The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, May 21, 1916, SECTION THREE, Page 6, Image 38

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    THE SUNDAY OTIEGOXIAX, TOIITLAXD, HAT 21, 191C.
PORTLAND, OREGON
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Market street.
PORTLAND, SUNDAY. MAY 21, 191G.
THE PRIMARY ELECTION'S.
The fact of largest significance and
interest in the Oregon primary elec
tion is the overwhelming triumph of
Justice Hughes over his two oppo
nents, Mr. Cumimins and Mr. Burton.
The Iowa, candidate and the Ohio can
didate for President had each made
a personal campaign in the state, and
organizations- captained by energetic
citizens had by personal appeal and
by letters and printed literature sought
to stem the obvioiistrend toward the
Supreme Court Justice. The official
leaders of the Progressive party,
alarmed at the same phenomenon, had
openly solicited the votes of the Roose
velt following for Mr. Cummins. The
German-Americans through one of
their societies had indorsed Cummins,
and altogether the movement in his
behalf appeared formidable. Tet it
failed utterly to impress the Repub
lican voters.
The result is a normal and unin
spired expression of the general senti.
ment for Mr. Hughes. It is unanswer
able testimony to his strength with
the masses and their confidence in his
capacity, character and availability.
It is a direct call from the people for
Justice Hughes to become a candidate,
and it is an explicit instruction to the
Oregon delegation to use every effort
to procure his nomination. It is noti
fication to the Nation that the Repub
lican party, in a state having no fa
vorite son,' wants neither Cummins
nor Burton nor Roosevelt nor any
other except Hughes. The circum
stances of the election make it clear
that, even if Colonel Roosevelt's name
had been on the ballot, the result
would have been the same. Cndoubt
edly the thousands who voted for
Hughes include many Progressives,
men and women, who have rejoined
the Republican party and who feel
that the highest duty of the National
' convention is to select a nominee who
shall be acceptable alike to regulars
and Progressives. That man is Jus
tice Hughes. The impressive and
spontaneous verdict of the unstam
peded electorate of Oregon leaves no
question about it.
It is not conceivable that a finding
for Hughes so convincing and so time
ly will fail to have a powerful effect
upon those leaders of the party, hail
ing from New York, Pennsylvania and
elsewhere, who fancy that, if they can
dispose of Roosevelt, they "may also
sidetrack Hughes, and put up some
one more to their liking. If they want
victory in November, they will take
Hughes.
. Mr. McATthur has been renominated
Sn the Third Congressional District,
and the renewed menace of Lafferty
has been averted, and perhaps crushed.
But it is undeniable that his candidacy
in the closing days of the campaign
was alarming. The Lafferty ghost has
been repeatedly laid only to remate
rialize in one fornvor another of per
sistent and unscrupulous effort. Un
doubtedly the fellow has a certain
persuasiveness of manner and facility
of speech that make him a dangerous
factor in any campaign. If he had
any anchorage jn honest convictions
and a. less discreditable personal rec
ord, he might worthily aspire to Con
gressional honors. Mr. MeArthur was
successful because the public felt that
in fair play he was entitled to a chance
to make good at Washington, and be
cause it was believed that he had ac
quired already there a position of high
promise for real usefulness. Mr. 'Lit
tlefield's venture into the contest was
not ovell-ad Vised; nor did the issue
Which he advanced most prominently
National prohibition have any real
place there. The result is a designed
rebuke to the methods of the Anti
Saloon League and particularly to the
pernicious and sensational activities of
the itinerant superintendent, Mr. Hut
ton. Why should a paid agitator from
abroad seek to tell the people of Mult
nomah County what they should do in
the election of a Congressman? Let
Wm take his bespattered mud-cart
and move on.
.
There were several upsets in the
county campaign. They were surpris
ing, and in some of their aspects even
startling. One or two prominent of
ficials who had given good service were
defeated and others who were thought
to be secure have narrowly escaped
defeat. The chief cause is obviously
the anti-Catholic propaganda carried
on stealthily, persistently and univer
sally. The candidates who were
marked for attack on religious
grounds have in consequence suffered
heavily and those other candidates
who had the anti-Catholic indorsement
liave benefited in proportion.
It is not important who holds the
offices; but it is of 'immense impor
tance to the republic that the methods
by which men are elected to office,
or are defeated, should be open, legiti
mate, fair and American. We have
just emerged in Portland from an ex
perience from which every patriot may
well hope to be spared in future.
