The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, January 03, 1915, SECTION THREE, Page 8, Image 44

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    THE SUNDAY OREGOSIAy. PORTLAXP, -JANUARY 3, 101a.
FOBTLA'D, OBEGOJt.
Entered at Portland. Oreoli, Foetofflee
ffOBd'CUM matter.
Subscription Bate Invariably in advanca.
- ,. . .. . ,B.L1!J!ri r ..-o! spurious surplus. The American peo
Dallr. Sunday Included, on. year . F .,. . 1Vwl.
. , ' i i I ... .1. mrdlllll - . . . . 4.25
Dally. Sunday Included, threa montha ... a."
Daily. Sunday Included, om month .....
Daily, without Sunday, ona year J-JV
Dally, without Sunday, alx montha ......
Daily, without Sunday, three months ....
ra!ly. without Sunday, ona month -J"
Weekly, one year - i"M
Sunday, one year f"TT
Sunday and Weekly ona year
fBy Carrier.)
Dally. Snnday Included, one year ...... "9
Dally. Sunday Included, one month
How t. Bemit Send Poatofflce money or
eer. expreaa order or peraonal check on your
local back.. Stamp coin or currency are at
arndera rlak. tilve poaiomc.
including county ana atate.
. . i . - ia l cent: is
... u m ilt nmr.ft 3 cants:
" J cnJ, t0-I?.,at:
cents; . to - paca, w u - ,
. double ratea
Eaaterm Baalneaa Office Verre Conk-
lln. New York. Brunswick building; Chicago,
'Vrlar.'o.TWe-B. J. Bldw.ll Com-
rany. "4J Market street.
i
PORTLAND. fiODAr. JANUARY I. 1915-
-
ARK Oi k HANDS TIED? -
... . .
The conciliatory attitude of the Brit-
fen government and the conciliatory
tone of comment in Briusn "P
pers give every ground for belief that
the controversy with this country re-
a-ardlng contraband of war win oe
amicably adjusted. Yet it .becomes
... a .nnati1f.r nrhat Hi f-T) this COUD-
u. - -
try might take to bring pressure to
bear on Great Britain in case that
country should prove obdurate.
One obvious expedient would be
tne oecuuauuu ui t" 0 v..
ports to Great Britain and her allies
until they complied wltn uie reason-
ki HomsinriB of this country. Great
Britain is largely dependent on
country for supplies of food and raw
Britain is largely dependent on this
materials, and both that country and
Its allies are to a considerable degree,
dependent on us for war materials,
for this is the greatest food-producing
and manufacturing Nation that
remains neutral. An emoargo wouiu
nntnnht.iliv do rreat injury to Amer
lean industry and commerce, but lt
would do far more injury to mo al
lies, which are engaged in a struggle
fnr Titm:-- The damaee which
this country would suffer, great
though It would be. would be slight
compared with the benefit to be de-i-iv..H
from unobstructed flow of our
Am-mAfn urtr nur reasonable de-
oiinria hud been conceded. The in
jury to the allies would be so much
greater that they would promptly
come to terms, so that the Injury suf
fered by this country would be limit-
..1 n B Khrtrt nriod
The possibility of an embargo Is
not suggested with any expectation,
imm rioxlr. that it will become
. H,,t Jnr thn DlirDOSO of
showing what bearing the Bryan
peace treaties have on the contro
versy. Those treaties, one of which
has been made with Great Britain,
provide that, when the two nations
fall by diplomacy to adjust a dispute,
action by each to enforce its demands
hy war shall be deferred for one year,
during which period a Joint commis
sion shall inquire into the matter and
preparations for war shall be sus
pended. While an embargo is, not an
act of war, it Is certainly an unfriend
ly act closely approaching war and the
Bryan treaties might be construed as
forbidding it. If they were not so con
strued, the embargo, once declared,
could not be withdrawn during the
year without weakening our position.
It would cause such irritation on both
sides as greatly to hinder amicable
adjustment- .Thus the peace treaties
might prove the means of direct
provocation to war.
The contingency thus described
adds force to the remarks of Colonel
Koosevelt in Everybody's Magazine
that -treaties and international
agreements are never to be entered
Into recklessly and foolishly, and
when once entered Into are to be ob
served with entire good faith" and
that the Bryan treaties "would be in
some cases not only impossible but
Improper to enforce." He also says:
"A treaty is a promise. To make lt
and not redeem lt Is vicious."
The weightiest criticism of the
Bryan treaties is that they bind us
to do that which we may be able to
do only at the sacrifice of some vital
Interest. We should then be con
fronted with the choice between sac
rificing that vital Interest ana vioiai
r . . ... I
lng the pllgntea wora 01 me .nuu.
We ought not to expose ourselves to
mi.-h a choice. The wise nation, like
tho wise man. studies well the terms
and effect of a contract before bind-
ing itself, that It may know whether
with safety to itself it can incur the
. J l. I ' 4
Obligation. Manns oouna iisru, ji
observes the contract tovthe full, at
1
whatever cost.
? I
rscus 8AM-S corCK GAMK.
The Postmaster-General Is accused
by the Railway Age-Gazette of ex-
travagantly overpaying star route
contractors on the one hand and of
deliberately cheating railroads by I
harp practice on the other hand. As
examples of the former kind, it cites
the case of a star route contractor
In Arizona who shipped 10.000 pounds
k.iAv nvr bt own route by par
cel post and received for carrying it
;j more than It was worth at its
destination. Another star route con
tractor in the same state bought 200.-
tractor in the same state bought !00"vacaEt lot or on school grounds not
ei0 brick at $12 a thousand, packed equipped with elaborate and expensive
them in parcels ana snippea mem
over his own route by parcel post. He
. i . m l.iini).n1
Te.vr. a, .o ZZZZZl
lev casing mt. ....... is . -ftl
can be named mtr nis .uu.o .i. i
cents per hundred pounds. He could
throw away the brick at the end of
...... ... 1
ll i g route and net isuw proiiu
.. .. x. I
vt nne tnus generous mi -i.r
carrier, the Government has added
..in ...
nniv & r.r r.nt to railroad mail nay
on "account of the parcel poet, and lt
gouge the railroads in several ways.
