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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 30, 1915)
TTTP! SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, PORTLAND, MAY SO. 1915. TREND OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT SPRINGS FORTH IN LETTERS 3HGITT IS XOT TO , RULE A Little Child Will Lead Them," Says Student of Science. EUGENE. Or.. May 28 (To the Edi tor.) The world as we know It seems to be hastening toward a cataclysm. Christianity as we practice It, is on trial for its life, our civilization la he Ins seriously questioned. We seem to he at the beginning of the end of an epoch. The things of the material and spiritual world are apparently in the throes of change. We see dimly, al most blindly; we grope, we Question, we plead for light; we are almost dis illusioned. The physical world gives Indications of disturbances there are earthquakes, old volcanoes are waking up. What do these portend? There are those who fall back on ancient prophecies. They tell us to beware, to make our peace, for the New Jerusalem cometh. And so in this hour of bewilderment I turn to the science I have chosen for my life's study. Is there anything In those ponderous tomes to help me In my pre dicament? Do those inanimate rocks offer any clews to the- solution of our perplexities? I call upon those re vered names, the Major Prophets, of a more modern day to give up the secrets they have wrested with much toll and meditation from Nature, Hugh Miller, Lyell. Tarwin. Lamarck. Zittel, Cope, Beecher, .nd so on. What do they tell me? Let us go down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, to the oldest part of the geological record, and scan the writing on the wall. As we come up from the misty past we note certain animal and plant remains In the rocks and. taken altogether, they tell us a most Interesting story. First, they tell us of the orderly though Interrupted procession of life, of life upward, on ward, ever upward. Second, they tell us of struggle, of tremendous conflicts, of races which dominated the stage for a time and then declined and -later were no more. They record many triumphs, many defeats, some back washing of the current, but always In the end triumph progress, higher and better forms succeeding those which had -been vanquished. Third, they show us how some of these forms came to their fate; why they ultimately faced extinction. Paleontology retraces the history of such groups as the Trilobites, the Di nosaurs, and the Ammonites, and it shows simply, clearly, but unmistak ably that Just before the final extinc tion of these animals they became over developed, over specialised, supplied with exaggerated means of defense and offense and then they degenerated, took On all sorts of bisarre shapes and structures, while and this Is the sig nificant thins the simplest forms per- The' Nautilus, with its simple struc ture as shown most clearly in Its su tures, exists today. What has become of the Gonlatltes and the Ammonites? Gone; disappeared absolutely from the face of the earth. Llngula. perhaps the simplest of all the bivalve shells, has lived from almost the earliest geologi cal period to the present day. The best fighters could not survive and for some reason or other were passed by those which might have been thought less fit. What do we deduce from this? Surely not that the less fit survive In the struggle for life. No, not that, but rather that those which might have been thought to be most fit were not so and that some other standard 'than mlcrht had to be conformed to. Can we believe then in the light of the past that this resort to war ana armaments will afford more than an ephemeral amelioration of what seem at the time to be Intolerable conditions? Have we not had this strife all during the long geological night and period-ir-aiw thrnuih the historical day. and what have we accomplished? Oh, yes. anmethinir has been gained; out of I .v.rv Btrue-srle comes some good. It I ! th riisrlr.llne of suffering" and 1 this Is a good thing unless and here I l th rub tha rrlce be not too great. I The only nation In the world which haw literallv practiced meexness ana passive resistance Is China, tne oiaest nation of all those now existing. If th.r. la nnvthina- In Christianity at all now Is the time to demonstrate it or for tier nut away all this cant. This is a dark and gloomy time, but for those who can pierce the black curtain and see the better day ahead ' It Is not a time for pessimism. Though the Individual may suffer the species will survive and be a better species, Looking back over the long dark mini which man has traveled and knowing all the heredity animal traits which cling to him .and which he has only with the greatest ainicuuy ana only In part sloughed off. we should wnnriar not at man's badness but at his goodness, and herein comes another low which Paleontology has demon atrated for us, namely the acceleration