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About The Athena press. (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 8, 1915)
WHAT YOU NEED The other fellow may have; what you have the other fellow may want. Come together by advertising in the Press. BARGAIN DAY Is every day with the Merchant who advertises In the Press he has some thing to sell and says so. Buy Your Groceries From Your Home Grocer "VOLUME XXVII. ATHENA, UMATILLA COUNTY, OIEQON, FEIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1915. NUMBER 3. BLANKETED BELGIANS TRYING TO KEEP WARM rf 4 Si J- IfrK i lTv ' '! The soldiers cf Belgium are poorly equipped for winter fighting, but blankets are being distributed among them M rapidly as possible. AMERICAN FARMS ECLIPSE RECORDS Total Output in 1914 Nearly Ten Billions. Decrease in Price of Eggs and In crease in Cattle and Calves Contribute to Result . vious record being 15,693,000 bales in 1911. The value per acre of all enumerated cropa averaged about $16.44 this year, compared with $16.52 in 1913 and $16.15 In 1912. Washington, D. C. American farms during 1914 eclipsed all records for combined value of their products with total of almost $10,000,000,000. Secretary Houston, of the department of Agriculture, announced Thursday that the value of all farm crops, farm animal products and farm animals sold and slaughtered aggregated $9,872, 936,000. That was $83,000,000 more than the grand total for 1913, the previous record year, and more than double the value of all farm products in 1899. Crops this year were valued at $6, 044,480.000, and the estimated total value of the animal products and of the farm animals sold and slaughtered was $3,828,456,000. The value of crop production this year was slightly less than in 1913 on account oi the re duced value of the cotton crop, brought about principally by the European war, The corn and wheat crops, however, , were the most valuable ever produced in the United States, bringing the year's crop Value total to only $83, 279,000 less than the total for last year, despite the loss of more than $300,000,000 in the value of the cotton crop. "The estimated value of the animal products on the farm in 1914,", said the Agricultural Outlook, "is distinct ly higher than in 1913, which was itself a record year in the value of this class of products. " "This is due to goneral, but slight, increases in - production, except for sheep and swine, and in prices, and more especially to a small increase in the average farm price of eggs and to more considerable increase in the farm price of cattle and calves sold and slaughtered. "It must be borne in mind that the amounts of these estimates do not stand for net wealth produced, nor for cash receipts, nor for profit, nor for income in any sense. Each product is valued, is in the census, when it reached commercial form and the grand aggregate of all items is to be regarded as an index number, or from a relative rather than from an absolute point of view." The sales of crops last year were estimated at $2,928,000,000; sales of livestock $2,919,000,000, a total of $5,837,000,000. The estimated value of total sales per farm was $892, and ales per capita of rural population, excluding towns, $139. The value of the principal farm crops this year was: Corn, $1,702,699,000; wheat, $878, 680,000; hay, $779,068,000; cotton, $519,616,000; oats, $499,413,000; po tatoes, $198,609,000; barley, $105, 903,000; tobacco, $101,411,000; sweet potatoes, $41,294,000; rye, $37,018, 000; sugar beets, $27,950,000; rice, $21,849,000; flaxseed, $19,540,000, and buckwheat, $12,892,000. In the production of the foregoing 14 principal crops, this year's average was about 10 per cent larger than in 1913, and 6 per cent smaller than 1912, -which year stands as one of the great est aggregate productions in the United States. This year two import ant crops exceeded previous records wheat, with 891,000,000 bushels, fol lowing the 1913 record of 763,000,000 bushels, and cotton, with 15,966,000 bales (preliminary estimate), the pra- Boers Witt Be Drafted. ; London A dispatch to the Renter Telegram company from Cape Town ays that Walfish Bay, on the south west coast of Africa, was reoceupied nn Christmas Day without opposition by a strong British force. A telegram to Renter's Telegram company from Pretoria, seat of government of the Union of South Africa, says: "It is nffieiallv announced that the govern- mnnt intends to commandeer men for urvicein German Southwest Africa and the Union of South Africa, as the situation cannot be met by volunteers. " Russia Declares Germany Made loots of lurks Petrograd Sergius Sanzonoff, Rus sian minister for foreign affairs, has published an Orange book, which deals with the events preceding the Turkish attacks on Russian seaports in the Black Sea. The Orange book contains 98 docu ments and ib intended to throw light on what is termed in a summary of the contentB issued through the Petrograd Telegraph agency "the clandestine and obstinate methods employed by Austro German diplomacy in