II
MAJOR AND MINOR TOPICS IN CURRENT NEWS ARE DISCUSSED
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIA7T. PORTLAND. OCTOBER 15, 1916.
HALF TRUTHS IN WILSON SPEECH.
President Takes Entire Credit "r Ad
vanced Legislation.
PORTLAND, Or., Oct 16. (To the
Editor.) Most of us, no doubt, read the
speech of acceptance of Woodrow Wil
son. Time and space forbid anything
like an extensive review of this latest
Wllsonian effort, but possibly you will
bear with me while I offer a few ob
servations on this latest Democratic
dictum.
To the average man, unacquainted
with the strange reasoning of the
pedantic mind, an examination of the
text of Wilson's speech of acceptance
presents many strange inconsistencies
that are the more Insidious because of
the high source from which they come
and because of the clever manner in
which they are presented, or, should
I say, hidden.
The President had not proceeded far
In his speech when he disclosed his
Innate modesty. Referring to his in
cumbency in office as "four years of
fiery trial in the midst of unprecedent
ed difficulty," our unassuming Chief
Magistrate, by these w.ords, relegated
to comparative uniraporance the "fiery
times" of Washington, of Jackson and
of Lincoln. The trying days of the
Revolution, the chaotic conditions that
confronted Jackson, and the terrible
American Civil War are as nothing
.compared to the note-writing strenuos
lty of the present era.
In referring to the great amount of
advanced legislation that has been en
acted during the last decade, Mr. Wil
son referred to no one except himself
The fact that most of the forward
looking ideas recently enacted into law
came from Republican states; the fact
that Republican Senators have been
fighting for these ideas for years ap
parentlyhas no weight with Mr. v. il
son. The speaker never once referred
to Governor Johnson of California, to
Senators La Follette and Cummings, or
to the many other f orvard-looking men
and women who were piopeers in the
great movement for social justice when
Mr. Wilson was supporting the stand
pat, old Democratic tickejt in 1S98.
"Boasting is always an empty busi
ness that pleases nobody but the
boaster." continues the President, as if
conscious of his own offensive action
In that regard; and then he proceeds
to refer to his own ability and ac
complishments. Probably to prove that he is no re
specter of persons, the President calm
ly claimed credit for the recent ap
propriations fr National defense. He
does not mention the fact that when
Theodore Roosevelt was first calling
attention to our inadequate' military
and naval establishments, that he, Wil
son, referred to the whole preparedness
movement as an hysteria, and that he
did not indorse the preparedness idea
until the movement became Nation
wide and uniformly popular.
He says that effective measures have
been taken for the restoration of our
merchant marine, .but he does not ex
plain that the present Administration
has done everything possible to destroy
the American merchant marine. No
reference is made in his speech to the
repeal of the Panama Canal exemption
of tolls bill, nor to the other provincial
legislation that has stifled t-e growth
of our merchant marine. Nor does he
mention the fact that, as President, . e
has done nothing to prevent our com
mercial competitors from stealing
American ships and cargoes and open
ing American mail in neutral waters.
He plays with the term, "little Amer
icanism," all the while ignoring the faet
that his policy of watchful waiting, ab
ject servility and grape Juice diplomacy
Is the most practical demonstration or
"little Americanism" that our people
have ever witnessed. He speaks glibly
of a brqader vision, but he refuses to
explain away the efforts of his chief
advisers tc reward "deserving Demo
crats" at the expense of our govern
mental efficiency, or even to apologize
for his unwarranted assaults on civil
service.
The President boasts of the passage
of the child labor bill, but he fails to
state that the bill emanated from Re
publican sources, and that it "vould
have become a law many years ago but
lor the opposition of many Democratic
Senators, who are now supporting him
for re-election.
In one part of this speech Mr. Wil
son says that the Republican party was
put out of power in 1912 because of its
failure to do certain things. Of course
this is not so. The Republican party
was put out of power in 112 because of
a division In its ranks. Mr. Wilson re
ceived fewer popular votes in 1912 than
Mr. Bryan, the Democratic nominee, re
ceived in 1908. The combined popular
vote of both factions of the Republic.-.n
party in 1912 exceeded that of the Re
publican party in 190S.
CHARLES W. AC JKMAI.
OPTIMISM IS WHAT CITT NEEDS
City Has Gained More In Last Year, Ex
cept In Lumber, Than Ever.
PORTLAND. Oct. 14. (To the Edi
tor.) That editorial, "Prosperity
Grows in Portland," In The Oregonian
is certainly a well-cooked dish of city
optimism. It is the kind of community
religion this city needs more than at
any time in her history.
I read that editorial twice before
breakfast, and it certainly made toast
and coffee taste like a luxury.
It is just a plain statement of fact
that Portland and its immediate sur
rounding section have gained in indus
try more In the past 12 months, with
the single exception of lumber, than
at any other time in history. Fort
land has today the third largest furni
ture factory in the United States, and
with plans now maturing will take
second place. The biggest woolen mill
west of Cleveland is within the city
limits of Portland, and more than 60
per cent of the woolen production done
west of the Missouri River is confined
to Oregon, the last California woolen
mill having been transferred to Oregon
within a few months. The manufac
ture of woolens offers endless enlarge
ment without overstocking the mar
ket. Not even the west coast of Eng
land has an advantage over Oregon in
abundance of soft water and the right
climate for woolen production.
