11
PUBLIC EXPRESSES VIEWS ON WIDE VARIETY OF TOPICS
THE SUNDAY OKEGOXIAN. .PORTLAND. 3IAY 27, 191?.
WOHK FOR BONDS IS IRGED
Argnmrnta Against Road Inline Are Hi
worthy, Saya Writer.
THE DALLES, r., May 25. (To the
Editor.) Unless a great deal of edu
cational work is carried on throughout
ther state between this time and the
date of the special election, there is
serious danger that the road bond issue
will be decisively beaten. The defeat
of the bond issue would be a serious
blow to the best interests of the state
at large, and wotjld be peculiarly
calamitous to The Dalles and Wasco
County, and it is amazing that there
should be indifference and apathy
among among local people concerning
a proposition of so much vital and
direct interest and benefit to this com
munity. We realize that people are
Interested in the great war into which
we have gone, but we should not per
riit that to cause us to overlook other
things which are of great concern to
us.
There is no argument worthy of con
sideration that can be advanced against
the voting of the bonds, as a general
proposition. The fssue. is different from
any local or county bond issue in that
it does not mean any additional bur
dens in the way of taxation, and the
enemies of the present proposition con
cede the advantages to be derived from
good roads, and their crying necessity
in this state, so the people do not have
to be educated along the lines of the
advantages and benefits accruing from
the construction of better ; roads
throughout the state, and if any edu
cation or demonstration . were needed
all" that would be necessary would be
to point' to the state of Washington on
the north and the state of California
n the south, where great sums of
money have been expended for road
construction and betterment.
Never before has a proposition been
ubmitted io the people the acceptance
of which would mean the raising of
large revenue for improvement with
out providing for an increase in tax
ation. The bond issue - to be settled
June 4 does not provide for the in
creasing of taxes in any way or. man
tier, and it simply provides for the
taking of the one-fourth mill levy al
ready provided by law '. and adding it
to . the automobile license fees, and
thereby creating a fund which will
unquestionably meet the interest on
the bonds and provide money for their
retirement, and the taxes of the citi
zens are not increased one cent, and
the only burden that is added on any
citizen is the increase in the license
fees to be paid by owners of auto
mobiles, and this will be more than
offset by the saving in tires and re
pairs. It may be that the ease and
simplicity with which this fund is to
be raised under the provisions of the
proposed bonding law causes some to
look with suspicion upon the propo
sition, as it seems too easy and noth
ing of the kind has ever been presented
before.
If Oregon is to keep pace with bor
dering states she must begin some
comprehensive plan of road construc
tion and get out of the mud and dust,
and the $6,000,000 bonding proposition
Is the best method that has yet been
presented, and the important feature in
the scheme is that it does not increase
taxation.
While the people of this city and
icounty should support the measure on
account of the general benefits to be
Rained, yet there are peculiar and par
ticular reasons why citizens of The
Dalles and Wasco County should rally
to its support. We are on the line of
the Columbia Highway, and have al
ready voted bonds for road construc
tion throughout the county and are
prepared to receive direct and im
mediate benefits from the money de
rived from the bonds, and we will.be'
among the first to be favored, as there
is no way we can be prevented from
receiving immediate benefits under the
law, and local people should become
thoroughly aroused to the situation and
see -that our people become aroused
and vote for the bonds and thereby
help the state generally and our own
section particularly. R. R. BUTLER.
6,000,000 . . BOND ISSUE! IS HIT
Jennings Lodge Writer Telia Why He
Will Not Vote tor Road Money.
JENNINGS LODGE, Or., May 19.
CTo the Editor.) We take it for grant
ed a very large number of the citizens
of Oregon are in favor of good roads.
The only question is how to go about
making them. Of all the speakers we
have heard and of all the articles we
have read the proponents do not admit
there is any other feasible way than to
issue bonds, $6,000,000 of them, interest
and principal, according to their fig
ures, -amounting to $12,000,000 or $13,
000,000, and that no tax will ever be
levied to take them up. . They guaran
te to prove by conjectural figures that
the automobile tax will pay it all. Tes,
and have money left, that is, with the
.14 mill now levied.
Now, in the first place, the act pro
X'ides the counties shall be taxed for
the grading. The tax will not be a
small amount. If the proponents are so
dead sure the auto licenses will meet
the bonds, why in the name of reason
do they not put up their guarantee to
the .4 per cent money loaner, it ought
to be as good to him as to us, instead
of wanting everyone of us to sign a
promissory note, which everyone who
votes for it does if the issue carries,
il'es, and those who vote no also.
Maybe the bonds will not sell at par.
May be in a short time after we have
signed this promise to'pay the bonds.
the autoists will get tired of paying so
high a license and go before the Legis
lature and get the auto tax reduced.
It is common in politics.
Maybe there will not be the con
jectural increase in auto licenses which
they are figuring on. Some who own
autos now find they cannot afford to
keep them. It is happening every day,
Only a certain' per cent of the people
ever will own one.
They did not tell us It cost $25,000 to
eollect the license last year and have
not figured off the future amounts.
The engineer's apportionment and cost
tnf collections alone will take up over
$1,000,000 of it. It will not cost less to
distribute it even if generous Mr. Ben
Bon and a- very few others donate us
their time and ability.
No doubt the money will be spent as
Judiciously as possible under his super
vision, but it is and has been for years
and years the history and experience
of all state-conducted improvements
that only from 40 per cent to 65 per
cent ever goes Into actual construction.