nr Bcnulred characters tnrougn me working -of which certain undeiilsable traits are inherited earlier and earlier and are finally pushed out. And If he has stumbled along so far on the marcn upward may ho not attain to ' heights yet undreamed of. Ts this an idle dream, a futile hope? The answer i comes from 'the medals or creation, rnm tha thousands of feet of rocks, from the hills, from the sea, from the flash of distant stars, from "the still, sad music of humanity," from the liv ing words of dead savants, from the mouth of the wisest man this world v o . .vol- known, the carpenter's son In Gallilse, and more, from my own heart and soul. , ,,, . t No! This Is not the end, and Might Hii nnt i-nla the Right. Physical pow nr. scientific efficiency will fall ponderously to the earth because of its own weight, as did the Dinosaurs of old and "a lltue cnuo, nn them." Thl la what mv science teaches me. And so you see there is no conflict be tween religion and science. The one without the other is not enough, at least not for me. WARREN D. SMITH BVROEN With FALL ON RENTERS Property Owners Will Not Submit to High Cost of Meter System. PORTLAND, May 29. (To the Edl tor.) Anent the discussion of the dls tribution of water on a flat versus meter basis, we should like to make the following comment: Is It fair that the owner of property occupied by a tenant should be re sponsible for the unlimited use of water, remembering that we have the ray-after-consumption system here in Portland? Will the-landlord not be required to take precautionary steps to guard against this last underhand attack on his pocketbook by some method which may prove extremely burdensome on no small number of tenants? Whatever may be Bald in favor of meters, does not condition change when It is remembered that the prop erty owner is held for the payment of the bill and not tne actual con sumer? As representatives of several hun dred property owners, we find the sys tem of including the water rent in the monthly rental growing rapidly and scarcely In an instance has the rent been raised, the owner absorbing this extra cost. Will not the meter system, by virtue of its abuse, either through intent or carelessness of the user, particularly through tha sprinkling season, cause the property owner not only not to Include the water rental, but to go materially further and require cash bonds or responsible signers (as the public service corporations now do) In prder to protect themselves against debts contracted and standing as liens against their property? Let no one lose sljrht of the primary fact we are collecting water rents now after the water has been used and the debt is a lien against the property. Not only a lien, but a prior one over a mortgage or other loan against the property, hence affecting the loaner of money as well as owner of the prop erty. Hundreds of property owners every month now go to the City Hall and pay for water which irresponsible ten ants have failed to pay when removing from premises, in many, many cases without notifying their owners of their intentions to do so. Frequently these buildings stand idle for days before the agent or owner knows of their vacancy. Conjure the effect of the pranks of some mischievous youngster or the maliciousness of some of the olders if the water is left running, in the finality to be assessed against the property. It is not an answer to say most of the tenants are honest. Owners of property have to repair too many broken windows, replace too many stolen fixtures to recognise the force of this argument. Doesn't the spirit of fair play de serve consideration of this phase of the q testion as well as that other ef fect ' f neglected lawns and blighted garde y so ably and frequently dis cussed in your columns? Isn't the small home owner or the man who has been sufficiently saving to lay up enough to improve hi spare lot with a rent house deserving of enough consideration that he shall not be forced at every succeeding election to meet this constant attempt to shift onto his shoulders some additional burden? We want Eastern capital and we want more industries, but before we get them It is well to remember that It may not be wise to have appear at every election a pile of measures, of which even the prospect of passage causes capital to seek investment else where. CLARENCE R, WAGONER. MRS. SC1IOFK IS INDORSED Head of Mothers' Congress Said to Have Child Welfare at Heart. PORTLAND, May 29. (To the Edi tor.) While not desiring to enter into a newspaper controversy, I cannot re frain from expressing an opinion con trary to that held by Mrs. Florence Kelley on the value of the work being done by Mrs. Frederic Schoff and her associates, who recently were our guests in this city at the convention of the Mothers' Congress and Pareot- Teachers' Associations. Mrs. Schoff represents a perfectly reasonable, and Just attitude toward the problems of child-labor, even