Editorial SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1905. PORTLAND. OREGON. T HE O REG '.V- ' AN . a'k iAGXSOg Published tnr; aveninf except Sunday) and every Sunday morning, at i .. i; A LESSON FROM ASTORIA. V; ' . ' Tp HAT. THE TENDENCY in Oregon it tharply to .T-.--I r rai th cUndard ot publicjerviee andthat the only thing required to accomplish it is the dis position on tht part of those with authority 'to do' it, is welt demonstrated in the case of Mayor Surprenant of Astoria .whose untimely death was recorded yesterday. In many . respects Astoria seemed to present a very unpromising field Tor reform agitation and work." "It is a seaport with the looseness characteristic of such towns and has a large foreign population to whom such ideals do not strongly appeal. But, when the now dead mayor made his second campaign, it was discovered as it was found in Portland that the majority of the voting pop ulation desired cleanliness in the administration of pubUc affairs and were determined that no combination of gam blers or hurdygurdy- men should be regarded as setting . the moral standards by which the whole population was judged. . Therefore, much to the surprise of those who for political reasons had always cultivated the support of the gambling and allied elements .and who imagined that no political victoryxiould be won without their aid, .Mr. Surprenant not only won but' set in motion a series of reforms that fairly took away the breath of thoae, who. imagined they, were wise in such matters. This surprise was further deepened by the fact that a majority of the people seemed to be back of the mayos. The official test, however, came last Wednesday when the issue .was once again squarely presented and the line severely drawn; between the .two elements. ;Mr. Surprenant won a very decisive victory. It is exceed ingly nnfortunate that the- moment of his triumph marked his death.- It is td be hoped, however, that the forces which were back of him will los neither heart nor courage but that they will set to work to gather, the fruit of the victory to which they contributed and which they knew he would gather. Indeed, there is in the whole affair, food for thought as well as gratification for all sections of the state. The people of Oregon do not want to be judged by the standards of the gamblers and their natural allies. They are keeping step with the march of progress throughout the country and they Wish to maintain clean govern ments. That they can do so, that they are determined to do so. ; they have, demonstrated in many important cases. There are those who do not or will not recognize the changed conditions, like the majority in Portland's city council which has hocuspocused the saloon box ordinance out of existence. They have shown precisely where they stand and the ideas which they are de termined to uphold. This was perhaps to be expected when the "red ticket" was elected in the last election. These men went into the council pledged to do the bid ding of the saloon men and they are faithfully carrying out that contract But they are simply inviting their own destruction. . Time was when men could look to such alliances with the certainty that they would be re elected, but that time has gone never to return.. New conditions have raised new standards and those who seek to destroy them will pay the penalty the moment the people can get at them. It is for this reason,' w say, the court cit combine is playing with fire and , that burnt fingers will be a natural consequence. : ' ', TURNINQ BACK THE DIAJL T HE PERSPIRING PATRIOTS who' constitute I ' the committee of forty will find a difficult task ahead of them." It is their purpose to' rekindle fire. r,( partisanship, that linrr anahf,. mnA l.;t- 'bound partisanship which exercises no reason and fol low blindly the . dictates of some party boss who is usurping the people's. rights and using them for his own selfish ends! With the new regime that is coming to the front the purpose is to swing things back into the old groove, to elect men who serve not the public but the special interests and who above all are amenable .to the machine. ' ' . ' ' . ' 4 "" Several recent new laws curtail the almost tyrannical powers which the bosses hav , heretofore exercised. Through the initiative and referendum it it possible for a majority to pass whatever laws they see fit without reference to the legislature, just as they have the power to; defeat laws that have been passed by the legislature. But most significant of all they now have it in their power to "elect" United States senators. Thc men, if .the law -is followed, must run the gauntlet of their par ties to secure a nomination and the' gauntlet of the people- to secure an election which the legislature will sub sequently ratify. Part of the partisanship plan is to de feat this. law at the. very. outset by ignoring it, but the temper of the people of (he state is such, that once they Holiday Maxims. From the