6
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, JANUARY 11. 1914.
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POItmyD, SCXDAY. JAN. It, 1914.
EDISOX AS A' MTXOR ' PHOPHKT,
Mr. Edison is treating himself this
Winter to a vacation in Florida. The
occasion is notable because vacations
are rare with the great inventor. He
eats little, sleeps less and seldom stops
to play. His playfellows on the Flor
ida trip are John Burroughs and
Henry Ford, both excellent outdoor
men, who will catch enough fish to
feed the party even if Mr. Edison lets
all his bites get away, as he doubtless
will. Just before setting out he gave
an interview to a representative of the
Independent in which he discussed
most of the topics that interest the
world just now. Naturally he began
with the subject nearest to his own
heart, that of inventions. The most
important one of the year 1913 he be
lieved was the method of manufac-
' turlng .ammonia from nitrogen and
hydrogen. This is a great boon to the
world because it solves the problem
of cheap plant food. Ammonia Is
organic nitrogen, without which vege
tation cannot thrive. The natural
sources of this essential to civilization
will be exhausted In a few years and
an artificial supply has long been
sought. Methods of synthetizing or
ganic, nitrogen products from the
chemical elements have been known
for some years, but they have been
almost prohibitively expensive. The
new invention promises to render the
process cheap and rapid, so that the
world may feel reasonably certain of
a continued food supply.
Among the factors which have con
tributed to make nitrogenous fertiliz
ers cheap is the use of water power.
For many purposes this is the least
costly source of energy now known.
The cataract generates electricity,
which in turn serves to combine the
chemical elements and produce the
fertilizing ammonia. Were some less
expensive source of energy at our
command, the process might be still
further cheapened. Many have imag-
ined that such a source of energy will
be found in the atoms. It is well
known that when the radium atoms
break up they set free enormous quan
tities of energy. Perhaps some way
will be discovered to capture this val
uable product and set it to work. Mr.
Edison thinks some such thing may
possibly be accomplished, but he is
not too sanguine. "No one can pre
dict," he says. "There are enormous
possibilities." Others, more ardently
hopeful, expect to see the energy of
radium utilized before a great while.
They also believe that other atoms
can be broken up and made to yield
limitless stores of working power.
While we are waiting for this grand
victory over nature, Mr. Edison thinks
something may be gained by utilizing
the heat of the sun in desert regions.
Many have tried to do this, but the
failures have been many and the suc
cesses few.
The difficulty is to concentrate
enough of the sun's heat rays to pro
duce an efficiently high temperature.
Engines of "from twenty to thirty
horsepower" are now :;t work in Ari
zona and Africa, deriving all their
power directly from the sun. This is
not much, perhaps, but it is a begin
ning, and nobody can tell what it may
lead to. Another source of energy lies
in the deep and thin veins of coal
which it does not pay to mine. Mr.
Edison, thinks they can be fired as
they lie in the ground. The gas
formed by the combustion can be
caused to generate electricity at the
mouth of the mine, and thus the en
ergy of the coal can . be utilized at
great distances. Setting the world on
lire to keep our machinery running
appears like a fearful expedient, but
it may become necessary when more
accessible fuel grows scarce. Some
speculative geniuses have suggested
tapping the internal heat of the earth
to furnish power, but Mr. Edison sees
little promise in the project at pres
ent. It may be made to pay some
time, when our coal is all gone, but at
present we can obtain power more
profitably from other sources.
We can virtually Increase ' the
world's supply of energy, Mr. Edison
suggests, by stopping waste. It is a
matter of common knowledge that by
far the greater part of the energy of
the coal consumed in our furnaces Is
lost. Probably as much as 90 per
'ent of it, on the whole, goes to waste.
If this deplorable leak could be
stopped the world's coal supply would
be multiplied in practice eight or nine
limes over. The longest step ever
taken in this direction was the inven
tion of the internal combustion en
gine, which, when at the acme of its
efficiency, utilizes pretty nearly the
whole of the energy of its fuel. Hence
It would be a great economy to con
vert coal into gas and then generate
all our working power in gas engines.
Very likely this will be done sooner
or later. But fuel, as Mr. Edison re
minds us, is not the only commodity
which the world recklessly wastes.
Inventive genius 1s another and per
haps far more valuable kind. Many
writers have told us lately that in
ventors seldom get the just reward of
their toil. Mr. Edison takes much
the same view of the matter. "Every
new thing is resisted," he says. "It
takes years for the inventor to get
people to listen to him and years more
before It can be introduced and when
it is introduced our beautiful laws
and court procedure are used by
predatory commercialism to ruin the
inventor." If this is true we can
hardly expect our mechanical geniuses
tr devote themselves very ardently to
the service of society.
