6
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTIi3LNT, FEBRUARY 15, 1914.
PORTLAND, OKEOON.
Entered at Portland, Oregon. postoffice, as
econd-class matter.
t.u Inscription Kates Invariably in Advance:
-. (BY MAIL.)
Illy, Sunday included, one year ?',J2
Daily, Sundap included, six months ....
X)aily, Sunday Included, three lnontns ...
Xally. Suuday Included, one rnontn -'AT
Daily, without Sunday, one year hi
Iiaily, without Sunday, six months
Daily, without Sunday, three months ...
Daily, -without Sunday, one month -WJ
Weekly, one year i..." J'fL,
Sunday, one year JH'
fcunuay and weekly, one year ..........
(BY CARRIER)
Dally, Sunday included, one year ""?9
Daily, Sunday Included, one month
How to Remit Send postoffice money or
cr, exprebs order or persoual check on your
local bank. Stamps, coin or-currency are
at tender's risk. Give postoffice address
In full, including county and state.
Postage Rates la to 16 pages, 1 cent; IS
to Zi pases, S cents; 34 to 4o pages, 8 cent;
6u to eo pax-is. 4 .cents; 62 to i pages, u
cents; 78 t UK pages, B cems. Foreign post
age, double rates. x
Kaftera Business Offices Verree & Conk
Xln, New York, Brunswick building- Chi
cago, steger building.
ban Francisco Office R. J. Bidwell Co.,
742 Market street.
PORTLAND, SUNDAV, FEBRUARY 16, 1914
BRYAN'S DIPLOMATIC POLICT.
Secretary of State Bryan, by his
changes in the diplomatic service, has
raised an issue which must sooner
or later be decided by public opinion.
He has opened the question whether
our foreign missions are to be headed
by trained diplomats or by men
chosen without regard to special
training, but with regard only to per
sonal fitness and distinction and to
political service to the ruling party.
1 The merit system was introduced by
executive order under President Taft,
but he was not bound to appoint
heads of missions by promotion, and
political considerations were not en
tirely excluded. He sent Jacob Gould
Sehurman to Greece during that gen
tleman's vacation year as President of
Cornell. He consoled Henry'S. Bou
tell for defeat in a Congressional elec
tion with the Ministry, first to Portu
gal and then, to Switzerland, and he
sent his personal friend Theodore
Marburg to Belgium. None of these
men had diplomatic experience and
all were appointed after the merit
system had been introduced into the
service. Examinations for admission
to the lower grades were not thefi,
and are not now, open to all. Candi
dates must be designated by the
President, who acts upon the indorse
ment of eight Senators of his own
party. Promotion of secretaries of
legation to be ministers is optional
with the President, but the Secretary
of State is required to keep a roster
of those secretaries of the higher
grades "who by reason of efficient
service have demonstrated special ca
pacity for promotion to be chiefs of
mission." Mr. Taft appointed ten
men from this roster, but did not
adhere strictly to it. ,
The new policy pursued by Mr.
Bryan is described by Edward G.
Lowry in an article in Collier's Week
ly. He says that Mr. Bryan has dis
regarded the roster altogether; he has
dismissed twenty-four chiefs of mis
sion and has not disturbed seven. Of
those dismissed, two entered the service-by
competitive examination and
worked their way up on efficiency
markings; eight entered witho.ut com
petitive examination, but also worked
their way up; five had what Mr.
Lowry calls "fugitive diplomatic or
Consular experience," but were ap
pointed and .promoted on political
grounds rather than on efficiency, and
nine had no experience and were sole
ly political appointees. All have been
replaced by men without experience.
Mr. Bryan's policy is thus explained
by Mr. Lowry;
The Secretary of State does not believe
In the merit system or civil service promo
tlon as a sole basis In determining- fitness
for diplomatic appointments to the grade
of Minister and Ambassador. Pie does not
purpose disturbing the civil service protec
tion accorded under executive order to sec
xetaries of legation and men in the consular
service. No dismissals have been made by
Mr. Bryan in the secretarial grades of the
diplomatic service or in the consular force.
Mr. Bryan does not feel that civil service
(principles extend to Ministers and Ambas
sadors. and until Congress passes a law
covering them into the civil service he
will continue the practice he has established
of appointing such men as he sees fit and
as he deems qualified to these posts. He
has not yet come to favor or to look with
sympathy upon the idea of building up
.trained and permanent diplomatic; force
with a permanent tenure of office such as
obtains In the Army and Navy and the Fed
eral Judiciary. He regards as one of the
current risks of being a Minister the like
lihood of being supplanted and let out of
office when a new - Administration comes
Into power of an opposing political faith
and having other conceptions of govern
ment. Mr. Bryan helleves that Ministers
and Ambassadors should be In sympathy
with the Administration under which they
serve. He regards unfavorably the "Euro
pean system" as applied to a republic like
this, with a government by parties.
Thus, again to quote Mr. Lowry,
"the effort to build up a permanent
system and the beginning made has
been stopped by Mr. Bryan. As far
as he could, he has undone what had
been done."