Philadelphia Inquirer. , ' Systematise yonr holiday madness. A mercenary spirit Is but sacrilege to the occasion It commemorates. It la not fair to suppose the men of the family "possess Rockefeller fortunes. The early ' shopper finds the biggest bargain. . ..... ' In encountering -holiday crowds re member that yon. are not built like an airship. , l Don't travel the town over and wear your, temper to the slssling point for the sake of a few cents. Ba satisfied when you accomplish In a dsy just about one half of your origi nal Intention.' It la th-unlooked-for" souvenir that reaches the farthest' corner of the heart Keep aa eye on -your belongings: and ' don't for pity's sake, carry money where ; It may be easily seised. The moat unsuspicious-looking person may prove a Veritable "Raffles." " Remember that your mad center rush ,. to the and of your shopping goal may lead to maay unprofitable complications, nervous haBKion for example. Don't take the holiday spirit too seri ously andt bankrupt yourself for fear of displeasing your friends . who are abundantly able to buy expensive gifts tfor themselves. ' , An occasional' Interval of rest if for only five or ten minutes, hna a soothing effect on your, temper and . refreshes ' your nerves. t la more cheritable to extend holiday cheer to those .who are likely to spend gray and lonely days than thus blessee" with friends and wealth. ... American '. Ginseng ' In China. From American Medicine." The American product has a- certain . demand, but brings much less than that from foreign countries, enpeclslly Man churia., There It la obtained wild, the roota possessing a grotesquenese of con tour not seen In the quKlvated American plant and this is largely responsible for the discrimination between the two, the Chinese ascribing to tha shape ot the root certain superior and ' highly desirable qualities. . . TK. llanr-tiiirlnn clnspnS? also OOmSS from tha emperor's mother country, out rT Trur-mrniw aow iront .. which u txn s (Hon "of Heaven, sprsng. and hence la re garded as a more potent life-giving remedy. In some cities, however, the Ametioaa aaildar and cheaper product la O N D AIL Y INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER J PUBLISHED BY JOURNAL PUBLISHING -CO. strecta, peruana, uragon , of any careful observer that they will be. PORTLAND - OF PROGRESS. preferred, the demand varying markedly tn different communities. In many provinces flve grades . of ginseng are recognised and the merchant mast sup ply each community with - Ita choice. which la dependent almost entirely upon the whims of tht people, Inatead of upon the real quality of the roota. Thla peculiarity will remain true Just aa long as tha Chinese retain their firm belief In the mysterious powers. of the plant , : Some , Definitions. Harry A. Thompson In Saturday Even- ing Post i Pessimism Mental indigestion. . "' Fame Post-mortem appreciation. Tainted Money A new variety of sour grapca Ability Tha explanation of your suc cess. ., : Lu-k Tha explanation of the other fellow's. Worry Interest paid On trouble be fore it falls due. ' Golf A frame that begins with a golf ball and ends with a high-ball. , Amateur Farming A .form of ex- travaganca practiced by men who, like Carnegie, do not wish to die rich. A Skeptic A man wha cfcn't believe in the tntrscla at Jonah and .the whale and yet thinks he can beat Wall street - f- - The Smart- Bet A ' group of people who. In trying to. amuse themselves merely succeed In amusing everybody else. . , , . . Confidence In the. Pilot From the Chicago Evening Post. - The president's message contains gen eral sailing orders drawn up by Master Pilot Roosevelt, to enable the ship of state to navigate through the waters of honor to the haven of prosperity. There may be rocks In the channel not down on the president's chart, and the ahlp may come to some mishaps .by reason of these, dangers that he does not know. But there ran be no doubt about the pilot's purposes, and the great majority of the crew are confident of safety while ho stands by the helm. . Fashionable Now. ' . Front the Philadelphia Press. Sowing to ..the will of the people is the most fashionable thing In - politics this year. JOURNAL no. . camou The Journal Building, Fifth and YsmhlU realize what is afoot the conspirators will find it a very difficult task to accomplish. All laws of this character which have recently .been placed, upon the statute books have for their purpose the getting back into the hands Of the voter much of 4bs-powr, which heretofore, they have delegated to their , official trustees who have proven so recreant to the trust reposed in them. ' Once the people have tasted and exercised this power, once they realize what a mighty instrument it is in furthering the cause of good government, it is not likely that any backward movement will be made or that they will al low to sink into desuetude an instrument which gives them such complete control of their public servants. . Everywhere