Mr. Edison believes conditions
would be improved if "methods of
court procedure were changed and
the courts realized that men who
make inventions cannot by the very
nature of things be business men fa
miliar with its merciless code. They
should take this into consideration
and protect him." This sounds rea
sonable. Inventors and other eccen
tric geniuses have not enjoyed much
consideration heretofore either from
the courts or any other established in
stitution, at least until they became
rich and famous. All future social
progress depends more or less directly
upon such men as Edison and his fel
low laborers. If we are wise in our
generation we shall cherish them
more tenderly than pearls and dia
monds, but the chances are that we
shall continue to let many of them
perish in misery Just as we always
have.
HIGH LIVING.
Some friend sends to The Oregonian
a newspaper clipping, purporting to
be an advertisement of an Ohio gro
cer, and actually being a printed and
fruitful sermon on the high cost of
living. Says the putative grocer:
Some of you people give me a pain about
the high cost of living. You don't know
any more about It than my kid, 9 months
old. I have the most up-to-date poultry
farm In the country. I have the beat-laying
strain of liens In the country. 1 employ
the best men that money van hire. It costs
me nearly Z a dozen to produce fresh eggs
at the present time. I charge you about
one-fourth of the amount, yet you say I
am robbing you. I m selling you strictly
fancy Florida oranges at 15 and 10 cents
a aozen. The poor farmer that raised them,
after paying for the picking and packing,
gets about 10 cents a box. The railroad
company gets the balance. Tou rush over
to the opera-house, pay $2 for a seat,
to see some chickens and old hens show their
legs and shapes. That is all right. You
rush down to the millinery store, pay about
'i!0 for.a hat the flr8t cost of whloh Is
about $3; that's all right; you get a awell
hat. You pay ISO for a chiffon dress, noth
ing to it. I can put it In my overcoat
pocket, but Ifa the style It's all right. But
when It comes to something to eat you have
a fit. Take my advice take care of your
stomach.
One profound economist has a
theory that the high cost of living is
due to the increased gold production.
Another searches the world over for
a suitaDle abstraction, tind winds up
with the sapient conclusion that it is
the middleman. A third casts a
contemplative and troubled eye on
the race between the nations for
greater navies and more efficient
armies, and concludes that the waste
of human energy and worldly capital
in preparation for war is the real
cause. Along comes then a modern
school statistician, and he thinks it is
due to shorter hours of labor with In
creased wages, and diminished ef
ficiency. Another is sure that the un
equal distribution of wealth, due to
a faulty and discriminative economic
system. Is the root of the trouble. So
it goes, with all kinds of phrase-making
definitions of world-wide causes
and scientific judgments on perfectly
obvious facts.
The Ohio grocer knows why it is
and what has done it. The high cost
of living is in the main due to the
high cost of high living by individuals
and by states and nation.
THEY KNOW NO BETTER. '
The theory that women fall into im
morality in consequence of the low
wages paid in stores and officer re
ceived another blow from the "psy-
cnoiogicai laDoratory" report of Dr.
Anna M.' Dwyer, physician of the
Morals Court in Chicago. . She states
as follows the occupations given by
759 women of the underworld:
General housework on
WaitrKR.. ......
Laundresues .... 1' ""'" Xa
Clerks or cashiers 3
Seamstresses or dressmakers ". 6
Stenographers 4
Manicure "
Scrub women a
vtn.i . ..
vvibiiuut occupation 10d
The small proportion of clerks,
cashiers and stenoerrarjhers rlisnnaea nr
the theory that the wages paid in
those occupations are the chief cause
Of Women's downfall. Th mnat f.o.
quent cause is indicated by the state
ment mat two-thirds of the women
examined were mentally defective. In
other words, they lacked the- moral
sense or the moral strength to remain
chaste, or they lacked understanding
to realize the consmiienp.. rr h.in.
unchaste. The remedy for the great
majority or cases or prostitution is not.
mereiore. a- minimum wnc- Vif on
industrial home, where women may, be
protected against their weakness until
their mental powers and moral sense
have been develoned tr th nntnt
where they can resist temptation, and
where they may be instructed in the
means of earning an honest living.
r-rosututes in general should be
treated neither as criminals nor as vic
tims of the present economic system,
but as mental defecti
gone wrong because they lacked sense
tu Keep in me rignt path. Some among
them are criminals or have been driv.
en to Unchastitv throueh rliro nnoor),.
but they are exceptions and. should be
treated as sucn. some, too, are nat
urally licentious and would
be liberated than they would return to
ineir rormer life. The best that can
be done with 'them is to heal them
when sick and to prevent them from
spreading those deadly diseases which
are common among them.
A HISTORIC PARALLEL.
That is happening in the PhiliDDine
which always happens when one lead
er of a political party promises or en
courages hope of more than other
leaders promise. The most extreme
promises are Interpreted as binding
the party. Qualifying phrases are
overlooked and Immediate fulfilment
of a promise is expected, which In the
very nature of things must take a con
siderable time to carry out.
