The Oregon daily journal., December 21, 1911, Page 8, Image 8

THE OREGON DAILY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21 V 1911.
fPTIT? TT TT3 TVT A T
"1 jTLLj I W vJlVlN ZTLJLi
: ... .'ni-n
AN ISDErF.MII'.M lE.w.-t -jirr.iv.
pibiihpr
I'uMlxhrd nerr evenlns nrvt Bondny) and
fwy Sunday mornlnr at Th J.uirnal
ln(t. Fifth and Yamhill itrwti, Portland. Or.
Kntertd
it tb pnatofflc t Portland. Or.,
nkum throuuh tbe mails eonl
fie tranmrl
lan nRittor.
in KIMIONr.S Main 7173; Home, A rtOM.
All d.-pnrtmenti. reached by Ihwc nomwrj.
Tell the. orator what department yon mm.
"KXVJV
223 Fifth arenup. Nt-w York; i2ia i copie
cbln-
6ntrrlpl..n Term by itmll or to any
In the 1' lilted Statu or Mexico. ,
PAII.Y.
Ou ycr IVon Cm1 month $ 0
One year $2 50 I One month
is
DAILY AM SIM1A1
One year...' i un. n.m - i
:j
The world goes up and iia world
goes down.
And the sunshine follows the
rain;
And jesterday's sneer and yes
terday's frown
Can never come over again,
Sweet wife:
No, never come over again.
Charles Klngsley.
HOUND1XG YVKST
THE constitution of Oregon says:
"He (the governor) shall have
power to grant reprieves, com
mutations and pardons after
conviction for all offenses except
treason."
The provision is In full force. It
Is the organic law of the state. The
legislature has still further increased
the executive prerogative as to par-1
dons and reprieves ny providing in-
determinate sentences fo prisoners,
sentences of say one to ten years
which provide for convicts to be P-i-
roiea. J ne legislature nas, lur ici-
tain offenses eliminated the hard
and fast sentences of the courts, and
left to the governor and a parole
board increased powers in determin
ing how long prisoners shall remain
In the penitentiary.
In the face of these known facts, 4
the Oregonlan, returning this morn -
lug to the hounding of Governor
West, says the executive has set
aside the law." Is it the Oregonlan
or the constitution that Is wrong?
The constitution, article five, sec -
tlon fourteen, says, "He (the gover-
nor) shall have the power to grant
reprieves, commutations and pardons
after convlctionsfor all offenses ex-
cept treason." The law of the state-
goes further and makes It his duty,
along with the parole board to grant
lan differs with the constitution and
differs with the law, and says that
West, though following the const!
tution and the law, has "set aside Russia can be negotiated there's
the law." ' 1 the rub.
But the Oregonlan will not admit on one hand are the facta that
that It is wrong. It will not admit : Russia desires to be in treaty rela
that It was wrong when it assailed ;tions with the United States, both for
West for saving, by bis vetoes, j the sake of keeping her place in the
nearly $700,000 to the taxpayers. (family of nations, and that" business
It will not admit that it was : relations between her citizens and
wrong when It said West paroled ' ours may continue on tho "most fa
prlsoners, who were paroled from the j vored nation" footing. On the other
prison 21 months before West was ; hand she has no notion of abandon
elected governor and nearly two jng her oppression of the Russian
years before he was inaugurated. j Jews, and fears to allow American
It will not admit that it distorted ! Jews any special privileges that may
the facts about tho Mexican convicts. not only exclto the envy of Russian
It will not admit that It published
V
aid falsehoods in misrepresentation
of the fats about the convicts who jews from other countries now ex
bullt a road near Sublimity, Marion eluded frum tho Russian empire,
county. ; if the Russian governm?nt desired
It will not admit that it has dis- i jn reality to meet the overtures of
torted the facts and deceived the 1 the United States it would find some
public about every act of West's j
whenever and wherever it was pos- (
Bible to do so.
It has not admitted the fact that
Louis W. Hill wired the western
governors disclaiming the criticisms plea of a hostile duma may be very
of them attributed to him by the ', convenient for the Russian govern
Oregonlan. , mcnt if pressed too hard in a pro-
It will admit nothing, correct 1 posed new treaty,
nothing, change nothing, because It j Russian diplomacy is proverbially
Is in the business of rummaging the
sewers and delving into the lowest
depths of misrepresentation to hound
Governor West.
CHINA AM) TH1
I'DWKItS
w
ITU the presentation by the
consuls of (he six creat
ers to the representatives of',. , ... ' ' ,
, , , ,, . ting universities, colleges, and
the Infant republic at Shang-' - ,
ha! of a note politely emphasizing
the necessity of early peace in the
Flowery Kingdom affairs then' enter
a new phase.
