4
. .THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY. MORNING.. FEBRUARY 11. 1912.
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Let us, then. be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
etlll achieving, still pursuing;,
Learn to labor and to wait, e
Longfellow.
I'nnii . . i Liqiiin i -i 1
THB STARVATION STATEMENT
TrtEJN thousand men in Portland
I are "unemployed and starv-
I lng." So states a poster sent
br the Central Labor Council of this
city, The poster advises working-
men, to ''stay. away from Portland,
and concludes with the request to
"please post conspicuously."
In addition, the labor council is
sending a new statement to the la
bor organizations of the country in
which the tame assertions are made
and the same advice given.
There are not ten thousand men
in Portland "unemployed and starv
ing.?, There are not 1000 men In
Portland "unemployed and starv
ing." If one man in Portland is
' "starving," which Is entirely im
probable, ' it is merely because he
has not-made his wants known to
the public.
Organized labor can hardly make
a worse blunder than to go before
the public with that which Is notorl-
ously untrue. To accomplish Its pur
poses labor must be backed by pub-
lie sentiment, and It cannot possibly
win public sentiment by widespread
publication of statements that are
: absurd.
The Journal agrees with union la
bor that It is not advisable to hold
out the glittering promise that work
Ingmen can get rich quick in Oregon
cities. Unhappily, there seems to
be constantly lessening room for
workingmen In all cities. Many of
the workingmen now in cities ought
to be in the country, where each
would be an independent sovereign
on a piece of land all his own.
' But men Insist on coming to the
cities and working for others, in
stead of staying In the country and
working for themselves. The urban
movement is country-wide, and is
swiftly Increasing, all In spite of the
fact that every day and every hour
of increase means more unemployed
and more competition for jobs.
All this Is fundamental, and in Is
suing its statement and posters, the
labor council is trying to dam up
the ocean with a grain of sand. Its
manifestos are an effort to cure a
world disease with one small dose
of catnip tea. A sick man cannot
be cured by placing a corn plaster
va mo tail in iiih cua i.
Ia warning men to ' stay away
from Portland, where does the labor
council advise them to go? Shall
they go to Vancouver, British Co
lumbia, where crowds of unem
ployed men were .recently herded in
a church, where they slept on the
cold, bare floor and were fed by
charity ' until the provisions gave
Qut?
' Does - the labor council advise
them to go to Russia, where parents
are selling their children for the
means with which to obtain food?
Do, they advise them to go to Great
Britain, where $3 to 6 a week
Is the average wage?
' Does it advise them to go to Chi
cago, where there Is an army of
150,000 unemployed men? Does it
advise them to go to New York City,
where the number of unemployed
nas reacnea the huge total of half a
million? Does It advise them to
go to Lawrence, Massachusetts,
where 22,000 textile workers on an
average wage of $6 a week for wo
men and $8 for men-, are herded by
two troops of cavalry and twenty
one companies of militia with fixed
bayonets?
Where does the Portland labor
council advise workingmen to go
get off the earth?
THE NEW CHARITY
HE new charity avoids gifts the
value of which disappears when
the gift itself has vanished. It
sets a standard based on per
sonal thought and effort rather than
on the check drawn, or the food and
raiment given. It feels that much
charity is bestowed more to salve the
conscience of the giver than for the
help of the receiver.
Good examples of the new charity
are found in the lately issued 37th
annuaLreportof the United Hebrew
Charities of New York.
- The first of the new measures un
dertaken.by them during 19ii was
the formation of a committee on ad
vice and aid to widows. Very many
ot the Jewish working men in New
York carry life insurance in sums of
from $300 to $500. But the ac
cumulated debts of illness diminish
this reserve.1 The widow, friendless.
alone and unadvised, consumes very
quickly' the money left and finds
herself and her children without re
source, v To forestall this the new
committee acts, ) Getting In early
touch with the widow, such advice
Is given as will make her insurance
money the nucleus for a pew livell
hood. She IS aided to keep her cap-
ital intact The committee lends
such additional funds as are needed
for the new start. This new form of
preventlve philanthropy has made
good.
Another of the year's advances is
to hrin? into full play the Individual
efforts of the ladies of the society.
One needy family will bo taken
charge of by one or more of them.
That family Is visited, fed, and cared
for during the year for which the
pledge is given, by her to whom it
has been assigned.
All know what the congested Jew-
lsh Quarters of New York mean as;
homes. This society Is now moving
its proteges to healthier districts,
and providing for the higher rentals
and for better food.
In every case of need such help
Is given, and such personal inter
est continued, as means a new start
and better opportunities for all.