Just in the immediate vicinity of
Portland on the shores of the Colum
bia and Willamette is a rapidly grow
ing paper production that supplies all
the big newspapers of a large terri
tory. Recently a big order was filled
to one of the Philadelphia papers. Port
land has the lead of all Pacific Coast
cities in livestock packing and mar
keting, and its recent growth has been
enormous. Portland s position in iron
and steel has always been strong, and
every one of these industries Is run
ning night and day, getting new con
tracts and adding . additional men
There is a big army of Portland men
and women workers in ready-to-wear
stuffs, overalls, skirts, shirts and sim
ilar articles. Portland. Is a heavy pro
ducer of candy, crackers, bakers
products, also of coffee and spices. The
production of soap is growing, shoes
and hats are being made in larger
numbers. The quiet times of recent
years have started an almost countless
number of new industries. An extend
ed review of them would go a long
way toward stopping the grouches of
Portland who are saying hurtful things
about the city.
Flax is now seriously considered. Its
production should be hastened. Lo
ganberry juice will add millions to
Oregon. The dairy business is making
headway. Condensed milk is finding a
world-wide market and local cheese is
assured a larger area of trade. 'The
;rreat Inland Empire Is joyous over the
high, price of wool, wheat, alfalfa and
other grains and grasses. Fruit pro
duction of all kinds has a brighter
outlook than for several years. Grants
Pass and Josephine County are awake
and prosperous. Klamath Falls is
growing rich. Coos County rejoices.
Optimism wants to awake. Let's ring
the bell.
The first week of October has for a
long time been a triumph for Portland
in --bank clearings. Last week she
broke the record by showing a gain of
11,720,788 over any corresponding
week since the establishment of the
clearing-house. Seattle topped 1916 for
the first time since 1910. The record
for the corresponding week Is:
1013 Portland exceeds Seattle'-. . .$2,238,834
1V14 Portland exceeds Seattle.... 1.07O.S19
11 Portland exceeds Seattle . 7S7.027
lm -Tortland exceeds Seattle.... 3JI.B0S
1111 Portland exceeds Seattle . s US0.788
Those figures 'are good evidence that
Portland handled the chief crop of the
Inland Empire and will do so again
when the war is over. Seattle and San
Francisco were fortunate In having
oversea mail contracts; these contracts
had to be kept.
Seattle's recent growth In postal re
ceipts and bank clearings comes main
ly from a menace, the location of an
enormous mail-order house, which had
a part In almost doubling the attend
ance of buyers' week in Portland. The
clearings are, of course, affected for
the reason that Portland has one bank
exceeding In capital the largest two
banks of Seattle.
For a period of seven years Port
land and the Immediate vicinity pro
duced 2,000.000 feet of lumber every
day, including Sunday. When the war
is over the battling countries and the
rest of the world cannot wait for ce
ment, brick, iron and steel; they will
have to use the easiest working sub
stantial timber In the world, and that
is Douglas nr. The output of lumber
will then make the past look like a
failure, for there will be no limit to
the demand. Please write more about
"Prosperity Grows in Portland."
TOM RICHARDSON.
SOCIALIST
PARTY'S
AMBITION'S
Barring; Favoritism. Skilled Workmen
Will Remain In Present Poult Ions.
PORTLAND, Oct. 14. (To the Edi
tor.) Because of the persistence of
some letter writers and speakers with
regard to what the Socialist party
stands for and its demands, it Is but
fair to your interested readers who are
searching for truth in that much
unexplored field of economics that
plain facts be stated.
Mr. O'Halloran would have you be
lieve, contrary to existing facts, that
the Socialist Labor party has some al
together new industrial organization to
take the place of that we now have.
The highly scientific industrial organ
ization, now managed by capitalist so
ciety, supplying such superabundance of
all the necessities of life, as well as
death, is not to be Improved upon, ex
cept as an Edison, a Henry Ford, a
Burbank or some other' genius evolves,
from his highly educated mental conv.
cept, some improvement which is im'
mediately set in moticm with manifest
results.
The contention of the Socialist party
is that we already and long since have
entered and are passing through this
industrial revolution of production and
distribution, which never lags behind
invention and discovery.
Now the only necessary demand Is
for the social revolution. This must
be made by an Intelligently advised
ballot. Of this advisory profession tie
Socialist party makes a specialty, and
until this intelligence is attained, in
a majority. We must suffer from our
economic ills because of our social de
fects.
No. industrial revolution is necessary.
Each skilled mechanic, farmer, manager
or common laborer, barring favoritism.
will remain just where he now is. The
state (Government) will take the place
of the capitalist, and what is now taken
by him as profits will be returned to
the producer. This cannot be done by
industrial organization, but must be
done by the ballot, exercised by an in
telligent citizenship who understand
and appreciate the fact that the
bounteous plenty of nature is sufficient
to provide luxury for all who will give
of their energy and skill for that pur
pose. There will be no nonproducing
consuming drones In the Socialist hive.
It only needs a political organization
and a change of laws to make this
revolution. C. W. BAR-ZEE.
INCREASE IN COST OF BREAD.
Vrcvn of Raw Materials in 1015 and
1016 Are Analysed.
HOOD RIVER. Or.. Oct, 13. (To the
Editor). I notice in The Oregonian of
September 28, an appeal of the Oregon
Master Bakers Association, prepara
tory to the raise in price of bread.
They state in the appeal that their raw
materials have Increased in price cer
tain percentages, and quote these per
centages. -1 have taken enough inter
est to ascertain the prices of the arti
cles quoted under dates of September
28. 1915, and September 28, 1916, the
date of the appeal, and append the
following table, which speaks for it
self:
Claim
Raw material, increase of
1015.
1016.
$6.60
7.50
.ICS
Patent (lour 100
Sugar .. ..-1 6(i,i
$5.40
45
11 (alie
.OS'S
.115
ls.r.o
$l3'rfia
2:;..10
23.no
Shortening, lard... bvyo
Shortening, comp.. ....
Gasoline 14
.1273
.203
1.50
Salt 14
Here feed. hay . . . r . 2oco
$loj18
Horse feed, barley ....