If a threat of Intervention was in- 1
tended tn be conveyed it was. 0
course, hidden, in diplomatic lan
guage. The United States are said,
to have taken the lead In bringing
about concerted actiin This is the
best f'ature in the case, since we, of.
all tbe powers, are free from mis-
plcloii of desiring to obtain terri
tory from China in solution. i
If it be true that tho representa
tive of the republic expressed the j
willingness ot their party to elect j
i uiiii .-mi iai as president, on con
dition of his abandoning the Man
chus to their fate and accepting the
republic, it Is a good omen for
peace. That very astute Chinaman
has never allowed scruples to stand
In the way of his securing or hold
ing power, and he will now have theldtv
excuse, of patriotism If and when'
he accepts , the flattering proposal.
But. surely, if for no better cause
than the safety of the many for
eigners In China, the Idea of inter
vention "by the powers should not be
permitted.
The army needed would ;
of necessity have to be provided by country-wide in breaking up the flc
Japan first, and Russia second, j Hon and fraud of those who by use
They only have forces within reach 'of literature in the mails and other
available for prompt action. They wise Impose upon the public. '
arj the .powers that China rightly! Denunciation of fake advertising
fears -he most. Before American, has been uttered by admen's organ-
DrlUsh, Germa and French soldiers
could be assembled In sufficient
nuftbttrs to' constitute an; Interna
tional' army the mischief would be
done, the whole of China would be
' V
T80'6' Pnl tne foreigners In China
i would be the first victims ot a pop-
i iilnr nnthrnlf tr nrhtph thn Roxer
i, "
1 riots .won ia Do cniia s piay.
HOSE EYTIXGK
T
HE last curtalo has been rung
rfown over Rose Eytlnge. For
her, the lights are out, the or
chestra gone and the theatre
prtintv. At 72 firto has yielded to
' " which she has
visualized for audiences so often and
'bo overwhelmingly.
I Few careers have been more re
! markable. She sprung from the
i depths, 'and ascended quickly to the
summits of fame. Untrained and llt-
of ,4 and , s,lite of an lnterim of
married life meantime, she was at
the topmost round on the heights
of the stage, playing support to Ed
win Booth at 24.
Before 30, fame to her had be
come a bauble. The uncouth girl
of a Massachusetts home, had be
come the sought associate' of great
men and great women everywhere.
Statesmen, diplomats and Hterateurs
In the American republic and the no
bility of the British court had eager
ly acknowledged and claimed her
friendship.
Splendid in mental and physical
charms, her talents and culture eas
ily placed her In the front rank Of
her profession, and kept her there In
the golden days of tho American
stage. Three times she amassed ma
terial fortune, and as many times,
under the caprice and generosity of
her life, her wealth took wings and
vanlslied
Kew womon were 80 Bplndldly
; cultlired a fact tnat was one of the
jmaI.vt,ls of her brilliant career. She
a n,ieen , any drawing room,
I the match of the most brilliant men
or women in repartee, and a marvel
in the graces of literary polish.
It was a strange fate that brought
her declining days to a poverty often
bordering on want. It was almost
startling that when necessities
urosKnrl mnRt heftvilv. She W3S the
1 ame im erlal woman as when she
I ood on the BummItB of the stage,
, and nQ w0fd Qf compaint ever
j fe, from her ,Ip8
I ,n her pa8aingi a remnant of the
itheatre ukes her ,agt cue and
j leave behlnd & trernendoug exarnp0
j Qf hQw cheap ,g fame flnd hQW often
the bucket d ed lnto tne wen
, brQ em
'
THE RUSSIAN TREATY
T
HE treaty of 1832 is dead
thanks to the action of both
senate and house. Whether a
more acceptable treaty with
jews, but lead to the obtaining of
American nationality by a crowd of
way of drawing the teeth of a hos
tile duma. The opposition of a
duina has proved a light thing since
it may be. and has been, dissolved by
a simple edict of tho czar. But the
resourceful In arts and crafts most
gie it a harsher name. One thing
sure Is that nothing but self interest
; will influence any treaty that the
; Russian diplomats may negotiate.
I Their deliberate purpose has been
ito hold down the Russian Jew to the
! lowest level of life by practical im-
1 nrinn nimit u'llliin fho li:ili liv hlilli-
, from the ownership of land, by en
couraging or tacitly permitting the
j massacres and outrages with which
t he world rang.
The answer of tho Jew has been
to shako the dust of Russian soil
from his feet, and emigrate by hun
dreds of thousands to happier lands.
Russia is the loser, though her peo
ple shut, their eyes to the llRht.