forcing the Turkish government reluctantly to war against the triple entente powers." "The documents in the book," it is said in the official summary, "gave evidence that the independence of the Ottoman Empire, was already imper- NEW BRITISH ARMORED CAR iT ! -' i i " , BUSINESS FUTURE LOOKS PROMISING Secretary Redfield Sends To All Cheering Message. Prosperity for Whole Country At Hand and Advice Is Offered To Make Preparations, Polk County Prune Tree Acreage Shows Increase Monmouth The prune acreage in Polk county has been increased great ly this fall by the planting of many young trees in each of the prune dis tricts, according to a recent survey of the various sections of the county. In the summer, when the decrease in the 1914 crop was apparent, growers or dered young trees for the spring of 1915. A remarkable confidence in the crop by the old growers, the starting of more farmers into prune growing and an awakened interest among county residents toward the industry are noted preliminary features of the coming season. . The increase in acreage Ib shown not to have decreased to any great extent the acreage previously In use for farm ing purposes. Several years of toll in the hills have In many cases resulted in the clearing of tracts of land large enough to accommodate prune orch ards. Since numerous tests were made on the hill land what grain crops would thrive well, it has been found that the soil is not adapted to the suc cessful growing of any grain crops- 1 The problem of land utilization in the hills has been solved by the ex periement which a few farmers con ducted several years ago by setting out prune trees. The first orchards showed the real function of the hilly soil in crop production, and adjacent land owners have followed with new orch ards. The first place for the prune indus try to start in Polk county was on the western slope of the hills between Dallas and Monmouth and Falls City and Dallas. From there the crop spread to the open sections of the county, where it was adpoted by farm ers who had become accustomed to raising grain year after year. The orchards on hilly ground are produc ing the largest amount of prunes an nually now, but the drying houses ex pect the orchards in the more level districts to swell the general county yield to a large extent within a few years. Already some of the new orch ards have come into bearing, aud the yield is expected to increase each year. Land-clearing in the hills has brought the crop back to its original eround. Some hills, too barren to raise garden truck or grain crops and too steep to insure proper cultivation for such crops, have been converted to young prune orchards which have made a steady, uniform growth for a period of years. Oregon First to Dedicate Panama Fair Building baaokiaooooaooooDd One of the new armored light cars that the British are using to good ef fect on the continent It carries eight men and a Maxim gun In a revolving top and has a speed of forty miles an hour. When In action the driver sits on the floor and guides the car with the aid of a reflex mirror. iled when the German military mission was established in Constantinople. It vanished definitely from the moment the German cruisers Goeben and Bres- lau took refuge in the Dardanelles. "The Young Turk cabinet, believ ing, perhaps in good faith, to conduct the destiny of the country, displayed a cunningness thoroughly Oriental in en deavoring to escape from Teutonic influences. "The diplomats of Great Britain, France and Russia, perceiving the little eagerness which the Turks were showing to permit themselves to be drawn info the war, which would in evitably compromise the country, tried to persuade the pacific element in the Ottoman cabinet. "They succeeded, however, only in delaying the rupture which was a part of the Teutonic program. ' As soon as the Austro-German diplomats became convinced that the Turk were hesitating as to what course to take, German hands led Ger man ships in a treacherous attack ton the peaceful shores of an empire which was maintaining perfect neighborly relations with the Turks." Washington, ID. C. Heartened by months of close study of the business outlook of the nation, Secretary Red- field, of the department of Commerce, wrote a New Year's, greeting to the merchants and manufacturers of the country, bidding them in characteris tic language to reach out for the pros perity he sees within their grasp. There is no warrant, Mr. Redfield de clares, for gloom or despair. The ill effects of the European war on Ameri can enterprise is passing and new vis tas for commercial venture are open ing with each new day. ' "If you want prosperity, do your share to bring it and do it now, ' he says. "Get that addition-en your shop going; it will cost you less today than six months hence. Is trade a bit dull in the works? Get those improve ments begun. Prices are low and likely to rise. You've been thinking of that contract work. Better start yourself before things get the start of you. "This country slows down a bit now and then, but