An electric line with hourly trains
was built between two towns, which
were served by a steam road with two
trains daily. On application of one
of the towns frequent mail service
was established on the electric line,
which thereafter carried the bulk of
the mail. At the next weighing of
mail a clerk discovered an old law
providing that no "streetcar" should
be paid more than a steam road for
carrying mail between two points.
The interurban cars were classed as
streetcars and their compensation was
cut down to that of the steam road.
In another case, where the contract
provided for a single closed pouch on
the route, rarcel post caused the mail
to outgrow the capacity of the pouch.
The railroad refused to accept parcel
post. The Government then had
pouches made large enough to hold
11 the mall and forced the road to
carry them at the old rate, though
they reduced the seating capacity
cars. The uovernmem snips em
pty
mail sacks by freight train au
the weighing period in order to
during
ing
re-
duce the railroads compeoMuuu
dur
Ing the next rour years.
Tt la he unrh tricks that the
Post
master-General Is enabled to show
nl Aa not wish their postal
to make a profit by cheating any
body,
even a railroad. excuse ior
these
Dractices is that the railroads
former-
i. ir. Villi ori tr.mii.rVi Honfirress
bills
awarding them excessive pay, but
is not permlssiDie to onset one
with another. Payment for
fraud
mail
service should not be fixed by
Postmaster-General, for he is
party to the bargain. It should
the
f i-rori bv thn Interstate
Commerce
Pnmmlssinn. an Impartial
tribunal
Just as freight and passenger
rates
I . . . .
FRESTDEXT AND 8EJIATE.
. ... . ,
I Before President Wilson had
time
the
to comfortably Installed In
House, he notified the
Job-
hunters that the door of his office
nnt nn tn thm hut that they
would
l have to see the memo era or ms a.
net. The distribution of patronage
I a vjisr Tuiinarw. It la more. It
Cabi
. "P.n Wh,.C,h "Lf lll
I aentiai snip nas sput, ana uno e
psfd.nt ha soueht more or iess
evade. President Wilson
purpo8ed to solve the problem by hav
nothm to do wUh lt.
uk m another
nmnnerl thrnneh a
gtateSmanship.founded on pedagog
. .. ... . , . ,
lc rjieory. it aio. not worn uuu a"
,,,. nt vrason. .Ike all his pred
cegsors was elther unabIe or unwlll
to 8urrender th6 immense patron
his ofnce t other8 and he ha
has
hpoii rcttn rd i 11 sr his friends
and
slighting his enemies, in the good
Democratic fashion.
old
The President is required by
the
constitution to nominate and "with
advlce and consent of the Senate
the advice and consent of the Senate
to anDoint" all officers of tne unuea
state, "nnl ntherwisA nrovided for
ITnon this constitutional reservation
la hum un the whole structure of
"Senatorial courtesy." The President
rhn timores the nowerful fact of
'Senatorial courtesy makes a grave
strategic blunder; the President who
vields to it virtually surrenders con
trol of his own great omee in one
imnortant matter. It is a serious
But if. President W llson thinks so
llftln n f fohn onrl natroiiaza as to
.hin IIia n-hnlA hnrilpn tn his Cabinet
officers, lt ought not to be difficult to
go a step farther, and turn It ove&ro
the Senate, where lt in part oeiongs
DKSERTED FLATCROVMDS.
The school children of SpringfleloVl
I1U doubtless do not differ In their
methods of recreation from children
. . . . n . .. tr ratnltu of
on tnuAKtiratfiin nf school srround
play conducted in that city by the
Kussell Sage .f oundation are muica
iinn nf nnnrlitinns that exist else-
whore. A brief report of the Investi
gation, issued by the Government
nuMiaii nf T-'Miif-n tlnn reveals that a
1 it-i L-inc hanrn Yism attended recrea
tion among pupils of the schools in
the last generation.
Am on bovs. old-time strenuous
games such as prisoner's base, leap
frog, bull in the ring, hare ana nounas,
and duck on the rock have practically
disappeared. About the only lively
outdoor game now known to more
than a very few of the boys of today
is baseball. '
But baseball does not occupy the
entire attention of boys after school
hours. The agency that has crowded
.ame. nf nlh.F rtRVR Clff th SChOOl
grounds is the moving-picture show.
The movies are equally popular among
the girls. Jumping the rope; roller
skating and hide and seek are still
indulged in. but standard games line
I py, London Bridge, fox and geese,
button button and blindman's buff are
played by comparatively few.
It appears from the brief summary
of the report given by the Bureau of
Education that the investigators do
not consider the condition exactly
wholesome. It is hardly likely that
th. newer recreations can truthfully
be charged as injurious to morals. If
the influence or tne moving-picture w
kj in nv uflv it L in continued at
tendance by children to the exclusion
of outdoor activities.
The report gives a detailed recrea
tional programme which Includes
purchase of public school athletic
fields, the keeping open 01 scnooi
j c r x nn Kuturdavs
pruuuua i . - -
and during the vacation periods, wltn
paid instructors in charge. To many
of the present aauu genprauun u u
seem absurd, upon recalling their own
childhood days, that healthy boys and
girls need special inducement to en-
- I ,1 nlav TCllt ttlA fl.dult
gasa in um.uw j.
never experienced the Indoor counter
uttMln. dt rh. movlpR.
- . ,
Enlargement 01 scnooi scuviua i"
innhiiiA avatomntin instruction in play
""" u., th. vMr will invariably
aPOUSO objection as to cost. It may be
, however that If the playground
feature Js 6UCcessful as a compeOtor
healthful amusements the par-
, . ln the one run. But
g,. economy would be promoted
curtailing the children's spending
money. In the absence of ability to
do something that better suits their
fancy, children will not neglect the
old-fashioned games that brought
health and strength to their parents
games wnicn may oe piayeo. on a.u
. .
