OREGON STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST
CONTAINS MANY DIFFICULTIES.
Oregon State Primary Law Hard for
Candidates to Follow.
Salem Another very serious prob
lem has arisen in connection with the
direct primary law. The law requires
that candidates for state oflkes shall
file petitions from not less than seven
counties, and that at least 10 per cent
of the precincts shall be represented in
each of the seven counties. Two per
cent of the votes cast at the last state
election for supreme judge by each par
ty must be represented on the petition.
It has been the supposition until re
cently that so long as the required
number of counties and precincts were
represented by the signatures of one or
more votora that the bulk of the signa
tures on a petition to make up the 2
per cent might come from one county,
so long as the required number of names
was filed with the secretary of state.
It is now discovered that there must be
2 per cent of the vote cast by the party
represented in each county and precinct
represented, as well as throughout the
state.
The attorney general will probably
be asked to render an opinion in regard
to the number of signatures required
from the counties and precincts. To
secure 2 per cent of the voters in seven
counties, and 10 per cent of the pre
cincts in each of the seven counties,
and in addition have 2 per cent of the
party vote in the entire state, will add
to the difficulties of securing a petition.
FORM NEW ORGANIZATION.
Independent Telephone Companies of
Oregon Unite.
-Portland In order to fortify them
selves and protect their interests, rep
resentatives of the independent tele
phone lines in Oregon met here last
week and formed a permanent orgniza
tion. ft will be known as the Oregon
Independent Telephone association, ar.d
is formed after similar orgnizations in
other states of the Union and affiliated
with the national association of inde
pendent telephone lines.
The objects of the association are to
encourage development; foster and
stimulate the growth; protect the mu
tual interests; promote and systema
tize uniformity of accounting, opera'
tion. maintenance and construction of
independent (non-Bell) telephone inter
ests, and to delend the same irom un
fair encoracLments of competition by
co-operation and by such other avail
able means as may, from time to time,
seem advisable.
Favor Woolen Mills.
Albany The business men of the
city met and discussed the proposition
of securing the new woolen mill for
this city. Judge Stewart, of the stock
committee, withdrew from the active
work of soliciting subscriptions, and
Frank J. Miller was selected to fill the
vacancy and the committee will push
the work. The purpose of the com
mittee is to secure subscriptions to the
stock aggregating $15,000 toward the
capital of $100,000, when the mill will
be built and fitted up. The business
men at the meeting were enthusiastic
in support of the project, and the spirit
manifested was in favor of co-operation
among the business interests of the city
for the upbuilding of Albany and its
industries.
Plans an Electric Line.
Forest Grove At the meeting of the
Forest Grove city council last week,
State Senator E-. W. Haines, in behalf
of the Forest Grove transportation com
pany, a new organization, applied for a
25-year franchise for an electric railway
in Forest Grove, to tunjfrom the South
ern Pacific depot to the business section
of the city, about two miles. Accord
ing to the terms of the ordinance, the
new line must be begun in 90 days,
and completed in eight months. It is
to carry the United States mail, express
and passengers. Senator Haines furn
ishes electric light to Forest Grove
from his plant about 12 miles distant,
and, it is understood, will furnish pow
er for the new road from his plant.
Buys Ranch in Gilliam.
Condon A. S. Hollen has purchased
the 860-acre ranch on Trail fork, Gil
liam county, belonging to J. W. Booth.
The transaction, which involves about
$15,000, is one of the most important
real estate transfers for some time here,
and gives Mr. Hollen a most valuable
farm and stock ranch. In the deal Mr.
Booth takes residence property in Con
don valued at about $5,000, consisting
of several fine dwellings. Mr. Hollen
is proprietor of the Condon Flouring
mill. He will take possession of the
ranch about March I V ,
Few Hops Left in Josephine.
Grants Pass Several sales of hops
have been made here recently at from
9 to 10 cents. About 500 bales have
changed hands, and by February 1 but
few hops will be held by the growers
in Josephine county. There are quite
a few baby hops still held and a few
old ones, though not to exceed 500
bales in all. ,
AMEND IRRIGATION LAWS.