though it differs from the opinions on the subject held by Mrs. Kelley and her friends. In discussing this import ant question it ought hardly to be nec essary to use personalities and employ such harsh terms as "false friend" and traitor to child-welfare." If we women are to accomplish anything by the bal lot for the good of the race, the first thing we ought to learn is not to im pugn each other's motives. Otherwise we shall fall into strife and petty crlt Icism, recriminatton and intrigue. Just as the men have done. Mrs. Kelley. I grieve to note, insinu ates that Mrs. Schoff is animated by sordid motives in taking the position she does on child-labor. According to the report In The Oregonlan she said of Mrs. Schoff: "Her family has curtain factories, and in them are employed children." This is one of those incomplete state ments that often leave an entirely false Impression. Mrs. Kelley does not say what the working conditions In those factories are. Now the truth is they are excellent, according to all re ports, and the children employed there in are given the opportunity of earning money without In any way endangering their physical, mental or moral well- being. Surely there can be no harm In let ting children become self-reliant and capable workers instead of developing into helpless and pauperized oepena ents. Surely vocational training ought to be part of their education. To make possible the development or indepena ent and efficient workers Is part of the child-welfare problem, Just as much as merely passing laws saying that cnu dren shall not work under any circum stances whatever. I have faith in the honest intentions of my friend. Mrs. Schoff. 8he is the mother of six splendid daughters. I do not hesitate to say that I resent the imputation of interested motives put unon such a solendtd type or woman Further. I sincerely believe tnai tne resolutions passed by tne recent isa tional Congress of Mothers outlines a fair and Just public policy, in wnicn the welfare of children Is amply pro tected. Those resolutions recognise the fact that the world needs trained workers and that the best time to ob tain this training is in youth. To me It seems that any falr-mmaea Deraon who reads over the resolutions carefully will have to concede mat un der the operation of such a law as is there suggested no hardship would be imposed on any child, and that the wishes of thousands of parents to have their children given the opportunity to h.inma self-suonortlng and seir-re spectlng wage-earners would be real- lied. Ma. v j. xx. PROHIUITION uw INDORSED nlir Enrnu4 That Change From Saluoas Should Xot Be Drastic, YREKA. Cal.. May 27. (To the Ed ltor.)-In The Oregonlan May 24 I see a letter from T M. Gilmore, "President National Model License League." In Mr. Gllmore'a letter he makes sev eral references to a letter of mine of recent date in a discussion of the pres ent Oregon prohibition law. I wish to reolv to one thing Mr. Gilmore ad vances and again admit that the people of Oregon are striving to escape from the "curse" of liquor without being too drastic. I admitted that Qregon might have to oome to complete pro hibition, bsjause with Just one little loophole left the liquor Interests may make the present law oDnoxious. What I want particularly to empha size in M7. Gilmore's letter is the las sentence of his last paragraph. H says: "Regulation can point to present results Instead of promises for the fu ture." I fully agree that regulation can point to present results. It can t pom to them officially in the police court records of any city that licenses sa loons and it is the "present results o reaulation" that has aroused Oregon and other states to go to prohibition and Is likely to force the whole Nation to nrohlbition. If there is one failure more colossal than any other it Is the failure of reg ulatlon. and I believe that Mr, Gilmore must know It; everyone else does. And yet, as he stands for tha licensed sa loon, he can probably find no better plea, as silly as that la. to offer for the existence of auch a cursed business. Prohibition, even In Kansas, is not yet what the security of the home and Nation needs, but Is so infinitely be yond what the "regulated" saloon ac complishes that right-thinking people thank God for it and strive for better things. I believe the people of Oregon will be content to try out their new law before asking Mr. Gilmore s advice or accepting that so freely offered out ot the goodness of his heart. However, if the present law results In the same debauchery and crime, the poverty and broken homes that are the result of "regulation I believe Mr. Gilmore can trust the people ot Oregon to enact the drastic law he thinks nec essary to get actual prohibition. E. T. JOHNSON. AXVEXATIOX GOOD BUSINESS Figures Show Portland Should Vote Ldnnton Into City. LINNTON, Or.. May 29. To the Ed itor.) Mutual advantage will be gained by Portland's annexation of