it never stops growing snd it always moves up and not down. We don't know what it means in most of the United States to have real gen eral distress. Think of Belgium and Poland, O man with a grouch, and slink into your hole and pull it in after you. There think of your sins and your blessings and come out with your courage in working order. "There are lots of good American examples of pluck. Do you remember San Fancisco and Galveston and Chi cago Boston, Charleston, Baltimore and Dayton, and many others like them? Remember them as did Edison and lpts of your fellow citizens, who showed pluck when things were hard. Nothing is the matter with the man with a grouch except an absentee heart and missing nerve. Cheer up, go to work, do your level best, quit talking misery. The war's over yon der, not here. Men are slaughtered yender theyr'e living here. It's all clouds there clear day here. "Get out and sell some goods. Plant some more acres; do more work than you planned. Talk cheerful talk and you'll find this country of ours a pret ty good place after all." four German Aircraft Attack Dunkirk, England London Four German aeroplanes flew several times over the city of Dunkirk Thursday, dropping bombs as they went, acording to the Dunkirk correspondent of the Daily Mail. Soldiers in the streets fired on the ma chines and one Taube seemed to be hit, but all got away safely. - The official returns of the casualties show that 15 persons were killed and 32 wounded. The bombs were filled with shrapnel. For half an hour the whole city crackled with rifle shots and bombs, which threw up dense clouds of black smoke. No sooner did one aeroplane seem to depart than another arrived. Buildings in all parts of the city were wrecked. One child's arm was blown off and an old woman was killed outright The fifth aeroplane remained as a entry outside the town, ready to at tack any of the allies' aeroplanes that might seek to repel the air assailants. San Francisco The tradition of "Oregon First" was splendidly main tained by the Rosarians Thursday when they, stormed San Francisco and in the dedication of the Oregon build ing at the Panama Pacific Exposition set a new record for other states to follow. As Oregon was first with her great excursion in 1912 to select the site for her building at the exposition, and as she was first to break ground for the new building in the excursion of the Rosarians in 1918, and first to com plete her building ready for turning over to the State commission, so Thursday the Rosarians held the first elaborate formal dedication ceremony that any state organization has yet held for its building. President Moore, of the exposition, in his address before the Rosarians find who attended the ceremony of dedica tion in the auditorium of the Oregon building, dwelt on the'Oregon First" idea. "As she was first in selecting a site, in breaking ground, and in completing her building," he said, "Oregon is also, I may say, first in my affections for a special reason. "When I asked Mr. Clark, chairman of your commission, to attempt, if pos sible, to reproduce your forestry build ing in Portland, or a biulding along similar lines, saying that I believed that such a building would do more good, not only to the exposition, but to your own state as well, than a building constructed on the classical lines, they gave weight enough to my opinion on the matter to arrange lor Just such building." Get Busy, Edison Says. West Orange, N. J. Thomas A. Edison, the inventor, predicted Mon day that 1915 will be a most prosper ous year. He said: "Now is the time for the United States to go ahead, We can manufacture cheaper today than in many years to come. How ever, many of our best business men seem to be penny wise and pound fool ish. I am surprised that commercial and Industrial America has been affect ed with a form of paralysis evidently as the result of the war in Europe. This is all due to unnecessary alarm." 40 Convicts Are Freed. Columbia, S. C. Fifty-five New Years' pardons, paroles and commuta tions granted by Governor Blease re duced the number of prisoners in the state penitentiary, at the state farms and in county convict camps to 149, The governor's action put the total number of prisoners to whom he has granted clemency in his four years of office at 1644. Sixteen full pardons were granted, 24 prisoners were pa roled and the sentences of 1 5 were com muted. Twenty-eight of the 55 were serving terms for homicide. Closed Season Angers . , . Nehalem fishermen Nehalem The Nehalem bay fisher men are determined to make a fight this session of the legislature against what they consider an injustice in the closed season limits. Under the exist ing law, the bay and river are closed to salmon fishing from November 20 to December 10. They say that at this time the run of fish is becoming heav ier and they have some chance to break even over their losses of other parts of the season. They consider it an injustice because none of the other bayB and fishing grounds in the county are subjected to such a