Irrigationists Say Conditions in Idaho
Are Better Than in Oregon.
Salem Prominent irrigators of Ore
gon are considering the advisability of
asking the next legislaure to amend the
irrigation laws in several particulars.
At the present time all the contracts
with the state for the reclamation of
desert lands under the Carey act are
based upon the theory that the owners
of the canals and ditches are entitled to
collect a perpetual annual rental from
the landholders. In Idaho the land
holders will eventually own and control
the canals, ditches, head gates, etc.
In the contract with the state of
Idaho for the construction of the Twin
Falls canal it is provided that a com
pany shall be formed among the land
owners on the basis ol one snare or
stock for one share of water right, and
that within seven years the control of
the canals, ditches, dams and headgates
shall pass to the corporation formed
among the water users. Previous to
the formation of this company and be
fore the expiration of the seven years
limit, the construction company is en
ltled to collect annually not exceeding
80 cents an acre. The same theory of
ownership prevails in all government
work.
All the contracts for the reclamation
of and lands under the Carey act in
this state allow the construction com
panies the right to collect $1 an acre
perpetually, the company agreeing to
keep the canals and ditches in repair.
Fruit Inspector in Linn.
Albany The Linn county court has
appointed E. C. Armstrong, residing
at Marion station, Marion county, to
act as fruit inspector for Linn county,
temporarily, on the recommendation of
Horticultural Commissioner C. A.
Park, of Salem. Mr. Park wished to
secure here a man who would be ready
to begin war on pests at once. The
court will at once select a man for per
manent appointment who will be asked
to take a abort course in training under
Professor A. B. Cordley, at the Oregon
Agricultural college.'
New Railroad for Gilliam.
Salem Articles of Incorporation
have been filed with the secretary of
state for the Oregon Northern Railway
company. The . incorporators are:
William J. Mariner, E. W. Robinson
and C. E. Jones. The road runs from
Blalock, in Gilliam county, to Hard
man, in Morrow county. The capital
stock is $25,000, divided into 1,250
shares of $20 each. The principal
place of business is Heppner.
Contracts at Interest.
Salem The State Land board re
ports interest bearing contracts out
standing December 81, as follows:
School land contracts, $669,516.30;
Agricultural college, $28,993.82; Uni
versity, $3,788.
v PORTLAND MARKETS.
Wheat Club, 71 71c; bluestem, 73
74c; red, 6869c; valley, 73c.
Oats No. 1 white feed, $27; gray,
$26.50 per ton.
Barley Feed, $23.0023.50 per ton;
brewing, $24.0024.50; rolled, $23.50
24.50. 1
Buckwheat $2.50 per cental. ' '
Hay Eastern Oregon timothy,
$13.5014.50 per ton; valley timothy,
$9(2510; clover, $910; cheat, $8.50
9.50; grain hay, $89. " ' . "
Fruits Apples 75c$1.50 per box;
persimmons, $1.25 per bo; pears,
$1.251.50 per box; cranberries, $13
13 50 per barrel.
. Vegetables Beans, 20c per pound ;
cabbage, l2c per pound; cauliflower,
$1.25 per dozen; ce'ery, $33.50 per
crate; pumpkins, ?4lc per pound;
sorouts, 7c per pouncL; equash, IV
lc per pound; turnips, 90c$l per
sack; carrots, bo7oc per sack; beets,
85c$l per sack.
Onions Oregon, No. 1, $11.25 per
SaCKJ JNO. 70(3HUC,
Potatoes Fancy graded Burbanks,
6575c per sack; ordinary, 5060c;
Merced sweets, 2c per pound.
Butter Fancy creamery,2732c
per pound.
Eggs uregon rancn, za30c per
dozen. , ,
Poultry Average old hens, 12
14c per pound; springs, 1213c;
mixed chickens, 1212c; broilers,
1516c; dressed chickens, 1415c;
turkeys, live, 15c; turkeys dressed,
choice, 1720c; geese, live, 9llc;
ducks, liec.
Hops Oregon, 1905, choice, 10llc
per pound; prime, 89)6; medium,
7oc; olds, o7c.