Delegate Quezon, having been cred
ited with procuring the appointment
of Governor Harrison, had apparently
been seized with megalomania and
Imagines that he had only to demand
transfer of the Government to the
educated minority and it would be
granted. Careful reading of President
Wilson's address to Congress shows
that ho has no such intention, though
the action which he has permitted Mr.
Harrison to take shows that the Presi
dent intends to expedite greatly the
substitution of Filipino for American
rule. But imperialist hotheads Jike
Representative Jones have encouraged
the hope that Mr. Wilson's hand could
be forced, and Mr. Quezon's threats
of revolt seem to have the same pur
pose. The situation closely parallels that
which existed In the Transvaal when
Mr. Gladstone acceded to power in
1880. The Boer oligarchy was on the
verge of destruction by the Basutos,
who made war in revenge for slave
raids, and appealed to the British
Commissioner to annex and save it
He complied, the British subdued the
Basutos and the Boers then demanded
independence. Gladstone assumed
their sham republic to be a reality
and in the campaign of 1880 con
demned annexation and said their de
mands should be granted. He became
Premier and -the Boers" demanded ful
filment of his promise. When he de
layed, they rebelled. Thereupon he
granted them independence under a
shadowy suzerainty. From his course
resulted all the bloodshed and devas-
tatlon of the Boer war of 1899 to 1901.
If in response to Mr. Quezon's
threats Mr. Wilson should grant im
mediate independence, we may expect
even worse conditions than existed in
the Transvaal from 1881 to 1899. Un-
like the Boers, the Filipinos are not
a nation; they are- a collection of
tribes ranging from savagery to civili
zation. These tribes have internecine
quarrels and have not even the bond
of a common language. The more civ
ilized Tagalogs and Visayans- are like
ly to provoke war by taking slaves
from the mountain savages.
Ifwe were to grant control of the
Government to the cultured Filipinos,
of whom Mr. Quezon is a leader, we
might reasonably expect civil war,
which would be followed by appeals
from the losing party for interven
tion. If we then Intervened, the work
of reconstruction would need to begin
all over again and would be fought
with difficulties growing out of our
display of vacillation. If we refused
to Intervene, the islands would prob
ably sink to the condition of the most
debased Central American republic
and only our threat of war would re
strain some other power from seizing
them.
Thus the men who have made the
loudest professions of friendship for
the Filipinos would do them the worst
injury.
MORE ETHICS.
The Oregonian submits the follow
ing 'letter from a Portland engineer
as a contribution to the current dis
cussion of the interstate bridge and
its consulting engineer. It will be
noted that the writer takes for his text
the interesting subject of "Ethics":
As a consulting engineer of this city, in
nowise connected with bridge engineering
and yet familiar with the ethics of our
profession, I can no longer resist making a
few remarks, as a citizen, regarding the
j contract Just signed with Waddell & Har-
""Biw" 1 iuu luetmig uii too inter
state bridge.
It the first place it Is decldely unethical
for any engineer who poses as a "consulting"
engineer, and therefore In a position to
render Impartial advice to his clients, to
own patents upon or be In anywise finan
cially interested in any of the competing
materials or equipment for any job upon
which he may be serving in a consulting
capacity. Thla should be evident to any
one, since his recommendation of each of
two type of draw spans. In this Instance.
would profit him $15,000 more than the se
lection of a non-patented type or a type con
trolled by other parties. Can anyone be
lieve that human nature is such as to per
mit him In this case to render impartial
Judgment? Engineering codes of ethlca al
ways eliminate this condition.
Engineers who practice In this manner
do not stand upon professional grounds, but
are strictly commercial engineers, who are
not entitled to recognition In a consulting or
(tuvisory capacity.
During the recent controversy over
the bridge, the public was edified by
several lofty lectures on ethics from
Mr. Harrington. It would seem that
engineering ethics is a point of view,
a state of mind, or a condition of
pocket, dependent altogether on
whether you get the contract.
The bridge contract finally signed
was determined as to compensation on
the basis of a bid by another engineer,
Mr. Modjeski. That gentleman, it
seems, by his offer fixed the standard
of engineering service to be rendered.
So the bridge board rejected Modjeski
and closed with Waddell & Harrington
on the Modjeski figure. More ethics.
WILSON'S THEORY IN PRACTICE.
Woodrow Wilson is the first among
Presidents to have deliberately ex
pressed his opinion of the Presidency
long before he could have had more
than a vague hope of filling the office.
That opinion was contained in the
Blumenthal lectures at Columbia Uni
versity, delivered in the Winter of
1907-8. It was a purely academic
opinion, for he had not yet become an
active politician. The New York
Evening Post - publishes an article
summarizing the views he expressed
and comparing Mr. Wilson's practice
with his theory. It. will be interest
ing to carry the comparison further
and to continue it as his policy and
methods develop.