regulation. Twenty miles south of here, on Tillamook bay and the tributary rivers, fishing is allowed from the time the season opens in July until late in January, or until the last steelhead has passed. The men believe it is an oversight on the part of the lawmakers, and for that reason will take the matter up with the legislature through Thomas B. Handley, representative from this county. At a mass meeting recently a committee was appointed to draft resolutions to be presented to the legislature by Representative Handley. President Emil Larson, of the associa tion, will spend a day in Tillamook with the representative and a delega tion may be sent to Salem this winter. The fishermen are backed in their effort to have the closed period re moved by the business men of the en tire district, and a fight is expected. West Asks Higher Bond tor State Ireasurer Kay Salem Governor West announced this week that he would insist upon the bond of the state treasurer being $500,000 hereafter instead of $360,000 as at present. State Treasurer Kay said it was immaterial to him what amount was fixed, but under the law it could not be more than $360,000 unless the State Emergency board made pro vision for paying a higher premium. The law makes provision for a yearly premium of $1200, which gives a bond of $360,000. In a letter to the state treasurer the governor said : "Inasmuch as the court has held that the State Land board, and not the state treasurer, is the lawful custodian of the school fund securities, the said securities will not be taken Into con sideration in fixing the amount of your bond. The matter of protecting that fund, through the bonding of its cus todian, will fall upon the State Land board and that board is being to ad vised. Unless the governor-elect shall recommend a smaller amount your bond will be fixed at $500,000 no more than $100,000 to be written by Corvallis Blocks Fever, Corvallis Through the prompt ac tion of the authorities Corvallis bai been (pared an epidemic of scarlet fever. During the week ending De cember 19, six cases developed, and the city health officer established a strict quarantine, closed the city schools, and ordered that no children under 15 years be admitted to Sunday schools, churches and theaters. The orders were enforced, and, though a hardship was worked on the Sunday schools, no more ease of contagion have occurred. any surety company." ' The state treasurer is still the cus todian of the school securities, al though the Circuit court has decided that the clerk of the State Land board should be. The case is now before the Supreme court. Attorney General Crawford contends that the state treas urer is the only officer who gives bond which might in any way protect that fund and therefore is the legal custodian. City Commission Reduces Debt $42,000 first Year La Grande The annual meeting of the city commission held here this week marks the close of the first year oi operations under managerial term of government for this city, and ac cording to the report of the auditor the year was one of the most prosper ous in the history of the city. The bonded indebtedness has been reduced during the year from approximately $110,000 to $68,000 and $9,000 more of bonds will be taken up within the next few days. When the managerial form of gov ernment was adopted a year ago F. J. Laf ky, of Salem, formerly a member of the city council there, was employed as manager of the city at a salary of $3000 a year. Commenting on the policy of the city government of the past year Mr. Laf ky said: "We are pleased at the close of the first year to be able to show to the citizens of La Grande, and of the country in general, that the experi ment has proved its worth in a more economical and more efficient adminis tration of the affairs of the city through a greater concentration of effort and closer attention to the work of each department. While we have been as economical as possible in all of our work we have not stinted in any department and municipal improve ments have been pushed as far as was necessary and advisable. The water department has been placed upon a strictly cash basis and so far as possi ble all other departments have been placed upon the same basis. "The year past has been devoted in great measure to rounding up the scat tered ends of the city's business and reducing the indebtedness a much as possible and we hope to continue this policy until we can free the city of all indebtedness and do business strictly upon a cash and businesslike basis." Coos Bay to Seek Jetty. Marshfield L. J. Simpson, of the Port of Coos Bay; Captain T. J. Mac genn, of the steamship Breakwater, and C. A. Smith, of the Smith indus tries, were chosen one day this week by the Port of Coos Bay to represent this district at Washington about the middle of January in a request to con gress and the board of engineers of the War department for reconstruction of the north jetty on Coos Bay and a new jetty on the south side of the bar. The party will leave Marshfield Jan uary 9. fake Suicide Is