That is, we will not get our $3,600,000
In actual construction, and-taking their
figures at $10,000 per mile.it will only
give a little more than one road clear
through the state, north and south.
Is it .not paying too dear for our
whistle, $6,000,000 for $3,600,000? Were
It not far better for the proponents to
use their time, energy and money In
Inducing each road district to follow
the plan begun five years ago and fol
lowed up to present date of road dis
trict 47 of Clackamas County. We have
a main road, the river road, from Sell
wood to Oregon. City, about eight miles
long, and have put down a good base
and hard oil macadam surface not only
the whole distance but on all the main
cross roads in the district. The present
levy will finish all except some cross
streets. Already from 20 to 75 autos
pass over the- river road each hour of
the day. Summer and Winter. We will
altogether likely have it hard surfaced
before the state will build its 350 or
400 miles and at very much less ex
pense. ,
, .When a district pays its cash out U
will get better work done and much
cheaper than the state can. Every one
is scanning every move closely. A dif
ferent phase Is now on than when the
project was started. Wages will e
much higher and laborers fewer. What
a howl will go up when three-fourths
of the expectants do not get any road.
The money did not reach them and then
the larger crowd who did not expect to
has to pay their note.
P. D. NEWELL.
PLAYGnorND I-LEA IS VOICED
Henry E. Reed Says Ma ran am Gulch
Should Be Cleaned.
PORTLAND, May 26. (To the Ed
itor.) Deserving of the favorable con
sideration of the voters at the June
election is the proposed charter amend
ment appearing on the city ballot un
der the numbers 124 and 125. " It is
commonly known as the Marquam Gulch
playground measure, oecause the first
product of a special tax which it au
thorizes must be spent to clean out the
pest spot of Marquam Gulch and equip
it as a modern playground for the chil
dren of the district. It is -a good pro
posal and should be adopted.
Marquam Gulch was once one of the
attractive spots of Portland. That is to
say, in its" wild state it was in the
same class with Tanner Creek, John
Bon Creek, Balch Creek and other shady
nooks well known to all the oldtimers.
When I attended the Harrison-Street
School 40 years ago, the gulch was the
playground of the boys and girls who
lived in the southern section, in the
district where the Falling School was
later built. Along about 1880 the
scavengers began to' make a dumping
ground of it. Into it has been heaped
an immense assortment of rubbish
broken planks, discarded street paving
blocks, crockery, manure, street sweep
ings, and even the night soil of the
days when Portland did not have sew
ers in the streets nor patent sanitary
appliances in the houses. Few persons
realize wnat a mess or reeling xum
has been piled into this spot through
which there once threaded one of the
prettiest creeks that supplied pure
water to many a Portland home.
South Portland, which even a gen
eration ago was a charming resi
dential section, has received very lit
tle consideration in the matter of mu
nicipal expenditure. It-has-not had a
real playground since the early '80s.
when the march of progress divided the
old sheep pasture into building lots,
and the scavenger, forced to the outer
rim of the city, placed his defiling
hand upon Marquam Gulch. In recent
years the southern section has rinea
up with a cosmopolitan population,
which has been drawn from many lands.
It is the children of this district, the
citizens of the next generation, who ask
this playground. They should have it.
A vote 124 yes will give them what
they are entitled to.
HENRY K. REKD,
County Assessor.
ROAD BONDS ARE CRITITCISED
Nekalem Writer Declare Labor Bearfc
All Burden.
NEHALEM, Or., May 24. (To the
Editor.) There is but one source of
wealth, productive labor, and from that
all debts must be paid. - The attempt
by the Juggling of words to shift a
burden from the producer to the waster
of wealth should be evident to anyone.
An illustration of the point of view is
the oft-reoeated assertion that the man
who owns an automobile pays the li
cense fee. He is merely the agent that
shifts the payment to the producer.
If an auto is run for pleasure it be
comes a waster of time and money as
well as a menace to the community and
a destroyer of roads. If, on the other
hand, it is a ' commercial proposition,
the ownershif ts- the tax to his patrons.
The proposition, therefore, to bond
the State of Oregon for $6,000,000 (with
interest to double the amount before
it can be paid) for the purpose of
building hard-surfaoed scenic highways
resolves itself into a proposition to add
that amount to the laborer's burden
and as much more that will have to be
raised from the counties of the state,
in order that they may get their share.
all of which will be paid by those that
produce, not by the promoter or waster.
Nevertheless, . this vast exependiture
might be Justified if we had any assur
ance that the money would be used tc
build useful roads that would open to
use sections that would be made pro
ductive. 0
On the contrary, the road to be Im
proved in the southern part of Clatsop
County and the northern part of Til
lamook County, from Seaside, to Gari
baldi, a distance of 40 miles, runs
through a section void of productive
possibilities excepting scenery, seaside
resorts and possibilities of trie pro
moter. This section will cost at least
$400,000 to grade and get ready for
surfacing, a part of which will be done
by the state, about 20 miles in Clatsop
County. The rest must be done by
Tillamook and if finished one well-directed
shot from a warship would put
it out of commission. An alternative
route could have been selected between
Seaside and Garibaldi over, the present
road up the Necanicum, down the North
NehaJem through Foley Valley and to
Garibaldi, which would go through a
land of agricultural possibilities capa
ble of producing potatoes enough to
feed the state. E. K. SCOVELL.
ROAD BONDS ARE FAVORED
Cherryrllle MAn Writes of Need of
Well-Organised Work. .
