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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1917)
'J J THE I OREGON DAILY . , JOURNAL, PORTLAND, MONDAY JANUARY 1, 1917. if ' AS IXPXFCXDBNT BIWIwm'?';- c. s, Jackson. ........... ........PttoUsaa tub) !n4 every da, afttrsoaa- aad aaeralng rept, Sands iflmm ml nJ"rw rialMing, Broadway , ead. 10111 MMi. JEstera- at tha aaetaffie at Portland. CV tm iriosausatoa - taresgs u . class ssattar.. . aELcrHuwes tuts Tins boom. a-i. . iu departaaeata rh4 by these avmber. - Telllse operator what departsjesi aee vast. f-REIOM ADVKBTISIlfQ EIPKMCSTATtTI riajamtn KtDtaor Co.. Btsaawitk Bids-, 23 WHIM Ave., Naif lark. 121 People' ohscrlptos terms by aim!) or to any aflat a la tba United States or Mexico; .DAILY, (MQBNIMi OB ArTKBMOORI (mm year..... ,,93.60 Oaa swat...... JO ,v ; . "WHs-DAT Coo year;...... 12.00 On Booth....... I .28 BAIL (V0B2MKO OR ArTE&XOOS) AKD - , - SUNDAY Ct ysr.. A..-3T.BO t Qns moat .. A8 America aafca Jfetblna; ton berl but wbat 'be aaa a ricbt to auk for humanity ttsalf. WOODEOW WlLSOM. i Million for defense, bL, sot a rest tot trtbata. . CHARLES C. PJNCK.VEt. for forma of gorernooeo; let fools contest; Whate'er la best administered U best. v- rope.' in.- - ! 1017 ' A ,S TItE world swings off into f'Tl ; a new, year,- the American r people are in the midst of . an unexampled abundance. They were never in position to look, about with a greater optim ism. No enemy hovers about our shores. No pestilence is within our borders. No famine stalks In oar land. ' Privation was "never so minim ized, s. Employment was never so abundant. Profits were never so great. .'Wages were never so large. -;,The country was never so well organized Jor social and economic attained, but progress is on the rch. The financial organization of the country has been tremendously im proved. Federal institutions to help business have been estab lished.: Credits, underpins federal reserve system and farm loan sys tem, have been placed within reach of the great agricultural popula tion. . Organization has been per- lecieu - lur , esionos an American merchant marine. The central gov ernment has been organized more In the interest of tbe whole mass Instead of for the benefit of a comparatively few. These are ac complishments for the material well being of America that history,. will reflect as the beginning of a sew era in every line of American endeavor. Social movements for forward ing .human welfare were never, so strong or so numerous. The mougnts or powerful men were JnltChu f6! "J Straylings of life muooo ouu sources of disease are the sole end tor which many noble men and women are devoting their lives, t Education is tremendously sup ported and ; promoted. A great grand army is engaged in a coun try 'wide campaign for the elimi nation of poverty! A far more amicable relation between capital and labor Is being established. The employer is more and more realiz ing." that an employe with a, full stomach, and a wage ample to sup port a comfortable and happy home is his best Investment. ! i Support of the weak and uplift of : the fallen are the object of more organizations than ever be fore. The true conception of pre paring children through birth and comfortable environments and In conserving their physical, mental end moral fibre for a strong citl renshlp, Is sweeping through the country and Is the guiding purpose of many powerful people! We are all 1 searching ourselves and testing ourselves with a purpose to be more "just and! more reasonable In our contact with our fellow beings than, we. ever have before. - We are a nation at peace, and it Is an honorable toeace.- America is a ' beacon to . the rest of the world-, There is not a people in war-wrecked. Europe that do not j wish their nation wereas America Is. There is not a people on ,that jcrimsott continent that do not wish they could exchange their trenched I ields i Ctor r America's .: furrowed neids,' " - - The . mothers of Europe are veeping for I bsent sons. The jothers of America have nothing a weep for but : the sympathy for hose i i mothers J whom war : has obbed of their treasures. -Out on the waters of the At . ntic and Pacific, the Gulf and 3 Lakes, the light- of America 'cams.. It is In that radiance and :id a delightful tranquility-that : r . people, with : hopes pitched ' - h. s wing off Into 1 9 1 7 to meet responsibilities and claim its vards.- The attendant at the State vHos- al who twisted a towel around ratlent's neck, and choked : him ivfl because he would not' nn- c;3 Lea told, would have been considered gxod disciplinarian' a few years ago before "mawkish sentimentality" In the handling of the state's " unfortunates grew : to such proportions. , LOCAL PROGRESS i T. WA8 said that ' in Portland this year - no family , lacked a Christmas basket that needed It.iJT?t no Bcedf famllr re ceived , a share of Christmas cheer . out of proportion to Its require ments. If one family received two baskets the organizations or indi viduals performed the duplication premedltatedly to meet exceptional need. a : ;- 'What stood back of this year's orderly giving when in other years there has been made confusion with impostors taking advantage of the ; season's generous impulses over; and over Again? "What influ ence prevented neglect and at the same time restrained over-supply? It was the Confidential Exchange established by Portland charitable organizations, a simple plan for the interchange of information concerning those whom it is pro posed to assist. -All who were to distribute Christmas baskets met in committee sessions, bringing their lists of names, and continu ing their work night after night until the duplications were elimi nated and some one .was made to feel directly responsible for each family reported. The effort was commenced long enough before