The question is now before the peo.
pic whether they wish to be served
abroad by trained diplomats who have
risen through merit alone and who
will continue in office without regard
to political changes, or by men with
out previous training, selected purely
on the opinion of the President ana
Secretary of State as to their quali
fications and their fidelity and serv
ices to the ruling party. The people
must judge whether it is better, to
encourage ambition and devotion to
the public service by opening to sub
ordinates the door of promotion to
the highest diplomatic posts or to say
In effect to these subordinates: "Thus
far shall you rise and no father." Mr.
Bryan seems to assume that the two
parties are In radical and permanent
conflict as to foreign policy and that,
for this reason, the man who has
served one AdmirLstratin as Am
bassador or Minister cannot faithfully
serve a succeeding Administration of
the other party. He appears fo regard
experience and training in diplomacy
as of no consequence, setting at
naught the example of older nations.
He does not consider diplomacy a pro
fession, but views it as an occupation
Into which a man can Jump without
fear of discredit to himself or disaster
to the Nation he represents.
The one thing needful in our for
ign policy is continuity. Without it
the dealings of foreign nations with
an American Administration will al
ways be colored by the possibility that
a change of the ruling party may
bring a change of policy as to the
matter they have in h nd. Party dif
ferences on foreign policy give other
rations an interest in our domestic
political controversies which is not
conducive to our National security.
The highest patriotism demands that,
when we. as a Nation, are dealing
with other nations we should speak
and act as a unit, iot only in war,
but in those more frequent contro
versies -which arise In times of peace.
As contributing greatly to attainment
of this ideal it is desirable that our
(envoys bo chosen by, merit from
among trained men and remain un
disturbed through political changes,
as are officers of the Army and Navy.
WORKING SMOOTHLY.
When Commissioner Daly presented
to the City CommU-lon for action on
Thursday his pet plan of appropriat
ing $7500 of the taxpayers money to
hire an "expert" to appraise the prop
erty of the Portland Railway, Light &
Power Company, thus needlessly
duplicating the work of the State
Railroad Commission, Mayor Albee in.
dulged in these highly moral observa
tions: "I look a' this proposition in another light.
At recent meetings I have urged the people
to have " faith in public officials and I be
lieve we should have .faith in the Railroad
Commissioners. The minute we find that
they will not work with us we can do some
thing else They are appointed to serve
for the purpose of rate adjustments. That
Is their function the same as the City Com
mission's function is to govern the city."
As an incentive to the public to
have faith in public officials, Mayor
Albee on the following day joined
with the other Commissioners in en
dorsing Commissioner Daly's "expert"
project, the sum being fixed at $5000.
The Mayor had lost interest In pro
moting public confidence in the State
Railroad Commission.
On the same day (Friday) Commis
sioner Daly put over his other hobby
a water meter in every house. He
was authorized to advertise for bids
for 5000 meters, which will cost, in
cluding installation, about $11 each,
making a total outlay for this little
item $55,000. When Commissioner
Daly gets through revolutionizing the
water department, by putting in 40,
000 more meters, he will have in
vested about $500,000 in this useless
and foolish plan.
On the same day (Friday) the City
Commission, through a majority
(Albee, Daly, Blgelow) decided on an
East Side site for the auditorium,
though Commissioner Daly had on the
previous day expressed himself in
favor of the market block as a site.
The "gentlemen's agreement" in
the triumvirate that now runs the
City Commission is in fine working
order.
THE FALSEHOOD AND THE JOKER.
On the back of a circular issued by
the Homes Tax Exemption League,
W. S. U'Ren, president, this circular
carrying on the reverse side the text
of the proposed $1500 - exemption, is
the statement that the rich man's
automobiles are now exempt from
tax.
It is hardly to be expected that the
influences which put the poll tax
fraud across in the 1910 election
would confine themselves to state
ments of fact. Yet the assertion
about automobiles is so preposterous
that one must acknowledge that the
"League" possesses an abundant
nerve.
Every automobile in Oregon, unless
it has been sequestered from the as
sessor, is taxed, and in addition pays
the state a license tax. That not
many automobiles have escaped the
tax rolls is indicated by the public
records rof Multnomah County. In
this county approximately 8000 auto
mobiles are listed and every one of
the cars will pay a direct tax at the
rate that is levied against real prop
erty. Also the tax exemption measure
contains the usually to be expected
U'Ren joker. The U'Ren amendment,
since repudiated, which provided for
county option in taxation, professed
in order to gam votes, to repeal a
poll tax when the poll tax of tj per
head had already been repealed and
the road head tax was unenforceable.
Likewise the new U'Ren bill, to gain
votes, purports to exempt household
furniture with other personal property
up to the value of $1500, when in fact
all household furniture in use is now
exempt.
The Oregonian repeats a question
of the campaign of 1912: "Why can
not Mr. U'Ren present an honest,
straightforward, flat-footed measure?"