OCR COSTXT COCBT8
. oiPnd writina- to The Ore-
--- -
gonian concerning reducUon in court
expenses, suggests mai wuuu.c
. I . 1. - rr email PflOM nv I I I'
noi ... --
i rnnn. r.nt in the term s-stem of
l -
courts and the requisite of statute
!..... ...-in- .11 at tatprt inter-
hut inripa be called at stated inter
vols. There Is no expense to the state
in civil cases, except the Jury. Judges,
clerks and Sheriffs are all on salaries,
and might as well be at work. The
added expense Is the per diem and the
mileage of Juries. The term system
should be abolished, and judges au
thorized to call Juries only when neces-
ah asea or small masrnituae.
unless some vital question be involved, I
should be tried by tne judge wimoui
. iury. unless the parties themselves
.im. the lurv exDense." I to
- The Oregonian still clings to the
idea that insignificant cases should
v... in th. lesser courts. If the
W Itv. ... - - 1
.t.Aii.hm.nt nf the term system is I to
practicable let us adopt both plans. It
that the iuda-es. clerks and 1
Sheriffs might as well be at work, and I
If they were rellevea or any work 11
uniiM be almost Impossible to cut off
anv of the existing court machinery, it
nt tt ia wine to look ahead. As the I
..... m the volume of trivial liti-
eatlon will grow. Justices and county
.1 . . . , - rvaoofif
oi I courts wnicn enouiu " j
1 ..... . ..n .Vinn
I are maintained at. iesner Ciin
I . .
the Circuit courts. me iii"
change in Jurisdiction would remove
the lounaauon rrom uuuer u."
tno tnus uiai appear -
- . . . i . i- i fn. prpjit-
- ... .. . th.
Legislature wim rcsuuunj
ing new Circuit juagesnips.
m, a trnnufpr
line same writer aueswv"
-r the Cotintv
V .. . r. ... . .
toun to me uircmi t-uuiu -z -
form that has often been suggested in
Oregon ana one mat dm
. - .. . . r-A fom
It insure a better balance of work in
tr onv nbiMiuons. l nia chuukc
counties wnere- tne circuit v,vui.
not now attempting to work beyond
. - Ilia
capacity ana in counties wucio w.
i a.-a.! n . nHatA rniirt
I ... A
.ni r BTir.visfrn or tne Dour, biiu
.. 4Mrt ariti thA County
uommissioners.
There is a broad field for reiorm m
. ,1 i An onH it is
the intention of The Oregonian to
make only a few general suBBcot."ii.
The details require careful consider-
...
ation by men in posiuon cioseiy i
observe the workings of the courts
day by day.
-rra EH1TH. -
ieatn imu -'-" "
nlrmeerK nil rinir 1914 and thinned the
Death laid heavy toll on Oregon
ranks of the men who helped build
tkn AnmmnnVPil tn fl U I 111 SC LllO Ji-ici
half of the nineteenth century. The
t a C A Cm-Va O 1a7Alr TCI
j e.fhn rrcoo Q rt flrpfntlian
by everything but birth and whose
whole life was devoted to the best In-
terests of the state. .
Coming to Oregon in ,
Coming to regon ... -
youngest, oi eitmi. ..u.c.h - -
misfortune to become ratneness in
. tti d..iini, Htfvrk
lew inuxitiiB. mo v.. . ...0
- , i . J
spurred him to se.t-maK .s
rose steadily above primitive touiu-
. i: ....cc Ho
... , .1 . V.
was not an oiiiceseener, uu, i..uuS"
appointed to fill a vacancy on the
,. . j eies-teri re-
uircuii oeucti auu .em.
.j. in . f.izr -trenrfi to devote hi
time and talent to practice of his
profession.
He was an honest lawyer, a useful
.m... n4 a faithful friend and his
name is Inscribed on the roll of good
men.
PEACE DREAMS,
Thn-. gentle dreamers, the peace
nmnucunrilstH are beginning to re
cuperate from the crushing blow giv-
w., .... mirhrealr ot a worm wdi
iia .ri ri i. e-rtri-ated themselves with
rfiffionitv from Europe, whither
many of the leaders had gone to join
In adjusting the final details ot ic
piA4ii.l near. anH e-ood will in the hU
man famUy, they have rested from
their harrowing experiences, lighted
the peace pipe anew and set out to
... ih. nhfiirpnaroiis human crea
ture into more tractable and docile
ways.
rti. -t fnllnwiner the war was
that the present conflict would be the
final upheaval. -It wouio sicaeu mo
world with war and the last shot
would be followed by inevitable dis
armament. Menders of human nai
ture have found a great soiace m
this idea. It has provided them with
refuge in the hour of storm. Of
course, the man given to using his
wits even perfunctorily Is Inclined to
i ii th.t the war will merely breed
others of its kind to blight human
serenity and happiness at some iu
. jete Th thlnkine creature is
disinclined to believe that the human
family will reform its naons ui
thought and action all In one moment,
i. .niAr to nromote the "interna
tional triumph of peace that is cer
tain to settle down alter me wonu
i .he nposent blood carnival"
w rn n:o t . u r - -
the peace propagandists are directing
their energies into eaucauona..
sfXme or. content with paint
ing lurid pictures of the horror of
war. These pictures, to De sure, arc
distressing and terrifying. They snocs
... inci-ihhlv. The weaker our
nervous system and the greater our
sentimentality, the greater tne snocs.
This is a harsh statanent, but unfor
tunately a true one. Others while
away their time organizing p
bodies or ln circulating pennon ta...-ina-
on the King. Czar and others
please to quit fighting.