Christmas to give time for friendly calls in advance and thus the re quirements were verified and the assistance made to 'fit the need. Had the work been done only In respect to Christmas giving the service "would have been worth while. But the Confidential Ex change Is not a seasonal institu tion or a temporary clearing house of information. Its office in the court house Is open every day. Any person or organization having a call for help may learn it any other person or Organization knows but by its virulence, and it is com of the applicant or la fully meeting ing to 1Ignt that the poison from me neea, Dy telephoning tne ex- change. AU the organizations ; (some 28 of them) that are mem bers of the exchange make these calls a daily, practice and (the re- """"" uiouiiooai ui duplication and a more adequate ! serving of the need that inspires the plea. At Christmas time the use of the exchange did not lessen the Christmas spirit! It was never more cordial. Neither has the use of the exchange chilled the spirit The same proportion of diseased of giving for winter relief, for wlthjmoutna nolds In other cities. Only the announcement that no needy family missed Its basket comes the worn mat, no one in Straus neea appeal m vam lor aia, wnue more and ore the answer to the calls takes the form not only of ma- terlal relief but of guidance, coun- se and effort aimed at the i restor- atlon of the family or Individual to J.elf 8upport' ine uomiaenuai n.xcnange in its beginnings Is demonstrating the value of concerted and coordinated plan In charity for which The Jour nal has long been arguing. iuitmmiu county legislators. . who thrive on steam heated offices land homes, are doubtless lookina- 'onward with great anticipation to ; ineir ionv niznis iiirnpn awav in - - - " the. spare room up at saiem, j with the snow on the ground and the closest fire in the kitchen stove. OUR SCHOOLS T HE United States spends about flvfPhundred million dollars a year on its public schools, which looks like a big sum. But it is only two-thirds of our expenditure on automobiles and a great deal lees than we spend on military preparations . which are sure to be out of date in a few years. Nothing changes more rap idly than fashions In war-making. It is commonly understood that education lies at the foundation Of democratic government. Teach the people a fair amount of useful knowledge and train them up in good habits and the country will be safe in their hands. Leave them ignorant, allow their habits to grow perversely and we drive toward certain ruin. j Everybody understands these facts. Nobody thinks of denying them. And yet we are somewhat stingy in supporting the schools and, to be honest with ourselves, we are not Interested lit them. The public schools . are a good deal more efficient than some people Imagine. Still, compared .with a well conducted business they are not really efficient. Like our courts they waste, perhaps, as much money as they spend 'use fully. If you have doubts about whether you should enter the new year with agreeable thoughts, look first on bleeding Europe and then upon your own tranquil country. STOOL PIGEONS . HE mayor of . Aber d een has discovered something In con nection' with his force of "stool pigeons? which dis pleases " him " somewhat. but it Bhould not surprise him. He ha& found that they harry the blind pig- people Into paying bribes for protection.- Thus the happy stool pigeon has , been getting pay from Aberdeenor: ferreting out illicit liquor and; more pay from the 11- licit 'sellers : for ,' protecting . them. Other,, towns have enjoyed , the same experience . The mayor of Aberdeen, enlight ened by his adventures,, says he is going to- dispense with the stool pigeons. The stool pigeon is not an altogether lovable type of man. In Aberdeen he was for sale to as' many customers as he could find. And he was not at all dis turbed if their Interests conflicted. The mayor of Aberdeen .calls upon, those who wish to see the prohibition, law enforced to come to his aid. It Is not an unreason able plan. : For a so-called representative of I the law to break the law in orderjto induce another person to break the law as a means of en forcing law Is the basis of the stool pigeon m thod. The process Is questioned by many who hold that a good end does not excuse doubt ful means. Even If New Year's eve did come on Sunday and. the state was dry, there was one thing to remind us of the days of old. The -moon was three-fourths full that night. TEETH AND DISEASE T"; IE public schools of New York city give their 700,000 pupils a daily drill in the use of t h e - toothbrush. The teeth of all pupils between the ages of six and eight years are diligently Inspected. This is done because the city health department discovered that nine out .of every ten children in New York had de fective teeth, and physicians are learning that defective teeth are the source of countless miseries. It seems strange that the poison generated In a tooth cavity Bhould cause rheumatism in the knee joint or the fingers. But it is also strange that a pill of arsenic the size of a pin head should cause death. The effect of a poison can not be estimated bv its Quantity decaying teeth is just about the most virulent dose a nersnn ran swallow. Of course he must swallow it as. it oozes out of the loathsome cavity where it is produced. Or if lt does not go down the throat it is taken up by the capillaries surrounding the tooth. In either case it seeps into the system and does its miserable work. The teeth of New York's school chiidi-Mi ar not ATOAntiorialiv hri Kni1 r.fiffh nt th nannia nr the United States take proper careJ of their teeth. The other 80,000. 