Horse feed, oats
3.1.O0
Rye flour 124
Waxed wrappers. . 70 '
Unable to get
quotations.
Milk Let the milkmen speak up.
Bakers claim 40 per cent Increase.
The principle Ingredient of bread is
flour, or at least supposedly so. The
real increase,' according to the above is
about 20 per cent; sugar, 17 per cent;
salt, nothing; lard or compound, S per
sent; gasoline, 90 per cent; horse feed
s about correct. 1 take It that the
bakers are anticipating increases
rather than Buffering the percentage
they claim.
" The gasoline, of course, is used to
deliver the product, and not a baker is
using gasoline as a motive power that
has not had it proved to him that it
is cheaper than horse-power. The in
crease in gasoline still leaves it
cheaper. Waxed wrappers have In
creased very much in price. Waxed
wrappers are expensive so expensive
that the poor man cannot afford them.
Suppose the bakers tell us what part
of the cost of a loaf of bread the waxed
wrapper is, and let us see if we will
not vote to cut out the wrapper and let
the loaf stay as it is. Personally, with
out finding the cost of the wrapper 1
am of the opinion that tho 'wr.pper
costs nearly a cent on the price of a
loaf of bread. R. E. SCOTT.
Position of Republican Radiator CInb.
PORTLAND. Oct. 14. (To the Edi
tor.) In the Portland News of Octo
ber 13 the following appeared:
"In December, 1914, Elmer L. Amidon
and John L. Day called on John B. Cof
fey, County Clerk, and demanded that
he give over to the Radiator Club, a
political organization, the naming of
14 appointees in his office."
I have been secretary of the Repub
lican Radiator Club since Its organiza
tion. The club was organized in Feb
ruary, 1916. Therefore if the aforesaid
newspaper referred to the Republican
Radiator Club, of Portland, Or., it did
so without any foundation whatever in
fact.
The Republican Radiators are Just
what their name Implies. They are
live Republicans, who believe in Re
publican principles and who are always
boosting Republican . candidates. And
the club was not organized ' prior to
1918. L- LEONARD KRAUSE.
Secretary of Republican Radiators.
WHAT MB, HECHES STANDS FOR
No Reason Why Every Loyal Ameri
can Should Not Support Him.
PORTLAND, Oct. 14. (To the Edi
tor.) Seeing a letter from an old
Grand Army man, S. T- Adams, I was
surprised that such a man could 'vote
for Wilson or compare him to Abra
ham Lincoln, who by his life and acts
stood for everything that the Demo
cratic party has opposed before and
since. Can it be that we Americans are
falling away from the tried and true
ideals and standards of the past on
which the country was founded and its
glory achieved?
What is it that Mr. Hughes stands
for that should not be supported by
any loyal Republican or any loyal
American? He stands first, for Ameri
can rights on land and sea, or where
ever they are threatened. Lincoln de
manded the same, though confronted by
treason at home and plotting and In
trigue abroad. Second, Mr. Hughes
stands for a protective tariff sufficient
to meet the difference in cost of pro
duction at horue and abroad, which
was favored by Mr. Lincoln. Third, he
stands for strict enforcement of the
civil service laws, which would have
been favored by Mr. Lincoln without
question if the issue had been brought
up in his day. Fourth, he stands for
the performance of all American ob
ligations which have been assumed,
whether in the Philippines or any other
country where its authority has been
extended either by the Monroe doc
trine or otherwise. This Abraham
Lincoln, of all men, would have ap
proved, for honest Abe was the last
man in the world to have shirked a
duty or obligation.
Neither would Lincoln have submit
ted to the demand of a band of black
guards (as in Colombia) in the pay
ment (or offer) of a large sum of
money ($25,000,000). in so doing im
pliedly admitting dishonor in an act on
the part of his country when there
was, in fact, do. such dishonor, be
cause of spite or jealousy at the ac
complishments of another party and to
destroy its influence.
Neither would Abraham Lincoln
have yielded the undoubted and incon
testable rights of the United States ac
quired by yast expenditure of treasure
and labor and for the interest of hu
manity In general as well as his own
country at the behest of a foreign
power simply to satisfy its vrhim, or
for supposed benefits to some of its
subjects, as was done in the case of
tolls on American vessels passing
through the Panama Canal. Lincoln
was no poltroon or turncoat. Lincoln
was not "too proud to fight" if occasion
demanded or the country's honor was
REPUDIATION GOAL OF SO
STATE TAX-LIMITATION
Mr. Albert Says Present System Protects Treasury From Unlawful Raids,
Is Calculated to Deceive Measure so Clumsily Drawn as to Be
SALEM, Or.. Oct. 13. (To the Edi
tor.) The bulwark of public credit
in Oregon is her fiscal system, em
bodied in the constitution by it f ramers
vide:
"Art. EC Section . No money shall
be drawn, from the treasury but in
pursuance of appropriations made by
law.
"Section 2. The Legislative Assem
bly shall provide for raising revenue
sufficient to defray the expenses of the
state for each fiscal year, and also a
sufficient sum to pay .the interest on
the state debt. If there be any.
'Section 6. Whenever the expenses
of any fiscal year shall exceed the in
come, the Legislative Assembly shall
provide fo levying a tax for the en
suing fiscal year, sufficient with other
sources of Income, to pay the de
ficiency, as well as the estimated ex
pense of the ensuing fiscal year.
This system protects the treasury
from unlawful raids;, but when obliga
tions are lawfully Incurred by the
state it not only authorizes, but re
quires them to be paid.