Families are kept together and their
earnings are supplemented, so that
onlv as a last resource the children
need be placed in one or other of
the Institution which the United
Hebrew Charities maintain.
The society reports an annual in
come of over J300.000. but finds it
ipsufficlent to meet the calls from
the desperately poor native and alien
Jewish population of New York.
But the appeal for personal ser
vice is emphasized over that for
money.
SOAP BUBBLES
A
T Hillsboro W. K. Trayler sold
his home to L. M. Duncan,
and in exchange received two
one thousand dollar bonds of
the recently collapsed Columbia
iRiver Orchard company. Later, he
repented the bargain and asked Dun
can to take back the bonds. Dun
can secured J800 by mortgaging the
property, and afterward sold his
equity to a Hillsboro business man.
L. Kirkby of Seattle exchanged
his home for $2300 in bonds of the
now defunct Columbia company. He
is over sixty years of age, and was
told that the bonds, which bear sev
en per cent Interest, were a splendid
investment. The old man's eyes
filled with tears as he related that
his home was gone and that he had j
received word from his banker that
the bonds are worthless.
G. D. Durland of Seattle traded
20 acres of valuable land for $8000
of the bonds of the wildcat company
and is another victim. Fortunately
he has other means, though his
8000 loss falls heavily.
A. A. Evans and Adam Thompson
of Seattle are other victims. Evans
exchanged six lots for $2300 and
Thompson parted with a
piece of I
city property for $1200, both ac
cepting the worthless bonds in pay
ment.
In Portland, a meeting of the lo
cal victims of the collapsed company
was held yesterday, in an effort to
get what they can out of the wreck.
The losses represented are placed at I
$250,000, but nobody knows yet thelmlttees and charitable workers.
full extent to which local people
have been mulcted. Here also, a
committee has been named to frame I
a bill that will put an end to hocus
pocus corporations.
Outside of a few who want to use
the corporation to get something for
nothing, nobody in Oregon wants
present conditions to continue. No
body wants the state to unrestricted
ly issue articles of incorporation
which in some instances are letters
of marque and reprisal. Nobody
wants the state to commission bus
iness privateers to go out and plun
der and rob the unsophisticated. No
body wants the state, through ar
ticles of incorporation, to become a
party to soap bubble financial oper
ations. As pointed out by Secretary of
State Olcott In yesterday's Journal,
the state should exercise the same
scrutiny over corporations that it ex
ercises over banking. At present,
when crooked corporations present
their articles to the secretary of
state, that official has no other al
ternative than to file the papers and
issue authority to do business.
As Secretary Olcott says, "the
law makes no provision for a show
ing of assets, no provision for sub
mission of a list of subscribers, no
supervision with power to close up
the business of shoestring corpora
tions."
The Columbia River company was
Washington corporation, but the
Oregon-Washington Trust company,
which was one of the factors In the
scheme, was an Oregon concern.
And there are other Oregon con
cerns.
The law should change this order.
By authorizing a corporation to do
business, the state becomes a party
to the scheme. The law and the
enforcement of the law should be
such that any concern licensed by
the state to operate shall be as
sound, stable and responsible as a
bank.
Every institution iu Oregon should
be ,an honest institution.
AN OLIVE BRANCH
T
HE present visit of Viscount
Haldane the war minister in
the British Liberal government
--to Berlin Is of happy omen.
Although he sits in the seat; of
the warlike he Is one of the most
peaceful and affable of men. The
kaiser knows him well and Is certain
to welcome him.
i Although he bears no official mis
sion yet the declaration , of Lloyd
George a week or so ago will not
be forgotten. That statesman was
addressing a peace meeting, and ut
tered the familiar truisms about re
duction of armaments providing sav
ings applicable to lightening the bur
dens of the people by reducing taxes,
'and so on., But he prefaced his ad
dress by .saying that' the present Is
! an advantageous time to consider all
J the questions Involved. - At the seo-
ond Hague conference the question
of limitation of armaments was then
(shelved because Germany and Rus-
i sla refused even to discuss it. But
; the conference put itself on reoord
with the hope that "it might be
composed hereafter under more pr-J
piuous circumstances." Have not
now the "more propitious circum
stances" arrived, in the judgment of
the British ministry? ..."
What does the German stde show?
The very recent vote of four mil
I Hons of her electorate for a national
policy based on the reduction of
militarist expenditure, and on inter
national amity. The reluctance of
the German people to be tared for
more dreadnaughts and 15,000
more men, when the burdens on the
i people are or crusnmg wcigni, ana
i living expenses are mounting ever
higher. The continuei influence of
the kaiser, holding himself and his
nation back from that war which
would be an Armageddon whichever
way It ended. The insight of edu
cated Germans most conscientious
of men Into the horrors of the ar
raying against each other of pebples
bound by all the ties of civilized
life.
