THE POLK COUNTY OBSERVER, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1915.
Published Each Tuesday and Friday.
Office 517-519 Court Street
Telephone ....Main 1$
BY LEW A. CATES.
Subscription Rates,
One Tear J 1.60
BIx Months........ .75
Three Months ". 40
No subscription taken unless paid
(or In advance. This is Imperative.
Entered, as second-class matter In
the Postofflce at Dallas, Oregon.
DISCOURAGING.
Those who hope for an early ending
of the European war will find a note
of discouragement in a prediction just
made by Hudson Maxim, the famous
inventor and munitions expert who is
also a close strident of present war
conditions, and who is perhaps as well
informed regarding the latter as is
any person in this country, Mr, Max
im declares that in his opinion the
present war will last from three to
seven years longer, and will end in a
draw. Even so, however, he believes
that neither side will come out of the
war exhausted, either economically
or in men. They may be poorer fi
nancially, he says, but will rapidly
recuperate and soon commence to pre
pare for the next great struggle. In
other words, he thinks the present
war will settle nothing, at least per
manently, and that the inevitable re
sult will simply be a period of renew
ed preparations and then another test
of strength between the nations whose
interests must always and unavoid
ably clash and conflict with each oth
er. Or course this is contrary to the be
lief and predictions of some, who have
professed to see in the present war a
lesson to humanity that might lead to
general agreement to provisions in:
tended to prevent international wars
in the future. And yet, after all,
there is little on which to pin this
hope, and much to support the theory
and prediction of Mr. Maxim. From
time immemorial men have fought
with each other singly, in groups, by
tribes and in vast organized armies-
and never yet have they learned the
lesBon that it is best to live in peace
and harmony. Even the progress of
civilization has failed to eliminate
warfare, and the present war is itself
conspicuous proof of this. Why, then
is there any good reason for believ
ing that this will be the last great
warf Is it not just as reasonaoie
even more so. in fact to believe that
historv will aeain repeat?
An for the predicted duration of
the present war, it seems unlikely, of
course, that the gruelling, grinding
trmra-le can continue for another
three years, much less for seven years.
the extreme limit fixed by Mr. Max
im. Yet it is possible that he
nearer right than are other authorities
who insist "another year will tell the
story," although intelligent people
throughout the world will hope to sec
th latter prediction come true. But
eertainly if this war "settles noth
ing" and is to be followed by others
it is HD to tins nation to be prepared
while failure in this respect would be
' a grievous mistake.
many things to support the confident
predictions of greater and more abun
dant prosperity to come. It must be
remembered, for instance, that some
of the great commercial interests of
the country especially the railroads
have been keeping expenditures
down so closely during the lean years
that they must soon enter the market
for long-deferred supplies, and some
of them are already doing so. Also it
has been history that when the rail
roads are prosperous and buying, the
whole populace is likely also to enjoy
good times.
Every indication, in fact, now points
to a progressive increase in prosperi
ty in the United States, and there is
no reason to believe it will not last
at least as long as the traditional sev
en years.
CYCLE OF PROSPERITY,
It is an old axiom 'that hard times
and eood times move in periodic cy
cles of similar length and duration
and experience has shown there
some basis for this claim. Away back
in bible times there is a record of
uvra lean vears followed by seven
fat ones, and some authorities are try
ine to apply this old rule to condi
tions in the United States at the
present time. It is pointed out :hat
following he panic of 1007, hard times
have continued for the specified per
iod in biblical history, that is to say,
up to and including 1914. The pres
ent rear has witnessed a decide.)
change for the better, however, with
many evidences of returning prosperi
ty, and this is accepted by some as
evidence that seven "fat" years :or
this nation now are due and aciaully
have commenced.
This theory may be a fanciful one
and without any real basis, yet every
one will hope it may work out ii
actual fulfillment. Certainly the nu
merous signs of returning prosperity
re not to be mistaken, and the
shrewdest observers are unanimous in
agreeing that this prosperity is real
and is destined to continue and grow
for a considerable period. There are
some who maintain thai the end of
the European war may bring a world
wide reaction in business, and that
this nation will suffer along with the
rest. On the other hand, it is stated
by good authorities that enough bus
iness baa already been booked in 'he
United States to carry good times
through 1916, at least, and without re
gard to what happens in other parts
of the world.
In any event, there tan be no ques
tion that just at present this nation
is the most prosperous and blessed
of any in the entire world, and cer
tainly there is nothing as yet to in
dicate a check to America's good for
tune. On the other hand, there sr.
THE PROPOSED MERGER.
The agitation among their member
ship to effect a consolidation of the
La Creole and Commercial clubs of
Dallas is having the effect of bringing
out considerable opposition to the
merger, and especially so from mem
bers of the former organization, the
opinion being expressed among these
that the aims and objects or trie clubs
are so distinctly different the absorp
tion of either might have a tendency
to result in the obliteration of the
very things which they are calculated
to promote. The La Creole club is
purely a social organization, whiie
the Commercial club is intended to
promote the material interests of the
community as a business organization.
