The Sunday Oregonian., October 25, 1914, SECTION FIVE, Page 9, Image 69

9
PUBLIC OPINION ON VARIED PROBLEMS REVEALED BY LETTERS
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX. POIITLAND, OCTOBER 23, 1914.
Pendleton Man Has Fill of
Prohibition.
Joseph 111 Declares Business I.fln
rnUhed While Timn Was Dry, kmt
With Saloons Business Uoomed.
P1
Editor.) I have read with consid
erable Interest the press "dope" on the
'wet and dry movement In Oregon,"
which is being put out during this cam
paign, and I cannot resist calling at
tention to some of the misstatements.
The writers of these misstatements
must be either paid agents, profession
al agitators, or have no knowledge of
the conditions in the towns which the
advertisements refer to as examples
of prosperity during the "dry" periods.
A publication by the committee of
100. written by Orton B. Goodwin, and
published in a local paper on October 7,
makes this bald assertion: "Pendleton,
though wet now, wag asserted by many
business men to have shown far better
conditions dry than wet, and they as
serted the town would in all probabil
ity vote wet, but that Umatilla County
most certainly would vote dry."
I have lived here for over 30 years,
have been In business here for 27 years,
am not a small taxpayer either, and I
oupht to be reasonably well acquainted
with local conditions. I was right here
during the two and a half years of dry
times and know what the conditions
were. In October, 1910, Mayor E. J.
Murphy publicly stated that ive had
lost between 1800 and 2000 population
during our "dry" season. The East
Oregonian, in the Issue of January 13,
1909, said: "Pendleton taxes are. 13 per
cent higher, and Umatilla County taxes
10 per cent higher." So the loss to
the City of Pendleton in revenue was
at least $65,000 for the two and a hall
years. IJuring that time we had at
least 25 empty business houses and 250
empty dwelling houses, in fact you
could rent a dwelling house during the
"dry" period at your own price.
The East Oregonian of October 18,
1909. says: "But it is the history of
prohibition everywhere that It does not
prohibit." On November 4, 1909, it said:
"Prohibition has been a farce in Pen
dleton and everybody knows it. It is
hypocrisy to deny the fact. Umatilla
County does not need it now. We have
already taken the dose.'
What two and a half years of pro
hibition did to some men is shown by
a clipping from the Yakima Daily Re
public, of January 22, 1910: "B. F. Renn
says prohibition in Pendleton caused
him the loss of a small fortune, in in
creased taxes, and causing him to sell
for $28,000 property which was worth
M0.000."
rmring our "dry" times there were
no public improvements. Pendleton
was at a standstill, in fact it actually
went backwards. Industry ceased. Car
penters, plumbers 'and artisans of all
classes moved away. Business was
stagnated, and all kinds of property
went down to less than cost price and
no buyers could be found even then.
Now, notice the change since Pendle
ton Bwung back Into the "wet" column.
The city has made the greatest strides
in its history. Municipal progress and
prosperity have gone hand in hand With
individual progress and prosperity. A
water syBtem costing $300,000 has been
installed, a high school costing $100,
000 has been erected: $40,000 has been
expended on Round-Up Park: $23,000
for a steel bridge; a $5000 fire-alarm
system has been installed with a $5000
auto fire truck; several miles of hard
surface streets and concrete sidewalks
have been laid, .and Pendleton now has.
tha reputation of being the "biggest
city for its size on the Coast," and the
most prosperous.
What better could the people want?
Our population is steadily increasing
and no one will deny that we have
7500 people today, whereas by the cen
sus of 1910 we had only 4460. There
is not a vacant dwelling in the city.
Apartment houses are. all filled. One
of the biggest hotels in the Northwest,
the new Hotel Pendleton, Just com
pleted, is taking care of families who
can find no other suitable domiciles,
while some people who wanted to live
in Pendleton could not find houses and
were compelled to live in tents, and
quite a number could not locate here
at all. There are more men carpenters,
plumbers, masons, painters, mechanics
and all classes of laborers, at work in
Pendleton today than ever before, and
they are all earning good money.
I would like to near from some of
the responsible local dry people in
answer to the above statements, but
not from paid agents or professional
agitators. JOSEPH ELL
Act Against Desert Land
Board Opposed.
Writer Declares Effect Would Be to
Halt All Topoa-rnphle Surveys
Water Klant Adjudication and In.
vestlgatloas of Power Possibilities.
SALEM, Or., Oct. 24. (To the Edi
tor.) Of great Interest to Ore
gnnlans is a bulletin just issued by
State Engineer John H. Lewis and the
United !tates Geological Survey en
titled "Quality of the Surface Waters
of Oregon." This bulletin is known as
Water-Supply Paper. No. 363, and may
be obtained free of charge upon appli
cation to the Geological Survey at
Washington. I. C.
This bulletin Is published as the re
suit of a series of co-operative investi
gations made by the State of Oregon
and the Geological Survey as to the
chemical and physical composition of
the waters of over 40 streams and lakes
in all parts of the state. In most cases
samples were taken more than a year's
time and careful analyses made of the
samples. The results are Valuable, es
pecially to persons who may wish to
use waters for domestic purposes for
boilers, laundries, manufacturing or
Irrigation. -
Of all the. streams examined.