000 get along the best they can wUn fetld gum8f ulcerated prongs, aching nerves and germ swarming mouths: Not onlr rheumatism hut tuberculosis and heart disease are r I caying teeth as it flows Into the ByStem. Early in the war thousands of British soldiers were sent back home because they could not stand the strain of life In the trenches. And this inahilitv arose from haid teeth- They could not chew their o i When they had v Jl v w- they wePe sent back to the front . .i n.. .ana men biouu tue strain as wen a3 anyDOdy. The toothbrush seems likely to assume a more Important part In our national life than It has beer; performing. It Is not a very cost ly Implement but lt saves an 1m mense amount of pain and disease if it is persistently used. The Journal wishes a happy and prosperous New Year to all. It rejoices with all in the favorable prospect with which, the people of America enter 1917, Seldom has the nation passed a new milestone with higher hopes or more pleas- ant anticipations. FUTURE ELECTRICITY A NEWLY Invented farm trac tor Is widely discussed tin scientific publications. Thom as A; Edison is not the In ventor, but he has expressed his opinion of the new machine. He has seen the new tractor at work on a farm near Detroit, "some of them . using, kerosene.' He says commenting on what he saw, that the new tractor "is one of the most Important scientific discov erles now claiming the attention of the world. The other Is the new process of manufacturing ni trogenous ' fertilizers directly from the air" The tractor is run by an Internal combustion engine, a "gas engine. The manufacture of nitrogenous fertilizers is operated with electricity.;- The process Is expensive if current ! is dear. . It is : cheap when current Is cheap. " Much therefore, for the future or, agri culture depends .upon low' priced electric current. Mr. Edison thinks that ' the tractor will; "revolution ize ; farming." These were his words T to' an interviewer 'for the New York Times. Certainly a revoftijtlon : in fann ing is on the way. The tractor will help it along. So' will the ni trogenous, fertilizers If -we can ever get them at moderate prices. ' So will cheap lime. And in all 'these good things electricity will' have a hand. . Mr. Edison ' prophesies that the" : machinery by. which I tractors are made will soon be operated by electricity entirely. ' The steam en gine will go out of use except afs a power agency for electro-magnetic generators. I )The great Inventor foresees a tlme - to come very qnickly : When f electric current will be a great deal -more used than it is . now. 1 This bit of progress must naturally be effected through the application Of waterpower. ' f Here is reason for safeguarding th nnwan inlmt mminno. the water powers against monopo- lization. Foreknowledge Of the greater use of electricity Is on- doubtedlr the Incentive behind the 1 propaganda for placing the water ' ; . . - powers under private ownership. It la a movement to be resisted and defeated. Grabs of water power are an assault on future de velopment and future welfare. This is - the ""kind of weather when the yo: ng speed maniac Would like to lock up his racing car and find some fancy looking j horse warranted to be drivable with one hand and not afraid of sleighbells. Letters From the People f Communications sent to The Jooraal for Mhllntbn tn thfa imrtwit aboald b writ: tea on only oaa side of toe paper. fboaM Dot mmmI ano kMIi tn l.nrtt. and must be sc mmniiini it tha and address of the aender. If the writer does no desire to bare I tao aania publubed bi should so state. 1 "Dlsensetoa is tbe areata f aU reformers. IkritloiuKiM -.or.thinvr it toacnee. It robs nrlnrlnle of ail din sanctity and throw, then bark on their resaoasMeness. If ibey baa n reeaonaMeneea, U rnthleasl eruabes them oat at exlatec-e aad aeta op its owa coaclusiona ta ttalr stead." woodrow wiaon. Other Side of the Good Old Days. SDrina-field. Or.. Dec. 26. To the Editor of The Journal In The sunaay Journal I read Mr. Clark's letter la-I mentins the conditions 01 loaay, ana ho seems so much in error that I feel comoelled to reply. That conditions are as bad as he thinks and constantly arrowing- worse. I do not believe. That the present cost of living is abnormal- I ly high, due largely to abnormal con- i ,-. nna trill riinnnte: I .n,t that th rout of livlna. measured in dollars and cents, will increase and I has increased aa man's producUvity has Increased, is a lact, and ine rea- i sons .therefor so apparent that it is a matter of pome surprise that he should seem not to be aware of them I have Uvea long enough to have enjoyed some of the good Na days he mentioned, jvhen mother's work was never done, and father, by the dim ano uncertain light of the tallow dip, made or mended the shoes of nis numerous progeny. in those good old days, . 1 . . 4.41nH n .4 T every uiifuicr wus uvi a wituij . . have seen, many a country boy whose high .water pants would fit just as wall with th tfnnt tn thn rear a.n with front and rear where thev were pre- suraed to be, and besides, the making meant a lot of hard work lor motner. unless she bought the blue jeans with which to make them, and then, with no sewing machine, it was soma job. Sister's linsey dress could not be called a Joy forever, in either appear ance or workmanship, though mother's loving hands worked ions and hard In making it. Father did his best mak ing shoe, even to tanning the hides; but he could win no prizes as a shoe manufacturer now, either as to ap pearance, workmanship or quality. The shoes father made were hard lookers. and as the clement of comfort received no special consideration, weather per mitting, we went barefoot. w th an ox team doe not mlt I aOD. Dn t. 1 Father raised hut little grain. Plow-; large acreage, and then it is some job to reap with a reap hook or a cradle, bind by hand and thresh with a flail; so there were no wheat kings and very little to sell after the family needs were supplied. Yes, I, too, -did