If the president and the state de
partment can wring any concessions
In favor of the Jew from his Russian
oppressor the unlikely, the most im
probable, will have happened.
lAKi: ADVERTISING
c
HIMTNAIj proceedings have been
insiitutod in New York In a case
of fraudulent advertising. Curl
ovikIv enough, the case was
brought, iit the Instance of the Ad
vertising Men's league of New York
The
igue has gone further
and named a committee to gather ev
idence of all possible cases of fraud
ulent advertising, to be placed in the
hands of prosecuting officers. The
organization hopes bv the nroeess to
inaugurate a movement that will be
izatlons in Portland, and there Is ap
parently incubating a consistent
movement to protect the field 4f le
..ait. jllUtCVI.
ite advertising.
Me is no acmit
gltlrtia
Ther
ity lu which truth
la not a paramount necessity as well
as paramount asset. It Is recognized
as auch by the legitimate advertiser,
and it Is the truthfulness of the legit
imate advertiser that helps the faker
work bis game.
Advertising In public prints and
otherwise has come to be one of the
great activities of the country. It
employs some of the boat talent, and
pays lysavy compensation in many in
stances. It is an integral and recog
nized part of business life, and It
ought to be protected from those who
debauch It.
POSTPONED
T
HOUGH 8000 citizens petitioned
for It, Governor Hay of Wash
ington has refused to call an
extra session of the legislature
for enactment of a presidential pri
mary law under which tho voters of
that state might express their choice
for president.
It is only a postponement of the
reform. Temporary figures like gov
ernors and national committeemen
'may briefly stay, but they cannot
destroy it. Present authority may
deny to Washington voters the priv
ilege of expressing their choice for
president next year, but there will be
other and different years.
The masses of the people in the
state of Washington are insurgents.
The most of the newspapers and
most of the men In authority in the
state are reactionaries. With all
the reactionaries fighting him, the
overwhelming election of Poindex
ter, the arch insurgent of them all,
is token of tho real sentiment and
reflective of the anomalous situa
tion in which the widespread re
quest for preferential primaries Is
choked off, by executive authority.
It Is manifest justice to give the
voters the right to express their
choice for president. If the plain
people are fit to elect a president,
they are fit to help nominate him.
And It Is far more Important to
nominate a president direct than to
nominate a constable direct.
HEALTHY PORTLAND
W
E live in a healthy city, and
It appears by the Just com-
nleted renort of Cltv Health
pietea report or uy iieaun ,
Officer C. H. Wheeler that
it is growing still healthier.
The death rate of 1910 was found
to be 11.20 per 1000 of population,
based on the 207,000 inhabitants
found by the last federal census.
But the population is growing at a
rapid rate. Taking the average
growth of 18 per cent per annum
shown by that census the population
of Portland now Is not less than
2 4 4,000. Then the death rate for
1911 is only 9.86 per 1000.
In 1910 there were In Portland
2335 deaths, but In tho 11 months
of 1911 only 2202. Adding the
same monthly estimate therein
shown the result will be 2406 for
the year, so verifying the 9.86 per
1000 above given.
In 1909 the death rate In London
was 14, In Paris 17.4, In Berlin 15.1.
Among American cities tho follow
ing may be noted. In New York
16, In Chicago 14.6, In St. Paul 11.4,
In Denver 17, in Milwaukeo 13.6,
and In Boston 16.8.
It must never be forgotten that
the far too high death rate among 1
infants of one year and under
throughout the United States con -
,, , , , ,u 4 1
tributes largely to thn total, and j
that It is to saving the lives of these
ll'Jle ones the greaest effort iust ,
be directed. Pure milk, pure food,
pure air, gO''. drainage these needs
must be kept constantly alive, not
only in our memories, but in the
ever watchful care of the health au
thorities. It is in these matters
above all that eternal vigilance Is
the price of safety.
NIAGARA'S VALVE
T
11E commercial value of power
from Niagara now In dally use
is ?18,959,000 a year. In ten
years, it is J1S9.490,000, or
two thirds the assessed value of the
property of Portland In 1911.
The power used in a year at Niag
ara is equivalent to that which
would be developed by the use of
C, 700, 000 tons of coal. It Is derived
from the excess flow of the water
and does not interfere with the ap
pearance of the falls.
The figures are given out by the
commerci commission or Niagara
Falls, and are official. They afford
a faint glimpso at the stupendous
value of the water powers of the
United Stat.e3.
They confirm the wisdom of Glf
ford Pinchot in urging the country
not to permit water ; wers to be
come monopolized by private Inter
ests. They are the white coal of the
ages, and they should belong to the
whole people. They will last as
long as the rivers flow, and in every
year of future history will become
more and more valuable.
If Gifford Pinchot had performed
no other servico for his country, his
agitation for the conservation of the
nation's water powers should com
mend him to the lasting admiration
of his countrymen.