However, lt nas remaiucu i".
magazine writer, Ray Stannard Baker,
to find the true solution ior tne euu
of war. Baker is an old-school senti
mentalist of the sob-sister variety.
enri
.n.t.Hnc the universe i a
. -I... . . i r,-- via massive imagina
Arbt4IU,"B
trit.iug ..mis ..v. ' i
the"" American Magazine. Baker de-
scribes a Lrerman jnvasiuu u.
United State, immediately following
ie great war which Ms pen onu
an end in the year 1915. '
an enu ."o ....
Baker, at xne outwi, n"""n i,iA i
woeful lack of preparedness to meet
...i iu... nni trtvoainn i-i c not uiu t i
admita it. he glories in it. He pic- the great public. If it Is designed
admits iw ,nMiLni for eient sneciallsts the expert-
tiiris a wave ot mn 111.11 cyn
throughout the country and a great
rush to arms. But stay ,
Why need we fight? . Particularly javen poeirj, Ciu.c . , m--."-hen
we can't put up much of a easy to separate . Into good and I bad
nt anvrwav? A woman over in
- . tt. 1
Chicago starts a new , - I
inism
n comes to the rescue, navms i
n coiueo m
had
a ble Dart, along witn proviutuu-
a Dig p"L I
ism.
n, in getnng us .. uv... -
it
i. onlv meet that reminism snoutu i
Uoniy meeit
come
At this stage Baker's woman rweeps I
A
the
country witn aw
great
new lieht bursts over tne couu-
new IlKUI. UUl-.i I
try
The Presidentand his t.ao,net
heave
a sigh of reller. xne oie w
We shall have no warnot even
cast.
if
. . .. I
German' "suspicious of our meek
German. SUSD1""""
spirit.
irit. sends an arrna.ua.. .""i "
innH at New York. Do we fire
nn!1 tthPTTi ? We do not. Katner we
edteThot mince pies and shrimp
salad
a and they have a jony time in i
r Manhattan trenches. Every-
... fne rterman aoldlers are greet-
their
where
with courtesy and made welcome,
ed
Not
a shot is fired. Even our nooo-
lums
embrace tnem. anmscu, uie
German
tn commander. "11 rearing a
trap.
levies triDute on iew i.e..
Thirty
mlUion dollars Is the sum
. . j- .
asked.
The
ked wnat snail we uu uvw .
iteu. "ii" 1 v I
The situation is quacai,
Baker's
r"s master mind. He mrroauces
into"
to-this delicate s.tuawon
.. .1 -.3 1 I
na
med Gibbs. wno writes a nuiuuiuuo
' ' .
ed
torlal suirsrestinE tnat tne mouej
..
he
paid, saying tnat tne city
paying
e tribute to the lrisn ior tne past
- .. . .
fifty
v years ana mat it is msn llulc
something to the Germans.
This
editorial carries tne country u,
storm.
The American -sense oi nu-
is reached. Americans begin
mor"
.i,t-.r then to laueh. They laugh
all
cal
dav. . The remainder of the world
catches the infection. By night war
has
K.on lauzhed out of existence.
This is a fair sample of peace prop
aganda run riot. The trouble is that
Is built on a foundation . oi na.
The
structure is a mere air castle.
which crumbles when we rub our
ley
and take a second and clearer
ap
i - " -
nan In SBntimonrjllllCTS- 1 flPV
will
vvr, , T. .v.
I ...... ha Irlfllnw fori thfl I
I m -- --
country win ever wvauo
United
: of ag-
t --
mcs vonnia War 1 1 fin IV a.
meana
. . -
I Tf thA end ran be achieved
without
; - .
" " Z . , '
unv nthpr pountrv would send ar
nor
armed
i
I exneditions to our soil. She would
I.al,. nAlifr a thai sVlft
wanted
--
something we had a foothold
I CnnlKn.. A miincfl linrftSmCleQ
con-
' ,
v
some
thing we could not afford to
. part
standard
.. -
of our civilization and reducing
arotA a miv m-rtcnorih' It Wnillfl
the
. then
, v yiWFa.
I Tn sur.h a cas& A3 OUT peace
expert
I .Jt.. S win- nrrtnlrl T-l fT YiCk T P TTTI 1 f-
lit-
we
ljiw, uci iuauj w-vu.u
ted to desDoll us alone. Even if
aa Tint T-pjsAnt such an intrusion
there
i ' .
wouw db ugnuus ui uui
th sAine fiehtinsr of rival inv
Just
invaders
over the spoils.- There would toe
ie a
get
;",
the most and when the international
I -1 1 J llirnnirh tllfl Tirin-
"i" k w.. r
cipal industry for humble American
- ' . -
JlIirXt;tUIlL UHUUfiU uw -
XxrAf.4-.w. AlHno
nut no.U uu..
I Tlin neace dream is a oeauu
vIsion --3. horrible and revolt-
1 vision. war Is norriDie ana rev
x,.,.
Rf Inn e- as the nations
the world continue to obtain their
nQfT (IT me I (Kill SUUU1Y L V lUaKUW-at.
weii that ve should not let our con-
I nnlnn nno ma4- tnn fo T- ohaflll nf tY tTTl RTlfi
I n i-fnn rr o ym Trr far VfTl 1 T1 d
oCR jAxcjpATtn poets.
. bfiration for the poets
I v ohotI(1 frv what tu
unabated fury. What
,,,,,
cmiureu ui mo ..e....B
tor
fa "fren verse." or vers llDre, to
use
i '
.IKl i. ant ThiR TT1
1'.,.... " "V," wiTh
means
pmuj iu'i ""
I nni rpaann The. wild, erratic rac
I ,, , nrvila inuf a tllPV feel With
i ..- - - - -
out the fetters of ordinary prosody.
TTeet thev detest as bitterly as rhyme.
i - -
Walt Whitman is their model
and
Chaos is their chosen divinity.
