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
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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."