Crooked River, at Prineville. carries
the largest percentage of dissolved
substance, but even at that the water
Is well suited for irrigation. The John
Kay Illver, at McDonald, carries by far
the iars;est amount ef material In sue
pension. Bull Run .water shows the
lowest record for dissolved and bus
pended matter. Because of this Port
land's city supply receives very favor'
able mention. The paper says:
The quality of the water or this rlvr is
Important because the City of Portland dl
verts water from it near the town of Bull
Kun through two lines of DiDe for muniei
pal supply. The eutire drainage basin above
the Intake of the pipe lines is Included in
The Bull Kun l-orest Reserve, end trespass
Is prevented by efficient policing. Ifecause
of the remoteness of upper BuH Run Basin
and the ideal sanitary conditions and effec
tive patrol in it. Portland's water supply
may be considered primarily pure and above
criticism. Samples of water for analysis
were collected daily during the period cov
ered by the investigations throuph the
courtesy oi me w ater Hoard of Portland
The water m always clear, largely because
of lSRe storage and underground flow. It
Is slightly mineralised and Is not subject
to great changes In mineral content! The
water typically represents a surface water
flowing over Jgneoin -roe k 8 in a heavliv
lorested region of large rainfall. It is soft
and nonscallng. One of the largest laun
dries In Portland finds It cheaper to buy
Hull Kun water from the city than to use
Willamette Klver m-mter, which may be Ob
tallied without cost, the saving In cost ol
soap more than counterbalancing the cost
of the water. The water will not corrode
boilers or pipes as a result of its mlnera
content, but It may, unless first heated in an
open heater, cause corrosion and rusting be
cause of its content of dissolved carbon
dioxide and oxygen. Any natural water of
great mineral purity is likely to do the
same, however, and It is by no means a PC'
culiarlty of Bull Hun water. Tbe watar is
slightly -olored and Its appearance 1 x-i
ceptlonally attractive. The pride of the
city in its water supply appears to be amply
justified by the facts.
It was estimated that in 1910 the
Columbia River at Cascade Locks car
ried out about 35,000,000 tons of ma
terial in solution and suspension. At
this rate the Columbia is lowering Us
drainage basin at the rate of one inch
in every 1300 years. The hardest work
ing stream for its size in the state is
the John Day at Dayville. which is
carrying out 266.000 tons a year in so
lution and suspension. It is reducing Its
drainage basin one inch in 730 years.
Present residents need not worry over
having, their lands washed away. ,
Mr. Van Winkle, author of the water
supply paper, says that as a general
thing the waters of Oregon are excep
tionally soft and free from harmful
mineral. All stream waters examined
were excellent for irrigation, but some
of the lake waters or Central Oregon
are not fit for irrigation. However,
some of Oregon's lakes have highly
valuable chemical deposits and they
should be further examined to deter
mine their commercial value and mar
keting possibilities.
In this connection it should be noted
that the George bill, purporting to
abolish the Desert Land Board, which
is soon to be voted on, also would abol
ish the present office of State En
gineer and bring to an end all investi
gations as to Oregon's water and power
possibilities. These investigations are
now producing statistics and facts of
great value to the state and to stop the
work would be disastrous. Many com?
mercial organizations have put a neg
ative argument against the George
bill in the offical pamphlet, contending
that if the bill passes, it will seriously
hamper the state's progress. The bill
also would interfere with water-right
adjudication and water appropriation,
and would stop the topographic survey
of the state and the. investigations of
power possibilities on many rivers.
The George bill should be defeated de
cisively, v T.
Tax Exemption Ridiculed as
Mere Lure to Voters.
T. J. Fording Says Stand of Support
ers of Amendment Is Inconsistent
With Past Policies and Campaign.
poi
ORTLAND, Oct. 24. (To the Edi-
or.) Read carefully what its
authors say concerning the $1500 ex
emption on page 3a of the state pam
phlet. Nothing is said about the pro
tection given all property by the state,
or the personal protection every citi
zen enjoys. No word suggesting that
every right enjoyed, creates a cor
responding duty, or that no man has a
right to demand something for nothing.
Every line seeks to suggest some plan
by which one citizen may avoid his ob
ligation at the expense of another. No
reference is made to high ideals, such
as that in legislating by the people and
for the people, we have no right to
claim a privilege for ourselves that we
do.not under like conditions grant to
both friend or foe.
In spite of the fact that - personal
property and improvements are more
difficult to guard, require more atten
tion from police and fire departments
than real estate, the absorbing thought
of these statesmen is centered upon the
problem, "How can we appeal to the
greatest number of people, in a way
to make it appear that they can save a
few dollars by adopting single tax?"
The first lament of the single taxer
is that money, notes and accounts are
how exempt from tax by law, which is
not true, and it is only two years since
single taxers tried to exempt them.
They bemoan the fact "that household
furniture, diamonds, jewels and wear
ing apparel are not taxes, "yet it is
only two years since they spent thou
sands of dollars in doing their best to
exempt these things together with
automobiles, skyscrapers, merchandise
and the mansions of the rich. If house
hold furniture of the rich Is exempt, it
is not because the average voter de
sired it. but because of the course of
these men, who themselves indulged in
the effort to lure the votes of renters
of homes whose furniture was taxed.
by Including furniture as one of the
promised exemptions by means of "sin
gle tax."
It never has been a secret, that the
friends of stable, impartial and un
form taxation, accepted the plan of
exempting household furniture to the
rich, because it was the least objection
able plan available, by which the poor
and the average citizen could receive
like treatment. In theory it may be
wrong, but practically the average cui
zen gets the best of the wrong, because
as a rule the rich have a less per cent
of their fortune In furniture than the
poor, hence they more than make up for
their furniture exemption, by the in
creased rate which they pay on other
property. If such complaints are siu
cere, why did these men urge all these
exemptions for the rich, and many
more?