There has been cunning and system
atic play upon religious prejudice and
sentiment; there has been covert ap
peal to class hatred; there have been
hurtful charges of disloyalty against a
great church, and studied and deter
mined effort, by insinuation, by gos
sip, by outright fabrication, to impli
cate some of its worthy members in
supposedly unpatriotic "designs. The
fruit of this widespread sowing of
poisonous seed has been ugly suspicion
and distrustful and rancorous feeling,
and the community is the sufferer
from it all.
It is .a particularly unpropitious
omen now, when the country is con
fronted by threatening signs and un
easy portents on allsides. Was there
ever a time when the need of National
unity was more imperative? Was there
ever a" crisis like it, calling for all
the resources of harmonious spirit and
domestic concord available to the Na
tion? Was; there ever a day when
the busy spreader of internal dissen
sion was more a public enemy? Was
there ever a period in all our'history
when it seemed more vital to our
continued existence that all classes
and conditions of Americans, embrac
ing every race, faith, color, Idea, ideal
and aspiration, should be made to
realize the common duty and the com
mon destiny of all Americans?" Yet in
this emergency some men can rise no
higher than the low level of their own
passions, their own hatreds, their own
cheap and sordid aims.
THE PUNCH KEEPS THE PEACE.
President Wilson is making prog
ress towards the right conception of
the best means of keeping the peace
and one's self-respect , at the same
time. He admits that it is occasional
ly necessary to knock a man down in
order to enforce respect. If he will
realize that, were that man convinced
of his ability and willingness to knock
the man down, respect would be vol
untarily shown and the blow would
be unnecessary, he will understand the
argument by which preparedness is
advocated as a preserver of peace; he
will also understand the motive be
hind much criticism ot his policy to
wards Mexico and Germany.
In both cases the President has
acted in such a manner as to create
the impression that he lacked ."the
punch," and that, even if he had it,
he would not use it. With a nation
as with "a man, conduct which fosters
the belief that it cannot fight and
would not if it could is a direct incite
ment to continued aggression until
a point is reached where a nation
must fight as the only means of con
vincing the aggressor that it can and
will fight. 'That is why a bully has
a long career until" a physically strong
but meek man strikes a knockout
blow on his selar plexus.
' For this reason many wars have
been caused and revolutions provoked
by statesmen who betrayed over
anxiety to preserve peace. As Presi
dent, Colonel Roosevelt showed that
he had the punch and would use it,
hence he avoided the necessity of
using it. Mr. Wilson has had great
difficulty in convincing Germany that
he either had it or would use it, and
he has not yet convinced Mexico', be
cause he did not make this showing.
His controversy with both countries
would have been cut short, had he
from the first adopted Rooseveltian
methods of peacekeeping.
CREEKS BLACKMAIL RIVERS.
. Once more genuine river and har
bor improvement is threatened with
suspension while a few determined
men in Congress hold at bay . the
champions of the- bogus article. The
great harbors and water ways must
wait for funds until the champions
of the creeks and the waterless, or
trafficless, rivers have been driven
off or have been bought off with a
slice of the funds which should be ex
pended on legitimate work. Senators
Kenyon and Sherman have taken up
the task, in which Senator Burton
formerly led, of preventing action on
the bill until the parasitic items are
shaken out. The. tenacity of the para
sites is amazing, hence - there is no
telling how long a final vote may
be delayed.
The' Columbia River is an example
of the practical effect which pork
barrel bills have on genuine improve
ments. The trestle of the north Jetty
is completed and rock is being distri
buted at a rate which, if uninter
rupted by any cause other than bad
weather would complete the entire
work in 1917. But there is only
enough money on hand to continue
jetty work until June lo and to con
tinue dredging until October 1. Unless
the appropriation . made by the pend
ing bill becomes available before June
15, jetty work will be suspended, the
well organized and trained force of
170 men will be scattered and when
work is resumed a green crew will
be broken in. The attainment of a
permanent forty-foot channel will
then be delayed for .another year.
Men who rail against the filibuster
ing Senators are too shortsighted to
see that they are really fighting our
battle, and that the delay imposed on
the Columbia River improvement is
due to the rapacity of men who
demand the waste of a certain pro
portion of river and harbor funds
in their districts as a condition of
granting any funds for the real -water.
ways and real harbors. The filibuster
ing Senators are fighting against a
vicious system by which in effect the
creeks blackmail the rivers. War has
been declared on the pork barrel and
will continue .until it is smashed
When that happy event comes, funds
for . the rivers will be obtainable in
greater volume and without the an
nual delay due to filibusters.
A PACIFIST IELUSION.