CHER RTVILLE, Or., May 21. (To
the Editor.) I would like to give per
sonal opinion as to the attitude one
should take toward the proposed road
bond question. I favor a unanimous
support of the measure and desire to
see it carried. I have confidence in the
statements that the greater part of the
expense will be met by the automobile
interests; that the automobile owners
are willing to assume this expense and
that the work will be satisfactorily
executed. It will be an advertisement
for the state, showing our willingness
to pull with out neighbors as well as
to help ourselves.
There is, however, some antagonism
being created toward the measure by
wild and exaggerated statements. One
speaker has been reported by the pa
pers as saying that we have expended
no One can tell how many millions on
roads and still have "mud, mud, mud.
Why not vote the road bonds and have
good roads?" Now any sensible man
knows that after we have built the
roads contemplated it will still be
"mud, mud. mud" for most of us for
many years to come. Yes, and afteil
we nave pyciib jiimiy uiuio uuuit idbubb
on roads. .
This proposed bond issue and the
selection of the roads-to be improved
by it probably presents the best solu
tiont for a definite beginning on a good
roads programme. But the automobile
drivers will not confine their driving
to the roads Improved by the bond is
sue. Moreover, they will not be will
ing, nor should they be expected to
shoulder the burden of additional bond
issues. Before much permanent road
building into the rural regions has been
accomplished some definite plan of dis
trict road improvement must be agreed
upon by which roads will be projected
from market centers out into producing
areas. As such roads will have to be
built a little at a time, the taxes for
meeting the bonds should be graduated
and so distributed over . the territory
benefited by the building of the road
that those who -were, immediately and
most completely served would . pay a
higher rate. This high rate would fol
low. out as, the road waa completed and
as the bonds matured and were paid
off the taxes for various sections would
be reduced to that required for main
tenance. All the property In any way served
by the beginnings or the contemplated
completion of the road is benefited to
some extent and should be taxed. But
the tax should be in proportion to the
service. It would put a high rate of
tax on small localities, but they are the
ones who get full value for their
money. When the whole country is
supplied with hard-surface roads we
will then all have paid our propor
tionate share- of the costs. When we
drive over them we will forget about
the price. But It galls a man to pay
for something that requires a long ar
gument to convince him of Its bene
fits. The good roads movement will be
advanced when we are through gush
ing over it and come down to facts,
even though-it means-a much greater
cost to to those, immediately served.
Sincerely yours,
. GEORGE B. COUPER.
PRISON BETTERMENT SEEDED
Present Not Time to Contend Over
"Prison Labor."
PORTLAND. Or., May 26. To the
Editor.) Having carefully studied
every phase of the proposed prison bet
terment plan that is to be voted upon
at the coming election, I will, for the
benefit of the many readers of The Ore
gonlan, offer what assistance I can,
so that they may vote intelligently,
and not let the spirit of political acrimony-interfere
with fair Judgment.
To the members and dependents of
organized labor I wish to impress the
fact that the proposed new prison is
exactly in line with the efforts we en
tered upon in 1911. Until we cemented
the interest of the Oregon manufac
turers, prominent merchants, and the
membership of organized labor toward
the protection of "Oregon industry" in
1911, and appeared before the Legis
lature with a roll of petitions showing
our unity in this cause, the system of
"penology," as practiced in the form
of a state institution in Oregon, was
about the most feeble expression of
righteousness vwithin the human mind
that could be imagined.
We felt grateful for the eubstantlal
backing of such men as Senators Sell
ing. Sinnott, Olliver, Locke and others
in the Senate. We felt deeply thank
ful to the many representatives in the
House for Btartihg our ball rolling to
ward the goal, and we doubly appreci
ated the act of the Governor, who was
personally impressed with the rawness
of the old order of things, and who
abolished the unfair trafficking in hu
man labor, even more so unfair be
cause rendered helpless were they who
labored, because the laws of Oregon
condoned and forced them to submit
to slavery in the interest of private
individuals.
We who took up this effort In behalf
of Oregon industry, became soon ac
quainted with conditions that had for
so long been matters not intended for
the general public's consideration. It
became apparent that the principles of
Oregon's citizenship should not be held
responsible - for such conditions, and
publicity began to bring to light the
low standard that our state was at
tached to in the real meaning and pur
pose of handling the criminal to so
ciety.
In the years since lsn tne people or
Oregon have been brought closer in
touch with the conditions that must
be improved, and it goes without say
ing that the newspapers have done
their part nobly in bringing matters
to light. If the great army of readers
of The Oregonian could have investi
gated actual everyday conditions con
nected with the Oregron prison, in per
son, as did the writer, while com
missioned for this purpose, there would
be no need of publicity in installing a
more modern institution.
When it is realized that the present
institution is exactly upon the prin
ciple of a filthy sore, that under present
conditions is merely being allowed to
enlarge and become cancerous, tnen it
is surely the common-sensical idea to
take the proper means to control its
action and use determination in heal
ing the ulcer as readily as possible?'
Don t argue the feasibility of prison
competition now; don't place a stum
bling block in the way of starting upon
a common sense programme that both
a Democratic and Republican adminis
tration have declared absolutely neces
sary. Industry and labor will be qual
ified to pass upon the problem of
'prison labor when the time comes
for action. The administration, in ap
Dointing a commission to investigate
fully and report, has followed the very
idea ' that the writer has strongly
urged, and the report that comes from
these three men of nrominence in Ore
gon is an able showing of he interest
they have taken in tne work.
EDWARD G. BARGES.
SHIPS THOUGHT FIRST NEED
Traffic Manager Says Portland Most
. V5 It a Waterway.