A woman who atmenrort no wit
woman wno appiared as a wit-
ness in a Detroit court explained
that she is the mother of 24 children I
and added that she resides on Roose-
,. . . , , 1W"BC
velt avenue. The Judge joined in the
smile that overspread the faces of
those In the courtroom
Because he called her bad names,
a St. Louis woman, weight 230,
knocked her husband out In one
round. Why look further for the
white woman's hope?
j ,
Dr. Woods Hutchinson announces
that mince, pie Js .aa assimilable
pcJysachrld carbohydrate of highly
caloric efficiency." ' A lot of us
j thought so all the time, especially on
occasions after
having spent the
night with it.
A large section of our citizenry
will admire the forethought of the
Ml8sourian who willed $500,000 to
j his 'elrs n condition that they
don t invest any or u in mining
stocks.
A Missouri judge holds that a mar
riage proposal Is a privileged com
munlcatlon. Would he define dl
vorce as a cessation of hostilities or
mere Judicial separation of the com
batants?
Letters From the People
(Comnmnlentlona sent to Tbe Journal for pun.
lleatlon In this department abould not exeeed
800 words In leiiKtb mid muni be accompanied
by the name and addreaa of tbe lender.)
A Vision or a Dream.
Portland, Or.. Dec. 18. To the Editor
of The Journal We are told in an old
couplet 'that
A little nonscngA now and then
Is relished by the best of men.
And so I present what follows for
what It Is worth, and your readers must
be the Judges of that.
The election of president of the
United States, next year, Is now one
of the matters of Interest In the public
mind, and the question Is constantly
up, "Who la to be the lucky, or pos
sibly, the unlucky man?"
In my mind that question is settled,
and it was settled in this way. On the
night of June 17, 1911, just six months
ago, I had a most vivid dream, or vis
ion of the night, as it might be called,
for there are dreams and there are vis
ions. Dreams usually mean nothing,
and are tho result of what we nte for
supper, or some condition of body or
mind, and are not to be considered as
of value, or significant. Such dreams
come from causes within the individual
who dreams. But occasionally dreams
seem to come from causes outside of
the dreamer, and to mean a great deal.
For Instance, the dreams of Jacob, and
Joseph, and Daniel, and Mary, and Jo
seph, Mary's husband. Dreams have
figured largely In the history of, the
world, both sacred and profane, and
they are yet matters of great interest
to many people.
My dream was like Daniel's night
vision, and the . result of it was this:
That Governor Woodrow Wilson of
New Jersey will be nominated by the
Democratic rarty, and that he will be
elected. I also saw, at the same time.
that Mr. Tnft WOllId hA nnmlnntn.1
Ule Republican party, but that owing
,0 JIvlslons among his voters he would
,ose the eIectlon x not oe clpal.ly
whether those who were dissatisfied
with him would have a candidate of
their own or not. but the Impression
was left on my mind that they would
not.
Now, as to my dream, I know of no
cause within myself that would have
produced It. I had not been much In
terested tn politics or candidates. And
Mr. Wilson is not my first choice for
president. I could name at least five
or six men whom I would prefer
though I think well of him. And as a
student of public affairs I would not
dare to rredict the outcome of a presi
dential election, even for a day. For I
have before my mind Henry Clay's un
fortunate Georgia letter, which lost
him the presidency in 1844, and also
have In mind the Burchard blunder of
"Rum, Romanism and Rebellion," Just
40 years later, that defeated Mr. Blaine
In 1881. A mere puff of wind may
change the result, the day before the
election, and I do not place Mr. Wil
son's election on political Judgment at
all, but solely on the basis of mv night
vlslon- THE SEER.
One of Oregon's Problems.
Portland. Or, Dec. 14. To the Editor
of The Journal. The great problem of
retaining the multitude of substantial
immigration into Oregon Is still much
unsolved, although literature has been
flunir broadcast hv nilwiv 1
commercial clubs and individuals, which!
in glowing colors, picture Oregon as the
lani.,f. mllk. and honey. This recom-
mendatlon of sifh seemingly enbstan-
tlal bodles ,nauced thousands f W11
property owners to sacrifice their little
belongings In eastern states to defray
the expense of the Journey and unon
their arrlvt 1 find themselves hopelessly
thrown upon the market with the un
employed. An article of high quality needs bift
little boosting; a mere Introduction will
suffice to hrrald its merits. Was it
the aim of corporations to overstock the
market with a floating element In com
petition to wage earners? Well, they
seem to have gained their point, but the
real Issue, to convince the most sub
stantial citizen the farmer has met
In largo measure with detrimental reac
tion of which Canadian emigration Is
ample proof.
Nearly 3,000,000 acres of railroad
grant land in Oregon Is held for ran
som, Instead of being sold to actual
settlers for $2.50 per acre. Reclamation
and Irrigation are handled with the
same rapidity.