A group of persistent pacifists
headed by Rabbi Stephen S. Wise
Amos Pinchot and Professor Scott
Nearing have completed a whirlwind
speaking campaign in the interest of
disarmament and are so encouraged
with the reception they received and
the interest they aroused that they
feel there is a dominant sentiment
against preparedness and military
training in the country. They go so far,
in fact, as to suggest the early estab
lishment of a third party devoted to
perpetuation of the peace dream, and
Rabbi Wise confesses that a number
of names, including that of Henry
Ford, have been considered as Presi
dential candidates. Oddly enough, the
name of Br,yan is not included in the
list. Even the pacifists appear to have
tired of Bryan, if not of Bryanism.
It is to be hoped that these gentle
men will proceed with the plan. A
third party of that character at this
time would be most useful. It would
serve as a complete disillusionment
of those old ladies of both sexes who
think that America can be Chinafied.
Henry Ford, as a Presidential canal
date, might carry Michigan, but the
voice of the Nation would speak in no
uncertain contempt, of any such per
son for-President of., these United
States. The pacifists, unfortunately,
continue to thrive in this great coun
try. It is easy to understand how a
pacifist procession would be welcomed
in this town, and that one by the peo
ple who still believe in pacifism and
Bryanism.- But if pacifist lecturers
believe their creed and their follow
ing are taken at par let them try the
third party experiment and listen to
the great National voice. The answer
will be complete, unanswerable and
convincing. BTing on this third party!
THE MUNICIPAL CONSCIENCE.
One of the veteran inspectors of the
New York police department, just re
tired, makes the terse statement that
New York's morals are greatly im
proved since he first walked a beat
forty-six years ago. His views and
story in detail would be interesting,
not only as showing the growth of
civic righteousness and intelligence in
New York but in other cities, since
the New "York experience is the com
mon experience of American cities.
No doubt this inspector could recount
harrowing memories of graft, sin and
corruption, individual and municipal,
of times when the city was in partner
ship with the harlot, when the gam
bler and divekeeper dominated local
politics, when methods of dealing with
the greatest evils of a great city were
both primitive and lax. Any old
time police officer in any large city
can tell the same sort of story.
But while iniquity persists, while
perverse human nature continues to
follow its nefarious course, the muni
cipal conscience has matured. The
city no longer surrenders administra
tion of its affairs to crooks and ring-
sters. The people are alert and dis
criminating. While they are fooled
now and then, they are quick to cor
rect errors in judgment by retiring or
jailing the officials who deceive them.
The painted woman is no longer the
partner of the city. Taxpayers dis
dain to share her earnings as in past
decades. Nor do they place all the
blame of her sins upon her gaudy
shoulders. The landlord, the other
men who share her profits, are made
to see the scowl of civic disapproval.
As for the gambler, he no longer
parades his glittering diamonds and
proud mien in public. If he has not
gone into some other line he slinks
in darkened alleys to secret rooms.
where he plies his crooked occupation
in constant fear of a rapping at the
door. New York is not without sin.
Cities still are wicked. But iniquity
skulks rather than parades. It is
hard-hunted outlaw rather than
haughty dictator.
INFANT MORTALITY HATES.
Giving the newcomer in the world
a tair chance for remaining here
abouts until he has lTad an opportu
nity to enjoy earthly boons and boun
ties is a responsibility to which some
communities give careful attention and
consideration and which others neg
lect in a shameful manner, according
to the results of a comprehensive sur
vey of the situation lately completed
by health workers. The somewhat
startling deduction may be drawn
from the inquiry that a child born at,
say, Omaha has four times as good
a chance for its life during the first
year of mortal existence as a child
born at Nashville. In view of the
fact that Nashville is a city of more
than J 00,000, the revelation is one
that should prove disconcerting to
residents of that place.
The survey was made by the New
York milk committee, and the report
embodies vital statistics from the
health authorities of 144 American
cities. Of this number, forty-six were
cities of 100,000 population orjnore,
thirty-two were cities of from &0.000
to 100,000 and the remainder were
cities of from 15,000 to 50,000. The
interest of pure-milk campaigners in
such data is obvious, inasmuch as milk
is the principal diet of the infant, and
there musf be a direct relationship be
tween the number of children dying
in a given community and the num
ber of bacilli per cubic centimeter in
the dairy milk they consume. There
should be something of a furore in
Knoxville when the mothers of that
place are advised that their little ones
do not have the same chance, accorded
infants of Omaha, Salt Lake City,
Portland or Seattle.
While some communities have an
infant mortality rate lower than the
averaee. there is no communitv which
is doing all that might be done, in the
opinion of the milk committee. It is
urged that no city may excuse itself
on the plea that conditions are un
favorable. The causes of high infant
mortality rate are well known and
readily preventable. A contaminated
milk supply is one of the most prolific.