throughout the country tlfe tendency Is to destroy boss and machine rule. It has been found to be the most vicious and indefensible barnacle that has ever been engrafted on the body politic. . With the president of the United States, "himself elected , a Repub lican, setting the pace in this respect, it is not likely that the good sense .of the voters of Oregon will permit .any retrogression in the grand forward movement in the best kind of politics that is now going on in all parts of, the United States and that is so conspicuously ap parent in Oregon... .. r- ; PORTLAND AND OREGON'S NEW SPIRIT. F AR AND AWAY the most significant and grati fying feature of the new conditions which now - surround Portland and Oregon is the new tone of the people themselves. There was a time when the people of Oregon were inclined to accept as a matter of ' course the many blessings which nature showered upon them. If their soil was more prolific than most, if the climatic conditions were exceedingly favorable, if the variety of their resources was unprecedented, they were simply so, had always been so, therefore why make any particular fuss about them? If other places were less fortunate then that was their misfortune, and there was no good reason why any fuss should be made about it Furthermore conditions were easy here, everybody was satisfied, therefore why disturb the conditions in stead of enjoying them. '. . . . i i . But this' is no longer true. Portland and Oregon peo ple now realize the . great destiny of both. They are proud of what nature has done for them and they fully realize the obligation thus imposed to make the most of it. Hence it is that we have a newer Oregon and newer Portland and that everybody is united in the de termination to make a Greater Oregon and a Greater Portland, '; ;.. ,......'., i. , ..;....:,. This is the sentiment which achieves things. , It is a sentiment . which reached fruition almost in a night Hereafter the city and. state are something to be . reck oned with. The advantages of both are patent to the most casual observers. If Portland and, Oregon are true to themselves there is no doubt about the future of either and there is just as little doubt now in the mind SHOULD DO ITS DUTY. THE WHOLESALE DEALERS and jobbers of this city have received official communications 'from the business men of Prineville calling at tention to the manner In which they have been misrep resented by the Qregonianv Many of these letters have been written by men whose standing, financial or other wise, cannot be brought into question. , They have lived in the 'State for years, and are perfectly familiar with all tht tpfiil'1'""? i .mrrruinte their hrmc town and county. In aelf defense they have gone to the very bot tom of the charge, recently made against the town mar shal in behalf of Crain who Avas one of the witnesses against Congressman Williamson in his recent. trial and the assault upon whom while on a fighting drunk wa's construed into a deep-laid plot to Visit summary pun ishment, upon all those who in any way aided the gov ernment in its prosecution of the land iraud cases. . The case which they make out in their own favor is apparently clear as crystal. They denounce the assaults which have been made upon all the people of that section of the' state and call attention1 to the fact that it 'has so embittered the people that they have organized a prac tical boycott against the merchants of this city. The charges were, so flagrant that public feeling is running high and they can no longer escape the official atten tion Of the merchants' organization. In self defense' it must be aifted to the very bottom and whatever repara tion is called for must be made promptly. The mer chants of Portland owe this much to themselves, the people with whom they have. done business and to the cause of truth and decency. Sorry. By Ella Wheeler Wilcox. (Coprrlcbt. JSOS, by W. B, Hearst.) There Is much that makes me sorry as I Journey down life's way, And I seem to see mora patboa in poor human lives each day. I'm sorry for tha strong, brave men who shield the weak from harm. But who. In their own troubled hours, find no protecting arm. I'm sorry for . the victors, who have reached aucceaa, to atand Aa targets for the arrows shot by envloua failure's hand. I'm aorry for the generous hearts who freely shared their wine, . But drink alone the gall of tears In fortune'a drear decline. I'm sorry for the souls who build their own fame's funeral pyre, . r, Lperlded by the scornful throng like Ice deriding nre. I'm sorry for the conquering ones, who know not sin's defeat But dally tread fierce desire 'neath scorched and bleeding feet I'm sorry for tha anguished hearta that break with passion's strain. But I'm sorrier for the poor, starved souls that never knew love's pain. Who hunger on through barren years, not tasting Joys they crave. For sadder far is such a lot than weeping o'er a grave. rm morry tor the soulshai eome'un- welcomed Into birth, ' I'm sorry for the unloved old Who cumber p up tha earth, rm sorry for the suffering poor in life's great maelstrom hurled; In truth I'm sorry for them all who make thla aching world. But underneath what'er seems aad, 'and la not understood, ' . jr ' '. I know there llesy-hitl from our sight, a mighty germ of good. And this belief stands firm by me, my sermon, motto, text The sorriest things In this life will seem grandest in the next , Following the ; Flaa, " From the Philadelphia Record. ' la Russia what little there la of a constitution appeara to follow the black flag. . .... v . SMALL- CHANGE, W - We hop Salem wilt tn five years dou ble in population. It can and should. It Is hirpplly situated. Amoni life's' ills .