Mr. Wilson, at the time of deliver
ing his lectures, held the Presidency
to be what the man holding the office
"has the force and sagacity to make
it." The President can become the
leader of the Nation and the leader
of his party. Mr. Wilsorr thought that
only "by incapacity or lack of per
sonal force can he escape being lead
er of his party, because he Is at once
the choice of the party and of the
Nation." The Post says, giving the
substance of what Mr. Wilson said:
He ! the party nominee, and the only
party nominee, for whom the whole Nation
votes. . . . He can dominate his party
by being spokesman for the real sentiment
and purpose of the country . . . by
giving the country at once the information
and the statements of policy which will
enable It to form Its Judgments alike of
parties and of men. He "has It In his choice
to be the political leader of the Nation. .
. . His is the only National voice In af
fairs. ... If he rightly Interpret the
National thought and boldly Insist upon It,
he is irresistible.-- for the instinct of the
country "Is for unified action and it craves
a single leader."
The President he described as "the
unifying power in a complex system,"
which includes not only the three de
partments of Government, but the
powers divided between Nation and
states and the conflicting interests of
sections of the country and groups of
opinion. His success depends on the
kind of relationship he can establish
with public opinion and his highest
task is to become " Its diviner and
spokesman and to 'facilitate Its trans
lation Into effective action, says the
Post. Mr. Wilson even said: "A Presi
dent whom the country trusts can not
only lead it but form it to his own
views." recognizing the Constitution as
a "vehicle of life and its spirit always
the spirit of the age."
Mr. Wilson said the President was
at liberty to "lead the houses of Con
gress by persuasion," not "to domi
nate them by authority." The personal
force behind his messages is great, for
"the whole country reads them and
feels that the writer speaks with an
authority and a responsibility which
the people themselves have given
him." As means of influencing Con
gress he rejects bargaining as to ap
pointments or measures, as well as ar
bitrary acts.
The President has realized his con
ception of leadership by his overmas
tering influence with Congress, and
the result appears in the tariff and
currency laws. He has successfully
gauged and made himself the spokes
man of public opinion and therefore
Congress has been unable to resist
him. As he has thus proved himself
a capable leader of the Nation, the
Democrats could not escape following
him as leader of their party. The
movements of great corporations and
bankers to make their peace with the
Government pro-! that they see in
him public opinion unified in one
person. Had he failed rightly to
gauge public opinion, the Nation
would have rejected him as its lead&r,
and 'his party would soon have done
likewise. So long as he reads the
public mind aright, he will be irre
sistible. -
Mr. Wilson has put his theory in ,
.
I practice in another particular the
I making of appointments. He said in
) 1908 that the President was "the most
heavily burdened officer in the world;'
and he suggested as a means of relief
"without shirking any real responsi
bility" that "appointments should be
made more and more upon the advice
and choice of his executive col
leagues." Almost his first act on as
suming office was to refer all callers
on matters of patronage to the heads
of departments. His Cabinet officers
have been required to shoulder re
sponsibility, and Mr. Bryan, in par
ticular, must bear the blame for re
viving "the spoils system in the dip
lomatic service, and Mr. Burleson for
the same course in the postal service.
Mr. Wilson has taken a hand in filling
the higher diplomatic- posts, but in
the main has kept himself free to deal
with the larger problems. His suc
cess so far in doing so vindicates the
wisdom of this policy.
The President has taken direct con
trol of the Mexican affair In harmony
with the opinion he expressed six
years ago that "the initiative in for
eign affairs which the President pos
sesses without any restriction what
ever is virtually the power to control
them absolutely." He has correctly
read public opinion as opposed to
armed intervention and as desiring to
see genuine democracy prevail in
Latin America, but he has run great
risk of being deserted by the people
when he intervenes so actively but so
Ineffecutally that he leaves no alter
native to National humiliation except
armed intervention. Does he hope in
this affair not only to lead the coun
try but to "form it to his own view"?
If so and if he should suceed, his glory
will be the greater; if he fail, the
sham will all be his, for It will be of
his own making.
WORKERS AND IDLERS.
The reference by The Oregonian to
"professional idlers" and "chronic
ne'er-do-wells" was not intended to
"answer to the thousands of unfortu
nate men honestly striving in the al
most hopeless task of finding honor
able employment." This In reply to a
complaint from Mr. Isaac Swett,
printed today. It is a strange per
version of The Oregonian's remarks to
assume that they were designed to be
a sweeping classification of the unem
ployed as loafers and trlflers.
The Oregonian has distinctly and
repeatedly approved all practicable ef
fort to aid the worthy workless, but
it has insisted upon a proper dis
crimination between the ' deserving
and the undeserving. It was not
able, for example, to support the
quixotic scheme of Governor West to
have the Emergency Board -make an
appropriation of $50,000 to create
work on the public roads. It is not
sympathetic with the demand that
employment be given by the city, on
specified terms (specified by the job-
hunters). The hungry man takes
work when and where he can get it.
But the unemployed are with us,
and The Oregonian is In .accord with
Mr. Swett's suggestion that the prob
lem be studied carefully and that a
solution be found and that every reas
onable concession be made, and doubt
be resolved, for the man in want of
work. It must be understood that the
condition is not local but world-wide
Every American city has had on Its
hands large numbers of idle men,
Portland among the rest. If they want
work, and will work, they should get
it.