PORTLAND, May 19. (To the Ed
itor.) Railroad ' trained and expe
rienced in transportation matters for
25 years, it is a pleasure as a citizen
Justly proud of her to see that Port
land is about to leave the cradle and
take steps, real, even though baby
steps, toward the attainment of a su
premacy that has always been her
award from nature.
Press articles concerning the need of
additional payrolls, crying complaints
against the railroads and the institu
tion of many useless suits before the
Interstate Commerce Commission for
the purpose of forcing more favorable
rail rate adjustments have run their
course and a real awakening and de
termination to "Put the Port la Port
land" appears to be on.
About six weeks ago II. L. Corbett.
president of the chamber of Commerce.
was auoted as expressing views favor
ing a constructive policy for the future
at variance with the spirit and manner
in which Portland transportation prob
lems have been handled in the past. This
is the right idea, emanating from the
proper source. That a responsive
chord was struck is evident from the
interest manifested editorially and
otherwise in the press and among ship
pera and receivers of freight and man
ufacturers concerned with transporta
tion costs.
Portland's transportation predtca
ment is not of a day's making, nor yet
of a decade . of years. Her rail rate
troubles will not cease as long as the
Columbia and Willamette rivers make
the way for commerce to her door from
the great producing sections tney tap,
unless use of her great natuural system
of transportation, the Columbia and
tributary rivers, is developed in con
nection -Hth her offshore commerce.
Such development is the real key to
the forward movement of Portland;
her Alaskan and manufacturing trou
bles, as well as her more immediately
apparent rate difficulties. The present
and past utility or our waterways rail
road, directed and controlled, without
proper offshore connections, have but
served a railroad transportation ena,
and something of political graft, in the
stifling of such actual competition and
use as might otherwise have appeared.
It has been merely a railroad buffer
for artificial rate structures, both look
ing to the same end rate control with
river control. -
Systems .of water serving inland
communities are direct competitors of
rail lines. They are natural enemies,
fully appreciated by railroad managers.
"Good roads" are the natural feeders
for waterways and as the "good roads
movement has progressed in Oregon
Portland's transportation troubles have
Brown, Jo put it another way, "good
roads' movement has caused her ad
vantages of the past to magnify and
to be more keenly appreciated by rail
road managers. The railroads .de
serve praise, not censure, for the per
ception of these advantages, as obsta
cles In their way. Artificial rate struc
tures against her is a tribute of high
and Intelligent recognition of her
prowess. The answer to such struc
tures is not "peace at any price" nor'
lawsuits, with attendant and useless
expense of the past. Competition is
the remedy. Real, live, active compe
tition. We have the railroad recog
nized means of competition. A free
gift from the Almighty, improved by
Government for our particular benefit,
at enormous expense. Insufficient as
is the amount of $1,000,000 appropriated
by the Legislature for the purchase or
building of ships to be operated by the
Port of Portland in the interest of the
port, it is nevertheless a start in the
right direction. . The initiative taken
by Portland in the matter will ulti
mately be effective in enlistment of the
support of eevry river town and coun
ty in Oregon and Washington, for state
control and operation. For Portland's
problem is the problem of every such
county and town and of the states at
large.
The enormity of advantage-to accrue
to these commonwealths from state
ownership and operation can be thor
oughly relied upon to accelerate the
movement initiated by Portland for
utility of natural means of transporta
tion. Fortunately the start has been made
before the entry into the field, of pri
vately owned bottoms, and while the
railroads through car shortage condi
tions should almost feel disposed to
welcome and facilitate effort in this di
rection.
We want ships publicly owned ships.
Mr Houser is right, we want "good
roads." Publicly owned river craft to
feed the ships. Good roads to feed the
river craft. Good roads from the wheat
fields of Eastern Oregon and Washing
ton to the rivers. "A PortUnder" is
Vight. we want facilities, but before
facilities we want good roads and
ships. We want railroad intelligence
mm nui rauruaa ugnis. vv e want a
traffic manager competent to procure
and direct our traffic matters. We want
a manager of transportation who can
build up traffic worthy of the great
rree way, that aids us none at all flow
ing silently past us, but will carry
every pound of burden that we put
upon her.
We want railroad Intelligence and
railroad results for the future Results,
not "bunk."
A TRAFFIC MANAGER.
REAL MOTHERHOOD NEEDED.
Writer Saya Women Mast Keep Na
tion's Standard High.
DUNDEE. Or.. May 24. (To the Edi
tor.) To the woman who is discour
aged with housework and babies. I
would repeat these words of Billv Sun
day: "If the womanhood of America
had been no better than its manhood,
the devil would have had a fence
around cur country before now." Let
me ask "Discouraged" what is more
honorable . than motherhood? What
words are sweeter than home, sweet
home? And what is a home without
a mother? Home Is where mother is.
therefore I would say that unless the
home has a real mother in It (what I
mean by a real mother is a mother
who really loves her children and takes
a real Interest in their welfare), this
home cannot be what the word implies.
cut back of the mother and children.
of course. I think there should be a
real husband and father.
So many of our men are lacking In
the qualities required of a good hus
band and father, that the mother some
times has to do more than her share
of the home-making, but we must have
enough of the mother love in us to do
this end to do it cheerfully and with
out complaint. Fathers often give up
the struggle and go to "boozing" or
commit suicide, but the real mother
will stand by her children and home.
even if cooking, dishwashing and
scrubbing the floors does seem like
drudgery. In my estimation If we love
our -husbands and children and our
homes as we should, our household du
ties will not seem as drudgery, for love
lightens labor and makes it a pleasure.