Another chronic complaint repeated
on page 38 of the pamphlet ought not
deceive the voter. Government, state
and municipal bonds are in fact not
favored at all. The tax on these se
curities is settled and made secure, and
the expense of assessment and collec-
tion avoided by the tax being deducted
from the interest rate stipulated jn the
bond.
In all these Issues of oonds. the dif
ferelice between the rate named in the
bond, and trie commercial rate of Inter
est on loans, represents the estimated
ttx rate, which would be collected If
the Government were put to the trouble
of collecting from the ewner of the
bond, in order to return it aarain to th
bondholder. It is well known, that this
Is the reason why the Government gets
money cheaper than a rich man or a
corporation. To all practical purposes
the tax on the bond is reserved In ad
vance, yet these superwise statesmen
complain that we are not put to the
trouble or collecting the tax to pay it
back again to the fellow who would
pay it if assessed. Such are the Condi
tions of which our "Oreeon Moses" and
his allies make complaint and offer th
$1500 exemption as a cure.
No reasonable excuse ever was of
fered for a $1500 exemption, cut out of
the assessment roll. One of Its authors
openly says that the exempted class of
property is assessed at so cents on the
dollar, thus admitting that the exemp
tion covers $3000 of value.
Poor citizens can have no such ben
efit, because no really poor person has
such assessment of that class of prop
erty. It is admitted that both man and
wife and adult children each can take
advantage of such exemption, hence
the strongest appeal is to the selfish
and unscrupulous rich.
Conceded as it is, that this proposed
exemption covers property"of the value
of $3000 and in many instances two
and three times that sum, it becomes
absolutely a single tax measure to all
but the rich.
It is in no sense a poor man's meas
ure. A $300 exemption would relieve
the poor man more than $1500.
In ail cases where the exempted prop
erty on' the tax roll does not exceed
$300 it gives the same reduction as
would the $1500. The extra $12')0 ap
plies only to the well-to-do class ana
all their higher exemptions must be
added to the list not exempt, and thus
Increase the poor man's tax. for he
must pay his pro rata share Of every
one of such $1200 additions. Few of
the rich would care to divide the tax
roll for -the sake of saving tax on $300,
the temptation being only one-fifth aH
great as on the X1500.
This extra $1200 Is a positive affront
to the intelligence of the electors. A
small exemption costs practlcallj
nothing. T. J. FORDING.
Writer Say. "Give U Rest"
Will Be Election Cry.
Peter Hume Deplores Crowding; of
Ballot With Oilrxenn Proposi
tions" and Predict Voters Will
Hebd.
SELLWOOD, Oct- 25. (To the Ed
itor.) It is quite heartening to the
citizen whose desire at this time is for
a "Greater Oregon" and economy In our
local public affairs to hear such, gen
eral expression of intention to vote
down not only -the precent "recall
scheme now foisted on us, but also
Dearly, if not all the outrageous propo
sitions that have been crowded onto
the ballot to be voted on at the gen
eral election in November next.
At the same time tbe thoughtful cit
izen deplores the attitude taken by
many in attempting to evade the plain
duty of all citizens living under demo
cratic institutions, viz., contributing to
the expense necessarily Incurred in
their efficient workings.
Just let any honest citizen of Port
land look around and see the number
of fine schoolhousee already built and
in charge of paid efficient teachers and
others under construction, some- cost
ing more than $150,000, our fine City
Hall, Courthouse, lire halls and equip
ment, fire boats, waterworks, police
headquarters and force, street and gar
bage cleaning, city parks, etc.. all of
which are for the pleasure and benefit
of every citizen. All cost a tidy sum
of money not only to install but to
keep efficient. Consider if It is not
decidedly unpatriotic, if not dishonest.
to legislate so as to permit a large
number of persons who use and enjoy
any or all of the above things which
make our city a desirable place to live
In to fall to contribute anything to
their support, and pass the bill on to
their neighbor. Payment of the bills
must be met by someone or our whole
social structure will fall and the ill
effect will be felt by the dishonest cit
izen as well as those who are willing
honestly to do right.
This seems r me to be the worst
feature of the $1500 exemption meas
ure now before us for consideration. I
am unable to see as yet why any per
son who lives in the United States
should not pay something toward the
support of our Government.
Possibly the Nation is not in all its
branches and workings just as good as
it ought to be. but we are constantly
changing operatives, sometimes appar
ently with good results, at other times
only to make matters much worse. Evi
dently Just now wo are having a sur
feit of quack practitioners and experi
menters, so that there is a general re
volt on and a cry "give us a rest,"
which will be heard generally on the
27th inst, and also November 3.
PETER HUME.
Normal Schools Mean Econ
omy, Writer Argues.
Oregon Pays Lens Attention to Qual
ifications of Teachers Than to Its
Barbers.'
PORTLAND. Oct. 23 (To the Edi
tor.) With a political campaign in full
swing in Oregon and the people ex
pected to act on 2S measures of more
or less Importance, the voter, man or
woman, has a duty to perform which is
not easy to appreciate fully. A lot ofH
political "buncombe Is being thrown
out in an effort to "befuddle" the minds
of the busy man and woman who must
take the usual sources of information
as guides in determining what is best
for the whole people of the state.