Tn nnrlent times rhvme was
not
ti.eri The Greek noetn bound them
selves bv rieorous metrical rules, but
they did not waste their faculties
the nuest for rhvmes. Every reaa
can remember scores of occasions
when, under the inspiration of the
Muse with his brain in & fine frenzy
glowing, he has begun to pour iorxn
immortal noetrv like a deluge only
tr he hroueht nr. short at the end of
the third line for want of a miserable
rhyme. Why submit to any such fool
ish imposition? The futurist poet
declares' with many a violent gesture
and sulphurous oath that he will not
siihmit and free verse is the product
of his emancipated state.
Tt is del ffhtful to see genius uis
porting itself unchained. Its demon
strations are hilarious as those of a
cow taking a holiday and often quite
as graceful. Rhyme was invented by
the monks in the dark ages to cover
up their lack of classical inspiration.
In their nanas it rounaea on sumo
fine hvmns such as "Dies Irae" From
the monks it has come down to us
nt oitoe-ether ns a blessiner. nernaps.
Still Shelley found lt no great handi
r.on Tn the. lvrins of the Prometheus,
for example, he fairly luxuriates in
rhymes, casting them into tne verse
where they are plainly superfluous
ornaments. " Burns rhymed without
much difficulty. So did Goldsmith,
who might have written the "Trav
en1 the 'Tleserted Villace" In
blank verse if he had prefererd. But
he chose to rhyme mem.
It is probably true that great artists
ln any domain rather enjoy binding
themselves hv strict laws. They like
to show what they can do under difr
Acuities. As for rhythm, and regu
lar rhythm at that, we do not see how
there can be .real poetry without it.
WHAT IS A GOOD NOVEL
Ttrhetner thev like it or not librar
ians are obliged by the nature of
their business to assume tne pan oi
censors. They cannot buy - an tne
books that pour from the press. They
cannot even buy all that their patrons
ask for. Discrimination is forced
upon them by want of money and or
space for shelves. They must separ
ate the good from the Daa ano m
trying to do so they must apply some
principles of approval and condemna
tion. As soon as they begin to do so
..fTniillea arnnmillAte. What IS a
good book? The question is fairly
easy to answer as long as we take
account of science, history and such
-
A good history Is. first of all one
mat ino-n.
effort to tell the truth I, in a dmo
to mat u.n..
style and wit, so much the better. A
ie,,tifi work is one that gives
... .
the results of the latest experiments
in i cauo-i x 'j m - -
- a--
ments are everything and the form
"r1"6' . ......-,.,.,..
uooa poetry is m -
.ii with in the Tfifth Header at
- '" ZT anv wtnd that
bcjiuu.. yj -
t in versification or sen-
uuico xium -
TUseHmination is a compara-
jr"r , tv, hTi!1. ln
uveiy iigni. - - -
these fields. It Is fiction that breeds
trouble for him What Is , a good
:iv .i,. mitiirt it rood
iacuneuuusu. .
. T.l Interest. S nPrROn
novel ue ' "nlnve
no mmusr """" T7y,
morals or shock common sense. The
far Tiothlntr I0r Its own mor-
afs and sadly little for its mind. As
,a nTr,,Sed lt is content. But
""B ."".. iih,.rion
how can uu-ojukcuu.u.
. a,i ias Bmiispn H.I
pprmit -iic y - -
U expense of their higher nature
tnus u .
wants is often not for the publics
good. The librarian has to say nay
to the glamors .for best .seller ana
turn away a """Vf L,nouia
Sa.u.s ---
root - llbraria with
i... ---7 - , .M1.
any vestige 01 a cou...w
. heynma a. censor. He has to tor-
w .
. riefinit nn of a good novel
taIfi th.t
wnicn win ...--. - .:.V"
.. nnil TO iilfl II 1 1 LLt I U LI UUU11V.
rMlf of ...
"""'b ' . , . ,.,,
1. v, rt ha overwhelmed with
ne uubu. w
4.,i. hut he is not. xne mum-
".w .rratefi.l to
tuuo -y ' " ,
!.. Kn would save its soul or
i....
mend H. wits. It prefers to sh
."y aaVv T,It
owa u..e..., , j.,
with all our superior consideration
for morals ana wits D iu
u K that a novel cannot be
wiLn mo " " - - i
a good one unless it is interesting. It N
needs other qualities, oi course, reu
.1.:- . i.ri have nr it la naueht. The
Luia i- - " , I
stories -that die are those that nobody I
reads except as a matter ot pauuui
duty either in the classroom or in Jail.
Those that live achieve their immor
tality primarily because they Interest
lnnir TTvon tVi Tinker dream will
people. That is why children cry for
THnrtemlla." and crown Deocie cry rur
Uamlol " cr rtretenrl to. That Some
of the hungry wails for that imper
ishable play are crocodile need not
impeach the genuineness of yours and
ours, dear reader.
But granted that a novel is inter
esting, what other qualities should it
have in order to deserve the title of
",nn" should it h "moral." for
in I instance? We wish somebody would
o., nvenaeiv what, is meant uy
"moral." We have known people of!
Irreproachable habits who called the
Uanno Aftin .mmorfll and saw noth -
. baau, va.
ing wrong in foreclosing a mortgage
on a widow's house. To a great many
vociferous persons morality is & mat-
..... -. . i . . l T
rt ter of clothing ana noimng eise. x-i.
1 - . . a
t- an ulcer be decently ciaa .a tw
an uicjsr oe decently
will call it a beauty spot with all the
pleasure In the world. But on tne
other hand if you strip the raiment
from beauty they will as 'resolutely
call it an ulcer Applied to literature
.t . , -I... , j i 1- ,e those
tlitS SlKllllieo 1 11 HI- uau uuni" v ' ' "
which tell unpleasant trutns, wnuo
good ones are such as conceal the
facts of life with more or less aex
teritv. The same rule applies to
of plays. Ibsen's and Brieux' are bad
or immoral because tney lace tne
facts of experience, while those like
.fHe luMinnoflr" are altogether love-
oflly because they skin over the truth
of the world with patent falsenooa.