What is there on the British side?
An awakening to the fact that Ger
mans do not want war, and that the
only supporters In England of its
lnevltabjeness are the military class
the purveyors of guns and armor-
plate, and a few writers who seek
sensation In a yellow press. The
sense that the nation has embarked
on a sea of expense in old age pen
sions, working class insurance, ris
ing wages, and new conditions be
tween employer and employed,
which must reduce profits, so that
unless the immense outlay on army
and navy is checked no chancellor
can devise a budget that will bal
ance. In both nations ministers of relig
ion and all good' Christians are a
unit in demanding the continuance
of peace.
It is a false and degrading libel on
the German and British peoples that
they, or either of them, are "itching
for war.
CURES FOR TUBERCULOSIS
T
HE American people spent over
$14,500,000 last year in the
war hn the white plague. This
figure is given by- the national
association. We have nearly dou
bled in 1911 the figures of 1909,
and increased the sum of 1910 by
nearly 15 per cent. And yet the
fight is not won
Over $10,000,000 has been al
ready appropriated by state legisla
tures; municipal and county organ
izations for 1912.
Both in New York and in Chicago
the boards of health report the dis
ease as upon the Increase. This im
pression Is confirmed by relief com-
It seems, then, that present ef-
forts to cure or prolong the life of
Individual sufferers do not suffice.
So a fresh argument is found that
by preventive, rather than by cura
tive medicine the nation must live.
The war must be carried into a
new . field. The conditions which
nourish the disease, and sow its
seeds among those who have not so
far become visible sufferers, must
be cured. This is a far greater
work than establishing sanatoria,
prqviding doctors and nurses for pa
tients, and feeding them upon pure
milk and fresh eggs. The living con
ditions of the people must be re
vised and reformed.
Do you ask what they are? Ten
ement houses must be made both
clean and -healthy. Factories must
be ventilated, and the workers
given rest, air, fresh water, and the
decencies of life. Playgrounds and
recreation rooms must be provided
for the children. Neither man, nor
woman, must be compelled to work
for ' less than a minimum wage.
Child labor must be entirely for
bidden Streetcar lines must open
the fresh air of the country to the
city dwellers, and parks and recre
ation grounds must give the city
people space to breathe.
Such medicines will cure tuber
culosis by preventing it. Meanwhile
the sufferers must be helped, of
coiyse. And' standards can be set
up to these great reforms towards
which the pepple can advance. It
Is a case where every little will help.
THE ANGEL POLICEMAN
r
HE probation officer In the Jef
ferson Market court of New
York City is Miss Alice C.
Smith, and in ten years' ser
vice she has saved 1500 girls out of
those who are brought each night
before the magistrate between eight
and three o'clock. She stands by
the side of the cowering, trembling,
or, it may be, the brazen culprit.
All of them are young, many of
not more than school age. But they
are not lost In this woman's eyes.
"I believe," she says, ."the chances
of reformation are great before
twenty-five. At any age they are
always equal to the chances for
failure."
What kind of woman is this who
goes by these affectionate names
"The Angel Policeman, the Friend
of the Fallen, the Torchlight of Jef
ferson Market?"
The story of her is told at length
by Ada Patterson in the Continent,
Chicago. Alice C. Smith was a set
tlement worker,- of the West Side
Neighborhood . House at Fiftieth
street and West avenue, JS'ew York,
built by J,; D. Rockefeller; and the
capitalist made ' himself : responsible
for, and paid, her salary until she
'.!jf r?.,."'::''fr!rs'V:''1''' "''i-'"!'? ' ''.f '"
was appointed ten, years ago by the i
city; as. female probation 'officer. )
She is described as tail, soft . eyed,
calm, serene, and silver haired a
refuge to whom women in desperate
need Instinctively turn.-'.;.-'
Her sympathy with the fallen
shows itself In the wise effort, to
set them on their feet. There are
now various "good,, clean, boarding
houses for girls," she says, "where
they are taught neatness of person.
and a" new view point of life."
These, Miss Smith has induced vari
ous good, rich, women to -build and
maintain during the past six years, :
and they are being gradually
brought' to the point of self support.