It is a pity that in a campaign where
the interests of every man and woman,
every child and every newcomer is at
stake should be corrupted with the
mean little things that can -be said
about men, while the fundamental
things of state and National life are
obscured and relegated to the rear.
Under our boasted popular government
this condition should not be possible.
Among the measures to be voted on are
several which -are being overlooked
because they have no sponsors who
expect to make or save money by their
operation. Two of these measures have
to do with the educational life of tha
people of Oregon. I desire to mention
but one in this brief letter.
For many years I lived in th "cow
country." where I learned something
of the feelings and the needs of the
people of Eastern Oregon. Many of the
people who have lived in the dry-land
sections have a sense of fear of the
Willamette Valley, where it is said so
much rain falls. School teachers and
those who would be school teachers
would postpone a journey to the Wil
lamette Valley to attend a state nor.
mal school because the climatic 'condi
tions would seem to make a brief stay
of little value. People accustomed to
dry climates dread, the idea of being
forced to live In the rain even though
the rain be largely Imaginary. While
the distance is great, the climatic con
ditions have more to do with the lack
of normal training among the teachers
of Eastern Oregon than the lack of
money or the lack of disposition to
qualify for the work.
Measure 316X Yes would give an op
portunity for teachers to attend nor
mal school so4 qualify for the great
work of teaching. Voting for the meas
ure will show a spirit of fairness and
equity, for Eastern Oregon has always:
had a short share of the benefits accru
ing from the -state Institutions. Why
not be iust now? A. II. HARRIS.
Plea for Prohibition Sent
From San Diego.
C. E. Hickotc Attacks "Personal Lib
erty" Argument of Wets and Ridi
cules Complaining Hop and Grape
Gi
SAN DIEGO, Cal., Oct. 19 (To the
Editor.) Although I am a long
way from Oregon, I am deeply Interest
ed in one of the ballot measures now
before the people, namely, prohibition.
Until a year ago I had lived in Port
land. I own property there and I in
tend to make my permanent home there,
and as a consequence I feel justified In
having a deep interest in the affairs
of that state.
The touching plaint-of the liquor in
terests at this hour cf their extreme
unction Is that the state is about to
commit a great "moral wrong"; that
the boasted right of every American,
"personal , liberty." is about to be
trampled ruthlessly under foot; that
their "vested rights" in hopyards.
breweries, etc., are about to be torn
from them. How amazing this sudden
fondness for such virtuous words as
"moral." "liberty" and "rights." and
how well qualified our fat-thumbed
friends are to define these same words.
How solicitous these liquor interests
always have been of the "personal lib
erty" of the wives and children of the
men whom they have debauched. What
about the right to "liberty and the pur
suit of happiness" of these innocent
victims of a man's weaknesses? - How
about the want, the shame, the blasted
hopes, and the misery forced Upon these
children, who through no fault of their
own. are deprived of their "vested
right" tooeaceful existence.
There is no ?uch thing as personal
liberty in a civilized country. Only tfte
savage can do as he- wishes regardless
of consequences to others. It is this
very submergence of one's personal dc-
sires to the will of the "majority that'
makes up civilized society.
According to the 'personal liberty
argument of our benignant friends
there should be no laws forbidding co
caine or opium, or white slavery or ex
pectorating on the sidewalk, or walking
naked up Washington .street, or any
thing else that the personal desires of
any man should call for.
Another argument is that millions
upon millions of dollars' worth of hop
yards and vineyards will be ruined. Is
it possible that the soil Is so peculiarly
composed that Mother Earth will re
fuse to give up her nourishment to
anything but bops and wine grapes? Or
will the Creator be so displeased after
the election that he will refuse to pour
his rain and sunshine on crops of any
other nature?
They say that prohibition does not
prohibit and that liquor will be sold
through bootleggers and blind pigs.
This shows the type of citizens our good
friends are In that they openly threaten
that they will break the law and sell
their liquor whether or no. . .
By the way, why is it that the owner
of one saloon is ostracized from even
ordinary society, while the man who
owns a brewery and controls a string
of a hundred saloons has entree to the
so-called "select society?"
C. E. HICKOK.
Eight-Hour Law Means More
Jobs, Writer Argues.
Argument Advanced That Production
Keed Not Be Increased Thereby.
PORTLAND. Oct. 23. (To the Edi
tor. ) One of the arguments in favor
of the proposed eight-hour law Is that
it would require the employing off
more people to perform the world's
work and would thus tend, in some
measure, to solve the problem of the
unemployed. Many, no doubt, will vote
for the law on the above ground, while,
at the same time, realizing the dlffi?
culties that would attend the univer
sal application of such a law. Could
such voters be shown, a less difficult
plan for making jobs for the people,
they might vote differently.
The writer thinks he sees a job-making
plan of that kind. The plan contemplates-
a slight regulation of the'use
of machinery. Power-propelled machinery,-
in addition to being an indis
pensable factor in bringing about 'the
very high standard of living now pos
sible to civilized man, is also respon
sible (though net neccessarlly sol. for
modern unemployment. Such machin
ery Is filling more jobs today than
there are people in the world, 20 times
over. Without it, 20 times as many
people as are in the world couldn't
do the world's work of today.
It's all right for machinery to fill
the jobs it is filling, but for us to lose
sight of the fundamental fact that the
right to do the world's work belongs to
consumers before it does to machinery
is all wrong, unjust, and exceedingly
unwise business policy. Space forbids
any argument of this crucial point
but its truth being conceded, it follows
that when a human being's hands are
in enforced idleness, it is because of
the fact that some power machine,
somewhere In the world, is doing 20
jobs when it should be doing but 19.