Linnton, declare those who favor the proposition to be voted on June 7. A few weeks ago the people of the sub urb voted to submit the town to be absorbed, by Portland, and the city election here will determine whether annexation shall be made effective. With its six miles of frontage along the Willamette Rivr and immediately adjoining Portland, Linnton now has a growing population of 80O0, according to oonservative estimates. Running back, from the river the town has an average width of one mile. It Is es sentially an Industrial district, with a long sweep of sightly residence prop erty along the hillsides below the new boulevard and back of the level stretch fronting the river, and on which are lumber mills, the plants of the Port land Gas & Coke Co., the Standard OH Company, the Shell Company, the Union Oil Company, the Associated Oil Com pany and other industries. Commercially Linnton la part of Portland, separated only by an Imagi nary line. Proponents of annexation say merging with Portland is inevitable and desirable, just as is the proposed taking in of St. Johns. In support of their claims they cite that expansion of Portland's harbor, facilities down the river Is Imperative, it this city is to oecome tne great snipping port zor which so many forces are working. Ex. tension of the Jurisdiction of the muni cipal docks commission of Portland is highly desirable In the opinion of the commission and others who are looking to the future of Portland's commercial prestige, compared with Seattle's or of other great ports on the Pacific Coast. According to last years records the assessed valuation of Unnton Is 13, 269,080. The town's general obligation bonds amount to 1150,000, which rep resent the oost of a modern cast iron pipe waterworks system connecting with Bull Run pipeline, including 818, 000 on hand for proposed extensions to the system which was installed a couple or years ago along lines deemed to be Portland standard. This bonded in debtedness is 4.56 per cent of tax valuations, compared with 4.86 per cent the ratio of Portland s. general bonded indebtedness to present assessed valua tions. in addition there are .sewer, boule- WPrecfon jReirdspeM lilk l& Ik tx ts Wr?- Txl I : t fcs--' , ' - , "V, - 1 1 ? .,,1-. . . . . :- .: .. : : .v .. : . ... . r -v j : : - ... "i. . " W . A . ' . ' N. . "S , g. ; 1 , . ' " t. " i, , " ft 1 J" H - - -i , f . - .. - V'V' -X -H. - t- ' " y , " - ' " - i X - - - - . T ' r - - - . " -i ' - - t I : - .,;r;.; IVi - . ' J v , . - ... t ; - J . il" - . . 1 - L4, -i i 3 , - - t ,r. O sp ,s rtx 1 ' - ' . -.' r Y A; ; . T'v rU - J . .-i..--;-.J ' - iW , S-- !.s.-K'-.-- .... V.. (5 -K '::ifc-"t ' 'V . i CtSzuT'crfrG'sr of Oregon 7&rr'r'-&ry fic7c? Sixteenth Article. T WAS in December, 1842, that Rev. Alvan F. Waller, a pioneer Metho dist minister of what then was the I Oregon Territory, reached the conclu sion that the settlers could afford to erect a house of worship, Acordingly, he wrote out a subscription form and passed It around. The settlers pledged money and work which resulted in the ohurch being built. It was erected at what Is now Oregon City and was opened In 1844 as the first Protestant church west of the Rocky Mountains. Oregon City In those days was called the "Falls Set tlement." The building was the scene of the annual conferences of the Methodist Episcopal churches. The assemblage shown in a picture of the old church was an assemblage of Methodists at the second annual conference. Rev, Mr. Waller was the leading spirit in the beginning of the enter prise. He came to this country from New Vork via Cape Horn on the berk Lausanne, arrivlser at Fort Vancouver vard and street improvement bonds and warrants outstanding amounting to $160,747.27, which are a lien against property benefited, and are not direet obligations of the town. A recently compled financial state ment covering the period from Novem ber 10, 1910, when Linnton obtained its original municipal charter, to May 1 of this year, shews that the town has a total of 836S.181.49, In cost of water- works and sewer systems, street lm provements. Hillside boulevard, real estate, buildings, equipment, cash on hand and uncollected taxes. Against this total the bonded and warrant in debtedness, including district improve ment liens, amounts to 1318,797.27, leav ing an excess of assets of $44,264.22. From these figures it la shown by those who favor annexation to Portland that Linnton is bringing in more of sound assets and taxable wealth than its lia bilities amount to, and that while linn, ton's town government has been and is economically managed. greater economies are possible by avoiding duplications in conducting city affairs as part of Portland. Apart from the considerations noted, Linnton will bring to Portland sehool property worth 130,000, against which there la only MOM of floating indebted ness with almost "enough money en hand to snake the property clear of debt. J. B. SCHAEFEB.. PAT FOR METER IS OBJECTION. Do as Gas and Electric Ceaapaales Do, la Advice. PORTLAND, May 29 .