The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-08-10
EDITORIAL ooRRrsPoNpENOB.

DEAR READERS OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
Did you ever commit the unpardona-
BILE folly of cutting your work short for
one week, consoling yourself with a
promise to do better next time? And
didn't you know, if you'd stop to think
when you promised, that when the
"next time" came, you'd be no better
prepared to do your duty than before?
Well, whether this query fits you or
not, it is certainly appropriate to US.
And, if we indite an editorial letter
worth reading on this occasion, with
brain as bare of ideas as the atmosphere
is void of life, you'll please admit that
we've accomplished more than did the
Israelites who couldn't make bricks
without straw.
Astoria had her "back up" The Sen
atorial commission had been invited by
the Mayor, aud other gentlemanly dig
nitaries, to become the guests of the
ambitious city of salmon. The COM
mission consented, and Astoria opened
her purse and came down handsomely
for expenses. Everybody was on the
qui UiUe, but somehow the arrangements
Jagged, whereupon Collector Hare, one
of the most enterprising and courteous
Federal officers of the Mitchell admins
tFation, telegraphed to Senator Morton
| for Information as to time of arrival,
manner of coming, and-so-fourth, to
which VIM. Reed, of the Portland Board
of Trade, responded in few days, by a
letter that came on the same boat with
the commission, saying the party would
take meals on the steamer and proceed
at once to other places.
Then it was that the city got its "back
up" 1t closed its canneries, called
away its wharf men and wharf rats, sat
itself sullenly down upon its dignity,
sent its Mayor on an excursion to
ShOalwater Bay, incensed the Senators,
who couldn't imagine what it was all
about, and humiliated the Board OF
Trade, who perfectly understood that
their little game of monopolizing the
peoples big men was about played out,
While Astoria was toothless weanling
her bigger sister Portland could snub oil
patronize her with impunity; but since
the urchin has her eye teeth cut, she's
waxing fat on fish, and can afford to be
SASSY"
Explanations, apologies, and-so-forth
were in order. Then Senator Mortor
went to Clatsop and Senator Mcmillan
to the Occident to bed. The next day
the latter gentlemnn took his departure
for home, and after a few intervening
days the former returned from the sea
side in triumph, without the Portland
Board of Trade, and with the officials o
l Astoria, municipal and Federal, whit
had gone to meet him at the Skipanon
> with hospitality and music and banners
Z Then all Astoria grew gracious. Th
!, canneries were thrown open for Senate
rial inspection, the best Of dinners wer
> provided for Senatorial appetites, an,
e the best of individual appetites wer
f whetted for Senatorial speeches.
= The next day the revenue cutter "Shu
brick" took the Senatorial party outsid
+ the bar, and your correspondent, bein
J., tired of the mud and rain that rendere
n the further prosecution of her busines
: exceedingly uncomfortable, returned t
a Portland to recuperate, said recuperatio
n being nothing more nor less than doin
1t double duty "all along the line"
: The rain is over now, and the shin
e mering heat comes down upon the sum
o mer-coated earth and fills the air wit
drowsiness, the streets with dust, an
the kitchens with house flies.
There! We haven't another word
say. In the morning we start again t
e Astoria, to try to gather up the ravele
: threads of business, and meet, as be-
1t we may, the heavy demands upon purs
1 and brain required to keep afloat tn
It Peoples Paper. A. J. D.
Portland, July 6, 1877.