The land grant case has lingered in
the lower court some five years. The
patient still has to undergo an exam
ination by a higher tribunal, which may
doubt his fitness of being turned loose,
and ho will therefore be handed to the
last of appeals where even the most
optimistic intelligence doubts that he
will ever receive his passport; but
should tho miracle occur, it will be near
a time when the sun grows cold and
those who still struggle on this old
planet will consider the old land grant
as a legend of some medieval ago, when
some Inferior race huddled In tho Jun
gles herding swtne for their enptovs, one
of the latter might have written the old
document to test his mental faculties.
The farmer, like the business man,
has a ledger, which makes plain his
standing in assets and liabilities, and
when the latter overrun the former,
even under skillful management due to
the purchasing price of the real .thing,
the dirt he bought at such unequal price
he will close his account and move to
a zone where a man Is a man, and where
law is something more than a mere con
venience for corporations.
CARL. KItUSE.
A National Usury Law.
Portland, Or., Dec. 20. To the Editor
of The Journal. Income tax, single tax,
high cost of living, class war, etc., are
phrases In which, our news columns
and magazines abound. But why begin
at the effect? How apout tne cauBe:
The exponent of the big stick said.
an(i repeats whenever he feels an extra
8trPtU)OU8 impulse, "Get busy. Don't
tall; unlers you are ready to back it
up by action."
HoW many of .your dear, rea'rsT ,ftro
caving 6 per cent on a mortgage? How
ny 7. or even 8 per cent? Do you
know that the interest which worries
you so much, and which you are work
ing so hard to keep down. Is a tax? And
a tax on something which is absolutely
deud, as ,far as productiveness Is con-
The Installment plan for dealing in
real estate has raised prloes In that
line. I think I am conservative in say
ing, one third; and we are paying- an
exorbitant tax en that, inflated value.
Yet we talk of taxation by the state
ct is, wa ail comedo th. rl.ht
nnfll ti trot m hAfarinche.
COMMENT AND
i
SHALL CHANGE).
Buy 'em early In the day.
Christmas buying is a good deat of a
craze.
Be kind, also, to "the stranger within
the gates."
The biggest stockings don't always
get the nwt.
' '
Soon a few lucky people can have a
nonuay speu.
It seems a little queer that Russia has
to be treated like a decent, civilized na
tion. Marrying Nat Qoodwln and getting a
divorce Is worth while; 615,000 for
Edna.
This must be the favorite time of year
for people who love darkness rather
than light.
If the eastern governors will return
the visit they will do the west some
good, too.
Next year will be leap year, but
women don't propose during leap years
any more than in other years.
It ought to be easy to convince Uncle
Sam of the need of hurrying up that big
new postoffifce building.
It is inevitable t hat a rapidly growing
city like Portland will attract some Im
pecunious people who can't find work
to do.
Several prominent Oregon men seem
unable to decide whether to run for sen
ator or not. The people are not a party
convention.
Portland can be made the best and fa
vorite seaport north of San Franciseo.
That is worth working and spending
money for.
w m
Portland, says a noted New York en
gineer, may be made the metropolis, the
New York of the I'nolfio coast. So think
many competent observers.
Lafferty, Hyland, Johnson, Shepherd,
Sinnott. Kavanaugh, Gnntenbeln either
actual or possible, candidates, and many
more perhaps to hear from.
SEVEN NATIONAL CHRISTMASES
Christmas
In St. Petersburg and other centers
of Russia, Christmas Is kept much as
it is with us, giving presents, and light
ing gaily decked trees at family re
unions. A few old games are still
played In the r ouses of the aristocracy,
but not as they used to be. To see
a genuine Russian Christmas party of
the old style one must go into tne prov
inces.
In the Russian country districts it Is
the custom to give a great celebration
lasting several days In honor chiefly of
young girls. A messenger Is sent to
bid all the families of consequence to
this Homeric entertainment and the
guests arrive a day or two before
Christmas. Russians are & ceremonious
people, and hours pass in compliments
and assurances of esteem.
Jhe peasants of southern Russia nave
, pretty custom of welcoming the
Christmas guest." A young man chos
en by the village for tho purpose cans
at the door of all the houses and says,
Christ la born," throwing a nanurui 01
corn over tne mresnuiu. i nuuoc
wife responds, "In truth he is born!"
and throws corn over tho guest. The
young man walks to tne nre, tanes up
the largest log and strikes it until the
sparks fly. Then he says. "Even so
rmiv blessings come to this house," and
put3 on the end of the log an orange
stuck with a small coin.
The housewife gives him knitted leg
gings and he takes his leave, turning
however, to say at the door, "How did
Christmas come to you?" The house
wife replies, "As a welcome guest. All
have enough and are merfy."
