davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16
The High Court of tho Nation.

The High Court of tho Nation.
It Is indicative of the conservative
nature of the supreme court of the
United States that this high tribunal
has had but seven chief Justices, not
counting Rutledge, whose tenure was
nominal, since its establishment under
Washington's administration III years
ago. Chief Justice Fuller, the present
incumbent, with eighteen years Of serv-
Ice, has exceeded the average by two
years. Marshall served for thirty-four
years, and Marshall and fancy togeth-
er occupied the chief justiceship for
sixty-three years from 1901 to 1864.
A justice of the supreme court may
bold Office during good behavior" The
chief justice is paid salary OF $4,000,
and the associate justices draw $12,-
500 year. Several of the associate
justices have made long records on the
bench. among them Story and Field,
who each served thirty-four years. Nc
Lean of Ohio and Wayne of Georgia
each served thirty-two years. Bushrod
Washington of Virginia served thirty
one years. and Harlan has a record of
Twenty-Five years. AS a rule, the JUS
tees have remained in Office until
death. They cannot be compelled to
retire except by impeachment.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

and means of Furnishing individuals
by taking their lives or taking their
liberty, but when it comes to a cor
poration there is a sudden stoppage
Of the process of the law. 1t may find
the corporation guilty, but when it
comes to applying punishment, the
tangible 1t cannot be found bodily.
because it has no body. 1t cannot be
seized and incarcerated, because there
is nothing to incarcerate. Nothing is
left the court but the imposition of a
fine. ta.
This appears to be the accepted the
ory of the law, but it is not necessar-
lily the true way to look upon the mat
ter. In the case of the Northern Sc
curities company, found guilty of be-
ing an illegal combination in restraint
of trade, the supreme court did not
merely fine the corporation and let it
go on it's way. 1t commanded it to dis
band. This was a little different from
the case of the corporations which
has a right to exist, but which are do
ing things which are unlawful. But
why should not the courts enforce
substantially the same punishment
which they would invoke in the case
of an Individual? A light offense in
which a fine would be considered just
in the case of an individual would al
so answer as to a corporation. But as
it seems necessary to deprive on indi-
vidual of the use of his proper func-
tions as an individual, namely, those
of free circulation in the community,
the transaction of business, the max
ing of a profit on his labor and the
owning of property, thes court applies
the punishment. Why is it impossible
to follow up a corporation in the same
way by depriving it of it's right to do
business of it's capacity to own
property and to realize a
profit from it's activities? If
one or two corporations were arrested
in this manner and responsible officers
notified to discontinue the conduct of
the business Of the corporation, it
would work a revolution in the airy
manner in which they invite, even
incite, proceedings against them
selves which they know will eventuate
in nothing more drastic than a fine
representing only a percentage Of the
profits from their illegal acts.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16
Saving Niagara.

The report of the American members
of the international waterways COM
mission. which the president cited In
his recent message to congress urging
the salvation Of the falls of Niagara,
takes the ground that If 1t is worth
while to set aside valuable property
anywhere for pleasure purposes the
commercial value Of Niagara as q
source of water power is not too great
to be sacrificed. The visitors to the
falls every year are now said to be
100000. It is a safe bet that II the
American people imagined the grand
spectacle would have to go the number
of visitors would run up into the mil
lions.
1t is plain that the falls cannot be
kept intact without the cooperation Of
Canada. And the friends Of the project
cannot get busy too soon, for at the
very time the report referred to was
in the hands of the American execu-
tive nearly a score Of Canadian munich
palities contiguous to Niagara river
were urging their government to in
crease the distribution of water power
of the falls to 1.-The readable munich
palities of Ontario"
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16
REGULATING Life Insurance.


The action Of the house judiciary
committee in the matter Of Insurance
regulation by congress may be final as
far as the government control Of the
business In the states are concerned.
The committee holds that insurance
does not come under the provisions Of
the interstate commerce laws and that
federal attempt to regulate it would
invade and impair the power Of the
states.
But this conclusion does not neces-
sarily close the question of congress
sional interference In a moral way. 1t
has been proposed that the government
regulate and supervise insurance oper-
atoms in the territories and in the
District of Columbia. Any company
which failed to take out a license to
operate in the restricted field would be
held to advertise its unwillingness to
face the scrutiny of government in
spection. Companies which could en-
Joy government approval would then
have the advantage in the states over
their unlicensed rivals.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16
Back to the ssTOwn Meetinq.O

oaCA 10 Cno IOWn MceC1ng.
Distrust of the people in direct po-
litical action is often betrayed in the
current discussions Of our methods Of
government Municipal ownership, pri-
mary elections and the referendum are
based on the theory that the people
know what they want and what is
good for them. The opposite theory Is
that representative government is the
shortest road to communal good.
1t is significant that communities
that have been willing in the past to
give up the town meeting methods of
our fathers by which all questions of
public policy were decided by the d.
rect votes Of all the citizens are in
clined to demand a restoration of i'm
mediate control. The people have re-
peatedly been betrayed by those they
trusted to look out for their interests,
and every development of constitutions
and charters is in the direction of
bringing the mass of citizens closer to
headquarters. The argument held by
some persons that the people cannot
be trusted to decide important and in
tricate questions for themselves is no
longer universally convincing.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16
1OREIGN CONSULAR SERVICE