Arrested. Marshfield T. H. Grlndrod, who faked suicide at North Bend recently, was arrested and placed in jail by Sheriff W. W. Gage and Deputy Clyde Gage. Grlndrod was taken at Fair- view, 20 miles on the road to Rose burg. The prisoner is held to the grand jury on a charge of theft Members of Union Must Pay Damages tor Boycott Washington, D. C Ending 11 years of litigation, the Supreme court held Wednesday that some 200 Connecticut labor union members must pay $252,- 130.09 damages under the Sherman anti-trust law for a nation-wide boy cott of D. E. Loewe & Co., Danbury, Conn., hat manufacturers who refused to unionize their shops. The bank ac counts and homes of many of the men already are under attachment to pay the judgment and the next step prob ably will be foreclosure. Leading lawyers or congress dis agree on whether this decision means that union workmen will be liable in the future for 'damages on account of boycotts. Some hold that the Clayton anti-tniBt law, passed last year after this suit had been tried, would make another such prosecution impossible, It was the Danbury batters' c that the Supreme court decided in 1908 that labor unions were subject to the terms of the Sherman anti-trust law and sent the suit back to the New York Federal courts for trial. The judgment, the largest ever before the court under the Sherman law, as wen as the vigorous defense of the union men, attracted widespread attention to the litigation. Justice Holmes announced , the court's unanimous opinion. His dis cussion of the law involved was brief. He said the ground for discussion un der the Sherman law bad been cut away by the 1908 decision to a large extent and narrowed further by the decision in the Eastern States Retail Lumber Dealers' case of last year to the effect that the circular of a list of "unfair dealers," with the Intention to put ' the ban upon these dealers among a body of possible consumers combined with a view of joint action, was violating the Sherman anti-trust law. .. The justice pionted out that the de fendants were members of both the United Hatters' of North America and of the American Federation of Labor, With brief consideration he arrived at the conclusion that the New York Federal courts, which tried the case, were right in holding that a forbidden combination had been proved. "It requires more than blindness of justice," Baid Justice Holmes, "not to see that the many branches of the United Hatters and the Federation of Labor, in pursuance of a plan, emanat ing from headquarters, made use of such lists (unfair dealers) and of the primary and secondary boycott in their efforts to subdue the plaintiff to their demands. The union label was used and a strike ordered and carried out to the same end, and the purpose to break up the plaintiff's commerce affected by the quality of the acts. ' SENATE PASSES LITERACY TEST Amendment Permits Entry of Belgian Farmers. trench and Russians Claim Victory Over Turk Paris - The official communication issued by the French war office includ ed the following : "Grand Duke Nicholas has addressed to General Joffre the following tele gram: ' " 'I hasten to inform you of the Joy ful news that the army of Caucasus, notwithstanding that Its forces have been reduced to a minimum, with a view not to weaken the army in the principal theater of war, has won two decisive victories on December 21 and 22 (January 3 and 4, modern cal endar) against Turkish forces superior in number, at Ardahan, against the First corps and at Sari Kamysh against the Ninth and Tenth Turkish corps. ' 'The entire Ninth corps has capti- ulated; the Tenth corpB is making every effort to withdraw, but ia being pursued by our troops.' ' Petrograd Mis officially announced that the Russian 'troops have gained decisive victory at Sari Kamysh. The entire Ninth Army corps of the Turks was captured. Accounts received here say the Turks displayed great bravery when their position was seriously threatened and made frequent desperate bayonet sorties. When they were compelled to vacate they made valiant but futile efforts to cover their retreat by a rear guard action, even the wounded con tinuing firing from the ground when they .were struck down. According to a telegram from Tints, the persistence with which the Turks pressed their attacks in the Sari Kamysh district was to enable their troops in the Ardahan region to retlve without heavy losses. Their opera tions were conducted under tremend ous difficulties. They lacked proper equipment and had no transport trains, Everything had to be carried on the backs of soldiers or of civilians com mandeered for the purpose. Most of the trophies of war captured by the Russians were of German make. Kaiser Eats War Bread. Berlin Emperor William has given orders that the so-called war bread be served to himself and the ' members of his entourage. This bread, styled also "K" bread, consist of 85 per cent of rye flour and 15 per cent potato flakes. It is being consumed in accordance with a war-time proclamation, with the idea of making the