one contributing stream to
the modern drama. Another had Its
source close to the very altar. From
the earliest times it had been the fash
Ion for priests to enforce the lessons
of the Scriptures by presenting living
pictures to their congregations. Men's
unconquerable love of drama was en
listed to aid religion. Tableaux of this
sort developed until they now and then
furnished an elaborate Sabbath morn
ing's entertainment in the church, and
naturally Satan was not slow to utilize
their popularity for his own ends. Un
der his guidance the dramatic part of
these "miracle plays," as they were
called, broke away from the control of
the priests. Independent companies
began to present them with more pro
fuse dialogue and new characters. The
Scriptural events fell Into the back
ground and the characters, as Is inev
itable in the evolution of the stage,
were enriched. They still represented
the vices and virtues, at least In the
ory, but they assumed all sorts of In
congruous traits and before a great
while comic personages were intro
duced whose connection with morality
was sadly remote. The name given
these erratic children of the church
was "morality plays," but it was not
always appropriate. In their day they
were the great popular diversion of the
English villagers ana they carried on
the genuine dramatic tradition until it
blossomed In the plays of Marlowe and
Shakespeare. With the fondness for
symbolism which has become so
marked In our day there is no reason
why the morality play should not prove
as attractive to this generation as it
was to our forefathers five centuries
ago.
The death of an aviator was for
merly considered news of the first
magnitude. Now it is almost an every
day occurrence and commands but
slight attention. This is not because
a larger proportion of aviators lose
their lives, but because more men are
flying or trying to fly. Aeroplanes are
still far from perfect and men have
many things to learn about the tricks
of the air. Probably aviation fatali
ties are no more numerous in propor
tion than were drownings when man
embarked first In rude canoes.
The importance of a state line is
revealed in the Diggs trial. Had Diggs
not crossed it in his escapade he might
have returned to Sacramento and been
quite a hero among barroom acquain
tances. But having traveled too far
he became a white slaver. There is
some difference between the acclaim
of wild companions and the persist
ency " of ' news photographers. So
Diggs runs instead of strutting.
A St Louis spinster asks for a guard.
Ian to protect her from the financial
vultures, The lone, confiding old maid
ever has been a shining mark for the
conscienceless order of confidence men.
The American colony in Munich is
up In arms over criticism of Frem
stadt We don't know what it's all
about but here would be a good place
for Bryan to apologize.
If the cougar that is worrying Han
naford Valley residents is dangerous,
then- it is the exception that proves
the ule. Ordinarily the cougar is a
cowardly brute.
The stewardess of a Pacific liner
won a wealthy Chicago man. Usually
Cupid hasn't much show In the strug
gle with mal de mer on the high seas.
It is -charged by a noted Chinese
General and reformer that England
forces opium on the Chinese. Not a
pipe dream, either.
The Administration Is building up
hopes of peace in Mexico. The struc
ture may fall as a house of cards at
any moment
A Los Angeles woman hid from the
world because her daughter married
a Japanese. Certainly was a crushing
humiliation.
The scoffer, of course, will declare
that the rain would have come Just
the same In Kansas If the people had
not prayed.
English are alarmed by the aspect
ot South America looking to the Unit
ed States for trade. Horrible, 'pon
ray word!
A Savannah woman was fined 350
for appearing on the street in an ab
breviated skirt High skirts come
high. .
. Sixty-five new physicians admitted
to practice. It is now up to us to have
poorer health in order to support them.
Gaynor has been Indorsed by a
party of restaurant men. First good
word about Gaynor in a long time.
Five thousand more killed In Can
ton. Not much of a dent however. In
400.000.000.
So Germany will not participate In
the Panama Fair. Popular abroad,
aren't "we?
Tt wnii14 sm that th-r fir mnnv
skeletons in the Congressional closets.
Really, the crop of gubernatorial
candidates is alarmingly short to date.
We are getting rain for which we
have offered no prayer.
Scraps and Jingles
By Lesse Cassj Bser.
Telia a hea.lllne. "Mrs. HettT Green
has birthday takes a day off." H'm,
Most of us women take a year or tw
off eaca birthday.
e a
Account says woman in divorce salt
sheds scalding tears." Probably the '
brute made her boll with anger.
a e e
Wails an agitator, "Where will the
slit skirt lead?" WelL It's an open
question.
see
Our telephone exchange operator is
a girl of many callings.
a e . a
Said the cub reporter
To the blushins bride.
--Please tell me for my paper
Where you will reside."
"When we return." she murmured,
"At The Old Manse' we shall tree.
Now put that in correctly
Or no other news I'll give.
Next day the paper printed:
"According to their plana
The happy married couple
Will live at the old man's."
e e
Funny, isn't It the average domestle
woman can tell you right where every,
thing is except her husband.
' ...
Read a "pome" dedicated to the Blue
Grass widows. But the green grass
widow won't get any pomes. There ain't
no such thing.
...
"Chorus girls strike for higher pay,"
reads a headline. I reckon they
aspire to a certain figure.