Wool Eastern Oregon average bett,
1621o per pound; valley, 2426c;
monair, cnoice, 30c.
ueei ressea duiis, izc per
pound; cows, d(34c; country steers,
44c. ' - . . .
Veil Dressed, 88c per pound.
Mutton uressea, fancy ee4c per
pound; ordinary, 45c; lambs, 7(8
Fork Dressed, 67c per pound.
SEQOND IN TRADE.
mrisnse Volume of Business
With
Germany During 1905.
Washington, Jan. 9. Trade between
the' United States and Germany, whose
commercial relations are now the sub-
ect of negotiations between the two
countries, aggregated in the fiscal year
1905 over $300,000,000. A report
issued today by the bureau of Statis
tics of the department of Commerce
and Labor, says:
"The imports from Germany were
$118,000,000 in value and exceeded
imports from that country in any ear
lier year. The exports to Germany
were $194,000,000 in value and ex-
ceeded our exports to that country in
any earlier yaar except 1904, in which
year the total was over $214,000,000,
this decrease in 1905 compared with
1904 having occurred in raw cotton and
being due altogether to a fall in prices,
since the quantity in 1905 was greater
that in 1904. Imports from Germany
incrtaBed $37,000,000 in the period
from 1895 to 1908 and exports to that
country increased $10,000,000 in the
same time.
"Germany stands second in the
order of magnitude of our trade with
foreign countries, both as to imports
and exports.
"Manfactures are the bulk of the
$118,000,000 worth of merchandise im
ported from Germany.
"In manufactures, especially copper,
mineral, leather, scientific inatrmuents
and certain manufactures of iron and
steel, our exports to Germany show a
steady growth. The value of copper
in bars and plates exported from the
United States to Germany amounted to
over $14,000,000.
WILL TRY TO GET FACTS.
Missouri's Attorney General Says He
Does Not Expect Much.
New York, Jan. 9. Attorney Gen
eral Hadley, of Missouri, said tonight
that he would probably ask for a hear
ing in the Supreme court in this city
on Wednesday or Thursday to deter
mine whether H. H. Rogers and other
directors of the Standard Oil company
must answer questions at the hearing
before Commissioner Sanborn regarding
the control of oil companies operating
in Missouri.
"I confess," he says, "that I did
not have much hope when I came here
that the Standard Oil directors would
tell about the Standard Oil control of
the Waters-Pierce Oil company and two
other companies operating in Missouri,
but since they have appeared in answer
to subpoenas, I shall make the best
effort I can to have them tell the
facts.
"I don't care, of course, to have any
body committed for contempt. I shall
ask the court to have the witnesses di
rected to answer certain questions
which they have declined to answer
If the court orders them to answer and
they still refuse, I shall have to leave
to the court the question of contempt
'.'A refusal to answer in such a case
would be next best for my purpose to
an answer in the affirmative, since it
would be equivalent to an admission.'
KENTUCKY
IS RAMMED.
Battleship Runs Aground in Fog in
New York Harbor.
New York, Jan. 9. While the bat
tleship squadron under command of
Rear Admiral Evans was proceeding to
sea today, the battleships Kearsarge
and Kentucky ran aground in the har
bor "off the West Bank light house.
The Alabama and Illinois were follow
ing next in line, and before they could
alter their course, the Alabama collid
ed with the Kentucky, striking her a
glancing blow. The Illinois just got
clear of the tangle and proceeded down
the bay, anchoring outside the bar with
the flagship Maine.
The starboard side of the Kentucky
above the water line was quite badly
damaged. She will come up to the
navy yard tomorrow for repairs. The
accident occurred shortly after 1 P. M.
The Alabama stood by to render , assist
ance to the Kentucky and Kearsarge
and wireless messages were sent to the
Brooklyn navy yard for tugs.
Place for Consumptives.
Boston, Jan. 9. Mayor John F. Fitz
gerald, who presided at the meeting
which closed the tuberculosis conven
tion at Horticultural hall tonight, said
in his speech that by tomorrow night
the act calling for a board of trustees
for the establishment of a hospital for
consumptives to cost $150,000 will
have passed the board of aldermen, and
will soon after receive his signature.
