The Oregon statesman., January 13, 1929, Page 4, Image 4

Earl C. Bsownlee
Sheldon F. Sackett
Publishers
1
ditoiraa!
femm Features
Salem, Oregon
Sat unlay
January 12, 1 02.H
i
A great deal of talent is lost in the world for want of
a little courage. Every day sends to their graves obscure
men whom timidity prevented from making a first effort;
who, if they could have been induced to begin, would in
all probability have gone great lengths in the career of
fame. The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth
doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of
the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through
as well as we can. Sydney Smith.
In-flu-enza
T"
1 - i
The 1929 Legislature
MIGHTY matters hang in the balance today as the last
preface to Oregon's biennial legislative session resolves
Itself into the mere passage of time and the dawn of tomor
row. The Hobby" that surrounds Oregon politics and legis
lation has been moved from Portland in the meantime, and
the chorus of self-seekers is enjoying its final rehearsal.
Monday the 40-day race against time will be under way.
Soon the biennial flood of bills will engulf the attention of
honest men and otherwise. But let us not indulge that last
thought. There are a sufficient number of voices to sing
that song.
A For the -Statesman's part it welcomes to the capital city a
splendid and interesting group of far-seeing, upstanding;
honorable men and a delightful young woman who will rep
resent alone the case of her sex. In the 1929 legislature will
be found some of Oregon's finest citizens, some of the state's
most courageous and patriotic men; some of the state's most
'excellent examples of unselfish, constructive manhood.
Having been selected by the honest votes of honest peo
ple, this legislative group has fared through the period of
distressful calumny that must attend politics and has brave-
-aJy advanced to the work at hand. The face that the work
now in sight would appear to be somewhat less Important
than usual -does not deny the fact that every legislator will
be called upon to extend his best energies to studies and his
best thought to decisions "that will effect the welfare of Ore
gon to a very large degree. For the most part, the members
of the 1929 legislature are capable of both performances.
Very few men get into the legislative throng who have
not some definite purpose to serve, either for themselves or
the groups that caused, their, election. Yet even these ;men
will join readily in the important general programs that de
velop. The fact that there will be sharp differences of opiro-
ion and method only proves again the need for just such a
representative law making organization as the state legis
lature.
Taxation will be the battle cry of the 40-day session that
opens Monday. Taxation is the question upon which the fu
ture political fortunes of the men and the woman who make
up the bienniel session will rest. Taxation is Oregon's great
est problem.
The day before the session opens the hope may be ex
pressed that the legislature will find some constructive way
out of the dilema of taxes. There's no harm in hoping!
We welcome the concentration in Salem of the spokes
man for every county and corner of the state and believe the
welcome will not be modified in any degree by the flavor of
our water.
Who's Who & Timely Views
Jimmie
TIMMIE got more first page space in the Chicago Tribune
J the other day than the king of England has had since
his illness , .
And this, briefly, is the story of Jimmie : Born in Chi
cago slums 40 years ago. Got his start in the world through
the Waifs' Mission, a charity of the late Levi Z. Leiter,
Through the influence of Mr. Leiter, the boys of the mission
were called for messenger service by the business men of the
city. Jimmy's job at the mission was to answer the 'phone
I And m 1892 the Chicago Times phoned for a copy boy ;
at $6 a week. "I ll send a boy right over, answered Jimmie,
He sent himself. Jimmie continued to live in the Waifs'
Home. A little later the Chicago Tribune phoned for a good
copy boy. Jimmie was standing near the phone. "We got
the world's greatest copy boy; I'll send him over," Jimmie
said. Being a repeater, he sent himself over. He took the
job ; remained for 33 years.
He worked hard, long hours; applied himself; was kind,
considerate, buoyant, cheerful, square. He rose to the place
of city editor ; had charge of all the reporters. Made friends
by his geniality, insight into human nature, and democracy
Money and pull counted not with him ; ability and adaptabil
ity and industry, and square shootingr counted much.
When Lord Northcliffe sent a messenger boy to Chicago
some years ago with a personal message, James Kelley, then
editor of the Tribune, answered in like fashion
He sent Jimmie. He had never before been outside the
limits of Chicago, but he went, and delivered the note in Lon
don, and was neither surprised or confused by the order
One of his duties was to release the reporters at 9:30
each evening. He would call out to .them, "All right there,
- boys if you're clear ;" which meant that the reporters could
go if they had finished their work.