-'"' ', ' , Is paying bill ( - T Especially Chrlstmaa shopping bill .i.J:;. y . Bought 'era yet? " ' . ; :' ' '. And now behold the" Joyous kids - . -- - ... ' Who fore 'way up tha money lids. "Winter wetness make summer (lory and autumn gold. . ...v. . .. .... . - tl ' Pointer to the weather forecaster probably mora rain. : . e '.. - : . . Awe Chrlstmaa may ba a marry one XM ua be thankful that we are not Russia. . , . ., -- . e , e . - - . The great trouble la that there are not offices enough for Marlon county candidates. ' ' .. Only half a month "of the rood year 1908 left but that la time enough to do' much good in. . ..... e ,: t ... : .'. ': Hanf-'on to your umbrella. t e e . -'"Bring on the sunshine!" exclaims thr Albany Democrat. Vat! in da vintar dlmeT Go and gat a cord of wood and a atove. -. e e ... . , Hellol Jlello! Where's PuterT Don't know, do youT No, don't youT No, we don't i . , f ' , e ' .. -J ;. From the grave there comes the some times eloquent, soundless voloe - of Silence. Sport la healthy; games aa run are a disease. - . - Won't soma lucky man pleaae strike oil In Oregon? ' . v : : . .. , -. , . - A timber locator up In Klamath county la named Straw. L-et us hope that he will not catch afire. , - ' Get a 40-acre farm In Oregon. . . . .,: ;V e e . . ... , Brownsville Times: It requires very little brains to criticise. One of the easiest things in the world is to say what you would do If you were In so-and-so's place. But If you were, you probably wouldn't do half aa well as ha Is doing. " - ' '. "' -j . Oregon enjoyable all the year. , . ; - - . e e , ,, ' Fulton and Oearln- ought to make a strong team for Oregon, U they do dif fer somewhat politically. The Lake view Examiner mentions several sales of horses In that county, and says: 'There have been several hundred head of horses- driven from Lake county this year, and there are yet several hundred head, .of good horses to be had If buyers are willing to pay a reasonable price for them. : , . ? " e e .! Fine onion land in eastern Multnomah county. ,- ; f e e westun t-Kuilfi. 'Jim WW rotaliir property of tha city of Weston, aa Re turned by the county clerk, amounts to $99,000. It makes one rather sad to think that John I. Rockefeller could buy about 6, flOO cities such aa ours and attll have enough 'tainted" money left to send a few bushels of tracts and hymn books to the heathen. . , " 'V ' " Madraa has had an educational meet ing. - No town In Oregon la showing moru signs- of substantial prosperity than Prineville. ....... -. - . ' Tha Dalles Chronicle: For three small daya the county Jail waa enipty, during which time the whitewaah was used in abundance and a general renovating took place.-' Then It waa ao clean that board ers couldn't stay away from there, and two prisoners are now confined therein. a e ..,...; Dances and revival meetings both well attended throughout Oregon. e e . Grange to ba established at . - Pine Grove, Wasco county. .:n '.. e e Condon la growing steadily. - Condon Globe: L. E. Alltngham, whs la working on a logging contract which he holds with the U. 8. Cowlea Sawmill company, waa in ths city during tho week. He said he had about' 800,000 feet of logs and would finish the con tract which calls for 2.000.000 feet In the spring. Mr. Cowlea is at present figuring with tha Great Southern Rail road company on a contract to furnish the latter with 4.000,000 feet of ties. Twenty-seven people Joined a Phil omath church last Sunday. . , ; e Lakevlew Examiner: The big ice pond, built thia fall above town. Is tak ing on a nice coat of ice. The boys cut the first lot aa it was not first-clean, before It was very thick, in order to give It a start for better ice., They will get about 60 tone the first cutting. ; Athena Is on of the. most prosperous and progressiva towns of - tha Inland empire. ' e e . , . . . Umatilla county Is happy over Irriga tion. . . i . At Fort Clatsop. December ,16. The five- men"Who Joined ua thla morning had been more unlucky, for, In addition o the. rait whioh had poured down upon them all night they had no fire; and drenched and cold as they were when they reachej us, exhibited a most distressing sight They hsd left their loads where they slept and some men were sent after them, while othcra were dispatched af ter two more elk in another bend of th creek, who, after taking these last on board, proceeded to our camp. It rained and hailed .during the day, and a high wind from tha aoutheast not only threw Mown trees as they passed along, but OREGON SIDELIGHTS ; : . 