Hence, the system is repudiation
proof, and up to this time has not
been assailed, by the Legislature or by
the people. Its integrity, however, is
now, for the first time, imperiled by an
obstructive measure initiated by a so
called "Taxpayers' League." entitled a
"Statewide Tax Limitation Amend
ment," which provides that "neither
the state nor any county, municipality,
district, or body to which the power to
levy a tax shall have been delegated,
shall in any year so exercise that power
as to raise a greater"amount of revenue
. . . than the total amount raised
by it in the year immediately preced
ing, plus 6 per cent thereof," the re
striction being placed arbitrarily upon
the amount of revenue raised, without
discrimination as to the merits or de
merits of the objects to which it is to
be applied, "jt would repudiate its ob
ligations incurred for reckless expen
dltares. after being lawfully made, in
stead of curbing the extravagance that
begets them. It not only fails to pro
vide for the payment of deficiencies,
but penalizes the innocent creditor by
invalidating his claim dishonoring its
obligation and impairing Its credit.
Assuming, without conceding, that
this measure is applicable toj and may
be workable with, the other taxing
bodies, the attempt to regulate in this
manner the state revenues is Imprac
ticable, and if adopted and held ef
fective, will Inevitably lead to repudia
tion. While the tax-levying body in coun
ties, municipalities and districts meets
monthly or more frequently to trans
act Its business, and annually to per
fect a. budget, and, with the assess
ment roll before It. .levies the tax for
the ensuing year to cover the amount
of the budget, the state Legislature
meets biennially, when it must make
all of the appropriations for the en
suing two years. The appropriations
are undivided and Indivisible, there be
ing: no ; fixed relation between the
amounts to be expended In the two sev
eral years. of the biennium.
If the restriction proposed by this
new measure would apply to the ag
gregate revenue of the two years of
the biennium, it might be workable' so
far as the ordinary expenses of the
state r.re concerned, if there- were not
other sources of revenue, as we might
assume that there would be in that
case a gradual progression In propor
tion to the Increase of the business of
the state, but the restriction does not ap-
ply to the blennlums, and there are va
rious other sources of revenue. As an in
dication of the impossibility of conduct
ing the business of the state under
this 6 per cent annual increase, I ap
pend the schedule of the state revenues
for the past 10 years. Now, let us as
sume this act to have gone Into effect
In the Fall of 1913. the state revenue
for the first year of the biennium was
$1,122,214.43. Under this measure the
maximum amount of state revenue
which could have been raised for the
ensuing year (1914) was $1,122,214.48
plus 6 per cent ($67,332.86), making a
total of $1,189,547.34. while the actual
amount of expenses of the state for
1914 was $4,165,000. which would have
left $2,975,452.66 unprovided for. As
suming the law to have been effective,
and that the Secretary of State had
taken cognizance of the restriction, he
would have issued state warrants for
only $50.000of the deficiency, the con
stitutional limit of state indebtedness,
which would draw interest at thre rate
of 6 per cent per annum until paid
but with no provision for payment;
and would have necessarily repudiated
the remaining $3,925,452.66. Or. if the
Secretary of State ' should have held
that this revenue restriction could not
at stake. He believed and established
the fact that America was a Nation
and not a collection of little warring
states or sections, each careless of the
honor of welfare of the rest or Its own,
but a union for the benefit of all in
the words of the Immortal Webster,
"one and inseparable" now and for
ever. No "little Americanism" for" him
but America to take her place and the
rights of her citizens to be respected
both at home and abroad, on land and
sea, with but one flag waving over all.
S. J. TOMPKINS.
- "
FINANCIAL INTEREST IS DENIED
Mr. C'Bes Says lie Receives No Pay
From Pels Kund.
PORTLAND, Oct. 14. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Oregonian last Sunday,
Mr. Melvin Fenwick asks me if I am
"a. paid attorney to assist in dispensing
the Joseph Fels slush fund of (100.000
sent Into the state of Oregon each elec
tion to try by some Utopian hocus pocus
to rob every man who owns a home."
Mr. Fenwick says he has been informed
that this Is true. It is not true. The
total contribution of the Fels fund to
the Oregon campaign of 1916 is $500,
and no part of that Is for my use. The
Fels fund did not contribute at all to
the campaign of 1914. though we used
a few postage stamps and some litera
ture that was left over from the cam
pa! gn of 1912. '
Mr. Fenwick and other opponents of
the people's land and loan law will
do well to remember that calling their
opponents hard names is not argument,
and attempting to ridicule a moral is
sue has never been finally accepted by
the people as a. substitute for logic. If
this law is founded on right and Jus
tice, as I believe it is. it will surely
triumph in the end. Oregon Is only
one of many states and nations that are
agitating for abolition of land specu
lation and landlordism by restoration
of public ownership of land rent, and
the abolition of taxes on personal
property and improvements. It is
surely coming. W ILLIAM S. U'REX.
Motor-Tracks Slowly Adopted
Engineering Magrlne.
The surprising impediment to the
more general application of motor
truck equipment with the economic
advantage which would be coincident
with its employment is the dilatory
attitude of those who should be respon
sible for promoting minor improve
ment in large industrial institutions.
The market certainly exists for vart
quantities of motor-truck equipment
which will, with a lapse of time, super
sede nearly all existing modes of trans
portation in city and industrial service
collaterally nullify the mandatory pro- j
visions of the constitution, tie would
have drawn warrants for all obliga
tions covered by the appropriations,
viz.. $4,165,000. $2,975,452.66 of which
would have been indorsed by the State
Treasurer "not paid for want of funds,"
and would have drawn interest at
per cent per annum until paid, payable
as provided in Sec. 2, Art. 9 above
noted, out of the revenue of the suc
ceeding year.
Now the entire revenue of the suc
ceeding year could have been only that
of the preceding year ($1,189,547.34)
plus 6 per cent ($71,372.84). aggregating
$1,260,920.18, not half enough to have
paid the deficiency alone of $2,975.