OUR RECKLESS AGE.
Automobiles caused the death of
302 persons in New York City last
year, an increase of ninety over the
previous year. In the same period
there were 103 deaths from trolley
cars and 132 by wagons. Thus it ap
pears that in 1913 in New York 67
more persons were killed by automo
biles than by all other vehicular
traffic. These startling facts are
learned from the report of the
National Highways Protective Society
An average of one person a day,
except Sundays, killed through auto
mobile accidents in a single city! Or
six persons per Sunday, if the statis
tics are to be estimated on a basis
more nearly in accord with the facts
for it is true that more automobile
disasters are to be credited to Sunday
than any other day. ' There is noth
ing about the rest day, of course.
that yields this shocking result. If
the day were to be spent in church
Or in some other quiet occupation
Sunday could not be marred by so
many fatalities. The reason is, . of
course, that Sunday Is everywhere
given up to the pleasures of automo-
biling by large numbers of people.
The report further shows that In
New York City In 1913 there were
1485 victims of automobiles, either
killed or injured sufficiently to re
quire medical attention. Only 62 per
sons were arrested following these ac
cidents, or about, one in every twenty
five cases. In one accident out of
every fifteen the. driver of the auto
m6bile ran away without attempting
to give any aid to the victim and
without making his Identity known
In New York during the past year
the society notes 162 such cases, or
about three every week.
The automobile is ordinarily not to
blame for these fatalities, but the au
tomobile driver is. It is probably the
fact also that the number of pedes
trians run down was far fewer than
the victims who were riding in auto
mobiles, and who were themselves
killed or Injured by collision, or other
similar accident.
The number of automobilists killed
by trains in attempting to cross rail
road tracks is astonishing. It is
strange that anyone should take the
slightest chance of speeding over the
rails unless he knows the way is clear,
The automobile is u, mighty contri
butionto commerce and to recreation
In safe hands it is invaluable; In un
safe hands it is a menace. But the
automobilists themselves know that
there must be regulation, and their
organizations everywhere such as the
Portland Automobile Club are making
proper and well-directed effort to pun
Ish the speeder and make travel safe
to the rider and the pedestrian.
New Jersey has met the objections
to laws for eugenic marriage, that
they discriminate between the sexes
in requiring medical examination, by
making its law apply to both sexes
It goes beyond the Wisconsin law by
directing that cognizance ehall be
taken not only, of specific diseases
which may be transmitted to conjugal
partner or to offspring, but also of
chronic infirmities, deformities and
what not which may militate against
satisfactory parentage. But will not
the expense of examination tend to
discourage marriage and encourage
concubinage among the physically un
fit, with the result that the number
of degenerate children will not be de
creased ? The difficulty about many
well-meant laws is that they produce
results opposite to those intended.
LET THE PUBLIC DECIDE.
If any J. Rufus Wallingford should
conceive a great auditorium project
for Portland, and should solicit stock
subscriptions from a more or less in
terested public o- the basis that the
site would be in the immediate vicin
ity ofEast Ninth and Clackamas
streets, more than a mile from the
civic center, across a great river, he
would hot get a dollar, except possi
bly from interested real estate pro
moters. Yet the City Commission proposes
to do with a large public enterprise,
supported by public funds, what no
private investor in his rational mo
ments would dream of doing.
It is no wonder there is general
talk of a referendum. There should
be a referendum, unless the City
Commission recedes.
Obviously the location upon which
the public will unite is the Market
block. It is the property of the city
and it offers no complications. As
between the Market block and any
other available site, there is now no
question as to the decision of the pub
lic. MUSICAL AMERICA. '
John C. Freund, the editor of "Mu
sical America,'1 stirred up a peck of
trouble for himself last Spring and
Summer by a warning to American
girls who go to Europe to study music. ,
He told them, to begin with, that the
trip abroad was unnecessary because
we have just as good teachers In this
country as they can find anywhere.
But in case they were determined to
go, Mr. Freund urged them to take
along a mother or some other pro
tector, and especially to provide
themselves - with ample funds. The
hope of getting through by lucky ac
cidents, he warned them, was Illusory
and dangerous, citing instances of
young girls who had been stripped of
everything, their money, their honor,
their very belief in God," while study
ing in European cities. Why should
American girls incur dangers of this
sort, asks Mr. Freund, for the sake of
musical atmosphere" and musical
education, when they can do just as
well or better at home? Coming from
a source so important as Mr. Freund,
this advice naturally caused a commo
tion in the European musical centers.
Berlin was particularly excited. That
capital draws several million dollars a
year from American travelers and stu
dents. If Mr. Freund's counsels
should be heeded, there would be a
considerable lapse in its annual reve
nues. So the boarding-house keepers of
Berlin combined with the musical fra
ternity to make things unpleasant for
the foe. They induced" the American
Ambassador's wife to preside over a
great - protest meeting where Mr.
