THE MORNING ASTORIAN ASTORIA, OREGON.
WIONMDAY, DICEMBIN M, 1M4.
' '
THE MORNING ASTORIAN
Established 187S.
PabUekad Daily (Bxarpt Mooter) y
THE Jk S. DELLINGER COMPANY.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
By mail, pr year ........ 0
By mail, per month SO
By carrier. per month .......... CO
THE SEMI-WEEKLY ASTORIAN.
By mall, per year, In advance 00
tVOnkn for tha doll win of T MoaxtM
l.rai K iUir pmkImc or place of buniiww
ay be made by watal oanl nr through Wfr
rhoae. Aaj iretuWiiy ia Mirny ahouM be
InuMdiatalr reported to tha oKce of pubUcatioa.
Telephone Main Ml.
JN1CN t,iSEL
Today 'a Weather.
Portland, Dec. 27. Western Oregon
and Western Washington Rain; prob
ably part snow; warmer; high south
east winds.
Eastern Oregon and Eastern Wash
ington Snow; slightly warmer.
V' MORE LAND FRACDS.
From the bi-annual report of State
Land Agent Oswald West it la evident
that apparent land frauds no not ex
ist alone in the government domain,
but there is something akin to crook
vdness in the state land department
While no evidence was adduced Im
plicating anyone in complicity In land
frauds under Governor Geer's adminis
tration, yet the public was convinced
that there was either something mys
terious or crooked. Of course the
state land office Is investigated by the
legislature at every session. An ex
pert is employed at 110 a day; two or
three stenographers are employed at J5
a day, and some clerks at $J & day. As
a rule neither the expert, the sten
ographers or the clerks know anything
about land business, and this is one
reason why they are selected. It re
quires about 40, days, the length of a
legislative session, to make an exami
nation of the books and business of
the department The actual time con-:
sumed Is probably three days. The
report is uBually written out by the
same person that furnishes an oyster
supper for the committee. It Is re
ported to the legislature and usually
reads as follows:
"Mr. Speaker: After a thorough and
exaustless research and a careful in
vestigation of the affairs of the state'
land department, we And the books
properly kept; the money accounted
for, and desire to commend the officers
In charge upon their perfect system of
bookkeeping. Our bill for making the
Investigation is 1543.25."
The report is filed, the legislature
adjournes, the members draw their $3
a day and mileage and have performed
their duty to the state. Jet, notwith
standing this "careful Investigation,1
every report of the state land agent
suggests crookedness; lieu lands have
not been properly selected; the state
has been compelled to repay large
sums, and foreclose a number of mort
gages. This report is submitted to the
legislature, a committee is appointed.
and well, the same old story. If the
land frauds are one-third as great a
farce as the legislative Investigation
they must be the most collosaJ on
earth.
But the state land department is not
the only one that is Investigated by
legislative committees, and the result
is always the same. Neither the leg
islature nor the committees ap
asylum, the penitentiary, deaf mute
school, reform school and other numer
ous attachments, of the state govern
ment The object of making the In
vestigation is not for the purpose of
ascertaining the facts, but to give an
army of grafters a 40-day Job at the
expense of the state. There are 90
members of the legislature, and 327
clerks and stenographers. Inasmuch
have been known where clerks have
been sworn in on the seventh or eighth
day and never showed up again until
the last day to draw their salaries. Ef
forts to check the evil and abuse have
been tried at each session of the legis
lature and it Is always postponed until
the next session. It Is estimated that
each law enacted by the legislature
costs the tax payers $12,500, which is
considered a high price for some of
the laws.
the land, and also of the state of Utah,
that reform being made by statute at
least, aa a condition of the territory
becoming a state. The evidence shows
that It Is flagrantly violated, continu
ally. But that is only one count In
the Indictment against the followers of
Joseph Smith and Rrlghnm Toung, The
most dangerous tenet of their faith and
prlctlce Is the ceremony of "taking the
endowment." or passing through the
endowment house, a feature introduced
since Joseph Smith was killed by a
mob at Carthage. III. This Include an
oath to avenge the blood of Smith or
the nation," which was not responsl
ble for the act and obligates a candl
date to hold the laws of the Mormon
church and the Instructions of the so-
called priesthood above the laws of
the United States or the authority of
its propertly constituted executive,
elected to carry out the will of the
people. There Is the strongest evidence
other than his own admission, that Mr,
Smoot. although not a practical polyga
I mist, Is an offender in the other re
spect Should he take the oath re
quired of a federal official on assuming
office he would be foresworn, since he
has already, under agreement to suffer
the direct penalties, sworn to betray
the government.