(To the Edi tor.) In reference to Mr. Daly's meter system sad his reference to the gas and electric system, we all coincide. If the water company win 40 likewise. But when they want us to bny the meter, install it and keep it Is repairs, they are out ot reason. The gas and electric; companies In stall their product, with meter free or without, and we pay for what we use. Now Mr, Daly requests us to In stall our own meter and water and then pay for the meter. If he wants to be fair he will get his request as far as metering the houses is concerned. Mr. Daly can just bet that unless he gets the meters in as other com panies do he will be left on his scheme. C. J. AT.A.RD, P. S. I also would like some Infor mation about the habits and life of salmon fish. It has been said that the life or a salmon Is only one year; that when they spawn they go back to the ocean and die. If that is true, how do they grow to such an enor mous siae? 5 June 1, 1840. Mr, Waller was assigned to work among the Indians In the vicinity of Willamette Falls by Rev. Jason, Lee, who was the superintendent of the Methodist missionary work. Around this mission station a commu nity of white people began to be formed, and ifattalned such proportions that by 1842 Mr, Waller decided that it was time to begin active work in behalf of erecting a house of worship. Therefore, he drew up the following subscription paper. the original .of which ts In possession of the Oregon Historical Society, with the names of the subscribers attached: "Willamette Falls, December 21, 1842. iW, the subscribers, do hereby agree to pay on demand the several sums set opposite our respective names for the purpose of erecting a chapel for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church at the Willamette Falls, said house or chapel to be built as soon as possible and held in trust for said Methodist Episcopal Church by a committee of five, to be elected annually by the society and stated hearers of the con gregation at a meeting for that pur pose, till a lawful corporation can be CARTOON OX "JIXGO" DISLIKED The Journal's 'Neutrality" Preach ings Are Denounced. PORTLAND, May 22. (To the Edi torsOn the front page of an evening paper appeared ths other day s strik ing cartoon, representing the good ship "Neutrality" in danger of being tor pedoed by the "submarine" "Jingo." The writer wonders just what idea the artist had or thought he had. when he expressed himself in this cartoon. First, the writer wishes to ask What is a "Jingo"? Is is so Indefinite a word May be the cartoonist can tell me. I doubt it, however. After seeing this cartoon and after reading some of the effusions on the Journal's editorial (?) page recently, I wondered bow long people who claim American citizenship, with its heritage ot honor and responsibilities to human ity, will put np with this so-called "neutrality" as preached by this paper and others like it. A series ot crimes, each in itself suf ficient to arouse any free nation, not asleep to actual danger, and afford ample cause to take protective steps to safeguard its existence, has finally terminated by Germany committing the crime of the century, the sinking of the Eusltania, with the loss of over 100 Innocent American men, women and children. And still we Americans are told by such people as Senator Stone, of Mis souri, "Don't rock the boat." Mr. Stone, with his St. Louis German constitu ents, still wishes us to be "neutral" and tries to excuse and explain the crime, while we are finding; and burying our dead. The average real American, has eon trolled his temper, his feelings, stifled his htgbest and best self, to follow out our President's request; all this while, knowing our malls are full of printed matter such as "The Fatherland," con taining articles attacking our Presi dent, our Secretary of State, our laws and customs, and still we are asked to be "neutral." and "don't talk." How long is this thing to continue? Why do the American people allow suoh at tacks to go on or admit such in eur public libraries or newsstands? If tho editor of the Evening Journal would follow his exchange file more carefully he might, by reading the ex pressions from leading American news papers, from coast to coast, imbibe enough American dander and "stiff stuff'' to come out fair and square with an American expression on the Lusi tania case. A man who wishes his country to prepare in time of peace for war, would seem, in the opinion of our it-. Oregon C'tyt had and proper trustees appointed to hold said house, premises, etc. "Said committee for the present year to be George Abernethy, Robert Shor tess, David Carter, A. F. Waller and C. Rogers, who shall have charge of the building of said chapel and to whom said subscriptions shall be paid, said house to be frame, ete,, and of such siae as the committee shall judge proper, considering the amount of the subscription: A. T. Waller. 