Instead, however, of taking one job
away from the machine and giving it
to the man to do by hand, it would
be in every way better to allow the
machine to continue doing the 20 jobs,
but compel it to take the idle map on
as assistant operative of the machine,
to divide the time with the one already
there, without Increasing the output
of the machine.
The writer's plan would put our Idle
army into our factories as additional
operatives, without increasing the out
put, and, of course, adding their wages
to the cost of production, for the con
sumer to pay. The wages of an opera
tive of a power machine adds but a
very small per cent to the cost of the
output, because such output is so large.
It is for this very reason that this is
the place for our Idle labor to be taken
care of with the least disturbance of
prices.
To render the plan easily applicable
would require that it be applied, not to
all kinds of machinery, but 6nly to cer
tain selected kinds; for instance the
power loom might be selected, and each
power loom in the land whose prod
uct is to be sold in our markets be re
quired, by Federal statute, to employ
a double set of operatives without in
creasing its output- Then might be
selected the nail machine; the planing
machine; . the shoe-pegging machine,
continuing the list far enough to give
jobs to so many of our unemployed,
that in fairly prosperous times all
would have work, and no further im
port duties would have to be so raised
as to protect the products of the select
ed machine against countries not em
ploying the same plan. This is a posi
tive plan, while the eight-hour -plan
would be a negative one. .
W..A. CALDWELL,
627 East Couch Street-
Story of Tragic Death Told
as Anti-Rum Plea.
Minnesota Accident Recalled by
Writer, Who Says Man Killed
When Drunk Disgraced Father,
.Mother, Sister, Wife and Uaby. -
P
tor.) Once when three little girls
were picking flowers on a small Min
nesota. prairie they saw a team of
horses that seemed to be running away.
The horses were hitched to a lumber
wagon and in the wagon were six
men. As the girls' attention was
called to the team they saw one man
on the middle seat of the wagon get
up and try to step to the front seat,
and as the horses then veered, the
man was thrown out and one of the
hind wheels ran over his head. The
girls, very much frightened, ran home.
The men had picked the man up as
soon as the team was stopped and car
ried him to the home of the girls. The
men were all under the influence of
whisky and the man who -was hurt, was
George Keyser, a young man who, with
an old family friend., was sent West
from the city of Philadelphia, Pa., to
get him away from bad companions.
At midnight of that day he died. '-'
There had to be an inquest, and after
that was over the young man was
buried in.the corner of a field near the
house, as it was supposed his father
would send for his body, but the fath
er did not send and finally, when the
farm was sold, and fences were re
moved, the grave was plowed over.
At the inquest a letter was found in
Keyser's coat pocket directed to a wo
man and in the letter she was called
"Dear wife." and was told to kiss the
baby for him. Mr. Wall, the old man
who had come West with him. was at
the inquest and said that George Keys
er's folks did not know of his having a
wife and child. So the letter .and a
gold ring that the young man wore,
were sent to his father.
Was this personal liberty or license
to drink when by doing so he caused
his" own death and his father, mother,
sister, wife and baby to be left in sor
row and disgrace?
Did he have the right to do such a
crime? What a way to die drunk!
What a terrible remembrance! Could
we ever vote "to give any man Such a
chance to do suclTa crime against loved
ones and to go unbidden to his Maker?
God help us to vote "dry," so as to help
some brother, who is too weak to stand
alone. A true sketch, names and all.
II- C. Mc.
Interference in His Hilarity
Resented by Writer.
B. Fallows Asks Whether His Neigh
bor Has Rla-ht to Prescribe Hla
Food or Drink; and Says lalenser
ant Should Be Considered Dis
eased. PORTLAND, Oct. 24. (To the Edi
tor.) "Thou shalt ' not steal."
Among the many proposed amendments
to the state constitution, the most im
portant and far-reaching, viewed from
every angle Is the proposed prohibition
amendment. From the economic stand
point Its enactment would be a stag
gering and disastrous blow to both
capital and labor, in Its moral aspect
It is a speces of attempted tyranny, by
a certain element of our people.
against the whole state in its endeavor
to compel everybody to conform to its
conception of ethics as relating to al
coholic beverages.
It Is well to know that the initia
tive and strength of this move
ment conies from the so-called evan
gelical churches. That they are sin
cere needs not to be questioned, but In
the preaching and teaching of their
leaders for not only a high -moral and
religious life, one would naturally ex
pect that they would not forget the
inculcation of obeying the tenets of
the ten commandments. Yet we find
in their zeal that they preach and
teach to their members a plain viola
tion of the eighth commandment:
"Thou shalt not steal."
Prohibition means confiscation of all
property now invested In the brewery
and saloon business, amounting to hun
dreds of thousands of dollars, the ac
cumulated earnings and savings of
hundreds of their fellow citizens.
They -'(the agitators) do not charge
that those engaged In "the liquor traf
fic are not as a rule law-abiding citi
zens, but that they are engaged In a
business that is injurious to the com
munity, from their standpoint; hence
our prohibition friends seem to justify
themselves and their followers in try
ing to drive out of business all those
engaged in producing or vending alco
holic beverages, without even a hint or
word of compensation. Is that carry
ing out the golden rule of doing unto
others as you would have them do to
you? Is It right or equitable? Is It
common honesty between man and
man?