452.66, or to be exact, leaving a de
ficiency of $1,715,532.48, with not one
dollar in the treasury to pay the ex
penses of the current year, which
amounted to $3,112,000, thus increasing
the deficiency to $4,827,532.48 at the
close of 1915. As no warrants would
have been outstanding unsupported by
lawiui appropriations, lust when and
where the line would have been drawn
limiting the indebtedness, or whether
that line would have been a movable
one, as the older warrants were paid,
are among the problems to be solved
oy the litigation sure to follow in the
wake of such freak legislation.
Had it gone Into effect in 1911. the
preceding biennium, the deficiency
would have been $1,440,000. or in 1909.
$166,000. The attempt to. adapt these
annual tax levies to biennial appropria
tions, owing to the unequal distribu
tion of the expenses between the two
years of the biennium. is like trying to
tit a round plug into a square hole, and
would throw our fiscal system into an
inextricable muddle, leading to endless
litigation, halting progress and killing
enterprise, both public and private.
While this measure is absolutely re
pugnant to the above quoted sections of
the constitution, just how far such re
pugnancy would operate as an amend
ment to, or a repeal of. its mandatory
provisions by Implication, is another
legal problem to be solved by the
courts.
However, the Supreme Court held In
State vs. Richardson, 48 Oregon: "The
validity of laws adopted at the polls
under section 1, article IV (initiative
and referendum), as modified by the
amendment, must be determined like
enactments of the Legislature, by the
test of the constitution.
It will be observed that this restric
tion is made retroactive and can only
apply after the fact, as the amount of
revenue can be ascertained only after
it nas Deen cowecxea. mow, ere io tne
restraining effect of such a law upon
the action of the Legislature: The
amount required to pay the expenses of
the succeeding year will have been pre
viously estimated by the tax commis
sioners In December, prior to the bien
nial session of the Legislature In Jan
uary, and will have been apportioned
among the different counties of the
state ana by them included In their
tax levies. The appropriations, how
ever, will not have been made, nor could
they have been, until made by the Leg
islature Just convened. Hence, no pro
vision can have been made to cover ap
propriations for 'new legislation except
for public buildings and necessary ex
penses certified to the State Tax Com
mission by the State Board, as pro
vided by law. Indeed, the annual esti
mates of the State Tax Commission,
with reports from all the departments
before it. with the uncertainty as to
what the Legislature will do. are neces
sarily Inaccurate. In the levy of 1916.
I find in the item levied but not ap
piled to any speclfla purpose" a tOTtrH
surplus of $552,658.61. while on the
other side In the Item of "overesti
mate In 1915 of receipts," a deficiency
of $78,851.85. Its estimates are made
up from hundreds of estimated Items,
and are manifestly not accurate. Now
in order that the appropriations made
by the Legislature be kept within the
6 per cent limit, it would be necessary
for the Legislature before its adjourn
ment to know the amount of those ap
propriations an utter Impossibility as
many of the bills carrying appropria
tions are not acted upon finally by the
Legislature until the last days of the
session, many of these are filed In the
office of the Secretary of State subject
to veto by the Governor after the Leg
islature adjourns, or may De rererrea
to the people. Hence any estimate by
the Legislature of the total amount
must necessarily be a mere guess.
Neither can they know the amount
that will remain unexpended of the
levy for the ensuing X-ear. which in
1916 was $552,658.51, fior the amounts
of revenue received from more than a
score of sources. Including corporation.
Insurance, inheritance and other funds
amounting- in 1916 to $381,101.35. but
ARE WE TO BE PROVINCIAL.
To AdUrre Position In World's Trade
We Most Protect Oar People.
PORTLAND. Oct. J4. (To the Edl- I
tor.) It has been an Interesting thing
to read. President Wilson's recent re
marks, in which he urges American
business men to go out after the busi
ness of the world. In fact, through-,
out his entire Administration he has
urged American business men to be less
provincial and to offer their goods in
every port. A short time after the Eu
ropean war broke out he sent Mr. Mc
Adoo and a number of business men
to South America aboard a United
States battleship to the various ports
of South America to court their good
favor, and seek to build up trade and
commerce with our Nation. Let me re
peat, the President says we are too pro
vincial, and that he has a dream of
America penetrating the markets of
the world. In & speech recently de
livered by him, a copy of which Is
found in The Oregonian, September 26.
he said:
"My dream is that she will take her
place in that great field In a new spirit
which the world has never seen before."
In the same speech he also said:
"It Is absolutely necessary now 10
make good our new connections. Our
new connections are with the great and
rich republics to the south of us." Also:
"There is only one thing I have ever
been ashamed about in America, and
that was the timidity and tearfulness
of Americans in the presence of for
eign competitors. ... An American
afraid to pit American business men
against any competitors anywhere!"
The foregoing sounds well enough
and the President has eald much more
along the same lines. Hence the real
issue is not. do we want foreign busi
ness? but is. how are we to secure it?
If we are to be a great Nation, sell
ing products in every corner of the
world, then the Government must go
with the merchant and when he has
secured some rights in a foreign coun
try, the Government must see to It
that they are not taken away from him
wrongfully. This is the attitude of
Great Britain. Germany and every
great power which has a large foreign
trade; and it must be evident at once
to anyone that when we urge our busi
ness man to penetrate the markets of
the world, our Government must place
him at a like advantage with his for
eign competitor, otherwise be would
better stay at home.
Everyone knows how fully Great
Britain protects her citizens In foreign
lands; and how devoutly she protects
their property and contractual rights.