Freund's "slander" was vigorously re
pelled and "the honor" of American
girls who go abroad to study was gal
lantly defended. It will be observed
that the commotion was strictly finan
cial. The editor of "Musical America'
had not whispered a syllable against
the honor of our girls. He had merely
given them a sensible and timely
warning about certain perils which we
all know are very real indeed. But
anything to keep business going. Of
course the Berlin music teachers and
pension people may perhaps not care
what becomes of the American girls
who patronize them, provided that
their fees and board bills are
promptly paid. Mr. Freund, on
the other hand, is deeply concerned
for the welfare of American music
and musicians. He believes that
musical affairs are, upon the whole,
more prosperous here than in Europe,
and gives some interesting reasons for
his faith..
One of them is, of course, the fact
that our schools of music are giving
quite as good instruction as can be ob
tained abroad and often better. There
are fakers in this country, Mr. Freund
concedes, but so there are In Europe,
and we possess our full proportion of
musical Instructors as honest and com
petent as there are in the world. Even
admitting all this, however, it does not
necessarily follow that an American
girl acts unwisely to go abroad for
study. While she may not Improve
her technical education much by doing
so, she may broaden and deepen her
culture, which is well worth while if
she can afford it. But Mr. Freund
goes farther and holds that in many
respects we have a decided advantage
over Europe in musical matters. We
produce the great operas better and
give more of them. "Parsifal," for
example, was recently presented both
In New York and Berlin. In his opin
ion New York did it by far the better.
There are no operatic performances in
Europe to compare with those regu
larly given at the Metropolitan Opera
House. The only opera in France Is
at Paris, and there the opposition to
German music is always more or less
vigorous. Only lately the director an
nounced that he would produce no
more German opera. In America such
provincialism would be unthinkable.
We choose the best from all countries
without prejudice. In Italy the opera
season is short and very few works are
produced- Such as are performed are
usually chosen from the national rep
ertory. For us the repertories of all
nations lie open. Mr. Freund boldly.
says that there are dozens of sym
phony orchestras in this country bet
ter than one can find anywhere in Eu
rope. Moreover, we pay higher prices
for performers and therefore attract
the best men to be found in every
country, so that our orchstras present
a degree of perfection equaled, no
where else. "
All this is extremely flattering to our
National pride. To be able to pay
better prices than the Europeans can
afford and thereby obtain possession of
their pictures, .their violin players and
their prima donnas Is wonderfully de
lightful, but there is another side to
it not quite so agreeable to reflect
upon. We produce operas better than
the Europeans, perhaps, but we can
not compose them nearly so well.
When we want anything really bril
liant, we must go to Germany, France
or Russia to get it. Money, it seems
will buy everything but genius. We
can form magnificent orchestras by
hiring the best playing ability in
France and Germany, but we do not
rear any such ability at home. We
have 'millions to spend for Raphaels
and Rembrandts,- but nobody to paint
such pictures. Our musical situation
as Mr. Freund depicts it resembles the
military situation in ancient Carthage.
That great city trained up no soldiers
among her own citizens, but she had
plenty of money to hire mercenaries.
The plan worked admirably as long as
she had no foes but barbarians, but
when it became necessary to fight
with Rome, the defects of alien troops
were painfully apparent. America is
conducting her art upon the same
principle as Carthage did her wars.
We buy everything and pride our
selves enormously because we are able
to pay for it. All this looks dazzling
on paper. As Mr. Freund describes
the situation, he makes us out to be
the artistic leaders of the world. In
music, he assures us, we have gone as
far as our Rockefellers and Carnegies
have in finance. Of course success has
been achieved by similar methods in
both cases. All that money can do we
have done. Our musical expenditures
run up to some $600,000,000 a year,
which is two or three times as much
as Germany uses for that purpose. The
only difference in results seems to be
that while Germany gets Wagners and
Beethovens for her money, we get rag
time and slush.
NOBEL PMZE-WTXNERS.
The Journal des Debats, of Paris,
has compiled the awards of Nobel
prizes by nations, with the result that
the smallest nations appear to have
done most for science in proportion
to population. During the twelve
years from 1901 to 1912, inclusive, the
awards by countries have been: Ger
many, 18; France, 13; England, 6;
Sweden, 4; Holland, 3; Italy, 3; Spain,
2, and Norway, Denmark, Switzerland,
Belgium, Russian Poland, Russia and
the United States, 1 apiece. Taking
the ratio to a theoretical 100,000,000
population as a basis, this puts Sweden
In the lead with 71.9, Holland next
with 50.5. Norway third with 41,8,
Denmark fourth with 36.4, while other
countries trail, along as follows:
France, 32.8; Germany, 27.7; Switzer
land, 26.7; Belgium, , 13.5; England,
13.3; Spain. 10.2; Italy, 8.6; Russian
Poland, 8.0; the United States. 1.1:
Russia, .8.