Nor is this all. What right have our
prohibition friends to rob me of my
liberty; to say what I shall eat or
drink? If the use of these beverages
were In itself a sin or a wrong, which
no sane person would traintain, the
case would be entirely different. It
must be the abuse of Intoxicating oev
erages that they are attempting to cor
rect. Why then try to punish every
citizen of the state for the delinquency
of a few. Begin at the other end and
treat these delinquents as you would
an imbecile, a thief or a tuberculosis
victim. Isolate them as you would any
other afflicted brother.
Removing temptation from men will
never eradicate evil desires. 'Good and
stalwart men are not made that way.
You- may as well prevent the display
and salo of expensive ladies' apparel
and jewelry, and so remove the tempta
tion from wenk-minded . women and
girls. who4 are unable, legitimately,
to purchase those things, for it is a
well-known fact that many women and
girls barter their virtue for these ex
pensive luxuries. But would the hid
ing and sale of these attractive things
destroy the Innate love of dress and
personal adornment from our women
friends? , Not at all. Would our Pro
hibitionist friends feel justified In pun
ishing every woman in the state be
cause comparatively few sold their vir
tue to obtain these costly luxuries? It
is the delinquent woman who needs
treatment, not prohibition.- So with
men, it is the weak and degenerate who
require attention and not prohibition.
B. FALLOWS.
060 East Taylor Street, City.
Need of State Senate
Pointed Out.
Writer Notes Fallacies In Argument
Presented to Voters Asking Sup
port f"r 'Measure.
o
REGON CITY, Or., Oct. 23. (To the
set forth in the voters' pamphlet in
support of abolishing the Oregon State
Senate abound in fallacies, which, per
haps, it would be well to point out to
the voters before election. No doubt
the sponsors for this amendment are
playing upon the gullibility of the peo
ple in the hope that their sophistical
arguments will go unchallenged.
The affirmative argument states that
"the State Senate IS an Imitation of
the British House of Lords." Later In
the argument it is affirmed that
state is much more like a city than it
is like a nation." How In the name of
common sense our state can resemble
a city more than a nation If it has
house of its Legislature imitating the
Parliament of England is more than
the ordinary man can see.
Another paragraph states: "The Gov
ernor's veto, the people s referendum
and the Supreme Court veto by de
claring laws unconstitutional are
checks enough without the State Sen
ate."
At first sight this argument looks
sound. But does the voter know that
in the 1913 session almost three-!
fourths of the bills vetoed by the Go-,
.ernor were passed over his veto, thus
rendering It almost totally inefficient
as a legislative check? Does he or she
know that a referendum election costs
considerably over $100,000. while the
biennial cost of the Senate over the
approximate cost for' maintenance of
one house is something like $60,000? It
would appear that invoking the refer
endum would be an expensive, almost
prohibitive method of checking unwise
or hasty legislation.
Is the voter aware that it takes
months, sometimes years, for the pon
derous machinery of the Oregon Su
preme Court to get into action to de
clare laws unconstitutional; that In
the interim great harm may be done,
and that the Supreme Court now has
all to which it can properly attend
without having to act as an Incinerator
for the refuse of a one-house Legisla
ture? These things and more should
be carefully considered by the voter
before he casts his vote for a theory
that was once tried and found wanting.
One fact is irreconclliable with the
idea of having the two branches of
the Legislature consolidated. . It Is
this; The two houses were estab
lished according - to the system of
checks and balances to keep either
house from holding arbitrary power.
For the same reason that the Govern
ment of the United States and of every
state is divided into three branches, for
the 'same reason that the people look
upon the President's attempt to .dictate
to Congress with disfavor, the Legisla
ture was divided into two houses, and
the maintenance of two houses Is
therefore a necessary part of repre
sentative government, and if. per
chance, the people should vote' to elim
inate one house and vest In one body
the sole legislative authority of the
state, they would defeat one of the
greatest ends of democratic govern
ment, by increasing the power in the
hands of a few men. The greater num
ber that take part In the government.
the nearer the government comes to
the people.
Regardless of the views of. political
agitators and reformers, there Is only
one sound method of creating a bettei
Lefittlmture m n H K la .lt h.tt.ri
men to It. Tf wa hnH th. rla-ht bind!
of legislators, when the people de
manded economy they would -Ket
economy, when they wanted reform
laws their wishes would bo respected.
If the legislators are elected by the
people to represent them, why don't
they give the neoDle what thev
mand? I'll tell you. The people do not!
get what they want simply because
they are Indifferent as to the type of
legislator elected, except In rare In
stances. The newspapers of the yellow-journalistic
type have barked so
persistently "at the heels of the legis
lators wtih the cry of graft, or "log
rolling." that very few men of the
highest quality, who could frame the
best laws for us If they were in the
Legislature, will consent to have the
stigma of these newspaper attacks be
come attached to their names.
When the proletariat begins to study
the questions of legislation, when the
whole people try to raise the standard
of efficiency in the Legislature by
electing better representatives, when a
helpful spirit supplants that of criti
cism which now exists, then legislative
questions would necessarily adjust
themselves.
The cry of the "reformer" has
frightened capital from our state and
retarded its development. Let the peo
ple do their duty and Oregon will be a
greater commonwealth. E. B. C.
"Non - Partisan Judiciary'
Stand Is Questioned.
Democratic. Republican or Progres--.
slve W'bo Cannot Cilve Decision
Without Bias Is I'nquullfied aad
BUI Invites Horde of office-seekers.