The Lodge consular bill, shorn of
most of it's civil service provisions, Is
likely to become a law. The most that
it does is to abolish the fee system, put
all the consuls on a salary basis and
all the consuls on salary basis
grade the offices according to the pay
The cutting off of the fees is a re-
form in ITSELF. Whatever scandal has
arisen in the consular service has been
due to the workings of the fee sys-
tenn. Where salaries have been paid
the government has had little or no
trouble with it's foreign representa-
tives.
While American consuls have never
been credited with being very valu-
able arm of the service, it is quite
possible that their value has heretofore
been moderated. 1t is easy to find
fault, to say that the service is honey
combed with politics. But on the
whole it is not denied that the pres
idents have taken a pride in appoint
ing men of genuine ability and probity
to these positions.
The consular office is Of growing
importance because of the expanding
character of American trade. The con-
suls are called upon to keep in touch
with foreign markets, to gather in
formation how our manufacturers may
best pack, ship and consign their wares
to these markets and to give early ad-
vice of movements of the representa-
tiyes of competing nations. To do this
we are told requires men who are
trained in the consular service as the
English representative is. He goes
through a regular graduation of promo
lions until he finally retires on a pen
sion. The American serves during the
incumbency of the president who ap-
pointed him and then goes the way
of all politicians. Yet with all these
drawbacks the American consul has
given a good account of himself.
The main trouble with the consular
service today is that it does not afford
attractions for a career. The salaries
are too small and the tenure of office
too uncertain. Neither of these de-
fects is cured by the Lodge bill The
salaries are still small-amounting to
$3.50 600 for the whole corps, while the
consuls are collecting for the govern
ment over a million dollars in fees
every year-and the tenure of office is
not improved.
The most that the bill has done is
to call the attention of congress to
the fact that there is a consular SER
vice and to have the people under
stand that these commercial represen-
tatives abroad are important to their
material interests. This is Of value
and will be of more value when the
people become sufficiently interested
to instruct congress to take up the
subject with more earnestness.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16
THE PHILIPPINE BILL.

Some more grief is said to be in
store for the "standpat" element in
the senate when the attempt shall be
made to take the Philippine tariff bill
out of the hands of the committee
which has refused to report it, -,
The bill passed the house by a great
majority, but that is not of much
significance, since majorities in the
house are made great or small by
the speaker, but what is significant
is that the majority in the house cor
responds with the majority in the
country for this measure of justice
to the islands.
The secretary of war, who formerly
was governor general of the Philip
pines, strongly favored this bill. The
president recommended it in his mes
sage. The "standpat' members of
congress who went to the islands with
the Taft party were converted and
voted for it in the house. But the
'.standpat'' element in the senate took
the unusual course of smothering it
in committee. This was an almost
unprecedented course to take on a
measure which had been before con-
gress for several years, and which
had the endorsement of the country
substantially without regard to poll
tics.
The present effort is to teach the
leaders of the senate that they cannot
absolve themselves from responsibility
by ordering the measure killed in
committee as if it were a bill for a
bridge over Wallow creek. They must
take it up, discuss it and vote on it.
Nothing short of this will satisfy the
people. If the senators can convince
the country in open debate that the
bill should not pass that is their priv
ilege But they can convince no one
by pocketing the measure.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16
Russia,s Liberal Wedge.

