The Monmouth herald., April 13, 1917, Image 2

The Herald
RICHARD B. SWENSON
Editor & Publisher
Kntmd u urand-UM utur ScpUmbv L 1M.
t U port oAc t Munmoutii. Grow. undr U
Act of Hvrh I 1871.
ISSUKD KVKRY FRIDAY
Subscription Rates
One year $1.50
Six month! 75 cti
Three months . 50 cti
MONMOUTH. OREGON
FRIDAY. APR. 13. 1917.
Monmouth
Meditations
Civilization is Retting so com
plex that it is no longer possible
for a man to live to himself alone.
By inventions the world has been
brought close together until it
may be said with truth that the
inhabitants of different hemis
pheres are neighbors. We are
dependent on people livinsr on
the opposite sides of the earth
for things that have become ne
cessities to us. Every day this
is now being proved. There is
not a craft or business but what
is in some way affected and in
terfered with by the present war.
Each year the tendency is to lay
more emphasis on the importance
of the welfare of the whole and
less on the independence of in
dividuals. One of the hardest
things to get around in the course
of progress is precedence. We
are apt to cling to the thoughts
and customs of our fathers long
after they have been demon
strated to interfere with our own
welfare and happiness.
It takes the idea a long time to
gain root that what was good for
our fathers might not be good
for us. We are interested in our
own welfare. New inventions
are constantly revolutionizing
economic conditions. Fifty years
ago it took three days to travel
from Cincinnati to New York. A
short time ago a man in a flying
machine made the trip in less
than 12 hours. We are realizing
that the intemperate habits of
our neighbors are of interest to
us. We are also realizing that
the morals of the leaders of
neighbor nations vitally concern
us.
If it is possible for one nation
to covet iron mines, or sea ports
of neighbor and through mere
mathematical calculation in the
possession of guns and gun
powder to carry into effect a de
liberate plan to go out and take
such mines or sea ports by force,
any one can see that with the
improved means of transporta
tion, we ourselves might be made
to suffer in a like manner. This
is the reason why we are inter
ested in the European war and
why a large majority of our rep.
resentatives nave voted that we
shall take a hand in it.
Being in, it is to our interest to
carry out our ideas with every
ounce of force at our command
1 1 . i . t
naving tanen up tne sword we
should wield it that opposing
nations might take it as an ob
ject lesson and hesitate about
arousing us to action again.
Some of our citizens, appar
ently have absorbed the notion
that the proposed charter amend
ments to be voted on April 30
are for the purpose of raising the
city tax limit from 10 mills to 50
mills. Nothing could be farther
from the truth.
Tax limitation is a charter pro
vision found in Section 11 of that
instrument It defines the pow
ers and duties of the council and
reads: 'The council shall have
power to make tax levies, not to
exceed ten mills, upon all taxable
property within said corporate
limits."
The proposed amendment
reads: "Be it enacted that the
indebtedness of the city of Mon
mouth shall not in the aggregate
exceed a sum over 5 per centum
of the assessed valuation of all
the taxable property within the
corporate limits of said city as
shown by the assessment and tax
rolls of Polk county, Oregon, ex
cept the municipal water works
bonds of said city, and also ex
cepting any bonds hereafter is
sued by authority of the voters
of said city, which shall not be
considered or taken as a part of
the indebtedness of said city
within the meaning of this act;
and any debtor liability, incurred
by said city, in violation of this
section, whether by borrowing
money, loaning the credit of the
city or otherwise, is null and void
and of no effect as regards the
city of Monmouth."
Any one who will carefully read
through the section of the char
ter quoted and the new section
proposed will see tnat they do
not have any friction, one with
the other. The last deals with
the power of the city to create
ebt. The first deals with the
ability of the city to raise money
to pay debt. Thus, the proposed
amendment says to the council:
"You shall not place a debt upon
the city in excess of five percent
of its assessed valuation." The
first and charter provision says:
"You can not raise money to pay
that debt faster than one per
cent of the assessed valuation of
the city each year."
The following are selections
written by Ted Holloway to Mon
mouth friends and by Fred
Thomas to his mother, Mrs. M
J. Thomas, and are from the
Oregon National Guard head
quarters at Vancouver and will
be of interest to many readers.
"I went through my physical
examination at Dallas, almost
immediately upon arrival. I was
good in every way, my teeth be
ing perfect. We left Dallas at
8:30 and were transferred to an
other train. There was a great
send off at Dallas and I got
pretty good one at Monmouth
high. There were large crowds
at Dallas and Woodburn and
many G. A. R. men boarded the
car to say they were just like us
56 years ago and to wish they
might be young again. Portland
and Oregon City did not seem to
be as enthusiastic. In Dallas any
show or hotel was free and on
anything we bought we got a re
duction. Arriving at Vancouver
we were lined up on the parade
grounds. There were four com
panies and over half of them
raw material. ,
"Our quarters are in the bar
racks and Company L has a
building to itself. Each company
has. Each soldier has a separate
cot and locker, i nave not any
uniform or equipment yet but
have been wearing an overcoat
belonging to another fellow. We
don't know where we are to go
although we may go within three
days. Information is locked up
at headquarters in Washington.
