The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-05-12
From the Oregon lisraid.)
THE LOCKS QUESTION.

lBs
and it becomes apparent the enter
prise will be soon completed, the
Radical papers OF this city, followed
by their echoes throughout the State,
have renewed their attacks upon the
Democratic State administration for
venturing to favor such q public
work.
Having been vanquisiied ON the
question Of the right Of the Legisla-
ture to make the appropriation for
these works, they turned their bat
teries upon that body and upon tho
Governor, charging the former with
having passed n measure, and the
latter with having approved it, grant
ing the Willamette Falls Canal and
Lock Co. the sum of $500 900 TO con-
struct canal and locks around the
Willamette Falls, while another COM
pany, equally responsible, proffered
to do the same work for the sum OF
| $125 600, thereby saving to the State
the sum OF SIS, 900. II this charge
were true, it would be damaging
one. II the Legislature voluntarial-
ly threw away s75, 200 of the public
moneys in the proposed construction
OF locks at Oregon City, a public
wrong was committed.
But, having examined with care
this whole subject, we find that this
charge, SO often repeated By the
Radical press, is not only without
foundation in truth, but is wholly
false.
That tho Willamette Falls Canal
and Lock Co. was allowed tho sum
of 5000 900 for the construction Of
these locks is true. That the Peo-
ple's Transportation Co. proposed to
construct locks or ,rorks, for s125.-
600, is also true. But ,rliat Lind IF
locks or 1rorLsP
The company who have undertaken
the work is required by law TO con-
struct said locks "chiefy of stone,
cement and iron, in durable and
permanent manner"
In the bill introduced into the leg
islaturc containing the proposition of
the z. r. Go. on the same subject, it
is stipulated rs follows: 1T shall be
the duty of said corporation 10 con-
struct q canal, locks, or ,rorks, on the
east side Of the river ut Oregon City,
either ,cih inclined planes or ofter,oise
al The discretion Of such coyporation;"
''and TO be constructed of stone, ce-
ment, iron and rood" These words
We take from nn authentic copy Of
the bill, and we find this description
of the works adhered to throughout
its sections. But lest the corporation
asking its passage might be held
bound to construct the locks of the
| usual character, a section of the ILL
was inserted for the solo purpose OF
protecting the company against such
a construction, which reads as fol-
lows: "Sec. 8. The words canal.
locks, or works, in this net. wher-
ever used. shall be held 10 include and
mean troris Of any description, rcltetl,er
inclined planes, or other sufficient struc-
tare, whereby boats OF the description
aforesaid may be passed through, up
and down." BY these quotations
from the record, our readers will be
enabled TO see what the propositions
of the two companies were. The
Canal and Lock Co. proposed, with
the mid OF 5000 900. to construct locks
of permanent character, of stone,
cement and iron, chiefly. The peo-
Plies Transportation Co. proposed.
with the aid of s125 600, to construct
of stone, cement, iron aud ,cood
works Of any description, whether
inclined planes or structure" Com
mon crib-work for locks, and inclin-
ed planes of wood, would answer this
bill. The one was proposal to
construct an enduring transit, equal
ly free to all, for the vast future com.
merce of the Willamette Valley, the
other to build in any manner to meet
temporary expedients to result in pri.
vate advantage, as we will show
What nonsense, then, tits to compare
these two propositions as to relative
cost.
The Peoples Transportation Com.
pany evidently contemplated, under
their proposition, common crib-worl
and inclined planes of wood, a mere
extension of the works they already
have now at the falls, which would
not have cost near the sum they ask
cd for; while for the purposes of per
manent use to the people of the State
the works would haye been compare
J lively valueless.
There is another vital reason WHY
the Legislature should not, and die
not, pass this bill. It provided fol
the payment of the S125 900 out O
the improvement fund during th,
course of the work, "and in the even
there should be insufficient money il
any of the funds aforesaid to NEE
any such amount where the same i
due, then ,cayrants shall be issued fo
/ such amount by the Secretary Of Stat
} in .fdror Of said corporation, whicl
warrants shall be drawn on the Stat,
Treasury, and shall bearinterest from
. date of presentation to the Stat
| Teasurer, at the rate of ten per cent
5 per annum in gold coin." And tn
. faith of the State is directly pledge,
: for the payment of the full sum al
| lowed.
This provisions would create di
rect liability of the State, and an in
!, terest bearing debt against the Treas
9 ury, exceeding the constitutional lin
I it of fifty thousand dollars. There
: fore the act, if passed. would mos
probably have been vetoed by tn
g Governor for this reason; if not
would have been set aside by th
!, Courts as unconstitutional. Thus th
+ entire enterprise would have failed {
r termination in no wise to the di!
!; advantage of the Transportatio
~ .a1.