Had the Nobel fund been created a
century ago, the United States could
have claimed credit for Fulton, the in
ventor of the steamboat; Morse, the
inventor of the telegraph code; Bell
and Edison, for electrical Inventions;
Walter Reed, discoverer of the causes
of yellow fever. Either the period
during which prizes have been award
ed is too short for fair judgment or
American genius is stagnant for a
time. The supremacy of small nations
in scientific achievement may, how
ever, be due to the greater ease with
which recognition is secured among
them.
OUTLOOK FOB FRUIT INDUSTRIES.
On another page of The Oregonian
there may be found an article dealing
with the fruit industries of Oregon
as viewed from the standpoint of Mr.
H. B. Miller, a gentleman as widely
and favorably known as any man in
the West. Mr. Miller has had pecu
liar and appropriate training as some
thing of an authority on the fruit in
dustries of Oregon. He has been a
grower of fruits in this state for more
than a quarter of a century; he has
studied at close range the fruit in
dustries of the Orient, where his posi
tion gave him the best of advantages
for such work; for a number of years
he was the president of the State
Horticultural Society of Oregon; he
also served as president of the Board
of Regents of the Oregon Agricultural
College.
For the last four or five years Mr.
Miller has been engaged in develop-,
ing a large orchard tract near Sheri
dan, but the actual field work has
been done by his son, Kenneth. This
has given Mr. Miller time to go into
the study of fruit conditions in the
state as thoroughly, perhaps, as any
other man has ever gone in any sec
tion of the country.
Mr. Miller believes the marketing
of products can only be accomplished
in a way to insure the greatest suc
cess to the industry by co-operation
among the growers in establishing
plants to take full charge of all of
the various fruits and vegetables that
the members may produce. Then
further co-operation must step in and
combine these plants or associations
Into one great central selling agency to
be located at Portland. This should1
be the clearing-house for the entire
fruit industry of the state. It should
have ample warehouse and cold stor
age space, good dock and railway
facilities and sufficient capital to make
such advances as the growers or con
signors might require.
Another end to be accomplished by
Intelligent co-operation is the knowl
edge it will confer on newcomers as to
the varieties of fruit trees and-berry
bushes to plant. In a neighborhood
where all of the growers were pro
ducing loganberries It perhaps means
failure for a person to be the sole pro
ducer of raspberries. Heretofore
newcomers have had to guess what
to plant and they often guess wrong.
The lack of such facilities now is
hampering the fruit industries of the
state very heavily. If some plan can
not be formulated for relief our
growers will far from reach the suc
cess they deserve.
MAKING A COUNTY PROSPEROUS.
The County Court of Baker County
makes an annual appropriation for
the support of the Baker County Com
mercial Club, of which Mr. Walter E.
Meaeham is the secretary. There has
recently been some opposition to such
appropriation, coming largely from
the farmers of the county. This oppo-
sitiop came about principally because
the farmers as a rule did not under
stand the workings of the club, claim
ing it was an organization operated
principally in the interests of the City
of Bilker.
Lately some of the foremost farmers
In Baker County have gone more thor
oughly into the matter and it has de
veloped, at least to the satisfaction of
a good many of them, that this idea
was erroneous and that in reality the
club was laboring for the upbuilding
of the county as a whole. This feeling
has been intensified very recently by
several get-together meetings held in
various parts of the' county, the more
recent being a dinner given to about
zuu ot tne residents in jsaKer.
At this meeting some of the farm
ers were the principal speakers and
they perhaps voiced the general feel
ing throughout the agricultural com
munities and the smaller towns when
they expressed their opinions that the
Commercial Club was not only doing
good work, but that the appropriation
for its maintenance should be in
creased rather than diminished or
lopped off altogether.
It is a splendid thing for the people
of a county to stand together shoulder
to shoulder for the upbuilding of
every portion of such county. A peo-
pie so united are bound to succeed.
And this Is surely the case with Baker.
Baker is a land of wonders, rich in
all that goes to make a people happy
and prosperous. For diversified re
sources It is mighty hard to beat. Its
mineral resources surpass those of any
other Oregon county; more money is
going into the county for lumber than
any of our counties, with possibly
three exceptions; the payroll ranks
well up with the highest in the state;
the agricultural products are enough
to make any county rich. Baker Coun
ty has about all the good things any
community could ask for.
Let us hope this get-together spirit
will resolve itself into a permanent
stay-together partnership between the
whole people of gooa old Baker. Di
vided they might not much more than
hold their own; united Baker ought to
be one of the banner counties of the
state In all ways that go to make a
people really and truly prosperous.
' RECLAMATION CAN PAY ITS- WAY.
Allotment by Secretary Lane of all
the money now in the reclamation
fund, together, with the proposed ex
tension to twenty years of the time
of payment for water rights and the
steady decline in proceeds of sale of
public land, leaves the cupboard as
bare for further reclamation as
Mother Hubbard found it. It is not
to be tolerated that the progress of
reclamation should be restricted to
the driblets which will come in from
land sales and water-right payments.