When a girl at the Jefferson Market I
court accepts her help she is first
found a home in one or other of
these boarding houses. Then she
talks with her, not telling her what
she must do, but ftrtdlng out what
she could do best. Then the girl
would be placed in the Manhattan
Trade schools and taught to do some
thing well millinery, dressmaking
perhaps, or shirt-waist making. In
six months or less these girls learn
these trades thoroughly, and then
the school secures for them work at
a living wage, say $9 a week. After
a while, says Miss Smith, they may
work up to $15 a week or more.
The sin of these girls has gener-
ally an "economic" cause. So says
this good woman and clear observer,
and she knows if any one does.
"Girls can't live on the $4 or $5 a
week so many are paid in this city.
Figure it out for yourself.
Nearly always it is the economic
problem. Solve that by higher wages
and good boarding housos, at a fair
rate, and the evil will be lessened,
will almost disappear."
WILL THE REPUBLIC LIVE?
S'
INCE last October, nearly a
four months' term, we have
seen China on the world stage,
apd from out of the hurly
burly of riots, battles, robberies,
murders, famine, poverty, confla
grations, conventions, negotiations,
three or, four flgnres emerge In
strong relief. Dispatches conflict
from day to day. Let us apply the
tests of character and abilities of
the actors. 1
Through all Yuan Shi Kai Is seen.
He was no novice. He gained the
favor of the old empress and of the
young emperor. Finding himself on
thin ice he betrayed to the dowager
empress all the plans of the young
emperor, and practically sent him to
the death he so soon suffered.
Being called by the Manchus from
retirement to the premiership when
thj revolution broke out Yuan's
first purpose was to revenge himself
on Prince Chun, the father of the
Infant emperor and brother of the
last. To bring about the abdication
of the rejent Yuan first caused his
followers to persuade the prince of
the necessity of his resigning. .He
then worked on the fears of the em
press dowager, pointing out the er
rors the regent had committed. So,
when on December 6 the regent ten
dered his resignation to his surprise
it was accepted. Then Yuan bogan
negotiations with the revolutionar
ies for his appointment as first pres
ident of the republic, and has since
been planning for the abdication of
the infant emperor, Pu Yi. He sent
his friend and agent Tang Shao
Yl to the Shanghai conference, ac
cepted through him the revolution
as inevitable, and then discredited
him.
Two days ago it was announced
that Yuan had agreed to the abdi
cation of the emperor, provided an
annuity was given to the Manchu
imperial clan, and also assented to
the ultimatum of the revolution.
Throughout a man is seen who Is
crafty and astute backing and fill
ing to secure for himself the first
place in that republic which he op
posed. "But he has been throughout
on the defensive. No policy has
been disclosed beyond that specially
Chinese of temporizing and delay
ing decisions.
Testimony as to Dr. Sun Yat Sen
describes a true patriot, crowning
in the bold management of the rev
olution the consistent life of twenty
years. He is said to be unmindful
of himself, rigidly honest, frugal In
money affairs and trusted by all who
know him. His intellect is of high
order, his education wide and self
obtained. '
The revolutionary general, LI
Hung-Yuan, won his position by
hard knocks, and has made good.
So far he has proved "true to his
salt.
The change of public opinion dur
ing the last month has been won
derful. Even Dr. Morrison, the
Peking correspondent of the London
Times, now predicts the success of
the republic. In this hope all the
missionaries join with one accord.
"Follies of 1911.'
The following from a London paper
wtU probably appeal to many Portland
citizens: i
They took a tittle gravel
And they took a little tar,
With various Ingredients
Imported from afar.
They hammered it and rolled it.
And when they went away
They said they had a pavement
That would last for many a day.
But they cams with pick and smote It
To lay a water main,
And then they called tha workmen
To put it back again.
To put In a tram cable
They took It up once more.
And then they put It back again
Just where it was before.
They took It up for a conduit ' '
To run the telephone
And then they put It back again
As hard aa any stons. . ,
They took it up for wires 4 ' A
To feed the 'lectrio light. ' '
And then they put It back again
Which was no more than right.
There's the pavement full of furrows,
They are patching everywhere;
You'd like to ride upon It '.
But It's aeldom that you dare.
It's a; very handsome pavement- ,
A credit to tha town; ' , 1
They're alwaysi taking pavement ' ;
Or putting pavement Jown,
Letters From the People .
, (Oommualeatlon sent to The Journal for frab-
iirauoa ia iDis arpanmsni anouia dot tiwo
S00 words to length sad Blast be sccompanlad
ojr us aanae ana aoaraas ot ue aasaar.j .
: .v.-.