In a country like ours, while the ut
most freedom of conscience is allowed,
the state must be superior in temporal
authority. There can be no divided
allegiance. A man may think what he
likes, theorise as he likes, but In his
acts he must respect the government
or there Is an end of government, and
anarchy and factional strife will pre
vail
Smoot Is unworthy to sit In the great
lawmaking body of the whole people
for he cannot be true to Its principles
o ,
SAME OLD STORT.
The Tacoma Ledger is of the opin
ion that Nan Patterson, the alleged
murderess, is not entitled to the sym
pathy that has been accorded her. It
is somewhat curious that "Nan" Pat
terson should arouse so much senti
mental Interest The evidence In the
case shows beyond any question that
she was the mistress of a married
man. She led a fast life and squan
dered tens of thousands of dollars
which be lavished upon ber. She en
couraged his atentions with absolute
disregard of another woman's happi
ness. The private life of this chorus
girl was not such as to command ad
miration on the part of any one whe
has regard for decency and respecta
bility. The mad career of Caesar
Toung ended In a tragedy. If he com
mitted suicide because "Nan" would
not promise to follow him to Paris
though she was ready to go with him,
as she admit, she certainly should not
be convicted of his murder. , But If she
planned to kill him and executed her
design because his family and friends
were determined to get htm away from
a woman who In a few months had re
ceived and spent $50,000 or 160,000 of
his money and had broken up his
home, and he would not yield to her
importunities to take her along, there
is no reason for palliating her culml
nating crime.
The wholeatory of her relations with
Toung is disgusting. She Is not a hero
Ine nor a martyr. The world Is better
for the lives of good, pure women who
are to be exalted. The world Is made
worse by women who are neither pure
nor true to themselves nor anyone else.
The general public takes an Interest In
such a sensational, salacious case as
the trial of Nan Patterson, but the only
service she can render by her present
notoriety is as a horrible example.
Girls, shun such a career as brought
Nan Patterson into the murderers'
dock!
. o
HAD STORMY TRIP
General Whittirr Cotlides With
Her Tow.
DAMAGE WAS HEAVY TO BARK
Fulterton Has Rail and Sides Stove
In on account of Hawser Parting
Off the Columbia Bar A Sailor
Is Shot Propeller Lost
San Francisco, Dec. II The bark
General Fullerton, which arrived to
day from the Columbia river. In tow of
the steamer Whlttler, was run Into by
the Whlttler on December 13 and dam
aged to the extent of about $1000.
The vessels were about eight mller
south of the Columbia river, bucking
tiff southeaster. The hawser part
ed and when she tried to put another
line aboard the Fulterton, the Whit
tier's none poked Itself deep Into tha
barkentlne' side. The Fullerton'
guard planks were stove In and the
woodwork In her cabin was much dam
aged.
Lost Propeller.
San Francisco, Dec. 37. While enter
ing the bay this morning, after com
pleting a voyage from Gray Harbor,
the steam schooner Chehalls lost her
propeller. She had on board a cargo of
lumber for San Pedro to which port
she has proceeded In tow of the steam
schooner Norwood.
Sailor Shot
San Francisco, Dec. 37. The man
who was shot and killed on Pacific
street on Christmas night by Elvo
Terchettl has been Identified as Wil
liam Drake, a sailor. He at one time
was a seaman In the revenue service.
MORMON SMOOT.
The case of the protestants against
seating Reed Smoot, the Mormon apos
tie, as senator from the state of Utah,
Is closed, and Mr. Smoot has promised
to be ready with his answer on Janu
ary 10, proximo. In view of the testl
mony already given, including admis
slons made by men firm in the Mor
mon faith, and more particularly the
polygamlsts among them, It is a mat
ter of curious speculation as to what
the caliber of that answer can pos
albly be.
It should be remembered there are
many Mormons who do not accept the
doctrine, or practice, of a plurality of
wives, and yet In some Instances they
are In good standing. Mr. Smoot 1 In
this category, polygamy Is bad enough
and I in contravention of the law of
A FEW WOULDN'T HURT SALEM.
The Salem Statesman, commenting
on an article recently appearing In the
Congregational Church Buletln, says:
Rev. Luther D. Mahone, pastor of the
Congregational church at Astoria
while under the inspirational influence
of a streak of progresslveness recently
declared that he "would happily of
ficiate at a good many first class fun
erals in Astoria without exacting any
toll for the service."