1 j . , . LEWIS AND CLARK made the river sarougauiaLJJieyprit; ca4ed with great risk. We now had the meat house eoverel, Snd all our gams carefully hung up In small pieces. f . .': ' :. leads in (Quantity! tnot quality - James Creelman In New York World. It waa of the titanic Struggle between Germany and the United States in steel making the banio Industry of the world that Chartea M. Sohwab waa speaking. , The president of the Bethlehem Steel corporations-acknowledged master steel maker of tha age had touched upon his recent vlnlt to the great steel plants of Germany, and the subject seemed to tlr him profoundly. " '. With characteristic frankness and simplicity, Mr. - Schwab' went directly to the heart of the subject, comparing the American love of brute bulk with tha German pride of selentlflo perfec tion, and tUrowlug a new and startling light upon the so-called primacy of America in tha Industrial world.-. - "After going through tha great Oar man steel J works this summer I cams back convinced that. In manufactures, the Ideal of Germany is quality, while the American ideal la quantity," said Mr. 8chwab. ' , - :. "In thia country we have solved the question of vast economical output and havo thus' rendered a great service to civilization, "but, meanwhile, the tech nlca.1 schools of our rival, Oermany, have helped her to take the lead in the higher grades of manufactures. "Our next great Industrial problem Is not slinply to match Germany but to beat her In the quality of our products. , '"Tbia is a matter which deserves the serious attention of the nation. It will have an Important bearing on our future leadership in the Industrial world." "Nothing better illustrates these dif fering ideala of quality and quantity than the rival steel Industries of Ger many and the United States," he con tinued. "Take ttve automobile business, for instance. It la one of the largest and most active phases of modern de velopment It affects the convenience and the pleasure of all civilised coun tries. " It involves vast capltul and armies of workmen. Yet it is notorious that American automobllea have not ranked aa high aa European automo biles. . .... "Considering our matchless supply of raw material and ths energy. Intelli gence and practical Ingenuity of -our people, it haa pussled some people to account for our failure to keen- abreast of Europe In this distinctly modern In dustry, an industry well adapted to our resources both ot men and material. - - "The truth la that we have hitherto made no genuine effort to produce forged steel working parte of automobiles of tha highest quality. That is -one of ths reasons why pur automobiles havs not ranked with those of foreign make. "Why, In Germany this summer I saw them making automobile farts of the same fine steel used in guns. Now, how can our producta compete with that sort of thing? "It la a common saying that there Is no demand for high quality In this country; that there Is no market suffi cient to Justify flrst-class standards In manufacture. . "Let ua see. . When I returned from Germany, not. so many weeks ago, I had a large shop for the making of high- grade forged automobile . parts set up beside the Bethlehem steel works. What I had seen In Germany was ths decisive Influence In a long-considered project I could see no reason why ths United States should not attempt to take the lead In the manufacture of automobllea What is the Jesuit?" Ws slready have orders for the full capacity of that ahop for a year ahead, and my manager in forms me that the plant must be quad- nisi If we bis ak esse sf the business in sight "That seems to me to be a practical and, complete answer to the claim "that it does not pay to turn out the highest type of finished products In this country, i "We have long since outstripped ths rest of the world in manufacturing on a large acale, in producing cheaply and in supplying quickly. I suppose that In concentrating ourselves upon this task we have largely forgotten the higher standards of production. ' While hero and there one finds high-grade manufactur ers in America, the higheat world stand ard la not characteristic of our indus tries. , "The Influence of science upon Ger many Is unmistakable. Ths supreme aim of tha Germane seems to be to produce tha very finest thing in the world, and then to produce something finer than that and so on. You have a sense of an ambition to lead the world in quality wherever you go in Germany today. It Impressed ms as a wonderful national characteristic. Tha same spirit which has kept Germany ahead of all - other countriea In industrial chemistry, and In all Industries allied to It la observable, too, in her ateel