The work of a wile and mother is
the greatest work in the world in Its
far-reaching importance.
Far above all others is the task of
moulding hearts and lives and shaping
characters. Some wise man has said,
"If you want to find greatness, don't
go to the throne, but to the cradle.
When Jesus wanted to give his disci
ples an impressive lesion he took a
little child and said: "Except ye be
come as one of these little children
ye shall in no wise enter into the king
dom.
The work of rearing children Is so
important that God would not trust it
to the fathers, but gave it Into our
keeping. Consequently we must do
what "Discouraged" calls "other dis
agreeable things" on the side, and if
mothers would exercise as much care
regarding the company their children
keep, the books they read and the
places they visit, as they should, I
don't imagine there would be much
time left to worry about the "drudg
ery" of home-making.'
"The bravest battle that ever was
fought, . ,
Shall I tell you where and when?
On the maps of the world you'll find
it not;
Twaa fought by the mothers of men.'
MRS. E. O. DILLINGER.
MEMORIAL DAY. SACRED EVENT
Ladles of G. A. R. Ask More Thought
for Soldier Dead.
MILWAUKIE. Or.." May 25. (To the
Editor.) Memorial day with all Its sa
credness is near at hand. Do we real
ize what it. means? Do we consider
how it came to be and why? Once each
year are the soldier dead -remembered
with flowers and flags placed on their
last resting place. But have we not
gotten "away from the idea that Me
mortal day (May 80) was that day set
aside for the purpose above mentioned?
Have we not got Into - the habit of
making it more a day for placing flow
ers upon graves of all friends gone?
A good act. of course, but let us not
forget the men who fought and idled
for our country, our flag, that you and
I might enjoy the-freedom we do to
day. It is time the patriotic organiza
tions do not forget this.
And then, too. have we not gotten
to look upon the day as more of a fes
tival time than one for sad reflection?
This is due In large measure to the
fact that. Memorial day is improperly
called Decoration day because of plac
ing of flowers and flags upon the
graves,' and then, too, of the bestrew
ing of flowers upon all graves, as well
as those of war veterans. Let us think
of this and ' hold more sacred the
Memorial day and not a. day for fes
tivities.
The Ladles of the Grand Army of
the Republic at their last convention
passed the following resolution:
We would ask all patriotic religious
bodies to co-operate with us in making
Memorial day so sacred that the duties
we owe to those brave men gone and
to those remaining by Joining with
them in this day is impressed upon the
minds of the growing generation:
. "Resolved, That we ask. through
press and otherwise, all religious and
patriotic bodies to co-operate with us
in holding more sacred the memory of
those for whom Memorial day was
designated, by discouraging the various
sDorts so much indulged in by the
growing generation, and by Impressing
upon the public iiubu tne sacreoness
of the day and the duty all patriotic
citizens owe their country, their flag,
and to those who fought and saved it
for us and those who gave their lives
that we might have the country, the
home and the freedom that we enjoy
today."
We hope for your co-operation In
this work. VALERIA G. BENVIE.
Department President L. G. A. R.
COUNCILMAXIC PLAJ TA YOKED
Commission Government Piles Vp Taxes,
Writer Says. -.
PORTLAND. May 26 (To the Ed
itor.) A great deal has-been written
of late about the merits and demerits
of the Commission, form of govern
ment, and there seems to be consider
able feeling and exchange of person
alities amongst . the defenders of the
system, as against those who favor the
Councilmanic administration, formerly
in vogue here, and as a heavy taxpayer
I trust -that you will grant me suf
ficient space -to relate my reasons for
favoring the latter plan of city gov
ernment, i. e., - representation of the
various districts of the city by sep
arate Councilmen.
I have read with great Interest the
reports issued in your paper about
the address of G. S. Shepherd made to
the Montavilla Community Club on the
5th Inst., and while for want of time
I am not in a position to argue either
pro or con as to the correctness of-the
figures given by Mr. Shepherd or those
issued by Mr. Bigelow in refutation of
the former,, from a general survey of
our financial conditions it must be
painfully evident to even any disinter
ested observer that mere is is some
thing radically wrong in the enormous
growth of our city expenditures and
the excessive bdrdens placed upon the
local taxpayers.
Unless I mistake the signs of the
time, and judging . from the many ex
pressions that have come to my ears
from -fellow citizens, the - experiment
with the Commission form of govern
ment has proven a decided -failure, and
will met its final fiasco at the coming
June election.
There is no doubt in my mind that
the opinion generally prevails amongst
the property holders that we are a tax-
ridden community, and leaving out of
consideration the heavy burden which
we soon shall all have to meet as a
patriotic duty in consequence of our
country having entered Into the most
gigantic struggle the world has ever
seen, the capacity of the taxpayers to
carry the ever increasing burden
which. In many cases, are equivalent
to absolute confiscation, does not seem
to have had much weight with our
Commissioners, while considering the
advisability of the enormous expend!
tures, which in spite of the many pro
tests and clamor for economy have
never been appreciably reduced. ,
"Por Sol-meme, on peut Juger d'Au
trui." is an old French proverb, and
there are doubtless countless others
who feel like I do regarding our local
system of taxation.
With all my property improved my
taxes in 1911 were about $700. with an
Income from the same approximating
$5000 per annum. In 1916 my taxes
had been raised to nearly double the
former amount, while my Income from
Identically the same property had been
reduced until it barely covered the
taxes.