It is not easy to decide whether this
is a special rap at some of our old
pioneers who persist In assuming that
they have as much right here as some
of the more recent Interlopers, or a
direct stab at toe Portland preacher
who not long since bad some difficulty
in collecting his five-dollar fee for of
delating at a funeral.
But while we are greatly in need of
a new spirit of progresslveness In the
state generally, let us exhibit no special
hurry to see the departure of the pio
neers. The last of them will be gone
soon enough, and, after ail, It Is not
certain that we have discharged the
debt we owe them for the performance
of many brave undertakings from
whose forbidding aspects we might
have comfortably and permanently
shrank.
By the way Rev, Malone's text as
to the desirability of a few first class
funerals is almost as old as the history
of the state and the expression of loy
alty to It has long ago ceased to be any
proof that its promulgator Is notice
ably given to actual progresslveness
save in verbs and adjectives.
o
It Is very evident to a man up a
tree, that there is something crooked
with the city printing ordinance. When
the matter la exposed there I very apt
to be an accounting demanded by an
indignant populace. I
Marin New.
The steam schooner Northlund from
San Francisco arrived In last evening.
The French bark Jule Gomme. with
a cargo of grain for Europe, arrived
down the river yesterday.
The steam schooner Redondo arrived
In yesterday morning from California
to load lumber.
The steam schooner Aurella arrived
In yesterday afternoon with freight
for the local merchant and will load
lumber for California.
The steamer W. H. Harrison arrived
in yesterday morning from down the
coast after having been bar bound for
nearly a month.
The El Roscoe arrived In yesterday
from Sluslaw with a cargo of salmon
consigned to E. L. Kurd.
Captain W. S. Gordon has received
a telegram from Senator Fulton stat
ing that the quartermaster general had
issued an order that he should be re
stored to command of the quartermas
ter's steamer, Major Guy Howard.
Captain McLeod of the British
steamship Ellerlc, will be formally re
leased from the quarantine station to
morrow after having fully recovered
.from an attack' of smallpox, but his
face looks like a boiled lobster. He
will not rejoin his vessel but will leave
for home In England by the way of
New Tork on a leave of absence.
Word was received by Hon. W. L
Robb, collector of customs, that th
appeal of the steamer Agnes from a
fine Imposed by Mr. Robb last July
for carrying passengers without a II
cense, had been referred to United
States District Attorney John Hall to
investigate. The fine imposed was
3500. The Agnes brought 18 seiners
from the grounds to Astoria, and hav
ing no license to carry passengers, " the
fine was Imposed. From the action of
the department It is evident that' At
torney Hall will be Instructed to en
force the fine.
00$OSO$0SOSOOtiO0BO$000$OfO0 '
I P A. STOKES 1
O At as m m aa O
"oweu lofji ior none"
MERRY YULE-TIDE
o
9
O
And our store jammed full of everthlng that goes to g
maKe the man or box happy. We will be pleased
to help you in your selections.
Store
open
every
evening
till
eight
o'clocK
If ivr tiriMTt?n t tffCITDt? V
2 g Ji f in i wi www w w
thar1 world I ihltllo U
Smoking
Jackets
House
Co&ts
Lounging
Robes
Not HltfhJMoad Good, for Gill
Purpose Only, but Popular Novelties,
In Popular Fabric, at Popular
Ptct to supply tha ws.nt
of the vary-dagr na.n who
.pprciat Houte Comfort.
Let ua show you tha Unas
you'll be wUttaf to py mora
thAfl wtaak.
i
y A
Store
open
every
evening
tUl
eight
o'dodf
o
o
8
REMEMBER everything guaranteed to give satisfaction
or money refunded.
P. A. STOKES
it
"Swell Togs for Men.
0300000000 09090 0000&0t000!0$00
ooooocq2
MEETING WAS QUIET.
The New Tork Tribune is responsible
for the following:
The European papers tell of a curi
ous custom among traveling women
It appear that the women when stay
ing at hotels or the like do not care to
exhibit to the passers along the cor
ridor the exact size of their feet' so
they carefully carry with them a couple
of pair of tiny, delicate shoes, which
instead of the ones they are wearing,
they place outside their doors for th
servants to take down and clean. AH
the big boot shops in Paris now make
a specialty of this tiny footgear, and
a pair or two form a portion of the
trousseau of " every up-to-date bride.
Madrid women are said to have the
smallest feet; Peruvian women como
next and the American girls are a
good third."
The Tribune also remarks that wo
men's shoe from Astoria and Chicago
represent a wholesale leather store
more than they do a pair of shoes.
o
There Is no complaint about bnalnes
at the Star saloon. Good goods and
courteous treatment will draw trade to
any first-class saloon. That' what
make business good at the Star, The
best I none too good for our customer.