Set it may fairly be asked how
long the state or the city must con
tinue to care for the unemployed,
merely because they cannot easily find
private employment. There is a limit
to the public resources and the public
responsibility.
GIVE NEW LAWS A FAIR CHANCE.
Men of all parties now unite in call
ing upon the people to give the new
tariff and currency laws a fair chance
and in predicting good results from
President Wilson's constructive pro
gramme. One of the most distin
guished of these is John Wanamaker,
who was Postmaster-General under
President' Harrison and who is noted
as an independent Republican. In
speaking at the dinner of the Union
League at Philadelphia he attributed
Republican defeat to the fact that
"that party was deaf, dumb and blind
to the widespread evidence of a deter
mination to enforce changes in the
tariff corresponding to the improved
machinery and greater skill of Ameri
can workmen." He said Mr. Wilson
took office pledged to tariff revision
and monetary reform and, he contin
ued: In less than one year both these great
undertakings have been accomplished. All
honor to the nersistent President and the
Democratic statesmen who have made their
word good.
He pronounced it too early to pass
judgment with certainty on either of
these laws, but he did not think tariff
changes had affected business seri
ously. He found the crux of existing
business conditions in the monetary
legislation and denied it was the
proper function of any government to
do a banking business, expressing a
preference of a central bank man
aged by bankers and merchants, as
in other countries, but he said:
Now that the bill Is a law, there Is
nothing to be gained by pulling it to pieces.
The bill, as passed. Is a vast improvement
upon the original bill. I believe it work
able, but not by amateurs.
Mr. Wanamaker said a stupendous
responsibility rests upon the President
in selecting the members of the Fed
eral Reserve Board, saying they
should be men "commanding the con
fidence of not only our own country
men, but of banking and business
men abroad," for their tremendous
power will enable them . "to hold in
their hands the weal or woe of the
American people" and therefore the
Board "must be kept absolutely free
from the slightest taint of politics of
any kind, good or bad." He called
upon good citizens and publishers of
newspapers "to abstain from criticism
and partisanship in discussing a bill
enacted in good faith after long study
by many capable men' He predicted
restored confidence as a result of as
surances as to the President's atti
tude towards corporations and he con
cluded: The man who sees nothing but dis
aster ahead is not a true American. I
have no fear of any serious unsettleraent of
business or any long disturbance of pros
perity. . We have lots of room in this coun
try for courage, energy, and enterprise, but
there is no room or reason for a panic. What
the President wants and what the country
wants are strong men, unselfish and broad
vlsioned, who are able to help him and his
Cabinet to lead the way. The motto for
the New Year is, "Don't be blue."
These words of a representative,"
successful business man in regard to
the work of a President to whom he
is politically opposed are worth tak
ing as a guide by every man. We must
give the men at the head of affairs
credit for good work done and must
take it as a pledge that their future
work will also be good. The confi
dence thus reposed should inspire
confidence to go forward with our
Industries and enterprises. If each
will do his part in this way, we sljall
hasten prosperity.
IN WllOSK INTERESTT
It is asserted in a letter from a
Bend contributor published today that
the new tax law was not formed for
the people's benefit, but must have
been " drawn in the Interest of the
bankers and note-shavers.
We cannot quite agree with the
statement. The higher the penalties
for delay in tax payments the more
likelihood is there that the taxpayer
will borrow money from the banker
or note-shaver before the day arrives
in which penalties begin to run.
As compared with the old law the
new act actually lowers the penalties
Imposed for fhe first five months
after the day taxes become due and
payable. If the taxpayer whose re
ceipt calls for $150 paid nothing until
the expiration of five months from the
first Monday in April, the penalties
and interest amounted to $22.60 un
der the old lawT Under the new law
the penalty in such instances is $7.50.
The former law, taking into account
the 3 per cent rebate", enabled the tax
payer to borrow his taxes on March
15 at 8 per cent for six months and
save practically the entire penalty and
interest charges imposed by the state
on delinquency. For the $150 taxpayer
this saving amounted to about $21
after deducting the interest on his
note. The same taxpayer, if he bor
rows today for five months at 8 per
cent, saves $2.50 over what he would
pay if he let his taxes run.
These figures, however, have to do
only with the inducements offered the
taxpayer to borrow by the two laws,
and reveal simply a present condition
where it is almost as economical for
one to make the state, rather than
the private Institution, his banker.
How the law affects the individual is
another matter.
If A, who pays $150 in taxes, bor
rowed in time to get the 3 per cent
rebate under the old law, the principal
and interest of his note at six months
at 8 per cent would have been
$151.32. At present if he borrows for
six months at 8 per cent his total of
principal and interest on the same
amount of taxes will be $156. From
the standpoint of the man who can
and would borrow his tax money the
new law increases his burden of tax
ation as result of abolishing the re
bate, but paradoxically as It may
seem, the inducement to borrow is
less under the later statute. On the
other hand the man who cannot or
will not borrow will find a saving un
der the new law if he' lets his taxes
run for five months. In such case
the saving is just 10 per cent on the
total tax paid by him as compared
with the former law.