Oregon seems to have taken the lead
In any and all kinds of freak legis
lation, and In the introduction of the
Commission form of government we
have been induced tj- experiment vir
tually with five Mayors, where we
formerly had one, and what with these
five gentlemen working at cross pur
poses there is no telling what this sys
tem will bring forth in the future if
the same is to be perpetuated.
I am creditably informed that only a
short time ago a prospective embryo
manufacturing establishment was ex
pecting to locate here, and that they
were from the very beginning pestered
with Inspectors and their insistence on
multifarious regulations that the pro
jectors of the enterprise quit Portland
in disgust and located in Seattle, where
they evidently met with a different
kind of reception, and encouragement
I doubt whether such a thing could
happen, where men representing the
various districts of the city would con
sider such matters, with a view to the
welfare of the city at large. Yours
truly. A. TILZER.
FRENCH REVOLUTION IS CITED
Correspondent Dlacuaaee Advice to
Starving to Eat Grass.
PORTLAND. May 26. (To the Edi
tor.) A student of history may well
take more than a languid interest In
reading the following press dispatch
which appeared in your issue of yester
day: Hungry Germans Are Advised to Eat Grass.
Copenhagen. via. Iondon, May 22. In
view of the food shortage In Germany Pro
testor Weldner. an agricultural expert at
P assail. Bavaria, advlsea the people to fol
low the example of Neburhadnezsar and eat
grass. He informs them that both red clover
and alfalfa may be used for the making
of tasty dishes for human consumption.
And after reading this, turn for a
few moments .to Carlyle's "History of
the French Revolution." that marvelous
work, which depicts in language so
graphic that its sentences fairly burn
Into the Imagination, the bursting of a
people from the bonds of a despotlo
rule. . Here, too, we find that a starv
ing people are "advised to eat. grass":
We are at the 22d of the month, hardly
above a week since the bastlle fell, when
It suddenly appears that old Foulon la alive;
nay. that he is here. In early morning-. In
the streets of Paris: the extortioner, the
plotter, who would make the people eat
grass, and was a liar from the beginning!
It la, even so. ... Ills old head, which
74 years have bleached. Is bare; they have
tied an emblematic bundle of grass on his
back; a garland of nettles and thistles is
round his neck: ' in this manner, led with
ropes, goaded on with curses and menaces,
must he, with his old limbs, sprawl for
ward, the pitlablest. most unplttled of all
old men. . With wild yells. Kans
eulottlsm clutches him. In Its hundred
hands; he la whirled across the Palace de
Greve to the "Lanterne,'' lamp-iron which
there la at the corner of the Rue de la
Vannerle: pleading bitterly for lite to the
deaf winds. Only with the third rope for
two ropea broke, and the quavering voice
still pleaded can he be so much as got
hangedl His body Is dragged through the
streets; his head goes aloft on a pike, the
mouth filled with grass; amid sounds aa of
Tophet. from a grass-eating people.
WILLIAM F. WOODWARD. -
OLD PENITENTIARY KIKE TRAP
Time for Oregon to Adopt Progressive
Ideas, Saya Doctor. f
PORTLAND. May 26. (To the Ed
itor.) Apropos of the arguments con
cerning the advisability of a new State
Penitentiary, I beg leave for space In
the columns of your paper.
For the past five years the Oregon
State Board of Dental Examiners has
conducted its June examinations at Sa
lem and the operative tests of the appli
cants have been held at the Peniten
tiary, the inmates of the Institution
acting as patients. During that time
as a member of the Board of . Dental
Examiners I have had the opportunity
to observe the conditions in Oregon's
state prison.
I will venture the statement that no
commonwealth possesses a more an
tiquated, dilapidated prison than does
Oregon. As has been said, the chapel
is a veritable fire trap. The hospital
and women's quarters on the second
floor, with their wooden floors and par
titions, are Just as liable to fire dan
ger. Tho chapel. Is so located that if
a fire started there it would no doubt
result in a conflagration of the entire
building. The only exit from the build
ing is through the chapel. The north
and south wings, where the tiers of
cells are located, could not escape In
event of fire.
For the protection of the public tne
people of Oregon should demand a new
Penitentiary. It is fortunate that the
state houses so few of the really dan
gerous type of criminal, else we might
expect a wholesale delivery of inmates
at most any time. As it is no great
effort is necessary for an occasional
escape.
One correspondent has stated: "There
is not a man there but could have kept
out of there if he hadn't done wrong."
I know of many who yet have a spark
of manhood within them; young boys
who through association and misfor
tune, victims of circumstances. If you
please, are obliged to serve their
"time" within prison walls. If we in
tend to conduct such institutions along
the lines of the medieval bastlle and
the English prison ship of yore, we
should be content with what we have.
On the other harid. if the state wishes
to take care of its prisoners as human
beings are entitled to be cared for. it
is high time for some Improvement.
One of the reasons Oregon has had
to take a back seat along with its sis
ter states Is due to unprogressive ideas.
And this holds good with the State
University. Improved roads, etc.
" Isn't It about time Oregon was wak
ing up to its advantages as well as
its needs? It's an absolute impossibil
ity for officials to render proper serv
ice to the state under the existing con
ditions of the prison buildings. With
a new Penitentiary the efficiency of
the officials will be increased, the pub
lic will be protcted and the prisoners
will be confined in a place not septic
witfer the bacteria of years. If the con
victs, even as convicts, are not deserv
ing of this, then let's suggest dispens
ing with the prison druggist and the
hospital, with its score of beds.