...
"Times have changed since I was young,'
Observed the cheerful Nut.
"Where women tsed to cut a dash
It'a now a slash they cut."
e . ..
I know a man who keeps himself
thin from constantly patting himself
on the back.
...
It may be cold cash, but Just the
same It can burn a hole In your pocket . .
...
It usually Isn't what a girl sees In
a fellow that she objects to, it's what .
shg doesn't see.
see
Wind Is air dancing ragtime. ,
....
A promoter Is a chap who promotes
his own fortune by 'getting the other
fellows.
...
The man who has to pay for a lot of,
millinery will agree' that every family
should have but one head.
...
Mary Elizabeth saw a cook stove ad
vertiBed to "save half the coal bill." So
she purchased two.
. " v
In a window labeled "Art Objects" I
saw a picture of "September Morn." It I
isn't art objects In that case, It's a
narrow-minded public
...
A woman may not receive presents
from her husband on birthday and
wedding anniversaries, but she can
sure ccrunt on some nice remembrance
lust after they've had a ouaxreL '
Topical Verse
Piscatorta.
She meant to play a sportsmen's part
And show herself an angler firm;
But, oh, so tender was her heart
That she could not Impale trie worm.
And when ana caught the finny prixe. -So
strange and gasping did it look
She voe.ed with sympathetic cries .
She jould not take it off the hook.
Though much assistant she required
Xo catch the fish, a- we narrate,
No help she needed, nor desired.
To tell a lie about its weight.
-McLandburgh Wilson in the New Tork
Eun.
Bla Penance.
He loved to dive, and be loved to swim.
And he lovedtn the tide to play;
Then hat in the world waa the matter
with him
That ha sat in the aaada all day 7
Ue sat by a girl whose bathing suit.
Whose cap and whose shoes were dry:
And she would have thought him a perfect
If he hadn't so that was why!
M. 6. Bridges, in Judge,
Pertmutter Ceoee.
Th -. . r-llr rl.hf h.r. In town bt '
name A. Gordon, which he runs the r
nunpoEiuin Store:
And he waa one of them wise ones, under
stand me.
He comes Into our factory one day
And orders 3 and 1-12 dos. them 312s aber
mit two extra rows soutache. -
And when he finds that they waa stickers.
Wad ye think the lowlife done!
Ue cancels that tbere order
And sends 'em aU back again uad ex
press collect. Kxchaage.
, (
The Cussed DamoseL
The cussed damoxel cut loose z.
About half-past eleven.
Prepared to do aa wild a deed
As any under heaven.
Oil-soaked rage were in her hands.
And the bombs in her grip were seven.
She cried. "We'U blow this mansion up
Where Lloyd and George do dwell I"
"Wow!" cried her tellow-auffa, whose names r
Were sweet aa caramel.
Mllllcent. Pansy. Rosalys,
Phlllla and ChrUtabeL
Chicago Tribune.
The Petticoat. -f
Lost A silken petticoat.
Or maybe It was lawn.
With ribbon running through the flounce
As rosy aa the dawn.
A darling, dainty petticoat.
A fluff and frosty lace.
With dear, delicious satin bows
To keep the frills lb. place.
Lost Louisa's petticoat.
That rippled round her feet.
And gave a tantalising glimpse
Of elender ankles neat.
And flashing buckles on the toea
Of sltppeis trim and small,
For siuce the narrow skirts came in
She wears It not at all. -
New Tork KalL
Back ia the States.
We have wholly forsaken the tropica.
We are back to -God's Country" again.
Where we talk about commonplace topics
And we minxle with everyday men.
We are done with Gatun and Gorgona
Away from Celebra we've blown.
But in secret we frequently own a
Decided desire for the zone.
The Zone, with Its glum and its glad man
Whose brains wiin one tuoueu - -a
r h rch.
The Zone, with its glorious madmen ..
W ho ate. drank and slept wim j
Whose talk waa of "slides" and of "levels,
Of "seepage" and "channels" and Itua,
A crew of maniacal devils
Oh. Lord, bow the memory thrills!
The wind's blowing cold and we shiver.
And somehow we aeem to retail.
The days by the old Chasres River,
The nights In the new Co ratal
The tropical moon tn Its beauty.
And the trade blowing gentle and blans.
And the stars doing sentinel duty
Aa they watched over
How they winked down on Panama Clt
. . .. . . ... - v. frnra ahnva
ana Dlinaea on
Its priest, and Its smllllng banditti
Its lishta and its laughter and love.
They aa- ho- -. .P and we sported.
Tney knew now "
They knew, who the .nr.. were w. courts
And most ot r
We worked and we put our whole heart In.
. . , . . . . the pace we were burled.
For we knew we -ere all taking part in
The mightiest Job in the world;
Now back in the "Statea" you will find US,
Where life Is of different tone.
Ard the other le -ell left behind OS.
But say. wnat """ '" -"
Popular jsagaslaa.