50; George Abernethy. H0; A. E. Wilson, 30; Robert Hhorteas, S0i L. H. Judson, $5i; Elijah White. "0; Jimi It. Robb. 30: James O'Nell. 10; S. Smith, $i5; John McCard, 80; William Perry, $10; John Dabenbis, three day- worlct Joseph Yatter, two days' work; W. U. Gray, $23; Jason Lee. ."-0; J. L. Parrtsh, T. J. Hubbard, 810; William C. Sutton. 20; W. A. Pheifter, 2.": David Leslie. ."0; U. W. L Breton, 8S0; W. H. Wlllson. 500; 1. E. Lone, 810; N, R. Stousbton, $IU; S. G. pomeroy, (12; John Force, JIO0; A, Ueers. J1U. The house was begun under the di rection of the committee of five and so far completed as to be opened for wor ship early in 1S44 by Rev. Gustavus Hines. The entire American popula tion of Oregon at this time probably did not exceed 300. 4 newspaper friend (of the cartoonist), to be a Jingo. We will all live yet -to 6ee the day we will regret not heeding the "Jingo" more and the "peace-peace" man less. Let me express my appreciation of your able and timely editorials W. P. WILSON. 448 Clay street. WOMAN'S POSITION CONSIDERED Place Held in Commercial World De clared Contrary to Natore. LENTS. Or.. May 2S (To the Ed itor.) Some weeks ago I wrote a let ter for The Oregonlan concerning the radical change that has characterized woman's position In and relation to the commercial world during the past halt century. In that letter, it will be re membered, no attempt was made to ar gue the cause ot this change, hut, rather, the fact of the reality of the change was intended to be made ap parent. I have been Interested In reading the different phases of discussions built upon the point raised In that letter and. having been repeatedly asked to give my version ot the cause of this change In woman's domestic life, sub mit the following: Many years back leaders of women began an Insistent campaign for eco nomic and political "equality" with men. Today she has this "equality," and what ia the result? A decrease In marriages and a consequent decrease in the birth rate; also millions ot Job less men who have been forced to yield their positions to women, their suc cessors. This, mind you, ts not a the ory, but a fact. Again, emulation has played no small part in the great meiamorphie drama homo, which, like the winged winds. has enveloped us. Tne rural miM emulated her Idealized city cousin, tehe dreamed of the ethereal charms of the city's social world; she dwelt long and earnestly upon the fashionably attired figures of her urbanio sisters; she at tributed her lack of social equality to the lack of money, and, believing the city to be the center of the money mar ket, she left the farm, the old home. the village and the country town, her relatives and friends, to seek the city Millions followed her. In this new en vironment she found money to be in dispensable and, to earn It, she rad to have a position, the got it. The un counted thousands who followed and are still following her have gone through the same channel. They e curod and hold the positions. It is believed that no one will doubt this. Nor la this a local condition; for it will be found that every great American city Is thronged with women employes. Further, the young women have been followed to the cities by the young men, who have been far less successful in securing positions, and do we not know the reason? In a recent trip through the Middle West and Southern states I was often led to ask why so many beautiful farms were Inhabited only by old people. The invariable answer was: "The young people have gone to the cities." Result: The farms have been depopulated and the cities Lave been over-congested; farm lands are largely held by speculators and at prices far beyond their earning capac Ity; young people who have once tasted the uver-eatttT atcd pleasures of city life are. In the main, unwilling to re turn to the "drudgiry of the farm. Hence we have our present social eco nomic problem to Bolve. One estimable Portland woman. In commenting on the letter, says: "Why should woman be compelled to marry and bring more human beings into the world to go hungry and compete for the Jobs?" Can this mother really mean what she writes? Has she looked be yond the vale of the present economic depression? Has she counted the cost the monumental calamity that must result from a cessation of child bear Ing? Again, this woman says: "What wonder that the girl who has been forced out in the industrial field turns her back on her sweetheart and shuts her eyes to the vision of shadowy lit tle forms and the thoughts ot soft lit tle arms, etc." Very pretty sentiment, but I am persuaded that Mrs. Cannon is too bri?,ht, too motherly, too far seeing to wish that her theory might become a reaiity, for soon, very soon, under her suggested regime. there would be no people to fill the positions and no positions to fill. Quoting Mrs. Cannon again: "I see