Portland, Feb. 6, To ; the Editor of
The Journal I have been to tha moving
picture Knows many times during the
laat year. , I believe that there should
be moving7 picture showa for children
and youth, Just tha same a there are
Doom and literature for children. Plays
portraying drunkenness, and showing
now burglaries and robberies ara com
routed ara not good for children to see,
and ara Just aa dangeroua for them as
it would be for them to read Jesse
James or any of the other blood and
thunder stories Dubltahed. They could
have funny pictures for children. Chil
dren love fun and jollity and then It's
gqod for their health too. Pictures of
herolim and valor, showing where ! It
paya better to be good than bad, and
mat people generally reap . what they
aow, and picturea that would ahow tha
beat way of doing things ara Instructive
and helpful too. I think tha picture
ahow has come to stay and ia capable
of giving amuaement and of doing great
good in the world, especially to tha
laboring classes, that need relaxation
and enjoyment. If they had them in
, th churches, ahowlng Bible scenes and
scenes In the life of Christ, it would
Increase the attendance at those places,
for witness' tha production of the Pas
sion play, and the crowds that attend.
And what a aolace and comfort to the
a VArf rha wnr , V. . V. 1.
i an(1 suffering ones of earth those beau-
tiful pictures would be making this
world seem like fairyland, or heaven. I
havevtwritten this from the viewpoint of
a mother and a lover of children.
L. M.
Land Users and Single Tax.
Portland. Or., Feb. To the Editor
of The Journal Regarding "Taxpayer"
of The Dalles in your issue of today, he
is laboring under the Impression com
mon with many farmera that the far
mers own tha landa of Oregon. The
Federation of Labor has never received
any political aupport from the ownera
of the big corporation tracts of Oregon,
nor from the big franchise holders, nor
from the big timber owners, nor yet
from the owners of great tracts of valu
able land in this city, a single block of
which ia worth more than all the un
improved value of all the tillable land
In Wasco county. The owners of water
power in Wasco county have more ac
tual natural value than all the farmera
are assessed for, but water power In
Oregon doea not pay a cent of taxes.
The single taxers and labor forces would
: tax them, thereby reducing the taxes on
the farmers of Wasco alone from 25 to
60 per cent
"Taxpayer" need not borrow any wor
ry about who are the taxpayera. The
j TA?!". ' Por1tnd.lu,ow that thy
are the taxpayers of Portland, no matter
who holds the receipts of the sheriff.
ana they will not stand for any property
qualification for suffrage.
8o far aa that affecting the onward
march of the single tax, however. It ia
where only taxpayera owning real es
tate can vote on taxation matters that
the single tax has made Its greatest
progress. That Is because three land
owners out of four are land users, and
no land user has aught to fear from
taking taxes off his labor values.
ALFRED D. CRIDGE.
Single Tax Harmful.
Hillsboro, Or., Feb. . To the Editor
of The Journal Single taxers assert
that land belongs to all. Where Is hts
proof for that? So far land Is like
other property, and it would be wrong
to tax only land property and leave
property In buildings, money and other
thinga untaxed.
Single Taxer pretends to tax land,
lealng work untaxed. The tax for the
land maut be paid from the proceeds of
the work on the land, or in the case of
raw land, from the proceeds of other
work. That would be taxing work con
nected with land, leaving all other work
untaxed.
One class of men that should be sup
ported would be hurt by single tax, the
men that try to build up a home on a
lot or a few acres of land, paying by
and by in years by their savings.
Two ISO acre farms, adjoining, with
the same kind of soil and other things
alike, one highly Improved, the other
being started by a man with small
means. Should not the owner of the
first feel ashamed enjoying all the ad
vantages and accommodations that a
well developed community affords him,
paying no more than his neighbor, that
can use only very little of them? He
cannot help seeing that the poorer man
is paying some for him. The poorer
man would feel wronged, paying partly
for the rich neighbor.
Single Taxer likes to make the farm
er feel sorry for himself, saying that
he is fined for Improving his land.
The farmer ly doing so Is acquiring
mora property, like the man that builds
SEVEN HOMELY NOTABLES
Jean Paul
One of the ugliest men- of whom his
tory has left us any record was Jean
Paul Marat, whose life story Is so close
ly interwoven with that of the French
Revohflion. H is described as having
had "a hideous moonlike face, with
staring eyes, which surmounted a
dwarfed, misshapen body. There was
nothing whatever prepossessing about
Marat, either in personal appearance or
In any other respect, for he was about
as loathing to the mind as he was to
the eye, this 'star villain' of that terri
ble period in French history."
Even those who were associated with
Marat, it Is said, thoroughly detested
him in every way, and -bs he grew in
crime, he seems to have grown in hld
eousness, until every Imaginable name
of vituperation was heaped upon him. .