Ignorance or lack of carp is a second
dangerous agency. The remedies are
eternal vigilance and persistent ef
fort. The responsibility rests upon
community units rather than upon in
dividuals. Dairies must be kept clean;
mothers must be warned and must be
educated. While the survey does not
go into such details, it is reasonable
to suppose that the death rate is in
fluenced less by weather and other
conditions of an unavoidable char
acter than, by the activity and ca
pacity of its health officials.
That New York City has a lower
death rate than Manhattan Borough by
8.2 per thousand and a low.er rate
than Jersey City by 35.1, suggests a
greater vigil of the New York City
health conditions. Why should Mont
gomery, ' Ala., have a death rate of
185.1, "while Portland has an annual
loss in infants of only 57.7 per thou
sand? Why, too, should the Omaha
rate per thousand Be only 4 7.1 and
the Nashville rate-182.3? How can
Indianapolis excuse at rate of 131.6
when Minneapolis loses- only 71 per
thousand? Passaic, N. Y., appears to
be about the worst place in the coun
try in whith to tide an infant through
its tender years, the rate there be
ing 193.5. All New Jersey towns show
a high rate, but in Patterson, where
conditions should be even less favor
able than in Passaic, something must
have been done- by way of purifying
the milk supply, since the rate is down
to 88.4. 4
No town should countenance a rate
of less than fifty deaths per thousand
among infants, according to the milk
committee's bulletin. Very few come
under the fifty mark. The healthiest
place in the whol country is La
Crosse, Wis., where the rate is 30.6.
As if to make amends for the high
rate throughout New Jersey, one Jersey
town, East Orange, outshines its neigh
bors in health activities by forcing
its rate down to 4 8.8. Omaha is the
one great city to keep under the fifty
mark. Ogden, Utah, also measures
up to requirements, with a rate of 39.8.
All other cities in the record soar
above fifty. Seattle, San Diego and
Portland stand out as examples of
relative efficiency, although they must
speed up in health work if they would
get under the fifty mark.
One hopeful sign, however, is found
in comparison of present rates with
those of past years. In Chicago the
rate fell off 20 numbers within the
year. High as the present rate is in
Jersey City, it is nearly 100 numbers
lower than in 1911, the decrease being
gradual. Healthy little Ogden's won
derful showing stands out in contrast
when compared with past figures. The
present rate of 39.8 represents an evo.
lution in health work when one notes
that the Ogden rate in 1911 was 164.
Omaha was not born healthy for in
fants, but during the past five years
has brought its rate down from 131.
This same trend is noted throughout
the -country. Since it has become
known that a filthy dairy is more dan
gerous than an open switch communi
ties have turned to preventive safe
guards. It is no longer a matter of
personal choice with the dairyman
whether he shall keep his premises
clean and his milk pure. He might as
well put rough-on-ratsyin the milk as
permit it to become 'freighted with
bacilli. If dairymen and dealers gen
erally could be brought to understand
that they kill the children of their
customers, that the little knot of white
crepe on a consumer's door grew out
of their negligence, perhaps the ma
jority of them would be more care
ful. However, the problem is not one
of developing the producer's con
science, but of preventing, by system
atic and persistent vigilance, the send
ing out of death-infested' milk.
AN AMERICAN LANDMARK.
In Troy, N. Y., a bronze tablet has
been placed near the portals of an
ancient and weather-beaten edifice
which is one of the obscure land
marks in the march of a democratic
civilization. No Continental' General
received the surrender of an invading
foeman in this time-worn structure,
nor did any of our treasured laws .or
ideals originate therein. But the first
detachable shirt collar was devised
and manufactured in its hallowed
premises, and surely the event marks
something of an epoch in human
comfort and advancement of the ideal
of equality.
Previous to this memorable inven
tion, which was brought to a success
ful introduction in 1827, it was more
or less possible to tell the man by the
clothes he wore. Even our greatest
men of today go about in shabby rat
ment, but no one, unless oppressed by
dire poverty or gross disregard of all
niceties of convention, goes about in
soiled neckwear. Naturally, clean linen
was something of a problem when col
lar and shirt were inseparable. A
gust of wind, a few drops of perspira
tion, an hour of toil, and both collar
and shirt must be discarded, since one
could not be laid aside without the
other. The result was that the man
who worked had to eschew the refine
ments of a collar or else appear with
soiled collar, since this device could
not be kept -clean throughout a day
of toil. The man who worked and
tried to keep up appearances naturally
was forced to maintain an endless
supply of shirts. It must have kept
the humble housewife busy washing
and ironing. v
The detachable collar changed this.