The argument is also advanced that
there are many members of the La
Creole club who are from the younger
set, and whose sole purpose in beim;
identified with it is to receive the
amusement privileges which accrue t
them through the payment of monthly
dues, and who, having no financial in
terests in the community, give little
heed to its advancement. While the
arguments may or may not be well
founded, it is nevertheless true that
opposition to the proposed plan, which
was first suggested by the social club,
is meeting with so much opposition
that its successful consummation is
scarcely probable.
With a well formulated working
plan, however, the merger should
prove advantageous to all concerned,
and especially so since the member
ship of one is to a considerable ex
tent the membership of the other. But
it is feared by those who refuse .to
entertain the proposition that the La
Creole club might lose its identity,
and become absorbed absoiutelv by
the commercial organization, and this
would be without their liking. The
committees appointed to investigate
the mode of procedure through which
the clubs at Salem were recently
merged are now. acting inquisitorial
ly, and until such time as they sub
mit their report it would be well to
withhold judgment. If the consolida
tion can be effected without one or
ganization seriously conflicting with
the aims and objects of the other,
then why not merge?
INCONSISTENT.
"Every day scores of babies who
have every right and reason to live
normal, healthy babies who ought to
live die through the ignorance or
neglect of their parents, and no pub
lic protest is made. Yet because a
baby that had no excuse for living is
mercifully allowed to die by the hos
pital authorities because a child born
defective and deformed is not saved
for a life of misery to itself and its'
parents the country cries out and
public opinion divides as to whether
the act was one of humanity or bar
barity. ' ' Exchange.
There is much more than the pro
verbial grain of truth in the above
observation, which in fact, reveals on
ly one of numerous human inconsis
tencies that dety both explanation
and understanding. In fact, the world
is full of curious examples of glaring
variation between the professions and
avowed beliefs of mankind and the
actual conduct of the latter. This is
so in private affairs, in social rela
tions, and with respect to the attitude
and dealings of organized govern
ments. e prate of peace, truth, du
ty, justice, righteousness and human
brotherhood, and then deliberately
turn about and at times ignore or
flagrantly violate these very worthy
basic principles.
Inconsistency, in fact, is as much a
rule of human conduct as is faithful
adherence to a line of conduct in
keeping with our solemn professions
and expressed convictions, although
the latter, fortunately, is always in
the ascendency. In other words,
while human frailty results in many
slips of plain inconsistency, truth.
justice, righteousness and a sense of
duty still are the predominant influ
ences which direct and control hu
man motives and human actions, mak
ing the net result both beneficial and
creditable. 1
And this is just as true in the cited
example of inconsistency as it is with
all other experiences in life. The note
of protest and criticism over the
death of this one infant, when hun
dreds of other deaths, due to neglect
and worse, are permitted to pass al
most unnoticed, proves nothing more
than the human wind is controlled by
motives of sympathy, right and jus-
CAN BE"
PLeASL(?e
CTOlF IS
OUTDOOR
DC7M (NOB
tice, and is ever ready to respond
when its attention is called to a con
crete case. And in all such cases,
both small and large, the final human
judgment will be as near right as hui
man intelligence can perceive the
right. For while inconsistencies creep
in, humanity still pins its faith to
right principles, and always comes
back to them with a sincere desire to
make human conduct, individually
and collectively harmonize with those
principles.
Newspapers which are seeking to
make the first anniversary of the new
banking system point a moral or
adorn a tale are simply wasting time.
The first year proves absolutely noth
ing. Banking and all other business
has been carried on under abnormal
conditions. Until the field clears and
it is possible to assign to all the fac
tors of the now situation conclusions
regarding the new law are worth con
sidering.
What now? Woodrow wants to
raise the tariff on wool and tax the
small wage earners ' income. No won
der Mrs. Gait wants him to hurry up
that marriage. She's going to have
but precious little time in the White
house the way things look now.
Quick and easy communication be
tween towns, cities, townships, coun
ties and states is one of the great
needs of modern times, but to have
this, inter-county, interstate and na
tional roads must be constructed, re
paired and maintained.
President Underwood of the Erie
has just been elected a director of the
Southern Pacific, which sounds well
for that road, for he does not asso
ciate himself with decadent enter
prises.
According to one military authority,
six babies are born in Germany to ev
ery soldier killed in war. And you
have to admit it is pretty hard to
beat a "system" of that kind!
As Christmas approaches there is
an increasing politeness among rela
tives and friends, as usual.
Well, if we just must have that in
ter-county bridge, here goes.
OTHER THINGS
A Rare and Curious Collection
of Fact and Fancy.
-
of it against the structure, mounted
it and while others gazed in honor
wpon the scene lest two lives instead
of one should be blotted from the di
rectory he descended with steady
tread and placed his burden safelv at
the feet of the applauding spectators.
Again and again did he go to and fro.
delivering helpless women and chil
dren from the leaping flames, until
the last one was saved, when ho fell
in a limp and semi-lifeless heap. Ho
had performed a grand and noble
deed, the intent and purpose of which
was not to merit the applaudits and
commendation of his fellow man but a
deed of valor for humanity's sake.