It is said of Marat that he was espe
cially sensitive regarding his ugly face
and figure,vand that, brooding over his
deformities he became morbid, and this
state of mind was responsible tar, his
many excesses. He was less than five
feet high and was shrunk from by most
people as men shrink from a toad: but
he had frantic earnestness and hesi
tated at no violence against the 'ene
mies of. liberty, and fpr that reason
gained such an ascendency with the
mob of Paris.
Marat' constant cry was for blood;
he literally desired to see every well
dressed person put to death. Even
to this day the world seems to shud
der at the memory of Marat and those
years during which he became famous.
The spirit of the people, freed suddenly
from the bondage Of royalty . under
which it had groaned for centuries, ran
riot. Unsatisfied merely with the blood
of the tyrant, aristocracy, they entered
Into a very frenay of killing. First the
more moderate revolutionists, who ar
gued in favor of gentler methods, were
don away with. Then the rest divided
into several parties or factions .and
proceeded to kill each other. One "lead
er after another rose In power, only to
be beheaded and ; outdone in deed of
violence' by-, 'bis successor. t;H.wKh
The whole nation had apparently gone
insane. And always at the bottom of
the plotting we find Marat, stirring the
people to fresh deeds of, horror through
the paper which he published, scheming
death after death, possessed with the
. ' li '. ... .... v...''. w A 1 ' n--.
' ,lv 'Y'V-'i ;'''V,'" t. -".V'i I"' ,s"M 1 'I
... ;;' : .4' ,r:? "Vt-;,.:-- v ' !,.' ' V.V
a house on hla lot out 'of the savings
from ' his woik. v Both ara taxed 5 as
property owner . Single Tefer can get
all this land by putting progressive
tax -on land over 160 acres, or over a
certain value. Suppose ISO acres unim
proved pays f 10 taxes, 160 acres more
pays IIS, 160 mors $20, 1(0 more 135.
This would be for 640 acres $10, plus
IK, plus 30, plus $35, or $70. '.' Single
Taxer should support this proposition.
The town lots should pay, besides the
tax according to location, a tax for un
earned Increase In. value (long In use in
Germany). Funny Single Taxer wants
to let all the big fortunes, enterprises
go untaxodl ' It should be plain , that
those should pay most in taxes, that
make the moat and easiest money Out of
the oommonwealth, and receive the moat
of those values that taxes are paid for,
There snouia be an income tax, me
moat just of all taxes, not a common
out a progressive income tax, e uoea
In Germany and la Auatria.
. From a Victim of Drags. '
Medford. Or., Feb. 9.; To the Editor
of The Journal I read a few days ago
about a woman who committed suicide
because she was a drug fiend,' and
through our strict laws, oOuld not buy
anys more. Now I am a mother of five
children, and through sickness, doctors
have fed me on drugs for the last 20
years. I became an habitual fiend. At
first "was paying $3.75 per ounce; now
the price has been raised to $8 per
ounce. 1 know it Is for the future gen
eration that they are trying to stop the
use of drugs. But why not get at the
bottom of things, and stop the doctors
from giving it to their patients? What
do they expect us poor unfortunates to
do? We cannot live without It Some
will ssy, "Go to the hospital." Yes, It
Is very easy to tell us that. When my
husband was living he spent $500 for
what was called a curs. Yes, It was a
cure so long as I fed on their drugs;
but after I had used five tootties or their
medicine, which they considered a cure,
I was a total wreck, a chattering idiot.
Why not make some proviso for people
In our condition? We are too old to bs
cured, and life Is just aa sweet to us
as to anyone else. I know that within a
month's time my fate will be the same
aa the one In the city death or the In
sane asylum. They say It is only cow-
ards who will kill themselves. I say,,!! business dona entirely within tha
a inousana times no; u aaes a;
brave and nervy person to hold a gun to
his head or take a dose of poison. Those
who never used drugs do not realise the
suffering and misery a person has to
go through when It is taken from them,
especially after using It for 20 years
or more. E. G. O.
John Vincent Rowland.
Portland. Or., Feb. . To the Editor
of The Journal I will greatly appreci
ate hearing from anyone who has any
knowledge of the past or present resi
dence of John Vincent Rowland, who la
supposed to have come to Oregon In
the early '80's, and engaged In the cat
tle business. HENRY TEAL,
410 Ablngton building.
Tanglefoot
By Mile.
Overholt
THE. WISE WOMAN.
There was a woman in our town and she
was wondrous wise;
She couldn't name the presidents, but
she could bake good pies.
And though her face was seamed and
warped, and burlapped, too. and
drawn.