Industries. "But having mastered the problem of Immense and economical production, we are now face to face with the question raised by Germany, with her scientific spirit and technical schools. We have the best supply of raw materials In thx "world. Ws have the most energetic and intelligent population in tha worl.l There Is no reason why we should no, now address ourselves to the question of the highest world standards In ev erything. "We are apt to forget that the world is constantly seeking for. the best, that we cannot make anything too good for the market We can overcome compe tition In. two "Ways: one s by selling cheaper and ths other ia by making bet ter. There la no reason why we should not lead ths world In both. "Some years ago an American engineer Invented a rolled steel . column - that could be made In one piece. - It was t great Improvement on the ordinary ateel column made In this country, which consists of two or more pieces and tn riveted , together. . This column Is a highly scientific and simple devlco which effects a ' saving ,nt ft per cent in material for the same strength. He tried in vain to have tha achame taken up by American steel men. Then he went to Germany, where ths Idea was at once adopted and a large steel mill built to carry it out On my visit to Germany this year I went through this plant ' The advantage of the new steel column was obvious. The Bethlehem Steel corporation la ahnur tn build the largest Works in the world for ths construction or these steel col umns. (i "The reason why the rails of our great railways wear out so rapidly Is not that the quality of ths stsel has deterio rated, but traffic has Increased and ths weight of "the cars has grown and we have not raised -Aha atandard ef our steel rails sufficiently to keep pace with the Increasing demands' made upon them; One of ths most Important rail way presidents In the country said to me not long ago lhat ha didn't aeem to be able to find ateel rails that would stand the test of modern traffic. . They wore out too soon, lie said that he would-be willing to pay almost any price for tha right 4Un4of- rails. It was not alone the coat of repair and replace ment that he had in mind, but also the costliness of an Interruption of traffic. "The other day I waa talking to Ad miral" ilcl villa, tha "chief engineer of our navy, about the materiala for naval boilers. My 'Idea Js a nickel steel that costs about a dollar a pound. The ateel In our naval boilers at present costs something like or 10 cants a pound. Jhe only thing that stands In the way of non-corroding nickel ateel la the coat, of the material. "No price,-however great should stand between us and the highest obtainable standard of ef ficiency,' . said the 'admiral. Ha was right. - "My own' experlenos in tho American steel industry convinces ma that no atandard can ba too. high, in manufac ture. There la a ready market await, ing all who havs eourago enough to aim at tha beat in material and in workman ship. Thore la no reason whyGermanjr should lead us In anything. Four years ago the Bethlehem steel works employed only MOO men. We have devoted our. selves entirely to steel making of ths highest grade. Today we employ 11,000 men.. What haa proved to be true In the steel Industry will, i believe, be true In any other branch of manufacture." ' . - A "( The Mirchloness of Ormond poa sessea a gold plate eervloe 880 yea ra old. which la the most valuable of ita kind In Great Britain. ' Former Vice-President, Levi P. Morton haa given to Rhlnecliff, New York, near Rilerslle. Is situated, an Industrial hojne and reading room to cost 160,000. The new nuuaing . win na a evmnaaium. baths, reading rooms, li brary snd asaembly ball. , Edward Tuck of Exeter, wewnamp hira i u nt (he least known among philanthropic Americana. . Ho haa al ready given 8S00.0t)O to Dartmouth col lege, Phillips Exeter academy and Hamp ton academy. He has also given liber ally to many charities in this country as well as Paris,' wnere n nas maua ni home, for a number of yeara. ; I i Inn.H. T.vln. rtf ftrAenCABtln. Indiana, for years professor of romance languagea . in w riww hmit.kj, speaks fluently II different tongues, iia hi. n mmnru falrlv . well in nlns others, and can read four more. Mrs. Caroline Elisabeth Merrick, tne author and philanthropist, recently cele v... a h finth Mrthrinv. and waa ten dered a reception at the Era club. New irrusans, j a wmcn - i.i wjhmiu... -every woman's club in that city wars present" '"' ;'"'-" ' VlcVPresldent Fairbanks and hia fam ily will make their Washington home In v. . .14 Dt.n,nMl hnnu whlph has hnn entirely remodeled. They will entertain lavieniy auring me winter, mm nuuo was secured from Colonel ml uev. aior. -i i m Tkllnplnhlo. pniiffriimsn and a member of the famoua Drexel family. ' , ... A Prophetic Poet . -... From the Chicago Tribune. II 1I1BUIMI1VW MB..v. " - leisure time on his handa these daya, kill I n . - wavrant tiAllr Af ( M. terday by looking through hia scrsp book. While hia eye waa roaming care lessly over tho pages filled with re miniscences ' of yeara ago he atruek something mat mane mm i op nu take notice. The "something" was s n.n, When ha read It through tha first time ha frowned, for the "pome" nit a sore spoi. men n t-klii tt anln. and a srim smile crawled across his face. "What do you think or tnatr" ns saia. aa ha passed the book to his chum. wt... nn-m " nntntlnv tn the A UU U 1 iwu. . ........ Jingle that had arrested his roving gase. life insurance men in New York 10 years IW- ' IS -- - - rare Joke by us when It waa read. But I shudder to tnina or tne ciansiucauun im average policy-holder would give it to day." Tk. .hum atljtntlv absorbed the ilnale and turning to tha owner of ths scrap dook remaraea: "Prophetic cuss, wasn't he?" !: ' L- Hers ia the product of the prophet: IF I BUOULD DIE TONIGHT. If I ahould die tonight. . The New York l-.it e wouia iook up , my account , And find by closest scrutiny ths least amount It could be held for, when demand waa made For some return for all my premiums paid; 'Twould think five thousand dollars far too much To draw from out Ita treasury for inrh As I If I should die tonight If I should die tonight The New York Life would never think of ell the years through which I helped support ths now departed Beers; ' Nor count it more than a piece of rare good luck That my amall premiums, helped, as well the living Tuck; Nor think of ths long llns of agents who've grown rich Out of commissions some small part of which Would eease If I should die tonight If I .should die tonight t ' ' r I cannot bring myself to think of 'Archie Welch, Completely overcome by grief he could not squelch; 1 . ..; Nor at the sudden shock tha news would give his nibs . .' Who superintends the flnancea the gifted Edward OibbS - But I should rest assured that John McCall, Drawing his salary,' would rise above all. And never care a d v -tf I ahould dia tonight . If I shonld die tonight, V Tha New York Life would doubtless wish I were alive; For then It would not have to pay those 'thousands five. If it could choose, lit would not have me dead, . j . - , .,. But keep me living that I might be bled; ';' For I am more than certain that the "New York Life . Would rather have ma pay than pay bit wife' And that'a the war. I feel tonight. If I should dls tonight "'' 'Twquld not disturb ma ivew xor Life, although for0 yeara I have been paying premiums It would shed no tears; Ita business would go on Its sharp trustees ' Continue managing Its assets as they please. They will not.be, disturbed to know that I am gone. For every moment there's a sucker Knm Some one would take my place if J . i , a . i . . I ... snouia oie iuhiriiu Also Demand a Recount, 'e hs--Neaf-Yr-WoHd. "i- There Is a disquieting.. rumor that New -York's ' 400 have shrunk to 79. Those who havs been 'Counted out will probably demand a recount . " PERSONAL FANCIES LETTERS ' FROM THE V PEOPLE ' Mental Chaos. . Portland. Des. 1J. To ths Editor .(, . The Journal? Perhaps it Is preposterous ' to Imagine that a person In the common i walk ot life would dare to criticise an estimable and learned person like Pro fessor Edgar L. iarkln. Yet the aaser( ' tion of that gentleman's opinions In the V Interesting columns of The Sunday Jour- . nal are ao unsatisfactory to the aver age thinking person that it 1 hard to keep- from attacking It. - It my crltii clsm shall, however, prove too faulty, ' then I am at once absolved by the pro fessor's, own . statement . that mental chaoa ia coming on, .. ' '' One of tha- greatest evidences v of chaos, he says, la the tendency to state . observations and theories in an abstract manner, and then take It for grant"' . that the public haa been taught a hew lesson;-r-at. leaat relnstructed In an t old one. This Is the fault I think' I find with the subject above mentioned.. ," - The professor haa aaid that mental . chaoa la coming. What la mental chaos? Is it that state of development where in the mind sees so much that it be comes confused with the futility of end less argument? Or la it the state of Ik noranoe In which one la inoapable of thinking on any Una of argument? I fall t see any chaos in a mind that . haa become capable of looking at an im posalble argument, and becoming tem porarily bewildered thereby? Professor Larkln of course means that... the time la coming when sa many views shall havs been- given -on--all theories that no one argument ahall, prove any. more authoritative than any other, how. ever adverse. ....... But there is no necessity of sounding sA alarm at - thla late date, Herbert , Spencer aaid long ago that man's in telligence la capable of being developed, to a point at which he perceives his ltm itatlon, or where he perceives that he is only finite. As I see It, we are capable of learning ao much that we discover we do not realty know .anything. Ia that chaoa? .. Ws place a light In the center of boundless darkness, and beyond