In tho capital the Christmas cere
monies have from almost time immemo
rial ended with the solemnity of the
ki.it,o. of tha Neva. The river is al-
frozen over at this season
and a
little temrle is erected
the ice
to an individual (In matters relating to
property), which we recognize as lelng
wholly unjust and exorbitant when ex
ercised by the state.
My point is this: That wage earners
are paying as high as 8 per cent
(taxes) interest on this inflated value
in real estate not to tho state, but to
individual private interests. This Is a
warfare between private and public in
terests It lies chiefly in the difference
of our mental attitude toward the two.
Wo are on our dignity and look with
suspicion at the tax collector; yet we
have a ready deference for the party to
whom we are paying 8 per cent interest.
A box of gold, or package of papers,
is not a producer, directly; but it Is
worth from 6 to 8 per cent. And the
people pay it! Yet a tax of 2 per cent
on land, a producer, would cause us all
. i,i,t' n,.r nodes (figuratively) and
I'J liuiw w . -
sav "rotten."
Why are we so lenient with private
greed? Because we have so much of it
in ourselves. It Is only when individual
greed exceeds our own ttiat wo recog
nize it as such. In fact, we are only
vulnerable to wrongs in which, we Im
agine, we are not an muiviuuai partici
pant.
Why don't our nolens get busy and
enact ft national UBiiry law? It wouldn't
solve the whole problem, but it would
help some. WARREN M.CULi,0CIt.
Selling Liquor in Dry Territory
Yamhill, Or., Dec. IB. To the Editor
of The Journal I would like to asK a
question in regard to tne wnoiesaie liq
uor houses setullngout their advertis
ing' matter in dry territory. If there
is a penalty, wlint action can be tak
en to d" awav with such nuisance? Our
mall Is flooded with the stuff. Is there
a penalty against burning such trash
addressed to another member of the
famllv and What Is It?
BUBSCRIHKR'B WIKE AND MOTHER
OF BOYS.
The iVasie Basket Yawns for Such.
To tho Editor of The Journal. I
should like to know why you did not
publish the letter which I sent to The
Journal last week for publication.
A. B.
For the very good reason that you
did not give your name ana aiiureon.
Anonymous communications 00 ni re
ceive attention from The Journal. Your
letter went Into the waste basket, along
with several others.
Not an Honor Convict.
From the Dallas Observer.
For the benefit of Beveral over zealous
partisan newspapers who appear to
have moro interest in .sensationalism
than a regard for truth, The Observer
will state that John Wagers, the negro,
who was sentenced to 20 years tn the
state penitentiary from Polk county last
week, for a brutal assault upon two
women near West Salem, was not one of
Governor West's "honor men." He was
a paroled convict, given his liberty un
der the laws of the state of Oregon,
upon a plan identical with that in force
in other states, and the governor had
nothing to do with It. Why not be
honest, even if Governor West and his
doings are made tho special marks for
your pen. attacks? . . -
NEWS IN BRIEF
OREGON 8 ID 1 LIGHTS.
A pork packing plant Is now In op
eration at Oold Beach. 1
Corvallls' school population has in
creased 14S in the past year. It Is
now 1309. ,
'
The contract for the posts for Eu
gene's cluster light system has been Jet
to foundrymen of that city.
-
A council of the Knights of Colum
bus was organised Sunday at Medford,
with a charter memDersmp or 60.
Burns Times Herald: The new opera
house and dance hall In the Times Her
ald building has been christened "Tona
wama," the Piute Indian name for Har
ney lake.
Albany' Democrat: E. A. Thompson
has returned from Mill City, near wtrfere
he built 17 bridges for the Curtis Lum
ber company, burned out last fall by
the forest fire.
A real estate firm reports that of its
sales of 200 lots two years ago at
Sprlpgfield it has not had a single
forfeiture of contract and at this time
only three deeds are not taken up, and
these are to be called for soon.
Stayton Mall: The local banks' quar
terly reports show that Stayton now
has a banking capital of more than
$200,000, a gain of $30,000 over the
total of six months ago. These figures
are not equalled by many towns of Stay
ton's size. '
Corvallls Gazette Times: Messrs.
Dake and Jansson have cut a tree on
the farm of Captain Oalbraith which
measures 72 Inches In diameter at the
stump and carries Its size for eight
feet. It is an ash, and Is the largest
tree of that variety In this part of the
Willamette valley.
Cornelius Tribune: Several road dis
tricts in this county are publishing
notices of special road meetings to levy
taxes for rock roads. This will be In
nddltlon to the levy to be made by the
county commissioners' court, which has
announced its intention to levy to the
full limit and turn half of the funds
over to the road districts for special
work.
In Russia.
adorned with pictures of the saints.
The dignitaries of the church and the
court, headed by the emperor, wind in
stately procession over the Ice to the
queer little structure which surrounds
a large hole bored through to the water.