From the projects already com
pleted and settled, the Government
can gauge with reasonable accuracy
at what annual rate the money 'ex
pended will return to the fund. It
can therefore Judge how large an is
sue of bonds or certificates could be
redeemed from this source by serial
payment without encroaching on the
general public revenue. Money for
the completion of each project can
then be raised when it is finally
adopted. Receipts from each com
pleted project can -be applied to re
deem the bonds issued for its con
struction, just as yearly installments
on street improvement bonds are ap
plied, or the receipts can be thrown
into a common fund for the redemD
tion of reclamation bonds in general.
Mr. Lane is on the right track when
he proposes a $100,000,000 bond issue,
but there is no valid reason why the
issue should be limited to that or any
other amount. By the issue of bonds
secured by the reclaimed land itself
and redeemable with payments into
the reclamation fund, the arid land
can be made to reclaim itself without
drawing on the Government at all,
provided land is not irrigated any
faster than it is demanded by settlers.
With due care, the operation could
be so engineered and financed that,
when - the last payment on the last
acre was made, the last "bond would
be redeemed. The work would then
be completed without ultimate ex
penditure of a dollar by the Govern
ment. ,
As Oregon has contributed far more
to the reclamation fund than it has
received, equity demands that Oregon
projects have first consideration un
der this plan until all meritorious
projects In this state have been car
ried out. Oregon is entitled to recom
pense for long neglect.
THE THEOSOPHICAL PATH. ,
In the February number of Cather
ine Tingley's "Theosophical Path" a
curious passage is quoted from Glad
stone's writings. It relates to the state
of the soul after death. The distin
guished British statesman seems to
have believed in something like the
doctrine of purgatory. He says that
"the Christian dead are in a progres
sive state," and adds that their sins
"will have to be effaced by a process
of discipline." He ventures to believe
also that while the results of the dis
cipline will be happy, we are "by no
means warranted to believe that it will
be accomplished "without an admix
ture of salutary pain." This consigns
the future state of the Mahommedana,
Buddhists and Mormons to consider
able doubt, but it leaves no gap in our
knowledge of what is likely to happen
to Christians. They are to be purified
by a disciplinary process "between
death and the resurrection." If this
is not exactly the theory of purgatory
as it is taught in some of the churches
the difference Is inappreciable. It
chimes in very well also with the be
lief of the theosophists.
His notion of a disciplinary interval
between death and the resurrection Is
reasonable In itself, and it is supported
by the concurrenc . if innumerable
Christian "theologians. It seems in
credible that even the most righteous
souls should be deemed fit to pass at
once from the turbidity of earthly life
to the Immaculate serenity of heaven.
Must there not be an interval for self
examination and repentance? It Is
safe to assume that the best of us
carry some stain of sin with us when
we depart from this world. Of course
there is a theory that all such stains
are instantaneously obliterated at the
moment of death, but what obliterates
them? Gladstone thought some time
must pass before one could enter para
dise and the disengaged soul would
spend it in purgatorial discipline. The
theosophists, as we intimated above,
differ with him somewhat, but not rad
ically. According to their tenets,- the
purification of the soul Is effected on
earth, but that, after all, is a matter
of detail. The essential point is that
the good work is done somewhere.
Like Gladstone, they relieve us from
the impossible supposition that human
souls, with all their earthly impuri
ties, rush at once into heaven after
leaving their bodies.
The theosophists have not quite the
same conception or neaven as otner
devotees. To their minds it is a place
of rest and refreshment between our
successive lives on earth. To enjoy it
no especial purity is required, since it
is not a final home, but only a cara
vansary, as it were, or a camping place
between journeys. The real work of
redemption and purification is accom
plished here below. Thus the theoso-
phist holds a radically different opin
ion of this world from some of our
Christian brethren. The latter looK
upon it as a' vale of tears, a place of
temptation, and our terrestrial life as
a miserable pilgrimage from which
the sooner we escape the better. "This
earth is not our dwelling place, heaven
is our home." To the theosophist
earth is home. He goes to heaven
now and then to recuperate, but the
real business of his existence Is here,
and no matter how often he goes away
he always comes back: How long we
may expect to stay in heaven, with Its
peaceful river and serene meadows, we
ate not told, but the supposition is
that the periods of rest and refresh
ment there will be long. Katherine
Tingley assures her readers that they
will be longer than any mental image
we can frame of infinite time. But
each sojourn in heaven, be it long or
short, will com to an end, and then
the soul will return to earth to begin
Its work of self-redemption over again.
Thus we are destined to be born in
numerable times, starting at each birth
a little nearer the goal of perfection
than we were before. It follows nat
urally that each of us has been born
Innumerable times already. No human
soul is a stranger, on earth. It is a
traveler who has made a trip to a far
country and come back again to take
up the work it had dropped. -
Reincarnation is the means by
which, according to the theosophists,
our redemption is accomplished. There
is no such thing as a final judgment
and a permanently lost condition of
the soul, if we may trust their teach
ing. The worst of us will have mil
lions of chances to make good and the
best of . us will need them. Persist
ently through the eternities the prin
ciple of Karma is at work, they tell
us, tending continually to make the
balance swing even between right and
wrong, good and evil, happiness and
misery. Each individual has his Kar
ma, and so has the entire universe.
