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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 1915)
TIIE STJXDAT OltBGOXIAK PORTLAND, JUNE 6, 1015. " LETTERS OF THE PEOPLE VOICE SENTIMENTS OF VARIOUS HUE COLONEL'S ACTS BELITTLED floods of Country and Roosevelt Are Held Ludicrous. BAT CENTER, Wash., Juno 1. (Tt the Editor.) Do you suppose the man in the moon is grinning: at us? Surelj . be ha-e an opportunity. Of all the windows through which to study ourselves as a people, and to get funny views, surely there is none better than to be familiar with the life, doings and doctrines of the Colo nel of Sagamore Hill, and to see their strange effects on us. The latest feature is still on the screen of the movies, as a result of the Barnes libel suit. It comes out in the course of the trial that the Colonel used to manage to get along; fairly well with the bosses; that he never slapped them in the mouth nor made very bad faces at them when he was in office, as Ions as they recom mended good men for appointments; that he always tried to find out in dependently the character of the men recommended, and would not appoint. them it their characters did not show up satisfactorily, but that he would acquiesce as soon as better men were recommended. Great noise in beinsr made, as if hitherto unsuspected chamber of the catacombs had been ruthlessly snown to the profane gaze of a pained public, Now, in fact and tn detail, these same things have all along been known to every reading person who can re member over night. They have often been avowed by the Colonel himself. They are more than once mentioned in "Chapters 1 rom a Possible Auto biography." In truth, many a political purist always was unable to ally him elf with the doughty Colonel, just because he was down in the fight, in stead of sprinkling rosewater from afar. It was bo when he was in the State Legislature. It was so when h was Police Commissioner. It was so when he was Governor. It was so it other relations and places. Why, there fore, all this catching of breath; the raising ot holy hands as if a new cave animal tne nypocnticus numanus had been identified in the dark, under ground chambers? Once, in advocating righteousness of dealing, coupled with .National pre paredness, for possible trouble, hfc quoted an old Spanish proverb: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." And why did he tell us we would go far? Because if the way larer would observe both precautions he would not be dragged willy nilly into every street fight, but would be permitted to walk the path of rectitude in self-respecting peace. Did one of us remember for a week that we were exhorted to "spea. softly"? Yet with cartoon, editorial, wayside jest and with self-hypnosis we exploited the catchy phrase of the "big stick." Irrespective of all prob abilities, half of us were sure, the rest of us fearful, that our cowboy Presi dent had a chip as big as a fir stump on his shoulder of National policy. For his enemies to give that color was natural; for us all to get the shivers was ludicrous. He ordered the battleship fleet on a cruise around the world, partly per haps for diplomatic reasons, but mostly for efficiency practice and demonstra tion. The chorus that assailed the heavens was deafening. I think it was the New York Sun that said: "The moment our fleet pushes its prows out of the straits of Magellan into the Pa cific that moment war with Japan be comes a certainty." Yet the paper that solemnly perpetrated the fore going is now on hand with wise de ductions about the recent libel suit, blissfully unaware that it was ever silly. Wanting a few days' rest one time, ne hied himself to Colorado for a hunt. Soma correspondent got it in the dis patches that it was the closed season Tor deer in Colorado. Basketfuls of regrets were expressed that the Presi dent should use his official prestige to override the game laws of a state. One paper expressed the hope that he would be arrested and dealt with according to law. Undaunted, he went on to Colorado, killed a few mountain lions and went back to Washington. Not an owl of the whole solemn bunch seemed afterward to recall that he had been funny. Occ in a public address the then President took as his theme "Tin Strenuous Life." We all remember the sensations and comments. Presently from France came over Pastor Wag ner, the author of "The Simple Life," a booklet of remarkable merit, all too much unheeded by us. Roosevelt went out of the conventional path to wel come Wagner and publicly to com mend the book and the spirit of it Then a funny thing broke loose. . Nearly every paper in the land, the man on the street, quilting parties and college professors wanted to know what had happened that a man. appar ently sane, should be so contradictory as to advocate the strenuous life and then turn around and advocate the simple life. Of all the editorials that came under my notice at the time. Just one poor, lonesome one recognized the patent truth that the simple and the strenuous are not in the slightest de cree contradictory, and that the sim ple life may be necessary to make the strenuous life effective. At the time of his greatest popularity we seemed about to acquire the set tled delusion that he was one of the Intellectual prodigies of the ages a Caesar, a Napoleon, a Bacon. The plain fact, obvious as a sore thumb, and for that matter clearly expressed by ' the man himself, was that he was not en dowed with extraordinary mind or body; that his native ability of. mind was Just fairly good, and of body not more than average; that his robust physique and comprehensive mind were the result of rigid training, and of ceaseless, intense activity, favored perhaps by a wide range of experi ence. Just such absurdities might be cited to fill columns. One of my neighbors, a reader of The Oregonian. who swears by it, wa once a partisan of Roosevelt and thought him the greatest man." with the possible exception of Lincoln, in the history of the Christian era. To day he is firm in the belief that one of Roosevelt's grandfathers was fc. mulatto