some "bounding off to school'' in those gladsome days; hut, on account of work being quite plentiful at home, the bounding amounted to an average of only three months in the year; but as the schools were generally of the lickin' and 1'arn'in' " kind, the remembrance is some recompense for the things that were missed. I was also quite a chunk of a lad before I eaw & cigarette, but I had Seen many a twist of homespun that would put the vilest cigarette on earth out ot commission before the end of the first round. Of course, there were no reform schools; tout they were needed. I think, as much as now. There were no res- cue homes, but we have certainly bad the material for them ever since the world becan Awakenlnir iufJi have given us all these rewer institu- President Roosevelt, on the deck of tions looKlng t the welfare and bet- government vessel, went to Panama terment of the unfortunate, as it has and examjned the canal, then in con introduced prison and other, reforms ftructlon, and lived on the xone, which and is hanishina- the old hirh.rlo Ma s Within the dominion of the United of punishment. I cannot believe that the moral1 status is lowering because there are lapses from the path of rectitude, nor that the human race is fast going down to perdition. On the contrary, I think there is far more charity and fellow . ciiis in ma wunu tatn mere ever was, ana inai now to relieve and elim inate poverty and its attendant "evils Is receiving more thought and consid eration than ever ln the world's his tory. " Mr. Clark' may long to 'return- to those dear old days of the ox team and ail that went with It. but I lm agine if he should suddenly be doubled up with the cramps and had to call a doctor from town that he would be very thankful for- the telephone and the automobile that would get the physician there in a hurry, and not have to depend on the family nag and the messenger of those dear old doys for which he longs. However, "the Moving Finger writes, and having wrii, moves on." JOHN O'BRIAN. ' The Employment Agency. Portland. Dee. 28. To'the Editor of The Journal I would be pleased to inquire why it Is that working men have to buy a Job from lornl mninv. ment offices, when we have one of our own. at Fourteenth and Johnson streets? Second street labor magnates believe- the government should do nothing to Interfere with private The gasoline truck has to - a marked capital. No doubt ln their minds they degree lightened the burden of the believe , the government should do draft horse, nd perhaps, to a lees ex nothing -to interfere with the collec- Aent made the condition of the farm tion or woraing men s capuai. Should there not be a relief from an unneoes- sary expense? some reader. I - hope to hear i from A. STRANGER. Organising for Farm-JLoans. Baker. Or.. Dec. 29. To- tha Editor of The Journal -The federal farm loaa board aovisea tne snrmers to organise associations. Recently we organised and arr 'now waiting , for further ' In structions from the bank, which, from your paper of yesterday, will be lo catea at Kooaane. . laettara have come to me from va - Hous sources in Oregon- to secure! loans for them. It seems that it wil I be In the interest of efficiency and economy to organise these : boards at the county seat oft each county until in .ciiiu. au-e iiuriooa -ana tne pian -aorKca' out. ana men uis com- 1 munity, jlf they so desire, can take' up and form a loan bank, or,' rather, r- th. - n&. jtionaj association, has. formed an or- sanixatlon at Baker Including thl ij "fr11" " "J-.. 0t this fact these neonie are writing to know what they shall do next. By lrmfoTk C they will secure information they ineea looking- to the organisation of a zeaerai Tarm loan - association, inesa lustructiona wU1 be coraplet. a. Uc as they hare gone. Let some man or set of men take it up and organise 1" ?' particular county as directed ije.iecT. orricers as directed ana uch other details as needed. I have nothlnar to do with othr organisations, but amjwllllng to help in adjoining counties If desired. J. W. RICKJINS Opposes Conscription. Portland. Dec. 29. To the Editor of me Journal Have been a Republican all my life, but In November I voted for Wilson becauee I believe he Is on the right side of the military question. Hughes unquestionably is for con- scrlption, which means that the patriot "iVt w. dlsposed toward society as It Is con Etituted today, will find themselves within the nation's military machine. Let us raise the pay or the enlisted men to ISO per month and' locate your recruiting stations where the r!c.t class of people are to be found, and we shall not lack in quantity or qu-u lty. as the government can then se lect Its defenders. According to late news reports. Wil son is undergoing a change of heart and is said to b considering conscrip- tion. I sincerely hope that every pat riot I c American will raise his voice In i protest and that all progressive newa i papers, like The Journal, will use their influence against' conscription, whicn leads to certain nationar and social disaster. MALCOLM PETERSON. A Greeting to The Journal. "Happy New Ter's" we are aendlna; .ndshit rnd love, sweetlv blendinr. Tne Oregon journal, ana xrtenan; GjVe a charm that never ends For years a loyal defender ur tne common people s cause; A full measure of thanks we render The Journal, with glad applause. Fair seemed our west in its wll tineas. vvnen seen oy me rirai pioneers; Climate renowned for its mildness: A clime grown fairer these years T .a w... .v. .hi... go changed from wild plain and dell; we hall our peerless Oregon And wait for the last farewell. Cyrus H. Walker. Albany. Or.. January 1, 1917. longevity's General Rules. Prom tbe Boston Oiobc. It is as'tonUhlns how many old peo ple there are In almost every com munity in New England. Every day there is recorded in