We are permitted to believe that the
Karma of the whole world is worked
out through the efforts of individuals.
It is by attaining to self-redemption
that a man helps best to redeem the
universe. A person's Karma is his ob
ligation to right all the wrongs he has
committed and make good al his fail
ings. When one of his lives ends on
earth the balance is struck and the
debt charged to his account. He goes
to heaven, regardless of the record in
the books, and enjoys his" allotted pe
riod of recuperation. Then he must
return to earth and begin to square
his accounts. So he proceeds from
life to life and he is a lucky man if
each time he departs from this world
there is a smaller debtor charge
against him than there was before.
There is no conflict between theoso-
phy and the ancient doctrine of the
transmigration of souls, which was
held by Pythagoras and many other
sages. These wise men taught that
we might work out our Karma in the
bodies of cattle, swine and serpents, as
well as in the human form. It will
be seen that the doctrine of Karma
looks toward the establishment of
complete harmony throughout the uni
verse. When all obligations shall have
been worked out and every retribution
made, peace will reign everywhere and
evil will be no more. This is a most
engaging hs-pothesis. If there were
convincing evidence of its truth we
cannot see why the whole world
should not adopt it.
Some of our more erudite contem
poraries are exercising their minds
over English grammar, a subject
which they seem to study a good deal
without learning much about it. "Is
it correct,'- asks one correspondent.
it say lie is uppust'u iu my siuui ing
grammar ? we cannot believe it is
correct. Why should "he" be opposed
to such a wholesome, if somewhat
hopeless, pursuit? The only sane ob
jection to any one's studying grammar
would be that his time might be bet
ter spent splitting wood.
One of the express companies has
formed a projec. of worthy competi
tion with the parcel post. It plans
to deliver country produce directly to
city consumers, collect the price and
remit to the grower. In Germany
the government does this. Here no
body has done it hitherto. The ex
press company which takes up the
task will be a public benefactor and
should earn a great reward. It ca'n
charge a profitable fee for the service
and still make things better for both
grower and consumer.
It is not. however, from the classes, but
from the masses that Judge Bennett will
poll his biggest vote. It is his natural hon
esty, his admitted ability and his popular
ity amonar the rank and file of the party
that make him the strongest candidate for
the Democratic nomination for ' Governor.
Albany Democra
What! A Democratic paper refus
ing to line up for the Residuary Leg
atee? But perhaps the Residuary
Legatee does not want Democratic
votes.
New York suffragists abandoned
their twelve-hour meeting after an
hour or so because of the cold. That
Isn't the spirit that wins battles.
Deep snow has brought relief from
bitter cold in the Eastern' States.
Warm sunshine has driven off what
little chill we've had lately.
Greater respect for the National air
will be enforced at military posts.
There should be no need for enforc
ing such a sentiment.
Congressmen disagree over the state
of general prosperity. Prosperity is,
to a considerable extent, a matter of
locality these days. ,
A new asteroid has been discovered
by science. Small compensation for
the threatened breaking up of the
dipper. .
An expedition is beiig outfitted at
San Francisco to hunt for $60,000,000
in buried treasure. Quick, Watson, the
needle!
Oregon growers oppose a California
plan for relaxed grading of apples.
Oregon growers, you see, are on the
square. '
A big English -.-ailroad company
having hired an American manager
aiviaenas snouia pick, up
bit.
American cavalry horses were pois
oned .by drinking at a Mexican water
hole. Typical Mexican trick.
With water meters ordered, spark
ling Bull Run will shortly join ths
high-cost-of-living procession.
Bryan has acquired a llama. With
a little coaching it should help him
In his Chautauqua work.
Whole reeiraents of the French
armv are down with measles. Liter
ally a measley army. ,
At last! Costa Rica has accepted
the Bryan peace treaty dream. Now
for Congo Free State.
Huerta is reported to be toppling
again. But he may be merely another
leaning tower of Pisa.
Lina Cavaliert has wedded again.
Got to be a regular habit with Lina.
The meadow
the meadows.
rks are singing in
Gore Insists that they're after his
political gore.
The fans are growing restless.
Regular Spring fever weather.
Straw hats next.
Gleams Through the Mist
By Dean Collins.
Valentine Adaptable.
'Tis season of the valentine.
When I must sing a tender ditty.
And offer up this heart of mino
Unto that pearl of maidens, Kitty;
Oh. fairest maiden of my time.
Tour voice the warden of my will is;
I love you (but I lack a rhyme.)
1 guess I'd better sing to Phyllis.
Phyllis, sweet Idol of my soul.
Your gentle eyes with love Inflame ra;
For you alone (I'm in a hole
For rhyme again.) I'll sing to Mamie
Mamie, my heart's delight divine.
Your grace, expression quite eludeth,.
(I'm stuck again for that last line.)
I'll have to sin,g the praise of Judith.