negro, and that the Colonel himself is merely a low-b-. owed ruf fian, who belongs in the common jail. And my neighbor is not an unintelli gent man. Are we as funny about everything else as we have been and still are about Roosevelt? L. L. BUSH. SACR.iME.TAL CLAUSE I!V LAW Model License League Head omment ob Orefron'a Liquor Statute. LOUISVILLE, Ky, May 29. (To the Editor.) The Oregonian's editorial on the otate-wide amendment provision as to the personal use affidavit seems to embody the common-sense view of such mixups. However, even if the" contention be upheld that the receiver of liquor for personal use has the right to strike out the words setting forth that the shipment is for sacramental use only, the situation is one to be de plored by those who want the law held in undiminished respect by all. The Intent of the framers of the law certainly will govern the courts in construction of the point in question if It is raised. From all information I had during my recent visit to your state real prohibition was not the ob ject of the anti-saloon leaders in Ore gon any more than U is in Kansas to-, day, after 35 years of so-called prohi bition. But what if the courts should hold that the provision must stand that no liquor should be secured by any indi vidual except upon oath that its use shall be for sacramental purposes? Af ter all. would that be so unfair to all interests? The liquor men of the state have seen their property confiscated in large part; they have seen their businesses, representing years of effort, sponged off the slate in a twinkling all with out one cent of compensation from the state. What has been the reason? The assertion that liquor does big dam age to all the citizens of the state. If this statement be accepted as true by a majority of the voters voters who themselves, in most cases, are users of liquor why should there be any half-way measure? Why should the home dealer be hit in order to help the dealer outside, who pays no taxes in Oregon and has no interest in her progress or welfare? Doesn't this Joker tn the affidavit afford some ground for reflection upon the brand of prohibition with which Oregon has been saddled, no matter how the courts view it? Moreover, it would be interesting to hear from the Rev. Mr. Hutton and his confreres of the Anti-Saloon League as to this supposed error in the affidavit. W'as it really a slip or did some zeal ous frajner of the affidavit put it there in the effort to play the same kind of joke upon the Oregon voter that the amendment plays upon the liquor deal er who has seen fit to make Oregon Mis home? T. M. GILMORE, President National Model License League. LUVjrTOJT ANNEXATION IBGED Portland Will Gain Instead of Lose, Says Correspondent. PORTLAND, June 4. (To the Ed itor.) The people of Portland will have the opportunity the 7th of this month to vote on the annexation of St. Johns and Linnton. Everyone seems to accept as a matter of course the annexation of St. Johns, but con siderable has been said concerning what is thought to be an unsatisfac tory condition of Linnton with refer ence to its municipal finances. Fanon. ally I favor both the annexation of St. Johns and Linnton. I do it purely from the standpoint of broad general policy for the reason that both St. Johns and Linnton possess territory contiguous to the lower harbor of the Willamette River. As both of these cities Join Portland in their boundaries, their an nexation would give Portland control of a considerable portion of important harbor area that is now beyond its city limits. With reference to Linnton it seems to me that some of the figures that have been used to show its bad financial condition are not fair to that town. They proceed on the assumption that if Linnton is annexed to Portland enough money must be derived by addi tional taxation to make up the differ ence between her 1815 levy of 10 mills and the 1315 levy of Portland of 7.5 mills. This assumes that the 10 mill levy of Linnton and the 7.5-mill levy of Portland will remain constant. As a matter of fact of the 10-mill Linnton levy 2.5 mills were necessary so that the town could retire during 1915 a floating indebtedness of $8050. Something is also attempted to be made of the fact that Linnton will add to the tax burden of Portland by vir tue of a loss of liquor licenses in the sum of $3000, which she is collecting in 1315. I find, however, that thli loss, if Linnton Is not annexed to Port land, can be met by Linnton by an auaiuonai levy of less than 1 -mill, while the loss of liauor lirnsa It, Portland will have to be met by some scheme which. If a direct levy, will re. Muue uuui x i-o mills to meet the deficit from loss of liquor licenses. The result of this Is that -if Linnton is a n. nexed, Instead of the loss of her liquor licenses being a burden to the City of ji iia.uu, ii win iena to De an advan tage by virtue of the fact that the ex cess Portland levy over her own levy if not annexed would fall upon the assesssed value of property within her limns. I also am unable to find that the as sertion that if Linnton is annexed, with the result that her water rates will be Placed on the Portland basis, which is lower than the present Linnton rate, there will be a loss in tho Linnton water revenues of 13000. Most of the water users in Linnton are on the minimum rate, which, as I understand it, is the same rate which prevails in Portland, except that In Linnton they get less water under the minimum rate. Taking these items into considera tion, the Mayor of Linnton Informs me that if Linnton water rates were placed on the Portland basis, instead of a $3000 loss there would be about a $1200 loss. ' To this Item, however, must be add ed loss of revenue to the City of . Port land on account of the wiping out of the rent that Linnton now pays for the privilege of connecting with the Port- iana jsuii nun water system. There also would be wiped out the interest that Linnton now pays Portland for me cost oi construction of Dipe exten sion from Thurman street in Portland to the 'place of connection with the uinnion water