0UBoX0-0 4AOCIdA W 0U&Cs
Enough Of the drift of discussion
among the people of Russia during the
elections Of the national assembly has
leaked out to show that there Is great
dissatisfa ction with the provisions for
parliament that IS to exist and OPP
crate subject almost wholly to the will
Of the car. Some six months ago the
autocrat voluntarily effaced himself
and declared that no law in the EN-
pire should be enforceable without
the approval of the state douma." Re-
Gently he has taken the pith out of that
provision by declaring in new pro-
nunciamento that the right to origi-
nate and enforce laws during the inter
walls Of the parliament is reserved to
the crown. 1t appears that the assem-
bly, is to have no power of impeach-
ment. that the cars ministers will not
be responsible to the peoples repre-
sentatives and the car may dissolve
the chambers at will.
But Nicholas for some purpose Of his
own. no doubt. has left the control of
Russia's purse in the hands of the as
sembly absolutely. In other lands this
power has often worked as q savior of
the peoples liberties. 1t is good as
set to trade upon, for mOnarchs are
always in financial hot water. In the
French revolution the peoples de-
mands were conceded little by little.
because the government was on the
verge of financial shipwreck, and the
key to the treasure chest was in the
hands of the masses. England went
through the same experience. She had
a parliament for 300 years before the
ministers of the king became RESPONSE
bic to the house of commons. And
when the house of commons got control
Of the treasure it eXtOrted one priv
ilege after another from the crown uu-
til it became. as now, all but Omnipo
tent. At this moment the cars gov
eminent is hard put for money. Hun
dreds of millions will be needed to
stave off national bankruptcy, and the
money lenders of France, who have
financed Russia in the past, refuse to
do SO longer unless their former loans
and all new ones are ratified by a ma
tional assembly. These shrewd men
see that it is only question of time
when the people will rule in Russia
and are taking no chances on wholesale
reputation. This then is the entering
wedge to complete political power for
Russian liberalism-the ability to cut
off the cars supplies. With a firm
grip on the national purse the peoples
representatives can reduce the auto
crat to the status of mere figurehead,
like the king of England.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

One of the spelling reformers IL re-
norted to have said: 1.-The first aim will
no to create such chaos that everybody
will spell to suit himself. After that
,o;n+ has been reached reform will be
IN easy task Every one will be at
sea and will gladly accept a simplifed
and improved system" Phonetic spell
,ro ia supposed to represent the pro-
annexation of the language. but 1t Is
we'll known that our language Is not
everywhere pronounced the same way.
and there is no likelihood that it ever
will he. Artemus Ward and Josh Bill
lings had different ways of getting the
varnacular down to its simplest ele-
ments. The work Of stenographers Is
seldom alike, for each shorthand writ
or adopts an individual system Of the
stems. curves, dots, hooks. loops and
+ho,r combinations. Chaos Is found
when shorthand writer's attempt to-
read strange notes, and the same is,
almost certain to occur whenever the
masses set out to initiate the spelling,
freaks.
Our English language Is complicated
IN its spelling and pronunciation be-
,euse It is made up of fragments taken
from other tongues. The speech Of all
ages from the Greek down to the pres
ent has been drawn upon to build up
the English. and the fragments have
been retained in a form to Indicate
their origin. These forms are fixed in
the public mind, and it will be next to
impossible to eradicate them even Oh
the ground of practical simplicity. We
are too much hurried to stop and think
how to spell. and, as matter OF fact,
phonetic spelling to amount to any
thing in the way of securing uniform
ity with simplicity would be as arbi-
trarv as our present method. If learn
ing were confined to the few, as was
the case in all civilized lands century
or SO ago, and that few represented the
least strenuous elements of their COM
munities, a new form Of spelling might
get on as a fad" If launched in the right
way to appeal to human vanity. But
with us education is we'll nigh univer-
sal among the common people. 1t may
be taken for granted that the old folks
are too much "sot in their ways to 60
to school again and take up "newfan-
gled notions" To make a spelling re-
form really effective millions of young
sters would have to be drilled day aft
er day and year after year. as their
forbears were in the heyday Of Web
ster's "Speller," when the spelling ex-
ercises had a large place in the work
Of a school day. If the leaders In edu-
cation can inaugurate hot footed cam
paign. side tracking meanwhile some
other studies. radical changes can be
made. and when the reform is carried
to a finish people will wonder that it
was not done before.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16
Peace With the Sword.

Mexico has deemed it necessary 70
come out with an official report IN de-
NAL Of the stories published In the
newspapers about outrages alleged 10
have been committed upon the Yaqui
Indians by Mexican authorities ana al
legged acts Of retaliation on the part OF
the Indians. The report is very formi-
dable, but rests for evidence upon the
statements of managers of commercial
enterprises in the districts where the
Yaquis are supposed to hold forth In
the usual manner for savages. THESE
gentlemen deny that the Mexican au-
thorities Cypress the Indians ans also
deny the reputed slaughter some
months ago of 100 whites by the In
dams. Specifically it is declared that
only one murder was committed by the
Yauuis in the nine months preceding
the report. and the victim in this case
lost his life by his own folly In travel
ing through the Yaqui country without
a military escort.
There surely must be something do
ing in Sonora not good for the health
of civilized man when the government
in power finds it necessary to keep
troops in the region and to furnish
armed guards for every traveller across
the country. Not long ago the Mexican
authorities forcibly deported a large
body Of YaQuis to the southern In
terror. The crime of these Indians Is
like that of the Beers in South Africa.
They want to live their own lives and
not be pushed to the wall by outsiders
who come into their territory to exploit
the mines and get away with the
wealth. They fight when meddled with,
and the continued menace Of armed
troops stalking about is not the best
sort of a pacifier of hot Indian blood.
determination is the doom Of the va
quis, for it has long since been demon
strated that in 1.-THE eternal war be-
tween the white man and the Indian"
the child Of the forest has no show.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