Judith, fair star, I'll praise you then;
My warm heart beats alone for you
(Confound itf Where's that rhyme again?)
111 switch my lay and sing ofv Sue.
Sue, queen of all within my heart;
Ne'er shall my firm affection vary
(Why can't I finish what I start T
Helgh-ho! I'll "have to turn to Mary.
Mary, my own. my lady sweet;
Loved I not thee. I'd be a felon
(No rhyme to make that thought complete?!
Sooth, I must yield my heart to Helen.
Helen, sublime sweet evening star.
Whose light my deepest spirit shook
With woniTrous mood (and there you are.)
Hang it! I'll send this to the cook.-
To thee, sweet cook, I give my heart.
With burning, strong emotion toasting.
To practice on with all thy art
For hearts are better for a roasting;
Thine, thine alone, who feedest me.
Shall be this heart, and I'm not bluffing.
If you will but agree to bo
A gen'rous lady with the stuffing.
It is a more certain sign of approach
ing Spring than the birds flying North,
for one to see the Beavers getting
ready to fly South.
x
Solemn Thought.
Bravely I've lived the tango down.
Hoping a fair "raanana";
But now I face the "maxlxe".
And likewise the "furlana".
"Sir," said the courteous office boy,
"are you interested in antique knock
ers?" "Very much, my son." I said gently.
Whereupon he slipped me a bust of
Diogenes and fled.
Passing It On.
The poet has an easy job.
He never has to think;
He only needs a fountain pen.
Some paper and some Ink.
The cook, she also has a cinch;
She never has to eat.
But only move her jaws awhile
And smell the roasting meat.
The chauffeur has a sinecure;
He has no woes or cares.
He can Joyride and never have
To pay for the repairs.
Chicago Evening Post.
A life of ease the plumber lias.
As I can plainly point;
He draws his pay, and all the day
Just hangs around some Joint.
The butcher man. he has a Job
That's really more like play;
He merely stands about the block
And cuts up all the day.
The bartender should love his job
Immensely. I should think;
For he can mix the livelong day.
And never has to drink:
.
"Do you really think Hamlet was
mad?" was the 140th question of the
Young Thing to her escort-
Did he have to sit near you during
the last performance?" Interposed the
Long Sufferer In the next row.
Mexican Society Notes.
((From El Toro Gazette.)
A comic valentine, sent from General
Villa to His Excellency, President
Huerta, was Inadvertently opened by
Captain Bombasto, one of the aides
yesterday. Captain Bombasto's little
finger and shoulder straps were posi
tively Identified after the uproar had
subsided.
The popular drama, "Arms and the
Man," is to be staged near the border
by local talent, under the direction of
General Villa. Stage properties are
furnished through courtesy of Presi
dent Wilson, of the United States.
A "get-together" meeting for the
promotion of peace in Mexico is to be
held at the Capitol on a near future
date, under the joint auspices of His
Excellency President Huerta and Gen
eral Villa. Gorgeous fireworks are to
be a feature of the entertainment, fol
lowed by a general potlatch, in which
gifts of real estate in six-foot plots
will be distributed among many of the
celebrants.
If Gray Lived In Portland.
Perhaps, in this political parade.
Some heart is live with gubernatorial fire.
His hand the rod of empire might have
swayed
And then, again, he may be just plain
liar.
Petitions to my eyes their ample page
Rich with the spoil of names do aye un
roll. Until my bosom swells with noble rage
And freeze the genial currents of my soul.
Yet even my course from insult to protect.
No scanty refuge seemeth to be mine;
Petitions, with their uncouth scribbling'
. decked.
Thrust still before me and I sigh and
sign. ,
Approximate History.
200.000 B. C. Oldest antediluvian
man in America wills his mummy to the
Smithsonian Institute and crawls into
the asphalt beds at Las Erea, Cal.
1014, A. D. King Canute falls down
on that well-known tongue twister:
"The sea ceaseth, and it sufficeth us."
1493, A. D. Columbus begins to write
the story of his voyages without re
serving moving-picture rights, and not
for $2 a word.
1564, A. D. Galileo born; originator
of the expression: "The world do move."
1779, A. D. Captain Cook acts as
"piece de resistance" at a banquet held
in Hawaii in honor of the opening of
the missionary season.
1886, A. D. "Volapuk" new universal
language, invented by L'Abbe Schleycr.
Later "Esperanto" and "Ido" invented
by others. English and other ol'' lan
guages are till spoken, however, in a
few of the outlying districts.
Marrlajxe and Mivorre.
FREE WATER. Or., Feb. 12. (To tiie
Editor.) "A." being a divorced w.'mr.n
in Oregon, marries "B" four months
after the decree of the court. Is her
marriage with "B" legal and will she
have to have a divorce from "B" in or
der to be legally married to "C"?
F. B. SMITH.
If the second marriage was prior to
June 3, 1913, it is legal; if subsequent
thereto It is not. In the first event,
before marrying "C" she should obtain
legal annulment of the second ntar-riage,