system. The items which It was not necisrv to provide for in the Linnton budget or isio, me same being interest on $50,000 water bonds sold in 191b amounting to $2750, and provision for a 2 per cent sinking fund on the $150,000 worth of Linnton water bonds, appear to be legitimate Items. However, when all of these additions ana oeouctions are taken into rnnM. eration, it would appear that instead of is.azz.7u naving to be borne as addi tional taxation by Portland, the sum in fact would bo about $8000, which would amount to an additional tax levy of about 1-38 of a mill on each dollar of assessed valuation within the present corporate limits of the City of Portland. In view of these facts it seems to me that this is a small price for the City of Portland to pay. when it is apparent that she will get control over about six miles of water front property in the most valuable portion of the lower harbor of the Wil lamette River. F. W. MULKEY. ZEITUIVG'S VIEW NOT LIKED. Article on German Determination to Continue War Own Way Criticized. ENGENE, June 1. (To the Editor.) In expressing Germany's determina tion to continue the war in her own way the Kolnische Zeitung recently said: We all made one fundamental principle clear: for the fault of the individual the community to which he belonged must suf fer. The village in which our troops had been shot down by the civilian population was burned down. If the culprit was not discovered a few representatives were taken out of the seneral population and shot. Women and children were not taken except when they were found with weapons in their hands. The principle may seem hard and cruel but it has been developed from the customs of modern and ancient war history, and as far as can be spoken of at all, recognized. It Is also Justified by the theory of Betting an awful example. War is no drawing. room game; war is hell-fire. Now it is not my purpose to reiterate what has so often been said, that these practices of Germany contravene the express stipulation of The Hague con ventions and the precepts of all modern writers on International law and the Just conduct of war. What I rise to remark is that the German newspaper's comparison Is not aptly chosen. Hell was never described as a place where the innocent suffered for the guilty, where representatives were taken from the general mass of men and shot for the guilty few. The German theory of conducting war has got Hell discount ed, and the comparison is odious. W. H, LYNCH. AID TO BARBARITY CHARGED T. T. Geer Would Put Embargo on Munitions to End War. PORTLAND, May 29. (To the Edi tor.) In discussing a possible condi tion where the world may reasonably expect universal and permanent peace The Oregonian May 30 said: But we must remember that only by force can civilization withstand barbarism, for barbarism recognizes so other authority. Not until the whole world has been sub dued by civilization and enlightenment can armies and navies safely be reduced to the dimensions of a mere police force. That we may realize our hopes of peace, we must indulge In no dreams of peace. In view of the present condition In the leading nations of Europe one is disposed to inquire what civilization is and where it is to be found? Just now there are no barbaric nations except those that have heretofore been mak ing the loudest claims to civilization. If we are not to have permanent peace "until the whole world has been subdued by civilization and enlighten ment," who is to do the subduing and enlightening? Surely not Germany, or France, or Russia, or England, or Italy. They are all just now in the death grapple of savagery and barbarism, while the lesser nations from whose attacks civilization, supposedly, must defend Itself in the interest of uni versal peace are themselves enjoying all the blessings of serenity and hap piness. Apparently we have nothing to fear from savagery and barbarism. On the other band, there Is no civilization merely a pretense. The common people of Italy were wild to enter the contest of slaughter, knowing that they would be slain by the hundreds of thousands. Why? There is no answer save that an overwhelming majority of the human race is but partially civilized our so called "highest types" of culture and Christian development hurling them selves by the millions against the shot and shell of .other millions of the same type; drenching the peaceful fields with their hearts' blood and crimsoning- the beautful rivers as they hurl whole armies into eternity with a fury that defies description and is without prece dent even among the most brutal of the savages. I am disposed to conclude that there are no civilized people except the Americans, but while thus consoling myself I am reminded of the old story of the Scotchman, who said: T have come to believe that there are but two honest men in the world, Donald and me, and I sometimes hae my doots about Donald." The American people appear to be unanimously In favor of peace but let's wait and see. Our great mistake is In permitting the exportation of any kind of muni tions of war to any of the belligerents. We counsel peace, talk it to the fight ing nations and make a great noise as to the horror of it all. knowing, as we do, that If we should cease to supply them with ammunition of all kinds the war would soon collapse for the want of material to keep it going. We send millions of dollars' worth of food to the belligerent nations to keep their sol diers alive and millions of dollars' worth of powder and lead to kill them off! Then we view the whole situation with inexpressible horror, pray for peace, encourage peace congresses, pat President Wilson for being opposed to war, while we supply the backbone and several of the ribs that contribute to the prolongation of the contest. Apparently the only savagery that menaces us at this time is now ram pant in the "enlightened" countries of Europe. In its highest sense civiliza tion is dethroned there, savagery is in the saddle and Christian precepts are thrown to the winds. It is well to re member that at no time since the Savior walked the earth not even dur ing the darkest period of the Middle Ages has there been such a revolting violation, either in kind or extent, of the rights of men to live, to have their liberty and to pursue their happiness. 