the press the passing of some one who has reached the nineties and quite frequently there is mention , of a centenarian. These people, generally speaking, die in the rural districts, but the cities are not w,"'"uw UP OI mem These events indicate that there la no necessity for any one who takes proper care of himself to fall to reach old age. Longevity is merely a matter of caring for one's self and keeping in cheerful frame of mind. An im portant factor also In long life is to Indulge in some occupation if only for a lew hours datly in order that the mind and body shall have normal exer cise. Drones seldom live long. It is noteworthy in all the Inter views which visitors have with tha very aged that the latter invariably explain they attribute their longevity to leading the simple life. They eat sparingly of the moat nourishing food that agrees with them, are temperate Xo8nde1!,nv8,ir?bvt,APS of "iP. indulge dally in very light exercise and do not worry. Whoever follows these simple rules can count on living about as long as he or she desires. The President May Travel Abroad. Ex-Presldeat Taft In youth's Companion. An impression has gone abroad that the president may not leave the coun try. There is no law that prevents bis doing so, and there is no provi sion In the constitution that he wouli violate in leaving the national Juris diction. There Is a constitutional di rection that the vice president shall act for the president in case he is disabled. If he went abroad in such a way aa to prevent his directing af fairs, he might well be held to hava disabled himself, and the vice presi dent might act ror mm in his ab sence. In these days of the telegraph. the telephone and the wireless, how- ser. it would be hard for him to take tfiP during which he could not keep ln constant communication with thos at noma wno wouia carry out. nis oi I rections. States, as indeed the deck of the ves sel was. But he dined with th"pret dent of Panama ln the city of Panama, which is outside our national juris diction. I did the same- thing, just across the Rio Grande from El Paso; but no one has suggested that in those J cases we disabled ourselves from per- i rorming executive duties. The Horse Again in Evidence. from tbe Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. That the American horse, notwith standing tbe sharp competition of the gasoline and electric, automobile, has by no means gone into the discard is abundantly shown by the Increased enthusiasm manifested at the various horse shows, which are now more pop ular than ever oerore. More than that: Displays of truck and draft horses now. vie on equal terms with exhibits of coaco horses, -hunters and high Jumpers, fore&hadowing helr greater utilization ln the industries. Incident ally, it is noticed in an large cities that the private family coach, drawn by high-stepping and also high-priced horses, is seen more frequently than in recent years, in which the automo bile has become so popular. Of course this doesonot mean that automobiles are going out of fashion, but ft does indicate, quite plainly, that mankind I nas not lost affection for the horse. I The plain truth Is that there la. and I doubtless always will j be. room for I both tbe automobile and the horse. I oorse mora enauraoie. " it is also no- I ticeable that prices for j horseflesh are higher today than they" have .been be fore in many .years. ..; ' Stamps : Used try Spies. - From tbe Tooth's Coaapanlon. . . Published reports that Great Britain has-xoroiauen tne importation of -post- ago stamps from tbe United States are Incorrect. The Companion Is in formed that England : has, . however, placed a nan on the unrestricted ex 1 portation or. stamps. The-government i ow classes as luxuries the stamps that are dealt ln i commercially..- Tha action chiefly af I recta dealers who henaf ore have sent I large stocks of stamps out of England i into ins nana i Americans , ana otner foreigners. Jhs British government gavs no of - PERTINENT. COMMENT i SMALL CHANGE There will be a total acllnaa of the moon early In this month. 14av yon an almanac? 'While TOU are. ttiraina tv a ni leaf, you will do well to yank out soma of the old ones and throw them away BBIUSI7. , ; . Soma are inauirlne- what that nra. posed new afe-cent piece would pos sibly buy. Needn't worry. It would Duy a lot 01 things that now sell for a penny. . . Caraway seed la quoted at an ad vancedue to the war, of courae of 1200 per cent. Kach one must answer for himself tbe question. Who should worry? f Speaking of the ZH-cent piece: If it is put across lt win enable Jonn u. Kockefeller to raise his orevioua limit when he gives young persons counsel aioug lines ox inruu While on the 'subject of comlni events, it will ba nnly four rears an a little less until the tercentenary of the night when the breaking waves aasnea high. Home break, lost. Equally notable with the patience with which the poor bear their poverty la the arlmnesa with which military ex-fceroes endure their canning. There's Joffre, for instance. What an example to defeated rucllistsr The disrespectful Boston Globe re bukes a big army man ror companni Our armv with thai Greek army. I testilv retorts that at all events our soldier boys don't wear petticoats. And that a true; they don 1. A (traphio way of puttinr lt is con trived by. the Philadelphia Ledger, which reports that on December SI the Philadelphia postoffice did 15 days business and the next day 60 days busineas. In other words, do your Christmas mailing early. THE STUDY OF DEAD LANGUAGES Br Thonas raise.'