The clean collar became a-universal
possibility. The washerwoman's toil
was reduced manyfold, and the well-to-do
no longer had the advantage of
being able to proclaim their station by
reason of spotless neckgear. Possibly
the simultaneous introduction of the
evasive back collar-button lowered the
moral tone of the male population by
stimulating profanity, but that evil is
outweighed by the service of the in
novation in the advancement of Amer
ican democracy. .
ON TAIL ESI) OF A SHIPPING ROOM.
In an attempt to mark its shipping
bill as an emergency measure designed
to meet tho conditions arising from
the war, the Administration has lim
ited Government operation of ships to
five years after peace. By so doing
it has weakened the case for its
scheme and has provided the opposi
tion with a new argument against the
entire policy of Government construc
tion and operation.
The most forcible plea for the Ad
ministration plan was originally that
private capital did not provide enough
ships to carry our commerce and that
it was necessary for the Government
to step in. Capital in large volume
has now been attracted to the shipping
business by the enormous profits
which it yields. About a million tons
of ships are under construction in the
United States, absorbing the capacity
of every shipyard for some time to
come, and new shipyards are being
opened with many contracts ahead
All that is possible Is tieing done by
private enterprise to supply ships, un
der the stimulus of war profits. Two
years at least would elapse before the
Government could put any ships in
operation, for none are idle and no
new ones could be built for the Gov
ernment until existing contracts were
completed.
Were the Government able to buy or
build, it would pay war prices for
ships, and hence could not realize war
profits such as are made by owners
of old ships purchased at peace prices.
Before, or soon after the Government
put its new ships in operation, the
war would probably be over, ocean
freights would fall to peace rates and
the Government vessels would be op
erated at a loss. When the five years
had expired the Government would be
obliged to sell at peace prices the ves
sels which it had bought at war prices
and another heavy loss would be suf
fered. Those persons who have in
vested in ships early in the boom will
be able to clean up enough abnormal
profit to make good the depreciation
which will follow peace, but those who
invest late are likely to suffer heavy
loss. The Government would be among
the latter. It would better leave pri
vate investors to risk burning their
fingers, since plenty of them are will
ing to do so.
The especial purpose of the Admin
istration scheme is to provide ships
for commerce with Central and South
America, but commerce will flow in
the direction where demand is greatest
and profit highest, that is, toward Eu
rope. Were the Government to op
erate ships to South America, com
merce would continue to flow to Eu
rope by preference until the supply in
that continent so nearly equaled de
mand that prices and freights would
fall and until the demand from South
America rose to the point where prices
and freights would rise. The Admin
istration by its bill endeavors to di
vert industry from the field' where
there is largestfdemand and" profit to
a field where there is less demand and
profit. It makes this attempt in face
of the extreme probability that before
its ships can be put in operation the
workings of the law of supply and de
mand will have provided enough ships
and goods to supply Latin-America
without its intervention.
The bill provides that a shipping
board shall regulate ocean rates of
American ships. How this can be
done when American vessels must
compete with those of other nations,
over which the United States has no
control, and' when rates are contin
ually fluctuating, is not easy to un
derstand. The foreign shipping trust
would most probably exert itself to
drive the new competitor from the
field, and the American merchant ma
rine could only survive if left perfectly
free to force its admission to the trust
by competition and on terms which
had the sanction of the United States
Government. Rigid rate regulation of
our reborn merchant marine would
probably prove as fatal as did the
old shipping laws to the merchant ma
rine which survived the Civil War.
AFRAID OF RURAL CREDIT SYSTEM.
Financial Interests are directing at
tacks at the rural credit bill now be
fore Congress, just as they attacked
the postal savings banks and the Fed
eral reserve system when those meas
ures were under consideration. All
their predictions of disaster have been
falsified by results. They betray an
unreasonable fear of all that is new or
that may possibly invade their own
peculiar field, and they are not above
misrepresentation in order to add
force to their objections.
For example, the New York Times,
in discussing the rural credit bill, says
that the Government is to subscribe
the entire $500,000 capital of each of
the twelve Federal land banks, though
the text of the bill proves the contrary-.
The first step to organize a land bank
is to be subscription of $100,000 cap
ital by farm loan associations in the
district. The next step is invitation
of subscriptions from the general in- i
vesting public for ninety days. If
then any part of the required mini
mum capital of $500,000 remains un
subscribed, the Government is to sub
scribe that part. 'The most which the
Government would invest would be
$400,000 in each case and thjs would
be withdrawn as fast as new stock
was subscribed by borrowing farmers.
The Times says the proposed sys
tem is "subsidizing the farmer." The
National banking law has always dis
criminated against the farmer by for
bidding mortgage loans and by pro
viding a system which .Is adapted to
commercial loans, not to farm loans.