We on the Pacific Coast remember fully
how Japan insisted that her citizens,
her 21-year-old "school boys." be al
- CALLED
AMENDMENT
and Declares Slogan "Lower Taxes'
Absolutely Unworkable.
estimated by the Commission in 1915 at
J4o9.9o3.19, an overestimate of $78.-
851.84 on this one item, as already
shown.
The attempt to solve the tax prob
lem by, such negative, obstructive, ret
roactive action will prove abortive.
This most important factor in govern
ment should be the result of intelll
gent action on the part of the legisla
tors in the enactment of such laws as
will reflect the will of the people and
appropriate the money necessary to ad
minister the government economically,
If they fail to do this, it is the fault
of the people who elect them and who
have the power to replace them with
others who will, and the people should
suffer until they become interested in
politics enough to see that men are
elected who will represent them. To
shirk the responsibility Is a confession
that a republican form of government
in Oregon Is a failure.
The avowed organ of this freak
measure is the "Tax Liberator." Th
pretense that it is the product of the
taxpayers of the state Is misleading.
These "tax liberators" comprise a very
small minority of the taxpayers. . but
consist largely of malcontents, conserv
ing the interests of heavy non-resident
taxpayers, who are not Interested lo
cally and want no taxes. The slogan.
lower taxes, is impotent, but calcu
lated to deceive, and will Inveigle the
unsophisticated as does the quack can
cer doctor who guarantees -a cure at
so much per, but cannot deliver th
goods.
What I have written pertains to the
state revenues. The state tax, which
la really a county tax levied by the
counties to pay the expenses of the
state government, is not burdensome.
In Marion County It is 3 3-10 mills, or
$3.30 on the thousand dollars of as
sealed valuation, a little more than one-
tenth or the total tax not very high;
but just how high should it go to Jus
tify repudiation?
Why is the increase In revenue lim
ited to 6 per cent annually when the
Increase In valuation for the last 10
years, notwithstanding the panic of
1907 and the recent period of local de
pression, has been, as shown by the
appended schedule, 400 per cent, an
average of 40 per cent per annum?
Why a "taxpayers' league?" The
word "league smacks of court in
trigues of the Middle Ages and is not
American. Do these taxpayers of rec
ord desire to stir up the animosity of
the real taxpayers the people? When
the laborer pays his rent he pays the
taxes In advance with a tithe of it.
There are not, and should not. be such
classes among us. The people are not
ready for an aristocracy founded either
on land, blood or brains, the basis of
our citizenship being manhood and
womanhood.
The only redeeming feature of this
measure is that it is so clumsily drawn
and so barren of provisions for its ob
servance or enforcement as to make
tt absolutely unworkable, especially In
state finances.
In the affirmative argument submit
ted by Robert E. Smith, editor of the
"Tax Liberator." he makes the unsup
ported statement that "Oregon's per
capita tax la higher than that of any
other state In the Union, which Is tin
true. The latest bulletin of the De
partment of Commerce from the Gov
ernment printing office, 1915, just be
ing distributed, shows the per capita
taxes of Oregon less than that of Cal
ifornla. Washington, Nevada, Montana,
New York and Massachusetts, but the
rate per capita signifies nothing. Taxes
are not levied per capita, but ad valo
rem. The last vestige of the former
practice passed with the poll tax. The
average tax rate on $100 of assessed
valuation In Oregon Is less than that
of 29 other states, being 30th In order
of the 48 states. Other random state
ments made by him are not entitled to
credit on the principle of Falaus in
uno. alsus in omnibus."
These random -statements, that Is,
statements that are not known to be
true, are akin to statements that are
known to be untrue, and their use Is
reprehensible, ,Thls pernicious meas-
uro comes last on the official ballot.
and to kill it you will vote "321 No.
Appendix.
Assessed Amount of
Tear valuation. state revenue.
1SOS $1 SS.05S.2Sl.lt 41.02S.00O.0O
3c.25U.K.19 UJS.000.00
1!07 4-,7..tT'-.S)7S.70 1.0'JS.ooo.OO
inns r,si.r.rs.is.48 i.ino.ooo.on
lOH . BHS.1I3.1W13.70 l. 27n.wo.no
1HIO M!4.7'.;7.S1.I0 l.2g.4im.T
11111 844.t-s7.7nS.74 1.SS.V615.B4
1112 MMt.614.1R4. S3 S.0I13. S1S.7S
lt13 0O7,.P1 1.7.0 1.12-.2 214 4S
1014 !.r.4.22.74.09 4.165.00O.00
115 fcJ2.413,G80.lK S.122.0.00
J. 11. ALBERT.
lowed to enter our grammar schools:
and also remember how England on
behalf of her citizens demanded that
her merchants be allowed equal rights
with ours in the use of the Panama
Canal. Many other similar instances
could be recited in regard to Germany,
France, etc.
Prior to the Civil War the American
flag was seen uon every ocean. Eng
land destroyed our commerce and com
pensated us with a few million. Prior
to the present war we had a certain
volume of business with Denmark,
Sweden, Holland, etc. England is
rapidly destroying this commerce; she
opens our mails, steals our trade se
crets, etc. The President utters hardly
word of protest. Indeed. in his
speech of acceptance he says: "Property
rights can be vindicated by claims for
damages, and no modern nation can de
cline to arbitrate such claims." To
establish a foreign trade "claims for
damages" are of but slight assistance:
we need enforcement of known rights
of trade.
Our merchants build up a trade In
Mexico, extend credits, make their
wares known in the Mexican markets.