And though her mouth was extra wide
when she suoDressed a yawn:
Though she couldn't tell the title of
. McCutcheon's latest book.
She was a dandy baker and a dinger of
a cook. s .
And so, when leap year rolled around,
though modest as a nun,
And though she couldn't spring a joke,
a titter or a pun.
She baked and cooked for near a week,
and then she wrote a line,
And asked a bunoh of bachelors to visit
her and dine.
And then she waited breathlessly and
held the dinner late,
TJntil the men were nearly starved, and
then she filled each plate.
And when the food had disappeared,
with all her might and main.
She quickly lumped into the fray and
filled the plates again.
And when the diners had to quit before
the buttons fell.
She brought them each a good cigar and
left them for a spell.
Next day proposals came to her from
20 "single" men,
And then she picked the richest one, and
never cooked again!
Marat.
one fixed Idea that by the wholesale
murder of the aristocrat French Inde
pendence could be gained.
By birth a Swiss, of Calvanlstio par
ents, to contemporaries the revolution
ary figure of Marat had arisen like a
frightful nightmare. Nobody seemed
to know whence he had come, er how
he had spent hi previous life. At the
very beginning of the Revolution he
made himself so prominent that he was
forced to go into hiding, and he scent
some time in the cellar and sewer of
the city, appearing from time to time
when he considered It aafe. When at
length the Revolution had progressed
to tne point where it was safe for him
to be abroad, he came forth, doubly hid
eous through the disfigurement of a
loathsome skin ' disease contracted ' in
hi unwholesome hiding placea. His
evil plans now knew no. bounds. :. The
revolutionary v leaders hated him, , but
also feared him. The wild element
which held control of Pari made a hero
of him, and carried out eagerly . his
bloody suggestions. He could no longer
be suppressed.
i Carlyle says: "Acrid, corrosive, as
the spirit of aloes . and copperas, is
Marat 'friend of the people.' Poor is
this man, squalid and dwells In garrets;
unlovely to the sense, outward and in
ward." : , ,;' ,. , ., ' , ?(. ,
At length cam one, however, who
sought to free Franc of the curs of
such a vile life, and this one was a wo
man! While seated in his hot bath,
which was tha one relief he could find
for Ills' disease racked body, there came
a young girl to Marat, bringing, as she
sald.t a list of traitors' names. Aa she
read them, he announced that they
should all die, and turned to a table
beside him to writ them down. , In
stantly the girl plunged a dagger into
his heart. vt-'A.-'-?
- Charlotte Corday had only hastened
by a few weeks the death to which his
disease waa bringing him. His body
was carried with honors, and burled In
the Pantheon,: and such was the per
verted spirit of the people, that the
body of Mirabeau Was flung out- to
make ?sm for him.' Bom months later,
however, his body was disinterred and
cast out with execration. i
Tomorrow John Wllkea, ,
The American Year Book, published
by J). Appleton A Co., : New York and
London, has just reached Portland,' ' It
uuuiaina pages or encyciopeuio m-
formation ot the year's , history In all ,
lines of human endeavor.s '
Under' the general head of "State and '
Local Finances," there 4s a review of
the taxing laws and movement of the,
country. , This statement closes' with
the following summary, . . ,
While, legislation In . each stats has
been c largely controlled t by conditions
historical And Immediate, which are
peculiar to itself, a study of the legis
lation and of the Views of tax commls-
slons described above Seams to dlsnloset
at least two tendencies which , may be
termed general; (1) A movement toward
ine create up or the generaf property
tax. . tne creation or a more effec
tive administrative system in matters of
taxation, brought about through central
ised control of local assessment. Ohio',
stands alone as an exception to the first
of these tendencies, v . - .
The Year Book holds that the states
most deserving of attention are New.
York, Wisconsin, California, Minnesota,
and Ohio. . .
Under the somewhat lengthy review
of the many changes that have been
made in Nw York state during the year
is the statement: "Radical change
have also been made in the methods of
assessing real estate. The Inheritance
tax law of 110, whloh had called forth
criticism on the part, both of the public
officials and the publio community; on
the ground that It was driving capital'
out of the state, was remodeled with
a view to securing lower rates and doing
away with the drag-net taxation of non-
residents."
Under the head of Wisconsin is the
statement that a new element has been
introauoea into the tax system by im
posing a tax upon Incomes which is in
tended ultimately to take the place of
the tax on personal property.