Says Voter.
PORTLAND, Oct- 23 (To the Editor.)
Is the so-called "non-partisan ju
diciary" bill really a non-partisan meas
ure? Might it not be that those hack
ing this bill are doing so for a strictly
partisan reason? Would not a judge
who Is elected as a Republican, and
who cannot lay aside partisan bias, he
altogether unfit to sit as a judge if
elected as a non-partisan? Is the fact
that he has been elected on a non
partisan ticket any assurance that his
decisions and judicial functions are any
more free from partisan bias? I should
say they would not be.
Again, is not this measure cham
pioned by the supporters of a minority
party, with no other reason than to Im
prove the opportunity of the members
of that minority party to secure pollti
cal preferment? Who today can sue
cessfully charge that our judges are
influenced by political bias? I take the
position that any man who cannot sit
upon the bench as a Republican, Demo
crat or Progressive and render impar
tial service is altogether unqualified to
sit upon the bench as a so-called "non
partisan.
Again, this bill offers an invitation
to the hordes of Job-hunters to force
themselves upon the ticket with a much
better chance to elect an undesirable
judicial ollicer than under our present
system. The people are at this time
receiving absolutely Impartial treat
ment in our courts, and I hope this so-
called non-partisan bill will be defeated.
C. B. LA FOLLETTE.
Woman Appeals for Normal
Schools Tax Levy.
Mrs. Lowell Says Distances In Ore-,
son Justify Expenditures at Wes
ton and Ashland.
FOREST GROVE, Or., Oct. 23. (To
the Editor.) May I add a word, among
the marry, to enlist the sympathy and
the votes of the people of Portland and
the great Willamette Valley, In the ef
fort which the citisens of .Eastern and
Southern Oregon are making to re
establish the Normal Schools at Weston
and Ashland? My home is in Pendle
ton, and I know the needs of the great
Interior counties in the matter of
trained teachers. I am sure that the
southern counties are in the same sit
uation. It is nearly 300 miles from my
home city to Monmouth, and about the
same distance from Monmouth to Med
ford. Is it not unreasonable to expect
that teachers can afford to travel that
distance in any considerable numbers
to seek special training? Yet Pendle
ton and Medford are near neighbors to
Monmouth when-one considers counties
like Malheur and Lake, and their dis
tance from the one school now main
tained. I want to make special appeal to the
supporters of the many colleges in the
counties from Lane to Multnomah to
rally to the two initiative measures re
storing the Eastern Oregon State Nor
mal and the Southern Oregon State
Normal. The added tax Is a mere bag
atelle. If we are to maintain a public
school system we must prepare teach
ers therefor. The demand of the age
Is for trained men and women. No
money thus expended is wasted. The
better the public schools the more of
the young people will take college
courses, and the colleges thereby reap
the reward ultimately.
MRS. KVA. P. LOWELL.
Na.tiona.1 Prohibition Is Prop
er and Final Remedy.
One Who Has Studied Liquor Prob
lem for Tears Tells How Federal
Supervision. Wilt Solve Pusxle.
P3RTLAND, Oct- 23. (To the Editor.)
As one who has studied the drink
problem from first-hand for years, as
well as having studied the results of
most every regulative measure for the
"uplift" (?) of the liquor traffic, and
also analyzed every argument of the
anti-prohibltlonlsts. I am forced to the
conclusion that National prohibition es
tablished and conserved by the Federal
Government is the proper and final
remedy for the beverage alcohol curse
Just as it has been the remedy for
several other commercialised vices, lsut
that does not hinder Oregon and other
states from voting for prohibition, as
some argued in last Sunday's columns.
The result of state-wide prohibition
and even sometimes local prohibition
are gratifying to most all concerned,
except a few leeches who are never con
tent without the price of blood In their
coffers. We must remember that since
Mr. Chafln made the statements against
local prohibition, as H- Viereck quotes,
the Webb bill has been passed by Con
gress forbidlng shipping liquor into a
dry state for marketing.
So we are safe now to vote state
after state dry. Work the great move
ment for better civilisation from both
ends and meet in the middle, and to
refute every opposing argument. Seem
ing failure of prohibition Is always due
to license elsewhere.
C. A. REICHEN.
Cold-Blooded.
(Washington Star.)
"These life guards are a great protec
tion." said the matter-of-fact young
man.
"Surely," buned the coy girl, "a
strong swimmer like you has no fear
of drowning."
"None, whatever. But if a gtrl stubs
hr toe and imagines she's going to
sink. It's better for her to he saved' by
a professional rescuer. bhe ten t so
likely; to get her gratitude -mixed up
with her sentiments."
Skilled Sawmill Worker
Lauds Eight-Hour Law.
Correspondent Her la res His Wide
Kxperleuce lrevc That Shorter
Hours Increase Kfflcleacy and Ka.
banco Output.
DEE. Or.. c
I want
EE. Or.. Oct. 24.- (To the Edltor.)-
favor of the proposed eight-hour law.
I have worked in sawmills In differ
ent parts cf the country for more than
30 years. In some sections of the coun
try I worked from "kin till kanit."
that Is from the time we could begin
to see in the morning until we could
no longer see at luuht. Some wit
dubbed that the eight-hour system,
eight hours In the forenoon and eieht
in the afternoon. One mill I worked .
in couldn't afford to keen a clock but
the management kept time by the local
freight train, which passed up in the
morning at oclocK. It was due back
at B P. M. but was usually two hours
or more late, still the fiction prevailed
that it wasn't time to knock off till the
local came down, and the whistle blew
accordingly.
in more recent vears I vorkxl In
mills in a section of the country notor
ious for its long hours and low wages,
where the mills worked -from 11 to 12
hours a day.