Duild warehouses and supply depots
better to serve the trade. Then a civil
war breaks out In Mexico; their trade
Is Interfered- with, their property is
confiscated, the merchant Is driven out
of Mexico, or killed. No protection
whatsoever Is afforded to the American
merchant. In fact, the President In
high-sounding phrases says something
to the effect, that we will show the
world that we can serve it. without
thought of ourselves; and when an out.
aged body of Americans, who have
just escaped from the Mexican mob.
send a delegation to the Secretary of
the Navy to know why he ordered their
protection removed at the very hour
when the mob was crying for their
lives, they are told by Mr. Daniels, our
Secretory of the Navy: "When this
committee came In. I at first thought
that they had come to thank us for
what we had done for them, when 1
found they had come to criticise. 1
turned to them and said to them sharp
ly: Why did you go to Mexico? Did
you go to invest? Did you go to make
money? Did you go to better your
conditions? If you did. neither the
Army nor the Navy nor the flag of the
untied Mates will protect you. You
can thank God you got awav witn
your lives."
You will remember that these were
the people vho were rescued by the
German and British fleets at Tampico.
after Mr. Daniels had ordered our fleet
to sail away; and this order wss given
at the very hour when the Americans
were surrounded by a Mexican mob.
and was reiterated when the surprised
American Admiral wired the Navy De
partment.
Why is it that invariably Americans
are killed in Mexico: why it it. that
American property is almost always se
lected for destruction by the Mexican;
why Is it that an American In Mexico
Is compelled to plead that he is a sub
ject of Britain or Germany?
The turning point of the whole dis
cussion is. do we desire to be a pro
vincial Nation, or a world power seek
ing the markets of the world? If we
desire the former, and want a little
America, a vote for Wilson will be in
order; if you desire the latter, vote for
Hughes. GEORGE ROSSMAN.
DRT NATION- IS HELD INEVITABLE
Prohibitionist Urges Temperance Peo
ple to Unite on lime,
PORTLAND. Oct. 14 (To the Edi
tor.!) With 19 states already under
prohibition and all the others work
ing desperately to secure it. it is in
evitable that it should come; it will
come, but the marvel is that any of
the tempernc people In the political
parties are willing to delay this great
reform by failing to declare by ballot
(the only way that is counted) against
the liquor evil.
It is a solemn pity that the party
leaders will not put prohibition in their
platforms. Working for many re
forms, they Ignore the greatest. What
are reforms concerning tariff, tax.
trade, public utilities, labor, or even
war. compared with the liquor traffic?
All the wars of all the world of all
time, are as nothing to this age-old
iniquity.
If raging, hungry lions were roam
ing unchecked in our streets, would
we stop to kill a few moles and mos
quitoes before we attacked the greater
peril?
Why don't we fight, tooth and nail,
and first to crush the greatest evil of
all? Before coming West I used to
think X should like the privilege of
voting, because It was an opportunity
to help destroy the drink evil. Now
that I km here, how do I find It? Most
of you good women and goodrnen have
allied yourselves with the same old
parties that perpetuate the saloon
that dare not oppose the domination
of the rum and beer trust. You vote
the same ticket that the liquor people
do. Oh, yes. when once in a while you
can get off your political fences, you
good people can vote prohibition for
our little selves, here In Portland, and
even In the state and then how you
do count! You are quoted all over the
country, and other states are moved
to cast off their slavery to rum.
But what about your National In
fluence? ' If prohibition Is good for us.
don't you want to speak for it in the
Nation? You have a chance once In
four years the only chance to be
counted Nationally.
If the 19 states that believe in pro
hibition would vote for the prohibition
candidate for President, think you it
would have no Influence on the other
states? Would It not hasten the glad
day of freedom for many
Ex-Governor Hanly, our Presidential
candidate, forsook the Republican
party because It would not platform
prohibition. Our Vice-Presidential can
didate, Ira Landrlth. forsook the Demo
cratic party for the same reason.
Fathers and mothers all over the
land are praying that their .sons may
not become victims of the saloon. Are
you not willing to help God answer
their prayers by a vote for the right?
a vote that will Nationally tell.
MRS. C. E. BRECK.
SEAT IX JITNEY IS PREFERRED
Writer Saya Ho Will Ride la A a to
Rather Than Hans; Onto Strap.
PORTLAND. Oct. 14. (To the Edi
tor.) Referring to an article in The
Oregonian regarding Mr. Clark's talk
about the unfortunate plight of the
Portland Railway, Light &. Power Com
pany.
I am not writing this because I fa
vor "Jitneys," or anything else, but
their unfortunate financial condition
was simply brought about by their own
management and the condition of the
times.
Other electrlo railways are making
money and it seems to me that such
talks as he-gives out hurt this city
and state. This Is the opinion I hear
this morning from a great man
people.
Mr. Clark says the jitney has never
helped anybody. Then why complain?
If the people prefer the railway they
will patronize it. and the jitney will
soon be a thing of the past.
His reference to competition in the
electrical light field deserves no con
sideratton. The people of this city have
for years past paid twice as much for
light as Is charged In the city or Spo
kane, although the Portland Railway
Light & Power Company can supply It
cheaper, owing to its waterpower.
If his company Is compelled to into
bankruptcy, through mismanagement
or any other reason it is to be regret
ted, but others have been in the same
fix.
Personally, I will ride In a Jitney
rather than stand up and hang onto
a strap lor three miles. E. J. ELLIS.
BEER'S ISE CALLED TEMPERAJICE.
Milder Llqnor Deelared to Discourage
Stronser Beverages.
PORTLAND. Oct. 16. To the Edi
tor.) It is high time for some disin
terested citizen to tell the truth in re
gard to the "Equal Rights to Homo
Industry" bill. I ant absolutely disin
terested and uninfluenced In any way.
except by the welfare of our community
in this matter.