. , , -The -Greeks were a learned people,' but learning with them did not con sist in npeaking Greek, any mure ihan In a Roman's speaking lattn. or a Frenchman's speaking French or an Englishman's speaking English. From what we know of the Greek, it does not appear that they knew or studied any language but their own, and this was one cause of thel'r becoming so learned; it afforded them more time to apply themselves to better studies. The schools of the Greeks were schools of a-slence and philosophy, and not of languages; snd it is in the knowledge of the thing that science and philosophy teach that learatng consists. Almost all the scientific learning that now axlsta came to us from the Greeks, or the peoples who spoKe, the Greek language. It, therefore, " be came necessary for the peoples of other nations, who spoke a different language, that some among the.u should learn . the Greek language, in order that the learning the Greeks had might be made known in those nations by translating the Greek books ol science and philosophy into the moth er tonaruA of each nation. Tha study, therefore, of tho Greek language (and In the same mavnner for the Latin) was no other tharrthe drudgery business of a linguist; an J the language thus obtained was no other than the means, as it were the tools, emnloyed to obtain tha learning the Greeks had. It-made no part of :he learning Itself, and, was so dis tinct from it as to maxe it exceed me-tv erobable that the persons who had studied Greek sufficiently o translate those works, such, for in stance; as Euclid's Elements, did not understand any of the learning the works contained. aa aa As there is now nothing new to be learned from the dead languages, all the useful books being already trans lated, the languages are become use less, and the time expended in teach in sr and leai-ninar them is wasted. 8o ficlaj reason for Its action In forbid ding the general exportation of stamps, but it is understood that the activi ties of spies prompted th new order. By using the approval sheets sent out to neutral countries the spies were aoie to convey valuable information to their friends. Their communications were cleverly disguised. Sheets of stamps with the labels arranged ln a certain manner Indicated a certain message that could be translated by anyone who held the key t6 the code. For that reason only recognised postage stamp dealers who receive li censes from the war office are per mitted to send out stamps. So Brit ish boys and girls are not now receiv ing consignments ot sheets on appro val from American dealers, for tho reason that the dealers do not dare to send their sheets to England, because they cannot get them back until after the close of the war. British dealers have warned their Ajnerican agents here not to submit sheets to private collectors ln England except through the licensed British stamp bouses. , Don't Use "Don't' Improperly. From the Ohio Bute Journal. There Is nothing irifcorreet shout th elision o "do" and 'not" which makes "don't.' if It is used correctly. But there is scarcely another, word In the English language which is so often used incorrectly. .It is a strange thing, hut we often hear otherwise educated people using this elided form of the negative ln the singular, people who would Jiot think of using the af firmative of It as .singular. ."She don't" and "he don'f-r just as dis agreeable to the cultivated ear as "she do" and "he do" would he; and it is astonishing that any one of the most elementary grammatical knowledse could be so deaf to: the values of Eng lish speech as to use them. Still tbe mistake is annoylngly com mon. Recently we even heard an actor, playing the part of a gentleman of re finement, say "she don't love me." Ugh! And, if actors cannot at least speak our -mother tongue gramamtlc ally, what are they good for? flmem ber. lt is just as easy to be right and say "she does not" or "doesn't." - The Thunderer's View,.. from the bundus. Times, Our'' many mistakes have afforded th German agents openings which they have eagerly seised. We have needlessly irritated American opinion try our clumsy ,way Of exercising un doubted belligerent rights, as in our treatment of th mails, for example, our Issue of th blacklist from New York, and th stupidities of our censor ship, while we have neglected to In form and to cultivate It by meeting the German propaganda; of our own. Nev ertheless, America has been patient; she has remembered- that we are right ing for our- life, and ' ah remembers how she acted when she was so Xight Ing, and how we aeted toward her. It is foolish to ascribe her great prosper ity to munition making, and unworthy to assign her attitude to ' mere self -seeking. .r" ... ,. . BBasawaaaBaaaaaBaaBaaBaBBBBaBeaSBa . . V ' The Best lob tn the World.. .. ' Frees the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. .Why not go to-farming I ; ' The young men. who are hesitating on the threshold of a vocation; unde- i elded and uncommitted, might well " consider, seriously the posslbiiffte of farming. The way does not bo4 out i Immediate ease and sudden wealth, but i the re is something in. fanning which AND NEWS IN BRIEF OREGON SIDELIGHTS - aaaaBBaaa-aaaaaaaaa f With milk at MAS "per hundred Washington county , dairymen, the Hiilaboro Argus says, do not think, so I atsry. la verse a la tBilosopaicsl absarrsOaa grievously o the high price of haylar striking eaotatloea,: ftvas aor aeare. and feed. - I Ccalrlavtloaa at eiceUonal merit will be paid TL . a I toe. at the editor's anwalaaLJ of Eutu. Vegas x. has f"en I 9 KUW WUUar(.un VUniaCiViai soyv,, I I1VU eavaa a wj IU1VI Uavii aaaaw w -- -- a the Round-Up raises the money which it gives as cash prises each year. I After It veara. at miblle service with I .e aalrina m.tA al ek A how I In Lane county. B. F. Keener, assessos ror wis past is years, wn "Jr " fontcSttage OvVklngvVA iff id at tha? time iin over in r?Ai,. t'm. fw vrmaVvoM in. "Yif " ' -i?,?