In advancing part of the capital to
provide a credit system for the farm
ers, the Government will only be aton
ing for its former discrimination. The
Times says:
There Is developing in this country a
notion that the people, especially agricul
tural people, are born with a riKht of access
to unlimited amounts of cheap capital. The
cheaper it is the- better.
The farmers are born with as good
a right of access to cheap capital as
any other class and as the quality of
their security warrants. That secur
ity is the best in the world, being land
which is employed in the basic in
dustry in producing those things which
every man must have land which
constantly increases and rarely de
creases in value. It is far superior
security to the stocks and bonds which
have hitherto, been the favorite basis
of bank loans, which fluctuate violent
ly in value and which have been main
ly responsible for many panics. The
farmer is entitled to cheap money be
cause his security is the best. He has
been unable to borrow at low interest
because the law has provided no means
for the mobilization of his credit, such
as the Government has provided for
commerce and manufactures. The bill
provides these means.
There is good reason to believe that
general banks will benefit immensely
by the rural credit system, just as they
have by other bills which they op
posed. The postal savings banks have
given them deposits from the hoards
which the poor feared to trust to them.
The Federal reserve banks have re
moved danger of panics and have
made bank assets so liquid as to have
contributed powerfully to the general
revival of business which has re
dounded to the benefit of the banks.
ORGANIC UNITY IN MKTIIODISM.
That time heals all wounds and
mends all differences is emphasized
by the course of the great General
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church at Saratoga Springs. There
organic unity among Methodist bodies
the country over is planned again after
more than half a century of separa
tion. If the plans mature, the Meth
odist Episcopal Church and the Meth
odist Episcopal Church South will be
reunited not only in those sympathetic
bonds which have prevailed through
out the years of differences but in ac
tual organization.
The proposal recalls a most Inter
esting period in the religious history
and development of America. How
strangely in contrast the Saratoga
ij-prings conference todaj- with that
which occurred in May, 1844, in New
York! Then differences, long brew
ing, were brought to a climax in the
celebrated Plan of Separation. The is
sues of that day, which stirred the
souls of Methodists to the very bot
tom, have lain all but dormant these
many years. It is natural that the
last remnant of them should be put
behind now and Pan-Methodism firmly
established as a vivifying force In the
world.
The past differences among Method
ists present many remarkable phases.
Intense as the feeling became between
communicants North and South, the
basic homogeneity of Methodism did
not suffer. When organic unity be
came impossible, sympathetic bonds
were not abandoned. Methodism in
its essence continued the same regard
less of differences which, after all,
were sectional and dependent upon
sectional and civic ideas and Ideals
rather than upon religious considera
tions. The differences between Meth
odists North and South were the dif
ferences between Americans North and
South except that the rupture was less
acute. Observers might have foreseen
( this denominational disagreement
the great sectional outbreak that oc
curred sixteen years later in America,
When Methodism, after having
turned England upside down, was
brought to America in 1766, its growth
proceeded simultaneously in two direc
tions, north and south. The vigorous
Asbury carried It through New York,
Asoury carried it win
the New Englani Sta
and Pennsylvani;! fwh
Rankin sowed thy! se
States, New Jersey
hile the. energetic
seeds of this new
force of righteousness in Maryland,
Virginia. North and South Carolina
and Georgia. The Southern Method
ists undertook to reclaim the African
slave populations which, because of
climatic and economic conditions,
gravitated toward the southern states.
By 1844 something like an eighth of
a million of these sons of Ha:n had
been baptized, together with 350,000
white communicants.
The same feeling that fired the
abolitionists into activity stirred the
Methodists of northern states to re
monstrance against the practice of
slavery. The issue was brought up in
General Conference. There were those
who .favored exclusion from the faith
of those who held slaves. The South
ern Methodists held their ground. Was
it not a righteous act to rescue a black
man from the cruel slave trader and
provide for the religious and moral
training of these dark aborigines and
their offspring? In the point of view
of that day they had much to support
them. The iniquity of slavery was by
no means universally established. One
may find no less a reformer than Mar
tin Luther upholding 'the practice in
such warm words as "He that says
that slavery is opposed to Christianity
Is a liar." Whitfield, co-founder with
Wesley of Methodism, contended that
It was a righteous act to hold slaves
and "bring them io God."
At the General Conference of 1840
the issue was fought out and slavery
was upheld in those states where liber
ation was not provided for by the civil
laws. Northern radicals thereupon
went Into open rebellion and seceded.
They organized the Wesleyan Method
ist Episcopal church with non-slave
holding as a condition of membership.