supply of food stuff in the empire last longer. Up to the present time it has not been bought readily Ty the general public, It is hoped, howe'verthat the decision of the emperor will influence others. Bids on Big Order Asked. Philadelphia The : Pennsylvania Railroad company has asked for bids on 170,000 tons of steel rails, the company requirements for the cur rent year. Orders for 160,000 tons will be placed for early delivery and the remainder will re-ordered later. Departments Required to Notify Congress When Immigration Depresses Wages. -: . Washington, ;D. C The immigra tion bill, containing the restrictive lit eracy test for admlBBion of aliens which has been the obstacle In immi gration reform legislation for the greater part of two national adminis trations, passed the senate Saturday by a vote of 60 to 7. The overwhelm ing majority was recorded despite the fact that President Wilson had indica ted he would veto the measure, as did President Taft, if it should come to him with the educational test included. The vote In the senate indicated that the bill could be repassed by more than the required two-thirds majority should the President reject the measure. The bill passed the house on Febru ary 4 last by a vote of 241 to 126. Although the senate amended the house bill in several particulars, the literacy test was unaltered, save for an additional exemption to Belgian subjects which was adopted after pro longed debate. House leaders probably will ask for a conference on senate amendments but administration leaders were confi dent senate amendments would be ac cepted and the bill sent to the Presi dent by the middle of the week. ' Among senate amendents which house leaders have said probably would be accepted Is one to exclude from the ' United States all persons of the Afri can race or of negro blood. Another strengthens the phraseology of the prohibition of polygamlsts. Closing hours of the debate were de voted to an amendment by Senator Lodge to exempt Belgian farmers from the literacy test and from the provis ions which prohibit Americans from soliciting or inducing immigration. Already several American orgemsn- , tlons are endeavoring to induce Bui-1 gian refugees to settle in this country.' The amendment, as finally aoVpud by a vote of 84 to 22, follows: "That the provisions of this act J relating to the illiteracy test or in duced or assisted Immigration shall not apply to agricultural immigrant! from Belgium who come to the United States during the course of the presen European war, or within one. yes after its termination, owing to cir-4 cumstances or conditions . arising through the war, if it is shown to... the , satisfaction of the commissioner gen- eral of immigration that the said Bel gian Immigrants come with the inten tion of engaging in agriculture in the United States and to become American citizens." " Following' is a synopsis of the im migration bill passed by the senate : In general persona over 16 shall be required to be able to read English or some language or dialect, including Yiddish. Exception to literacy test is msde of Belgian farmers who come to the Uni ted States within one year after the end of the present European war. Persons fleeing from religious per secution bIbo excepted. Admissible aliens may send for father or grandfather over 65, or for wife, mother, gradnmother or unmar ried or widowed daughter, though such relative may be illiterate. PolygamistB excluded. Persons of African race or negro blood excluded. . Excluded list Intend ed to take in vagrants, the tuberculous and persons who teach or advocate un- ; lawful destruction of property. Departments of Labor and Com merce to report to congress whenever expected immigration threatens to in crease number of unemployed or re duce wage standard. English Pray for Victory. Rome Special prayers were said Sunday In all the English churches In Italy for the ultimate victory of the Triple Entente'nations. In the chapel of the English college, Cardinal Gas quet and the new British minister to the Vatican, Sir Henry Howard, were among those who particips ted in the communion service. Their action was in striking contrast to that of the members of the British embassy to the Quirinal, none of whom was present at any service. The rector of the Irish college did not participate. Duel Moratorium Is On. Paris A moratorium on dueling has been declared in France because of an incident which arose recently during a discussion in a cafe. A prominent swordsman became angry in discussing the grand strategy and Issued a chal lenge to his adversary. Witnesses present declared that a Frenchman must not kill one of hi countrymen during the war, so the duel ha been postponed until peace has been de clared. y Austria Executes Editor. I London Reuter's Amsterdam cor respondent transmitted dispatch re ceived there from Vienna, which says that a newspaper editor, Joseph Yotel of Prossnltz, Moravia, was condemned to death by court-martial for a sedi tious . speech. He was executed two hours after sentence was passed. .