, It was thus he met the orders of the "Big Chief" at the
end. He came to work Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock and
the last "forms of the paper closed at midnight. He start
ed home, as he had done for 33 years; was taken 111 on the
way. His wife helped him to bed, and in a few minutes the
last call came, and found his life s tasks all "clear."
John Oxenham in "A Little Te Deum of the Common
place" had in mind such men as Jimmie Durkin when he
wrote:
"For that supreme token of Thy love
Thyself made, manifest in human flesh;
For that pare life beneath the Syrian sky
The hnmble toil, the sweat, the bench, he saw.
The nails wen driven, and the work well done;
For all its vast expansions; for the stress
Of those three nihility years;
For all He bore of onr humanity;
His hunger, thirst, his hontelessness and want,
His weariness that longed fr -4reIL earned rest;
For labor's high ennoblement through him,
Who labored with his hands for daily bread;
We thank Thee, Lord!'
5
I No Hand Out ; Salem
OOME one has said, "The more you are up on a man the
O less you are down on him"
, And that is the way it is with Salem and the members
of the legislature. Salem has a long acquaintance with leg
islatures; is up on them, knows their good intentions and the
difficulties under which they labor
And is not down on them at all.
This time, Salem has nothing to ask of the legislature
j beyond what is good for the whole state, in every section of
which' the capital city is as a matter of course interested
Salem would like to see the state budget balanced, with the
greatest all around fairness in which the difficult matter is
capable of being adjusted. Salem hopes for an adjustment
of the auto license fees without throwing monkey wrenches
i?to the state .highway system. As to the state institutions
located in Salem, they will of course have proper considera
tion; they belong to all Oregon. In a little while, as matters
are proceeding, the state penitentiary will be above asking
for legislative appropriations. It Is an Industry first and a
prison afterwards. Fully Industrialized and well managed,
it will be a model prison; reformatory instead of vindictive
in its treatment of the inmates, as contemplated by the for
ward looking men who framed the state constitution.
- i . Sale has no hand out to the legislature ; wants nothing
that is r. ' n harmony with the highest interest of the whole
state I ...'
Wishing well of the assembling legislators.
TRAFFIC PROBLEMS
DISCUSSED
By ASTHTTR W. BXBRZSTOBD
President ef taa America Bagtaeering
Cobbcu
(Arthar W. Berresford woe horn in
Brooklyn in 1872. He etedled electrical
n(inerimr at Ooraall uniTeraity and
a graduated ia 1893. Berresford has
worked along limes of electrical engineer
ing with rarious companies. He served
ts vice president and manager of the
Iran Clad Resistance company at West-'
field. X. J., from 1808 to 1900; as s
perintendent from 1WO0 to 1805. and
general manager since 1905. He also if
connected with various other engineering
concerns. Berresford has been president
of the American Engineering Council
inoe 19.27.)
THE principal reasons why sig
nals to control street traffic
should be installed are to in
crease the safety of pedestrians
and I vehicles at congested Inter
sections, to fa
c 1 1 1 1 a t e the
movement of
traffic with a
minim am of
delay at con
gested intersec
tions, to pro
ride for the
contlnn ous
r traffic through
ti 1 out a heavy
I route and to In
terrupt a neavy
traffic stream
at intervals so
ARTHUR- W.
BERRESFORD
as to afford opportunity for cross
traffic to move.
The most generally effective
mechanical device ssed to increase
safety and to facilitate traffic at
Intersections on city streets is the
automatic traffic control signal,
but there is a tendency to use
traffic control signals unneces
sarily. Some are installed Indiscrim
inately, without a thorough anal
ysis of the conditions and of the
probable effects of their installa
tion. Many are installed and op
erated where and when their use
is not justified. ,
It is clearly 'obvious that some
cities are making two fundamen
tal errors In installing street traf
fic signs, signals, and markings.
These errors are:
First, placing traffic control
devices without adequate study
of the conditions which their use
Is intended to Improve, or of the
evil effects produced at some In
tersections resulting from the at
tempt to correct undesirable con
ditions at one particular intersec
tion. Second, employing traffic con
trol devices at places and times
not justified by the conditions.
If these tendencies continue,
the Inevitable result will be a pub
lic recognition of the errors and a
consequent neglect or unfriendli
ness toward street traffic signs,
signals and markings.
This neglect will lead to the
ultimate defeat of useful and ef
fective methods of traffic control.
Such fundamental errors can be
avoided by obtaining expert -engineering
advice before any system
if street traffic signs, signals, and
markings is established.