NEW LIGHT ON ANDREW JOHNSON.
an the seventh and last volume of
Is "History of the United States,"
James Schouler undertakes the diffi
cult task of rehabilitating the repu
tation of Andrew Johnson. It is made
all the more difficult by the fact that
Rhodes in his history returns an un
favorable verdict upon the man who
succeeded Lincoln in office. The
latter historian frankly declares that
"of all men In public life it is diffi
cult to conceive of anyone so ill-fitted
for the delicate work of reconstruc
tion." He establishes a certain pre
conception against Johnson by dwell
ing upon his humble, birth and low
breeding and ends by "stamping him
as an egotist and braggart." Rhodes
quotes copiously from the "balcony
speeches," in which Johnson was at
his worst and "more than insinuates
that he was under the influence of
liquor" during many of his extraor
dinary deliverances. He condemns
Johnson for beginning his Presidency
by encouraging Sumner and the rad
icals, while later on he lurched over
to conservatism of the most uncom
promising sort. Finally, in Schouler's
opinion, Rhodes errs by blaming
Johnson for his firmness under diffi
culties, stigmatizing as "obstinacy"
what he ought to praise as manly de
termination. Whatever one may think of John
son it seems Incongruous to cast his
low birth and lack of fine breeding
In the teeth of an American Presi
dent. As Schouler points out in this
connection we make a great merit in
Lincoln of the very circumstances for
which his successor is often blamed.
Both Lincoln and Johnson came of
Southern "poor white" stock. Lin
coin had the good fortune to be taken
to a free state In his early boyhood
while Johnson was reared in Tennes
see, where he came in contact with
pro-slavery prejudices of the most
obdurate kind. Lincoln entered pub
lic life by way of the law, Johnson
through a long course of administra
tive experiences. He was successively
Alderman, Mayor, Representative in
Congress and twice Governor of his
native state. He won National re
nown as Military Governor of Tennes
see, from which position he passed on
to the Vice-Presidency. As far as ad
ministrative experience is concerned
he was far better prepared for the
Presidency than Lincoln when he took
office. His ill success must therefore
be attributed to defects of character
rather than of training. Had he
shown himself adequate to the situa
tion where fate placed him, the Amer
ican people would esteem him all the
more for his humble origin, just as
they do Lincoln. But even as things
turned out. It is an unworthy act on
the part of historians like Rhodes to
reproach him for the hard conditions
of his youth.
Johnson was no egotist and, as a
rule, he was far from being a brag
gart. It has been truly said that in
private conversation he was a great
deal more discreet than Lincoln, who
said amazing things with startling
complacency, now and then. In his
speeches on great public occasions
Johnson maintained a high dignity
excellently befitting the Presidency.
It was In his "balcony" speeches that
he seemed to forget the restraints
which prudence would have counseled
and let himself go to wild extremes.
His active and virulent enemies nat
urally fixed upon these utterances as
typical of the man, keeping his more
Important speeches in the back
ground. The stories of Johnson's ad
diction to strong drink seem to have
been grossly exaggerated. Schouler
has profoundly studied the original
documents bearing on the subject.
He has had access to all the material
In the Federal archives and also to
the Diary of Gideon Welles, which
throws so much light on the .difficult
days following the close of Lincoln's
life. From these sources Schouler
concludes that there is very little
ground for believing that Johnson was
habitually a hard drinker. It is un
deniable that he was intoxicated when
he took the oath of office as Vice-
President, but never again on ans'
public occasion was he under the in
fluence of liquor. His habits of life
were, abstemious and, except In the
regrettable "balcony" performances,
he had a becoming sense of the dig
nity of his office.
In fairness Johnson ought to be ex
cused for much of his apparent
Inconsistency when he deserted Sum
ner and the radicals, whom he had
supported at the beginning of his Ad
ministration. They were Lincoln's
friends. As Lincoln's successor under
the most unhappy conditions, he
doubtless felt obliged to uphold as
much as he could of the policy and
spirit of the great martyr. Sumner
and the. other radicals, much as they
often differed from Lincoln in mat
ters of detail, were his steadfast ad
herents, so that Johnson naturally fell
into their arms when he became
President. But he was a greater
statesman than any of them. He saw
more clearly what ought to be done
In the way of reconstruction and he
had far more politic views upon the
subject of negro suffrage. The trend
of public opinion for the last twenty
five years has been away from ex
tremists like Sumner and toward
pacifists of Johnson's school. His
irenic policy was beyond all question
the right policy. As soon as the se
ceded states should have adopted the
anti-slavery amendments and repudi
ated their war debts, Johnson wished
to leave them to solve their own
domestic problems, while the radicals
in Congress were determined to force
a system of local relations upon them,
which their souls abhorred. Johnson
was overruled for the moment, but
with every passing year his wisdom
becomes more apparent and the fail
ure of the opposing policy more mani
fest. The Southern Stajtes won by
dint of years of strife what Johnson
would have given them Immediately,
and the negroes have forfeited almost
everywhere by their incapacity the
right of suffrage which was prema
turely bestowed upon them. We dare
say the verdict of Impartial history
will be mainly with Schouler rather
than Rhodes a3 far as Johnson is
concerned.