City Council Gets Through With a Lit
tle Routine Business.
The city council met last evening at
the city hall for the purpose of clean
ing up a little routine business before
the first of the year. All the member
were present except Nordstrom and
Belland.
A communication was received from
City Attorney A. M. Smith relative to
the provisions of the new prohibition
measure that will rule a certain district
over tide water In which John Hand
rlckson and John Harry are Interested
as proprietors. The proposition has
been made that It may not be neces
sary to close these place and refund
the unexpired portion of the amount
pniJ for license on account of the pe
culiarity of the locations. The city
attorney. In his communication, made
no recommendation, except thnt the
matter be referred to the district at
torney for his opinion. The matter
elicited some discussion, some of the
councilmen being of the opinion that
the matter Justly belonged to Mr.
Smith for decision for the council, but,
as the city attorney was not present, It
was referred to the district attorney as
recommended. ,
An ordinance Was passed accepting
the Ninth street Improvement, between
Franklin and Jerome, also one to 'pay
the contractor for the work.
Two applications for building per
mils for minor dwellings were report'
ed favorably on and passed.
Final action was given the appro
priation for the completed Improve
ments on Franklin avenue, between
Thirty-sixth and Forty-third street.
The matter of removing the slide
that Is obstructing traffic on the Smith
point road got a word or two from
nearly every member present. The city
engineer stated that the allfje whs
about 10,000 cubic yards, and that truf
fle cannot move by It. The recom
mendutlon made that a city fire engine
be sent to sluice It out did not find
favor, and the discussion ended by
submitting the matter to the street
committee.
The matter of advertising for bids for
city printing was put over until an
other meeting.
Resolutions for some Improvements
on Duane street and Twentieth street
were read. The one for a sidewalk
feet wide on Duane between First and
Third streets was read and accepted
but the one to establish grade on
Twentieth street was allowed to go
over to enable the committee to ascer
tain the views of the property owners
Interested.
The council then adjourned until the
next meeting, when another adjourn
ment will be taken because of a holl
day.
owl
Come and See what we Have to Show
You in
HOLIDAY GOODS
Our Stock ii complete and better thin ever before,
J. N. GRIFFIN
teller's pera Hou
I. E. SELIG,
lessee and Manager
8
Week Commencing
Monday. December 26th
KEITH STOCK COMPANY
A company of accoplished player,
appearing In a powerful repertoire of
plays replete with special scenic em-belllshments.
KEITH AT FI8HER8'.
Company Makes Hit With Its First
Production,
The Keith stock company opened
their week's engagement at Fishers'
last evening, presenting the great Rus
sian drama, "Slaves of Russia." The
play is a powerful one with a rich vein
of comedy that kept the large audience
In a roar of laughter.
The company Is a strong one, each
Opening performance
eemb.r 26,
Monday, D-
"Slaves oflRtissia" 7
Followed en other night by ("Brother
Against Brother," "Cspt. Frsh, U. 8.
A," "Senator' Daughter," "Power of
Truth" and "Light Hout Robbery,"
PRICES: Reserved Seats, 35c; Children in Gallery 15c., Adults 15c.
Seat sale opens Saturday morning at 9 o'clock at Fisher Bros. Office.
member an artist. Mr. Delf Lawrence
In the part of Ivun Korvlch, won the
sympathy of his hearers by his clever
rendition of his character, A. T. Layne,
In the character of Gray, the Ameri
can artist, kept the audience In a good
humor by perfect rendition. Miss Col-
loma, the leading Indy of the company
made a fine Impression with her audi
ence. Taking all in till, the Keith com
pany Is one of the best that ha ap
peared her this season.
Tonight the company will play Nat
C. Goodwin's greut success, "Brother
Against Brother," one of the most
popular plays of the Ooodwln reper
toire. The play Is full of comedy and
scenic environment. Clever special
ties are Introduced between acts, mak
ing a continuous performance.
JUST ARRIVED!
large shipment of llv Turkeys,
Geese aid Chicken, from
Southern Oregon, at the
BOND STREET MARKET
the largest poultry house In Astoria,
We have hired ten men expressly to
dress poultry for the Christmas and
New Tear' trad. Tou can save
money by buying your poultry from us,
Phon 2111 R. ,
limmt
turn
Next Time
You need a pair
Men's, Women's r
Children
SHOES
Honest, Durable Shots
For, less monej
than you hate
been paying try
s.
A. GlfdRE
543-545 Bond SL