'No man has told, neither can any man tell, "what it is all about. In the light of the bloody maniacal holocaust one shudders for the future of civilization and wonders where and how It will all end. T. T. GEER. HIGH PRICES DECLARED GOING Fstare ot Dramatic and Musical Enter tainments Considered. ' PORTLAND, May 81 (To the Edi tor.) My hat is off to the management of the Heilig Theater and to Miss Baer, one of the dramatic and musical critics of The Oregonian. I thank the Heilig people for insisting on popular prices for the "Omar" engagement, and Miss Baer for her sensible remarks on dra matic presentations anent her inter view with Mr. Post reported in this day's Oregonian. The day of extravagant prices for dramatic and musical entertainments is rapidly drawing to its close. It is sun set now in the West, and the sun of the old days is fast sinking in the West in old New York. It is funny to hear a really excellent actor say ho would prefer to play to almost empty seats at $2 than a full house at popular prices from $1 to 50 cents. The man in the seat always has thought in the old days that there was a great inspiration in a full and sym pathetic house for an actor, irrespective of the amount of cash paid for the seat. Why should New York set the "prices and pace for the theater-goer? New York, up to recent years, had a large, care-free, easy money crowd of pleasure-seekers made up of out-of-town buyers, tourists, sporting element of the j city and a large class who made easy money in Wall street and the other ex chances, and the small wealthy class. ! The buyers and tourists are still there, though they are not handing out so much easy money to New York theatri cal promoters and ticket speculators, and the other classes named are not throwing money at the dickey birds aa of yore. The popular price houses, vau deville and movies, are drawing the crowds, while hundreds of capable actors are walking the streets looking for meal tickets. Many good plays have fairly good runs in New York at high prices, but the most of them recently have gone on the rocks when they left New York. Most people outside of New York work for their money, and when it comes to buying entertainment they are willing to pay & reasonable price, but refuse to be held up by high-priced promoters and high-browed actors. Why should such prices be demanded? There is no good reason In favor of it. and there are many valid reasons against such a practice. Good actors, fine actors, excellent actors are as thick as leaves in the forest, and more being born and pushing to the front every day. Good singers and musicians gen erally are as thick as leaves in two large forests, with a Government forest reserve added for good measure, so why the silly practice of trying to place either actors or musicians on a lofty pedestal and making the public believe there are only a few of them left, and no more coming, so the dear public must come through with a big pile of American dollars to hear them? The whole graft is based upon an erroneous inventory of real values. In the past opera singers, pianists, actors have been advertised and played up like Royal baking powder, Peruna and Mrs. Wlnslow's soothing syrup, and the publio has fallen for it. Opera sing ers educated and trained in Berlin and Paris have sung in those capitals for modest salaries and been tied down by stringent contracts, but when they come to this country their alleged services increase in value by leaps and bounsJi, and place the enjoyment of their voices beyond the purse of all except the rich. The services of a singer, no matter how good, are not worth the price paid by the American public as compared to highly skilled and proficient workers in other professions. The same thing is true of an actor. Many times he is not worth the price paid for his art by the public. Lawyers, physicians and surgeons, electrical, mechanical. Industrial engi neers and inventors, and epoch-making investigators do not demand the finan cial returns asked by actors and sing ers, and In comparison the former do a thousand times more for humanity than the latter. In the matter of prep aration for their work. In the arduous and grilling labor and the constant study required, as well as In time ex pended, the former have spent in money, time and effort a hundred times more than the latter. True, in special cases a large fee is earned, but such a fee covers months and perhaps years of work in the skilled professions, not merely a. few hours of showy dramatic or musical art. The psychology of this queer condi tion is, perhaps, explained by the fact that it seems true that humanity will pay their money more freely for some thing good to eat and something to emuse them than for anything else in the world. I deny that appreciation of either dramatic or musical art is a matter of education. Technical music is not al ways real music. It may be a mar velous exhibition of skin in handling the human voice or playing some musi cal instrument, or In portraying human emotion or feeling, so It may not ' be either good music or good drama. Is education required to appreciate the trill of a bird in the forest, the singing of a water brook, or the human power of a man who can move humanity by his voice In the spoken word or in song? On the contrary, I know that many beautiful natural voices are overtrained and all the sweetness and appeal is lost. Again, many persons take their music and drama upon the authority of others. Caruso has been advertised and played up and the public has been trained and educated by judicious advertisers to be lieve he-Is the only tenor in the world. Personally, I never had any use for Caruso's voice. It sounds like a wonder ful musical instrument with all the human soul left out. I prefer Evan Williams and. many other tenors to Caruso, because Williams has the hu man appeal and element. The