In most cities the responsibil
ity Is placed upon some branch of
the police department. No stan
dard official organization handles
questions relating to traffic signs,
signals and markings, and this
defect is perhaps one of the most
serious features of the present
condition.
As there is great variation in
the state laws regarding signs and
signals, it is obviously impossible
to make recommendations that
can be universally adopted until
many such laws a amended.
Consequently, some municipalities
may have to permit such devia
tions from these recommendations
as to make them conform to the
requirements of state laws.
The Way
of the
World
By GROVE PATTERSON
.Shaping Minds
In the above paragraph Carl
Sandburg says the people go on
although the tongues of orators
turn to dust. The people do go
on and the manner of their going
is determined in part by the spo
ken and the written word. Peo
ple seem so bent on their pleas
ures, so Intent upon having their
own way that we sometimes think
they are uninfluenced. But they
are deeply influenced, more than
we know. We are Influenced be
yond what we ever admit. We
listen and sometimes heed little,
but the Impression is left.
The People Go On
Carl Sandburg, writing in the
Chicago News, tells of the Lincoln-Douglas
debates. One of
those great events was recently
re-enacted at Jox- college at
Galesburg, 111.- Says Sandburg,
biographer of Lincoln: "Three
great actors or human forces took
part in the Lincoln-Douglas de
bates. The orators, Lincoln nd
Douglas, were two of the actors
In the drama. The third was the
people. They came in the cold
and almost frozen rain of a raw
October day to stand and listen
three hours to the speakers of the
day. That crowd of 20,000 peo
ple was an instrument, a factor
In history, that the minds and
tongues of the orators tried to
control and direct. In seven years
both of the great orators were
dead. But the people go on and
oh. ' Perhaps a thousand years
from now there will be a mlllin
ial celebration of the event of
70 years ago on this spot. The
very words of all great orators
testify and cry that while the
tongues of orators- turn to dust
the people go on and on."
From Weeks to Hoars
There Is much talk about the
speed with which one can go from
coast to coast across the American
continent Schedules between New
York and Chicago come in for
much discussion. More interest
ing, however. Is the change in
schedules which can be brought
about in Central American coun
tries.. In Mexico, Central Amer
ica and the Panama country it
sometimes takes weeks to go a
few. hundred miles. Journeys
which take two weeks may soon
be cut to 20 hours. There are
other countries where the air
plane means more than In the
United States.
a
The Chicago Fair
The Chicago World's fair In
1893 was probably the outstand
ing event for education, industry
and entertainment since the Cen
tennial Exposition in Philadelphia
in 1876. There have been other
world's fairs, but somehow the
big Chicago show seems to stand
out as foremost in the last 35
years. Now Chicago Is planning
another exposition on grand
lines. But the city has some in
side preparation to make before
she can invite the world. It Is
known for its racketeering' and
organized crime. Perhaps it Is
no worse in proportion than many
people thing Wth ,.:;
other cities. Unfortunately many
people think so. What Chicago
needs is two campaigns: one to
rid the city of racketeers and an
other to tell the world It Is done.
Then come on with the exposition.
THE
ONE MINUTE
PULPIT
The Grab'
ag
MHMMBHiHHBMMMMHHHIWn
fir -
x sJr,ts
vv iio ixlu i :
recently hold
iV nil twnCe
in Wyoming?
what party do I belong?
What is the Zuyder Zee?
Who was the "Inspired Tinker?'
Who was' the first secretary o:
state in the United States?
"He that is slow to anger i:
better than the mighty; and he
that ruleth his spirit than he that
taketh a city." Where is this pas
sage found in the Bible?
Today In the Past
On this date, in 17S4. Congress
ratified the treaty or peace wlt
Great Britain.
Today's Horoscope
Persons born on this ! day ar
lavishly generous, but they often
are slave drivers. They should
study themselves and endeavor to
correct their faults.
A. Daily Thought
"He that is down can
lower." Butler.
fall nr
Answer to Foregoing Questions
1. Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross; gov
ernor; Democrat.
2. An arm of the North Sea
penetrating the Netherlands.
3. John Bunyan.
4. Thomas Jefferson.
5. Proverbs, xvi. 3 2.
WOfcDS OP
THE WISE
cvery man is his own greatest
enemy, and, as it were, his own
executioner." Sir Thos. Browne
a a a
"I bold this to be the rule of
life. 'Too much of anything h
bad.' " Terence.
a a a
"Unless you bear with the
faults of a friend you betray your
own. Syrus.
a a a
"A hated government does not
last long."- Seneca.
a a a
"Things forbidden have a secret
charm." Tacitus.