Representatives of the great Method
ist body earnestly sought an adjust
ment at the next general conference
four years later. After a day of fast
ing and prayer and four days of de
liberation, the committee delegated to
seek a solution reported their inability
to reconcile differences of conviction
on the issue. The Plan of Separation
followed and the Methodist Episcopal
Church South shortly became an ac
complished fact.
The Church South held its first
General Conference in May, 1846, and
expressed feelings of most cordial good
will and brotherly kindness toward
Northern Methodists. But friction was
not to be escaped, for In 1848 the Gen
eral Conference at Pittsburg declared
the Plan of Separation null and void
and rejected southern commissioners
sent to adjust the details of separa
tion. The Methodist Episcopal Church
South gradually established itself as
a distinct ecclesiastical jurisdiction. It
remained, of course, for the great
Civil War to make these Inalienable
differences today of little consequence.
Northern Methodists now have a col
ored membership of 350,000, accepted
on equal terms. The colored com
municant of his own volition tends
toward his own race, and it is now
proposed to unite the three large
Methodist Episcopal bodies and as
sign to them the colored Methodists
of the North.
Differences have not staunched the
great spread of the Methodist Epls
copal Church In the country. It stands
today as the largest Protestant re
ligious body. It exercises dominion
over fifty-five universities and col
leges in various parts of the country.
According to the' last enumeration,
there were more than 6,000,000 com
municants. Its influences must reach
many millions more who attend
schools or services without formally
Identifying themselves with the faith
Methodism has in it a zeal and zest
that appeal to both mind and emo
tions, which enable it to thrive and
spread where other churches may not
fare so well. It is a force in the coun
try of vast importance. Pan-Methodism,
the re-establishment of organic
unity in the church, should enable
Methodism to present a new and more
formidable front to the hosts of Satan.
Pittsburg produce dealers will tnitl
ate an interesting experiment this sea
son. They have named an active com
mittee, which will gather accurate In
formation on the supply of edibles
and transmit this information to the
consumers. If there Is a surplus of
strawberries due in a few days, the
fact will be announced through the
press, and producers, knowing In ad
vance of the plenitude and attendant
low price of a given article, can gov
ern themselves accordingly. It is ex
pected that this will result ip in
creased demand sufficient to take up
the excess and prevent waste and loss.
The activities of Chicago women s
clubs in moving an apple surplus when
the bumper crop of 1912-13 was
thrown on the market, lends encour
agement to the possible success of the
Pittsburg plan. It is recorded that
they moved 20,000 barrels of apples
In excess of the normal demand in a
single week. The public was told that
apples were temporarily plentiful and
consumers responded promptly. Pos
sibly this incident furnished the Pitts
burg produce dealers with the idea
for their plan. The outcome will be
watched expectantly. The problem is
of the first economic importance, and
a solution must be found if a species
of almost criminal waste is to be
staunched In America.
The Pacific Telephone & Telegraph
Company encourages its employes to
join the National Guard and Naval
Militia, and go to camp. That Is con
crete patriotism.
An order recalling one of the ex
peditions In Mexico has been counter
manded. Possibly someone bolstered
up on a bottle of grapejulce at the
Capital.
John D. has blossomed forth In gay
apparel and a new carve. Business
must be exceedingly good for John to
become so wastefully extravagant.
Canned goods prices are advancing.
But with the fresh vegetable season
at hand that need disconcert no one.
The money is now available for the
Portland postofflce. Some of us may
yet live to see the cornerstone laid.
Another German merchantman sunk
by submarine in the Baltic. This
savors of retributive justice.
It's up to the peace "propagandists
to mobilize their squad and run
counter parade attraction.
All Europe is rapidly adopting the
daylight-saving plan. About all there
Is left to save In Europe.
Roosevelt made it clear that Henry-
Ford Is not a devil in his own home
town, after all.
The greatest mystery of all to some
of the sad candidates is just how it
happened.
Daniels says the Navy cannot be
efficient with coal. Nor with Daniels
London financiers say peace is near.
They also said the war could not occur
The man who made good from
Multnomah will remain in Congress.
And then, clean-up week hit some
score of aspirants for office.
Evidently the voters prefer
eridge other than Coffey.
a Bev
Oregon launched the Hughes boom
in earnest.
That ought to be about all for Mr.
Lafferty.
And then his pipe went out.
Hail to Queen Murieli
Gleams Through the Mist.
BY DEAN COLLINS.
THE WHITE WIZARD.
(To Professor Robert. Krohn. directing
the Mayday Festival.)
Do you believe in fairies, truly:
And do you believe in the fairy lore;
Do you credit the ancient stories duly.
Of wonderful wizards in days of yore?