We think a really good novel must,
besides being interesting, be true to
life. It need not deal with the un
pleasant facts of the world. There
are many pleasant ones and they are
just as true as the others. A novel
ist, like a painter, has the right to
Ceie.t nia material according to his
own liking, but if his selection is such
as to give an illusory picture or tne
u-nriH hia honks are bad. Much as we
should rejoice were innocence always
safe and virtue always rewarded, we
know perfectly well that it is not so
anA we VnoW ton that a Derson who
should act as if it were so would
promptly come to grief. Our reading
nuiriii not tn he of such a nature that
it unfits us for living and working in
the real world. It seems to us mat
the worst of all novels are not those
iv, onneni to the. animal nature.
though they are often deplorable, but
such as weaken the win ano aiscour
.tre effnrt hv depicting a false world.
This was the fault of those .old Sun
day school tales in which some ricn
and benevolent stranger always fnter
nnsed at the critical moment to suc
cor oppressed virtue. They actually
harmed many a youtn Dy excums ex
pectations which were never likely to
come true.
To our mind the ideal book ior
popular reading is one where a
ti,,t enri in attuned bv fair fight
ing, where a hero gains his ambitions
by the use of his own wits ana wnere
chance and coincidence play as small
a part as they do in real life. If it
shows some little literary style, too,
that is a valuable extra, but it can
hardly be expected as an ordinary
article of diet-
Great tsmain oneis m oun
goods from the .United States, but
denies us much or tt"w":
essary to supply our own needs, inat
(.iintrv fnrhids exDort OI WOOi irom
a j. if- J Cn.itVt afrifd tn flilV
on the Plea 01 mmutiy uevwrn.,?,
though ?he wool of those colonies I-
not suited to military uses ana is
needed for our domestic consumption.
The circumstances navo o..uuocu ouo-
picion in this country that the British
'&.VtrX
i:ctturersaldbySproviding themwith
Australia ana douui Aint 1 $y troopers ai. Druwusnuo
other country than the British Isles more than two-thirds of that long bor
. 1.1.1 ci,r oi fior Ti-hT t rushed the Texas State
abundant raw material wnne oen"'B tho same territory under separate com
it tn their American competitors. This j sna-eated that I with
in a matter which the State Depart-
ment might well take up in connec-1
Hon with the British treatment
contraband.
Arizona saloonmen have gone to
Arizona 5aiouii...ei. ie.
. . 1 M.,H.I.A.a Hi...
Mexico in largo iiuiuuois,
, , j . .l. -
themseives sicKeneu 01 mo .."j.
They'll feel different about the time
Villa discovers them and begins levy
;ng tribute
American field guns are Being
Shipped to Russia. x.i .n
own pitiful shortage of such weapons
shipped to Russia. In view of our
it is little short of a crime to let any
get out of the country.
Knw the Russians say they have
won another vyerory over tne aim-
trians. Tnree momns s self done nothing but contribute to tne
claimed to have the Austrlans comJ dlaorder and lawlessness by its vacil-
t i - li.i nrf.hlncr and Waiting DOllcy it
pletely wiped out.
We are inclined to discredit the sug
gestion that " the Kaiser will have
crn,.h nd. Russian surgeons in con
sultation when he goes to the sur
gery. Thn da.v we turn the Philippines
over to the Filipinos we ought to cut
the cable, so our feelings may not do
harrowed by what follows.
Colonel Roosevelt is quoted as say-
ing
win hn.vA to fieht the tiermans.
The
Colonol absolutely reiuses to do
kept
off the front page.
Tho battle zones are tranquil ex-
cept
pt for occasional outpost raios anu
trench sally now and then to keep
the
soldiers warm. ;
Don'fforget to send out a batch
of Oregonian Annuals. iiet your
friends learn more of the wonderland
of the Coast.
One of these days one of the com
batants will make the mistake of
seizing a Standard Oil Company ves
sel. German culture and British higher
icrallty continue to occupy the
trenches in Belgium.
The war is now confined very
largely to the issuance of bulletins
lalming victory.
With Winter closing down In Po-
land
watch the fur fly in trance ana
Flanders.
The cave dwellers of modern times
live
in the subterranean trencnes or
Europe.
No, Edith, the European warfield
bears
no relation to our own uavia.
Mighty few good resolutions left
,.,
by
this time, we wager.
W'e are still pleading for mercy at
Our climate seems to improve with
age
Taxpaying time looms ahead.
The ball fan grows restless.
DEMOCRATIC VIEW OF PRES1DE.T
Admlniatratioa Dtaoanrri aa Greateat
Failure la Hlatory
An Interview with aov.rnor Colqaett
IDem.), of Texai.
"The Wilson Administration has been
the greatest failure ln the history of
the Presidency. The South is a land
literally flowing with milk and honey,
it has made one of the biggest and best
crops ln Its history, and yet, because
of the utter incompetency of the men
ln charge of the Government, its busi
ness Is prostrated, its credit Is Impaired
th0U8ands of lt8 peopie are starv
I ,
HI.
.The Administration's tarifT law was
pledged to lower the cost of living, and
it has had the contrary effect. By put-
e-incv wow T a t acl a 1 a nn he f ratf lict M Tl (i
- - "V.
kponinc- th nrntpl va tariff On manU-
-ZYit hm. condemne.
factured goods, it ha. condemned
AraeHcan farmers by hundreda of thou-
sands to peonage, and has enabled the
manufacturers, getting their raw ma-
terials cheaper, to charge higher prices
for their goods, which the have done.
Hides were free listed, and shoes have
. .