I am confident if every Oregon voter
could visit the Penitentiary he would
come away a confirmed believer that
a new building is imperative. About
the best way to make the "pen" a good
place to keep away from is to make it
a place where the Inmates can't get
away..
Yes. and T pay taxes, too.
W. S. KENNEDY. D. D. S,
JOHN RIGBY SOLVES PROBLEM
Congress Told How to Make Farmer
Produce More Food.
VALE. Or., May 24. (To the Editor.)
The campaign for "food prepared
ness" would be laughable were it not
tragical. The Government, the state,
the county and the city all Join In at
tempts to help the farmer. "Dear Mr.
Farmer, put In more land and we will
help you to take care of it." Who are
"we?" "We." in-the main, are those
who know not a plow from an apple
tree, a harrow from ji separator, a hay
rack from a flying machine, and whose
acquaintance with a pitchfork has
been through articles in the Saturday
Evening Post by someone who never
saw the fork.
At 10 cents per hour for the labor put
on the various proposed Industrial
census the cost will be more than $100.
000 for tho State of Oregon, and as of
much value to the farmer as a flying
machine for him to use for plowing.
Our astute Congress could help the
farmer with ten lines in any of their
proposed bills by putting one man in
charge and let him place a minimum
prjee on grain and potatoes of $1.50 per
bushel for wheat and $1.25 per sack
for potatoes delivered alongside our
railroad switches, and then provide
transportation. Our dear farmer will
take care of the remainder of the deal.
He will -swamp the world with grain
and potatoes. He will find labor, for
he will be ble to pay for It. If he can
not find it, where will the census taker
find it?
You want the farmer to produce? Pay
him for his product. What discourages
the farmer is to see the wheat he sold
at $1 and $1.50 per bushel selling for
$3 per bushel and the difference taken
by a man,' or men, who never saw a
bushel of wheat, who never owned a
bushel of wheat and who never did a
day's work with anything but their
voice and a lead pencil.
It would be impolitic to take a di
rect and certain course to accomplish
any object. There would be needed no
army of inefficient traveling non-experts,
nor 35 county agriculturists ab
sorbing their unearned increment, if
our Government would guarantee
prices for five years, or for three years,
or for two years. There would be no
need for demanding unpaid labor to
furnish abracadagra for school chil
dren to ponder over and endeavor to
extract sense. Say to the farmer:
"Produce and we will pay." "Produce
and we will distribute," and get out
from under the crops; ship them to the
allies and to the neutrals and to Bel
gium. We pass monopoly controlling laws
which increase monopoly. We damn the
speculator and pass laws to help him
while the monopolist and speculators
may be made to hoe potatoes for a liv
ing if the Government would guarantee
prices for three years. "Not good poli
tics?" Right you are. - Half the lobby
ists would disappear from Washington,
and hotels would wonder what hit them
were the speculator abolished.
, "Ah! but that is socialism," says the
politician. All right, call it socialism;
call it centralization of power; call it
anything you like, but it will produce
results; it will produce wheat, corn and
potatoes, and that's what the allies
need.
We are not dodging the Issue, here
In Vale, we will conform to the wishes
of the Governor. We will endeavor to
do our part as we are advised. We have
sent 21 into the Army out of less than
1000 population, and others are ready
to go; but we reserve the right to ask
that our. strength and. intelligence be
directed to produce results favorable
to our enterprise of destroying Kings
and Princes from off the-face of the
earth and substituting peace among
men for war for monarch s. -
JOHN RIGBY. ...
TJP TO CONSUMER TO GET , BUSY
Only RelleC From Food Exploitation
Cant Come Tkroagk - OrgaaUttlsa.
ST. HELENS, Or.. May 24. (To the
Editor.) The high cost of living
seems to be nobody's business. Uncle
Sam inserts the probe and there stops.
He has neither power, authority nor
desire to go farther and relief is not
in sightIt is nobody's business how
much unwarranted misery and desti
tution the trusts, -combinations and
food gamblers create. Just so the un
earned millions of blood money are
coming their way. '
War prices are bad enough without
this unwarranted . acceleration. The
foolish consumers do nothing to help
themselves. They call for expensive
deliveries; they Joyride Instead of
working in their garden or canning
fruit and vegetables; they are waste
ful and extravagant: they object to
none of the projects of the trusts and
food gamblers; they do not organise
and put up a fight for their own ex
istence; they have no voice as to what
the price is to be; It Is nobody's busi
ness how many manufacturers' asso
ciations. Jobbers' associations, retail
ers' associations or gentlemen's agree
ments or how many meatpackers' as
sociations or how many cold storage
associations or other combinations
are united to rob them they
do nothing more than murmur.
It will take more than a murmur to
end this nefarious business. It will
take some good, clean, hard fighting,
put up with a vim. to put an end to it.
We must have an open, unfettered
market, open to the world so far as
food is, concerned.
False crop reports must be stopped.
Ther must be, an awakening nd an
end to all things. Food exploitation
must be stopped and the consumer
must stop it. Others will not. Tho
consumers must organize a most all
powerful organization to fight tho
greatest menace of tho age. - It is no
body's business but the consumer's to
fight the food trust. Organize a con
sumers' league in every center, largo
and small. Unite and fisht is tho
only aid to relief. Aid In production,
eliminate waste and bust the trust;
open an unfettered food market, limit
profits, stop gambling in grain.
Appropriate legislation must bo en
acted. Tho consumer must enact it.
Others will not. J. W. ALLEN.