Here the river is bleBsed with great
pomp and ceremony. It is a really
beautiful ceremony, with splendid sym
bolism and exquisite prayers. The pop
ular ways of celebration may be aban
doned, but this ceremony of the bless
ing of the Neva is one that will last
at long as the mighty church and the
mysticisms of tho nation endure.
The Russian church has sternly set
Its face against the old customs with
which the Christmas season was asso
ciated, denouncing the "fiendish songs."
the "devilish games," the "graceless
talk" and "nocturnal gambols." In the
Ukraine tho sweepings from a cottage
are carefully preserved from Christmas
day to New Year's day. and are then
burnt In a garden at sunrise. Among
some of tho Slavs, such as the Servians,
Ctoatiuns and Dalmatians, a badnyak, or
piece of wood answering to the northern
yule log, is solemnly burned on Christ
mas eve.
Throughout the whole period of the
Svyatkl, the Idea of marriage prob
ably keeps possession of the minds of
many Russian maidens, and on the eve
of the Epiphany, the feast with which
those Christmas holidays coma to an
end, It Is still said to be the custom
of the village girls to go out tn the
open ulr and to beseech the "stars, stars,
dear little stars," to be so benignant
as to
"Send forth through the christened
world
Arrangers of weddings."
Tomorrow Christmas In Germany.
Tanglefoot
By Miles
Overholt
MARKED DOWN.
I went Into a marked-down store,
Where I had bought some Junk before,
And prices stared me In the face
most everywhere I turned.
"Was 90 Cents," in letters fine,
"The Price Today Is 49."
The last showed up like angel cake
.with nil the trimmings burned.
A funny spasm struck me then;
I laughed until a dozen men 1
Came rushing up to quell the noise.
They let their patrons wait.
And then I told the clerkly gents
The thing they'd marked at fifty cents
And then marked down, tho week
before was only 48.
And then I laughed two dollars' worth
Before they checked my flow of mirth
And then I knew no more until I
heard the doctor hiss:
"We enn't take all this poor guy's
brains
He must come in whene'er It rains;
Let's leave a speck so he can earn
enough to pay for this.
I don't seek bargains any more;
I always dodge the marked-down store;
The same old price to one and all Is
good enouuh for me.
To know the price I do not thirst,
I don't care what It was at first.
1 simply grab the goods and pay
and pick It up and flee.
THE W1NN1FREDBLACKS.
She writes a column of sage advice
On love and marriage, a recipe;
She tells the cooks how to save tho ice.
And slips in bales of philosophy.
She answers queries as quick as a wink
That'd put old Solomon on the blink.
Shet undertakes to mould the minds
Of women readers of every class;
She's extra strong for the tie that binds;
She would hold In check the love-lorn
lass.
And she answers queries with ease
and grace
That Mr. Roosevelt wouldn't face.
She knows Just how to cook a meal
That old man Epicure himself
Would walk a hundred miles to steal.
(She tells us how to build a shelf.
And she replies to questions, too,
That'd scare old Doctor Wiley blue.
To make home haprvy's easy game
For her, to judge by what she writes,
r or ru n ur pour, 11 an ins same.
She tells us, though she alts
nights. .
She'll answer questions, one by one,
That'd put N. Webster on the run.
up
She Dorothydlx's every day;
She knows just how to raise a child;
She tells us how to bale our hay,
, To can blackberries, tame or wild;
And then she answers questions, too,
That Woodrow Wilson . can't , see
through. "" , '
Better Business
Conditions
New York, Deo. 18. 181.1 In various
directions there are indications of slow
but certain Improvement. There ar
still some complaints of slackness in
trade and. in many Instances profits' are
upon a smaller scale than for several
years. There has been no shrinkage of
consequence, as proved by well-sustained
railroad earnings and bank clea.
tngs, and affcer the season of quiet inci
dental to the close of the year there is
fair assurance of at least moderate re
cuperation. . ,
By far the most significant element
In the industrial situation Is the strik
ing improvement In the iron trade. The
turn waB made about the middle of Oc
tober. Sines then orders have steadily
expanded, and this week the big pro
ducers of finished steel have been so
besieged that In not a few lines capacity
Is fully engaged for four to six months
ahead. Pricps are already firmer.
In some instances they are be
ing advanced, and the probability, is
that the close of the year will find about
80 per cent of the country's Bteel capac
ity fully employed. Big expenditures
are ahead for the railroads in compli
ance with the demand for better facil
ities and more modern standards. The
iron trade is still . regarded as one of
our most reliable trade barometers, and
it is quite certain that railroad mana
gers with their exceptional opportunities
for observation would not be placing
such large orders for equipment unless
satisfied that a turn for the better had
come.