,hi tr
"Tlii. la true vl-tnallv nvorV alnate
Item similarly treated in tne jvaniuu.
tratlon tariff law. The American farmer
gets less for his raw materials, the
American workingman pays more for
the finished product, and both are
robbed further to enrich the protected
manufacturing trusts and combines.
"The Administration's foreign policy
has been lnibecilic. It has allowed
England to dictate conditions as to cot
ton shipments that enabled the English
spinners to rob American cotton grow
ers of half the value of their crop.
England stopped American shipments
until the English spinners bought tlielr
supply at 64 cents a pound and stored
lt ln Texas and other Southern ware
houses. "The Administration's repeal of the
Panama Canal tolls exemption law. ln
violation of the party's National plat
form, was another weak surrender to
England. If free tolls had not been re
pealed, hundreds of American-owned
ships, flying a foreign flag, would have
come under the American flag to get
the benefit of the exemption, and we
would today have an American mer
chant marine competent to carry our
goods to foreign markets. We have
nn Dimh merchant marine and to sup
ply it the Wilson Administration is pro
posing to spend tne taxpayers money
buying a subsidized National shipping
service.
"The Wilson-Bryan management of
the Mexican affair has been an e?re
Kious failure. They landed an Anierl
on a-mv in Vera Hrnz tn force Huerta
to salute the flag, and have brought it
back without getting tne saiute.
V. . . nr nub- I'nnfrreHS In RDDrODrl-
ate over J500.000 to pay the expense of
that ridiculous expedition. For what'.'
What did It aceompnsn: it a-i
m i .. ..fl. inn acainst the Americans.
. in Mn. I.... T,i,t In Tev.a where
IIU. UIHJ li.w-i" w... ... . -- -
all along the north bank of the Rio
Grande there are 1U Mexicans tor ui.o
American.
"It hrousrht on a reign of terror all
along the Texas border, so that when
the Federal Government reiusea to
ford protection for our people in tneir
D.a.e T wns. forced tn send 1JIIU
Texas troops down there to give It-
Mexican bandit gangs were ciu.buib
the border Into Texas, raiding and ter
rorizing our scattered people. Women
AhiMi.on were hnddlpd tosrether in
brick houses, menaced with murder and
worse.
...jr ..
from ch
"My desk was flooded with telegrams
praying for protection at points
i (J our 1200-mile frontier.
..rrv, vraAora 1 flnvprnmpnt. had
only
A f Cynnrnavll 1 tn
u.. - , ,
troop, -own there --f atoning afa com-
' ' . ,n.tructed them not to cross
th(j r,ver nor in anv way to violate the
neutrality law, out at an coom m
tect the lives and property of Texas
retary of War Garrison tele
graphed j-t
L - , the state troops. I wired him
that I would withdraw the Texas troops
-
it. t... bi.i.1 i-ec-iiiara tn take theit
place. And I kept our men there aintll
he did send an equal number of regu
lars to replace iiioiii, .1
I 1 n. i men were at.tioned.
lars to replace tnem, at gvery iu.uo
oiwuoi. . , . .
I "nil.nn and RrVan hAVfl StOOd by. Sn-
handiti alter
we' ng'butc"
.'. 1 1 ... V. 1 1 . .I,, vaat
erea an over jubhuw. -
American interests in that country were
1 1 ...ilcalnH and Khnt to DleCeS,
1 uciiig -
ana .today tne ";u
aaaainated
s"8","1
than , ,ny - r
the country and I understand that all
he wants is to be chief of police of the
City of Mexico, with control of the
gambling concessions in the City of
Mexico and Juarez. Our Government
has kept England and Germany from
restoring order in Mexico, and has it
self done nothing but contribute to the
disorder and lawlessness by its vacil
lating watching and waiting policy it
it can be called a policy, me iirop"
tied interests of Mexico and the big
American exploiters of Mexican resour-
.,.. i enntrnl nf the situation
absolutely, and these same Interests
have got the ear of our Government at
Washington.
' The Administration's anti-trust lw
1 ...,! -an far 81 DTOtSCt
are n i i c ....... ... ,
ing the people from trust oppresslen Is
concerned. These laws please nobody
else so well as they do the Standard
Oil, Steel anfl other great trusts.
"I am afraid the National election r
1916 will, because of the failure of
these policies, end the Democratic Na
.1 i The nolicles of the
Democratic National Administration
, . ..ii.i1 eithar to curb mo-
nave wuuii -- - , . , .
nopolies or to lower the cost of llng
for the people, and they have materially
...i.ii..,iii to deorive millions of wage
earners of employment-
Hot Lake Tfever Freemen.
HOT LAKE, Or.. Jan. 1. (To the Edi
tor ) A cold weather story has been
published ln nearly all the leading pa
pers of the Northwest to the effect
that Hot Lake has frozen over and the
guests are skating on it.
I wonder the romancer did not add
that a skater broke through the ice
and scalded his feet. There is not a
word of truth In the article.
There is a small pond near Hot Lake
which freezes over every Winter, but
Hot Lake itself has never yet been af
fected by the weather, and on the cold
est day this season the steam from the
surface of the lake could be seen' for
miles. . .... ,
Will you kindly aid me In nullifying
the effect of such a libel Sn this old
natural wonder of the Northwest?
G. W. TAPE.
Cabinet and ganreme Co art.
tinDTT.lvri .Tan n- (Tn the Edi
tor.) Kindly publish names of mem
bers or caDinet ana aiso aupreme coun
for benefit of school children.
XX. J. VV
n .M.nl'a fehinet Rerretarv of
i . . . . wiiiium lAnnfnri Rrvnn: Secre
tary of Treasury, William Gibbs Mc
Adno: Secretary of War. Lindley M.
Garrison; . Attorney-General, Thomas
Watt Gregory: postmaster - owner.,
Albert Sidney Burleson; Secretary of
nr..... ln,.iiliiii Danielar Secretary of
Interior, Franklin Knight Lane; Secre
tary OI Agriculture, juiaviu rra.in.in.