purely technical does not overbalance and de stroy the soul and feeling. But the public raves over Caruso. Why? Be cause he has been played up and adver tised. You can sell anything at a good price If you advertise it, even pumpkin seeds, if you can make the public be lieve they are just the pumpkin seeds they have been waiting for and expect ing. Promoters, musicians and actors will be compelled to clip their wings and get down to earth. They have been rid ing on the upper strata of easy money clouds, and it will do them no harm to get down to old Mother Earth and do business on a reasonable valuation basis like the rest of us poor mortals. It is my dream when I make my for tune to build an opera-house where all promising singers and other musicians and actors can have a chance to show their ability at moderate salaries, and their art passed along to all the people at modest fees of admission. How do we ever expect to develon trrf-jt t .inr. ers. musicians and actors unless we throttle the extortions of amusement promoters, and refuse to be held up by " " ' uidiuaiic Duccaneers? FRANK F. LASSEDAY. M. D. SOCIALIST ELECTION DISCUSSED saraee Says Expression Used "Ex-Soclaliat" Impossible. PORTLAND, June 4. (To the Edi tor.) The news item relating to the election of ex-Socialists in Los An geles Is a confusing statement to the uninformed. A Socialist is one who it mnfn evolved along lines of economics as they relate to social conditions and has acquired an understanding of a "more concise ana orderly system" of human relations. An ex-Socialist, then, would oe one who had lost this knowledge aua. naa mentally reverted to the unin formed individual. This latter condition is as nearly an iiiiiio99iDuuy as ii would be for a hu man being to degenerate physically dlc. to tne original man and grow. again, an appendage like the tall of an ape, as many believe men once had i nere may be those who . have quit some Socialist faction or party organi zation, but there are. In reality, no ex- oociansts. A. W. BAR2EE. THY SPECK MIST NOT BE SEEN "My Lady of the Market" Takes Of fense, but Writer Opposes View. PORTLAND. June 3. (To the Edi tor.) A weary-looking market man was heard soliloquizing thusly, after the exit of a woman customer, who had called his attention to th fact that a fly had alighted on a bunch of raaisnes. Yes. we must not have a fly or a speck of dust around. The China man that raises these radishes hauls manure to nis garden and spread over his radish beds. The slugs, snails and flies crawl all over the plants as soon as they appear out of the ground. As soon as they are ready for market they are hauled in the same wagon which carried the fertilizer, and now, behold, we must put them in a glass case, where no dust or flies can touch them, in order that "my lady of the market" rnety not have her sense of cleanliness disturbed. Verily, "what ioois we mortals be." Slncerly, J. W. NEW SCHEDULE IS DISLIKED Hillaboro Men Complain of Time Lost, but Hope for Change, HILLSBORO. Or.. June 3. To the Ed itor.) Business men In the Northern part of Washington County are some what exercised over the new schedule on the Pacific Railway & Navigation (Southern Pacific) line. They point out that It requires at least part of tnree aays to transact business In Hillsboro, the county seat, and any le gal business in Portland, as the train does not reach Portland until 6 P. M. and leaves at 7:45 A. M. next morning, necessitating a stay over one day. We are In hopes when the excursion trains to the beach are put on that the company will run their regular trains on the old schedule, leaving Portland 8:45 A. M. and arriving here at 2:25 P. M. NORTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY BUSINESS MEN'S ASSOCIATION. FARMERS FOUND ON JURY LIST Ex-Member Takes Issue With Judge McGinn In Matter.' ; PORTLAND'. May 27. (To the Edi torsIn your issue of this date Circuit Judge McGinn Is quoted as saying that the 1915 jury list is not representative; that it is drawn from one walk of life, and that there are hundreds of farmers in Multnomah County, yet he has been unable to find. one of them on the jury list. ' As a juror last March I will say that I not only met one, but several, farm ers from the Gresham and Troutdale districts. i Apparently opinions differ as to the makeup of a Jury. One Circuit Judge Is said to have made the remark that the March jury panel was the best that had been called for quite a while. AN EX-JUROR, i ITALY'S CRITICS ARE REBUKED Suggestions Made for Sclf-Improve-ment and Apology Requested. PORTLAND, June S. (To the Edi tor.) I am the son of a veteran soldier of the Italian war for independence, and grand nephew of another man whose name ranks very high among Italians who took part in the struggle against the Austrian yoke. With this ancestry and birth on Italian soil. I have often felt inpelled to publicly discuss the European war, and partic ularly the underlying reasons which caused Italy to move against Austria. I have refrained from doing so first be cause I have become an American, sec ondly, because I am now in the Ore gon National Guard. When the country of one's nativity Is grossly' and ignorantly insulted, how ever, there Is justification for break ing a golden silence. I note the re marks of the editor of the Medford Sun and of Rabbi Wise. I am highly gratified to read your editorial re sponse to both. There is no excuse whatever for either the editor or rabbi to be steeped in such dense Ignorance when there is abundant means for them to inform themselves. Had they done so they would never have been guilty of making statements about Italy and Italians which are not only false, but crude, ignorant and insulting. If they will call upon or write me I 'will gladly give them a list of books to read which will make them very much ashamed of themselves after a careful perusal of those books. The "Dawn of Italian Independence" and "Life and Time of Cavour," by Roscoe Thayer, an American, are textbooks In European universities. These ought to be read to learn the reasons for Italy entering the war. It appears to me that an editor and a rabbi, who are looked upon as educators of the people, can hardly reiuse tnis oner made in good' lalth If they do, then they are unworthy of their calling. When they have thorough ly Informed themselves as I ask them to do. it seems to me they should come forward like men and apologize for their present conduct so far as Italy is concerned. A country which pro duces a Ferrero and a Montessori, not to mention the hosts of Illustrious men already quoted by The Oregonian, is entitled to respect. Italy has a high progressive, enlightened government and has made for herself a standing among nations equal to any In her very short period of national life. I hope the editor of the Medford Sun ana rtaDDl Wise - are not so material istic as the peasant who vilified the sun because It would not light his pipe. CIKUS CARUZZI. 