Rumor has it that we may go to
San Ysabel, Cal., where the
guard was last year. Also that
we may go to the Panama canal
or to Honolulu. A peculiar thing
about rumor is that it always has
us go just where we want to go.
So I don't take much stock in it
I surely have got in a good
crowd. There are fifteen men
from Monmouth here. We have
a medicine ball to throw around
and can go any where we want
to except at drill time and when '
on duty. Drill is mostly in the ;
morning and picketing is done
by the veterans so we have plenty j
of time to ourselves. We are i
free to go to Portland or Van-!
couver when we have the time.
"Coming here I noticed that
all the bridges were patroled by
militia and this may be our duty
when whipped into shape. I
don't know when we may go un
der examination again and I may
not pass. The captain doesn't
believe there will be another ex
amination as the government
wants men too much. There are
men in the company with worse
defects than I have. One has
joints in his fingers like knots
and he passed. I was over to
Vancouver last night and had a
thunder of a time findine mv
way back. I found every com
pany but Company L. Streets
are not very well lighted and
wind considerably.
Theodore Holloway.
April 1-Our grub is improv
ing and there is a larger variety
of eats than I thought we should
have. Reveille is at 6:30 a. m.
and Retreat at 5:30 p. m. The
first call for Reveille is at 6:10
and Taps is at 11:00. Everybody
must be in quarters at 10:45. We
had three hours drill yesterday
morning. I did not mind any
thing except the cold ground and
rain. It has been cold and has
rained ever since we arrived,
making it very disagreeable out
side the barracks. Send me mv
razor. Shaves are 25 cents each
at Vancouver.
"We have been given hat,
leggins, shoes, 2 pairs of socks,
poncha or rubber blanket and
half a dog tent. Got them yes
terday noon. There is more to
come, underwear especially, and
I hope it will come soon. We
drilled three hours yesterday but
they did not take us out today as
it was raining. The manual of
arms is the hardest as the gun
weighs 11 pounds and we have
to swing it as we would a broom
stick.
"At mess today we had salmon,
mashed potatoes, beans, parsnips,
rice and coffee. We have all the
milk and sugar we want in our
coffee. Company M uses the
same mess house as we do but
furnish their own grub. Some
times we eat first and sometimes
they do. . I have not been as
signed any duty but every day
four or five have to help.
"We have not yet got our mess
kit The older men have the
same kit they used on the border.
We have to borrow their tin
pans, knifes, forks and spoons
and are lucky to get any. Today
I had a tin pan and a toasting
fork. In learning the manual of
arms we use the other fellow's
guns. . Fred Thomas.
hoe
HOC
The Roof Over Your Head
will be a good one if it is made of our shingles.
Made of the best materials, well seasoned, if prop
erly put on they will last for years. Same way with
our lumber. It is the best and for that reason, the
cheapest to use. .
Willamette Valley Lumber Co.
Phone Main 202. Monmouth, Oregon
nor:
30C
Monmouth Transfer and
Feed Stable
All kinds of transferring done promptly
and on short notice
FRANK SKEEN, Proprietor.
Monmouth, Oregon
Our Bargain Column
Mandy Lee incubator and An
cona hens for sale. D. C. Walk
er. 27tf
Concrete work of all kinds. A.
L Tollman. 28-6t
I The Valley Electrical Shop J
S .
I Lighting Fixtures and Supplies f
WIRING
Estimates cheerfully furnished free. All work guaranteed to
$ stand city inspection. We do contract work. -Phone trouble
and we will come. In with Phillips' jewelry store.
H. D. Clements Main 4021. Independence
j MONMOUTH DAIRY
t j. m. Mcdonald, Prop- f
i ' INSPECTED BY STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
Come and see our fine herd of Jer
sey Cows and clean, sanitary barn
Phone 2405
MONMOUTH, ORE.
C. G. GRIFFA,
Plumber and Steam Fitter.
Carhles In Stock
Bath Tubs, Toilet Fixtures and all kinds of Plumb
ers' Supplies, nickel-plated or otherwise.
All orders attended to promptly and work guaranteed.
MONMOUTH. . . OREGON
I am in the market for . any
quantity of potatoes. Also have
some fresh milch cows for sale.
Allen T. Clark. Phone Main
4803. ( 26tf
Don't fail to see
those rues and Cook
stoves at , Steven's
Second Hand Store
Main St. north of lumber yard
Electric Light and Power
WIRIN G
Credit given up to 4 months on payment. Have your
building wired now and pay later.
See GLEN WHTTEAKER at Monmouth Hotel