The injunction case against the
Widow Lyle raises the. painful question
whether a bereaved woman has a le
gal right to make her grief a public
nuisance. This forlorn relict, having
plenty of money, has embalmed her
love for the departed in a chime of
bells, which are rung every quarter of
an hour, to the distress of the neigh
borhood. Naturally an injunction is
sought against her noisy woe. It does
seem as if she might find some less
boisterous way to grieve. The dear de
parted left her $20,000,000, but is it
necessary on that account for her to
drive all her neighbors crazy?
Men often remain bachelors because
women are spendthrifts, says an edu
cator. True enough. The poor fel
low's fiancee drives him so hard that
he can't get enough ahead to pay for
a ceremony.
A Los Angeles woman stepped from
an aeroplane 850 feet In the air and
landed safely by means of an aero
life preserver. That's another big vic
tory in the conquest of the air.
Personality is to count 25 per cent
hereafter in California Civil Service
examination, personality to be de
termined by oral questions. Gives the
hot air artist a chance.
By edict of-the Archbishop of Paris
those who dance the tango must do
penance. . Unwilling husbands who
dance the tango feel that they have
already done penance.
Constitutionalists are carefully
keeping liquor from Indian allies. But
give poor Lo a few Jolts of firewater
and he'll run the Federals into the sea
before sundown.
The oldest mail carrier has just re
tired after having covered 360,000
miles and earned $35,000. How would
you like to walk ten miles for a dol
lar?
A zoo monkey is 111 from having
eaten a buttonhook. Some of his
evolved relatives eat even more in
digestible articles every day.
Keen disappointment is felt among
all lovers of gymnastics that Faderew
ski didn't pause here long enough to
wreck a couple of pianos.
Admirals and Vice-Admirals for our
Navy are urged as a crying need. Bet
ter too few than too many of these
gilt-laden dignitaries.
An Illinois woman captured a burly
burglar single handed. Up-to-date
burglars keep away while there's a
woman in the house.
Let us trust that, refreshed by
f-fine vacation. President Wilson will
take a firmer hold on our foreign
relations.
Chehalls is planning an expensive
water system which. will give the town
pure water. No wiser investment can
be made.
The oldesf commercial traveler will
retire after 58 years. Even the
staunchest digestion cannot last for
ever.
Wall street bears are unable to af
fect stock prices. The fangs have
been drawn from poor old Wall street.
Eventually, at moving time, we will
need only put a couple of parcel post
stamps on the household effects.
As Commander-in-Chief of the mili
tia why should the Governor submit
to even technical arrest?
Apples caused the downfall of Van
couver thieves. Bananas more often
bring this about.
It is announced that Paris styles
are to be even, bolder. They already
are too bold.
Hold your breath! Professor Taft
and Dr. Eliot have had a difference
of opinion.
With a few erasures the directory
may yet do for a ballot at the coming
primaries.
A St. Louis man wants a band to
play at his funeral. Ragtime or
dirges ?
Promoter Lyman's desire to devote
his life to philanthropy occurs a little
late.
Michigan may impose a tax on cop
per. Anything to cop tne coppers.
Iowa Progressives
decline fusion.
Must prefer defeat.
About time for Dame Rumor to ac
cept Huerta's resignation again.
Gleams Through the Mist
By Dean Collins.
The Premier Pedeetrienne.
(A Vancouver woman has found, by use
of the pedometer, that she walks more than
17 miles dally at her housework.)
They tell the tale of the crooked man
Who hobbled a crooked mile:
But I am impelled, as the story I scan.
To smile a sardonlcal smile.
And scribble a fine
Pedometrical line
In praise of the housewife who made
A record in walking.
The which no use talking
Puts hie record far and away In the shade.
Myself I rated a walker stout.
In days of my earlier youth.
The time that in hallways and round about
1 escorted a fierce aching tooth.
But far though my feet
Went hurrying fleet.
That distance is scant and forlorn
Compared to the one
The housewife has done
While getting the boarders their breakfast
each morn.
Weston, I've heard, has a record strong.
And Enils has walked a bit.
Ana others have rambled both far and long
To make a pedestrian hit;
O'Leary's a stout pedal
Wins many a medal
A J?vr the country he blows.
But, Danny O'Leary.
lour record looks drearv
Compared to the record the housekeeper
shows.