1147 East Twenty-second street North 'IRISH WORLD" HELD TRAITOR Writer Cites Offenses Made by Paper Aarainst People and Country. PORTLAND, May 31, (To the Edi tor.) There is a New York weekly called the Irish World diligently circulated in this city. Its editors are tyros, reared in comfort and educa tional advantages, vouchsafed to few of It3 readers. They know nothing of the trials and struggles, the heat and burden of the strife borne by its late editor. Patrick Ford, who made the Irish World a great newspaper. There are those without number who will verify what is contained in this letter. The Irish World supported Parnell, threw its columns open for popular contributions running up to hundreds of thousands of dollars to further his cauee. when Parnell de clared in the British Parliament that the granting of homo rule would make Ireland a contented state ready and wining to assume its share of the re sponsibilities of the empire. For 16 years the Irish World repeatedlv ap plauded Redmond when he declared in the House of Commons that the errant lng of home rule would change Ireland from the weakest to ono of the strongest links of the empire and col lected hundreds of thousands of dol lars by popular donations in the sup port of Redmond and his party. The Irish World gave its high ap probation to the granting of 125,260, 000 odd pounds to date for land pur chase and the erection of cottages on the land loaned by the Government of extremely long payments and an ex ceptionally low rate of interest; of 4.250,000 odd pounds and an additional grant of 30,000 pounds yearly for the erection of laborers' cottages, number ing some 50,000 ; of 942,889 pounds ad vanced for the congested districts; of 1796 evicted tenants returned to their former holdings up to March last; of the granting and establishment of an Irish nniversity for Catholics; of the grant of 12,000 pounds yearly for the teaching of the Irish language; 114,000 pounds yearly for primary education; 40,000 pounds yearly for the improve ment of school buildings; 45,000 pounds yearly for the new pension scheme; of 11.720,000 odd pounds for old-age pen sions, giving 5s a week to every man and woman more than 70 years for the remainder of their lives; of 79,395 odd pounds under the national Insurance act. covering sanitarium, sickness, maternity and disablement benefits to date, reducing the death rate from consumption alone from 11.293 deaths in 1903 to 2.15 to 1000 of population in 1912 from all causes; of 1,000.000 odd pounds for the encouragement and de velopment of labor and industrial in terests; of the town tenants' act, pro tecting tenants against arbitrary evic tion and confiscation of their inter ests by landlords; of the removal of the royal accession declaration against Catholics; of the Parliament act, an nulling the veto of the House of Lords. These are some of the things the Irish World enthusiastically indorsed as the results of the work of Redmona and his party, which has made the Irish peasant the most comfortable peasant in all the world, and when the home-rule bill was passed the Irish World pressed on Redmond what a few months later proved to be the kiss, of Judas and endeavored to stab Ireland in the back for no other reason than that Irishmen declare that Judas Oscariot died 2000 years ago. The Irish World sneers at Redmond now for adhering to a pledge that the Irish World itself had a band in the making, to-wit: That no member of the Irish party can be elevated to the peerage nor accept any place of honor or emolument from the government while a member of the party. This is the Irish World for you. J. HEXNESSY MURPHY. TAKING POUND OCT OF" POLITICS Humane Society Head Asks Voters to Carry Proposed Amendment. PORTLAND, June 8 (To the Ed itor.) I desire to commend The Ore gonian for its indorsement of the pro. posed amendment to the city charter to be submitted to the voters June 7, which. If adopted, will give to the Council the power, which It has not at present, to enter Into a contract upon such terms as may be satisfactory to It (the Council) with a humane society for the maintenance and operation of the local dog pound. The adoption of the amendment does not mean that the operation of the pound will immediately be given over to a humane society or that the Coun cil must make the contract for that purpose. It merely means that the Council may, in its discretion, make such a contract provided it sees fit to do so. The adoption of this amend- ent will take the pound out of poli tics and put its operation Into the hands gf those who have the welfare of the poor dumb beast at heart and whose chief desire it will be to save pain and suffering wherever possible. Strange as It may seem, this measure has its enemies. Some people have persistently circulated false reports as to the effect of the amendment, claim ing that the city will lose revenue to the extent of $10,000 per annum and that this revenue will go Into the treas ury of the humane society which Is awarded the contract. This statement is absolutely untrue and without any foundation of fact, and on behalf of the Humane Society I want to thank you for assisting us in denying this false- hood and placing the amendment be- lore tne