O Lord, our Lord, excellent Is
tby name In all the earth! who
hast set thy glory above the
heavens.
Out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings hast thou ordained
strength because of thine ene
mies, that thou mlghtest still the
enemy and the avenger. Psalm
viii. 1. 2.
Poeons
thai Live
ST. MICHAEL'S MOUNT
ST. MICHAEL'S MOUNT, the
tidal isle,
In May with daffodils and lilies
Is kirtled gorgeously a while
As ne'er another English hill la:
About the precipices cling
The rich renascence robes oi
Spring.
Her gold and silver, nature'
gifts.
The prodigal with both hands
showers;
O not in patches, not in drifts
But round and round a mount
of flowers
Of lilies and of daffodiU,
The envy of all other hills.
And on the lofty summit looms 1
The castle: None could build
or plan it.
The fonr-square foliage springs
and blooms,
The piled elaborate flower of
granite,
That not the sun can. wither; no.
Nor any tempest overthrow.
-John Daviton (U57-1909)
Bits for Breakfast
By K. J- Hendricks
tomor-
Legislature convenes
row
All three houses, with the third
house several times as large as the
other two.
S S
The long lease taken on the
Roth Grocery company property
by one of the big chain etore
groups is another Indication of
what men who take no chances
think of the future of Salem.
S "b
Salem has about 30,000 people
now. How many will she have
when that 30 year lease expires?
It will be much more than .three
times 30.000. if all the things
that are on the tapis come our
way or half of them.
S
This lease will necessitate the
removal of the Salem Y. W. That
instltntion should move into a new
building of their own.
Mrs. Dan' J. Fry gave her hus
band a surprise party the other
evening, on the occasion of his
70th birthday. It seems only a lit
tle while ago when Mr. Fry, in
1S82. came to Salem, a young
.'ellow just out of the Philadelphia
lental college. He went to work
n the Brlggs drug store, near the
corner of Commercial and Ferry
treats, on the west side. He mar.
rled the daughter of City Marshal
Mode" Harboard. Mrs. Fry is a
first cousin of Major General Har
board, who was In charge of the
vast supply forces in the world
war.
s S S
Mrs. Fry had invited to their
lome a number of friends, meetly
ld timers here, though all young
in spirit. It's, the climate. In this
valley men and women do not
Trow old. They just -pass the years
so delightfully that they 'have no
time to grow old. But it was found
that Mr. Fry is the only man in
Salem, with a possible exception
of a half a dozen men, who has re
mained in the same line of busi
ness for 4 7 years. There have been
many change. And Mr.
added some side lines.
r
Mr. Fry has provl
things since he cast his h ,
Salem. One important thine :,
others, and that is that -has
been a very good tow
which to grow up. He wo);
able to testify that it is st ::
kind of a town.
Let's show to the .
and their families that Sal. u.
worthy of her handle, as u -of
welcome. Courtesy rost
ing. The air of good MIo-a.
free. And this is the ftat
These people coming anid:..
stay over 40 days ar' ,
people. We owe it to
make them see that th
city is worthy of its po
distinction as euch
"a "a
This one is from a I nly
ist in the back room, rt.!:
one of the Adonic report' r
front office of this gna
newspaper:
, "May I print a kiss or.
lips?" he said.
She granted him swet ; -sion.
They went to prss,
And, I rather guess,
They printed a large ediu
-m
"That big car of Brown', ,r.
kicks up a lot of dust," said a i: ,i
from the prune district sow:.
town. "No wonder, it's dram;.::,
a mortgage ou a quarter secti-::
land," said his cynical comjiat. -i,
V
Stop and let the train k ),
It hardly takes a minu .
Your car starts off again mt.i,
And, better still yn.. i.. in n
(That's a poem hand-d
the man who" makes th
with the Statesman nia.N
(don't tell the police) !),:
lurking suspicion in Du mi
the Bits man that, lik )
veroiai aoctor, he does nut ,,ijy
take his own medicine.
r: l.y
:'aiin
(ml
' a
i.l of
I'm
High Pressure Pete
They Say . . .
Expressions of Opinion from
Statesman Readers are
Welcomed for Use In this
column. All Letters Mast
Beer Writer's Name,
Though This Need Not be
Printed.
REVIEWS EXPERIMENT
OF MUNICIPAL PLANT
To the editor of the Statesman:
As there has been some talk about
the water situation and the ques
tion of a municipal owned plant it
might be of public Interest to print
an account of the experiment and
experience of Lodi, California in
that line.