The best and easiest way to destroy
the blind pig is to vote for the above
amendment. It will also tend to stop
the importation of whisky, and any
express company will tell you that
more than nine-tenths of the Importa
tions are whisky. People who never
drank whisky before are now on their
way to becoming drunkards through the
dangerous agency of a law that brings
to your home two quarts of colored al
cohol, called whisky, all charges pre
paid, for $2.30. while a shipment of
harmless beer costs you $7. The only
way to bring people back to their old
temperate habits Is to allow the home
manufacture of beer, thus putting a
temperate drink on an equal price basis
with whisky. Beer Is true temperance.
It is a beverage, not a medicine, like
whisky. You never saw a man sit down
to a meal, order a 'steak and drink a
water glass full of whisky with it. No
one ever heard of a man committing a
crime after drinking two or three
glasses of beer, nor are beer-drlnking
people wife beaters. You will find the
average beer drinker to be a better
man than a hypocrite who votes to
have his violent liquor brought In by
express, so he can use it secretly and to
excess.
x W'e want more industries and
larger pay roll. All we have to do to
Increase both is to vote for a law that
will encourage temperance, kill tho
blind pig, employ manufacturing plants
worth over $1,000,000 in Portland alone,
and increase the. payroll over $420,000 a
year. Please think about this. It is
over hal. as much as is being paid by
all the shipbuilding plants In Portland.
In which we are all so much interested,
and which we think is such a big thing.
Also bear In mind that the brewery
worker is always a good, honest, thrifty
man, with a large fam!ly, who usually
owns his own home. Do not confuse
him with barkeepers and whisky sales
men. -
Just think that there were 11.000 al
cohol permits Issued lr. Portland alone
during last September and that was
more than would have been contained
In 1.000.000 quart bottles of beer undr
the 4 per cent law. or over four quart
bottles for each man, woman or clld
In Portland, which is many more than
they would buy. The permits for this
month from the source of importation
were approximately 15.000. which would
make another l.Oou.000 quart bottles of
beer; so you must admit that the new
law would not in the least Increase the
consumption of alcohol, while it would
add materially to our wealth, health,
temperance and prosperity.
I am sure that none cf the signers of
this Just, sane and temperate reform
measure would have signed if they
were not absolutely sure that the law
meant just what its heading says.
"Equal Rights to Home Industry."
Our ablest attorneys ssy that the law
Is written without Jokers. The law
specifies that the Legislature shall
make the regulations in regard to tho
distribution of the mild beverage, and
if the people of Oregon cannot trust
their legislators to give them an honest
nd fair law, they had better aLolish
these august bodies. Had the law any
dishonest intent it could not dare to
come up before the state bodies fir
further consideration. The law will be
enforced and lived up o to the full
desire of the most particular citizen,
us the breweries have had their bitter
lesson.
Please, if you want to make this state
and city a fit place to live in and to
rear your family in under an atmo
sphere free from blind pigs and secret
whisky drunkards; if you want to in
crease the annual payroll by $420,000.
and save part of that $350,000 that Is
being sent to California for liquors and
the $300.00 that is beii-g spent for that
terrible poison, nrain alcohol, vote for
that true temperance bill, the "Equal
Rights to Home Industry" amendment.
H. HERBERT S1CHEL
JUSTICE FOR STREET RAILWAY
Situation Created by Jitney Competition
Declared "More Than Unjust."
PORTLAND. Oct. 13 (To the Ed
itor.) That Mr. C. M. Clark, of the
Portland Railway, Light & Power Com
pany, should have to make an appeal
for a square deal for his company in
a contest with a piratical competition
is not only a most shameful commen
tary upon the city administration, but
reflects edually upon the fairness and
justice of us all. Unfortunately, the
truth of what Mr. CJark says Is obvi
ous to every one who has paused long;
enough to observe the trend of events
and consider the rights of others. The
treatment meted out to the Portland
Railway. Light & Power Company in .
this city since the advent of the pirat
ical Jitney has been more unjust than
that given by the highwayman to his
victim, because this modern hold-up
game has been conducted under tha
guise and protection of law in a city
which prides itself upon civic right
eousness. That the company cannot
long escape a receivership under present
conditions has long been foreseen by .
those who have given any thought to
the subject. The situation is more than
unjust: It does not possess the remotest
justification; and itvis almost unthink
able that it should have been permit
ted to continue until it has put an in
effaceable blot upon city and state.
Suppose this great enterprise was)
financed by local capital, so that tha
bonds were held in small blocks by
business and professional men. school
teachers, wage earners, people of small
capital, to whom the regular payment
of Interest meant much, do you sup
pose the Jitney menace would have been
suffered to threaten the street railway
company with bankruptcy? Certainly
not, even if it had not given the best
of service. Self-interest would have
prompted Its protection. But this East
ern money, confiscate it; who cares?
Let the thousands of bondholders back:
East, school teachers, spinsters, farm
ers, preachers, who by their proverbial
frugality have saved enough to buy m
gilt-edge bond of the streetcar com
pany in Portland, the Rose City, go to
the devil. ' Crucify them all under the
title of "bloated bondholders." Harsh as
this seems, no other construction can
be placed upon the treatment that has
been visited upon this home corpora
tion. Had there been any determina
tion to deal fairly, the Jitney would'
have been squelched long ago. Mr.
Clark Justly says it Is not needed. It
is a nuioance upon the streets, the cause
of Innumerable accidents and many
deaths. Having no financial responsi
bility, the victims Invariably sue the
streetcar company If there was a car
within striking distance, even though
it had no more to do with the accident
than the man In the moon.
There Is but one way properly to deal
with this vexing question, which the
Commissioners have authority and le
gal right to do, namely, issue no fran
chises except upon terms proportionate
to those "the railway operates under,
with bonds ample to pay all damages
and death claims which may be estab
lished In court. Anything less than
that is unjust and unjustifiable.
, C U. SHOLLS,