people in its true light. The amendment carries with it no money appropriation of any kind. The Council will continue as before to collect fees for dog licenses, but Is given the power to enter into a. contract upon proper terms for the operation of the dog pound by a humane society, just as it now has power to employ upon a proper saiary a poundmaster . and his assist ants. Humanity first" always has been and always will be the motto of the society of which I have the honor to be president, and I want to assure you and your readers that should the Ore gon Humane Society be- awarded the contract for the operation of the pound the same will be conducted In the most humane way possible, though at all times consistent with the public good, and shall be governed by a considera tion of the feelings of the poor animals given into our cnarge. THE OREGON HUMANE SOCIETY, By A. COWPERTHWAIT, President. ALLEGED NEUTRALITY RIDICULED Germany Declared Docile Where Any Other Nation Would Object. PORTLAND, June Z. (To the Ed itor.). It seems to me as If you forget in grinding out war news for the gal leries that you have some readers who think about your editorials otherwise. I cannot explain your article in yes terday's paper. "What We Could Do in war.- jjirsi ah you say about our Navy sounds queer in consideration that England. France. Russia and Italy have a great surplus of that article. But the irony of your article comes when you first state that if we were at war we could finance the allies and supply them with ammunition, and af terward give a long list of contracts entered into by American manufactur ers for supplies and ammunition. Sure ly our German-Americans must be pretty thick-headed not to see anrt act. How much of this business would our Irish-American citizens have allowed to go on if the rebellion against Eng land had materialized last Summer and England had been In need of arms or supplies? I venture to say that our manufacturers had. not dared to take contracts for fear that their factories would De blown up, per McNamara ex ample, and our Government would have seen to it that there would be an embargo put on supplies. But it is dinerent with the docile German. WILLIAM ISENSEE, 414 Broadway ADVESITIST VIEWS ARE CRITICIZED Sunday Cloning Laws Declared Wish of Majority of People. SALEM, Or., June 4. .(To the Edi tor.) In the Oregonian of June 2 noticed a harangue by an Advent elder (whatever that is) claiming there should be no Sunday laws and cites us to the Chinese in proving that man does not need rest. I would ask if be has an idea of anything for us bet ter man one day in the seven in which to abstain from our labors If not. I would suggest that he go to tnina ana let our laws alone, lie seems to have lost sight of the fact that tne majority is supposed to rule in this country, and so those who do not like our laws had better move, if they do not nappen to be In the inajoritv. S. B. HILL. FIGHTING IS DESCRIBED Canadian, in Letter to Sister at Cen tralla, Tells Experiences. CENTRA LI A, Wash.. June 5 (Spe cial.) - Writing to his sister. Miss Mitdallne Fahrni, a nurse in a Cen tralla hospital, Walter Fahrni, a soldier in the Sixteenth Battalion of Canadian Gordon Highlanders, describes vividly scenes on the battle line in Franco, The letters are dated from "France," wcicn seems to De about as near a designation of place as the soldiers are allowed to make. In one place Fahrni gives a humorous description of a bayonet charge. "With the command to charge I thought of many things not connected with fighting, but my lamb-like dispo sition gave me the sheep's blind in stinct to follow the leaders. Things seemed kind of mixed up for awhile, but by the time they were straightened out and I had time to get scared all over again we were in the German trenches and the charge was over." Another version of the same charge was contained in a letter from B. W. Graves, another Canadian, who wrote that it was "h " with a capital "H." Both Fahrni and Graves formerly lived in Victoria and were among the first Canadian troops sent to the front. PENDLETON TO CELEBRATE Cornerstone Laying of Federal Building Will Be Observed. PENDLETON, Or.. June 5. (Special.) Plans are being formulated by rep resentative business men and "boost ers" of Pendleton for an appropriate celebration to mark the . laying of the cornerstone of the new $100,000 Federal building some time in July or August. Postmaster Tweedy guided the first plow around the site of the building, laying out the lines of the excavation, yesterday. J. S. winter, or portiana, wno nas the general contract, said yesterday that unless the work is delayed by un foreseen difficulties or non-arrival of materials as required, the building will be completed and ready to turn over to the Government in 10 months, xne con tract time limit is 18 months. Oakville Mall Route to Extend. CENTRALIA. Wash.. June E. (Spe cial.) The Postofflce Department at Washington has advised Postmaster M. J. Murphy at Oakvllle that the rural free delivery route out of Oakvllle wll be extended , so as to Include the farmers living east of the town. The farmers have been after the extension for three years, but up to now the roads have been too bad. The exten sion will be 11 willes In length and will serve 60 families. Kennewik-Pasco Ferry Planned. KENNEWICK, Wash., June 5. (Spe cial.) The matter of securing a free ferry across the Columbia between Kennewick and Pasco is being consid ered by the Commercial Club and the Pasco Chamber of Commerce. E. M. Sly and W. R. Weisel were, appointed to investigate the matter and report at the Commercial Club meeting Tuesday night. It Is 6aid that a co-operative company will be formed to buy the present ferry. MR.. WAGEYOX HAS ANSWER Malthusian Theory Again Discussed and Phases Considered. PORTLAND, June 4. (To the Edi- tor.) May I say a word about that 400-year mistake that Mr. Uthoff called me on? What I intended to say was that the theory that the population In creases faster than the food supply was generally believed 500 years ago, not 1 yffn V o 1 ? - ,. . lnI1sd.?r?'t8S,a"J ver . firs' h. I?3wt , u 8 dTiscuss,on the Malthusian theory, so I knew tnatt the Essays of Malthus were published in 1798. or 117 years ago. and Mr. UthJ off might be interested to know thai quite long whiskers could be growi In 117 years. I al3o knew that the Essays of Mai thus were published to answer Will lam Goodwin's "Inquiry on Polltlca . Justice," that caused the "lords an masters some concern at that time, s Malthus took the old belief that Go L brought too many mouths into th world at one time and not enough foo and that God was not onto his job, and Malthus and his followers are trying to teach God how to run things. Nothing is more absurd than the MaU thusian theory when you are confront ed by facts. Malthus said that population doubled every 25 years. Let us take one man; and one woman and double their num ber every 23 years and in 1000 years we will have 1,088,689,638.738, yet Mr. Uthoff says Malthus Is right. Population does not, as a whole, double in 50 years, for if it did wo would have now 2.097,152 persons for every man and woman who was livinff on the earth in the year A. D.. 915, and that number could hardly be expressed In figures. The absurd doctrine of Mr. Malthus was taught In all our colleges for truth, until Henry George refuted it in "Prog ress and Poverty" in 1878, and now no college of any standing will teach hia doctrine, yet we hear Mr. Uthoff bug cling In the rear. H. D. WAGNON. MOVING PICTURE THEATERS (Continued From Fast Four.) degenerate father, and in his boyhood, through manhood, and up to the open ing of tne play has inherently followed in his parent's footsteps. The name "Satan" has been his nickname and consistent with his characteristics. We are shown a new Satan, in new sur roundings and away frnm those who know him as a reprobate. His life has undergone a change. Hugh Stlres has been companion and satellite of Satan's in college, and he appears in his new world to haunt him. Both are in love with Jessica., heir to millions. One recognizes his short comings, the other possesses no stand ard of decency. In his endeavor to bring Hugh to a higher plane of life, Satan sacrifices all those things for which he has worked. How it finally works out. and the story of this sweet though thrilling love story Is graphic ally told in the play. "The Vanishing Cinderella" is a com edy along original lines and extremely funny. Other good features predomi nate, including the musical between 1:30 and 2. ALL-FEATURE BILL AT SUXSKI Ford Sterling in Keystone, George Fisher, F. A. Turrjer Among Stnra. Another bright blended programme opens at the Sunset Theater today. Fol lowing its usual policy, the Sunset pre sents a bill of one and two-act features, in preference to the often tiresome five act dramas, except when one of excep tional merit is available. "The Renegades," a striking two-act drama, heads the programme. "Tha Renegade" is tho story of a renegade slave trader in Africa in the days o the slave markets. It is full of action, including a battle with a detachment of British soldiers sent to put down the (lave trade. A New York man who has left home because of a complica tion of misunderstandings that reaulta In his disgrace, plays a prominent part In the story. George Fisher and Leona, Fisher have the leading roles. Another especially good two-act fea ture is "The Fate of Naida." In which. F. A. Turner and Billie Wet of the Majestic company are featured. It is bright, breezy, and entertaining: throughout. Ford Sterling In another joyously dignified Keystone comedy. "Ha Wouldn't Stay rown," will provide the comedy part of the programme. Mr. Sterling- is at his best in this spark ling farce comedy. "When Beauty Came to Oshkob," a Jolly little one-act comedy drama, deal ing with the adventures ot a beauty doctor and her jealous rivals in a small town. . The Mutual Weekly, with its educa tional and entertaining pictures of in teresting scenes from all over tho world, rounds out the programme. which will run through Wednesday night. ' FLKKT PICTURES ARE COMING Efficiency of Navy lo Be Shown in Film at Baker. The world's mightiest naval unit the new United States fleet will be seen in the review In moving pictures at the Baker Theater for the week starting next Sunday, presented by Lyman II. Howe. The average civilian reads now and then of progress made and the in creased efficiency of our Navy, but at best he can only realize in a most vague way how tremendous are tha strides that have been made even in the last few months. These are so great that it has kept even naval ex perts busy to "keep up to the minute," and this film is now presented in order to give the general public an oppor tunity to realize the amazing eltl- flency attained. "Immense! I congratulate you. said Rear-Admiral Badger upon viewing thia remarkable reproduction. What appealed so strongly to him was not alone the spectacular phases of the series, but also the thoroughness that characterized the work of the camera men in filming the minute and mani fold duties on board ship. 'THE VIRGINIAN" ON AT STAIZ Dustin Farnum Appears in Intense Story of Love and Adventure. DuBtln Farnum will appear at the Star this week until Wednesday in "The Virginian," a Lasky production based on Owen Wister's novel by that name. The popularity that greeted the first presentation of this photoplay has not been lost, for a plot mixed with native Ideals and the .purest and richest hu mor are woven into this drama. The Virginian, who is unnamed, lovea a young school teacher, Molly. Tho story is full of interesting characters and abounds in romance and adventure. It is a mixture of a Western and Colo nial drama, with careful treatment of time and customs. Molly is a beautiful character, and "the Virginian" an ideal Western type. Emily is an old maid, who creates a great amount of comedy. It is a vivid photo drama, where the lines between the types are finely drawn, and the spirit and atmosphere of the time admirably caught and pre served. Great scenic beauty and strong characters make it an artistic and vig orous play. to.