A man came down from the North,
built an up-to-date mill and announced
that He was going to run but 10 hours.
at the lime time paying slightly bet
ter wages man was being paid In
other mills in that district. All the
old mill men declared htm a fool and
said It couldn't be done, that he would
be bankrupt in a yeur.
They declared that they could barely
make a profit as It was. and besides,
wasn't the daylight furnished by God
Almighty to work in? To shorten th
hoars of labor would be "going agin''
his plans; it was almost sacrilegious.
However, in due time our friend from
Pennsylvania started up his mill. He
worked his men 10 hours a day, paid
better wages than hts competitors, and
paid in cash, too, another radical Inno
vation. The custom in that country
was to delay paying for one month
until the first Saturday after the 2th
of the following month. Meanwhile,
of course, employes caused trade at the
commissary or "robisary." as it wa
most truthfully called, the result be
ing that men with families seldom saw
enough cash on payday to buy a post
age stamp.
Well, this humble benefactor suc
ceeded from the start and Is still doing
a large and growing business, while
most of the old conservatives have
failed long ago. as they deserved to do.
I have observed other instances of
the kind, during my many years' serv
ice as a skilled worker In sawmills
and my conclusion is that gocd wages
and shorter hours go together.
And further, in sections where the
shorter day prevails I . flrrd fair treat
ment generally, better working condi- .
tions. more attention paid to safety
devices and a greater output of lumber.
Therefore, I contend that the loggers
and any other class of workers need
not fear losing p. dollar a day, as your
Washington. logging camp croaker
says, nor any other sum through the
adoption of the eight-hour law in Ore
gon and Washington.
That It may cause some slight tem
porary inconvenience and confusion at'
the start' I admit, but conditions will
soon adjust themselves to the benefit
of all.
In California, where the planing mills
run but eight hours, the wages are
nearly twice as hltrh as in Oregon and
Washington, where 10 hours prevail.
The farmers, housewives or- any other
class will not suffer from a law that .
Is absolutely just and that Is demanded
by modern conditions, brought about "
by machinery. increased efficiency,
speeding up and better ways of doing
things generally.
If It can be shown that there are
not men enough, when employed with
reasonable regularity, eight hours a
day to do the work that is to be done,
then some argument can be mude
against tike proposed measure, but not
otherwise.
It was contended in the South after
the war that cotton couldn't be raised
profitably with free labor, but more,
acres of it have been raised with more
cotton to the acre and with greater
profit to the whole people of those
states', including the land owners.
We want shorter hours,, because
under present conditions only about
three-quarters of the working popula
tion can be employed. Ten hours is ton
long to work-in this age; it leaves too
little time for rest, recreation, reading,
culture and the pursuit of happiness.
The reduction of the hours of labor
is one of the most pressing needs of
cur time. WORKER.
Act on Ballot Termed Vicious
and Spiteful.
Corporation Commissioner Says Con
solidation Measure Was Inspired
by His HefuKul to Allow Concern
to Issue Bonds.
SALEM.. Or., Oct, 24. (To the Edi
tor.) At the November election
the voters of the state will to a.etcd
to ballot upon initiative bill numbers
338 and 839. It is found On Jiage 65
of the official pamphlet issued by the
Secretary of State and bears the title.
"Consolidating Corporation and Insur
ance Departments." It Is a vicious and
Ill-considered measure, and I write this
statement for the purpose of putting
the history of the bill, the reason bauk
of its inception, and its effect If enact
ed, plainly, honestly and fairly before
the readers of The Oregonian for their
Information.
Bill Nob. 331 and 339 is an attempt
to levy legislative blackmail against a
public official because he attempted to.
and did, administer the law under which
he held his office, accordtng to Its in
tent and his Oath. In other words, the
bill Is on the ballot because the Cor
poration Commissioner refused to grant
a permit to the Mutual Fire Company
of Portland tor the sale of $100,000 of
bonds. H. D. Wagnon, of Portland, vice
president of the company, made appli
cation for the permit- The company
had no tansrible property assets. The
report of Paul L. Woolston, an expert
actuary, shows that on October 31. 191S.
the total liabilities of the company were
$344.28 In excess of its admitted assets.
There was no basis for an Issue of
$100,000 of bonds and the permit to
issue them was refused. Mr. Wagnon
asked for a rehearing, and at Its con
clusion, the permit was again refused.
Then Mr. Wagnon said to the Corpora
tion Commissioner:
"If that is your final decision 1 will
instruct my attorney to draft at once
an initiative bill abolishing your of
fice." Such a prostitution of the initiative
should not be countenanced by the fair
and honest-minded men and women of
Oregon. It is too sacred a weapon for
the protection of popular government
to be used in a cause so base. The long
struggle for its enactment was not to
create a vehicle for the gratification
of petty spite or personal malice. To
enact the bill would be 13 say that an
official of the state, bound by his oath
to sustain the law. must do the bidding
off the wildcatter and the ttoaler of
watered securities, or be removed from
office by the voters of the state. Its
presence on the 'ballot is an affront to
the dignity of the ballot itself, an in-
(Conciuded on Pas 11-)