The suffragist hiker is known to fame
For many a gallant walk;
The papers publish her face and name;
We fall for the line of her talk.
But. suffragist hikers.
You're shown up as pikers
.Fo.r .wa have received the assurance
That the medal for all
Should certainly fall
To the housewife for distance and speed
and endurance.
"Ungrateful son! Tou might have
married an heiress! Then why did you
take instead, this chorus girl, off the
stage?"
"Father, I cannot tell a lie," said
the noble young man. "I did It to ele
vate the drama."
Passing It On.
There Is a man In our town
And he Is full of prunes;
He has a rusty phonograph
And never changes tunes.
Cincinnati Enquirer.
There is a man In our town.
Who's even -worse than that;
He's teaching tango dancing on
The floor above our flat.
Chicago Record-Herald.
There is a man In our town
A friend T do believe
Who toots the sliphorn on our floor,
from morn to dewy eve.
New York Evening Sun.
There Is a man in our town;
A ruffian sure Is he
He sleeps out loud and through his
nose.
Across the hall from me.
Having read last week's series about
the Prohibitionist who declined to drink
the water because it had been "piped,"
W. E. M. suggests the following ad
dition: I took him on the dry ship "Piffle";
Thought there he'd eat a bite
But no for he began to sniffle
And cried: "The ship is tight."
All of which we! account us diabolic
ally clever.
Solemn Thought.
My hand still dates "1913."
With rage I choke about it.
Because, each time, some Ivory Bean
Gets off the annual Joke about it.
The new asteroid, named by the as
tronomers "Albert." may feel justified
In hiding from their sight. SttU it
might worse, for they could have
named him Clarence or even Ethelbert.
-
ir Burns Lived In Portland.
A man may dig aboot the pave,
Ha"ng lantern up. and a" that;
Pedestrians may rant and rave
A street's a Btreet, for a that.
For a' that, and a' that.
The asphalt hunks and a' that.
And Belgian blocks and busted rocks
A street's a street for a' that.
"Sir," said the courteous office boy
in glee, "I can tell you a good story
about the side of a skirt "
"Cut it out!" I said sternly, "we
must be in fashion."
"At that," said the c. o. to., "we have,
between us, doped out -a Jest."
"Yes, my son," I replied, "and wc
were as laborious as a vaudeville team
In doing It."
"And 'twas almost as ragged when
done," trumped he.
Approximate History.
38,217 B. C. Reginald Auktoe throws
his grandfather into u. nest of wild
bees. Medicinal value of bee stings
In cases of rheumatism first noted.
25.140 B. C. Percy Gnatheel. from
a tree-top, drops a rock on Hubert
Beartooth and elopes with the widow,
originating the saying: "None but the
brave deserve the fair."
3483 B. C. Discontent arises over the.
contracts on the Tower of Babel. First
mass meeting of taxpayers held and
work on structure halted.
1095 A. D. Godfrey de Bouillon and
others arrange series of Cook's Tours
through Palestine.
1436 A. D. Gutenberg, of Mentz.
rashly invents printing from movable
type, thereby making the compositor
eternally responsible for all errors of
the reporter and space writer.
1647 A. D. Peter Stuyvesant star In
the first production of "The Burgo
master" on Broadway.
Cionrmet's Love Sonar.
As is the mint sauce to the lamo.
As is the fried egg to the ham.
As is the 'possum to the yam, "
Are) you to me!
Like pork without the apple sauce.
Like hot cross buns without the cross,
Without you, love, a total loss
My life would be!
Like apple pie without the cheese,
.tr- -i 1 . i - lamK wtiKniit tha Tt n i n
Or lemon ice that will not freeze.
wouio De my me.
You are the syrup to my cakes.
You are the mushrooms to my stenjes.
And so I beg for botli our sake;,
Oh, bo my wife!
I love you with my heart and soul.
More than young squab en casserole.
More than French dressing in the bowl,
Oh. do be mine!
What? No? My future thus you spoil!
My salad you deprive of oil!
Farewell! But still the pot will boil!
I go to dine! New York Globe.
Beneficiaries of Tax Levy.
BEND, Or., Jan. 8. (To the Editor.
The new tax law is rotten, there Is
no doubt of that, and was not made
for the people, but for the bankers and
note -shavers.
With a strong public sentiment the
Legislature might better the tax law.
but, once convinced, how many bad
laws would they, saddle on us?
Washington has a fairly good tax
law 3 per cent off before March 15
or one-half before June 1, last half
before November 30, thus having the
money coming in in three periods.
There is no lump penalty for being a
few minutes late, but la per cent per
annum after delinquent. The Treas
urer collects all taxes.
H. II. DA VIES.
Pbjalclan and Former Patient.
Detroit Free Press.
'Well, well." said Dr. Bigblll, as h
met a; former patient on the street.
'I m glad to see you again, Mr. Brown.
How are you this morning?" "First,
doctor." . said Mr. Brown cautiously.
does It cost anything to tell you I"