The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-03-25
EDITORIAL NOTES.

people,"
EDITORIAL NOTES.
Utah, Delaware and California legis-
latures haye adjourned without elect
ing senators. Thus three vacancies
will occurr in the United States SEN
ate. Here is another argumect in
favor OF electing. senator's by direct
vote.
If congress had passed law retiring
all paper and gold money of less de.
nomination than $40, it would have
done much toward stopping the "silver
issue" Such an act would create
demand for silver that would make free
coinage unnecessary.
A few days ago the Oregonian pub
lished a list of vessels which cleared
from Portland during 1898 loaded with
wheat, and there was not an Ameri-
can vessel in the entire list. This is a
showing that speaks poorly for the
American merchant marine.
And now it seems that Pennsylvania
is not to be rid of Quay, though the
legislature refuses to re-elect him sem
ator. The program is for Senator
Penrose to resign Immediately after
the adjournment of congress and for
the governor to appoint Quay to fill
out the term which expires in 1901.
If John Sherman han access to The
papers of America yesterday, he had
ccasion to learn what they thought of
him, for his obituary was published
quite generally. 1t is probably well
for man to be reported dead occa-
siunally that he may learn how he
stands with his countrymen.
Sousa, probably one of the greatest
musicians of The age, does not prefix
his name with the word professor"
out prefers to be plain John Phillip
Sousa. The example set by him
might we'll be followed by others who
have gained less renown than he.
The title of professor" is becoming
little too common in this country.
California, Utah and Delaware will
have only one senator each in the
56th congress. This is enough for
any state. and if the constitution were
amended so as to permit only one sem
ator from each state il would be a
good thing for the people and result
in the saving of millions of dollars in
salaries.
Secretary Alger has at last started |
on his visit to Cuba. He will probably, |
while there, learn of the mistakes he |
made during the recent war, and if he /
profits by the lesson the government
will get partial compensation for the
salary he draws during his absence,
since he may mend his ways when he |
again resumes his work at Washing |
ton.
The Salem Journal published an
able article few days ago advocat-
ing direct nominations. Its plan is to
have voters express their choice of
nominees at primaries and have such
choices ratified by conventions, the |
candidate for each Office receiving the
largest number of votes at the primar-
les to be the nominee of the conven-
tion. The plan is good one and it
would be we'll if all parties would
adopt it.
General Miles has resorted to proper
precaution to guard against the at
tempt of the administration to throw a
cloud upon his character in the ap-
pointment of a prejudiced court of
inquiry into the quality of the beef
supplied the army, and has made a
little investigation of his own. The
general has his eye on Mckinley and
Alger, and they will not find him
asleep.
The California legislature probably
did we'll in holding up the senatorial
election and failing to bestow sena-
torial honors upon either Grant or
Burns. Both are tools of corporations,
ind were seeking election upon q
Doodle proposition-that is they were
willing to buy their way into the
senate. California can better content
tself with having only one senator
han sending man there who has no
except the corpor-
Ition that is back of him.
The business of a state, county or
,ity should be conducted upon the
anne principles that govern all branch.
9 of private business; that is, every.
hing that is bought for the pnblic and &
very service rendered should be had
It as low price as it would be furn-
shed private individual, and if there t
re any discounts for large orders or
ost payments they should be received
y the state, county, or city, and not
ecome perquisite to the officer who
oes the purchasing.
The partition of China among the
,nropean powers to be followed by =
he constructions of railways through
ut the Celestial Empire and the gen.
raj Introduction of our factory
ystems with labor saving machinery
odes no good to the white man. The
We hundred million Inhabitants of
hina, capable of working eighteen
ours per day and subsisting on a G
age of two dollars per month, consti- r
ties an industrial power that when b