no danger to society In the fact that women are fitting themselves for and successfully filling positions formerly occupied only by men." Answer: To gain a lucid understanding of this phase let us augment the present con dition by supposedly filling all men's positions by women and and then what? Let Mrs. Cannon answer. Another woman, from Lebanon, writes that women fill men's positions largely from Individual choice; that others are forced Into the Industrial field for daily bread. To the woman who deliberately takes to the world's Industrial field with no other reason than that she prefers It I have nothing further to say In this letter: but. to her who believes herself driven to wage earning, while there is no imme diate remedy, it is believed that society will again so adjust Itself that woman, the terrestrial ' queen, may be re-en throned, loved and cared for by some good man who might succeed to her present position. Summarizing: Millions of women are now employed and as many men are Idle. Marriages are decreasing and there is a consequent decrease in our birth rate. The presence of a great and a continuous army of unemployed men must be regarded as a menace, II not a positive danger to our future state and National governments. Proportionately as women fill men's positions do marriages and births de crease, while divorces and Jobless men Increase. Solution: Women must. In some man ner, be restored to their former and rightful station, that of wife and moth erhood. Men must, in some manner, be re stored to their rightful station, that of opportunity to gain and hold remuner atlve employment, that they may be enabled properly to support their wives and children. In conclusion I wish to add that the "some manner" above mentioned re quires much more space for discussion than would be permitted in this letter, for there are other and certain causes underlying our present disruption of social economics and these causes must be discovered and cast out ere we may be enabled to resume our former equilibrium. LOUIS BARZEE. INVASION IS DEEMED IMPOSSIBLE Belief Expressed That L'apreparedaees Will Pretest Wir la Amerlrm. MAUPIN. Or.. May 28. (To the Edl tor.) A few days ago I read an edi torial in The Oregonlan that I disap proved of very much. It gave our Army and Navy such a black eye that it seemed a reflection on tbe whole American people. I am, like President Lincoln, a firm believer in the people, and. like him. I believe no Invading army ""could take a drink out of the Ohio River." We are not prepared for war and we pray to be prepared for peace instead of war. I believe a peace sentiment, unlver sal even In our own country, will pre vent any nation from making war on us, at least in our unpreparedness let us hope so. I believe In The Oregonlan, too, and think when you wrote so lugubr-Teusly you must have had a fit of the blues. A THOROUGH AMERICAN. DAXCrVG IS SOT FOR EXERCISE Devotee Says He Who Offers That Excube Is "Kidding" Himself. TORTLAND. May V (To tho Ed itor.)., I was mucn amused by tbe ar ticle in The Oregonlan recently, written by a gentleman who Is in favor of dancing rather than novel reading as a means of recreation. I have been very interested In the articles about dancing that have appeared In The Oregenian of late, and they have most assuredly been Instructive and enter taining. It is certainly a good Idea to print letters from the people, as a broader outlook on life In general may thus be obtained. I have danced for the past eight years, so therefore I feel Qualified to a greater or less degree to speak on tnat subject. When somebody says dancing Is Indulged In for the pur pose of exercise, he Is certainly "kid ding" himself; he really don't think so, but he would like to do so. Is there any occupation which brings about so much traveling on tbe feet as does dancing? Isn't It queer how delicate girls who can't wash dishes or walk a mile or so without being extremely fa tigued can dance for several hours and -enjoy it? A certain pedestrian of National fame has said that in an hour of dancing a person (In a fast dance) travels approximately SVi miles! And yet after a hard day's work a person will dance for five or six hours for "exercise" about 15 to 20 miles. If the average dancers had to walk four or five miles they would be completely ex hausted. I am afraid I shall have to dispute the reliability of the authorities on dancing referred to by Mr. Sharkey In his letter. I am personally acquainted with the authorities referred to, and inasmuch as ail are ardent dance fans and one a dancing teacher, I am afraid they are somewhat biased on the sub ject. In the same letter it is asserted that clone embracing Is not Indulged In by refined and respectable people. I have been to dances of every sort and type, from high school to home, and from butchers' to bartenders' dances, and I can truthfully say that I have never seen a dance in which cloje em bracing was not indulged In: and I believe this has been the experience of every dancer. llr. Sharkey's solution ot the dance problem Is. to mnko the dances invitational. Whenever a dance Is given for financial gain (ami most public ones are) anybody who has the required admitttiion price is admitted, and such always will be the case as long as money i required in order to exist. It is my personal experience that all dances are the ame in dugree of good ness or badness, but smiiic dances when exsrgerated are disgusting to even most experienced dancer. 