the ' ' circle or scope of Ita . illumination we perceive there la atill darkness, llav ing still a desire to penetrate beyond, . we inorease the power of the light to the utmost of human Ingenuity, and the re suit Is that we still perceive darkness . beyond Its scope. Having assured our selves that we are not capable of de veloping any atronger light we And our . '. selves at the point which Spenser dea-' Ignatea aa the, line between the finite, and the infinite. Ia that chaoa to either the mind which developed the light or the one that has taken a passing ob servation of the futility of the effort to . : probe the impossible? , I think wa ahould rather aay that chaoa reigns now. In ths sen ss that too many . notions are published for the eak ot filling the pages of magaslnes. Ons ar gument la about as good aa another, so long aa it la purely theoretical and has , enough style about It to conatltuta In teresting matter for an Idle hour. . . But there are a few Xacta wblch should always be remembered when tuklng a pessimistic view of humaii mind. It ' should be remembered that there hss slwaya been some people who have been able to see at least their own limits-' tlona It should also be considered that there have- alwaya been, are now and doubtless alwaya will be. people who either do not care to give much thought to anything, or who give opinions with out much -consideration, or. for the pur. ; pose of making a temporary Impression. Above all thlnga, it should not ba for gotten that any .kind of an opinion can be had for little money. As for mental chaoa, I think the condition will be found only In trashy literature, and sTlingeranX'wheh tHIH ' It la only trash, will hardly become confused to, a chaotic degree by Its pe rusal; while a shallow mind, -if It hss any ambition to Improve,, might find enough Incitement In It to be driven to higher authority. The. dangeroua mind la that which cannot sea Its own chaoa. J. A. CLEMENSON. Passes ioi Pnblio Offiolaia. Portland. Or, Dec, IS. To the Editor, . of "The Journal Tha free pass question is up again all over the country and the" writer would like to have The Jour nal explain the lawa on thia subject to Its read era It Is generally understood that all ' publlo officials travel on a pass, which railroads hasten to offer them as soon as elected, and yet at the same time some old law allows msny of our of ficials to collect mileage of the stats at a much higher rate than tha regular rate of 8 centa per mile. Ths people know that It is a maxim In railroad clrclea to "charge all the traffic will bear," and know they must exact all they can from offlclala for parses given them. . Will The Journal please throw some light on this subject; state what of ficlals can draw mileage and thp.trate the state pays them. -- - - Why can t the state pay transporta tion companies direct (and regular rates) for carrying officials while on . official business, so that 'offlclala will . not be under obligations to corpora tions? i . , - If this would be too hard on our legislators, who wish . to go to their homes to spend Sunday while the lefts- , laturo la In session, or run down to Portland, allow them ao much ' mileage .. . per year, for' which they must apply to thff atate, ao aa to abaolutely divorce all ' relations between them and transporta Won companies.- Yours for a '" SQUARE. DEAL. . : Members of the Oregon legislature are allowed by tha constitution of ths state tl for every SO miles traveled hi going to and returning from the capital, measuring tha distance by "the most usual route." Under thla provision each member Is allowed mileage to Salem at the opening of a legislative session and back to hia home 'again at the close of the session. But the custom haa grown up of -charging mileage for the numer ous "Junketing trips" which have be. come a feature of every legislature, and the members vote to themselves the same allowance of II cents per mile traveled on these trips. The ostensible i object of these tripa Is usually to visit the. various state institutions, but In some Instancea at least they t are little more than an excuse for charging ml le af", Officers of the law are permitted to charge mileage when aervlng process 7 of making arrests, the rate . being t eenta per mile In Multnomah county and 10 centa in Other parte of tha atate. Mileage is slso allowed to witnesses 1 and jurors, v Members of congress are allowed mileage In going to Washington' and 're turning to their homes, for. each aes-' alon. at the rate of 0 centa la mile. A ' member from Oregon receives approxi mately 11,200 mileage for each session that hs attends, It Is of course a enmmon practice for members of ths legislature and mem- ' bers of congress to travel on passes and at tha same time to collect mileage. The jonly ;way in.- which thia practica l can be stopped Is to enact laws wliictf ; Shall render It unlawful and punishable by suitable penalties and back tham with a powerful publle sentiment. , -