In 1905 Lodi was a village of
about 3000 population In a rich
;rape growing district in the San
Joaquin valley. The water supply
was from a well and delivered
taruogh such small pipes
that often we had to
wait minutes for a cup of
water from the faucets. Then it
was not fit to drink for this ser
vice we had to pay $2.50 a month
ind the electric light service cost
10 cents a kilowat hour. Private!
swners refused to do anything in
Improving matters and, as we had
to have a sewer system, the citi
zens decided to incorporate as a
city and issue bonds for enough
to install a sewer system and put
in a water and light outfit, too.
After we got started the private
owners offered to sell out their
plant at about twice its real value
and after a lot of negotiation our
council, to save time and litiga
tion, bought the old plant at
about 50 percent more than its
value and proceeded to recon
struct the whole plant and let the
ontract for a sewer system.
After a few months the city
council found that the revenue
from water and lights, after ali
expenses were accounted for,
would justify a reduction. The
price of water was put at $1 and
electricity to 6 cents. Then.: as the
use grew rapidly and the surplus
piled up. they cut the price of
electricity to 4 cents and power
and fuel for stoves to 3 cents. The
city bought electric cookstoves
and furnished them to users at
cost plus carriage, which was
about half of the retail price at
that time. The use of "Juice"
jumped so that in a short time the
rate was cut to 2 cents and Just
last fall It was cut down to 1 cent
per kilowatt hour. Water has
been for years at 50 cent minimum
rate, and plenty of it from new
sources, or pure water, all paid
for by surplus profits from electri
city and water after all expenses.
overhead, bond payments, inter
est etc., were taken care of. The
city has in the years since the
municipal plant was installed,
bought and paid for and improved
mil Diocit for a park, out in a
public swimming pool with a
warm water supply from an ar
tesion well, lighted th. m: :-
with 300 watt street lights on !.
crete standards at no -t to
people, bought another snmli park
and installed a fine iuif :! -m
tion, bought a half block n ar ;
center of the city and built a fiv
city hall at a cost of about $;"...
000. and is now finishing a lar
addition to the Carnegi librr.
all from the surplus profit from
water and light plants since 1 !'?.
Lodi Is a city of lO.ooo or 11
000. has almost a:J of the 3m--:s
paved, and mauy packing and
cannery plants are prospering t
cdm'plete the picture. The i:y
council reduced city iasr for i!ih
year from 1.75 per $loo to $1
I think la a fine. showing of a a -ii
managed municipal plant. and
luite a contrast lo the jri.
paid by the citizens of Sakm and
lurrounding country. Not irny
people realize , that the cost f
electricity Is now less than thr,
aallls (a trifle Over a quarter f i
:ent, per kilowatt, and is fur.n'-h
3d to cities now at less than :
ient wholesale, yet. people -
here In. Oregon, are taxed up v
cents or 12.50 for 13 kilowa- -the
country.
F. J. HEATY
Suggests Wells a
Source For Water
! Salem. Jan 1
To the editor of the Statesman
Yesterday morning I read in th
Dregonian that Hal E. Hoss ! a
mother Job added when he is
usy counting the money idin:!
n for new auto license plate- Hai
s to drive a water wagon and
bring to the legislators a supi '' of
3ull Run water.
A terrible 6lam on SaU-m
r supply. Also it is a notice i"
bootleggers that members of t 1
jon'flegislature drink water
I have been drilling wells in
iround Salem for the last f'w?
ears aad I happen to know '!
Mr. Hoss can save a lot of en-"'- v
ind oil anal tires and pet nior.- a: i
etter water for the dear -c--: :
lor'u to drink out of wells in :
:han twe miles of the state 1
Also it might save an acci i-
the highway for, as he would
to go fast, he might bump -one
with a load of somt hir.tr
to drink.
I wish to say now, so ai:
hear, that Salem's wai-r -.-company
is moving in th-- i in
direction to solve the 4 0 year-old
problem of good wat. : for Salem
A few 12-inch wells will do thd
Job and next time t . legislature
meets the water bov will b- out or
a Job.
To the man who thinks we can '.
ret enough water from wells i
Mm to St. Paul, Minnesota, an :
find out about their sue and -u;
ply and also stop off at La (iraiu:
Oregon, and ask the. people th
t they would like to go hack
the Algae and half-supply tin :
efore drilling their two bu-
isan wells.
R. a. W Hai
By Swan
ft
-
VMM
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wze
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