In banking, circles there Is also a
more hopeful feeling. A slight improve
ment In Investment conditions Is ob
servable, and this tendency will probab
ly become more marked as the time for
the $220,00,000 January disbursements
approaches near. There is an abundance,,
of capital awaiting employment and only
two conditions appear to be necessary
for venture, viz., safety of principle and
good returns. Investors are insisting on
the latter more firmly than usual. Ini
other words, capital, too, as well as In-
bor is demanding better returns. A
fair amount of new Issues. have recently
been placed upon the market and have
met with good success. The coming
month will probably witness a number
of additional new flotations.
The financial situation abroad shows
further Improvement. International
friction is passing away. . In London
financial conditions are better, and less
uneasiness Is shown over the large
amount of new security issues. British
foreign trade Is exceedingly large in
volume, and this it should be remem
bered is the main source of British pros
perity. In Germany there has been a
marked revival of trade since settlement
of the Moroccan dispute. Banks In Ber
lin have stood the recent financial strain
satisfactorily, and the situation there Is
gradually righting itself. Remarkable
activity exists in the German Iron
trade, which just now Is surpassing all
previous records In output. The Ger
man steamship business, like the Brit
ish, Is active and prosperous, promising
to pay better dividends. The German
cotton trade, like that of England and
the United States, Is being greatly as
sisted by cheap cotton. All Europe in
fact Is now enjoying a very fair degree
of prosperity. It is hardly rational to
suppose that the United States will stay
long behind.
This country has been taking an en
forced rest cure for nearly two years.
Since the panic of 1907 conditions have
never been entirely satisfactory. Li
quidation, however, has been long and
severe. There Is less inflation and more
soundnss than at any time In the last
four years. At least a moderate re
covery seems Justified. Business Is al-
ready feeling somewhat invigorated and
seems preparing to try for a fresh start
In 1912. This Is shown by the stronger
undertone and the development of a
more hopeful spirit The chief draw
back at the moment arises from uncer
tainty at Washington. Big business has
not yet recovered its equilibrium from
the sudden Interference with Its former
methods of doing business. The coun
try is wading deep In a period of recon
struction of its business machinery,
which Inevitably means temporary un
certainty as to what. the national legis
lature may do. Nevertheless as the ad
justment to new conditions becomes
more complete there will be less com-
to stand still. Our own population Is
rapidly Increasing. Food, clothing ani
shelter are being required In Increasing
quantities. Our transportation facilities
are overtaxed, and there Is earnest de
mand for Increased production and ac
tivity on all sides. There are indica
tions of a more conservative spirit de
de- j
nust
X if
veloping in congress, though It mv
not be forgotten that the temptation.
not necessity, for making an occasional
display of political effect will remain
until after the presidential election.
The local money market has siown a
slightly firmer tendency, as is usual
toward the close of the year, but the
return of ease will come after the mid
dle of January, when the domestia
money current will commence to flow
this way. The low condition of bank
reserves, meanwhile, need cause no
anxiety, especially as large amounts of
American money are still loaned In Eu
rope. Our credit abroad is being further
stfengthened by the satisfactory condi
tion of our foreign trade, exports still
showing large gains over last year.
Confusing.
From Punch.
Manageress (to customer about to
light a cigar) No smoking In here, sir,
please.
Customer But you've got "smoking
room" on the door there.
Manageress--That is the door of the
next room, sir.
Customer Then what's it doing In
here?
ti 01 l
1 ne vjreat jeneme j
(Contributed to The Jotirnl by Walt Mmi,
th famou Kna poet. His proe-poeins are a
regular feature of 1. 1 column lu Tbu Dally
Journal.)
That men may have an equal chance,
that Justice may endure, let's take the
money from the rich, and give it to
the poorl Let men like Morganhelm Vp
stripped of all tneir store or aougn, dis-i
tribute It among tne men who canr
make things go. Utopia would then
1 ba
here perhaps for half a year and we
might send up songs of praise and dry
the scalding tear. But in six months
or maybe less the same old Morgan
helms would have their Iron clutches on
tho world's supply of dimes; and you
would on the corners see the same old
shiftless men, insisting that the pluto
crats should now be stripped again. On, '
some are born to nail the scads and
put them down In brine, and some are.,
born to hold the sack and stand around ;
and whine. And some are born to do
their best, to bale their stack of hay,;?
contented with a modest roll against
the rainy day; they do not rend their s
bearda or wear cheap sackcloth on their
slats; they do not worry o'er the greed
of loathiome plutocrats; they do not f
ask for wealth unearned; they work!
fpr what they get, and say the world's I
a bully place, and dance and pirouette. J
(Xpyrlght, 10JI, by ... fhk .u JJt va '
Oaorge Matthew Adams. vyQllJk' UM
I