The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1875-03-19
FROM OLD MISSOURI.
An Old Oregonian in his Boyhood Home
He makes many Practical Suggestions
and Flnttering Comparisons.
SALINE CoTUNTY, Mo.
February 28, 1876.

DEMOCRAT of the 18th inst, and the
inclination is strong within me to
write you few lines for publication.
In fact I never read your paper with
out an inclination of the sort, and as
I do not know Of anything to prevent
my writing, shall in this instance
give loose reins to my imaginations.
Do not infer from the foregoing SEN
tence, that I shall deal in fiction,
nothing is farther from my thoughts,
and I assure you in the outset that
your readers shall have facts, not
fancies, in this or any other commu-
nication may write you.
Perhaps this letter would be Of
more interest to the many readers of
the DEMOCRAT if I should give news
general and local, political, sensation
al and otherwise, from the estates, "
but I have something else on my
mind, and the discussion of such
topics must be deferred to another
communication, if indeed, the spirit
again seizes me, and you and your
readers happen to be the unfortunate
sufferers.
In glancing over several of your
papers Il got whole batch in one
PACKAGE notice several things l
would like to touch upon in this
In the first place I observe there is
pressure brought to bear there, just
at this time, to make very serious
innovation upon the criminal laws
Of the State. It is the old question
of capital punishment, and I have
not the slightest intention of infict-
ing an argument upon you and read
ers on either side of it. Feeling an
interest in everything that concerns
Oregon, I merely wish to put in a
caveat in order to rest easy in my
own conscience, if Oregon should
ever become my future home. 1
say to the rejecting minds of your
State, beware how you break down
or remove barriers to crimes, of such
n nature as are punished by death
penalty. There is only one argument
against capital punishment that has
the least weight with me, and that is,
the possibility Of destroying the life
of an innocent person. But the bare
possibility Of this, is as nothing,
compared with the increase of muir
der and blood-shed throughout the
land should capital punishment be
entirely abrogated. This we know
will be the case from data well au-
thenticated and incontrovertible.--
But / was not to make an argument.
1 will only say, further, on this sub
iect, that our State has changed the
statute in this particular, so that the
jury may bring in verdict either of
death, or imprisonment for life. l
think this law bad on many accounts
but it is much better than entirely
abolishing capital punishment. l
hope your statute will continue to
stand as it does to-day. There is
nothing merciful in sickly sentiment
ality.
One other thing I notice IN your
paper, and that is, strong disposi-
ton to reach after impossibilities,
while their is no effort to secure pos
sibilities within your grasp. An ex-
ample Of this, is the spasmodical ef-
fort made periodically to secure a
rail route east to the Atlantic sea
board. This, of course, on many
accounts is very much to be desired,
but it looks to me at present to be
entirely impracticable And there
are other things in the same direc'
ton as desirable, and wholly prac-
ticable, Now, it is true the great
want of Oregon is IL market, and il
will never be q thrifty State until Y
has one either at home, or abroad
/ consider the home market prefer
able. But leaving that out of thu
question just now, how can you bes
secure o foreign MARKET Transpor
tation facilities you say, Correct
and now the question arises as to thu
best means of transportation Tha
has been settled long ago-watel
transportion where practicable, is by
far the cheapest, and lest liable t
abuse by monopoly, True, you have
had some experience to the contrary
in Oregon, but that was not, and is
not, a fair test. Your river, Il speal
of the Willamette), is not q goot
boating stream, and has never beer
improved even to the extent of which
it is capable, However, l dare say
that that stream, insignificant as i
may appear, has saved the producer
of the Willamette valley from mucl
extortion which they would hav,
otherwise suffered. But, it is not t.
the rivers of Oregon I am looking
now, for the relief you seek from
your present imprisoned condition
1t strikes me that the most feasibl,