There's, nothing ancient and nothing
new
In fairy tales, that I won't hold true
For I have seen.
On the field of green.
The fairies dancing as fairies do.
And I've seen a wizard, to South and
North
Wave with his wand to call them forth.
And I've seen them come as a river's
flow.
I've seen them come as the shining
showers
Of drifting: petals of wind-blown
flowers
And I know that the stories of wizards
are so.
The Mayday wizard, his lace was
smiling;
He climbed to his place on hU tower
tall;
He laughed defiance at black clouds
piling.
And he wove a charm, lest the rain
should fall.
For he knew that rain-clouds must
hurry far
From the fields where the fairy sun
beams are;
So he waved his wand to the south
and north;
(For strong the charms of the wizard.
are.)
And the fairies like sunbeams came
hurrying forth;
(His wonderful wand. It reaches far.)
They ame, like sunlight across the
dew.
With the shimmer and glint
Of the rainbow's tint
And I know that the stories of wizards
are true.
The Mayday wizard, his eyes were
shining.
His body swayed to the charm he
wove.
And the gnomes and fairies, his wish
divining.
Swayed as the boughs of a wind
swept grove.
Eager, eager, their impish faces
Smiled up at him as they stood In their
places;
As hither and thither his wand was
swung.
Hither and thither their hands were
flung. ,
In a dance of a thousand fairy-like
graces.
And the brave blonde wizard, he smiled
like the sun
That the sweet
turned unto
flower-faces were
sunflowers, every-
Like bright little
one
And I know that the
wizards are true.
storles of
Others may say that the wizards and
fairies
Live In the tales of the past alone;
But the old enchantment. I feel it
tarries
With us today, were it only known.
For I have seen as he wove his charms.
A laughing: wizard with waving; arms.
Sending afar his magic call
To the fairy-folk, for he loved them all ;
Out of the south and out of the north
Like cherry-blooms drift when the
breezes blow,-
I have seen them come when he called
them forth.
With the shimmer and glint
Of a rainbow's tint;
And I know that the stories of wizards
are so.
Sir." said the Courteous Office Boy.
as an unsuccessful candidate left the
room without having deposited his
usual cigar with us and without having
shaken our hand.
"Yes. my boy." I said kindly:
"There are only two graceful things
that an unsuccessful candidate can do.
when he comes back into society after
the ballot has been counted.".
"And what may those be. my little
man T I encouraged.
"lie should put his shaking hand in
a sling pleading rneumaiism ana no
should explain to all his former friends
that the reason why he doesn't carry
cigars any more is because they Rive
him the hay fever." said the C. O. is.
COXCKRMN X OIKS.
D. E. Lunsford. of Vancouver, is a
an after our own heart, for in sub-
mitting verses to us he recognizes
duly the fact that a chiropodist and
surgeon are necessary adjuncts of a
pome shop.
"With chiropractical adjustment of
the feet." sezee. submitting a batch or
verses, "maybe the inclosed could get
by in the poetical Kolum of the Mist."
For those honest sentiments honestly
expressed, D. E., we wish to say that
they can and without the necessity
of a chiropractor:
The asylum books at Salem, show the
names of Bettie Pratt.
And Bettie Blue and Bettie Brown
and likewise Bettie Goff.
But no one need conclude from that.
That a)l the Betts are off.
Young William Packer, plump and fat.
Was playing round the frying vat;
As round he ran. as sure as sin.
His feet slipped up and he fell In.
Regardless of the date "twas tendered.
I'm sure that Bill was duly rendered,
Annie Knight and Bennie Day,
Were' married, so the papers say;
And by that fact, 'tis further stated.
They're Bennie-f itted and Annie-mated.
THE SHORTEST POME.
Notwithstanding the fact that. In
accordance with our war orders of last
week, we begun torpedoing without
warning all pomes of two letters sub
mitted, they still continue to come and
our submarine corps is, complaining
against being overworked.
For the benefit of two letter potes.
we wish to repeat that the shortest
pome Is shorter than that.
Furthermore we wish to say that
no vers llbre writers need apply, for
we are after a rhymed pome.
While we . are waitng for the time
to be ripe to divulge the shortest pome,
we wish to Introduce to each other
Phillip L. Wilder, of Portland. Edith
C. Karr, of Aurora, and S. E. Bart mess,
of Hood River.
All of them have submitted the same
pome, which we give herewith under
the title used by Mr. Wilder:
"Reflections of a defeated candidate."
A
J
Mr. Wilder, also please meet "H. G.
W.," whosJias sent In as "A Tragedy"
the pome you sent In us "A Baseball
Fan's Lament."
1 (One.)
0 (None.)