The tuberculosis convention, which has
been in session here for two weeks, has
been a great success, the hall being
crowded at nearly all the lectures.
Damages to American Property.
St. Petersburg, Jan. 9. Mr. Meyer,
the American ambassador, has received
from the consuls at Moscow and Odessa
detailed reports of the injurien suffered
by American property during the re
cent riots. A statement of the damages
claimed will be forwarded by Mr.
Meyer to the State department for in-
strut on. . . . - .
AIR EVERY SCANDAL
Senate Committee to Investigate
Affairs of Canal.
MAY ABOLISH CANAL COMMISSION
Latitude Will Be Given in Taking Tes
timony in Hope of Showing
Mismanagement.
Washington, Jan. 13. While the
senate has labored to mask the truth,
the fact is that next Tuesday Theodore
Roosevelt, William H. Taft, Theodore
P. Shonts, John F. Stevens and, inci
dentally, John F; Wallace, are to be
arraigned and tried before the none too
impartial judges who constitute the
senate committee on interoceanic can
als. The trial is to be called an investiga
tion, but it means simply that every
supposed Acandal, every petty criti
cism, every report of friction between
officials, every story of an unearned
salary, every tale of a discharged em
ploye and every fleeting bit of gossip is
to be told in public, and from them all
the members of the committee expect
to get possibly some of them hope to
get the basis for a direct charge of in
competence, or it may be of guilt.
There is not a soul in Washington who
believes that anything will come of the
investigation save the knowledge al
ready held that some of the heads of the
enterprise have had their bickerings
and their disagreements.
It may be that in the course of the
hearings the public may learn the real
reason for the resignation of Mr. . Wal
lace. It may learn whether or not
there was any truth in the reports of
friction between Mr. Taft and Mr
Shonts. It may learn whether or not
Poultney Bielow drew the long bow,
but that anything substantial can come
from the investigation no one in his
heart believes.
It is understood that the greatest lat
itude will be given in the matter of
asking questions, and, if curiosity about
personal differerences between officials
is to be considered one of the chief
things which it is necessary satisfy,
the senate and the people may have
their fill of satisfaction.
The senate declares that President
Roosevelt practically challenged the
investigation and that it has been de
cided not to deny him. There was
nothing for the president to do, appar
ently, in the present condition of af
fairs, except to "challenge" an inves
tigation. There i i a feeling in Wash
ington that he took the course that he
did to win eventually the right to con
duct the canal construction unhamper
ed by a commission of seven men.
If the Jreault of the investigation
leads to the statutory abolition of the
canal body, it may be that trouble and
rumois of trouble will disappear and
that the work will go forward, showing
that a strong hand is behind it.
SEETHING WITH EXCITEMENT.
Young China Wants Reform Old China
Adheres to Graft.
Pekin, Jan. 13. Reports from the
South and from the YangtBe valley re
gion show the , anti-foreign sentiment
to be very strong. China undoubtedly
is in a ferment of politcial excitement,
but the , movement is directed as much
against the government as against the
foreigners.
The government is between two fires
The young China party is clamorjng
because reforms are being executed too
slowly, while the conservatives and the
officials, .the lattef having their per
quiaitea threatened, are resisting all
efforts at reform.
In spite of the protests in Northern
China, the foreign ministers have not
changed their minds for the withdrawal
of foreign troops from Chile province
the only exception being the legation
giards. the ministers believing that
the Chinese government is both able
and determined to protect foreigners in
the event of a revolution.
Demand a Lower Rate. '
Juneau, Alaska, Jan. 13. At
meeting attended by 35 Douglas City
shippers last night a telegram was or
dered to be Bent that no contract would
be signed with the two steamship com
panies now doing business unless a rate
of 25 per cent less than the present rate
be granted. At present only three con
tracts have been signed in Juneau with
the two companies. All other shippers
were waiting for some move by Tacoma
or Portland. There is some agitation
to get Tacoma to pool the issuewith
Portland.
More Jamaicans for Canal.
Kingston, Jan. 13. Four hundred
men sailed from Kingston this after
noon on the steamer Tagus for Colon to
seek employment in the canal zone.