General Won Mack, the Russian rep
resentative of the Red Cross, who has
returned to Moscow from Japan. says
the japanese are actively engaged in
war preparations and that evidently
the Philippines is their objective. Gen.
that congress is proposing to give
Japan the Philippines and that the
Japs are arming to prevent it.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

The first census of the British en-
pire, just completed, Classics King
Edwards 4OO,OOO,OOO and odd subjects
by religions. as Hindoos, Mohammed-
ans, Christians, Buddhists, and so on.
It is noticeable, however, that the ma
tive Britishers are not classified &C.
cording to their innumerable faiths in
the census. for the reason apparently
that they hold it inconvenient to have
their particular religious belief spread
on the record for "daws to peck at"
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

The late Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney wrote
books that appealed to girls, but books
the boys read. too, for the incest kind
of girls figured in them, and healthy
minded boys want to read books with
wholesome, merry. well behaved hero
ines. Mrs. Whitney's girls were not
little prigs, neither bachelor maids"
but sensible youngsters and At models
for anybody's sisters and cousins.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

A we'll meaning philanthropist offers
to teach women's clubs parliamentary
usage in order to do away with con-
tentions and expedite business. But It
happens that rows and delays in DELHI
erative gatherings usually come from
too much parliamentary knowledge.
Then to think of the fun which would
be lost in having the affair move like
clockwork. a.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

Dowie has a very good library, 1nclud-
ing a bookcase of erotica containing
zone little volume of iniQuity LOT
which he paid $500. Mr.. Voliva says
that DIR. Dowie admitted that tnere
is enough in that book to send man
to hell" If this story is true, 1t shows
better than anything else along what
line the prophets madness runs.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

Over 100000 patriotic persons,
chiefly school children, clipped in that
$4,000 which has preserved the house.
where Betsy Ross wrought the very
first American flag. The agitation for
safeguarding this relic has been going
on Tor many years, and the quaint lit
tie building in the wholesale district
OF Philadelphia became in consequence
shrine to attract pilgrims from all
over the country.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

Esthetic New Workers are disturbed
because a large gas holder now looms
large a little way from Grants tomb.
The vicinity is also threatened by
-'sky- scrapers." A park comprising
several city blocks is proposed as a
remedy. The architecture of a gas
does not go we'll with the tomb.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

uses slang phrases in his preaching.
the Rev. William Sunday rejoins. Go
/ know my business" Willie evidently
had a lapse of memory and imagined
he was bursting in from shortstop to
have a heart-to-heart talk with the
umpire over a close decision.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

Steve E,lkins is of the opinion that
rate regulation is the most beautiful
theory and the most diabolical practice
ever suggested Steve fairly dotes up
on it as a subject of discussion. but his
soul (Steve is not a corporation and
has one) revolts from it's application to
the things of every day life. There
are many like Steve.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

Tony Pastor, the old time vaudeville
favorite, Is to return to the stage and
sing few songs to celebrate the forty.
first anniversary of his debut as a
manager. He is possibly moved to
melody also by rejecting on how much
luckier it is in this age Of Oslerism for
a man over seventy to be a variety
singer than a government clerk, for
instance.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

A father Of seven in st. Louis sup-
gests that the public spirited folks of
that ambitious city might do a prac-
teal turn in the way Of booming the
population to a million by warning
upon high rents and the high cost Of
living generally. Here is a hint, too,
for anti-race suicide agitators.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

A tSpaniard announces the 'discov-
erys that the common sunfower yields
a perfect substitute for Quinine. In
Russia fever patients have long been
kept upon beds made of sunflower
leaves. The aborigines of America.
where this plant is at home, some
times ate the seeds of the flower ON
account of their supposed medicinal
properties.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

A Kansas postmaster advertises that
me poStoffice has been removed from
where it was to where it is now. In
asmuch as everybody in town was
present at the moving the advertising
expense was unnecessary.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

Inc German miners Of Westphalia-
showed that "blood is thicker than wa
ter when they sent provisions, money
and appliances over the mountains to-
reheVe the frightful mine horror In
france. And this exhibition of uni
versai kinship took place just when
me rulers of France and Germany
were snariing at each other over the
pitful Morocco business. =
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

Theodore Horstman, of Cincinnati,
trying to defeat Congressman Long
worth for denomination, says: Il can
not recall anything he has done, can
you?" HOrStman ought to look over
the files of some good daily paper.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-16

If Mark Twain succeeds our only
Chauncey as United States senator
from New York he will surely have the
grace to repeat Thomas Jefferson's
epieram on BENJAMIN Franklin when
he succeeded him as American minis
ter to France: 'No one can renlace
him. ] am only his successor"