Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-04-08
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY MORNING, APRIL, 5, 1871
Portland VS.. Puget Sound.
at our risk,

The Portland Bulletin, in its zeal for
for the advancement of Portland-which
is highly acknowledgement
our position towards Portland, which we
alluded to by way of comparison, not with
any hostile intent or jealous feeling. He
says by our article "Portland is belttled
into small, up-river, iuconsiderable in
terror town." And further he says: "Mr.
Brown has lived in Portland, and he has
written soundly aud ably in past days Of
the many advantages and great future of
the city. He has hitherto peuncd too many
truthful and hatteriug notices of Portland,
considered as the metropolis of the North.
vest Pacific coast, and viewed as the un.
rivallcd city north of San Francisco, to
write her down at this day; and to over.
throw and completely demolish his own
utterances Of the present we have but to
combat them with the wiser and better ar
ticles he published year or two ago. His
purpose is, We think, apparent. He is on
the Sound, aud is identified with the in.
terests Of that section. He wants to bring
to the foreground the advantages aud the
resources Of the Sound country, especially
with reference to its position aud future as
q railway terminus for the Northern Pacific
road. So far as presenting the very best
which can be stated of that whole region,
in as strong light as he possibly can pre-.
sent it, nobody can object. But to cry up
Puget Sound, why run down Portland
What good purpose will such course sub.
serye!"
For devoting our hest abilities to the
public interests of the town in which we
resided is not matter for censurc or apol-
ogy. We certainly did do all that we
could rs journalist to develope and main.
tain the advantages which Portland then
possessed as a commercial center, when
there was no other communication between
the ocean and the interior than by the
river, and Portland was at the head Of
navigation for ocean steamers, aud conse.
quently the place Of transhipment for the
commerce Of all the country tributary to
the Columbia and Willamette rivers but
Ne were never guilty Of the folly of belicv.
ing, or attempting to induce others to be-
licve, that Portland could maintain its
commercial supremacy against a sea. port
town with railway connections with the
interior and with the Atlantic States. We
certainly never dreamed of belittling Port.
land for the purpose Of magnifying the
Sound; but simply belittled the ridiculous
assumption constantly proclaimed BY the
newspaper press and advertising circulars
Of Portland, that no other place stands any
chance for becoming commercial center.
Were all the railroads to terminate at Port
land without approaching any nearer to
the ocean front, there might be some ground
for such assumption; but with railroads
connecting with an unexceptionable ocean
harbor, it is simple folly to suppose that
the centre Of commerce will be established
4 hundred miles in the interior, approach.
able only by steam vessels, and not at all
times by them. So far from feeling any
jealousy or recognizing any rivalry with
Portland, We rejoice in its growth and
prosperity as all tending to the growth
and prosperity Of tho great commercial
centre upon the sea board to which it must
eventually become tributary. This newt.
able Law Of commerce cannot be diverted
BY the perpetual din raised by the glori6.
cation Of Portland, because of it's present
sppassnt prosperity caused BY the energy
and enterprise Of one man against the op.
position Of large share of its citizens who
are nov enjoying its fruits Does any
reasonable man believe that Portland would
hare doubled and trebled it's real estate
values in two years but for the enterprise
and determination Of Ben. Holiday? It
vas not its commercial position, nor the