Each man deposited $6.25 with the
treasury under the immigrants protec
tion lew.
HILL'ON PHILIPPINES.
Occupies Attention of House Three
Hours Telling-Whait He Knows; . ,
Washington, Jan. 6. In a session of
five hours today, the house placed on
record a speech in favor of the Philip
pine tariff bill, one against it, and a 20
minutes' talk for tariff revision accord
ing to the Republican demand of Mas
sachusetts. Hill, of Connecticut, oc
cupied three hours, and was listened to
with the greatest interest in detailing
the knowledge he gained from two.
visits to the Philippines, the last as a
member of the party of Secretary Taft
last summer. He paid particular at
tention to the tobacco feature of the
measure, and explained away much of
the misapprehension as to the enor
mous products that might be expected
from the islands. Their territory, he
said, was small, and the fertile lands
still further limited.
Mondell, of Wyoming, who has led
the fight against the bill in the in-'
terest of the beet sugar industry of this
country, spoke vigorously against the
measure and against the policy of help
ing the Filipino people by granting
them open markets in the United
States. He said the passage of this
bill would be the death knell of the
beet sugar industry ' in the United
States.
The abolition of the tariff on hidea
was pleaded for by Lawrence of Massa
chusetts, who presented the position
taken by the Republicans of that state.
Information regarding immigration
from Austro-Hungary contained in re
ports by Marcus Braun was asked for
from the secretary of commerce and
labor.
MAY HOLD BALANCE.
United States May Act as Arbiter in
Moroccan Conference.
Washington, Jan. 8. The agitation
Europe over the coming Moroccan
in
conference and the result it may bring
has spread to this country and officials
here are now deeply interested in the
matter because of the reccently devel
oped fact that the American delegation
has become the most prominent factor
of the gathering.
It has been believed here that the
various European governments which
are so deeply interested in the confer
ence, notably France and Germany.
had agreed to a program which would
be adhered to rigidly. The possibility
of a split between these, two govern--ments
on some of the questions in
volved may throw the United States
into a position where its delegates with'
their votes will have the power to settle
the question. In that event, it is con
sidered, the position of the United
states may become embarrassing.
It is learned on good authority that
the United States government will da
everything in its power to bring about
peaceful settlement of the issues
which will be discussed at the' confer
ence. From this it appears that Presi
dent Roosevelt has again determined to
use ail bis power in keeping the worJd ,
at peace. The difficulties of the situa
tion are great and the American mis
sion will undoubtedly have much work
to do.
Will Defeat Statehood. ,
Washington;" Jan. The Republi
can "insurgents ' of the house now con-V
tend they have formed a combination
that will defeat the statehood bill and
carry the Philippine tariff bill with it.
They-, say they have 70 Republican
votes which will be supported by a
united minority, to defeat a rule pro
hibiting any amendment to the state
hood bill. They will amend this bill.
they say, by admitting Oklahoma and
Indian Territory as one state and leav
ing Arizona and New Mexico out for
the present. .
Dolliver Will Fight Delay.
Washington,' Jan. 8. Senator Dolli
ver, of Iowa, will resist to the utmost
any attempt of the committee on in
terstate commerce of which he is a
member to defer action upon railroad
rate legislation until the house has
passed a bill. The present majority of
the committee is opposed to giving the
interstate commerce commission power
to change rates. Three of the Republi
cans, however, stand with the Demo
cratic members for regulation as gen
erally defined by the president.
Public Lands Withdrawn.
Washington, Jan. 8. Withdrawals
from all forms of disposal of public
lands for proposed forest reserves have
been ordered by the secretary of the in
terior, effective January 14, 1F06, as
follows: Nevada, Spring mountain re
serve, 345,'000 acres; Wyoming, Pear
Lodge reserve, 107,020 acres.
California to Celebrate.
Washington, Jan. 8. -Representative
Kahn, of California, introduced a bill
today providing for an appropriation of
$5,000,000 for an exposition in San
Francisco in 1913 to celebrate the
400th anniversary of the discovery of
the Pacific ocean by Balboa.