But with its completion had come
physical exhaustion and he scarcely
retained sufficient straigt'i to pick
his weakened self from t ic floor of
his apartments, where he had dream
ed of his heroic act, and to crawl
back between the sheets.
Speaking of Roads.
J. Waldo Finn, the debonair road
master, says: "You're a darn rascal
if you do, and a darn fool if you don 't.
I d rather be a darn rascal than a
darn fool any day."
"The man who allows his life to
justify itself, and lets his work speak,
and when reviled reviles not again,
must be a very great and lofty soul."
Hubbard.
Jim French had the assuring gall
to tell us that he had been kissed
once by a girl other than one of the
family. Lives there a girl with taste
so dead? Preposterous. We cant
believe Jim's story, because, in the
first place he u never remove his own
horn from his lips long enough to be
kissed.
The Has and the Are.
I'd rather be a Could Be,
If I could not be an Are!
For a Could Be is a May Be,
With a chance of touching par.
I'd rather be a Haa Been,
Than a Might Have Been, by far.
For a Might Have Been has never
been,
But a Has was once an Are.
Selected.
Doc. Cherrington was comfortably
enscoased in the protecting arms of
old Morpheus, laboring under the hal
lucination that he was again back in
Ohio amid Yuletide festivities, .mil
that the tintinnambulation of the
merry sleighbells was beckoning him to
join a happy and carefree throng in
celebrating the joyous season, when
tlie alarm of fire was sounded Fri
day night. Only half appreciating
the meaning of the screeching whis
tles, he hurriedly rushed forth to save
life and property from the destroying
element. Reaching the conflagration
his first thought was to save those in
peril from the burning building. His
eagle eye discerned through the dene
smoke the form of a fair young girl
as she was clinging desperately to a
window sill far above the ground.
With the alertness of younger days,
he grasped a ladder and with, one
mighty swing Isnded the business end
Bill White says: "Never has it
failed to materialize, when I had
mighty hopes and high aspirations in
a matrimonial way, that some one
would nelieve me of the girl and with
out prospicience. That's why I'm so
happy today."
There Dallas Boys Are Whizzers.
Considerable family uneasiness as
well as local gossip, is the outcome
of a fervid love affair between a
young man of Dallas and an Inde
pendence lass, both being only fifteen
years of age. The young people sim
ply declare they cannot live without
each other and openly defy their par-
ems. .Enterprise.
We've been sick in bed and penni
less since Saturday and won't be able
to fill the column this week. We're
eating through the good hear redness
of Dr. blasts and some or the other
O. A. C. supporters who saved a bone
or two from the wreck. Next week's
check may put us on our feet again
after dreaming of 9 to 0 for seven
days.
AVe didn't get to lausrh at Boots
Kersey, the tanker, and Walt. Vassall,
the banker. And we can't seem to
find an alibi.
SALES DAY SPECIAL !
a ' '
Bring this ad in and we will
accept same as
$1.G0 in cash
to apply on any pair of Shoes
in the store, Nettletons, Bea
cons, Florsheims and Berg-
manns
PRICE BROS.
THE MOST COMPLETE STOCK OF MEN'S AND BOYS' GOODS
IN VALLEY
-THE-
Dallas Grocery Co.
Successor to Simonton & Scott.
It
Asks a Continuation of the Old
Firm's Business.
We are out after new bus
iness. Give us a trial.
We give H&C Green Trad
ing Stamps.
Our Prices Are Right
'tyi
A consignment of very pretty pur
ple and gold pennants asv gifts for
standard schools during the present
year, haw been received at Superin
tendent Seymour's office. There are
about thirty pennants in the lot and
that would indicate that the office
has high hopes for the county schools.
COLDS
AND GRIPPE
AND INFLAMED CONDITIONS
OF THROAT AND LUNGS ARE
MOST EFFECTIVELY TREAT
ED WITH A. D. S. WHITE PDXE
SYRUP AND A. D. S. COLD AND
GRIPPE TABLETS
TOR SALE BY
THE FULLER
PHARMACY
MAIN STREET, CORNER MILL
to
'HEN in need of
Athletic Sup
plies, Flash
lights and Batteries, Pock
et Cutlery, Bicycles, Mo
torcycles, Sundries, Blast
ing Powder, Gun Repair
ing, Umbrella Repairing,
Bicycle and Motorcycle Re
dairing, or in fact any light
Mechanical Repairing, call
on
L. B. HIXSON, Jr.
PHONE 1072.
315 MAIN ST.
I LUMBER V,
I rX. OFFICE
BUnER WRAPPERS
GET THEM
AT 1 OBSERVER
When We Hand
You Our Estimates
of ths coat of the lumber you requlrt
yon can depend upon It that ths fig
ures win bs as low as first-claaa, well
seasoned lumber can be told for hon
estly. If yon pay nor. yoa pay to.
rack. If m pay lest jon get lew
either U suality or quantity.
Willamette Valley
Lumber Co.