-2Ilil"l.; I with the following summarising sen-j tence: "Therefore Washington county I s n Innlr biai V nn tha vear with satis- I faction nd wiih confidence 'that the coming 11 months will at least equal i mA narhafia exceed thai reCbrd." I a a 'la Tr. R. L. Wood inrorms us, ilJ: .nar? nhVe! g6n this is the first whlti Christmas he has seen. We have an idea m m Vv... nf rtMvnU will fhinlr hs la miS-I taken In this, but they will PfobaWy 'in bJL .,5i",n5 JTh1Sithbfo?. '-v:Z.rr.,.' r - Tst you rorget wnat a "" us remind you that there was a tor- nado in Arkansas yesteroay. a piisr iJT ail th northern and middle west I states, storms of wind and anow and 1 sleet freeslng both plant and animai 2PP,? St?u. IT rnt.u.J was 1 UUSJlilVCHVI - out yesterday planting; bulbs. far aa the study of languages may rontribute to the progress and com- a a.a B ara. fAsi I f aa I municauon .CvR -1 nothlnar to do with ttie creation oi knowledge), it is only in tne uvins anguage that new knowieage is w be found;, and certain it is that, in general, a youth will learn more oi a living language m one yesr man of a dead language in .seven, and It s but seldom that tne teacner unurs i much of it himself. The difficulty of learning the dead lane-uaeea does not arise from any superior abstruseness ln the languages themselves, but in tneir oeing oeaa. and the pronunciation entirely losu It would be the same thing with any other language when it becomes dead. The best ureea linguist mat nw ex ists does not understand ureex no well as a Grecian ploughman did, ci a Grecian milkmaid; and the same for the Latin, compared with a plough man or milkmaid of the Romans- it would, therefore, be advantageous to the state ot learning to abolish tha studv of the dead languages, and to make learning consisi. as u oris inally did. in scientific knowledge , , The apology that is sometimes made for continuing to teach the dead lan auaaes is that they are taught at a time when a child Is not capable of exerting any other mental facullv than that of memory: but that is al together erroneous. The human mind has a natural disposition to scientific knowledge and to the things connect ed with It. The nrst and ravorlts amusement of a child,' even before it begins to play, is that of imitating the works of man. lt builds houses with cards or sticks; lt navigates the little ocean of a bowl of water wito a paper boat, or dams the stream ot a gutter, and contrives something which it calls a mill; and it interests itself in the fate of its works with care that resembles affection. It art - erwards goes to school, where its genius is killed by the barren study of dead language, and th philosopher is iosi in me linguist. gives the young men sterling traits of character and brawn to ris head and Lshoulders above the motley crowd. Farming offers larger opportunities thia year than ever. Cash wheat is selling at Fort Worth mills at $1.69 per bushel, which is higher than the level of the option market in Kansas City and St. Louis. Cotton is bring lng over 15 cents per pound every where, and-there are more traders who believe it will go to IS cents before the season' is over than there are who bellev.e it will go lower. There are no strings tied to the sys tem of marketing either. With our government more friendly than ever toward the producer, the incentive to go tack to the farm, or to stay on th farm Is stronger than ever before. Then there is something of lndepend ence about the life of the farmer which builds individuality and executive abtl- lty, and which has trained men for some of the highest, offices ln the na tion. A farm is a good place to rear children. With the improvements now being worked out to the advantage of the Texas, rural school system, th ed ucational facilities for children ln th country will be more adequate. Away irom the dirt, corruption and dlssipa tion of the congested city Quarters Is the proper place for a nursery where the men who must rule In finance, po- lltlcal life and professional activities tomorrow should be reared. Of course, there are boll weevils and green bugs, and drouths and floods and mortgages and such, but. all things considered farming strikes us as about the best job in the world except edit ing a newspaper. (Canada's Water Power. Prom tba Toronto Globe. The demand for more hydro power at Niagara raises once again in con crete form the problem of waterpower development ln Canada. Among the Important questions that will engage th attention of governments after the war the utilisation of Canada's water! resources is on of the roost urgent ana practical, A comparison shows that the devel opment .per capita of hydro-electric power is 487 horsepower per thousand of population. In comparison with fuel power the hydro-electric is very eheap. In -Canada this Is important. where fuel has to be imported. The inausinai growtn oi tne aominion win depend largely on the cheapness of powet. -The dependence of this country oa thacoal mines of the iJnlted State will some day prove or serious con- cern to Canadians unless steps are taken to utilise available water power for heating as well as lighting and drlvinr power. It no longer baffles '.'"l?1141"! M, a. central plant. As Professor M. C. McLennan recently pointed out, 'this la now don at th University of Toronto. ' ' . . 4 , - Th heating of a city or town from central plants is as' feasible an en. glneertng proposition as the lighting of a'. city. Were th United States at war and all exports stopped. , or railway', communication " Interrupted, the consequences for Canada would be serious,- On. of tbe key" Indus- tries of Canada, is cheap and unlnter. rupted power. No great strides can .rc i-uo iuo uvui.iuuu U.. BII7 o lags until sUtesmen real! w . the im - TaAaf annslt afarVVnAKlllvlnsV eV ah Wares aaessva-, W- " , m -w ravyviii oi in conniry ana or narnessmg it to m manitoia neeas oi me nation. Ra Tag and Bottafl Stories From Everywlwre IT this cvtaasa alt readers of Tbe JearasI are lavitee te coetrlaote erislaal matter la Righteous Indignation. M awar a . . . 