In California the changes are the re
sult of the work of a special commission
which has been In existence since 1906.
and has prepared several reports. The
most Important of its provisions may
bs summarised aa follows:
Railroads, including street railways,
car oompanies of all sorts operating
upon railroads, express, telephone, telo
graph,, gas and electric companies, are
to pay a tax upon gross receipts from
state, and upon, a percentage of the
gross rocelpts from business crossing
the boundaries of the state. The rates
are for railroad companies, including
street railways, gas and electrlo com
panies, 4 per cent, car companies I per
cent, express companies t per cent, tele
phone and telegraph. companies 34 per
cent. Insurance companies are to pay
to the state a tax of 14 per cent Banks
are to pay a tax of 1 per cent on the
value of their shares, such vslue to be
determined by adding to the amount
paid In on shares the accumulated sur
plus and undivided profits, and deduct
ing tha value of real estate assessed
for county and municipal purposes.
All. franchises not Included In the
above provisions are to be taxed at the
rate of 1 per cent of their value.
Special tax commissions have reported
: in Delaware, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania
and Rhode Island. The Pennsylvania
and Delaware commissions have con
tinued. Commissions were appointed In
1911 In Michigan, Utah, Connecticut and
lowa. i ns mosi vaiuaDie oi mo reports
submitted in 1911 are perhaps those of
Illinois and Rhode Island. The former
recommends constitutional amendments
authorising the classification of person
al property, and the application of dif
ferent rates to the different classes, the
creation of a state tax commission snd
the assessment of local property by
county assessors.
The Year Book has this to say In re
spect to Oregon:
"An amendment, promoted by the ad
vocates of the single tax and submitted
through the Initiative, has been adopted,
the effect of which is a matter of con
siderable uncertainty. It abolishes the
poll tax; provides that no bill regulat
ing taxation and exemption 'throughout
the state shall become a law until ap
proved by the,people at a regular gen
eral election; removes all constitutional
restrictions on taxation by the provision
that no such restrictions shall apply to
measures approved by the people, de
termining what shall be subject to or ex
empt from taxation, or the method of
taxation; grants local option to the 'peo
ple of the several counties.' authorising
them 'to regulate taxation and exemp
tion within their several counties,' sub
ject to any law which may be here
after enacted."
News Forecast oi trie
doming Week
Washington, Feb. 10. Heavy guns of
the Republican convention campaign
will be fired Monday at the numerous
banquet and' meetings arranged In
celebration of Lincoln's birthday. Presi
dent Tart will speak in Newark and
New York; Attorney General Wicker-
sham In Milwaukee, Secretary Mcve&gn
In Lansing, Senator Townsend In De
troit, Senator Lodge In Springfield, Ill
Governors Deneen of Illinois and Hadley.
of Missouri In St. Louts, and former
Senator Beveridge in Denver.
Governor Wood row Wilson of New
Jersey, will take his presidential boom
to Illinois Monday. On that day he 1
to visit Chicago and deliver one or more
public addresses. Later In the month
he is to return for a four or five days'
tour of Illinois and Wisconsin.
The Second state convention to setect
delegates to the Republican national
convention will be that of the Georgia
Republicans, which will meet Wednes
day in Atlanta. It has been reported
that an effort will b made , by the
Roosevelt force to split the delegation, ,
but friends of President Taft declare
that a solid Taft delegation will be
named. .'",:-"'.::"'. '' :'i '
Manufacturers : of shoe machinery
from all over the country ars expected
to appear befor the house Judiciary
committee Tuesday, when Representa
tive Thayer's bills and resolution
against the United Shoe Machinery com
pany will be considered.
The board of railway commissioner
of Canada will meet In Ottawa Tuesday
te consider what Is probably one of the
most important matters that it has yet
been called upon to deal wlfh, namely,
the charges of unjust and discriminat
ing freight rates In effect in the west
ern province.'' The hearing is expected
to open the way for a wholesale inves
tigation of the rates and practices of
Canadian railroads.
The British parliament will reassem
ble Wednesday to consider and take fi
nal action on the measure granting home
rule to Ireland. ' ; v . '
Federal regulation of weights and
measures in so far as It Is necessary
to ' secure uniformity In ' the law
throughout the United States will bo
urged t a conference of state sealer
of weights and measures, whick will as- ;
semble in Waohlngton Thursday fpr a
two day' session.
The Northwest Mining Congress will
meet In annual - session in Spokane '
Thursday with an attendance of repre
sentative of , the mining Industry in
California. Oregon, Washington, ' Mon :
tana. Idaho, Utah and British Columbia."
v"1;"!'. ' r-".'.' if)3
The president turns' down Senator
Potndexter's recommendations for fed
eral officeholder. Is this because the "
people of Washington - elected Pola
dexter by an immense majority? '