Houston; Secretary of Commerce, Wlll-
, r D..1ABIH- KenretarV nf T hn T.
lam v.. " i i . . i - - - j
William Bauchop Wilson. U. S. Supreme
Court: Chief Justice, Edward D. White:
Associate Justices, josepn ncnenni,
, i : irr T-tnlmea William R. Dav.
Charles E. Hughes. W. Van Devanter,
Joseph K. Lamar, Aianion runej, jbihco
Clark McReynolds.
A New Year Memory.
Br J a ate Bart.a Adaaaa.
The frost, as a blanket of sparkling
gems, gleamed bright on the
waste of anew
That covered the farm In the old home
state in a Winter of long ao.
And the merry Jingle of bells wii haard
clear-toned on a wintry night
As the old farm sleda bore their merry
loads of youth tn their rapid
flight
Away, away to the quaint old church
that In modesty long had ateod
As the Sabbath shrine of the Christian
folk at the edge of the grand old
wood.
And a sacred look was on every face
as the folks of the farms sat In
That chapel to watch the old year out
and welcome the New Year In.
I sat by the side of a rustia las as
the minister, old and gray.
In earnest manner a lesson drew from
the year lust passing away;
The sands of our Uvea were runnlnc
out. and those whom we held
most dear
Would some day over ua watch a we
were watching tha dying year.
But a new glad life would upon us
dawn, as the year now nearing
Its birth
Would dawn with a glorious light
'twould thrill the souls of the
Christian earth.
And he counseled us all to a-reet tna
year with gladness, as we would
greet
The newborn life that awaited us at
the foot of the mercy et.
As we cuddled close In the old farm
sled, homebound 'neath the moon
light clear.
The lesson we'd heard from the preach
er's lips 1 whispered Into her ear.
And I asked why we shouldn't greai
the year with the gladness of
youthful love
With a mutual pledge 'neath the mid
night stare 'twould be sanctioned
by heaven above?
Our hands there met In Instinctive
clasp 'neath the robe ot the buf
falo That shielded us from the Winter s
breath that rose from the epar-
And
the pledge was sealed with
.11. iiouo -i --
soundless kiss, forothere were
And far too sacred that precious seal
to fall on a listening ear.
Ah! sweet the memories clustered
'round that ride on a wintry
night
When the runners creaked on the frost- '
gemmed snow "neath the sled In
its rapid flight,
And glad were the years that hnv
come and gene since tho pledge
of betrothal kl.
Caused two young hearts 'neath
phHKty robe to tremble with
thrill of bliss.
Our heads are streaked with the frosts
of time, but our hearts ere a
young and warm
As they were thnt night as we flew
along on the road to the old home
farm.
And 1 gaie with pride on the wife tha
words of the minister helped me
win
That night when we watched the old
ye:ir out and welcomed the New
Year ln.
James Barton Adams
THIS LICKY FATIIEBI.AND.
I went Into a drug store
To buy a box of pills.
And found the price had riser.
At least full fifty mills.
And when 1 asked the reason.
Was told, with candor frae.
"The stuff these pills are made of
All comes from Germanee."
I dropped ln to another place
To get a can of paint.
But the price the clerklet asked me
Quite threw me In a faint.
I asked him why this higher price,..
And, looking straight at me.
He said, "It's chief Ingredient
Must come from Germanee."
Paraffine oil, our doctor say.
Is good for ua to take
For any ills we really have.
Or tboae we choose to fake.
I bought another pint today.
But the price, oh. hully gee!
The reason given. "This oil Is mail
Only In Germanee."
I went Into a lot of shops.
Where food and clothes and to
Are kept for sale to women
And men and girls and boys.
But I found the prices ot them ell
Were on a Jamboree
"Because the things they're made of
All come from Germanee."
So now I fully understand
Why prices are so high.
And why they will remain so
Until the clouds roll by.
The cinch will sure continue.
Shopkeepers all agree.
Because the things we've got to have
All come from Germanee.
No matter what you ere buying.
Nor what you want It for.
The price has tilted skyward,
"Because, sir, of the war.
And If. In fact. It's made In Meine.
Or down In Tennessee, -Tou
ll meet the hacknled entldote.
"This came from Germanee.
So. if we feel the pressure of
High price here and there
Remembering that "here and there
Means all of everywhere
Let's gather In what pleasure
That may come to you and ma.
Bit recalling how It help the poor
Tamos. In Germanee!
' RKCORDS I JTJDOMEXT.
Edwin Markhem. tn Nautilus.
Doctor, and clerks would you dU-t
The crowning mark of the Elect
Know who believe beyond rebuke
The Gospel and the Pentateuch
Know who accept the Tblrly-Mne.
And taste with Christ the mystic win.
Then search the face of him you doubt
And that will let the secret - out.
Kxplore the face, end do not spar.
The Book of Life Is written there.
And would you know the other host.
Those that profane the Holy ..W I
Those that deny the Anc erit Word
The seer upon the mountain heard.
Then search the countenance, and trs' e
Their heresies upon the face:
That hardened line, that lovcles. look.
Are records in the Judgment Book.
The truth Is written and writ plain
Whether we be for Christ or Cain.
REOUI.CAT.
I have laid you In memory's casket
And dropt on your bier .llent tears
la the shrine of my heart burned the
incense '
Of those far oft wonderful years.
When you were my own. my own end
my all!
rAh I knew that such Joy. some day.
Nlus't lilt like a wild bird, tired of care.
From its captor's hand awy )
Oh lip that I pressed
And hands I caressed.
That I never may touch again.
The light of your eyes
And your golden hair lie
Like a sheen over all of my pain.
Jo. Hartman.
I.oi
F.vralass at te Feraa.
Atchison Globe.
. ... . u . .v.nlncra when a
LOIHC in Ti iwm. - - -
farmer has ample time to peruse Ble
mall-order catalogue.