1 JaB fully brought up to say hla pray era every night, with his bony little knees disfing into the hard, cold hed- i sWALL, DOV n&TOa OaUn . WttAVaVf Vs of a religious turn of mind and there was a long and arduous path of etern UlPl" small boy Jry th. j time he finally took lt as a matter of orse and on his mother's nightly admonition knelt down and seriously addressed the Ird. At the age of eight .years he had acquired the habit e VtiaItna. nlrht) . n. alaA th. hahlr of vml Cartaln vigorous' words when v,,. . , , ...... - " - constant sufferer through his and less teasing, came npon him one night when he was praying. She slipped up "d tickled the upturned soles of his feet. The devout little hoy wriggled a. hlf Vi t rtravajt An U"nrnr trnA since she hadTnot been annihilated on" . v "Pot. she tickled again, and Airaln , the martyr wriggled. But on th thlrd orfen tno cbArm broke, and 8am whirled on his tormentor. you see 1 am prayingT- . . Mo A flsn Otory. .There was a fish dinner, says Jibe New York TimMt .na Henrietta, aged fly, was doing considerable grum bling about a couple of bones that, de spite her mother's caution, were in her portion. Edith, aged six, listened to Henrietta for some time without com ment. Then, suddenly, she buret out, patience haying apparently reached its limit, "For -goodness sake, Henrietta. don t fuss sol Uod put em there! . ,-i.u r, . itt . a.w awuuu w.wu.vw. Monroe seemed to he a very busy town last Haturday evening, observes a rural correspondent of the Monro reader. There was a bazaar held in tne i-orter building, an entertainment by a ventriloquist at Wilhem's hall-' ,r,,l a. nartv at tha avmnaalum. Soma 0f people here were so uncertain to where they wanted to go that ')r , nomr. New Year. The tossing cypress tops are loud with the shrilling wind. And ln a crystal woven shroud With broideriug of ash gray cloud u not tear a tnat mioa:) The ancient year lies twined! Ho. yonder like a floating bird Over the gleaming snow A happy cherub shape, engird With eraph singers hark the word: to hopes that radiant slow!) "Life to Joy and deattano woe!" From yonder steeple myriad bells C Bhout to the Ilstenlnr skies. l-To vain, dead years they toll farewells, To new-born weal their paean swells - to. where the old year lies!) And to the future's mysteries -Verne Briaht. Beaverton, Or., January 1. 1917. Boys of Battery A, Attention I You drivers! You- cannoneers! You 'skinners"! -Why all that worrying ahy that solitude? Hasn't the sun shone bright every day for six long months. Are you not living in th ; Ud of El Dorado, the land of Peace, and, besides, is not the-glad time oft . Christmas here? You "webfootere" ' -j from a distant clime, caet off that sl-h v lent longing, always lingering in your j , I far off thoughts of home and other; . days. s . t . 1 At th first shrill notes of reveille., and the raising of "old glory" be not . I your solitary grumbiins self. Salute ! I the coming morn with a spirit of "I j I am doing my best." As the nlgnt ! . fast drifting away before the rising: un ? h tongues of light shoot throwgh the awakening heavens, so let your memories brighten with th! ' knowledge that you are only doing, " your duty. Let discouragement be -ri the anchor of all disheartening? thoughts to be cast away before' the " joyous time of Christmas. ' ? - At the lowering of the beloved "Sears . and Stripes" and at the last ftitterraw' note of "colors ' don t let your courage ebb. Thank God. as a syrabcl'of 1U berty, that your billet Is of the best;: " that sacrifice, as yet, is unknown,! ' snd that you are among the world's' favored few. who, at peace with every. i one. can look up with outstretched' arms and shout. "Peace on earth and ' good will toward men." v From Only a "Skinner," Oregon' Battery. " Peace. AwmJfe! No,.' longer suffer in thy dream. An age-long nightmare rides upon thy breast. A new day in the east spreads forth its gleamLjj, That day afta bring to weary nations rest. Awake! Awake! Thy dream is red with blood. Th sweat of agony bedews thy brow. I War, with its anguish, whelms thee like JtJiva'. ;h. f. an P aanaulned nloir" ' WT- Awake! Why all this cruel agony--Thee feet of fir hard pressing every vein This torture of thy soul's sweat sanc tity . This inner, growing, world-embittered pain. Awake! Awake! Tis' but a dream. 'Tis past. A million angels shout a triad new day. . The reign of blood and lust ts o'sr at last. The battle clouds forever pass away. Awake! Awake! A new age calls for thee. The mysteries of nature dare -thy iuest. Mute millions speak at last nd would be free. Toward Peace subllm our faoas mast oe press a. . ? Awake! Awake! And huild th world anew On brotherhood, on love to God and . v ' - - mm. -;- Start right. Forget the past, B vr - ( To higher Ideals and a loftier plan. I Leave ot tbe blood, th bitterness, th naie. - Tn ,of ctmon and th clash of- xh 'widow's tears," the orphan's lonely ; - fate, The rasing nations' war-drunk, dixsy - reel. ; p " t, And ?h,u?c os. man fn holy honSJHn land and on th Wea-4 Pea c in our hearts. Pteac holy. nnd- I filed. . - , .-,; j Peace. Peace, the theme of heaven's'' minstrelsy. w . ' : 1 . -A.--'.'' "nL.Z&tIiU T' 5o1' '$ 4 rUanV Vmhw U, -.. ..v.f. ,e. " V'ncie eil nOW says;' - ; Thad MItshlft,: who- Is sotn eav slouch, 'iows he can't never keep r good resolutions more'n . a week-' past' . New Year's day, in which he Is som' 4 considerable Ilk better. men. . Ma told 4 him h could make ever day av New Year's day. and in. that way keep sober i in. spite, or . tn. ooeueggers, oy oein i time. Thad 'iowa he will try it. spe- " I .f a vHAwi. a. .a 1 a. -J' St I , JT . fa VVIIBiaVJQ ftClViiri. JHV fT ' i I. I three perambulattn liquor ' chaps, .he iX i knowa but won' totifv imL - ' i- 'IT