1 don't be lieve that a dance inspector would do much good, lie would have to watch all the dancers at once, ami that ts an Impossibility. Girls should have the moral courage to object whenever a partner does anything out of tha way. Dancing has many good points, but It suroly has a greater number of bad ones. 1 eupposo I shall dance as long as 1 am physically able, and that prom ises to be quite a while. I am opposed to dancing In a good many ways, but as long as I find evJoynicnt in "trip ping tho light fantastic toe" I shall dance. Not because I like dancing more, but that 1 like b'.lng lonesome less. JACK SPES. SCHOOLS' row Kit C(IMU1'.RKU Writer Ueclarra That Nothing Can Be Acrotnpllhed With Ability Lacking. PORTLAND, May 23. (To the Ed itor.) The schools and collenes of Oregon are bcRlnnliiT 10 turn out their annual produel. Ordinarily loo much is expected of the college. Education does not make doctors, successful busi ness men, lawyers, editors, musicians. preachers nor even a good farmer. The money spent by fond parents trying to make musicians out of (Uuslilers that l.avo no music In them, lawyers out of sons that have no faculty for the law nd preachers cut out for planting and hoeing puds, would In a short time pay Portland's bonded debt. Life is strewn with men striving ror place, for which they have little or no natural adaptability. Imagining the world to bo lacking In appreciation of talent. It la a matter of fact fi.at the bril liant sttwient of the class frequently sinks into obscurity arid i:i heard of no more, while the mediocre plodder pulls up later 011 In fine shape. Opportu nity comcc and opportunity passes, but trie valedictorian somehow coulun t get on the band wagon. Men become lawyers the real thing, writers, musicians, preachers or suc cessful business men because of a cer tain aptitude in tile makeup of the man himself. It Is born in him. Industry. good habits and sensible sense being Important factors, made eriective by education, but not created by education. No mechanic, however tklllful, can make a good watchsprln -r out of a piece of barrel hoop. Nor can the college do the Impossible. C. E. CLINE. AGITATION 15 CAI.LKIl RI IHCl'I.O V S "SoKsrriWr" Sirica Daly's Water Meter Scheme "Peculiar Whim." PORTLAND, May 27. (To the Edi tor.) Of all the absurd and ridiculous agitations and peculiar whims, this agi tation for water meters for the City of Portland reaches the limit of all ex tremes. It Is only a few days ago since I read that Portland was charged more for water than those fortunate citizens of Milwaukee, Wis., because they have there a lot of meters. The Bull Run water system Is a gravity system and if anything can be saved by the Installation of meters It can be saved without them, and It seems. If tills is a fact, that our water office is much mismanaged. I would like to ask how the saving is going to be effected and I would like to ask what would become of the water which now flows from the Bull llun River into the gravity system supplying Port land and finally finds Its way so waste fully through our sewers into the Wil lamette River, should one-half of It he conserved, thereby causing a saving of a sum total of 18,200,000.000 gallons every 20 minutes? If that water did not flow Into the Willamette Hlver. would It not flow down the Bull Run River. Into the Sandy River and theme into the Columbia River and finally reach the ocean Just as It does now, except that Portland consumers would not enjoy it? Great economy! I sup pose tbe Bull Run River will go dry If we do net get those meters before the rain stops. A SUBSCRIBER. LICENSE FOR CANOEISTS IKGEO Correspondent Ala Would Require E( fleleaey la iwlmalig. PORTLAND. May 25. (To the Edi tor.) Now that the season ts here when blooms that particular variety of the fool-killer's victims, the non swimming canoeist. I recommend that there be an ordinance passed to the effect that all canoeists be required to take out a license, to get which the applicant must pass an examination proving his ability, among other things, to not only save himself and swim a certain distance with his clothes on, but to "tow" another body a certain distance also. Someone with a legislative turn ot mind, or someone with legislative powers, should get busy. As an ardent swimmer and conoelst, I merely make the suggestion. Let's see some discus sion, "SAFETY;. FIRST."