LAW AGAINST PLOTS TO DESTROY
Do Opponents of Conspiracy Ordlaaaco
Approve RaldaT Is Asked.
PORTLAND. May 25. (To the Ed
itor.) Tho proposed . trade conspiracy
ordinance is being opposed by defenders
of picketing, boycotting and like activ
ities on the ground that It is a measure
directed against organized labor and
aimed to curtail the legitimate rights
of expression by labor sympathizers.
Before accepting these assertions one
might read the text of the ordinance
with illuminating results. It will bo
found that the measure does not re
strict the legitimate exercise of the
constitutional right of free speech, and
furthermore, that It is not directed
against organized labor to the exclusion
of all other-elements of -society.
One of the complaints of its op
ponents is that it is class legislation.
In its strict wording, the ordinance
deals with only one class, but that is
not a class drawn along the Mnes of
Industrial organization. It is aimed at
conspirators of any kind who pre
pare or execute plots to destroy or
injure trade and business.
The strong objections advanced by
labor agitators against this conspiracy
legislation is, after all, a rather damag
ing confession of the weakness of their
position. Since the ordinance provides
protective measures only against con
spiracies to wreck or injure legitimate
trade, if the labor agitators are not. in
the practice of pickets, boycotts, etc.,
parties to such conspiracies, why are
they so afraid of a measure which is
framed only to deal with conspiracies
against business?
Their opposition really seems to bo
an admission that they are conscious
of engaging in piratical raids upon
business in the community, and that
they resent a measure which is de
signed to protect the community from
such raids. K. B. HAZEN.
WRITER OPPOSES PICKETING.
at Ship Plaata.
PORT LAN D. May 26. (To the Ed- "
itor. ) It is high time that we people -
stop quarreling over a bone and devote
our undivided effort and fighting en
ergy to the European situation.
We would resent any statement that"
we might in any way oe wonting lor
the cause of Germany, yet we are al
lowing the employer and the employe
to irritate each other to the end that
efficiency In the shipbuilding- line is
much impaired. This is in a measure
due to the fact that picketing of the
plants Is allowed and the only thing
that comes of it is more irritation be
tween the different factions.
The . trade conspiracy ordinance.
coming up ror settlement June 4. is
no longer a local, but a National prob
lem and our loyalty to the flag of our
country only allows us to vote one
way, . to support the measure. No one
questions our loyany, so or course we
will vote to pass the ordinance.
As one of the states best fitted tor
build ships we are doing a great work
In the cause of liberty for humanity.
Let us do still more and better work
for that cause, for as sure as the peo
ple of the United States do not cease
quarreling and begin fighting, not
among ourselves, but against tne rorces
of the Kaiser, just so sure will -the
flag of Germany float over this land of
ours.
Without infringing upon the consti
tutional rights of anyone, we can. by
our votes, do a great deal for the coun
try in her time of need.
Let us prove our patriotism by our
actions and thus remove one great
cause of local bad feeling.
LEE DAVENPORT.
PUBLIC ROAD CRITICISED.
Road to Newberg Shows Need of Bond
Issue. Says Writer.
PORTLAND, May 26. (To the Ed
itor.) I wish that the people who are
against the $6,000,000 bond issue would
take a pleasure ride from here to ew-
Derg ana d&ccl. a. iiuuik; rw. iiisvu..
a beautiful valley connecting our most
important valley towns with a large
city, to have a road such as one has to
travel over, is a public disgrace aud
it a person after taking this ride "will
still vote against the roads they must
have a marble heart.
The writer had occasion to transact
some business beyond Newberg and,
thought he could easily go In his own
schedule. The trip was made, but It
left him in an exhausted condition at
the close of the day, trying to guide
th. u'h.plR nf the automobile In deeo
ruts that had been made by trucks and
other vehicles.
There has been enough money spent'
upon this road in the past years to
have hard surfaced it 40 feet wide from
Realty Board or the citizens of the
valley to give a pleasure excursion to
Newberg and back some nice day and
let the people see what the traveling
public is up against, and, believe me.
the man that is against the Improve
ment after making the trip would bo
an undesirable citizen.
More Donations Timely.
PORTLAND. May 25. (To the Ed
itor.) In line with the recommenda
tion from Charles J. ' Schnabel. found
ed on the fact that the war census is
to be taken without pay by the mem
bers of the registration board.' it seems
to me that the scope of his thought
Is entirely too limited. -Kindly add
these suggestions and oblige:
" Test the patriotism ftf all of us. Let
the members of the election boards on
June 4 pay for their meals as well' as
donate their services. Patriotic land
lords should give free use of premises
for polling purposes. I believe that
all employes of the city drawing $75
or over per month, including the
Mayor and the Commissioners, and that
all professional men. like lawyers, ed
itors and doctors, practicing in this
city, ought to contribute one-twenty-sixth
of their monthly income, there
by benefiting the municipality many
times the $10,000 suggested by Mr.
Schnabel. T. J. NEALOND.
735 East Ankeny street.
Washington Herd Laws.
FOREST, Wash.. May 24. (To tho
Editor.) Please answer the following
questions regarding . herd laws of
U'n.hlnstnn
(1) A pastures his cattle, but they
break out, getting into B's field. Cah
he lawfully retain them?
(I) He has no fences. Can one bo
fined when they get onto public high
way accidentally?
J. H. NEDERLANDER.
(1) No.
(2) It depends on the provision of
tho closed district law which may be
in effect there. Such. laws vary In
tUireren-t districts.